Prologue

This is a story of a song

A beautiful song

And those who sing it

Tainted men follow its tune.

Relentlessly searching for the one thing capable of washing away the darkness that plagues their hearts.

Chapter one

Kalosýni’s life in the small village of Silves was rather peaceful. He was a simple farmer boy who enjoyed wandering in the forest and learning new things. He spent most of his time tending to his father’s small field, where they grew fosberries.

Fosberries were particularly popular because people thought they were somehow related to the goddess Eirini, that and they would emit a pale blue light in the dark. As for their taste, they were pretty normal as far as berries go.

Kalosýni didn’t care much as long as they sold well before winter.

Kalos, as he was usually called, casually weaved through the eastern part of the forest that surrounded his village.

He rummaged between roots searching for anything that would catch his eye, be it herbs or such other things.

The sun had sunken pretty low into the horizon, so Kalos decided to head on home.

He made his way back into town and his ears caught the usual gossip that circulated in the somewhat peaceful town.

“Oh, it’s Raymond’s son.”

“Yeah, he’s still unnaturally tall.”

“Isn’t he only nineteen?”

“That must mean he has a lot more growing left, right?”

Kalos didn’t mind their harmless comments. He assumed that since the town was so small and nothing exciting ever really happened, people would eventually get bored and need something to talk about.

He made his way past the handful of buildings that made up the town centre and took the path that led to his father’s farm.

The path wasn't that long and it was only after a few hundred meters that he came across his neighbours home. The house belonged to a knight who often travelled across the land and so his wife would often be seen sitting by her lonesome on the porch.

“Hey, Kalos!” The woman called. It was Estella Vel, the knight's wife. Kalos waved his hands enthusiastically at her as he walked by.

“Be sure to grab a grip of Fosberries for me.” She requested.

“Ok!” Kalos said as his walk turned into a jog. He quickly made his way home, which was only a few more meters up the path. He reached the two-roomed farmhouse and entered it.

There he saw a middle-aged man, sitting asleep on an old chair. He approached the man and was assaulted by the mild smell of alcohol. He looked at the old man's feet and found several empty bottles and half a piece of bread.

Kalos picked up the piece of bread and took it to the kitchen area where he stored it somewhere.

He then took a pouch from one of the many shelves, but just as he began walking towards the door, he heard a loud groan.

“Mmm… where are you off to?” The man asked.

“Aunt Estella’s. She said she wants some berries and the sun is still up so I thought I’d give her some.” Kalos said.

“Is that so? Be sure to be back before nightfall, ok?” The man said as his eyelids fell.

“Ok, dad,” Kalos whispered as he left.

A short walk is all it took and he was back at Estella’s house. He found her idly rocking herself on her chair.

“I got the berries.” Kalos said as he handed her the berries. Estella opened the little pouch in her hand and gave Kalos two silver coins.

“Thanks.” She said as she ate away at the berries. Kalos gave her a slight nod and a smile, before turning around to leave.

“Wait!” Estella cried.

Kalos quickly turned around.

“What? Is it the baby?” Kalos asked. His voice full of concern.

“Oh, it’s not that. I just wanted someone to talk to for a bit.” Estella said, prompting Kalos to look at the horizon's edge.

The sun had yet to set, but it was still pretty late.

However his dad was asleep, so maybe staying out a bit late wouldn’t hurt.

Kalos sighed and took a seat on the floor right next to her.

“What do you want to talk about?” Kalos asked.

Estella ate a few berries before answering.

“Mmm… what do you look for when you go out into the forest? I’ve seen you do so for all these years, but not once have you ever returned with anything.” She asked.

“Oh, that? Well, I practice all sorts of things.” Kalos said while shyly scratching his head.

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“Like what?” Estella asked with a warm smile.

“Mmm… well, I forage. I track animals and I find new ways to preserve meats.” Kalos explained.

“Oh? Did your father teach you how to do those things?” Estella asked.

“Yes.”

The two then sat in silence as the horizon ate the sun and blanketed the world in a blue darkness as the moon hung above. The sound of crickets and the rustling of leaves seemed muted as Kalos paid close attention to Estella’s state.

“When is uncle Leeden coming back?” Kalos asked as several candles were lit in the town centre, illuminating the small town.

“I’m not sure. Could be a week. Could be a month.” Estella said as she gently rubbed her enlarged belly.

“where did he go?”

“Mmm… I think it was Carimae.”

“Oh? Isn’t that where you’re from?” Kalos asked.

“Shh. Don’t say that too loudly, but yes."

Kalos nodded slightly as he stood up.

“I have to go back now." He said before jogging off back home. He looked back and saw Estella wave goodbye at him. He waved back and continued his jog home.

Upon arrival, he walked along the perimeter of the fence that surrounded his home, checking for any holes. His father hated finding tiny bites on the fosberries and so he tasked Kalos with the job of maintaining the fence.

Satisfied with his findings, Kalos entered the house. There he found his father tending a flame in the chimney. He removed his shoes and sat on one of the two old chairs then examined one of the many hunting knives he had. He checked their blades for sharpness, checked their hilts for firmness and their edges for folding of any sort.

“It would serve you well to avoid that Estella woman. Well, until she gives birth at least.” Kalosýni’s father said. His voice had a deep rumble that only thunderclouds could mimic.

“Why? Is it because she’s from… Carimae?” Kalos asked.

“No, and don’t say that so openly.” Kalos’ father thundered.

“Then why?”

“Just don’t. You’ve always had a soft spot for the weak. Don’t let that altruism bring you pain.” Kalos' father said as he walked towards the bedroom.

“Winter is fast approaching. Do not stay up too long. Lest you burn all our firewood.” He said as he closed the door.

