The Beginning of the End

The Beginning of the End 17

Ailwi’s eyes popped open as a burning pain shot up his left arm, he looked and two long deep cuts had appeared on his forearm, blood slowly running down his arm, ‘He has defeated my dragons I see,’ he thought to himself as he rose to fetch some moss to seal the wounds with, ‘Let the fun begin, old friend.’ He put his hand on the tree and an opening appeared, allowing him to leave the safety of the tree he has been resting in. The ancient trees of the forest are neither good nor evil, they offer safety and healing to all those who ask for it. The tree remained open as Ailwi vanished into the shadows, it awaited the next poor soul who needed its protection and healing.

Ailwi appeared in the same clearing that Patrick had been in earlier that day, and he saw that the true path had been discovered and entered, cautiously he walked into the darkness of the path drawing his sword. He honestly didn’t expect Noralf to be there, but best to always ear on the safe side. The light one was stronger than he was, so he had to be craftier. The trap at the school was still causing trouble, which may keep the light one busy since he seamed to have a weakness for these young mortals, ‘Maybe I should concentrate on them to keep him off balance,’ he thought as he reached the end of the path. He looked around and was surprised, Noralf had been there, but the trap has not been sprung, suddenly a chill covered his body. “Are you still here, Noralf?” he asked, “I do not see how you can hide your light, unless you too are using the darkness,” he looked around as he spoke, listening for any change or disturbance in the surrounding woods. There was none. A very large raven, so black you could only make out it’s red eyes in the shadows of the trees, flew out and landed at his feet. In it’s mouth it carried an ancient arrow that let off a soft glow of light which it dropped at his feet. He knelt to examine it, taking care not to touch it, he knew that it would burn him if he did, it was a message from the light one, “I have found and defeated your traps,” it seamed to say to him as he stood and with a turn vanished back into the shadows. The raven watched, then took flight and joined its fellows in the branches of the trees.

He now stood inside and old mausoleum in the first graveyard he had visited, he was weakened by the two wounds on his forearm, but not weakened enough that he could not set his next trap into play. He would summon a few Draugr, he will send the zombie like creatures into the nearby playground, this should stir the pot, and make the battle a little more interesting. It would have the added effect of drawing the light one out. He turned and looked at the three raised coffins behind him, he watched as the lids slid to the side and fell to the floor, shattering as they hit the floor. The three occupants slowly sat up before climbing out of their resting places and stood before him, tattered and dry rotted cloth hanging off their ice-cold bodies. They stood there awaiting his command.

He looked at the three creatures standing before him, he disliked their kind, but Draugr were important creatures to aid in his battle with the light one. Thanks to the modern movies and television shows they were sure to spread panic amongst the mortals. “There is a playground near here,” his words echoing around the small room, “I want you to go there and attack the young ones and any grown mortals who interfere. I do not care if you eat them or just pull them apart, I just want them dead.” Once he finished speaking and the echoes died away the three monsters stumbled out of the mausoleum and into the light, set on their dark mission Ailwi vanished again. He had to rest and heal.

The Draugr slowly made their way through the graveyard, more rising from the ground as they did so. Outside the gate they turned north continuing on their way, the few mortals on the street were so involved in their phones and meaningless little lived that they did not notice the creatures that were shambling up the street. They went unnoticed until they reached the playground where a barking pit bull and the shrill scream of a little girl pulled the adults back to reality and out of their self-absorbed petty little lives. It took a few seconds for the reality of what they were seeing sunk in. It didn’t truly hit home until the screaming little girl was grabbed by the arm and lifted from the ground. The nasty creature put her hand in its mouth and bit down, dropping the hysterical girl to the ground it began to chew, the little girl beginning to bleed out as she lay writhing on the ground. The man holding the leash of the barking dog let it fall from his hand as he watched in horror as the creature stepped on the bleeding little girl, crushing her head as it went for another child.

The pit bull, now freed from his master’s control, shot toward the Draugr that had attacked and killed the little girl. He jumped into the air, launching himself at the monster’s throat, and upon contact taking its head clen off its shoulders, he then stood over the lifeless body of the little girl with his teeth bared and a low menacing growl coming from deep in his chest. By this point the adults came to their senses and were in a full panic trying to save their children from the chaos that was unfolding Infront of them. The little girl’s father running to her, tears beginning to flow down his face. Another of the Draugr had just pulled a little boy from a swing and was about to bite his throat out when its head exploded, covering the little boy in grey matter and decaying flesh. The stunned boy sat there in the sand crying as his mother snatched him up and ran toward the parking lot, dodging the creatures who were grabbing for her child.

Seconds later another of the Draugr’s head was separated from its body, then another. It was a moment before all the children were safely in the arms of their parents and headed out of the park either on foot, or in cars. The Draugr continued to follow the children, set on the mission their Master had given them, and one by one they fell, assorted piles of rotting limbs, heads, and torsos littering the now empty playground. Patrick stood behind one of the creatures and with a quick swing of his sword, cut it down at the knees. He stood there, black and green gore dripping from his sword, only three remained, but he heard the sounds of sirens in the distance, so he vanished, not wanting to have his presence known. He was sure that the detective would probably be among the officers who showed up. He was going to have to step up his game, the dark one has figured out his weakness and would continue to exploit it until the battle between them came to a head.