Chapter 1: Beyond The Walls Of An Old Life

  Fontaine’s eyes shot awake as he quickly sat up in his makeshift bed. He was crying in his sleep again.

  “Same nightmare…I'm sorry Zef.” The young man said softly, wiping the tears that stained his cheeks.

  It had been years since that dreadful event, years since he tasted his only friend's flesh, yet no matter what he did that horrible day haunted his dreams. Guilt coursed through his veins like ice, far colder than Kalhastead’s winter; making his stomach churn. Fontaine was not a boy any longer, he was a young man aged 17, with long light brown hair, and bright hazel eyes that seemed to hold the depth of his suffering. He was still short, ‘You can't grow much when you're starving.’ Fontaine thought to himself.

  At a height of five foot four he felt painfully small, a fact he resented even more, his size contributed to the years spent under Relds care.

  Stepping out of his bed, the cold wood floor burned the young man's feet with its icy temperature. He had never gotten used to the cold despite living in the snowy continent of Kalahstead. Fontaine quickly put on his boots, murmuring to himself “Someday I'll move away from this place, somewhere warm.” The thought felt euphoric, yet futile when he had no knowledge of the world beyond the forest that surrounded the cabin.

  “Are you awake yet, child?” The voice of his guardian called from the kitchen echoing with impatience.

  “Yes sir! I'll be right there!” The young man replied, already making his way out of his room.

  He wasted no time, the lessons of quick service beaten into him over the years.

  As he walked into the kitchen he saw Reld at the table. The fat man was doing what he did every morning, gorging himself on the fruits of Fontaine's labor. Reld saw his adoptive son and let a grin spread over his wide face, small chunks of meat stuck between his teeth

  “You made a good catch yesterday, have some, the flavor is grand.” He says as he throws a small piece on the floor, like an owner giving a dog scraps.

  Fontaine with desperate movement, dived and grabbed the meat from the ground, shoving it in his mouth whole.

  “Thank you sir, you're the best!” The young man said, looking up at the man with a smile.He hated this masked facade, but he knew Reld liked feeling superior, he liked feeling like a good father.

  “I know I am, what would you do without me?” The older man asked, looking down at Fontaine as if he was a hopeless infant.

  “You wouldn't survive, simple” He answered himself, fueling the flame of his own ego.

  “You're right, I'd be lost without you.” The younger man added, getting back to his feet.

  “Now, go and do your duties,check and reset the traps, gather water, just get out of my sight.” Reld said, waving away his adopted son, before he continued eating.

  Fontaine didn't have to be told a second time, he quickly made his way to the door and outside.

  As the cold wind of Kalhastead hit the young man, he pulled the hood of his grey cloak over his head, and began to walk away from the cabin. He averted his eyes from the dog house, just the sight of it brought back painful memories that he yearned to erase.

  There was a stream nearby only a 10 minute walk away, so Fontaine grabbed a bucket nearby and began his journey.

  The young man would have a few hours to himself, before Reld expected him back.

  He usually took the same path everyday, left of the cabin then a right at an old ebony tree stump, but today he wanted to explore a bit so he sat the bucket atop the stump and continued forward past it.

  It only took a few minutes before Fontaine saw something that caught his eyes, a berry bush with plump purple berries, untouched. His stomach growled at the sight as he made his way towards them, wanting nothing more than to pluck one and feel its soft juicy insides against his tongue, but something stopped him.”Didn't Reld say something about berries? If you find uneaten berries then either you're very lucky or they're poisonous? Is that the word?” The young man didn’t have much of an education, he only knew what Reld had taught him, and what he had learned on his own. looking at the berries he remembered the time he had brought some yellow ones to his adoptive father and set them inside his food bowl. That had cost him a beating with the older man screaming “Are you trying to kill me?!”

  Reliving that memory in his head made him decide to leave the plump treats, despite the fire of hunger roaring in protest. Fontaine then walked further past the bush.

  Other than the berry bush nothing much drew his attention, even after an hour of walking in the cold. Fontaine was just about to turn away when he spotted a dark ash colored object protruding through the snow. He slowly made his way to the object and grasped it with his hand, freeing the object from its icy prison. It was the branch of an ebony tree, the limb was around four feet long, and two inches thick, with a sleek dark grey color. It was almost perfectly straight other than a slight curve around the top, along with a few twigs attached to the sides of the branch.

