Fangs and Fire : Vows of Vengeance

Flames raged wildly, lighting up the thick night in the middle of the dark forest. The small town of Vardhall, one of the few remaining human cities, was now being destroyed by a horde of beasts. Screams split the air, mixed with long, haunting howls - a sign that a werewolf pack had invaded.

Amidst the panic, a well-built man with a crossbow in his hand ran amongst the crowd. He was Harald, one of the town guards and a common farmer, who was now trying to protect his family.

"Run! Protect Sigrid!" he shouted to his wife, Astrid, who was tightly hugging an eight-year-old little girl, Sigrid Valkyrie. Sigrid's clear blue eyes stared at the horror around her, her body trembling in her mother's arms.

Astrid turned around with a terrified face. "Harald, you can't fight them alone! We have to go together!"

"If I don't hold them off, we all die!" Harald replied loudly, but behind his voice was the desperation he tried to hide.

Astrid knew she couldn't argue. She looked down, grasping Sigrid's hand tightly. "Stay close to Mommy, Sigrid. Don't let go of Mommy's hand, no matter what."

At the edge of town, the great wooden gate had collapsed. A pack of werewolves with dark gray skin and sharp teeth rushed in, tearing apart anyone they encountered. In front of them stood an alpha werewolf, his body much larger than the others. His fur was pitch black, his eyes glowing red like burning coals. It was Fenrir Bloodfang, the leader of the night hunters.

Fenrir stepped slowly between the flames and ruins, his wide smile revealing rows of sharp teeth. "Weak humans..." he murmured lowly, his voice heavy as the rumble of a storm. "Today, you will all become part of a forgotten history."

One by one, the city guards who dared to fight him fell. None were strong enough to stand up to the alpha werewolf. With one swing of his claws, the last wooden wall in the center of the city collapsed, paving the way for his army to continue the massacre.

Harald continued to lead his family through the fire- and debris-filled streets. His hand tightly gripped an old bow, while behind him, Astrid tried to keep Sigrid moving.

However, their steps came to a halt when a large figure appeared in the middle of the street. Fenrir stood there, staring at them with a deadly gaze. The other two werewolves were beside him, howling ferociously.

"SURRENDER OR DIE." Fenrir's voice sounded like an explosion, echoing throughout the silent city. "Give me the girl, and I might just let you live."

Astrid gasped. She clutched Sigrid to her body, protecting her daughter as if it was the only thing that mattered in the world. "W-Why are you after her?" her voice trembled, but her eyes looked hateful.

Fenrir smirked, lowering his head to almost Astrid's level. "That boy... he smells special. A smell that only the chosen possess. I will take him, whether you hand him over or not."

"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY GIRL, BASTARD!" Harald advanced, raising his bow with trembling hands. He knew that the odds were slim, but he had to try.

Fenrir let out a long breath, then stepped forward casually. "Human courage is admirable. Too bad it's never enough."

Father and Mother's Sacrifice

Fenrir continued to stride forward, his massive claws gripping the blood-soaked ground. Harald held his breath, his body tense, the hand gripping the bow trembling. He knew very well that his arrow probably wouldn't hurt an alpha this powerful. However, he would not let his family be taken without a fight.

"ASTRID! NOW!" shouted Harald, turning his body briefly to signal. He released one arrow towards Fenrir. It whizzed by, but only grazed the alpha's shoulder, making him flinch momentarily.

Astrid didn't think twice. She hugged Sigrid tightly and pulled her toward a small path at the side of the ruins. "Sigrid, listen to Mommy. We have to go now!" Her frantic whisper echoed in the child's ears.

"BUT DADY!" Sigrid cried, trying to release her mother's hold, but Astrid tightened her grip even more.

"YOUR FATHER WILL BE OK!" cried Astrid in a tone that tried to sound firm, even as her tears began to fall. She knew it was a lie. However, she couldn't let her daughter lose hope.

Meanwhile, Harald ran towards Fenrir, taking a silver dagger from his belt. He lashed out with everything he had, swinging the dagger towards Fenrir's neck. However, Fenrir moved too fast. With one blow, Harald's body was thrown backwards, hitting the stone wall.

"How ridiculous," Fenrir hissed, pulling out the arrow in his shoulder without any pain. "You really think that a little human like you can stop me?"

Harald coughed up blood, but he forced himself to his feet. "I may not be able to... but I'll make sure you don't get what you want."

Fenrir's eyes narrowed. "In vain." He leapt forward with incredible speed, clawing at Harald's chest with deadly force. Blood spurted, and Harald's body fell to the ground. But even so, Harald smiled slightly, knowing that he had given his family time.

On the other side, Astrid led Sigrid to a basement in the ruins of their old home. Quickly, she opened a trap door hidden under the wooden floor and lowered her daughter into it.

"Sigrid," Astrid held her daughter's face in both hands. Her eyes were teary, but her voice was full of compassion. "You must stay here, no matter what happens. Don't come out until things calm down. Understand?"

"B-But Mom, I'm scared..." Sigrid sobbed, holding her mother's hand tightly.

Astrid leaned down and gently kissed Sigrid's forehead. "I know. But you're a strong girl, Sigrid. Stronger than you think. Mommy will come back. I promise."

Sigrid couldn't say anything else. She just cried as she watched her mother close the trap door from above. The sound of Astrid's steps moving away grew faint, accompanied by howls that grew closer.

Astrid returned to the main road, drawing the attention of the werewolves on purpose. She yelled at the top of her lungs, throwing burning wood shards at the approaching pack.

"HEY, HERE! I'M HERE!" she shouted. The werewolves turned around and immediately chased after her, leaving the area where Sigrid was hiding.

Fenrir, who had been observing Harald's lifeless body, looked up and grinned when he saw Astrid running. "Brave, I like that."

Astrid kept running, leading the herd away. She knew she wouldn't be back, but for Sigrid's sake, she was willing to be bait. At the end of the dark hallway, her screams echoed before disappearing into silence.

The atmosphere in the city slowly began to subside. Smoke filled the air, the howls of the werewolves grew farther away, and the sounds of battle were replaced with an eerie silence. In the dark basement, Sigrid gripped her knees tightly, her body trembling, waiting for her mother to return. But all that came was silence. In her little heart, she knew her mother would not return.