A Journal

A journal that belonged to a traveler was found amongst the forest, must have fallen to the ground and no one had seen the journal up to now. The Journal was old, worn, leather bound chances are created by the wood elves, who are known for the assembly of weapons, armor, satchels and of course, Journals. Only the Travelers held journals to keep moves recorded and documented and the chance of one found on the forest floor was a rare chance. Travelers are those from far lands, whose goals are to seek monsters and slay them. They are treated with respect, after royals, the Travelers come next and then troops and from there the enchanters. The commoners are just humans with no talents.

Why would a traveler's journal be so far from any monsters? wondered Max as he collected the leather-bound journal from the earth. He knew that he should not read the documents, but the allurement could not be neglected, so hard to not read a sentence or two, but he knew the gamble that would be Max's soul. A death sentence would be conducted. Max could lose the charter that he worked so hard for, that could be thrown away within seconds, except he already had touched the journal. He had to keep the notes now because the touch would be left on the leather. What was he supposed to do? However, he was perfectly located in the dark forest away from nosy eyes that would report Max to the head of enchanters. Maybe, a trap was put out for the reason? A test? Then, he had already been defeated, Max's scent was left on the journal a traveler would know for sure. Max tucked away the journal to the satchel that swung by Max's leg. He treaded forward and attempted to not let the thoughts wander to the journal. He ran through the forest, and he had to keep on for soon there would be dusk and all the monsters would emerge from the shrubs, bushes and the trees. Max pressed on and he reached the town of Kuper. The assembly would be soon present. He rushed towards the gate and knocked on the door loudly.

"Hello?" asked the gate keeper.

"Hello, Max over here," he told the gate keeper.

"Oh of course, shoot you'd be late for a second, won't you?" asked the gate keeper, a rugged accent came out as he spoke.

"Sure," and the gate opened, and Max stepped to the town square, and he sat down near the back.

"Have you heard about the abandoned journal?" someone to the left asked.

"What's that?' he asked.

"It belonged to a traveler decades ago and some people trust that there are codes, and that journal can solve all of our problems that we as enchanters have," he heard someone from the front of Max say.

He located the journal from the satchel. The journal was comfortable there, nestled between the wand and book of spells. No one would know. Max sat through the rest of the assembly, he would have to go home and read the documents.

"Let's talk about the journal?" suggested Larry. Max could not let him know that he had the journal, the journal was now a contest. Max could be the next best enchanter as he always wanted. Max agreed, he knew that Larry would suspect that he had the journal had he told Larry "No." They walked together and made the way to the local pub. Not one beer, Max muttered under the breath. Just one beer was all he needed, and he knew he would tell Larry what happened in the forest.

"Where do you suspect the journal could be?"

"Hard to say, decades old? could be anywhere," he shrugged.

"You don't seem too keen on the journal?" asked Larry.

"Well, here we are," he commented as he put a thumb on the table, "one journal in the whole world. Needle in a haystack, not worth my effort," Max carefully expounded, not to share the secret that was kept in the satchel. He then, found the excuse to leave early as he would have an early start to the day tomorrow because he had to read the journal and not be caught. Max could not sleep, he gave up and tossed over on the bed, he pulled out his leather satchel and held the journal. One moment and he could have success.

Slowly, he unwrapped the journal, how could he not see that the leather was so worn and old? The pages smelled of moss and earthy tones, mold was crowned on the edges. He started to read:

Day one: fought off the great Guzzard- won. The stars have been not correct for a long year. Each monster's death and answers present themselves in the sky.

The answer was so easy? the stars would present themselves and then what? What would happen then? Max had to read on. He read through the journal and daybreak came when he completed the journal. So much documented and so many notes. Larry would need to help Max. He would help out, but had Larry known he had the very journal all along, would he be upset about that or overjoyed? a test that would be the hardest he would have to face. Maybe, he would set the journal somewhere, where only Larry would find it, or would that be too easy? And too apparent? Max got up, got dressed and headed to Larry's house, he knocked on the door. Larry answered the door and ushered Max inside. Max closed all the portals that looked out on the street.

"What? What?" asked Larry and Max pulled out the leather-bound journal.

"You -you have the journal?"

"Found the journal on the forest floor," he told Larry.

"Someone else must've had the journal and dropped-" he answered with haste. Too much haste. Larry had found the journal; he had known about the journal when they were at the assembly. How can that be? Was that why they went to the pub?

"You knew!" demanded Max.

"Yes, we need to do the quest together."

Max and Larry packed up the backpacks and the spell books and the journal under hand they headed out of town ready to slay monsters and help the travelers.