Open The Package and the Locket

[Syd Yssarin]

10th of Summer, 515 It was a dreary morning in Zeltiva. The whole town was engulfed in a thick blanket of fog. Syd stood on the dock like he did every morning. Though it was foggy, he still looked at in anticipation. He was tired. The night prior had been one full of energy. Pathos, Syd’s neighbor and employer, was making a recovery from the recent mugging. Though his wounds were minor, the man was old, making the healing slower. Syd had dealt with that issue swiftly. Turning around, Syd sighed as his hair was teased by the ocean breeze. “Another day,” he whispered, “another glorious day in Zeltiva.” As stated before, the night before had been one full of life. Near Syd’s home, in the east, a group of young would-be thieves wandered through. They were quite stupid. Two of the young boys had attacked and looted a jeweler’s home, while another had mugged a lost couple who were asking directions. Syd, not one to interfere, for fear of violence, sat in his home, starring out into the darkness while these juveniles made a mess of things. It was only when the three had stopped in front of Syd’s own home that he began to take serious interest. But, that was a tale for another time. Syd walked down the street, thinking about what life was like beyond Zeltiva. He had no clue what the rest of Mizahar looked like. Though he had made money in the past, he never made enough, he believed, to survive beyond Zeltiva’s protection and familiarity. He had many memories here, though only a few could be labeled happy. The sounds of the morning picked up. Sailors and dock workers began the day’s duties, while merchants set up stands nearby to entice travelers and sailors with trinkets and valuables. Syd never had time to browse the wares either at the docks or in the merchant district of Zeltiva. He preferred to stay in the eastern side, where his home was. However, one merchant caught Syd’s eye. He was a short, round man of maybe fifty years. He didn’t appear to be wealthy, then again, Syd was unable to distinguish between the folks who weren’t poor or squalor. In the merchants hand, an elegantly gilded locket with a thin, black rope looped through it, was being shown off to a would-be customer. Syd already had enough jewelry: his fishhook earring and the silver-emerald ring his parents left him as a wee baby. Yet, something about that locket intrigued him. “What is this?” Syd said softly to himself. A feeling of anxiety washed over him. He stumbled forward, as though being pulled in by the locket. “Why am I so tense, why is my heart pounding?” He couldn’t shake the feeling. Maybe it wasn’t the locket, but rather something else. The merchant? Syd couldn’t figure it out. Something felt odd. He either needed to walk away or let himself be drawn to the merchant and his locket. Stumbling toward the stand, the merchant had finished talking to the potential customer, but it appeared that no sale had occurred. The breeze started to pick up and became a gust, knocking over several items on the merchant stands. Syd tried to walk over as naturally as possible, though he felt as though a weight were tugging him along. The round merchant noticed Syd and smiled, thinking he may have a customer. “Ah m’boy. Are you interested in making a purchase this day?” The round merchant said with an honest smile. Syd looked at the man. His beady eyes made Syd a bit nervous for a few moments. Syd pushed his nerves away. “Yes, possibly,” Syd replied softly, “if you think something here is worth my coin.” At this the merchant grinned. “M’boy, I have some of the finest jewelry and trinkets you’ll find in our fair city, if I do say so m’self.” He stood up straighter and folded his arms, showing how pleased he was with himself. Whether the merchant was making false claims or not, Syd really did not care. The feeling of anxiousness still lingered. “What is wrong with me?” Syd thought to himself. Pointing at the locket, Syd said “Can you tell me more about that locket?” The merchant sighed. “Well, not much to say, really. It’s of good quality, but the little compartment on it is jammed, and I’m afraid if I try to force it open, I’ll break it.” The merchant held it up. The elegant trim, might have shined in sunlight, had the fog and clouds not been so thick. Syd was still struck with awe, one of the few times ever. Looking straight at the merchant, Syd spoke in a serious tone, “How much?” The merchant grinned. “Oh, well, I’ll give it to ya for free, if you do me a favor. It isn’t really worth a whole lot, but I can see you’re interest in such an item.” Syd raised his left eye brow. The merchant chuckled a bit. “I’ll give ya this here locket if ya go down to the library and deliver this package to my cousin who works there, his name is Aelfrid Remson. You do that, this little trinket s’all yours.” He chuckled a bit and pulled out a small package wrapped in brown paper. Syd nodded and took the package, and without a word left for the library.

