Nazgul

On Mother Earth bats live in caves, Ellie thought to herself as she stepped into the darkness. Hundreds, thousands, attached to the ceilings with clawed feet, waiting for night to arrive so they can spread their wings and feed. She also knew that bats were part of The Lore; forever linked with vampires, though it couldn't be further from the truth. Bats were a necessary part in nature's design. In Ellie’s mind The Nazgul were hybrid vampires, the tragic result of stupid, human intervention.
Vampires, real vampires, were the emissaries of Hell.

But on this day, in this cave, in these mountains, on this lonely planet known as the New Colony, Ellie realized that the dreaded Nazgul did have a link to the Mother Earth creature known as a bat. Sleep by day, feed by night. Mysterious and terrifying. Their bodies ruled by an alien ebb and flow. They were not true vampires, but they rained havoc on humankind just the same. And like the vampires of Mother Earth, they must be destroyed.

The torches emitted a startling amount of light from something so small. They illuminated glistening wet walls and a craggy ceiling. There were no bats up there, of course. This was not Mother Earth. This was a different place with different demons lurking in the darkness. Ellie shivered. It was as if every shadowed crevice was hiding something terrible.

For a moment her courage left her, and she stopped dead. Her mind felt muddy and confused. What are you doing, Ellie? What the hell are you doing?

"Go on, Ellie," Benny urged.

She turned. He was standing beside her, bent slightly under the weight of the packs, eyeing her curiously. She drew a deep breath, nodded, and holding the torch ahead of her like a magic wand, continued her journey into the depths of the cave. Benny followed, his torch bright. Their combined light gave substance to the darkness. The droplets of water sparkled like diamonds. The ceiling was high at the entrance creating an arched chamber of rock, but it quickly narrowed as they moved inward. The air was dank and still. The floor was rough but passable. As with the trail, the cave snaked consistently upward.

They soon discovered they were not alone. Hundreds of squirming, rat-like creatures with huge red eyes, fanged teeth, and long bone-white tails squealed and ran into the darkness ahead of their advancing lights. Their shyness gave Ellie hope, but it didn't quell her feeling of unease.

They ignored the rats and trudged on, careful not to fall on the slippery, rock-sharpened floor. Ellie was once again filled with misgivings. What if they became trapped in the bowels of these mountains where the rats could lose their fear and engulf them?

Then, about a unit after they entered the cave, they made a startling discovery.

"Godspeed, Ellie, look at this!" Benny exclaimed. He was pointing his torch into a small alcove cut into the side of the cave.

"Oh, sweet Lord!" Ellie gasped.

There were skeletons, three of them, huddled together in a corner. The rats were scurrying over them in their flight. They were small humanoid creatures with familiar limbs and torsos, but their rib cages were abnormally extended and their skulls oddly peaked at the rear of the head. The bones were well preserved, showing no signs of mutilation. The fragile remains of clothing still clung to them in faded, tattered patches.

At first Ellie and Benny thought they were children, but on closer inspection the truth was even more startling. Two were about the size of a six or seven year old human child. A male and female, Ellie speculated, for the third appeared to be an infant still clutched in its mother's arms. The positioning of the bodies suggested a resignation to their fate; their arms intertwined almost lovingly in death.

"A family, Benny," Ellie said with certainty. "They died together. The Nazgul, do you think?"

Benny shook his head vigorously. "If it were the Nazgul there would be nothing left but gnawed scraps. No, this is something much worse, Benny fears."

"What?" Ellie asked, her voice thin with fear.

"We were taught that there was no intelligent life on this planet when the ships came from Mother Earth. We were told that the terraforming destroyed only lesser species. Benny now thinks that was a lie. Benny now thinks we murdered these poor creatures."

Ellie looked back at the bodies. If Benny was correct, it was a tragedy beyond description. A bitter example of human greed. But now was not the time to be distracted by something that happened in the unalterable past. The fate of the colony, for good or bad, was in their hands.

"Let's go, Benny," Ellie said, tugging at his sleeve. "There will be time to ponder this later. We've got something more important to do, and we have to do it while I still have the nerve."

Benny stood woodenly, staring at the remains. Ellie saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes. She waited quietly, respecting his grief. After a time he turned his torch to the path ahead and they continued on with their journey.

It wasn't long before they came across more skeletal remains scattered along the trail, lying prone on the rocky floor or plopped up against a wall. It seemed as if these poor creatures had fled to the cave in desperation, and here they had perished. Benny passed the carnage grim-faced, his hands clasped white-knuckled around the torch, determined to remain focused on the task ahead.
They walked onward and upward in a seemingly endless course of twists and turns until Ellie thought they were hopelessly lost. Then, they detected a change. A wind stirred within the cave, easing the stink that permeated its walls. The trail bent sharply toward the right, and around a corner they came upon a shaft of silver-gray light streaming from a jagged crack in the rock above.

