Chapter 2 cont...

The three of us made our way into the woods quietly, I kept a slight distance away from Jacks so if needed either of us could call each other. I heard the bird call that was our code and I looked over to see Jacks knelt down in the dirt. "Find something?" I asked. He nodded and pointed to the ground. As I took a closer look I could see the tracks of a bear, just like Jacks had said they would look like. when I looked closer something was not right. "It's a mother and her cubs, that's why so many animals have been taken probably." He nodded again.
"This just became a little harder."
We followed the tracks to see where the family was headed and found a cave. It was good size and would easily hold the three cubs and the mother bear. I motioned for Jacks to stay put as I took a closer look, I knew he would come and help if I was in danger.
Inside the cave there was still plenty of light to be able to see what was in front of me and I could almost make out the back of the cave. I stumbled slightly but recovered enough to not make a lot of noise, and I could tell at least one bear was in the cave because I could hear the sound of something crunching. When I looked down to see what I had stumbled on I did not know what to think. It was a bear skull. It was the mother's skull, the cubs were not big enough to do something like that which made me wonder what was eating in this cave.
I took my bow off of my shoulder and knocked an arrow, drawing it halfway and getting ready to fire. As I kept going forward I could see a small framed figured crouched down, gnawing on a bone, what looked to be the mother bear's leg. My heart started to race faster and then the figured stopped moving, almost as if it were listening but there was no way it could hear my heart. I fully drew my bow, aimed for a second and let it loose. A hand shot out and caught it in mid flight before it touched the back of its head. It turned around and I finally saw its face as it hissed and growled.
It was a little girl, no older then seven, half of her face was coated in blood as were her hands, it was even throughout her hair which was matted black and covered the other half of her face.
"Jacks!" I yelled as I saw her starting to run at me. Out of nowhere I saw his blade swoop down inches from my face and almost take off her fingers, she crawled backwards out of the way and stared at us growling. "That was quick."
"I was on my way in, I saw bear bones outside the cave, I take it this little tyke is the cause." I nodded, my eyes wide at what we had found. "Don't worry she's not crazy, just possessed it looks like. She's probably the one who ate the villagers animals too"
"Possessed?" I had heard stories but I never thought I would see someone who was, especially not a little girl who had taken out a family of a mother bear and her three cubs. "What do we do?"
"We're on the job, so we take care of the problem."

Chapter 2 Cont

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.

Chapter 2

It had been a year since I had walked into the Witch's Broom to join the guild. Jacks had become my trainer, an order from Master Ironside. The man himself was a legend. Wielding a hammer he used to use in his forge he protected his family when bandits had come to rob them blind. He wasn't trained to fight but he began the first guild in the kingdom for fighters, to help the soldiers protect this land.
Of course the man training me was quite the legend himself. Jacks "The Ripper", known for his sword play, the only man known to wield a two-handed sword in just one hand. No one knows how he can summon such strength, all anyone knows is that to fight him, bare-handed and with a blade, is risking your life. While he was training me he hadn't touched a drink, an order from the captain, and the captain's commands were law.
One day, we were training with swords, the captain came for a visit.
"Gentlemen." I looked away for two seconds and while I looked at the captain I saw the world turn upside down as Jacks hooked my leg and sent me spinning until I was flat on my back.
"Rule number 2. . ." Jacks said sipping his morning cup of coffee.
"Never take your eyes off your opponent." I sighed and I got up and dusted off.
"I see the training is going well."
"If you call a swift kicking of my. . ." Jacks cleared his throat." "Hind-quarters." I sighed.
"A little better." Jacks said, shaking the captains hand after having stuck his massive blade into the ground. "To what do we owe the pleasure sir?"
"I like seeing you formal but if you don't loosen up I think I might kick your. . ." Captain Ironside looked at me. "Ass." I couldn't help but smile. Despite every member of the guild being a bunch of fighters and brawlers, they all had a good heart. "I came here because it has officially been a year since young Jasper has joined us at the guild so I thought I would drop off this." He handed over a piece of parchment and when Jacks had unfolded it he scoffed.
"This is beneath me sir I. . ."
The captain's hand went up for him to stop. "But a good test to see how our new member is doing. It is about time he be introduced to our world. You know I began the fighting guild for things that range from helping rid a town of bandits to. . . Things of this nature. It is a good start and I hear he is quite the shot. Besides the army won't take care of things like this, they can barely protect us other countries wanting to fight us, and even then they call upon us themselves. No this is a fine start." And with that he began to walk back the way he had come to the Witch's Broom. "Good luck to the both of you."
I walked over to Jacks while he glared at the paper, almost as if he could set it on fire. "So. . . Where are we going?" I could not help but smile and slightly bounce up and down."
"If you are so agile now, why can't you do that in the ring?"
"I don't know I never thought about it." I finally gathered my courage and peaked over onto the paper, where in big bold letters it read:
Bear on a Rampage in Woodside
Has killed all of my livestock along with half of the town's
Reward for the hide
1,000 silver crowns
"A thousand silver crowns? Half the town must have pitched in to offer that."
"Must be quite the bear. So, grab your things, we leave tomorrow at first light."

