𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐌'𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐘 † THE WITCHER (ORIGINAL)

𝖎. 𝔣𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔤 (𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔬𝔫𝔢)

"In fact," Ruselm took a deep breath, an action he often forced himself to take in order to keep his emotions in check. He forced a tight smile. "I haven't. They're not fond of the terrain there, but up by Sodden? I'm not surprised. Now, gentlemen, I'll be taking my leave. Thank you for your invaluable information."

He turned to leave before either idiot could open their mouth with a retort. Flames chased Ruselm all the way to the edge of the forest, heat rising up the back of his neck and hot on his heels. The Nazairian was more apoplectic with anger and annoyance than he'd originally estimated, the emotions only fueling him further to take his first step past the treeline and into the darkness the canopy offered with the dying sunlight. This darkness matched the shadow of his soul.

Tenebrosity loomed in the air, black shadow engulfing the entirety of the forest surrounding the cluster of the village homes and shrouding the environment around Ruselm with a blanket of darkness. The air itself had become three shades darker, a chilly wind blowing between the tree trunks as he stepped carefully over rocks and sticks in his path. He knew his way to the river where the warg was spotted, having roughly sketched a map of the area around this town at Ruselm's arrival a few days prior.

That was the author's routine: arrive in a completely new area, map the surroundings, pester the merchants and travelers, read their notice board and maybe nick the drawings and descriptions of monsters from there. Interview the villagers, write in his journal. Every part of this way of life came naturally to him as though Ruselm were never meant to settle down and live a life of silence or solitude.

No, he couldn't see himself doing anything but traveling.

The man's home in Nazair had been extravagant but simple, built by the hands of generations of men from Ruselm's family. His great, great-grandfather, Florys the Strong, had been the one to begin the foundations of their home and Ruselm's grandfather, Stefan, had finished them. Theirs was built with care and attention to detail but it had been no home for the aspiring author.

How could he cultivate his mind if he stayed cooped up his whole life in a house only he had known? The answer was simple. He couldn't, and it was when Ruselm had reached manhood that he ventured from Nazair into the world unknown. Travel to places he had only ever heard of was particularly difficult; the road was long and lonely, and he often missed the companionship of his childhood playmate, Maurits, who had been by his side since birth.

They were not related but Maurits's father worked under Ruselm's. The boys grew together, fed from the same breast, played together, learned together, read stories together. Leaving behind his faithful companion was the hardest thing Ruselm had ever done, though in the end he knew it must be so. The world would not wait for him, thus he could not dally when matters of adventure called his name.

Maurits had vehemently disagreed.

Though this journey was not about Maurits. It was about Ruselm of Nazair, author and adventurer extraordinaire! The Nazairian would brave beasts and men alike if it meant he could one day live up to his dream of creating the perfect bestiary.

Quiet, Ruselm. His instinct chided him, calming the thoughts that continued to swirl and consume his mind and leveling the cries at his injustice in mere seconds. Ahead, do you hear it? Ahead, ahead, ahead. Water. Snarls. The warg.

Ruselm quieted. Listened. And he heard it.

The gentle gurgle of the river that cut its way through the forest, powerful swaths of water rushing over stone smoothed by years of patient pressure. There was the disruption of the tributary's harmony, an aggressive noise cutting in and out, which could only belong to the warg himself as the sound was a wolf's guttural growl. A rolling noise, nasty to hear and terrible to behold. He could tell it was close and crouched low to the ground, ducking between trees as he neared the water.