The Edge of Night

Chapter 1

The moon hung in the sky as a sentinel watching the lonely countryside below. Aelhar crouched in a small grove with thickets on each side of him watching the barely perceptible trail below. It was a trail rarely traveled by ordinary folks. Aelhar was a part of an organization known as the Dark Watch of the Kingdom of Aepsalon. The Dark Watch had many layers, the watchmen in each town, village and hamlet, vales, the watchers located in watch towers between the towns, villages, and hamlets, vales, and farmsteads. The next layer were the foresters and wardens who were assigned to the woods and forests of the kingdom. Aelhar was a first-class forester and his mentor and friend Vordecai was his warden. Vordecai had several foresters in his ward. The last layer were the rangers who watched and defended the borders of the kingdom.

Aelhar wore his leather, light armor vest over his black cotton shirt with leather bracers covered in metal bracelet. Flexible, leather trousers, covered in black leather leg armor, a black canvas cloak and half face mask. He carried with him a bow and a quiver of arrows and a dagger.

He scanned the countryside for any unusual activity when a beam of light shot toward the night sky and came back down with a sudden impact. A shockwave radiated and knocked Aelhar off his feet. Everything went black as if he were floating in darkness.

In a deep, dark, and dank grotto was knee deep in fetid waters. On an incline in the back was large, black mass that resembled a wilting plant. Lysha approached the hulking mass with reverence.

“Lysha…” spoke a gravelly voice from the black mass.

“Yes, my lady”

“I am dying. Find my champion, Dracos. Bring him back to me, for he knows the ritual to rejuvenate and regenerate me.”

“I will and we will bring you back to life, my lady.”

“What of your twin, Feyona?”

“Do not worry, my lady. I will deal with her.”

“She must not escape with the seed of the champion of Caer. They both must be destroyed.”

“It will be done!”

The storm raged sending torrents of rain to the realm below. Lightning streaked the dark sky spreading fingers of energy in a terrifying and awesome display of light. Winged terrors crossed the treacherous sky in pursuit of another winged creature.

“Don’t let her get away you idiots,” cried the leader.

The quarry unexpectedly veered into a dark cloud bank. Lightning flashed revealing the silhouette of the hunted.

“There she is, go in and get her,” the leader shrieked.

Lightning flashed again and the silhouette was gone. Their quarry had escaped.

“Idiots you let her get away!” The dragon howled.

A bolt ripped through the harpy and gargoyle ranks. The leader watched their flaming bodies descend below to be claimed by the black, oily waters of the Maelstrom. She knew if she didn’t escape the melee of storms, she was doomed. Shards of burning pain tore through her forearm where the other traitor had sliced her. The leader veered into the same cloud bank after her sister and spied a waning rift. “Fool,” she said and headed for the rift.

Aelhar jerked back out of the darkness almost knocking Jax down the hill.

“Whoa, take it easy, buddy,” exclaimed Jax.

Aelhar looked around getting his bearings. “What’s going on?”

“When you didn’t report to the chapter house at your appointed time. Vordecai sent us out to look for you.”

“How long was I out?”

“Hard to say. When I touch you to try to wake you, you almost knocked me down the hill.”

Jax looked at his friend thoughtfully. “You’re shaken. Do you remember what happened?”

Aelhar rubbed his temples and face. He felt a little sore and dazed. “All I remember was a beam of light shooting up through the sky. And then nothing until now.”

“Whatever it was knocked you out cold. Come on let us get back to the chapter house. Vordecai is waiting.”

“Can you tell me anything? What happened out there? It’s not like you to be caught off guard,” announced Vordecai.

“I wasn’t caught off guard, Vordecai. All I can say is a beam of light flashed straight up toward the sky and nothing. Except I did feel a shockwave.”

“A shockwave?”

“Yes…Uh…It felt like I was hit with a solid rock wall. But that’s all I can remember.”

Vordecai sat thoughtfully at his wooden desk rubbing his chin.

“I was afraid of this,” Vordecai almost said to himself.

Aelhar looked at his mentor curiously. “What do you mean?”

Jax rushed into the room. “My lord, my brother is calling me back to Doln Nory. Something about strange creatures killing pets and livestock. The people in Doln Nory and the surrounding areas are terrified.”

Vordecai let out a deep sigh. “Go, take Aelhar with you to help find out what is going on and then report back to me.”

“Bah, we kin't wait enny longer,” snorted Angus Farnsworth. “Got t'git them fiends while th' trail still warm.”

