Fourteen years ago
"Micheal, would you please catch up?" Micheal heard his father but he was fixated by the unfolding scenery of rolling hills and valleys. They are on the island of Wales to see an old associate of his father who just sailed back from the Far East. But the more reason was Micheal's father is answering to a distress call from his old associate.They met the older man in his humble home and was invited to stay there.It was over the after dinner drinks they were told of the incidents that befall the retired associate.
Micheal listened to the two men while his eyes laid sight on the dusk over the outside land. Micheal ears pricked up when he heard the place was haunted by an unknown beast who had taken not only livestock but also two innocent life's who walked the hills after dusk. Their remain were found the next morning; mauled by some beast that was of big frame and strength.
"George, was it a tiger like the one we saw in the east?" The Elders spoke at great length of the predators they seen and hunted in their hey days. But Micheal was to see a sight he was never seen before; a dark shadow was seen racing across the hills. Then he saw another following the one that just raced past. He jumped up from his seat and rushed to the window but his father was upset at being interrupted by my action.
"Micheal, sit by yourself and stop being a prancing monkey." Micheal wanted to tell the older man but he looked back at the hills and see nothing there. He knows that even if he calls the older man he would not be able to explain what he saw. He may be laughed at or ridicule for making up the tale.
At the break of dawn, Micheal was there alone at the hill which he assumed was the right one to looked for tracks to prove his tale. He did find tracks but they are not clear on the ground as this is a common path of many who walks by here to go to their farms or town. Its just that Micheal arrived too late to identify the tracks.
But the incidents was to provide another victim; a farmer on his drunken march at the hour too late by himself. His body was found not far from the hill I was looking for the tracks. Micheal was not to give up as he widen his search for more clues on the hill. Soon I found something which may be a clue and I followed the clue until I came to see a deep valley. He shudder to think of walking there alone without his guns so he walked back.
"I would come back at this night." Micheal muttered to himself.
While his father and his associate choose to discuss their battle plan, Micheal took up his weapons and tucked them into his belts. He had carried four pistols and two arquebus He also carried a blade of one foot long; a item from his Far East stay and a small dagger alongside the lantern he need to light up his way. He made his way up the hill and then followed the track he followed that earlier morning. The hill turned to darkness but he refused to lit the lantern as he stood by the valley. He debated to walk the valley or wait here as the dark night made the place ever more ghastly to standing here. Micheal held on tight to his coat to keep the cold away but still he refused to light any fire to warm the body.
It was a long night wait but it was to bear results, I saw them coming out of the valley. I was to move when a hand tap me on the shoulder. I turned to look at the person who did that. It was an old man who don the frocks of the faith.
"I am Father Arwen of the House near this valley. I am also the shepherd of the parish here. Do not go forth by yourself until you hear me out. What you see are the hounds of Cŵn Annwn or the Hounds of Hell. But they are not your seek enemy although they do roam these forests at the dark of the night. Your prey is a man brought predator who he used to scare the folks of late so that they would sell the land. Come with me and be away from these mythical creatures so that they be of their own roaming. I would reveal to you the man who brough the hardships to these lands." The man was to lead Micheal down the hill on the other side towards back to the estates of the area. They stopped before a large house on the slope of the hillside not far from the place where he had seek sheltered.
"Beware the house you see before you. Its the house of the man who terrorize the neighbors for his own purpose. Behold his home housed a secret tunnel to inside the hill where he keeps his pets. Seek them and be rid of them so that these people can go on as before. B ut be known only silver would harm them." The man in the frock walks away without a second glance.
But how does the man of faith knows of Micheal's intention and why does he not aid the young man. But Micheal was soon taken aback by the howling he was to hear. It came from within the house and he rushed to it. He crashed down the entrance door to see himself in a hall with a few doorways to their respective rooms. But the scream of help was coming to him from the door at the rear. He rushed to it and opened to reveal a corridor with more doors. He proceeded on with his drawn pistols as his arquebus may be of bad option in this cramped condition. He walked down the corridor until he reached the end where a staircase awaits his descent,
He went down but this time lighted up his lantern that he carried with him. It shone up the narrow corridor ahead although they are some lamps lighted up in fair distance apart. As he waked down the corridor he could sensed the pungent smell of death and evil. Soon he came in upon a two rows of cages of which two of it had its gates opened. Before him is a man lain dead with two large gray wolves feasting on the man's body. Micheal took up his pistols and shot the wolf each in the head. But it does not stop them as they looked at him with their eyes clouded in blood red looks. They seen him now and ignored the dead man carcass on the floor.
"Oh, my God. What could be these beasts that even the solid iron bullets would not kill?" Micheal threw aside his spent bullets and retrieve the spare ones. Then he remembered the old man's words and he also threw those pistols. He looked around at the place for something that could tell him more of what he is facing and maybe of silver content. He saw the pistol on the table next to him and laid before it are some iron balls coated in silver. He picked it up the pistol and noted that it was loaded. He point the pistol at the nearest wolf and pulled the trigger.
This time the bullet tore into the wolf's head and it stopped the wolf. The remaining wolf on seeing its mate killed back up and slipped into one of the cage. Obviously, these wolves are trained by some one but that person could be killed on some careless moves. Its not the nature of wolves to be caged and treated like soldiers unless you are a braver soldier yourself. Micheal rushed forth to close the cage gate before the wolf decides to come forth again.
It was then Micheal turned to see another set of hounds coming in to the place. They are no ordinary hounds as they ventured in ever quietly and stood by the dead man. The rest of the wolves are now curled up in their respective corners and whimpering in low murmurs. Just as I thought it was to end, I see a sight not seen before. From the dead man body, a silhouette of the spirit of man was seen to arise from it. The spirit would then float out and the hounds would follow it suit as though it guarding it to its next destination. Then all was silent including the wolves which are still in their corners. If these are the predators of the hills, then they must be put down or they would kill again. More so when they are without a handler, the killing spree could be more drastic. I retrieved my pistols and placed them on the table. I took the silver coated iron balls and load it on my pistols.
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