Vengeance of the Night

Prologue

"My Lord, I came to report that someone is making a run for it. That may be who you're looking for." A deranged-looking creature spoke with a guttural voice.

A short, but stocky man with hair just past his shoulders turns to face the creature. His thick mustache in disarray and his crazed eyes gave him an eerie aura. He stroke his messy hair in deep thought.

"Yes. Yes." He took a sip out of the goblet that sat on the table next to him.

The creature stared at him awaiting a response. The man places the goblet back down and steps closer to it.

"Did it not occur to you that instead of reporting to me, you should have gone after them? Did I really create such a stupid creature as yourself?"

He pulled out his sword and chopped off its head. It rolled across the floor with its last expression of horror. He watched as it returned into the ash he made it from, scooping it up in his hands. Against the dreary stone wall were several thousand jars filled with dark dust. He pulled one off and poured a little bit into it.

"It is a pity that you were of no use to me. Letting the one person get away that I need dead. The only good thing was that I was able to make you a creature of words. Mixing your DNA with another should help recreate that same attribute."

He shook the jar vigorously and labeled it Allocution Inbred, placing it back on the shelf.

He laughed creepily to himself and sipped from the goblet once more. The red liquid inside stained his mustache, which he licked clean with a disturbing smile.

"Uncle," a little voice squeaked.

He watched as his ten-year-old niece walked into his alchemy room barefoot, carrying a stuffed dog.

"What is it my dear girl?" He crouched down and smiled with all his rotted teeth showing. His bad breath causing her face to scrunch up.

"I heard a scary noise." She hugged her stuffed dog.

He touched her hair and dwindled it between his fingers, "Everything is all right. Go back to bed. Your father will come get you in the morning."

"But I am scared Uncle." She whimpered.

He stood up and straightened his cloak and looked her in the eyes.

"This is an old house. You will hear queer sounds in the walls and creaks in the floorboards. I assure you child, there is nothing to be afraid of."

Before either of them knew it, the wall came crumbling down behind him and a few dozen men surrounded him. Without much as a warning, one pulled out a sword and took off his head.

The little girl screamed and ran away in terror, leaving her stuff dog behind.

"You carry the head," The lead ambush man ordered another. "This will make a great addition to the Sultan's trophy collection."

The man nodded, taking the head by the hair.

"Stephen," another man approached. "What of the child that was just here?"

Stephen saw the stuffed dog on the floor and went to pick it up.

"She may have been a hostage. However, we do not have time to meddle in other people's problems. We came here for one mission and one mission only. Now we report to the Sultan."

He led the group out and they rode their horses back to Moldavia.

The rain poured incessantly. Atanase and Soreena were soaked to the bone. Their child was sneezing uncontrollably, her little body trembling profusely from the cold. Soreena tried to keep her warm, but it was all she could do to stay warm herself.

They trudged through the dark muddy streets of Hermannstadt Transylvania from Bucharest Wallachia, which took about two and a half days to walk to. Escaping the madness and chaos back home in Wallachia was part of their objective, but they also needed to find a safe haven for their little girl. The trip was long and exhausting, but they were almost there.

"Thank the heavens. I see it." Atanase rejoiced with his hands raised.

A small castle stood about a mile away yet, but the relief gave them new energy.

Soreena was filled with gladness. Finally, they could all rest after the long journey.

"Mommy I am tired and I'm hungry." The little girl complained.

"As soon as we reach that place over there baby girl," Soreena pointed to the castle, "then we will be able to rest and eat."

Upon reaching the castle, A man and a woman stepped outside under a roof with their little boy. His hair bustling in the wind while he clung to his mother.

"I am impressed you got here when you did. This rain is just dreadful." The woman spoke as the family made their way up to them.

"It is beginning to flood about eight furlongs back." Atanase mentioned. He took his little girl's hand and gently pulled her over.

"Please see to her safety. We are in your debt." He stepped back, taking the hand of his wife, and watching the couple wave her inside.

"You owe us nothing. We are glad to be able to help." The man responded. "She will be fine here with us."

Soreena started sobbing, covering her face out of pure grief as if she just lost her child to death. Atanase turned and led his wife away and they disappeared in the dark. Several gun shots went off in the distance a few minutes later.

"Lubov, we knew this was coming. We must attend to the children and forget them." The man said when he saw her jaw drop open. She was certain they were killed. They were, after all, being hunted.

"Yes Mikail." She went back inside shaking and anxious. Wondering what was to come of all of this disaster in Wallachia.