Sil - A Stranger Approaches

"GHaaah!" ... Sil wakes up suddenly to acute pain in his chest and soreness throughout his body, gasping for air as if he had the wind knocked out of him and unable to make coherent thoughts right away. He suddenly comes to some of his senses. "The creature!" he recalls as he coerced his body to listen to his will and move.

For his life could depend on it. He looks around for any sign of the creature in order to escape a possible attack and retreat into the trees. Exasperated he looked around. He saw no sight of the creature, but as his thoughts and mind became clear again, his eyes grew wide.

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"What in the blasted underworld happened here?... Am I responsible for this? Did someone save me and flee? ... " Sil was filled with questions as he saw a gap of trees missing and a crater with a large fissure leading up to it. "Ahhhgg!", he grabbed his chest as the pain spiked again. "I don't even remember.... w-what happened....", he said as he breathed heavily between words. He tried to recall everything that happened before.

"Okay so I leapt .... and took the fucker head on, right? Then... it smacked me away as the blade was impaled in it's shoulder where it didn't have bone armor." He recalled as if that could help explain why he was in pain. The feeling of unease was setting in as he tried to recall any possible clues or something to rekindle his lost memory.

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"After I got smacked away it felt like I was going to die..." he looked down at his body seeing his leather armor was fine as he had no protection in his mid-section but the shirt he did have on, that offered no shelter from outside forces was ruined with a large hole in the middle of his chest down to his lower abdomen. At the sight he understood that the pain is from possible broken or fractured ribs and heavy bruising.

"Well that sorta makes sense... I know us demons can take a beating, but the creature had sharp claws and spikes, how was I not impaled in return? We demons aren't THAT sturdy..." The confusion was even more baffling as he dwells on the event that happened. "It's daylight, but it is still morning by the looks of the sun's position, so I was unconscious for a long time that's for sure... a whole night at least.... but I'm not dead. With a vicious beast like that, even if it was injured, it most definitely would have taken advantage of me being knocked out and ended me." The gap in Sil's memory was starting to scare him. He could not tell if he was still in danger.

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"It's probably best for me not to think too hard about it, guess I'll go through my bag, the small shelter looks untouched, so my things seem to be safe... I'll use the last of my rations and rest my body, good thing about being a demon is that we can naturally heal faster and better than most beings. I give this a week at least before I can start to travel again, but moving is going to be a pain in the ass for the most part... this will be home for now I guess ...". Sil trudged his beaten and weary body to the camp site and searched for the last of his rations which were gone seemingly to bugs and tried his best to bring some firewood from behind the shelter so he wouldn't have to do it later.

Sil sat on his sleeping sack for a while next to the stump and the fire that he struggled to start with the newer wood he chopped the other day, just pondering and resting a bit before breaking his silence. "I still can't stop thinking of this shit. I keep thinking and thinking, and I don't even have the remotest idea as to what happened. It's going to drive me insane! I need answers... ". Against his better judgment, he rose to his feet in pain and walked back to the fissure trail leading to the crater in the clearing of trees near by.

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Something obviously made this large crater, and something just as obvious, it had to be a very large mass. It had to be the creature that left it. He could only ponder how it did so. Sil walked to the end of the crater where the impact seemed to have stopped, and noticed that there seemed to be some sort of crystal buried at the end. The crystal was a dark amethyst looking crystal with dark looking aura and purple light swirling in the inside of it.

"Now what do we have here... ." Sil looked at the crystal and felt a strange sensation. He could feel the crystal's energy in the air almost like it was beckoning to him and only him. When suddenly he felt a presence, and shortly after the sound of cracking sticks, leaves, and dirt were heard nearby. He turned swiftly, unsure of what to expect or what to do next before immediately taking cover in the crater. "The beast is back? No. The footstep is too light.. but still heavy", he thought to himself. Then he heard the warm voice of an elderly stoic man speak to him.

