A New Past

Jeff is paniced. How did he get here? What should he do? How would he get home? But then he notices the elder still staring at him and responds, "You hinted at it yesterday. You wouldn't send one of your villages warriors on a quest without direction...." He smiles at Manias, "Right?" Manias laughs at this, "You don't have to be a smartass about it, though I didn't expect you to put two and two together. That's comforting."

Jeff moves off the bed and stands, feeling akward from the weight difference and the feeling of fragility. He was human once again. He walks over and takes the orb, "Thank you, Manias. This will make the quest far easier." Manias is still smiling but the honesty of it is slipping, "It is yours now, Jeff. How you use it is up to you."

Jeff nods and turns towards the foot of his bed. His armor and weapons waited in a chest there. He opens the chest to see a familiar iron suit, notched and battered from weapon impacts and the symbol of a crossed sword and torch on the left shoulder. He looks up at Manias, worry on his face, "Are you sure about this, Manias. If I go on this quest, won't the village be horribly undefended?"

He nods, "It will. Despite Chester Jota, myself, and Kim Madeson standing watch, we will be open to attack by the monsters of this land." Jeff is still staring at him, "I can go alone, elder. If me going on this quest means taking away the village defence, I cannot bring others."

He looks back down at the open chest and grabs his armor pieces. He starts to don the suit; boots, greaves, chestplate, helm. It felt familier and comfortable despite it's weight. Manias remained where he stood, his smile now a line, "I do agree with you, Jeff. But I will not let you go alone. This is a very dangerous endeavor your going on and I can't conscious-" Jeff cuts in, "I will be fine, elder. As uncertain as I am of this quest, I don't want you ordering others to abandon the village. Please, elder.....promise me you won't do that."

Manias closes his red eyes and sighs, his braided, brown beard waving in relief, "Alright...I wont make it an official village order to aid you. I will not, however, disuade anyone from coming with you." Jeff laughs, "Ah, elder. Always finding a creative way to have you way while maintaining the ways of others." Manias laughs in return, "It's why I'm elder after all. Everyone wins but overall, I get my way. Works out just fine."