Blood Moon

Chapter 01: “Geovanni… Why are you climbing a tree?” Thaddeus covered his eyes with his right hand, looking into the embers of the near-dead campfire, and shook his head in disbelief. The slender scribe had taken his blanket to the first crotch in the leafless oak tree. “Sleep where you will. I will not become a meal for some wandering pack of wolves. I believe my safety lies in this tree not on the ground.” “I am no expert on this part of the country, but generally speaking, I believe wolves have better quarry than the likes of your boney frame. I will go as far as to speak for the entire wolf community that they have better things to do than torment your sleep. Now come down from the tree. You’re embarrassing me… what if someone finds you up there?” “It need not be wolves. All manner of creatures inhabits the wilds of the hinterlands. It is only a matter of time before we run afoul of them.” The scribe’s struggle with the blanket would have been comical if not so pathetic. Thaddeus watched while the scribe fought with his blanket and gravity to stay planted in the tree. “Please tell me, what are these aforementioned creatures we need to concern ourselves with?” “Did you not see the moon? It might be blood red tonight. All sorts of demons or werewolves will turn out, lurking, looking for souls to steal.” “For all that is holy… It isn’t a full moon and not even pinkish. Don’t let your emotions take over your thinking.” Geo’s eyes darted side to side, searching for the unseen creatures of the night. “I have studied these things… extensively… It matters not. They can attack at any time.” “Get a lot of werewolves running the streets of Padua, do you?” Thaddeus wanted a drink, but they had failed to restock that essential item. “I thought you were my friend… Must you constantly mock me? Why will you not even try to understand my concerns?” It was a struggle, but Thaddeus’s traveling companion wrapped himself in the blanket before wedging himself securely in the crook of the tree. “If not the monsters that travel the woods at night, there are always bandits to worry about.” “Don’t you think our horses and pack animals, not to mention the fire, might give away our location?” Thaddeus used the smoking ember of a stick as a pointer to indicate the obvious flaw in the scribe’s thinking. The inquisitor shook his head in disbelief of the scribe’s cowardice. “Very well, I will not sleep under your tree for fear of the nuts falling out and landing on my head.” Thaddeus left it at that. He was far enough away from the landing spot if the scribe should fall from grace. He was more concerned with the sound of breaking bones startling their horses. The first day out from Udine and the pair had not taken the time to inventory their acquired loads. Better to get moving and out of that unholy land. Besides, Trieste called to the inquisitor. Under the best of conditions, friendships were hard to maintain, but when a pair were thrust together against their will, life became doubly hard. Harder still when one member of the pairing suffered some form of lunacy beyond the hope of modern medicine. A small limb made for a good poker to urge the flames from the damp wood. Anything to keep him occupied. Tired from traveling but too worked up to sleep after the experiences in Udine, Thaddeus doubted he would ever find a full night’s sleep again. A troubled mind never rested well, and the inquisitor from Venice had many things to ponder deep into the night. The pair forced themselves to travel quickly from the now-deserted convent placed in the center of Udine. The castle in the mountains and the strange encounters there lay in the distance. A few eccentricities from the man from Padua were to be expected. Thaddeus suspected his was never the most tightly wrapped mind. There were moments in the quiet trip that Thaddeus questioned his own memories and sanity. After their exile from Venice, both suffered a crisis of faith. Church and state worked closely together in Venice. It was difficult, as the leaders of neither held the best interests of the population at heart. Both men nearly lost hope of ever returning to the fair city of Venice. The reasoning behind their exile eluded Thaddeus. The men of God, and law, technically worked for the same goals, but both showed exceedingly different ways of reaching the desired outcomes. If the supernatural was involved, the two friends might never come to terms on the best path to follow. If we both seek to destroy evil, would it matter which road we travel? The investigation into a deadly plague had scratched the surface of something much deeper… sinister, even. Thaddeus hoped they had the courage to find the answers needed to end their banishment from Venice… his home. Vadoma, the name haunted Thad’s thoughts now. Scattered fragments more from a dream than of reality. A powerful fighting woman, searching to destroy an ancient evil under the ruins of Castello della Morte… Somehow Thaddeus held memories of the defense under the castle and a curse Vadoma carried… impossible memories lingered in Thad’s waking dreams. Was it all a nightmare? Never a believer, the supernatural fairy tales concerning the monsters the darkness held was more in tune with Geo’s belief of the world. Thaddeus believed there must be a reasonable explanation for the events. He just needed to look hard enough to find it. He needed to talk about the encounter with Geovanni, but in his current condition, little use would come from it. Thad understood any serious discussion about the past few days would devolve into a shouting match or possibly come to blows. However, the recent past was what drove him to Trieste and points east, the