My first Vampire story. (Finished)02:37 Jan 08 2006
Times Read: 613
SHADOWS & BLOOD
G. G. UNDERHILL
The different Vampire clans gathered their leaders began to plan and talk about the battle and what they would do. Razel didn’t move from in front of his clan as they all stood to attention behind him. Most of Razel’s clan where like him and the rest knew that they had best act like it, or their heads would be on spikes around the Sapphire clan’s boarder. The clans all formed rows as the clan leaders began to come back after their meeting. As Teral of the Ruby clan passed Razel he laughed and said to him.
“Razel I didn’t see you at the meeting. Are you calling a truce with the humans?”
As quick as a snake’s strike Razel’s arm flung out and caught Teral by the throat his long sharp finger nails digging into Teral’s windpipe. Teral tried to do the same to Razel but Razel caught Teral’s hand and began to crush it. Nikor leader of all the vampire clans and the black clan screamed out from the middle of the battle line.
“You two stop this. We can fight each other when we win this war.”
Razel knew he could tear out Teral’s and Nikor’s throats and hearts and still have time to fight the battle as the vampire clan’s new leader. But he also knew that the other clans would have his head because of his treachery so he let go of Teral’s throat and licked Teral’s blood from his nails. Teral flicked his fork tong out at Razel and rushed to his clan. As Razel put on his fingerless gloves and forearm guars he heard Teral and his clan spreading roomers of Razel being a human lover and soft of heart. Razel slowly drew his sword, Anorak.
The sword, Anorak was passed down to him from the previous leader of the Sapphire clan. Anorak had no hand guard and had only a small handle that could only be held with one hand. Its blade was made of a black metal that shined blue in the sunlight and the handle was the same piece of metal wrapped in cloth and leather.
Razel looked back and nodded to his men. They nodded back and drew their swords. Razel and his clan all got down on one knee, put the point of their swords into the ground, rested their hands on the sky pointing handle and then rested their heads on their hands. Then Razel began to chant in the original language of the vampires.
None of the other vampires did this anymore because according to Razel they had become arrogant and had lost their way from the Blood Line. The Blood Line was an ancient belief that all Vampires where all connected and if something happed to one of the Vampires it would affect all other vampires. The chant that Razel chanted was one that was supposed to give him and his men power.
After Razel stopped chanting he stood up and heard sniggers of laughter coming from the other clans. Razel then felt a large twinge in his heart and he fell to his knees. His men tried help him and then Razel put out his hand and shook his head. His second in command, Marxian then whispered.
“Sir, are you ok?”
Razel nodded holding his chest and then said.
“Get the men in line. I’m fine, I’m fine.”
Razel knew that he wasn’t fine as he suddenly spat up blood onto the grass ground. Marxian began to get the men into their lines as Razel heard Teral call out.
“You ok, I think age has finally got to you.”
Razel wanted to run up to Teral and cut off his head. But Razel had a lot of self control and his men had learnt to ignore the other clans and their small minds. Razel slowly stood up and Marxian held his arm and said.
“The men are worried and so am I. this is the second time this month you have fallen to the ground in pain for no reason.”
Razel slowly brushed off Marxian’s hand and said.
“I am fine after this battle we will have a party and a long rest.”
Marxian nodded and got back behind Razel.
Marxian and Razel had known each other after Marxian was exiled from the Ruby clan because of disobeying their leader, Unisia. She had ordered Marxian to take a group of men into a human village and bring her all the children and women. She wanted to bath in the children’s blood and drink from the women. Marxian didn’t want anything to do with this, he didn’t believe in her barbarian ways and so he became exiled. Razel then found the starving Marxian as he was hunting with a few of his troops. Razel and his men did not believe in drinking from the humans so they drank from the animals. Razel returned Marxian to his castle and slowly Marxian graduated to Razel’s second in command.
Razel felt a drop of rain on his body and he then saw the other clans take up their arms and roar at the humans. Razel looked up at the shining sun to see a storm cloud come down the valley. His heart had stopped hearting and he waited as the sound of thunder signalled the clans to charge. The two species ran down the valley with no formation to the bottom where they would meet in bloody unholy combat to the death. Razel and his men waited, Razel never liked to charge into battle. He always liked to take it slowly until he felt it was time. He turned to his men and pointed his sword down the valley as he shouted out.
“March on.”
His men nodded as they then all slowly marched in unison. Their metal clanged as their boots trudged in the mud. The sound was far greater than the sound of the battle cry’s and the screams. From below some of the humans looked up at the final clan coming towards them. Razel gave the order for his men to go in a formation he called the raven. They would make a formation that from the sky looked like a raven with its wings spared out. The wings would then go around the battle field holding formation making sure nobody escaped as the raven’s body went deep into the battle.
Everything went to plan, the wings where in place and the final push into the battle was just about to start. Razel waited and then he saw Teral’s body being lifted up in the air on a pike. Razel may not have liked him but by order of the Bloodline he had to do something about it. Razel abruptly charged threw the body towards Teral he cut, sliced and diced every human he came across until he reached Teral. He was on the ground torn in half but still alive, he looked up at Razel and laughed slightly as his hands pulled up a dagger and slit his own throat. Razel didn’t know what to make of it and just turned around. He felt his heart twinge again this time it was worse than before and it became apparent that he was slowly dieing but he didn’t know from what. The battle carried on around him as if he wasn’t their anymore. The screams of his people and the screams of the humans where intertwined as occasionally one of them sent a shiver threw his body. Razel took a few deep breaths and stood up he then looked around and began to help every Vampire that was in a tight spot. He was trying to make a good thing come in the Bloodline; he was trying to save his own life by helping save others.
