Punishment

Haelynir, 1578 HC...somewhere in the swamps of Osoerde

    William stood on top of small hill, it was a well grown spring night and the beautiful and sweet breeze shook the grass, somewhere ahead there was smoke that went up nonchalantly in the sky,my house he thought while he turned towards it. Suddenly in of him a creature  in an armor of dark runes that shone against the metal appeared striking him with a force of awe and terror forcing young William to froze in place.

 - “You can bring me the mask* William, I can see the darkness of your soul and I know that it belongs to me, I can give you your hearts deepest desire”, and with that the creature took a sure step forward forcing young William to fall back down on the sweet spring grass.

 He looked at the being with great fear and frustration at the same time, “how can this be, he thought, I am home, this is home” believing that this was his home.

 - no I do not want the mask I want to go home, leave me be.

suddenly the sane  force that  threw him down made his body fill with  pain that penetrated him,  his black marks  lived up and they began to grow as black his skin forcing him to fall over his back and start to scream from with his voice coming directly out of his belly from pain and vomit start to climb up his neck. The black stains had start to grow and they were moving upwards over his arm towards his neck, like dark snakes made of the darkest stain of shadow trying to bring him to his doom.

 - “no I will not do your bid, let me be, I want to go home”, he shouted with all the remainder of his strength, he knew that if he was not already dead, he would die now for sure.

 the creature in the armor looked at this deplorable spectacle while noticing  a new form materializing behind the young man, a darker presence with glance red eyes that shone in the dark. The creature now knew that he had forever  lost the soul of this boy, he knew that he lost his chance to unleash terror upon Cerilia and with that he vanished leaving not even the slightest of trails behind him.

William was fighting against himself for several minutes, trying to set free of the dark snakes that were coiled over his body. He was starting to gain ground over his body and mind and he knew that he would survive this, he felt home was close by. As his struggle came to an end his found himself lying on his back down on the rolling spring grass and he knew he had survived. “It’s over, finnaly I am free” t he thoughts almost came like crushing waves over his head and his mind was now screaming with joy and anticipation for his long sought freedom and peace. Downhill the smoke was still going up in the sky and he could almost feel the familiar scents coming over his nostrils, he knew now for sure, this was home. The small hut in the fringes of forest had not changed at all and he took a  deep breath as he took his first small step inside it, his one small step to peace and freedom.  He smiled as he had a rough times and his journey was hard but now all of that was done for, he had been back and now that they were all together things would change, he thought while he  approached the woman that was sitting over the fireplace and had the familiar face of his mother, her face shown up by joy that him saw and she yanked up rushing to his embrace.

William’s heart fluttered as he cherished the embrace of his mother and his tear came rolling down his cheeks, his happiness and relief were all now coming down to explode in his heart and his was letting already his guard down, he felt safe, he felt home, he knew he could lay back now and rest. Unfortunately this did not last that long,  terror stroke his mind as he  saw the bruises on her eyes and noticed the stagger in her step, teardrops rolled down from her eyes.

 - you came back my boy she called while she was crying, everything will be alright again now that you are back here with us my son, William felt sick he felt something was not right here, he felt wrong,  “your father  is in the back with your sister, when he is done with her  they will come back in so we can eat,  try to be  quiet when they come around,  she does not want what she does, I know that she is a good girl, she is my daughter, but that deservers her for trying to steal my man from me” and as she spoke she tightened the grasp on young William while her cold brown eyes filled with tears starred at him.

Cold  sweat came down his neck and a blur stroke his mind, he was feeling sick and weary, he was ready to crush down and he really wanted never to get up again, his mother held him with a force she never had in life like she never wanted to let go of her son again, and that made him sicker, he felt choking and he collapsed in the wooded floor down on the dark embrace of his mother

- my young William, now that you are here my sweet boy we will be together for ever.

William started to cry and his cries could be heard all over the dark plains covering his bleak house.

Translated and edited from the first Greek extract by Vasilis Nastoulis.