We must have been a sight to see. The five of us walking across the barren ground. From a distance it would appear that three of us were kids, a warrior queen and a bear of a man. I was a part of this group and I knew better. There were two apprentice. Myself and Shino.
Shino was kind of plain looking and could blend in with any crowd. Then there was me. I stood out like I sore thumb. Half my silver hair in a bun. The other half hung down to my shoulders. Then my mismatched eyes, one green and the other almost gold.
Along with us were three others. We had Heather. For her height was as small as I was tall she turned out to be a shield maiden. She had apparently chosen a defensive sword at her choosing. Her blond hair made her warrior face seem almost like the stories of warrior princess we grew up with.
Then there was Heather’s wife Zoran. She had half her head shaved. Missing her right eye she normally wore an eye patch around people she was comfortable with. We were heading to her house in Stoneroot now that she had passed her tests. Not only was she now a master tracker but she had also gained the title of guide.
And the final person of our group was a hulking man. Snell the tracker in charge of training Shino, he includes me now that he is also my guide. A man as large as his heart. Sure he is ruff and has a tough way of teaching. It’s just the way his master was.
The best surprise was the little draco valon riding on Shino’s shoulder. Baby was her name. Missing a leg from an adventure with a thief that had tried to rob Snell and Shino a year ago.
To an untrained eye we were just a family tracking across the barren lands. The closest towns that I knew of were the town of scribes and Quitar. The town of scribes was my town of birth along as Shino’s too. And Quitar was the capitol in the middle of all the lands.
Legend says that Quitar was were the castle of the golden king once stood. Now it’s known for all the backdoor deals, death, and much more. Quitar of the forgotten history sounds way different than what it has become. Maybe one day the tides will turn.
Now our group has been walking for two weeks. Stoneroot was about a three week journey from the tracking testing grounds. And in that two weeks since we began our journey I had been smacked seventeen times for the word sir, dealt with Zoran and Heather talking about how amazing Stoneroot was one hundred and eighty-nine times, and been lectured by Shino on how I wasn’t tracking right five hundred and forty-one times. I truly feel like I’ve learned tons. But one thing I have learned is how little I really know.
“Zen you have to look at how the sand has moved inward on this part.” Make that five hundred and forty-two times. Thanks Shino.
“But Shino a snake still moves with an S pattern. Why would the sand fall inward?”
“That shows the direction it is moving Zen.” Shino seemed to be mildly satisfied every time he knew more than me. “As the snake moves forward the disturbed dirt falls to fill in it’s track. Right Snell?”
“That’s my boy Shino. If you keep up at this rate you will be like Zoran. She moved just as fast when learning this.” Snell always made sure everyone knew how proud he was of them. Especially when he knew it was him who had taught them.
“Snell you will spoil the poor boy. Hah. That pride will be the downfall of him one day.” Zoran didn’t even turn her head. Somehow I knew that she already knew where this snake was and was giving us a test. “Heather here learned tracking from you as well Snell. Sadly she was as bad as poor old Zen then. Both are still just novices. I doubt that this is what Zen will truly need. But at least he can catch dinner.”
“Well Zen will be a better guide. He already can point out the direction of Stoneroot like water flows down a river. Following after me himself.” Heather had a satisfied smirk.
“That’s cause Stoneroot is unlike any other place. It will be a surprise of a lifetime for Zen and Shino. Right Snell?” Zoran’s dreamy one eyed stare fell on Heather. “Well second surprise.”
“Snell. I know you trained Zoran but I’ve been meaning to ask you how you knew Heather so well? I mean you talked about her when I first started training with you.” Shino seemed lost in thought for the first time since I taught him to listen. Since then we had practiced twice a week.
“Heather can I tell those boys yet? Or is that to much for their young ears?” Snell was acting kind of fidgety.
“Well after you adopted me Snell I can respect all your decisions.” Heather had a sad look in her eyes but a huge smile on her face. “They will need to know one day. They also need to know that you will give them the opportunity for their own decisions.”
