The Sacrifice of Young Hearts - Part 1

   Luciana threw open her big blue eyes in the grip of a cold chill that ran down her back. The cave, where she had found a makeshift shelter for the warm and cloudless night, was silent and dark. The thin sliver of moon high in the sky could enlighten only the entrance of the cavity, unable to penetrate the deep darkness where Luciana was hiding.

   The little girl hugged her knees to her chest, looking suspiciously at the landscape just outside the cave. Everything seemed quiet. Among the trees was rustling a slight breeze was mingling with the singing of some night birds. Luciana, however, was anything but quiet. An uncomfortable feeling of imminent danger had awakened her and was becoming stronger and more intrusive second by second. The little girl held her breath and tried to sharpen her senses to hear any suspicious noises.

   Besides the sounds of nature, she couldn't notice any others. But hardly the little girl was wrong. Her instinct was never unfaithful to her. With bated breath, she waited. Despite her young age, she was able to recognize danger, to escape and hide. It was the way she had to live for some time.

   Luciana swallowed, still, as she felt the anxiety increasing inside, and the instinct shouted strong at her that something was looming.

   Then, the little girl had the confirmation.

   Suddenly everything became silent. No more rustling of leaves. No more birds singing. No more noises. Nothing. Everything was enveloped by an unnatural silence. And the only sound that Luciana could hear now was the crazy beat of her own heart. She stood up abruptly, with shortness of breath. The tiny hands clasped the folds of her dress, while the staring eyes fixed the entrance of the cave not far away.

   What to do? Something evil was coming, it was already obvious. Remaining there was not wise. The belly of the cave opened in tortuous branches and was imbued with darkness that went into the heart of the mountain. No, it was not prudent to venture into one of those dark and unexplored tunnels.

   A new shiver scratched her back.

   It was getting closer. She felt it. The girl rolled her eyes on the entry of the cave. Escaping through the trees seemed to her the obvious solution. Maybe it wasn't too late.

   Luciana took courage and moved the first hesitant steps towards the entrance, trying not to make any noise and remaining with her shoulders attached the rock wall. She held her breath, keeping her eyes fixed on the quiet landscape.

   Nevertheless with every step she moved, the feeling of fear grew, almost taking away her breath. A few inches from the entrance she stopped, flattening against the wall.

   Trees, bushes, rocks, shrubs. Nothing seemed out of place. But what was triggering the fear in her, then?

   With her heart pounding in her temples and her throat dry with fear, she fathomed the woods wrapped in the night shadows, barely lit by moonlight.

   And she saw them.

   Two pairs of red and lighting eyes stared at her in the distance, spewed from the thickest darkness. A wave of pure and uncontrollable terror pervaded her violently, freezing the little girl. In mere moments the two figures began to take shape, emerging from the darkness, quickly directed towards her. They were dressed all in black, tall, slim, and wrapped in a crimson mantle from which protruded two long scimitars secured to the sides. The cap had fallen on the faces and, except for the bright eyes; nothing was visible of their features. But Luciana could clearly perceive their powerful and evil aura.

   For how small she was, she had known evil in various and changing forms, but this seemed to be its new, terrible expression. The two figures exuded hatred, ferocity and cruelty, and Luciana could sense this clearly. She could not compete with that evil. It was so great it could annihilate her. She could do nothing but listen to her instinct.

   With a fast and agile impulse, she started to run, leaving the cave and going through the trees in the opposite direction from which were coming the two figures. She heard them hissing something and swords rattled. Then, she heard their steps becoming heavy and fast. They were running behind her.

   The child turned her look around. They ran fast and capes fluttered wildly around their figures, at the rhythm of their race, like broken wings. The red glow of their eyes was becoming more intense.

   Luciana accelerated, regardless of the moist and disconnected soil under her little naked feet and the branches and brambles that scratched her arms. No. She did not want. They should not take her. It could not happen.

   Her heart was pounding and she tried to run as fast as possible, using her fine constitution to deftly dodge among the gnarled trunks. Despite that, she felt them closer and closer. She could fell their aura hanging over her, their steps closer and closer.

   Luciana was terrified, they would take her. They were running too fast.

