Chapter 2 - The Trigger
The name of Portol's very own town inn is Sunshine Inn, which is certainly a name well-deserved. The inside of the inn contains only simple furnishing, but the arrangement, atmosphere and the warm attitude of the innkeeper makes for a fascinating combination. Portol is hardly ever tourist-laden, so most of the time the inn acts as the town's lounge. The welcoming smell of food fills the entire inn.
A sharp contrast lies in room of the mysterious stranger. This corner of the inn is almost dead quiet, except for the echoes of laughter originating from the neighboring sections of the inn. The air surrounding the room is heavy and stagnant, as if ready to fall out of space.
Inside his quarter, the man sits inertly on the bed with his eyes closed, as if meditating. His name is Elias. He has not given his name to anybody in the town (and surely plenty of folks did ask). He does not feel there is a need to. Nevertheless, even a cold man like him find the warmth in Portol difficult to refuse.
The room heats up with gradual approaching of noon. Elias takes off his hat, setting free strands of his long, black hair. His long, slender face is frosted with inhuman coldness. Even so, his face still possesses an indefinite beauty that seems somewhat out of place on a man.
Elias slides his fingers across the linings inside of his hat. His hand stops at the first sign of unevenness, and gracefully slides into the secret pouch sewn onto the hat. He takes out with his hands what looks like a wooden pendant.
The pendant is beautifully constructed, but it is dead. One glance at the pendant reveals that the artifact is nowhere as exquisite as it once was. Something essential is missing.
Elias sets the talisman aside, and takes out another item from the hidden pouch. It is a oval disc, constructed of what seems like a very dull type of metal with crude sketches engraved onto the surface. The most eye-catching part of the item is the proportionally small, irregular-shaped stone embedded onto the center of the disc. Strangely, the stone seems to be both entrancingly bright red and dark crimson at the same time. The enigmatic disc is given the name "Dreamcatcher". Set beside it, the Dreamcatcher contrasts sharply with the lifeless pendant. The disc seems to have a soul of its own.
Elias playfully tosses the Dreamcatcher around in his hands. The old man had given this to him, telling him that it will definitely help Elias on his journey. The Dreamcatcher's function is still unclear to Elias. The old man did not elaborate.
As for the pendant, he came across it on the body of the dead girl. Why he had taken it with him he does not understand. Somehow he felt it was something important, something he would not encounter again for the rest of eternity.
After some prolonged examination, Elias stores the two objects into the hidden pocket once again. For some reason, he is reminded of the man named Jaycob. Apparently he is not that well acquainted with the man, but Elias's first impression of Jaycob was of life, trustworthiness, and enthusiasm.
Elias was once like Jaycob. He was once happy...
Elias puts his hat back on, and exits his room. He will take a walk through town, to clear his mind.
* * *
He comes across to a winding path, leading into the forest. The path Girean took several hours ago.
Though blooming forest shows it differently than the town of Portol, its existence is also one of prosperity. Prosperous in a calm, peaceful manner. Elias would have enjoyed it, had he been here some time ago.
Now he is simply concentrating on the tingling in his sense of threat. His instincts tell him that a powerful entity is nearby. Sure enough, not long after, Elias hears a frightened cry of a man.
Elias speeds toward the direction of the scream. He discovers a trail of blood, and following the blood he reaches a man, rendered helpless on the forest litter.
The man was Jaycob. He had also decided to take a walk in the forest after he completed his errands, but was suddenly attacked. His right thigh was brutally sliced open in three bloody gashes. The attacker is apparently very strong, to be able to knock down a large man like Jaycob... and perhaps inhuman.
Jaycob is sweating heavily, trying to contain the pain from the wound.
Jaycob: *seeing Elias* You...!
Elias does not answer. He feels the presence of the powerful creature approaching. Rapidly in one fluid motion, Elias takes out several pieces of metal of varying shapes from the hidden compartments in his outfit and assembled it into a single-hand rifle. Jaycob stares at Elias blankly, spellbound by the speed and precision of Elias's actions.
A loud growl is heard in the bush behind where Elias is standing. Without turning around, Elias rapidly fires three shots into obscure bush. The slugs did not hit.
A swift movement sends the grass in vicinity into a swaying motion.
A set of footprints left on the soil catches Elias's attention. Judging from the deep imprints, the enemy is an extremely large feline.
Jaycob: *suddenly cries out in terror* Look out!
A large shadow, out of nowhere, leaps forcefully at Elias. Elias jumps back swiftly, maintaining the distance between the enemy and himself and smoothly fires three shots at the creature.
The bullets strikes the panther in the belly. The enormous creature yells in pain, and dives into a nearby bush. Elias can tell it still has not given up.
Elias: Damned animal... *quickly reloads his gun, while scanning his surroundings* Where could it be?
A moment of silence interrupts the battle. The panther is nowhere in sight, but somehow both men know the most powerful attack is yet to come. Jaycob hears a small, scratching noise on the treetop above him.
Jaycob: *several leaves fall onto his head, with sudden realization* On the trees! On the trees!
Elias turns his attention to the tree towering above Jaycob, and quickly fires two rounds into the thick branches. Unexpectedly, at the very same time, the panther dives straight down at Elias's neck from the tree behind him, paws extended. The wind from the awesome velocity of the creature sends Elias's hat flying off to a distance. There is no time for Elias to dodge this attack, not to mention countering it.
Jaycob closes his eyes, not wishing to witness the unavoidable death of Elias.
Two small thuds are heard.
Then a loud thump.
Confused, Jaycob opened his eyes. Elias stands alone, coolly, reloading his gun once again. The panther lies limply on the forest floor, paws bleeding from the bullet wounds. The two shots that Elias had fired into the treetop above Jaycob bounced back, striking the panther in the paws. The panther now lies unconscious on the ground, immobile from the pain.
Jaycob gazes at Elias with newfound respect and amazement. Meanwhile, Elias is examining the wounded panther. It is an old one that must have occupied the forest for hundreds of years, absorbing the life force of the forest while growing in strength. Such creature is rare to come by, and in a way Elias is glad he hadn't killed it.
Elias sees something glitter under the sunlight, near where his hat had fallen. It was the Dreamcatcher, which fell out of Elias's hat in the heat of the battle. Jaycob, sitting low against the trees, does not notice it.
Elias heads towards the Dreamcatcher. The talisman begins to vibrate, slowly at first, and gradually more and more violently. Alarmed, Elias stops in his tracks. Suddenly, a brilliant white light explodes from the center crystal of the Dreamcatcher, floods and engulfs the entire forest.
When Elias opens his eyes again, it is as if nothing had happened. The Dreamcatcher lies still in the same position. Jaycob, leaning on the same tree, watches Elias, perplexed.
The panther is nowhere to be seen.
Elias stands motionless, puzzled by what had just happened.
Jaycob: *unaware, calls out to Elias* Hey! Can you help me out here? I think I need some help to get back into town.
Elias wakes from his trance. Somewhat numbed, he quickly picks up the Dreamcatcher and slides it into his pocket. He retrieves his hat and hurries over to Jaycob. Elias helps Jaycob stand up, and the two man steadily makes their way back into town.
Unbeknown to Elias, the red crystal of the Dreamcatcher gleams in his pockets. The gem reflects an image of a panther, lying lazily on the forest floor, gnarling after a yawn.