The next morning we set off, I couldn't help be worried but this is what I had wanted, and it was now or never to prove myself. "Don't worry Jasper, you'll be fine. I've seen you practice." Felix poked his head out of my satchel and gave me his cat smile.
"Is that Cat?" Jacks turned to walk backwards so he could see, but when he saw Felix he ran over and grabbed him. "I knew it, I knew you would tag along."
"Help me" Felix whispered. I shook my head while grinning like the fool I was.
"Don't worry Cat, I'll keep him out of trouble," as he began to walk again.
"I told you my name is Felix for the hundredth time you barbarian, and of course I came with you, I promised to look after the young master."
"Awe such a sweet Cat for such a little man." He said.
"Don't talk to me like that I'm a grown man not some ball of fur fresh from the womb you imbecile.

Chapter One Continued

Walking into an actual town was different for me. I had pretty much lived at the house with my family. I had not really had interactions with anyone else even. So I watched everyone as I passed. The smells of fresh cooked food overwhelmed me. People were shouting trying to get [people to buy what they had, it could have been as simple as food or slaves or anything in between.
"Maybe you should stay quiet for now, I don't think people hear would it very much if they found out that you could talk." I whispered to my friend. He simply looked up at me and meowed so I pet his head.
I kept going and finally I came to the place I had been searching for. It looked like it would be out of business soon but with all the yelling from inside I didn't really think that would happen. I went to go inside but the door was pushed open by a man falling outside and into the mud.
"You son of a bitch! Why don't try that again while I'm lookin' at yah?" He stumbled back inside and I followed to see the outcome.
Inside the pub, known as the Witch's Broom, every known fighter, brawler, hired knight, or man who wanted to fight was here. It was the unofficial home of the guild I had come to find. Most of the men were yelling at each other while sharing stories, or drinking, or both at the same time. The others who weren't talking were fighting, whether in a circle around each other taking bets, or cheering the men on.
The man who I had seen get thrown, I assumed, outside was finally in front of his opponent and they were yelling quite fiercely.
"You're all washed up Jacks. You haven't been able to get a request for years, do you really think you can still fight let alone stand?" Finally the man who had been thrown, Jacks,  put all his weight into one throw and went to punch. The man who had spoken went to dodge but at the last second Jacks turned his fist a little extra and made contact. He stumbled back and laughed nervously. "You don't even have any weight b. . ." And then his eyes glazed over and the man fell over.
Jacks grabbed a mug from a nearby table to drank it before saying "I don't have any weight behind what? You may have barely dodged one hand, but next time watch closer for the second." He stumbled off to a corner to finish his mead.
My eyes were stunned at what I had just seen. That had been Jacks, the man said to have only lost once, the man who used his fists before his sword and never lost with his fists. This was the man that I had idolized, who I thought I would never meet but who I looked up to and who was apparently a drunk.
"Boy you look to be lost." I shook my head to clear my thoughts and noticed many people staring at me, in particular the bar tender and the man  in front of him at the bar, the guild's captain.
"No sir, I'm exactly where I wanted to be."
"From the look of yah, I would think you would want to heading up the college now wouldn't yah?" The men laughed and the captain went back to his drink. I looked down at myself and noticed that where most of the men had clothes that showed wear and tear, mine looked to be new and freshly washed. My arms were thin and weak where theirs were think and like tree trunks from wielding blades for most of their lives. But I clenched my hands and looked him right in the eye.
"No sir. I'd rather be here. I may look weak but that's because I need to learn and I'm willing to do anything to make my dream come true." No one laughed, everyone went quiet, even the men who were fighting in the rings were all looking at me or the captain.
"Tell me something boy." The captain finished his drink and turned to me. "Are you sure you want this? Are you ready to put your life on the line? You will be bullied for being new, you will be harassed and put to work and because you will be a member of this guild you would be looked down on for not trying your hardest to protect any of these men."
"My family thinks I am a disappointment, I hope to make a new one and show them what I can be."
He chuckled and order another drink, "You're in."

