438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkphQ9oGgH
“What did he say to you?”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbx2uyye2n
“Nothin much really.” Mort answered the masked man before him, not sure whether to trust him or not. “He was asking if there’d been any children around. I’d say he’s lookin for a kid.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3yMT9xMx0
The Musketeer turned to him, “A child?”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsNRpwJ1bW
“Not much else he said. Just ordered a drink and sat there.” the bartender continued.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fUaRa5JAJ
The Musketeer was silent for a few moments.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpz5MRCyHY6
“And in all honesty, he’s a ghost sure, but he seemed a decent man.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNIFGGHRkY
The masked soldier turned back to him, stating, “Do not speak a word of this, to anybody. I have work to do.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVoP8v2ZgX
____________________________________________________________
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3vq9BKazO
“Your tastes in wine never seem to waver, your highness. Even now, you surprise me.” Aleric mused, as he sipped the glass of wine.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPkZhaC6WB
“I should hope to.” The king stated, nonchalantly, “With your extensive experiences in mind.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfA0LKw0wj
Noticing his tone, the Earl asked, “Something troubles you, my liege?”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNJoyItGCC
The king sighed, the warm glow of the fireplace between the two illuminating his plagued face. Not plagued in the flesh or the blood, but a plague of the mind. The pressures of his status take their toll upon him, and now, more than ever.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjcakXQUf7
“This plague draws nearer by the day. And we sit, and enjoy wine. Just as we always have.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEB7t3rWNq6
“A rather grim take on things, if I must say.” Aleric replied, “When times of strife draw near, I make it my policy to enjoy what life remains for me. As it may end in a matter of months, when such times as this do scourge us. A final pleasure, before they become so horribly scarce.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgyNhVBzEt
“And how many of such times have you witnessed?” The King asked.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcL9uclcEjb
Aleric looked to him, “More than I should like.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5V52CyGm7c
“I believe my friend, we are on the cusp of such days. Days of umbral sorrow. Days we may not see the end of.” The younger man stated, as he took another sip from his wine.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJKA2a2yfT
“On that, we agree.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuwCzVZ4h2
Both were silent for a few moments.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf36vvhP3oC
“You mentioned at court yesterday the ‘Scholars of Mortem’. Tell me of them.” The King mused.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcypo67PPU
Aleric sighed, “Did your father, or mother, or anybody really, ever tell you of the Lich?”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBtYpKHrFW
“The Lich? A story they tell to keep children awake in the small hours.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZkh2n5kO1
“‘Stay out of trouble, or the Lich will make you one of her bone soldiers’.” Aleric stated jokingly, as the two shared a quick laugh.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8Repo8VBb
“But what would a child’s tale have to do with this matter?” The ruler asked, quizzically.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrm61j9iPHZ
“What if I were to tell you, it was not all lies?”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjE1iNgfpC
The younger man looked towards his elder, in slight confusion.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUZwmd9ptD
“When I was a boy, there were rumours, tales of a dark queen in the east. Every so often, in the small hours, we’d see dark figures lurking about the night, digging up corpses, and dragging them away. Dragging them east.” Aleric reminisced grimly.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYBn6nDYXX
“Go on…”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6P4y8k5nOS
“One day, an army marched through my homeland. They called themselves ‘Crusaders’, seeking to spread the ways of Isrein. They marched east, and were not heard from for several days. On the dawn of the third day, we saw bodies flowing west down the river. Hundreds of them, clad in crusaders armour.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLYw1brtZa
There was a long silence.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMOImgTWxZ
“The sightings ended after that.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfie0S6EfLv
“And these, Scholars of Mortem?”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBPYTvfEoX
“Ah, yes. In my early adulthood, I made a pilgrimage to the east, on the same road the crusaders marched. Until at last I came upon it: a massive temple of red sandstone, carved into the river bank, and riddled with armoured bones. I found records inside. Tomes. Written by the Lich Queen herself. She was taking notes, observing the progression… …of her four apprentices.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyw6uCPciPe
“Then these four are the scholars.” the intrigued king responded, making the connection.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmLlrLREgk
“I believe that whomsoever leads these Rott-kin, may very well be one of these apprentices.” Aleric stated, explaining his theory.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBA7U7vV8x
“If what you say is true,” the King began, “Then we truly are in strife.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0CFIMSAfS
The two raised their glasses, and finished off their wine.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z1tJDFJ5R
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEULoXyLwo
____________________________________________________________
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjmy5sR3dC
“Tell me why.” Letifer uttered from his cracked lips,
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡby8S37zQXD
“What?” Halyenne asked, looking up from the tome in her hands.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6hiH5adL0
“Why you brought me here. Why he had you bring me here.” Letifer Explained.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCaVvNnUM4
Hallyenne closed her readings.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MQQa0kIlI
“You are hunted by our foes. So too, are you hunted by us. We merely have different intentions.” She answered.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLapNaek0md
“So I’m a prisoner?” Letifer asked, not changing his tone.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWggrNjgFV
“A guest, we’d prefer not to leave.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2awWat8VMm
Wordlessly, Letifer stood from the crate upon which he reposed, and walked aimlessly towards the shelves of wine. There in the glass of the bottles, he could see a distorted reflection of himself. It was the first time he’d seen it, since he fell. And it shook him to the core.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxYCPllapn
He appeared barely human, pale skin stretched over a skull. In his cheek was a large ovalesque wound, like a scalpel through a bat’s wing, and upon his nose was no flesh, only the bare bone. And his eyes, they shook him. For he had none of the conventional sort. It was as though there were a shadowy veil over his eye sockets, concealing their true emptiness.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CVRp13z3J
He simply stood there. For nearly an hour he stared into his own reflection. And with new, grim resolve, he moved determinedly towards his blade, which sat upon a keg.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8b4ZIHa1DQ
“I can’t stay here.” He stated, as he slid the blade into his belt.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOAsKQIxau
“My lord?” Halyenne asked, as she stood to stride towards him.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8zIw7Ektz
“I must find my son. I’ve already waited too long.” Letifer continued.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZAZTX4igW
As he began to start towards the door, the Earl’s voice rang in his ears, “I’m afraid that will not be the case.”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTXtI7EtkG
He turned to Hallyenne, and passed her a rolled note, muttering to her, “Your new assignment.” At this, she quickly made her way out of the cellar.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUZwdXw9HU
The ageing man strode to the table that had been placed central of the cellar, and pinned to it with an ornate knife, a sheet of paper. Letifer made his way to the table, and saw that it was a poster. Upon it was none other than the sketched remains of his face, captioned, “The Phantom of Belfennse.” it listed a reward of thirty gold pieces.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIIUvJ31JV
“Every man, woman, and child west of Belfennse would have your head. I don’t suggest poking it out.” The Earl explained.
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMggJZB9UKL
Letifer stopped his movements, as he unsheathed his blade, and lay it upon the keg. Sitting down, he asked, “Why did you bring me here, my lord?”
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5KbDu72Qw
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYedRADZFe
438Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hfr1DqsaH
