The Rotted Woods

Chapter 1

A/n- Here's a story. Forgive me for any grammar and spelling mistakes. Hope you enjoy the story!

The city bustled left and right. The gravel roads were trampled by feet, wheels and hooves. Commoners stroll and merchants sell in the city square. My friend, Juvian, wraps his arm around my shoulders.
"Ah Versalin Square. Quite a beauty don't you think Cavalon?" Juvian said one hand grasping his pocket watch. "Yes it seems so. All the buildings seem to be guilded with gold and silver. The Count must be rich to have every building guilded." I move my hand along the wall, feeling the coolness of the stone and gold under my digits.
"Well come along Cavalon. We do have a story waiting for us. We news men must figure out these rotted woods this town keeps babbling on about." Juvian pockets his watch and leads is through the guilded square.

Juvian opened the wooden door of a building with a wooden sign hanging above it saying The Wards Against Evil. I wandered in and smelled the clashing scents of garlic and lillies. A table was set in the middle of the spacious room. Wooden crosses and silver daggers are sprawled out haphazardly. Juvian walks in with a scrunched up nose.
"This place smells horrendous," Juvian croaks out. A caw of a raven resounds above us.
"Squawk squawk! Customers! Customers here! Squawk squawk!" The raven squawks out. My eyes widen as I look up to see the raven stare back at me with its beady eyes. Loud footsteps wind down a set of stairs.
"What are you two fine boys looking for? Is a witch casting trouble or has a spirit haunted your house?" A gravely voice said from a tall yet old man. He wore bug eyed glasses and only a button down with greasy pants. The raven caws again.
"Oh Abeille! Stop your squawking!" The man huffed out looking at the raven.
"You taught a raven to speak?" I murmur out in disbelief.
"Why yes I did young man. Abeille is not an average raven you see." The man cheerfully said. Juvian cleared his throat before speaking.
"We have heard babblings of a place called The Rotted Woods. Many of the Versalin people told us you might be of assistance to us." The man came around a counter with plants and burners and beakers once again haphazardly sprawled out on top of it.
"Ah yes yes, The Rotted Woods. You know it's  cursed if even the trees rot around it." The man said as he placed two different plants into a beaker full of water.
"We heard that the old Counts and Countesses lived in a palace before something happened to the whole forest to rot. We are hoping to flesh out the truth out of these rumors for the kingdom's newspaper," I said watching the man turn on a burner. The man placed down the concoction onto the flame. A boom of purple and red spring forth. The man smiled and turned off the burner.
"Well young men if you want the truth then meet me at the East Exit of this guilded town and I'll be your guide for the Rotted Woods."