The Engineer

The village of Delkia, an Isolated Village surrounded by the sea and forest. The treacherous forest to the north is full of swamps, predatory beasts, and dangerous overgrowth. Trade routes are impossible due to the rapid growth of the flora. The sea is ruled by pirate gangs, and the violent oceanic denizens that reside in the rift. Although Delkia is isolated, through perseverance the village has survived and flourished, but fate has another plan for Delkia. 
-Excerpt from the Delkian History Annals

Telhan pushed the heavy wool blankets to the end of the bed, the morning sun heating up his bedroom. He spread his fingers through his dark brown hair, messing with a cow lick on the back of his head.

"The sun is up pretty early..." Telhan mumbled as he stood up, folding the blankets slowly.

Telhan walked over to the small dresser nearby his door and got dressed in the usual engineer garb; leather coveralls, apron, boots and gloves. At the kitchen still half asleep; grabbing a chunk of bread and a slice of cured ham, he sat down at the small wooden table in the kitchen. He had just started to eat when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Telhan? It's Alice! I brought you a gift." A soft melodic voice was from behind the door.

Alice opened the door and walked in, glancing around the small house. Telhan smiled as she came into view, her beautiful raven hair pulled into a ponytail, her flawless pale skin wearing the soft glow of the morning, soft curves that hinted at maturity. Telhan had always liked her as a friend but as they grew older, he seemed infatuated with her. Alice straightened the hem of her sundress as she sat down, seeming almost angelic as the sun highlighted the vibrant yellow dress.

"What's in the basket?" Telhan asked as he tried to peek into the basket.

"Nothing!" Alice cried as she pulled it away. "No!"

She giggled as he drew back from her sudden outburst.

"It's a surprise." Telhan closed his eyes, wanting to see what was inside the basket.

"Open them silly." Alice laughed again as she pulled out a bundle of assorted wild flowers she had pulled on the outskirts.

"Wow!" Telhan smiled and looked around the kitchen, getting up he grabbed a pitcher of water. "Here's a nice home for them."

He smiled as Alice laid the flowers in the pitcher, arranging them to her likings. Telhan ate quickly as they talked about the village, his new project, and the field of flowers she had discovered.

"I hate to say this but I have to get to work." Telhan sighed as he grabbed the red bandana off the counter along with his goggles.

"I'll come by your workplace for lunch, my mom made some wild berry jam." Alice smiled as she walked out of the house, walking back to her mother's shop.

Telhan sighed as he tied the red bandana around his head; after he arranged it he pulled the goggles on, adjusting the magnifying glass. He stepped outside and began to walk towards the engineering sector of the village.

The villagers greeted Telhan, he walked along the dirt road to the sector; he had done so much for the village in the past few years that he'd been an engineer. The village leader offered him a few words of advice as he passed by. Telhan had always looked up to the village elder; he was like a father to Telhan. As he continued towards the Engineering sector, an explosion erupted, black smoke filling the sky.

"No!" Telhan raced toward the black smoke, praying that no one was taken in the explosion.

As he reached the black smoke, Telhan caught view of an elderly man coughing, his leather apron blackened by fire.

"Professor Rellin! What happened?" Telhan asked as his mind raced through what all could have occurred.

"Calm down boy, the Fire core prototype just exploded! I just thank Gaia that the blueprints weren't destroyed." The old man laughed as he held up blueprints for the prototype, the corner burning slowly.

"Oh!" The professor batted at the flame, the corner blowing away in the wind.

"Well atleast the important parts weren't destroyed." He chuckled as he pulled his goggles down over his eyes and tacked the blueprints onto the workbench.

"Professor, Let me work on the next prototype." Telhan said as he studied the blueprints.

"By all means." Professor Rellin chuckled as he saw the determined look in his student's eyes.

Telhan smiled and grabbed an empty core stone and set it in a bed of coals before grabbing a brass case, some rubber regulators, buffers, and tubes. He watched as the core stone absorbed the fire, turning it into a perpetual fire inside the stone. He grabbed song tongs and pulled it out of the fire, amazed by the powers of the stone. Professor Rellin touched the stone with his bare hand to demonstrate that the surface does not mimic the core. Telhan laid the stone on the table and fitted the rubber buffers around the stone before drilling into it. He inserted a regulator then attached a tube to it, coiling it around the buffer.

"Very good Telhan, it seems that it is stable, must have been my shaky hands..." Professor Rellin frowned at his misfortune and then attached the brass case around the fire core.

"Professor, it was merely good luck, don't talk like that..." Telhan looked concerned; he had never heard the Professor speak so negative.

"Telhan, I won't be alive much longer, I'm 65, while you're only 18." He said as he glanced up at the cloudless blue sky, shaking his head as he brought his attention back to Telhan.

"I understand." Telhan whispered, silently agreeing with the Professor.

"Lupines! A pack of them! Headed this way!" An engineer yelled as he ran past the duo, headed towards the village guards.

"I got to go...the guards won't make it in time if someone doesn't act now." Telhan yelled as he grabbed his weapon; a five foot long pole with a giant wrench head on the end.

Professor Rellin nodded as Telhan ran off towards the village exit in the Engineer sector, praying that he would not be injured.

"Don't do anything stupid, your future is too bright to fade into darkness." He sighed as he sat down, waiting for his return.

Telhan made it past the gate as the Lupines entered the clearing. They were a foot taller than an average wolf; at least fifty pounds heavier, horns jutting from the side of their skulls, red eyes that seemed to glow and fangs that could easily rend flesh from bone. The alpha male standing in the middle of the pack howled and crouched low.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Telhan thought to his self as he squared his body against the lupines.

The alpha male barked at a smaller one, causing it to charge at Telhan.

"I'm not going to kill them..." He thought to his self as he side-stepped the first one, sending the wrench head into it's shoulder.

The lupine yelped and raced back towards the pack, hiding behind the alpha male. He barked again and two more charged Telhan, fangs bared as they jumped at him.

"Damn it." Telhan cursed as he rolled to the side, trying to avoid the confrontation.

He froze as he saw two arrows whistling towards him, the arrows flew past him and hit the ground in front of the lupines, causing them to yelp. From the woods Telhan heard barking and growling in different pitching, surprised at the communication between the Lupines.

"Wow..." Telhan whispered as he watched a goddess walk out of the woods; her fiery crimson hair decorated with flowers, her flawless beautiful face, her voluptuous body teasing him from under her half shirt and skirt made of vines, leaves, and flowers.

"I am...Rhea...Kran and his pack are usually peaceful...I am sorry." Rhea said in broken common, bowing in an apologetic manner.

"It's alright, I apologize for hurting the little one, I'm Telhan the Engineer..." Telhan said, managing not to stutter.

Rhea laughed softly as she watched him struggle with his words.

"Nice to meet you, Telhan the Engineer." She smiled and held her hand out, waiting for him.

Telhan slowly extended his hand, till it was under hers, waiting to see what would happen.

"This is a token of friendship, Kran told me...when I meet...someone new, I should sow the seeds of friendship..." Rhea said, struggling with her words; it had been years since she had a conversation in common.

"Thank you, and Kran? The alpha male told you that? Wow..."Telhan was amazed at how wise the leader was and more surprised by the goddess that stood before him.