Hello all! Sorry for the slow update, I've recently graduated and am looking for jobs now and got called for a couple of interviews so I'm dealing with those. Hopefully I get these out faster in the future, but if not, I'll make sure to leave а notе explaining myself! For now, enjoy this chapter!
Seeing the sunlight for the first time in his new life was a breathtaking sight for Elrid, after all the horrors and fighting that he had to experience ever since he woke up.
Right outside of the tower, to its right, there was a waterfall that made everything look serene. The waterfall continued into a small river that peacefully flowed on its way and to the left of the tower, where funnily enough, there were more waterfalls. There was also a small bridge built to let people cross the path where the river was splitting it.
On the other side of the bridge, there were many trees. Giant trees, Elrid noticed. Some of them reached so high, he had to crane his neck up all the way back for him to be able to see their top branches, and he still couldn't tell where exactly they ended. They seemed so surreal.
Sighing, though, he had to look back at what really needed paying attention to – overturned carriages and injured soldiers at many places lying bloodied on the ground waiting for their comrades to patch them up or bury them in some cases.
One of the dwarfs stood by one of the carriages, and Elrid recognized him as the one he and Encel met at the armory before they separated. He made his way to him.
'Hey. Encel told me about how the two of you made it out of the caverns. We could have used more of you in battle.' The dwarf guard said.
'I'm sorry for fleeing. If I could, I would have stayed with you to help. What's done is done...uhm...What should I call you?' Elrid seemed embarrassed to ask for the dwarf's name.
'...Besides "dwarf"?' The man chuckled and teased Elrid, as he extended an arm to give him a shake. 'Name is Claude. Captain Claude Ganne. Yours?'
'Elrid.'
'Ah, nice to meet you, Elrid. Anyways, did Encel come out with you, I haven't seen him, since he ran up to warn the Professor that the Tuatha were pushing through.'
'He...he died in the lab. Sorry.' Elrid said with no emotion at all.
'Shame. He was a good lad, if too curious and naïve. He should have lived to see more.'
Another armored guard ran up to the two.
'Captain, you should come with me. Otto is saying that he saw the Tuatha's forces approach with a Troll, to try and break through the collapsed entrance!' The guard spitfired as quickly as possible.
'Aye, that sounds bad enough. If you'd excuse me, Elrid, I have some more work to do.'
The Dvergas quickly left him on his own. He looked around him, seeing that everyone was either busy giving out rations, giving medical attention or was discussing plans for counterattacks.
He wanted to join them, and he regretted that he couldn't. The only thing he could do now to help them was to get as far away as possible and reach this Agarth person.
Elrid marveled at the fascinating wildlife. All kinds of plants of distinct colors bloomed and blossomed, and he even took a few with him to investigate later. There were deer and bison running around small green patches of land dotted between the giant trees. He watched it all as he continued his walk on the cobblestoned path further into the glade.
He reached a small plain, which looked like it had once been a temple. There were stone columns of great sizes littered all around the place with insignias and drawings around them, but they must have been abandoned since vegetation had grown all over them. At its southern side, was another waterfall, this one smaller however than the one at the tower and right next to it was a small tree with red leaves.
A cauldron bubbling could be heard over a roaring fire, as an aged man was sitting on a mat with a couple of bottles and a deck of cards in front of him. He didn't pay Elrid any attention until he approached him.
The man rose to meet him, and Elrid noticed that he had a bushy moustache, that was tied up at both ends, noticeably big sideburns molding into his beard that were also tied up into a short crop. He had a couple of earrings as well and carried a longsword on his back.
The two Almain met at the center of the plain.
'You've come from the tower, haven't you? The man asked, as he cupped his chin. 'Name's Agarth. Maybe you can help an old Fateweaver, eh?'
So, this is Agarth, the man who Fomorous sent me to find...
'What's a Fateweaver?' Elrid asked him.
'Fateweavers look at the tapestry of fate. The threads will tell us how life will unfold. But knowing the future and being able to change it are two very different things.'
'That's interesting and all, but I came to seek you for a different reason. I was sent by Fomorous Hugues to find you.'
'Were you? Poor old Fomorous Hugues. He respected the way the world works. What a shame. He's probably dead by now.' The Fateweaver told him. Elrid was inclined to agree.
There is no way that the Professor made it out alive...but I won't rule him out yet. He's cheated death once, I bet he could do it again. But this person...he sounds too sure of his demise. That's suspicious.
'What makes you think he's dead?' Elrid quizzed him.
'The cards told me that the Well of Souls would work, but Hugues' success would come on the day of his death.' The man sighed, looking away. 'He took it well, honestly. Although, we did a lot of drinking after that.'
