prologue

{
  "id": 742635,
  "created_at": "2021-04-11T11:13:06.000Z",
  "tag_name": "prologue",
  "nsfw": false,
  "owner_id": "456456700367470592",
  "uses": 0,
  "description": null,
  "restricted": false,
  "shared": false,
  "deleted": false,
  "safe": "unrated",
  "hidden": false,
  "guild_id": "821394681094733835",
  "sharer": "572104703928958997",
  "content": "The sun is setting, and you look around to see if there's anywhere good to camp for the night. It is much cooler here near these nameless mountains, and youThe sun is setting, and you look around to see if there's anywhere good to camp for the night. It is much cooler here near these nameless mountains, and you spot a sheltered little dip by the river that looks like a luxurious hotel for someone who has been travelling for two months.\n\n  \"How does that look, eh? Bonbon,\" you say, looking down at your companion. Bonbon sniffed. Not expecting a reply, you head down towards the river, anticipating a decent night's rest.\n\n    The dip, however, already has an occupant. A young lad, who doesn't seem to be much older than yourself. This is the first human being you've seen in five weeks - rather, you didn't know that these northern lands were populated at all. \n\nFor a moment, you stare at him like you've seen a ghost, and the boy springs warily to his feet.\n\n  \"Who are you?\" he shouts. \n\nYou look carefully at him, deciding that he's not a ghost. He doesn't seem to be armed, which, although relieving for yourself, is strange in this wilderland. He, to be honest, doesn't seem to be well off either. He really could do with a decent wash in the river behind him.\n\n  \"Just a traveller,\" you belatedly reply. For a moment, his eyes land on Bonbon and flash in surprise.\n\n  \"What's that?\" he asks bluntly.\n\n  \"My companion. Meet Bonbon,\" you say.\n\n  \"A Bonbon? Are they tasty?\" he asked. If you look closely, he seems to be drooling. spot a sheltered little dip by the river that looks like a luxurious hotel for someone who has been travelling for two months.\n\n  \"How does that look, eh? Bonbon,\" you say, looking down at your companion. Bonbon sniffles. Not really expecting a reply, you head down towards the river, anticipating a decent night's rest.\n\n    The dip, however, already has an occupant. A young lad, who doesn't seem to be much older than yourself. This is the first human being you've seen in five weeks - rather, you didn't know that these northern lands were populated at all. \n\nFor a moment, you stare at him like you've seen a ghost, and the boy springs warily to his feet.\n\n  \"Who are you?\" he shouts. \n\nYou look carefully at him, deciding that he's not a ghost. He doesn't seem to be armed, which, although relieving for yourself, is strange in this wilderland. To be honest, he doesn't seem to be well off either. He really could do with a decent wash in the river behind him.\n\n  \"Just a traveller,\" you belatedly reply. For a moment, his eyes land on Bonbon and flash in surprise.\n\n  \"What's that?\" he asks bluntly.\n\n  \"My companion. Meet Bonbon,\" you say.\n\n  \"A Bonbon? Are they tasty?\" he asked. If you look closely, he seems to be drooling.\nSighing, you decide that the boy is no harm, and decide to take a break for now. You talk as you take off your heavy backpack.\n\n \"No, not edible. At least, I've never tried it...\" You trailed off while looking at Bonbon. Bonbon lets out a tiny squeal, snapping you out of your thoughts. You shake your head, snapping yourself out of your thoughts. \"Look, is there somewhere nearby I can stay for the night? I've been travelling for a while, so having a good meal and a soft bed would be good...\" For some reason, the boy looks tense again.\n\n\"N-no. Nowhere nearby you can stay. I- uh, I'm on a journey too,\" he replies. ...What a bad liar he is, you think to yourself, but you decide not to question it. Instead, you start setting up for the night.\n\n  \"What are you travelling for?\" he asks. Perhaps he's trying to take the attention off himself.\n\n  \"Hmm...chasing a dream, I guess,\" you reply.\n\n  \"What does that mean?\" he asks bluntly.\n\n  \"I'm trying to find Magic Casters,\" you say quietly. \n\n  \"M-magic Casters? What, to kill 'em?\" he asks. He isn't just wary anymore. He's ready to kill you, if you say anything wrong. How obvious this boy is...\n\n  \"No. Let's say...I've been obsessed with magic since I was young. And since magic began in the north, I came north. That's it,\" you say simply.\n\"Huh... don't you Southerners hate magic?\" he asks, and you saw him relax for a bit.