Latch's Tale

Prolouge

*DISCLAIMER: I CAN NOT DRAW AT ALL. I DO NOT OWN ANY IMAGES IN THIS BOOK. I JUST THOUGHT THE PICTURES DEPICTED THE MAIN CHARACTER QUITE NICELY.*

Prologue

History of Gracemeria;

Gracemeria is a large, peaceful country in the middle of Darshay. Its capital Loneshire. Home of castle Malok, a large citadel near the edge of the city. The story of the town's founding is a tale of Horror, Magic, Adventure, and Romance. This is what the basics are though the founder of the town is known as King J. He was a loved king and fulfilled most of the promises he had made for his town, but who kept him from quitting his throne was his favored knight and body guard Spartan slayer. He had offered protection and moral support to the king. But one day things were odd. No one had heard from the king for weeks. Finally, the brave knight had grown worried for the king. So he entered the great corridor of Malok the castle. He had asked the Duke where the king had been this whole time. The Duke began to cry, and told the knight that the king had entered the great halls library and had not come out for days. The Knight sprinted through the corridor. Entered the library and saw the king sobbing, staring at the window. There were claw marks on the frame. The knight pulled the king up from the ground and saw scars covering the king's chest. The night pulled a potion out from his satchel and began pouring it on the wound. The liquid immediately turned to red colored steam. The king's wounds had not healed. King J looked up his night and laughed. ¨After all these years of you protecting me I didn't die with you.¨ the king mumbled.

¨It was you Sir who had protected me from the harsh outside world by taking me under your wing, But you won't die Sir... at least not while I'm here.¨ the knight sobbed

¨No you keep the rest of your potions for when you need them, It's too late for me.¨

And just like that, the king vanished out of the knight's arms. He started to sob uncontrollably. He examined the dust where the king had been. There was blood there but not the king's blood, he had vanished moments ago. It was Sherren blood. Sherrens dreaded creatures of the night half man, half demon. Controlled by their demon side. Have tried to destroy the kingdom for many years but have since been defeated by the king's hammer and Spartan slayer's blade... Or so they thought. After that. It's unknown what the knight did the town believes that he was put to death. Falsely accused of the king's murder but the true story? Well, the knight saw what book the king had been interested in. A legend of the Eye. A sacred artifact that could release the souls of demons and use them to mend others. They say the day he was convicted, something died inside of him, his humanity. When he was taken into custody, he tried to convince everyone he was innocent. No one believed his story not even his family. But he was a hardened soldier. He had been trapped for eight days in a dungeon. Would have been fifty if he had not escaped. He had knocked out the guards taken back his armor and legendary sword and left. Seeking the Eye as well as vengeance upon the Sherren. He made his way to a flight of stairs that looked like old bread crumbling every second. He ran down trying to get there before they collapsed. It was too late he fell down two flights and was unconscious. When he had awoke he saw the eye but there was something behind it. A sherren. But this was no regular demon no. It was a Skin-burner. It saw him and stepped on top of him and was about to fuse his soul. Which make him a sherren, meaning his soul would be corrupt and his body be owned by the demon. He would no longer exist. But in that moment he hatched an idea with his last bit of strength grabbed its leg. The creature smiled grimly and picked him up by the throat. It thought it had won... It thought wrong. Spartan at this moment was level with the Eye and close enough to touch. He grabbed the Eye. Then it happened. It mended the soul of the creature and that of Spartan's. But his soul was so close to being corrupted. His soul was stronger. Causing him to be in control of both the Sherren and himself. Once this happened he went black, as if he passed out. He awoke in the forest, with no recollection of what had happened throughout the past seven hours. But his skin was black he knew he was in a Skin-burner. And with this newfound ability, he learned to control when he was human or Skin-burner. to this day the Gracmerians believe that to this day he lives on as a demon. Protecting them from the sherrens day and night. But unlike most tales this one doesn't have a happy ending for him, he goes home. When he made his way back to his hometown. The first person he went to was his beautiful fair maiden Joseline. He walked into her cottage and saw her standing, beautiful as ever. But when he looked her in the Eye she said but only six words ¨ You are dead, leave me now.¨

Then he left without saying a word. As he rode off to the capital his helmet was wet from the tears and his skin was burning for he cannot touch water in the slightest. He decided it was time to pay respects to the one man who actually saw what happened at the castle, the king. He stared down at the shiny marble stone that read.

Jacob Dieth

Noble King

Betrayed

On that note, I shall end this tale. And it shall last forever like the burden he must carry for eternity on his journey of death. Without death, stuck in horror...