Astaroth
[*screaming into the void intensifies*]
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Hey everyone! Welcome to the voting thread for November's MISC. YOU CAN STOP THOSE LAST-MINUTE SUBMISSIONS NOW. 8D
Despite it being NaNo and also the launch of this year's WaRP, many of you still made time to submit an entry for one of our more challenging MISC themes:
Write a story involving a tradition practiced for a holiday of your choice. There are just one or two rules, however.
1. The tradition must be the focus or a key element of your story. It can't just be mentioned in passing or incidental to the plot. If your story wouldn't really change if you removed all mentions of the tradition, it's not passing muster!
2. You cannot focus on any of the traditions normally associated with that holiday or any real holiday. That means any of the following:
Fireworks.
Unwrapping presents.
Going to a church, temple, or other traditional place of worship.
Wearing costumes.
Family dinners. Period.
Anything that is probably listed on a real holiday's Wikipedia page.
Other things we haven't thought of yet. I may add more as you guys think of them for me. XD
Your holiday can be from any time of the year, from anywhere in the world, or even an original holiday devised for a fantasy or sci-fi setting!
The prizes for winning are as follows:
The Community Pick winners will be selected by the votes cast in this thread. If entries in the Community vote tie for first place, all of those entries will be rewarded with the prizes. Once the voting period is over and the Community Winner has been determined, this thread will also be used to announce the recipient of the Managers' Pick prize.
Now that all of the technical stuff is out of the way, please enjoy the entries! Congrats to everyone who was brave enough to enter this month too, despite everything going on. I know a lot of you were NaNo participants to boot. Major kudos!
Do You Believe in Magic?
Isaac Hammel
"The most difficult thing is choosing where to begin a story, particularly one you're not likely to believe, regardless of any evidence I may be able to produce," I said to my oh so captive audience, all sitting in their wheelchairs. Mr. Gregor's head has fallen to the side and drool has dribbled down onto his arm his mouth agape in an endless stupor.
Ellen, Mr. Finch, and Gary are watching the snow fall outside, tiny sparkling crystals collecting on the ground in a soft cold blanket. I find myself giving up on telling my story before it's really begun, who'd believe it anyway? None of these old fools.
Joining the three at the window, I remember when snow used to bring with it happy memories, Kaylee particularly loved the snow. I remember the way she would grab my hand at the first sign of snow and pull me outside.
Closing my eyes I can still see her dark ebony hair speckled with those magical white crystals, her rosy pink cheeks, and sparkling green eyes. The memory is slower than reality as I savor every moment of it, recalling the crisp cold smell and that sweet cheerful sound of her laughter.
"Make a wish Isaac, it's the first snow of winter" she'd say.
"Did you decide where to begin?" Mr. Finch asked.
"Huh?" I say, forgetting all about what I had been saying just a moment ago.
"Your story" he prompted
"Oh" annoyed at my own aging mind I scowled, but not at him, I nodded "Yes, where to start…" I paused and thought. Ellen and Gary have turned their eyes back to me again.
"I went to Alaska with my girlfriend for Christmas that year, 32 years old is all, such a young age" I shake my head, young and foolhardy. "She said it was tradition for her to go home for the entire month of December and stay until after new years, but was vague about why. I was just excited she invited me to come and meet her family, I didn't question it. It was one step closer to her accepting my marriage proposal, and that's all I cared about."
I leaned back in my own wheelchair and closed my eyes, letting the details wash over me. "Everything was going well until we went out shooting a few days before Christmas"
Kaylee Everson
I can't pinpoint the exact moment when I thought it was a good idea to invite Isaac home for the holidays. I'd thought about it many times but always ruled it out, ultimately it was a spur of the moment decision. Nonetheless, I was warily excited. I longed to share this part of myself with him. I only hoped he could accept it.
"Kaylee, are you listening?" my mother, Tasha, spoke up, disrupting my thoughts. It was just the two of us, most everyone else had gone to bed.
Isaac and my father, however, had gone out to the workshop to have, what my mother constituted as 'guy time' I couldn't complain. My father had all but ostracized him before they had even become acquainted. Now, however, there seemed to be some semblance of acceptance. I'd take whatever I could get.
"Sorry" I apologized and smiled a little, sipping my hot chocolate, I nodded for her to go on. My mother's hot chocolate was the best, home-brewed dark chocolate with a hint of ginger.
"You brought him here to tell him the truth honey, you had better do so before he finds out on his own." Tasha advised "I'm surprised he hasn't already, he's been here three weeks"
"I know mom, I just...I don't know how to go about it" I said with trepidation in my voice
"You want to marry him don't you?" my mother asked gently.
"Yes," I'd desired it since he'd asked. His enduring patience with me only made me love him more.
"So that means he's going to be a part of this family and a part of our family traditions" my mother reminded me. She was right of course, I couldn't discount that.
"I know…I can't marry him until he accepts our traditions…" it was hard to choose family and duty over him, but it was expected of me, I was never truly free "I just don't see why I have to sustain it, Luke, Marcus Allen, and Elli all still live in the area and…" I started but my mother cut off my assertion.
"It wouldn't be fair to them if you left and lived a life away from this, it is who we are Kaylee, you have to accept that too" she reiterated.
"But why mom, why is it so harrowing to you, they wouldn't care…" at least I didn't think they would. They liked this life, I was the black sheep.
" Kaylee, you have always been a little different than the rest of us, but, you're still one of us. Now, we've made a lot of exceptions for you, Isaac is one of them, we are willing to let him in, isn't that enough?" My mother always had a way of making me feel culpable. I already had been given special privileges that others in my family hadn't had.
"I'll take him out shooting tomorrow and I'll show him then..." I decided, it wouldn't be easy, this would make or break our relationship. My heart hammered in my chest just thinking about it.
Our conversation ended as Isaac came back in with my father.
Isaac sat down on the couch beside me and I cuddled up against his side. He was tall and strong, contrasting my family or anyone I had grown up with, maybe that's why I was so attracted to him. He smelled like cedar, a lingering smell from my dad's familiar workshop. The scent brought with it fond memories, I liked it.
"So I was thinking we should go shooting tomorrow" I invited before I could be accused of being craven, my mom gave me an encouraging smile.
"Sure" Isaac easily agreed, kissing my temple, I smiled back up at him. He'd been so agreeable since I'd invited him there it was almost unsettling.
Isaac Hammel
Kaylee led the way along a marked path out back of the house, going deeper into the woods.
"Come on, we'll go to the top of that hill" Kaylee gestured with her rifle. Looked like a good enough spot to me.
Hiking to the top proved to be more of a challenge than I thought, we had to make our own path through the powdery snow.Virginia got cold and got snow, but nothing like this.
I was huffing by the time we got there, but Kaylee seemed as chipper as ever. Did she ever wear down? She at least let me catch my breath and didn't mock my inadequacy.
"Ok. See that dead limb down there, that's my target," she said and I nodded. "That one over there, that's yours," she said. I nodded again.
"Why exactly did we trudge all the way up here to shoot at sticks?" I asked with a bit of a smile.
"Because it's good for you," she said before she pulled on her ear protection, I followed suit, I'm all for ringing Christmas bells, but not my ears.
I firmly planted my feet and held the rifle the way she had sown me how out at the range. It took me longer than her to get my sights lined up, even after all the target shooting we had done the past months I wasn't nearly as good as her. Kaylee was just a natural and I wasn't.
She emptied her clip before I did. But she waited patiently.
"Go on see if you outshot me!" she grinned
"Why? I already know you did better" I laughed. She rolled her eyes at me.
"Oh go on, you might have improved" she encouraged "here give me that" she held her hand out and I gave up the rifle. "I'll reload while you check out our work"
I wasn't looking forward to climbing the hill again but I went down regardless, following the same path we'd made to get up there. Although it wasn't much of one, the fine snow filling the tracks worse than sand. At least going down was easier, I slipped half the way I reached our targets fairly quickly.
As I expected, her branch had a nice grouping of splintered holes and mine, while not terrible, wasn't quite as tightly grouped.
That's when I heard the cracking of branches. I looked up and saw a dark shape moving between the trees coming towards me. A bear? No, bigger, taller than that, I took a step back, it was coming closer.
"Isaac run!" I heard Kaylee shout from atop the hill, she had a better vantage point and could probably see what it was and she knew this area and the animals, she knew better what to do. I turned and ran for it, fully trusting her.
I could hear it already gaining on me! How could I outrun, whatever this was, and where was I running to? I didn't know this area! I wished I hadn't left my rifle with Kaylee.
I glanced back and saw the dark figure coming closer, almost a blur, an indistinguishable mass. I pushed myself to run faster.
I had never run so fast or so hard in all my life as I did in that moment, tearing through the dimming light of evening with what I felt was inhuman speed, leaping over fallen trees and launching off stones to give myself extra momentum. Pine needles scraped against my face and arms, the upper branches dropping their load of snow behind me.
I could hear my own breathing coming hard, my chest burning as my lungs screamed at me, not used to the thinner frozen air.
I could almost feel it's hot breath that came in huffs like an angry bull about to be released into the arena. I tried to pick up speed but I simply couldn't move any faster.
"Isaac drop!" I heard Kaylee shout over the roar of blood flow in my ears. I didn't hesitate, I dropped, my momentum rolling me forward through the snow.
I couldn't see where she was but I heard the unmistakable crack of gunfire. I counted 1, 2, 3 shots. Kaylee never missed when we went to the range, one shot should have done the trick.
Managing to find which way was up again I climbed to my feet and looked back the way I had come. Nothing but snow-laden trees and the disturbed path I'd carved through them. Chest heaving and lungs screaming I looked around for Kaylee or any sign of the monster. I found Kaylee standing boldly in a clearing with the rifle still raised. Even from where I stood I could see the panicked rise and fall of her chest. No sign of what had been chasing me. She must have scared it off.
I half stumbled through the snow towards Kaylee, my body shaking with adrenaline. "What was that thing!" I found myself speaking more harshly than I had intended.
"I can explain everything, but we have to get back to the house," She said quickly "Please just trust me a little longer Isaac" she pleaded with me. I ground my teeth, she knew there was a monster out here!? I wanted to object, demand answers, but the thought of that thing chasing me through the woods made getting back to the safety of the cabin sound like the best idea.
"Fine" I grunted in response. I had no idea where we were, this was her home, not mine, I'd never been to Alaska before she'd invited me along for Christmas. I'd eagerly agreed, she'd told me that before she could accept my proposal I had to come home for Christmas. I didn't know what that entailed but I'd thought I was ready for anything. I certainly wasn't ready for this, whatever this was.
"Does this thing have something to do with this elusive family tradition you won't tell me about?" I demanded as we walked. I hadn't gotten a clear look at it but it was bigger than a bear but I'd seen horns like nothing I'd ever heard of and it ran on two legs. A dark horrible shape coming after me, and then, just gone like it hadn't existed at all.
Kaylee nodded. "I don't know where to begin explaining Isaac…," she said, not meeting my gaze, she'd kept this from me, I'd thought there were no secrets between us. I guess I was wrong.
"Why don't you start with what was chasing me" I suggested, my tone wasn't all too kind, I had every reason to be upset.
"Krampus" She spoke the single word with a fixed frown "He's been locked up for a long time, we've made sure of it but he's apparently escaped and we have to stop him now before he gets any children"
"Krampus? But that's just a story, it's not real" I protested, scoffing at the very idea.
"Didn't he look real enough to you?" She challenged, casting me a serious look, she wasn't kidding around. I hardly knew how to respond. a monster had chased me and my girlfriend claimed it was a mythical being called Krampus, an evil counterpart to jolly Saint Nick who punished naughty children rather than gifted them with presents. Did this mean Santa was real too?
I didn't question her any further as we walked, just trying to make some sense of what I'd already seen and been told.
So distracted with my thoughts, the walk back seemed shorter.
Kaylee picked up the pace as the cabin came into view and went inside ahead of me.
"Krampus escaped!" I heard her calling out. When I came in it was organized chaos as each geared up for the hunt. They all believed in this Krampus business? Even her aunt Nelda was pulling on snow boots. I noted she looked more distressed than the others who cast glances towards her but said nothing. Her husband Teddy was the only one missing from the group.
"Mom, should I call the others?" I heard Kaylee asking
"Yes raise the alarm, we can't take any chances this close to Christmas" the other woman answered as she zipped up her coat. Tasha's attention shifted back to Nelda, her expression sympathetic. "Elli, Allen, go with Nelda" I heard her saying.
Others? I thought, who all was in on this? Where was her uncle Teddy? I barely had the chance to think of the questions before Kaylee was dashing off to the office, I followed, needing more answers, this was just nuts! "Kaylee what's going on!" I demanded of her but she waved for me to be quiet, picking up the radio receiver.
"This is Everson calling a code red, I repeat code red, calling everyone in for backup, please respond" Kaylee spoke into the radio, then waited.
"Kaylee please what's happening!? Is everyone in on this Krampus business? Shouldn't we be calling, I don't know, animal control? it just has to be some animal that's all!" I didn't realize I was shouting as I tried to find some more reasonable explanation, Krampus wasn't doing it for me.
"Shh!" Kaylee hissed at me as the radio came to life.
"This is Raider One, eta, twenty minutes, over and out" was the first call back in
"Don't shh me! I need some answers, Kaylee!" I interrupted, she only cast me a look that told me I wasn't getting an answer yet.
"Thompson, eta eighty minutes, over and out" came the second. The calls went on for a good ten minutes. I assumed they were other families by the names being given. I tried to be patient but this was feeling all surreal, like some sort of movie or a dream maybe. A very vivid dream that I wish I'd wake up from. I tried to be patient, pacing back and forth, images of that thing chasing my thoughts across my mind.
Kaylee, at last, turned her attention back to me "I don't have a lot of time to explain…. I'm sorry it had to happen this way but…We're the family charged with the duty of guarding Krampus, making sure he never escapes, my family traditionally takes the December shift every year because it was my great-grandfather who imprisoned Krampus" Kaylee explained in short and it wasn't the explanation I wanted.
I sank into the office chair, bewildered. None of this was falling within the realm of reason, how was I supposed to just accept this madness? If I hadn't of seen that thing in the woods I wouldn't even be considering it as possible at all.
"Krampus?" I repeated, trying to be calm.
Kaylee knelt down in front of me and took my hands in hers, looking up to meet my eyes. "Isaac" she spoke softly, as if afraid that if she spoke any louder I might break. "I know this is confusing and difficult for you," she said, I listened, studying those deep expressive eyes of hers.
"I understand if you want to walk away from all of this, pretend it didn't happen, but, I'm hoping you will trust me long enough to let me explain things better when all this is over, I love you, Isaac, but right now, I've got to go and help stop Krampus" there was such earnest in her voice, how could I deny her a chance to at least try and explain. I looked into her eyes, I could understand why she had kept all this from me, who could believe it? Yet, I knew her, she wasn't crazy.
"Alright" I found myself saying "I'll stick it out" I agreed. But I certainly wasn't going out there, then again, she was, and I couldn't well let whatever that creature was harm her. "But I'm going on the hunt with you" I wasn't leaving any room for negotiating about that and she didn't try. Instead, she stood up and pulled me to my feet.
"Then you're going to need a tranquilizer gun," she said seriously but with a hint of a smile, I didn't smile back. I still couldn't believe any of this was happening. What was I getting myself into? I asked myself as I watched Kaylee stand up and move around to the desk to the gun cabinet. She opened it up and pulled out an air rifle and passed it to me. I would have preferred the shotgun.
Kaylee took a box from the top shelf and laid it out on the desk, opening it to reveal the tranquilizing darts. "Careful with these" she cautioned. Obviously, I knew that. I remained quiet though as she walked me through the process of how to load the darts. It was fairly straightforward, if I could handle a gun with regular old bullets, I could handle this.
Loaded and ready I slung the strap over my shoulder "Let's go catch us a monster" I tried to make it lighter but the statement was too close to the truth.
I heard the doorbell ring and guessed one of the other families had arrived, Raiders was it? I didn't particularly care.
"Come on" Kaylee nodded for me to follow her out, the group was congregating at the back door, faces I knew from the three weeks I'd spent there and the new ones giving me odd looks. All of them were shorter than me. I never thought I was tall until I came here. Thirteen in all, a fair number for a good hunt I thought.
Introduction were made but they might as well have been named after the dwarves Bilbo found himself mixed up with for how well I could keep their names right.
"Kaylee will lead the way, Liam, take the rear and mark the trail with these pink markers" Kaylee's father, Benjamin, Kaylee's father, ordered, acting as Gandalf in this company.
With the orders given, Kaylee and I went out first, following the same path we'd taken to get back, at least I assumed so, it all looked the same to me.
The twelve other dwarves followed, for how easily they pushed through the snow and didn't complain I thought maybe they really were dwarves.
I had a time of it keeping pace with them but I managed, just focusing on getting there and not raising any questions. I was glad though when we came to a stop at the clearing where Kaylee had scared Krampus off, I could still see the path myself and the beast had made through the trees.
Kaylee motioned for the group to come to a stop, everyone was on alert, forming a circle so Krampus couldn't come from any angle unnoticed.
Myself, Kaylee and Benjamin, moved forward. We came to the spot where Krampus had disappeared, the footprints were indistinguishable in the snow but it was obvious something large had come through there with how the snow was disturbed. "Where did it go from here Kaylee?" Benjamin asked.
"When he saw me he went off that way" she shone her flashlight off to our left. Benjamin lifted his larger spotlight, sure enough, we could see where tree branches had been disturbed, some even broken.
"I don't like this, he has the advantage at night," Benjamin said shaking his head.
"We can't wait until morning, who know's where he will be then, who knows where he is now" Kaylee countered "The trail is fresh, if we act quickly we can catch him"
"Catch him, why not kill him?" I said shaking my head, seemed to me something this dangerous ought to just be killed.
Benjamin turned a steady gaze on me "You don't just kill Krampus"
"Why not?" I was an outsider, I realized this but I didn't understand
"It's not the way" Benjamin answered
"What, because of tradition? Screw tradition!" I said, this was even crazier than I thought!
"Isaac please," Kaylee said gently, putting a hand on my arm.
"No, no that thing almost killed me tonight and you want to catch it!? Do you people realize how crazy you sound!?" I blurted the words out of frustration. Kaylee should have been angry but she wasn't. Her father, however, was a different story.
"This is exactly why we don't let humans into our lives, Kaylee!" Benjamin turned on Kaylee.
"Humans!? What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, I was owed some explanations, whatever Benjamin thought.
"You didn't tell him?!" Benjamin's attention was still on Kaylee. He could care less about what I was going through!
"No not yet" she answered and looked furtively between me and her father.
Things were making even less sense. "I thought the whole Krampus situation was enough to handle right now," Kaylee said in her own defense, I'd never seen a more sheepish look on her face.
"Will someone please explain!?" Why was nobody clueing me in!
"We're elves, yes, Christmas elves and it's our job to keep Krampus from taking children" Benjamin replied heatedly, he was standing up on his toes now trying to be at eye level with me.
I stared at him, "Elves and Krampus? What next? The Easter bunny and fairies or something?"
"Isaac" Kaylee started to say but a bellowing cry sounded from somewhere in the woods, silencing any conversation. That was probably for the best with the way it was turning.
"This way!" Benjamin called to the group. They came running to where we stood, ready for the hunt. All of these people were under the delusion they were elves protecting the world from Krampus? Some demon headed goat monster? I'd heard the stories growing up and seen the movies sure but this was ridiculous. It had to be a joke!
As the group began to follow Benjamin, I didn't move, Kaylee stood with me "Isaac?" she asked.
"Is this some kind of joke? Because it's not funny" I said, watching as the rest of the group moved off into the tree's, following the direction Kaylee had pointed out.
"No...It's no joke Isaac..I wish it was right now" Kaylee answered me.
"I can't Kaylee, I can't go along with this, it's too crazy," I said, looking down at her, she somehow seemed even smaller than usual. Maybe that was because I expected her to be now knowing she was an elf and all. If that was even true.
She looked at me for a long moment before she spoke "Ok, I'll take you back to the cabin" Kaylee spoke with resigned hope, I almost felt guilty seeing that in her eyes.
She looked over her shoulder at her father "Dad! I'm taking Isaac back to the cabin, I'll catch up with the next group!" she called over to him, she reached for my hand but stopped, thinking better of it, she stepped past me, heading back towards the house. She had to know this hurt me too, didn't she?
Kaylee
He thought I was crazy, how could I blame him? We came from different worlds that were never meant to mingle. My family had been right all along, this could never be, he could never accept this. I wanted to cry, wanted to find comfort in his arms but I doubted I'd find comfort there again. It was over, just like that, over. I'd known him just less than a year but it felt like longer.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Isaac spoke as we got back to the cabin, he was calmer.
"I wanted to tell you Isaac but…. How do you tell someone you're something that's supposed to only exist in stories?" I said, looking at him. "I didn't keep it from you to hurt you, I did it because I was scared" I admitted, my shoulders fell. "I was going to show you when we went out shooting … then Krampus showed up"
"Show me?" he asked
I nodded and slowly put my hands up to my ears and moved them upwards along the side of my head, the magic lifted with my hands, my long elf ears becoming visible.
Isaac gawked at them the way I knew he would. I stared down.
"You...I mean… you're short but I never thought you….an elf?" He said, endeavoring to comprehend. I didn't know what to say, I'd been trying to figure it out ever since our relationship had become serious.
I was glad for the knock at the door, a reason to escape the situation. I stood to answer it. I presumed it was one of the other families having just arrived to reinforce the Krampus hunt. Isaac remained in the kitchen, I could hear him getting a glass down, probably getting himself a well-deserved drink.
A group of four were at the door, dressed in camo and armed with tranquilizer guns.
Trevor was among them, a sweet handsome young man, though hardly my type. He smiled, shaking a stray bit of shaggy brown hair out of his eyes "Hey Kay, been awhile, change your hair?"
I smiled a little and rolled my eyes "It's only been a year Trevor" I said shaking my head.
"A year too long, when you moving home?" Trevor asked. I sighed, there was no time for his futile attempts at flirting.
"The others have gone on ahead, they've marked the trail with pink markers outback" I informed them, just ignoring Trevor, that was usually the best tactic with him.
"Better hurry, they're hot on his tracks right now" There was no time for pleasantries, this was urgent.
"Thanks, Kay," The father said, glancing sidelong at his son, he was short too, we all were but he had a bit of pudge to him, a few too many gingerbread cookies, stereotypical elf. His wife was a pretty blue-eyed blond, her daughter shared her look.
"Come on through the house, you know the way" I invited, opening the door wider for them.
Isaac
The strongest drink I managed to find was spiced apple cider. Who were these people!? I poured myself a tall glass and sat down with it, at least it was supposed to be a stress relieving drink or whatever. Maybe if I drank enough the little bit of bourbon would take the edge off.
As the group was passing the kitchen I expected them to ignore me but a short kid stopped and stepped into the kitchen, I didn't look up, hardly in the mood to meet anybody new.
"So you're the boyfriend eh?" he asked with a raised brow.
"Yes," I said with a frown, looking up from my drink, I hoped my eyes would tell him to just back off and leave me alone. It didn't work.
"Trevor Lansing" He introduced himself and held out a hand, I didn't take it. So what, I was being rude.
"Ian or something? What was it again?" Trevor asked, glancing at Kaylee who sighed patiently.
"Isaac" she corrected "And I don't want to know how you found out about him" she added.
Trevor grinned innocently "Just looking out for you Kay, that's all" he draped an arm over her shoulders. Kaylee ducked out from under him.
"Trevor, you best be going my dad and the others are waiting" Kaylee reminded, saving the poor kid from a beating. Ok, maybe not a beating but I don't like other men hanging off my girlfriend.
"Alright alright, but, just remember I'm here for ya when this guy breaks your heart" I didn't like what he was insinuating. Trevor flashed me a smirk before kissing Kaylee on the cheek and quickly slipping out the back door after his parents and sister.
I scowled but didn't say anything, I knew he was trying to get under my skin and I was letting him, I was already in a sour mood and that hadn't helped. Right now though, that was the least of my concerns.
Kaylee didn't say anything, she just sat down and poured herself a drink too. She always knew what to say, the fact she was being silent told me she was beyond anxious.
We sat there for a long time, not saying anything, sipping our drinks.
"Kaylee," I said finally, turning the nearly empty glass in front of me in slow methodic circles. I felt like the hulk, so angry and easily pissed off one second and then, when she spoke, when she touched me, when I looked at her, all that melted away.
"Yes?" she said when I failed to go on, I didn't know what to say either.
"I don't know….How to accept this" I said, my brows knitting together.
"I'm still me Isaac" Kaylee reached across the counter and touched my hand, so small and delicate compared to mine. "No more secrets, I promise" she added, I could feel her eyes on me but I couldn't bare to look up.
I frowned, trying to accept this but my mind, logic, reason wanted to reject it. "Start from the top," I said and finally looked up to meet her eyes.
Kaylee nodded and took a breath.
"You know Saint Nicholas, Santa, whatever you want to call him, well, he is all that is good and rewards the good. However, where there is good there is bad" she was using a simple explanation and I was happy for that really, easier for my mind to comprehend.
"Krampus is all that is bad and he punishes the naughty children. He has the legs of a goat the body of a man and the head and horns of a demon" she described the beast I'd seen in the woods. "His eyes are dark holes, his claws and teeth are sharp and he has the power to hypnotize his victims" she explained, he sounded horrible, but he was supposed to be all that was bad right?
"Well, my ancestors decided he shouldn't be allowed to roam free so they captured him and locked him away deep in the earth on my families land where he would never escape to kill again" she frowned at that.
"Families of elves take it in shifts through the year to guard him but my family traditionally takes December as we were the ones to capture him." that explained why one member of the family stepped out each night and swapped with someone else in the morning, they thought I didn't notice. Teddy had left that morning, he hadn't come back, Krampus had escaped and Nelda was upset. Teddy I guessed, was probably dead or otherwise incapacitated.
"That's why I come home every December, it's my duty, a family tradition that I have to carry on, that we would carry on if we married, that's why I had to bring you, why I couldn't say yes" she finished, watching me for my reaction. It was a lot to take in.
"You're an elf, Krampus is real and…" I stopped as the doorbell rang, more 'elves' no doubt to help in the hunt.I know we had been sitting for awhile, but I felt like it should have been longer before the next family arrived.
Kaylee sighed and got up "Just, hold that thought," she said before slipping out of the kitchen and going to the front door again.I put my head in my hands and groaned.
I heard the door open then Kaylee screamed, my blood ran chill, I'd never heard her make that sound before but it drove me to action. I was up off my seat and running for the front door, nearly there before my toppled chair hit the floor.
When I found her, she was standing with the door hanging open, her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide with horror looking down at the porch. I paused and approached a little more slowly. "Kaylee?" I said softly, unsure what had scared her so badly but she didn't appear to be in any immediate danger.
Kaylee didn't move except that she was trembling, her eyes fixed downward.
I came to the door and followed her gaze. I drew in a sharp breath and wanted to puke but kept it in.
The severed head sat tilted to one side, the shaggy brown hair fell over his face but I could see the mouth was agape and the eyes open. Blood was spattered all over the front step and over the door like it had been dropped there carelessly.
My eyes moved up past the head to the yard, searching for movement, the culprit. What I saw however made my skin crawl. It was one thing to see gore in a movie and another to see it in person. The headless body was out in the yard, mangled and torn. The unmistakable plump form of the father wasn't far off. I could assume the two women were dead too, I didn't look for their bodies, I didn't want to see, didn't want to linger on the scene.
I put my arm around Kaylee and pulled her back, closing and latching the door. She hadn't seen the bodies and she didn't need to.
Pulling Kaylee into my arms I just held her while she shook, the shock of seeing the severed head still fresh in her mind. She didn't even like scary movies let alone experiencing the horror first hand. Right now she needed me to be strong, even though I was freaking out too. Who or what had done this? And why? It or him or whatever was tormenting us, ringing the doorbell and leaving the head that way.
Slowly I guided Kaylee back into the living room and sat her down, sitting with her, keeping her in my arms.
A crash like something banging against the side of the house made both of us jump.
"He's after us!" Kaylee blurted in alarm, clinging to me.
"Kaylee, calm down," I said, I knew that wasn't happening but I grabbed her chin and turned her face up towards mine. "Listen to me," I said firmly "You're the best shot I know, you're the fastest runner and you always outwit me. This thing doesn't stand a chance" I tried to say it with conviction. "So, let's get the guns and not sit around and wait for him to kill us too yeah?"
Kaylee met my eyes for a long moment but nodded "Ok… ok" she breathed.
"Good," I said and stood, pulling her up with me.Together we rushed back to the rear entrance where we had left the guns.
Something slammed hard against the back door, the glass shattered sending shards flying in at us, I threw my arm up instinctively to protect my face.
Kaylee
Frozen fingers tipped in long sharp claws crashed through the back door window, I only saw it for an instant before I felt it grabbing my shoulder and pulling me back against the door, the sharp claws tore into my shoulder. I reacted without thinking, grabbing the knife I'd put at my hip for the hunt, I stabbed it aimlessly back to where I thought the arm probably was. My knife struck flesh and the hand pulled back, trying to pull my knife with it but I kept a firm hold.
As soon as I felt it pull free I scrambled away from the window, grabbing my gun and Isaac's arm.
"Come on!" I pulled him out of the entry and ran to the office, adrenaline now pumping through me, I barely felt the pain in my shoulder.
Isaac followed me, half stumbling but I had to act fast before Krampus got inside.
Slinging the rifle over my shoulder I ran to the desk and brushed everything off. With the desk cleared I felt around until I found the niche I was looking for, grabbing it I flipped up a touchscreen surface, it came to life only when I placed my hand on the panel to the right.
"What are you doing?" Isaac asked but I ignored him, focusing on the screen, punching in the codes my father had made me memorize from childhood.
Isaac stayed by the door watching down the hall to make sure Krampus didn't get in, air rifle aimed at the entry point.
I thought I heard breaking glass somewhere else in the house but I was too focused on what I was doing to think anything of it.
Thick metal panels slid down over the windows and doors, blocking any entrance or exit to the house. Only then could I breathe easily.
"There, we are safe in here now," I said and looked up at him.
"Well that's handy," Isaac said, lowering the rifle and looking back at me, I smiled a little in response, a fail-safe built into the house years ago.
"You're hurt," Isaac said and stepped closer, I glanced at my shoulder where Krampus had torn into me. I still didn't feel it, my body protecting me against the pain.
"No time" I shook my head and went to the radio on the stand by the door, flicking it on.
"Dad, do you read me?" I said, I had to let them know Krampus was here, getting him was priority.
"I read you" My father's voice crackled back over the speaker.
"Krampus is by the house, he attacked us, we're on lockdown" I reported.
"Stay put, we will head back, radio the others with the update" my father instructed "Over and out"
Isaac frowned and stepped out of the room, he turned right towards the kitchen, probably going after a first aid kit. I would radio the other families while he did that, maybe by then my heart will have stopped racing so much. Aside from that, I had to distract myself from thoughts of Trevor's severed head and Krampus lurking outside.
--
Games Begin
Isaac
I know she said that thing couldn't get in but I still kept the air rifle over my shoulder just in case. The last thing I wanted was to be caught weaponless should it, or he, or whatever, find a way in. It had torn her shoulder so easily it made me shudder.
Finding the first aid kit in the hall closet across from the kitchen I headed back to Kaylee. When I found her, she was sitting in the office chair picking the remains of her shirt away from the cut, she didn't seem to be in pain.
"Here let me," I said as I came to her, taking over cleaning away the debris "Come on, let's go into the bathroom and get it properly cleaned up yeah?" I suggested, trying not to let the blood bother me too much, though, though after seeing a bodiless head, this seemed like nothing.
In the bathroom, I was just finishing getting her bandaged when we both heard the distinct sound of scraping metal. My thoughts went immediately back to the sharp claws. It must have gone to Kaylee's too because she grabbed my hand, eyes wide.
"Don't worry, he can't get in remember?" I said but even as I did the floorboards creaked.
"It's just an old house, old houses creak" I reasoned, still, I slung the rifle off my shoulder and into my hands.
"Stay here" I insisted before I stepped out of the bathroom, my manly duty to protect her taking hold of my good senses to stay put.
Moving down the hall I kept the rifle in both hands ready for use just in case the monster had somehow gotten in and was waiting to ambush me.
As I got closer to the living room my heart raced more rapidly, remembering how fast it had been in the forest, I'd had a head start then. Now it would be close quarters.
I paused at the end of the hall, held my breath lifted the rifle and turned the corner ready to fire and, nothing.I turned left, right but nothing waited to maul me.
Scanning the room again, my eyes fell on metal panels covering the front window. Even from where I stood on the other side of the room I could see the claw marks. That confirmed it, he was inside with us.
"See anything?" Kaylee asked in a whisper as she came up behind me. Her approach made my heart skip, my thoughts on Krampus, if she hadn't of spoken I might have turned and shot her.
"Nothing" I answered, glancing over my shoulder at her "All clear" I didn't mention the claw marks.
A crash came from the office making me jump, damaging my pride a little. Kaylee looked more composed than I did, of course, she had trained for this her whole life or something like that right? Family thing and all that. Still, neither one of us moved, both listening for more movement.
"We don't kill him remember that," Kaylee said before she moved forward.
"I will defend myself and I will defend you, if that means killing it so be it" I countered and moved with her. She didn't argue further.
Another crash from the office and the lights went out, I couldn't help the curse that escaped my lips.
I could barely see anything, the only light was provided by the battery-powered nightlights scattered throughout the house, those lights were dim at best.
My eyes hadn't had time to adjust to the darkness yet before the collision happened, a smelly furry mass throwing me to the ground with a grunt of rotten breath, a slash of claws across my face and it kicked off my chest with sharp cloven hooves, leaving me breathless.
Kaylee screamed beside me and I heard the thud as she went down too. My eyes still adjusting to the dark I rolled to my side and up to my knees and turned towards the hunched horned animal pinning my girlfriend to the ground. I fired the rifle without further hesitation but not as good a shot as Kaylee, the dart glanced off its horn. Still, Krampus bucked it's head back and turned back on me. The face was shadowed under a heavy hood but the eyes I could see were hollow holes boring into me, freezing me to the spot.
Krampus took a step towards me, I couldn't move, face to face with a childhood terror. He tilted his head to the side, it's neck cracking and popping. Slowly he reached out and curled his hand around the barrel of my rifle, his eyes never leaving mine.
"Isaac look away!" Kaylee screamed at me bringing me back to my senses. I tore my eyes away and Krampus opened his mouth and shrieked as he yanked the gun from my hands and threw it away reaching for me with his other hand. I ducked and scrambled.
Kaylee struck Krampus in the back of his skull with the butt of her non air rifle but not hard enough. Krampus swung around arms flinging out he caught her arm in one hand and rifle in the other. Coming around full circle he flung Kaylee against the far wall and ripping the gun from her hands.
"Kaylee!" I screamed as I watched her crumple, I couldn't go to her, Krampus was between us.
Krampus turned back on me but this time I had no weapon. He tried to make eye contact again but I knew better now and this time turned away and bolted for the kitchen. If I could get through there I could get to the office and get another weapon. For now, I had to hope he wouldn't touch Kaylee, my best hope was to take Krampus out.
