Sig
The Prince of None
Far from the safety of the cities and into the vast desert, we find our lone hero traveling on the back of his mighty steed. His scarred face covered by a scarf belonging to a love long gone. His dark eyes sparked with determination and excitement for the coming adventure that his soul could feel was nearing…
“How was that one?” A boy, who had a tattered old hat over his face as he laid on his back, asked his donkey. The donkey made a disapproving noise in response. “Hey what do you mean it's not accurate?! I'm more heroic than anyone I know! Besides all the greats over exaggerate how great they are, it's like some kind of rule. I hope we get to town soon though, I have made up so many stories that I am runnin as dry as our water supply. Okay, how about this?
The wandering stranger felt his long tedious journey was coming to its desired end. He let out a sigh as he thought of all that was waiting for him at home, a new child, a thankful town, and a loving wife. The stranger had saved the land from outlaws and gangs, but that was his past and soon his tale would become nothing more than an old western legend...” The donkey made an excited nay and the boy waved his hand. “Thank you, I know it was good.” The donkey rolled its eyes and bucked the boy off. He cursed and glared at the donkey as it pointed ahead of them with its hoof.
The boy, Mira looked ahead and saw their destination was just ahead, a small town surrounded by cliffs and a tower that looked ancient. “Yes! We're finally here! What are we waitin for? Let's go!” He hopped back on Arion as his old friend started to walk toward the town, relaxing and putting his hat back over his eyes.
Mira had learned to let his steed walk at his own pace. He knew many men who lost good horses from their baking them, that is why he was patient with old Arion. He was in no big rush to get to town anyway as he heard there wasn't really much out here, but he had also heard they have had a problem with bandits lately and there was a chance that the letter was right. Mira moved the hat that covered his face and guessed it was getting to be around five, judging from the position of the sun. He looked at the town in the distance, hoping to see a saloon for him and his donkey to take a breather at. Luckily they should get there before nightfall if they keep at this pace but they had to pass a large graveyard that the town must have made.
It would be a nice change to have some company that could actually talk back to him. Arion was special as he seems to understand everything he said but not having someone to talk back was not something Mira was used to.
Mira groaned at his stomach’s loud obnoxious aching for food as he remembered had eaten his last box of crackers and drank their last small bottle of cow juice yesterday.
“Hey! Chucklehead on the ass! I got a job for you!”
“Did someone really just call me a chucklehead?” Mira turned to see a weird little man who wore a long strange mask and held a shovel almost as big as himself. He was dressed like a barber's clerk, with the white suit he wore. The mask had a long nose and seemed very… real. “Uhh, did you want something short shack?”
The man threw his shovel at Mira and knocked him a good ten feet off his horse. “Coot! It is you that is in need and I be the one giving, got that Chap? First, you must kill that black coyote with the weird eyes and bring me its body! Careful boy, it’s a really big nuts to crack job! Next, leave me alone and tomorrow I'll give you a special prize! You will even be allowed to stay in my house for the night!”
Mira groaned, rubbing his sore torso and stood looking at the dirty old rundown hut. “Uhh maybe another time old timer.”
The man appeared in front of Mira and again hit him with the shovel. “Fogy! It must be tonight and here he comes! Go!”
Mira tried to argue but noticed the little man was already heading back towards his house with Arion in toe for some straw that he had. He sighed and wondered how he always got stuck with crazies. Mira pulled out his revolvers and kept an eye out for a coyote. An hour soon passed and then another and another, Mira finally woke to find Arion was making a strange noise. Mira took no notice as he yawned and stretched, concluding the old man had a few screws loose. As he was about to leave, a chilling wind blew and a dark fog grew heavily around him. He told Arion to leave and pulled out his revolvers, the fog had become more of a solid wall trapping him inside. A sharp, almost maddening, voice cut through the darkness like a blade.
“Hahaha!! The old stupid goat brought in another wannabe hero to fight his fights. When will he learn they’ll just die? Damn, he didn't even try with you did he, I mean really?”
Mira had heard insults all throughout his life and now even animals were insulting him, wonderful. Some sheriffs even refused to take his status as a bounty hunter seriously because he looked too young. “You gonna actually fight me or run your mouth, I don't have all night! I wasted enough of my time here already.” Mira growled looking around and shot twice into the fog.
“A heated attitude, not bad kid let's see how you do!” A large black coyote-like creature formed out of the darkness and grinned, showing each one of its sharp jagged fangs. Mira steeled his resolve and took aim, quickly unloading two whole barrels into the canine. The bullets dissolved into its body and it rushed the bounty hunter. He barely dodged the beast’s advances and landed a kick or two on its face, but he quickly found himself on the receiving end of its claws.
Mira ducked under a swipe at his head and reloaded his revolvers with the bullets on his chest. He shot a single bullet into the bottom of the creature's jaw, but all the managed to do was anger it and it stood on two feet. A single swipe sent Mira flying into the black swirling winds, cutting his back and sending him to the ground.
