It was the hottest day in summer. If there hadn't been houses, it would have resembled a desert. I had been like this all week and the citizens were starting to fear a drought.
But this really wasn't troubling Gravel Steel, the young 16-year-old boy that worked in the mines just south of the city of Varrok, where he lived.
This was his day off. And his parents told him to make good use of it by running some errands for them. There is no such thing as a day off in my life, he had thought.
He left his home and walked through the dusty alley that lay ahead. He examined his surroundings which were so familiar to him for it was the same route he took to his job. There were torn walls, glassless windows, clothes drying on roofs and some people couldn't even afford doors and had curtains instead.
It was a poor neighborhood; he lived in the poor side of town. Not many were as privileged to have those luxurious houses, the comfortable beds and a room to themselves. No, he had to sleep in a rat infested house on which you always wonder if the weak ceiling is going to fall on you. He had to share a room with his four sisters.
Yes, this was live for Gravel.
He turned to the ground seeing a herd of ground beetles which was quite rare to see, especially in such a dry weather and at daytime. He wondered what they were doing going north, all together.
Gravel took his mind off this and laid his eyes on the house that lay in front of him. It was his first errand. He walked closer onto the house. He studied it from top to bottom.
It was a two story house, about 6 meters wide. It had a few holes on the walls which were poorly covered by wooden planks. It had a simply door: Cheap wood, bronze doorknob bronze hinges.
He knocked.
The door slowly opened revealing a tall pale man. He only opened it a few centimeters.
"Yes?" he said, not taking his eyes off Gravel.
"I am Kanir's son," said Gravel. "They told me to deliver a package to you, sir."
"Can I trust you?" asked the tall man. By this point Gravel was starting to deduce something strange was going on.
"Yes," he pulled out a bronze necklace baring his family's crest: a small bronze plate with the number thirteen on it. It represented the thirteen brothers one of his ancestors had; this had been the first ancestor anybody in his family tree could remember.
The tall stranger opened the door a bit wider allowing Gravel inside.
He examined his surroundings: It was mostly dark so there was not much he could make out, but he could see some old furniture, a couch and a small table in the middle.
The tall man gestured towards the sofa. Gravel understood and took a seat. The tall man took one of the chairs. He studied Gravel for a few minutes and then said, "Where is it?"
Gravel was a bit puzzled at first having strayed off but then he remembered: the package. He opened his bag and drew out a small package. It was about ten by ten centimeters. It was covered in brown wrapping paper and had the family crest sealing it.
The tall man got up from his chair. Gravel could see the enthusiasm in his eyes. He then saw him grin but in a bizarre manner. Gravel wondered why and if it was important. He came to the conclusion that it wasn't.
All of a sudden he heard a scream and a shuddering of chains coming from below him."HELP!" it said, "HELP! DON'T TRUST HIM!"
This startled Gravel and apparently he showed it with his facial expression for the tall pale man said "I think it's about time you get going. Carry on." Gravel found himself being forced out of the residence and into the streets.
He ran his mind with what just happened, but no matter how many times he turned and examined the situation, he was stilled puzzled.
He forgot about it and reminded himself that he still had a few more errands to run. He went to the market. He had to buy some food for his mother.
The first thing on the list: a bag full of potatoes.
He walked to the stand. "Excuse me ma'am," he said.
"Yes?" answered woman. She was an old lady, as wide as she was tall. She had gray hair and was dressed in a dress that was so dirty Gravel couldn't tell what its original color was.
"I'd like to buy a bag of potatoes," he said.
"Which kind?" answered the woman.
"Which kind do you have?" he said.
"They're all the same," she answered.
"Then-"
"Are you seriously gonna waste my day like this? Just take the damn potatoes." She said irately. She then put a bag in front of Gravel. "Good day."
He took the bag and walked on. This isn't her day, Gravel told himself. He walked on and took a look at the next thing on the list: cabbages.
He looked around for the cabbage stall. He spotted it and made way to it. Beside the stall was a dog tied to it. He was dark and was just about the size of the stall.
"Oh, don't mind him," said the man selling the cabbages, "He's clean. And he's the only friend I have. Nice mate this dog. He's never met a stranger."
"How nice," said Gravel, " Could I get five cabbages?"
"Sure thing, it'll just be a minute," he turned around to search in the crates behind him. While he was doing this he studied the dog a little more. "Don't be shy. He don't bite," Said the cabbage man.
Gravel stepped a bit closer and drew a hand towards the dog. But before he could touch him the dog got up and started looking around. He then started barking, but not at Gravel, nor at the people around, but to mid air. Then a great amount of birds, seemingly from every corner of the city, stared flying away.
Then, as if out of nowhere, a dark trail of smoke made its way north and crashed into the castle. This impact caused a great force that pushed everything back. The dust was lifted from the ground and Gravel could feel shattered glass cutting his face.
What had happened?
This is my first fanfiction so go easy on my. New chapter next week