Creatures Of Dusk

Prologue

As soon as the last ray of sunshine dwindled into new dusk, they rose for the destruction. The layer of darkness which was blanketing entire black forest was impenetrable, accompanied by the visible shift in the aura. Everything about that dusk was different and. . .deathly. At that particular dusk, the glinting canopies didn't sway and rustle on the song of the wind which carried the coldness and peace of snow-covered peaks– far above the never-ending nothingness. There was no fragrance of a newly formed minty forest bed, instead, it was the pre-death which stank the breeze at that dusk. There was no sign of life– no one would have been able to decipher, what lurked in the shadows of the forest. . .except one! The one, whose existence was beyond the expectations of the physical realm!

Thunder struck amidst the shivering branches, followed by a deep rumble of breeze, which resulted in the intensified shudder of her cold limbs. Wind passed in a hushed blur across her face, ruffling the auburn locks which escaped the secured messy bun– atop her head.

The night was tragic, accompanied by the lethal echoes of night creatures.

"Audrey!" She could feel them–– drawing closer to her and pressing down, suffocating her. "Your one mistake has led your path towards the wreckage." Her wounded feet scampered through the tangled bushes and lifeless twigs, stopping now would mean– her throat slit open.

"You can't escape your fate, Audrey." Despite her inhumane speed, she was well aware of the fact that she could never outrun them– the creatures who were chasing her from above; tearing the blanket of charcoal alike sky. Audrey's heart raced against her chest, making her inhale in short pants due to lack of enough oxygen. Still, she didn't pause and ran blindly, towards an invisible source of hope.

Her steps only faltered when she stepped through the opposite side of the thick maze of the green floor. There was no shadow or taunting voices chasing her but an eerie silence was spread over the densely packed wood. Audrey stood there numb, squinting her wide sapphire orbs she tried to find an escape while in return all she got was– a path of gloom and danger.

At least they were not chasing her at that moment. That split moment was all she craved for. Wiping the stray of blood from across the corner of her mouth, she stepped forward in a dazed state. The cool breeze of moist air made a ruffling sound upon making contact with the torn satin dress which was clinging to her petite form. At the same moment, a part of her mind wandered back on the glowing outline and the disappearing ashes of the creature. . .whom she had burnt–– moments before that unusual dusk settled.

Before she could spat a string of curses over her uneventful fate, a faint squirm in her hands caught her attention. Abruptly glancing down, her gaze fell on the small figure whom she was clutching to her chest, wrapped in a fluff clothing material. She peeled the cloth from little one's face and a small head poked out to stare back at Audrey with a carefree smile lingering on the child's petal-like lips; the smile which was enough to shadow other events. Audrey's lips quivered as her heart filled with warmth upon taking in the sight of her adorable daughter.

Sooner than expected, reality clouded her mind, taunting her on her helplessness while Audrey's heart cried out;

Will her daughter ever be able to lead a peaceful life?

Before she could get a chance to unpeel the layers of the question, a sharp shrill voice snapped Audrey's attention back towards that fierce and frightening night. Her biggest fear took the shape of reality when suddenly the hazy sky dispersed out, leaving a shining moon whose silvery rays collided with the moist surface of leaves, forming a web-like prism structure. The seven bands danced magically around her newborn daughter's neck.

The rays, the seven lights, the band around her daughter's neck– there was no confusion, no clarification to be made. Everything was crystal. Destiny has its own way to fold-unfold the mysteries of life; Audrey's unvoiced question attained answers while a whimper broke free of her mouth as she noticed the glistening stone–– Sugilite–– twisted between small fingers of the little one.

She realized, everything was bound to happen. No one was ignorant of what Audrey's gifted newborn possessed.

At the same moment, a threatening growl echoed amid the dense forest, cutting deep into Audrey's stunned state. Each fibre inside her screamed, they were near. Storm hit the black forest, with full force while her blurry vision clarified and got glued over the outlines of her predator.

Jet black cloak flowed freely ahead of him, cutting the storm, thunder resembling footsteps followed. Audrey's sapphire orbs met a pair of striking black ones making a shot of anxiety pour down her spine. The sorcerer stared at Audrey in complete silence and after a moment, slowly the corner of his mouth quirked up in an evil smirk.

