Chapter 1 - The Boy and the Grimoire

The first day of winter. Even those without a common calendar could tell by the smell in the air that the time had come. The last of the colorful autumn leaves had gone. Those that were left clinging to the trees were rattling reminders of the freeze soon to come. As the sun broke between the trees, light began to stir the small town of Dun.

The morning started just the same as the past few week had. Townsfolk began to start their daily chores, opening their shops, cleaning the inns, starting the cooking fires, waking the children, tending to the animals, and so on. Within merely an hour the whole town had suddenly come to life and the first day of winter had begun without a second glace. Only a few of the townsfolk seem stand out amidst the rest...

A lone farmer approaches the town in his wagon on the horizon.

A tribal nomad prepares himself to leave an inn near the center of town.

A changeling waits silently in a dark alley between two shops.

(INSERT SPENCER'S CHARACTER PLACEMENT HERE – TBA)

A gypsy and her fox find the perfect spot to entertain in the town square.

A boy rests his head on a large grimoire in the wood just outside of town.

***

Nausico awoke abruptly. He was suddenly aware he was resting his head on the grimoire, but he didn't move a muscle. He listened carefully for anything that might have stirred him in his sleep. He could only hear the sounds of the fowl around him, singing softly in the trees and stirring the leaves on the ground. He felt a soft blanket of leaves that had fallen over him in the night creating a soft cover. Perhaps whatever had stirred him awake hadn't see him yet. Cautiously, he opened his eyes.

A soft orb of light was gently disturbing the leaves nearby. It floated slowly, but with purpose as it twisted the air around it to send the leaves scattering across the clearing. It worked its' way across the clearing in a sweeping-like motion.

Nausico relaxed a little. He closed his eyes one more time, trying to retain the dream he had been having just moments before... but it was no use. It was gone. After listening to the orb sweeping across the ground for another minute or so, he rose himself into a sitting position.

Immediately, the orb rushed over to Nausico, circling him rapidly.

“Yala...” Nausico sighed, speaking in a slow whisper, “I was having another one of those dreams again... and you woke me up before I could finish it. Again.”

The orb's orbit around Nausico slowly began to settle down. Squirrels in the trees above began to chatter rapidly at him, now that he had made himself visible.

“I know... I know... but just for once I'd like to have my dreams have a beginning and an ending...”

Nausico stood up and began brushing the leaves and twigs from his brilliantly white hair and his earth-toned tunic. There was a sharp crack and Nausico looked down to see the grimoire had disappeared in a puff of smoke. He wondered how it had gotten there in the first place, but decided that wasn't the most important thing to worry about. He'd given up wondering where it kept disappearing too a long time ago. At least this time he had a pillow to rest on.

A soft breeze rustled trough the trees past Nausico, sending a chill up his spine. He was suddenly aware that the squirrels had stopped their chattering. An ominous silence had filled the wood.

“Yala... do you think-”

But he was cut short when he realized the orb had disappeared too. He was alone in the wood.

For a few moments he just stood there, listening to the silence. There was something different about the stillness. He thought he could hear something, a whispering coming from above. He strained to hear it, but the sound remained inaudible.

Then he heard different voices. They weren't in whispers, but in loud voices. Voices of men. Along with the voices came the sound of cracking twigs and the crunching of leaves beneath their feet. They would be in his clearing within moments.

Nausico swept himself quickly behind a tree, careful to make as little noise as possible. The voices grew louder and louder until they were in the clearing were Nausico had just been. They paused for a moment.

“Over there, by that pile of leaves.”

Nausico heard them brushing the ground. They were looking at something.

“Yes, yes... look closer here.”

He decided to risk it. Nausico slowly peered around the tree, hoping it was just some local travelers... but it wasn't. Standing in the clearing were two tall men leaning over to examine the ground. Their backs to Nausico, he could see their dark yellow capes and rusty iron pauldrons. Each had a long sword sheathed to their sides and wore an iron helm with silver decorated horns... everything seemed covered in dark, spattered stains.

Suddenly, they rose up and Nausico hid behind the tree again, barely eluding their eyes.

“He must be nearby.” 

 

“Summon the others.”

“He won't escape this time.”

I can't let them get the others or I'll never make it out of these trees. Nausico thought to himself. 

I've got to get out of here! There's a town nearby... Dun... a haven of travelers... I can lie low there for a while until they pass...

But as Nausico turned to escape, he shifted into some leaves making an obnoxiously loud crunch that seemed to echo for miles. He heard the men on the other side of the tree suddenly tense and draw their swords.

Nausico fled for his life.

