“I’ll have to get a trump of that place sometime. It has a nice hole in the wall bar I liked. Oh, I’ve never been in a car. That sounds like fun. I did get a little too close for comfort to a crevasse on the way back to you.”

Liya tended to the rabbits and smiled at the compliment. “Thank you. I like cooking, so this is a nice treat for me.”

"You can always ask Violet to make you one, if you like the place enough. I think you would like cars and you can drive them no problem, it's just trying to travel the worlds while driving one fast that can end ones life real quick and I would rather that not happen to you. We lost a Talon or two over time. Your a Talon of the Hydra by the way, kind of like a knight errant because your young and travel."

He looks at the cooking rabbits, "I have a lot of skills, cooking is not really one of them. I can get by but always nice when someone good at it is around, so it is appreciated."

She looked at Bastion, “I think I might ask her to teach me to make them.  It might be a good idea to have another Trump artist around, especially one that is able to travel more freely. Not saying Violet can’t travel, but she does have her own responsibilities.”  She shrugged and finished cooking the campfire meal for them.

“Maybe sometime I can cook a dinner for everyone. What is your favorite meal?”

"That would be a trick in and of itself, she is kind of private about her special art. Still, I agree a traveling artist would be beneficial. Violet does travel though she is so much better at managing things and being a Queen, and hell Candelu a Priest King for that matter. They seem to like being inside a web of influences and have armies, and servants and all that. It's not that Howard and I don't it's just you gravitate to what your good at, and those to are really good at keeping the Empire alive and vibrant. Heck, if your good at art and Violet teaches you, that is definitely an area you could accel at. What do you think Liya, you think you are suited to explore and travel or to rule and manage affairs of state ?"

Liya shook her head. “Oh, no. I prefer to be behind the scenes than the center of attention. Violet is much better suited for that than I am. I’ll stick to traveling for now.”

"Behind the scenes, really ? I figured you for the flashy type. Must be the hair." He smiles.

"It's not bad being a traveler, you get to see so much. There is enough beauty out here to bring tears to your eyes. Unless you travel with Howard then you will see horrors." He looks like he is remembering horrors and shakes his head.

"Anyway, let's hope the road doesn't lead to horrors. You never know but I will keep you safe, and you have the ring too."

Liya laughed, “ It does make it a little hard to be inconspicuous sometimes. I think I might change it up, maybe cut it.”

“I never liked the idea of being stuck in the same place my whole life. Not when there’s so much out there to explore. And now that I can walk the Hydras Path,” she smiled looking at Bastion, “I can find my heart’s desire anywhere. Even if I have to go through horrors to find the beauty.”

She tilted her head and smirked, “Do I look defenseless to you too? I appreciate that you have my back so do t get me wrong please. But, Violet was surprised I asked for a sword and dagger to take out with me. She gave me a fencing foil then offered a pistol.” Liya laughed warmly.

"Nope not defenseless, I just like making heroic statements. I don't get to do it that often. I saw how you dealt with those dog things. It was impressive, you didn't lock up at all."

He took a canteen from his belt and passed it to her.

Liya chuckled and took a drink from the canteen. “So, you’re like the charming black knight then?” She passed the canteen back.

She motioned to the food, “Eat as much as you want. Whatever is left over I’ll smoke overnight while we sleep.”

Liya can taste the alcohol in the flask.

"Black knight, eh I'll accept it. Especially that charming bit."

He nods to her, "Thanks." He takes some and eats a hearty portion.
"So what was this first world like that you went too ?"
He kicks back relaxing a bit.

Liya took a hearty portion for herself and took a couple bites before answering. “Mm, this came out better than I expected.  Other than what we’ve passed through and the hot springs, it’s the only world I’ve been to so far. It was a Steampunk world with limited technology powered by steam and alchemy too. Hadn’t gotten the chance to really explore it though, so I’ll be heading back there again sometime. It has a nice bar there for drinks and games.”

"Steampunk is cool. I have been to a few places like that. They have zeplins there ? Those are fun to ride in, slow and relaxing."

"Alchemy ? You interested in alchemy."

“I didn’t see any while I was there, but I’ll check them out next time.”

She nodded. “Alchemy as well as magic. I’m interested in learning about whatever I can really.”

