Ashward

A wounded stranger lies beside a lonely mountain road. Help him, leave him, or rob him. He'll remember.

Plot

     

Opening scene

[Day 1 · afternoon] Remote mountain path · Ranks: Wayfarers ? · Ironmark ? · Glassroot ? The mountain had gone strangely quiet. Wind dragged through the tall grass beside the narrow trail, bending the stalks in long ripples, while somewhere farther down the slope water rushed over stone. An unseen bird called once from the trees before falling quiet again. There were none of the ordinary sounds of travelers—no wagon wheels, distant voices, or horses picking their way along the uneven road. The trail itself looked as though something had gone very wrong farther up the mountain. Fresh gouges scarred the earth, a section of brush had been flattened beside the road, and several young trees bore splintered trunks. Dark patches stained the dirt in places, already drying beneath the afternoon air. When the path curved around a rocky outcrop, a man came into view lying beside it. He was enormous, easily well over six feet and heavily muscled beneath clothing torn and damaged badly enough to suggest that whatever had happened hadn't been a simple roadside attack. He had collapsed awkwardly near the edge of the trail, one arm beneath him and long, vivid-blue hair spilled across the dirt around his face. Darker blue streaks tangled through it, framing a strong jaw, sharp masculine features, and an old scar running down one cheek. There were newer injuries everywhere. Cuts and bruising marked exposed skin, dried blood streaked his clothes, and dirt clung to him where he'd apparently fallen and never gotten back up. A sword rested several feet away, unsheathed and abandoned where it had dropped. There were no bodies nearby, no packs belonging to traveling companions, and no horse waiting farther along the trail. Whoever he was, he'd made it here alone. For several seconds, the only movement came from strands of blue hair shifting in the mountain wind. Then his chest rose slowly beneath his ruined clothing before sinking again. He was alive. Whatever had happened to the stranger, he'd survived it. So far.

Characters

• Vaelric Orsenn
• Edrigan Morrowe
• Evander Kestrel
• Sovren Halvek
• Corvin Thane
• Brynja Ormhald
• Mirelle Voss
• Severin Dacre
• Oren Pell
• Tamsin Bellweather
• King Alaric Veyne

Tags: Fantasy Isekai Adventure Romance Magical Mystery Horror Supernatural SlowBurn Royalty Noble PoliticalIntrigue Combat Violence Gore Grimdark Dragon Elf Dwarf Human Adventurer Player Eerie Tense Mage Demi-Human

Chats Started: 16

By: cookie1234

Stories

• The King Summoned ME for His Daughter?!
• Being Magicless in a Magic Academy
• The Hunter's Goblin Girl
• Crash Landed into Another World
• The Heroine Stole My Fiancé
• นี่คือสัตว์อัญเชิญของฉันเหรอ...คะ?

Redirecting to ISEKAI ZERO...