Agnea left behind the Bristarni home and started to make her way through the streets of Cropdale with a small sigh on her lips. This was set to be her last day in town... Assuming everything went according to plan, that was. Agnea had counted on being there for at least another week after the festival ended, and she had been planning on gathering the necessary supplies for her journey with that extra time. In a perfect world, Agnea would be able to do everything she had to for the festival and then spend her spare time here and there collecting everything she would need on the road. Agnea had read countless books to make sure she knew what she would need and had it all before she set off on her journey. It wouldn't do if she lost her way so soon after she left Cropdale because she made the simple mistake of packing incorrectly. 

It still didn't feel real to think that this was where one chapter of her life would end while another got ready to start. Agnea had dreamed of this day for years, and now that it had finally arrived... She barely knew what to do with herself. She didn't know how she was going to say goodbye to the only home that she had known ever since Cuani's passing. Agnea hadn't traveled the world in years, and a lot had changed since those days. Everything simply felt like too much, but it was overwhelming in the best way possible. Agnea knew this was her destiny, and she couldn't wait to reach out and take it for herself. 

Agnea didn't know how she was going to say goodbye to her father though, and the thought insisted she give it her attention even when she wanted to think about everything else that needed to be done for the festival. Garud hadn't truly responded to Agnea when she said that she had made enough money to go on her journey the night before, not that Agnea had really expected him to. Garud had been against this for a long time, and Agnea had thought she had made her peace with it. Still, she didn't want to leave town on a sour note. She wanted to leave Cropdale with the knowledge that all of her friends and family from her village were cheering her on even if they couldn't be there to see her rise to stardom personally. She wanted Garud to be willing to wish her good luck, not to have to leave behind his back because of his disproval. 

Agnea shook the thought off as she arrived at the path leading up to the festival grounds. Cropdale held grand festivals like this from time to time, and their parties were so often that they had a designated corner of the village set aside for celebrations. It waited at the end of a small path through the trees, and even though Agnea had walked it more times than she could ever hope to count, she found that it took on a new meaning today. This was going to be her last festival in town for a long time. She was excited for it, but Agnea was anxious about it too. Her skin buzzed with anticipation, and Agnea forced herself to smile. She was going to find a way to face all of this even if she felt uncertain. She had earned this, and she wouldn't let it go simply because her anxieties wanted to consume her. 

When Agnea arrived up at the festival grounds, she found most of the citizens of Cropdale scattered around the area. They were bustling between one another to set up decorations or to simply talk to each other about the plan for the night. Agnea's smile widened at the sight. "It looks like everyone's having a good time," she mused to herself. "Now for the final preparations!"

The festival grounds were lined with stalls on either side of the main path. The stalls would have snacks, games, and other goods when the celebration started in full, and around a third of the gathered volunteers were working to make sure the stalls were prepared for everything to come. The other two-thirds of the village's volunteers were concentrated instead by the stage at the far end of the clearing. The stage was simple most of the time, a wooden structure raised off the ground by a small set of stairs. Today though, the stage was lined with small purple flowers native to the woods near Cropdale. A grand purple curtain had been draped across the back edge of the stage, and banners with the symbol of Cropdale flowed in the breeze on either side of the platform. 

An older man was taking care of the preparations of the stage, checking off tasks on a clipboard as they were finished. When he noticed Agnea, his face broke out into a wide smile. "Agnea! Today, this stage'll be all yours!"

Agnea took a small step toward the stage, already imagining what dance she would perform upon it that night. "It's wonderful! I can't wait to start the show!" A few people around her set up stools to mark the audience area for the show to come. There were more than enough seats for everyone in town to come, and the thought made Agnea's heart sing. Everyone in town would be there, or at the very least, that was the assumption the festival's volunteers were operating off. The very idea thrilled her, and Agnea knew her excitement was only going to rise as the day stretched on. 

"Speakin' of which..." Agnea turned to look back at the village when she heard him speak again. "We have a couple more big pieces to add. Would you mind findin' me a few helpin' hands?"

Agnea nodded. "Leave it to me!" 

All of the villagers up in the festival grounds already were busy with other tasks by now, so Agnea knew she was going to have to go out and gather people who were in the main part of Cropdale. There were still a few stragglers who hadn't contributed yet with setting up the festival, and Agnea was certain she would be able to get them to step up and help out. She had been told many times before that she had an infectious personality, and it was perfectly persuasive when she wanted to encourage her neighbors into action. 

