Fates Twist

     "Is that me, HA!" The Lady laughs. "Yes, that's me the one and only Wild -Wood Beltart! Welcome to my shop."

Ash turns to Sylvia, the two trade looks of concern with the other. 

     "Mis.Beltart Please excuse us but why were we brought here? Father-Tree brought us here, but i can't shake this feeling that-" Before Ash could finish her sentence.

     "That something bad has happened to your home, yes my dear you're not wrong you're forest village has been razed to the ground by a horrifying beast of the skys" Wild-Wood says this, with great sorrow, and while her empathy is lost on the two girls before her, she knows they will soon understand. 

      "Please take what you need. I will not hold you up from your journey." Wild-Wood gestures to some of the shelfs in her shop.

     "Just take what we need? You are too kind, Beltart." Sylvia states plainly. "But what truly are you getting out of this?"

     "What do i get out of this?" Wild-Wood Beltart looks almost confused and lost in thought as she says this. "ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" She bursts into laughter.

     Ash, and Sylvia load their packs with some food, healing potions, and a few other odds and ends, it's at this moment that Ash remembers the branch that Father-Tree gave her.

     "Umm, pardon me Miss. Beltart we got this staff, err branch from Sir. Father-Tree, he asked that we present it to you." Ash steps forward with the branch. Beltart looks at the branch for a few moments then places her hand on it. Pure arcane energy flows and swells around them, the branch seems to flake apart and yet it still remains. The swelling energy, all flows both into and out of the branch, that has reformed into a proper staff.

     "There you are child, take that and do, well just do something with it." Again Wild-Wood Beltart starts to laugh, "Off with you now, make your way north from here, there you will see why all this must be done, but know that you both are still not yet ready." With that Wild-Wood Beltart walks the girls out of the shop, and shuts the door behind them, accidentally hitting Sylvia in the butt.

     "Hey!" Sylvia says as she jumps forward. The girls head off to the north gate of the city to travel out and continue their pilgrimage. During this brief time only Wild-Wood and an ally rat would see both the girls leave as well as the party arrive at the apothecary. The rat scampers off after seeing Zero. 

     "Beltart? Beltart, its Kat are you there?" Said as one by one they file into the shop.

     "Now Miss.Tabaxi you of all people should know better than that. Am I ever anywhere else?" Wild-Wood cackles as she says this, "So what can I do for you all- Oh? Who is this strapping young man, a new member?" Clearly referencing the Elf in the party.

     "That is certainly one posability, but no not right now. Actually-"

     "We need some healing salves, and this one seems to have lost his memories" Rin jumps in cutting Kat off mid-sentence. The elf takes a hesitant step forward. 

     "Hello Ma'am it's a pleasure to meet you."

     Meanwhile at the north gate, the girls wait within a large crowd of merchants leaving, all while seeing people entering, all of them have a similar smell and look to, them their clothes covered in ash and soot, charred in some parts, some have scars from burns on their body, some ramble on and on about some kind of black dragon, raining fire down upon all in its path others say that it's the end of times that a great and evil beast of legend has awoken and gotten free.

      "You don't think this can be real do you, Ash?" Sylvia looks to her sister, for the first time in her life she couldn't hide the fear and shock she felt seeing all these people. Sylvia herself was on the verge of crying. Ash seeing this hugs her sister tightly.

     "It doesn't matter if it's real or not, Sylv, it will be ok mom, dad, and grandpa are all waiting for us back home and well it won't be too long before we return. I hope." Ash mutters these last words silently more for herself then for her sister.

     "Halt, are you leaving, seeking directions or both?" A city guard asks, looking at Sylvia. "I don't recognise you two, when did you arrive, and what gate did you enter from?"

     "I am Ash, this is Sylvia. We are on pilgrimage, we entered the west gate, and are on our pilgrimage." Ash was unsure of how far they were from home but knew that it was north west from here. "Sir Guard, these people, what are they talking about, a dragon, the end of times? None of this makes any sense." 

     "To the northwest of here was an elvish town, they were known to watch over some ruins, that once held the great terror, known as the Black Wyvern. Sadly no one has heard from them in some time, traveling merchants have all said that the town was razed by fire. There is nothing but ash left." It took the guard a few moments to notice, but when he looked back to the girls he could see that both of them had expressions of pure horror. 

     "Oh, oh no, I'm- I'm so sorry. Was that your home?" The guard kneels down next to them, "Please allow me to talk to the captain of the guard, and allow me to accompany you in your travels, the forest around here is dangerous, full of bandits, goblins, and worse." Though through tears Ash manages to tell the guard that, he may join them if he wishes to. 

     Although not many knew at the time, there is an elite group of guards called the gold guard, and while they mostly serve to protect royals, and people of high standing, they all report to one person. Zero. 

     Ash and Sylvia are joined by one of these elite guards as they head back in the direction of their home to see if what has been said is true, for their own eyes. The travel will be long and teretrous but, the pure determination of Ash and Sylvia will push the two forward regardless. As of the time the three left the city Zero received a message that a gold guard was accompanying two children, though he didn't think much of it at the time, it was a strange occurrence nonetheless. 

     Back at the shop, Wild-Wood Beltart takes the elf by the hand and leads him to a chair.

     "Sh-should I sit?" There is more confusion in this one statement than any one person should have.

     "No, I want you to stand on the chair and dance. Yes, sit you simple man." Beltart, grabs a small jar. "This should help with the pain, and maybe even aid in his recovery." She winks to Rin, "no matter what happens, he must not come in contact water, until the salve has completely been absorbed." The shop is quiet as the party watches her place the healing balm on the man's chest. He winced from how cold it was, but aside from that, showed no reaction to the ointment. There was a slight shimmer, as the ointment started to fade into him, the elf cried out in pain.

     "It's burning, it's Burning!" Memories flash like stars dancing in the night sky, juts out of reach but always there. "My name, my name is-" he passes out, slumped in the chair the elf managed to recover some bits of himself, at least the party believes that he has.