Like Putting on an old Suit

[Nora Thawne]

Hearing her reasons Nora looked down, finally breaking her gae from Inari's. The fact that she'd said how she was interested in teaching Nora about the force was...suprising. She really didn't know what to think or say, just to consider her answer. Even when Inari asked Nora didn't give an answer right away, only thinking on what she could do.

She almost spoke aloud before stopping herself and saying I...don't know. I ran away from here because I was afraid of not having my own life. But now... Everyone who I loved is gone and I'm back where I started. I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore...

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

This Crusade is not built upon taking away the lives of its people, Nora. It is built upon the foundation of purpose and the ability to give it to everyone who so wishes for it.

The voice remained gentle despite the growing sense of conviction.

We all have something we fight for, but it is not always the tangible things. You come from an honored family that was happy to fight for the freedoms and lives of their brethren and for those who have been suffering under the heel of the Vong.

...what is it that you fight for? What is it you believe in?

 

[Nora Thawne]

Her words had cut deep into Nora. She realized how selfish she'd sounded and how so uneasy it all was to her. And in truth it was. So much had happened and so much was going to happen if she went down this path. But then what else was there for her? Going back to where she was? Dancing and showing herself off for money while some of it was stolen by a greedy Bothan who claimed she was "his territory"?

I haven't belived in anything for a long time... She began to think. Finally looking up to Inari she spoke aloud and finished with "But I guess believing in something is better than nothing."

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

The masked Aesir stared, unblinking, as the young woman came to her own revelation of truths and folly. There was little in the thought process of a false-God about belief other than the knowledge that believe in and of itself stood the test of time and might. Within the galaxy, amongst all the grand divisions and cults, belief was the one thing that bound them all.

A belief in something.

It was the greatest power and weapon known when used properly.

We will start, then, with the most basic of beliefs: the belief in oneself.

Go to the Hall of Neth the Keeper. You will find hidden within the labyrinth of his library a small locked chest. I will meet you there.

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

Upon hearing that order Nora nodded and rose to her feet, giving one final bow to Inari before walking out. She glanced back once, just to see if Inari was still watching her or not, before finally exiting the Temple. Upon leaving Nora needed a moment to realize what she's said and done while in the Temple. It had almost felt too bizzare to be real, like walking out of a dream. Maybe that was the effect of the Temple, or Inari herself. Still, with that said, she could already tell there was a great power among these "gods" the Moross followed throughout the galaxy.

Turning away from the Temple now Nora asked for directions to the Librabry of Neth the Keeper, nevr having actually been there herself. It had taken an hour to ake her way over after finally having the right directions given, most being those that indicated other areas she was not familiar with, before finally finding it. Once she enetered Nora took note of now the mix of both data based information was mized with actual written texts within this grand librabry.

Not wanting to waste time Nora began her search through the library for the chest Inari spoke of. Often there were time when she'd pass others and was willing to ask if they knew of such a chest, but figured that it was something only Inari knew of or wanted her to find on her own as part of some sort of test. With that in mind Nora kept searching high and low throughout the grand librabry, her search taking nealry an hour.

Finally, when she'd felt as though she was getting nowhere Nora found a chest sitting at the end of one small hallway where she could see it was at the base of a window looking out towards the Temple of Inari in the distance. It almost seemed too perfect a coincodence to be one. When she reached it she was ready to open, but seemed reluctant as she knew it might be best to wait for Inari's arrival.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

((Just for your general knowledge, the main Temple of the Gods houses the hall of each Aesir within it. So you're still in the same building. Everything is very centralized for ease of worship - it's a very large temple.)

Nora stood in silence for a long while before the prickling sensation of being watched might've alerted her to another's presence. Should she look around she would find no one nearby, though the feeling did not abate. It grew more intense as the moments passed.

Well done.

The voice returned and with it, this time, a faintly glowing sphere hovering off to the side of the chest. The light exuded the same warmth and calm felt within the Hall of the Reviver, bobbing mid-air slowly. A curious sense of electric energy could be felt from it as well, as though it could not quite contain all the power that created it. Flecks and glimmers of light shed from it like feathers every so often, dissipating into the air.

What do you think is kept within the chest, Nora?

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

The sensation of being watched made Nora turn, only to see nothing. However when she looked back she jumped a litte at the sight of the orb that now floated there. Looking at it she could feel the energy coming from it, almost vibrating from it. She wanted to touch it and feel the power on her bare hands but felt it best not to, for fear it might burn or dissapear. Still knowing that this was from Inari had made Nora realized what power she had.

When the question of what was in the chest came up she said aloud "I....I don't know. It could be anything. A weapon. Clothing. Some relic I'm supposed to have. Maybe it's....my family armor. I remeber my mother wearing it, a testiment to the Thawne's devotion to the gods." Looking to the orb she asked "Am I actually supposed to have whatever's inside?"

(Sorry :blush: )

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

An echo of warmth spilled from the orb, light shedding from it with what might be perceived as enthusiasm. Perhaps it was smiling faintly. In truth, there was no right or wrong answer here. What was contained within the chest was not nearly so important as the task of finding and opening the chest. Indeed, these simple tasks were issued out as tests to those to prove ability and worthiness.

Yet not without some form of reward for success.

There are fives golden dials on the face of the chest that control the locking mechanism. They can each be turned to set north, east, south, and west to unlock it. Clear your thoughts and focus your mind on the task at hand. Feel for the proper combination for each. Distractions will lead you astray.

