~You can skip this part~
The land was black and lifeless, the trees of the forest almost stripped of their leaves as the litter the foreground with a clear afternoon sky seems out of place on the background. The trees cling to what they little they had left, only to have it twist, snapped, and be carried off even by the faintest blow of wind. This is the scenery Leo beheld as he looked on the vast expanse of land before him through a side window of a large old stone house. So old that it’s ancient design is prominent throughout, almost as if that was the common architecture of the house’s construction and vines creep through the outer stone walls that was 3 floors high and with an area of two basketball courts placed side by side. His eyes shifting left and right examining all there was until the once defender of Magnolia who wore a black open robe whose ends dangle just above his knees over a silk shirt and cloth pants.
He stepped back and walked bare footed on wood through the corridor of the house which was dimly lit by a few lacrimas emitting light. A green eerie light. He continued walking towards another window, one which displayed the view at the front of his house. He looked on from it and saw what appears to be a thick ghostly fog that was tall as a human gather and pass through his gate, along with withered, fatigued men and women. Some of which carried infants in their arms in comfort sleeping their parent's arms, and still others with small children who held hands with their relatives, worried about their wellbeing, and the rest by able bodied adults who helped their companions. When the fog and seemingly down trodden were by the house's main door, they were stopped and greeted by people dressed with black robes with their hoods covering most of their faces and their arms held together in front of them tucked away by their long sleeves. Behind these eerie figures are men and women dressed prim and proper. Helpers around the house where the men wore white long sleeves topped with a black vest that paired nicely with their black slacks and leather shoes. The women on the other hand wore black dresses that were topped with white aprons, a standard maid uniform all of whom wore face masks. Covering their mouths and noses.
The hooded figures, along with the help bowed before their guests and separated the fog which were actually souls, and the seemingly dying from those that aided them here. The adults, and other children who had places to come back to were escorted back outside the lifeless land via a carriage. While the helpless children who no one anymore due to losing their parents to death were consoled and comforted by the house's help while being escorted inside. While as for the hooded figures and their charge, they cannot be seen where they went through the window Leo was looking out of. He gave off a soft sigh and smirked lightly, thinking to himself that everything is running smoothly. "My...work here is... done..." He said to himself softly with his voice rugged and aged which was followed by a deep sigh of relief as he closed his eyes.
After that, a warmth came to the corridor from behind him. Someone was approaching and he turned to see who it was. It was a small child, old enough to lift a short sword. His child that wore a plain bright yellow dress with a belt across her waist that held a small wooden sword by its hilt, along with flip flops she wore on her feet and made no sound. On her neck was a necklace. The lace were small thin iron chains and by her heart laid the attached yellow diamond held in place by a design similar to dragon’s teeth made from titanium plated with gold. This splendid gift from her father makes the light reflected from her necklace makes rooms she’s on glow with brilliance. His child, Lina, was not fond of cutting her silky white hair, and so it was almost as long as Lina’s height. Her blue eye gleamed with excitement as she approached her father. “Everything seems to be taking care of itself, dad.” She said excitedly in her cheerful high pitch voice. Her body movement gesturing excitement as she shook her body that made her dress make a beautiful pattern at the end of it. Leo sighed, letting air out through his nose as his mouth curved up to a smile while he softly placed his hand on the offspring’s head, rubbing it twice afterwards. “Yes, Lina. We’re going to head home.” and he held her hand as they strolled through the old stone house, walking towards the stair case so they can get to the main floor and leave the house. As they walked on by, he didn’t pay any attention to his surroundings as he was deep in thought, and Lina noticed it too. It appears Lina knows the drill by now it seems his wanders off at the mention of the word home. Yes, home. For this was but a house to Leo. A structure he eats, sleeps, and works in. For this belonged to his ancestral family. A family he never knew, and was frightened when he knew who they were, but it is a thought Leo never wanted to entertain and so, expelled it from his mind almost immediately at the mention of the word home. Yet, at the same time, it gives him hope. For home is where the heart is so they say. And recently, he has longed to be at home. To be with his family. A smile crept on his face, as he was excited to know what this family is doing now. What - -
