The First Time

[The Magic Trio]

((Open))

Only a few days ago, they had a normal life. Filled with laughter, love and friends. But now, they only had each other. While Euda led the group, with her fierce and bitter attitude, the other two stayed behind, looking around at everything that they walked by. Malil kept closer to Euda then Adap, but she only danced, and then stopped to catch up again.

Malil kept the group lively by always talking and have a good time. While Euda tried to ignore her overly hyper sister, she continued in the direction that she was supposed to. Adap, the only silent sister, watched the back of the group, usually with her hands over her mouth and cheeks. Finally, all three sisters were standing in a group.

”We going through…” said Euda, who already took a few steps in. While both sisters glanced at each other, then stared at their sister. The forest was almost pitch black as soon as they walked into it. The tops of the trees were so dense with leaves that no light got through.

Finally, when Euda had practically disappeared into the forest, both sisters hurried into it after her. Adap was the only wise one, taking some fallen vines and a stick to make a torch. The sisters all walked in silence through the forest, only with a small amount of light to guide their way through this unknown area. All were unfamiliar with it, and decided to walk in a straight line to avoid getting lost.

While the light made everything look mysterious, even if it was just a stick, the girls kept together in a group. Everyone seemed to be serious, quiet, and scared. They were all very young, and had no experience in adventuring. Up ahead, they could make out the faint outline of a small tent.

”Oh…hello! What’s that?” Malil yelled out. The only response was a few dirty looks from her sisters, and the echo from the rest of the forest. Once Malil clued in, she looked at the ground with a slight saddened look on her face. But that didn’t stop the trio from continuing onward. Stepped closer to the tent, there looked to be no one around. No fire was lit, the tent was empty, and no track or anything led to or from the camp area.

Adap, taking another wise step, lit the fire with her magic, but the fire let of a much more powerful source of light. It seemed almost as if daylight had come pouring into the area. All the girls covered their eyes, trying to get used to the light. With a few blinks, they girls looked around. Most of the surrounding area had been light up with the power of the light, so the girls could now see what was around them. But in the end, it was just more forest.

”I think we should stay here for a while.”, came the quiet peep from Adap. Both sisters stopped to look at her, but she only continued to watch the fire dance, then looked back at each other and nodded in agreement.

[grim137]

((Takes place after "Escape from Radasanth"))

Not to far from where the camp the girls had found crouched the vampire Tarry Whealer wiping the blood from his latest meal off his lips. The meal was a young lad about 19 years of age. A wannabe adventurer who had apparently been after the fat bounty that was now on Tarry’s head in Radasanth.

The blind vampire made no attempt to dispose of the kid’s drained corpse because there was no need to. The animals of the forest would eat the flesh, muscle as well as most of the kids organs, scatter the bones, and damage the corpse beyond recognition long before anybody found out the kid was even dead and gone to begin with.

That night the air was cool yet humid and the bugs seemed to be out in force but unlike many others, Tarry had nothing to fear from whatever creatures lurked in the depths of the forest and hunted at night. After all he had become one of such creatures, and as far as he knew he was far more deadly than anything else that lurked among the trees and shrubs of Concordia.

“I need to find away out of Corone. Unfortunately with all the heat on me there’s now way I can take a boat or anything out of Radasanth. There’s supposed to be a portal to Haidia somewhere in this forest but I can’t seem to find it,” thought the blind vampire with a slight bit of agitation the stemmed from such a thought as he continued his trek through the forest.

It was a few moments later that Tarry came upon the abandoned campsite and the first thing he noticed with his sprit sense were the three girls. They felt like humans but not exactly. In fact to the vampire they felt more like spirits, only like something more. Tarry couldn’t make sense of the readings he got and about the only thing he could determine was that the three girls were anything but normal.

“Still they may be able to help me find the portal to Haidia. Though on the other hand they may simply be the next group of people trying to catch me. Eh, no matter, if it turns out to be the latter of the two I’ll simply kill them and be on my way.”

Retracting his fangs back into his skull and subtly placing his hand on the hilt of the blind vampire decided to present himself. Casually the blind vampire walked towards the heat familiar heat that he could feel knowing that the light such a fire was projecting would allow them to see them (he was hoping they wouldn’t recognize his face from a wanted poster or something in Radasanth).

