Prologue
300 years ago before the Present Day of 2018. -1718, somewhere in Northern Russia. Isolated Town.
It was the coldest night. Like every night in Russia. But on this particular night. Something is coming. It comes way further from the west. It came here to escape. It came here to spread. It came here to feed.
There’s a town. Where the nearest main town located is 30 miles away. The only in and out are by carriage or by horses. The population is just 200. It is small in number, it is enough to take down a whole country.
Snow begins to drop. Adding another layer of snow on the ground. Covering the mud, the trail path, and also covering the sound of walking. The only that is invisible to see is the trail of footmarks. That walk on two legs suddenly disappears into thin air.
The sun begins to drop. Slowly by the hour when darkness flooded the town. Blizzard begins to blow. The sound of the slapping woods against each other. To the smell of somebody else dinner. To the sizzling of the hot pan.
How unfortunate, the town guard is missing, and so does it begin. More of the hour has passed and the blizzard has come to an end. The cloud disperses away. Living on a very bright moon. Something like this is not supposed to be left unwatched.
So the townspeople begin to walk out of their home. Some stay, indeed. But some would like to enjoy the quiet night outside. Or maybe go to the nearest Tavern to have a couple of beers.
The town guards, walk along the house just for a stroll with their partners. It is Indeed quiet this night despite the loud cheering inside the tavern. All in all, it is very quiet.
The pack of dogs in the chain suddenly began to growl and howl. This will signal a clear head of danger is around. An alert to something they do not know is coming. Maybe just a wild animal walking by?
The two guardsmen, walk near the old barn house. Where the town people keep their farm animal supplies for the winter. They want to make sure everything is okay but what they found, is a trail of frozen blood on the dirt ground.
The pool of blood leads the way further to the section room behind. When there is a death among 200 people in this town, there’s a bell needed to be rung. But when the panic and such adrenaline rush begin to combust, you can’t expect to think clearly. Before one of the guardsmen ran away from the old barn house, his body was lifted in a rush once he set foot into the snow.
The partner didn’t know. As he sends the order to his partner to go and make an alert, he stands still to look further at the back. How curious he think that was why the bell didn’t ring. It is not that further away.
He takes a look away from the crime scene and wishes to come back later to get a look at why the bell isn’t ringing yet. He didn’t have the chance to move a little of his feet when something get on hold of him and pull him back leaving a big scream howling Into the quiet night.
That raises a few heads around the town. Especially those who stay at home. To the people inside the tavern, there is no such thing as an outside scene chaotic would they would know. As they roughhouse against each other. Playing betting on the table. Music and a lot of drunken men.
The roof burst and drop a dead man. It smashes against the table that pillow his falling. It sends quiet inside the place. Blood covers the dead man’s face. His covered body is all stained by blood. When they look closer, there is no wound. But what they know is that the person who has died is one of the town guardsmen. It is so chaotic that one person tries to send for help and opens the main door. It won’t budge. No matter how he tried, no matter how he calls for people to help him to try.
The night of doom had come. Death comes. All across Europe have tasted the faith of death. So will these people.
The dead guardsmen that drop from the roof turn out to be missing. Some argue they Insist that they saw him on the broken table. But how can it disappear like that? Unless the dead guardsmen are not completely dead.
One by one the man Inside the tavern drops down covered with blood. The roof burst and came down a winging creature they had never seen before.
The sound of its screaming is so thin it could burst a lot of eardrums. It screeching call over the night.
One thing about this creature it was not an animal. It was once human. The said guardsmen, one man saw with his eye how in anything holy, he could wake up and turn into such a hideous creature. The town turns Into chaos. A massacre
No matter how they try to fight it, gunshot, shoot! It was too strong and can’t be killed. Soon the population of 200 dropped to 100. Down to 50 and it will go on when there is no one will take the opportunity to call for help.
It is a terrible scene to watch when everyone’s intestines were been pulled out and some were spared to become just like the creature. It was no doubt this creature come here without a reason.
What is wonderful about nature? When there is prey, there is a predator. When there is venom, there’s a remedy. This creature, may look strong and not so easy to kill. These creatures are all servants. It follows something else bidding. Something more superior. Something bigger than them. Something evil has walked on this earth. The devil’s creation.
They all fled away from Europe when there is too much killing among their kind. This creature wishes to gain more army and to devour all life forms on earth.
Why? would they flee away from Europe and be here in Siberia? Why would this creature want more army?
Then, there is something else that is following them. The killing stopped but the people are still screaming in horror. The creature’s heads are all looking up at the sky freezing on their spot. It is like they are sensing something. Something inferior to them. A high grand species are far more ancient than them. So it was true, the townspeople scream more when they saw a dark figure soaring across the sky. They could not tell, what it was when all they filled inside their instinct is to survive.
