It was her first day as a druid, and she was utterly terrified.
She was tottering on the edge of the platform in Kelethin, the treetop city of the wood elves, in the dark.
Her best friend, Alowisus, was supposed to be around to help her. Where was he? She had no idea where her guild was, where anything at all was.
Someone tapped her on the back. Slowly, she turned around. "Lexiloo?" the dark elf standing behind her asked.
"Umm. yeah. That's me. I'm Lexi."
"Alow sent me. I'm Justinton. Justinton Castermaster. He's waiting for you on Antonica."
"B-but. I don't know how to get there!"
The dark elf sighed. "Don't you know anything? I'm a wizard. I'll take you to him. But we have to hurry. you stupid wood elves hate us."
"Hey! Who do you think you're calling stupid?"
"Maybe when you understand the way the world works, you'll figure it out."
"Maybe I just won't go with you. Alow can come get me himself."
"You'd rather stay here? One step backwards and you'll be an elf pancake."
Lexi looked over her shoulder, down at the platform underneath the one on which they stood. and the platform underneath that. and the ground beneath that. It was a good 300-foot drop. No one would survive that fall. At least, no one her age.
"Alright. I'll go with you. Just refrain from insulting my friends and family, okay?"
Wordlessly, Justinton grabbed Lexi's arm and began to cast a spell.
"Hey wait! What are you doing? Stop!" But by the time she got the words out, she was already hundreds of miles away from home.
"Oof!" Lexi cried out as she hit the ground hard. She quickly stood up and brushed herself off, taking in her surroundings. She was in a desert, on some sort of stone platform. Suddenly someone else appeared right before her and knocked her off the platform.
"Sorry about that! You can't just stand on the wizzy spires after all, lots of people use these!" the human who had appeared said, as he jumped down and helped Lexi to her feet.
"Yeah. sorry." she mumbled.
"Whoops! Can't chat gotta go, sorry!" the human shouted over his shoulder as he quickly ran away into the sand dunes.
"Well that was great." Lexi said to herself. "Where's Justinton? Where am I? Where is anybody?" Lexi began to panic. She could see someone staggering in the distance, nearly collapsing. "Oh no! He must have heat sickness! I should go help!"
Quickly, Lexi began to run towards him. "STOP!" She heard a shout from behind her. Stopping so quickly she slid on the sand, she turned and saw Justinton. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you insane?" he scolded.
"Why are you yelling at me? What's wrong with you? There's someone out there who may be really sick! What are we doing in a desert anyways? I don't see Alow anywhere!"
Justinton grabbed her. "Listen to me. You need to learn how the world works. That person out there? He's a madman. If you go up to him, he'll probably kill you. We're in the desert because it's the closest place to where Alow is, where wizards can port to. You have to follow me, and we have to go fast, because there are things in this desert that will kill you the second you give them the chance. Now shut up and follow me!" He quickly turned and ran away. Reluctantly, Lexi followed him.
They hadn't gone very far before Lexi's legs felt like they were going to give out. No matter how fast she ran, Justinton just seemed to get farther and farther ahead of her. All sorts of strange creatures were passing her. Wolves, armadillos, snakes, and giant beetles that looked like they'd want to eat her if they hadn't been in such a hurry.
"Ugh. so tired. Justinton? Hey, Justinton? Where are you? Wait up! Great. lost and alone again." Lexi sat on the ground, near the edge where desert met grass and tree, and watched a spider meander by. Suddenly, she heard a growl from behind her. "Uh oh." Very slowly, she turned around, and found herself face to face with a snarling puma. "Nice kitty. good kitty. Lexi doesn't want to bother you. shhh. good kitty.." She stood up and began to walk away, not turning her back on the animal. As it lunged at her and missed her by mere hairs, she turn around and ran away screaming.
"HELP! SOMEBODY! PLEASE HELP ME! EEK!" She ran circles around trees, trying to head in the direction Justinton had been leading her. No one was around to help her. Looking over her shoulder to see the puma gaining on her, she ran smack into heavy metal armor.
"HALT!" she heard, and watched the human wearing the armor her body had smashed into run toward the puma. "DO NOT OPPOSE THE FREEPORT MILITIA!" he shouted as he slew the angry feline. He walked back to where Lexi was laying on the ground and helped her up. "Ah, a wood elf. You're far from home, young one!"
"Yes," she responded, "I was following a friend of a friend. we got separated though. I've never been here before; I'm kind of lost."
"I see. Well, this is the Northern desert of Ro. Are you heading for East Freeport? There's a path here that should lead you straight there, patrolled by guards like me to keep you kids just beginning to explore safe. Or perhaps you're going to East Commons? The tunnel to get there is out in the desert. I'm afraid you're heading in the wrong direction if that's the case."
"No. I don't really know where we were going. I'm pretty sure this was the direction we were heading in. have you seen a dark elf run by? Justinton?"
