Legend of Altair

Element 1 - The Blood of the Innocents

The moon is full above the night sky, and the shadows on the ground advanced swiftly without noise towards an edifice ruined by the passing years. The wind is awfully strong this night; and the blades held by the shadows swiftly slashed the necks of the guardians standing by the doorway.

"I will perform the craft here. The rest of you investigate inside." A chilling voice commanded, and without hesitation, the rest of the shadows disappear into the antiquated halls.

"Nightcrawler Craft: Sang'gayan!!" The lone shadow outside the edifice emerges, a man holding two blades. He kneels down on one knee and begins rotating and rotating, almost like a whirling dervish revolving on a circle's edges.

Meanwhile, the shadows inside slowly fade from black to absolute nothingness.

'Captain's craft is working. I can't see the rest anymore.' An invisible one mutters as he sees a well-lit room from a few distances, children of very young age. 'What's going on here?'

The child nearest to the altar climbs up and willingly lies down on the elevated offering table, his face is expressionless, blank, and vacant. The robed figure comes close and with hands above the air, he shouts, "Oh Divine Darkness, the perfect and mighty one - accept the blood of this innocent that thy seal wanes swiftly. Hasten the day that you walk Altair to guide humankind to its full glory and potential. Thy will be done." 

An ax decorated in skulls and bones is presented to the robed figure. He lifts it up and just before he could smash it against the throat of the child, another robed figure exclaims, "Stop... we have company. Some rats that needed to be extinguished." 

As the invisible one blinks, immediately he sees the robed figure appear in front of him. 

"How did you?" the concealed one exclaims in utmost confusion for the robed figure sees against the invisibility brought about by the captain's ritual outside. Yet, the robed figure stabs him with his sword. "I... recognize you and your voice! You are..."

"Ah, the well-reputed Nightcrawlers: the worshippers of The Night, and exterminator of injustice.  Is this the best you can do?" He stabs the invisible man again towards the beating heart. Slowly, his invisibility wears off, and he falls to the ground lifeless with a pool of blood oozing on the floor. 

Finally, the murderer orders the cultists, "Grab the rest of the children and flee. We have to postpone the ritual until the next full moon in a new location lest there be more rats meddling with our divine affair. I'll take care of the rest of the roaches." 

"Understood. Come now, children. You must follow me with great haste." The robed man with the ax motions the children to come. They withdraw towards an open door to the right at a pace that is breakneck.

"It's been thirty minutes since Imran and the rest went inside. Their investigation should be done and they should be back by now." Immediately, he stops the ritual and dashes inside, only to witness the dead bodies of his comrades lying on the ground: Fardum, the second in command, Sahar the only woman, Marwan the loyal, and the young Imran who was the first to have been killed. 

Waves of confusion, devastation, and astonishment ravaged the captain's consciousness. He is at loss for words. He walks towards the young one, lifting the head on his lap.

"Imran! Open your eyes!" he shouts with tears dripping down, "Please. Please! You're so young you don't deserve to die yet! You're the only family I have left!" But waking Imran is impossible for he has fallen asleep just like the rest.

Several minutes after mourning, the captain arises and scrutinizes the area. He sees faded blood on the altar table where the sacrifices had been done for many full moons that pass. Etched on some of the walls is an illustration of an inverted star with goat horns glowing in absolute crimson. 

"What in the world is going on here?" 

He wanders the halls and checks the rooms, only to find the place empty with no signs of other people and living things. Realizing that the clues are nowhere to be found, he gently scoops the bodies of his comrades one by one, laying them to rest, burying them nearby. 

"I swear to you my younger brother Imran. By The Night, I will find who did this to you. I will slay him in return."

---

Beyond the oasis of the desert city named Surallah, there exists an iconic edifice of multiple limpid dome roofs reflective of the culture of the people that worship The Night. Its walls are a mixture of marble and cement, floors of crystal tiles that glow under the moonlight, along with an interior replete with golden calligraphy of how the people write The Night in their alphabet.  The public community calls this edifice, "The Nightcrawler's Western Academy".

"Welcome back, Datu Khalil." a woman's voice echoes, as the same captain from that tragic night slowly appears into view.

"Sultana Fatima, everyone else is dead including Imran, my brother. It is to my surprise that someone can penetrate the effects of the Sang'gayan. No one else should be able to obverse that." 

The report appalls Fatima. "Unless we are dealing with an indomitable individual. Without a doubt, very few men do exist beyond these lands that can equal our crafts. For a group of lawbreakers to have such a person within them... What else did you find?" 

The captain sighs, "I found icons of The Adversary illustrated on the walls as well as bodies of children proliferating at the building's basement. Whatever it is they are planning to do, it is atrocious. Are they planning to let The Adversary walk again in this world?"

"Such assumption is beyond the bounds of possibility," Fatima exclaims. "The Night has long reduced The Adversary to pieces. No such craft exists that can make it whole again - even the Basilica of the capital Windhof, whose belief differs ours, affirms this!

"Innocent children were murdered. Your comrades killed because of this foolishness. Khalil, the order I give to you still stands. Hunt all of the offenders down and deliver The Night's justice to them. The methods you use are up to you. May you have The Night's blessing."

"As you command." 

Khalil exits the majestic room and stands at the balcony where another woman of the Nightcrawler class greets him. "I am saddened by what has happened to your brother and friends. I assume that the journey becomes more dangerous from here on out. Are you sure that you don't want me to accompany you?" 

"No. I want you to take my position, Aisha." Khalil moves to where she is and gently caresses her face. "Become the able captain and instructor for the Nightcrawlers that are yet to become." 

"I am honored by your declaration but the position entails multitudes of dedication and commitment which I lack." 

"If it is you, I am confident and settled."  

Aisha smiles then kisses Khalil. "I know what you're thinking. You will depart when the world is sleeping. Is there a way for me to convince you to stay awhile?" 

"Time is of the essence. The more I delay, I'm afraid the more children will be in severe danger. The Night's judgment must not be slowed."

"Then come back to me should the task be over. I await your return." Aisha embraces Khalil. "Will you be fine all alone? The lands beyond Surallah are unsafe. Take men with you." 

Khalil shakes his head. "I do not wish to put our people in danger anymore. The circumstance that happened to my brother and friends is something that I do not want them to experience... I will be fine alone." 

Khalil releases Aisha's embrace. He walks away from her and unhurriedly disappears from sight.