Blemished: Chapter 1

" Esma....ESMA!!"
"Oh, there you go again, wondering around on your own in the Mistic Forest. Don't you know the Dark Renaissance loves children like you?" Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Geondore sighed, putting a hand on the cute little girl who was in front him.

"But gramps, the forest is such a beauty, and something is calling out to me out there today. cant you be more lenient to me? it's killing me to just stay inside the logdge with a bunch of oldies. Geesh."

The  girl with shining cerulean eyes pout, hoping to get her wish granted .
But her wish was obviously not heard, as the lean, slander man in front of her suddenly grabbed her shoulder with such force that it pained her. '

"Something called out to you today? From the Deeper Forest?"
There was some seriousness in his tone. Astounded, Esma
 looked up and saw...panic? fear? or some kind of unknown emotion swirling in the eyes of the man who's been her guardian for 12 years. Her Geondore had never spoken with her in such a serious and distressed manner before, and it was scaring the hell out of her.

"Yes, it  feels familiar, and friendly, and it calls out to me to get to the depths of the Shrivelling Cliffs. Gramps, is something bad going to happen to me? But it doesn't feel like the thing summoning me means me any harm."

Is it inevitable? Is it finally going to happen? Is it time, for this pure, innocent girl I know to begin her own path of destiny?' Silently, he thought to himself.

Only silence answered her question. An owl hooted in the far end of the mountain, awakening Geondore from his thinking trance. Looking deep into the eyes of the bubbly girl he had watched over so long, and he said in a solemn voice,

"Esma, listen to me. You must never enter the Deeper Forest, ever. Forget about the calling. There is great evils residing at the Shrivelling Cliffs and greater evil roams the depths of this forest. It will  not do you any good going there, do you understand me?"

"Yes, gramps, I do. I give you my word that i would not go into the Deeper Forest. Promise."

Relieved, the tall man noded.
"let's get you back, shall we?"

Carrying the girl piggie-back style, he headed back to their lodge.

 The setting sun silhouetted his back, drawing a long shadow on the forest floor. with his footsteps echoing away, it seemed like his age finally caught up with him. the man suddenly looked old and withered, and the wind seemed to catch a soft sigh from the distance.

"It had just begun..."
A voice from the depths of the forest whispered.