It was raining. It had been for days.
The forest was eerily quiet besides the squelching of mud, and the water dropping through the trees, each sound seemed louder than it was supposed to be. Talec stopped to breathe, she was likely far enough away that no one would find her, she set down her pack on a tree root. It had been a while since she rested. She finally got a moment’s reprieve.
Crack. A snapped twig, Talec grabbed the bag and bolted. She could hear the other footsteps chasing. Servants of the marquess come to kill her, undoubtedly. Even if they weren’t she didn’t have time to find out. The package was too important.
An arrow whisked by Talec’s head, barely missing her. She ducked past a tree and headed in a different direction. Stay on your toes, be unpredictable. She couldn’t fail, there wouldn’t be a second chance. Talec’s hand shot to her waist retrieving a dagger, before throwing it into the ground. It would return to her, after it had its fill of blood. Talec ran another few meters before a scream echoed behind her, they were gaining. The dagger flew back and she grabbed it from the air, blood dripping from the blade, cursed objects were useful.
Talec spun around another tree, an arrow whisked behind her. She could hear rushing water. A river in the forest where it didn’t belong. A slice, Talec cut herself with the dagger, blood dripping onto the muddy forest floor.
She reached the river. It was a good 10 meters wide, mud and debris flowing past as rain fell into it making it larger. It was very loud and very powerful. Talec didn’t think before jumping, launching herself above the torrent with the dagger’s granted powers. Suddenly an arrow came flying and pierced Talec from the base of the foot to the knee. Talec screamed in pain, she hit the bank of the river, nearly missing, both feet submerged in the muddy torrent, she dragged herself out and limped behind a tree on the opposite bank. An arrow pierced her arm before she could get it into the tree’s shelter.
Talec looked back, three figures stood on the other bank, trying to figure out how to cross. She looked down at her leg, the arrow’s tip sticking out of her knee. No use worrying about it now, she limped onwards, using trees as cover until the river was out of view.
Talec picked up a large stick and began limping further along; she needed to get far away from those people, and even further from society. The package needed to be delivered.
It was still raining the same old calm drizzle, she saw a soaked squirrel watching her. When would the storm clear? “Why was I sent on this mission and not someone smarter or faster?” Talec sighed to herself, still trudging along. She passed by a fallen tree. A clean cut on the stump. Talec had lost too much blood to care how it was cut. Another step and then another. This meticulous walking. “If only you could heal my injuries you cursed dagger,” Talec said to the dagger. Talec sheathed the dagger just in case.
Talec limped between another tree before collapsing. She had lost too much blood. “Help.” She tried to yell. She didn’t care anymore, she had failed the mission, the package wasn’t going to get delivered. She layed in the mud, got up and then collapsed again, her package and the mud weighing her down too much. Talec looked up, the clouds were clearing and sunlight filtered down through the trees, it had stopped raining. What a wonderful sight, a sunset. Talec closed her eyes and let the darkness claim her.
The beginning of a story. The events in this story do not take place in the Arcane World. Feel free to suggest a character to add, via dming me. I may or may not add it, or something similar.