STORYTIME!!!!!

Hi spacehey... I write, not good but I write anyway so take this before I die

"No!" Zodulus shot up from his bedding with a shout. He tore off his cloak and lifted his shirt, checking for a wound never inflicted. "It... It was just a dream." He sighed, attempting to stand on trembling knees before falling back onto his bedding. It wasn't uncommon for him to have nightmares of that day. His mother's screams would play in his mind on a loop. Yet no may how many times he heard her screams, no matter how many times he ran through that forest and was finished off in every way imaginable, he awoke the same scared child he used to be.
After calming down, he rose from his bedding, donned his cloak, and began to prepare for the day. First and most importantly were his glasses. Unbeknownst to him as a child, they were enchanted by his mother when he was young, helping with his vision issues and hiding his alignments from those around him. He could have a normal life thanks to his mother until everything went up in flames. He shook his head to drag himself out of his thoughts before loosening the fabric that tied up his hair, letting it fall to keep his features hidden. Before leaving, he decided a bath would be nice before heading to the higher areas of the city, so he grabbed a clean pair of clothes before heading out to the river.

A voice came from behind him as he reached the door to exit the inn. "Heading out so early, dear?" Zodulus turned to find the owner of the inn sitting at her desk. She was a kind old woman with gray hair, usually kept in neat French braids. Back when her husband was alive, she ran this place together, but ever since his death, she refuses to let the place go. Thankfully, she's so ecstatic about having people stay that she doesn't care much about their image.
"Morning Mrs Adelaide, I've got some errands to run so I'm heading out before the shops get crowded," Zodulus answered.
The old woman chuckled and said, "Ah, yes, I can't blame you for wanting to avoid the rush. Well, be safe out there." Zodulus smiled and thanked her before leaving through the door. As he stepped outside, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy at the old woman's words. He shook off the feeling and made his way to the river.

It was a short walk through the forest to reach the river, but Zodulus wished it could have been much longer. The forest was a sanctuary, with the fresh scent of dew after a rain, the melodious chirping of birds, and the vibrant flowers that would sprout along the path. He could walk this trail a million times over and still be enamored by the beauty of it all. After some walking, Zodulus reached the river. A slow, steady stream of water winding down the forest. Zodulus quickly undressed and stepped into the river, the cool water a refreshing shock against his skin. He dunked himself under and came up gasping, feeling the dirt and grime being washed away. He took his time enjoying the feeling of the water running over his body and the peace of the quiet forest around him. Zodulus finished bathing and stepped out of the river, water running down his body and puddling at his feet. He grabbed the fabric he had bought with him and began to dry himself off the rough fabric, rubbing it against his skin and leaving him feeling refreshed. Zodulus finished drying himself off and started to put on his fresh pair of clothes. He picked up his underwear first, slipping them on, followed by a fresh pair of pants paired with a green shirt. Finally, he slipped on a pair of socks and shoes and began to head back the way he came and into the kingdom.

The smell of freshly baked pastries and the laughs from children playing were all so different from the slums of the kingdom. As a child, he would always beg his mother for a pastry from one of the many bakeries but now with her absence he only came to this part of the kingdom when necessary. Even with his "unique" situation, shopkeepers aren't very fond of thieves, even if it's required.
"Food is a priority obviously but maybe I could do with a new cloak having one covered in holes only draws more attention to myself, But should I take that risk? It might bring me more trouble.
As he muttered a list of items to himself, he suddenly bumped into something. "Hey! Watch where you're going next time!" Zodulus opened his eyes to see a girl who looked not much older than him staring down.

She was dressed in a dark blue dress with frills near the bottom, most likely of the water alignment, and wore a leather satchel across her shoulder. Her blue eyes pierced from behind her round glasses and were contrasted by her curly brown hair. "If you don't mind, could you help me pick up these papers you knocked out of my hands?" Zodulus looked around him, crouching down to pick up the papers in his presence.
"Here you go miss, I'm very sorry for the trouble" Zodulus bowed, holding out the papers to the girl in front of him. Sure she wasn't royalty but it was better to show kindness in these situations rather than start an argument. The girl, appreciating his gesture, responded with a polite smile, which made Zodulus feel a sense of relief. "It's fine, no need to be so formal. Just be careful not to bump into a knight then you'll really be in trouble." She took the papers from his hands, neatly aligning them and placing them into her satchel.

"It was nice bumping into you, stranger. I'd love to chat, but I have a class to get to." The girl flashed a smile before turning on her heel and walking away.
"Well, she was in a rush," Zodulus mumbled as he watched the girl walk away. As if it had a mind of its own, his stomach rumbled once again. A firm reminder of why he came to this part of the kingdom again. He walked for quite some time looking for a shop he could 'borrow' some food from until he found the perfect place. "A bakery, huh? I haven't had anything sweet in weeks; this would be a nice change of pace." Zodulus never liked his method of obtaining food, but it had to be done; when you're on the run, you can't exactly work anywhere. First, he walked to the back of the bakery, rummaging around in the bins for anything the owners tossed out.

