It was a dreary day in the swamp of shadows. But then, is there any other kind of day in such a gloomy place? Amid the despicable mire and descending shadows, there was a strange creature, singing a song of all things. He was sitting on a tree that was leaning over a considerable degree. He wore a robe of a marsh-green hue, and his hair was black as the darkest of shadows. His visage was concealed by a plain white mask, that bore two eye-holes, but no opening was there for nostrils or mouth. His voice, singing its sweet melody, was of indeterminate gender, as were all of his features. This is the song that he sang:

“Hello, my dear, lay down your fear
Give up the fight, give way to night
Lay down your sweet head, and dream instead,
Because my love will keep you safe.”

As the strange person sang these words, he held in his hands a small doll, plain and unadorned, with no features such as hair or eyes. He fingered it gently, as if it were some treasure. In all truth, he had simply stumbled upon it in the dirt in his travels, but there was something about it that he found to be endearing. Although he had no memories of his childhood, it was if he could siphon the joys of the original owner’s memory. It was as if merely having the doll gave him illusionary memories of a happy childhood.

But alas, such things are false. As Benesse contemplated this, he tossed the doll into the mire, allowing it to sink into the mud, along with the song that he sang. He was the Nameless, the Empty Walker.

Adam trudged through the swamp. He hated the sinking feeling when he stopped in the oozing mud pits. He couldn't swim and ever since he had almost drown out in the ocean as a kid, he was completely scared of the watery feeling. Still he pressed on his hand gripping his sword tightly. He then heard a tune coming from far off in the distance. He stopped, stunned at the voice. He hadn't heard anything as sweet as that in days. Still the way the person had sang seemed to punch Adam hard in the gut with the feeling of sorrow.

He quickly ran through the bushes as silently as a shoeless man could bare. His feet were as hard as iron, but as soft as a feather. He quickly got up to a close point, when the tune had stopped. Adam hid behind a bush, knowing the sound couldn't have been far from where he sat. He drew his sword and peered around the side of the bush. The he leaped upwards and charged out his hiding place and quickly flung his elbow at the figure that sat on the stump.

Benesse reeled with the strike of the elbow, and landed in the mud. He looked back up at his attacker, and quickly climbed another tree, with clawed hands of a pale-crimson hue digging into the bark of the tree. Then, as his blank stare was locked onto his attacker, suddenly, as if a mouth spewing blood had formed on the mask, several red markings appeared on his mask. It was as though blood poured from invisible lips, though the mask retained its blank form, save for the blood-like markings. He then said, “What manner of times are these, in which men may be simply passing the hours, and lo and behold, a stranger should come and attack without provocation. I am in blood stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er. Indeed, it is a strange disposed time: but men may construe things after their fashion, clean from the purpose of the things themselves. But, in the spirit of curiosity, I will refrain from retaliation, for a moment. If I might ask, what is your name?”

Adam stared blankly at the man his head at an angle in confusion. "I have no idea what you said, but my name is Adam Hawk, rogue of... Rogues!" Adam folded his arms trying to act cool to his opponent, though he was never at all cool in his life. He just pretended all the time. Then he put his sword away not trying a conflict for the masked man seemed to scare his insides. "And your name?" Adam waited for a reply, his hand still gripping the sword. He didn't trust the person one, bit, yet he seemed friendly. He had to give it a try...

(OOC: Sorry for the small post, I just didn't have much to do at that point)