"Well there are different kinds of magic, there is local magic. Alchemy is kind of like that. Throughout the many worlds there is tons of local magic. Someplaces you could learn basic magic over a lazy weekend. Other worlds it takes decades of dedication. Local magic can be as simple as making a flower bloom, to as amazing as blowing up a damn city. It comes in so much variety it would be hard to describe it all to you. Druidism, Shamanism, Necromancy, Tantra, Fey Enchantment, Glamoury, so many different things and yet local magic is just that local. Then there is omni magic it's what Howard and I practice. Candelu too though he has added a lot of religious trappings to his magic. Omni magic is slow but tends to be reliable wherever magic works and you don't have to learn a new way to use magic on each world with it."

"Howard discovered Omni magic, his far wanderings and searching after secrets gained it for him. He taught Candelu. I would have probably learned it from him too if I didn't stumble onto it through the school of hard knocks and stubbornness. I kept practicing local magic and looking for all the common denominators. By the time I had a working hypothesis and was excited to come back to the others, Howard had beaten me to the punch." Bastion smiles.

"I suppose for the best, I probably wouldn't have taught Candelu but would have taught Howard or Violet."

He looks over at her, "When we are done here I have something to show you that will make you laugh or make you worried. I am not sure which but from what I know of you so far, probably you will laugh."

Liya stoked the fire a little bit, sending tiny sparks into the air like fireflies.  She was relaxed and  enjoying herself by a campfire with charming company to join her, and listening to Bastion talk about the different types of magic he came across in his travels.

She perked up with interest and smiled, “in that case, I’m ready when you are.  You’ve got me curious now.”

"Oh it will require travel, so after all this. I can start teaching you a little bit about magic if you want ?" He glanced over.

Liya chuckled “Alright, sounds good. How far do we need to travel?”

“I’d really love that. Thank you Bastion.”

"For the other thing, well once we get back to Violet's Volcania, about two weeks travel or hmm might be able to. Yes I think we should be able to teleport there after we are done with this black road business. As long as it doesn't keep us tied up long."

He then starts talking magic in the most simple of terms. "You know those little gestures and acts that you do to define a destination for your own teleports with the ring ? Those are kind of the ending definitions left off of a spell. Something we call lynchpin's or for one familiar with guns, triggers. Your not really doing the lynchpin work, but what you are doing is defining the trigger when the spell is cast. What direction, the duration, a location. A spell can be put together really lose and open with not that much definition or with a lot of definitions for people who like very finicky and precise spells. You can do a spell all at once and not keep it held at all usually that is how ritual magic works. You just know your definitions ahead of time and bam do it all out the long way. Howard loves ritual magic. I am kind of in the middle, I like ritual magic well enough but always like to have some spells ready to throw around in case I need to. Like your ring I have a lightning bolt spell ready to put into it to rearm it. Spells like that attack spells are better left with definitions left off to use when you need them. You know for odd dog attacks, angry salesmen etc."

Liya sat quietly and listened intently to Bastion as he explained magic to her.  She chuckled when he was finished and smiled.  “That lightning bolt was pretty handy.”

"It's one of my favorite, holding the power of lightning in your hand is pretty good for the ego." He smiles.

"I will take first watch if you want, you can get some shut eye, or you can take first watch. Upto you."

“It does boost the ego,” she laughed. “I wouldn’t mind learning a fireball spell too though.”

Liya stretched as she stood to take care of the dinner mess. “I’ll take second watch if you really don’t mind.” She went to the wagon and pulled out a couple bed rolls for them and her sketch pad from the wagon’s driver’s seat.

Bastion nods, "Alright then, sleep well. I will wake you for your watch when it comes." He set up in the cart to have a better range of view of the land above the wheat as he took the first watch. Going into a kind of focused vigilance.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:54, Tue 28 Feb 2023.

“Good night Bastion. See you in a few hours.”

She took her bed roll and set up by the fire for warmth and light, and opened to a blank page in her book and started drawing to help relax her brain before sleep took her.

Six or so hours after she falls asleep Bastion stirs her gently.

There is a strange smell in the air. Burning something.

Liya groaned as she began waking and sniffled at the smell. She opened her eyes and looked around, “What’s burning?”