Chapter 1 so far.

A Chapter by Ziggy

The rain was cold, and it was ruining Kern’s coat.
“How far away from Kalvania are we?” Kern asked, looking up at the man who was riding several feet in front of him.
“Not far.” he said absently, returning to cold silence that had endured during the entire trip north from Caslessberg.
Kern wasn’t sure about the character of the man he had hired to be his guide through the Dark Forest, and across the plains of the Dead. He was a bald man, except for a battered lock of gray hair that spilled down from the center of the back of his head. He had a weathered face, and wore no beard, which was strange for these parts of the world.
Kern remembered back in Caslessberg, when he’d found the guide at an inn on the outskirts of the city. He’d sat down, kicking out his feet and leaning back, staring at the man for several moments before finally speaking. “I have business in Kalvania, and I need a guide. Word is you’re the man to see.” The man nodded slightly, not raising his head enough to stare at Kern.
“I’m willing to pay handsomely, but I need to be there as quickly as possible, within a week to be exact.” The man had nodded again, still not looking up at Kern. Kern studied the man for several more moments, before dropping a small pouch on the table.
“That’s half, the other half will be given to you when we arrive in Kalvania.” The man looked up slowly, staring at the pouch on the table. “Be ready at Dawn, we leave as soon as the sun rises.” Kern smirked, nodding to show he understood, and walked away from the table.
They had left early the next morning, and now 5 days later, they were almost at Kalvania, where Kern would deliver his message to the count, and collect his reward. Kern was definitely a devious man at heart, and was not a very honest man. He was extremely self-centered, and worked wherever the money was. He was short, but muscular in his own way, and carried an aura of superiority wherever he went. He was elegant, but not a noble, and he wore his hair slicked back with oils from the coast. His face was pointed, similar to a rats, and he had a small goatee on his face.
Kern looked up at the falling globs of water, grimacing as they splattered on his face, and on his coat. He looked back at the Man, spurring his horse forward so that he was right next to him.
“Is there any shelter near by to get out of this rain, it’s ruining my clothes.” The man looked over at Kern, his eyes twinkling slightly with amusement.
“There’s a small copse of tree’s a right over that rise there. If we gallop we could be there in no more than a few minutes.” Kern nodded his acknowledgement, as the two spurred their horses into a gallop. After several moments, Kern found that the Man had been right, for a line of trees could be seen several hundred yards away.
“Once we arrive at the treeline, I’m going to scout ahead a ways, these parts are dangerous.” The man said, as Kern steered his horse. “Very well, don’t take too long, I need to be in Kalvania by this evening.” The man smirked, nodding once more, as he spurred his horse to a gallop.
They arrived at the trees several minutes later, Kern drenched from the rain, and scowling. The man quickly turned his horse left, and ran down the tree line, and out of site. Kern dismounted his horse, and quickly rummaged through his packs, quickly finding a towel, which he wiped his hair down, and did his best to somewhat dry his clothes with. He glanced at where the Man had disappeared, but there was no sign of him. Kern turned back to the packs, pulling out a loaf of bread. He attempted to make a fire, but there was no dry wood within walking range, so he consented to leaning against a tree and closing his eyes, quietly and unintentionally falling asleep.
He was awakened, about an hour or so later, by the sound of pounding hooves. He stood, straightening his coat, and stretching, and looked toward the sound. He could see that it was only the Man, riding back towards him from a distance, but he seemed frightened by something. Then, as if the thought had coaxed it out of thin air, an arrow whistled past the man’s ear, and imbedded itself into the tree several feet from where Kern was standing. Kern jumped violently, and ran towards his horse, ignoring the clamoring from the Man who had been his guide. He quickly climbed into the saddle, and turned his horse, towards the woods, just catching a glimpse of his guide with an arrow sticking out of his side, still riding towards him. Kern hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should help him, but quickly regained his senses, and spurred his horse into action, dashing into the woods. He chanced a glimpse behind him, and saw as the Guide reached the campsite, and finally slipped out of his saddle, breathing heavily on the ground. Kern turned his attention away from the Guide, and back to escaping whatever evil the Guide had found. He hadn’t gone another few feet, before he was unseated from his horse by a low-lying branch he hadn’t been agile enough to avoid. His horse trotted off into the distance, ignoring his calls for it to come back. Kern looked edgily around him, completely lost. He started to walk back the way he came, following the wide trail of crushed vegitation he had constructed in his wild flight.
