Fragments of Darkness

 I didn't stand a chance; it was pretty obvious. She was so beautiful and clearly above my level, while I was just ordinary anonymous weirdo, person with whom she wouldn't even drink a coffee, lonely man with fifteen years of solitude. And besides, who ever heard of a relationship between a customer and a shop worker? All I could ever hope to would be look of her eyes as I was buying stuff, although I evaded it as much as possible, eyes so beautiful they frozened world around me, like eyes of some egyptian goddess.

One night I dreamt horrible nightmare and I wokened up in 5 o'clock. I don't remember details of nightmare, just feeling of certain death and madness. I had to eat something to shake up and forget about it. Then I laid again but I couldn't fall asleep so I got up and started cleaning up my apartment. In that moment I received message on a phone.
'Come to 32. street when night falls. I will await you.'
Who could that be?, I wondered. I called the number, but no one answered. Could it be her? How could she know my number? It was irrational feeling, but I believed it was her. I didn't have friends or family, and no obligations, so I was happy that I could run away from my neighbourhood that evening. I found that street on google maps, but it was really hard to find it in reality, so I spent whole afternoon asking people on the streets, bus drivers and taxi drivers. On my way to there I paid a visit to her in shop, but she was not working that day. However, I read some strange headline in newspapers. It was written:

'I was roaming the battlefield for whole eternity, since the dawn of men to present day, searching for worthy opponent, but no one met my expectations'

Some people told me to not go there, but I didn't listen to them. In the end I had to take cab to drive me there, but even cab driver was having trouble to get there.

Darkness fell heavily when I got there, and my anxiety increased. I don't know why it was called lost neighbourhood, but I noticed that darkness of night was thicker in this place, so much that it could be smelled and touched, even tasted. Houses and trees were changing in front of my eyes, and mysterious passengers would look at me strangely. I waited for her a couple of minutes, and then I began wandering through the streets, until I found myself lost. Then I saw her standing by the tree. She was dressed in black and wore a veil on her head, shrouded in evening mist. Then she began to walk somewhere and I began following her. How much will this last, I wondered. Evening shadows swalloved her a couple of times, and she entered in some house. It was so dark in that house and I barely could see anything. She sat on a chair and began shaking, her back turned on me. As I was approaching her I felt some kind of fear. I put hand on her shoulder and stripped veil that was covering her face.

I almost passed out when I saw what was behind the veil. Skull full of worms, with decaying pieces of flesh rotting away. With horror in my heart I somehow managed to escape, to never return, to never see her again.

Trip to Hungary

 I decided to spend couple of days in Hungary, in Budapest. During the trip I watched depressive hungarian landscapes through the window of train I was in.

For a long time I was studying phenomenon of suicides in the world, and in Hungary there was highest rate of suicides. First thing I noticed was beautiful middle-european architecture, beautiful old buildings and parks. However there was not many people on the streets. Coming back to motel I searched for local chatrooms on internet. There was one that highly intrigued me. It was called Suicide group, and in there people were announcing and arranging their own suicides. I recalled japanese horror movie 'Suicide club' and that seemed to me illegal stuff to do. I joined and people were announcing time and place of their own suicide. One will happen this evening, I read, in basement of cafe called 'Kerkeresh'.
I went there and witnessed strange event. Group of young men and women gathered around in front of some guy who was hanging from the ceiling. They took pictures of him and then dissapeared. Upstairs in cafe I managed to start conversation with some young hungarian fellow. He was member of suicide club. We sat by the table and ordered coffee.
'Why do you do that?', I asked him.
'In Hungary people commit suicide all the time. So we created internet hangout where people can announce their suicide. With new technologies comes new temptations.'
'Aren't you afraid of the police?'
'They don't care. In fact, handful of them are part of our group.'
'So even policemen commit suicides in Hungary.'
'Everyone commit suicide in Hungary. People from all backgrounds, young and old, sick and healthy. There is something in the air in this country that forces them to do.'
We drank coffee and went outside. As I was walking back to motel, I was thinking of conversation I had with young hungarian boy. Indeed, in this heartless country existed perfect climate for commiting suicides. People weren't enjoying themselves, omnipotent despair ruled here. I remembered movies of Bela Tarr, depressive hungarian music and novels of Agota Kristof.
I was spending time witnessing suicides in various places, hidden amidst the secret people. Most of the time people were hanging themselves, but there was shooting in the head, cutting veins on hands and overdosing on pills.
I was feeling more and more depressed in Budapest. I started to think about cause of my fascination about suicide. Indeed, from my youth I had suicide ideations. Nothing in the world interested me, and I wanted to die as soon as possible.
I spent next few days sitting in motel and watching hungarian tv channels.
After some time I announced my own suicide decision. People were liking my announcement, sending me regards and encouraging me.
It happened in same basement where I witnessed my first public suicide.

Insomnia

Breakdown happened last summer. I don't know what caused it; it simply happened. Now I was condemned to dwell alone in my flat, surrounded by thick isolated walls filled with books, covered in curtains, to never see sunlight again, to never hear outside noise. Many times I moved from one place to another, from flat to motel, from motel to accomodation, hoping to find inner peace. But enviroment was striking its filthy paws at me, after only two or three weeks spent in one place.

