The fear which stretched across his face was clearly visible as he was led Chained to the throne room. Any color had escaped from his limbs, leaving behind nothing more than a pale pitiful shape. Except for the clash of the blades, which echoed from the training grounds of the soldiers up and the laughter of some staff who roamed the hallways was nothing to hear. Not even the fire in the fireplace that lit up the room discreetly, allowed himself a sound.

Distraught, the young man looked around before the guards not just carefully, pulled him in front of the throne and there forced him to his knees. Here was nothing. Only one large room. No painting or other treasures on the walls. Even the curtains were made of a plain black cloth. Those who hid the gruesome reality from the perspective of the large windows.

Even the massive made of black ebony throne was empty and cold just like the rest of the room. Until now, the young man did not know what was his crime, nor who the accuser. But this should change soon. Caused by a moment of inattention, triggered by a staff member who dropped a stack of plates, that rattle broke. A moment in which not only the guards, but also the young man turned his eyes to the door. Strained waited the guards on a scream that staggered the castle into a turmoil and the clumsy servants would earned his punishment. But nothing happened. With a stifled curse he turned to the half-open door, past it to get a bucket and to clean up his clumsiness again. Questioning the guards looked at each other. It was unusual that after this shambles the boy was still breathing.

Grinning, they then turned back to the prisoner. As their eyes grazed at the corners of the throne, they froze and fell instantly in humbly on their knees. In a few moments, the temperature dropped in the throne room and every breath was visible. Everyone became silent, only the irregular and fearful beating hearts of the guards was audible. And it looked as if the armor strengthen the sound much more.

The once empty throne was no longer empty. One dressed in black form had taken to this place. The black coat was made of satin, enveloped everything. It was impossible to tell whether this figure was male or female nature. The face was covered by a hood that did not allow even the slowly freezing fire to catch only a glimpse of the silhouette of the face. As the figure began to lift her lowered head, two golden eyes flashed up under the darkness of the hood. The young man who was still kneeling on the floor wincing. Which cruel beings probably hid under the dark of the robe. Just very slowly the creature rose from the seat. It looked like the creature had limbs stiffness, and must recover from a long sleep. A loud crack was heard as the creatures  walked down two steps, which were before the throne. None of the guards raised their heads. Only the young man looked fixedly at the hidden face of the creature that slowly past him. One of the guards, got a lightly slap on the back of the head as a command followed by a deep growl to talk. "Your Highness. He is from the other side." The guard stuttered the words together. Immediately the figure jumped. "A human?" Hissed it out from under the hood. "Yes, Your Highness." Replied the guard in fears.

The words were spoken and the guard was frozen as he end the sentence. In the meantime, he had crawled towards the wall in order to seek shelter, but he had to find that out there was no escape. Among the long black sleeves a few delicate, almost fragile finger appeared and laid upon the head of the frozen guard. Under the hood, the glowing pupils were seen even better now. Terrified about what could happen next, the young man pressed his back against the wall as if he wanted to push it away. Yet his feet slipped again and again over the uneven stone floor, but the wall did not gave up and moved. But over time his skin gave up. The protruding rock plates cut into his soles. Sweat spread across his forehead, and the cold of the room, let steaming his filled with fear body. He slowly closed his eyes but the sounds which now followed spurred his imagination, and even if it was against his will, pictures appeared before his eyes. It started with a little crack that grew louder and connected to a tear. Slowly the young man opened his eyes again. Still the hand of the creature was on the head of the guard. Yet significant cracks was recognizable in its frozen form. Even if the force of the fragile hand could not be seen, it was there. "Please stop." Again he closed his eyes, but this time for a shorter moment. He thought with his begging the creature would stop its doing.

Another growl appeared. It was the moment the frozen head of the guard shattered into thousands of pieces, under the pressure of the yet delicate looking hand. By removing the head the balance of the frozen body was moved, and he began more and more to lean forward until he finally hit with a loud bang on the floor and broke apart. Even his guts were frozen which made it easier to remove the corpse later without any disturbing bloodstains to leave on the floor of the throne room.

The second guard had his head still lowered and looked down to the ground. He did not dared to let out the smallest sound or protest against the doing. Because he knew what would happen if a single word of protest should leave his throat, it would have been his last. Fear was to feel everywhere in the big room. He just could reach out his hand to grab it.

