The sky was getting darker, so it was time for the two friends to part. Akahsha hugged Winona goodbye, as Gelmana watched from the door. Winona bowed her head to Gelmana and waved as she went back towards the village. Winona often visited the Shariz family, as her family was one of the last remaining ones in the village who even acknowledged their existence.

It was hard for the villagers and farmers to forget what had transpired just five years before. They didn’t have any imperial order to urge them to leave, and they really never bothered anybody. There were times when the men of the village would hire bounty hunters to threaten them to leave, but whenever people learned of Salahkah Shariz and his family being the ones in question, they would decline the job.

One man tried to get them to leave by nearly burning down their cabin, but Gelmana’s quick magic diffused the flames, and Salahkah’s sword made quick work of him.

To the people of the West, magic wasn’t as welcome as it was in the rest of the world. Some places that Salahkah hadn’t even been to were purely magical in nature. Others were focused on science alone.

At times, they were certain that they were raising Akahsha right when he would perform a task in great fashion; other times, they were horrified with how his lack of a general social-life affected his manners. His parents would correct him if he spoke out of line, or had issues in his tone. He relished in the fact that the boys of the village despised him, and that he could finally take on four at a time without much fear, but only if they were his size.

Gelmana advised against him provoking the townspeople, as their next offense could land them in the grave. Akahsha ignored her advice, as he felt that he could get out of a poor situation should one arise.

When he was eleven, one day he went to the outskirts of the village where his friend Winona was getting picked on by Grimden and his gang. They’d gotten bigger, just as he had. Winona wasn’t much bigger, but she was never much of a fighter anyways. The boys had taken her herb-satchel. Grimden was holding it above his head and taking herbs out, handing them to the others to rip up. Winona couldn’t reach up, and she tried to push him but he kicked her down.

Akahsha saw this, and was not amused. He furrowed his brow, mustered with all of his strength, and charged in.

“HEY!” Akahsha shouted at the top of his lungs. “STAY AWAY FROM MY FRIEND!”

His body had gained enough momentum that he threw himself at Grimden, knocking him off balance. The bag flew and the strap got caught on a hanging branch above. Akahsha was on top of the half-orc, throwing punch after punch. One of the other boys Henrik tried to grab at him to get him off, but Akahsha punched him in the stomach, sending him reeling back, clutching himself.

Another boy, a human named Oscar tried to kick Akahsha, but Winona called out for him to look out. Akahsha leaned back and let Oscar miss, then grabbed his shirt and threw him onto the grass nearby. He delivered a blow to Oscar with one hand that caused him to clutch his face. While Akahsha wasn’t paying attention, Grimden punched him in the chest so hard that it knocked the air from his lungs.

He grasped his chest and was pushed onto his back. Grimden climbed on top, and Winona cried out for him to stop. Grimden smiled and noticed his handiwork from years prior.

“I see you still have that scar I gave you those years ago,” Grimden mocked.

“Does your dad still only have one arm?” Akahsha managed to choke out.

Grimden punched across Akahsha’s face, and he looked up at the half-orc. Grimden raised his fists into a hammerfist and dropped it. Akahsha grabbed the fists before it reached him. They struggled against each other for a few moments until Akahsha’s arms started to get tired. He couldn’t let this kid beat him up, and harass the only friend he’d made since he was born.

“You’re gonna die, Fairy-boy,” Grimden yelled.

Akahsha had enough of this; it was silly for him to waste his energy on someone who wasn’t even worth it. Grimden would never learn, no matter how much he beat him down. Akahsha moved his head to the side and let the hammerfist slam into the grass, then Akahsha rocked his body back where Grimden flipped over him and landed on his back.

Akahsha rolled to his feet, and stood up. He saw the bag above and jumped to grab the bag’s straps. He used it as a swing, and when Grimden stood up, Akahsha delivered a flying kick, sending him back to the ground. The bag’s strap snapped in the process, and Akahsha landed flat on his own back, sending the air out of him again.

“Akahsha!” Winona ran up and knelt beside him. “Are you okay?”

Akahsha couldn’t speak, let alone breathe. He gasped loudly, looking panicked until he eventually got his breath.

“Yeah,” Akahsha looked up and saw the three boys writhing in pain. “Better than them. Let’s get out of here.”

Akahsha walked Winona home, trying to fix the strap, but it was no use.

“If my mom were here, she’d be able to just mend this in no time, but since it’s just me..” Akahsha looked down at his feet.

“Akahsha,” Winona said. “I’m thankful to have you save me today. It seems you’re always saving me.”

Akahsha stopped walking and looked at his friend. He smiled wide and gave a big thumbs-up.

“I’ll always save you, if you need it.” Just as Akahsha said this, the door to Winona’s house opened. Peering from inside the door was Ronaldo, her father. He was a rather thin man, with spectacles, a white button up shirt, and a vest. He had some facial hair, and he was always soft-spoken.

“If it isn’t little Akahshy Shariz,” Ronaldo smiled in a quirky way. “You look more and more like your father each day.”

“I think he looks like his mother,” A female voice came from behind him. He opened the door wide, and Wanda was standing next to him. She was a busty thing, and muscular, too. She had longer brown hair. “Regardless, they’re both strong. Shall we prepare you some tea?”

