Valeriy Kolesnikov

Valeriy Kolesnikov was a young monk, back in mother Russia at the end of XVI century. He lived in the Solovetsky Monastery, the greatest citadel of Christianity in the Russian North. He was a holy man, and among the other monks he was very well considered. His destiny seemed to be already decided; it was common opi nion among the monks that one day he was going to be the Archimandrite of the monastery, appointed by the tsar himself. He used to spend his time among poor people and peasant trying to help them. He was even able to make miracles. That is why he was some how adored as a divinity by people, and for the same reason he wasn’t that loved by the highest clergy nor by the most of the local aristocracy. But people were with him and wherever he went they wanted to see him, to touch him and being blessed by him. He willingly accepted the devotion of the faithful, but advised them that it was not him that had to be addressed with such benevolence; instead he urged people to love one another, to help themselves in the grace of God. The fate of men is mysterious and inscrutable. As a visitor to a remote village on the shores of the White Sea, he found himself entering a house where he was told that a man, Vassiliy Karpov, was dying and asked the comfort of his blessing. The dying man at the sight of Valeriy took his hand, held it tight and implored God's mercy. But on that occasion Valeriy’s eyes crossed with that of Valentina Karpova, the daughter of Vassiliy. It was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. This thought deeply shook him. Once back to the monastery, the vision of that beauty so carnal yet so divine, began to haunt his sleep. His mind was no longer able to get rid of that strange feeling. He had lost his heart to Valentina. Several times he returned to the village on the White Sea with any excuse, just to see her, never speaking to her, only to meet her innocent but so disturbing look. Valentina dreamed of him with open eyes; her lips trembled whenever she crossed the pace of Valeriy. Until one night they loved each other. The convent life became a weariness to Valeriy, and his serenity was deeply affected by doubt. His faith did not waver, but he felt the purity of his feelings and within himself he struggled against the guilt instilled by the dogma and the vow of chastity that he had broken. The rare moments of happiness were now just those that he could share secretly with Valentina. But the devil always puts his tail. Somehow the news leaked out. Someone had discovered their relationship and the news quickly reached the ears of the Archimandrite of Solovestky and through him to the Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich, called Grozny, the Terrible. The reaction of these people was mean and cruel. To wash the shame that Valeriy had thrown on the Orthodox Church, he was arrested and taken constraint in front of the inquisitorial tribunal; the court pronounced him guilty of heresy and desecration of sacred vows. His punishment was atrocious; he was forced in irons to witness the execution, long and painful of the poor Valentina, in turn accused of witchcraft and having manipulated the mind of the young monk with her dark arts. While the executioner tore shreds of Valentina’s skin, blood splatters stained Valeriy 's face, mingling with his tears. The anger grew inside of him; the love for the poor Karpova turned into hatred for all mankind. In his heart grew the desire for revenge, to see the blood of her torturer flowing. He drank the blood of Valentina running down his face and with that he sealed a pact with Satan, he cursed his faith and gave his soul for revenge! In that moment heaven was torn, the moon obscured the sun in a frightening eclipse, while Valentina with a last cry of pain left this world. The light gave way to a profound darkness, that threw all present at the horrible ceremony in utter terror. The strains that tied the hands of Valeriy disbanded without reason. He was free to unleash his wrath. Under the cover of darkness his hand ran the blood of hundreds of people. Possessed by a new force he withdrew the sword of a guard and pierced the chest of all monks and cut off the head of the Archimandrite! Blinded by a demonic fury he did not stop his murderous hand until around him there were only dead bodies, of which he greedily drank the blood still warm! He had become a vampire! When he recovered from that murderous trance, he became aware of his actions. He felt a pain in his heart and wanted to kill himself trying to expiate his terrible sin. He pierced his belly with a dagger, weeping before the tortured body of Valentina. Great was his surprise when he realized that death wasn’t going to take him. Therefore he was well aware he had become a creature of darkness and a threat to men. Then he picked up the remains of his beloved and disappeared forever from those places where his name became legendary. The nations of the White Sea were even afraid to pronounce it... Valeiy Kolesnikov had retreated away from the world, in a place hidden in southern Siberia, where he built a shack. Next to it he placed the tomb of his beloved Valentina. He lived as a hermit wishing a death he couldn’t achieve. His flesh had stopped growing old and the bloodlust forced him from time to time to reach a village where he could harvest victims. In his heart remained a deep remorse. When finally, after nearly a century and a half, a priest vampire hunter sent by the Church found him, he was happy to receive the end. He asked God's forgiveness for his actions and lay pierced to the heart in a grave next to that of Valentina. However, the indulgence and clemency of the Kingdom of Heaven would not condemn his soul to the eternal flames, well aware of the heartbreaking suffering that the young monk had been subjected to. So Valeriy awoke in Purgatory, still dressed in the black robe. The voice of the Lord spoke to him: redemption was still possible for him. He was going to be the messenger of Lord’s wrath in that world now submitted to the anarchist power of the demon Astaroth. God invested Valeriy of a mission. He would have been his Avenger now. He would have wandered for the nine continents and would have been the executioner of the demons. And so his name became legend once again. His victims were demons, whose blood he drank! Valeriy Kolesnikov was now simply called The Monk and wherever he went his black robe spread terror among the demons. Its mission would have last long time until even Astaroth would have been defeated...