I heard Krampus coming after me, his hooves clacking on the kitchen tile close on my heels, I wasn't going to make it, he was right on top of me.
Making a split second decision I snatched the kitchen knife off the counter and spun around using Krumpus' own momentum to drive the blade into his chest. Shrieking he reeled back away from me long enough to give me the chance to get through to the other side of the kitchen and into the other hall.
I expected Krampus to follow but he didn't, that worried me, I'd rather he come after me than go after Kaylee. Still, I needed the gun to be of any use.
Rounding the corner into the office I found what the crash had been, Krampus had smashed in the touchscreen on the desk, effectively locking us in. There wasn't time to worry about that now, I ran to the gun cabinet behind the desk and tore it open.
I grabbed the shotgun, no more messing around, Krampus was going down, tradition or not that monster needed to die. I quickly loaded the gun and made my way back towards the living room, turning left rather than right. I didn't want to waste time going around through the kitchen. I could hear a scuffle going on.
Kaylee
When I opened my eyes my head was throbbing and my eyes blurred, the dim nightlights fuzzy blobs in the darkness. I could hear the clack of Krampus' hooves in the kitchen, he must have been after Isaac. I felt around in the darkness for anything I might use as a weapon, something to knock Krampus out with, maybe the dart gun if I was lucky.
I found the hearth, feeling along its edge I found the poker, a nice blunt instrument. Armed but far from truly ready, I stood up. My heart palpitating as my eyes fell on the silhouette looming in the entry to the hallway.
Krampus lunged forward and I swung as hard as I could but Krampus caught the poker in both of his massive hands and yanked it from mine like it was nothing but a toy and me a child. All my life I'd trained for the impossibility of Krampus escaping but now I felt totally unprepared.
The imposing figure tried to meet my eyes but I knew better, I looked quickly away, backing towards the window. Krampus swung an arm out to catch me but I dropped down and my hand touched something cold on the floor, my fingers curled around the barrel of the air rifle.
I pulled the rifle quickly up and found the grip and aimed it up at Krampus, pulling the trigger. At the same moment, my eyes fell on Isaac coming in the room behind Krampus.
Isaac
When I got to the living room I couldn't see Kaylee but guessed Krampus was standing over her. He was so tall his horns scraped the ceiling, she could have been standing and I wouldn't see her.
"Hey!" I shouted, Krampus turned and I fired, at the same moment Kaylee cried out
"No!" the blast was enough to throw Krampus back against the metal panels covering the front windows, he crumpled to the ground unmoving.
Kaylee got to her feet again, staring at it "Did you…. Kill him?" she didn't sound pleased. She stepped closer to get a better look. That was when Krampus lurched forward and grabbed Kaylee by the neck as he rose. I couldn't shoot with her between us.
I didn't have time to react before he threw her into me, I dropped the gun and caught Kaylee, both of us falling to the ground, Krampus dodged out of the room and down a dark hallway. He was just playing games with us. He could have killed Kaylee right then.
Kaylee rolled off of me, rubbing her throat which I was sure would have a nasty bruise in the morning, if we made it that long anyway.
I grabbed the shotgun but Kaylee ripped it from my hands and threw it away "Don't kill Krampus" she said firmly. Did she want us to die?!
Krampus dragged his nails across metal panels in one of the other rooms, I couldn't be sure which. He was taunting us, letting us know the game wasn't up yet. Injured or not he was still a player.
Frustrated with my unreasonable girlfriend I grabbed up the shotgun again and before she could object I stepped into the hallway. I was taking this beast down.
Behind me, I could hear Kaylee fumbling around in the living room, probably to find the rifle, what I wouldn't do for a flashlight right then.
The first two bedroom doors were closed, so that was easy, he wasn't in those. The next was the bathroom, one glance in there told me he wasn't in there, he was too big.
As I neared the darkened doorway of the master bedroom my heart rate picked up.I paused and tried to listen but all I could hear was my own breathing and I swear I could hear the thudding in my chest.
Stilling my nerves I lifted the shotgun and turned swiftly into the room, that was a mistake.
Krampus was waiting beside the door, he grabbed the barrel of the gun, I fired without thinking, a wasted shot as it flew past him entirely. I let go of the shotgun before he could pull me off my feet. That however left me with nothing to defend myself.
Like a coward I turned and ran back down the hall towards the living room, I heard Krampus take chase behind him, his hooves tearing up the carpet and horns scraping the ceiling.
Krampus launched himself forward, I felt his hooves hit my back with enough force to knock the wind out of me, I went down hard. With no breath to cry out I was helpless as cold hands wrapped around my neck. This was the end, he was going to rip my head from my shoulders like that poor kid. I felt the cold rank air as he breathed just inches from my head. I couldn't bring in any air, my vision blurred.
I heard the pop of the air rifle just before I blacked out.
Kaylee
The dart caught in the thick folds of Krampus's robes. His head snapped up and dark hollow eyes looked to me. Isaac wasn't moving as the fingers uncurled from around his neck. I didn't know if he was alive or not.
Krampus slowly stepped off of Isaac's chest and towards me. I still had the rifle raised, I breathed in, half a breath out and squeezed the trigger, click, out of darts.
Krampus jumped forward and threw me back against the wall, my head cracking back for the second time and fell.
Dazed I got to my hands and knees, grabbing the knife off my hip, it was all I had left to defend myself and it was hardly effective.
Krampus bent over me, I was cornered, nowhere to run, all I could do was try and make him back off. I rose up to my knees and drew back my hand to plunge it into his leg then, crack!
"No!" I screamed
Isaac
I heard her yell but it was too late, the bullet struck home. Krampus toppled backwards, crumpling to the floor in a heap of fur and folds of thick dark fabric.
Kaylee and I both stared down at the now dead creature of nightmares. It wouldn't terrorize anyone ever again.
"What have you done…." Kaylee breathed, slowly getting to her feet, still looking at the beast with horror-struck eyes. I didn't understand, shouldn't she be happy?
"I killed it" I pointed out the obvious, "I told you I would if it came to protecting you or myself and it did"
Kaylee shook her head "You can't just kill Krampus…." she repeated the same thing her father had said when I first suggested the action. I didn't get a chance to say more as a knock came to the back door.
Kaylee brushed past me and went to the back door pulling open a panel to the left of the door where a hidden lever was located, a manual override in case of a power outage. These people had thought of everything, except for exterminating the threat.
Her father and the rest of the group was there, ready for battle.
"Krampus is dead" Kaylee informed, grim-faced "Isaac killed him." Benjamin's eyes looked past her and up at me.
"You did what!?" he snapped, why were they so angry? "You have no idea what you've done!"
"Saved your daughter's life is what I've just done!" I defended, frustrated that nobody seemed to appreciate what I had done here.
"Saved her but endangered countless others!" Benjamin was still shouting at me
"What's that supposed to mean! I saved people! Krampus can't harm anyone anymore!" I shouted back, I wasn't taking this crap.
"You can't just kill Krampus!" Benjamin repeated, "You killed him but now he will be reborn and we don't know where or when!" He at last explained. They guarded this Krampus because they knew where he was, if they killed him, they wouldn't know where the new one was and would have to hunt him down with no leads and until they found him, who knew what might happen.
"I didn't...I didn't know" I said, no longer shouting. Although I doubted my actions would have been any different, I still would have saved Kaylee, I couldn't let her be killed.
"No you didn't, and that's precisely why outsiders don't belong" his eyes snapped back to Kaylee.
"Now you see? This is why we have our rules, this is what happens when we give you special privileges, this is your fault Kaylee" Benjamin accused.
"Now hang on just a minute" I objected "I did this, she didn't, she told me not to and I didn't listen, this is on me and I'll help you find the new one, whatever it takes" I insisted. Benjamin turned a glare on me.
"You stay out of this! You are not an elf, you're a human and have no business here! It is our duty to protect your species from Krampus, my families solemn promise to keep your children safe on Christmas, not yours. You have no say in any of this" Benjamin all but growled the words out at me.
Benjamin looked back at Kaylee "Make a choice Kaylee, abandon your people, your traditions, your family, your duty or Isaac" he gave her an ultimatum, an unfair one. "If you marry Isaac, you are no longer a part of this family and will never be welcome here again"
I was utterly speechless, how could he do this to her? Force his daughter to choose between us? All because I made a mistake.
Kaylee looked to Tasha, tears welling in her eyes, Tasha looked away, not offering a counter-argument to her husband and offering no alternative. I saw Kaylee's shoulders fall and she looked slowly up at me, I'd never seen her look so torn before. I couldn't make her choose.
Stepping forward I took her into my arms and held her against me, kissing the top of her head. "I will never forget you" I whispered, choking on my own words. I felt her shoulders shake as she started to sob into my shoulder. I'd hold her for as long as I could before I had to leave and never look back.
Isaac
Ellen, Mr. Finch, and Gary were still listening by the end of my story while Mr. Gregor was gaping, a steady flow of saliva dribbling down his chin. The nurse would come soon and wipe it away just so he could start a fresh stream. A pathetic display, I hope I never come to that. I hadn't lived ninety-Four years to end up a vegetable.
My wife of sixty-one years walked up behind me, coming back from her hair appointment. She looked just as lovely as the day I'd first met her. Older maybe but still as stunning to me as ever she would be.
"Krampus is still out there somewhere then" Gary mused, rubbing his white stubble with a thin age-spotted hand.
"Ooh yes but the Hammels and Eversons keep him under wraps to this day, family tradition and all that" I assured with a toothless smile, I'd forgotten my dentures again. Being this old, well, it isn't fun but I do feel accomplished.
"Is my husband telling tall tales again?" my dear wife asked with a smile, a twinkle still in those green eyes of hers.
"Kaylee honey, I was just telling them about the year before we got married" I defended
"Mm yes but you've always had quite the imagination in your old age, now, come on dear, it's time for supper," Kaylee said, taking hold of the handles to my wheelchair
"So, none of it was true then?" Ellen asked in earnest before I could be turned away from my captive audience. These old folks would believe anything.
"That all depends, do you believe in magic?" Kaylee asked before she turned me away and walked me down the hall towards the dining room, both of us smiled.
"Mama, please don't go. Don't leave me." The little girl reached a hand out to her mother, shaking with fright. "Mama, please stay!"
Her mother was dressed beautifully like a bride, in a long white dress with flowers in her shiny black hair, lips painted pink and blush added to her cheeks. Her eyes shone with held back tears as she stepped closer to the door, shaking her head.
"Ana… I… we will meet again." Her voice hitched and she clutched at the front of her dress. "If not here, then in the next life…" She smiled weakly, her lips trembling as reached out and cupped the girl's face, wiping the tears that were quickly cooling in the afternoon breeze.
"It's time." The little girl looked at the man who was standing in the doorway of their house, waiting to escort her mother to the palanquin waiting by the path that ran down to the main road.
The girl named Ana felt her mother's hand leave her face. "Don't cry," were the last words she heard her mother speak as the lovely woman turned and quickly exited the house.
"Mama…" Her hands clasped over her mouth, shaking as she tried to keep her sobs contained. She watched as her mother entered the palanquin, the curtains hiding any last trace of her. It wasn't long before four men lifted the litter and started down the road.
"It's for the better of the village."
"Her sacrifice will not be in vain."
Words that meant nothing to little Ana, not until night fell. Villagers gathered out of their homes and made their way to the village gateway, staring at the bridge that lead into the stronghold of the Dark Lord Nawaki. The castle was black save for the fire that lit the ominous tower, purple flames dancing boldly for all in the vicinity to see.
The sun had just set when the earth began to violently shake, forcing people to grab others near them or to simply lose their balance and fall to the ground. Then, just as quickly, everything stilled.
"The sacrifice has been accepted!" boomed a voice, causing everything to tremble, from the bridge to the trees and most of all the people. "You are spared another year. Rejoice."
And the people did, all throughout the night, lighting candles and lanterns throughout the village before departing for the village square, where a large bonfire was held. There was song and laughter and drinking, all to honour the sacrifice and hoping for prosperity in the next year.
As for Ana, she stayed hidden at home, despite her grandparents pleas for her to join the festivities. For her, this was a day of mourning.
As the sun creeped up from below the horizon, warming the night's frost into dewdrops, the villagers of Kinaya were rising as well, readying for yet another yearly festival. It was aptly named Festival of Dark and no one had ever deemed to change it. Every year it was the same, one week before the festival a house would be chosen by the Dark Lord, the sign of which was the mark of a black hand on the door, blatantly placed where no one could miss seeing it. The elders of the house were to hand over their daughter for his consumption. It was said that he ate them like marrow, sucking out their life energy and souls, discarding their bodies like empty useless bones.
"Stupid." The word was uttered by a young woman standing near the bridge, looking at the looming castle on the other side. On most days everyone acted as if it didn't exist, tending to business and worldly affairs as usual, but for Ana it was always there, whether she was home in bed or out in the fields, helping her grandparents with the gardening. The purple flames haunted her from her childhood, and even now, having passed the cusp of adulthood, they taunted her, never dying no matter the weather.
She had been hoping her house would be chosen this year, though she had refrained from telling anyone so as not to be thought completely insane. Ana didn't have a death wish; in fact, unlike most of the other villagers, she didn't wish death on any of the other youth of Kinaya either. No, she had wanted to be picked so that she could finish that cursed Dark Lord once and for all. In her mind it was simple- if he was no longer living then this tradition would cease to exist.
It was said that a warrior from the old and esteemed Birak family had stormed his way across the bridge to attempt to put an end the barbaric sacrifice of the village's fair maidens. Unfortunately, he had been struck with fire as soon as he had stepped into the stronghold, leaving nothing but blackened armour and bones behind, the rest of him having turned to ashes. That year, a mere four years before Ana's birth, a handprint had been placed on not just one but two house doors; the Dark Lord had not been pleased and had demanded even more sacrifice.
I'm not an idiot though, Ana thought to herself as she walked closer to the bridge, her gaze shifting to the river that separated the village from the castle. She had been ten years of age when she discovered she had powers others did not. It was not too rare for humans to have magic in their blood, though most used their given powers for mundane tasks. Smiling a little, she splayed her hand over the edge of the river's shore before pulling upward; as she did, a handful of rocks rose out of the ground and piled one on top of the other. Swords are useless against someone like that. Or for that matter, anything she could think of that was normally used in fighting, like arrows and lances and axes.
The only way way to figure out his true nature and weakness was to actually enter the damned place, something that was impossible except for once a year for the one sitting in the palanquin. Ana had been banking on it being her, having spent most of the last year attempting to look like a proper marriageable young woman, hoping to attract the dark handprint to her house's door. However, that honour had gone to the Elik family, who were none other than the richest family in the village as well as the man of the house being the de facto chief of Kinaya.
"Anahita!" She jerked at the mention of her name and turned around, looking down at the familiar wrinkly face of her grandmother. "What are you doing just standing here? And in those clothes?"
Ana looked down at herself, shrugging as she did. She was dressed in her usual work clothes, a comfortable light blue shirt, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her usual dark trousers and trusty old boots. Her hair was pulled up and out of her face, which had not the least bit of makeup on it. "What's wrong with my clothes, Granny?"
"For shame, tonight is the sacrifice." There was a scolding tone in her grandmother's voice and a scowl on her face. "You should be preparing for Nari's send off rather than heading to the fields." She shook her head morosely, heaving out a loud sigh as she clutched Ana's hand. "We are so lucky we have been spared. We must be grateful and show it by bidding her farewell. Her sacrifice will not be in vain."
It took everything she had not to make a face at her grandmother's words. Over and over they were repeated, and every year they seemed to ring less true. Yet she kept quiet, knowing there was no point in telling her grandmother otherwise. Perhaps it would do best to placate her… after all, this year she would be the one in the palanquin.
"You're right, Granny." Ana smiled as she lightly patted the older woman's shoulder. "Sorry I dragged you all the way here, looking for me. Come, let's get you back home."
Home was a five minute walk for her, but with her grandmother it became a fifteen minute stroll. While a little impatient, she reminded herself that this might very well be the last time she saw Kinaya again. She didn't know if she was going to leave the Dark Lord's castle unscathed, or at all for that matter. It was best to appreciate what she had before she had to leave.
It seemed her grandmother already had a dress prepared for her, black and somber, full sleeved and touching the ground. Ana did not really enjoy wearing dresses, but after a year of practice she was quite used to the uncomfortable and movement restricting outfits. Her hair, as black as her dress, was made into a simple plait, which she quite appreciated due to its practicality.
As soon as she finished dressing, she stood up to leave once more, this time with a valid excuse. "Granny, Grandpa…" She looked over to both, smiling respectfully. "I'd like to visit Nari one last time, please. We were… close friends…" She cast her eyes downward as if keeping herself from crying.
"Oh my darling!" Her grandfather hobbled over, taking hold of her hand and patting it in his own cool, bony one. "Of course you may. Just remember to come back in time."
Ana nodded, looking up at him. Though her sadness had been faked in regards to Nari, she couldn't help feel emotional as her grip tightened on his hand. He had already lost his daughter, and now without knowing, he could very well lose her.
This won't be in vain, she thought, forcing herself to remain determined. There will be no more sacrifices and no more feasting for the dead.
The plan had been quite simple. If there was one thing she could count on, it was that humans were selfish beings who cared only about themselves and their own. Ana had been quite sure that if there was any way the Elik family could save their daughter, they would concede to it. The day after the handprint had appeared on their door and the knowledge that Nari would be the sacrifice was common, Ana had taken the long route from her house to the fields, paying a visit to very distressed Chief Keluar.
He had been suspicious at first, not that Ana could blame him. Who wouldn't find her strange when she was willingly offering to sacrifice herself? Thankfully Ana had prepared a long winded story from before hand- she felt it would finally give her peace to follow after her mother, she wanted to do what was best for the village, she wanted to assure her grandparents would be rewarded and no longer have to work in their old age. Chief Keluar had not agreed that day, nor had he the next; it was only two days before his daughter's looming death that he finally conceded to Ana's terms.
And so, she now found herself dressed in a beautiful white dress over her plain work clothes and a veil over her face so that no one would know the difference; in both height and weight, she was similar to the chief's daughter. That being said, Nari had been hidden elsewhere, the knowledge of which even Ana didn't have. She didn't care either way, as long as what she was planning wasn't interfered with. Insincere hugs were given to her from the members of the Elik family which Ana returned in kind. She knew they had to be relieved that their precious daughter was safe; a cynical part of her wondered if they would have forced someone else to replace their daughter if Ana hadn't come up with this plan.
As for her grandparents, hopefully they just thought she was being insubordinate yet again and had gone home or to the fields. She could only hope Chief Keluar would follow through with his promise.
Finally settling down in the palanquin, Ana let out a breath, hands momentarily tightening on her knees before she lifted one to pull off the veil that was covering her face. The feeling of being lifted and carried was rather smooth, as if there weren't any humans carrying the palanquin at all. Of course… they're probably his minions made out of shadows. It would make sense, seeing as any other human who tried to cross the bridge would end up burning to death. It was an unsettling thought at first, but the more Ana thought about it the more she was relieved; she wouldn't have to worry about using her powers against actual humans.
The sound of flowing water caught her ears; they were coming to the bridge at last. Farewell for now, Kinaya. Ana was not the sentimental sort, not since the day her mother had been sacrificed to keep the village safe. Leaving had always been on her mind, but there had literally been no way. Kinaya was situated on a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by rough waters that crashed against the craggy cliffs. Whilst there was a makeshift dock and a couple of ships, it was only for merchants or rich folk to use. As tempting as it was, Ana had not wanted to run away from the village; she wanted it freed once and for all and thereafter leaving it behind her forever.
A sudden chilling and overbearing feeling came over Ana; she carefully took hold of the curtain hiding her from sight and pulled it open a crack, peering outside. It was darker than she had expected, the ground covered in grey ashes, the air dense with dark mist, making it hard to see any further than a few feet ahead. However, nothing distracted from the sight of the castle looming above everything else, its walls dark yet reflective, as if made of obsidian. And of course, there was the fire, the heat of which could now be felt.
Ana let go of the curtain. Her heart was beginning to race, feeling hints of panic climbing her like ants. From the village it had seemed easy enough, but now she was beginning to think that she had overestimated herself. Thankfully she had long ago learned to deal with such feelings by keeping them hidden. It was too late to back down now; she had to go through with her self imposed task, whether she succeeded or failed.
The palanquin came to an abrupt stop before falling to the ground with a thump. It wasn't more that a couple of feet, but it was disconcerting to say the least. Ana quickly pulled the curtain back and ducked out of the litter, spinning around just in case she was attacked. There was no one though, just her and the abandoned palanquin. Biting on the inside of her lip, she took in a deep breath before letting it out and looking at her surroundings. She had been deposited right by the castle's main entrance, the drawbridge and gates already having been passed.
First thing first, she thought to herself, I need to figure out how to get in-
The large, ominous looking doors at the main entrance let out a loud scraping sound as they began to open, but it was nothing compared to the thunderous, booming voice of none other than the Dark Lord Nawaki.
"One year I have waited for you. Enter now."
Gritting her teeth, Ana yanked off the dress she was wearing and pulled out a dagger she had hidden under her clothes, just in case. She hadn't actually planned on using anything other than her magic, but it was just comfortable to actually have something in her hand. Carefully, she stepped over the threshold and past the still opening doors into a large high ceiling hallway that seemed to go on forever. The walls to either side had carved arches that did not actually lead anywhere save for small alcoves, each housing a torch that was lit by purple flames. Ana looked at it disapprovingly, though she reached a hand towards the fire. The heat it emitted felt strange, both cooling and burning her at the same time. She pulled her hand away before heading further down the hall, unsure of where she even had to go.
"Psst…"
Her forehead wrinkled, hearing the sudden voice. She looked around discreetly, trying to figure out where the sound came from.
"Over here…" She blinked; that voice wasn't coming from anywhere around her, but from her actual mind. "Look down in front of you."
Hand tightening on her dagger, she looked down, shifting her gaze to the dark floor beneath her feet. Her narrowed eyes widened when she saw a small, floating ball of light. "Follow me."
"What?" Whatever this was, how did it expect her to simply follow it? She gritted her teeth but then nodded. "Fine, show me the way." Whatever it was and wherever it was leading her, it was better than standing cluelessly in a hallway that didn't seem to end.
The ball of light seemed to flicker for a moment before moving further down the hallway, followed closely by Ana. Unable to hold back her curiosity, she spoke up. "What are you? How do I know you won't hurt me?"
"I know you're not the sacrifice."
Ana's eyes narrowed once more; the ball of light began to speed forward and she had to pick up her pace to keep up. "There's no way you could possibly know that," she snapped.
"Your indignance at my statement further proves to me that you aren't." The voice was beginning to sound smug, and it was irritating Ana. Was this the Dark Lord? Was he purposely misleading her?
Surprisingly, it seemed that she had followed the ball of light straight to a door at the end of the hallway without realizing it. "How could…" She looked over her shoulder and felt her heart skip a beat- it seemed there was actually no hallway at all, just a rather large entrance with two alcoves on either side.
"Illusion magic. It seems your powers aren't as strong as I presumed. You may need some help after all."
"You had best come out straight and tell me what you are." Ana's hand was splayed as she tried to pull at any source of earth she could find. Alas, there was none here. Her free hand slackened though her grip on the dagger tightened.
There was a moment of silence before the ball of light flickered out. In its stead stood a man, tall and slim with long black hair and enchanting blue eyes. He was dressed in rather loose and flowing clothes, nothing Ana had ever seen in the village. For a moment she was almost certain she saw something like wings behind him, but as soon as she focused she saw she was mistaken.
"I am Jahan," the man said, finally introducing himself. "I know you're not the sacrifice because you are the first person who has ever seen me." He reached out, placing his hand on Ana's shoulder; it felt light but real. "Nawaki does that on purpose. He summons those without magic, because if someone like you, someone with power came, then there would be a chance for me to finally escape."
He turned away from Ana and headed to the main doors, ready to open one, though he stopped when Ana spoke up. "Enough with being cryptic. How are you in here? Who are you really? I'm not going to follow you any further unless you tell me now."
"If you don't follow me, your death is assured." Jahan looked over his shoulder at Ana before taking a deep breath. "Well, it does me no harm in telling you. I am the true ruler on this castle, and I have been kept hostage by the Dark Lord Nawaki for over thirty year."
"A ball of light can't escape? That doesn't sound right." Ana was beginning to get frustrated as well as antsy. This was a distraction from her original mission here. "How do I know you're not Nawaki?"
"If I was, I would have just consumed you now and be done with it."
"Or maybe you like sneaky games," Ana retorted. "Many are like that, they enjoy watching their prey run around before catching them… like cats."
She watched the man let out a small sigh before nodding. "Very well." Despite the dark mist that remained in the entrance, he seemed to glow before disappearing completely… or so she thought for a mere second before she heard his voice. "I'm here." The voice itself was rather small, and she couldn't find the source until she felt something poke her nose. Going cross eyed, she could finally see him.
He was a mere four inches tall, and while he looked the exact same, there was a pair of light blue wings on his back, allowing him to flutter in the air before her.
It was hard for Ana not to break out into laughter. "Pffft." For the first time in a week, an actual sincere laugh escaped her. "You're a fairy?"
"I'm a being of light," was the reply. Jahan had a teensy frown on his face, clearly not amused by Ana's reaction. "Stop your laughter, we need to get to work."
"Yes, oh Mighty Being of Light." Ana let herself smirk one last time before returning to her usual neutral face. She didn't need to be reminded that she was here on an important mission. "Tell me then, how do you suppose I can help you out and get rid of Nawaki for good? I'm assuming that this dagger of mine won't work on him." By this time, the very small Jahan was standing on Ana's shoulder, deciding to take a rest from staying aloft in midair. She wasn't sure if she actually appreciated being used as a platform, but that was a thought that didn't last more than a moment as there were far more important things to deal with.
"It very well would if was imbued by my magic, but as you can probably tell, I am not exactly in an imbuing state at this moment." He sat down on her shoulder, arms crossed over his tiny chest. "This castle has not just sealed me in here but also drained me of most of my magic."
"How?" Ana asked, hoping for a simple reply. She had heard of fairies as a youngster and knew them to be beings of light that were neither weak nor unequal in their abilities to creatures of darkness.
"The same way I have managed to keep his physical body contained in his chamber. Unfortunately for me, he had both a plan and time to prepare for sealing me in the castle. I on the other hand had nothing save for two crystals that weren't even my own. They had been given to me by my parents a long time ago."
Magic was a well known fact in the world even if most humans shied away from practicing it, and the knowledge of how certain magics were used was common knowledge. Ana knew full well of magic crystals and how fairies and other creatures of light used them to created seals and wards to keep darkness at bay.
"Wait." Ana held up a hand to keep Jahan from continuing onward. ""Do you mean Nawaki used crystals to seal you in here?"
"Yes, yes, the same way I had to use them to keep him here."
"I didn't know dark beings use crystals too."
Jahan rolled his eyes and shrugged his small shoulders. "Dark and light magic has nothing to do with who uses what. Crystals can be used by creatures of light and creatures of dark. Light doesn't necessarily mean good nor does dark always mean evil. Someone using light magic could very well be evil while someone who knows to use dark magic could be a good person. This is just something humans more often than not misunderstand-"
"Sorry for misunderstanding," Ana interrupted, sounding a little impatient. "Should I assume you are the one who is good here or should I be helping Nawaki?"
"No of course not- I see, you're being sarcastic." Ana resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she turned her head, looking at the small man. He seemed like he was deep in thoughts, with his eyes closed. "There is still time for him to wake up. Hurry now and leave the entrance through the door you entered."
"Go back out? But I just came from there!"
"Yes, but that's where the crystals are buried." He stood up once more and took to the air, wings flapping and causing a small stir of air. "Four in total… and one inside here. With so much interference from the crystals outside, I cannot tell where the one inside is. But we can deal with that later. Hurry, we mustn't waste anymore time. We have no less than an hour before he stirs…"
Ana grabbed the handle of one of doors; just like the flame, she felt an unpleasant cold yet burning feeling, causing her to let go. Turning her hand around, she looked at her palm. Gasping, she stumbled back, almost dropping her dagger in the process; from what she could see her palm was a bloody mess.
"It's an illusion!" Jahan quickly flew over and landed on her hand, his own glowing white as he slapped it against hers.
It was only a split second before her hand looked completely normal again, though she was quite shaken, feeling sweat trickling down her sides. "If he's contained then how…"
"I'll explain, but we need to hurry." The fairy nodded encouragingly as he once more flew up and seated himself on Ana's shoulder. "Open the door, you will be fine now."
Thankfully Jahan had been right, much to Ana's relief. This time, with him on her shoulder, she was able to touch the handle without feeling any pain. It was a strenuous task in itself to open the doors, seeing they were very large and made of a very strong material she was quite sure wasn't wood. Still, it wasn't long before she was outside in the courtyard, which remained as gloomy looking as before. The palanquin was still there, untouched, though it seemed almost aged and battered now, the curtains ragged and the wood splintered. It hadn't seemed that way to her when she had been sitting in it.
"Well?" she asked as she started for the main gate, waiting for an answer to her earlier question.
"As I mentioned before, I had only two crystals with me to seal Nawaki in his chambers. It take nine crystals to seal something in such a complete way that eons could go by and you wouldn't have to worry about it. Five to seal something for a very long time; you could say forever, though it is much easier to break that seal than the nine crystals one. Three crystals would be something done in an emergency…"
"And you had only two," Ana completed, letting out a breath. Now that she was no longer under complete illusion, she could see the courtyard was even more ghastly than it had first seemed. Skeletons of humans and animals littered as far as the eyes could see, even beyond the gates. "So Nawaki's influence has been leaking from this place and that's why every year Kinaya has to sacrifice a girl…" Her voice came to a stop, gritting her teeth in anger. "Why young maidens? Why not young men? Is there even any difference?"
"None whatsoever," Jahan replied. "Unless you mean Nawaki's personal preference, then yes, there's a difference. He prefers women, it would seem. Other than that, a human is a human. Male, female, young or old, it doesn't really matter. All this tradition of sending a maiden for sacrifice is amusement for Nawaki."
"Why just once a year then?" Ana demanded, finding every bit of new knowledge even more upsetting than the one before it. "Why not just destroy us all immediately and be done with it?"
There was no answer from Jahan until after he slid off her shoulder, transforming into a ball of light. "It's a game to him, and the wait and anticipation is part of the fun. Now follow me, I can sense two of the crystals now. Hurry, and keep close."
Frowning, she nodded and set after the ball of light, trying to stay as close as possible. Now that she was no longer in physical contact with him, the courtyard was once more illusioned to hide the more unpleasant secrets littered throughout. She wondered momentarily why Nawaki wasted his energy in hiding them rather than openly flaunt what he could easily do. I will never understand these beings…
They had finally reached the far end of the courtyard near the walls enclosing the actual castle. "It's here, I can feel it." The ball of light hovered over the ground before floating back up and landing on Ana, once more reverting to Jahan. What had simply been ashes and mist was now a deep and dark hole in the ground, sparingly filled with spider webs and desiccated corpses of various small animals.
"Nice hiding spot," Ana muttered, not liking in which direction this was going. "And this is just the first one…" At least they were outside, where she had the elements at her disposal. Even if this place felt smothering and foreboding, the fact that there were dead animals here caused her to realize that if animals could cross through, then perhaps it was really just humans that the stronghold forbade to enter.
Unless that was all an illusion as well? She turned around, looking at the skeletons. Were these people who had entered and lost their way in here? Did they die because they were unable to leave-
"Focus!" Jahan's voice broke through her musing. "We don't have much time, Nawaki will soon be wondering why the sacrifice hasn't come to him yet."
"Apologies," Ana snapped back, irritated with herself for getting distracted by mere thoughts. She took in a deep breath, spreading her hands out before her, palms facing the ground, fingers hooked as if she was grasping at something. "Here… goes!" Her grasp on nothing tightened as she yanked her arms upward, feeling the earth at the bottom of hole rising as she did-
"Careful-" The words had only escaped Jahan when Ana saw what he was about to warn her about. Not one, not two, but four large and hairy spiders flew out in the open, each the size of a very big cat. "They're venomous! Quick, you need to get rid of them!"
"A little help would be nice!" Ana replied as she backed away, catching herself from falling over a skull.
"I would but that requires leaving you, which in turn would make you blind to these things!"
"How inconvenient," she growled, eyes jerking from one spider to the other. Two were still trying to right themselves, having landed on their backs, but the remaining ones were already scuttling towards her. "Hold on tightly then!" She switched her dagger to her right hand and raised her left one, making a grabbing motion as she raced toward the two that were beginning to right themselves. As soon as she reached her targets, she slammed her dagger into one and then the other. At the same time, her free hand closed and as it did, the ground rose around one of the approaching spider, closing around it.
"Behind you!" Jahan shouted, but it was too late. Ana could feel the pain of the bite as well as the sudden woozy feeling from being poisoned. "Kill it! I will take care of the poison!" Knowing she had no other choice but to leave it in the fairy's tiny hands, she did as he said, shoving her dagger forward, attempting to stab it. She managed to get one of its eyes, causing it to frantically retreat. "Use your power, like you did with the last one! Quick!"
The urge to tell Jahan to quiet down was overpowered by the urge to get rid of the eight-legged creature. She let the dagger drop from her right hand, yanking her arm up into the air and closing it into a tight fist. The earth shot up from the ground, enclosing the spider within. Ana tightened her fist even further, nails digging into her palms painfully, and as she did, the earth itself tightened around the arachnid until it was pulverised. Finally, she turned towards the last spider that was still writhing from having first been caught. Hand splayed, she slammed it down in midair, causing the dirt and rock encased spider to be be crushed as it was forced into the ground.
Panting, Ana fell to her knees, feeling exhausted. Practicing secretly with magic was one thing; fighting for her life with it was something else all together. She really had overestimated herself, and the sudden realization caused unneeded tears to sting her eyes. If four spiders caused her so much trouble, then how could she even think of facing Nawaki? Maybe it would have been better to wait longer… But that would have required more maidens being forcefully sacrificed to keep Kinaya safe.
"You did well." Jahan broke the silence, standing up on her shoulder. "And I managed to remove the poison from that bite." Ana blinked; she had forgotten about that. She looked to her ripped sleeve and pushed it away from her arm. There was still a red angry wound, but at least she wasn't feeling the effects of the venom any longer. "I can't heal it completely, not the way I am, but I can make sure you don't die."
"Thank you," Ana replied, sounding sincere.
"Of course. I need you alive. You are my only hope in the last thirty years."
Thirty women… Well, thirty-one, and your sacrifices won't be in vain. "I'm going to break this tradition." Ana tore off the ripped sleeve before wrapping it around the cut. "There will be a festival tonight, but it's going to be to celebrate Nawaki's death."
She felt Jahan leave her shoulder yet again, fluttering before her, a small but confident smile on his face. "As long as you stay smart," he said, tapping at his head with his index finger, "we will get this done. Now…" He closed in on her face, pressing his hand against her cheek so that the illusion was broken once more. "If you can move so much earth, then you should be able to feel the magic crystal. Bring it up."
Ana was uncertain but nodded, once more heading towards the hole while Jahan made himself a seat on the top of her head. She wasn't sure what he was doing up there, but she felt a little more confident. Concentrating, she searched the dirt and the rocks, though she didn't have to for long, feeling the magic before the actual crystal. She reached out in midair and made a pulling motion.
