DHAMPHIR Chapter one:
The moon shone brightly in the ebony sky, its silvery light illuminating the earth. Slowly, silently, thick black clouds blanketed the sky hiding the pale light. The moons last few rays rested on an old cottage on a hill.
The cottage overlooked a small valley that now began to fill with thick fog. The fog crept, oozing like slime up the incline of the hill. Dances of wildfire withered through it giving it an ominous glow. Vaporous claws stretched outward, reaching and clutching onto the cottage walls. Whispers filled the silence, echoing and fading, growing stronger, then weaker. Talking to themselves and no one. The voices and the fog slowly engulfed the night, choking them.
Inside the cottage lay a young girl, barely sixteen years of age. Sweat laced her brow as she tossed in the bed, her eyebrows knitted as if in deep concentration. The candle by her bed, placed there by her mother to keep her safe from evil spirits while her parents traveled, began to flicker and go out. Thick fog wafted through the cracks in her door. Pulsing. Pushing.The door began to shake as if being hit by some large body. Large slivers of wood began to fall out revealing an unearthly light. The door burst, shattering into a thousand tiny shards. The shards fell to the floor and began to curl and shrivel as though breathed upon by an invisible fire. The mist poured into the room freely, revealing a tall dark form. The figure stepped into the room and raised his hand. The girl floated into a standing position and her eyes fluttered open unsure of what was happening to her. She came face to face with the shadowed interloper but could see nothing f his features. Her mouth opened in an attempt to scream. Nothing came out. She could smell death from this creature of darkness. The shadow began to laugh. It was a low, hollow laugh that shook the walls. The spell that held the girls voice disappeared and she let out a long, fearful scream.
ONE
The village was filled with the sounds of the market-place. Shouts of peddlers and vendors rang out through Drammen's streets and into the fresh morning air. The sounds of emptied bedpans splashed sporadically and mingled with the sounds of morning birds. The sounds slowly began to grow silent andd were replaced with murmurs and whispers that grew even more hushed as a veiled young woman neared the town square. She was heavy with child and waddled down the semi cobblestone path that led to the village center. Her hand was at her back and she was bent slightly with pain. Her cream colored dress was dirty around the hem and slightly torn. She carried with her the look of an abandoned lamb. Her brown-black eyes seemed to be filled with pride as well as pain. Her brows were knitted in concentration, but not with bad dreams or visions. This time it was determination. The mocking whispers filled her ears as she past the villagers and they were careful to avoid her path. Snatches of conversation slipped past her.
"...where..."
"....she's the one? But she's so beautiful...."
"...heard the whole thing from..."
"Her parents found she was with child and cast her out..."
"...knew her family..."
"...name is Celeste."
"...such a pity."
Celeset tried to ignore all of these but the acid that dripped from their lips was too much. Her eyes began to well up and muffled sobs came from her veil. Celeste suddenly clutched her swollen belly as contractions pulsed through her. She fell to her knees and a high keening escaped her lips. She looked around, pleading for anyone to help her but her lamenting fell on deaf ears. She began to keel over when two strong arms began to support her. She closed her eyes and began to pass out as the man picked her up and began to carry her.
Tobias had watched the girl enter the village and felt an irresistable pull towards her. He began to follow Celeste, listening to the conversations that grew around the girl. She was half his age, at least. He could tell that by the shape of her body and the power in her eyes. She was barely a child, but she carried herself better than some grown men. Tobias could also tell that she was very beautiful even though the veil covered half her face. He had seen her fall to her knees and ran to her as fast as he was able, catching her before she fell over completely. As he lifted her (her body was amazingly light even with the added weight of a child) her hood fell back revealing long black hair that fell over her face. He placed her arms around his neck with his free arm, then lifted the rest of her and distributed the weight evenly as well to make her more comfortable. She looked into his eyes gratefully, and he looked into hers and almost drowned.