Dream was enjoyable while it lasted. Now I walked through the flat in dreamy state.
Somehow day was moving to its end.
As usual, garbage truck arrived to take out the trash in front of my building. Sound of garbage truck helped me to relax. Glass of warm milk will help me to sleep, I thought. But it wasn't so, I twisted and turned in bed, shivering and listening to cars passing by. I turned on my lamp and tried to read some book. After reading I ate candy bar and took some benzos and finally went to sleep.
I found myself in strange dream. I was walking through well known streets of my childhood. Sights and sounds appeared very realistic. I don't know what it was in the dream that made me to wake up in 3 am, covered in sweath and full of fear in my heart.
Next day I was browsing through the pharmacies looking for benzos, those bringers of sleep. I needed heavy dose of benzos, and there was shortage of it. It was getting dark, and I don't know how, but I arrived in place similiar to my dream from last night. Everything was shady, undefined, unclear. Sky was pitch black without a single star, there was no moon, and trees were somehow unnaturaly twisted. Like whole world fell to darkness. Was it the place of my childhood?
Heavy rain soaked my jacket, bringing powerful smell that awakened memories, and on the bridge I saw some girl. It didn't took me long to recognize her. It was my sympathy from school days. But now she changed, after ten years of solitude she looked ordinary, mother with child and lousy husband. I couldn't approach her. She was pointing something in the river, something was floating. I panicked and ran away from her.
Endlessly long streets were showing me their ugly faces, and as much I tried to avoid them, they appeared nonetheless.
I was feeling hopellesly lost in this place. Then I took the bus and slowly dissapeared from here. Bus was half-empty, and beside me some man was reading newspapers. I glimpsed at some articles. Man jumped from the third floor and killed himself, it was written. Girl overdosed on pills and killed herself, it was written. So many suicides these days.
In the end I came to my apartment and fell asleep.

Fatamorgana

 

Tiho veče, mrak se već spuštao na zemlju, a prstenovi uličnih svetiljki rasprostrtih po okolini bleskali su u tami. Darko je stajao ispred prozora i posmatrao reku i šumovita brda koja su okružavala njegov zamak. Dugo je stajao tu, zagledan u reku. Njegov sluga Stojan ušao je u sobu i zabrinuto posmatrao Darka. Prišao mu je i spustio ruku na njegovo rame.

-Darko, šta radiš tu već ovoliko vremena?

-Samo posmatram reku, Stojane. Nemoj da se brineš, odgovori mu Darko pogledavši ga na čas, a potom je ponovo počeo gledati kroz prozor.

Stojan je bio zadovoljan tim odgovorom i tiho je otišao iz sobe ne želeći više da mu smeta. Darko se udalji od prozora i poče šetati kroz sobu. Zvuk njegovih koraka je odzvanjao prostorijom, i neko vreme Darko se izgubi u šetnji oko sobe, i zaboravi na sebe. Mislio je na Kristinu. Tako tragičan događaj. Da li je moralo tako biti?, razmišljao je u sebi dok je hodao. Naposletku izađe iz sobe i poče šetati zavojitim polumračnim hodnicima. Osećao je težinu celog sveta na sebi. Neopisiva tuga ga je pritiskala, a ceo svet kao da je pao u mrak oko njega.

Kristina...moja Kristina...

Ubrzo je stigao do prostorija za sluge. Nikada se nije pobliže upoznao sa njima. Sa Stojanom i njegovom ženom. Stojan je sedeo i čitao novine, a njegova žena grčevito je stiskala testo praveći pitu od jabuka. Darko se obrati Stojanu.

-Stojane, dragi čoveče, koliko me već služiš?, pitao ga je.

Stojan diže pogled sa novina i ustade sa stolice.

-Već nekoliko godina, gospodaru.

-A za sve to vreme, ja te nisam pobliže upoznao.

-Nema veze, gospodaru. Ja sam samo vaš sluga. Nemojte da se brinete.

Darko kao da nije čuo njegove poslednje reči, već je prošao kroz prostoriju i našao se pred ulaznim vratima. Njegova tamna košulja obrubljena srebrnim vezom i tamni ogrtač od medveđeg krzna dobro su mu stajali, i nameravao je u njima da prošeta malo izvan zamka. Srebrna ogrlica mu je visila oko vrata, a prstenje mu je ukrašavalo ruke. Tamne pantalone od lisičjeg krzna su mu bile potaman, i on se neko vreme nećkao da li da izađe ili ne.

Kristina...moja Kristina...

Naposletku se odluči i napusti zamak. Borovi i čempresi u daljini su se zavijali nošeni vetrom, a reka je slabašno žuborila. Beskrajno crno nebo je bilo ispunjeno svetlucavim zvezdama. Darko krene ka konjušnici i uzjaha svog tamnog konja. Nije ništa mogao videti od neraskidive tame koja ga je okružavala, ali je ipak nastavio da jaše, nadajući se da ne odstupa previše sa glavnog puta. U daljini je čuo hučanje sova, dreku pasa i zvukove drugih životinjica. Nije znao koliko dugo je jahao tako, ali mu se činilo da je dosta vremena prošlo od kad je krenuo. U početku je i bilo pomalo svetla po ulicama, ali sa svakim korakom koji je prošao svetlo se gubilo i ustupalo mesto sveprožimajućoj tami. Osećao je i druge ljude na svom putu, osećao je kako se neki od njih sklanjaju, a sa nekima se sudarao. Nije mogao da proceni ko su ti ljudi bili, ni kuda idu. Činilo se da je ceo svet pao u mrak, i da ništa više osim tame nije postojalo.
Napokon je stigao do reke, i zastao na trenutak osmatrajući srebrne odbleske meseca koji su plovili niz reku, gustu izmaglicu i isparenja. Sa druge strane reke neko je stajao, bio je siguran u to. Neka devojka. Da li je to Kristina?, pitao se. Mora biti. Da, to je moja Kristina! Ipak je živa, i čeka me sa druge strane reke. Moram pojuriti ka njoj!

Sjahao je sa konja pošto nije mogao sa njim kroz reku, i uskočio u nju zaplovivši. Neko vreme je uspešno plivao, ali sa svakim zamahom bilo mu je teže da se održava u vodi. Mulj i rečno đubre su ga vezivali oko nogu, i vukli ka dnu. Ali još uvek je mogao da vidi Kristinu. Ili ipak ne? Polako je nestajala iz njegovog vida, i on shvati da je to bila fatamorgana. Pokušao je da se vrati nazad, ali mulj ga je već vodio na dno.