The guard raised his eyebrows at her. "Justinton, a dark elf you say? And he was. helping you? Well. you know how to make powerful friends milady. I did not see Justinton run by, and for that I am glad, because I probably would not have been around to help you if we had seen each other."
"Oh. Okay. well I guess I'll follow this path to East Freeport then, maybe I'll run into somebody. thank you for your help, sir." And with that Lexi began again.
It felt like she had been walking for hours. The path seemed so long. She had not run into Justinton or Alow yet, but she had passed several guards and all were very friendly to her. It was getting dark again when she at last heard, "Lexi you're just so much trouble, aren't you?"
She whipped around to face Justinton. "I've been looking for you for so long! You left me behind! I almost got eaten by a giant cat! What's wrong with you?"
"Sorry. Forgot you don't have Spirit of the Wolf. Well follow me now, we're almost to East Freeport."
"Is that where Alow is?"
"No. That's where I'm binding you. So that if you ever get into any more trouble, you'll end up there instead of back in Kelethin. Basically so that I never have to hold your hand and guide you around again."
"Gee, and you're doing such a good job," she said sarcastically, but quickly stared ahead of her in awe. They had reached the gates of Freeport. A wall surrounded the city at least 10 feet high. In front of the gates was more desert, filled with snakes and beetles.
"This is as far as we're going. Stand still." And with that, Justinton began to cast a spell. Lexi felt a tingling sensation and saw a bluish light surround her.
"So now I'll come back here if something happens to me?"
"That's how it works. Come on. Lets get you to Alow so I can leave." He began to cast another spell. Lexi felt the same sensation she had when she had left Kelethin.
"Hey, wait! What are you doing?" she started to ask, but the world faded away from her before she could finish the sentence.
As she thudded onto the ground again, she recognized her surroundings. "What the hell is this?" she shouted. "You brought me back to where I almost got eaten!"
"That's right," Justinton said coolly. "Alow's waiting for you in the tunnel leading to East Commons. Come on. Its only just over this hill." The two set out over the dunes. At the crest, Lexi looked around, and saw the opening in the rock mountain, with a little gnome standing in front of it, waving like mad.
"ALOW!" she shouted, and half ran, half slid down the sandy hill to her awaiting friend. Justinton followed in a slower, much more graceful manner. Crouching down to hug the short gnome, she heard Justinton snicker behind her.
"You know how to pick them, dude," he said. "She whines more than anyone I've ever met." Before Lexi could open her mouth to retort, he began casting a spell. "And if you ask me, the first step you should take is buying her some clothes. Near naked wood elves are fun for a while, but it will get old." And with that, he was gone.
She was tottering on the edge of the platform in Kelethin, the treetop city of the wood elves, in the dark.
Her best friend, Alowisus, was supposed to be around to help her. Where was he? She had no idea where her guild was, where anything at all was.
Someone tapped her on the back. Slowly, she turned around. "Lexiloo?" the dark elf standing behind her asked.
"Umm. yeah. That's me. I'm Lexi."
"Alow sent me. I'm Justinton. Justinton Castermaster. He's waiting for you on Antonica."
"B-but. I don't know how to get there!"
The dark elf sighed. "Don't you know anything? I'm a wizard. I'll take you to him. But we have to hurry. you stupid wood elves hate us."
"Hey! Who do you think you're calling stupid?"
"Maybe when you understand the way the world works, you'll figure it out."
"Maybe I just won't go with you. Alow can come get me himself."
"You'd rather stay here? One step backwards and you'll be an elf pancake."
Lexi looked over her shoulder, down at the platform underneath the one on which they stood. and the platform underneath that. and the ground beneath that. It was a good 300-foot drop. No one would survive that fall. At least, no one her age.
"Alright. I'll go with you. Just refrain from insulting my friends and family, okay?"
Wordlessly, Justinton grabbed Lexi's arm and began to cast a spell.
"Hey wait! What are you doing? Stop!" But by the time she got the words out, she was already hundreds of miles away from home.
"Oof!" Lexi cried out as she hit the ground hard. She quickly stood up and brushed herself off, taking in her surroundings. She was in a desert, on some sort of stone platform. Suddenly someone else appeared right before her and knocked her off the platform.
"Sorry about that! You can't just stand on the wizzy spires after all, lots of people use these!" the human who had appeared said, as he jumped down and helped Lexi to her feet.
"Yeah. sorry." she mumbled.
"Whoops! Can't chat gotta go, sorry!" the human shouted over his shoulder as he quickly ran away into the sand dunes.
"Well that was great." Lexi said to herself. "Where's Justinton? Where am I? Where is anybody?" Lexi began to panic. She could see someone staggering in the distance, nearly collapsing. "Oh no! He must have heat sickness! I should go help!"
Quickly, Lexi began to run towards him. "STOP!" She heard a shout from behind her. Stopping so quickly she slid on the sand, she turned and saw Justinton. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you insane?" he scolded.
"Why are you yelling at me? What's wrong with you? There's someone out there who may be really sick! What are we doing in a desert anyways? I don't see Alow anywhere!"
