Changer of Worlds
Winter came fast and hard that year, freezing all before it in a reign of ice and snow. Animals not lucky enough to have a warm lair froze to death over night. Small birds fell in their dozens from the iced over trees. The forest, once a place of life, became a home for death. In the small, spread out village, food became scarce as the cold grew worse. A huge fall of snow blocked the main track to the village, reducing the food supply even more. Some of the hunting tracks were still passable, just, but only the bravest dared to wander along them. The few brave souls that did never returned to the village. People grew scared, fearing for their lives.
When the first attacks came, the village as a whole trembled. They started on the pitifully few animals that were still alive in the frozen wastelands that had been fields. Each morning, more were found drained of blood. Even the village's prize bull was slaughtered. One morning, there were no animals left alive to be drained. People prayed that the attacks would stop. They didn't- the target just moved. The village horses were the next targeted.
The girl knew of none of this though. She lived outside of the mail village, in a huge hunting lodge with her family. Her days were taken up with caring for her bedridden mother. Her nights were spent looking after the children of the household. Twin girls, who had turned six in the fall. Her nieces. Their names were Mae and Erin. Both had long blonde hair that was braided with blue ribbons. Both had the same blue eyes. Her sister was swollen with child again, the baby due to be born in the next few weeks. Her husband had been killed not six months ago when a pair of runaway horses ran him down in the street. So the girl had little time to spare to listen to rumors of monsters- demons- that attacked under the cover of darkness. Later, she would wish she had paid heed to the whispered words. Her house would be the next to feel the sting of those teeth.
The attack came suddenly, as do all well planned ambushes. The first thing the slumbering family heard was the hunting dog's barking madly, as if under attack. The girl remembered one night when a wolf had become trapped in the barn where the hound lived. The hounds' barks were almost the same as that night. There were twenty-five dogs in that barn, all big, powerful well-bred animals capable of bringing down a bear when working in teams of five. Alone, the dogs were just as able, bringing down deer or a boar easily. She knew whatever animal had become trapped would not stand a chance against the hound once the bloodlust took them.
She rose from the bed she shared with her sister and hurried along the cold hall to her parent's room with a lit candle in her pale hand. Her father was already awake, pulling on well-oiled leather trousers and a heavy dark green wool jerkin. At his side, he had his hunting spear and sword. The edges on both gleamed dully in the flickering candlelight. She hurried to his side and asked quietly
"Father?..." her voice was soft, tone questioning.
"Go back to your room Selene and stay there. Lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me." He tone was hard, demanding she do as he said without complaint.
"What of Mama? And Kristina and the children?" she asked.
"I'll lock this door as I leave. Your sister will stay with the children." He said simply. She followed his words and walked back along the hall. On the way, she passed the children's room. Both were still sleeping peacefully, the full moon casting dapples across their sweet faces. She didn't know it, but this would be the last time she would see them alive. She reached her room, where Kristina had just risen from the bed and was dressing warmly. Selene smiled at her and told her what their father had said. Kristina smiled, kissed Selene lightly on the forehead and made her way along the hall to her children's room. She never made it.
Selene heard her scream. She wanted to rush to help her, but her father's words held her back. She could only listen as her sister was murdered not ten feet away from her. She felt numb. Tears ran down her face as she was forced to listen to the death cries of her closest family. The children called for her as they died. She could feel herself slowly loosing her grasp of reality. Her world had just been torn apart and she was drifting on the shards of her existence. One false step and she would fall.
Something outside the door changed and she knew that she was next. Fear paralysed her, pinning her in place against the thick wooden door she clung to. So when it was torn away, she fell into the arms waiting for her. Instinct told her to scream, to fight but she was still held in fears grasp. She could only stare at the face that belonged to the arms that held her. His eyes studied her and she could see something change there. His lips formed a word that she could not make out. His hold of her changed, morphing from attacker to protector.
"Who are you?' she asked him.
"I am Viktor." He replied. His voice surprised her. It was deeper than she had ever heard. There was a strange quality to it that she could not name.
"Did you kill my family?" she asked, needing to know if this tall, strange man had brought death to her house.
"No- I drove off the ones that did." he said, voicing a lie that she would believe for hundreds of years. It would take a battle for her to find the truth. "Will you come with me?" he asked.
"Yes." There was nothing to keep her in the village any longer. All of her ties had been severed in a night's madness. His eyes changed, becoming bright, bright blue. Fangs grew in his mouth. He bit her and the innocence she had was lost.