desire to learn more about Vadoma and her curse. If it was all a dream, then Thad would be the fool for chasing it… If some of the events happened, then perhaps he would find evidence of witches and, by extension, God himself. The journey to Trieste had somehow turned into a holy quest… a pilgrimage. After leaving the ruins of Castello della Morte, Geovanni held his tongue on the matter, but in their short time together, Thaddeus had learned to read when the man was troubled. After all, it was his calling to ferret out the hidden information others held close to their hearts. All in the name of the church and the law, to clear the world of witches and others who would do evil for the sake of evil. In Udine… Thaddeus was still uncertain about what they encountered. Most of the experience played back in his mind like a dream. None of it made sense. The loss of time, the destruction of the castle, and the warriors who certainly died there. The catacombs entrance was now blocked off, but the ruins had a feel of death and strangely hope. The keep itself had fallen in, leaving no chance to investigate them deeper. Too many strange happenings in one place to be called a trick. In his experience, Thad had seen little proof of real witchcraft or demons that tempted mankind. In his understanding, the seven deadly sins were more responsible for the fall of man that any outside malevolent force. Mankind was more than capable of causing their own fall from grace. No demonic push was needed. In Thad’s mind, the trail of the evil led back to Trieste and points east. Probably some plot from the Turks to break the will of the countryside before an all-out invasion. That answer seemed more plausible than the forces of evil working to overthrow the kingdom of God and the Catholic church. Country folk seemed more gullible than those more educated in the great cities of the peninsula. Venice, Florence, Naples, all stood on alert prepared for the impending assault by the Muslim world. Though currently at peace, Thaddeus knew it was only a matter of time until religious concerns would overtake mercantile needs. Like in the past, war was a matter of when not if. The clear sound of a limb snapping in the dark woods grabbed Thad’s attention. His thoughts of invading Ottomans made his heart race… for no reason other than imagination. Humans still feared the dark for good reasons. Death came too often cloaked in darkness. The scent of body odor drifted on the breeze. They were not alone in the forest this night. Men stalked them. A quick glance to the oak and there was Geo’s wide-eyed look of fear, reflecting the campfire light. With the smallest shake of his head, Thad hopped the scribe understood the meaning to stay put and silent. The inquisitor took a deep breath of air, searching for more scent that might lay hidden in the darkness. He wasn’t surprised when he didn’t smell anything. He was no hunting dog after all. Rapier and dagger provided a sense of comfort at his side. He suspected an animal would not venture into the light. Unfortunately, an animal didn’t snap that limb. It was the sound of a careless human, lumbering about the woods in the dark with thick-soled boots. Thaddeus cleared his throat. “If you step into the firelight, we can discuss this like humans rather than beasts.” A uniformed man stepped out of the shadows and stood directly under Geo’s perch. “Good evening.” The stranger’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword. “Magistrate… The full moon is near… It is unwise to travel these lands alone.” Thad glanced up at the night’s sky. The clouds had moved, obscuring the moon and most of the stars from view. It would do no good to attack the men of the local court. Some warlord had probably set up shop and used his men to strong-arm coin from any travelers, collecting tolls from the naïve. “I could say the same to you… though I doubt you are alone. So you know, I am no magistrate. I hold the title of inquisitor… nothing more. What brings you out on this night?” “These woods… they are full of all manner of creatures. The Romani people frequent this road. Turkish spies linger everywhere in these woods. Death stalks the unwise.” The man seemed on edge. His hand flexed on the hilt of his weapon, but it remained sheathed. “Brigands waylay the unsuspecting.” Without looking at Geo in the oak, Thad could only guess how a man sleeping in a tree would look to the soldier. Thankfully, the scribe had kept his mouth shut. “Thank you for the warning. I can guarantee you I am no thief, spy, or gypsy… Death has no business with me… unless it comes looking for trouble.” “And yet you travel alone, dressed as a magistrate, with two horses and two pack animals… What is an officer of the court supposed to infer from that? Seems peculiar if you ask me.” The questions wore on Thaddeus’s respect for the law. It seemed this man would not take pleasantries for an answer. Time to try a different tack. Thaddeus stood. Never an overly impressive man of war, he was handy with a blade if it came to that. Better to be ready to defend himself. “I am Thaddeus of Venice, Inquisitor to the Doge. If you have business with me, speak plain about it. If not, leave me. I tire of your insolence and arrogance.” There was a slight hope that the inherent bluster the man-at-arms showed was more like the character El Capitano, the cowardly Spanish soldier, all the rage on stage. If only life imitated art more often. People would be easier to understand if they were mere caricatures of themselves. The guard before him crossed his arms. A strange movement for someone about to attack. It would add precious moments to any move of aggression. He proved to be no coward