The Huntress

Chapter 10

The colossal trees towering above were cloaked in a thick layer of frost and snow. The slow-moving river meandered, struggling to maintain its thawed state. Along the riverbanks, Weeping Willows extended their bare branches, delicately caressing the water's surface, creating gentle ripples. Patches of silkweed adorned the banks, while in the water, vibrant shoals of fish swam, displaying a spectrum of sizes and colours. Some possessed strikingly large eyes, while others boasted razor-sharp teeth. A few flaunted magnificent, silk-like fins that billowed gracefully with their movements. Stripes and spots adorned the scales of other fish. Despite the river's depth, its crystalline clarity rendered the bottom easily visible.

Hovering just above the water's surface were tiny insect-like creatures, barely discernible to the naked eye. Some were as small as a little finger, while others resembled toothpicks. Some sported delicate antennas, while others boasted butterfly-like wings. Certain beings appeared to be constructed from leaves, while a few wore mushrooms as head adornments. This place exuded an air of serenity, a realm suffused with enchantment. However, an underlying sense of cynicism pervaded the atmosphere.

In the midst of this tranquil scene, a young woman's lifeless body floated along the river. Her white hair billowed, forming an ethereal halo around her. Her face bore a pallid complexion, with traces of blood seeping from her wounds. The once vibrant golden swirls adorning her body had faded, no longer emanating the vibrant energy of life. With her eyes fluttering open ever so slightly, it was the sole indication that she still clung to life. Observing from the riverbank, a tall and muscular man, having just leaped down from a tree branch, rushed to her side. Gently, he retrieved her from the water and placed her on the riverbank. Against the backdrop of the snow, her skin appeared even paler.

The man shed the animal skin acting as his coat and draped it around the young woman. Sliding his arms beneath her shoulders and knees, he cradled her in his arms before venturing into the forest. As he carried her, the woman mumbled unintelligible words, her injuries on her face appearing fresh but already displaying signs of healing. Facial wounds typically take two to three days to heal, yet her skin, pale and wrinkled, indicated that she had been adrift for well over a day and somehow managed to survive. The treacherous waters held a dangerous allure. Someone wanted this girl's survival—no, someone needed her to live.

Pausing in his steps, the man contemplated this revelation, scanning the surrounding sacred land known as the Oasis of Tranquility. His eyes widened in astonishment as he surveyed his path from where he had retrieved the woman. The once snow-covered terrain was now devoid of ice, frost, and any trace of its wintry mantle, as if it had never existed. Redirecting his attention to the woman in his arms, he resumed his steady stride, determined to seek answers and protect her at all costs.

Terrasen was a peaceful land for the ones classed as supernatural or the creatures you hear about in myths and legends, filled with mysterious and dangerous plants and animals, with moving lands, walking forests and even more mysterious people. Where the seasons were in a different order and the water glows in the dark. 50 years prior, Terrasen was attacked and fell. After this humans saw Terrasen as free reign, slave traders,and human traffickers. The country was practically destroyed, almost unsalvageable. Dawn decided to use her training and rage for her fallen home and start to take down the organisations. It took three years but she managed to not only completely destroy the organisation but also scare off the Kingdoms who were involved.

To rebuild her Kingdom, Terrasen, she quite literally single handedly re-built the country by using her ore, she rose the trees higher than the tallest mountain and made the water even more fresh than the fallen rain, creating small caves for her people and huts in the trees. The most sturdy branches for the creature to live along with the darkest of holes. She made a Kingdom with beauty and peace, whatever she took she gave back ten fold. The soil grew richer and the air fresher. That was when people came looking for refuge. She gave homes to slaves and criminals alike. She gave people hope when there was nothing left. Soon her Kingdom grew, but so did whispers of her reputation. By rebuilding Terrasen, she used all of her energy and had been trying to regain the energy to have her Ore back to the strength it used to be, in that time she was scared that other Kingdoms and countries would try to attack, but the fear she caused left the country in peace, and the courage she showed gave her people even more reasons to not only trust her and her judgement, but to live harmoniously with each other.

Terrasen is a country, well an island. A big island, where there is highly advanced technology, yet the people do not rely on it, mostly they rely on the land. This country is filled with giant forests, mountain ranges (some float), lakes and rivers. They are a more tribal country, living off of the land. The Autumn Cedar Tree, is a giant hollowed out tree from the Kingdom before, other trees grow off of its branches as well as on the inside, which is how the people get around it. Other Autumn Cedar Trees grow around it, they're just not as big.

The natives are Terrasinian, they are people with skin ranging from the darkest of browns to the palest of beiges, with decorative, golden swirls and patterns on their face which glow when they feel strong emotions. All have long, dark hair with the most vibrant of eyes, ranging from blues to greens. They are the ones who live in the trees, making small huts. Every morning and dusk, the whole village gathers in the Autumn Cedar Tree for meals, rather than eating at different times of the day. This was all a decision of the people, Dawn just respects it.

The clothing on Terrasen is made from animal skins, furs or silks from the leaves of different trees. All gems and stones are found in rivers, and the wood used for huts and fires is from dead trees or dropped branches. Everything that can be reused is, such as bones from hunts or toilet waste, which is used for compost, which is used for growing the fruit and vegetables.

The Werewolves, Elves and other creatures are people who take refuge on Terrasen, freed slaves of every kind. They make up their own small tribes dotted around the Autumn Cedar Tree. But further into the island, like on the floating mountains, or deeper into the forests, on the shores, are other native Terrasenians. Although all tribes have their leader, Dawn is the Empress, and is respected by all.

The other Kingdoms like Coperin, Dralon, and Ethipan, are powerful Kingdoms who reside and make up a country called Espor. Espor is a country much like Terrasen, they focus more on the life around them, they understand the importance of nature, they tend to steer away from technology.

Teva, Dulyvy, Vuca, and Segoza are Kingdoms which make up Cralor, where the Gathering of Kings is held. Cralor is a much more technologically advanced country, they tend to rely more on their technology rather than the skills of the past.

Thyentalos, Zloria, Osiba and Therenth make up Ashula. Ashula is the balance between the two, they hold quite a lot of technology, using items such as ovens, lightbulbs, refrigerators. But more is used with their military than the common people.

All have their cultures and religions, as well as their own way of living. This is why the alliance between Dawn and the other Kingdoms is a big deal, because she now has whole countries on her side with a much more vast knowledge of technology and the damage it causes.