E

[Deddily]

Name:
Enoch Addinel

Nickname/Alias:
His parents simply called him “E”.

Age:
Unknown. He appears to be in his 70s, but his eyes tell a very different tale

Gender:
Male

Race:
Human

Height:
190 cm

Weight:
90 kg

Hair:
White, unkempt, balding

Eyes:
Blue-green

Skin:
White, but very tanned

Identifying Marks:
Most of his body bears the mark of a hard life. Tough, calloused hands, a swarthy hue and a long scar near his left eye are all that are outwardly apparent, but old burn marks and other deep scars lie hidden underneath his clothing.

Appearance:
Seems to be a regular old man, but strongly built and muscular for his age.

Strengths:
Although old, he is strong and healthy. His eyes gleam with keen alertness. He is peace-loving but will defend what is his using his skills as a marksman and with the vigour of a man who has had to fight for everything he has ever been able to call his own. He has a strong sense of justice. He is thorough in everything he does and is expert at survival in any terrain.

Weaknesses and fears:
Being in his 70s, he can sometimes tire out on long journeys. He is a poor swordsman and rarely carries one unless he is alone and feels threatened. He is afraid of the dark and will venture out at night only when necessary. Explosions of all kinds send a shiver down his spine. Has a poor memory for names.

Religion and cults:
He is not familiar with the religions and cults that are commonly practiced, but he does believe in a higher power.

Profession:
He comes from a family of traders, although he has never been one himself. Today he is a small-scale subsistence farmer and also occasionally mines for valuables for his own use or for the benefit of others. He usually earns only what he needs and spends his free time traveling and assisting those in need.

Some background:
From the very earliest time he remembers, Enoch’s life had been a struggle for survival. The only people he ever knew as a child were his parents. But they were far from alone. The small family knew the importance of always staying alert, lest they let down their guard. Born in such a world, Enoch never had the chance to be a child. He never learned the word “play”, and instead quickly found out the importance of using his bow to defend himself, his family and what little they had as they gradually moved on from place to place as all that they knew was slowly destroyed around them - desperately, hopelessly searching for a way out of the only world that Enoch had ever known as time became meaningless and day and night blended into one long nightmare.

Following the death of his aged parents, Enoch traveled again. He scavenged what food he could along the way, determined to find something - anything - that might offer a glimmer of hope in this vast wasteland. Years passed, until, one day, stumbled upon something that shocked him to the core. Tracks. These were not the marks left by the creatures he knew only too well - these were different. His heart beat faster as he realised for the first time in his life that there may be others. Following the track for some distance, careful to keep himself concealed, his heart leaped as he realised what it was he could see. It was just as his father had described it. A way out. A release from the endless, mindless existence that was all he knew. The nightmare was at an end.

Now arrived in Altera, Enoch rarely talks of his past, preferring instead to concentrate on the present. He tries to lead a simple life, but some things in his new world still trouble him. He avoids conflict but the fighting instinct inside of him still burns, and he can still be found fighting the creatures of darkness, trying in his own way to make the world a better place.

 

[sokkenpop]

I like this story man!

And (not to advertise) but I could use someone like you for my town, You could serve as a librarian if you like

 

[Itzzaboy]

Awesome, I like this, it's nice and original, and you were honest and realistic with the fears and weaknesses, keep it up!

 

[Deddily]

Thank you, these comments mean a great deal to me, especially as this is my first attempt at anything like this. My idea is that there is more to the story but that, since E is unwilling to talk about his past, other characters will have to interact with him under special circumstances for more details to be forthcoming.

 

[Deddily]