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

Apparently this chest had contained something so important that it had such an elaborate lock mechanism to it. This surprised Nora a little, seeing as how it was part of whatever test Inari had in mind for her, but she only nodded to the sphere before looking down to the locks.

She knelt down and examined them closely, seeing how each had it's pointer in different directions. If it was true that she would need to mediate on it then Nora would oblige. Getting down on her knees and kneeling before it she looked betwen both the locks and the orb before closing her eyes and trying to mediatate.

She'd learned to mediate with her mother in the past, even at the age of five. It was part of her grooming to become a powerful force user but, over time, Nora had become lax with any mediatative training. Now she had to look back on the lessons once taught to her about letting her mind become clear and letting the force be her guide. With deep breaths she tried clearing her thoughts and mind, the only thing she thought of being the locks themselves.

It had taken time, about ten minutes, before Nora felt as though the force had guided her hand to the locks themselves. The first lock she turned south, a sigh escaping her lips while she kept her eyes closed. Her hand moved to the next which she turned west, another sigh. A thrid sigh followed with the thrid lock which went east. The forth was brought to the west again. Finally came the fifth lock which she'd turned north, and upon sighing again she opned her eyes to see if she had been successful.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

The chest clicked, the dials reset, the top released.

What was revealed within was access only to the top chamber compartment of the chest baring a single item: the Book of Moross.

Glowing pale, the orb of light did bob gently at this.

An honest effort will always be rewarded with what is needed the most.

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

Looking inside and seeing the chest, Nora had felt a twinge of revelation in her soul. She'd seen a copy of the Moross book before, the one her parents and family had kept. She never read it herself, only hearing excperts from texts and small phrases taken from some of the pages. But now to have one of her own almost seemed like a gracious gift from Inari.

Taking it out she examined it before holding it close and looking to Inari's orb, asking "What do I do now?"

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

Read. Reflect. Reminisce. All good things for the mind and the soul. Find Priest Larue, he will direct you to your temporary living quarters until a more permanent home is arranged.

The orb glimmered shortly, shedding flecks of light all around.

Visit the gardens tomorrow morning. I will find you there.

And with that, the light dimmed and the warmth faded, leaving [member="Nora Thawne"] to herself and her new possession.

 

[Nora Thawne]

With the orb giving it's last words to Nora before flicking out like a candle light, the young girl stood with the Book of Moross in hand before making her way back to Larue in the Temple. During her walk she reflected on what she experienced, both during her encounter with Inari and even in the librabry with the chest and orb. She could already feel as though her calling was slowly coming together; her parents will working beyond the grave in a sense.

Upon finding Larue Nora told everything she'd went through to him. While they were breif overviews they were still deep in how she described them. How she felt during the time. What went through her mind and so on. After that she'd told him how she was to be directed to a temprory home before finding a more perminant one.

While being lead to her new place she'd asked "Do you think I'll be able to claim my family home again?"

[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

My apologies - I've been exceedingly busy due to the holidays. Please bear with me, as I'll probably be a bit slower to respond to you now until the New Year. Full-time retail job is very unforgiving.

~~~~
"I do not know, Miss Thawne," Larue responded as he lead her down the hall, "it is possible that you may, but it is possible that you may not. If the latter should be true, think of it not as losing something, but as gaining the opportunity to start anew. A rebirth, if you will. For some people that can be the best thing."

The man smiled warmly, "I will have an answer for you tomorrow. In the meantime, why don't you join me and the others for dinner in the great feast hall? It would do well to make some friends, hm? I think Stewardess Visl should be there, perhaps she can entertain us with a new story."

[member="Nora Thawne"]

 

[Nora Thawne]

Given Laure's answer Nora was uneasy about the outcome as ever. It didn't help that she knew her family had a number of things stored in thier home they would likey want her to have; one being a family armor that stood as a symbol to serving the Moross Crusdae itself.

Still, with that said, she was glad to at least have a roof over her head and a free bed and meal to come to. At Larue's offer she nodded and only followed him all the way to the dining hall. The entire time she was quiet, her mind still wrapping around all that happened today. So much had seemed like another life yet here she was, still remembering the morning when she arrvived before everything lead to this.

She began to question if more days in the Moross would be like this.

[member="Amorella Mae"]

(It's fine. I'm away on vacation anyways. I just popped in to make a few quick responses.)

 

[Ereza]

The evening went quickly and Nora was introduced to the Priestess Loxa Visl, a woman named Steward of Moross and Ambassador to the Fringe Confederation. Larue explained what an honor it was to dine with her, as her line of work rarely allowed for much downtime. Visl entertained them through dinner with stories of her travels and of the people within the Fringe. When the time came for her to depart the faces around looked on with a quiet reverence.

Larue said to Nora that the Steward was second only to the Hands of the Gods and had been personally blessed by Inari herself. Perhaps one day you will be as well, hm?

Afterwards she was lead down to what could really only be described as a barracks at the base level of the Temple. It was where all new pilgrims lived until new, permanent homes were arranged. He did not think she would need to be here long, but at least it was comfortable and well-maintained. Pilgrims were not typically there longer than a few weeks.

Everyone had a book of Moross and it was very likely that many of the pilgrims in her section were reading it.

In the morning, after breakfast, the new converts were filed into groups of thirty and escorted off by various Priests, no doubt to learn more about their new lives within the Crusade. Larue intercepted before Nora had any need to decline what was technically mandatory classes.

"The Reviver has requested her presence," he said pleasantly to his fellow Priest before turning to Nora, "she awaits you in the gardens Miss Thawne. When you return I will have an answer for you concerning your home."

[member="Nora Thawne"]