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Chapter 01 - Arrival

Light poured into a dimly lit room, a cool breeze was flowing steadily through a slightly opened window. It was a cool, brisk morning, and the fog that had settled through the night had only risen to the height of the window. It looked like the sky had fallen. Outside, the sound of various birds chirping and beginning the hunt of their food could be heard. When the light had moved just right, it landed on the person sleeping soundly on a bed made of straw.

Xaine opened his eyes, only to shut them again in objection to the sun in his face. He slowly got out of bed, stretching his muscles. Satisfied, he walked over to the pile of neatly folded clothes in the corner of his room. His house was a small hut. It was connected to the back of the blacksmith shop his father, Gordon, would run during the day. There was a total of two rooms in the house, one occupied by his father, and the other by Xaine. Besides the kitchen, these were the only rooms in the house. It was small, but it was comfortable. Xaine’s mother used to live here as well, but she passed away when he was small. Xaine constantly thought about her, and how his life may have been different with her in his life.

Xaine was tall compared to most people. He was only seventeen, but he had already become a great blacksmith working with his father. He had long, black hair that just barely passed his shoulders. His eyes were green, and glowed compared to the other uninteresting features of his face. Xaine stared in dismay at the clothes piled in the corner. All of his clothes were too small, and many of them had been cut to accommodate his growth. He wore his pants like shorts, cut at the knees, and his shirts had no sleeves. They were all stained from working as a blacksmith.

When Xaine had changed, and finally finished fixing his hair, he walked out into the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow at Gordon sitting at the table, staring at a broken shovel. Gordon was staring at the shaft of the shovel with such intensity, he thought it was going to burn to ashes. “What’s with the shovel?” Xaine’s question startled Gordon, which to Xaine’s surprise, resulted in the shaft of the shovel being hurled at his face. Xaine yelped in surprise and ducked as the shaft of the shovel breezed through his hair. One more second, and he would have been missing an eye. Gordon’s voice boomed in a deep tone that sounded like rolling thunder. “Sorry Xaine. I didn’t know you were there.” Xaine chuckled. “If I didn’t have these reflexes, I might have lost my eye.” Gordon laughed as well, but his face grew serious almost immediately after. “What’s wrong father?” Xaine tried to hide the concern in his voice, but failed miserably.

“It’s probably nothing.” Gordon’s answer was not what Xaine was expecting. He tried to pursue the matter further, but Gordon insisted he was fine. “Xaine, I won’t be home until late tonight. I need to go fix up Fudor’s wagon. He’s a lot older than we are, and he needs something to move around all that hay in. I’m surprised he’s managed to do as much as he has.” Xaine nodded in approval. Fudor and his wife Emma, have been close friends to Xaine’s family since before he was born. They always helped each other in times of hardship, and this was no exception. “I suspect you’ll be traveling into that damned forest again to hunt today?” Gordon has always hated the forest. It has always been gripped with misfortune. 

“Yes. There was a really nice boar I was tracking the other day. I shouldn’t be gone for too long, tomorrow morning at the latest.” Xaine jumped as Gordon banged his fist on the table, causing it to crack down the center and almost splitting it into two. “You will not be staying out in that forest overnight.” Xaine had expected Gordon to yell at him, but instead, his voice was so quiet, he could hardly hear him. He wondered what had his father on edge, but decided not to pursue the matter.

So the two of them ate breakfast together in silence, eating the last of their meager supply of bread and cheese. When they had finished, they both got ready for the rest of their day. Xaine grabbed his bow and quiver from the kitchen closet. He only had six arrows left, he would have to make more soon. He also grabbed his short sword, just in case he should run out of arrows. When Xaine turned to go out the door, he was alarmed to see his father wearing some of his old armor and his two-handed blade. “Wh-what is that for?” Xaine stuttered in his speech, both in awe and fear at his father’s attire.

“There have been increasing numbers of wild animals near the border of the forest. The mayor asked me to clear any animals that have made their way into the pastures. That is why I am going to be gone all day.” Gordon seemed amused by Xaine’s question, and with a hearty chuckle that seemed to shake the entire house he further added, “you didn’t really expect fixing a wagon to take me all day did you?” Xaine flushed at his ignorance. He knew his dad’s skill better than anyone and should have realized he had more than a wagon planned for his day.

Xaine turned to leave but his father put a big hand on his shoulder. “Oh and Xaine, tomorrow, let’s use some of the money I get from fixing the wagon for some new clothes. What do you say?” Xaine couldn’t help but smile at his father’s proposal. It wasn’t often they spent time together, and he cherished the effort. “Yeah that sounds great!” And with that, Xaine and his father walked out the door and went their separate ways. Gordon walked south to inform the mayor he was setting out to fight the animals loose in the pastures, and Xaine walked north, towards the forest.

The village was rather quiet still. Most people were still asleep, the sun just barely shining over the peaks. Most of the houses were made out of wood, cut from the trees from the surrounding forest. The roofs of the houses were usually made of a mixture of materials, including wood and straw. The newer houses had wood for a roof, as it was more effective than the straw. But the straw was cheaper, and easier to repair and maintain.

Xaine looked in dismay as he walked down the road. The villagers had just spent a lot of time and effort together to lay down stone and gravel, but the last rainstorm they had washed most of it away.

Xaine just then realized he saw smoke coming from the forest. The fog had dissipated from most of the village, but it still held a firm grasp to the forest. The blanket of fog enveloped the entire entrance to the forest, but Xaine could just make out a small camp nestled not even a mile from the entrance. His heart fluttered as he saw the black banners, with the red insignia of the lion etched onto it’s surface. The empire? But why are they here? Surely the village paid it’s taxes? Questions exploded within Xaine’s mind as he rolled over the possibilities. The fog seemed to shift a little, because Xaine then saw a caravan behind the camp. It hit him then that it was the supplies they had pleaded for. They actually brought us the supplies! He smiled with amusement as he recalled the tax collectors writing down their pleas. It was then that Xaine saw a cloaked figure separate

from the camp and run into the forest. It was so fast and brief, Xaine thought he was imagining things. Shrugging he closed the distance between himself and the forest.

He turned around, looking at the village burst into life as he always did before entering the forest. He looked at the camp to his right, but there was no movement. Still thinking of his father’s offer to go buy some new clothes, he took one final look at his village, and turned around smiling, walking

into the forest, consumed by the fog that surrounded it’s ancient branches.