Ulrich

The man was tall and strong. Long chestnut hair fell about his clean-shaven face. A bow was slung over one of his shoulders and on the other there rested a young boar. He was returning home after a long but successful day. He was weary and looked forward to getting back home, where his wife was awaiting him.

He entered the village and greeted the old men sitting in front of the smithy. He walked on to the end of the road and entered the small, cosy-looking house that stood slightly aside of the rest.

His wife came out to greet him. "Oh Jacob, I was getting afraid for you. You were away so long." she sighed and pressed herself to him.

"I'm sorry Amy, but this little boar led me quite a chase. At least we've got enough to last us several days. And we can sell part of it and buy other things." saying this, he kissed her gently on the forehead. She looked at him proudly.

Later, as they sat side by side in the small, neat kitchen, he gazed at her and thanked the Lord for such a wife. They were married but a few months, and so had no children yet, but already Amy was with child. Jacob often wondered whether it would be a boy or a girl and what name he would give it. He had decided on Simon, after his grandfather, if it were a boy and Amy if it was a girl.

He leaned forward and took her into his arms and kissed her. "I love you, Amy." he whispered softly. She buried her face in his shirt and held him close to her.

Suddenly an unearthly shriek pierced the silent night. Bestial roars followed it. Jacob started and leapt to his feet. Telling Amy to shut herself in the bedroom, he grabbed his long hunting knife from the wall and rushed from the house to se what was happening.

Other villagers were doing the same. Panic was in the air and the screaming of women and roaring made a terrible din. Loik the blacksmith pointed to the opposite end of the village - ghastly shapes were coming out of the gloom. Slimy, twisted creatures with grey skin. The sort of grey one could call pale black. At this sight, many men lost courage and fled to their homes or into the wood.

Loik, Jacob and some others banded together and went to meet the demons. The only one with a proper weapon was the blacksmith, who held a broadsword. The rest had either woodcutters axes or knifes and daggers. When the beasts were only some 15 yards away, Jacob heard a scream of utter despair come from behind. He turned and to his horror saw that more of the creatures had come up from behind. The scream had come from his house...

His vision dimmed and he saw red. With a cry he rushed back, followed by one or two others. At that moment, the ones at the front charged at the astounded men.

Jacob ignored everything else and rushed to his home. He jumped threw the door and ran upstairs to the bedroom. The door was smashed in and a terrible scene lay in front of him.

On the bed was the smashed and battered remains of his beloved. Over her crouched one of the beasts, covered in blood and slime. It was biting and tearing at the body and didn't notice him until too late.

He jumped on it and hacked threw it's neck with his knife. Black blood gushed out and splattered him all over, but he ignored it. He kept on slashing until the thing had stopped moving for some time. Then, with a new flame in his eyes, he got up and ran out on the street.

The fight was still continuing, but the demons obviously had the upper hand. Only Loik and one other remained, standing back to back and fending off some ten of the monsters. Others were pillaging the village. Some houses had caught fir and now gave the whole scene a nightmarish look.

He knew his village was doomed. There was only one way of avenging himself properly - go for help. He quickly headed for the pub, where he knew was a horse.

He reached it without any problem and entered the stables just in time to see two of the beasts approaching the poor horse. With a wild yell he flung himself on the nearest one and stabbed it in the back, killing it outright. The second one turned and leapt at him. He dodged, but had to leave his knife in the body of the first creature.

The monster, who had a gray horn protruding from its forehead, rushed him again and managed to topple him. It lay on him, clawing at him and trying to get close enough for a bite. He felt the things claws rip up his side. He held it of for a moment, but it was stronger then he and in any moment would sink its teeth into his face.

As death neared, Jacob thought of his Amy, of the child she had in her and the memory of that last scene poured hatred into him, turning his blood to a raging inferno. With a snarl that was as inhuman as his foe, he clasped it around its neck and with one mighty twist broke its spine.

Pushing the body away, he painfully got up, his strength leaving him as quickly as it came. He went up to the horse, untied it and climbed on. The horse needed no urging and bolted as soon he was on it.

As he galloped through the carnage, he looked back and saw only the demon-beasts - no man was left standing. He rested his head on the horse and feinted.