The Ravagers

They will remember my name

They will remember my reign

Just as they remember that with night, comes darkness

And with day, comes the light

I will be imprinted in their minds, in their spirit and in their souls.

- King Raverion

The mist was closing in around me, it was like a low fog cloud in the darkness. It consumed everything that it touched. Once you were in it, you could not see a hand in front of your face. It was designed like this. To hide the beast’s forms that lurk within. That now circle me. Snapping their teeth and growling faintly. They were waiting. Waiting for the moment that the mist would touch me; it was not long now. I spun, looking for exit but it was no use, the mist was encircled around where I stood, slowly closing in. I wondered if it would hurt. Or would the creatures make a quick death of me. I could see them running now, their large forms like black lightning bolts as they bounded. So fast that they were gone from the spot before the mist had time to be stirred where the had been.

All men knew of these creatures, they had heard stories of the Ravagers. They were known by many names and had been spoken by many tongues. Some believe that the Ravagers are more of a council. They do the bidding of the King or even the Gods. That if the Ravagers were to let you go, you were clear of conscience. That you had not committed any crimes or wrongdoing and you would be sent to live in peace. I didn’t believe that, as no story had ever told of a man escaping the Ravagers. No one had ever lived to tell the tale of the Ravagers mercy, to have entered the fog and to have returned.

These creatures were not of god, they were of dark magic. They were created by a powerful spell that imprisons them to the confines of the mist. Only feeding when a poor soul becomes trapped. Perhaps, long ago these creatures were men? Perhaps this is their punishment for defying their king. These questions will never be answered, we will never know exactly what these creatures are as no one has ever survived the sight of one. If you became close enough to see one, you were already dead.

“Why? Why me?” I screamed to the heavens, shaking my fists to emphasize the words. I fell to my knees, scraping them on the gravel and letting my head drop, allowing the tears streaming down my face to drip off before reaching my chin.

I swayed forward in the darkness to observe the shadowy abyss that is the edge of the cliff face. Down below jagged rocks facing straight up, waves pounding them so hard that it seemed the rocks could shatter under such immense pressure. The sea salt burned the corners of my eyes even though I was little more than a hundred feet up.

I pondered jumping in each moment, ending the suffering then and there. Yet my fathers voice was present in my mind “Son. Never take the easy way out, it is for cowardly men. Embrace your sadness with a strong heart”. The words so vivid it was a though he were right there with me in these moments. Or perhaps his spirit lingered...

“But Father” I looked to the stars “Please! Tell me what to do!” my voice fell weak and uneven as I let me head drop “I just love her so much”.

My name is Tristian Raverian, I am now the king of Pentshire in which the population alone was well over fifty thousand. Our army stood at fifteen thousand and many armored guards behind that. I was of the strongest forces and yet, I had never felt so weak. My father was a good a noble King that came before me, when he passed I believed I could get through it and honor his name for I had the love of my life by my side. Rising me up to hold myself as strong as my father had been. Although it now seems, that may not be the case. For you see, the one I love, the one I yearn for each day, the one I could not remove from my mind since first glance and the only one who owns my heart completely, my beautiful Savannah… Loves another.

Sabastian Smith. I thought the name in utter hatred, he was nothing more than a town blacksmith. He was a peasant, young and oblivious to the authorities of life. He could never provide for her as I could, my riches were endless whilst he dressed in rags.

“My Lord?” I heard a familiar voice behind me in the darkness “My Lord. Are you alright?” I turned my head. It was Lester, the most loyal and trusted butler to have ever served in Pentshire castle. He and my Father was the utmost inseparable friends. He had been working with us for little over fifty years and had become a member of our family. He was the closest memory I had to my father now.

“Uh yes” I stumbled to my feet feeling embarrassed. He would have never seen my father in such a manner when he was king. Lester’s face was dimly lit from the lantern he was holding, yet I could still see the etching concern in his old eyes. “my apologies Lester, I may have tripped in the dark”

He half smiled, appreciating my lie for his benefit “Very well, shall we head back up to the castle?”

