Fantasy Unbound (WIP Title)

[Moldie]

Chapter I: Setting Forth

Spring had swept the lands, bringing soft breezes and colour to the roadsides. Grassy hills rolled into the horizon, patches of forest hiding amongst them. Those few clouds that roamed the sky did not disturb the ever bright midday sun that had for the last few days brought thaw to the last persistent signs of winter. Six strong an unlikely set of characters rode down the slight mud of true countryside road. The group had traveled down towards the western coasts for months now, passerbyers in every town and stead they came upon. To some perhaps a fleeting existence, but to them a free one.

Two large steeds pulled along an old wooden wagon, It’s canvas roofing illuminated by the suns rays. Steering it along was an older man, and even as the bright daylight brought him to a squint his wild beard alluded to an equally bright smile. Peering out from the corner of his hairy face sat an immaculately carved pipe, from it slight smoke rising towards open skies. Laying on one side of the benching in the carriage behind him was a young woman, a rough and tough type of girl shielding her sleepy eyes with an arm clad in northern artistry. Beside her lounged a dwarf, spots of her already vividly ginger hair brought to a fiery red by light cutting through the shade.

Riding ahead was a man of proud posture, handsome with well kept hair of a similarly warm tone. Lastly there were the pair of elves riding close by his side. The older of the two was a stern looking fellow with long dark hair strands of which were riding on the slight breezes passing them by. On the same horse a young girl, her bare feet dangling freely off the mares side as she basked in the comforting weather around them. Together they made up a group of outcasts, those with no place to be nor one to stay. Instead, they traveled the land, letting road and trail take them where opportunity resides. At that time, it was Kerry. On which they were now coming up. The older man broke the collective silence with a raspy and enthusiastic tone, “So, how far do you reckon Felix?” he queried. His words and gaze directed towards the red haired man leading along their little caravan.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

The man shook his head as Herry pulled him out of the trance that the rhythmic padding of the hoofbeats on the packed earth had sent him into.
”Well, if my sense of direction and map-reading is correct… A few miles, at most”, he said and blew a rogue strand of auburn hair from his face. Felix was unsure of what to expect of Kerry. He had only ever been there once, when he was a little kid. That was before the uprising. Before the point-of-no-return.

There were rumors of course, but not much to go on. Folk along the way had given strange looks to the elves when they had asked about Kerry. Given, the elves received strange looks during most conversations regardless of topic. Supposedly, the non-human population of Kerry was of remarkable size.
”I hope we can stay a while for a change.” Feyndis’ stern face dreamingly gazed out over the horizon ahead of them.
”I wouldn’t get my hopes up,” Felix started. He tried to recall the last time they actually settled for a while. It was indeed months ago. Even places they had planned to stay at had not been as welcoming as they would have hoped, so they had packed their bags and left prematurely. ”It would be nice though,” he finished.

Supplies were dwindling and so was the coin. Almost all would have to be used to resupply, especially for food. The group had means to earn coin of course. If they were lucky the elves could track a deer and sell some venison at the market, that always filled the coffers. Worst case scenario he would juggle in the street. Luckily it had not been necessary so far.
No matter the details, it would work out. Kerry was a city of opportunities, and opportunities were what Felix lived for.

 

[Moldie]

Riniya opened her eyes, letting sunlight bring her speckled hazel irises to a shimmering array of colour and pattern. Hearing the words of her elders brought out little but a slight sigh of the young girl, as she subtly leaned onto Feyndises steady back. Herry too seemed a bit disheartened by the shared sentiment, but nevertheless his positive demeanor persisted. “There’s plenty a way to make an honest coin around here you know. We’ll just have to keep out of trouble. Should be easy enough, no?” The senior continued, with hopeful eyes pointed to the clear blue sky above. “In fact, we’ll have some remaining daylight by the time we get there, how say some of us head into town and see if we can strike something decent up while the rest raise camp?” Herry proposed in an attempt to raise the group spirit that’d been wavering for a few days of slowly emptying coin bags.

