Eric awoke in a small cell, with merely a plank suspended from chains as a place to sleep. A bucket sat in the corner of the room, and it smelled like shit. Eric tried to remember what happened, as he must have passed out at some point.
Red eyes surrounded by a black flame flickered in his mind, and when he remembered, he screamed.
"Quiet asshole!" Ray shouted from a small distance away, and all he heard after that was choked sobs.
"That Dex really fucked him up." Charlie said to Ray as they sat in the front room of the small jail house.
"He got what was coming to him. They all did. I wish he didn't make such a mess, but... well, it can't be helped. Im just glad Mags and Chuck are okay. " Ray replied, not able to bear the thought of losing them.
They let that hang in the air for a while, but ultimately, no one died, and Dex had made it a point of healing anyone with so much as a stubbed toe.
"I wonder what shocked Helen so much?" Charlie wondered aloud.
Dex sat in the town council chambers located in the town hall. A circular table occupied most of the room, and at the head of this table, sat Helen Somber.
Dex sat across from her, and to his left, Frank and his family sat, while to his right was Will and his family. Jess wanted to sit closest to Dex, so she was directly to his left. Oddly enough, Renna made a fuss until she was able to sit directly to his right. It seems any qualms she had about it before were merely gone.
Helen took a deep breath, before she spoke.
"We all have many questions. I had one of mine answered in a very... startling way, and I'm sure none of you heard it." Helen said, and while that was mostly true, it wasn't completely true.
Renna's ears were more than just for looking cute, which she really hoped Dex liked. His strength captivated her like nothing she had ever seen before, and it made her heart throb just thinking about it. He even had a sexy, if odd name. Dextros Shadowheart. It was so cool, but she wasn't sure why Helen reacted the way she did.
"You seemed pretty shocked earlier." Frank said, and the others nodded at that.
Helen looked at Dex.
"Would you please tell them what you told me earlier?" Helen asked him.
Dex closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This wasn't like him. He didn't get nervous, and yet right now, he most definitely was.
"I told you all my name is Dex." He said, and everyone gave a confused nod.
He continued.
"I didn't want to scare anyone, or make anyone feel like I was here to cause harm." He said, and Frank looked even more confused.
"Is Dex not your name?" Frank asked, but he had a feel that wasn't quite right.
"It's half right. Dex is what my friends and family call me. My full name is... Dextros Shadowheart." He said, and let the words hang.
The younger people in the room, Jess, Renna and Henry had no idea why something like this was a huge deal, and while Maria recognized the name, she couldn't remember exactly where or how. Frank had wide eyes, and his mouth hung open, but he didn't react particularly negatively. Will, on the other hand, was as pale as a ghost.
"The Demonic Horror." Will said in a hushed voice.
Recognition dawned on Maria's face as well, but her face didn't portray that was afraid of being around him. So far, this was going better than Dex expected.
"The Demonic Horror? Are you talking about the stories from up north?" Jess asked, putting the pieces together.
Dex grimaced. He hated that moniker, but he couldn't say that he didn't earn it. To his enemies, he truly was horror made manifest.
"The Shadowheart family is... was a royal family of demonic heritage. I am the last member of the family. And a Demon Lord." Dex said, and he let that sit.
Jess and Renna seemed finally understand as their eyes grew comically wide, while Henry continued to stare at him like her was the coolest guy in the world. Honestly, the boy was endearing. The adults in the room seemed to already know as much, with Helen seemingly knowing the most about him.
"We've heard stories. Most people don't believe them, suggesting they are just baseless rumors. The tales I've heard speak of a demon lord, one who defies the will of the heavens themselves with his power. Dextros Shadowheart is mentioned in a few of them, while the most prevalent name is 'The Demonic Horror.' A being so ruthless that he turns the battlefield into a nightmare. After witnessing the aftermath of your battle, hearing what the town's people have said, and now, your own words, I can't help but wonder. Dextros, why are you here? What business do you have with us?" Helen asked.
Dex grimaced, but he couldn't exactly refute what she said. It was true. When you so heavily outclassed all of those who stood before you, no matter how many numbers stood in your way, it was hard to come across as anything but a monster. Dex opened his mouth to say something, but closed it when Frank spoke next.
