WildHairedOne
The pessimistic optimist
The sky was dreary and grey this day. A light cool mist gently fell on the run down tavern, the old damp wood filling the air with a mildew smell. The soft flickering glow of lanterns dimly illuminated the inside, almost making it seem quite welcoming. She stepped closer to the entrance and could make out the sounds of drunken words from the patrons inside. She knew she would have to keep her composure, but tightly gripped the worn leather bound bible close to her side. There were reports of violent murders and attacks in this town. The victims were said to be drained of their blood, their necks ripped to shreds or completely mauled. The work of vampires. The wretched creatures seemed to be growing in numbers and at the worst possible time.
The year was 1791 a year after the French Revolution and time of the European Enlightenment. The so called "Scientific Revolution" was also happening and people who called themselves philosophers and scientists were besmirching the Catholic church. Many were following these ideas and with the recent number of vampire attacks, the faith in the church was waning. The revolution brought with it the destruction of many monasteries and the deaths of many priests. The common people were starving, the aristocrats were being hunted and slain. These were dreadful times and the strong reemergence of these ancient unholy beasts only made things more difficult.
Taking a small breath in and quickly giving the glass beads of the rosary around her neck a few rubs, she slowly opened the door of the tavern and stepped inside. Her jade green eyes scanned the large room of haggard looking men. Their faces were red with the cheap liquors of the bar. A couple were having a joyous time as the slurred out a song, some were too drunk to keep their eyes open, a small group were further to the back playing cards and making bets. The whole place reeked of sin, but she knew this was a good place to get more information about the attacks. She slowly made her way to one of the bar seats, avoiding one stumbling man, that was nothing more than a barely standing wooden stool. She took a seat only to feel the stool wobble and quickly steadied herself. She placed her bible on the bar and saw that the bar tender was busy chatting up what seemed to be a regular customer.
She began to rub her rosary beads once more as she waited. Her eyes caught a strand of her pale white hair was sticking out of her coif. As she tucked it back in she couldn't help but think of how her once mahogany locks ended up that way. It was eight years ago. She was only seventeen at the time and only a lay sister, tasked with taking care of the monastery. She had been raised by the church since being orphaned as an infant and religion was all she knew. Though she was devout and pledged herself completely to God, there was a time when she questioned her faith and willpower. All it took was a handsome aristocrat. In the village she had lived at the time the people were set in their faith. None of these new age "philosophical" ideas were about to poison the minds of the people. There was a rich family that was very involved in the church. The constantly gave donations and often asked for private services, but also helped out around the small village. They were very different from most of the upper class. Their youngest son would always come to the monastery to pray or learn more about the church. They would often run into each other and eventually began to form a friendship. Their conversations would often drift from the church to more personal topics. They shared many laughs and spent many hours in the fields or strolling about the market place. Things were more innocent then, before that horribly night.
Her fingers wrapped around the dark violet beads of her rosary as her mind drifted to the event. The night seemed normal as usual. She was getting some last minute cleaning done, the full moon and the numerous candles supplying her with light. She remembered the young aristocrat surprising her by sneaking in. Of course the cleaning was tossed aside as they began to speak. Then things began to grow a bit more intimate before the nightmarish screams began. She could hear doors being broken down and glass shattering. The voices of numerous horrified sisters filled the monastery as they begged and prayed. Soon the smell of blood grew heavy in the air. The young man quickly made her get down and hide among the pews as the sounds of heavy footsteps grew closer to the doors. The simple wood doors soon splintered apart as a large monstrous creature crept in. It easily towered over the aristocrat and snarled, it's long sharp teeth dripping with fresh blood and saliva. It's skin was grey and leathery with wings that protruded from it's back proudly. It's eyes were pitch black like voids in it's skull. As soon as it spotted the young man it lunged and slashed at him with long razor sharp claws. The thick red liquid began to seep from the aristocrat's neck and soon he fell. His gagging and gurgling still rang clear in her ears as she watched him so desperately trying to breathe, trying to live. Despite the creature before him, she ran out from her hiding spot to hold her dear friend. Her body trembled violently as she took him in her arms and her cheeks grew wet with salty tears. His wounds were deep and the blood continued to flow heavily. She soon felt him go limp. Her eyes soon locked onto the creature before her, a true demon itself. It stared at her and she felt herself getting pulled in by the black voids, but she gently put the still warm body of her friend down and began to pray. She could feel the heavy thuds of the creature's footsteps as they grew closer to her. Her head stayed down, her eyes shut tight and her hands locked together as she frantically whispered any and every verse that came to her mind. She felt the sharp claw of the beast on her neck and she froze with a gasp. The claw made it's way up her neck and under her chin, lifting her head to face the creature. As she opened her eyes her lips trembled with fear as she gazed into it's endless eyes. The fanged mouth of the demon opened and uttered in a deep gnarled voice it spoke, "Your God is not here this night." The voice made her heart race and her soul shake, her hair drained of color. She felt herself fall back and was consumed by silence and nothingness.
It wasn't until she awoke suddenly that she screamed and cried with everything she had. Somehow she had made it out of the monastery and found herself in the company of Father Adonias in a small dilapidated cottage. He wasn't one of the regular priests. He was visiting from another church and had arrived earlier that week. He was an older man in his early fifties at the time with short grey hair that had clearly been messed up in the commotion. He wore dark tinted glasses as his vision was sensitive to light. He was dirty and his robes had some tears, but he seemed to have made it out of the village mostly unscathed. After being settled down he explained that her monastery had been attacked by vampires. They were the only ones to survive. Since then she took a vow to fight the unholy beasts and they travel across the country to wherever there was need of assistance.
