CLAIREVEMBER 2023
Day 16 - Kendo
Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful young girl whose brother loved her very much. When they grew older and the time came for them to follow their own paths, the brother presented his younger sister with a hooded red cloak for her to wear on her journeys. And so they parted, each promising to meet again one day. The young woman wore her cloak every day to remind her of the brother whom she loved so dearly.
One night, the young woman had a vision in which her brother was in trouble. She mounted her horse, lit her lantern, and rode to the town where she knew her brother lived.
The night cast evil shadows about the forest. As the woman approached the town, the shadows grew bigger, and the air heavier, as though filled with the ghosts of sinners.
Suddenly, the horse whinnied, bucked off the young woman, and ran into the shadows. Thankfully the lantern had not broken. The young woman retrieved and raised it.
She was not alone.
A big black wolf, haggard with age, watched her from the shadows.
"Come closer, my darling, for I will not harm you," he said, grinning and showing his teeth. "My name is Robert. An evil spell has awakened the dead, and they roam freely through this forest and the neighboring town, Cité Ratlav. May I know your name?"
The young woman, uneasy, said, "My name is Claire. My brother lives in Cité Ratlav. He is expecting me so I'd better be going."
"That is a fool's errand," said the wolf. "As I said, the dead roam the earth. You must stay close to me so I can keep an eye on you and ensure your safety."
The young woman plucked a large stick from the ground. "Thank you, but I can manage."
She started toward town again. Soon she discovered that the wolf was right: lumbering, rotting corpses grazed the land as though they were cattle put out to pasture. She used her stick to fend them off as she hurried to town.
There, she found even more corpses roaming the streets than in the forest. Soon, her stick broke. She ran from the corpses and took shelter in a blacksmith's house, where swords and maces and axes mounted the walls.
Someone rapped on the door.
"Open the door, dear Claire," came the wolf's voice. "Was I not right about the dead? I've proven I'm trustworthy."
The young woman hesitated and then did as the wolf asked. The wolf slinked inside, and only then, by the light of the fireplace, did the young woman see how large the wolf was. He nearly filled the room. As he smiled, his teeth gleamed like daggers.
"Many thanks for clearing the path to town," he said. "You are strong, sweet Claire, but you have spent your energy reaching this place, and I have not. What's more, I have not set my eyes on any living being besides you in the past three days, and so I am quite hungry. Your flesh should sate my appetite."
He jumped, but the young woman was quick. She evaded his teeth, and he slammed into the wall. The weapons rained upon him, knocking him out. The young woman grabbed a large, sturdy ax and with one blow, beheaded the foul creature.
"Even more frightening than a monster is a monster that knows it's a monster and is unbothered by it," said the young woman. "I must find my brother before he is taken from me by either kind."
So, ax in hand, the woman left the blacksmith's house and continued her quest.