The Scroll of Terusca

Chapter Two

( A/N Hello everyone! Thanks for giving my story a go (: I'm really excited to be writing this as I have lots of ideas for the plot line. I should be doing homework but who needs that when you have wattpad huh? I'll let you get reading, make sure to vote and comment. Thanks again (: Another big thanks to my lovely editor, @flyinghorseman )

The sound of crisp, fallen leaves was really starting to bother Emeline. Her usually quiet manner of walking was lost with the sound of crunching leaves. 

As she stepped up onto a rock to look at the surrounding trees, Emeline couldn't help but remember what had happened last night. She had tried to keep it out of her head, but it just couldn't be done. Remembering was always easy, but forgetting was the tough part.

Who was that man who had come in the middle of the night, during one of the worst storms Terusca has seen this year? How did he know who Emeline was, when he clearly wasn't from the village? But ,most importantly, what was so special about that scroll that had made him nearly kill Emeline just to get it?

Emeline raised her bow and shot an arrow up at a nearby tree. There was a bird sitting on a branch that could get her at least forty-five letchers or a new  pair of socks. The arrow shot through the tangle of branches and...missed.  The bird flew away to freedom at the sound of the arrow getting stuck in a tree.

"What?!" Emeline screamed. She never misses, no matter what the situation. Kicking a stone up from the grass, she made a decision. She had been thinking about everything that happened last night, which made her loose focus. That's why she was going to go home, pick up that stupid scroll and bring it to the Wise One. It was up to him now, as she couldn't care less what it meant.

As she reached the edge of the forest, small wooden huts came into view. Some were situated up in large trees, with ladders attached to the trunk . Some were surrounded by a little fence, with sheep grazing on a patch of grass. She approached her own home, climbing the ladder that led up to her front door.

Emeline ran frantically to the back wall and took stood up on a small stool. Reaching on top of a bookcase, she pulled down a brown box, dust flying around as she did so. Opening the lid, Emeline saw her few keepsakes: a small, green emerald, a quill and jar of ink, an arrowhead and the scroll that had been causing Emeline all this trouble. She yanked it out of the box, climbed down from the stool and ran back outside again.

People were dashing about, calling to each other, going about their daily business. As Emeline got further from the forest, she got deeper into the village. A town square was set in the middle, with market stalls surrounding it and mysterious tents where the healers worked.

"Emeline! Nice to see you today!" called out a voice. Emeline turned around to see an old women hobbling up behind her.

"Oh, Madame Camden, how are you?" she asked politely. 

"Not too good actually, I'm on my way to the market, have to get some fabric, lot of tents blown down in that storm last night." Madame Camden said, sounding very concerned.

"That's terrible.." Emeline began to reply, but Madame Camden was already rushing off. After picking up the scroll from her home, Emeline made her way to the Wise One.

The Wise One's living quarters were at the back of the village, surrounded by strange plants and shrubs. The Wise One was like the village's advisor, he was there before most, he knew everything there was to know about Terusca and the land surrounding it. Each village in the land had one like him, but none as powerful as Terusca's. Rumors circulated the village that he had magical powers, but Emeline didn't believe. Yes, she had seen him do very powerful things, but nothing close to magic.

Apporaching the door of the Wise One's house, she gave a small knock. She had been here before, looking for advanced antidotes for bites from some uncommon beasts in the forest. She had also been here at the time of her father's death, but that was something she didn't like to think about.

"Come in," an old, hoarse voice called. Emeline pushed open the door ever so slightly and went into a small bow.

"Wise One, I'm sorry to bother you, but I have something important to tell you." she said in a low whisper.

"Well, Emeline, I think the best option here is that you tell me this important thing you speak of." he replied, with a kind smile on his face. He wore a teal blue robe, that shone brightly. His feet were hidden beneath this robe and his small figure was hunched over. Hidden behind a long gray beard that he sometimes wore in two plaits, his small mouth began to speak.

"Well, what do you have to say?" 

Clearing her throat, Emeline told him about last nights encounters. She began at the very start, how she had seen the scroll among many other things at the market stall, couldn't resist buying it to try and figure out what it meant and how a strange man had attacked at night.

The Wise One's face grew dark as she continued the story. His usually kind eyes started to fill with worry, his mouth turned into one straight line. Emeline finished her story, took a deep breath, and looked into his eyes, scared of what he might say.

The Wise One didn't reply for a minute. His face was a pale shade of gray. He began mumbling to himself, uttering strange words and names, jotting things down on a piece of parchment.

After a while, he finally addressed Emeline.

"Emeline, I need to tell you something about this whole....situation. Sit yourself down, would you like some green tea?"

"Um, no thank you,sir," Emeline said, perching herself on a rounded brown chair.

"Now, let me begin," he sighed, "This scroll you say you found at the market, it is not what you think it is. Written over 300 years ago, the Scroll of Terusca was made by a tribe of powerful people, who didn't even use the same language as we do, who couldn't even be identified as humans. Yet it holds such awesome, deadly powers." The Wise One took a breath and glanced at Emeline, who looked terribly confused. He continued with a solem tone:

"The scroll you found is, most likely, the first part of the trio. There are two missing pieces which attach to the first one. Powers very malignant are given to the one who does so. That man who came to your dwelling last night, his name is Adonis. He has been trying to track down the scrolls for years, wanting to use them for his own power. 

I, myself, was unaware that a part of the scroll was in this very village. If I had of known.... well, what is done is done, but I am very regretful and sorry you had to be involved in this. I will completely understand  your decision, whatever it may be, but I must ask you for your help."

Emeline was dumbstruck. The Wise One had just asked her for help. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, it was always the other way around, villagers came to him in their time of need. If he was asking for help, times were bad.

"What do you mean, my help? I barely know whats going on." she replied. 

"Emeline, this is serious. If Adonis successfully collects all parts of the scroll and gains its power, this land will be in peril. He is already powerful enough, we cannot let him gain any more."

"He didn't seem very powerful last night, he could barely hold a knife." Emeline muttered to herself.

"I am asking you very much, I know, but I believe you can do this. You are very skilled, and with extra help, you can do great things." The Wise One looked to her hopefully. "Go home and think about it. Whatever your decision, I'm always here to help."

"Thank you, sir, I'll be back in the morning."

The Wise One waved her off. Taking a step out the door, she bumped into a tall, masculine figure and fell on the ground.