The sun rose slowly beyond the horizon, reflecting itself in the half-frozen pond near the village Garpenberg’s church, located on a nearby hill. The golden crucifix at the top of the church’s belltower emitted a weak golden glow in the weak sunlight of early spring. On the path to the church’s heavy wooden doors were two figures walking at a steady pace. Two figures of what first appeared to a common onlooker, like two innocent children, one boy and one girl, each about twelve years old, two children on their way visiting the church to pay their respects to their god. These onlookers could not guess how wrong they were. Oskar looked on the figure of what appeared to be a black haired girl, a figure of what used to be the one person he admired the most. She was only a few feet ahead of him, yet she was further away than ever. The eyes of the being he had once loved looked upon him with disdain; the fiery glow was for the moment gone from her eyes, but not the emptiness that followed in the wake of the departure of Eli’s soul. Oskar straggled after her; if he got to far away he would almost certainly be punished. The burn marks that covered his body were witness of what it did to those that displeased it. It has been a terrible night. Any human being standing in their way was burned to ashes, if they were lucky. Sometimes it was not enough for this creature. The screams of the helpless women and children would forever haunt him, like the ones that were burned alive inside the hotel the creature set aflame. All this time he had thought what Eli had to do was terrible, but he was wrong, this was far more terrible.
The one that once was Eli stopped in its tracks before the doors. It made Eli’s hand gently caress the door. It made her look back at him, her eyes was the same empty pits to oblivion he had seen last time he met her gaze. Fortunately he could see no fire, he was grateful for that; it was always a bad sign. Oskar could see the sun reflect itself on Eli’s skin. It did not burn her; in fact, it appeared to strengthen the creature inside her. Whatever it was, it was no vampire, which cancelled out the theory about this creature being the vampiric parasite inside Eli’s body. It was something far more horrifying. The creature opened the door and went in, gesticulating Oskar to follow. He knew it was best to obey, he was determined to get to the bottom of this, and he needed to know what the creature had done with Eli. He feared that she was gone forever. Oskar hesitantly stepped inside the church, its walls was in a marble of orange like colour. Its roof arch was of a similar white marble, it was decorated with lines of what appeared to be crosses, connected in such a way as the pattern in an oriental rug. Its many windows assured the church bathed in sunshine, even this early in the morning.
Oskar followed Eli past the many wooden benches, to the altar. The altar was well decorated, bearing the heraldic sign of the kingdom of Sweden, the two lions holding a shield with three crowns. On the altar stood a white marble statue of Christ, behind it was red curtains to the priest’s precinct. Above it was what seemed to be two pillars, made from several golden tubes. On top on these pillars were golden statues of two trumpets, crossing a harp. Between the pillars was a golden crucifix. Over this entire construction of decorations was a sign with the words ‘Ara ware Gud’, written in an old form of Swedish.
Oskar looked up in awe at the construction of decorations. He was not normally a religious person, but the majesty of the church interior was majestic. He could not even imagine what all this must have cost back in the day it was built. How much wealth was used to raise this monument to the glory of a supernatural being? Wealth that could find a better use improving the life’s of the poor. Oskar could recall some of Eli’s memories, the cold winters living on the edge of starvation. Instead of helping these less fortunate, the wealthy built monuments to the glory of a god, a god that apparently never lifted a finger to help the ones in need. Oskar could not understand that, it made him sick.
Eli approached the altar, her eyes fixed at the decorations. Oskar could see she was smiling.
“Magnificent work, for mortals, a few flaws but almost acceptable.”
The creature seemed content for the moment. It laid Eli’s hand on the statue of Christ, all of a
sudden, she snarled angrily at it.
“It is just too bad that they had to depict that unclean heretic Jesus of Nazareth.”
The fire once again entered Eli’s eyes; the creature seemed to have incomparable hatred for the so-called messiah. In rage, the creature made Eli hit the statue, it shattered and its pieces fell on the floor with a deafening sound. With the statue out of the way, it jumped up on the altar, like to reinforce its superiority. It waved its hand, suggesting that Oskar should sit down; he obeyed and sat down in the front row of the benches, before the altar. His entire body was trembling, he did not yet know the creature’s intention, but he had a bad feeling about it.
