I revisted Vodník a few months ago–the first times I’ve reread a book of mine after it was published. I was really worried I’d be disappointed or dislike it, but it was actually a ton of fun still. Instead of being let down, I was proud of what I’d done. And I had enough fun with it that I decided to revisit the world in a short story. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and today, I thought I’d share it with you lovely people. It was a fun project, and very different from what I’ve been up to lately. So without further ado:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Simple Assignment from Death
I stumbled down the cobblestone streets of Trenčin, my feet aching from another long shift at the castle. The clock tower had just struck midnight, its deep chimes echoing off the empty buildings. My mind wandered to thoughts of a warm bed and maybe a midnight snack, if I could scrounge something up without waking my parents.
It had been a hectic day at the castle. A late tour group had arrived just before closing, and halfway through, a young boy had wandered off. We’d spent hours searching every nook and cranny, fearing the worst. Thankfully, we found him curled up asleep in a hidden alcove, but the stress of the search had left everyone exhausted.
The rain had finally stopped, but the air still hung heavy with moisture. Puddles reflected the dim streetlights, creating an eerie, mirror-like surface on the ground. I shivered, pulling my jacket tighter around me. It wasn’t cold, exactly, but there was something unsettling about the silence. No cars, no people—just the occasional drip from a gutter. Even after defeating the Vodnik, I couldn’t shake my discomfort around water. I skirted around the puddles, preferring the drier patches of cobblestone.
I’d been on edge lately, waiting for the other shoe to drop. It had been weeks since I’d become Death’s Assassin, and so far… nothing. No assignments from Morena, no magical creatures to dispatch. Just normal, everyday life. Being a teenage hit man for Death was turning out to be much more boring than I would have expected.
Maybe Morena had forgotten about me. Maybe the whole thing had been some crazy dream. I mean, how often do you get to kill a vodnik and save your cousin’s life all in one day?
A cat yowled in the distance, making me jump. Get it together, Tomas. I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs. That’s when I noticed the fog.
It crept along the ground, tendrils reaching out like ghostly fingers. I could have sworn it wasn’t there a second ago. My pace quickened, and I found myself wishing I’d taken Lubos up on those extra self-defense lessons.
The fog thickened, swirling around my ankles. It was hard to see more than a few feet in any direction. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Something wasn’t right.
A figure materialized in the mist ahead of me. At first, I thought it was the vodnik—same height, same build. But as it got closer, I realized this was… different. Darker. More malevolent. Its eyes glowed an eerie blue, far more intense than the vodnik’s had ever been. And its smile was pure evil.
“Who’s there?” I called out, my voice shaky.
The figure glided closer. I could make out something in its hand—not a teacup, but something longer, curved. My heart leapt into my throat. I stumbled backward, nearly losing my footing on the slick cobblestones.
I turned to run, but my feet wouldn’t cooperate. It was like moving through molasses. The figure was getting closer, the object in its hand gleaming wickedly in the dim light.
“Stay back!” I shouted, fumbling in my pockets for anything I could use as a weapon. All I came up with was a half-empty pack of mints and my house keys.
The figure raised its arm high, poised to strike. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the blow. This was it. Death’s Assassin, taken out before his first real job. How pathetic was that?
“Boo.”
I cracked one eye open. The figure had thrown back its hood, revealing a familiar face grinning at me. Morena. Of course.
Her appearance was as unsettling as ever – skin pale as moonlight, eyes dark and fathomless. Her hair, a cascade of inky black, seemed to absorb what little light there was on the street. Despite her ageless face, there was something ancient in her gaze, a reminder of the countless souls she’d ushered into the afterlife.
“Oh, come on,” I groaned, my knees weak with relief. “Was that really necessary?”
Morena cackled, her raspy laugh echoing off the buildings. The sound sent a chill down my spine, a mix of amusement and menace that only Death herself could produce. Her teeth, unnaturally white and sharp, gleamed in the dim light as she grinned.
“You should have seen your face! Priceless.”
I scowled, trying to regain some dignity. “I wasn’t scared. I was… strategizing.”
“Sure you were, kid.” She twirled her scythe like it was a baton instead of an instrument of death. “And I’m the tooth fairy.”
“What do you want?” I asked, still a little miffed at being scared out of my wits. “Is this about an assignment?” A flicker of suspicion crossed my mind. Why now, after weeks of silence? What had changed?
Morena’s grin widened. “Oh, it’s about an assignment alright. Don’t worry, though. We’ll start you off with something easy. I promise.” The glint in her eye made me wonder just how trustworthy that promise was.
“I’m ready,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “What’s the job?”
“Not so fast,” Morena said, suddenly looking a bit weary. “Before we get into the details, we need to find a place to sit down. These feet of mine are killing me. Who knew being Death could be so hard on the arches? I’ve been all over Slovakia today – a bus crash in Bratislava, a heart attack in Košice, and don’t even get me started on the pile-up near Žilina.”
I blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. One minute she’s terrifying me, the next she’s complaining about foot pain. “Uh, sure,” I said. “There’s a bench just around the corner. Will that work?”
“Perfect,” Morena said, already hobbling in that direction. “Come on, then. We’ve got a lot to discuss, and the night isn’t getting any younger.”
As we walked, I took in the eerie stillness of downtown Trencin after midnight. The empty storefronts, their windows dark and lifeless, reminded me of scenes from post-apocalyptic movies. The occasional flicker of a street lamp only added to the atmosphere, casting long shadows that rippled on the cobblestones. The silence was oppressive, broken only by our footsteps on the damp cobblestones.
I sat down next to Morena on the bench, trying not to stare as she massaged her feet through her shoes.
“Alright, kid,” she said, leaning back with a sigh of relief. “Ready for your first real gig?”
I nodded, hoping I looked more prepared than I felt. “What’ve you got for me?”
“Ever heard of bludičky?” Morena asked, raising an eyebrow.
I shook my head. “Sounds like some kind of pastry.”
Morena snorted. “Not quite. They’re spirits. Nasty little things that like to lead travelers astray. And a bunch of them have been causing trouble in Čachtice.”
“Čachtice?” I frowned. “Never heard of it.”
“It’s a village not too far from here,” Morena said, waving her hand dismissively. “The details aren’t important. What matters is that these bludičky need to be put to rest. And you’re just the assassin for the job.”
I shifted uncomfortably on the bench. “Put to rest? You mean… kill them?”
Morena rolled her eyes. “They’re already dead, genius. You just need to, shall we say, encourage them to move on to the next plane. How you do it is up to you. Some say iron filings work, others swear by blessed candles. You might even try reasoning with them, if you’re feeling brave. But I’m not guaranteeing any of these will work. You might actually have to do some research. A big part of this first assignment is to see how well you can think on your toes.”
“Come on,” I said. “Can’t you cut your favorite assassin some slack?”
