Friday Fiction: Outcast Episode 1

I have been working on a series of novels for some time. This is the beginning of a new story, set in the same world. I'm hoping to publish it in weekly episodes. I hope you enjoy it! I have included a pronunciation guide in the comments section.



Mahtek Reyin peered out from the alley where he hid. The street before him was mostly empty. A few people, cloaked against the unaccustomed cold, drifted by. Mahtek kept his hood low to hide his face and ducked into the street. A couple walked by him, holding each other close for warmth and whispering to each other. They glanced at him but did not take notice. He looked like just another hapless resident of usually mild Iandrid, unprepared for the cold winter. In a way, his black cloak was sheltering him. Not from the cold, but from the eyes of everyone he walked past.

The building he was looking for lay at the end of the street. Two guards stood watch over the door, and another patrolled the street. Mahtek knew he couldn’t get past them unnoticed. But this was Iandrid, his city, and he had been to this place before. There were other ways in. He fell in step with a passer-by between him and the guards, then slipped down another alley.

Once out of site, he removed his cloak and reversed it. The outside was now a grayish white, almost matching the stone of the buildings. This cloak had originally been intended to hide him from the eyes of his country’s enemies. But now it hid him from his own countrymen just as well. He extended his claws and found cracks in the stone, then began to climb, his target the building’s sole window, above him.

As he clambered upward, the patrolling guard passed the mouth of the alley. Mahtek froze. Anyone closely inspecting the side of the building would have noticed him, but at a quick glance, his cloak blended in sufficiently not to warrant a second thought.

Mahtek began his climb again. Reaching the window, he peered inside carefully. A lone guard sat in the room, inattentive but with a clear view of the window. A small fire burned on the far side of the room. Mahtek ducked below the window and hung there, still, considered his options. His mission was imperative, and this was his only entrance.

An idea occurred to him. He peered through the opening once again. Gathering his focus, he stared intently at the guard. He hadn’t done this in a long time. The guard felt a slight chill, which began to grow worse. His breath condensed in the air before him. He shivered from the sudden discomfort, and, thinking it was simply a bad draft, pulled his chair closer to the fire, turned away from the window. Mahtek shook his head at the guard’s lack of discipline, but allowed himself a little satisfaction at the success of his own meager powers. He slipped into the room unnoticed, landing quietly.



Part of the reason I'm doing this is to hone my writing skills, so I would very much appreciate any feedback you want to give me. Also, I will be willing to answer questions about the characters, the world, et cetera, although I'm not going to give anything away. Comment below, and check back next week for episode 2!