In the early years of the 17th century, All of Europe was in turmoil and in fear of the Catholic Church. The Pope’s inquisitions have spread throughout Europe, parts in Russia and the Middle East. Their “Holy” mission was to hunt down enemies of the church. Heretics, blasphemers, and the non-believers. Not only mortal enemies, but those believed to be monsters and demons from the depths of hell. Those were the dark days. Neighbors turned on each other as they spread false accusations of witchcraft and heresy while the inquisitors were burning villages and homes to the ground. All of Europe was burning in hellfire and brimstone.
While Europe plunged into darkness and despair, most of the countryside was in relative peace save from the church’s wrath, for now. There was a cottage that was deeply hidden in the forest with its lush green leaves and mountain terrain. The owners of the cottage were two snow leopards and their young cub. Even though they were safe in their home, they still feared the church for they were not ordinary mortals.
The head of the house, Elon was a witch. She did spend most of her days crafting potions and healing remedies to the local village for means of sustainable necessities for her family. She was talented in the art of alchemy, divination, astronomy, and matter of sciences that a mere mortal could not comprehend as well as the arts necromancy, transfiguration and other sorts of dark magic.
Noah is Elon’s wife. Unlike her wife, she is a vampire. Despite her being an undead creature of the night, Noah is a loving wife and loving mother to their son, Lancelot. She stays at home and tends to her son and wife, their cottage, or spend her time reading her books and playing the violin. As a vampire, Noah would have to consume blood to survive. She feeds on the neighboring farms’ livestock to feed off their blood. It was not satisfactory as a mortal’s blood, but it was necessary to conceal themselves from the church and those who fear the unknown or the unnatural. They have been doing very well to keep their dark lives a secret. They feared not only for their own lives, but for the life of their son.
It was a cold and dark afternoon. The clouds blotted out the sun. It was a perfect day for Noah to be outside and spend time with her family and not fear the sunlight. Lancelot played while Elon wrote spells and incantations in her journal and Noah was preparing lunch.
It was Lancelot that found a mysterious figure approaching their cottage. He screamed for his mothers as he ran to them. Elon hid her books while Noah embraced Lancelot to protect him. Noah had a gift of incredible sight and was able to make out the stranger as he approached. The figure was a tall burly dark feline. He was cloaked, but Noah could see piercing golden eyes that were hidden in a few strands of white hairs. He got closer to the cottage only to stop a few yards away from the leopard family. He smiled at them revealing his pearly white and sharp teeth. He bowed before to them in a respectful manner.
“Good afternoon, ladies.” The hooded stranger spoke in a deep yet gentle voice. “I presume that you take residence in this humble cottage?”
Elon was the first to acknowledge the stranger. “Yes, we live here.” She kept her composure to insure she would not give a supernatural indication if this hooded stranger was an inquisitor. “Who are you and what brings you here?”
The stranger bowed before them again. As he rose, the stranger locked eyes with Lancelot’s eyes, who retreated to the protection of his mother. “I am merely a humble traveler in search of water for my travels. If you could procure one for me, I’d would be eternally grateful to you.”
The women were unsure what to make of this stranger, but they didn’t want to rouse any suspicion. So, Noah ordered Lancelot to fetch a water pouch while she got water from a wooden barrel inside the cottage. Elon stayed outside with the stranger. Like a predator stalking its prey, she never took her eyes off him.
The stranger spoke once more. “Could you tell me which direction is north? I’m on my way to Romania and could use any assistance to seek my way.”
“That way past the field and trees, there will be a road.” Elon replied as she pointed in the direction. “That road will lead you to the main road where there will be a sign pointing you to Romania.”
The stranger bowed in gratitude. Soon Lancelot ran up to the stranger with a water pouch in hand. The stranger smiled warmly as he took it and gave himself a few gulps of water.
Noah came to the stranger and presented him with some fresh bread. “For your travels, sir. Be safe upon your travels and to be at your destination safe and soundly.”
“Ah, many thanks. You have been most helpful. Be safe in this dark time ahead.” The stranger uttered before he made his way in the direction that Elon pointed to Romania.
When the stranger was far enough away from the cottage, Noah spoke to Elon about the stranger. “Do you know who that is?”
Elon replied. “No. I’ve never seen him before. He doesn’t appear to be an inquisitor. Even if he was one of them, he wouldn’t be traveling alone fighting monsters with no means of assistance. Regardless, we should be on our guard.”
Noah nodded in agreement.
