I: Marshs of Irk

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This is Block I of part one the story "Bloody waters"
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Ryain and his foot solders waded though the bog. It wasn’t the same rations every day that got to you, or the knee deep muck that they tried though that got to you. It was the leeches, it seems every time you took a step in the water, which was often, they would hoard to you. And, no matter how many you took off, and no matter how many you crushed and killed, there was always more. But, even worse then the leeches, was the midnight screeches, like it banshees that cried though the damp air. Some of the some of the solders calmed it to be just owls. But, no owl could cry like that. Every time you heard it, the first time, or the 5 hundredth, it sent a chill down your spin. Like death its steal was smiling at you.
Ryain kneed down, finding another track, he looked behind him to see his troops. It was 20 or so worn out men. The disarmored before they enter the swamp, knowing that it would only weigh them down. There equipment was in disrepair, swords rusted, and shields falling apart. Some looked like they hadn’t slept for days. They would jump at the littlest sound in these swamps, Ryain was unsure if they could fight a chicken coup.
They were 100 of the kings men, form the great city GlamHelm sent to hunt down the rest of Zephs evil army, who had retreated into the marshes of Irk. When it started, the men well shaved, and stood high, walking though the swamps. Then the first dead, some one had fallen into the swamp, and never came out. There were rumors that something pulled him, but they were regarded as a myth. Then came more, some died of sickness, coughing and coughing until they coughed up blood, and small peace’s of flesh and we had to leave them the to the swamp. With each death, they seemed to slouch a little more. Now, they barely stood up right.
They found a dry spot, took of the leaches, and set camp. It was dusk and the full moon peered out though the clouds. There a whisper of werewolves in he crowd, but Ryain new there were no such things. He stood up on a stone, and gathered his men attention.
“Men, I know its been a tough couple of months, and I know the swamps have been less then welcoming, but look at you” He pointed at the gathering, the band was disorganized, and barley even held on to there own swords. “You drag your swords on the dirt like they were children’s toys, we are not children, where men! when asked to stand attention, you can barley stand” They looked down in shame “We are solders, train to right as a well oiled fighting machine, We carry the kings name on are back. And I’m not going to let it fall, Are you?” The men gave a slightly enthoughastic memor. “The solders we are fighting, they do not fight for a noble cause like us, they fight for treachery and greed. Its is our duty to stop them.” Before he could finish his speech the night screeched, All the men were shaken. The men recovered, and were in a little higher moral then before. There was no point in continuing his words, so he jumped of his rock, and looked at the band of troops. “We need some wood for a fire, who wants to get it?” They looked at each other, no one wanting to leave the safety of the group. “Is this what we have fallen to? The captain forced to do the duty of his men? Shame on you”
He garbed a hand axe, and brought it into the swamp looking for dry wood. Wading though the muck, be thought he heard something, turning around all he saw was shadows illuminated by moon light. The trees waved in the soft wind. He found a dry spot with some trees on it. As he neared it, he found something, it was a body. It looked fresh, he turned it face up to see a bloody would on his chest. He was one of Zephs men, he could tell by the marking on his leather armor. Ryain checked the mans gear, there was a roll for parchment clenched in his hand, Ryain opened it. It was a journal. He read varies entries

We ran Irk in hope to run from the oppressive kings rule, the king who starves his kingdom, and tax’s his nation into poverty. Leaving other parts of his nation in disrepair all in the name of his Utopian city GlamHelm. Ive seen enough of the world to know that a utopia wont work. It is burial and cruel, and dark. I’ve seen starving family’s giving birth, mass despair, and people killing there own nabors for bread. there is no good that can last, only evil. I see the man behind the mask. I see the darkness that we ignore. Every day. And for this reason, I have no choice but to commit this treason. No. Treason is an act of betrayal; this is an act of justice.
-Damus

The kings men are casing us, relentless in there hunt. We we are hoping that the forsaken swamps of Irk would should us, and we would be safe, but there hot on are trail, just the other day we found one of there scouts, he refused to be taken presenter, give the choice of that or death, he chose death. Every night we see there fire behind us. Some speculate that a traitor is among us, feeding information to the enemy. Every ones on edge. The swamp seems to be getting to us.
-Damus

The marsh of Irk is a horrible place. Free of the King, ruled by fear. I think the rest of them are losing there mind. We lost another to the swamp, he was my friend, we were out hunting, and he fell under. I tried to save him. But I couldn’t. It happened so fast. I tried. Its not my fault. I know it can’t be. The men think I did it. They thing I'm a murderer. They think I'm feeding the kings men information. Tonight I leave, for if I stay, I do not know if I will see the sun tomorrow. Death is the shadow that stalks us all. Its behind ever tree. Behind ever corner, ready to strike, ready to kill.-.-

The last entry ended in blood. Death is the shadow that stalks us all. Ryain thought about it. He didn’t like the idea that death was behind us, ready to kill us at all times. Ryain looked at the paper, if any of the men read this, there would be no holding them to gather. He crumbled it and shoved it in his pocket. He turned around to see some one armed with a machete. Ryain jumped back,

“Who the hell are you!” He said no words, all he did was lift his blade, revealing Zephs symbol on his chest, and cut down apon Ryain, going breaking his collar bone as it smashed though his shoulder. After he made the cut him, he kept beating on the body with an maniacal furry, blood spilled in to the black waters. And the pool ran red with death. Then, seemingly with out a reason why, he simply stopped.
The killer left the body as an offering to the swamp. He headed back to camp, as he walked though the waters, leeches flowed to him with the sent of fresh blood. He got up to see his party of solders sitting around in a circle, none wanted to risk giving there position by lighting a fire, They looked at him coming out of the trees.