***

E clutched his jacket around him as night fell and he stood staring into the peaks and troughs of the waters ahead. The ice cold wind had whipped up a churning sea and the spray stung his face as he stood on the swaying deck, deep in his thoughts. They had been sailing for days and the heavy seas had not let up for a single moment since leaving the fortress. Standing alone, he was fascinated by the beauty and power of the sea. Although he had never sailed before, he felt strangely at peace there on deck, standing firmly in place as the spray from the heavy waves beat down upon him. His father had once been a trader; had he, perhaps, used such a vessel in his business? He could vaguely remember his father talking about great, wooden structures that carried people and cargo across vast stretches of water. Could it be in the blood, he wondered? A sharp call snapped him from his thoughts - a voice was shouting from high up on the mast. The lookout had sighted land. As E tried to peer into the distance from his position far below on deck, he could see no farther than the black waves as they towered up above him menacingly. But he could feel the ship changing direction as it slowly obeyed the helm, and the movement became less erratic now that they were running before the wind instead of fighting against it as they had been for what felt like an eternity. As the crew carefully maneuvered the ship, heavy now with water after being hard pressed during the journey, E could gradually see the form of a city taking shape in the distance. The sillouhette of the tall stone battlements stood out starkly against the night sky and, as the ship drew closer to land, he could see lights and buildings. "So this is Port Silver", he said quietly to himself, his words whipped away by the wind. As they neared the giant harbour, the deck where he had been standing alone suddenly became a hive of activity as sailors readied ropes and landing hooks in preparation for the landing. As the ship moved sluggishly into position alongside the quay, listing heavily to one side after its ordeal, the men jumped ashore and heaved upon the ropes, fastening them in order to hold the ship in place. As the crew now hurried bellow deck to collect the cargo, E stepped onto the quay, it's firmness taking him by surprise and making him almost stagger in a drunken fashion after days at sea.

Steadying himself and looking around him, he could see that the sun was beginning to rise. He welcomed its warmth as he stood on the quayside, taking in his new surroundings. But he was an outsider and did not feel at home there. walking some distance into the countryside, he made a small shelter where he could rest up for a while and dry his sodden clothing. From his hiding place, he observed people coming and going, buying and selling and generally living their lives. He was enthralled by the sights and sounds and yet too unsure of himself to make his presence known. He thus turned his hand to doing what he knew best - surviving. Because of his unfamiliarity with this new world around him, he dug a small cave in the ground that he would call home for the next few days.

Eventually, he knew, he would have to make contact and explore his new surroundings. For the time being, though, he was content to sit and watch as his senses accustomed themselves to this new world of Altera.
***

 

[Alailanible]

Can't wait for you to write about your journey to Uthrandir.

 

[Deddily]

Can't wait for you to write about your journey to Uthrandir.

I'm getting there, slowly but surely

 

[Deddily]

***
E stood at the docks, musing about how changeable the weather could be in Altera. Only a few days before, he had been standing at this very spot watching as great rollers charged in and dashed against the quayside, each one threatening to swamp it and anything on it entirely. Standing here now, it was difficult to imagine a more tranquil picture. It was early morning and the great ships at Port Silver docks hung loosely at their moorings, the sea gently lapping at the wooden hulls, its power completely spent. No ships were sailing today, the flat calm saw to that. He could see one fine vessel drying her sails in the early-morning sunshine, the material hanging limply, without a breath of wind to even make it stir. Some of the crew were sitting wearily on deck, idly waiting for a fair wind to take them to their next destination.

Apart from them and a few others loitering near the market, waiting for the stalls to open, the docks were largely deserted. Enoch had chosen today as his moment to meet his new world. Walking along the docks, he read the names and destinations advertised by the ships waiting listlessly at their places alongside the quay. He saw destinations that he had heard of before - the Sorrowlands, a friendly traveller had told him, was a veritable wonderland for those in search of rare gems; and there was, of course, the ship to Fortress Naught - and there were also other destinations with exotic names like Haven’s Reach, Sirens Call, Skara Brae, all of which E looked forward to seeing as he learned his way around this beautiful world. One destination was missing though. He had overheard it mentioned in hushed undertones by two drunkards heading home from the tavern late one evening and had decided to see it with his own eyes.

Standing there alone in the quiet of the early morning, E surveyed his surroundings, taking deep breaths of the fresh sea air. He looked up towards the marketplace and saw now that a few of the stalls were beginning to open. The city would soon come to life and he felt a little nervous. Were the locals friendly? Would they accept an outsider or cast him out? He started to question himself - what was he doing here, really? Could he expect anyone to just accept a stranger who had nothing to offer - a nobody such at him? What little he had learned from human interaction thus far had taught him that everyone demands something in return for assistance. It had cost him everything he had to secure transport to Port Silver, and now what could he offer anyone? Rotten flesh? No, this was a mistake. But what could he do? What choice did he really have? "Hello Port Silver" he said quietly to himself. "Hello Sir!" Came a voice behind him. Spinning around, he found himself staring into the the kindly eyes of the old man who had just greeted him. E was taken aback - this was no ordinary man, he could see from his apparel that the man was of noble blood. Returning the greeting awkwardly, E used the only title he could think of: "Good Day, my Lord". He felt it was probably the wrong greeting to use for a man of such stature, but knowing so little about Altera, it was the best he could do. The man introduced himself as Bellon from Uthrandir, and his friendly demeanour quickly made E feel more at ease with himself. Glad to have found someone from the very city he had been looking for, E received another surprise when Bellon offered to take him on a personal tour of Uthrandir. "It cannot be reached by any earthly means", explained the wise old wizard, leading E to the sky docks.

