Thomas
After an Angel

The years passed Thomas traveled, he was determined to keep moving farther and farther from his old life and his loss. The bars were frequent as were the women. Each faceless woman blurred as his thoughts always drifted to Annalise her ghost haunting his thoughts. She smiled, she laughed the soft sweet tinkling filling his ears, she would cry her beautiful green emeralds glittering with each tear. Then he would awaken to another day without her beside him. Thomas would groan and roll away from the flirting rays of sun flowing down upon his head. His heart heavy Thomas made his way down to the Tavern’s floor for a drink to clear his muddled thoughts. The barkeep looked up from his cleaning to see Thomas and smiled handing the broken warrior a glass of cold whiskey. Thomas slugged down the glass and laid a gold coin upon the bar as he left to face the suns smiling face. Thomas lived this way for many years he followed the sun and traveled far. When Thomas would run out of money he would pick up a bounty or two. He fought bandits in the nearby Murciélago Caves, Thomas braved the mighty beasts of the forbidden forest, and swiftly rescued a damsel captured by scapegraces and thieves vying to collect a king’s ransom for the girl. Thomas always left town before anyone could thank the brave Knight for his deeds. Thomas was never a knight but he never corrected anyone. He would use his new-found gains to purchase armor and weapons to continue his journey. Thomas had no great quest or holy grail to replace he only had his pain to run from. This was Thomas’s driving force, to forget.

In Thomas’s travels, he came upon a great quest that changed the weary warrior into a hero once again. Thomas stumbled into a small village filled with people in a great panic. The throngs of residents ran screaming with great panicked wails. Dismounting his dear friend Socrates, he walked steadily forward searching for the source of the great disturbance. Thomas started to smell the acrid aroma of burning bodies, Thomas quickened his step as his steed kept perfect pace. Suddenly he stopped short causing Socrates to give a whinny and a snort in protest. The noise aroused the attention of the large demonic beast brandishing its razor filled jaws and venom dripping claws. Thomas readied his broad sword and steadied his feet. The massive creature lunged at Thomas gnashing its teeth in protest to the swift defense Thomas displayed as he sidestepped the beast’s hulking form. Socrates cried as the monstrosity’s tail nipped his rear flank he jumped up in perfect form and flipped in the air to face the foe. Socrates’s steel shoes battered the beast’s wings as He kicked and whinnied his fierce battle cry. Thomas met his steed and began to swipe at the beasts hardened flesh. The Demon let out a great cry as Thomas’s swift and decisive strike removed the beast’s right wing. Socrates stood diligently beside Thomas ready to strike his white socked feet stained with crimson rubies of blood. The Demon let out an unhuman sound that rattled Thomas’s bones. Thomas steadied himself for the next attack watching his opponent move awkwardly forward, floods of blood pouring out of the amputated limb. Socrates looks at Thomas and in a silent understanding Socrates ran away from the Flailing beast. The beast laughed and spat out a word, “Coward” Just as the slithering beast moved to attack Thomas the valiant Steed appeared soaring through the air his mighty front legs clawing at the Demon. Thomas used this distracting moment to place the final blow. As Socrates kicked and clawed at the beast’s midsection Thomas brandished his sword and with a mighty swing. The decapitated beast toppled over in defeat. Thomas looked for his friend and let out a sharp shrill whistle into the air. At the sound Socrates came lumbering from around the pile of Demon flesh and whinnied in response. Thomas let out a sigh of relief. He retrieved the reins of his fierce ally and moved quickly through the incoming crowd. People screamed and hollered, their voices creating a symphony that beat and tore at Thomas’s ears. The cries of adoration and the questions of who and why filled the crowds’ words. Thomas said nothing and simply moved on, his head pressed against his chest as he sheltered his face from view with his large tattered wide brim hat. The silent stranger once again reborn. Thomas’s story grew and twisted into a great many battles with more foes than any one man could defeat. They even had rumor he rode upon a flaming red Unicorn who aids him in Battle. With each bar, the legend grew in detail as well as magnitude. Thomas always laughed and enjoyed the silent joke.

