Chapter Fourteen: By air or by sea...



         "What do ye mean we have to go by boat!" My voice echoed across the docks, people turned to see what all the commotion was. "We had a wee incident on the flight over and she canna fly! But she can still sail as good as any!" The captain of the ship shouted back at me. "I dinna care if she can sail! I paid for a flight across not a boat ride!" I shouted back, shoving a finger into his chest, which causes him to stumble back slightly. "Ye still get everything ye paid for, ye just gotta go by sea!" He slapped my finger away "you're daft if ye think I'm getting on the water!" The captain rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. "Look, I canna return your money, it's already spent on the needed supplies. Ye need to get across the sea and right now, by boat is the only way. Tell ye what! yoo go down the docks to the pub and get ye'self a couple... A few drinks on my tab, when the boat is ready, I'll come fetch ye." I couldn't even think of anything to say, I was angry. The last two winters I had flown across on this man's beatup old ramshackle airship for the very purpose of avoiding the water the best I could. Now it seems I was cursed to spend the next three to four weeks on the water.. I turned around and stormed off down the dock in the direction of pub.

*****

        "Captain?" A voice called out from behind him "hmm?" The captain responded, keeping his eyes on the angry highlander as he pushed his way through the crowded docks. "Shouldn't ye have told him?" The captain turned to face his first mate. "Not now. I'll wait until we are out to sea first."

*****

       I slumped down into an empty bar stool and ordered an ale on the captains tab, and told the bartender to keep them coming. He slammed a solid wood goblet down in front of me and filled it. The foam spilled over the edges of the cup and onto the countertop. I picked up the goblet and drained it before he could leave. He filled it again and waited, but I waved him off.

*****



        The town was empty as me and the old man road through the main Street. The sun had only just risen and I imagined soon the streets would be full of people, none of whom would know what happened. There would be no praise for us, for a time the town would live in fear but soon that fear would die out and life would return to normal. 

As we approached the old man's house, his daughter sat on the front steps, wrapped up in her earasaid . As we dismounted the horses she ran from her perch on the front steps right past her father to me. Before I knew what had happened, my right cheek stung as she slapped me across the face. "I told you! But you didn't listen! You still drug my father away with you! He could have been killed! He has a family!" She made to slap me again but this time I was ready for it and caught her hand by the wrist. "You daft, foolish girl!" I spat and threw her hand away from me, the force causing her to stumble backwards and fall to the ground. "Did ye stop to think that maybe that is why he went!? Because he has family? The creatures last attack was on the boarder of the town. At some point she would have made her way here and could have killed ye all. You, your son, and the old man! So aye! He went with me, but I didna force him to. He went on his own accord!" I mounted my horse and pulled the copper dagger from my boot and tossed it to the old man. "Stop trying to control your father. It's time you grew up! The world is full of horrible, nasty things and people who will kill ye as soon as look at ye, be greatful ye got someone willing to give everything so you don't have to!" I spun my horse around and gave it a gently kick with my heels, the horse took off at a slight trot and I left the old man and his family behind.

*****



       I watched as the bartender refilled my cup for an unknown time. I watched it carefully as the foam died down and then I found myself looking back at myself from the golden liquid inside the cup. "You alright lad?" The bartender asked. I held up my cup and smiled "aye, just getting ready for a wee boat ride" I downed the ale and slammed the cup down hard on the bar.

*****



          I leaned against the door frame of the small lake side cabin I had called home since i returned from Arrakis, all six of my Deerhounds lay at my feet and the old man grazed just a few feet away. Using the knife Ajax had gifted me, I cut a piece of apple and placed it in my mouth. Even from here I could hear my mother in the kitchen, bossing around the house maids and my father up at the barns yelling at the farm hands. All the snow had been rained away, and were it not for the chill air, it could almost past for spring. However, it was only the third day of the second month of the year 5318. A lot had happened this winter.. I needed to return to Arrakis. I need to seek out Kampi, and Ajax, and young Cypress. I needed to help Lily as she grew into her new role as prophet of the church. What horrors waited for me across the sea? A whole nother year of fighting off the never ending hords that plauged the lands. Even just thinking about it made me feel tired. As I took another piecee from my apple, a familiar sound filled the air. Turning my head toward the sky, a single raven flew overhead. It circled around the cabin three times before flying off in the direction of the nearest harbor town. I smiled to myself "aye, my goddess, I hear you." I tossed the apple to the old man and headed for the main house.

*****

          "The captain said.. I could.. drink.. on his..tab!." I stumbled through my words as I made an unsuccessful grab for the ale in the bartenders hand. "I dinna care! You have had enough lad! I am cutting you off" I slammed my hand down hard on the table before pulling my dagger "who are you to deny me drink! You are getting paid for it!" The bartender drew his own dagger "this is my pub, and I'll cut off anyone I want. I think it's time you left!" Before I could respond, the door to the pub opened and in walked the captain "hey, Connor, everything is all ready to go lad!" I sheathed my dagger, after a few unsuccessful tries. "It's your lucky day! I get am going for a boat ride!" I exclaimed excitedly. I turned and made it half way to the door before stopping and turning back. I stormed back to the bar and grabbed the cup I had been using "I'm taking this with me!" With that, and with no objection from the bartender, we left the bar and boarded the ship. Before long we had left the harbour and were finally on our way to Arrakis.



Not all of these photos are mine. Full credit to the owners.

Chapter Thirteen: Of sand and ash

We dismounted our horses just outside the forest. The ride from town had been quick and quite. Neither of us spoke. A calm before the storm. I pulled my claymore from its place at the side of the horse and mounted it to my back. I made sure all of my weapons were secured and in place and turned to check on my hunting partner. The old man dismounted his horse and began to untie the bedroll from the back of his mount. He knelt down and unrolled it on the ground and I was taken aback to find an assortment of strange items strapped to it. The old man began to unbuckle pieces and click them together. Before I knew it, he had a small crossbow strapped to his Right wrist, which he folded down, making it look like nothing more than an unnecessarily large bracer.

After which he began clicking a few more pieces together and soon he had a large full sized crossbow put together. Picking up a large bulk of metal, he clicked it into place onto the bottom of the crossbow and it was at that moment I realized it was full of crossbow bolts. What a strange set of contraptions.. where they Gnomish? He finished off by tucking two flintlocks into custom holsters at his lower back. "Alright lad. Let's go" he grabbed the saddle bags off his horse and he started off toward the forest. I tied off my horse and set off after him.