"I can tell that Dex is a good man. While a little too violent for my tastes, those bastards got what they deserved. That being said, I've been wondering about that myself. Dex, when I found you that day, you looked like you had given up. If you are who you say, and I'm inclined to believe you given what I saw, what would cause a man as powerful as you to be so... distraught?" He asked.
Dex took in a sharp breath, not sure what he should say. He had already decided to tell them more about himself, but he wasn't exactly sure if he should, or even could tell them more. Still, the trust and acceptance these people showed him even after all that happened did make him strongly consider it.
"Dex." Jess said, putting a hand on his arm.
Her touch surprised him, but it was gentle, and the care and concern he seen in her beautiful blue eyes made his breath catch slightly.
"Back when my mother was still here with us, she always gave the best advice. One thing she always told me when I was sad, or lost in my own thoughts was that, most of the time, the best ways to deal with our problems was to talk about them. Dex, I want to help you, and I have no doubt many people here feel the same way." She said, and gestured to everyone around.
Dex looked at the people gathered around him, and while Helen still seemed a little wary, she didn't seem afraid. She wanted to know more about him anyways, so that wasn't surprising. Will and Maria still looked nervous, but the tension in their bodies seemed much more relaxed to than before. Renna surprised him by looked just as concerned as Jess, even though she knew him for even less time. These people really were kind.
Henry still had a starry eyed expression, while Frank looked at him with a look that reminded him of his own father.
"Dex, please, let us help you. Let me help you." Jess said, and the sincerity in her voice broke down his mental walls like a sledgehammer.
"I... I don't think Henry should be present for this. It's... heavy." Dex said, and Frank nodded.
Henry fussed about it for a while, but once Frank suggested he go and help his friends reorganize their house and spend time with them, he eventually aqueoused. He was a kid after all, and didn't need to hear the things that Dex was about to say. Once Henry was gone, and Frank took back his seat, everyone just stared at Dex, and waited.
Dex sucked in a breath, and then, he began.
Several years ago:
"Again!" Rykord Shadowheart bellowed at his son, who was just knocked on his backside from the force of his strike.
Dextros, who was barely 12 at this point in time, got to his feet on shakey legs. He understood that his father wanted him to be a strong warrior, but it just wasn't something that he found particularly interesting, nor was it fun. His father was a harsh taskmaster, and training with him was always sweaty and painful. Still, he looked up to his father, as he was an exceptionally powerful demon, and in fact, his father was what was known as a Demon Lord, the strongest members of their race.
Their family did not appear as demons in a traditional sense, but more so, it was their power as well as their blood from a demonic ancestor that was the telling of their demonic heritage. Only his mother, and one sister had any signs of their demonic race, mostly due to his mother's side of the family. His mother, Intalia Shadowheart, had beautiful black horns that jutted out of the sides of her head, and they were roughly a foot in length, and his sister Kittara had similar horns, but much smaller.
Rykord urged his son to take up a fighting stance once again, and a shaking arm, Dextros raised the blunt training sword into a combat stance.
"I hate this. I'd rather be spending time with mom, and out playing with everyone else. Why am I the only one who has to train the hardest?" Dextros thought, knowing better than to voice that opinion aloud.
His father wouldnsay something along the lines of, 'You need to be strong,' or 'You have the most potential.' Sure, Dextros was strong for his age, but that didn't mean he wanted to do any of this.
Rykord burst forward at speeds not visable to most perceptions. Dextros could keep track of him, but just barely. His smaller build was not a match for his father though, and all he could do was raise his weapon to block the strike. This sent him tumbling to the ground once again.
"Again, boy! Don't tell me this is the best you can do. I know you can do better!' Rykord shouted.
As his father scolded him, Dextros felt a simmering rage building in his chest. He trained every day, for hours upon hours, barely getting any free time to do the things he wanted to do.
"DEXTROS, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?" Rykord roared, his voice causing a slight wind disturbance in the air.
"Why?" Dex asked, actually speaking aloud.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" Rykord shouted again, and Dextros snapped, seeing red.
"WHY DO YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS???" Dextros shouted back.
Suddenly, Dextros shot forward, leaving a small crater in the ground where he was standing moments before. Rykord's eyes opened wide in surprise as his son closed the distance between them instantly. Dextros, raising his training sword in a two handed grip, slashed down vertically, and the sword screamed as it created distortions in the air. Rykord raised his sword to block the attack, and when Dextros's sword hit, it broke Rykord's training sword apart like fragile glass.
