Eighteen years before

This day was one he would never forget. Earlier in the evening he had dismissed the servants from their duties preferring to pace the empty corridors in solitude. There was no need for a comforting fire this night since he had no plans of retiring for a while. He had other things on his mind. The click clacking of his brown leather boots were the only sounds heard beyond the occasional thoughtful sigh. Every few minutes he raked a stray strand of blonde hair from his eyes, but his pacing never ceased. Dinner was a simple affair this evening and after he had done a quick perusal of his dining companions, he was confident not one of them had an inkling as to his plans. Would the King and Queen had been present he wasn’t so sure his activities would have gone unnoticed. They were too perceptive for their own good. Luck was on his side; however. The Queen was still confined to her rooms with her husband as her ever constant companion. He wouldn’t leave her side unless a dire emergency arose and by the time this one reached his ears it would be too late.

A cool breeze embraced the shadowy figure briefly when his steps took him over a small bridge that connected two towers before he passed through an archway guarded by a creature that was his alone to command. The tower he currently occupied was one no one entered anymore. It was built long before this King had ascended to the throne and with time the stones had aged and crumbled. Near the beginning of employment he had slowly restored the interior in the dead of night while continuing to allow the rest of them to believe the tower would collapse at any moment. As far as they knew, it was best all should stay away. Should any children of the courtiers suddenly become brave enough to venture into this area…. Well that was why his beast was around. Climbing the steps that lined the inside wall, a lullaby sung to him long ago passed by his lips. Today was going beautifully and he couldn’t have been happier.

The late afternoon sky shifted from a brilliant orange glow to a fierce scarlet and finally to a twilight blue. Above him, the bells of the clock tower tolled the late hour and still he paced. There was one window in the room that he occupied and purposely he had left the door open. When it was closed, his servants knew not to disturb him until it was opened again unless something drastic had changed in his plans. None of them would dare to betray him. Even if they tried they couldn’t. He had their tongues cut out before they entered into his employ. The circular room in which he occupied was barren save for the small chair that sat stationary beneath the sole square window. If he paused before that window he would have a clear view of Lorna forest. The trees stretched farther than the eye could see. On days when he wasn’t performing his experiments or issuing orders he would spend hours at a time watching those trees. There was something fascinating about them. When the streets would run with blood and the skies would darken, he would make sure those trees at least would still stand after everything was said and done. Those trees after all kept him alive in his youth.

A piercing whistle shot through the night drawing the man’s attention to the window before it faded into silence. Seconds later a bird crossed into view before disappearing behind the third tower to the south. Soon now. Glancing skyward, his eyes focused on the blood moon that had risen while he had been withdrawn in his thoughts and he grinned. It was a dark smile that mirrored his even darker thoughts. Everything had fallen into place as he had preordained and now there was only one more step for him to take. Wails lit up the night and he knew that the last step was already in motion. Humming beneath his breath he began writing letters in the air before movement below caused him to stop. Hurriedly he swiped his hand through the letters causing them to fade as he leaned out the windowsill trying to get a better look. The dark shape never looked back once, but he knew who it was. A satisfied growl escaped his lips while he watched her slip beyond the tree line. Finally, a challenge.

Straightening, he plucked at his shirt absent mindedly while he thought about which creature to use. He had the time to think. That was one of the pros of his existence and his power. His eyes gleamed beneath the crimson light that seemed to shine down upon him and him alone. Holding out his right hand, smoke began to rise from his palm and flow over his skin trickling to the stone floor beneath his pristinely polished boots. The smoke did not stay still for long before it slithered up the wall and over the windowsill. Not wanting to hinder his creature’s progress, he stepped closer to the window and allowed for the smoke to float directly to the rooftop below him. While he allowed for his creature to finish he turned his gaze to the northern towers where he could see figures running to and fro in what looked like panic. They should be panicking. It was the proper reaction after all to what they would have found within the King and Queen’s chambers. There was only one thorn in his side now and that was something he was going to take care of this night. He would have been more upset if everything else hadn’t gone so smoothly. Was nothing a challenge nowadays? Did no one understand that the guards around here were not sufficiently trained to handle the types of darkness he had the ability to conjure? True none of them knew, but still… It was infuriating and dull sometimes, but now… now there was a challenge lurking within Lorna calling to him.

When the roar ripped through the night he could feel the stones beneath his feet shake with the ferocity of it. The Lereon had finally awoken. Leaning heavily on the windowsill, he smiled down at the creature that bowed before his tower. Yes, the creature knew who his master was. He knew who had created it and who could easily make it disappear as quickly as the legends foretold. The back of the Lereon was hunched with a line of spikes marking its way down a spine that had an unusual ability for bending at impossible angles. Large holes in the sides of the creatures head allowed for it to hear everything it needed to; near and far. It was not a thing that needed eyes and thus those had been sewn shut while snakelike nostrils flared taking in every scent the night had to offer. The creature was hairless with skin the stretched and manipulated itself in whatever way was needed to get to its prey. Long talons extended from each of its claws and even from this distance the acidic drool could be seen dripping and sizzling on the stones beneath its feet. The Lereon was truly a masterful creation. It was a creature that stalked the nightmares of children nowadays, but soon they would all see that every legend they believed was true was able to rise again.

