Fan Fiction ❯ A Work of Fiction ❯ A Discovery ( Chapter 1 )

A Work of Fiction by Sosi Isara

Sariu stood on top of the hill, staring at the sunset. He would be leaving this peaceful village soon. The occurences he had been noticing...they could not be overlooked. He would have to travel far; he would have to leave as soon as possible. It was unavoidable.

Three Months Earlier...

He examined his tablet, his graphite rod hovering uncertainly above the paper, and then looked up. The sun's position had changed since he had started, and now shadows were off. Sariu sighed. The shadows also told him it was near noon. He should return to the village. Second apprentice to an assistant of the ironworker would not be given leeway for lateness.

Sariu walked slowly through the woods to his house, enjoying the coolness of the November air. As he silently commently on how peaceful the morning had been, the young misan came apon a site riddled with corpses of his own kind and animals alike. Arrows, broken blades, and detached limbs littered the ground, and blood stained everything red.

Sariu was astonished that such a battle had taken place so near his home, which was not half a mile away. He felt sick at the sight of all the bodies and blood, crouched over, and threw up. He looked up palefaced. He needed to alert the village chief immeadiatly.

Stumbling over fallen branches and bushes while hurrying to the village, questions ran rampant through Sariu's mind. What could have caused that much death? A single person couldn't possibly have done it. It was impossible. It must have been a group of people. But for what reason?

Sariu's memories brough forth stories his mother told him before their separation. They were of a group of wanderers, known as the Taosan Four, who were searching for legendary weapons. They were known slay anyone--or anything--they saw that displeased them. The group was said to be made up of a mage, born with a dark heart; an undead knight, brought back to this plane of existance by the mage; a dark woman with powers unknown, but told to weild a bow who's arrows never miss their target; and a corrupted priest, who held the ability to see into the past and future, and one's mind, at his will. No one knew if the stories were true, as they seemed to change with every telling, but the Taosan Four were real. Though their true identities and intentions remained shrouded in mystery, the murders were very real and known to all.

It couldn't be them, could it? Sariu doubted it, but couldn't shake the feeling from his mind. That was not a good sign.

Sariu reached his village, known as Cobal by its inhabitants, and uncharted land by most outside of its supposed borders. It was a nice place to live: a music hall for dancing and singing, a school for young misan, a theatre, a marketplace, a Main Hall where government took place, and a few other places of interest. Sariu worked, as previously mentioned, as the second apprentice to the assistant of the ironworker of Cobal. Ironworking was not his passion, art was. But his father had, before his death, instilled in him at a very young age the notion that art was not a carrier, and that his wasn't good enough besides. Which was why Sariu traveled to a secluded field beyond the forest to practice his art.

Sariu ran past his employer, the assistant Akab Itiamla, who shouted after him that he was late. He dashed through the marketplace, and into the Main Hall.

The young misan felt small amidst the tall, full grown business men and women. They we all near 210 centimeters tall, average height for an adult misan. Unfortunately, Sariu had been cursed with shartness al his life, barely reaching 153 centimeters at age 17.

However intimidated he felt by the misan around him, Sariu knew he had important news. The elder sat behind a desk at the back of the hall, looking weary and tired. Sariu ran quickly down the long hall, and stopped at the giant desk.

"My...elder..." Sariu said slowly, feeling smaller than ever in front of this important figure. She looked at him, her cool grey eyes strangely warm, and her long grey hair pulled back in a loose ponytail behind her. The elder was rumoured to be older than 100, possibly 200, but that was just a rumour. Howver, she was old and wise enough to be the elder of Cobal.

"Yes, my young boy?" the elder said in a raspy but kind voice. A few other misan looked at Sariu, wondering why he could be bothering the elder.

"My elder, I have discovered something of importance in the woods; however, I wish not to speak of it here. It may cause a disturbance." Sariu felt embarassed as all eyes were on him, but stood as tall as he could at 153 centimeters.

The elder frowned slightly, but then replaced it with a small smile. "Thank you for bringing this news. I shall send my grand daughter Ukari with you. Please show her what you have found." The elder coughed, and then said, "Ukari! Please follow this young man. He's discovered something important."

From the shadows of the far corner near the door, a girl rose. Sariu could not make out her features clearly, as the sunlight pouring in from outside blinded him.

"Hai, Kareh-sama." The girl dashed outside. Sariu bowed quickly to the elder, before quickly chasing after the girl, who was apparently named Ukari.

To be continued...