Amanda paddled her small pontoon boat towards the shore. The pickings had been slim today. She'd found a small skiff half-sunk among the shallow rocks, but all that she'd found inside had been a few tools and a broken fishing rod. She'd taken the tools, but they wouldn't fetch much in trade. She hadn't found any other wrecks, which in a way was just as well--with the cold of late, diving down to a wreck wasn't exactly the most appealing idea.
She reached the shore and climbed out of the boat, shivering when her legs hit the water. She grabbed the rope and hauled the boat towards the shore, tying it off on a tree not too far from the water's edge. The woods that lined this part of the shore were sometimes home to animals she could scavenge from: eggs from birds' nests, horns and bones from dead animals, or molted feathers and claws she could trade to a jeweler or craftsman. At the very least, she could probably find some nuts and berries to sell. Not the most profitable venture, but it would at least make the day not a complete waste.
She wandered aimlessly through the wooded area, gathering what she could find and tucking it into her backpack. She had been at it for almost an hour when a loud sound from nearby drew her attention. A sharp crack followed by a thunderous boom.
Curious, she headed in the direction of the sound. Whatever was making a noise like that, it wasn't natural. Likely it was magical. A magical artifact of some kind would bring her an absolute fortune. Trying to get her hands on such a thing would probably be far too dangerous to actually try, but at the very least, she wanted to take a look and see what she was dealing with. She might always luck out.
She emerged from the woods, a light sheen of sweat on her brow despite the cold. She started to look around for the source of the sound, but before she could react, another crack thundered across the air. Startled, she turned towards the source of the noise, only to stumble and fall over a blackened fallen tree.
A blur of motion and flame came straight for her face. She flinched, throwing her arms up to protect herself, and instinctively throwing out a burst of telekinetic force. The magical force barely deflected the whip from connecting with her face, though it still left a singe as it burned through a lock of her hair.
Gasping for air, she looked up, holding her telekinesis at the ready, wary of another blow.
She reached the shore and climbed out of the boat, shivering when her legs hit the water. She grabbed the rope and hauled the boat towards the shore, tying it off on a tree not too far from the water's edge. The woods that lined this part of the shore were sometimes home to animals she could scavenge from: eggs from birds' nests, horns and bones from dead animals, or molted feathers and claws she could trade to a jeweler or craftsman. At the very least, she could probably find some nuts and berries to sell. Not the most profitable venture, but it would at least make the day not a complete waste.
She wandered aimlessly through the wooded area, gathering what she could find and tucking it into her backpack. She had been at it for almost an hour when a loud sound from nearby drew her attention. A sharp crack followed by a thunderous boom.
Curious, she headed in the direction of the sound. Whatever was making a noise like that, it wasn't natural. Likely it was magical. A magical artifact of some kind would bring her an absolute fortune. Trying to get her hands on such a thing would probably be far too dangerous to actually try, but at the very least, she wanted to take a look and see what she was dealing with. She might always luck out.
She emerged from the woods, a light sheen of sweat on her brow despite the cold. She started to look around for the source of the sound, but before she could react, another crack thundered across the air. Startled, she turned towards the source of the noise, only to stumble and fall over a blackened fallen tree.
A blur of motion and flame came straight for her face. She flinched, throwing her arms up to protect herself, and instinctively throwing out a burst of telekinetic force. The magical force barely deflected the whip from connecting with her face, though it still left a singe as it burned through a lock of her hair.
Gasping for air, she looked up, holding her telekinesis at the ready, wary of another blow.