As we closed the distance between our horses and the Forest, my curiosity got the better of me. "What's in the saddle bags?" I asked, he pulled them off his shoulder and flipped one open. Reaching in he pulled out a handful of what looked like a dark sand. "Is that bronze?" I asked. He nodded "aye. I spent the day grinding all the bronze pieces I own into this sand. Figured we could use it. Incase the ruin in a circle of bronze sand. If it is deadly to her, it might keep her from being able to flee." The idea seemed complicated, and to be honest, I didn't understand it, but he was the veteran hunter, so I would trust him. We had walked for awhile in silence, we both knew where we were going and there for a leader was not necessary. At the moment, John took the lead, walking a few feet in front of me. "By the gods lad!" He cursed and turned to look at me "could ye make anymore noise!" I glanced back over my shoulder, even in the dark it was quite evident which direction I had come from. Crushed vegetation, broken twigs and fern branches marked the path I had crashed my way through. The path the old man had taken, however, was non-existent. It was as if no one had walked it at all. "How do you expect to hunt anything making all that noise?" I turned back to him and shrugged "when hunting monsters I find being loud and insulting works about as well as being quite and sneaky" the old man rolled his eyes and set out again, with me following close, and loudly, behind him. It didn't take us long to come across the old stone ruin, the air was colder here, and seemed thinner than the rest of the space around it. "Is this the place, lad?" The old man asked, I nodded and we entered into the large court yard opening where I had fought her before. We both stood there a moment, each looking around, taking in our surroundings. "Oy!" I shouted, causing the old man to jump "bitch! Show yourself!" The old man turned and drove a hard fist into the back of my shoulder "what the hell was that for!?" I turned to face him, his face was white and he clutched his chest, breathing heavily, "you almost gave me a bloody heart attack, what the hell do you think you're doing!?" He yelled at me "calling out the baobhan sith!" He rolled his eyes at me "alright fine, you stay here and 'call her out' I am going to hide over there and once she is inside the ruin ill lay out the bronze sand well you keep her distracted" I didn't even have time to agree or protest, the old man was off and tucked himself away into a small dark corner that had once been the base of a tower.

Once the old man was situated I pulled my dirk from its place at my side and slid it across the palm of my hand, drawing blood. I squeezed my hand into a fist and let the blood ooze between my fingers and drip onto the grass at my feet. "Hmm I know that smell" it didn't take long for her voice to echo among the ruins. "You have come back to me" her tone was playful, almost flirtatious. "Last time we met you were not so nice, hmm but oh did you taste good!" A lite fog rolled in, shrouding the ruin in a blanket of invisibility, and shortly after, she seemed to morph out of it. Her red hair and emerald green dress and cloak stood out vibrantly against her grey ashen skin and the dull hue of the fog.

*****

I had never seen anything like it in my life. It was almost as if she had been expecting us. Or maybe just him. The second the sent of his blood was in the air, there she was. A baobhan sith. Her skin was ashen grey, lifeless in color, but her hair was a fiery red and she wore an emerald dress that seemed to shine against the grey and black of the night. I watched as the creature walked right past where I was hiding, tucked tight into a corner formed by fallen pieces of wall. If she had noticed me, she didn't pay me any heed, her full attention was on the lad. This lad was bulky, loud, bull headed, and stubborn, but it all seemed to work for him, without any trouble at all he was able to draw out this woman and pull her right into our trap. The second she was past me, and her focus was on the boy, I silently darted out from my place of hiding and began to circulate the ruin, dumping out the bronze shavings as i did. By the gods I hope this works.

*****

I caught the movement out of the corner of my eye, the old man had set about his part of the plan, but taking my eyes of the woman was my first mistake, when I looked back to her she was gone. Before I could ready myself with a weapon, she had come up behind me, grabbed me by my wrist and lifted me off the ground. With her other hand she took me by the throat to hold me up, at which point she held by bleeding hand over her mouth and let blood drip into it. "Didn't we do this once already?" I struggled to speak. Tightening up my neck I managed to lift my legs up high enough to kick her in the gut. She dropped me and stumbled backwards. I landed hard on my back, stunning myself for a moment as the claymore at my back dug into it, causing agonizing pain. She glared at me as she wiped my blood from her chin with the back of her hand. "This time I will feast on your Corps!" She hissed "aye, I am sure you will, but give me a moment, I seem to have given me self a charly horse" I groaned as I rolled over onto my side to try and get up. She sprang into action, charging me with unexpected speed. Still laying on the ground, and still sore from the fall I raised my arms up in an instinctive protective manner, but as she drew near, an unseen force caused her to fall back, her super speed playing against her as the crossbow bolt caught her in the right shoulder. The old man hurried up behind me and helped me to my feet "no help to me dead boy!" He said as he reloaded the small crossbow on his wrist. I picked up my hammer and readied myself. The baobhan sith rose to her feet and pulled the bolt from her shoulder and snapped it. "Two of you!" She his, glaring at the both of us before vanishing in a puff of fog. A few moments went by as me and the old man stood waiting for an attack, but nothing happened. Then, suddenly there was a painful scream and we both turned to see the creature laying stunned on the ground at the opposing side of the ruin. Steam rose from her body and we could see burnt skin slowly heal itself. It would seem the bronze shavings did the trick. Neither of us spoke, we simply raised our fists and bumped them together in silent accomplishment. She turned to us, angry, unsure on what had just happened, but also aware that she couldn't leave. Again she vanished, but this time she reappeared between us. She grabbed the old man by the shoulders and tossed him across the ruin, turning before I had time to respond, she brought her nails down across my face, which cut open my cheeks, spattering blood onto the ground and causing me to drop as well. Before she could make a second attack, the old man launched another bolt, this time he missed but it was enough to draw the baobhan sith attention away from me. His wrist bow now being unarmed, he switched to the large Gnomish bow he had been wearing on his back. The soft sound of escaping steam could be heard as a bolt launched from the weapon, with a speed I had never seen from a crossbow before. This bolt hit it's target and managed to rip right through her midsection. She stumbled a bit but managed to keep her footing, her once green eyes flared a demonic red as the wound began to close and heal.

In her anger she attacked the old man, who was able to fend of most of her attacks with the bow, but she managed to get in a few, ripping open several gashes to his left shoulder and forearm. I got to my feet and ran to his aid, swinging my hammer once I was close enough, I managed to catch her in the side, knocking her down, and luckily away from us. "Why don't you have bronze arrows!?" I asked the old man in frustration as my own blood seeped into my mouth, only to be spat out. "I used all my bronze to make the sand, I only have three arrows and I'm not gonna use them unless I know they will count!" He retorted, but the baobhan sith attacked again before I could respond. She made a stabbing motiong at me with her hand, which I was just barely able to knock away, which left her open for the old man to pull a flintlock and press it to the back of her head and fire. The flintlock bullet passed through her head and almost grazed the side of mine. The baobhan sith dropped like a sack of potatoes. "Maybe next time wait until my heads out of the bloody way!" I yelled as my ears rang from the gunshot. "Or use the damn crossbow!" I worked my jaw in random motions in a useless attempted to somehow fix the ringing in my ears. "She was to close to use the crossbow, I had no shot" his voice was muffled but I understood what he was saying. I didn't much like it, but I understood.