  Fontaine instantly took to this stick, it was dense, sturdy, and not too heavy for him to wield. “This would be a great spear!” He lifted the limb and swung it around a few times, feeling joy for such a simple thing like a child receiving a new toy. He holds it to his side, before spinning the stick in his hands only to drop it a moment later “damn definitely not the best at it.”

  Either way Fontaine claims his prize and begins the hour journey back to the stump, The young man spends most of that time engraving his new possession with the crude image of a dog. “There you are Zef.” He says smiling at his work ”Now we can hunt together again.” Doing this brought some comfort to him but the guilt still remained, eating away at his insides, along with his never ending hunger.

  Arriving back at the stump he quickly grabbed the bucket, refusing to waste time, as he quickly walked through the snow, until he eventually arrived at a small stream of clear running water. The boy instantly leaned down, cupping his hands in the icy cold stream, and brought it to his lips. Fontaine felt its icy kiss as he started to drink, not stopping until after he was satisfied. That's when he felt eyes pierce through him. The young man quickly grabbed his stick, turning to where his instincts were targeting the threat, meeting the gaze of an old wolf. Fontaine held his weapon close to him, his grip turning his knuckles white. “Back off!” He shouted towards the beast “Get out of here!”

  He remembered Reld’s lesson about scaring predators. “Be loud, make yourself bigger, look like a threat!” He took a step forward and swung his stick down into the ground, sparking up some snow into the air. The wolf didn't back away, only looking at the boy with hunger in his eyes. The young man felt his gut burn with worry, and he was shaking. He was scared… ‘Can they really smell fear?’ Fontaine prayed not. The wolf answered his thought with a snarl and a step forward. ‘Damit.’

  Fontaine noted that the beast’s pack was nowhere in sight, he was told they always traveled in groups, but this one was old… and alone. Not able to keep up with the rest, becoming an extra mouth to feed. In that aspect the young man felt a strange pity for this animal, a kinship; his mind became slightly clearer. He raised the ebony staff in his hands, waiting for the beast to advance. The wolf gladly took his challenge, now only eight feet away. Fontaine was still scared, however this feeling was less than a moment ago. ‘Was the wolf scared too?’ He thought, looking the animal in the eyes 'He's just like me… or am I just like him?’

  The young man knew every living thing must eat to survive, so was he really any different? No. In the end both were beasts, yearning for the flesh of one another to quell the burn of hunger, just to survive another mere blink of eternity. The pair would do anything in their power to come out on top, it just came down too who yearned for life more. The beast charged, snarling as it bared its teeth at the boy, going for his legs. Adrenaline filled Fontaine's body, causing him to swing the staff with all his strength; he had never hunted a beast like this. “Stay away!” He yelled out as the stick struck the animal's snout. The animal let out a whine, as pain flooded its body, causing it to take a step back. The blow had done some damage. The animal’s long snout was now bent at an angle; slouching downwards as blood leaked through its nostrils, he had shattered the bone.

  The wolf charged forward, in pain and enraged, managing to claw the young man's side; leaving a decent sized gash. Fontaine yelped in pain and nearly fell to the ground. ‘If he gets me on the ground I'll die!’ Fear and rage invaded the boy's mind; he'd been through years of torment. He had survived for many years all due to his hard work, he would not die today, not to some old beast alone in the forest. Fontaine raised the dense tree limb and swung it down, striking the beast straight on its head. A sickening crunch forced into the boy’s ears, as he felt the hard resistance of the skull give way. The beast fell to the ground twitching and frothing at the mouth but still alive. The thing made weak whining sounds as it attempted to continue its assault on the boy, only to fall back to the earth. The young man did not give the beast any reprieve. Filled with the desire to live, he lifted the staff and struck the beast in the head again and again, letting out a cry of pain and emotion. With each strike he felt more of the skull shatter, with each strike he felt the brain of the animal squish under his staff, with each strike he felt the wolf’s flesh bend under his assault. Fontaine didn't stop until his arms were too tired to keep swinging properly, and as his adrenaline fades he sees the damage he's caused. The beast's head was caved in, almost to the point of being flat. He had done it!

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  The young man pants, exhausted from what he just did, and without adrenaline his body began to burn with pain. He looks down at his side, now gazing at the bleeding wound right below his left rib. “Oww damn it hurts…” He had to stop the bleeding, he placed a hand against his wound, but he knew he needed help. He needed Reld. Fontaine stumbled forward a few feet before he looked back. He still hasn't reset the traps, and he still has to get the water. It took him a few moments until he turned around to collect the water, and when he was done he held the staff under his arm, before grabbing the corpse of the wolf; dragging it behind him.

