Trapped Forever : Touching Infinity

[The Madd Hatter]

1
Silent Night



---- Darkness was like a blanket, coating the river and the foggy valley surrounding it. Sleep followed, drawing closer every moment as the mist encroached upon the weary travelers. Ignorance and innocence went hand in hand in their absent-minded fortifications of the camp. Fifteen men; three cavaliers, four swordsmen, two archers, and six inept footmen; a small force, too large for a simple patrol and too weak to effectively ambush anyone of ability; unless the poor victim was alone. And that, exactly, is why they were here. All these men, paid a third in advance that alone could let them live richly for the rest of their lives, here in this dreary valley surrounded by mundane plains, ready to take the head of one man.


---- The heat of the day and cool of the night had given birth to the choking haze that now hindered every attempt at puncturing the moonless darkness. Torches had been set up around the circumference of the camp area, but the farther out torches were set the more they appeared to be disembodied flames. Two of the sleepy eyed footman stood watch at either side, resting on the thick poles of lanterns. Spears lain across their shoulders, shields on the dew-soaked grass, they waited impatiently for dawn to break and their trek to move on to a less isolated and desolate locale. Drab leather armor, unadorned by ornament to show rank or specialty coated their forms. Not much protection really, for cracks and cuts coated the armor from lack of maintenance. The weapons they sported were poorly made gnarled staves topped with a makeshift stone spear head. Complaints about their weak attire got them nowhere, for the swordsmen carried plain clothing and their long swords while the cavaliers had naught but two lances and a broadsword to divide among the three of them.

---- This band had been out at duty too long, for even their surplus supplies and second half of the caravan had gone dry or missing long ago. Hunger broke their concentration and morale was almost nonexistent. If it weren’t for the prize at the end and the threat of failure at their backs, they wouldn’t have gone another step. Then again, word had it the fool they sought was but a mile away, in a small unknown village in Raiaera, inhabited by human farmers and only dotted with Elves. It would be easy picking to find the brute. In the same breath, bandits were in the area, and the leader of this motley crew had serious doubts they could breach the last mile.


---- These worries were the least of his problems, for a shadow moved that night. Shifting between the dense fog clouds, a gray-garbed figure slowly gained ground on the southern sleeper guard. The blue-gray of his coat made it nearly impossible to spot him in the fog unless one knew where to look, and a similarly camouflaged top hat hid his burning amber eyes and flowing brown hair. Firelight glinting off a dagger edge caught the guard’s attention all too late, leaving only blood to spill from his throat and not a peep of warning. A small thud, the shadow was gone. The blade then passed through the other's heart without a second to sigh.


---- After cleaning his dagger on the wet soil the shadow stood and inspected them for nicks. The two daggers, one gripped in each hand, were designed to fit his fingers. Holes so that each of his long, boney digits could slip through and hold it tight, snuggled close as rings. Short curved blades, double-edged, cut into the damp night air and fog. Breathing in deeply, he set his sights on the largest of the tents and then closed his eyes. A firm image came into his head and soon the long coat across his shoulders slowly drifed from the dull gray into a vibrant dark blue, the top hat not long to follow. His underclothing moved to match, a black silk shirt and beautifully unwrinkled blue pants. Easing open his eyes, the Hatter turned and reached out with one hand, now suddenly free of the blade, and pointed it at the flame. A small golden saucer formed from the fog, solidifying unnaturally, and settled down, outing the light source. Swinging his gesture across the circle of torches, each in turn winked out, leaving the valley in a mist eaten dim darkness.


---- Dawn was on its way, Freddy wouldn’t be long.

[The Madd Hatter]

---- Moving with grace and ambivalent intent, Freddy strode to the largest of the tents set up in this once-fortified valley. The sky was beginning to turn a dull gray, accenting the bleak mist that choked every sign of life out of the camp, a signal that dawn was only moments away. Rays of golden flame would soon be burning out of the horizon, illuminating the small isolated area and tearing away the cover of fog. The Hatter would have to work quickly, for though death was a part of the mortal life, only those necessary must die today.

