oh noes

Chapter 1

Five days ago, I was kicked out of one of the last few cities on the continent, Drutchel. The guard who did so, a burly man in his thirties who sprouted a tiny bit of facial hair, dragged me out of the stable I was sleeping in, roughly shook me to wake me up, and tugged me towards the gate of the city. While we made our way to the wooden doors looming over the rest of the town, I attempted to flatter my new escort, hoping he would release me.
"Hey, you look cool in that armor of yours!"
The guard grunted.
"I bet all the women out here are falling for you, heads over heels!"
He stopped in his tracks and glared at me.
“Uh…sorry…”
So much for that. Not that I really expected much from it anyway, but it couldn’t hurt to try. That is, unless he had decided he wanted to stab me, which would definitely hurt.
While the man pulled me towards his destination, I took in the sights. The sun was rising, illuminating the gates of the city. Some women were scurrying about, holding baskets and offering the things inside to the men sitting against the walls of the gloomy-looking houses lining the town. I could make out the edge of a mountain and faintly heard some girls playing double dutch in the background.
As we finally reached the massive gates, I saw a podium and several other people who looked just as worn as me. There were lots of guards standing around, each more noticeably handsome than the one dragging me along. When we reached the crowd at the bottom of the platform, he signaled to the man standing atop the stage. The guy nodded, and then he launched into his speech.
“Dear citizens, do you know why you have been gathered here today?”
Silence. Everyone just stared at the robed man like he had a third eye. Well, he certainly was dressed weirdly - he was wearing purple robes with strips of golden swirls, some green boots that pointed and curled up, and a hat that was obviously too large for him. Not letting the quiet disturb him, the man continued.
“It’s because all of you are absolutely useless.”
He stopped talking, almost as if he was waiting for a response. Once again, everyone just stared. Behind the man, the gates began to swing open. The man huffed and then opened his mouth again.
“That’s right. Useless. None of you have a record of contributing to our society. Not a single person has vouched for you. We are now in the Age of Science, and if you didn't help out before, you’re certainly not going to help out now. And you know what happens to people who sit around doing nothing in this new era?”
Someone in front of me coughed. The person next to me fidgeted. No one was going to answer the man’s question, and he seemed to realize that a few moments later.
“If you don’t know, then I’ll tell you. They get thrown out!”
Right on cue, the guards snagged the people within the crowd. Chaos broke out as the mob tried to run, but to no avail - the guards had surrounded us while we were listening to the man’s speech. Children screamed in terror and adults scrambled about trying to escape the grasp of the guards, but I stood still. Better to be kicked out without many injuries rather than a lot. Eventually, we were all hauled to the gateway and forced out. Behind us, the doors slammed shut.
No one spoke for a while, and several people got up and stumbled into the forest beyond. A baby somewhere to my left started to wail as his mother tried and failed to calm him down. Clearly, nobody had any idea what they were going to do. Bracing my hand against the dirt for support, I stood up and dusted off my clothes.
I had never been outside the city for as long as I could remember. Well, not like that was a big thing - I didn't remember anything except being rudely awakened by an idiot who smelled like cat piss and getting the boot. The wind blew against my face gently, toying with my hair and spiriting away several dead leaves. The sky was a light gray with thin streaks of white as I tentatively stepped toward the forest and set off on my way.
Funnily enough, being outside the walls was refreshing - almost like I had been freed from some burden that I had never realized I was under. As I inhaled the clean and fresh air, I heard a voice behind me.
“Hey there! Since we’re all in the same boat, would you want to join our group?”
I turned around. The voice seemed to be coming from a red-haired girl, maybe about sixteen years old? Oh, well. I had better things to do than hang out with some pipsqueak. Turning back around, I started walking towards the forest again.
“Hey! Hey! Don’t just ignore me, you sick little twit!” she screeched.
I sighed and turned around again. “If you really have a group,” I asked, “then where are they?”
“It’s a small group,” she chirped. “Just three people, including me. The other two are back there, waiting for me. We’re a bit low on supplies, but…” She eyed me with a sort of hungry look.
