I was driving back home and Chris was accompanying me. It was the most tiring and upsetting Halloween for me. My uncle had suffered a stroke and I had been busy due to that. Hospitals are quite depressing and as our family had gone out for the weekend so I had to take care of everything. I was supposed to leave for a Halloween party when I received the call. Uncle Jerry is more like my father to me. He has taken care of me since I was a little girl. He had supported me through the ups and downs of my life. Growing up without a father had only been easy because of Uncle Jerry. Uncle Jerry was my mentor, my guide and my pride. He had always been there for me and today he was in this condition. Doctor had informed that his condition had stabilized so we could leave for the night.
I was going through two worst months of my life. Carla my best friend left, she was getting a good job in another city and so she had to leave me. Then my boyfriend Jake dumped me, telling me that we did not have any space between us. We needed privacy and as we were not getting it we needed a break. Chris was partly responsible for that. Imagine people still give this reason for dumping someone. We could have tried to make it work, but no we needed a break. The next thing that happened was Chris. Well looking at the details Chris was the least bad thing that could happen to me. He was kind of ok; however he was weird and irritating. I had met him around two months back, he had moved in next door at Carla’s place. He had a knack of being present where ever I was. It was like he was following me everywhere. I think he had a crush on me. Whenever I was in a problem he was there. He was the reason Jake started feeling insecure. Chris was always around since he had arrived and Jake and I were not getting any privacy. I tried reasoning with Chris but to avail. In the end Jake and I are taking a break now. Chris has this strange attitude of talking rudely and in riddles. He is very confusing sometimes, will keep you wondering on what he said for hours. One thing was particularly great about him. He helped you no matter what the situation. Even today when I received call about my uncle Chris was there to help me. He had taken care of everything and been there till the doctor had informed us to leave. I don’t know what I would have done today without him.
And now Uncle Jerry was hospitalized. I wanted to stay, however Chris forced me to leave telling me that I needed rest. I was really tired with all these thoughts running in my mind heading back home, the streets were empty and I wanted to reach home as fast as possible. We were taking a shortcut through one of the forest routes. Suddenly Chris yelled “Don’t stop. Keep moving even if you have to hit him.” I was actually shocked at what Chris said and I made a mistake I stopped. In middle of the road there was a hideous creature standing in between. It was standing on two feet but it had some sort of wings, yellowish green in color. I hadn’t absorbed what was going on and suddenly our car was lifted in the air. I was frozen with shock; the air had grown cold and couldn’t understand what was going on. Chris pulled out a knife and cut my seat belt, he yelled “Shannon, jump”. I couldn’t grasp what he said and then he pushed me out of the car, jumping along. The car was in air and the creature was making some kind of hand movements. I fell on some air cushioning. Chris did some hand movements and the creature was thrown back with great force. Chris lifted me as if I was weightless and started running in the forest. I was still stunned from the shock of what was happening. How could Chris who was so frail lift me up without any effort and how did he hurt the creature? What was that creature? Why did it attack us? I couldn’t speak anything. I was crying and crying.
I didn’t know how long Chris carried me and where we had reached. He stopped running and placed me down. I asked him “What’s going on Chris? What is happening?” He replied, “My name is not Chris. It is Krall-graz. I am your protector. ” I was angry now. What did he mean by protector? This guy was some nutcase. I yelled “What do I need protection from you nutcase. Why is that creature after me? Why didn’t you tell it to me before?” I started crying again. Chris held me till the time I was calm again. Then he spoke “Shannon, I should have told you earlier. I am your protector. My name is Krall-graz. I can change my body into what you saw behind, however I am not one of them. I am here to protect you from them ‘The Brethren of Light’.” “But Chris or Krall whoever you are, why are they after me?” “Shannon it is your 26th Halloween since your birth. You are the carrier of a bloodline very old in lineage. Your blood on today’s day is the key to unlock a great power, but it is not the right time for it to be unlocked. I have been keeping a watch on you since a long time; however it became necessary that I be around you to protect you as your 26th Halloween was approaching. And I would be honored if you call me Krall.” I was about to get angry again when he replied. “The legend begins a long time back during the time of power. The common people knew us as ‘The People of Power’. During those times Halloween used to be the celebration of power and domination. However there was discontent among us and soon we were split into two groups ‘The Brethren of Light’ and ‘The Dark Binders’. The discontent and the thirst for power grew among both the groups, so each of them started searching for a power that would make them the ultimate power bearers. They found the method, however for that we had to unite.”
Krall took a deep breath and continued “That was when they united to gain power, but with malice in their minds. They had to perform a ceremony on Halloween. The thirst for power made them so evil that they sacrificed human lives as well as their friends. Three members were selected to hold the key in their blood. One member from each sect and the third one was a commoner. The main unlocking key was concealed in the age of commoner which was 26 then. Without the three the power could not be gained, but without commoner reaching 26th Halloween the power could not be unlocked, so they plotted against each other. At last the night of Halloween arrived when the ceremony was to be performed. The ceremony went without a hindrance, but alas the peace for the time being was destroyed by the malice for power. A great fight broke after the ceremony, many lives lost and in that confusion the commoner disappeared taking the unlocking key engraved in his blood. After that a great war broke between these two sects and weakened them to great extent. Since then everyone tried to locate the commoner to gain that power.” Krall became silent, so I asked “What has this to do with me?” He replied, “I was coming to that. It was a few understanding people of power who had hidden the commoner. But key was in the bloodline and we had to keep watch on the descendants of that line. Years later the identity of one of the descendants was revealed. The bloodline of the commoner continues in you through your father. I am sorry I failed to protect him; he was a nice and great man who sacrificed his life so that his blood couldn’t be used.” I had never heard of my father being mentioned, Krall looked so young that you couldn’t even think that he was even elder than me.
