Grey (Part 3 - And A Darker Companion)

Staring at the map one last time to confirm his route, Grey folded it up and slid it into a pocket. He didn't really know where he would go after, but apparently Haven was the only town on this side of the huge wall of mountains that blocked the small area Grey was in from the main continent. The map showed only one pass through the mountains. He didn't think he would find anymore answers in Haven, so with a heavy heart he went about finding anything of use in the ruined houses. 1

By noon, he'd found nothing left in a usable condition that wasn't in the blacksmith's sturdy home. He'd wondered if this blacksmith might be his father, but it seemed easier to ignore that thought, since it was likely the blacksmith's bones were out there with the rest. For the first time, thoughts of revenge flitted through Grey's mind, and he wondered if he was capable of getting his revenge on something terrible enough to raze an entire town of people to the ground. Thinking about all the people that had been erased in an instant, he was pretty sure that if he ever found out who had been responsible for this, he would make them suffer horribly.2

Shaking his head, Grey caught himself pacing around the bedroom he'd apparently shared, and decided to use some of his nervous energy more constructively. Entering the small hallway, he finally found himself walking down to the other end, where he came to another sturdy door. This one wasn't locked, and he walked in slowly, a little uneasy. This room had beautiful weapons all over the walls, and even some odd pieces of armor. 3

'This is no good,' he thought, 'everything here's so big, and heavy.' He passed shining broadswords with longing eyes, knowing they would just weigh him down. Turning to look at some leather wristbands, he noticed a closed display case, the only one in the room. Opening it, his eyes shined and his lips curved up. 4

A small sword was set on a pedestal carved with odd shapes all over it. It had a simple, rust colored hilt, that looked warm to touch, with a cloudy transparent gem embedded in the guard. The blade was strangely designed, with a jagged, jig-saw like pattern on the dulled edge. The metal itself seemed to shimmer, sometimes appearing pure white, other times resembling a golden color. 5

He lost track of how long he simply stared at it, before deciding he was taking it. His arm tingled when he reached into the case to grab it, but then his hand was on it, and it was as warm as he'd thought. Pulling it out, he admired it, loving how the hilt felt almost like warm wood in his palm. 6

He felt a little better having something to defend himself with and, finding a dusty leather scabbard nearby, put the sword away and over his shoulder. He was pretty sure he wouldn't find much else, so he went back up the little ladder to the main house, where he'd stored the few things he could scavenge.7

He'd gathered a usable backpack, a couple of spare daggers, some spare clothes, and one of the wristbands he'd been looking at, which he promptly put on to cover his strange tattoo. Grey wasn't sure if other people would know what it was, or even if it was anything at all. He'd been sleeping after all, maybe he'd just seen it without noticing before he went to bed. Whatever the case, he thought it was best if he didn't attract too much attention.8

It didn't really feel very meaningful, leaving his hometown for the last time, the way he thought it would. All there was left of the town for him was more questions, and he felt even more confused than when he woke up. 9

He'd wasted more time than he meant to; the sun was setting again, and it was starting to get dark. Following the worn path, he walked quickly, hoping to make it to the mountain pass before it was too dark to find his way.10

He walked for close to two hours before the trees abruptly stopped and he saw his destination in the distance. Making sure his sword was covered by his cloak, he took up a quick, purposeful stride towards the open gate. 11

Two large men stood to either side of the entrance, and Grey wasn't sure if he was supposed to stop and talk to them. It was too late to come up with anything more solid, so he didn't slow his pace when he reached them, sweeping by without even a glance back. His ears told him they hadn't moved after him, and after a few seconds he couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped his lips.12

Beyond the gate was a small settlement, made up of a few randomly placed houses, a large pub and a couple of shops showing some basic traveling supplies. It seemed like a temporary home made permanent for some shady people who hadn't had anywhere left to go. It was a sad thought, but his thoughts were stuck on the pub he was staring at, unsure if he should bother going in.13

His hand drifted to his belt, touching the little pouch he'd attached as if to assure himself that it was, actually, there. He'd found it stuck under his pillow (it felt weird to think of it as his, when he barely recognized it), full of large cold coins. Grey had figured that they were either his, or somebody had left them there for him to find, so he'd tied it to his belt as he left.14

He was nervous to go in, with all the people gathered inside, but at the same time he desperately wanted to be around other people. There was this tiny idea sitting in the back of his mind, whispering that if he was just near them for a while, maybe he'd start remembering who he was, or even the people he'd grown up with.15

In the end it was his stomach that decided the issue, growling and reminding him that he couldn't remember the last time he'd had anything to eat.16

Opening the large door, he walked past the entrance and stopped, looking around. People were crowded around the bar, hassling the poor barmaid stuck serving them all. Straight ahead there were stairs leading upstairs, presumably to bedrooms, and to the left were all the tables. Spotting an empty one near a wall, he went and took it quickly, looking around to see if there was another barmaid waiting the tables.17

Seeing one across the room, he pulled his pouch out and opened it, but stopped dead when he felt a cold blade press against his throat. Stale breath hit his nose as a gruff voice muttered quietly in his ear, "Your money, boy, smooth and slow, or your life."18

Grey looked around wildly, but nobody seemed to be looking in his direction. Cursing under his breath, he handed the pouch to his side, letting the man take it from him. The blade only pressed tighter, and he felt a bolt of panic when it dawned on him that the man would probably kill him anyways. His sword was wedged under his cloak, between him and his attacker, and the man could easily finish him before he could reach one of his stashed daggers. Feeling the man's arm muscles tense, he closed his eyes, waiting for the sting of the cut, the stupid end to a useless endeavor.19

That end never came. As quickly as the man's muscles had tensed, they went slack again moments later, and the blade fell from his neck as he heard a heavy thud behind him.20

Spinning where he stood, Grey looked down to see a man as scruffy and dirty looking as his voice had implied, staring up at Grey from the floor in a puddle of his own blood. Seeing death for the first time in his memory made his stomach lurch, but Grey looked up to see another man standing over his attacker. 21

He wore a tight black shirt and pants, matching his jet-black hair and contrasting with his pale white skin, and while he didn't look much different from anyone else in the bar at first glance, Grey felt like this man was somehow different from everybody else, but couldn't figure out why he felt this way. It didn't take him long to notice the knife though, tucked between the man's fingers, still dripping with the dead man's blood. When Grey looked up to meet the man's eyes, he saw that they were as black as his hair and clothes. 22

The man gave the corpse a contemptuous look, muttering "trash," under his breath, before looking back up at Grey and flashing him a crooked grin. "Mind if I sit?" he asked, as if he hadn't just killed a man in front of a crowd of people. Grey looked at him stunned for a second, before he nodded, sitting down confused. As if in answer to his silent question, a huge man came from behind the bar and grabbed the dead man's arms, dragging the body out behind him.23

"What's your name?" the man asked, stretching and looking completely at home.24

"Grey."25

"I'm Bane," he said, shaking Grey's hand. Bane tossed something at him, and Grey caught it, not recognizing it for a second. It was his money pouch. "Feel like buying me a drink," Bane asked, with a slow smile that looked more genuine than the first, "I'd kill for a damned drink right now."