Chapter 1: A Glade, a Cottage, and a...Quest?

When Hollie opened her eyes, she found herself sprawled out upon the softest, supplest grass she had ever felt. The blades were delicate and wispy, and when she ran her fingers through them, they quickly sprung back up like a sponge.

It was so different from the grass back home. Thick and coarse, often nearer to yellow than any verdant green due to the relentless heat of the sun. And the blades were always primed to poke and scratch at any bare feet that dared to tread upon them.

Home, she thought again, but as quickly as the word came to her mind, the image it conjured up had disappeared.

Home.

This wasn’t home.

But if this wasn’t home…

Hollie looked about in a sudden panic. There was the grassy glade, green as an emerald, a multitude of trees that surrounded it, lofty hills that rose far off in the distance, and the bright blue sky filled with great, billowing clouds.

None of this was home, but for all she tried, Hollie couldn’t bring herself to even recall where home was. Pictures came and went, dancing on the peripheries of her mind like tantalizing fireflies, but whenever she tried to catch one, to see it clearly, it blinked out and faded into darkness, leaving her only with the here and now.

This place.

This beautiful, wondrous place.

Her eyes widened as she drank it all in, and as she did, she felt the sudden urge to cry. Not out of sorrow or anything like it, but because as she gazed at the world around her–whatever world this was–she felt as if it had somehow been formed from every secret, hidden longing in her heart.

But how could that be? she wondered. How could any of this be?

When her initial panic subsided, she rose and examined her surroundings more closely. She was indeed in the middle of a glade bordered on three sides by a host of regal trees: large, shady oaks, beech trees with sprawling limbs, and towering pines as straight and steadfast as tin soldiers. The open side of the glade stretched out into a sea of rolling green hills and valleys. And from somewhere nearby came the sound of trickling water, so quiet that it was nearly drowned out by the gentle chirrups and whistles of birds and the scurrying of squirrels among the leaves.

Hollie followed the sound until she left the glade, and soon she stumbled upon a meandering little stream that had carved its way through the woods. Shafts of sunlight broached the forest’s canopy and dappled its water with dancing light.

Stream [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53841329197_372e455a14_b.jpg]

It was such a mesmerizing scene. Hollie felt as though she could spend all day beside the stream, listening to its chattering and bubbling as it coursed its way playfully through the woods.

She wondered where the stream had come from and to where it ran. She turned her gaze further into the forest, tracing its path. Her eyes fell upon yet another clearing, but this one wasn’t empty.

A small wooden bridge crossed the stream, and a path from the bridge into the glade led straight to the door of a lonely but cheerful little cottage. Smoke was rolling from its chimney in a stream of steady puffs. Its windows shone with a golden glow, ivy trailed up its honeycomb brick walls all the way to its thatched roof, and blossoming honeysuckle framed its wooden door.

Hollie’s jaw dropped, and a gasp escaped her lips. A deep, yearning ache gripped her heart, mingled with a rush of excitement, and before she knew it, she was running straight through the woods as fast as she could to the little house.

She laughed as she ran, feeling lighter than she could ever remember feeling, as if she could take to the sky like a bird, if only she wished it. Her blond locks trailed behind her, and for the first time she noticed her clothing. She was wearing a flowing white dress with a green bodice and gold trim, and long, draping sleeves that were gathered and tied with a braided cord.

Hollie couldn’t recall ever having worn anything like it before, but she felt as if she had always wanted to wear it. And to do so while running through a beautiful, idyllic forest like this one, with a happy little stream trotting along beside her and a cozy cottage awaiting at the end of the path.

Everything about this place, she thought, was perfect.

When at last she stood before the cottage, she hesitated for a moment at the door. The grass was overgrown quite a bit, the flower beds around the walls were full of weeds, and on further inspection, the shutters on the windows were in need of repair. But it was still a lovely place.

Too lovely, she thought.

Hollie's Cottage [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53842443983_0d5d0a8315_h.jpg]

Her heart stirred with trepidation.

Was it too lovely to be true? And wasn’t it the case that things too good to be true often were? Perhaps it was all a dream, and she would open the door only to find this wonderful place fading away into a mist of nothingness until she awoke back…

Back where exactly?

She fought hard to remember again. To recall just what had been before she had found herself waking up in the middle of the glade, but nothing came to mind.

So, holding her breath and hoping for the best, Hollie put her hand on the door knob and turned. With a tired creak, the door opened.

The world didn’t fade.

And Hollie didn’t wake from a dream.

