III - The Dark Forest

Justine fell silently into contemplation. Alex stared into the dark night sky – it was cloudless and the stars shone bright, clearly visible, but in spite of this, the night was dark and deep, for there was no moon to brighten it with its light.

The road they were following lead them to a gate on the other side of the city walls, where from beyond the pale stones one could see the black treetops rising against the night sky. The gate was nowhere as fortified as the one that barred entrance to the city – it seemed more of a formality than something meant to provide defense against an enemy; or perhaps a decoration, for its shape reflected great craftsmanship, its silver bars gnarled like branches of an aged tree, metal vines curling around every one of them, dynamic and yet so motionless, so dead, in their cold beauty. In the spaces between the bars, one could see the forest that lay on the other side. A sign hung on the stones above the peculiar gate, dark letters engraved on it forming the words DARK FOREST. Two guards in armour similar to the main gate’s guard’s bowed their heads as the two girls rode past. The gate was big enough for three to four shire horses to pass riding alongside each other, so Justine’s wyvern had no trouble getting through, either.

Apart from the two guards and themselves, there was no other living soul anywhere nearby and the dark treetops rustled menacingly. The forest in front of them was so dark that a few yards away from the torch-lit gates of the city it was nearly impossible to see anything.

“Not that I have something against the idea, but are you sure about this?...” Justine asked without confidence.

“Of course I am,” Alex replied without hesitation. “I thought you trusted me? I know these woods as well as anyone, you should know that. As long as you are with me, there’s nothing to worry about.”

That’s what I’m worried about, Justine thought, what I will do if I lose sight of you in this darkness.

The gate closed behind them with a crank. As they entered the forest, the darkness swallowed them whole like a wave in an ocean of shadows. There were no lanterns along the forest path, only a distant flicker of the city lights behind them.

Alex rode on without any pause and Justine wondered how she could discern anything in this darkness. She was almost expecting her friend to reach for her silvery wand, but instead, Alex simply snapped her fingers – immediately after she had done it, a bright, pale-blue flame burst into existence above her fingertips. It looked like fire at first sight, but its flames burned slower than a normal fire and had the consistency and smoothness similar to that of smoke. And in addition to that, it shone brightly and flickered like no other fire on earth. Alex remained silent as the flame swelled and grew larger, forming a great shining sphere, as if the flame of a torch separated from its handle, and a lot bigger in size. With a gesture of her hand, she directed it to the side of her horse so that it would illuminate the path before them.

“There’s no need for bragging, you know,” Justine grimaced.

“If I wanted to brag, I would’ve done something more spectacular.”

“Like what, for example?”

“I don’t know…” Alex thought for a moment. “For example, I would’ve lit the whole forest up like a candle if I wanted to.”

Justine laughed out loud.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to do that!”

Alex was not amused.

“Oh, and I’m sure you would?”

“Yes.”

She knew she shouldn’t do that, but she was also tempted.

“Show me, then. I want to see such a thing.”

Justine seemed taken aback a little. She must have realized she had uttered a few more words than she should have. Was she actually able to fulfil her side of the wager and light up the whole forest? She had never before tried anything of the kind, but it was too late for her to give up now and admit her bluff. Her pride, the pride of the whole Order, would not let her. She focused her thoughts as much as she could. If this was possible, it would take a lot of her power to accomplish, for sure.

Alex observed her golden-haired friend with visible curiosity. They halted, forgetting for a moment that they were to hurry. After a minute or two of silence, Justine flung her arms into the air, a wand of white gold in one of her hands, closed her eyes shut and recited loudly:

“Swirl, my stars, swirl at my plea; light up the darkness surrounding me!”

Nothing was happening. Justine thought that it must have sounded a little silly even. And then – with the suddenness of a missile golden star-like lights burst out from the tip of the wand and flew up high towards the heavens. The poor girl was thrown back in her saddle from the impact and she cried out in pain as it dug painfully into her lower back. The two girls watched then as a pleiad of golden stars hung high above the treetops, growing and swelling. When it finally reached the shape and size that reminded of a great fiery bomb, it exploded with a bang, scattering its pieces everywhere around the surrounding forest, like a gigantic starry fountain of light. Every part of the forest, every tree and every bush were lit and there was almost heavenly brightness surrounding them. It looked as if they suddenly found themselves between the branches of a Christmas tree.

Hessan reared, neighing wildly, forcing his mistress to desperately try to calm him down. They could both feel the stir that this all caused to the forest’s inhabitants, and Alex did not like it. Nevertheless, she could not help but open her mouth in amazement when she finally managed to retake control of her horse. Justine, who had been hiding her face behind her forearms since the starry ball’s explosion, now lowered them a little and was staring at the changed landscape around her. Everywhere in sight, golden flame-like spheres hung in the air, like some kind of Jack-o-lanterns on moors where unfortunate travellers met their miserable end.

“Beautiful! Splendid! I wouldn’t have done it better myself!” Alex in vain tried to keep her cool.

“T-thank you… I had no idea I could do something like this…” Justine was still dumbstruck and was looking around in disbelief.

A few memorable moments later, the stars began to fade and darken, and soon disappeared completely. Darkness retook the forest again. Once more, the only source of light was the silvery-blue flaming sphere that Alex had conjured earlier.

“That was amazing,” Alex praised Justine as they resumed their ride. “You’ve given me much to think about, Justine. I won’t be able to rest until I’m able to top what you have just done, you know.”

