User:GW-Jack

Then...
I wasn't born a hero. I lived in a small fishing village near the mountains before the...the Charr. The river wasn't much, only ankle deep, but it was enough to float a boat in. That's all I cared about. I could float in that little stream for days.

Aiden disappeared for weeks. It wasn't like he was much more conversation in the first place...but when he left, the local beasts started getting restless. The air started to change, the trees seemed more suspicious. When Aiden returned, he said the king had summoned all those young and willing to fight the Charr Invasion. Aiden had mentioned that he was too tired to fight anymore, he was so sure the wall would hold. Another generation would fight the war.

I found Ascalon City and hated it. The locals were...very happy. No one seemed to care that there was a war raging on the other side of their precious wall. There was music and dancing and even the heroes ignored the impending threat.

I spoke to Sir Tydus and then to Artemis, then to Jamel. They all had good advice, but none seemed to know what was going to happen. I found my bear in Regent Valley, not to mention a hefty supply of ale. I named him Rakshas, which means harm or injury, a fitting name for a bear, I thought. Gwen and Rakshas,got along very well. I thought she would have made a good elementalist later on in her life, but I never got to find out.

I went north of the wall that day. The whole area was infested with Charr. I managed to survive on my own, with the help of Rakshas. Then I saw it. The alter of summoning, or whatever those bastards called it. I felt the heat of the fire, but no one believed me. They all thought I was a stupid kid who came a little too close to dying. So I went with Rurik, I went through the cave that protected me from the Searing.

I guess I could be called lucky, but that's not what I think. I wouldn't have minded dying in the small stream where I grew up. For me, that would have been lucky.

Now...
I fought my way out of Ascalon after 3 long years. Rurik and I came into Shiverpeaks very shortly after taking back Rin. He didn't make it through the mountains, and I'd love to say it was because his heart wasn't in it. But Rurik gave everything he had for us to make it through, and we didn't disappoint him.

We made it to Lion's Arch, and that was no small feat. We got caught up in the local disputes, but it's all politics. For me, an enemy is someone trying to swing a sword in my direction. The jungle felt a bit like home, unlike Kryta, which felt scarily fake. Like a big giant evil was hiding around every corner.

If I ever get a chance, I want to go back to the jungle, the rocks, the beauty. Save for the large pest problem, I felt like home. I even found a small little lake like back before the Searing.

But I plowed forward, the desert was the most hostile enviroment I have ever encountered. Everything was a test. And then we found gods. Not just any gods, but the ones our friends back in Kryta believed in. Not only this, but we found the closest things to fallen angels you are likely to find...creepy slugs. Ghosts ran rampant around here, but not like I minded...it was just politics between the living and the dead.

I've settled into the Southern Shiverpeaks, more specifically Witman's Folly and Port Sledge. I occasionally visit my Ascaloneon friends back in Kryta and I even make a point to participate in a few friendly fight between them, but my heart was frozen when my home erupted in fire...and if I keep moving forward, especially towards the flames that overtook the Kingdom of Orr. Perhaps someday I can find myself in a boat, floating downstream...if I could only be so lucky.

Titles

 * Tyrian Explorer, 60% of Tyria explored.