'The Rising...'
"Hey kids..." An annoyed voice asked.
On the side of the road two young boys around seventeen or eighteen could be seen. Both stopped when they heard the voice and turned finding a strange robed man standing near an old dead tree. The mans arms were crossed as he stared at the two kids.
"Y... Yes?" One of them asked.
"You kids wanna make some quick cash? I need you to sprinkle something somewhere, and bring a certain boy along... I'll make it worth your wild..."
"Like how?" The boy asked.
"Glad you asked..." The man said pulling out a small coin purse and giving it a few shakes. "What do you say... Wanna help me play a little prank on someone... A boy. Named Davi Hawker?"
"Davi?" The second boy said. "Yeah we know him. Honestly he's... Kind of weird... We only hang out with him because hes strong and helps us hunt for treasure sometimes. Still... Even if we don't like him... This... Prank... It wont hurt him will it?"
"Of course not..." The robed man said shaking his head. He held up another bag of black powder. "Trust me... All you need to do is go to that old bridge at the edge of town and sprinkle some of this on it... Lure Davi there and... Well Fate will take care of the rest." He chuckled.
"I don't know about this..." The second boy mumbled.
"Come on. Whats the worst that happens. Davi gets a little spook?" The first boy laughed. "Honestly he'd have it coming. Always flashing that smile with those damn teeth... It gives me a heart attack when ever I see into his jaws. Like looking into the jaws of some beast. I'd say lets do it. Besides. Davi is so strong this wouldn't do anything."
"I... I guess..."
"Then we have a deal..." The robed man said, the hood moving ever so slightly to show a small smile on his face...
Meanwhile...
Davi let out a small yawn as he laid back on his bed. He gave a small hum as his fingers went through the strange beasts fur. "What's a good name for you?" Davi asked staring down at the beast.
Currently he was in his room. It was pretty bland with a simple bed, and a ceiling fan, as well as a dresser and some other stuff. The only thing that really stood out was a glass case that was on the shelf next to him. In the glass an old, rusty, and broken down, ruby red guitar rested. It was covered in cracks, and most of the strings were snapped off. Ten empty holes ran along the edge of the guitar.
It had been his dads... The man had used to play it all the time before he left...
Iris, and Gloria were in their own rooms, and Bronze finally left a fact they were all glad for as the wolf man didn't seem to really get what was happening. Their Grandpa Jin would be down in his dinner located somewhere in the town on Wasteland.
"Cath!" It barked out in the strange way it could mimic sounds it heard.
"Cath... Nah that's a dumb name." Davi tilted his head back as he seemed to think it over for a second. Finally he snapped his fingers as a smirk crossed onto his face showing off his fanged and jagged teeth. "How about Jakey?"
"Cath!"
"Your names Jakey."
Jakey let out several barks as it cocked its head at him. It jumped off of the bed and walked towards his door and began to scratch at it over and over again letting out several barking sounds.
"What? You want to go for a walk? Sure thing." Davi stood up grabbing a light grey jacket that was on his bed a slipping it on. He walked towards the door slowly pushing it open as him and Jakey stepped outside. "Sis we're heading out."
"Okay! Just stay out of trouble. Don't get into another fight with that Tom boy. I'd hate for you to get punished before your birthday." She yelled from her room. "Oh and be back before supper."
"Come on Jakey. Let's head to the best spot in town. I wanna show you off to my friends-" Davi stopped as he eyed the forest up spotting Bronze standing in it.
There were several other people all walking throughout the forest, all dressed in their cloaks, with the symbol of their guild on it. Some backwards Dragon Head skull? It was a kind of creepy looking symbol and he didn't know any Guilds that used it. Than again he didn't like Guilds to begin with. Mostly because they were always trying to get him to join. But he couldn't leave the island. Not when Gloria couldn't also.
"Never mind..." Davi hummed turning around. "Let's go-"
Davi felt himself suddenly stumble as he suddenly was tripped over a foot falling towards the ground. He hit it with a loud thud letting out a groan, while Jakey began to bark. As Davi looked up he let out a loud hiss.