Morena’s eyes flashed, the temperature around us dropping several degrees in an instant. “Slack?” she hissed, her voice like ice scraping over gravel. “Do I look like I’m running a summer camp here?”
I swallowed hard, holding up my hands in surrender. “No, ma’am. Absolutely not. I’ll just pop over to Čachtice and tell some ghost lights to scram. Easy peasy.”
“Perfect,” Morena grinned, then her expression turned serious. “But there’s one catch. You’ve got to do this on your own. Well, not entirely on your own. You can bring your little friends if you want. But no adults. That means no running to your uncle for help.”
My stomach dropped. “No Luboš? But he knows way more about this stuff than I do. Couldn’t he just—”
“Nope,” Morena cut me off. “This is your job, Tomas. Time to see what you’re really made of. Besides, Luboš has his hands full with that treasure you found in the well. Let the man enjoy his good fortune.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Fine. I’ll figure it out. Anything else I should know?”
Morena stood up, stretching her back with a series of unsettling pops. “Nah, that should do it. Oh, except one thing. Try not to get yourself killed, okay? Paperwork’s a real pain in the neck.”
With that, she raised her scythe high above her head. A swirling vortex of shadows erupted from the ground, enveloping her. As the darkness consumed her, her eyes glowed an eerie blue. “Good luck, Tomas,” her voice echoed, fading away with the last wisps of shadow. In a blink, she was gone, leaving me alone on the bench with nothing but questions and a growing sense of dread.
I groaned, slumping back against the cold metal. My first real assignment as Death’s Assassin, and I had no idea what I was doing. How was I supposed to handle spirits I’d never even heard of, in a village I didn’t know, without any adult help?
But then again, hadn’t I faced worse? I’d taken down a vodnik, after all. Saved Katka’s life.
I stood up, forcing a new determination to settle over me. It felt about as genuine as when I’d pretended to like Pride & Prejudice after Mom made me watch it, but it was better than nothing. First thing tomorrow, I’d round up Katka and Lesana. If anyone could help me figure this out, it was them.
#
I leaned against the stone wall of the workroom, trying not to shiver. The castle was always chilly, but this particular room was competing for “Dampest Dungeon in Slovakia.” Hewn directly from the rock beneath the castle, the chamber was more cave than room. Rough-cut walls glistened with moisture, and the uneven floor was slick with centuries of accumulated grime. A narrow, recessed window let in a thin beam of light, barely illuminating the sparse furnishings: a rickety wooden table, a few mismatched stools, and some rusted tools hanging on the wall. The musty smell of damp earth and old stone permeated the air.
Despite its gloomy atmosphere, the workroom offered one crucial advantage: privacy. And right now, that was exactly what we needed.
Katka perched on one of the old wooden stools, while Lesana stood near the door, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. I did my best not to stare at her, but it was hard. Even in the dim light, she looked beautiful, her pale skin seeming to glow against the dark stone, her eyes catching what little light there was and reflecting it back like stars.
“So,” Katka said, breaking the silence. “What’s this big emergency meeting about, Tomas?”
I cleared my throat, forcing myself to focus. “Right. Well, I finally had a visitor last night.”
Katka’s eyes widened. “Morena?”
I nodded. “She’s got a job for me,” I said, trying to sound casual. Like getting assignments from Death was totally normal. “Something about spirits called bludičky. Ever heard of them?”
Lesana nodded, her expression growing serious. “They’re will-o’-the-wisps. Spirits that lead travelers astray, often into danger. I’ve had a few run-ins with them over the centuries. They’re not exactly friendly – more like mischievous children with a cruel streak. Once, I saw them lure a whole caravan off a cliff. It . . . wasn’t pleasant.”
“Exactly,” I said, feeling a bit less confident about this assignment. “Morena wants me to, uh, ‘put them to rest.’ Whatever that means. She mentioned I might have to do some research to figure out how to deal with them effectively.”
Katka frowned. “And you’re going to do it? Just like that?”
I shrugged. “What choice do I have? It’s kind of in the job description.”
“I suppose,” Katka said, not looking convinced. “Where are these bludičky, anyway?”
“Some village called Čachtice,” I said. “I’ve never heard of it, but—”
My cousin’s face went pale, and Lesana’s skin had taken on that ashen hue I remembered from when I’d first seen her in the crypt, almost dead. Her complexion seemed to blend with the damp stone walls around us.
“What?” I asked, glancing between them. “What’s wrong?”
Lesana stepped closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’ve never heard of Čachtice?”
I shook my head. “No. Should I?”
Lesana’s eyes grew distant, as if looking into the past. “It’s where Elizabeth Báthory lived. I remember the whispers, the terrified looks on people’s faces when her name was mentioned. I knew people who worked in her castle, who disappeared without a trace. Some say she tortured and killed hundreds of young women, bathing in their blood to stay young.”
She paused, her voice growing even quieter. “People today might think it’s exaggerated, just stories to scare children. But I’ve been to Čachtice over the years. If anything, they’ve downplayed the horrors. Báthory’s spirit is locked up behind many layers of spells, but it’s still best not to go anywhere near there.”
I felt skepticism creeping in. It sounded like something out of a horror movie. “Come on, it can’t be that bad, right?”
Katka stood up, pacing the small room. “Tomas, when Bram Stoker was trying to figure out what Dracula was going to be like, he based the character in large part on Báthory. That’s how notorious she was.”
A chill ran down my spine. “So, what you’re saying is… this would be like going up against Dracula?”
Lesana and Katka exchanged a glance before answering in unison: “Worse.”
I felt my stomach churn. “Okay, that’s… horrifying. But what does it have to do with these bludičky?”
Katka stopped pacing, fixing me with a serious look. “Čachtice Castle is one of the most haunted places in Slovakia. If there are bludičky there, they’re probably connected to Báthory somehow.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. “Look, I get it. It sounds bad. But come on, it’s got to be a coincidence, right? Morena said this was supposed to be something easy. She wouldn’t send me up against some legendary murderer’s ghost on my first assignment.”
“Are you sure about that?” Katka asked, raising an eyebrow.
I hesitated. “Well… mostly sure. Besides, we can’t back out now. I made a deal with Death, and I know exactly what will happen if I break it. This stuff about Báthory is much more unknown.”
Lesana reached out and squeezed my hand. I tried to ignore the flutter in my stomach at her touch. “We’ll help you,” she said. “Won’t we, Katka?”
Katka nodded, though she still looked worried. “Of course. But Tomas, are you absolutely certain about this? Maybe we should tell–”
I shook my head. “Can’t. Morena said no adults. It’s got to be just us.”
“Fantastic,” Katka said dryly. “Three teenagers against centuries-old evil spirits. What could possibly go wrong?”
As if on cue, a cold draft whistled through the room, making us all jump. I laughed nervously. “Well, look on the bright side. At least we don’t have to worry about what to do this weekend anymore, right?”
Katka and Lesana both gave me identical looks of exasperation. I cleared my throat. “Right. So, uh, anyone know where we can find some ghost-hunting equipment?”