  It took him around thirty minutes to get back to the cabin, due to his injuries and heavy load. The young man was exhausted from his labours. He opened the door and it took everything in him to remain on his feet. He wanted to just fall to the ground and sleep. He left the water, the staff, and the wolf's corpse at the doorway before weakly calling out for help. “M-Mr. Somora…”

  No response. Fontaine slowly dragged his feet through the house, calling for Reld. “Mr Somora… I need help please…” Blood continued to drop down his side, and onto the floor, adding a touch of red unto the dark brown wood. He grits his teeth as the pang of pain and hunger fight over his body, both desiring to be sated. “Reld!” He calls out hoping at least for a reply.

  The young man's call is answered with the sound of footsteps as the fat man walks out of his room and towards the boy, looking down at his wound with… disgust.

  “You're bleeding on my floor.” Reld said with no contained annoyance.

  The boy stumbles closer to the older man ‘Mr. Somora, please I'm hurt…”

  Reld looks past the boy seeing the corpse of the wolf, and the filled water, not noting the staff due to its lack of interest. A small smile falls on his face “fine.” He says as he comes closer to the younger man “Lift up your shirt.” Fontaine complies, showing his emaciated body, with a deep gash on his left side. Reld takes a look at the wound letting a frown fall on his face “Did that wolf do this?” He asked in a gentle voice.

  “Yes sir.” Fontaine replied softly. Reld nodded “You're lucky, it's not too deep, it'll leave a scar but that's fine.” He said dismissively before asking “Did you complete all of the tasks i've given you?”

  The younger man held his tongue for a moment, as his body began to burn with nervousness. He lowered his shirt. Should he lie? No reld would know, he always knew when the boy was lying. Swallowing the growing anxiety Fontaine confessed in a low voice “I-I didn't reset the traps.” Reld looked the boy in the eye, making him shift uncomfortably. “But I brought the wolf as food!”

  Reld sighed “Stupid child, can you do anything I ask of you?.” The boy went to speak “But the wolf I-”

  The younger man was silenced as his guardian interrupted with a louder voice, his smile now only a memory “I asked you a question. I raised you like my own son, giving you a home and food to eat, and disobeying orders is how you repay me?!”

  “Mr. Somora I caught all the food, and I barely got any for m-” Reld slapped the younger man hard across the face, almost making him fall.

  “Shut the fuck up, I dont ask you for much, and even then you continue to disappoint me!” Fontaine was now holding his cheek as tears fell down his pale face.

  Reld took a breath to calm himself while looking at his adopted son with disappointment and disgust. “Get the hell out, and don't come back until the traps are reset.”

  “B-but my wound” Fontaine started only to be interrupted again. “I'll help you when you do what I ask, now go.” The older man had already turned away and was walking back to his room. Fontaine gritted his teeth looking at his guardian with helplessness, and pain, but more than any other emotion he felt anger. With confidence the boy never had before he took in a breath, and said one word. A word he never dared use when Reld asked him to do something. A word that made the older man stop in his tracks.

  “No…’

  The older man didn't turn to face the boy, despite the fact that he could practically feel the malice dripping off of him, like wax off a candle. “Choose your next words carefully, or that scratch won't be the only wound on you.”

  Fontaine couldn't quell his anger, all the years of torment, all the years of abuse, all those years he depended on Reld, and finally he realized this was the only way to escape this cycle. “I'm not setting those traps for you to fatten yourself, and leave me with nothing. If you're so great and i'm so useless go do it yourself Reld, you oversized fat piece of rat sh-” He didn't have time to finish the sentence before his guardian charged him and punched him right in the mouth.

  “YOU LITTLE BRAT I'M GOING TO KILL AND GUT YOU LIKE A RABBIT!” Fontaine was on the floor disoriented and bleeding from the mouth, but that didn't matter to Reld. He leaned down and punched the boy again this time in the chest, holding nothing back.

  “ARE YOU SO BIG AND BOLD NOW?! HUH?! WHAT’S WRONG FONTAINE?! CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE?!” The boy felt his ribs crack threatening to break with each punch “S-Stwp plwease ywor gwong to keel mwe!” Fontaine could barely speak through the pain and blood pouring down his throat, threatening to choke him

  Reld didn't stop only laughing at the young man's pathetic attempts to stop him. “YOU CAN’T EVEN FIGHT! YOU ALWAYS WEAK! PATHETIC JUST LIKE THAT LITTLE MUTT OF YOU-” His guardian stopped speaking, the words caught in his mouth as if he was gagged. Looking down, Reld saw something protruding through his chest, a small ebony handle. The older man froze just staring as pain invaded his body causing him to fall over on his side.