As Razel was just about to help Nikor who was surrounded, an arrow hit him in the heart. Razel’s painful and echoed scream stopped the battle. Everybody looked at Razel as his body suddenly burst into flames of red, green and blue. Razel had never felt anything like this before then as he looked to where the arrow had come from he saw Unisia smiling from under her hooded red cloak and reloading her crossbow. She then aimed it at Nikor, Razel screamed Nikor’s name trying to get his attention as he pointed towards Unisia but Nikor thought that it was just a scream of pain. Unisia let the arrow go and it struck Nikor in the back of the skull shattering it into pieces as his body also caught on fire but he was already dead as it hit the floor. Then Razel felt his body fall to the ground and then there was darkness for Razel and the rest of the vampire clans.
Unisia and her clan killed all of the humans and then she killed all of the male vampires including the ones in her own clan. Then she went about to the other clanswomen and gave them a choice, join her or die. Most of them joined her, the rest felt the hell fire that where her arrows. Unisia believed that because of the female vampire ability to pass themselves of as humans they could takeover the human city’s from the inside.
Razel was neither dead nor living as he floated inside of a great hall. He could hear whispers and voices from the shadows and walls. They where talking in the Vampires ancient language which Razel could just about understand. He decided to call out to the voices in their own language.
“Hello, who is there?”
The walls and shadows talked back to Razel. It was like thousand voices at once as they said.
“We are the ones you called. The ones that you wanted to give you strength.”
Razel looked around, there where no figures no faces just an emptiness that seemed to breath and whisper. Razel carried on looking around as he asked.
“Where am I?”
“You are here. Where else would you be,” the voices replied
Razel ran his hands threw his hair as he became frustrated. He then decided to go along with their games. He stood up straight and asked.
“Where is here and what do you want from me?”
“Here is where you are and it is you that wanted us.”
Razel had no idea what they meant and slowly walked around as he tried to get everything straightened out with the voices.
“So I am here and I wanted something from you?”
“Yes,” replied the voices as they stopped whispering.
“You wanted us to give you strength and the only way to make you truly stronger is if you die, so we have been waiting for you to die. Which took you long enough you human lover. We have been waiting ages just to join a battle that is not our way and if you know anything about us you should know that.”
Razel looked around and then asked.
“What is this all about?”
“We want you to help us.”
Razel nodded and smiled.
“So finally we are getting somewhere. Why do you want me?”
“The one called Unisia has become too strong.”
Razel knew of Unisia but he didn’t know anything of her strength. Compared to him she was on a par in the whole strength department but her surprise attack on him and Nikor was something of a mystery. Razel looked at the shadow and walls and said.
“What has this got to do with me?”
“She also knows and bellies in us that is how she could make your bodies burst into flame within arrow dipped in a certain type of water. She has also taken over all of the Vampire lands and is trying to covertly make her way into the human ones.”
Razel couldn’t believe his ears as he then gazed around and said.
“Again what does this have to do with me?”
“We want you to go and destroy her and bring equality to the balance.”
Razel knew of the balance, it was an ancient way. A way that spoke that for every human there is a vampire. The balance must not swing too far to one side or the balance will become unstable and collapse. If it dose collapse it will mean extinction for one species and one species only. If the humans kill too many of the vampires, it’s the end of the road for the vampires they wouldn’t be able to fight back. Then if the vampires kill most of the humans the vampires couldn’t live because they would feed on whatever is left and finally run out and die. It was a no win situation that needed a precise balance.
Razel looked at himself and saw right threw himself. Then he looked around and said.
“How can I help, I’m not even alive am I?”
“Your soul is with us but your body is back on what was once a battlefield. We will send you back, you will be stronger but you won’t look anything like what you once where. We are sorry for that but all we want you to do is stop Unisia and bring back the balance.”
Razel nodded he knew what he had to do and he knew how to do it. A group of 6 figures made out the shadows appeared around Razel and each one of them spoke to him in turn.
“We are giving you these rules to you and your new body.”
“You will no longer be able to walk in the light. It will burn like Unisia‘s arrows and the burning can only be put out with holy water.”
“You will no longer be able to drink human or animal blood. It will make you very sick for day’s maybe even months.”
“You will not be able to be killed by anything other than decapitation. You no longer have a heart to destroy.”
“You must drink female vampire blood to regain your strength. They have become your new pray by our choice.”
“Finally you must not let anybody know of us. We only exist in your eyes if you ever see us.”
Then the circle of shadowed figures put their right hand on the left shoulder of the person next to them and then they put there left hand into Razel and began to chant something but to Razel it sounded like the ancient vampire langue but reversed. A bright light came from under the hoods of the shadowy figures and filled the room.
Razel felt his body again and then as he opened his eyes all he saw was darkness. He tried to move but he just couldn’t. He then moved his fingers and felt dirt in-between them. Razel clawed his way hoping he was going the right way and in a few minuets his hands broke the surface and he pulled himself up on to the muddy top. The moon shone down on him and rain fell down from the stormy sky. As he looked around he was overwhelmed by the memory of his clan. Razel roared to the sky, it sounded like a combination between a wolf howl and a bear roar. He fell to his knees and began to cry, he knew that they where all under him and he knew that they where all dead. Razel then felt a rage come threw his body as he threw himself to hiss feet and began to get his bearings. His castle was to the north and the valley ran from east to west. Razel tried to climb up the valley but it seemed that there had been a landslide and the valley had become steep. So he decided to walk along the valley.