Yep, I definitely didn’t have time to mess around with her. Not only was she looking at me like she wanted to eat me, but she was also annoying - and I really hated annoying people. Not only that, but I also didn’t trust her enough to have her join me. For all I knew, she could’ve been a backstabbing liar.
Whirling around again, I strode towards the woods at a brisk pace, hoping that she would understand that I wouldn’t be taking her up on her offer. I could tell she was probably going to scream again, so I covered my ears to show that I didn’t want to listen to her. I’m pretty sure she left me alone because when I turned around, the girl was nowhere to be seen.
So then, back to my journey in the forest. I had no idea where to start, but what I did know was that I sure as hell wasn’t going to stick around where I wasn’t wanted. Of course, it’s not like I could just keep walking away either since I’d have no idea where I was going. If I wanted to live, I’d have to make a camp and the necessary tools for survival. Just as I’d made my first few decisions, I heard several shouts and screams behind me. However, there was one yell that I could barely make out:
“IT’S THE CHASERS! RUN!”
Chasers? Who? What? I mean, if they’re saying to run, then surely they’re bad things, right? But then again, maybe they weren’t so bad…?
I heard a growl behind me and slowly turned toward the source. That wasn’t probably wasn’t a good idea, considering the situation, but I did it anyway. There was a mean-looking creature behind me that looked like a killing machine - it had claws as sharp as knives, a hide that seemed to have…blister things coming out of it? And its jaws were wide open, preparing to…oh crap okay nevermind they’re bad they’re bad they’re bad.
As fast as I could, I spun back around and bolted away from the creature. Whatever the thing was, it was probably what those people were calling a chaser. Its dog-like howls bounced through the copse of trees, reminding me that I should've started running as soon as it growled at me. I could feel the pounding of its paws on the grass behind me and its noisy panting. Worried for the worst, I pushed my legs farther.
Sweat ran down my face and heat rushed through my body. My breath came in frenzied huffs. Scrambling forward, I gave the chaser a quick glance. The distance between us was decreasing by the second. I could smell its rancid breath and the sound of its jaws gnashing together was getting progressively louder. I shifted my glance forward again just as I slammed into a tree.
Dizzy from the impact, I collapsed. Blood swirled in my mouth, metallic and salty. A sharp, aching pain shot down my left arm as I struggled to get up but failed. My vision blurred, turning the scenery into drops of color. The chaser slowed down, opening its jaws wide, about to bite down. Its fangs, glistening with saliva, came closer and closer as I tried to push myself away from the chaser. The rough bark of the tree’s trunk pushed against my back, refusing to yield. Just as I prepared for the seemingly inevitable bite, I heard a crash and a yelp. The ground shook with the impact and I instinctively flinched. What had happened…?
With my eyes closed, I tentatively moved my legs out toward where the chaser had been. My boots were met with a hard surface and something slippery, so I guess it was safe? Slowly opening my eyes, I looked at the spot where my legs had been sifting through a moment before.
A tree had crashed into the chaser. Underneath it, the body of the chaser lay, crushed by the weight of the trunk. The slime seemed to be oozing from the blister-like things on the chaser’s skin, which had popped when the tree had fallen. Now that the main crisis was over, I was worried about a smaller problem - where was the nearest river? I needed to get that stuff off of my boots.
Sliding against the bark of the tree behind me, I stood up, brushed myself off, and looked around. Thanks to the chaser, I had absolutely no idea where I was. The forest seemed to stretch on forever as I looked in the direction where I had come from. But then again, could I really be sure about that? Maybe I’d gone in a different direction during the chase. Maybe slamming against the tree had changed my sense of direction. Well, I probably wasn’t anywhere near the city.
Shuffling around a bit, I tried my hardest to get the yellow sludge off of my boots and onto the grass. That would have to do until I found someplace where I could wash them off. Rubbing my arm, I winced - when I rolled up my sleeve, I saw a line of bruises turning a sickening shade of purple.