Before we could get around to permanently disposing of the creature, she began to twitch violently, soon she was on her feet again, the hole in her head closing, leaving only the blood stain behind. She turned to face us, but she had changed, her eyes had turned black, her finger nails became claws and her teeth morphed into fangs, her skin became a darker colour of grey and her cheecks sunk deep into her face, giving her an almost skeletal appearance.

She let out a blood curdling, banshee like scream before charging to attack. The old man couldn't get his crossbow up fast enough, but managed to dodge enough out of the way that her attack didn't hit anything Vitale. He let out a yell of pain as he claws dug deep into his shoulder, causing him to drop his crossbow, which miss fired, the bolt lodging itself deep into my thigh, I dropped to the ground clucthing my leg. I grabbed hold of the bolt and, instead of snapping it off like I should have, I tore it out of my leg, which hurt far more than when it went in. I yelled out as pain ripped through my body, the scent of my blood filled the air and the baobhan sith turned in my direction, ignoring the old man, who she dropped to the ground. I couldn't tell if he was alive or not, he wasn't moving and his eyes were closed, his shoulder bleeding freely. "That smell!" Her voice was no longer soft or feminine, instead it was gravely and otherworldly and seemed to come from all directions. "Your blood.. I have longed for it since the first time I tasted it!" A long, inhuman tongue split her lips and licked them, her eyes locked onto me like a starve dog onto a piece of meat. "I will have you! I will devour you and drink every last drop of that delicious crimson liquor!" I forced myself to stand, despite the pain in my thigh "alright than. Here I am!" I egged the monster on. She flew across the ruin, clearing the opening between us in a matter of eye blinks, but I managed to draw my basket-hilt just in time. As I pulled it from the baldric at my side, with the same motion, the blade cut deep across her torso. She hissed violently and tossed backwards into the ground to thrash around in pain as the wound began to heal. I dropped the basket-hilt and pulled out my dirk, I wasn't going to waste this chance, as I went in for the final strike, she was on her feet again with me held tight in her clutches. She had managed to knock my dirk from my hand and held me in thrall. "Now you are mine!" She hissed. Behind her I caught movement, the old man had loaded a bolt into his wrist crossbow and opened fire, but she must have known, she turned and used me as a human shield. The bolt drove deep into my shoulder and I yelled out in pain. Now she held me from behind, hiding behind me in case the old man tried to shoot her again. "You have lost!" She hissed, I could feel saliva pepper the back of my neck as she spoke "this victory is mine. Take solace in knowing none have ever put up such a fight" as she spoke, a motion from the old man's hand caught my eye. HeHe s patting a small leather pouch attacked to one of his thighs, and instantly I knew what he was trying to tell me. I placed my hands on the end of the bolt and forced it through my shoulder and into hers. She gave another banshee scream as she pulled away from me, pulling the rest of the bolt through my shoulder. She hissed violently as she struggled to pull the bronze tipped bolt from her shoulder, with no luck. I pulled the bronze dagger the old man had given me from my boot and charged, letting out a loud battle cry I dug the dagger deep into her gut. Her thrashing stopped, stunned, she leaned against me motionless. I pulled the dagger from her gut and dug it in again. Instead of a scream or a hiss, a simple weez escaped her lips, lite bits of blood sprayed from her nose and onto the collar of my shirt. I pulled the dagger out and she stumbled away from me. This time the wounds did not heal, steam and blood oozed from her shoulder and the gapping holes in her gut. She stumbled to the ground and started to pull herself across the grass to get away from me. I cracked my neck and gripped the dagger tight. Closing the space between us I forced her over to look up at me. Sitting on her so she couldn't get away, despite her protest, I drove the dagger into her again, and again, and again. Before I knew it, I was butchering her as I yelled out in frustration. "I thought you were going to kill me!?" I yelled. "You promised!" I belowed as I dug the dagger into her again "why didn't you kill me!?" I screamed at her as the dagger dug into her again. "Connor!" I heard the old man yell before he came up behind me and pulled me off of her "she has had enough, she is beat!" I slowly came back to my sense and saw the baobhan sith curled up on the ground, a soft whine could be heard coming from her as blood and steam rose from the multiple stab wounds to her torso.

Looking down at my blood stained hands I let the dagger drop from my hand and sat there, just staring at the pathetic mess that was the baobhan sith. The old man sat down next to me and gave me a concern but reassuring pat on the back. Slowly the baobhan sith began to pull herself away from us again, but neither of us made to stop her. Maybe it was out of exhaustion or maybe it was because we had a sense of time that she clearly didn't. Slowly the sun rose in the distance, it's light broke through the trees and lit up the ruins. The baobhan sith gave one last banshee like scream as her body was engulfed in flames and burned alsmot instantly into ash.

After a few moments of rest, used to bandage up each other's wounds, we managed to dig a hole, which we shoveled the ash into. Before burring the ash, the old man mixed the last of the bronze shavings into the ash and the dirt, as a precaution. After we were sure she was good and gone, the two of us limped out of the woods and back to our horses.

None of these photos are mine. Full credit to the owner's.

Chapter twelve: The Bronze Age

The chair broke into several pieces as it hit the door to my room. I roared loudly in frustration as I kicked over a small side table and flipped over the writing desk that sat under one of the two windows in my room. In a final outburst I punched one of the four bed posts, which shot pain up my arm, now I was even more angry with myself. There was no amount of healing powers in the world that will protect the bones in my hands from the abuse I put them through. One day it would all catch up with me. I kicked the side table one more time before sitting down on the end of my bed. I had waisted it. I had one chance. One opportunity to speak to Ajax and get his information and opinion on how to deal with the Baobhan sith, and i blew it. I got so wrapped up in the tournament I had arrived in time to participate in, that the thought of the Baobhan sith completely slipped my mind. It was not until I was back in Caledonia after the magic in the stone faded, that I had remembered my original reason to going back to Arrakis. Twenty-four hours. A full day. That was all the time I had and I waisted it. I cursed my stupidity and had to fight back the urge to continue destroying the room I was renting. To make things worse, I learned another had fallen victim to the creature, this time, she had ventured into the town. He was fond in his house, on the edge of town. She was getting bold. A soft knock at the door pulled me to my sense. "Aye? Come in" the door opened slowly as the inn keepers daughter pushed her way into the room, hiding nervously behind the door. "Umm.. is everything okay?" She asked glancing around the room. She was young. Early twenties, with long auburn hair and the greenest eyes I had seen in a long time. I cast her a glare that caused her to flinch slightly and was about to give a Connor typical response, but I could feel Ajax's hand slapping me outside the head and Kampi glaring at me for being so rude. I bit my tongue, took a deep breath and responded. "No, lass, things are not okay." The young girl shuffled into the room and closes the door behind her, eyeing up all the damages, her eyes lingered on my weapons, which rested against the wall beside my bed "my father sent me up to make sure you were okay.." she was clearly nervous. Did she think I would hurt her? "I'm not going to hurt ye, lass" I assured her, she smiled at me nervous and gave a slight nod. She slowly crossed the room and sat on the bed beside me "can I help?" She asked softly I looked down at her "not unless you know anything about monster hunting" I meant it completely as a joke "well I don't..but I know of someone who might be able to help you" I was caught completely off gaurd. "He is an older man, he lives with his daughter outside of town. He comes in here from time to time to enjoy a drink. Rumor around town is he used to hunt all kinds of creatures" it wasn't much to go on, but it was better than nothing, which is what I currently had. Nothing. "Thank ye lass" she smiled at me "you are welcome" she kissed me quickly on the cheek and dashed across the room to the door "cheer up!" She called out as she let herself out of the room. I stared at the door with a questioning look. Odd girl.

