My name is Selen, no last name.

I am the courier for the town of Lata, a quaint place near a large forest in the southeast of the Barony of Blackstone.

I wear a large black hat with a veil on its edges, I keep it on using a strap of white lace, I can move quite fast once I get moving, and I wouldn’t want it to fall off.

I deliver to everyone in town promptly and with grace, the people were a bit wary of me at first, must’ve been my eyes.

Or that the last courier for the town was found missing his arms and looking like a bear had ripped his chest apart to reach his heart.

Today I’ll be checking up on my “special customers”, they all live closer to the forest than the town.

one lives alone in a house with no windows, he works nights at the jailhouse, one lives with his wife and son in a 1 story stone house with a shed attached, the last is a whole family of “special customers.”

I slipped the package through the slot on the first customers door, the vials are cushioned and kept chilled so they will be fine by the time he wakes up.

I took a letter to the family, their extended family will need to see the children, make sure they are doing well.

The last customer… He didn’t answer, but I could smell it, fresh, heavy iron, I could taste it, must’ve happened last night, nearly a full moon.

My name is Samual, no last name.

I am a woodworker in Lata.

I live with my wonderful wife and son, he’s just turned 7, he isn’t like me, I checked, but I’m glad for that, it would break my heart to see him have to live in hiding like me.

I decided to go to the shed early, my wife knows not to disturb him when I’m working, it's fine.

I placed the wolfsbane rope around the handle, it’s a little tattered but it should hold.

I need to have Selen get me more but it sounds like a storm is brewing outside, I don't want to make her run in the rain for just a bit of rope.

Blood… so much blood, and their cold eyes… what happened, who did this? Why would they leave me alive? But shouldn’t I be in the shed?

I couldn’t have, how could I? I followed the rules, the rope, the salt on the doorway, wolfsbane on everything, I shouldn’t have had the strength unless… the storm.

I stepped outside, the door still slightly ajar, the lock wasn’t broken, not processing what had really happened, not fully.

A branch as thick as my arm, right through the shed door, the rope didn’t hold,

Why why why why, why didn’t I get more rope, why did they open when I knocked last night, why didn’t I just die, why my son, why my wife.

My name is Selen, no last name.

I’m a night watcher in the town of Lata.

Why why why, why did he kill his wife and son, running away? Unlikely, he was a genuine family man.

They found out? Called him a monster maybe? Possible, his wife is… was a kind woman, but superstitious, ironic couple, good people.

He lost control? But why? He’s been a wolf for nearly 4 years now, the other family had been helping him, he should’ve been able to lock himself up at least, full moon wasn’t even till tomorrow.

Then I noticed it, beneath the blood, a smaller smell.

Bark, splinters, Balete wood.

I checked the shed, place was full of it.

I looked at his order sheet.

“I would like 15 walking sticks made of this wonderful wood.”

No name, I’ll let the others look at it, if it’s who I think then her writing is warded from divinations, but at least we would know.

Contacted Graybeard, told him we needed a hunt, Samuel had nearly a full night's start on us.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I left a note at the front desk, “tell anyone who asks I had a family emergency, 2nd cousin gave birth.”

I reached into my hat and pulled out my gear, tunic made of black sheep wool first, then the silver chainmail, only made that mistake once, took the veil off my hat, put it around my neck, then the neck guard, coat next, I always liked the fit of it, then the mask.

Finally I put on my star, the sign of order, humans and those who are more than human, that we can live side by side, with a few concessions at least.

Graybeard was already at the treeline with the horses in full gear, never found out how he could always move around so much for an old man.

the wolf hound was looking anxious, he had the scent, couldn’t wait for the hunt.

“15 coin for the finishing blow?”

Graybeard was quiet, but a betting man.

“Bronze or silver, I’ll take it.”

If I didn’t take these small moments of grim humor, I would’ve requested a transfer to record keeping.

We followed the hound west, it was getting dark, things could get a lot worse if he hid in some poor farmers barn when the full moon came out.

