Vrykolakas - Fever Dreams (ePub)

George is a physician in a village near Penteli mountain, which is some 22 kilometers north east of Athens. Greece at this time was occupied by the Ottoman Turks, who invaded Greece from about 1460, and controlled it until 1821.

In march 1705, George returns from collecting wood in the forest with his son Costa to discover his village has been sacked by Ottoman soldiers, his wife and youngest daughter have been murdered. He flees to the woods with some survivors, where they meet a group of bandits posing as freedom fighters. The survivors sit down for a meal with the bandits.

George and four others waken three days later from prolonged fever dreams to discover they had been "turned" into vrykolakes - blood sucking monsters. Costa and the other survivors died from their fever.

George has lost his village and family, his humanity, his will to live, and is in danger of losing his soul. If he can't find a reason to live, he will lose his soul and be damned. If he can't regain his humanity, he will be a blood-thirsty monster and lose his soul. His soul is already badly stained with smut. A Dark Cloud follows him, tempting him to embrace his inner monster.

His eldest daughter Helena was not among the dead, or the survivors, implying the soldiers have taken her to be a sex slave. How can he rescue her, or even find her?

The spirit of his dead wife visits the band of vrykolakes, and tells them she can lead them to where the Ottomans are holding Helena. Philippos, their leader, decides they should attempt a rescue. He tells George "You came to us asking for our help in your vengeance against the Ottoman invaders. You were weak, we made you strong, powerful. You will become an invincible warrior. We can rescue your daughter, and perhaps the other unfortunate girls held with her."

George decides he will have to use his new powers and abilities if he is to have any chance of rescuing Helena. But how can he embrace his inner monster without succumbing to it and losing his soul in the process?

If he can manage that and rescue his daughter, can he keep the Dark Cloud at bay, save his soul, and regain his humanity?