He got of his horse and we followed suit,the air was stale and the earth vile. "It's snowing,it always snows here" he said . Charred waters bay had always been magical to the eyes of an outsider, endless snowfall no matter the season. But for those in the neighbouring villages that surrounded the waters, the truth was a painful reminder. For many souls have been lost to it's waters.

Arrin seamoss of house whale, a young lad of fourteen stares at his uncle as the man gets off his horse and they all do the same. 'seamoss' not his house name for his house is house whale, a clan of proud sea people. They called him seamoss for the boy had eyes of emerald dark green and locks of green amongst the black of his hair.

Servati knelt down,touched the snow with his hand ungloved and sniffed at the dirt . "They came through here maybe a fortnight or two ago, the moon is full tonight the better to see with but a danger as well for we know what it brings." Servati Archer of house crow , a proud house of hunters who prefer to go by the name Crow than Archer , for theirs was a house of black haired people who's colour did not change even when old of age, Arrins uncle.

The sound of swords being unsheathed filled the air as one man after the other took up their positions readying themselves for anything that they might find.

Gabriel and Gust Furnyce of house Furnyce , house to the blacksmiths of the region. As the small group moved deeper into the forests of Charred waters, the trees got tighter and the light got dimmer making it almost impossible to make out shapes in the dark of the moon lit forest. "Get ye torches lit and ready boys, it be getting good now" spoke Simil ,with red hair and blood red coloured eyes none would doubt no mistake her identity as one of the daughters of house Fuury .For the Fuury's were a warrior clan well versed in swordsmanship and the martial arts. Being that all had blood red hair if not there entire head,you would still see locks of red amongst their black . But not all had eyes of red .

They had gone far but not too far and yet they could still hear the unease of the horses whom they had left behind with the two stable boys. "Be on your awares " Servati spoke. The forest had fallen silent, making the men stop where they stood the leaves rustled softly, and just like that strong winds and snow blew into them blocking their vision and calls to each other "protect the fires" shouted one to the other . The winds broke and the snow stopped ,each one was shaking with a feeling of unease more so Arrin though he tried his best to hide it,the party feeling somewhat disoriented from the sudden snow wind look to the snow under their feet as it turns a dark colour..

Something wet falls from above,it's red " take cover" Simil shouts. Curious they all look up and to there horror discover the source of the rain. All had heard the tales of Charred Waters bay, all sorts of dark things happen in there it was said. Now here they were staring at the lost party they were tasked with finding. man and horse all hang from the trees, belly's and throats slit and their entrails hung on display with what seemed like an endless supply of blood raining down onto the snow. "At least fourty, I count at least fourty man and horse included " said Gabriel as some of the torches were put out by the blood rain.

They had all but turned around when a voice they heard "PARDON ME, BUT DOES MY ART BORE YOU?" in horror they froze. Arrin was the first to turn around "don't look boy" wispherd his uncle as he tried to still the boy,but the boy had looked.

A figure in the shape of a man, not so small not so big either in it's hands it held a rusted old blade and in the other a horse's head. Arrin stood there, stared at him for a while then recognised the figure, "Petyr, Petyr is that you? look everyone it's Petyr." At that they all turned and horror struck them from the vision they saw, the stable boy was completely drenched in blood. "Our horses, what happened to our horses." Shouted Gabriel, "why I ate them of course" spoke Petyr "and good did they taste, as did the boy.....sorry I forget his name.......aaaaah Benjamin, Benjamin was his name put up a fight that one,or at least he tried to ,he thought he could warn the rest of you lot frankly he was a bit squimish for my test. Benjamin or toy, he stood there Frozen in horror and confusion as I gutted away at the first horse and began my dinner.

Simil lunged at the stable boy in a burst of anger and fury swinging her sword wildly while the rest watched astonished at her speed and ferocity. Servati was the quiet of the lot as the rest cheered her on for he saw that though her blows were straight and true they did not seem to phase her opponent. So fast was the blade they barely caught but a glimpse, Simil's Torso went flying through the air . All froze at the sight before them , Arrin the boy, though he had seen death this was the first time he had seen of such, Simil lay in the snow coughing up blood the swiftness of her opponents blade too quick for her mind " kill it ,kill this unholy thing!!!" she managed to yell with a mouth full of blood as it gurgled out and spewed from both her nose and mouth staining her hair an even darker red.

Moonlight shone through the stable boys wounds and slowly they begin to close, all the while Arrin just stood there staring back and fourth from Simil to Petyr while the rest made their stance. "Who......who and what are you really? " the stable boy looked upon Arrin , "I am Arrin of house Whale ,who are you ?" he managed to sound braver now. The stable boy smiled a bloody grin then gave an eerie laugh "finally , a boy with some manners" it spoke. bowing down in courtesy , " you little one may call me Luorim if you like.

Arrin lay in the snow,his head ringing with distant echoes of steel on steel,his head bleeding one eye swollen and what pain he felt at his side, his guess was a broken rib or two.

Servati looked in heated battle with Luorim as Gabriel tried to help his cousin Gust up,the fellow had been back handed so hard he broke through one tree with a nasty cracking sound and got skewered in the leg by one of the splintering pieces as he fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Blow after blow Servati struck,he cut deep at some of what he thought were his opponents weak points like. " You fight better than she did,she had the skill but you have the experience" he said as he spat up blood from the wounds he sustained, panting heavily Servati felt the ache deep within his muscles he had faced many a strong foe before, but Luorim wasn't human. "If this does not end soon,I'm afraid we all shall perish" he thought to himself recalling how the boy Arrin had jumped in front of him to protect him from that powerful sword stroke Luorim unleashed after telling all his name.

All four now standing surrounded it and begun their final assault on the creature with Gabriel swinging his sword with all his might , his cousin attacking from the left little Arrin coming in from above his uncle going head on. They went on and on rotating their fighting positions and their enemy deflecting almost all of the attacks they threw at him, Arrin charged in like a mad man swinging his sword harder than he thought he could ever catching shocking even Luorim whom at this point had Gust pinned in the shoulder by a dagger . It was then that all three went into a murderous rage all four swung slushed and stubbed without a care for the other, pushing back Luorim who was put on the defensive now . He didn't see it when it came, Gust swung heavy and true right through Luorim's left arm like. "AaaaaaaAAAAHHHHH" was the monstrous cry that came from his mouth as he sent the all flying with just one swing, cutting through Gust's sword. All four beaten and exhausted now coming to their senses as the blood rush drained from them, the party of four now covered in blood could barely stand. It was at this moment that the sun begun to rise, Luorim seeing this smiled a murderous smile and through gritted teeth said his farewells,told them their fates are entwined for their swords thirst for one the other. Turning into a thick black smoke as he shouted "soon," the smoke soon being carried away by the wind leaving behind only his arm.

All four letting out a sigh of relief non knew they where holding collapsed from their exhaustion, the sound of horses rang all around them as they drifted deeper into slumber "we found them , over here" someone shouted.

The light stung his eyes, "water,I'm thirsty" spoke Arrin expecting no response but a hand put a cup to his mouth "drink" he heard , he coughed from the dryness of his throat as he drunk. "Where....." he swallowed "where I'm I" his eyes stung still , getting used to the light " home young Arrin,in the sick quarters of your bed but home nonetheless" said Old Granny of the house of healers.