Dunsage Diaries

Falmore was woken by a loud screeching noise coming from outside in the courtyard. The screams of the townsfolk could be heard in the distance.

“What’s going on?” he asked, still half asleep.

“Quiet, you fool!” whispered Honnar. He was crouching down low by the window peering out into the darkness. “They’re here.”

“Who?”

“I told you before about the things in the darkness that you cannot even come close to comprehend. They are here,” explained Honnar.

Falmore remembered. It felt good to be able to remember things, even if it wasn’t about who he was before the island. With the pain that the collar around his neck caused him the first time, he did not think he wanted to remember. “What are they?”

“Creatures of the night. Horrible, grotesque things that should not exist and yet they do. From the stories we understand that they were men once. It is said that the sound they make is caused by their tormented souls in some other dark world,” said Honnar. “Do not be mistaken Falmore. They may have been men once, but any humanity that they had is long gone. If you ever come into contact with one, show no mercy. They won’t.”

That made Falmore uneasy. This whole situation made him uneasy. Those things sounded horrible and they were right outside the building.

“It looks like we will be having a few visitors soon, Mr. Dunsage. Prepare yourself.”

Falmore began to panic. “How? If they come, I do not have any weapons or indeed know how to get rid of them.”

“You are the weapon Falmore. Remember what you did at the docks? Try that again but try and focus as to where you are directing it this time. They are vulnerable to fire, so expect it to get messy if you set one alight.”

“I can do fire too?” Falmore asked.

Honnar smiled. “You can do anything. Just don’t remember too much or that collar of yours will kick in.”

He didn’t even know how he had produced such power at the docks. He didn’t know he could do such things. Now I need to do it on command? He thought to himself. This is impossible.

Suddenly, there was a crash and a bang from downstairs. “They’re in,” said Honnar quietly. “If we stay quiet you may not need use your skills. Just be ready either way.

How could he be ready with his skills? He didn’t even know what they were.

The door was kicked open so violently that it came off the hinges and fell to the floor in splinters. The room seemed to become colder.

The creature was indeed grotesque. Its flesh seemed to be scaled and was a dark greyish green colour. The light was reflecting off parts, Falmore noticed, making him sure that they were slimy too. All the unnatural qualities of this creature didn’t drown the fact that it was still in the shape of a human. Long muscular legs and arms with a face twisting into weird shapes as if it was in some sort of agony. The part about their souls must be true then.
It looked at Falmore with dead gray eyes. A chill went down his spine which caused him to freeze. He could not move. The creature took in a deep breath and let out that loud screeching noise Honnar and him had heard outside.

Whilst it was screaming at Falmore, Honnar took it upon himself to attack it whilst it was distracted. Fireballs protruded from Honnars fists each time he chanted a phrase in that familiar tongue. Two hit the creature in the torso and one came into contact with its face. That one did it.

The creature erupted into flames and ran out of the room screaming a horrific scream that seemed to shake the air within the room.

Falmore felt weak. Honnar gave him a disapproving look and all he could muster up to say was, “I...I froze. I...didn’t...”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s a good thing that you do not remember your skills. The Grand Master would appreciate it if they stayed hidden. Are you hurt?”

His head was pounding and his ears felt like someone had prodded them with a hot iron. “Yes, I’m...I’m fine,” he lied.

“Good. Come on. We need to leave.” Honnar grabbed his things and made for where the door used to be. “Oh, and I think you will need this.” He threw him a sword. The cutting edge was chipped and rusted but when he ran his finger down it, it made him bleed so he guessed it would be good enough to protect him. “If you see any more of those things, don’t freeze and don’t be afraid to use that. Aim for the head. That seems to be their weakspot.”

Falmore nodded as his strength came back to him. We went over and picked up his things. They headed down the stairs and into the welcome area where they found the innkeeper. He was sprawled out in the middle of the floor in a pool of blood, most likely his own.

“See, they do not show mercy. Why should we?” Honnar said.
They carefully stepped over the innkeeper and out through the door onto the courtyard. The innkeeper wasn’t the only victim of these creatures. Bodies were lying everywhere. Falmore had never seen such a sight. He felt like he was about to retch. They could hear woman crying and men shouting all over the town.
“They seem to have left,” Honnar noticed.

A burning heap at the side of the inn caught Falmore’s eye. He walked over to it. It was the creature that tried to attack them in the inn. It seemed to be still alive. It was making a soft whimpering sound.

Its eyes caught Falmore’s once again but this time instead of fear, he felt pity. He felt pity for the person the creature used to be. He pitied the creature’s soul and all the torture and torment it was being put through for it to make such horrid noises.
Honnar told him not to show mercy. Looking at the creature made him disagree.

“You told me not to show these creatures any mercy, as they do not for us,” Falmore said. “If we do that, what do we become? We are just as bad as them in that case. No, I will show them mercy, and I shall begin with this one.”

Falmore gripped the sword that Honnar had given him in the inn and raised it above his head. “May your soul find peace, wherever it is.” He never took his eyes of the creature’s as the blade cut through scaly flesh and bone. Black ooze trickled out from where the creature’s head had been.

He dropped the sword as the collar around his neck began to constrict around his neck. Shocks went down his spine which sent him to his knees. His insides felt like they were boiling. His vision was beginning to blur and his head felt dizzier as the pain from the collar grew and grew.

Just when he thought he could not take anymore the pain stopped and the collar loosened. Falmore clutched at his neck and struggled for breath.

“I told you not to show them mercy,” said Honnar. “It would be too much like your old self if you did. The Great Honourable Falmore Dunsage. Who is he now, but a mere servant of the Grand Master?” He began to laugh a disturbed laugh. “That’s the reason I left your clan for the Grand Master. You are weak when everyone thinks you are so mighty.”

“I had a clan?” asked Falmore.

Honnar stopped laughing and composed himself before he spoke. “None of that matters now. Come. We must go.”

And with that, Falmore rose, got his horse and the two of them left the ruined town.