C14

The long hall was illuminated with three patches of silvery moonlight, illuminating three days. However, three islands of inky darkness stood between each. Dark outlines of the suits of armor Priscilla's father kept stood like hidden sentinels. But to her, they hid monsters. She toed the boundary of her room, the wooden door ajar just enough for her to slip through - or to close it quickly.

She held her knight, a black stuffed rabbit, tight against her chest. Her big eyes were full of terror. The hall seemed to slowly stretch and narrow. She fought to control her breathing, least the monsters know she had ventured from the safety of her room. But she needed her maid, Abigail. She was strong like her father and sweet like her mother. She could defend her from the monsters that prowled in the howling storm outside.

With a small shuffle, Priscilla slid one small foot across the floorboards and out into the hall. Her eyes watched tentatively to the shadows. Something stirred at the end of the hall, and she quickly slid her foot back in; she continued to watch. It had only been a trick of the mind, or so something Abigail often said.

Fear is just tricking me... Priscilla told herself, not convinced at all.

She a few moments longer. The shadows still did not stir again. She turned slightly to the left, where the first window illuminated the landing before her door. Outside, a new moon hung low as it began its ascent into the heavens. The trees, leafless, waved slightly like phantoms beyond her family's countryside estate. She gulped and slid her foot back out, hoping the monsters had stayed outside.

The shadows did not stir.

Encouraged by the stillness, she stepped into the moonlight, abandoning the lantern light in her room. The monsters would see her if she took it, thus she decided she could make it the twenty feet to the next door - She had to. She tip-toed, paranoid that something would hear her far below, and come up the stairwell. Much to her delight, the floorboards heeded her silent pleas, and tonight they did not betray her.

Several timid steps, she toed the only long patch of ink she needed to cross. On the other end of this bridge of darkness, was Abigail's quarters.

She hesitated once again, eyeing the dark figure that stood on the left where a suit of armor should be. Was it still a suit of armor, or did the monster replace it with itself to trick her? She scrutinized it without much luck in ascending the truth. And thus, she plunged herself into the dark patch. She pushed the rabbit out and held it before her as a sacrifice to assure her escape.

No monsters came out. She advanced slowly unhindered. With each step, she grew braver. She continued until she found herself crossing into the moonlight once again. She let out a sigh of relief. She quickly clamped her mouth over and stared back down the hall. Nothing had heard her, and thus she slid over to the towering door. And slightly knocked on it. She winced as the thuds echoed through the hall.

Her eyes quickly turned down the hall. A tall monstrous being stirred in the darkness at the end of the hall. Moonlight reflected off its eyes. She could see it smile at her. She lost her composure, for the monsters had gotten into the house. Her parents were not on the grounds, they could not defend her. Only Abigail could!

She tugged on the handle, not quite strong enough to turn the knob. She looked up and began to pound on the door. She tried to call her maid, but her voice didn't work. She looked back down the hall... The monster was one patch of darkness closer. Now she could see its dark outline. It was tall and wore some sort of armor. Priscilla turned back to the door, panicking even more.

The door opened and Priscilla was about to run in. There was blood splattered on the door as Abigail's body fell forward. Her head missing. A pool of crimson had appeared at the young girl's feet, but she couldn't turn her eyes from the figure before her. The monster was no longer in the hall but in Abigail's room. It stepped over her maid's body. The little mousy girl retreated. A few steps and she already found herself pressed against the window.

"Did you think I'd disappear that easily?" Jogun cackled with a wicked grin.

His leathery skin dotted with shadows and he adjusted his grip on his sword.

"I'm going to finish what I started," Jogun said before he lifted the sword over his head. "Insect."

"Cyril!" Priscilla managed to scream, unsure of why she called this particular name.

But it worked, the draugr took a step back. He looked bewildered as he looked around. Golden particulars of light shimmered in the air. Slowly, the walls around them began to fall away into the same lights. The roof. The walls. The floor... Jogun looked stunned at this before he turned back.

"No!" He hissed. "You cannot invoke my Creator's name against me!"

"Cyril!" Priscilla screamed even louder. "You promised!"

With those two words, the world began to tremble and roar. The Draugr froze as well.

"Y-You!" His bravado was gone. "How did you get her to promise something?! She is the Lady of this World. The Creator! And you dare make her--"

He didn't get to say anything else before he too began to crumble into golden lights. She didn't know what to do, or why all of this was happening. She just began to sob in relief. The world around her faded away. A moment later, she too, existed no more.