The City Of Zero
"Stories say that the night sky was once as black as the world around us, then two dragons, one of light, and one of dark fought each jealous of the other and their domain. The two warred for several eons, tearing and clawing parts of one another off, creating the universe as we know it. It wasn't till the metallic dragons, children of the light came that the night sky had gotten its stars. The dragon children, angered by the eternal war of their parent, and took to ripping and tearing bits of the night sky, thus causing the stars and constellations we know today but, in turn their actions caused the created the children of the dark, these are the 'normal' hued dragons, like the reds, blacks, and greens of the world. As the children fought one another, spilling blood across the land giving birth to the forests, the mountains, the oceans, the animals, and the many races that inhabit the world. The only exceptions being those born from the gods above, the demons below, and the mages in between." Zelma who had been restless recited.
"So what, your saying you and this world were born out of war?" Zero replied coldly "I do not believe such things, however I do believe that all things can come to balance."
"For balance to be had one would need to know what caused the world to fall out of balance."
"It matters not what caused balance to be lost, it matters only that what plagues this land is whipped clean. Like throwing out waste, that benefit no one" There was a moment of pause, Zero looked at Zelma but to his surprise she had not a single question for him, nor a look of shock. Zelma, had studied the history of the world, the legends of many races. She was not easily frightened by statements like Zero's in fact she only laughed.
Dawn soon struck, the fire had died out, and the elf was on his feet. Everyone was shocked
to see him not just up but having made breakfast for them, there was something different about him this morning.
"You shouldn't be up yet." Kat said with an urgency in her voice that set all the others off.
"Lay down, there is no way you have recovered yet!" Zelma yelled.
Rin and Zero stood there not a single word was said between the two of them, and yet they both had a look like they were deep in conversation.
"Huumm, what's that smell?" Ervin asked, thinking not about the injured person in front of him but the growl of his stomach.
"This is the lea- OWW!" The elf cries out, as he falls to his knees. "It's ok, I'm fine,-"
"Sir, Elf what is your name?" Rin asked kindly.
"My name? It is, I think it's Fal, Fal-" his voice trails off, as he suddenly realises he no longer remembers his name. "No, this can't be! I know who I am, I am the c-ch, well I think I am, or was a chief."
"I thought as much, Zero is there any way we can restore his memories?" Rin asked.
"At the moment I'm not sure, it should be possible but I wouldn't want to risk anything, right now he is the only witness to the destruction, and i would hate to accidentally kill him." Zero replied. The party packs you there belongings they are just a few hours from the town. The hours seemed only to creep by ever so slowly to this man who had lost his past.
The party was silent almost the entire way. That was until Kat stopped them.
"There is an ambush up ahead, common bandits I think." She said in a low voice to the group.
Zero looks around, " there are three in the trees, with what I can only guess are bows."
"Thats funny, because i counted six in the trees, and another eight on the ground, four just up here, and another four further up." Kat said, treating it like some kind of game. "They are a little too well organized to be just common goblins."
"So what should we do?" Evrin asks.
"The same thing we always do to things that want to kill us." Zero said with a smile, as though wanting in on the proposed game.
"I'll take the left with Rin, Kat you and Zero take the right, you elf take this and keep going strate, don't stray from the path no matter what happens" Everin hands Fal some armor, a short sword, and a large bag that jingles as though it has coins.
The party split as agreed, making quick work of the ambush, there was only one thing that stood out about the attackers, there was a human leader guiding them.
"H- how did you know!" the leader shouted at the party.
"We are smarter than the average traveler, plus we have a tabaxi who hunts goblins for sport." Everin replied with a triumphant tone to his voice. The party jumped the leader, only knocking him out, but tying him up after.
"Lets go, that was fun but we have a few hours of travel to make up now." Rin states, while pointing to the city's walls.
The girls, unaware of their father's arrival, and memory loss, walk into the shop and meet Wild-Wood Beltart. A strange woman, her hair long and gray standing with her back turned to them.
"Why hello there young ones, you must be from the town just a few days travel from here." The woman turns to greet them, a forest elf, her skin while old and wrinkly looks almost like tree bark. "No matter, I have been expecting you two to make an appearance. The cauldron told me."
"The cauldron told you?" Sylvia looks at the lady confused, she turns to her sister, "Are we sure this is Mis.Beltart?"
"We were sent by Father-Tree to meet with Wild-Wood Beltart, that is you right?"