Out of the hole flew a rather large crystal that was as long as Jahan was tall, the colour of obsidian. Ana reached out to grab it-
"Stop, don't touch it yet!" Jahan leaped from her head and flew straight for the crystal, grabbing it in midair. She watched without moving as he wrapped his arms around the crystal, glowing a bright white. Whatever had made the crystal so dark was squirming within as what seemed to be light was pushed inside. At the same time, Ana could feel the ground beginning to shake.
"Jahan?" Her voice wasn't as steady as it had been earlier. "What's going on?"
The fairy didn't reply, in fact, she could hardly see him anymore save for his blue wings, both he and the crystal being surrounded by light. The ground stopped shaking as the light finally dissipated, leaving behind Jahan holding onto a now softly glowing crystal.
"Is it safe now?" Tentatively Ana moved her hand forward.
"Yes, I forced the dark out with my own light." Jahan let out a sigh of relief as he landed on Ana's hand, letting go of the crystal. "It took some energy from me, but now that the seal has been interrupted, I can feel my own power slowly getting stronger." Ana watched as the look on his face became full of resolve. "Three more and then we destroy him. We must hurry though… I can sense he's feeling what's happening."
It wasn't long before she was standing at the main doors of the castle once more. Gathering the remaining crystals had been a much easier task than the first one; Ana and Jahan had made their way to the three remaining corners of the castle grounds, where she had sensibly decided to kill the spiders in the actual holes first and then coax the crystals out with her magic. Each time the dark magic was forced out and replaced with light, and the ground shuddered just as it had the first time. They seemed to lessen in their intensity, however, and in the same way it seemed Jahan was becoming stronger.
As Ana pushed open the doors to once more enter the actual building, she looked back at the courtyard one last time. It seemed to her as if the dark mist had lessened, though it was hard to tell whether it had simply cleared away or actually retreated elsewhere. That is, until she finally walked through the castle doors. Inside, it seemed as if the shadows had increased, the purple flames from the torches no longer emitting much light. Jahan hopped off her shoulder and turned into a ball of light; he was so bright now that the shadows seemed to momentarily disappear. He remained that way only for a moment before shifting forms yet again. This time he was standing tall in the human form she had seen earlier, seeming more solid than when Ana had first seen him.
"Hand me your dagger," he instructed, holding his hand out to take it. Ana looked at him strangely for a moment before recalling what he had mentioned earlier about not being in an 'imbuing state' at that time. Perhaps it was possible now? Either way, she was glad she'd had the sense to pick up the blade from the ground after she had dropped it.
"Here." She pulled it out from where she'd stuck it under her belt, laying it on the palm of his hand.
"The crystals as well," Jahan added. Now that was a surprise for Ana, who looked at him curiously.
"What are you going to do with them?" she asked as she reached into her pockets, pulling all four of them out, each of them radiating with light. Setting them in his free hand, she waited for yet another answer she figured she wasn't going to receive.
Stepping back, she kept her eyes on his hands, and it wasn't long before the light began to exit all four of the crystals, twisting and turning in the air to form a bright globe of glowing white. It remained like that for only a moment before what Ana could only think of as diving into the dagger. Not meeting any noticeable resistance, it seemed the dagger had accepted the light magic. Ir remained the same in looks save for a slight shimmer that could be seen on the blade.
"That should aid you," Jahan said with a nod, holding the dagger out for Ana to take.
"It feels the same," she muttered after she took it back, turning it around in her hand. "It doesn't really feel… empowered."
"That's fine," was the reply. "It will get the job done at the very least." He looked away from the dagger and up at her, eyes rather intense. "There is one last thing…"
"What?" Ana wasn't sure she liked the look she was receiving.
There was no reply as Jahan was a ball of light once more. Without warning he struck Ana, causing her to stumble backwards, though it was more in shock than actual force. "What did you do that for?" she demanded, looking around for him. Where has he gone?
There was silence before she heard him in her head. My apologies. You probably wouldn't have agreed to this, which is why I had to without prior permission.
"What are you even talking about? Show yourself!"
"I cannot. You see… I'm now part of you."
"W-what- what are you even…" Ana couldn't bring herself to speak coherently, staring at her outstretched hands, dagger shaking as she tried to keep it still. "Get out!"
"It's the only way we can destroy him. Don't worry, I will leave as soon as we finish this task. I promise.
Anger taking over, Ana's hands clenched tightly into fists, eyes narrowed as she stared at the ground. "You best be telling the truth."
"I am. Now hurry. Go through the door. And stay vigilant. I will try to keep you from dangers."
There was nothing more that could be done, regardless of how upset this made Ana. That being said, she knew Jahan was right; they had to hurry. Now that he was a part of her, she could feel Nawaki and his dark magic, and the light magic within her seemed to almost pull her in the right direction, almost like a magnet. Even as she passed through the door and made her way through countless hallways and climbed plenty staircases, she found she was no longer affected by any illusions; everything was plain for her to see. The torches in the various alcoves no longer seemed to burn purple flames but were now a normal orange white. The walls, flooring and ceilings no longer seemed to be made of obsidian, rather grey stone that may have once been polished but now lay dusty and cracked due to lack of care.
There were no more spiders that came to attack Ana, nor any other sort of creature which was a blessing of a kind. The impending meeting however was beginning to cause panic within her once more. It would have been comforting to have even the small Jahan on her shoulder at this time rather than him sitting silently in her mind.
"I can speak to you if you want. I was under the impression you're still angry."
"I am," Ana replied, though she relented almost immediately. "I'd rather be angry than scared though."
"Fair enough." The was a small silence before he continued. "I don't know your name yet."
"Can't you just read my mind and find out?"
"I'd rather not. I like to respect the privacy of others."
It was hard for Ana not to let out a snort at that. "I suppose invading someone while you're a ball of light doesn't count." She took a deep breath before releasing it, keeping her eyes on the path before her, yet another infernal hallway filled with shadow beings. They reached out for her just like the rest, but once again a light seemed to emit from her, causing the shadowy tendrils to retreat.
"Anahita, or Ana. That's my name."
"I feel like I've heard that name before… a long time ago. I remembered it because it was quite different than most I've encountered."
"Maybe you heard it from my mother," Ana suggested quietly. "She was the fifth sacrifice." The placid smile on her face wavered as she stood in place. "I still remember the day she was taken… everyone aside from me and my grandparents were so… relieved. They celebrated with song and dance during the night… even my grandparents had gone, but I refused to. Every year I refused."
"Is that why you came? To avenge your mother?"
"I'd be lying if I said that I was here solely to stop this cruel tradition," she admitted, still standing in place. "I suppose it's both. I want to avenge my mother… and I want my village to be free."
"Then it's time to avenge all those who have fallen, and gain freedom for the rest. We are nearly there, Ana."
At last they came upon the final door at the top of the tallest castle tower, the one that had taunted the villagers of Kinaya for decades. It was hard to keep the trepidation out of her heart, but Ana persevered, grabbing hold of the door's handle and pushing it forward. Stepping inside she was greeted with the sight of a man sitting on an elaborate four poster bed, drapes of blue and purple decorating the wooden posts. Ana's eyes merely skimmed the elaborate decorations, much more interested in the blue winged man. His head was lowered, black hair curtaining most of his face even as he spoke.
"So, you are here at last." There was the sound of mild laughter, and then the man lifted his head, light blue eyes looking straight at Ana. "Welcome, my dear, I am Nawaki. And you… you must be the one who has interfered in this year's sacrifice." He tapped at his chin as if in deep thought. "Was I not merciful, keeping the sacrifice for only once a year? Yet you take advantage of my mercy and disrupt my defences."
Ana could not find the words in her. She understood what the man was saying; it was the same bile that she heard in plays and stories. No, it was his face that unsettled her. He looks… why does he… why does he look like Jahan?!
The man looked rather amused, seeing the stunned expression on Ana's face. "Why do you look like that? Could it be-" he giggled before continuing "-that you have met Jahan? Oh, of course that must be it! And you are now wondering how it is that he and I both look oh so similar." A smile danced on his lips as he smoothly rose to his feet and stepped off the bed, landing on the floor gracefully. "He must have forgotten to tell you that we are the same person."
"It doesn't make a difference who he is or who I am. What matters is to end him. You have a dagger of light and I know where to strike him to end this once and for all!"
"Why didn't know tell me?" Ana asked, though she knew it was pointless to; she already knew the answer.
"You wouldn't have trusted me, Ana, and you know this. Any sane person wouldn't have."
"You're right, I wouldn't have." Bitterness was dripping from her voice; while she was upset that she hadn't been told, he had a point. All that set to the side, she had to end Nawaki. Ana knew the light magic would work, having already seen the effects of it.
"Accept your fate,"' Nawaki intoned as he lifted off the ground. He wasn't using his wings to take flight, rather the shadows and the accumulated dark mist. "Just like the rest of the sacrifices before you, and just like the many that will come!"
"That's where you are wrong," Ana replied, shaking her head. "You think I'm going to let some facts about you and Jahan stop me from destroying you? No, Nawaki. It's time for you to be the sacrifice. You are going to be leaving my people for good!"
"Little girl, I have lived more years that you can ever dream of living." A haughty laugh left the dark lord as he rushed towards Ana.
"I'll take care of him!" Just like that, a barrier of light formed before Ana, stopping Nawaki in his tracks. "Just like with the spiders, Ana! Trap him and be rid of him!"
Ana was about to retort that they weren't outside, but then she realized that didn't matter anymore, nor had it mattered ever since they had removed the crystals. With Nawaki attacking the shield with his shadows and dark mist, it was beginning to crack. Nodding, she spoke to Jahan. "When I tell you to, remove the shield."
"Are you sure?"
"Now!" Ana ordered, ignoring the question. The barrier disappeared immediate. Nawaki shot forward, arms outstretched and ready to grab Ana. However, her hands had already lifted high above her, and as they did the stone floor shot upward, grabbing on to Nawaki and slamming him against the ceiling. It then returned to its previous position as the floor except with the dark lord in its grasp.
Ana was not going to let this moment escape her. She ran over to him, dagger in hand. "Straight into his heart, that's where the crystal is!" She didn't need to hear that twice. Her free hand now wrapped around the one holding her blade, she fell to her knees and struck, aiming straight for the heart.
Nawaki let out an outraged cry that elongated into an unearthly wail, "Steady and keep holding the dagger. And now is where I leave you." It was as if a burden she didn't know she was carrying was lifted off her shoulders, and Ana had to force herself keep holding on to the dagger rather than slump over as her body wanted to. Aside from Jahan's words, the sight of the dagger was what kept her vigilant.
It was hard to miss what was happening. The dagger shone bright with light, so bright in fact that the weapon could no longer be seen, and that light only kept increasing, surrounding the entirety of what could be seen of Nawaki's body. Shadows were trying to get past the light but found themselves being overtaken, one tendril after another until any shadow that had been sentient was swallowed and no more. As if that weren't enough, a loud thunderous sound rang out, there was a flash of light- and then it all subsided. The dagger fell to the floor with a clank, its hilt destroyed and the blade having lost its shimmer.
For a good minute everything remained quiet, the silence only broken when Nawaki's hand twitched.
Ana gasped, crawling towards the dagger. "Wait- Ana… it's me. It's Jahan. Nawaki- he's gone now. Dead."
"How can I be sure?" she demanded. Looking to the man still mostly encased in stone, she found he was looking back at her, a slight smile on his face. His hand twitched once more as a small orb of light formed on his fingertip.
It was hard to figure out how she was supposed to feel about all this. Nawaki was dead, but Jahan was still there… in Nawaki's body… or was it his? "I don't understand," she muttered, smacking her hands against her knees in frustration. "Why were there two of you? How do I know you're not just… going to turn back into him?"
"He wasn't really me," Jahan replied weakly, a soft sigh escaping him as he looked away from Ana and up at the ceiling instead. "I was young and reckless… and gullible in my youth and easily persuaded to let in an evil spirit. Nawaki had come in the form of a beautiful woman and-"
"Spare me the details," Ana replied, shaking her head. She knew enough about village boys and their trysts with girls.
"He forced me out of my body, wanting something corporeal," he continued, closing his eyes. "I was merely a…" he paused to let out a small chuckle, "... shadow of myself. As for the rest, you already know."
"Indeed." Ana took hold of the dagger and carefully tucked it in one of her pockets before standing up.
"Before you leave… do me a favour."
"I- What is it?"
Jahan looked to Ana's hand that was still near the pocket with the dagger. "I need to atone for all that has happened to Kinaya. Nawaki, the sacrifice, if it wasn't for me-"
A scoffing laugh escaped Ana, the look in her eyes rather harsh as she looked at Jahan. "Your death won't atone anything, Jahan. They're dead, and nothing can change that." She looked to the side and let out a breath. "There has been enough death. If you really want to atone for what Nawaki did, then your life is what's needed. The people of Kinaya will need something new to celebrate now. Perhaps it's time the Festival of Dark was changed to the Festival of Light."
Hands splayed out before her, Ana moved them to either side, pushing away the stone that had been encasing the fairy, who in turned struggled to his knees before transforming to his tiny form. "If you don't mind," he started, sounding rather sheepish, "may I sit on your shoulder again?"
Ana's eyes rolled upward. "Fine," she replied, a small smile sneaking up on her lips. The past would take a long time to get over, but perhaps for now even a smile with the promise of more in the future was enough.
As for the village of Kinaya, from henceforth they would gather yearly with drinks and songs to tell the tale of the defeat of the dark lord. Even long after the story has changed and is forgotten, the Festival of Light remains.
Dear Journal,
This will be my last entry. Christmas is tomorrow, and the snow has begun to fall. I believe they used to call today "Christmas Eve", and Murlok found an old book full of "Holiday Carols" a few weeks ago... I wonder how those days were, back then, when one could stand outside in the snow and sing merry songs for strangers. It sounds so foreign. No one stands outside in the snow now, and we certainly don't sing for strangers.
Tomorrow will be the last time we carry out the tradition established by our fathers. I know it sounds morbid, if whomever is reading this has read the previous entries... But we have no choice. We had the choice months ago, but we let it slip between our fingers. Now we have no more food, the water's gone and the toxic snow will probably swallow us whole. I know some poor folks who were desperate enough to attempt to eat the snow, last year. There was no reasoning with them, they simply would NOT LISTEN!
I guess our most desperate selves come out in different forms. For me, it's more like a quiet resignation. Maybe it will change when we are on the edge of the precipice, but for the moment I've kept my head on my shoulders. Murlok as well. God, if I didn't have Murlok... I suppose I would be like those fools drinking toxic water. He doesn't know tha
A sudden crack nearby made Gwan drop her pen and hurriedly hide her journal. Her breath caught in her tight throat and she covered her mouth with her free hand in an attempt to stifle any potential sounds. It wasn't quite dark yet, though the sun had dipped pretty low past the horizon. The city's razed building allowed for maximum sunlight, but in truth it only made the whole place more desolate. It was prime time for rogue scavengers to hunt young people like her who happened to be alone in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
"Gwan? It's me, are you here?" The familiar voice echoed through the silent plaza. Murlok stepped closer until he was right over the place where Gwan was crouching, behind a pillar. "There you are. Chang scavenged some canned stuff, from the last invasion. It's gonna be a little old, but hey - food's food, right?"
His smile was worth a thousand food cans and it made Gwan's heart ache. Her permanently dirty hand dropped slowly from her face, her eyes wide and her throat still too constricted to work words out. The young man sat beside her and leaned against the same pillar. She noticed his eyes look in the direction of the fallen pen, then the journal clutched to her chest.
"Still writing, huh?" Murlok picked up the pen and handed it back to her. Gwan took it shyly and nodded, allowing herself a small smile. "Well, that's good. You're a lucky girl, Gwan. Writing is an art lost to most us."
"My mother... She taught me." The murmured words were barely just loud enough for Murlok to hear, but he nodded and finally looked out the horizon as the last glimpses and sunlight were disappearing.
"Yes. Your mother was quite the woman, I heard. I was just a small boy, I don't remember much - but she always made Christmas magical. I think it's thanks to her and your grandfather that we still remember what Christmas is, despite our traditions." Murlok's voice had taken a darker tone, but neither of them made a remark on it.
They sat mostly in silence as the sky went from a dusty pink to a deep purple, to finally turn pitch black. Gwan knew there had been stars once, that shone brightly and helped people tell one direction from another. But there were permanent black clouds now, and even though it made for quite the eccentric visual during the day, at night it meant there was nothing for them to watch. No stars, no moon. Only darkness and the acidic taste in the air.
Gwan was pulled out of her reveries when Murlok pushed himself up and dusted off his torn pants. He was a few years older than her, but he had had a rough childhood and hadn't quite aged out well of his malnourished body. Most people were all awkward limbs and protruding ribs, and the two of them were no different from the rest. They were all ragged dolls and their straw stuffing was getting thinner with every month.
In silence, the two walked back to camp. It was dangerous to light fires at night, but they had recently scored a building that seemed to have been a factory decades ago. The windows were thick with doubled glass, and painting them black hadn't been very hard. This meant they were no longer bound by the natural daylight and could actually function even when it was dark out, at any time of the day. Gwan had heard many folks say this was like tickling the beast and that they were just asking to be smote by the invaders; but she knew they were only speaking out of fear. The invaders didn't give a shit; the real danger were less... civilized scavengers.
"There she is!" Chang's gravel voice grated her ears like usual, but at this point its familiarity was more comforting than it was aggravating. "Where you been all day, missy? It started snowin', you know it'd'a be dangerous."
Murlok broke away from her and headed off to his own little settlement. Scratching her head and looking down in embarrassment, Gwan joined Chang and sat by the old woman's small fire. They had been told not to make fires inside, but Chang rarely listened to anyone but herself and her obscure mumbling. She was typically the one to bring in food though, which meant no one wanted to cross her or even argue with her about anything. Chang was untouchable and she knew it, just like Gwan.
"Sorry Chang. I had things I wanted to write and... You know how people stare at me if I write here..."
"Ahh, yes. Th'all wanna have you teachin' 'em how to write." Chang grinned her toothless grin and leaned over to mix the contents in the tin pot over the fire. It smelled foul, but it smelled like food, and they would have been fools not to eat that shit up. Sometimes Gwan found it hard to swallow, it occasionally came back up her throat, but she tried her best to keep it down and inside. No one wasted food.
Once the contents of the pot were bubbling, Chang grabbed a rusty ladle and gave Gwan an equally rusty bowl. The fumes from the nondescript sludge made Gwan frown and salivate all at once. They ate in silence, both knowing that there was little left to be said about tomorrow. It was the tradition of their clan, and had been for decades; they suffered through the toxic snow and braved the dangers of the ransacked city.
As Gwan had predicted, the next morning's snow had become heavier and accumulated along the bottom of what remained of the interchanges. They were broken down and the roads were perhaps more dangerous than anything else in the city. The small clan of scavengers made their way quietly towards the highest building still standing, a protective sheet held over them to shield them from the snow. Gwan felt a tug in her chest; all those old stories about the beauty of the snow, how its white had been praised for its purity. Now, it was a dark grey, almost like ash. It covered the city with its heaviness and its rancid stench. It wasn't that surprising, she supposed, considering how the cloud were a pits of darkness that forecasted the end of the world. The heavens were pissing on earth and there was nothing they could do about it.
Gwan could feel her heart beating hard and loud by the time they got to the decrepit 55 Water Street building. It was half the height it used to be, Gwan had read somewhere it used to be over 650 feet tall. She couldn't even picture it; there was nothing much higher than a few hundred feet tall, and this tower was the tallest. Everything else was only two or three stories high.
"Alright everyone, time to move up. Go in pairs." The leader of their clan, Santez, was a tall and loud man. He and Chang were their two leaders, and even though they disagreed on pretty much everything, the Christmas tradition wasn't one. The old woman had a walking stick in a shaky hand and leaned heavily on Santez as they went up the stairs. The heavy bag of supplies was swaying gently against his side.
"Did you bring your notebook?" Murlok hooked his arm around Gwan's and they headed up the stairs, taking her slightly by surprise.
"Oh, no." Gwan felt a rush of blood creep up her cheeks, and it made her throat tight again. "Uhm, I know the scripture by heart and my journal is mostly... Personal stuff."
Murlok chuckled and nodded, not prodding further with his questions. Gwan suspected Murlok shared her feelings, and if times had been different perhaps they could have been together... But Gwan knew better than to get too attached to anyone, and Murlok appeared to feel the same way.
They were all weak and tired and hungry, which meant the walk up the stairs took at least an hour and by the time they got to the highest story most folks were keeling over and breathing heavily. The air was nasty and tasted like pennies, much to Gwan's dislike. The young girl didn't do well with bad smells, despite having grown among them. She remembered a time where it smelled like grass and salt water, but those were fading memories from her childhood. She was only sixteen, yet she felt like a hundred years had passed and her body was like a squeezed lemon: all out of juice and slowly rotting away.
While everyone was busy catching their breaths, Gwan made a beeline for Santez. Without a word, she took out the equipment. Before two years ago, it had been her father and Santez preparing everything. To her it felt like decades ago.
"You look like your mother a little more every year, Gwan." The broad man spoke softly so only she could hear. His hands were moving about and placing everything in order without his eyes having to follow. "Your eyes, especially, they're a clear blue just like hers." He attempted a smile, but on his dark and scarred face it looked more like a haunting grimace.
"You're the only one who remembers her... And Chang." She wiped her sweaty brow, leaving behind an ashy smudge on her forehead. Despite the cold, she was sweating through her clothes and she wasn't even chilly.
"Yes, well... Folks don't live very long these days, y'know?"
There was a suffocating breeze coming from the East River below them, and Gwan felt like she might puke last night's dinner.
"Yeah... Hopefully, one of those will reach someone. We'll get help some day soon, I'm sure of it." Her smile was sad and didn't quite reach her eyes. They were all out of bottles, and they didn't even have enough for everyone this year.
"I hope so too, kid. We can't do it again next year, this is our last chance." Despite his comforting strength and large frame, Santez was just as scared as everyone and was just as likely to lose hope sooner rather than later. Gwan knew he didn't like showing it though, so she tried her best to ignore the silent tears streaking down the side of his face.
"We'll make it worth twice as much, two messages per bottle!" Turning away, Gwan rummaged through the bag and took out the neatly written notes. They all had the same message, "NYC, please assist. December 2148." followed by a radio frequency. The message had been written in English and in Spanish. The only difference between the years had been the date on the paper. The first clan leader who had thought of this was Gwan's great-grandfather, which was why now she was the one to carry the burden of this tradition. It was like an oppressive blanket constantly sitting on her shoulders and drowning her painfully, one year at a time.
The task of folding the notes was completed in short order, and just as she had promised Gwan inserted two of each in the bottles. Everyone was gathered around her and Santez, watching silently. Their gaunt eyes and shabby clothes spoke louder than any words they could say to her. She ought to have felt pressured, but the hunger and the cold were good enough distractions.
"Alright, almost done." She whispered more to herself than the others, but they were hanging to her every word. It made her uneasy.
Once all bottles were sealed, Gwan went around and handed one to every second person. Those without bottles looked defeated, more so than usual, but it couldn't be helped. The young girl walked to the edge of the rooftop, until her feet were just a few inches from the edge. Below her, the East River was a noxious green, and she could have sworn she saw fumes coming from it, but it wouldn't have done anyone some good to mention that. It was their last year, anyway. They wouldn't survive until the next Christmas.
Gwan spread her arms and closed her eyes, and everyone behind her fell silent. Santez was to her side and his arms were equally outstretched, though his arms were much higher than hers. Her ears picked up some foreign sound, something she ought to know what it was, but her memory failed her. It was faint enough that when Santez began speaking, she could no longer hear it.
"Today, my friends, we celebrate Bito Day. Bottle in the ocean." Santez' voice carried over behind them with ease. His pants were flapping with the acrid breeze.
"Once, it was known as Christmas. A time of family celebrations, happiness, and sharing. We have nothing to share, we are our own family, and happiness is not a recurrent friend." Gwan took a deep breath and regretted it immediately, her heart beating hard and threatening to break the tight walls of her throat. "But Bito Day is cause for celebration. Today, we are hopeful."
Santez and Gwan joined hands. Her hand felt immensely cold and moist compared to his strong and warm one.
"When your name is called, you will come forward by our side and throw the bottle into the East River, as hard as you can." Santez punctuated his last words with a squeeze of her hand. One by one, they each called out a name. They were only two dozens, and half of those had bottles. Regardless, all names were called and they joined their hands to form some kind of chain along the edge of the roof. Gwan's eyes had closed somewhere along the way, and when she called out the last name, they all listened for the ploof of the last bottle.
"Let's take a moment to remember our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, who have left us. Today we honour them. May our call be answered." Gwan's voice was shaking but she didn't mind.
"May our call be answered." Santez and every single person standing with them repeated the words. One after the other, they closed their eyes and Gwan knew they were mostly all saying goodbye to their lost ones. The strange sound from earlier was back and it only took a few seconds before it became louder than the sound of the rushing East River.
She didn't want to break the moment of silence, so she opened her eyes and rubbed her face on her shoulder, the dark snow tingling her skin in an unpleasant way. Her eyes searched the horizon, but the sound seemed to be coming from over them. The black clouds were hiding the sky, but the racket kept growing louder and louder, until nearly everyone had their eyes open and were looking to find the source. Gwan felt like the air itself was vibrating.
"What the fuck?" Murlok's voice broke the silence, and once Gwan caught sight of his pointing arm, she turned around and her jaw dropped.
"Is that..." Santez let go of her hand to shield his eyes from the snow as he looked up.
"It's a helicopter."
Everyone went quiet for a whole minute. Then a frenzy shook them all and everyone began screaming and waving their hands. Being so close to the edge, some people tripped and fell down.
"Stop, calm down! Please, be careful!" Gwan let go of the other person's hand and tugged everyone off the edge of the roof. A quick count confirmed that five people had fallen to their death in the putrid East River. The young girl's heart seized in her chest, but she ignored the pain and the tears. Turning towards the helicopter, another snowflake burning into her cheek, Gwan searched for any motion inside. They were so far up and the snow was making it painful to keep her eyes open. The flying machine took a sharp turn and she saw it.
It was over within a minute. A long, miserable minute. The helicopter was equipped with a shooting machine. Gwan had read about those, she knew they were called machine guns. This was a flying machine gun, not the saviour they had all hoped for. Its descent from the skies was such a sight like she had never seen, and perhaps it would become the last thing she'd ever see. The loud ratatatata deafened the young girl and the first bodies that were hit fell into the green water below, leaving a spreading red splotch. Someone grabbed her arm and pulled her down, but her first thought was Why? We're all going to die anyway...
Murlok's face was nothing like she had ever seen. Splattered blood, sweat, and burns caused by the toxic snow were causing his face to look disgusting, and Gwan's first reaction was to push him away. But he held tight and brought her close to his chest. Terror seized them both and they watched the bodies around them drop like bloodied dolls, lifeless before they even touched the ground.
The people in the flying machine gun seemed to have spotted them and before either of them could whisper goodbye, Murlok's face was blasted by bullets. Gwan couldn't stop herself from shrieking at the top of her lungs, but it lasted only a few seconds. The first shots missed and caught her legs, tearing them to shreds. Her face was covered with Murlok's blood and innards, and the smell was the absolute worse. It was like a thousand pennies had been lodged in her nose and throat.
The pain was excruciating. The people from the helicopter didn't seem to care that they had missed her head; they left her to die. Gwan shook and breathed heavily, stuck under Murlok's cold body for what seemed like hours. There was no other sounds except for the East River and the breeze ruffling through clothes. Gwan could not longer feel anything below her waist when she began humming softly a Christmas carol Murlok had taught her. The words were too difficult to remember, and the blood oozing from her mouth soon made humming impossible.
I think I'll rest now, Murlok... Merry Chri... The thought fleeted before it was over, and the cold darkness swallowed Gwan before her head hit the ground.
Despite it being NaNo and also the launch of this year's WaRP, many of you still made time to submit an entry for one of our more challenging MISC themes:
A MATTER OF TRADITION
Write a story involving a tradition practiced for a holiday of your choice. There are just one or two rules, however.
1. The tradition must be the focus or a key element of your story. It can't just be mentioned in passing or incidental to the plot. If your story wouldn't really change if you removed all mentions of the tradition, it's not passing muster!
2. You cannot focus on any of the traditions normally associated with that holiday or any real holiday. That means any of the following:
Fireworks.
Unwrapping presents.
Going to a church, temple, or other traditional place of worship.
Wearing costumes.
Family dinners. Period.
Anything that is probably listed on a real holiday's Wikipedia page.
Other things we haven't thought of yet. I may add more as you guys think of them for me. XD
Your holiday can be from any time of the year, from anywhere in the world, or even an original holiday devised for a fantasy or sci-fi setting!
The prizes for winning are as follows:
MISC MANAGERS' PICK
One month of free Donator status complete with perks, a special victory ribbon under your avatar for a month, a spot in the MISC Hall of Fame thread to immortalize your win.
One month of free Donator status complete with perks, a special victory ribbon under your avatar for a month, a spot in the MISC Hall of Fame thread to immortalize your win.
MISC COMMUNITY PICK
A special victory ribbon underneath your avatar for a month and a spot in the MISC Hall of Fame thread to immortalize your win.
The Community Pick winners will be selected by the votes cast in this thread. If entries in the Community vote tie for first place, all of those entries will be rewarded with the prizes. Once the voting period is over and the Community Winner has been determined, this thread will also be used to announce the recipient of the Managers' Pick prize.
-
Please make sure to read over the rules for voting and giving feedback before jumping on in.
Keep in mind that entries may contain graphic material. Only entries containing explicit sexual content will be marked NSFW. -
- All entries will be posted anonymously. Voters will need to make a selection based on the quality of the piece, not the name attached to it.
- There will be two winners for each month of MISC: the Community Pick that receives the most votes, and a Manager Pick that will be decided in secret by the MISC managers. Each will receive separate but similar prizes for their accomplishment. On the rare occasion that there is a physical or monetary prize for the month, it will be awarded along with the Manager's Pick to avoid any temptation to pull shenanigans with the votes.
- In the case of a tie in the public vote, each winner will receive the Community Pick prize package.
- People who have entered the contest can vote, but they can't vote for their own entry or it'll be disqualified. Show some love to your fellow writers or don't vote, whatever feels right to you. Votes will be public knowledge so we can keep track of this.
- You aren't allowed to tell anyone which entry is yours until AFTER the voting period is over. Doing anything to solicit votes is not allowed and will get you disqualified, and perhaps even banned from MISC altogether. Telling your friends "hey, I entered MISC this month, go read the entries and vote" is fine; telling people "go vote for #4, that's my entry" is not okay.
- Voters are highly encouraged to read through every entry before voting. We know we can't enforce this, but try to give everyone a chance before picking your favorite.
- The entry with the most votes at the end of the voting period will be declared the Community Pick for that month. However, if the community makes the same selection as the managers, then the second highest vote recipient will be named Community Pick; we don't intend to make the vote seem like it's playing second fiddle to our pick, it's just how it has to work so prize distribution makes sense when there are gift certificates or similar to be won, sorry! The winning entry will win fabulous prizes (fabulousness not guaranteed) and will win a permanent spot in the MISC Hall of Fame thread for all eternity (or until Iwaku explodes).
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- Voters are highly encouraged to post in the voting thread to explain their choice. Full reviews or critiques of the entries are very welcome, but please keep any criticism constructive and civil. Telling someone that their spelling errors and odd word choice made it hard to read is fine, but telling them that they write like shit is not okay.
- Number/letter grades are also highly discouraged as they tend to be arbitrary and to vary widely in interpretation. This applies to any form of comparative grading. It is better to list strengths and weaknesses from the rubric for each entry based on its individual merit rather than assigning a grade.
- If you would like, you may use the same rubric that the managers will be using, provided below. It's entirely optional; don't feel obliged.
MISC MANAGER'S RUBRIC
TECHNIQUE
- Are there spelling/grammar errors or typos? Many, or just a few? How did it affect your ability to read and follow along with the story?
- Is sentence structure and word choice varied? Does the writer show a good grasp of vocabulary and punctuation usage?
- Are there any odd word choices or places where you stumble? Is everything clear and easy to understand?
STYLE
- Do you get a sense of the narrative voice when reading along? Is it consistent throughout the narrative?
- Do the punctuation and sentence structure show a sophistication of style? Does it seem like deliberate choices were made to create a certain flow?
- Is there use of vivid, engrossing description? Can you easily picture scenes in your head?
- Does the story captivate your interest? Do you find yourself skimming?
CHARACTERIZATION
- Do characters have distinct, believable voices of their own? Is the dialogue natural or does it feel forced?
- Do characters show complexity and depth of emotion? Do you get a sense of who they are and what motivates them?
- Do the characters seem appropriate for the setting?
- Do the decisions made or conclusions reached by characters within the scope of the story make sense? Do we learn more about them through their actions?
- Are the characters likable or interesting? Do you have any strong emotion toward them?
CREATIVITY
- Are the plot and/or setting fresh and original? Do they show imagination?
- Are there any new twists on old ideas or common elements? Has the writer surprised you?
- Are there any subplots or underlying themes that you can identify?
- Has the writer used symbolism, metaphor, allegory, or subtext?
COHESIVENESS
- Does the story adhere to the prompt? How closely? Is there any way you feel it deviates from the spirit?
- Do the ideas involved seem fully developed?
- Is there a plot? Do you get a sense of advancement in the story? Do characters learn or accomplish anything?
- Does the story make sense as a whole and flow seamlessly from beginning to end? Is there anything that feels like it doesn't fit or is unnecessary?
- Is the ending satisfying? Does it feel like a complete story?
Now that all of the technical stuff is out of the way, please enjoy the entries! Congrats to everyone who was brave enough to enter this month too, despite everything going on. I know a lot of you were NaNo participants to boot. Major kudos!
Shandra awoke to his small, ten-year-old body being doused in water, the kid jolting off the ground as a whole bucketload splashed into him. Sputtering and coughing, he stood up, sopping wet, to stare at a certain female monk grinning at him with pinched-shut eyes.
"Happy Son Klahn!" Jing shouted happily, holding up her arms happily with a bucket in hand within the barn the two had shared the night previously.
Please don't blame me. I did my best to stop her, a certain black cat thrummed apologetically as he tried to wind around Shandra's skinny legs.
The boy's shoulders slumped as he grumbled back to her, "Happy Son Klahn. Where did you get the bucket?"
"Oh, the farmer let me use it in return for blessing his property," Jing said, swinging the bucket absentmindedly, eyes squinted ever shut as she continued beaming her perpetual smile. The yaksant tattoos that covered her bald head and shoulders gleamed in the sunshine, almost seeming to glow against the bright black of her robe.
In comparison, Shandra felt disgusting. He was still wearing the pants he'd brought from home, with not much else besides. His hair needed combed, and his skin felt crusted with mud. He longed for a good bath, though his impromptu one was not the least welcome. He preferred bathing with his clothes off in a tub, rather than inside of a barn.
"So what are we doing today? We're not going anywhere if it's Son Klahn," Shandra said, wincing at the thought of the crowds which would no doubt be about -- and the perpetual dousing that would ensue.
Perhaps we should stay in the barn. I could do with a nap.