“My, my, its not often that three young girls such as yourself can be found this far in the forest especially at this hour of the night. Is there anything I can help you with?”

[The Magic Trio]

They all turned quickly, at the sound of a stranger. They never knew anyone besides them was in here, or by the looks of the forest, could even survive. ”We could ask you the same question now couldn’t we?” Euda quickly replied, looking the man up and down. ”Why are you here?” her anger seemed to be rising quickly.

”Shut up Euda. Can’t you see he’s injured.?” Malil quickly piped up after her sister. She hurried over to the man, looking at his bandages. They seemed old, and needed to be replaced. ”Are you ok?” she said, reaching up to see if there were any injuries under the bandage.

While Malil tried to take care of the man, both Euda and Adap sat down by the fire. Euda kept muttering some sort of words under her breathe, while Adap looked at the man back to the fire every so often, she was worried about her sister being alone with him.

”Why would anyone be in here…?” came the whisper of Adap. She was talking to her sister, since the presence of the man set them all into high gear, her nervous and quiet state becoming even quieter then usual.

Euda looked at the sister, with a hint of fear in her eyes. With this, it sent Adap into an emotional break down. If Euda, out of anyone in the world, showed fear, something wasn’t right. Adap quietly started to sob, hugging her knees. Euda moved closer to her, putting an arm around her, and hugged her back.

”I’m sorry. Were all new to this, and none of us know what to expect. I don’t trust him. No one would be in here without a deathly good reason. Just hold on, we’ll be moving again in a few hours.”

While both sisters sat in silence now, Malil was still trying to reach the man’s bandage to check on what had happened. ”Were you attacked or something? How long has this thing been around your head? Is there more of a reason it’s there? Is it just too stop sweat? Well if it is, how stupid would I seem?” It was the worst combination; she was hyper and trying to help. She put on an innocent smile while looking up at him.

Adap smiled, stopping her sobbing, as Euda sighed at the sight of Malil and her innocent smile. ”Watch this Adap…” Euda said with a sarcastic smile. ”He is pretty cute, eh Malil?”

”Shut up!” Malil looked back at the man, blushing still with her innocent smile. ”At least come sit by the fire? Malil offered looking back at her sisters who were now rolling on the ground with laughter.

[grim137]

For several moments Tarry just stood there feeling annoyed as the hyper one looked over him, asking him all sorts of asinine questions. The blind vampire ignored the moody one’s comment about asking him the same thing though only because he had a feeling that if he insulted her and they happened know where the portal to Haidia was then he wouldn’t be able to get them divulge that information. Well not with out a bit of torture at least, but Tarry decided not to go down that road unless he absolutely had to. After all he still had some moral fibers, even if those fibers were rather weak.

During this whole process the blind vampire made a mental note of rather or not his special bandanna was on incase one of the three girls was a mind reader. He also decided that while they may have been a bit annoying they were hardly a threat and his hand moved off the hilt of his blade.

Ignoring the various juvenile quips from the girls the vampire decided to at least take the hyper one up on her offer to sit by the fire. On a cold night such as that the heat felt good, even to a creature that had grown accustomed to the cold air.

“Name’s Tarry by the way,” said the Tarry, introducing himself after a brief moment of silence.

[The Magic Trio]

They all stared at him for a split second, not really knowing what to expect next. Maybe a sneak attack or something. But he came and sat down with them, and they seemed to shift so that everyone could fit around the fire, and have a share of the heat.

He introduced himself as Tarry. But, out of complete respect, the girls had to do that same. Being the brave one, Euda was the first to act. ”I’m Euda, and this is Adap. She doesn’t talk much though.” Adap simply nodded to the still strange man. ”And of course, you’ve met Malil.”

She sighed simply, but gave a slight blush on her cheeks. They were all still young, but hopeless. All new to adventure, and without any kind of maturity. They were merely fresh meat to any creature that wondered these woods. Without experience, they were all dumbstruck by the appearance of another person this deep into the woods.

”So, why is it that your this far into the woods, Tarry? Like, why would anyone be out here? We wouldn’t be if Euda didn’t have such a dumb idea!” Malil said, giving an evil eye to her sister, who simply laughed it off.

