FSE

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Horace breathed into the mug and wiped its insides with his cloth, it was nearing the middle of the night and soon he'd be closing his inn for the day. Setting the mug under his counter, the innkeeper glanced at the fire. It was almost completely out, no wonder it had gotten so cold... But as it grew towards midnight, Horace quickly realized that it wasn't just due to the fire going out. The panes of glass in his windows started to frost over with a thing sheet of frost, Horace's eyes glinted in the dying light of the fire as he reached under his counter for a sword.

Three forms passed the windows of his inn, Horace noted how tall they were. After they disappeared from view, Horace found himself holding his breath and waiting. Then after just a moment, there were three knocks on the door. Light, but sharp, Horace slid the sword from under his counter and carefully slid it into a sheath at his side before hiding it under the usual gray cloak he wore. He walked to the door, and with baited breath, pulled it open.

Three opulent faces met his gaze, two male, and one a dazzling female. She looked upon the innkeeper with a distant cold look, "You are Horace?" She asked simply, Horace said nothing for a moment before nodding. She slid a scroll from inside her fine gown that she wore, holding it out to him Horace was careful when he reached out. He could see fine swords at the sides of the two males, taking the scroll he shivered as a fresh breeze of cold air chilled his skin. "Please present this for all to see innkeeper." The girl said simply before turning and walking away, the males shooting the innkeeper deadly gazes before following the girl.

Closing the door, Horace sighed heavily, his beard crackling lightly as the ice shards that had formed in it melted with the heat of the inn warming him up. "Fae..." He hissed lightly, looking at the scroll in hand. He knew that he would have to hang it up, not doing so could easily bring a nasty fight to his inn.

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Early in the morning, the inhabitants of the village quickly saw the scroll hung upon the wall of the inn. Upon it read the details of a high paying guardian job, but whenever they got interested as soon as the information that it was from Fae reached them, they would quickly back out. Thief, warrior, mage, holy knight, no one would take it... except for one foolish man.

Derrick snored as he slept, he laid in his hay bed up in the inn's lofts. Horace had been kind to him and had housed him for free as long as he did odd jobs, this morning he was extremely tired after cutting firewood for twelve long hours out in the back. His muscles screamed at him even as he slept, it wasn't until Horace screamed up that the young man was awoken from his slumber. He rose from the straw, bleary eyed as Horace screamed up once more. "Derrick, wake up! I have chores that need to be done!"

Rubbing his eyes, the blond headed man scratched his side as he rolled out of the hay. "Aye! I'm awake Horace, I'll be down in a moment!" He heard a grunt of affirmation from the innkeeper before the door below shut, Derrick hustled over to the small mirror he had set up in the corner of the loft and used a dull knife to trim away the edges of a beard that had started to impede on his face. He was careful up until a scream from below caused him to cut his chin with the still slightly sharp knife, after a few choice words and a lot of fumbling for a bandage, Derrick walked downstairs to see what the fuss was about.

A woman was poking her finger into Horace's chest rather painfully, Derrick winced as he saw the woman's nails were pointed as well. "Why in the lord's good name would you post that demon scroll up?! The Fae are demons, I'll have you know that the church will hear of this and you shall be barred from this town!"

But the large innkeeper wasn't intimidated, he just casually rubbed his chest before speaking to the angry woman. "Feel free to talk to the church, and while you're at it, why don't you bring the Priest's tab with me up? I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to me over it while telling me I'm about to be kicked out of the town..." The woman's face drained of all color.

"Y... ho... hmph!" She turned around and stalked out of the inn with an indignant look on her face, Derrick blinked as she brushed past him.

Walking up to the innkeeper, Derrick rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "What was that about Horace?"

Horace sighed and rubbed his head, "The Fae paid us a visit last night, I'm sure you noticed the weather getting colder last night." Derrick blinked and thought about how he had woken up late in the night, shivering as if it were midwinter even though it was late into the heat of summer. Pointing outside, Horace explained further. "So we have a request from our friends about hiring a guardian job, it pays immensely well."

Derrick blinked in surprise, "Wow... so, what is it that you want of me Horace?" The innkeeper scratched the back of his head.