Razel had walked along the valley for an hour when he came across a less steep rocky part, which from his calculations was parallel to his castle. Razel swiftly climbed up the rocks on all fours, he found it easier and quicker than on two feet but slightly uncomfortable. Razel leapt from rock to rock as he also scrambled up the valley side. His nails had become like claws and his muscles had grown in size and quality. The ancients had done as they said they would do and now it was him to try and live up to his part of the deal. Razel leapt from the final rock onto the top of the valley and looked around. His castle was up a hill which luckily had a path to the top.
Razel got his bearings as he then got on two legs and began to walk towards where the road up the hill should be. Razel trudged along the muddy land, his now grey leathery skin shined with the rain that had only just passed. His large thick leather boots began to become heavy as they became covered with mud. Razel’s silk blue shoulder cloak flapped away from his body as it’s torn bottom caught on a branch and ripped some more. He had no clan anymore and he didn’t care about it, he just wanted to get home. His body was almost naked, his trousers had mostly rotted away and there was nothing left of his jacket but a vest and its blue Sapphire crest shoulder cloak.
Razel walked up the hill as he slowly became weak with exhaustion. He had now been walking for two hours and there was only another three ours of night left. Razel rushed up the hill and as he slowly closed in on his castle he could see people patrolling the walls and a few people guarding the portcullis. He made his way of the path and to the side of the castle. Razel knew of a secret escape tunnel that he could use to get in and straight to his bedroom.
Razel got to the drain pipe where the secret entrance was placed and pulled off the steel cover. He then crawled in the sewer pipe and made his way down it until there was a larger pipe above him with a ladder attached to one side. Razel grabbed onto the ladder and pulled himself up the ladder. He then made his way up the ladder until it came to a stop. Razel slid off the top and poked his head out of the top to see his bedroom had changed slightly. It looked as if it hadn’t been touched in a long time. Razel pulled himself out of the pipe and put the top back on it. He then walked around his room trying to find some of his things. Razel grabbed some new cloths and changed into them.
Razel had put on a black shirt and a black hooded cloak. He had also put on a pair of black trousers and a pair of new black boots. He chose mostly black because he was going to have to be covert and stealthy.
As Razel changed into his new cloths he looked around and tried to find out who had taken over his castle. He could see that they looked like vampires but they moved differently to normal vampires. Razel looked to see where he usually kept his sword and then he remembered he had it with him when he had died and it was properly under the ground where he had come up.
Razel opened up his bedroom door and peeked around, the stone corridors where lit by candles and lanterns. He then slowly made his way out of his bedroom and put up his hood up. Razel then saw the shadow of somebody coming round the corner towards him. He swiftly put his back against the wall and sneaked towards the shadow of the person coming towards him. Razel stayed still as he heard the person coming closer. The person was just about to turn the corner when Razel grabbed her. Razel sniffed the female vampire and said.
“You’re not a pure blood, what are you?”
“We are the children of the damned.”
Razel knew what this meant. She was of human birth but made a vampire by a pureblood vampire. This was banned by the clans because of its unnaturalness. They thought it to be wrong for a human to loose their natural life and to live one that there fragile body couldn’t withstand without pain and sorrow for all of there lives.
Razel didn’t know what to do with this hybrid and as he was about to kill her the shadows around him whispered.
“Drink, feed, have your fill so you can become stronger.”
Razel bit the female vampire on the neck and the grooves at the back of his teeth let the blood rush straight into his mouth. Razel drank until the hybrid was drained of life, her skin colour faded and her body became like a raisin. Then Razel dropped the hybrids body, it fell and hit the ground like a bag of bones. Razel felt something inside of him changing the colours in the light became vibrant and the darkness and shadows became almost as light as the light itself.
Razel felt slightly stronger in body but not at all in mind. He looked around and then down at the hybrid body and saw a crossbow that was around 8 inches long, Razel picked it of the hybrids body and hid it under his cloak he then saw a dagger on the hybrids hip. Razel took this too and put it in his boot; he needed to be ready for anything.
Razel walked around the castle hiding inside the shadows where only he could see and striking with no mercy or sound. He needed to find something to tell him what had been happening since he had been gone. Razel found his way to the throne room where he saw a pureblood vampire woman sitting on his throne. He made his way around the veranda staring down as the female gave her orders for the changing of the guard and the chopping down of the forest so they could expand the castle.
Razel vaulted over the edge of the veranda and found he was slowly floating down to the throne room floor. He looked around as he manpowered himself behind a statue of himself. From the shadow he looked out and saw the guards bring in a couple of human children screaming. They where then left in the centre of the room and the guards left the room. Razel waited to see what was going to be of the human children when a voice whispered past his ear.
“Save the children, save the balance.”
“I know,” replied Razel as he made his way to the shadow of a pillar.
The female vampire glided from the throne across the floor to the children. Razel leapt from the shadow and in a single bound he had jumped just under twenty foot. He softly landed behind the female vampire and grabbed her around the waist with his left arm and with his right hand he stroked her throat with his first and second finger nails. Razel then put his head next to hers and asked.
“Tell me who you are?”
The female tried to struggle and Razel held her tighter and dug his finger nails deeper in to her throat. She stopped struggling when she felt the slight trickle of blood down her neck.
