Unmasked | Book 1 in "Dark Descendants" (Editing)

Chapter 14

This song only applies to the flashback.

Italy: 1641 A.D

"Aah!"

Another cry slipped passed the boy's trembling lips as yet another leg connected with his side. He choked on his breath, stomach heaving. They have been striking him for nearly a quarter of an hour, and now Luciano was covered in bruises in numerous areas.

"Return it now, piccolo ladro!" One of them yelled. The boy had stolen an expensive artifact from a group of wealthy merchants as he needed money. He had been living on the streets, at only the age of six, fighting for scraps.

He whimpered when another man seized him by the rags of his clothing and heaved him up to his face. His angry green eyes peered out of the shadows of the night and stared into Luciano's.

"Where is it?" He demanded. His comrades from behind him shouted words of agreements, and various threats. However, Luciano refused to give in. He could not run, they were blocking his way of escape.

"You have outlived your allowance, thief." He roughly pushed him back, causing him to fall in a heap back onto the ground. Luciano prepared himself for the strike he knew was going to receive.

But it never came. Instead, he heard screams. Luciano's head snapped up, causing a pang of soreness to rush up his neck, and he gasped. The rest of the men had collapsed to the ground in puddles of blood. The shadows seemed to hide the true extent of their wounds.

What monster could have done this? Luciano thought wildly, horrified at the sight before him.

Horrified, the last man standing in front of him spun in his place, searching for the one responsible. "Who-who is there?" A 'whoosh' sounded from behind him and they both turned in the given direction. "Codardo, show yourself!"

The man cried out in pain, falling to one knee as he clutched his arm. A dark liquid leaked to the ground from deep lacerations in his skin. His breath came out ragged, clearly frightened. Luciano just watched with wide eyes, equally nervous.

Another 'whoosh' before his scream rose in the air once more. This time the man was knocked right off his own two feet, and landed on the pavement hard.

Something emerged from the shadows. Luciano squinted to see better, but then his gaze remained transfixed at the figure. Something dripped from its mouth and onto the pavement. The man seemed to see the mysterious figure's face, however, and started wildly attempting to pick himself up from the ground.

"Diavolo, diavolo," he repeated, voice laced with fear. Luciano nearly jumped as a growl escaped the other figure's mouth, one that sounded purely monstrous.

He hauled the man up by his cloak and slammed him against the alley wall. He pleaded and begged the creature for mercy, but he never acknowledged them.

The creature seemed to possess superhuman strength as he easily held him against the brick wall now by his mouth, muffling his screams. Luciano saw a quick flash of sharp canines before blood-curdling screams filled the air. Luciano winced, trembling in fear. Yet he could not pull himself up from the ground.

Thirty long seconds passed until the creature finally pulled back from him. The body dropped to the ground, never to get back up again. The night was silent once again.

Then he turned to Luciano. His heart rate increased further as he tried desperately to escape from him.

The creature took slow steps, stalking towards the smaller boy in a threatening manner. As he walked into the lighter part of street, cruel dark eyes seemed to glow.