413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GrLURGOTd
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyGEAYUUxh
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIVZNgF2o5
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypVrTC7Fna
But there was something else.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnJKJTdS4b
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypA4Sjx0g0
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiyZ0HOHsRC
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNYg5PbbVl
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KYsxPA4oW
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMU2pRMrJc
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5gmSPUXB3
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSEZMebpey
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBeWfdXhrU
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fHM4jo3KG
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBmc8g31Fq
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.”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTMsxnd0Rm
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8T4YyQES3
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvZFq6JztV
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDdAtnmqhN
“And what would be your business here?”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWLd7THDjz
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.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHu13qavgR
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaIXOMWbg5
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwNRmgHpdY
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJI3U5o257D
“Tell me,” uttered the aging man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqA7AlxmECB
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGrA9TnPJf
“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?”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuzZjD8nC5
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?”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RThpY1bRw
“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?”.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSZDivtD6M
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObUPq0EYMl
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9q19BlIEm
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?”
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKq1JFUR6qs
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGM58hsLgTr
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkVPtui5EU
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.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZK59Y1avKm
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCD1Nque5qd
But there was something else. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcACc2B8iMx
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXGtVGAHuS
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1tmOPnajd
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0IJRZZq6i
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXmfQpAAzc
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.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWkFHv6FNj
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡva4VaSKLgZ
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gci4iR2Ch
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkM05fQbzE
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMK34vLumB
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7NSerLH4A
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.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnOTWu0ebo
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKrg7pRALz
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKOwIdSb5O
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHdyaf21TW
“And what would be your business here?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKX1KNSIBTh
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVi9bufGCJ
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oZqhjvLJN
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z4i1GFOmE
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVQBXLxOyV
“Tell me,” uttered the ageing man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWDtJmKiPa
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQwnP0fWft
“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?” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJoFWZXkDu
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?” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBAPtVs3Rf
“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?”. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcCSG6kw7j
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEVYDNDAKB
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡju23Cyf7rB
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bDxx3V2M5
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The Earl called back to his shieldsman, “Leave us.” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJVOYorSVH
Entering the archway, the soldier took a quick bow, “Apologies, my lord.”, before quickly taking his leave.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKJpLMl6Uy
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.” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXcuvmUD8Q
“My thanks to you, my lord. You are a generous man.” Letifer replied, as he began to take his leave.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDV46DEVC9
“So I suppose you’re not to stay for supper?” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHA1EhNMK9t
Letifer turned for a moment, “No, I suppose not.” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBncqFWumew
“Do be careful in your search.” The Earl called to him, “There are many who see less than I.” 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13Ij8B1n5G
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwzWp0ILON
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1eE9B2ziH
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1lMEqLrU6
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiq3bXM8RwJ
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