Rekindled ~ A Kremé Tale

Part 1

~

Pebbles skittered across the packed earth, kicked aside by his feet as he walked silently down the road. A hint of a breeze blew between the simple houses of the village, slightly rustling his cloak. He slipped a hand from beneath the fabric and pulled his hood down, further shadowing his face. Not like it mattered, judging by the mass of whispers that followed him like a cloud, nor the harsh, stone cold glares or quick fearful glances he earned every time he passed a villager.

"Beast"

"Demon"

"Freak"

"Plague"

"Soulless creature"

Hiding himself changed nothing. They already knew what he was.

~

Surrounded by towering peaks of cold gray hues, a small yet fertile valley lay sheltered. Dominated by woodlands and grassy meadows, it drew any travelers in to the quaint little village located by a clear river. Those who inhabited the village found solace in the protection granted by the high ring of mountains encircling the land, yet they knew they were still vulnerable, despite the protection nature granted them. The land was at war with itself, and great beasts roamed far and wide, no corner of the earth out or reach of their claws, talons, and hooves. 

Yet it seemed that luck still smiled upon the small settlement, as even though a feral had entered the mountain ring, it had not made its way into the village. Instead, it had met a single soul in a clearing, at that had been its downfall. 

It was nearly dusk, and golden beams of light floated through the surrounding trees, warming the soft green grass of the aforementioned clearing. Small songbirds chirped in the branches, supplementing the peace with their songs, and small insects with clear, glittering wings buzzed lazily through the still air. Squirrels flicked their plumed tails, skittering between the bases of trees in search of a nut or berry. If someone was lucky enough to have infiltrated the clearing without the knowledge of the local wildlife, they would have spied a family of deer walking gracefully between the trunks.

All seemed unhindered by the giant corpse of a chimera that took up most of the clearing. 

The beast was eight feet tall from its thunderous paws to its shoulders, and twenty feet long from its massive head to its tail. Its pelt was a sandy color, patches of dirt and blood breaking up the smooth coloration. Atop its back was the gray head and neck of a goat, it's eyes wide open and glazed in death, one horn snapped off and missing. Trailing from behind the creature was a long sinuous tail composed of the head and body of a snake. The dark green scales were dull and scuffed, and the head lay severed several feet from the tip. The main head of the beast, a great lion, was frozen in mid roar. It's great maw was open, it's swollen tongue lolling out to the side. 

Dark blood seeped from the deep gashes carved into the creature's sides, clearly marking how its life came to an end. 

The fallen feral was not the only being that laid in the clearing. Splayed on his chest, his cloak wrinkled atop his sleeping form, was what at first look appeared to be some breed of monster. The fingers on his left hand twitched ever so slightly, signifying his wake.

This was Killer.

Killer groaned softly, lifting his head up and resting his chin on the ground. Blinking his sockets open, he squinted into the sunlit air, getting his bearings. He brought a hand to his face to rub his socket, pausing once it came into view.