The weaver's loom sped up, the bobbin snagging hundreds of threads at once, weaving over them time and time again, the new thread warping the fates of those around it.
How many centuries since the last time the bobbin caught, since the last Watcher fell?
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The stacks of old armor seemed like they would fall at anytime. Some dating back to this planet's dark ages, before the Watcher came. A bear of a man sat at a desk with a quill in his hand, dipping its hand carved tip into the inkwell every few strokes. The characters used were foreign to most who looked on them. The man's turquoise irises matched the color of the ink he used, his straight black hair was tangled, and showed the early signs of matting. The remnants of the clothes he wore, threatened to fall off his body from the dry rot.
A knock on the door was timid, but even the soft knock, was enough for it to collapse onto the floor.
"Watcher Kiel, my grandfather asked me to come and retrieve a book from you." The new man called out.
"Alright, give me a moment lad." The big man called. His voice cracking from obvious lack of use. As he stood, a portion of the pants he was wearing broke away and fell to the floor. He sighed at the rotten fabric, now laying on the floor. He grabbed a book bound in a shimmering grey hide, and walked towards the door at the mouth of his cave.
"Here you go Brian. This is the history of your family, starting with your first ancestor to earn a surname. I had only been on this world for 122 years when he was born, so I can give you a full recount."
Kiel stood and looked at Brian for a moment longer and realized he was staining at the chain belt hanging off his shoulder. And Kiel began to caress the metal links as he spoke again.
"The belt of oaths are the pride of the watchers, not only do they display our station, but also our oaths, binding us to not interfere. We are allowed to share your history, but not anything more current than the last century." Kiel stopped talking for a moment, then looked Brian in the eyes for the first time since he entered. "You need to hurry home. Tell your father I will be leaving for a few years lad. And my condolences to you and yours."
"Condolences? For what Watcher?" Brian said with a tinge of fear on his face.
"Not a moment ago a bandit gang attacked your grandfather's transport. He and your sister are no longer counted among the living. You are needed at home. Keep your head on a swivel. They won't be the last deaths by those hands." Kiel points to one of the links. "Even if you ask, I am not allowed to tell you more Brian, I'm sorry."
Brian raced away from Kiel's cave. When he arrived home, a messenger pushed his way through the compound's gate barely ahead of him. As he walked into the main room he heard as the messenger finished telling his father that his eldest child was gone.
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Kiel went back into his writing room, and looked at his legacy tome, the blue runes had finished drying and were no longer turquoise. He read over them a few times. Solidifying his resolve. The time had come for him to trod the world again. A clan had just been reborn. And even though he could see the events unfolding anywhere, he knew something was coming; he wanted to see it with his own eyes this time.
For the first time in 490 years he made his first footprints in the soil of this world. The remnants of his old clothes barely covering his manhood, and not a scrap of the shirt left. He carried a smal leather sack, and a red bound book with him, and began walking west, toward the rising blue sun.
After an hour walking, he stood in front of a round stone, he reached forward and drew a symbol on the stone with his finger, a six pointed star, each point touching the inside of a circle.
As soon as his hand was away, the surface of the stone shimmered and changed into a view of a beautiful meadow and a stone in the center. Kiel walked through the cusp of the image, knowing that this space is the burial ground of the one being he ever came to call a friend.
He set his hand on the top of the tombstone and smiled.
"It's been a long time. I haven't stepped foot out of my cave since we buried you. I modeled this space off of the place you once loved to visit. I'm sorry friend, that I was never able to restore it, but I'm glad you have this place to rest, and we can remember it together."
The air around Kiel became thick, and new clothes appeared covering him in the latest style. His untidy hair became silky smooth, the matting disappeared, and in it's place a single braid fell down his back. He held his hand in front of himself, as he closed his fingers, as if grabbing something, a pitch black box appeared in his hand. It was skinny, and if stood on edge would come up to Kiel's armpits.
He walked out of his sanctuary, saying goodbye to his friend as the portal sealed itself behind him.
"See you later, Tabitha."
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A/N: I hope you are liking the story so far. I only have the next four chapters planned out, and will definitely be re-writing them later. Although I only have the next few planned, my goal for this story is at Least 40 chapters.
At this point, they are supposed to feel slow. But please be assured it will pick up, be aware: I write for myself. I'm happy if you read my work, thrilled if you like it. Thanks for reading
~Tink