his sword from behind his head. Coordinated, immediate movement splitting space with the blade was the response of the Wanderer. His strong hand cut the body in two. True fulfillment of iaijutsu had taken the life of writhing ghoul dipped in the blood on the snow.
Strikes were like lightning, reaching ghouls, it was death on the edge of the blade. Crimson sun of Darkness shone in the Night. Dozens of ghouls were against the only force – Scott Renter. He was the embodied nightmare of evil – the Fighter.
And the main enemy. Old memories, like the tombstone covered the withered vegetation and marked with decay, surfaced by fits and starts. It rained. There was a rich building; and a rushing geek with a grin of a beast. Then Scott was defeated, his escaped was inexplicable. Reflections of the past, which had been buried in the recesses of memory, rose again in the duel… Hard breathing. The uplifted sword. A thrust, another thrust, a stopping counter and sparks from hot steel. The blades are crossed, it was confrontation. Look – the Wanderer and Hondas. They are united; they have eliminated the distinction between them, and the lifetime path is extended and over. They came together in the battle, devoured by the fight.
– Beast’s Eye, Wanderer, Indestructible, no matter which of your names would recur because of soul-chilling terror, you are Scott Renter; and nothing, nothing will change it. Stop escaping from reality, search your heart and accept the your entity – said Aundas, crossing swords with Scott Renter. – Behold, brother!
There was a howl of rage from the mouth of the Wanderer. He lunged, and Aundas, pushed aside, doing flips, soared up the branch of the tree. Around there were blood thirsty creatures immortalized with the damnation and stung with death. Rivers of blood wash the feet of the Wanderer.
– Behold, brother, this is your reflection! You are me, you're part of me, we are all one flesh! You're a traitor who has chosen miserable existence. Let the force, nesting in you free; I feel your fear, your weakness. You're the Beast!
– No-o-o! – Wanderer rushes to the tree, breaking those who stand his way. A ghoul rises close to him, thrusting the sword in the shoulder. Scott
Renter snatches massive colt and lead smashes the enemy's skull. Running up a stout trunk he unleashes series of blows and shouts:
– Swords will not save you from my hand… The shadow does not hold out against the light… A star will never outshine the moon. You will not hold out against me!
– So you liken yourself with the light, don’t you, brother? Wake up! There is not light in emptiness; life doesn't fit in with the decayed body, but death shall rise up in him as the prophecies of the end in reborn Alius, shaking cherished abutment, showing the reign of power, exiled from the depths to the glory of this world, which accepted the law of the Darkness.
– Could the saying of yours come true? My answer is: never!
– The world will be filled with blood, and the blood will be yours. You'll fall down!
– Aundas, I didn’t kill you then, now the clock has struck for you!
– You are fool! Indeed, Wanderer is your name. You can only succeed going into the void, realize the futility of the way you’ve chosen.
I’m laughing at you; you are a fiend and a monster of Darkness, high- handedly you forged into the different way, haven’t you? I’m laughing and making fun of you. Are you the Light? So learn the power of Darkness! Tremble! Behold, and perish: for I will taste your flesh, and I will be afforded the honour of this mission!
Vampires flew as a black cloud, turning into ugly winged creatures. And rumbling, turning into squeak, filled the soul with horror. Human faces were transforming into elongated fanged muzzles, black hair was appearing on the bodies. Ghouls, screaming, lashing out, had sunk his claws into the flesh. Wanderer’s eyes were gleaming when he fought tirelessly, striking at the heart, ripping the wings, cutting off the limbs.
The flute melody reigned, echoing in the clang of steel and the dying groan as the Muse of death. And the climax of horror for Scott Renter whose body was covered with gaping bloody wounds from the claws and blades of swords was echoed in his heart cry of Aundas who stood on the roof of the house, holding Iona in his hands. Surpassing the speed of light, refracting the time, Wanderer raced to the house. Futile was the effort, the ghoul had plunged his teeth into the flesh of the child, drank quickly and threw the young body away onto the white of snow, colouring it with drops of red blood…
The heart beats burned Wanderer’s chest, the world froze. He hid the sword in its scabbard and dropped on one knee, touched golden curls and looked at the blood-stained pale face. His ear was struck by the dying gasp of child’s agony.
– Scott Renter is crying, – scoffing at grief, inquired Aundas. Bowed Wanderer gradually overcame the bitterness, gazing at the sky. And while getting up, he let his righteous anger off the depths of his soul.
– You’ve brought a beautiful rose in the darkness. You've taken the life of a child… I will release the beast, nesting in the snare of my heart seared by the Darkness, and you Aundas, you will learn my wrath. Your power will turn against you and the abyss will consume you; your master is waiting for you! – And there was a shriek, and disgusting huge black wings leapt from Scott Renter’s back with sharp pain.
– So the time of the fight has come; I'm glad. Did you mean to intimidate me? Behold, brother, the true nightmare, – Aundas raised his hands to the gloomy sky, turning into a terrifying giant; bluish-black skin covered the body of a six-meter beast topped with horns. Saliva was flowing out from the stinking mouth, bright yellow pupils victoriously looked in the flushed eyes of the Wanderer; the snatch and there was an outstretched arm with a silver colt in the hand. Shot, step right, shot, step left, movement forward, snatched katana, the flap – deviation and blow. Aundas soars reached by Scott Renter. The clouds swept over the sky; the sky flashed, thunder shook the world, and lightning illuminated the confrontation of celestial creatures and sizzling the soul flame of rage.
The sword and sharp-clawed paw crossed; force, pressure, disarmed. Katana released from the hand flashes and pierces the ground and the powerful hand grabs the neck. He is moved to the rock and the claws plunge deeper into the blooding flesh – the eyes grow dim, veiled with darkness and the wide open jaws are mocking in a hollow voice. The kick, and Wanderer, having released, engages in a fight and tears up immense wings of the enemy; Aundas with one wing falls on the old Church.
Scott Renter in tattered garb lowers at the gates. A movement of his hands – and he embarks on shabby track; the vapor comes from his muscular body, black wings behind characterize the unforgiving figure. The eyes of bloody color take a casual look at marble floor, rows of benches,
massive columns and freeze at seeing Great, Tired and Incomprehensible crowned with thorns, with his head declined on his breast. His gaze falls down: subverted Aundas shaking off the debris and dust rises entirely naked, in a human body. The hand of approaching Wanderer turns into a clawed paw, scratching the rows of the benches and marble floors with long fingers. In anger Aundas, roaring aggressively is confronted with the horrific hand, tearing the belly lightning fast, lifting up his body, making the way deeper, and reaching the heart.
– You caused too much pain, Aundas. Sweet is the moment of punishment for me. I… Feel… your heartbeat. You will die slowly, and infinity will take you, resuming the torments prepared for you. Aundas, I will go after you. The torments will befall me, but you, you, Aundas, Aundas Bertshvain, will learn the value of requital. And my torments, my damnation will vent on you. And the hell torments will seem trifling, as you learn the power of explosive, uncontrollable rage.
You were eager to see the reflection of the Darkness, the evil filling my body on my face. So remember: covenants of mind come true – Scott Renter’s eyes burned trying Aundas – and their reality is horrible. Suddenly as if addressing to himself Scott Renter said the following: – Have you contemplated Lord? Being the fruit of the dullness, clouded eye will represent Him as an anamorphosis. Imagine, all of us, no matter according to our will or not, created by Him, and the disease is inside us. The disease inside me, like a parasite, stuck into the soul, drains, oppresses and deprives of the will, and I can’t resist it. – Tears poured from Wanderer’s eyes. I was born