The Candle in the Dark: Chap 1

Prelude

Deep in a valley there was a small village surronded by woody forests named Cornstab. It was a secluded place but very peaceful. When the sun went to it's peak there were sounds of laughter of children, gossip among the women, and belching contests and the occasional brawl in the pub filled with men. Small stone cotteges were dotted this in there in a rough circle. In the center of the town was the market place, where merchants cried out the prices of their goods, mothers holding their offspring's hand as they purchased some food. The market was bustling as it usually was. In the midst of all of this there stood erected a statue.. It showed feautures of an handsome man with longhair that reached to his shoulders, the stone of man had an arm upraised with a sword in hand looking up at the sky, although waiting for something to happen. Outside the humble village were the forests. They stretched for many miles all around and the only clear way out of Cornstab was through the north where there lay a dirt path rarely traversed. There was some woodsmen chopping wood wiping off some sweat from their brow. The sun started to set, the sky slowly turned orange and a bit crimson. The lumber jacks started walking back to their homes for they knew it was not safe in the darkness. There was however some children still in the woods.

They were all playing all sorts of childish games. Adventure (Two or three were the adventurers and the rest were bandits and creatures that typical adventurers would come across on the road) and Hide and Go Seek. The youngest youth was of six summers was Fandon. The red haired boy was hiding behind a large tree and peeked. The seeker had his back turned and found a hider in the bushes. Another next to the one found sprang from his hiding place and ran, the seeker gave chase, both were laughing in merriment. Fandon grinned and thought his hiding place was perfect. He heard more laughter and some things like "Catch me if you can!" Fandon sat down and rested his back on the tree. Ahead of him past the bushes and trees he saw a green light. The light was dancing around the trees, it flew toward the youth. The boy was curious why he was not afraid and he looked closer into the light and saw a woman with wings. His grandmother use to tell tales of such mystical creatures. She said if you catch a fairy you get a wish. The fairy flew away, Ferld was intrigued. The boy started to follow the light that lead him deeper into the woods. And was much to entranced to notice the calls of his friends.

*****

The axe bit into the hard wood of the tree. Meldo let go of the weapon and rested on a nearby tree stump to recatch his breath. He gazed into the darkening sky and thought of the future celebration of his 25th name day that would commence tonight. His thoughts were interuppted when a boy with auburn hair ran towards him. "Meldo Meldo! Fandon went into the deep woods by himself! to the south!" Meldo stood up quickily and taken out his axe from the tree. " Go quickily tell everyone in town, for I may not come back in town." The boy sprinted off. And Meldo ran off into the woods. Many thoughts plauged his mind "What if he's dead before I reach him? What if I can't find his location and I become hopelessly lost in the forest? What if I die?" Meldo continued running and the sky turned dark blue. The trees got more dense, the overhanging branches let through less light. Meldo called out the missing boy's name and tripped over a thick root, his forhead crashed against a tree. Meldo lay there a while and slowly went back onto his feet and felt for the wound. His hand was red with his own blood and there was a quiet rustle behind him. Meldo spun around and saw yellow tinted eyes and the dark creature of the night leapt ontop of the lumberjack and tore out his throat before he can even yell.
*****

Fandon stopped just as the jade light stopped. It danced back to Fandon. The boy saw his opportunity and reached out with both his hands to capture the creature. The fairy managed to evade the attempt and flew up and up, round and round the trees disappeared among the over hanging branches and leaves. Fear unsheathed it's blade and cut Fandon. The trees above let through little light and it steadly grew darker each moment. His imagination made the trees look like monsters, the forest was strangely quiet except for his own breathing. The boy's eyes looked at the surrondings and he cannot remember which direction he came from. He started walking in a random direction and did not realize that he was leading himself deeper into the black woods.



Chapter:1

"The manslayer is asked to change the fates of the missing.
He sees the opportunity to redeem himself. But little does he know
that the tools of his redemption will change the lives of many.
-Auron the Seer.  

A few hours later there was a flash of bright light in the clouds. Thunder had soon followed after and the dark clouds let rain go plummet onto the ground. It seemed although the Gods were angry. Lightning cracked like a whip onto a lone tree setting it aflame. The fire was soon washed away by the great pour of water. The boys who witnessed Fandon walk into the forest informed the Mayor.