  Fontaine could finally breathe as he sat up coughing up the blood that was filling his mouth. Reld let out a yelp of pain as he tried to get to his feet. The boy didn't waste a second, getting to his feet as fast as he could, which wasn't very quickly. He was running on pure fear, rage, and adrenaline. He got to the doorway, he could just run away right now, and never look back. Only one thing stopped him, a desire for justice, a desire to right the wrong that the world had made by even allowing Reld to be born, a desire for revenge, both for himself and Zefil. He grabbed his staff.

  Reld had managed to get back to his feet, ripping the dagger out of himself, allowing his bright red blood to stain his shirt. A manic smile formed over his wide face, as he held his arms open, challenging the boy, now armed with a dagger. “So… This is it then huh? You think after everything i've done for you, you can just toss me away?” Fontaine looks at his guardian and tightens his grip on the staff “don't talk to me… I dont need you. .”

  Reld laughed at the boy. “Fine. Have it your way…son”

  The older man charged like a bull, attempting to catch the boy off balance and bring him to the ground, only to be sidestepped by Fontaine. Reld tries to swing for the boy's head, but the younger man ducked before the blow hit and swung the staff hard into his guardian's knee. The boy clearly heard a loud crack followed by a yelp of pain as Reld fell into a kneel; his knee out of socket, giving it the impression of an animal's hind leg. The older man attempted to swing for Fontaine’s side, narrowly missing, and as a reward he earned a hard strike to the gut from his adopted son. Reld fell backwards now on the ground looking at the man he had “raised” since he was a child. He held out a hand in a pleading motion, begging him to stop. “Wait! Please, don't do this! Think about it boy, you need me!” Fontaine answered his plea with the slam of his stuff onto his large gut once more. “Shut up.” The young man said through Gritted teeth.

  Reld let out another yelp followed by another plea “Please! Who's going to help your wound? Who will feed you, and keep you aliv-” The man was met with another blow to the stomach. Anger filled Fontaine’s mind, it made him clench his staff tighter. “I said shut up! Just shut your fucking mouth!” He looked down at the pathetic pest that he onced feared. “I don't need you!”

  “Do you really think that?! Then why haven't you run away before?! Why haven't you ever fought back until now?!” Reld yelled at the boy. “You know it deep down that you'll always be that scared little child lost in the woods looking for someone to save you!” reld started laughing, laughing at Fontaine, laughing at the boy who had no answer to those questions.

  The young man raised his staff, he may still be that person, he may still be that child deep down, but right now he isn't. He slammed his staff against Reld’s gut, who just kept laughing, he slammed it into the older man again and again, Reld stomach was bruised and blood started to leak from his mouth, muffling his laughter but it was still there. Fontaine didn't relent, he slammed his staff into reld as his stomach eventually gave way opening up to reveal his intestines, stomach and bile. The young man didn't stop, slamming the wood harder and harder into Reld cavity, the contents of his last meal spilling outside, only after all of this did his laughing cease.

  Fontaine is left alone in the cabin looking down at Relds disfigured corpse. Looking at the man who wasn't deserving of the word ‘Father’ All the anger in his body, all the pain, all the guilt, and all the fear that filled him all these years, suddenly vanished within a moment; leaving him empty. The young man stared down at his guardian staff in hand as he pants from effort. He slowly leaned down and retrieved his dagger from the dead man's grasp. Eventually he made his way outside, away from Reld, away from the cabin. He didn't stop, just walking forward and taking in everything in his line of sight. The dog house still stood, he swore he could have seen a small brown tail disappear inside of it, but he knew it didn't matter now. He looked down at his bloodied staff, this crude dog drawing stared back at him, not judging, it gave the young man some comfort. “Zefil…I'm sorry I didn't do this sooner, maybe if I did you would still be alive.” Fontaine didn't receive any response. He just continued to walk and walk. He had lost track of the time, had an hour passed? Or a day? A week? He just continued to push despite the pain in his side, and the hunger in his gut, eventually he fell to the cold snowy ground, unmoving. The only thing he saw before his vision faded to black, were silhouettes far into the distance.

  [Dear Lord Lithor,I hope this message finds you well.

  -Dushmen, Guard Captain]