As she started back toward the main part of town, Agnea's mind pushed her in the direction of Pala's comments from that morning about her 'talents.' Agnea's cheeks felt warm when she thought about it for too long though. She didn't know why Pala insisted on making her think about things like that. Dancing was a form of art, and Agnea didn't want to insult it by putting herself in a position like that... Though she supposed that this was as good a test of Pala's words as any other. Either Agnea would find that Pala was right and that she did need to rely on her talents, or she would find that she was able to do all of this on her own. It would be an interesting experiment. If nothing else, Agnea was choosing to think of it that way so she didn't implode from her embarrassment. 

Agnea caught a glimpse of a man standing by the stream in the forest path, and she decided to approach him first. "Excuse me, sir!" Agnea began, settling into place just beside him. "Could I ask for your help with setting up the festival? We need a few extra hands to set up the stage... And if you pitch in, then you'll be guaranteed a seat at tonight's show!"

The man smiled and nodded, any plans of meandering in the forest path gone the instant he saw Agnea's face. "I can't refuse an offer from you, Agnea!"

The dancer let out a soft laugh that seemed to dance on the breeze. "Shall we?"

Agnea led the man up through the forest path toward the festival grounds. The stalls were already starting to come together in full, and Agnea smiled at the sight. She couldn't wait to wander through the stalls that night to see what she could find and what games she could play. About half of the stalls had their goods set out for passersby to see, and Agnea found herself wanting to stay there so she could wander through and plan out her night around her performance. 

But Agnea knew there was work that needed to be done, and she couldn't distract herself from it. Agnea fell into place just in front of the man running the stage's setup. He was focused on checking off boxes on his list of things that needed to be done and didn't notice Agnea was there until she spoke up. "I'm back!" Agnea smiled. "And I have your first volunteer." She gestured to the villager beside her, and he offered a small wave at the leader of the festival's planning. 

"You sure round 'em up quick! Keep up the good work!" the leader grinned. 

"Will do!" Agnea nodded eagerly. "I'll see who else I can rustle up!"

Agnea darted off through the crowd as the man with the clipboard put the new arrival to work on setting up the stage. Agnea hadn't seen anyone else on the forest path leading to the festival grounds, so she would probably have to go all the way back to Cropdale in order to find more help. That was fine with her. Agnea admittedly enjoyed the frenzy of getting ready for a festival. There was something about it that filled her with excitement she couldn't put to words. She loved feeling like she was part of something bigger than herself, and she most certainly felt that way when she was helping others to get everything ready for a big party. 

Agnea hummed a tune to herself as she continued her journey through the forest pathway and back to town. The instant she was given the chance to sit alone with her thoughts, the weight of everything going on hit her all at once. This was going to be her last festival for a long time. Agnea was going to leave Cropdale at some point in the next few days so she could become a star. Agnea loved dancing on the stage of Cropdale, but she knew there was something greater she could do with her life. She would miss her hometown more than anything, but Agnea knew this was what she was meant to do. 

Agnea came to a stop as she arrived back in the main part of Cropdale, and her gaze drifted in the direction of her home. She hadn't checked in with Garud that morning since her excitement had gotten the better of her to push her out of the home prematurely. Agnea knew that she had let her enthusiasm guide her away from the Bristarni house that morning, and in some ways, it felt like it had been a conscious choice. She didn't know what to do when it came to reaching out to Garud and convincing him that this was her path to follow. He had been against it for so long, and Agnea didn't know how to bring it up with him. She wanted to be firm yet understanding, but it was hard to walk that line when she was met with the raw grief in Garud's eyes each time they talked about her choice of career path. 

Every once in a while, Agnea thought about bringing Pala and Garud along with her. Maybe she would be able to invite them to join her on this journey of hers... But Agnea knew that wasn't going to happen. Garud was a valued member of the community of Cropdale, and he was the finest tailor in town. Agnea couldn't ask him to simply forget all of that so he could follow her across the continent. Pala had come to settle into Cropdale too, and she deserved the chance to find her own path. Agnea would miss her father and sister more than anything, but she knew that she was going to have to split from them for the journey to come. Garud and Pala both had their own paths to follow, and Agnea was going to have to turn her attention on her own journey. It was a shame their roads were set to diverge, but Agnea knew this was their best choice. This was the only option that would do right by all of them. 