His train of thought was interrupted when they had apparently reached the house’s main door. In front of it was a man who wore the help’s clothing with their colors reversed and he didn’t wear a face mask like the rest. His skin pale and almost cold to touch. “Angelo…” Leo mentioned the man’s name in acknowledgement and in turn, Angelo bowed before Leo and Lina “My lord, my lady.” He replied He lifted his body up and continued to speak “Everything has been prepared for your travel. I can assure you we have everything under control here.” Leo nodded in reply and was about to step out of the house. Lina let go of his hand as he was about to do so, so that she can approach Angelo with a hug. But she was still a little girl and her arms wrapped Angelo by his waist while Lina’s head rested on his stomach “Ohhhh I’m gonna miss you!” She exclaimed. Angelo giggled and rubbed her head “I will miss you too young lady. I do hope you’d visit or call us at least.” Angelo replied. To which Lina nodded her head quickly, as if excited by the thought of that proposal. And while all of this was happening, Leo simply looked on. After all, Lina was raised here, despite its gloomy appearance. This was home for her too. This was family for her too. And Leo took it as another sign that his job here is indeed done.
~You have to start from here if you skipped~
He reaches out with his hand which Lina gladly takes and Angelo turns to see them leave and shut the door, but not before giving Lina a final wave goodbye as a reply to the Lina gave first. The pair quickly took a left turn where they saw a horse and wagon, ready for departure. On board the wagon was two suit cases. One for each of them that stored their clothing. And a knapsack with the color of dirt all resting against the wagon’s corner, and on the floor laid a huge greatsword with the blade wrapped in linen cloth. Lina got on the front of the wagon first rather quickly. Leo really can’t believe how excited she was for this trip. “You’ve never gotten on the wagon first before…” He remarked “I’m just really excited to see the place where your stories took place! Where you grew up!” She replied with much enthusiasm similar to when you’ve gotten all the lottery numbers right so far and just waiting for that last one. Leo softly laughed at this as he had his hands on the edge of the wagon, ready to pull himself up. And so, their journey began when Leo took his seat and whipped the horse with the reins that prompted it neigh and move, leaving the dead forest behind. Minutes into their journey, and everyone was silent and trees slowly started showing life the farther they were from the house. Every tree they passed by had more and more leaves on them, making look more of a proper forest.
The journey was pleasant and uneventful. Leo kept a vigilant watch while Lina slept beside him with her head on his lap. They stopped on an open field on a hill that had tall grass everywhere and just on the horizon was a large town that had a large building towering above it all as a prominent feature, that even from here Leo could make out it was a cathedral. No. It was THE cathedral. But it was not important to Leo as of now. What was important for him on this stop was the old shack they stopped next to in the middle of this sea of grass. He carefully lifted up Lina’s head so as not to wake her and move his lap away. He then placed her head on the wagon seat before he got down of the wagon and walk towards the back to retrieve the knapsack before he approached the small wooden structure. Weed and vines cover the entire structure and moss can be seen on the floors and walls; nature has taken back this structure. He slowly stepped on the bamboo flooring which caused the floors to creak to every inch of muscle he moves because the wood is old, but still strong to hold a man large as he was. Leo took a deep breath and exhaled as he looked around nodding “Yes…” He softly remarked to himself “It seems you only aged a day from when I built you all those years ago old friend.” He gave one of the columns a gentle pat twice before heading deeper into his old shack towards the bedroom. On the middle of the room was a trap door, a huge trap door that Leo lifted up, that showed stairs leading to the basement. He looked on in approval as he inspected that the basement was well preserved. Because before he left, he left a lacrima on the middle of the basement to preserve everything there. No cobwebs, no dust. At the far end of the basement sat two barrels, and beside them a safe. He opened it up and it beheld jewels he had accumulated before he left home, and a piece of paper rolled up into a scroll. He placed them all in his knapsack and he carried the two barrels up to the surface and to the back of their wagon while Lina was still asleep.