#
The bus lurched to a stop, throwing me off balance. I grabbed the seat in front of me to keep from toppling over, my enormous duffel bag clanking in the process. Katka and Lesana weren’t faring much better, both struggling under the weight of our hastily assembled ghost-hunting gear.
“Last stop,” the driver called out, his voice gruff. “Everybody off.”
I frowned, peering out the grimy window. We were on the side of the road, surrounded by nothing but fields and the fading light of sunset. “But this isn’t Čachtice,” I protested. “The town’s still a ways off.”
The driver turned to face us, his weathered face set in a scowl. “This is as far as I go. You want Čachtice, you walk.”
“What? Why?” Katka asked, already struggling to heft her bag.
The man’s eyes darted around. “Just do. Now get off my bus.”
We tried arguing, but it was no use. Before long, we found ourselves standing on the side of the road, watching the bus’s taillights disappear into the distance.
“Well,” I said, trying to sound upbeat, “at least we’re getting some exercise?”
Lesana rolled her eyes. “Yes, because that’s exactly what we need before facing evil spirits. A nice, long walk with fifty pounds of equipment.”
We set off towards Čachtice, the fading sunlight casting long shadows across the fields. After about ten minutes, I was already regretting at least half of what we’d packed: salt, iron filings, blessed candles, sage bundles, holy water, UV flashlights, EMF meters, spirit boxes, crystal pendulums, protective amulets, silver crosses, garlic cloves, wooden stakes, bells, mirrors, protective chalk, thermal cameras, motion sensors, dowsing rods, quartz crystals, and a ouija board (just in case).
“Okay,” I wheezed, dropping my bag with a clank. “Time to lighten the load. What do we absolutely need?”
We spent the next few minutes sorting through our supplies. In the end, we decided to keep the salt, iron filings, UV flashlights, sage bundles, and holy water. The rest we stowed behind a hedge at the side of the road, figuring we’d come back for it later, if necessary.
By the time we were done, our bags were lighter, though I still felt like I was lugging around a small car. We might have gone overboard on the salt and iron filings.
As we walked, I reviewed the research we’d done the day before. We’d pored over old books, maps, and notes we’d “borrowed” from Luboš, piecing together what we could about Čachtice and the bludičky.
It was a small town of only around 4,000 people, situated in western Slovakia about 80 kilometers northeast of Bratislava. The village itself dated back to the 13th century, founded as a strategic outpost to guard the western approaches to the Váh River valley. The ruins of Čachtice Castle sat on a hill 2.5 kilometers northwest of the town center – a pain to hike, but doable. From what we’d read, the castle had once been an imposing fortress, though now it loomed over the countryside like a decaying tooth.
We’d come up with three potential plans for dealing with the bludičky:
1. The Pied Piper approach: Use music or some other lure to lead them away from populated areas.
2. The Firefighter method: Create a controlled burn to deprive them of their preferred habitat.
3. The Ghost Trap: Construct a makeshift spirit containment device using iron filings and UV light.
Of course, we all knew these plans were shots in the dark. When it came down to it, we’d probably have to improvise. Spirits rarely played by the rules, and bludičky were notoriously unpredictable.
My mental preparation was interrupted by Katka’s sudden gasp. “Look,” she said, pointing to a nearby fence post.
I squinted in the fading light. There, spray-painted in blood red, was a strange symbol. It looked like a sun, but instead of rays, it had sharp, blade-like protrusions.
“Weird,” I muttered. “Some kind of graffiti?”
Lesana shook her head. “I think it’s something more than that.”
She pointed further down the road. Every twenty yards or so, the same symbol appeared, sometimes on fence posts, sometimes on trees or rocks. One particularly grotesque instance had been carved into the bark of an old oak tree, the red paint oozing down like blood from a fresh wound.
“It’s like . . . a trail,” Katka said, her voice uneasy.
A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the cooling evening air. “A trail to what?”
We exchanged nervous glances, then continued walking, following the eerie red suns towards Čachtice. With each step, the weight of our bags seemed to grow, along with the feeling that we were walking into something far more complicated than Morena had let on.
“Hey,” I said, trying to lighten the mood, “at least we’re not—”
“Tomas,” Katka interrupted, her voice dangerously calm, “if you finish that sentence with anything resembling ‘at least we’re not doing something boring,’ I swear I will drown you with the holy water right here and now.”
I clamped my mouth shut, recognizing the look in her eyes. She wasn’t joking.
As the last rays of sunlight faded from the sky, we trudged into Čachtice. The town was a mishmash of communist-era apartment blocks, crumbling old houses, and an empty town square devoid of life. A rusting playground stood silent, its neglected equipment a lawsuit waiting to happen. At the heart of it all, an onion-domed church with peeling paint loomed. An unsettling silence blanketed the streets. The few lights glowing in windows seemed more like warnings than welcoming beacons. Even the air felt heavy, as if the town was holding its breath.
“Okay,” I whispered, almost afraid to break the silence. “Let’s stick to the plan. Step one: talk to the locals. Remember, no direct questions about bludičky or anything supernatural.”
We agreed to meet back at the town square in an hour and set off in different directions. I approached the first house with lights on, taking a deep breath before ringing the bell on the fence outside.
An elderly woman answered, peering out at me through a crack in the door. Her face was a map of wrinkles, eyes sharp and wary beneath a shock of steel-gray hair. “Yes?”
“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you,” I said, putting on my best smile. “I’m new in town and I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about Čachtice? Have you lived here long?”
The woman’s eyes glanced behind me before focusing back on my face. “All my life,” she said.
“Oh, that’s wonderful! I bet you’ve seen a lot of changes. Has anything . . . interesting happened recently?”
The woman’s expression hardened. “Nothing happens here,” she said, and slammed the door in my face.
“Well, aren’t you just a ray of sunshine,” I muttered.
Undeterred, I tried the next house. This time, a middle-aged man answered. He listened to my carefully worded questions about the town’s history and any recent strange occurrences, then shook his head. “Čachtice is a quiet place,” he muttered. “Nothing to tell.” The door shut in my face.
This pattern repeated itself over and over. Some people refused to even open their doors, while others would listen to my roundabout questions before making excuses and retreating inside.
By the time we regrouped at the town square, our frustration hung in the air like a thick fog. The square stretched before us, a barren expanse of cracked cobblestones surrounded by boarded-up storefronts. Flickering streetlamps cast long shadows across the deserted space, their weak light struggling against the encroaching darkness. The air carried the scent of damp stone and something older, mustier—a smell I couldn’t quite place. An oppressive silence still blanketed everything, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves in the chill breeze.
“Any luck?” I asked, knowing the answer before the words left my mouth.
Lesana shook her head, a stray lock of hair falling across her face. The dim light caught the gold flecks in her eyes. “Nothing concrete, but it’s clear they’re hiding something.”