"Oh not you..."
"Hey Hawker!" Tom said giving a small little wave to the downed black haired boy.
Tom, and Jack, always seemed to travel in a pack together doing all sorts of manner of things. Davi often got dragged into it as well but recently tried to move away from it as his sister always got on to him.
"W... What is that thing..." Jack stuttered staring at Cath.
"Never mind about the freaky cat dog monster." Tom said shaking his head. He held his hand out and helped Davi back to his feet. "Listen Hawker. Jack and I are gonna go down to Galahad Bridge and look for treasure." He announced. "Wanna come."
"Nah." Davi let out a small yawn and rested Cath on his head. The cat like monster latched onto his skull and began to purr as Davi threw his hands behind his head and gave a sheepish shrug. "I don't feel like running around there. Besides. We never found anything no matter how much we looked anyways so whats the point. All the treasure is gone."
"O... Oh. Thats a shame." Jack said. "Well Tom guess he doesn't want to go. We tried-"
"Now hang on." Tom said giving a smirk. He threw his arm around Davi's shoulder and dragged the boy to the ground as they crouched down. "It's been ages since we've gone... Also..." He reached into his cloak and pulled out a bag of coins. The kind the robed man had given him. Davi's eyes lit up when he saw them. "Listen here Hawker." His smirk grew as he jingled the bag. "Good ole Jackey and I actually found a secret cave past Galahad Bridge... When we entered that cave it was filled with Bells. Golden Bells. Silver Bells. Bronze Bells. Even Diamond Bells... Enough to fill it up. I'd say we finally found the hidden treasure spot those elders always name drop... They do say that the Holy Knight Galahad came here looking for the Grail after all... There were so many coins Jack and I have no hope of holding all of them. Thats why we came to you buddy old pal."
"Even a single Diamond Bell is worth more than this whole island..." Davi murmured a smirk on his face. "I could provide for my sisters and Jin for years... And I bet my dad would come crawling back begging for all that money. Man it'd be so good to tell him to leave."
"S... So you'll come?" Jack asked.
Davi and Tom both stood up as Davi flashed a thumbs up. "Yeah. Lets go."
"Glad you're coming Davi." Tom announced. "After all... For all we know this cave could be filled with Ghosts. I'd love to have someone with Mana around to fight them off. As someone who deals with Oddity Beasts you should be able to handle a few Ghosts right?"
"Ghosts aren't real." Davi said rolling his eyes.
Tom snorted at that. "We live in a world where people can blow up mountains with words, and you draw the line at the existence of ghosts? You have the teeth of a shark? But ghosts... Ghost aren't real... I mean... Look at the thing in your arms? What kind of unholy abomination is that cat, beast? But Ghosts... Ghosts aren't real?"
"Hey man you gotta draw it somewhere."
Jack let out a sad sigh folding his arms. "Alright..." He said casting his eyes down. "Lets go I guess."
"Whats his issue?" Davi asked.
Tom just shrugged. "Nothing. Nothing. Now lets go."
Sometime Later and the group found themselves at a new spot. Past the village was a large forest filled with many wonders such as flowers, trees, animals. Okay it wasn't actually all that special.
But past the forest!
Past the forest was a large water fall that led down a ledge. Connecting the ledge to the other side was a massive stone bridge. Galahad Bridge. A bridge named after the Brave Knight who was tasked with finding the Holy Grail in order to save King Arthurs life after his fatal injury in his battle with Lancelot. They say there was vast treasure beyond that point such as money, magical weapons, and some people even claim a creepy statue that looks like an egg shaped man can be found in a cave.
They also say 'damn kids stop crossing that soaking wet bridge, you'll slip and fall to your death' but when has a little thing like mortal danger stop the idiot trio.
"So..." Tom said as they all stopped in front of the bridge. "Who wants to cross it first..."
