Four…Five…Six…
The clock tolled as the empty vile fell from Rin's hands and hit the ground, shattering into several splinters of glass. Rin's throat began to burn and breathing became unbearable. He coughed, wheezing on his breaths. The burning crept down his throat into his chest and he wrapped his arms tight around himself.
"What's happening?" he grunted and leaned over, placing a hand in the pile of broken glass. He felt it pierce his hand and the smell of his own blood made his head whirl. The dizziness brought him lower to the ground and he started to shake. He looked up at the vampire who glowered over him.
The world was spinning. Smells became more rich and his senses and perception of things around him more sharp and vivid. The sensation from it overwhelmed him and pain flooded his muscles and bones. A low glow of red started taking over his dark brown eyes. They turned upwards, a spark of fury in them when he looked at the vampire.
"Don't just stand there!" Rin yelled. "I demand an answer!"
The vampire stood slowly. His laughter was like a lingering song with the tolling sounds of the clock. "You've done it…you've actually done it! And here I thought you would have resisted forever."
Rin started to feel feverish. Beads of sweat coated his brow and caused his body to become clammy and weakened. Soon, he hit the floor hard and his muscles started to betray him. He yelled as his body shook with convulsive movements before becoming still while breathing heavily.
The monster towered over him and looked down. "Change is painful isn't it. You're going to make a great god," was the last thing Rin heard before slumber took him.
+++
The group hurried through the woods, Jex, Ray, and Nimer on horseback to keep up with Canin who led the three through the woods. Canin's senses rarely failed him and he became increasingly aware of the smell of blood and rot the deeper they went.
They weaved agilly through the trees, Canin stopping only ever so often to sniff the ground or the air around them. It led them in tangles around the woods. It wasn't long before a small cabin came into view. It sat looking like a rundown shack made of long pine wood logs and mud. It appeared to be falling apart at the seams and the walls were crumbling.
"There," Canin growled and started to make his way toward the cabin.
Nimer suddenly rode up in front of him, blocking his path.
Canin growled in response. "What are you doing? He's definitely in there!"
"Use your head, not your rage," Nimer warned. "If we just barge in without a plan, we won't get anywhere. You know that."
"To hell with your plans. We might be too late! He could be awakened!" Canin howled and darted around him and toward the small hut.
With all his force, he rammed against the side of the wall. The wall began to crumble and dust from the old walls created large clouds of dust with the weight of his shoulder pushing against it.
Jex, Ray, and Nimer watched him silently, Ray glancing ever so often to Nimer as they waited.
"Shouldn't we help him?" Jex asked quietly. "What are you waiting for, Nimer?"
Nimer stayed silent for a long moment watching the wolf struggle with a cold gaze. He finally answered, "I sense two vampires. That's why."
"Two?!" Ray said in fright.
All three horses became restless and snorted, flicking their tails.
With one more final blow, Canin collided with the wall and it caved in. Large pieces of the wall fell out onto the floor and the wreaking stench of rotting bodies filled the small clearing. Jex and Ray both covered their mouths and noses. The smell was horrendous.
Canin lay on the floor having fallen from breaking down the wall. Slowly picking himself back up, he rose to his feet and looked around quickly. He spotted a figure lying on the floor and caught sight of a shadow dissipating in the air. Canin lunged for the shadow hoping to attack it but the vampire had vanished before he could. Instead, he stood there, towering over Rin's slumbering body.
"Rin," the wolf breathed and used his muzzle to nudge the sleeping man. "Rin, wake up. Wake up!" he begged but gained no actual response from Rin. He knew if he died, there was more chance he could awaken.
The other three approached moments later led by Nimer. Ray hid behind Jex, tears in her eyes at the sight she saw around her. Grabbing his olive cloak in her hands, she buried her face in his shoulder blades. Jex used a strong hand to comfort her, patting down her head and neck.
