Winter's Night

"Eh eh! No need to be shoutin' Jus' hold yer horses fer a minute, I din' give ya any rotten meat, the Sabrecat was caught today lad."The stallman backed up a tad away from the inflammable stand his wares where sitting on.

"Eh, I don't think yer comin' ta tha right conclusion here lad, ya can be sure I din' mess with yet meat, although with how ya act I wouldn' believe it outta tha realm of some one else." The man said, making his last comment as pointed as he thought he could.

"A man came round this morning, 'e was wearin' dark clothes and a really strange glove on his hand." The man backed up a bit, but glared straight into Gavyn's eyes.

"Aye but 'e brings meat all th' time." The stand keeper said, as if to defend his position, and crossed his arms over his chest. Far behind him a darkly clothed man stood, no human would see him as he deftly tossed a small object toward the stall keeper, a sickening thunk resounding as it hit his neck. The Stallman shouted as he fell to the ground clutching his neck, his eyes slowly turturning a crimson color and before long bursting.

The sun seemed to quicken its pace across the sky and soon the moon cast a pale glow on the fallen snow. The few people in the town rushed into their simple houses and the streets were barren of life save for a few individuals who congregated on the outskirts, their black robes adrift in the night breeze. There were three figures who stood there, and the tallest among them looked into the town, "The streets 're empty, I'd say this would be a good time to go fer it." His voice rang for a bit through the air. "Tell the others, tonight this town burns."

The three figures walked slowly toward the town holding torches aloft, behind them a mass of people had assembled, holding a variety of things, from torches to swords to pitchforks. One of the figures approached a building built from sturdy trees that had been brought up, "Tonight we once again bring the fires to the people, tonight we free these people from the shackles that so ensnare them to their daily lives! The blood we spill tonight will bring greatness to this world, the lives we take will fuel the coming of our lord, the souls we gather! Will! Bring! The! Dark!" With the last words of his speech the man brought the torch onto the building and it quickly was set ablaze, the column of smoke began to reach for the heavens as the blaze started to spread. He looked out over once more, "Now go and consume!" And with his final words he walked away with the other two figures. "Our work is done."

Before they could make any headway on the road a large group of people stood between them, their weapons and torches held ready to cut down anyone who tried to escape, a couple of bodies already lay at their feet, staining the snow crimson. A robed figure was crouched over them, caressing the face of one of them, "Do not worry, you chose to be with our lord now." He looked up toward the people now approaching him, "Ah, do you too wish to join with our lord, or will you serve him here?"