The Ferryman and The Reaper

A cool breeze attempted to etch itself in the bones of those unlucky enough to find shelter from its embrace. Meanwhile a spark temporarily lit up the other pitch black view. Light only showed itself for the slightest of moments but it was enough to showcase the terror in the eyes of the one before him, yet a deep chuckle was his only reaction. Terror, pain, fear, all attributes of those inferior hence why they blew away like the leaves before him. They built their small huts and grouped together as if the big bad wolf wouldn't come huffing and puffing all the same. Unfortunately for them wolves traveled in packs, and his pack, The Pack, would never be afraid of the pigs no matter how loud they squealed. How their screams danced their way through the night like notes traveling together in the wind unravelling a beautiful song that The Pack would dance to all night. The latest village they had visited had proven very bountiful, though little in the way of anything shiny, their bellies would be full for many a night henceforth. His mood dampened a little bit as his thoughts strayed to the true jewel of the village his men had failed to apprehend for him. A short brown haired beauty with emerald eyes to compliment. She only screamed for someone named Kasper as she fled, presumably some welp who has perished from their plundering. The fact she had managed to slip away deeply upset the man, a woman with her looks was few and far between he wished for a warm bed with her in it to retire into the nights with but all he got was incompetent underlings who couldn't understand her true worth as he heard they had stabbed her as she tried to flee. The one with terror imbedded in his eyes before him was the very one whom the fingers pointed do conducted such indecency. With a deep frown now even more prominent in his features he lit a match once more before taking a deep puff from his pipe making it a point to blow the smoke in the face of the newly made piggy as it squealed back. His men had never found a body even when they followed the trail of blood but they had seen a trail of footprints lead to and away from the end of trail so he only could assume amidst the confusion someone had carried her away, but he knew from the sheer amount of blood loss the girl hadn't survived the night. Damn you Kasper, whoever the fuck you were, lucky for you I never got my hands on you. With one last puff on the pipe he extinguished whatever light was left, hopefully the man on the ground got a good look, it was the last bright thing he'd ever see, for The Ferryman had come to collect the toll, and no one ever had enough payment to quench his greed.

------

Meanwhile, Cloaked in his foul mood and darker yet intentions, Kasper travelled through a few small villages nearby in the next few weeks, hoping to find some direction of the instigators from the massacre of the meek as it had been dubbed. Unfortunately nothing came to fruition and he felt like a dog chasing its own tail. Grumpy and chowing down on a cheap meal in the latest tavern he had frequented he oozed trouble as the locals visiting their meeting spot steered clear of his table as if his mood was contagious, and many a pair of eyes sneaked glances over as if waiting for trouble. The only one who seemed immune to such non verbal daggers was the local drunk, Pepper. Pepper like to haunt and torment those in the tavern with sumptuous tales with how he used to ride with notorious legends in a mercenary gang until he had been ousted for being too good looking and stealing all the pretty women. As Kasper heard him recite this tale from afar he couldn't help raise his eyebrows. Pepper had broad shoulders and a wide frame and looked like he was capable enough of a swordsman but those days seemed far behind him as a beer belly accompanied him more than hard work and greasy chicken bones more than a weapon. Still, in the days Kasper had been here he had never seen Pepper, who by the way was anything but good looking as he had nose hairs rival most mustaches, ever beg for money and also seemed to eat and drink his fill. Kasper wondered where exactly he got this hidden bank of his to pay for all of his expenditures and couldn't help but think there was maybe a small, shriveled, layer of truth to his story. Unable to scratch the itch of curiosity alone Kasper approached the obnoxious man and with such a chilly gaze those nearby the unlucky Pepper found the exit quickly without hesitation. Slamming his drink onto the table and taking the now empty seat alongside the baffled and cursing Pepper Kasper asked what had been occupying his thoughts the last few hours. "Spare me the embellished tales of others bravery you claimed as your own, which gang did you use to run with and do they still roam the area?" Pepper being caught off guard from the sudden abrupt interest couldn't help but stutter directionless until crisp glare set him back on his course. "I-I-I was in Cell Power, we were a bunch of thieves that had came together to help evade the watchmen and make it easier to sell and transport stolen items we were famous back in the day thank you very much!" Kasper had a confusing look portrayed on his face as his thoughts flashed to Mitochondria and snorting he quickly retorted "If you were so famous how did you end up here drunk and more stubble than sense?" At this Pepper's eyes grew serious which caused Kasper to raise an eyebrow, he then said " It was The Pack. they come and go as they please looting everything not nailed down and burning the rulebook meanwhile, no honor amongst thieves has become a famous line thanks to them. They force themselves onto the local gang and takes their best men before pulling their roots out once and for all, their leader is truly a demon, rumored to be one of the strongest fire user in the last century." At this Kasper's thought's trailed to the massacre and how the fire travelled from house to house, unnaturally as if being controlled by a puppeteer in the shadows, unlucky for him Kasper thrived in the shadows. Leaning forward, his interest officially piqued he asked. "The Pack you say? How strong are they how numerous are they, what of their leader of you inflating his reputation and taking me for a spin?" Pepper turned Kasper white at this before whispering, " No one who has crossed him breathed a breathe on the 'morrow is that enough information for you? He's called The Ferryman for a reason, as to their numbers I'm not sure. When they ransacked my village and withered my crew I was alone burying our loot from the latest score, tis the only reason I am here before you. The numbers are always growing no one could accurately depict a true iteration but i'm sure with his aptitude for plundering and accumulating power The Pack is bristling with at least two hundred swords." Kasper seemed to lose himself in deep thought as he processed all that this gritty pepper relayed to him. Two hundred men, to get to their leader would be no small feat and not to mention this fable like Ferryman seemed more than capable of dispatching any lone hopeful to the grave, revenge unquenched. True lately it seemed he possessed some familiarity with the shadows that seemed to follow him but he was unsure as to what exactly linked them. This obviously wasn't the fire or water magic he had read/heard about nor anything like the nature magic Eva had, if anything it was an inverse. Struggling to remember more Pepper seemed to see the quizzical features emerge on Kasper's face. " Don't tell me you're attempting to chase him down? You're actually a mad man, a lunatic, leave me be for fear I catch whatever disease you'll carry onto Hell with you!" At that Kasper finally reached a conclusion, to drag a man to Hell he would need more than just himself, with a smile empty of any joy Kasper threw some coins on the table and downed the dregs of his tankard before declaring. " Come Pepper you've grown soft from all the alcohol, it's time you found a new boss and it looks like i'm hiring." Grabbing him by the collar he threw Pepper to the ground causing enough commotion to attract every set of eyes in the tavern, blanketing them as he headed for the exit. If this so called Ferryman was backed by some rag tag gang of thieves dubbed The Pack, Kasper would build an even more impressive of a group to spear his way onto the Ferryman's deck. Maybe then he would find some answers, unsure how to start his own gang that's why he brought the notorious shrieking Pepper behind him. "The Shriekers huh Pepper, I think that suits us, I knew we'd work well together." Pepper could only scream until his throat went hoarse as Kasper dragged him into the night. Pepper had evaded the Ferryman, but maybe for the worse, had met the Reaper.