Got that first chapter done, a week later than I expected. Let me know what you think.
Spoiler
Steph looked at the gap in the land before her. Just twenty feet in front of her lied the Kingdom of Silver. Between her and that goal was a dark pit leading into the endless abyss that stretched all the way into the planet’s core. It would not be an easy jump, Steph thought, but not quite impossible either.
As she contemplated exactly how she would approach crossing the gap, Steph’s mind turned to old memories of her and her father at a similar gap.
“Go on,” Ian Petrol, Steph’s father, said coldly, “Jump.”
A much younger Steph looked into the gap and took a step backward in hesitation. “No,” she said, shaking her head, “I don’t wanna.”
Ian rolled his eyes. “If you want to grow up and be like your father, you’re going to have to let got of your fear.”
Placing a hand on Steph’s shoulder, Ian continued, adopting a more encouraging tone, “Don’t worry. I’ll be right here.”
Once more looking into the abyss, Steph took a deep breath and closed her eyes before taking a single step forward, sending her plummeting into the black pit beneath her.
Slowly opening her eyes, Steph found herself back above the pit, her father holding her in his arms. “See,” Ian said, “That wasn’t too bad was it?”
Steph shook her head excitedly.
“Now why don’t we try again without closing your eyes?”
Ian let Steph down and let her run off the edge once more, her laughter echoing down into the abyss below.
Returning from her memories, Steph took several steps backward before running forward and making a running leap. Soaring over the gap, Steph held her breath until she reached the other side, just barely regaining her balance without falling backwards into the abyss below. Then, with a smile, she continued onward into the new land she had entered.
Near the edge of the Kingdom of Silver was the town of Coin, a small backwater town filled with the most rotten scum the kingdom could offer. It was the perfect starting place for Steph’s journey.
Walking into the town with the confidence of a hero returning from battle, Steph looked at the shady people staring daggers back at her. Ignoring them, Steph walked into a tavern with a sign hanging on the door depicting a broken shield.
“Welcome, miss,” a bald man standing behind the bar said with a toothy grin, “How can I help you?”
Answering quickly, Steph said, “Table for two, please.”
“Expecting company?” the barkeep chuckled, “Alright, pick a seat.”
The place was empty except for the barkeep and Steph, so Steph just picked a table away from the entrance and propped her feet upon it. Then, she took a quick look at a clock on the wall over the bar to see that it was just before noon.
“A bit quiet in here for noontime,” Steph noted.
The barkeep nodded. “Most people around here aren’t as brave as you are, miss.”
Before Steph could question what that meant, a loud thump at the door caught both her and the barkeep’s attention. A large man with a toad-like face walked in to the tavern, kicking the door in with his heavy boots.
“Me and my boys are thirsty,” the toad-faced man snarled, “Give us all the booze you got!”
The barkeep nodded politely, though fear was still visible in his eyes. “Of course,” he stammered, “Would you like anything else?”
“Bring us a round of food too,” the toad-faced man ordered, “And make it quick!”
“Right away,” the barkeep said as he ducked into the kitchen.
A crooked grin spread across the toad-faced man’s face until he turned to see Steph in the otherwise empty tavern.
“What the hell are you doing here?” the toad-faced man asked.
Steph took another glance at the clock over the bar. “I’m waiting on someone,” she said absentmindedly, “And he’s running late.”
The toad-faced man slammed his hands onto Steph’s table. “Well me and my boys have reserved the establishment, so I suggest that you and your friend find somewhere else to meet.”
Steph looked off to the side of the toad-faced man. As far as she could tell, the man and herself were the only two in the tavern.
“It looks like you’re the only one here, besides me,” she said, “There’s plenty of room in here.”
Growling, the toad-faced man replied, “Do you know who I am?”
Thinking for a moment, Steph answered, “Do you know who I am?”
The toad-faced man was flustered a bit by Steph’s response, but his snarling face returned. “I am Nathan Krak, and I’m in charge around here. The Adventurer’s Guild put a bounty on my head, so don’t go thinking I’m like the other lowlifes in this town.”
“That’s so cool!” Steph replied, her eyes lighting up with excitement, “How big is your bounty?”
Feeling that he’s finally getting the respect he deserves, Nathan Krak gave an unnatural-looking smile. “I’m worth 300 drachma!”
The excitement in Steph’s eyes disappeared. “Oh, only that much, huh?” she groaned, “How disappointing.”
His face turning red, Krak swung his fist at Steph, punching her through the tavern wall creating a cloud of dust and splinters of wood. “Maybe that will teach you some manners, girlie,” Krak sneered.
The dust cloud began to disperse as Steph stood to her feet. “So,” she muttered, rubbing the side of her face, “That’s a 300 drachma punch?”
Krak let out a roar of anger as he jumped toward Steph, swinging his arms again for another punch. “Why you little-!” he bellowed as he slammed his fist into the ground where Steph stood.
Steph quickly jumped out of the way, shielding her face from the dust and splinters that Krak’s punch sent into the air. “That’s enough out of you,” Steph said with a grin, her arm pulled back with a balled fist. Then, in a fluid motion, she drove her fist into Krak’s jaw, slamming the man into the ground at her feet.
Dusting off her hands, Steph looked around her to see the destroyed wall and tavern around her. Then, with a shrug, she began to walk back to her seat.
“Who-,” the voice of Krak whimpered, “-who are you? Are you from the Guild?”
Steph kicked her seat back and placed her feet back on the table. “The name’s Steph Petrol.”
“Petrol?” Krak gasped, “As in Ian Petrol, the Crime Lord with the million drachma bounty?”
“That’s right,” Steph beamed, “And I’m gonna be the one to surpass that bounty!”
The pain and absurdity of the situation being too much for him, Krak passed out in a pile of broken wood.
At that moment, the door to the tavern opened again. This time, the entrant was a man wearing a cape on his shoulders and a sword on his hip.
“Sorry I’m late, Steph,” the man said, “What did I miss?”
“Oh, Shirou!” Steph said, “Look, I just got us 300 more drachma!”
Shirou looked around the tavern. “Looks more like you smashed up the place,” he said in his monotone voice, “We should probably leave before someone makes you pay for this.”
“You’re probably right,” Steph said as she jumped to her feet, “Well, let’s get going!”
“Of course,” Shirou said, “After you, boss.”
With that Steph left the town of Coin with her companion, beginning an adventure that will change the world.