Rise of the Omnimage

Team five quickly made their way away from the lake but plotted a course near another body of water and near a hill. It was approximately 12 kilometers away, which they could do, and they did. They saw a few more of the Florabears as they were named according to Cain who had read a beast compendium before being conscripted. Turns out they are not really known for their intelligence and attack things they don't understand. They killed one that did attack them. They didn't have time to harvest much on it save for the core which was put into Sorin's pack with the other.

They arrived at the base of the hill they were looking for with a lake at its base. In the center of the lake, it looked like water was being pushed up from a spring below, so they had access to water. They pushed up the hill and found a depression surrounded by trees where on top of this depression you had a great vantage point to see anything coming up the hill on all sides while offering concealment.

"I don't trust the teams here anymore." Sorin said as he watched around them for any signs of activity. "We will have to keep a careful watch. Though I don't think that big elf will be trying to pick a fight."

"I don't either. That was a rather smooth take down of that team. We have fought them before, right? I ask because it just seemed too easy." Linx said as he watched Cain put the large rucksack down with their supplies. "I honestly don't remember either. Maybe their instructor didn't care as much as ours it." "Or was as maniacal..." Linx added under his breath causing the other to giggle a bit. "Yeah...Varris might have been effective, but a right royal sadist." Sorin quipped. "What's a sadist? Cain asked. "It means someone who gets pleasure from another's pain." "That would be an apt description of the woman. I feel sorry for whoever she may or may not bond with." Cain added.

Sorin looked at the Dhampir curiosity on his face. "Bond with?" he asked. "Yes. When two or more people join together in in flesh and spirit. I don't know what you call it on your world, but it's symbolized by that ring you think neither of us knows about." Cain said. Sorin froze and looked quickly at Cain who just waved him off. "I'm on your team and wouldn't turn a man in for valuing the symbol of his bond. It is a sign of honor among houses. Though we brand each other when it happens as those are not easily lost or taken. If you come to my world, you should probably wear that if you practice monogamy. Our women value strength and connection and will attempt to win you."

Sorin slumped a bit in relief as Cain continued to pull items out of the ruck.

In the ruck it had two rough spun blankets, water skins that were naturally empty, flint, some thin rope, two forest green waterproof tarps, and 4 vials of a red liquid that Cain said was a minor healing draught.

"Well shit...that means that one elf will be back in the fight as soon as they get their gear." Sorin said in resignation. "You mean...if?" Linx said. "Yeah...If is good." They laughed quietly. "We need to set up a watch shift for the nighttime." Sorin said once more getting to business. "Agreed. We will also need to set up traps. You any good with those mister soldier man?" Linx chirped sarcastically at him. "Actually yes...I will need your dagger; some sticks and I need you to shit in a bucket for me." Sorin came back with a serious tone.

"What?!" Linx looked at him with complete bewilderment. Sorin just laughed and walked to the top of the ridge that helped conceal their camp. "He was kidding right? I'm not shitting in a bucket for him. He has me confused with the wolverine clan." he said to Cain who just shrugged with a smirk.

Sorin spent the next hour walking all around the hill staying out of direct sight lines as much as possible. Dug out holes the size of a smaller foot with small stick size trenches to each cardinal direction of the hole where he stacked sharpened sticks and buried them leaving the points in the hole. On his map he marked the location of each and every one and ignited the bottom of each hole for a few minutes to nearly melting so that his team could sense it if they went walking. He would have to periodically refresh the burning effect so that it stood out to them in their heat senses.

Sorin trudged back up the hill and found the camp had been set up. Cain and Linx had dug into the side of the bank at the bottom and strung up the tarps in a downward angle leading into the scorched trench that led away from the tarps and the top was buried into the embankment itself to keep from letting moisture into the sleeping area. Sorn looked and saw the roots of the trees reinforced the dirt roof over their head and kept it from collapsing on them in the night when they were asleep.

Their packs were stacked in the corner, and they were currently using their aether to flash cook the meet into strips to keep from letting off a cooking smell, lighting up the area with a fire, and making smoke. "Jerky in a moment. Never seen that before." Sorin said. "It's not ideal and takes away from the flavor that comes with spices and smoke, but it's a survival ration. We will need to find some plants sometime this week to make it taste better and balance out our diet." Linx said not stopping his task. "In other news, make sure you follow the map and use any heat sense you guys have. All over this hill are spike traps. I superheated the bottom of the trap so we can sense it, but I have them mapped out just in case it rains, or you can't sense it for other reasons." Sorin explained.

"Who wants first shift?" Cain asked. Sorin looked down for a bit. He was thinking quickly how much he could let them know, without giving his secrets up. He came to the conclusion that he didn't need to give anything up as he could just say he was working on his path and was close to figuring something out. Which was not necessarily a lie but wouldn't explain what he was working on. "If it's alright with you two, I'd like to get last shift. I'd like to spend tonight to work on my path. I am close to figuring something out that I think will help us here and me in the long run." They looked at each other. Then Linx shrugged. "I'm ok with it and will take first shift." "Same for me, besides any strength you gain only helps us in the short and long run anyway with our assignment to Lady Aegis." Cain added.

"I appreciate it gents." Sorin said as he grabbed the three water skins. "Let's go fill these up then get settled for the night then."