Chapter 4: the big city

Huge and vast it was! With many critters scrambling about, Dave could see it all from above. Magestic buildings of marvelous craftsmanship. Daves belly grumbled and suddenly the thought of entering the town didn’t seem that bad.

Dave could see the town was guarded by not only a gate but 2 guards as well. Oddly enough while it was fairly heavily guarded, they had a surprisingly large line of travelers all lined up at the gate. Some appeared to be carrying merchandise, others human slaves, although some were alone, Dave decided it would be best to try to blend in with one of the ones already in line.

Dave descended the mountain and came to the towns gate. He had an idea to sneak in with the cargo of some of the other creatures. Once inside he had no clue where to start. He needed more information about the world’s ring, and these blood beasts which he heard so much from fiddle sticks.

“Excuse me! Pardon me!” Dave would shout at the passing creatures but none would spare him the time of day.

Dave continued to try this approach for what seemed to be an eternity, while in reality it was about an hour.

Then suddenly or rather, perhaps because Dave had been paying so much attention to those around him, he also began to notice a hooded figure had been following him around as well!

The city is a dangerous place already, Dave thought to himself.

Dave moved to a different location but sure enough the figure followed. It was a slender tall man, but not much else could be made out from the details at this distance.

Dave started to become flustered and panicked. He already just nearly evaded death twice today! “First the beasts of the forest, then fiddlesticks now this! I hate it! I hate it all!”He proclaimed to himself under his breath. But now was no time for whining, for his shadow seemed to be coming after him!

He made a quick dash towards an alleyway in an attempt to lose him, but to no avail! The man followed suit and was right behind Dave. Knowing he had already been noticed he made no effort anymore to hide his whereabouts.

Close and closer he would close the distance as Dave would run and leap through traffic and the various beasts that dwelled in the city.

Closer…. Closer! Until it was as if Dave could feel his breath upon his neck

“Wait! Don’t be afraid!” It would shout at Dave but it was much too late for that, for Dave was already completely done with this world and he was not going to believe a word it said.

Dave ran as fast as he could until he ran into a stray merchant. They both collided and fell to the ground, the merchant dropping its treasure. A group of traveling vagabonds began to slowly draw their swords upon the sight.

“You destroyed it! Our treasure we found in the mountains! Prepare to pay with your blood!”

They drew their swords and came for Dave, and a slash of blood could be seen and droplets of blood hit Dave. But it was not Dave’s blood they took, nor did they take any blood, it was the blood of the stalker that had been following Dave.

“You… you drew your own blood?” Dave murmured

The man was young, with black flowing hair. His arm had crystallized the blood in the form of a scyth stuck to his arm.

“I’m Edward, sent from fiddlesticks to oversee you as insurance”

Then with one fell swoop, he took out the vagabond in a beautiful stroke of his blade. The others fled with the ensuing chaos.

“Thanks for that, but why were you following me without saying anything! Gave me quite the scare with what I’ve had to endure today I’ll have you know!”

“My apologies, but i wanted to see how you fared without my aid at first, and from the looks of it not too well!”

“Well, I’m new here. Can’t be helped.” Dave pouted

“Aha so it would seem.” Edward replied

“So your from fiddle sticks? Why did he send someone, if he hates me, hates my father rather as well. Does that mean he’s a good guy actually? Does he not hate me?”

“Well erm no, he hates you, and i hate to break it to you but fiddlesticks is the worst! Truth be told I’m only here because i owe him 5 more favors then my debt will be wiped clean. He’s a real slave trader that one, once your in his debt there’s no finessing it or you die. But you know what he said, if you do this one last favor I’ll count it as 5 favors! That he did!” Edward said with the biggest grin on his face.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I see… “ Dave swept the dirt off his pants as he stood back up from the encounter. “So you’ll be a free man then?”

“Yep, free as the birds in the sky! But again, I’m just here for insurance as fiddle sticks put it plainly. He’s got a lot riding on you! Iv known fiddle sticks practically my entire life, he got me early on in my youth and iv been struggling this entire time… but now that freedom is on the horizon i can hardly believe it. Also with me being a blood beast i guess its also in my best interest to get you to win your bet as well with the worlds ring and all.”

“I’m starting to think no one does anything in this world to help others unless it’ll first help themselves.” Said Dave

“That’s just the way the world is. Been that way for decades, ever since the world’s ring went crazy and has been trying to take back all the blood beasts. I still have nightmares sometimes of what I’ve seen.”

“So you’ve seen it then… this, worlds ring you all keep mentioning, what was it like?” Dave asked while refraining from making eye contact.

“I’d rather not go into it. I wasn’t joking when i said i still have nightmares of it. It can shape shift into whatever it needs to be in order to find you, and it’s not really any one specific thing. It’s literally the heart of the world. The very dirt you’re standing on right now.”