I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a heavy sigh. “This is ridiculous, but it’s not like we didn’t think this would be possible.”
Katka nodded. “Time to move on to step two: the museum.”
We’d seen a note about the museum on one of the old maps we’d borrowed from Luboš. It was supposed to be small, tucked away in a converted house in the middle of town, not far from where we stood. The information we’d found was sparse—just a mention that it contained local historical artifacts. We had no idea what to expect.
“We can hope for the best,” I said.
As we walked through the town’s winding streets, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. The red sun symbols seemed to glow in the moonlight, their blade-like rays pointing accusingly at us. Shadows danced at the corners of my vision, always disappearing when I turned to look at them. The very air seemed to thicken, making each breath a struggle. I shook my head, trying to clear it. Maybe I was letting all of this get under my skin.
We approached the museum, a squat stone building wedged between two taller structures. Its windows were dark, reflecting the streetlights like dead eyes. A faded sign hung crookedly above the door, the paint peeling away to reveal weathered wood beneath. The smell of mildew wafted from the building.
I stood in front of the museum’s locked door, my frustration growing. “Great. Now what?”
Katka sighed. “I guess we could come back tomorrow when it’s open.”
“And waste a whole night? We don’t have that kind of time. The museum looks closed anyway.”
Lesana glanced around nervously. “Tomas, what are you thinking?”
I pulled out my wallet and extracted a credit card. “This works in the movies.”
“You can’t be serious,” Katka hissed. “Breaking and entering?”
I was already working the card into the gap between the door and frame. After a tense minute of jiggling and muttered curses, I heard a satisfying click. “We’re in.”
Seconds ticked by as we waited for a siren or the sound of approaching police. Nothing happened.
We slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind us. The museum was a single room, lit by emergency lights that cast an eerie glow over the displays. Glass cases lined the walls, filled with old documents, rusted weapons, and faded photographs. In the center of the room stood a life-sized mannequin of Elizabeth Báthory, its wax face frozen in a disturbing smile, eyes seeming to follow us as we moved.
“Okay,” I whispered. “Let’s look around for anything relevant.”
We split up, each taking a different section of the museum. I found myself drawn to a series of exhibits detailing the life of Elizabeth Báthory. The infamous “Blood Countess” had lived in Čachtice Castle in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. According to the placards, she was accused of torturing and killing hundreds of young women, mostly servants and local peasant girls. The details were gruesome: beatings, burnings, and worse.
Glass cases displayed replicas of the torture devices allegedly used: iron maidens with sharp spikes lining the interior, thumb screws designed to crush fingers, and cages barely large enough for a person to crouch in. Each item was accompanied by a clinical description of its use that made my stomach churn.
As I read, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of it was true and how much was exaggeration. Báthory had been a powerful noblewoman in a time when women held little power. Could some of these accusations have been politically motivated? But then again, the evidence seemed overwhelming. Over 300 witnesses had testified against her. In the end, she had been walled up alive in a room of her castle, where she remained until her death four years later.
I thought about the blood-red sun symbols we’d seen around town and the strange behavior of the townsfolk. Something was definitely wrong in Čachtice, and I had a sinking feeling it was connected to this dark history.
My eyes were drawn to a large map of Čachtice Castle and its grounds. As I studied it, I noticed a notation near the base of the hill.
“Guys,” I called softly. “Come look at this.”
Katka and Lesana hurried over. I pointed to a spot on the map marked as a mass grave. “What if that’s the source of the bludičky? All those murdered girls, their spirits unable to rest . . .”
“It could make sense,” Lesana said. “Bludičky are often associated with the spirits of those who died violently or unjustly.”
“But why now?” Katka asked. “Báthory’s crimes happened centuries ago. Why would the bludičky suddenly start appearing?”
I frowned, considering. “Maybe something disturbed the grave? Construction work, or–”
“Or grave robbers,” Lesana finished grimly. “With all the interest in Báthory these days, someone might have tried to dig up ‘souvenirs’.”
The thought made my stomach turn. “So what do we do?”
I paused, thinking aloud. “Maybe we need to go and rebury the grave properly?”
Katka shuddered. “Tonight? In the dark?”
I felt another chill run down my spine. Despite my reluctance, there was a growing sense of urgency. The oppressive atmosphere of the town, the fearful behavior of its inhabitants, the eerie symbols – it all pointed to something building, something that needed to be addressed soon.
Lesana nodded slowly. “I feel it too. It’s like the air is getting thicker, heavier.”
We slipped out of the museum, locking the door behind us. The night had deepened, a thick blanket of clouds rolling in to obscure any moonlight. The town seemed even more deserted than before, if that was possible, full of an oppressive silence broken only by the occasional creak of a shutter or distant bark of a dog.
As we made our way towards the edge of the forest, I still couldn’t shake the feeling we were being watched. Naturally, the blood suns just happened to continue to line the path toward the castle. Who was making them and why?
“Does anyone else feel like we’re being herded?” Katka whispered, her voice tight with tension.
I nodded, worried my voice might tremble if I tried to speak.
The paved road soon gave way to a dirt path leading into the forest. I handed out the UV flashlights. Katka clicked hers on and frowned at the faint light it produced.
“We need to preserve our night vision,” I explained.
Katka rolled her eyes. “Great. So we can see absolutely nothing instead of next to nothing.”
We continued through the forest, the weak purple beams doing little to penetrate the thick darkness. The trees pressed in close, their gnarled branches forming a canopy overhead that blocked out what little ambient light remained. Leaves crunched underfoot. Occasionally, a twig would snap in the distance, making us all jump.
I had to admit, the lights weren’t helping much. It was like trying to walk through a purple coloring book. Maybe my cousin had a point: regular light might have helped things feel a few degrees less terrifying.
Crack!
We froze at the sound of a branch snapping somewhere behind us.
“That wasn’t just some random noise,” Katka said, her eyes wide.
I swung my flashlight around, frustration mounting as the beam failed to illuminate anything useful. “Probably some local fisherman out for a pleasure cruise at night through eel-infested waters,” I said, trying to cut some of the tension.
Katka and Lesana just stared at me blankly. Some people had no taste for the finer things in life. That quote from The Princess Bride had been a gimme.
We pressed on, no matter how much our feet might have voted against the idea.
Minutes ticked by as we trudged through the dense forest. My shoulders ached from the weight of my bag, and sweat trickled down my back despite the cool night air. My palms were slick on the flashlight, making it hard to keep a steady grip.
A faint throb caught my eye. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, a trick of the weak UV beams playing on the foliage. But the glow persisted, growing stronger.
“Do you see that?” I whispered, pointing ahead.
Lesana squinted, her face a mask of confusion. “What?”
The pulsing light intensified, taking on a sickly greenish-blue hue. It hovered about waist-high, no larger than a softball, but its radiance pushed back the darkness around it.
“A bludička,” Katka breathed, her voice a mix of awe and fear.
