"Segfried!"

Niyeighty, shouted as she chased him. "When I catch you, I'm going to kill you!"

Segfried stuck out his tongue and sped off. He was fast for a boy only 12 Dark-Suns. Although she was 1 Dark-Sun older, she couldn't keep up with him.

He was a skinny kid with a small frame but was extremely agile for his size. And even though he was an average height for a boy his age, he still fell 2 inches shorter than her.

Giggling, he ran down the dirt road leading out of the small village; his short golden hair swinging side by side as he ran. Niyeighty bent over and clutched her large chest to keep her heart from bursting out. Her long golden hair clung to the back of her neck from all the sweat.

It was a hot and humid day, which was not uncommon in the Eastern Region of the Five-Lands but was uncommon for this moment in the season. Today was the last day of the season of Wind, which was a cool season with lots of breezes and high winds. However, today’s Dark-Sun would mark the first day of the season of Sun. The season of the Sun was a fairly hot season, and happened to be the longest season, spanning a total of 150 suns and moons. Thankfully, the Eastern region of the Five-Lands was covered in miles and miles of maze-like forests with tall trees. So, no matter how hot the season was, the tall trees provided ample shade and protection from the sometimes mild and sometimes blazingly lethal sun.

"Where are you headed?" She shouted, in-between gasping for air.

"To our favorite place by the lake," he shouted, not even turning to look back.

That's Segfried! Always moving forward and never looking back.

She smiled; she loved that about him. There was just something about him. He was one of the most spirited and enigmatic children in the orphanage. But also, courageous and daring, often doing flips and things like jumping from high trees. It was difficult for any child in their village to keep up with him.

She took a deep breath and stood erect. The sky was light purple mixed with shades of orange. Soon it would be a dark red mixed with black. And then black altogether. The Dark-Hour was soon upon them.

"But Mother Nora warned us to return to the orphanage before the Dark-Hour," she yelled.

It was too late. He was too far ahead to hear.

The Dark-Hour was the moment the moon blocked the mid-day sun, marking the end, and the beginning of the 5-season cycle. It was rumored that during the Dark-Hour, when the light was swallowed by darkness, demons were free to wander the Five-Lands and devour all that was good and pure.

Many Dark-Suns past, when Niyeighty was only a small child, she had asked Mother Nora if the hearsay were true, and Mother Nora replied;

"Child… talk of demons is nonsense. Demons don't exist. Not physically speaking being that it is... The real demons exist inside the souls of men. Oh yes child! Those are the demons to be frightened of! Not the ones you hear in superstitious tales. Trust my words, something unspeakable always occurs during the Dark-Hour. And it's always by man, not demons."

She didn't know whether Mother Nora's words were true or not, nonetheless, if they didn't return before the Dark-Hour, they were sure to get a lashing. She smiled at the thought of the plump, middle-aged Mother Nora chasing after them. She pictured Mother Nora huffing and wheezing, while trying to whip them. She could almost see her short black curls bouncing atop her head, and the sweat dripping off her forehead.

She would lose her breath and surrender, long before our bottom-ends are sore.

Niyeighty covered her mouth and held back a giggle.

Besides, the next few suns will be my last in the orphanage with him...

She took a deep breath, and forced herself forward, sprinting as fast as she could.

.....................................................

She tripped over something hard and cold, and put her hands up to break her fall. She prevented her face from smashing into the dirt road, but her beige dress was less fortunate.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Fly mud," she exclaimed, turning to see what caused her fall. If Mother Nora had heard, she would have scolded her for using such a phrase. Or even put soap in her mouth.

Above her, stood a tall pale-skinned man. He had shackles on his wrists, and a large iron ball and chain attached to his right ankle. His face was dirty, he had a scruffy beard, and he had an “X” symbol etched onto his forehead. She stared in amazement. He was a Marked-one. She had never laid eyes on one so close. Her stomach tightened and her heart skipped a beat. She didn't know whether to run or stay still.

The big man held out one of his shackled hands, "Apologies, lil miss." Surprisingly, his voice was soft and unintimidating.

"Mind ya chainz, ya blinking oaf!" A fat, ugly, midget with a stump for one arm, shouted, while beating the Marked-one in the head from behind with a stick. But the marked-one was so tall that that the midget had to jump to even reach the marked-one's head with the stick. It was comical sight to witness.

Though the Marked-one appeared to be able to snap the midget in half; he instead, cowered to his knees.

