Newcomer

Due to the rocky terrain of the countryside, it was difficult to find coachmen that plied its routes.

Those that did so were merely retired folk that either wanted to do something to keep themselves busy during retirement by helping the townspeople or earning extra cash… or both.

It largely depended on the driver.

Clip Clop

Alex closed his eyes and meditated while trying to come up with plans based on whatever scenario he'd find once he got to Townsend.

Taking a deep breath, he addressed the coachman. "Oi, sir."

"Yes, good lad." The coachman, quite a boisterous fellow he was, replied in a loud voice.

"Any comments on the rumors about Townsend?"

"Huh, you mean that little village by the lake?"

"...Yeah, that one," Alex replied after confirming from his memories.

The coachman pondered before he replied. "To be honest, I consider it a load of bollocks, what with tales of ghosts and whatnot. However, it is strange that the lively town of Townsend is now eerily quiet."

"I see."

"In any case, don't let the rumors scare you off from returning home." The coachman said before asking. "Ah yes, so why exactly are you returning home?... Perhaps an attempt to confess to a childhood sweetheart?"

"Ahem… sir please, concentrate on the road."

"Hehe, so I'm right, aye. Ah, young love. Truly a wonderful feeling." The coachman mused as he moved.

Alex could only sigh at the fruitless conversation.

He hoped to glean anything of importance since the coachman had passed by Townsend a few times however, his hopes were shattered pretty quickly.

"Hopefully, Emily is alright," Alex muttered only for the coachman to exclaim loudly.

"Hoh, Emily… that must be the name of your lady friend, no?"

Alex stifled the urge to dropkick the old geezer while not taking the liberty to explain himself.

He had a feeling that any attempt to do so would most likely only backfire.

"Oh no!" The coachman suddenly exclaimed, jolting Alex from his train of thought.

"What happened?" Alex questioned as he prepared for any eventualities.

The coach screeched to a stop with a dull thud echoing just outside.

"Did we hit someone?" Alex furrowed his brows as he came down from the carriage and rushed to the side to find the coachman standing over an unmoving body.

With broad shoulders and a slightly muscular physique, Alex deduced the person to be male.

"What happened?"

The coachman, in a fit of panic, replied. "I have no idea. He came out of nowhere and collided with the coach. Is he dead?"

Alex attempted to move closer in a bid to check but a soft groan from the person caused him pause.

"Are you okay?" Alex cautiously asked.

The man, dragging down the hood he had over his head, replied hoarsely. "Yes… thank you."

"Where did you come from and how did you end up here?"

"... I have no idea." The man replied.

"Hmm?"

"Please, give me food. I need to eat, please." The man begged.

Glancing at the coachman who was still slightly worried, Alex sighed before reaching into his coat and pulling out a piece of bread.

Tossing it at the man, he prepared to activate his spirituality.

The man grabbed the bread and without hesitation, wolfed down the bread.

In the split second he used to grab the bread, Alex noticed the cracks in his skin as well as the sickly green veins protruding out.

'Hmm,' He didn't immediately make any deductions as he couldn't be sure of anything.

Choking momentarily from eating too fast, the man thumped his chest a few times before breathing a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." His voice seemed a lot less heavy but remained hoarse.

Alex shook his head. "My pleasure. Uhmm, sorry, is there a reason you are hiding your face?"

"... No." The man replied after briefly hesitating as he went ahead to remove the hood, revealing a malformed face underneath.

"Oh, my goodness." The coachman exclaimed as he held back the urge to vomit at the unsightly face.

Alex frowned. "Who did this to you?... Are they still around here?"

The man shook his head. "I came from very far away. Escaped the wicked clutches of my master."

"Those disgusting nobles!... How could they do such a thing to a fellow human being!" The coachman cursed with a ferocious gaze while still holding back nausea threatening to come out.

Alex however remained silent as he examined the man's body.

Apart from the cracks and green veins as well as the malformed face, the man's skin seemed to have been bleached, most likely the reason why his sickly veins were visible.

Truly an unsightly mess.

"Where are you off to now?" Alex inquired.

The man scratched his head before pointing in a certain direction. "Townsend."

"You were born there?"

The man shook his head. "But my family lives there. I want to return… please, help me."

Alex furrowed his brows. "Well…"

He trailed off as he activated his spirituality and examined the man.

Apart from a few abnormalities, the man seemed more Cryptid than human.

'Is that how he managed to survive all that?' Alex muttered before noticing the strangeness in the man's body.

"You are poisoned?" Alex remarked.

The coachman gasped at the side in disbelief while the man slowly nodded.

"I don't have much time left."

Taking a moment to consider, Alex nodded. "Alright, you can come with us."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. I'm only doing this out of basic human empathy. Anyway, get into the back."

Glancing at the coachman who had replaced his disgusted look with one of pity, Alex remarked. "I'll be sitting up front with you. Come on, we have wasted enough time here, we have to go."

The coachman had no qualms as he nodded in response before moving to help the man stand.

"You will be fine." The coachman muttered in a low voice while helping the man, who seemed to have a limo to the carriage.

Alex watched the man enter the carriage before the corners of his lips slowly curled up.