"You will be fine" Tobais said in a mournful whisper. His stern face gave a worried appearance as he felt something warm against the arm that was under her legs. Celeste began to weep as another contraction swept through her. Tobias looked down at his arm ans saw bright crimson. He felt the weight of many eyes piercing the back of his neck. He looked up into the crowd and saw their callousness. Tobias began to run. The girl bounced in his arms and she gripped his neck in fear and pain. Tobais pushed harder, looking for a place where someone could help. A refuge from prying eyes. He made his way down th streets to the only place he could think of.
The Church.
"IF YOU DO NOT HELP HER SHE WILL DIE!" Tobias shouted, still looking for a place to set Celeste, finally deciding on the altar.
"I cannot permit this! It is an abomination!" The priest shouted back, his fists in the air, "She is unwed, she has been excommunicated, and I am not allowed to touch in that area even if I knew how to deliver a human child!" The priests deep voice echoing off the elaborate stained glass and the statues of the Virgin Mary, resting finally on the deep tapestry. "Besides," the priest said in a hushed tone, "she has the Devils child in her womb and if it's not the Devils then it is certainly a demon of sorts. I will not assist in this evil."
Tobias took off his coat and folded it to form a pillow for Celeste to rest her head.
"Please leave..." the priest begged, seemingly unable to do anything but watch. Light through a stained glass window shone over the large crucifix that was at the head of the church and gave it an odd halo. Light seemed to engulf the room but both men were too busy to notice the beautiful sight.
"But if you do not help this girl she will die, and so will the child within. And that," Tobias continued, "would be the same as killing her. Which I believe is against the Ten Commandments!" Tobias' voice ended with fury as he made an accusatory motion with his index finger.
"Fine." The priest said in an obviously drained voice that showed unwillingness to continue the fight. "I will help her. Btu God help us all."
Celeste let out another wail and her breathing became labored. Tobias cradled her head in his arms and began to soothe her. Celeste veil and hood had fallen away and it revealed hair that seemed to absorb the light, and a beauty so innocent that it took Tobias' breath away. Her breathing became labored again.
"What is your name?" Tobias asked her.
"My...name...is...Celeste." She said gritting her teeth through pain. Tobias brushed a few strands of hair away from her face.
Meanwhile the priest had begun to fetch some cloth's and a basin of water. He approached Tobias and Celeste with these items and began to place them around Celeste's legs. He then produced a wooden spoon from his cassock and handed it to Tobias. Celeste gripped Tobias' arm with a ferocious strength and screamed. The priest began to press his hands on either side of Celeste's stomach.
"The child has not turned." The priest said in a whisper. Celeste screamed again as the child tried to force its way out.
"Do something!" Tobias pleaded. Vexed, the priest answered, "I do not have to do this! Besides I have only done this sort of thing on nags and cows so hold your tongue or I will hold it for you." The priests attention turned back to Celeste. He took a deep breath and reached up into Celeste. She screamed and Tobias placed the wooden spoon between her teeth.
"Bite on this" he said gently. Celeste bit down hard and broke a few teeth. Slowly the priest guided the child out. THere was a brilliant flash of light as the child was born. The priest sat stunned as he held the screaming boy out in front of himself. He quickly washed the baby in the basin, cutting the umbilical cord as he did so, and also trying to wash the blood off his hands at the same time. He then wrapped the child in a cloth and handed the screaming bundle to Celeste. The child began to settle down as Celeste began to feed it, and smiled down at her newborn boy stroking his cheek gently with her index finger. The child grabbed Celeste's finger with lightning reflexes. The priest and Tobias looked at each other in astonishment. The priest motioned for Tobias to come with him for a moment. Tobias slipped his arm from under Celeste's head and rested it on the makeshift pillow coat and followed the priest. When they were out of hearing distance the priest whispered to Tobias.
"She has lost a large amount of blood, I think. She might die." He said gravely. Tobias nodded hsi head and returned to Celeste's side. Her head was lumped over and her arms had loosened their embrace on the boy. Tobias tilted his head to her lips to listen for the sound of breathing. He could hear the sound of air passing over her lips but she wasn't breathing. She was saying something.
