The small, shining orb in his palm starts to sink. Syliss froze, unable to understand what is happening. As the stone finally sinks into his body, he blacks out. In his thoughts, he sees nothing but dark until a bolt of light passes around his field of vision.
The bolt stops in front of him and speaks. "What is your name child?"
"What? Who are you!? What are you?" cautioned Syliss.
"I am a spirit. I am called Michael. I have chosen you."
"Chosen me? For what? Actually, I don't even care. Do yourself a favor and don't. No one ever chooses me, and the people who say they do, don't stay very long. And who can blame them? I'm a cripple. If that's the case then I don't need anybody."
"Isn't that lonely?"
"I'm use to it."
"Are you?"
Syliss falls silent, unable to answer.
"Well, when the time comes when you have to protect someone you choose, then I shall give you strength to protect your friend." The spirit said.
Syliss suddenly wakes up, feeling strange. "Protect huh?" he says, as the sun rises in the sky. "What could I possibly do?"
Meanwhile back at the Inn, the stranger had just woken up. His body still feeling heavy and weak from his injuries. "Where am I?" he asked, as a nurse approached him. "Doctor! He is awake!" said the nurse.
"That's great! Inform Mr. Parvus." commanded the doctor.
The nurse rushed over to Ben and Angus' room, informing them that the man had regained consciousness. They both rush over, following the nurse. As they approach the clinic they could hear the man screaming. "WHERE IS IT!? WHERE!?"
"Calm down sir! Everything is going to be ok!" reassured the doctor.
"No its not! How could you know that!?" the man snapped.
"Can we be of help?" inserted Ben standing by the door.
"Mr. Parvus, I'm glad you're here." said the doctor "Mr. Vinci, this is the man who rescued you."
The man starts to calm down, "I...I'm sorry. Thank you doctor and to you too Mr. Parvus." He said still feeling uneasy.
"You can call me Ben" he said in a calmed tone. "This is my friend, Angus."
"Nice to meet you." Angus said.
"I am very grateful to you both, but I need to get out of here. I need to find what I lost." Mr. Vinci announced trying to leave his bed.
"I'm sorry, sir. You are in no condition to go anywhere." Inserted the doctor.
"Mind telling us what happened to you?" ask Angus.
"I don't know. It's hard to explain."
"Well try. Whatever it is, we will listen and help you." said Ben.
The man takes a deep breath and speaks. "Ok. What I am about to tell you is very real. I wish it wasn't. It's like a bad dream." He said as he clenched his fists.
" My name is Ricardo Vinci. A few years ago when I was younger, I decided to become a student of this priest in the Kingdom of Romania."
"Romania huh? That's not too far from here. Is that where you came from?" asked Angus
"Yes it is. I was tortured by soldiers but I managed to escape, and made my way here."
"Tortured by soldiers? How can that be?" said the doctor.
"Is it that strange?" asked Ben "I mean I heard in other Kingdoms that some guards would be corrupt and violent."
"It is very strange, considering that King Vladimir would never allow it." Angus said.
"King Vladimir?"
"He is also known as Vlad the Impaler. King Vlad was kind to his people but ruthless to anyone who dares to bring harm his kingdom. He earned the name "Impaler" because every time a criminal, an enemy, or even a corrupt soldier were to pose a threat, he would strike them down and have their corpses impaled and raised on a wooden stake, to serve as a warning. He is the King, the judge, and the executioner." Angus described.
"That may have been true before but things have changed." blurted Ricardo "It all started when King Vladimir announced his Queen. Her name is Asmodia. She's a beautiful woman. Her hair was long, and black, her eyes were bright blue. Her presence radiated with beauty and elegance. Everyone celebrated, but after that day we never heard from the King. Later, the Queen said she had been made Commander of the royal guard. It was so sudden and strange but nobody complained.
However, as the days passed, fewer and fewer gaurds were seen during the day, and at night the soldiers would violently raid peoples homes, taking away men, claiming that they have committed a crime."
"T-That's terrible..." Ben thought, as the whole room falls silent.
"During that time, the priest began to worry. One day, he took off his necklace, removed the gem at the center of it, and asked me to hide the it, and to protect it from any evil. He said it would help change the world. I didn't understand why he was so worried at first, but when night came I did.
Five soldiers burst in the temple, but they looked different. They didn't look human. Their skin was pale, their eyes were all black, they had large fangs. They asked him where the stone was, but when he said no, one of them killed him by stabbing his hand through my mentor's body. After that, they all ripped him apart and drank his blood. All I could do was watch, as they sucked the very life out of his corpse." Ricardo cried, his eyes start to pour with tears.
"How did you get out of there?"
"When they found me, I was the only one they could ask. They tortured me. They used their claws to cut me every time I didn't answer. They asked where the stone was, but I could never tell them.With the strength I had left I tried to break free. I ran towards door, but they grabbed my leg. I managed to push the door open, and light from the sun poured in. When sunlight hit their bodies they seem to have been burned. They backed off to the shadows and I used that opportunity to run."
"All the way here?" the doctor asked.
"If I stayed in the kingdom those demons could find me, I'm sure."
Angus stood up and said "Those weren't demons, they were vampires."
"Vampires?"
"They use to be human but sold their souls to a demon. Vampires are servants to who ever turned them into one."
"Are you saying..."
"Someone...your Queen I bet...is a Demon, and a powerful one it seems."
Everyone fell silent trying to absorb the whole situation. "What are you people saying!? Demons? Vampires? These are just myths!" urged the doctor.
"I'm sorry to tell you Doc but they are real, and they are headed this way." said Angus "We have to find that stone before night falls. I'm sure they will be headed here to look for him. Keep him safe here. Me and Ben will handle the rest."
