Sage of Solstice

Prologue

This small cottage reeks of blood and rotten grass. It disgusts me, but I must keep moving on. I scanned the stacks of hay in the corner. Running my fingers through the wooden wall, I quickly gathered my fingers into a fist.

After multiple attempts to seek for a dead man's body, I started getting impatient. Was it really for me to find?

How long should I stride around? I am done with this village, I told myself.

I walked out of the hut. With heavy eyes, I massaged my temples.

Why was such a mission assigned to a rookie like me? My mind is still in daze when I heard quiet footsteps.

My reflexes were just fast enough to hide myself by climbing up a rather leafy ebony tree. I swung my hand to grab a branch, then pulled myself up. I knew I blended already for I was wearing a green shirt, plain black trousers, and of course, a hooded coat.

The darkness enveloping the place, and I mean any place, always comes to the rescue.

"Look at this mess! Looks like someone just threw tantrums," Said an adenoidal voice followed by a pit of laughter.

I snickered to myself, drunk bastards.

"Very well, pal. We must flee this place for some mouth-watering rum!" another sot's voice said.

Who sent those men? Too many questions, all of them unanswered.

Making sure they were far enough not to hear my movements, I plummeted myself down the ground of fallen, brown leaves.

I must disclose the information to the Iron Paladin right away.

Good riddance, Town of Stranglethorn.

I am not the sentimental type of Harpyn, a type of knight that completes quests and follows the order of the Paladins. More so, even if I wanted to, a newly recruited Harpyn like me should prove worthy of the blessing, not spending time giving out ridiculous amount of empathy to the people.

But neither am I the merciless one, too.

After a few minutes of silently walking through the woods of Ricage, a forest in between Stranglethorn and the hallowed bridge, I saw my stallion, Artelier, patiently waiting for me.

I caressed his mane of onyx black. He neighs at my touch, good boy, I smiled.

I shifted the steel saddle before climbing up on his back. Perhaps I should get going, straight to the palace. But something tells me to stay a little longer and I will find something useful.

So, I did.

We rambled together back to the desolated town. Not letting my guards down, we reached its entrance.

I gaped at the arch of linked branches. Even with the silhouette, the moon shone brighter than it was before, lighting the path I must take.

I went to what my eyes recognized as the edifice.

The inside was a picturesque sight. With its polished wooden foundation running up until all four meets at the center, the twigs are still there, as if they were still growing without the roots connected to the ground.

I scanned the whole surroundings, nothing interesting, I thought. But I found myself inside an old library.

For such a poor place, they have a lot of books. Ranging from medicinal ones to drama and old scriptures.

An aisle of brown ragged books caught my attention the most. I looked up and saw a sign, this is the history section.

I smirked to myself.