A Ranger's Tale: Chapter Two: Time to Kick Ass.
When Maylaie woke up the next morning, head aching and stomach empty. " Sweet Tunare." Maylaie whimpered, clutching her head, sitting up in bed. " Good morning wood angel. What happened yesterday?" Tanak asked from his chair beside Maylaie's bed. Maylaie told her father about everything that happened last night, from the cloaked figure, to the backroom with the purple-cloaked person. " Hmmm." Tanak muttered, rubbing his chin, " I remember the cloaked figures, but not the purple one." " Not that it matters, I'm a ranger and that's all I wanted." Maylaie said getting up. " I'll let you get dress, and I'll tell the other what happened." Tanak said, standing up. " I'm glad your happy, wood angel." Tanak smiled, kissing his daughter's forehead then leaving the room. Maylaie quickly changed from the clothes she slept in last night into fresh cloth clothing, eager to start her new life as a Ranger. With loving hands she strapped on her sword belt and scabbard. Smiling, Maylaie went into the kitchen. There, Eslain, Tanak, Healec and Terrain were discussing.
" Greetings, Great Ranger of Tunare!" Terrain greeted, standing up and bowing before Maylaie. " Greetings to you Bard of Bristlebane." Maylaie grinned, bowing to Terrain. " Morin' May." Healec said, taking a sip of her tea as Maylaie sat at the table, " Dad just finished telling us about why you fell asleep. I can honestly say I don't remember a purple cloaked person." " I don't even remember seeing a door for the backroom." Eslain said, placing a plate of food in fornt of Maylaie. " Neither do I, but then again, I was so nervous that there could have been a dragon in the room and I wouldn't have noticed." " Easy kiddo, eat that fast and you'll get hiccups. And one can't talk to the master of The Ranger guild with hiccups." Healec said as Maylaie shovelled her breakfast into her mouth. Maylaie nodded, and ate at a slightly slower pace. As soon as she was done, Maylaie was up on her feet. " Thanks mom, breakfast was great." Maylaie said, giving her mom a peck on the cheek and running out the door.
***
Maylaie hummed while walking the streets of Kelethin, pleased with herself that she hadn't gotten lost. Kelethin could be a virtual maze, even for those who had lived there all their lives. Suddenly realization and dread hit Maylaie; she had to walk past the bank to get to the Ranger's guild. There was nothing wrong with the bank itself; it was a normal bank, in a normal building. No the problem was with the fact Greater Faydark was a major trading zone. So hundreds of adventures crowded the platform around the bank. Luckily the banker, like any other banker was able to handle several accounts at once, Maylaie believed this was one of the few reasons the banker still kept his job. The banker had the habit of attacking any members of the evil races that entered his bank. Maylaie personally didn't see the point of that. Troll and ogres were too stupid to actually cause any great harm. Iksar mostly kept to themselves since the days of Kunark's discovery. Only Dark elves bothered Maylaie. There was proof they were working with the Crushbone Orcs to over throw Kelethin, so Maylaie wouldn't trust one as far as she could throw on with broken arms, but her parent had taught Maylaie not to judge singular members of a race by the actions of their race, and Maylaie wasn't dumb enough to fight a Dark elf unless it attacked her first. Quickly Maylaie walked past the bank, careful not to step on a foot or tail, or the hem of a robe, some people could get testy with you got mud on their robes, up the ramp, and then down another to get to the Kelethin Ranger Guild. Maylaie entered the building, her head held high. This was a moment she had been waiting for as long she could remember. Handing her note the guild master, Maesyn Trueshot. Maesyn smiled when he was done reading the note, " Welcome to the Faydark's Champions Maylaie. When you didn't come yesterday, I was worried that the Choosers had made a mistake and put the daughter of Tanak Wolfcall into another guild." Maylaie smiled, Maesyn, being one of her father's friends since childhood knew very well about Maylaie dream, now a reality, to become a ranger. " Now then." Maesyn said, becoming serious, " Here is your guild tunic. There is a room in the back where you can go put this on." Maesyn hand the bundled clothe to Maylaie. Maylaie quickly went in and put on the tunic. For several minutes admired herself in the mirror with her new tunic on, and ran a hand over the ranger symbol embroidered on the shoulder, a sword and bow crossed over a tree. Soon Maylaie was training. She had decided to train her slashing, using different techniques on a wooden orc statue, and tracking, looking for two doves Maesyn had release, figuring later, when she had a bow and arrows, she practise her archery. " Now, when ever you reach a new ' level', you'll hear a ding in you head, don't ask me why the gods do this, they just do." Maesyn explained. " With every ding, you get five more experience points, which you can use for training at any ranger guild. Also, points can build up until your ready to use them, but I don't recommend getting them too built up. And lastly, you'll need these." Maesyn handed Maylaie a sack filled with bread cakes and milk. " Now go kick some ass." Maesyn grinned. Maylaie bowed and ran back to her house. Maylaie ran through the door, grinning ear to ear. " Maylaie you look wonderful in your guild tunic." Eslain smiled at her daughter. " Wood angel, you look amazing.wait here." Tanak said, moisture in his eyes. Tanak left, going through a door that led to his blacksmith workshop. He came back with a silk wrapped bundle, which he handed to Maylaie. Maylaie carefully opened the bundle to find a bastard sword and a scabbard. The scabbard, finely made with green leather, was engraved with wolves; the sword's handle was also engraved with wolves. Removing the sword from its scabbard, Maylaie found the sword to be the perfect weight for her. The blade sharp and, like with rest of the sword, finely made. " Oh dad," Maylaie said, looking at her father, " I can't take this. You can easily make thousands of platinum off this one sword." Maylaie family hand never had been the richest. Even though her mother and father made high quality food and armour and weapons for adventures of all types, her parents often too kind for the better of them and sold item far below their value range, but more often then not their kindness came back to them. " What is it with you kids and saying things like that. Your sister said that when I gave her those bracers and so did your brother when I gave him the dagger. Listen, I make these things to help you guys out, not for money." " Thank you daddy." Maylaie said, hugging Tanak. " No problem wood angel, now go kick some ass." Tanak said, grinning. " Yes sir!" Maylaie grinned, saluting, and running out the door again.