Tarry must’ve thought that all these girls were pathetic. But Euda had an idea, of course. With her kind of personality, she had to make a taunt at Tarry. But of course, a male, that’s a good foot taller, and maybe fifty pounds heavier, if something happen, he could beat her into the ground. She sat quiet, looking at the dirty, drawing pictures with her finger.

While everyone was rather quiet, Adap got up suddenly, and walked into the tent. Euda watched her, as she laid herself down, and closed her eyes. No one could tell what time it was really. But if they were getting tired, it must’ve been getting late.

”We should continue in the morning, for now, let’s just relax.” With that, Euda got up, and went to bed beside Adap, putting her arm over her to keep both warm during the night. Malil continued to sit by the fire however, watching the dancing flames as the night grew later and later.

[grim137]

“The moody one is Euda, the quiet one is Adap, and the hyper one is Malil. Got it,” thought Tarry as the Euda introduced herself and her sisters to him.

Another quick moment later and the vampire was once again bombarded with questions from the hyper one, Malil. However, Tarry decided to actually answer the pair of questions, as they were actually relevant. Plus the slightly paranoid bloodsucker figured that if he kept ignoring and evading their questions, the three young sisters would grows suspicious and possibly hostile for him.

“I’m out here to try and find a portal to Haidia,” responded Tarry in a matter of fact tone. A brief pause later as he decided rather or not it was actually worth his time asking he followed up his response with “I don’t suppose you three would know where it is would you?”

There came no response to the vampire’s questions instead the as two of the girls decided to deal with the matter of getting some sleep after a long days journey. A yawn that emerged deep with in this throat made Tarry realize the two females had a good idea. It had been a long few days for him and his body needed the rest. He may have been immortal but that didn’t mean he still didn’t have a few mortal needs. Brushing several twigs and rocks out of the way of his head, the vampire slowly laid down onto the cold and dirty ground of the forest.

“Your sisters have a good idea,” said Tarry to the one known as Malil after several more moments “you should probably get some rest.”

With those words Tarry fell asleep on cool forest ground under the heat of the fire. The blind vampire didn’t bother to remove his weapons, armor or cloths. He had become accustomed to sleeping with them on in case he suddenly needed. He planned to wake up the next morning at sunrise, unless of course something happened to wake him up before then.

[The Magic Trio]

Malil peered deeply at Tarry for a minute, thinking of this ‘portal’ he spoke of. Looking back at the fire for a minute, something popped into her head. ”Well, I’m not to sure about this. But there was a story where we are from, well more like folklore then anything, but here it is. Somewhere in a forest is a great magical device. No one knows exactly how, or who forged it, but it is said to lead to great evil. Maybe that is this portal you speak of?” Malil said.

She looked at her two sleeping sisters, and by the time she had turned around, Tarry too, was lying down and sleeping. With a sigh, Malil laid on the ground, staring at the fire. The warmth seemed to be the only thing awake with her now. No signs of anything but the four of them seemed to be around.

Closing her eyes, she laid on her back, only a breeze coming to cool her off before the fire warmed her body again. She smiled; it had been such a long time since she had felt like this. At least this time, there was something to look forward to.

[grim137]

The vampire actually slept a few hours longer than he intended to, waking up well after dawn. The sun light of the sun filtered through the dense tree’s giving a sort of twilight glow to the forest. Not so welcome was the heat that in the forest that the sun brought in and became trapped with the rather muggy air.

The three girls were still asleep. Euda and Adap were still sleeping soundly in the tent and Malil was sleeping near the remnants of the former fire. Slowly yet not so quietly due to the various dead leaves and twigs on the ground the vampire began to make his way away from the campsite.

Yet despite his initial intentions after walking a mere few feet the livelike vampire stopped. The words Malil said to him as he was falling asleep the previous night reached his mind and struck a chord within it. For Tarry realized that the “great magical device” that Malil had mentioned was very likely to be the exact portal he was looking for. So if it turned out that the girls actually knew where it was then it would be foolish of him to abandon them just yet.

With a sigh the vampire leaned against one of the trees. There was nothing he could really do until the girls were awake and unfortunately he hated waiting. Serving in multiple militaries for multiple factions at multiple points in his life had done that to him.

“Lets hope they wake up soon.”