She let go of her rosary as her mind came back to the present. She looked over to the bartender and gave a small sigh as she saw him talking to another patron. With small annoyance, she opened her bible to read a few scriptures as she waited to ask him questions.
The year was 1791 a year after the French Revolution and time of the European Enlightenment. The so called "Scientific Revolution" was also happening and people who called themselves philosophers and scientists were besmirching the Catholic church. Many were following these ideas and with the recent number of vampire attacks, the faith in the church was waning. The revolution brought with it the destruction of many monasteries and the deaths of many priests. The common people were starving, the aristocrats were being hunted and slain. These were dreadful times and the strong reemergence of these ancient unholy beasts only made things more difficult.
Taking a small breath in and quickly giving the glass beads of the rosary around her neck a few rubs, she slowly opened the door of the tavern and stepped inside. Her jade green eyes scanned the large room of haggard looking men. Their faces were red with the cheap liquors of the bar. A couple were having a joyous time as the slurred out a song, some were too drunk to keep their eyes open, a small group were further to the back playing cards and making bets. The whole place reeked of sin, but she knew this was a good place to get more information about the attacks. She slowly made her way to one of the bar seats, avoiding one stumbling man, that was nothing more than a barely standing wooden stool. She took a seat only to feel the stool wobble and quickly steadied herself. She placed her bible on the bar and saw that the bar tender was busy chatting up what seemed to be a regular customer.
She began to rub her rosary beads once more as she waited. Her eyes caught a strand of her pale white hair was sticking out of her coif. As she tucked it back in she couldn't help but think of how her once mahogany locks ended up that way. It was eight years ago. She was only seventeen at the time and only a lay sister, tasked with taking care of the monastery. She had been raised by the church since being orphaned as an infant and religion was all she knew. Though she was devout and pledged herself completely to God, there was a time when she questioned her faith and willpower. All it took was a handsome aristocrat. In the village she had lived at the time the people were set in their faith. None of these new age "philosophical" ideas were about to poison the minds of the people. There was a rich family that was very involved in the church. The constantly gave donations and often asked for private services, but also helped out around the small village. They were very different from most of the upper class. Their youngest son would always come to the monastery to pray or learn more about the church. They would often run into each other and eventually began to form a friendship. Their conversations would often drift from the church to more personal topics. They shared many laughs and spent many hours in the fields or strolling about the market place. Things were more innocent then, before that horribly night.
Her fingers wrapped around the dark violet beads of her rosary as her mind drifted to the event. The night seemed normal as usual. She was getting some last minute cleaning done, the full moon and the numerous candles supplying her with light. She remembered the young aristocrat surprising her by sneaking in. Of course the cleaning was tossed aside as they began to speak. Then things began to grow a bit more intimate before the nightmarish screams began. She could hear doors being broken down and glass shattering. The voices of numerous horrified sisters filled the monastery as they begged and prayed. Soon the smell of blood grew heavy in the air. The young man quickly made her get down and hide among the pews as the sounds of heavy footsteps grew closer to the doors. The simple wood doors soon splintered apart as a large monstrous creature crept in. It easily towered over the aristocrat and snarled, it's long sharp teeth dripping with fresh blood and saliva. It's skin was grey and leathery with wings that protruded from it's back proudly. It's eyes were pitch black like voids in it's skull. As soon as it spotted the young man it lunged and slashed at him with long razor sharp claws. The thick red liquid began to seep from the aristocrat's neck and soon he fell. His gagging and gurgling still rang clear in her ears as she watched him so desperately trying to breathe, trying to live. Despite the creature before him, she ran out from her hiding spot to hold her dear friend. Her body trembled violently as she took him in her arms and her cheeks grew wet with salty tears. His wounds were deep and the blood continued to flow heavily. She soon felt him go limp. Her eyes soon locked onto the creature before her, a true demon itself. It stared at her and she felt herself getting pulled in by the black voids, but she gently put the still warm body of her friend down and began to pray. She could feel the heavy thuds of the creature's footsteps as they grew closer to her. Her head stayed down, her eyes shut tight and her hands locked together as she frantically whispered any and every verse that came to her mind. She felt the sharp claw of the beast on her neck and she froze with a gasp. The claw made it's way up her neck and under her chin, lifting her head to face the creature. As she opened her eyes her lips trembled with fear as she gazed into it's endless eyes. The fanged mouth of the demon opened and uttered in a deep gnarled voice it spoke, "Your God is not here this night." The voice made her heart race and her soul shake, her hair drained of color. She felt herself fall back and was consumed by silence and nothingness.
It wasn't until she awoke suddenly that she screamed and cried with everything she had. Somehow she had made it out of the monastery and found herself in the company of Father Adonias in a small dilapidated cottage. He wasn't one of the regular priests. He was visiting from another church and had arrived earlier that week. He was an older man in his early fifties at the time with short grey hair that had clearly been messed up in the commotion. He wore dark tinted glasses as his vision was sensitive to light. He was dirty and his robes had some tears, but he seemed to have made it out of the village mostly unscathed. After being settled down he explained that her monastery had been attacked by vampires. They were the only ones to survive. Since then she took a vow to fight the unholy beasts and they travel across the country to wherever there was need of assistance.
She let go of her rosary as her mind came back to the present. She looked over to the bartender and gave a small sigh as she saw him talking to another patron. With small annoyance, she opened her bible to read a few scriptures as she waited to ask him questions.
