The early morning air was frosty and it bit at Zach’s nose as he and Gilder strode into town. Zach enjoyed the early mornings, it was quiet and barren of people. Zach would get up and walk the streets of Chapin, letting the calm aura humble him until the streets would be buzzing with people. 

His feet began to weigh heavy along with his eyelids. He was exhausted from the past day, which was quite exciting; But his body was paying the price. Finally after weaving through the streets his home came into view, his bed practically called to him. He entered the stable behind his smithery and unsaddled Gilder, although Zach was exhausted he still took the time to care for his horse. He hung the saddle up on the hook and brushed him down with one of the soft brushes he had. Giving Gilder a bag of oats and water, Zach looked down at the corner of the stable. It brought back memories of when Avery was a child.

Zach had found Avery in that corner one morning, he had threadbare rags on and was shivering from the cold. Zach scooped Avery up and brought him to Zach’s bed and tucked him in, Avery never stirring. He left some food and water by the bed and left for the market, but when he got back he found that Avery had left and had eaten a little amount of the food Zach had left.

That memory brought a sad smile on Zach’s face as he entered his home. He stealthily dodged around the furniture in the pitch blackness of his front room. Zach didn’t have to worry about running into things because he had the layout of the room memorized from years of practice. He retreated to his bed only removing his boots and belt, almost instantly he slipped into a deep sleep.

There was a flash and blistering heat enveloped him. Fire… his house was on fire! His eyelids flew open but he was not in his house, he wasn't even on Toroth. He was somewhere else, maybe another plane of existence? The heat scorched his skin all the way down to the bone. He writhed in pain, but a soothing voice banished the heat away, Zach couldn't make the words out but they were very familiar. It was his voice, but different somehow. Zach looked around and saw a dark, almost black shadow like figure in the distance, there was something about him that Zach did not like. In a surge the figure speared right in front of Zach, his features were like of his own but dark, and malnourished. The figure suddenly forced his hand into Zach’s chest and wrapped his hand around Zach’s heart. The figure began to fill out, and look better. His once sickly body began to increase in size and his malnourishment started to fade. Zach began to feel weak, his muscles began to sting, his head started to hurt and his stomach began to growl in hunger. Suddenly the calming feeling came back.

“Wake Up!” The voice yelled in Zach’s ear.

Zach bolted up right in his bed panting, sweat running down his forehead. What was that; he thought.