Elrid was skeptical, however.
'Sorry, but we haven't seen his body yet. We can't rule him out. 'He said, swinging his arm to the side.' Besides, he must live if he wants to prove his life's work – I just woke up in the tower.'
Agarth found himself at a loss for words and looked at him shocked.
'You? You're the one? Then that means... It all makes sense now.' he said, reigning in his shocked expression. Elrid, however, had no clue what he was talking about. 'The cards this morning – I drew the gravedigger, the running man, and the beast. What that means is-'
Elrid was suddenly tackled by Agarth to the ground just as a couple of arrows swished by. He quickly got off him and drew his sword, and Elrid stood up to do the same. There were three Tuatha, one staying back and aiming with his bow once more. He released an arrow towards Agarth, but he did a combat roll to the side, evading the arrow and dashed so quickly to the first Tuatha that by the time anyone realized what had happened, Agarth's enemy had died.
Elrid was perplexed. He knew that there were bound to be many mysteries in this world where you could be resurrected, but it was still surprising to see someone move ten meters in the blink of an eye. No time to dwell on that, I could just ask him later.
He jumped into the fray himself, locking blades with the other swordsman, as his comrade went for the archer. They traded blows, each pelting them with sparks as their blades crashed. Both panting harshly because of the strength contest, but none to give in, they found themselves in a stalemate. At least until Agarth's sword erupted through the man's chest spraying Elrid in blood. He took a step back, no need for locking his weapon with his opponent's, who in return let him drop to the ground and clang.
However, more reinforcements arrived, another three. The difference was that these wore daggers instead of swords and bows. They were also a lot faster than their dead friends. Elrid immediately got jumped by two of them, while Agarth had to deal with the one.
Block from the left, parry to the right, spin to evade a blade coming for his right side, just to get stabbed in the back of his right leg while he was spinning. That was what Elrid was subjected to – being cut up like a pig. He winced as the pain entered but he knew better than to drop his defensive stance. He kept his sword across his chest, his left leg behind him a bit, readying himself for another deadly barrage.
The two roguish Tuatha were only too happy to oblige. The one on his right dashed in first, chambering his right blade and started attacking. Elrid readied his sword to parry the small blade but the fatigue from his wound was taking its toll – he hadn't read the attack properly. His opponent feinted at the last second and Elrid couldn't do anything about it because his stance was now shot due to him readying himself for a completely different attack.
The man's feint resulted in a strike on his side, making Elrid roar. But it was the second opponent's strike that completely knocked him out. He just felt the most intense pain ever, as two small blades seemed to be lodged in his upper back.
Elrid walked a few feet and collapsed to his knees, dropping his sword in the process.
The pain was so intense that he could not even breathe without flinching. He fell on his stomach and could not move anymore; he didn't even have the strength to keep his eyes open. What a joke – I was reborn just to die not a day later...
"You won't be dying yet, mortal one" a voice whispered in his head. "You have defied Fate. Now you are no longer controlled by Her threads, you are free to pave your own path."
Elrid felt a surge of power. His pain instantly forgotten about, he stood up slowly and reached to remove the dagger from his back. All the Tuatha around him and Agarth looked at him with shock and took a step back, unsure of what was to follow.
Elrid noticed that he was seeing the world blue. At first, that scared him, but he had more important things that he had to handle first.
He launched himself at the first Tuatha, noticing that they were moving slower than usual. No, I'm moving faster than them.
He quickly dispatched the first one, grabbing his dagger as he fell to the ground and used it as a throwing knife to stab the second Tuatha through the heart. The force of the impact knocked the man to the ground.
The last Tuatha did not even try to fight, he just turned to flee, but one quick dash from Elrid proved that he could not outrun him. The Almain grabbed him by the leg and pulled him flat to the ground. He lifted his hand and in it a sword made from pure light threads suffused. He did not know how he did that, only that he wished he had his own sword, and there it was, the same rusty sword, but made of light.
He didn't question the "why's" and "how's". For now, at least. Now he had to return the favor of the bastard who stabbed him in the back.
"What? How- What are you?" The obvious bewilderment that showed on Agarth's face was justified, as suddenly the power that aided Elrid left him, just as quickly as it originally came, and the color of the world again returned to normal. His breath was labored but he stood upright, feeling rejuvenated after the strange phenomenon, despite the fight.
"The threads of fate!" Agarth continued. "I've seen them before but... I've never seen anyone manipulate them like that! You just changed how the world was supposed to work. How did you do that?"
Elrid had no answer to his question. "I don't know. One moment I was dying, the next I was feeling the best I've ever felt. I just did it somehow." He shrugged as he gave his best explanation.