Hunt

It was a warm summer day of year 1551. Walking by the main road around the forest, a group of friends were progressing to its destination, a big city of Cainsmore. It was a long journey. They leaved behind them burned villages and massacred people, and days were shrouded with breath of decay and death. On several occasions fellowship would get lost in the woods, and it took them some time to get on the main road again. They had with themselves some beef and water. Leader of the group, black knight by the name Apostle Hand, was riding on a beautiful dark horse skillfuly avoiding trash that came before him on the road. Apostle Hand was serving an obscure demon Belphegor, by selling his soul to him he gained certain powers that would help him in battle. He was a skillful fighter, wore a shining black armor with beautiful intarsions, and wielded a greatsword he called 'Black Steel'. He also wore beautiful diamond rings and necklases. Behind him shrouded in shadows was riding Vicious Glen, unscrupulous assassin who could when shrouded in shadows with one swing of his short sword paralyze the enemy and liquidate him by inserting poison in his body through the blade. He wore red studded leather armor. He was also skillful thief and trap maker. And last but not the least, behind him was riding dark necromanser, pale master known as Bone. He was a dark sorcerer skilled in mysteries of dead things. With the help of his staff he could summon zombies, undead warriors who would trash all that stood in their way. Also, with his half-dead hand he could kill oponent with single touch. He wore dark robe with mysterious engravings.

And so the fellowship were riding across middle road around the forest in search of group of rebels, people who raised rebel against current king, evil Borinus Third. Apostle Hand and his companions were elite fighters, best among Borinus death squad, and so he chosed them to find the rebels and eliminate them. Borinus Third was infamous beacause of his cruelty, lack of care for common people and evil deeds he sowed on kingdom. Ordinary people could not bear that for long, and amidst them was formed quite a group of rebels. They killed members of king guard, sabotaged his plans and disrupted him in his rule. Common people supported them, so it was not so easy to find them. However, it was known that main amongst them were so called Purple Dragon Knight, skillful fighter and dangerous man, and handsome of knights and rangers who accompanied him.

Apostle Hand and his companions were riding six hours straight, and were feeling very tired. They decided to make a break and rest some time. They got off their horses and started fire, so they could make tea. They also started eating beef they carried. After meal, Apostle Hand was stuffing tobbaco in his pipe and watched on the road. Vicious Glen was staring at him, curiously examining him.

"Do you think we will find Purple Dragon Knight, Apostle?", he asked him while caressing his short sword.

Apostle Hand exhaled smoke from his lungs and spitted on the ground.

"We will find him, and trust sword in his belly", he replied.

"I hope we will", replied Vicious Glen. "Could you summon your demon to help us?"

Apostle Hand looked him straight in the eyes, with resent on his lips he said to him:

"My master does not bother himself with such mundane things, Vicious Glen. Better shut the fuck up and keep caressing your short sword. I hope it will serve you good."

Vicious Glen spitted on the ground and turned his eyes towards Bone. Bone was calmly sitting on the ground and carresing tip of his fingers, his eyes was staring in some unnamed darkness.

"How about you, Bone? Can your dead servants help us in hunt?"

Bone slowly turned his eyes and looked at him, although behind his eyes was just utter darkness and nothing more.

"My servants will help, when and if need be.", he replied and went on to look somewhere in darkness.

After they drinked tea and smoked some tobbaco, they continued they search. In that moment on the main road appeared harness with horses. Horses were riding some old man with a cap on his head, and on the harness some young girl with blue hear and green eyes was sitting. As they noticed Apostle Hand and his companions, they quickly turned their eyes and began acting like they don't see them. Apostle Hand came before the harness and stopped them.

"Who are you, old man?", he asked.

Old man bowed before Apostle Hand and removed his cap. On his cheeks and nose he had some kind of ugly markings, and Apostle Hand thought that he suffers from plague.

"I am just one ordinary, poor peasant, sir. I am travelling with my daughter to the city. Please, don't hurt us."

From the dark arrow strikes and pierce old man head, so he falls on the ground dead. Vicious Glen comes holding his shortbow with a handfull of arrows. Apostle Hand turned to him with resent in eyes.

"You didn't have to kill him right away, fool. We could examine him first.", he said and turned attention on girl who was frozen from fear. She wore ordinary peasant clothes and cried. Apostle Hand approaches her and put his arm on hers.

"I am sorry about your father, girl. Vicious Glen is not known for his brain power."

Girl turn her eyes to Apostle and looks at him with hope in her eyes.

"What is your name, girl?"

"Mellisa, master. Please, don't hurt me."

"Oh, we won't."

Apostle Hand and his companions hanged the girl on a nearby tree. Apostle Hand was looking at her face as she battled for breath.

"This awaits all friends of Purple Dragon Knight. Know this, girl, as you die."

Soon Apostle Hand and his companions left this place, leaving the girl to hang, as the last sun beams were going through her hair.

Leaving dead old man, horses and harness in flames, and hanged girl, Apostle Hand and his companions carried away with their path. They had to cross still some road until they arrive to Cainsmore, and the road ahead of them was filled with dampness and filth. Wind was blowing through the trees around them and owls were howling. There was sound of other animals, wolves and bears that lived high in the hills. Road filled with silence and crunching of the branches under the foot of the horses was forcing Apostle Hand to think. He was thinking of his wife Morena and their daughters Maria and Helena. He was a good man sometimes before, he thinked for himself. Until the moment he decided to sacrify his wife and daughters to obscure demon Belphegor. Will for power was stronger from his kindness, and it prevailed. It was hard for him to keep thinking of it, so he approached to Vicious Glen who was riding beside him.

