The Dark World

Chapter 3: Dark touched

Third pov

The men waited while mystic Zerena went over to the hawkers bodies and gathered what she needed from their corpses, feathers, teeth among other things that she would use for her potions. When she was done, Ezekiel led the way out of the ruins to the outside world again.

They travelled through what used to be a town once upon a time, now it was a ghost town. Wooden homes and stalls destroyed and broken, doors missing, windows missing and vines and moss growing across what was leftover of the walls and floors.

There was an old lady sitting on the floor outside one of the doors and pity filled the three knights hearts. The lady was wrapped in ragged and tattered clothes and a grey shawl, she wore no shoes and her long grey hair was patchy and balding in areas.

One eye was missing, a scar left behind from some creature that must have attacked her and resulted in her losing an eye.

She saw the three walking by and begged for some food. Mystic Zerena with her ever kind heart, went over to the lady and gave some bread along with coin. The lady thanked her by nodding her head and smiling, and it was when she smiled that Ezekiel noticed she didn’t use words as her tongue was missing.

As they carried on through they saw another lady, much younger, crying next to a broken old stall. They watched as mystic Zerena went over to offer comfort, but the lady neither spoke nor acknowledged her in any way. She was lost to the darkness and no amount of talking or shaking her could set her free now.

A man not much further ahead was dressed in rags and on his knees clawing at a wall, his nails worn away, and a bloody mess left behind for fingers as he too had been touched by the darkness.

Many people throughout the land were the same, touched by the darkness and driven mad, cursed to live this life of despair and misery yet lucky not to have been turned into one of the creatures.

They passed one more person, a young lady holding a rock wrapped in a cloth, she was rocking it back and forth and wailing in despair as she held what she thought was a baby.

Ezekiel could take it no more and rushed on through the town until they were out. When he saw the forest a mile ahead, he went towards it, remembering the serpent queen saying that was the way towards the dark lord.

He would have to figure out how to find the dark lord himself once through the forest for beyond that the serpent queen did not know any more directions.

Ezekiel hacked at branches and vines that blocked the path, not thinking much of it until mystic Zerena called out, “watch out!”

He looked around him but didn’t see any enemies, it wasn’t until he felt his leg pulled out from under him, and he was hoisted up high into the air that he realised he’d just been attacked by a vynethral. They were vines that were alive and would crush you alive if given the chance, once upon a time they had been people, people who had been devoured by the dark and turned.

Cairn tried slashing and hacking at the vines holding Ezekiel but to no avail. More vines would replace the cut ones, and slowly they spread across Ezekiel’s torso, curling around and beginning to tighten with every breath he drew.

Mystic Zerena stepped forward and holding up her staff, cast a spell, speaking words Ezekiel still could not pronounce himself. A bright white blast flashed wide, blinding him for a moment.

When he could see again, he watched as the vines caught on fire and burned away, the rest uncoiling from Ezekiel and slithering back into the shadows of the forest.

Ezekiel fell from a great height and landed painfully to the floor, much to Cairns delight. Mystic Zerena went to help Ezekiel to his feet and frowned at Cairn in disappointment, Cairn only raised his eyebrows in reply, never losing the grin.