The creature gazed upon him; the fires in Eli’s eyes were more intense than ever. All of a sudden, fire started to enwrap her body, engulfing the entire altar, the fire was slowly shifting from red to blue, like it was getting stronger. The creature laughed uncontrollably; within the cold of its voice he detected a hint of triumph. Oskar looked into the creatures eyes, desperately trying to find a trace of his beloved, it was all in vain. She was nowhere to be found, all he saw was the fiery contempt of the creature, its eternal hate. Not a single trace of his dear Eli. The creature that was standing before him on the altar, despite its likeness, was not Eli. It had the same beautiful long black hair, the same slender figure, the same pretty face, but it was not Eli, its eyes gave it away. Even at the hotel, despite the presence of the fire, Oskar could see a hint of Eli in them. Now that hint was gone, replaced by a demonic ire, unmatched by even a frenzied vampire. A pair of white feathered wings emerged from the creatures back with a crackling sound, the fire subsided, but the creature began to glow with a blue glow, its eyes still remained the same. Before him were the most gorgeous apparition he had ever seen, yet the most dreadful.
Oskar sat paralyzed on the bench, unable to move a muscle. The creature was like a brighter mirror image of Eli in her full vampiric glory. Yet, despite aura of light surrounding it, demanding obedience from every living creature, it radiated malice in a way that even the worst sides of Eli could not match. Oskar now understood what he had to do with, it was an angel. He was sure of that, yet he could in no way believe that this creature was benevolent. Eli was a vampire, a creature haunting the nightmares of children all over the globe, yet she only killed what she needed in order to survive, at heart she was a kind and caring person. The creature before him, this angel, was a creature that was believed to be one most pure in the world, incapable of evil, which did not have to kill to survive. Yet this creature murdered all in its path, inflicting unnecessary suffering on its victims, something Eli would never do. It was a creature of light; nevertheless its evil exceeded that of a creature of darkness.
Fear still had a strong grip on Oskar’s soul, yet the realization gave him renewed courage. A sparkle of hope ignited in Oskar’s heart, he now was one step closer to understanding what was going on.
The angel gave Oskar all its attention. Its voice was no longer Eli’s; it was mighty, like the strike of a thunder bolt, its power and authority unmatched.
“The power of this place is strong, many have been judged here, only to be put to death in the execution site not so far from here. Power now belonging to me. Now my friend, it is time for you to fulfil your purpose.”
Oskar set aside his fear for a moment though he was still shaking, but he needed to know.
“What happened to Eli?” Oskar’s voice was defiant; he knew that was a mistake.
He could feel his right hand ignite with flames. He screamed in anguish, threw himself on the floor rolling around in agony. The fire disappeared, his punishment was complete. He took a look at his hand; it was covered by burn marks, still searing from the fire, he could still feel a horrible pain. Tears ran down his cheeks as he sat on the floor sobbing. The angel just laughed scornfully at him.
“Such is the fate of those who oppose me. Eli for that matter is in a better place. He is safe, as long as he do not push his luck. You however, will never see him again; you are too valuable to me.”
Oskar stopped crying, but he was still teary-eyed. He sobbed forth his words.
“Do what you want with me, just swear that Eli will not be harmed?”
The creature stepped down from the altar and approached Oskar. A content smile was on its face.
“I intend to, mortal. However I do not have to promise you anything, you can either accept your fate, or I will make you accept it, the choice is yours.”
Oskar crawled on the ground, beside the creature’s bare feet; he staggered to his feet, directly confronting the angel.
“What do you need me for?”
The creature shook its head in frustration.
“I need a vampire to provide an entrance to this world; however they are far from ideal hosts. A vampiric body cannot handle my holy power for all that long. In a couple of years, it would probably wither away. By that time Oskar, you would have grown to a fine young man. Your body would suit me better than that of this eternal child. Beautiful as it may be, only a human form would be able to sustain me long enough so that I can fulfil my purpose here.”
Oskar backed away from it; he trembled as he took a kitchen knife out of his jackets pocket. He held it against his throat.
“Not if I kill myself first” Oskar stammered forth.