"Nonsense, Tong. You're always such a buzzkill! We need to make a lotus boat!" Jing said excitedly.
"But there's going to be hundreds of people out!" Shandra whined.
Armed with hoses, Tong groaned, a shiver passing over him at the thought.
"Hey, I'm just trying to do this for the greater good! After all, you're just going to leave this poor spirit to wander the earth eternally?" Jing asked, stepping aside to reveal an ethereal young girl sucking her thumb and holding a palm-leaf doll.
Shandra rubbed his face despondently as the young girl said, "My name is Yoong. I miss my family. Where am I?"
"See? She misses her family. And we're going to help her find them. With a lotus boat."
"I think you want an excuse to make a lotus boat."
"Nonsense! Business before pleasure, young Shandra. And you still owe me for breaking my staff anyways."
"I already paid that off! The only reason I haven't gone home, is you can't take care of yourself, and Tong would yank all his hair out trying!"
I appreciate the thought, Shandra.
"You're welcome."
Jing pouted and squatted down to the young girl's level, pointing to her tears.
"But how can you say no to this face? Isn't this what Son Klahn is all about? Helping people and being thankful and sending ancestors to the afterlife?"
"You don't believe in the af--"
Shandra stopped in his tracks as Jing's nostrils flared and her smile became a grimace, glancing at the young girl who had snot dripping out of her nose and tears running down her face. A glance at Jing was enough to know that should he continue that sentence, he would be washing her robes for a whole three days, given how much grave dirt she'd attempt to get on them. Besides that, there was no need to upset the little spirit, who just wanted to find her family and, more than likely, had no idea she was dead to start.
The young Bangladain boy scuffed the ground and muttered, "Fine. Where do we start? I've never done this."
Three hours later, Shandra found himself -- again -- doused with water, Tong alongside him, at the edge of a weekend market. He swung petulantly at the older boys who shouted "Happy Son Klahn!", only managing to somewhat dry his punching arm with his errant blow. Tong, likewise, hissed at them.
When I was a warrior, no one would have deigned to throw water at me on Son Klahn. They sprinkled on my feet, Tong growled as he shook the water out of his fur.
"You mean, like that?" Shandra asked, pointing to Jing, old women bowing solemnly to sprinkle water on her bare feet from ornate tin bowls. Jing, for her part, accepted the treatment graciously, thanking them with a smile.
However, it did not escape eithers' notice that everyone else, despite the crush of people, gave the monk a very wide berth. In such a busy marketplace, she had almost ten feet surrounding her, a shark surrounded by herring. The young girl spirit clung to her robes, unseen by the old women who sprinkled water upon Jing's feet.
She'll need you to buy the boat. It is beyond my knowledge whether these shopkeepers will donate to her. Some are more forthright, and others--
"--think she is bad luck," Shandra finished, eying mothers drawing their children closer as they walked around the monk talking to an old woman. "What makes you think they'll sell to me? I'm kaek. A foreigner."
Tong wound around his legs and stared at a shopkeeper down the row selling whole lotus boats.
Money talks. And you've still got some left from the last job. It should be enough. Explain, and I'm sure they will understand.
Tong's advice was correct. After shopping around, he found another Bangladain selling unassembled lotus boats, and after a short conversation, he gave him a half-off discount alongside the typical haggling. Jing, meanwhile, scrounged up candles and talked to the little girl, keeping her calm. A lance of sympathy went through Shandra as he watched Jing look the girl in the eye to give her, quietly, "the talk." The little girl became a sobbing wreck as Jing explained to her that she was, not only lost, but also deceased. Her spirit shivered for all of a moment, and Shandra was afraid the girl might journey forward a plane in an attempt to remain "alive", but she stayed in sight. Tong and Shandra decided to sit it out, rather than intrude on such a sensitive moment. Jing asked the girl a question, and the little girl nodded, grabbing her hand.
With that out of the way, Jing led the small spirit out of the market, Tong and Shandra right behind. Jing and Shandra grabbed lunch, with Jing giving over half to Tong and a bit to Yoong. As the evening approached, Jing and Shandra tried to build the boat, managing to make something that looked like it would float, all while Tong allowed the little girl to carry him around and put him on random objects to see if he could stand on them.
Evening fell, and all four journeyed -- along with the rest of the town populace -- towards the Chao Racha River. While many gathered with family at specific spots, Jing chose a spot far from the crowds.
"You think something will want to come for…" Shandra asked, glancing over at the little girl and then to the monk.
Jing continued to stare out over the mile-wide river, a placid smile still on her face.
"I will take care of it, Shandra. I've already put holy twine around this part of the river. Nothing too serious will interrupt us," Jing said, her eyes on the setting sun.
Jing, I think it might be time, Tong said, laying on Yoong's lap as the little girl dozed against a tree. Do you think she will pass on?
"I think she will. Here, Shandra -- for helping out," Jing said, offering him a banana leaf full of jellied candies, a rare and expensive treat. Shandra accepted with some awe, a smile crossing his typically dour face. However, he glanced over his shoulder at Yoong, and he walked over to her.
"Hey, you want some?" he asked, and the little spirit blearily smiled at him, reaching for a piece. Despite the fact she passed through the candy, a piece the size of a bite disappeared.
"Thank you," she said, hugging Tong.
"Yoong, come here a moment. I want you to come help me with this boat…"
Tong and Shandra watched as Jing lit the candle in the lotus boat, putting it on the river's surface. She leaned down and pointed to it as it began to drift with the current, and Yoong's gaze followed it. Jing said a few words into the girl's ear, and in a blink, the girl disappeared, an orb of light following the boat instead. Other boats began to join as people sent their own upstream, a whole cloud of bright candles with orbs only Jing, Tong, and Shandra could see.
Shandra sat beside Jing to watch the procession of candles flow downriver, the two sharing companionable silence. As the evening wore on, and the festivities continued with food, drink, and candles, Shandra drifted off to sleep against a bodhi tree. Seeing that the boy was asleep, Jing removed a second unassembled lotus boat along with a punk to stick in it.
You had another? Tong asked, stepping closer to sniff it.
"He would have asked why I had two," Jing said quietly, folding it into a boat with practiced motions. "You know, this was my favorite holiday as an acolyte. I would go out with Jahn to round up all the floaters, you know-- unbound spirits. Then, after, we'd share some jellied candy and send off the boats to lead them to… whatever else is next."
Jing held the punk between her hands in prayer position, waving the smoke into ribbons through the air with ritualistic solemnity, and Tong asked, Is this one for her, then? Jahn?
Jing did not answer as she stuck the punk into the boat, its tiny glow pitifully small against the dark night. She pushed the boat into the water, and the river began to slowly sweep it towards its brighter kindred. Jing watched, kneeling at the water's edge, as its glow grew smaller and smaller.
Do you miss her? Tong asked, winding around her back and looking up at his friend's face.
"I wish that I did," Jing murmured.
"Happy Son Klahn!" Jing shouted happily, holding up her arms happily with a bucket in hand within the barn the two had shared the night previously.
Please don't blame me. I did my best to stop her, a certain black cat thrummed apologetically as he tried to wind around Shandra's skinny legs.
The boy's shoulders slumped as he grumbled back to her, "Happy Son Klahn. Where did you get the bucket?"
"Oh, the farmer let me use it in return for blessing his property," Jing said, swinging the bucket absentmindedly, eyes squinted ever shut as she continued beaming her perpetual smile. The yaksant tattoos that covered her bald head and shoulders gleamed in the sunshine, almost seeming to glow against the bright black of her robe.
In comparison, Shandra felt disgusting. He was still wearing the pants he'd brought from home, with not much else besides. His hair needed combed, and his skin felt crusted with mud. He longed for a good bath, though his impromptu one was not the least welcome. He preferred bathing with his clothes off in a tub, rather than inside of a barn.
"So what are we doing today? We're not going anywhere if it's Son Klahn," Shandra said, wincing at the thought of the crowds which would no doubt be about -- and the perpetual dousing that would ensue.
Perhaps we should stay in the barn. I could do with a nap.
"Nonsense, Tong. You're always such a buzzkill! We need to make a lotus boat!" Jing said excitedly.
"But there's going to be hundreds of people out!" Shandra whined.
Armed with hoses, Tong groaned, a shiver passing over him at the thought.
"Hey, I'm just trying to do this for the greater good! After all, you're just going to leave this poor spirit to wander the earth eternally?" Jing asked, stepping aside to reveal an ethereal young girl sucking her thumb and holding a palm-leaf doll.
Shandra rubbed his face despondently as the young girl said, "My name is Yoong. I miss my family. Where am I?"
"See? She misses her family. And we're going to help her find them. With a lotus boat."
"I think you want an excuse to make a lotus boat."
"Nonsense! Business before pleasure, young Shandra. And you still owe me for breaking my staff anyways."
"I already paid that off! The only reason I haven't gone home, is you can't take care of yourself, and Tong would yank all his hair out trying!"
I appreciate the thought, Shandra.
"You're welcome."
Jing pouted and squatted down to the young girl's level, pointing to her tears.
"But how can you say no to this face? Isn't this what Son Klahn is all about? Helping people and being thankful and sending ancestors to the afterlife?"
"You don't believe in the af--"
Shandra stopped in his tracks as Jing's nostrils flared and her smile became a grimace, glancing at the young girl who had snot dripping out of her nose and tears running down her face. A glance at Jing was enough to know that should he continue that sentence, he would be washing her robes for a whole three days, given how much grave dirt she'd attempt to get on them. Besides that, there was no need to upset the little spirit, who just wanted to find her family and, more than likely, had no idea she was dead to start.
The young Bangladain boy scuffed the ground and muttered, "Fine. Where do we start? I've never done this."
Three hours later, Shandra found himself -- again -- doused with water, Tong alongside him, at the edge of a weekend market. He swung petulantly at the older boys who shouted "Happy Son Klahn!", only managing to somewhat dry his punching arm with his errant blow. Tong, likewise, hissed at them.
When I was a warrior, no one would have deigned to throw water at me on Son Klahn. They sprinkled on my feet, Tong growled as he shook the water out of his fur.
"You mean, like that?" Shandra asked, pointing to Jing, old women bowing solemnly to sprinkle water on her bare feet from ornate tin bowls. Jing, for her part, accepted the treatment graciously, thanking them with a smile.
However, it did not escape eithers' notice that everyone else, despite the crush of people, gave the monk a very wide berth. In such a busy marketplace, she had almost ten feet surrounding her, a shark surrounded by herring. The young girl spirit clung to her robes, unseen by the old women who sprinkled water upon Jing's feet.
She'll need you to buy the boat. It is beyond my knowledge whether these shopkeepers will donate to her. Some are more forthright, and others--
"--think she is bad luck," Shandra finished, eying mothers drawing their children closer as they walked around the monk talking to an old woman. "What makes you think they'll sell to me? I'm kaek. A foreigner."
Tong wound around his legs and stared at a shopkeeper down the row selling whole lotus boats.
Money talks. And you've still got some left from the last job. It should be enough. Explain, and I'm sure they will understand.
Tong's advice was correct. After shopping around, he found another Bangladain selling unassembled lotus boats, and after a short conversation, he gave him a half-off discount alongside the typical haggling. Jing, meanwhile, scrounged up candles and talked to the little girl, keeping her calm. A lance of sympathy went through Shandra as he watched Jing look the girl in the eye to give her, quietly, "the talk." The little girl became a sobbing wreck as Jing explained to her that she was, not only lost, but also deceased. Her spirit shivered for all of a moment, and Shandra was afraid the girl might journey forward a plane in an attempt to remain "alive", but she stayed in sight. Tong and Shandra decided to sit it out, rather than intrude on such a sensitive moment. Jing asked the girl a question, and the little girl nodded, grabbing her hand.
With that out of the way, Jing led the small spirit out of the market, Tong and Shandra right behind. Jing and Shandra grabbed lunch, with Jing giving over half to Tong and a bit to Yoong. As the evening approached, Jing and Shandra tried to build the boat, managing to make something that looked like it would float, all while Tong allowed the little girl to carry him around and put him on random objects to see if he could stand on them.
Evening fell, and all four journeyed -- along with the rest of the town populace -- towards the Chao Racha River. While many gathered with family at specific spots, Jing chose a spot far from the crowds.
"You think something will want to come for…" Shandra asked, glancing over at the little girl and then to the monk.
Jing continued to stare out over the mile-wide river, a placid smile still on her face.
"I will take care of it, Shandra. I've already put holy twine around this part of the river. Nothing too serious will interrupt us," Jing said, her eyes on the setting sun.
Jing, I think it might be time, Tong said, laying on Yoong's lap as the little girl dozed against a tree. Do you think she will pass on?
"I think she will. Here, Shandra -- for helping out," Jing said, offering him a banana leaf full of jellied candies, a rare and expensive treat. Shandra accepted with some awe, a smile crossing his typically dour face. However, he glanced over his shoulder at Yoong, and he walked over to her.
"Hey, you want some?" he asked, and the little spirit blearily smiled at him, reaching for a piece. Despite the fact she passed through the candy, a piece the size of a bite disappeared.
"Thank you," she said, hugging Tong.
"Yoong, come here a moment. I want you to come help me with this boat…"
Tong and Shandra watched as Jing lit the candle in the lotus boat, putting it on the river's surface. She leaned down and pointed to it as it began to drift with the current, and Yoong's gaze followed it. Jing said a few words into the girl's ear, and in a blink, the girl disappeared, an orb of light following the boat instead. Other boats began to join as people sent their own upstream, a whole cloud of bright candles with orbs only Jing, Tong, and Shandra could see.
Shandra sat beside Jing to watch the procession of candles flow downriver, the two sharing companionable silence. As the evening wore on, and the festivities continued with food, drink, and candles, Shandra drifted off to sleep against a bodhi tree. Seeing that the boy was asleep, Jing removed a second unassembled lotus boat along with a punk to stick in it.
You had another? Tong asked, stepping closer to sniff it.
"He would have asked why I had two," Jing said quietly, folding it into a boat with practiced motions. "You know, this was my favorite holiday as an acolyte. I would go out with Jahn to round up all the floaters, you know-- unbound spirits. Then, after, we'd share some jellied candy and send off the boats to lead them to… whatever else is next."
Jing held the punk between her hands in prayer position, waving the smoke into ribbons through the air with ritualistic solemnity, and Tong asked, Is this one for her, then? Jahn?
Jing did not answer as she stuck the punk into the boat, its tiny glow pitifully small against the dark night. She pushed the boat into the water, and the river began to slowly sweep it towards its brighter kindred. Jing watched, kneeling at the water's edge, as its glow grew smaller and smaller.
Do you miss her? Tong asked, winding around her back and looking up at his friend's face.
"I wish that I did," Jing murmured.
Do You Believe in Magic?
Isaac Hammel
"The most difficult thing is choosing where to begin a story, particularly one you're not likely to believe, regardless of any evidence I may be able to produce," I said to my oh so captive audience, all sitting in their wheelchairs. Mr. Gregor's head has fallen to the side and drool has dribbled down onto his arm his mouth agape in an endless stupor.
Ellen, Mr. Finch, and Gary are watching the snow fall outside, tiny sparkling crystals collecting on the ground in a soft cold blanket. I find myself giving up on telling my story before it's really begun, who'd believe it anyway? None of these old fools.
Joining the three at the window, I remember when snow used to bring with it happy memories, Kaylee particularly loved the snow. I remember the way she would grab my hand at the first sign of snow and pull me outside.
Closing my eyes I can still see her dark ebony hair speckled with those magical white crystals, her rosy pink cheeks, and sparkling green eyes. The memory is slower than reality as I savor every moment of it, recalling the crisp cold smell and that sweet cheerful sound of her laughter.
"Make a wish Isaac, it's the first snow of winter" she'd say.
"Did you decide where to begin?" Mr. Finch asked.
"Huh?" I say, forgetting all about what I had been saying just a moment ago.
"Your story" he prompted
"Oh" annoyed at my own aging mind I scowled, but not at him, I nodded "Yes, where to start…" I paused and thought. Ellen and Gary have turned their eyes back to me again.
"I went to Alaska with my girlfriend for Christmas that year, 32 years old is all, such a young age" I shake my head, young and foolhardy. "She said it was tradition for her to go home for the entire month of December and stay until after new years, but was vague about why. I was just excited she invited me to come and meet her family, I didn't question it. It was one step closer to her accepting my marriage proposal, and that's all I cared about."
I leaned back in my own wheelchair and closed my eyes, letting the details wash over me. "Everything was going well until we went out shooting a few days before Christmas"
--
Mother Knows Best
Mother Knows Best
Kaylee Everson
I can't pinpoint the exact moment when I thought it was a good idea to invite Isaac home for the holidays. I'd thought about it many times but always ruled it out, ultimately it was a spur of the moment decision. Nonetheless, I was warily excited. I longed to share this part of myself with him. I only hoped he could accept it.
"Kaylee, are you listening?" my mother, Tasha, spoke up, disrupting my thoughts. It was just the two of us, most everyone else had gone to bed.
Isaac and my father, however, had gone out to the workshop to have, what my mother constituted as 'guy time' I couldn't complain. My father had all but ostracized him before they had even become acquainted. Now, however, there seemed to be some semblance of acceptance. I'd take whatever I could get.
"Sorry" I apologized and smiled a little, sipping my hot chocolate, I nodded for her to go on. My mother's hot chocolate was the best, home-brewed dark chocolate with a hint of ginger.
"You brought him here to tell him the truth honey, you had better do so before he finds out on his own." Tasha advised "I'm surprised he hasn't already, he's been here three weeks"
"I know mom, I just...I don't know how to go about it" I said with trepidation in my voice
"You want to marry him don't you?" my mother asked gently.
"Yes," I'd desired it since he'd asked. His enduring patience with me only made me love him more.
"So that means he's going to be a part of this family and a part of our family traditions" my mother reminded me. She was right of course, I couldn't discount that.
"I know…I can't marry him until he accepts our traditions…" it was hard to choose family and duty over him, but it was expected of me, I was never truly free "I just don't see why I have to sustain it, Luke, Marcus Allen, and Elli all still live in the area and…" I started but my mother cut off my assertion.
"It wouldn't be fair to them if you left and lived a life away from this, it is who we are Kaylee, you have to accept that too" she reiterated.
"But why mom, why is it so harrowing to you, they wouldn't care…" at least I didn't think they would. They liked this life, I was the black sheep.
" Kaylee, you have always been a little different than the rest of us, but, you're still one of us. Now, we've made a lot of exceptions for you, Isaac is one of them, we are willing to let him in, isn't that enough?" My mother always had a way of making me feel culpable. I already had been given special privileges that others in my family hadn't had.
"I'll take him out shooting tomorrow and I'll show him then..." I decided, it wouldn't be easy, this would make or break our relationship. My heart hammered in my chest just thinking about it.
Our conversation ended as Isaac came back in with my father.
Isaac sat down on the couch beside me and I cuddled up against his side. He was tall and strong, contrasting my family or anyone I had grown up with, maybe that's why I was so attracted to him. He smelled like cedar, a lingering smell from my dad's familiar workshop. The scent brought with it fond memories, I liked it.
"So I was thinking we should go shooting tomorrow" I invited before I could be accused of being craven, my mom gave me an encouraging smile.
"Sure" Isaac easily agreed, kissing my temple, I smiled back up at him. He'd been so agreeable since I'd invited him there it was almost unsettling.
--
Moving Target
Moving Target
Isaac Hammel
Kaylee led the way along a marked path out back of the house, going deeper into the woods.
"Come on, we'll go to the top of that hill" Kaylee gestured with her rifle. Looked like a good enough spot to me.
Hiking to the top proved to be more of a challenge than I thought, we had to make our own path through the powdery snow.Virginia got cold and got snow, but nothing like this.
I was huffing by the time we got there, but Kaylee seemed as chipper as ever. Did she ever wear down? She at least let me catch my breath and didn't mock my inadequacy.
"Ok. See that dead limb down there, that's my target," she said and I nodded. "That one over there, that's yours," she said. I nodded again.
"Why exactly did we trudge all the way up here to shoot at sticks?" I asked with a bit of a smile.
"Because it's good for you," she said before she pulled on her ear protection, I followed suit, I'm all for ringing Christmas bells, but not my ears.
I firmly planted my feet and held the rifle the way she had sown me how out at the range. It took me longer than her to get my sights lined up, even after all the target shooting we had done the past months I wasn't nearly as good as her. Kaylee was just a natural and I wasn't.
She emptied her clip before I did. But she waited patiently.
"Go on see if you outshot me!" she grinned
"Why? I already know you did better" I laughed. She rolled her eyes at me.
"Oh go on, you might have improved" she encouraged "here give me that" she held her hand out and I gave up the rifle. "I'll reload while you check out our work"
I wasn't looking forward to climbing the hill again but I went down regardless, following the same path we'd made to get up there. Although it wasn't much of one, the fine snow filling the tracks worse than sand. At least going down was easier, I slipped half the way I reached our targets fairly quickly.
As I expected, her branch had a nice grouping of splintered holes and mine, while not terrible, wasn't quite as tightly grouped.
That's when I heard the cracking of branches. I looked up and saw a dark shape moving between the trees coming towards me. A bear? No, bigger, taller than that, I took a step back, it was coming closer.
"Isaac run!" I heard Kaylee shout from atop the hill, she had a better vantage point and could probably see what it was and she knew this area and the animals, she knew better what to do. I turned and ran for it, fully trusting her.
I could hear it already gaining on me! How could I outrun, whatever this was, and where was I running to? I didn't know this area! I wished I hadn't left my rifle with Kaylee.
I glanced back and saw the dark figure coming closer, almost a blur, an indistinguishable mass. I pushed myself to run faster.
I had never run so fast or so hard in all my life as I did in that moment, tearing through the dimming light of evening with what I felt was inhuman speed, leaping over fallen trees and launching off stones to give myself extra momentum. Pine needles scraped against my face and arms, the upper branches dropping their load of snow behind me.
I could hear my own breathing coming hard, my chest burning as my lungs screamed at me, not used to the thinner frozen air.
I could almost feel it's hot breath that came in huffs like an angry bull about to be released into the arena. I tried to pick up speed but I simply couldn't move any faster.
"Isaac drop!" I heard Kaylee shout over the roar of blood flow in my ears. I didn't hesitate, I dropped, my momentum rolling me forward through the snow.
I couldn't see where she was but I heard the unmistakable crack of gunfire. I counted 1, 2, 3 shots. Kaylee never missed when we went to the range, one shot should have done the trick.
Managing to find which way was up again I climbed to my feet and looked back the way I had come. Nothing but snow-laden trees and the disturbed path I'd carved through them. Chest heaving and lungs screaming I looked around for Kaylee or any sign of the monster. I found Kaylee standing boldly in a clearing with the rifle still raised. Even from where I stood I could see the panicked rise and fall of her chest. No sign of what had been chasing me. She must have scared it off.
I half stumbled through the snow towards Kaylee, my body shaking with adrenaline. "What was that thing!" I found myself speaking more harshly than I had intended.
"I can explain everything, but we have to get back to the house," She said quickly "Please just trust me a little longer Isaac" she pleaded with me. I ground my teeth, she knew there was a monster out here!? I wanted to object, demand answers, but the thought of that thing chasing me through the woods made getting back to the safety of the cabin sound like the best idea.
"Fine" I grunted in response. I had no idea where we were, this was her home, not mine, I'd never been to Alaska before she'd invited me along for Christmas. I'd eagerly agreed, she'd told me that before she could accept my proposal I had to come home for Christmas. I didn't know what that entailed but I'd thought I was ready for anything. I certainly wasn't ready for this, whatever this was.
"Does this thing have something to do with this elusive family tradition you won't tell me about?" I demanded as we walked. I hadn't gotten a clear look at it but it was bigger than a bear but I'd seen horns like nothing I'd ever heard of and it ran on two legs. A dark horrible shape coming after me, and then, just gone like it hadn't existed at all.
Kaylee nodded. "I don't know where to begin explaining Isaac…," she said, not meeting my gaze, she'd kept this from me, I'd thought there were no secrets between us. I guess I was wrong.
"Why don't you start with what was chasing me" I suggested, my tone wasn't all too kind, I had every reason to be upset.
"Krampus" She spoke the single word with a fixed frown "He's been locked up for a long time, we've made sure of it but he's apparently escaped and we have to stop him now before he gets any children"
"Krampus? But that's just a story, it's not real" I protested, scoffing at the very idea.
"Didn't he look real enough to you?" She challenged, casting me a serious look, she wasn't kidding around. I hardly knew how to respond. a monster had chased me and my girlfriend claimed it was a mythical being called Krampus, an evil counterpart to jolly Saint Nick who punished naughty children rather than gifted them with presents. Did this mean Santa was real too?
I didn't question her any further as we walked, just trying to make some sense of what I'd already seen and been told.
So distracted with my thoughts, the walk back seemed shorter.
Kaylee picked up the pace as the cabin came into view and went inside ahead of me.
"Krampus escaped!" I heard her calling out. When I came in it was organized chaos as each geared up for the hunt. They all believed in this Krampus business? Even her aunt Nelda was pulling on snow boots. I noted she looked more distressed than the others who cast glances towards her but said nothing. Her husband Teddy was the only one missing from the group.
"Mom, should I call the others?" I heard Kaylee asking
"Yes raise the alarm, we can't take any chances this close to Christmas" the other woman answered as she zipped up her coat. Tasha's attention shifted back to Nelda, her expression sympathetic. "Elli, Allen, go with Nelda" I heard her saying.
Others? I thought, who all was in on this? Where was her uncle Teddy? I barely had the chance to think of the questions before Kaylee was dashing off to the office, I followed, needing more answers, this was just nuts! "Kaylee what's going on!" I demanded of her but she waved for me to be quiet, picking up the radio receiver.
"This is Everson calling a code red, I repeat code red, calling everyone in for backup, please respond" Kaylee spoke into the radio, then waited.
"Kaylee please what's happening!? Is everyone in on this Krampus business? Shouldn't we be calling, I don't know, animal control? it just has to be some animal that's all!" I didn't realize I was shouting as I tried to find some more reasonable explanation, Krampus wasn't doing it for me.
"Shh!" Kaylee hissed at me as the radio came to life.
"This is Raider One, eta, twenty minutes, over and out" was the first call back in
"Don't shh me! I need some answers, Kaylee!" I interrupted, she only cast me a look that told me I wasn't getting an answer yet.
"Thompson, eta eighty minutes, over and out" came the second. The calls went on for a good ten minutes. I assumed they were other families by the names being given. I tried to be patient but this was feeling all surreal, like some sort of movie or a dream maybe. A very vivid dream that I wish I'd wake up from. I tried to be patient, pacing back and forth, images of that thing chasing my thoughts across my mind.
Kaylee, at last, turned her attention back to me "I don't have a lot of time to explain…. I'm sorry it had to happen this way but…We're the family charged with the duty of guarding Krampus, making sure he never escapes, my family traditionally takes the December shift every year because it was my great-grandfather who imprisoned Krampus" Kaylee explained in short and it wasn't the explanation I wanted.
I sank into the office chair, bewildered. None of this was falling within the realm of reason, how was I supposed to just accept this madness? If I hadn't of seen that thing in the woods I wouldn't even be considering it as possible at all.
"Krampus?" I repeated, trying to be calm.
Kaylee knelt down in front of me and took my hands in hers, looking up to meet my eyes. "Isaac" she spoke softly, as if afraid that if she spoke any louder I might break. "I know this is confusing and difficult for you," she said, I listened, studying those deep expressive eyes of hers.
"I understand if you want to walk away from all of this, pretend it didn't happen, but, I'm hoping you will trust me long enough to let me explain things better when all this is over, I love you, Isaac, but right now, I've got to go and help stop Krampus" there was such earnest in her voice, how could I deny her a chance to at least try and explain. I looked into her eyes, I could understand why she had kept all this from me, who could believe it? Yet, I knew her, she wasn't crazy.
"Alright" I found myself saying "I'll stick it out" I agreed. But I certainly wasn't going out there, then again, she was, and I couldn't well let whatever that creature was harm her. "But I'm going on the hunt with you" I wasn't leaving any room for negotiating about that and she didn't try. Instead, she stood up and pulled me to my feet.
"Then you're going to need a tranquilizer gun," she said seriously but with a hint of a smile, I didn't smile back. I still couldn't believe any of this was happening. What was I getting myself into? I asked myself as I watched Kaylee stand up and move around to the desk to the gun cabinet. She opened it up and pulled out an air rifle and passed it to me. I would have preferred the shotgun.
Kaylee took a box from the top shelf and laid it out on the desk, opening it to reveal the tranquilizing darts. "Careful with these" she cautioned. Obviously, I knew that. I remained quiet though as she walked me through the process of how to load the darts. It was fairly straightforward, if I could handle a gun with regular old bullets, I could handle this.
Loaded and ready I slung the strap over my shoulder "Let's go catch us a monster" I tried to make it lighter but the statement was too close to the truth.
I heard the doorbell ring and guessed one of the other families had arrived, Raiders was it? I didn't particularly care.
"Come on" Kaylee nodded for me to follow her out, the group was congregating at the back door, faces I knew from the three weeks I'd spent there and the new ones giving me odd looks. All of them were shorter than me. I never thought I was tall until I came here. Thirteen in all, a fair number for a good hunt I thought.
Introduction were made but they might as well have been named after the dwarves Bilbo found himself mixed up with for how well I could keep their names right.
"Kaylee will lead the way, Liam, take the rear and mark the trail with these pink markers" Kaylee's father, Benjamin, Kaylee's father, ordered, acting as Gandalf in this company.
With the orders given, Kaylee and I went out first, following the same path we'd taken to get back, at least I assumed so, it all looked the same to me.
The twelve other dwarves followed, for how easily they pushed through the snow and didn't complain I thought maybe they really were dwarves.
I had a time of it keeping pace with them but I managed, just focusing on getting there and not raising any questions. I was glad though when we came to a stop at the clearing where Kaylee had scared Krampus off, I could still see the path myself and the beast had made through the trees.
Kaylee motioned for the group to come to a stop, everyone was on alert, forming a circle so Krampus couldn't come from any angle unnoticed.
Myself, Kaylee and Benjamin, moved forward. We came to the spot where Krampus had disappeared, the footprints were indistinguishable in the snow but it was obvious something large had come through there with how the snow was disturbed. "Where did it go from here Kaylee?" Benjamin asked.
"When he saw me he went off that way" she shone her flashlight off to our left. Benjamin lifted his larger spotlight, sure enough, we could see where tree branches had been disturbed, some even broken.
"I don't like this, he has the advantage at night," Benjamin said shaking his head.
"We can't wait until morning, who know's where he will be then, who knows where he is now" Kaylee countered "The trail is fresh, if we act quickly we can catch him"
"Catch him, why not kill him?" I said shaking my head, seemed to me something this dangerous ought to just be killed.
Benjamin turned a steady gaze on me "You don't just kill Krampus"
"Why not?" I was an outsider, I realized this but I didn't understand
"It's not the way" Benjamin answered
"What, because of tradition? Screw tradition!" I said, this was even crazier than I thought!
"Isaac please," Kaylee said gently, putting a hand on my arm.
"No, no that thing almost killed me tonight and you want to catch it!? Do you people realize how crazy you sound!?" I blurted the words out of frustration. Kaylee should have been angry but she wasn't. Her father, however, was a different story.
"This is exactly why we don't let humans into our lives, Kaylee!" Benjamin turned on Kaylee.
"Humans!? What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, I was owed some explanations, whatever Benjamin thought.
"You didn't tell him?!" Benjamin's attention was still on Kaylee. He could care less about what I was going through!
"No not yet" she answered and looked furtively between me and her father.
Things were making even less sense. "I thought the whole Krampus situation was enough to handle right now," Kaylee said in her own defense, I'd never seen a more sheepish look on her face.
"Will someone please explain!?" Why was nobody clueing me in!
"We're elves, yes, Christmas elves and it's our job to keep Krampus from taking children" Benjamin replied heatedly, he was standing up on his toes now trying to be at eye level with me.
I stared at him, "Elves and Krampus? What next? The Easter bunny and fairies or something?"
"Isaac" Kaylee started to say but a bellowing cry sounded from somewhere in the woods, silencing any conversation. That was probably for the best with the way it was turning.
"This way!" Benjamin called to the group. They came running to where we stood, ready for the hunt. All of these people were under the delusion they were elves protecting the world from Krampus? Some demon headed goat monster? I'd heard the stories growing up and seen the movies sure but this was ridiculous. It had to be a joke!
As the group began to follow Benjamin, I didn't move, Kaylee stood with me "Isaac?" she asked.
"Is this some kind of joke? Because it's not funny" I said, watching as the rest of the group moved off into the tree's, following the direction Kaylee had pointed out.
"No...It's no joke Isaac..I wish it was right now" Kaylee answered me.
"I can't Kaylee, I can't go along with this, it's too crazy," I said, looking down at her, she somehow seemed even smaller than usual. Maybe that was because I expected her to be now knowing she was an elf and all. If that was even true.
She looked at me for a long moment before she spoke "Ok, I'll take you back to the cabin" Kaylee spoke with resigned hope, I almost felt guilty seeing that in her eyes.
She looked over her shoulder at her father "Dad! I'm taking Isaac back to the cabin, I'll catch up with the next group!" she called over to him, she reached for my hand but stopped, thinking better of it, she stepped past me, heading back towards the house. She had to know this hurt me too, didn't she?
--
Melancholy Results
Melancholy Results
Kaylee
He thought I was crazy, how could I blame him? We came from different worlds that were never meant to mingle. My family had been right all along, this could never be, he could never accept this. I wanted to cry, wanted to find comfort in his arms but I doubted I'd find comfort there again. It was over, just like that, over. I'd known him just less than a year but it felt like longer.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Isaac spoke as we got back to the cabin, he was calmer.
"I wanted to tell you Isaac but…. How do you tell someone you're something that's supposed to only exist in stories?" I said, looking at him. "I didn't keep it from you to hurt you, I did it because I was scared" I admitted, my shoulders fell. "I was going to show you when we went out shooting … then Krampus showed up"
"Show me?" he asked
I nodded and slowly put my hands up to my ears and moved them upwards along the side of my head, the magic lifted with my hands, my long elf ears becoming visible.
Isaac gawked at them the way I knew he would. I stared down.
"You...I mean… you're short but I never thought you….an elf?" He said, endeavoring to comprehend. I didn't know what to say, I'd been trying to figure it out ever since our relationship had become serious.
I was glad for the knock at the door, a reason to escape the situation. I stood to answer it. I presumed it was one of the other families having just arrived to reinforce the Krampus hunt. Isaac remained in the kitchen, I could hear him getting a glass down, probably getting himself a well-deserved drink.
A group of four were at the door, dressed in camo and armed with tranquilizer guns.
Trevor was among them, a sweet handsome young man, though hardly my type. He smiled, shaking a stray bit of shaggy brown hair out of his eyes "Hey Kay, been awhile, change your hair?"
I smiled a little and rolled my eyes "It's only been a year Trevor" I said shaking my head.
"A year too long, when you moving home?" Trevor asked. I sighed, there was no time for his futile attempts at flirting.
"The others have gone on ahead, they've marked the trail with pink markers outback" I informed them, just ignoring Trevor, that was usually the best tactic with him.
