literature

Silvyss' Journey, chapter 1

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Darkness; what an unpleasant thing to wake up to. He blinked a few times to be sure that his eyes were open. He even rubbed his eyes and found them to be wide open, and yet, he couldn’t even see the hands which he used. The air was… surprisingly dull. No heat, no cold. Nothing. He took a step forward, but found no ground underneath his feet. His heart jumped and he slung his hands around, trying to find something solid to grip on to. Was he standing up? Lying down? He couldn’t find solid ground no matter where he flailed his arms and legs. What was this place? It was unpleasantly silent, his quick and fearful breath being the only thing he could hear. The frightened thumping of his heart sent blood rushing through his stiff, nervous body. His lips jittered in confusion and fear.

“H--hello?” He muttered lowly, his gentle voice disappearing somewhere into the dark depths.

He felt like he was floating mid-air, but not falling. His clothes were… gone. He suddenly realized that he was completely naked, and quickly curled up into a little ball, eyes wide open and scared. His long, elegant hair floated around weightlessly, getting all curled up and in his face.

“Is this the one? Is this honestly the one she chose?!” a rumbling, powerful voice suddenly bellowed from somewhere in the darkness and sent him spinning around in the darkness, making him feel slightly nauseous.

He quickly hid his head in his arms, clenched tightly around his temples and his elongated elven ears. His jaw shook and fearful sweat trickled down his forehead and dripped off his chin, down into his lap.

“Oh come now… he’s cute! I’m sure he can use his appearance to get far, even though he’s a shrimp.” Another voice said, but this one was gentle, smooth and soothing, a woman’s voice.

His long ears perked at the sound and he quickly looked around with tearful eyes, but the darkness allowed no sight.

“He’ll be back soon enough, I’m sure. An elf like him does not survive long in this harsh, unforgiving world.” Yet another voice said, another man this time. But this time, it was dry and rough, the consonants grinding harshly against the vowels like sandpaper. It sent a cold shudder down his naked spine.

“A little luck and he’ll be dandy!” A fourth voice said, this one light, young and female, quickly followed by a girlish giggle.

“Either way…” A fifth voice said, this one old and worn, yet surprisingly soothing, like a comforting grandfather’s “She has made her choice. This elf is the one, and even we cannot argue with that. All we can do is guide his way and hope… hope that he does not meet his demise too soon.”

His demise? What did he mean? The elf shook in fear and confusion, his darkness-blinded eyes dashing back and forth, trying to find a trace of what’s happening, but without luck.

“Now…” the rumbling powerful voice growled “It’s high time he goes back. Time is of the essence, and we should probably get this speck of an elf back before he gets a heart attack.” The growling voice said.

Suddenly, his eyelids felt heavy, like lead. He felt dizzy, and he could feel his eyes flicker, slowly fading away into unconsciousness. His limbs felt weak and hollow, and he couldn’t keep his curled-up position. Giving out a long, drawn out breath, he unfolded into a laying position and he could feel himself seeping into an uncomfortable sleep.

