《Revenants in the Mist》


 Ch.1 Always Watching 1

    Three wooden carts wheeled upan ice and dirt path, their tops covered with white tarps showing the outlines of bits and edges. Snow crunched underfoot as horses heaved and wagons screeched, melt trickled and men popsicles.


    Those atop the carts wore feathered caps and bright coloured coats, ever so often tugging on the reins when a horse strayed. Merchants never like to waste time, so in the meanwhile they corrected accounts, exchanged information, planned future propositions, etc. The ones whotrudged alongside the caravan preferred practicality to posturing, clad in varieties of leather armours and padded overcoats. They let their sheathes do the talking.


    Ernin blew clouds of mist into the air,swirling and tumbling until it dissipated. He squinted. No matter where he looked, the sun always caught his eye. Light glanced off from surfaces of snowon the ground and the hills and the trees. In an attempt to protest his lack of privacy, heshaded his eyes with flattened palms.


    However, one does not simply become invisible if they cannot see the other.


    One of the merchants, a pot bellied man with face red from chill or drink, took one look at Ernin andchuckled.


    "See something interesting? You''ve been staring for a while now." He asked.


    Erninshivered, straightening up to present some order of discipline.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "N-no sir, nothing really. I''m just.. taking it all in."


    The pudgy merchant raised one eyebrow, then nodded in understanding. Craning his head towards the snowcapped peaks, he tipped his hat slightly.


    "Aye, I was like that too on my first trip. Something about the mountains that just brings out awe. Somethinglarger than yourself."


    Indeed. Hundreds of years may pass yet the mountains will last, witness to countless travels, countless conflicts. Old folk tales say mountainsare the gateway to the afterlife.


    "Human troubles seem insignificant in the eyes of the mountain."


    The merchant paused to think of a response. "Best to deal with troubles of your own scale." Heanswered after some time, taking out an iron canteen. "To drink or not to drink..." He held it out to Ernin.


    "No thanks sir." said Ernin. "Don''t wanna get into the habit of drinking on the job."


    "You sure? I don''t mind." He laughed. "It''s good to get familiar with new folks. Especially folks who might be the only thing between me and a blade to the gut."


    "Even more reason to wait, how well you think I could defend you piss drunk?"


    He paused, seriouslypondering the question. "Ha! Convinced me then. I''ll buy you a pint when we get to town." He said.Taking a swig, he sighed with content.


    He''ddrunk sloppily, on closer glance wet patches stained the merchants fancy garments.


    Ernin did not like the prospect of chaperoning a fat drunk, but money was money. He''d barely had enough for warm boots. It also wouldn''t hurt to ''get familiar'', reputation travelled far. A good word leads to better jobs and better pay.


    "What was your name again, sir?" Ernin asked.


    "It''s Mister Bruwen to you, or just sir.Don''t use both though, I hate it when people call me ''Sir Bruwen''."

 Always Watching 2

    The roads started to curve, following the shape of the mountains. They eventually nestled rightalong a long and bare rock face.Nets had been placed above the road, alongwith signs warning of falling rocks.


    They continued on until along shadow cast itself along the caravan, rays of sunshine occasionally marking sillouhetes of trees and rock. It was getting late.


    The merchant in the front cart yelled out.


    "Only a distance away until we reach the shrine! Keep up, laggards!" He joked. The other merchants and several other guards cried in indignation. "Just because you''re first..." "Get outta that seat before you call us laggards!"


    Ernin looked out, a large drop before him. They had made some elevation, more nets extended over another road.


    "Be careful not to slip." Bruwen said atop his cart.


    "Aye."


    Ernin looked in front, continuing his walk.


    The caravan looped around once more until they reached a large stone pillar on the side of the road. Carved on the pillar were strange symbols, etched in the stone rather crudely. Aheadof that was an extended plateau of bare stone seemingly cut into the very side of the mountain, an unlit campfire in the middle. At the back, another set of rocks were piled together in the shape of a person, offerings of food, coins, and personal belongings placed before it.


    Wagons were directed to the back beside each other, the horses tied and led to one corner. The merchant in front called for everyones attention while men started to bring wood to the pit.


