Post by SwitchKun on Aug 6, 2008 11:57:03 GMT -6
The bright lights of the street lamps burned in their glass cages hanging around the streets like phantoms, glowing in the night. Clouds blanketed the night sky as snow silently layered the cold frozen ground. A dull eerie silence encompassed the town, except for the spontaneous bursts of wind that caressed the houses and taverns of the town. All through Grunta town there was darkness, not even the taverns or inns were alight this night- for not a traveler would come on the eve of Saint Lillian. The night was enveloped with mystery and danger. The patrons of the taverns would often tell, of the dangerous phantoms that would prowl the night. The children of Grunta town were well aware, that even a peak out of a window could bring them despair. Their parents would chase away from the window, and close up their houses real tight. They would locked the doors, and go off to bed, praying to Saint Lillian that this hell would soon end.
It was on this night that travelers would disappear in thin air- gone like smoke in the wind. After a time, nobody moved from their homes on this night, afraid that the spirits would come and take their souls away. The quaint little town was really isolated from the world, surrounded by mountains on three sides; barely anyone came in or out of Grunta town. Winter lasted, for half of the year, and official started on the eve of Saint Lillian’s day. The next morning would bring cheer to those who survived the night, giving gifts to their loved ones and celebrating with joy. However morning was still far off and most the children were already in bed, their parents were praying for safety from the saint. But still, on the second floor of an orphanage, was an older girl who did not fear the dark spirits of the night. All alone she stared at the dark empty streets, hearing the wind rattle her window as she waited for the phantoms to come. It was on this night, seventeen years ago, that her father died while delivering medicine to the neighbors. She was still just a baby, newly born and crying in her mothers lap. Despair filled the family of this girl, for her father did not return and was never seen again by a single person in Grunta town. It was only a few years later, when this girls mother died, to sad and depressed to keep going. Without any other relatives to take her in, a friendly baker’s wife adopted her and formed and orphanage for children in her attic. There were other children at first, but each had gone away- dead perhaps, but Rose, the girl who remained, looked of the window hoping to find what had taken her father away.
Her hair was raven black, complementing her dark green eyes. Her skin was pale- as most people were in Grunta town from the lack of sunlight. A warm parka was wrapped around her body, keeping in comfortable in the freezing attic. The soft purring of cats could be heard in the darkness of the room, for the baker’s wife was in love with cats- she had seventeen in all, and the first thing she made Rose do was remember all of their names. The girl smiled as she turned to find Midnight purring gently and rubbing its head against her body. The black cat stared out of the window and meowed slightly as if indicated that it wanted to go out.
“Is something out there?” Rose asked and the cat purred head-butting Rose again and the girl picked up Midnight and slowly walked down the creaking stairs and putting on her thick fur boots. Holding the cat tightly in her arms she stepped outside and saw the beautiful snow flakes drift towards the ground landing on her face and she smiled, catching one of them on her tongue. She slowly walked through the empty streets, void of life and sound. She twirled around, enchanted by the wondrous night finding herself in the midst of the local park. She brushed the snow off of the bench and sat down, petting Midnight who was looking off into the hazy light of a street lamp. There was not a phantom in the town it seemed, no danger of malice in the air. The girl sighed, she was hoping that something of the sort would come, and just as she thought it something did come.
The sound of boots crunching on top of the snow came from behind a clump of brilliantly decorating fir trees as a man, wearing strange white robes and had a sword securely fastened at his side. He looked around, slightly confused and misplaced, but had spotted Rose and began to stroll over to her. She did not move, her mind had frozen- where had such a man come from, nobody in all of Grunta town dressed like him. The man removed his hood, to reveal a head of neatly combed blond hair.
“Good evening, madam may I speak with you for a moment my dear?” the man asked and the girl and Rose nearly blushed. He is such a gentlemen… she thought and then gathered her wits together. “Certainly, my name is Rose by the way.” She said and the man sat down next to her offering his hand. “I am Sir Tuscar Malvorin. But my dear, you can call me Tus for short.” He said settling himself next to her and Rose nodded, such a queer man he was- coming out of the blue and talking to her so properly as if she were a noble. “Its quite a night, isn’t it, my dear?” he asked and Rose nodded, unsure of what else to say to this strange man. “Well then, my lady Rose, I have a… favor to ask of you.” The man said and the girl looked around, she was getting uncomfortable with his strange way of speaking and his outlandish attire.
“What is it you ask of me, uh…”
“Tus, my dear. The name is Tus,” He added curtly and Rose nodded. “I want you to help me retrieve a ring that was stolen from me.” He said, his voice suddenly quieted and the girl looked about wondering why he was talking to quietly when nobody was around. “Who could’ve stolen it from you? Not a soul in Grunta Town would dare steal anything.” She replied and the man seemed taken aback. “Grunta town? Is that what this place is called?” he asked and she nodded, the man was getting weirder and weirder with each passing moment, and Rose stood up, she wanted to go home, away from this man but he caught her arm before she could leave. “Oh please don’t leave my dear,” he started and she turned to him and he looked saddened and she nodded. “Fine, Tus, I will see what I can do,” her tone was skeptical and firm and Tus smiled and then lead her back down the street.