In the back of the carriage Kamilynne absorbed the conversation with closed eyes, tired from a few sleepless nights. Nothing out of the ordinary for her, but for whatever reason a recently exacerbated issue.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

”Not to worry, we’ll make do,” Felix sighed. Making a proper camp would be nice. He had not gotten more than a few hours of sleep the past days. He never did get enough when he traveled.
”We’ve done so far, alright.” The dwarf straightened her back and stretched her arms, groaning.
”Aye Herry, there’ll be plenty of dishonest ways too I reckon,” Felix smirked. ”I’ll head into town when we get there, see what’s what. Demand, supply and whatnot. Anyone feeling like it can accompany me, but someone will have to set up camp, yes,” he stated, looking at Feyndis. He counted on that his elven friend would want to set up camp before even thinking about entering the city, as always. He was a bit more uncertain about the others. His thoughts went to how nice it would be to have something other than water, oats and hardened brown bread for a change. Scrambled eggs, bacon, maybe a pint? The lightly burly voice of Ofila interrupted his streaming.
”What do you think it’ll be like? For us I mean,” she said and gestured toward the non-human members of the travelling party. Felix hesitated.
”Can’t be that bad now can it?” he said, knowing very well that it could.

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

Herry returned the smirk over towards Felix at his innevitable proposition of an unhonest coin rolling in here and there. Such was the ways of life on the road. They simply had to take every opportunity given, for they surely were sparse. "I'll help with camp, might find the time to scout out some local flora whilst we're at it…" Herry offered, with the latter point hidden under his breath. "How's you go with Felix into town Kamilynne, you seem in need of it?" He asked his drowsy passanger. Kamilynne laid staring up into the warmth of the sunlit canvas roofing, still little but half awake. "If you can spare me, sure thing" She answered, her last words drowned out by a gaping yawn.

Ofilas question was one of great concern to the entire group. One that always looming over them wherever they went. Herry looked over at Felix and then back at the young dwarf. "Perhaps it won't, but best be safe. People around these parts are quick to blame…" he added, grated at the thought. "Aren't they everywhere" Riniya remarked, gazing out the hills now slowly turning to fields bearing the first bounties of spring.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

Feyndis sniggered at Riniya’s witty response. It was indeed true. The things they’d been through over the years together. It hadn’t been easy, but he had done his best.
”We’ll lay low as usual. We don’t bother them, they don’t bother us,” Felix continued. Feyndis knew that people did not always function that way though. He looked forward to setting camp. They had traveled restlessly for longer than he liked.

Rays of light caressed the face of Felix as the company went over a small hill. Multiple pillars of light smoke rose in the distance behind imposing walls of stone and disappeared peacefully in the blue sky. Kerry bathed in the warm light of the afternoon sun, breaking off the surrounding landscape of cliffs and farmland. Behind it, the ocean stretched itself as far as the eye could see, only interrupted by a few small islands, sparsely placed like the first freckles of summer.
Felix directed his horse to turn to the right, his red hair gleaming like polished copper in the sun. It was like his gaze had been lit aflame. A warm smile crept up on his face as he turned around. His left arm flew out toward the city that was yet hidden from the view of his still ascending companions.
”Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Pearl of the West, Kerry!”

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

Felix's pep was quick to rub off onto Herry, who very much looked forward to a quiet moment off of the endless road. Kamilynne however, now for months removed from the ocean that had always been by her side, found herself ill at ease. The mainland had treated her far better than the sea ever could have, and it now felt like a bittersweet confrontation with an old adversary long ignored. Herry kept a keen eye on their surroundings, scouting for the first best location to stop. Like an artery the road provided the city with life, and along it veinlike trails broke off into smaller and less busy establishments. From the vantage of the hill Herry spotted one leading towards a small, dry enough patch encased by a tame little thicket, perfect grounds for a laylowing group of six. “Ah, over there looks like fine camping!” Herry proposed, pointing and nodding towards the dainty blotch of the landscape.

