Chapter 1: August and Andy
Year 0003, Month VIII-X: The Imperium
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Day 1: Plans Going Forward
After August and Andy had departed from the village, they walked with barely contained enthusiasm through the dense woodland. Beyond this forest floor lay a well-traveled road—an imperial thoroughfare that Andy, in all honesty, would prefer never to see again. It was the very same road he had traversed as a slave bound for the market, shackled and hopeless into the new homes of its new owner. Yet it remained the main artery of travel nonetheless, a lifeline connecting the scattered settlements of the Imperial realm.
It was Andy who first broke through the awkward atmosphere that had settled between them like morning mist. In truth, he served merely as August's guide for now, though he sensed there was more to their partnership than simple navigation.
"So, lad," Andy began, his weathered voice cutting through the ambient sounds of the forest, "do you have anywhere you particularly want to head first?"
August, without breaking his steady stride forward, didn't answer immediately. His mind wandered through the possibilities, weighing destinations like a merchant considering his wares. The prospects of heading south of the central sub-continent intrigued him greatly. He had heard tales of the bustling trade routes that connected it to the neighboring southwestern recently occupied territories, eventually heading into the direction of its Southern Capital, the City of Bastille—stories of exotic goods, foreign languages, and opportunities for those bold enough to seize them.
However, as his thoughts crystallized into potential plans, he realized the journey might prove dangerous for Andy. The older man had already endured more hardship than most could bear in a lifetime. August felt compelled to seek his companion's opinion before committing to any particular course.
"I was thinking we could head south," August said finally, his voice thoughtful, "then eventually cross the Great Central-West River and make our way to the southern end of the Western sub-continent. From there, we could work our way up towards the Imperial Capital. Then back to cross the Great River again heading towards the Central-North and work our way back here in the village." He paused, glancing at Andy's weathered profile. "But I know you had lingering troubles in the south, so perhaps the north would be better? What do you think, Uncle Andy? I'm content with either direction."
Andy found himself genuinely surprised by the young man's consideration. When put that way, August seemed far more thoughtful and mature than his years suggested. The question caught him off guard, and he couldn't formulate an immediate response. Here was someone barely out of boyhood, yet already thinking like a seasoned traveler who understood that the best journeys were collaborative efforts.
After several moments of walking in companionable silence, they reached a crystal-clear river stream that sang softly as it wound through the forest. Their pace had been neither rushed nor leisurely—a moderate gait that had already covered approximately forty-five kilometers since dawn. Andy had pushed himself to achieve this level of stamina and endurance ever since learning he had been chosen as August's companion for the journey. The last thing he wanted was to burden the boy with his aging body's limitations.
In preparation for their departure, Andy had thrown himself back into the village's morning training regimen with the dedication of a man half his age. He participated in combat drills and conditioning exercises, slowly awakening muscles that had grown stiff from years of relative inactivity from captivity.
During combat he had shared that, when he was still a mercenary in his younger days, his favored weapons had been a mace and an axe—tools of war that had served him well through countless skirmishes and battles.
When August learned of these preferences, he had acted with characteristic generosity and efficiency. Within a single day of their conversation, both weapons materialized in Andy's hands, crafted with meticulous care from the bones and tusks of beasts that had been previously hunted and stored awaiting for it to be used eventually. The weapons even incorporated metal elements—smelted from the bloodhounds' equipment they had claimed and melted in previous encounters. The weight felt familiar and comforting in his weathered hands, like greeting old friends after a long separation.
Along with the weapons, August had provided a complete set of traveling equipment: sturdy packs, essential supplies, and various tools that spoke of careful planning and foresight. Andy felt a deep responsibility settling on his shoulders. He was determined to prove himself worthy of such generosity, to be better prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead. Whether through skillful combat or diplomatic dialogue earned through decades of experience, he wanted to be genuinely helpful to the young man who had shown him such unexpected kindness and trust.
As they established their camp beside the murmuring stream, the wilderness around them seemed to come alive with hidden watchers. Glowing eyes peered from shadowed undergrowth, and the subtle sounds of large bodies moving through the forest served as constant reminders that they were visitors in a realm ruled by creatures far removed from human civilization. They agreed to take turns standing watch through the night, each man trusting the other with his life during the vulnerable hours of sleep.