Before her, in a great stone fireplace, a warm fire crackled with welcome. On one side of it sat a large and rather shabby looking armchair, and on the other, a pastel yellow sofa with a faded floral pattern. A pot of tea and some food had been laid out on a small wooden table between them.

Shelves filled to the brim with books lined the far wall, but the others were bare white plaster devoid of any decorations. The latticed glass windows were pretty but smudgy, and in need of a good scrubbing. Dark brown wooden beams crisscrossed the white ceiling, and an assortment of candles and lamps lit the room in a homey glow.

It needed some dusting, and a bit of fixing up, but overall it was stunning in its simplicity. And so inviting. And it felt so familiar, and just right, that Hollie could almost believe the whole place had been arranged just for her.

A startling thought flashed through her mind. What if this was heaven? And if it was, then wouldn’t that mean she was dead?

The thought shook her for a moment, but then she smiled. She didn’t feel dead, but even if she were, ending up here of all places would mean that death wasn’t such a fearful thing after all.

She closed the door behind her and stepped inside for a closer look. Perhaps somewhere in the cottage she would find a clue as to just where she was and why she was here.

She walked to the table, bent over, and smelled the pot of tea. It was strong and citrusy, with a pleasant hint of spice. The food on offer turned out to be half a dozen scones, all warm and crumbly, as if they’d just been taken from the oven. Two small jars beside them were filled with strawberry jam and clotted cream. Hollie’s stomach rumbled, and she realized she had no idea when she’d eaten last.

She took a seat in the armchair–it was old and worn, but pleasantly comfortable, with a high, curved and cushioned back that was easy to sink into–and poured some tea into a little porcelain cup. Then she placed a scone onto a plate and spread it with the cream and jam. She figured she might as well eat, as all of it seemed to have been left for her, or at least for whoever might find themselves wandering into the cottage on a lovely afternoon.

“Thank you for all this, whoever you are,” she said, though she didn’t think anyone was around to hear.

The scone was light and sweet and melted in her mouth. It was the first scone she could ever recall having, and it was absolute perfection.

She raised her eyes to the mantle above the fireplace. A piece of parchment sat on it, folded neatly and sealed with bright red wax. It was a letter meant for her. She knew it. Could feel the truth of it deep down in her bones. For some reason, that letter was for her, just as the tea and the scones, and even the whole cottage were.

Hollie set her cup and plate aside and approached the mantle. She plucked the paper from its resting place, broke the seal, and unfolded the letter. When she did so, she heard what sounded like a tinkling bell, but she couldn’t tell where the noise had come from.

Strange, Hollie thought.

The letter had been written in a delicate script, with flourishes and serifs, and certain letters illuminated in bright colors. Slowly, she began to read.

Welcome, Hollie, to Spritespring Hollow. This cottage, and the land that stretches from the stream just outside of it to the glade in which you awoke, all belong to you.

The upstairs of the cottage contains two bedrooms. The downstairs houses a kitchen, larder, living room, bathroom, and study. You will find in the back of the cottage a plot for a small garden. It is overgrown with weeds at the moment, but should be easy to clear. There is also plenty of room for you to expand the plot if you wish.

There is an outbuilding for tools and storage, as well as a greenhouse. The greenhouse is in need of minor repairs, but once that is done, it will make a wonderful place to grow herbs. There is also room enough on the land to raise animals should you so desire.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

The woods around the cottage are quite peaceful, and plentiful for foraging. The stream is teaming with fish to catch. There is also a well near the greenhouse for fresh water. Your pantry has been stocked with essential supplies to start you off, and your kitchen has every basic tool needed for cooking.

Nearby is the village of Foxley Cross. It can be reached by following the stream to the edge of the woods, where it becomes a river. There you will find a stone bridge and a cart path and a sign that points the way to the village, which at that crossing is only three miles out.

Between the cottage and the village, you should have everything you possibly need to make a good home here. As a [Cottager], you will have an assortment of skills to learn and several options for specialization. And the relationships you choose to build with the villagers will help to shape your future in Spritespring Hollow.

However, I must tell you that you were brought here for a larger purpose.

The Kingdom of Balnochy, in which Spritespring Hollow lies, is in grave danger. It faces a threat which you and you alone can remedy.

Three days ago, a storm like never before seen fell upon the city of Derby, where the palace of the king and queen, and the Great Library of Balnochy, resides. It was full of a terrifying magic and raged with fury for several hours. The king’s mages tried everything they could to defend against it, but to no avail. Though the city was left untouched, the Great Library itself was destroyed. All the books which housed the lore and history of the kingdom were lost, carried off by the magic to some unknown location, and the Map of the Realm, which had been safely guarded in the Library’s observatory for centuries, had been erased.