"Well Derrick, I wish it was good news but..." Horace sighed heavily, "You're going to have to move out."

Derrick jumped in shock, "B... but... Horace! You're the only man who'll take me in!"

Horace sighed sadly, "Yes, I'm sorry. That's why I'm going to be giving you five gold pieces in exchange for all of the hard work you've done for me, but I need the loft so I can start earning money for that area as well. I'm truly sorry my friend, have a good life." He said with finality before turning away and picking out a mug to clean, Derrick felt anger burn in his chest but he just sighed and turned away with a sad look on his face.

Going up to the loft, Derrick picked up his few belongings, the knife a dirty looking cloak, and a small pouch which held his few bronze pieces. Dropping in the gold pieces, Derrick attached the pouch to his pants and walked downstairs with a downtrodden look. As he was about to head out, he was stopped by the sudden appearance of Horace who stepped in front of him with a solemn look on his face. Derrick looked up sadly, "What is it Horace?"

Horace was quiet for a moment before he unclasped his own cloak and pulled off Derrick's, "This will be better for your travels my friend, safe travels." Derrick was speechless, he had never owned something so nice as the robe that Horace had given him. He hugged the elder gentlemen who did likewise, they had been friends for a year and it was a painful experience for both to part. Horace held up the scroll after they finished hugging, "I know this is dangerous, but I think this might be good for you Derrick. That cloak will keep out the chill of the Fae's presence and you will be well, I'm sure of it."

Derrick was hesitant, but he accept the scroll and said his farewell to the innkeeper. It was time for him to make his own path... As he strode off, Horace's face was impassive as he watched the man walk away. "Hm... shame that I couldn't keep you here Derrick... but destiny has destined you with another path..." He clicked his tongue as a hunter would do if he'd lost a particularly good looking meal.

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The Fae's palace was grand, it glowed with an aura of magic that seemed to shine as if it were made of gems. Derrick gulped in nervousness as he walked towards it, the scroll had grown progressively hotter as he had approached the castle. It didn't take long for him to find it, the map had a magical compass upon it that had led him there as well as the heating. Looking up at the grand palace, Derrick could see that the glass panes of the palace had depictions of past fights of the Fae.

As the human grew near, he heard a voice call out that rang with power. "Halt, what do you approach the Palace of the Fae for human?" Derrick shivered, the voice was that of god, it must of been never had he heard a voice that commanded him so ably.

"I... I'm here to become the guardian for the Fae my lord!" Derrick called out nervously, his voice quavering as his voice rang out through the damp air. There was no noise for a few moments, for a second he was afraid that he had been too impetuous by answering the lord directly.

"Alright, approach the palace door human." The lord's voice called out, Derrick sighed in relief and ran up to the door and sighed in relief as the doors swung open to reveal a long hall that shined with the shimmer of magic.

Entering the grand hall, Derrick looked around for those who had opened the door but no such people appeared. The doors swung shut behind him with no help of ones hands, Derrick was in awe, the magic of the Fae truly was powerful...

Walking down the hall in his meager clothing, Derrick felt ashamed, it was as if he were a smirch amongst the glory of the hall. As Derrick approached the doors at the other end of the hall, he gaped in shock as the doors opened to reveal a court of the Fae. The gaze of the whole court was settled on him, then the voice of god once more spoke to him. "Come in human."

Derrick's footsteps rang out, noise in the peaceful silence of the Fae. There were no coughs or sneezes amongst the fair folk, they were as silent as the air itself. Their faces were as white as porcelain, if not for their eyes following his every movement, Derrick would've sworn they were all dolls. Coming to the center of the large ensemble, Derrick's eyes flicked over all of the arrangement until they came across the only one who stood with a grand crown upon his brow. "Welcome." He said simply with the voice of god, Derrick's eyes widened.

Bowing quickly, Derrick stammered. "My lord!"

The king looked upon the human with no emotion, "I am not the god that you think I am human, please raise yourself." Derrick slowly arose from his bow, even so he was nervous. "Good, so you are the one to become a guardian of the Fae..."