scared off by a title and an overabundance of impressive words. “I am Captain Flavio from Gorizia… Pleased to meet you, lord… However, your title means little here. We are not in Venice. I request you join me and explain your presence here, in these woods, to my lord. I’m sure he would be most interested in your tales of excitement.” Normally a man of peace, this intrusion made his blood boil. “I don’t wish to join you. I was not put on this earth to entertain your lord or any other mortal. I have business to attend, and you are hampering my progress.” Thaddeus forced himself to remain calm. He failed. His focus remained tight on the man who stood in front of him. He was the immediate threat. The lack of sleep was affecting his thinking. He grew more irritable by the second. Something about Flavio’s tone and actions rubbed Thad the wrong way. Untold numbers of fighters could be hidden just out of sight. Armed with crossbows, they would kill the inquisitor before he made a move to defend himself. That’s what Thad would do. Never tip all the advantages he held. Strike with an overwhelming force to deter conflict. Chances were he faced an overwhelming force. The easy thing to do would be to go along with the guard, allowing Geo a chance to escape. Thad was never known for his ability to do the easy thing. That was what got him exiled from Venice to begin with. The inquisitor shook his head, hoping Geo would get the message. “I don’t think I wish to go with you.” “I’m afraid you have no choice in the matter.” Flavio nodded, and two men came at him from either side. The leader remained standing under the tree. “Take him alive, no need to kill him.” None had their weapons drawn. They did want him alive, but Thaddeus was in no mood to just give in and be taken without a fight. He took a step back, and the first charging man missed with his wide-armed tackle, falling face-first into the dry earth of the roadside camp. At least the attacker was smart enough to veer wide of the fire. The second man was not so impulsive. Rather than try a body tackle, he stopped his charge and squared off for a fistfight. Flavio said, “You really should just come along… There is no need of this…” “I don’t want to.” Thad raised his hands, ready to defend himself. “I’m comfortable here.” Now he was just being stubborn. Outnumbered, it was only a matter of time before he lost. He was going to make sure his point was made before joining the ruffians. The second man’s attack came as a quick one-two combination, first a body blow to Thad’s ribs with the left then a right hook to the side of his head. Ready for the first attack, Thad blocked it with his elbow. The second blow swished by Thad’s face when he bobbed to the side. The inquisitor stepped back out of range for the next melee. His breathing grew heavy already. He was out of shape for a brawl. “Three against one isn’t very sporting.” “I don’t care.” Flavio stood, arms still crossed, well out of range. “Besides, I plan to let my men do the work while I watch.” The two fighters circled each other. Thad fixated on the man who kept throwing punches at his head, doing his best to keep the attacker at bay with quick jabs at his nose. The first strike to hit its mark came with the sound of bones crunching when the nose busted. The primary attacker didn’t slow, fighting through the pain and blood that covered his face. Thad pulled back from the next wild swings. Absorbed as he was on the man directly in front of him, Thaddeus missed the attacking foot that came from behind. The riding boot found its mark squarely between his legs, striking both testicles in one shot. The wind blasted out of Thaddeus's lungs in a sickly sounding roar when the pain shot up his spine and down his legs. He would be lucky if his equipment ever worked properly again, it hurt so badly. All thoughts of fighting left his mind. He fell to the dirt in a heap, both hands cradling his bruised manhood and balls. They hurt much more than his pride ever would. “I told you, you should have come peacefully.” Flavio stood over him, a twisted grin on his face. Thaddeus answered by puking on the captain’s boots. Flavio cursed as he jumped back, his words lost to Thaddeus as he writhed in pain. “Get him up and tie him to his horse.” The two men removed his weapons, and more came into the light of the fire. As suspected, three more carried crossbows. If he’d drawn weapons, he certainly would be dead now. Thaddeus focused on the agony and his breathing, trying to keep the pain manageable. His station offered some protection from the stupid, but it was not absolute. All would have been manageable. Geovanni remained free, able to swoop in and rescue Thad in the morning. A loud crashing sound came from the large oak tree. The sound of a body landing in a heap under it was recognizable to Thad before he glanced at the direction of the sound. Flavio spun in an instant, his rapier drawn. The captain was unaccustomed to being surprised. When Geovanni fell, it was Thaddeus’s chance of rescue dying like the autumn leaves. Geovanni lay flat on his back, fighting to breathe after the wind was knocked from his lungs. The guard from Gorizia walked over and jabbed Geo in the ribs with the point of his blade. “Any more up there I should worry about?” The man glanced into the tree, searching for more falling nuts. “Get this… man on the second horse. The Lord of Gorizia needs to meet with them, I think.” Captain Flavio watched over Geo, weapon drawn until they had the scribe securely tied up. Like the scrawny man from Padua was some kind of threat. The thought of being captured so easily, and trussed up like a goose, hurt Thad’s pride nearly as much as his testicles.