Three figures soaring high up in the air circling the town. It happens so quickly. Like a flick of lighting, the ground grumbles. A fast flash of red and black across the town. The creature that attacks the town suddenly falls and dies.
The townspeople stop their screaming and stood still when they saw all the creatures fall to their death. It raises a lot of confusion. Out of nowhere, there’s a person in black gourmet, holding a very long sword starting to call all the townspeople to move to a safe place. The Townhall.
These people that wear black gourmet, are quicker with their movements. It was out of their mind that these people in black gourmet are just human like them. They are different, they are not like the creature. Not at all. It confuses a lot of the townspeople again. But what is more important is that they are all safe. The people who are left are all safe. The children are all safe Inside the hall.
The screeching and the thin howling are clearer to hear that the creature who comes to ravage their town is now in pain. It scare the townspeople when they heard such noises.
The noise is still can be heard until it was late Into the night. When morning comes, the townspeople raise their heads in question. What happened? They all want to know. A few brave souls step outside to look at what was happening. But when the person comes back, he calls all the townspeople to come and take a look.
None! There is none to look at. Except for the broken roof and the ashes being blown by the wind. There is no evidence of such creatures or any black gourmet people around. No death, nothing! The people of the town that have died that night are all gone.
What is going on??! running in their mind.
There is no answer to their questions. No matter how they can tell what was going on to the other people in the main town in what had happened to their small town, no one would believe so. Since there is no such evidence. The town people drop off to only 20 in population. But there’s a warning that has been left behind.
A letter has been stabbed into the wood that asks all the town people to keep their voices shut and not speak about any of such events that night. In fear of what will happen to them. The town headsman travels to the main town and reports a plague has landed in their town.
~•~
Further away from the town, a three-person Mounting horse. They all look down at the town miles away from them up on the hill. In the middle, there’s a man cloaked with a dark fabric over his uniform. His face shows a radiant youth and such charm forms on such a fine man. He felt the wind cold enough to give him such an alert to cover up when it bites onto his skin. But, he doesn’t give such issues about the weather. He is not bothered by the coldness.
“Pity! How would they ever live in such a way?!” A woman voice, voice her own opinion. On the left side of the man. She holds a very stern face no matter where she goes. Beauty with a thorn.
“Dear sister, from the tone of your voice, I knew you were, never like the likes of humans since the beginning of that man betrayed you in Athens. Don’t forget, we are just like them. Before! Is it not, mother?! ”
“Indeed! We are! We once! We were!”
Another woman spoke to answer her children’s questions. Older than them. Superior as a mother. Wiser, kinder, and a loving being.
Look and stare as long as people can look at these three faces. There’s not so much of an age difference. They could pass to be a sibling.
“What would the great Lioness say up there on the mountain? The event had stained onto her territory?” The woman turns her head towards the snowy mountains. It catches the man’s and the mother’s attention to look up at the mountain.
“It is better we go and have a little visit.” Says the man “we would need a great council from the lion that roams the icy realm”
Three horse trails venture deeper into the frosty forest. At some point, the three-figure left their horses and continued walking along the trees on foot. Foot nor legs have been swallowed by the snow at every step they take. Before they could reach the mountain itself, before the foot of the mountain they could notice. Something rather magical happens. They once agreed to meet but something rather is so eager to meet them.
The tallest tree bows down at the presence. The water droplets produce ice crystals, decorating the whole area. The sound of snow being crushed coming closer and nearer to them. Then there it is. Appear In-front of them. A lion that is twice the size of a regular lion. Its fang dropped sharp past her snout. Her blue eyes and the purest white fur around her head. The two white horns that come out from her forehead hold a shining crystal in between. She is truly magnificent.
The three figure empty their hand and open their arms. The women bend their knees and bowed their heads while the man stood only to bow his head.
“O Greatest, the great Lioness. The guardian of the icy Realm. The protector of your vast territory. With all of our respects, we come here to have some of your greatest council and we wish to ask a few things ”
Says the man returning to their natural posture.
The lioness sits and stares at the three of them. Like any animal, they do not speak. Like a human with the moving of the mouth. It spoke as what it called a possession or a whisper. Only those who are worthy will have to listen.
“O hail, the Highest among the stars! The protector of the Vast Green Sea, The Depths and the heart of the Deep, The bolder of the mountain, The bone of the remaining Realm. The defender of the Line. My leader, my Queen, and her kin” The Lioness bows her head with her paw curved in respect against the highest name among the covenant. In the presence of this young woman, the lioness speaks.
“What is the privilege that the highest name come to meet such a servant?”
“We come to ask that if you have heard of what has happened onto your land?”
“Oh yes, your highest. The eye of the sky has told me about the incidence among the human down that hill. He has tried his best to warn the human in the town by putting down such a blizzard. But it seems such weather they don’t give an eye to it. The great Owl told me that a greater evil has come to my realm. I am no match against the far greatest. I have sensed it in my bones, the offspring of that Vampire have fled and come to this land in wish to rebuild another army. My soldier has defended the entryway with all their might. My only fear is we would not have the strength to hold that long.”