Ties that Bind Chapter One

            My father realized he could control the elements at the age of six. He danced outside in the rain for three hours that he had begged to happen until he got a cold. My mother knew she could talk to animals at the age of seven, when the neighbor’s cat was stuck in a tree and was crying for help. She climbed up to save it but ended up falling and breaking her arm. My sister has become an extremely renowned magic user for her ability of telekinesis and me, I was eighteen and my family had given up on me it seemed. My head was more into the books of adventures then in the practice of magic. “Try a little harder and maybe something will happen.” My father kept telling me. 

So the month after my birthday I told my parents I was going to the Guild. They both looked so confused until I told them it wasn’t the Mage’s College I was going to but the Guild of warriors. My father sighed and my mother, she smiled but I could see in her eyes that she didn’t believe I could make it. I set out to do or die. . . But my journey there and my adventures afterwards would long be told of all over the world.

“Jasper! Slow down!” I looked behind me to see my faithful companion yelling at me again.

 “I offered for you to ride in my pack but you decided against it you silly beast.” I laughed at him again. He caught up to me and I knelt down to scoop my family’s pet and ex familiar to my satchel.

“As a cat that is one thing but as a familiar. . ."

“Ex familiar thanks to me, remember?”I stated.

He sighed, looked at me and said, “That’s not your fault boy and we both know that. No one could expect you to. . . No one thought it was possible considering your family.” And then he climbed in and I stood up to start walking.

“I know.” I said. I sighed and began my pace again in silence. “You didn’t have to come with me you know.”

“And who will tell this glorious tale. . . If there is one.” We both laughed, knowing that it was most likely for nothing to happen instead of what I wanted.

“We’ll see now won’t we?” As I came to the top of the hill I could see the village below. That contained this country’s branch of the Guild. “We made it, the town of Oar."

"Are you nervous?" I shook my head at the question, "Liar."

"Very much so." I looked down and smiled at him as I started walking, "But no one needs to know that. As far as anyone is concerned I'm confident and. . .and. . .courageous." My voice cracked and I prayed to the gods that it didn't happen again while I was here.

A New World Indeed

Well well well. . . don't yell at me for not writing a new story! I have been so busy and messed up that I'm lucky I'm still alive on a half empty head and drunk mind from lack of sleep still! I'll get to it!
*sigh*
I do have something in the works. . . 2 actually but I want to try them out before I let them be viewed so be nice and wait!
But for those that follow me not just for my awesome story-telling but for my life as well I have some news.
*news theme*
I met someone. . . More like Passed over before realizing I was being looked at and then went. . . "Wait. . .you like me too?!?!?" I will not say names you all know this but know this. . .
OH MY GOD! This girl has me wrapped around her fingers and won't let go and it has only been two months! D:. . . But I love it! She's sweet, kind, caring, has a good head on her shoulders and is so much fun. I don't care who knows and baby if you read this I love you so much and I plan on sticking around for a while! :-*

Now I ended up moving in with my mother because of how bad things had gotten in my life but hopefully that will changing within the next month or two but hoping less. I am currently losing my job so now that I have some crazy amount of free time and maybe a little spunk I might get some much needed work done. You won't see my major story I am working on but I might fiddle around with a fun little piece on here from time to time.
*Thinking. . .Thinking. . .* I think that is it for now folks besides lack of sleep. . . .
mmmmm......sleeeep......why you no come see me Dx.....
goodnight...or good morning, which ever you prefer.

Uh oh. . .

Ok everyone I have some news. . . I have NO idea where my story is going...
*hides*
 I'm sorry but I don't. So. . .new story, new everything. . .

Oh boy. . .Here we go