After the short pitstop, they continued their journey to the town they saw in the horizon. Magnolia. And it was nostalgic for Leo to be on this town once again that he too was a little excited as well. He didn’t know what to expect as he has heard only rumors about how the town was, about how his home was. He had the hood of his robe over his face once they entered town, trying to keep a low profile, appearing as merchants looking to trade. He didn’t even try to be a know-it-all and presume where his home was. He asked a civilian by the road “Excuse me…” He said slowly. “May I please have directions to a mage’s guild?” he continued. The civilian looked at him with a cheerful face and was eagerly happy to help. “Sure!” the man exclaimed “We have one right here, all you have to do is go along here and make a right on Dragonbane avenue. There’s a huge sign, you can’t miss it!” after which he continued to walk towards to wherever he needed to be. Leo was shocked that he had a brow up when the man said Dragonbane avenue. How quaint he thought to himself. It only affirmed his choice to put a hood over his head.
So it is that he had finally reached home. The guild he had fathered for years. Leo woke Lina up to tell her that they have arrived. “Now as we agreed, contain your excitement and behave yourself, ok?” Leo remarked to the waking child. “Ok…” She replied clearly still sleepy. Lina got off the wagon while Leo unloaded all their stuff onto a trolley he brought out from beneath the wagon while the sword was holstered onto Leo’s back. He pushed the trolley through the oaken doors that opened for him. He looked around the impressive brick structure and we delightedly impressed to see what was before him. The guild, though had lesser people in it, was actually a well-behaved lot. They weren’t as rowdy as they were back in the day when lightning and fire reigned supreme and when booze flowed like a vast ocean. He even giggled that somehow, most were drinking juice. “Hmmm…” a sound of approval escaped him at the conclusion of his observation. Meanwhile, Lina stood behind him all along, not saying a word. Behaving herself as per her father’s instruction.
Leo looked towards the right to see a counter that had the request board behind it. Clearly it was an area of business and so Leo pushed his items towards it, stopping in front of the desk with no person manned there. He looked at the numerous jobs posted at the request board, picking one he would like to do with someone from the guild so as to see their strength. And he thought of no one better to showcase this than the current Guild Master, whoever it could be as Leo still does not know who he, or she is. And finally he saw one he particularly liked. “Meteor, huh?” he muttered beneath his breath. Afterwards, an attendant approached Leo. “Hello.” Greeting the personnel behind the desk which was a man. They all looked at Leo not bothering to ask any questions regarding anything but business. “Hi, how can we help you?” he replied. “We’re merchants from another town and we would like to sell these two barrels.” Leo announced to him while tapping on one of the barrels. “These are the finest aged palm wines in all of Fiore, along with the recipe for its production.” He added. “These go for 100,000 Jewels a bottle back home.” The man’s eyes widened. If they were indeed this expensive, they must be this good. “I see…” The man replied trying to find composure to hide the excitement at such beautiful business he happened upon. “And what would you like in return?” he asked.
“Simply to let my daughter and I stay here for a while and that you hand me that job request.” Leo answered, pointing to the job he had eyed a while ago. The man looked towards where Leo was pointing and gasped. “But sir, that is a job for members of this guild only.” He rebutted. “I know…” Leo said while motioning him to calm down and listen with his left hand. “Which is why I will seek the aid of your Guild Master. Surely that person’s up to the challenge of a 100-Year quest, right?” He added while he looked at the man who clearly didn’t know what to do because he was stuttering. “Let’s make it simple, shall we? This is an important transaction. A billion, even trillions, or more jewels worth of transaction. Surely, you’d need to alert the guild master about this. So I ask that you please ask him to see me so this can be arranged properly and quickly, please? I’ll give you a 20% tip if that helps hasten this.” Finally, the man relented and grabbed the request from the board and went to fetch the Guild Master, but not before asking Leo and Lina to stay by the desk to which they humbly followed.
Post WC: 2,772
Total WC: 2,772
Last edited by Sir Leonard on 20th August 2019, 5:50 am; edited 1 time in total