***
Hours later Maylaie was looting the corpse of a wasp drone, when she heard buzzing behind her and felt sharp prick in her back. Sword in hand, Maylaie whirled around, slicing the second drone in half. " You're good with a sword, young one." Said a charming voice. The source was a half-elf, and from his green armour and the sword and bow strapped across his back a ranger to. He head wood brown hair and deep green eyes that made Maylaie's heart flip flop. " That sword looks finely crafted." The half-elf said. " My father, Tanak Wolfcall, made it. He has a blacksmith shop in town." Maylaie said, her mind and mouth on automatic. " Maybe I'll drop by sometime." The Half-elf grinned, handed Maylaie a backpack, a disappeared in a flash of green. Maylaie blinked, regained control of her bodily function, she looked inside the backpack. Inside were a long bow, a fletching kit, and a quiver with about eighty arrows in it. " Hmmmm, well that was interesting." Maylaie muttering, looking at the sky. Even through the everlasting mist of Greater Faydark, Maylaie could see the sun was setting. " Time to head home." She muttered. Shouldering the backpack and looting what she could off the wasp drone corpses, Maylaie whistled heading for the nearest lift.
When Maylaie woke up the next morning, head aching and stomach empty. " Sweet Tunare." Maylaie whimpered, clutching her head, sitting up in bed. " Good morning wood angel. What happened yesterday?" Tanak asked from his chair beside Maylaie's bed. Maylaie told her father about everything that happened last night, from the cloaked figure, to the backroom with the purple-cloaked person. " Hmmm." Tanak muttered, rubbing his chin, " I remember the cloaked figures, but not the purple one." " Not that it matters, I'm a ranger and that's all I wanted." Maylaie said getting up. " I'll let you get dress, and I'll tell the other what happened." Tanak said, standing up. " I'm glad your happy, wood angel." Tanak smiled, kissing his daughter's forehead then leaving the room. Maylaie quickly changed from the clothes she slept in last night into fresh cloth clothing, eager to start her new life as a Ranger. With loving hands she strapped on her sword belt and scabbard. Smiling, Maylaie went into the kitchen. There, Eslain, Tanak, Healec and Terrain were discussing.
" Greetings, Great Ranger of Tunare!" Terrain greeted, standing up and bowing before Maylaie. " Greetings to you Bard of Bristlebane." Maylaie grinned, bowing to Terrain. " Morin' May." Healec said, taking a sip of her tea as Maylaie sat at the table, " Dad just finished telling us about why you fell asleep. I can honestly say I don't remember a purple cloaked person." " I don't even remember seeing a door for the backroom." Eslain said, placing a plate of food in fornt of Maylaie. " Neither do I, but then again, I was so nervous that there could have been a dragon in the room and I wouldn't have noticed." " Easy kiddo, eat that fast and you'll get hiccups. And one can't talk to the master of The Ranger guild with hiccups." Healec said as Maylaie shovelled her breakfast into her mouth. Maylaie nodded, and ate at a slightly slower pace. As soon as she was done, Maylaie was up on her feet. " Thanks mom, breakfast was great." Maylaie said, giving her mom a peck on the cheek and running out the door.
