Belrigan remembered very little from his early years. What about his parents? He knew only their names and could hardly picture their faces in his memory. Where did they come from? Who were they? No one among black brothers could help him with these questions, as monks knew almost nothing about them either—at least Belrigan lived under this impression until now.
”Did you know my parents?” he asked, astonished.
”Not quite…” Gerome sounded confused. ”Brother Masho could tell you a bit more, but… I need to tell you at least something because anything could happen now… oh my, it’s complicated. As I said, one day, a group of people came to Taus monastery in Campou di Zidon. All of them had these strange masks. At first, brothers mistook them for traveling comedians, but they called themselves mages and asked us for refuge.”
”Mages?”
”Yes, let me explain. They said they were members of Libra, a secret order that had existed since ancient times and governed the use of magic in the world. However, the order was in turmoil after the appearance of magical creatures. A conflict sprung within its ranks, turning into a brutal feud. Many were killed, and many disappeared—that is why these people searched for a place to hide with their families and came to the Black Brotherhood. Brothers in the monastery were shocked to hear this story. It seemed unbelievable that there was an ancient order of mages that no one had ever heard about. On top, no one heard of any magical war raging in the world.”
”A secret war….” Petto coughed, but maybe that was an attempt to laugh.
Gerome paused, and Belrigan exclaimed, not being able to wait:
”And what happened next?”
”Brothers, of course, gave them refuge as we are obliged to help people in need. But needless to say that they took the whole story with caution, even though these people demonstrated magical abilities exceeding anything heard about. A few days later, mages brought their families. Adults, children, elderly—just simple people with simple stories. Some were from the Zidron mountains, some from the coastal provinces; there were even a few teheni among them. Most of these people could do no magic, yet all their lives were in danger because they knew about the Libra and were a threat to the order’s secrecy. From that time on, Black Brotherhood also shared this burden. It was an unexpected acquisition, but the brothers decided it was for good. They learned a lot from the refugees, and it became apparent that while the Brotherhood was only making its first steps into the world of magic, someone had already discovered many of its secrets. Moreover, that someone was dangerous. Further, all the magical research that the Brotherhood did was secret.”
”But what happened to my parents?”
”The situation was unclear. Refuges were afraid that Libra would track and kill them. That is why letting them all stay in one place seemed unwise. To some of them, brothers proposed hiding in a remote monastery south of the Zidron mountains, while most were escorted to the north, where our White Brothers took care of them. Maybe you could remember a secret fortress you lived in?”
There was something that Belrigan remembered: a multitude of pictures, emotions, and faces loosely connected one to another. He remembered himself running through the ears of barley on a steep slope. He remembered other children that he used to call friends. He could even recall some of their names. He remembered playing in a small garden with fallen leaves covering the ground. Were all these memories real, or maybe some came later in dreams? He did not know for sure, but these bright memories from his childhood were Belrigan’s secret treasure.
Monks called that place a secret fortress, but it was instead a valley deep within a mountain range. Snowy peaks and the high walls of gray stone barred the place from the rest of the world, closing all the ways in and out. It was a masterpiece of mountain fortification left by vards and put to good use by humans. The valley was Belrigan’s whole world. He had everything he needed: his parents to care for him and friends to share an adventure with. It seemed that nothing else existed behind the mountains. Later, it was many times when Belrigan wished that was true.
”Your parents were Libra, but not high-rank, just ordinary stones, as they call it. Every stone was a part of the chalice and usually did not have contacts outside it. You see, Belrigan, the Libra is all about secrecy. When I joined the Brotherhood, I saw some refugees living with us, not your parents, but those who stayed in the Zidron mountains. I helped the brothers to figure out anything about the Libra and their magical feud. Shall we also be ready for war? We searched information everywhere, with utmost caution and with little success. Petto, do you remember when the first attack happened?”
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”Fifteen years ago. The third day of Bull month.”
”On that day, unknown villains, presumably other Libra, assaulted the monastery in the south-Zidron mountains where refugees lived. No one survived. We warned White Brothers and prepared to fight to death… but no more attacks followed. It turned out that separating refugees was wise. Two more years passed, and we started to think that Libra had forgotten about us, but then… I think you also remember what happened then, Belrigan.”
Indeed, there were other memories as well—dark and scary. It was the time when Belrigan first witnessed death and learned what it felt like to be someone’s prey. No one survived that time too—almost no one.
”It seems this is a signature of Libra. They live no witnesses,” Gerome was thinking of the same thing. ”Yet sometimes they fail too.”