The sword hit Rykord in the chest, causing him to fall on his back, the ground cratering below him, leaving an indent in the shape of his body with him inside of it. Rykord could do nothing but stare at his son, whose eyes were glowing red, just like...
"A Demon Lord..." He whispered, pride filling his chest.
However, something was different with his son as opposed to himself, and other demon lords. His pupils looked like raging black flames, and even though he was just 12 year old boy, he had the cold stare of a merciless warrior, and that wasn't even mentioning his aura, which was already close to outclassing his own.
"RYKORD! DEXTROS!" A woman yelled from the back door of their home, and they both turned to see Intalia standing there with a furious look on her face.
Rykord felt shame, as he no doubt already knew what she was thinking. He was training Dex too hard again, and he knew it. However, look at the results. His son was already a demon lord, and he was still a child. Still though, that line of thinking didn't make his heart feelcany lighter.
Intalia paused, and stared at her son with wide incomprehensible eyes, as Dextros's eyes still burned eith black fire, and his aura filled the air. She swore she could even see a black outline around Dextros as his power radiated off of him.
"Dexy." Intalia said gently, walking towards them.
She could tell that her son had reached the power of demon lord, yet there was something else. Her son's aura felt powerful, yet also somehow ancient, like a long forgotten power. She had never seen eyes like this before, nor was anyone else able to produce an aura like this. Despite all of this, Dex was still her son, and she could never be scared of him.
His mother's gentle smile broke through the haze surrounding his rage filled mind, and the power vanished, like it was never even there. Intalia smiled at her son as she got down on her knees and opened her arms wide.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he rushed forward, and threw his tiny arms around her.
"I'm sorry mommy." He said, sobbing into her chest.
"Shhh. It's okay baby. You didn't do anything wrong." She said, rubbing the back of his head.
Rykord swallowed a lump in his throat as Intalia threw a fierce glare at him. With a greater effort than he wanted to admit, he pulled himself out of the ground, and upon seeing the state of his son, and the still intense glare that could turn someone to stone from his wife, he looked down in shame.
"YOU ALWAYS DO THIS!" Intalia suddenly yelled, standing up, cradling Dextros in her arms.
Rykord opened his to reply, but he closed it again, knowing that she was right.
Dextros still sniffled, but the outburst of tears seemed to be gone for the moment. She stared at her son with as much love and adoration as she could manage.
"Come on, sweetie. You dinner will be ready shortly. In the mean time, go play with your siblings." Intalia said, running her fingers though Dextros's long black hair.
"And you." She said, directing her ire towards her husband, causing him to flinch.
"We will be discussing this later." She said, and turned around, walking inside with Dextros in her arms.
Rykord sighed.
"I... will probably be sleeping downstairs tonight." Dextros heard his father mutter, sure that no one else could hear him.
Intalia brought Dextros to their living room, which was cutrently occupied by his 2 sisters and 1 other brother. Kittara, his youngest sister, was learning a form of aura manipulation from his older brother Kragen. Having already come from training, he didn't really have any want or desire to join them, plus he knew it was good for his sister to learn how to use her power at a young age.
"I'm going to go and finish dinner, sweetie." Intalia said, kissing his forehead and gesturing him towards his siblings.
"Okay mom." Dextros replied.
He made his way over to his older sister, Veldia, who was sitting on a chair that was closest to their bookcase. She loved to read, and Dextros had to admit, he also liked to read. He was a huge fan of the many fantasy books in their possession. Veldia seen him approaching her, and she gave him a gentle smile, but then, she frowned upon seeing his face.
"Whats got you so down Dexy?" She asked, and Dextros almost grumbled at her name for him.
"Just dad being his usual self. Not even letting me relax or spend time doing what I want to do. It's always training this or training that." Dextros answered, and this caused her to close her book.
"Yeah... dad is really hard on you, but it's because he believes in you. He wants you to be the best of all of us. Honestly, you are so much stronger than the rest of us, and it's kind of ridiculous." Veldia told him.
"Yeah... I guess. Still, I don't like it." He replied, causing her to bend forward to ruffle his hair.