“Just… promise me that you will know what you’re doing.”

Because I didn’t, Justine thought.

“Don’t worry about it, it’ll surely take a long consideration. So, anyway,” she changed the subject, “what did you want to ask me about back there?”

“Oh, yes. Those two vaimares standing guard. What are their names?”

“This time the guard duty falls on Flier and Scalewing. Flier was the one to our right, Scalewing to the left.”

“So, the time for Flier has come finally? I’ve heard so much about him from you over time and the last time I was here he was but a pup. No wonder I didn’t recognize him.”

“The time comes for every vaimare to serve as guardians and, believe me, they really grow fast. But yes, this term the visitors to the city have a chance to see the Superior’s own vaimare.” Alex smiled.

“He looks very dignified,” Justine complimented.

The forest path wound its way among the trees, illuminated by the silvery sphere of flames casting a glow on the grim trunks the riders were passing. The silhouette of the Silver Castle drew nearer and nearer – they were not far from the entrance gate now. The terrain rose steadily under their mounts’ feet, leading them to the plateau on which the great structure was standing.

Chatting about the great welcome feast that was to come, the girls did not even notice when something black cut through the air above their heads. Only loud cawing that followed made them realize they were not alone. When the cawing sounded again, Alex directed the sphere of light in its direction.

A great black raven, almost undistinguishable among the darkness, swayed on one of the branches of an old, fallen tree, some few feet above the ground. Alex goggled her eyes, but Justine remained baffled by the sight. The raven flew from the branch and onto a large rock by the side of the road. A moment later, a tall, slim, black-haired man stood before the two girls. He bowed in front of them, but before he was able to say anything, Alex spoke instead:

“Did I not write that we do not require any escort?”

The young man appeared a little confused, but quickly regained his composure.

“Indeed, but the Highest Priest sent me nevertheless to inquire as to the nature of the fireworks from not long ago,” he answered. “Now, I would greet our distinguished guest. In the name of all members of the Order of the Half-Moon Servants it would be my honour to welcome you, my lady, at our humble doorstep,” he added, bowing before the representative of the Star Prophets.

“Justine, let me introduce to you Armand,” Alex broke in. “I assume we are to hurry then?”

“Yes, of course. I will not delay you and your noble guest any longer, my lady,” Armand said, glancing at Justine from time to time. “It is a great honour to have met you, my lady,” he added towards her.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Justine smiled back. In times like these, you could truly see the grace and majesty of her grandfather shine through her seemingly fragile disposition. “However, I must agree with my friend here – the forest is making me feel uncomfortable and I would much like to have this journey over and done with as soon as possible.”

“You can tell my father and the rest of the council that there is nothing to be worried about in what you saw. During our travel we had to entertain ourselves in some way and at one point mere words turned out insufficient in our debates, so a little magic had to be used. We are safe and sound, however, so deliver our apologies to whoever it might have been of annoyance to.”

“As you command, my lady.” Armand bowed before them once again and in the blink of an eye the sleeves of his coat darkened and became wings as his form shifted into that of a raven. Flapping his wings nervously, the bird took flight and soared above the trees and towards the castle, disappearing from the girls’ sight.

“A charming fellow. Is he French by origin?”

“I’m afraid not. Though his name is Armand, he does not have the same origins as you, Justine. If I remember, his mother was deeply interested in France and its magical orders, hence she named her son the way she did.”

“It’s a nice thing to hear. Maybe my grandfather has heard of her.”

“I doubt it, to be honest.”

In the light of the flaming sphere leading them, Justine looked at her friend’s face. The girl’s eyes blinked with a reflection of gold, as if reflecting the light, but before Justine could ponder this occurrence any longer, it was gone, as quick as it appeared. Seeing her friend’s facial expression, Alex turned her head to look for whatever surprised Justine so much, then turned back to her. The golden shine came back for a second, again, and then it was gone. Justine opened her mouth to speak, but Alex was faster.

“Are you okay, Justine?”

The golden-haired girl snapped out of her surprise.

“Yes, I’m fine. Tell me,” she hesitated. “You know, never mind.”

“You can ask about anything, it’s not a problem.”

Justine was silent for a moment, trying to think of what to say. Somehow, she didn’t feel like asking about something that might have been just a trick of her own mind. After all, she was tired from the long ride and in this light her eyes may have well been playing games with her.

“So that boy, Armand,” she said instead. “Is he a theriomorph?”

“Indeed. It’s not an easy thing to learn to become one,” Alex replied, “but once you do, it means you have a lot of potential.” The golden reflection, there it was again.

Justine decided to ignore it and not ask about it, but somewhere in her heart some kind of unnamed doubt appeared. What was that supposed to mean?

The line of trees was becoming scarcer by the minute. The road they were following had become wider and more suited for travel. They were approaching the castle walls. After one more turn the edge of the Dark Forest appeared. The wooden path shifted to a straight, cobblestone road leading up to a silvery entrance gate. Engraved with many elegant ornaments, the gate was tall and wide, suitable for any kind of creature, Justine thought, from a horse to a dragon.

Seeing the lights in the castle windows brought Justine relief; they had finally reached their destination. She was weary of riding in the saddle atop the wyvern’s back already, she wanted to feel the earth under her feet again. A welcome feast awaited her now – an astounding thought which she always relished in, whenever she visited this place, for she knew that there were few places in the world where there would be a greater feast prepared for her than here. She was a member of a great French order, more importantly yet, the granddaughter of its Superior, an esteemed guest by all means, so she deserved nothing less. Pride was an inherent trait of the Star Prophets.

