Grim Ruination, Birth of a Soul (On Hiatus)

The First Training Session

Svalken was still sitting at the table; feet up on the table, just as he'd been when Darris had left. Many of the patrons had left, they were the only ones there except for a table or two.

"Took you long enough. I began to think you'd gotten killed." he said. Whether he was being sarcastic or not, Darris couldn't tell. "The room is ready by the way." he said, getting up from his chair. The plates and cups of ale had been removed from the table and cleaned. However a small bit of dirt rested at the edge of the table where Svalken's shoes had rested.

Svalken walked up the stairs at the edge of the room. It led to a long hallway with many doors on either side.

"Which is it?" Darris asked, glancing from one door to the next.

Without answering, Svalken walked up to a door halfway down the hall and opened it. The door creaked open, nearly getting stuck halfway open before Svalken pushed it again and it opened completely.

Within the room was a small nightstand with a mirror hanging above it. Unlit candles had been set upon the stand for light. A chest for one's belongings rested at the foot of a singular bed, only barely enough for a single person.

"There's only one bed." Darris noted. "Where-" he was cut off by Svalken, who laid across the bed with a groan.

"That's because only one of us needs any sleep." He said, laying his head back on the straw pillow, putting his hands behind his head for extra cushioning.

Darris bit his lip to calm himself. "What do you expect me to do?" He asked with a sigh.
Svalken shrugged. "Anything as long as you don't cause any trouble. Then I'd have to find a new student."

Darris stepped up to the next of the bed, glaring down at Svalken. "Student? You haven't even taught me anything. I hardly know what a Reaper is, or how to use souls to do anything. The only thing I've done is summon a scimitar once." Darris ranted.

He was silent for a brief moment as the words Darris had said settled. Svalken sighed and rose from the bed. Without speaking a word he walked toward the door, then he stopped and looked back. "Come on." He ordered before pulling open the door with yet another creak.
"Where are we going?" Darris asked, following behind him.

"Graveyard." He said, a slight bit of annoyance in his voice.

"What?" Darris asked. "Why? Are you going to resurrect someone else?"

"Do you want t0 learned something or not?" Svalken asked, turning around to face Darris. Darris just bit his lip and crossed his arms. Svalken took that as compliance and continued walking.

The air had somehow gotten colder with the breeze that had settled over the grassy fields that surrounded the town. The fields swayed like waves of water over the hills, forming a line of silver that moved across the landscape as the grass reflected the light from the moon.
The graveyard rested uptop one of the hills. It had once been surrounded by a steel fence but it had been well worn with time. Portions of the fence had been bent to the ground or even demolished completely.

Walking through what used to be a gate, Svalken stopped next to the first gravestone he came across. Someone named Andrew Slurvaum.
"Why did you bring me out here? How is any of this going to help understand souls?" Darris asked, gesturing to the graves in front of him.
"Just shut up for a minute." Svalken said, kneeling down and setting a hand in front of the grave.

Suddenly, Svalken's skin began to exude a thin silver flame from his skin. As the flickers of flames curled up into the air it began to take form; many forms. One was of a laughing goblin who evaporated as quick as it had appeared. Another was an ogre who let out a guttural roar before evaporating. Then the fire suddenly burst outward from Svalken, then stopped appearing all together. Svalken then rose to the ground and took a few steps back.