Now that I was alive and not being chased after by a beast that tore through forests like there weren’t any obstacles in its path, I could finally enjoy my journey to…wherever I was going. A few rays of sunlight broke through the thick canopy of the forest, shining on a well-worn dirt path that I hadn’t noticed before. Well, change of plans - I was going to follow the path and if it led me back to the city, well, I would just go the opposite way.
As I was wandering along, I studied the trail. There were some grooves that made it seem like there used to be bricks covering the soil before they had been removed. But why? Maybe the bricks were taken to build a house of some sort, but who would want bricks covered in grime? There were also some deep holes by the path, almost as if there used to be signs implanted in the ground. Although the mystery behind the missing signs was a lot harder to figure out - after all, it’s not like people would use signs to build a house…right?
Well, it certainly wouldn’t have helped my anxiety to keep wondering. I decided to think about my future instead - first, I’d need to get some tools. Maybe a pocket knife would work, seeing as guns were complicated and costly. I could set up a shelter near the sea, and I wouldn’t have to hunt for things in this dark forest. As for fire, I figured I would probably have to practice setting one before I was able to master the skill. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take too long.
I hadn't noticed that I had been heading uphill until I started to go downhill, but what I saw at the end of the trail relieved some of my anxiety about the future. At the bottom of the hill was an abandoned port, where a ship was docked. I saw a couple of people milling about near the ship and some more people salvaging resources wherever they could. One man was fishing - or at least, I think he was fishing, seeing as he was holding some sort of pole.
Excited, I started to walk faster. These people could tell me where I was, maybe even give me some survival tips. And if possible, I could steal their supplies or do some fishing of my own. I began to run, feeling a bit giddy.
Finally reaching the bottom of the hill, I stopped to take a breath. I bent over, gasping for air, and then straightened up again when I’d calmed my heart down. None of the people had noticed me yet, so I casually approached the man who had been fishing.
“Hey,” I said.
The old man, snapping out of his odd trance, looked at me. He smiled, revealing his yellow and crooked teeth, and then pointed towards another man leaning against the side of the ship docked nearby.
“So…am I supposed to go over there?”
The man nodded emphatically, but then seemed to realize something and gestured at me to…sit? Stay? Stand where I was? Unsure of what to do, I just stood and watched him as he pulled a piece of brownish paper and an oily pen out of his pocket. He pointed the pen at me with an expectant look on his face.
After a few seconds, I asked, “What?”
More gestures. He seemed to be gesturing at my face while pointing at my chest. Seeing that I still didn’t understand, he started waving his hands frantically, trying to convey a message I couldn’t grasp.
A bit disturbed, I shuffled around a bit. I decided to ask, “Is there something on my face?”
The old man slid his hands down his face, let out a breath, and then flipped the paper. With the pen, he wrote down something, and then he turned the paper in my direction. On the paper was the word…uh…I have no idea.
“I can’t read that,” I said, feeling a bit sheepish. “I don’t speak whatever language that is.”
The old man, seemingly infuriated by my words, jumped up with a display of energy that didn’t quite fit his age and shoved me toward the man leaning against the ship. Upon hearing the commotion, the man turned to face the two of us with a curious expression.
Putting his hands on my shoulders, the fisherman shook me forward and back until I felt sick, and then pointed at the ship. I wobbled a bit, unstable after the unpleasant rattling. The man laughed, and then said, “Too good for pens and paper now, Bonnie?”
Timidly, I looked back at the annoyed old man and then at the person who was smirking at me. I squeezed my forearms as I noted his physical features: hair that was a slightly darker shade of brown than mine, lightly tanned skin, a scar across his left cheek, and two dark brown eyes. I looked at him for a little bit longer, but then he frowned at me.
“Hey, kiddo. Don’t you know it’s rude to stare?” he teased, raising an eyebrow.
Embarrassed, I looked away. The man laughed once more and then held his hand out to me. “The name’s Neil. Neil O’Haurel. You can call me Captain for short because that’s exactly what I am. Bonnie here says you’re looking for a ship?”
I tapped my index fingers together. “Well, not really…” I mumbled. “I was just hoping you could tell me where I was…?”
“Sure, kiddo! You’re right at the edge of the continent. That’s right, Esper Coast. Prettiest place in the entire world. Got any plans to go anywhere?”