   The girl turned to look back again, to discover with horror that they were closer than she thought. Only few meters and they would reach her.

   "NO!" cried the little girl, with tears in her eyes.

   Unfortunately, however, turning around Luciana did not see the tree root protruding from the ground.

   She paid dearly for this.

   The little girl stumbled and crashed violently to the ground. Although she had a sprained ankle, the fear made her insensitive to pain. She tried to get up as quickly as possible, but as soon as she stood, she felt an ominous hiss behind her and something strong and cold gripped her shoulder.

   "Thake hher..."

   She tried to struggle with all her forces, but the grip was of steel.

   "Leave me!" cried the girl, about to explode into tears.

   One of the two figures stood before her, imposing, while the other blocked both her shoulders in a relentless grip, making it impossible to escape.

   "What do you want from me?" Luciana cried, in a last attempt to get free.

   "Chalm dohwn ..." hissed the figure with a cruel rattle.

   Luciana fell silent and looked up to seek the face of the figure.

   She remained frozen.

   The cap cast an unnatural shadow on the face of the figure. None of his features was noticeable even she was so close. Only the thin, bright red eyes were visible. It was possible to see just the black bandages around his eyes that covered not only the face, but also his bony hands.

   Luciana had never seen such creatures before. She stared astonished at that not-human look, and she clearly perceived that the creatures were terribly dangerous: in the red eyes she felt their power of seduction. A spell which no human being could overcome and that would make them lose any will to resist.

   But Luciana was not human, thankfully, and their power had no effect on her.

   The figure shifted his gaze on its companion.

   "Bhind hher..." he hissed.

   Luciana ceased to oppose any resistance. They had won.

   The figure in front of her stood the skeletal hand to touch the necklace around his neck and a purple flickering light began to pulsate.

   Many miles away, another jewel lit up with purple light. Another mantled figure in crimson led gnarled fingers to touch the stone.

   "Thhey toohk hher, Genehral..." hissed the Kam'Ra, raising his eyes towards his master.

   The elf stood up slowly and elegantly. The thin lips curled into a cruel and pleased smile, while half closing his ice eyes.

   "Excellent," he muttered in a whisper. "My beloved Kam'Ra... My infallible Kam'Ra!" he chuckled softly, stepping into the tent.

   The lanterns were giving golden reflections to his long white hair, perfectly straight, while the long dress of black silk on his hairless chest was opened, bringing out the porcelain skin. The black leather pants wrapped his long and tapered legs to disappear in the high studded boots.

   "Tell them to hurry. No time to lose," he sighed, theatrically waving his hand toward the Kam'Ra, in sign of dismissal.

   Then he rolled his malicious and feline eyes to the girl tied on the center pole of the tent. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes for long weeping, full of fear and resignation.

   "Soon you'll have some company, dear Aralyn!"


   "Thhey are hhere..." the hiss of the Kam'Ra seemed to pierce through the night and silence as another group of Kam'Ra came forward toward the General's tent, with the child upon one of their shoulders bound with the chains which were bruising her twisted ankle. Tears rolled down the young girl's pale cheeks as she was slung over the creature's shoulder.

   The tall elf came outside of the tent, watching as the group of Kam'Ra approached with sharp feline eyes. The child was placed down before him; she couldn't bear to open her eyes as tears fell freely from her sobs, both from pain and fright.

   "Why am I here?" the child's voice was weakened with sadness and exhaustion. She shifted her weight so she stood mostly on the side in which she didn't hurt her ankle. "Who are you?"

   The elf stood there like a frozen statue for a moment as he stared towards the child before him with a gaze which seemed to pierce through ice. He then stepped up, bent down and fiercely grabbed at the tops of the child's arms, pulling her closer slightly, eagerly watching and waiting for his prey's reaction before he spoken up with almost a hiss, "Now child, there will be no questions coming from you and you will be a very good little girl for me won't you?"

   At first all the girl could do was shiver in his arms, trying to hide back her tears at the strong grasp of his fingers. She finally managed to gather up enough of her courage and wills. With a rattle of her chains, she managed to wriggle out of his grasp and strike him across is face leaving behind thin red lines where her fingernails cut in. The elf growl darkly before striking the child in return, sending her to the ground. She cried out in pain before he bent down taking her into his arms again, hissing, as the child, with all her might, tried to get away from him. "Enough!"