“I am Valencia and once Queen Unisia finds out what you have done…”
Razel didn’t have time to deal with her so he quickly tore open her throat and then pulled her head of her body. Her body fell to the ground spurting blood all over the floor and her head kept on mouthing the words to something. Razel held her head by the hair with one hand as his other hand reached for his crossbow. He held Valencia’s head with its back towards his throne and put the crossbow to her fore head. Razel shot the crossbow threw Valencia’s head and at the same time he let go of her hair. Valencia’s head went across the throne room and with the crossbows bolt threw it, it stuck to the throne. Razel turned to the children and saw that they where cowering facing away from him. He pulled his hood further over his head and then said.
“Its ok children, I’m not something to be scared of. Please just trust me; I just want to help you.”
The eldest looking of the children looked at Razel and saw a hooded man looking at them. Razel slowly knelt down on one knee holding out his arms and pleaded with the terrified children.
“Please just come with me and I can get you out of here.”
The children all looked At Razel and began to slowly walk towards him. He truly wanted to help them but he really didn’t know how.
Razel led the children threw the castle killing all the vampires he came across. He made his way up to his room and made sure the children where always safe. When he finally reached his bedroom he told them about the secret tunnel and the way out. He then remembered a small human village on the other side of the valley, so he told the eldest of the children how to get to it and left the children to go on there own way.
Razel slowly walked away from his bedroom door as the children locked it from the other side. He made his way down a set of steps towards what he remembered to be the only way in or out of the castle. Threw the shadows and the candle light Razel walked, he knew that the children where now safe so he could go around the castle finishing of any vampires that where left. He walked and stalked the vampires killing them the only way that they could be killed, destruction of the brain. Razel either shot them with the crossbow or stabbed them with the dagger. The blood of the dead vampires covered the walls and floors of the castle and then Razel came across the dungeon.
Razel slowly opened the door and peeked inside. As he did he heard the moans and murmurs of humans. Razel slowly walked around the dungeon, it may have been pitch black for the poor humans chained to the floor and walls but to Razel it was almost as bright as day.
Razel saw the humans and all he felt was pity and sorrow. He went around the humans and without them knowing broke the chains with his knife. Razel put the knife in any link of the chain and twisted it a quarter turn and the link broke. He did this to all of the humans and then he took them one by one and led them out of the dungeon. Then Razel led all of them to the bedroom and to the secret passage. He felt good about himself as the last human thanked him and went down into the drain. Razel then walked out of the bedroom with a feeling of strength like he was on a power trip. Then the voices came from the shadows.
“That feeling will come stronger the more the balance is restored. The balance is not near enough restored, but when it is we will make you very powerful.”
Razel nodded and then walked along to look out of one of the windows. Over the hill he saw the horizon getting brighter until it almost blinded him. He knew the sun was rising and he knew that it wasn’t good for him. Razel ran around the castle and found himself in the dungeon. He sat down in the corner of the darkness and the voices began to speak again.
“Sleep our dark saviour and wake in your nocturnal dwelling.”
Razel felt tired and began to fall asleep and dream.
Razel began to dream of the old vampire clan council. He was sitting on his chair around the hexagonal table. With him sat the rest of the vampire council all in there own type of chair sitting in front of their own side of the table. Nikor sat in front of his side, Teral sat in front of his side and Unisia sat in front of her side. With them sat the other clan leaders Salami of the Pearl clan and Malthusian of the Jade clan. Nikor was discussing the build up of human troops on the vampire clan boarders; he was collecting information on how many troops had been seen. Razel watched over the clans, he was not just a clan leader but a middle man between the different clans. They all had their differences and they all hated each other to a certain point but they dare not show their true feelings for the fear of being ganged up on.
Razel slept like he had never done before and in the distance on the forgotten battlefield under the ground something began to stir. From shadows of the trees above the valley six dark hooded figures walked out. They where made out of shadows as they flew down to the valley ground and stood in a circle around the hole where Razel climbed out. They each put there hand out and chanted something in the old vampire language. From out of the ground rose Razel’s sword, Anorak. The figures took a hold of Anorak and then Anorak and the figures disappeared.
As the sun set behind the valley. In the darkness of hi dungeon Razel slowly awoke to the voices from the shadows.
“We have brought you a gift.”
“A gift fit for a clan leader.”
“It’s a gift that you might remember.”
Razel sat up and looked to see Anorak lying on the ground in front of him. Razel stood up and then picked up his sword. He waved it around and flakes of dirt fell from it. Razel then looked around and said.
“Thank you, but I don’t know where to go from here.”
“Follow your heart,” replied the voices.
Razel didn’t know anything about following his heart. So he put Anorak on the floor and spun her around. Anorak span fast until abruptly it stopped and pointed to the north. Razel nodded and looked into the shadows and said.
“I guess I’m going to the Jade clan lands.”
Razel grabbed Anorak’s hilt and walked out of the dungeon and out of what used to be his castle. He lent Anorak on his shoulder as he walked up and over the mountain trying to try and remember where the location of the Jade clan castle was.
Razel slowly trudged across the land and looked at the fading colour of his body and his veins standing out from his skin. He then found himself wandering into a human village. The people stared at him with whispers and pointed fingers. It began to rain as Razel just walked threw the mud streets and then saw a group of being strung up to a set of poles in the centre of town. Razel wondered about the people being stung up to the poles as the people ran inside their homes. He stood leaning against one of the walls as a strange pulsing whooshing sound came from close by. Razel looked around in the darkness and realised that the strange sound was the sound of flapping wings. He quickly stabbed his sword into the ground and then sat down beside it. Then from the darkness a group of female winged vampires came from the distance. Razel put his right hand on Anorak’s hilt and then he threw the cloak of his body and quickly stood up. He had never seen anything like these new beasts and he had to be ready for anything. Razel undid his belt and it and his crossbow fell to the ground. He then took Anorak and rested her back on his shoulder. Razel then softly walked towards the group of humans as the winged vampires landed on the other side of them. In three quick swift strides Razel made his way threw and past the collection of humans and up to the four winged vampires. The winged vampires looked at him and laughed then one of them cockily asked.
