Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 01 - Kainan Read online

  Making his way through what was left of his village he checked in doorways and half-burnt houses looking for survivors. What he saw just tore him apart, some people had not even had time to leave their beds and lay eyes still staring with their throats cut. Every now and then he would stop at a body reaching his shaking hand forward he felt for life, but to his dismay there was none, everyone in his entire village appeared to be dead. He then turned the corner with fearful apprehension terrified of what he would see. There in front of him was his home. He breathed a quick sigh of relief when he saw it was not yet burning, hoping upon hope that his family were safe; but his relief was only momentary. Standing frozen to the spot, he hesitated not knowing what to do. He could see movement, shadows of something or someone by his home. Then making a quick decision he darted like an arrow down the side of the dirt road, ducking and diving between broken doorways and derelict homes. Quickly he dived behind the wall of what was left of his family’s barn. Rolling onto his side, he then crouched on his hands and knees moving slowly on all fours towards the edge. Still in shock and taking a few deep breaths he cautiously peered around the ruin. There it was again, he could definitely see movement but what the hell were they?

  His heart leapt to his throat as they came into view. Never in all his life had he ever seen such evil looking creatures. He stared wide-eyed and open mouthed. They were huge, seven, maybe even eight feet tall, and they were emerging from his home. What were they doing in there? He bit down hard on his bottom lip, he was desperate to know, where was his family, what had happened to them? Leaning forward further he tried to get a better look, frowning as he watched them. They were humanoid in appearance, but their faces looked contorted, their skulls misshapen and they wore some kind of red and black leather uniform. He had never seen anything like them in his entire life and he was certain that one of them looked like it was a female even though it was as ugly as sin. He was so terrified that he felt sick to the pit of his stomach. Looking around at the decimation he just could not understand how this could have happened. There were good strong men living in Oakhurst, they were not a weak village by any means. He knew the villagers would have fought back hard if they had had the chance.

  He sighed sadly; it had most probably been a surprise attack, a cowardly attack in the dead of night just after he had left to go on the hunt. They probably didn’t even know what hit them, many of them he knew would have been drunk from partying all night. He shook his head as he tried to figure it out. There must have been more, many more. He was certain that it could not have possibly been just these two creatures that had inflicted so much death and destruction; but the only dead he had come across so far were villagers. So where had the rest of these attackers gone, or were they still here lying in wait somewhere?

  Suddenly there was a pitiful cry coming from inside the house. Kainan’s eyes widened and he watched as another one of the creatures, and by far the largest, stormed out of his home. He swallowed hard, now there were at least three of them. He suddenly grasped the side of the ruined wall so hard that his knuckles turned white and he stared in startled fright. The creature had both his brothers! He watched helplessly as the creature dragged them both along the floor by the scruff of their necks kicking and screaming. He ran his hands through his hair as their screams for help pounded in his ears; what could he do? Then his eyes were abruptly drawn back to a commotion at the front of his house, his mother had emerged from behind them she was shouting, pleading with it, clawing desperately at the creature trying to free her sons from its clutches.

  Kainan was frantic and his heart shook within him. He needed help, there was no way he would ever be able to tackle them all on his own. His eyes searched around in panic but there seemed to be no-one left; all around him everything was burning. He felt helpless and took in a deep sharp breath. His heart raced as he tried urgently to think of what he should do; his mind was in turmoil, unable to believe this was happening, unable to think clearly logically. His eyes shot from side to side looking. What should he do? Then his eyes locked on the blacksmith’s barn; it was practically the only other building that was not yet burning. Maybe John was inside hiding. He would help him. Stealthily he moved along the edge of the building and slipped unseen through the door. Frantically he then began searching, but the place had been wrecked. It looked like a wild whirlwind of a storm had ripped its way through the entire barn everything was either broken or destroyed completely. Climbing over a broken chair and a smashed up table Kainan continued searching the room; he was terrified beyond words, beyond comprehendible thought. It was like the worst ever nightmare he could have dreamt, no it was even worse than that, it was hell like the end of the world where no hope was left. And this he knew was not looking good as his friend was nowhere to be seen; but he could not give up.

