The Quest for the Shiney: Leana in the Monastery

[Taylor_Calastadd]

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To whomever has found this note amongst this infant's blankets...

My family was attacked by a group of bandits not long ago. I unfortunately did not get word from allies of mine that they were coming, and I have my suspicions. They came quickly and silently, much to my misfortune. They managed to get inside, but we'd already gone to hide away, hoping to escape as soon as we could.

But the time did not come. My wife and I decided we'd have to try to fight them off. She told me to go inform my fellow thieves to come and aid us while she stayed behind and made sure they didn't find the hiding place. I refused, but realized that we would need their help. My wife is Elfborn, and is not like the average human when it comes to battle tactics. She said she'd be okay, and that her magics would protect her at least until we had help. So I decided to do as she asked.

My band of thieves were not far off but had not heard the commotion, and thus they rushed to help once I'd reached them. We returned to find the bandits rummaging through the place, and I thought that they were looking for more than just treasures...they were looking for me.

My thieves fought brilliantly, but once I was able to get back inside and to the hiding place, I discovered my wife, dead, with a poisoned arrow in her heart. They'd found her before she'd managed to block it off. Yet when I knelt beside her, I saw our daughter lying in her arms...alive. Perhaps, in the seconds following her attack, she'd managed to finish whatever charms she'd been putting up, at least to protect the baby.

Our battle was not yet over, but it ended in disaster. Several of my thieves had perished as well, and the house had burnt to the ground. Some of the bandits had taken off, leaving behind their dead. I myself was wounded terribly, and hastily I thought of what to do. The bandits were after me, and I had to escape.

One of my thieves found me, and I believe he had the impression that I wasn't going to make it. Quickly, I began writing this so that it would be known later.

This infant is my daughter, Leana Dienvall. I cannot bring her with me where I'm going, and I trust my comrade to find a suitable guardian for her to raise her into adulthood. She must be kept hidden, for I fear that whoever's after me may see me in her features, or by memory of what my wife's colors looked like...their beautiful red hair and green eyes are the same.

Whoever you may be, I ask that you please, take the best of care for her. Raise my daughter as though she were your own. Keep her safe, and please love her. One day she and I will meet again but it will not be soon. She may grow up to be a thief like me, or a mage like her mother...maybe even both.

I don't have much time now, for I fear the bandits will return to look through the damage once we've left. I have to run, so please, listen to what I have asked of you. I know that at this time in my life, my future is certain to be full of danger, and I will not risk Leana's future to be the same.

Keep this letter so that perhaps one day she can see it and understand, but don't let it get into the wrong hands. Farewell, and good luck.

Oh, and, please give Leana the ribbon I used to tie this note with. It belonged to her mother.

~~~

 

[Taylor_Calastadd]

The Road to Chandra

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It was raining heavily as a lone figure headed down a freshly dry hill on a horse, holding a small bundle. The man was decked in all black, with a hood to cover his identity, and the bundle in his arms was a small object wrapped in a black blanket to match. His horse was a large black clydesdale, and looked disgruntled as it trudged through the new mud. The rain had come from nowhere, hiding the warmth of the sun above.

The man looked out with dazzling blue eyes, seeing a vast forest in the distance, with snowy mountains even further off. He had to move quickly but carefully. He wasn't sure where he was going, but knew it had to be far away from the ruined home he'd been to not a fortnight before.

He kept the bundle hidden from the pelting water above, hoping the baby wouldn't wake. She'd been a quiet little thing for most of the journey. He'd occasionally stopped when he knew it was safe to take care of her, and fed her appropriately. He had to hold up his friend's dying wish, and transport the girl to safety.

Just as he thought about stopping under a large rocky outcrop, he heard it behind him. The roar of bandit laughter. A chill spread down his spine as he turned, seeing the orange glow of several torches and the sounds of impatient horses. Bandits.

Taking a great hold of the baby, he urged his horse forward. The black beast obeyed its master instantly, and rushed off towards the forest.

The man knew it would be dangerous in there, but had to get through. On the other side of the forest and the mountains was his goal...the safety of the Chandra Monastery. He'd been by there once before, and knew it was a safe haven for many, and the monks were exceedingly kind.

He hurried off to safety before the bandits could spot him, hoping Scholtza would approve of his decision.

