bloody moon over walderia

7/31/2019 Bloody Moon Over Walderia

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Bloody Moon over Walderia

Seth Estlow

-Part 1-

The knight Wolfgang von Wolfen sat alone in his house in the Black Forest. It was

the year 1427 Anno Domini, and he was a knight of the Order of the Rose Cross. Wolfgangwas descended from the legendary Pagan hero Ermanaz Wulfingaz, but in 723 AD,

Hruodrih Wulfing, a descendant of Ermanaz, converted to Christianity after Saint

Bonifacius cut down the oak tree of the Thunder God Donar. That oak tree was sacred tothe Kazza tribe, and the land they lived in became part of the Thuringian duchy under

Frankish rule in 632 AD, and afterwards, a state of the Holy Roman Empire.

Wolfgang's father, Reinhard von Wolfen, was also a knight. In fact, he established

the Order of the Rose Cross after having a vision of a golden cross with a red rose at itscenter. He took it as a sign from God to establish the new order in service of the Emperor

and the Pope. Unfortunately, Reinhard had gone questing in some obscure kingdom in the

eastern lands of the Empire when Wolfgang was but a lad of ten, and he never returned.

Wolfgang's mother Beatrix raised him alone from then on, until she was mysteriously slainin the night. After that, his father's estate was left to him: nothing more than a small cottage

in the woods.As Wolfgang sat quietly in his cottage pondering, as he did day after day, what had

become of his mother and father, he heard hoof-beats fast approaching his house. With no

time to put on his armor, he rushed to grab his longsword before throwing the door openand bounding outside. He quickly looked around, and he spied a man in brightly colored

clothes riding a tall brown steed toward him. The man was carrying the banner of the

Empire a double-headed black eagle on a gold field. When the man rode near enough,

Wolfgang saw that he was no more than a mere boy. The boy pulled the reins and his horsecame to a stop. The boy drew a trumpet out from beneath his cloak and blew a loud note on

it. Who are you? Wolfgang growled.Im the Popes messenger, the boy said. Ive come to tell you that you are

needed in Rome. The Pope would have a word with you.

About what? Wolfgang asked.He didnt say, the boy replied. He merely asked that you come at once.

Very well, he answered. Do you have some token I can show the guards of the

Popes palace so that they will recognize me as a guest of His Holiness?

The boy handed him a gold coin bearing the Popes seal on one side, and the initialsI. H. S. on the other side, with a cross.

That is good, Wolfgang said. I will go. You may leave me.

The boy nodded in affirmation and turned his steed, heading southward through theforest. Wolfgang went back into his cottage and prepared for the trip. Rome was a long

way off, so he packed some food for the trip, as well as a lantern, a bedroll and other such

gear. He put on his plate armor by himself, which took a while, though it was faster thanmost other knights would have done it. He had grown quite adept at putting his armor on

by himself, since he lived alone without any vassals. Once he had accomplished this, he

strapped his leather scabbard to his back. It contained his trusty sword Ubelmorder, which

had been given to him by his father.

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He took his sack and his horse's saddle and went outside. His horse was a huge

black steed named Dietrich, after the king of the Goths who ruled Italy in 493. The horse

was tied to a post outside. The knight fastened his saddle onto the horse and tied his sack tothe saddle. Dietrich snorted and stamped his hoof in protest.

"I'm sorry, boy," the knight said. "We've been summoned by the Pope himself. We

have to go."The knight climbed up on his horse and dug in his spurs. The animal sped

southward, through the woods. The knight rode southward along the Fulda River and

through the state of Franken. He passed over the river Main and into Schwabenland. Herode for days, only stopping when he could no longer endure it, but by the early morning of

the next day, he would be off once more. He soon passed over the river Donau, and then

the Rhein, before riding through the tall and craggy mountains. Onward, onward he went,

through night and day. He entered the territory of Lombardia, over the Po River and intoToscana, and after that, into the Papal States until at last he crossed the Tevere River and

entered Rome.

The knight dismounted, gazing in awe at the wondrous palaces and monuments of

Rome. It had been years since he had visited the city, and when he gazed upon the tallspires, the elegant crosses and the artfully-carved statues, his jaw hung down in utter

amazement. He led his horse through the city until at last he came before the Pope's palace.Two guards in shining armor approached him, descending the stairs that led up to the

palace's entrance. Their shields bore the double-headed eagle of the Empire

"Who are you, and what business do you have here?" one of the guards asked."I'm Wolfgang von Wolfen," he replied. "The Pope asked me to come."

"And what proof do you have?" the other guard asked.

Wolfgang produced the gold coin the messenger had given him. The second guard

took the coin and looked it over."Very well," he said. "You may enter.

The first guard whistled and a boy in expensive clothes came forward and bowed.

"Dante," the guard said, "take this man's horse.""Yes sir," the boy said, bowing once more.

The boy took the horse by the reins and led him away. The other guard gestured to

the door at the top of the steps."This way sir."

Wolfgang slowly climbed the stairs until he reached the doorway where another

guard opened the doors for him, and he entered the wide hall. The inside of the palace was

even more impressive than the outside. The ceilings were painted with biblical scenes. Thewalls were lined with statues of saints. Golden crosses stood here and there, bearing the

image of Christ. As Wolfgang wandered the wall dumbfounded, he was approached by a

priest in white robes, who smiled and asked him,"Are you here to see the Pope?"

Yes, he answered.

Follow me, sir, the priest replied.Wolfgang followed the priest through a nearby door, up the stairs, down another

long hall and finally, before two huge golden doors bearing images of biblical scenes in bas

relief. The priest smiled and gestured.

The Pope is in this room, he said.

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The priest opened the doors and Wolfgang entered to find a vast throne room where

the Pope sat on a golden throne in his white vestments, wearing his tall pontiff and sipping

from a goblet of wine. When the aged man spied me, he sat his goblet upon the arm of histhrone and spoke:

Sir Wolfgang von Wolfen, Knight of the Rose Cross?

Yes, Your Holiness, it is I.Ah, excellent, he said, folding his hands. I have a very important mission for

you. It is the same mission I sent your father on, but he never returned. You see, at the

eastern edge of the Empire there lays a small kingdom called Walderia, ruled by one DukeRafael von Waldstein. They are part of the Empire, but in name only. They are all but

independent from my rule.

I understand, Wolfgang nodded.

The quest you must undertake, the Pope continued, is to travel to Walderia andretrieve two items for me.

What items? Wolfgang asked.

Waldstein once went on an expedition into the ancient and shadow-haunted lands

of Sumer and Egypt seeking some ancient and sorcerous power. He searched the tombs ofboth of those lands, and eventually he discovered the two treasures that he sought. In Egypt

he uncovered the book calledBiblio Thouth by the Greek scholars, though it was called theShefdew Djehuti by the Egyptians. Both titles translate to The Book of Thoth. Thoth was

the ancient Egyptian God of magic, and the book contains 78 images of arcane power

called the Taro, which are a powerful tool of sorcery.And what did he uncover in Sumer? Wolfgang asked.

