5. "The Quest"
"Thanks mate" Ellson told the old guy who is standing outside the armor shop near the boundary gate of the town. After he finished his preparations and acquiring the things that he needed for his quest, he finally started to embark in his new journey to capture those sneaky creatures known as the crimson foxes.
As he walks by the road, he remembered the things that the old man had said earlier. According to the adventurer from the west who once passed by in his shop for a new set of armor, the crimson foxes usually hunts their prey in the southern part of the Noom forest, for its various selection of meaty creatures who resides there. Since the winter season was starting soon, he doesn't have any optimistic thoughts about this quest, but still take it as a challenge for him being one of the top hunters in the guild.
Even though he was a strong man with a lot of endurance, the forest of Noom is still located miles away from the town that he was currently staying, thus he decided to hitch a ride at one of the merchants that he met along the way.
"where are you heading mate?" the merchant asks him, he was a middle-aged man who makes a living by trading and selling different types of wood in every town that he went. He is clearly a man who wanted to travel around world and by doing this job he can get the thing that he wished.
"I'm heading at the Noom forest mate, need to complete some hunting quest in there" based on his answer the merchant can tell that Ellson was an easy-going hunter. When he heard his answer, he gently smiled at him.
"well, try to stay alive while finishing the quest mate. According to some rumors in the town near that forest, there are unknown guys who always went inside the forest once a week. What they do is unknown, but they always went out bloody as hell." Ellson was curious when he heard what the merchant has told him, he is thinking of what those men are but disregarded it later for they don't have any part to play in his quest.
Hours later they have finally arrived in a town near the forest of Noom. Ellson thanked the merchant and went to a famous restaurant in the center of the town. The restaurant was packed as usual, there are a lot of adventurer, ordinary townsfolk and other people with different types of job eating their fill inside. As he passed those people, he went to a vacant seat near the counter before ordering his meal.
"one sweet n' sour fish and a glass of ale mate." He told the cook in front of him, the cook nodded to him before starting to cook his order.
"a red-braised barbecue and a beer for me"
"two cheese bread and a glass of milk"
Ellson heard the customers' orders as he wait. When his ordered was finally finished, he looks at the mouthwatering dish the restaurant cooked for him before he started to gobble up the fish.
"there are a lot of men entered the forest of Noom today" he faintly heard from the lady who whispered at his back.
"we need to be careful; they look like bad news." The lady's companion replied. His curiosity was once triggered, who in the world are those men? Why the towns people fear them? Are they really bad news? He wondered while he continued to eat his delicious meal.
· · ·
On the other side of the continent. There is a wise king who quietly sits on his golden throne, adorned with lots of gold and precious gems, he looks like someone who is in the top of the pyramid. As he elegantly drinks his wine put in a delicate golden cup filed with diamonds, one of his messengers who wore a dark robe enter the throne room.
The messenger's face was hidden by the dark robe, he emits a strange aura that one's never felt before. The man went on his knees and bowed down before he started speaking.
"greetings your highness" he spoke in a very deep voice, waiting for the king to let him rise his head.
"report" the king said as he looked at the man. The man raised his head slowly, with his knees remaining on the floor as he replied.
"according to one of our men in the kingdom of Crouxberth, King Dzxyrus has already passed away during the country's feast. He stated that the king's eyes turned bloodshot before he cried human blood. And after that, there are strange things that happened before his body succumb in fire and left to dust." The king was silent for a while, he looks like he was thinking of something before he dismissed the man.
He slowly stands from his seat and went near window located at the right side of his throne room. Looking at a peaceful city not miles far from his castle he pondered for a bit before his expression turned gloomy.
"who dares to look down on this king." He spoke silently, his face turned darker and he shattered the golden cup he holds into pieces.