“First let’s set up camp. We have made wonderful progress and it will be the tale of heartache to love.” Zoran put an arm around Heather and pulled her a little bit closer.
“Okay I will make the fire. Zen and Shino set up the sleepers. No tent tonight. It’s mild weather and clear skies. The stars will help entice the stories of yesterday. And Zen this story will also be a part of your tomorrow. And you lovebirds can sit and ogle each other.” Snell’s raspy chuckle carried over the barren land.
A slight breeze started and the fire stirred to light. The sky many different shades of blue was finally giving way to stars. The elven blade would soon be cutting across the sky. The famous constellation that any explorer could use to tell if they were on the west or east of the realm. The brightest part of the constellation sat to the north while three stars lead down to a cluster of four stars to the south.
“Shino take those four birds you got there earlier and put them over the fire. Heather you got any of your seasonings left? I swear that mix will make anyone want to wife you. Hrugh. But I prefer Zoran as my daughter in law.” Snell had already pulled out his bottle. He had named the bottle, The Story Maker. He said as long as there was drink in there you could always have a good story, weather it be from the past or hopes about the future.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“This is the last of it Snell. But I will be able to make more once we get to Stoneroot.” Heather pulled out a small satchel and started dressing the birds.
“Alright boys. Time for the story of how I adopted Heather.” Snell sniffed for a second. “Might need that bottle of yours too Zoran.”
“Here you go Snell.” Zoran looked at him satisfactory. “Just make sure you stay on course this time. Don’t go dark on us halfway through again.”
“Alright everyone listen close. This is the story of a priest, a warrior, a tracker, an elf, and a dwarf.” Snell took a quick glance around to make sure everyone was listening. “It was many upon many years ago. The group of us five. We had Albert who had left priesthood. We had Drakon the warrior, one day to be called the wandering warrior. We had me grand old Snell the tracker, but back then I had a lot less grey in my beard. We had a Allistar the banished elf, poor fellow deserved so much better. And finally we had Alliah of the dark spire. A dwarf that was held in such high regard that all dwarfs took underground when she talked about her journey with us. We had traveled past the great barrier. We had become know as the elite adventurers. Towns hired us and we were heroes to all. And on adventures especially ones as special as ours there was love and heartache. To go back and change it I would only change one thing.”
Snell took a drink from The Story Maker. “All of you drink now.”
“They are still young Snell. Too young!” Both Heather and Zoran chided him.
“Nonsense. I gave you both story maker wine at their age. Only seven moons for them both. Plenty old.” Snell seemed satisfied almost proud.
Zoran passed the bottle to us. Shino took the first swish and made a face then passed it to me. I sniffed it. It smelled how mother always smelled when she shown up after dark. A little bit fruitier though. Maybe not as bad as the drink mother always had with her. I took a sip. Then I took a larger gulp and another. I handed the bottle back to Snell.
“He was an outsider he’s used to it.” Shino seemed to be doubting that I had done that.
“Shino first only three towns have outsiders. Second I believe poor Zen has had worse than a bit of fruit whine.” Heather almost looked at me pityingly.
“Okay everyone. We shall resume. Tonight the wine will be for your heartache not mine.” Snell had an air about him as he resumed his tale. “It was an especially rough adventure that one. You see Allistar and Alliah had found that they had fallen into a forbidden love. We had decided that love is love. But the elves long ago had put a curse on every elf that had a child with any other race. Halflings were frowned upon. Especially from the dwarven race. So we were out to break the curse from before the tale of history began. Heather was in the womb at this time. Alliah told us it couldn’t be done. But Drakon had discovered a way it could be. You see twenty years ago a miracle happened when Heather was born.
Drakon had discovered a way to break the curse this once. Drakon always believed that love could conquer the world. So he had done research upon research. He had found a solution. For the love of the child a parent had to sacrifice themselves. But the only problem is the curse could only be broken each time on the stone of beginnings. We had ventured for three months and little Heather here was close to due. Well not as little as then.” Snell smirked at his joke. Even though his eyes did not. “We had agreed that Allistar would go with Albert to the stone. Albert was supposed to keep him safe until then.