The creature smiled contemptuously at him.
“I would not do that if I were you, Or Eli would suffer the consequences of your mistakes. Despite, you will never do it; you are too much of a coward. ”
The knife dropped from Oskar’s shaky hands. ‘It was right; it is useless to defy this creature. ‘That will surely not help Eli’ the creature jumped up on the altar again. The creature spoke.
“I have a proposal; serve me for a few years, until this body expires, and I will grant you absolution. Maybe, just maybe I will, for a moment, reunite you with Eli.”
It was clear in its tone that it did not accept any objections. Oskar knelt down in front of the altar, but he was not ready to proclaim his servitude to this creature just yet.
“And you swear that Eli would not get hurt?”
The creature nodded.
“I swear, mortal, you have my word.”
Oskar proclaimed an oath of loyalty to the creature. The one that were once Eli gave him a satisfied smile. It jumped down from the altar and put its right hand on his head.
“Now I only need your memories, slave.”
Oskar slowly felt his consciousness being drained away. Before he fainted, he could hear the creature spoke to him, it was not before then it become clear to that he had made a mistake.
“Foolish mortal, did you even for a moment consider that I would grant you absolution. I will grant your wish about seeing your beloved however, it will not be pleasant. Enjoy, I am taking your body as a mindless slave.”
Oskar faded away into the darkness, unaware of the horrors awaiting him there.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The night was since long fallen over the sky, the moon now replaced the bright light of the sun, but not even the moonlight could penetrate the thick walls of the castle. Elias was in the castle dining hall, together with other children. Before them was a lots and lots of delicious food, they ate with a good appetite. Watching over all of them, at the end of the table, was a man, a man wearing expansive clothing, and a wig. He was the owner of the castle, and Elias family’s landlord, the feared Lord Törnkvist.
Elias knew what was about to happen and it would not be pretty. He took a glance at the child beside him, a boy with golden hair. ‘Oskar, what was he doing here?’ He was busy stuffing his face with the delicious food to realize the imminent danger. At the lord’s command, the entire hall went silent. The lord took up a pair of whites dices and rolled them on the table. They showed a two and a four, adding up to the number six. Just as he had expected, Elias was relieved, for a moment, until he realized his normal position had been changed. He was number six. The Lord went through the children at the table, counting them. Panic gripped Elias heart, but it was nowhere to run. To his surprise, Törnkvist went past him and stopped at Oskar, he took another look at the dices, the two was now a three, something must have covered the last dot up, or was some kind of magic involved? Regardless of what was the case, it was a cruel trick.
Oskar screamed as he was taken away, Elias screamed after him, they screamed each others name in a chorus. But it was all in vain. He would never return, Elias almost wished it was him that was taken away instead, as he somehow knew it should be. Törnkvist just laughed maliciously and followed Oskar and the guards taking him away. As soon as Törnkvist and the guards was out of the room, Elias got up from the table, he was not going to tolerate this kind of crap from Törnkvist and his likes anymore.
He began to run out of the hall, but something took a grip of his arm. He turned around, it was his mother.
“I am grateful to have you alive and well, don’t throw it away by chasing that boy, his fate is sealed, you are no match for the lord.” Her tone was totally serious, but a hint of fear and desperation had a heavy presence.
Elias snatched his arm from his mothers grip.
“Mother, I am no longer afraid of him, it’s time for him to pay for what he’s done, its time for me to take control over my fears. I have to face him or this nightmare will never see an end.”
Elias continued his path out of the hall, not looking back at his mother, he could not bare it. He was going for the wooden door at the end of the hall, the one leading down to the basement. Elias opened the door and went down the spiral staircases. When he was almost at the bottom, something collided with his right foot, making him fall down the stairs with a crash. Lucky enough, there was only a few stairs left. It did not hurt so much actually, not worse than when he was playing sword fighting with his brother. The object he stumbled over was now lying in front of him. Despite almost complete darkness he could see it was a squared object. He picked it up. It was a puzzle, several different coloured squares made up the surface. Elias somehow recognized this as Oskar’s; he also remembered what it was called, a rubrics cube. He had come across this object before, but he could not remember when, or where. But he knew it was in relation to that boy, Oskar. For some reason, the words ‘you smell funny’ echoed through his mind.
