My hand is shivering, my heart is beating. I can hear the blood pumping though my body. It rushes though my ears and makes my legs buckle. The tavern across the road looks dark and empty. People were warned not to come near this place tonight. The local folk warned it would be dangerous. My hand is hurting, as I look down I see that I’m holding the sword to hard, my knuckles are turning white. And the grip feels uncomfortable against my palm. It isn’t my sword. I don’t even own a sword. This was provided by my employer. New swords not even scratched. It disgusts me. I’m a farmer. We are all farmers, we’re not meant to be doing this kind of thing. But my family has to eat. I can’t watch my children cry any more, crying because they are they’re stomachs hurt and they are too weak to move they’re arms. I can fix it. The circle of nine tithes our crops and animals, and leaves us with less than bare minimum.  Nupraptor was wise once. People can from far and wide to hear him speak. Those days weren’t the easiest of times, but they were better than these diseased days. Then, Nupraptor’s beloved Ariel was slain and Nupraptor was devastated. And his mind began to quickly slide into madness. He’s metal abilities caused waves of hate and paranoia to infect the other guardians. One by one the circle of nine, the people we look to for leadership, became parasites on our existence.The vampires where kept at bay by the knights of the Sarafan, and we gladly paid a tithe to be protected by them. How could we expect them to farm the own crops when the protected us? They didn’t demand much, just what they needed.Nupraptor and the rest of the circle don’t care for us any more. They don’t try to protect us. We are no better than slaves.Well no more! We have been paid in gold. And all we need is just to do this one simple job. To kill a nobleman from Coorhagen called Kain. I’m sorry if he has loved ones, but by the gods I have loved ones. And they are suffering.

He entered the tavern a few moments ago. We told the Judas the tavern landlord not to serve him. That he would not welcome us if he disobeyed.Now we wait. My senses are elevated. I can hear the sign squeak on the tavern as the wind rocks it.  It has been raining; the dirt road has deep ruts from the numerous carriages that have passed during the day. The puddles are cold and deep, this cursed night. Marcus is in front of me, with his own new sword. Playing with it constantly, twisting so it catching the moonlight. He wants to be here. He wants to have adventures. He is young wait until he sees death. Wait until he watches his wife die from starvation. Let him bury his wife in the dark earth. Her frail body, it weighed no more than a child’s. All because she wouldn’t eat, not while our children starved. Now we wait. The suspense is eating my stomach away. The sword is becoming too heavy to hold. All the while the wind whips my hood around my face. People are coming out of the tavern. Judas is closing early. And with it my heart beats faster, and harder. The blood pushing though my ears has become a roar.  The leaving people move though the mud without any determination. It’s a lack of response that only comes from too much ale. I hope that Kain is as muddled as these fellow farmers. A hope that I realise won’t be true. Damn it we should have let the Kain drink in the tavern. Drink until he was silly drunk. But I’m having a hard enough time as it is I don’t need more guilt. At least he can have a fighting chance. We are only farmers. I’m sure he knows how to use a sword better than we can. But there are more of us. God forgive me. Raised voices bring me back to what’s going on. People can be heard from inside the tavern. A rustling sounds from all around me. My fellow murderers react to the voices coming from the tavern.

“The tavern’s closing - best be on your way, stranger.” The rumble of Judas’s voice drifts out.

 “What, no mug of ale for a weary traveler from distant Coorhagen? I can reward you well, for I am of noble blood.”

This must be Kain, his voice smooth and educated. 

“I stay open for no man in these dark times. Things come with the night that no sane man would welcome.”   

This is it… the time for waiting is over. All the movement stops. Not bad for peasant farmers. Someone walks out of the tavern. Kain, it must be him, armor and sword. “That’s him”. One of my fellow farmers shouts out.People charge forward. Hacking at him he fights back but... my stomach turns. The man doesn’t have a chance. I know I must help. If I don’t I won’t get paid, my children won’t eat.

“End it - now”.I charge forward to the voice.

Kain is on the floor. I can hear his labored breathing. There’s no sound now. Just the mans haggard breath. The sword is above my head. The light from the torch making the blade appear to be on fire, such a fine iron sword. I wonder what will become of it. I will have no use for this weapon after tonight, that’s for sure. My arms tense and the blade goes down I can feel the squeak of the metal protesting against the blade. The crunching of bones as it breaks ribs, slamming into the soft and wet mud. No one moves. This is too much, even Marcus. We all killed this man. He didn’t have a fighting chance.

