Youth and Escapades

Pikoro Village

1 Month Ago

From the mouth of a cavern hidden under a thick cover of vines, a shimmering sword cut through. Thalleous leaned against the stone, squeezing his left arm to try and staunch the burning pain from a lucky shot from an arrow. Behind him, the Deamos who'd taken the shot laid dead several feet away, along with the rest he'd finally managed to track down.

He sighed, rubbing behind his horns at the growing headache that always lingered after a battle. The Sendaris gave a sharp whistle and a horse stepped out from behind the trees.

Sheathing the blade, Thallous reached up to pet the horse's snout. "Good boy, Timber. Let's go."

Climbing up onto the saddle put strain on the cracks in his shell from the hammer strikes and daggers, but he grit his teeth and spurred on Timber towards the nearest town. What little sunlight he could see through the canopy of dark oak was enough to tell that it would be getting dark very soon. Old paranoia crept into his thoughts just as he recalled that his last flint and steel had broken.

His horse seemed to notice his mood too. Timber whimpered as the shadows grew deeper and less sunlight filtered through the leaves. "Shh, it's alright. We'll be okay boy. There shouldn't be any Deamos left in this region. That was the last one."

Timber still shivered the slightest. Thallous had to admit that he only half believed himself, but he justified that as healthy caution. Stepping over fallen logs and creeks, the two followed the beaten dirt path towards the village, searching for a torch or lantern in a windowsill.

Eventually, the sun dipped below the horizon and the Sendaris pale blue lights were the only thing illuminating the path. Thallous' fingers twitched on the reigns, constantly glancing around, behind and above him for monsters. He looked hopefully for another cavern where they could spend the night, even considering just going back to the Deamos hideout.

Sleeping beside the darkened Ardoni bodies would be uncomfortable, but better than getting ambushed by creepers or undead.

Timber suddenly negied and gestured his head away from the path. "What is it? Do you see something?"

The horse nodded and Thalleous agreed to let himself be led on - it'd take at least another half hour till they were close to the village anyways. The branches hung lower than the path and the Sendaris was forced to hold one hand to block his face, lest he keep spitting out leaves.

"I hope you - ack - aren't doing this to spite - ow, ow - spite me Timber." He picked out another twig caught under his horns and hair.

After several moments of apprehension, Timber finally stepped into a small clearing. Thallous was surprised to see a small town with a sign on an arch acting as the entrance to the team and the sign read "Welcome To Pikoro Village". Thalleous smiled and entered seeing this small town was something else as there weren't a lot of houses but the people seemed happy as he continued he managed to find a healers shop and knocks on the door gently. It cracked open and the dark face of a middle-aged man peeked back at them. "Yes?" He asked in a soft voice.

"I believe a healer lives hear I just need some help with my arm" Thalleous said and the old man peeled up.

The door opened wide, revealing a dark-skinned elderly man with long, frizzy hair, weighted down by a shop's worth of jewelry, but he wore a kind smile.

"Well, let's not waste any time, then. Come on in, don't be shy." he beckoned him inside and told Thalleous to have a seat as he walks over to a small kitchen like area and opens a cabnet and gabs a few bandages from the cabnet, "could I get you a drink" the elder ask, "some water would be nice thank you" Thalleous respond and the elder made his wat over the the sink to fancy up a drink, "now whats an Ardoni doing so far out here" the elder asked with a curious look, "I was looking for something but that's classified information"Thalleous replies as the elder makes his way over and hand Thalleous the cup of water and begins to bandages up Thalleous's arm, "not to deep and should heal in a few days" the elder finishes and walks over to the kitchen getting ready to prepare food, "oh by the way my name is Ran, Ran al'Thor. Would you care for several food Mr-"Ran asked but didn't know Thalleous's name, "Thalleous, my name is Thalleous Sendaris an yes a meal dose sound lovely thank you" Thalleous respons with a smile and the two talk through the evening.

After a delicious meal Thalleous felt tried and Ran could see that from the way Thalleous was slouching. Thalleous manage to see the house better from were he was sitting. The ground floor of his residence was a single rectangular room—albeit a large one. On the left side was a well-furnished kitchen that stretched from wall to wall.

A fire danced in a cobblestone hearth in the leftmost corner, farthest from the door, cheerily popping and spitting the occasional ember.

"If you head upstairs first door to the left is a free guest bedroom and it's already got some blankets on it ready for you to use as you please" Ran said to Thalleous as he was cleaning up, "oh thank you for the kind offer but I do not need sleep I should on my way" Thalleous says as he tries to leave only to be stopped by a wooden cane, "absolutely not, I insist on you staying here since I can tell you haven't slpeted in days now head up and like I said First door on the left" Ran said in a sturdy tone and Thalleous nods and walks up the stairs towards the guest bedroom.

The guest bedroom was small and was big enough for one person and had a single bed dropped with blue sheets and a fluffed pillow on the bed.

As Thalleous sat on the bed and unfixed it from his back he had to admit the bed was surprisingly comfortable as he laid on it he felt his eyes close as he hadn't been able to die to the adverse effects from using songs.

As the moonlight shined from the window in the room and the stars shined bright and most of the touches in the village were dimed as the village people began to blow out candles for the night and the sky was filed with bright bright stars.