The Map and the lost tomes were not mere parchment, but were enchanted creations themselves. Stored in their pages was all the knowledge about the world, which in turn filled every other book and map across the kingdom by magic. With those books gone, and the Map of the Realm erased, all other books and maps are empty too. Open any book on your shelf and you will find this to be true. This has begun to cause countless problems across the realm, some small, and others not so small.

Balnochy is a magical kingdom, and if those enchanted tomes are not found and returned, and if the Map of the Realm is not recreated, every creature, person, place, and thing in Balnochy will eventually cease to exist. Balnochy's Arch Magus suspects that this process will begin slowly and then accelerate as time passes. How long this will take, I do not know. All I do know is that, without your help, Balnochy will one day be no more.

You are connected to this world in a way you cannot yet fathom, and in a way that we are not yet fully aware of either. However, completing this quest may help you to understand who you truly are and where you came from.

So, Hollie Townes, I ask you this. Will you take up this quest to save the Kingdom of Balnochy?

Hollie’s eyes grew wide, and she let out a low whistle. The part about the cottage and the gardening and meeting villagers sounded nice, but she didn’t know what to make of the ending. It sounded so ominous.

The letter left her with more questions than answers. She wondered suddenly if whoever left the letter might still be around. She’d assumed she was alone, but someone had to have been in the cottage recently to leave out the tea and scones. If they were still here, maybe they could clear a few things up.

Still holding the letter in her hand, Hollie strode across the room and poked her head through the doorway and into the kitchen. Empty. Another room off to the side, which she took to be the study, was empty as well. She walked to the stairwell and craned her neck up.

Map of Hollie's Cottage Lower Floor [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53853374367_09bc89606c_c.jpg]

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

She waited for a moment, but there was no reply. Returning to the living room, she took a seat in the armchair and read through the letter again. This time, the words at the end seemed to glow and jump off the page.

Will you take up this quest to save the Kingdom of Balnochy?

"Umm… Yes?” she answered uncertainly. Did she realistically even have another option?

Suddenly the room was illuminated in a brief flash of light. A trumpet sounded, once again from somewhere Hollie couldn’t place. On the mantle, something new appeared straight out of thin air.

A backpack.

“What? How did…”

Hollie leapt up and grabbed the bag. It was brown, made of fine, thick leather, with plenty of pockets and buckles and two padded shoulder straps. She lifted up the flap to the main pocket and fished around inside.

The first thing she pulled out was a leather-bound journal. The pages were blank and white. Next she found a pouch which, unrolled, revealed an assortment of drawing tools: pencils, erasers, charcoals.

She arched an approving eyebrow. “An artist’s set!”

Placing the journal and pouch aside, she reached in again. Out came a compass, inscribed with her name. Then a brass tube of some sort which, after fidgeting with it a bit, Hollie found she could extend.

“A spyglass!” She held it to her eye and searched the room. Everything around had grown much larger and much closer. “I’ve always wanted one of these.”

After a few minutes of amusing herself this way, she set it down on the table and reached into the bag once more. This time her fingers felt something like a scroll. When she’d pulled it out, Hollie found she was holding a large piece of parchment, rolled up and tied securely with a red leather cord.

Carefully she untied the cord and unrolled the parchment, examining it closely. It was blank, and the paper felt thick, almost indestructible, like something that couldn’t be torn, however much one twisted and tugged at it–though she was certainly in no hurry to try such a thing.

“I wonder what this could be.”

As she squinted her eyes and tried to make sense of it, a small spot appeared. In the upper left corner of the parchment, what seemed to be ink of some sort was flowing, as if an invisible hand were drawing on the paper. Shapes appeared. Small, puffy things, with two short lines beneath. Trees. And then the faintest, sinewy line. A stream. Then, in a small clearing, the outline of a tiny building, with a thatched roof and a garden behind it.

“The cottage!” Hollie exclaimed, awestruck by the magic happening in front of her eyes.

And just as quickly as it had started, the drawing stopped, leaving the remainder of the parchment just as empty as it had been before.

“I wonder… Could this be the Map of the Realm?”

The parchment shimmered in her hands and Hollie felt a tingling flow through her body that raised the hairs on her arms. Words appeared in a dazzling script in the air above her:

[Quest Begun: Explore Spritespring Hollow

Objective 1: Obtain Cottager Level 2]

[Class Unlocked: Ranger]

As quickly as they had appeared, the words flickered into nothingness, and Hollie stared at the empty space where they had been, her face blank and confused.

