Author Notes
I am excited to announce that I am participating in my first game jam this week! It will run for two weeks. Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, I wasn't able to write chapters in advance. Instead, I'm sharing the first few chapters of my published novel, The Swords of the Unforgotten Memories, while I focus on creating my first video game. Honestly, I expect the game to be somewhat crappy, but I will be happy to make a game from start to finish even if it will probably be a few mins of gameplay time.
My journey into writing began with a desire to improve my storytelling skills for a game I hoped to create one day. You can learn more about my story on my author website at www.sheenaoloughlin.com and my gaming website at www.storylygames.com. For detailed information, please explore beyond the homepage.
If you are interested in following my game jam journey, I will likely post a video at least on my YouTube gaming channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDNjvVKfY9Q7BAxlC_SoMJw, or you can sign up for my gaming newsletter at www.storylygames.com.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these chapters of my novel. Thank you for your support, and happy reading!
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The young girl’s screams pierced through the wind.
The note of terror hung in the dense night air, jolting a sudden surge of fear through The Stranger.
The Stranger spun his head towards the sound, his eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation.
With a sharp whistle, The Stranger summoned his horse and sprang onto its back, urging the animal into a furious gallop through the treacherous forest.
The Stranger’s heart pounded with adrenaline as he pushed the horse to its limits.
The ominous trees loomed overhead, casting eerie shadows.
But The Stranger was undaunted as he drew closer to the noise.
The Stranger’s stomach churned when he spotted a young girl cornered by an eerie, growling Wolagist in the distance.
This fearsome fusion of wolf and dragon had the body of a massive wolf and the wings and tail of a dragon, with razor-sharp teeth and claws capable of tearing through even the sturdiest of armour.
Its fur was a sharp red, barely visible in the darkness, and its piercing blue eyes glinted towards the young girl’s screams.
As The Stranger urged his horse to go faster, he found himself between the Wolagist and the young girl.
The Stranger leapt from his horse, whipping out his sword and circling the dragon-wolf hybrid.
With laser-like focus, the Wolagist turned its attention to The Stranger, baring its teeth and emitting a piercing howl that made The Stranger crumble to the mossy ground, cupping his hands over his ears in agony.
The Wolagist charged at lightning speed, knocking The Stranger to the ground, and crawled on top of him, piercing its talons into The Stranger’s torso.
The Stranger screamed in pain through his clenched teeth, desperately trying to reach his sword, which was just out of reach.
The Stranger closed his eyes and focused.
As the Wolagist lifted its talons from his torso, The Stranger instinctively rolled to his side, getting scratched across his chest as he swiftly picked up his sword and stabbed the Wolagist, causing it to emit a final, piercing howl before falling to the ground.
The Stranger collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.
After a moment, The Stranger lifted himself and stumbled towards the young girl.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Her thin, wavy brown hair covered her face as she sobbed uncontrollably.
The Stranger carefully picked her up, placing her chest on his left side to avoid aggravating his wounds.
Holding her close, The Stranger whispered, “You’re safe now, and I promise I will bring you home.”
The Stranger whistled for his horse, which rushed to his side.
The Stranger gently lifted the young girl onto the horse and mounted it behind her, holding her tightly as he urged the horse to move.
As they rode swiftly through the gloomy forest, The Stranger could sense the tension in the air.
The Stranger felt a growing unease as he sensed swift movement and heard distant howls echoing through the trees.
A pack of wolves rushed past them, ignoring them as they disappeared deeper into the forest.
The Stranger breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the pack had not seen them as potential prey.
But his relief was short-lived as a loud, thunderous roar echoed through the forest, and the pained cries of the wolves followed it.
The Stranger’s body froze briefly as a chilling sensation slithered down his back, and he urged his horse to move faster.
They rode towards the village of Vinenoris with renewed urgency, knowing that dangers could still lurk around every corner in this dark and foreboding forest.
As they rode, The Stranger couldn’t help but wonder what kind of creature had caused the roar that had silenced the pack of wolves.