Krall was silent again, when I asked “How was my father?” He replied, “I didn’t get to know him. I met him on the day they tried to capture him.” There was a pause again “Krall which sect do you belong to?” Krall smiled, “I was born in the ‘The Dark Binders’ and have come long way since leaving them. I don’t …..” before he could finish his words he was thrown back with great force. There were three of the creatures now standing there. Krall stopped in mid air and yelled “Shannon run.” I didn’t wait this time and started running. There was a sound of heavy blast behind me and I was thrown ahead, but again some air cushioning protected me. I looked and saw Krall was fighting the three of them together. They seemed weak in front of him, then a creepy voice gave me shivers boomed in the air “Step back whoever you are, as I am Gurnaz the leader of ‘The Dark Binders’ and you cannot defeat me.” A fourth figure was approaching Krall. Then Krall did something that threw all four of them with great force that two of them were knocked out. He bellowed in rage “I am Krall-graz the protector, and even if all of you are together you cannot defeat me.” Gurnaz seemed scared at the mention of Krall’s name and he along with the other remaining ran away yelling “We will be back for the girl.” Krall looked at me and yelled “I told you to run away, why are you still here?” His voice had grown scary and I was frightened. Then he took a deep breath and asked calmly “Are you all right?” I squeaked “yes.” He looked around and said “It’s not safe here anymore we have to move.” And he started walking.
I was following Krall some time; we hadn’t talked about anything since then. I said “You didn’t complete what you were saying.” Krall looked blankly at me, “Right now the priority is to keep you safe. I let my guard down once. Not now. They know that I am here, so they will be back with reinforcements. I didn’t think we would run into ‘The Dark Binders’, they must have arrived today, but don’t worry even both the sects together are no match for me. If time permits I will answer all your questions.” We had reached a clearing. The silence was too overwhelming. I still needed lots of answers but Krall wouldn’t talk now. We were in middle of crossing the clearing when Krall shouted, “They are here, and I can sense them. Run, both the sects are here.” Then he changed into a horrifying form. His eyes changed into red slits, his hands turned into claws and he sprouted bat like wings. Looking at him transform I was stunned and terrified. He looked so terrifying that I almost fainted. I started running away from him. Krall turned and flew in my direction and blocked my path, with his back facing me. He growled as Gurnaz was standing in there with five creatures behind him. Krall made some had gestures and all of those creatures were thrown with great force. He moved very fast after that and attacked them with ferocity. They had started cowering back, when another group attacked, from left. I started running away from the fight. It seemed impossible that Krall would win this fight, he was outnumbered and alone. But I was terrified and kept running. I could hear footsteps following me. I was very tired by now and afraid, I could only keep running as I wanted to save myself. Two creatures blocked my path. I was trapped with nowhere to run.
I heard a creepy laughter behind me “At last the power will be ours now.” There was a blast and the two creatures in front of me were thrown. Krall was standing there in his hideous form and growled “Sryna back off” his voice was guttural. The creepy laughter from behind started again “Krall, you can’t fight the ‘The Brethren of Light’ alone, you are outnumbered and we even have the ‘The Dark Binders’ on our side.” Krall growled “You forget who I am, my legends have outlasted history. Last time you were lucky but not this time. Even all of you together can’t defeat me.” Was Krall being overconfident or was he really that powerful? While this was going on the others were pouring in. Krall was fighting them alone, he was unscathed, not a single bruise on the body, whereas others seemed wounded. I too was surrounded but they could not touch me, I was protected by some invisible barrier. Krall was blasted of his feet by Gurnaz who had joined the fight by now and the barrier broke. This time Sryna projected a ball of light towards me and I was lifted off my feet and thrown off with a great force. Krall was still fighting when I hit a tree and lost my consciousness.
I don’t remember anything after that. When I woke again I was safe in my bed. It was morning and my car was parked in my garage. It was like nothing had happened on Halloween. The only proof that it had happened was a note pasted on my mirror by Krall.
The danger has passed, however I will be keeping a watch as the bloodline will continue. It’s 26th Halloween that we have to watch since birth. Keep passing the message to your generations that are yet to come.
– Krall-graz
Chris or Krall disappeared without a trace after that Halloween night. Can’t imagine what would have happened on that Halloween night if he had not been there to protect me. If he could have fought so many together and kept me safe, how come he failed in protecting my father. I don’t know the reason why he was trying to keep the power locked nor did I know what it was. He had left without answering many questions. I knew in my heart that he was out there protecting my family and others for a good reason; however I can never forget that Halloween night or my protector.