Prologue
Vicious growls echoed through the vast forest accompanied by the rhythmic thump of paws pounding on the dry dirt. Dark, hollow eyes shone through the darkness and sharp teeth gleamed.
The Beiste of Bolham.
Some say that the beast’s eyes glowed as red as the blood it drank from its victims. Others whispered of its large talons used to rip limb from limb in another savage attack on the innocent and defenceless.
Thick, black fur shimmered silver under the pale glow of the moon as the colossal creature stormed through the forest in haste, the ever-continuous growls ripping through its chest as it panted. One single, monstrous howl burst through the air causing the women of the small village to stir frightfully in their bedchambers and cry out as they slept. The men however, allowed their fury to double as they charged forward with weapons in arms, a hazy orange glow surrounding them like a beacon from the torches clasped tightly in their hand; their indelicate rush of movement did nothing but spur on the monstrosity as it trampled across the land.
But the men were smarter than before, this time - as the moon hung so high and bright in the sky, a perfect orb - they teased the beast. They circled around it, trapping it, closing in with every step until the beast found itself snarling wildly at the danger, backed up against a tree with nowhere to go.
One man, more idiotic than courageous, leaped forward with a spear in hand and jabbed at one of the creature’s thick, muscled back legs. Deep crimson tainted the earth beneath them and stained the tip of the menacing metal edge of the weapon. Enraged, the animal swiped at the man in anger, watching in triumph as his small, weak body flew in the air before plummeting back to the ground with a dull thud.
With another pained, heart wrenching howl the beast charged through the growing circle of armed men and fled at a slower yet more determined pace, whimpering from the pulsing pain in its leg. Seeming more like a wounded hound than a ravenous, ruthless beast, it darted through the darkness, stopping for nothing as it strived to escape the horrendous tortures of the villainous village.
