Broken bones and shattered blades

Max plucked the ripe starberries from the tall bush and placed them in his basket. Today it seemed there was more than his basket could hold. The plump yellow fruit was firm in his hand but squished when he began to put pressure. These were perfect for baking and his stomach rumbled at the thought of his mother making starberry pie. He quickly picked the bush clean of fruit and the basket was now overflowing. He turned around and quickly headed towards his family's cottage. Max felt some of the berries drop out of the basket but didn't care to stop. He opened the door and saw his mother at the kitchen wearing an apron and preparing several containers for cooking. He placed his basket on the counter and saw a visible smirk beaming from his mother.  "I told you that merlin's powder would help them grow hun." She said through a smile. "Well it definitely worked I'm just kind of scared of what'll happen long term." Max said. "Oh don't be so negative. If anything goes wrong we can always head into town and talk to that merchant again." She said assuring. "What do we do with all these berries?" Max questioned. "I'll keep some to make a starberry pie but the rest I say we should sell. The extra gold could be an allowance of sorts." She said with a smile. "Wow, really?" Max said excitedly. He grabbed the basket of starberries and filled up a pie dish his mother had already prepared and ran out the door. It wasn't long before he reached the town and saw the many vendors along the street. Max's family had always done business with a man named Candor and that is where Max was headed. He ignored every other shop keep trying to get his attention and finally arrived at Candor's stand. He placed the basket on his wooden stand and waited patiently. Candor back was facing  towards Max and it looked like he was messing with his wares. The sound of Max putting his basket on the table turned him around. Candor was tall, bald, muscular and had a thick brown mustache. Wrinkles were prevalent in his forehead and his left eye was missing. Max had known that he used to be a hunter of sorts and that he lost his eye to a dragon.  "We had extra berries today and were wondering if you wanted to buy them?" Max said plainly. "A simple hello would have been nice to start with but sure let me take a look." Candor retorted.  After looking at the berries for a few seconds Candor noticed that they were unnaturally perfect compared to usual. "You used merlin powder on these didn't you?" Candor said condescendingly. "Uh, yea actually. How did you know?" Max said confused. "It's my job to know little one but cause these aren't organic. I can only do half price." Candor said candidly. "Half price? That's a rip off." Max said frustrated. "I tend to sell to people that don't want magic in their food. You used magic on these kid but don't worry there's still plenty of berries so I can give you 25 gold. That's still more than most vendors would give you for those berries." Candor said. "Ok yea that's fair." Max said as he slid the basket across the stand. Candor took the basket on dumped it into a sack that he had nearby.  "Candor why do you always call me little one? You do know I'm 18 right?" Max questioned.   "Compared to me you will always be a little one." Candor chuckled aloud.  Candor counted out the gold and put it in the basket and slid it back across the stand. Max couldn't believe that all that gold was now his. He could spend it as he pleased. He greedily tried to pick up the basket but Candor stopped him. "What do we say after a purchase? He said eagerly. "Oh, sorry. Thank you Candor." Max said meaningfully.  "Good, now go on." Candor lifted his hand from the basket and Max took it and started to walk home. However, after several glances at the gold pieces Max couldn't bring himself to save them. He walked by all the vendors but nothing seemed to interest him. He began to walk to the town square where actual shops had been built. Even the shops themselves didn't seem good enough to spend his money on. The day waned and it was soon dark. That's when Max noticed a shadowy creature eerily standing still in an alley. The figure raised an arm and Max saw a wrinkled finger enticing Max to follow. Max began to make his way towards the alley. The creature turned and began walking and Max followed. A small sign above a  door read "Llanxyl A Shop between Shops". The black robed man turned and opened the door not even checking to see if Max was still following. Soon Max reached the door and opened it to see a dusty shop with shelves of random artifacts. His eyes widened and his curiosity peaked. The shop was dimly lit but Max saw the shadowed figure behind the counter just waiting. The room was so quiet and still that Max could hear the sound of the candles flickering. Not even the man made a sound. Max walked past the shelves to the front where the man was. Max stopped at the other side of the counter and even though he was only inches away from the strange character; he still could not see his face.  "I know what you desire." The strange man said slowly in a dark hoarse voice.  "Ok, good cause I have no idea what I'm looking for really." Max said casually. Max thought to himself about what he would want the most if he could have anything. He then thought of all the years he had spent repeating the same medial tasks everyday. How boring everyday life had become and how that nothing exciting ever gets to happen to him. Years had gone by without him even getting a scratch. Nothing new to ever push him to do something interesting. Just him and his mother in the cottage that his father had built. So many stories had he heard of hero's getting to save the world and get the girl while he stayed home all day picking berries and tending to the house.  "I guess if I could I'd like a more interesting life. One where I get to be a hero." Max said full of hope. "Payment. Everything you can give." The hoarse voice said. "Oh, that's easy. I've only got like twenty five gold which isn't that much if I'm being honest." Max said as he dumped the gold onto the counter. The hooded figure reached out it's hand to reveal that it wasn't wrinkled but completely drained. It was as if there was no blood flowing through the creatures skin and was now transparent. Max could see the bones underneath the hollow skin and his heart began to beat quickly. Suddenly the bony fingers grabbed Max. The hood fell from the robed man to reveal his skeletal face. The skin was still there but missing in many places and looked like it was torn. A shriek came from the frightening creature and it began to shake Max. Faster and faster Max was shook and the shrieking became louder and louder. Max's heart beat couldn't beat faster if it tried. He felt like he couldn't take it anymore and suddenly the world became black. Max awoke to find himself outside and that it was now day. The shop sign and door had completely disappeared and Max was now just alone in the alley. Max heart started to beat quickly. He stood up and felt lightheaded but he soon recovered. He ran as fast as he could to his house. He bumped into several people along the way but didn't care to apologize. He soon was out of the town and nearing home. Max soon saw the cottage before him and his mother was out picking berries. Max felt relieved at the sight of her. His mother turned around and smiled at Max. He walked to her and gave her a hug. "Max where is my basket?" His mother asked. Max dumbfounded patted his jean pockets and then looked around the ground around him.  "Oh, sorry I guess I might've lost it. Sorry mom." Max said apologetically. His mother shook her head in disbelief.  "Come on then, let's go inside." His mother said heading to the house.  Months seemed to pass and Max fell back into his old same patterns. Picking starberries everyday then selling them to Candor. The gold he saved other than when his mother asked for him to pick up some extra merlin powder. Max did start to notice something changing. The woods behind his home seemed to grow more eerie every day. Once it felt like the sunlight shone right through the forest but now was dark and ominous sounds came from within. Some days chilly wind would blow through the trees and give Max chills. He feared what was in that forest. Why was it changing? He would ask himself. Max often had nightmares about dark creatures coming from the forest and being helpless as they came for him. It began to bother him so much so that he decided to ask Candor if he knew anything about it. Max went about his day as usual picked the starberries and headed back for town. The same as every other day he put his basket on Candors stand and told him thank you. However, as Max turned around to leave he stopped and remembered all the terrible frights that the woods had been giving him. The sleepless nights that gnawed at his mind making him question what was out there. He turned back around to see that Candor had vanished. Max looked around but every person that had been around him had mysteriously vanished. The busy marketplace was now quiet with Max alone. His heart started to beat faster and faster until he heard Candor call out to him. Max suddenly was back at the stand and the busy streets were bustling once again.  "Why're you still here little one?" Candor asked Max.  Max confusingly looked all around him and started to calm himself.  "Sorry, for a moment I guess I was daydreaming or something. I don't know." Max said somberly. "More like a day nightmare. You look pale." Candor said concerningly. "Yeah, actually I've been meaning to talk to you." Max paused for a short moment. "On your adventures did you ever hear about a skeletal man in black? Like his skin was still there but you could see his bones." Max continued. Candor raised his eyebrows briefly then a serious look came over him.  "Where did you hear of this little one?" Candor asked in a low voice. "He was at some shop here in town." Max replied. "Tell me you did not do any dealings with him." Candor said grouchily. Max couldn't bear to look Candor in the eye. "I might have." Max said with shame. "WHAT?" Candor furiously grabbed Max and held him up in the air.  "What have you done little one?" Candor yelled furiously. The moving crowd became silent and were watching as Candor ferociously grabbed Max. Candor aware of the audience now watching him set Max down on his side of the stand. The crown then continued on as if nothing had happened.  "What did this man say to you?" Candor asked. "Nothing really. He just said I know what you desire but it'll cost everything. I only had 25 gold pieces so I thought that I was actually getting a really good deal." Max said quickly. "You fool Max. You just dealt with a lich. Undead creatures of the night who trick mortals into giving them power. What did you wish for Max?" Candor said accusingly. "I wanted to be an adventurer like you Candor." Max said. Candor stopped to look around, his face deep in thought. He stopped for moments looking at the ground and not moving or saying a word. Finally, he turned back to Max. "Did you give this creature anything?" Candor asked. "Just the gold you gave me. That was everything I had." Max said. "Oh no little one. I'm sure you have very much more to lose. However, I don't think this lich gained any power from dealing with you. It may have been one solely bent on creating chaos. Tell me everything you can about this encounter." Candor said. Max then told him about the shop and how it had disappeared. How the lich shrieked and suddenly he was outside again in the day. How the ever encroaching woods had been keeping him up at night. The visions of dark creatures coming in the night to take him. Candor sat in silence for a long time deep within his own head. The sun was starting to set and the sky was beginning to darken. "Go ahead and head home Max. I'll figure out what we should do tomorrow." Candor said with a tired look on his face. Max just nodded and grabbed his basket heading home once again. Outside the town he headed back to his home. His mother this time wasn't picking berries but noticed the front door was wide open. Max dropped his basket and ran to the house. As he moved closer to the house he noticed that several windows had been broken. The house was dimly lit so Max grabbed a still burning candle from the porch. As soon as he stepped into his house he skid marks of blood along the floor. Following it was puddles of black sludge. He followed the blood and sludge up the stairs. His footsteps quiet in the dark house. The broken windows let in a chilling breeze that made Max's teeth chatter. If not for the howling of the wind the house would be completely silent. Max continued to creep up the stairs his breathing shallow. At the top of the stairs the trail continued on into his mothers room. The door was almost shut and Max pushed it open. His mother was at the end of the room with a sword covered in black slime. In front of her laid a humanoid creature with grey skin. The creature appeared to have been dead for only a short amount of time. Max gasped when he saw that it had no mouth. It's long sharp fingernails had bits of flesh and blood still on them. Max looked back over to his mother who was covering her side. Her white dress was now dyed dark red. Her skin looked as pale as snow and had a face contorted with pain. Max quickly ran over to her. "Are you ok, mom?" Max asked with tears filling up his eyes. His mother turned to him and put on a smile. "My last moments are going to be with you son. I'm more than ok." She said while placing her unbloodied hand on Max's face. Max could feel her hand was cold like ice and that she didn't have much longer. "I love you son. Don't you ever forget that." Her hand slid from Max's face now lifeless. Max held his mother for hours until the sun began to shine through the window. He stood and looked over at the lifeless creature that killed his mother. He believed the creature to be an Astomi. Once were very similar to humans but had been cursed and now were creatures of the dark. Max remembered stories of how one tribe was long ago were made of both humans and Astomi. The Astomi had no need for mouths because they didn't eat or drink. Often the scent of apples or flowers alone would keep them sustained. It was supposedly a paradise until they were cursed. Now with grey skin and terrible figures they look for things to sustain themselves that are just as awful as they are. Max saw the sword that his mother was lying with. It was his father's. Max picked up the blade and found the sheath on the bed. He quickly cleaned the blade on the bed them put the blade away. He attached the sheath to the side of his pants. Max walked to town at a slow pace. His mind was heavy with the things he just witnessed. Am I the cause of this? He asked himself. Never before had Max felt so low. Tears fell out of his eyes as he walked but he didn't care to stop. Slowly he made his way to town with his head hung low. Soon he found Candors stand. Candor was busy with a customer so didn't acknowledge Max immediately but once Max made an audible sob Candor came and kneeled by Max.  "What's the matter little one?" Candor asked. In the back of Max's throat it felt like there was a rock sitting. He opened his mouth but couldn't muster the force to actually say anything. Max tilted his head upwards which made Candor spring up. Black sludge was smeared on parts of Max's face.  "Your mother is she?" Candor trailed off. Max just shook his head in response. Candor gave Max a tight hug. "Come home with me today little one. Tonight I will head over and I will bury your mother." Candor said somberly. Candor guided Max to his house which was in town and brought him to a small room upstairs that was just big enough to fit a bed into. Max could hear Candor whispering to his wife down below but he didn't care enough to listen. He knew that all this was somehow the lich's fault. As soon as the sun was up tomorrow he was going to march into the dark forest. He knew that's where the lich was hiding and Max was going to do everything he could to stop him.