Aelhar gave a Jax sideways look and Jax stifled a chuckle and shrugged. Several of the gathered farmers nodded their accord until the mayor prudently reminded them what they were up against.

“We don’t know how many of these creatures we are dealing with or what type of creature that is killing livestock,” said the mayor. “And now you want us to go out and hunt them unprepared? I think not.”

Farnsworth set his jaw and glared at the mayor. The other farmers milled nervously and whispered to each other.

“I seen one those beasts,” one of the farmers spoke up.

The room went silent and everyone turned to stare at the gangly and scraggly farmer.

“Did you now,” said the mayor, dryly. “What did this creature look like? Speak up man, we don’t have all night.”

The farmer, known as Dougan scuffed his feet on the floor.

“Whut in tarnation ah see is like nothin' ah see befo'e. All ah can say is it walked like a man an' looked crost between a bar o' wo'f. It was all covahed in hair an' had red glowin' eyes. Mah blood froze when ah see it near th' hills. ah went back into th' cabin an' barred th' dores an' windows. ah hoped an' prayed ah w'dn’t see ennythin' like thet agin. It was a terrible sight.”

“Bah! Th' beasts killed mah houn'dogs,” Angus Farnsworth spat.

The mayor glared at him and Angus glared back.

“Wait a couple of days,” the mayor admonished. “Wait for the sheriff to investigate and gather evidence. Our chances will be better if we know more about what we are up against.”

“The mayor’s right we need to let Jax and Aelhar their investigation,” said Levi, stepping forward.

Angus’ face contorted ominously. “Ah doesn't trest them two t'find nothin'. Has ennyone evah see thet Fo'ester besides th' Sheriff? I’m beginin' t'reckon this hyar Fo'ester is a figment of th' sheriff’s imaginashun.” Angus eyed the other farmers looking for support. The farmers looked at each other nervously but grumbled their support for Angus’ words.

“I’m a figment of your imagination? Why didn’t you tell me? I could have gone back to bed.”

“Wow, you understood what he said.”

Aelhar rolled his eyes.

“You want the creature that killed your dogs and you’ll have it,” the mayor said, pointing a finger at Angus, “but there is more on the table than your dogs or your pride, Angus.”

Angus gave the mayor a dark look. “Whut in tarnation happen fum this hyar time on be on yer haid cuz ah warned yo'!” Then he turned away and walked toward the door of the meeting hall. Angus eyed both men standing off to the side of the entrance of the hall. The dark look got darker as he looked at Aelhar. Aelhar just gave him an amused look and a goofy wave.

“Don’t encourage him, Aelhar,” admonished Jax.

Angus stalked out the hall. Some of the farmers looked at the mayor with confused looks then walked out behind Angus. The rest sat down at tables to talk among themselves and drink ale. A cold rush of wet night air rushed in sending the fire in the hearth into a frenzy of sputters, pops and cracks like multitudes of tiny explosions.

“Shut that door! All of the warmth is being sucked out of the hall,” the mayor said, disgustedly. “This isn’t a barn.”

The mayor stalked over to the counter hunching over it shaking his head. “Liam give me your strongest ale.”

Levi stepped up to the counter next to the mayor. “You know Angus isn’t going to wait.”

The mayor nodded his head and took a hearty drink of ale. “There is little I can do about Angus. If he wishes to go and hunt the beast that killed his dogs that is up to him. However,” the mayor said, turning to look Levi face to face. “If he makes a nuisance of himself or a danger to others, then I can step in and put a stop to him.” The mayor took another draw of ale.

“We’ve been friends for a long time, Baldric— “

“And you are going to remind me of that,” Baldric said, slamming the flagon on the counter and turning on Levi. “I do not doubt your brother’s abilities or his friend’s.” Baldric turned back to the counter.

“I would hope not mayor,” said Jax approaching the counter.

“It’s about time you two got here,” said Levi.

“Sorry, brother. We are here now. Mayor, this is Aelhar the figment of my imagination.”

“So, this is the forester? It’s nice to put a face to the famous forester of the Vearney Woods,” said the Mayor.

The Mayor stared at him and Aelhar noted that his eyes were a little strange. His eyes had a glow, much like Aelhar’s. A familiarization came over him and by the look on the Mayor’s face, he was sensing the same thing.

The door of the Town Hall flew open and a burly farmer crashed through breathing heavily.

“Mayor,” the farmer spit out. He lumbered over to where the Mayor and other were.

“What is it, Silas,” the Mayor demanded.

“The Wynn Farm,” the burly man gasped. “They’re dead. Something attacked the whole family.”