The Ascelan Vessel

Chapter 1 - Leaving the Nest

[Central Continent -
North of the Capital,
Small Town of Erzakins]

On a distant cliff overlooking the small inconspicuous town of Erzakins, a young boy of no more than twelve could be seen dozing off under the shade of a Fulkram Tree.

With a small backpack as a pillow and hands beneath his head, his delicate eyes were closed and lips pursed. Even with his feet dangling off the cliff, his breathing was even and face indifferent as though a fall of such height could cause him no harm.

Nevertheless his sleep was light and as though to prove it, a gentle breeze brushed past his eyelashes and his pair of abysmal dark eyes abruptly opened themselves to the bright sky that lay beyond the sparking green leaves. A gigantic four winged bird flew past but he could not care less.

His thoughts were preoccupied. Preoccupied with the remembrance of an old memory, the oldest in fact, and a memory he despised most.

Ruffling his silky Raven black hair, he spoke out softly, "Come out El." But his black eyes reveled nothing of his thoughts.

And as to attest to his words, a similarly aged young elf reveled its slender figure from beyond one of the branches. Its aquamarine like wavy hair stood out at the sides and hid its slightly pointy fair ears while the rest of its long hair tied low, swung with the wind into a graceful arc. Its delicate features and mesmerizing emerald eyes that flickered Azure and Gold in the dazzling sun, could steal one's gaze, but accompanied by its slim outfit best for movement, one could not identify its gender.

With a soothing gentle voice it spoke with a hint of a smile, "Master already told us to leave, said she wouldn't see us off so I came here to find you... Hehe, still so sharp even through a nightmare. But we are already behind schedule. We won't be able to make a round trip to the North and back to the capital in Time for admission if we don't leave now."

The boy creased his slender brows in response. Only this person is capable of deducing that he had an unpleasant dream. But even after noticing the hurried-ness underlying in its words, he was still reluctant to move. All the life he remembers were spent under the tutelage of his master here. He knows that after he leaves today, he would not be coming back in a long while.

Not even requiring him to open his lips, the elf answered to the uncertainties in his mind, "I feel the same... but we need to leave."

Taking one last glance at the medieval town down below and the surrounding area, the boy grabbed the tattered old coat beside, obviously too big for him and swung the half empty backpack over his shoulders while a slick Black longsword hung by his waist in its scabbard.

"Ya." With that one word started their journey, no longer under the wings of their Master.