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The first thing I noticed was that I was thinking. Then as my mind pooled together I could hear fuzzy sounds, I could see blurry blackness. As my body formed, the blurry blackness sharpened into an endless crisp nothing. Wind howling through shattered windows and the sharp crackling of flames took shape around me. I started to feel both the heat of those flames and the cold of a wintery night. A ruined house glowing blue in the full moon’s gaze slowly appeared around me as I learned how to see, as did the archaic symbol drawn with blood from the young woman lying in its centre; it dimly glinted in the firelight. Last of all was another, drawn from the outside into me, to fill up the empty void that I was. It was at that point, I believe, that I was a conscious entity, summoned with a purpose, to do some deed, for some master.
I noticed his chanting; As it died down so did the wind and flames. His shaky hand reached out to me for a moment, then stopped and let down the hood of his cloak instead to reveal an old and very angular face. The skin had been stretched tightly over his features, as if it’d been tugging away for years. There wasn’t a wrinkle in sight. His cheeks stretched even further to make way for a triumphant cackle. Then, he addressed me:
“Beast, I am your master now, and you will hear my commands.” He barked
Of course. That makes sense. How could it be any other way?
“Do you hear me? You will answer your master.”
“I hear you.” I replied.
“Good, good. I see you’re some form of lycanthrope, excellent. You’ll do nicely. I have a favour to ask of you and since I’m the one who brought you into this world you cannot refuse me.” He said
“Of course, master. What is your bidding?”
“Well you see it’s like this. A young harlot’s taken my son away from me. He doesn’t respect me as his father anymore. I won’t tolerate this for a moment longer, go and slaughter the animal for me so I can have my revenge!”
“At once, master.”
“Oh, one final thing!”
“Yes?”
“If the boy gets in the way, kill him too. I don’t care for him anymore, just make sure the girl dies.”
“Understood.” I replied
“Now you’ll most likely find her in my son’s home, the way to find it is-”
“I don’t require further instructions.” The knowledge streamed into my mind while I still spoke. “I will find her. Shall I take care of any witnesses too?”
He considered for a moment.
“Yes, actually, that will do fine. Now begone with you! Slay your mark!”
★
Finding her was as natural as floating downstream, I was led by, perhaps, some instincts of mine, though I did not know where it was leading me. I arrived at a stream palely dancing in the blue-white light cast upon it. By its side was a woman washing clothing. She had no company.
Her screams grated against my ears as I devoured her. Part of me hungered for her flesh, yet another part was revulsed at the entire affair, yet I didn’t stop until the body was gone.
★
I returned to find Master on his knees scrubbing the blood off the floor with a gnarled brush. The body had had been dragged to the side and the candles were in a pile near the doorway. He glared at me.
“It’s done?”
“Yes, Master. My target has been slain and devoured.”
“You ate her?”
“To hide the body.” I replied.
“Oh?” He glanced at the girl and thought for a moment…
“...Then eat her, too.” He returned to his cleaning.
“Her?”
“Yes, eat her too. It’ll help me with cleanup greatly.”
I stood over the body, but part of me hesitated.
“Who was she?” I asked.
“No one.”
“How is she involved?”
He tore himself away from his work to face me. “My, you’re full of questions, aren’t you? She’s from the village. The spell I used to summon you requires a virgin sacrifice. Does that sate your curiosity?”
“You brought me into this world, by killing her?”
“Yes, you’re welcome by the way. Now go on and devour her to save me the trouble of digging a deep hole in the middle of the night. I’m too old for that sort of work.”
The young woman lay still, no sign of movement anywhere on her. Her chest didn’t rise or fall. She was gone, I decided.
“Master, the body is gone.”
“Good, good. I have no more need for you then. You can go now.” He didn’t look up.
“Understood.”
Then I went away again.