Her baby wailed. Marlen held her as close to her body as she possibly could.
The taste of ash soured her mouth. She was covered in it. Her shawl, normally a bright and pleasant peach color, was stained black and grey. Her baby was less affected by the soot, but there was a grey streak across her forehead. Evangeline, she decided. If they made it through the night, that’s what she would call her. Superstitions be damned. They were coming after her. They want her. She shuddered at what those monsters wanted to do with a newborn child. She decided that if Evangeline survived the night, she would survive into childhood.
She arrived in front of where Geoff had told her to go. A stone house with a blue door on the corner of the Market at Riverview. A luscious plant hung at the corner of the door. It’s big, green, raindrop leaves cascaded down gently to the ground. On the other side stood a cart full of unwanted fruit. Unripe bananas, shriveled pineapples, cracked melons, and bruised peaches. Marlen paused. Surely her uncle did not mean to send her to a fruit vendor’s house for protection. A stone house with a blue door on the corner of the market at Riverview. Marlen looked around unsuccessfully for another stone house with a blue door. She looked down to find Evangeline smiling softly, looking at her mother with curiosity. Marlen pulled her close again and burst through the unlocked door.
Four men sat around a fireplace. Their dark-grey tunics glowed red in the warm light and the flames danced off of the steel of their swords. They looked at Marlen in surprise. She stood there silently, her mouth half open and struggling to find the words that she wanted to say. The man closest to her stood and placed a compassionate hand on her shoulder. He looked down at the baby and then into her eyes. His gaze was comforting, gentle, compassionate, as if he knew exactly what had just happened to her.
Marlen savored every drop of the stew. It was only now that her adrenaline had passed that she realized how drained she was from the evening’s events. The men gave her a damp cloth to wash the soot and sweat from her face and a fresh rag to wrap Evangeline.
Though these men were generous and caring, she still did not know them, let alone trust them. The man who invited her in introduced himself as Josai. He was a kind man. Tall, strong, and with hair beginning to bald. His skin was scarred and his face was heavy with sad eyes. He introduced himself as the leader of the local chapter of the Descendants of Elisman. The three men around him, Micah, Matthew, and another whose name Marlen missed, were other members of his cohort.
“We kill them things that would otherwise kill us,” Matthew explained as stew dribbled from the edges of his mouth. A playful smile formed on his lips.
“What my brother means,” Josai said as he glared at Matthew, “is that we are the protectors of the people. There are plenty of monsters in the world that seek to do our species harm. Use us, torture us, eat us- the world is full of danger. We try to make it a safer place.”
Marlen squinted. Monster hunters? Why would her Uncle tell her to come here for help? “My problem is with men, unfortunately, but they might as well be monsters to me,” she said. “Can you still help me?”
Marlen’s eyes flashed anxiously between the men. “They want my Evangeline,” she continued. “I don’t know what they are going to do with her, but they have been stalking me for months.”
“Evangeline?” Josai asked.
Marlen gave a subtle nod. “They burned down my home trying to take her. They killed my husband.” Her throat clenched and she struggled to swallow. “We always liked the name Evangeline.” She spat on the ground. “Tradition be damned.”
Josai nodded slowly. “These men, do you have an idea of who they might be?”
“My uncle said that they might be some men from my childhood,” Marlen said, almost ashamed. “I can’t be sure. I grew up in Briar’s Square, though I don’t remember much.”
“Briar’s Square,” Josai said. He lingered on the words as his thoughts came together. “It is a wonder you ever got out of there, and it is even a greater wonder you have kept a hold of Evangeline as long as you have. One day, you must tell me the full story; but before that, we must prepare.” Josai set aside his stew and rose from his seat. The others did the same.
“Micah, order Anton and Kevan back from patrol and then go find Xav. They indicated that they’ll be around the Night Market.”
Josai turned to Matthew and the other man. “Yarrow, up to the roof with you. Let us know when they’re coming and wait for my signal. We may only get one shot, so make sure your arrow strikes true. Matthew, start fetching as much water as you can and begin dousing the place. Those bastards may have the numbers, but we have the advantage of the tight space. He will try to flush us out by burning the place before the real fight even begins.”
The three men nodded before rushing to execute their tasks. Josai turned to Marlen. Panic welled through her chest and fear was strewn plainly across her face.
“Marlen, I’m going to need you to take a deep breath with me,” Josai said.
“What is going on? Please don’t tell me they are coming here. They can’t take my baby!”
“Breath with me Marlen,” Josai said. “Just breathe with me.
Marlen acquiesced and the deep, controlled breathing actually worked to calm her down.
“There you go, just like that. Now, when did you say they started coming after you again?”
“A week after Evangeline was born,” Marlen said shakily. “A little after the dark moon.”