Agnea shook her head, trying to chase away the grief that would come with saying goodbye to her friends and family. She wasn't going to be leaving forever. She would return one day, and Agnea knew she would be coming back with a legacy she could be proud of. Agnea was determined to become a star, and when she next came back to Cropdale, she would be able to bring smiles to the faces of everyone who had ever believed in her. They could all say they had known her before she had her big break, and Agnea would be able to give free shows to the town that had helped to boost her into the world. This wasn't going to be the end. She would be back, and everything would happen exactly the way she knew it was meant to. 

Agnea patted at her cheeks to refocus her attention, and she saw a man standing on a bridge looking over a stream that ran through the center of town. He seemed lost in thought, and while Agnea felt bad about interrupting him, she knew that she was going to have to. There were very few people who weren't already helping to set up the festival, and Agnea was going to have to invite those she saw in order to get things ready. She needed this festival to be the best it possibly could have been, and that meant finding as many sets of helping hands as possible. 

"Excuse me!" Agnea greeted as she fell into place just beside the man. "Are you busy? The festival is being set up, and we could use a few extra people to help us to get everything in place."

The man snapped out of his thoughts immediately at the sound of Agnea's voice. When he processed her words, his face broke out into a wide smile. "I'll gladly help if you're the one askin', Agnea!" 

The dancer raised one hand to her mouth to cover her lips when she began to laugh softly. "Then let's get to it!" 

Agnea led the man back toward the festival grounds, passing by a few other people helping with setup who were darting back and forth between the main town and the celebration. The excitement in the air was growing stronger and greater with every passing minute, and Agnea knew she was far from the only one who was ready for the celebration to come. The festivals of Cropdale were truly a sight to behold, and Agnea always looked forward to them. 

She was looking forward to the festival even more because she knew she would be dancing at it. She had been performing at Cropdale's festivals for a few years, but none of them felt quite as sweet as this one. This was Agnea's parting gift, her final send-off before she set out on a journey grander than the sky that swept overhead. It was the end of a chapter in her life, and Agnea was as ready for it as she was anxious about it. 

By now, the festival grounds were really coming together. The man Agnea had brought to help out peeled away from her when it became clear that another group of volunteers was struggling with lifting up one of the banners into its proper position. Agnea didn't mind being left on her own. She smiled up at the stage, glad to see all of the decorations around it were starting to come together. It seemed like everyone in Cropdale was going all out for this festival. Not all of them knew it was going to be Agnea's last, but they knew that they were going to enjoy one of her shows that night, and that was enough. 

The stage was decorated not only with the purple curtain stretched across its back edge but with other scenery too. A few performers in town would be putting on a theater show with a story and acting, and the stage's design was set to fit their performance perfectly. A cutout of a castle stood at the center of the stage, and shapes of trees lined the structure on either side. It looked like something right out of a fantasy story, and that only made Agnea more excited for her show that night. Not only would she be able to share her passion with everyone in town, but she would be able to do it on a stage that felt truly made for the joy that she had come to enjoy all throughout her life in Cropdale. It was the perfect send off, and it was certainly the best way to close this chapter of her life that she ever could have imagined. 

The sun was starting to set by now, casting the festival grounds in a beautiful dye of crimson, scarlet, and carnation. Agnea felt like she was glowing in the sunlight, and she let out a small sigh of excitement. She would have to go back to the Bristarni home to get ready for the show so that she could put on one of her fancier dresses. Agnea had opted for something simple that day so she would be able to get it dirty, and she figured that was probably for the best. That way, she could really wow everyone in the crowd when she had time to go back and change. 

Agnea saw one of the strips of flowers across the front of the stage start to dip. It hadn't been secured properly, but Agnea was happy to fix that. She darted over to the flowers and helped to reorient them where they belonged. She stepped back to admire her handiwork and smiled as she brushed her hands off. 

"I appreciate the help, Agnea," the leader of the setup process said as he came to stand just beside her. He was looking up at the stage too, making sure that everything was exactly where it was meant to be before the rest of the town arrived. His clipboard had been set aside, seemingly because he had managed to get through everything he had written down that needed to be done. 

Agnea let out a small laugh and turned to face him. "Happy to be of service!"

The man let out a sigh and shook his head. "Seems like none of 'em have an ear for what I have to say," he remarked. "I tried to get them to come and help out earlier on in the mornin', but none of 'em seemed to want to listen until you came along. Askin' you was the right choice."

