Rise of the Nepithromac

Chapter One

By Mikey P.

    Running against the strong winds and pouring rain, Etalad rides his black stallion into Wark forest. This madness must end. It must end soon, and I intend to make it happen. He thinks as the rain beats upon his forest green hood. In the distance Etalad hears the pounding steps of one hundred horseback riders coming up along the trail. My horse grows tiresome. I must find shelter soon. Seeing a massive hollow tree he pulls the reigns and leads his horse into the trunk. In the dry shelter of the tree Etalad sits against the hard wooden wall to rest. The sounds of the night and the rain hitting the already wet ground lull him to sleep…..

     When Etalad opens his eyes he learns he slept through the night and more importantly, his horse is nowhere to be seen! He walks outside of his tree following a trail of hoof prints. They lead him off to a nearby riverbank. I am sure my horse was thirsty last night after running such a distance. Where is he now? Finding no more prints to follow Etalad doubles back in wonder. He decides to walk down the trail to the nearest town to find a new sword and maybe a horse. As he walks down the muddy well traveled trail his mind goes back to the beginning of this nightmare.
 
     “I am sorry, stranger; I cannot let you purchase this horse until you obtain 50 pieces of gold!” “But sir”, Etalad bargains with the horse seller, “If you allow me to use this horse I will come back before the full moon and give you 500 gold pieces to make up for-“ The owner of the horse cuts him off, “Don’t try to deceive me! I have lost many good horses to thieves with their lies! How do you expect me to trust a total stranger with my horse?”  “Sir, I have no evil intentions with this deal. I need a horse to get to my dear friend’s castle, you see, he is a wealthy landlord!”  “I am not going to let you deceive me into thinking your friend has vast amounts of gold. I simply will not let you use this horse until you pay.”  “Very well, then. I must resort to this.”  Etalad throws his dagger at a rope holding up the man’s tent, knocking the whole thing down upon his head as Etalad himself ducks out of the way. That could not have been easier! He thinks, jumping onto the black horse he intended to bargain for. Riding off, nearly out of ears reach, he hears the owner of the horse screaming; “Thief!! Guards, after than bandit! That dirty rotten scum!!!”  Oh dear, I should have expected that. Etalad thinks to himself riding out of the city and off towards the Wark forest.