Travis took a generous bite of sandwich, sighing contentedly.

"This is a tasty sandwich," he said through a mouthful of bread and smoked meat.

The lady smiled, "Thanks, I just kind of threw something together, and here we are!"

"Mhm, oh and the bread is just so nicely toasted so as to have that perfect crunch…you ought to start a restaurant, you know?"

"Oh, you're just saying that!"

"Yes I am."

"…"

"No wait that's not right," he swallowed, "I mean I'm not just saying that. You're quite the cook!"

"I see. Thanks again," she laughed a little, "So what are you up to 'round these parts, brave hero?"

"Just traveling mostly," he said, taking another bite, "Got all this time on my hands, thought I might as well just go out there and see the world! Can't be too terrible, eh?"

"Really? So you're just a traveler?"

"Yeah pretty much. Picked up quite a lot of skills on my journeys though, so I like to help wherever I can."

"I see," she nodded slowly, "When did you start traveling?"

"Oh that's a funny story," he chuckled, swallowing, "So I was a fisherman's boy on a little secluded island. Every now and then, there'd be this humongous ship that'd come in, filled with goods and all the nastiest kinds of people. There'd be cutthroats, drunkards, swindlers, bounty hunters, and on one occasion businessmen."

Travis shuddered.

"Goodness those businessmen scared me to death. But what I'd wanted to be above all else was an adventurer!" At this, he leapt to his feet excitedly, "You should have seen them! Strapping, heroic, powerful men and women! People with such amazing capabilities and such noble hearts. And me, such a young, impressionable boy, all I'd wanted since I first lay eyes on them was to one day have a boat and a crew of my own to travel the seas with! So one day, I-"

FWOOSH! Travis found himself standing outside at the village square, amidst a crowd of equally rattled and jarred villagers all gathered around a podium, caught in a moment of intense confusion.

"Right in the middle of a sentence, too, goodness," Travis grumbled irritably.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a familiar garbled voice growled out.

The villagers gasped, some screamed. Standing atop the platform was the distorted, blurred figure of the Crimson Racer.

"I have gathered you all here with the intention of telling you all that I do not hold the people of this village responsible for the slights made against me and my kind."

Suddenly, a multitude of goblin-like vampires appeared, surrounding the crowd. The Hemogoblins hissed in tandem, and the sky darkened, a great black cloud eclipsing the sun.

"The crimes you have committed against the Coven of Cleansing are grievous, for you have not only conspired against us, but have murdered two of my very own brethren," it cast its glowing, blood-red eyes downward at the ground, as if in mourning.

At this, Travis frowned.

"Yet we do not hold you responsible," it glanced up again.

The crowd waited with baited breath.

"You were scared, you knew not what to expect, and so in your fear you hastily placed your trust in a complete stranger."

"Oh dear," Travis muttered to himself.

"A stranger who not only has committed such horrific crimes against my family, but also has poisoned the minds of the very youth of this village against my kind, and against peace and order."

It streaked off the podium and returned clutching a battered, bloody Marty by the arm. The crowd gasped.

The Racer's shaded face split into a grin, "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

It cast Marty to the ground and kicked him off the stage.

"But no more blood need be spilt, ladies and gentlemen. I call for no more struggle, no more strife between our kind, but only if you bring to me the head of the one you call Travis the Traveler. Until then, there will be no peace. We will return each night, and the next night, and the next. And each time we return, one of you will die in his stead. Think on it, ladies and gentlemen, is it worth it?"

With that, it vanished, leaving only a trail of burnt wood and grass leading to the distant forest. The Hemogoblins flickered and disappeared as well.