"No! If I stay you will all be in danger. I have to-"
"Ricardo! You don't have the strength to move. Ben and I will find the stone and protect you." Angus reassured him.
"Why would you do that? You just met me."
"Because protecting that stone is our responsibility as well." Angus said with a smile "So where did you last remember having it?"
"I'm sure I still had it when I arrived here. It must have fallen out somewhere."
"I can show you where I found him. We can start there." said Ben
They both rushed out of the inn, making their way to where the gem could be. They looked around on the ground, in the alley, and started asking people all over town if they have seen it. Morning swiftly turned to noon, and they couldn't find anything.
"We are running out of time." said Ben
"Not really? replied Angus
"What do you mean?"
"Whether we find that stone or not, we have to stay and fight those things." said Angus "If we don't they will destroy this place, whether or not they have the stone. Besides we are headed that way anyway."
"Yea you're right. Why is it every time you're right we seem to be getting attacked?" Ben sighed with a smile.
Angus chuckled and said "I don't know. Must be some weird talent I have."
As they sit down thinking about what to do next, they heard a voice in the distance calling out to them. "Ben! Angus! Over here!"
"Agnes?" Ben says, seeing Agnes running towards them.
"I heard from the Inn that you guys are looking for something important." Agnes said with her eyes filled with concern.
"Yea we are. It's a small, round, gem. It's important we find it before night falls. Have you seen it?" asked Ben
"I haven't but I'll help you guys look for it. Other members of the staff are also helping." she said cheerfully.
Angus and Ben look at each other and smile. "Alright. We'll go with you!" Ben said happily.
"Let's go!"
They continue their search, as the sun starts to turn afternoon to night. "Ben." Angus said calling his attention. "We need to get these people back in their homes soon. It's too dangerous for people to be out during the night."
"But how do we do that?"
"Uhm...why is it dangerous?" asked Agnes.
"We can't explain, but it is very important that everyone stay in their homes and lock their doors and windows tonight." Angus explained.
"I can do that. Me and the staff should be able to let everyone know."
"That's great! That helps a lot really."
"What about searching for the gem?"
"There is something more important than that right now."
Agnes nods and runs off to spread the word. Leaving Ben and Angus alone.
"So what do we do?" asked Ben
"We get ready."
As the sun starts to set, Agnes and the staff were able to get everyone to lock their homes and stay inside for the night. Agnes looks up in the sun about to set "There is still time." She thinks. The rest of the staff rush back to the Inn, while Agnes goes around town once more to try and search for the stone. As she is searching she finds Syliss rolling around.
"Syliss what are you doing out?"
"Why? Where is everyone?"
"I don't really understand myself, but Ben and Angus said it might be dangerous for anyone to be out at night right now. It has something to do with a small gem the wounded man in our clinic lost. I think some people are after him."
"What did you say? What did he lose?" said Syliss in shock.
"A small, round gem. They said it is very important. Have you seen it around?"
"No. I haven't." He whispered, while being unable to look her in the eye.
"Come on. I'll take you home."
"Why?"
"Well I told you it's not safe out here right now. Besides you're my friend I want to make sure you are safe."
Syliss' eyes widened. "You really think of me that way? As a friend, not a burden?" he asked as they walk back to his house.
"Of course you are. Well, you are more like an annoying little brother."
As Agnes wheels Syliss back to his home, his heart started to warm up, and his face couldn't help but smile. However, at the same time a feeling of guilt built up, knowing he had lied. They made their way back to the old wooden house. Suddenly, Syliss stopped the wheelchair and spun it around to face Agnes.
"Agnes, I'm sorry. I lied to you."
"What do you mean?"
"I found the stone you are looking for. I found it last night and I brought it here. I lied to you I'm sorry." He said hanging his head in shame, preparing for her to push him away.
Agnes puts her hand on his shoulder and says, "That's ok. What's important is you told me the truth and we can still make this right."
"That's the thing. It's gone. It disappeared."
"Well, we can still try." She says trying to cheer him up "Will you help me?"
Syliss lifts up his head to see Agnes. A small smile appears on his face and said "What are annoying little brothers for?"
As they enter Syliss' home to search for the stone, night had fallen. Ben and Angus stand at the center of town preparing themselves. They looked forward to the path that lead to Romania. Nearly an hour had passed and there was no sign of anyone approaching.
Suddenly, something caught Angus' eye. He looks up in the sky and sees five, flying figures. "They're here." He said, as he and Ben prepare themselves.
The five figures quickly glided towards the town and landed in front of them. The five beings were even more hideous than Ben imagined. Just as Ricardo described, their skin was pale, they're hands had sharp claws, and their eyes were pitch black. They were wearing armor, colored in red, and their bat-like wings tore through the metal on their backs.
"Good evening gentlemen. I am Sir Alexandru, and we are knights of the royal guard of King Vladimir." He announced with a sinister smile. "Would you gentlemen happen to know if a wounded man had come here? He is a criminal you see."
"We are not handing him over to slaves of a demon." rebuked Angus.
"No matter. If you won't reveal him to us, we can rip this town apart until we find him."
In a split second, Angus lifts his hand and in a bright glow the axe appeared in his palm. He strikes at the ground with the blade, and a path of large stone spikes burst out of the ground toward the vampires. They take to the sky to avoid the spikes, when they are suddenly surrounded by a cloud of smoke.
Almost simultaneously they were struck down and they crash to the ground, as Ben reappears beside Angus wielding his blades, his eyes glowing red, staring them down.
"If you want to destroy this town, you have to go through us." Angus declared.
The five soldier stand up, as the wounds and cuts they received start to heal completely. "I don't know how you did that, but I will make you regret it!"