His suspicions confirmed, Josai nodded in agreement. “The most recent dark moon was only two days ago.” He studied Marlen. Despite her clean face, the rest of her body bore the dirt and grime from the horrible events of the night. She looked battered and on the verge of exhaustion. Her hair was frayed and her eyes were dark and full saggy. Josai assumed that she had not gotten a good night’s rest since the men started to come for her child. Josai could still see the fear in her. Nevertheless, there was a fierce and unyielding fire that seemed to burn within her. It gave warmth to her child, and despite the long terrors of her nightmare, it refused to be extinguished.
“The men will come tonight,” Josai said. “They will try to take Evangeline no matter the cost, for this is their last chance.”
“Why is that?” Marlen asked.
“After four months a baby’s blood is no longer fresh, and the spirit can no longer use it to anchor themselves in their host’s body.”
Marlen narrowed her eyes in confusion. “The spirit?”
“We don’t have time for this, Marlen. You said it yourself, you grew up in Briar’s Square.”
“And I don’t see what that has to do with spirits.”
“Honesty, Marlen. That is what I require. Your pure and humbled honesty. We do not have the time to play this game where you deny your involvement in the Cult.”
“Cult?” Marlen said, her voice raising in alarm. Her shock was loud enough to wake Evangeline, who had been sleeping in her mother’s arms as she started crying.
“It would do us best if you quieted her,” Josai said, indicating the baby. “We can’t let them find you before we are ready.”
“I am no member of a cult; I worship the Creators and no other false prophets. How dare you accuse me of being in one.”
“Pure and humbled honesty,” Josai said. His bright blue eyes gazed harshly upon Marlen, but behind those eyes was a worn face. “Our Cohort has watched Briar’s Square very closely over the past couple of years, there’s not a single soul in that neighborhood that does not worship Itho.”
Itho. Marlen shuddered at the name. A chill spooked down her body and it was as if the skeletal claw of time itself scooped her up and transported her to the dim and smoky rooms of her youth. Her father, a large man but always in shame, stood in front of her. He spoke to the golden-robed man with a long ponytail but she could not discern about what. The man, Maxim, she recalled from the depths of unknown memories, approached her, pushing her father aside like he was nothing as he did. He took ahold of her face, studying it closely. Marlen looked into his bright blue eyes and found a universe swirling endlessly behind them. The longer she stared into his eyes, the more a dreadful feeling washed over her. After a few seconds, however, he released her and nodded to her father before walking away. Marlen remembered how relieved he looked. How her father could not look her in the eye for a week after.
“Yes,” Marlen said. Her voice was so weak it felt as if she was a world apart. “I remember Itho now. And the Priest that spoke for him, whom we looked to for guidance.”
“Maxim,” Josai said.
Marlen nodded her head. “He never knew I existed growing up. How could I? I was one of many. But one day I remember my father took me to see him. He took a special interest me from that day forward. I could always feel when he was watching me.” She shook her head and color seemed to flow back to her face. “But that was years ago. I haven’t seen him again since my mother took us away from that place.”
“Thank you Marlen,” Josai said. “For your honesty.” He looked at Evangeline and she seemed to gaze upon him with an endless curiosity. “Maxim, Itho, the two are the same. A spirit famous for its false love of man. For generations he has preyed on our foolish nature, tricking men into loving him and providing him with all the comforts that life can bear. In return, he dubs them warriors in the Midnight Plain. Warriors that will lead an army against the Creators themselves and help humanity achieve its destiny. A noble gesture, one our Cohort could yearn for, if it were ever possible. But the Midnight Plain is no place for humans; and what is dead is dead, and always will be.”
“But I left Briar’s Square almost a decade ago, what does Maxim, Itho, want with my baby?”
“He wants what he was promised. Her.”
“I would never think to promise my child to another,” Marlen said with finality. “I would rather see this entire city burn then let her fall into another’s hands.”
“Good,” Josai said amused. “That vitriol will be needed in the hours to come. I am sure it has helped you to get as far as you have.” The sound of water splashing against the stone and wood could be heard just on the other side of the door. “From what you have told me during our brief conversations, I reckon it was your father who promised your child to him. He was destitute, most likely, with nothing else to offer Itho as payment.”
“I still don’t understand though. What would Itho want with my baby?”
There was a long pause as Josai stared into the fire. The Descendent was entranced by its rhythmic flickers. For a second, Marlen thought she saw a glimpse of something else in the fire. “Spirits are chaotic things. They are not creatures made of this world and therefore the very existence of one is unnatural. They may take control of a body and use it as a host, but after a certain amount of time, their anchor to the body is weakened. If their anchor is weakened enough, their essence is ripped from the body. I have seen it happen once, and it seemed to be a very unpleasant affair for everyone involved. There are a variety of ways to anchor a spirit into a host, but a favorite among the entities, and the easiest, is the consumption of fresh human blood. The only truly fresh blood is that of a newborn. After four moons, the blood cells start to die and new ones take its place, losing its freshness in the process.”
