Nehrim:Story Of A Prisoner
Story Of A Prisoner
Story Of A Prisoner
I don't know why I am even writing this. Why I am even still alive. Maybe I am writing this to preserve the things I have seen for the ensuing ages. Or perhaps because I find it unbearable knowing that nobody will find out what happened to me.
But first, listen to my story.
Two weeks ago now, life was fine for me. I had a family, a wonderful wife and three children. Two boys, a girl. But they were all taken from me. My whole life was taken from me.
Everything began one night those two weeks ago in our little village of Ledur, when I heard a loud howling. A howling that made your blood curdle. I heard a cry. Of a woman. Looking out of the window in my room I could see bright lights outside. Our village was on fire! My wife was still sleeping peacefully. I did not wake her. Without getting changed, I went down the stairs in my nightdress. The cries of people got louder and the howling too, it was like wolves. I opened the front door of our house. There I saw the hunt of the devil.
It still haunts me in my dreams to this day, every night again. A young woman ran past me, screaming. Her clothes were hanging torn from her body. She was covered in blood. Her left arm was but a bloody stump. A fearful beast was running after her, bent over. The devil himself. A wolflike creature of evil that went on two legs. As it rushed past me, it looked at me out of eyes that promised death. The woman ran around a corner of a house. The creature jumped after her. A piercing scream. A spray of blood. Ripping of flesh. A loud howl. I heard all these noises. This could not be happening. I had to be dreaming. And yet something told me it was all real. I stood there as if rooted to the spot, unable to move. Everywhere in the village, people were running about screaming. Some tried to flee into the forest, but the creatures were after them already. The village was ablaze.
I stood there for a few minutes watching the terror before I suddenly realised: my family was in danger! I heard loud cries from the house. I ran as fast as I could inside and up the stairs. Something grabbed me from behind. I could not move. A creature towed me slowly to the door of our chamber. My family sat on the bed, huddled together. My wife looked at me in distress.She did not say a word. My daughter was crying silently. I wanted to call to them but the creature closed my mouth. I struggled wildly. Its claws went through my cheek. I did not feel the pain. Just the tremendous fear for my family. Suddenly, two of these creatures emerged from the shadows. I couldn't do anything. I cried in desperation. I couldn't help them and had to watch as they were slowly torn to pieces before my eyes. How the teeth of the beasts dug into their flesh. In the end there was nothing left of them but a bloody mess. Everything went black. Finally, they would free me from this madness.. they would kill me...
Sometime later I woke up again. In hell, it seemed to me. Everything hurt. I wanted to get up, open my eyes, but I was too weak. Something kicked me in the shoulder. Slowly I opened my eyes. I looked up into the shocked face of a guard. He sat me up and called for the other guards. They wanted me to tell them what had happened. I was silent and looked at my hands. They were covered in blood. I avoided turning around. I knew who was on the bed behind me. Disfigured beyond recognition.. and dead.
I was brought before a judge. I was accused of killing all forty-six people of my village. I was silent. And now I am sitting here, writing it down. I can be lucky I am able to write it down. It was hard enough to get some paper and ink. Luckily, the cook who brought us little portions each day had pity on me and got me what I needed. Perhaps I will even manage to pass on this writing to a scholar, or even better, an adventurer, who will understand the matter. Or who will at least look into it to find out what really happened. What the creatures were. And then proclaim the truth everywhere. But it will be too late for me by the time that happens. And so I will sit here and never know what really happened in that night and will rot in this dungeon. However, I have a little ray of light in all this pain.
Tomorrow I am to be beheaded.
Author's note:
Dear reader,
First of all I would like to thank you for purchasing this book. This book is the printed version of a handwritten story that I was handed by a prisoner through his cell when I wanted to visit a friend, who had to spend a few days in the dungeon after a brawl between him and a few other drunkards which I won't go into here.
The prisoner asked me to look into the matter. Of course I agreed and did so a few days later. I questioned the judge that had sentenced him. He answered that he was the man who had killed the people in his village, and not some creatures. He assumed that they were only figments of his imagination. Since I did not really believe him, I sent three mercenaries to the ruined village to have a look around. I did not go myself. Not because I was scared, but because my work did not allow for me to go on long journeys. However, the mercenaries never returned and were never seen again. That is why I will give well-meant advice to anyone wanting to look into the issue after reading this book. You should leave it be if you value your life.
I ask possible survivors who can confirm or dissent the man's story to look for me in my hut at the Dead Pass.
M.R. - Martin Rabe
