Last of Her Kind (Book 1, Part 1, of the LAST series)

men of dread

Pulling Nyx to a stop, I slid off his back, landing on the ground beneath me. I let out a groan as I arched my back, listening to the cracks it made. I looked at Nyx. "I believe we deserve a break. It's been hours. What do you think?"

Nyx huffed.

"Yeah, yeah. But, we should hurry. I would like to reach the next town before nightfall."

He huffed again, shaking his mane.

"Well, pardon me, Nyx. No need to throw a fit. Here." Reaching into my sac, I pulled out an apple and gave it to him. "Happy?" I asked as I watched him eating it. He nodded his head, causing me to laugh.

Leaning against a tree, I looked up at the pink and orange sky. I wondered if Jayce knows I'm missing yet? Probably not. He would be stuck on that mountain for more than a day usually. A yawn escaped my lips as I did one more big stretch. My eyes traveled to Nyx. "Ready?"

Climbing onto his back, we continued our ride through the forest, the sun beginning to slowly go down. Finally leaving the forest, there sat a small town a few miles away. I let out a sigh of relief. "We found one, Nyx. Finally."

Reaching the town, there were only a few people out on the streets. Some buildings looked as if they were still in the process of being built.

"Pardon me," I said, stopping an older woman in her tracks. "Do you know of a place I could stay for the night?"

She looked at me up and down, then shook her head. "I'm afraid not, child. If you keep heading south, I believe there's a town that has boarding."

I sighed. "Thank you."

"Or you can stay with me." I turned my head to see an older man, leaning against a the side of a building, giving me a toothy grin. His blonde hair was matted against his head. He gave me the creeps. "I'll treat you right."

"No thanks," I denied, clicking my tongue.

Nyx began walking as the man continued calling after me. I ignored him as we continued riding through the town and shortly left.

Miles later, and there was still no sight of a another town. The full moon was the only thing giving us light. "Nyx, I think that old hag lied to us." He huffed. "Sorry. Maybe we should..." I stopped myself, squinting my eyes.

Could it be? Could that old hag- I mean, lady, be right? There were no lights, but maybe because everyone was sleeping. But, there were buildings. It was a town. Hope formed in my chest. Thunder clapped, interrupting my thoughts. Lightning flashed across the sky and my face began getting hit with water. "Come on, Nyx."

Nyx trotted towards the town. Thankfully it wasn't raining too hard...yet. Coming on the entrance, we slowed down. "Are you serious?" I said to myself.

The town was empty. There was no one, and buildings were destroyed. Climbing off Nyx, I tied him to a broken post beneath a small, rundown stable. It seemed to only have space for him. Thankfully, it was protecting him from the rain.

I grabbed my black cloak and tied it around myself, pulling the hood up to cover my head. I walked down the street, checking all the homes, trying to find somewhere to stay.

I shivered as I forced a door open to a small house, two doors down from the stable. Looking up, there sat a large hole in the roof. My shoulders slumped. But, in the corner, away from the hole, sat a dirty, red couch. Moving towards it, I lied down, groaning in tiredness.

A quick rest wouldn't hurt.

The rain picked up, tapping against the wooden house.

Closing my eyes, I was shortly sucked into the familiarity of a dream. One of my dreams. There was a figure. A man. Standing in a field. The sky was blue and cloudless. The sun was shining right down on him. I couldn't see the man's face because his back was facing me. He had a strong back and long hair. The dream started when I was young. That was when he had begun entering my dream as a young boy. I could never make him out though. But, it was as if every time I aged, so would he. I felt a strange connection to this faceless person.