The Black Steel

It was early afternoon when Fiontann closed the door and leaned against it. His knees and hands were shaking and his breath was labored, he was pale and felt weak and scared at the same time. Scared that the company had made an irreversible mistake. One that they shouldn’t. He started to sweat.

Theinryd lay in his room at the Matravers farmstead, his left arm outstretched to be inspected by the local apothecary and friend to the family, Stanley Bloxwitch. “Nasty business” he said, poking the afflicted arm with a wooden probe, causing great discomfort to Theinryd who flinched in protest. “Very nasty business.” Bloxwitch stood from his stool and moved towards a wooden box upon the bedside table. From it, he opened a small draw and produced a round container.

Cedwyn smiled at Bil as she approached him.

"Morning Bil, everything fine with the delivery?"

Bil looked up from inspecting half-a-dozen newly delivered barrels that were situated on the grass, just outside the entrance to The Thirsty Boar tavern, in Hamglen.

"Aye, Miss Cedwyn," The barkeeper replied as he brushed some of his long black hair to one side. "It's the strong ale that was ordered.  We also have another three crates of wine too."

Bree-Land, eight years ago…

Zav lay face buried in the dried grass, water gurgling and sloshing in the near distance as a cold wind blew around his bare feet. His body was aching and he knew he had to get up and return to camp fast to clean out his cuts and wounds to prevent worse. The rest of the group was moving scattered close by, confused and disoriented as he was. One moment the burial chamber they had been lured to was closed off from the outside, the next he had lost his footing, falling scrambling towards the ragged outline of the stony chamber wall.

Zavas woke from a dream. A shadow chasing him the clatter of bones and a dark bereft of all godly light, impenetrable, terrifying. He sat up to a cock’s crow, felt the presence of his companions stirring close by in the ruins. He scattered water all over his head and felt the terror receding from him his heart, for the time being. They shared fresh baked bread from the Wilderlings amongst them, sat talking in sombre voices about the day and the one after ahead.