"I don't sense a god in our presence," Nimer said grimly and used his boot to further crush the bits of glass on the floor. "But it seems he willingly drank a vial. He's changing as we speak. This will only make him more powerful when he awakens."
"Is he alive?" Jex asked.
Nimer knelt down by Rin, placing two fingers to the side of his neck. The low thup of a heartbeat was still there, but it was soft as the flutter of a bird's wings. "Barely," the guide reported and stood. He crossed the room to the cabinet opening the door again revealing the holder of vials. Only three were left.
He carefully took them out and closed it again then held the viles up over his head. With a mighty throw he slammed them on the ground and they shattered, a small pool of blood leaking from the broken viles all over the floor.
"Why did you go and do that?" Jex asked Nimer, a little upset that he destroyed the viles. "We could have given those over to the church as evidence."
"I don't trust the church, not with the cult on the loose," Nimer said and walked over the broken glass and stood next to Canin, staring down at Rin. "If he awakens after this, Zaniah is done for. We may need to put a stronger barrier on his soul to keep it guarded from Ravathor."
"I'm confused," Ray said, peeking out from behind Jex. "Does Rin have something to do with Zaniah?"
"Yes," Nimer answered simply. "Rin is meant to be a piece of Ravathor's plan to take over Zaniah. It's imperative that we all make sure the cult doesn't get their hands on him."
"Just tell them Nimer. What's the point of them staying in the Dark if it's all over now?" Canin barked. "If they are the king and queen, they need to know who they are dealing with!"
"I have only a hunch to work off of. Even if prophecy said a Darkwell would make a host for Ravathor, there are still things that need to stay a secret!" Nimer insisted, then realized what he had just said. He ran a hand over his face. "That wasn't supposed to come out of my mouth…"
Jex then remembered weeks ago what Nimer had said to the lycan. "So, Rin is meant to rebuild the kingdom as well?"
"No," Nimer said. "You two are."
"So you were the lycan then that we saw that one day we were attacked," Ray said looking to Canin. After getting a better look at him, he did seem recognizable. She wondered why she hadn't thought of it earlier.
"We weren't attacking," Canin clarified. "We heard yelling and thought someone was threatening our land. We were trying to drive you out because we saw you as a threat."
Ray flushed a little. "I was upset because someone was being rude at the time." Her gaze turned to Nimer and she crossed her arms.
Nimer huffed. "Let bygones be bygones. Our meeting with Canin's pack was needed, nonetheless." He crouched down by Rin again and slid an arm around his shoulders hoisting him up. "I require your assistance, Jex. Can you carry him back, Canin?"
After earning a nod from the wolf, Jex went over and helped Nimer hoist Rin up onto Canin's back, settling him onto the wolf's soft fur.
"We need to get him back to the Inn and treated. We also need to keep an eye on him. Vampirism becomes permanent after they feed for the first time. Having drank vampire blood directly, I'm not sure there is any turning back for him now," Nimer warned.
"Will we still be hunting the vampire?" Jex asked as the group migrated back to their horses and mounted.
"Yes," Nimer answered. "We still need a sum of money to pay for further lodging and belongings to help us through our journey. We also accepted the bounty. It's only right we finish it."
"At least we know where he's hiding out," Ray said, looking behind them at the half demolished building fading out of view. She wondered how many souls the vampire had dragged in there and how many people of the town he had killed. From the looks of it, it was many.
"I'm not sure he will return there," Nimer said. "I have a feeling he was using Rin as a decoy to draw us away from the town. He may just be there now feeding on innocent people. We may have to stop him, and tonight."
Jex and Ray both nodded in agreement.
As they approached the town, the sound of a bell ringing brought them to high alert.
"That doesn't sound good," Jex commented. He knew what the sound of bells meant. In Aldoak, they meant there was an emergency or danger. It only increased the amount of panic in his mind.
"No it doesn't. We need to hurry. Make haste!" Nimer commanded and they instantly started to hurry faster toward the town.