Shadows' encyclopedia - The Prodigies of Arahsmurd book 1

The Hero and the Traitor 🎀

Night fell under the tiny drops of rain. Rebecca had fallen asleep like a log without a care in the world. She woke up slowly to the unbearable squeaking of the wagon wheels. The young adult thought of her parents... especially her mother. The troll continued his long walk along the starry road. As he went along, the sky gradually became covered with night birds. Their calls were majestic and their colours fluorescent. One of them landed on Rebecca's shoulder, transfixed. It resembled both an owl and an eagle... Rebecca immediately turned to her book to find out more about these creatures. The book revealed writings and sketches of the animal.

Legleton

Legletons are nocturnal birds that live in groups. They feed on mice and small bugs and warn hunters of danger or rainy seasons. They cannot live during the day because their plumage is not adapted to light. Their fluorescent feathers enable them to move around in the darkest corners. When they feel in danger, their feathers turn black. When a Legleton is dying, it is eaten by the others.

Rebecca stroked it and let it fly away. Suddenly, the troll stopped in front of some large open doors. The snake emblem could be seen on the face of the walls. There were no guards at the entrance. Not far from the doors was a small clearing where wizards were hunting bugs. They were called "Mouse and Rat Exterminators". There were a lot of them in Vengard. Rebecca handed the gold coin to the troll and thanked him for his kindness. The wind rose and caressed her gentle face. Out of the mist came a woman with an oil lamp. She bent over the troll's wares and discovered Rebecca, distressed. The stranger took her to a stone path. It was foggy and a few officers were lurking about. The woman motioned to Rebecca to keep a low profile. Rebecca, with a tight expression on her face, followed her instructions to the letter. There were nothing but unkempt shops and small, crooked buildings where a lot of wizards lived.

A few metres away, there was an area where abandoned clay houses stood where sorcerers lived. A few animals such as sheep and dogs surrounded these houses. A sign indicated that these wizards were "servants". They did not have the same rights as the sorcerers in the City of Arahsmurd. Rebecca followed the mysterious woman into a house surrounded by mud. The woman invited her into her wretched home and lit a candle. She placed the oil lamp at the entrance to her shabby house and closed the door. The walls and ceilings were covered in filth. Cockroaches roamed about and flies swirled around the meat in a bowl. The strange woman looked scattered. She revealed her face and served her guest a glass of water and some berries. Suddenly, a crystal ball levitated above a low table.

"Don't worry," reassured the welcoming woman.

"Are you Ortysse?" asked Rebecca, disgusted by the surroundings.

" Yes, Ortysse Glasstail. I'm Ralph's maid."

"Pleased to meet you, my name is Rebecca Laurence... But my surname here is Moon."

"I know, you're the famous Hybrid Hunter," said Ortysse, her hand resting on a newspaper article. (She offered him some food).

"What kind of creature are you?" asked Rebecca, refusing to eat."

"I'm a witch. I'm one of those Submissive Creatures."

"Submissive Creatures?"

The woman rolled up the sleeve of her coat to show a symbol inscribed on her shoulder. The emblem represented a snake in a cage. The tattoo was branded on Ortysse's skin. Rebecca found it despicable.