Dave took a moment to look around at the dirt beneath his shoes. Pondering how such a thing could exist.

“Well, why don’t we get some food, I’m starting to get pretty hungry”

Dave looked to Edward with weary eyes.

“What? Don’t look at me, you think i got any money?! I worked every day just to survive with fiddlesticks! Some days were hard… like really hard. But i managed somehow”

Edwards stomach gurgled.

Sounds like were both hungry though, lets see if we cant find someone in the town that’s generous enough to let us have a bite to eat! We got nothing to lose!

“Nothing to lose?!” Edward said while shaking his head. “Have you learned nothing from before? You really are a naive one.. listen, i doubt anyone will help us when times are as tough as they are.”

“Perhaps not, they probably wouldn’t help just anyone, you’re right.” Dave said with a slight smirk on his face. “however Im not just anyone… I’m Dave, son of Henry. And i cant quite explain how i know it but this is a town that’s full of supporters Henry and his son, aka me.”

“You just … know it?” Edward replied.

“Yea, the more i think about it, the knowledge just comes to me as if i was right there when the events of the land happened, the cultures of the people, the buildings all of them. It kinda weirded me out at first. But iv kinda gotten used to it now”

“So do you just know everything then?” Edward replied. “Hold up, if you know everything, then how come you didn’t know about the world’s ring?”

“I… im not entirely sure how it all works. when i think about it there are definitely things I don’t know either but for now lets just get some food, alight?”

Dave and Edward wandered the streets for a while looking for any takers. They saw strange beasts, some were large and towered over them, others were small and ran beneath their feet as they scampered around the city. The city folk seemed friendly at first but something was off. They would seldom make eye contact with Dave, yet they seemed to know who he was. Or rather it was once they knew who he was they became distant.

“What gives?” Edward moaned. “I thought you said people in this town would welcome you, we seem to have more luck when they don’t know who you are than when they do.”

Yea it’s odd, that last creature really seemed quite friendly before i mentioned who i was.

Eventually they came up to a neighborhood of gigantic proportions. As they walked along the streets one such creature came up to them.

“Hi, could you possibly spare any food” Dave meekly asked with his head held low.

“Ayy for you i can do that my lad!” Come with me.

Dave and Edward were ecstatic that they finally found someone willing to help them out.

“So you’re not afrai…” Dave said while getting elbowed by Edward.

“Idiot, don’t blow it! The less questions the better”

The giant creature began to chuckle and turned towards the two. “No need to worry my lads, i know who you are. I believe most in this city do. However their not afraid of you, but rather, your curse”

“Curse?” Dave pondered “what do you mean?”

“It’s an omen. One that will surely come in time. Soon, very soon. I’m lorso by the way, your father Henry has informed us to help you out if you came to the city. But most are too scared of the curse placed upon you to do so.”

“Did someone curse me when i arrived here? Are you talking about fiddlesticks bargain we made in blood? I was more under the impression that it was more of a bargain than anything else.”

“I’m not sure who this fiddlesticks is but No, this is something else entirely. This is a curse placed on you long before you even entered the world. The dread will be coming for you soon. Henry knew of the curse and has directed us to be of use but it cant be helped, the villagers are much too scared.”

Lorso walked over to the door and let them into his house. There unbeknownst to them, awaited a little girl with bright red hair and a short tapered dress. Despite looking close to Dave’s age she held a teddy bear close to her chest.

“A little old for playthings aren’t we?” Edward scoffed

“He’s Mr timbers mind you!” She said sharply

“My, my, quite feisty, regardless we are just here for some food and then we shall be on our way. Although I must say after hearing your warning of the dread I’m not sure if i have much appetite. What exactly are the dread if i may so incline lorso?” Edward said while taking a bite of bread.

“They are a curse laid onto you, Dave, by the elves. Your father killed all of their children in the past, and now they have taken upon themselves the sole role of killing you, his child, for revenge. They wander at night, hellbent on finding you and killing you. They will not rest until they do”

A crash could be heard in the distance and a flurry of panic distilled into the air. Sally intrigued by the commotion took a knife from the table and cut her finger, only enough for a few drops of blood to come out. She put the blood onto the nearby boxes of food and eating utensils and used them to prop herself up onto the oversized windowsill.

“You mustn’t! They are attracted to bloodshed!” Lorso yelled.

“It’s horrible!” Sally shrieked in terror as she looked out the window.

“We must get you 3 to safety! The dread are here” Proclaimed lorso.

Lorso took the 3 to the back door which led into an alley way. He picked up all 3 into his arms and leaped from wall to wall among the alleyway. The dread were right behind them, slaughtering everyone and everything in their path. They were numerous, and fast, ghastly beings in tattered drapes. they had no flesh of their own, yet they weaved their swords through the crowd as if they were made of paper. Cutting down everything in their sight as they made chase.