Mira pushed away the pain of his bleeding chest and back to study how the beast would attack and then dissolve back into its dark fog. Mira realized that the coyote would always attack in the areas where the tiny bits of moonlight were not touching. He smirked as he prepared his body and tackled the attacking beast into the moonlight “Got ya Dunderhead. Take this!”
Mira unloaded another barrel into the creature's face and this time the bullets caused black blood to ooze from the coyote. The beast howled and growled in pain, flinging its blood on Mira’s wounded chest. The black blood quickly began mixing with the red of his own. Both of them screamed as unexpected pain filled their bodies and a large black spike sprung out from Mira's chest, puncturing the coyote’s neck. He raised the revolvers to finish it, but the creature pulled the spike out and sliced the guns into pieces. With his weapons gone, Mira tried to retreat but was met with the creature biting into his leg. He screamed and held his leg, kicking the creature in the nose and making it take a step back.
“You yellow belly coward! You'll pay for this with your blood! Die!” Mira forced himself to his feet and held his hands out in an attempt to keep the creature away, but he knew it was useless.
NO! He couldn't let it end like this… not when he was so close to possible answers. He wouldn't die so pathetically!
Mira screamed as the creature attacked and a dark red spike shot out his hand into the creature’s face.
After a moment of struggling, the fog vanished and both fell to the ground in a bloody mess. The last thing Mira saw was the little man in the mask and a larger man in a black cloak and a white face staring down at him. All he was able to hear was the short one saying, “Well I'll be, the boy actually pulled it off. I didn't plan on that or on this…”
. . .
Mira woke up in a strange dusty bed with a plate of food next to him. He checked his body in the nearby mirror and found that it had miraculously healed itself. Next to the breakfast was a black golden box and Mira opened it to find a black and white spiked revolver. The gun was warm and felt right in his hands, but there didn't seem like a way to open the barrel. Mira ate and walked out the hut to see Arion was up and ready to go. Mira turned to the house to give the old man his thanks, but the entire house had vanished.
“This just keeps getting weirder and weirder, I hope the town is more normal.”
“It's not over yet, now get me some food Fogy!” Mira jumped and pulled out the new gun to see a mouth appeared on it. A familiar mouth with sharp jagged fangs.
“No fucking way, the coyote? What the hell is going on here?”
“Look kid, I woke up like this and since you just had to fight back, you are stuck with me till you find me a way back to my old form. You caused this, you fix it!”
Mira rubbed his temples as he ignored the weapon’s complaining and got on Arion, beginning the slow trip to town. Mira was so distracted by his new partner’s obnoxious yelling, that he didn't notice the short man and the taller one on a nearby cliff.
“So think he could help us? Those two could be a threat should they learn about their new situation. I wager he won't last a week.” The small one said as he looked up at his old friend. The big one smiled behind his mask.
“Either way, this will be fun…”
“How was that one?” A boy, who had a tattered old hat over his face as he laid on his back, asked his donkey. The donkey made a disapproving noise in response. “Hey what do you mean it's not accurate?! I'm more heroic than anyone I know! Besides all the greats over exaggerate how great they are, it's like some kind of rule. I hope we get to town soon though, I have made up so many stories that I am runnin as dry as our water supply. Okay, how about this?
The wandering stranger felt his long tedious journey was coming to its desired end. He let out a sigh as he thought of all that was waiting for him at home, a new child, a thankful town, and a loving wife. The stranger had saved the land from outlaws and gangs, but that was his past and soon his tale would become nothing more than an old western legend...” The donkey made an excited nay and the boy waved his hand. “Thank you, I know it was good.” The donkey rolled its eyes and bucked the boy off. He cursed and glared at the donkey as it pointed ahead of them with its hoof.
The boy, Mira looked ahead and saw their destination was just ahead, a small town surrounded by cliffs and a tower that looked ancient. “Yes! We're finally here! What are we waitin for? Let's go!” He hopped back on Arion as his old friend started to walk toward the town, relaxing and putting his hat back over his eyes.
Mira had learned to let his steed walk at his own pace. He knew many men who lost good horses from their baking them, that is why he was patient with old Arion. He was in no big rush to get to town anyway as he heard there wasn't really much out here, but he had also heard they have had a problem with bandits lately and there was a chance that the letter was right. Mira moved the hat that covered his face and guessed it was getting to be around five, judging from the position of the sun. He looked at the town in the distance, hoping to see a saloon for him and his donkey to take a breather at. Luckily they should get there before nightfall if they keep at this pace but they had to pass a large graveyard that the town must have made.
It would be a nice change to have some company that could actually talk back to him. Arion was special as he seems to understand everything he said but not having someone to talk back was not something Mira was used to.
Mira groaned at his stomach’s loud obnoxious aching for food as he remembered had eaten his last box of crackers and drank their last small bottle of cow juice yesterday.
“Hey! Chucklehead on the ass! I got a job for you!”
“Did someone really just call me a chucklehead?” Mira turned to see a weird little man who wore a long strange mask and held a shovel almost as big as himself. He was dressed like a barber's clerk, with the white suit he wore. The mask had a long nose and seemed very… real. “Uhh, did you want something short shack?”
