Tales of Kephaream: Cursed Blood

1. Within the White Forest

I don't know why these events always seem to happen on days like these, when the sky is obscured with the dark, thick, heavy clouds, filling the air with the sounds of thunder. Rain falling down creating its own violent song as it clashes with the earth.

Despite the unpleasant feeling of being drenched in rain, the violent song coming from the sky is calming to me, as it always has been.

"Stop daydreaming, boy," A firm hand hit me on the back of the head.

Gripping the reins of my horse tighter I looked aside. It was Eamon Sentarion, Master of the Southern Clan, Lord of Dubhain. My father.

"When I decided to take you on this mission with me, I expected you at your best. Don't make me regret it."

"I apologize... Are we ready to ride out?" I rubbed the sore spot on my head, pulling the hood of the cloak up over my drenched hair.

"We are. Stay close to me till I tell you otherwise. You got that, Fagan?"

I gave him a quick nod and looked behind for a second, seeing a handful of clan members on horseback behind us.

Going on a mission with my father had been a dream for a long time. I'd seen him and mother ride out only a handful of times, but when they did it was always important, and so far they'd always succeeded. They led the clan for a reason, and the people looked up to them. I had always wished to see what the clan life was like as a full member. Yes, I'd been training with our signature weapons since my early teens, learned about the various clans in the realm, as was expected of me. However, I wasn't to be included in missions till my initiation, which was still a year off. This was my first taste of the clan life before heading North.

The thought of it filled me with excitement, so strong that I barely noticed the nerves that had made a knot in my stomach. You never know what will present itself on a mission, but I was eager to see it with my own eyes.

We rode out while the thunder was still raging on in the sky above. Across the fields and hills that marked the edge of the White Forest to the West. There were few towns and cities this close to the forest, it simply wasn't safe with the dangers lurking within it. That's what we were for though, to deal with these dangers, to keep our people safe. That is what the clan is for. To defend those who cannot defend themselves.

"I don't expect it to be much trouble. Just some Daesii stirring things up in the nearby village, a few people apparently got kidnapped. We'll have to find them and deal with the attackers." Fathers' voice barely broke through the roaring thunder as he reminded me of the task at hand.

It should've been a quick and easy job, but that turned out to be far from the truth.

There had been more tension with the Dae lately, I'd heard father speak about it with some of the members before, but tension didn't mean the same thing as full-on conflict. I tried to remember that these actions may not represent the intentions of all the Dae, but it was hard to see that when it was all you heard people talk about. Father tried to teach me this, but I don't think I ever truly understood. How can you understand people who don't wish to have anything to do with your own?

After we reached the area it didn't take long to find them, the attackers. It was at the border of the White Forest. The forest that had been famous for getting people lost and trapped in there, so we were alert. Still. We were caught by surprise. We put up a good fight, but they were relentless. Eyes like those of wild animals. Their bodies shifting shape before our very eyes. Taking the shape of creatures, monsters, or simply more dangerous humanoids. Given how dark their skin was I'm surprised we didn't discover them sooner in this forest that was as white as could be, or perhaps they could fake their skin colour too as they could their shape. It showed how little we knew about our opponent.