"At the start of every journey, one must have a strong spirit - mustn't they, Veego?"
Shay Tenalde hiked down the road, wary of the open landscape around him. It was rare for him to travel in the open like this... Not that he was on anyone's radar, though he was still wary due to the nature of his journey.
"But I wouldn't want blessings on my spirit from the temple in Leore, no sir. Not from the dragons as they are now. There was a time, you know - not a time I remember, my friend, I'm not that old - but a time centuries past when the dragons did care for us small folk. The sages who were old in my youth told those stories, and it was old before even them. But the time did happen, and in those days, when the people worshipped out of love rather than fear, that the true temples were built, you see. The ancient ones, long lost and forgotten."
The owl who sat on his shoulder wore a look of disdain. This was the creature's natural stance, he had no ill will towards the old man, but his face still looked like a person tired of the monologuing of an old man. Not that Shay noticed these things, of course, as he was just the type of old man who would cause those faces in people who truly meant them.
"But nothing is ever truly forgotten. Studying under the old sages gave me much ancient knowledge. Including the locations of the old places, and knowledge of the old ways. Knowledge oft forgot in this era. I remember old Josie spoke of coming to this temple once. A true lady of spirit she was. A practicer of the old faith, the true faith of spirit. While that was many decades ago, even before my own time, Im sure it's still near here. Temples don't just get up and walk away... Though it would be nice to go off of more than my own memory and a vague shadow of a dream..." He reached into his modest rucksack and pulled out a small statue of a smiling child, carved from ivory. The statue's eyes looked haunting, almost pleading, "And I would like to know why my dreams told me to bring this as well... Honestly, just being in it's presence gives me the Willie's, you know? The outcome had best be worth the trial," he shivered and set the thing back in his sack, "How far out do you think we are, bird?"
The owl gave a loud shriek in response. He hadn't heard the question; he just wanted breakfast. Night was starting to fall, and Veego would go out to hunt when the old wizard set up camp.
"Of course, how would you know such things?"