I shot up, covered by cold sweats and shivering uncontrollably. 'What did I just dream about?' The terror of the nightmare fades quickly. Yet the vivid fear still lingers in my soul. A sudden crash outside draws my attention to the open window near the bed. The near-pitch-black night is barely pierced by the trinity of moons. A chilling wind brushes over my body slowly. Livia Furia and Caesonia Avidia lay silently asleep in our bed. An ominous glow comes from somewhere out in the treeline of my farm. Curious, I carefully crawl out of bed. I didn't want to wake the two sleeping beauties. Our union together was only a week in. My time serving as an Oromanian Legion had paid off. I had saved enough to buy this land from a wealthy local merchant. It was my dream to wed the two servant girls I met in my youth. With the blessing of the local Lord and my new land, I was able to make that dream come true. As quietly as I could, I dressed in leather garments. Not wanting to work with my new brides. Another crash comes from the treeline. This time it was louder. The eerie reddish glow grew brighter. I fear a fire may be brewing close by. The sound of Furia and Caesonia drew my gaze back to them.
"What is it, my love?" Furia asked weakly.
"Is something wrong, Primus?" Caesonia questioned as she yawned.
"It is not, my loves. Just some animal outside pestering the cattle. I'll go scare it off. The two of you should go back to sleep," I explained.
"Don't be too long, dear. We have a big day tomorrow," Caesonia countered.
"Yes, indeed, my love. You have worked hard to gain the favor of our Lord," Furia said.
"All I do is for you, my dears. Now, rest for the night. I shall return soon to join you," I said.
I watched momentarily as the two blonde sirens returned to their dreams. All my hard work these past ten years has been for them. Then, finally, against all odds, I was accepted into the legion. A feat for a foreign-born like me. I grab my sword and sheath, ready to ward off the beasts outside. This region has many predators that stalk the night, but fortunately, this area was relatively free of dangerous wildlife. Other than the occasional park of wolves or dire bears that wandered in. Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins were of little threat this far North. I donned a chest plate just to be safe and bring my grimoire. If things got too dangerous, I could summon one of my familiars. My magical aptitude and skill with a sword were one of the driving factors in my entrance into the Golden Legion. I pass the kitchen and notice my father asleep near the fireplace. The man was grief-stricken at the death of my mother and his other wife last season. He barely traveled here from the South after our family lost everything. My father was the only living family I had left after the border skirmish with the Teratian Kingdom. That and the Orcish invasion took all my brothers, leaving me his last child. I made a promise to rebuild our family legacy.
The cold of the night hit me all at once as I opened the door. It wasn't fall or winter, but the cold was rigid and bit at my exposed skin. 'It shouldn't be his cold for this time of year.' Springs brought cold nights here, but not like this. With a torch in hand, I steeled myself and headed toward the glowing light in the forest. I stop by the barn to check on the horses. They were fine, as were the few cattle we had. My gut felt a sense of apprehension. Feeling the barn was safe, I ventured out again. There wasn't a sound to be heard. No insects chirping or wild animal calls. I look to the sky. One of the moons, Helvia, was full. Enough that it should illuminate the land. It was too dark, and it felt wrong. Even my torch had trouble lighting my way. Only the weird glow from the forest gave any light enough for me to see. The darkness felt alive, like it was consuming the light itself. Strangling the world in a pitch-black nightmare void.
Another crash came from ahead. Again, I freeze in my tracks. Gripping my sword in my left hand. 'When had I unsheathed my blade?' It was only now that I was closer that the sound was that of an animal. One that was in pain, a death cry. My body tensed up the closer I came to the tree line. As I approach, an animal whimpering comes from inside the thick trees. For the life of me, I couldn't make out any details. I look back to the stone cottage and barn before venturing into the forest. There wasn't a single sound other than that whimpering animal. That was my first thought. Another sound was hidden under the soft whimpers, growing louder the deeper I went. It sounded as if something was being eaten. The sound of flesh and bone being ripped apart. 'A predator, maybe a dire wolf or bear. They are known to come this close to settlements.' My hand grips the short sword tightly. I scan the trees and foliage for the culprit. Something wet nearly causes me to lose my balance. Lowering my torch, I discover a shallow pool of blood. Scatter bone fragments lie in the bloody pool. A larger animal was devoured here and not too long ago. The bloody trail led deeper into the forest.
More remains lie every few feet. As if a feeding frenzy occurred here. Animals of various sizes were slaughtered here and there. 'What could devour so many animals at once?' A pack of wolves or their dire cousins wouldn't leave such messy remains. The carnage I was witnessing was more like the battlefields I fought on. The reddish light flickers ahead of me. Moving around with quick speed. I stab my blade into the Earth, preparing to summon a couple of familiars.
"I call upon nature and spirit, I command thee, grant me a loyal servant. Come forth, Wild beast!" I whispered.
Three blue summoning circles appear, One beneath my feet and two in front of me. Two elder bears appear before me. An instant psychic connection is formed between me and the creatures. Through their senses, I immediately better understood the current situation. There was danger about. A malevolent force was at work here in these woods. My familiars sensed it as they are attuned to such things. I resolved to stand firm. Whatever lurks here could bring harm to my family. That was something I would allow. I had yet to learn what awaited me ahead.
"I call upon nature and spirit, I command thee, grant me a loyal servant. Come forth, Agile beast!" I whispered.
Again, two summoning circles appear. This time an eagle appears before me. It tilts its head and flies away with my command conveyed to it mentally. The town wasn't far from my farm. That would be preferable if I could get the town's guard to come. With a backup plan laid out, I press on. My two bears flank either side of me. Vigilant to the danger hidden in the darkness of the night. The red racing light moves fast as I pursue it. Finally, a clearing comes into view. As I suspected, the area around the clear was burned. Embers still glow in a crater at the center of the small clearing. My familiars halt at the edge of the clearing, growling viciously. Suddenly, a swift force sends me tumbling into the crater.
"Raaaarrrr!" one of my familiars roared.
A struggle raged between my familiars and an unseen enemy. The crater is deeper than it looks. A hole at the center has taken me deep into a narrow shaft. The walls were burnt to blackened Earth. It was challenging to stay where I was for fear of falling deeper. I couldn't see just how far the hole went down. A pitch-black abyss stare back. Their struggle above had ceased. My connection with my beasts was gone. 'They were defeated that quickly? These were high-tier summons. It took years of training to tame and master them.' Something blocks the crater. A cloud of dark smoke with shimmering red embers hovers over my only means of escape. I sense an overwhelming evil aura emanating from the cloud. It crackled with red and blue lightning. The chaotic storm swoops down with lightning speed. I lose my grip as the sheer force hits me head-on. Causing me to fall further into the dark abyss. It invades my body through my mouth, nose, ears, and even my eyes. The pain was mind-numbing. A force of abject evil devours my mind and body. Darkness and agony take hold of my essence as my vision and consciousness fade.