It was a miracle Sam had seen the note in the Atheneum. Since he had gotten the upgrade from Isla he had been thoroughly distracted from his life. Tasting every tea in his cupboards, running his hands on anything he could find, standing in the wind at night just to feel the sting of the cold on his face; it had all been the most overwhelming, wonderful, awful, amazing experience.
He had gone to the Atheneum to feel the books there. Many of them were very old, with crumbling pages and cracked leather, and he was hungry for as many textures as possible to touch. Curiosity as to what it would look like now had lead him down to the Loreseeker's hall, where he had found the note.
It had cut through his delight at the touch of the paper (so fragile in his fingers!) when he had realised he was being asked to go to the Outskirts. Fear had kept him away from there his whole life, a healthy idea of how dangerous the barrier could be more than enough to warn him. But Jigano needed him...and so Sam had to go.
He had little in the way of warm clothing, not having needed it for many years, but he managed to find an old hat (not really made for this kind of journey, wide brimmed and straw, but it was something) and some gloves with a hole in the left palm. It was a start. With his usual coat he had headed out to the Outskirts, a little bag on his back containing some pens, ink and a couple of thin notebooks.
It took him a while to find Jigano, partly because he got distracted touching grass, but he eventually walked up behind.
"Jigano. Hello. I um..I've never been here. It's...cold, isn't it?" He hoped to surprise his friend with the news of his upgrade, stomping his feet for extra effect.
He had gone to the Atheneum to feel the books there. Many of them were very old, with crumbling pages and cracked leather, and he was hungry for as many textures as possible to touch. Curiosity as to what it would look like now had lead him down to the Loreseeker's hall, where he had found the note.
It had cut through his delight at the touch of the paper (so fragile in his fingers!) when he had realised he was being asked to go to the Outskirts. Fear had kept him away from there his whole life, a healthy idea of how dangerous the barrier could be more than enough to warn him. But Jigano needed him...and so Sam had to go.
He had little in the way of warm clothing, not having needed it for many years, but he managed to find an old hat (not really made for this kind of journey, wide brimmed and straw, but it was something) and some gloves with a hole in the left palm. It was a start. With his usual coat he had headed out to the Outskirts, a little bag on his back containing some pens, ink and a couple of thin notebooks.
It took him a while to find Jigano, partly because he got distracted touching grass, but he eventually walked up behind.
"Jigano. Hello. I um..I've never been here. It's...cold, isn't it?" He hoped to surprise his friend with the news of his upgrade, stomping his feet for extra effect.
