Charles jumped over the counter with an agility that didn’t belong to an old man.

He then took a deep breath before yelling at the top of his lungs as bits of chewed flesh flew out of his mouth.

“I found one! She’s unaware! Join me in a delicious feast!”

Ayanna grabbed Ayden's hand before dashing out of the store to find several people awaiting them.

Their bodies were covered in blood and mud and several pupils filled their eyes.

“Ooh! Look at her! She’s so oblivious!” One of the women blocking Ayanna’s way giggled with bloody soaked teeth..

“Hehe, yes. She will do most beautifully.” A man said before dashing towards Ayanna, but Ayanna kicked the man's chest, crushing his rib cage with her large foot and forcing blood out of his nose and mouth.

Charles slowly walked out of the store and raised his cleaver as high as he could.

“Help us, Ayanna! We’re so close! Free us from these idiotic fleshly tethers so that we may join the transcendent one!” Charles yelled before lashing out at Ayanna.

He violently swung his cleaver, but Ayanna grabbed Charles’s wrist, kicked the area behind his elbow bending it in the wrong direction and kicked him in the face, sending him flying to the side.

“Fine! We’ll have to take them by force!” One of the women screamed as she lashed out towards Ayanna, who grabbed Charles’s cleaver and threw it at the woman, lodging it in her skull, but Ayanna didn’t stop there.

She turned towards the three remaining people and lowered her stance before dashing towards the first one to the right and with chilling efficiency, she decapitated him by stabbing him in the neck with her dagger and twisting the blade around it.

Ayanna then dashed towards the next person.

The man tried grabbing Ayanna, but she shifted her body to the right and stabbed the man in the temple with her dagger.

The final man watched as Ayanna pulled out her dagger from the other man’s head.

“Hehe, you… you’re robbing them!” The man yelled, but Ayanna simply kicked him in the face before dashing towards him.

“Why did you attack us?” Ayanna asked, although her voice was a barely audible wheeze.

“Because you have such juicy eyes. Yes, they would’ve helped us see him again.” The man said through a mess of broken teeth and blood.

“What do you mean?” Ayanna asked, even as an excruciating amount of pain assaulted her throat.

Ayden ran to Ayanna’s side and placed his hand on hers.

“Mom, don’t speak.” Ayden pleaded.

Ayanna took a deep breath before stepping away from the battered man’s body.

Ayden walked over to the man’s head.

“Why did you want to hurt my mom and me?” Ayden asked.

“Oh… you’d have to see him to know.” The man said.

“See who?”

“Gi’ Kolarum.” The man wheezed before his movements completely stopped.

Ayden walked away from the man and approached Ayanna who keenly inspected her surroundings.

“What did you learn-"

“Shh! Please stop.”

Ayanna nodded.

“He said something about a person called Gi' Kolarum. Do you know who that might be?” Ayden asked. His heart was still beating frantically, but he steeled his thoughts in an attempt to not add onto his mother’s burdens.

Ayanna shook her head.

“I see… let’s go to town and see if the mayor knows anything about this,” Ayden said.

Ayanna nodded and the two began their trip northwestward down an eerily silent path.

Dachaigh Gual was a relatively small town and was home to a handful of nobles who mostly lived there to conduct their businesses as far away from the capital as possible.

The town did have an ancient history as a fort of sorts, but the war it participated in had long since become a thing of distant memory.

Ayanna and Ayden eventually reached the large walls of Dachaigh Gual.

They were made from dark slabs of rock and towered above most natural structures.

The two then came to a complete stop upon seeing a gory mess of mud, bone and flesh that lay in front of the town's wooden gates.

The heap of flesh looked like it belonged to a guard as Ayanna spotted a broken spear next to it.

A strange howl then filled the air and Ayanna wasn’t sure whether it belonged to an animal or not.

Ayanna slowly pushed open the large wooden doors before her, revealing the dark streets of Dachaigh Gual.

The town was unusually quiet, even though its streets were lined by double story buildings which were home to all manner of people.

Ayanna and Ayden made their way north, toward the mayor’s office, which was a rather large building at the town’s centre.

It could be seen from the entrance as the path from the town's gate led straight up to the mayoral office’s front door.

Also, it was the only building built from pale rocks, contrasting with the rest of the towns muddy brown buildings built from old damp wood and stone.

Ayden and Ayanna eventually arrived at the town's centre and there they found a most horrible sight.

Countless bodies littered the ground and a lot of them belonged to people who wore strange red robes that were covered in a layer of what looked like ash.

The others looked like ordinary people who had met the most gruesome of endings.

Ayanna spotted someone sitting by the fountain at the centre of the pile of bodies.

He too wore a strange red robe that had ornate golden markings on its sleeves and neckline.

Ayanna and Ayden approached the man to find that he was weeping.

Several blood splatters could be seen on his robe, but it didn’t look like he was responsible for the mosaic of death that surrounded him.