"It won't be forever. Soon, I'm sure you'll be able to kick his butt, then, you can do whatever you want." Veldia said to him, and Dextros looked at her and smiled.
"Yeah! That's what I'll do! Once I beat him, he'll stop pushing me so hard. Then I'll be able to spend more time with all of you. That's a great idea. I'm gonna go and tell mom that so she'll stop worrying." Dextros said, turning around and running towards the kitchen.
Veldia just smiled.
"Such a momma's boy." She said as she went back to her book.
Dextros was giddy as he made his way towards the kitchen, but then he stopped as he was right around the corner, as he heard his mother and father in an elevated conversation.
"Why are you like this? Dex is just a child, and you train him harder than any adult you've ever taught." Intalia said, and Dex could tell Mom was mad.
"I know I'm hard on him, but look at where is has gotten him. He has the power of a demon lord at the age of 12. On top of that, there is something else there that I can't quite place. He's strong, Talia. His aura is already on par with my own. In fact, I think it might be a bit stronger than mine." His dad said, and he did sound quite confident.
His mother sighed.
"Ry, I know that's what you think. You might be right. He may even be the strongest of our race, but that still doesn't change the fact that he is a 12 year old boy, who just wants to live, have fun, and do all the things the other children do. Do you really want him to resent you in the future for taking away his childhood?" His mom asked, her tone gentle.
"I..." His dad said, but he seemed to lose focus of anything futher he wished to say.
Dextros walked closer, and with a stealthy movements, he peered around the corner.
Intalia walked up to Rykord, and took his hands in hers, causing him to look up at her, his gaze being previously towards the kitchen floor.
"Just like you, my dear. You, Rykord Shadowheart, are one of the most powerful and revered demon lords of our time, but to me, you are just my loving husband. The one who would do anything for our family. The one who acts like nothing bothers him, but will go out of his way to do something just because it is the right thing to do. You don't hamper your emotions like the others, but instead, you embrace them. I don't want our son to be like any of them. I want him to be like his father, and I want you, to treat him like the child his is. I seen his power, and you might be right about him, but currently, he is just our sweet little baby boy." She said, leaning in and kissing dad.
Dextros grimaced and looked away.
"Gross." Dextros said, but then froze, realizing that he might have said that a little too loud.
He stayed quiet, and hid back around the wall, but it was a moot point, as just when he thought he was in the clear, his mother came around the corner. She looked at Dextros with a calm, motherly smile that made his chest warm.
"Dex, what are you doing hiding around the corner?" His mother asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, I uh, nothing. I was just... uh... coming to see when dinner would be done." Dextros answered, but then he felt bad afterwards.
Dextros strived to be a good boy. A good son, and he couldn't lie, especially to the woman he loved so dearly.
"Is that so?" She asked, not convinced.
"No..." Dex answered, and she just smiled at him.
Grabbing Dextros's hand, his mother led him into the kitchen, where his father was still standing. Dextros stood there, clutching his mother's hand as if it were a lifeline. He was sure he was going to get in trouble. He knew better not to snoop, and he should have just walked away when he heard their conversation.
The last time he had done so, it was to the screams of his mother. However, upon entering his parents bedroom, all he was left with were images in his head he could never unsee. He forced the gross images from his mind.
So, when Rykord's firm but gentle hand gripped his shoulder, he was caught slightly off guard. He looked up at his father, who wore a gentle smile.
"Son, I am sorry." Rykord said, and the sincerity in his voice caught Dextros off guard.
"Huh?" Dextros asked, momentarily stunned.
"I've been too hard on you, especially as of late. The warrior inside of me desires to see you become strong, but your mother made me realize something just now. That's not what the father inside of me ultimately wants, I was just too stubborn to acknowledge it. I want to see you become stronger, yes, but I also want to see you spend time with your siblings. I want to see you learn, and grow. I want to see you become a good man, and if we were to be so lucky, both your mother and I would like to see you start a family of your own." His dad said, and his words made Dextros's lips tremble.
"Dad.." Dextros said, trying but failing to contain his emotions.
"You are my youngest son, and I have been neglecting the fact that you are young. I've been a fool. I hope you can forgive an old demon." His father said.
