The sky was bright and the Sun was out, casting an ever glowing light on all that was underneath it. The lands underneath boasted many different areas, from scorched lands, frozen tundras and the ever-expanding planes of green and forest.
In a town in the northern continent of Elbonurth, everything was as normal as any day. The townsfolk go about their days, hunting and fishing. The port brought in fresh fish and merchants from neighbouring lands.
In the Tavern called "Dell's Tavern", everyone was talking to, being drunk fools and a few brawls broke out. On the notice board, different requests were pinned with varying conditions and rewards.
A young boy around his late teens to early 20s approached the board. He was tall, and decently built but still relatively skinny. He had medium straight frizzy brown hair with a few braids. The hair framed the sides of his face highlighting his grey eyes.
Ripping a request off the board he walked towards the corner of the tavern. Located there was a small booth and reception for all things related to the quest board, aka the Guild's related activities and faculties.
Smiling a young woman addressed him from the desk as he approached," How may I help you?" She asked politely as she smiled. The man beamed and reciprocated her politeness "Hey there I was wondering if I could take on this task" he said to the receptionist.
She pauses reading over it, a frown falling on her face. She stammers "This is a request made by the neighbouring town about disappearances that've been occurring for the past few weeks, no one who's taken it has come back" she says distraught and suggesting it is ludicrous.
The boy smiles and opens his mouth to speak "Don't worry it is in the Guild's code to let any who wish to prove themselves have to opportunity to do so, is it not?"He said still with a smile on his face.
The receptionist looks at the boy, she is a young woman looking to be in her mid-twenties. She has dark red hair as seen by some of the northern folk who have dark shades from black, brown, red and grey in some cases. Her eyes are a shade of light green very rare among the folk in the north. Most people have blue or brown eyes here, with the latter being more common.
She says while frowning and having a serious expression on her face "I hope that your words hold weight and it is heavy and not light", she pauses. Continuing she speaks "If they are not light I will welcome your return and even reward you with a gift, so please do not be another soon-to-be dead former aspiring youngling" She finishes slowly with care behind her words.
The young man smiles reassuringly and says "The name is Elrond, miss?" He asks just as he turns to leave after her final words. The receptionist responds "Claudia and safe travels Elrond" she says smiling. The young man replies with a smile in response and a wave trailing off "See you soon Claudia".
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In the outskirts of the town a sign saying exiting and entering Dorshire, Elrond could be seen making his way out towards the direction of the Mel-Mork forest. The Mel-Mork forest was a relatively safe place, with beasts appearing more so near night and the end of winter.
This time of the year was unfortunately late winter and night was nearing, however, Elrond was making camp amid the Mel-Mork forest nonetheless. Rummaging through his explorer's satchel looking for something he pulls out a little knife. It is more ornate and suddenly flows as he holds it under the moonlight. The knife goes from light blue to orange, then yellow and lastly red.
Elrond frowned as he gazed at the knife's colour 'This can't be good' he thought. He put back the knife and put his satchel to the side of his sleeping bag which was made of some pelts. Opening his pack instead which was a slim drawstring strap leather bag, he took out a piece of hard bread.
After eating Elrond had dozed off into sleep, holding a knife while in dreamland. A voice reached out with an erratic tone to it "No, no, no that wouldn't fit. Hmmm maybe this one, no his head is too big" spoke with mumbling tones that would flucate and get louder at random outbursts as if the man was insane.
Elrond had a quizzical look on his face as he looked upon this strange sight, 'didn't I fall asleep?' he thought. Abruptly the man snapped upwards away from whatever he was looking at in this dark space and looked Elrond staring at him. He smiled and spoke now then became serious and spoke in a Scottish accent saying " We have little time with danger looming closer, come here" he said gesturing towards himself, waving him over.
Elrond still sceptical about the situation did not think much and approached the man, opening his mouth "Hello Mr..?" trailing off he asked. The man replied "Call me Tock, Mr Tock", now known as Mr.Tock Elrond waited for further explanation patiently. Mr.Tock continued "I am a watchmaker my dear boy and I must say in the case of this time you are facing little preparation to deal with your upcoming situation" he said. After a pause he said "The time of night is over however the time of day shall also disappear and you may be led out of the clear. You must be well prepared or you must face the fear of death as it nears" he finished ominously."
Throwing an object at Elrond Mr Tock said "Take it and use it when the time comes".Fading the black of the area around Elrond became clearer until white negligee the space and then he woke in a break sweat and a gasp of breath. Above him, something moist fell upon this skin and a growling noise could be heard.
'Must be rain and I am quite hungry' he thought,' what a weird dream' he thought once again drifting onto his weirdly real encounter. Taking a pause he looked around, the bedroll was not wet, the bags and gear either. So what was that moisture he felt from?
Rolling over quickly Elrond barely dove away from an object flying down where he once stood, a black-slicked gnarled object. Looking further up it was attached to a body of sorts and with a smaller head at the front.' Wait' but before he could continue to think he had to roll again as another leg came crashing down emending itself into his previous spots again and again.
'Fuck, fuck, fuck' he kept cursing in his head as he kept dodging, weaving, diving and rolling for his life. Sweat trickled down his head and his breath hitched as he got scraped by the legs of this beast a few times.'Why the fuck do the gods hate me?'
, he cursed one last time as he was backed against a tree with a leg with a sharp metallic sheen running through his torso and through the tree behind him. The Snerk opened its beast 3 eyes and chattered its jaws teeth, opening its maws to rip into the flesh of Elrond.
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A/N By Warden
I hope you enjoyed it and would love inputs and choices on behalf of you the people of HighVeil.
What will happen next to Elrond and the Snerk I wonder?
Power stones would be a warm welcome one day but won't push for new chapters just yet.