"Better hurry, they're hot on his tracks right now" There was no time for pleasantries, this was urgent.
"Thanks, Kay," The father said, glancing sidelong at his son, he was short too, we all were but he had a bit of pudge to him, a few too many gingerbread cookies, stereotypical elf. His wife was a pretty blue-eyed blond, her daughter shared her look.
"Come on through the house, you know the way" I invited, opening the door wider for them.
---
Doorbell Ditch
Doorbell Ditch
Isaac
The strongest drink I managed to find was spiced apple cider. Who were these people!? I poured myself a tall glass and sat down with it, at least it was supposed to be a stress relieving drink or whatever. Maybe if I drank enough the little bit of bourbon would take the edge off.
As the group was passing the kitchen I expected them to ignore me but a short kid stopped and stepped into the kitchen, I didn't look up, hardly in the mood to meet anybody new.
"So you're the boyfriend eh?" he asked with a raised brow.
"Yes," I said with a frown, looking up from my drink, I hoped my eyes would tell him to just back off and leave me alone. It didn't work.
"Trevor Lansing" He introduced himself and held out a hand, I didn't take it. So what, I was being rude.
"Ian or something? What was it again?" Trevor asked, glancing at Kaylee who sighed patiently.
"Isaac" she corrected "And I don't want to know how you found out about him" she added.
Trevor grinned innocently "Just looking out for you Kay, that's all" he draped an arm over her shoulders. Kaylee ducked out from under him.
"Trevor, you best be going my dad and the others are waiting" Kaylee reminded, saving the poor kid from a beating. Ok, maybe not a beating but I don't like other men hanging off my girlfriend.
"Alright alright, but, just remember I'm here for ya when this guy breaks your heart" I didn't like what he was insinuating. Trevor flashed me a smirk before kissing Kaylee on the cheek and quickly slipping out the back door after his parents and sister.
I scowled but didn't say anything, I knew he was trying to get under my skin and I was letting him, I was already in a sour mood and that hadn't helped. Right now though, that was the least of my concerns.
Kaylee didn't say anything, she just sat down and poured herself a drink too. She always knew what to say, the fact she was being silent told me she was beyond anxious.
We sat there for a long time, not saying anything, sipping our drinks.
"Kaylee," I said finally, turning the nearly empty glass in front of me in slow methodic circles. I felt like the hulk, so angry and easily pissed off one second and then, when she spoke, when she touched me, when I looked at her, all that melted away.
"Yes?" she said when I failed to go on, I didn't know what to say either.
"I don't know….How to accept this" I said, my brows knitting together.
"I'm still me Isaac" Kaylee reached across the counter and touched my hand, so small and delicate compared to mine. "No more secrets, I promise" she added, I could feel her eyes on me but I couldn't bare to look up.
I frowned, trying to accept this but my mind, logic, reason wanted to reject it. "Start from the top," I said and finally looked up to meet her eyes.
Kaylee nodded and took a breath.
"You know Saint Nicholas, Santa, whatever you want to call him, well, he is all that is good and rewards the good. However, where there is good there is bad" she was using a simple explanation and I was happy for that really, easier for my mind to comprehend.
"Krampus is all that is bad and he punishes the naughty children. He has the legs of a goat the body of a man and the head and horns of a demon" she described the beast I'd seen in the woods. "His eyes are dark holes, his claws and teeth are sharp and he has the power to hypnotize his victims" she explained, he sounded horrible, but he was supposed to be all that was bad right?
"Well, my ancestors decided he shouldn't be allowed to roam free so they captured him and locked him away deep in the earth on my families land where he would never escape to kill again" she frowned at that.
"Families of elves take it in shifts through the year to guard him but my family traditionally takes December as we were the ones to capture him." that explained why one member of the family stepped out each night and swapped with someone else in the morning, they thought I didn't notice. Teddy had left that morning, he hadn't come back, Krampus had escaped and Nelda was upset. Teddy I guessed, was probably dead or otherwise incapacitated.
"That's why I come home every December, it's my duty, a family tradition that I have to carry on, that we would carry on if we married, that's why I had to bring you, why I couldn't say yes" she finished, watching me for my reaction. It was a lot to take in.
"You're an elf, Krampus is real and…" I stopped as the doorbell rang, more 'elves' no doubt to help in the hunt.I know we had been sitting for awhile, but I felt like it should have been longer before the next family arrived.
Kaylee sighed and got up "Just, hold that thought," she said before slipping out of the kitchen and going to the front door again.I put my head in my hands and groaned.
I heard the door open then Kaylee screamed, my blood ran chill, I'd never heard her make that sound before but it drove me to action. I was up off my seat and running for the front door, nearly there before my toppled chair hit the floor.
When I found her, she was standing with the door hanging open, her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide with horror looking down at the porch. I paused and approached a little more slowly. "Kaylee?" I said softly, unsure what had scared her so badly but she didn't appear to be in any immediate danger.
Kaylee didn't move except that she was trembling, her eyes fixed downward.
I came to the door and followed her gaze. I drew in a sharp breath and wanted to puke but kept it in.
The severed head sat tilted to one side, the shaggy brown hair fell over his face but I could see the mouth was agape and the eyes open. Blood was spattered all over the front step and over the door like it had been dropped there carelessly.
My eyes moved up past the head to the yard, searching for movement, the culprit. What I saw however made my skin crawl. It was one thing to see gore in a movie and another to see it in person. The headless body was out in the yard, mangled and torn. The unmistakable plump form of the father wasn't far off. I could assume the two women were dead too, I didn't look for their bodies, I didn't want to see, didn't want to linger on the scene.
I put my arm around Kaylee and pulled her back, closing and latching the door. She hadn't seen the bodies and she didn't need to.
Pulling Kaylee into my arms I just held her while she shook, the shock of seeing the severed head still fresh in her mind. She didn't even like scary movies let alone experiencing the horror first hand. Right now she needed me to be strong, even though I was freaking out too. Who or what had done this? And why? It or him or whatever was tormenting us, ringing the doorbell and leaving the head that way.
Slowly I guided Kaylee back into the living room and sat her down, sitting with her, keeping her in my arms.
A crash like something banging against the side of the house made both of us jump.
"He's after us!" Kaylee blurted in alarm, clinging to me.
"Kaylee, calm down," I said, I knew that wasn't happening but I grabbed her chin and turned her face up towards mine. "Listen to me," I said firmly "You're the best shot I know, you're the fastest runner and you always outwit me. This thing doesn't stand a chance" I tried to say it with conviction. "So, let's get the guns and not sit around and wait for him to kill us too yeah?"
Kaylee met my eyes for a long moment but nodded "Ok… ok" she breathed.
"Good," I said and stood, pulling her up with me.Together we rushed back to the rear entrance where we had left the guns.
Something slammed hard against the back door, the glass shattered sending shards flying in at us, I threw my arm up instinctively to protect my face.
--
Lockdown
Lockdown
Kaylee
Frozen fingers tipped in long sharp claws crashed through the back door window, I only saw it for an instant before I felt it grabbing my shoulder and pulling me back against the door, the sharp claws tore into my shoulder. I reacted without thinking, grabbing the knife I'd put at my hip for the hunt, I stabbed it aimlessly back to where I thought the arm probably was. My knife struck flesh and the hand pulled back, trying to pull my knife with it but I kept a firm hold.
As soon as I felt it pull free I scrambled away from the window, grabbing my gun and Isaac's arm.
"Come on!" I pulled him out of the entry and ran to the office, adrenaline now pumping through me, I barely felt the pain in my shoulder.
Isaac followed me, half stumbling but I had to act fast before Krampus got inside.
Slinging the rifle over my shoulder I ran to the desk and brushed everything off. With the desk cleared I felt around until I found the niche I was looking for, grabbing it I flipped up a touchscreen surface, it came to life only when I placed my hand on the panel to the right.
"What are you doing?" Isaac asked but I ignored him, focusing on the screen, punching in the codes my father had made me memorize from childhood.
Isaac stayed by the door watching down the hall to make sure Krampus didn't get in, air rifle aimed at the entry point.
I thought I heard breaking glass somewhere else in the house but I was too focused on what I was doing to think anything of it.
Thick metal panels slid down over the windows and doors, blocking any entrance or exit to the house. Only then could I breathe easily.
"There, we are safe in here now," I said and looked up at him.
"Well that's handy," Isaac said, lowering the rifle and looking back at me, I smiled a little in response, a fail-safe built into the house years ago.
"You're hurt," Isaac said and stepped closer, I glanced at my shoulder where Krampus had torn into me. I still didn't feel it, my body protecting me against the pain.
"No time" I shook my head and went to the radio on the stand by the door, flicking it on.
"Dad, do you read me?" I said, I had to let them know Krampus was here, getting him was priority.
"I read you" My father's voice crackled back over the speaker.
"Krampus is by the house, he attacked us, we're on lockdown" I reported.
"Stay put, we will head back, radio the others with the update" my father instructed "Over and out"
Isaac frowned and stepped out of the room, he turned right towards the kitchen, probably going after a first aid kit. I would radio the other families while he did that, maybe by then my heart will have stopped racing so much. Aside from that, I had to distract myself from thoughts of Trevor's severed head and Krampus lurking outside.
--
Games Begin
Isaac
I know she said that thing couldn't get in but I still kept the air rifle over my shoulder just in case. The last thing I wanted was to be caught weaponless should it, or he, or whatever, find a way in. It had torn her shoulder so easily it made me shudder.
Finding the first aid kit in the hall closet across from the kitchen I headed back to Kaylee. When I found her, she was sitting in the office chair picking the remains of her shirt away from the cut, she didn't seem to be in pain.
"Here let me," I said as I came to her, taking over cleaning away the debris "Come on, let's go into the bathroom and get it properly cleaned up yeah?" I suggested, trying not to let the blood bother me too much, though, though after seeing a bodiless head, this seemed like nothing.
In the bathroom, I was just finishing getting her bandaged when we both heard the distinct sound of scraping metal. My thoughts went immediately back to the sharp claws. It must have gone to Kaylee's too because she grabbed my hand, eyes wide.
"Don't worry, he can't get in remember?" I said but even as I did the floorboards creaked.
"It's just an old house, old houses creak" I reasoned, still, I slung the rifle off my shoulder and into my hands.
"Stay here" I insisted before I stepped out of the bathroom, my manly duty to protect her taking hold of my good senses to stay put.
Moving down the hall I kept the rifle in both hands ready for use just in case the monster had somehow gotten in and was waiting to ambush me.
As I got closer to the living room my heart raced more rapidly, remembering how fast it had been in the forest, I'd had a head start then. Now it would be close quarters.
I paused at the end of the hall, held my breath lifted the rifle and turned the corner ready to fire and, nothing.I turned left, right but nothing waited to maul me.
Scanning the room again, my eyes fell on metal panels covering the front window. Even from where I stood on the other side of the room I could see the claw marks. That confirmed it, he was inside with us.
"See anything?" Kaylee asked in a whisper as she came up behind me. Her approach made my heart skip, my thoughts on Krampus, if she hadn't of spoken I might have turned and shot her.
"Nothing" I answered, glancing over my shoulder at her "All clear" I didn't mention the claw marks.
A crash came from the office making me jump, damaging my pride a little. Kaylee looked more composed than I did, of course, she had trained for this her whole life or something like that right? Family thing and all that. Still, neither one of us moved, both listening for more movement.
"We don't kill him remember that," Kaylee said before she moved forward.
"I will defend myself and I will defend you, if that means killing it so be it" I countered and moved with her. She didn't argue further.
Another crash from the office and the lights went out, I couldn't help the curse that escaped my lips.
I could barely see anything, the only light was provided by the battery-powered nightlights scattered throughout the house, those lights were dim at best.
My eyes hadn't had time to adjust to the darkness yet before the collision happened, a smelly furry mass throwing me to the ground with a grunt of rotten breath, a slash of claws across my face and it kicked off my chest with sharp cloven hooves, leaving me breathless.
Kaylee screamed beside me and I heard the thud as she went down too. My eyes still adjusting to the dark I rolled to my side and up to my knees and turned towards the hunched horned animal pinning my girlfriend to the ground. I fired the rifle without further hesitation but not as good a shot as Kaylee, the dart glanced off its horn. Still, Krampus bucked it's head back and turned back on me. The face was shadowed under a heavy hood but the eyes I could see were hollow holes boring into me, freezing me to the spot.
Krampus took a step towards me, I couldn't move, face to face with a childhood terror. He tilted his head to the side, it's neck cracking and popping. Slowly he reached out and curled his hand around the barrel of my rifle, his eyes never leaving mine.
"Isaac look away!" Kaylee screamed at me bringing me back to my senses. I tore my eyes away and Krampus opened his mouth and shrieked as he yanked the gun from my hands and threw it away reaching for me with his other hand. I ducked and scrambled.
Kaylee struck Krampus in the back of his skull with the butt of her non air rifle but not hard enough. Krampus swung around arms flinging out he caught her arm in one hand and rifle in the other. Coming around full circle he flung Kaylee against the far wall and ripping the gun from her hands.
"Kaylee!" I screamed as I watched her crumple, I couldn't go to her, Krampus was between us.
Krampus turned back on me but this time I had no weapon. He tried to make eye contact again but I knew better now and this time turned away and bolted for the kitchen. If I could get through there I could get to the office and get another weapon. For now, I had to hope he wouldn't touch Kaylee, my best hope was to take Krampus out.
I heard Krampus coming after me, his hooves clacking on the kitchen tile close on my heels, I wasn't going to make it, he was right on top of me.
Making a split second decision I snatched the kitchen knife off the counter and spun around using Krumpus' own momentum to drive the blade into his chest. Shrieking he reeled back away from me long enough to give me the chance to get through to the other side of the kitchen and into the other hall.
I expected Krampus to follow but he didn't, that worried me, I'd rather he come after me than go after Kaylee. Still, I needed the gun to be of any use.
Rounding the corner into the office I found what the crash had been, Krampus had smashed in the touchscreen on the desk, effectively locking us in. There wasn't time to worry about that now, I ran to the gun cabinet behind the desk and tore it open.
I grabbed the shotgun, no more messing around, Krampus was going down, tradition or not that monster needed to die. I quickly loaded the gun and made my way back towards the living room, turning left rather than right. I didn't want to waste time going around through the kitchen. I could hear a scuffle going on.
--
Unprepared
Unprepared
Kaylee
When I opened my eyes my head was throbbing and my eyes blurred, the dim nightlights fuzzy blobs in the darkness. I could hear the clack of Krampus' hooves in the kitchen, he must have been after Isaac. I felt around in the darkness for anything I might use as a weapon, something to knock Krampus out with, maybe the dart gun if I was lucky.
I found the hearth, feeling along its edge I found the poker, a nice blunt instrument. Armed but far from truly ready, I stood up. My heart palpitating as my eyes fell on the silhouette looming in the entry to the hallway.
Krampus lunged forward and I swung as hard as I could but Krampus caught the poker in both of his massive hands and yanked it from mine like it was nothing but a toy and me a child. All my life I'd trained for the impossibility of Krampus escaping but now I felt totally unprepared.
The imposing figure tried to meet my eyes but I knew better, I looked quickly away, backing towards the window. Krampus swung an arm out to catch me but I dropped down and my hand touched something cold on the floor, my fingers curled around the barrel of the air rifle.
I pulled the rifle quickly up and found the grip and aimed it up at Krampus, pulling the trigger. At the same moment, my eyes fell on Isaac coming in the room behind Krampus.
--
Horror Struck
Horror Struck
Isaac
When I got to the living room I couldn't see Kaylee but guessed Krampus was standing over her. He was so tall his horns scraped the ceiling, she could have been standing and I wouldn't see her.
"Hey!" I shouted, Krampus turned and I fired, at the same moment Kaylee cried out
"No!" the blast was enough to throw Krampus back against the metal panels covering the front windows, he crumpled to the ground unmoving.
Kaylee got to her feet again, staring at it "Did you…. Kill him?" she didn't sound pleased. She stepped closer to get a better look. That was when Krampus lurched forward and grabbed Kaylee by the neck as he rose. I couldn't shoot with her between us.
I didn't have time to react before he threw her into me, I dropped the gun and caught Kaylee, both of us falling to the ground, Krampus dodged out of the room and down a dark hallway. He was just playing games with us. He could have killed Kaylee right then.
Kaylee rolled off of me, rubbing her throat which I was sure would have a nasty bruise in the morning, if we made it that long anyway.
I grabbed the shotgun but Kaylee ripped it from my hands and threw it away "Don't kill Krampus" she said firmly. Did she want us to die?!
Krampus dragged his nails across metal panels in one of the other rooms, I couldn't be sure which. He was taunting us, letting us know the game wasn't up yet. Injured or not he was still a player.
Frustrated with my unreasonable girlfriend I grabbed up the shotgun again and before she could object I stepped into the hallway. I was taking this beast down.
Behind me, I could hear Kaylee fumbling around in the living room, probably to find the rifle, what I wouldn't do for a flashlight right then.
The first two bedroom doors were closed, so that was easy, he wasn't in those. The next was the bathroom, one glance in there told me he wasn't in there, he was too big.
As I neared the darkened doorway of the master bedroom my heart rate picked up.I paused and tried to listen but all I could hear was my own breathing and I swear I could hear the thudding in my chest.
Stilling my nerves I lifted the shotgun and turned swiftly into the room, that was a mistake.
Krampus was waiting beside the door, he grabbed the barrel of the gun, I fired without thinking, a wasted shot as it flew past him entirely. I let go of the shotgun before he could pull me off my feet. That however left me with nothing to defend myself.
Like a coward I turned and ran back down the hall towards the living room, I heard Krampus take chase behind him, his hooves tearing up the carpet and horns scraping the ceiling.
Krampus launched himself forward, I felt his hooves hit my back with enough force to knock the wind out of me, I went down hard. With no breath to cry out I was helpless as cold hands wrapped around my neck. This was the end, he was going to rip my head from my shoulders like that poor kid. I felt the cold rank air as he breathed just inches from my head. I couldn't bring in any air, my vision blurred.
I heard the pop of the air rifle just before I blacked out.
--
Cornered
Cornered
Kaylee
The dart caught in the thick folds of Krampus's robes. His head snapped up and dark hollow eyes looked to me. Isaac wasn't moving as the fingers uncurled from around his neck. I didn't know if he was alive or not.
Krampus slowly stepped off of Isaac's chest and towards me. I still had the rifle raised, I breathed in, half a breath out and squeezed the trigger, click, out of darts.
Krampus jumped forward and threw me back against the wall, my head cracking back for the second time and fell.
Dazed I got to my hands and knees, grabbing the knife off my hip, it was all I had left to defend myself and it was hardly effective.
Krampus bent over me, I was cornered, nowhere to run, all I could do was try and make him back off. I rose up to my knees and drew back my hand to plunge it into his leg then, crack!
"No!" I screamed
---
Grim Faced
Grim Faced
Isaac
I heard her yell but it was too late, the bullet struck home. Krampus toppled backwards, crumpling to the floor in a heap of fur and folds of thick dark fabric.
Kaylee and I both stared down at the now dead creature of nightmares. It wouldn't terrorize anyone ever again.
"What have you done…." Kaylee breathed, slowly getting to her feet, still looking at the beast with horror-struck eyes. I didn't understand, shouldn't she be happy?
"I killed it" I pointed out the obvious, "I told you I would if it came to protecting you or myself and it did"
Kaylee shook her head "You can't just kill Krampus…." she repeated the same thing her father had said when I first suggested the action. I didn't get a chance to say more as a knock came to the back door.
Kaylee brushed past me and went to the back door pulling open a panel to the left of the door where a hidden lever was located, a manual override in case of a power outage. These people had thought of everything, except for exterminating the threat.
Her father and the rest of the group was there, ready for battle.
"Krampus is dead" Kaylee informed, grim-faced "Isaac killed him." Benjamin's eyes looked past her and up at me.
"You did what!?" he snapped, why were they so angry? "You have no idea what you've done!"
"Saved your daughter's life is what I've just done!" I defended, frustrated that nobody seemed to appreciate what I had done here.
"Saved her but endangered countless others!" Benjamin was still shouting at me
"What's that supposed to mean! I saved people! Krampus can't harm anyone anymore!" I shouted back, I wasn't taking this crap.
"You can't just kill Krampus!" Benjamin repeated, "You killed him but now he will be reborn and we don't know where or when!" He at last explained. They guarded this Krampus because they knew where he was, if they killed him, they wouldn't know where the new one was and would have to hunt him down with no leads and until they found him, who knew what might happen.
"I didn't...I didn't know" I said, no longer shouting. Although I doubted my actions would have been any different, I still would have saved Kaylee, I couldn't let her be killed.
"No you didn't, and that's precisely why outsiders don't belong" his eyes snapped back to Kaylee.
"Now you see? This is why we have our rules, this is what happens when we give you special privileges, this is your fault Kaylee" Benjamin accused.
"Now hang on just a minute" I objected "I did this, she didn't, she told me not to and I didn't listen, this is on me and I'll help you find the new one, whatever it takes" I insisted. Benjamin turned a glare on me.
"You stay out of this! You are not an elf, you're a human and have no business here! It is our duty to protect your species from Krampus, my families solemn promise to keep your children safe on Christmas, not yours. You have no say in any of this" Benjamin all but growled the words out at me.
Benjamin looked back at Kaylee "Make a choice Kaylee, abandon your people, your traditions, your family, your duty or Isaac" he gave her an ultimatum, an unfair one. "If you marry Isaac, you are no longer a part of this family and will never be welcome here again"
I was utterly speechless, how could he do this to her? Force his daughter to choose between us? All because I made a mistake.
Kaylee looked to Tasha, tears welling in her eyes, Tasha looked away, not offering a counter-argument to her husband and offering no alternative. I saw Kaylee's shoulders fall and she looked slowly up at me, I'd never seen her look so torn before. I couldn't make her choose.
Stepping forward I took her into my arms and held her against me, kissing the top of her head. "I will never forget you" I whispered, choking on my own words. I felt her shoulders shake as she started to sob into my shoulder. I'd hold her for as long as I could before I had to leave and never look back.
--
Do You Believe?
Do You Believe?
Isaac
Ellen, Mr. Finch, and Gary were still listening by the end of my story while Mr. Gregor was gaping, a steady flow of saliva dribbling down his chin. The nurse would come soon and wipe it away just so he could start a fresh stream. A pathetic display, I hope I never come to that. I hadn't lived ninety-Four years to end up a vegetable.
My wife of sixty-one years walked up behind me, coming back from her hair appointment. She looked just as lovely as the day I'd first met her. Older maybe but still as stunning to me as ever she would be.
"Krampus is still out there somewhere then" Gary mused, rubbing his white stubble with a thin age-spotted hand.
"Ooh yes but the Hammels and Eversons keep him under wraps to this day, family tradition and all that" I assured with a toothless smile, I'd forgotten my dentures again. Being this old, well, it isn't fun but I do feel accomplished.
"Is my husband telling tall tales again?" my dear wife asked with a smile, a twinkle still in those green eyes of hers.
"Kaylee honey, I was just telling them about the year before we got married" I defended
"Mm yes but you've always had quite the imagination in your old age, now, come on dear, it's time for supper," Kaylee said, taking hold of the handles to my wheelchair
"So, none of it was true then?" Ellen asked in earnest before I could be turned away from my captive audience. These old folks would believe anything.
"That all depends, do you believe in magic?" Kaylee asked before she turned me away and walked me down the hall towards the dining room, both of us smiled.
"We have a pet!" the girl smiled gleefully at her siblings. Elvira had just returned from school as her younger sister rounded them up for a secret meeting. Usually it was to talk about possible locations of where their parents hid their Christmas presents, but something in Leah's demeanor suggested differently.
"A pet?" She never took her parents as the type to allow pets. Rodents were out of the question. Mom hates cats, and the youngest was practically allergic to anything with fur. This left the choice of pets they could have small. Added to it that their father called half the animals they proposed: food, and the other half either terrified them, or were boring, there was nothing left that could gain the approval of the whole family.
"A pet!" her brother cheered, his childish innocence shining through along with his second sister. "What sort of pet? A dog? Rabbit?" he continued, musing over what animal it could be. Despite his fragile health and many allergies the boy was an energetic child, unaware of all that could trigger another attack, including pets.
"It is a…" and here Leah paused, smiling mischievously as she could see the tension building up on their faces. Even Elvira held her breath, wondering what it would be.
"Duck!" and the girl jumped up, moving around frantically as only Leah could when telling a story. "It was like this, and white, with an orange beak!" her voice was high and animated as her hands waved around, trying to form the air into an image.
Feeling her stomach twist Elvira interrupted her sister, grabbing hold of Leah's arm. "When did you see it?" the oldest of the three tried to sound calm. Turning away from her discussion on what to name the duck Leah shrugged. "When I came home for lunch?" and her face brightened up again as an idea came to mind. "Donald! How about Donald?" she turned to the youngest, leaving Elvira to her own thoughts again.
"And you didn't see it afterwards?" She tried to make sense out of the story. Leah sighed, rolling her eyes as if the answer was obvious. Placing a finger against her lips, "It is a secret, don't tell, okay? Especially you, Joey," pushing the youngest giving them all a warning look.
"What do ducks eat?" her brother mused, a plump finger on his chin as he thought deeply. Leah gave him another shove to the arm, rolling her eyes. "Bread, of course, what else?" Done with discussing names and answering questions Leah motioned for the rest to follow her. "Let's go see Donald," she proposed, moving towards the kitchen.
"I don't like the name!" Joey whined, but it went ignored as he followed his sister. Curious Elvira went along with the plan, despite knowing that it was going to fail. The kitchen was, after all, forbidden area when Christmas was nearing. It didn't hurt to try, however, and the three of them sneaked towards the kitchen door.
"And where are the three of you going?"
Freezing up the siblings turned around, guilt written over their faces as if they had stolen one of Hui's pineapple cakes. The jolly smile of uncle Bernard greeted them, a mischievous look in his eyes as if he knew what they were up to. Kneeling down he spread his arms out for a hug. "Where is my hello?" he said, and Joey ran over to hug their favourite uncle.
"We were going to the kitchen," Leah explained, growing impatient as she was eager to show off her findings already. Elvira gave her a sharp prod to the side, trying to shut her sister up. "The kitchen is off-limits until after Christmas," Bernard told Leah with a raised brow, giving the girls a quasi-stern look as he winked.
The siblings slumped their shoulders, understanding that there was no chance they could see the duck now. Seeing their disappointment uncle Bernard nudged them, "There really isn't anything interesting there. Unless you want grandmother to pinch you." The kids shared a look of horror and an uncomfortable laugh, to which uncle Bernard's stomach shakes. Pointing over his shoulder he nudges them into the direction of the living room. "Now go play with your cousins," and with another wink he went into the kitchen, blocking the view with his body as he entered.
"It is suspicious!" Elvira mused to her cousin and best friend Maura. Watching Leah and Joey run around with the rest of their cousins the two eldest sat in the back, discussing Donald the Duck. "We were never allowed to have pets and now suddenly one pops up, in the form of a duck," she whispered, afraid that anyone would hear her and continue the secret spilling. Maura sat quietly, lips pursed as she was pondering on something. There was something on her mind, but an air of uncertainty made her reluctant to share. "Well?" Elvira pushed for an answer.
"Remember Flappy?" Maura sighed, turning her head to rest on the couch. It was an unhappy memory for her cousin. Elvira sat up, wondering how the rabbit was involved. Her cousin had lost the pet last year around christmas, they assumed it had escaped from its cage when someone forgot to lock the door. The family had gone out to look for the rabbit, but to no avail. Maura and her siblings were inconsolable that year.
"Yeah?" Elvira encouraged her cousin to continue. Maura's expression was pensive as she chewed her lip. "I don't think Flappy ran," she mumbled. Elvira's breath hitched as her eyes shot towards the kitchen door. It was just in sight from where they sat and it was so tempting to just walk over and try to peek. She didn't dare to ask her cousin what she meant.
Trying to sneak out at night proved itself a hard feat. With the holidays starting, and the family dinner upcoming, the house was filled with people. Elvira had to share her room with Maura, Leah, and a few other cousins, while Joey had to sleep with his parents. The rooms that belonged to the younger siblings was divided over the remaining adults and cousins, but even then some ended up sleeping in the living room. One of them being Hui's husband, as he was given the order to protect the pineapple cakes in the kitchen. A few other uncles remained in the living room, some for kitchen duty, and others because they had pulled the shortest straw.
The siblings still hadn't seen Donald the duck when Christmas came around. When the kitchen was finally opened the most delicious treats and dishes were served, along with the presents that were brought over. All three of them forgot about the duck when they opened their packages, delighted with all they had received. However, the feeling of forgetting something gnawed at them as they joined the dining table.
"Where is Donald?" Leah asked with her mouthful of meat. Elvira and Joey both instantly perked up at the mention of the name, falling silent as they didn't want to miss the answer.
"Donald?" her mother questioned, confused by the name. Leah furiously nods her head, chewing aggressively to get the meat down her throat. "Yeah, the duck!" she explained impatiently, getting annoyed at the theatrics her mom was putting on.
Rearranging Leah's hair she then cut up the meat on Joey's plate. "We have no duck," she replied, but her smile gave away that she knew what Leah was talking about. This gave the incentive for the girl to pressure on, as she pointed towards the kitchen door. "But I saw it! It was white, with an orange beak..." just then her father came out of the kitchen, putting another dish on the table as he sat down next to her.
"Duck? Do you mean this one?" the man jokingly points at the plate, which earns him a glare from his wife. Uncle Bernard chuckles lightly, trying to hide behind his napkin as he pretends that something got stuck in his throat.
Leah stares at the plate, not understanding at first, and so does Joey. However, realisation is slowly dawning on Elvira, who nervously starts to chew her lip. "I mean, Donald, the duck, the white one," her sister tries once more and the adults laugh.
"Where do you think your meat comes from?" aunty asks, her eyes twinkling. Elvira just sighs as she slumps her head down. She knew it was too good to be true. However, this was far worse than she had hoped for. Of course, dad was a farmboy. He had told her about the pig they would grow for a year, and slaughter by the end of it. How they caught its blood and would give it to the neighbours for their own traditions. Now that they lived in the city the pig just turned into a duck, just like it was a rabbit at Maura's.
Leah and her brother didn't understand the tradition, however. There at the Christmas table they couldn't believe that Donald wasn't going to be part of the family. That Christmas the siblings were let in on a secret they weren't ready for.
"A pet?" She never took her parents as the type to allow pets. Rodents were out of the question. Mom hates cats, and the youngest was practically allergic to anything with fur. This left the choice of pets they could have small. Added to it that their father called half the animals they proposed: food, and the other half either terrified them, or were boring, there was nothing left that could gain the approval of the whole family.
"A pet!" her brother cheered, his childish innocence shining through along with his second sister. "What sort of pet? A dog? Rabbit?" he continued, musing over what animal it could be. Despite his fragile health and many allergies the boy was an energetic child, unaware of all that could trigger another attack, including pets.
"It is a…" and here Leah paused, smiling mischievously as she could see the tension building up on their faces. Even Elvira held her breath, wondering what it would be.
"Duck!" and the girl jumped up, moving around frantically as only Leah could when telling a story. "It was like this, and white, with an orange beak!" her voice was high and animated as her hands waved around, trying to form the air into an image.
Feeling her stomach twist Elvira interrupted her sister, grabbing hold of Leah's arm. "When did you see it?" the oldest of the three tried to sound calm. Turning away from her discussion on what to name the duck Leah shrugged. "When I came home for lunch?" and her face brightened up again as an idea came to mind. "Donald! How about Donald?" she turned to the youngest, leaving Elvira to her own thoughts again.
"And you didn't see it afterwards?" She tried to make sense out of the story. Leah sighed, rolling her eyes as if the answer was obvious. Placing a finger against her lips, "It is a secret, don't tell, okay? Especially you, Joey," pushing the youngest giving them all a warning look.
"What do ducks eat?" her brother mused, a plump finger on his chin as he thought deeply. Leah gave him another shove to the arm, rolling her eyes. "Bread, of course, what else?" Done with discussing names and answering questions Leah motioned for the rest to follow her. "Let's go see Donald," she proposed, moving towards the kitchen.
"I don't like the name!" Joey whined, but it went ignored as he followed his sister. Curious Elvira went along with the plan, despite knowing that it was going to fail. The kitchen was, after all, forbidden area when Christmas was nearing. It didn't hurt to try, however, and the three of them sneaked towards the kitchen door.
"And where are the three of you going?"
Freezing up the siblings turned around, guilt written over their faces as if they had stolen one of Hui's pineapple cakes. The jolly smile of uncle Bernard greeted them, a mischievous look in his eyes as if he knew what they were up to. Kneeling down he spread his arms out for a hug. "Where is my hello?" he said, and Joey ran over to hug their favourite uncle.
"We were going to the kitchen," Leah explained, growing impatient as she was eager to show off her findings already. Elvira gave her a sharp prod to the side, trying to shut her sister up. "The kitchen is off-limits until after Christmas," Bernard told Leah with a raised brow, giving the girls a quasi-stern look as he winked.
The siblings slumped their shoulders, understanding that there was no chance they could see the duck now. Seeing their disappointment uncle Bernard nudged them, "There really isn't anything interesting there. Unless you want grandmother to pinch you." The kids shared a look of horror and an uncomfortable laugh, to which uncle Bernard's stomach shakes. Pointing over his shoulder he nudges them into the direction of the living room. "Now go play with your cousins," and with another wink he went into the kitchen, blocking the view with his body as he entered.
"It is suspicious!" Elvira mused to her cousin and best friend Maura. Watching Leah and Joey run around with the rest of their cousins the two eldest sat in the back, discussing Donald the Duck. "We were never allowed to have pets and now suddenly one pops up, in the form of a duck," she whispered, afraid that anyone would hear her and continue the secret spilling. Maura sat quietly, lips pursed as she was pondering on something. There was something on her mind, but an air of uncertainty made her reluctant to share. "Well?" Elvira pushed for an answer.
"Remember Flappy?" Maura sighed, turning her head to rest on the couch. It was an unhappy memory for her cousin. Elvira sat up, wondering how the rabbit was involved. Her cousin had lost the pet last year around christmas, they assumed it had escaped from its cage when someone forgot to lock the door. The family had gone out to look for the rabbit, but to no avail. Maura and her siblings were inconsolable that year.
"Yeah?" Elvira encouraged her cousin to continue. Maura's expression was pensive as she chewed her lip. "I don't think Flappy ran," she mumbled. Elvira's breath hitched as her eyes shot towards the kitchen door. It was just in sight from where they sat and it was so tempting to just walk over and try to peek. She didn't dare to ask her cousin what she meant.
Trying to sneak out at night proved itself a hard feat. With the holidays starting, and the family dinner upcoming, the house was filled with people. Elvira had to share her room with Maura, Leah, and a few other cousins, while Joey had to sleep with his parents. The rooms that belonged to the younger siblings was divided over the remaining adults and cousins, but even then some ended up sleeping in the living room. One of them being Hui's husband, as he was given the order to protect the pineapple cakes in the kitchen. A few other uncles remained in the living room, some for kitchen duty, and others because they had pulled the shortest straw.