Behind the castle a big red blood moon rose and crawled over the land. Even the heavy dark curtains were not able to hold back the red rays. Some of them entered the room. And turned the creature in a much more terrifying looking way as it walked closer to the frightened man. Also the gold glowing eyes looked now more dangerous than before. Fast the delicate hand grabbed down to the iron chains, who was wrapped around his wrists and pulling on them. Shocked he winced out. But even this reaction did not stopped the creature from pulling him behind while it was leaving the throne room. Still the second guard was kneeling there and did not dared to move or even to speak. It was hopeless to wait of a reaction from this guard. The young man began to defend himself and to fight but he was not strong enough. It was just a little effort of the creature needed to grind the man right across the castle. This ended as both was standing in front of a massive wooden door with iron fittings and behind it a spiral staircase was leading to the basement. Without moving a finger the heavy door opened itself with a loud deep creak. From the open door came the smell of humidity and mold upward. Without batting an eyelid the creature pulled the young man on his legs and gave him a little push that he was falling backwards down the stairs.

It took a while until the body arrived the foot of the stairs with a loud rumble. Just about every bone in his body, he felt, as well as in some places the skin was split open. The clothes he was wearing starting to soak with blood. Without reaction, the figure was still standing at the beginning of the stairs. It seemed as if it would enjoy to torment him and to hurt at all. Carefully and in pain, the young man sat up. On the top step the creature now slowly began to move, and walked down the steps.

With a pained face, he drew himself up to finally see the creatures in the eye. The creature noticed the furious gesture of the young man, but was really untouched by it and past him without paying much more attention. His eyes followed the figure and only now he noticed this beautiful room. The staircase which he had fallen down began in the half way to split, and to frame an elevation in the ground. On this elevation the silver frame that resembled on a globe. But the ball that was inside was pure energy. Light in blue, white and purple lit up the small room. After his eyes had become accustomed to the new light source, he saw that under the stairs, in the stone, shelves were admitted in which amounts of books were. Some of them wore silvered and gilded lettering. Others. were out of a kind together-swen leather. Even his curiosity grew, he did not dared to take a closer look at all the books. Instead, he turned to the figure who walked slowly down a narrow passage that followed this room. The passage was not very long and only very dimly lit. The soot from the torches, which were attached to the wall , colored the rock and the ceiling black. Fascinated from the fact, that the creature was not walking from torch to torch and light it, they start to burn by their own. The same happened when the figure suddenly stopped in front of a huge wooden door with stunning carvings. Left and right of the door stood wide bowls, presumably filled with oil that suddenly sat on fire. It was seen that here the horror of the castle was united with the beauty of the nature. The beautiful carvings of the door held by huge pillars. These as well as the walls, which led from then on in a dark maze of ruin and death, were entwined with huge roots.

With slow steps, the young man approached. His mouth in amazement slightly widened. His eyes bright and filled with life again, as he saw the beauty. Once the light and the warmth of the fire touched the roots they began to live. Like a snake, the thin roots moved on the flanks of the doors. The more the wings were overgrown, a better view of a hidden room behind was release. Only darkness stepped out of the door. Motionless stood the figure in front of the now wide-open door and just stood the young man beside it. Pure darkness stretched behind. Even the fire that lit up the gate did not dare to enter the room. Mirages built up in front of his eyes as he stared into the darkness of the room just long enough. In there was something, although good or evil. Even though his inner voice told him not to enter, he had no choice but to followed the creature inside. Into the darkness and perhaps even his ruin.

With each step, his throat constricted to. His heart began to race and a certain panic took hold. He could not see anything but heard exactly how the large wing of the doors closed behind him. Something cold crawled over his bare feet, leaving him momentarily pause in its movements. In his mind, the thoughts began to roll over itself. Carefully he sank to his knees. Too dangerous it was to take a further step. Certainly he would run against anything or even topple somewhere down. Perhaps the creature was able to see anything in the darkness but he? No, he was not able to do so. The reason he decided to stay where he was and wait of his end. Here in the depths of the castle nobody would hear him scream or see him die. Whatever this creature had planned with him, it would happen now or had already happened. He was trapped and no one and nothing could save him now here in this location. He could not expect mercy. Heaviness spread through his arms, they sank slowly down to the  ground accompanied by the rattle of the chains that were wrapped tightly around his wrists and had already left some traces of injuries. Now that this brief moment had occurred of peace, he felt every single injury that had been inflicted on him. To explain what did not hurt was easier than enumerate everything what hurt. Desperately he pushed that thought away, and buried the pain that radiates more and more in his body and as well his painful breathing. True one or more ribs was broken since he fall down the stairs.

