The forest lay in silence bathed with the ethereal glow of the red moonlight. The man tightened his grip on the sharpened stick, his knuckles turning white. "I won't be your prey," he declared, his voice trembling.
Azrael chuckled, a low and eerie sound "You're brave, I'll give you that," the vampire conceded, taking a step closer.
The man swung the stick towards Azrael's chest, aiming for the vampire's unbeating heart. Azrael's keen senses alerted him to the danger, and he gracefully evaded the attack. With a snarl, he disarmed the man and sent the stake flying into the darkness.
"That was quite easy, wasn't it?" Azrael said stepping closer to the man who in turn retreated backwards. "Now I am bored, what else do you have up your sleeves."
the man staggered back, his attempts to strike foiled. Fear and desperation flashed across his face as he realized the vast the difference in strength and speed between himself and the vampire.
He fell to his feet once more, his hands clutching his chest, gasping for breath. "Please," he choked out, his eyes pleading. "I'm sorry, I don't want to fight you. I just want to go home."
Azrael's eyes narrowed, studying the man's face. He could see the terror in his eyes, the resignation in his stance. "But that's wouldn't be fun." he said, his tone incredulous.
"I'll do anything," the man said, his voice trembling. "Just please, let me go."
Azrael considered the man's words, and slowly, he began to smile. It was not a kind smile, but rather a cold and calculating one. "Very well," he said, his voice low and menacing. "I will let you go. But there is a price."
The man's eyes widened. "Anything," he said, desperation creeping into his voice. "What is it?"
Azrael's smile widened. "I will give you your life," he said, his tone almost mocking. "But in exchange, you will owe me a debt. One day, when I come for you, you will owe me your service. Until then, I will allow you to live your life as you please. Do you accept these terms?"
The man hesitated, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the weight of Azrael's gaze, the chill of his words. But he had no choice. "Yes," he said, his voice barely audible. "I accept."
Azrael's smile turned cruel. "Good," he said, stepping back. "Now get out of my sight."
The man didn't need to be told twice, he got up hurriedly standin on his feet.he turned and fled, relief flooding through him as he put distance between himself and Azrael. He could still feel chill of Azrael's presence.
Azreal pondered for a moment as he watched the man run, his presence calm and collected. "On second thought." he muttered raising his hand and with a snap of his fingers a wave of energy watched over the man. The man froze in his tracks, his bodygoing limp. His eyes glazed over having a golden glow. "You will forget the encounter. You will forget you ever met me and the girl. You will forgot any of this every happened." Azrael voice was filled with power and authority his words sinking into the man's mind like a mind contry spell. "Until you are needed." he said.
The man's eyes remained golden, his window blank and empty. "You may go now." he said turning away.
The man stood there for a moment, motionless and unresponsive. Then, as if waking from a dream, he blinked and shook his head. He looked around, confused and disoriented. "Where am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse and uncertain. His eyes darted around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. "What happened?"
Azrael was nowhere to be found. The man was alone, his memory wiped clean of the encounter. He would never remember the events that had just transpired, his mind a blank slate.
Azrael continued walking through the forest when he heard familiar voice that caused him to pause in his track. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips. "Not again." he muttered before using behind a trees.
Azrael observed from his hidden position as the king and his companion emerged from the shadows. He clenched his jaw, realizing that he was not going to evade their pursuit so easily. As the king held his bow and arrow, Azrael could feel the tension in the air.
King Cedric spoke with determination in his voice, his eyes scanning the forest. "We've been tracking this vampire foralmost an hour, Roland. I can sense its presence. It's close."
"I trust your instincts, Your Highness. We won't let this one escape." roland responded respectfully even though deep down hehad his doubts.
Azrael watched as King Cedric notched an arrow and drew his bow, ready to fire. The vampire knew that he had to act quickly. With lightning speed, he darted from behind the tree and evaded the incoming arrow with a graceful leap.
The arrow whizzed past him and embedded itself in a nearby tree. Azrael landed smoothly on the forest floor, behind another tree. "Impressive," he remarked, his voice a whiper with a cold smile.
The king sensing the change in the vampire's position quickly notched another arrow and aimed it atthe tree where Azrael now hid. "You won't escape this time," he said, his voice steady and determined. Roland on the other hand stood wearing a confused look, his brow furrowed as he stared at his king talking to no one in sight.
Azrael moved with inhuman speed, dodging the second arrow and vanishing into the dense underbrush. King Cedric fired another shot, but the vampire had already moved. The forest seemed to come alive as Azrael expertly evaded each arrow.
The vampire's voice echoed through the trees. "You'll have to do better than that, Your Highness."
Roland were taken aback by the suddenwords of the vampire which confirmed his presence. So the ming was indeed right about a vampire on the run and not being crazy, he thought.
King Cedric's eyes blazed with anger, and he reloaded his bow, ready to continue the chase. "We will capture you," he vowed, his voice carrying through the forest. "You cannot hide forever."
"I would like to see you try," Azrael taunted all this while hidden out of sight, its voice mocking and full of contempt. "I have eluded capture for years, and I'll continue to do so. You are no match for me."
"We'll see about that," Roland said, raising his bow. The king and roland continued their pursuit, determined to catch the vampire. But no matter how hard they tried, they could not seem to get any closer. The vampire was always just out of reach, always one step ahead of them.
"It's like we're chasing a shadow," Roland said, frustration evident in his voice. "We're never going to catch it at this rate."
Azrael remained hidden, watching as the king and Roland searched for any sign of him. He knew that the hunt was far from over, and he had no intention of making it easy for them.