“Let us see…” Herry quietly said as they neared the subtle excursion. Tugging at the worn out leather straps the carriage turned onto bumpy soils. Small groves such as this one were common around these parts, leftovers from the ancient forests used to raise grand cities like that of Kerry. Soon arriving at the designation, the carriage that had been on a constant move since the earliest hours of the morning finally stopped. Brightsmiled Herry turned to Felix and the elves, and then back at his two passengers, “So, what do we say?”.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

Ofila’s short stature flew up to full length as the carriage stopped, her legs seemingly sprawling with energy as she hopped down into the soft moist grass.
”This will do us nicely now, eh?” she said, spinning around back and forth, taking in the scenery of the grove. ”Assuming we’re alone, I don’t much like sharing with brownies.” Just a few nights earlier she had awakened at the sound of tittle-tattle. When she sat up she had been met by a small man sneaking about. The little man had froze in the middle of a step, head turned straight at her. When she made a move toward him he had ran off into the woods with a rather pathetic whimper. Harmless, but troublesome nonetheless.

Feyndis had dismounted his steed and kneeled a few meters next to Felix who fed his horse with some hay. His hand went down to the earth and up again to his nose. He rubbed his fingers together as he spoke, ”Not alone,” he paused. ”This will be a good hunting ground.”

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

Glints of Kerry could be seen through the sparse shrubbery surrounding them. Seldom did they find camping ground this comfortable near a city like this, a relief for all involved. Herry, pleased with their luck carefully climbed down the cart and filled his lungs with the fresh smell of spring. Riniya, stale and restless was quick to hop of the horse and let her feet soak in the sparse grass of the plot. She twisted and bent her body towards the sky, beginning to shake as she stretched from the very tips of her toes to her fingers. Looking eastward, away from the city taller grass rose into a larger collection of groves. Riniya and Feyndis had no need to inform one another, they both knew there would be deer around. Small ones, but food on the table nontheless. "We go in the evening?" She asked, implying not only that it was the better time to hunt but that they also had the ever so exciting task of hammering tent stakes ahead of them.

Herry approached Felix who was still caring for his horse, his happy demeanor now exchanged for one of more seriousness. He leaned over in an attempt to speak somewhat privately, "How say only you and Kamilynne head on in for now? Try and see what the situation is for those of us who be of less favor with the locals?..". He hated that this was a necessary conversation, even if it was for their safety he felt it somewhat insulted his fellow travelers. Meanwhile Kamilynne begrudingly followed Ofila off the wagon, but quickly felt a burst of energy surge through her as her boots hit solid ground. Letting a slight snicker escape through another cavernous yawn, she looked down at Ofila. "You're still insisting on the brownie incident, eh?" She with a mix of harmless irony and amusement asked, now in a northern dialect slowly beginning to dim.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

“We do,” Feyndis said, grabbing one of the tents from the carriage. Ofila saw the elves coming back to their true colors. This was what they were used to after all. Their culture. It was hard to imagine that she had only been above the surface for roughly five months. It was much more beautiful up there, there was no denying, but nothing could make her feel like the massive granite faces mumbling about avalanches kilometers above or the diorite pulsating from excitement as spring dawns. She missed it, sure, but this was the situation now.
“I mean, it’s no wonder they get harassed when it’s that easy to mistake ‘em for thieving goblins ‘s all I’m saying.” She stretched up her arms to the carriage and pulled out a large woodcutter’s axe. “You don’t take precautions with goblins ‘s what I’m saying. I’m headed off to get us some wood before dusk breaks. Don’t go causing any trouble now will ya?”

Felix nodded at Herry. It was for the best. He directed a sudden whistle at Kamilynne and waved at her before he turned to Herry again. “Anything I should get you from the market?”

