355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9YZBmE18K
He’d not eaten, he’d not slept, nor had he dressed the innumerable wounds that plagued him. Yet, still he trudged forth, through the muck and rain, for he felt no hunger, no tire, nor even pain. A day and a half down the mountainside, and another through the greying woods and meadows, before finally arriving, in this forsaken place. With grey skies and greyer yet faces all around, it was nearly as dead as himself.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vkVxOvbeW
Despite his best efforts to hide his face, there were still those who turned to whisper to one another as he passed. As if the broken blade in his belt, and rent armour that hung from his chest were not to sufficient, he had only imagined the horrific wounds on his face, wretched slices and gouges, the flesh torn apart. Or at least, that is what he had seen upon his comrades, only to assume he bore the same. He hadn’t yet dared to look in the mirror, for fear of what horror may stare back at him. Thus, he wrapped himself in his tattered cloak as best he could, and trudged on through the mud ridden streets.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGULlQIPQk
Letifer Mourse, that was his name once. Or at least, he’d deduced so. After days (or he hoped only days) of pouring through the quartermasters records, digging up corpses, and sketching faces, he’d come to the conclusion that he was indeed Letifer Mourse, a Knight of the keep of Haltoth.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRMpdAdQs2
But there was something else.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDChbrmBpUO
The quartermaster’s logs had shown that there was a child, who shared his rations and quarter. A boy. He could only assume, only hope, that this was his son.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdhcw7agra
And thus was the reason for his arrival here. He’d found no children’s corpses in the mass grave, thus, it was clear that the child did not fall in the raid. He could only hope that he escaped the carnage, and by logic, this would have been his first destination.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dPh5bTPxP
Letifer could not deny that this was likely his homeland. Holtarthen, a burgeoning township, not far from the foot of the mountains. A likely origin for a knight of the keep, not too far into the range.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPgLp5fvU5
The question being, what action would a child take in a situation such as this? By logic, Letifer assumed from the boy’s description that he was somewhere between ten and thirteen years of age. This would make him small, seemingly innocent, and desperate. Thus, Letifer assumed that he would have stolen to survive. And as such, he made his way to the lord’s manor.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UQuqHwdDs
The two shieldsmen at the door were the first to hinder him. The man on the left grabbed him by the shoulder, and shoved him back. He showed a brief moment, not but a second, of confusion, feeling no warmth from the contact, but quickly regained composure.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYk7mhLAewa
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDZWaGq1kA
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYUNLjgPyT
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDHwtgSneE
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOClRA6uaJ
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Mc0xl4Hvj
One of the shieldsmen sighed, turning to his comrade, and quietly muttering, “Fetch the keys.” He sighed again, “Go take a gander at the underhalls. But you’d best make it quick. And uh, you would be a kind… fellow, not to go yackin about in regards to this little favour.”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MuYh3rskT
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixfmHvUDL7
Quietly making his way through the doors, he was met with a room illuminated by the warm light of an ornate fireplace on the far side. A staircase enveloped in a faded purple carpet fringed with gold, curled along the left corner, leading to the higher floor. But that was not Letifer’s destination. No. He quietly found his way down the deep places of the manor, where the sun did not penetrate the walls. This is where he passed the wine cellar, and came upon the cells.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wLHkXoKrj
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0kUrrljTX
“And what would be your business here?”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hIjqccpvD
Letifer turned to face an ageing man leaned against the archway leading to the cells. Clad in a dark red tunic and trousers, he bore silver hair that found its way down just past his shoulders, and a face veiled in the scars of battle and the ravages of age alike. Surprisingly enough, the elder was not taken aback by the sight of his face.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPKOahUPrf
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKDI2pnCy7
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWTWNkLqL1
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsl4PTQbbuw
“Tell me,” uttered the aging man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBTpB1bezy
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoI4qUrvJR
“I have dealt with your kind before, phantom. Left unburied, desecrated, doomed to a living death, until vengeance is wrought. And it is to my knowledge that, assuming you fell with the mountain keep, your memories have rotten with your corpse.” The man explained, “Tell me, what would you know of your former offspring?”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPuWscaFLe
Letifer sighed, “Forgive me, but that business is mine alone.” he stated, not wanting to recount his ordeal, “And what business would you have in such a foul place as this?”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW17jYHyLSO
“This foul place is my own,” the old man explained, as he stood from his leaning position, “It is a rather undesirable inclusion to my manor.” He proceeded to introduce himself, holding out his hand to shake, “I am the Earl Dascule, and you are?”.
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3mZ7B3rgG
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRvpq78qlL
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKcvW940sv
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?”
