Quick Finger

     2 days had gone by. Quick Finger stumbled through the forest, clumsy with fear. The further away he got from the corpse littered camp the more frightened he became. He could not shake the black dagger stamp from his mind, every time he closed his eyes he could see it burning white beneath his eyelids. He had never seen this stamp before, but he had heard the stories, enough detailed accounts of this curved black dagger to recognize it when he saw it. It was the symbol of the Nightshades. Little and less is known about the Nightshades, daggers in the dark to most, but Quick Finger knew their real purpose.

    They were orchestrators. He knew they had been among the first men and women to land here, those that had come from across the vanishing sea. The first men and women landed here almost ten thousand years ago to bring life to the land, but the Nightshades were there to take it when needed. An ancient sect whose purpose was to keep order and peace amongst the first men and women who had settled here, by any means necessary. The sect succeeded, undisturbed for thousands of years, until scattered descendants of the first men and women began to forge the Four Holy Houses. Trades and ideals were considered to be divine. The first house forged was the House of Knowledge, men of high intellect worshipped the teachings passed down to them by the first men and women. Hundreds of thousands flooded to their temple to hear their holy guidelines, guidelines which the Nightshades knew would only hinder the development of civilization. The house’s following had grown too large too quickly, leaving the Nightshades attempts to regain control futile. The House of Knowledge had grown powerful. The houses leader, Sanveer, was brought to power by the people, he led unopposed and was loved by all.
     The Nightshades could not intervene with force, their secret sect was low in numbers but their influence was great. They planted seeds across the land, rumours of a new more powerful house, a house which would bring the land and its people into an era of prominence. When the Nightshades landed with the first men and women they brought with them new technology and skills which they would release on civilization when they saw fit. Casting one of their own as the leader and creator of this new house the Nightshades instilled Industry on the people. The House of Industry gained followers rapidly, displays of new technology and machines seized the support of all those who laboured tirelessly. Industry was the path to an easier life, the House of Knowledge had no such gifts to offer.
   The House of Industry soon became the largest of the two holy houses, with a more devoted following. The House of Knowledge soon diminished into little more than cult, where young scholars seeking knowledge of the past would venture to. Industry now ruled the land.
  The Nightshades selected ruler of The House of Industry, Hanthor, lead his followers into an era of peaceful Industry, up until his death. The Nightshades wished to place another of their own as the next leader of the House of Industry, but the followers brought one of their own to power. The Nightshades saw now error in his rule and would impose secret counsel when they sought necessary, this was their first and last mistake. The house’s new leader, Vydnath, had a sour and mechanical mind. Vydnath began to turn the Industry’s peaceful technology into tools of destruction. A peoples leader with the mind of a conqueror and the tools for destruction, a combination that even the Nightshades feared. Many followers of Industry rose to conquer cities without question, some sought to oppose. The Nightshades sought to aid those that opposed, as to restore the original order of peaceful industry, but Vydnath could not be overthrown. After decades of war between Vydnath’s followers and those that opposed his rule, the House of Industry was broken into 3 separate Holy Houses. Vydnath created and ruled the House of War, those left devastated by the war created the Holy House of Peace and the Nightshades placed another to lead the Holy House of Industry.
  After this war of Industry, the land had changed. Millions had died and each house was left with little to no power. The Four Holy Houses began to crumble, its followers dispersed. The land and its people broke down into a quiet sleep, and so it had stayed asleep for the last several thousand years. Now we find Quick Finger on the run.

 He had reached Stump, breathless and on the verge of breaking down. Fear had kept him going, but that fear had now depleted him. He had no strength to be afraid. The sun had already set, he knew the people of this village would already be tucked away inside their homes but he knew of an Inn that always took in people of the road. As Quick Finger walked through the village he noticed no houses were lit up, no fires burned, he heard nothing. He stopped a moment to take a wider look at the village there were pieces of timber, chains and rope littering the ground. He continued on to the Inn, as he got closer he could hear singing, cheering and the sound of full ale mugs bashings against hard oak tables. It was coming from inside the in. As he approached the door of the Inn he caught sight of a mutt who was scratching at the side of a large wooden barn, he took no notice. The Inn’s door opened before him, a warm welcoming light flooded out on Quick Finger and almost blinded him. A man stood before him but he could not see his face, just a shadow, the man spoke.
     “Greetings wanderer, you could not have picked a safer more welcoming time to come to the great village of Stump!” the villagers in the Inn roared in agreement. “A mug of ale and a warm bed?” Quick Finger had no strength to reply. “Alright, well come in or don’t come in at all.” Quick Finger stumbled through the doorway, the man, whom he assumed was the Inn keep, lead him through the Inn.  “We’ve just made history today you see, and the only way people are going to hear about it is if you wandering folk pass it on to another, and another, and so the story goes.”
Quick Finger took a deep breath as he was sat down at a table. “I would like a bed for the night.” He laid several coins on the table.
   “I am in far too good a mood to take your coin friend, I will how ever take one coin to fetch a bath for you. You’ll have to wash yourself before you can sleep in this Inn.” Quick Finger was almost too tired to take notice of the Inn keeps tremendous kindness, but he made his attempt to thank the man.
   “You are.. too kind.” He desperately needed rest. He tried to shake some energy into his conversation. “What historical events have taken place this day?”
   “We’ve captured a giant!”
    “AYYEE!” agreed the villagers in the Inn
Quick Finger took a moment, Did he say giant? “What? A giant?”
    “Aye yes. We caught him not but 3 hours ago” The Inn keep was clearing mugs and speaking about capturing giants as if he did it every day. Quick Finger was now electrified with intrigue.
   “But no one has seen a giant in hundreds of years. This is a jest, some local jape for foreign wanderers.” Quick Finger was shaking his head in skepticism.
    “You sleep on your disbelief wanderer, but come morning you shall see this giant before you very eyes. You may even ask him a question or two if you like.” The Inn keep gave him a wink.
     “Does the giant speak the language of the first?” Quick Finger was becoming even more puzzled.
     “To all of our amazement it does, that is why the beast must be tried before a court. We are not savages, the beast will be given a fair trial. The giant will meet its end though, with none to defend him the trail will be over in minutes.”
    Quick Finger voiced his thanks to the Inn keep and headed up to his room. His mind was mulling over what he had just heard. A giant that speaks? I have never heard of such a thing. He began to scheme, he thought of how this giant might be able to help him. Is it dangerous? Can it be trusted? He knew that if he could get a few moments alone with the beast, he would find out all he wanted to know, and more.
  In the morning the giant will stand trial, and if Quick Finger finds it worth his while, he will stand beside this giant.