---- Slipping around the back, Freddy slipped a dagger across the canvas of the tent, a dagger that had not been in his hand moments before. Cutting a cross in the fabric, he stepped through and found himself not inches from the half-asleep form of the captain of the troupe. Tarnished steel plate mail armor adorned his form, not in much better condition then the leather of the footmen. Before his sat a chess table and it seemed he had played against an opponent for some time then lost, for his white king was toppled and he lay asleep in front of it. Probably studying his opponent’s strategy before sleeping, this was just one sign of the true general hidden in this worn mercenary. It was not his day to meet a shallow grave, and the Madd Hatter wished that it was true.

---- With a quick movement the Hatter closed the flap of the tent and sat down at the table. Picking up the pieces and lining them in the correct slots, his dagger was gone once more, assured this man wouldn’t scream for help. Reaching across and lightly tapping him on the head, he waited until the man rose, gradually, and sat up straight, only slight surprise marking his ghastly face. Apparently he had not eaten in a couple days and the wear of traveling in the harsh Raiaeran lands was beginning to show. Fatigue lingered like a plague deep inside his eyes, foreshadowing a short life if this ‘adventure’ did not end quickly. The avarice and ambition that had driven him out in the chase was faded, not even a shadow of its former glory. Pathetic couldn’t begin to describe him.

---- “Show me the respect I have shown you and do not draw a blade. Neither should you scream for help, for I don’t wish for more corpses. Two men lay outside, one may live, the other is dead. I came here for you, but not your head. Tell me of your quarry and I will leave, but you must leave as well.”

---- Confidence was strong in his voice, but he spoke the same as one would of the daily laundry, short and simple. Pride had no place in what his spoke, though he was almost regretful that such an occasion even had to come to pass. The ex-commander sighed deeply then began to speak, describing in full the ‘rebel’ that was wanted for massive theft. Apparently all the other groups that had hunted him down either failed miserably and never found him, or they disappeared into various deep dark locations. Word of his travels was easy to find, word of sightings was impossible. It was as if this beast of a man intentionally left a trail to be followed, but only enough so that the hunt could continue. Maybe he took pleasure in being prey, or, as the ex-commander thought, he wasn’t really the prey and instead the predator, luring in unsuspecting mercenaries. All of this Freddy took in with a loose smile, a liking for the rogue developing in that twisted mind.

---- At the end of the session, he stood, then reached across and hugged the man. Receiving no return sentiment, Freddy bowed his head and walked out the back of the tent. As he left, the rendering healed itself and his shadow once again disappeared into the fog. The ex-commander moved to exit his tent when one of his cavaliers came to tell him of the fallen guards. Groaning at the late warning, the old man waved off the younger knight and attended to the still living man. Telling them to gather their horses and be ready to disembark for civilization at dawn, all of his men were both relieved and worried at the regretful quitting. Still, their split funds did make them all noblesse, and the remainder of their lives no longer required dangerous mercenary work. Returning home to family and friends, the fourteen that lived would forget about the trip and never know of their nightly visitor.

---- Even the ex-commander never wished to think of it again. Worthless exhaustion, said he.

[The Madd Hatter]

---- The lone figure of the Hatter stood at the edge of a small valley, perched upon a cliff edge and staring into the darkness below. The sun’s rays were penetrating the silence, nature waking itself up and remembering that it’s a never-ending party. Lighting him up like a golden halo, the dawn’s first light slowly revealed the depths of the black below. Small pinpoints of light that coated the center of the dark expanded, growing in anticipation of the coming light. The wave broke the edge of the cliff, rolling in its sheer glory down into the valley and obliterating all the dots. In one swift motion, they winked out of sight, forgotten in the magnificence of dawn.

---- Standing, Freddy nodded to himself and stepped off the cliff edge. Wind ripped past him, threatening to take every piece of clothing off and send it into the stream. Falling into the shadow of the cliff, everything felt silent and still for a moment as he fell still, his top hat somehow remaining perched easily atop his head. Taking two barrel roll flips and ignoring the speed at which he approached the ground, Freddy reached one hand out and placed the palm in ready position as if he were intending to catch himself when he hit. Instead, a block of white energy appeared there, solidifying into a marble-like box which he spun around onto and stood upon. Its descent slowed elegantly, eventually reaching the ground and causing only a slight fluttering of the noblesse’s long coat. Rearranging said coat, he stepped off the block and didn’t even look as it melted into nothingness, returning to whence it came.