“What?”
“I said, do you plan on going anywhere?”
The Captain looked at me, waiting for my answer. I looked up at the sky and made some thinking noises as I contemplated my choices.
“Well…uh…you see, I just got kicked out of Drutchel…? And I don’t remember anything…? So…uh…I guess not?” I shifted, looking down at my boots.
“Oh, so you’re an Oblivian. Good to know, good to know. Our crew isn’t exactly kind towards Oblivians, but I personally have nothing against them. Why don’t you tag along with us? We could use some more hands on deck, and I promise I’ll hide your identity.”
I looked up. “Really?” I asked, nervous. I had no idea what an Oblivian was, but the Captain seemed like he could be trusted with keeping me safe. Being around him made me feel content for some reason.
“Yep. Even Bonnie doesn’t know, and he usually knows everything about a person at first glance.”
“But isn’t he right behind…”
I trailed off as I saw the spot where Bonnie had been. Captain chuckled as I looked around, trying to figure out where he had gone. “Bonnie left, kiddo. Do you really think he’d stay around for such a long conversation when he’s got a quota to meet?”
It was true. When I glanced at the spot on the pier where we had been, Bonnie was there again, casting his trusty old pole out to the waves. Turning back around again, I faced Captain O’Haurel. “So how about it?” The Captain smiled at me, his pleasant expression beckoning to me.
“Alright…”
“That’s great! Although, don’t you dare think that you won’t have to do anything. Every crew member does their own share of the work.”
“I didn’t…plan to?”
It was true. There was something about the Captain that made him seem like a strong, fierce warrior who could rip off people’s heads even though he seemed rather trustworthy. It was somewhat nerve-wracking, but I figured I would be fine if I stayed on the Captain’s good side. Hopefully.
“So where are we going?” I asked. I didn’t intend on just sitting on a ship, having no idea where we were. Maybe I could just hop off the crew somewhere if I felt like it, make myself a name and a new life out there, and perhaps even become someone worth knowing. Not that I expected much, though, especially since I was just some random nobody who lots of people seemed to dislike.
“We’ll be crossing the ocean in a couple of weeks. The voyage to Falt should take about several days, assuming that the propeller our engineer made is fixed enough. At worst, we’ll be sailing for about a week, and at best, we’ll be sailing for three to four days. Never thought I’d say this, but it’s a miracle the gods died.” the Captain replied.
He stretched and then cracked his knuckles. “So anyway,” he said with a yawn, “I figure I should show you around the ship. Come on, there’s no time to waste.”
With a final glance back toward the beach, I followed behind the Captain. The gangplank creaked under our weight and my boots clunked onto the deck.
“So I figure,” the Captain remarked, “you should get a name. What sort of name do you think you’d like?”
“A…name?” I echoed.
“I mean, I can’t just call you kiddo forever, right?” the Captain shrugged, looking at me. In a way, he was right - the other members of the crew would ask for my name eventually, and I’d need to be prepared. But the real problem was finding a name that I liked. One that I would feel comfortable with for the rest of my life. Probably.
“Aw, come on! Now’s the time to let your creativity shine!” the Captain declared. I just stared at him with an empty gaze.
“Well,” he proposed, “if you can’t think of one, I could give you a name. Or I can suggest some names to you and you can pick the one you like.”
Nodding my head along in agreement, I said, “That would be nice…”
“So how about Brandon?”
“No.” That seemed like a mouthful.
“Kyle?”
“No.” Something made the name seem off. Not sure why, but it did.
“Lewis?”
“No.” Just thinking the name made me tired. I yawned, letting out a breath.
“Taylor?”
“Nooooo…Well, actually, why not. Taylor it is.” Couldn’t hurt…right? It sounded normal and didn’t seem hard to pronounce.
“That's a girly name,” the Captain joked, “but it does suit you. If you don't mind my saying so, your face makes me think of that name.”
Oh. That’s…nice. I guess. Probably. Was that a good thing? As I wondered to myself, a woman came jogging up to us.
