Quest 6 Wild Encounter

Ro hadn't been trying. Really, he hadn't. It was all just by odd chance, a mistake maybe or even a twist of fate by the gods. But however one would look t it, it didn't change the fact that Ro found a startling clue. Of course HE didn't know that. And how could he? After all, Ro hadn't been near any of the villages for some time. So he had no idea about the notice from the leaders. He had no idea that he needed to keep his eyes open for anything strange or new. And he certainly had no idea that the village leaders were trying to track down a mysterious stranger in their land. Maybe if he had, he would have been more prepared for the events that were about to take place.

He had been devoting his time to the new Shrine and therefore had been living there, away from the other villages. He had been pleased to see that his bell had been placed where all could see it and the sweet sound that came from it would fill the area whenever it had been rung. Each time someone who came to the Shrine and pulled the rope to pray or even make a wish on his bell would cause him to blush with joy and happiness. Of course he would hide from all who visited, but he would run off giggling all the while as he hid.  And though it seemed like he was always alone, between the visitors and Whisp, his little Will o' wisp friend, Ro was never truly alone.

He wasn't sure why he had stayed at the Shrine. Maybe it was because it gave him a sense of peace. The pain in his heart from the lost of his friends and his old home wasn't so strong here. That could have been it. It could also do with the fact that while he stayed at the Shrine, he was rather useful! Fixing things that would break, keeping the place clean, polishing items, simple things like that. But he wanted to know let the gods know that the people cared. He supposed this was his way of showing his faith and trust in the gods. But a secret part of him also knew, though he didn't want to admit it, he was also hiding. He tried not to think of the one he was hiding from but for now, he knew as long as he stayed at the Shrine, he would be safe. And so Ro had no idea what was going on around him or the Shrine.

The day he became aware though started out like any other day. The weather was starting to become warm and the plant life around the Shrine was in full bloom. Ro had just finished hanging tiny little bells and odd trinkets in nearby trees so that when the wind blew, those who would be passing by had something to entertain them. Looking about the Shrine though, Ro felt it lacked something. "Woo!! I know!" He clapped his hands together as he looked at Whisp. "COLOR!" He cheered and had decided at that moment to find color. "Where should I look, Whisp?" The little will o' wisp turned yellow then pink and floated off. "You are right Whisp! I shall try to figure that out myself! Thank yooou!" He called after, waving to the little spirit. Thinking hard he was reminded there was a field not that far from the Shrine. He knew it was filled with wild flowers that seemed to pop up over night. Ro felt they would be fitting for the Shrine, and so off he went on his mission.

"Wooo! There's so many!!" Ro giggled with glee.  And indeed the field was painted in color. There was pink and blue, and purple and reds. Yellows, deep oranges and even odd looking white ones. "This is prefect! The Shrine will shine!" Reaching into his sleeve and after fishing about for a bit he pulled out a small basket and began to gather as many flowers as he could. Whisp floated about his head as he became more and more involved in his task. By the time he had decided he had enough, the basket was over flowing with flowers and the sun was high over head. Blinking at the freakishly large bundle of flowers, Ro couldn't help but sigh. "Well…I...uh…I guess I can give some bundles to my friends after I'm done....oh well! Hee hee hee!" With basket in hand he turned and began to head back to the Shrine. He had not been in the woods very long before all of his troubles had begun.

He had been walking for a few minutes when he noticed something on the path before him.  He almost didn't see it, but as he moved closer to it, the sun had broken through some of the branches of the trees over head. The light from the sun reflected off the object causing Ro's eyes to look right at it. He walked towards it and started down at the bright yellow something that was slightly hidden by some fallen leaves. Behind his mask, he stared owl like down at the odd object. Eyes wide, he bent down and brushed the leaves away from it. The object was a tile that was about the size of his palm and had writing on it.  Cocking his head to one side then the other, he found it to read "Shock" and then something else. He couldn't read the rest though because of dirt on it. He placed his basket down beside him and then slowly reached out to touch the tile. He hadn't noticed how eerily quiet the forest had become.

"Woo, it's so smooth…and warm. I wonder where this came from, what do you think Whisp?" Ro looked up at his little floating friend but noticed how very still it was. Ro blinked and stood up. "Whisp?" The little creature, an off blue color suddenly turned to a menacing purple. Ro stepped back clearly surprised and confused. "Wh…Whisp? What is it?" The little spirit quickly moved about Ro's body, almost causing the little pinkish person to fall over. "Whisp? What's wrong? Why are you…" But the spirit zipped quickly away into the nearby bushes. Ro stood staring at the space the will o' wisp disappeared to, holding the tile tightly to his chest. It was then that he noticed the forest was dead quiet.

Blinking about, Ro was unsure what was happening. There was no sound. Nothing.  Not the singing of birds, or the lazy calls of nearby insects. Even the trees made no sounds. It was as if the world had just stopped moving. And Ro had never felt so alone. Taking a step back, Ro almost knocked his basket over. "Oh…uh I…oh dear…" He bent down to pick up the few flowers that had fallen out and placed them back in the basket. "I…I should get these back to the Shr….." Ro stopped moving. He could feel eyes watching him. He swallowed and then slowly stood up holding the basket in one hand and the tile in the other.