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

Rinya assisted in the unloading of the wagons various contents, amongst which where the necessities such as sleeping bags, some dry firewood and the little food that remained. She took a moment to inspect the dwindling rations, mostly kept in small sacks and boxes. The last few buns could be counted on a hand, their size nor taste not much to brag about. Worse off were the potatoes and other greens, not faring well in the sudden warmth of spring. She wasn’t worried but she knew they had to make a catch, sooner rather than later. Gathering her last few belongings Kamilynne sneered over at the axe firm in Ofilas grasp, “Goes for you too, keeping hopes you don't make mince of some poor gnome now!” she buoyantly teased the dwarf.

Herry caressed his beard thoughtfully as all the colorful articles of a big city market raced through his mind. Every type of spice, dye and sweet under the sun came to mind. Years of a diet consisting out of little but berries and bark had left most things tempting these days, Herry was however quick to remind himself of restraint. A life lesson the hard way learned, it brought him peace not to indulge. He looked back at Felix with a content and warm smile. “I’m sure we’ll make do just fine, save the coin.” He reassured before rushing off to help with the preparations, sharing his smile with Kamilynne as the two passed. She herself felt fairly confident approaching Felix these days, the two hadn’t shared that much alone time but enough to be comfortable in eachothers presence. Alluding to towards the road she smirked at him, “We headin' on in then?.” .

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

Indeed they were. The pair walked out the coppice and onto the road of packed earth. The sky was in the midst of surrendering to the impending evening, made noticeable by the moon sitting in the blue sky and a stripe of orange hue appearing in the horizon. Good, Felix thought to himself. Societies usually loosened their facade as the late hours approached, letting them get a better understanding of where they had really arrived. He looked over at Kamylinne who trodded next to him. They hadn’t really gotten to know each other that well, something he blamed himself for considering how tense he had been during their journey here. Now when they had finally arrived, it was time to change that.
”So what do you think about the location Kamylinne? Nice to have the choice to bathe in the ocean again don’t you reckon?”

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

Taken off guard by the question Kamilynne averted her gaze from the shimmering horizon ahead and instead onto the worn out boots beneath her. “Eh, not much for it myself. Been around it enough for a lifetime you know?” She answered, mustering up the slightest of smiles. “As for camp I just hope it’s quiet enough to get some proper sleep for once…”, a tired rasp tinting her voice a testament to a need for just that. The city was still a little ways off, it’s subtle details now revealing themselves. Cutting off the city walls from the small steads surrounding was a deep mote, vines and other shrubbery creeping down it’s descent. The main gate leading into the city stood wide open, a welcoming sight aside from a few guards slacking along it’s railing. She looked forward to seeing the city, civilization in general. For all it’s flaws it was a nice escape from the countryside's many bores. "You ever been to Kerry before?" She asked, naturally a bit weary of new places.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

Felix’s hearty laughter rung clear between the small houses and shacks that had started to creep up on either side of the road. ”If you can get Herry and Ofila to stop snoring, then I’ll bet you that it’ll be silent as the grave,” he said. The outline had changed a lot over the years. ”Once, but that was before the uprising.” Felix giggled. ”I was but a wee boy back then.” He wondered whether he would recognize anything at all in there. Much could happen in a couple of decades. ”I’ve heard rumours back in Bethelfurt. Sailors called the situation ’anxious’.” He paused for a moment, taking a deep breaching through his nostrils. ”What about you? Redden’s got good naval connections with Kerry, no? Any info on your part?”

