301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XUPzrD5jz
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHp3ithEj4
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGMAxOMExy
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlyYWJj3q8
But there was something else.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGcakkn2sK
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJ6Rvy4VhC
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEOoElteH2
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEtyGjR3Xb
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Nozgn1mHq
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAULXFsGQ5M
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZLcZ7ugHQ
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBTo5Jgi8a
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRCtsVg3NZ
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWukbI9irhB
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8bl3bQdx1
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.”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbXqTCDYaD
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OE5ddGnzF
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJxe3T94Wq
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysNsFDS82p
“And what would be your business here?”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3WuH3LiEC
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.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EBpNQPRNe
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87At6qscQp
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGixjMDOl60
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsziq16klvM
“Tell me,” uttered the aging man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGrCIL8OAN
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2jqFIJhbS
“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?”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTnztTeU1g
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?”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAz0ZZMPme3
“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?”.
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96QdNIpeWx
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QFDsrqO4T
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlriTAnR4CJ
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?”
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFPEj9mBbc
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNDAyV4cdG
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. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NDGXiiivS
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdK0Gd7P0A
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. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNU7nc5Zpn3
But there was something else. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7fMnOIZAH
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. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTj6xhscV5o
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. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1KI0c7L5q
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. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmctr8CqoTF
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. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz03Icj09Za
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtk3LL0d9Su
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEk2bU20rvm
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK93Gm0UhXY
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMvGAS38wh
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5z9fsjWdaq
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QccksMtI2
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.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyi9KFfpWfX
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajYeDspFsK
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. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK24lDS4SNE
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBD3ZdXATNM
“And what would be your business here?”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQZ1yp4340
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. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNpy0hxhyv
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8XfbAdHkZ
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi4wCv3Nr0
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOrVllgNPE
“Tell me,” uttered the ageing man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMYiNwGBMD
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao3h8nE3D4
“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?” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfo31CXQV8V
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?” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHM8Sd8t1U
“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?”. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwj2wLbBlf
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2XNn7PRme
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqHIBkCXcr
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjCA7CTgJr
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The Earl called back to his shieldsman, “Leave us.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOVw25jIwb
Entering the archway, the soldier took a quick bow, “Apologies, my lord.”, before quickly taking his leave.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y5zgnfa2p
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.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehDlAIXDyE
“My thanks to you, my lord. You are a generous man.” Letifer replied, as he began to take his leave.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAZavl8ywU
“So I suppose you’re not to stay for supper?” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGtcxmnVnA
Letifer turned for a moment, “No, I suppose not.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWlk8L0IRt
“Do be careful in your search.” The Earl called to him, “There are many who see less than I.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbCeTFjH8h
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaztIa1LeKA
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUVAbTQ5Gm
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Bsvk2IVd4
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