12:00 a.m. Weathered tombs loomed all around as a young man ran down a narrow path, pushing himself to run at full-speed. The moonlight made his surroundings noticeable, although only faintly. ("Have to get away...") ("Have to get away...") the young man mumbles to himself as he watches the ground closely, in order to avoid all the rocks that he could trip over.
An unearthly scream rends the still air, the sound coming from close behind him, breaking him from his panicked thoughts. He couldn't look back, not right now, the creature chasing him was way to close. He couldn't waste a single second, besides he would rather not see the creature's hideous features again.
His breath was coming in deep ragged intervals, and his lungs struggled to keep up with his bodies desperate need for air. As he ran, the world around him started to blur, and the man struggled to stay conscious.
("Keep running... do not look back...") he told himself.
Clenching his teeth, and focusing on the path ahead, he pushed himself to even greater speed. The wind hit his face, making his eyes start to water, but he pushed himself onward.
("Come on Kit, just keep moving...")
Glancing up ahead, in a blurry haze, Kit could see a structure, and he couldn't help but feel a tinge of hope. Getting close, he saw two crumbling mausoleums, along with the cemetery's giant iron gate. But in order to get to the gate, he had to cross an open expanse of grass.
("Finally... thank god...") he muttered to himself.
But could he make it? His mind spun rapidly, as he tried to think of a solution. For a few nerve-racking seconds, Kit turned his head to his pursuer and looked into the empty bloodshot eyes. He felt a cold chill race through him at the sight of the creature.
Wrinkled hanging folds of white skin drooped from the creatures every limb. And it's features were twisted into a hideous visage of death. A drying stream of blood stained the creature's mouth and chest, evidence of the meal it had just partaken of.
"Hhhhhsssssssss..." the creature screeched once again, rending the air with a feeling of horror. It hovered unnaturally a dozen yards away, blood dripping from its clawed hands. Kit turned away from the creature to face the distant gate, biting his lip in thought.
("The gate is close...")
Kit hesitated, if he made a run for the gate and the small structure, he may have a chance for escape, but he was feeling rather uncertain. Escaping from the hold of his thoughts, Kit took another fleeting glance at the creature, only to notice it darting at him, it's skeletal face contorted with grotesque triumph.
As the hideous face came close enough for Kit to smell the deep stench of rot and decay emanating from the creature's body, time seemed to slow as Kit's adrenaline reached the peak, but he couldn't seem to be able to move as the creature floated closer. A hissing barely audible voice came from the creature's lips, turning Kit's blood cold.
"You can not outrun your doom, and every step you take will lead to your death. SHRRREEEEEEEEE!"
The creature moved in, it's claws scything down in a giant arc, ripping Kit's flesh apart, leaving a massive gaping wound in his chest. Kit's world suddenly caved in, replaced by blood and white-hot agony, and after a few tormenting seconds, complete darkness.
"Gaaaaahhh!" Kit awoke with a jerk, his mind still fuzzy from the nightmare he was just having. "What the?" Kit felt confused by the unexpected realization that he was just dreaming. His mind cleared, making Kit take notice of his surroundings. He was laying on a patch of wild grass, with a giant canopy of trees above him. Relief flooded through him, he was just dreaming. He bolted upright into a sitting position.
(It felt so real...") Kit mused, still breathing rapidly from the rise of adrenaline.
"Shit, I'm going to be late!" "I better get back to the castle before the nobles arrive."
Kit got to his feet and started running back towards the massive castle gates. As he got up to the gates, Kit stopped and looked around to make sure nobody would see him climbing the gate.
"Ahem..." A grunting noise made Kit freeze. Turning, Kit saw Gabriel, the Royal Bodyguard.
"Gabriel! I was just---" Gabriel cut him off before he could finish.
"Hurry up, and I won't tell the Queen that you were playing outside the castle again."
Gabriel waved his hand towards the guards atop the wall, signaling them to open the gate. The giant metal gates grunted open, allowing Kit and Gabriel to enter. As they walked towards the castle, Gabriel broke the awkward silence, "Nobles from the other four kingdoms will arrive shortly. Your mother expects you to meet them."
"Of course." Kit moaned.
---
30 minutes later
Kit and Gabriel enter the throne room. Queen Athena stands talking to a big burly man dressed in silver armor and thick leather with the symbol of royalty for the Kingdom of Mirador. She was dressed in her finest gown, and her crown adorned her head, giving her a majestic presence. The man she was talking to would be the Captain of the Royal Guard, Vince Terward.
"You've increased security as I requested?" Queen Athena asked her brows raised in questioning.
"Yes, of course, your Majesty. A dozen guards at each entrance, and a company of archers on every wall." Vince replied.
Kit walks up the long red carpet towards his mother, Queen Athena. She turns towards him and smiles. "It's nice to see you indoors for once."
"Yeah, sure."
"I trust you'll be on your best behavior tonight. You just might meet your future queen."
Vince walked over and grinned, "Kit, married? Now that, I'd like to see. There are beasts in the Skyline Mountains you'd have an easier time taming."
Queen Athena smiled at Kit once again, before sighing deeply.
"At any rate, don't give our guests any bad impressions."
Alex, a castle servant, made his way over and stopped in front of the queen, bowing quickly.
"Your Majesty, the nobles from the four kingdoms have arrived."
"Already?" Kit broke in.
"Come on, you just need to smile and agree. I'm the one who has to listen to old King Gareth drone on about his hunting conquests." Queen Athena said sternly.
"Come, let's welcome our guests."