Agnea nodded. "I'm always happy to help." She wanted to explain everything to the man now that she had his attention. Maybe she would be pulling his focus away from the other things that needed to be done to get ready for the festival, but Agnea was too alive with excitement to fully mind it the way she knew she probably should have. The news of her departure hadn't yet spread to the majority of the town, but this was as good a place as any to start. If Agnea could tell him, then maybe he would be able to announce it to the others working on the stage's setup too. 

"A-Agnea!"

Just before Agnea had the chance to launch into her explanation, a voice drew her attention back in the direction of the path to the fairgrounds. Gus was tearing through the greenery, his face red and his movements clumsy. Agnea didn't think she had ever seen Gus looking this disheveled. His hair was askew at more angles than she could ever hope to count, and when he slid to a stop a short distance in front of her, he had one hand pressed against his chest to try and stabilize his breathing. 

Agnea's eyes widened as she took a step toward him, unsure of if he wanted the support to stand or if he would prefer to have some space as he recovered his breath. "Gus! Is somethin' the matter?" Agnea was so preoccupied with Gus' state that she didn't even notice it when her accent slipped out of her voice. Everything Gus had to say felt much more important anyway. 

It took Gus a few seconds to get a grip on himself once again, and he sucked in greedy lungfuls of air in an attempt to stabilize his breathing. Once he had finally regained control of his body, he looked up at Agnea with wild, panicked eyes. "Have you seen Pala?" Agnea shook her head, and Gus' face contorted with horror and worry. "She went raspberry pickin' in the woods, but she ain't come back yet."

"W-What?" Agnea choked out, her chest suddenly tight. Pala had gone out to pick berries, but that had been ages ago. Agnea had seen her go out of the house herself after breakfast. Had no one seen her in the many hours since then? Was such a thing even possible? Surely at least somebody would have spotted her... Right?

"And that's not even the worst of it..." Gus went on, his head bowed in fear. "I went into the forest a little bit earlier, and when I did..." Gus shuddered and then recentered his thoughts. "In the forest... I found a duorduor's hoof prints." Agnea's eyes went wide, and she felt all the color drain from her face as Gus explained. "Do you remember? That giant boar ravaged our whole village some years ago... It took the whole lot of us to drive 'im away. He might've caught the scent of the festival foods and scurried over, but..."

How could Agnea not remember? The duorduor had been a massive fear of hers as a child, and when Agnea was twelve, her fears proved to be real. The duorduor had been driven to the festival by the scent of the food, and what should have been a night of celebration soon turned into a night of terror. Many buildings sustained significant damage during the battle. No one in Cropdale knew how to fight off giant monsters like that. Their hunters set occasional traps for smaller monsters, but the duorduor was something else entirely. None of them had been prepared, and it was only through luck that the entire village managed to band together to fend the duorduor off. Since then, the beast had not reappeared, but Agnea knew that it still lived in the woods near the village. Everyone's guard had come down because of how many years had passed since the duorduor's last attack, but the beast was still very much a threat, and now... It could have very easily hurt Pala, and Agnea hadn't even realized it until after it was too late. 

Agnea's chest went tight, and she strained her eyes to try and catch a glimpse of the woods between the nearby stalls on the fairgrounds. "Pala..." Agnea stood up a bit straighter, squeezing her fingers into fists. "I have to find her."

"Y-You can't be serious...!" Gus stammered, his cheeks going from red with exertion to pale from fear in the blink of an eye. He had known Agnea for a long time, and the two of them had grown up together as good friends. Gus was used to Agnea's determination, but this was perhaps the worst thing she could have ever decided she was going to do. Gus was even more afraid of the duorduor than Agnea, and the mere thought of seeing Agnea run off to fight the beast terrified him beyond words. 

Agnea was fully aware of Gus' fear, but she didn't let it color her resolve. "Will you come with me, Gus?" Agnea asked, taking a small step toward the forest path. Her mind was racing with everything she would have to do if she followed Pala into the forest to try and rescue her. Agnea would need a weapon in order to fight off an attacker. She knew how to use wind magic, but her skills with it were minimal, and she would feel better having a blade in her hand to strike down any monsters that came after her. Agnea knew it would also be safer if she had someone else there to watch her back. That way, they would be able to take care of each other and make sure neither one of them was significantly hurt. 