When the sun rose the following morning, painting the forest canopy in shades of gold and green, their journey began anew with renewed purpose and growing mutual respect.
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Day 2: New Part of the Forest: Flora and Fauna
Before the sun had even begun to paint the eastern horizon with its first tentative brushstrokes, August and Andy were already packing their belongings with practiced efficiency. Their nighttime discussion had resulted in a crucial decision—they would reverse August's original plan and head north of the central sub-continent, a change that promised new adventures and unknown challenges.
They began moving only after consuming a hearty breakfast and allowing their bodies to warm properly in the cool morning air. August took time to exercise and stretch muscles stiffened by their first night on the unforgiving ground, so different from the comfortable beds they had left behind in the village. Andy followed a modified version of August's regimen, one carefully adapted to his older body's current capabilities while still pushing toward gradual improvement.
After meticulously cleaning their campsite—leaving no trace of their presence for the forest's other inhabitants—they set forth once again. Their destination lay somewhere beyond the forest's edge, where they hoped to intersect with the main Imperial Road that would guide their journey northward.
As the morning progressed into afternoon, the very character of the forest began to transform around them. The familiar sounds of their home territory gradually gave way to new symphonies of bird calls, insect chirps, and the rustling of unfamiliar vegetation. Curious stalkers moved parallel to their path, eyes belonging to both predator and prey tracking their progress with varying degrees of interest and intent.
For Andy, these changes stirred uncomfortable memories of his previous journey through these depths as an escaped slave. The cruel and unforgiving nature of this wilderness had nearly claimed his life during those desperate days of flight from captivity. He found himself swallowing nervously, offering silent prayers that they wouldn't encounter the more alien and dangerous beasts and plants he remembered from his nightmarish passage through these woods.
August, by contrast, regarded their changing surroundings with barely contained excitement. This was his first venture so far from the village boundaries, and the alien flora and fauna awakened both his adventurous spirit and his hunter's instincts. The predatory beasts shadowing their movement presented potential challenges that set his blood racing with anticipation. Though the creatures maintained respectful distances for now, August kept them at the edges of his awareness, ready to act if their intentions shifted from curiosity to aggression.
As they penetrated deeper into this transformed landscape, August estimated that nearly ninety percent of their surroundings had become unfamiliar territory. The few recognizable elements only served to highlight how far they had traveled from everything they knew.
When afternoon hunger began to gnaw at their stomachs, August decided to hunt fresh game rather than rely solely on their preserved supplies. He selected a nearby creature that would provide adequate sustenance for the remainder of their day's travel—a curious beast unlike any he had encountered before.
The creature appeared timid despite its substantial size, possessing a round, somewhat slimy body that moved in rhythmic hops across the forest floor. Its distinctive croaking calls echoed through the trees, and August noted the impressive twelve-inch horns that jutted from various points around its body. According to his knowledge of the world's Bestiary Index, these were Horned-Croaks, sometimes called BullFrogs by local populations.
With practiced skill, August managed to capture two of these massive amphibians. He dispatched them quickly and humanely, draining their blood into the forest floor before carrying them to the nearby stream for proper cleaning. The skinning process revealed pale, firm flesh that promised excellent eating, and August applied a careful selection of spices and herbs they had brought from the village.
Using his Magical Item Pouch—a remarkably effective space-saving device that defied conventional understanding of volume and weight—August stored one of the creatures for their evening meal while preparing the other over a carefully constructed fire pit.
As the BullFrog roasted over the flames, the mingling aromas of exotic meat and familiar seasonings created an intoxicating blend that set both men's mouths watering in anticipation. Neither had tasted anything quite like this before, and curiosity added an extra edge to their growing hunger.
When the meat reached perfect doneness, August divided it into equal portions, and they attacked their meal with the enthusiasm of men who had earned their sustenance through hard travel. The taste exceeded all expectations—a flavor profile entirely different from their usual Boarat meat, rich and complex in ways that made them think fondly of the villagers they had left behind, wishing they could share this discovery.