“Captain! I’ve managed to fix the propeller, but I think the fins aren’t firm enough for the engine. We’ll need some better material…” She trailed off as she saw me standing there.
“Perfect timing!” The Captain put me into a headlock. “Alicia, meet our newest crew member, Taylor! Say hi, kiddo.”
I gasped for breath. “I…can’t…breathe-”
“Lovely greeting, kiddo. So anyway, this is the engineer I was talking about earlier, Alicia. Make sure to be super polite or else she’ll rip your face off in your sleep.” Releasing me, he grinned. I just gaped at him unhappily.
Changing the subject, the Captain turned to Alicia. “So the enchanted sol wood wasn't good enough?”
“It was a bit too malleable. I think we might have to fuse it with iron or some crystals.” Alicia eyed me skeptically. It was clear that she didn’t trust me at all. Unnerved, I let out a quiet giggle as I watched her.
“So…uh…since when was enchanted sol wood weak?” I whispered to the Captain, still watching Alicia. As far as I knew, enchanted things were always very durable. Sol wood itself was extremely hard to break and not bendy at all, so I found her words hard to believe.
“I’ll explain later when we get you a place to sleep on the ship. In fact, since you probably went through the fever stage of the Oblivion disease right before the gods croaked, I’ll explain everything,” he whispered back. He straightened up right after that. “So anyway, why don’t you go help Alicia gather some stuff?” he said in a casual voice.
I stared at him intensely. There was just no way that I was going to go on a trip with some woman I didn't know, especially when most of the crew wasn’t very friendly toward people like me. Not to mention, he literally just said she would rip my face off if I wasn’t respectful toward her. No. Way.
“Go on! It won’t kill you to do it!” the Captain reassured, pushing me towards Alicia, who had crossed her arms. A particularly nasty look was on her face.
“On the contrary, she looks like she’ll kill me the first chance she gets and being with her doesn’t seem like it’ll be good for my health and there’s like five daggers and a pistol on that belt of hers and I really don’t think I’ll be safe with her and I have no idea where to look for iron and those crystals you were talking about and I really just don’t want to do it pleeeeease?” I pleaded, desperately trying to avoid having to help her out.
Oblivious to my extremely strong desire to not go with her, the Captain snorted. “Kiddo, it’s not that bad. Stop being lazy and just go with her already.” He shoved me forwards, and I stumbled to a stop in front of Alicia. My eyes met her murderous gaze.
“H-hi. N-nice to m-meet you.” I stammered.
With a hmph, she turned around and started stalking toward the forest. I looked back at the captain, who smiled at me. Terrified, I followed behind her, fearing the worst every time she stopped to inspect something. Eventually, her movements became more relaxed, which I took as a sign that I was less likely to die at her hands. As we walked along the sand, I noticed several people giving me curious looks, but no one approached us.
“So, Tyler, where are you coming from?” Her words broke through the silence that had settled on our surroundings.
“I-it’s Taylor. And, uh, I was l-living in that city just b-beyond the f-forest. You know, Drutchel?” Realizing that the Captain hadn't supplied me with a fake background, I scrambled for ideas.
“Drutchel? That dirty city filled with scum?” Alicia scoffed. “Please tell me you’re not one of those horrible thieves.”
“N-no. I h-had a job as a h-hunter.” I had no idea whether I was good at killing random animals or not, but I guess I could just bluff until I actually could.
“Oh, really?” Alicia said tartly. “Well, then.” Stopping, she reached into a nearby crate and sifted through its contents. “Mind shooting down a bird for me since you’re such a good hunter?”
Pulling her arm out of the crate, she revealed an elegant bow. Holding the weapon out to me, she also picked out an arrow from the box. Taking the bow and arrow in hand, I started to sweat. If I tried and failed, she would know something was up.
“See those seagulls over there?” Alicia pointed out towards the sky over the sea. A small cloud of seagulls drifted around, swooping and diving.
There was no way I was going to hit one of those birds. Absolutely no way. I had no idea how to shoot a bow, my hands shook too much whenever I tried to keep them still, and I wasn’t strong enough to send the arrow flying that far. I was screwed.