*****

It was not difficult to find the house. It was just outside the opposite side of town, just before the river that went around the town but just off of the road. It was a two story building, but it stood out against the rest of the buildings in Brittle. I rode my horse right up to the front steps where I slide down off the saddle and tide it to a near by post. I slowly ascend the front steps and knocked on the door.

For a moment I heard nothing. Purhaps they were not home. As I turned to leave I heard a soft click and the door opened slightly. Turning around I found myself staring down at a small child, not much older than eight or nine. He gazed back at me through the small opening of the door. "Johnathan! What did I say about answering the door?" A woman's voice came from inside the house. Shortly after the boy was pulled away from the door and was replaced by a young woman about my age. She looked tired and drained, but still held a natural beauty about her. She had long brown hair and soft pink skin with a light red tint to her cheeks, probably from the cold. "Can I help you?" She asked, not opening the door anymore than the boy had opened it. "I was told I might find some help here?" She looked at me questioningly "help? What? There is nothing we can help you with here. Sorry you have been miss informed" she seemed nervous and uncomfortable. "Baobhan sith?" I called out as she was closing the door "Kathleen!" I heard a man's voice call out to the girl, who closed her eyes and sighed heavily in disappointment at the call of her name "let the lad in" she cast me a glare that I thought might rip me limb from limb as she pulled open the door to let me in.

The inside of the house looked nothing like the outside, which made the house look old and slightly run down and unkept, but inside was beautiful. Made of dark wood with matching furniture. Large wood beams held up the ceiling and formed the door ways into each room. The house had a pleasant wood burning smell to it and was warm and homely. "Kathleen, show him to the study" the same male voice from before called out into the house. "This way please" she asked as she led me to the right from the door. We paused before a door way and she stepped aside and motioned me forward before turning to head back the way we had come. I entered the room alone. It was a large enough room. Study was definitely a good word for it. Bookshelves and trophies off all sorts lined the walls. A desk sat at the far end of the room, covered in open books and maps. Mounted to the wall behind the desk were two large flintlock rifles and several pistols locked inside a glass display case off to the right side of the desk. Other weapons like swords, axes, daggers, bows, crossbows, and even some I didn't recognize decorated the room as well.

Standing at the desk, looking over the maps and open books was an older man. He stood head and shoulders taller than me, with short white hair and matching beard. Despite being an older man with a professor like vibe about him, he held a very apposing feel to him. He may be old but I could tell this old man had many years of fighting left in him. He looked up from the desk at me "you looking for a Baobhan sith?" He asked. His accent was thick and vibrated in my chest. "Aye. More like a way to kill one.." the man glared at me over the top of his specticals. "Have you ever fought one before?" He questioned me "aye. Couple days ago" his attention fully changed to me. He pulled his specticals off and came around to sit on the front of his desk "you mean the one who has been attacking the towns folk?" I nodded. "How did you get away?" He asked "I was rescued.. by a Ghillie dhu.." the old man seemed sceptical. "I have heard tales of Ghillie dhu's. Never seen one myself.."

"Well you know the fae, secretive little buggers" he nodded in agreement.

"So rumor is you might be able to help me." The old man walked over to a near by side table and poured himself a glass of scotch. "Is that the rumor now?" He asked, taking a drink. "Aye. If you were trying to hide your monster hunter past, ye did a shite job" the old man chuckled. "No, not trying to hide. Just been out of the business for along time now." I walked over to look at the flintlocks in the display case "than why all the secrecy?" I asked "you mean my daughter? She has been like that since the attacks started. She is worried the town will come demanding I do something about it.."

"And that is exactly what has happened!" I turned to see his daughter enter the room with a tray of tea. "That is why you are here isn't it!? To demand my father do something!"

"Kathleen.." her father tried to protest

"He isn't a hunter anymore. He is just a father and a grandfather!"

"Kathleen!" He protested again

"He is just an old man!" She cried

"Kathleen!!" He yelled and his daughter caught herself, holding her head low as she fought back tears.

"You would be wrong lass" I spoke up. She lifted her head to look at me "I have no interest in demanding your father do anything. I'll deal with the monster myself. I am simply looking for some advice on how to kill this bitch" she stared at me a moment before turning to storm out of the room "please forgive my daughter" the old man asked. I dismissed it with a wave of the hand. "My name is John. How may I help you?"

**** 

"Interesting" the old man scratch his beard as I walked him through my fight with the Baobhan sith. "So you only managed to land two hits on her?" Was he making fun of me? Sure felt like it.. "at least I have actually fought one!" The old man chuckled "I meant no offense" he assured me as he stood from his chair and walked around to the other side of his desk. He opened a small wooden box on his desk and pulled out two cigars "smoke?" I accepted the cigar, which he clipped before passing it to me. As he returned to his seat he lit his. We sat in a small sitting area in his study. Two small chairs on either side of a small table, where our tea currently sat, all in front of a nice small stone fireplace. "Can I see the dagger?" He asked, referring to the dagger I had stabbed the monster with. I pulled the dagger from its place at my belt and handed it to him. He chuckled softly "this thing is an antique!"