Outside, a storm was raging. Water dripped from the crack and wind whistled around it, moaning through the cave. A shallow pool had formed on the stony floor and threatened to escape down the trail. When Ellie looked up at the opening in the rock, her heart lifted from its gloom. Light, even light that was dismal and wet, was a good omen.

"They are close," Benny said, his voice echoing in the chamber. "Benny can feel it."

Ellie felt it too, like metal being drawn to a magnet. The Nazgul were near, and for the first time in the sorry history of the New Colony, a different type of Reckoning was about to take place. Then a darker thought arose with her. Did the Nazgul sense them, too?

"The time has come, Benny," Ellie said ominously.

Benny nodded, eased the long pack from his back, and selected a hammer and stake for Ellie. Ellie surrendered her torch and back pack. He would be her eyes now, he would carry the load. She tucked the hammer into her belt and took the stake gladly. It felt good in her hands. It felt--right.

They moved past the crack in the rock, leaving the invigorating daylight behind them. They walked slowly now, for what they sought was close. The tunnel ran roughly straight ahead for maybe thirty meters, then veered left again. When they reached the bend, they stopped.

"Turn off the torch, Benny," Ellie whispered.

The cave went black, and for a second Ellie had to suppress the urge to bolt. They waited for their eyes to adjust and pondered what to do next. She could hear the rats squeaking about them, coming closer in the comforting darkness to explore the enticing human scent. She had to will herself to stand still. Slowly they sensed the dim rays of light ahead.

Ellie touched Benny on the arm and they moved onward.

With each step the light became stronger. Around one final turn they reached the entrance of a high chamber. There they discovered the light source: a brightened opening to the outside world at the far end. Cascades of rain dripped from its upper lip reverberating loudly.

Benny lightly shook Ellie's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Nazgul,"
he hissed, pointing to a dark area far back from the opening.

Ellie blinked hard. Yes, it was a Nazgul, hanging upside down from the top of the cave.

The beast was long and surprisingly lithe. In sleep its long, horse-like legs were drawn up and its membranous wings wrapped around its body, giving the Nazgul the appearance of a gigantic cocoon. Ellie could feel the life pulsating within it. It was a long, deep life. Nearly eternal. It was filled with longing and hate. Longing for the simple life of long ago; hateful of what had happened to its kindred. It lived for violence and revenge. It lived to drink the sweet nectar of human blood.

Ellie didn't hesitate. The memory of a story written by the man called David pulsed within her. Was it just a story, or had he somehow tapped into something real?

She drew out the hammer, pushed Benny aside, and with sure steps moved toward the Nazgul. Benny, startled by Ellie's resolve, followed less surely, wondering how she even knew where to strike. Where was the heart of a Nazgul? Did these foul creatures even have hearts?

Ellie didn't appear to share Benny's doubts. Five meters away she raised the stake, her entire being ablaze with purpose. Her eyes widened, her mouth grim and set. She spontaneously began reciting a prayer in an ancient tongue known as Latin. It was the secret prayer of the vampire killer, a prayer impressed on her very genes, passed down from generation to generation to be used in the holy war against the undead.

Stake out, its point instinctively aimed toward the evil heart. Hammer raised, her arm transformed to a deadly piston ready to perform its sacred duty. Steel flashing down on wood with blinding speed. The stake penetrating wing, matted fur, flesh, teaming arteries, gristle and bone, then finally the infected heart.

The end came surprisingly easy. The Nazgul shuddered once and died. Benny stood by, his mouth agape, awed by the speed and finality of the kill. The Nazgul swayed slightly, its talons momentarily death-gripped to the ceiling. Ellie stood close by breathing heavily, her hammer ready to strike again if necessary. The body of the Nazgul swayed twice more like a giant pendulum then fell to the floor with a thud.

"Godspeed!" Benny gasped.

One down, six to go.

Before their astonished eyes, the body of the Nazgul began to smoke. A great hissing cloud rose up as the remains disintegrated into a muddy pool. The cave filled with an incredible stench. Benny rushed toward the radiant entrance, his stomach rolling, his lungs gasping for fresh air. The gray light blinded him; rain beat on his face. He looked down and vertigo nearly overcame him. They had climbed high, higher than the useless bell towers of the New Colony, higher than any of the Lords of Mercury's servants had dared since the coming of the great ships. His head throbbed, his mind whirled, and for a brief moment he thought he would faint and tumble to his death.

Ellie grabbed him roughly by the shoulder. "Come, Benny," she said. "We've got work to do!"

Benny looked at her unbelievingly. All doubt had vanished from her. She was strong, resolved. An image flashed before his mind, the first day of the Reckoning when he had come upon her toying with the shutter door. He had seen the fear in her eyes, fear deep and threatening. There was no hint of fear now. The woman before him was not the same person. Ellie Lewis had been transformed into--

--A Hunter.

