The Myth Of A Dream

Towards Grimbar

Page 5

As you spend some time in the Hunters camp, you learn some thing about the strange world that you've entered. The world hasn't got day-and-night periods. The sky stays white all the time. The Hunters sleep and guard in shifts. It's in the eat room that the Chief of the Hunters looks up, after he has finished eating.

"How do you feel now, stranger?" The Chief asks you.

"I feel better." You answer.

"Good, because after sleeping, my men will bring you back to the city."

You look at the Chief, not sure what to say.

"So, finish your eating, then get some rest, because you have a long ride ahead of you."

As told, you eat your food, you drink your water and you go to your rest room. In the rest room you lay down on your hide and try to sleep.

"Wake up citizen! No time to be lazy!" You hear as you wake up.

You look aside you and see a Hunter standing at the entrance of the rest room.

"Come on! The men are waiting!"

You shake your head to get yourself fully awake and you stand up. Behind the Hunter you step outside.

"Ah there you are! You lazy citizen!" You hear.

Following that, you hear the Hunters of the camp laughing. A group of six Hunters is sitting on top of horses, standing in the middle of the camp. Chief Ahtan is standing in front of the group of Hunters and he's looking at you.

"Get behind Ergil on the horse, citizen." The Chief tells you.

"Hold on tight. It's going to be a rough ride," says Ergil as you get up on the horse behind him. "We need to ride as hard as we can, Orcs and Wolves rule the hills and grasslands towards the city. Lean forwards and wrap your legs around the horse, citizen. So you don't fall off."

"Alright we go men!" Ergil, the leader of the group shouts.

And so the group of six Hunters, with you in their midst, ride out. Out of the camp, the group follows the sandpath along the river. The group keeps going through the forest on full speed.

A long ride takes you to the edge of the forest. Outside of the forest the path keeps following the river over some green hills. The mystical white sunlight fills the sky. On the open fields and grasslands you have a clear sight on your surroundings. Fields of grass paint most of the landscape. On your left and in the back you see high moutain chains, there are many forests in the far distances into all directions. In front and on the sides it's grasslands, sometimes as far as the eye can see. In the back you see the forest where you came out of, getting further and further away. All the time the group of Hunters keeps leading you over the sandpath alongside the river. On the other side of the river you see rocky hills appearing in the distance. Just before the rocky hills, you and the Hunters cross the river over a wooden bridge. On the other side of the river, the sandpath continues, from the open grasslands into the rocky hills. During the long ride, you feel that you could use some more sleep. Half dazed, tired you hold onto the horse, finding it hard to keep attention. On and on goes the ride between the rocky hills.

A sound can be heard in the back. The sound immediately shakes you out of your sleepyness. You look back, as you recognize the howling of a Wolf, from television. More howling can be heard from upfront. Shocked you look forwards.

"It's an ambush!" Ergil shouts. "Citizen, hold your arms around me! We will have to ride for our lives!"

You do as told. Ergil and the Hunters strike their horses with the handles, to make the horses go as hard as they can. Loud howling comes from the rocky hills on your left side. You look up and see the appearance of a grey Wolf. From the right you hear growling. With fear taking over your mind, you look in the direction of the growling. From that right side you see multiple Wolves coming down the hills, towards you and the Hunters. The sounds of the Wolves come from all sides now. As you look back, you see many Wolves chasing the group over the path. The eyes and teeth of the Wolves are of bloodthirsty killers. Those Wolves will tear everyone of the group apart.

"Go! Go!" You hear Ergil shouting to his horse.

Fearful as you are, you keep looking at your back and the sides. Between thirty and forty Wolves are now running behind the group. Growling and howling the Wolves continue to hunt you and the Hunters all the way through the rocky hills. The end of the rocky hills is in sight. After the last rocky hills, comes more open grassland. Along the river, in the middle of the grasslands, you see the walls of a big city.

"We made it!" You hear one of the Hunters saying.

"Look, the Wolves stop chasing us!" Shouts another Hunter.

You turn your head around. Indeed, the Wolves stop their chase right at the end of the rocky hills. The Hunters and their horses don't stop. In full speed the group heads over the path towards the gate of the city.

Grimbar

On top of the wall above the city's gate stands a guard.

"Open the gate!" Shouts the guard.

The two parts of the gate open, as you and the group come closer. The Hunters ride through the gate and together with you, they enter the city.

"Close the gate!" Shouts the guard.

Behind you the gate gets closed again, by two other guards.

"Halt!" Shouts the guard standing above the gate. "Who are you?! What purpose brings you here?!"

The Hunters stop as other guards come standing in front them.

"We are Hunters and we are heading for the Grimbar Inn." Answers Ergil.

"Alright, alright!" Says the guard. "Have orders from the City Head to check everyone coming in, since Men of the traitorous Thief Clan have been spotted in the city, robbing people at the market."

"But you can go. You Hunters smell too much to be Thieves." The guard laughs.

A little bit irritated by the guard's words, the Hunters continue their way into the city. Over the main road of the city, the group goes between the many citizens busy with their daily businesses. Somewhere along the main road the group stops, at the Grimbar Inn.

"Okay citizen, you are back within the safety of the city walls." Ergil says to you. "You can go your own way now. We will stay at the Inn, drink some, get some rest and then go back to the camp."

Struggling to find words, you step off the horse, together with the Hunters.

"I.. I want to thank you." You say to Ergil. "How can I ever thank you all for saving my life and for bringing me here."

"Don't need to." Says Ergil. "Just keep in mind that the world outside the city is too dangerous to go walk there all on your own. Next time there might not be anyone to help you out."

"Come with us, citizen." Says Belenir. "I will offer you a drink."

"Oh yes, Belenir is the Drink Head of us." Ergil laughs.

You have no idea what else to do, or where to go, it doesn't take long for you to decide.

"Alright." You say.

Together with the Hunters, you enter the Grimbar Inn.