~~~

Two days later he was deep in the forest, but the storm didn't seem to be picking up. The bandits, thankfully, had strayed off in a different direction, so he was safe, as was the baby. Strangely enough, the baby was still quiet and didn't seem to mind the rain. He'd built shelters each night that were off of the road so no one saw them, and anything he owned made out of fabric was black, and very well concealed.

Sleeping was difficult but he managed. Through the shelter, which had been enchanted to repel water, he could see the shadows of everything around them, which were mostly just tree branches, and occasional animals. His horse was near them, but was a smart creature and kept silent as his master desired, and his black coat was hidden in the dark night.

It was near two in the morning, and he'd just begun to drift off in the cold air, when he heard voices nearby and horse hooves. Instantly he was alert, and had a hand on the baby's bundle. Sure enough, the voices answered his fears.

"-but the boss wants his fair share, and if you're holding out on us, he's going to find out."

"Oh shaddap. You know I ain't got anythin' I'm hidin'."

Bandits. He held his breath and dared not breathe or move.

"Well when we get back to camp and he sees stuff missing, he's going to be on your a** as soon as he notices." said a third voice.

"I'd find your hidden shares myself if we weren't in a hurry to get back." said the first. "Boss'll do it soon though, I'm sure."

The man made a decision quickly as he heard them arguing. From the sound of it, they had one horse and it was carrying items that clanged noisily. Silently, he snuck out from the shelter and into the dark wet night. He observed the shadows moving on the road. Quickly, he made the calculations. He was a thief, but also a crafty mage. His magic was slightly out of practice, but here he knew what he was doing.

The bandits on the road had gotten into a physical scuff at this point, yelling about the stolen shares, and then were so suddenly zapped by a huge bolt of lightning from the sky. Since they were all in contact with each other, the charge carried through their bodies and fried them instantly. Just as soon as it had happened, they fell to the ground, slightly steaming, with random bolts of electricity flowing around them for a moment after. The horse had stopped and looked startled, but simply stared down at them in confusion.

The man quietly stalked out to the road and searched them, then pulled the horse off the road and searched it. He found valuables and took them back to his camp, keeping note to sell these once the child was safe at the monastery. He then took the equipment from the horse and basically let it go free. The horse looked slightly abused, and seemed a bit delighted to be away from its captors. It eventually walked off through the forest, most likely to find something to eat.

~~~

It took him four days to reach the mountains, and he knew the weather would just get worse from there. He'd kept his cloak enchanted to repel the storm, and it had worked. His horse was now a bit more weighted with what the man had taken from the bandits, but it didn't seem bothered.

The little red haired baby girl was awake, staring up at the man as he looked off at the mountain roads, noticing the rain was getting very thick here and would soon be snow. The man was grateful the baby was half elf, for he had the feeling she'd survive easier in this mess. He himself was just used to it, and an adult to boot.

Traversing the snowy mountains was simpler than the forest. The snow was thick but not stormy, and fell as soft as it would on a calm, gentle holiday morning. He occasionally saw white rabbits hopping around, and occasionally an owl swooped overhead.

He reached the highest point after several days, and once getting to a very nice lookout of a cliff, he could see the region below. Nestled just below the mountains was his goal: Chandra Monastery. It was vast, and placed very neatly in a rather open looking foresty area. Looking further off, he could see where a few towns lay, as well as the terrain beyond. He'd seen this many times before on travels, but it had never looked so welcoming.

~~~

Going down the mountain had been warmer than going up, and at the base the snow had almost stopped. The storm cleared just as he reached the near outskirts of the monastery.

It was about a day of travel once reaching the valley floor, and finally at night his horse walked up to the tall outer wall, and he stopped it.

"At last." he said in a soft voice. "We've found your home little one."

~~~

 

[Taylor_Calastadd]

Shingi's Task

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*editing*