Blood Moon

NITA

  I SCREAM IN ANGUISH.

  My heart aches and the scene keeps replaying over, and over and over. My parents, dead, left in the stomach of a beast. 

  I see red, my rage taking over. With all the force I have left, I pull my leg free from its hold. I scramble to my feet, running at the blood monster. Running. Faster. Faster. Faster.

  I jump upwards, hanging on to the blood monster's arm. It gives me no heed, partly because my weight is nothing to the ninety pounds of flesh it carries on its arm. It swings and I dig my nails into its shaggy fur. 

  When it stops moving, I use one hand to draw the knife that I keep in my pocket. Withdrawing it, I stab the unsightly beast's arm. A terrible scream rips from its mouth and I drop and roll to avoid the swinging mounds of flesh.

  I run as fast as I can, away from the monster, my feet slapping the ground. I hear the heavy thuds for footsteps approaching. With a swift look, I see the blood monster cradling its wound whilst running to me with full force. 

  I feel a weird sense of achievement of having avenged my parents, however small it is. However, that is quickly overcome with fear, the blood monster right on my tail. Faster. 

  I run straight to Mount Tarcne, the very edge. The monster cannot turn and it runs off the edge, falling to its death. 

  Scared, I dash back to the House of Elders, to find Jacob and Elder Poignant sitting at the round, glass table. I send a questioning glance toward Jacob, but all I get in return is an apologizing glance. 

  I realize what has happened then. But before I can attack Jacob with an onslaught of questions, Elder Poignant begins to speak.

  "We only have little time, so listen carefully. I know it is you who woke the blood monsters, but I am not going to blame you. Now is the time to listen."

  I open my mouth to speak, but she raises her hand to shush me, "Only one sword can kill blood monsters. And only under specific circumstances. A blood moon."

  Blood moon? A blood moon only happens once a century, at least here anyway. How are we supposed to kill the blood monsters?

  "I have little time to explain. But long ago, in the days of those that had come before us, blood monsters were born. They destroyed everything in their path. But then our ancestors created a sword, and under the blood moon, they were killed."

  "But the sword was hidden away when some started seeking it. And the blood moon is not any ordinary type of blood moon. A part white blood moon, like the sun," Elder Poignant explains rapidly.

  "You need to find the sw-" she starts again but then her eyes go black. Green smoke escapes her mouth, her fingernails clutching the table. 

  "Go west and face the monsters of blood,

To be drowned by the everlasting flood,

Find the sword and get back alive,

Kill under the blood moon for the village to thrive," 

  Confusion shoots to my brain as I hold an unconcious Elder Poignant. Fear dances in Jacob's eyes, and he looks at me with a mournful expression.

  "What was that?" I whisper, trying to not draw attention to the house. Jacob says nothing, but instead mouths a word.

  Prophecy.

  I gasp, looking at Elder Poignant one last time before running toward Jacob. Swiftly, he grabs my wrist and leads me up the stairs.

  Forbidden stairs. 

  But does the rules really matter now, when there is massacre going on outside? The thought of it is enough to get my heart racing and I signal to Jacob to hurry up.

  He leads me to a square room covered in glass with a little oak draw just outside the door. In the middle of the room, a duffel bag lies on the floor. Jacob picks it up and leads me out to the back entrance.

  "We need to go. We need to go now."

Author's Note: A bonus chapter because on Friday I completed a test, so yeah like me being a savage. Please note that by the time I've finished this book, I will revise it and make the parts better but DEAL WITH IT for now.