Prologue

Prologue to TAH

'Is it story time yet?' 

Tucked away in the jungles of what would one day be known as Honduras, a small group of people were gathered around a small fire, resting and waiting in the dark of the night. 

The question, posed by the youngest member of the group, was left unanswered; the others were all distracted, lost in their thoughts and concerns as the young boy waited impatiently. 

"Shida, you promised!" He whined from atop the large rock he had claimed as a seat, addressing the woman a few steps before him. She looked up, suddenly aware she was being spoken to. 

'Oh! Sorry, Khadri. What was that?' 

She spoke with a gentle voice, worry set deeply in her face as she faced the boy. 

'Story time, story time!' Khadri chanted, hitting his knees with his palms. 

'Is it? Well, I suppose...' The woman known as Shida trailed off for a second, thinking of the tale she would tell. 

The crackling of the fire and the chirping of nearby insects were the only sound for a moment, covering any anxious whispers that might have carried from the anxious pair a short distance behind Khadri. 

Behind Shida, seeming to pay no attention to the rest of the group, a tall figure covered head to toe in black hooded robes sat with his back to a large tree, carefully holding a large round hat in his right hand, arm resting on a raised knee. 

An Eastern man dressed in white with a black ponytail stood to Khadri's left, hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword as he gazed out into the darkness. A light breeze ran through the camp, tugging at his coat. Carried upon the breeze, the distinct scent of salt rolled in from the coastline, reminding most of the group how far they were from their inland homes. 

Now ready to begin, Shida lowered herself to a sitting position on the ground front of Khadri's rock, looking up at the boy. His light brown skin was covered in dirt, cuts and bruises, and his dark curly hair was a mess of twigs and leaves. He was wrapped in fur, the clothes he wore beneath having been too shredded by undergrowth to provide sufficient warmth. 

'This story began a long time ago, in another land,' she began. 

'Are you sure you should be telling the child this story? It seems a bit... Much.' 

The man in white had half-turned to face Shida, meeting her gaze with his typical flat expression. 

'This "child" has already been exposed to the worst of our world, yet still retains his youth. I promised him answers, and I have every intention of following through... I know you understand that.' 

Passing his eyes over Khadri and back to Shida, the man nodded once and turned back to face the jungle. 

'Right, okay. I believe the best place to start would be with the first, so... Let the story begin."