Worldbuilding is an important aspect of writing. The world must be believable; the world must feel real. That takes planning and requires posing a lot of questions, with some answers left unresolved in the book. When I sent my spiritually broken knight Richard McAllister into Annwn, I knew he would only be able to explore a small part of that world, leaving many questions unanswered and numerous stories yet to tell.
“The Unfettered Knight” is one such story. It takes place many years before Richard McAllister has taken up his knighthood. Instead, the tale features knight Charles Ardall and his trusty fairy guide Berrytrill, who are mentioned briefly in The Dark Thorn and who have been called to Vatican City after a great evil has infiltrated the home of the Catholic Church.
Since I was confronted with cancer and all of its uncertainty in 2011, I wanted to write a story that took a look at life, death, and the meaning of both. I also know that at no time will vampires play a role in the Annwn Cycle. But like any self-respecting urban fantasy writer, I wanted to take a stab—pun intended—at writing a unique vampire story.
“The Unfettered Knight” is that stab.
I hope the story surprises you. It did me.
— Shawn Speakman
THE UNFETTERED KNIGHT
Shawn Speakman
When Heliwr of the Yn Saith Charles Ardall stepped from the portal into the catacombs beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, he entered a massacre from Hell.
He had seen many like it during his tenure, but none quite so gruesome.
“Unbelievable carnage,” Berrytrill whispered, the fairy flying at his ear. “This fight, the knight did not back down.”
“No, he didn’t,” Charles agreed. “Then again, Bruno Ricci wouldn’t.”
“Indeed. A tougher knight, I have not seen.”
The Heliwr nodded, looking around. No immediate danger presented itself. Instead, broken bodies littered the rock bank of the Tiber River’s underground branch, the dead spreading to the far side of the cavern. There were three dozen bodies in all. With the light of the portal highlighting the bloodied environs and the subterranean chill seeping into his bones, Charles knelt beside the first corpse he came to. The man’s chest was blasted open, his black uniform free of insignia and his slackened fingers still attempting to grip a rapier. He stared upward through the knight, soul absent.
Charles shivered. It was a face frozen in shock and pain at how life had ended.
The warrior’s last minutes were not what drew Charles though. The dead man was pale like milk, almost translucent, and had been long before the battle.
On a hunch, the Heliwr pulled back the man’s lips.
Two fangs poked free, brought short in death.
“Vampire,” Charles noted.
“Stickfick,” Berrytrill cursed. “My princely crown, I would bet the others are vampyr as well.” The fairy flew over a few more dead bodies. “Myrddin Emrys says where one vampyr exists—”
“Others do too,” Charles finished. He looked about the cavern. “They all are wearing similar garb. They were a company of warriors with intent. But what intent beyond breaking into St. Peter’s?”
Berrytrill returned and, landing upon the corpse, more closely examined the vampire. Lightning had torn through its chest and exploded the creature’s heart—the power of Bruno Ricci at work. After his scrutiny, the fairy pointed underneath the torn uniform near the cauterized wound.
“What is this?” the fairy asked.
Charles peeled back the uniform shirt. A small Celtic rune tattoo had been inked into the unmoving chest.
The work appeared fresh, the skin still inflamed.
“Check the others. Are they similarly tattooed?”
Berrytrill did so and returned. “They are. What does the symbol mean, Charles?”
“It is an old symbol. It means ‘life after life’s death.’”
“Failed rune magic then,” the fairy grunted. “The ink did not keep them safe.”
“Guess not.” Frowning, Charles examined the mark more closely.
“You see something else,” Berrytrill noted.
“The rune is slightly…altered.”
“How so?”
“It has a much longer fore stroke than it should.”
“It matters not. It failed to keep the vampyr safe. It is not the worry of the moment, Charles,” Berrytrill said, looking around for emphasis. “Did Bruno give any indication where their leader went?”
“He barely had enough strength to draw me here, let alone tell me what happened,” Charles said, standing. “First we must find him and the Cardinal Seer. Then we hunt the one who orchestrated this.”
“With care,” the fairy said pointedly. “Your wife and forthcoming child would not appreciate a hunt that ended in your death. Nor would she look favorably upon my royal personag—”
“Hold!”