[Chapter 1] — Ordinary
A heavy wooden door slams, kicking up dust on the city street outside. An individual, clad in golden, shiny armor with bags cluttered before him, stands on the other side of that door. A voice pipes up from the other side. The voice is domineering, harsh, and filled with anger.
"Don't ever come back here unless you're in a coffin!"
The individual looks at the door for a second, his gaze lingering on it till he finally gathers his bags and trots away from the door. He moves down the bustling cobbled street and towards a building on the other side of it. Carts filled with all sorts of fruit pass by him on the left while carts filled with the most delicious smoked meats pass on the right. Horses, camels, and even the occasional unicorn ride past him as he walks.
He reaches the building, a stable. In the front is a small human man sitting in a plush chair with a desk filled with paperwork. He looks up from his work and smiles as the individual walks up.
"Master Sprouts, a pleasure to see you today. How can I help you?" the short man croons.
"I've just been disowned, so your best steed and good drink are what I really need right now." Sprouts replies.
The man laughs but his laugh is cut short when he sees Sprouts' dour disposition.
"Oh, you're serious? Your pa's a dick but I didn't know he was a bastard."
The man shuffles his papers until he finds the right one. He gets up and motions for Sprouts to follow him. The two walk through a side door and into where the steeds are kept, the smell of hay and animal waste pervading throughout the space. They reach a stall where a unicorn sits, shadow obscuring it from view.
"I gonna give you the executive discount, kid. You were the only rich kid to ever give a shit about me or to even help me shovel shit in here. You just give me ten gold and the steed is yours."
"I'm gonna miss you, Salm."
"I know kid, but you have your own life to find, far away from your pa."
The two hug. They disentangle and Sprouts hands over the ten gold. Salm knocks his knuckles against the stall door, rousing the unicorn from their sleep. The steed gets up and trots over to them.
The unicorn has dark black hair coving their whole body with streak of white hair down the middle of their face. Their hooves are bright red and almost seem to be glowing. The unicorn's horn is obsidian black with small grooves of red, gold, and silver, spiraling up it to the sharp point.
"You're beautiful. What's their name, Salm?"
"Ask it yourself, if it likes you it will tell you. If it doesn't, you only wasted ten gold."
Sprouts approaches the steed. The unicorn bows it head slightly as Sprouts reaches up to stroke the hair on their head.
"Will you kindly tell me your name?"
The unicorn does not speak but a voice appears in the Sprouts' mind. The voice is soothing but powerful, with no discernible feminine or masculine qualities to it.
I have had many names bestowed upon me but only one I bestowed upon myself. I sense a purpose and potential in you that I have not sensed in a long time. You are worthy of my name. I am Vulgate.
"Ready to go on an adventure?"