The Legend of the Wrir

He sloshed through the puddles in the back alley as he trudged his way home. He never thought he'd end up stuck in a town like this. He glanced up at the shabby buildings around him squinting against the steady rain. They seemed to huddle together as their forms darkened in the dying light of the day. He sighed heavily. What a dump! He thought for the millionth time as he turned the corner at the end of the ally.

Presently, he came to a halt at the back entrance of an weather-beaten apartment complex. Pulling out a set of keys from his pocket he hunched his shoulders against the cold as he fumbled with the key ring. Finally, he unlocked the door, and was about to step in when a flash of something white at his feet caught his eye. He looked down to found a small notebook lying on its back with its blank inside open to the rain. From its appearance it looked like it hadn't been there but for a few moments, at most.

He glanced around but saw no one. He was alone. On impulse he bent and took up the notebook.

“Gabriel,” came the hushed voice in his ear as the wind seemed to call out to him….Had he really just heard that? Turning the black book slowly over in his hands Gabriel suddenly lurched back crying out in terror as a huge, silvery wolf bounded up at him from out of the pages. He dropped the book, and stumbling fell heavily onto the sidewalk his eyes squeezed shut and his hands held up to protect his face and throat. The rain beat on his still form and the thunder rolled in the distance, but no teeth tore at him. Gabriel opened his eyes and glanced hurriedly around only to find himself completely alone in the back street. Expecting at any moment to be pounced upon by the giant beast Gabriel scrambled over to grab the notebook.

“GABRIEL!” The voice shouted in his ear so loud he dove to his side clutching the book in his hand. ”Yes, yes, what do you want!” He shouted back as stark fear held him to the ground.

“I have called you by name.” The voice continued as if it hadn't heard him, and though its tone had lowered some it still seemed to echo loudly in his head. ”The time for your awakening has come. You must aid me in my dire need. You must! You cannot resist my call! It is your duty! You are the Watcher. You are the Waiter. You are the Wrir.” A slight pause came then the voice softened a little. ”Hear me and aid my people in this desperate hour.” Another pause came in which Gabriel could only hear the hammering of his own heart as it raced against his chest.

"Enter, Wrir.” Came the finale words and Gabriel watched in utter horror as the world around him quietly melted away into a swirl of colors. He lost all sense of gravity and couldn't tell what was up or down, or even if he was still in his own body. Then the colors blurred heavily causing a sharp stabbing pain in his mind. Suddenly, when he thought he was lost into insanity forever something seized his being and jerked him in a forward motion. The blurriness faded and was replaced instead by a flickering of blue… fire? It rose up all around him and had the semblance of flames, but did not burn him.

"G-Gabriel?” Came the distant voice again only much weaker sounding now. Gabriel frowned and tried to move his body towards the direction of the voice. He felt a little stiff, but strangely strong. The flames fell away when he moved and be presently found himself in a small hut with a fire pit in the middle. "OH Gabriel it is you! It is you!” A man was mumbling excitedly near by with his body prostrate on the ground before him. Suddenly, he raised his bearded face to Gabriel.

"Oh mighty, Wrir, save us! Save us from the Drakizla! He has taken many of my people and now has taken my daughter! Curse Dracula and the demon he called up in his death! Curse him!”

Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut for a moment as his head swam in confusion. Was he dreaming? He had to be dreaming…. So….if he was he just had to figure out what was going on so that then he could wake up. He looked back to the babbling man and spoke.

"What demon do you speak of?”

“The Demon, Drakizla, he was summoned by Dracula to protect his Castle upon the Vampire's passing. It resides there oppressing us still these 15 years. He has horded wealth, and raided many towns near by and has stolen much more then just riches. People! They are taken there and never return. Transylvania is now worse then what it was when Dracula haunted it! Please!” the man begged sobbing,” I have searched so many years for the words to call you but I fear it is to late for me. My daughter was taken last night on the eve of my callings.”

Gabriel stared at him and his sane mind laughed silently. What did this guy expect him to do against a demon? Play along Gabe. He thought to himself. It's just a dream. Taking a deep breath he stepped forward and reached down to the help the man up.

“I will help you. If you can just give me a map to the Castle I will be on my way.”

“Oh, yes, yes! I can do that!” The man excitedly took out an old paper from his tunic and presented it to Gabriel. "Thank you! Thank you!” The man was saying as Gabriel quickly studied the map. It was very simple and very vague about the everything except the castle. There was a direct pathway drawn to it from a small town named Charm.

