[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1000753864863129600/1000755267148976168/unknown.png]

Answers. They are something everyone wants and while some find them easily, others have to work harder for what they want. For me? The answers I seek are definitely the latter. I have spent years looking for them and yet whenever I get close, there always seems to be another step, a larger wall, a deeper cave, a longer road. Just something always seems to get in my way for the answers I need.

And what are these answers I need? They were the answers to help my village, to help my family. Now? Now they are the answers to bring closure. A blight was set upon us a about 15 years ago but we didn’t know until it was in full affect. Our crops withered and died. Livestock would either be slaughtered by strange creatures or suddenly perish. And not just the occasional one, they would die by dozens at random; all at the same time. No rhyme or reason.

Not even the elders of the village know why it started but we were forced to leave our home. We travelled to nearby villages in search of aid but similar events beset their homes to. So, as we ventured to more villages in need, soon our group of those in need of help grew to over a thousand from the collective villages. The few supplies we could get grew less plentiful as we headed for the capital city in search of answers but upon our arrival, we were sent away. Sent away to die.

As winter struck, many of us swiftly died. Several of us in the younger generation were spared but had to suffer through watching everyone around us die slowly. Once the frigid winds ceased and the daylight of spring arrived, I set out alone in search of answers as to help what is left of us because no one else would. That was 13 years ago. As far as I know about those now distant lands is most of what the kingdom claimed has now been destroyed by this illness in the land. But even though everyone has since disappeared, I still search.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

And for once, my journey has seemingly truly come to an end. I had heard tales of a coven of witches deep within the artic plains of the north and after much preparation to survive those cold frostbitten regions, I has set off. I took me a week to reach the border of these lands and I trekked through the increasingly frozen environment. As I moved onward, in the distance I saw a large stone figure covered in ice and snow but I knew I had arrived.

I ran towards the black stone statue that stood alone in the artic region and upon reaching it, I saw runes that were etched into the solid stone glow with an azure glow before a blinding light struck me. I shielded my eyes from the light and a few seconds later, I removed my arms and opened my eyes to a large grass plain dotted with blue and yellow flowers. A warm breeze that moments before was below freezing now struck me warming my cold body. I looked all around the plains and I saw several small houses in the distance which I made my way to.

As I arrived, various men and women greeted me and welcomed me after my treacherous stroll through the snow to their village. And as I had been told, this place was one of magic and sorcery. So, after I rested, I asked about what had happened to my lands and to say what I learned was soul shattering was an understatement.

Our civilisation had survived to this point through grave misuse of the dark magical arts and had cause our land to be corrupted. The blight that claimed so many was the world trying to fix the wrong doings committed by the dark mages who enacted the rituals. The lands would return to nature eventually but at what cost? And now I sit here in this village of wonder and myth sick like how many from my homelands had become. So, I wished to tell my story before I am unable to and I was granted a book and a pen to write this.

I never had a name, but most called me Grill. And these are the words of my past to hopefully answer your questions about who I was.