Espex The Demon Mage. (1)

Prologue

The air in the night sky was cold and haunting. The people of the nearby village all flocked to the tavern to get some warmth and company for the long cold night ahead. Inside the atmosphere was one of laughter and cheer, a child was born within the village and each person celebrated the arrival with drink and company. The tavern was small holding no more than twenty people in one sitting. Tables were worn and used with some totally unusable. In the far corner away from the crowd cheering for the new-born sat a hooded man wrapped in seal skin. On his table was a large mug full of the local drink 'farklemuck' it was a horrible mix of grapes and potatoes but one of the few things that could be turned into drink for the villagers. The hooded figure just sat and watched the smiles on the men and women all night. A place of cheer was a good place to be thought the hooded man. A young woman, no more than twenty years of age. Walked nervously towards the strange seal skin clad man. Her clothes were that of old rags and cloth nothing as thick or secure as seal.

She had a voice that was fair and gentle. "Excuse me sir, would you like a refill?"

He leaned forward from the chair exposing his face from the shadow of the hood, His skin was ghost white and his eyes a glowing purple. His voice was low and thick with an accent which the girl had never heard. "No thank you lass, I am happy enough with this."

She gave a gentle smile back to the stranger before asking more questions. "If I may ask, what be your name?"

A smirk crossed the ghost face of the man and he replied in the same low voice "My name is Espex, How about you?"

"Mines is Samth good sir"

The smile still on his face he continued to talk more. "Ah Samth is it? Such a nice name. What brings a fine young lady from a party to talk to a hooded figure in the corner?"

Samth was taken back; her face turned a scarlet red it took her a moment to build up the courage to respond to such a bold question. "I find you curious, we don't get visitors here often the clothes you wear are of a strange fashion and material I have never seen."

Seeing that the girl's eyes were on the brown and Grey clothes he wore he rubbed them a little before replying to the shy girls questions. "This I wear is called seal hide. It is a creature that lives in the water but has the face of a dog. As to why I am here is because I am on a great journey to find someone very important." Samths blue eyes had shown bright by the response of this mysterious man. "I see it may take a while to kick in. I am from a Tribe many days travel north off here. The weather there is harsh and bitter, it gets so cold that the rain turns to ice and lays the ground white. It is a sight to behold and one I hope one day I shall see again."

Samth stood in wonder to Espex story. She was playing with her long unkempt blonde hair. Shouting started coming from the bar asking for Samth and she bowed to Espex then left a little more open minded to the world. Espex sat back hiding his face once more in the shadow of the hood and continued to watch the people drink themselves into oblivion once more. Hours passed and he nursed the same drink never getting another and never eating just watching the people slowly reduce in number. It came near dawn and a few people still dancing and singing intoxicated out of their minds with farklemuck. Even with a whole night Espex still found it a vile substance to intake. Samth this girl approached Espex once again this time a lot more drowsy and white in the face, too much dancing and singing. Her large blue eyes now dopey just stared at him and his shadowed face. "You can stay and sleep here tonight, just make sure to buy another drink and my father won't mind."

Pulling out a hand filled with copper coins Espex splashed them onto the table. "Thank you young lady. I shall like some bread and some water."

She looked down at the coins on the table with widened eyes and a lowered jaw. "Sir that is far too much for what you ask for!"

"Call it a tip for keeping me entertained this long night." She bowed and scooped up the money before disappearing into another room in the tavern. He sat waiting for the girl to return and he watched the last of the party people leave to find their beds. A good ten minutes passed before she returned with a loaf of bread and a large pouch of water. He stood up to meet her and take the water and bread from her frail skinny arms.

"You have done enough please go to your bed. I thank you for your company but I must leave now as I have drawn too much attention here."

Her face was tired but saddened she liked the exotic man. She was also confused what attention had he bring to her small desolate village. Then she heard outside the stomping of foots and the trot of horses.

A voice loud and familiar to all boomed. "Come out! Come out Demon Walker! We know you are here! I command you to show yourself!"

"That's Lord Bore," The girl explained. Bore as a fat man who had a horrible attitude to all. He owned the land as far as the eye could see and was appointed the Lord of South Sound by The King himself. Espex grabbed the girl and dragged her to the floor with him before he whispered into her small blonde covered ear. "Stay here and don't move, Also you never saw me and we never talked."

The girl could not believe what she was hearing but listened none the less. She watched as he got up from the dusty old floor. He stood large from her view and she noticed he was carrying a small dagger on his left side. It was inscribed with letters and symbols she had never seen. Espex turned to the girl and took his hood off to reveal his long scruffy hair. It was a bright purple and his eyes shown more. He put his seal gloved hands to his mouth and simple hushed to her. His other hand started to glow and the area around him almost floated and the air around them was almost gone. Dust gathered around his feet like a small twister and went up and up to his hands forming a small twirling ball of wind and dust. Samth couldn't believe her eyes a user of the way of magic in her village. She always thought they were a myth or a bed time fairy tale but one stood forming magic in front of her eyes. The ball formed in his hand Espex burst forth into the door and outside. Samth could here men scream and a loud bang that felt like it happened in her head. She couldn't stay on the ground this was a once in a life time event she needed to see. She pushed herself up the floor with the small thin arms of hers and ran to the door. She got a view of the outside and had missed all the action. A large hole in the ground and bodies of the Lords servants lay on the ground moaning and groaning. Some trying to get up but the chain-mail weighted them down. Swords and shields littered the ground and in the distance a large brown horse ran with a fat circle that was Lord Bore. In the other direction walking slowly was Espex. He pulled his hood up once again hiding his purple hair and face. Samth was saddened and joyful at the same time. Then by chance he turned and looked at her.

"Let me come with you! Teach me magic!" Desperation in her voice. This was her one chance to have a different life one without being a simple barmaid.

"Then come with me?"

An invite the young woman could not refuse.