Hello, first time writing here, please remember one thing : constructive criticisme please. I am not a native English speaker ( I'm French) so if you see any error feel free to tell me

Chapter 1

What is more relaxing than a log that creaks under the heat of the flames in the hearth of the fireplace, while the rain falls outside under the lights of mighty thunder tearing the heavens ?

While my pen blackens the pages of this notebook the pieces are gradually put in place, similar to the cogs of the watch still present in my pocket. It’s with this watch that my story begins.

But I did not introduce myself yet. My name is Seth. Several names have been assigned to me but it is the one that is most dear to me. It was Barr, my guardian who chose it. As you have certainly understood, I never knew my parents. Who were they? How were they ? Where do I come from? These questions haunted me since my first memories. I remember questioning Barr again and again but he always told me the same story 

"I found you outside my door one morning. "

Not very glorious I agree with you. We lived high in the mountains a few hours walk from a small village called FireBridge, so if a pregnant woman had abandoned her son it would not go unnoticed. And it would have been surprising if someone outside the village had come all the way to leave a child in front of the cave of a lone hunter.

Barr was the best hunter in the village, which allowed him a lot of freedom, including living outside the village and keeping some of his booty. Having a child should have made it difficult, preventing him from hunting, or attracting wolves or other creatures that lived in these forests. But no. According to him, not only had it not slowed him down, but it had allowed him to multiply his talents. 

A real mystery. 

Inspite of all that nobody had ever seen anybody deposit me in front of his door, in fact nobody had ever seen anything concerning me before i turned 5.

My eldest memory goes back to my first encounter with Ydris, the village blacksmith. The journey between the cave and the village seemed endless and yet I savoured every moment of this journey. Each of my footsteps treaded the earth in a new way, each twig that broke emitted a different sound, the wind gave life to the various trees that surrounded us, and while the sun rose, the various noises changed subtly, while the animal life was awakening or on the contrary sinking into sleep.

While all my senses marvelled at what I was discovering, a flood of questions bubbled through me, a burning desire for response animated me. So why did not I question the "master hunter" Barr about my surroundings? Because the sinequanone conditions for me to come out of the cave and accompany him on this "journey" was this:

"As soon as we get through that door, no matter how long we spend outside here you will not talk. Not a word. Not a sound. Even if we are alone. Besides, know that this is valid now and until my death. Before promising me, know that you must not do it lightly. The word of a man is sacred. "

I was five years old and as any child I was impressionable, even more when it came to discover the unknown. I gave my word immediately. When a man with thin, but hard, steel-like muscles, able to hunt down any animal from the forest, and shoot him down with a single arrow more than two hundred meters away, asks you to hold your say, you stick to it.

The first time I saw FireBridge's doors will forever burn in my memory. The village was surrounded by a thick palisade made of thick logs. Two massive doors were at the entrance of the village, protected by two watchtower where were two archers, and two guards on each side of the door.

"Barr, it's pretty rare to see you come here without an animal on your shoulder at this time.

– Hello to you too, Raes, today I'm not here for that. » He replied in the tone of the conversation.

"And who is this little man? »He asked curiously

Indeed, in a village as far away from the usual highways, it must have been surprising to see a man as robust as Barr come with a child dressed in a dark tunic, a hood falling just above his eyes, and a scarf covering his mouth. An adult dressed thus attracts suspicion, but a child? Apart from curiosity, we will not pay attention.

"My apprentice. Now step aside, I have business to do " The guard stared at him before beckoning to the archers that the order to open the door was passed. Behind these doors was the most incredible thing I had ever seen. A whole village that came alive under my eyes.

As we passed the gate, I heard the market place bubbling with life, I could hear the sound of the church bell ringing to announce the hours passing by, the sound of horses in the stable near the entrance to the village. Barr put his hand on my shoulder and motioned me forward. The trip was short-lived, but each person we could meet looked at me like a curious beast. We passed the school and the church, and a house considerably larger than the other i could see. I was secretly hoping I could see the market more closely, but we went to a counter where there wqas the sound of metal hitting metal, and above the entrance a sign indicated "blacksmith". Barr pushed open the door without hesitation.

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Inside were an assortment of various and varied objects, ranging from hammer to saw, from swords to arrows. Inside was a woman in her thirties, with long brown hair that she had tied up in a casual bun. She sang while cleaning the various items put on display and dedicated to the sale. She turned around relatively quickly and greeted Barr.

"Hello Barr! Already here for your order?

- Hello Arden. Indeed I came to recover it.

- Ydris is in the workshop if you ... But who is this!” She exclaimed as her eyes fell on me. 

Everyone seemed to be amazed at my presence, to see of my existence. The surprise I read in his eyes exasperated me. Is that how I would be welcomed each time?