Ayanna gently tapped on Ayden’s shoulder as they carefully walked over countless corpses.

“Hello?” Ayden called out, but the man continued to weep as he tightly clutched a golden necklace in his hands.

“Where could he have gone?” The man asked as he trembled.

“Sir?” Ayden asked, unsure if the man was talking to him.

“I… I did everything right and yet... he took everyone but me." The man said before looking up at Ayden.

His eyes widened before a gentle smile formed on his face.

Ayanna squeezed her dagger and took a defensive position in front of Ayden.

“You… you were forgotten, weren’t you?” The man asked.

“What do you mean?” Ayden asked.

“You must have slipped through her hands, as divine and all-loving as they are.” The man said before looking down and wiping away at the snot that had rolled down his nose.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but can you tell me what happened here?” Ayden asked.

“Oh, but of course, Prionnsa Crùbach. Using ancient teachings, I sent my plea to the great one, Gi' Kolarum. He answered my prayers and with cold eyes, he granted my wish.” The man wheezed.

“What did you wish for?” Ayden asked.

“Ascension.” The man said rather straightforwardly as his blond hair dangled from his head, covering some of his deep wrinkles and tanned skin.

“I thought that we could end all suffering if we were within the collective bosom of those above, but it would seem that their grand plans match not with ones as fatuous as mine.” The man said.

Ayden and Ayanna exchanged puzzled looks.

“What happened to all these people? Did the great one kill them?” Ayden asked.

“No. After lord Gi' Kolarum granted my wish, a large portion of my brethren burst into glorious flames before turning into ash. Another portion screamed out in pain as they turned into beasts that feasted on the eyes and flesh of the untouched.” The man said.

“Why were they eating eyes?” Ayden asked as the knot that had been forming in his stomach twisted further.

The afternoon sun illuminated the death pit that was Dachaigh Gual and it made Ayden’s skin crawl, so he focused his thoughts on the mumbling man in front of him.

“I’m not sure. I think they want to preserve or maybe even enhance their memories of the great one and so, I assume, they feast on eyes to gather multiple perspectives on all of this.” The man said as a howl filled the air.

“I see… What are you going to do now?” Ayden asked, albeit hesitantly.

“Mmm… I’m going to rest for a bit before continuing my work.” The man said.

“Oh... OK. What’s your name again, sir?” Ayden asked as the man looked up at him with hazel brown eyes.

“My name is Bruce Sanford and I do hope that we meet again, Prionnsa. For I believe that I am close, yes. I’m so close.” Bruce said before offering Ayden his golden necklace.

“Take it,” Bruce said with a wheezy chuckle.

Ayanna grabbed the necklace before keenly inspecting it.

After a moment or two, she handed it to Ayden who inspected the marking etched onto the face of what looked like a simple shard of a dark stone.

Ayden couldn’t read, but he was pretty sure that the rune wasn’t a common letter or phrase.

Although the more Ayden looked at it, the more… familiar it looked. It was a semi circle with a simple dot at its center.

“I beg that you hold onto that while I gather my thoughts,” Bruce said with another deranged chuckle.

A scream then pierced the air.

“Mom, I think we should go back home,” Ayden suggested.

“Oh, staying near here wouldn’t be very wise. Our eye starved friends are on the move. Searching, relentlessly for oneness.” Bruce said.

“What makes you so sure they'll come for us?” Ayden asked.

“Because if I were them, I'd do the same,” Bruce said as Ayden and Ayanna slowly walked to the gate.

“Farewell for now, Prionnsa!” Bruce yelled with a twisted smile.

“I hope that when we next meet, I’ll get to see you in full bloom!”

Ayanna held Ayden’s hand as they stormed out of the town.

They then ran towards the pier to the east, but a large shadow flew above them before crashing in front of them.

The two came to an abrupt stop as the dust cleared, revealing a large dog-like creature with countless pupils within its red eyes. Its large, twisted body was covered in patches of fur that looked like they belonged to other dogs and its hind legs were very similar to those of a horse.

Its muzzle was drenched in blood and it had an unusually large number of dagger-like teeth in its mouth.

The creature growled prompting Ayanna to hurriedly snatch Ayden’s dagger.

She then reversed wielded the blades and almost as if on queue, the creature lashed out towards Ayanna, but she kicked the dog in the face sending it flying to the left.

Ayden stepped away as Ayanna jumped onto the creature.

She then stabbed the creature in the head several times before getting up.

Ayden’s heart had gotten used to beating rapidly at this point and so he walked up to Ayanna fairly calmy.

“Let’s hurry home,” Ayden said, but Ayanna shook her head.

“We must keep moving,” Ayanna said as they continued walking toward the pier.

“Why?” Ayden asked as they walked past several bodies.

“Because I think that things are about to get really dangerous around here,” Ayanna said as her silver eyes surveyed their surroundings.

“Ok,” Ayden said as they boarded their boat.

