The Night- A Short Story.

Chapter 2: To the North!

It's been almost a year since I left the inn and my food supply was running low again. Despite heading north and making good distance I still was yet to find the night, however I knew I was getting closer as speakings of a place called "the night" and conversations about odd beast roaming the country side became more prevelant. Oddly enough though there were some people who have seen the monsters and labeled them as friendly or good creatures. This I could not believe and neither could many others on my travels. But despite many speaking against them and the monsters there continued to be those witnesses who saw no evils of them, calling them guardians instead of killers. Nontheless as this divison became seen I began to just ignore it, I mean who cares if there's delisional people out there?

So as the moon began to rise above me I began feeling fear for my life, as I have ever since that day. Quickly I began running north to the next village on my travels. This village was about 15 miles away from when I first started at noon and it was a tiring journey up. Usually I was able to go around 20 miles before nightfall, but this village was high up on a plaque and was no small feat for me to climb. However I still made it to the village in time, and luckily it was still lite up when I arrived despite the darkness above.

I walked around the village while I regained my breath. Soon enough I caught an old man's attention and he confronted me. "Hello son, new around these parts?" He asked. I nodded in assurence before replying, "yeah, I just went up the plaque today." Looking up at the sky above I continue, "luckily I made it just in time." To this the old man nodded and said, "lucky indeed, those night creatures have a home just a few hours from here." Suddenly my eyes widened with excitment, "right here?!" I gasp. The Oldman solemly nods his head in afirmance. "Yep," he says, " the things have terrorized our village for a century now, made some folk go delusional." I laughed at this, "oh you mean the idiots like those night creatures?" He shook his head angrily. "No son," he spat. "These people live in total darkness, sleep during the day, move around at night; hell they've even taken to moving to the northern half of the village so that they'd be closer to those demons!" To this I looked up at him in suprise and muttered, "So it's that bad huh?" The old man shook his head before turning away from me and gesturing me forward. "Come kid, it's getting to be too dark out." I flinched in hesitation to this. The village was dressed with light, knowing the creatures they wouldn't hurt anyone in this sort of atmosphere. "Arnt you being a bit paranoid?" I ask him while following him from behind. To this he spat, "No kid, those idiots from the north attempt to take out our lights daily and if we're stuck outside when that happens?" I whisper the answer to him, "death." "That's right," he says. "Now, tonight I'll let you sleep in my home if u wish but you gota leave in the morning, got that?" Smiling I nod my head, despite him not being able to see it. "Thank you sir." I say to him. To this I spot a faint smile on his face. then he begins heading towards a small house which was completely lite up by candles, torchs, and the like. "Welcome home." He said as he opened the door for me to come inside.

Once inside I looked around with both horror and suprise. On the inside walls of the house were black monsters, some were heads and some were full bodies. One thing was for sure though, they were all night creatures. The thing that most creeper me out though was the rug he had around his fireplace. This rug looked to be some sort of humanoid with light blue skin and dark brown hair. "What is this?" I ask trembling. The old man muttered back to me, "A sign that night demons Arnt welcome here." Hesitating from his answer I ask him, "but what about that blue person on the floor?" To this he shrugged before saying, "one of the villagers, trust me I didn't want to kill him." I look back at himwith horror, taking a few steps closer to the door. "Why did you kill him?!" I ask in terror. The oldman just sighed before continuing, "well, I first found this guy dousing my torchs on the porch. Seeing this I went out with my crossbow to yknow, scare him off. But instead... well he attacked me. You can tell what happened next." I stuttered in confusion before saying, " so wait a minute, your saying he... attacked you?"  To this he nodded. I looked back down at the corpse before realizing it's almost in perfect condition."So wait," I ask, "when you found him was his skin already that blue color?" The old man nodded in assurence before saying, "ay it was, though not all villagers like him look like that." The old man then coughed  before continuing, " it seems to be the people who have been one with the dark the longest have a better chance of turning to something like... well that." I nodded to this new piece of information, "I see, so what do you think would happen if someone visited the night its self?" The old man sat down on his living room chair before saying, "well boy, i dont know but I doubt that it would end up being very good." I muttered back to him, "so you think if I went I may turn into one of those?" To this he shook his head and took a long breath, as if he was thinking. "Well, I think you could turn to be one of those night creatures yourself." He then stopped, silence filled the room as if the world was considering what to do now. "Well," I muttered. "I guess that's just a risk I'll have to take." The old man solemly shook his head and told me, " good luck..." pointing over to a door to the left he then continued by saying, " your rooms over there and...." he stopped himself short. Confused I asked him, "and what?" He muttered back, "and um, what's your name?" I laughed at him before walking over to my room and answering, "I'm max, and you?" Looking down at the fire place he said, "Simon." Opening the door up I tell simon, "Well goodnight simon" as I closed the door behind me I hear him say, "Goodluck max... your gonna need it."
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"Wake up max! Wake up" I hear simon shout. Groggidly I ask him, "what is it?" In terror he shouted, "The night demons! There here!" Quickly I get up as the news goes through me, "wait what?!" I shout. He continued saying, "the night creatures are here and there killing people! It's as of there not afraid of the light anymore!" Grabbing my sword and crossbow from the bedside I tell simon, "well we need to do something." He nodded in agreement before saying, "your right, I'll go grab my crossbow and bolts." Before leaving my room he gestures me and says, "come max," to this I quickly follow behind him to his room. Inside was his wife who brought out Simons crossbow and a vial of what looked like poison. "Your shouting woke me up!" She said upset at simon. To this simon blushed before saying, "thanks Margaret" she then smiled hesitantly before saying, "come back safe you two, I don't want to be a widow just yet." I nodded back at her as simon said, "now alright max, dip your arrows in the vial, the poison messes with the nightkins senses, makes them stupid." I head towards the poison and say, "will do," quickly I managed to cover around 30 arrows in the stuff before simon told me, "we have to go."