The priest kept his distance as he washed his hands in a fresh bowl of water. He watched as Tobias gathered the now sleeping baby out of Celeste's limp arms. Tobias looked up at the priest. His face was a mix of guilt and shame.
"So young and so alone in the world." Tobias looked down at the small bundle. "We shall leave you now Father. Thank you for all that you have done. He pulled out a money purse and set it on the alter. Tobias seemed to regain himself then, and ran an aging hand through his thinning brown hair. He would probably never see this child grow past the age of fifteen. After all, Tobias was in his late thirties, and men like him didn't live very long. He hefted the sleeping boy up to his eye level. "Come, Gabriel." He said warmly.
The priest, who had kept his distance until now, moved quickly to his podium and began to pray over the deceased Celeste. Tobias began to leave but was stopped by the priests cough. He turned around to see the priest duck behind his podium and pull out a medium sized black book with gold embossed on its cover. Tobias knew this was a bible. He also knew it would do him no good since he could not read. The priest lifted the book out in front of himself and looked at it squarely for a moment, then said "Paper is worth as much as gold nowadays, but you might need it. So take it." The priest thrust the bible at Tobias. Tobias nodded humbly and took the book, tucking it under his arm. The priest then produced a small vial of holy oil from inside his cassock and reached for Gabriel. He sprinkled oil on Gabriel's forehead and spoke saying "May God be with you always and guide and protect you."
Tobias carried the sleeping Gabriel through the busy streets and surprisingly no one paid much attention to him, even though most of the people had watched him enter the church. Not that a man such as himself craved attention. A man like Tobais preferred secrecy and solitude tothe inquiries of small children interested in how many men he had killed or the smell of old men as they shared their glory days. Most sword-slingers hated such attentions.
Tobias pulled a cloak from his satchel and wrapped it around himself. The morning had waned from bright and sunny to a cloudy afternoon.He swapped the bible to his other hand and dropped it, almost dropping Gabriel in the process. A strong gust of wind blew the bible open and flung Tobias' cloak from his body. Tobias just stood there, child in his arms and cloak and bible at his feet. Although the wind was blowing hard and the cloak had begun to be dragged away by the face of the moving air, the pages of the bible remained fixed. Tobias was not a religious man, but he did believe in fate and destiny. He bent over the bible and set Gabriel down beside it.. He tore a piece of cloth from Gabriel's wrappings and marked the page with it. Although he could not read, he promised himself that he would learn. A thought punctured his mind and he already knew what he was supposed to understand. "I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God: and am sent..."Tobias whispered. He gathered his things away and made sure they were tightly packed before he lifted Gabriel again and made his way out of the cold village of Drammen.
It was many hours travel before Tobias stopped to rest for the night. His horse was worn but Tobias felt extremely alert and tense. Never had he wanted to leave a village so much. Tobais prided himself on his keen awareness and ability to find traps set for the unexpected. This felt different. It felt as though he were bing chased. He tried to shake these feelings off but they persisted.
Tobias set up camp for the night. He fed Gabriel milk from a goat skin bladder (both of which he purchased from a farm woman) and laid him to sleep. He then began to cook his own meal of a snared rabbit. And while the rabbit cooked on the spit, he began to weave a bassinet. Carefully he laced soft and yeilding green branches, tying them together with pieces of yarn (also purchased from the farm woman). The weaving took most of the night. Fire and moonlight lit the world enough to see by.
Gabriel began to cry a powerful wailing that sent Tobias' hair on edge. The smell of fresh dung. Tobias cringed at the thought of changing a diaper. Then again, he had waded through the sewers of Jerusalem to regain his freedom. But that was when he was a hired soldier for the Great King Canute. England was long way from Romania, and even further from the sewers of Jerusalem. But a child still needed changing even if his guardian did not wish to do the deed.
Tobias pulled the stinking mess away and cleaned as much as he could without gagging. He found part of a horse blanket and tore it in two. He remembered his mother changing his brothers and how she would place dry moss in the diaper to help it absorb more. His mother was a distant memory, almost one that seemed to belong to someone else. He had no family of which to speak of. They had all been killed or died from some rot or another.He looked at Gabriel and amazingly Gabriel seemed to look back. This was his family now, and he would protect it. he would swear allegiance to his adopted son, and to no King ever again. He would raise Gabriel in the path he had chosen. He picked up the boy.
Gabriel reached out and placed his hand over Tobais' heart. After a while they were both asleep.
The cottage overlooked a small valley that now began to fill with thick fog. The fog crept, oozing like slime up the incline of the hill. Dances of wildfire withered through it giving it an ominous glow. Vaporous claws stretched outward, reaching and clutching onto the cottage walls. Whispers filled the silence, echoing and fading, growing stronger, then weaker. Talking to themselves and no one. The voices and the fog slowly engulfed the night, choking them.
Inside the cottage lay a young girl, barely sixteen years of age. Sweat laced her brow as she tossed in the bed, her eyebrows knitted as if in deep concentration. The candle by her bed, placed there by her mother to keep her safe from evil spirits while her parents traveled, began to flicker and go out. Thick fog wafted through the cracks in her door. Pulsing. Pushing.The door began to shake as if being hit by some large body. Large slivers of wood began to fall out revealing an unearthly light. The door burst, shattering into a thousand tiny shards. The shards fell to the floor and began to curl and shrivel as though breathed upon by an invisible fire. The mist poured into the room freely, revealing a tall dark form. The figure stepped into the room and raised his hand. The girl floated into a standing position and her eyes fluttered open unsure of what was happening to her. She came face to face with the shadowed interloper but could see nothing f his features. Her mouth opened in an attempt to scream. Nothing came out. She could smell death from this creature of darkness. The shadow began to laugh. It was a low, hollow laugh that shook the walls. The spell that held the girls voice disappeared and she let out a long, fearful scream.
ONE
The village was filled with the sounds of the market-place. Shouts of peddlers and vendors rang out through Drammen's streets and into the fresh morning air. The sounds of emptied bedpans splashed sporadically and mingled with the sounds of morning birds. The sounds slowly began to grow silent andd were replaced with murmurs and whispers that grew even more hushed as a veiled young woman neared the town square. She was heavy with child and waddled down the semi cobblestone path that led to the village center. Her hand was at her back and she was bent slightly with pain. Her cream colored dress was dirty around the hem and slightly torn. She carried with her the look of an abandoned lamb. Her brown-black eyes seemed to be filled with pride as well as pain. Her brows were knitted in concentration, but not with bad dreams or visions. This time it was determination. The mocking whispers filled her ears as she past the villagers and they were careful to avoid her path. Snatches of conversation slipped past her.
"...where..."
"....she's the one? But she's so beautiful...."
"...heard the whole thing from..."
"Her parents found she was with child and cast her out..."
"...knew her family..."
"...name is Celeste."
"...such a pity."
Celeset tried to ignore all of these but the acid that dripped from their lips was too much. Her eyes began to well up and muffled sobs came from her veil. Celeste suddenly clutched her swollen belly as contractions pulsed through her. She fell to her knees and a high keening escaped her lips. She looked around, pleading for anyone to help her but her lamenting fell on deaf ears. She began to keel over when two strong arms began to support her. She closed her eyes and began to pass out as the man picked her up and began to carry her.
Tobias had watched the girl enter the village and felt an irresistable pull towards her. He began to follow Celeste, listening to the conversations that grew around the girl. She was half his age, at least. He could tell that by the shape of her body and the power in her eyes. She was barely a child, but she carried herself better than some grown men. Tobias could also tell that she was very beautiful even though the veil covered half her face. He had seen her fall to her knees and ran to her as fast as he was able, catching her before she fell over completely. As he lifted her (her body was amazingly light even with the added weight of a child) her hood fell back revealing long black hair that fell over her face. He placed her arms around his neck with his free arm, then lifted the rest of her and distributed the weight evenly as well to make her more comfortable. She looked into his eyes gratefully, and he looked into hers and almost drowned.
"You will be fine" Tobais said in a mournful whisper. His stern face gave a worried appearance as he felt something warm against the arm that was under her legs. Celeste began to weep as another contraction swept through her. Tobias looked down at his arm ans saw bright crimson. He felt the weight of many eyes piercing the back of his neck. He looked up into the crowd and saw their callousness. Tobias began to run. The girl bounced in his arms and she gripped his neck in fear and pain. Tobais pushed harder, looking for a place where someone could help. A refuge from prying eyes. He made his way down th streets to the only place he could think of.
The Church.
"IF YOU DO NOT HELP HER SHE WILL DIE!" Tobias shouted, still looking for a place to set Celeste, finally deciding on the altar.
"I cannot permit this! It is an abomination!" The priest shouted back, his fists in the air, "She is unwed, she has been excommunicated, and I am not allowed to touch in that area even if I knew how to deliver a human child!" The priests deep voice echoing off the elaborate stained glass and the statues of the Virgin Mary, resting finally on the deep tapestry. "Besides," the priest said in a hushed tone, "she has the Devils child in her womb and if it's not the Devils then it is certainly a demon of sorts. I will not assist in this evil."
Tobias took off his coat and folded it to form a pillow for Celeste to rest her head.
"Please leave..." the priest begged, seemingly unable to do anything but watch. Light through a stained glass window shone over the large crucifix that was at the head of the church and gave it an odd halo. Light seemed to engulf the room but both men were too busy to notice the beautiful sight.
"But if you do not help this girl she will die, and so will the child within. And that," Tobias continued, "would be the same as killing her. Which I believe is against the Ten Commandments!" Tobias' voice ended with fury as he made an accusatory motion with his index finger.
"Fine." The priest said in an obviously drained voice that showed unwillingness to continue the fight. "I will help her. Btu God help us all."
Celeste let out another wail and her breathing became labored. Tobias cradled her head in his arms and began to soothe her. Celeste veil and hood had fallen away and it revealed hair that seemed to absorb the light, and a beauty so innocent that it took Tobias' breath away. Her breathing became labored again.
"What is your name?" Tobias asked her.
"My...name...is...Celeste." She said gritting her teeth through pain. Tobias brushed a few strands of hair away from her face.
Meanwhile the priest had begun to fetch some cloth's and a basin of water. He approached Tobias and Celeste with these items and began to place them around Celeste's legs. He then produced a wooden spoon from his cassock and handed it to Tobias. Celeste gripped Tobias' arm with a ferocious strength and screamed. The priest began to press his hands on either side of Celeste's stomach.
"The child has not turned." The priest said in a whisper. Celeste screamed again as the child tried to force its way out.
"Do something!" Tobias pleaded. Vexed, the priest answered, "I do not have to do this! Besides I have only done this sort of thing on nags and cows so hold your tongue or I will hold it for you." The priests attention turned back to Celeste. He took a deep breath and reached up into Celeste. She screamed and Tobias placed the wooden spoon between her teeth.
"Bite on this" he said gently. Celeste bit down hard and broke a few teeth. Slowly the priest guided the child out. THere was a brilliant flash of light as the child was born. The priest sat stunned as he held the screaming boy out in front of himself. He quickly washed the baby in the basin, cutting the umbilical cord as he did so, and also trying to wash the blood off his hands at the same time. He then wrapped the child in a cloth and handed the screaming bundle to Celeste. The child began to settle down as Celeste began to feed it, and smiled down at her newborn boy stroking his cheek gently with her index finger. The child grabbed Celeste's finger with lightning reflexes. The priest and Tobias looked at each other in astonishment. The priest motioned for Tobias to come with him for a moment. Tobias slipped his arm from under Celeste's head and rested it on the makeshift pillow coat and followed the priest. When they were out of hearing distance the priest whispered to Tobias.
"She has lost a large amount of blood, I think. She might die." He said gravely. Tobias nodded hsi head and returned to Celeste's side. Her head was lumped over and her arms had loosened their embrace on the boy. Tobias tilted his head to her lips to listen for the sound of breathing. He could hear the sound of air passing over her lips but she wasn't breathing. She was saying something.
The priest kept his distance as he washed his hands in a fresh bowl of water. He watched as Tobias gathered the now sleeping baby out of Celeste's limp arms. Tobias looked up at the priest. His face was a mix of guilt and shame.
"So young and so alone in the world." Tobias looked down at the small bundle. "We shall leave you now Father. Thank you for all that you have done. He pulled out a money purse and set it on the alter. Tobias seemed to regain himself then, and ran an aging hand through his thinning brown hair. He would probably never see this child grow past the age of fifteen. After all, Tobias was in his late thirties, and men like him didn't live very long. He hefted the sleeping boy up to his eye level. "Come, Gabriel." He said warmly.
The priest, who had kept his distance until now, moved quickly to his podium and began to pray over the deceased Celeste. Tobias began to leave but was stopped by the priests cough. He turned around to see the priest duck behind his podium and pull out a medium sized black book with gold embossed on its cover. Tobias knew this was a bible. He also knew it would do him no good since he could not read. The priest lifted the book out in front of himself and looked at it squarely for a moment, then said "Paper is worth as much as gold nowadays, but you might need it. So take it." The priest thrust the bible at Tobias. Tobias nodded humbly and took the book, tucking it under his arm. The priest then produced a small vial of holy oil from inside his cassock and reached for Gabriel. He sprinkled oil on Gabriel's forehead and spoke saying "May God be with you always and guide and protect you."
Tobias carried the sleeping Gabriel through the busy streets and surprisingly no one paid much attention to him, even though most of the people had watched him enter the church. Not that a man such as himself craved attention. A man like Tobais preferred secrecy and solitude tothe inquiries of small children interested in how many men he had killed or the smell of old men as they shared their glory days. Most sword-slingers hated such attentions.
Tobias pulled a cloak from his satchel and wrapped it around himself. The morning had waned from bright and sunny to a cloudy afternoon.He swapped the bible to his other hand and dropped it, almost dropping Gabriel in the process. A strong gust of wind blew the bible open and flung Tobias' cloak from his body. Tobias just stood there, child in his arms and cloak and bible at his feet. Although the wind was blowing hard and the cloak had begun to be dragged away by the face of the moving air, the pages of the bible remained fixed. Tobias was not a religious man, but he did believe in fate and destiny. He bent over the bible and set Gabriel down beside it.. He tore a piece of cloth from Gabriel's wrappings and marked the page with it. Although he could not read, he promised himself that he would learn. A thought punctured his mind and he already knew what he was supposed to understand. "I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God: and am sent..."Tobias whispered. He gathered his things away and made sure they were tightly packed before he lifted Gabriel again and made his way out of the cold village of Drammen.
It was many hours travel before Tobias stopped to rest for the night. His horse was worn but Tobias felt extremely alert and tense. Never had he wanted to leave a village so much. Tobais prided himself on his keen awareness and ability to find traps set for the unexpected. This felt different. It felt as though he were bing chased. He tried to shake these feelings off but they persisted.
Tobias set up camp for the night. He fed Gabriel milk from a goat skin bladder (both of which he purchased from a farm woman) and laid him to sleep. He then began to cook his own meal of a snared rabbit. And while the rabbit cooked on the spit, he began to weave a bassinet. Carefully he laced soft and yeilding green branches, tying them together with pieces of yarn (also purchased from the farm woman). The weaving took most of the night. Fire and moonlight lit the world enough to see by.
Gabriel began to cry a powerful wailing that sent Tobias' hair on edge. The smell of fresh dung. Tobias cringed at the thought of changing a diaper. Then again, he had waded through the sewers of Jerusalem to regain his freedom. But that was when he was a hired soldier for the Great King Canute. England was long way from Romania, and even further from the sewers of Jerusalem. But a child still needed changing even if his guardian did not wish to do the deed.
Tobias pulled the stinking mess away and cleaned as much as he could without gagging. He found part of a horse blanket and tore it in two. He remembered his mother changing his brothers and how she would place dry moss in the diaper to help it absorb more. His mother was a distant memory, almost one that seemed to belong to someone else. He had no family of which to speak of. They had all been killed or died from some rot or another.He looked at Gabriel and amazingly Gabriel seemed to look back. This was his family now, and he would protect it. he would swear allegiance to his adopted son, and to no King ever again. He would raise Gabriel in the path he had chosen. He picked up the boy.
Gabriel reached out and placed his hand over Tobais' heart. After a while they were both asleep.
| dhamphir_ch_1.odt |
DHAMPHIR Chapter two:
TWENTY YEARS LATER
The Curse
Lightning kissed the sky in a long embrace and the clouds shuddered with pleasure. Torrents of rain began to fall earthward and the roads became slick and full of muck. The wind began to blow causing the trees to heave and moan, whore-like with old pains. The old Church's candles were aflame and a solitary figure stood in the doorway. His gray hair was swept across his face and his mouth was turned down at the corners at disgust of the weather. He looked out at the walls of the church and saw the thick purple-black vines that had began to creep over everything. The vines had been growing for twenty years. In fact, they had been growing all over the country-side and no matter how hard he cut them back or tried to eradicate them they always grew back. If he had left hem alone they would have engulfed the building in a matter of months.
The old man (or "old priest", for that was who/what he was) looked out unto the town. Not many people came this way, always to busy for salvation. But the priest knew it was more than just that. The villagers thought the building was cursed, and maybe it was. The only room the priest had for ghosts, though, was the Holy one. He would not have disagreed that there wasn't a certain ominous look about the place. Since the girl had died here over twenty years ago people had stopped coming.
He remembered after the girl died he had to remove the body which was no easy task. Her body was buried not eighty yards from this very building, beneath an old oak. He had given her a proper burial, even though he was afraid someone might see him. And perhaps someone did, for secrets are not as easily buried as people.
The priest sighed, his chest rising and falling. And rattling. He was not that old, but he was more old than young. His grimaced face soured further at the thought of all those wasted years spent learning to read and becoming a priest only to be dashed by his bleeding heart and a young woman. Still, he truly did not feel ill will toward anyone. If he could preach forgiveness (although he had no one to preach this to) he could practice it. He began to shut the aging ironwood when a gigantic gust of wind thrust him away into the space of the church. The door banged against the inner chamber and the noise echoed against the hallowed walls. The priest fell to the floor with an tooth rattling THUMP! His hair blew back and his eyes widened in shock.
"The wind is most foul this evening!" He said and got up to close the door. As he approached the door he had the uncanny feeling of dread fall upon him. He waved the feeling away and tried to shut the door. Hands shot out from nowhere and grabbed the priest by his cassock. The arms attached to the hands seemed to materialize out of thin air and before the priest could comprehend what was happening a face appeared. It was a cold face, and white with cruelty. A shock of red hair fell from its brow and down the side of its face. It was male but it did not seem human. In the absolute terror that emanated from the face was also beauty. The priest let out a gasp. The creature grinned a demon's grin and threw the priest to the floor. Attired in what seemed to be the night itself the creature walked in, its feet barely making a shuffling sound. The priest tried to scramble backwards pushing against the floor with his hands and feet but he remained fixed to the spot. The figure made a motion whit his hand and the priest floated into an upright position.
"Hello, Oran. I believe you know something I do not?" The creature said, his jaw not unclenching from that mad grin even to speak. Oran (the priest) floated dumbfound.
"How do you know me?" Oran croaked.
"Please allow me to make introductions," the creature said politely, smile still fused to its face. "I am Ju'das. Not Iscariot, but close. I have come to you for one thing; information. So if you would be so kind."
"I do not know what you are talking about. I am a humble servant of God." Oran struggled still floating.
"You mean you are a vulture! I have yet to ask my question and you refuse knowledge. Now. There was a child born here a long time ago and I want to know where he is" Judas' pleasant disposition had faded. A dozen thoughts flashed through Oran's skull. The girl, Celeste. The baby. That was the only thing this Ju'das could be asking about! Oran's mind raced. Like many villages girls often found themselves in trouble. Oran tried to muddy the waters. There had been another girl who had been pregnant out of wed-lock. She had disappeared months before Celeste had come here.
"Ariana?" Oran inquired, shaking like a leaf. Ju'das' face grew taught with anger and black foul words that had no translation fell from his lips. Ju'das lifted his hand before Oran and Oran began to feel his chest being squeezed. Specks of color danced before his eyes. "Cel...este...Celeste" Oran forced out. He could feel himself begin to black out. Just as Oran was sure he was going to the pressure released and a surge of blood rushed to his brain. If he had been standing he would have crumpled to the floor in a heap. But as it was Ju'das' strange powers held him aloft.
"Good, old man. Now if you would be so kind as to tell me the whereabouts of her child I would be most appreciative."
"I... don't... know." Oran gasped.
"That is too bad. Isn't it?" Ju'das sneered. He began to speak the black words again. Oran felt a strange tightness grow around his entire body. Ju'das then spoke in words Oran could understand, "Since you have been so helpful I will reward you. Under normal circumstances I would swallow your blood in one gulp. Unfortunately your blood is tainted with the blood of the dead lamb. I have a surprise for you."
Oran could barely concentrate on what Ju'das was saying, his mind was filled with the obtuse pain that permeated his body. His skin felt tight against his bones. His muscles began to rip out of there respective places. His face began to augment itself. The last thing Oran saw was a single black feather fall across his face before he fainted.
When Oran awoke he was disoriented. His head throbbed and every move seemed to accentuate the pulsing. He tried to push himself into a sitting position and felt very stiff. He tried to roll over and heard a slight rustling sound. He froze. A thousand thoughts raced his mind. Was Ju'das real? Where am I? Was it a dream? He tried to roll over again and heard the rustling sound. Perhaps a bird flew in and nested on my legs and every time I move it gets jostled. Oran tried to rationalize his situation. I must have passed out last night and left the door open. He shifted once more and looked down the length of his body and saw a pair of avian feet clawing the air. This time he realized they were his feet and passed out once more.
When Oran awoke the second time it was nearing dawn. The great red orb was slipping back into existence and the moon that had chased it was retreating. Oran scrambled into a perched position. He was still slightly disoriented and it took a few moments for him to find his balance. He stretched his former arms, flapping them once or twice trying them out. He was amazed at how well he was adapting to his predicament. That and he was sure this was all a dream.
"Well, now is as good a time as any. I have always wondered what it would e like to fly." His voice was different from before, deeper and more gravelly. he stretched his wings and began to flap them experimentally. He lifted off the ground for a moment and then lost his balance falling awkwardly to the ground. He righted himself and grunted as he tried again, this time concentrating on balance, and aimed for the door. He glided out the door gently.
Oran's mind flitted back to the day of Gabriel's birth and Celeste's death. there was actually two girls. One was Ariana, a child he knew of but did not know personally. Ariana was about Celeste's age that much was for certain. The two were actually very similar in appearance, and Ariana was the first to get pregnant. She claimed innocence to the charges of Fornication Under Carnal Knowledge. Speculation abounded about the heritage of the child. Ariana had been engaged, Oran recalled, to a strong but morally questionable young man. Oran could not for the life of him remember the name of the groom only that he disappeared before Ariana got pregnant.
Celeste was the only one who seemed ashamed of the pregnancy. Whereas Ariana flaunted the fact she was with child, saying things like "my child will one day be heir to the throne of this world." the two girls were rarely if ever seen together and visited Drammen infrequently. Ariana later disappeared without a trace, that is to say without the knowledge of where her body was by anyone. Celeste was a different matter. Oran knew where she was. Physically at least. He prayed her soul was not where he feared it was. Oran remembered his harsh words. He was just afraid of what ended up happening; the loss of his church.
| dhamphir_ch_2.odt |