---- The shadows were favorable to the Hatter, for the ex-commander told him in earnest that the quarry expected a new hunter. His bounty had recently been raised, encouraging those who had been indecisive to set out and seek him down. The money had no consequence to him, and the mercenary’s shock was amusing when he left without even asking what the guillotine price was. Frederick was here to kill the ronin, not capture him.

---- Stepping from the shadows the Madd Hatter took one deep breath as his vision swept across the village before him. Busy with mid-morning activities, and occupied mostly by humans instead of the usual Raiaerians, it seemed they would easily spot a stranger in their ranks. With a short, casual stride, Freddy approached the edge of civilization, mute silence, ignoring the glances and glares sent his way from the towns people. They knew who rested in peace beneath their sky and honor made it so they protected him and in turn protected themselves. No doubt the warrior was providing service to this village, which was why few of the roaming bandits that were infamous in this part of Raiaera ever dared attack the quaint village; not to say it never happened.

---- Stepping into the first, and probably only, tavern in the village he approached the barkeep and smiled before sitting down. The joyous grin on the man’s face but a moment before changed into a grim countenance, for even the neutral tenders were bias in this matter. Careless of their hatred, the Madd Hatter simply gave an earnest heart-felt smile and said, bluntly, “Tell Jak to come out and play, I would like to speak to him.”

[The Madd Hatter]

2


31 Ways to Kill





---- “What if he doesn’t want to see you, mercenary?” The bartender practically spit the words out, disgust, hatred, and all the emotions of the unkind coming up in one delicious martini of ugliness. Slamming down the cliché cloth and beer bottle that was often the cover story used to create a sense of ‘busy interest’ in customers stories. The truth behind that little black wall was that these men had a sly hand in the deep dish of curiosity and didn’t want to take it back out. Many mortals divulged their souls until they reached the bottom of the bottle. Sadly, Frederick didn’t seem to be mortal. Not yet.

---- A soft smile played across the Madd Hatter’s face. Sitting up straight and staring deep into the completely aesthetic lacking face of the fat gentlemen who didn’t appear to understand the use of soap and water, his gold gaze never faltered. Even as the smell of three-day-old sweat choked every bit of oxygen out of his nostrils as the fat fool leaned over to grab the noblesse, the said gentleman remained motionless. Such immovable resolve had a profound effect on the thin fabric of the mortal mind, and beads of sweat broke out as the imagination ground its gears at top speed. Finally, he backed up and groaned, beckoning to a nearby waitress whose attire was not of the most modest cut; far from it.

---- “Get Jak. Tell him to bring his sword. Another is here to fight. A mercenary.”

---- Figuring it was all for naught to correct his assumption, the Hatter simply took off the hat that his alias came from and removed from its deep bowels a porcelain cup filled to the brim with steaming hot tea. Placing the previously empty hat back onto his head, he moved to sip the tea calmly to the disgruntled amazement of the patrons that all stared at him. Either for the same disgusting hatred of his presence or the fact that he seemed to not allow any of the laws of reality apply.

---- Whilst all this happened, a storm brewed outside. The sky was darkening and ominous clouds rolled it. Maybe this day would lead to those nights of legends, the dark and storm-ridden evenings where crazed scientists did explorations of the arcane to determine whether or not they truly could create life. Either that or simply bad weather was decided to hit the tiny farming valley. Not wanting to show off, the noblesse was not looking forward to the rain. For some reason, it always ignored him. Acting as if he wasn’t there, it refused to get him wet. Water, in all forms, remained a neutral medium and never allowed itself to be involved in his games.

---- Wild thoughts and constant creations ran amuck in the clever imagination of the Madd Hatter. Beneath that dark blue strange headgear his mind worked with never-ending shifting of gears, moving and storing and retrieving the thousands of memories that came from nowhere and somewhere. Vague images of places he had seen but enver been to and places he had been to but never seen always lay just beyond his reach. The memories of lifetimes, millions of lifetimes, ran past in seconds, a film moving to fast to catch any real glimpse. Faces, names, actions, places, fights, wars, deaths, loves, everything so congested.

