Nathanel

The Legend

• The Lost Traveler

  There once was a wandering man who traveled the world. There was little to which he had never lain eye's upon but one day he came upon a forest. The trees were old and tall, Spanish moss growing upon their branches to give the illusion of creepy things. Though already close to dark the man did not fear what was within those woods so did he then venture forward. Some time later he decided to make his camp, gathering wood for his fire to cook his food.
  
  Upon wishing to lay his head and rest it was then that the traveler heard something. The fluttering of leathery wings. Curiosity dragged him from his site and into the darkness of the woods with only a burning branch to light his way. Not far did he find a cavern its mouth yawning and painting a blacker painting upon the already dark landscape. Foolishly he took steps to enter the cave thinking himself safe with the fire he brought with him.
  
  Disaster befell the man when his foot caught upon an upraised rock causing him to tumble and fall over the edge of a ledge to plunge into the dark depths. For how long he fell the man knew not only that he was wounded horribly. Though not life threatening something had snapped within his leg causing the act of walking to be nigh on impossible. His light had been lost, extinguished in the fall casting him into a world so dark that he feared death had claimed him.
  
  It could of been hours or days or weeks that he tried to crawl his way through the maze of natural cavern tunnels yet horror was beginning to grip his very being. He would die here, his grave the bowls of the earth and so the creatures would feast on his flesh until not but bones were left. Despair crawled through his veins before the traveler cried out his voice echoing in a demand for someone..anyone to come and deliver him from his tribulation.
  
  Something heard his cry's...something responded.
  
  The sound of flapping, the sudden rush of stagnant air and the faint sensation that someone stood near surrounded the man causing him to fall silent. "..What is it you wish for?" The man was stunned yet believing himself to be hallucinating he responded. "Who are you to ask of me?" A gentle sounding chuckle resounded in the air around them. "I am one who can bring to fruit that which you desire and wish for. Though few seek me out." The traveler was confused and felt as if he should tread more carefully in this conversation than what he would normally do. "Are you an angel?"
  
  Again that laugh sounded, echoing off of hidden stone walls. "I am one of the farthest things from an angel."
  
  "A demon then?"
  
  "Close enough."
  
  The man fell silent then thinking over the situation he found himself in. "You say you can grant my desires? What is it that you wish for in return?" The traveler could swear that he heard the smile upon the unknown creatures words "So smart so smart. It is true that I can grant what you wish but to do so I require something in exchange. A trade so to speak. Do not worry though for unlike my breathern I am not one to fear for it is not your soul I see but something else." Confusion was evident and thus the question asked to clarify. "I do not understand. If it is not my eternal soul that you want what is it you wish for payment."
  
  The sound of movement gave hint that this thing started to move, perhaps circling around in a predatory fashion. "Energy. I fail to see what my breathren enjoy with the taste of souls. I on the other hand simply require the energy your body normally gives off. Come now..I tire of your silly questions. Do you desire something or shall I leave you to rot within this tomb?"
  
  The traveler thought fast, his mind racing before a solution came to mind. "I accept your deal. In exchange for the energy you wish of me I demand this. You are to serve me, to become my right hand man in all things. My desire is to travel for all the coming days of my life..and to have a companionship and upon my death you will be free. Can you fulfill this wish of my soul?"
  
  The voice sounded from the mans right as he felt the sensation of limbs grasping at him, the feeling of something enveloping his whole body. "Accepting of this I can be and so you have struck the contract." It was then that an inner darkness spread and the traveler passed into a world of dreams.
  
  Upon his wakening the man found himself back at his camp his leg bound and treated. Fresh clothing draping his body and his skin smelling clean. The sound of something brought his head up to view in surprise an individual whom he had never lain eye's on before. Locks of hair as red as blood decorating his head and flesh that was paler than the traveler had ever seen. What surprised him was the fact that the man had a cloth covering his face where his eye's should of been.
  
  A smile curled the lips of the stranger as his fingers move deftly while working a needle and thread. "I thought perhaps this form would be more appropriate to be your traveling companion." The voice! It was the same as from in the cave! It dawned upon the man that this was the one who had rescued him, who had bathed him, mended his clothing and treated his wound. Already the contract was being fulfilled. "What shall I call you?" That smile remained as a sightless gaze was turned upon him
  
  "What ever you wish...After all I am only here to serve you Master."