Wilhelm did not know any of this. All he knew was that his marriage to Louisa had been decided when he was but a small boy, and that he spent most of his childhood getting to know her. Even though the Council felt sure that Wilhelm was not just a latent Darkon but was also the one that was promised to ride the races of the boser’traum. Louisa and her family were still forbidden from telling him who they were. The council wanted to see if he would transmute on his own, but when he didn’t Louisa was given sanction to change him after they were married. Once Louisa had changed him she was supposed to explain everything and then bring him to the Council, but Wilhelm fled before she had the chance.
Gottlieb needed Wilhelm to come back, not only could he hear his daughter Louisa’s crystalline heart shattering, but all the people on this planet needed him. Gottlieb knew that Wilhelm was the one that had been chosen to stop the boser’traum. The boser’traum are an evil race of shape shifting soul takers, who only used humans to fulfill their lustful need for life essence that they get by consuming the dreams of humans, and then in a most violent manner kills the human by drain them of blood.
This fight between the boser’traum and the other three races had been foreseen many centuries ago. Gottlieb knew in his own crystalline heart that Wilhelm was the one foretold to stop the boser’traum.
“Strong human soul not knowing his crystalline heart will have the strength to free races three: Human, Darkon, Mond’tier from death in dreams.” Gottlieb muttered the prophecy to himself as he started to race through the wood after his von’ehe son. Wilhelm must choose to embrace his Darkon blood and follow his now crystalline heart so he can save the three races from death in dreams.
Gottlieb felt fear stab at him when he heard Wilhelm cry out in pain that he would not kill. He knew what this meant. Wilhelm now felt the hunger of a newly transmuted Darkon.
Gottlieb began to run harder, he had to reach Wilhelm before his von’ehe son’s hunger took over and Wilhelm hurt or killed a human. He heard Wilhelm cry out in pain again and he picked up his pace to the point that if one could see him it would appear that he was flying across the ground.
The Darkon man could feel his crystal heart slam against his ribs as he ran but not from the physical exertion but from fear. He hoped that that Wilhelm had not harmed anyone. If he had the Council would not be very forgiving and might order Wilhelm’s exile or even his death. He could not let this happen; Gottlieb knew deep in his soul that Wilhelm was the one.
He stopped short at the smell of a fresh kill. He looked wildly around him for the victim and found the large forest cat lying lifeless at his feet. He heaved a sigh of relief, but his relief was short lived as his sensitive hearing clearly picked up the sounds of a struggle as well as the sound of a boser’traum changing shape.
Gottlieb began to run again, fear propelling him forward. Now his fear was for the safety of his von’ehe son. He had to get there to help Wilhelm. Only a few Darkons have ever taken on a boser’traum alone and lived to tell about it.
***
The scene that Wilhelm came upon was horrifying. The boser’traum had a small girl child by the shoulders, and was slowly changing shape. Wilhelm could hear a disgusting stretching and sucking sound as its ears were elongating and its face began to take on the look of a muzzle.
If Wilhelm didn’t know any different he would have thought that it was a Mond’tier that was attacking the child. But the clouds covered both moons, Mond’tier didn’t attack human children and he could also see the dark light that emanated from the creature. He could see the creature begin to suck the pure light essence from the child through its hands.
“Come with me Aalina, it is alright.” It said with a voice that sounded soothing and feminine.
“No, you are not my mother.” Aalina screamed.
“Of course I am, Aalina my madchen.” It said trying to calm the child so it could feed.
“No you are not.” She cried, “Help me.” Aalina begged as she spotted Wilhelm’s rapid approach.
Without a word Wilhelm plowed straight into the vile creature, yanking it away from the child. The sheer force of Wilhelm’s attack lifted the boser’traum off its feet as Wilhelm slammed it against a tree.
“What are you?” The creature gasped in pain, having been taken by surprise. “Your body is Darkon but your soul tastes human.”
“You will keep your filthy hands off me and off that child.” Wilhelm told it, ignoring the boser’traum’s question.