The siblings still hadn't seen Donald the duck when Christmas came around. When the kitchen was finally opened the most delicious treats and dishes were served, along with the presents that were brought over. All three of them forgot about the duck when they opened their packages, delighted with all they had received. However, the feeling of forgetting something gnawed at them as they joined the dining table.
"Where is Donald?" Leah asked with her mouthful of meat. Elvira and Joey both instantly perked up at the mention of the name, falling silent as they didn't want to miss the answer.
"Donald?" her mother questioned, confused by the name. Leah furiously nods her head, chewing aggressively to get the meat down her throat. "Yeah, the duck!" she explained impatiently, getting annoyed at the theatrics her mom was putting on.
Rearranging Leah's hair she then cut up the meat on Joey's plate. "We have no duck," she replied, but her smile gave away that she knew what Leah was talking about. This gave the incentive for the girl to pressure on, as she pointed towards the kitchen door. "But I saw it! It was white, with an orange beak..." just then her father came out of the kitchen, putting another dish on the table as he sat down next to her.
"Duck? Do you mean this one?" the man jokingly points at the plate, which earns him a glare from his wife. Uncle Bernard chuckles lightly, trying to hide behind his napkin as he pretends that something got stuck in his throat.
Leah stares at the plate, not understanding at first, and so does Joey. However, realisation is slowly dawning on Elvira, who nervously starts to chew her lip. "I mean, Donald, the duck, the white one," her sister tries once more and the adults laugh.
"Where do you think your meat comes from?" aunty asks, her eyes twinkling. Elvira just sighs as she slumps her head down. She knew it was too good to be true. However, this was far worse than she had hoped for. Of course, dad was a farmboy. He had told her about the pig they would grow for a year, and slaughter by the end of it. How they caught its blood and would give it to the neighbours for their own traditions. Now that they lived in the city the pig just turned into a duck, just like it was a rabbit at Maura's.
Leah and her brother didn't understand the tradition, however. There at the Christmas table they couldn't believe that Donald wasn't going to be part of the family. That Christmas the siblings were let in on a secret they weren't ready for.
Festival of Dark
"Mama, please don't go. Don't leave me." The little girl reached a hand out to her mother, shaking with fright. "Mama, please stay!"
Her mother was dressed beautifully like a bride, in a long white dress with flowers in her shiny black hair, lips painted pink and blush added to her cheeks. Her eyes shone with held back tears as she stepped closer to the door, shaking her head.
"Ana… I… we will meet again." Her voice hitched and she clutched at the front of her dress. "If not here, then in the next life…" She smiled weakly, her lips trembling as reached out and cupped the girl's face, wiping the tears that were quickly cooling in the afternoon breeze.
"It's time." The little girl looked at the man who was standing in the doorway of their house, waiting to escort her mother to the palanquin waiting by the path that ran down to the main road.
The girl named Ana felt her mother's hand leave her face. "Don't cry," were the last words she heard her mother speak as the lovely woman turned and quickly exited the house.
"Mama…" Her hands clasped over her mouth, shaking as she tried to keep her sobs contained. She watched as her mother entered the palanquin, the curtains hiding any last trace of her. It wasn't long before four men lifted the litter and started down the road.
"It's for the better of the village."
"Her sacrifice will not be in vain."
Words that meant nothing to little Ana, not until night fell. Villagers gathered out of their homes and made their way to the village gateway, staring at the bridge that lead into the stronghold of the Dark Lord Nawaki. The castle was black save for the fire that lit the ominous tower, purple flames dancing boldly for all in the vicinity to see.
The sun had just set when the earth began to violently shake, forcing people to grab others near them or to simply lose their balance and fall to the ground. Then, just as quickly, everything stilled.
"The sacrifice has been accepted!" boomed a voice, causing everything to tremble, from the bridge to the trees and most of all the people. "You are spared another year. Rejoice."
And the people did, all throughout the night, lighting candles and lanterns throughout the village before departing for the village square, where a large bonfire was held. There was song and laughter and drinking, all to honour the sacrifice and hoping for prosperity in the next year.
As for Ana, she stayed hidden at home, despite her grandparents pleas for her to join the festivities. For her, this was a day of mourning.
***
Thirteen Years Later
Thirteen Years Later
As the sun creeped up from below the horizon, warming the night's frost into dewdrops, the villagers of Kinaya were rising as well, readying for yet another yearly festival. It was aptly named Festival of Dark and no one had ever deemed to change it. Every year it was the same, one week before the festival a house would be chosen by the Dark Lord, the sign of which was the mark of a black hand on the door, blatantly placed where no one could miss seeing it. The elders of the house were to hand over their daughter for his consumption. It was said that he ate them like marrow, sucking out their life energy and souls, discarding their bodies like empty useless bones.
"Stupid." The word was uttered by a young woman standing near the bridge, looking at the looming castle on the other side. On most days everyone acted as if it didn't exist, tending to business and worldly affairs as usual, but for Ana it was always there, whether she was home in bed or out in the fields, helping her grandparents with the gardening. The purple flames haunted her from her childhood, and even now, having passed the cusp of adulthood, they taunted her, never dying no matter the weather.
She had been hoping her house would be chosen this year, though she had refrained from telling anyone so as not to be thought completely insane. Ana didn't have a death wish; in fact, unlike most of the other villagers, she didn't wish death on any of the other youth of Kinaya either. No, she had wanted to be picked so that she could finish that cursed Dark Lord once and for all. In her mind it was simple- if he was no longer living then this tradition would cease to exist.
It was said that a warrior from the old and esteemed Birak family had stormed his way across the bridge to attempt to put an end the barbaric sacrifice of the village's fair maidens. Unfortunately, he had been struck with fire as soon as he had stepped into the stronghold, leaving nothing but blackened armour and bones behind, the rest of him having turned to ashes. That year, a mere four years before Ana's birth, a handprint had been placed on not just one but two house doors; the Dark Lord had not been pleased and had demanded even more sacrifice.
I'm not an idiot though, Ana thought to herself as she walked closer to the bridge, her gaze shifting to the river that separated the village from the castle. She had been ten years of age when she discovered she had powers others did not. It was not too rare for humans to have magic in their blood, though most used their given powers for mundane tasks. Smiling a little, she splayed her hand over the edge of the river's shore before pulling upward; as she did, a handful of rocks rose out of the ground and piled one on top of the other. Swords are useless against someone like that. Or for that matter, anything she could think of that was normally used in fighting, like arrows and lances and axes.
The only way way to figure out his true nature and weakness was to actually enter the damned place, something that was impossible except for once a year for the one sitting in the palanquin. Ana had been banking on it being her, having spent most of the last year attempting to look like a proper marriageable young woman, hoping to attract the dark handprint to her house's door. However, that honour had gone to the Elik family, who were none other than the richest family in the village as well as the man of the house being the de facto chief of Kinaya.
"Anahita!" She jerked at the mention of her name and turned around, looking down at the familiar wrinkly face of her grandmother. "What are you doing just standing here? And in those clothes?"
Ana looked down at herself, shrugging as she did. She was dressed in her usual work clothes, a comfortable light blue shirt, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her usual dark trousers and trusty old boots. Her hair was pulled up and out of her face, which had not the least bit of makeup on it. "What's wrong with my clothes, Granny?"
"For shame, tonight is the sacrifice." There was a scolding tone in her grandmother's voice and a scowl on her face. "You should be preparing for Nari's send off rather than heading to the fields." She shook her head morosely, heaving out a loud sigh as she clutched Ana's hand. "We are so lucky we have been spared. We must be grateful and show it by bidding her farewell. Her sacrifice will not be in vain."
It took everything she had not to make a face at her grandmother's words. Over and over they were repeated, and every year they seemed to ring less true. Yet she kept quiet, knowing there was no point in telling her grandmother otherwise. Perhaps it would do best to placate her… after all, this year she would be the one in the palanquin.
"You're right, Granny." Ana smiled as she lightly patted the older woman's shoulder. "Sorry I dragged you all the way here, looking for me. Come, let's get you back home."
Home was a five minute walk for her, but with her grandmother it became a fifteen minute stroll. While a little impatient, she reminded herself that this might very well be the last time she saw Kinaya again. She didn't know if she was going to leave the Dark Lord's castle unscathed, or at all for that matter. It was best to appreciate what she had before she had to leave.
It seemed her grandmother already had a dress prepared for her, black and somber, full sleeved and touching the ground. Ana did not really enjoy wearing dresses, but after a year of practice she was quite used to the uncomfortable and movement restricting outfits. Her hair, as black as her dress, was made into a simple plait, which she quite appreciated due to its practicality.
As soon as she finished dressing, she stood up to leave once more, this time with a valid excuse. "Granny, Grandpa…" She looked over to both, smiling respectfully. "I'd like to visit Nari one last time, please. We were… close friends…" She cast her eyes downward as if keeping herself from crying.
"Oh my darling!" Her grandfather hobbled over, taking hold of her hand and patting it in his own cool, bony one. "Of course you may. Just remember to come back in time."
Ana nodded, looking up at him. Though her sadness had been faked in regards to Nari, she couldn't help feel emotional as her grip tightened on his hand. He had already lost his daughter, and now without knowing, he could very well lose her.
This won't be in vain, she thought, forcing herself to remain determined. There will be no more sacrifices and no more feasting for the dead.
***
The plan had been quite simple. If there was one thing she could count on, it was that humans were selfish beings who cared only about themselves and their own. Ana had been quite sure that if there was any way the Elik family could save their daughter, they would concede to it. The day after the handprint had appeared on their door and the knowledge that Nari would be the sacrifice was common, Ana had taken the long route from her house to the fields, paying a visit to very distressed Chief Keluar.
He had been suspicious at first, not that Ana could blame him. Who wouldn't find her strange when she was willingly offering to sacrifice herself? Thankfully Ana had prepared a long winded story from before hand- she felt it would finally give her peace to follow after her mother, she wanted to do what was best for the village, she wanted to assure her grandparents would be rewarded and no longer have to work in their old age. Chief Keluar had not agreed that day, nor had he the next; it was only two days before his daughter's looming death that he finally conceded to Ana's terms.
And so, she now found herself dressed in a beautiful white dress over her plain work clothes and a veil over her face so that no one would know the difference; in both height and weight, she was similar to the chief's daughter. That being said, Nari had been hidden elsewhere, the knowledge of which even Ana didn't have. She didn't care either way, as long as what she was planning wasn't interfered with. Insincere hugs were given to her from the members of the Elik family which Ana returned in kind. She knew they had to be relieved that their precious daughter was safe; a cynical part of her wondered if they would have forced someone else to replace their daughter if Ana hadn't come up with this plan.
As for her grandparents, hopefully they just thought she was being insubordinate yet again and had gone home or to the fields. She could only hope Chief Keluar would follow through with his promise.
Finally settling down in the palanquin, Ana let out a breath, hands momentarily tightening on her knees before she lifted one to pull off the veil that was covering her face. The feeling of being lifted and carried was rather smooth, as if there weren't any humans carrying the palanquin at all. Of course… they're probably his minions made out of shadows. It would make sense, seeing as any other human who tried to cross the bridge would end up burning to death. It was an unsettling thought at first, but the more Ana thought about it the more she was relieved; she wouldn't have to worry about using her powers against actual humans.
The sound of flowing water caught her ears; they were coming to the bridge at last. Farewell for now, Kinaya. Ana was not the sentimental sort, not since the day her mother had been sacrificed to keep the village safe. Leaving had always been on her mind, but there had literally been no way. Kinaya was situated on a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by rough waters that crashed against the craggy cliffs. Whilst there was a makeshift dock and a couple of ships, it was only for merchants or rich folk to use. As tempting as it was, Ana had not wanted to run away from the village; she wanted it freed once and for all and thereafter leaving it behind her forever.
A sudden chilling and overbearing feeling came over Ana; she carefully took hold of the curtain hiding her from sight and pulled it open a crack, peering outside. It was darker than she had expected, the ground covered in grey ashes, the air dense with dark mist, making it hard to see any further than a few feet ahead. However, nothing distracted from the sight of the castle looming above everything else, its walls dark yet reflective, as if made of obsidian. And of course, there was the fire, the heat of which could now be felt.
Ana let go of the curtain. Her heart was beginning to race, feeling hints of panic climbing her like ants. From the village it had seemed easy enough, but now she was beginning to think that she had overestimated herself. Thankfully she had long ago learned to deal with such feelings by keeping them hidden. It was too late to back down now; she had to go through with her self imposed task, whether she succeeded or failed.
The palanquin came to an abrupt stop before falling to the ground with a thump. It wasn't more that a couple of feet, but it was disconcerting to say the least. Ana quickly pulled the curtain back and ducked out of the litter, spinning around just in case she was attacked. There was no one though, just her and the abandoned palanquin. Biting on the inside of her lip, she took in a deep breath before letting it out and looking at her surroundings. She had been deposited right by the castle's main entrance, the drawbridge and gates already having been passed.
First thing first, she thought to herself, I need to figure out how to get in-
The large, ominous looking doors at the main entrance let out a loud scraping sound as they began to open, but it was nothing compared to the thunderous, booming voice of none other than the Dark Lord Nawaki.
"One year I have waited for you. Enter now."
Gritting her teeth, Ana yanked off the dress she was wearing and pulled out a dagger she had hidden under her clothes, just in case. She hadn't actually planned on using anything other than her magic, but it was just comfortable to actually have something in her hand. Carefully, she stepped over the threshold and past the still opening doors into a large high ceiling hallway that seemed to go on forever. The walls to either side had carved arches that did not actually lead anywhere save for small alcoves, each housing a torch that was lit by purple flames. Ana looked at it disapprovingly, though she reached a hand towards the fire. The heat it emitted felt strange, both cooling and burning her at the same time. She pulled her hand away before heading further down the hall, unsure of where she even had to go.
"Psst…"
Her forehead wrinkled, hearing the sudden voice. She looked around discreetly, trying to figure out where the sound came from.
"Over here…" She blinked; that voice wasn't coming from anywhere around her, but from her actual mind. "Look down in front of you."
Hand tightening on her dagger, she looked down, shifting her gaze to the dark floor beneath her feet. Her narrowed eyes widened when she saw a small, floating ball of light. "Follow me."
"What?" Whatever this was, how did it expect her to simply follow it? She gritted her teeth but then nodded. "Fine, show me the way." Whatever it was and wherever it was leading her, it was better than standing cluelessly in a hallway that didn't seem to end.
The ball of light seemed to flicker for a moment before moving further down the hallway, followed closely by Ana. Unable to hold back her curiosity, she spoke up. "What are you? How do I know you won't hurt me?"
"I know you're not the sacrifice."
Ana's eyes narrowed once more; the ball of light began to speed forward and she had to pick up her pace to keep up. "There's no way you could possibly know that," she snapped.
"Your indignance at my statement further proves to me that you aren't." The voice was beginning to sound smug, and it was irritating Ana. Was this the Dark Lord? Was he purposely misleading her?
Surprisingly, it seemed that she had followed the ball of light straight to a door at the end of the hallway without realizing it. "How could…" She looked over her shoulder and felt her heart skip a beat- it seemed there was actually no hallway at all, just a rather large entrance with two alcoves on either side.
"Illusion magic. It seems your powers aren't as strong as I presumed. You may need some help after all."
"You had best come out straight and tell me what you are." Ana's hand was splayed as she tried to pull at any source of earth she could find. Alas, there was none here. Her free hand slackened though her grip on the dagger tightened.
There was a moment of silence before the ball of light flickered out. In its stead stood a man, tall and slim with long black hair and enchanting blue eyes. He was dressed in rather loose and flowing clothes, nothing Ana had ever seen in the village. For a moment she was almost certain she saw something like wings behind him, but as soon as she focused she saw she was mistaken.
"I am Jahan," the man said, finally introducing himself. "I know you're not the sacrifice because you are the first person who has ever seen me." He reached out, placing his hand on Ana's shoulder; it felt light but real. "Nawaki does that on purpose. He summons those without magic, because if someone like you, someone with power came, then there would be a chance for me to finally escape."
He turned away from Ana and headed to the main doors, ready to open one, though he stopped when Ana spoke up. "Enough with being cryptic. How are you in here? Who are you really? I'm not going to follow you any further unless you tell me now."
"If you don't follow me, your death is assured." Jahan looked over his shoulder at Ana before taking a deep breath. "Well, it does me no harm in telling you. I am the true ruler on this castle, and I have been kept hostage by the Dark Lord Nawaki for over thirty year."
"A ball of light can't escape? That doesn't sound right." Ana was beginning to get frustrated as well as antsy. This was a distraction from her original mission here. "How do I know you're not Nawaki?"
"If I was, I would have just consumed you now and be done with it."
"Or maybe you like sneaky games," Ana retorted. "Many are like that, they enjoy watching their prey run around before catching them… like cats."
She watched the man let out a small sigh before nodding. "Very well." Despite the dark mist that remained in the entrance, he seemed to glow before disappearing completely… or so she thought for a mere second before she heard his voice. "I'm here." The voice itself was rather small, and she couldn't find the source until she felt something poke her nose. Going cross eyed, she could finally see him.
He was a mere four inches tall, and while he looked the exact same, there was a pair of light blue wings on his back, allowing him to flutter in the air before her.
It was hard for Ana not to break out into laughter. "Pffft." For the first time in a week, an actual sincere laugh escaped her. "You're a fairy?"
"I'm a being of light," was the reply. Jahan had a teensy frown on his face, clearly not amused by Ana's reaction. "Stop your laughter, we need to get to work."
"Yes, oh Mighty Being of Light." Ana let herself smirk one last time before returning to her usual neutral face. She didn't need to be reminded that she was here on an important mission. "Tell me then, how do you suppose I can help you out and get rid of Nawaki for good? I'm assuming that this dagger of mine won't work on him." By this time, the very small Jahan was standing on Ana's shoulder, deciding to take a rest from staying aloft in midair. She wasn't sure if she actually appreciated being used as a platform, but that was a thought that didn't last more than a moment as there were far more important things to deal with.
"It very well would if was imbued by my magic, but as you can probably tell, I am not exactly in an imbuing state at this moment." He sat down on her shoulder, arms crossed over his tiny chest. "This castle has not just sealed me in here but also drained me of most of my magic."
"How?" Ana asked, hoping for a simple reply. She had heard of fairies as a youngster and knew them to be beings of light that were neither weak nor unequal in their abilities to creatures of darkness.
"The same way I have managed to keep his physical body contained in his chamber. Unfortunately for me, he had both a plan and time to prepare for sealing me in the castle. I on the other hand had nothing save for two crystals that weren't even my own. They had been given to me by my parents a long time ago."
Magic was a well known fact in the world even if most humans shied away from practicing it, and the knowledge of how certain magics were used was common knowledge. Ana knew full well of magic crystals and how fairies and other creatures of light used them to created seals and wards to keep darkness at bay.
"Wait." Ana held up a hand to keep Jahan from continuing onward. ""Do you mean Nawaki used crystals to seal you in here?"
"Yes, yes, the same way I had to use them to keep him here."
"I didn't know dark beings use crystals too."
Jahan rolled his eyes and shrugged his small shoulders. "Dark and light magic has nothing to do with who uses what. Crystals can be used by creatures of light and creatures of dark. Light doesn't necessarily mean good nor does dark always mean evil. Someone using light magic could very well be evil while someone who knows to use dark magic could be a good person. This is just something humans more often than not misunderstand-"
"Sorry for misunderstanding," Ana interrupted, sounding a little impatient. "Should I assume you are the one who is good here or should I be helping Nawaki?"
"No of course not- I see, you're being sarcastic." Ana resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she turned her head, looking at the small man. He seemed like he was deep in thoughts, with his eyes closed. "There is still time for him to wake up. Hurry now and leave the entrance through the door you entered."
"Go back out? But I just came from there!"
"Yes, but that's where the crystals are buried." He stood up once more and took to the air, wings flapping and causing a small stir of air. "Four in total… and one inside here. With so much interference from the crystals outside, I cannot tell where the one inside is. But we can deal with that later. Hurry, we mustn't waste anymore time. We have no less than an hour before he stirs…"
Ana grabbed the handle of one of doors; just like the flame, she felt an unpleasant cold yet burning feeling, causing her to let go. Turning her hand around, she looked at her palm. Gasping, she stumbled back, almost dropping her dagger in the process; from what she could see her palm was a bloody mess.
"It's an illusion!" Jahan quickly flew over and landed on her hand, his own glowing white as he slapped it against hers.
It was only a split second before her hand looked completely normal again, though she was quite shaken, feeling sweat trickling down her sides. "If he's contained then how…"
"I'll explain, but we need to hurry." The fairy nodded encouragingly as he once more flew up and seated himself on Ana's shoulder. "Open the door, you will be fine now."
***
Thankfully Jahan had been right, much to Ana's relief. This time, with him on her shoulder, she was able to touch the handle without feeling any pain. It was a strenuous task in itself to open the doors, seeing they were very large and made of a very strong material she was quite sure wasn't wood. Still, it wasn't long before she was outside in the courtyard, which remained as gloomy looking as before. The palanquin was still there, untouched, though it seemed almost aged and battered now, the curtains ragged and the wood splintered. It hadn't seemed that way to her when she had been sitting in it.
"Well?" she asked as she started for the main gate, waiting for an answer to her earlier question.
"As I mentioned before, I had only two crystals with me to seal Nawaki in his chambers. It take nine crystals to seal something in such a complete way that eons could go by and you wouldn't have to worry about it. Five to seal something for a very long time; you could say forever, though it is much easier to break that seal than the nine crystals one. Three crystals would be something done in an emergency…"
"And you had only two," Ana completed, letting out a breath. Now that she was no longer under complete illusion, she could see the courtyard was even more ghastly than it had first seemed. Skeletons of humans and animals littered as far as the eyes could see, even beyond the gates. "So Nawaki's influence has been leaking from this place and that's why every year Kinaya has to sacrifice a girl…" Her voice came to a stop, gritting her teeth in anger. "Why young maidens? Why not young men? Is there even any difference?"
"None whatsoever," Jahan replied. "Unless you mean Nawaki's personal preference, then yes, there's a difference. He prefers women, it would seem. Other than that, a human is a human. Male, female, young or old, it doesn't really matter. All this tradition of sending a maiden for sacrifice is amusement for Nawaki."
"Why just once a year then?" Ana demanded, finding every bit of new knowledge even more upsetting than the one before it. "Why not just destroy us all immediately and be done with it?"
There was no answer from Jahan until after he slid off her shoulder, transforming into a ball of light. "It's a game to him, and the wait and anticipation is part of the fun. Now follow me, I can sense two of the crystals now. Hurry, and keep close."
Frowning, she nodded and set after the ball of light, trying to stay as close as possible. Now that she was no longer in physical contact with him, the courtyard was once more illusioned to hide the more unpleasant secrets littered throughout. She wondered momentarily why Nawaki wasted his energy in hiding them rather than openly flaunt what he could easily do. I will never understand these beings…
They had finally reached the far end of the courtyard near the walls enclosing the actual castle. "It's here, I can feel it." The ball of light hovered over the ground before floating back up and landing on Ana, once more reverting to Jahan. What had simply been ashes and mist was now a deep and dark hole in the ground, sparingly filled with spider webs and desiccated corpses of various small animals.
"Nice hiding spot," Ana muttered, not liking in which direction this was going. "And this is just the first one…" At least they were outside, where she had the elements at her disposal. Even if this place felt smothering and foreboding, the fact that there were dead animals here caused her to realize that if animals could cross through, then perhaps it was really just humans that the stronghold forbade to enter.
Unless that was all an illusion as well? She turned around, looking at the skeletons. Were these people who had entered and lost their way in here? Did they die because they were unable to leave-
"Focus!" Jahan's voice broke through her musing. "We don't have much time, Nawaki will soon be wondering why the sacrifice hasn't come to him yet."
"Apologies," Ana snapped back, irritated with herself for getting distracted by mere thoughts. She took in a deep breath, spreading her hands out before her, palms facing the ground, fingers hooked as if she was grasping at something. "Here… goes!" Her grasp on nothing tightened as she yanked her arms upward, feeling the earth at the bottom of hole rising as she did-
"Careful-" The words had only escaped Jahan when Ana saw what he was about to warn her about. Not one, not two, but four large and hairy spiders flew out in the open, each the size of a very big cat. "They're venomous! Quick, you need to get rid of them!"
"A little help would be nice!" Ana replied as she backed away, catching herself from falling over a skull.
"I would but that requires leaving you, which in turn would make you blind to these things!"
"How inconvenient," she growled, eyes jerking from one spider to the other. Two were still trying to right themselves, having landed on their backs, but the remaining ones were already scuttling towards her. "Hold on tightly then!" She switched her dagger to her right hand and raised her left one, making a grabbing motion as she raced toward the two that were beginning to right themselves. As soon as she reached her targets, she slammed her dagger into one and then the other. At the same time, her free hand closed and as it did, the ground rose around one of the approaching spider, closing around it.
"Behind you!" Jahan shouted, but it was too late. Ana could feel the pain of the bite as well as the sudden woozy feeling from being poisoned. "Kill it! I will take care of the poison!" Knowing she had no other choice but to leave it in the fairy's tiny hands, she did as he said, shoving her dagger forward, attempting to stab it. She managed to get one of its eyes, causing it to frantically retreat. "Use your power, like you did with the last one! Quick!"
The urge to tell Jahan to quiet down was overpowered by the urge to get rid of the eight-legged creature. She let the dagger drop from her right hand, yanking her arm up into the air and closing it into a tight fist. The earth shot up from the ground, enclosing the spider within. Ana tightened her fist even further, nails digging into her palms painfully, and as she did, the earth itself tightened around the arachnid until it was pulverised. Finally, she turned towards the last spider that was still writhing from having first been caught. Hand splayed, she slammed it down in midair, causing the dirt and rock encased spider to be be crushed as it was forced into the ground.
Panting, Ana fell to her knees, feeling exhausted. Practicing secretly with magic was one thing; fighting for her life with it was something else all together. She really had overestimated herself, and the sudden realization caused unneeded tears to sting her eyes. If four spiders caused her so much trouble, then how could she even think of facing Nawaki? Maybe it would have been better to wait longer… But that would have required more maidens being forcefully sacrificed to keep Kinaya safe.
"You did well." Jahan broke the silence, standing up on her shoulder. "And I managed to remove the poison from that bite." Ana blinked; she had forgotten about that. She looked to her ripped sleeve and pushed it away from her arm. There was still a red angry wound, but at least she wasn't feeling the effects of the venom any longer. "I can't heal it completely, not the way I am, but I can make sure you don't die."
"Thank you," Ana replied, sounding sincere.
"Of course. I need you alive. You are my only hope in the last thirty years."
Thirty women… Well, thirty-one, and your sacrifices won't be in vain. "I'm going to break this tradition." Ana tore off the ripped sleeve before wrapping it around the cut. "There will be a festival tonight, but it's going to be to celebrate Nawaki's death."
She felt Jahan leave her shoulder yet again, fluttering before her, a small but confident smile on his face. "As long as you stay smart," he said, tapping at his head with his index finger, "we will get this done. Now…" He closed in on her face, pressing his hand against her cheek so that the illusion was broken once more. "If you can move so much earth, then you should be able to feel the magic crystal. Bring it up."
Ana was uncertain but nodded, once more heading towards the hole while Jahan made himself a seat on the top of her head. She wasn't sure what he was doing up there, but she felt a little more confident. Concentrating, she searched the dirt and the rocks, though she didn't have to for long, feeling the magic before the actual crystal. She reached out in midair and made a pulling motion.
Out of the hole flew a rather large crystal that was as long as Jahan was tall, the colour of obsidian. Ana reached out to grab it-
"Stop, don't touch it yet!" Jahan leaped from her head and flew straight for the crystal, grabbing it in midair. She watched without moving as he wrapped his arms around the crystal, glowing a bright white. Whatever had made the crystal so dark was squirming within as what seemed to be light was pushed inside. At the same time, Ana could feel the ground beginning to shake.
"Jahan?" Her voice wasn't as steady as it had been earlier. "What's going on?"
The fairy didn't reply, in fact, she could hardly see him anymore save for his blue wings, both he and the crystal being surrounded by light. The ground stopped shaking as the light finally dissipated, leaving behind Jahan holding onto a now softly glowing crystal.
"Is it safe now?" Tentatively Ana moved her hand forward.
"Yes, I forced the dark out with my own light." Jahan let out a sigh of relief as he landed on Ana's hand, letting go of the crystal. "It took some energy from me, but now that the seal has been interrupted, I can feel my own power slowly getting stronger." Ana watched as the look on his face became full of resolve. "Three more and then we destroy him. We must hurry though… I can sense he's feeling what's happening."
***
It wasn't long before she was standing at the main doors of the castle once more. Gathering the remaining crystals had been a much easier task than the first one; Ana and Jahan had made their way to the three remaining corners of the castle grounds, where she had sensibly decided to kill the spiders in the actual holes first and then coax the crystals out with her magic. Each time the dark magic was forced out and replaced with light, and the ground shuddered just as it had the first time. They seemed to lessen in their intensity, however, and in the same way it seemed Jahan was becoming stronger.
As Ana pushed open the doors to once more enter the actual building, she looked back at the courtyard one last time. It seemed to her as if the dark mist had lessened, though it was hard to tell whether it had simply cleared away or actually retreated elsewhere. That is, until she finally walked through the castle doors. Inside, it seemed as if the shadows had increased, the purple flames from the torches no longer emitting much light. Jahan hopped off her shoulder and turned into a ball of light; he was so bright now that the shadows seemed to momentarily disappear. He remained that way only for a moment before shifting forms yet again. This time he was standing tall in the human form she had seen earlier, seeming more solid than when Ana had first seen him.
"Hand me your dagger," he instructed, holding his hand out to take it. Ana looked at him strangely for a moment before recalling what he had mentioned earlier about not being in an 'imbuing state' at that time. Perhaps it was possible now? Either way, she was glad she'd had the sense to pick up the blade from the ground after she had dropped it.
"Here." She pulled it out from where she'd stuck it under her belt, laying it on the palm of his hand.
"The crystals as well," Jahan added. Now that was a surprise for Ana, who looked at him curiously.
"What are you going to do with them?" she asked as she reached into her pockets, pulling all four of them out, each of them radiating with light. Setting them in his free hand, she waited for yet another answer she figured she wasn't going to receive.
Stepping back, she kept her eyes on his hands, and it wasn't long before the light began to exit all four of the crystals, twisting and turning in the air to form a bright globe of glowing white. It remained like that for only a moment before what Ana could only think of as diving into the dagger. Not meeting any noticeable resistance, it seemed the dagger had accepted the light magic. Ir remained the same in looks save for a slight shimmer that could be seen on the blade.
"That should aid you," Jahan said with a nod, holding the dagger out for Ana to take.
"It feels the same," she muttered after she took it back, turning it around in her hand. "It doesn't really feel… empowered."
"That's fine," was the reply. "It will get the job done at the very least." He looked away from the dagger and up at her, eyes rather intense. "There is one last thing…"
"What?" Ana wasn't sure she liked the look she was receiving.
There was no reply as Jahan was a ball of light once more. Without warning he struck Ana, causing her to stumble backwards, though it was more in shock than actual force. "What did you do that for?" she demanded, looking around for him. Where has he gone?
There was silence before she heard him in her head. My apologies. You probably wouldn't have agreed to this, which is why I had to without prior permission.
"What are you even talking about? Show yourself!"
"I cannot. You see… I'm now part of you."
"W-what- what are you even…" Ana couldn't bring herself to speak coherently, staring at her outstretched hands, dagger shaking as she tried to keep it still. "Get out!"
"It's the only way we can destroy him. Don't worry, I will leave as soon as we finish this task. I promise.
Anger taking over, Ana's hands clenched tightly into fists, eyes narrowed as she stared at the ground. "You best be telling the truth."
"I am. Now hurry. Go through the door. And stay vigilant. I will try to keep you from dangers."
There was nothing more that could be done, regardless of how upset this made Ana. That being said, she knew Jahan was right; they had to hurry. Now that he was a part of her, she could feel Nawaki and his dark magic, and the light magic within her seemed to almost pull her in the right direction, almost like a magnet. Even as she passed through the door and made her way through countless hallways and climbed plenty staircases, she found she was no longer affected by any illusions; everything was plain for her to see. The torches in the various alcoves no longer seemed to burn purple flames but were now a normal orange white. The walls, flooring and ceilings no longer seemed to be made of obsidian, rather grey stone that may have once been polished but now lay dusty and cracked due to lack of care.
There were no more spiders that came to attack Ana, nor any other sort of creature which was a blessing of a kind. The impending meeting however was beginning to cause panic within her once more. It would have been comforting to have even the small Jahan on her shoulder at this time rather than him sitting silently in her mind.
"I can speak to you if you want. I was under the impression you're still angry."
"I am," Ana replied, though she relented almost immediately. "I'd rather be angry than scared though."
"Fair enough." The was a small silence before he continued. "I don't know your name yet."
"Can't you just read my mind and find out?"
"I'd rather not. I like to respect the privacy of others."
It was hard for Ana not to let out a snort at that. "I suppose invading someone while you're a ball of light doesn't count." She took a deep breath before releasing it, keeping her eyes on the path before her, yet another infernal hallway filled with shadow beings. They reached out for her just like the rest, but once again a light seemed to emit from her, causing the shadowy tendrils to retreat.
"Anahita, or Ana. That's my name."
"I feel like I've heard that name before… a long time ago. I remembered it because it was quite different than most I've encountered."
"Maybe you heard it from my mother," Ana suggested quietly. "She was the fifth sacrifice." The placid smile on her face wavered as she stood in place. "I still remember the day she was taken… everyone aside from me and my grandparents were so… relieved. They celebrated with song and dance during the night… even my grandparents had gone, but I refused to. Every year I refused."
"Is that why you came? To avenge your mother?"
"I'd be lying if I said that I was here solely to stop this cruel tradition," she admitted, still standing in place. "I suppose it's both. I want to avenge my mother… and I want my village to be free."
"Then it's time to avenge all those who have fallen, and gain freedom for the rest. We are nearly there, Ana."
***
At last they came upon the final door at the top of the tallest castle tower, the one that had taunted the villagers of Kinaya for decades. It was hard to keep the trepidation out of her heart, but Ana persevered, grabbing hold of the door's handle and pushing it forward. Stepping inside she was greeted with the sight of a man sitting on an elaborate four poster bed, drapes of blue and purple decorating the wooden posts. Ana's eyes merely skimmed the elaborate decorations, much more interested in the blue winged man. His head was lowered, black hair curtaining most of his face even as he spoke.
"So, you are here at last." There was the sound of mild laughter, and then the man lifted his head, light blue eyes looking straight at Ana. "Welcome, my dear, I am Nawaki. And you… you must be the one who has interfered in this year's sacrifice." He tapped at his chin as if in deep thought. "Was I not merciful, keeping the sacrifice for only once a year? Yet you take advantage of my mercy and disrupt my defences."
Ana could not find the words in her. She understood what the man was saying; it was the same bile that she heard in plays and stories. No, it was his face that unsettled her. He looks… why does he… why does he look like Jahan?!
The man looked rather amused, seeing the stunned expression on Ana's face. "Why do you look like that? Could it be-" he giggled before continuing "-that you have met Jahan? Oh, of course that must be it! And you are now wondering how it is that he and I both look oh so similar." A smile danced on his lips as he smoothly rose to his feet and stepped off the bed, landing on the floor gracefully. "He must have forgotten to tell you that we are the same person."