“What are you, some kind of vampire missing link?”
Razel looked down at his skinny body, his oddly coloured skin and his claw like fingernails and then said.
“No, I’m just different.”
With one hand Razel swung Anorak from his shoulder and cut off one of the winged vampires heads. As her head fell to the ground she and the other three winged vampires screamed. As the heads body fell to the ground Razel powerfully stomped on the fallen head. He then looked at the other vampires and roared like a lion. As he roared he flipped Anorak back on to on his shoulder. The three winged vampires screamed at him and then took flight and circled the air above the tied up humans and him. Razel watched their circling and rested Anorak with its blade point against the ground. Then he quickly flung Anorak up into the air and followed her. He used the poles that the humans where tied too to launch himself high up into the air. Anorak struck one of the vampires in the stomach and Razel used the force of his jump to pull it right threw the vampires body. Then as the vampire dropped to the ground splitting fully in two on the way down Razel was grabbed by one of the other vampires. Razel dropped Anorak as he struggled trying to get out of the winged vampires grip. Anorak fell and hit the vampire that was in two in the head. Razel knew that he could only do one thing; he bit the winged vampire and began to drink its blood. The vampire began to fall and Razel flung his head back from its drained body. Razel then dropped onto the ground and rolled to soften the landing. He then stood up and saw the final vampire going for one of the tied up humans. Razel quickly looked around. Anorak was in the centre of the tied up humans and then Razel saw his crossbow to his right. Razel ran and grabbed his crossbow pulling it from its belt. Razel quickly put the crossbow bolt in his mouth as he pulled back the crossbow wire to arm it. Then he put the bolt on the slide and aimed it at the vampire as it went for its second victim in the middle of the group of tied up humans. Razel took in a deep breath and then pulled the trigger. The bolt seemed to find its way past and around three tied up humans and right into the back of the head of the final winged vampire. Razel then dropped his crossbow and fell to his knees as he felt something wrong and strange happening to his body. His back felt like a lightning storm was on his back and the rest of his body felt like it was on fire. Razel called to the shadows.
“Help me, what’s happening to me?”
The shadows answered back in the mystical way that Razel had got used to.
“There is only the blood and the body. But in us it is the body and the blood. W are the same and yet different. But then different can yet be the same.”
Razel looked around and said.
“Thanks but how does that help, Ah.”
The electric shocks went from his back to all over his body. The pain became unbearable as he fell to the mud and became unconscious.
From the houses around him humans walked out to see what had happened. As they freed their family and friends from the poles they saw blood over the ground and vampire bodies all over the place then they saw Razel’s body. As the people of the village walked to it one of them had seen what Razel had done and she walked faster than the rest to see him. She knelt down by his body as it twitched and then she looked to the others as they reached for their swords. Everybody wanted to kill him because of what he was, everybody except the woman who knelt don next to Razel.
She was Annabel Larson, she lived alone and worked alone as a blacksmith. She had seen what Razel had done and she alone stood against the rest of the village as they wanted to slaughter him.
Annabel looked at the villagers with their swords, pitchforks and scythes raised in anger. She stood up and put out her hands.
“We can’t kill him.”
The leader of the angry mob put his sword against Annabel’s neck and said.
“Do you wish to die with him because if not stand aside from this Vampyre.”
Annabel stood her ground and said.
“I saw him fight the vampyre’s and I saw him fall to the ground.”
One of the tied up men shouted out.
“Yep that he did, he saved most of our lives.”
The leader of the mob turned around and pointed his sword as the tied up man and screamed out.
“You where put there to die for your crimes. Why should I believe you?”
The leader then looked back at Annabel and then he looked down at Razel’s slowly twitching body and nodded.
“We’ll keep him till he’s better than we’ll kill him. He doesn’t look like he’ll last the rest of the night.”
Annabel nodded and looked down as the mob walked away lowering their weapons. Annabel was then left alone with Razel on the ground. She bent down and then pulled Razel onto her shoulder. Razel was as light as a blanket and he moaned slightly as he was carried along.
Razel dreamt of the past and a time when he was what he used to be. He was a ruler of one of the largest clans and a friend to a human village. It was a human village that he made regular trades with and that his clan had always made trades with. That is how he got the nickname human lover but actually he was far from it. He would give the humans gold, silver and safe passage threw his land for the fair of 12 humans a week. He would then keep the humans on the brink of death so they where still drinkable and lasted longer than usual. Razel also dreamt of a time before the nickname a time when he was the most respected and feared of all the vampires. A time when he was second in command to Nikor and his clan, a time that was so long ago that it had no history.
Annabel put Razel’s body on her bed and walked back outside and collected his sword. She looked at its black metal and she knew what it was, she could tell what the blade was made out of and yet she wasn’t totally sure. She waved it around and felt how light it was then as she walked back into her house she heard Razel moan.
“Shadows…help…me…please.”
