The Calling

A dark cloud gloomed over Azalea Village. It was mid-may when a small platoon from Golden Gate went into town. The platoon had five Ashen Knights and one Commander, Gerald Frantz. The Ashen Knights had bright red armor and a black helmet. The Commander was average height and had blue eyes but the helmet covered the rest of his face. They marched into the town square and were met by a crowd of villagers. The Commander dismounts his horse and introduces himself.

"My name is Commander Gerald Frantz. This platoon has come here to tell you all something. The king, Krimson Reagon, of Golden Gate ordered us to inform you about the recent developments in the region. We have been expanding our nation and we have come here in peace. As you all know, Golden Gate is smaller compared to the other two kingdoms." Commander Gerald Frantz said

An older man made his way to the crowd. He was a thin old man with a long white beard. His face was wrinkled and his hair was gray, but the wrinkles did not make him seem weak; rather, it gave him a wisdom and calmness that could only come with age.

"Hello, I am the founder and mayor of this village, Cooper Azalea. We declared independence from all the nations and became our own when it was founded. To try and take this village would be an act of war. I would like to remind you that we have many connections with both the Empire and Dusk." Cooper proudly said

"That was brave of you, Mayor," Commander Gerald Frantz said as he looked at the map his comrade brought, "You are indeed right. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"It is no problem at all." Cooper said

The Commander mounts his horse and leads his platoon out of the village. The clouds become lighter and the sun shines through. The people of Azalea return to what they were doing before. David and his squad took a few days off from adventuring. The closest kingdom was Golden Gate, but they didn't leave the village due to fear of Krimson.

Once the sky cleared up, they decided to have a picnic. They packed their bags and headed to the woods. After a few hours of hiking, they reached the edge of the forest. They unrolled their blankets and unpacked the food. They ate lunch and then gathered around and David told stories.

"Hey, let's make a fire!" David said

David and his friends build a roaring fire that fills the night with laughter and warmth. They roasted meat and ate all night. David, Hazel, and Ash all fell asleep by the fire in the woods.

David found himself in an open field all alone. Fear crawled through his body. He frantically looked around, but he was all alone. It was just him. There was nothing else in sight. He ran, but his legs refused to move. All he could do was stand there frozen, until... Something grabbed his arm. He yanked it free and turned around. A huge creature stood before him. David could not see its head because it was obscured by a large metal helmet. It wore a pair of armored boots and a chain-mail vest. Its arms were wrapped in leather straps, and each leg was encased in thick metal. David drew his sword before he struck, he heard a deep and sickening voice.

"Why do you resort to violence?" it said

The voice wasn't coming from the thing in front of David, but rather all around him. In a blink of an eye the monster was gone. David looked around and saw nothing but empty fields. Then he realized that the sky was an empty void. No moon and no stars in sight. He sheathed his sword and began to wander around. Behind him was the tallest mountain he had ever seen. Near the top was a cave that was shining like a thousand suns. David miraculously was standing at the foot of the cave. Inside he saw a giant pyramid of some kind. The pyramid had a giant eyeball on it. The light from the mysterious artifact was blinding.

He walked towards the pyramid and reached out his hand. He tried to touch it but the thing was giving off too much heat. He pulled his hand away and a stream of Darkness spilled out. He backed away and heard the voice again.

"Touch the holy artifact." it repeated countless of times. Getting louder and louder each time. David covered his ears and knelt on the floor. The Light began to fade and the Darkness grew. David looked into the shadows and saw a pair of golden eyes looking back at him. His heart rate sped up and before he knew it, he was laying next to the fire out in the woods.

"What kind of dream was that?" he thought as he woke up.

The sky was dark and overcast. He was still in the forest by the campfire. He felt the warmth of the flames and the gentle breeze. He opened his eyes and looked around. He saw Hazel and Ash soundly sleeping. David tries to recall what he had just dreamt but his mind draws a blank. He falls back asleep and has no dreams.

The sun shone brightly above the adventurers. They stood atop a hill overlooking Azalea Village. To the west lay the endless sea; to the east, the land where the city sits. At the base of the hill, is the entrance into the village. David leaned back and rested his hands behind his head. Hazel stood and stretched her arms. She yawned and then slowly started down the path towards the center of town. Followed by Ash and David.

Once they reached the bottom of the hill, Ash stopped walking in place. He had a sorrowful look on his face. David and Hazel turn towards him and listen to what he has to say.

"I have to go back home to Vypor. My parents are worried about me. I don't know how long I will be gone, but I promise to come back. I had so much fun with you guys," Ash's voice breaks and a tear falls from his eye, "Promise me, when I come back we will do more adventures together."

"Of course. We will wait for you." David calmly said, trying to hold back his emotions.

"I promise. We will be here. I can't promise to not do quests without you, though." Hazel said with a smile

Ash hugs both of them before packing and hitching a ride back to the Empire of Dython. The two adventurers watch him leave. Ash waves goodbye to them, then disappears into the distance. The sun rises high in the sky, casting a warm glow across the land.

Hazel sighs and runs a hand through her hair. She looks at David with a sad look.

"So, what now?" she asked

David thinks for a moment before speaking.

"I remember my dream. I need to talk to a priest." David said, "You should come too."