" We understand! That is why we are here. You don’t have to be afraid ”
" Oh no, your highest! It is not that I am afraid of. What I am afraid of is what it will become. Forgive me your highest, I sense what lies ahead from now. There is far more danger that will happen again! The mountain will crumble and fire will erupt. The dead shall rise to serve. A great war will come as the line will be broken. A traitor among the good will turn against another. The woman in the stone has been found. The dormant child has grown.”
The man blinks in worried, he has no words to say but to look to his left and right to see the reaction of his sister and mother. They all unknowingly look as if they do not know what will come but have to be careful at all costs.
“Go further to your highest, deep into the forest. But remember, not all swords are sharp” The lioness continue to speak and ended her line with an alert. The wind begin to blow strongly and she disappeared into thin air.
“We have to move! Xandria, you have to go to the base and call the Sentinel to come. As the Queen of the Covenant, you shall remain protected. Mother, please do return home with Xandria and share or record what we have heard with the grand Wunderkin. Valix is close by. That creature has nowhere to go. We ended this, tonight! ” With a heavy breath, he gave the task to his sister and mother.
Xandria nods her head in understanding, but the mother grabs hold of her son’s hand tightly and says, “what about you?” With such a worried she felt a heavy heart.
The son, could not utter any words to speak. After what they have been through as a family with the highest duty. They lost only one important person due to the process of this task being handed in. So the son pulls her mother close to his embrace, calling for his sister. They hug one another and he kisses each of their foreheads as he said
” Promise me that this would be the last! No more killing. From now on, the Covenant is what will we have left to focus on. “...
Deep! That is what the lioness says to go. He ventures alone. Every path he walks on is a stranger to him. Every tree is all confusing and he had gone deeper into the forest. Everything seems to be misleading when white is all he can see. He stops his trail and stands still.
He breathed in and out through his nostrils and close his eyes. The man uses the senses of his hearing to listen that far from him and wait till the sun will set.
At first, he heard the sound of wildlife. Through the wolf that feasts. The rabbit that runs can hear its footsteps crushing the snow. The flapping wings in the sky. Eventually, everything stops making a sound. Something has made them go silent in an instant.
It does not bother him at all. The quietness. That gives him more reason to act as quickly as possible. In his human form, he is not that vulnerable at all. He has to fight like a human when he is in his human form.
Retracting his sword from the scabbard as fast as 0.01 second. He jumps, turns around, and slashes a creature that launches at him from behind in two.
Landed on his feet safely, he turn around again and raise his sword back into the air and throw it with a force like a harpoon gun shooting the arrow out. His hearing since heard a lot of flapping going further ahead. He makes a run for it passing through the trees. While running he tilted his head to look up passing the leaf and the top of the tree, the shadow of the creature flying beyond him. He picks up his speed faster than any speed in the world that runs on his legs. Even the fastest car could not compete.
At some point, he thought he could not reach them ahead of time. Afraid he could lose the trail of the flying creature. In front of him, he has another obstacle. A Cliff with a drop that could kill. He keeps his pace forward and heads to the Cliff. It doesn’t matter if he could fall and die. He is not equipped to die yet.
Jumping off the Cliff, his body began to change into something. A color of dark red plates his skin into a scale of shells covering his entire body. On his back, where his backbone had been placed. Three new bone structures grow on each side of his back and form a dark sharp talon that would move on his command. The talons form together and feathers begin to appear. Before his body falls to impact with the cold ground. His wings raise him high above the air like a jet.
The strong wings brought him closer and closer up to the flying creature. With his sharp claws, he ripped them apart in the sky leaving the flesh to fall onto the earth.
Just like how a predator bird launched at its prey, Xavier had the strength of a predator. To be feared and not to be crossed paths with. His mission is to end the species of evil. For it to not cause havoc and massacre. To not expose and to not exist. Death upon death tainted his claws’ hand. Until there is one who does not show any sign of fear. It continues to fly, passing such mountains and up above the clouds. Trying to lose its presence in Xavier’s sight. But, it didn’t work. The creature is faster. Xavier is the fastest.
When Xavier reaches above the creature’s body. His legs lift and kick the creature down onto the ground from the clouds. The fall would kill by such impact. But, the creature didn’t die at all. It only makes it more angry and challenging.
The snow that covers the ground, blew off by the wind from Xavier’s flapping wings as his feet reach the ground. Not too far from him. The creature that has created a twisted life form is now In-front of him. Challenging for a Duel.
" En-ach! Ur rath ha’i en-dad ”
A different language is spoken from Xavier’s tongue. Which is translated into:-
′Enough! Your wrath is over.′
“Ru’hai-gani! Mur-rath ha’i bagan’ning”
‘Never! My wrath has just begun.’