"Y... yes sir..." Derrick said, his hands clenched tightly around the scroll. He was freezing, the Fae gave off a cold aura, and in such a large mass it was a dreadful freezing effect. Thankfully, the scroll that Derrick held kept him from freezing to death with its blazing warmth.

The king's eyes continued to appraise him, the king himself was a tall and handsome man. He had long black hair that he wore in a golden band that hung to his waist, his face showed no discernible age upon it. He looked as if he could as young as nineteen human years, or as old as twenty-eight. "Well, my family, what do you think of this human?"

The ensemble's eyes drifted from the king to the human, there was silence as each one looked over his lanky body and straw blond hair. The king was silent as they did so until he spoke once more, "Good, they approve of you." Derrick blinked in surprise, no one had said anything, it must've been the magic again.

The king stepped towards Derrick and held his hand out, "Please hand me the scroll." Derrick nervously handed it over, shivering violently as it escaped his grasp, no longer protected from the cold. The king pulled the parchment from the paper and discarded it to reveal the gorgeous gold tube that the scroll had been wrapped around, for a moment he observed it and looked at little symbols that adorned the tube. "Interesting..." He muttered, his eyes flicking over the length, he then turned his green eyes back to Derrick. "Human, why don't you rest for the night, we shall explain to you your duties in the morning."

Derrick scratched his arm nervously, "Alright, thank you..." He hastily bowed before the court before walking out, the Fae's cold gaze following him all the while.

Now that the human was gone, King Zarind quietly held up the golden tube and spoke ancient words to allow the end of the tube to dissipate allowing him to see a murkish liquid within. A smile slid over the king's face, "Perfect..." He muttered to himself before proclaiming to the court, "We have our guardian! Prepare the goblet, we shall have him ready by tomorrow night!"

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Walking into a dark room, Derrick stood with the king himself. He had been told earlier in the day that he would be given the ceremony which would make him the guardian, he had been given some garish clothing, but he didn't mind much. Walking up to the king, Derrick bowed his head silently. The king said nothing, he instead stepped to the side revealing a dais with a golden chalice upon it. "Drink from this chalice, and you shall be ready to be our new guardian."

Derrick picked up the chalice and looked into it, the liquid within was a silver color. He took a deep breath and put the chalice to his lips and drank the liquid, it was like liquid ice traveling down his throat, the chalice fell from his hands as he clutched his chest in pain. "S... so... p.. painful..." He hissed, his insides felt as if they were being torn apart.

His skin started to prickle as dark brown fur started to sprout from it, "What was in the drink?!" He called out in confusion to the Fae king, it was hard for him to talk as his throat was started to expand and elongate.

The king's eyes twinkled, "The liquid that you just drank was a mixture, you see when you were carrying the scroll around with you, it absorbed what makes you human and formed into a liquid within. Once I had the essence of human, I easily diluted it with my own blood, purifying it of your turgid human essence. Now you are becoming like us, a creature of Fae creation, though you are not going to be Fae."

Derrick's face pushed out into a muzzle, his nose forming into his face black and leathery. His eyes changed into a glowing silver color, it was as if his mind were being invaded by some creature. Derrick found his mind being picked apart and being replaced with loyalty, loyalty to his king...

King Zarind grinned, he had picked the perfect human, he was easily turning with hardly any problem. Derrick's body had expanded immensely, muscles spreading across his fur covered body. His clothes had disappeared to reveal his new black armor that covered his chest and legs leaving his midsection uncovered to show off his intimidating muscles, and leaving his arms capable of movement.

The name Derrick faded, it was the name of a human, he was the creation of the Fae, he loved his king. Two golden rings slid into his new ears on top of his head, they were marked with Fae runes that claimed him as King Zarind's property. Standing up, now a tall seven foot tall Gnoll, the creature bowed before his king. "My lord, I am yours to command as your new guardian."

Zarind's eyes glimmered with pleasure, "Good, now rise Zers. You are to accompany me at all times, you are immortal as I am, be pleased that you shall follow me forever."

Zers' silver eyes glimmered with pleasure, he would forever be his king's guardian, and that was how he wanted it. Following behind the king, the Gnoll left behind any remnants of his humanity in that dark room.