The Protagonist: Part 1

From my bedroom window, I watched as a horde of gray clouds crept across the sky. I waited with bated breath to witness the exact moment that the light left the world.

From the second floor of the manor, my room overlooked the garden and the sprawling green field beyond it.

Out on the grass, a boy and a girl chased each other around as a butler and maid watched. The sight of them made me yearn to be outside and join them. To run and play.

I squeezed at the empty right sleeve of my dress shirt, and a deep anger welled up inside me. I then looked down at the garden, and a couple sat at the patio table. There sat the source of my hatred.

I couldn’t see the young man’s face because it was curtained behind long black hair. He was reading a book, but the idiot probably couldn’t even see through that mop he calls a hairstyle.

Then looking at the beautiful maid who sat by his side, content and knitting, made my blood boil even more. I was ashamed to feel jealousy for that bastard. She should be at my side. I was the one who needed comforting, not him—the one who took everything from me!

The burns below my face and around my missing arm began to sear with pain. I hated Revian! I hated this cursed life! I hated this world!

Then, I was filled with a dark glee as the kids stopped running around, and the couple looked up to the sky as the clouds blocked out the sun, and deprived the world of that horrid sunlight.

- 

A golden haired young man wearing a green coat, rode into Amberill with a golden maned horse with a white coat.

Victor arrived just as the clouds blocked out the sun. The locals greeted him, and helped guide him to the Ember Estate.

The local garrison seemed well-equipped, and the buildings were humble while still giving the air of affluence. He rode across town, then down a long path that cut through some woods. In the clearing there was a tall black fenced gate, where an extravagant white manor lay beyond.

On the gates was the family emblem. On the shield, a silver lance pierced the heart of a snarling dragon.

A servant caught sight of him, and rushed to get someone.

Victor got off his horse and began writing in his tome. As he finished writing, the main door swung open and two servants, a broad-shouldered butler and a maid, emerged flanking a noblewoman.

“Greetings!” Victor said. “Am I right to assume this is the Ember Estate?”

“You would be. I’m Carissa Malta, the head mistress.” She curtsied. She was a straight-backed, middle-aged woman, perhaps in her late thirties, early forties.

“I’m Victor Troika, a scholar and arcanist.” Victor bowed then rose with a troubled look. “I’m sorry to say that I bear bad news.”

“I see. Tholm, please open the gate.”

The tall servant went ahead and opened the gate. Once they were face to face, Victor continued.

“A knight by the name of Sir Baylor was to deliver a package to Enderan Ember.”

“The Boar Knight?” Tholm asked.

“We know Sir Baylor. He is a friend of ours.” She gave him a weary look. “What happened to him?”

“A week ago, I had the pleasure of meeting him on the road. He shared his fire with me.” Victor paused, his gaze dropping to the ground. “Later that night, we were attacked by a skin stalker.”

Carissa and Tholm paled, while a maid gasped.

“Sir Baylor fought back the infernal creature and protected me, but he sustained a mortal wound during the fight. However, before I could see to his wounds, we realized it wasn’t the only Skin Stalker out there.”

“Where did this happen?”

“Far west, in Spine Valley. We hadn’t known the dangers that resided there.”

“They should have forbidden travelers from going there ages ago!” Tholm said. “Skin stalkers have reportedly been seen there recently.”

The maid seemed lost. “What exactly is a Skin Stalker?”

“It’s more demon than monster,” Victor said, his voice low. “They are clawed, bony things that inhabit the bodies of men and mimic human behavior. They do it badly, but in the dark wilderness, they can get close enough. That’s how I almost died.” He shuddered. “Up close, it looked like a skeleton that had outgrown its own flesh.”

The curious maid grimaced. 

“He gave me this letter and package, with the instructions that they be delivered to the Ember Estate in Amberill.”

“Please tell us, do you know what became of Sir Baylor?”

“I don’t know. I want to remain optimistic, but…” He watched their faces. “The day after the attack I ran into a party of Slayers and I pleaded with them to find him, or at the very least avenge his death. They were griffin-ranked, but even then they were still reluctant.”

“I don’t blame them. Mr. Troika, a colony of skin stalkers requires a large cohort or at least a wyvern-ranked slayer.” He shook his head in sympathy.

“Tholm is a veteran slayer. Griffin-ranked. So if he says that it’s this dangerous…” Carissa paused. “Poor Baylor. Did you send word to the capital of his disappearance?”

“I did. The second I got to the next town I wrote a letter and looked for the closest slayer guild to report the encounter.”

Carissa and Tholm nodded.

“It doesn’t feel right. Baylor should be given a proper burial. He was and still is a great hero. He deserved so much better than to die saving my life.” Victor’s lip trembled, and his eyes watered.

Carissa stepped up to him, and touched his arm. “Sir Baylor had sworn to protect good people like you from monsters. It’s a sad but fitting end for a knight. And who knows, maybe he’s still out there. No matter how small a hope that is. If I had learned anything while running the Ember Estate, it is to never lose hope.”

Suddenly, he felt genuine tears form in his eyes.

Victor had based Carissa off his real aunt of the same name. Her concern for him caused memories of his family to resurface, and it was one of the rare times he missed his home world.

He clung to the sharp edge of that longing, letting emotion well up until perfectly timed tears fell as he sniffled.

“Mr. Troika…” Carissa said. “Please come inside and rest. You can leave the delivery of Baylor’s package to us.”

Victor wiped the corners of his eyes. “Wait, before he died, he requested that I tell Enderan something as I make the delivery.”