---- It was no wonder everyone took him to be insane. How else would one body handle so much?

---- Everything stopped, for just a split second, when Jak descended down the stairs in his powerful glory. An aura of extreme potency seemed to explode across the room, everyone knowing he had come even though his entrance was silent and unspoken. Heads turned in reverence and glee, knowing everything would be fine now that he had arrive. Instantly the Madd Hatter knew that though he had never intended to kill those fine ragged mercenaries, he had saved their lives and souls by sending them home. This man, garbed in pristine by rural clothes, wasn’t anything normal. In fact, among those endless streams of lifetimes, his real name came to face. It came as a whisper, but in the deathly silence of the tavern everyone could hear it. Freddy said it as if it was a curse and a blessing.

---- “Aoert. You are alive.”

[The Madd Hatter]

---- Shock, something that had probably not been there for ages, registered on the lord’s face. It was there for but a moment, then his countenance spread into a wide smile. Luaghing heartily, he nodded consent to the waitress whom had fetched him then crossed the room. In his hand, lazily held there but with intent beyond understanding, almost another limb, was his sword. And if there ever was a sword of legend, this one was it. A long curving blade, an inch thick, with edges on either side. Carved letters, a language so old and dead that not even the ancients would understand it, marked the flat surface of the weapon. When one stared into it, the reflections did not show the world it lay in, but a different world, one of chaos and destruction. Flames warred within the rebound of that weapon, its soul that of death and war, never ending in its pursuit for a worthy opponent. Freddy knew that the weapon never had, nor ever will find a match for its might. Nor would its wielder. To top it all off, though the thing was more ancient then he could imagine, not a ding nor scratch nor blemish lay on the weapon. It had been used countless times across the eons yet nothing could phase it. Designed of materials that made adamantium wet its pants, this weapon itself could drive a fear so deep it clawed at the darkest instincts of man.

---- Drawing in a long gasp, Freddy found himself at a lost for words. For those who did not know him, this was nothing special, but the Madd Hatter always had something to say. A crude comment, a remark, a gesture of kindness, anything. Generosity in speech was one of his many talents he had found placed upon him at his arrival in this world and staring, his mind at a complete stand still, at this loving creature of sheer power, the Hatter could say nothing. Nothing at all. Thankful indeed he was when Jak spoke.

---- “He may be alive, I ‘ave no clue who dat is. M’name is Jakion Meredith. Dese fine peeps ‘ave called me da Ronin, or da Wanderer. Whateva name ya choose is fein, but I ‘ave not heard’a dat one befer. Ha, yer or-rigg-gi-nal.” The crude manner of his speech would normally be painful for the Hatter, but his mind was working at overdrive [a very vast speed, comparatively] trying to recall what stray fragment had conjured that name. Lost as a tiny minnow in a sea, he gave up and stood. Introductions were in order, it seemed.

---- “My apologies, Jakion Meredith. My name is Frederick Von Maddsenberg. As you are the Ronin, I am the Madd Hatter. Why they call me mad you must find out yourself. Now, if your doings of this doable day are done, then let our doing be done in a doable way outside. I am here, I must say, to kill you. Please?” At this he gentlemanly gestured to the door, bowing slightly in honor. He truly was insane, and for now, he thought that he would have the chance to test the question of what would happen if he died.

[The Madd Hatter]

---- Jak only laughed. He didn’t raise his blade, though almost every single armed man in the tavern did. Many rushed to his side, some even daring to get between the Hatter and the Ronin. With a slight gleeful sigh and accompanied with what could have been described as an interested chuckle, Jakion pushed the daring ones aside and nodded to Freddy. Moving deliberately to the door, he in the process smoothly grasped his sheath and in one smooth motion slid the blade into its warm embrace. His sleek form, betraying the muscle and power that lay beneath the skin, moved like a well oiled machine, perfectly graceful.

---- He had the deadly grace that man so feared.