Then from the shadows of her bedroom Annabel stood in shock as the six hooded figures walked from the shadows and stood in a half circle around Razel. Razel opened his eyes and put his hand out to the shadows and smiled. Then one of the shadows looked at Annabel and waved goodbye to her. Annabel fell to the ground asleep and the figure looked back at Razel who had also fallen asleep. They began to chant in the old vampire language and Razel rose up of the bed and they all became like smoke and surrounded him in a thick blanket. Then slowly Razel began to chant in the old vampire language as the shadows went from being a smoke around him to their places around the bed. Razel then fell to the bed and awoke. He slowly sat up and felt something on his back; he looked back over his shoulder and saw a bird like wing. The shadows bowed and together they said.
“These are wings of an angel for our very own devil.”
Razel looked at the shadows as they stopped bowing and slowly they gained faces under their hoods. They where all smiling at him and somehow Razel knew who they all where. All six where his ancestors male and female, he was their only hope to keep the bloodline going. He looked at them and nodded.
“I understand now, I understand everything now. Well almost everything, what’s with Unisia?”
The shadows began to fade away as they said.
“That is for later, but for now do what you can to help the balance and the bloodline.”
The shadows disappeared and then Razel stood up and looked to see Annabel on the floor. He walked up to her and without knowing opened his wings as he picked her off the floor. He then closed his wings and carried her to the bed and lay her down on it. Then he turned away from the bed and saw Anorak lying on the ground waiting for him. As he went to pick her up he saw other swords and all other metal weapons and tools hung over the walls. Razel grabbed a scabbard from the wall and put it around his shoulder so it lay on his back. He then picked up Anorak reset her along his forearm and then rolled and flipped her around his hand and into his newly acquired scabbard. Then into his mind came a memory of being carried into the house by Annabel. Razel looked at Annabel and knew that she was only asleep but it would be wrong of him to leave without saying thank you and goodbye.
So Razel sat and waited in the shadows for the end of the night and then until the next night began. He sat in front of her bed and waited as she slept. Then when the sun set she slowly awoke and looked at Razel. She stared at him and then she said.
“What are you?”
Razel looked at his wings, and then he looked at Annabel and said.
“I’m not quite sure.”
Annabel pointed at Razel’s wings and asked.
“Have you always had those?”
Razel shook his head and then Annabel saw his scabbard and said.
“I have one better than that.”
Razel nodded as Annabel stood up and walked to her workbench. She looked threw her equipment and then pulled out a scabbard with rucksack like belts from it. She gave it to Razel and said.
“These should help, it shouldn’t move around on your back so much.”
Razel took it and put it on and moved around. It didn’t move a bit and he took Anorak from his old scabbard and then into the new one. As he tried on his new scabbard Annabel was collecting some things from her equipment. She collected a rapier and scabbard, a long bow and a flintlock pistol. Razel watcher her and was about to ask her what she was doing but then he realised that he hadn’t got his crossbow or cloak. He looked at the ground and saw that they weren’t there. Razel walked up to Annabel and turned her around.
“Where is the rest of my stuff?”
Annabel was shocked and pointed outside. Razel moved to the window and looked outside to see a group of men with pitchforks and swords waiting outside. Behind them on the ground was his cloak and crossbow. Razel walked outside and was confronted by the group of men.
Razel wanted to get past them but he also didn’t want to hurt any of them for fear of upsetting the balance. So he tried the old scare tactic.
Razel spread his wings out dropped his head down but kept his eyes on them and then he lunged forward and roared like a lion. The men took one step back in fear and then their leader shouted out.
“Go on kill him.”
Razel took out Anorak and pointed it at their leader. The leader stood forward from the crowd as Annabel walked out of her house and stood behind Razel. Razel pointed his sword to his side as he bowed before the leader of the human village. The man took swing at the man but with his vampire quickness and agility Razel jumped over the leader with a twist and once he landed Razel swung anorak at the human leader’s neck stopping at the last moment. To the humans this was all a blur that lasted a second until Razel stopped moving but for a strange reason Annabel had seen it all as if time had slowed down equalizing to Razel’s speed. She ran at the human leader moving him out of the way and put her own neck next to Razel’s sword. Razel pulled his sword away from his neck as the human leader screamed.
“Now kill the beast.”
Razel’s back and side’s where stabbed with swords and pitchforks. As he dropped to the ground roaring in pain, Annabel screamed at the other humans trying to stop them but they wanted to see their streets run red with Razel’s blood. Annabel had no other choice but to resort to violence and she pulled out her flintlock pistol and her sword. She waved both of them around and the gang backed away. Razel lay on the ground and Annabel found herself kneeling beside him. Razel then pulled himself up from the ground, spread his wings and flew away. He wanted to say thank you to Annabel but he couldn’t. He was beginning to feel something for her something that he once felt for another human.
Razel flew threw the night until he saw the sun creep over the horizon then he found shelter in a barn of a lone farm. He crept into the barn and slept in the hay in the top most part of the barn. He was in a dark corner behind a group of bails that blocked any light that was to come threw the doors. He rested and began to fall asleep and dream like he had been doing since he had become what he was.
He dreamt of his past love, a human by the name of Shoran. She was one of his maids and he had fallen for her like falling down a well. It started as gossip at first but then the gossip became reality and then threw thick and thin they always had each other but then like all un-vampire things in the lank Shoran died. She had died from old age at 74 and Razel became shrouded in darkness and iciness. He became a shell of his former self and that’s when he started too traded with the human village. Razel had become silent of voice but loud in actions. He had it in for the humans but didn’t want to destroy them he wanted them to feel his pain. There where so many reasons for Razel’s actions that the other clans took no notice of him until they wanted him for a battle or a meeting that is where he mattered most to them. On the battlefield he was a god but as a leader of a clan he was a just sitting in until a new and true clan leader would appear. Many times Razel was almost overthrown by other purebloods but they could never kill him to take his throne.