While the Book of Thoth was often called by Egyptians The Book of the Living,

and was a tool of white magic, the book he uncovered in Sumer is of a most wicked power.

It was called the Nekronomikon by the Greeks, but the Sumerian necromancers called itEdubba Sumsu Mitu. The title means Book of Dead Names, but it was also referred to as

The Book of the Dead, and can be used to summon demons far more powerful than all in

Hell! You must retrieve these books from Waldstein so that they can be placed in mylibrary for safe keeping. Can you do that?

Yes, the knight replied, but I would need some kind of map to find Walderia.

That is easily done, the Pope replied. I can also supply you with whatever gearyou may need in this quest. Follow Father Lazzaro. Hes waiting outside.

Thank you, your holiness, Wolfgang said with a bow.

He turned and walked out of the throne room. The priest who led him to the throne

room was there waiting.Youre Father Lazzaro? the knight asked.

The smiling priest nodded silently, and then he spoke:

Follow me.Wolfgang followed at the priests side as the priest casually talked.

You are of the Order of the Rose Cross, are you not?

Wolfgang nodded. The priest continued,The head of your order is waiting for you. He wanted to help prepare you for your

journey, and the Pope said that would be fine.

Johann von Hohenheim is here?! the young knight asked excitedly.

Yes he is, Lazzaro said. Come this way.

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Wolfgang and the priest turned a corner, entering a small storeroom. Waiting there

was an old knight, exceedingly tall and stoutly proportioned. The mans pate was bald, but

his chin sported a bushy white beard. He wore simple crimson garb and smiled when hespied Wolfgang.

Greetings, young Wolfgang! How pleasant to see you again!

The old knight placed his hands on his gut and bellowed a loud, hearty laugh.Wolfgangs eyes lit up when he saw his fathers old friend. He flung his arms out and

embraced the old knight.

Johann! Its so nice to see you! he exclaimed.Yes, of course! the old knight said. However, theres little time for pleasantries.

Ive come here to prepare you for the perilous adventure that killed your father, God bless

his soul

A grave look cast a shadow over the once-cheery face of Johann. For but a briefmoment he dwelt upon his long-time friends death, and then he snapped to attention.

Wolfgang, you must understand, Walderia is a strange and horrific place. You

must be fully prepared, for it is a land demons and phantoms. I can supply you with the

proper items to face such phantoms, but you must promise me you will be shriven by apriest, and to remain faithful to the Lords commandments.

I swear it on my honor, Wolfgang replied.Good, Johann said. Now, look at what I have here.

Johann bent down and took up a wooden chest that was lying on the floor, placing

it upon a nearby table. He opened the chest, revealing an interesting array of tools. Amongthem were several wooden stakes, a mallet, a hatchet, a small booklet, a rosary, several

bulbs of garlic, several vials of water, a silver knife and a mirror.

Walderia is haunted by a certain type of undead, Johann explained. They are

called Upir by the Tsheche people, but in Deutsch they are known as Blutsauger, orNachtzehrer. These creatures are immortal, but cursed, and if you are bitten by one, you

can become one. They feast on human blood, and they cannot go about by day. They are

unholy creatures, and foes of Our Lord. They can be repelled by crucifixes, holy words andgarlic. They can be harmed by holy water and silver. They look like men, but to be sure

you are facing one, you should know they have no reflection. To make sure you are strong

in the might of the Lord, you should read this prayer book and pray the rosary daily. Thereare several ways to kill an Upir. They two best methods are to drive a wooden stake into its

heart with the mallet, then hack its head off with the hatchet or the silver knife, or expose it

to sunlight. Do you understand?

Wolfgang nodded.Now, as you can see, I have not supplied any ranged weapons.

Johann reached to a nearby shelf and grabbed a crossbow and a small quiver. He

placed both items on the table.The arrows are tipped with silver, he said, though I know you are very fond of

your zweihander. To make it an effective weapon, you should have it blessed when you go

to be shriven. Also, as you can see, I have provided you with a simple rosary, but there isanother item, a crucifix that is sacred to our order. Wait one moment.

Johann went into the back of the room and opened a large wooden chest. He

reached in, and drew out an object wrapped in a white silken cloth. He laid the bundle on

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the desk before me, and then ceremoniously unwrapped it. It was a shining cross made of

gold with an elegantly carved rose of ruby at its center.

Do you know what this is? Johann asked.Wolfgang shook his head.

When your father had the vision of the Rosy Cross, Johann explained, he was

told to travel to the Holy Land by Saint George, Saint Michael and the Blessed Virgin.Before he set out, he told me that I, his brother in Christ, was to accompany him. We went

there, and while we were wandering hungry outside of Jerusalem, we spied a little white

lamb. We chased after him, and soon we reached the foot of a tall mountain. The lambclimbed up, up the mountain and, since we were hungry, we sought to catch him and eat

him. We climbed all the way up a steep cliff where an old stone chapel stood, and the lamb

went inside the chapel, so we followed him. When we came in, we saw that the lamb had

lain upon the stone altar, surrendering himself to us. We decided to spare him, as weclearly saw that this was a sign from God.

As the lamb lay there, he appeared to be pointing his hoof toward a small stone

chest. We decided to remove the lid from the chest, and there we found a small bundle

which we unwrapped. It was this cross you see before you, which, having thoughtourselves guided by the Holy Spirit, we called theRosa Crucis Sancti Spiritus, or the Rose

Cross of the Holy Spirit. We decided that this was a gift from God, so we formed aknightly order called the Militis Rosa Crucis, or Knights of the Rose Cross. Now I give

this sacred relic as a gift to you to protect you in your darkest times. May the grace of Our

Heavenly Father always be with you.Wolfgang thanked him, putting the Rose Cross in the chest and closing it. The chest

had a pair of leather straps like a backpack, so the young knight hefted it onto his back. He

pulled the quiver of crossbow bolts onto his back as well, so that he was holding the weight

of his sword Ubelmorder, the crossbow bolts and the case and all its contents on his back.There was a loop at the butt-end of the crossbow as well, so he hung it from his belt. Now

carrying all his gear (aside from the contents of the sack hanging from his horses saddle)

he was fully prepared to quest to Walderia for those ancient and forbidden tomes ofsorcery. Once again he embraced Johann, slapping him hard on the back.

Again I thank you, my comrade, the young knight said. With your new gifts I

am fully prepared to fight whatever phantoms I may face.No, I think not, said Father Lazzaro. Have you forgotten that you need to be

shriven, and your sword blessed in the name of the Lord?

Ah, youre right, Father! the young knight said, slapping his forehead. How

could I have forgotten?Follow me, the priest said with a smile.

Wolfgang said goodbye to his fellow knight and followed the priest down the hall

to a small chapel where the two men sat down. The knight told the priest all the sins he hadcommitted since his last confession, which was at St. Peters Day, more than two months

ago. Once the knight had confessed his relatively short list of sins, the priest required him

to recite sixteen Ave Marias and four Pater Nosters, and to fast for a day.Also, the priest continued, I suggest you wear one of these.

