On a cold night,

a night like this,

where the moon’s light seems that of the sun,

the wind blows as if whispering a message to weary travellers,

the nightly creatures all seem to be resting in their homes,

it is on nights like this,

He arrives.

 

Hair white as snow,

skin so smooth and pale you could mistake him for a ghost,

a tail of an embery red tint whips behind him,

eyes a glowing beam of silver,

on a night like this,

he’ll surely make his appearance.

 

his smile wide and welcoming,

his voice so smooth and charming,

it is too late for those who listen to what he says,

as they speak to reply he slashes their throats with his long tail,

as they take in their final few moments,

He gives them a word of advice.

 

They say if you survive this encounter,

you shall never be able to speak of it,

however, if one took his advice to heart,

they’d find themselves on a path,

a path he set down for them,

a path to acquire their purpose in life.

 

Should you seek this man,

his mercy shall run thin,

had he already given you advice,

he’d show his true form,

a beast of unimaginable terror,

would spring out and lash at you.

 

Should you survive this encounter as well,

there was no reward in store,

you would simply feel fear,

paranoid by the thought of him,

many would sooner take their own life,

than encounter him a third time.

 

He has no name they say,

his mother showed no love for a beast like him,

but the truth is far more sinister,

for when he was born,

before his mother or father even spoke his name,

He had slashed their throats.

 

Orphaned due to his own actions,

He fled off to the woods,

only to be seen by those who feel lost,

He would guide them to a better life,

a life far greater than what they could hope,

as long as they were prepared to risk their current one.

 

If you feel lost,

if the night is frigid and bright,

ignore the voice whispering to you in the shadows,

for that is him asking if you accept his deal,

if you even utter a single syllable,

He’d take that as consent.

 

Find a path all on your own,

never risk an encounter with him,

if you feel lost and he tries to talk to you,

simply move on past him,

if you keep moving forward,

you’ll eventually find the path again.