---- Leaving his tea cup behind, Freddy turned to follow him outside, catching the door with a hand suddenly gloved in black noble cloth. Moving into the broad street, dirt stamped down by ages of people and horses moving through, he took note of his surroundings. Softly shingled roofs surrounded them on all sides, most of those who were outside had a determination and destination, not lingering for more than a moment to glance at the pair. Many of them had already passed, working in the fields that surrounding this small farming village. Wooden buildings, not brick, made up the surrounding of the miniscule square they stood in. The Ronin obviously feared for the safety of the civilians for he had not stopped and was making his way out towards the northern gate of the lazily defended wooden stake wall that surrounded it. It was a gate only in name, though, for no doors to speak of were there to seal it off if occasion demanded.

---- Keeping the brisk pace that Jak kept, the name that had broken through his inhibitions early and fell from his mouth still lingered on his tongue. It had a very familiar taste and Freddy felt it was perfectly right for the powerful beast that walked next to him. As if they were doing nothing but taking a soft trip, light conversation started up. Chat about the weather and surrounding conditions of the land. This wandering rogue was deeply interested in the travels of a lone wayfarer that had come to set him in a grave. Odd though it was, the Hatter’s nature dictated that he answered all of the questions and gave up polite conversation.

---- It didn’t last long, however, for once they were free of the gate and almost a mile from the last farmer’s hut the man stopped, cutting short an answer.

---- “So, you wish you kill me? Is that why you came all this way, stopping a mercenary band and getting information. All that, just to kill me? Before we battle, would you let me ask why?”

---- It had taken only seconds, but it seemed that now that the small chat was over, his uneducated and grammatically damaging accent disappeared. A calm and steady flow of words came forth, using perfect pronunciations that dictated no accent at all and showed the true age of this man’s intellect. Freddy knew that he was still the Ronin’s elder, but maybe not by much. Most mortals did not live as long as he did, in fact, very few made it even a tenth of the length. The question brought a soft smile to his noblesse countenance, however, and he folded his arms and thought about it for a moment. After but an infinitesimally short second Freddy answered with the purest truth.

---- “I don’t know, yet.”

[The Madd Hatter]

----Jak broke into an uncontrolled laughter. His face recoiled in hilarity, almost falling down from the spasms that struck his body. Leaning over and resting his weight on he knees, the massive and impressive warrior seemed nothing but a fool as his voice rang loud and humorously light over the empty fields. After a moment it ended with the Hatter standing, watching in awkward silence as the warrior collected himself. With his head lowered and his body bent over, Freddy couldn’t tell what was going on in the man’s head.

----In his patience his mind noticed a few things. First of all, a light breeze had started, swaying the knee-high green grass back and forth. The sounds of the oceanic fields of untamed grassland came to his ears as soothing, the whispering of nature beyond any comparison. Then, a new sensation came to his attention. A new type of silence was emitted from the warrior that was bent over next to him. The panting had stopped and his breathing dropped so much that one might have suspected he had entirely ceased. The Madd Hatter instantly knew that Jakion had, as well, smelled it.

----It was a smell beyond doubt, something that only accompanied one thing. Having no double, completely unique in its presence, it assaulted his nostrils. Once awareness of it had been achieved, it was impossible to ignore. They still had time, however, but not much. This stench brought ill omens and both of the immaculately aged beings that stood statuesque in the field knew the meaning.

----Undead.

----And infinite number of possibilities opened up with the reason why, in the bright of the morning, such fiends would be about. None of them were good, and the worst of them could cause significant trouble. The wind came from the east, as if originating from the sun itself, and streamlined through the fields and rolling hills until it reached the village. Being surrounded on all sides by massive steep cliffs, it was very well protected, and only one path had been cut through the vertical rock walls. Shadow coated this thin path through the mountain and nothing could be seen inside. The Hatter’s eyes stared into it, as if somehow they could penetrate the depth of darkness and see what was held behind it. At this rate, with the sun only just on the horizon, a small army could make it halfway to the village before even being spotted.

----Worry came up like bile from the noblesse’s stomach. A new need to conclude these matters before they arrived arose, for he didn’t wish to stick around for the ensuing battle. For whatever reason the dead had arose, and from the power of the stench there was quite a lot of them, it didn’t involve him and wasn’t his issue. Peeling his gaze from the other side of the valley to drop it once more on Jakion he found the man standing once more, hand on his sword’s hilt, his own eyes piercing the void of that entrance. Unlike the Madd Hatter, this Ronin did have an investment in the village.

