The illuminous glow of the moon shined down on the small village of Paramun, the night air cold and thick with fog and the scents of bonfires and streetside foods filled the noses of the townsfolk. Light chatter and the distant sounds of crickets chirping, owls hooting and wolves howling filled the air as Edric walked through the town square, his gaze locked on the broken, uneven cobblestone path beneath his feet. He was deep in thought, unaware of the world around him.

It was until he bumped into a hooded stranger that he snapped out of his thoughts. Startled, he fell back, his eyes widening in slight surprise, but the stranger caught him with a strong, pale, veiny arm, pulling him back onto his feet. He stood there like a deer in a headlight for a moment, before the stranger spoke, his voice deep and seductive. “Be more careful.” he demanded, his voice thick with accent Edric takes a step back, his voice quivering and stuttering “Ah-I..I’m sorry I-I didn’t mean to-I’m sorry.” He quickly pulled his hood back up, starting to walk past the stranger, but as Edric walks past him, it’s like time procrastinates, and they slowly look at each other, the stranger’s blood red eyes piercing gaze stares into Edric's soul as their eyes lock. And, as Edric finally passes the stranger, time speeds back up as he continues to walk. But he can’t help but look back, to have one last look at the stranger. But, as curiosity takes over and Edric looks back, the stranger's gone, and there’s only a thick mist spreading where he was…