“I must go into the village today and pick up a few ingredients. We better hurry while the clouds still blot out the sun.” Elon said.
“After what is happening, are you sure that’s safe?” Noah worried for the safety of her family.
Elon nodded. “I’m afraid so. Mrs. Bradshaw is expecting to have a child soon. I need those ingredients for when her child is born.”
Noah was still unsure about the safety of her family with everything that had occurred with the Inquisitors. However, she and Elon have been very careful up to now. They maintained a social interaction with the villagers not to draw unwanted attention to themselves. Noah, understanding what new threats are emerging from the Vatican City in Rome, nodded and spoke. “Let’s get those ingredients then.”
The village where they lived was nothing special. It was a small village that was surrounded by endless forests and rigorous mountains so high that it could almost keep the sunlight out of the village entirely. It was the ideal location for children of the night like Noah and her family.
The dark family ventured through the village as normal as any normal villager. Some of the folks waved and said hello to them. They knew Noah and Elon as apothecaries and medicine women. They never thought otherwise of their dark nature. Lancelot held on to Noah’s hand as they walked through the village. He smiled as he squeezed his mother’s hand tighter. Noah smiled back at him.
Noah’s smile soon disappeared as she spotted three dark figures in the distance. They were interrogating a shop owner. They were hooded so that Noah couldn’t see their faces. The only other markings that she could see were silver crosses hanging by the bead threads on their robes. The sight of the crosses, especially at a distance made Noah nauseous. She instantly recognized the three hooded figures as Inquisitors.
Noah gave Elon a nudge and nodded in the direction of the Inquisitors. “Coming into the village today was a terrible idea. We shouldn’t have come.”
“I know. It’s too late now. We don’t want to raise any suspicion that they are on a trail. Let’s get the ingredients and head for home as soon as possible.”
Noah nodded in agreement.
“Mother, I was hoping that we would head to the bakery before we go home.” Lancelot exclaimed.
Noah knelt to their son. “I’m sorry, but not today. I promise we’ll go to the bakery next time, okay?”
Lancelot lowered his head. “Alright.”
Noah kissed Lancelot’s head and proceeded to the apothecary store. The store owner greeted the two women as she recognized them as their top customers. The store owner was a burly skunk with hazel eyes and a soft voice. “Afternoon ladies. What could I do you for today?
“We need these ingredients.” Elon spoke handing a written parchment to the store owner. “Mrs. Bradshaw is about to give birth in a few days.”
The store owner acknowledged them as he took the parchment and read it. “Ah yes, that’s simple enough. I just had a fresh shipment come in last week. I’ll get this ready in a minute.”
Elon felt relieved as he finished. “The sooner we get the ingredients, the better.” She thought.
Her thoughts were quickly diminished as the Inquisitors entered the store. The hairs on Noah’s fur prickled and felt nauseous at the sight of the crosses, but she kept her composure. They didn’t say a word as they entered but observed the store with curious intent.
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The store owner greeted them as well. “Hello, welcome to my shop. I’ll be with you in a moment.”
“No need.” The lead Inquisitor spoke. “We just have a few questions we need to ask.” The lead Inquisitor was a black dog with a patch of silver fur on his forehead. He had steel blue eyes that studied the shop and the occupants with full detail. Another noticeable mark he had was a gold fang tooth on the left side of his mouth. It shined as he grinned.
The lead Inquisitor approached Elon as Noah kept Lancelot close to her. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Caccia. Inquisitor of his holiness of the Catholic Church. I have some questions.”
Elon tried to be respectful to the inquisitor without arraying suspicion but didn’t want to talk to him let alone answer his question. “Please ask them, we’re in a haste today.”
The Inquisitor nodded. “Very well. I am told that you are the apothecaries of this village, is that correct?”
“Yes.” Elon replied. “Me and my partner, Noah, tend to this village to its needs.”
The inquisitor soon glanced at Noah. Then turned his gaze to little Lancelot. He knelt to him. “Who might you be, little one?”
“I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.” He said hiding behind Noah.
The inquisitor nodded. “Very wise.” He stood up and spoke to Noah. “You have raised this child well.”
“I surely hope so.” Noah replied harshly. Her voice was sharp. She was ready to rip the inquisitor’s throat out to speak to her son. But for the sake of her safety and for her son’s safety, she remained quiet and averted her eyes away from him.
“What is this concerning about? I said that we were in haste.” Elon said, turning the inquisitor’s attention away from Noah and Lancelot.