The priest reached into a nearby drawer and drew forth a shirt woven of course

hairs. Wolfgang raised an eyebrow.

What is that?

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It is a cilicium, he said. That is, a hairshirt. Wearing it is an act of penance. The

holiest men wear these as a constant reminder of their service to God. Also, while you are

in that accursed land of devils, I think you should pray the rosary every day. I imagine thatthe prayers of the rosary are in that prayer book Johann gave you, in case you forget them.

Remember: sixteen Ave Marias and four Pater Nosters. And fast for a day at least! You

must be strong in your faith at all times. Oh! And lest I forget, I must bless your sword.What do you call it? Ubelmorder? The Slayer of Evil! What an excellent name! Well,

hold it before me, young knight!

Wolfgang drew his zweihander and held it before the priest. The priest dipped anaspergillum into the nearby holy water font and splashed the water on the blade, then he

made the sign of the cross and said the prayer of blessing:

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, Amen.

Wolfgang thanked the priest and was about to leave, but then he rememberedsomething. He had not been given a map.

Father, he said, how do I find my way to the state of Walderia?

Ah, yes, the priest said. Come with me.

The knight followed Father Lazzaro through a door at the side of the chapel to asmall room filled with various books and scrolls. Lazzaro ran his finger across one shelf

before finding the proper scroll. He took it off of the shelf and handed it to Wolfgang, whounrolled it and eyed it for some time before rolling it back up and thanking the priest once

more. After that, the priest escorted the young knight back to the front door of the Popes

palace where the knight met with the two guards he had spoken to before. They called theboy Dante who ran to the stables and returned a short while later with Wolfgangs black

steed Dietrich. The knight took the horse by the reins and led it away from the palace, back

to the gates of Rome.

The knight mounted his steed and unrolled the scroll again. He knew what path totake for now. After a brief pause, he rode north until he reached a lake where his

dismounted and sat beneath a tree. He remembered he had to do his penance, so he

removed the armor on his upper body and slipped the hairshirt before putting the armorback on again. The shirt was extremely uncomfortable and scratched his skin, but he

endured it, recalling that he had to recite certain prayers. He opened his case and took out

the rosary and prayer book, which he did not need to refer to, since he remembered theproper Latin words. Still, he used the rosary to count out all sixteen Ave Marias and the

four Pater Nosters. After that, he packed up his gear and got back onto his horse, which had

been chewing the grass near the tree.

Of courseyou can eat, the knight said. The rules of the Church dont apply toyou. Well, wed better get going, boy.

The knight dug his spurs into the horses sides and they continued northward. He

rode out of the Papal States, onward, onward, through day and night, only stopping whenhe could ride no more. He passed through Toscana and rode into Lombardia, and then he

crossed the river Po. He turned northeast and travelled through the rough and jagged Alps,

and then he entered the state of Bayern, and after that, as grim night fell once more, he rodeup into the Kraftberg Mountains which surrounded Walderia, land of specters

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-Part 2-

The chill autumn breeze whipped through the otherwise silent mountains. The

knight rode alone, ever on guard for whatever ghastly phantoms may lie in wait. As he rodeon, however, he became somewhat unnerved, as strange murmurings echoed through the

crags. What manner of inhuman creature could make such gurgling, barbaric sounds? He

began to recall stories from his youth about wicked man-eating trolls that dwelt in themountains. He pushed the disturbing thoughts from his mind and rode on with clear and

willfully daring intent. As night wore on, however, he found himself more and more

unnerved, until at last he found himself riding down from those eerie mountains into thelands below. He looked at his map once more and realized soon he would be reaching the

Groneskian Basin.

As the hero rode down the sloping mountain path he spied ahead of him a vast and

empty space covered in rough gravel."I'm sorry, boy," the hero said to his steed. "It looks like you may get some rocks

caught in your hooves. Don't worry. I'll dig them out once we reach a nice grassy field

where you can eat."

The knight was relieved to finally be out of the mountains, but when he lookeddown at the gravel, he spied broken bones. At first he thought they might be animal bones,

but before long, he spied a cracked human skull gazing up at him through dark, hollow eyesockets. A chill went down his spine, and he joked to his horse to reassure himself.

"Calm down, boy. Its just some old bones! You sure are a silly horse, scared by old

cracked bones!"He laughed a little, trying to be brave, but soon a thick fog rolled over the land.

"By Jesu!" he exclaimed. "This sure is an eerie place. Eerie, indeed!"

He continued onward through the thick fog, but before long he heard rattling in the

distance. The sounds grew closer and closer, and briefly he entertained the thought that theskeletons were piecing themselves together and shuffling toward him, sensing that a living

man was among them. The knight took his case off of his back and opened it before him as

the horse slowly walked on by itself. The knight took the golden rosy cross from the castand clutched it close to his breast, shutting and latching the case and hefting it onto his

back once more.

"Don't worry, boy," he said to his horse. "The Lord is with us."Again he recalled the old verse from the Psalms, "Though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death..."

"Well, I never thought of a more fitting verse for this foul place," he said to himself.

After many dark hours, the sun rose once more over the Kraftberg Mountains in theeast, though the thick haze still hung over the country. Shortly after, the knight reached a

small village. He spied a large rock upon the grassy ground and decided he would fulfill

the promise he had made to his horse."I hope this grass is good enough for you, boy," he said. "I doubt we'll find any

grass here like that in the Schwarzwald."

The knight dismounted and took the saddle off of Dietrich, and after that he sat onthe gray rock and opened his case, drawing forth the silver knife. He grasped his horse's

front left hoof and began digging rocks out of it.

"I'm sure old Johann didn't intend me to use this knife for such a purpose," he said,

"but I've failed to bring a knife of my own."

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He sat and dug the rocks out of each hoof as the townspeople slowly rose from their

doubtlessly nightmare-filled sleep to work once more by the light of the blessed sun. Once

he had finished, the young knight put the knife back in the case, latched it and slung it overhis back. Hoping to allow the horse some relief, the knight held the saddle in one hand

while leading Dietrich by the reins with the other. A short old man in dull clothes walked

by Wolfgang with his head down, pushing a wheelbarrow filled with dung, but the knightturned toward him and spoke:

"Old man, what town is this?"

The old man spoke Deutsch, but it was in a foreign and barbaric dialect."Frausacker, its called," the old man said. "Where are ye coming from, lad? And

what are ye about?"

"I'm a knight," Wolfgang said. I'm here for..."

He paused, not wanting to give away his purpose, lest he tell it to the wrong person."Let's just say... I'm here to speak to Herzog von Waldstein."

"Ah, he's not here," the man said. "Groneskia, this place is called. In Southern

Walderia, Castle Waldstein is."

Wolfgang checked his map. Southern Walderia lay northeast of Groneskia, over theriver Donau.

