When we finally reached the town of Woodside, I could see how it ha come by the name. It was in the middle of the forest and the houses, stores and other buildings had wrapped around the trees. The townsfolk like the woods and apparently wanted to keep it safe. "I've never seen anything like it." I said.
"You should see the towns inside the mountains, everything carved, it took years to make just a couple of rooms." Jacks replied as he looked at the map.
"Jasper if I remember correctly you have never really set foot out of your parents home in Underton." I nodded as I took in a blacksmith who was making a sword on an anvil, the anvil itself was a stump with metal bent over the top. "Each town and village was picked for a reason. It used to be, in the first era the king of our land was cutting down trees and the like. It wasn't until his son became king that it was decided that nature should be inspiration, and to not try and change it. It was because of the first king's adviser who had been a wizard and helped raise the second king, King Constantine, that this happened. Each place where a town or village is helps with something. Woodside and forest villages supply nuts, berries and small farms; while the mountains contain the metals we need for weapons and even our currency."
"How do you know all of this?" I asked, Jacks had finally figured out the map and we were heading to the house of the an who had asked for help.
"That wizard was an ancestor of yours, and I was his familiar." I could see he wasn't focused but actually in his own memories and I decided to leave him alone since he wouldn't talk while in front of other people.
"Jasper, come here boy. Ok since the captain assigned us this mission for you to get the idea of how we work, you will take lead as of now."
My eyes widened and I knew he was not kidding with me like he did in training. I nodded, knowing I would not be able to change his mind. I sighed and walked to the door and knocked.
I could hear footsteps inside as someone came to the door and it surprised me when I saw the man.
He was six feet tall and half of his head was covered in very short white hair, the other half was covered in scars,four long scars, his eye had been caught in the middle. I tried to not look shocked as I talked. "Good morning sir, we are from the local guild and. . ."
"Yer wizards? I didn't ask fer no wizards. . ."
"No sir, the local fighter's guild. I just wanted to inform you that we were here and going to take care of the problem and hoped you might be able to tell me where the bear was last seen? Or maybe where he has been spotted the most."
"Somewhere in these woods is where he be. But no one has found him, those have come back at least."
I gulped and pressed on. "Do you know where most of the men have tried to look for it?"
"The only thing I can tell ye is it likes the west side of town, only the town's on the west have lost crop and the like."
"Thank you sir."
"Young master?" I turned back around from walking away. "You plan on offing the beast yerself is it?" I nodded. "Watch yer back son, stronger men have tried and failed. When it's done. . .If it's done, go to the Lord's estate in the center of town, the large oak is his." And with that he closed the door.
"Cheerful." Felix sighed and climbed back into my satchel. "Shall we?"
I took my bow out of my pack and easily strung it. I looked over the dark wooden re-curved bow, checking the etchings and making sure there were no cracks. I drew it a couple of times and listened in case I had missed anything, and then looped it around my shoulder and we headed into the woods on the west side of the town.
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