"Vicious Glen, these couple of days we have been spending together, you haven't told me anything about yourself."

Vicious Glen was looking at the squirrel on the tree, while his rings on his left hand was shining in different colours.

"There isn't much to say, actually. In youth I was a thug and petty thief, until the Thief Gang didn't recognized my qualities and accepted me in service. I have been progressing from that point, and eventually became assassin in the service of King Borinus. I have usually been involved in political assassinations."

Apostle Hand frowned and pushed his horse further. His heavy black armor with beautiful intarsions somewhat keeped him from moving freely, which Vicious Glen noticed.

"That armor is troubling you, Apostle Hand.", he said and smiled to him.

"It's easy to you with that studded leather armor that you wear. Maybe you are more agile in that, but it won't save you from the strike of two-handed sword."

Bone was approaching them, dressed in black robe. Like he didn't noticed them, he was just making strange noises and pushing his horse further.

"How about you, Bone? How did you get in our small company?", Apostle Hand asked him suspiciously examining him.

Bone didn't even looked at him, he just pushed his horse further and started talking.

"I was disciple of great sorcerer Tesark. I decided to specialize in mysteries of death magic, so I had to spend three days and nights in tomb, surrounded by the ghosts of the dead. I succeded and from that day I have become pale master in service of King Borinus."

"Sweet little company.", Apostle Hand said and continued to ride.

Soon they arrived in unknown parts of the forest. They thread carefully now, because from every side enemy could arrive. Darkness falled on world, and they were covered in it. Apostle lighted his torch to lighten the road. Pushing his horse carefully through the grass, with sadness he remembered his castle which was away thousand killometres. He greatly missed it, but at least it was well guarded by his warriors. Apostle looked at the sky and saw great eagle how he fly above his head high in the trees. Soon after the eagle came up a couple of ravens. His distinguished hearing didn't miss subtle moving of the trees around him. That gave him sign that something is happening. Something dangerous. He stopped riding, and stood still looking out. Waving his hand he stopped Vicious Glen and Bone.

"What is wrong, Apostle?", asked Vicious Glen, nervously looking around.

"I feel someones presence here.", he replied and held down his horse. In that moment, from different points in forest, coming out of darkness, appeared great white wolves, together with some rangers with longbows up in their arms. Finally, from the darkness comes out man in shiny white armor, with longsword in his arm.

"Ambush!", yelled Apostle. "Be prepared, my friends.", he said to his companions and turned to man in shiny white armor, probably leader of enemies they have been surrounded. Man was smiling in his face, approaching him.

"Look, look...ho do we have here? Apostle Hand himself, together with his goons.", said the young man laughing loudly.

"Who are you?"Apostle Hand asked, grasping his great sword.

"We are agents of Purple Dragon Knight, and we have come to judge you. Too much evil and despair you have brought on this country, and it is time to die."

Apostle Hand begun laughing, together with Vicious Glen and Bone.

"Hahaha! Doesn't Purple Dragon Knight have courage to come alone and fights with us, instead of sending his servants?"

Young man in shiny white armor with resent on his lips and righteous anger in his eyes looks at Apostle Hand.

"Purple Dragon Knight has more important things to carry about. Besides, it's not your worry. Don't you have an ounce of soul in yourself, Apostle? What have fair peasants wronged so you burn their villages and properties, killing their wives and children?"

Apostle spit on the ground and wields his greatsword.

"Don't you know my nickname, young man? Chaos Reaper!", he shouts and move forward to man swinging his sword. Incredibly strong hit of his sword almost broked down young man from his feet,but he succeded defending himself, moving to other side and turning the punch. Sounds of steel hitting steel were at the time all that could be heared in the forest while they were crossing their swords. Meanwhile, great white wolves rushed to Vicious Glen and Bone to tear them apart, and rangers were firing arrows at them. One arrow hitted Vicious Glen in arm, but he quickly dissapeared in shadows and with furious speed begun to trash rangers, stabbing them in neck with his short sword, one by one. Bone casted fireball to the wolves, tearing them apart. Obviously these boys didn't stand a chance before Apostle and his crew. Pushing boy to the ground, and keeping point of his sword at his neck, Apostle begun to speak to him.

"Do you have one last wish, warrior?"

Young boy was spitting blood from his mouth and keeping hand on his injured stomache.

"Purple Dragon Knight will avenge our death. Be certain."

Apostle Hand cut the man's throat and leaves him in the mud. But he did got injured in leg in battle, and he slowly walked and searched the battlefield. Always after hard battle he felt some kind of narcosis, and with dreamy eyes he searched his friends through fog. Vicious Glen was sitting on a rock and removing arrow from hand. Bone was standing near him. Blood was spilling from his leg from wolf bite. They were injured, but not beaten. Smoke fire was rising through the forest and coming up to the sky, bloody parts of wolves were lying scattered on the ground, and rangers with their throat cut were watching the sky with their empty eyes. Apostle Hand turned to their friends.

"Hunters have become hunt. Are you alright, my friends? This was not accidental ambush. There's more to come, all until we find Purple Dragon Knight and kill him. Come on, we don't have time to waste."

Apostle and his friends rode the horses and moved on. Soon the darkness was giving place to light, and first signs of dawn appeared. Fellowship was travelling long until they stumble across some tavern.

"We will stay here friends, to refresh ourselves.", said Apostle and rode down from the horse. They gived horses to the farm boy and entered tavern. Their presence alone maked tavern patrons to shiver in fear.

"We will need a room, lots of meat and wine", said Apostle to the tavern boss.

"Of course, master. I will right away get you all you need.", said tavern boss and ordered servant girl to bring them to their room. Fellowship finally settled and begun to rest, eating meat and drinking wine.