[Raynial]

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Raynial was working his way to the university through the marketplace and he sighed to himself. After discovering the university no longer offered classes to mages wishing to learn there he was debating to himself whether or not to even bother staying in Zeltiva maybe he should find somewhere else to Further expand his skills in reimancy and glyphing after all.He looked up too the sky and smiled at the bright sun knowing today he would make something happen as he looked around, Debating what he should do he overheard a conversation between a merchant and a young man around his age. “... go down to the library and deliver this package to my cousin….” the young man looked like he was alone something spoke up too Raynial that told him this man needed a companion for this trip although it would be rude to just Openly say it too him so ray decided to approach the man and see if he indeed desire company or if that lonely brooding look was just a thing that he did for attention.Ray walked over to the man in question Slightly taller than he himself the man looked fit He Either worked out at some point ,or he had spent a long time running from something. Afraid of being rude for staring at him too long He Cleared his throat and Spoke up too the man “Hello i overheard You Receive an errand from that merchant to Deliver Something too the Library and well i was just curious if you would enjoy some company on your trip as i happen to be going there myself” he wondered if he had came off as overly friendly or not as he smiled at the man slightly. He decided it was best to leave out the part about him just now figuring out that there even was a library and he was going there because the other man was because that would seem disturbing even to him. “Oh eh yes my name is Raynial By the way you can call me Ray if you want” he gave the other another soft smile hoping this ddnt seem Completely absurd. Ray you seriously need to work on social skills,He told Himself.


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[Syd Yssarin]

Syd was minding his business when he noticed a young man approach him, asking if he could travel with him to the library. Looking at the young man, Syd was cautious. He had almost never been approached before, preferring to keep conversations to a minimum. For some reason Syd felt there was no harm in having this person tag along. Syd nodded at each question he was asked. “Oh yes my name is Raynial…” the young man said. “Hmm, interesting,” Syd thought to himself. Giving a nod of approval, he signaled with his hand for Raynial to follow. The streets were crowded, unsurprising given the time. It was close to the lunch hour, and everyone was in a peak moment of buying and selling. All the merchants were buttering up customers and the customers themselves looked to be bartering, unsuccessfully, with the merchants. Syd looked over at Raynial. He was a bit shorter than Syd, though it was clear they were close in age. He had mentioned something about needing to go to the library as well, though Syd really had no reason to question this person all about it. Though it was curious. Someone like Syd was not usually approached nor was he the type of person to allow another to follow him along on his errands. Maybe it had something to do with the locket? Perhaps not. Syd shook his head, trying to forget the anxiousness he had felt from before. Without looking at Raynial, Syd asked, “So, it is curious, isn’t it? An average person like yourself following a nobody like myself. I’m not one for chit-chat, but if you’ve got questions, maybe I’ll answer.” With that, Syd walked a little further along. A few minutes passed without much in the way of conversation when several shouts could be heard from a few yards away. Syd stopped for a moment, as if waiting to see what, if anything, was going on. A large crowd of working folk were gathered around in a circle. Curious, Syd wandered over, motioning for Raynial to follow along. It wasn’t that Syd wanted to get involved in the situation, rather the curiosity of the shouts at such a time in the day. “What is going on?” Syd said in a soft voice. Walking up, one could see what appeared to be an old man lying on the concrete. He wasn’t moving. “Murder!” Someone yelled. “A murderer is on the loose!” Syd’s ears perked up at this. This was something he wanted no part of. Realizing that he was not by himself, he looked to Raynial as though anticipating a course of action. The library was only a few blocks away, and he had all day to get there, but being the courteous person that he was, Syd waited for Raynial’s thoughts on the matter.

