Chapter Text
Avery had been in need for supplies, he'd been surviving purely off his crops and the sticks in his chest, but with a storm on the rush, he'd rather be safe than sorry.
" Sword? Check. Pick? Check. Crafting table? Check! " he lists off as he stuffs his bag full of tools he'd need for his journey, he huffs as he struggles to reach the barrel he kept his important things in. He trips as he finally reaches what he needed; a crumpled up map. He picks himself up before undoing the ball he'd squished it into, he trails his slimy finger across a path grabbing a pin to mark his destination once he'd found it.
A village. Most of the wildlife in his immediate area had been slaughtered when he first picked it out, so he needed to travel and trade for new livestock.
What an idiot he was for not saving a pair or two of swine and cattle when he had the opportunity.
He throws his bag over his shoulder and straightens the wrinkles out of his white shirt before stepping out the door and making his way into the forest. Avery wasn't too keen on going into it, something about the unpredictable twists and turns that put him on edge. The only reason he'd gotten through them in the past was with the help of his armoured friend.
Meh, whatever. He had this in the bag! . . . Right?
It'd been two hours of muttering, munching, and rechecking the map over and over again before he reached the village with a sigh of relief. He still had another three before the sun set.
He trudged his way into the trading square, meeting a merchant at his booth.
" I'd like to purchase two cows and sheep! " he announces to the merchant, seemingly unaware of how villagers handled business.
" Five emeralds and a page from the caves. " the merchant dead-pans, as if he'd said this seven times today. Avery doesn't believe this, emeralds he could get past, but a page from a cave? That could mean anything, and Avery didn't have the time for that. Maybe he could negotiate..?
" Eight emeralds, and you have yourself a deal! " Avery declares triumphantly, only to be met with a grumble and a shake of a head. " Five and a page or nothing at all. "
Well shit. Out of luck and out of ideas, Avery would have to return home...or he could just...steal the livestock..
He whistled as he kicked one of the nails keeping the stand up, causing it to fall at an end and for the merchant to have to go fix it. Avery takes this opportunity to nab a lead and break the fences, he threw the leads around what he needed and ran.
Shouts of anger, chasing and...uh oh. Their golem saw that.
The most Avery could do was run, and hope the forest would hide his trails which, luckily for him, worked. Golems couldn't leave the villages. Avery sighs in relief and trudges deeper into the forest.
Two hours left. Watching the animals and gluing his eyes to the map wasn't something he could do at the same time, so he choose the animals. Rustling, creaking, these woods were frightening. The sky began to turn a pink-ish orange, clouds forming at the front. He had to pick up the pace.
A right here, a left there, he wasn't getting anywhere. " Shit shit shit shit.. " he exclaims, he wouldn't make it home in time. Thirty minutes. The animals felt like they were getting louder, the wind was colder and stronger somehow, he had to get home. It felt like he had a loud ticking in his head, telling him to hurry up. He wouldn't make it in time, he wasn't lost was he? He wanted to sit, clear his mind, calm the chaos in his head but how could he? When he's running out of time. When he's lost.
Oh. He's lost. Great job Avery you FUCKED IT UP. Can't do one thing right, can you. Just had to go and get yourself lost.
And with all the time he's spent in his head. The sun has set. Groaning, and rattling now echo through this forest.
There are monsters nearby.
Shit. They would take the animals then him, his journey would be for naught. He had to fight back.
He takes a fence rom his inventory and ties the lead to it then places a torch atop it. He draws his sword and prepares for the worst.