Little did we know Alliah wasn’t going to let Allistar go alone. The night that we found the stone Allistar was already there with Albert. They had went on ahead. But Alliah had left after Drakon and I fell asleep. We found her hugging Allistar at the stone. They had knocked out Albert. It almost felt as if the group was falling apart.
Allistar kept apologizing to Alliah saying to keep the baby safe. That night he called upon lightning. He always hated to use his magic. He had been he strongest with it. We watched as he struck himself and died instantly. Drakon and I were in tears but we knew that it was worse for Alliah.
The last month before little Heather her was born passed quickly with our grief. But when we saw little Heather we knew for Allistar we had to keep her safe.
Drakon was the first to go his own way. He came to me one night and said he had a dream. One day one of his children would need me and I will have to guide them back to the stone of beginnings for that is where his true journey will begin.
Next almost a year after Heather was born Albert left. He said he should have never left priesthood. He was not the guy he used to be and the beyond beacons him back.
The next day Alliah came to me and asked if we could go to Alistair’s grave for the first time. We took the six month journey to the south into the edge of the ivy woods. It’s were elves burry their dead. Tradition has forgiveness for all elves after death. Little did we know that the elves had known we would come.
Heather was spared that day cause of her elfish blood. I was also spared so that way the banished halflings could learn and grow. The elves respect the young and find them guides to lead them through life. They couldn’t give Heather to the dwarves their mortal enemies.
That day though was the hardest. I gained a daughter yes. But I lost my sister. After all of our adventures she was family. The elves slaughtered her in the most gruesome way.
All the dwarves gathered at the base of black spire the day we buried her. I don’t know how Drakon and Albert knew. I know they met me on the way to the endless mountains.
As drawven custom and as Alliah wanted we buried her there. It was the same day we all learned the song of the dwarves. Sang to begin life and to end it. It’s to guide the soul peacefully back into another life. As harsh as dwarves can be the are highly respectable and trustworthy. Something they have in common with elves. Sadly only two ever saw that.
As the years went by I saw Albert once a year and Drakon would come and go. Last time I saw Drakon though was when Heather had her choosing. He said that one day I will find him where it all began. He seemed so far away back then. That was when you got Steelbreaker that you carry with you Heather.
At seven I took Heather to the west. Albert was in Harbinger waiting for us. He said we had missed Drakon, but that Drakon was doing good. Harbinger is the town of a warriors training. It’s backhanded and everything it nowhere near as safe as it seems.
At the age of thirteen Heather came back home for her off year before returning to training. That was when she met dear old Zoran here. The two seemed inseparable. I thought it was just a friendship cause Zoran had been brought to me by her parents for training as a tracker.
It was on a parental checkup that I found out well…. Well you know. That Zoran even though is their daughter was a son to them in a sense. In more ways than I could think.
At fifteen Zoran asked me if she could go to Harbinger. I said yes and her parents met her there. To my surprise she invited me a year later. She told me a about a fight she had protecting Heather and shown me that missing eye. Hah. I never felt so proud. It was Heather’s graduation.
As heather completed her shield bearers test we all cheered. That’s the same day Zoran asked her to marry her. Then last year. Four years after I gained my second daughter you can call her. Albert told me about you Zen. And I knew Drakon wasn’t crazy then.
After we stop by Stoneroot we will begin our journey. We will travel to the home of tamers. Once there not only will you gain a companion but you will almost be to the stone of beginnings. That is where we start looking for Drakon. Once we leave Stoneroot it will take us a long time. Shino you might even miss the parent meet up in five years. Once we get to Stoneroot I will ask you. You will have to decide to come with us or find another mentor.
Ah that concludes our tale. And just in time. Heather is crying and we are out of wine. And Shino you look a bit pink.”
As Snell finished his tale Zoran was hugging Heather. Shino suddenly shot up, almost fell over, and let his stomach put out the flames of the fire.
“Hah Shino seems to need to wine.” Zoran got a chuckle out of Heather with her terrible pun.