Welcome to Sterling Woods

[fisht3a]

Kunal just wanted to get out of Sterling as fast as possible. He turned to leave and walked to pass the rings of trees. He noticed a faint glimmer coming from all of them.

Investigate.

[fisht3a]

“Are those…?” Kunal approached the massive trunks of the trees. The glimmering was coming from colored flecks embedded in the trunks of the trees and hanging from the canopies. Each tree seemed to have different colors. Kunal got closer and squinted at one in a trunk. He gasped in realization, “t-these are keldine scales!” He was shocked, horrified, and the gears in his brain were churning. Were these the missing kels? How did this happen? Why are the trees growing keldine scales?! Terrified, Kunal wanted to be anywhere but this forest.



Run.

[fisht3a]

Kunal’s heart raced as he took the first step to run away from this place as fast as he could. Just as he began to move, he heard the same rattle of leaves from the previous night and caught a glimpse of white out of the corner of his eye.

Freeze with fear.
Keep running.

[fisht3a]

Kunal froze. He couldn’t move and he begged his muscles to just let him run. The white figure approached and stood in front of Kunal.

Beg.

[fisht3a]

He didn’t care about whatever the heck that thing was. This forest was haunted, evil, crazy, you name it and Kunal wanted out. Now. He just shut his eyes and blindly ran, tears forming at the edges of his eyes. Out of nowhere, Kunal collided with something, hard. He was thrown back and rubbed his head. “Nnnnng…” he moaned and cracked his eyes to meet the tree he probably ran into. It was no tree, but a glowing white keldine that stood in front of him. They appeared to be made from a cloud. “A ghost!” He screamed and turned to run again. The ghastly keldine appeared before him again in a flash.

Beg.

[fisht3a]

“Please please please don’t turn me into a tree… I know this forest is haunted and I didn’t mean any harm!” Kunal sunk to the floor. He was too young to be cursed! How could he get out of this? Suddenly, the spirit spoke without moving its mouth.
“You. You came to my forest with intentions to take what was not rightfully yours. You destroyed my precious undergrowth with your frustration. You deserve to give back to this forest like the rest of them.” The keldine’s voice seemed to come from all directions and it motioned to the trees surrounding the clearing. “Just like you, these keldines came into this forest, not heeding the rumors surrounding it. They came to take and not to appreciate the forest. They gave back what they took and destroyed with their lives.” The keldine scared coldly at Kunal. Kunal was shaking from fear and tried to open his mouth to beg for forgiveness but words wouldn’t roll off of his tongue. The spirit spoke again. “I have been guarding my forest for centuries. It has survived out of the fear the disappearances of the malicious keldines who have entered to take from my land. I hear your thoughts. You’re wondering why I haven’t grown you into a tree like them…” the spirit tilted his head motioning towards the scales hanging from the trees, the trees made from the missing keldines. “So… I have a proposal for you. I am not known to be a kind spirit but I need assistance. My forest is growing. It is large. I have many things to take care of and the keldines from the village are becoming more senseless and venturing onto my land. I cannot take care of it all while keeping them out. I need help.” Kunal whimpered, wanting to be spared in anyway possible. He was too young, and had too much of a life ahead of him to not take this spirit’s deal.
“P-please…” he stuttered, “I’ll do whatever you want! Just spare me!”
“I need you to protect this forest for me. I can tell from your aura you pick on others just to show your strength. You could be a true asset to me. You shall protect this forest with your life. You may only hunt what you need. You will never feel the need to sleep, protecting this forest is your sole job. Your wings may be capable of flight but you cannot fly long, or escape from the protective tangle of branches overhead. You are mine and this forest’s in exchange for sparing your life."

the beast



You have no choice. Accept.

[fisht3a]

“Yes! I mean- thank you…” Kunal had tears rolling down his cheeks from the fear he was experiencing. As soon as the deal was accepted, the spirit vanished. “W-wait! You haven’t told me what to do!” He turned to look for the spirit and blacked out.

Wake up.

[fisht3a]

You are Kunal. A large, winged keldine and the protector of Sterling Forest. You’ve been working for the forest’s spirit for nearly as long as you can remember because your life was spared by them as a young keldine in return for protection of the forest. But man, do you hate your job.

just let me go

A group of young keldines entered from the forest’s edge. They seem wary of their surroundings, probably nervous about the rumors of keldines disappearing in the forest.

Let them pass.
Scare them away.

[fisht3a]

"Nah."



Scare them away

[fisht3a]

“Pssh… too easy,” Kunal scoffs. He throws a berry at one of the keldines in the group from his position utop a tree branch. “Something just touched me!” the young kel yelped upon impact with the fruit. “I-I’m sure it was nothing… you’re just scared because of the stories! It’s totally not real” said another kel in the group. They continued onward into the forest. While they were distracted, Kunal had silently swooped down into a thick shrub near the group. He darted across the path in front of the group in a blur. The young keldines gasped and froze in their tracks. Kunal rolled his eyes and wondered why that wasn’t enough to make them run. Stupid kids. He stuck his paw slowly out from the shrub and… waved. The young keldines screamed and ran right back outside the forest. Kunal snickered, “works every time…” He flew back up to the tree to lazily eat more of the succulent berries he had stashed. “Hope cranky Mr. Spirit doesn’t kick me out of the forest for eating more than I need, ooOOOOoooo” he mocked, laughing to himself and tossing a berry to himself. Kunal was distracted feeding himself while a dark keldine slipped past his guard.

Miss your mouth.