Lady Tymora was sitting on her chair while her servant was brushing her hair. She was gentle and fragile, and she always had some kind of illness. She was 18 years old, and whole world was ahead of her. She was surrounded by most luxurious things in her big bedroom. And yet again, she was sad and unhappy, feeling like she was in prison. She was watching through the window in the world filled with people who goes around chasing their jobs.

"Tell me something about him, Mircella.", she asked her servant.

Her servant stopped brushing her hair for a moment, and then she continued talking.

"They say he is most noble man that ever lived in kingdom. He has good heart and soul, and always cares about less fortunate. He often gives them money and take care of him."

Lady Tymora's heart was bumping as she was listening.

"Please, continue. What else people say about him?"

"They say that no one can beat him in single combat. He is very merciful, and never kills if there is no need. By that way he often gets men to fight for him. People say that he will save kingdom from your mad father."

"What else they say?"

"They say that when someone gets killed by his sword, a rose comes out of theirs bodies."

"And love? Does he have a lover?"

"He had big love, but she passed away still young from hard disease. From that day he sworn to himself that he would never again have girlfriend, and that he will always keep her in his heart."

"And how does he look?"

"He look like a white angel with beautiful wings, so beautiful like he's a girl, with golden hair and silver eyes."

Lady Tymora got enough of brushing her hair, and she wanted to spend some time alone.

"Thank you, Mircella. You can go now."

"As my lady commands.", said Mircella and walked out of room.

Lady Tymora walked to the window and covered it with thick curtains. Then she laid to bed and begun daydreaming.

"Save me, Dragon, take me away from this prison...", she whispered.

When Mircella got out of her room, she surprised when she saw King Borinus and his servants how they are standing near in dark hallway. Years of cruel rulling made Borinus a caricature of man he was before, so that now he didn't have nothing human in him. Ugly and fat, hairless, he watched at Mircella with malevolent attention. Some people said that Borinus wasn't a man at all, and some said that he drinked blood of young virgins so he could stay strong. With hands behind his back he silently approached servant girl. Mircella stepped away, until he grabbed her by the neck and brought closer to himself. His eyes were burning with hellfire.

"Master...", said the girl shivering in fear.

"What did you talk to my daughter, servant girl? What lies have you been filling her head?"

"I was just brushing her hear, and we just talked a little..."

"I see. Take her to the chambers.", said Borinus to his servants and came with them. They were coming down through the stairs to underground chambers of the castle, filled with torturing devices, where Borinus tortured his enemies.

"Push her on the spiked bed.", said Borinus to the servants. They put girl on spiked bed, and moved to end of chamber. It wasn't pleasant to them to watch the horror. Borinus moved to the girl, strap her clothes, and begun torturing her. He started changing somewhat...his body growed big, from his mouth came big ugly tongue, and his teeth were all pointy and like in tiger.

"No, master, please!", yelled the girl in horror, but nobody heard her. Borinus started his feast. He ripped the flesh from girls body, feasted on her skin, all until from girl didn't remain anything but bones and remains of flesh. Borinus stood like in narcosis, sucking his fingers. He came back with servants to his personal room, washed his face and looked up himself in the mirror. For a moment he thought that he does not look at himself, but at some young beautiful man, but the deception quickly was gone, and he was again looking at his own reflection. Reflection was looking him with hate, self-loathing and sadness and he could not bear to watch anymore. Instead, he went to his daughter. He knocked a couple of times at her door and then he went in. Lady Tymora was sitting on a chair and was looking through the window.

"Do I bother you, my love?", he asked and approached her carefully.

"No, dad. Do you have something to tell me?", she replied and looked him with eyes full of poison.

"Well I have. I have heard what you were talking to that servant girl. You like Purple Dragon Knight?", he asked, moving the curtains so she could not look the world.

"Yes, I like him! Do you have something to say in protest? I hope he will chop that ugly head of yours!"

"You want to be his whore, my love?"

"I would rather be his whore than your daughter. I hate you father! You are keeping me in here like in a prison!"

Borinus slapped Lady Tymora so hard she falled to the bed. She was holding her fingers on her lips that were bleeding. Borinus quickly regretted that move, so he falled back to her legs and started apologizing.

"I'm sorry, my love. All I do, I do it for you. There are many enemies outside that would kill you if they get the chance."

"You mean you want to keep me for youself? Is this what you want, father?", asked Lady Tymora and showed him her intimate parts. Borinus gets up from his feet with disgust and goes to the door.

"Get out of my room, father!", yelled Lady Tymora.

"However you want, my love. Just you know, I send my best killers to track down Purple Dragon Knight. Soon you will see his hand on a spike.", he said and gets out of the room.

Lady Tymora jumped on her bed and started crying, holding pillow with her hands.

"If somehow I could run out of here...and join Purple Dragon Knight!", she thinked while her tears were falling on pillow.

He was standing near the window, watching sunset while rain was falling down and storm was trashing. His look was somewhat melancholic, and engrossed in times long past. On the wall of his room there was an oil painting with portrait of his dead wife, lightened by the candles on each side. He often looked at that painting while he prayed, and thinking about her. Someone knocked on the door and he turns.

"Come in."

In room comes in young man in heavy silver armor and with longsword in his arm.

"Champion, it seems you have some news for me.", he said somewhat absently, looked in distance.

"I have, master. We received news about our scouts. They're all killed, most probably by Apostle Hand and his goons. We have information that they are approaching to us with every day."

He stepped in side a little, and then he again turned to window. Rain was still falling and wind was hovering the trees.

"Apostle Hand. Known as 'Chaos Reaper'. Well, we will see how tough he is when he meets my blade. Thank you for news, Champion. You may go now."

"Master.", bowed the Champion and left the room.

He approached the fire that was crackling in fireplace. He waved his hands to fire and started to warm up. Long time he was standing there, looking in fire that was burning with red and gold colours, and sending reflections to his eyes.

