The trio continued their trek through the silent plain of the Land of Legions. Through similar wreckage and ruined settlements, the story and tale seemed to be the same—all except for one.
In the distance, a wooden settlement dared to resist the empty devastation of the Land of Legions. Nestled between two grassy hills a great wooden palisade protected the humble peasant camp.
Three smokestacks blew from its four thatched roofs. Atop the palisades, figures guarded the entrance of the hills.
"A settlement!" Griff said as the wizard pointed to the smokestacks.
"Maybe they can help us," Fiona completed as the trio hastened their pace towards civilization.
The trio approached the gates to find a human atop them. He was dressed in poor peasant clothing and wielded a crossbow.
"Halt! Who goes there?" He asked.
"We're travelers and we were hoping you could help us and give us some accommodations," Thalon asked eloquently.
The peasant shook in place as his eyes darted towards the hills beyond his camp. He gave a quick glance to them and then back to his own home. "Huh, I would love to help you strangers, but right now isn't a good time. You should leave, for your own safety."
"Is that a threat?" Griff asked from behind the wizard, sounding equally insulted and curious.
"More of a warning, from one kin to another." As the peasant guard finished, a strange clicking and sponge-like voice emerged from behind the palisades.
"Marco! Who's out there?"
As the figure emerged, the guard stood to attention and saluted the mushroom person.
"A jeru," Thalon said in awe.
"Sir, Eren Sir," Marco the Guard said as he saluted the jeru.
He was as tall as the guard and wore an orange-brown tunic and brown skirt that let the jeru's four pointy spider-like legs freely move about.
His head, like all jerus, was adorned by his species' large mushroom cap that protected jerus from the elements and housed their central neural web.
Below the jeru's cap and right above his large eyes however, the trio could see a pair of jeru-made miner goggles. Going diagonally from shoulder to waist, the wizard spotted a purple sash.
"These travelers were requesting to stay the night, Eren, sir." Marco said with an unmoving resolve.
"What are you waiting for then? Go open the gate before —" The command from the jeru superior was cut short as a strange metallic horn sounded in the distance. "Ah, schist. Too late now. Hide!" the jeru captain said to the wizard and his companions.
"What was that? What's happening?" the wizard asked.
"Hide! There's no time to explain!" the jeru said. The trio began to move and look for any place to hide as the sound of approaching footsteps and galloping became ever louder.
However, as they circled the palisade, they couldn't find any place to hide in the vast open field.
The wizard, monk and fernian became surrounded by an incredibly coordinated and fast-moving army of kin in matching breastplates, helmets and weapons.
The kin in legionary armor and wielding shorts words, scutum shields, and crossbows on their back surrounded the travelers and held them in place.
"Don't attack them, easy there friends," Thalon said as he held Griff and Fiona's hands. The army began to encircle them against the palisade.
YOU ARE READING
The First Wizard
FantasyThalon has been a monk his entire life. He worshiped and served the Gods whose magic wards off the dangers to the world of Vaelia. He believed their promise that the hardships of life will be rewarded with salvation upon death. Then he learns the tr...
