By the time that the sun rose to what must have been midday according to Alaric’s estimate. He wasn’t all that great at guessing the time of day though.

The whole group was beyond hungry. They had a small loaf of bread to curb the hunger a few hours before, but it was time to stop for something more substantial.

Once they found a nice clearing in the thin trees, the group eagerly leapt out of the wagon and stretched. Alaric’s legs were sore and tired from the bumpy ride in the wagon, and he was beyond tired of sitting.

Immediately, Nathaniel started handing out dried meat from his bags to other members of the group. They all sat silently for several minutes as they gnawed through the tough meat.

Alaric decided to break the silence. “So if we are headed to Ilian, does that mean that we need to go through Hewe?” he asked.

Tyron began chuckling quietly. Chas replied with his strange accent and soft voice,” The roads are best this way. We will most likely continue on this route to get around Rose Lake through both Hewe and Lucenne.”

Hewe was a small fishing village across Rose Lake from Baerlon, while Lucenne was the capital of the division of the central territory of the kingdom. Lucenne and the rest of the surrounding area was ruled by Lord Moats.

Alaric had never been to either place. He had heard of nothing good about the people from Hewe. He was told that they were full of filth and treachery by many of the people in his village that claimed to have been there. The village elders were the only ones that really ever dealt with the trade between the two villages, and they never spoke highly of their dealings.

Lilia replied quietly,“It’s not like there is really any other logical option. The beasts should never go into a large city like Lucenne in a small pack. They are at least a cautious breed, but that is only one of many agents that may be hunting you. We must be on our toes even when we reach the capital.”

Alaric frowned. “What kind of creatures could hide in a city full of so many people?” he asked.

Tyron was glaring at Lilia as he replied,” I guess that you should know these things, but we don’t have time to teach you about everything that you may face wherever you may end up. Know this, the agents of darkness take many grotesque forms. Avoid darkness, being alone, and basically anything that would help you to be singled out. Do that and we should be able to keep you alive.”

He then turned to the rest of the group, with a face that showed lines and wrinkles that he gained from long years of fighting for his life. “It’s time to go,” he said.

Immediately, the group began packing the little that they unloaded back into the wagon. Alaric wanted to argue. He wanted to take more time to rest and be out of the argue. There was little point in it though. Alaric directed his attention elsewhere. Lilia caught his eye quickly.

Lilia was strange to Alaric. She was strong and beautiful, but something in her mannerisms reminded him more of the boys that he grew up with in Baerlon. Still yet, she smiled at him on occasion in a way that made him feel uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure how he felt about her yet.

She sat next to him on the wagon. The ride was again quiet. Alaric thought it appropriate that it was quiet. They were after all, running for their lives from creatures that were sent to kill him, and it was their duty to protect him. It was a solemn ordeal.

Alaric was beginning to be able to see the wear of the harsh lifestyle of a Hunter in each of their faces. Erika looked especially worn. Alaric thought that it had to have something to do with her special abilities.

Tyron had volunteered again this time to guide the wagon, allowing Nathaniel to spend time with Erika. Alaric thought that they were an odd pair, but there was no doubt that they were in love. They rarely spent time more than a few feet from each other and the way that they looked at each other was similar to the way that Orven and Aviah looked at each other.

As Alaric sat thinking, he realized that Lilia was staring at him. He felt an uncomfortable warmth in his face, but he held her gaze. He knew that he cheeks were growing red, but he didn’t care.

The two stared at each other for what felt like a few minutes, Alaric thought. Suddenly, a voice broke the silence. “Do we need to get out and walk next to the farm, to give you some alone time?”

Alaric and Lilia both looked at the same time toward the voice. Nathaniel was grinning from ear to ear. Everyone in the wagon was chuckling at the pair. Lilia met each smile with a glare, while Alaric could feel the red in his face growing stronger.

Nathaniel spoke again with daring, blue eyes,”What’s wrong Lilia? Did I ruin your moment?” The man’s accent had grown easier to understand as Alaric spent time with him. Nathaniel was a fun-loving and wild man.

Alaric turned toward her and her face fell. Alaric realized that he had begun to lean forward, and he sat back in the wagon and closed his eyes. He was unsure of his feelings. There was too much moving around him for his feelings to make much sense.

He heard Chas speak next,”Lilia, you know that you cannot.”

Alaric opened an eye to watch the dark-skinned man.

“I do what I want,” she came her cold reply. She had crossed her arms and begun to pout like a toddler that hadn’t gotten her way.

There was a moment of silence and then Chas spoke again,” Alaric, what do you know of the madness?” It was hard to make out what the man said.

Alaric gave the man a concerned look. ”Its the borderland disease, right?”