They rode up to the gate. Alex knocked on it with the heavy rapper that hung from the jaws of a carved wolf head with sapphire crystal eyes. In the flickering light of the torches on either side of the gate it almost seemed as though the wolf’s head had moved in response. The gate opened with heavy, metallic creaks – and yet another sound, as if under the first layer of sounds, deep, as if muffled, and dark reached their ears. The two of them rode into a square with a fountain in the centre – three wolves that sat on their hind legs, jets of crystal-clear water flowing in three arches from their mouths.

In the corner of her eye, Justine noticed large, burly shapes moving slowly in the darkness, but before she could take a good look at what they were, a number of stable hands jumped to the girls’ sides, which distracted her. Bowing, they helped Justine dismount from her wyvern, while Alex swiftly hopped off Hessan and passed his reigns into the hands of one of the boys. The others tended to René and they all took their leave soon after to accommodate both animals. When Justine looked back, there was no sign anywhere of the shapes she had seen, or thought she had seen, before.

In silence, the two girls made their way towards the entrance. From between the open doors warm, golden light flooded onto the steps outside. Accompanied by the mages waiting for them outside, Alex and Justine entered the spacious Main Hall. Its size always amazed Justine, ever since she had come to the Silver Castle for the first time so many years ago. A wide, sapphire carpet covered the great stairs rising up at the back, while big and tall as trees stone pillars ran on both sides of the room, silently supporting the weight of the castle. Atop the wide stairway, five narrow-shaped stained-glass windows stood, each with a star above it. Justine knew these windows – they were the Windows of the Five Stars, whose beautiful stained-glass was known all over the magical societies. Now, however, there was nothing to be seen in their glass but for the darkness of the deep autumn night. To the left and to the right of the windows, there was another pair of stairways, leading to the upper floors.

On the walls of the Main Hall there hung numerous old paintings in thick frames that showed famous members of the Order of the Half-Moon Servants, and scenes of some great battles of legend where wolves mingled with silver-clad warhorses and swords shone with the power of magical spells; great sapphire banners with silver wolves and crescents hung from the pillars on each side, majestic and proud, all in the light of dozens of magical torches.

Many members of the Order had already gathered in the room to greet them. A sea of shiny, sapphire-and-silver coats waved and stirred around them as the younger wizards tried to get at least a glimpse of the long-awaited guest from behind the backs of their elders. Alex lead her friend all the way to the foot of the stairway, every pair of eyes following their every step, where the Superior of the Order stood waiting to address them.

He himself and the two of his most trusted guards looked just as Justine remembered them, though many years had passed since the last time she saw them. Clad in silver armour over dark garment, the two guards wore helmets that resembled menacing wolf heads, with two smaller lupine heads serving as pauldrons, their sapphire cloaks attached to their shoulders, falling loosely behind their backs, their hands in clawed gauntlets resting on the hilts of their sheathed swords, ready to defend their master at any moment. Battle mages, Justine thought, one of the fiercest and best warriors there were – able to wield both white weapons and magic, a deadly and extremely useful combination. By custom, the Superior of the Order of the Half-Moon servants had his own private guard of battlemages, ready to serve him in any way at his command.

The Superior stood in-between them, proud and tall as always, almost unchanged by the passage of time, only a few greying hairs on his temples, a confident and stern look on his face. Ezekiel Arian, who served as the Order’s Superior since the coming of age, was a warrior only when he was required to, however he still donned his masterwork armour on special occasions – similar to that of the guards beside him, plated silver, with snarling wolf heads as pauldrons, but much more beautifully ornamented, with jewels for the wolves’ eyes, his magnificently embroidered cloak attached to his shoulders, but in a way that it freely encircled his collar at the front, with additional two pieces of material hanging loosely from the brooches, the embroidery glistening in the light of the torches. Unlike his two guards, he did not have his wolf helmet with him.

Though he did not change much on the outside, the tragic death of his beloved wife had caused him to change greatly inside. He sealed his former self off from the outside world and, people said, didn’t talk longer than needed and on informal subjects with anyone but his daughter. Some claimed he had become very eccentric, some claimed he had gone completely mad, but neither was fully true. Even consumed by the desire for vengeance as he was, he acted consciously, with characteristic deliberation and meticulous planning, and was still a greater mind when it came to ruling his Order than many that would take up arms to try to overthrow him. But one thing, above all else, was certain for the entirety of the Order – the Superior did not smile as often anymore as he had used to.

Having approached the three, Alex bowed and Justine followed in suit. With a nod of her head, she left Justine with the Superior and she herself stepped aside and joined the crowd’s first row where other prominent members of the order were standing. With a gesture of his hand, Zeke, as he was more commonly known, ordered all those gathered to be quiet. Immediately, far and wide across the room there was silence, every rustle and cough clearly audible.

“On behalf of the entirety of the Order of the Half-Moon Servants, it is my great honour to welcome our long-awaited guest – the envoy of the Order of the Star Prophets, an order which we had waged war with for many years in the past, and whose member we now have the privilege to host in an atmosphere of peace and joyfulness!” Zeke spoke, his voice echoing among the walls of the Main Hall. “Thus I greet you, lady Justine Maud Artois, granddaughter of Victor Artois, the Superior! I wish you a pleasant stay within the walls of the Silver Castle, as well as beyond them. Welcome!”

