Easthaven

Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Companion

The Earth in the year 1435 was a distant picture to what it would become in the future; or rather, it would become a place where most of its inhabitants would consider its true past to be that of great fiction. The world before modern society was filled with fantastical creatures and magical abilities, its mystical foundation being in plain sight rather than mere imaginations displayed on ink. Due to these aspects and their long-term effect on the world, it molded itself accordingly over the course of many millennia, and the vast and divergent landscapes it formed were sparsely inhabited with humans. This was not to say life as most know it did not exist, but the existence of so many subsects of organisms led to each reigning over certain areas where their special attributes would flourish. This also wasn't to say man was imbalanced with the other beings around it, but rather their settlements and reign over the planet was much humbler than what it would become.

As each species became more conscious and grew in their knowledge and culture, kingdoms and village settlements were created but remained few and far in between, due to a general consensus that the natural world around them should remain respected. Certain biomes and landscapes became naturally selected by each group, and they more or less stayed within their confines. While conflict still arose and wars were waged over menial problems like land, there was still a lot of peace to be found between the occasional quarrels. In fact, such altercations were few and far between, with most being miniscule in their consequences.

Trade was common practice between nearby settlements, as each community prospered in their own practices and used them to acquire things that they themselves could not create. This peace and rich trade led to travel being incredibly popular amongst communities. Each individual had their own purposes for leaving their homes and wandering the world abroad, however short or far. Some advanced in search of powerful men and women for an armed militia to protect themselves back home, while others simply wanted to learn about the array of societies that inhabited the world; their folklore, literature, art, music, or food were the most searched out. Some navigated to learn distant and hidden forms of magic for their own reasons, or to take advantage of current economic statuses and reap the profits. Some, however, just wanted to see all the world had to offer.

For one such man, it happened to be all of the above.

Within the thickly packed forests surrounding a large trade village known as Easthaven, a young man named Eli traveled along an empty dirt path that fluctuated in size and thickness with each foot it stretched. It was one of many that could be found in the surrounding forests that were created by visiting wanderers such as him, though the flatness of it signified it was one most traveled by. The young man was alone, with only his horse, a beautiful Haflinger mare named Honey, and the forest ambience to keep him company. The gentle breeze of the midday air brushed through his ginger hair, causing him to have to move the long front strands away from his eyes every few minutes. He would rub his face every other time he did this despite his face being clear of any blemish, making it look as though he was trying to rub the freckles off his cheeks.

The two had been traveling for almost six hours with no break in between and both were beginning to feel the fatigue of their trip. Honey's movement had gone from fast confident trotting to a meandering walk, and Eli began to feel his body lock up from sitting in the same position for such a long time. It wasn't that they weren't used to such sensations or expecting it for that matter. Eli had been a wanderer for over half his life after all, and Honey had been with him for even longer than that, but experience didn't exactly make the thirst and hunger of each trip any easier to put up with. The most the man could do was hope that Easthaven would have a place for them to rest for the night.

"We're almost there, girl." Eli said as he reached his hand out and rubbed the top of Honey's head and the back of her neck, stroking her long angelic white mane as he did so. "Just hold out for a little bit longer, and I'll get us something to fill us up."