“We are inquiring some curious and supernatural occurrences all over Europe.” The inquisitor continued. “Devil-worshipers, Pagens, Witches, Warlocks, Monsters, and everything that is unholy and enemies of the church.”
“I can see your reasoning and implications.” Elon spoke in a calming manner. “We’re mere medicine women. You can ask any of the villagers here. You can ask Mrs. Bradshaw, who’s going to be giving birth in a few days.”
The inquisitor raised an eyebrow. His eyes were sharp as his piercing eyes gazed upon the two women. Elon nor Noah didn’t know what the canine’s reaction would be in a few moments, but they were prepared to fight for their lives.
However, the inquisitor nodded. “Very well, I have one final question. In the past few days, have you seen a stranger pass through your village? A tall figure with shining white hair, golden eyes, and a peculiar set of sharp teeth?”
Elon and Noah both knew who the inquisitor was investigating about. It was the stranger who asked for water at their cottage. They both wondered why the stranger was important to the inquisitors. They realized that this stranger was one of them. A child of the night. To protect themselves and the stranger they met earlier from the inquisitors they both said no.
“Very well.” The inquisitor finished. Though his expression remained focused and unchanged.
The shop keeper finished packing the needed ingredients and gave it to Elon. She thanked the shopkeeper and paid him. They were almost out the door before the Inquisitor stopped them again.
“Ladies, please accept this small donation as a sign of good faith from his holiness.” He held out a small handful of coins.
The ladies were hesitant about this sign of good faith from the inquisitor. They wanted to leave and be rid themselves from this servant to the pope. However, they had to remain cautious. Elon nodded to Noah who took the coins. Noah instantly dropped the coins soon after touching them. It burnt Noah’s hand as her fur was singed. She looked down to where the coins had dropped. There she saw an unwelcome sight. It was a small silver cross. It was hidden in the coins. The inquisitor planted the cross in the coins to confirm his suspicions on the medicine women.
Satisfied with his confirmation on the medicine women, he attempted to seized them and Lancelot. Elon threw the ingredients at the inquisitor and ran with Noah carrying Lancelot. They didn’t look back at him nor the shopkeeper who was confused about what had happened.
They heard the inquisitor. “KILL THEM!”
The women heard footsteps behind them. Elon looked to see more inquisitors chasing them. Elon quickly turned around and threw an ice conjuring spell onto the street road creating an ice barrier with sharp ice spikes. It stopped the inquisitors and scared the villagers as well. They shutter up their shops and homes denying aid to the fugitive family.
They were almost at the edge of the village until a bullet penetrated Elon’s back. She collapsed to the ground. Noah stopped and set Lancelot down to help Elon. As she got closer to Elon, more inquisitors came. They held crucifixes, garlic, and sacred wafer toward Noah. She was helpless against them. The sight of what she hated gave her a burning sensation that she couldn’t bear. She could escape in any form for the pain was too great. She could do nothing but curl herself onto the road helpless and scared as the inquisitors held her in place.
Despite being injured, Elon tried to cast a spell to help Noah only for her shoulder to be plunged by a sharp sword. It was the lead inquisitor. He caught up to them and his companions. He withdrew his sword and walked to Lancelot who was scared to move.
“This child is an unholy demon crafted by dark magic.” The inquisitor cried out. “By the power of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit entrusted to me by his holiness the pope, I will cast it back to Hell.”
Elon told her child to run, but Lancelot could not. All he could do was close his eyes and he cried for his mother.
There was a cry.
Lancelot opened his eyes and found the inquisitor in front of him. He stood there trembling with a shaken expression upon his face. He had his sword in hand ready to murder Lancelot. Instead, the inquisitor was impaled by a black root. A black root that moved and was pulsating inside the inquisitor. Then the black root ripped out of the inquisitor revealing a massive hole where his heart should have been. Soon the other inquisitors were wrapped around the black root that like the inquisitor impaled them in grotesque manner that mere words could not describe their pain and insufferable end.
The inquisitor turned to find the source of the black root. It was a conjuring from the stranger. He walked up to Noah and told her to collect Elon. Noah did as he requested. The stranger then walked to the inquisitor, who despite having his heart ripped out of his chest, was still prepared to fulfill his feeble duty to the church as he roared. “RETURN TO HELL!!!”
The stranger smiled maliciously. “You first.”
The black root dug themselves into the fur and flesh of the inquisitor like tiny thread needles. As they impregnated deeper into the flesh, the inquisitor screamed in agony. At a quick gesture from the stranger, the inquisitor imploded as the black root ripped the very flesh from his body leaving nothing but the blood skeletal remains and blood splatter on the road.
