She was counting the bronze and silver coins in her hands when she was knocked down by a mob of villagers rushing to the square. Something must have come up... she thought, as she immediately collected few coins that slipped on her grip when she falls down. She was trying to pick up the last coin in between the crowd of feet scuttling past her, when she saw a pair, clad in cloak, standing before her. Don’t let it be them... please, not them... she silently prayed so hard inside her head as the hooded figure loomed over her.

She closed her eyes, waiting for an impending doom, when two hands... two warm hands gently gripped her arms and helped her stand up from the ground. “Are you alright?” came the deep voice inside the hood. She can’t clearly see the man for darkness covers half of his face. Only his plump lower lips that spoke those words can be seen underneath the veil of shadows.

“Are you alright, lady?”  It was low and tender this time... so full of concern... and she felt safe knowing that the man infront of her wasn’t what she thought it would be. She slowly nodded her head to assure him that she was fine. She thought she heard a sigh coming from him when the man slightly nodded back and removed his hands on her arms.

It must be the cold air that made her cringe when his hands left her side. Silly thoughts... then she tightened her coat around her body and secured the hood on her head. She murmured her thanks and looked up to the man who helped her.

A soft breeze passed by and the hood of the man gently swayed from the wind, revealing half of his face to the light. She could have caught a glimpse of his eyes but she didn’t... for strands of golden hair have fallen and concealed his face once again.

“You should leave...” the man broke the silence and she was taken aback with the hint of urgency in his voice. She was about to retort when she caught sight a group of horsemen coming from the northern part of the town. She looked around her and the amount of people coming towards the square seems to double.

I can’t be seen here... she immediately picked up her basket from the ground. Frantic to get back to the woods, she hurriedly started walking towards the southern part of town. Only to stop dead on track when she reached the archway that boarder the plaza from the outskirts of town leading towards the bridge going to the forest where her cabin was...

She looked back at the thickening crowd at the square but the cloaked man can’t be seen anywhere. “I haven’t even thanked him properly.” She regretfully sighed and started her journey back to the woods.

He silently followed the lady with his gaze, as she hurriedly walked out of the plaza and when she stopped at the arc and looked back with a frown on her face. He knew she was looking for him and was contemplating on whether he should show up amidst the sea of people or not, when he felt a familiar presence beside him.

“You shouldn’t have left your place.” He glanced at the presence beside him and saw that it was just him who spoke those words... a young man, who was clad in cloak like him.

“Same goes to you.” He said with a hint of a chuckle.

“Well... yeah... but still... It’s better if you just stayed behind and leave it all to me. You perfectly knew that we have to be careful.”

“But I have to... we have to.”

The other man heaved a sigh with the seriousness in the latter’s voice. “I know. I saw it. But... isn’t it a bit early...” his voice trailed off as he saw the look on his face. He may be a bit older than the other, but the latter’s resolve has always been admirable and he respected that.

“Who’s guarding it?” the younger one asked soon after.

“His high and mighty and our gentle giant’s guarding it at the moment.” The older said with a small smile.

“Where’s the others?”

“Our eldest’s at the bridge... waiting. And the other one’s with me...”

“What? Where is he? How come I can’t see him around?”

“Well... I sent him immediately after... you know...” The younger sigh with relief as he understood what the older one had said.

Long silence filled the two. No more words were spoken... eyes were now alert under their hoods... ears were strained to any suspicious sound, filtering the whispers of townspeople around them... only to be broken by the clattering of hooves.

Two palace messengers atop their magnificent horses were fast approaching, parting the villagers, who were all crowding around a wooden board in one of the walls at the square, in two. One of the horsemen brought out a scroll of parchment and started to call the attention of the gathering crowd.

“Tealeans of East Blue, the King has summoned all brave men of this country in search of 12 precious stone that his Highness believed to be found inside the Forbidden Forest.

Anyone who wishes to join the expedition may sign up to the Baron, who’ll be leading the search. And to all the valiant Tealean men that will take the challenge, you shall be greatly rewarded.”

The messenger finished reading the Majesty’s announcement and ordered the other horseman to pin the parchment on the wooden board. Once done, they set off and left the murmuring crowd.

Men and women, old and young, gather around the wooden board which now holds 2 parchments... one was bearing a rough sketch of the country. It was the map of Teal that was put on the board earlier, the one whose townspeople were gathering around that morning. The map shows the village, the palace, the port, the square and the Forbidden Forest, where a great emphasis seems put into it. It was illustrated bigger than any part of the map. Beside the map was the copy of the King’s announcement, only that it holds what seems like images of ancient symbols... each symbol was engraved in a triangular stone. It must be the 12 precious stones his Majesty was referring to in his epistle.

The crowd around the board thinned as women went back to their respective chores at home and children went back to playing... only few remained behind. The elders and men of Teal ruched around the post, reading and studying the scroll that bores the words that will change their lives... and their country.

Tealean elders slowly backed away from the mass and grouped together, talking amongst themselves... trying to remember the legend they used to hear when they were young. Men of Teal, noble and not, started to walk away too. All of them only had one thing in mind... they couldn’t wait to get their hands on the reward mentioned in the scroll. Heaps of gold and silver slowly forms inside their heads and masked of greed appears on their faces as they walk towards the Baron’s manor, ready to take on the quest of finding the legend of the unearthed forces that wasn’t really a legend at all.

Only two people were left behind. Both were looking at the parchment pinned on the board... thinking the same thought... feeling of the same certain feeling... but their faces were devoid of any emotion building up inside of them. They were oblivious of the surrounding, the same way the people around them were... eyes were focused on the words written on the scroll as if their lives depended on it. And, yes, their life... all of them... depends on it. Only time will tell when... but one thing the both of them was sure of was, it’s sooner than they expected it to be.

“We should go back...” the older one have said, still looking at the piece of paper on the wall. The younger nodded in agreement yet not looking at the other man beside him but on the map of Teal... on a certain spot in the Forbidden Forest. His eyes linger on it for a while as his fist balled when his stares travel down south... on a patch of trees that borders the forest and the town. He was drawn out of his reverie when he felt a tap on his shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Strong wind passed by the plaza, engulfing the few villagers flocking the area in coldness. And the two hooded figures can’t be seen anywhere... not leaving any trace nor sound... as if they weren’t even there in the first place.

A/N: sorry for the late update... it's really the first time for me to write a fantasy novel so i was having a hard time coming up with words and all... so i probably at this most of the time... sorry & thank you for sticking up & waiting for updates... i'll try my best to update, but i decided that i'll post monthly for this fic so i could give myself time to work on this better coz the next chapters are gruesome to write with XD