I hate it here. We used to serve a great purpose up North. We watched the Watchers. Everyday might have been dull, staring at those colourless peaks. But at least we were doing something meaningful. At least, we were not cowards like we are these days.
“Guard Garrenborough with your life. The Dead will rise again.” Such were Lady Olivia’s commands. Yet, I’ve seen no traces of death in this town. What a boring job.
I will not believe what the people are saying until I see it with my own eyes. Really? The Dead has risen again? Hah, what a joke.
Even if it’s true. Lady Olivia had trained us our whole lives for this. She will lead the Living, just as she had led the Arenthian Hunters. She will protect all of us. Of that I’m sure!
She told us many times to never despair. But I can feel my hope faltering every day. A moon after they departed, the sky darkened and the screeching began. When we were still living up in the mountains, I heard something similar. The sound of the Watchers. But the Watchers flew up above, sounding distant and unreachable. The corpses are walking and crawling right before our eyes. Their voices send shivers down my spine.
She told me to be prepared, but I didn’t expect it to really happen. The Dead truly has risen again.
I had never felt this much terror in my life. I had never felt so hopeless. And it wasn’t just me. The whole town was screaming in terror. They despaired and I could sense the Dead growing stronger. Three hours after the screeching began, I was certain we were done for. For losing hope like that, I am sorry that I couldn’t live up to your expectations, Lady Olivia. I was terrified.
But someone stood for us. A kid, standing alone with a glowing sword. Seeing him restored my hope, as if I’d witnessed that the Angels had once again descended to save us. The townsfolk called him a Saint. Behind his majesty, the whole town fought with him.
No falcons. I have not heard from Lady Olivia’s troops since they marched with the White Prophet. The White Prophet promised victory for all Living. I’m not sure what he told Lady Olivia but it had convinced her to bring a team to march into Verdania. But with the Dead now roaming the Great Plains, I’m not too sure if he has succeeded. It has been six moons. They can’t be gone, can they?
Too many sleepless nights. I must depart to find them. Somewhere out there, they are still alive. Of that I’m sure. After all, we are Arenthian Hunters. We hunt the Dead.
If only the others believe me.
“Xerith, open your eyes.”
“Xerith, they’re dead.”
What about our oath? What about never despairing?
I’ve packed for my voyage. I have my rifle with me. Bronze bullets enough to kill all the Watchers in that damned mountain. Not even the entire Verdanii army can face that much firepower. I’m going to Verdania. I’ll take down the entire Verdanii army if I have to. No knights can stand against me.
I left a message for the pack. If I tell them in person that I’m leaving Garrenborough, I’m sure they’ll try to stop me. I can’t risk that. I need to save Lady Olivia.
To Captain Verena, Dante, Coriel and Marten
I am leaving Garrenborough. I tried to convince you to join me, but you’ve made it very clear that you are not interested. Writing this letter, I don’t know if I should be angry or sad. I think I’m just disappointed. Have you forgotten your oaths?
Garren Gate, then the trails by Ubélvein River. The path the knights took when they marched against the Southern Nations. I’m going straight to Verdania. I’ll wait for you for seven days in the villages by Shadow. If you value your oath, find me. If you don’t… then perhaps I won’t see you ever again.
I’ll find Lady Olivia and I’ll bring her back.
With hope,
Xerith
Today’s kill:
- 15 Dead Crawlers
- 3 Living Bones
I saw a rotting hulk. Those guys might be huge, but they’re as dumb as the crawlers. The bones are trickier to deal with. They’re like a sentient cousin of the crawlers. To deal with the bones, I must kill them from afar. Once they swarm, or if one got behind my back. I’m done for.
I could probably do a service to the Living by killing that hulk. But that would waste a handful of bullets. If I’m more accurate with my rifle, I think I could kill it with one shot straight to its skull. Lady Olivia would have landed that shot. She placed bullets to skulls from distances no Living could imagine. But I’m not Lady Olivia and I’ll never be.
Fun thoughts: Sometimes I imagine how devastating the hulks could be if someone could command them. Just imagine their sheer strength as they smashed through the walls of Garrenborough. They would be the perfect siege weapon.
What am I thinking? This is just a bored hunter’s fantasy. That will never happen.
Today’s kill:
- 7 Dead Walkers
- 1 Festering Boar
It’s intriguing to see how the Dead suddenly react with my presence. When I observed from afar, they stood idly as if waiting for a command. But as soon as I approached, they twitched and growled and then they screeched. I had to destroy seven to escape.