***
Maylaie hummed while walking the streets of Kelethin, pleased with herself that she hadn't gotten lost. Kelethin could be a virtual maze, even for those who had lived there all their lives. Suddenly realization and dread hit Maylaie; she had to walk past the bank to get to the Ranger's guild. There was nothing wrong with the bank itself; it was a normal bank, in a normal building. No the problem was with the fact Greater Faydark was a major trading zone. So hundreds of adventures crowded the platform around the bank. Luckily the banker, like any other banker was able to handle several accounts at once, Maylaie believed this was one of the few reasons the banker still kept his job. The banker had the habit of attacking any members of the evil races that entered his bank. Maylaie personally didn't see the point of that. Troll and ogres were too stupid to actually cause any great harm. Iksar mostly kept to themselves since the days of Kunark's discovery. Only Dark elves bothered Maylaie. There was proof they were working with the Crushbone Orcs to over throw Kelethin, so Maylaie wouldn't trust one as far as she could throw on with broken arms, but her parent had taught Maylaie not to judge singular members of a race by the actions of their race, and Maylaie wasn't dumb enough to fight a Dark elf unless it attacked her first. Quickly Maylaie walked past the bank, careful not to step on a foot or tail, or the hem of a robe, some people could get testy with you got mud on their robes, up the ramp, and then down another to get to the Kelethin Ranger Guild. Maylaie entered the building, her head held high. This was a moment she had been waiting for as long she could remember. Handing her note the guild master, Maesyn Trueshot. Maesyn smiled when he was done reading the note, " Welcome to the Faydark's Champions Maylaie. When you didn't come yesterday, I was worried that the Choosers had made a mistake and put the daughter of Tanak Wolfcall into another guild." Maylaie smiled, Maesyn, being one of her father's friends since childhood knew very well about Maylaie dream, now a reality, to become a ranger. " Now then." Maesyn said, becoming serious, " Here is your guild tunic. There is a room in the back where you can go put this on." Maesyn hand the bundled clothe to Maylaie. Maylaie quickly went in and put on the tunic. For several minutes admired herself in the mirror with her new tunic on, and ran a hand over the ranger symbol embroidered on the shoulder, a sword and bow crossed over a tree. Soon Maylaie was training. She had decided to train her slashing, using different techniques on a wooden orc statue, and tracking, looking for two doves Maesyn had release, figuring later, when she had a bow and arrows, she practise her archery. " Now, when ever you reach a new ' level', you'll hear a ding in you head, don't ask me why the gods do this, they just do." Maesyn explained. " With every ding, you get five more experience points, which you can use for training at any ranger guild. Also, points can build up until your ready to use them, but I don't recommend getting them too built up. And lastly, you'll need these." Maesyn handed Maylaie a sack filled with bread cakes and milk. " Now go kick some ass." Maesyn grinned. Maylaie bowed and ran back to her house. Maylaie ran through the door, grinning ear to ear. " Maylaie you look wonderful in your guild tunic." Eslain smiled at her daughter. " Wood angel, you look amazing.wait here." Tanak said, moisture in his eyes. Tanak left, going through a door that led to his blacksmith workshop. He came back with a silk wrapped bundle, which he handed to Maylaie. Maylaie carefully opened the bundle to find a bastard sword and a scabbard. The scabbard, finely made with green leather, was engraved with wolves; the sword's handle was also engraved with wolves. Removing the sword from its scabbard, Maylaie found the sword to be the perfect weight for her. The blade sharp and, like with rest of the sword, finely made. " Oh dad," Maylaie said, looking at her father, " I can't take this. You can easily make thousands of platinum off this one sword." Maylaie family hand never had been the richest. Even though her mother and father made high quality food and armour and weapons for adventures of all types, her parents often too kind for the better of them and sold item far below their value range, but more often then not their kindness came back to them. " What is it with you kids and saying things like that. Your sister said that when I gave her those bracers and so did your brother when I gave him the dagger. Listen, I make these things to help you guys out, not for money." " Thank you daddy." Maylaie said, hugging Tanak. " No problem wood angel, now go kick some ass." Tanak said, grinning. " Yes sir!" Maylaie grinned, saluting, and running out the door again.
***
Hours later Maylaie was looting the corpse of a wasp drone, when she heard buzzing behind her and felt sharp prick in her back. Sword in hand, Maylaie whirled around, slicing the second drone in half. " You're good with a sword, young one." Said a charming voice. The source was a half-elf, and from his green armour and the sword and bow strapped across his back a ranger to. He head wood brown hair and deep green eyes that made Maylaie's heart flip flop. " That sword looks finely crafted." The half-elf said. " My father, Tanak Wolfcall, made it. He has a blacksmith shop in town." Maylaie said, her mind and mouth on automatic. " Maybe I'll drop by sometime." The Half-elf grinned, handed Maylaie a backpack, a disappeared in a flash of green. Maylaie blinked, regained control of her bodily function, she looked inside the backpack. Inside were a long bow, a fletching kit, and a quiver with about eighty arrows in it. " Hmmmm, well that was interesting." Maylaie muttering, looking at the sky. Even through the everlasting mist of Greater Faydark, Maylaie could see the sun was setting. " Time to head home." She muttered. Shouldering the backpack and looting what she could off the wasp drone corpses, Maylaie whistled heading for the nearest lift.