  “John, John it is me Kainan,” he cried, with fear and desperation in his voice, throwing aside the broken furniture as clambered through the barn. Moving further into the back of the barn his hope was fading as his cries remained unanswered. He called again in a desperate whisper.

  “John if you’re in here please help me, those monsters have got Michael and Ryall!” Then his heart almost stopped dead and his eyes widening he stared in shocked horror as his worst fear was confirmed. Biting on his lower lip he then raised his hands to his mouth shaking his head repeatedly. On the floor in front of him was a mutilated body swimming in a deep dark pool of blood. It was John, what was left of him. His face was bloodied and so badly beaten that Kainan only just recognised him. His throat had been cut and his blood had seeped across the floor collecting in wells between the cobbles.

  He felt his stomach turn inside out. Spinning around he threw up violently and coughing and choking he retched as his body shook uncontrollably from head to toe. Stumbling backwards he leaned hard against the wall closing his eyes, he didn’t want to look, he couldn’t look. Inhaling a deep breath he tried to steady and calm himself. What the hell was going on? Poor John he was his best and closest friend, they had climbed trees, fished and hunted together ever since they could walk; to see his life ended like that was more that he could bear. He took another deep breath forcing his eyes open; and using the back of his sleeve he began wiping away his uncontrollable tears as grief overwhelmed him.

  Then fearing what else he might see his eyes nervously began searching around the rest of the room, but thankfully he then remembered that John’s wife Emmie and their baby had gone to stay at her mother’s in a neighbouring village, half a day’s walk away. Swallowing back his tears he was thankful that they had gotten away from this massacre. Diverting his eyes down to the ground he noticed an iron bar lying discarded next to the furnace. Swallowing he took a breath before reaching down and picking it up, then quickly he pulled it in close to his chest and leant back against the wall. Gripping hold of it tightly, he knew it was not going to be much of a weapon against such creatures but it would have to do. He had already cursed himself a hundred times for not having his sword, but it was not something that he ever took on a hunt, why would he when a bow and arrow was all he needed to kill a deer? Somehow he would have to try and save his family alone, there was no other choice, there was no-one left to help him.

  Gathering his nerve he started to make his way out of the barn, but before he had even taken two steps there was the most terrifying, bloodcurdling scream that he had ever heard in his entire life. He recognised the voice immediately, it was his mother. Kainan’s heart felt like it had been wrenched out of his chest, his stomach churned and hot sweat enveloped his entire body. Gripping hold of the iron bar tight he rushed out of the blacksmith’s barn; and stopping dead in the middle of the street he looked down towards his family.

  In the same instant the largest of the creatures, grabbing his brothers by their throats and lifting them simultaneously into the air, began shaking them, choking them. The two boys’ kicked their feet out furiously, clawing at the creature, trying desperately to release its grip from aroun
d their throats. Gasping for air, their eyes bulged as the creature squeezed tighter.

  Kainan’s body shook frantically; it was killing them he had to act fast! Throwing the iron bar down his shaking hands pulled his bow off his shoulder. Then pulling an arrow from his quiver, and nocking it into place he fired. The arrow shot through the air at lightning speed, but at the same time he watched almost in slow motion as the creature turned and said in a whisper something to his mother. She screamed, shaking her head at it, falling to her knees she pleaded, begging with all her might. The creature took no notice of her, instead it just laughed. Then without hesitation it broke both the boy’s necks instantly and threw their lifeless bodies to the ground next to her. A wail of horror escaped his mother’s throat as she threw herself onto her sons.

  His arrow whizzed past the first creature and hit deep into the neck of the largest. It spun around towards the direction of the arrow, its eyes falling upon the shadow of a man in the distance.

  Kainan stood there motionless and in total shock; he was unable to believe what his eyes had just witnessed, what it had just done.

