Lol Astral
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Hey all, I know it's been a while :-P
This is just a rough draft of Chapter 1, but I was so eager to get it posted that here it is ^^
Be kind, it has only just been knocked to together in around two hours or so, so there are probably lots of mistakes
Love to know what you think of it so far, I'll most likely be making some changes as well as adding pics
Happy reading!
Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End
The fiery sun rose slowly past the shadowy, forbidding mountains that guarded the elfin world against its presence during the darkened night - when its existence was no longer welcomed by the inhabitants of the various forests and valleys. Its rays gleamed out past the thin layer of mist that had formed since its departure the previous evening, awakening the first forms of life most sensitive to the bright light. The birds resumed their calling and crying that had been halted during the hours of darkness when a stranger had entered Dohonzem Valley and the trees began –finally- to sing their whispering songs as a gentle breeze blew through their branches; awakening Haitou from his fitful period of rest.
He gradually peeled open his heavy eyelids as a combination of the renewed windsong and sunlight disturbed his sleep, informing him to the dawn of a new day, and the beginning of the end to his old ways of life.
***
Kaze awoke with a start as a solitary bird dived past his ear in search of an unfortunate insect that would serve as its first meal of the day. He blinked his eyes, trying to clear his senses of the confusion that the sudden transition from sleep to consciousness often left him with.
Once confident that the last remnants of sleep had left him, he hauled himself up from the ground – pushing against the roots at the base of the tree underneath which he had been sleeping – and began to scan the area in search of food for himself, using his nose as his guide.
***
Haitou clambered down from the tree in which he had chosen to spend the remainder of the night, dropping to the soft ground almost silently as he left its branches. He scanned the valley in his morning routine, making sure nothing untoward had happened during the night. Satisfied that nothing had changed in the valley since the mysterious stranger’s departure; he rummaged in a nearby bush for the last few berries hidden from view to set himself up for what would most likely be a strange and long day.
As he extracted the small morsels of food, he allowed his thoughts to wander – something very rare for him as he had trained to be focused on the current situation at all times. He thought about his past, and the journey he had taken to this present point in his life, pondered many questions that remained unanswered and finally sat down on the ground; at a loss of what to do and aware that a pressing decision must be made if he was to turn the page that would begin the next chapter of his life – wherever and however that may be.
***
Kaze ate hungrily, chewing on his small breakfast of bitter leaves and sweet fruits gathered from along a path of the forest he knew well. He kept his eyes and ears open, wary of more intruders into his domain. Despite the fact he had always lived here; had always thought of the forest as his and his alone, he could not shake off an eerie feeling that the words of the stranger had implanted into him the previous night. “Was living alone such an unwise choice?” Kaze wondered as he polished of the last pieces of fruit. There were certainly advantages to living alone; nobody to hurt you, nobody extra to worry about, unlimited time to train himself… And yet… The stranger had told him he could improve, not just physically, but mentally… What had he meant by that?
Frustrated, Kaze heaved his large frame off the ground and set about walking off his tension. His feet pounded down a random forest path and his pace quickened without his knowledge until he was running through the trees, fleeing whatever doubts he had inset into his mind. But they would only catch up with him. He knew that. Gradually, he slowed his pace, coming to a standstill at the base of what he realised was his favourite tree in the forest of Kalcazell. He sighed, and began to climb it; the muscles in his arms working hard as he pulled himself into the leafy sanctuary to think.
***
Pulling his legs into the familiar position, Haitou adopted the calming stance on the ground as he shut his eyes. He had grown used to meditation over the years, and now the calmness that washed over him came with ease; barely a minute passed before he felt the peaceful bliss which allowed him to think easily and devoid of emotions – engulf him.
After a length of time, Haitou slowly opened his eyes and allowed a small smile to play across his face. Self-improvement had always been what he had aimed for, and he should have known his only option was to follow the stranger’s advice and head to the Stone Circle. As he stood up, the leather pouch in his pocket shifted, reminding him of the extra weight. Haitou let his smile widen, as the burden of desire played not just on his mind, but now also on his body.
He moved quickly, gathering the supplies he would need to make the long journey to the place that would allow him to see if he really was worthy of the silver key which hung around his neck.
***
Kaze sat high in the treetop as random thoughts chased each other through his mind, the next as half-formed as the former. For the first time in his life – Kaze found himself wishing he had someone to talk to, someone he could rely on; a friend. He ground his teeth at this thought of weakness; he didn’t need anyone, he was fine by himself! But was he?
He growled, a scowl on his face, as he was forced to question himself and the lifestyle he had been living for the past eight years. The seeds of doubt had been sewn in his mind, and he conceded that he was going to have to see the mysterious stranger again, if not to seek words of wisdom, then to pound his face into the ground for messing with his head. He groaned and launched himself out of the tree, landing with a loud crunch on some fallen twigs. Reluctantly, he began gathering the things he would need for the journey, gazing around his home as he collected scraps of food. “This really is the beginning of the end, isn’t it?” He thought aloud. The only sound that came in reply was the merry clinking of the heavy gold that rested in the pouch contained in his pocket.