“I guess it doesn’t matter what you are, your soul is strong and sweet. I will drink your soul, whatever you are boy. And then I will drink up her little wild soul, and fest on her lovely blood.” The boser’traum hissed in its multi-toned voice as it arms and legs quickly elongated and coiled around Wilhelm beginning to crush him like a giant serpent. The boser’traum them placed its hands on Wilhelm’s back trying to suck the dreams from his still human soul.
“I said keep your filthy hands off from me.” Wilhelm gasped as he struggled for air, while the creature shifted its muscle and bones to become more serpent-like, trying to crush him.
“Oh but your soul tastes so sweet. Once I drink up your soul then I will feast on your fragrant blood.” It taunted him with glee. “Then once I have cast your worthless empty corpse aside. I will take my time drinking up all that child has to offer.”
At hearing this Wilhelm felt a burning ignite in his newly crystal heart. He could not let this thing harm that child, and he struggled with all his might trying to free his arms as his fangs descended from his jaw. Wilhelm quickly sank his sharp crystal fangs into the creatures shoulder causing it to scream in pain and loosen its grip on Wilhelm just enough.
Wilhelm took advantage of its loosened grip and hurriedly pushed his hands up between himself and the creature. Then spun around putting his back to the tree and shoved it with all his might dislodging the creature from him.
The boser’traum was not able to stop Wilhelm from pushing it off but was able to anticipate the fall to the ground and quickly rearrange it frame so it could land harmlessly on the ground in a cat like form. It then swiftly pounced at the young man with a feral growl.
Wilhelm did his best to fend off the now cat like creature that knocked him into the tree. It took all his strength as a Darkon to keep the beasts snapping jaws and clawing hands away from him.
“Wilhelm the only way to paralyze it is to puncture the gland at the base of its skull. That is the only place that they are truly vulnerable.” Gottlieb called to his von’ehe son as he quickly approached the fighting pair.
“Father…I can’t.” He gasped as he struggled with the vile creature trying to keep it from ripping him to shreds.
“Yes you can my von’ehe son; you are so much more than you know. You must embrace the strength in your new heart.” Gottlieb said as he rushed to the crying child, to see if she was all right.
“That’s right boy,” The boser’traum hisses as its voice becoming deeper and its body changing shape once again, becoming bigger and shoving him with great strength against the tree at his back. “You can’t fight me, you can’t fight any of us. I am happy your von’ehe father is here, his insignificant soul is hardly worth taking but his Darkon blood will make me strong.”
Wilhelm struggled with the beasts shifting shape. He tried to keep it from pinning his arm. His instinct was to push the boser’traum away from him, but he reached for the strength in is crystal heart and let it flow into his whole being. “I will not let you take my soul or anyone else’s.” Wilhelm vowed as he reached out and startled the boser’traum by pulling the creature to him and wrapped his arms crushingly around it.
This took it by surprise as it was still changing shape. The boser’traum expected Wilhelm to push it away, but Wilhelm managed to pin its arms down so it could not move as it intended to.
Wilhelm saw this and took advantage of this moment of weakness and stretched his neck as far as he could so he could sink his fangs into the base of its skull like
Gottlieb advised him. He could taste the vile fluids spill from the punctured gland and spat it out as the boser’traum squealed in pain, “I can’t breathe, I can’t move.”
Wilhelm let go of the creature and it fell to the ground heaving and panting weakened and unable to shift its appearance, “What are you?” It cried.
“He is the Darkon One.” Gottlieb answered it as he swung the small girl child into his arms, “You only have short time to live before your shifting gland is completely empty and you are utterly paralyzed, you best go while you can and tell your people to get off my planet. Tell them that the foretold Darkon One is here and he will destroy you all if you hurt anyone else on our planet or the Mond’tier planet.” Gottlieb warned as the now pathetic looking creature whimper and slowly got to its feet and slunk away into the trees.
“Father, I am what?” Wilhelm asked as he wiped the remainder of the shifting fluid from his mouth.