[Raynial]

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Raynial Soon Noticed his traveling partner was not a man of many words but a Quiet person Maybe that's why he has that look about him. It mattered not too Ray as he himself was not much of a talker himself In Response to the mans statement he replied “I Don't talk much Myself Neither do I reach out much to other people maybe something brought us together today. So Any Idea what in that package anyway, oh and you never mentioned your name I am curious as too who I am meeting on such a strange occasion, I feel like today is going to be an interesting day somethings in the air” Saying this ray Smiled and walked on. Ray was Shocked he looked down at the man who was still as stone a chill went through his spine, He Looked at his companion and said “I'm going to check on the man” Ray walked in and broke through the circle they just sat and stared at this man no one had checked if he was even Still alive, Ray Grimaced as he knelt at the mans side his eyes were cold but There was still a small amount of life in the Old man he breathed Shallowly and gasped for air the people in the crowd Stood in awe expecting the man was nothing but a corpse. Ray Could see the man wore the colors of the sailor's guild and He Spoke to the man softly “I'm Afraid Your wounds are too severe I know not anyone within the distance you could travel to hear you….but if you would please tell me who attacked you I could see ...that the man is caught for his crime and punished” ray growled Softly as he finished his Sentence and the Sailor Looked up at him with soft Eyes and he coughed “Aye Lad I can feel ... I Can Feel Meself Slipping away I was attacked by some Young bloke couldn't stop Muttering” He coughed softly” Something about some package must have heard someone was... Ferrying it through town he wore a cloak a red cloak and he was bald his Eyes...looked like they were on fire although I can't be too ... Sure “he coughed once loudly “ Lad this man is crazy …. He... I think he was a wizard Flaming eyes ain't natural and his Blade. Burned through my chest when he cut me.I don't think i have much longer.thank you lad for hearing my dying words if you hadn't have woken me up I wouldn't have had time to pray to the gods one last time I thank ye lad take care of this villain” The man Coughed and his eyes went blank. Raynial Closed the mans eyes and Shook his head Listening to a sailors Rambling death speech was little he could do for a dying man and it traumatized him slightly as he watched the life fade from the mans eyes it was his first time watching a man die and it angered him to see such injustice but now wasn't the time for that He turned back to the man He met “well it seems like your courier job just got a bit more interesting friend I hope you know how to defend yourself “ ray Grabbed his staff and held it at his side “I will Stay with you two against one is better odds Plus from what that man Said the man who wants your package is Insane And A reimancer….this is not the peaceful day I was hoping it was going to be “he gave a false Smile to the other man “I Hope your getting paid good for this delivery”


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[Syd Yssarin]

Syd was getting paid. Though not in the way this man, Raynial, may have expected. "I am getting paid," Syd responded as he looked on at the scene. "But, it's not money, there's a locket I want." That was all this person needed to know. He realized that he had neglected to reveal his own name. Rudeness was an unfortunate side-effect of Syd's social ineptitude. "My name is Syd," he said. "That's all." With that he decided to follow Raynial. The streets had been cleared by the frenzied event earlier, making it easier to walk through without bumping into others. "This man says that his attacker was looking for a package?" Syd pondered. "It must be coincidence," he said aloud. "The library is only a few more blocks away. We don't have time to get involved in this assault. It is neither our place, nor is it our duty." Syd was not trying to be cold, but he wanted the locket really badly. Raynial seemed adamant about looking into the attack, but Syd was cautious. Deciding that if the package was indeed linked to the attack, Syd offered a solution. “What if,” he said to Raynial. “The two of us make way for the library and see if the assailant is there to greet us? If so, we deal with it. If not, then good for us.”

[Raynial]

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"Your right,maybe poking our noses in where they don't belong isn't a good idea but still we should be wary...if that man is looking for your package or not he still sounds like a dangerous sort" Raynial looked around uncertainly wondering what made him so on edge.He began the walk the last couple of blocks too the university Just A Little further and he wouldn't have to be so paranoid the man wouldn't dare attack someone on university ground, His hopeful side told him but his intelligence spoke out about the fact that this unknown assailant whoever he was was a wizard and showed obvious signs of overgiving. He Sighed as they arrived at the door to the university."Well we are at the university now....i guess its time to go in and find the library maybe you were right and it was just a coincidence" He smiled and tried to reassure himself But Something was very off in his head.


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