The Stranger
"Who are you?" a voice rang out in the clouded and fuzzy mind of the stranger. As the stranger rose he groaned and spoke out to the darkness around him "I am simply a man on a journey" "so you have no name." the voice in the darkness said agitated "everyone has a name," the stranger spoke "but my name is not mine to give"
"what does that mean" a young voice spoke in the darkness
As the stranger opened his eyes, he was surprised to be greeted by a young child
"where am I?" the stranger asked confusion clear as day on his face
"Oh so now you get to ask questions without even giving us your name" as the stranger turned his head he saw a young woman then realization hit him like an oncoming train, he was not dead as he had thought.
The woman groaned in frustration "you're in the port town of Nullwick"
"Forgive me I had thought I was dead, I am the Journeyman." he paused "Nullwick," he thought "isn't Nullwick where the Kataria was built?" the Journeyman asked
"Journeyman isn't your name is it?" the woman sighed "my name is Esther, and yes we built that failure of a ship"
"Thank you Esther I-"
The journeyman attempted to stand but faltered a sharp pain running up his leg from a wound he didn't remember receiving
"Careful!" the child exclaimed
As he collapsed onto the floor the Journeyman once again faded to unconsciousness
Hours would pass before the stranger known as the journeyman awoke once more
"What should we do with him, Esther?" a man asked
"Why are you asking me, you brought him here!" Esther exclaimed to the man
"Because he was wounded, what was I supposed to do to let him die!?" the man yelled
"No, but why didn't you bring him to the healer joseph!?"
"He had a note in his jacket..."
"A note?" Esther raised her eyebrow
"A note," Joseph paused, "with the mark of the nightingale."
"The nightingale mark means what exactly?" Esther asked
"The nightingales are or rather were the three greatest warriors ever born into our world!" joseph exclaimed
"Okay, but what does that have to do with him?" Esther asked pointing to the unconscious stranger
"That's what I want to find out when he wakes up again." joseph stated
"So what were the names of these nightingales?" Esther asked her interest having peaked
"I-" joseph paused trying to remember
"Well" Esther interjected
"I think Avalon was one," Joseph said
"Gavul?" Esther asked
"Yes " joseph answered
"The folk hero?!" Esther raised her voice
"Yes" joseph realized how little he had thought this through
"So, you're telling me that the folk hero Avalon Gavul, a man who has almost nothing written anywhere about him other than in the ruins of Necropolis is one of these nightingales!"
"Yes," he said quieter
"A man whose very existence is nothing more than speculation based on 3000-year-old stone tablets!" Esther now visibly shaking with anger awaited his answer
"Yes " he answered meekly
"And so based on that you thought it would be better to bring a wounded man we don't know here instead of the doctor!" Esther screamed
"If I may " a voice spoke, surprising Joseph and Esther. As Esther and Joseph looked for the source of the voice they saw the stranger calling himself the journeyman standing in the doorframe of the room.
"You're awake, wait how are you standing? I thought your leg was broken?" Esther asked
"When I'm unconscious my body has an accelerated healing factor." the journeyman spoke quickly
"That means what exactly?" Esther questioned
"It means that wounds that would be fatal or inhibiting for you are not as severe for me." the journeyman tried to explain
"Inhibiting?" joseph interjected
"Like a broken leg or uhh a shattered rib for example wait who are you exactly?"
"I'm Joseph I hauled your body to my house," he paused "I found you on the shoreline near a wrecked ship"
"I see okay then, but why bring me here? I believe I heard miss Esther mention a doctor," the journeyman asked