“Is Charm the name of this village?” He asked and the man who nodded,” Which way is north?” The man pointed to the left of the small hut. "I shall be on my way then. If you daughter is alive I will return her.”

“Oh great, Wrir! Thank you!” The man cried relieved. Without another word Gabriel turned and left the hut.

Outside he paused. The moon was high over head; it was a full moon, too.

"How cliché,” Gabriel muttered to himself as he took a breath to sigh, and half way through stopped. His eyes darted around as he realized two things at once. First, he could smell everything, and secondly, he could see everything...in the dark! Well it is my dream after all. He thought to himself letting his surprise smooth over with a new found confidence. Testing the air again he turned himself northward and looked in the direction of the Castle. No time to waste. With a small smile he took off into the dark. Tirelessly, he ran through the cluster of small huts as though he were the wind itself. Passing out of the village and across a field he entered into the tree line at the foot of the Carpathian mountains.

The branches brushed by his lean form their soft whispering touch the only sound of his goings. He moved with such grace and speed that Gabriel quickly found himself scaling a cliff wall with the Castle above resting just on its crest. The Castle wall itself proved a little harder to climb, but this was his place and he was in control of what happened. Soon he perched atop the stone wall to peer down into the shadowed court yard below.

“Ah, Gabriel.” A harsh voice cracked the quiet of the night, "I heard you being called and hoped you would come! You Wrir never cease to be annoying do you?” It laughed its cackle echoing along the stone like the coughs of a dying man. Shivers of fear raised the hair along the back of Gabriel's neck and something in him stirred to life in response. He felt a sudden urge to scream, or shout! The feeling surged up like a hurricane in him as a shadow moved in the court yard and Drakizla revealed himself. Black massive wings drug behind the form of a humanoid shape. Its legs curved like that of a beast and its feet were like a dragons. Its torso and upper body remained vaguely human, with the exception of scales and a horned head.

Something in Gabriel could not resist the sight of the demon. It wanted out, and it wanted out now! A scream tore from Gabriel's throat as he felt a fire burn through his body, and a wave of force burst in his chest. Blackness swarmed his vision but the harsh voice of the demon brought him sudden steady focus.

"You cannot defeat me!” Drakizla cried. Gabriel found he was still on the wall but something had changed. He wasn't a man! Instead of his human hands and feet he saw the great, silvery paws of a wolf beneath him. No, not a wolf, a Wrir. Gabriel reminded himself as he lifted his head to stare into the eyes of the Demon.

“Drakizla!” Gabriel growled his voice challenging, "Leave now or I will banish you forever!”

“Under what authority do you speak, Cursed One!” The demon screamed back it's eyes flaming red as it beheld Gabriel's new form.

“This is my domain,” he said, "I have been called to it, and now you must go.”

“Never!” Drakizla shrieked as his black wings unfurled from behind him and rushed him into the air straight at Gabriel!

Gabriel reacted without thought. His great hind legs launched him into the demon and he felt his jaws snap powerfully over its neck as they tumbled through the air. They landed heavily on the stone of the court yard with Gabriel on top. With his jaws still locked on he jerked his head back his fangs singing in joy as he slew the demon at his feet.

Turning from the dead being Gabriel tested the air. He could smell a human. Perhaps it was the man's daughter. Leaving the court yard behind he entered the castle through the main doors. His senses lead him to a stairwell that went deep into the bowls of the dungeons. When he finally reached the bottom Gabriel found what he sought. The Drakizla's Lair. Gold and riches rose up in mounds around the dome shaped cavern that stretched out before him.

“Come out, girl,” Gabriel called gently as he sensed a female human near by, "I mean you no harm. Your father has called for me to aid your village and I have. The demon of Dracula is dead.”

Slowly the young girl walked out from behind a large stone pillar. Her clothing were marred with dirt, but she was not in a dire state.

“Who- who are you?” She asked haltingly the fear evident in her voice.

“Someone you need not fear.” Gabriel said kindly, ”Go, return to you father and the town and tell them what Gabriel the Wrir has done.

“What-What of you?” The girl asked.

“My calling is completed. Till I am summoned again I must return home.” Gabriel said and even as he spoke he felt something begin to pull at his being. He was being drawn back from his dream.

“Thank you for saving me!” The girl called as he saw the world about him slowly begin to melt away.

Presently, he came to and found himself in his bed. What a strange dream. Gabriel thought as he sat up then froze when he saw his room. Mounds of wrapped American bills filled its small circumference, almost to the level of his bed. A note sat beside him on top of a little, black notebook.” A small payment for your help.” Was all it said.