From within his pockets he withdrew a piece of silvery blue cloth and tossed it down to the creature. Before the cloth was halfway down, the Lereon lifted its head and inhaled through its impressive nostrils. The cloth was sucked down towards the roof and before it reached the Lereon, the creature was gone having taken off into the night; already on the trail of the traitor that dared defy him. Watching his creature go, he smiled. The Lereon was not a small thing, but not once did he hear it make a sound; not even when passed beyond the tree line trailing after the girl. Its size was just as impressive as the rest of it. Before it had disappeared, he would swear that thing was three quarters the height of the large oak it had passed; bigger than the last time he had summoned it. Certainly a creature he needed to summon more often. Lereons did have a tendency to get cooped up if they weren’t exercised properly. Another malicious smile marred his face as he turned away from the window. What was done was done and before the next dawn would break he would be the King so many would seek for wisdom and guidance. All he needed was one thing.

With his hand upon the handle of the door, he paused as the screams ripped through the air. It hadn’t taken long for the creature to track her down, he mused, but when he heard the second and the third scream mingle with the first he knew that a detour had been taken. Shaking his head, he chuckled. He knew it couldn’t have been that easy. His little beast had just stopped for a midnight snack before continuing on his hunt unless she had tried to seek shelter from him and his power. If so, then she was more foolish than he thought. Closing the door behind him the screams still echoed in his ears, but he never stopped his descent. Fools flocked together and they were fools to even try harboring a traitor. At least he would be rid of them as well. Whistling beneath his breath, he placed a solemn expression upon his features as he exited his tower and began the long descent to the main hall. It was time to play the game once again; the game in which he now controlled. Checkmate.

~.~.~.~

Such a sacrifice was one that couldn’t be understood in the eyes of the child. He had followed her here from the village wanting to be of some service, but when she had seen his skulking shadow her reaction was certainly not one he had expected. It wasn’t until the creature had arrived that he realized she meant for herself to die. Hurriedly, she had pushed him into the bushes nearby shoving a charmed necklace into his sweaty palms. Her words seemed to blend together in his memory, but he would never forget her face or those pointed ears that indicated she was anything but human. Two months ago he had met her. It had taken him two days since that meeting to fall in love and now in two minutes he had watched her die. The tears flowed down his cheeks unchecked and it wasn’t until the creature had left did he dare come out of hiding. That was when he noticed that the necklace in his hand had been glowing and now, with the absence of the creature, the glow faded. It was a charmed necklace to keep him hidden from the Lereon. A charmed necklace she could have used for herself as well if they had held on to one another. Collapsing to his knees he mourned the loss of this woman who he didn’t even know the name of. When his mother had asked, she had refused saying it would be best if none of them knew. Late into the night this strange woman spent hours speaking with his mother, but none of these conversations were ones that he was privy too. From what she told them outright, there was a scorned lover out there searching for her and she did not want them to be caught in the middle of it should he track her so far. Apparently he was a feared warrior and a part of the Eerling clans. If he got a hold of her or anyone helping her out, God have mercy on their soul. Eerlings were merciless and were said to kill without hesitation. A chill ran through the small child despite the cloak that covered him from head to foot to keep out the winter’s chill. Snow had yet to fall, but he knew it was coming. His emerald gaze returned to the spot in the middle of the clearing where a pile of ash had gathered. Everything she had done since meeting them had been for their own benefit, but what had she done for herself? He couldn’t understand how someone could feel so at peace with their own death.

Another scream rang through the air drawing the child’s attention to the fact that he still wasn’t alone in these woods. The amulet may be able to protect him against the Lereon, but there were other evils lurking in the darkness that would enjoy the taste of something young and alive. Scrambling to his feet, he pulled the hood of his cloak up and over his head while he searched the nearest trees for any movement. When he took another survey of the clearing, a gleam in the pile of ashes caught his attention. Another glance around the clearing found no other movement and gathering his courage, he darted for the ashes scooping up what looked like a small jeweled dagger. He had seen the beautiful lady carrying this at her side every time she came to visit, but he didn’t know what the insignia on the side of the hilt meant. It was just another strange symbol to his eyes.

A rustle in the bushes to his right sent the child skittering off to the left where he darted behind a thick tree trunk in case it was the Lereon again. Nothing roared behind him and after a moment all was silent again. If he wanted to move, this would be the time. The young child clutched the jeweled dagger to his chest vowing to never to forget what he had seen this night. He knew whatever had happened was special and the treasure he held in his hands was one he couldn’t share with anyone. With a determined sigh, the young boy raced back in the direction he had originally come and home to the last surviving people of Morana village.