Lorian woke up next to a warm fire. He had been stripped of his attire he had been wearing at the party. Bandages covered his abdomen and right arm. Next to the fire sat a middle aged man. He had on a leather poncho and leatther clothes that matched. Leaning on him was a carved wooden staff. Lorian sat up to look at the man but a sharp inflame of pain shot through his arm.
"I wouldn't get up so fast my friend, you took one hell of a fall", said the man
"Who are you", questioned lorian.
"Nobody of importance"
"What Happened?"
"You fell from your castle window, If it wasn't for me you'd be swallowed by the darkness that followed".
"Thanks, but how long was I out"?
"Three days, enough for the darkness to take control of the kingdom"
"What!, I thought we vanquished most of the darkness. How could it be able to have enough to take my kingdom"?
"Easy, kill the king and claim the throne".
Lorian stared into the roaring fire. How could he be so carless as to be fooled by the darkness. Then he thought of Belle. He remembered how she poured darkness into his heart. Then he thought to himself.
"How did the darkness not kill me"?
The man shrugged.
"You came really close, but you got really lucky, it took your whole arm".
Lorian franticly pulled off the bandages. Just like the man said Lorian's whole arm was black as night. It radiated darkness.
"You seem to have absorbed it and now able to use it. But if I were you I would keep it wrapped up, if you touch anything that has life it would seem to absorb its life force".
"How do you know this"?
The man pointed to a trail on the ground. A trail of death. Lorian looked at the tree. He slowly reached out and touched it. The tree instantly started to turn dark and decompose before it collapsed. He looked at his hand and grabbed his other arm. Nothing. Lorian stood up and rewrapped his arm. Next to his bedding was a black leather poncho like the man's but had a hood that covered most of lorian's face and a black bandana that covered the bottom half of his face. He picked up a sheathed longsword laying next to the fire.
"The Queen of darkness doesn't know you're still alive, you must keep it that way".
"I will", said lorian
Before leaving he turned to the man.
"Thank you for this", he said and proceeded to walk out of camp into the long journey that awaits him.
I hope you like the story so far. There's more coming soon!!!!!