He heard the men shouting to him, but he ran on without looking back. He had to make it to town... he just had to make it. He didn't want to know what would happen if he didn't.

Within moments he was at the edge of the wood and the town was only a few hundred yards away. He rushed down the main street, weaving between people, alley ways, and dark corners never looking back to see if the men were even still in pursuit. As he approached the end of an alley near the center of town he stopped to catch his breath. Looking back, panting furiously, he saw that he was alone.

After a few minutes of rest, he noticed that the center of town was just ahead. He put up the hood of his tunic to hide his hair and he began to blend with the crowd. The day was alive with smells and shouting and trading. It would easy to blend today. Nausico moved down the street, taking in all the shopkeepers and blacksmiths, grocers and weavers, dancers and fortune-tellers. As he neared the center of town, a particularly large crowd had gathered around a woman spinning wildly.

Nausico decided to take a closer look. There was a lot of commotion coming from the crowd. 

 

It would be good cover if the men decided to come into the town... he reasoned. Slowly, he worked his way into the dense crowd to get a closer look.

On a small stage in the center of the crowd was a woman with deep red hair, dancing elegantly with her tambourine. At first glance Nausico thought it was just another Gypsy, but as he watched he noticed that she wasn't alone. As the woman bounced across the stage, a small red animal was preforming its' own routine in front of the crowd. It looked like a small dog at first, until Nausico realized it was a fox.

I've never known anyone to tame a fox before... thought Nausico.

With a final shake of her tambourine, the woman posed elegantly and fox jumped on her shoulders, signaling the end of her dance. They both seemed to shimmer slightly as the tambourine’s magical song came to an end. A large applause rose from the crowd and the fox began to carry a small collection pouch around, silently begging for a reward.

The woman in red began to shout, “Thank you, thank you! May the stars shine favorably on this town and its' inhabitants! Fortunetelling and Palmistry to come for those seeking love or fortune! For today only, may your readings be favored by the gods themselves for only 10 silver pieces...”

The fox stopped short in front of Nausico, begging sharply. Nausico reaching into the folds of his robes and found only 3 copper pieces. He silently dropped one into the small pouch. As the fox hopped back to it's owner, Nausico began to walk away.

“Hey you, boy!”

Nausico turned slowly as the crowd slowly dissipated around him. The woman was walking toward him with the fox over her shoulders. She had a light spring in each of her steps.

“I see you haven't got much, but I do appreciate your business! I wanted to personally thank you.”

Nausico stared down at the ground, wishing she would go away. If she saw his hair she might think-

“My names Saffron,” She interrupted, whipping her hair a little when she said this, “And what's your name sir?”

Nausico just continued to stare at the ground. Maybe she would just go away...

“Not the talking type huh? Well, for your information Mr. he-who-has-no-name I was going to give you a free palm reading for your generosity!”

“I'm not interested.” Nausico said softly.

Saffron looked at him quietly for a moment. He couldn't take it for much longer. Any time now she would notice...

“Hey... you remind me of someone... have I seen you somewhere before? You name's Joe right? Or was it Jacob...” She chuckled to herself. “If you're worried about that promise, I forgot about it years ago.”

It was hard to tell if she was being serious or trying to break the tension in the air.

“I don't know who you are talking about,” Nausico said softly, looking up into her eyes as he spoke, “But please leave me alone.”

Suddenly Saffron's face grew stern.

“You're eyes... and your hair...”

Nausico turned and fled down a back alley.

He heard her cry, “Hey! Wait up! I want to talk to you!” but he didn't stop. He began to run wildly, not noticing where he was heading and not caring that the hood of his tunic had fallen. Suddenly, he rounded a corner to find Saffron standing in front of him.

“Didn't think you could escape me, did you?”

Nausico backed slowly down the alley, unsure of what to do.

“Listen, just tell me your name and-”

“My name is Nausico.”

“There that wasn't so hard!” Saffron beamed brightly, “Now let me see if anyone in town can-”

But Nausico turned and fled in the opposite direction. He had only taken a few hurried steps before he felt a strong hand grip his wrist, pulling him back.

“Wait just a minute! I'm trying to-”

Saffron stopped short. Nausico turned and saw a soft blue light illuminate the alley. It reached out from Saffron and circled Nausico, weaving between them like a hunter stalking it's prey. The ghostly shape then rushed into Saffron's eyes, causing a flash of light. Saffron released Nausico and he fell to the ground. Her eyes were staring into space, glowing softly for a moment before the light disappeared completely.

Saffron blinked, and stared at Nausico.

“You... you are...”

But Nausico didn't waste any time. He turned and ran from her, certain that something terrible was about to happen.