  “Michael, Ryall…,” his voice cried, broken. The creature had killed them, it had murdered his brothers!

  “Kainan?” it snarled in recognition pulling the arrow out of its neck. Snapping it in half angrily the creature threw the broken arrow down on the ground. It looked down at his mother as she lay heaped upon the floor weeping hysterically over the bodies of her sons. Upon hearing the creature speak Kainan’s name horror engulfed her. Shooting a glance towards the figure in the distance she saw her eldest son and her heart broke. She had fought so hard to hide him from them.

  “NO, leave him alone!” she screamed, pleading. She began grabbing at the creature’s legs trying to hold it back. It laughed a deep penetrating growl of a laugh, throwing its head back guffawing at her futile effort.

  Summoning all her strength his mother screamed.

  “KAINAN RUN! THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE YOU. RUN MY SON RUN, YOU MUST SAVE YOURSELF!”

  Shaking his head at her he stared intensely at the creature standing his ground; he would not run and leave her. Kainan looked at his brothers lying dead by the feet of the creature slain without mercy; he was not able to comprehend what had just happened. He could not believe that both his brothers were dead. Staring around his decimated village burning like hells fire all around him anger engulfed him. The image of his best friend John lying dead, slaughtered in his own home flashed before his sodden eyes. Overcome he bit so hard on his bottom lip that it began to bleed. Throwing his bow away he reached down and picked up the iron bar. It was not much of a weapon but he knew he would rather die trying to save his mother than live the rest of his life with the guilt of leaving her to die. His fear had turned into rage, uncontrollable rage, giving him no thought or care for his own safety.

  Seeing what he was about to do his mother shook her head at him. “KAINAN NO!” she screamed, “LEAVE ME AND GET OUT OF HERE!” The creature stared at him laughing, and began gesturing with its hands for him to come forward. Turning its attention back towards his mother and tormenting him further the creature kicked her so hard in the stomach that she cried out involuntarily pulling her arms into her stomach and clenching as the pain engulfed her entire body. Reaching down the creature grabbed fistfuls of her golden hair and began dragging her across the gravel and the dirt of the road. Clawing at the creature’s hands she tried desperately to pull him off but she was too weak and her face scraped hard along the road, grazing and cutting her until she bled.

  “GET YOUR DIRTY EVIL HANDS OFF OF HER!” Kainan screamed, his anger overwhelming him. His whole body then shook uncontrollably as he felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Gripping the iron bar hard his knuckles turned white. He was determined that he was going take out as many of them as he could. Raising the iron bar he charged screaming in fury towards the largest of the creatures; but before he even had a chance to strike it grabbed the raised bar with one hand, holding both Kainan and the iron bar firm. With a depraved grin the creature’s face moved down close to him, until its deathly breath could be felt upon the young man’s face.

  Looking into the eyes of evil Kainan was suddenly paralyzed with fear; he tried to swallow the lump in his throat but instead he just choked as he stared at the creature’s enormous fangs. Slowly it whispered to him in a satisfied growl. “Got… …you.” and using the heel of its free hand the creature slammed it hard into the centre of his chest. The jolt, knocking the wind out of him flung the young man hard against the wall of his house. His mother screamed as Kainan, smacking his head hard against the wall, passed into unconsciousness.

  Two - Captured

  Kainan opened his eyes slowly and winced in pain. His head throbbed atrociously. A moment passed before he remembered what had happened. His body stiffened sharply as he heard their gruff voices. Then as his eyes adjusted to the darkness he realised he was now in a forest. The silhouettes of two huge bodies sat in front of a fire, the red and orange flames dancing furiously being the only light in the darkness that surrounded him.

  He fought against the fear that suddenly washed through him when he realised the dire situation he was in. The creatures that had attacked his village and murdered his brothers were sitting with their backs to him less than four feet away. Quickly his eyes searched desperately through the darkness but he could not see his mother and his heart ached for her, had they killed her? He was trussed up like an animal, his arms and legs bound and joined together by rope.