Marlen sat with her mouth agape, unable to find the words to convey her shock. Instinctively, she held her child closer. She gazed into Evangline’s eyes and they stared at her in return. Bright emeralds on a brown face. They swirled with life. A whole universe laid behind them, a future of possibility and potential. Evangeline reached a tiny hand up to her mother and smiled. “I- I won’t let them take her from me.” Marlen finally said. “Vela as my witness, my daughter will see the sun rise. No matter the cost.”
Josai smiled grimly. “So be it.” He placed a hand on Marlen’s leg. “Come now, we have much to prepare.”
The room was dark. The only noise came from Micah, who was mumbling a silent prayer to Vela. For what seemed like the thousandth time that night, Marlen looked longingly at her child. All preparations had been completed only a few minutes before the first spotter came. A sharp knock on the door to which the Descendants did not answer.
“It does not have to be like this, Descendants.” The gruff voice barked. “Maxim only wants the child. No one has to die.”
More silence. The doorknob twisted and jostled but remained locked. Kevan, who had been waiting next to the door, quietly drew his sword. After a few seconds, however, the jostling seized and silence enveloped the room again. Marlen did not know how long the silence lasted as she waited with dreadful anticipation. She studied the long dagger that she held in her free hand. Josai had given it to her for protection.
“We will do everything possible to ensure your daughter sees the morning sun, but we are a mere eight against dozens,” Josai said. “No matter what happens, Itho cannot get his hands on your child. Let the curse that hangs over Briar’s Square end here.”
As she studied the dagger, Marlen wondered if she was strong enough to actually do it. One life for hundreds. Was it a fair trade if the one was pure and innocent? She gleamed her thumb over the blade of the knife. There was a sharp pain as she pressed into the edge. Good, Marlen thought. It would be quicker for both of them if there was no other choice.
Marlen was pulled from her thoughts by a small rock that tumbled down the chimney. Josai pressed his ear to the fireplace.
There was a faint whisper that Marlen could just make out. “They’re coming,” the voice said. “Xav and I count a score of them.”
“Be ready,” Josai whispered back. “Bows drawn and wait for my signal.” Josai paused. “Walk in the darkness, brothers,” he choked. “For the light of Vela to shine on us all.”
A moment lingered before two voices whispered back in unison. “A sacrifice of one for the good of all.”
Marlen’s face paled. A sacrifice of one for the good of all. She prayed silently to the creator that it would not come to that.
Footsteps rustled outside and the sound of swords being drawn from sheathes echoed through the still night. Josai looked around the room. There was only just enough light for Marlen to see the calm on Josai’s face. He looked to each of his men and nodded. He turned to look at Marlen.
“A sacrifice of one for the good of all,” he whispered.
In an instant, the house glowed a bright red. Marlen looked out the window, squinting her eyes to adjust to the light, and found twenty men with bright glowing torches outside. In the middle was a tall, balding man with a long pony-tail that stood proudly amongst the rest. His golden robes looked almost divine in the light of the fires. He looked upon the house with a devious smirk. The kind a hungry tom cat would give to a mouse before pouncing.
“Descendants,” he said. His voice was smooth and deep, exactly the kind that held sway over fellow men. “It does not need to come to this. We both fight for the same cause, do we not? Give us the child and I swear that no harm will come to anyone.”
“You are right, spirit,” Josai replied through the door. “No harm needs to come to anyone tonight. Go on your way and we will save any quarrel we may have with each other for another day.”
“Now, now, Descendants,” Itho chided. “You know that is not an option here. I’ll ask only one more time. Give me the girl and no harm shall fall on anyone else.”
“There are thousands of new-borns in this city,” Marlen shouted. The very act surprised her. “Find another for your misdeeds, but you shall not have mine!”
Itho’s grin grew wider and smirks formed on the mouths of the other cultists. “I must commend you, Marlen, daughter of Osho, you have more courage than your miserable father. Unfortunately, that oaf of a man promised me your child, and I am not one to be denied what is mine. You may have evaded our grasp so far, but that ends tonight.”
“Something will end tonight,” Josai shouted. “That is for sure.”
Josai took a deep breath. With the pommel of his sword, he rapped against the door. A large boom reverberated through the room. Marlen jumped at the sound and Evangeline began to cry. There was a sharp cry from outside. Marlen looked through the window and her heart stopped. Two arrows were lodged in the golden-robed man. One in his neck and another in the square of his chest. All was silent besides the cries of Evangeline. Itho stood motionless, his face a mixture of surprise and agony. After a few seconds, the spirit lifted his hand to the arrow lodged in his throat. Weakly, he tried to pull on it. He collapsed to the ground almost as soon as he did.