***

“Incredible!...amazing!...awe-inspiring!...” E was running out of words to describe his impressions of the buildings and facilities at Uthrandir. He was genuinely overwhelmed by the attention to detail, the quality of the materials and the way of life enjoyed by the inhabitants there. Although the tour was cut short because the great wizard Bellon had pressing matters to attend to (he mentioned that his “internet connection” seemed to be being attacked by “hackers” - or something equally incomprehensible, presumably something to do with magic), he did have time to introduce Enoch to a lovely young lady named Alaila, who worked diligently in the kitchen, providing the residents and students of Uthrandir with a variety of food and nourishment, specially tailored for each particular species. This is where E first tasted a slice of melon. The delicate sweetness of the fruit brought senses to his tongue such as he had never experienced in his long life. He closed his eyes and let the red juice trickle down his throat. A far cry from mushrooms and rotten flesh, he thought to himself. Alaila was the perfect hostess, offering not only all the culinary delights that E could dream of, but also a listening ear - something that he had longed for during his many lonely years. There was something about the girl that told him “don’t worry, everything is all right now” and he found himself pouring out his heart to her as she sat looking at him with those wide and gentle eyes that could have wrested a confession from the most callous of criminals. And she just listened, showing feeling for every word.

Enoch had never known such kindness and hospitality. He was offered a room and Alaila was even kind enough to provide some furnishings to make him feel more at home. The final surprise of his long day was to discover the comfort of a bed, clean linen and a proper roof over his head. As he lay there, tired as he was, he found it difficult to fall asleep. He was in peaceful surroundings, now, and he had nothing to fear, and yet he could not shake his disquieting thoughts. What about tomorrow? What will Bellon and the others do when they find out where he is from? What will the city do with him when they realise that he is nothing but an old man with no past, present or future in Altera? How could he fool himself to think that anyone would really care about him? That Alaila, though... she was a good girl with a kind heart. Enoch found himself feeling quite protective of her. “As long as I am here”, he mumbled to himself as his eyes became heavier, “I can at least repay her kindness with loyalty. I shall not let anything bad happen to her.” He lay on his back and felt the softness of the bed supporting his weight. He rested his head on the feathery pillow and finally allowed his heavy eyes to close as he drifted into the luxury of sleep and the best night’s sleep he had ever known.
***

 

[Alailanible]

Awwwww!!!!

*Alaila claps her hands*

I liked it so much! Thank you for including me.

 

[Deddily]

I liked it so much! Thank you for including me.

I'm really glad you liked it, thanks for the encouragement

 

[ItsBryton]

this is really good.. gonna metion me ??? its colbinator btw..

 

[matyio]

I like your writing style.

 

[Deddily]

Colbinator, Matyo, thank you very much for your input!
Colbinator - I'm a slow writer but, yes, I do plan on including you in the next installment. Can you remember the name of the boy with the crazy eyes and the invisible friend? Was it Tuwit?

 

[ItsBryton]

Ye it was

 

[Deddily]

***
As the sun lazily slid below the horizon, the landscape was bathed in a breathtaking golden hue that slowly deepened into red and purple. Alone amongst such majestic beauty, a figure stood at the top of a hill, greedily feasting his eyes on the explosion of colours display before him. With the dramatic mountains he had left behind and the gently undulating landscape before him, this was Altera at its finest. The old man let out a heavy, satisfied sigh as he set about making camp for the night. A simple fire and a small hollow in the ground that he had filled with leaves and long grass would be all that was necessary on such a beautiful evening. He lay on his back, staring up into the endless expanse up above. There was no moon tonight, and the stars were so clear and bright that he felt he could almost touch them. Laying there with only his thoughts for company, he felt an unexpected pang of loneliness. He had experienced it before, of course, but never in this world. He allowed his mind to wonder and thought of the wonderful people he had met since his arrival in Altera. He thought of Bellon and his friendly smile, he remembered, too the kind welcome given him by Alaila. He thought about Damien, remembering how he had watched on as the poor man wrested with his inner self, fighting to regain the memory of his past that he had long ago locked away in his mind. He thought about the charming Luna he had met in the garden, with her melodious humming as she happily hopped from tree to tree.