“You are the one that was prophesied centuries ago, a human soul and a Darkon heart that will save all the races from death in dreams.” Gottlieb explained to him. “Your instinct was to protect and to save both me and this child.”
“I could not let that thing take a human child’s life. I only did what anyone on this planet would have done.”
“Wilhelm, my son. Take a closer look at this child.” Gottlieb advised him.
Obediently Wilhelm crossed the short distance to where Gottlieb stood protectively holding the child. He looked closely and saw a beautiful little face with creamy skin and a head of glossy black hair, and then looked into her eyes and gasped. “She is a Mond’tier.”
“Yes son, this fulfills the prophecy. You will protect and save us all.” He told Wilhelm with confidence.
“But who does she belong to? What do we do with her?” Wilhelm asked trying to grasp the idea that he was the promised savior of the three races.
“Ask her.” Gottlieb told him simply.
“What is your name child?” Wilhelm asked her.
“My name is Aalina.” She answered him.
“Where is your family Aalina?”
“It killed them, I tried to run but it caught me.” She told Wilhelm as tears began to fall from her yellow almond shaped eyes. “I kept hoping that one of the moons would show so I could shift into a wolf and fight it off and save my family but there was no moon. I thought it was going to kill me too but you came and saved me.”
Wilhelm reached out to wipe the tears from her sweet little face. “We will protect you until we can find your family and get you back to your planet.”
“That thing killed all my family,” The child cried. “I don’t have any left.”
“Then you will be my madchen.” Gottlieb spoke up and hugged the child close. “Wilhelm will be your von’ehe brother. We will all be your family and we will protect you.”
Aalina began to cry with relief and hugged Gottlieb back, he looked over her head and addressed Wilhelm, “Come, let’s get her back to the house so she can rest, you need to see your wife and I need to speak to the Council.”
At the mention of his wife, Wilhelm felt his new crystal hear leap painfully in his chest. “I left her, will she forgive me?” He asked with painful worry in his voice.
“I cannot speak for my daughter but we shall see, let’s go.” Gottlieb said as he took off running with his new Mond’tier daughter held securely in his arms.
Wilhelm only stood for a moment trying to absorb everything that had happened this night, and then began to run. The only thing that mattered to him as he ran was getting back to the woman he loves. Louisa and her family had kept this secret from him but he no longer cared. It didn’t matter to him. He knew that when he ran out on her. He hoped she would forgive him as he rapidly approached the house. And without a word to Gottlieb he gracefully jumped and landed on the window ledge that he so recently escaped from.
“Louisa,” He called as he entered the room looking for her.
The soft sound of her weeping caught his ear but he did not see her. “Louisa where are you?” He asked as he searched the room for her, finally finding her huddled on the floor between the wall and the bed still wearing her traditional blue wedding gown.
“You left me.” She said her voice filled with pain.
“I know I am sorry.” He said as he knelt down beside her. “I didn’t know. I didn’t understand who I was.”
“I was going to tell you, but you didn’t give me a chance.” She said accusingly as she looked up at him.
“I am so sorry Louisa. I can only hope that you will forgive me.” He said as he gently put his arms around her. “But something happened to me when I was out there tonight, and I understand who I am now.”
“You do?” she asked with hope in her eyes.
“Yes, but what matters to me right now is whether or not you will forgive me for leaving you, and hope that you still love me.”
Louisa reached up and wrapped her arms lovingly around his neck. “I do.” She said.
Wilhelm sighed with relief as he hugged her tightly. He then leaned down and gently kissed his wife, finally beginning the sweetness of his wedding night.
The Faery Hunt
by
Alexia Purdy
“Grab your gear; we’re almost ready to go,” Jay hollered out to me. He was dressing in full hunting gear, cargo pants, black shirt with knives sheathed across his chest. A quiver stuffed full of arrows crisscrossed the belt of knives, making him look like a black ops soldier.
