The night was quiet, too quiet for Sebastian’s liking. He sat rigid and alert atop the wagon, his senses were acutely tuned to every sound and motion around him. His knuckles were white and the reigns of the horses were moist with sweat as he griped them like a vice. The sky above was covered in a blanket of clouds which consumed the ground below in near complete darkness. Sebastian’s eyes scanned the night ahead of him to no avail. They travelled without a torch so as to make it difficult to detect, and he could see no more than ten feet ahead. Only the creaking of the wagon, the occasional snorting of the two weary horses, and the incessant snoring of his companion beside him provided any distraction. The air was hot and stuffy no breeze was present to provide any relief.

    They were on their way to the village of Athos and had been on the road for some time now. Sebastian was on edge from reports of caravans being attacked on this road recently. The darkness of this night only made his fears grow, the closer they came to Athos. The road cut its way through the fading edge of a forest. To the right the trees clustered together and served only to spark Sebastian’s frightened imagination. On the left scattered trees here and there gave way to a vast plain that stretched beyond vision during the day. Now however all he could see that way was the blackness of nothing.

    Yet somehow Sebastian’s focus lay toward the forest. His eyes saw shadowy figures fluttering about between the trees. A snap here, a crack and the rustling of leaves set his heart to a faster pace. He listened intently only to have what he thought he heard drowned out by a dreadful snore as Kenton inhaled.

    “You damn fool!” He snapped as he backhanded Kenton across his chest.

    “Son of a-” Kenton awoke with a start. “What in the void was that about?”

    “I think I hear something out there.” He pointed off into the forest.

    Kenton sat upright and rubbed his eyes for a moment. “Bastard…” He moaned. “You know I don’t like being woke up.”

    “It could be the Anucarte.” Sebastian replied. “Listen!”