Gus seemed startled by Agnea's question, and he tried and failed to reply to her at least three times in half as many seconds. He had always been easily frightened, and when he was faced with anything more terrifying than a bar fight, he lost his nerve instantly. Gus wasn't going to let Agnea face the duorduor alone, so he pulled himself together in a false imitation of confidence. It didn't feel like enough, and it certainly didn't convince him, but Gus didn't care. He couldn't leave Agnea to do this on her own, and if that meant he had to face his fears, then he would do what he had to. "'C-Course I will! You can count on me, Agnea!" Gus cried out. His voice was a bit too loud when he spoke, and it was clear he was throwing in volume as a poor replacement for actual faith in himself. 

Agnea could tell that Gus was trying to seem stronger than he felt, but she didn't call him out on it. Instead, she simply nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Gus." She glanced around the fairgrounds, searching for anyone who could have given her a weapon. Agnea hadn't ever fought with a blade before, but she knew she would be better off having at least something by her side even if she was inexperienced with it. Her gaze struck true when she found a stall selling small daggers, and while they were decorative, Agnea could tell they would be strong in a fight too. 

Agnea exchanged a few leaves for the knife, holding it up to the light once she had it in her hands. The seller had overheard her conversation with Gus and was happy to give the dagger to her for a slight discount, and Agnea was glad for it. She couldn't afford to waste any time... Though deep down, she wouldn't have minded it if she had to dip into her traveling fund of ten thousand leaves if it would bring Pala back home safely a little bit sooner. 

Gus had gotten an axe for himself, but his hands shook when he held it. Gus had done his fair share of chopping trees and cutting wood over the years, so he knew his way around an axe, but fighting trees was entirely different from fighting monsters. Even Gus' experience with an axe felt painfully insufficient when he was faced with the enormity of the situation before him. "Y-You know, I sure would feel better if we had more company..." Gus admitted to Agnea. 

The dancer thought about it for a moment. Surely at least one person would be willing to help her to find Pala and bring her back home. Agnea felt bad for pulling anyone away from the festival even before she could do it though. Everyone was already busy enough as it was, and Agnea felt guilty about getting their attention even if it was for the sake of helping her sister. 

Agnea's mind flashed back to that morning and the conversation she and Pala had shared just before the latter left the house. Pala had said that Agnea could take advantage of her talents to get people to stand by her. Agnea had been flustered at the time, but if there was ever a time for her to take advantage of her talents and skills, it was now. Pala could have been in danger, and every second Agnea was left stalled in her embarrassment was a second that her sister could have gotten hurt. She had to get moving, and if that meant doing something she would otherwise never consider, then so be it. 

"Then I guess it's time to put my talents to use," Agnea declared. She searched through the crowd for any signs of a hunter. Surely the hunters of Cropdale, limited in knowledge though they may have been, would have been best allies for a situation like this. The hunters would know how to go after a duorduor and chase it away from the town if it came to a battle. Agnea certainly hoped it didn't end up that way, but it wouldn't hurt to at least be prepared. 

"Talents...?" Gus echoed, his face twisting in confusion. Before he had the chance to press Agnea into explaining though, the dancer darted off. She had found a hunter in the crowd, and she wasn't going to let them go without talking to them. "H-Hey, Agnea! Wait up!"

Agnea didn't spare a glance back at Gus though. She knew what had to be done, and she wasn't going to forget it for even a moment. Pala was in danger, and Agnea refused to leave her alone. No matter what it took, she would find her sister and bring her back home. If that meant she had to use her talents, then so be it. 

No price was too small if it would keep what was left of Agnea's family together. She had already lost a mother, and now, Agnea refused to lose a sister.

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And there's the second part of Agnea's first chapter! Woohoo!

I honestly forgot just how quickly Agnea's opening chapter is paced. I mean, there's a lot of content crammed into all of the chapter ones, but it feels like Agnea's chapter one is something else with how quickly it moves. I'm enjoying working on it though. Agnea is such a sweetheart. I love her. 

I don't have all that much to say about this chapter honestly. I think it was a nice bit of breathing room in between the activity of the opening and the battle that we'll probably be reaching next time. I'm happy with the way it turned out. I'm having fun with this story in case you can't already tell. 

Next time, we'll get closer to the duorduor and then the end of Agnea's opening chapter. Feedback is appreciated as always. Have a nice day, everyone!

-Digital