The Steel Oath

Chapter 3 | Stranger Danger

"There is no such thing as 'your truth'. There is the truth and your opinion."

-Benjamin Aaron Shapiro

Ben had said nothing as he was led to a small cottage on top of a hill by the cloaked man. The cottage looked like it had come from the middle ages. It had cobbled walls and a timbered roof. Thick clouds of smoke puffed out of a stone chimney awkwardly jutting out of the center of the roof. The cloaked man hadn't said anything, either. They both walked silently to the house, and remained silent as they entered the home, and as the cloaked man threw a hunk of bread to Ben. Finally, he broke the uneasy silence.

"Eat."

Ben sat for a moment, looking down at the bread warily. "H- how do I know you're not one of those things?"

The man shrugged as he removed his cloak. "S'pose you can't know. But if I was, you'd be dead meat anyway." Ben couldn't argue with this logic. He didn't realize how hungry he was until he took a bite, and quickly devoured the rest. After this, he took a moment to take in his surroundings. The house certainly didn't look to be up to modern health standards. His gaze then settled on the man sitting in the corner. His savior certainly didn't look as he had imagined. 

Within the light, and without his cloak, his appearance was fully exposed. He had long sandy blonde hair and stubble on his face. He had to be at least Ben's age, if not older. He had a long scar, as if from a knife, running from his chin down the length of his neck. But his eyes were the most striking. They were yellow, predatorial eyes. Eyes of a hunter. Eyes of a beast. Ben still felt more visceral terror from the stretched out monster he had encountered before, but in a way, this man felt more dangerous than that creature could ever hope to be.

"You're not from around here, are ya?" The man's gruff but quiet voice brought Ben back to himself. 

"I think that's the least of my problems from tonight. What was that thing? What is this place? Why are you living in such horrible housing conditions? What in god's name is that stench-"

"Settle down." The man's voice was calm, but commanding. Ben complied. "I get that you probably have a lot of questions, but those will need to wait. Clean yourself up and go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning." Ben looked at himself, covered in the remains of the creature's head, and suddenly realized that he was the horrible stench he had detected earlier. He did as the man suggested.