"What is that gravelly place southwest of here?" the knight asked."Ah, the Boneyard that be," the old man said. "That is where they lay the bones of

outlaws what can't get a proper burial. The old bones cannot find rest, they say."

The knight found it disturbing that, outside of Groneskia's cities, there was a vastgraveyard filled with the restless bones of the wicked. His eyes were wide with morbid

wonder.

"Stare ye not like that, lad! Unnerve an old man with looks like that, ye will!"

The young knight apologized. As he looked over the map, he discovered that it toldhim how to get to Walderia, and the shapes of its three states, but it did not detail many of

the geographic features that would be useful to him.

"Where can I find a better map of this place?" the knight asked."Ah, a library of sorts, there be," the old man answered. "Yonder it lies, by ye

town's church."

The old man pointed to a small and humble country chapel. The light of the risingsun fell dramatically on the rough wooden cross that was nailed above the door. The knight

decided he would visit that place after he had procured a proper map. As for now, the

knight walked up to the pitifully small building that lay beside it, and he fastened his saddle

back on the horse, tied him to a nearby post, and entered. As he looked around the small,dim place, he saw that it was absolutely packed with old books, scrolls and papers. There

was a slender, scholarly looking man in shabby clothes, with a tightly bound ponytail,

standing behind the front desk. Though the man was thin, he was rather tall, and when theknight approached the desk, the man stared down his aquiline nose at him with a pompous

smirk.

"Looking for some books, are you?"The knight ignored the mans condescending tone.

Actually, Im looking for a map of Walderia, he answered.

I have a map that includes the Duchy of Walderia both the northern and southern

counties and the Barony of Groneskia. It includes the three major forests, the two major

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lakes, the three major rivers, the eleven main cities, the three castles and the surrounding

mountain range. Is that sufficient for your purposes?"

The young knight nodded.Very well, the man said. Do you have a library card?

Actually, the knight explained, I may not be able to return the map. Is there

some way I can purchase it?You may, the librarian answered. I can give it to you for three marcks.

Wolfgang reached into his belt pouch and drew forth a large silver coin with the

Emperors face on it. It was a Reichsthaler, worth roughly three marcks.That is sufficient, the librarian said. Let me get the map for you.

The librarian reached below his desk and drew forth a rolled up parchment. He

unrolled it on the desk and Wolfgang looked it over. The knight rolled the parchment back

up and thanked the man before leaving for the church. When he entered the small chapel,he was greeted by a bald priest in white vestments.

Greetings, in the name of Jesu, the priest said.

He had long yellowing nails and smiled, revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth. He

wore gold rings and his beard was long, gray and tangled. Having fasted for a day, as wasrequired of him as a penance, the knight asked if he may confess his sins, pray the rosary

before the image of the Lord, and receive the Eucharist. The priest allowed him this. Theknight confessed the few minor sins he had committed since he left Rome. After that, he

knelt before the priest and received the body of Christ in the form of a crumbling wafer,

and then drank the heady wine that was His blood. Finally, the knight knelt before thelarge, gnarled wooden cross that hung on the wall. Mounted on that rugged cross was the

most ghastly, twisted, agonized image of the Lord he had ever seen, and when he looked

upon it, he reflected on the vile sins the Lord had died for, that man may be forgiven them.

The image was so wretched that the knight felt shamed for ever committing even thesmallest sin. He prayed the rosary there before the pitiful image, and then he stood up,

waving his hand at the old priest.

Farewell, the knight said.May the Lords face shine upon you, young knight! the old priest said. Go with

God, my child! Go with God!

Wolfgang unrolled the map and gazed at it, and then he looked at his horse.Were going to Castle Waldstein, boy! Ive got a map!

The huge beast snorted and stamped his foot.

Dont worry, boy, the knight replied. Well be there soon enough.

The knight untied the horse from the post and led him through the city, to thenorthwestern road. It was a dusty dirt path leading through a wide green plain. The young

knight mounted his steed once more and rode toward the Southern Walderia. The path led

uphill, out of the Groneskia Basin, toward the city of Erchanmark. As the brave knight rodeon, his horses hooves beating rapidly along the dirt path, the sun sank in the west,

disappearing beneath the Kraftberg Mountains that surrounded this small, shadow-haunted

land. Wolfgangs horse grew tired and slowed his pace. In the light of the autumn moon,the knight grew hungry. He reached into his sack and pulled out an apple, crunching it.

Now riding slowly, and loudly eating an apple, the young knight realized how deathly

silent this place was at night.

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Ive got an apple for you, too, boy, he said to Dietrich. Also, we can probably

pick up more food in the next town.

He looked around and then added,if we make it there.

Soon the knight reached a poorly-built wooden bridge made of half-rotted planks

stretching across the Donau River, which divided Groneskia from Southern Walderia.Wolfgang eyed the bridge, judging whether or not it could bear the weight of him, with all

his armor and gear, as well as his huge horse. At last, Wolfgang decided to risk it. As he

rode his horse across the bridge, something snapped. Suddenly, the bridge collapsed andWolfgang and Dietrich fell into the cold, dark water with a splash. Somehow, Dietrich

climbed out of the river and lowered his head over his master as if telling him to hang onto

him, but as the knight reached up, he suddenly felt clawed hands grasping him and pulling

him down. He shrieked and swallowed the brackish water as one of the hands dunked hishead beneath the water. Soon he gave up all hope as the grasping hands pulled him down,

down into cold, wet darkness

When the knight opened his eyes once more, they were stung by the blight light of

day. Everything was a blurry, but he could feel the ground beneath him. When his visioncleared, he saw a young woman with long raven hair gazing down at him. He was startled,

but she answered his surprise with a pleasant giggle.Hello, Mister Knight, she said. Why were you sleeping in the river?

The knight coughed up water and sat up. His horse was there. Apparently he had

not left the river since Wolfgang had fallen inI wasnt sleeping, the knight said. I was dragged down. How did I survive?

I saw another knight running away from the river, she said. I think he was the

one who saved you. I didnt get a good look at him. Im sorry, sir.

The knight stood up and put out his hand.My name is Wolfgang von Wolfen, he said. What is your name?

The girl shook his hand.

My name is Marie von Waldstein, she said. Im the daughter of the baron ofGroneskia. Would you like to come to my fathers castle?

Yes, he answered.

The knight took up his gear, which had been neatly laid beside him, and then hetook the horses reins and followed Marie back down the road to the town of Frausacker.

Night fell as they took the rode from Frausacker to Castle Anselm. The knight gazed up to

the top of the castles single tower. There was a flag there featuring a white five-pointed

star to the left of a beast like a combination of a ram and a goat, which was also white, on ablue background.

Thats the flag of Groneskia, Marie said. Wait here, Mister Knight, while I

speak to the doorman.Marie knocked on the door of the castle and a slit opened up revealing a pair of

beady eyes. Marie explained that she had brought a guest. The man opened the door and

looked at Wolfgang.Come in, stranger, the man said.

