Greetings All
This week has really been rough. I have been constantly busy with writing and getting ready for ComiCon. So get ready to see a lot of pictures!
Until I share those, enjoy this update by @zakludick
Robert couldn’t think. Before him was a weapon that was speaking to him. He knew it was cursed, there was no way around it. Weapons were inanimate objects; they couldn’t speak. Yet here before him was one that could. He didn’t even know why he was surprised. He had seen an undead fight for the righteous, gods turn on their people, and a devout man punished to do vile acts. He shook his head and made to turn from the weapon.
Do you not want to be free?
“More than anything! But what guarantee do I have that you can help me.”
None, isn’t that what faith is for?
He had been taught that his entire life and the anger it brought up in his chest now was maddening.
You were abandoned by your God. Left to kill innocence. I saw what you did.
The fury made his muscles grow. He had never left a witness before. He made sure of that. Now this thing was threatening him, and he didn’t know what to do.
Take me up. I will curb the anger. I will absorb it, so you won’t release it. Until you wish to.
Robert sat down once more with a sigh. He tried to remember a time when he wasn’t plagued by the form that arose within him when he saw innocence. He looked at his hands. They always looked better when they held a rapier.
“Where did you come from?” he asked.
It had been so long since he could speak to anyone other than himself.
Do you really want an answer to that?
Truthfully, he didn’t. He sure as hell wasn’t going to tell anyone his own God had cursed him. He scooted closer to the weapon and briefly touched it. The weapon almost seemed to shudder at his touch. It was cold, but not the cold he had expected from metal. Cold like when he had been burned as a child. A burn that had been so bad there had been no pain, only cold. Only those from the church in his village had saved him. Those who prayed to fire.
He closed his eyes and once more debated picking up the weapon, when he felt his fingers wrap around the hilt and bring it to his face to look at the blade. It was pristine. No knicks anywhere along the length. It was beautiful but now silent.
“Hey!” Robert shook the blade.
No sound came from it. He sighed heavily and got to his feet. If nothing else, he could sell the weapon and get something to eat in the next town over. The very thought of heading towards a town nauseated the man, but he needed to test a theory. If he started to change when he saw a town, he knew that he was destined to wander alone until he died. But if this weapon spoke the truth, then maybe he had a chance to…His thoughts were interrupted when he heard feet along the path. He jumped to his feet and tried to find somewhere to hide. However, he wasn’t fast enough.
Coming over the hill was a posse of armed men and a small child. The child had tears streaming down his face and he was pointing to the destruction on the road. Robert panicked. If he ran, he looked guilty of the massacre, but if he stayed, he would change into the beast and rip everyone to pieces. He froze as the boy pointed him out.
Yet, nothing happened as the posse drew closer to him. In fact, the child separated himself from the rest of the group and ran to hug Robert around the middle. He was crying so hard; the man thought the child would choke.
“Sir Robert?” asked someone from the posse.
Robert’s head was still reeling. How had he not changed and murdered everyone yet?
“Yes.” He half whispered as he lay a shaking hand on the child’s shoulder.
“The boy ran into the hamlet screaming about a bear that was killing everyone. Did you chase it off?”
Robert looked at the carnage and then looked at his clothes. There were slash marks and blood he had been unable to get out. It looked like he had faced off against a bear. He looked around the mudded road and realised that even a skilled tracker would fault a bear in this attack. Could he actually get away with this?
“Sir Robert, are you hurt?”
He shook his head and felt a grin growing, “I am fine. My only regret is that I came too late to do much more than what I did.”
“Let’s see to your injuries before we bury the…dead.” The man who had spoken looked over to where the carnage lay.
Robert was relieved. Before the blade had come to him, if a child had approached him, they would have been torn apart. Yet now, a child was hugging him fiercely, thanking the man for trying. The sword was a miracle. He gripped it tighter and gently pushed the boy away from him. He then knelt and said, “You running away was very lucky. It was a good thing you were faster than the bear.”
“Mom always said I was fast.” The boy rubbed at a snotty nose.
While Robert didn’t hate children, this was what put him off having any. He got to his feet and allowed the posse to lead him to the hamlet close by. He would have to find a way to keep the sword close to him, but for now, he was only too grateful that he could once more be among people.
Over to you Zak.
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Mortis Custos
Sanguifex
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I shall leave Robert to you... but soon this will become the next book!