The Sword that Could Cut the Dark

Chapter 2

Rain jumped away from the hand spinning quickly and what he saw surprised him. An old man stood before him staring and appeared so weak that standing upright seemed a difficulty. He held a large pack on his back that made him seem even more bent over.

"I'm sorry I jumped sir!" Rain said sounding out of breath. "Are you looking for a room in the Inn?"

"It is a night for dark thoughts child. I did not mean to startle you. I don't think I would be welcomed in your Inn but if you could help me with food I would be deeply grateful."

"Why wouldn't you be welcomed...." Rain started and then looked closer through the darkness. There was a mark on the man's forehead that looked like a miniature pair of bat wings. "Daemon marked!" wisped Rain in a hiss backing away. That was supposed to be a sign of a curse put upon a human by a daemon. In some places it was preferable to be killed than be marked by a daemon. Looking at the sight of the man though he felt pity and softened his gaze. The man looked like he hadn't eaten for days.

"Um just let me feed the dogs here and I'll sneak a plate of food out for you. And maybe a blanket."

"That would be much appreciated."

Rain walked over to the dogs who came out of their little huts now and put the plate on the ground. He turned around and walked back into the kitchen door trying not to look at the daemon marked old man. I hope Conn doesn't get mad at me, thought Rain. He used to remember his uncle feeding plenty of people who couldn't afford it. But never a man who was cursed. Rain grabbed a plate and filled it with some mashed potatoes, corn and some roasted chicken trying to seem nonchalant. As he walked back towards the door, Fred said "Going back outside?"

"Yeah just wanted to check on the dogs, they seemed a little quiet." Rain wasn't sure he wanted to say who he was giving food too. He supposed it would look weird when he took food for himself later but he figured he'd cross that bridge when he got there.

"Okay make sure you bring the plates back in. Too many have broken this month."

"Sure thing."

Rain walked outside and saw the old man sitting next to the dog huts. The animals weren't bothering him which was a good sign. It made Rain feel better that the dogs trusted the stranger. He trusted the dogs' judgment more than humans' sometimes. He got closer and placed the plate at the man's feet where he sat.

"What is your name son?" the old man asked as he took a piece of chicken in his hands.

"My name is Rain."

"Ahh and your parents live in this town?" he asked seeming interested.

"No my parents are dead. I never met my father and my mother dropped me here before she died. My Uncle Conn owns the Inn here. He's my mom's older brother." Rain didn't like talking about it but he never lied about his parents. "What's your name?"

"Mareth, like the Archdaemon of legend."

"You were named after an Archdaemon?" Rain asked even more confused than he was before.

"You could say that. Remember that daemons were not always evil. They came here to teach us. Mareth was the one who was on our side in the beginning before Lanthor ruined everything."

Mentioning the Dark Lord Lanthor so casually shocked Rain. No one ever spoke of him. It was said saying his name aloud brought bad luck. Rain supposed this man's luck could not get much worse so he must not care.

"Anyways" started the old man after a moment of silence. "Come see me tomorrow morning, I must repay you for the kindness you showed me tonight."

"You don't need to repay me. Let me get a blanket before I forget." There was a back door to the linen cleaning part of the Inn. Rain picked up some blankets and ran back to Mareth.

"Thank you" was all he said as he laid down with his arms around his pack as if he was afraid to lose it. Mark picked up the empty plate went back into the Inn before Conn asked where he was. Before he went inside he turned around to look at the old man. What a strange man, Rain thought to himself, I bet his life is one heck of a story. He opened the door and went back inside thankful for the warm kitchen.