Ayden’s mind then fell into a panicked state as he tried piecing everything together, but the nightmarish scenes from moments past haunted him.

He couldn't think straight and it was getting to the point where he couldn’t even hear the sounds of the passing water as Ayanna rowed.

Ayanna noticed this and so she stopped rowing for a moment.

The river was on a rather gentle slope and so the flow was fairly steady.

Ayanna then placed her hand on Ayden’s head and for a moment, his mind froze.

Ayanna smiled and just as she did, a tear fell from the boy's eye.

“Why- why is this happening?” Ayden asked as he sobbed.

“Why did uncle Charles try to kill us? Why is any of this happening?” Ayden asked as he cried.

Ayanna continued rowing and it wasn’t long before they reached a certain dock.

After carefully mooring the boat, Ayanna helped Ayden up as he sobbed.

The two then entered their home and began packing their things into two large leather bags.

“Where are we going to go?” Ayden asked as Ayanna gently slipped a beanie onto his head.

“Sùith,” Ayanna said as she and Ayden took one last look at their home.

“Are we going to visit uncle Randal?” Ayden asked.

Ayanna nodded before realizing that she had forgotten something.

She rushed into the bedroom and retrieved a certain old leather bag.

She handed it to Ayden and gestured that he look through its contents.

Ayden did as instructed and his eyes widened as he noticed something rather peculiar.

He then retrieved a certain golden necklace from his pocket and compared the semi circular rune on the stone to the markings on certain parts of the pages he held.

“Mmm… maybe we should ask uncle Randal if he can make any sense of this,” Ayden said with a sniffle.

Ayanna nodded before she and Ayden left their home.

“Hey! You there!” A man called from the north.

Ayanna and Ayden turned to find a mud drenched man wearing a rather familiar onesie.

He held a spear in his hand and his long wet black hair hid his eyes.

“What is it Mr.-?" Ayden started saying, but Ayanna placed her hand over his chest, silencing him as the man slowly approached.

He then hunched over, seemingly out of breath.

“Why in the world would you build a house in the middle of these damned marshes?” The man asked.

Ayanna noticed that there was a large iron chain around his left foot, but she focused her attention on the man’s chest and hands.

“Mom and I don’t have a problem moving about, so- hey, aren’t you a prisoner?” Ayden asked, but the man shook his head.

“That’s the thing, I was wrongly imprisoned and brought to this death pit of a town to be executed, but not a moment passed after I escaped before I was attacked by a monster only a madman could’ve created.” The man said while shaking his head.

“So you escaped from prison,” Ayden said as Ayanna raised her daggers.

“Yes, but misunderstand me not, I speak with you with only one desire.” The man said while bowing his head in a surprisingly graceful manner.

“What do you want?” Ayden asked.

“It looks like you two are headed on some sort of trip. Mind if I keep the house warm while you’re gone? I promise-"

“No,” Ayden said rather frankly.

“Why not? I promise I’ll take care of the place.” The man said with an awkward smile.

“We don’t care. That’s our house and we’re not gonna let some criminal call it home.” Ayden said.

“Aww… fine. Then why don’t I join you on your trip.” The man said.

“Not happening. We’re gonna leave and you’re going to march onward into the wilderness.” Ayden said rather coldly, but Ayanna smiled at his answer, making the rather small man shudder.

“Come on, I’ll die if I’m attacked by any more beasts." The man cried.

“I don’t care. Move on or my mom will seriously injure you.” Ayden said with widened eyes.

“Fine!” The man grunted before storming off to the south.

Ayden sighed as Ayanna lowered her blades.

The two then made their way to the little dock where they boarded their boat and began their journey.

.

..

Not thirty minutes had passed since Ayden and Ayanna got onto the boat, yet they could see the muddy man walking along the side of the river.

“What are you doing?” Ayden asked, mildly amused by the fact that the small man was waist-deep in mud.

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just heading south, is all.” He said as he laboured away.

“Why don’t you go north? There’s a vast mountain range that you cqn settle down in.” Ayden suggested.

“No. I’ve heard nothing but bad things about that place.” The man said.

“I've heard those things as well, but it sounds a lot better than swimming in mud-"

Ayden felt Ayanna tap on his leg.

“Yes?” He asked.

“Maybe we should let him come,” Ayanna whispered, much to Ayden’s confusion.

He raised his hand, silencing her as he allowed himself to figure out why she wanted the muddy man to tag along.

Ayden sighed as he realized that his mother's intuition was a thing of mystery and so he turned to the right and took a deep breath.

“My mom says that you can come along,”

“What?”

“I don’t know either, just get on,” Ayden said only for the man’s face to light up.

“Really?” The man asked with a bright smile.

“Yes. Now hurry before I convince my mother otherwise.” Ayden said before the man jumped into the river, washing away the mud that caked over his body.

He then energetically swam towards the boat and promptly sat next to Ayden, wet clothes and all.

“Ugh, what’s your name Mr.?”

“The name's Jean Vermont.”