As the morning mist dissipates and the sun begins its ascent, Rokas, Ariah, and Elias emerge from their slumber atop the mountain peak. With eyes still heavy with sleep, they witness the celestial spectacle unfolding before them. The sun, a radiant orb of light, bathes the land in its golden embrace, while the two moons bid their farewell to the night, descending below the horizon in the distant south. Surrounded by the tranquility of nature's beauty, the trio feels a sense of peace and serenity wash over them. With renewed determination, they prepare to face the challenges that lie ahead, their hearts filled with the promise of a new day.
“I’m starting to get hungry damn it…” Elias’ voice dry and low, still trying to adjust himself to the morning. It had indeed been over a full day since their last meal, being the fish they consumed before the Bearillas frightful attack.
Ariah stretched and placed both of her hands at her waist, standing over Elias as he sat up. “Well, well, well, who woulda’ guessed Elias would be the first to complain about hunger? And to think, we couldn’t even go twenty minutes this morning without a complaint from you. C’mon, get up, we gotta start heading back.”
The oddity that is twin telepathy would show that the two were both evidently hungry. By merely looking at one another they would both ask what are we going to do about this?
“Hey! You two, dits and brawn, there are berries aplenty down by the water that we passed on our way to the mountain’s base. Let’s just begin by going there first, sound like a plan?” Rokas intervened. He has begun learning that this sort of thing between the twins is likely to happen often. He knows it is usually lighthearted bullshitery, but focus is needed, and a leader is required. Rokas mentally views himself as the driving force of this trio team of theirs, so it is up to him to fill that role.
Ariah and Elias turned their heads to him, “fine,” and “alright” was murmured between the two in a pouty expression. Elias stood up and brushed his clothes off, the specs and pebbles that stuck to it noticeable and annoying. And thus, the trio returned to where they climbed up and would begin their descent down the calm and mystical Sinkro Mountains.
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As the trio descended from the towering mountain peak, their path winding through rugged terrain and rocky pathways, they were greeted by the sight of a lush forest spread out before them. Towering trees, their branches reaching skyward in a verdant canopy, cast dappled shadows upon the forest floor below. The air was filled with the sweet scent of pine and earth, an almost nostalgic scent for Rokas, as the forest was where he grew up as a young child.
At the base of the mountain, a gentle breeze stirred the leaves of the forest, causing them to wisp by the trio as they took in the scenery. Amidst the emerald green foliage, a light water creek meandered its way through the landscape, its crystal-clear waters glistening in the sunlight. The sound of trickling water added a soothing melody to the tranquil surroundings, inviting the trio to rest and refresh themselves before continuing on their journey.
With a few hours before the sun reached its peak, Rokas, Ariah, and Elias found themselves captivated by the beauty of the forest ahead. The lush canopy overhead offered respite from the midday sun, casting cool, dappled shadows upon the forest floor. Birds chirped merrily in the treetops, their melodious songs echoing through the air. As they followed the gentle curve of the creek deeper into the forest, they couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder about the remaining duration until they found the juicy berry plants. But it was in that moment of wondering that they would pass the last line of trees to the opening that they had seen before.
“Come, over here!” Rokas shouted, running hastily across the water creek with splashes of happiness and young fun.
As Rokas crossed the water, his keen eyes were set on a cluster of blueberry bushes nestled amidst the undergrowth. Drawn by their vibrant hue and promise of sweetness, he approached the bushes with cautious curiosity. Upon closer inspection, he found the branches laden with plump, juicy blueberries, their deep indigo skin glistening in the dappled sunlight. Each berry was a small treasure, perfectly round and bursting with flavor, promising a delightful burst of sweetness with every bite. Rokas reached out to pluck a ripe berry from the bush, marveling at its velvety texture and the way it yielded to his touch. With a smile of satisfaction, he popped the succulent berry into his mouth, savoring the explosion of flavor that danced upon his tongue.
With Rokas praying upon the cluster of blueberry bushes, Ariah and Elias raced to catch up, their curiosity piqued by his discovery. Breathless with excitement, they joined him amidst the bushes, their eyes widening in astonishment at the abundance of plump, ripe berries before them. Without hesitation, they began to pluck the berries from the branches, their fingers stained with the deep indigo hue of the fruit as they eagerly popped them into their mouths. Each berry burst with sweetness, a delicious reward for their journey through the forest.
As they feasted on the bountiful harvest, Rokas suggested that they pocket some of the berries to munch on later during their travels. With deft fingers, they carefully gathered a handful of the ripest berries, tucking them away in their pockets as a delightful snack for the road ahead. With their hunger mildly sated and their spirits lifted by the taste of the forest's bounty, the trio continued on their journey, their hearts light and their steps quickened by the promise of adventure that lay ahead.
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As the trio ventured further along the path they had walked before, a sense of unease began to settle upon them like a heavy shroud. Gradually, the vibrant greenery of the forest gave way to a landscape marred by devastation and destruction. Burnt trees stood like silent sentinels, their charred branches reaching towards the sky in a haunting display of nature's fury. The once lush foliage now lay in smoldering heaps, the acrid scent of smoke lingering in the air as a grim reminder of the fire that had ravaged the land. Ariah, Elias, and Rokas exchanged concerned glances, their footsteps slowing as they took in the desolate scene before them. With each step, the severity of the destruction became more apparent, casting a shadow of foreboding over their journey. As they pressed on, their hearts heavy with sorrow for the loss of life and beauty, they vowed to keep their eyes peeled for that monstrous Bearilla that dealt this damage.
