The Black Book

Chapter 1

"Dark are the forces that seek to feed on the despair of a human being. I am one of the victims of the whims of ancient and forgotten gods, and my soul has been damned. The occult should always remain so, as I fear for the events that I have unleashed after finding this horrible and enigmatic black book..."

One day, I was wandering around the capital of the empire, looking for any hint or whisper that could get me a contract that would allow me to escape the dire situation I was in. I was once a great and well-known nobleman with a reputation for meddling in esoteric affairs, but the capricious misfortune of fate knocked on my door more than once, and then came a time where I was forced into begging in the streets for breadcrumbs in order to survive day after day. I still remembered those days when I could dedicate my body and soul to my research, when I was able to fulfil what I believed to be my mission in this world, to discover the most unknown secrets of the universe. At that point I felt that my spirit was so sunken, unable to love what was once my passion. But I knew that one day, there would be a new change in the winds of chaos, and fate would give me back what I longed for and more.

That day came when the coronation of the new emperor took place, one who promised to be the greatest statesman the empire had ever seen. It was a day that noone would have missed, and this prooved to be indeed a great time to hear all kinds of gossip that could bring some fortune to a man like myself, and I was lucky enough to catch a fervent but discrete conversation of what would be terrible news for the empire, something that would spread unrest amongst the people. My curiosity got the better of me and I could not help but enter that discussion after hearing the event that would cause so much clamour. "They say that it is not true, but they say it because they do not want the information to spread, there is fear." With some well selected words and coins I managed to get more information from them, but they supplicated me out of pity not to tell anyone that I had heard it from them.

So, at a moment conditioned by my desperation and by a certain intrigue for the mystery, I marched towards the decrepit street that they indicated to me, in search of that "Tavern of the Blind Witch".

As I left the centre of the capital behind, silence took over more and more of the streets, and not only that, but the subtle but continuous deterioration of the streets and buildings could be appreciated as I approached the mentioned neighbourhood. That intrigue gradually turned into caution, and I began to slow down and pay more attention to my surroundings. When I got to the right place, my mind made one last attempt to curb my foolishness. It was a sinister alley, located in the poorest and most forgotten area of the capital. They did not even bother to clean it anymore, and judging by the state of the buildings, it seemed abandoned, although there was something in the atmosphere that suggested to me that it was not completely, empty.

The walls of the buildings were invaded by a disgusting blackish mould that threatened the air with a fetid odour that was impossible to dispel. The windows were mostly broken, or missing, with curtains forming strange shapes behind them. The foundations were partially collapsed, causing the buildings to lean over anyone who decided to cross the street, giving a creepy, claustrophobic feeling, as if one were continually being watched through those empty windows. Sometimes I could swear there was some strange movement behind them, but it could not be the wind buffeting the curtains, for there was no wind in this place, just an overwhelming silence, of a nature I dare not discern even to this day. It was a disconcerting contrast, almost as if the alley of derelict houses was on another plane of existence from the rest of the city. Every step down that alley gave me an inexplicable chill, because something in my heart told me that at any moment the houses or whatever might live in them were going to pounce on me.

There was no light in that dark alley, no sign of life, except for one in particular, a light that came from the tavern that was my destination. This tavern looked decrepit, too, but not in as bad shape as the rest of the buildings. There was still activity there. I felt an immense relief when I reached the threshold of the inn, and that unnatural presence gradually dissolved, and the bustle of the city could be heard once again in the distance. The door was ajar, and I only had to push it slightly to reveal a dismal interior. A few lights illuminated what was a run-down joint, a few tables, and chairs, and only two people: a drunk asleep on his spilled drink, and the bartender himself calmly cleaning the jars, without seeming to notice me, until he decided to speak to me directly.

- I see that curiosity has got the best of you. It is not necessarily a bad thing to be curious, but taken to the extreme... It can lead to disastrous consequences.

- You know why I am here?

- Of course I know, and I also know who told you everything. It was my mistake, I misinterpreted his character, it will not happen again. – After those last words he reached for something under the bar and threw it at my feet. Horrified, I could see that it was the head of the same man who told the story that no one should know. My first impulse was to turn around and run away from that place as soon as possible, but after that, when I looked back over the "abandoned" alley, new silhouettes and shadows appeared from the roofs, corners, and doors...

- There is no turning back, Agrippa, others may have forgotten who you are, but I know everything about you, and you are exactly the person I need for this. Nothing is an "accident", everything is in motion, everything has brought you to this exact second in time. – He sentenced.

I understood at that moment that I had entered a well from which there were only two ways out, and the silhouettes that waited in the alley, awaited my decision. I took a deep breath, and closed the door.

- Good, now we can talk. Accompany me. – After which, the bartender went behind the painting that was on the wall behind the bar. My brain kept sending me signals to leave that place as soon as possible, but that damn curiosity, that curse that afflicts me since I have my first memory of consciousness, forced me to forget prudence, and enter the painting.

The initial dark tunnel ended up leading to an office in much better condition compared to the rest of the place, well organized and with a large table with documentation and maps occupying a large part of the surface. My host was waiting for me near one of the maps of the empire.

- You already know what we are worried about. And you also understand very well why this information should not get out of here, Agrippa. I do not consider you a fool, because you know the danger of something that should remain hidden, your years of experience have hardened you in it.

- Is there anything known about it?

- Nothing, the only thing we know is the route that the army had to take, and the destination. Brennenburg Castle is only three days' journey from here, more than a week has passed, and no scouts have seen anything. As you will understand, the fact that an entire army disappears from the face of the empire as if nothing had happened, does not make the slightest sense, unless, and it is what I fear, that other "forces" have artificed this disappearance. That is why I need you, because you have dealt with the occult, and in addition to finding out what happened, I need us to keep it hidden. I must also urge you to bring any esoteric artifact related to this event that you find directly and without consideration here, for study and sealing.

- I understand. As it seems that I have no choice in this matter, I must ask, will I gain anything from all this?

- I offer you your old life...