As we watched, the glow coalesced into a more defined shape. It resembled a miniature star, with tendrils reaching out in all directions. The core pulsed like a beating heart. Tiny motes orbited the central mass, creating an effect like a galaxy in miniature.
I found myself drawn to it, fascinated by its otherworldly beauty.
“Tomas, no!” Katka hissed, grabbing my arm. Her eyes were wide with panic, darting between me and the hovering phenomenon.
Lesana stood still, her face pale in the eerie illumination. “Don’t look directly at it,” she warned in a whisper. “That’s how they lure you in.”
I tore my gaze away, surprised to find I’d taken several steps toward the bludička without realizing it. The entity pulsed faster now, as if agitated by our resistance.
“What do we do?” I asked, fighting the urge to look at it again.
“We need to keep going,” Lesana said. “Now. Before more show up.”
As if on cue, two more pinpricks appeared in the darkness behind the first bludička. The forest suddenly felt much more crowded, and much more dangerous.
“Keep going it is,” I said, my mouth dry. “Maybe a bit faster.”
We picked up our pace, pressing ahead on the path. More bludičky appeared, winking into existence like perverse fireflies. They pulsed in unison, creating a disorienting strobe effect that made the forest shift and warp around us.
“Don’t look at them,” I reminded the others. The ethereal glow drew my gaze despite my efforts to resist.
As we stumbled forward, I noticed the bludičky congregating around the blood sun symbols. Some emerged from the crimson markings, while others passed through them, their light intensifying as if drawing strength from the eerie sigils. It was hard to tell which was happening – my vision swam, distorted by the pulsing lights and my own rising panic.
“Tomas!” Katka’s sharp cry snapped me back to reality. I’d veered off course, following one of the lights without realizing it. She yanked me back onto the path, her grip tight on my arm.
Moments later, it was my turn to grab Lesana as she started to drift towards a bright cluster of bludičky. “Stay with us,” I urged, pulling her close. I became aware of the warmth of her body against mine. I cleared my throat, trying to act nonchalant as I released her arm. Now was neither the time nor the place.
The spirits’ color shifted from the green-blue to a deeper, more ominous purple. The pulsing quickened, becoming almost frantic.
“Can they hurt us?” I asked, my voice tight with fear.
Katka shook her head, though she looked far from certain. “They don’t in any of the stories. They lead people astray, but they never attack.”
As if in response, one of the bludičky swooped close, its light flaring painfully bright. I flinched away, feeling a stinging sensation where the light had touched my skin.
“Something’s wrong,” Lesana said.
The bludičky closed in on us from all sides. Their once beautiful glow had turned malevolent, promising pain instead of mere misdirection.
“Run,” I gasped, grabbing both girls’ hands. “Now!”
The bludičky pushed us off the path, forcing us to sprint through the dense forest. We dodged trees and leaped over fallen logs, the eerie light painting the woods in shifting shadows. I could feel the heat of their presence as they shot past.
Katka stumbled on a root, and I caught her arm, pulling her along. Lesana was just ahead, her hair streaming behind her like a silver banner in the ghostly light. We zigged and zagged, trying to throw off our pursuers, but the spirits matched our every move.
Suddenly, the treeline broke. We burst out of the forest onto open ground, and the sight before us stole what little breath I had left. The clouds had rolled back, revealing a moon-drenched landscape. And there, looming against the starry sky, stood the ruins of Čachtice Castle.
The ancient fortress was a jagged silhouette of crumbling towers and broken walls. Silver light gleamed off the remnants of once-grand windows, now gaping like empty eye sockets. The central keep still stood proud, though time had taken its toll, leaving gashes in the stonework where whole sections had collapsed.
The bludičky seemed to hesitate at the forest’s edge, their light pulsing more slowly. Before I could comment on it, one of the spirit lights shot towards us like a bullet. I ducked, feeling the heat of its passage as it whizzed over my head. “Defense positions!” Katka yelled, already reaching for her backpack.
We formed a tight circle, backs to each other, as we dug through our supplies.
“Try the sage!” Katka said.
I pulled out a bundle of sage, lit it with shaking hands, and waved the smoking herbs in front of us. The spirits wavered but pressed on, undeterred.
“Iron filings!” Lesana called out. We each grabbed a handful and tossed them at the advancing lights. The bludičky flickered and paused, but only for a moment.
Desperation growing, I fumbled for the bottle of holy water. “This has to work,” I muttered, uncapping it and flinging the contents in a wide arc. The spirits hissed and retreated a few feet, but quickly regrouped.
“It’s useless!” Katka shouted, frustration evident in her voice.
“Salt!” I yelled, grabbing the container from my bag. “We haven’t tried the salt yet!”
With a silent prayer, I hurled a handful at the nearest cluster of bludičky. The effect was immediate and dramatic. The spirit lights recoiled sharply, their glow dimming as they retreated several feet.
“It worked!” Lesana shouted, relief flooding her voice. “Quick, pass it around!”
We flung salt in all directions. The bludičky maintained their distance, hovering just beyond the range of our throws.
For a moment, we had the upper hand. But as I looked at our salt supply, my heart sank. “This won’t last,” I said.
Katka’s eyes darted between the circling bludičky and the base of the hill where the castle stood. “The mass grave,” she said, tossing another handful of salt. “That was the plan from the beginning, remember? If these are Báthory’s victims, that’s where they’ll be connected to.”
I glanced down the hill, trying to spot any sign of the grave site in the darkness as I flung more salt at the advancing spirits. “You’re right, but I’m not sure we can find it in this chaos. It’s too dark.”
“Do you see that depression over there?” Lesana pointed with her hand still wielding the UV light. “That could be it.”
I squinted, barely making out a slight dip in the landscape about fifty yards away. It was as good a guess as any.
“Alright,” I said, hefting what remained of my salt. “Let’s make a run for it. Ready?”
They nodded, determination etched on their faces.
“Okay. On three. One . . . two . . . three!”
We sprinted down the hill, our feet pounding against the uneven ground. Lesana’s UV light swept back and forth, casting eerie purple shadows across the landscape. Katka and I flung handfuls of salt in wide arcs, creating a shimmering barrier between us and the pursuing bludičky.
The spirits surged forward, their light pulsing with an angry, violet glow. They dodged around our salt barrier, probing for weaknesses. One slipped through, its searing heat grazing my arm. I yelped, nearly dropping what little salt I had left.
“There!” Katka shouted, pointing to a depression in the earth. We veered towards it, stumbling and staggering on the uneven ground.
As we drew closer, my heart sank. It wasn’t the grave site – just a natural dip in the terrain. The bludičky seemed to sense our disappointment, pressing their attack with renewed vigor.
“We must have gotten turned around,” Lesana gasped, her UV light flickering as she swept it across the advancing spirits.
I scanned the area, desperation mounting. The castle loomed behind us, its broken silhouette offering no clues. “We need to backtrack,” I guessed, ducking as a bludička swooped low over my head.
