The Great Era: Beginnings

“Well, that’s it for the time being, everyone!” The Storyteller happily announced, “I hope that gave a little insight to the story of one of the greatest monarchs in our history!”

“Wait,” a Casttwillan asked, “What’s this got to do with the history of Casttwill? You only talked about Av’lel, not about us.”

“I forgot to mention that this is only the first part,” The Storyteller answered, “As everyone can see, it is much past sunset, and I will return to continue the tale tomorrow.”

“Then will you explain briefly what it’s got to do with our history?”

“Well, I hoped you had received a hidden message from the beginning of this tale, but it turns out I will have to reveal it to you. The connection lies within the founding of the old Casttwill and the forester settlement where Avalel and Kavlina were raised. As I have mentioned much earlier… ”

“I got it! I got it!” a storm of children cried, “the old Casttwill was the forester settlement!”

“You have realized the first half, but there is another half that directly relates to each one of you.”

“Wait… ” a Casttwillan rose to speak, “You mean we are descendants of foresters? The same kind as Kavlina? Our ancestors had fought in the brave conflict against the Achien army? That our kind helped in raising the great monarch Avalel?”

“There was some intermingling between your ancestors and other kinds, such as the Smarinians in the many centuries after Avalel, but many of you are still pure-blooded foresters.”

The children gasped. “We’ll grow up to be giants!”

“Remember the Thillish? It means people of Thille, but they are the same kind as you, the Casttwillans, people of Casttwill. The name was probably created by outsiders who visited your ancestors, and the name stuck. Still, you have forester blood, and can probably trace your ancestry back to the Tarevuen.”

“Will you come back tomorrow?” a child asked.

“I will come back in a week’s time. I will need to spend some time to carve the gravestone for my father. My wife is also waiting for me at my humble dwelling, so I better not let her wait for too long.”

“You have a wife? At such a young age?”

“I look quite younger than my actual age. Well, I have to go now. I will arrive next week at the town plaza.” The Storyteller stood up and turned away, his cloak back on his head.

“Wait!” a child cried, “What’s your name?”

The Storyteller paused. “You’ll know at the end of the tale.” He slowly walked away, his steps similar to that of his father. His silhouette slowly shrank in the distance until all the Casttwillans can see was a small dot. In the bright full moon, the Casttwillans can clearly hear a loud rustle of leaves in the forest nearby and a somewhat loud scream of possibly an eagle.

Slowly, the Casttwillans returned to their homes, some sleeping, some thinking of their ancestry, and still some wondering about the tale of Avalel. However, as the town all drifted into sleep, there were several children still wide awake, mumbling and whispering among themselves.

“Are you sure this will work, Toqum? No one has ever attempted this before or even thought about it!” a child worriedly whispered.

“As long as we don’t get lost and leave without our parents realizing we left, this plan will work.”

“But that’s nearly impossible!”

“The Storyteller had always left without any of us wondering where he went. Imagine the surprise when we enter his own home!”

“You’re willing to risk so much for just meeting personally with the Storyteller?”

“I am willing to risk anything to meet the mysterious Storyteller. The plan will start next week when the Storyteller begins to leave. I will follow him as close as I possibly can. Whether you want to follow my lead or not, I don’t care. Now, who’s in?”