When they rested in tavern, Apostle Hand and his companions continued their path. Awful infinity of woodlands and indifference of nature that surrounded them was making them bitter, so most of the time they were not talking anything. They travelled seven hours through the swamp and wilderness until they stumbled across some village. It was a simple village with simple houses but the peasants were acting strangely. Like they didn't noticed Apostle Hand and his companions, they were running around in circles like hipnotized, shouting some strange words to themselves. Apostle Hand stopped his horse and turned to his friends. His shiny black cloak was glowing in the dark, so did his boots, belt and gauntlets.

"What is wrong with these people?"

"I don't know, Apostle. Seems to me like they are hipnotized.", said Vicious Glen.

"Some dark magic circles around here.", replied Bone.

Apostle Hand gets of his horse and comes to the center of the village, where peasants, men, women and children were gathered around behind some strange wooden sculpture and talking to themselves.

"What is wrong with you, people?", Apostle asked them.

One peasant look him strangely in the eye, and then he turns his gaze to wooden sculpture. He started talking.

"We pray to god of emptiness. World is full of horrors, cannibalism and darkness. Everything vanishes, and life is meaningless.", he says.

"Everything vanishes.", replied others in one voice, like confirming him, and stretched their hands to wooden sculpture. Apostle Hand rode to horse again and began going through the village. His companions were following him. All over the village strange smell was going through, sulphurous smell. Moonlight was lighting their path, and the stars on the sky were malevolently shining. And in the distance strange music was heard. It was miraculous, repetitive, hypnotic and unearthly music that had unusual influence on company. They traced music until they came across some heap of rubble, upon which some girl in red dress was sitting. She was the one who played that music. In hand she held strange instrument, something like harp, and she was touching the strings with her delicate fingers. On top of her head she wore a wreath of black roses, and on her belt there was petals hanging. She sang some strange rhymes. Beside her some guy was standing, who looked like he was a knight long time ago. Everywhere around them was heaps of water from yesterday rain, they were moving from the strikes of wind, and on some of them falling leaves were floating.

"Grettings, friends.", said the girl for a moment stopping her playing, "What brings you to our little village?"

Apostle Hand was watching her with some kind of curiosity.

"We are just passing by. We're on our way to Cainsmore."

"It is long way ahead of you.", she replied and smiled to him.

"What is with all these people?"

"Oh, but they have changed. Before they were ordinary people, but now they realized futility of all actions, and they braced god of emptiness. Now they wait for god of emptiness to come and take them away."

"You think, they wait to die?"

"It could be said that way, yes."

"It's not my concern.", said Apostle and pushed his horse further, leaving the girl. His companions were following him, and soon they left village, and went back to the main road, to darkness that surrounded them.

When they left cursed village, Apostle Hand and his companions continued their travel. Heavy rain started and wind was blowing from all sides, so they were searching for some place to hide. Soon enough they stumbled across some lonely monastery, surrounded with mountains and hills.

"We can spend the night here, fellows.", said Apostle and pushed his horse further.

"Well, I could surely rest some time", replied Vicious Glen.

"And my old bones would help some rest", replied Bone.

They were approaching monastery, when some girl in brown robe was coming to the gates holding wood for fire. She was probably resident of the monastery.

"Grettings, good men. What brings you to our nice monastery?"

"We are looking for place to rest, my lady.", said Apostle.

"Well, this is monastery only for women. I don't know if Cavalier would allow you to spend the night here."

"Cavalier?"

"Yes, he is our protector. Come with me, so we can talk."

Fellowship followed girl to the gates. Gates opened and they came into the monastery. At the entrance Cavalier was waiting for them, man dressed in brown robe with a cap on his head. He was holding short sword in his right hand. Girl turns to him pointing to the Apostle and his friends.

"Father, these people are tired from the road. They wish to rest within walls of our monastery."

Cavalier took a look at them and started examining them.

"These people stink of evil, my daughter. But I will let them pass, if they swear that they will not make any trouble."

"We are just looking for shelter from the rain, some rest and food. We will get out in the morning.", said Apostle.

"Whatever. Take them in the quarters, daughter, and give them some bread and wine."

With these words Cavalier moves up to the stairs to his private chamber. Apostle Hand asked for himself what kind of funny name is that, Cavalier, and then he followed girl into big chamber filled with candles, altars, frescos and icons of saints. Whole place was filled with smell of goodness and forgiving, and it maked Apostle Hand sick. By the big table a lot of girls were sitting, with crossed hand and in prayer. Apostle Hand and his friends sat by the table, and girl gave them bread and wine. Prayer begins.

"Dear fathers, forgive our sins, lighten our way, protect us from evil, lead us out from temptations, be merciful and righteous, and bless us by this dinner we made for your honor."

Girls crossed their hands and begin to eat. Apostle was eating bread and drinking wine. With resent he watched girls how they eat, all humble and poor. He turned to Vicious Glen.

"What do you think about this girls, Vicious Glen?"

"They need some dick in their pussies.", replied Glen and siped wine in glass.

"I would sacrify them all to Dark Master.", said Bone.

Apostle Hand soon got drunk from all the wine. Mysterious forces of universe begun to fill his head. He sensed call from his master Belphegor. He started shouting and banging the table.

"Why are you all hiding from world in this monastery, huh? You think your god will help you?"

Girls watched Apostle with horror as he shouted. Some of them begun crossing their hands. Apostle continued to shout while wine was sipping from his lips.

"I bet you didn't feel cock in your pussies long time, huh? Your pussies are sore. Fucking bitches."

"Don't sacrilege in god's house, young man. God is watching you and condemns your behaviour."

