The White Chronicle

Chapter 3 - Respite and Beginning

As Jasmine and Leshin approaches the town, Jasmine sees 2 elf guards standing in front of the gate of Vale. "Hail traveller! What is your purpose on Vale?" one of the left said while blocking the gate with his spear. The guard on the right looks upon Jasmine and inspects her outfit. "A clothing of crimson red and ocean of blue for her waist? What kind of traveler are you?" says the guard on the right.

Jasmine sees the guards are wearing clothing made out of leaves. The leaves looks bright green and brown that are woven together to make a light armor. Their ears give away their race as elves, their waists are also cover with assorted of leaves and their feet are bare but their shins covered with leaves. Those leaves look sturdy enough to block an arrow but Jasmine is wondering if those armors can block a direct blow from a sword.

Leshin approached the guards and states that he and the girl will stay for the night, for they are weary travellers that came from the Great Balete Tree. "Not so fast Annani warrior. I know your kind but this. . . thing you bring with you is not of elves. What is this? Where did "she" come from?" asked the guard on the left.

"Hey! I am right here and I can speak for myself. I am a human and my name is Jasmine. Can't you see that?" she says as she eyes the two guards. The guards just stood there and look at each other.

"A human? The Annani elf drag something from the Great Balete Tree." says the guard on the right.

"A slave? Perhaps from the Godfrey Alliance. Those bastards fight for freedom and yet enslave their own kind. Poor thing" the guard on the left says while pitying Jasime.

"Chronicler, please show the book so they will know it is you" said by Leshin as he his retract his spear back to a small stick and showing it to guard as showing he means no harm. Jasmine withdraws her book from the sling bag showed it to the guards.

"AH! The White Chronicle and its Chronicler is here! We didn't know!" says the guard and proceed to bow, apologizing with the way he treated the Jasmine and Leshin.

"Please, accept our apologies Chronicler. We are just defending the Vale as it is nearing sunset as the aswangs can infiltrate the Vale anytime especially at night." The other guard says as he bow down as well.

The guard on the left opens the gate while the right one runs towards into the town. Jasmine put the book back to her make shift sling bag and started walking inside Vale. Leshin walks behind her and gives a sigh of relief.

Monsters of all shapes and sizes filled the town: market full of vegetables and fruits are being sold by large horse men called tikbalang while their customers are mix of elves, dwarf, and large towering men with cigars on called kapre roam the area. The center of the town also hosts a balete tree but this one is small and is tall as a full grown man. The right side of the town got rivers teaming with elves fishing and children running across the town playing tag. Large ships that fly upside hull their anchor on a mango trees and docks, later elven folks with armor made of leaves descend.

The buildings inside the Vale range from wooden nipa huts to building made of clay and stone. Large tree houses are also present that can easily fit 50 people are a standard on this place. There are mermen by the river, trading their pearls for fruits and other precious land materials.

Jasmine can't believe what she is seeing, she thought that she seen everything that this world can offer but community of monsters that her grandparents used to tell her are here and they are living normally like human beings. They are not savages or aggressive creatures who are protective other their land, they are civilized and well mannered.