This was a world he never thought he would see. He never expected to be amongst people and now he missed them. He even missed the energetic little Tuwit with his imaginary friend. So young and yet brave enough to travel across Altera alone. He hadn't quite realised until now what an attachment he had formed towards all of these wonderful people. He had always considered himself a loner, neither needing anyone nor needed, or wanted, by anyone. But, laying there under the bright, starry heavens, his mind contemplating infinity, he now saw things differently. He needed his friends. Altera was indeed beautiful, but Enoch now felt he had seen enough for the time being. There would be other days for exploration and journeys, but right now, all he wanted was to go home. Home! He said the word aloud in a soft, dreamy voice, sampling its taste on his tongue. He liked that word.
***

To be continued...

 

[ItsBryton]

More now!!! Once again amazing.

 

[ItsBryton]

Why is more not up yet....

 

[Deddily]

Thanks for the input again, Colbinator! All in good time, all in good time

 

[ItsBryton]

Call me bryton in forums and damien in game.. and the way you protrayed me in that last chapter was really good i think...

 

[Deddily]

***
All was not well upon E's return to Uthrandir. He had foolishly thought that everything would be as it was and that he could slip into a comfortable routine of life surrounded by friends. It was not to be. He came back to somber faces and immediately knew something was wrong. "I want to show you something", said Damien, simply. Concerned, Enoch hurried along at the heel of Damien as he was led to the side of a small hill, where he could clearly see an opening, an unsightly and unnatural gash in the pristine countryside surrounding the city. It was an entrance leading down into the earth below. The two men walked inside, following the twists and turns of the tunnel, lit dimly by burning torches as it gradually wound downwards and came to a sudden opening. E stood at the entrance to the cave with eyes wide with horror. Burning netherack, obsidian, soulsand... this could only mean one thing. Damien's words cut through the thickness of his tangled thoughts; "We followed it here - a Ghast, E, but it disappeared, dragging me with it." Damien declined to talk more on the subject, but E could only imagine the ordeal that this man had gone through, and the fact that he was here - and still talking - was nothing less than a miracle. As the two of them stood there in silence, E felt his stomach churning, his mind swimming in a concoction of thoughts that blocked every other sense in his body. His vision started to fade and he did not have the power to resist it. Blackness enveloped him.
***
He could hear voices - faint and unintelligible. He slowly opened his eyes - just white light and some blurred shapes. His vision gradually returned as he lay there stunned and motionless. He could recognise the shapes now - he was on the floor of Alaila's dining room, staring towards the ceiling with vacant eyes as concerned faces peered down at him as he lay silent on the floor. Warm tea was brought to his dry lips and he sipped gently, letting the golden liquid revive his sore body. He was vaguely aware that someone was talking to him and asking questions but his mind was in a daze and he could comprehend nothing. He closed his eyes again and felt friendly hands gently lifting him and carrying him to his bed. He did not resist. Everything was swirling around him, dizzying thoughts slammed him from inside as drifted into unconsciousness once more. But this time he dreamed. Images from the past flitted through his entangled mind. Fire...heat...destruction...cavernous wasteland...darkness...searching, searching, endless searching... He awoke suddenly, every sense in his body burning with heightened alertness, his heart pounding and his muscles tense. What was wrong? What had happened? He jumped up from his bed and stared wildly around. It was the middle of the night, the house was quiet - not a sound. Something had changed. His mind was clear now, but he was drenched in sweat and his heart would not stop pounding. He thought back to the events of the previous day, and then it hit him like a heavy blow to the chest; he staggered to his knees. Damien! What had he said? The Ghast! It had come because of him! He was to blame! How could he have been so thoughtless and foolish? What had he brought to this world?
***