'These are my memoirs and a recollection of my adventures as I remember them. In the many years of tribulation I lived through I like to think that I amassed an ample amount of wisdom. Now, as I grow old and weary, the desire to share what I have learned and leave a legacy for people to draw from grows each waking day. I hope you can learn from my mistakes and find inspiration in my moments of clarity.'
(The ascendant, 1:1)
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"Get a move on kid!" the man hollered down from atop his stagecoach. "If we don't arrive before high noon your mother will have my head!" he said, only half-joking. "Hop on so I can give these oxen a good workout, I don't want them gettin' lazy."
"Yes sir!" the boy responded, gingerly lifting himself onto the wagon and using one of the many crates of supplies, groceries and other miscellaneous goods as a perch to survey the surrounding forest.
The forest in question was widely known as the Northern part of the Bolg thicket and was mostly made up of tall ash, maple, cedar and apple trees. It was bountiful and supported a large variety of wildlife like deer, rabbits and a spectrum of native birds making it a good hunting ground.
Local villages were very grateful for this natural splendor and made sure to keep it this way by culling predators and ensuring none of the prey animals were overhunted, holding the natural balance in equilibrium.
Fall was just beginning and colorful leaves were mixed in among the healthy greens, all the while the first small caps of mushrooms were digging their way out of the soil in vibrant red and blue hues.
Slowly the large wooden wheels began to turn in the loose dirt and the coach began moving at a comfortable pace, barely outspeeding somebody who would be ambling along the path next to them.
"I can't wait to get home to that mother of yours. I sure hope she still has some of that stew left from the day before yesterday, and I bet you wanna play with that herbalist's kid again, right?" the man asked, the overly familiar attittude with his mother in no way alienating or bothering the child, after all the man had been taking care of him and his parent for a year now, in fact, he had been around since the day he returned from the war with the unfortunate news that the boy's father had fallen in battle. His name was Olivar and the youth was relatively used to his presence now.
"Yes sir."
Though he still had trouble finding out how to hold up a conversation with the adult air around him.
"Sigh... You know, Trifinn? I know it's still tough to accept that I am going to be with the two of you from now on but you can still speak freely in front of me, ok?"
"O-okay... I'll try!" Trifinn answered sheepishly, but with an honest resolve backing the words.
"Atta boy. By the way back in town I was told that group you fancy so much was gonna look into our village for establishing their office. What was it... the adventurers? kind of a cheesy name if you ask me" Olivar said with a cocky smile. "Rumors are that the caves up north have some monsters in them and they think it might be a good place to train some of their new recruits if they can manage to confine their nests to the cave systems."
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"W H A T ? You mean it?!" The barely 10 year old boy blurted, his voice cracking slightly at the sudden change in volume. "The Aldnor Adventurers are coming to us with their awesome gear and everything? And monsters! Aren't you scared? What if they attack the village! We should go to the city and sta-"
"Calm down Trifinn!" He stifled a chuckle "That really made you come out of your shell didn't it?" The man interrupted, wiping a tear out of the corner of his eye. "It's not a done deal yet but yeah, it is very likely they will open at least a small branch, also you don't have to worry about the monsters. It's just some small species that apparently breeds pretty quickly but hardly proves a challenge in combat." Olivar explained, turning his head to face Trifinn. "Nothing that I can't easily deal with."His index finger pointing to the Iron Sword strapped around his hip. "They seem to be scared of the villages so just don't wander off to far for a while until that guild has their population under control around here."
"Okay, but only if you show me how to use that sword!" he replied with a smug grin.
"Cheeky brat. Hmmm... I just might if you mother is n- *Thwack* What the?!" The two oxen bellowed in rage. "Hold on tight Trifinn! Something startled the Oxen. Grab onto something quick!"
"Wha- Okay!" The boy cried in surprise and did his best to grab onto the stacked crates below him before *THWACK* a fist-sized stone, coming from the shade of the thicket hit him on the temple and sent him careening off the wagon and into the underbrush below.
'A singular moment of carelessness can lead to dire consequences. A lesson I would learn the hard way this day.' (The ascendant 1.2)
The pain was dulled by his faiding consciousness. Trifinn tumbled down the sloped forest floor. Arms and legs getting scratched by brambled bushes and his soft body getting bruised by the quick descent until... *Crash* he came to a halt.
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Trifinn awoke to a searing pain throughout his whole body. He had never felt this much of it before in his short life and was left stunned by the sensation. His skin felt raw, hot and searing against the cold earthen ground and his breath was ragged and fast.
He slowly opened his eyes and immediately regreted the decision when the blood dripping from the gash on his forehead ran into his left eye. He tried to wipe it away but found that he could not move his left arm. Gritting his teeth, he tried to stand up and realized soon that as he tried his right knee would buckle under his own weight. After a long struggle he resigned himself to waiting and enduring the pain as best as he could. 'Olivar will surely come help me soon' he thought, holding back tears as best he could.
...
After a few minutes of what seemed like hours had passed Trifinn heard a rustle in the brush coming from the direction of the trail. He listened, 'that must be Olivar coming right now' he trusted, and just as he collected his breath to call out for help he indeed heard the voices of somebody searching for him. Panic welled up in him and his chest beat violently at the terrible realization... whatever attacked the wagon was out looking for him.
"I'm sures it's ! I hear crash." the voice croaked in guttural high-pitched tones.
"Moves then ratbrain! We fin the human piglet soon an get reward." a second one rang out in a way something that imitated speech would, rather than something that knew it.
"Yes..." It had to gulp its saliva down. "I smells the blood... close..." then the voices went dreadfully silent.
The boy had a million thoughts running through his head. 'I'm going to die! They will eat me! They will find me! I WILL DIE!' He could not run, his state did not allow it. So he looked around himself in a frenzy searching for something, ANYTHING to defend himself with. More out of instinct than anything else.
The ground was barren except for some leaves and the sticks that he dragged with him so he took the longest one he could find, laid it down beside himself and tried to look and sound as still as he could. He closed his eyes and waited with his makeshift weapon at his side.
[https://i.imgur.com/jZjLkOH.jpg]