Land of Mirriam

The Creek Village had the same layout as East Mouth, except that Creek Village had an anchorage area on its southern side.

The old man nonchalantly stepped off the boat and onto the plank. The boy with him jumped from the boat, causing it to rock slightly.

“Why’d you jump, boy?” the old man asked irritably.

“He-he! I just wanted to!” the boy replied with a grin.

The old man waved at the crew, who didn’t seem to mind the boy’s antics, though the other passengers had to hold onto the boat’s handrails to steady themselves. The passengers were supposed to disembark first before the crew began unloading their cargo.

There was another adventurer’s guild in Creek Village. Simon and the old man headed there directly after saying goodbye to the travelers they had shared a barbecue party with. The old man’s quest would be completed upon meeting the contact and delivering the shard.

It was almost twilight, and the two were already full, having eaten non-stop on the ship.

“If they were just riding the streams, how would they come back?” Simon asked the old man as they were walking.

“They use wind magic and their sails,” the old man said, it was possible to propel a small ship doing that.

“I wanna ride it again!!!” Simon said, but the old man knew what the boy was thinking, another barbecue party.

The two continued on their way, the boy was humming as his stomach was full. On their way, sounds of craftsmen hitting wood and needles resounded from afar as sawdust was created from the saws flew in the air.

“They are constructing a new building” the old man muttered as the adventurer’s guild appeared on their sight.

In a few moments, they were inside the building. The layout was familiar to the 2. A cloaked man immediately approached them.

“Black Braided cloak… a typical Sen-ran symbol,” the old man spoke.

The cloaked man removed his hood to show his face “It’s an honor to be recognized by you sir… I assume you have it with you?” the cloaked man was very polite.

“I have it,” The old man then used his thumb to point out a more of a private spot.

They went to a corner of the cafeteria of the adventurer’s guild. The old man revealed the core shard. The face of the contact changed… he nodded and took out another Tar Silk clothes, one of a better quality.

“Can I take it now?” the contact asked.

“Yes… can you at least give us 2 large golds worth of money?” the old man requested.

“Sir… we have transferred the fund on your credit but… of course!!! Here, I would even give you 8 gold coins!!” the contact said, and he took out 8 large gold coins and 4 small gold ones lining them up on the table.

“Thanks, send my regards to your master,” the old man said and he put the coins in his bag.

“Will do… I will be leaving now, contact us if any matter arises thank you,” the contact put back his hood and left.

Simon was just beside the old man staring at empty spaces.

“Hey, let's train underground!!” the old man awakened Simon’s blank thoughts.

“Yes… I want to work up some appetite,” the boy said, the old man smiled fiercely, he would be thorough, he promised. The 2 started a mock training with Simon bare-handed and the old man using a stick.

<--->

Early in the morning, the 2 were in the cafeteria eating their breakfast.

Those who recognized them from their screams last night thought ‘The boy is still alive?’ that was how intense the sparring of the two.

As the old man ate his breakfasts he felt a stare “Hmm… what’s up with that kid?” the old man pointed to a child standing on the adventurer guild’s glass window.

“Maybe she is hungry…” Simon said without even stopping eating, for him breakfast was the most important meal of the day.

It was totally not the old man’s style but after staying with Simon for a while he had a little bit of knack for this situation. He decided to go out and invite the red-headed girl for a grab.

<--->

Her hair was disheveled, yet she remained clean. Despite missing one of her shoes, she still wore a sock on the foot where the shoe was absent.

It was the first time she had that food… it was a commoner’s food but after not eating for a week this was probably the warmest… most delicious… the most clean food she had ever had. Tears began to flow from her eyes, the old man touched her red hair to calm her down.

“Swallow it slowly,” the old man said.

Simon then took his own food and gave it to her. “Here have some more?” the small boy said and the red-headed girl happily gobbled food.

“What happened to you?” the old man asked, something are better stated while its still fresh… the girl cried a little as she recalled the things that happened to her but she didn’t stop eating.

“Hey! A beer and more food here!” the old man screamed.

“Blu-urgh!” she started coughing and almost vomiting what she had eaten.

“Hey! That’s why I told you to eat slowly!” the old man complained.

He touched the girl’s back… he instantly noticed something, a magic signature… its probably from a monster. “Hey! Somebody call Pam!”

<--->

In one of the private room at the adventurer’s guild, Simon and the old man sat as they watched the Pam checking on the the red headed girl.

“She is marked by a Kaveron…” Pam (Healer) an elderly woman said… she cast a dispel on the girl. A dim light coming from the hands of the Pam surrounded the body of the red headed girl.

“Ah, Kaveron… its meat tastes really good,” The old man said rubbing his chin.

He finally had a hunch… the red hair of the girl was actually quite familiar… he partied with an adventurer before that also had that red hair.

“Old man… I haven’t forgotten what you have done for the continent… this one is just a dispel… free of charge,” Pam the old lady said and left them from their table… the red-haired girl began nodding off… she was getting sleepy.

“Simon… we better sleep then, huh?” he noticed Simon getting his head closer to the old man’s lap.

“Damn it kids…” the old man exclaimed… Pam who was watching the scene laughs at the old man. The old man used his two shoulder to carry, the old man needed to use body strengthening magic.

Usually sleeping after a good meal would calm a normal person but this deep sleep would trigger dreams. And one would never have any control over it, at least not the normal ones.

<--->

From the darkness, dreams conjured scenes from the red-haired girl's memories. Suddenly, she found herself back in the meadow, where crimson hues painted the grass. Her mother lay on the ground, and a monstrous figure loomed over her, its weight crushing her fragile form. The sight repeated, each time more horrifying than the last.

“NO!!!” Her father's cry pierced the air as he fell before her, his life snuffed out in an instant. Shock coursed through her veins, numbing her to the chaos unfolding around her. Her feet turned to ice, rooted to the spot.

“Jed!!! Run!!” Her mother's voice shattered the silence, but it was too late. The monster's wrath spared none, and her mother's desperate plea rang in her ears as she was mercilessly trampled.

She ran, driven by fear and despair, her mind reeling with disbelief. Just moments ago, they were supposed to be enjoying a picnic with her uncle, following their usual routine. Now, the only thing she could focus on was escape, any shred of hope slipping through her fingers.

Lost and disoriented, she fled in blind panic, the monster's presence a looming shadow behind her. With nowhere else to turn, she found herself teetering on the edge of a cliff, her heart pounding in her chest. As the monstrous figure closed in, she trembled in terror, her body betraying her with fear-induced tremors.

Then, a sickening realization washed over her as she caught sight of the necklace hanging around the monster's neck. Her father's and mother's hands, severed and preserved as gruesome trophies. The horror of it all overwhelmed her, and she doubled over, retching uncontrollably.

The monster reveled in her anguish, its twisted delight evident in its every move. With a final flourish, it raised its arms, conjuring a dark magic that left her trembling with dread.

Driven by a primal instinct, she made a split-second decision. With a leap of faith, she plunged into the abyss below, her scream swallowed by the wind as she plummeted into the unknown.

In the depths of her despair, flashes of her mother's voice echoed in her mind, a bittersweet reminder of happier times. The memory offered a fleeting sense of solace amidst the chaos, a brief respite from the nightmare that threatened to consume her.

Then, with a jolt, she was torn from her reverie, thrust back into the chilling reality of her nightmare. The deafening sound of a door slamming shut reverberated through her consciousness, shattering the fragile illusion of peace.

“SLAM!!”