Settle

The Wise Woman

The wise woman herself was sat hunched in a twisted willow chair. Her hair was grey and fell in circles around her feet.

"Hello my dears, how may I help you?" The wise women said, her voice sounded like nails on a blackboard. But her eyes were full of warmth and kindness, a complete contrast to their black shade.

"We want to know where we must go." I said "which way we must travel." The wise woman bowed her head, eyes closing shut unnaturally fast. Her small body rising rhythmically up and down, she spoke then.

"Your quest will lead you to the Temple of Light, for you must kindle what is left of this realm's light before you go about trying to overcome its darkness. The temple itself is located near the Blood Falls. You will map a route through the Desert of Ghosts where you will encounter no ghouls but those from your past, present and future. Do you understand?"

"Thank you ma'am we shall follow your directions to their direct detail." Luke spoke up bowing his head as a mark of respect. We departed moments later heading back out onto the street, leaving the smell of incense behind us.  A blanket of black surrounded the village, a crescent moon barely suspended by traveling clouds. Untethering our horses and walking toward the local in to restock food and water supplies, my mind filled with the numerous troubles we could encounter on the next leg of our journey. A tore and rain battered sketch of a wanted woman drew my attention. Striding towards it my eyes scanned the face which was so familiar to me. My breathing hitching when I saw reward offered for my capture and the price offered for my head on a spike. It made me sick to the stomach. A small child which had been situated in my vision speed off towards its mother pointing and screaming. No wonder the villagers didn't trust my presence, what webs of lies had been told? Luke spoke breaking my poisoning train of thought. ""It's too dark to ride tonight; we shall stay in this village."

"No we must ride on for the Temple of Light, I fear we may be slain in our sleep if we choose to outstay our fraying welcome." As I spoke this, I turned handing Luke the disfigured wanted poster. He simply nodded before hauling himself on his horse. I mounted Trident and set off back into the Gothgorra, cantering and planning to clear it's north eastern border by sunrise. Allowing time for a rest before continuing on into the Desert of Ghosts. I knew that the possibility of us reaching the Blood Falls was incredibly slim considering the desert had a way of plaguing your mind; fogging up your thoughts so you can think of are past regrets, hateful emotions and painful falls of ambition. Notorious thieves and bandits were concentrated there. Knowing they could operate without confrontation and still receive high class loot. Looking up I relaxed the reins, simply enjoying the feeling of the wind battering my fast moving form. The smell of Sambucus shrubs met my nostrils, as we broke out of the forest. Streaks of indigo just beginning to form as the dawn of a new day began to break. Fatigue plagued my body in such extremity I practically fell off Trident. Stretching my aching muscles I took the blanket from underneath Trident's saddle placing it on the ground, before settling down upon it. The second my head hit the wool surface I felt my eyes slam shut, as I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

****

AN/

Sorry about the short length of this chapter it's more of a bridge/filter chapter than anything. Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this story, it's proving to be a labor of love. Feedback is incredibly helpful.

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-Laura xx:)