Thomas kept his face hidden whenever he battled in a crowd, using his red bandanna and wide brim hat as his only features. He moved village to village silently defending the weak and fighting the wicked. He fought each foe as if he were enacting vengeance upon them for the people. Thomas once more became the Champion of the people he fought great battles. In many of the towns Thomas visited the women would come and seek the affections of the great hero, The champion of the people, They would satisfy his need then he would dismiss each one. Thomas allowed his carnal needs to be quenched but he never loved again his heart forever a stony wall hardened and dead. Thomas’s only companion his faithful fighting stead, Socrates, his last connection to Annalise.

Soon the Towns became scarcer and the battles harder to replace

Thomas spent most of his time wandering, traveling each day. In the evening Thomas would camp with his dear friend Socrates. Thomas would tell Socrates tales of Terros and his old friend Dorin. He would drink his flask of whiskey and tip Socrates a snifter or two now and again. In darkness of the evening when sleep was just a whisper away Thomas would speak to the steed about his dear lost Angel who flew back to heaven. The animal would snort and tip his head agreeing with each word Thomas spoke. There’s was a true friendship, brothers in arms, with Socrates, Thomas wasn’t completely alone. Thomas would pat the beasts large nose and drift off to sleep. Years passed and Thomas could feel his old bones beginning to protest to the rigors of traveling. The old codger decided to settle down and with that thought he moved forward to the nearest village to acquire a plot of land and build his future hovel with Socrates. Thomas came upon a bit of land not occupied by any other just on the out skirts of town. Thomas lay his head upon his new plot and planned his first voyage into the bazar to collect the materials for his new venture. He was settling down with Socrates. The town was a pleasant place with a Tavern, goods merchant, alchemist and Blacksmith. The town was average and accommodating. Thomas came into the village with Socrates in tow and asked around about a carriage and a plow for his new fields. The village residents led Thomas to the goods merchant and his new life was beginning to unfold. Thomas soon began building his meager home the walls went up first then the thatched roof. Thomas made wooden shutters for his windows and finally a wooden floor finished his months of work. Thomas enjoyed the feeling of a hard day’s work, those days reminded him of happier times working for Dorin his mentor. Thomas took his steed into the village and asked about a feather bed. Thomas had a messenger tell the carpenter to have one ready for Thomas to retrieve in a fort night. Thomas did just that. When the day came Thomas hitched up his mighty steep to the wooden wagon and set off to collect his newly made furniture. Thomas was unaware of the recent chatter in town. People started to talk of the Mad stranger who burned down a kingdom. A man traveling through Thomas’s new village spoke of a man with an icy gaze and a mane as dark as midnight. The traveler told the people he saw the man walk through the flames of the castle like the devil himself leaving hell. The rumors spread and the suspicions of the new arrival began to send fear throughout. Thomas’s trip to the carpenter was uneventful and soon led him home with his new purchase carefully nestled in his wagon behind. Heavy clouds of smoke brought dread to Thomas’s heart as he approached the smoldering remains of his home. Thomas weak and weary dismounted the wagon and began to sift through the smoldering ash. What could have happened to his new home? Thomas began to investigate the surrounding area when a small boy carrying a message arrived at Socrates’s side on the outside of Thomas’s burning estate.

“Sir, I have a message from the town committee, They would like you to leave. You have committed a great offence to this kingdom’s Ally Castle Lyons and will not be suffered here any longer.” The boy quickly ran off in fear as he trembled reading the message. Thomas knew he had no choice he must take one more mission to finally be free of his sins at Castle Lyons. Thomas made the long journey to a kingdom who had rumors of a captured girl and a dying king. The legends told of an aging Kingdom in need of the young maiden to restore the Castle’s once great empire. Thomas traveled on with Socrates venturing to the mystical region with the legendary King and a chance to rectify the mistakes he made and rid his heart of his demons once and for all. Socrates nudged Thomas along as the two traveled to Castle Andaris.