I wasn’t in the mood to go into town, the… event, earlier in the day ruined most of my enthusiasm. Instead of just wasting however, I was going to do something. that something was more walking.

For something I complain about so much one would think I would have avoided it like the plague. Nevertheless, I headed out of the manor, however something caught my eye on the way.

There were no servants in the annex, none at all. My mind was left to ponder why, but I was soon greeted with annoyance. The door was still locked from last night.

I unhooked the dinky little chains and then headed back to my room. sitting on my dresser was a key. it was covered in just as much dust as everything else, but it was still there.

With that key I walked downstairs for a second time and unlocked the door.

How I hadn’t noticed the lack of servants when I was having a wash was entirely on me. I had probably been a bit shaken up from the weird happenings prior and I was also used to making my own bath.

Some nobles, especially knights didn’t have access to a bath that used magic like the ones int eh manor. we were rather lucky in that aspect since I didn’t have to go and draw water and then heat it, the bath did all that for me. luckily enough as well they were bought by a baron a few generations ago so we didn’t have to deal with the price.

Heading out of the annex I locked the door behind me. I guess on the upside the entire annex was now my room.

I walked along the same path I normally did. I went to the training yard that now had shoots of green in the corners.

I took out my sword and gave a few swings but quickly moved on. I would much rather go fight Mr Cedar or mark then just sit here swinging in a place I don’t want to be.

I continued to walk until I found myself at the place where my sanctuary once lay. The fountain was no more, it wasn’t even replaced. What was broken was merely discarded, while the trees that still stood looked out of place.

I walked over to the spot where the fountain once lay and placed my hand upon the dirt. The anger that was born from this place of serenity set me free, and I thanked it for such. I wanted to speak to it, to say my thanks with more than a touch. But I wasn’t crazy enough to think that trees could hear me… yet.

I stayed there for a while, reminiscing of all the times that I spent here, just sitting. Back when I sought nothing more than to feel.

A smile drew across my face as I looked back on the oh so short time that brought me happiness. Mr Hildegard, Mr Cedar, Mark, I must give thanks to them too. but not now, not today.

I got up and continued on my way. There wasn’t much to do other than be called weird by standing there all day.

There was a mountain nearby, so I decided to head there, explore a little.

I called it a mountain, but in truth it was more like a very large, very jagged hill. I had read of mountains, they stretched all the way into the sky, higher than even the clouds.

I wondered how the world would look from up so high. Everything already seemed so beautiful from the tops of roofs and trees, there were so many things I wanted to know.

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I disappeared into the trees and the ground slowly raised. I saw moss covered tress and strange plants throughout. But that was pretty standard of most forests.

When I came across something interesting, I stopped. I thought it was the hill, but instead it was a cliff.

I looked up at the top of the cliff, I would probably have to go around. Instead off heading off right away I looked for a spot to take a rest.

I soon came across a tiny waterfall that fed a stream. I stopped there, amongst the dark and moist rocks and the green vines that trailed up the cliffside. There were a few dry patches, but nothing substantial.

I didn’t care though about how wet a few rocks were and sat down anyway. For a while I just sat staring at the flowing water with my arms wrapped around my knees. It was peaceful and the occasional chirp of birds reminded me that I wasn’t alone.

I reached a hand out and let it glide in the cool water.

After feeling the water, I moved p a little to where the waterfall created a small pond. There I took off my boots and dipped my feet in the water.

It was surprisingly deep but I didn’t mind. I used my arm to test how deep the centre of the little pond was, and then I cared. Most of my arm went in, but I felt no bottom. Not intent on drowning I retracted my arm and left the pond. It was then that I noticed a strange brown rock.

The rock was strange, it had many lumps on it and it seemed to be kind of triangular. I reached my arm once more into the water and grabbed onto the rock. I brought the rock up and looked at it.

There was a strange red liquid that seemed to be mixing with the water around it…

I dropped the rock and looked to my hand. There were several clean cuts that were now all over my hand. I looked at the rock, then at my hand, then at the rock.

For some dumb reason I moved my bleeding hand down and poked one of the bumps on the rock. The bump caved in, and I knew what it was then. The next thought that crossed my mind was

“What the fuck is metal doing out here?”

I risked it and picked up a normal looking rock. I then used that rock to smack off most of the rust I could.

What I was left with was what looked to be the rusted point of a sword. It was broken, but it definitely resembled a sword. I had more confusion however as rust shouldn’t have cut that cleanly.

I gently grabbed the rock and took it to a nearby tree. Gently I pressed the rock into the tree, and it cut like butter. Before I could realise it, a deep groove was cut into the tree.

This however raised more questions than answered. A blade that could do that surely wouldn’t be cheap… right? So why the fuck was it just sitting in a waterfall.

There were a few off white rocks that gave me a bad feeling, but I ignored them. instead, I put my boots back on and decided to explore. My bleeding hand was becoming a problem though.

I looked to my hand, and then to my shirt, solution found. I grabbed onto my shirt with my bloody hand as hard as I could. Until my body solves it, my hand was going to stay like that.

I walked along the cliff hoping to find a spot where I could go around and take a look at the source of the waterfall. The blade piece was probably brought by the water and dumped in that pond. I would have liked to know what was in the depths of that pond even more, but I didn’t have the balls for that shit.

It took me a while, but I eventually found a fallen tree that acted like a ladder. The cliff seemed odd now that I had seen so much of it., there wasn’t a river anywhere nearby to erode it. the most reasonable explanation seemed to be an earthquake, but the region didn’t really get those. There was also the fact that the entire thing looked straight, unnervingly so.

Once I got atop the cliff I headed in a bit, away from the edge. I then started heading in the direction of the waterfall.

I tried to get to the waterfall but in the process, I ended up stumbling into an answer I didn’t like. I tripped on something, and that something seemed to be Armor, old and decayed, but still there.

From the ground that I was now very familiar with I looked around. The terrain looked strange. There were hundreds of bumps and mounds along with many arms sized logs sticking out.

I found more off-white rocks and decided it was best to leave, but not before spotting an entire skull. it was just sitting there at the base of a tree.

Now I wished my balls were far smaller than they were.

What fucking maniac builds a manor so close to such a fucking place.

Today had been just great. I wake up after a cryptic as shit nightmare told me to kill someone for some reason, then I visit a mound of corpses.

I flopped onto my back, ignoring the crunch that came from below me.

“Well, this is just fucking great.”