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As dawn broke over Dalisay, Mang Ambo called a village meeting beneath the ancient balete tree, a place where matters of great importance were traditionally discussed. The villagers gathered, a mix of fear and determination in their eyes, to hear the elder's recount of his conversation with Lucius, the mysterious sellsword.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

Lucius shakes his head, a grim smile playing on his lips. "A common misconception. Kapres are indeed giants who reside in the oldest of trees, usually benign, content with their tobacco and solitude. But provoke them, disturb their domain, and they become formidable foes. These burns," he points to the scorched marks on the corpse, "are from the embers of its giant cigar. And the strength required to inflict such damage... only a Kapre possesses it."

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

"These wounds," Lucius muses aloud, "are not the work of an Aswang. You face a Kapre."

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

Led by the chief to the site of the latest tragedy, Lucius examines the remains. The marks on the body are unlike those made by any human or beast known to the villagers. Deep gashes paired with signs of immense strength and strange burns, as if from a scorching embrace.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

Mang Ambo sighs, a weary sound that fills the small room. "Almost every night, we are haunted by nightmares made flesh. Our livestock slaughtered, our people vanishing into the darkness. Just last night, another villager was taken. We found... what was left of him at dawn, his body drained of life, marks of unspeakable horror upon his flesh."

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

Lucius leans forward, his voice low and measured. "I've heard tales of your plight, of shadows that prey upon your people under the cover of night. I offer my blade to protect you, for a price."

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

Mang Ambo, a man whose face is etched with the wisdom and sorrows of his years, receives Lucius in his modest home. The interior is lit by a flickering oil lamp, casting long shadows on the bamboo walls as the night's embrace tightens around the village.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

As the stranger walks in the village unfolds as Lucius, the sellsword, makes his way into the heart of Dalisay. His presence, a rare sight in this secluded village, draws wary eyes from behind shuttered windows. Lucius, with his weathered cloak and the unmistakable silhouette of a sword strapped to his back, seeks an audience with the village chief, a respected elder named Mang Ambo.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

In this village, where the natural and supernatural are intertwined, the arrival of a mysterious stranger at the edge of dark might go unnoticed. But not in Dalisay. Here, any anomaly is a harbinger, and the appearance of a sellsword with a vendetta against the Aswang promises to unravel the fragile peace that the villagers cling to. For in the heart of Antique, where spirits and humans tread a delicate line between coexistence and conflict, the hunt begins.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

Rumors of the Aswang have always been woven into the fabric of Dalisay, tales passed down from old to young about the creatures that walk amongst them, hidden in plain sight. These stories, once mere bedtime tales to frighten children into obedience, have taken on a chilling reality. Livestock found drained of blood, inexplicable illnesses, and the occasional disappearance of a villager have reignited ancient fears.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

The men of the village, armed with machetes and blessed amulets, take their positions at the boundaries of Dalisay. They stand as silent sentinels, eyes scanning the encroaching darkness for any sign of the Aswang. The air is thick with tension, a communal breath held until the first light of dawn promises safety once more.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

As the sun begins its descent, casting a golden hue over the land, a subtle transformation occurs. The laughter of children playing in the fields fades into silence, the fishermen hasten their return from the sea, and women quicken their steps, baskets of market goods balanced on their heads. By the time the sky paints itself in the colors of dusk, every child, woman, and elder is safely within their homes, doors bolted and windows shuttered.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

In the shadow of the verdant mountains of Antique, where the whispers of the past blend with the murmur of the river, lies the secluded village of Dalisay. This village, a patchwork of nipa huts and rice fields carved into the landscape by generations of farmers, is a place where time moves to the rhythm of nature. Yet, beneath its serene exterior, Dalisay harbors a palpable sense of unease.

Lucius: Chronicles of a Sellsword

Urban · MelvinDash

As she spoke, the Queen gently pushed the King down onto the bed and positioned herself atop him, her actions seductive. 

THE FRAGMENT OF STARS

Fantasy · TurtleWithGlasses

This moment also indicated that the King was well-informed about Arthur's recent achievements, including his victory in the training combat against Lord Commander Van.

THE FRAGMENT OF STARS

Fantasy · TurtleWithGlasses