Suddenly, he could hear Törnkvist’s laugh in the dark.
“I knew you would follow me, Elias.” Törnkvist almost sounded amused.
He came into Elias sight with a smile on his face.
Elias got to his feet, despite being at a disadvantage compared to the vampire lord, he stood up straight and bravely looked the creature in the eyes. He had the eyes of a beast, feral and unreliable.
“Time to end this, you will not harm another being ever again.” Elias voice was full of rage.
“Slow down, I am not your enemy.” Törnkvist held both his hand stretched out before his body, as a gesture of peace.
“Explain.” Elias could still feel the rage inside him.
Törnkvist sighed gravely.
“I am not who you think I am. This is an illusion, this is just a dream. I am your constant companion, the beast inside your soul. I have come to warn you.”
Elias was sceptical, he did not know what he was talking about, he may be right about this being a dream however, Törnkvist’s reign of terror was supposed to be over.
“Warn me about what?” Elias voice had a spark a curiosity.
“Warn you about not listening to your ancient enemy, that at least what I would advise” Oskar’s voice echoed in the darkness. Törnkvist grunted at him.
“Be gone demon, you have no power here.”
Törnkvist turned to Elias. A desperate look was on his face.
“No one here is who they seem to be, don’t trust your senses. Trust your heart.”
Oskar’s form became visibly in the darkness, he strode towards Elias with a comfortable smile.
“So I am not Oskar, am I? Off course I am who else are?”
Elias showed him the rubrics cube.
“Do you recognize this?”
Oskar snorted,
“Yes, its mine? Why do you ask?”
Elias took Oskar’s cheek in his hand and looked him right in the eye. Following his impulses, he said the first words that entered his head.
“How do I smell?”
“Wonderful, as always” Oskar replied”
Elias noticed a glimpse of fire in Oskar’s eyes. That could not be right. Yet, why would he trust the words of the evil lord? Törnkvist become more and more desperate, he knocked Oskar out of the way and kneeled down before Elias. He could not believe he really saw that, him kneeling before a commoner. He uttered the words.
“Search your feelings; you know something is wrong. Remember the cube, the blood in the basement, the bathhouse, the golden city, and especially the…”
A bright spear penetrated Törnkvist’s body, he crumbled to ashes. He had been struck by a silver stake. Oskar was standing behind him. He was obviously responsible for his death. He looked Elias straight in the eyes.
“I suggest that you do not doubt me, or you will regret it.”
Everything faded away; Elias could hear the birds sing, and the noise of his family in the kitchen.
Elias opened his eyes, the room was empty. Everyone else had already got up; probably they let him sleep longer because of his injuries. He was grateful for that. He still had a headache, and that weird dream did not make anything better. It had been a week since that day he woke up from his accident, each night since he had such weird dreams, with the last one taking the cake. Ever since the day Elias first met that boy, Oskar, he had in some form or another been in his dreams. He could not figure out why, He kind of liked the boy, but did he love him? ‘No, that’s not possible’ He was not supposed to love him, that was just wrong. Yet, he could not find another explanation. Since that day a week ago, Elias had spent every day in Oskar’s company, played with him, the kind of things his brother did not do with him anymore. Yet, he felt like he had known him for a lifetime. This was the very same feeling he had when he first met with the boy. It was like they were meant to be together. Or had they met before? The dream seemed to suggest so. It was a weird dream, then he come to think of it. Oskar had not been himself and for some reason, the former landlord had tried to warn him about something. That everything was not as it seems. But what caught his attention was that cube, he recognized it from somewhere; Oskar said it was his, but Elias could not remember him ever showing it to him. Was it possible that he had met Oskar before the accident? Elias tried to remember that day and everything before that; it was mostly a huge blur. He could not remember any details, and certainly no Oskar. In fact, then it came to the accident, he could still not remember anything at all, maybe he suffered memory loss from that blow to the head. That did still not explain the cube however. Elias knew he had to ask Oskar personally.