Justinton grabbed her. "Listen to me. You need to learn how the world works. That person out there? He's a madman. If you go up to him, he'll probably kill you. We're in the desert because it's the closest place to where Alow is, where wizards can port to. You have to follow me, and we have to go fast, because there are things in this desert that will kill you the second you give them the chance. Now shut up and follow me!" He quickly turned and ran away. Reluctantly, Lexi followed him.
They hadn't gone very far before Lexi's legs felt like they were going to give out. No matter how fast she ran, Justinton just seemed to get farther and farther ahead of her. All sorts of strange creatures were passing her. Wolves, armadillos, snakes, and giant beetles that looked like they'd want to eat her if they hadn't been in such a hurry.
"Ugh. so tired. Justinton? Hey, Justinton? Where are you? Wait up! Great. lost and alone again." Lexi sat on the ground, near the edge where desert met grass and tree, and watched a spider meander by. Suddenly, she heard a growl from behind her. "Uh oh." Very slowly, she turned around, and found herself face to face with a snarling puma. "Nice kitty. good kitty. Lexi doesn't want to bother you. shhh. good kitty.." She stood up and began to walk away, not turning her back on the animal. As it lunged at her and missed her by mere hairs, she turn around and ran away screaming.
"HELP! SOMEBODY! PLEASE HELP ME! EEK!" She ran circles around trees, trying to head in the direction Justinton had been leading her. No one was around to help her. Looking over her shoulder to see the puma gaining on her, she ran smack into heavy metal armor.
"HALT!" she heard, and watched the human wearing the armor her body had smashed into run toward the puma. "DO NOT OPPOSE THE FREEPORT MILITIA!" he shouted as he slew the angry feline. He walked back to where Lexi was laying on the ground and helped her up. "Ah, a wood elf. You're far from home, young one!"
"Yes," she responded, "I was following a friend of a friend. we got separated though. I've never been here before; I'm kind of lost."
"I see. Well, this is the Northern desert of Ro. Are you heading for East Freeport? There's a path here that should lead you straight there, patrolled by guards like me to keep you kids just beginning to explore safe. Or perhaps you're going to East Commons? The tunnel to get there is out in the desert. I'm afraid you're heading in the wrong direction if that's the case."
"No. I don't really know where we were going. I'm pretty sure this was the direction we were heading in. have you seen a dark elf run by? Justinton?"
The guard raised his eyebrows at her. "Justinton, a dark elf you say? And he was. helping you? Well. you know how to make powerful friends milady. I did not see Justinton run by, and for that I am glad, because I probably would not have been around to help you if we had seen each other."
"Oh. Okay. well I guess I'll follow this path to East Freeport then, maybe I'll run into somebody. thank you for your help, sir." And with that Lexi began again.
It felt like she had been walking for hours. The path seemed so long. She had not run into Justinton or Alow yet, but she had passed several guards and all were very friendly to her. It was getting dark again when she at last heard, "Lexi you're just so much trouble, aren't you?"
She whipped around to face Justinton. "I've been looking for you for so long! You left me behind! I almost got eaten by a giant cat! What's wrong with you?"
"Sorry. Forgot you don't have Spirit of the Wolf. Well follow me now, we're almost to East Freeport."
"Is that where Alow is?"
"No. That's where I'm binding you. So that if you ever get into any more trouble, you'll end up there instead of back in Kelethin. Basically so that I never have to hold your hand and guide you around again."
"Gee, and you're doing such a good job," she said sarcastically, but quickly stared ahead of her in awe. They had reached the gates of Freeport. A wall surrounded the city at least 10 feet high. In front of the gates was more desert, filled with snakes and beetles.
"This is as far as we're going. Stand still." And with that, Justinton began to cast a spell. Lexi felt a tingling sensation and saw a bluish light surround her.
"So now I'll come back here if something happens to me?"
"That's how it works. Come on. Lets get you to Alow so I can leave." He began to cast another spell. Lexi felt the same sensation she had when she had left Kelethin.
"Hey, wait! What are you doing?" she started to ask, but the world faded away from her before she could finish the sentence.
As she thudded onto the ground again, she recognized her surroundings. "What the hell is this?" she shouted. "You brought me back to where I almost got eaten!"
"That's right," Justinton said coolly. "Alow's waiting for you in the tunnel leading to East Commons. Come on. Its only just over this hill." The two set out over the dunes. At the crest, Lexi looked around, and saw the opening in the rock mountain, with a little gnome standing in front of it, waving like mad.
"ALOW!" she shouted, and half ran, half slid down the sandy hill to her awaiting friend. Justinton followed in a slower, much more graceful manner. Crouching down to hug the short gnome, she heard Justinton snicker behind her.
"You know how to pick them, dude," he said. "She whines more than anyone I've ever met." Before Lexi could open her mouth to retort, he began casting a spell. "And if you ask me, the first step you should take is buying her some clothes. Near naked wood elves are fun for a while, but it will get old." And with that, he was gone.