The Miracle Island (midorino x Degadoodle)

midorino

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The sun had just risen over Zamor city, bathing everything in soft yellow. The light hit the city’s great stone walls in a way that cast a looming shadow over the rickety wooden shacks, pressed tightly together along the outside of the city. These houses were where the poorest of the poor lived. Those who couldn’t afford any land within the city’s walls, but couldn’t afford to leave the city. In one of those houses, was a young, night-elf man.

His name was Nol. He was an exceptional night-elf in that he’d never even been in a forest. He’d lived in these city slums all his life. But today was the day he would change that.

He was packing travelling provisions into a small, worn leather pack. There was little more he could put than some days worth of dried meat, a skin of water, a pouch of coins, and a bedroll. In case the situation turned sideways, he had a wooden bow, and a dagger. He looked around for anything else he’d need to bring. His eye caught the sunlight shining off a small, metal amulet.

He picked it up in his hand. The amulet was his mother’s. It was one of the few things of hers that he managed to save when she died. The rest was burned, for fear of her belongings also carrying the plague that took her life. He placed the amulet into his pack. It was a reminder of why he was doing this.

After securing his pack to his back, he left his slipshod home and began to make his way out, to the main road that led east, to Hirven, the closest port city. Among the crowded shacks and busy paths, he spotted an odd sight: a blue avian of sorts, surrounded by a number of the slum’s residents. He was too far to see them clearly, so he made his way closer. By the looks of the expressions on the men’s faces, this wasn’t just going to be a friendly chat.
 
Avery chuckled nervously, looking for any way out of his predicament, seeing none, he examined his awfully persistent company. "Look guys, I'm telling you, I got nothing to give!" He said honestly. Avery internally scolded himself for being too lazy to just take the longer safer route out of town.

Almost out of ideas that wouldn't result in the loss of his belongings and dignity, he managed to spot a fellow gazing at him and his thug problem. Out of desperation, he made eye contact with the passerby but said nothing, finding the person to be...pretty shady looking. He might just help these guys mug him. If this person was to help him, all Avery had to do was stall for a moment longer. Unfortunately, he found himself backed up against a wall.

Deciding to try his luck, he pulled out a coin. "Look guys, this is all I got. Really. It's my lucky coin." He flicked it up in the air towards them, just high enough to get the attention of his target. While the thug was gazing at the coin in the air and preparing to catch it, Avery took advantage of his momentary distraction and struck the weakest looking guy in the throat and then the gut swiftly, squawking at the pain in his talons from the contact. Putting aside the pain, he jumped on the wounded slumsfolk's back who was keeled over from the gutpunch and used him like a springboard to get some distance from his now attackers. He began running towards the tall dark guy he had made eye contact with earlier. "HELPMEHELPMEHELPME!" He called.
 
Nol's eyes widened as he saw the avian coming right at him. He'd just seen the sudden violence that broke out, and his mind was still trying to follow everything. A fight? he thought to himself, Here? Now? He reached for the bow on his back, before freezing. He couldn't kill these men, he knew them, at least by face and by name. A few of them he'd even been friends with growing up. No killing, he thought, beating up should be fine.

"Calm down," he called to the panicked bird, "Just leave it to--" He cut himself off. There was no time to talk, as the avian's would-be muggers, at least the ones that weren't incapacitated, rushed towards him. He bounded towards them, drawing a fist back and throwing it into the face of one of the men. Nol feels a crack upon contact, and he's not quite sure which one of them just broke something. The man falls to the ground from the force. The other men, stop in their tracks upon seeing Nol's attack.

"Nol?" one of them started, "What in hell are you doing?"

"Get out o' this, elf. This has nothing to do with you!"

They were right. What was Nol doing? He didn't know their victim, and had no reason to get involved. He himself had participated in a mugging or two. He paused for a moment, thinking of a convincing response. "The bird's with me, alright? Go find some other idiot to rob." The thugs looked at each other, confusion painted all over their faces. "He's with you? Well, you should've just said so, then we'd know the guy really doesn't have any money to give!" Hearty laughter erupts from the group, in stark contrast to the fighting that just ended.

Nol reached into his coin pouch and tossed a couple of silver coins to the men. "Look, sorry for the mix-up. Get yourselves some breakfast or something. My, uh, companion and really need to get going." He turns his eyes to look for the avian, and a quick flick of the head, along with an urgent and slightly angry expression, gestures him to come over. He turns back to the thugs with a smile, as they walk away and help their more roughed up friends to their feet.
 
