Chapter One

`The little tavern was like a center of light and warmth in the center of the village. Sure, life in the Outskirts didn’t have all of the modern comforts of the big cities, but what the villagers did have, they took pride in. Well, not all of the villagers, there was one exception. That exception was currently leaning on one of the support beams in said tavern, getting a little warmth off of the jolly little fire in the front of the room, just to the left of the bar. On a night like tonight, a body could rarely find any comfort anywhere else. The villagers poured in through the opening, some looking for a good time, and others seeking shelter from the howling wind and bitterly cold snowstorm raging on outside. The day’s work being done, not much was left to do other than to pay the tavern a visit, well for those who could afford it anyways. The only things that were odd in this situation were the looks that the villagers threw to the ebony skinned boy leaning against the support beam in the center of the room. This lad knew that once the drinking was under way, the whispers would commence soon after. He sighed and began to stretch, thinking about where to stay the night tonight. As he bent forward, and touched the toes of his bare feet, he heard an unidentified whisper 

"Isn’t that the lad who has no family left?”

“Aye, I heard they were killed by the Alchemists.”

“SHHHH- I heard he has hearing like the Devil ‘imself!”

“Well then, just look at that getup, I have no Idea how the poor thing survives this weather.”

“Aye, maybe we ought to offer ‘im a place to stay.”

“His name be Vex, right?”

“Aye.”

                ‘Ah, great’ thought Vex, ‘I will be fine on my own, I hate their sympathy’ When the ones who had been whispering finally got the courage to ask the young man where he was staying, he had already vanished. Vex was trudging through the snow at that moment, ignoring the cold on his bare arms and feet. It was simple really, he had no money to buy clothes, so what was the point in worrying about the cold, when he couldn’t do anything about it anyways. Of course, he could have just stayed in the tavern, but he would rather listen to an eternity of cold, howling wind than ten minutes of the villagers’ muttering. Life was hard for the homeless, especially in this place, where superstitions ran wild and gold ran thin.

His torn tunic did little to protect him from the cold, and the same went for his deerskin pants which didn’t reach past his shins. Just by looking, one could tell that his clothing was old, and had been torn by his muscle growth. Despite being homeless, Vex believed that a healthy body and mind were important. So, even when it meant digging scraps out of the garbage, he made sure to eat every day. When it came to resourcefulness, Vex was practically a master. He could take bare bones, break them open, put their marrow in a pot with some apple cores, stones, and whatever assortment of leaves and berries he had managed to gather, and boil them all together to make a palatable meal.

His efforts had good reason behind them. Vex needed to make sure he ate enough protein to keep his muscles built. Good, strong muscles were needed if one wanted to survive in cold like this without the proper clothing. Vex spotted his latest abode, a stable, and slipped in quietly so as not to get caught by the owner. With the warmth of the horses, Vex soon drifted into the slumber of dreams. While he never blamed anyone for his lot in life, or even wished for it to get better, little did he know that three days from then was the day of Bestowance, and a Cruiser class skyship was on its way to pick him up.

Author's Note

Does My character seem real, any tips, suggestions, or advice is appreciated. This is my first time writing a novel type thing, and the first chapter is a little short because it is more of an experiment than a commitment.