"It doesn't make a difference who he is or who I am. What matters is to end him. You have a dagger of light and I know where to strike him to end this once and for all!"
"Why didn't know tell me?" Ana asked, though she knew it was pointless to; she already knew the answer.
"You wouldn't have trusted me, Ana, and you know this. Any sane person wouldn't have."
"You're right, I wouldn't have." Bitterness was dripping from her voice; while she was upset that she hadn't been told, he had a point. All that set to the side, she had to end Nawaki. Ana knew the light magic would work, having already seen the effects of it.
"Accept your fate,"' Nawaki intoned as he lifted off the ground. He wasn't using his wings to take flight, rather the shadows and the accumulated dark mist. "Just like the rest of the sacrifices before you, and just like the many that will come!"
"That's where you are wrong," Ana replied, shaking her head. "You think I'm going to let some facts about you and Jahan stop me from destroying you? No, Nawaki. It's time for you to be the sacrifice. You are going to be leaving my people for good!"
"Little girl, I have lived more years that you can ever dream of living." A haughty laugh left the dark lord as he rushed towards Ana.
"I'll take care of him!" Just like that, a barrier of light formed before Ana, stopping Nawaki in his tracks. "Just like with the spiders, Ana! Trap him and be rid of him!"
Ana was about to retort that they weren't outside, but then she realized that didn't matter anymore, nor had it mattered ever since they had removed the crystals. With Nawaki attacking the shield with his shadows and dark mist, it was beginning to crack. Nodding, she spoke to Jahan. "When I tell you to, remove the shield."
"Are you sure?"
"Now!" Ana ordered, ignoring the question. The barrier disappeared immediate. Nawaki shot forward, arms outstretched and ready to grab Ana. However, her hands had already lifted high above her, and as they did the stone floor shot upward, grabbing on to Nawaki and slamming him against the ceiling. It then returned to its previous position as the floor except with the dark lord in its grasp.
Ana was not going to let this moment escape her. She ran over to him, dagger in hand. "Straight into his heart, that's where the crystal is!" She didn't need to hear that twice. Her free hand now wrapped around the one holding her blade, she fell to her knees and struck, aiming straight for the heart.
Nawaki let out an outraged cry that elongated into an unearthly wail, "Steady and keep holding the dagger. And now is where I leave you." It was as if a burden she didn't know she was carrying was lifted off her shoulders, and Ana had to force herself keep holding on to the dagger rather than slump over as her body wanted to. Aside from Jahan's words, the sight of the dagger was what kept her vigilant.
It was hard to miss what was happening. The dagger shone bright with light, so bright in fact that the weapon could no longer be seen, and that light only kept increasing, surrounding the entirety of what could be seen of Nawaki's body. Shadows were trying to get past the light but found themselves being overtaken, one tendril after another until any shadow that had been sentient was swallowed and no more. As if that weren't enough, a loud thunderous sound rang out, there was a flash of light- and then it all subsided. The dagger fell to the floor with a clank, its hilt destroyed and the blade having lost its shimmer.
For a good minute everything remained quiet, the silence only broken when Nawaki's hand twitched.
Ana gasped, crawling towards the dagger. "Wait- Ana… it's me. It's Jahan. Nawaki- he's gone now. Dead."
"How can I be sure?" she demanded. Looking to the man still mostly encased in stone, she found he was looking back at her, a slight smile on his face. His hand twitched once more as a small orb of light formed on his fingertip.
It was hard to figure out how she was supposed to feel about all this. Nawaki was dead, but Jahan was still there… in Nawaki's body… or was it his? "I don't understand," she muttered, smacking her hands against her knees in frustration. "Why were there two of you? How do I know you're not just… going to turn back into him?"
"He wasn't really me," Jahan replied weakly, a soft sigh escaping him as he looked away from Ana and up at the ceiling instead. "I was young and reckless… and gullible in my youth and easily persuaded to let in an evil spirit. Nawaki had come in the form of a beautiful woman and-"
"Spare me the details," Ana replied, shaking her head. She knew enough about village boys and their trysts with girls.
"He forced me out of my body, wanting something corporeal," he continued, closing his eyes. "I was merely a…" he paused to let out a small chuckle, "... shadow of myself. As for the rest, you already know."
"Indeed." Ana took hold of the dagger and carefully tucked it in one of her pockets before standing up.
"Before you leave… do me a favour."
"I- What is it?"
Jahan looked to Ana's hand that was still near the pocket with the dagger. "I need to atone for all that has happened to Kinaya. Nawaki, the sacrifice, if it wasn't for me-"
A scoffing laugh escaped Ana, the look in her eyes rather harsh as she looked at Jahan. "Your death won't atone anything, Jahan. They're dead, and nothing can change that." She looked to the side and let out a breath. "There has been enough death. If you really want to atone for what Nawaki did, then your life is what's needed. The people of Kinaya will need something new to celebrate now. Perhaps it's time the Festival of Dark was changed to the Festival of Light."
Hands splayed out before her, Ana moved them to either side, pushing away the stone that had been encasing the fairy, who in turned struggled to his knees before transforming to his tiny form. "If you don't mind," he started, sounding rather sheepish, "may I sit on your shoulder again?"
Ana's eyes rolled upward. "Fine," she replied, a small smile sneaking up on her lips. The past would take a long time to get over, but perhaps for now even a smile with the promise of more in the future was enough.
***
As for the village of Kinaya, from henceforth they would gather yearly with drinks and songs to tell the tale of the defeat of the dark lord. Even long after the story has changed and is forgotten, the Festival of Light remains.
It was that time of year again. You know the one. Where the whole town shuts down and it's non-stop celebrations. Well, not really celebrations. Mystery theaters all over the place. This is how we celebrate the founding of our nation, and the life of the man who was responsible for this. Kincaid Day, or Killing Kincaid as some people like to call it, is a big deal there in the capital city.
The story is one of legend, and that legend is expounded by the fact that Martin Kincaid's killer was never caught despite everything. Martin Kincaid founded this country. It's not big, but it is idyllic. The ground is lush. Our laws are fair. Crime rates are beyond low. Which is why Mr. Kincaid's murder came as such a surprise.
Exactly one hundred and fifty years before that day, Mr. Kincaid was found dead. And we now celebrate his life and accomplishments by replaying the circumstances surrounding his death. It's ridiculous.
Me, personally? I'd rather avoid all the hubbub. It was a ridiculous tradition. But unfortunately my family was huge into this, and once again I'd been conscripted to play a part in the biggest murder mystery theater production in town.
"Don't you just look amazing," my mother smiled at me. I scowled and looked back into the mirror. I was playing the maid. The outfit I had on was a cute, tea length black gown with a white apron fringed in lace, black thigh highs and white flats. My dark hair was pulled back tightly away from my face and rolled into a bun at the base of my skull. There was even a headpiece of black and white lace that fit perfectly around my head and held back any flyaways that might have occurred. The outfit was okay, I just didn't see the purpose of celebrating a murder.
With a sigh I turned to my mother and set about helping her with her costume. She was playing Kincaid's wife. The woman had been rumored to be an extremely jealous, cynical soul. With every passing year she grew more and more insecure and at the end she'd begun lashing out at the younger, prettier staff. Mother's outfit was a sequined gown that had been custom designed to flatteringly hug every curve on her body. My mom was an attractive woman for her age, and she relished the experience of playing Mrs. Regina Kincaid. She positively beamed as I zipped up the gown. Her makeup and hair were perfect, not a strand or line out of place. She turned to me as she smoothed out her dress and a dusting of glitter fell to the floor.
"Tonight is going to be one to remember, I feel it."
"You say that every year, Mom."
"Yes," she smiled, reaching out and caressing my cheek. "But this year I mean it."
A knock sounded on the door and mother called out, "Enter, darling. We're all decent here."
The door to the dressing room swung open and Mayor Chadwick stood grinning at us from underneath an overlarge top hat. The suit he was wearing fit his middle-aged, rotund body well enough. The shirt's buttons looked only slightly strained, but not like they were about to pop. Normally my dad would be playing the role of Martin Kincaid, but this year the mayor insisted that he be part of the show, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. A group of seamstresses had worked tirelessly for several months to render a suitable costume in the mayor's size.
"I see my girls are dressed. Good, good. The audience is arriving now. There's a group of twenty or so of the town's elite in the foyer. I hope you are ready for the best show of your lives."
"I'm sure it'll be great," I lied, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
"Yes, yes. Indeed. Well, as they say in show business, places everyone."
The theater was set up like a museum, with all the actors having their roles. All in all there were about twenty-five of us. We had to memorize the history, because with an interactive audience you never knew what kinds of questions you were about to get asked. Luckily for me the capital city's elite were the only people invited to attend this particular showing. There were others happening around the city at the same time for everyone else, but this one was invite only and those invited didn't bother asking stupid questions.
The evening began with a bang. Trumpets announced the mayor as he descended the staircase. He was fully in character. Kincaid's famous swagger on his hips, and an easy smile on his lips. So it was Kincaid that greeted his guests and the guests ate it up.
My job was easy enough, make myself look busy and engage with anybody that looked my direction. I'd had enough practice at it over the years that it came naturally by that time. Few people talked to the maid until after the murder anyway. It was kind of interesting to watch everybody flock to and fawn over my mother, but they always did. Year after year. I mildly considered that this was why she loved the tradition so much.
An hour passed, and Mayor Chadwick, as Mr. Kincaid disappeared. It was time for the mystery part of the evening to start. The rest of the cast busied themselves scurrying to and fro across the main antechamber. The man playing Herbert, the butler, rushed in from the kitchens with a frantic look in his eye.
"Mr. Kincaid?" he called out, brushing past the people crowding around him. "Mr. Kincaid?"
The man sighed and spun in a circle. He began beseeching help from the party goers. "Have you seen Mr. Kincaid? It's most urgent that I speak with him."
The majority of people just chuckled and shook their heads but one woman got really into it and she brought her hands up to her mouth with a gasp.
"Mr. Kincaid is missing?" she cried out, her voice a touch overdramatic. "Oh Heaven above I hope nothing is terribly wrong. I say, good sir, I shall help you find him."
Her enthusiasm was amusing and I stopped my dusting to watch as she scoured the house with the butler. Staying nearby I wondered idly if she had been approached before the show started to see if we could get more audience participation. If so, it was working. More and more people joined in the hunt. His body was found in a different place every year, after all and nobody knew where it was that he would be discovered. Even the actors didn't know. It was completely at the discretion of the one playing the part of Kincaid.
I was amused, dusting the pristine vases on the second floor and watching the search for the body take place when a scream shattered the calm, apathetic atmosphere surrounding me. People started running down the hall, and the woman from earlier came stumbling out of a bedroom wailing. Tears had formed in her eyes and were starting to spill down her cheeks. I watched in awe wondering what was happening.
Mother pushed through the crowd, and waved for me to follow. It took me a moment. I stood there in stupefied silence while people shuffled about me. Finally getting my feet to move, I followed after mother. What happened next was like a dream. Super hazy. All in slow motion, you know. People pushed past me moving the opposite direction. One man stumbled out of a room to the left and bent over, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the ground. Him vomiting set off a chain reaction or something because more and more people came out of the room and followed suit. We were at the door when somebody ran straight into my mother, and pulled her back.
"You don't need to see it, just go call the law. Hurry now."
Hearing this, I realized I had no choice; I stepped into the room. The air was heavy with the scent of blood and there were splatters all the way up the walls. It was like some sort of abstract art. I couldn't begin to imagine what had happened in there and then I saw it. My dad's body lying prone across the floor. His eyes blank with the look of death. You know the one, right? Yeah, that's the way he looked at me.
The back of his head was gone. Exploded outward. His limbs hung at funny angles. Bruises purpled the skin I could see, and there was plenty of it. His shirt was ripped and hanging from both his shoulders. Someone grabbed me by the arm and pulled be back out of the room and before I could protest arms were wrapping around my shoulders and condolences were being uttered in my ears.
Minutes passed, or maybe hours, but eventually Mayor Chadwick reappeared. He stuck close to my mother until the cops showed up. The murder mystery had become all too real at that point. We were all told to move into the dining room and one by one we were taken out, questioned and then placed back in the room. They didn't want anyone leaving. The murderer was probably still there. Mother was inconsolable. Her body trembled next to mine as she sobbed. I must have been in shock, because I just sat there until it was my turn. I don't even remember the questions they asked me but my answers must have been satisfactory, as they let me sit back down. It was at this point where my senses started coming back to me. I don't know why, but this part is much clearer than the rest.
I stood up and just walked past all the cops that were in the house. Not one of them stopped me as I came up to the room once again. I almost felt as though I were floating. It was so surreal. The body was covered this time, but that painting was still on the wall, and I had already seen it. That wasn't why I was there. No, I had seen something before that had just registered in my mind. The floor was covered in glitter. That was evidence enough for me.
I stormed downstairs and grabbed mother by the arm, dragging her away from the table. "You did it!" I accused, and her tears started falling again. Her whole body shaking as she crumpled to the floor.
"I didn't know," she wailed.
"What didn't you know?"
"I couldn't let him be found that way. I took the weapon, but I swear I didn't kill your father." Her words were barely understandable through the gasps and sobs that were wracking her body.
Part of me wanted to believe her, but the other part of me screamed that she was exactly like the woman she was pretending to be. This stupid holiday had been scandalized by another murder. The day was cursed. I wanted to scream and shake mother, but I didn't. I very calmly took a breath and waved for an officer to come to me.
The cops didn't believe mother either. I do now, but it's too late for all that. I can't help but think though, if she was telling the truth our law offices are oh for two in the murder investigation department.
The story is one of legend, and that legend is expounded by the fact that Martin Kincaid's killer was never caught despite everything. Martin Kincaid founded this country. It's not big, but it is idyllic. The ground is lush. Our laws are fair. Crime rates are beyond low. Which is why Mr. Kincaid's murder came as such a surprise.
Exactly one hundred and fifty years before that day, Mr. Kincaid was found dead. And we now celebrate his life and accomplishments by replaying the circumstances surrounding his death. It's ridiculous.
Me, personally? I'd rather avoid all the hubbub. It was a ridiculous tradition. But unfortunately my family was huge into this, and once again I'd been conscripted to play a part in the biggest murder mystery theater production in town.
"Don't you just look amazing," my mother smiled at me. I scowled and looked back into the mirror. I was playing the maid. The outfit I had on was a cute, tea length black gown with a white apron fringed in lace, black thigh highs and white flats. My dark hair was pulled back tightly away from my face and rolled into a bun at the base of my skull. There was even a headpiece of black and white lace that fit perfectly around my head and held back any flyaways that might have occurred. The outfit was okay, I just didn't see the purpose of celebrating a murder.
With a sigh I turned to my mother and set about helping her with her costume. She was playing Kincaid's wife. The woman had been rumored to be an extremely jealous, cynical soul. With every passing year she grew more and more insecure and at the end she'd begun lashing out at the younger, prettier staff. Mother's outfit was a sequined gown that had been custom designed to flatteringly hug every curve on her body. My mom was an attractive woman for her age, and she relished the experience of playing Mrs. Regina Kincaid. She positively beamed as I zipped up the gown. Her makeup and hair were perfect, not a strand or line out of place. She turned to me as she smoothed out her dress and a dusting of glitter fell to the floor.
"Tonight is going to be one to remember, I feel it."
"You say that every year, Mom."
"Yes," she smiled, reaching out and caressing my cheek. "But this year I mean it."
A knock sounded on the door and mother called out, "Enter, darling. We're all decent here."
The door to the dressing room swung open and Mayor Chadwick stood grinning at us from underneath an overlarge top hat. The suit he was wearing fit his middle-aged, rotund body well enough. The shirt's buttons looked only slightly strained, but not like they were about to pop. Normally my dad would be playing the role of Martin Kincaid, but this year the mayor insisted that he be part of the show, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. A group of seamstresses had worked tirelessly for several months to render a suitable costume in the mayor's size.
"I see my girls are dressed. Good, good. The audience is arriving now. There's a group of twenty or so of the town's elite in the foyer. I hope you are ready for the best show of your lives."
"I'm sure it'll be great," I lied, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
"Yes, yes. Indeed. Well, as they say in show business, places everyone."
The theater was set up like a museum, with all the actors having their roles. All in all there were about twenty-five of us. We had to memorize the history, because with an interactive audience you never knew what kinds of questions you were about to get asked. Luckily for me the capital city's elite were the only people invited to attend this particular showing. There were others happening around the city at the same time for everyone else, but this one was invite only and those invited didn't bother asking stupid questions.
The evening began with a bang. Trumpets announced the mayor as he descended the staircase. He was fully in character. Kincaid's famous swagger on his hips, and an easy smile on his lips. So it was Kincaid that greeted his guests and the guests ate it up.
My job was easy enough, make myself look busy and engage with anybody that looked my direction. I'd had enough practice at it over the years that it came naturally by that time. Few people talked to the maid until after the murder anyway. It was kind of interesting to watch everybody flock to and fawn over my mother, but they always did. Year after year. I mildly considered that this was why she loved the tradition so much.
An hour passed, and Mayor Chadwick, as Mr. Kincaid disappeared. It was time for the mystery part of the evening to start. The rest of the cast busied themselves scurrying to and fro across the main antechamber. The man playing Herbert, the butler, rushed in from the kitchens with a frantic look in his eye.
"Mr. Kincaid?" he called out, brushing past the people crowding around him. "Mr. Kincaid?"
The man sighed and spun in a circle. He began beseeching help from the party goers. "Have you seen Mr. Kincaid? It's most urgent that I speak with him."
The majority of people just chuckled and shook their heads but one woman got really into it and she brought her hands up to her mouth with a gasp.
"Mr. Kincaid is missing?" she cried out, her voice a touch overdramatic. "Oh Heaven above I hope nothing is terribly wrong. I say, good sir, I shall help you find him."
Her enthusiasm was amusing and I stopped my dusting to watch as she scoured the house with the butler. Staying nearby I wondered idly if she had been approached before the show started to see if we could get more audience participation. If so, it was working. More and more people joined in the hunt. His body was found in a different place every year, after all and nobody knew where it was that he would be discovered. Even the actors didn't know. It was completely at the discretion of the one playing the part of Kincaid.
I was amused, dusting the pristine vases on the second floor and watching the search for the body take place when a scream shattered the calm, apathetic atmosphere surrounding me. People started running down the hall, and the woman from earlier came stumbling out of a bedroom wailing. Tears had formed in her eyes and were starting to spill down her cheeks. I watched in awe wondering what was happening.
Mother pushed through the crowd, and waved for me to follow. It took me a moment. I stood there in stupefied silence while people shuffled about me. Finally getting my feet to move, I followed after mother. What happened next was like a dream. Super hazy. All in slow motion, you know. People pushed past me moving the opposite direction. One man stumbled out of a room to the left and bent over, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the ground. Him vomiting set off a chain reaction or something because more and more people came out of the room and followed suit. We were at the door when somebody ran straight into my mother, and pulled her back.
"You don't need to see it, just go call the law. Hurry now."
Hearing this, I realized I had no choice; I stepped into the room. The air was heavy with the scent of blood and there were splatters all the way up the walls. It was like some sort of abstract art. I couldn't begin to imagine what had happened in there and then I saw it. My dad's body lying prone across the floor. His eyes blank with the look of death. You know the one, right? Yeah, that's the way he looked at me.
The back of his head was gone. Exploded outward. His limbs hung at funny angles. Bruises purpled the skin I could see, and there was plenty of it. His shirt was ripped and hanging from both his shoulders. Someone grabbed me by the arm and pulled be back out of the room and before I could protest arms were wrapping around my shoulders and condolences were being uttered in my ears.
Minutes passed, or maybe hours, but eventually Mayor Chadwick reappeared. He stuck close to my mother until the cops showed up. The murder mystery had become all too real at that point. We were all told to move into the dining room and one by one we were taken out, questioned and then placed back in the room. They didn't want anyone leaving. The murderer was probably still there. Mother was inconsolable. Her body trembled next to mine as she sobbed. I must have been in shock, because I just sat there until it was my turn. I don't even remember the questions they asked me but my answers must have been satisfactory, as they let me sit back down. It was at this point where my senses started coming back to me. I don't know why, but this part is much clearer than the rest.
I stood up and just walked past all the cops that were in the house. Not one of them stopped me as I came up to the room once again. I almost felt as though I were floating. It was so surreal. The body was covered this time, but that painting was still on the wall, and I had already seen it. That wasn't why I was there. No, I had seen something before that had just registered in my mind. The floor was covered in glitter. That was evidence enough for me.
I stormed downstairs and grabbed mother by the arm, dragging her away from the table. "You did it!" I accused, and her tears started falling again. Her whole body shaking as she crumpled to the floor.
"I didn't know," she wailed.
"What didn't you know?"
"I couldn't let him be found that way. I took the weapon, but I swear I didn't kill your father." Her words were barely understandable through the gasps and sobs that were wracking her body.
Part of me wanted to believe her, but the other part of me screamed that she was exactly like the woman she was pretending to be. This stupid holiday had been scandalized by another murder. The day was cursed. I wanted to scream and shake mother, but I didn't. I very calmly took a breath and waved for an officer to come to me.
The cops didn't believe mother either. I do now, but it's too late for all that. I can't help but think though, if she was telling the truth our law offices are oh for two in the murder investigation department.
Red twirls
A bright hue
The dancers fly
While eliciting smiles
Pulsing is the life of
A heart
Chewed and swallowed
From the sacrificial lamb
Let's worship the daemon!
With bodies piled high
Bleeding and orgasming
As they dance to the heartbeat
Of the sacrificial lamb
Bright lights
Swirl in harmony
With the rhythmic thumps
Of knives in chests
Lowlight candles, torches, electricity
It does not matter
They illuminate
This festival of decay
With blood pooling red
Rot filling limbs
And laughter
Beautiful, shrieking laughter
Coming from the masses
A bright hue
The dancers fly
While eliciting smiles
Pulsing is the life of
A heart
Chewed and swallowed
From the sacrificial lamb
Let's worship the daemon!
With bodies piled high
Bleeding and orgasming
As they dance to the heartbeat
Of the sacrificial lamb
Bright lights
Swirl in harmony
With the rhythmic thumps
Of knives in chests
Lowlight candles, torches, electricity
It does not matter
They illuminate
This festival of decay
With blood pooling red
Rot filling limbs
And laughter
Beautiful, shrieking laughter
Coming from the masses
Tidings of Discomfort and Misery
Dear Journal,
This will be my last entry. Christmas is tomorrow, and the snow has begun to fall. I believe they used to call today "Christmas Eve", and Murlok found an old book full of "Holiday Carols" a few weeks ago... I wonder how those days were, back then, when one could stand outside in the snow and sing merry songs for strangers. It sounds so foreign. No one stands outside in the snow now, and we certainly don't sing for strangers.
Tomorrow will be the last time we carry out the tradition established by our fathers. I know it sounds morbid, if whomever is reading this has read the previous entries... But we have no choice. We had the choice months ago, but we let it slip between our fingers. Now we have no more food, the water's gone and the toxic snow will probably swallow us whole. I know some poor folks who were desperate enough to attempt to eat the snow, last year. There was no reasoning with them, they simply would NOT LISTEN!
I guess our most desperate selves come out in different forms. For me, it's more like a quiet resignation. Maybe it will change when we are on the edge of the precipice, but for the moment I've kept my head on my shoulders. Murlok as well. God, if I didn't have Murlok... I suppose I would be like those fools drinking toxic water. He doesn't know tha
A sudden crack nearby made Gwan drop her pen and hurriedly hide her journal. Her breath caught in her tight throat and she covered her mouth with her free hand in an attempt to stifle any potential sounds. It wasn't quite dark yet, though the sun had dipped pretty low past the horizon. The city's razed building allowed for maximum sunlight, but in truth it only made the whole place more desolate. It was prime time for rogue scavengers to hunt young people like her who happened to be alone in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
"Gwan? It's me, are you here?" The familiar voice echoed through the silent plaza. Murlok stepped closer until he was right over the place where Gwan was crouching, behind a pillar. "There you are. Chang scavenged some canned stuff, from the last invasion. It's gonna be a little old, but hey - food's food, right?"
His smile was worth a thousand food cans and it made Gwan's heart ache. Her permanently dirty hand dropped slowly from her face, her eyes wide and her throat still too constricted to work words out. The young man sat beside her and leaned against the same pillar. She noticed his eyes look in the direction of the fallen pen, then the journal clutched to her chest.
"Still writing, huh?" Murlok picked up the pen and handed it back to her. Gwan took it shyly and nodded, allowing herself a small smile. "Well, that's good. You're a lucky girl, Gwan. Writing is an art lost to most us."
"My mother... She taught me." The murmured words were barely just loud enough for Murlok to hear, but he nodded and finally looked out the horizon as the last glimpses and sunlight were disappearing.
"Yes. Your mother was quite the woman, I heard. I was just a small boy, I don't remember much - but she always made Christmas magical. I think it's thanks to her and your grandfather that we still remember what Christmas is, despite our traditions." Murlok's voice had taken a darker tone, but neither of them made a remark on it.
They sat mostly in silence as the sky went from a dusty pink to a deep purple, to finally turn pitch black. Gwan knew there had been stars once, that shone brightly and helped people tell one direction from another. But there were permanent black clouds now, and even though it made for quite the eccentric visual during the day, at night it meant there was nothing for them to watch. No stars, no moon. Only darkness and the acidic taste in the air.
Gwan was pulled out of her reveries when Murlok pushed himself up and dusted off his torn pants. He was a few years older than her, but he had had a rough childhood and hadn't quite aged out well of his malnourished body. Most people were all awkward limbs and protruding ribs, and the two of them were no different from the rest. They were all ragged dolls and their straw stuffing was getting thinner with every month.
In silence, the two walked back to camp. It was dangerous to light fires at night, but they had recently scored a building that seemed to have been a factory decades ago. The windows were thick with doubled glass, and painting them black hadn't been very hard. This meant they were no longer bound by the natural daylight and could actually function even when it was dark out, at any time of the day. Gwan had heard many folks say this was like tickling the beast and that they were just asking to be smote by the invaders; but she knew they were only speaking out of fear. The invaders didn't give a shit; the real danger were less... civilized scavengers.
"There she is!" Chang's gravel voice grated her ears like usual, but at this point its familiarity was more comforting than it was aggravating. "Where you been all day, missy? It started snowin', you know it'd'a be dangerous."
Murlok broke away from her and headed off to his own little settlement. Scratching her head and looking down in embarrassment, Gwan joined Chang and sat by the old woman's small fire. They had been told not to make fires inside, but Chang rarely listened to anyone but herself and her obscure mumbling. She was typically the one to bring in food though, which meant no one wanted to cross her or even argue with her about anything. Chang was untouchable and she knew it, just like Gwan.
"Sorry Chang. I had things I wanted to write and... You know how people stare at me if I write here..."
"Ahh, yes. Th'all wanna have you teachin' 'em how to write." Chang grinned her toothless grin and leaned over to mix the contents in the tin pot over the fire. It smelled foul, but it smelled like food, and they would have been fools not to eat that shit up. Sometimes Gwan found it hard to swallow, it occasionally came back up her throat, but she tried her best to keep it down and inside. No one wasted food.
Once the contents of the pot were bubbling, Chang grabbed a rusty ladle and gave Gwan an equally rusty bowl. The fumes from the nondescript sludge made Gwan frown and salivate all at once. They ate in silence, both knowing that there was little left to be said about tomorrow. It was the tradition of their clan, and had been for decades; they suffered through the toxic snow and braved the dangers of the ransacked city.
* - *
As Gwan had predicted, the next morning's snow had become heavier and accumulated along the bottom of what remained of the interchanges. They were broken down and the roads were perhaps more dangerous than anything else in the city. The small clan of scavengers made their way quietly towards the highest building still standing, a protective sheet held over them to shield them from the snow. Gwan felt a tug in her chest; all those old stories about the beauty of the snow, how its white had been praised for its purity. Now, it was a dark grey, almost like ash. It covered the city with its heaviness and its rancid stench. It wasn't that surprising, she supposed, considering how the cloud were a pits of darkness that forecasted the end of the world. The heavens were pissing on earth and there was nothing they could do about it.
Gwan could feel her heart beating hard and loud by the time they got to the decrepit 55 Water Street building. It was half the height it used to be, Gwan had read somewhere it used to be over 650 feet tall. She couldn't even picture it; there was nothing much higher than a few hundred feet tall, and this tower was the tallest. Everything else was only two or three stories high.
"Alright everyone, time to move up. Go in pairs." The leader of their clan, Santez, was a tall and loud man. He and Chang were their two leaders, and even though they disagreed on pretty much everything, the Christmas tradition wasn't one. The old woman had a walking stick in a shaky hand and leaned heavily on Santez as they went up the stairs. The heavy bag of supplies was swaying gently against his side.
"Did you bring your notebook?" Murlok hooked his arm around Gwan's and they headed up the stairs, taking her slightly by surprise.
"Oh, no." Gwan felt a rush of blood creep up her cheeks, and it made her throat tight again. "Uhm, I know the scripture by heart and my journal is mostly... Personal stuff."
Murlok chuckled and nodded, not prodding further with his questions. Gwan suspected Murlok shared her feelings, and if times had been different perhaps they could have been together... But Gwan knew better than to get too attached to anyone, and Murlok appeared to feel the same way.
They were all weak and tired and hungry, which meant the walk up the stairs took at least an hour and by the time they got to the highest story most folks were keeling over and breathing heavily. The air was nasty and tasted like pennies, much to Gwan's dislike. The young girl didn't do well with bad smells, despite having grown among them. She remembered a time where it smelled like grass and salt water, but those were fading memories from her childhood. She was only sixteen, yet she felt like a hundred years had passed and her body was like a squeezed lemon: all out of juice and slowly rotting away.
While everyone was busy catching their breaths, Gwan made a beeline for Santez. Without a word, she took out the equipment. Before two years ago, it had been her father and Santez preparing everything. To her it felt like decades ago.
"You look like your mother a little more every year, Gwan." The broad man spoke softly so only she could hear. His hands were moving about and placing everything in order without his eyes having to follow. "Your eyes, especially, they're a clear blue just like hers." He attempted a smile, but on his dark and scarred face it looked more like a haunting grimace.
"You're the only one who remembers her... And Chang." She wiped her sweaty brow, leaving behind an ashy smudge on her forehead. Despite the cold, she was sweating through her clothes and she wasn't even chilly.
"Yes, well... Folks don't live very long these days, y'know?"
There was a suffocating breeze coming from the East River below them, and Gwan felt like she might puke last night's dinner.
"Yeah... Hopefully, one of those will reach someone. We'll get help some day soon, I'm sure of it." Her smile was sad and didn't quite reach her eyes. They were all out of bottles, and they didn't even have enough for everyone this year.
"I hope so too, kid. We can't do it again next year, this is our last chance." Despite his comforting strength and large frame, Santez was just as scared as everyone and was just as likely to lose hope sooner rather than later. Gwan knew he didn't like showing it though, so she tried her best to ignore the silent tears streaking down the side of his face.
"We'll make it worth twice as much, two messages per bottle!" Turning away, Gwan rummaged through the bag and took out the neatly written notes. They all had the same message, "NYC, please assist. December 2148." followed by a radio frequency. The message had been written in English and in Spanish. The only difference between the years had been the date on the paper. The first clan leader who had thought of this was Gwan's great-grandfather, which was why now she was the one to carry the burden of this tradition. It was like an oppressive blanket constantly sitting on her shoulders and drowning her painfully, one year at a time.
The task of folding the notes was completed in short order, and just as she had promised Gwan inserted two of each in the bottles. Everyone was gathered around her and Santez, watching silently. Their gaunt eyes and shabby clothes spoke louder than any words they could say to her. She ought to have felt pressured, but the hunger and the cold were good enough distractions.
"Alright, almost done." She whispered more to herself than the others, but they were hanging to her every word. It made her uneasy.
Once all bottles were sealed, Gwan went around and handed one to every second person. Those without bottles looked defeated, more so than usual, but it couldn't be helped. The young girl walked to the edge of the rooftop, until her feet were just a few inches from the edge. Below her, the East River was a noxious green, and she could have sworn she saw fumes coming from it, but it wouldn't have done anyone some good to mention that. It was their last year, anyway. They wouldn't survive until the next Christmas.
Gwan spread her arms and closed her eyes, and everyone behind her fell silent. Santez was to her side and his arms were equally outstretched, though his arms were much higher than hers. Her ears picked up some foreign sound, something she ought to know what it was, but her memory failed her. It was faint enough that when Santez began speaking, she could no longer hear it.
"Today, my friends, we celebrate Bito Day. Bottle in the ocean." Santez' voice carried over behind them with ease. His pants were flapping with the acrid breeze.
"Once, it was known as Christmas. A time of family celebrations, happiness, and sharing. We have nothing to share, we are our own family, and happiness is not a recurrent friend." Gwan took a deep breath and regretted it immediately, her heart beating hard and threatening to break the tight walls of her throat. "But Bito Day is cause for celebration. Today, we are hopeful."
Santez and Gwan joined hands. Her hand felt immensely cold and moist compared to his strong and warm one.
"When your name is called, you will come forward by our side and throw the bottle into the East River, as hard as you can." Santez punctuated his last words with a squeeze of her hand. One by one, they each called out a name. They were only two dozens, and half of those had bottles. Regardless, all names were called and they joined their hands to form some kind of chain along the edge of the roof. Gwan's eyes had closed somewhere along the way, and when she called out the last name, they all listened for the ploof of the last bottle.
"Let's take a moment to remember our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, who have left us. Today we honour them. May our call be answered." Gwan's voice was shaking but she didn't mind.
"May our call be answered." Santez and every single person standing with them repeated the words. One after the other, they closed their eyes and Gwan knew they were mostly all saying goodbye to their lost ones. The strange sound from earlier was back and it only took a few seconds before it became louder than the sound of the rushing East River.
She didn't want to break the moment of silence, so she opened her eyes and rubbed her face on her shoulder, the dark snow tingling her skin in an unpleasant way. Her eyes searched the horizon, but the sound seemed to be coming from over them. The black clouds were hiding the sky, but the racket kept growing louder and louder, until nearly everyone had their eyes open and were looking to find the source. Gwan felt like the air itself was vibrating.
"What the fuck?" Murlok's voice broke the silence, and once Gwan caught sight of his pointing arm, she turned around and her jaw dropped.
"Is that..." Santez let go of her hand to shield his eyes from the snow as he looked up.
"It's a helicopter."
Everyone went quiet for a whole minute. Then a frenzy shook them all and everyone began screaming and waving their hands. Being so close to the edge, some people tripped and fell down.
"Stop, calm down! Please, be careful!" Gwan let go of the other person's hand and tugged everyone off the edge of the roof. A quick count confirmed that five people had fallen to their death in the putrid East River. The young girl's heart seized in her chest, but she ignored the pain and the tears. Turning towards the helicopter, another snowflake burning into her cheek, Gwan searched for any motion inside. They were so far up and the snow was making it painful to keep her eyes open. The flying machine took a sharp turn and she saw it.