Dextros couldn't help himself, and he buried his face into his fathers side. Rykord smiled as he rubbed Dextros's back. He looked at Intalia to see a bright and tear filled smile adorning her perfect face. After a few more moments, Dextros pushed away, and more confident in himself. The drive to prove himself to his father was still there, but when he went to voice this, he paused. A sense of wrongness filled him, and no matter what he did, he could not shake the feeling. That feeling would prove prophetic only moments later as the ground shook, throwing him off his feet.
"What the hell was-?" Rykord asked, then his eyes opened wide as he felt the familiar power of beings he knew all too well.
"The children!" Intalia yelled, sprinting towards the living room.
Rykord sprinted as well, and noticing the situation was troublesome, Dextros followed. As they were running, his mother stumbled, buf Rykord caught her.
"What is happening?" Intalia said, barely able to stay upright.
As Dextros observed this, his worry grew upon seeing red energy leaving his parents bodies. The energy that left his mother was at a much faster pace than his father's, but he too had the same thing happening to him. Dextros looked at his own body, but didn't notice anything amiss.
"This power... it's... it has to be a Vampire. A vampire lord." Rykord said, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
The sounds of his siblings screaming gave his parents the strength to continue on, but as Dextros was much faster currently, he outpaced them, his feet suddenly taking him faster as his worry grew.
Once Dextros reached the living room, his little heart clenched at what he saw. The energy that surrounded his parents was present among his three siblings as well, but it was much faster, and what was worse, it seemed to be draining them of their very life force.
Kragen and Veldia knelt in front of a small form, much smaller than he remembered Kittara being. His body froze, his young brain unable to make sense of the situation. Just what was happening?
His parents reached the room a second later, and he heard his mom scream as she used all of the power she had in her body to run over to where his siblings were huddled. Dextros followed, his emotions in chaos. This was bad, so very bad. Rykord had stumbled in after his mother, and his face was both sorrowful, and full of rage.
Intalia fell to her knees in front of her children, and she reached out to Kittara. As Dextros neared, he realized how incredibly weak she was. Her body was shrunken in on itself, and her face was gaunt. Tears leaked from her eyes as their mother cradled Kittara to her chest, sobbing.
"No, no, no. It's okay baby. It's okay." Intalia cried, and Dextros had never heard his mom so distraught and uncertain in his entire life.
Rykord fell to his knees, as they seemed to have given out. He had never seen his father cry before, so when he did, Dextros's heart seized up.
"Mommy... it hurts..." Kittara said weakly.
"I know baby girl. I know. Please..." Intalia said, choking as the her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.
"What's happening...?" Kragen asked, his brother's voice weaker than he'd ever heard before.
Rykord slammed his fists into the floor, leaving fist sized craters in their place.
"I'm scared... mom... help..." Kittara said, and then, what happened next, Dextros would never forget.
Before their very eyes, his younger sister's breathing hitched, and then, her body withered even further, until she was merely gone. Her body had turned to nothing but ash only mere moments later, and his mother held nothing in her hands but Kittara's clothes, which were all that was left of his sister.
Intalia stared in disbelief, her mind seeming to take longer than normal to process the current events, and then, she let out the most pain filled wail Dextros had ever heard escape her lips. She grabbed at the ashes that were once her daughter as her cries intensified. Dextros's mind finally caught up to the situation as he too began to cry. His little sister was gone. Her life force had been ripped out of her body until nothing was left. She was... dead.
"NO!!!" Rykord roared as his power flared, but it was weak, so the barrier he tried to put around them failed. Dextros was certain that even that wouldn't have been enough to save them. He didn't know how or why, but he just knew.
Dextros could only watch helplessly as Kragen was next, going from wheezing and dropping into mother's lap, to being nothing but ash only a second later. His mother sobbed her grief into the sky, cursing whatever or whoever was responsible for this.
Veldia looked dejected as she watched her own body wither before her very eyes. His mother grabbed her and pleaded for it to stop, but no matter what she did or said, it was no use. Seemingly accepting the situation, she croaked,
"Mom... dad... Dex, I love you." She said, tears streaking down her cheeks, and then, she was gone, crumbling before their very eyes.
As his mother continued to sob, his father's clenched fists hit the ground again.
"I'LL KILL WHOEVER HAS DONE THIS!" He roared, his tears turning red as well.
