Chapter 2. The Burial:

I waited in my hiding place until I could hear the nocturnal hooting of owls from the surrounding forest, the time when the moon is at its highest point in the nights sky.

I slowly crawled out from the safety of my hiding place, stood up and moved the drapery aside. The scene before me was ghastly and the stench overwhelming. I gagged at the sight. The stale blood no longer as appealing to me as it had been a few days earlier. Flies lay buzzing around the corpses.

I had to get out, breathe some air. I stepped carefully over the corpses and into the hall way. The castle doors were open and a slight breeze flowed in. How I would have longed not to have to go back into the grand hall but there were rituals that needed to be performed before I could head to the north pass. Taking a few deep breaths of fresh air I steadied myself and headed back into the grand hall.

I walked over to my father's corpse, his skin grey and gauntly stretched across his skeleton. Although I know it was pointless, I searched in vain for any sign of his presence I had felt a few nights before. It was no longer there. Kneeling down beside him I began to weep! For the first time since my mothers death I cried. My tears were a warm, watery, salty, bloody mixture as they ran down my face.

In the corner of my eye, glinting in the light of the moon, I saw the chain with the pendant of my families crest half hidden under a fallen cabinet. It must have flown from around my father's neck during his murder.

I pulled it out and put it on around my own neck. Fingering the pendant (a dragon and bat) I swore there and then upon my families crest and corpses that I would seek my revenge upon those who brought upon my coven and village this ghastly massacre.

Looking back across the hall I moved back to my families corpses. In our world, we have a burial ritual starting upon the first night of a death. I had already missed three days of this. We have five days of fasting, sleeping during the daylight hours and an incantation and burning of oils at each nights high moon for each member of the dead in our coven.

I once again looked about myself and set to work.

I separated the corpses of my family and coven members from the corpses of the mortal villagers. It was an exhausting job. I retrieved my cloak and began taking the members of my coven to our crypt below the grand hall. I dragged each individual through the entrance hall and down the side stair way down to the dungeons, through the dark tunnels and into our covens vault. I placed each member into their rightful place. It was a tedious job both physically and emotionally. After placing my beloved brothers into their final resting places I trudged back to the grand hall to retrieve my fathers corpse. By this time I was exhausted. I nestled my fathers head under my arm and began dragging his corpse to the crypt below. I got him down the stairs and half way along the long tunnel toward the crypt when the exhaustion finally struck me, causing me to slump against the wall. I heard a rustling of robes near by and froze. My over exhausted senses becoming alert. From a near by alcove stepped a hooded figure bearing the crest of Bat and wolf.

Once again I had the strangest sense of familiarity of this crest. I straightened up gasping in shock, stepping away from my fathers corpse, my already increased heart rate beating louder in my ears.

'Please!' I begged in my mind. 'please don't kill me!'' I pleaded silently.

The hooded figure stepped into the faint moonlight emanating from the small window in the tunnel and placed a finger over his lips motioning for me to be silent. Shrinking back against the wall of the tunnel I stumbled over my cloak. Scurrying quickly to stand up, not taking my eyes off the hooded figure in front of me I suddenly felt a sense of being calmed surround me and against my intentions I surrendered to it.

'' I won't hurt you'' I heard in my mind from the man before me and could also sense his anger and sympathy at what had befallen me, for my loss and for my fear. In sensing these emotion from him I realised he had spoken to me from his mind. Mind communication and control and sensing of emotions a rare gift among us usually descending through the family bloodlines.

The hooded man bent down and pulled me to my feet. All the time I kept my eyes on him waiting for him to strike me or yell of his victory of finding me.

''Here, let me help you. You must be exhausted as well as hungry, confused and terrified'' he said as he bent down to pick up my fathers body.

''Don't you touch him!'' I snarled to my surprise.

The man stopped, eyeing me, contemplating.

''I mean you no harm. I swear!'' he said. '

''I wish only to help you. We too have our burial ritual like yours. I can help'' he waited.

I considered him a moment ''why?'' I asked him ''why are you helping me? You come here, kill everyone who means something to me then offer to help me. Who am I to you but someone your master would have a whole coven and village massacred for'' I snapped at him and swayed in my exhaustion. He caught me before I hit the ground and set me aside checking I wouldn't collapse on him again he picked up my fathers corpse and head before I could protest and marched his way into the crypt. I followed. He set my fathers corpse down into his appropriate sarcophagus and began to light the honey waxed candles standing by each individual sarcophagus. It was at this point I realised or maybe I even sensed that he was indeed true to his words I began to relax in his presence a little and started to light the incense, swaying it as I began the ritual burial chant.

I realised once I had finished the ritual that the mysterious man had been respectively waiting for me by the crypt door. I took the sheath and family crested sword from my fathers side and withdrew from the crypt sliding shut the door with the help of this man. Unconsciously, I somehow came to know that this mans name was Lucian and that he truly meant me no harm.

He took my hand and motioned once again for me to be silent dragging me along through the tunnels other exit by the stables where I realised miraculously my horse Stara was saddled and waiting for me. We stopped before my horse. Lucian helped me into the saddle handing me the reigns. He took from the stable wall a burning torch that hung there. I looked down at him questionably.

' You will understand in years to come why and how I have helped you to escape. My men are near but do not hold the ability to sense you as I do. Ride hard into the night and do not stop until the mountains. Keep your sword at the ready and stay vigilant'' he said sternly. Too shocked I nodded. My eyes flickering to the torch.

''what are you going to do?'' I asked.

'' I will burn the villagers bodies in the grand hall'' he replied and noticing my glancing back at the castle he continued. ''do not fear, the castle may survive , the crypt below most definitely as its walls are thick. You one day will be to return here, when you are stronger. Now go before my men notice the smoke in the castle'' he said.

I stared at him for a moment in disbelief before replying.

''Thank you Lucian. I hope I reach my destination and survive long enough to meet again with you some day to thank you properly'' I said and taking a pocket knife from its sheath at my side I cut my palm. Lucian took the knife from my hand and in the same way made a shallow cut on his palm as we placed together our hands as is our customary parting way. Upon placing his hand against mine I experienced an unusual electrical feeling around the cut on my palm . I stared hard into his eyes puzzled by this and silently thanked him again before turning around my horse and riding hard into the night leaving my childhood home behind me in darkness before hearing the crackle of the fire Lucian had set behind me.