After a great breakfast made by his mother, Elias was on the way to the riverbank, the place where he and Oskar used as a meeting place. The breakfast was very good, in fact, it was better than everything he ever tasted. Even better than the lord’s banquet, even better than…
‘Blood?’ He could not understand how that ever crossed his mind. The fact remained; it was too good to have been made in such a poor family. ‘Maybe Oskar’s father, the doctor, paid for it or something. ‘That’s one more thing that does not make any sense.’ Oskar and his family had recently decided to settle down in the village. They had bought a cottage, not too far away from their house. The doctor said the people of this village were more in need of his services than the people in the larger cities. Elias was happy for that, which meant that he could see Oskar every day.
The riverbank looked almost the same as it did that day a week ago, Elias went to the place he had first met Oskar, under the tree. Oskar was nowhere to be seen. Elias went over to the tree and sat down beneath it. He stared out over the waters, wondering when Oskar was going to show up, if he was going to show up. He wondered how he would explain it to him, the dream and this somehow familiar cube, his confused feelings for him. Perhaps it was better not mention any of it. Elias knew his life was now perfect, maybe he should not tempt fate. But still, something wasn’t right. Something he could not quite put his finger on. Elias fixed his eyes on the ominous castle Törnkvist at the horizon, recalling the times he been on its ground, both in dreams and in real life. This place once had a terrifying effect on him, that had however been reduced with time. The reign of Törnkvist was over; no one would ever suffer at his hand again. The evil lord now only existed in Elias nightmares, most of them no longer as clear as they once were. In fact, the latest dream was the only one he could remember clearly. The only thing he could remember was that both the lord and Oskar had appeared in all of them, in one form or another. Yet, the fear, once inspired by the castle, was gone. It was part of a past that never happened, not the present, not the future.
Elias was so deep in thought he did not pay any notice of his surrounding, before he felt a hand on his shoulder and a familiar voice spoke.
“Hi Elias, lost in thought as always it seems.”
Oskar sat down beside him, his hand still resting on Elias shoulder. Elias gave him a playful smile.
“I am just confused.”
Oskar smiled back equally playful.
“You can tell me, what confuses you?”
Elias knew he was lucky to have a good friend like Oskar. He sighed and told him about the latest dream, as well as the slight feeling of déjà vu concerning him. Oskar listened intently, when he was done, he just shook his head.
“Poor friend, having to cope with these horrible nightmares, what an ordeal serving under lord Törnkvist must have been. Don’t worry I will always be here for you.”
Oskar was unusually supportive, though he did not make Elias less confused.
“Do you know what that cube is? And where have I seen it before?”
Oskar just chuckled at him.
“That thing, it has been mine since I was very little. I think my father bought it at a store in Stockholm. I don’t know how you recognize it though.”
Oskar took something out of his pocket. He held it in his left hand, the hand not on Elias shoulder. This object was the cube from Elias dreams, the rubrics cube. Oskar let go of his shoulder and put the cube in his right hand, before giving it to Elias. He gently stroked the cube’s surface, the material felt smooth. He did not know what it was made of, but it was like nothing he ever seen in his life, yet some somehow familiar. Elias soon discovered that it was possible to turn the cube, so that the smaller coloured cubes on it changed place.
“The goal is to get the sides all in one colour” Oskar explained.
Elias looked baffled at it. He recalled his dream, and the one that looked like Törnkvist’s last words. ‘Search your feelings; you know something is wrong. Remember the cube, the blood in the basement, the bathhouse, the golden city, and especially the…’
He did remember the cube, but not much more than that. No basement, no bathhouse, no golden city. He wondered what he was about to say before he died. ‘Especially what?’ He had no idea, but for now, the cube was the only lead. He had a vague memory of a similar puzzle, an egg. An egg to richly decorated to ever by gazed upon by a peasant.
“Lost in thought again?” Oskar sounded concerned.
“Puzzles just fascinate me.” Elias replied.
Oskar took his hand and smiled warmly towards Elias.
“Let’s go play, shall we?”
Elias returned the warm smile.
“Can I borrow this?” he asked referring to the cube.
Oskar nodded.
“Keep it for as long as you want. What shall we play?”
Elias looked at him curiously.
“What about swordplay?”