"Damn, no luck. Maybe word spread about the 'raccoon' rummaging through people's trash." As he stood and wiped the grime off his cloak, he prepared to enter the bakery, hoping his body was fast enough to swipe a pie without being caught. Taking a deep breath, he reached for the door handle before it swung open and slammed right into his face.
"You damn kid; You'll pay for this one!" while muffled, Zodulus could make out the shouts from the bakery owner following her gaze. He watched as a boy floated around in the sky. He had curly blonde hair, grey eyes, and a smile plastered across his face that could bring joy to an entire planet. He wore a white t-shirt with a plaid, white, and grey button-up layered on top, accompanied by a pair of dark blue jeans.

"You'll have to catch me first, you old bag!" The boy teased, blowing raspberry towards the owner. This infuriated the bakery owner, causing her eyes to glow a fiery red as she launched several blasts of fire at the boy.
The boy dodged each blast of fire with ease as he twirled, "Missed me. Missed me. Now you gotta. On second thought, I don't want a kiss from an ugly girl like you!" He laughed heartily before flying off further into the town.

"Damn kid, making my life hell, messing up ma's shop, god I wish the order would do something about that brat." The woman stomped back into the bakery, singing footsteps on the floorboards.
Peaking into the bakery, Zodulus observed all the damage caused by the prankster. Tables were flipped, and shattered glass and pastries that were previously on display littered the floor. As he entered the bakery, he was greeted by the woman he saw outside sweeping up icing from the ground. "Welcome. If you want something, you'll have to wait, as you can see we were hit by the prankster once again."
"I saw everything; I was coming in for a pie before you stormed out, and well," Zodulus pointed to his face, where a large red spot was forming on his head.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. I didn't even stop to think about whether anyone was about to enter. Please let me make it up to you with a pie on the house."
"That's very nice of you; I would appreciate that."
"I'll get started on that pie then; just sit- or, I guess, stand tight!"
Zodulus nodded and watched as the woman disappeared into presumably into the kitchen. While waiting he scoped out the bakery once more and took in just how wrecked it was.

"Wow, he did a number on this place. She's making me a pie the least I could do is help her clean up." He thought to himself.
Zodulus walked around the bakery, standing tables back up, placing chairs in their rightful spaces, and picking up all of the soiled pastries. Next, he collected all of the shattered plates that littered the floor, placing them all in a pile on one of the tables. He held his hands above the pile and spoke the incantation "Revaro Restiuo" as a green glow surrounded the shards. The pieces began to move on their own, welding themselves together and stacking themselves neatly on the table. Zodulus took a moment to appreciate his work before collapsing onto a chair nearby. Performing magic always took a toll on him, usually in the form of migraines or dizziness, but the payout was always worth it.

"I'm finished! Sorry, I took so long. I made you a bit more than a." The woman froze and looked around the bakery; she was taken aback by the once messy setting tidied and neat. "Did- Did you clean up the bakery? She asked, stunned.
Hearing her voice, Zodulus stood up from his chair, noticing the woman's shock. "I hope you don't mind. It was the least I could do, considering you were making me a pie. Speaking of, is that it?" Zodulus asked, signaling a bag in the woman's hand.
"Oh yes! I got a bit carried away and made a bit more than a pie; I hope you'll enjoy them!"

Zodulus happily accepted the sweets and expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, ma'am, have a nice day!" He quickly left the bakery, unable to resist his temptation he stuffed one of the newly acquired pastries in his mouth.
"This might just be the best thing I've ever tasted in my whole life," He declared, tears threatening to pour from his eyes. Mentally crossing food off of his to-do list, Zodulus decided it would be good to look for a new cloak, grimacing at the sloppy patchwork and holes in his current one. "Now, how the hell am I gonna get a new one of you." As Zodulus walked through the town, he brainstormed ideas. "I could cause a distraction and just swipe it really fast, or I could just threaten the tailor, but that would screw me over."

While he mulled over his options he caught a gleam out of the corner of his eye. Stopping in his tracks, his eyes fixated on the glimmering object. As he squinted to get a better look, he realized it was the sword of a knight. Looking over he was met with a knight trainee. Zodulus' heart started to race and his palms became sweaty. Frantically looking for a place to hide he spotted a nearby alley.