"You just—- Fate is the will of the gods. No mortal should be able to change it! How is that even possible?!" Agarth shouted aloud at Elrid, as if there was any reason to be mad at him now. "Come here. I'm going to do a reading. You might be able to change the threads, but Fate will still have a plan for you."
Stepping forward to Agarth, he brought out a deck of cards and closed his eyes. Suddenly, the cards started to fly in the air around them. Elrid looked at them and saw them portray many different images of various mages, rogues and other adventurers. Agarth kept still and quiet for another couple of minutes when suddenly the deck stacked itself again in his hand and he opened his eyes.
Agarth just looked him straight in the eyes with the most deadpanned look Elrid had seen. He gave him that look for most of a minute. Elrid started to feel uncomfortable when Agarth asked him something outrageous.
"You're real, right? I swear, I haven't had that much yet." It was Elrid's turn to look at him deadpanned."
"I am real, Agarth, what on Amalur are you talking about? You are just drunk."
"I am." Agreeing easily with him, the old Fateweaver. "But still, I've never seen someone whose fate was just missing. Not even when I was drunk as the King of Ballads. This doesn't make sense. All mortal creatures have a place in the pattern. You should have one too, dead or not."
He started rubbing his chin harshly. Elrid pitied the man, he looked so confused by this, that he was certain he just shattered his whole worldview just with his existence.
Agarth stopped his musings and once again turned to Elrid. "If this is true, and I'm not saying I believe it, then your path is yours to determine...The closest Destiny I know of that fits with yours is the one of the Seeker – A jack of all trades, seeking his calling in the world."
That didn't make sense for Elrid at all. Still, that's why he was here, to try and figure it out.
"What does it mean then, this Seeker destiny?"
"It could mean nothing. Or it could mean everything. The world is changing. You might be a sign of that. Or maybe the cause." The old Fateweaver exclaimed, striking his fist into his other hand's palm.
"I've never had a reason to doubt my own readings, but we should consult with Arden. He's not a friend, but he's got a good eye for the tapestry. I'll meet you at his home to the east."
He moved past Elrid, signaling that the conversation was over now that he had a new heading for him.
"I'm going to see if I can be of any help to the wounded at the tower."
And with those final words, he started jogging to the place where Elrid came from.
Elrid openly admired the nature that had opened in front of him – all the giant trees that covered the sky, barely letting any of the sunlight come through. The flowers and bushes that dotted the ground were all kinds of colors. All these mesmerizing views had him under a spell, and he did not even feel that most of the day had passed travelling to the village of Gorhart.
The first sign he got that he arrived in the village was a gate made from pure marble with 2 green flags covering the bigger part of their front sides. At the top of the pillars, a big wooden carving connected the two and from its middle part, a bright lantern was hanging.
The man entered the village walking down the road and through the gate and noticed a small crowd of around ten people gathered in what seemed to be the center of the village. There was an inn that seemed to be larger than any of the other buildings. Some of the other buildings also had wooden signs with drawings on them to notify travelers of their meaning. The one to Elrid's left had a herb of some kind drawn, while the building right across from it had an anvil and a hammer layed on it drawn. In the middle of the village, where everyone had bunched up, there was a small well.
He finally arrived amidst the people, and although some gave him curious looks, they quickly turned again to the one who was talking.
"...just stand back. The warden can't work when you're crowding so close." A woman of what appeared to be the village's militia told everyone. "Go back to your business. Go on."
And with that, most of the people went away. Some of course kept staring while walking away, but other than the woman that shooed the people away, only two people stayed. One was an Almain male with a pony tail and big rough beard. He was dressed in plate armor and had a longsword on his back. He seems to be the warden that the woman was talking about earlier.
The second person however, didn't stay by their own voalition – they were lying on the ground and moaning, twisting and turning.
This is why everyone had gathered. She is nothing like I've ever seen however. Elrid thought to himself, noticing her bright blue skin color and clothing, as well as the elongated ears.
Elrid approached the crouched man. He in turn stood up and turned to face Elrid.
"I don't care what your race; it's a tragedy whenever anyone's savaged like this." The man sighed exhaustedly. "Just look at the poor creature... she's beaten to the brink of death. The Fae may be strange but they certainly don't deserve this."
Elrid couldn't help but agree with that. No one, despite their race should have to be mistreated. He wanted to help if he could.
"Tell me, what happened here...?"
And that's it for this chapter. OFC, you can all see where this is all leading to currently and I would like to explore more of the world itself through the side stories as well and just brute force and run through the main story itself. I promise this won't be Naruto type of filler which goes on for longer than the canon story, but just to be a nice breakpoint after a major revelation in the main story. Thanks for reading and do leave reviews!