“It was said that long ago, Hadron began as a simple fort next to a marsh, a new territory for the people of Dralarag, a whole new adventure for those who sought for one.
The marshes were the place where danged awaited in every corner, the place of incredible concentration of magic, as wondrous as it was deadly to those who decided to traverse it.
The small Fort of Hadron, named after the then commander of the army that set up in it, was a paragon of hope, a small buffer of rock and metal that formed a thin line between Demon and beast, between life and death.
With each passing year, men have worked tirelessly to destroy the monsters in the swamp, trying to see what treasures it held within. ‘Surely such powerful magic could be used for our benefit’ they thought, as arrogant men were in those days. Not that it is much different now, but I digress.
Men were sent into the marshes, and men would return. They would return broken, beaten, sometimes some wouldn’t return at all, but all survivors told of one particular creature that brought them demise. Nobody has seen it, let alone encountered it, and the only thing they told was of a shrill roar piercing the air followed by screams of their fellow men. The swamps were the perfect hiding place for the ultimate hunter of beast and man, the vile stench covering its smell, the thick fog making it imperceptible to the eyes, the muddy ground allowing it freedom of movement and trapping its victims.
The marshes brought death upon many, yet the creature remained inside, never to venture out, content with what it had. The creature was named The Hadron Lurker, as none such monstrosity was encountered before, and the Hadron Lurker would come to be known across Dralarag as the ultimate predator, kneeling before no one.
The men were still eager to conquer this piece of wilderness, to see what treasures the swamps held inside, and vigilantly ventured into them, the presence of such monster only strengthening their resolve. In that time, the secrets to magic have started to be unraveled by those who possessed enough talent, patience and ingenuity to discover them.
The newfound strength in magic has been a boon to the explorers of the swamp, the magical light now pushing the fog from itself, the powerful earth magic slowly drying up the muddy soil, the fire spells providing power for those able to wield it. And yet the Lurker remained, and it brought down man after man, mercilessly as ever.
In time, the swamps slowly cleared, the labors of many bearing fruit, and Hadron slowly expanded from the fort it once was to become a small town that is now known as. But no one knows what happened to the Lurker. The swamps were gone without a trace, the magic within it subsided, the gems it held in its core taken and spread across the land for use and study, but the Lurker was never seen. It simply vanished with none to witness it again.
Some say there wasn’t a Lurker at all, the swamp just playing tricks on men as simple animals made them into meals. Others think the Lurker died with the swamp, disappearing with the place it called home.
But there are those who believe that the Lurker has never left, only went into the ground to sleep and regain strength, and when it does, it will return, to lurk upon the unsuspecting victims it found so easily before.
No one knows where the Hadron Lurker is, and no one can precisely tell. But once every few years, the skies over Hadron go dark and the Sun disappears, and an ominous roar echoes throughout the fields. The Hadron Lurker may be just biding his time, and when he does return, no one will be safe.”
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Now I remember my father told me the story when we were travelling across the country. I was so fascinated by the Lurker, I dreamt of encountering such monstrosities one day in my life. I haven’t done so all these years, but perhaps my fortune, or misfortune shall change.
Looking around the table, Sophia and Cernol have gone almost pale. Maybe my voice does sound a bit ominous when I tell scary stories. They can’t be considered more than grown children after all. And the looming presence of a beast no one knows can be intriguing to young minds.
I start laughing at their open mouths. “Of course, that is only a story they used to tell. Some stories are just that, stories meant to scare children. It worked on you I guess, so you aren’t that far from small kids after all.
Now, let’s go and retire for the evening, we still have a long way to go to Democrit and tomorrow will be an early morning to start the travels with.”
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After our lavish meal and I guess you could call it entertainment, Cerolus and I are in a guestroom, preparing to go to bed. The story he told just now sounds like one of those bedtime stories meant to scare children to behave well, although his sounded more… real. I was visibly shaken after he finished telling it. I can’t even begin to imagine the creature that would earn such reputation. The War has changed many people’s opinions on various things, danger being one of them. Being taught from a young age that Demons are all that is bad on this World puts you in a somewhat judgmental state I guess. But him telling this story reminds me of those I heard when I was young: a vast open World, filled with wonder, joy, danger, sadness, and adventure. I wish I could have a proper adventure in my life.
But for now, my adventure is meeting my husband’s family. One task at a time.
I lie down next to my husband, him not wearing anything but short underpants, per usual. It’s become something that I am used to actually. He grabs me and pulls me in as soon as I lie down, not letting me escape his grasp. It’s… comfortable. I’m comfortable with him now. What that is supposed to mean, I cannot tell.
“Do you think there’s something like that Lurker out there?” I am genuinely curious, if only to hear what Cerolus thinks of the story.
“Maybe, that story is really old though, and coming from me, that’s saying something. Old people like to tell older stories, makes them feel younger again.” I can sense some sadness in his voice, which is a real rarity. Is living long a bad thing? I always assumed having a lot of years to live makes for a more interesting life.
“You don’t look old. But I’m only sixteen, I always wanted to grow up anyway.”
Cerolus only chuckles at my words.
“You’ll start complaining after a couple dozen of years, trust me. People always do. We aren’t that different in that regard.”
“But you do live longer. I’ve talked with Sephor, he’s seventy! I have barely heard of a Human that got that old, let alone one that could look like he did at the same time. What’s your secret?”
“It’s just like that I guess. We also vary wildly between the races. Sephor will live to be a hundred or so. Some don’t have the luck to live as long or as short as he does. People just learn to make use of the time they have, and that’s the most important thing. That’s always the most important thing.”
“So, how old are you Cerolus?”
“Now that is something I won’t tell… for now.
Good night Sophia.”
He smiles briefly and lets me get comfortable in his grasp. He is still not letting go of me. But I can’t complain. It is nice to be held like this.
And now I have something to look forward to more. Learning more about Cerolus.