Shadows of Tyr's Vengeance

Chapter 1

It was a breezy Autumn day, I clung to my cloak trying to keep myself warm. The dying leaves crackled under my feet and warm pools of light dotted the ground. The cold wind started to blow harder and harder "I have to find some shelter" I thought to myself. After a while of walking, I then saw a building in the faint distance.

"Thank the Gods" I muttered to myself

The building was a run-down shack. It's once tamed yard was dry, dead and scraggly dandelions dotted it. The paint peeled on the outside from years of neglect and the roof's shingles draped over the porch and some were missing. Hummingbird vine grew wildly on the house; from the ground wrapping around and into the chimney. I sighed in relief.

"This will do for now I guess..." I said to myself.

Inside was just as bad as the outside. The floorboards creaked in agony, there were holes in the walls. The vines clotted in the fireplace. The air smelled of musty mold and rotting wood. I breathed in deeply and looked for a room where the floor was decent.

I cautiously tiptoed around. I first went to the kitchen, which I didn't expect to find anything, just more curious; surprisingly I found a few jars of canned meat. I didn't expect it to be good, and also it wasn't. I scrunched my nose and placed it back on the counter.

My stomach started to growl as I sighed and continued to rummage through the pantry. But all I could find was more cans of meat, I frowned due to finding only cans instead of something more...delectable.

After a few hours of scavenging, I decided to rest since I was tired of walking. I found a bedroom that wasn't rotted and moldy and decided to sleep in the bed. But as soon as I moved the covers, maggots and other disgusting insects wriggled, squirm and scamper off the bed. I nearly gagged in disgust and hopped back "So much for a nice and comfy bed" I said in my head.

I really didn't expect to be sleeping on the floor but I guess it was better than sleeping in a bed with all those disgusting bugs scampering all over my body. I closed my eyes and curled up, in the hope of getting some good rest.

*Three hour timeskip*

My body shivered and I wrestled myself awake. I feel something crawling up my spine. I panic and tug at my shirt frantically. I spin around and I finally grab it with my right hand. It crunches and I feel an instant cold ooze. I shiver intensely and take my shirt off. I quickly flip it inside out and look at the green and brown-flaked stain. I shudder, it was some kind of large bug. My eyes widened when I soon took it off my back and threw it to the floor. It was a Fyra beetle. They're extremely poisonous and I was lucky that I noticed it before I got bit by it or I would have been good as dead. I turned around and saw a whole nest of them. I was frightened for my life and froze in fear, I looked at them and it looked like there was about one hundred and fifty of them give or take.

I slowly inched my way to the doorway, trying my best not to get seen or heard by them as my daggers that were placed on my belt scrapped the floor. I heard a lot of clicking sounds coming from them which meant that they were in an alarmed state, I panicked and slowly got up and tiptoed out of the shack and into the cold harsh night. I soon sighed in relief, clenching my heart as I felt it beating rapidly from the adrenaline I experienced; I soon felt faint and collapsed on the side of the path...I didn't even bother grabbing my shirt.

*four day Timeskip*

Again, I walk in solitude. Amongst the trees, the fields, and the loneliness. Since the shack, three days ago, I made my way past creeks and found an old dirt path, a shortcut from the main road to the nearest village, Lydan.

I heard that it was a peaceful village, filled with nice and joyful people which made me smile a little, as I kept my hood over my head and I managed to arrive at the village. The people muttered and whispered amongst themselves as they saw me. I was a little worried about what they would say to me since they never have seen my kind before; there were species such as wolves, foxes, and felines and ungulates. One of the townsfolk who was fox came up to me and greeted me kindly:

"Why hello there traveler! Welcome to Lydan!" The fox grinned brightly as I asked in return with a solemn tone.

"Do you know where I can find the inn?" the fox nodded and pointed over to a building with a sign labeled "The Sleeping Dragon"

I smiled and thanked the fox as I started to make my way over towards the inn. I stepped in, the door, huge with stained glass windows, embroidered with twisted oak limbs and heavy. My back ached and it was hard to push. Inside were huge towers of books lined the walls, carts with pastries and fresh fruit sat, candles with hard wax cementing them to tables and lighting the room in soft yellow light. My jaw dropped and a feeling of awement rushed over me.

The innkeeper, medium height, chubby, and was a mixed dog breed. He wore a vest with a white sweater underneath, an apron for coins and other things, and black pants and shoes.

I approached him and asked, "Um excuse me, may I get a room please?"

The dog nodded and asked, "You have any weapons, sir?"

I nodded and handed him my daggers, he took them and put them into storage with other people's weapons.

He then told me "For a room, it's seven shivels,"

I nodded once more and thankfully I had enough for a room. The dog outstretched his paw, his huge fingers slowly wrapped around the shivels like a venus flytrap catching a fly.

Soon after the dog gave me a key for my room, I made my way upstairs and saw a few rooms. The room key read the number seventeen. I went up to my room and unlocked it; that soothing click sound it had, very pleasing. The room was adequately small but I honestly didn't complain.

There was a single bed, a writing desk, and a wardrobe; I was eager to hit the sacks. I fluffed my pillow and covered myself with a warm blanket. I smiled because I had somewhere decent to sleep instead of risk dying or have maggots and cockroaches crawling over me as I slept.