The bridge connected their side to a second cliff that led down further into the island. That was where the treasure was said to be hidden. However because there was a water fall next to it, it meant that the bridge was quiet literally soaking wet, water pouring down it. And below the bridge was a massive drop. Even with the water at the bottom most people would die. The bridge also didn't have railings meaning one slip on that water and well...
There was a reason kids weren't allowed in the forest.
Davi let out a sigh holding Cath in his arms. "Alright, alright. I'll go-"
"N... No." Jack announced walking to the bridge. "I'll go!"
"Jack wait the-"
Jack ignored Tom and Davi as he stepped onto the bridge the water raining down onto him as he slowly walked across it. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be spouting off prayers constantly before finally stepping onto the other side. He turned around looking confused.
"N... Nothing happened?" He questioned.
"Way to go Jack." Davi called out. "My turn." Tom frowned but nodded his head as Davi stepped onto the soaking wet bridge and began to slowly walk across it. He went slow making sure the water wouldn't cause him to slip. He also had to hold Jakey down in his arms. Thankfully Jakey didn't seem bothered by the water simply resting in his arms as they were soaked to the core. "I'd likely be able to live from the fall." Davi mused looking down. "But the lake down there would kill me for sure... I really should learn to swim."
"Don't fall." Tom called out.
"Yeah, yeah." Davi said rolling his eyes.
"No seriously don't fall. It's death." Tom called out.
"I know. Now shut up... I'm trying to focus-"
Davi stopped when he heard the loud growls of Jakey. Jakey's growls were very loud, and not like any animal or sound he'd ever heard. It was as if you took every animals scared growl in the world, and merged them into a new sound, than played that new sound backwards and messed with the pitch of it. The sound was strange and weird, but judging by the way he showed his teeth, and the way his fur stood up, Jakey was scared of something. Davi had almost tripped right then and there, but caught himself at the last second as he held the small Oddity Beast which began to thrash around.
"Jakey what's wrong?" Davi asked catching his footing.
"O... Oliver... Oliver..." The Oddity Beast said speaking in an older voice that made Davi's eyes go wide when he heard it.
"That voice... That was my fathers voice?" Davi said with wide eyes staring down at Jakey. "Do you know my father-"
"Davi look out!" The voice of Jack broke him out of his shock as he looked up and saw it. Large black cloud like things flying all around him. "But those are Eaters?" Jack said staring at the clouds. "Why are they here- Did the seeds that man gave us bring them?"
"Davi move!" Tom yelled right as one of the clouds slammed into Davi. Despite being made out of a gas it hit him hard enough to actually knock him over as he began to fall off of the stone bridge with wide eyes.
"No you don't!" Davi slammed his leg down so hard into the bridge it sunk into the stone and he used it as a foot hold as he fell back. He was literally hanging off of the bridge by a foot now holding the still hissing Jakey in his arms. "What the hell is going on..." He winced.
"Davi look out-"
One of the Clouds slammed into Davi and forced his leg out as he began to slowly fall past. He made a grab for the bridge but another cloud slammed into him spinning him around and causing him to miss the bridge and begin his fall into the waters below...
Just as soon as the clouds, or Eaters, as Jack called them formed, they all vanished as Davi fell past the Bridge falling towards the waters below and being overtaken by all the thick mist that hung in the air making it look as if he vanished. "Oh Gods! Davi."
"This wasn't... It shouldn't have..." Tom shook his head as he stared with wide eyes. "They should have just scared him... That man in the robes, said if we sprinkled those seeds there, it would summon them to just make him scared... He paid us to scare him, and said the Eaters would catch him when he fell... But they didn't... I didn't think they'd... We need to leave."
"What?"
"We're going!" Tom yelled at Jack staring at him with wide eyes. "If they see what I- What we did we're both in trouble. Nobody knows yet! We can just leave!"
"But-"
"Think about it Jack! We could get in huge trouble."
"I..." Jack's mind went to Davi for a moment as he stared down at the ground for a moment tears streaming down his face. "Y... You're right Tom... Lets go..."