“That was…different? Strange? At least, I think it was. I don’t recall ever seeing words appear out of thin air before.”

She shrugged, unsure of what to make of it all, then stuck her hand into the backpack and retrieved one final object. It was a book. Small and compact, with a thick, solid cover, it had only a single word with gold lettering embossed on the front: CODEX.

She opened it up. The first page was an illustration, almost like a playing card, but done in the style of an illuminated manuscript. The figure of a young woman stood in its center. She wore a simple white dress, a green bodice, and had long blond hair that fell across her shoulders. Above the figure, in decorative script, was her name, “Hollie Townes”. Beneath her feet were the following:

[Class: Cottager

Level: 1

Age: 17 years

Specialization: None

Other Available Classes: Ranger]

In the top left corner were a series of three icons and corresponding bars. The first was a heart with a red bar, and beside it, the number 100. The second was a diamond with a green bar. It too had a 100 beside it. The third was a star with a blue bar, but the number next to it was only 50. And in the top right corner of the page was a small yellow icon that looked like gold coins, and beside it, another number 50.

Hollie Townes [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53842533784_ed0dc7ac5b_c.jpg]

“This must be me,” she whispered to herself. “How amazing!” Then she turned the page.

An illustration of a backpack was drawn in the upper left corner, and in the same decorative script as her name were the words “Backpack Inventory”. Below it was a table that listed the things Hollie had taken from the backpack.

[Backpack Inventory:

Compass: 1

Nature Journal: 1

Pencil Roll: 1

Spyglass: 1

Map of the Realm: 1

Codex: 1]

Hollie leafed through more pages. The little book seemed to be filled with all sorts of information, much of it that didn’t yet make sense. There were pages about the seasons, various tools, skills, and so much more. Where she expected to find an index, she saw only a single sentence: “Ask, and the Codex will answer what it can.”

“Okay, I guess I’ll give this a try,” Hollie said, setting the book down on the table. She felt rather strange about speaking to a book, even if it might be a magical one. “So, Codex, about this quest… How do I even start? Do I just pack up my bag and head out and search for all the missing books?”

On its own, the Codex flipped through its pages until it lay open exactly at the halfway mark. The pages were empty, but words quickly began to fill them out.

Magic! Hollie thought. Just like the Map!

It made her absolutely giddy, and she couldn’t help but to smile as the words formed themselves into sentences. Was there magic like this where she had come from? She couldn’t remember.

Hollie eagerly read the words that now filled the page.

The quest referred to in the letter–that is, to recreate the Map of the Realm and to find the lost magical tomes–is broken into several smaller quests and objectives. Your current quest, [Explore Spritespring Hollow], does not require venturing further than the village of Foxley Cross.

It is quite inadvisable to begin extensive journeys into the wider Kingdom of Balnochy until well acquainted with the local environment. It is also highly recommended that one not undertake exploration as a [Cottager]. Though the class of [Ranger] has been unlocked, you are currently a [Cottager]. A fee of 5,000 balnochs paid to the local Guilding Office is required to switch classes, as is a minimum of a level 3 in your current class, which, I’m afraid, you have certainly not attained.

As your current objective is [Attain Cottager Level 2], your focus really should be on building base level [Cottager] class skills. These include the following:

Food Preparation, with specialties in Cooking, Milling, Preserving, Tea Brewing, and Hosting;

Gardening, with specialties in Fruits and Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers;

Handyman, with specialties in Landscaping, Decorating, and Construction;

Animal Husbandry, with specialties in Poultry, Livestock, and Animal Care;

Crafting, with specialties in Quilting, Soap Making, Candle Making, Knitting, Blacksmithing, Leatherworking, and Woodworking;

Naturalist, with specialties in Botany and Zoology.

“Uh-huh,” Hollie mumbled, rather overwhelmed with the flood of information she’d been given. “Well, thank you, Codex. That clears things up a little bit, I guess.”

But she did still wonder just how long she actually had before the world started disappearing like the letter had said. How long would it take her to reach [Cottager Level 2]? And how much longer still to make enough money and reach a high enough level to change her class to [Ranger]? And then how long would it take to find all the books and fill in the Map?

It was dizzying, thinking about it all. She shut the book, leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and let out a deep sigh. As much as she wanted answers to all of her questions, she knew they would be a long time coming. All she could do now was to forge ahead and tackle this quest, one tiny step at a time.