The more his body found peace, the more grew the pain. Exhausted his eyelids began to close, but then. There was something. It crackled and quickly grew in brightness. Fire, exactly, it had to be a fire. Here was a Chimney and someone had ignited a fire in it. Was it even been the creature that led him down here? Well who else it should be. The thought flashed through the young man's head. Suddenly all the fatigue and pain was gone from his body. As quickly as he had earlier gone to the ground as fast as he was back on his feet. To be Inspired, but not lost, let him beyond himself grow. Despite the concerns but straight to walking into a trap, he moved over to the fire. His movements chosen with caution and care to make sure not to get injured again. As he got closer he noticed how the creature was moving before the fire. His premonition was correct. There was a huge Chimney. Light blazed the flame in it, and heated a small radius around. Before the Chimney stood two armchairs and a small table. Equipped with two goblets. Not exactly pompous but not unworthy fully. Carefully, the young man approached. The creature stood in front of the fire, and had turned its back on him. Now, right now would be the right time. Rushing from behind on this creature and kill it. He needed only a heavy object to slay this beast before him. Without mercy, without fear. Quickly his eyes moving around to a suitable object to find but the voice that reached his ears was faster. "The idea is very honorable. But it will not help you. So many have tried to take my life. So many paid it with their own. It is now up to you do you want to live or should the darkness be your grave."With these last words, the creature slowly turned its head to the young man. The face or even facial features were still not recognizable. But there for the hatred, and the cold in the gold glowing pupils. Quick noticed the young man that his thought experiment was not a good idea. He should take the warning of this creature very seriously. The life he had so for he loved and was not able to let go of it. In the middle of the twenties all doors were still open to an uncertain future. Maybe a woman who not only shared his bed, but also his life was still too far away, but still tangible. No here he did not want to die, so he moved to the creature and said to it with a respectful voice, "What do you want from me? Why am I here?"

Without giving him a single answer, the creature moved it body over to one of the armchairs and took a seat. By suggesting a gesture, the creature showed the young man to take a seat on the other chair. For a moment he hesitated but then followed. Both the shape and the young man stared at each other for a few minutes. Then the figure spoke. "You are here because you read something that was not meant for your eyes. A book. A very old book. This brought you into my lands, human." The young man shuddered, still he did not understand what was going on. Human and what was sitting there in front of him? The guards who had brought him into the throne room were humans or not? "Where am I" In his eyes flashed for a moment an ambition on but this was soon buried and destroyed by the response of the shape. "You're in Maenugisa. In the land of darkness."

Never before in his life he had heard of a place with this name. However, he knew there was a book that was in the possession of his family for centuries. The book Maenu or Book of darkness called. A collection of all the creatures that live in the darkness, and who his family needed to create new stories. Some of them were demons, other spirits or vampires, but some creatures had no name, there were hybrid creatures with no ancestors. Suddenly the young man began to laugh out loud. It was all a dream or a bad joke of his friends who only wanted him really scare. Magic did not exist, and would never be.

Slowly the creature reached out her frail fingers to any of goblets and led it to its lips. The golden eyes flashed from under the hood. More and more the laughter disgruntled until a tortured sound left his throat. "The words of the first page written in blood. Echoing in the night when a full moon touches the lips. Open the gate into the dark lands." Hissed the creature from under the hood. Exactly these words made the young man sink together. At night he had read the book, that was true. Had the moon touched his lips? He could not remember on that doesn't matter how hard he was trying. But it must be true, otherwise he would not ended up here. A heavy and loud sigh left his lips. Almost broke, he sat on the chair, and stared down at the floor. In his eyes, a mix of sadness and horror could be seen "I will never come back home, right?" The figure did not answer him. Instead just watching him. With trembling hands he reached for the goblet. As he lead the goblet to his lips, he paused. In him was a red liquid. It looked like wine. But the smell was different. This was no wine. It smelled metallic. Hesitantly, he dipped a finger into the cup to place a small drop on his tongue. He quickly dropped the Goblet, and looked to the creature with a disturbing gaze "This is blood." With a loud clatter the Goblet hit the hard stone floor, and the red liquid inside spread on the cold floor. The whole was followed by a loud contemptuously laugh . Hell, there he was. Not in a book, he was in hell. Blood, pain and unbearable suffering. Just as it was written in the holy books. Fire and heat. All that was here, just as he. More and more he sagged in the chair, and slowly the fear he wore turned into pure hatred. But was he able to use it? Probably not. This creature fed on it, or better it looked like that. He needed to buy time and that's why he tried once to calm. Slowly and deeply he breathed. His heartbeat was slow and his pulse also. The trembling and  the feeling to cut of someone's throat also was gone. Now it was he who looked at the creature lightly laughing.

"I want to know it." Surprised by the reaction of the young man, faded the loud laughter of the creature. It was replaced by a loud growl, "What you want to know?" Hissed it out from under the hood. Now it was the young man, who had a slight grin on his lips. "Who and what you are. It needs  a lot to be mention as your Highness." Even if the hood concealed the face of the creature, you could see the shape of any laughter was gone. Again began the pupil to shine gold. Like Daggers they drilled into him as the creature looked at him. But the young man remain steadfast and continued, "You tell me your story and I will tell you mine."