Kothar lay against the paving stones of the road that crossed past the place he had called home. The cold stone leached the heat from his bare palms as he scrabbled away from the point of Tam's sword.
"Father, why are you doing this?" Kothar pleaded, but Tam gave no response. His face was pale and expressionless, had he donned a hood he would not look unlike the depictions of death himself, with his cheeks sunken and hollow-eyed expression.
Tam strode forward, ignoring Kothar's pleas, and thrust his blade point first at Kothar's chest, stabbing him clean through his torso.
"Huuuarghh!" Kothar awoke in a cold sweat, glancing around wide-eyed, looking for Tam. He took great gasping breaths, and his heart pounded in his chest.