The crowd exploded with applause and cheers when he was finished, while Justine thanked everyone with a smile on her face. Noticing that it was her now who wanted to speak, the Superior raised his hand again, silencing the gathering.

“Your Excellency, lords and ladies of the Order, all Servants of the Half-Moon who have gathered here today – please accept my deepest gratitude for such a warm welcome as this. I wholeheartedly believe that my stay in your hospitality will be splendid, as long as I am surrounded by such wonderful people as you,” she replied and her words were also rewarded with cheers of applause, even longer than before.

The Superior spoke once more.

“Now then, there remains nothing more for me to do than invite you to our great welcome feast which will be held in your homage when the bells strike eight in the Feast Hall. You must be tired from your journey; I will appoint you your handmaidens immediately, so that you can go and refresh yourself before the festivities,” he spoke to Justine. “To all others I extend my gratitude for coming to greet our esteemed guest and ask that you make room for the preparations.”

The younger and less-prominent members of the Order were then shooed away, while some of the more important ones and officials lingered in order to exchange at least a few words with the granddaughter of the French order’s leader. More guards like the two that had stood with Zeke appeared and surrounded Justine, reminding the other wizards that there would be time to talk later and that the lady needed rest.

Alex approached her father and bowed her head slightly.

“Go on with her, make sure that everything is done properly,” he told her. “I will see you later at the feast.”

The girl nodded in acknowledgement and watched for a moment as her father turned around and began climbing the great stairs. Unexpectedly, a guard approached her, which made her attention shift to him instead.

“My lady, it is said that Vincent was looking for you,” the guard said.

Alex appeared confused.

“I thought he knew that I’d gone to escort Justine?” she asked rhetorically. “Do you know what he wants from me?” she asked, but the guard shook his head hopelessly.

“I do not, my lady, but it is advisable that you seek him out. The maids have reported that he had torn the curtains in the Sapphire Chamber from his anger.” With a meaningful look the guard bowed and hastily took his leave of her.

Alex frowned and then rubbed her temples with her fingers. As if she wasn’t tired already, there always had to be more trouble. Standing at the foot of the stairway, she didn’t notice Justine had approached her.

“So, you’re one of my handmaidens then?” she asked in jest.

“Don’t be silly,” Alex snorted. “There they are,” she pointed at three women walking quickly towards them. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a matter to see to. I’ll join up with you as soon as I’m done, alright?”

“I don’t know who this Vincent is, but don’t hurt him,” Justine answered with a wink as she too began walking up the stairs, escorted by her three maids.

“Don’t worry, we’re pretty much immune to each other after all those years!” she said in a louder voice so that Justine’s ears would reach her and the golden-haired girl got the impression that her friend regretted a little that it wasn’t otherwise.

Justine, led by her maids, took the stairs to the right, which lead to the part of the castle called the Eastern Towers. Having climbed to the top and having passed a spiralling staircase to the side, they found themselves at the beginning of a long corridor of chambers. The first floor was taken up mostly by chambers for visitors. Hers was the largest and most luxurious one of all, situated at the end of the corridor, she was told. When they reached the window next to the chamber’s doors, one of the maids took out a key, but Justine’s attention was focused on a painting illuminated by the light of a torch of white flame that hung next to it. Like many other paintings found in the castle, it pictured an elderly man with a cautious look and white, unkempt hair. But what drew Justine’s attention most was that next to his silhouette there was the emblem of the Star Prophets – a golden star weaved in among violet petals.

“My lady?” one of the maids asked when Justine did not move even though the doors to her chambers were now open.

“What is the emblem of my order doing in such a painting?”

The maid who spoke earlier approached the canvas herself.

“It is one of the former Superiors of the Order, my lady,” she replied shortly after. “Aureus Arian. During his leadership, the great war with your noble order had ended, which is why he is usually depicted with your emblem by his side to commemorate his contribution to bringing peace between the two orders,” she explained.

“You know a lot,” Justine complimented.

“Thank you, my lady. It is a virtue of our Order that even the lowest-ranked members know who they serve.”

I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Justine thought, recalling what Alex had told her earlier. She smiled and entered the chamber without a word. Immediately, she felt the warmth emanating from a large fireplace on the wall to the right. The room was spacious, blue carpets covering the floor, a large wooden table with a silvery cloth and freshly prepared cutlery and fruit standing next to four slim windows with dark-blue curtains, and three big and comfortable sofas to relax on. On the far side of the chamber, stood a large canopy bed with pelts (Justine somehow doubted they were wolf pelts) and fresh linen. Next to it stood the few luggage chests brought in by the servants after they had been unfastened from René’s back. The Guest Chamber hadn’t changed a bit in its splendour over the years, she thought. This was where the Order accommodated its most prestigious guests.

“That will be all for now,” Justine said with relief. She wanted to rest alone. “I will call on you should I need anything.”

When, bowing, the maids left the chamber and closed the doors, Justine took one more look at her surroundings and fell onto the great bed. She wondered about where her friend was right now and about the mysterious man by the name of Vincent – was he her friend’s secret flame that she hadn’t told Justine about earlier? Her eyelids felt heavy from the fatigue. She mustn’t fall asleep lest she missed the feast, but a little comfort of lying her head down for a while wouldn’t hurt, she concluded.