Chas nodded. “That is part of the truth. The southern borderlands are infested with the madness, but do you know what the madness is?”

Alaric shook his head. It was true. He lived too far from the borderlands to really know what the madness was. He had always thought of one of the elderly whose mind had slipped away, but that didn’t feel right to Alaric.

“The madness is a disease that strips away sanity and humanity. Those with the madness have been known to viciously attack loved ones like the diseased were a wild animal, often with tooth and nail.”

Alaric shook his head again. He couldn’t imagine that any person would try to bite and scratch like an animal. “What did the madness do to create Mist Wolves?”

“Well, the Mist Wolves and every other creature that survives in the blightlands for long periods of time is twisted into a new being. The Mist Wolves were once wolves, but they are not even close to the most terrifying or most dangerous beasts that reside in the madness,” Chas said. His voice was grave as if he was warning Alaric.

“What could be worse than Mist Wolves?” Alaric asked. He was having trouble imagining what could be worse than the monstrosity that stood over him. His wounds burned when he thought of the beast.

“There are too many. Each breed is an abomination of nature, but they all are extremely dangerous,” Nathaniel said with a cheery voice. Alaric was confused at the odd, cheerful attitude that Nathaniel often carried with him. Monstrosities were not all that amusing in Alaric’s opinion.

They sat and road together mostly silently well into the night. While they road, Nathaniel and the others taught Alaric about some of the creatures spawned from the madness. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to remember most of what he was told.

Viil are giant vultures with few feather anywhere but on their wings. They are covered in oozing boils that contain a liquid strong enough to melt steel.

Shadows are pale remenants of men and women that drift between civilizations, killing those that their masters command them to kill. They are characterized by an unnatural paleness, empty, black orbs for eyes, and an uncanny ability to walk through any room or crowd without drawing almost any attention.

Amzani are pale remenants of men and women caught in the darkest of strains of the madness. Their limbs are all unnaturally long. They walk on all fours with inverted legs and sport long claws. They are fast climbers and runners, but they are only talked about, never seen.

Ungul are an ancient race that was altered little by the madness physically, but they were instead altered mentally. They are a race that lives to fight and kill. The Ungul have large, muscled bodies, covered in thick grey skin. Nathaniel said that they were as tall as a wagon, if not taller, but Alaric couldn’t believe that any creature was actually that tall.

Galateir are some form of creature that feed off of dreams. Nathaniel didn’t claim know much else about them.

A few hours into night, the wagon stopped again. Alaric was hungry and could feel his eyes burning. The Hunters didn’t look nearly as tired as he felt.

Once again, this stop was short lived. They were there just long enough to scarf down more dried meat and bread.

Shifts were determined for the Hunters to guide the wagon. Erika and Nathaniel would be the next, then Lilia and Alaric, and Chas and Tyron would finish the early morning into the afternoon.

Everyone was slow to climb back into the wagon, but after a few minutes of rhythmic creaking, the majority of the group was asleep.

Alaric sat thinking about all of the information that he had been fed as they rode. In one day his life had changed and in another day it had taken another drastic turn. He wanted to be anxious or afraid, but something felt right about the path that he was on.

I guess I really can’t hate this, he thought to himself as he looked down to Lilia. She had chosen to sleep on his shoulder. Alaric was glad that he had chosen a fairly comfortable position to sit in before she leaned on him.

She was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen despite her wild attitude. Even by lantern light through the light canvas of the wagon, he could make out some of the lines of her faces.

As he stared at the girl, he couuld suddenly feel that their paths weren’t intertwined. Knowing that made him sad. He knew that a life with Lilia would be filled with adventure. A life as a Hunter would be a life worth living.

As Alaric sat thinking, sleep came.

After what felt like only a few minutes, Alaric and Lilia were awoken by Erika.

“It’s your turn. Keep her awake Alaric,” Erika whispered with a pat on his shoulder.

Lilia climbed through the canvas first. Nathaniel came into the wagon to make room for Alaric.

They sat quietly for a few minutes as Alaric tried to wake himself up. His eyes refused to stay open, but the cold air of the night was helping wake him.

He spoke first. “Do you actually know where we’re going?”

Lilia glared. “One of us has to, and you don’t so yes. I know where we’re going.”

Her attitude drove Alaric mad. One minute she was kind and the next she was a hag. He was beyond confused. “Why have you been so kind to me recently?” Alaric asked. As it came out of his mouth, he could feel the burning in his face.

She turned her head away toward the darkness. “It does not matter. We will not see each other probably ever again once we reach the capital.” Alaric thought that he heard her choke up for a moment.

She was right and Alaric knew it. Alaric frowned. “I won’t be allowed to leave the capital anytime soon, but you have to go back out to do your work, right?”