    "We''ll be resting here for tonight as planned. I have with me the nightwatch assignments, so take a look. Wake up the next in line when your shift is finished."


    Men flocked around the merchant while he called out names. Ernin, somewhat unluckily, had his shift right in the middle of the night.


    One of the guards took wooden planks off the back of one of the wagons, stacking them into a lattice of firewood.


    The third merchant carefully placed bits of cloth underneath the wooden structure. He then produced a pouch, obtaining some sort of strip that smelled of alchemical compounds. Striking a nearby boulder, the strip erupted withcobalt fire. The merchant made a show of throwing it into the pit as if he was some almighty wizard smiting a peasants home.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The house went up in smoke, flames turning to warm yellow.


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    Steps on the opposite side of the roadalerted the camp to company. A group of 6 carrying large bags, 4 adults, 2 little ones. They dressed in northern fashion, thickcloaks padded with fursthatdrooped to their knees.


    "Hail." the foremost one said in a tired voice. A woman, face worn by the winds."Might we sup with you for tonight?"


    The first merchant smiled and waved away some of the guards by the fire.


    "Come sit!" He said, gesturing them down. "The roads are dangerous these days, it''s rare to see a small group like yourselves risk travel."


    The strangers sat down, unrolling a small cloth underneath the ground. Three woman fully grown, one man using his spear as a walking stick, and 2 children, a boy and a girl.


    The first merchant gave Bruwen a look.


    "Ernin, why don''t youfeed the horses with me?" Bruwen asked. "We still need some more people...You, lad. I''ve seen you eyeing them, want to help?"


    The boy in question had his eyes on the three horses in the back. "If we had a horse we wouldn''t have to walkso much." He muttered.


    One of the woman holding the girl whispered in her ear, then sent her off with a smile. "Go help dearie, dinner will be ready soon."


    "Okay!" the girl replied.


    Both of the children looked in awe as Bruwen showed them a bright red apple.


    "I got these from the valley on the other side of the mountains. Buttercup loves these."


    Buttercup being his cart horse, chained to a wooden stake.


    "Wow! So pretty!" giggled one of the children, a girl. "Can I try?"


    "Aye, It''s dinnertime for Buttercup too, go ahead, he deserves a treat."


    The girl stuck her hand under Buttercup''s mouth, wherein the horse plucked the apple and chewed it whole.


    "It tickles!''


    The other child, a boy, looked at his sister expressionlessly. Bruwen came up to the boy and offered an apple.


    "Want to try?"


    "..no thank you."


    "Cmon. He won''t bite! I trained him too well for that. You know about the carrot and the stick? He knows what''ll happen if he disobeys me."


    One of the guards piped in. "The kid''s probably more scared of you than the horse."


    "How? I''m jolly and old, what could you possible be scared of?"


    Handing the boy an apple, Bruwen pushed him closer to Buttercup. The boy stared for a bit until finally holding out his palm, apple in tow. The old mare graciously accepted, giving a final lick on the wrist.


    "See? Harmless."


    Bruwen turned to Ernin looking in the distance. "You too." He said, apple in hand.


    Ernin didn''t respond at first, too busy focusing his attention towards the conversation by the pit.


    "They terrorize the living, covet what they cannot have. Monsters they are." Said the first stranger.


    "Wecouldn''t wait no longer." said theman. "None of the big caravans dare venture out of the town, wanted more ''security'' they said."


    "Our family home... vanished in the mist, it was. By men in horrible masks."a third spoke, an old and wrinkled woman.


    "Masks?" asked the merchant.


    "Faces with exaggerated smiles, almost mocking. I''ll never forget it."


    "When we brought up our situation to the mayor, you know what the bastard said? Wedeserved it! In his own words, we ''angered the spirits!'' I couldn''t take that bullshit any longer. So what if we end up dead, at least we''re no cowards." Fumed the fourth.


    "Where do you plan to go?''


    "Our relatives, down in Alders Ridge. Hoping to stay there until we can get on our feet again, if not then at least our children."


    Ernin responded to Bruwen. "Okay."


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