"It was my father's!" I growled at him "aye I figured!" he said "I have one similar. Military issue. Given to those who fought in the war" I nodded. "This reminds me of something.." he handed the dagger back to me as he rose again, walking over to one of the many bookshelves in the room. He stood there for awhile, looking over all the books before calling out "ah! Here it is!" He pulled a book from the shelf and returned to his seat. He placed his cigar between his teeth and began to flip through the pages. "Here we go!" He pulled his cigar from his mouth and began to read from the book

"...I ran for my horse. The creature had killed all my brothers and I was next. I didn't want to die. She was so fast. I am not sure how I managed to make it to my horse before she could, but she would not come near the beast. I could no understand why. She had taken my eldest brother right off his horse with no problem, but she refused to come close to mine. It was my saving grace. As I mounted the horse she lashed out in anger, spooking the beast, which stood on its hind legs and brought his front legs down onto the creature. The creature hissed loudly as steam rose from her forehead where the horse had kicked her. I did not think anything of it at the time and I used that as my chance to get away. When I was sure I was safe I dismounted my horse and checked his foot. No injuries, but he still had burnt flesh from the monster seared onto its bronze shoe.." 

"Your dagger. It is solid bronze, is it not?" He asked. "Aye. But what makes you think what I fought and what is talked about in that book are the same thing?" I questioned. He flipped a few pages back an began to read again.

"...she had rolled in out of nowhere, almost as if she had rode in on the thick fog that had set. Her skin was ashen grey and she had long black hair with pale blue eyes and she wore the redest dress I had ever seen. Never had I seen a woman of such beauty. Her voice was majestic and pulled all of us into a trance with only a few words.." he paused looking up at me from the pages "sound familiar?" I nodded. There were to many similarities to think this creature being described in the book was not the same kind of creature I had fought. I eyed my dagger closely. "Bronze huh?.. it's something.." 

*****

I thanked the old man for his help and left for town, his daughter watching me from the window until I was out of sight. I returned to my room, which I found had been cleaned and new furniture had been brought in. I removed all my weapons, placing my dirk under my pillow and my claymore, and hammer by my bedside. I hung my baldric off a near by chair, my basket-hilt with it. I took off my coat, there was a soft knock at the door, but before I could answer the door opened and the inn keepers daughter let herself in. "Can I help you?" I asked, eyeing her suspiciously. "Did the old man help you?" She asked, her cheeks were a deep red. Was she blushing? "Aye. A lot. Thank you lass" her cheeks grew darker. "Don't worry about the furniture.. I replaced it before my father could find out you had broken.. so you won't have to pay for it" I looked around the room then back at her, confused "why did you do that?" She didn't say anything. She stood at the door a moment, fidgeting nervously. "Are you okay?" I asked she stormed across the room, threw her arms around me and pressed her lips to mine.

*****

I looked over at the mess of blankets and sheets that was my bed. The inn keepers daughter lay there, sleeping, her face was relaxed and peaceful. I smiled softly before leaving the room and closing the door behind me gently so not to wake her. I paid for my room and left the inn. As I stepped out of the inn I noticed the sky was clear, stars filled the sky. The air was cold and crisp and I found it relaxing the moon, although not full, cast a beautiful glow about the land. "Are you ready to go?" I jumped slightly. I had not expect anyone to be out this late. I was surprised to find John, the old hunter, before me on his horse. "What are you doing here?" I asked, noting he had my horse, ready to go, beside him. "I am not going to let you kill this creature alone" I looked down the road "what about your daughter?" He smiled "she will get over it." I shook my head but did not protest. The help would be welcomed. Not to mention I wasn't going to be able to talk him out of it. I mounted my horse and he tossed me something. Looking down I found it to be a dagger. Another bronze dagger. "You are going to need it" he said before he kicked his horse into motion. "Cocky old man" I said to myself as I slid the dagger into my boot and rode after him.

The photos used are not my own. Full credit to the owners.

Chapter Eleven: The Ghillie dhu and the Baobhan sith.

When the sun rose the next day, I found myself face down in the dirt, and soaking wet. I was still in the circle of stones, it seems I had been there all night, given my current state. I took a moment before moving. I had expected to be overcome by the side effects that come from heavy drinking, but to my suprise, and delight, when I finally did stand, no such effects came over me. Besides being cold, and soaking wet, and the throbbing pain in my hand, I actually felt rather rested and refreshed. Picking up my sword, I made my way down the hill and back to the farm. It was a rather warm, sunny day. A night of heavy rainfall had washed away most of the snow. When I returned to the farm, I let myself into the house and found my father and mother in the sitting room. "There you are. We were getting worried" my father spoke upon seeing me enter the room. My mother gasped "Connor your hand!" I lifted my right hand to examine it. The torn flesh around my knuckles had began to heal in a crude manner. The flesh around the cuts was yellow and purple with small spots of green. When I squeezed my hand into a fist, the healing flesh tore open and a thick yellow substance oozed from the wounds, accompanied by a horrendous smell. Before I could say anything I was taken over by an overwhelming sense of dizziness. Losing my footing I fell forward, my head bouncing off the corner of the sitting room table. The last thing I remember before passing out was my mother's worried screams.


When I opened my eyes again, I sat in my father's chair. My father stood beside me well my mother hovered over me, dabbing my feverish forehead with a cold wet cloth. "What happened?" I asked putting my good hand to my forehead. "You passed out, bashed your head off the table, might need stiches" I chuckled softly "my head will be fine, its use to taking hits.. no I mean why did I pass out?" My mother left the room to fetch some clean cloths "when you tore open your hand you released the infection into your body. I guess it was a shock to the system. But I am no healer." I looked around the room and found all my sisters present and two stable hands "was it really a cause for such an audience?" I asked, trying to get out of the chair, but my father pushed me back down "we need to take care of your hand." The two stable hands grabbed me from behind and held me into the chair well my sisters held my arm as steady as they could "hey! Let go, what the deal!" I protested. "When you broke your knuckles, you didn't set them, so they have healed inna crude manner. They need to be re-broken and set properly. It will be awhile before a healer can get here so we got to do it ourselves." My father took hold of my first finger and with a quick, and powerful, pull and twist, I both felt, and heard the knuckles break, again. I yelled out as the unexpected pain shot up my arm. Finger after finger my father did the same thing, grab and twist. Each knuckle made a nasty crunch noise as it broke. When my mother had finally returned with fresh bandages and splints, my father had finished. My mother set about cleaning the torn flesh, cutting out the dead and infected and sticking it all back together. When all of that was done she washed it with a bottle of whiskey and then with hot, clean water, before splinting it and bandaging it. "Not so bad was it?" My father teased with a slap to my shoulder, which caused my hand to throb as well. "Noo to deal with the fever!" My mother ushered me upstairs.

I spent the next day in bed being watched over by my mother as fever overtook me. Late that night the fever broke and by morning I was feeling much better. My hand was still bandaged and in a splint but it felt much better. I had tried to help around the farm, to keep myself busy, but most of the work had been done and the stuff that still needed to be done, my father would not let me help with, going on about my hand needing to heal. I heaved a heavy sigh and cursed my broken hand. If this was back in Arrakis, I could simply walk up to a healer and ask, and with a few whispering words it would be better, but here, in Caledonia, we did not have the overwhelming magic power flowing from portals, and there for I have never met someone who could heal like they do over there. Remedies and healing herbs for me, which my mother kept tucked away in her apothecary.

