A Thief in the Night 2005

By April Martin

"Did anyone see you?" Sylvia murmured as she got up from the ground, flinging away the wet moss that clung to her palms.

"I don’t think so," Gray whispered, his eyes darting nervously. "Luckily, the moon isn’t as strong tonight."

Sylvia cast a fleeting glance through the trees at the waning moon. "We better keep moving. Death will be our fate if we linger much longer."

Gray followed her deeper into the forest, hoping no one would notice the Crystal of Ragia missing until morning. The dwarfs, notorious for their wine and spirits, would hopefully sleep off any hangovers that swam in their heads.

Taking on such a fierce task would have been suicide for most, but together they had enough knowledge of the ancient lands to navigate the many obstacles. Having been together since a young age, they had traveled over many lands, trying to find a perfect location to start a family. Gray loved the adventure, but Sylvia seemed to keep moving to stay alive, as if she were hiding or running from something. Nevertheless, their love was a bond that could not be broken. They had befriended fairies, ridden dragons, and found jewels from ancient kings.

Gray had met Sylvia when she was thirteen. She was a mystery, and he knew he had to be with her. The girls in his small country village of Thort were plain and boring to him, content with working in the kitchen and helping with the wash. Gray, an adventurer at heart, wanted a mate who shared his spirit.

As they fled, Gray glanced at Sylvia keeping pace beside him. She was an amazing woman. His thoughts drifted back to the first day he saw her.

It was a cold, rainy day in September. The wind was howling, and the crops needed tending, but Gray, then a rambunctious fifteen-year-old, decided to explore the land instead of doing chores. His parents were away on business, giving him plenty of time for adventure.

He slipped some bread from last night’s meal into his satchel, filled his leather water bladder, and grabbed his walking stick. The cold rain pelted his face, but he pressed on, determined not to let the weather deter him.

About an hour into his trip, deep in the woods, he heard a low, beautiful singing. Crouching behind a tree, he saw a young girl in a bright red cloak, gingerly rolling a flower between her fingers and singing, oblivious to the weather. Gray was captivated by her coal-black curls and the water droplets swirling on her tongue as she sang.

He lost track of time, entranced until he realized she had stopped singing and was looking directly at him with piercing green eyes. Startled, he jumped behind the tree, but it was too late.

"I’ve seen you watching and listening to my song," she called. "Won’t you show yourself so we can be introduced properly? My name is Sylvia."

Beautiful and dangerously confident for her age, Sylvia intrigued Gray. Who was she? A runaway, an orphan? Whoever she was, he knew he had to be with her forever.

Twelve years later, they had lived many lives and seen enough sorrow to last a lifetime. They had heard tales of horrific tragedies and the gruesome creatures responsible, but never thought they’d see them firsthand. The Ankou, feared in his village, were no longer a myth.

Village children used to sing a song about the Ankou, thinking it funny. Now, Gray saw no humor in it:

Be careful all ye common folk,
And look behind every tree,
For if the Ankou catch you
No one will hear your screams.
With one little touch,
They take your soul
And leave your body for dead,
But along with your soul,
They steal your eyes, right from out of your head.

As horrible as it sounded, it was true. The Ankou chose their victims without rhyme or reason, sparing no one. Sometimes they replaced a soul with that of an animal, a fate as ghastly as death.

Three years ago, Gray and Sylvia faced the Ankou and survived, though they didn’t know why. They became pawns in a plan to take over Ragia, their unofficial home, where the dwarfs had taken them in as their own. Death would have been better than betraying the dwarfs, but the beatings and torture were too much to bear. They took a blood oath, agreeing to cooperate for their release, but with a plan of their own.

Now, with the task nearly complete and freedom within reach, they ran as fast as their exhausted legs allowed. The sounds of the night fueled their fear. Sylvia halted, clutching her side, struggling for breath. She saw a faint green glow from Gray’s pouch and realized the Crystal of Ragia was trying to help them.

"Gray! Your pouch, they are trying to help us. Hurry, duck down by the juniper bushes!"

The ground was damp and cold beneath their knees, but they didn’t mind. The glowing crystal meant they were close to freedom. They watched it intently as it vibrated and emitted a low musical sound, entrancing them.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves approached like thunder. Gray snatched up the stone to conceal its glow. Sylvia stood, hoping it was help, but it was the Ankou, accompanied by three other riders.

The riders’ horses were muscular, black as night, with eyes like daggers. Sylvia and Gray tried to run, but the riders plucked them off the ground effortlessly.

How did they find out so soon? Gray thought. It was the perfect escape. If they returned the crystal to Ragia, they would be safe. He knew he had to sacrifice himself to save Sylvia.

As the horse galloped, Gray grabbed its leg, dislocating his shoulder in the process. The horse tumbled, and Gray was thrown forward. He looked at Sylvia and screamed, "I love you, Sylvia, now run for your life."

A blow to the back of his head sent him into darkness. He felt himself being dragged by his hair, the pain unbearable. The last thing he heard was a blood-curdling scream before everything went black.

Sylvia, hiding behind a tree, watched in horror. She wished she had kept running. Her screams drew the men to her, but she ran faster. Reaching a cliff, she left her satchel on the edge and threw her jacket over, hoping to trick them. She ran back toward Gray, the men fooled by her ruse.

She knelt by Gray’s lifeless body, tears streaming down her face. She filled a bottle with his blood and slipped a silver ring from his finger. "Luckily, the moon is not as strong as it should be," she remembered his words. With a fleeting look through the trees, she ran.

The Ankou now controlled the Crystal of Ragia. Wars and death were inevitable. Sylvia shuddered at the thought of such beautiful creatures being destroyed. She had to warn Ragia, even if it meant revealing her past. She was half Ankou, a secret she had kept from Gray.

As she ran, she realized what she had to do: kill the most powerful Ankou, her father.