Her father hastily dragged Rosa away from the door.
"The wards won't hold it for long," he stated. They stopped halfway down the hall and faced the stair's wooden foundation, which travelled all the way to the ground, making it look like a wall. Her mother began fidgeting with a wooden panel and it suddenly opened like a door, revealing a tiny dark room containing nothing.
Suddenly her mum pulled her into an embrace. "I love you Rosa, remember that. No matter what happens," Mary said with a forced, brave face.
Rosa didn't understand what was happening and began to panic. "What's going?"
"In now," James ordered.
Scared and confused Rosa quickly crouched and shuffled into the dark space. How long has this been here?
"No matter what happens, no matter what you hear, you don't leave. Don't even make a noise. Your only job is to stay hidden and survive. Do you understand?" James questioned sternly.
She didn't respond. Her fear rose by the second as she failed to make sense of the situation. This had to be some kind of joke right?
"Do you understand?" James insisted urgently, almost shouting.
Rose jumped startled and quickly nodded.
A smile small broke across his face. "Love you kiddo" her father said softly. Off to the site, Rosa could see her mother holding back tears. James then closed the door, and she was locked into darkness.
"Mary you know what to do," James stated.
"You have no weapons, no Noctrm. James you can't possibly try and fight it."
"I can buy you time. Now go," he ordered. "It won't be a lot."
Rosa could hear her mother sprint up the stairs, while her father grabbed knives from the kitchen.
The front burst open with an ear shattering bang. The damn the thing must've nearly come off its hinges.
"Shit," he cursed before charging down the hall.
Rosa could hear a clash. Something heavy was repeatably thrown around the hall and kitchen. Something wet was being splattered across the walls and every time the projectile landed it grunted. Grunted exactly like her father. Rosa held back a whimper. Suddenly there was a rush of wind and then a guttural gasp. Silence followed. The wind quivered and it began walking. There were no footsteps, but Rosa knew it had come closer. She couldn't explain how, but it was like she could sense its movements.
It headed upstairs, dragging something heavy behind it, every step it took shaking the room Rosa sat in. The landing upstairs was torn apart with its movements, and it entered her parents' bedroom.
"Bastard" Rosa heard her mother growl.
Another battle ensued, but it didn't last nearly as long. The resultant noises made Rosa's stomach churn. Even after her mother let out her final breath the destruction pursued, like it was enjoying annihilating everything.
Suddenly the house went silent. It was exploring the upstairs. It stopped in her bedroom. It searched around but then headed back down the stairs. Rosa froze. A shadow passed the hidden room, and it searched the downstairs.
Rosa had never really believed in God, but she began praying. Begging a higher power that this monster wouldn't find her and that her family were okay. That this was all another bad dream.
After finding nothing it returned to the hall. It stopped near her. Rosa's heart stopped. It hesitated. Suddenly It vanished.
Rosa didn't understand. It was gone, whatever it was had hurriedly rushed away. It must be a trick she assumed. It was trying to lure her out. Rosa waited. Terrified and freezing. Eventually it would be day right? Eventually someone would find her? Someone would save her. Soon her father would rush down the stairs and carry her to safety like always.
Time passed and no one came. She was alone.
Life was good. She'd had everything she'd ever wanted. Why was this happening? How was this happening? Why had a greater force cast its shadow upon her?
From below the door, blood leaked in.
This shouldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't, she tried convincing herself. This was all a … nightmare and she'd awaken any moment. She had to. They couldn't be dead.
Tears flowed and drenched her cheeks, and she clenched her mouth close with both hands forcing every cry or whimper back into the void.
Her father's final command rang in her head. Stay hidden, stay alive.
Fear consumed her, completely paralysing her body except for the uncontrollable tremble that she begged wouldn't revealed her.
She couldn't help but watch, horrified, as the blood flowed into the hidden crevice she was curled up in. Staining every inch of the wooden floor a vile crimson. She hid in the rooms darkest corner begging that the two walls would hide her away. Inch by inch the blood edged out from beneath the door. Her father's blood intertwined with the crimson life force of the woman he loved.
