A single candle illuminated his face in the darkness.
He had pleasant features.
Soft blue eyes, fair skin, and silky brown hair...
No one ever expected... this...
He held his hand up, parallel to his chest.
He raised his other hand.
A quick glint of light momentarily lit up the cave.
He watched as the blade in his hand rose higher and higher...
And with one quick motion, he struck it into his palm, slicing open his hand.
For a moment, the pain seized control of his hand, causing it to shake violently.
He bit his lip and winced at the pain.
He could hear them coming.
Their determined march...
Dozens of villagers coming to take back the innocent child they once knew...
He had to hurry.
He leaned over the table before him, carelessly tossing his books aside.
He held his hand over a plain gold necklace with only one socket, devoid of any gems.
The blood ran down his palm and dripped clumsily onto the table.
Though he didn't have much time, he waited patiently until it fell into the necklace.
There were drawing closer...
Finally, a single drop of blood fell into the socket.
'It's almost complete...' he smiled.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps.
They had arrived.
Anxiously he reached beside him for the gem: an oval cut bloodstone.
"There he is!" a man's voice shouted from behind him.
He quickly turned to the voice.
It was Henry Maleb, Magistrate of Southshore.
Henry stared in remorse at the silhouette of the man.
"Helcular..." the Magistrate said under his breath, remembering the young, fresh-faced boy he once knew.
A crowd gathered at the entrance of the cave.
Everyone he'd known since birth was there.
Nat Pagle, Hal McAllister, Raleigh, Nathanos Marris, and Farmer Kent stood amongst the torches and pitchforks.
A beautiful young woman stepped forward from the crowd.
Tears streamed down from her hazel eyes.
"Helcular!" she cried out.
Helcular's eyes fell to the young brunette.
"Brigitte..." he mumbled.
"Why, Helcular?"
She closed her eyes and lowered her head in shame.
"Why are you doing this?"
Raleigh stepped out before her.
"Stay back, Brigitte!
He is no longer the man you knew...
He has given himself over to the Liches..."
Helcular glared out at the crowd.
He clutched the necklace and bloodstone in his hand.
"No one holds command over me," he said with a laugh.
"No man. No king. No Lich. No god!
My transformation is almost complete..."
"What is it you want from this?!" Brigitte cried.
Helcular regained his serious composure.
"Eternal life... in undeath.
What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal?
For ones who defy death?"
"You are selfish!" Raleigh interrupted.
"Defying nature for nothing more than... personal gain?!"
"You've been so brainwashed, you can't see it!
This is where true power lies!
Now, call your damnable hunt!
We shall see who I drag screaming into the icy clutches of undeath to serve under me!"
"Never!" Raleigh shouted in reply.
"We are here today to ensure the scourge never taints these innocent lands.
We, the citizens of Southshore, are a proud people.
We will not be defeated by one black sheep!
You... are no longer a citizen of Southshore!"
Helcular held the necklace up to the light.
"My phylactery is almost complete...
And once it is, my transformation will be complete.
I will no longer be bound by this curse of mortality..."
"We will never let you go through with this!"
Raleigh withdrew his blade from its sheath.
"Even if we must drag you out of this cave as nothing more than a corpse, we will never let you bring shame to yourself and all of Southshore like this!"
His grip tightened on the necklace.
"When I am done, there will be no town left to be a citizen of!" Helcular cackled.
The crowd pointed their pitchforks and prepared to charge.
"Citizens of Southshore," Raleigh commanded, "ATTACK!"
Farmer Kent charged out from the crowd toward Helcular, his pitchfork aimed for his chest.
Helcular jumped to the side, barely avoiding the rusty pitchfork.
The farmer staggered past him.
Helcular raised his arm and jammed his elbow deep into the farmer's back, forcing him to the ground.
"You will be the first of many..." Helcular smiled.
He turned back to the mob.
Many more began rushing toward him.
He couldn't possibly take all of them, but he would take as many as he could with him...
Another rusty pitchfork thrusted toward him.
It pierced his shoulder and cut him deeply along his arm.
He let out a cry of agony as he fell to his knees.
The pitchfork twisted and turned inside his arm, making the wound more and more painful.
He grabbed the wooden shaft with his other hand and pulled it out, pushing back the person holding it.
He stood, the phylactery still in his grasp.
Before he could react, something - likely a shovel - struck him across the face.
He fell back to his knees.
He was held up by someone on each arm.
A man stood before him holding a pitchfork aimed at his chest.
"You have disgraced us, Helcular.
Your family, your friends...
We are doing this... for your own good."
He stared out at the mob before him.
His vision was blurry, and the faces of those he knew and loved were washed away in his daze.
As he scoured the the faces of the crowd, something familiar caught his eye....
It was barely visible in the darkness of the cave.
A figure, cloaked in black, stood amongst the mob.
Its hood obscured its face from view.
'You... this is all... because of you...'
The thought echoed inside him. 'It all started... that day...'
It was a bright morning.