"I shit on your god!", shouts Apostle and get his hand on one girl. He begun fucking her. All the girls started to run in panic. Soon there was chaos in god house. Icons were bleeding and candles where shivering. Vicious Glen also started fucking some girl, and Bone started casting confusion magic on girls, making them susceptible to doubt. Soon Cavalier heard noises and he came down. With him there was a Sun Soul Monk, hardened fighter specialized in fighting with bare hands.

"Stop this sacrilege, sons of bitches! We welcomed you as guests, and this is how you are repaying us!"

"Suck my sword, Cavalier!", said Apostle and taked his sword. He moved up on Cavalier and begun attacking him, but Cavalier skillfully defended himself and returned attack with god might, sending Apostle away from him. Apostle was surprised by skill of Cavalier. This isn't ordinary warrior, he thinked. Vicious Glen came to aid him, and some time he succesfully parried with Cavalier, but soon came Sun Soul Monk and with a combo of his fists send Vicious Glen to the table, crushing him. Bone summoned skeleton warriors to keep them busy, and in that time Apostle and Glen coated their blades with poison and striked enemies. Some time they succesfully defended themselves, but poison in their bodies was slowly rotting them away, and it was easy for Apostle to crush them.

All this nonsense angered Apostle master Belphegor. Walls begun to shatter, it seems like it was earthquake. Demon Belphegor appeared on the ground, ten feet tall, with fiery wings, strong arms and legs, and hideous face, he momentarily burned thirty girls. He watched slaughter that happened. Apostle Hand came before him and kneeled.

"Master...there wasn't need for your help. We succesfully defeated enemies."

"You will need much more power in battles to come, servant. However, I am glad that one more monastery is ruined. Nothing appeases my appetite like seeing gods men burn in hell."

Belphegor was preparing to go back, but he had one more question for Apostle.

"Oh, yes. How more time do you have?"

"A couple of years, master.", replied Apostle with awe in his voice.

"Excellent.", said demon and dissapeared in shining ball of fire. Fire that was grown was quickly spreading through the monastery, and they had to leave that place. They were riding horses through the road, while in the distance monastery was burning and sending smoke up to the sky.

Apostle Hand and his companions continued their path after they leaved burning monastery. Weather was depressing with lots of rain and gloomy clouds. Soon they stumbled across some temple like structure guarded with two skeleton warriors. Bone casted invisibility on them so they went in past skeleton warriors. They found themselves in huge chamber filled with bones and smaragds. At the center there was standing huge red dragon. It looked like it was female dragon.

'Look, Apostle, a dragon!', said Vicious Glen.

'And a powerful one. Be careful, my friends. We went in unprepared and dragon could easily burn us all.', replied Apostle.

Dragon slowly approached them and began talking. Smoke was coming from her mouth.

'Intruders in my lair! You seem like a powerful foes but I could easily destroy you. However, I have some task for you.', said Red dragon.

'What do you require of us, great red dragon?', asked Apostle.

'Marduk, abyssal warrior stole my eggs while I was sleeping. I want you to track him down and bring me my stolen eggs from him. I shall reward you for completing this task.'

'Consider it done.', said Apostle and soon they began search for Marduk. It was easy for Bone to find him using his tracking magic. Marduk was hiding from holy warrior, Inquisitor, in some shed at the edge of some village. They tracked him down. But it turned out to be powerful foe. He was servant of demons and resident of hell who somehow managed to escape out of there. He was specialized in longsword and wore red plate armor.

'Marduk, you could be of help to us in defeating Purple Dragon Knight. Why don't you join us and return eggs you stole from red dragon?'

After some time of thinking, Marduk spoke.

'Even though I am powerful warrior, you would overcome me in battle. And you look interesting. I agree.'

'Excellent', said Apostle and together they rode back to dragon and brought her stolen eggs. She awarded them with quite a bunch of diamonds and smaragds, emeralds and sapphires.

Young Knight

Richard Atkinson was youngest son of Edward Atkinson, famous noble. His sister drowned in the lake when he was five years old, and his older brother hanged himself in barn when he was 9 years old. Bad seed ran through Atkinson family three for a long time, and many of Richard old relatives lived an unhappy life. It could be said that Atkinsons were cursed, or born under a bad sign. For long of his childhood Richard spent time in his fathers library reading classic literature, and in the open he studied ways of the blade under guidance of his father friend, Sir James. His father was an absent minded person who didn't care much about what was going on in the world so he let Richard to do whatever he wanted. But his wife Evelyn was pushing Richard way too hard, dragging him to meetings with aristocrats, and as he was her only child left she was obsessed with him. But all Richard wanted was to be a knight. He dreamed about it for a long time. When he hit puberty, girls he was in contact with came to interest him. But they were repulsed with him because he had scar on left side of his face when he got burned accidentally on a stove. But apart from that he was handsome fellow, if somewhat girly who loved to help the poor and unfortunate. Long time passed and at the age of 21 he completed his training and was officially granted title of knighthood by Princess Olivia. She was young beautiful girl, but rather weak and pestered with an endless cycle of strange diseases. Richard was so proud of his achievement that he was happy for a long time. But he also got interested in Princess Olivia.

Duke of Wellington and Lord of Eashtanbury led young Richard to fight alongside them against bandits, rebels and outlaws. He proved himself worthy in those battles and gained further reputation in kingdom. But not long time has passed when cruel barbarians from the east led by Count Marzevah began to advance on the kingdoms barriers. In this long war many people died, women and children, old men, but eventually Count Marzevah and his barbarians were crushed. Much of the success of the battle was generally considered to be Richard achievement, as he cleverly fought with his battalion. So he became Princess Olivia personal guardian. In time, they befriended and got in affair. Olivia's body was very gentle and soft. Her titties were very small under Richard hands, and her butt twisted and turned under attack of his big dick. Romance lasted only a couple of months, because Olivia got struck with fatal disease. She battled only one week when she died. Richard cried over her beautiful grave for a long time. He walked in circles around the keep aimlessly thinking what he will do now. 'I must do something', Richard thought. So he went to district of the city where esoterics dwelled. He got in one house where famous magi Hylonius lived. Strange tomes filled with mysterious engravings and bottles of malevolent liquid filled his house.

