On the eve of Dreadrots ruin.

Mike

Newbie
The celebration was still quite lively as Korric snuck out. He quietly made his way to the stables and secured Randolf. Shortly after he galloped down the road to the east. It was dark by the time he got to the next town over. He slowly trotted through town, still looking for the tall mysterious man. The town was all but abandoned, mostly evacuated already.

Korric led Randolf to the abandoned stable and tied him off by a trough. Then he cast a light spell and walked into the woods.

He traveled for a while, like he had so many times before, until he came to a clearing. The light from the moon was obscured by the torn sky, only the dim red light spell shined in the clearing.

Korric looked about. The shrub was still there, his former hiding spot having only grown a little bit and most of it's leaves littering the surrounding area. Any signs of the nearby ritual circle had long been weathered away. It was fairly clear that no one but himself had been here in the last two years. Still he walked over to where the circle had been and kneeled down.

"I uh... well, things have changed. I still feel the connection, but the direction has changed. This place is rapidly nearing it's end. I hope you are truly outside of all the ruin about to come, and still that one day I may be worthy enough. Other paths may call me, but know that someday we will still meet."

Korric closes his eyes, and the memory is still there, as if he could open his eyes and be there years ago. His vision haunts him, but drives him, he trembles. An autumn breeze blows by and shakes the nearby tree branches lightly, and causes loose leaves to scrape across the forest floor.

He feels something. A presence, sudden and just behind him. He trembles more. He can see it in his mind. A bright glowing hand reaching out for his shoulder. He holds his breath. The forest is dead still. In his mind there is something said, something that can't be understood, like a whisper too faint. But no words are spoken. He slowly exhales and opens his eyes.

He is alone in the red lit clearing.

His eyes tear up. He shuffles over to a nearby tree and leans back on it, the area where the circle had been never leaving his vision. He breathes slowly to calm himself down. The trembling stops. He takes a drink from his water skin. He closes his eyes, but he dares not sleep. Not here.

In the morning he opens his eyes to the same still empty clearing. He fishes through his bag until he finds a small smooth white river stone. He kisses it and places it in the center of where the circle had been. He pauses a moment, then finally turns his back to the clearing and makes his way back to the abandoned village. He readies Randolf and rides back to New Acarthia.

He rides and secured his horse at the stable. He makes a quick trip to a small hut and gathers his scribing supplies. Then he goes to the Wayfarer cabin. He starts gathering his things together. He spends a while in the bathhouse freshing up. And spends the afternoon sitting on the porch watching all his friends preparing to leave.

Night falls and he spends one last sleep in his bunk by the door.

In the morning he fetches Randolf and packs up his things in the saddlebags, leaving his empty trunk tied to the top of the horses rump. He takes one last look over the cabin, sweeping and picking up any messes. As he is about to mount his horse he sees the check in book sitting on the porch railing. He stops and picks it up. He writes in it for a while before putting it back down on the railing. He mounts Randolf and rides towards the bridge portal under a broken sky.
 
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