The Past

Three children ran through a field, moving past the fertile pastures as workers tolled away, sowing their crops in the early spring of that year. The trio sprinted through the sprawling grass, half their bodies disappearing under its green caress. Up ahead, a hill emerged, a large oak tree sitting atop it. With increased fervor, the children charged towards it.

“Last one up is goblin food!” Will challenged, plunging ahead of the other two.

“Will! Will wait!” Mina gasped, lagging behind the group.

“You’re on!” Alan rasped, picking up the pace to match Will.

The two boys were soon side by side, cresting the hill and coming to a dead stop at the tree.

“I win!” Both boys declared.

“Ah, Mina looks like you’re dead,” Alan teased as the girl finally caught up.

“Not fair, you guys are so fast!” She protested.

The children sat down at the base of the tree, entertaining themselves in the presence of each other. Mina fiddled with a cloth she was learning to sew with, while Alan busied himself with a crude wooden pipe, attempting to play something resembling a tune, but instead he created disjointed, shrill notes of no particular rhythm. Will, on the other hand, read a book.

“Ricard killed a chimera with his bare hands!” Will lauded, leaping to his feet, the book still grasped in his hands. “He really did it! All without a skill, too!”

“Those are just fairy tales, Will,” Alan explained, playing another distorted note from his wood pipe. He was laying on the grass, the breeze blowing over him. “There’s no way a no skill could do that.”

“Why would they lie about it? It’s right here!” Will gestured the book.

“Just cause it’s written doesn’t mean it’s true,” Alan sighed.

“Whatever,” Will huffed. “I’ll prove you wrong, I’ll show you a no skill can become a great adventurer.”

“Good luck with that,” Alan waved, returning to his pipe.

“Will, you might actually have a skill, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Mina comforted. “Maybe it only activates in certain occasions.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Will wilted.

“Don’t lie to him,” Alan scolded. “Unless you are set to have a hereditary skill, you either born with it, or you don’t have it. I knew about my skill before I could even talk. I know it’s true for you too, Mina.”

“I…uh…” Mina stumbled, unable to think a rebuttal, instead returning to her cloth in defeat.

“It’s still not going to stop me,” Will defied. “When I’m old enough, I'm going to prove everyone wrong.”

“Can’t you focus on a more realistic job?” Alan asked.

“Oh, like getting into the bard college is realistic,” Will growled.

“What was that?!” Alan sat up, anger in his face.

“Come on, guys,” Mina mediated.

The two glared at each other, before returning to their respective busyness.

“It’s going to rain,” Alan pointed to the sky.

A few minutes later, it was pouring.

–

It was Will’s fifteen year when he joined the town guard. He was given a leather tunic, a wooden bucker, a short sword, and an afternoon of basic sword handling. His days consisted of patrolling the town perimeter and surrounding woods for bandits and stray monsters, escorting drunks home, and helping the elderly with their chores.

It was one day, the week of his sixteenth year, that he happened to see Alan on a street corner. He played a simple yet pleasant song on his pipe. There was a small clay bowl in front of him. It had a single cooper coin in it.

“Will.” Alan nodded in greeting. “What can I do today for my fine guardsman?”

“You got a permit for public playing?” He teased back.

“Nah,” Alan shook his head. “You see, I’m a dirty criminal who loves making work for my local law enforcement.”

“Seen Mina?” Will asked.

“Probably by the church. I think she’s serious about joining the monastery,” Alan chuckled.

“You got anything else to do other than making fun of people’s dreams?” Will asked. “Come on, let’s go pay her a visit.”

“Can’t you see I’m busy? Business is booming,” Alan gestured to the empty street. “All right, fine, let’s go.”

The church was a small wooden building just on the edge of the town. There was a little stone path that led up to it, with a few blooming flowers aligning it. At its steeple was the symbol of the guiding star, the mark of worship for the gods of the dungeon. The priestess that operated it was an ancient, squat old woman, nearly blind from her cataracts. She claims to have been the High Priestess once, but no one really believed her. She sat at the front of the church in a low rocking chair, seemingly half asleep, her white robes wrinkled under the afternoon sun.

“Mina!” Will waved as they entered the church courtyard.

