CHASE

Chapter 1

810 BC - NORDIC REGION

     Orsmund is born, who became a brave, fair and respected warrior. Divided between lands and seas. He's teamed up with a fearless woman, Ellin. From this union they generated seven children. As a family man, he trained the six boys and surrendered, vulnerable to his little girl. He called her Trova, the Flaming. Due to the color of her hair that when she ran it resembled the flames of fire and relatively to her indomitable spirit.

     When they reached maturity, he prepared his two eldest sons, Baculend and Olacelan for their first sea voyage. For the first invasion. For the first fight. They were filled with joy not knowing what they would really face. At the time of farewell the sad feeling did not exist. Families believed that the men who were going would return victorious. Even if there were some losses.

     At nightfall they saw a body in the salt water. A thin half-naked stranger floated peacefully through the waves. The men were surprised by such behavior. Before they rescued him they heard him chuckling, eerily, confident. They brought him to the boat and formed a circle. The wretch, as they called him, lifted his head and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. Suddenly, two impressive fangs protruded from his mouth. The alarmed crew gripped the axes tightly. They got ready to defend themselves. One of them, impulsive, came forward to disfigure him. The bastard broke his collarbone and penetrated his fangs into his shoulder. Some of the crew retreated due to the shock caused. That demon's eyes were completely covered in black. They noticed the slight flattening of the nasal area. As a result, the pallor that had previously been tinged with a dead bluish gray hue. His hideous face resembled the face of a bat. However, it was not these features that stood out but the structure of the symmetrically long and pointed teeth. Which symbolized a saw. That is, how sharp they were, as much as his claws that grew on his long slender fingers. His skeletal build bulged giving the impression that his bones were struggling with the strain of lacerating his skin. His mouth parted to make an irritating scream. A high pitched sound to the human ear. Here began a battle for life. They managed to dismember it and also watched the organism regenerate. Orsmund witnessed the torturous murder of his heirs. There wasn't much to do for the bodies of his two children lying coldly on deck. Although that didn't stop him from fighting for them. He would avenge them. Toward the end he was spared by his war strategy and by his own condition compared to those still breathing, however critical. The attacker made an incision in his own forearm with the claw of one elongated finger and pressed it against Orsmund's lips. At first, he resisted but as soon as the fluid hit his tongue, sharpening his taste buds, it didn't take him long to ingest it quite greedily. After the massacre the vile creature carried his body and abandoned the boat that disappeared in the currents of the open sea.

     When the expected date of arrival of the vessels approached everyone was uneasy. All arrived except one.

     "We don't know what happened!"  One of the men started to say.  "The first night it was strange. There was no wind... it was abnormally cold... and somehow sounds were brought to us..."

     "What kind of sounds?"

     "Screams and muffled moans that made us shiver..."  Added another man.

     "It didn't matter where we were. We listened with the same intensity."

     "Did you find the boat?"

     "Only when we got back home... And it wasn't the boat but part of the prow. Here is one of our marked symbols."  He lifted the object.

     Lodan and Edan, the twins of Orsmund and Ellin, who came forward listened attentively to the discussion. Still incredulous, they ran back to meet Orlum. This one now classified as the man of the family for being the eldest brother thereafter.

     "Orlum! Orlum!"

     The twins were reassured by their mother staying at home with Erlund and Trova. They didn't want to take responsibility for delivering such horrible news. Mainly Ellin. Well, they knew how much she loved her husband.

     "What are you doing here? What are you up to?"  Orlum watched each one's wet eyes and took a worried step back.  "What happened?"

     "Our father..."

     "Baculend... Olacelan..."  The voices were barely more than a whisper.

     Orlum refused to return home without more solid information. The brothers accompanied him to the new arrivals. When faced with the three boys they bow their heads as they pass out of compassion and respect. They knew almost nothing about the incident. But they reported what happened. Enlightened, they resumed their way back immersed in the grief caused by the disaster that had occurred.

    "I can't even imagine what..."  Edan broke off and moved to the side giving Orlum access to advance into the house.

     Lodan took Edan by the arm. He guided him closer to Erlund and Trova who were playing absently. There they sat looking toward the window that gave them the image of their mother. She who turned her back on Orlum upon discovering the unexpected catastrophe. It took her a few moments to recover after feeling engulfed by a black hole. Then she walked hesitantly outside.

     "Erlund? Trova?"  She called them in a very crisp and delicate tone.

     The younger ones put down their wooden sticks, their imaginary swords, and responded to the call. They ran a competitive race between the two.

     The local population devoted the entire week to silence for those who disappeared. What happened left anyone shaken. It was totally unusual for someone, indeed, a boat to get lost like that out of nowhere with such experienced men. No reason leaving behind nothing more than "howling" as they decided to call it. Terrifying howls linked to the bad omen. So, as expected, they didn't let themselves fail. They assumed reality with their heads held high. They supported each other, united, and focused on those who saw themselves most fragile to face the future.

     A little further from the region, a monster that was once a man every night visited a tomb that held his latest creation. He was aware that certain procedures required more time and patience. Although sometimes it appears accompanied by a victim. A prey that he either fed on or else chose to have fun with. Aside from getting a little irritated at first, he was far from giving up hope. Even if a month had already passed. Which for the one who was buried didn't matter because now he was the only one who didn't have the slightest notion of time.