We changed direction, retracing our steps up the hill. The spirits followed, their light casting our shadows long and distorted across the ground. Our salt supply dwindled with each handful thrown.
Katka tripped, crying out as she hit the ground. A cluster of bludičky descended on her. I lunged, grabbing her arm and pulling her up while flinging my last handful of salt at the spirits. They recoiled, but I knew we were out of time.
“Quick!” Lesana’s shout cut through the chaos. She pointed to our left, where the moonlight revealed a dark opening in the hillside.
Modern excavation markers surrounded the area. Digging equipment sat silent in the moonlight, its yellow paint dulled by a layer of dirt. Red and white warning tape fluttered in the breeze, strung between metal posts driven into the ground. Shovels and other tools lay scattered near the entrance, evidence of recent activity.
We sprinted towards it, the bludičky hot on our heels. The spirits’ light intensified, bathing everything in a purple glow. The heat of their presence pressed against our backs as we closed the distance.
Lesana reached it first, descending the rough-hewn steps into the earth. Katka waved me through in front of her. As I plunged into the darkness, a bludička brushed against my shoulder. Pain flared, and I bit back a scream.
Katka paused at the top, pulling out the last of her salt. With a steady hand, she poured a line across the uppermost step. The bludičky surged forward but recoiled as if hitting an invisible barrier. Their light pulsed with what seemed like frustration and uncertainty.
The steps were narrow and steep, forcing us to move carefully in the dim light. Lesana’s UV beam provided little illumination in the oppressive darkness. The air grew thick with the scent of damp earth.
Behind us, the bludičky hovered at the entrance, unable to cross the salt line. They didn’t follow us down, but I knew we couldn’t go back.
We descended, our hands brushing against cool, damp stone walls. After a short distance, the steps opened into a chamber that took my breath away. It was large, easily the size of my old elementary school gym. Lesana’s light struggled to penetrate the full expanse, but what it revealed was enough to make my skin crawl.
Mounds of bones were piled high on every side, creating a macabre landscape of bleached white against the dark earth. Skulls grinned from every pile, empty eye sockets following our movements.
Ancient wooden support beams lined the perimeter, their weathered surfaces barely visible beneath layers of cobwebs and grime. Curiosity got the better of me, and I reached out to touch one. To my shock, a piece of the beam crumbled beneath my fingers, disintegrating into a fine powder that drifted to the floor. I snatched back my hand, a knot of unease forming in my stomach. If the supports were this weak, just how stable was this chamber?
Clods of dirt occasionally fell from above, each one making me flinch. The thought of being buried alive down here, surrounded by the remains of countless others, sent a shiver down my spine.
As we stepped further into the room, our feet crunched on smaller bones and fragments scattered across the floor. In the center of the chamber, dominating the space, was an enormous blood sun symbol inlaid in stone. Its blade-like rays stretched from wall to wall, creating a sinister star that seemed to shine with malevolent energy in the flickering UV light. The symbol’s presence filled the air with an almost tangible sense of dread.
We huddled in the chamber. My whole body ached, and the burn from the bludička’s touch throbbed angrily on my shoulder. Lesana swept her UV light around the room, her hands shaking. Katka paced back and forth, her eyes searching between the stairs and the piles of bones.
“Well,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, “this is quite the pickle we’ve gotten ourselves into.”
Katka shot me a look that could have curdled milk. “Really, Tomas? Now’s the time for understatement?”
A loud thud from above made us all jump. The bludičky were ramming against the salt barrier, their angry light seeping down the stairs. Who knew invisible salt barriers made a sound when you rammed into them?
“That won’t hold forever,” Lesana said, her face pale in the eerie glow. “We need a plan.”
I ran a hand through my hair, feeling grit and who-knows-what-else shower down. “Okay, let’s think. Why is this even happening? Morena said this was supposed to be an easy job.”
“Since when has Death ever been honest?” Katka muttered.
Another thud, louder this time. A few grains of salt tumbled down the steps.
Lesana’s eyes widened. “Look,” she said, pointing to a dark corner of the chamber.
I turned, following her gaze. At first, all I saw was more bones and dirt. Then I noticed two shapes that didn’t fit the ancient scene. Bodies, dressed in modern clothes, lay crumpled against the wall.
We approached cautiously. The bodies wore khaki pants and shirts, with patches on the sleeves I couldn’t make out in the dim light. Their faces were pale, almost waxy.
“Archaeologists,” Katka breathed. “They must have been doing a dig.”
I knelt beside one of the bodies, fighting back a wave of nausea. The skin around the neck was ripped open, and the face was drained of all color. “Looks like they stumbled onto something they shouldn’t have.”
“Or woke something up,” Lesana added, her voice barely above a whisper.
A crash from above made us all flinch. The salt barrier was weakening. We were running out of time.
“So,” I said, standing up and brushing off my knees, “we’ve got angry spirits, dead archaeologists, and a room full of centuries-old bones. Any ideas on how to fix this mess?”
Katka and Lesana exchanged glances, their faces a mix of fear and determination.
I patted down my pockets, hoping for some forgotten salt or sage. Nothing. “What’ve we got left?” I asked, my voice tight.
Katka upended her bag, dumping the contents onto the dirt floor. A few granules of salt, a stub of a candle, and an empty water bottle clattered out. “Not much,” she said.
Lesana’s UV light swept the chamber, revealing two shovels and a pickaxe propped against the wall. “Can I interest you in some mining tools?”
A low rumble filled the air, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. The piles of bones around us began to twitch and rattle, like popcorn in a microwave. At the edges of the chamber, where the walls met the floor and ceiling, a fiery light began to appear. It flickered and danced, casting eerie shadows that writhed and twisted.
“Is anyone else seeing this?” I said, backing away from the nearest mound, my eyes going back and forth between the moving bones and the mysterious light.
The bones skittered across the floor, drawn to the center of the chamber. Katka lunged forward, trying to kick them away, but they slipped past her feet. Lesana grabbed a femur, attempting to hurl it back to the pile, but it wrenched itself from her grasp. I just stood there, a not-so-bright look on my face, trapped between horror and fascination.
The bones clattered over the blood sun symbol, piling on top of each other with sickening cracks and pops. Femurs snapped into place with tibias, vertebrae stacked like Jenga blocks, and skulls rolled into position atop spinal columns.
Our feet stayed rooted to the earth as the monster took shape before our eyes. First, a massive ribcage formed, studded with mismatched bones. Arms sprouted from the sides, elongating as more bones joined the fray. Legs assembled beneath, creaking and grinding as they locked into place.
In less than a minute, a hulking monstrosity stood before us, easily twice my height. Dozens of skulls formed its torso, grinning maniacally. Arms made of thigh bones ended in hands of finger bones sharpened to deadly points. Its legs were a jumble of mismatched bones, sturdy yet unsettling in their chaotic assembly.