“There is little romance for Monster Hunters. Honestly, it is expected by everyone including myself that I will marry Chas. Over time from lack of contact with others, we will have little choice. He is quiet and dry, but he is a great man and skilled hunter,” she said. Alaric could hear the boredom and disappointment in her voice.

Alaric thought for a minute about what he was hearing before he replied. “Why me then?”

Lilia smiled. “Well, you are brave, reckless, handsome, and unpredictable. You keep life interesting.”

Alaric stared at the face of the young woman. He thought that he could see the young girl that had been forced to assume a role that she was unsure of.

“Wherever life takes you, you will be one of the best Hunters to have lived, Lilia.” Alaric returned a smile.

After that, they chatted about nothing of importance. Lilia told him about some of her wild adventures, bizarre beasts, and strange cities and cultures.

After what felt like a short time, it was Chas and Tyron’s turn to guide the wagon.

Rest once again came quickly and suddenly.

When Alaric awoke, it was nearly midday. His cut burned as he rose, and his body didn’t look like it was healing.

As he moved, the burning subsided. He turned his attention to the empty wagon that he was laying in.

He climbed out of the canvas and onto the ground. He was totally alone. There were remnants of a small campfire on the ground. The sky was clear but in the distance all around him, he could see a heavy fog on the plains.

Alaric wondered whether or not the fog was actual fog or mist from Mist Wolves that were hunting him. The thought of such a large pack made him shudder. There would have to be hundreds if not thousands of wolves to create such a large fog.

The sound of footsteps came behind him. Relief washed over him at the sound. He turned to greet his new friends, but there was no one behind him.

He could see footprints in the grass that led to him, but they weren’t his.

Again he heard footsteps behind him. He spun quickly to see what the noise was.

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him as a shadow stood before him that faded before his eyes could catch it.

Footprints led to him but he had never walked from that direction. Fear suddenly gripped Alaric as he realized that whatever this was, it was sent for him.

“What is wrong, child?” the icy voice of an old women asked from behind him. He whipped around and was face to face with Lilia. He stared into her bright eyes.

“What’s wrong, my love?” She asked as she placed a warm, soft hand on his chest, which he realized now was totally bear. She leaned in slowly toward his face.

Alaric was lured nearly to her lips when he caught a glimpse of flashing steel. He pushed at Lilia to keep her away from the steel, but his arms passed through her body. He fell to the ground as she vanished like smoke.

Alaric rolled to see a new sight. The sky had turned red and over him stood a strange being. It’s body and face seemed to blue with the air around it as wisps of darkness shifted and surrounded its body. It’s eyes were red and it had no other distinguishing features. This time it spoke with its own voice. “You have been marked boy. Marked for death. Many hunt you, whether for the purposes of good or evil. Run if you will but you cannot escape the death that my master has sentenced you.”

Alaric woke as he flew off of his seat on the wagon. He landed with a thud on the floor of the wagon. Once again his wound was burning, but he wasn’t alone. The Hunters were all sitting around him in the wagon. Apparently the heavy bump had woken them all up.

Tyron peaked through the off-white flaps of the wagon. “Good morning everyone. We should be about a day’s journey away from Hewe. We must stop for a short time to rest the horses. They may be a strong breed, but even they must rest.”

Tyron and Chas pulled the wagon off of the trail and the group climbed out. Lilia asked Alaric to wait in the wagon with her.

He sat nervously while the last person climbed off of the wagon. Then he sat alone with Lilia.

To his relief, she just wanted to change his bandages. It was strange taking his shirt off for the girl, but as she worked with her herbs and bandages he relaxed. His body had large scabs with thin cracks. He was just thankful that his body wasn’t bleeding.

After he was bandaged once again, he was allowed to join the rest of the group. He body was beginning to feel very tight and sore from all of the sitting and bumpy riding that they were doing. The thought of getting back in the wagon made him uneasy.

It felt good to be able to stretch out. He moved to stretch his arms and torso, but he stopped short when he felt his scabs pulling. His legs were starting to loosen and feel good by the time that he was given food.

He felt full before ever he started eating, but after his first two bites, hunger filled his stomach. The dried meat and dry biscuit were gone too fast.

Alaric looked around and realized that Tyron and Erika were gone.

“Where did Erika and Tyron go?” he asked. He hadn’t heard them say anything about leaving.

Nathaniel replied,”They have gone ahead to prepare a place for us and our horses in Hewe. It can be a dangerous place at night.”

Alaric shook his head. He was worried that the village elders weren’t lying to him when the spoke ill of the people of Hewe. He could already smell the fishy people, and that thought made his stomach turn.

“It’ll be fine, Alaric. We’ll arrive in the night and leave. Long before sunrise. We shouldn’t have to deal with the people there,” he said with a knowing smile.