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchOOgjkTzM
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2alxS1mIq
He’d not eaten, he’d not slept, nor had he dressed the innumerable wounds that plagued him. Yet, still he trudged forth, through the muck and rain, for he felt no hunger, no tire, nor even pain. A day and a half down the mountainside, and another through the
greying woods and meadows, before finally arriving, in this forsaken place. With grey skies and greyer yet faces all around, it was nearly as dead as himself. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsJQgraRVT
Despite his best efforts to hide his face, there were still those who turned to whisper to one another as he passed. As if the broken blade in his belt, and rent armour that hung from his chest were not to sufficient, he had only imagined the horrific wounds on his face, wretched slices and gouges, the flesh torn apart. Or at least, that is what he had seen upon his comrades, only to assume he bore the same. He hadn’t yet dared to look in the mirror, for fear of what horror may stare back at him. Thus, he wrapped himself in his tattered cloak as best he could, and trudged on through the mud ridden streets.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFB9uIWWLL6
Letifer Mourse, that was his name once. Or at least, he’d deduced so. After days (or he hoped only days) of pouring through the quartermasters records, digging up corpses, and sketching faces, he’d come to the conclusion that he was indeed Letifer Mourse, a Knight of the keep of Haltoth. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uicAAbdAk
But there was something else. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCsB9pKBtb
The quartermaster’s logs had shown that there was a child, who shared his rations and quarter. A boy. He could only assume, only hope, that this was his son. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lGHPHouzF
And thus was the reason for his arrival here. He’d found no children’s corpses in the mass grave, thus, it was clear that the child did not fall in the raid. He could only hope that he escaped the carnage, and by logic, this would have been his first destination. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtimmkJlBP
Letifer could not deny that this was likely his homeland. Holtarthen, a burgeoning township, not far from the foot of the mountains. A likely origin for a knight of the keep, not too far into the range. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eQ72Sepm9
The question being, what action would a child take in a situation such as this? By logic, Letifer assumed from the boy’s description that he was somewhere between ten and thirteen years of age. This would make him small, seemingly innocent, and desperate. Thus, Letifer assumed that he would have stolen to survive. And as such, he made his way to the lord’s manor. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6MywTm2YZ
The two shieldsmen at the door were the first to hinder him. The man on the left grabbed him by the shoulder, and shoved him back. He showed a brief moment, not but a second, of confusion, feeling no warmth from the contact, but quickly regained composure.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWZblqR2v4
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViXA6NNMiS
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7y8VKhCkVW
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTCai2Zrcd
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20GvKnHJ37
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RZSqgenJU
One of the shieldsmen sighed, turning to his comrade, and quietly muttering, “Fetch the keys.” He sighed again, “Go take a gander at the underhalls. But you’d best make it quick. And uh, you would be a kind… fellow, not to go yackin about in regards to this little favour.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwjUMzXRxE
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2l3vwJcOa
Quietly making his way through the doors, he was met with a room illuminated by the warm light of an ornate fireplace on the far side. A staircase enveloped in a faded purple carpet fringed with gold, curled along the left corner, leading to the higher floor. But that was not Letifer’s destination. No. He quietly found his way down the deep places of the manor, where the sun did not penetrate the walls. This is where he passed the wine cellar, and came upon the cells. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPC92KQmfG
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBLR70413l
“And what would be your business here?”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiG1Cd8qFK
Letifer turned to face an ageing man leaned against the archway leading to the cells. Clad in a dark red tunic and trousers, he bore silver hair that found its way down just past his shoulders, and a face veiled in the scars of battle and the ravages of age alike. Surprisingly enough, the elder was not taken aback by the sight of his face. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JXGum5g9b
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPeNY4fX3m
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39IYV0rf7s
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1jcvFa5qq
“Tell me,” uttered the ageing man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nL4dTPIE8
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDDGiVFg2m
“I have dealt with your kind before, phantom. Left unburied, desecrated, doomed to a living death, until vengeance is wrought. And it is to my knowledge that, assuming you fell with the mountain keep, your memories have rotten with your corpse.” The man explained, “Tell me, what would you know of your former offspring?” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdw24fbQsc
Letifer sighed, “Forgive me, but that business is mine alone.” he stated, not wanting to recount his ordeal, “And what business would you have in such a foul place as this?” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLG0MTo6yTd
“This foul place is my own,” the old man explained, as he stood from his leaning position, “It is a rather undesirable inclusion to my manor.” He proceeded to introduce himself, holding out his hand to shake, “I am the Earl Dascule, and you are?”. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8rVKaXXwr
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1khxtveX0d
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYhovKqxTj
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgi6hocX6N3
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The Earl called back to his shieldsman, “Leave us.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FGJIkfc6V
Entering the archway, the soldier took a quick bow, “Apologies, my lord.”, before quickly taking his leave.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEoFUL4LGU
The Earl sighed, “My roundsmen brought a child but a fortnight ago, saying he stole a loaf of bread. I fed him, shoed him, and sent him on his way. Last I saw, he was heading west.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8rfLr9eQ6
“My thanks to you, my lord. You are a generous man.” Letifer replied, as he began to take his leave.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ166T6OS8i3
“So I suppose you’re not to stay for supper?” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjg5zjFl6vL
Letifer turned for a moment, “No, I suppose not.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJOmd32vwP
“Do be careful in your search.” The Earl called to him, “There are many who see less than I.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66rwLK7uDd
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfO1wY1FR3J
355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71exaMjpd1
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355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnpHGm7w2O
