Once he opened his eyes, Erik saw a silk cloth floating in midair, mere inches away from his face. The color of this cloth was a pale emerald,or to Erik, a leaf-green.
"This is the Emerald Sash," the voice told Erik. "This magical cloth will prove greatly beneficial towards your efforts once you return to the Land of Waking."
"Alright, well... how?" Erik asked with a shrug, seemingly unimpressed.
After a brief pause, the voice answered, "While the Emerald Sash remains on your person, you will be rendered immune to the noxious odor that befell you upon your arrival to Esteri."
Erik blinked twice in surprise. It... It makes it so I can't smell farts? That's it?
"The Element of Wind breezes all across Esteri, Erik Leif of Man," the voice added, as if in response to Erik's inner thoughts. "You will encounter many such individuals - both blessed, as well as cursed - by Sylph's Passing."
"Sylph's...? Who is this Sylph?"
"Sylph - the Great Wind Fairy - was an embodiment of the Element of Wind itself. Her presence meant much to the early denizens of Esteri. But, alas, she had to return to the Dreamscape many moons ago, and her memory is the lasting legacy. Sylph's Passing is what these Esterians refer to the magic that passed onto them by her."
"...So, you mean to tell me everybody here farts like those bandits do?" Erik asked, almost worried about what the answer was going to be.
"Not all, but many all the same."
Erik let out a disappointed sigh. "Well... if this will really help make all that a non-issue... then I accept."
Erik then reached his arm out, and grasped the Emerald Sash with his hand. As he gingerly wrapped the cloth around his collar, the voice spoke out one last time.
"Many thanks, Erik Leif of Man. Many thanks, and much luck to you and your quest. The fate of the Element of Wind - and the land of Esteri - rests upon your shoulders.
Now awaken..."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
Erik open his eyes, one at a time, and blinked several times, before sitting up from the ground he was laying on. As he looked around his immediate surroundings, he found himself where he had fallen, now alone, with no sign of the bandits, or the caravan that had been ambushed by said bandits.
Erik laid his hand upon his head. "Ugh... talk about a crazy dream," he thought aloud. "Now I'm up... and things aren't off to a great start."
As Erik's hand drifted down from his head, it stopped as it grazed against the soft touch of silk. Erik then looked down, and saw a pale green sash wrapped around his collar. It was the Emerald Sash, the same from his brief time in the Dreamscape.
"Wait..." Erik muttered quietly. "...so, it was real after all." He then looked up to the grey sky above him, almost as if he was anticipating confirmation from the mysterious voice. Alas, all he heard was the subtle breeze of the wind as it brushed against his face.
Erik then stood back up, and crossed his arms. "Hm. Well, this is certainly... one way to start a new adventure. If I got all this right, this land is full of people passing gas like nobody's business, and it's because of this Element of Wind thing. Sounds like something's wrong with it. Or, perhaps, it's just the problem itself. I dunno how I'm expected to go about this..."
Erik looked down at the tracks left behind by the caravan. "... but it can wait. I have unfinished business."
Erik then realized he still had his backpack on his person. He was both surprised and relieved that it was still with him, and not stolen by the farting bandits. "Good. I still have my food and supplies," he said as he dug through the backpack's contents. "And if I just follows these tracks... then maybe I can see what happened to the caravan. For all I know... those thugs might have extorted them. Or worse."
Erik closed his backpack and strapped it back over his shoulders. "I won't know until I find out. I just hope they're OK..."
With nary a hesitation, Erik - now with Emerald Sash in tow - then strolled off in the direction the tracks led him, determination in every step he took. For better - and most certainly worse - his adventures in Esteri had begun.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
A couple hours had passed since Erik's trek began, and he noticed that the tracks were accompanied by a series of footprints as well. Likely the bandits. Thinking back, Erik was unsure of how many there actually were. There were the five that had gassed him out, of course, but Erik could only guess as to how many were actually there. If what he feared was true, then the entire caravan was taken custody by the ruffians, and that would mean they had a couple dozen at least.
Well, that, or their farts just really did smell THAT bad, Erik also thought.
He grabbed hold of his sash and look at it. But, with this thing, that shouldn't be a problem. At least, if what the voice said was true.
When he looked back up towards his path ahead, Erik noticed something. It was a--
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