A Hop a Skip And a long winding road- Part 1
Davin was the kind of son a father dreams of and a mother frets over. He was strong and athletic sure of his body and handy with any tool or weapon he ever got his hands on. He craved adventure and took every opportunity to strike out into the wild lands around his remote village to explore and test his metal against all manner of wild and ferocious beasts. Braving any challenge from the fang riddled maws of snarling animals to the sheer cliff faces that took him into the deep dark corners of the chasms that had for generations kept his village in isolation from the old world. It wasn't even known if there was anything left to be isolated from. Davin's only knowledge of the world before the calamity was what he had been taught from the stories passed down in the village. Stories of grand castles and enormous cities. Stories of a human race at its peek. Stories of greed and corruption and the need for power and control that led to the destruction of that once great race of man. It was taught that once man was endowed with the gift of magic. An incredible ability that gave them control of the very world around them. Let them bend reality to their whim grow a tree in moments redirect the flow of a river to stop, change, reverse, or accelerate all manner of natural occurrence. It is told that mankind wielded this power with complete disregard for the natural world proclaiming themselves masters of all, that the world existed only for their pleasure.
since that time magic had at first been outlawed and then as its use dwindled so did the ability and it was lost to all in Davin's little village. They survive now by the wits of their minds and the strengths of their muscles. Most importantly they survive by the humbleness in their hearts. in the knowledge that life can be taken from them at any moment at the whim of the natural world around them. Even Davin as bold and brash as he is knows that a single bite of those fangs or a single foot out of place on the sheer rock walls he loves to climb would spell the end of his fragile life. It is always with caution that he adventures allowing courage to guide his steps and fear to sharpen his senses. A fear that would save him on the long road ahead. A road nobody had walked in a long long time. The road to the capitol.
His mother wept as she handed Davin his pack. She had spent the entire night crying over her cooking fire. Making enough food to last what she hoped would be an uneventful journey. there had been no water from the sky in many months and the village was worried that if this persisted they would be completely dry by the end of the spring months and have to face the harshness of summer with not a drop to drink. In desperation it was decided someone would have to find an escape. a way across the chasms and then to water. Davin didn't even have to think about it. he was the most handy with a blade and certainly the most able to make a trip across the chasm if anyone could do it he could. He lifted his pack out of his mothers hands and onto his shoulders as she started in again trying to convince him to stay
"Why are you so keen on being the one to go. You're still just a boy you're not ready for a thing like this" she said through sobs
"Mother you and i both know i have the best chance. I know the chasms better than anyone. if there is a way across it will be me who finds it." Davin wrapped his arms around her shoulders to comfort her then passed her off to his father with a nod and headed out the door. The longer he stayed the harder it would be to go and he absolutely had to go. The village would never survive without water.
Davin struck out to the north and east. He would start at the only place you could see the other side of the chasm. Still miles across, on the hottest days of summer when the fog that normally filled the chasm would burn and thin you could faintly see the far wall rising out of the dark in the distance. it also happened to have the easiest climb down. At least as far as Davin had ever gotten. he had never seen the bottom of the chasm heck nobody even knew if there was one.
As he reached the perimeter fence that ran all the way around the town he met his final reason for choosing this direction to start. his best friend Chip was standing guard this morning eyes glued to the treeline of the forest beyond he never even heard as Davin closed the distance.
"Not much of a guard are you?" Davin jibed as he deftly plucked the short sword from the scabbard at Chip's hip. spinning it in his hands and then resting the pommel in his friends chest to show he was defeated.
"Well i am not much expecting a ghost to come crawling out of the woods am i? The day those beasts are as quiet as you is the day we lose some guards." chip replied taking back his sword and clasping his friends forearm. "off to save the village then eh?" he asked trying to keep the worry out of his voice.
"You'll look after my mother while im gone wont you?" Davin asked not wanting to talk about heroics.
"of course. my worry is not being out there to look after you." "I wont forgive you if you don't come back." Chip said trying to sound more confident than he was feeling in his friends success.
"We both know all that noise you make would only attract more danger besides someone has to stay here and keep watch." "I really should be off. if i hurry and with a bit of luck i hope to make the bottom of the chasm by nightfall."
