Tasked with the protection of all mythical creatures and relics, the immortal Keepers have prevailed for centuries. Now faced with the impossible murder of one of their own, it's up to Merewin to find a suitable recruit. Unfortunate for him, Jack An...
*WARNING : this is a first draft and as such is filled with grammatical inaccuracies.*
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London, 1872
That was the last night I would ever find myself standing on the cobbled streets of the city. Had I known that at the time, I would have perhaps embraced the clatter of the carriage wheels as they squeaked with every turn or pretended to enjoy the shouts of the drunken as they found their way from the bars onto the street. I might have even found the pleasure in the loud brawl that I had almost been tangled up in as it proceeded towards me. But at that time, the city had long grown heavy to my soul with its ear-piercing noise and without a moment of true solitude from prying eyes. How strange the longing I feel now for such a thing I once despised.
I kept to the solitude of the shadows that last night as I made my way down the length of the street until the only thing alive was the twinkle of the street lamps in the glass windows of the darkened store fronts. Amongst the silent rustle of leaves caught in the icy breeze of autumn's wind, I found comfort in a bench positioned in the dark shadow of a dimmed oil lamp. As I hid in the city's dark embrace, I allowed my eyes a momentary close.
It was then I felt an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.
My eyes popped open then and scanned over the darkness of every silhouette that littered the street before me, seeking some answer from the darkened outlines of shrubs and benches. I had come up empty, but still the feeling persisted for a time before I closed my eyes to the darkened street once more.
I smelled his sourness before any sound made me aware of his presence. Opening my eyes once more, I jolted in alarm at the closeness of the timeworn man that stood before me. His face was a map of deep lines and wrinkles set beneath a speckled grey and white unruly beard. He seemed to be studying me, squinting as though it would help him to find the answer he was seeking.
"You'll pass for Acharis just fine. " The man's accent floated between the ale and stale cigars that rode his breath. He stepped back and took a seat next to me on the once vacant bench. His sigh was heavy as he lite his cigar, inhaling as he leaned back on the seat. "So, my guess is that you're mortal?"
For a moment I believed my ears to have deceived me and just stared at the man. His gaze meet mine and my bewilderment was meet with another sigh. "Human. You are one or am I incorrect in my thinking?"
"Am I human?" The oddity of such a question set my mind to spinning. I was not sure this man was not half mad.
"Yes. It is a most simple question. Are you human? Can you die?"
"Of course I can die. I am pretty sure that is the way of things."
"For some I suppose. Others..." The man trailed off deep in sudden thought as he took another puff of his cigar. He reached in his coat pocket a moment and produced a small gold chain. He stared at it a moment as if it meant a great deal to him before he extended his arm towards me, chain dangling from between his gloved fingers. "I suppose this is yours now."
"I do not wish to take that." I blurted out before I had a moment to think.
"And I do not wish to give it to you." The man snapped "If the choice was mine I would never think of giving a mortal a relic such as this. But this goes beyond me and I am just the vessel of delivery. Take it."
Reluctantly, I reached for the trinket both not wanting to hear the man raise his voice once more and unsure of what this would involve me in. Knowing now all that I know, I should have ran at that very moment.
I turned the relic in my hand and examined it in the faint lamp light. It appeared to be an intricate lacing of small gears within a small circle that dangled on a chain. Above the gears it looked as though it could be wound like a timepiece at which that moment I tried to do.
"It is imperative that you do not wind that." The man said as he placed his hand on mine to stop me. Removing his hand he continued. "The Seekers will show you how that works. We meet at seven in the evening sharp tomorrow. You will simply arrive."
"Look, sir, I did not ask to be a part of anything. Nor do I want to be. I merely wished to be alone. Please take this back." I tried to hand the necklace back to the man, but he simply was no longer there. I never saw where he had gone or much less heard the man get up. I did however know I was attending no such meetings at any time the next evening. Little did I recognize the choice I would have in that matter.