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

With a smirk and nod she agreed on the nightly terror that duo made up. “The uprising…” Kamilynne pondered to herself. She knew little of it as her old part of the north had more or less remained untouched by it. The people of Redden weren’t much keen on the elves' presence of course, but it had never spiraled into war. She thought back to the docks stretching far out at sea, salty winds and the stench of chum. “Sure, lot’s of iron shipped down these parts...” she explained. The poor dwarves endlessly hauling ore up and down the shipyards came to mind. They’d gotten the worst of it up there. Always covered in muck and filth, sick and tired poor as the dirt beneath them. Injustice plagued every nook of the continent, and she feared what they might come to hear and see in the city ahead. “Do you remember anything? From the uprising I mean?” she asked, carefully picking her tone. It’d every so often come up in conversation, and she had often worried for their elven companions.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

Kamilynne’s question took him by surprise, making his feet stutter and disrupt the rythm of his footsteps. The smile Felix previously had on his face faded into a thoughtful line, accompanied by a slightly raised eyebrow. He had not really talked about the uprising from a personal perspective. Feyndis and him had discussed it briefly, but the pain he saw in his friend’s look left him reserved on the subject.
”I do,” he uttered, picking up his pace again. ”I was… still a teen, a young adult.” He paused for a moment, letting his gaze wander along the wall of stone that the pair was approaching. ”Me and my family fled to Bethelfurt by ship when the unrest started boiling in our village. Me, my siblings and my mother.” Felix looked at Kamilynne and forced a smile. He did not want to bother her too much with his past. ”It was like most conflicts, ultimately. Both sides do bad things, but the winning side ends up getting their version of the story spread.” He looked away again. ”The elves eventually lost momentum and their will to fight faltered out. The problems that caused it were never really resolved, and as such things only got worse after…” He hated seeing elves treated with so much prejudice. His neighbours in the village had been elves, treated fairly and respectfully. When he returned a rough decade after, they were all gone. ”How is Redden with all that? I’ve heard there are quite a few dwarves at least?.”

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

Kamilynne listened carefully, slightly worried she’d touched a wound still sore. “I’m sorry to hear…”, Felix’s pain being somewhat unexpected. The air turned heavier than usual as she took a moment to consider the sorrow that’d always surrounded them. Traveling with Ofila and a life amongst the poor class of Redden had given her if only some slight insight into the lives of the despised, feared and forgotten. “Well, as many elders would tell you the dwarves were put in their rightful place a long time ago...”. She thought back to her peers and their tauntful disregard for the dwarves, a neverending slew of blame and ignorance. Kamilynne looked to Felix, “Redden can be a nasty place.” she finished. The two now neared the city gate, coming up on their long awaited destination. Kamilynne let out a hefty sigh, ready to discuss whatever else not so heavy on the heart. “Anything we looking for?” she openly quired.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

A troubled smile went across Felix’s face. “The world can be a nasty place,” he stated. His eyes wandered to the city gates that had not yet been closed for the night. “We’re looking for opportunities, dear Kam,” he said with his typical smile once again creeping up on him. A handful of guards came out the gates, pushing a ragged dark figure out in front of them. “I swear, I didn’t take anything! Look through my room, all there is my own!” Felix stopped in his tracks. It was a dark elf, malnourished and bleak. He cried out the words as if though he was close to tears. “Do you take us for fools, knave? Why would you hide it at your own place? For all we know you have probably sold it off to the first buyer for some cheap herbs or brew or whatever it is you folk take.” Felix felt someone grab his shoulder and turned around to see a guard, likely one of the gate guards. “Move along citizens. Nothing to see,” he said, his blue eyes shining through the standard-issue helmet of Kerry. Felix nodded. “Let’s go, Kam.”