“Uh, Mister Tus…are you a phantom?” she asked and the man turned to her and gave her a wink. “Naturally my dear….” He said and she continued after him, this Tuscar fellow certainly was a strange fellow indeed. Midnight meowed contently, held firmly in Rose’s arms.
It was still night when Rose and Tus found themselves in a blizzard that had been brewing throughout the day. Now reaching its peak the two travelers paused in their journey. The girl was quickly regretting leaving Grunta town with this stranger. However Tus did have the same impression that she had, he was still calm as the wind whipped their faces he turned to her and yelled over the snow. “Soon we will reach Curna, there is a tavern there for us to stay.” He said and Rose nodded thinking that this certainty was not worth her time. She had never heard of such a town this close to Grunta, then again she had never heard of a friendly phantom, if Tuscar could be labeled as friendly. They continued to march, Midnight pressing its face into Rose’s warm parka. In the distance the girl could see dim lights of the lamps, and was almost certain that Tus had lead them back to Grunta instead of going to this Curna town. However as they got closer she knew that it was not Grunta town.
There many people wandering the streets of this town, all wearing robes, of all sorts of colors. She seemed mystified at it, not only were they out so late at night, but they were out on the Eve of Saint Lillian’s day. Tus lead her into the town and then he took her down an alleyway and into a tavern.
“We will stay here for the night, if you don’t mind.” The strange man said and the girl nodded, wondering how long this favor was going to take, and why it was necessary for her to come with him. All sorts of people sat in the tavern- some where like Tus, others were more like the people in Grunta, but more tough and gruff. Tus sat her down in a table and then walked off. “I am going to find of my friends, try not to get in trouble.” He said, his demeanor had changed since she had agreed to follow him. He did say he was a phantom after all. Perhaps her father was somewhere in this strange town, after all if a phantom like Tus had come to Grunta and found her father and convinced him to leave then it would make sense.
Confused and tired Rose held Midnight close to her and waiting for the phantom to return.
The night grew on as people slowly shifted into their room upstairs, yet Rose still had seen nothing of Tus. A strange feeling came over her- a feeling that she was soon in danger. She quickly slipped on her coat once more and slipped out of the tavern and into the darkness of Curna Town. Wary of the strange people wandering up and down the streets, Rose carefully found herself in what appeared to be a town square.
She found a bench and seated herself down onto it. The moon sparkled above her, casting its eerie glow over the entire town. She wished for a moment that she had never left Grunta town with a total stranger, who she no longer trusted. As these thoughts coursed through her, she noticed a strange group of people approaching her. They were mumbling about something she could not discern as the figures got closer, they appeared like the phantoms that the villagers had described when she was just a child. They reached out to seize her.
"Help!" she cried out.
It was on this night that travelers would disappear in thin air- gone like smoke in the wind. After a time, nobody moved from their homes on this night, afraid that the spirits would come and take their souls away. The quaint little town was really isolated from the world, surrounded by mountains on three sides; barely anyone came in or out of Grunta town. Winter lasted, for half of the year, and official started on the eve of Saint Lillian’s day. The next morning would bring cheer to those who survived the night, giving gifts to their loved ones and celebrating with joy. However morning was still far off and most the children were already in bed, their parents were praying for safety from the saint. But still, on the second floor of an orphanage, was an older girl who did not fear the dark spirits of the night. All alone she stared at the dark empty streets, hearing the wind rattle her window as she waited for the phantoms to come. It was on this night, seventeen years ago, that her father died while delivering medicine to the neighbors. She was still just a baby, newly born and crying in her mothers lap. Despair filled the family of this girl, for her father did not return and was never seen again by a single person in Grunta town. It was only a few years later, when this girls mother died, to sad and depressed to keep going. Without any other relatives to take her in, a friendly baker’s wife adopted her and formed and orphanage for children in her attic. There were other children at first, but each had gone away- dead perhaps, but Rose, the girl who remained, looked of the window hoping to find what had taken her father away.
Her hair was raven black, complementing her dark green eyes. Her skin was pale- as most people were in Grunta town from the lack of sunlight. A warm parka was wrapped around her body, keeping in comfortable in the freezing attic. The soft purring of cats could be heard in the darkness of the room, for the baker’s wife was in love with cats- she had seventeen in all, and the first thing she made Rose do was remember all of their names. The girl smiled as she turned to find Midnight purring gently and rubbing its head against her body. The black cat stared out of the window and meowed slightly as if indicated that it wanted to go out.