”So, my parents were killed by Libra?”
”Yes, and they were Libra themself. Withal, we still do not know precisely what Libra is, which makes things even more complicated…”
«The end,» concluded Petto, but no one paid attention to him.
”But we know for sure that Libra is very dangerous,” added Gerome. ”If you hear this word or see someone in a strange mask, run very fast as if you saw a moon wolf.”
”But why then are you stealing brazenly from them, brother?” asked Petto.
”You are right,” Gerome sighed with regret. ”This is reckless from me… But it is payr… real payr in these bottles, don’t you understand?”
”Then shut up and take it!”
”And I agree again, brother.”
The darkness looked at their backs as they got out of the cave. It was deep in the night, and Taus shone brightly. They noticed a few lights on the slope up and hurried in the opposite direction. Petto could not walk fast, and Gerome was helping, holding him by his hand. How could Belrigan think about anything else but what he just heard? The story explained something but provoked even more questions and awakened the memories that were sleeping deep in his mind. Some of these memories Belrigan would instead prefer to forget. A kaleidoscope of bright visions spawned in his head, diverting him from reality for a moment. He stumbled over a rock and almost fell.
What was that?
What the hell was that Libra? Why didn’t anyone tell him about it before? And why did Gerome decide to do it now?
Let’s figure it out together. Let’s hunt them and make them pay for what they did! Do you want to know how it feels to be a predator yourself?
Since when did I start talking to myself?
Since now!
Run like you saw a moon wolf.
Gerome indeed spoke too much without thinking. How could he say that to Belrigan? He must have understood the impact it would have on him.
Belrigan’s eyes were not human anymore. His senses became extreme. While helping his brothers to find a path toward the lakes and waterfall, Belrigan could feel the scent of terror left by older shepherds who passed the same way half an hour ago. But that was not all. He could feel much more. Somehow he could sense the presence of other human minds around. Even without looking back, he could tell exactly where he needed to go if he wanted to find Nahad Hari and his men.
They descended to a small lake, where Petto asked for a halt. He breathed heavily, but his transformation was almost reverted, and he looked like a normal human.
”Wait,” he said, put me here.”
”Belrigan, could you look for the path to the village?” asked Gerome. ”There were these rocks near the water.”
”I will try.”
”I’m afraid you’ll have to burry me halfway there,” Petto growled.
”Then so be it, but we won’t leave you here, brother!”
A new scent touched Belrigan’s nose. It was savory and rich—Belrigan recognized it at once. The source of it was not so far away—Belrigan ran towards it only to see that he was right. A dead man was lying on the rocks. His body was open and empty.
So, that is why I feel it so strong today. Riddle solved: I’m not alone here.
”Brothers!” he called, rushing back. ”Brothers!”
”What happened?”
”It’s one of the shepherds over there! He’s dead. A moon wolf killed him
And as if to confirm his words, a prolonged howl swept over the valley.
Petto laughed loudly and insanely.
”A moon wolf?” Gerome’s voice betrayed his panic. ”Have some mercy, Belrigan; there are no moon wolves in the Grass Reach, not even close to these places!”
”Believe me, brothers, his heart was taken!”
”Divine lords…” Gerome leaned to the rock.
Petto instead roared, straitening up.
”That’s going to be a good fight, brothers!”
”But…” Gerome was utterly stunned.
”Run, idiots; I will take care of the rest!”
Petto’s hands started to morph again. They turned into the bestial paw, just without any fur this time, while his face became a bear’s muzzle. Unable to endure the repeated transformation, the skin cracked and started to bleed.
Gerome was still speechless. Belrigan grasped his hand and ran in a random direction. They heard Petto roaring behind their backs, and then again came a long howl.
The night could not abstain Belrigan. He ran fast, pulling Gerome along. But he could not outpace the void. It was everywhere around him, hiding behind the rocks, lurking near the sleeping trees, slithering at the water. Belrigan was breathing the cold mountain air but felt like a black void was entering his lungs with every grasp. That void was hungry. It did not threaten him; no, It was glad to see its old friend. It was calling him to join the hunt.
Which hunt?
You will know!
It was too late. It became dangerous to stay with his brother. Belrigan let Gerome’s hand slip and rushed uphill, leaving him alone in the dark. Vague silhouettes appeared around him. Wolves’ figures were woven from patches of black mist darker than the night itself. They were moving fast and running together with him.
The night hunt has begun.
The black mist covered his mind, tangled his thoughts, and Belrigan joined the pack.