Age of Macabre

Prologo: "Il sangue che è morto"

Hanging on the tail-end of the Coda peninsula, part of the already tiny Zoasti continent, lay the ill-stricken, and sombre town of Withermere. There stood trees of old that have seen not only children grow but seen wars get started, worsen to the very core until their very last as they were put to sleep with their solemn ends, remembered only by memories and words and sorrowful graves.

Look above and one shall see the town's dark skies as it was topped heavily by the thick, ash-grey clouds that didn't allow the sun's oh-so-full of shining rays pass on through the sick-looking hue and haze of the town's natural bog to light up bleak streets of faded smiles. The fog bordered the whole of Withermere, making it rather hard for the already sparse sunlight to light up the darkest of Withermere's alleys.

Yet, with all these complications, the Witherfolk still enjoys their lives in this quaint little town, believing their view of the sun is perfect, the scenery, ripe for their withered eyes as it suits them well, and, with the town's quiet and calm atmosphere, most claim, 'tis a perfect commune for the well-enlightened souls that have experienced the beginning and are ready to see the end...

At the centre, rests the ever-changing name of Withermere park standing proudly with its new and more simpler name. And there, within the southern sector of the park, near the King's monument, stood a certain tree, bigger and older than the rest, that the town maintains since its planting at the time of birth of the town's beloved king Sikstre Disvensson. Some say to cut it down for it is the source of the town's misfortunes and its curse of bloodshed every year, but others say it's good as people need to die but keeping it alive makes sure only those who are worthy will live to see the end.

The tree, however, was named after Siktre's older brother, the first heir whom the tree was forever named after, the Withering Dwinian Tree of Dusk, some call it simply as the Wither Tree, but more respectfully as the Dwinian Tree. Sir Dwinian died for the life of his people so that they and their children and their children's children may grow and flourish in these lands, but, under it, was also where two old friends last met and now it is where these old friends will meet once more.

Sir Ambrose of house Davrek, sat beneath the Wither Tree near a grave as he waited for his dear old friend to arrive so that they can talk about their dear boy, Michael Davrek III's, arrival into town a day from now as he finally decided to come home.

Suddenly, a man appeared in the hollow gates and truly fulfilled his name as he lingered with his name tag on him, "I am Jayson Linger." The man walked up to sir Ambrose and spoke, "Ahh, Ambrose, you grey-haired fool!" he slapped sir Ambrose's back and Ambrose was shocked before laughing and standing up to hug Jayson. They both then sat on the bench together and looked to the Wither Tree. Before speaking, Jayson too a deep breath, "Ahh, after all these years" he said softly "He'll be home, Ambrose... he'll be home."

"Yes, Jay. You must be thrilled!" said sir Ambrose with a soft smile between his chin and nares.

"Well, yes and no, Ambrose, yes and no" Jay then stood and looked around, hands on his hips and sorrow in his dry eyes.

Sir Ambrose raised an eyebrow and asked "Oh, why's that?"

"He will face challenges he only wishes was in the fictional world, Ambrose, so no, I don't like he's going to experience all that... but yes, I'm thrilled as I am curious as to how that boy is doing. How great of a man he has become, there's no question that he did, right? hahahha" Jay chuckled.

"Well, there's no doubt about that anywhere. But it is a curious thought that his decisions will affect a great majority of not just our species but his as well" Ambrose presumed.

"And with that, you must help him, Ambrose, for this is the time the past will haunt the present once more, chaos will rain come down for the third time!" Jay exclaimed.

"Hmm, of course. Whom will I be expecting, if I may ask?" sir Ambrose replied.

"The first attack will be the monster of parchment and flesh as it thinks and believes Michael is its right and, sadly, more will follow." Jay then sat down and looked AMbrose straight in the eyes, "Serpents, serpents will face him as they will invade his mind and try to break him! Then there are fairies, beautiful but hardly innocent. They will come to him but know no love and will only be with Michael to steal that which he has most, his kindness. And sooner rather than later, gremlins will arrive, thinking they're better than anyone as they will try their best to take everything he has by force!" Jay explained as he looked to the horizon, to the town of Withermere, breaking a stone as he does so. Then he looked back to sir Ambrose "Help him, Ambrose, help him and, just as with his grandfather and father before him, never lose your faith in him... he's my grandson after all. In this century, knowing that the Age of Macabre is soon to come, I at least wouldn't want to see him die alone... like me..."