Akahsha shook his head with a smile.

“I appreciate it, but I do have to get back home now.” He turned back to his friend. “See you tomorrow?”

“Sure! I’m hoping that the boys in town will be nicer tomorrow.” Winona looked down at her feet.

Wanda walked outside and looked at her daughter closely. There were grass stains from when she was pushed down. She then noticed the bag and its broken strap. She turned her attention to Akahsha’s bruised knuckles and face.

Wanda knelt down and looked both of them in the eye.

“Who did this to you?” Wanda said, no humor in her voice.

“Grimden and those other boys.” Winona said and then looked down at her shoes. “Akahsha helped me, if it weren’t for him..”

Wanda hugged her daughter tightly.

“Thank you, Akahsha. I’m sure you’re tired. We’re going to clean Winona up, and fix her strap. Please be safe on your way home. Tomorrow we’ll be talking to Orgadesh about his son’s behavior.” Wanda frowned in the direction of the other houses in the distance. The streets here weren’t as busy in the residential district.

“I don’t think Grimden will ever listen. My dad did cut off his father’s arm, pretty much. You please be safe, too. I’ll tell my parents what has happened today.”

On his way back, Akahsha saw Grimden and the other boys talking to their parents. The kids were crying real tears from the pain, but he felt no sympathy for them. This wasn’t the first time he’d taught them a lesson, and no doubt would it be the last. Of course, this is also the same kid whose dad threatened his own. Adults do childish things, too, Akahsha thought.

He was able to sneak by without much trouble. Often times when he’d visit Winona, he’d take the brush so that he wouldn’t have to deal with Jack and Eva, who would yell at him for just being in their sight. The other townsfolk were only discriminative enough to leave them be. They wouldn’t heed any attention or service to them, even if they direly needed it. The family took care of that problem by not needing anyone’s help.

When the family had any real need for a service, Salahkah would travel East past Holstenkaft, out by the Mountains of Sur’Kolis, and head into Yalgodash. Akahsha had never seen it, but his father told him stories of the salt-formations shaped into the heads of famous men from history. Of course, Salahkah had travelled most of the known world. Akahsha had not.

The world that he knew was the village of Holstenkaft, and the forests around it. On his way back to the Shariz Residence, he heard a faint laughter into the woods. The sky was still light, and the woods looked no different from how they typically did. He knew that the woods could very easily change, at least for him. Past the laughter, there was a strange melody that resonated from a tree that he could see.

Akahsha walked through a bush, pushing down whichever side would hurt him the most, then as he passed, he’d let it go. The woods started to shift just ever so slightly. Fairies and sprites floated out beyond trees, and fey creatures darted in and out of shrubs. Dragonflies with multi colors danced overhead. The trees changed color, where the green leaves turned into yellow, orange, and red glass. Some of the bushes even transformed into a navy blue. The sky whirled with a purple and green. At this point, he knew he crossed over.

Salahkah was tending to the woods nearby, checking each individual denizen of the forest. He spoke to the Sylvan creatures, and knelt with the trees. He checked the well to make sure the water was still pure. He made sure the path was clear for any travellers, and then he said a blessing to Woltonia, the Goddess of the Hunt.

Gelmana was tending to the house, casting her spells here and there where they needed to be. A hole opened in the roof, and she wouldn’t want any water getting inside their cabin. She used Mend on it, and the green magic formed more of the same material until it closed the gap. The wood logs in their fireplace weren’t lit, so she rubbed her hands together and cast prestidigitation, creating a blaze that took up the space. She took some spices from her ceiling and placed them inside a boiling kettle, stirring ever so slightly.

The door opened, and she’d hope it’d be Akahsha, back from a day of visiting Winona. Salahkah entered with a sizeable deer carcass thrown over his shoulder. His long black hair held back into a ponytail, and his beard was full. They eyed each other for a moment, and gave each other a smile. He closed the door.

Akahsha turned his gaze towards some elk in the distance. They were glowing with yellow and blue energy, and some of their fur was even colored differently. These creatures were drinking from a pond, and as they did, the water shimmered. The music stopped.

He felt an unease. Though the woods were somewhat familiar, he wasn’t exactly sure where he was. The Feywilds are wide, and sometimes one can get lost if they are not careful. Akahsha typically was careful, but not on this day. He was too busy watching the elk that he couldn’t seem to recall his path home. He spun around, trying to remember which trees he saw on his way in. He got dizzy and got on his knees. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, about what his parents would do. Nothing could come to his mind, as he wasn’t sure if there was some alternative to finding his way home. The voice of his mother would always bring him back, so why not now?

Then something sounded-off, like a branch breaking. Footsteps. Akahsha opened his eyes and looked up. A tall woman with Elvish features and long flowing green hair stood above him. She wore what he could imagine a person of royal birth to be wearing, but if it were a Nature kingdom. She had a sheer-dress, beige in color, and gold trimmed. Her hair was held together with a gold circlet. She wore no shoes, and her eyes were as blue as the lake water he’d lived by for so long. She smiled, and held up a staff with a glass container that held what appeared to be fireflies.

“You’re far from home, aren’t you boy?” The woman spoke in Sylvan with a kind, soft-spoken voice.