The Soul Keeper

I opened my eyes to see a wooden ceiling. I slowly lifted myself to a sitting position. I was in a small room that I rented last night. After arriving at the village, I had made my way to the local inn and collapsed on this… not very soft or comfortable bed. Though I was grateful for being able to sleep in a proper bed, unfortunately this one caused all sorts of backaches.

I glanced out the dusty window. It was light out. I could see plenty of people walking on the street below, though most of them were either Ereth or other locals. With a yawn, I forced myself up and left the room. I couldn't waste too much time here, I still needed to find Erik and the others.

As I made my way down the creaky stairs, I could hear laughter and lively conversations. I Approached the counter and paid the innkeeper for the room.

"Thanks." The woman was an Ereth, she had the same leathery wings folded on her back and her blueish skin was just like the guy who addressed all of us when we first arrived. "Can I get you anything else?"

"Breakfast would be amazing," I said with a smile. I yearned for a good meal. "Also, I'd like to ask you something." I quickly described Erik and the others. "Have you seen them, by chance? We got separated on our way here and I'm trying to find them."

She flinched. "Oh, Rohir's Paladin and his allies?" She nodded. "They came here the day after the Cursed One appeared and the Torchlight Woods were taken over." She gestured towards the west. "They were pretty upset to have lost a friend."

My ears perked up as soon as she said the words Rohir's Paladin. A smile spread across my face. I was one step closer to finding them! "Do you know where they went?" I asked, hope gleaming in my eyes.

"They're working for the Guild." She shrugged. "Well, on paper. Truth is, all they're doing is agitate the monsters in the northern woods. But then again, they're supposed to slay the Demon Lord, so I guess it's fine." She sighed. "If you want to find them, I'd suggest waiting at the northern entrance at noon, that's when they come back."

"Thank you so much!" I said with a shaky voice. I couldn't believe it; I was finally going to see them again.

"How did you survive anyways?" She suddenly asked as she placed a large plate on the counter. "Have a seat."

The plate was filled to the brim with bread, butter, cheese, some dried meat, and many other things that I hadn't gotten to eat in a while. I thanked her again and sat on the stool.

"Well, it took a lot of hiding." I said with a dismissive tone. I didn't really want to talk too much about it. "This is delicious!" I mumbled and took a bite of some cheese. It was moist and… It was just pure bliss.

"They said their friend never came back after he went on a quest for the Makers." She glanced around. "Said they were given a different quest just hours after he left. It ordered them to come here and prepare to defend against the Cursed One." Her lips formed a thin line. "They said they'd avenge you by killing the monster." She narrowed her eyes. "Said it'd take months to get strong enough to slay the beast."

I could hear suspicion in her voice. I sighed and shook my head. "It's dead." Of course she'd be suspicious of me. I had arrived here battered and wounded, with very little money and even less credibility. "It took me a while to kill and I almost died, but it won't be coming after the village."

She raised her eyebrows. "Do you expect me to believe you?" She tapped the table with her nails.

"No, not really." I responded with a defeated voice. It didn't really matter, did it?

She rolled her eyes. "You're weird." She said as she took the empty plate and placed it somewhere under the counter. "What will you do now?"

I shrugged. "Sell some stuff I gathered, I guess." It was still fairly early in the day. "Then I'll go find my friends."

She pondered a moment before handing me a flyer. "It's for Luhen's store around the corner. The old man buys anything and sells the weirdest things you can ask for."

I took the flyer, got up and then asked her. "Why are you helping me if you don't believe me?"

She shrugged. "For fun, I guess. Go, if you don't want to be late to meet your friends." She walked around the counter to one of her customers' tables.

"And you call me weird." I mumbled as I left the inn. I glanced at the flyer as the doors closed behind me. It was a hand drawn map that had a huge X on the store. A smile formed on my lips as I made my way over.

The store was a run-down place in a narrow alleyway. I hesitated as I approached the place, it didn't seem like the safest or most trustworthy establishment. Then again, I didn't look like a trustworthy person at all. I chuckled, it was fitting, in a way.

I pushed the rusty metal door and entered the shop. The atmosphere was… unique. The place was filled with different items, I could see weapons, furniture, tableware and even some clothes up for sale.

"Welcome, young man." A gentle, yet dry voice called out from behind the counter. The man was an Ereth, though I could only see one of his wings folded on his back. He was clearly very old, so much that his skin had lost its blueish hue. He smiled as he slowly approached me. He was using a cane to walk.

"Hello," I said hesitantly. "I was told this is the place to come if I want to sell things."

"You were told right!" He chuckled. "Come closer, let me take a look at you." Hesitant, I approached him. His face and arms were riddled with scars. I couldn't help but wonder, why wasn't he using magic to heal them?

"Oh!" He slowly reached for my long hair with a shaking hand. "You're… I see." He mumbled something with a low voice, then smiled again. "Come, let me see what you've got." He gently took my arm and led me through the maze of miscellaneous items. We arrived at an empty back room.

"If you're like the others, you'll show me a bunch of shiny rocks and nice looking flowers." He smiled. "I don't think you're like them though. Do you have anything worth my time, young one?"

"It's Kai." I said after a moment's hesitation and opened my inventory. "Are you interested in fur?"

He grinned. "Now you're talking."

About an hour passed as he inspected every piece I presented to him. For some, he complimented me on skinning them so nicely while for others, I was battered with harsh words for ruining perfectly fine fur. Eventually, he agreed to buy all of them, though it took quite a lot of negotiating.

I was ready to leave, but then something occurred to me. "Sir, do you mind taking a look at this?" I took the dark coloured scythe out and placed it on the empty table between us.

He gasped and, with widened eyes, carefully inspected the weapon. "Where did you find this?"

I hesitated; would he even believe me? "On a giant creature's back. Is there anything you can tell me about it?"

He pondered a moment, then shook his head. "I won't buy it. This thing is cursed."