Darkening Forest was widely renowned for being dangerous. The dense, foggy woodland was home to all sorts of threats; bandits, sorcerers and mysterious creatures just being the first to spring to mind.
It was an odd place, there was no mistaking. The cold, damp air was thick with fear and apprehension. Even the twisted, ancient trees seemed to threaten anyone foolish enough to enter the wild landscape.
No one dared to walk the lands, rumours of terrible deaths had spread far and wide, from the choppy waves of a faraway ocean to the perilous heights of a distant mountain, everyone knew of the dangers that lurked within Darkening Forest.
But despite all of the warnings a young girl was now staggering through the gnarled trees, lost in a maze of roots and fog. Somewhere not that far away a wolf howled, the small girl trembled in fear, her eyes flashed a rich gold and a heavy tree crashed to the moss covered ground with a tremendous crack!.
"She's over here!" a muffled voice shouted, spoiling the silence.
"Get her then! We can't let her get away!" A rough voice replied.
The girl started to run again, she sped through the forest like a deer being chased by a ferocious hunter. She leapt over stones, ducked under branches and ran. Ran for her life.
An arrow whizzed past her, just inches above her head, she tried to avoid it but instead she tripped over a root, twisted her ankle and fell on to her back.
The men who had been following her appeared slowly through the veil of mist.
One had a severely scarred face, a long matted beard and greasy shoulder length hair.
The other was a head taller, he had more prominent features (his nose for example hung over his upper lip like a bat clinging on to a tree), slanted and beady black eyes and had a faded red hat perched on top of his head.
The taller one was obviously in charge, he walked a head in front of the bearded man, holding a rather battered sword before him. He pointed the weapon at the young girls chest.
"You shouldn't have tried to escape, foolish wench." he threatened.
With one swift movement he plunged the sword into the woman's rib-cage and laughed as the light in her eyes faded.