The Curse Of The Crown

Callen

Fuar Forest was The largest forest in the region, covering two point two million square miles. But the many miles that touched the outside of Elderville and Surrounded His farm was very well known to Archer. Whale Callen stayed at the farm, only traveling into the shallow parts of Fuar to check his traps, Archer Hunted far into the woods, staying sometimes for a week in the dark silent place. It was peaceful for him to be alone in nature, hearing the birds and being able to smell the grass and dirt without the intrusion of manure or the pounding of the blacksmiths.

But now, leaping over fallen oaks, checking trap after trap for his father, he was not at peace. Nor was he comfortable, his crossbow slamming into his spine over and over as he sped through the bushes and low hanging branches. From the corner of his eye he saw a deer standing in a clearing, eyeing him suspiciously.

Finally Archer spotted Callen. "Father!" Archer called to callen. Callen turned in astonishment right as Archer met him in the shadowy hollow in the forest. "Blimey Archer! What on earth are ya doing out here?!" Callen asked. In his right hand he held a gray rabbit by the foot, danglinglimply in his firm grasp and in his left he held the reset trap made of twine and oak branches. " There's danger, Lockwood is destroyed and we have reason to believe it was the Kaul." Archer said, barely out of breath from the hazardous sprint. Callens face was a mixture of puzzlement and shock. "Lockwood? When?"  "We scouted earlier today, we just arrived in Elderville and I came to fetch you , Jazminne and Luther. Both of them are already heading for town on Jasper, we will follow on Mast." Callen set the trap under an old rotting trunk. "We had better get moving then. Are you sure the Kaul will attack Elderville?" Callen asked "they have no reason too." "Aye," Archer answered. "And they had no reason to destroy Lockwood either."

Callen was not as fast as Archer, him being much older, but He still knew his way around the forest.

They made their way back to Mast who was tied up at their small barn when Archer stopped in his tracks. "Stop." Archer said in a hushed voice. He crouched close to the ground and his father mimicked him. "Do you hear that? Listen." Archer whispered to his father. They went silent and then Callen heard it too. A horse was whining in the distance. It sounded frantic and hyper, it sounded like mast. Archer proceeded silently making his way forward at a much slower pace, His father following close behind.

" Stop." Callen said, putting a hand on Archer's back."Look there." Callen pointed to a Dark spot of leaves a few yards in front of them. To Archer's horror, He realized he was looking at the back of a skull. The forest was so dark and thick, he did not see it. None of the rest of the beast was visible except the dark leathery spot behind its head. Archer dropped to the ground silently. They were lucky it could not smell them, for most of the Kaul had extraordinary senses. Callen took a step forward.

"What are you doing?" Archer mouthed to his father. Callen took his left hand and slid his finger across his throat, the well-known symbol of death, and pointed at the Kaul. Are you crazy?  Archer thought to himself but did not say it out loud so as to not be disrespectful. Callen took a weary step forward, inching toward the Kaul. Archer heard a  branch snap under his father's foot. In the silent forest, the sound was like a lightning strike. The head of the Kaul snapped to face them at a neck-breaking angle. Callen froze. Archer almost gasped but held his breath.

The Kaul's face was dark and leathery. All that was there for a nose were the two nostril holes like a snake. Its mouth, a lipless snarl with fang-like teeth. Its tough skin looked as if it contained only a sharp skeleton. But what most made Archer want to crawl out of his own skin, was the lack of eyes. Instead of eyes, the monster had two hollows. Skin sunk in and scabbed deep in its sockets.

Not being able to see them, for lack of eyes, or smell them, for lack of a nose, the beast turned its pointy ears left and right searching for them. Archer held his breath, watching Callen weave from side to side. After about thirty seconds, it turned its head back to a human position, facing away from them. Callen wasted no time. He wrenched his dagger out of its sheath and lounged forward pulling his blade across the kaul's neck. The Kaul reacted too late and blood oozed from its neck. The Kaul fought for a moment, then sank to the ground, Its Dark, tar-like blood seeping from its mouth.