It took less than an afternoon for me to go crazy. I was restless, I needed to do something, get off the farm and move around. Soni saddled up my horse, tossed in the new kilt my mother got me, and I managed to slip a glove on over my broken hand so no one could really see that it was broken. I told mother and father I was going into town, that I was restless and needed something to do. Both of them laughed and wished me a safe journey. And with that i set out for the near by town of Spean.

It was only a few hour ride from the farm. As I approached I smiled. When I had left for the capital I went around Spean, it had been awhile since I had been here and I felt slightly nostalgic. This was my home town. I had grown up here and spent lots of time playing in the streets. In the center of Spean there was a large old tree, so old that Spean was actually built around it. It was an unspoken right of passage in Spean, and the surrounding area, that when a boy became a man, he had to make it to the top of the old tree before he could complete become a man. Broke my arm on my first attempt. To this day I don't think anyone has ever made it on their first try. The tree is also special because, despite it always looking dead, it produces a sap that a few small business use to make syrup, honey, and ale. Every year the town holds an auction to decide who gets to harvest the sap. One for syrup, one for honey, and one for ale. Strangely enough, the tree always seems to have more than enough sap to go around. It is a very well respected tree in Spean. As I rode past the tree I took in a deep breath and savored the smell of it. It was sweet, and pleasant, but not like anything I had ever smelt anywhere else.

I rode right past the tree and made my way to the smithy. I paid the craftsmen a few coin to have all of my weapons repaired and sharpened and spent most of my time just walking around the town, looking at small shops, and picking up small trinkets here and there. By the time I collected my weapons it was dark and most of the shops had closed. Deciding it was to late to ride home, I retired to a near by tavern.

I had no other intensions besides eat and drink. As I sat at the bar, I found that the tavern was oddly crowded. As I sat enjoying my food and ale, I learned that it was in fact the celebration of a new year. Another four seasons had passed and the circle would restart. I really had no interest in the starting of a new year. All it meant for me was that I was still alive. So I kept to myself, enjoying my meal and doing my best to block out what I could. Back in Arrakis, to kill time I would sit in inn's and tavern's and listen to people, by doing this I would hear stories about strange disappearances, deaths, monsters, all kinds of things, I would then seek them out. I have fought many monsters and plenty of other things by doing this. It kept me busy and my nomadic wonderlust at bay. As I say here on this small Inn, I could not help but do the same thing. For awhile I heard nothing. And just as I was about to give up for the night, something caught my attention.

"Did you hear about the pour sods in the next town over" one man said

"The four who died?" The second asked

"They didn't just die.." a third added "I hear their blood was drained from all four of them..."

"I hear the town has been having issues like this for months now.." 

I didn't stick around long enough to finish listening. I paid for my meal and my ale and I set out for the next town. It sounded to me like they might have a vampire issue, and I was keen on helping deal with it. If anything, it would keep my mind off past troubles... As I set out toward the town of Brittle, it slowly began to snow again. I had been riding for a couple of hours when o came across a road side inn. I tied my horse up front and walked in. A small bell sounded  and soon a short stubby old man walked out of the back room, followed by a young boy. Both were dressed in their bed clothing and the old man held a small candle in one hand and a large book in the other. As I approached the counter I apologized for the late hour but the old man dismissed it with a wave of his hand "if I minded waking up at all hours of the night, I never would have opened a road side inn my boy" he chuckled softly. It was nice to not have to deal with a grumpy old man. "Name please?" He asked dipping his quill into his bottle of ink. "Connor MacPherson" the old man gazed at me from over his half moon spectacles before writing out my name in the book. He pulled a pocket watch out from a pocket and marked the hour next to my name "how long will you be staying?" He asked as he slid the quill over to the next catagory. "Just a few hours" the old man have a soft "hmph" before filling in something in the next catagory. "My boy will see to your horse" he added as he placed a key on the desk in front of me "that will be three pieces" he asked. I fished out three coins and placed them on the book in front of him and he took them happily. "Boy!" I called out to the kid who would be tending to my horse. "If my horse is well looked after, there will be a tip for yoo in the morning" the boy lit up at the idea and offered a thanks before rushing out to see to my horse. I took the key and thanked the old man and went up the stairs to my right to the room number marked on my key.

When I woke the next morning, the sun had just broken through my window. I quickly got dressed and headed down stairs. The room was empty. The boy and his father must both still be sleeping. I helped myself to a piece of cheese and a chunk of bread that was left out on the counter. I left the boy the tip I had promised and a few pieces for the food I took. I saddled up my own horse and set out again for the town of Brittle, which happened to just be a few miles down the road from the inn.

As I rode into town, the first thing I notice was the cemetery off to my left, and the four fresh graves next to each other. I paused a moment to look at them. As I scanned the grave yard I noticed a few graves that look relatively fresh, compared to the rest. The town seemed rather empty to me, even for such an early hour. My first stop was at yet another inn. This time I booked a room indefinitely, and would pay up when I left, with a small down payment of course. I asked the inn keeper for directions to the undertakers, which I could tell made him uncomfortable, but he told me none the less.  When I entered the undertakers it was a rather plain, single room building. Coffins of various sizes lined the walls and a single desk sat at the far end of the room, which a gangly older man currently sat at, looking over some parchment through a monocle. He looked up as I crossed the room and raised an eyebrow at me. "Not often I see an unfamiliar face in here. How may I help you?" I glanced around the room a moment before answering his question. "You looked after the bodies of the four who belong to those graves I saw coming into town?" His thin grey lips curved into a crooked grin "it was only a matter of time before someone like you came a calling" I glanced at him. "Someone like me?" He chuckled "monster hunter?" I glared at him for a moment "something like that.." the undertake gave a slight nod "uh-huh" he reached under his desk, and instinctively my hand went to my dagger, I had left my hammer and my claymore back in my room, leaving me with just my basket hilt and dagger. "No need for that" he placed a pile of parchment on the desk in front of him "it's all right here" I eyed the parchment a moment and my shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh "I can't read.." the undertake laughed loudly. I didnt say anything. I stood silently and stewed in my silent frustration as the undertake, after a few struggling moments, manager to get a hold of himself. "The four you saw on your way in are not the first. Several young men from the town have all ventured out for hunting, headed for the capital, just for a walk, and all have met with the same fate" he put the papers away since they would be no help here. "Vampire?" I asked. He shrugged "some say Vampire. Most do in fact. Who can say for sure. The bodies are so drained and mutilated no one can say for sure."