The man threw his shovel at Mira and knocked him a good ten feet off his horse. “Coot! It is you that is in need and I be the one giving, got that Chap? First, you must kill that black coyote with the weird eyes and bring me its body! Careful boy, it’s a really big nuts to crack job! Next, leave me alone and tomorrow I'll give you a special prize! You will even be allowed to stay in my house for the night!”
Mira groaned, rubbing his sore torso and stood looking at the dirty old rundown hut. “Uhh maybe another time old timer.”
The man appeared in front of Mira and again hit him with the shovel. “Fogy! It must be tonight and here he comes! Go!”
Mira tried to argue but noticed the little man was already heading back towards his house with Arion in toe for some straw that he had. He sighed and wondered how he always got stuck with crazies. Mira pulled out his revolvers and kept an eye out for a coyote. An hour soon passed and then another and another, Mira finally woke to find Arion was making a strange noise. Mira took no notice as he yawned and stretched, concluding the old man had a few screws loose. As he was about to leave, a chilling wind blew and a dark fog grew heavily around him. He told Arion to leave and pulled out his revolvers, the fog had become more of a solid wall trapping him inside. A sharp, almost maddening, voice cut through the darkness like a blade.
“Hahaha!! The old stupid goat brought in another wannabe hero to fight his fights. When will he learn they’ll just die? Damn, he didn't even try with you did he, I mean really?”
Mira had heard insults all throughout his life and now even animals were insulting him, wonderful. Some sheriffs even refused to take his status as a bounty hunter seriously because he looked too young. “You gonna actually fight me or run your mouth, I don't have all night! I wasted enough of my time here already.” Mira growled looking around and shot twice into the fog.
“A heated attitude, not bad kid let's see how you do!” A large black coyote-like creature formed out of the darkness and grinned, showing each one of its sharp jagged fangs. Mira steeled his resolve and took aim, quickly unloading two whole barrels into the canine. The bullets dissolved into its body and it rushed the bounty hunter. He barely dodged the beast’s advances and landed a kick or two on its face, but he quickly found himself on the receiving end of its claws.
Mira ducked under a swipe at his head and reloaded his revolvers with the bullets on his chest. He shot a single bullet into the bottom of the creature's jaw, but all the managed to do was anger it and it stood on two feet. A single swipe sent Mira flying into the black swirling winds, cutting his back and sending him to the ground.
Mira pushed away the pain of his bleeding chest and back to study how the beast would attack and then dissolve back into its dark fog. Mira realized that the coyote would always attack in the areas where the tiny bits of moonlight were not touching. He smirked as he prepared his body and tackled the attacking beast into the moonlight “Got ya Dunderhead. Take this!”
Mira unloaded another barrel into the creature's face and this time the bullets caused black blood to ooze from the coyote. The beast howled and growled in pain, flinging its blood on Mira’s wounded chest. The black blood quickly began mixing with the red of his own. Both of them screamed as unexpected pain filled their bodies and a large black spike sprung out from Mira's chest, puncturing the coyote’s neck. He raised the revolvers to finish it, but the creature pulled the spike out and sliced the guns into pieces. With his weapons gone, Mira tried to retreat but was met with the creature biting into his leg. He screamed and held his leg, kicking the creature in the nose and making it take a step back.
“You yellow belly coward! You'll pay for this with your blood! Die!” Mira forced himself to his feet and held his hands out in an attempt to keep the creature away, but he knew it was useless.
NO! He couldn't let it end like this… not when he was so close to possible answers. He wouldn't die so pathetically!
Mira screamed as the creature attacked and a dark red spike shot out his hand into the creature’s face.
After a moment of struggling, the fog vanished and both fell to the ground in a bloody mess. The last thing Mira saw was the little man in the mask and a larger man in a black cloak and a white face staring down at him. All he was able to hear was the short one saying, “Well I'll be, the boy actually pulled it off. I didn't plan on that or on this…”
. . .
Mira woke up in a strange dusty bed with a plate of food next to him. He checked his body in the nearby mirror and found that it had miraculously healed itself. Next to the breakfast was a black golden box and Mira opened it to find a black and white spiked revolver. The gun was warm and felt right in his hands, but there didn't seem like a way to open the barrel. Mira ate and walked out the hut to see Arion was up and ready to go. Mira turned to the house to give the old man his thanks, but the entire house had vanished.
“This just keeps getting weirder and weirder, I hope the town is more normal.”
“It's not over yet, now get me some food Fogy!” Mira jumped and pulled out the new gun to see a mouth appeared on it. A familiar mouth with sharp jagged fangs.
“No fucking way, the coyote? What the hell is going on here?”
“Look kid, I woke up like this and since you just had to fight back, you are stuck with me till you find me a way back to my old form. You caused this, you fix it!”
Mira rubbed his temples as he ignored the weapon’s complaining and got on Arion, beginning the slow trip to town. Mira was so distracted by his new partner’s obnoxious yelling, that he didn't notice the short man and the taller one on a nearby cliff.
“So think he could help us? Those two could be a threat should they learn about their new situation. I wager he won't last a week.” The small one said as he looked up at his old friend. The big one smiled behind his mask.
“Either way, this will be fun…”