Hands grab my upper arm and drag me away. We leave the body of Kain on the muddy ground. His eyes were glazed over and blood was dribbling out of his mouth. We left the body to be found by “someone” passing by.  It is over. I could afford food for my children. I could put this evil night behind me. And move on. We all stand in the cold night, trees bending in the wind, creaking and straining. We are all cold, and ashamed. The darkness seemed to close around us. As if it recognized that we were now part of the darkness. And it wants to accept us into it ranks. We tried to ignore it, but we could all feel it. We are marked. The gold was shared out.  We didn’t talk to each other. We didn’t face what we had done this night. Some of us we knew that it was a terrible thing to do. But there was a few of the mob who were too young to realize, that what they had done was going to mark their life forever.  We went to our shabby homes. I watched my children, quietly sleeping, thanking the gods that I was able to provide for them now. Even if does mean that my soul will be damned forever.  The next day we ate like lords. My children didn’t ask where the money came from. Too young to think of such things as money, especially when there’s food to be had. I told the smiling faces of my children that we were moving into a city. Out of our poor slums, and into the city, to be safe behind the thick walls. Safe from murderers, murderers like me. I can hear raised voices outside. As I push aside the leather that covers my doorway I can see Jacob and Marcus. Jacob face looks ashen; his eyes are darting at every thing in sight. He looks completely panic stricken.

 “What’s all this shouting for, I …?”

 “I saw someone moving up in the grave yard.” Jacob shouts out “I followed the men who took the body to the crypt, and kept watch!”

 “Why would you do that?” I couldn’t keep that puzzlement out of my voice. I was beginning to feel that Jacob couldn’t handle the pressure of what we done.

 “I need to know if Kain had any family or friends, anyone who would come and see his body. I just couldn’t sleep and…”

Something took his attention away from me. Jacob watched a crow hopping around, pecking at bits of dirt. He didn’t look away from its slick black wings, and then the crow jumped up and flew away. Jacob watched after it. Then he turned back to me.

“Kain is not dead. I saw him. God help us. He is one of the undead. I saw the rain steam up from he’s skin. I saw him hide from the sunlight. It’s only a matter of time until he comes for us. God help us. I leaving, I’m leaving now, before it’s too late.”

I didn’t have time to talk to him more. He pushed passed me and Marcus and was soon running like he had the hounds of hell after him.

 “I’m getting a weapon, and then I’m getting the group together. If it’s not true, we might look like fools, but if it’s true…” Marcus left the sentence hanging.

He didn’t have to complete it. If Kain had some how come back, he would want revenge.  We gathered in the woods that night, everyone had their sword. I had left mine in Kain. My children are on their way to Willendorf, a long way but it is the safest place. I sent them with my wife’s sister. She’s a good woman; she deserves to have a good life. I just hope I can join them.  Everyone is here now, apart from Jacob. No one wanted to speak, no one wanted to say what they feared. That Kain would come for us. What is one against all of us? Something moved in the corner of my eye. Something scared me.

"What trickery is this?" I shouted to everyone.The others took over as I stared in disbelief. Kain was cutting he’s way though every one. Swinging he’s sword, my sword, like it weighed no more than a feather.

"There he is!"

"I thought we killed you, bastard!"

"We put you down once - we can do it again!" The others were screaming their own words of fear and disbelief.  

I saw him coming towards me. Things slowed down. But I still didn’t have time to react. Just to see everything in detail. Kain’s armor was changed. Instead of the beautiful and pure, the white armor was black and a green shine to it. It made think of disease and rotten earth. It was not only his armor that had changed. His face was devoid of pigment. His skin looked like that of a corpse. But his hair was also no longer colored; it was as white as fresh snow. It was an odd balance corrupted flesh and his pure hair. But nothing compared to the madness that filled his red eyes. And they were directed at me.  He hit me with the flat of his sword. The blow hit above my left ear and left me staggering. I felt a pressure at my throat and my skin ripped open. I felt my arms and legs go cold as all the blood was drained from my body and emptied out on my wound. It few in a crimson jet straight into Kain’s awaiting mouth. I fell forward. As Kain walked passed me he was laughing like an arrogant lord.

And shouting the words;“Vae Victis” My sight darkened and I was at peace. Until the darkness turned into flames and the feeling returned to my body.