A dark fairy tale about traps, lures and falling for shadows.
When you see an eldritch dark horror made of shadows by the side of an old cursed trail that no one dares to go, you expect it to be less charming as it tries to trick you with deceitful...
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Art by James Fenner (@JMFenner91 on Twitter)
I woke up the next day feeling awfully tired.
There was no sign of Erebus in my bed. As I looked around and couldn't find any evidence of him ever even being in the room, I laughed at myself for being so silly to consider that this could have happened at all. It had only been a dream. A dream that had left me quite exhausted.
The bracelet was still on my wrist, hanging loosely in the same way it did the first time I had put it on. I had a vague recollection of it tightening around my wrist until it began to draw blood, but there was no mark, scratch or bruise to be seen on my skin. I guess I had fallen asleep after putting it on and dreamed up the whole thing.
It sure was a wild, fantastical dream...
I got out of bed reluctantly and dragged my tired bones out of the house, but I tried to keep a quick pace for the rest of the day. There was a lot of work to be done and many packages to collect, before I could close the day's deliveries and finally leave for Chalkbarrel.
My haste to finish business in the village had another motive other than work efficiency, though. I had been anxious all day long, hoping to get to Redwood trail as soon as possible to see if Erebus would be at our meeting spot tonight.
I managed to leave my village at sunset. It took me a while to get to the trail, that boulder's narrow passage seemed to take forever to reach, but eventually, its dark silhouette finally showed in the distance, to my instant relief.
The more my wagon drew near it, the stronger my heart pounded inside my chest. I didn't even bother to tie up Wolly's reins when I finally reached the passage. I jumped out of the wagon as quickly as lightning and ran to the forest's borders with only one thing in my mind. To find him.
I stopped by the very edge of the forest's limit and looked for signs or movements of any kind that could indicate his presence, and then I caught a glimpse of a fleeting shadow passing by the trees. A shaky breath escaped my lips when I finally saw Erebus walking out of the forest, wearing his dark mantle wrapped close around his body.
There was something odd about his appearance though, his face seemed... haunted. As if he hadn't had a minute of rest for many long days in a row. His eyes had dark bags underneath and there was a sickly hue to his hollowed cheekbones now too.
"Are you okay?" I asked anxiously when I saw him approaching the border with faltering steps.
"I am... not quite well." He replied, his voice sounding rough and depleted.
"What's wrong? Is it serious?"
"Do not worry, it is far from fatal," he said, taking a small step forward. "I have been careless lately, that is all. Incautious actions are bound to have consequences."