It was over within a minute. A long, miserable minute. The helicopter was equipped with a shooting machine. Gwan had read about those, she knew they were called machine guns. This was a flying machine gun, not the saviour they had all hoped for. Its descent from the skies was such a sight like she had never seen, and perhaps it would become the last thing she'd ever see. The loud ratatatata deafened the young girl and the first bodies that were hit fell into the green water below, leaving a spreading red splotch. Someone grabbed her arm and pulled her down, but her first thought was Why? We're all going to die anyway...
Murlok's face was nothing like she had ever seen. Splattered blood, sweat, and burns caused by the toxic snow were causing his face to look disgusting, and Gwan's first reaction was to push him away. But he held tight and brought her close to his chest. Terror seized them both and they watched the bodies around them drop like bloodied dolls, lifeless before they even touched the ground.
The people in the flying machine gun seemed to have spotted them and before either of them could whisper goodbye, Murlok's face was blasted by bullets. Gwan couldn't stop herself from shrieking at the top of her lungs, but it lasted only a few seconds. The first shots missed and caught her legs, tearing them to shreds. Her face was covered with Murlok's blood and innards, and the smell was the absolute worse. It was like a thousand pennies had been lodged in her nose and throat.
The pain was excruciating. The people from the helicopter didn't seem to care that they had missed her head; they left her to die. Gwan shook and breathed heavily, stuck under Murlok's cold body for what seemed like hours. There was no other sounds except for the East River and the breeze ruffling through clothes. Gwan could not longer feel anything below her waist when she began humming softly a Christmas carol Murlok had taught her. The words were too difficult to remember, and the blood oozing from her mouth soon made humming impossible.
I think I'll rest now, Murlok... Merry Chri... The thought fleeted before it was over, and the cold darkness swallowed Gwan before her head hit the ground.
Title: For Name and Nation
Invictus peeked out from behind the courtyard wall, brushing his hair behind his ear gently before putting his hand back on the icy wall. His breath plumed out in a cloudy mist, obscuring his vision for a moment before it wisped away into thin air. The cold was beginning to nip at his fingers, but he ignored the sensation for now. What was of more interest to him was what was going on in the courtyard ahead of him.
"The ice is the foundation beneath our feet. It is our lifeblood. But the ice has not always been there for us. One day, many many eons ago, the ice cracked. It broke from under us, and many people were lost. But our very best magic users, those with the most mastery over our powers of cold and snow, managed to band together and join their forces in order to save the very town we stand in today, Frostvale. It has since become our capital, an everlasting citadel proclaiming our power." The speaker raised his arms to bracket the castle behind him, a small shard of power jumping from his hands to create ice sparkles. They quickly vanished, but the crowd murmured in appreciation.
"We celebrate that day as one of our few holidays, and with it, one of our finest traditions: ice carving. Using no tools, these fine elves will have to carve out of one solid block of ice, a representation of their hearts. What is the passion that drives you? Why? That is what must be visible in their creations. They must use only their own vision and the powers within them. A time limit of 4 hours is given: starting, now!"
The people cheered as the contestants placed their hands on their blocks of ice and began carving, slicing away at little chunks in order to shape the ice into an image. Invictus sighed softly, sliding down the wall in order to sit on the snow covered ground. Idly he began moving his fingers around through the snow drift, his mind filled by the speaker's words. How could the very ice beneath their feet have cracked? It was impossible! And yet everyone knew it had happened in the past. That was the whole reason why they had this stupid holiday. The ice carving probably would have happened anyway, what with all the ice around. But, he supposed, it wouldn't be as meaningful.
Still, he wondered as he peeked at the contestants, now firmly entrenched in their work, the first rough edges of their images being shown on the ice before them. What was the meaning of all this? One person was clearly making an animal of some sort, likely one of the many bears that roamed the ice, tamed and put to work by the Ice Elves. Another was making a vaguely person-shaped object, while a third was working on something circular. And these were supposed to represent someone's inner passion? What even was that, and how did people know?
Was this something people thought about on a regular basis?
His mood plummeted like hail in a raging storm. How would he know what people thought about? He was alone. No parents, no family. The closest he had was the neighborhood watcher, the person who was more sociable than most, and who took it upon themselves to make sure everyone in their neighborhood was alright. But even that wasn't... Oh never mind. Wishing never got anyone anywhere. His fist clenched in the snow. He would make himself known. Invictus Glacies.
Unclenching his hand, he stared down at the ice frozen solid in his hand. Snow was supposed to melt when you touched it... Breathing faster, he reached out and touched his fingertip to another pile of snow, and slowly ice began to crystalize outwardly, almost like a snowflake on the ground. Focusing, concentrating, single minded, he willed it to melt... And like a river, it began to flow.
Unable to hold back a shout of joyous laughter, Invictus shook his head and grinned down at his hands. They were supposed to learn how to use their powers at school, but here he was, using it! And... his eyes narrowed. There was an ice carving competition being held at the moment, just a courtyard away. Another little giggle slipped out as he turned away from his hiding place, but no one heard.
"And the 4 hours stops, now!" Cheers and applause rent the air, breaking the silence that had befallen the courtyard, most of the crowd having dispersed for the majority of the 4 hours, only to regroup now that the time limit had been reached. The judging could finally begin, and already the people were gasping in wonder at the creations before them, glistening in the twilight.
A bear, its maw gaping, exposing multiple rows of sharp teeth. Its paw extended, sharp side forward, clearly attacking an enemy. The other paw cradled a cub, soft side inward in order to not harm the babe. "Protection."
An elven warrior, sword unsheathed but not raised. A shield discarded, laying at its feet. No armor, not even chainmail. Bloody but unbowed, the figure did not appear weak, regardless of its clear injuries. "Pride."
A circular disc, as though the frame of a photograph. Etched into it, with fine detailwork, a family portrait. Two parents, two children. Quietly content. The frame was childlike, obviously made by the ones in the picture. "Love."
"And here..." For once the announcer began to falter, for there had only been a set number of people in the competition, yet here was one more contestant standing ready with their ice sculpture. "What is your name, good sir?" He asked jovially, regaining his composure with commendable speed.
"My name is Invictus." The young boy stated boldly, his heart beating fast. "And my sculpture is called Name and Nation." And with a jerky movement of his hand, he tore off the concealing sheet.
The first thing that people noticed was how delicate the whole piece was. Thin, fragile, filigree danced over ice so thin you could see to the other side. It was... a heart? Yes, distinctly heart shaped, but not a solid piece, made up of many small strands winding together to form the full picture. And in the middle, with strong block letters that stood out fiercely against the lattice of vines behind it, INVICTUS GLACIES. Yes, it was obvious how the title of the piece was clear in the work.
"And how are you, young man?" The announcer asked, voicing what the entire crowd was thinking.
"12. And I'm going to make sure everyone knows my name by the time I'm 20. I swear it." Invictus said.
And they believed him.
(He won the competition hands down, but he gave the prize to second place. He wasn't in it for the award.)
Invictus peeked out from behind the courtyard wall, brushing his hair behind his ear gently before putting his hand back on the icy wall. His breath plumed out in a cloudy mist, obscuring his vision for a moment before it wisped away into thin air. The cold was beginning to nip at his fingers, but he ignored the sensation for now. What was of more interest to him was what was going on in the courtyard ahead of him.
"The ice is the foundation beneath our feet. It is our lifeblood. But the ice has not always been there for us. One day, many many eons ago, the ice cracked. It broke from under us, and many people were lost. But our very best magic users, those with the most mastery over our powers of cold and snow, managed to band together and join their forces in order to save the very town we stand in today, Frostvale. It has since become our capital, an everlasting citadel proclaiming our power." The speaker raised his arms to bracket the castle behind him, a small shard of power jumping from his hands to create ice sparkles. They quickly vanished, but the crowd murmured in appreciation.
"We celebrate that day as one of our few holidays, and with it, one of our finest traditions: ice carving. Using no tools, these fine elves will have to carve out of one solid block of ice, a representation of their hearts. What is the passion that drives you? Why? That is what must be visible in their creations. They must use only their own vision and the powers within them. A time limit of 4 hours is given: starting, now!"
The people cheered as the contestants placed their hands on their blocks of ice and began carving, slicing away at little chunks in order to shape the ice into an image. Invictus sighed softly, sliding down the wall in order to sit on the snow covered ground. Idly he began moving his fingers around through the snow drift, his mind filled by the speaker's words. How could the very ice beneath their feet have cracked? It was impossible! And yet everyone knew it had happened in the past. That was the whole reason why they had this stupid holiday. The ice carving probably would have happened anyway, what with all the ice around. But, he supposed, it wouldn't be as meaningful.
Still, he wondered as he peeked at the contestants, now firmly entrenched in their work, the first rough edges of their images being shown on the ice before them. What was the meaning of all this? One person was clearly making an animal of some sort, likely one of the many bears that roamed the ice, tamed and put to work by the Ice Elves. Another was making a vaguely person-shaped object, while a third was working on something circular. And these were supposed to represent someone's inner passion? What even was that, and how did people know?
Was this something people thought about on a regular basis?
His mood plummeted like hail in a raging storm. How would he know what people thought about? He was alone. No parents, no family. The closest he had was the neighborhood watcher, the person who was more sociable than most, and who took it upon themselves to make sure everyone in their neighborhood was alright. But even that wasn't... Oh never mind. Wishing never got anyone anywhere. His fist clenched in the snow. He would make himself known. Invictus Glacies.
Unclenching his hand, he stared down at the ice frozen solid in his hand. Snow was supposed to melt when you touched it... Breathing faster, he reached out and touched his fingertip to another pile of snow, and slowly ice began to crystalize outwardly, almost like a snowflake on the ground. Focusing, concentrating, single minded, he willed it to melt... And like a river, it began to flow.
Unable to hold back a shout of joyous laughter, Invictus shook his head and grinned down at his hands. They were supposed to learn how to use their powers at school, but here he was, using it! And... his eyes narrowed. There was an ice carving competition being held at the moment, just a courtyard away. Another little giggle slipped out as he turned away from his hiding place, but no one heard.
"And the 4 hours stops, now!" Cheers and applause rent the air, breaking the silence that had befallen the courtyard, most of the crowd having dispersed for the majority of the 4 hours, only to regroup now that the time limit had been reached. The judging could finally begin, and already the people were gasping in wonder at the creations before them, glistening in the twilight.
A bear, its maw gaping, exposing multiple rows of sharp teeth. Its paw extended, sharp side forward, clearly attacking an enemy. The other paw cradled a cub, soft side inward in order to not harm the babe. "Protection."
An elven warrior, sword unsheathed but not raised. A shield discarded, laying at its feet. No armor, not even chainmail. Bloody but unbowed, the figure did not appear weak, regardless of its clear injuries. "Pride."
A circular disc, as though the frame of a photograph. Etched into it, with fine detailwork, a family portrait. Two parents, two children. Quietly content. The frame was childlike, obviously made by the ones in the picture. "Love."
"And here..." For once the announcer began to falter, for there had only been a set number of people in the competition, yet here was one more contestant standing ready with their ice sculpture. "What is your name, good sir?" He asked jovially, regaining his composure with commendable speed.
"My name is Invictus." The young boy stated boldly, his heart beating fast. "And my sculpture is called Name and Nation." And with a jerky movement of his hand, he tore off the concealing sheet.
The first thing that people noticed was how delicate the whole piece was. Thin, fragile, filigree danced over ice so thin you could see to the other side. It was... a heart? Yes, distinctly heart shaped, but not a solid piece, made up of many small strands winding together to form the full picture. And in the middle, with strong block letters that stood out fiercely against the lattice of vines behind it, INVICTUS GLACIES. Yes, it was obvious how the title of the piece was clear in the work.
"And how are you, young man?" The announcer asked, voicing what the entire crowd was thinking.
"12. And I'm going to make sure everyone knows my name by the time I'm 20. I swear it." Invictus said.
And they believed him.
(He won the competition hands down, but he gave the prize to second place. He wasn't in it for the award.)
Match brought to wick, and a candle was lit.
The dim candlelight did little to light up the study, but was enough to cast a paltry glow upon the desktop on which it sat—as well as upon the tired face of a middle-aged man.
Pulled from the breast-pocket of the man's coat, a sheet of parchment was laid out before the candle. By its light, ink formed letters; letters, formed words; and words, a letter.
The man did not read this ink, for he know the contents of this letter well. It would not be the first time that he'd scrawled a name on a parchment such as this, and would certainly not be the last. A solitary line—blank, for now—awaited new ink; and from this ink, a name.
A name not his own.
His hand shook as he dipped the pen in ink, and yet shook as he held its tip over the page. Cursing, he slammed his hand once, twice, against the desktop—his hand held steady.
With an arm lifted to wipe tears from his eyes, he did not look as the pen danced across the line; he did not need to, for his mother's name was as familiar to his hand as his own.
The deed done, he tossed the pen aside, folded the parchment over, and sealed it with wax, his family crest emblazoned proudly upon it. The man then pushed the letter to the side, put his face in his hands, and wept.
Silence had fallen upon the fields as the sunset lingered in the sky.
Garlands hung from the threes, reaching up to the highest of branches. Tents, now abandoned, had been erected in droves, offering treats, trials, and trophies—all without price to pay. Flowers, of petals white and black, now lay scattered throughout the trampled grass.
The man stood tall beside and elderly woman, seated comfortably in a wheeled chair of wood. His eyes were wet, expression sombre—and yet while she too shed tears, her demeanour was one of contentedness. She knew well the struggle he endured, for it had been hers many years ago, but the cycle had come to fulfill its promise again in this town of theirs, and she was ready to accept her faith.
Where elsewhere they had been scattered haphazardly by the more enthusiastic of the children, before the man and his mother the black-and-white flowers had been laid out more delicately into a soft path, leading up to a stack of wood topped with a single wooden coffin, all resting on the crest of a hill.
This spring, seven more paths had been lain out, with families waiting silently at the foot of each. For many, two coffins had been placed upon the wood—married couples, granted the honour to pass on as one.
At the blare of a horn, a youthful girl rose up from behind the hill, her circlet of silver catching the last rays of the sun. At this cue, the elders began their ascent up the hill towards their coffins. The man stooped to lift his mother from her chair, and carried her in her arms up the path.
The coffin was of simple make, a bed of soft cloth within. As he gently lowered his mother inside, he found his gaze drawn to a circular recess laid into the wood, from which emanated veins of ivory spreading throughout the wood.
His mother lifted a hand, and he grasped it with his own. "I'm ready," she mumbled, and he smiled, for her sake.
"You'll be missed."
So focused was he on his mother that he had not noticed that the princess had already passed by the three previous coffins—now three uniform columns of fire amid the darkness of the night.
The princess looked to be no more than seventeen—as she had looked three years ago, at his father's passing; thirty years ago, at his grandparents'; and more than fifty years ago, when he had first laid eyes on her as a child. Long, black hair trailed on the grass behind her, mixed with strings of flowers and leaves no doubt placed there by the children. In her hands, an orb about the size of a melon—seemingly made of glass but with clouds of grey swirling within. Her eyes were blue, and though saddened she nonetheless bore a smile on her face as she greeted him. "Are you ready?"
He nodded, giving his mother's hand one last squeeze before releasing it.
Delicately, she placed the orb in the circular recess carved into the end of the coffin, and began to speak with a near chant-like quality:
As the princess left for the next coffin, the man fell to his knees whispered another farewell, and match brought to kindle, a blaze was lit.
The dim candlelight did little to light up the study, but was enough to cast a paltry glow upon the desktop on which it sat—as well as upon the tired face of a middle-aged man.
Pulled from the breast-pocket of the man's coat, a sheet of parchment was laid out before the candle. By its light, ink formed letters; letters, formed words; and words, a letter.
The man did not read this ink, for he know the contents of this letter well. It would not be the first time that he'd scrawled a name on a parchment such as this, and would certainly not be the last. A solitary line—blank, for now—awaited new ink; and from this ink, a name.
A name not his own.
His hand shook as he dipped the pen in ink, and yet shook as he held its tip over the page. Cursing, he slammed his hand once, twice, against the desktop—his hand held steady.
With an arm lifted to wipe tears from his eyes, he did not look as the pen danced across the line; he did not need to, for his mother's name was as familiar to his hand as his own.
The deed done, he tossed the pen aside, folded the parchment over, and sealed it with wax, his family crest emblazoned proudly upon it. The man then pushed the letter to the side, put his face in his hands, and wept.
Silence had fallen upon the fields as the sunset lingered in the sky.
Garlands hung from the threes, reaching up to the highest of branches. Tents, now abandoned, had been erected in droves, offering treats, trials, and trophies—all without price to pay. Flowers, of petals white and black, now lay scattered throughout the trampled grass.
The man stood tall beside and elderly woman, seated comfortably in a wheeled chair of wood. His eyes were wet, expression sombre—and yet while she too shed tears, her demeanour was one of contentedness. She knew well the struggle he endured, for it had been hers many years ago, but the cycle had come to fulfill its promise again in this town of theirs, and she was ready to accept her faith.
Where elsewhere they had been scattered haphazardly by the more enthusiastic of the children, before the man and his mother the black-and-white flowers had been laid out more delicately into a soft path, leading up to a stack of wood topped with a single wooden coffin, all resting on the crest of a hill.
This spring, seven more paths had been lain out, with families waiting silently at the foot of each. For many, two coffins had been placed upon the wood—married couples, granted the honour to pass on as one.
At the blare of a horn, a youthful girl rose up from behind the hill, her circlet of silver catching the last rays of the sun. At this cue, the elders began their ascent up the hill towards their coffins. The man stooped to lift his mother from her chair, and carried her in her arms up the path.
The coffin was of simple make, a bed of soft cloth within. As he gently lowered his mother inside, he found his gaze drawn to a circular recess laid into the wood, from which emanated veins of ivory spreading throughout the wood.
His mother lifted a hand, and he grasped it with his own. "I'm ready," she mumbled, and he smiled, for her sake.
"You'll be missed."
So focused was he on his mother that he had not noticed that the princess had already passed by the three previous coffins—now three uniform columns of fire amid the darkness of the night.
The princess looked to be no more than seventeen—as she had looked three years ago, at his father's passing; thirty years ago, at his grandparents'; and more than fifty years ago, when he had first laid eyes on her as a child. Long, black hair trailed on the grass behind her, mixed with strings of flowers and leaves no doubt placed there by the children. In her hands, an orb about the size of a melon—seemingly made of glass but with clouds of grey swirling within. Her eyes were blue, and though saddened she nonetheless bore a smile on her face as she greeted him. "Are you ready?"
He nodded, giving his mother's hand one last squeeze before releasing it.
Delicately, she placed the orb in the circular recess carved into the end of the coffin, and began to speak with a near chant-like quality:
"As you pass on, I thank you for your gift;
"Thank you, kind mother." At these words, the princess gently closed the woman's eyes, placed the orb of souls into the slot, and drew from her elderly body the last dredges of her soul. Bright white shone out from the ivory veins of the coffin, slowly coalescing inside the orb, before all was dim once more.Souls hereupon kept from passing adrift.
My life your spirit will help to prolong,And may I steer our people to stay strong,
So each child
Brave or mild,
May live a life free of strife.Brave or mild,
As the princess left for the next coffin, the man fell to his knees whispered another farewell, and match brought to kindle, a blaze was lit.
The Face of Tradition
An intoxicating haze of adulation called it. (Her, him, he, she -- such appellations had no meaning to one such as itself, except as window dressing for the smaller creatures that worshipped it.) Their prayers and songs rose like trails of exquisite incense, arousing its curiosity, enticing it from higher reaches.
Descending into a lower plane it found the aura of the one they called the high priestess almost irresistible. Ah, yes, it remembered; it had found this one alluring before. For a short while it spun around her, while she strove to strike a bargain, or so it seemed.
The old promise? Was it time again for that? Yes. Yes, it would come when she called.
The vessel? The woman asked him. It showed her the image of the one it had found. An interesting creature whose path Mayiwl had made smooth. Soon.
≠ ≠ ≠
At the head of a well-attended procession, the high priestess had entered the capital city's to act as oracle and consult with the two-headed vulture goddess, Mayiwl, twenty days before the ceremony crowning the Red-Robed King -- which occurred once every lustrum. The traditional crowning and subsequent marriage would was be the pinnacle of the holiday ("Mayiwl's Gathering Day") which honored Mayiwl's patronage and protection of Nuris Trunba. These would be the key events in a week's worth of a wild outpouring of devotion and self-indulgent excess by an otherwise stolid people. (The high priestess, of course, would portray the part of the Red-Robed King's bride, the Pink Maiden.)
The high priestess easily fell into a trance state, seeking audience with Mayiwl to find the name of the ceremonial King. Her long white hair shone against the black silk of her robe, as she threw back her head in ecstasy at the touch of the goddess. The holy maiden took on a supernatural beauty as Mayiwl's immortal aura surrounded her, the dark cinnamon skin glowing as if lit from within, her charcoal gray eyes closed in surrender. Who of the faithful would refuse to bridegroom such a beauty?
But coming out of her trance, the high priestess made it known that the goddess had chosen no man nor woman of Nuris Trunba, but a stranger to their world. It was unprecedented! Tensions grew as the people murmured among themselves, some excited, some fearful at the news. And he was to be "gold of hair and pale of skin."
How would such a stranger arrive? For the country was a small one, protected by impassable mountain ranges in the north and west, by deep dark forests with treacherous ravines in the east, and a wild unruly sea to the south. Occasionally, adventurers resolved to master the ravaging ocean or conquer the unyielding woodlands. Few returned from ocean or woods, but those that did were of the people, and none were golden haired.
The devout smiled serenely, secure in their faith. "Mayiwl will provide," they reassured their countrymen gently.
However, as the days passed and no candidate appeared, the anxiety heightened. (Although there were foolish blasphemers that attempted to present themselves as the chosen one, flouring their skin and wearing wigs made from the hide of pluigobeasts. They were soon dealt with.)
It was now less that a week before the sacred rite. A panic began to set in, affecting all but the hearts of the most faithful (or feeble-minded). The usual joyful debaucheries took on a tinge of recklessness, reflecting the disturbance many felt.
Even the high priestess in her chamber of solitude and reflection, preparing for the traditional ceremony, felt a more than a twinge of fearful doubt. Where was the promised King? Would this be the year that they failed to uphold tradition? What disaster would this presage? Had she failed their people? Her hands trembled upon the prayer stones.
≠ ≠ ≠
Vargis Holst paused to wipe his brow as they emerged from the thick forest. And then, caught by the vision of the somewhat primitive civilization before him, looked in rapt awe upon new land. They had done it! They had reached beyond the skyclad mountains which had previously guarded what some dare to speculate might be an inhabited environment.
And behold, his team's faith was rewarded!
True, they had suffered grievous loss of life. Savage beasts, poisonous plants--the perils of an uncharted wilderness had reduced their numbers miserably. It was down to the just the two of them now. But in the end, neither death nor the misfortunes suffered had prevailed upon them to turn back. The last several furlongs had proved remarkably easy. And a new world had been discovered!
"We'll be knighted by the queen for this," panted Jan Mckilmas as he trotted in weary excitement up to Vargis.
Vargis's lips twitched in disapproval. Jan was a dyed in the wool glory-seeker. A knighthood was all very nice, but this…this was history! They would have so much to share with the rest of the world—if they survived.
He took a deep breath and walked forward into the outskirts of a rather primitive settlement, with Jan following close behind him, both keeping their hands close to their weapons. There were wide-eyed stares, of course. Dropped jaws. Pointed fingers. Shouting. They half-expected to be attacked on sight and dragged off to the butcher's block by the cinnamon-skinned natives, but what the two blonde-haired, pale-skinned men hadn't reckoned on was them being met with cries of what was (apparently) joy! They both breathed a sigh of relief and immediately began negotiating for food and water, using gestures that they had found, so far, to be universal during their many explorations.
≠ ≠ ≠
The high priestess happily sung a hymn to Mayiwl in her tower of solitude. The promised one had arrived for the Gathering! And enthusiasm had returned to the people as they went about their festivities. Ah, it had been wicked of her to feel even a wisp of doubt. Tonight she would be garbed as a bride and witness the traditional crowning of the Red-Robed King.
It was not the first time she would portray the role of the Pink Maiden. As usual, the holy madness would descend upon her during the ceremony and she would have little recollection of the wedding, but the land would be blessed for another five years.
≠ ≠ ≠
"Vargis! Please please please don't do this!" begged Jan. "You're putting yourself in terrible danger. You know how these primitive societies can be! Damn it, you'll probably find yourself bound and burning in some black boat put out to sea."
Vargis peered at his cohort, as he allowed beaming strangers to dress him in long robes of red. "Those were the fellows in West Hymit, right? That was a near thing, wasn't it?"
He chuckled good-naturedly and shook his head. "Jan old fellow, show a little more backbone. We're not anywhere near the sea and how many times can that happen anyways? Just think how lucky we are! We've only been here a few days and already they've clasped us to their bosoms! Think of what a magnificent treatise we'll be able to publish when we return!"
Jan groaned. There was no way to talk his idiot colleague out of this and no opportunity to hit him over the head and spirit him away. He had sensed no hostility from the natives, but he had a very bad feeling about this so-called ceremony. And he couldn't deny that he was worried for his own neck, as well.
Reluctantly, he retreated to a place he had scouted out which would place him out of the sight of others, but that still give him a birds-eye view of the proceeding. How he prayed that his intuition was wrong!
≠ ≠ ≠
Lured by the heightened feelings of its followers, ecstatic revelry, and the traditional chants, the being they called Mayiwl moved towards the earthly plane, hovering above the ceremony, its attention once more caught.
Yes, the promise. A pact made so long ago that it passed living memory. Simple faithful creatures to so keep tradition.
The woman. It had been her many times. In the old days, it had ridden her for months at a time, walking among the people until the novelty faded. The Pink Bride she was called, her pure white garments spattered with the lifeblood of the King. A noble King who guarded his bride and pledged his mortality in exchange for her protection.
But this King. The creature fascinated it. In subtle ways, it was unlike its followers, the people of Nuris Trunba. It had yet to find a way to commune with the new man creature's mind.
≠ ≠ ≠
With bulging eyes, Jan Mckilmas bit back his cries of horror as rivers of blood ran from the lone dead body upon the ground. The natives, who had seemed to be in a mindless frenzy during the "ceremony," had since wandered off as if in a sleepwalker daze.
His friend. His companion. What had they done to him! Oh god! And how would he, Jan, be able to escape these heathens with his life? He was still uncertain at what he had seen. His head was in a whirl.
Broken thoughts chattered madly in Jan's head as he stared in confusion at the birds that had attacked, some bizarre-looking species that reminded him of buzzards at a feast of carnage. It was irrelevant, but surely a live body should have been too fresh to attract them. And they were keeping their distance from the sole survivor. Even during this horror, Jan couldn't control the analytical leanings of his thoughts. But nothing made sense.
The Red King looked up from his lifeless bride and smiled at Jan in an awkward grimace that bore no resemblance to Vargis Holst's cheerful smile, fixing his jet black eyes on his old comrade as he nonchalantly wiped his bloody hands on the dead woman's hair.
Jan felt his heart contract in fear. Vargis's eyes had been a bright blue. What deviltry was this?
Slowly, the jaw of the Red Robed King worked to produce a rude grimace and then gargled out a greeting. "And a Happy Mayiwl's Gathering Day to you, sir."
An intoxicating haze of adulation called it. (Her, him, he, she -- such appellations had no meaning to one such as itself, except as window dressing for the smaller creatures that worshipped it.) Their prayers and songs rose like trails of exquisite incense, arousing its curiosity, enticing it from higher reaches.
Descending into a lower plane it found the aura of the one they called the high priestess almost irresistible. Ah, yes, it remembered; it had found this one alluring before. For a short while it spun around her, while she strove to strike a bargain, or so it seemed.
The old promise? Was it time again for that? Yes. Yes, it would come when she called.
The vessel? The woman asked him. It showed her the image of the one it had found. An interesting creature whose path Mayiwl had made smooth. Soon.
≠ ≠ ≠
At the head of a well-attended procession, the high priestess had entered the capital city's to act as oracle and consult with the two-headed vulture goddess, Mayiwl, twenty days before the ceremony crowning the Red-Robed King -- which occurred once every lustrum. The traditional crowning and subsequent marriage would was be the pinnacle of the holiday ("Mayiwl's Gathering Day") which honored Mayiwl's patronage and protection of Nuris Trunba. These would be the key events in a week's worth of a wild outpouring of devotion and self-indulgent excess by an otherwise stolid people. (The high priestess, of course, would portray the part of the Red-Robed King's bride, the Pink Maiden.)
The high priestess easily fell into a trance state, seeking audience with Mayiwl to find the name of the ceremonial King. Her long white hair shone against the black silk of her robe, as she threw back her head in ecstasy at the touch of the goddess. The holy maiden took on a supernatural beauty as Mayiwl's immortal aura surrounded her, the dark cinnamon skin glowing as if lit from within, her charcoal gray eyes closed in surrender. Who of the faithful would refuse to bridegroom such a beauty?
But coming out of her trance, the high priestess made it known that the goddess had chosen no man nor woman of Nuris Trunba, but a stranger to their world. It was unprecedented! Tensions grew as the people murmured among themselves, some excited, some fearful at the news. And he was to be "gold of hair and pale of skin."
How would such a stranger arrive? For the country was a small one, protected by impassable mountain ranges in the north and west, by deep dark forests with treacherous ravines in the east, and a wild unruly sea to the south. Occasionally, adventurers resolved to master the ravaging ocean or conquer the unyielding woodlands. Few returned from ocean or woods, but those that did were of the people, and none were golden haired.
The devout smiled serenely, secure in their faith. "Mayiwl will provide," they reassured their countrymen gently.
However, as the days passed and no candidate appeared, the anxiety heightened. (Although there were foolish blasphemers that attempted to present themselves as the chosen one, flouring their skin and wearing wigs made from the hide of pluigobeasts. They were soon dealt with.)
It was now less that a week before the sacred rite. A panic began to set in, affecting all but the hearts of the most faithful (or feeble-minded). The usual joyful debaucheries took on a tinge of recklessness, reflecting the disturbance many felt.
Even the high priestess in her chamber of solitude and reflection, preparing for the traditional ceremony, felt a more than a twinge of fearful doubt. Where was the promised King? Would this be the year that they failed to uphold tradition? What disaster would this presage? Had she failed their people? Her hands trembled upon the prayer stones.
≠ ≠ ≠
Vargis Holst paused to wipe his brow as they emerged from the thick forest. And then, caught by the vision of the somewhat primitive civilization before him, looked in rapt awe upon new land. They had done it! They had reached beyond the skyclad mountains which had previously guarded what some dare to speculate might be an inhabited environment.
And behold, his team's faith was rewarded!
True, they had suffered grievous loss of life. Savage beasts, poisonous plants--the perils of an uncharted wilderness had reduced their numbers miserably. It was down to the just the two of them now. But in the end, neither death nor the misfortunes suffered had prevailed upon them to turn back. The last several furlongs had proved remarkably easy. And a new world had been discovered!
"We'll be knighted by the queen for this," panted Jan Mckilmas as he trotted in weary excitement up to Vargis.
Vargis's lips twitched in disapproval. Jan was a dyed in the wool glory-seeker. A knighthood was all very nice, but this…this was history! They would have so much to share with the rest of the world—if they survived.
He took a deep breath and walked forward into the outskirts of a rather primitive settlement, with Jan following close behind him, both keeping their hands close to their weapons. There were wide-eyed stares, of course. Dropped jaws. Pointed fingers. Shouting. They half-expected to be attacked on sight and dragged off to the butcher's block by the cinnamon-skinned natives, but what the two blonde-haired, pale-skinned men hadn't reckoned on was them being met with cries of what was (apparently) joy! They both breathed a sigh of relief and immediately began negotiating for food and water, using gestures that they had found, so far, to be universal during their many explorations.
≠ ≠ ≠
The high priestess happily sung a hymn to Mayiwl in her tower of solitude. The promised one had arrived for the Gathering! And enthusiasm had returned to the people as they went about their festivities. Ah, it had been wicked of her to feel even a wisp of doubt. Tonight she would be garbed as a bride and witness the traditional crowning of the Red-Robed King.
It was not the first time she would portray the role of the Pink Maiden. As usual, the holy madness would descend upon her during the ceremony and she would have little recollection of the wedding, but the land would be blessed for another five years.
≠ ≠ ≠
"Vargis! Please please please don't do this!" begged Jan. "You're putting yourself in terrible danger. You know how these primitive societies can be! Damn it, you'll probably find yourself bound and burning in some black boat put out to sea."
Vargis peered at his cohort, as he allowed beaming strangers to dress him in long robes of red. "Those were the fellows in West Hymit, right? That was a near thing, wasn't it?"
He chuckled good-naturedly and shook his head. "Jan old fellow, show a little more backbone. We're not anywhere near the sea and how many times can that happen anyways? Just think how lucky we are! We've only been here a few days and already they've clasped us to their bosoms! Think of what a magnificent treatise we'll be able to publish when we return!"
Jan groaned. There was no way to talk his idiot colleague out of this and no opportunity to hit him over the head and spirit him away. He had sensed no hostility from the natives, but he had a very bad feeling about this so-called ceremony. And he couldn't deny that he was worried for his own neck, as well.
Reluctantly, he retreated to a place he had scouted out which would place him out of the sight of others, but that still give him a birds-eye view of the proceeding. How he prayed that his intuition was wrong!
≠ ≠ ≠
Lured by the heightened feelings of its followers, ecstatic revelry, and the traditional chants, the being they called Mayiwl moved towards the earthly plane, hovering above the ceremony, its attention once more caught.
Yes, the promise. A pact made so long ago that it passed living memory. Simple faithful creatures to so keep tradition.
The woman. It had been her many times. In the old days, it had ridden her for months at a time, walking among the people until the novelty faded. The Pink Bride she was called, her pure white garments spattered with the lifeblood of the King. A noble King who guarded his bride and pledged his mortality in exchange for her protection.
But this King. The creature fascinated it. In subtle ways, it was unlike its followers, the people of Nuris Trunba. It had yet to find a way to commune with the new man creature's mind.
≠ ≠ ≠
With bulging eyes, Jan Mckilmas bit back his cries of horror as rivers of blood ran from the lone dead body upon the ground. The natives, who had seemed to be in a mindless frenzy during the "ceremony," had since wandered off as if in a sleepwalker daze.
His friend. His companion. What had they done to him! Oh god! And how would he, Jan, be able to escape these heathens with his life? He was still uncertain at what he had seen. His head was in a whirl.
Broken thoughts chattered madly in Jan's head as he stared in confusion at the birds that had attacked, some bizarre-looking species that reminded him of buzzards at a feast of carnage. It was irrelevant, but surely a live body should have been too fresh to attract them. And they were keeping their distance from the sole survivor. Even during this horror, Jan couldn't control the analytical leanings of his thoughts. But nothing made sense.
The Red King looked up from his lifeless bride and smiled at Jan in an awkward grimace that bore no resemblance to Vargis Holst's cheerful smile, fixing his jet black eyes on his old comrade as he nonchalantly wiped his bloody hands on the dead woman's hair.
Jan felt his heart contract in fear. Vargis's eyes had been a bright blue. What deviltry was this?
Slowly, the jaw of the Red Robed King worked to produce a rude grimace and then gargled out a greeting. "And a Happy Mayiwl's Gathering Day to you, sir."