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

Kamilynne carefully watched the scene unfolding before them. Unjustified or not, she already knew there was nothing they could do. A strained and distressed expression formed on her face as the two walked away. Kamilynne was not able to resist watching over her shoulder as the ironclad soldiers more or less dragged the poor elf through the dirt. Whatever they were going to find out about Kerry, their introduction implied nothing good. Passing through the towering archways leading them into the city it was as if a new world had opened up before them. Although hard to see from where they stood rows of buildings pelted a slope leading down towards the many docks of the distant shore. People were still going on about the last daily tasks of ordinary life, buzzling back and forth across the main road ahead. It was unlike any other stead or town they’d passed through so far, this was something else entirely. Actual civilization, opportunity. Kamilynne, being from one of the biggest cities of the north, saw glints of her home before her.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

Felix led them through the streets of stone. He knew what to look for. A place where people gathered and rumours festered. A place with an active nightlife. They followed the main street, passing figures minding their own business, until they reached an open block in the city. Stands of wood were raised around the open area, outside the buildings that enclosed it. Several people were packing goods into baskets and boxes and leaving the area, most humans but there were a few dwarves to note as well. The market plaza, he remembered. The silver, topaz adorned ring had been bought from one of these stands by his mother decades ago. It felt so distant, but it was like time had stopped there. It looked exactly how he remembered.
A loud party of what he guessed to be dockworkers grabbed his attention. He watched them on one of the connecting streets as they disappeared inside a house on the side. Above the door hanged a wooden sign blackened by what looked to be fire. A text that read ”Bright Spirits” shone through in red, seemingly painted over the burnt surface.
Felix pointed over at the sign and turned to Kamylinne. ”That looks promising, no?” He smiled. ”Ladies first.”

Moldie

 

[Moldie]

As the two nimbly made their ways through the city Kamilynne found herself intrigued with everything they passed in an almost childlike fashion. From the architecture to the people, it was the same yet so very different from what she’d always known. Arriving at the square she smilingly rolled her eyes at Felix's comment, his tongue and cheek nothing particularly unexpected. Kamilynne opened the door to the establishment, It's old hinges screeching. A wave of warm air swallowed her as the firelit den opened up. People inside were busy embracing their early after work hours, beer and food distracting them far too much to care for any newcomers. The mood was relaxed, and all seemed to be well. The two stepped inside, heavy chatting and laughter surrounding them as they made their way to the counter. Coming up to the serving area Kamilynne leaned up on the wooden worktop, sneaking the attention of the tender who had been conversing with a couple of usuals. He looked to her with a friendly grunt of query, “Aley” she ordered as she with two fingers slid a coin across the desk. Picking it up with his boney fingers he gave it a quick glance before tending to her order. Turning her back to the counter she surveyed the rich crowd. “So, catching anything yet?” she asked Felix, knowing him to be far better at recognizing the opportunities they needed.

OnyxMule

 

[OnyxMule]

Felix’s eyes were darting from one end of the hall to the other, taking in the busy surroundings of the inn. What first caught his attention were the three rather loud guards that were sat at a table in the middle row of the hall. Surrounding them were commoners bearing clothing of materials ranging from burlap to linen. A mixed breed for sure. At first glance, the place looked very ordinary. The resounding laughter of the group of guards caught his attention once again as one of them slapped the bottom of one of the serving girls. A short and slender woman, wearing a peculiar hat firmly pulled down over her ears. Felix quickly noticed that all the other servers wore hats in similar fashion. As one of them passed him, he quickly leaned backwards off the counter, bumping into them. Their eyes met. ”I apologize, sir!” the man was quick to say. The man’s eyes then darted to the floor as to avoid Felix’s. That’s when he saw the bulge above the tucked in ears. Felix squinted. ”Not to worry, my fault,” and waved the man off. He leaned back to the counter and moved himself closer to Kamilynne. ”They’re elves, all of them,” he said. The slender man slid the pints onto the counter with a nod. Felix eyed him from top to toe. He did not strike him as a man who would take such a risk as to hire a full crew of elves in a city like this. He put his elbow on the counter to get the man’s attention and leaned over to him. ”One of your waiters bumped into me and was quite rude about it, I demand some sort of compensation, or at least an assurance that this behaviour is not shielded here.” The bartender nodded. ”Wait here,” he said and disappeared around the corner into the back. He looked to Kamilynne again. ”What?”

Moldie