The Stranger knew they needed to be on their guard, for there was no telling what other dangers may lie ahead.
***
The Stranger led his horse and the young girl into the quaint outskirts of Vinenoris.
The rhythmic echo of their steeds’ hooves reverberated through the narrow cobblestone paths that wound their way through the village.
The feeble glow of flickering flames from scattered torches illuminated the path, revealing huddled thatched-roof cottages.
The Stranger’s eyes scanned the area for the girl’s parents.
A piercing wail tore through The Stranger’s ears, causing the young girl to cry in distress.
The young girl’s tiny frame trembled as she struggled to dismount from the horse, her tearful pleas for her mother echoing through the chaos.
The Stranger swiftly turned to the noise source and gently lifted the young girl, easing her down to the cobblestone ground.
The girl sprinted towards her mother, who embraced her tightly and glared suspiciously at The Stranger.
The Stranger, anticipating her reaction, spoke in a deep, throaty voice, “I saved her from a Wolagist, a deadly creature that would have killed her if I hadn’t intervened. I killed the Wolagist, but the forest is unsafe for anyone, let alone a young girl.”
The mother gasped in horror.
She spoke faster, “My apologies, Sir; how can I repay you? I don’t have much to give, but…”
The Stranger moved closer to her, the village fire flames giving light and revealing his pale face and tangled, wavy brown hair falling down his face.
The Stranger’s piercing brown eyes relaxed as he approached the lady.
“All I need is for you to take care of my wounds, and I will be on my way,” The Stranger said calmly.
The lady nodded and picked up her child, guiding The Stranger to her cottage.
Inside, the lady invited him to sit in the main room.
The Stranger’s boots echoed off the chilled concrete floor as he sat on the stool beside the open fireplace.
The Stranger turned and stared deeply into the flames that flickered in a restless dance, conjuring images of a furious battle between men and monsters.
The Stranger drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the sharp, primal aroma of the burning wood, holding his wounds as he patiently waited for the woman’s return.
The lady disappeared into a nearby bedroom.
After a moment, she reappeared, moving with deliberate steps towards The Stranger’s side.
She paused, her voice lowered to a hushed tone. “Apologies, Sir, may I?”
The Stranger felt a gentle touch on his gambeson sleeve and nodded as the woman gently lifted the dark gambeson and tunic over his head, revealing his chest bloody with a fresh wound and a few old scars along his chest.
The woman hesitated momentarily, taking in the severity of the wounds, before composing herself to clean them, causing The Stranger to wince in pain.
“Sir, please come to this room and rest for the night to allow your wounds to heal,” the woman said, motioning towards a bedroom on the far right.
The Stranger stood up and strolled towards the room.
As he followed the woman, she asked, “Sir, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what do you do for a living?”
The Stranger responded quietly, “I am just a nomad, nothing more.”
“I hope you won’t find it intrusive, but would you be willing to venture into the forest and protect us from the dangerous creatures that lurk within? We will compensate you with the coins gathered by the villagers. It should be sufficient,” the woman asked hopefully.
She continued, “Once, we had guards from the kingdom of Xanitant who protected us in exchange for our crops. However, unfavourable weather has made it increasingly challenging to produce enough food for our people, let alone meet the kingdom’s demands. To make matters worse, the greedy king of Xanitant now demands payment for guard services, leaving our village defenceless against the sinister creatures that roam the forest.”
With pleading eyes, she beseeched The Stranger, “So, can you please help our village?”
The Stranger’s head lowered, a sigh escaping softly, “Yes, madam. Tomorrow, I will venture into the forest and drive away any creatures I encounter. However, I must inform you that I must continue my way after tomorrow. I have obligations that await me. In return for my assistance, I merely request supplies to sustain me on my journey.”
The woman nodded, directing The Stranger to rest in the bedroom.
In the morning, The Stranger left the cottage and walked to his horse, putting the supplies he had received from the woman in his horse’s saddlebag.
The Stranger mounted the horse and travelled into the forest in search of any deadly creatures that lay within.