Kalos stared into the flame as it burnt. He wondered why his father didn’t want him to talk to Estella and what the word altruism meant. He’d always reasoned that the reason other villagers didn’t like her was because she was from Carimae, but the villagers weren’t very welcoming to anyone, Kalos and his father included.

Kalos got up and prepared to leave the house. There was a small coop where they kept a few chickens in the back.

“Where’re you going?” His father bellowed.

“I’m going to check the coop before I sleep.”

Kalos quickly marched to the coop. He opened its little door and counted about a dozen chickens, but that’s not what he was there for. He walked over to one of the nests and lifted it ever so slightly, revealing a leather satchel.

Kalos took the satchel and rummaged through its contents until he found a small pendant, along with several other items.

The pendant resembled the crest on the armour’s and shield worn and carried by knights of the order of Eirini. The crest displayed a shiled that had one its halves darker than the other. Embellished on the shield was a set of magnificent antlers. Below the shield sat two swords of strange design and above it sat a rather thin crown.

Kalos found the pendant out in the forest just beyond the fence. He assumed it was his father’s, but his father never said anything about him being a knight.

Kalos rubbed the pendant with his thumb, removing some of the dirt that had accumulated on its surface.

He then placed the satchel down and took the pendant outside then walked out of the coop.

A while after Kalos discovered the pendant, he noticed that it sometimes glowed, which only added to his amazement, but when he showed the pendant to his father, he was scolded and his father took the pendant, went back into the forest and attempted discarding it again.

Kalos, however, followed his father into the woods and recovered the pendant shorty after. This was many years ago.

Kalos returned to the coop, but just as he was about to return the pendant he heard a scream coming from the direction of Estella’s home.

Kalosýni's heart sank.

He knew that Estella was pregnant and always wondered why she never asked any of the local women for help. She’d always shrug off Kalos’ concerns and say “The baby will come when my husband’s back.”

Kalos never understood that logic so he dashed out of the coop and ran towards the scream at full speed. His mind raced as he traversed the not so long distance between their homes.

He heard the scream again, this time it was followed by a cry.

“Help! Kalos!”

Kalos hastened his steps.

his gaze then fell upon a man who violently bashed Estella’s door.

Kalosýni’s eyes widened.

The man looked like one of the local villagers and he didn't have a weapon.

Kalos dashed towards the man and tackled him to the ground.

The man desperately struggled to escape from Kalosýni’s grip, who wanted to see the face of the man who attacked Estella, so he violently turned the man's body around.

Kalos saw two completely black eyes and a mouth full of blood. He checked and the man’s hands were covered in blood as well. The skin and flesh around his fingers had been torn off and it looked like the man had bitten his tongue off.

Kalosýni’s face twisted into a scowl.

“What did you do to aunt Estella?” Kalos roared as he squeezed the man who was at least half his size. The man’s bones splintered and cracked under the sheer force of Kalos' grip as the young lad was overcome by rage.

“Tell me!” Kalos yelled as the man thrashed violently in a desperate attempt to escape the boy’s death grip.

“Kalos!” A certain voice cried. Kalos turned and saw Estella peeking out of the door. He checked her body and found no wounds.

“Are you ok?” Kalos asked with an intensity neither he nor Estella had ever heard, causing Estella to frantically shake her head.

“I’m fine. I don’t know why, but that man wanted to break in.” Estella said as tears ran down her face causing Kalosýni’s anger to flare and so he squeezed the man even harder, causing the man to cough up what looked like blood, only it was black.

“What’s wrong with him?” Estella asked.

“It’s the dread.”

Kalos and Estella both turned their heads to where the familiar voice was coming from.

Near the path leading to Estella’s house, they saw a tall man with a greying beard.

“Dad?” Kalos gasped as the man walked towards them, revealing that he was indeed Kalos’ father.

“Something is wrong with this man. He attacked aunt Estella.” Kalos said as he continued to squeeze the man.

“Raymond?” Estella asked.

“Yes, it’s me.” Raymond said while scratching his head rather calmly as he approached Kalos.

“Let him go,” Raymond instructed.

Kalos did as instructed and quickly dashed towards Estella. The man attempted getting up, but many of his bones had already been broken so his movements were sluggish and slow.

Raymond took out a knife from his pocket sheath and stabbed the man’s temple in a flash. Estella screamed and Kalos gasped as the man’s body fell over.

“Why did you do that?” Estella asked.

“Mmm? Oh, there’s no cure for the dread. That was the only way to get him to stop attacking you." Raymond explained.

Kalos swallowed whatever saliva was in his mouth before realizing that Estella had just witnessed the death of a person.

“Oh, aunty. Please go inside. It’s far too cold for you to be standing out here.” Kalos suggested as he accompanied her into her home. This wasn’t Kalos’ first time inside her home, but he didn’t get to do so often. It was always so warm, cosy, homey and he enjoyed that.

Estella sat down on one of her chairs, while Kalos covered her in a light blanket.

Raymond entered shortly after introducing the house to the smell of alcohol.

Estella did her best not to cringe at the stench, but Kalos seemed fine with it so she didn’t complain.

“Well, our situation has just become slightly more complicated,” Raymond said.

“Firstly, we’ve killed a man and secondly, you’re carrying a singing child,” Raymond said with a loud groan.

“What? What’s a singing child? I’ve never heard it sing.” Estella asked with a perplexed expression.

Meanwhile, Kalos gathered some firewood and placed it in the chimney.

“Well, you see that’s the thing. No one can hear singing children. No one except those with the dread.” Raymond explained.

“I'm not entirely sure why, but the dread are drawn to women who bear singing children. The dreaded relentlessly search for them, until they are killed or they find the child.” Raymond explained.

“What happens when they find them?” Estella asked.

“They kill the singing child.”