Long time ago,
When Angels and Demons still roamed the Earth, there was a Grandma beloved by all living in this peaceful village nestled between Whispering Wood and Singing River.
She had a peculiar look, her snow-white hair were neatly tied into buns, her obsidian black eyes and crimson painted nails symbolized her magical lineage. But more interesting than her looks were her misfortunes.
Born to a long-running, almost ruined, noble family of Wizards. Her husband, the only wizard of the once prestigious family was barely managing to keep the family's noble title. It was all in vain since with his death in the war no wizards were left in the family. Their two sons didn't show any aptitude for magic and the distant relatives who had never once showed their face pounced on the family's fortune and land claiming that a woman and heir with no magical aptitude can't inherit it.
What ever land she possessed was snatched from her. Leaving only the personal belongings which she had to sell off, so she could settle in this village which was also where she spent her childhood.
After settling, she worked like a bull day and night, trying to feed her children. And if it wasn't for free night school organized by Church, she would have probably starved herself just so her two sons could have a decent education.
Though whether it be a punishment from God for being born in the family of sorcerers or her own misfortunes, but in the end the elder of the two son left for the City with his wife while the younger one became a traveling bard never to return to this village. Thus, Grandma Elara was left behind by her only remaining family members.
"And that's the interesting story you spoke so highly of?" A boy wearing casual but expensive cloth asked his friend with a hint of disappointment in his voice, he seemed to be around the age of 16 while his friend looked younger than him.
They were walking through a large muddy farmland barefoot, the boy wearing expensive cloths seemed inexperienced passing through rice fields while the younger one wearing cotton tunics and shorts was more than comfortable walking barefoot.
"Well that's just the beginning of the tale all the visitors hear when they visit this village for the first time." The young boy wearing cotton clothes replied, his tone being nonchalant. "It can't be that you expected a lot grander and now disappointed by the monotonous tale of a small village like ours, or by any chance did you expected something grand?..... Victor are you listening?"
"Carlos, isn't it weird?" The boy named Victor asked suddenly, startling the little boy named Carlos.
"What is weird?" Carlos asked a mix of surprise and confusion on his face.
"You call her the most beloved person of this village and there is only a sad past about her. It's too weird for me to understand." Victor complained, his voice filled with confusion.
It was silent for some time. Only the sound of their feet passing through the mud of the rice field could be heard, then......
"Hahahaaahhah!!" Carlos suddenly started laughing, almost falling to the muddy ground. Victor's face started to burn red from embarrassment while he thought of what wrong he did in asking the question.
"Victor, *haa haa* I didn't know you were an emotional type of person." With this remark Victor's cheek became redder, this time the reason was quite different.
"That's not the end of the story?!" Victor asked.
"Not even close." Carlos replied, tears drops flowing down his cheeks due to laughing too hard.
"There is more to it, only if you didn't cut me in the middle while I was taking my breath."
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One autumn morning Grandma Elara recieved a letter with wax seal, it had been decades since she got a letter from someone. Carefully she removed the wax seal to find that it was sent to her by a childhood friend whom she hadn't met since getting married.
The letter read.
[Dear Elara,
If you are reading this letter, I am probably no longer among the living. This letter is of me asking a last favour, as a selfish friend who couldn't help you during your family's downfall, as a friend who forever will regret not contacting you in time.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
For now all I can inform you is that I have left something precious in the cottage deep within the Whispering Woods where we used to play. If you go there everything will be clear.
With love always and forever,
Loira Fitzgerald.]
Reading the letter a pang of sadness washed over Elara, childhood memories passing by her vision. Pushing aside her stray thoughts, Elara wondered what could the precious thing mentioned in the letter be.
"Could it be her favourite potion set." She chuckled, a hint of sadness lingering in her voice.
Raven claws formed at each ends of her eyes as she reminiscened about her childhood, suddenly, she shivered.
'Now that I think about it, there are magical beasts and dangerous plants in Whispering Woods. What was my younger self thinking while recklessly playing witch in that abandoned cottage?'
