AnimeFan-Artemis: Wow! I have exactly...one fan. XD lmao. Well, that wasn't so bad for the first chapter, eh? Some of you may have a few questions from it though...so I'll try and explain the best I can.
First, the mentioned Myrrh Bush... Just like the Myrrh Trees of the other continent, the Myrrh Bush is just a shorter version that makes less Myrrh. Takes four drops of Myrrh to fill the chalice.
What, you ask. Well, this story takes place in a larger continent on the other side of the planet that the game existed on. There are four Towns/Villages here...Tamara, Gala Rem, Kisk, and Brem. There are less Clavats on this continents, but plenty of Lilties and Selkies. Yuke population is about the same as the other continent. That'll all be explained later on. Also, since I don't know what those little blue things are that pull the caravans, and since I miss these little birds so much in this game, the caravans of this continent are pulled by...Chocobas! Yeah!
Chapter TwoStranger within the Mist
The Miasma Stream...no matter where you would go in the world, there was always a miasma stream somewhere. No one knows where the miasma came from, or why it gathers so thickly and moves so swiftly in one place. The stream eats away at the ground, creating a great tear in the land. But there is always a bit of the old land left, a bridge that allows passage across the canyon now formed.
This knowledge was always a comforting thought to caravaners, but to Gwyn...all alone with only a mog as a companion...the idea was slightly disturbing. Deep down, he knew at any time the stream could finally tear away that bridge of land...with him possibly still on it. It would have been nice to have Rain with him. Her optimism would have made him feel less skeptical about the safety of crossing these bridges.
Gwyn slowed the caravan as they got closer to the center of the stream, guarding his face against the strong gusts of wind created by the miasma that seemed to push them away. His clothes and face were both soaked from all the water in the air around them, and he was glad that winter hadn't settled early this year. Crossing water miasma streams in winter had not been a fun first experience, he recalled.
The strength of the miasma seems to have increased! Mag yelled at him, but Gwyn heard it more as a whisper as the wind blew her words away from him.
He turned to her, digging his feet more firmly into the ground, Then we have to increase our strength! The village is relying on us for this Myrrh!
Mag looked a bit scared but nodded to him, hiding deeper in her pouch. Gwyn let himself slide a little so he was next to the caravan. He reached in and grasped the chalice, then started back towards the center of the bridge with it tucked tightly in his arms.
The crystal on the chalice grew more bright and he could feel its power spreading outward to surround them in a protective bubble of clean air. He sighed thankfully as the bubble finally grew large enough to completely surround them, cutting off the wind. Dropping to his knees, he allowed himself a momentary rest.
That...was...intense! The power is so much stronger, He huffed out, wiping his forehead of the mixed sweat and water.
Mag groaned, poking her head out of her pouch to see herself.
It's amazing the bridge hasn't given in! Gwyn exclaimed, standing back up and regathering his wits.
Mag blinked and quickly hid into her pouch, Kupo! Gwyn, look out! Gwyn yelped and jumped back as five goblins appeared out of the stream. This isn't right! Monsters have never appeared within the streams!
Gwyn pulled his weapon out of the caravan and positioned himself in defense. Something about these goblins was wrong. Their eyes were glowing red and their skin was black instead of brown. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the sight of them.
They stood there, looking at him for a while, then two of the five charged at him with their goblish blades swinging. With experienced practice, Gwyn parried the attacks and came around with a swing, smacking them both with a powerful hit. They fell back and dissolved into nothing. Two more came at him then, this time wielding spears. Gwyn ducked under one of their attacks, but the other goblin's spear managed to graze his arm, ripping his fur pauldron and tearing some of his skin.
Jumping back, Gwyn winced with a pained snarl and dived at them with as strong a swing as he could muster. He hit the goblin directly in the gut, sending it flying off the bridge and down into the bottomless canyon. Whipping around, he summoned up thundara from his Thundara Ring and sent it at the goblin that had wounded him. It hit, doing double the damage thanks to the water in the air. The goblin fell with a silent scream, then dissolved away.
He gripped his staff, turning towards the last and largest goblin that was left. He positioned himself like a batter waiting for the pitcher to throw the ball, baring his teeth at the monster angrily, Well! Come and get it, beast!
The goblin leader made no move towards him. It watched him silently, like a statue with intelligent eyes. Gwyn got the distinct feeling that it was measuring him up in its mind. Then, it moved. In fact, the goblin turned and ran away from him and back into the mist.
Hey! Oh no you don't! Gwyn shouted angrily, charging after the monster.
Mag shouted in panic, grabbing the chalice and flying after him before he ran straight into the miasma. Their caravan followed as their chocoba smartly new that safety was within the chalice's protective bubble.
Gwyn ignored Mag and continued after the goblin, growing frustrated as it vanished out of his site in the stream. Without warning, his sandal snagged on a rock and he felt himself lose balance and fall down. He landed with an , his staff skidding dangerously close to the edge of the bridge.
Mag's voice called out in alarm above him.
I know. I lost him, Gwyn groaned. Then he blinked as he realized the ground his head was on was softer and higher then the ground his knees were painfully throbbing against. Pushing himself into a sitting position, he nearly fell back in shock. That hadn't been the ground! It had been a person!
Mag set the chalice down next to him and flew around the young man he'd fallen on, Is he a clavat? He's the strangest I've ever seen, kupo.What's he doing here in the middle of the stream? Gwyn wondered, for indeed they sat in the center of the bridge. It was then that he noticed the strength of the miasma had died down and was normal like before.
This is weird, Mag whined, slightly frightened.
Gwyn agreed, looking back down at the clavat. First, Brem's crystal dies without warning. Then, some light shows up and the stream grows amazingly stronger. Then we're attacked by the oddest looking, easiest to kill goblins. And now...this clavat. Here. In the center of the miasma stream.And no crystal with him to protect him from the miasma, Mag announced as she finished her examination of him. And he looks weird for a clavat. His hair is silver and his skin is so dark! Like he's been out in the sun, tanning or something.No crystal? Gwyn looked at Mag unbelievingly.
Yep. I don't see any crystal on him.
Gwyn frowned and reached over, pulling off the clavat's cap and feeling his forehead, He doesn't seem sick though. And he's still alive. How could he survive in this without a crystal? Mag shrugged.
Gwyn put the cap on the ground and looked thoughtfully at the clavat, Well, he couldn't have been here that long. The Tamaran caravan didn't mention anything about him, and I'm sure they wouldn't have left him laying here for dead.We should take him back to Brem and have Galbin look him over, Mag suggested.
Good idea, Gwyn nodded, pushing himself back up to a standing position, wincing from the pain of his knees and his injured arm. Gonna have bruises for a week. Mag agreed, grabbing the chalice up and flying it over to their caravan.
Gwyn took a deep breath and knelt, ignoring his knees and scooping the clavat up. He stood with a pained hiss and walked over to the caravan. With Mag's help, they made a bed in the back of the caravan for the clavat and laid him on it. Then as Mag made sure he was settled in, Gwyn limped over and gathered his sword and the clavat's hat.
Mag watched him return to the caravan with the items, frowning slightly. Let me cast cure on you, kupo.
Gwyn looked at her and nodded, smiling slightly, Yet another good idea.
Mag cast a few cures on him and on the clavat, then they resituated themselves and Gwyn led the caravan forward and out of the miasma stream. Home was just a skip and a hop away, now.