A Hallowed Anthology: Contest Entries for Halloween Vault 3D

Moonlight Poison

The light of the near full moon illuminated the village, allowing Damien to see it vividly in the night. Many would take advantage of the light but not him or his master, the sorceress Salaina.

But Salaina had ventured out in the light of the last full moon to save the village from an attack and now she was gone. The village was safe, but his master was gone.

Turning away from the window, Damien drew his cloak close to him and descended from the tower room. This was the last night he could retrieve Salaina before she died. Through searching, he had discovered her location at last.

Reaching the exit of the tower, Damien drew his hood down low over his face and gripped his staff tightly. The moonlight was at its most potent when full; a near full moon was almost as deadly. And it was especially dangerous to wizards.

The stone embedded in the top of his staff began to glow as soon as he left the shelter of the tower. Murmuring the words of the shielding spell, Damien ducked his head to avert his eyes from any stray rays of light. His spell would work to attract the moonlight to the stone, which would absorb it and hold it captive until Damien saw fit to release it.

Slowly, he trekked around the village, heading toward the cave where he knew Salaina would be. That was the way he had found the moon's poison worked. It took and held at the nearest cave, which would only be accessible the night before the full moon, the one and only time it gave a chance of rescue.

The stone on his staff continued to increase in glow, collecting the moonlight. Damien knew he was going to need the light, but the use of the softly silver poison could kill him. But he wasn't ready to assume mastership over the tower, and so Salaina must be saved. Besides, she had raised him since he was a toddler, abandoned by her tower as a sacrifice to the enigmatic sorceress and taken in as her apprentice.

Finally, Damien reached the cave where Salaina was and paused outside, gathering his strength and concentration. Then he forged forward, entering the darkness of the cave.

Salaina hung from the ceiling by silver cords of light, biting into her skin and drawing drops of black blood. Her skin was translucent and Damien lost a moment staring in horror at his helpless master.

"Luna, drink the wine!" Damien commanded in the ancient tongue, thrusting forth his staff. "Drink the wine and drink your light! Leave Salaina to this life! Luna, leave this life!"

The stone flashed, all the light bursting from the staff and filling the cave. Damien gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as the light grew to a blinding level before dissipating, Salaina's bonds disappearing and dropping her to the cave floor. Damien staggered forward, kneeling down beside her.

She was still alive.