2003-2005

I - The Big Ben Tragedy

     Even for the most ordinary of magi the concealment of their true nature does not come easy in a city as crowded as London. Even more if they are members of one of the most powerful orders in the magical world, whose principles are very haughty and hiding one's identity is often considered as denying their brotherhood.

     On one chilly December night, fortunately, the streets of London were exceptionally empty. Thick fog was hanging over the wet cobbled streets, reflecting the dim light of street lamps.

     Not long before an unusually big amount of snow had fallen on the city, now, however, when the frost had partly worn off, the thaw was already beginning. From above the sea of mist the face of the clock tower was quietly looking on the surroundings. It was as silver as the full moon hanging beside it.

    The day-to-day bustling with life city had become deserted. The buildings were fast asleep, a winter numbness. Impenetrable silence filled the surrounding air, being cut only every fifteen minutes by suppressed chiming – only the bell was awake. The silence falling in the intervals rang in the ears.

     The last, twelfth chime had died away. From beyond one of the corners came the quick trotting of, it seemed, a great number of people. In contrast to the empty streets it seemed bizarre, at least. The sound and the echo accompanying it were not ceasing, they were drawing nearer. A long, slim shadow fell on the wall of one of the tenements. Then a second and a third, another one, and one more… until they all blended into one dark stain shrinking with every moment.

     Through the thick veil of fog a tall man appeared. Right after him there appeared the specters of other people. The wide alleyway had filled with a procession of unreal figures.

     They were all clad in coats of glittering sapphire cloth, high-collared, reaching just above the ankles. Covered with patterns embroiled with a silver thread, they seemed to be unreal, the effect even strengthened by their shade of deep sapphire. The robes glistened magically and together with the navy-blue cloaks they fluttered in the wind.

     Silvery crescents of half-moons and small stars, which the cloaks were strewn with, were shimmering in the moonlight. One symbol, bigger than others, that decorated left sleeves, was similar to the Bisurman moon, a five-angled star at its sharp end. 

     "Are we missing anyone?" A quiet voice broke the silence. Beside the man there suddenly appeared a small woman with short, slightly curled hair.

     "No," he replied in a calm way. His voice was smooth and enigmatic. "There's only one thing that's bothering me. Why is it that the Sages didn't allow us to go on horse-back for this particular expedition? We would have saved a lot of time and strength if we had our horses. And we wouldn't have to hide like sewer rats. Besides, what was their point of sending the delegation by train from Glasgow to London?" Now, a note of annoyance could be heard in his voice.

     The woman shrugged her shoulders. She appeared as confused by all that as he was. The man smirked quietly.

     "Loading more than thirty totally anonymous people into a single train without any previous warning – and they thought nobody would take notice of that?" he said. "We were lucky to have gotten out of Victoria Station before someone informed the authorities."

     "I'm sure the Elders knew what they were doing," the woman replied. "Besides, there had been rumours circulating around the Silver City about the main well being polluted. Some of the animals even became ill. After all, you heard it yourself," she added and the man shook his head disapprovingly. "The vaimares may be good guardians of the city, but they're not the best means of transportation."

     "When I visited the stables the day before our assignment, the animals were perfectly well. I have a feeling that those old geezers are up to something again, which is why they let the rumours spread…" he said and then fell silent. "It's good we're already heading back."

     The woman said nothing to that. For some time neither of them spoke, then again it was the man who broke the silence, returning to the topic of the vaimare with his question. Whatever they were.

     "What do you mean they're not the best means of transportation? They're the fastest way of travel we have besides horses."

     "I mean that they're not the most comfortable you can get," she explained. "Also, I don't think the members of this delegation are used to travelling on their backs, let alone by air…" she sighed.

     The leader took a quick glance at the already tiring crowd.

     "What time is it?"

     "Haven't you heard the bell?"

     "You know I have more important things on my mind than listening for the sound of Big Ben," he said quickly.

     The woman pulled up her left sleeve and peered at her silver wristwatch.

     "Half past midnight."

     "Good…" the man lowered his voice, burying himself in thought.

     He didn't have much time to think, however, as the voice of a small girl brought him out of contemplation. Tightly grasping the woman's right hand, up until now she had behaved as if she wasn't there at all.

     The girl, as black-haired as her mother and with the same short haircut, looked no more than five years old. Like everyone else in this bizarre group, she was dressed in a sapphire coat with a swirly A embroidered on her left breast. But in that small letter there was something that distinguished it from the others. A half-moon with a star played the role of its right leg. Whatever it meant, it had to have a special meaning for among all members of the group only the letter on her small coat was distinguished this way. Behind her, too, fluttered a small cape, its colour that of the night sky which spread above her companions.

     "Daddy, are we still going to walk long? My feet hurt!" she said in a tired, child-like voice.

     The man who just snapped out of his contemplation looked quickly at his daughter. Her big blue eyes were fixated on his face and were awaiting his reply like salvation.

     "Just a bit more, Alex," he answered after which he turned to his wife, the woman walking beside him, "If she's too tired to walk by herself, take her in your hands, alright, Elizabeth?"

     "We'll be okay, won't we, Alex?" Elizabeth looked at Alex when the front of the group turned from a wide alley into another dimly-lit avenue.

     "Yes…" Alex replied grimly, lowering her head. At first, her parents had intended to leave her home, but she had insisted on going with them. Now, as she felt the tiresome journey slowly getting to her, she regretted it a little.

