Lancel was sitting outside his house, a chair beneath him and a table in front. He was deep in thought, puffing at his pipe, mind circling back to the stranger he had met today.
How was it that a boy from faraway Greenlands ended up in a distant town of Ager, searching for a cure to a poison? He could have gone to Greylands—the land of the rich and advanced, with better medical mages. Instead, he crossed it, along with the wide sea, only to come here… to this god-forsaken land of the wicked, impish, and evil.
The creak of the main door broke his thoughts. He turned his head. The stranger was walking slowly toward him. It had been five days since he came here, doing nothing but eating and sleeping.
“How many days has it been?” the stranger asked.
“Today will be your fifth since arrival. You look well-rested and fresh,” Lancel replied.
“You are uncommonly kind, Mr. Lancel. During my travels in these lands, I came across many people, and none were up to any good,” the stranger said in a grateful tone.
“There is no need to thank me. Originally, I am not from these parts either. I came here and settled ten years ago. I got into a serious problem with the Mafia in Greylands and had to leave my home and business. I escaped and settled here with the help of some gold I had saved for times like these. I had no family, so it wasn’t very difficult to do.” He kept going.
“But what about your son?” the stranger asked, meaning Selor.
“Oh, that is a story for another time. But for your knowledge, he is adopted,” Lancel said hurriedly, then threw another question as if he could not hold it in any longer.
“Come on now, tell me your story. Who are you? What happened to you? Why is a Greenlander all the way here, in this dark part of the world?” he asked in one breath.
“My name is Rehan Shah. I come from a mountain village in the eastern part of Greenlands. My story is a long one, and I would like to share it with you since you are my host and have treated me kindly. But my time is short—I must find the cure. All I can tell you now is that my beloved wife is on her deathbed. She was poisoned magically, using the venom of a green snake found on Fiendreum Island.” Rehan’s voice was hurried, his eyes filled with worry, as though he would die alongside her if he failed.
Lancel, understanding his concern, asked, “Who told you to come this far? Surely there are many healers in Greylands and Greenlands.”
“Before I left home, a healer in my village told me I would need two things to find this cure. One is the venom of the green snake from Fiendreum, and the second is the hex that caused it. I already acquired the venom while on the Island. For the hex, I need to find the oldest cave, on the shortest peak, near the dark forest. That healer is a very wise woman and has been in our village for seventy years,” Rehan explained.
“You went to Fiendreum?” Lancel’s eyes widened. “If it were anyone else, I would stop him. But seeing you, I know you wouldn’t listen even if I tried. So I’ll give you a map and a companion. My son is a fire mage, and without him, you’ve no chance of crossing this valley alone. I’m sure you’ve faced dangers on your travels already, but Ager Capitalis is another story. The evil here doesn’t sleep.”
“What about this small town? It doesn’t seem very dangerous. I saw a few night crawlers on the way last night, but other than that, it feels… protected,” Rehan asked.
“We are only on the starting edge of this forsaken continent. The deeper you go, the more dangerous it becomes. And this isn’t a town—it’s a necessity for the local beast king. Let’s just say he needs us, and we need him. But for now, forget I said that. The dark forest you seek lies at least 150 miles due north.”
“Alright, as you wish. I am very thankful for your hospitality and support. I don’t know if I should be putting your son in danger… Still, how can I repay you?” Rehan asked earnestly.
“Don’t worry about Selor. He is a fool, but a strong one. You leave tomorrow morning. I have things to take care of. For now, get some rest. I will tell Selor about the journey and ask him to prepare,” Lancel said, rising from his seat.
Rehan gladly accepted his help and began to get ready, still listening carefully to the barber’s warnings.
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