The Book of Many People

Solla's Crazy Old Fortune Teller

WARNING: CONTAINS A SCENE WITH NEEDLE, THREAD, AND SOMEBODY'S LIPS. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

The Rangers had something to do with Nalifrom's disappearance, thought Celestar. That's the only thing that could've made the forest spit them out like that.

The thought was unnerving. Celestar had trusted the Rangers for all of his life, thought of them as his family. That in and of itself was enough to place them under the protection of the forest. In order to lose that trust, they must have done something to Nalifrom.

Nevay walked at his left, and Kaia walked at his right. Celestar was glad for their presence. Nevay's wisdom and Kaia's love for her husband gave him strength.

His mind raced at breakneck pace, compiling everything he knew about the Rangers, wondering what he was going to do once he reached that village.

His feet walked on.

Ghostly fog swirled around them, and the skies grew ever dim. Soon, the veil would be drawn away, and the stars would shine in the sky and be obstructed from sight by the clouds. The cold wind assaulted them and bounced off their cloaks.

His feet walked on.

"We're here," announced Nevay.

Thankfully, his feet did not walk on.

They were at the outskirts of the village. An old wooden sign, waterlogged from years and years of exposure to the elements, announced the name of it's location: Solla. A single lantern hung from the top of the sign post, which one would think would be comforting, but really all it did was illuminate the fog and the creepy shapes it arranged itself into.
It was full-on night now. The stars glittered in the sky above the thick clouds, and there was rather a lot of fog. Celestar couldn't see very well past it, especially now that everything had lost color. Nevay and Kaia on the other hand seemed to be just completely blind. Both of them had a hand on either of his arms. In Kaia's case, it was two.

They proceeded into the little settlement.

"There are no lights in the windows," said Nevay. "That is not a good sign."

"Maybe everyone's gone to sleep," said Kaia.

"Hello?" called Celestar. "Is anyone there?"

"Over here," responded a female voice. Celestar and his companions headed towards it. As the distance between them decreased, Celestar was able to make out the silhouette of a woman standing in a doorway. There were no lights beyond the doorway, just yawning black. It was disconcerting.

"That's it, this way," she said. "Easy now. You're safe here."

They made it to the porch. Celestar saw the step and put a foot up on it, but Nevay and Kaia both tripped and nearly fell. Luckily he was able to catch them.

"Oh, sorry, watch your step there," said the woman. "Nice save, good man!"

"Thank you," said Celestar. He and his motley crew made it up the porch and to the door without further incident.
The woman opened the door for them and invited them in, so they followed her into her house. It was dark inside; no lights, no fire at all was present. She led them to the dining room and bade them sit around the table.

"Welcome to my humble abode," said the kind lady. "My name is Liss Muirin. What are yours, my good travelers, and what brings you to the village of Solla?"

Nevay gave Celestar a look that said I'll handle this. Celestar acquiesced, letting him speak.

"I am Nevay," said he, "and these are my companions Celestar and Kaia. We are boar-hunters come from Lenari's Forest. We simply happened upon this settlement on our way to Matiquestinn, and hoping for shelter we entered, only to find the houses dark and silent. I thank you, kind lady, for welcoming us into your home, for if you had not, I do not know what we would have done."