“All those in league with Lucifer must be caught and burned at the stake.  Need I remind you, that foul lot murdered my wife while she was heavy with my child.  As if that weren’t enough to satisfy their blood lust, they defiled the body by cutting the child from the womb and eating it as if it were a sweet meat.”  The guard grimaced at the gory description of the deed.  ”No, my good man, I will not rest till they all burn in hell, and thanks to her,” Renwick motioned toward the figure behind the bars.  ”I now know where the coven will be meeting next.”

Renwick picked up the pouch containing his supplies and walked towards the door, passed the single cell with its lone inhabitant.  ”I regret I’ll not be staying to watch you burn witch!  But  I have more urgent matters to attend to.”

The bent figure moved closer to the bars, its voice was course and ragged.  ”We will have revenge before daylights break and fires burn!”

Renwick let out a short laugh, “And how do you intend to do that from in there hag!  Your friends deserted you a long time ago, but they will pay the same price as you.”

A small wiry hand shot from between the bars and grabbed his fore arm with amazing strength.  ”We will drink your blood before the sun betrays the darkness!”

Renwick twisted in the grasp and finally broke free.  ”We shall see old hag!”  He turned to walk out the door, motioning for the guard to follow him.  ”Make her get up and move around the cell every hour, do you understand?” “Yes, but why my lord?”

“Her body is locked up, but her spirit is still free to roam the night and possess those souls who are weak of will.  If her body is moved whilst her spirit is away she’ll not be able to find it again very easily, and even her kind fear the loss of their physical existence.  So do as I say and we’ll both make it through the night.”

“Yes my lord!”

“I must ride through the night if I am to catch the rest.”  Renwick mounted his horse and looking back at the jail he yelled,  ”Burn well witch!”  With that he spurred his horse to a gallop and rode out of the town into the forest.

It was dark and the woods were deathly quiet.  Only the sound of horses hooves against the hardened trail filled his ears.  His mind was bent towards its single purpose, the death of those responsible for murdering his wife.  He didn’t even notice the flash of cold blue light and the shadowy figure that stalked after him.

The moon shone fully through the trees, spreading an eery light throughout the woods.  The dark branches stretched up, as if to hail Renwick as he pounded his way along the trail.  He came to a hill lined clearing in the forest, the moon was just cresting the hills in the east, the serene silver light turning everything various shades of gray.  He noticed up along the hill top ran a lone wolf.  ”A lone hunter, like myself.”  He murmured to himself.  ”I pray we will both find our query tonight.”

He spurred his horse onward.  The Inn was just an hours ride from here.  There he could rest his mount and get a good meal for himself, and he would need the strength if was going to take on the whole coven.  He knew things would be easier if he dealt with them one by one, but part of him wanted it to be over.  No!  I’ve come to far to let them win now!  There is only five of them left.

Renwick noticed his mounts growing uneasiness.  ”What is it old boy?”  Suddenly his horse reared up nearly throwing him to the ground.  There in the middle of the road in front of Renwick was a wolf.  It was a large blue-grey bitch with cold dark eyes, and bone white teeth bared and gleaming in the moon light.  The horse charged in terror, and Renwick had a hard time just holding on.  Surprisingly the wolf didn’t run back into the woods but ran straight at the horse.  With a mighty leap, the wolf sunk its teeth deep into the horse’s neck.  Immediately the horse bucked and kicked throwing Renwick to the ground.  He watched in amazement as the horse tried to free itself from the jaws of the wolf without success.  Renwick drew his dagger and ran at the wolf yelling to try to  get it away from his mount, but it only looked up and glowered at him, a low growl emanating from the chest of the great beast.  Renwick could sense something different about this animal, there was a power at work here he had felt before.  He started to back off cautiously, but the wolf followed.  Just when he thought the wolf would pounce its face went blank.  The eyes that were filled with hate were now afraid, the wolf seemed to be contemplating what it was doing, and then it turned and ran back into the forest.  Far off Renwick could hear the bells of the town church sounding the hour.

He went over to his horse and picked his pack from the saddle.  ”You’ve slowed me down, but you haven’t stopped me yet!”  He yelled into the night.  Renwick looked ahead and through the darkness of the forest he saw a light.  The inn where he had planned to stop was just a little farther up the road. Shaken, he started towards the inn at a walk; then through the trees came the haunting cry of a wolf and he broke into a run.  He did not stop till he was through the doors of the inn.

He startled the inhabitants of the inn with his sudden appearance.

“Innkeeper!  Your strongest ale!”

“Aye, sir.  What be a fine gentleman such as yourself doin’ out on such a night, and without a horse to speed you through it?.”  The innkeeper inquired as he drew the frothy brew from the cask.  ”Evil spirits be havin’ a ball what with the full moon and all.”