Avery hesitantly walked over to the elf, having just diffused the situation diplomatically, something he thought impossible in this part of town. He took a moment to make sure the goons were on their way, then turned to face Nol. "Hey, thanks for the help. Really saved me some ruffled feathers from those guys." He said, humbled. The avian had thought he himself was one of the weirdest things out there, but this guy...well, he certainly was different looking. Not that he was one to judge. "If it's not a problem, I should probably be on my way. Kind of on an epic quest and such. Important business!"
 
Nol nodded at the bird's words, and watched him as he walked away. He couldn't help but stare at the avian, now that the situation was calm and he could get a good look. Nol had never seen anything like him, but he didn't find it quite too strange. He, too, was one of a kind in this city. He wondered about the avian's situation. How did he end up alone, away from his kind? Was driven out of his homeland like Nol's ancestor's were? Perhaps. But he though it unlikely, considering that he was well-off enough to live within the city walls. By the time Nol snapped out of his thoughts, the avian was nowhere to be seen.

Well, he thought to himself, I'd better get a move on. Just like bird he'd just saved, he had a quest to undertake. There was an immense distance still between him an Hirven. And after the port city, he'd still need to board a boat, and find the damn islands. The goal was still so far. But when I get there, he thought to himself, everything is going to be right.
 
Avery cautiously walked through the city, making his way out of it at a relatively quick pace. He had to find a pier or docks or something of that sort to continue on his journey, and even he would admit his geography wasn't the best. But he wasn't lost yet!

Approaching the outer parts of the city, he took a moment to appreciate how lucky he had been earlier. He just so happened to come across just the person to get himself out of a precarious situation. He must truly be destined to complete his quest, though he wasn't sure if he wanted to go about it alone anymore. Maybe he would meet a friendly sailor or another adventurer to accompany him, but for now, it was all Avery. He probably should've talked to that guy a little longer, now that he thought about it.
 
Nol made his way through the crowded slums, until he finally reached the cobblestone road leading into and out of the city's main gate. He followed the path away from the city, passing by several shoddy market stalls and a few tents of travelling merchant caravans. He glanced into one of the tents and a flash of purple caught his eye. He continued walking, but he craned his neck to get a better look. One of those merchants was a night-elf, like him. It was a surprise to him. Without taking his eyes off his fellow elf, he wondered to himself if it would be a good idea to introduce himself, let the man know that there were still others of their kind out--

His thoughts were cut off after he collided into someone. "Sorry, sorry," he said, regaining his balance. He looked up at the person he'd just bumped, and froze. He recognized the blue-dyed cloths and scale armor, the head of a ram, Zamor city's sigil. The man he'd just bumped into was a guard. Nol began to back up, repeating, "Sorry, I have to go,"

"Oi, watch where you're going," the guard said, getting back on his feet. He paused, upon seeing Nol. "Wait a minute, I know you."

"No," Nol smiled, "You don't know me. I-I'm sure this is just a mistake."

"There is no mistake here! You're the only night-elf in this city! You've committed grave crimes, elf, and if you don't want this to get messy, you'll come with me quietly."

Nol looked around in a panic. Among the crowds of people going about their business along the main road, he spotted a familiar shade of blue. It was Avery, the same avian he'd helped earlier that day.
 
Avery was almost out of the city, almost, when he noticed something he couldn't quite pass by. In the distance, he saw one of the guards with a tight hold on a familiar looking person. Very familiar..So familiar, that Avery almost couldn't believe his luck. He began to walk towards the fellow that had rescued him earlier, when he noticed that the guard next to him wasn't exactly exchanging friendly conversation. He paused and thought of a plan, then nodded, sure it would work.

Avery sprinted over to the guard doing his best to look panicked and like an innocent civilian. "Guard, guard! I just watched that man pickpocket three different people! You have to stop him!" He announced dramatically, pointing to a slumsfolk who had just disappeared around a distant corner.
 
"What?" the guard said, clearly taken by surprise. "He what? Three people? Huh?" The guard looked frantically around for the alleged culprit. In normal situations, he wouldn't have left Nol to look for a pickpocket. But the way that the bird was screeching and screaming in such distress and panic. Something about it made the guard just want to make it stop. "R-right, I'll go get 'im!" He began to run towards the direction Avery was pointing, before stopping dead on his tracks, seeming as though two forces were pulling him in opposite directions.

"You-- Elf!" he said, shouting to get his words across from the busy street, "Just-- Just, stay right there!"

