Chapter 1: Chapter 1- A Lone Rider on a Pale Horse

Along a dim, dirt road in the early morning fog, a gentle breeze scattered already fallen leaves. Somewhere in the distance, a bird chirped, but only once. Through the fog, steps dampened from the dirt sounded out. If one were to listen, they may identify a lone horse. The horse was pale with shaggy mane ever so slightly ruffled from the wind. Riding the horse was a figure clad in dark robes with a longbow and quiver full of gray arrows on its back. On its belt, hung two knives of differing lengths, each seemingly well used.

Somewhat off the road, and not breaking the tree line, was a threatening sight. Creatures like wolves, but much more massive and with growths resembling antlers emerging from their heads. As silently as the forest allowed, the wolf-like creatures followed. The rider and horse, though knowing of these predators, were calm. Fading in and out of sight, these wolves walked in the fog with the occasional crunch of leaves, or snapping of twigs giving away their footsteps.

With the odd combination of the rider and wolves, something else moved along with them. Though they did not follow, the shadows of forest flickered. Small oily limbs and frail fingers reached out of the shadows. The bulb-like heads remained firmly in shadows, but their toothy, open, jaws hung open, and their spindly bodies held firmly on the floor. Though they had no eyes, their heads followed the procession for as long as they could.

As they passed shadows, the surrounding trees began to thin. With the early morning sun, just beginning to light up the forest, the shadows shied away but did not disappear. As they did so, an eerie, airy hum sounded out. Like a weary woman out of breath, these hums, though quiet, could be heard from quite the distance.

Looking to its left, the rider saw one of the many sources of this hum. Far in the distance, almost on the horizon, was a tall legged creature which one might mistake for trees. As if sensing the eyes on it, the creature, a Deacon, turned towards the rider. This did not stop its hums, but the tune did change slightly. Though it did remain unthreatening, the hums acknowledged it. Nodding to it, the rider turned its attention back to the road as the thousand eyes remained fixed on it.

Time passed, and the sun rose, though not far. The wolves which followed the rider were nowhere to be seen, and the shadows which hung low retreated even further. Some sought safety at the side of the rider, but neither it or the horse acknowledged them. Eventually, the road, which was previously packed dirt, turned to stone as a sign of civilization came near.

 

Standing guard at the southern entrance of the town with a lantern was a man in chainmail armor, who yawned. It was unlucky that he got picked as this was the least popular shifts in his division. Aside from having to deal with that darkness of early morning, every so often, much like today, there was a heavy fog which made visibility worse. That being said, the guard held no fear as to his post. Many years had passed since the last war, and this town had no worries for bandits. As for the woodland creatures which might threaten a traveler, they didn't venture close to the town.

This post was, at best, boring. That didn't mean that his job wasn't important however. Every so often someone would visit the town, whether it was a traveling merchant or someone who wanted to travel to the neighboring kingdom. If it were the merchant, they would need to be directed towards inspection or the marketplace. And as for the traveler, they would be questioned on the safety of the road, and then directed towards one of the local inns.

Given the time of year however, most travel was winding down, so one would not expect many visitors. Though he thought that, the man saw a lone rider on a pale horse. Its hood was hung low and on its back was a long bow and full quiver. Just behind the rider was what looked to be a bed roll that looked inadequate for the season. With no sudden moves, the rider came to a stop when the guard called for it.

Somewhat cautiously for a single person, the guard inspected the rider. In truth, there wasn't much to say. Aside from its bow and arrows, it only carried two knives. Were they a hunter?

 

"What is your purpose here?" The guard asked a familiar question.

"Business." The rider said, showing a wax sealed envelope.

 

Taking it, the guard inspected it. The blue wax held the seal of something he did not recognize. Though the wax itself told the guard that it was above his pay grade. Despite this, he flipped it over and saw who it was addressed to. Lord Haywood. Seeing nothing obviously wrong with it, the guard handed it back. As he did so, he attempted to get a look at the rider's face. Though he had his lantern close to read the letter, he was unable to see through the darkness. It was as if they were more of a presence than a rider in flesh. In his attempt to spy, he felt a shiver down his spine as a cold wind assaulted him.

 

"How long do you plan on staying?" The guard continued his line of questioning, guiding his eyes away.

"I'm not too sure myself." The rider responded. "Until I get recalled I suppose."

"I see." The guard said.

 

Though he wanted to continue his questions, there was something about this rider that made him uncomfortable. It wasn't the same as some wanna be thug or criminal on the run, but something else. Seeing something flicker in the corner of his eyes, the guard looked down the road in search of something. This search however was fruitless. Skipping many other questions, the guard asked one of the more important questions of his job.

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"How was the road?" The guard, not turning back to the rider. "Any trouble?"

"… Trouble as in animals?" The rider asked after a pause.

"Bears or wolves and such." The guard nodded.

"No… I wasn't bothered by any animals." The rider said.

"Good. I heard that there were some wolves that were chased down south. Not sure where exactly though." He said.

"No, no wolves." The rider said. "Nothing of the sort."

"Good." The guard nodded once more. "Have you been to this town before? Is there anything you need to know?"

"Yes, I need to have this letter sent. Is there anyone I can trust to do that?" The rider asked.

"If its for Lord Haywood, I can have a runner deliver it if is urgent." 

"It's not too urgent, though can I trouble you for that?"

"Of course."

"Good." The rider said, handing the letter over.

"May I by any chance have your name?" The guard asked.

"Etrius Washington." The rider said evenly, almost rehearsed.

"I can have it delivered, but Lord Haywood is busy. I'm not sure when you could expect a reply." He said.

"I'll be in town. There should be a return address inside." The rider said.

"Right." He nodded. "In any case, welcome to Crasmere."

"…" The rider nodded and urged its horse onward.

 

As the clopping of hooves became lost in the town, the guard noticed a cold sweat on his brow. Wiping it away, he looked at the envelope, and wondered if he should wait for his shift to end or call for a runner. Looking towards the guardhouse, he saw familiar shapes moving inside and decided to call for an early end to his shift.

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