     The empty avenue was again filled by the sound of hasty footsteps. The windows of most of the houses were dark and the covers drawn. Only in some, surely belonging to professional night-owls, there flickered a dim light. From between the curtains, its rays fell on the wet cobblestone and covered the melting piles of snow with a bleached glow. The wave of sapphire coats effectively avoided them, keeping close to the shadows of the buildings.

     It appeared that in the sky yet a different kind of journey was in progress. Smitten by the abrupt wind the clouds drifted south faster and faster. In the end, against the background of the navy-blue abyss that flickered with numerous stars only the brightly-shining moon was left. The night was again cloudless.

     With the clock turning to one, the mysterious travellers found themselves near the buildings of the Parliament. It seemed they were planning to proceed along Parliament Street heading towards their destination.

     However, as peaceful as the night was, the more anxious the members of the group appeared to become. Every now and then someone would glance over their shoulders into the dark corners of the streets they passed and the menacing riverbank of Thames as though afraid there was something hiding inside its waters, waiting to leap out and attack the passers-by.

     At that time, an elderly man overtook the rest of the group and caught up with Elizabeth and her husband who were walking at its front. A rapid gust of wind ruffled his snow-white hair and his cape fluttered fainly.

     "Zeke, are you certain we will make it in time?" he asked strictly, glancing nervously at the moon.

     "Indeed, even more so that this night doesn't seem to be favourable towards us!..." gasping for breath, a short man who appeared beside the elderly man in a blink of an eye nodded his head and voice his agreement in a hysterical tone.

     "Of course we will make it in time. It's been a while since I last saw such a peaceful night. Besides, we still have quite a lot of time," replied the leader in an unmoved voice, without a doubt being of the highest rank among the group of sapphire coats.

     "See, that's the thing. This night is too peaceful," replied the taller man with white hair. "There's something bad in the air. I can feel it."

     "I wholeheartedly agree with him, Zeke," broke in the little man. "In addition to that, it's a full moon, don't forget about it!" he added in an even more hysterical tone than before, still gasping from his effort to keep up with the other two. Glancing at the moon, he exchanged a look with the worried old man.

     "How can I forget that it's full moon when the moon is shining right in my face?"

     "I'm aware, but…"

     Zeke's face became more serious now as he frowned, which meant he was slowly losing patience.

     "Stop panicking, you cowards! So what if it's a full moon? I'm not the one who set the date and the length of the journey – nor did I agree on our method of transportation – and the moon, regardless of anything, will not fall onto your heads…"

     "So what if it's a full moon, you say? Electing you as the Highest Priest we regarded you as a responsible person aware of all the dangers related to such circumstances," the hysteric broke in again, not letting the Highest Priest finish his sentence.

     "I assure you, Fulves, that I have not forgotten the most basic things from university and I know what to do when," Zeke began, but his speech was interrupted, this time by his elderly companion.

     "Zeke, forgive me for interrupting," he said, but Zeke looked as though forgiving him for cutting in was the last thing he wanted to do "but at this moment you take responsibility for more than thirty members of the Order and I don't even dare think what Lunarius would say if anything happened during our return…"

     "…walking with such a big group of wizards, Aureus," Zeke finished, paying no heed to the tall man's words and emphasizing the last word of his sentence. "I did all I could. You, gentlemen, have nothing to worry about since in any scenario I would be the one to blame. And don't exaggerate that much. You're no longer little kids taking their first protective spells examination. If there be need, we all know what to do."

     Auerus and Fulves answered the words of the Highest Priest only with silence and seemed to be considering something. A while later they abandoned their argument and changed the subject.

     "In that case, what did you think about the lycanthrope we saw in the Vitreous Palace?" Aureus asked, now calm.

     "Lycanthrope?" Zeke seemed surprised. "Aureus, that was no lycanthrope."

     "What's that?"

     Zeke raised his eyebrows.

     "I see it is not me who needs to refresh their Knowledge of Werewolves," commented the leader.

     "Speak more clearly," Fulves joined the conversation.

     "I have seen cases of delayed transformation stemming from the immunity level of a particular organism and strong psycho, or from the level of the internal change," he explained, "however, I have never before seen a freshly-bitten werewolf who would fully and flawlessly transform into a wolf before the moon has even risen."

     His two companions seemed baffled. Seeing their faces, Zeke continued.

     "When we arrived at the headquarters of the Order of the Vitreous Crystal we were informed that on the day of our departure we will be shown a lycanthrope who had been infected a few days earlier. This they still managed to plan since we were planning to leave on the first night of the full moon. Haven't you wondered why they refused to show him to us as a human, before the full moon? But, returning to the subject, you must have noticed their peculiar reaction when I made the decision we would return a few hours earlier – during the day. They panicked and in the end presented him, or what was supposed to be him, to us in a chamber without windows, did they not?"

     "You mean to tell us that they wanted to trick us?"

     "I noticed their intentions before the end of our first day of stay, Fulves," Zeke replied, "but I kept silent. I needed solid proof, not only suspicions. Eventually, just as I expected, their plan shattered so then they were prone to making mistakes. And they did," the wizard added triumphantly. "They showed us a plain wolf they had caught earlier during the day, a good couple of hours before the rise of the full moon and what's more, lead our delegation into a chamber without windows. Why, you ask? So that none of us would accidentally think to look out of it and notice there is something missing to prove their words true!"

