Back to the Odd Tree

Reo walked back into town. His clothes were drenched and sweat and his feet had blisters on them unlike ever before. He had trekked well over 100 kilometers for the day and the sun was beginning to set. Luckily, it looked like the Odd Tree Library was still open.

Reo was intent on visiting the library before anything else. The library shopkeeper would be able to tell him if the large scroll he carried was safe to open. The scroll was ornate and in excellent condition. The ends of the scroll were held shut with golden clasps that looked like dragon's claws.

Reo opened the door and sighed as he relaxed slightly - muscles becoming less tense for the first time in hours. He had been afraid he wouldn't make it to the shop and getting inside felt like he had finally finished a long journey. It was the evening of the day he had come into the shop before - but it felt like so much longer.

Reo walked up to the counter of the now familiar shop and placed the scroll upon it. "Mister...umm. I do not know your name. However, sir, could you tell me what you know about this scroll? I found it in a ruined temple a ways out of town and wish to make sure that it is safe to open before I do so."

x. The young body had returned once again to the shop of knowledge this was an exiciting time for the elderly man as this time he came hanging upside down from the top of a bookshelf knocking over a dummy that looked like him. He was smacking his mouth again and blinking wildly as he smiled at the young body once again.

"Oh well now look what the young mouse has brought this old cat, BAHAHAHAA." The old man smiled while still hanging and heard the young body as about another scroll but this time the old man had his good glasses one...and his glass eye. "Well the name is Heiki, thanks for asking...haha. Well now...you seem to have a scroll...of the...no...no boy...listen to me I'll pay you 175,000 for this scroll...on the spot!"

The old man landed on the desk looking at the scroll carefully he knew what it was. A powerful scroll that he only read in legends a scroll known as the, Ryu Caller.

Reo watched the man hang from the bookshelf – though this time he didn’t jump back when he appeared in such an unusual way. He thought he may be growing used to the man’s odd antics. In fact, oddly, Reo found himself growing fond of the man. Maybe he could ask to help run the shop sometime.

“Heiki, nice to meet you. I am Gojusei Reo. As for the scroll… this one I did not obtain through means that I think would necessarily bode well for me to sell, but don’t you remember the last scroll? I can still feel the effects that opening it had! I can’t pass this by if it is safe. I understand that you probably dislike me coming in just to ask you for help without actually buying or selling anything – but I assure you that I will buy from this shop before long. “ Reo began to twist the clasps on the scroll to allow it to open. If it was dangerous, hopefully Heiki would stop him.

[172 Words]

x. Soon Heiki ducked down as the lashes came off only to have a spiral of wind blowing and the specter of a dragon head appeared roaring at the Reo before soon speaking with rage it seemed.

"Sunvaar do fin lok, Sunvaar do fin gol. Zu'u cul hi wah daar lein wah daar qalos fah guian fah cunlo fah aak. Wah mindoraan daar Zu'u los nu wo Zu'u los ahrk hind wah offal fin sil do aan dovah. Nu bo wah Zu'u Dovah!"

After the specter spoke it soon vanished as quickly as it came leaving nothing but the scroll sealing it self back up and landing on the counter. Heiki poked over the counter and shook his head. "So...the legend is true...by the Six Paths...I would never have thought it to exist if anything. My good friend Reo...no worries about paying me. If anything you have found a scroll called a Ryu Caller..." Heiki fixed his glasses before taking the scroll handing it over to the young man smiling.

"The legend says that dragons once roamed our world...but they were sealed in another dimension. Never to cause harm to us ever again...but there is a way to call them one must perform a ritual but I only know the scroll is needed as for the other part I cannot say. Nor do I even know what language that was. You have a choice you can keep the scroll or I can purchase it off you for 250,000 ryo."

Reo gasped as the dragon head formed and spoke a language that he didn’t understand. What was it talking about? However, Heiki soon cleared the confusion from Reo’s mind.

The scroll was dangerous. Reo didn’t know much about dragons but he understand that their release could hardly prove to be a good thing to the world. It would be chaotic and destructive…

He couldn’t sell.

“I’m sorry, Heiki. While I would wish to part with this scroll, I simply can’t do it. If this is dangerous, then I must do everything in my power to protect it. That is, unless you have a way of making sure that it does not fall into the wrong hands if I sold it to you?”

x Heiki turned to think did he have a way or was it safer with the young boy. "I do not...sadly the scrolls knowledge is even more dangerous to be left alone. I think you can hold on to it and keep it from harms way. I'm an old man me fighting to protect that scroll...i can no longer do...so please guard it with your life." Heiki smiled showing his gums once more shaking but turning to place his glasses on as he turned away.

Reo nodded. It was as he suspected. This was a shop and the scroll was dangerous. It would be far safer in the hands of the Gojisou monks – though their protection was also laughable considering the ease at which Reo had taken his previous scroll.

No, Reo did a very bad thing by bringing a scroll of this power into the world. Well, back into the world.

“Heiki, before you go. Is there anything else you know about the ritual? Any information could help me avoid people trying to fulfill it. Also, as an aside, if you ever want someone to work here in the shop for you…. I may be interested. This is an interesting place.” Reo said as the shopkeeper turned around.

[Words: 124]

x. Heiki thought about it for a moment the ritual was very old but he can only come up with a few things that he heard. "From what I remember in my studies, when the land is surrounded by liquid sapphire the ryu caller will call forth a might beast that obeys the caller and is one with their soul. For only a small fraction as to what it all means I have not yet even seen the legend in action nor even thought the scroll existed for that matter. Yet here it is...in my shop but that is beside the point."

Hearing about the offer of him coming to work for him. Maybe one day it could happen and even more so more task will allow them to help expand the world of knowledge. "I will take you up on that offer, Gojisou Reo..."

Reo closed his eyes and focused all his efforts on memorizing what the wise old man said. Eventually, he felt like he had the information memorized and decided that he should respond. With a glance outside, Reo realized that it was probably time he was heading home too, otherwise his parents would worry. Especially if they were told that he was out exploring the desert for a temple that no one had ever managed to find.

“Thank you, Heiki. I look forward to working in your shop.” Reo said as he backed up to give himself enough information to bow. “I will be seeing you, but I must get going to my home now so that my parents do not worry.”


[121 Words]

[JUST FOR MY NOTES]

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