'My lover is dead, please can you help me?', Richard asked Hylonius.

Dark magician covered in black robe examined him curiously.

'There is a cure...but it comes with a great price, young man.', he replied. Being well read, Richard assumed what was that price. But Hylonius was no fool either. He handed piece of paper with some words on it to Richard. He also gave him quill.

'Sign this document, lad, and your lover will be alive again while I prepair my contoction.'

'To sign and lose my soul, or to decline and be forever in mourn?', Richard waged. For one tiny moment of time he was in dark place. Like hypnotized he grabbed quill and signed at the bottom of the paper.

'Excellent. Take this elixir and pour it in your loved one.' With that words magician turned his back on him and left the room, murmuring something to himself as he was crossing big stalks of documents, finally disappearing. Richard took elixir and left the house. As he was coming back to the keep, guards and knights watched him curiously, and Richard felt disturbing change in his mind. He past castle and entered in courtyard, then through the gardens to the graveyard. He poured the liquid onto Olivia's grave and watched the miracle. It was getting dark and it appeared to him that some strange man dressed in luxurious robe was watching him, consistently changing shape : from snake to awful monster, from beautiful lady to old man, from young boy to ethereal mist, and eventually disappearing, up until there were just words in his head like moving of the wind that said to him : now you are in my debt, young man. Richard didn't know if it was hallucination or the real thing. Confused by this event, he didn't noticed Olivia. She was standing beside him, alive and well like before! She rose from the grave! He grasped her hands and kissed her.

'Olivia! I'm so glad you're here.'

'What happened to me?', she asked. Certainly she was still confused as she was just returning from the dead.

'I remember being terribly sick, and then darkness took me to some strange place...' Richard couldn't handle telling her the truth for now.

'You were terribly sick, my love. But now you are good. Come with me to your chambers.' Together they went to Olivia's chambers to get rest.

Day after those strange happenings Richard looked through the window at princess Olivia while she was riding her black horse. She looked perfectly normal.

Maids, servants and other personnel of the castle wondered how Olivia rose from the dead. One of them, lady Falconia entered in room where Richard was sitting on a big chair.

-What happened to Olivia, Richard., she asked him curiously.

-I believe it was premature burial, you know. These things happen.

-I see, said Falconia and slowly walked out of the room.

Richard was left alone in big luxurious room with his thoughts. What will happen with him now as he sold his soul to devil?

He went outside to big garden where Olivia trained her little black horse. In the distance between big chunks of wood and stone some shadowy figure was standing. Richard took a glimpse of that person, but as he tried to look at him red light covered his eyes, blinding him for a moment. Even though it was cold february afternoon, red light hot like thousands of suns burned at his face. He stood there some time like petrified, until red light dissapeared. Opening his eyes and looking while blinking he saw no more traces of that shadowy figure.

Olivia rode with horse to him.

-What happened to you?

-I don't know. Suddenly strong red light covered my face. I couldn't see anything.

Richard was brushing his face with hands. Turning to Olivia, he saw her as she was standing on black horse. Falcon bird coming from the sky landed on her left shoulder. Olivia turned her head to bird and at the sky. Looking at her he thought how it was nice picture.

Olivia pushed her horse and turned to Richard.

-Won't you come with me to the river? We could take a swim.

-Ok, Richard said.

Richard sat on horse beside her and they travelled to nearby river.

-I believe it was some disturbance in your head. Maybe madam Isabella could fix you some medicine.

Richard nodded. He was getting anxious while they were travelling to river, because that river was the same one where his brother and sister drowned long time ago.

-You still didn't tell me how I was brought back alive.

-Well I explained it to you. You were still alive in that grave. I just heard you mumbling under the ground and dug you out.

-I still don't believe you.

They came to the river. It was getting dark and river was shinning with purple light from the rainbow. They came of the horse and prepared to throw themselves for some swimming.

Richard went first. As he walked into the river deeper and deeper he felt some movements at the bottom of the lake. Olivia was behind him, close to black horse.

-What is it, Richard?, she asked him.

Young knight gave no answer as he went deeper and deeper into the river. He could hear faint smiling of Olivia behind him and sound of black horse.

-Richard, are you drowning there., she asked smilling viciously.

He knew what was waiting at the bottom of the lake for him. It was just a moment of time. Hideous snake ten foot tall grabbed him by the leg and pulled him down to the bottom of the lake, bound his body with numerous claws and crushed every bone in his fragile body. As he was losing consciousness last thing he heard was faint smiling of princess Olivia.​

My crime fiction library

This is a collection of detective and crime novels, crime comics and crime anthologies. It is not perfect because there is missing a few classic detective novels and stories, books about famous crime writers and theory of crime fiction, but I hope I will get them too. There are also some classic literatures and monographies of famous painters put on for good measure.

Dark Jazz

Imagine a desperate man walking down the street, his coat filled with rain, with cigarette in his mouth That is what dark noir embodies : perfect soundtracks for film noirs, which you can listen late at night when it's raining, reading your favorite crime novel. Dark jazz is moody, slow tempo jazz but with some furious takes and sweet vocals. Here I will present some of my favorite artists of this great genre.

Grindcore

 

I particularly like grindcore for it's fast tempo, insane blastbeats, vocals which sounds like hell, and short track duration which compresses much longer music into short glimpse from the underworld. Although critics say that grindcore is simple music that is not true, for it takes heavy knowledge of hardcore/metal music. Here I will post some of my favorites. Happy listening!