\n \n  \"I guess most people do. I just find it interesting,\" you reply. While you've been talking what would've been blasphemy in your hometown, a fire has started crackling and some cold provisions taken out of your bag.\n\n  \"I- uh, I'm camping somewhere else. I came here to fish,\" the boy says.\n\n  \"Alright. Nice to meet you,\" you say finally. You don't miss how he takes another glance at Bonbon as he disappears over the hill.\n\n    It's not entirely unexpected that you're woken up by something like a shriek, and you wonder to yourself how many times this has happened.\n\n Bonbon...is low maintenance, for sure, needing only slugs and worms to eat, but you pity the people who try to steal her. Sometimes you even pay for their medical costs afterwards.\n\n  \"What the- Ow- ow- Get off me!\" someone is shouting. Looking up, the moonlight lets you faintly see the boy from earlier hopping up and down on the spot. You reach down and pick up Bonbon, who is currently rolling on his foot.\n\"Never met a hedgehog before?\" you ask. You briefly glance over him: apart from a few scratches on his hands and feet, he seems fine.\n\n\"How the hell do you hold that thing?\" he asks, looking at both you and Bonbon like you're monsters.\n \n \"Hmm...she lets me. Since she's familiar with me,\" you reply, petting Bonbon. Thankfully, she doesn't seem any worse for the fright either. You look up to see the boy backing off from you, getting closer to the bank of the river.\n\n  \"You - watch out! Unless you can swim,\" you say, but the warning comes too late. With a splash, he tumbles backwards into the fast running water.\n \nEvidently he can't swim, but it's fortunate for him that there's plenty of overhanging trees. What isn't so fortunate, is that there's also plenty of rocks. He is quickly caught by a sturdy branch, but you can see that he is only barely clinging on with one arm - the other is most likely injured. You wade into the river, fighting the current, to pull him out, and find that he is also limping. Months of wandering have given you a fair amount of knowledge about physical injuries. His ankle is badly sprained, his shoulder heavily bruised - not to mention, you are both drenched in freezing cold river water.\nA night in the open is no option for either of you, so you drop the pretences.\n\n  \"Look,\" you say, \"You need to get back to wherever you live, but you're not gonna make it with that ankle. I swear I won't speak of it after I leave, so let me help you get back there.\"\n\n  \"Y-yeah,\" he says. He is pale from the pain and severely shaken, so you don't know if he might change his mind after his head clears a bit. You quickly tidy your camping area, and slowly make your way up the river. The river comes out from a tunnel in the mountainside, and you are amazed to find a narrow path running alongside it, barely wide enough for one person.\n\n...It surely cannot allow two persons supporting each other to pass, so the boy tells you to go in first, straight ahead. Apparently, it's not far until you can find a ferryman.\n\nYou're confused...is there really someone on other side...?\n\nShaking your head, you decide to just do what the boy said. The darkness in the tunnel seems endless, and you wonder whether the boy did change his mind in the end. On one side you can hear the river flowing constantly; on the other, you trace the chilly and damp cavern walls. When light appears, it seems to be an illusion. Perhaps spots in your vision because you've been straining your eyes for too long. But no, it's real.\n\n You reach the end of the tunnel, and you look back the way you have just come. The boy arrives shortly, panting and sweating as he grips the edge of the tunnel's entrance for support.\n\nYou look over his ankle, which is now swollen purple— it is definitely not looking good.\n\n\"Come here,\" you say, walking towards him. You place his arm around your shoulders to support his weight and prevent any further injuries. \"Where to now?\"\n\n\"Just over there.\" The boy jolts his chin over the farther left side where you're both standing. \"There should be an old man waiting with a boat.\" He said.\n\nYou try to see what the boy is mentioning but to no avail. There's fog everywhere, and the transparency of the land is almost equal to nothing.\n\nThe boy might have noticed you straining to see when he whispers to himself, \"You really don't have magic don't you...\"\n\n\"Eh?\" You pretend to mishear what the boy inadvertently said.\n\n\"Just follow where I lean. I'll guide you,\" he says hastily. You can feel him leaning forwards, so you start walking towards where he guides you.