He was just about back to the campsite, when he started to hear voices. He crept up to a tree, close to the campsite, and moulded himself into the shadows, watching. He could see two men, both wearing black cloaks, and black helmets, searching through one of the bags he’d left behind in his scramble to flee.
“What’s this rubbish? Clothes, and soaps? I thought the man we was lookin’ for was rich and prosperous.” The man had an odd lisp, and rasped as he spoke. “He is, just seems he didn’t care to take this bag with him when he ran you dolt.” The other said, speaking with authority that showed he somehow outranked the other. “No need for name-callin’ I was simply makin’ an observation. Where’d he run off too anyways.” The other pointed towards where Kern was standing. “Somewhere out there, get started looking for him, I need to finish off the other one.” The other nodded, grimacing, and headed toward where Kern was hidden. By doing so, Kern got a glimpse of the man, and quickly reeled his head in behind the tree. The man’s face was badly scarred, and his left eye was dead. He wore black chain mail under his black cloack, and had a short sword tied to his waist. He quickly walked past where Kern was hiding, grumbling and not really paying attention.
Kern quickly slipped into the campsite, sneaking towards the back of the other man, who was still rummaging in his pack, Kern quietly unsheathed his saber, and stalked quietly up behind him. Before he was able to get close enough to disarm him however, a branch cracked under his foot, and the man whipped around, unsheathing his sword. His face was also scarred, but to a lesser degree than the mans who had just went in search of him.
“Well…. Lookie here… the little weasel’s come to me, instead of me having to find him. So nice of you to do so Weasel, why don’t you drop your little weapon, and we can talk.” Kern eyed the man nervously, unsure as to his skill with a blade. Kern himself was not a bad swordsmen, but had been so out of practice with it, he had no idea if he’d be capable of defeating the man if it came down to it.
“I’d rather not, though the offer is intriguing, what is it you want with me.” Kern asked, trying to stall for more time, so that he could think of a plan. “Why don’t you put your sword down, and we’ll discuss it.” he said, his eyes twinkling evilly. Kern glanced around him, trying to see if there were someway to escape, but there was nothing but a wall of trees, and he could hear the other one coming back. Without thinking, Kern sliced at the mercenary, who side-stepped out of the way, bringing his own sword down towards’ Kern’s wrists. Kern quickly pulled his wrist’s back, causing the Merc’s blade to slam down onto his own, driving it towards the ground. Kern quickly stumbled backward, raising his sword at the grinning Mercenary.
“You won’t best me Weasel, not Garius, I’m too good at what I do.” The man whose name was Garius smirked, slowly circling Kern like a lion circles his prey. “Just put the sword down Weasel, it’ll make it easier for you, and it’ll make it easier for me. There’s a lot less pain that way too.” Garius swung his sword at a Kern, who ducked quickly and stabbed with his own sword, which Garius dodged quickly.
“Not bad Weasel,” Garius swung, but Kern blocked it quickly, “not bad at all.” Garius said, smirking. Garius swung left and right several times, deadning Kern’s arms, as he blocked each stroke. Kern blocked one particularly strong downward swing, and instinctively, spun around, slicing across his opponents back, causing Garius to grunt.
Garius grabbed the back of his cloak and looked at it. “You cut my cloak, Weasel, you’ll pay for that.” Garius swung several times, trying to catch Kern off-balance, but Kern parried easily, his skill seeming to improve slowly. All of a sudden, the other mercenary, bust through the tree’s his sword held over his head, and screeching a fierce battle-cry.
“Luudvieg, no!” yelled Garius, as Kern side-stepped Luddvieg’s stroke, and promptly ran him through, placing his sword under the arm pit and through the chest, causing blood to throth out of Luddvieg’s throat, and a odd gurgling nose to erupt from his chest, announcing his death. Kern pulled his sword from his opponent’s dead body, shocked at what he’d done, and the fact that he’d been able to do it so easily.
“You’ll pay for that Welp!” yelled Garius, spittle flying from his lips angrily as he charged, swinging his sword. Kern avoided them, agily, and aimed a kick at Garius’ groin and connected. Garius doubled over, howling in pain, as Kern smashed him in the nose with the hilt of his sword, breaking his nose immediately, and sending him sprawling in the forest vegetation. Garius rolled onto all fours, trying to clear his head, but Kern ran and kicked him in the side of it, knocking him out cold.