Barr did not answer, deciding instead to move into the back of the shop to settle this story as soon as possible. I hastened, of course, to follow him, too happy to be able to escape her questioning gaze. The first thing I noticed was the amount of worn metal that littered the ground. Here and there we could find broken daggers, chipped or rusty tool pieces. I felt like I was encroaching on a metal graveyard. At the back of the room was an open door that led to the outside and you could see the deformation of the air by the heat. It was there that was the forge. Right next to the door was a man sitting near a desk.

If there was one word to describe this man it would be: Imposing. The man seemed massive, and not just because I was just a child, but this man looked more like a bear than a man. Dark long hair cascaded over his shoulders while a thick, scrubby beard covered his face.

"Barr.

- Ydris. "

Two men of a big conversation. Ydris got up from his chair, and from the top of his two-meter muscle stared at me, stopping a few moments before returning to Barr. A gesture that I appreciated.

"I guess the order is not for you. I just finished it right now. Everything is according to your requirements.

- Perfect. "

Ydris handed him a heavy canvas bag. Barr opened the bag, inspected the inside and closed it immediately. The blacksmith caught on his desk three things he came to give me. The first thing he gave me was a bow made of wood with a metal finish. This one was perfectly adapted to my size, which I could not know at that moment. Seeing that I did not know what to do with it, the giant put one knee on the ground to find himself closer to me:

"Here is a bow that is both sturdy and flexible. As Barr asked me, two runes were integrated into the arc. The first was engraved at the upper end of the weapon: Raac, the growth rune. The second rune has been engraved at the lower end of the arc: Miras, the rune of belonging. Together these two runes make it possible to grow the bow with its owner. The more this bow will be used the more it will be linked to you. The hunter will show you how today I bound this bow. Take care of it "

Confused, I shook my head. I did not quite understand what was going on, but I was too intimidated to do anything. Ydris slipped a quiver filled with arrow on my shoulders. The last object that he gave me was the one he was finishing when we entered: a watch. As for the bow, he hastened to detail the object

"The watch you hold in your hand is made of a metal that I bring back. It will stand the passage of time if you take care of it, and it is waterproof. The mechanism is powered by a rune of energy: Zacra. "

The watch was beautiful. More than anything I had seen so far, and even better, it was mine. The watch was made of a bluish metal, and seemed to glow softly. On the back of the watch was draw two concentric circle. On the outermost circle was an engraving that certainly meant Zacra. I was surprised after opening the watch to be able to see the mechanism under the frame. The wheels intertwined in a hypnotic dance, each element fitting into one another as part of a whole.

“Let’s go.”

I followed Barr without a word, falling into path behind him. I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the watch in my hand. I kept looking at it while returning home, focusing on the strange symbol inside the watch which where powering it.

“Do you know why I have ask for this watch to be made for you?”

I looked up at him, not answering.

“ You should always be aware that time flow, not regarding what you feel or what’s happening. Time will pass, and whatever is alive will one day pass too. It is inevitable. Life is short and precious and you should always make the best of it. Cherish everything you hold dear and enjoy them as long as you will be able to..”

Those words... I will remember them until the day I die. Nothing truer as ever been spoken. Not another word was spoken until we came home. When the door was closed, I could finally let my hair free and ask all the question I had for him

“ Before asking anything, go take a bath. Then we will talk.”

Sighing ( and pouting, not that I would have ever admitted it) I went to the bathroom, put water in the bath using the pump next it, took out all my clothes and climbed in. The water was warm thanks to the hot springs it came from.

It was relaxing, I couldn’t believe how tired I was. All we did was walk, not a big deal! But I was wrong. Things were about to change and I knew it. I looked at myself inside the water and saw how dirty I looked. Who knew that walking in the forest could do that? My long blood red hair looked like I just woke up, a real mess. My red eyes looked so tired that had someone looked at me they would have thought I hadn’tslept in a thousand year. Trying to keep myself awakr, I looked around in the room.

As my eyes fell upon the watch, I couldn’thelp but draw in the air the rune I had seen inside, still obsessed with it. Something about it was disturbing me, and all I could focus on was it. As my hand draw the rune I was stuck by a feeling of familiarity, as if I had done this a thousand times.

“what is happening?!” this pretty much summed up my thoughts as my hand was suddenly glowing and crackling.

“BARR!!”

Not even five second later Barr had taken down the door and was in the room, dagger in each hand. He looked ready to murder someone but as soon as his eyes fell on my hand ab expression I couldn’t replace crossed his face.

“ Look at this!!”

I put the palm of my hand in front of him, and before he could react lighting travelled between my hand and him, throwing him back even though it hit his blades. As soon as the lightning disappeared , so did my consciousness . Everything faded to black. Before the last of my thoughts escaped me, I heard something faint, so faint i wasn’t sure i really did heard it.

“Welcome back”.