"Apologies, for my carelessness master, I will mind my chains. Please do not beat me."

The midget looked down at the Marked-one with disgust and spat on him.

"The names Ellagio, and don't mind the stump," he said flashing his black and yellow teeth. He stuck his stump out for her to grab onto and pull herself up. She eyed the stump, and instead pushed herself to her feet.

"Help yaself, itsall the same to me," he said rolling his eyes and spitting onto the ground a little distance away from her.

As she stood to her feet, she stared at the Marked-one, who was now kneeling. He was such an imposing figure, even kneeling he was almost half her height.

"Is this the first one ya seeing?" Ellagio asked, with a glowing curiosity.

She nodded in astonishment.

"Well, let's make a show of it! Rise, ya stinkin piece of fly mud!" He ordered, with a hard kick to the Marked-one's stomach.

She winced at the blow, and angrily eyed the midget.

You're the pig calling the mud dirty!

Though he was somewhat well dressed, Ellagio smelled of sweat, too much wine, and a long day’s travel in the hot sun.

The Marked-one quickly rose to his feet and towered over her and Ellagio.

"Please don't hit him anymore," she said softly.

He eyed her curiously...

"By law of the Five-Land's Kingdoms, he's my property. And I can do whatever I please to em! And you should mind your words young lady. The kingdoms don't look too kindly upon sympathizers."

She looked at the ground in shame. She had heard tales of people labeled sympathizers. In many of the tales, those people were hung, stoned, or bled to death in public.

"I am not a sympathizer; I just hate to see people hurt." She replied.

He let out an obnoxious laugh.

"This here ain’t no person ya foolish girl. Itsa Marked-one! Do ya know what he'd do if he got his rough hands on your delicate body?"

He moved closer, eyeing her breast with an animalistic hunger and slowly licking his lips.

"He would do unspeakable things to you. Trust me, all of em deserve their fate. Each and every one of em! How do ya think I got this? He asked, holding up his stump to her face. Before she could answer, he continued.

"One of em, about 4 Dark-Suns past, got their dirty hands on a butcher's knife, and went chopping away at me arm. Chop, Chop, Chop!” He said, making a chopping motion with his good arm.

"But fear not foolish girl; when my men and I subdued em, we forced em to eat every bit of flesh from my severed limb. You ever taste human flesh? It has a peculiar taste to it." He said, sticking out his tongue and making a disgusted face.

She cringed at the thought of a man eating another man's flesh. She could feel her morning meal slowly climbing up her throat.

"Sold em, soon after too; I don't be thinking he cut off any other masters’ arms since," he said with a wicked laugh. "So, don't go getting any ideas Marky," he said, squinting and shaking his stump at the Marked-one.

"No, of course not master," the Marked-one replied.

"Ya best not!" Ellagio said, spitting on him again.

"Anyway, I'm trying to sell this numb brain for a decent amount of coin. Or perhaps a hot meal, wine, and a warm bed, if ya catch my meaning.”

She caught his meaning but pretended not to. Thanks to Mother Nora, she was well informed of what all men desired from women.

"If he is so dangerous, why is he not better secured?" She asked, changing the subject. The Marked-one didn't look dangerous at all. If anything, he looked harmless.

"Blink me, if he ain't secured enough! If he tried to run with that iron ball attached to his ankle, he'd break something fierce. It weighs about a full body! And let me tell ya, those iron balls cost their weight in coin! Irons not cheap ya know. I'd wager my other arm he couldn't get free." He laughed, pointing his stump at her.

She eyed his stump disgustedly; he caught her eyes focused on his stump and smiled creepily.

"You wanna to touch it?

She shook her head and slowly backed away.

"I--I should get going. My friend is waiting for me" she stuttered; suddenly remembering Segfried.

"Well, if ya ever find yaself in the North-East Region of the Five-Lands and in need of some Marked-ones, seek Ellagio's Fortress. I'll give ya a discount ya not soon to forget."

Mother Nora's words, boomed in her mind.

"A midget in the business of selling Marked-ones, can tower over a giant, if he stood on the mountain of coin he earned from each sale.

She bowed respectfully and took one last look at the Marked-one. His face was plain, but somewhere behind the X, was a deep sorrow.

"Ya best get on home before the Dark-Hour" She heard Ellagio say as she ran down the dirt road leading out the village and into the forest.

"Something unspeakable always happens during the Dark-Hour!" His shout faded into the distance....