Prologue:
Travers walked down a foreboding country lane. It was a cool, crisp night and the freshly fallen autumn leaves crunched under his feet. He was a boy no older than fourteen, yet a slim dagger hung at his side. It was thin enough to hide under one's cloak, yet strong enough to survive the brutal conflicts that went on inside these woods. He warily eyed the lane before him, fingering the dagger, should he need it.
A tall figure in a white cloak appeared from the side of the lane, right in front of Travers.
"You're late." A warm and cheery voice said from under the hood. Travers slipped down his hood, revealing the boy's face. He had a pale complexion, as if he had not spent much time in the sun lately. He had a messy mop of dark brown hair, and his almond shaped eyes had the color to match. His lips were thin, almost invisible. He opened his mouth to speak, but the hooded man was walking already, motioning him to follow.
They walked for a time before the cloaked man stopped. "Are you sure we weren't followed?" The cloaked figure asked.
"I can guarantee it with my life." Travers said, his cold, steely voice filling the empty woods. The stranger lowered his hood and met Travers gaze. He was a tall man, as pale as Travers in complexion. He had a thin wispy mustache and a small beard to match. His hair was already a steel gray, though he was only in his early thirties, and it held the sign of a dangerous life. His eyes were a blue so pure that they resembled sapphires from the nearby Kalv mines.
You could see the dent the sword made in the man's cloak; it was necessary to carry a weapon on you at all times in these woods. Danger lurked around every corner, from goblins and brigands, to wild animals such as bears and wolves, the danger was very real, some of it not from this world.
They looked around, observing the clearing they had stopped at. There were a few big rocks that could provide cover in case of attack, but not much else. Thin, wispy grass covered what was left, save for a few blossoms of late blooming violet. Should the need arise, retreating to the trees would be the safest, and quickest, option; the closest of the boulders was twenty feet away.
They sky was starless, almost like a sheet of black velvet covering the world. The starless night was odd, as there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. It could be because of the forest, or maybe something more sinister. The only light came from the moon and the fire flies around them. The moonlight cast an eerie glow on every thing, paling Travers and the man even more. From a distance, they could have been mistaken for vampires.
A twig snapped at the edge of the clearing. The companions grasped their weapons, sensing danger in the air. Few things in this forest moved at night, but of those that did, aside from the highway men that lurked on the trails, they were the most dangerous things to haunt this Earth. The night was tense, everything stood still, looking for a point of release. The two drew their blades, the sound of steel on leather ringing throughout the silent forest. A sudden movement in the brush told them the location of the enemy. A rustle a few feet away told them there was more than one. Two blurs raced out from the edge of the clearing, blood chilling screeches filling the night air. The sound of steel hitting flesh could be heard seconds later, and then a moan as something hit the ground. In just a few short minutes, the ground was saturated in blood, and two lay dead on the forest floor. The bodies would be discovered by a ranger patrolling the forest, and it would be the topic of constant gossip in the nearby town of Galthar for weeks.