     The two other wizards thought about the leader's words for a while.

     "Quite clever, Zeke. I have to admit that even I got mislead by their explanations," said Aureus. "However, after considering the matter once again I would probably arrive at the same conclusion as you… Only why did you not tell us anything until now?"

     "Exactly, why?" Fulves appeared as impatient as ever.

     "I am planning to do so still," Zeke replied. "Once we return to the castle and meet in the hall. Remember these two things which you should already know by now: first of all, it is not easy to capture a genuine werewolf without the use of spells and methods known exclusively to our Order. And second, no one is able to trick a true Half-Moon Servant on the topic of lycanthropy so easily. As for the reasons for their deceit, I can only think of them wanting to establish an alliance with our Order for economic or even military support."

     "Yes, well, those two things are hard to disagree with," said Fulves. "Although after what happened in the Vitreous Palace I'm beginning to doubt the second thing a little… Generally speaking, of course," he added quickly.

     "I don't think everyone in this group got mislead," Aureus addressed Fulves. "Those who had doubts probably kept silent – like Zeke. In which case the greatest storm will brew after we return."

     "If they deceived us, you're not planning on letting them get away with it, are you?" asked Fulves, whose pride was disproportional to his height.

     "I will report everything to the Elders, then a short letter will be sent to Norway and that will be it," Zeke finished.

     "It may yet be a good thing that you are the Highest Priest," Aureus said. "At least I do not have to worry that the Order will stray from the right path because of my successor," he added. A moment later, together with Fulves he slowed down his pace and detached from the front row, returning to the back of the column. At the time, he wasn't yet aware he had spoken these words too soon.

     Zeke sighed and focused his eyes on the wet pavement.

     "They angered me at the beginning," he said to Elizabeth who silently walked next to him.

     "Don't worry about them," she replied. "You know that Fulves has always been hysterical and prone to exaggerating some things and in Aureus' times lots of things used to be more simple than they are now." She smiled. "And you did the right thing to no longer keep them in the dark about what those magi wanted to…"

     "Mr. Fulves is funny!" Alex's happy voice rang out as she tried to catch every single word of the grown-ups' conversation even though she understood little of it still.

     Among the members of the group there could be heard more and more frequent conversations as though with the flow of time anxiety that lingered over the delegation like the omnipresent shadow of that grim night was beginning to fade. Nobody, however, felt like laughing. Despite the calmness of the superior, the time flew and the moon sailed through the sky farther and farther, slowly heading towards the horizon.

     A high-pitched scream pierced the silence like a gunshot. Immediately the whole group came to a rapid halt. In almost a single motion everyone turned around in the direction from where the voice had come from.

     "What the…?" Zeke mumbled, noticing a circle of his comrades gathered around something which he couldn't yet discern from where he was standing. 

     Elbowing his way through the crowd of glowing capes, he made his way towards its centre from which there came loud but incomprehensible moans. Elizabeth and Alex followed him cautiously.

     The one who had screamed turned out to have been Fulves who was walking in one of the back rows of the column. He was now standing with his legs spread over a puddle of water and throwing nervous glances at the people around him was pointing to something that was floating on its surface.

     "What in the world is it again, Fulves?" Zeke asked furiously, but he was also starting to feel anxiety rising inside him. "Do you want to attract even more attention to us?!"

     "L-look! I k-knew it!..." Fulves mumbled, frantically pointing to the glassy surface of the puddle.

     The Highest Priest's eyes followed his gesture towards it.

     "A patch of fur?" he commented, examining the small floating patch of what looked like animal fur. "Is this why you're making such a ruckus, risking giving away our presence?!"

     Quiet, nervous whispers spread through the group. Zeke threw one strict glance at the crowd and everyone went silent again. One of the men standing behind Fulves slowly approached the puddle and examined it with a curious look.

     "This is no ordinary fur," he frowned.

     "Not ordinary how?" Zeke asked. He came closer to the finding and also crouched over the puddle.

     The man examining the patch of fur carefully raised it to the height of both of their eyes. Not only was there fur – the whole thing reminded one of a shed patch of skin that snakes leave, but covered with hair on the other side.

     "This is not human hair, that's for certain," the man began. "It looks canine. And since no mammal sheds its skin like this, I think you know what this could mean. It also seems fresh."

     "But how is this possible? We weren't even informed…" Zeke was visibly shaken. "If something like this came to pass, I am sure the Elders would have let us know. And yet, no owl and no messenger… Stand back," he commanded and the crowd obediently stepped back from the puddle.

     The Highest Priest reached under the left lapel of his coat and took out something that resembled a metal stick – a wand. About twelve inches long, made of pure silver, with a delicately ornamented shaft. Adorned with three blue crystals it sparkled magically. Tiny sapphires glittered on its engraved emblem.

     The wizard pointed the wand towards the puddle and murmured a spell. From the tip of the wand sprouted a few small silvery sparks – beautiful and lively. For a brief moment they swirled in the air, casting a fleeting glow on the surroundings, before dashing down. The patch of fur along with the shed skin was lifted high above the ground so that all those gathered could see it.

     For a while the crowd stared at it in silence. Then a new wave of whispers broke out.

