Barghest, Demon of the Night

Hollowed eyes and tongue of flame,
Cyclopian muscle and hellish pain,
Crushing claws and daemonic fangs.

Oh Barghest, ye Black Dog of Night.
Oh Barghest, ye mount of Lucifer.
Oh Barghest, ye Revenant of Olde.
(Copyright 2004, Brooks Cary)

What is a Barghest you ask? Well, there is much debate on where it originated but what it does is all the same. The barghest is a large black creature resembling a dog, that only comes out from the depths of hell at night. It is rumored amoung my people that anyone who crosses one will soon die as the creature is a protent of death. I know this is no rumor, but I also know that if one's will to survive is strong they can defeat the barghest. How do I know? Well, I will tell you.

I am the daughter, and only child, of the towns huntsman. As youth I would go out on hunting expaditions with my father learning our family trade. Yes, this was odd for a girl to be learning such things, but our family business had to pass on. To the suprise of the town I became a better hunter than my father. Together our family business flurished. We would go hunting twice with in a week this would allow us to only hunt what the town needed. Mother would use the remaining parts for different things. Father hated wasting things, expecially life.

It was the eve of my birthday, October 31th. I had just turned 16, almost the age of promise. Father and I went into the forest, this day we were looking for large game.

I took point and followed a set of tracks that I believed to be Deer. My Father followed a different set of tracks. He was hunting wild boar.

The tracks led me to a mountain side and stopped. Blood was was everywhere. I glanced about, my bow ready. Then I saw it, the deer lay on the groud, its innards spread about. A large black dog sit atop it, feasting. I pulled the arrow back, aimed for the chest and let it go.
The arrow founds its mark and buried itself in the beast chest. It howled out in pain, then it looked around. My eyes widened as the arrow should have struck the heart, killing the dog.

The beasts eyes found me, they glowed an eerie red. Blood mixed with saliva and deer meat dripped from its jaws. It let out a savage growl that sent fear rippling though my body. I suddenly felt very cold. The beast charged me and I fired a second arrow, then a third. While this slowed the beast it did not stop. I was barely able to grab for my sword when he knocked me over and I screamed. His large fangs sinking into my shoulder tearing off a chunk of my flesh, I cried out in pain. It was like nothing I had ever felt. A fire burned under my skin and spread through my body.

Then something odd occured, the beast looked into my eyes. A deep voice echoed in my mind.
When the last leaf falls, and the first snow touches the ground. I will return and death you will meet!

With a blink of an eye, the beast was gone and I laid on the ground. If not for the blood and missing flesh I would have thought it a dream.
My father had heard my screams and rushed to my aid. His sword readied. After he checked the area he wrapped my should the best he could and we walked back to town. The only thing I could see, were those red eyes, the only thing I could hear were the beasts words. They rang in my mind over and over.

The next night the Joseph Farmer found three of his finest horses dead in the pasture. No one had heard their cries. The night after that Josephs wife found him in the same pasture. And so it went, every night I recovered a member or animal of the town was killed. A plague was upon the town. I had been cursed by the beast to die and I brought it with me home.

It was two days until true winter would arrive. I knew by the protent that the beast would come for me at that time. I had told no one of the curse for fear I would be lynched. But I decided I should leave before any more died.

My mother packed me a mule and cart of supplies and enough rations that would take me for three months on the road. I left at dawn and did not stop until night had fallen. Then I set up camp protecting the mule.

I travled like this for another week, when I encountered an old witch. She looked upon me and stopped her cart. Her blond hair, mixed with silver. She wore wool liked clothes and had a smile that could warm the night. When she spoke it soothed the heart and made one relax.
"Dear child, you have a deep troubles," She stopped as if listening to another voice, "Yes, a Barghest is after this one. What did one do to attract the attention of the devil's hound?"
"I did not know what it was and I shot it with an arrow while hunting," I said, I had not confessed in all this time, yet with her I felt compelled to answer. The old woman nodded and sighed.
"So a young child is running from this beast?"
"No Ma'am, I am leading it from my home. Others have been dying from my stupidity."
Again the woman nodded, "so you wish to defeat this beast, and live?"
"Yes Ma'am"
"I could tell you, but you must first make me a promise." She spoke softly.
"What is that?"
"Should you live, you will bring me the body of the beast, should you live, you shall come and work for me."
I thought for a long time. If this woman knew how to kill this beast...this Barghest as she called it, then she was my only chance for survival. My arrows were not strong enough and it was to swift for my sword.
"Agreed" I sighed, I hated having to do this but I wanted to live. I wanted to live and to make sure that thing never harmed anyone else. The old woman smiled and she pulled from her cart a quiver of arrows. They seemed to glow with the light of the Sun.
"Arrows of Helios,"she spoke "They will penetrate the heart of the beast and slay it. But you must hit its heart or they will not work."I nodded taking the quiver from her and replacing my old quiver.
"Where will I find you once the beast is dead?"
I asked and the woman cackled loudly.
"Should you survive, follow this path and walk to the sun until it sets, you will see a cabin in a clearing. It is mine." And with that she urged her horse on, leaving me standing as the sunset.

As night fell, so did the last leaf. True winter had arrived and within the hour it was snowing.
I released the mule and walked into the forest until I came upon a clearing that rested against the mountainside, a great defense point, I then waited. It did not take long for the beast to find me. He stood at the clearings edge and pierced my sould with his gaze.

So, you wish to live dont you? You wish to fight Death and kill it? Show me human! Show me and fight or I will feast on your guts! He charged me, but I was ready. I flung back my cloak and pulled up my bow releasing one of the Arrows of Helios. It hit him in the shoulder but not the heart. He howled out in pain and began to limp. He was too close now to release another arrow. I backed up as far as I could go and aimed. He moved closer, then stopped. His eyes linked with mine and I felt an intense fear.

Drop it child, drop the arrows and I will let you live. The urge to listen surged through my body. My hands began to move to unhook the arrows. I knew I should not do this. It is the devils dog and the devil lies!
I had to fight him. If he won this battle of wills I really would die. It took every ounce of stregth to look away from him, and when we lost eye contact, he had no further control of me.
I quickly brought up the bow and release and another arrow. This time it hit its mark and the beast howled out collapsing infront of me. Just to be sure I shot another arrow directly into the heart. It moved no more, a inky black blood oozed from its body. I slung the bow across my back and lifted the beast across my shoulders.

I walked for a better part of an hour until I found my cart. It took me another two hours to find my mule. I rested that night and at first dawn I started down the path.