After a few more questions I learned where most of the attacks had taken place and returned to my room. I would wait for nightfall and head out to the location. Night came a lot sooner than I had expected it to. Before I knew it, I was walking through a birchwood forest hammer cluched in both hands and my familiar array of weapons strapped around my body. I had been walking for a few hours before I found it. The stone ruins the four bodies had been found in. All the other victims were found in or around this ruin, so I figured it would be a good enough place to start. I entered the ruins, which had crumbled into a single stone courtyard. Almost an hour had passed and nothing had happened. I was starting to grow impatient. Was this thing going to show up? "Oy!" I called out into the night "what's the matter? My blood to tough for you? Can't handle the strong stuff eh!?" I gripped my hammer tight. "Hey! Bitch! Show your self. Pick on and feed on simple folk! But the second a real man steps up you stay hidden!" I paused to listen. As my voice faded into the distance a thick fog began to roll in through the trees.

"What is all that noise about?" I heard a soft, female voice. I turned in the direction it had come from. Slowly a figure began to form in the mist. "I was trying to sleep. That last meal had me so exhausted" slowly the figure took shape. A slender woman with long brown hair and a stunning green dress began to appear, but it was clear she had not noticed me. "Shite!" I cursed before diving behind a large boulder. "That isn't a vampire!" I pressed myself tight against the stone. "I am not prepared for this.." i cursed my stupidity. "It would seem not" I was caught off guard as the woman appeared beside me. Doing the only thing I could think of, I lashed out with my fist but in the blink of an eye she vanished and my already broken fist slammed hard into a stone wall. I roared out in pain and dropped my hammer. It was the small feminine chuckle that pulled my attention away from my throbbing, and now bleeding hand. "Oh my!" Her face grew flushed and she brought her fingers to her lips "that smells amazing!" I looked down at my hand and smiled. Squeezing my hand into a fist, gritting my teeth against that pain, blood oozed from the newly torn flesh "you want some? Come and get it, you bitch!" Her face grew angry, and she charged with super human speed and strength. She crashed into me hard, holding me in her grasp, lifting me off the ground by my neck with one hand, with the other, she forced my broken hand over her mouth and allowed my blood to drip into her mouth. "Hmm.. so full of hate.. so bitter and angry.." she giggled. "You're foockin' gross!" I hissed as I brought my knee up hard into her jaw. She dropped me to the ground and screamed out in pain. I took this chance to snatch up my hammer and ran. I hadn't even made it out of the ruins before she was in front of me again. "Shite" I spat but swung my hammer, one handed, but she moved to fast for me and I was knocked over by the momentum of my own swing. I hit the ground hard, landing on my broken hand, I was really starting to contimplate cutting the damned thing off. Before I could get up the woman kicked my hammer away from me and sat ontop of me, putting a knee down on my broken hand, I tried hard not to show how much it hurt but it was a pointless effort. "No one has ever put up a fight against me. Most find my beauty irresistible! What makes you so different?" She put her face uncomfortablely close to mine "hmm?" I turned my face away from hers "because.." I struggled slightly "I don't.." I gripped my dagger in my hand and pulled it free from my belt "foock monsters!" I drove my dagger deep into her gut. A loud scream ripped through the forest and she pulled away from me, steam rose from where I had stabbed her and she screamed all kinds of curses at me. I gripped my dagger tight and charged her "Creagh dhu!" Once I was within sticking range of her she lashed out at me, she caught me hard in the jaw, lifting me off the ground only to come back down, slamming my head hard into a stone, the world around me grew dark and I watched as the woman shrank away from the ruins, clucthing her middle where I had stabbed her, just before passing out.

When I woke again, I found myself laying in a small forest opening. I had clearly been moved.. but by who.. or by what. It was day time and by the looks of it, almost noon. When I tried to sit up I was forced back down by the pain that shot through my body. 

"You should lay still. Not many a mortal men can say they stood against a baobhan sith (baa'vaan see) and live to tell of it" I could not see the owner of the voice, but I could tell already it wasn't human. The voice sounded earthy and deep. Like a tree straining against a powerful wind. A thick earthy smell of dead leaves and moss hung heavy in the air. Whoever my company was, I could hear them moving around. "What.. who are you?" I asked, feeling around for any of my weapons. "I have removed your weapons. But fear not, for I am no threat" it assured me. "You will forgive if I don't take ya world for it. Many time I have heard a man claim such things only to turn around and slaughter people" there was a long pause "you have known much anger and pain" the voice spoke, there was no real rythm or timing to his words. He spoke as if he had all the time in the world. "Your body and soul are riddled with the scares of a life of hardship. "Aye, what would you know about it!?" I forced myself to sit up, leaning myself against a near by birch tree. I froze for a moment at what I saw. It looked human enough, and appeared to be male. It had long black hair, and he wore a loin cloth and a tunic made of moss and dead leaves. His toes and his fingers were both clawed with thick black claws and his skin had a soft green tint to it. He was a muscular figure and must have stood close to seven feet tall, or so I guess, he was sitting down on a large stone when first saw him. "You're.. you're a Ghillie dhu!" I caught myself saying in awe.

I had heard of them from stories my mother used to tell me as a child, and almost anytime you heard about them, it was in kids fairy tails. I had never met anyone who had seen one before, but I was sure that is what he was "that is the name you mortals have given me and my kind" he confirmed my suspicions i eased up a little, as much as one could without their weapons anyways. Ghillie dhu's were supposed to be solitary, kindly and reticent creatures yet sometimes wild in character but had a gentle devotion to children. Harmless. Although his stature did not give off that impression. "Why am I here?" I asked, looking around to both take in my surroundings and look for my weapons. "I watched you fight the blood woman. I have seen her take many lives. But you are the first to ever wound her. I saw you, hurt, laying in the ruins and brought you here to heal" he pointed slowly to a small pond of sparkling water. Even his motion's were slow and tree like. "Soak in the hot spring and it will heal all your wounds" he informed me. "Why help me?" I questioned. The creature shrugged "I do not know. I feel it is the right thing to do." 

I looked from him to the water and back to him "I can't." The creature tilted its head at me questioningly "you doubt me?" He asked softly "I don't fully trust yoo, but even if that wasn't the case.. I uh.. I canna swim.." the creature smiled, and for a moment I thought it might have even chuckled. "The water is not deep. You will not Drowned." I examined the water from my spot across the clearing and sighed heavily. I managed to get to my feet and stumbled over to the hot spring. It was at this moment that I realized the clearing I was in was lush and green and untouched by snow, despite the heavy snowfall the day before. Slowly I lowered myself into the water and found it was indeed no deeper than my knees. So i let myself sink to a sitting position, not caring to remove anything I had been wearing. With how stiff and sore I was I doubt I could have gotten anything off anyways. I felt it almost instantly, the healing powers of the water. My body relaxed and all the pain lifted from my muscles and bones. Even my broken hand started to feel much better, almost like I hadn't broken it at all. 