The sun was just rising into its position over the endless fields of corn and cabbage.
Helcular laid lazily in his bed.
His pillow covered his face from the sunlight shining through the window.
Suddenly he felt an immense weight on his stomach.
He let out a grunt and forced his eyes open.
Seconds later, his pillow was ripped from his face, blinding him with the sun's harsh glare.
The sunlight was blidning, he closed his eyes and covered them with his hand, moaning as he tried to turn around, however he coulden't.
He removed his hand, the light was still blinding, however he still had a hard time seeing.
He took his other hand and pushed the pest off the bed.
There was a thud.
He turned his head toward the side of the bed, noticing his little brother on the floor, looking at him.
He spoke, with a yawn almost interupting.
What is it.... Telcular?
Helcular moaned.
He shook his head, throwing the frog away toward the bookcase.
He sat up, looking at the frog who now was jumping around in the little house.
Did nat get it for you?
He stretched, a few cracks could be heard as he looked out the window, geting used to the bright light.
Helcular sighted.
Rubbing his eyes with his hand and stood up.
He looked at his brothers hands, hearing the frog traped inside.
Just...throw it away later..
He walked past his brother, and took his clothes that was lying on a chair, and put them on.
He stretched yet again, and looked back toward him
How long have you been awake?
Helcular looked at his brother on the floor.
He wasen't as big fan of fishing as he was, but hanging around with two fishermen most of the day would prolly do that..
He took another look out the window, he could hear the birds outside.
No..i..think i'll go to the inn for a moment..
Helcular sighted.
Fine..
He turned toward Telcular, then shifted his gaze toward the frog.
But throw away that frog first.
A few moments of fishing coulden't hurt..
Helcular sighted as he grabbed the two fishing poles, both were Telculars.
He walked out of the house, seeing Telcular chasing the frog who was on it's way back toward the water, how it knew they way back was uncertain for him.
He walked toward the docks, keeping a close eye on Telcular who was still chasing the frog...
The town was rather peaceful as always, Nat and his friend was as always siting and fishing, Sally and Herod was chasing eachother like every single day, how they were still enjoying it he was also unsure of..
As Helcular passed, Magistrate Maleb and Commander Mograine could be heard talking as they exited the Town Hall.
"Any word back from Abbendis?"
The Magistrate stopped at the stairs out of the Town Hall.
"We've recieved reports that he should be entering town soon.
Hopefully by tomorrow, if conditions provide..."
"Good, have the innkeeper prepare a room for him," Mograine nodded.
"And his daughter, might I add!" the Magistrate smiled.
Helcular kept walking toward the docks.
He saw Telcular look into the water, the frog was long gone, however he woulden't give up... persistent little guy...
He halted as Sally and Herod ran past him, he looked toward them and wondered how they could keep running all the time..
He started to walk again.. and then he started to think..
All the girls here are too young or too old... that man did mention something about a daughter.. wonder how old she could be.. wond..
His thoughts were interupted as Sally ran into him.
Move it ugly!
Before he could say anything, she ran away, Herod running shortly after her.
He shook his head and sighted as he began to walk toward the docks yet again..
All in all, it was your average, peaceful morning in Southshore.
The sun was shining brightly.
The birds were chirping as usual.
The kids were out playing, and the farmers hard at work.
But, perhaps today was not as ordinary as it seemed...
On the dock, Nat was preparing a small boat to go fishing with.
He stood and stretched.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a young man coming towards the dock.
"Well, well, if it isn't Helcular..." he laughed.
"You coming to join us out on the water this mornin'?"
Helcular smiled.
Nat was an ok fella, just that he wasted too much time fishing.
He turned his head toward Telcular, who now was running toward them.
Apperently i am
He turned his head back toward Nat, and saw Hal still siting and fishing.
Is he not coming with?
Never said i did
He said, puting one of the fishing rods in Telculars hands.
He took a few stepps, then jumped into the boat, it started to shake from his weight, but he managed to keep it in control.
He turned his head toward the two of them.
Shall we?
Telcular jumped in after his brother.
Amazingly, the boat didn't tip.
"Ahh, I wish I had the energy of you two youngsters," Nat sighed, walking carefully onto the boat.
He pushed the boat away from the dock and they set out into the water.
You shoulda seen it yesterday!
I caught one this big!
Telcular held his hands up about a foot apart from eachother. Didn't I, Nat?
Nat couldn't help but to laugh at the youngster.
"It was a biggin', lemme tell ya..."
He reached over and patted little Telcular on the head.
"Maybe if you concentrate, you can catch one twice as big today."
Helcular sighted, he tries to pretend to be intrested, but it didn't go very well.
He looked out over the sea, he didn't have much to do this day, however he didn't plan on wasting it on fishing..
He took a quick look on the fishing pole... a relaxing day might be handy... so can atleast try to enjoy it..
M+ Dreaming Hero Title -- Updated April 16
M+ Dreaming Hero Title -- Updated 16 April
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