The sun was setting behind the tall trees, casting a warm golden glow over the small town square. The main road leading out of town was busy with travelers and traders, but one figure stood out amongst the crowd. The old man, leaning heavily on his cane, made his way slowly towards the center of the square.
The Mysterious man, on his way to the nearby castle, stopped to watch the old man as he approached. The old man looked up and saw the MC staring at him. He smiled warmly and hobbled over to him.
"Hello there, young traveler," the old man said, his voice gravelly and gentle.
"Hello," the Mysterious man replied, unsure of what to say.
"I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be on a journey," the old man said, studying the mysterious man with a curious gaze.
"Yes, I am," the Mysterious man replied, wondering how the old man knew.
"Ah, I thought as much. You have the look of a wanderer about you," the old man said, nodding slowly. "Tell me, where are you headed?"
"I'm on my way to the castle. I have some business to attend to there," the Mysterious man explained.
"Ah, the castle. A place of great power and mystery," the old man said, his eyes lighting up. "I have many stories about that place."
The mysterious man raised an eyebrow. "Really? Do tell."
The old man chuckled. "Perhaps another time, young traveler.
***
"A mother's first birth, a moment so dear, A love so strong, brought forth without fear-
***
In the eastern side of the village, Vladimir was doing his daily chores which included mining. It was a grueling task, but one he had grown accustomed to after years of working in Thrall, the land of corruption. The people here were suffering from extreme famine and droughts, but despite the dire situation, it was also one of the richest lands in the continent when it came to ore.
As Vladimir mined, he kept looking around the area to make sure the slavekeeper wouldn't notice what he was doing. He had been planning for months to take revenge on the cruel man who had enslaved him and forced him to work under such harsh conditions.
As Vladimir hammered away at the ores, he couldn't help but get lost in his own thoughts. His mind wandered to memories of his past, memories that he had tried to forget for so long. He stared at the ores in front of him, feeling their weight and texture, but his mind was elsewhere.
Suddenly, a piercing sound echoed through the mines. It was the sound of a baby crying out of fear. Vladimir's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the sound. It was the same sound that had haunted him for years.
His mind raced back to the time when he was a child, living in a small village. He had been outside playing when he heard the sound of a baby crying out in fear. He had followed the sound and found a baby abandoned in a nearby alleyway. He had taken the baby home and begged his mother to take care of it, but she had refused. She had told him that they couldn't take care of another mouth to feed, and that he needed to leave the baby outside to die.
Vladimir had refused to listen to his mother and had secretly taken care of the baby himself. He had fed it and kept it warm, but one day, the baby had suddenly stopped crying. When he had checked on it, he had found that the baby had died in its sleep.
The memory hit Vladimir like a ton of bricks. He felt a wave of emotions wash over him – sadness, guilt, anger, and despair. He hammered the ores harder, as if trying to release the feelings that were trapped inside him.
As he worked, more memories flooded his mind – memories of the days when he had been forced to work in the mines, memories of the abuse and torture he had endured at the hands of his captors. He felt a deep sense of resentment towards his captors, and the desire for revenge began to consume him.
Suddenly, Vladimir heard a sound behind him. He turned around, but there was no one there. He shook his head, chiding himself for getting so lost in his thoughts. He returned to his work, determined to finish the task at hand.
But as he hammered away at the ores, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he felt a chill run down his spine. He turned around again, but still, there was no one there.
Vladimir realized that he needed to finish his work quickly and leave the mines. He knew that he was taking a huge risk by attempting to create a weapon, but he was willing to do whatever it took to gain his freedom. With a newfound determination, he continued to hammer away at the ores, his mind focused on the task at hand-
***
Person 1: "What's going on? Why are you so nervous?"
Person 2: "I just saw something strange in the woods. It looked like a person, but it was moving so fast."
Person 1: "Are you sure it wasn't an animal?"
Person 2: "I'm positive. It was running on two legs, like a human."
Person 1: "Okay, let's go check it out. But be careful."
(They enter the woods and hear a rustling in the bushes.)
Person 2: "Did you hear that? I think it's coming from over there."
Person 1: "Let's go check it out."
(They approach the bush and suddenly, unidentified creature jumps out) it was dark they couldn't identify it.
Person 1: "What the hell? Who are you?"
Person 2: "Stay back! I don't know what they want!"
(The unidentified creature starts to approach them slowly.) "But later, they found out that it wasn't a human."
Person 1: "What are you!!"
(The unidentified creature dashes off and attack person 2.)
Person 2: "help!!ugh!!help me!! don't go!!"
***
"Next day."
Vladimir worked tirelessly, collecting as much ore as he could find. He knew he needed to be careful not to arouse suspicion, so he made sure to hide his stash of ores away from prying eyes.
Once he had collected enough materials, Vladimir began the painstaking process of sharpening the ores. It was a tedious task, but he was determined to create a knife that would serve as his ticket to freedom.
Days turned into weeks as Vladimir continued to work on his project in secret. He knew he couldn't rush the process, as one wrong move could mean the end of his plan. He kept his head down, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Vladimir finished his knife. It was a beautiful piece of work, with a sharp edge that glinted in the dim light of the mine.
The night he had been waiting for had finally arrived. Vladimir waited until the slavekeeper was fast asleep before he made his move. He crept up to the man's sleeping form, his heart pounding with anticipation.
As he raised his knife to strike, a sudden noise startled him, and he froze in place. Was he about to be caught? He held his breath and listened, but the sound didn't repeat.
With renewed determination, Vladimir raised the knife once more and brought it down with all his might. The blade sank deep into the flesh of the slavekeeper, who let out a muffled cry.
But Vladimir wasn't finished yet. He knew he had to act quickly if he wanted to escape. He grabbed the slavekeeper's keys and unlocked his shackles, running out into the night as fast as he could.
He didn't know what the future held for him, but he knew he would never forget the sense of triumph he felt as he took his first steps towards freedom.