Then it came. Whistling. Very familiar whistling.
Black Wraith III
Death lingered in the night. Powerful. Ominous. Hell had descended upon the world.
This wasn't happening. Was it?
The Wraith strolled up the house, his body calm, composed, like always. But his mind was manic. His eyes locked onto the home's door torn off its hinges, he could see the carnage from here. The wards and seals had been eradicated, they'd been powerless against what attacked them, unprepared for such power.
For the first time a years, old sensations crept up his spine, rampaged through his soul and mind. Fear, panic, dread. He had not missed them. Not one bit.
This was all wrong, his soul tried to argue but his mind and body knew the truth and they wouldn't hide it from him. Reaper's Grace he wish they would.
Whatever had attacked was gone, he just had to pray it had failed in its mission. Suddenly his attention was snapped to the right, his eyes peering far into the shadows of the streets and vegetation of woodlands. He sensed the Abyss, the thin lines between realities trembling. Something was there. It was there. Just what the hell was it?
He locked eyes with the darkness. He was equipped with no weapons but was still determined to rip it apart with nails and teeth if he must. The Wraith took a step forward and the presence of the Abyss vanished. The monster had left. Whether it had retreated because of his arrival or thought him was not worth its time, he didn't know. But it'd definitely vanished. He dragged his attention away from the shadows and walked into the house, a soothing whistle accompanying each step. He didn't care why it had left, if not tonight then it'd just be another, it'd die by his hands no matter what.
It flew through the night, far from the site of its carnage. A sadistic joy lingering on its mind.
It may have failed its mission and the Wraith's arrival was unexpected, but both could easily be remedied in time. It had been tempted to kill the hunter there and then, euthanise the legend. The rage it saw in his eyes when he somehow spotted it, the challenge and threat the hunter projected, it wanted nothing else but to answer. How dare a human threaten it, no matter the legends, he was nothing more than a man. And he'd die just like one. But not today. It was not the time, every instinct told it to leave, and it had listened. They'd kept it alive for so many centuries it wouldn't begin doubting them now.
It hadn't expected the girl to be away from home, an unfortunate setback, but it'd find her again and then she would be its to claim. Freedom would belong to it.
Travelling through the darkness, distaste filled its maw, as it met up with its 'partner' outside the city. The man stood in the shadows, blood dripping from his maw from a recent feast, Valdosk. He was a repulsive creature, with his fangs and undisciplined desires and ambitions. How the vampire had survived the purge it didn't know but his strength was partially respectable and he had been Chosen leaving it no choice. Still it didn't mean it had to like the blood fiend. The vampire lord had a pathetic and false ideal of self-worth and importance believing he held power, he knew nothing. He was just a slave. After all this was done and if the blood fiend survives, it was tempted to kill the creature itself, do the world and a favour and purge the beast from its surface.
The vampire's eyes widen as it manifests into the night, even with its bestial senses the vampire couldn't see it coming. It wasn't his fault, there weren't many it history who could find it. But the Wraith had, in mere moments. Interesting.
"Where is the girl?" the vampire questioned condescendingly, failing to watch its tone.
'There was an anomaly,' it spoke through the shadows, refusing to speak with its true voice to such a creature.
"You failed?" he questioned.
"Watch your tongue vampire, or it may be lost to the Abyss,' It warned. 'Nothing more than a minor setback. One easily solved if you remember your part.'
"I remember my part well, abomination."
The shadows curled. 'Then see it done. Give the hunters something to hunt. Fail such a simple task and I vow I'll deliver you a fate worse than eternal damnation in the Abyss.'
Valdosk failed to hide a shudder. "Why is this girl so important?" the vampire pried.
'All you need to know is she is unique, special. Valuable more so than any soul upon this realm.'
It then vanished back into the darkness.