“They can try, but I’m ready for them.  The evil spirits already got my horse, but they’ll have to work much harder to get me.”  Answered Renwick, “I want a room where I can be alone, and a plate of food.  And I will need a fresh horse within the hour.”

“From the look of ye, I’d suggest you’d be far better taken in room for the night, sir.  Perhaps even a tussle under the covers with a fine wench.  Aye sir!  Me thinks that would do ye a world of good!”

“I want no more than I’ve asked Innkeeper, you’d be wise to see to it.”

“Aye my lord, I did not mean to offend ye.  The first room on the left upstairs is all yours and I’ll have one of the cook bring you a plate, but I have no horses for sale.”

“Damn!  If I’m to make it to the place the coven is meeting before sunrise I need a horse.”  Just then a group of travelers entered through the worn doorway and one of them yelled over to the innkeeper, “If ye done chain up that ugly brute, he’ll be scarin’ away our horses!”

“What ye mean?”  answered the innkeeper, his attention drawn away from Renwick.

“That bloody beast of a dog standin’ out there, nearly thought e’d attack us!”

“Whot dog, don’t got no dog round `ere.”

The mention of the dog caught Renwick’s attention.  While the travelers talked with the innkeeper, he crept over to the doorway and opened it a crack so he could see out into the night.  There, standing not ten feet from the door was the wolf.  Its cold eyes sparked at the sight of Renwick, and a low rumble began to emanate from the belly of the beast.

He closed the door quickly and walked over to the travelers who had entered earlier.  ”I need a horse, a very fast horse.  I’m willing to pay a great deal.  It’s very important.”

“What?”  spoke the man who appeared to be the leader of the bunch.  ”What makes you think I have a horse to spare?”

“Please, I have a very important meeting I have to get to.  I’m willing to pay three times what any steed you have is worth.”  said Renwick as he jiggled his purse to let the sound of money sink into the stranger.

“Well! If yer willin’ to pay that much, I’m willin’ to sell!  You can have my fastest runner for just 300 gold crown.”

“300 gold crown!  I…”  Renwick thought of the wolf waiting outside and the meeting that would take place in a few hours, ”...I’ll take it.”  He reached into his purse and brought out the 300 crowns.  He gave the money over to the traveler who told him to take the chestnut mare from the last stall in the stable.  Renwick then went upstairs to prepare for what was to come.

He surveyed the room the innkeeper had given him.  It was just large enough for the bed and a desk made from a piece of planking on top of two empty crates.  There was a small window above the bed that let the moonlight shine through.  It was adequate for his needs.  He lay his pouch on the desk and opened it, taking out several small vials filled with various powders and liquids.  There was a knock at the door.  ”Come!”  said Renwick without looking up from the desk.

“I’ve brought you the plate you wanted my lord.”  came the soft feminine voice from behind him.  He turned around to look at the young woman the innkeeper had sent with his food.  Her dress barely concealed the body beneath.

“You may set it down over here and then leave.  You’ll not be making any more money from me.”  Said Renwick, returning to his work on the desk.

“Please my lord, I can see you’re a merciful man.  Allow me to stay long enough so that my master dose not think I did not try.”  There was a note of tension in her voice.

“Stay if you want, but I’ve no time for whores.  I’m a married man.”  He continued with his work, mixing various amounts of powders and liquids in a small bowl from his bag, and snatching bites from the plate of food.  A vile odor began to fill the room.

“How can you eat with such an awful smell?”

“There are worse smells in the world.  The sent of days old death in a summer sun baked house is far worse, and not a smell I wish to experience again.”  He took  out his dagger and began to coat the blade with the mixture.

She came up behind him and started to massage his shoulders, he tensed instantly at her touch.  ”Do not touch me!”

“I’m sorry my lord, I only meant to try to relax you.  I will leave you.”

“No, you may stay.  It has been a long time since I last felt the touch of a woman.”

“I thought you said you were married my lord.”

“I am… was married.  She was killed along with my only child many years ago.  They were sacrificed by a coven of witches to try to raise a devil.  Since then I have hunted every one of them, and tonight I have a chance to catch them where they least expect.”

“Was she pretty?”

Renwick put his dagger down and turned to face the girl.  ”What?  My wife?”  The girl nodded.  ”Yes very much so.  You look a lot like her.”  Renwick remarked as he took a good look at her.  Her hair came halfway down her back in a long neat braid.  Her blue eyes shone out from her face with love and affection.  As he gazed into those eyes her body seemed to change; her legs seemed to get a little longer, her breasts a little fuller.

“Kathryn?  How…?”

“Don’t ask how, just hold me Renwick.”  She ran to his arms and he held her.  The smell of her hair, the touch of her body, it had been a long time but he had not forgotten.

From somewhere inside him the thoughts started to rush.  It can’t be her!  She died!  You buried her yourself!  Wake up!  But Renwick wanted to believe it was her.  Their lips met and the thoughts of warning dissolved.  The press of her body was too much like Kathryn’s not to be her.  He found himself laying on his back in the small bed.  It is her!