     "While we cannot be a hundred per cent certain, I think everyone will agree that it's most probably a werewolf," Zeke said, silencing the whispers. "There is a possibility he is somewhere near. However, as long as we follow the main street and keep together, there should be nothing to worry about. If need be, I hope that you once listened well to your lectures at the Lunar University and that you still remember your training and your examination," he added and lowering his hand hid away the wand. The sparks surrounding the patch of fur dispersed immediately and a gust of wind blew it away. "Onwards!" the leader ordered and the group resumed its march.

     After a few minutes of a fast-paced walk, the Highest Priest stopped. Without a word he ordered the rest to follow in suit with a motion of his hand. When all the eyes were turned towards him he started speaking in a loud and clear voice. They were nearing the buildings of the Old Admiralty.

     "We've no more than a ten-minute walk before we reach Trafalgar Square," he announced. "We are progressing according to schedule, which is why I will allow myself a small speech. A group of vaimares is to arrive in the square at two o'clock sharp. From what I was told each member of our delegation will be provided with one of them. I expect no quarrels over this issue. I assure you that each of the guardians is capable of enabling us to reach home safely by the break of dawn. Are there any questions?" he asked, but none of the hands was raised. That cheered him up a little during this grim night. "Alright. If there are no questions, let us proceed."

     The party began to move again. This time Elizabeth and her daughter were trailing along near the end of the column. It could be seen that such a long journey on foot wasn't doing the young one any good and slowly she was becoming increasingly weary.

     Suddenly, behind the backs of the marching people, arose a long, drawn-out howl. The bloodcurdling wail made hair stand on the back of the wizards' necks. Many a head looked back with anxiety, but the street behind them remained equally empty and cold as before. Some of the wizards stopped and observed the surroundings in silence.

     A thick, half-melted patch of snow slid down one of the rooftops and hit the pavement with a plop.

     "I told you we were in bad luck, I told you!..." Fulves began mumbling somewhere in the crowd.

     The rest remained silent, glancing at what their leader's reaction would be. Grave silence hung in the air and nothing apart from the wind shuffling through the naked branches of nearby trees disturbed it. The surrounding thick fog effectively limited vision to just a couple of feet. The delegation resumed a faster even than before march.

     "Whatever it was, it sure sounded hungry…" Fulves said quietly, as if to himself, however Zeke took notice of it and, passing by, bumped the tiny wizard lightly on the head. As a result, the hysteric fell immediately silent and so he stayed.

     Unable to focus as well as before and with their destination at hand, Zeke sprung forward and started talking energetically with a fellow wizard at the front of the column. Alex and Elizabeth, however, stayed visibly behind. Seeing this, the woman decided to stop for a moment to take the girl in her hands.

     It was a matter of seconds. The sound of paws beating fast against the pavement, Alex's cry, the horrible growling and Elizabeth's scream. Lightning-struck, the wizards turned to the back to see what has happened, their wands at the ready in one swift motion.

     On the ground next to the crying child lay the High Priest's wife, a huge creature resembling a hellishly big wolf trampling over her body. The woman's wand lay tossed away a few feet from her. The desperate cries of the victim mingled with the horrid growls of the wolf clawing away at her body. She tried to fight back, but she had no chance against such a large and ferocious enemy.

     A few of the women screamed out when blood appeared on the beast's fangs, red blotches staining the nearby snow. Ripped off patches of the cloak were flying out in every direction. 

     With a lightning speed Zeke tore his way through the dumb-struck crowd of mages and his eyes widened in shock.

     "ELIZABETH!" he screamed and jumped towards the scene, with a single motion taking out his wand. The rest of the wizards snapped out of shock and followed him. "SILVERIUS!" he thundered, pointing the wand at the werewolf before anyone else could do the same.

     A stream of sparks comparable only to a bolt of lightning shot out of its end and struck the great animal with thunderous force. A heart-piercing shriek of pain echoed against the emptiness of the alley and the wolf flew high into the air before hitting the pavement with a loud thud, never to rise again. His body began to change and a moment later in the place of a huge beast there lay a dead man. Only later was it confirmed that the colour of his hair matched the colour of the fur found on the shed patch of skin.

     One of the wizards took care of the little girl. Heart-broken Zeke was holding his dying wife by the hand, tears running to his eyes and a scorching pain in his heart, a little farther away from the rest of the group. Mumbling something incoherently, his eyes were fixated on Elizabeth. Using her remaining strength, she looked into his face and closed her eyes. Sobbing, the Highest Priest gripped her bloodstained hand tighter, deaf to all the sounds of the world. He did not care that in a few hours pedestrians would find the seemingly untouched corpse of the werewolf and the rich stains of blood on the snow and running down to the gutter. He did not care that for the next week the local media will be booming about the questionable demise of a nameless citizen, supplying the public with newer and newer information about the dead-end investigation.

     The rest of the wizards stood speechless, from time to time wiping away tears that uncontrollably filled their eyes. No one dared to speak. Everyone knew that what had happened would change the course of their future.

     In the heart of Ezekiel Arian there began to burn a hatred mixed with a burning thirst for revenge. He loathed them, all of them. He loathed the world, the alley, and himself. But most of all he loathed the man lying a few feet away. That day, he began loathing all those of his kind.

     The sky above thundered and heavy drops of rain began falling down one by one onto the streets of London, directing the trickles of crimson into the nearby gutter. Somewhere from afar, as though from beyond the fog, came the ringing of a bell. The clock struck two.

* Original, untranslated text: summer 2003.*