Nol tried his best to keep from laughing, a wide grin plastered on his face, "You bet!" With a careful eye, he followed the guards movements, until he too was lost around some corner. As soon as that happened, he began to scramble away from the city, keeping his head low and face hidden. He realized that the avian was still there, in his close vicinity, so he called out, "Come on, bird, let's go!"
 
(Sorry sorry sorry, life distracted me. I'm here now!)

Avery watched the elf run off and blinked, surprised by the sudden movements. It took the still unnamed fellow's call to get into gear, snapping out of his momentary daze and darting after him. He seemed to be leaving the city, and in a hurry. Could he blame him though? If Avery was now on the run from a guard who would soon tell other guards...he'd skip town too. Plus, Avery had business to do out of town.

Catching up to the rather quick elf, Avery examined his newfound ally closer, intrigued. "What...are you?" Avery blurted, rather rudely. He had slowed down to a brisk walk to not arouse suspicion. "I-I mean..I don't mean that in a mean way, just..I've seen all sorts of humans and such but...you're not human right? You look like one of those tall guys with the pointy ears...but one that doesn't get out in the sun much." He said, shrugging.
 
Nol stopped walking for a moment, a little surprised by the bird's question, before continuing on his way. He found it a little strange that the avian found him strange, when he was the one with feathers, talons and a beak. He let out a laugh before answering, "I only wish I knew. I don't know what I am, but I know what I'm supposed to be. We were called night-elves," Nol repeated the words his mother had told him many times, "We lived in the forests, one with nature. We were only ever seen when the moon was high, and those who saw us rarely had the opportunity to tell the tale."

He sighed, "That's what I've been told anyway. But instead, I'm here in the worse side of town. I'm wandering about, under the light of the sun. I'm hardly a night-elf. I'm a purple human with pointy ears."

As they continued to walk, it occurred to Nol to ask the same of the bird. What was he? And where were the others like him? Did they lose their homes like Nol's people did? "And you?" Nol said, "What are you? And what happened to the others of your kind?"
 
Avery laughed. "Purple human...that's great " He chuckled, paused for a moment, then answered. "I ask that question all the time. Never really did any research about myself, just assumed I was a weird human. Though I think I remember some other fellows like me, when I was real young." He nodded, trying to recall. "Should probably do a bit of reading up, see if there are any more like me..later though. I have some business to be doing."
 
That's an incredibly strange answer to the question, Nol thought, and it raised many more questions that it answered. Still, Nol was not the kind to pry, so he dropped the topic. His attention was, however, caught by the avian's remark about having business. He remembered that earlier that day, he mentioned having some sort of "epic quest" to be on. A smile spread across Nol's face, but not as much one of happiness, but one of self-mockery. His "epic quest" was not a smart idea. He had no guarantee that the islands were real. But he had to find them.

"Going somewhere?" Nol asked, "It could be that we're headed in the same direction. I'm going east, to Hirven, the port city." He thought for a while before continuing. "If you happen to be heading east as well, we could travel together until out paths split. From what's happened today, it seems fate wants us to stick together for a while."
 
Avery nodded. "Oh yeah, yeah...port town. I gotta go there!" He said, although he was just winging his plan. "Looks like we can stick together then! Great!" Avery bowed graciously, doing a quick scan for any guards that may now be looking for them after their 'great escape.' "Oh, I'm Avery by the way." He added. "I have a feeling we're gonna be good friends!"
 
"Avery," Nol repeated, testing the feel of the name on his mouth. It was a strange name, to be sure, but he found that it was fitting for his new friend. "My name is Nol," he said in return, reaching his hand out for a handshake, "Weird name, I know." Nol hadn't quite expected that he would be travelling with a companion. It was a boon in some ways, it was always safer to travel with company, after all. But at the same time, he could see the lost look in his partner's eyes. This guy, Nol thought to himself, has no idea where he's going. Nol sighed. "It'll be a long way to Hirven. Luckily, I'm pretty sure I've got our route laid out. We'll just follow this road, and we should come across a small riverside village before sunset."
 
Avery shook the elf's hand happily. "Alrighty, lead the way Mister Nol guy!" He said, glad he had found a guide, temporarily at least. "I wonder what awesome stuff we're gonna do...or find! We can find some cool stuff I bet." Avery was joyed to have someone to talk to, other than himself. As much as he loved his own voice, it got old after awhile. His mind ran wild with the possibilities of treasure, and then remembered that once he found this island or whatever it was, he could just wish for infinite treasure. But is that what he wanted? He didn't know yet, but he had a lot of time to think about it. "Oh, hey, Nol...if you had one wish, what would you wish for?" He asked innocently.
 
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