And All Things Will End
You speak your concerns aloud.Hunter does not seem surprised by your questions. He turns to face you. His eyes are still bloodshot, but a more neutral tone has returned to his voice.
"Hm? Oh, yes, the mines. I suspect...no, I know that the answer to the village massacre lies down here. How far must we travel, I do not know. Those creatures that assailed us, I do not recognize. But I know that we must travel deep into these mines."
You press further; how can he be so certain?
"Well, I can..you see...I didn't want to have to show you, but..," He sighs, and rolls up the sleeves of his cloak. Swirling tattoos wrap around his arm. A dim blue glow emenates from them. This is the mark of a mage; someone with magical capabilities.
Hunter manages a small smile when he sees the look of surprise cross your face. "Yep, ever since I was young. I've always been sensitive to the arcane. I could feel the magic in the air, even before I knew what it was. and one day, it entered my bloodstream. That's when these tattoos appeared on my arm. I didn't know what they were, I just knew that i shouldn't show them to anyone. That included my parents. unfortunately." His voice trails off, then he regains his composure.
"But you don't want to hear about any of that. Sorry; I need to keep myself steeped in my memories, lest I forget myself." He shrugs, then offers what might be considered an explanation. The important thing is that...when I was asleep something invaded my mind. I had felt it earlier, but it wasn't very strong. Then, a few hours ago I heard the thoughts of another howling into my mind, their screams drowing out my dreams. I felt it coming from the mines."
You ask if these other thoughts are still with him; it seems prudent to do so. He looks troubled.
"Yes..its easy to lose myself in them. That's why I was so frantic earlier...I couldn't tell which one I was. I can feel them crushing my consciousness now, Its becoming too strong to hold." He sniffs, then flashes a pained smile. "Don't worry about me, I should be able to make it there." He doesn't bring up the return trip.
He looks at you again. There is a new look in his eyes, an emotion that you haven't seen from him. His hand clasps your shoulder awkwardly.
"Thanks for trusting me...back there." That's all he manages. His words possess a clarity and determination that was absent before. Then he turns, and faces the darkness again.
"Hm? Oh, yes, the mines. I suspect...no, I know that the answer to the village massacre lies down here. How far must we travel, I do not know. Those creatures that assailed us, I do not recognize. But I know that we must travel deep into these mines."
You press further; how can he be so certain?
"Well, I can..you see...I didn't want to have to show you, but..," He sighs, and rolls up the sleeves of his cloak. Swirling tattoos wrap around his arm. A dim blue glow emenates from them. This is the mark of a mage; someone with magical capabilities.
Hunter manages a small smile when he sees the look of surprise cross your face. "Yep, ever since I was young. I've always been sensitive to the arcane. I could feel the magic in the air, even before I knew what it was. and one day, it entered my bloodstream. That's when these tattoos appeared on my arm. I didn't know what they were, I just knew that i shouldn't show them to anyone. That included my parents. unfortunately." His voice trails off, then he regains his composure.
"But you don't want to hear about any of that. Sorry; I need to keep myself steeped in my memories, lest I forget myself." He shrugs, then offers what might be considered an explanation. The important thing is that...when I was asleep something invaded my mind. I had felt it earlier, but it wasn't very strong. Then, a few hours ago I heard the thoughts of another howling into my mind, their screams drowing out my dreams. I felt it coming from the mines."
You ask if these other thoughts are still with him; it seems prudent to do so. He looks troubled.
"Yes..its easy to lose myself in them. That's why I was so frantic earlier...I couldn't tell which one I was. I can feel them crushing my consciousness now, Its becoming too strong to hold." He sniffs, then flashes a pained smile. "Don't worry about me, I should be able to make it there." He doesn't bring up the return trip.
He looks at you again. There is a new look in his eyes, an emotion that you haven't seen from him. His hand clasps your shoulder awkwardly.
"Thanks for trusting me...back there." That's all he manages. His words possess a clarity and determination that was absent before. Then he turns, and faces the darkness again.