Nyx: Remnants of the Ashen Blood Chapter 4: Sunken Eclipse

BY Hardikkumar Joshi PUBLISHED Mar 02, 2023

At dawn the next day, the sun’s rays streamed in through the splintered wood.

It warmed Mark’s face. He scratched his neck. The floor was beneath him. He stretched his numb legs. Besides the bed, there was a row of racks of the rare items that he had collected while hunting.

His most prized possession was a boar’s head that he never got tired of looking at while others were strange plants that glowed all day, fangs of a creature that was too sharp but yet so strong that it could not even be broken by a metal hammer. His bow and knife were put on the nightstand.

He pulled at his sleeves, changed the bandages and sat looking at the dresser, thinking. Something was special today.

Then he remembered that it was her sister’s birthday. Not his twin, but his cousin's sister Julia’s birthday. It was these days when Uncle Grovan and Aunt Selena had come back from a long trip back and announced that Aunt was pregnant.

She had almost died delivering the baby but was saved by a miracle and so his younger cousin, sister Julia, had been born. This was a time to celebrate, and he still had two days for the meet, so this would be a great time to surprise her and make her happy. As a gift, he decided to buy a necklace of pearls, as she was quite fond of jewellery.

He went to the nightstand and then outside where he splashed his face and, with renewed strength, started packing his belongings as he had to refill provisions for the upcoming winter. This was the best time as the traders had arrived, although with trappers too, so it was best to buy the goods early and then hunt for meat before the group of trappers reached the village. He kept a whole year’s money in the pouch.

He looked at the stone, unsure of taking it. He was not going to return for at least 6 days or so. So, he decided he might keep the stone as well. Mark carefully slung his bow over his shoulder, his quiver of arrows packed into the sackcloth.

Mark kept the box and the stone in his bag after hiding his knife in his belt. He carefully looked around for anything and took the cups of his sister too, as well as his mother’s necklace and the crate of his father that he had sworn he would never open again.

After replenishing his buckskins and more of his hunting equipment, especially the vials of the red liquid, he left through the door and locked it. He stared into the village, as they were too far into the distance. Keeping a slow pace, he descended and passed by the river and then onto the main road to Dolandor Vare.

The trees ruffled softly with a breezy wind ruffled through his clothes. He wore long furred robes, linen and woollen trousers, and a piece of clothing on his legs and on his mouth to conceal his face. He was wondering about the mysterious woman in the forest.

She had been a powerful creature to fight. She could have easily killed her if not for her mindless behaviour. That would have to be thought later, but for now, I must focus on not getting caught by the soldiers, he thought.