The doorman snapped his finger and a boy in tattered clothes came and took the

knights horse to the stables around the side of the castle. Wolfgang and Marie entered the

castle and he followed her up the spiral stairs to the throne room of the Baron of Groneskia.

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The pale man was dressed in furs and wore a gold crown with large square-shaped rubies.

His black-beaded chin rested on his fist, and he seemed to be grimly pondering something.

Hello Father, Marie said. Ive brought the knight Wolfgang von Wolfen!The barons eyes lit up as he raised his head.

Von Wolfen? he repeated. There was another knight here named von Wolfen

not long ago Do you know that man?My father came to Walderia years ago, the knight said.

Hopefully the baron would not realize that Wolfgang had come for the same reason

his father did.Oh! Ive forgotten to introduce myself, the baron said. My name is Baron

Gunthere von Waldstein, younger brother of Duke Rafael and Count Valentin von

Waldstein. I bid you welcome.

Wolfgang smiled and thanked Baron Gunthere for his hospitality.I will have my servants make you dinner, the baron said, and then you will be

escorted to the guest bedchamber for a nights rest.

Wolfgang expressed his sincerest gratitude and Guntheres servants boiled some

pork and vegetables. The knight ate a filling meal that night, and as the baron said, one ofthe servants took the knight upstairs to a vast bedchamber.

Sleep well, the servant said before turning and heading back down the hall.The knight, ready to get a good nights rest, stripped off his armor piece by piece

and laid it beside the bed with his gear. After that, he laid down on the comfortable goose

down mattress and closed his eyes. When he awoke, he was startled to see Baron Gunthereleaning over him.

Oh, hello Baron, he said. You surprised me.

Ah, uh Greetings! the baron stammered.

The knights long blonde hair was tangled. He tried to fix it, but he found he couldnot. He knelt by the bed and opened his case, taking out his mirror, but the baron, who had

been standing behind him, cast no reflection! Realizing this, the knight took out the Rose

Cross and faced it toward the baron. The monster shielded his eyes and hissed angrily. AsWolfgang held the cross in one hand, he collected his gear with the other. He had no time

to put his armor on, so he used the bed sheet as an improvised sack, carrying the clanking

bundle over his shoulder, all the while pointing the cross at the Upir. He sidestepped thebaron and raced out of the door and down the hall. He rushed down the spiral stairway and

through various rooms before throwing the doorman aside and bursting out of the castle.

He quickly looked around.

Dietrich! he exclaimed.The knight rushed to the stables and unlatched Dietrichs door, leaping onto the

horses back and riding away from the castle as fast as he could. The knight took the

northern road, and day dawned as he reached the next town. The knight consulted his mapand discovered he was in the town of Ingshag. He visited the local shop and purchased

what supplies he thought he would need, and then he rode northeast by the light of day.

Eventually night fell once more, and before long the young knight was at another bridge.This one was made of sturdy stone. He rode across with some difficulty, however, as the

bridge was very narrow. The knight rode on and on, and as day dawned once more, he

found himself riding by a small lake.

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The knight decided he would bathe. He got down from his horse, which obediently

stood and waited as the knight stripped his clothes off and waded into the water. As he was

calmly bathing he spied a naked young girl in the water. It seemed that she spied him aswell, since she shyly ducked beneath the water to hide. The knight was curious, so he

swam toward where he had seen the girl before she went under. Suddenly she popped up

before him, and now that the knight had gotten a closer look at her, he could see she wasnot human. Her skin was a dull green with brown speckles, like a frog, though her breast

and belly were an opaque white. Her hair was long and dark green, and her mouth was

wide. She had large dark eyes, and her fingers were webbed. Despite her inhumanappearance, however, she possessed the beauty, the supple body, and the nave charm of a

young girl.

Hello, the knight said awkwardly. Who are you?

The lake-sprite merely stared at him and smiled with wonder. She ducked beneaththe water once more and moments later returned to the surface with a panpipe made of

reeds. She played a tune on the instrument and swam deeper into the lake. The knight,

entranced, followed her. She ducked beneath the water once more and the knight swam

down to follow. The sprite grasped him by the arm and pulled him down, but with a suddenawakening, he realized he couldnt breathe. With incredible force he wrenched himself free

of the creatures iron grip, swimming to the surface. He burst out of the water and took adeep breath. It was night now. He didnt know how long he had been swimming and

frolicking with the sprite, but he knew he had to make it to the shore. He swam as fast as he

could through the water, and when he at last reached the shore, he threw himself on theground, breathing heavily. The knight took up the hairshirt he had been given by Father

Lazzaro and put it on. Perhaps the shirts scratchy hairs would remind him to never frolic

again with such wicked pagan creatures as that water-sprite.

The knight put on his clothes and his armor, gathered up his gear and mounted oncemore. He rode at a slow and somber pace back to the road he had left before swimming in

that damnable lake. He followed the rode northeast and, in the dark of night, the knight

rode into the next town: Baldurbaro. Since it was night and the townspeople were fastasleep, the dejected knight sat down against a stone wall and fell asleep until he was

awakened once more by the bright light of the sun. He shielded his eyes and looked to see

that his horse was still there, watching him patiently like a loyal hound awaiting itsmasters command.

Good morning, boy, the night said.

When Wolfgang looked around once more, he saw that the townspeople were

already very busy. He led his horse through town until he spied a small chapel. Tying hishorse to a post out front, the knight entered the chapel. He was soon greeted by a young

priest in white robes.

Greetings, in the name of Our Lord, the priest said. Why, may I ask, have youcome into this house of God?

I wish to confess my sins, the knight answered.

The priest agreed to that, and the knight confessed all the minor sins he hadcommitted since his last confession, including his lustful thoughts about the lake sprite.

Lake sprite, you say? the priest asked.

Yes, Wolfgang answered. She lured me under water to drown me.

Ah, the Nixie, the priest replied.

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You know of that creature?

Yes, he answered. She is why the lake is referred to as Lake Nixe. She is a

water spirit that seduces handsome young men and tries to bring them down into the waterto dwell with her forever. Of course, she does not understand that human men cannot

breathe underwater, which is why her lair is littered with corpses.

The knight paused to silently reflect on the plight of such a lonely creature. Thepriest told him what prayers he had to say to be absolved of his sins, and the knight said

them eagerly, anxious to be purged of the wickedness that seemed to cling to him every

time he encountered any uncanny thing this land of shadows.May God be with you, my son, the priest said, though he could have been no

older than the knight himself.

Wolfgang left the chapel and eyed his map. The eastern road would lead him to

Waldstein Castle where he was sure the Nekronomikon and the Book of Thoth were kept.The knight rolled up his map and untied his horse from the post. He led his horse outside

the city and mounted him, heading along the eastern road. As night fell, he rode onward,

toward Castle Waldstein. As he gazed upward at the moon, he felt a sudden, strange feeling

of delirium. The moon was waxing, and it would be full soon. He knew not why, but itfilled him with a hunger he did not want to acknowledge. Still, the feeling was too strong,

and it made him feel restless and feverish.