Suddenly her grip on him tightened and he found himself looking into the face of another woman; beautiful, but not his Kathryn.  ”Surprise my lord!”  She said mockingly  ”Did you not think we would let you catch us all so easily?”

“How did you…”  He stammered.

“A helpful ability, our prince appreciates the work we do for him.”  Before his eyes her face turned into that of his deceased wife and then into the big gray wolf that had killed his horse.

When she changed to the form of the wolf Renwick saw the chance and took it.  He kicked it off and watched in amazement as the wolf turned into the old witch he had left in jail.  ”I left you back in Tasp!  How did you…?”  His eyes grew in amazement as she again changed into the form of his deceased wife.

“You stopped my first attempt, so I had to come for you myself.  Do you think I’m not capable of freeing myself from your prisons?  I’ve studied my craft to long not to have learned anything, fool!”

Renwick backed against the desk his hand searching for the dagger, but his eyes never left the witch.

“A little more to the left fool!  Could you really kill your own wife and unborn child?”  He froze as her belly swelled and she looked the same as Kathryn had the last time he saw her.

“Would you like to see the child you never saw?”  She laughed manically and plunged her hand into the womb.  ”Come here you little bastard!”  She cackled.  ”Ah!  I’ve got you now!”  She ripped a small bloodied figure from her womb and raised it for him to see.  ”This is how he looked, just before we dinned on his flesh!”

“No! Stop this you wretched bitch!”  His hand found the dagger and he leapt across the room at the witch.  She ducked shooting out an arm that turned into the paw of a wolf and clawed his chest.

Spinning around to face her he felt the burning of the fresh wounds in his chest.  ”I will not miss a second time!”

He dove at her again, twisting in midair to sink the tip of his blade into her arm.  She howled in pain and a bright green flame shot from the wound.  She changed form again, into a great black raven.  She crashed through the window and flew off into the night, green flame spouting from her wing.

The door crashed open and the innkeeper and cook ran in, the cook held a large butcher knife in one hand.  ”What in bloody hell is goin’ on in `ere?!”  Demanded the innkeeper as he saw the blood on the floor, the broken window and the blood tipped dagger in Renwicks hand.

“Do you employ witches often?”

“What?”

“That girl that brought me the food, she was a witch.  She tried to kill me.”

“I did not send no girl up here!  You said you wasn’t interested, Pax here brought the plate up!”

“I gave it to the girl you sent master Wedge.”  Said the cook, a note of surprise in his voice.

“Well then, I think that proves my story.”  Said Renwick as he saw the realization dawn on their faces.  ”I’ll pay you for the damage and don’t worry, as soon as I’ve gathered my things I’ll be moving on.”

“Good, and I’d be appreciating it if you did not come back anytime soon.”  Said the innkeeper as he and Pax left the room.

Renwick cleaned the blood from the tip of his dagger and applied another coat of the mixture in his bowl.  He then put everything back into his pouch, being careful to save what was left of his concoction.  He went downstairs to pay his bill, but he did not wait for the innkeeper.  Renwick just left 100 gold crowns on the bar as he walked out the door.

Not surprisingly the wolf was gone.  He closed the door and made his way to the stable, glancing up at the moon which had made its way to the middle of the sky.  ”You can’t touch me old hag!  I’ve beaten you twice now!”  He yelled into the darkness.

When he got to the stable, he drew his dagger and went into the darkness carefully, but a quick inspection revealed nothing out of the ordinary.  Renwick contemplated the possibility that the horse he was saddling might be the witch in a different form, so he checked all four legs, but he could not find a wound on any of them.  His mind settled that his new mount was indeed a horse, he set out along the trail again.

He was suspicious of everything now that he knew one of the witches was a shape-changer, but he didn’t encounter anything out of the ordinary.  Over and over he was plagued by the thought that he was being set up.  If that was the witch he had locked up in Tasp he was in grave danger.  Facing off with one witch at a time was easy, but five?  And five that knew he was coming?

He arrived at the bridge the old hag in Tasp had spoken of.  Renwick led his horse underneath and tied it to one of the supports.  Slinging his pouch over his shoulder, he started upstream.  The moon was setting and it stared him in the face like a great deathly pale visage of the woman he loved.

Renwick spotted the light from afar, right where the witch had said it would be.  He turned into the forest and started making his way around the fire.  They won’t expect me to come from upstream.

When he had circled around he knelt down and opened his pouch.  He took out several lengths of thin piping, assembling them into one long piece.  He then took out several darts in a small case and a bottle of the same mixture he had made up at the inn.  He carefully coated each of the darts, and replaced them in their pouch.  He then attached the pouch to his belt next to his dagger, picked up the long thin rod and made his way towards the fire downstream. As he drew near he could hear the cackling of the witches as they laughed.  