Groaning, I pulled myself up into the back of the truck, grabbing my hunting gear that matched his and snugly strapped it on. “Oh come on, I was heading towards the mall to hang out with my girls. What’s going on that you guys had to screech on over here and interrupt my perfect evening?”
Jay tossed a bow at me and snickered, “I think this is much more important than shopping for shoes. “
I glared at my brother, wishing I could give him a slap. He never cared for anything but the hunt. Sighing, I was glad I remembered to wear decent shoes, I had learned long ago that a hunt can happen at any time and it was better being ready than sorry.
“Heads up!” Craig yelled out from the cab of the truck. A flashlight went sailing out the window and barely missed my head. Catching it, I cursed him under my breath.
“You could have killed me, moron!” Stuffing the flashlight into my belt, I pulled the truck door open and plopped on the seat, glaring at my older brother Craig.
“Sorry Pudge, didn’t mean to almost take your head off. Just helping you prime your lightning fast reflexes. It’s gonna be a doozy tonight!” He stuffed a flashlight of his own into his jacket and hopped out. I did the same, slamming the truck door and scurrying towards the back to find him and Jay scoping out the woods.
“Hey, don’t I get a say in the game plan? This isn’t a ‘boys only’ club.” I sighed, turning to scan the darkening woods before us. A trail on our left led deeper into the trees, disappearing from the road after the first turn. It looked scary, and the pit of my stomach agreed. Shaking off the dread, I followed my brothers into the forest, letting the truck disappear behind us in the thick of the woods.
“You sure there were sightings in these woods? I don’t see any tracks yet.” I knelt down to study the dirt, looking for any disturbances. The twigs and dead leaves cluttered the forest floor and made it difficult to pinpoint any tracks. I studied it intensively until a small splash of dirt across some sapling leaves betrayed our prey.
“This way,” I said, confident that I had discovered a track. No way were they getting away from us this time.
We tracked them for about an hour, as the dusk sucked the daylight away. The trees rustled in the cool evening breeze and made it hard to hear any movement around us. As the night approached, the lights became clearer, marking the faeries in the distance.
“Faery lights,” whispered Jay, motioning towards the darkness beyond. In the distance, firefly-like glowing orbs reflected back towards us. I sucked in my
breath, steadying my bow as I swept my flashlight back and forth, counting the lights. Faery lights were the retinal reflections of the woodland faery tribes that haunted the woods around the city. They had caused a number of disappearances lately, thus keeping us hunting them regularly.
My brothers were on full alert, guns and arrows pointed and readied towards the flashing targets. They watched us approach, not wavering in their positions. Their confidence made the hairs on my neck stand on end; these were not so easily spooked like the others we’ve encountered.
“Amy, take the left flank, I’ll take the ones on the right, Jay you’re center point man. Don’t spread out too much, stay together.” Craig said intently, stepping carefully towards his right as they expanded their perimeter.
“Now!” Jay gave the command as he had many times before. Craig and I followed with a cascade of arrows flying into the darkness, hitting the glowing targets around us.
The infernal screams that followed were deafening. The carnal wailing all around us swallowed even the loud roar of the wind through the tree canopy. I wanted to fall to the ground and hold my hands over my ears to muffle the screeching. This band was louder and madder than any we had extinguished before.
We continued to hit them with arrows and bullets as Craig shot some down with his handgun. I reloaded as fast as I could but realized that the mass of dark faeries had taken a different stance and began to bum rush right at us.
Crap!
I pulled out a hunting knife from my belt, just in time to slash one across the chest and butt another in the head with the bow. Their bright green blood splashed across my face and arms as their veiny skins burst open under my blade.
Their hair was made of twisted twigs and thistles while their skin was green like an emerald forest in spring with veins like leaves that spread across their bodies like emblazoned tattoos. They wore moss and long grasses woven into capes and pants. Their eyes glowed a yellow of cat’s eyes, reflecting the moonlight like feral orbs. They fought us bravely, falling in piles as our weapons got the best of them. Iron arrows and bullets decimated their numbers efficiently.
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