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-Part 3-

The knight was in sight of the castle now. Within two or three nights, he imagined,

the moon would be full. Soon the knight reached the portcullis of the castle. Two guardsstood out front in dull gray armor. The knight paused before the portcullis, got down from

his horse, and gazed up at a tall tower that rose from the castle. A strange flag blew in the

wind. The upper left-hand corner of the flag was divided from the rest of the flag with a redband, and that corner was black, with a red heart above a white moon in the black field.

The larger part of the flag was white, but a strange beast laid there, colored red. The beast

had the head and breasts of a woman, the front legs of a lion, back legs like those of a birdof prey, and a pointed draconic tail. The creature also had a pair of feathery, bird-like

wings. The knight had never seen such a creature, nor heard one described, and he

wondered what it might me. As he gazed up at the flag, one of the guards cleared his throat,

and the knight's gaze returned to the two guards.What do you want at Castle Waldstein? one guard asked from beneath a long,

thick black mustache.

Im a knight from the Holy Roman Empire, he answered. Ive come to talk to

Duke von Waldstein.The one guard looked to the other, who nodded, and then the first guard put his

hand on a crank and turned it, raising the portcullis. As the one guard raised the portcullis,the other took Wolfgangs horse by the reins and led it to the stables. The knight entered

the castle and soon was greeted by a pale boy in black who told the knight to follow him.

The boy led the knight down hallways and up stairs, to at last come to the throne room ofDuke Waldstein. The Duke was pale and handsome, with long raven-black hair. His eyes

were dark and intense, and he wore a flowing black cloak over his elegantly tailored

clothes. He wore a ruffled white shirt and tight leather breeches. His fingers wore shining

gold rings and ended in pointed fingernails. His teeth were incredibly white, and hiscanines were sharp and pointed.

Greetings, the Duke said. I am Archduke Rafael Vinzent von Waldstein, son and

successor of Adalhelm von Waldstein. Welcome to my castle. Who are you, and why haveyou come here?

I am Wolfgang von Wolfen. Ive been sent by the Pope to retrieve the

Nekronomikon and the Book of Thoth.Ah, I see, the Duke said. This is a complicated matter. Let us discuss it over

dinner. Come with me.

Wolfgang followed the Duke to the dining room where ugly, dwarf-like servants

rushed around, preparing a meal. Very shortly a plate of roast beef and boiled vegetableswas set before him with a goblet of wine. The knight said a prayer of thanks before eating,

which caused the Duke to grimace. The knight asked the Duke why he referred to himself

asArchduke von Waldstein.I am Archduke of the Walderian States, he explained, But I am also Duke of

Walderia and the Count of Southern Walderia. My younger brother Valentin is Count of

Northern Walderia, and my youngest brother, Gunthere, is Baron of Groneskia. Being theeldest, I inherited the crown of the Archduke from my father, Adalhelm von Waldstein.

My father Reinhard came here years ago, Wolfgang said. He was looking for the

same books I have come here for. Do you know what became of him?

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That is also a complicated matter, the Duke said. You see, you and your father

are descended from a line of men who are somewhat infamous in this land. Also, the

people of my country have come to mistrustthe Pope and his agents. It is a mistrust thatI share with them. Surely the Pope cannot fully grasp the true arcane power of the tomes I

posses. Otherwise, he would know well that I would never willingly allow a knight to take

them from me, nor could a single knight take them by force.And what of my ancestors? the knight asked, taking a sip of his wine.

"As you already know." the Duke explained, "you are descended from the hero

Ermanaz Wulfingaz. His grandson, Othalawulfaz, slew my grandfather, MerjazWalthusteinaz. Also, Ermanaz's twenty-times-great grandson, Hruodulf von Waldstein

slew my father, Adalhelm."

"How can that be?!" the knight asked. "Those things happened hundreds of years

ago! How can they have lived that long?!""Let's just say, my father and grandfather were immortals. You see, everyone in

my family is what you would call a Blutsauger? A Nachtzehrer? An Upir? Yes, thats

right. We are a family ofvampires!

That cannot be! the knight exclaimed, taking another gulp of wine. That girlMarie the daughter of Baron Gunthere She went out in the daylight!

Oh, she is what you would call a dhampir. You see, her mother was mortalwoman, so Marie may go about by the light of day if she so desires. Also, I believe its

important to mention I drugged your wine.

As the vampire lord laughed maniacally, the knights vision went hazy and he fellto the floor in a stupor of darkened oblivion

When the knight awoke once more, he was in the woods. Two figures stooped over

him, and when his vision cleared once more, he saw that it was his mother and father. They

had not aged since he had last seen them, all those years ago, though now they looked paleand disheveled. The knight sat up in utter shock.

Mother?! Father?! Youre alive?!

Yes, his mother sighed, but we are vampires. You see, when your father camehere seeking the two books, he was unprepared and did not wear that holy relic that you

now possess. The Duke fell upon him and bit him, turning him into a vampire.

Its true, the knights father said. I should have brought the cross with me, but Idid not, and after the Duke turned me, I returned to the Schwarzwald and bit your mother.

After that, I took her with me back to Walderia in the hopes that we might find some way

to slay the Duke, since it would release us from his power.

Then its my duty, the young knight said, to slay the Duke.I know you have the power to do so, the knights mother said. I have always

believed in you, Wolfgang.

Yes, my son, the knights father said. Find the Duke and destroy him.I will do so, the knight said, clutching the Rose Cross. I swear on this cross I

will slay the Duke!

Im so glad I saved you from the river! Wolfgangs father said.That was you?! the knight asked in amazement.

Yes, his father answered. Now go and slay the Duke, my son!

The knight embraced his parents, and then they left, disappearing into the forest.

The knight did not know where he was, but he still had his map. There were three major

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forests in Walderia. He figured his best bet was to walk southward, away from the north

star. The knight heard the sound of water and walked toward it. He found a river, and since

only one forest in Walderia had a river going through it, he could only assume this was theUrda River, and he was in Hathuswald, the northernmost Walderian forest.

As the knight travelled down the river, he gazed up at the moon once more. Soon it

would be full, and the very thought of that filled him with dread. His mind was so fixed onthe moon that he did not notice the strange manlike figures rising out of the water behind

him. The creatures were sly and possessed a cold-blooded grace that kept them from being

heard by even the most best-trained of ears. The creatures were reptilian warriors -- lizardmen, scaly and barbaric, they dwelt in the Walderian forests in tribal communities, hiding

from the civilized human world. The creatures -- there were five of them -- followed

behind the knight carrying stone-headed axes and wooden shields, their forked tongues

flickering, long tails waving, and yellow slit-pupil eyes shining in the dark. They couldonly be detected by the subtle, quiet hiss they occasionally made. Fortunately, Wolfgang

heard the hissing sound. Quickly he drew his zweihander and turned, ready to face the

monsters.

