When the moon was high Calesh found himself on the castle’s barracks, laying low on a small corner, trying to blend in. Some of the guards gave him looks, but he pretended to be an embarrassed new guy. Things were running smoothly and soon he would start patrolling the castle. He had an idea of the main blueprint, castles were not that different from each other and he once, in another life, lived in one: noble family was upstairs. Easy enough! He didn’t have much time though, as his disguise would soon be discovered. That night, when the men in the barracks slept and the others patrolled the castle walls, corridors and endless rooms, he left to his business. Hiding in the shadows, he scouted. The castle was dormant, as the night ran deep, and Calesh moved stealthily. He peeked, here and there, climbed the stairs, keeping in mind that nobles were in the high levels. Suddenly patrols were more common, and the doors were all guarded. This is it. He was happy and confident.

Hidden in a corner, by low light, he was looking at a long corridor, full of doors on each side. Torches made enough light for the guards to see. There was at least one at each door. This wasn’t going to go without a fight. He shrugged. So be it. In brief moments he ran the plan through his head one final time: take the princess, escape, and meet at the rendezvous point. Those were the guidelines. The procedure, was his to decide… oooohhh he liked that!

A moment of concentration. Heavy breathing. He opened his hands, and sharp claws appeared in his fingers. His eyes turned orange red, and his canine teeth grew in the corners of his mouth. He felt power, strength and bloodlust.

Stepping out of his concealed corner he ran through the corridor… so fast! So nimble! When the first two guards noticed him they already had two gashes on their throats and were dying, unable to speak. Calesh kept running, heading for the first door. One guard screamed, pointed the spear to the running figure, and died, pierced on the belly and breast by a pair of sharp claws. Calesh had dodged the spear and now was holding it. He kicked the door and looked inside. His eyes seeing crystal clear in the dark. An old figure laid still, unable to scream. Wrong room.

Calesh proceeded through the corridor and now the guards came from all directions, and were dying easily: pierced by a spear or torn by his sharpened claws. Confusion and madness struck the castle, while Calesh killed guards and opened chamber doors.

At the fourth attempt he saw her. The princess, screaming for Mother and Father. With swift steps Calesh reached her, grabbed her and pulled her off her bed, carrying her in his arms. Even in the rush of battle he didn’t neglect the plan, and dropped a small piece of paper, a note, written in old norden language, to the ground. Without losing much tempo he ran to the window nearby…. And jumped, smashing the decorated glass. Both dived into the night.