Before Audrey could contemplate her escape, he strolled towards her in threatening strides without breaking her stare once. Only then realisation dawned on her and she knew at that moment, why he was here or rather who he was! She clutched the little one more tightly to her chest on motherly instincts to cover her child from all evils and bad omens.

His face broke down in a smug grin as he stilled in his spot, few steps ahead of her, with stare fixated upon Audrey. Suddenly, he threw his head back and roared out, making a set of sharp fangs visible through the dim light of the moon. Audrey cowered in fear, watching unblinkingly at the Incubus in sorcerer's guise, in front of her.

That exact moment thunder struck a few yards ahead of them while a wave of screams rose inside her chest, but nothing came out of her mouth. It was evidence enough for her to understand, what was waiting for her in the subtle shadows of this forest.

She felt the demonic presence before they appeared.

An intense wailing sound of banshee vibrated throughout the clearing. Audrey shivered in raw terror when her eyes landed on a dark shadow advancing her. A succubus came out of the bushes with blood gushing down his mouth and patches of scarlet fluid, all over its body. Bile rose in Audrey's mouth and she swallowed hard as soon as her gaze fell upon the dismantled corpse being dragged by the succubi.

From the corner of her eyes, she zoomed in on the looming figure of a battered woman, kneeling on one of the low branches of the dense tree, covered in dark needle-like tendrils and leaves. Her red lifeless eyes were fixated upon the corpse with remorseful expression and once again the banshee broke down in a loud wail of agony. Audrey's breath caught in her throat while she averted her gaze from the terrifying scene unfolding in the mid forest. . . only to feel a tug at her lap. Upon glancing down she witnessed the incubbi clawing at her little newborn.

It was then, something snapped inside her. She no longer cowered but bared her teeth at the attacker. She didn't curl inside the veil of a victim but stood like a warrior.

The remaining ounce of courage kicked in inside Audrey and she twisted the hand forcefully, resulting in the fall of incubbi on the ground, groaning in pain. Only one thing echoed repeatedly, inside her head;

"Everything was bound to happen!"

A loud shriek snapped her attention back at night creatures. They were advancing towards Audrey in long strides and outstretched claws to tear her apart. . . fibre by fibre. Just when their claws were dangerously close to her glowing orbs, the little newborn wriggled in her arms, releasing a small cry, resulting in an impenetrable gloom to cover them.

Everything froze, the whole demonic presence around her, stilled.

Slowly staring down, Audrey gasped when she saw the glowing stone lying on the newborn's chest, creating a pattern with moonlight. A familiar contour of octagon shone above their heads. No one tried to decipher the cause of this void stillness. . .each creature was known to the reason behind the appearance of Holy Sigil.

Little one had cried for the first time since she was born. It felt like the time had frozen. But Audrey was restless as the same question repeatedly rang inside her head;

Was destiny playing a sick game with her daughter. . .yet again?

A roaring sound of agony erupted around Audrey while Succubi's dark eyes met hers and after a rigid moment of terror, he roared.

"You've committed the grave mistake, Audrey, by letting that little creature live. You too are fully aware of who she is and whose part she is. You had the chance to destroy this creature but you went against destiny and there is no backing out now. We will return. Everyone will return for that– what your daughter possesses." His voice attained its peak as he howled. 'THIS IS NOT THE END, BUT THE START OF AN END!"

The moment the dark creature finished his words, a blinding red light covered the whole forest– followed by the unsettling screams of suffering. Audrey squeezed her eyes momentarily while sweat beads broke on her forehead as she slowly peeled her eyes open, a few moments later. The night was calm, the storm subsided, but darkness was still lingering over her.

Everything was peaceful. But she was aware of the future danger. They have taken the oath of returning. The whole demonic entity will return for Sugilite, the mortal stone.

With newfound strength, Audrey's eyes met her daughter's face. "I will do everything in my power to hide his daughter from this dark and dangerous realm. To protect the creation of mine and his blood."

She raised her daughter, parallel to the moonlight, in her hands, and cast a spell on her newborn– shoving away all the memories of that dark night and of those night creatures under a magic cover in the corner of her mind and fixated the sugilite inside her heart, her shadowy whisper followed.

'No one will ever be able to find, what she is. . .and what she possesses.'

Audrey touched the forehead of her daughter and murmured softly. . .her new name.

"Sierra Lillith."

*****