He violently slashed at the creatures with wide, powerful swings. Quickly he cloveone of the creatures in twain, but just as he did so, two others flanked him, swinging their

stone axes from both sides. The hero fended off their attack, driving his sword into one ofthe creatures with suck force he had nearly sunk the sword in the creatures flesh up to the

hilt. As he concentrated on removing the reptilian creature from the blade, kicking the

writhing monster off of the blade while jerking the sword back, the other monster attackedhis unguarded back. The lizard-man swung his stone axe, penetrating the knights armor

with a loud crash. The hero was stunned, but more angered than hurt. He drew the sword

from the creature, spilling blood and organs as he spun around, hacking the other creature

in two. With a monstrous growl, wild-eyed and teeth bared, he turned toward the tworemaining creature.

The remaining lizard-men looked at each other briefly as if considering whether or

not to attack the raging beast that stood before them. Suddenly they tried to run, but theknight threw his sword down, leaping at the nearest lizard-man and driving him to the

ground. The reptilian hissed in fear, pinned beneath the raging man-beast, and Wolfgang

bit down hard on the creatures scaly neck, tearing the flesh. The creatures blue bloodtasted foul and brackish, but standing over the lizard-mans corpse he let out a howl that

echoed throughout all of Walderia.

The knight whimpered, realizing he had lost control and that some other force,

some bestial second nature in him, had arisen within him and took over. He somehow knewthat this spirit was inside him all along, but had only recently taken control because of the

evil influence of the haunted land. The knight knelt down, clutching his rosary and

whispering prayers until dawn, begging the Lord to protect him from the monster that livedwithin him. As day dawned, however, he took inventory of the gear he still had with him.

His sword, his crossbow and quiver, and his case were all there, but his horse and the gear

it had been carrying were gone. What had that filthy Upir done with Dietrich?The knight continued southward along the length of the river before emerging from

the woods. He spied a town not far off, and he walked toward it. Soon he reached the gate

of the city, and looked at his map, which was still with him. He had reached the town of

Swarogsfeld. He freely entered the town where he immediately found a church. Here he

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confessed his sins to a priest and received his penance. Having absolved himself, he went

to a small tavern to purchase a meal. He ate a filling meal of mutton and vegetables, with a

tall mug of mead. After that, he left the town, walking southward as night fell. He hadarrived in Dazbogswelle. There was no inn there, so he collapsed in the street, sitting

against a wall. Gazing up at the moon he felt a certain dread, until he could no longer stay

awake. He was awakened from his sleep by a pale and slender young woman with long,full golden hair. She had rosy cheeks and wore a flowing, elegant dress of crimson. She

was bent over with one delicate white hand on the knight's shoulder, shaking him. As

Wolfgang groggily awakened, a soft, melodious voice came from her parted pink lips:"Awaken, Sir Knight, awaken! It will soon be midday!"

Huh Who are you? he mumbled.

My name is Izabela Zelenka, she answered. Who are you?

Im Wolfgang von Wolfen, he answered. Ive come to Walderia to retrievecertain books from the Duke but he drugged me and threw me in the woods.

Do you wish to avenge yourself upon him? she asked.

The knight struggled to climb to his feet. Izabela put out her hand to help him up.

At last standing, and fully awake, he addressed her question:He has stolen my horse and changed my parents to vampires. Even if it damns me

to hell, I will slay him, I swear!The young woman smiled.

That is good, she said. You see, the Duke killed my father, Teodor Zelenka. I

would be most grateful if you slew that horrid man!I will, the knight answered, and I will bring you his heart. I swear this on the

Rose Cross of Sancti Spiritus!

The young woman laughed and clapped her hands gleefully, and then embraced the

knight, kissing him on the cheek. His face grew red.I will return with the Dukes heart, milady, he said softly. Until then, may God

bless and keep you.

The pretty young maiden waved farewell to the knight, who strode off confidently,taking the southwestern rode out of the town. Night fell as he crossed the bridge over the

Urda River. The moon was just a sliver away from being full. In the bright light of the

gibbous moon he came to the town of Wodaswitu. This town was fairly wealthy. It had aninn, a tavern and a church. The knight went directly to the inn where he paid a fair amount

of coin for a decent-sized room with a comfortable goose down mattress. He took off his

armor and went to sleep, but his dreams were plagued by nightmare images of him

devouring women and children, red blood dripping down his chin. The nightmares grewprogressively more gruesome as he slept, until at last he awoke just before dawn drenched

in sweat. He could not get back to sleep, so he put on his armor, took up his gear and went

downstairs and into the street.The knight walked to the church and went to confession, and then he received the

Eucharist. After that, he knelt before an image of the Virgin Mary and whispered desperate

prayers. As he gazed at the gentle face of the Virgin, blood poured down in streams fromher eyes, and he crossed himself. The Virgin wept bloody tears for the sins that plagued

him, and he knew not what it meant, but he took it to be a sign of great import. He rose to

his feet and left the chapel, taking the southern road toward Castle Waldstein. It grew dark

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as he reached the castle, and as he gazed up, he saw the full moon was a bloody red. He

knew a most fateful hour was at hand.

The knight walked around the castle and came to the portcullis once more. Thesame two guards stood there. When they saw him, they drew their swords, but the young

knight drew his zweihander and faced them. The first guard leapt at him, but with a wide

swing the young knight lopped off his head. The other guard rushed at the knight, butWolfgang swung his blade down, cutting through the guards soldier and cleaving him, to

the heart. He pulled the blade out and, without cleaning it off, stuck it back in his scabbard.

He looked down at the two dead guards and said with grim joy,Woe to anyone foolish enough to stand in my way.

With that, he began to turn the crank, slowly raising the portcullis. Once the iron

grate had been sufficiently raised, the knight strode inside with the grave resolution of a

man who has fully realized he can hold nothing back anymore, and that the time for cautionand subtlety was well over.

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-Part 4-

The boy who had led the knight to Waldsteins chamber before was now nowhere

to be seen, and perhaps he heard the bloody fight outside and hid. However, the knight didnot need to be guided. He remembered the way to the Dukes chamber. He went down

hallways and up stairs, past elegant works of art, and wall hanging, and all other forms of

fancy trappings, but he cared not for such things. Before he noticed them, but now he couldnot care less. At last he came to the throne room of the Duke. The Duke sat comfortably

upon his throne while the red moon shone in through the wide windows.

Ah, hello Sir Wolfgang! Youve found your way back to my castle Howunfortunate foryou. I will destroy you, just as I did your father!

I saw my father, the knight replied. You did not destroy him. You made him

like you! Hes a vampire too, now!

Hahaha! Excellent. Soon, you shall be, too. You will be under my accursed powerlike your parents. The line of the Wolfen will be no more!

The knight looked at the full moon. Suddenly some strange feeling struck him, and

he twitched and grimaced, stifling a bestial growl.

Ah, your birthright has come to claim you! the vampire said.What What do you mean? the knight asked.