"You are a strange kind, you Highlanders" I had almost forgotten about the creature, I was so lost in my relaxation. I jumped to my feet and got out of the water, angry at myself for letting my gaurd down. "What will you do now?" The creature asked "I'll go after the bitch again" I told him as I pulled off my gloves to examin my hand, which had healed completely. I had never seen healing magic like this, not outside of Arrakis anyways. I shouldn't have been surprised though, his kind were said to be fae. And who knows what limits they may or may not have. Especially in a place like Caledonia where the Vail between the two worlds is practically nonexistent. "How do you plan to deal with her?" He asked. I thought about it a moment "guess you wouldn't know how to kill her would you?" It was more of a joke than a serious question, but he shook his head yes "I don't suppose you will tell me huh?" He shook his head no. "You should not be so reckless and eager to fight her again" I rolled my eyes "now you are starting to sound like Kampi and Ajax" he looked at me questioningly "are they friends of yours?" I shook my head "aye. Like kin" the creature smiled "brotherhood beyond blood. Why do they not hunt with you than?" He asked "they are across the sea. Just my luck though isn't it. If anyone could figure out how to beat this creature it would be Ajax." The creature finally stood from his stone and walked over to me, I braced myself, ready for anything. Slowly he opened his hand, in it he held a small black pebble. "For one turn of the sun this can take you to see your friend." I looked at him suprised.. "really?" The creature nodded "but no this, by the setting of the sun the magic will wain and to here you shall return." I was confused not only by the things he said but how he said them, why do people always insist on talking to me like I am smarter than I am? But it also confused me on why he would offer this up so easy. "I have never known a fae to offer anything willingly without there being some sort of catch.. what happens to me if I use this?" The creature sighed heavily and looked out at the Forrest around him. "Children used to run around these woods and play. This forest was once full of the laughter of them, it would echo for miles and bring a peacefulness to the forest like nothing else could.. those laughs don't echo here anymore.. just the screams and the sounds of death.. the forest is poisoned by the blood of the innocent.. she has tainted the forest.." he turned back to look down at me "purhaps if you can defeat her, the laughter will return."

I do not own any of these photos. All and full credit to the owners.

Chapter ten: Yule time ghosts

The next few days went by in a haze.. maybe that is the wrong words to use. To say they went by is to say they existed in the first place, which I am not overly sure they did. When the day came that I was conciouse of anything going on around me, I learned that several days had passed, which I had no recollection of at all. It was the day before yule when my conciousness finally returned to me. I became avidly aware of the many bottles that littered my floor and the sleeping mass of wiry fur at my feet. It seemed at some point, Bruce had come to keep an eye on me.

I didn't need to see my reflection to know I was a mess. Unwashed and unshaven. I had managed to stay sober for the yule celebration, which was pleasant enough. A large feast had been prepared, which the family gathered around to enjoy. A large venison roast had been prepared by mother, with the help of the older sisters. There was potatoes and other verious vegetables, and some pie for dessert.

 Gifts were exchanged by everyone. Mother has made me a new kilt in our clan hunting tartan, the colours would blend in better and wouldn't stand out as much, like our red tartan did. Father had a leather Smith craft me a set of greaves to match the rest of my armour, and had officially gifted me the basket hilt sword.

My eldest sisters had gifts for mother and father, which were accepted with great pride, i half heartedly apologized for not having any gifts for anyone, which everyone seemed okay with. Everyone but myself that is. All in all it was an enjoyable yule. We stayed up late reminiscing about old times and adventures had over the last year. I shared some of my more enjoyable memories of dagger deep, which were not many, and we all had some.good laughs. I ended the night by helping my father bring in fire wood well mother and my sisters tended to the leftovers and the dishes, after which I  joined my father for a drink and a pipe by the hearth.

He shared stories and life lessons, but he never ventured to ask me what was troubling me. No one had. And I was greatful for it. Once everyone had finally retired for the night, I returned to my cabin, Bruce at my heels. I opened another bottle and drank myself to sleep.

The liquor did wonders to keep the memories at bay, but did nothing for the nightmares. Every time I closed my eyes I was back there.. reliving every death, every fight. I would see Hawkthorn standing before the bridge, sword and shield in hand fending off an endless horde of undead. Or I would see Marcus, wondering the dark empty trails, lost looking for a way out, a way home. I could not bring myself to believe he was in paradise. Maybe the others did. Maybe they were lying to themselves to make themselves feel better, but I couldn't. I could not for a second believe a being who was so hell bent on punishing them, would let one of them to go to paradise. 

Up the hill aways from the farm, there  was a grouo of standing stones that formed an almost perfect circle. No one knows how old they are, or what there purpose was originally meant for, but for me, I always found it to be a peaceful place.

It was early morning, the fog was thick and the air was cold, I leaned against one of the many standing stones that circled around me. The rain had long since melted away the snow from the area. I sat staring off into the fog, clutching a bottle in one hand. Slowly the wind started to pick up, and the fog began to swirl around and take shape right before my eyes. Soon i found myself looking up at a familiar face.. king Willimarius.. but it wasn't him.. he had that strange line down the centure of his face.

Virgil! "You left them behind. It is all your fault. If you had done more, maybe they would still be alive" his voice cut into me painfully. I launched myself forward, in an attempted to take him down by the legs, but I passed right through him and he faded into the most, only leaving behind an echoing laugh. I jumped to my feet and drew my sword. "Fight me you coward!" I belted out into the fog. Sword in one hand, half drank bottle on the other, I stumbled around the stone circle. I felt the wind pick up again behind me. I turned in time to watch the fog take form again. This time I faced down the figure of Hawkthorn. 

His neck was cut open from when Thaos ran the blade across his throat. Blood ran freely down his neck and chest. "It should have been you" his voice echoed into the fog "You just stood there. It should have been you, you should be the one being torn apart by the undead!" My anguish got the better of me and I lashed out, my blade cut through the foggy figure of Hawkthorn who vanished like Virgil's, his voice echoed into the distance "it should have been you." I roared out into the fog "fight me Virgil! Stop hiding behind you tricks!" Again I felt the wind and again I turned to see the figure of Marcus standing before me.

"Why didn't you step up? Why did you hesitate? Why am I, a beloved and admired warrior lost for all eternity well you lavish yourself in the world of the living? You, a man no one cares for. A man with no friends, no loved ones." Again I lashed out, my sword cutting through fog as Marcus figure vanished. I dropped to my knee's the bottle shattering on the ground and my sword rolling away from me. I yelled out into the fog as anger, hatred, and anguish took over me.

I do not own any of these photos. All and full credit to the owners.