The sound of birds chirping sent a rush of relief through his tired, exhausted body. The feeling of grass tickling his arms and legs and a fresh spring breeze slowly replenished his vigor. He breathed in deeply from the pleasant air and the brilliant light of the midday sun reddened his closed eyelids. His small, gentle fingers scrunched a handful of grass in his palm, which he tore from the ground and almost felt like eating it. A thankful smile spread on his red lips and he idly folded his long, white hair around his neck like a scarf. He felt his soothed blood pour through his veins and through his elongated ears, relaxing his entire body in the gentle touch of the spring grass. The fresh wind swept in his hair and clothes and he slowly opened his eyes. He felt relaxed and comfortable, but as his eyes opened, a question suddenly came to mind.
Where was he?
The sky was brightly blue and the sun stood high on the sky. He sat up and looked around, his keen elven eyes scouring his surroundings, which he found to be surprisingly unfamiliar, but pleasant nonetheless. He found himself at the border of a tiny grove of small trees with leaves green and bark brown. He was facing out from the tiny grove and out into a strikingly foreign landscape before him. Tall grassy hills stood like great waves before him, as far as the eye could see. Small cliffs shaped the landscape beautiful and living and a few trees perched upon the hills gave the landscape a very characteristic look. Characteristic, but foreign, and made another question came to mind.
How did he get here?
He leaned on his elbows, gazing upon the beautiful landscape and although he didn’t complain being here, he did not remember how or why he was here. He could only remember the strange, dark and weightless place he was… but was that just a dream? It was the most vivid dream he had ever experienced, then. He could still feel the peculiar voices inside him, remembering them clearly. They spoke of things he did not know, and the confusion returned to him. He had many questions in mind, but there was one which was most outstanding:
Who was he?
He did not remember anything. He could remember places, animals, how to walk and breathe, as well as common knowledge about The Mortal Realm, but he could not remember any faces, occurrences, his age, not even his own name. It was all a void, a haunting emptiness. He closed his eyes, trying to remember, as he sat up with his legs folded underneath his backside and his short, brown trousers. He blinked a few times, resting his forehead in his palm as he began muttering lowly.

“Don’t forget. Don’t forget. Don’t forget. My name is…” He cringed, trying to remember. He scoured every nook and cranny of his empty mind, and suddenly, like a piece of gold found in a mound of dirt, he remembered.
“Silvyss!” he said and flung open his eyes, an expression of astonishment on his face “My name is Silvyss! Sil-vyss.” He repeated to himself, not wanting to forget again.

He let out a long, relieved breath and rested his hands in his lap, and then suddenly caught sight of something peculiar on the back of his right hand. A mark, of sorts. An insignia or a kind of symbol. Like a tattoo of complex lines and curls winding into one another. It was unlike anything he had seen… not that he remembered anything of what he had seen, though. He let his left fingers glide over the symbol, examining it with curious eyes. Did he have this before? How did he get it? Was this all perhaps just because he had been drinking a mug too much?

Suddenly, a deep yet smooth voice was heard from somewhere behind him “Poor, poor Silvyss, where oh where did your memory go? Lost, disoriented, confused… you are quite an unfortunate example, my dear Silvyss.”

Silvyss quickly turned around and looked into the little grove, his eyes wide and his heart thumping.

“Who goes there?” he asked quickly, his voice cracking a little as his gaze darted around, trying to find the owner of the voice.

A little purr was heard, vibrating quietly “Oh but Silvyss, you are not the one to ask that. Because in fact, I was here before you. I am everywhere, before you are, now that we’re on the subject.”

Silvyss quickly staggered to his bare feet in the fresh grass and stood ready for anything “Better question, in that case: who are you, and how do you know my name?”

Suddenly, he caught sight of a small black cat, perched on top of a branch, looking down at Silvyss with one keen, yellow eye, while the other one was pale white and clouded, probably blind. Its tattered black fur swayed in the fresh wind and it wagged its crooked, broken tail. Judging from the several patches of fur missing, Silvyss figured this cat had seen better days.

“Oh but Silvyss, you know me already. In fact, you are quite well acquainted with me before we even met each other.” The cat said and began purring as it sat high on the branch and licked its small black paws.

Silvyss stood puzzled, unsure of what to say. He let his defensive stance drop and idly looked up at the cat, his eyes blinking in curiosity.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked bluntly.

The cat suddenly let out a few consecutive purrs, almost sounding like an amused chuckle “Dear Silvyss, it means that every man knows me and every man despises me. But few know me as well as you.” The cat said and stood up on all fours and stretched its long, flexible back before bending down in its legs and making a swift, agile leap to another nearby branch.

The branch bent down as the cat strolled across it and dumped its little backside down into a comfortable bunch of green spring leaves.