Have you ever wondered why your family is called von Wolfen? It means of thewolves. Your family is descended from the Wolf God Hazdaz Wolffather, and as such,

you possess the curse of the werewolf. Your family has long striven to repress this wolfish

power, but now, in my land of darkness, the wolf within you has reared its head. That isfine. Give in to your lupine nature! Embrace the Dark!

No! Wolfgang cried out. No, I will not be a monster like you! I am a man, a

good Christian man! The spirit of the werewolf it is a pagan thing! It is wild. It is savage.

Such a thing is unfit for a knight of the Holy Roman Empire I cannot give in I cannota monster! No, I will not! Nooooooooooooo!!!

He howled like a hungry beast, and it was then that he knew he could not hold back

the spirit of the wolf anymore. It was in his blood. There was no way to resist. Thetransformation began. The knight felt his form twist and stretch and gray fur sprouted all

over his skin. His ears grew to points as his nose and mouth stretched into a fanged snout.

His muscles grew large and dense, and a tail sprouted from his backside as his nails grew tosharp, pointy claws. His eyes glowed like the flames of Hell and he growled hungrily.

So now your true nature has come out, the Duke said mockingly. No matter I

shall destroy you regardless, filthy von Wolfen peasant!

The vampire transformed into a foul-smelling vapor as the werewolf rushed at him,only to rematerialize on the other side of the room.

What you do not realize is that my family draws its power from Xastur, a deity of

unimaginable horror. Your god is a lie an illusion that weak mortals cling to because thetruth would drive them to madness!

The vampire flung a barrage of fireballs at the werewolf. They struck, but the wolf

was impervious to the attack. He rushed at the Duke once more, and before the vampirecould escape, Wolfgang was upon him. The vampire was in his iron grip, and the hairy

beast bit into the Dukes face before he could transform into a bat and fly to the other side

of the room. We he again took his humanoid form, a large chunk was missing from his

face, and blood streamed down as he clutched his wounded cheek.

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Youll pay for that! he cried out.

The wound began its rapid healing process as the vampire flung more fireballs at

the werewolf. Wolfgang, however, leapt into the air, avoiding the attack. He landed beforethe vampire, who transformed into a bat once more and flew into the air. The werewolf

leapt up and snatched the bat in his jaws. The vampire took his humanoid form again, but

this time he was trapped under the weight of the werewolf. Wolfgang ripped huge chunksout of the vampires face, neck and shoulders as the creature struggled against him, but the

vampire was so badly wounded he could not call forth the strength to break free. The

vampire lay on the floor trying the recover. Wolfgang rapidly returned to his human shapeand then quickly raced to his case, which lay upon the floor not far away. He grasped a

wooden stake and the mallet, but as he returned to the vampires body, the vampire sprung

to his feet once more and his wounds were nearly healed.

Hahaha!! the Duke laughed mockingly. You were not quick enough! Now I willdrain you dry, you wretched UNNGH!!!

The knight drove the stake into the vampires chest with a mighty blow from his

mallet. With the stake in his heart, the vampire was incapacitated, and the knight grasped

the hatched from his case, chopping the vampires head off. The creature fell dead, andWolfgang cut the Dukes heart out as the rest of his body transformed to ash. The knight

calmly picked up his gear and left the room, searching high and low through the castle untilhe found a leather-bound volume bearing hieroglyphs on its cover, and a large book that

appeared to be covered in human skin, lying on a pedestal in a vast library.

These must be the books, he said.He gathered up the tomes and left the library, walking through the wide hallways

and down the stairs to at last emerge from the castle in the light of the rising sun. He took

the heart of the Duke, which had a gaping hole where the stake went through, and searched

around the base of the castle. Soon he found the stables where his horse had been pennedup. The large beast snorted when it saw the knight.

Dietrich! Wolfgang exclaimed. I found you, boy! Lets get out of here.

The knight opened the stable and mounted his steed. Wolfgang rode north, towardthe city of Wodaswitu where he stopped to sleep. His dreams were free of the nightmares

that had plagued him before. After that, he rode to Dazbogswelle. He walked through town,

and eventually he saw Izabela. She asked him if he had slain Duke von Waldstein, and heproduced the heart. At that she laughed and clapped he hands together.

"You have done it!" she exclaimed. "You have slain the Duke! My father is

avenged!"

"I have to leave," the knight said. "The Pope is expecting me to return with thebooks I've retrieved."

"Please let me go with you!" the maiden begged. "Please, please! You are a great

hero, and I would wed you... if you so desire."The knight smiled at this. Izabela was a comely girl indeed, and he wished to one

day have children.

"Very well," the knight said. "If my horse can carry the weight of both of us --""No need," she said. "I have my own horse. Let me get her."

The maiden left the knight only to return to him shortly with a tall brown horse."

"Her name is Gretel," the maiden said. "Now both of us can ride away from this

cursed land."

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The hero and the maiden rode southwest, out of town and over the bridge that

crossed the Urda River. Once night fell they rested at the inn in Wodaswitu, and then they

rode towards Baldurbaro. Passing through that town, they rode on over another bridge,crossing the Donau River. After that, they rode to the town of Ingshag, resting at the home

of one of Izabelas relations. After that, they rode on through Berchtaswambe, and then out

of the dull Groneskia Basin, and then up, up over the craggy gray Kraftberg Mountains,this time in the daylight. They had left the lands of Walderia never to return. The maiden

followed her hero southwest through Bayern and into the Alp Mountains, taking a scenic

route through the Empires countryside.The knight and the maiden reached beautiful Lombardia and turned southward,

passing through the land of Toscana before reaching the luxurious city of Rome in the

Papal States. The hero came before the throne of the Pope and presented the books to him.

The Pope received the books with much gratitude, impressed that the young knight hadsucceeded where his father had failed.

Excellent, the Pope said. Sir Wolfgang, you have done the Empire a great

service. These two books of forbidden magic shall be placed in my library where the

witches and sorcerers of the world will not be able to learn their secrets. As for you, I willabsolve you of whatever sins you may have committed against God and the Empire, and I

will bestow the Empires greatest honors upon you. You will receive so much money thatyou will want for nothing for the rest of your days. Lastly, you will rule over the Barony of

Hessen until the end of your days.

The knight was pleased to be so rewarded by the Pope. In a wonderful ceremony heofficially received all of the honors which the Pope had granted him, and after that, he and

Izabela were wedded there in Rome, where she became his baroness. After that, they rode

northward, out of the Papal States. They rode on, northward through Toscana and the Alp

Mountains, and through the lovely land of Schwaben before at last entering the beauteouswooded state of Franken.

After that, the baron and his baroness lived together happily in a small castle in the

Schwarzwald for the rest of their days. Years passed, and they eventually had a son whomthey named Johann Teodor von Wolfen. He was named Johann for the head of the Order of

the Rose Cross and Teodor after Izabela's father, who had died at the hands of Duke von

Waldstein. The boy grew to manhood, and had his own adventures in his day, but those aretales for another time...

bloody moon over walderia

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