Dark Beginnings - Chapter One

A shrill cackle echoed faintly in Thyrion's ear. In response he shot up from his makeshift bed roll, placing down his drawing pencil and book on the cold subterrean cave floor, amongst the damp and the moss. Pulling his satchel across his waist, which contained his journal, a quill and a small portable inkpot, with a tiny cap to prevent its contents from spilling. Heaving his backpack onto his shoulder and sheathing his longsword he headed for the door. He paused contemplating whether he should take his greatsword, the silver-black blade glinting in the flame's flickering light. The runes crafted into sword's blade glowing a mystical azure.

He shook his head, it would just weigh him down. Removing a torch from its bracket he stumbled along the tiny, decrepit tunnel, haunched over so not to hit his head on the low ceiling. The nightmarish cackle rung once again in Thyrion's ears, louder, closer and more distinct.

Stepping out into a small cavern, Thyrion was allowed to stand up and stretch. The whispers in his head grew more ardent as he approached the scource of the sound. Giant stalactites hung from the ceiling and a tiny river trickled somewhere in the black void that lay beyond his torch's yellow glow.

"Turn back, boy. I told you to leave." Breathed the ghastly voice in his head. There was only one voice now, the others had diminished with Thyrion's lack of response to their barbaric suggestions.

"Fuck off, If you leave me be I will leave once I've explored. You know, that your the only one who can stop this."

"You will not succeed, If you continue boy, I will be forced to kill you, or better yet... possession. All that dark magic... All the potential coarsing through your viens... Make the choice boy."

"Can you stop addressing me as-" A high pitch screech made him jolt. The sound erupted only a meter away from him and made his head throb as the sound vibrated and reflected. As he leapt backwards, Thyrion drew his sword. Only a fraction away from his face a black, grotesque shadow tore through the dusty, damp air.

Several more alien screams rippled through the darkness. Thyrion dropped the torch and regretted not bringing his sheild with him. One of the shadows' face slipped into the light, exposing its repugnent face; its slit of a nose and its immense eyes. A puffed out, large chest, yet its ribs were still clearly evident, buldging out it its pale, pigmented skin. It was about the same height of Thyrion if not bigger. Its arms and legs were nothing more than bony spindly twigs but they heralded salient razor sharp claws and talons.

Two more wandered into Thyrion's yellow haven but he assumed there were more lurking in the darkness. One of creatures surged forwards, leaping at his head. Thyrion ducked but raised both of his hands to its mutated chest. The sword plummeted in creating a ridged cavity while his other hand, flashed and tiny particles of ash fell from his hands, the complexion of a scorched, dead black. Maroon glowed where his viens where. When his hand touched the beast's chest its pale complexion became the tainted, sorched, ash black that his hand was. It spread rappidly, like a plague. From the time Thyrion's hands touched the creature's body to the time it fell to the floor was barely a second.

The other two screeched in anger and lurched forwards. Moving right and jumping up he grabbed one of the creature's maw, dodging its lipless, sharp, thin teeth and sunk his sword into its throat. The third fell from the air and caught Thyrion's shoulder with one of its claws. As it came about for its second charge Thyrion caught his arm and again using his dark, demonic magic yanked it clean off, muscle and sinew hanging like threads of cloth in the wind. Blood fell from the crevice like a waterfall. A moment later the silver blade sliced through the side of its skull, and it lay on the floor spasaming and convulsing.

Placing his left hand on the body, he sucked in the blood and the life of his enemy, using it to repair the slash in his shoulder. Stretching, and bending to see whether it had restored Thyrion went to retrieve his torch before he countinued to venture onwards. The cackling laugh evolved into a demonic bellow. The voice exhaled, "Leave boy, I will not tell you again."

Thyrion stopped. He thought. He smirked. Shaking his head he continued to move deeper into the chasm.