Zodulus' heart raced as he quickly ducked into the dark space, crouching behind a pile of trash and silently cursing himself for wearing such a bright shirt. The knight's footsteps echoed in the silence, growing louder and closer to the alley. Zodulus' breath caught in his throat as he heard the all too familiar sound of a sword unsheathing. Panic bubbled inside of him, the sound of the knight's sword scraping against the cobblestone sending shivers down his spine. He huddled further into the shadows, praying that he remained undetected.

"I know you're there. Come out, and I won't cut you up too badly, I promise."
Hearing that sadistic tone in the knight's voice made Zodulus' world stand still. If she stayed hidden, the knight would surely attack, but if he revealed himself, he could have a chance to run. Zodulus decided on the latter and stood from his hiding spot, hoping there was even a sliver of truth in the knight's words.
"I'm harmless! Just put your sword away, and I can explain everything."
"Explain why you ducked into an alley when you saw me. I think I know more than enough." The knight declared readying his sword. Time stopped around Zodulus; hearing the sadistic words of the knight, his life flashed before his eyes; everything he'd done to survive was all going to waste.

"Phineas! What the hell are you doing?"
A new voice echoed from the entrance of the alley. Both Zodulus and Phineas turned their heads, watching a young man appear from the shadows. He had a calmness about him, as he slowly made his way towards the altercation. "What does it look like? I'm flushing out a criminal," Phineas responded, his grip on his sword unwavering.
"Care to tell me what exactly made you believe that he's a criminal? All I see is a soon-to-be knight brandishing his sword at an innocent man right now."

"He ducked into the alleyway when he saw me! That's reason enough; nobody would hide if they were innocent," Phineas said, turning back around and pointing his blade toward Zodulus. "I want to become a knight to flush people like him out of our kingdom."
The knight placed his hand on Phineas' shoulder and spoke in a rather demanding tone "Stand down, we have no orders or complaints to search for someone of his description. If you keep this up, I will have to report you."

Phineas hesitated for a moment before sheathing his sword. "You'll be wishing you listened to me when he does appear on our radar." He turned around and lightly shoved the unnamed knight before storming off, grumbling curses under his breath. The knight watched the boy, making sure he left the scene before turning and approaching Zodulus. He could tell that the boy was still pretty shaken by the whole situation; he was trembling and looked like he would burst into tears any second now. "Hey, it's alright. You're safe now; he won't be bothering you anymore." Despite the knight's attempt to comfort him, Zodulus remained shaken, his body still tense and his breathing ragged; seeing this, he attempted to approach the boy with an outstretched hand. "I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise."

Zodulus took a moment to assess the knight's words. The sincerity in his voice and his gentle demeanor seemed genuine. Taking a deep breath, he took the knight's hand, slowly moving out of the alley, keeping a cautious eye on the knight. The knight smiled at Zodulus, glad he had come out of hiding. "You're alright now. And don't worry about Phineas, he won't
be bothering you again."

"Atlas!" A stern voice called out from behind him.
The knight sighed and turned to face the source of the voice. It was an older man in a suit, looking quite unhappy.
"I've been looking for you everywhere; you better have a good explanation as to why you ditched your training!" the man exclaimed.
He turned back to Zodulus apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I need to go. But I'm glad you're safe now." The knight cast one more reassuring smile at Zodulus before reluctantly turning around to face the older knight and answer for his absence.
The encounter with the knight left Zodulus feeling shaken but somewhat glad that he had been rescued. He looked back one last time at the knight, who was reprimanded by the older knight, before turning and making his way home.

He walked quickly through the winding streets, cautiously looking for any more potential threats. Despite the feeling of safety, he could hear the sadistic voice of Phineas, making it challenging to relax.
The journey back home felt longer than usual, each street and corner seeming to extend miles beyond what they were. He could feel his heart racing with each step, his adrenaline pumping through his body.
Upon returning home, Zodulus was greeted by Mrs Adelaide, who asked how his day had gone. Despite the warm welcome from the old lady, he was too shaken to respond. He quickly brushed off her greeting and went to his room, closing the door behind him. Once he was in his room
Zodulus collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The adrenaline had worn off, and the events of the day had settled in, leaving him feeling drained and exhausted.

The quiet of the room was interrupted by a knock on the door. Mrs. Adelaide's voice called out from the other side, "Zodulus, are you alright, dear?"
Zodulus sighed and sat up in bed. "I'm fine," he called out, his voice strained.
The old lady's voice came through the door again, "Are you sure? You looked worried when you came in."
"I'm just tired. I'm going to try to get some sleep. Thank you for your concern."
"All right," Mrs Adelaide responded through the door. "If you need anything, just let me know. Have a good night."
Zodulus didn't respond, instead just lying back down on the bed. He closed his eyes, trying to push the day's events out of his mind.