"don't go rushin it and fall. you don't know how deep it might go. Just keep your head about you out there."
Davin just smiled and disappeared across the clearing into the trees. no reason for long goodbyes. As he crossed the forests threshold he could feel the weight of the wilds come down on him. it was a feeling he couldn't explain but there was a palpable force that seemed to try to drive him into the ground every time he came out here. Over the years he had grown used to it but it never failed to get his attention when he took that first step into the trees. The forest was always unsettling to Davin it wasn't terribly thick but the light was very muted. it was already weeks into spring but there was a bitter chill. The pines grew tall and healthy but there was a boggy decaying smell almost undetectable beneath the normal scents of the forest. everything just seemed wrong. It was only a few short miles to the edge of the chasm and Davin wanted to begin his decent so he set off at a trot taking care to place his feet on the springy needles and not the fallen twigs to keep his sound to a minimum.
little did he know it was too late for quiet. he was already being hunted. from high in the canopy the sharp eyes of the morning bird followed his movements. the villagers called them morning birds not because they often hunted at first light when animals wearily crept from their holes to great the day but because of all the family lost to there vile beaks. morning birds where one of the few creatures that could find there way into the village. they would hop and flap their way to the top of a tree then jump off and glide silently over the barrier fence. Many children had been lost to carelessness. Adult morning birds stand about 3 feet tall with enormous wingspans although limited flight. they live and hunt in small groups of two or three mated pairs and raise all of their children together. It is odd to see such cooperation from creatures that are so vicious but there is little prey between the chasms that a single morning bird would tangle with.
As Davin plotted his way through the forest in relative safety he remained unaware of his now four pursuers as they hopped from tree to tree waiting for a moment to strike. All they would need is for him to slow his pace or stop for a rest and they would be on him. Today was too important though. He needed to make as much distance as he could and although he kept his pace slow enough as to not tire himself for the climb he had no intention of stopping. After about a half hour Davin began to see the wisps of fog that told him he would soon reach the edge of the chasm. he would have to be careful from this point on if the fog was thick enough he could go over the edge without seeing it. Thankfully generations ago it was seen fit to mark the edge of the chasm with large piles of boulders but it wasn't a full proof system. Just as Davin was beginning to worry he should slow one such mound came into his view off to his right. he made a line for it to try to get his bearings and find his decent. as he slowed to examine the rocks four now very frustrated morning birds prepared to take their prey. With little more than a whisper of sound and incredible precision the birds launched an attack from every angle baring the escape of their unsuspecting prey.
A last minute course correction cost the birds their meal. A subtle flap of wings was all it took to alert Davin and as he pulled his sword from its scabbard the birds halted their attack and took to the ground to surround him. they needn't take unnecessary risk his only choices were to face their beaks or the sheer wall behind him. they closed in snapping and craning their necks toward him making him constantly change his focus and guess where the attack might come from. he wedged himself against the pile of boulders using it to cover one side to narrow the attack but there were still four heads to keep track of. With a sudden burst of motion the two outermost creatures pushed the attack jumping up claws and beaks extended beating their wings to hold themselves up and disorient their prey. Davin was prepared and swiftly stepped right to avoid one attack while plunging his sword into the bird closest to the chasm. The morning bird beat its wings as hard as it could trying to escape the pain of the sword now in its chest. With a grunt Davin twisted his sword and flexed flinging the creature out over the chasm and to its death. Now down to only three the morning birds spread out and regrouped driving in with rage to match their hunger. not wanting to wait for an attack by all three Davin dropped his sword and with a great effort tore a boulder from the bottom of the pile sending a small avalanche of enormous rocks at the closest animal crushing it beneath the tumult. Then not taking the time to retrieve his weapon he rushed the middle bird and brought his rock forcefully down on its head. It fell limp without a sound. All of his companions gone and Davin clearly to great a match the final morning bird took to the trees for an escape. Davin not wanting to waste the time or energy to follow let the bird go. he would not return and if he did Davin would be over the edge anyway.
this is part one of what will hopefully be 20-30 parts. i intend to make this a very full adventure and i hope you will enjoy it with me. This is the first and potentially only place i will be publishing this work as i like the idea of each part being out there and unchangeable forcing me not to second guess my story line at each turn.