I nodded and began to follow him on the descending path that led to the huge shadowy silhouette that was Pentshire castle. How was it that I can own everything that every man has dreamt of, yet still feel utterly poor? It was not right, my Father had read me the stories from the wise man scrolls and council legislates that the first born Raverian was destine to marry the first born of Ulric. Falling into the deepest, strongest and most unstoppable love, we would then unite our kingdoms. Our forces joining, we would rule the entire country within years. When I was younger, I had spat at the idea of this arrangement. Set to marry a woman I had never met. What if she were a toad? Or worse yet, what if she was a vile nasty woman? The first time I had met Savannah’s Father; King Ulric. I was not more than eleven years of age, I remember studying his face in hopes to see somewhat glimpse of what my future bride would look like. I had regretted this all at once, he was hardened and wrinkled man. Marks from the sun covered most of him skin with sagging eyes. He was built like a house with a large belly protruding from his waist, insisting that he had drank too much wine over the years. He was a pigheaded man who slammed the door in my face when he was discussing mine and his daughter’s betrothal in my Fathers study. I couldn’t get the image of him out of my mind, I imagine Savannah would look like this, some woman did resemble their father.

When the day came that Savannah was to arrive at Pentshire, the whole town had lined the streets to celebrate and get a glimpse of the new princess (soon to be queen). The cheered and cooed as her carriage rolled by, through the city and into the gates of Pentshire castle. I stood next to Father as he sat on his thrown, atop the stairs of the entrance to the hall room. We all waited outside. My Father, myself, the council, many of our guards, all the servants and most who worked in the castle, many I had not even seen before.

“Why must we wait in the blistering sun Father? Can we not go in the hall?” I complained

“My son, do you not want to be the first face your new bride sees as she steps onto Pentshire?” He spoked gruffly, unimpressed that I was not as exited to meet my future bride as he were “we will welcome the new princess with nothing more that the utmost hospitality” he lowered his brows at me, signaling that that was the end of this conversation.

A shrill ran up my spine as I saw the carriage approach. It slowed to a halt and she emerged. All of my fears and resentment subsided immediately. She was stunning, a beauty only to have been sculpted by the gods themselves. He deep blue eyes scanned the stairs before resting on me, I saw her face calm as she seemed relieved at the sight of me also. This made me smile.

Yet now, I frowned at this memory. Following Lester toward the castle, I could not make the decision that such a king should make. What was I to do about this betrayal? I had ordered the guards to hold Sabastian and Savannah in the study whilst I was out clearing my mind. I had sent my head of command to follow Savannah tonight, he and the guards seized the couple by surprise as they were enjoying a midnight swim together in the lake furthest from town. My Father would have not second guessed his moves, he would have beheaded Sabastian at once and made Savannahs death look as though an accident. The kingdom comes first. I had always wondered into my mothers ‘accidental’ demise. No one seemed to raise a brow to the idea that a maiden was foolish enough to trip and fall out of a window from the castle, it was mourned and quickly forgotten.

“Tristian” Lester spoke, knocking me out of my trance. Never in my life had he called me by my first name “There is something you must see before you meet with the princess and her infidelity.”

My brows pulled together for a moment, but I stayed silent as he led me to my fathers old chamber. My eyes flicked the room, I had not been in her since I had to say goodbye to him.

Lester pulled a key from his pocket and used it to open the large trunk at the end of my father’s bed. He pulled something small out of it and closed the trunk. He turned to me and sighed before placing the little black book into my hands. His face looked diminished as he did this, as though he had lost a great struggle. My palms grasped the little black book.

“What is this Lester?” I asked, confused.

He sighed for a moment “There is twenty thousand in this trunk for you to do what you will with” he paused.

“Yes?” I narrowed my eyes “and this book?”

“The book is your fathers last journal. Outlining his greatest secrets and regrets” he took a deep breath as he spoke “Your mother had a child before you, she had hidden this child believing it was not of your father and she was killed for it” he placed his hand on mine “That child is Sabastian”

“Wha- what are you telling me?” I stammered.

“The first-born son of Raverian is to love the first-born daughter of Ulric and unite the kingdoms” he recited the oath I had heard a million times. Yet for once, it did not entail me “They are in love because it is meant to be, Sabastian is the rightful king to Pentshire” His face twisted in sadness.

I took a deep breath as everything fell into order in my mind. This was never my life to take. I placed the little black book into Lester’s palm “Give this to Sabastian” I commanded as I left the chamber, walking harder toward the shadowy abyss that was my cliffside, my true fate. To the Ravagers.