Marlen could barely comprehend the next several seconds. The cultists were stunned by the fall of their leader, but that shock was soon replaced with rage. A cry went up among the score of them as they began to descend on the house. An arrow flew across the open distance, lodging in a head. A second lodged in another’s stomach. Marlen watched from the window as a burly man threw his spear. A body fell from the house and the cultists descended on it like vultures. Hacking and tearing the poor brother’s limbs apart. Marlen winced. Was it Yarrow or Xav?
The cultists pounded furiously on the door before Marlen could dwell on the thought any longer. Matthew took a glass bottle containing a dark liquid and threw it out the window. It exploded with a roar and the cultists screamed in agony. Still, the pounding at the door persisted. Josai and Anton were doing their best to hold back the oncoming wave, but the force was too much. They flew backwards as the door burst open. A cry came from the cultists as they descended on the house.
Though numerous, the small quarters of the house limited the number of invaders. The fighting turned bloody and desperate and the corpses of the dead littered the floor. Marlen held Evangeline as tightly as she could, choosing to tuck her under her robe. She sought shelter behind an up-turned table in the far corner of the room. She took a little heart that Josai stood between her and the mob. He fought magnificently. Like a coiled viper that struck out with deadly precision before retreating again. His movements were swift and unfaltering. And yet, despite his best efforts, he could not hold back all. Two men had managed to evade him and were heading directly to Marlen. A desperate rage overcame her and she set her crying baby on the ground. With all her might, she kicked the table she hid behind forward, sending it sliding into her two attackers and knocking them on the ground. She jumped to her feet and stabbed blindly into one of them. The other attacker was able to recover his footing before she could attack. He sent a fist with his free hand hurtling to her face. The impact took all breath from her, knocking her to the ground in the process. She laid there for a moment in shock until she saw the man bending over to pick up her child.
“No!” She screamed. With a low, guttural growl she leaped to her feet and pounced on the man. She stabbed the man repeatedly in the neck until he fell to the ground. Marlen grabbed a hold of Evangeline. She was wailing and her face was marked with a small splatter of blood, but she was otherwise alright.
Marlen looked around. Only Josai and Matthew remained. Battered, bloodied, and breathing hard, they lowered their swords and began to assess their surroundings. The scene looked as if it were a nightmare. Corpses laid in large piles that reached up to a height of half a man. Limbs laid strewn in awkward positions, detached from their owner. Blood reached to every corner. The sounds of moans mixed with Evangeline crying. Josai and Matthew looked at each other, a solemn acknowledgement of the sacrifices made. Matthew began maneuvering amongst the bodies, extinguishing what little life remained from any surviving cultists.
Marlen could not believe it. They had stopped them. A whole score against eight in total. She thought it was impossible. She turned to look at Josai, her face full of wonderment. He met her gaze, and a with a single tear falling down his cheek, nodded at Marlen to acknowledge their victory. The two held their gaze and Marlen felt nothing but the highest gratitude to the man who had saved both her life and her child’s. That gratitude, however, shortly turned to horror.
Josai gave a single pained grunt as the spear went through his stomach. He looked down slowly at the wooden shaft protruding from his body and then up at Marlen. “I,” he began to say. But before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed to the ground.
Standing before Marlen, smiling ear to ear with his wicked, swirling eyes was Itho. He was pale, as if all the blood had drained from his body. A black hole appeared on his neck where the arrow once was. Marlen could see another one behind his tattered robe. Slowly, with spear in hand, he walked towards Marlen, looking hungrily between her and Evangeline.
Marlen could only scream. She moved to run, holding her child tightly, but there was nowhere to go. The spear lodged in her chest, the tip hitting right above her heart. Pain ripped through her body. Within seconds, she lost all strength to stand. She collapsed hard to the ground, losing the grip of her daughter in the process. She could feel her heart beat through her body and she grew lightheaded.
The spirit stood over her, gloating at its victory. “None of this had to have happen, Marlen,” he said with a sneer. “You were foolish to think you could have resisted me. Don’t you know by now that I am in-“
With a loud roar, Matthew took his sword and charged into the side of Itho. The force of his attack was so strong that his blade cut straight through the flesh as he slammed him against the wall of the house. Miraculously, the point of the blade seemed to have lodged into the wood, for though Itho struggled to remove the blade and unpin himself, he could not. Matthew took a step back and looked at his work with both shock and awe.
A small beam of light peered through the window. It shone directly on Marlen’s half conscious face. Through the window was a beautiful sky full of pinks and purple. She had made it to dawn. Evangeline had made it to dawn. Her senses were fading and she could barely comprehend the agonizing screams coming from the spirit. Her head turned to Evangeline, who had been lying next to her. She had stopped crying, but her face was covered with a mixture of snot and tears. Marlen gazed upon her sweet child and Evangeline slowly turned to face her. She looked on her curiously with her emerald eyes. With her dying breath, Marlen smiled softly.