It almost felt like the Dead are only waiting for a wandering Living. Almost as if they are commanded to only attack a Living. Again, that sounds absurd. If the Dead is exactly as written in the Arenthian scrolls, then they will be attacking anything in sight. Relentless and thoughtless.
From what I observe, however, the Dead are not interested in animals. There are still rabbits and boars running about the Great Plains. They are a good source of food.
But uh… eating them was not as easy during these dark days.
Last night, for instance, I feasted. A boar came running about, and I killed it with a well-placed shot. Carved some of its belly and roasted it over fire. And as I was about to have my first bite. The boar’s remains moved and rose, its guts hanging from the hole I’ve made when I carved it. That was my first time seeing a Dead being made, and it was very close to getting me. I grabbed my rifle and fired three bronze bullets down its skull. That seemed to have stopped it.
I need to be more careful in the future. Maybe, I should just stick to rabbits.
It’s been a while since I wrote an entry. For many nights, I’ve failed to find one peaceful enough for me to settle down and write. I’m halfway to Verdania at this point… I think. I’m not too sure. All I could measure are the days I’ve spent travelling horseback and it has been ten days since I’ve left Garrenborough.
I’ve lost track of how many of the Dead I’ve killed. I still have a pouch full of bronze bullets with me, and I couldn’t imagine what I would do without it. The journey’s still long and I’m going to have to conserve them. I have to choose the things I kill.
Ghosts sometimes fleet in the distance. I’m not too sure what to make of them. They are different from the corpses and skeletons. We don’t have records of them written in Arenthian scrolls and there could only be an explanation for that. These ghosts were a new breed of the Dead. We don’t know if they’re as dangerous as the others. For now, however, they’ve been alright. I’m not going to disturb them, and I’ll hope they don’t mess with me either.
The further I go north, the more worried I become. Throughout my travels, I have seen not a single Living. There are no merchant carts along the trails. No Verdanii knights. Even the Dead’s numbers seemed to dwindle as I ride closer to Verdania.
I wonder if West Morbidia is experiencing the same thing. Maybe the city of Deran is still standing strong. Maybe there are still Livings out there, hiding behind their walls just like the Garrenfolks do. And I only hope that there are still Arenthian Hunters to protect them. I miss Caer Arenth. I just wish things would go back to what it once was. Before the war. Before the White Prophet. When Lord Damon still ruled over Caer Arenth. When we were still watchers of the Watchers.
Speaking of the north, I can see the tip of the Blackened Peak now. That damned mountain… I can feel its influence getting stronger every day. The sigil of the jagged sword is spreading throughout the land. How long will it take until darkness breaches Garrenborough? How long will that Saint endure?
I’m beginning to believe what my brethren said about this place. If no Living Verdanii Knights exist this far north, what are the chances that the White Prophet’s followers survived? What are the chances that Lady Olivia survived?
Still, I travel to follow my oath. Until I see her corpse with my own eyes, I refuse to believe that she has perished. I remember my oath.
I am the light that reveals the path. My light fades when I lose faith. I must not lose faith.
I am the armour that guards the Living. My armour dents when I am afraid. I must not be afraid.
I am the sword that vanquishes the Dead. My sword chips when I despair. I will never despair.
Never again.
Bereth died today. I didn’t expect seven living bones to appear out of nowhere when I was asleep. Maybe they have had me in their sights for while now, stalking from afar. He fought valiantly with me before a pitchfork pierced his belly. I burned his body after I was done with the living bones. I didn’t want him to turn into one of them. I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing him running across the Great Plains with a rotting body. Riderless.
I must now continue my journey on foot. It shouldn’t take me long now. A day’s walk and I should reach the villages. Haha. Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe now… Captain Verena can catch up.
Shadow. What a stupid name. They called the lake Shadow because it is under the shadow of Verdania. The damned kingdom used to literally float above it, hovering in the sky. The kingdom itself is a testament to the Verdanii were chosen by the Angels. Southerners came up with the lake’s name first and somehow it stuck with the rest of Morbidians.
Now, I find it ironic how fitting the name has become.
Verdania has fallen. I see its ruin right before my eyes. A shadow of its former glory.
Its majestic bronze walls had crumbled. The spires have begun to corrode and rust. Its gates were wide open, gaping and welcoming. Aye… I find it really tempting to walk through it right now. But I promised Captain Verena that I’ll wait in the nearby village for seven days. Today marks day one.