Though she felt like giving a through scolding to her parents and her younger self, she couldn't deny that it was one of the most entertaining experience she ever had.
"Well, let's hope it's not some kind of pet." She prayed in her usual mellow voice. Raising herself from her seat she rummaged through her stuff, took out a couple of small blue pouch that had stars and moon embroidered on it.
Storing them in a bamboo basket, she wore a brown cloak with hood and left for the cottage.
Whispering woods.
Like the name suggests, was a forest that whispered to the individuals who got lost while passing through it. Normally the whispers doesn't have any malicious intent behind them, what makes this wood dangerous is not the supernatural phenomenon occuring in it but the creatures and dungeons that have made this place their territory.
Other than that this place is full of life energy, thus becoming the hotspot for alchemical and cooking ingredients that are hard to find in other places. This place of used properly could easily transform the nearby small villages to the largest trading hub in this Dukedom, only if there was more investment in manpower for economy then for The Noble war.
As Elara walked through the woods, not a hint of confusion or nervousness could be found on her face. It was due to the fact that she had been to this part of the woods more than her childhood manor.
"Oh my! Sleeping radish." She exclaimed like a child seeing icecream as her gaze focused on long leaves that were protruding out of the ground, each of those leaves had human like face imprinted on them.
Carefully she dug the mud around the leaves exposing a hideous white taproot with a sleeping human face. Swiftly she stored it in the small blue pouch after dusting off the excess dirt on its surface.
Unlike its looks, the pouch could hold in stuff 20 times it's total size. One of many commercialized magic artifact, it is popularly referred to as 'Blue Hamster'.
On the way she also collected other herbs and ingredients that she could spot, the one that made her the happiest was 'The Red Devil'. It was one of the spiciest pepper in this Dukedom, but due to it possessing many benefits like improvement of digestion, cleansing of bodily toxins, weight loss and overall strength improvement of the individual, it was sought after by many merchants and even youngsters of the village
Sadly it wasn't priced high compared to its counterpart even though it had high demands, since no matter how beneficial it was in the end it was just a cooking ingredient and can't be used for alchemy.
Soon with dusk right around the corner Elara reached the cottage. It was small, with thached roof, beautifully carved logs as walls and patched grass as way leading towards the main door.
The door creaked slightly as she opened the door, taking a step inside the smell of dust and some spider web greeted her face before she could even take the second step. It caused her to break into a fit of cough and momentarily unabled her to open her eyes.
She scattered the dust and webs away from her by swinging her hands, relieving her lungs from the puff of smoke. The inside was humble, there were not many decoratives and all she could find were essentials needed for living with minimum items of luxury.
At the corner of the cottage she found a bed with stuff scattered on it, as she approached closer to the bed, so did the 7 pairs of big yellow eyes that were following her from behind.
The 7 pairs of eyes seemed to be assessing Elara intentions and the moment she touched the bed, two pair of eyes rushed towards her. Making Elara lose balance and as she fell to the ground, clouds of dust spread everywhere. The two who made her fall didn't let her turn her head by pointing their sword on her.
"Who are you? What are you doing in our house?" One of them shouted in an agressive tone, his voice seemed like that of a child but somehow made Elara scared out of her wits.
In shock and confusion she started shouting with all the strength she had swinging the letter in her hand like a crazy person. "M-my name is Elara. I came here after receiving a letter from my friend Liora Fitzgerald."
The moment the 7 pairs of eyes saw the letter they withdrew their weapons.
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Elara was feeling more and more confused seeing what was going on around her.
Five Goblins were massaging her legs, hands and forehead while two others were apologising in an awkward position.
They dropped to their knees, pressing their forehead against the dirt and raised their back in a humiliating arc. Their skinny hands were awkwardly clasped behind, making it hard for them to balance.
"We're sorry, truly sorry." The two apologising Goblins shouted in unison, their voice and eyes trembling with guilt.
Seeing their skinny body Elara sighed in sadness, it must have been a long time since Liora died.
Calming her emotions she asked the two Goblins who were on their knees. "Stand up please, I just want to know one thing for now. How long has it been since Liora's death?"