“And to think, we almost became burnt up blackened corpses alongside the nature here.” Rokas whispered.
Elias’ eyebrows lifted in shock, “Wow, that was probably one of the most dark things I have heard from you so far. What gives, are you good?” he inquired.
Rokas let out a deep breath and cracked his neck. “Yeah, you see, this is just a lot. My family is a family that protects, preserves, and values nature to the highest degree. To think that this happened simply because we were attacked by some damned Bearillas is outrageous. Truthfully, I didn’t even know that they could transform or use any kind of magic. The celestial magic’s dark energy must have embedded itself inside animalistic creatures. I thought it only worked on humanoid species, guess I was wrong… but..”
“OVER HERE! I SEE THEM OVER HERE!” A voice shouted ahead of them. The trio looked up to see that a party of ten people from Starch was wandering Swampstead. Then the last to show themselves, coming from a location farther than anyone was Dusty.
“By the moons! You are okay!” Dusty yelled with a tear rolling down his right cheek. He bear hugged the three in disarray and solace. “We thought something really terrible happened to you three. I woke up to people shouting that a large fire was consuming the forest and I knew it was in the direction that you went. I just knew something fishy was up!”
The trio managed a giggle due to the fact that it was because of their fish over the fire that started the whole commotion in the first place. Dusty looked into each of their eyes, bewildered and asked “what's so damned funny that you are laughing at my fear?”
“Ole’ man Dusty, do we have a story for you, but before I begin that, would any of you happen to know of a black and blue knapsack-like bag that was left on the ground anywhere?” Ariah asked, and as she did, one of the villagers that joined the search party lifted it in the air to show that he had in fact found their bag. Rokas breathed a sigh of relief, so much was in that bag, some items even beyond valuable that it was purely sentiment. His father had given him that bag when they parted ways, when Rokas had to leave for Starch.
And so, the ten people of Starch with Ariah, Elias, and Rokas began walking through the charred landscape that was once a lively forest. They told them of the hardships, the battle with the Bearillas, the ascension of the Sinkro Mountains, and they shared the juicy blueberries that they had stuffed in their pockets. Nobody could believe the story of the Bearillas and how they conjoined themselves into one strong magical foe, but they all still were incredibly keen to their surroundings, as if they just heard a horror story.
A couple days would pass, and everybody would camp together, eat together and tell stories together. Even though Ariah, Elias, and Rokas weren’t in Starch, just the company of their people made the trek back significantly better, their emotions amplified with companionship. The Starch folk told them of how well the town guards were doing and that they had plans that they were going to discuss with them once they got back.
After some time on the third day of hacking and slashing their way back home, the opening of the forest cleared its way, the entrance to Starch was just ahead. Many townsfolk gathered at the gate, awaiting their arrival. Cheers and clapping rushed over everybody once they saw that the valiant Ariah, Elias, and Rokas had made it home.
The celebration was short lived as Dusty gathered their attention, speaking to them in a huddle formation. “You three need to get to my shop immediately, unfortunately, there is no time for rest.”
They knew the severity of Dusty’s voice was not to be toyed with, they listened and reacted. Waving to their people as they ran by with no time to chat, they would cut through the village by avoiding the regular gravel paths, heading straight for Dusty’s shop. Once they got there, they were greeted by six of the town guards. Two archers, two rogues, and two knights. With respect, the six of them kneeled to the trio with a fist to their chest.
“Oh get up you guys, we’re not gods or anything.” Ariah said embarrassed.
“We are happy to see you all made it back, we saw the flames and smoke that one night and…” a knight was cut off by the door opening. It was Dusty and Charles, the young man that they appointed as commander of Starch’s legion.
“We meet once again, my friends!” Charles said excitedly. The twins and Rokas greeted him with firm handshakes and their fists to their heart. “We have a great ordeal that we need to discuss, I’ve gone over it with Dusty already. Since he is the mastermind behind it all, I will let him tell it.”
Dusty cleared his throat with lofty hems and paused for a moment, “It’s Dockton, some of the people want to go back and assess the wreckage.”
“Okay, so what do you need from us?” Rokas asked diligently.
Dusty nodded his head, “yes, I want you three and the six of these guards to accompany a few of Dockton’s townsfolk as they search the town for any possible survivors and also so they can properly bury anybody that may have passed away there.” He was evidently keen on the idea, but wasn’t positive if the three of them would be interested in a possible scene that could be best described as horrific.
“We will do it, by the two moons we will get answers and results, you have my word!” Elias replied.
“That settles it then, you will be accompanied by these six guards for protection and order. You guys must leave tomorrow however, as the people requesting this to be done have grown incredibly anxious with all of the recent events. Meet back here after breakfast and I will ensure the same message gets to the townsfolk,” Commander Charles said with positive leadership.
The guards followed Charles as he exited Dusty’s shop, the trio remained as Dusty sat at the table with the note that he was writing back when the Orcs had attacked. “Before you guys leave, take this. Eventually, I need you three to get to the Aros Isles, Rokas, I know you can lead the way.”
“Yes sir!” Rokas responded.