  He lay for a moment overcome with anger and grief as he remembered what they had done to his family and friends. He swallowed what were they going to do with him? Deciding that he was not going to wait around to find out he slowly pulled his bound wrists to his mouth and began tugging at the knot with his teeth. Tirelessly he worked at the knot whilst always keeping one eye upon the creatures.

  “Check on the boy,” he heard the larger of the creatures order to the other. The other huffed seeming annoyed and then standing up it started over to him. The young man had already closed his eyes; his body lay still as he pretended to still be unconscious. He could feel the presence of the creature as it stood over him and its smell burnt through his nostrils. He begged to himself for the creature not to notice that he had at last managed to fray the knot that bound him. He forced himself to resist opening his eyes no matter what the creature did to him.

  The creature kicked him, but the body on the floor remained still and silent.

  “Nah, he’s still out cold,” the creature said gruffly, before returning back to the camp fire.

  “Good,” the other replied pleased, ripping meat off a flesh-laden bone with his sharp teeth. “Do you want leg or arm?” it growled.

  “Leg,” the other replied, sitting down on the log next to him.

  Slowly Kainan opened his eyes and seeing both the creatures sat once again with their backs to him, he hastily began pulling at the knot as a wave of dreaded fear swept through him. He could not stop his mind flashing with horrific thoughts as to what or whom they were eating. He just prayed to the spirits that it was not his mother. He knew his only hope was to escape, otherwise was he to become their next meal? He tugged harder, more desperately, wishing and pleading with the rope for it to come undone.

  All of a sudden the knot loosened and with a final tug his bindings unravelled. He froze looking fearfully towards the creatures but they were oblivious to him. Frantically he unravelled the ropes releasing his feet. He looked at the creatures and then towards the darkness of the forest. In a heartbeat he was gone.

  He ran like he had never run before, like a deer being chased by a pack of wolves he fled. He had no idea which direction he was going or where he was going. The denseness of the forest made it difficult, branches grabbed at him like clawed fingers pulling on his hair, tugging at his cloak. He stumbled in the darkness and pitching forward he tumbled falling down into a deep hollow. He lay there for a moment stunned, trying
to catch his breath. Luckily he had not hurt himself apart from a few scrapes and scratches.

  Then he heard them crashing through the trees. Already they had discovered him missing and they were on his trail. He scrambled back out of the hollow; his eyes now adjusted to the darkness spotted a way through. It was a well-used animal track. He made a dash for it, and following the worn animal track through the trees he fled. He could still hear them crashing behind him and they were gaining on him fast. Then abruptly he stopped, the animal track had led him to a river, he hesitated thinking what he should do. The river was wide and fast flowing he could easily be swept to his death. Then he heard their voices they were almost upon him. So without any more thought he jumped.

  The current of the river was so strong that it immediately sucked him under; desperately Kainan fought against it swimming furiously towards the surface, as he broke free he gasped for air. The current swept him along and he urgently grabbed at a log that was floating past and held on to it tight as he was swept further down river. The river then began to bend, almost back on itself. He spotted an overhanging branch in the glint of the moonlight, so releasing the log he swam his way towards it. Grasping at it, he heaved himself out of the water and clambered up the embankment. He was exhausted and lay for a moment recovering his strength.

  The wind began whipping up around him, and thunder roared overhead shaking the ground beneath him in fury. As a flash of lightning lit up the dark night sky he stared in disbelief as a giant pair of hands reached down towards him and grabbing him by his shirt the creature dragged him to his feet.

  “And where do you think you’re going?” the voice sneered at him. The stench of the creature’s breath overwhelmed him and he watched terrified as the creature’s fist pulled back, and then without warning it struck him an almighty blow across his face. Kainan dropped like a rag-doll, limp in the creature’s hand. In one swift movement the creature heaved him up and over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.