Villager

I finally met a person, while walking on the side of the road I saw a figure coming from the opposite direction, the figure was too far away so at first, I wasn't able to tell how it looks, but the steady walk of a human calm my mind and makes me push myself harder and so I hurry along on my way to what I expect to be my salvation.

As we got closer I could identify the man, he is easily older than me and dressed in simple clothes that seem to be handmade, they really got that self-sustaining mentality out here. As I can see the man looking straight at me I lift my hand and say out loud ''Good day sir, may I please get some help''

As he hears my words the man stops and opens his mouth only for English to come out of it, that was a relief at least. ''Good day to you, what are you doing prowling through our fields''. Alright, he is not very friendly, then again, I am a stranger and probably look fresh out of a boxing match with the forest floor.

''I do not mean any harm sir, I am just heading towards the village, as you can see I have nothing on me''.

The elder looks at me up and down several times until he sighs and walks closer, I have passed the first hurdle, communication. As the elderly man gets in front of me he asks me in English once again, only this time I actually noticed his accent, it was quite peculiar, a lot like the stereotypical peasants from old shows, that is not a good sign.

''Where do you come from, we have nothing to trade at this time of the year''. I shake my head and point at the forest while saying.

''I came out from the forest back there'' the elderly once again stares at me then he gets a horrified look on his face and says while grabbing me by the arm ''You fool was it you who wandered around its lair, we heard the scream and ran back to the village in case it was coming for us''

I understood immediately about what the man was talking about so I affirmed ''Yes, I got lost into the forest and something chased me out, it stopped following me after I got out and just made that horrible screech''. He was not pleased with my words, to say the least.

''Where were you born, you don't even know never to venture into the woods in fear of what dwells inside''. he grips my arm harder while looking into my eyes and saying ''I don't know how you escaped but consider yourself lucky, that creature has lurked these parts since my grandad's generation''. That piqued my curiosity and made me change the plan slightly, some information about what got me here would help.

''What sort of beast is that sir, I have never seen anything like it'' I ask him. Still looking straight at me he says ''You say that you saw its form and survived, you must have run into it by day''

''Indeed I did, is it much more dangerous at night?'' He nods then puts my arm around his shoulder, quite trusting I see.

''It hunts at night, our village has no animals, we only survive by farming, the beast feeds of the livestock of the surrounding area, no one is truly safe'' That, once again caught my interest so I asked.

''Why do you put up with it, you say it has been around for generations, has no one tried to deal with it''. After listening to my question he quickens his pace, my probably bruised ribs hurt as he pulls me.

''We tried, ay, many a time we tried, we lost many youths to the beast, so we decided to put up with it, the only clear way is to hire a famed monster hunter, but we have no coin for that''. What he just said finally cemented my current situation, the man spoke of two things that shouldn't exist in modern society the so-called famed monster hunters and the act of actually fighting that thing with whatever they have, for all I know they charged it with pitchforks.

And so I ask for the last time ''Sir, what country are we in right now?'' I asked this hoping he answered something reasonable.

''Did the scare make you lose your reason lad, we are on the lands of Tuland in the village of Myrth and my name is Georg of Myrth what do they call you''

Well that concludes it, I just somehow crossed into some other world, of course, the possibility of this being purgatory still stands but I like to think I am still alive. And so with a resigned face, I tell the man.

''Greeting Georg, and forgive all my questions, meeting the beast gave me quite a fright, I am called Caspian Season''