They consumed every morsel, leaving nothing but well-cleaned bones as testament to their appreciation. After quenching their thirst at the stream and refilling their water pouches, August transferred his emergency water supply—crafted from Boarat hide—into his Magical Pouch, keeping only a smaller, more accessible container attached to his body for immediate needs.
With their strength restored and their spirits high, they resumed their journey, determined not to waste the remaining daylight hours. The forest floor stretched endlessly ahead, promising more discoveries and challenges in equal measure.
When night finally settled over the land like a familiar blanket, they had found suitable shelter where they could rest their travel-weary bodies, preparing for another day of exploration when morning came.
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Day 3: A Curious Beast
The morning sun had barely crested the horizon when the duo resumed their trek, following the pattern they had established over the previous days. Their environment continued its constant transformation, yet the underlying sensation remained unchanged—they were being observed by countless unseen eyes, watchers whose intentions remained mysterious and potentially dangerous.
Among these observers, one stood out for its persistent attention. A predator had been stalking them for some time now, following at a distance that spoke of both caution and burning curiosity. The creature found itself caught in an internal struggle, its hunting instincts warring against a deeper, more primitive warning system that screamed danger whenever it considered approaching the two travelers.
Logic told the beast that these prey animals should be easy targets—soft, slow, and apparently unaware of their stalker's presence. Yet every fiber of its being recoiled from the idea of initiating an attack. Some primal intuition warned that confronting these particular creatures would result in something far worse than death. So it remained content to observe, slithering silently across the forest floor while wrestling with confusion and frustrated bloodlust.
August had been acutely aware of the various presences inhabiting the forest around them, including this particular stalker that had begun following them upon entering these uncharted regions. The creature's behavior intrigued rather than alarmed him—it made no overtly predatory moves, displaying what seemed to be genuine curiosity rather than hunting behavior. August chose not to alert Andy to its presence immediately, sensing no immediate hostility from their shadow. However, he resolved that if the creature continued its surveillance into the night, he would discuss the situation with his older companion and seek his counsel.
Their day's journey continued with careful navigation through increasingly alien terrain. They methodically cut away plants that emanated dangerous auras—vegetation that triggered every survival instinct they possessed, warning of potential toxicity or worse fates for the unwary.
As night descended once again, August had previously and successfully hunted another BullFrog for their afternoon meal, and it would grace their dinner table as well. This time, they prepared it differently, creating a hearty vegetable soup using supplies from their packs and adding the tender amphibian meat to create a rich, nourishing broth that would sustain them through the cool night hours.
After finishing their satisfying meal, August finally noticed that their mysterious observer remained at its post, lurking in the shadows at a respectful but persistent distance. The time had come to address the situation with Andy.
"Uncle," August began carefully, his voice low but clear, "don't be alarmed, but something has been following us since yesterday. I'm not certain what it is, but I sense it's primarily motivated by curiosity rather than immediate hostility. Still, it may reveal different intentions as time passes. I wanted to alert you to its presence and ask if you have any thoughts on how we should handle the situation."
By 'handle,' August diplomatically implied the possibility of adding their stalker to their menu, should circumstances require such action. Andy felt a jolt of shock at this revelation—how had he failed to detect such a significant threat? His survival instincts, honed through years of hardship and danger, should have warned him of the creature's presence. The fact that August's sensory abilities had detected what he had missed both impressed and humbled him.
After considering their options carefully, Andy shared his assessment. "Well, if it doesn't attempt anything remotely life-threatening, I think we should simply leave it be. Sometimes the best solution to a problem is to avoid creating a larger one through unnecessary action."
Meanwhile, the Green Serpent—for that was indeed what had been following them—had positioned itself in the concealment of a nearby tree's canopy. From this elevated vantage point, it continued its patient observation of the two forest travelers who moved with such confident purpose through territory that other creatures approached with considerably more caution.
And so concluded their third day of journey, as the sun settled into its nightly rest and the three sister moons began their dutiful vigil over the world below. Their pale light filtered through the forest canopy, creating a mystical atmosphere that promised both wonder and danger in the adventures yet to come.
The bond between August and Andy continued to strengthen with each shared challenge and quiet conversation, while their mysterious observer maintained its patient watch, adding an element of uncertainty to their northern passage through the ever-changing wilderness.