13 Years Ago

Nashburg - Capitol city of Ashtrada

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In the city of Nashburg, everything was quiet in the night as all the working people have turned in for the night. The streets were bare except for the soldiers of the Nightwatch who patrol the streets by Faebright lights which bring light to the main streets at night as well as the people whose actions they want to hide from the light. The weather was beginning to turn worse as the grey clouds blanketed the sky hiding the starlight behind their veil and lightning flashed in the night bringing bursts of light to the entire city as well as thunder which rolled in the distance as it chased after the lightning. The smell of rain was in the air, but it has not found the ground within the city yet.

Amidst the flashes of lightning there stood a hooded man in black observing the weather carefully before he began to rush into the night with purpose. He stuck to the back roads as he was watching as if paranoid for anyone who may be tailing him. As he walked down the alley his footsteps were barely audible, and his feet danced around obstacles as if could see them clearly as he proceeded. After a few blocks of buildings made of stone and mortar, a big tent pitched up in canvas came into his view with candlelight coming from the slightly spread canvas layers which acted as the entrance.

The black hooded man slowed his steps and stopped as he came up to the entrance and looked around the scene once more to make sure he was in the clear before he pulled his hood further down to step into the tent. When he entered, he was met with a Blind old white-haired man sitting in a chair at a wooden table in the middle of the tent. Behind the old man was a closed wooden chest at the foot of a sackcloth cot stuffed with hay and feathers there was no one else in the tent except these two men.

After a couple seconds of silence, the old man parted his lips in a heavy sigh before he spoke.

“I have been visited by many an individual who seeks my help, but I never expected to be face to face with you, General Stanford…” His voice trailed off at the end of his sentence.

General Stanford brought down his hood revealing a rugged face with short black hair and a piercing gaze as he sized up the old man.

“Wiseman Dean, his Majesty the King has asked me to inquire on if you have received any explanation in regard to the Mana Omens which have been revealed in the air.” He stated without wasting anytime.

Wiseman Dean’s blind eyes gave off a white light as he looked to the face of the General as if he could see exactly where he to look. This action Unsettled the General as he knew this was a sign of the old man’s power of foresight in action. The white light disappeared from the old man’s eyes as blood began to ooze from the corner of his eyes and after a couple seconds, he began to speak on what he saw.

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“The wind blows from the ages, bringing voices from the past. The serpents descend upon the mountain to hunt. The elements dance in remembrance of an ancient promise as the herald leads. Behold the specks as like stairs, beware of the hunt, bemoan the epoch…” the old man doubled over in a fit of hacking and coughing as he spit up blood from his inner being. The sight of the old man coughing up blood caused the General to be startled as he stepped forward to help only to be stopped by the old man who held up his weak and trembling hand as he continued.

“Bemused is the fate which is the herald’s.” He finished and took a couple seconds to steady himself before he explained the words he spoke.

“Tell his Majesty that there is a great darkness approaching from the unknown. He must prepare for it, or it will consume us all. I will not be in town much longer as my research isn’t complete on this matter. You all must not forget my words because the weave of fate is being hidden from us all.”

The General’s became solemn as he heard those words and he nodded slightly in confirmation before he saluted to the old man and walked out of the tent and down the allies just as quietly and quickly as he arrived. The old man sighed again as he finally caught his breathe. His face seemed to age noticeably since he investigated the future. After a few more minutes of recovery, he stood up shakily and made his way to his bed to sleep.

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Brighton – A large city within the country of Freide

The cries of a baby echoed into the night as the excited cheers of both tired and relieved family members sounded out. In the room of a small house just outside town there was a woman who was lying in a bed trying to catch her breath after an arduous period of labor, next to her was her husband who was supporting her during the entire process, and he was wearing an excited smile as he brushed his wife’s hair out of her eyes with his fingers as the midwife brought a small bundle for them to see.

“Congratulations you two, it is a boy. He is crying energetically and seems to be in good health. Have you thought of a name for him yet?” She asked.

The mother of the new boy looked at the bundle expectantly as the midwife handed her the child. The husband watched on lovingly as the woman’s eye lit up as she seemed to appear lost for words at the sight of the newborn despite her fatigue.

“We decided to name him Alger. We have no family name, please pass that on to the officials, and thank you again on behalf of me and my wife. We are in your debt.” He said.

The midwife waved him off as she smiled. “It is no problem; this is my job in this town. You can pay me back by giving me a better selection of your crop next time. I will head off for the night and check up on you guys around midday tomorrow. Get some rest, the both of you.”

“Thank you and good night.” The father said as she left the room. He then went out of the room and told the few family members waiting outside the news as they only heard the cries of the baby and didn’t know what was going on in the small house. They cheered again and patted the father on the back as they went in one after the other to greet the new addition. After another round of congratulations, the family went their separate ways for the night promising to come again I the morning. The father then went back into house and found the mother had fallen asleep in the bed with the new baby in his bundle also snuggled against her. He smiled wryly as he noticed that there was no more room on the bed for him to sleep on and prepared himself a place to sleep on the ground next to the bed.

When the father fell asleep something began to happen within the bundle in the mother’s arms. Under the skin of the baby there was a light red glow of light within his chest which pulsed quietly a few times before going out seemingly for good. All was quiet again in the night.