"Benny," Ellie repeated. "Light your torch. We must be quick!"

He followed her back into the rear of the cavern, handing her another stake as they hurried. There they found a narrow rock-hewn stairway that led upward. The next chamber was not far, and the Nazgul was easily found hanging in the cool, safe blackness. Again, Ellie did not hesitate. The second Nazgul was dispatched with such iron will that it left Benny Knuckles stunned.

Another stairway, a third Nazgul. Instead of tiring, Ellie seemed to be gathering strength. Death to the scavenger of the New Colony was immediate and brutal. The savagery of Ellie's blow pushed the wooden dowel through its body until a bloody tip poked through the other side.

The change started with the fourth Nazgul. Instead of being folded within itself in sleep like the others, this one had wings partially open as if it were trying to awaken itself from its stupor, but it was too late. As the Nazgul stirred, Ellie lunged, and the stake found home with thudding finality. The Nazgul died and plunged to the rocky floor with a sickening thump. Smoke rose from its body as they turned away

Number five was almost fully awake. In the torchlight its front talons clenched and unclenched as if it were beating away the dream of its death. As Ellie approached, Benny feared it might lunge out and grab her, but once again the conviction of her actions brought a swift end.

Number six was the beginning of the nightmare. Its wings were fully extended, but it had yet to lower itself to the floor. It’s hard, black eyes were peering out at the unknown force approaching it. When it saw Ellie, a terrible connection was made, a connection not experienced since the time of The Two.

Benny found it odd that a creature as fearsome and powerful as a Nazgul would be afraid of a petite human female with a wooden stake in her hand, but fear was exactly what the Nazgul expressed. It flinched at the sight of her, its thin horse legs pumped uselessly at the air. Then, it bellowed a scream that could have awakened the dead.

Benny howled in terror and surprise, nearly dropping the torches. He turned and ran instinctively. Only when he reached the stone stairway did he stop and look back for Ellie. Surely she was following! Surely she realized that to go on would be folly! But when his eyes found her he saw she was moving relentlessly forward, the Nazgul locked in her sights.

A part of Ellie hiding deep within her recoiled at the Nazgul's roar, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. She was no longer in control of her actions. Something had seized her, taken over her body, and turned it into a killing machine.

"You can no longer deny your blood, Ellie," a voice within her said. “This is your sacred duty. This is for your Emily and all the other poor souls of the New Colony who met their terrible fates because they were too old or not perfect enough for those who thought their names were sacred. You are the Hunter,” the voice continued. "And a hunter must hunt." The words burned in her brain. "A hunter must hunt..."

Ellie Lewis clutched the stake in her hand and dared the Nazgul to challenge her. It dropped to the floor, arched its back, then scurried backwards only to find that it was dangerously near the entrance to the cave. It was daylight out there. The Nazgul hated the daylight. It would rather stand and die here than submit to the sun's domain. And die it would, for Ellie was upon it.

Benny feared again, but this time it was not because of the Nazgul. The Nazgul, he suddenly realized, was nothing compared to the force of nature that was Ellie Lewis. He had expected a long bloody fight, but it was over before it really began. Ellie leaped through the air, the shrill cry of attack rising from her lips. She hit the wooden dowel so hard, Benny heard it crack and despaired it would be rendered useless. The Nazgul cried out with rage, fell backwards into a slit of light, ignited into wicked, dancing flames and died.

One left. Iscar the mighty one. The time of truth had arrived.

Benny could hear the howl of the dreaded one above them through the solid rock ceiling. Iscar had awakened. Giant legs thumped the floor of his cavern like giant pistons. Benny looked at Ellie, his face stricken, but much to his surprise, Ellie was laughing.

"Having fun, Benny?" she asked.

"Are you, are you crazy?" Benny stammered.

"This is life, Benny!" Ellie replied, thumping her chest like a warrior. "This is life in its purest form! It's the battle between good and evil. It's the battle for the soul of the New Colony! It's revenge for my sweet daughter! I was just a silly girl! All I wanted was a normal life. I wanted to pretend that there weren't things out there in the night that bite. I thought a man would protect me and our children, but I was wrong, so very wrong. That time, that girl, is gone. No more pretending, Benny. No more!"

She held out her hand. "The stake, Benny. Let's have that last damn stake and get this shit over with."

Benny's hands were shaking so badly he could barely get the stake out of the nearly empty pack. Ellie grabbed it out of his trembling hands and looked at him wickedly. "What do you say, Benny. We'll cut the head off of the bastard and take it back to Virgil as a gift?"

Benny was speechless.

Ellie cackled again, then took off up the stairway, bounding up the steps two at a time. Benny could barely keep up with her.

"Wait!" Benny cried. "Wait! It's too dangerous!"

Above him Ellie called out. "That's the fun of it, Benny! That's the God damn fun!"