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"Are you alright lad? Perhaps you should steer clear of that crystal. Could do more harm than good to hold on to that you know." There was a brief pause, as Sil started to now think if he would freak this old man out when he finds out he is a demon. Perhaps he should find a way to let the old man pass off to wherever he was headed and avoid contact with mankind. He knew beyond the Oasis they didn't take too kindly to his kind.

"Now how about we tend to those wounds. Even a demon needs proper care, don't you agree?" The old man reached out a hand to where Sil was hiding in the crater. Looking up, Sil was shocked to find a wide shouldered, strongly built, much taller older man, and took a moment, before accepting the old man's hand.

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This mans hands were much lager than his and basically lifted him up to his feet. Sil started to feel nervous at first but there was a familiarity to him that soon let him drop his guard a bit. In his condition he knew he wouldn't get too far, and as of right now, the old man didn't seem to be a threat for now.

This man somehow knew he was a demon before he even got close to him. It doesn't feel like there was too much of a choice other than to go along, but even then he feels like he would've done so willingly. Something in the air gave the sense that he can be trusted so Sil limped towards the campsite holding his midsection following the old man.

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Perhaps asking the old man questions may help him figure out his current situation or at least show a better route when he's fit for travel. The old man saw Sil struggling a bit before then watching Sil cough some blood into his hand, and so he immediately went to assist him by putting Sil's arm on his shoulder to make it the rest of the way, and got him to sit next to the fire place that has been burnt out for some time now. "Thanks, I'll be okay" said Sil as he wiped his mouth clean of blood and caught his breath.

"Take it easy, I'll get some wood and a fire going." The old man quickly went for and returned with wood from out back and got a fire started with ease. Forgive me if earlier I startled you there lad. You sure seem strong but definitely took a beating s'far as I could tell. You see this place you take shelter in, I built it long ago and I check it every now and again to make sure it has basic supplies for weary travelers. I left signs and such so that anyone lucky enough to stumble upon here can get their bearings and get back on track to their destina- ... "

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"BAHAHAHAHA!! HAHA- FORGIVE ME FREIND!! ", the old man belted a big hearty laugh while leaning back, smiling, and holding his stomach. "Where are my manners! How rude of me to just babble on and on! No need to tell me your name, just know my name is Raynehardt! But it's a mouthful lad, so just Ray will suffice."

Sil grinned and nodded to Raynehardt. "Sil. My name is Sil. Oh. Uh... hmm," he said then he took a slight pause with something of a serious face while holding his chin. "Well I can't really make it shorter so just Sil is good ", as Sil smiled wide at Raynehardt.

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BAHAHAHAHA!! NICE TO MEET YOU LAD!! You seem as witty as you are durable, I like it hahahaha! Now Sil, I have a question for you, do you happen to like sun-dried meats? I just so happen to have some to chew on if you'd like, maybe we can worry about hunting later for a nice roast.

"Yeah, I'd like some", said Sil as he smirked. "Back in the oasis, there were plenty fish and I liked when dad used to make sun-dried fish on a stick, and covered it in special sauce... but it's been long since I last had any. I've never had sun-dried meat before, just fish." After some bites and fighting off pain in his body, Sil gathered what was left of his strength and said "what kind ... i-is... it? .... w-what ...." before passing out and falling to the side.

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"Oi lad!" Called out Raynehardt as he rushed to over to Sil. "Take it easy now lad you're still very injured." Raynehardt made sure to tend to Sil, got him covered, checked his wounds, and set up camp, then got some water boiling in the meantime while Sil rested. Sil lay unconscious by the fire. Raynehardt looked at him, got two cups out of his backpack, and poured some boiled water in them so that it can cool down and be drinkable.

"Ignil. This lad of yours, he's a lot like you. Koa and you made a strong and kind son with endless potential. Aye, I feel it down to me dusty bones .... I'm happy.... no wonder you were always so proud." Ray smiled to himself, then added. "This journey of his will be painful, and that's putting it lightly eh? Bahahaha! Yet, I already have faith in him!" Raynehardt smiled wide and continued to stoke and feed the campfire.

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