   "Please... let me go, I never did anything wrong!" the child cried.

   "Perhaps not, but you have something that I want... Something that only you can give me... Only when the deal has been done and you are handed over to him." The elf stood back up, pulling the child onto her feet.

   The child looked horrified at the thought of what he could mean. Slowly coming to a realization of why she was really there, but hoping that it wasn't true. She gulped lightly, "Please... let me go..."

   The elf shook his head and guided the girl into his tent. The first thing that the child saw was a young woman tied to the centre pole. She looked horrified, scared and weak.

   "Now child... Luciana..." he purred as he pulled her forward by the chain binding her, "There will be nothing else from you. If you even try to escape or annoy me again I will do far worse than hitting you. I trust you know what I mean."

   Luciana sobbed lightly and nodded, shivering with fear, sending her chains rattling lightly as she stood there in front of the tall elf. Vondel, however just watched her before pulling her closer to the centre poll of the tent and attaching the chains, bolting them down next to young woman's. "I do hope you two won't get into mischief... Luciana... this is Aralyn... Aralyn this is Luciana... she will be staying with us for a while." He grinned crookedly.

   Luciana sat against the poll and glanced towards Aralyn. The two girl's eyes met; in their silence they seemed to have an understanding of each other's pains and position. No more than mere slaves or dolls to be played with. Meanwhile Vondel turned his back and moved over to a table, taking a few things from it. He carelessly dropped the objects down at Luciana.

   The first thing Luciana noticed that he dropped upon her were bandages and a jar of healing balm. She looked up towards Vondel confused.

   "For your ankle." Vondel muttered a bit coldly, before turning and moving toward the exit flap of the tent. "I will bring you two your food later."

   Luciana watched as the elf left the tent to meet with one if his dark wizards, the two stood there for a moment, and although their voices were muffled, she could still hear their words.


   "General, why is the child so important to you?"

   "I received contact from her father. Who am I to refuse such a grand reward to return his belongings?" He paused for a moment staring towards the man before him, "The child is a vampire, she needs blood to live, I want you to give her yours every night."

   "What?"

   "I trust you can survive that, can't you? I ask nothing more. If that is all, I will be on my way for tonight's mission."

   "Yes, General."


   The voices outside of the tent slowly disappeared and there was nothing but silence again both inside and outside of the tent. The child leaned against the center poll, taking her hands to her face as she couldn't control her emotions any longer. She cried. Luciana now knew why she was here. It wasn't good for her at all.

   Aralyn watched as the child next to her cried. In her own exhaustion and sadness she could understand the child's pain and torment, but she wasn't exactly sure what she could do to help the poor girl. Hesitantly, Aralyn moved closer and carefully wrapped her arms around the child's back and front, trying to hug and comfort her. Luciana didn't notice at first, but after a few moments more, she looked up and wrapped her arms around Aralyn, hugging her in return. Together the girls spent a few good minutes comforting each other as they sat there.

   Aralyn pulled away and wiped Luciana's tears with the sleeve of her dress. The dark-haired girl unraveled the bandages and open the healing balm jar, taking a tiny glob and rubbing around her ankle before trying to get the wrap back around it.

   Aralyn watched and managed a slight smile before stopping Luciana as she noticed the girl was having trouble with it. She took the bandages into her hands and carefully secured the bandages around the girl's small ankle and foot as gently as possible.

   "Thank you..." Luciana whispered.

   Aralyn nodded as she finished before looking back up towards the girl, placing an arm around her to comfort her again.

   "Can you not speak?"

   Aralyn shook her head sideways and sighed gently, gesturing that she couldn't speak at all.

   "I'm sorry." Luciana whispered softly before snuggling into Aralyn's side once more.

   Aralyn bit her lip as she watched the child snuggle into her. It seemed like such a long time since she ever felt any comfort or recognition and kindness. It was a surreal feeling, and having come from this child... she was both confused and almost comforted by the kindness coming from her.