Hound led us into a cave system, smart move, almost.

We checked the area for any other exits, unless he grew an extra set of lungs this was the only way out. too close to a farm for my taste, but the chances of him making it past us were low.

Silver razor wire around the hole leading out, checked the silvermist bombs, new works, don’t like being the person who tests out the new weapon that can kill you as easy as your enemy, but the Alchemist said it was solid, just needed extra field testing.

Graybeard came back with a deer, slit its belly open and pulled the guts out.

Little air magic to push the smell into the cave, and erase ours.

Now we wait.

Came out just before midnight, he was… wrong.

Samuel was not a small man, but the size change was off by a full foot, what the hell did that witch do to him?

The razor wire barely cut his skin before he realized what was happening and smashed the rocks around the cave the wires were anchored to.

We started on the silvermist bombs,

I couldn’t move through it, but it slowed Samuel down and didn’t hurt the hound or Graybeard.

I could hear him start to choke, I could smell his blood, he tried cast a gust to blow it away, a poor move against me, I kept the air tight around him, then a howl rung out, broke my focus and blew away the mist, Graybeard was only a step behind the hound, lucky too.

Samuel struck the hound like a warhammer, poor thing barely yelped before it hit a tree, I heard its spine snap like a chicken bone.

What is the godsdamned witch doing this for?

I rushed in, Graybeard barely blocked the strike, but spikes on his shield did their work, Samuel howled in pain as he backed away. The pain must’ve snapped something back in place, it was too late for that, he already drew blood, the rules couldn’t risk him being found out and still given mercy, making the rest of our work fade away and the rest of our kind look like bloodthirsty monsters.

He slowed down some, the mist had worked, little bits of silver were probably working through his blood by now.

Graybeard got his stomach with the tip of his whip, I tossed caltrops at his feet, rope daggers at his vitals.

We kept at this little dance for 10 minutes.

He was covered in his own blood, he realized what would happen if he kept going like this, he ran.

We got on our horses as fast as we could, I knew we were too close to a farm, we might be able to run him through with our swords from horseback if he goes for the front door.

Why was there some brat outside, reading? Who the hell does that? Luck was on his side at least, Samuel was hesitating.

“Please, I didn’t mean to do it, I don’t want to hurt anyone else, I just need to be moved somewhere, please.”

He spoke in wolftongue. I was a bit rusty but I could tell what he wanted at least.

“Yes, we can help, but you need to let the boy go and come with us, no more blood needs to spill tonight.”

He hesitated again, before he spoke, his mind was clearing.

“Just let me and little Simon go, I can raise him without his mother still.”

Simon, his son, Samuel was still too far gone, I will need a little more time, Graybeard got that look in his eye, he had a plan, we just needed to- What the hell is the kid doing? He’s going to get himself killed.

I cracked my reins and held my sword tight, we wouldn’t make it before he tore out his throat but if its not too bad I can turn him at least, give him time to decide if he wants to join us or not.

Then Samuel’s Arm fell apart, like a body left to hang too long.

His eyes… I could see a little of the old him in there, but more than that I could see the betrayal, he still thought it was Simon.

The kid dug into his chest next, Samuel’s heart shriveled and blacked, he was gone, 3 years I knew him, and this is how it ends.

I took his head off before the kid could get a good look, the chances he or the other man who just burst outside knew him were slim, but not 0.

Hid my voice with the mask, played the professional, no attachment.

Pulled his body into the spatial bag, I knew the weight would never change, but it always felt heavier with a body in it.

Marked in the journal why what happened had to happen, why I thought it happened.

Samuel was a good man, I am glad these eyes of mine haven’t cried since I was turned.

Glad the mask hides my face.

One day I will find her, and I will kill her.

Nemain the Witch, our constant enemy, why does she do these things? We’ve tried finding out, her notes are all gibberish, our best polyglots couldn’t make heads or tails of a single word, let alone her goal.