Fins
Winter came fast and hard that year, freezing all before it in a reign of ice and snow. Animals not lucky enough to have a warm lair froze to death over night. Small birds fell in their dozens from the iced over trees. The forest, once a place of life, became a home for death. In the small, spread out village, food became scarce as the cold grew worse. A huge fall of snow blocked the main track to the village, reducing the food supply even more. Some of the hunting tracks were still passable, just, but only the bravest dared to wander along them. The few brave souls that did never returned to the village. People grew scared, fearing for their lives.
When the first attacks came, the village as a whole trembled. They started on the pitifully few animals that were still alive in the frozen wastelands that had been fields. Each morning, more were found drained of blood. Even the village's prize bull was slaughtered. One morning, there were no animals left alive to be drained. People prayed that the attacks would stop. They didn't- the target just moved. The village horses were the next targeted.
The girl knew of none of this though. She lived outside of the mail village, in a huge hunting lodge with her family. Her days were taken up with caring for her bedridden mother. Her nights were spent looking after the children of the household. Twin girls, who had turned six in the fall. Her nieces. Their names were Mae and Erin. Both had long blonde hair that was braided with blue ribbons. Both had the same blue eyes. Her sister was swollen with child again, the baby due to be born in the next few weeks. Her husband had been killed not six months ago when a pair of runaway horses ran him down in the street. So the girl had little time to spare to listen to rumors of monsters- demons- that attacked under the cover of darkness. Later, she would wish she had paid heed to the whispered words. Her house would be the next to feel the sting of those teeth.
The attack came suddenly, as do all well planned ambushes. The first thing the slumbering family heard was the hunting dog's barking madly, as if under attack. The girl remembered one night when a wolf had become trapped in the barn where the hound lived. The hounds' barks were almost the same as that night. There were twenty-five dogs in that barn, all big, powerful well-bred animals capable of bringing down a bear when working in teams of five. Alone, the dogs were just as able, bringing down deer or a boar easily. She knew whatever animal had become trapped would not stand a chance against the hound once the bloodlust took them.
She rose from the bed she shared with her sister and hurried along the cold hall to her parent's room with a lit candle in her pale hand. Her father was already awake, pulling on well-oiled leather trousers and a heavy dark green wool jerkin. At his side, he had his hunting spear and sword. The edges on both gleamed dully in the flickering candlelight. She hurried to his side and asked quietly
"Father?..." her voice was soft, tone questioning.
"Go back to your room Selene and stay there. Lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me." He tone was hard, demanding she do as he said without complaint.
"What of Mama? And Kristina and the children?" she asked.
"I'll lock this door as I leave. Your sister will stay with the children." He said simply. She followed his words and walked back along the hall. On the way, she passed the children's room. Both were still sleeping peacefully, the full moon casting dapples across their sweet faces. She didn't know it, but this would be the last time she would see them alive. She reached her room, where Kristina had just risen from the bed and was dressing warmly. Selene smiled at her and told her what their father had said. Kristina smiled, kissed Selene lightly on the forehead and made her way along the hall to her children's room. She never made it.
Selene heard her scream. She wanted to rush to help her, but her father's words held her back. She could only listen as her sister was murdered not ten feet away from her. She felt numb. Tears ran down her face as she was forced to listen to the death cries of her closest family. The children called for her as they died. She could feel herself slowly loosing her grasp of reality. Her world had just been torn apart and she was drifting on the shards of her existence. One false step and she would fall.
Something outside the door changed and she knew that she was next. Fear paralysed her, pinning her in place against the thick wooden door she clung to. So when it was torn away, she fell into the arms waiting for her. Instinct told her to scream, to fight but she was still held in fears grasp. She could only stare at the face that belonged to the arms that held her. His eyes studied her and she could see something change there. His lips formed a word that she could not make out. His hold of her changed, morphing from attacker to protector.
"Who are you?' she asked him.
"I am Viktor." He replied. His voice surprised her. It was deeper than she had ever heard. There was a strange quality to it that she could not name.
"Did you kill my family?" she asked, needing to know if this tall, strange man had brought death to her house.
"No- I drove off the ones that did." he said, voicing a lie that she would believe for hundreds of years. It would take a battle for her to find the truth. "Will you come with me?" he asked.
"Yes." There was nothing to keep her in the village any longer. All of her ties had been severed in a night's madness. His eyes changed, becoming bright, bright blue. Fangs grew in his mouth. He bit her and the innocence she had was lost.
Fins