The Lady of Shadows

The First Adventure

    The party ended quietly while I returned mother to her quarters. I began packing a small bag and used the magic skill I created called  Shadow Storage to store any large items like weapons and clothes. I made sure I had something for any event that could happen and shoes to match. I also stored my collection of journals with a baseline for all the styles I was building as my own. I made sure everything was in order and then I went to bed. 

The next morning I kissed mother good bye at breakfast and went to see the Lord in his throne room where he waited as I entered.

    "Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked. I nodded.

    "I need to learn everything this world has to offer." I answered. 

    "Very well, I can transport you to the forest edge where you will be alone. All I ask is that you stay in contact with your mother. She in turn will update me on any major events." The Lord said. His smile looked strained. I tilted my head and looked at him. 

    "No usual distain?" I asked.

    "You are my child. You are far stronger than I could have ever hoped, so strong that you could likely take everything from me, yet you only care for your mother. I am proud of you and the woman you have grown into... but my heart still beats." He said quietly. For the first time ever his smile was gone and a sad look crossed his face. The shock of it made me freeze.

    "Uh... Lord...." I struggled to find something to say... He looked at me with that sad face and it was even creepier than his smile, "Look, I still don't like you." I spat, "You have never been there for me or my mother until my power was obvious. So Don't drop that creepy ass smile acting like you care about me." I said. The look that crossed his face was somewhere between pain and anger, then almost as quickly as it faded, the smile was back. 

    "Well, you need to go on your way now. Have a safe trip." He said and snapped his fingers. 

****

I opened my eyes and saw the green of the forest. The trees gave way to a field... beyond the field I could see a small village. I took a breath. I needed a plan. I sat down and opened a new journal. I began writing out goals and plans. I focused on progress to gain power and a title. From where I sat the village looked to be a poor community so I figured I could start there. Build the community up, then advance to a nearby larger city where I could make a name for myself as an adventure. With that I could get a high rank and attract the attention of the nearest king and maybe help solve some issues and then bam. Title. I could get Mother and then move on to higher titles... Sound plan.... provided I had the opportunities line up right.

    I headed into the village. I was right it was in a poor state. Many of the villagers looked starved or sick... The children sat quietly... It was sad to see. An Old man approached me and looked me over.

    "Not many like you in this area." He said.

    "I see that... What happened here? Everyone looks starved..." I answered.

    "They are. The lands have dried up, and our hunters have yet to return with anything substantial to feed everyone..." The old man said.

    "Could I help? I have magic, and though I am small, I am strong and agile as well." I offered.

    "If you could help the hunters track food and water.... We would be in your debt." The old man nodded, "But I have little hope of that." He wondered off. I shook my head. People always considered the worst or underestimated someone based on the way they look. But still I tilted my head and listened. The sounds of nature were far to quiet, but still there. I could faintly hear a stream... and where there was water, there was food. I quickly turned and followed the sound. Eventually I found a roaring waterfall. I looked around to see a way to carve out the land to lead the water to the village... Nothing stood out so I opted for magic. I focused on shifting the ground. Slowly the land obeyed and a trench formed and traveled all the way back to the village the water spilled over and rushed through the new channel. With That done I tried focusing on some big game. Boars or Elk would do wonderfully. Eventually I found them. A heard of Elk. Perfect... Three should be enough... I took out my bow and aimed. I fired the arrows in rapid session and each arrow hit its mark. Three large male elk... I walked over as the rest of the heard scattered. I used Shadow Storage to pick up the soon to be dinner. 

I returned to the village to see the children playing in the water of the new river I had stopped at the edge of the village. I could add to it to have the fields self watered, but I would wait for that. Instead I emptied the Elk from my magic space and watched as the people swarmed in to begin cooking them. I smiled... This would be easy. A few days of hunting for them, and I could use magic to build better homes and a village wall... Just takes a little time... but this was a great start. The children ran around with renewed energy and the adults were hard at work preparing the meal. I returned to the river I created and began spreading it to make a pond before branching it out to make smaller streams to the crop fields. This would allow the ground to become fertile again and make planting crops much easier. 

    I would work here for a few months to start out with.... A solid plan.