“And I believe we will become quite splendid companions in the near future. But, if that is to happen, I believe it is only polite to introduce myself, is it not?” the cat asked with its slick, vibrating voice, tilting its small and sly head to the side.

Silvyss had to think twice or even thrice, when he saw what he could’ve sworn was a small, mischievous smile on the cat’s face.

“Uhm… perhaps you should just go back to your owner instead? I’m sure someone is missing a talking cat like you…” Silvyss said, unsure of what else to say to a talking cat.

The cat lead a paw to its mouth and let out a few more consecutive ‘chuckles’ “Oh but Silvyss, no man owns me, and yet, every man has me. You see, I am not just a talking cat.” The cat said, its deep voice sounding deviously knowing “I am also a rhyming one.” It said and suddenly stood up on its hind legs and began striding elegantly across the branch, in ballet-like moves.



I’m a stone on which you fall
I’m a nuisance great and small
I’m the dagger in the night
I’m your every fear and fright
Your frustration is my heartless game
‘Cause Misfortune is my name

I am every broken bone
I am every tasteless tone
I am every rampant fire
I am every shameless liar
I’m one cat you cannot tame
‘Cause Misfortune is my name

My jinxes will make you scowl
My hexes will make you howl
I will be watching as you fail
Wagging my crooked tail
Fight or flee, either way it’s all the same
‘Cause Misfortune is my name.

As the cat, Misfortune, put an end to his rhyme, he dumped back down on all fours and looked at Silvyss with his sharp, yellow eye and the blind one flickering wildly. Silvyss followed Misfortune’s swaying, crooked tail with his gaze, trying not to stare too much at that dead, pale eye. A brief silence fell upon them, only disturbed by the fresh wind sweeping down upon them, rustling the spring leaves and brushing Misfortune’s tattered, black fur.

“Anyhow…” Misfortune said, breaking the silence “I had best take my leave. We will meet again, Silvyss. I will be right at your side… watching.” He said as a diabolic glimmer flashed in his yellow eye.

Silvyss stood silent, unsure of what to say and simply kept following the swaying tail, which suddenly seemed to make a waving gesture of farewell and in a flash of black smoke, Misfortune evaporated in the blink of an eye. Gone in a burst of black smoke. Silvyss blinked, eyes wide as he saw the black smoke of Misfortune being swept away with the wind. Silvyss found it hard to gather his thoughts of what to do next. He still felt confused, disoriented and in a place horribly unfamiliar to him. But then again, he couldn’t remember what should and should not be familiar to him. It would be best if he set off to investigate, and that is just what he decided to do.
The first chapter of a story I am currently working on. It takes place in a world I have thought of myself and I hope that it doesn't prove too unwelcoming for readers unfamiliar with this world :)

Chapter 2: [link]
Chapter 3: [link]
Chapter 4: [link]
Chapter 5: [link]
Chapter 6: [link]
Chapter 7: [link]
Chapter 8: [link]
Chapter 9: [link]
Chapter 10: [link]
Chapter 11: [link]
Chapter 12: [link]
Chapter 13: [link]
Chapter 14: [link]
Chapter 15: [link]
Chapter 16: [link]
© 2013 - 2024 SteenBelhage
Comments8
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CelestialMemories's avatar
Hi! This is part of #Series-Unknown's First Chapter Program!

You really created a nice hook in the beginning and everything was wonderfully detailed. You did an excellent job and I feel like I read it too fast because of how into the story that I was! I think I read about five or six times before I am actually writing this!

I have no real complaints except for occasionally I felt commas being overused in a couple sentences, but they weren't noticeable until I was actually just skimming through and saw them. But with all of the details you involved within the story I understand the necessity for them. This sentence: "A brief silence fell upon them, only disturbed by the fresh wind sweeping down upon them, rustling the spring leaves and brushing Misfortune’s tattered, black fur." was one of the sentences that was kind of dizzying with the commas, in my opinion. 

You wrote a spectacular story and I am glad you have a lot of chapters posted so I can go through them! Amazing job! :star: