The Hour of The Wolves

Chapter XIII (Alissarh)

She felt so happy and free like she hasn’t for months as she nudged her stallion to gallop. The horseshoes throw sparks as they rushed through the outskirts of Grimwalden. She slowed down when they got near the main gate so her escort can catch up.

“They are all so polite.” She was thinking as she waited. “ There is no way I am not the worst rider among us, yet they act like they can’t catch up to give me some space.”

The men from the nearby villages were gathering around the city gate to take their goods to the market. She looked up the walls and her mouth were left open in a gasp. There were giant banners hung over the wall. The minstrels from the cathedral announced the arrival of the week of cleansing. Every citizen has to visit the church and will get a mask based on their personality.

“It is the dawn of a new age. The loving spirit of the mother-wolf descent upon our lands. Fenrisúlfr will bless all who answer the call. My sisters and brothers , the time has come the cleans our lands from the false believers.” They preached form the top of the wall.

“What is this ruckus, eh ? “ Asked Ebenezer as they caught up. “Did the bishop finally gone crazy?”

“I don’t know Eb.”  Replied Peterson and he spit. “ He always seemed a bit of a lunatic to me. “

“Don’t know about it Pet, I used to go to the ceremonies when it was about the Lord of the Light.” Joined in Maximillian. “He seemed pretty okay to me. Said some wise things even. Thought since our church turned over to the wolf god, he has been losing his mind. What do you think about it my lady? “

“I think something terrible is about to happen.” She said her face all white. “ Just think about it what we know yet. The king sent his servant to make experiment on our men. They created these masks and know they want to spread it among the people. We shall get as much information as we can so Liam and his company can make their move before it too late. I hope the others found something on the hunched man. “

“Goddamn it, our missy has a point.” Said Eb. “ Okay I will make way for us. “We have no time to waste. “ He nudged his horse to move and started to yell at the people before them to give way. They managed make in the gates before noon. They rushed through the streets and stopped before the Belionth mansion. The building was silent, but it should have been. The main door was half ajar and with dried blood the proclamation of a new age was written over it.

“Behold children of the wolf! There lived the false believers of fallen god. Let their deaths be the forerunner of a new age were only the worthy shall be left.”

On the stairs there laid the heads of the house servants’ and the two guards’  who went to look for clues at the Merchant’s square. Lissa walked to them and took up one of the guards’ head. She looked in his eyes and a tear ran down her cheek.

“I am sorry. I am so sorry. I wasn’t here to protect you even thought I promised. I field you all and it cost your lives. “ She muttered, then turned to others with burning eyes. “ Please bury them and their body but leave the pit open so we can place him with to others too.”

She said pointing on the head in his hands. She walked in the living room and put down the head.

“Arise my friend, please. Help me to give meaning o your death. “

She made a sign with her hand and the spirit the dead guard rose from it remains.

“Lady! Oh, I am so happy to see that you weren’t caught upon in the m******e. “ He started. “We went after that man as you asked. The workers at the Merchant’s square tolled us where he lives so we went to his place. As we turned into that street where his place is, we cold see him from the other side of the street approaching his house. We yelled at him to wait, that we want to ask some questions, but he just rushed into his home. We walked upon to his door, but he barred it and we could not get inside as he also started to throw pot filled with burning oil at us. He even hit Marco. It was terrible. The smell of the burnt skin and meat and the screams , those screams. He passed out, but he was alive, so I had to get him away from there. Sorry miss, we have failed you. “

“No, you did not. You have done a great work.”

“Nay miss, we didn’t. As we retreated, he started to laugh as I told him we will be back with the city guard and he will hang for attacking the men of the lord of the guards. He told us that our lord can only be the lord of the rats after today his master will make sure of that. I did not know what he meant, but I had to take Marco to a doctor. We came back to the mansion in a way I could look up the castle, but what I saw there only heightened my worries. The men of your father left with were hung from the towers. I asked one of our friends who lives nearby to take care of Marco and rushed back here to warn the other. Sadly, I was too late. When I entered the house there was bloody everywhere. I am sorry miss. If I would have been faster, or stronger I could have saved them.”

“It is not your fault dear. You did what you could. If I would have returned in time. Maybe, but maybe I would have been able to help them. Bu more importantly please tell me who were the killers.”  Said Alissarh in a shaking voice.

“I don’t know  I didn’t see their faces. Most of them wore a mask forming a wolf and there was one man wearing a porcelain mask, I suppose he was their leader.”

“That bastard again.” Gasped Lissa. The room started to spin with her, and she could feel the skin was ice cold. “s**t, I used too much power the past few ours, I can’t hold on. “

She dispelled the summoning and tried to reach the armchair. She has never used this much magic in her life. She miscalculated, it was too taxing, and she wasn’t strong enough to hold on. Her legs got weaker and weaker. She fell to ground before she could reach the chair. As she fell, she reached out to grab something, but she only managed to make a vase fall down on her head. She could hear he drum of boots and saw a pair of legs before she lost her consciousness.