The girl was sitting on a stone near the foot of the priestess’s chair, her face buried in a particularly long paper parchment that fell down onto her laps. She was scanning through it religiously, silencing chanting the prayers and verses in it to memory. She did not look up when she was greeted.

“Wayward lambs,” The old priestess croaked. “The young one is in her devotions, please do not bother her.”

Will and Alan gave each other a look. They waited for her to finish, taking seats on nearby stones. Perhaps half an hour later, Mina looked up.

“Oh, Will, Alan,” she blinked. Her eyes squinted from the constant strain. “When did you guys get here?”

“This morning, actually,” Alan shrugged. “Been sitting here all day.”

Mina looked concerned for a moment, before realizing it was a joke.

“What do you guys want?” She pouted. “Must be a slow day for the towns guard and local musicians.”

“Eh, I get most of my work in the tavern evenings,” Alan said.

“And it’s been pretty quiet lately for me,” Will answered.

“Honored Mother,” she turned to the priestess, who was snoring in her chair.

“What?” The old woman shot up. “Have you have finished your devotions?”

“Yes, honored Mother,” Mina said. “May I go with my friends?”

“Ah yes, sure.” The woman heaved herself to her feet slowly. Will motioned over and helped her up. “Thank you guardsman.” She turned to Mina. “You may go, but promise me you’ll be back for tea in the evening.”

“I will,” Mina assured.

Mina wore a similar vestment to the priestess, only it was a size too small for her, the hem of her cotton dress peaking out from under it. In her brown hair, she had braided a few flowers into a crown, somewhat resembling the headpiece of the honored mother.

“Shall we go then?” Mina said.

“Yeah,” Will took a step towards them, just for the priestess to grab his arm.

“Oh, guardsman,” she bellowed. “A quick word.”

Alan and Mina walked towards the gate of the church, standing and waiting there for Will.

“Yes honored Mother?” He leaned close to the old woman.

“I’ve been hearing strange things at night,” she pointed to the woods behind the church. “Unnatural things. I was High Priestess once, you know. I know what monsters sound like.”

“Oh,” Will nodded, turning his gaze to the woodland. “I’ll, uh, come by in my evening patrols, if that’s all right. Make sure there isn’t anything back there.”

The old woman smiled.

“Thank you,” she said.

Will joined his friends, leaving the old woman behind.

“Look at us, huh?” Alan danced, walking ahead of the pair. “A couple of right citizens, keeping society together.”

“That’s for sure,” Mina smiled.

“Two summers from now, I’ll be on my way to the bard college.” Alan declared.

“And i’ll be headed for the monastery.” Mina told them.

“And what about you Will?” Alan pointed. “Planning to stay here for twenty years, become an old and fat, corrupt guardie?”

Will just laughed. “You learn any healing spells yet?” he changed the subject.

“No,” She shook her head. “Too advance for me to learn. I have to memorize my basic chants first.” Mina stopped, stooping down into the dirt and plucking a cooper coin from it. “Sorry, skill activated.”

Will gave her a pained look, before forcing himself to look away.

“That old bag still saying she was a High Priestess, huh?” Alan continued.

“Every day,” Mina sighed.

The trio talked for several hours. Mostly it was Alan and Mina talking. Will kept to himself. He didn’t have much to say anymore, about the future or his dreams. He kept those tucked away. After all, he didn’t have a skill. It was stupid to dream without one.

The sun began to crest below the horizon, painting the town in an orange glow. The workers, sweat soaked and thirsty from a long day working the lands, stumbled back into the town proper, their destination the tavern.

“Oh no,” Mina realized. “It’s getting late. Honored Mother gets very grumpy when she doesn’t get her evening tea.”

“Yeah, I have got to get to the tavern soon, otherwise I won’t be making any coin tonight,” Alan sighed.

“And I volunteered for extra evening patrols,” Will added.

“We’re all super busy, huh?” Alan laughed. “Hard to hang out anymore. Ah well, this is life.”

“I’ll be heading back,” Mina said.

“Let’s walk you,” Will said.

“Mina’s a big girl, she can make it back,” Alan shrugged.

Will gave him another sharp look.

“All right, fine,” Alan relented.

The trio walked back towards the church. Already the insects had come out. Their song droned, playing an evening melody better than Alan could ever hope of playing. They reached the edge of the church courtyard, bidding their farewells to Mina.

And then the Honored Mother screamed.