He crept up next to a fallen tree and surveyed their camp.  Sure enough one of them was sitting at the rivers edge, cloaked against the chill of the night, looking downstream for him.  The other four were laughing and joking around the warm fire.  The one he had wounded was standing and telling the others of her encounter with Renwick.  The other three were seated around the fire. Renwick was surprised to see that the witch he had wounded had cut off the arm he had struck.  All that was left was a bloody mass of rags around the stump.

He slowly loaded one of the darts into the pipe and brought it to his mouth.  He aimed at the closest one and blew into the pipe.  It flew silently through the night air and struck his target in the side of the neck.

She let out a shriek as a fountain of red flame and sparks flew from the wound.  The others hissed as she fell over, her body racked with spasms.  The green flames smoldered and died with the witch.

The others began to scatter, looking for Renwicks hiding place.  The armless one tried to turn into a Raven again to escape, but as she was missing an arm, so was the raven form missing a wing.  The one by the rivers edge did not move.

Renwick loaded another dart and blew into the pipe again.  This time he hit one of the witches in the chest and she was thrown back as a geyser of purple flame burst forth.  She thrashed around on the ground for a while before she, and her flames died.

He loaded another dart and this time blew it into the back of another witch.  A brilliant white explosion sent her body flying through the forest.  The one by the river still did not move.

The shape changer had spotted Renwicks hiding place and changing back into the form of a wolf charged awkwardly on three legs.  Renwick stood up and drew his dagger.  He took the force of the wolves blow head on.  Both he and it went flying back into the forest, its jaws locked into his shoulder.  They hit the ground and as Renwick twisted to get the wolf under him, he plunged his dagger into its side.  The shape changer howled in pain as green flames burst out around the handle of the dagger.  He found her difficult to hold on to as she shifted forms from wolf, to raven, to old hag, to his dead wife, till the form of the old hag held shape and the flames died.

He wrenched his dagger from her side and got up expecting to have to fight off the last one, but she was still seated quietly along the rivers edge.  He walked cautiously to the seated form, weapon ready to strike.  ”I’ve finally won you bitch!  This is for Kathryn and my unborn child!”  he raised the dagger to thrust it into the figure.

“Would you be so quick to kill your own child?”  Came the masculine voice from beneath the cloak.

Renwick was caught off guard.  ”What?”

The figure stood and turned slowly, it was obviously a man.  As he let the cloak fall from his shoulders Renwick could see the face of a young man, no more than twenty.  ”Hello, Father.”

“No, you cannot be my child!  My child is dead and even if you were you would be no more than five!”

“Oh, but I am your son.  My Godfather has allowed me to age somewhat faster though.”  He did have the same blue eyes as Kathryn, set in the same delicate face.

“What Godfather?”

“Why the Prince himself!  You should remember Father.  You dabbled in the black arts before mother was pregnant, and from what I’ve seen tonight you haven’t forgotten all of the lessons the Dark One taught you.”

“But they killed Kathryn and ate my unborn child!”  Said Renwick motioning back to the dead witches.

“They had little to do with it.  I was ready to be born but mother wasn’t quite ready yet, so I called them to help bring me into the world.  Come now father, you knew the deal.  First born is his.”

“But I renounced the pact as soon as I knew Kathryn was bearing!”  Renwick said as he sank to his knees with the realization of what had actually happened.

“The deal had already been made before I was even conceived.  You let him have me from then on.  He knew you had gone to get the priest to cast Him out at my birth, so he helped me come a little earlier.”

“No!  It cannot be!  I renounced him!”

“But I did not Father!  Yes!  Even then I could choose for myself, and the power he offered me was more than anything you ever had!”

Renwick dropped his dagger to the ground and began to sob.  ”I’m so sorry, please forgive me!  Lord, please forgive me!”

“It’s a little to late for that Father.  I like what I am, which is more than you have ever been, and I’ve just started!”

“No, I cannot let you live, even if you are my son.”  Renwick tried to pick his dagger up but his strength was missing.

“Oh please Father!  Save your righteousness for somebody who will appreciate it!”  A cold blue aura surrounded him.  ”Godfather says it’s time for you to meet him.”

He reached out a glowing hand and touched it to the side of Renwicks head.  Renwick had no choice but to stand, his body no longer under his control.  ”You gave up a lot of power Father.  We are both disappointed in you.”

He put his hand up to Renwicks chest and the aura grew brighter and stronger.  He pushed his hand into Renwicks chest and took hold of Renwicks beating heart.  ”Your soul is ours now.”

The cold blue light flowed into Renwicks chest and incinerated his heart.  He gave a brief cry, and slumped to the ground dead.  His son pulled the cowel of his cloak back over his head, and in a flash of blue light, was gone.