Day 2 waiting for Captain Verena. I am hopeful that she’ll come. I’m starting to feel that I can’t venture into the Verdanii ruins alone. There are too many dark corners for the Dead to ambush from. I don’t know if I can cover all of them.
Oh and I’m certain that the Dead are in Verdania. I hear them screeching just like any of the other corpses and skeletons near Garrenborough. There’s more though. A roar filled with uncontrolled rage. A bellow. It sounds like they are in a lot of pain. I still hear pleas of mercy accompanying those roars. I think there are still Living deep inside Verdania fighting for survival. They are still alive somehow. Maybe Lady Olivia is protecting them. Or maybe it is only my imagination. Angels… I think I’m going insane.
Sleeping is hard with those bellows bombarding my ears. After they stop, it echoes in my memory. I can’t get the voices out.
What in the realm was that? I almost died.
Took half of my remaining bronze bullets to take that beast down. They were more like a Living and they were Dead. It wore clothes… Verdanii clothes with their fancy suits and waistcoats. But hair was all over its face. Maybe fur is a more appropriate term. And those claws and fangs were more of a wolf than one of man. I took a brief look into its bloodshot eyes. I could’ve sworn that it was crying blood.
It was strong and fast just like the Watchers. It fought with some skill and tenacity. It was definitely smarter than the skeletons. They were as smart as any Living and they were accustomed to the weapons of the Verdanii. It knew to dodge my bullets and it knew to take cover behind the decaying houses around the village. It knew my rifle could kill it. I had to resort to traps. Things that the beast couldn’t see. Thank the Angels that bronze still killed it.
And it was angry. Just… angry… for reasons beyond my comprehension. All it wanted was to destroy. All it wanted was to tear me apart limb from limb. Well… it was almost successful, and the damage it dealt was pretty bad.
My ribs are broken and my right ankle is twisted. I don’t think I’ll be leaving this village anytime soon. I need to lay low. I need to hide in case more of those beasts come.
I saved some malasence for emergencies. It was only enough to get my ribs fixed. There were several broken branches for splints. It should hold my ankle for a while.
I’m beginning to question my decisions. Why did I ever leave Garrenborough in the first place? There is no way that Lady Olivia would survive. How can one woman survive an entire horde of cursed beasts? Verdania is lost.
Survive. Yes. Survive. That’s all I can do now. Until Captain Verena comes. If she comes.
Please… Please come Captain Verena…
I had the weirdest dream last night. Though, I find it the best dream I’ve had since I departed Garrenborough. I could use a break from the nightmares. All the monsters, ghosts and skeletons. There were none of that last night.
Last night, I saw a woman. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. More beautiful than even Lady Olivia. She was wearing a red dress. Or was it more like burgundy? Yes… yes it was definitely burgundy. Angels help me, even as I am writing this entry, I can’t get her beautiful eyes off my mind. I’m sure I have never seen her before, but her smile felt familiar.
This might be embarrassing to write but… my stomach is fluttering and it hasn’t fluttered like this since I went out with Lady Olivia five years ago. I could swear I hear her voice, speaking directly into my head. She called my name in the most tantalising way. And she’d say something that made me blush and got me warm between my legs. My head’s spinning. I didn’t want to smile, but I keep smiling into the ruins like a madman.
Am I going insane? Is it loneliness? Am I just missing the warmth of the Living?
Oh no… Now I’m starting to smell something nice. Is it rose? It can’t be rose? Not right beside the ruins of a fallen kingdom. Not in the middle of a place of death.
I think I remembered something. A conversation between two Verdanii merchants that travelled to Deran a few years ago. They talked about the princess of Verdania being the most beautiful woman in the world. Has the princess been talking to me? Perhaps her spirit haunts this place. If it truly is the princess, and what the White Prophet preached is true, then wouldn’t I be in trouble?
Her voice cajoled me once again, telling me things she would do to me. All the nice things. All the respite for this weary body. Ah… it all sounded great.
If I follow her voice, she promised me that I will no longer be alone.
I don’t want to die here alone.
Come, I’ll take care of your wounds. I am here for you. Won’t you be here for me?
Her voice won’t leave my head.
Join me in paradise. Forever.
I have to go. I have to find that beautiful voice that makes my heart go wild. I can’t take it any more. I want to see her.
My friends, in case you need to find me, I’m leaving this journal here for a note. Find me in paradise.