\n\nAfter a brief walk, you reach your destination, or so the boy says. The fog is still dense, and the best thing you could make up are the twinkling lights from afar, and the silhouette of a man in a boat.\n\n\"Gareo!\" the boy calls out, which takes you by surprise. \"Gareo! I need help!\" he calls again.\n\n\"Who is it?\" You hear an old man's voice, asking in the distance.\n\n\"It's–\" the boy stops, and looks over you briefly as if deciding wether or not to reveal his identity to you. \"It's Couto!\" he replies soon after.\n\nCouto... So that's this boy's name...\n\nYou hear no response after. Looking at Couto with confused face, the boy just nods weakly as if saying that everything is fine.\n\nSome moments passed, and you could slowly feel the exhaustion creeping in at each passing second. You are about to sit down to wait when suddenly, an old, bearded man comes in front of you.\n\nYou yelp in surprise. Couto shakes his head slightly, grimacing.\nThe old man, whose name is apparently Gareo, examines you from head to toe, as if sizing you up. You stand frozen under his gaze, gulping in fear. Beads of cold sweat form at the nape of your neck. This old man's aura is surely menacing despite his age and short stature, though you don't know what exactly makes him scary. Perhaps it's his cigar that gives him some scary vibes? Or the way his trousers aren't neatly folded?… No, that's not it.\n\nThe old man coughs after he finishes doing a scan over you, and looks over to Couto. A sudden emotion hits the old man when he saw Couto in such bad shape. He turns back his head to you and glares, as if prepared to kill you.\n\n\"N-no...\" Couto trails off, his voice soft and weak. \"It's not h-his fault...\" He assures the old man Gareo. Gareo doesn't remove his stare at you as he motions you to follow him.\n\nYou sigh relief. You don't know you've been holding your breath for so long... \n\nYou're about to follow the old man when you realize he has gone inside the fog and you can no longer see him, again.\n\nCouto, as if knowing this, leans forwards. You walk towards the path where Couto guides and finally reached the bank of a river, where a boat, large enough to carry four passengers, is docked. The fog is a little lighter on this side, apparently, and you can make out objects around with no problems.\n\nYou help Couto board the boat with the old man's assistance.\n\"Thank you for yer help on our boy Couto.\" Gareo says after a while, preparing to board the boat himself. He looks at you in the eyes with a gaze so unwelcoming, \"I hope not to see yer face again.\" He scoffs.\n\n\"Gareo, wait.\" Couto says. \"Can we not bring him as well?\"\n\nThe old man releases a disapproving scowl.\n\n\"He... saved my life though,\" Couto whispers. Gareo looks over both of you, and takes in your miserable appearances. He looks at Couto back again, and shakes his head firmly. \n\n\"We can't have a non-\" Gareo stopped himself abruptly, and then clears his throat. \"We can't have people like him in our town.\" He says. \"You know the rules, Couto.\"\n\n  \"He's a good guy, though,\" Couto says stubbornly. You're slightly surprised by the amount that this boy, who had been so hostile to you before, is standing up for you now. \"I even tried to steal his...hedgebon. That prickly thing. It's the reason why I fell...\" Couto's voice trails away as he admits his wrongdoings, and the old man sighs.\n\n\"I don't know this hedgebon yer talking about, but if it's yer judgement, I'll trust it.\" \n\nJust as you're about to speak up, the old man looked to you and motions you to come aboard. You know that you got no say about this anymore. The plan was to deliver Couto to his home, not to tag along this far, but seeing the fog behind you, you have no choice but to follow the old man and the injured boy.\n\nThe boat ride is short, and the three of you are silent throughout it. Even the boat makes no noise at it slips through the water. It does not take long to arrive at the shack that is Couto's, but when you move to get off with him, the old man stops you.\n\n  \"\"Stay wi' me,\" he says. \"Let the lad rest without fussin' over a guest. He only has one bed.\" You look subconsciously towards Couto, but the latter is too tired, too pained to argue. You ultimately give your thanks to the old man, who accepts them with a grunt. After seeing Couto is safely back in his shack, the two of you set off down the river again. Before it disappears into the fog, you can see the worn shutters hanging loosely, swinging a little on their rusty hinges.\n\n...No offence to Couto, but you hope that the old man's house is more welcoming. At least, a soft and warm bed...",
  "embed": "{}",
  "last_fetched": "2026-10-21T01:04:24.367Z"
}