397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fZD4wj69B
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQYJOS5jHj
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywtmwcR30y
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqkoTZq88F
But there was something else.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxPruuPsUD
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6egoEsXH4G
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRzCJGanQf
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bun9FRD0j
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXhiVaQ6Ef
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKmN0vXCVR
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHNI3xUmEf
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWB4wtwFQr
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cDrkhnjWP
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh85YHsoQfN
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3WVML4BgY
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.”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiejHUcuiMY
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEPfqQQdsG
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoMdHLElCL
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakaJAo38vU
“And what would be your business here?”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5BugPpa1D
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.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmI6LNU5t9m
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99pzTGn9Kh
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5VEAXbGQC
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9j8g4jCH0
“Tell me,” uttered the aging man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktIAwkWW3w
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtuc7QRmfO
“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?”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1krX1jbQ6
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?”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFuYyxy54i
“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?”.
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhARv1jY4Q
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zEt9A8gWD
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFEHlLFslh
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?”
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmUNudcboa
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUWTIZ3wy6
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. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuaOSzwzZs
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.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKw760Odj0
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. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVipwVo5TMl
But there was something else. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiYcsJFEMS
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. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkluCy2l1Ih
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. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQSxehwhY2
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. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYzizrkEQT
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. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUc4S4Her1c
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.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSur8QEV6e
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0H9EkIAPcT
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMKqIKQdrt
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxM0hZidua
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYA6FGAGHr
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNuFrwjiwe
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.”397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdudobDAQDt
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4Xx6rSZMv
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. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVr5QdOiKdj
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83XZjZH4DG
“And what would be your business here?”397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzbu2I1dcI
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. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmnCRei3CU
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtE1SpgJsnr
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBFj0R3hP5
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMveSLNBB1
“Tell me,” uttered the ageing man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPwDdDq3cc
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTv7V4RMEf
“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?” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRpSIiUbAv
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?” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNN2NfNbcSj
“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?”. 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡby4N8AO8DL
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ363SeBZmc1
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjncGjBNAB
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiSg7W8Se2
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The Earl called back to his shieldsman, “Leave us.” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqsbd5g3Cp
Entering the archway, the soldier took a quick bow, “Apologies, my lord.”, before quickly taking his leave.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhPCP0H2DS
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.” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImUElQY13M
“My thanks to you, my lord. You are a generous man.” Letifer replied, as he began to take his leave.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hXq6zogjU
“So I suppose you’re not to stay for supper?” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlkzSGjhF4
Letifer turned for a moment, “No, I suppose not.” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDooMRiEJ25
“Do be careful in your search.” The Earl called to him, “There are many who see less than I.” 397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyvdbQGN4p
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbv6fPmrRiF
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNWNYpVFv8
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5158tT6Hw
397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcH1fm47HH