I inspected the bow, trying to get a feel for the handle. Interestingly enough, there was a small dent in my fingers and palm in which the bow seemed to fit. I took the arrow from Alicia’s hand and nocked it, feeling a strange sense of comfort. My hands stopped shaking as I nocked the arrow. It was almost like this was second nature to me…
“Well?” Alicia said, snapping me out of my trance. “Are you going to do it, Mr. Hunter?”
“O-oh, yeah. U-um…sorry.” I focused on the birds. By some blessing of fate, I had been partially saved. Now it was up to Lady Luck to decide whether I hit one of those birds or not.
Pulling the arrow back, I lined the arrowhead up with one of the birds. It probably wasn’t a good idea to aim right at the birds, seeing as the distance between us would make the arrow dip down a lot. Readjusting my aim, I pulled the arrow back a little bit farther. It probably couldn’t hurt, right?
Releasing the arrow, I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for Alicia’s biting remark about how I was such a lovely hunter. Would she get suspicious? Hopefully, the arrow landed somewhat close to the birds. At the very least, I’d just seem like a bad hunter.
Behind me, I heard Alicia clapping. This was it. The moment of truth. I opened my eyes slowly, preparing for her snarky comment on my skills, but none came. Instead, she said, “Well. I guess you really are a good hunter. Come on now, we’ve got crystals to find.”
What? How? I looked at the spot where the seagulls had been flying over. Almost all of them were gone now and there was only a bloodied patch of sea slowly being eroded by the waves. Speechless at this stroke of luck, I turned back around and continued to follow Alicia.
After a while, Alicia stretched. “I suppose we’ll have to make a better bow for you. Any suggestions as to appearance?” She looked back at me.
“N-no, not r-really…This o-one works j-just fine…” I stammered. This bow was probably blessed. That shot had seemed impossible, but I still managed to shoot down one of those birds. If, by any chance, there was some magic in the bow that made it so that every shot I made hit its target, then I’d definitely be keeping it. Although, the chances were sort of unlikely - if it really was enchanted, then surely someone else would be using it by now…
“...m-ma’am.” I added after she stopped in her tracks and started glaring at me.
A vicious look settled on her face. “Stop stuttering!” she snapped. I flinched backward. “Sorry…” I said apologetically. Giving me a final scowl, she swiveled back around and began to walk at a brisk pace.
For the rest of our walk, neither of us said anything. The trees loomed around us, tall and dark. A light breeze whistled through the leaves, and I spotted a couple of sparrows soaring overhead. Some squirrels scampered about, hustling to their nests with acorns in their mouths.
Eventually, we reached a tunnel covered in overgrown vines. The entrance was about…six meters tall, I’d say? The pale, thin roots of a tree growing on top of the tunnel drooped down over the gaping void in the earth. Cracked and mossy stone steps led down into the darkness. Alicia started to make her way down, but I hesitated.
Noticing that I wasn't following her, Alicia turned. “Aren’t you coming?” she asked. To be honest, I didn't want to go down there. There was probably some cave spider that was going to eat us.
Opening my mouth, I voiced my concerns. “Is it…dangerous down there?”
Alicia laughed. “So our master hunter is afraid of the dark, is he?” she taunted. Squirming, I looked away and said, “I just want to be sure nothing’s going to eat us down there…”
“Don’t worry. We’ve already scouted the place out. The only dangerous thing in there would be you jumping around, screeching in terror every time you thought something was crawling on your skin.” With a final chuckle, she went down another two steps. “So, are you coming or not? We haven't got all day here; it’s already noon and we’ll need a couple more hours to get the materials we need.”
I shifted nervously. Alicia sighed. “You can use that bow to defend yourself, right? After all, you’re a hunter. And besides, even if you didn’t do your job properly…” She drew her pistol from her belt. “...I’d take care of it. Okay?”
I nodded. I really didn't think she would follow through with that, but she’d probably be generous enough to save me if something happened. Not to mention, it couldn’t be that bad, right…?
With a final glance back at the forest behind me, I went after Alicia and descended into the tunnel beside her.