Boars and Snakes
The short blockade of stone oozed ochre and bloody between its’ cracks before heaving back. A sigh of relief was short lived as the monster broke through seconds later. Writhing with a menagerie of shiny-snakes and fangs, a creature approached the tower sucking all life in its’ path. The evil shapes released their victim and twisted up heavenward, revealing an unfortunate boar beneath before they returned, drowning it once more with their power. “A demon lord!” Rafaelle’s terrified words went almost unheard when a screech tore from its’ throat as it charged forward.
Seeing his steed stand stock still beneath him Feliciano’s breath caught in his throat. “Silvio!” Releasing an arrow at the ground it spooked Silvio who fled before the beast could reach him. Feliciano grabbed Raffaele and leapt as it slammed into the tower, landing a few feet away from it. “Get to the village! I’ll try and draw it away!” Bounding to Silvio’s side he mounted him, nudging the deer to outrun what followed.
"Don’t get too close, and don’t let it touch you! You’ll be cursed!” Raffaele yelled after him, before disappearing into the bush. Swallowing back his fear Feliciano notched an arrow, pulling it back. Holding it for so long made his upper arms ache but he couldn’t afford to release it too early. Not with a demon behind him. Come on Silvio, just hold out a little longer. Hearing the monster change course he dared to look over his shoulder, eyes blowing wide with what he saw. Three of the village girls had been seen, their bright red scarves mirroring the red of the demon’s eyes.
Nudging Silvio they turned in the direction of the monster. “Run away!” He called out, pulling the arrow back to his ear. Releasing with a whistle and a prayer it lodged itself in a blood red eye followed by an ear piercing shriek. Its’ focus was back on him, Feliciano noted grimly as he notched another arrow. Silvio ran but the beast was on them, snakes streaming from the demon’s hide to wrap around his arm. It burned, inflamed his skin and poisoned his blood and Feliciano bit his tongue to hold back a scream. Firing an arrow into the matching eye, he flinched at the resounding screech as the beast fell. Snakes and wraiths fled from its’ body as sparks from a fire, leaving but a few like maggots to wriggle on its’ body. Feliciano descended from Silvio’s back, gripping his arm with bared teeth. "God...” He hadn’t even noticed the crowd of villagers that had started to form near the body of the boar.
The oracle pushed her way through the crowd, wizened hands outstretched in a plea as she walked towards the boar. “Great lord, please spare this village from your wrath,” She pleaded. “Spare our families.”
Opening milky white eyes to glare at the woman, the boar’s lips pulled back in a sneer. “You humans....char the earth and blacken the sky, spill our blood and now you beg for mercy?” Feeling nausea rise from the creatures words Feliciano turned away, trying to ignore the ache in his arm. “You will die screaming.” Oath fulfilled, the boar’s eyes rolled back as he uttered his dying breath, and his skin peeled from his body and rotted away to the bone.
Sighing and turning away as well, the oracle smiled at the crowd. “Off you go, there is nothing more we can do.” Seeing the people start to disperse her keen eyes were now set on one man. “Feliciano.” As he turned, she couldn’t help but feel a pang in her heart as she set her mind as to what had to happen now. “We will have a meeting tonight. Steel yourself.”
Jutting his chin out, Feliciano remained standing tall as she passed him though his heart sank. What was he going to do?