"Wh…Whisp…is that you?....Please be you…" He looked towards the bushes he last saw Whisp but nothing. Slowly looking towards his right, he thought he saw something bright red but when he turned to face it. Nothing once more.  Ro's heart was pounding loudly in his chest. He gave an unseen smile that was only slightly forced. "Uh…Hello? Is…Is someone…there?" Looking about there was no movement. Not even the wind. Ro looked about, not sure what to do. Looking back down at the tile in his hand, he began to wonder about it. Maybe he should take it to the nearest village to see if someone had lost it.  Just then a twig snapped loudly. "WAAH!" Ro jumped and dropped his basket, causing many of his flowers to spill on the forest floor. With the hand holding the tile tightly to his beating heart and the other covering where his mouth would be, Ro stared at the space where the sound came from…Nothing…Ro swallowed once more, not moving.

"He…hello?" He called once again. But his time there was no smile on his face. Not that the world would be able to tell. But one could tell by the sound of his voice he was very frightened.  "I...uh…I'm going to pick up my flowers now….Whisp…if that's you...I'll see you… at home…" Bending down he began to pick up the flowers quickly. "Don't think just do, don't think just do…" He mumbled to himself as he moved.  As he was reaching for the last flower, a soft blue one, he heard an odd sound not far from him. He looked over to it quickly. But like the many times before him, there was nothing. He kept his eyes on a certain spot as he reached his hand back to grab the last flower. But instead of feeling the soft peddles, he felt something hard. Much harder than a flower. He blinked and let his hand move over the non-flower. He closed his eyes as he once more swallowed the large lump down his throat. He turned slowly to look at what he was touching. That was certainly not a flower. That was, in fact, a boot. A metal one at that.

He turned fully to look at the boot. He was sure there was a foot in there. He gave it a small tap with his finger and then slowly looked up at the leg that was attached to the foot in the boot. He blinked and followed the leg up to the hips that were connected to a torso.  Ro took a breath as he finally looked up at the face staring down at him. He almost passed out. Two bright red eyes were staring down at him. The eyes seemed to belong to a young looking man with purpleish hair and an emotionless face. Ro shivered. How could someone show new emotion? Even the mask Ro wore was smiling. Even if it wasn't a real smile, it was still an emotion.

Neither moved for what seemed like a very long time. The man barely moved, Ro barely breathed. Not sure what to do, Ro slowly stood, staring up at the man. "He…Hello" The man glared, or was it a scowl or was it nothing at all? Ro wasn't sure. Only that the man seemed to be more tense. "Would…would you like a flower?" Ro nodded slightly towards the basket on the ground. The man didn't even more. "Alright…" Ro whispered after a moment of quiet. After another moment of nothing, Ro made a brave move and bent down to pick his basket up. The man's body moved closer to Ro, but that was it. Ro flinched unable to move. The man had an odd look on his face. The first emotion the little pinkish person saw on his face. The way his eyes scanned Ro, he seemed as if he was looking for something.

Ro found himself looking over the man staring at him. He was dressed in purple and the odd design on his top interest Ro. The design was strange but reminded Ro of a flower. He would have smile if not for the intense feeling of power he felt from the man. On the man's head were strange metal ornaments. Ro wasn't sure if they were head gear or not but they made the man look more, well, frightening. And of course the man had a very odd weapon on his arm. Ro had noticed it right away, but at least it wasn't pointed at him. Not at the moment anyway. It was then that Ro noticed the odd belt the man was wearing. He had different colored tiles hanging from it, each with writing.
"Oh!" Ro spoke before he could think and opened his hand. The tile he had been holding matched the ones on the man's belt. "Did you drop th…" Ro stopped as the man pointed his weapon at him. Ro watched as the tile in the weapon began to glow a bright orange. "..oh.." Was all Ro could say as he looked the man in his eyes. Bright red. His eyes were red.  Almost blood red. Ro's head suddenly felt funny, everything seemed to be slowing down. What was happening? A bright light seemed to be flickering about the man's head. "Whisp?" Ro asked but his vision had become blurry. Was his body swaying? He felt to hot and his body was suddenly too heavy for him to stand. He was falling, or was he? Maybe the man was getting bigger. Was the man moving? Was the ground coming closer? What was happening?  Ro's vision was becoming more dark and his mind cloudier. However before everything went dark, Ro couldn't help but suddenly think that the man's face didn't lack emotion…but that he looked sad. Very sad.

...

Something bumped his head. Something bumped it again. Something bumped it harder but this time Ro sat up. "WHO WAH I'M UP!" Ro cried out as he sat up with a jerk. He looked about. Where was he? Oh…he was at the Shrine. "How did I…" Was all of that just a dream? He looked to his left and noticed his basket of flowers was next to him. He blinked at it. He looked up then at Whisp floating about his head, a soft pink color. It moved closer and bumped his head again. Reaching out he touched it softly. "Whisp…I had such a strange…dream." He looked down at his hands. He certain wasn't holding any tile. And there was no strange man pointing a weapon at him, that was for certain. Ro sighed. "Oh my…that dream…that was..."He stopped talking. He had touched his face in thought but was surprise to feel flesh and not a mask. Looking about, he couldn't find his mask. Looking at the woods quickly, he stood up. He wasn't sure how long he stood watching the forest but he couldn't shake the feeling, someone was watching him back. Looking down at the hand that had been holding the tile, Ro glanced over his shoulder towards the direction where Noir Vale was at. "Whisp….help me find another mask…" He looked back at the forest. "I think I need to talk to the leaders…."