----Without turning, Jakion spoke, not with arrogance or supremacy, but a purely factual voice.

----“Frederick, if you want to kill me you must take your turn. Loren is under my care and nothing may come to harm it while I remain here. It would be a real travesty if you let these fiends kill me and didn’t ever get a chance to take your cut at my heart strings.”

----A wicked grin spread across the Ronin’s face as he finally turned his head and returned Freddy’s stare. Instead of calculating and worried, as the Hatter would have expected, a mischievous fire burned insanely behind those eyes. With a deep internal groan, the noblesse knew what he meant and instantly regretted his knowledge of it.

----“It would be disappointing to not drive my own dagger into your breast. As the last of the rot falls, so will you. Remember that.”

----Jak smiled deeper and returned his gaze to the valley entrance. The smell grew stronger, affronting their nostrils and burning their lungs.

----“I’m glad to hear it, friend.”

[The Madd Hatter]

3

Bite Dust



---- Patience was one of the few talents that Freddy had an almost insurmountable abundance in. Shortly after the proclamation of his continuing presence in the field, a table had cropped up out of the ground accompanied by two chairs. Seating himself and doing his usual routine of removing the steaming hot pitcher of tea from his hat and two tea cups, he sat down to a nice and enjoyable drink. It had been a while since his tracking of Jak had stopped long enough that the Madd Hatter was able to enjoy a good hot brewed cup. He had only had the chance for a single sip back in the tavern.

---- Not to much surprise on the noblesse’s side, the Ronin sat in the chair conjured for him with a small smirk on his face. The man fetched his own sugar and only put a small amount in before continuing to gulp down the contents of the cup and pour himself another. Letting this one sit, he turned his head to watch the horizon. The sun was still rising, fortunately, and the shadows of the cliff were receding. Not one of those unnatural beasts they smelled had appeared yet, but they grew closer with every passing minute. Not wanting to let a single one get the chance to even get close to the farmers surrounding the village, they had moved farther away and approached the cliff before camping. Now only a few yards from the receding shadow line, the two entities rested.

---- “I don’t understand you, Freddy, but I don’t think I need to. You stayed, that is enough for me. Thank you. Whatever happens today, I am in your debt.”

---- The Hatter lifted his eyes and stared calmly into the Ronin’s. A bond passed between them, the calm that preceded the storm growing in its tension. Soft smiles grew on each of their faces, and Frederick finally nodded consent, as if accepting the debt. Sipping his tea and feeling the rejuvenating heat rush through his body, he glanced around them to see if there was anything to be used. There was a rolling of hills that followed the curve of the cliffs, which meant that they would have the upper ground. If only at the beginning, the advantage would be theirs. Then again, numbers probably outmatched them evening out the odds once more.

---- Type of undead and strength thereof also depended on the outcome of this battle. If great and powerful liches, wraiths, specters, and nightmares bolstered their ranks then it would be nearly impossible to stand alone against the odds. Yet even an endless tide of shambling unintelligent zombies would still tire them and eventually overcome the two warriors. Even with the power of the Ronin, there was much tossed up today.

---- Freddy wanted no part of this conflict, the war that would proceed in this valley, but his agreement tied him up now. And, as he stood and took a few steps toward the retreating shadows, he knew the time was coming. If he wanted to escape, he still had the chance. This was the moment of decision, the time of judgment. For the first time in a long while, the Madd Hatter placed one hand softly on his dark blue top hat and took it off, dropping it on the table behind him. Shaking his head to remove the neatness from his ear-long brown hair, he took a deep breath.

---- Forever infinity, and infinity forever. Into the darkness my wings be swallowed, ride on my back, flame, and enter my enemy’s soul. Go forth. Destroy

---- The chant gave Freddy a sense of security and removed from him all the endless thoughts and memories that streamed through his mind. Leaving behind a void into which he could pour pure thought, concentration, calculation and strategy into, it was perfect for battle. Without a spoken word, two blades fell out of his sleeves and were grasped firmly in his hands.