The monster’s jaw unhinged, and it let loose a roar that shook dirt from the ceiling. The stench of centuries-old decay washed over us.
“I think we know what happened to the archaeologists,” I said, fighting the urge to retch.
Lesana broke the spell, lunging forward to snatch up the pickaxe and throw Katka and me the shovels. “Here!” she shouted.
The three of us lined up, holding the tools like makeshift weapons as the bone monstrosity advanced.
“Any brilliant ideas?” Katka asked, her knuckles white on the shovel handle.
Before I could answer, the monster lunged. Its bony claws slashed through the air, aiming straight for my head.
I ducked, feeling the whoosh of air as the bone monster’s claws passed inches above my head. Without thinking, I swung my shovel upward, connecting with the creature’s arm. The impact sent vibrations through my body, but the shovel held. The monster staggered back, giving me a moment to catch my breath. Its hollow eye sockets seemed to narrow, focusing on me with newfound intensity.
“Try aiming for the joints!” Lesana shouted, swinging her pickaxe at the monster’s knee. The point drove deep into the space between two mismatched bones, and the creature stumbled. Its leg buckled, a cascade of smaller bones clattering to the floor. For a moment, it looked like the monstrosity might topple over entirely, but it caught itself with one massive hand, leaving deep gouges in the earthen floor.
Katka raced forward, using her shovel like a baseball bat. She connected with the monster’s ribcage, sending skulls and smaller bones flying across the chamber. The sound of cracking calcium echoed off the walls, mixing with the creature’s furious bellow. But for every bone we dislodged, two more took its place, pulled from the piles around us by an unseen force. The monster’s form shifted, rebuilding itself even as we fought to tear it apart.
The bone monster roared again, this time swiping at Lesana with a speed that belied its massive size. She tried to dodge, her feet scrambling on the uneven ground, but wasn’t quite fast enough. Razor-sharp finger bones raked across her arm, leaving a trio of deep gashes. Lesana cried out, stumbling back, her pickaxe clattering to the ground.
“Lesana!” I yelled, rushing to her side. My heart pounded in my chest, fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins. I raised my shovel, ready to defend her from another attack.
“I’m fine,” she gritted out, bending to retrieve her fallen pickaxe. Her face was pale, but her eyes burned with determination. “We need to find a way to stop it for good.”
A crash from above made us all flinch, dust and small pebbles raining down from the ceiling. The salt barrier was failing, its invisible protection crumbling under the relentless assault. Through the gap in the stairs, the bludičky’s once ethereal glow had turned a deep, angry red, pulsing with malevolent energy. They rammed against the weakening barrier with increasing ferocity, each impact sending shockwaves through the chamber.
“We’re running out of time,” Katka said, parrying another blow from the bone monster with her shovel. The metal rang out as bony claws scraped against it, leaving deep gouges in the blade.
She was right. The only way out was up those stairs, straight into a horde of murderous spirits. And behind us, an equally murderous pile of bones that refused to stay down. The chamber felt smaller by the second, the walls pressing in as our options dwindled.
I racked my brain for a solution, ducking and weaving as the monster’s attacks came faster and more furious. Sweat stung my eyes, and my arms ached from the constant movement. There had to be a way out of this, some detail we were missing in the chaos of the fight.
Katka circled the bone monster, her shovel at the ready, looking for any weak spot she could exploit. Lesana, despite her injury, had taken up a defensive stance, her pickaxe held high. She was favoring her uninjured arm, but her eyes never left the creature, watching its every move with intense focus.
My eyes fell on the blood sun symbol etched into the floor. It pulsed with an eerie light, almost in sync with the bludičky above. Each flash seemed to invigorate the bone monster, its movements becoming more fluid and deadly.
“The symbol!” I shouted, narrowly avoiding a bony fist to the face. The wind of its passage ruffled my hair, reminding me how close I’d come to having my head caved in. “We need to destroy it!”
Lesana nodded, understanding dawning in her eyes. She raised her pickaxe high, aiming for the center of the blood sun. But before she could bring it down, the bone monster lunged. It slammed into Lesana, bony claws scrabbling for purchase as it tackled her to the ground. The impact knocked the wind from her lungs, and she gasped in pain.
Katka and I rushed forward, shovels raised high. I brought mine down on the creature’s spine, feeling the shock reverberate up my arms as bones cracked beneath the metal blade. Katka’s shovel connected with its skull-like head, sending bone shards flying. But despite our furious assault, the monster refused to release its grip on Lesana. Its body continued to ripple and reform, pulling in loose bones to replace those we’d shattered.
“The pickaxe!” Lesana gasped, her voice strained as she struggled under the monster’s crushing weight. Her fingers clawed at the earthen floor, desperately trying to find leverage. “Take it!”
Katka dove for the fallen tool, her fingers closing around its wooden handle. The bone monster’s head swiveled towards her, dozens of mismatched skull-eyes fixing on her with malevolent intent.
Time seemed to slow as she raised the pickaxe. I could see every detail with crystal clarity: the beads of sweat on Lesana’s forehead as she fought to breathe, the determination etched on Katka’s face as she prepared to strike, the angry red glow of the bludičky seeping down the stairs like blood.
Katka brought the pickaxe down with all her might, aiming for the center of the blood sun symbol. The point struck true, metal connecting with stone in a shower of sparks. For a moment, nothing happened. Then a blinding flash erupted from the point of impact, and an invisible force slammed into Katka like a freight train. She was hurled backward, the pickaxe torn from her grip as she sailed through the air. Her back hit the chamber wall with bone-jarring force, leaving her dazed and gasping for breath.
I punched my fist against the wall in frustration, ignoring the pain that shot through my knuckles. Nothing was working. Every plan, every desperate attempt we’d made had failed. The bone monster was unstoppable, and Lesana was still pinned beneath its massive form.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, an idea struck me. It was crazy, desperate, and probably suicidal. In other words, perfect for our current situation.
“Katka,” I said, my voice low and urgent. “Can you work on getting Lesana free while I distract that thing?”
She looked at me, confusion etched across her face. “What? Tomas, what are you—”
“No time,” I cut her off. “Just trust me. When you’ve got her, head for the stairs and wait for me there.”
Before she could argue, I snatched up my shovel and sprinted across the chamber. The bone monster’s skull-eyes tracked my movement, its attention momentarily diverted from Lesana. Excellent.
I swung my shovel with all my might, not at the creature, but at one of the decaying wooden support beams that held up the ceiling. The rotted wood splintered under the impact, sending a shower of debris raining down. Splinters flew past my face, and I could feel the vibration of the blow resonating up my arms.
“Hey, bonehead!” I shouted, smacking another beam. “Over here!”
The monster let out a furious bellow, abandoning Lesana to lumber towards me. I could hear Katka’s frantic whispers as she helped our friend to her feet, but I didn’t dare look. Instead, I kept moving, striking beam after beam. Each blow sent more debris cascading down, filling the air with dust and the smell of ancient wood.
