Enter The Prophecy

Confused tears streamed down Marcus’ face in earnest. Why is all of this happening, he questioned. He became overwhelmed with feelings of hopelessness as the sudden grim realization began to sink in that he was not going to survive this night.

After Marcus had run a good distance he saw that he was coming to a crossroads. He had no clue as to what street he was on nor were there any signs ahead at the crossroads. For as well as he knew the streets of Florence this road was completely unfamiliar to him. As he neared the crossroads he paused, doubling over with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Which way, he pondered, which way?

“That depends upon you, Marcus.” The voice came from the still darkness. Marcus looked up to see a tall slender woman standing in the center of the crossroads, her jet black braided locks falling about a beautiful white dress with gold embroidery. All of the moonlight seemed to gather about her creating a brilliant silvery shine, allowing Marcus to clearly see the sculpted face, the intense gray eyes against the ebony skin.

“Where do you wish to go,” Idris asked. She held a long ash wood staff which she tapped upon the asphalt as she spoke.

“I…I want to go home,” Marcus sobbed, the gun hanging loosely from his fingertips. “I just want to go home.”

Home is no longer a route for you young Ambassador.” Idris spoke firmly yet reassuringly. “You have chosen to set that path aside. You have two paths now. You can turn back and go to that which follows you,” Marcus could hear the scraping sound behind him growing closer. “And no doubt you will become a lord of the underbelly of society…wealthy, powerful and feared. Or you may seek Sanctuary and move forward to the next phase of your life.”

Marcus stammered quickly, “I want to move forward, Miss, please…tell me what to do!”

The woman firmly nodded. “If that is your wish, if you seek Sanctuary, you must say the words.”

Marcus squinted in the dark scrambling to remember her words. “Seriously?” he shouted. “I…seek Sanctuary!”

The woman pointed behind her. “Take the road before you Marcus quickly now. Go to the home of Frances Wynn, you will find safety there. There you will find Sanctuary.” She pointed her staff to his pistol. “The weapon you carry will not save you from what follows behind.”

Marcus looked down at the pistol in his hand. Without another thought he dropped it to the ground. “Who is he,” he asked, his voice scarcely above a whisper. “Why is he coming after me?”

“It is drawn to you, drawn to the emptiness inside you. And more importantly it knows your potential, for you have been chosen. The things you have seen are nothing more than worldly reflections of the vile ugliness that has been growing inside of you these past years, fed by your anger at your father, nourished by your weakness in choices.”

“Ahh look,” Idris said pointing, shaking her head sarcastically, “True to his reputation this one changes form! How cute…”

Marcus followed her gaze. Where the tall gaunt cloaked figure had been shuffling down the road now there stood a child, a young boy perhaps seven years of age. It was flanked on either side by the red-eyed dark silhouettes that had pursued Marcus in the woods, their fangs bared.

The child was bare-chested and strange markings covered his chest and arms. Under the tousled mane of dark hair Marcus could see that one feature had remained the same, the hate-filled glinting blue eyes. The child stopped walking, seemingly unwilling to come any closer.

Idris tapped the ash staff again against the ground. “This one fears the ash wood,” she grimaced, her eyes flashing passionately, “And moreover it fears the skill of the one that wields it! Go now quickly, Marcus…for if it lays hands upon you tonight you will be beyond my help.”

“Thank you,” Marcus whispered as he tore ahead past Idris and back into the darkness of the road before him. Eventually the sound of the child’s bare feet slapping the asphalt began to grow distant. One thought now burned in Marcus’ mind. God help me tonight and I promise that I’ll change…