Forgotten Horrors

"The story begins long ago, back when this forest was bright and alive, before our country was born.  That is not to say there weren't people living here; in fact, small villages were often built at the edge of the woods.  It was a peaceful, prosperous time for them.  They believed they could live forever in harmony with sea, sky, and earth.  

"They were horribly wrong.

"For beneath the surface of this tranquil world festered an evil beyond their imaginations.  Vile demons hid within their dark recesses, plotting ways to strike terror into the hearts of the honest, hard-working folk diligently going about their work far above.

"At long last, their chance came.

"The world, being young at the time, was restless.  Quakes of the earth were not so uncommon.  Yes, they shook the ground a fair bit, but these rumblings rarely did more than shake dishes off the tables.  This time, though, the earth seemed as if it were attempting to rip itself apart and rearrange the surface.  The balance was unsettled a little; the humans were fairly shaken by such an experience.  Fortunately, their towns remained relatively sound other than a few houses (which had been shoddily constructed to begin with) that had fallen down.  They laughed at their good luck and set about rebuilding fallen homes and fixing broken dishes.

"Unbeknownst to them, however, the earth had succeeded in its apparent design.  A great rift in the earth gaped at the crown of the young forest as of a crooked mouth, its earthy and clay teeth jagged and threatening.

"Out of this earthen maw crawled the cleverest and most cautious demons.

"These first crept silently across the land under cover of darkness, seeing what it had to offer.  After some time, they returned to the rift and convened around it in a great circle of shadows.

"Many of the creatures wished to merely wreak destruction in this unfamiliar realm.  Theirs was a pit of fire locked underground; it seemed only natural that the world above should burn as well.  Others, however, saw a chance for an easy life among the simple folk of the green fields.

"Having known nothing but a life of burning chaos and treacherous shadows, the bloodthirsty spirits were tempted by this proposition.  Agreeing to this idea, they broke the dark ring, stealing through the night to villages at the woods' edge.

At first, the demons were subtle.  They took a human only occasionally to ensure that any disappearances noticed would be put down to getting lost.  When the people became worried and began entering the woods to find the missing ones, they too were taken.  If a rumor started (which it did eventually), any who knew of it that attempted to leave the village were destroyed.  By the same token, anyone entering the place was not allowed to leave...alive.

This continued until only about half the people of the little town were left.  At this time they began to panic.  The leaders planned a mass exodus the next morning.

The demons grinned wickedly at each other in the shadows.  This was their chance.  No more need for subtlety.

Anyone outside that night heard a peculiar shuffling sound around the skirts of town, but they paid it no heed.  They had to get ready to leave.

Just before dawn, all the citizens gathered at town square with all the possessions they could carry.  They bade their homes a last, fond farewell and proceeded along the road through the center of town.

As they approached the town's limits, the people became aware of a blockage in the street at the village's exit.  Getting closer, it was revealed as a wall of bones...human bones!  A wall ten feet high!  They recoiled at the sight, horrorstruck.

A high shriek rent the still morning air, signaling their doom.

Waves of demons of all kinds pounded the wall from the outside, shattering it in the faces of the terrified human villagers.  Thus began the slaughter.

It was over as the sun began rising, blood-red to match the silent street.

There remained but one person, a swarthy, clever-looking man who was nevertheless afraid.  And reasonably so, for masses of demons and devils surrounded him, savoring his terror.  But he would not go down so easily.

He spoke, then, to the amazement of all gathered.  One who understood him, later discovered to have been the leader, strode forth and discoursed with him.  He made the horde an offer: they could wreak havoc as they pleased and he would be their cover.  The demon agreed.

Their accord was the beginning of the Afelciruin Armada.

The wars were not feuds over land, as many had supposed.  They were attacks by the Afelciruin on villages the demons wished to take.  Now, after so many years of free reign, demons lurk in the dark corners of nearly every city and village in the world.