The stranger then opened and portal of glowing red light and turned to the women. “Come. It’s not safe here. Not anymore.”
The women did as he requested and followed the stranger through the portal with Lancelot leaving behind a bloodstain village and frightened villagers.
The portal which the stranger created lead them from a snowy village to a dark interior which resembles to be a castle. It was dark apart from a few candles being lit. The stranger waved his hand and multiple candles and chandeliers were lit which revealed more of the castle. Vast and beautiful, filled with exotic artifacts and relics. The walls were filled with portraits of previous generations of the castle’s owners and landscapes.
The stranger lead Noah to a sofa by the fireplace which she placed Elon there gentle as she could. The stranger then took off his cloak and revealed more of himself. Noah saw that the stranger was a well-built lion black lion with a white mane. She thought that he was not only a picturesque figure, but a powerful warlock as her partner. The stranger kneeled to the sofa and got close to the injured sorcerer.
“I need the medical bag from the study, quickly.” The stranger instructed as he pointed to the study.
Noah checked on Lancelot before she flew to the study and collected the bag with such remarkable speed. The stranger opened the bag and collected the contents needed to help his newfound ally.
“The bullet is still lodged in her back.” He informed Noah. She nodded in response. “I’m going to remove the bullet. I need you to hold her down as I proceed.”
Noah nodded again as she gripped Elon’s shoulders. The stranger took the forceps and muttered an incantation. He inserted the forceps and Elon screamed in pain. Noah held her partner in place as she was instructed. Lancelot covered his ears in a nearby chair. The stranger slightly moved his hand and uttered “Ah, there you are.” He then snatched the bullet with the forceps.
Normally when something like a bullet or arrow created a wound such as Elon’s there would be continuous blood loss. However, there hardly was any blood lost. The blood appeared to have slowed down to a near halt. Noah herself was bewildered at the stranger’s ability.
The stranger discarded the bullet and placed a hand over the wound. He then uttered another incantation and Elon’s wound began healing itself. The wound was finally healed, barely resembling any scar. The stranger uttered one word and Elon was revitalized almost instantly. The blood flowed through Elon’s veins at a normal pace.
Noah knelt beside her beloved. “Elon, are you alright.”
Elon answered. “Yes, I am fine now.” She looked around and studied her new surroundings. “Where are we?”
The stranger replied. “This is my home. It’s a haven for individuals like us. My name is Shar Rath. Master of the Dark Arts as well as a vampire like you Noah.”
Elon and Noah bowed to their rescuer.
“Forgive me for the deception back at the cottage.” Rath continued. “I needed to earn your trust especially with the inquisitors running about all over Europe. Others and I are undertaking the task to save as many of us, children of the night, as we can from those foolish mortals have considered us unnatural and against god’s will. As if they have that ‘divine’ right.” He finished the later part with repulsion in his voice.
At that moment, another portal opened. Out of the portal stepped out a wolf. He was a noble from the attire he wore. A deep blue fabric with gold and purple essences that resembled the moon and stars. The wolf had dark eyes and gold pupils and deep rich dark hair. Behind him were two wolves that acted like guardsmen.
The noble wolf bowed to Rath. “Shar Rath, my friend, it has been a long time.”
Rath bowed to him as well. “Wolfenstein. I trust that your mission was a successful one.”
Wolfenstein nodded. “It has. I have recruited the Egyptian priest to our cause. He is a powerful ally. I was also successful in establishing my influence in Europe, the Germanic countries, France, and Spain. England will be next and her colonies. America will then follow as well.”
“Very good my friend.” Rath acknowledged the noble wolf. “Ardeth Bay will serve us well in our quest and in control of the Middle East.”
“Atlas, there are those who have discovered who I am.” Wolfenstein spoke gravely. “It will not be long until they hunt me and my pack with silver and wolfbane. I have decided to have my son and his wife sent to America where they will live their own lives. For if I fall at the hands of my hunters, my bloodline will live on.” He finished proudly as if he was willing to fight and die for his pack.
Rath placed a hand on his shoulder. “I understand fully brother. We must do what we must for our families.”
Rath then sat in his big chair. Then he placed Lancelot on his knee. “We all have challenges ahead of us. The future is unknown to all of us, but we will overcome them and rid the world of these pathetic mortals and we, the children of the night, will rule this world with all the powers of darkness.”
The children of the night gathered around the lion, united in their common cause.
The End.