A few minutes had passed and all the townspeople met under the roof of the largest structure in Cornstab, the townhall which was near the marketplace. The building had only one room, it had enough chairs that could sit 300 people all faced the small stage and podium which was across the door. People walked through the double doors and looked around the well lit room with overhanging candle chandeliers. The wood creaked under their feet and each townsperon took a seat. Everyone was present thus the room buzzed with conversation. Some here "I hear the mayor is resigning!" and there "I hear Crowe is leavin!" Mayor Lark went on the stage and took his place behind the podium. 48 year old Mayor Maximus Lark had muscles of a man half his age. He had a scar across his cheek and and eyes blue as the sky. He put a hand through his short graying hair. He wore chainmail and a longsword in it's sheath by his side. Lark expression was grim. He put two fingers in his mouth. A sharp whistle was reverbrated and the room was hushed. Rain thudded against the windows.

"Thank you everyone for being present in this moment. I regret to inform you all that six summer Fandon and Meldo whose birthday is today has gone missing. I learned from Fandon's friends that the boy is lost somewhere in the dark wood and Meldo went after the boy to find him on his own. It has been two hours since these events ocurred. What I propose is a search and rescue party for the missing two. I will be going myself and would accept any volunteers who would risk their lives. I would only accept people who qualify enough those that can hold their own in a fight to accompany me."

The citizens digested this information and talked amongst themselves and one man stood ontop his chair and said "Can we not send the ranger Crowe?" Lark responded "He is the right man for the job but we all know how he is like. I doubt that he would do it. But I will at least inform him."

***
A loud knock on the door resounded through the house. There was loud footsteps on the wood and the door opened. A small shaking man was on the doorstep he handed the dweller in the log cabin a piece of paper and ran off into the night. A few minutes later the door had slammed and footsteps left themselves on the mud. Rain poured onto the hooded figure as it made it's way towards Cornstab.
***
The mayor had selected only nine out of the fifty willing volunteers to be in the search. Everyone else went back to their homes and Mayor Lark led the nine men to his house. A small manor that was nearly two stories high and made completely out of stone. The mayor led the nine inside to a big square table near a hearth, with a chandlier with candles hanging on the ceiling. The men sat down on the ten chairs along the table and the mayor outlayed a map ontop the table. Just as the mayor was about to speak there was a loud knock on his door. "It must be him." All the men seated thought. The door was opened by Lark's wife and there was loud footsteps on the floor. A figure with a hood that concealed his face appeared. "We are glad that you can join us!" Lark said. The hood was pulled down and revealed a face of a man in his early thirties, with hair black as a crow's feather, eyes that were jade. But under closer observation you can see he had a bit of a dark look to him. His eyes were a little narrow, his eyes had a very small tint of orange and his face promised death whenever it was in a scowl. A bow and a quiver of arrows was on his back and a longsword with a sheath that had intricate designs of an artist foreign to the archpiliego. And wore very dark studded leather. This man was Panros Crowe a former assassin thus infamous in some parts of the Archpilego and has a reputation of being completely unpredictable. He spoke now "Yes and I am here and I am willing to do it.....for a price." Lark stared at him hard, he knew Crowe's prices' are always above money. "What is the price?" "If I rescued the boy and man, I shall have of my choosing a male babe fresh from his mother's womb become my son." One of the men from the table yelled out "You heartless bastard you! Go find a love and have her bear you your damned child."Crowe faced the man and gave him a icy stare that made a chill run up his spine. "I don't intend to for I am not a weak man to succumb to such distracting emotions." Lark put his hand on his head and thought how the townspeople would react to this. "I don't think we need your services." The mayor did not really mean what he said and hoped that Crowe would change his price but then again Crowe was known for having a lot of wit. "Then Fandon shall perish then." The ranger turned around and started walking away. "Fine then you shall get as you requested." Lark spat. Crowe turned around but with a smile on his face...a dark smile. "I shall instead have two instead of one. One male and one female and maybe from the same mother?" All the men glared at Crowe. Mayor Lark was the most furious. "We did not agree to that!" The ranger said cooly "You tried to deceive me. I am not an idiot Mayor Maximus Lark!" "Fine then! May the gods damn you to the hells." Crowe's smile was washed away and responded "I am already damned my friend for the chaos and misery I brought to many lives." Everyone was quiet for a little while and Lark broke it "You will bring back the man and boy. But if one or both are dead then bring me the head of a great white balverine. I don't want those beasts to think we are getting weak." Crowe thought for a while and nodded


As said in the description this is a fanfic I wrote on the upcoming Xbox game Fable. You will hear about balverines and if you don't know what they are go to alter-ego.net to see screenshots of them.