Razel slowly awoke with the feeling of water on his forehead. He opened his eyes to see that the barn roof had a leak and the sound of rain was coming from outside. Razel got to his feat and jumped down to the barn floor. The cows snorted at him and mooed slightly as he left the barn. He spread his wings and flew straight up to the sky. Razel knew that he had to go to Unisia‘s castle but he didn’t know where he was. The world was covered in darkness as the rain clods became thicker and bolts of lightning came down. Then with one bolt Razel saw a castle on a barren wasteland. Its towers where twisted and its walls where obscure. Razel flew towards the castle his mind trying to figure out where he was and what this castle was.
Razel dropkicked his way threw the window of the highest tower and landed on one knee in what seemed to be the master bedroom. He flapped his wings o get any loose glass of them, then he stood up and cracked his neck. His wings folded behind him as he walked out of the master bedroom and into a corridor. The candle lit dark tunnel like corridor seemed to spiral horizontally as it also went down the tower. Razel kept his wits as he saw its twist breathe as he watched them. He slowly pulled out Anorak and held her out. Anorak became twisted like the corridor then she began to drip the black steel it was made of. Razel knew what this was this was old vampire magic banned by the cans. He knew now that this was the source of the evil. Razel slowly walked along the corridor looking forward and back. He felt no different but as he looked back he could see that he was now standing on the ceiling. Razel kept his eyes forward and decided to run the rest of the way. He held his wings tightly behind him and then ran with the speed and swiftness of a bullet. But as he run he felt sick because all this time he was going down and around at the same time. He stopped and fell to the ground as he threw up blood all over the floor. Razel wiped the dribble of blood from his mouth and carried on as he heard what seemed to be marching and shouting.
Finally Razel came out of the tower in a large courtyard as he was astonished as he saw 10ft steel monsters walking around and screaming at one and another in the old vampire language. Razel knew these where evil from there smell so he got ready to attack when a chariot pulled by 6 naked human men was pulled around the corner on the other side of the courtyard. Razel then saw a woman dressed in a red corset and a black robe with gold shoulder pads and a black dress. She rode in the chariot her hair white from either wisdom or old age and her beauty still deadly.
“Unisia,” said Razel as he moved into the shadows.
Razel then moved like the wind using his wings for a burst of speed as he lunged across the courtyard. He raised his right hand ready to claw her when suddenly she grabbed his throat. Razel tried to struggle but he couldn’t move then he saw a strange black silver substance painted on the nails of her other hand. Unisia looked at Razel and said.
“It’s not like you to jump into battle, Razel.”
She let go and Razel’s body fell to the ground, he couldn’t move he could just about move his eyes or make a surprised and scared expression on his face. Unisia looked down at Razel and said.
“I am not trying to destroy the balance, more like realign it in my favour.”
Razel was confused; he wanted to know how she was going to realign the balance. He wanted so badly to kill her but still he couldn’t move then Unisia stepped down from her chariot and looked at Razel’s body.
“Take him to the Abyss.”
One of the large steel monsters picked Razel up by his leg and carried him out of the courtyard. Razel swung from side to side as the steel monster waddled along and he saw Unisia blow him a kiss and wave goodbye. Razel wanted to scream at her but all he could manage to do was move his arm and give her the middle finger. Then his arm became too heavy and he had to stop.
Razel was carried away from the castle and towards a high mound. He knew of the Abyss from old texts he had read and he thought it to be lost before his time. It was once used for a sacrifice to the gods or just an execution of a rebellious vampire.
Then Razel saw it. It was like a whirlpool of green and blue smoke in the middle of a large well. It looked like it only had been uncovered and as Razel tried to fight but he realised he was too week. The large steel monster threw Razel into the Abyss.
Razel’s body burned and became twisted and torn as the Abyss ripped him piece from piece. Razel felt every part of pain and agony as he then became shrouded in darkness.
As Razel fell in the darkness his ancestor voices called to him and yelled at him.
“You are a failure.”
“You’re a failure we should never have trusted you.”
“You couldn’t even kill a woman.”
Razel opened his eyes to see the same room he had once been in last time he had died. The shadowy figures already around him pointing and screaming abuse at him. Razel turned to walk away but saw that he was surrounded. He then slowly turned back around and yelled out.
“I am not a failure. You are the failures for not helping me. I had her within my grasp and you did nothing.”
The shadows began to walk around him screaming in there different voices.
“We cannot help you, you must help yourself.”
Razel went up to each one face to face and yelled out in their face.
“Well in that case, I can’t save you because according to you, I can’t even save myself.”
The shadows surrounded him and pushed him around then they all became a part of him and formed his new body and clothing. Razel looked at the shadows as they became his body and clothing. Then he felt himself rising up out of the room.
Razel front flipped out of the Abyss and landed on one knee. He gazed at his gold breastplate, black shirt and red shoulder cloak. He then looked at his black trousers and gold shin guards. He lifted up his arms and saw gold forearm guards and black fingerless gloves. He then noticed that his body was back to the way it was on the before Unisia’s rebellion. Razel looked smugly at the twisted castle in front of him and roared his loudest then inside his mind came a voice.
“Calm down we haven’t won yet.”
Razel looked around making sure it wasn’t another vampire then inside his mind another voice called to him.
We must win this battle if we are to win the war.”
Razel nodded as he then walked on. He then realised he no longer had Anorak and as he thought of this a voice said.
“It is ok one of us is on it.”