---- His decision was made, and as he looked at the half-blade, what appeared to be half of a massive pair of ornate iron scissors, he knew he would stay. It was in every fiber of his being to remain and be a part of the mortal’s lives. Whatever essences and existences he had experienced before this life in Althanas, they left in him a love for the mortal races. Freddy couldn’t stand to see them murdered so, end so, their dreams taken away.

---- The Madd Hatter wouldn’t let it.

---- “Let there be war.”

[The Madd Hatter]

----War was an understatement.

----A blood-curdling scream burst from the direction of the cliff, echoing through the valley and sending a shiver up the Hatter’s spine. It was inhuman in its depth, length, and pitch. The scream was nothing a zombie could conjure up, and almost sounded like a declaration of sorts, instead of random noise. Pain, torture, slavery, and blood lust all mixed into that voice. Clutching his half-blades tighter, Freddy watched in horror as a mass of writhing shadows appeared from the darkness.

----First, with the sun turning them into massive silhouettes, the Hatter noticed that the fine edge of the shadowed cliff grew distorted, drawing his attention skywards. Along that vertical cliff, easily sixty feet above him, a line of ghoulish beasts stood, slowly rising on thin boney legs. Incredibly long arms and legs with a thin, malnourished gray body and furless wolf-like or bovine heads made them more distinct than any undead. More than countable stood at that edge, baying at the sky or gnashing their teeth in anger. Even from where he stood the Hatter could see long wicked claws. They weren’t truly undead, but instead beasts summoned from damned pits to do the bidding of a powerful necromancer. In this case, possibly multiple raisers.

----Then came the mass of the army, moving with a disturbingly slow speed the darkness before them writhed and finally broke, showing incredibly tall lanky creatures. Each had pale white hide so thin that the quivering organs beneath showed, the shadows behind easily seen. Swords, spears, and claws armed the giant fiends, seeming to be the more civilized brothers of the ghouls on the cliff. They lead the vanguard of an undeterminably massive army of skeletons, zombies, and specters. The disembodied cloaked ghosts floated overhead, bearing massive and cruel weapons of a sort that even the Hatter had never seen before. Seemingly crafted from the bones of their victims and given an edge by dark magics, these creatures were darker then the nightmares of liches.

---- “They came prepared.”

----Jakion spoke the short sentence, a complete understatement and surprising in its calm, with a side of hilarity. Maybe insanity was beginning to hit the Ronin, but the Madd Hatter doubted it. A tiny bit of humor was good before their imminent deaths. Freddy had only been in this world a short time and already a massive war was on its way. Turning to look at his fellow warrior, intending to speak his last words, the noblesse stopped with a shock.

----An army of their own, though only a small group compared to the forces that made their patient pace towards them, stood at Jak’s back. They would arrive long before the undead did, mounted on massive war steeds and running on swift legs. Somehow that small farming village that the Hatter had so easily discarded as simple minded produced a legion of well-trained and battle-hardened warriors. Each had the face of a commander and the presence of a deadly mercenary. Suddenly the memories of disappearing mercenaries and rogues that had chased Jak came to front.

----None of them were dead, but instead, they joined him. He is the Commander of the Ronin! My, my, my, this was an unexpected turn.

---- “We may live after all, Lord Jakion.” Freddy spoke the title with some reverence, understanding his place beside the leader. Nothing was a positive in his mind anymore, and now he found himself lost and confused, so very mortal in that sense.

---- “I’m no greater then you, Freddy. The men follow me of their own choosing, and I am a lone Ronin still. Despite that, Loren, that dear village, has become my home. As it grew in my heart, it grew in theirs, and now they have helped the bandit-plagued home flourish. The rot before us is my fault, they seek me out as you did. It is my duty to protect those whom I promised to never let harm befall. My love rests with those people, Frederick.”

----The Madd Hatter felt but a child next to this honorable man now. His ambivalent and carefully careless nature was now shadowed by the chivalry and love that radiated from Jak. Many things were changing, and only one thing remained positive, as his mind never let him forget it. Despite the love and the honor, the mortal’s time in this world was over. He wouldn’t leave him alive.

----Now wasn’t the time for that though, and as the Ronin’s army gathered around their position, with the two sentinels at the vanguard, they prepared their minds for the battle that would commence before the sun rose another inch.