The knight’s thoughts were clouded. For weeks now he was unable to sleep. Physical fatigue had become his traveling companion. No matter far he walked, or how tired he became, sleep would not come. Growing weary of his plight, the nameless knight decided to approach civilization. The next town he came across, he found the local healer.
“Can you help me?” he asked. “Good sir. You have the air of nobility but no banner on your armor. May I ask why?”, the healer said. A heavy burden pulled at the knights heart. “My lady, it is a matter of honor. I cannot in good graces reveal that to you. I can pay you in gold, and that is all I can say.” The healer looked concerned but agreed.
Moments later, the guards came. A maddening scream heard from the healers home drew their attention. Discovering her door locked, they chose to break it down. They came through the door to find the woman, unharmed. She shrieked and pointed to the monster looking in her mirror. It walked as a man and even had the armor of a knight, but its face was grotesque. A mockery of life and rotting away.
Putting his hands on his face, the knight nearly lost his composure. “What has happened to me?” Turning to find the guards, he hastily put his hands in the air to show that he was unarmed. “Good sirs! I mean no harm!” Before the knight could explain, the guards were upon him. One had ran him through the belly, the other his shoulder. The pain was intense, but brief. Mere moments after, the pain was a feint numb sensation. Taking the initiative, the knight shoved the guards away and he made for the door, grabbing his helmet. The guards rallied and drew their clubs. “Go back to your coffin foul corpse!” one shouted. The knight put on his helmet and began to run.
The sun began to set. The knight looked behind him and saw no guards or the town in the distance. His breath was heavy. Moving off the road, he slumped down against a tree in a somewhat secluded grove. Looking down to inspect his wounds, he pulled the blades from his body. No blood spilled from the wounds.
“I am damned.”
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