Back where Razel one of the shadows was walking towards it and as he touched it he became part of it and it levitated off the ground and then flew out of the master bedroom window that Razel had crashed threw.
Razel walked towards the castle when in the distance he could see his sword flying around like a lost dog looking for its master. Razel whistled to it and it looked around, then on seeing him few towards him. Razel grabbed it out of the air and began to walk on towards the castle. He then saw one of the large steel monsters waddling back towards the castle. Razel flipped Anorak in his hand then threw her at the monster like a spear. She wiggled to the left then to the right just before plunging into the back of the monsters head. She then slipped herself back out and flew to Razel’s hand. Razel kept low as he ran to the monster to finally see what it was. Razel took of its helmet and all he found was dust and ashes. This made Razel slightly freaked out so he put the helmet on the ground and began to walk on. Then at the castles side wall he saw a set of doors leading down. Razel ran up to the doors and opened them slowly. He then opened them fully and saw nothing but he could hear humans and vampires. Razel slowly walked down a set of brick steps and saw that there was a group of humans and vampires tied to the wall. They where all men and Razel slowly walked around he heard a voice say.
“Help me; I don’t want to do it anymore.”
Razel wondered what the man was on about voice and said.
“You don’t want to do what anymore?”
“I don’t want to fuck anymore?”
Razel knew what was going on. The females whether human or vampire where having sex with the males and then whether having a boy or girl it would become a sex slave or a warrior. Razel slowly went around breaking the chains and showing the men the way outside. He knew this wasn’t over yet but he had to save the balance.
After freeing all the men he then went outside and told the human’s to go to Annabel’s village and collect more men he then told the vampires to follow him as he went into the woods to wait for the returning humans.
While with the vampires in the woods he got to know them giving them ranks and helping them make weapons of wood and rocks. Most of them now carried maces with wooden armour. Razel’s new second in command was Salix who was once the butler to Teral they both hated him but where not that glad that he was dead.
A couple of days passed until the humans came back and with them they brought weapons armour and Annabel. Razel stood watch as Annabel ran to him and hugged him, he didn’t know what to do so he just stood still. He then noticed that the changing of the guard was late and said.
“There late.”
Annabel looked at him and said.
“I came as fast as I could.”
Razel shook his head and pointed to the castle.
“No the changing of the guard is late something’s wrong."
Razel looke behind him to see the men where ready for a battle. He put his hand on his sword drew her and pointed her to the castle. The men roared and began to march. Razel grabbed Annabel and kissed her as he then marched with the men towards the castle. Annabel slowly watched as the men marching slowly sped up into a run.
Her feelings where unsure but one thing was cirtain she wasnt going to let Razel fight alone. She ran up beside him and smiled up at him. Razel looked down on her his mind full of what if's. But he smiled at her and tapped her on the shoulder. He then pointed his sword at the castle and screamed for the others to charge.
The men ran pat him charging threw the main arch and into the heart of the castl. Razel took Annabel to one side and looked into her eyes.
"I want you to be safe. Stay here and keep an eye out for anybody escaping."
Annabel knew that he had her best intrests in mind so she nodded and slowly sulked. Razel hugged her running his fingers threw her hair and then he held her away from his body and stared at her. Annabel stared right back and then shee stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. Razel kissed her back then the screams of men and vampires came from inside the castle and Razel pulled away. He stood anabel back on the ground and then said.
"Please stay here, ill be fine when i'm not worieing about you."
Annabel nodded and then Razel walked off towards the castle entrance. As he walked threw the arch Annabel folowed him walking around ten paces behind him.
Razel walked into a battlefield. Vampire Hybrids jumped around and the humans swung viciously at them trying to get a good hit. Razel walked slowly and calmly taking vampire after vampire down. He never blocked, he just dodged and struck. Then he heard the screams of orders comming from one of the towers. He knew it was Unisia and he knew that she must have been guarded by the gians steel monsters. Annabel walked behind Razel killing off who ever Razel missed or who ever was still alive.
Razel made his way threw the castle and still unknown to him Annabel followed quietly behind him. They both began the acent to highest tower of the castle.
Razel Kicked down the door at the top of the spiral staircase and looked inside to see Unisia. She was sitting on a throne of human and vampire remains. Razel walked in and closed the door behind him and into Annabels face. Annabel put an ear to the door and heard Razel speeking.
"you have poored your poison into this world long enough. Now i will have your head and your soul."
Unisia drew a sword from the thrones arm rest and swipped at Razel. Razel jumped back and twisted his sword around in his hand. Then he threw it at Unisia and it drove itself inbetween her legs in the throne's seat. Unisia was just about to jump up when Razel jumped upon her lap and she licked his face. Razel grabbed her head and turned it away from his and whispered into her ear.
"Your poisn oozes from every poor of your being."
Razel then swiftly snapped Unisia's head and spine from her body. He then heard the door behind him open and annabel run in with her sword in the air. She swung down on Razel and razel caught the blade of her sword with one hand. Annabel saw Unisia's head in Razel's other hand and stumbled back in shock as it laughed at her. Razel looked back at Unisia's head and said.
"You will never have a honerable death."
He then jumped off the throne and walked to a window of the tower. Razel looked down at the battle field and called out to the crowd.
"I have your queens head, you are now my people. I order you to stop fighting."
The crowd dropped there weapons as they looked up at Razel and then they all went down on one knee.
Razel had now fufilled the reason he was there. Unisia's head was put into a box and then burried deep in the ground. Sometimes thay said you could still hear her screaming for sombody to end her torment.
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