Part 3: The Monastery
“I told you that your weapons were of no use here and now look at what you've done,” Father Nowak shouted as he tried to catch his breath motioning towards the lifeless corpse who was leaking blood from the fatal wound. The two men sat huddled together, defeated, covered in their comrades blood as the beast raged from just outside the four walls that surrounded them.
“If that will not work, then how will we defeat this beast?” Tomasz, once the brave and strong knight now looked toward the old priest for advice.
“I do not know,” Nowak responded in a somber tone, “the only thing we can do now is survive the night.”
“Father, what is that thing?” Tomasz questioned as he peered through the stained glass windows of the monastery, trying to get a glimpse of the hell beast that had tormented their small village and forced them all into the old monastery. All he saw was the glistening white snow that covered the landscape for as far as the eye could see. The still falling flakes twinkled in the moonlight. “Heh, my Babka would always tell me stories of Draugr. A shape-shifting blood sucker who would cast the evil eye upon you if you didn’t-”
“There are many names that men give to this evil,” Father Nowak said as he knelt facing the altar, his hands clasped together in prayer, “Vampyr, Shtriga, Nachzehrer but there is only one true name.”
“Is that Satan?” Tomasz questioned as he turned his attention away from the stained glass and back towards the priest.
“Come now child, we mustn't spend all night awake speaking of devils. It will unsettle the young ones.” The priest motioned towards the women and children who were huddled together in the old building, their eyes focused on the priest and the knight. “We will be safe here, the beast cannot step foot on hallowed ground.”
“He-he-he why do you say that Nowak? is that something your father told you?” The shrill laughter and the cold, cackling voice cut through the quiet air. The voice was coming from a shadowy corner of the old building where the flickering light of the candle barely shone, a crouched shape sat against the wall looking like an old woman.
“Show yourself demon!” Nowak said as he raised a large ornate wooden cross with a shimmering ruby in the center. “This is holy ground! In the name of the lord you shall not set foot here!”
“Oh Father, so concerned with the physical form.” The shape of the woman began to rise to her feet. Her body twisted and contorted as she stood fully upright. Tomasz quickly drew his sword and many of the villagers hid behind him, hiding themselves from the evil that had somehow entered the sacred monastery. “Just give me the girl and your flock will survive.”
“You stay away from my daughter!” In a rage Tomasz rushed the figure concealed by shadow with his sword. Father Nowak shouted for him to stop but Tomasz’s blood boiled, he wanted to see the beast destroyed. He drew his sword back and thrust forward with a lunging attack at the midsection of the shape of the old woman but his sword only struck the cobbled stone of the monastery wall behind her. Her body vanished into a wisp of smoke but her cackling laughter could still be heard echoing around them as her shadow danced across the walls and up the ceiling.
“Father what new wickedness is this?” Tomasz screamed as his sword followed the elongated shadow on the ceiling.
“Yield! Yield unclean creature! Tremble before that mighty arm that broke asunder the dark prison walls and led souls forth to light.” Father Nowak held his rosary high in the air and began reciting prayer.
The shadow then inverted, its arms which were once on the ceiling now were reflected outstretched on the ground. They reached long and far before finally wrapping its long shadowy fingers around the ankles of a young handmaid and yanking her to the ground, dragging her across the monastery floor, through the large wooden doors and into the snowy abyss.
“Sister!” The woman’s sister screamed as she rushed after her.
“Stop her!” Nowak shouted and without hesitation Tomasz ran to grab the woman before she could be taken too far from safety.
“Sister!” Her sister howled as she stood at the entrance. Her sister lay prone in the deep, still falling snow. The beast, a tall slender man dressed in all black, with long black hair, pale skin and soft glowing orange eyes with small black pupils stood over her. Two large black wolves approached her from the darkness of the forest, bearing their long, sharp teeth.
“Let me in, child.” The man in black whispered but his voice could be heard by everyone. The wolves began to sink their teeth into the woman’s flesh and deep crimson blood began to stain the pure white snow surrounding her.
“Sister! No!” The woman in Tomasz's arms screamed as she fought with all her strength to run into the snow.
“Invite me in and her suffering will stop.” The man in black whispered again as the snarling hellhounds ripped and tore at the young woman's flesh.
“Don’t!” Nowak shouted from the back of the monastery.
“Come in!” The young woman screamed out of the entrance, breaking down into tears. As the words passed over her lips the wolves stopped snarling, the wind stopped blowing and the whole world went silent. The man in black smirked.
The flames on the candles enlarged, their light climbing the walls. Tomasz dragged the woman back to Nowak and the rest of the surviving residents of the village. The man in black took one gentle footstep into the monastery, his smirk turned into a devious grin that stretched from ear to ear. Suddenly, all of the stained glass windows exploded, showering the terrified group in broken glass. Tomasz rushed the evil creature with his sword held above his head, but the man in black swatted him away carelessly across the room. He then turned his orange, lifeless eyes towards Father Nowak who still held the rosary in his hand.
“Father, father, father,” he said as he began to walk toward Nowak, the cross apparently having no effect on him, “you think that silly little trinket will stop me from getting to her father?”
“Tomasz! Now!” Nowak screamed as loud as he could signaling for Tomasz across the room. The man in black started to chuckle as he turned to face him.
“Oh, and what of your squire and his little sword? If has no eff-” his words were cut short at the sight of Tomasz bearing a large, ornate wooden cross with a shimmering ruby in the center. “Wh-where did you find that!” the man hissed.
“Depart transgressor! Depart seducer! Full of lies and cunning! Depart in the name of the lord!” Father Nowak screamed as Tomasz walked closer and closer to the man in black. With each step, the man let out a ghastly roar as his skin began to peel and drip from his face. “Give way abominable creature! Give way you monster! Give way to Christ the lord our God!”
The creature screamed and it echoed loudly throughout the monastery, its face completely gone and now only strange, multicolored bones remained. The sleek black clothes were ripped to shreds by skeletal hands as the once handsome creature struggled to stand under the gaze of the ruby studded cross that Tomasz gripped tightly. Father Nowak rushed behind the altar and grabbed a large set of keys. He then darted across the room to a large steel door which he promptly unlocked and opened.
“Quickly, drive it into the crypt!” Nowak shouted as he motioned towards the door. Tomasz, armed with the large cross began using its power to push the skeletal figure in through the opening. Once it was fully inside, Father Nowak slammed the heavy steel door and locked the door tightly. He then took the heavy cross from Tomasz and hung it on the door with the ruby facing inwards towards the crippled skeletal monster who still writhed in pain. “God of heaven and earth, God of the angels and archangels, Lord God, for whom the denizens of hell cower, with his power I condemn you! Depart from this earth, father of lies, model of vileness, creator of every obscenity. May this earthly crypt be your tomb for all time and may this cross of the Lord our God forever bind you here.”
Nowak and Tomasz both said Amen and began their hurried work of burning the monastery to the ground. Tomasz ensured the townsfolk were a safe distance away and Nowak lit every flammable surface until the entire building was engulfed in flame. The villagers sobbed heavily and prayed before the burning monastery for their loved ones before returning to their homes. Father Nowak and Tomasz stood and watched the old stone monastery as it crumbled into a pile of smoldering stone.
As the sun began to peak on the horizon, Father Nowak lowered his head and quietly began to pray.
“What is it you pray for Father? Let me join you so the Lord may hear our plea” Tomasz questioned as he gently set his hand on the old priest’s shoulder.
“I pray no one unearth this tomb, unleashing that evil upon the world again.”
STAY TUNED FOR PART FOUR TOMORROW
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