Story for Matt

Introduction

A story I created for one of my best friends, Matt, for his birthday. I've known Matt since high school, and we have been through many awesome adventures together. Regardless of each adventure, he always has a smile and a great sense of humor. One of my favorite things about him is his love for the darker things in the world, horror movies, metal (the real stuff), comic books, and so much more. Many people tend to think differently of those that love such things, but in my experience, the kindest, most loyal and giving people, are those that are not afraid to enjoy what they love, regardless of who's watching. He is one such person. This is the story (Sorry Matt, next one will be longer!):

The Beginning

Deep within the obscure woods known only as the Vim, there was a mysterious village filled with creatures of dark magic. Dark magic wasn’t as you think. It wasn’t evil. At least not completely… It was originally created to counter traditional magic or “light” magic. A form of self-defense that evolved into much more.

The creatures in this village lived in a place that bordered on the verge of both life and death. Most people knew little about such a place, but to those familiar with its taint, it was often known as the Mörk. Many people believe such a place to be a fantasy, a myth, but it was very real.

In this small village within the veil of the Mörk there was a being that was unlike the rest. A young human man that had been abandoned as a child. He was found by a few of the kinder creatures while wandering around in the Vim. They took him in and raised them as their own. After many years of lessons and more, he became one of the many protectors of the village.

In his younger days he excelled at the art of war, as they called it, and became quite skilled with a battle axe. After a few standoffs with the creatures of the mist that attack the village every harvest, he was dubbed Matt the Barbarian.

His rage and bloodlust were unquenchable during a fight. His mind, a sharp and honed calculator of pure death. The creatures of the mist were fierce but stood no chance against the newest protector of the Mörk. Because of the magic that surrounded him during his growth, he was also imbued with special talents that made him an even more formidable foe.

Due to this dark magic, a new graphic scene of ink would manifest on his skin each time he absorbed the souls of those he killed. His burden to carry, as a reminder that every action has a consequence. A reminder that he was a bringer of death. There were none like him to the knowledge of those in the village. In the world of men, he would be outcast and segregated for his immunity to death. Little did they know that this was a strength for them. The greedy could attempt to use him as a tool for their own purposes. For the time being, his existence was unknown other than to those in the village and those from the mist. The great protector, Matt the Barbarian, yearned for more than his role as a protector of his village. Soon his curiosity would take him to unexpected places and cause a series of unexpected events to unfold. Events that skirted prophecy. Events that would forever change the world.

[To be continued...]