The chamber groaned ominously. Dust and small rocks began to fall from the ceiling in increasing amounts. The bone monster seemed to realize what was happening, its movements becoming erratic and panicked. It lunged at me, bony claws whistling through the air inches from my face as I ducked and rolled away. A cold tendril of fear curled in my gut as I realized just how dangerous this plan was. I could easily be crushed or trapped down here.
“Tomas!” Katka yelled from the stairs. “Come on!”
I dodged another wild swing from the monster, feeling the rush of air as its massive arm passed over my head. The ground beneath my feet shifted and buckled as the chamber’s remaining supports gave way. A deafening rumble filled the air, drowning out the creature’s roars. Larger chunks of rock were falling now, smashing into the floor around me.
Zigzagging between falling debris, I made a break for it. The bone monster gave chase, its thunderous footsteps shaking the unstable ground. A support beam crashed down directly in my path, and I vaulted over it, feeling the heat of the monster’s breath on my back as I narrowly escaped its grasp.
The stairs were my only chance. I hit them at a dead run, taking them two at a time. Behind me, the chamber collapsed in an avalanche of earth and stone. The bone monster’s final bellow was cut short as tons of debris buried it. The rumbling grew to a deafening roar, and I could feel the stairs shaking beneath my feet as I sprinted upward.
We paused at the top of the stairs, our path blocked by the swirling mass of bludičky, their angry red glow still pulsing menacingly. My heart sank. Had my plan turned out to be a dud after all?
The bludičky began to flicker and fade. Slowly at first, like a candle struggling against a breeze, but then accelerating, spreading through the swarm like a disease. The red hue dulled to orange, then a pale yellow. Individual bludičky winked out of existence, leaving behind momentary afterimages that faded from view.
The oppressive atmosphere that had permeated the area began to lift, replaced by an almost palpable sense of relief. Within moments, all that remained was the musty air of the fallen chamber, heavy with dust.
The three of us stumbled out of the mine entrance, collapsing onto the grass outside. For a moment, we lay there, gulping in the fresh night air, our chests heaving with exhaustion and relief.
“Did we really just…” Lesana started, her voice trailing off.
“Survive a giant bone monster and an army of angry spirits?” I finished for her. “Yeah, I think we did.”
Katka let out a shaky laugh. “Just another Tuesday night, right?”
We got to our feet, brushing off dirt and who-knows-what-else from our clothes. The ruins of the castle loomed above us, its crumbling walls stark against the moonlit sky. The eerie atmosphere that had surrounded the place earlier seemed subdued now, as if even the stones were exhausted.
“You know,” I said, gesturing at the castle, “I think I’ve had enough sightseeing for one trip.”
Lesana snorted, but didn’t bother to respond.
Suddenly, the world around us froze. Katka stood mid-stretch, her arms raised above her head, while Lesana was caught in the act of flicking a pebble. The gentle rustling of leaves fell silent, and a nearby owl hung suspended mid-flight.
A slow clap broke the eerie stillness, and I whirled around to see Morena standing there, her dark cloak billowing in a non-existent wind.
“Well done, Tomas,” she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. “You handled that situation . . . adequately.”
I gaped at her. “Adequately? We nearly died! Multiple times! Why didn’t you tell us what we were really up against? And why couldn’t we bring more help?”
Morena raised an eyebrow. “Tell me, would you have gone if you’d known the true danger?”
I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it again. She had a point.
“And as for help,” she continued, “the bludičky become more dangerous the older their victims are. How keen were you on having Lubos die?”
The fight drained out of me, replaced by frustration. “Fine,” I muttered. “But was all of this connected to Bathory somehow? The bones, the spirits…”
Morena glanced at a pocket watch that suddenly appeared in her hand. “Gee, look at the time. I’m already late for an epidemic in Banská Bystrica. Nasty business, but someone’s got to oversee it.” She tucked the watch away and straightened her cloak. “One life-threatening crisis at a time, hmm? We’ll chat again soon.”
With that, she turned and strode away, fading into the shadows between one step and the next. Her hasty exit was more than a little suspicious, but I was too exhausted to dwell on it. As she disappeared, time resumed its normal flow. Katka stumbled slightly as her stretch completed, while Lesana’s pebble clattered to the ground.
“Whoa,” Katka said, looking around in confusion. “Did anyone else feel that?”
“Feel what?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
Lesana frowned. “Like… a hiccup in reality? One second we were standing here, and the next . . .”
I sighed, realizing there was no point in keeping them in suspense. “Yeah, about that.” I quickly recounted what Morena had told me, watching their expressions shift from confusion to disbelief to grudging acceptance.
“Wait,” Katka said, her brow furrowed. “So what did all of this have to do with Bathory? Is there something more we need to worry about? And what about all those sun symbols? Who was doing that?”
I held up my hands, feeling the weight of their questions. “Like I said, I don’t know. I asked Morena about it, but she was… evasive.”
“Evasive how?” Katka pressed.
“She said it was a tale for another day,” I said. “And you know what? For now, I think I agree with her. We’re all exhausted, and there doesn’t seem to be any immediate danger. We can worry about centuries-old vampire countesses another time.”
A long pause followed as we all absorbed what we’d been through.
“So what you’re saying is,” Lesana said, a hint of a smile playing at her lips, “we’re basically junior ghostbusters now?”
Bless her for letting us move past this. I groaned. “Please don’t call us that.”
Katka grinned, nudging me with her elbow. “Aw, come on, Tomas. I think it has a nice ring to it. We could get matching jumpsuits and everything.”
We fell silent for a moment, our new reality settling over us.
“Maybe we should head back to the village,” Lesana suggested, her smile fading as she glanced at her watch. “It’s getting pretty late.”
As we looked towards the dark forest that separated us from the village, a collective shudder ran through our group. The idea of trekking through those woods after everything we’d been through was less than appealing.
“You know,” I said, eyeing the ominous treeline, “I’m not really in the mood for another adventure tonight. What do you say we wait here until sunrise?”
Katka and Lesana nodded in agreement, and we settled down on the grass, our backs against a crumbling castle wall. The night air was cool, but after the stuffiness of the underground chamber, it felt refreshing.
“So,” Katka said after a moment of silence, “on a scale of one to ten, how likely is it that we’re all going to die horribly on our next outing?”
Lesana pretended to think it over. “An eight? Eight and a half?”
I snorted. “Great. At least we’re optimistic.”
“Hey,” Katka said, bumping my shoulder, “look on the bright side. If we do die horribly, at least you’ve got an in with Death herself. That’s got to have some sweet perks in the afterlife.”
“I’d rather not find out for a while,” I muttered, pulling my knees to my chest.
We fell into a comfortable silence, each lost in our own thoughts. The implications of what we’d been through—and what might lie ahead—settled over us like a heavy blanket. As the first hints of dawn began to color the sky, I couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets this ancient land held, and what price we might have to pay to uncover them.