“Is something out there?” Rose asked and the cat purred head-butting Rose again and the girl picked up Midnight and slowly walked down the creaking stairs and putting on her thick fur boots. Holding the cat tightly in her arms she stepped outside and saw the beautiful snow flakes drift towards the ground landing on her face and she smiled, catching one of them on her tongue. She slowly walked through the empty streets, void of life and sound. She twirled around, enchanted by the wondrous night finding herself in the midst of the local park. She brushed the snow off of the bench and sat down, petting Midnight who was looking off into the hazy light of a street lamp. There was not a phantom in the town it seemed, no danger of malice in the air. The girl sighed, she was hoping that something of the sort would come, and just as she thought it something did come.
The sound of boots crunching on top of the snow came from behind a clump of brilliantly decorating fir trees as a man, wearing strange white robes and had a sword securely fastened at his side. He looked around, slightly confused and misplaced, but had spotted Rose and began to stroll over to her. She did not move, her mind had frozen- where had such a man come from, nobody in all of Grunta town dressed like him. The man removed his hood, to reveal a head of neatly combed blond hair.
“Good evening, madam may I speak with you for a moment my dear?” the man asked and the girl and Rose nearly blushed. He is such a gentlemen… she thought and then gathered her wits together. “Certainly, my name is Rose by the way.” She said and the man sat down next to her offering his hand. “I am Sir Tuscar Malvorin. But my dear, you can call me Tus for short.” He said settling himself next to her and Rose nodded, such a queer man he was- coming out of the blue and talking to her so properly as if she were a noble. “Its quite a night, isn’t it, my dear?” he asked and Rose nodded, unsure of what else to say to this strange man. “Well then, my lady Rose, I have a… favor to ask of you.” The man said and the girl looked around, she was getting uncomfortable with his strange way of speaking and his outlandish attire.
“What is it you ask of me, uh…”
“Tus, my dear. The name is Tus,” He added curtly and Rose nodded. “I want you to help me retrieve a ring that was stolen from me.” He said, his voice suddenly quieted and the girl looked about wondering why he was talking to quietly when nobody was around. “Who could’ve stolen it from you? Not a soul in Grunta Town would dare steal anything.” She replied and the man seemed taken aback. “Grunta town? Is that what this place is called?” he asked and she nodded, the man was getting weirder and weirder with each passing moment, and Rose stood up, she wanted to go home, away from this man but he caught her arm before she could leave. “Oh please don’t leave my dear,” he started and she turned to him and he looked saddened and she nodded. “Fine, Tus, I will see what I can do,” her tone was skeptical and firm and Tus smiled and then lead her back down the street.
“Uh, Mister Tus…are you a phantom?” she asked and the man turned to her and gave her a wink. “Naturally my dear….” He said and she continued after him, this Tuscar fellow certainly was a strange fellow indeed. Midnight meowed contently, held firmly in Rose’s arms.
It was still night when Rose and Tus found themselves in a blizzard that had been brewing throughout the day. Now reaching its peak the two travelers paused in their journey. The girl was quickly regretting leaving Grunta town with this stranger. However Tus did have the same impression that she had, he was still calm as the wind whipped their faces he turned to her and yelled over the snow. “Soon we will reach Curna, there is a tavern there for us to stay.” He said and Rose nodded thinking that this certainty was not worth her time. She had never heard of such a town this close to Grunta, then again she had never heard of a friendly phantom, if Tuscar could be labeled as friendly. They continued to march, Midnight pressing its face into Rose’s warm parka. In the distance the girl could see dim lights of the lamps, and was almost certain that Tus had lead them back to Grunta instead of going to this Curna town. However as they got closer she knew that it was not Grunta town.
There many people wandering the streets of this town, all wearing robes, of all sorts of colors. She seemed mystified at it, not only were they out so late at night, but they were out on the Eve of Saint Lillian’s day. Tus lead her into the town and then he took her down an alleyway and into a tavern.
“We will stay here for the night, if you don’t mind.” The strange man said and the girl nodded, wondering how long this favor was going to take, and why it was necessary for her to come with him. All sorts of people sat in the tavern- some where like Tus, others were more like the people in Grunta, but more tough and gruff. Tus sat her down in a table and then walked off. “I am going to find of my friends, try not to get in trouble.” He said, his demeanor had changed since she had agreed to follow him. He did say he was a phantom after all. Perhaps her father was somewhere in this strange town, after all if a phantom like Tus had come to Grunta and found her father and convinced him to leave then it would make sense.
Confused and tired Rose held Midnight close to her and waiting for the phantom to return.
The night grew on as people slowly shifted into their room upstairs, yet Rose still had seen nothing of Tus. A strange feeling came over her- a feeling that she was soon in danger. She quickly slipped on her coat once more and slipped out of the tavern and into the darkness of Curna Town. Wary of the strange people wandering up and down the streets, Rose carefully found herself in what appeared to be a town square.
She found a bench and seated herself down onto it. The moon sparkled above her, casting its eerie glow over the entire town. She wished for a moment that she had never left Grunta town with a total stranger, who she no longer trusted. As these thoughts coursed through her, she noticed a strange group of people approaching her. They were mumbling about something she could not discern as the figures got closer, they appeared like the phantoms that the villagers had described when she was just a child. They reached out to seize her.
"Help!" she cried out.