"Unlikely." An unfamiliar voice said, but it contained malice and he sounded... proud. Condescending.
They all turned towards the voice. Admist all of the panic, no one heard them even enter their house, let alone get as close as they were. None of them seemed to know who this man was, but Dextros could only focus on specific traits about this man.
He was quite tall, and wore a surprisingly refined black outfit, complete with a rather long trench coat. His eyes were red, with slits for pupils that reminded him of some of the monsters he had fought. He had long gray hair, yet he himself didn't look to be over 30. What stood out the most however, was his sharp fangs that pertruded from his mouth, and two large wings that resembled those of a bat. A vampire, if what he remembered hearing his father say served him right.
"DID YOU DO THIS??" Rykord roared, standing on shakey legs.
The vampire chuckled, as if what was happening was a matter to be laughed at.
"Why, yes, I did. I've been planning this for some time now, you see. I just had to get the ritual just right." The vampire said, his smiling showcasing his large fangs.
"Why...?" His mother asked, and when Dextros looked at her, she appeared as nothing more than an empty shell of who she once was.
"You can thank him for this." The vampire said, pointing at his father.
This seemed to get his mother's attention, and she looked incomprehensibly at Rykord, who looked as confused as he was furious. The vampire laughed again.
"You don't even know, do you? Well, how about I remind you." The vampire said, pulling one of the chairs in the living room over and sitting down casually as if he were about to tell a bedtime story.
"Does the name Ingrid Darkwing ring any bells?" The vampire asked, causing everyone to pause.
His father looked like he wanted to rip the man's head off of his shoulders, but his inability to do so just showed how weak he currently was. He was using all of his power just to remain standing, the ritual taking its toll on his body.
"Ah, probably not," The man continued. "Why remember the name of someone you so mercilessly killed after all. About three years ago, give or take a few months, she was quite famished you see. Being asleep for a few years does that to someone of our... particular caliber. She went out in the cover of night to search for food, when she found just the right place to begin sating her appetite. It was a small town, only a few houts away from where we are now. Ingrid did what was natural, and perfectly reasonable for her, given her nature. She fed, and given how hungry she was, her hunger seemed endless. That's when a particular demon showed up." The vampire said, glaring hatefully at Rykord.
"You mean... Stiggyon Keep? The vampire attack?" Rykord asked, putting the pieces together.
"Yes, the very same place. It was here, that Ingrid was attack by this demon, and naturally, she tried to defend herself. This ended up with her being decapitated by this demon in only mere seconds, like she wasn't worth a second glace." The vampire said, growling the last part.
Rykord's face burned red with anger.
"SHE KILLED OVER 40 PEOPLE, INCLUDING CHILDREN!" Rykord bellowed, his fury causing the building to shake for a moment.
The vampire sighed, but he returned the anger.
"It is in our nature. Just as you hunt and kill beasts for sustenance, we do the same, our prey just happens to walk on two legs. You killed my wife, Rykord Shadowheart.I am Damorenth Darkwing. I watched helplessly as Ingrid was killed like she meant nothing, and I wasn't even strong enough to get my revenge right then and there." Damorenth said, before breathing out slowly, and smiling menacingly.
"That's why, for last few years, I devised this ritual. It has been done before, but it took a lot of power. I sacrificed thousands of my people for the ritual to be strong enough to drain the life out of everyone in this home. I have some control over it, however, which is why your children died before you. How does it feel, reeping the consequences of your actions?" Damorenth asked.
Rykord gritted his teeth as he tried to draw his sword, mustering his strength, but with a wave of Damorenth's hand, his father's grip faltered, and he fell back on the ground.
"Well, it is my ritual, so I have a little more control than I led on." Damorenth said, but then he looked upon the child staring blankly at the ashes of his siblings, and frowned.
"I'm curious as to why my ritual isn't affecting that child." Damorenth said, giving Dextros an inquisitive look.
"Keep...your hands...OFF MY SON!" Intalia said, her fury coming back to her.
Damorenth seemed to consider something for a moment, then he nodded.
"Well, I watched my wife die by your hands, so I think it's only fair for you to watch yours die by mine." Damorenth said, standing and pulling a curved sword from his hip.
As Damorenth took slow steps them, Dextros's mind raced.
"Kattaria...Kragen...Veldia... they're all gone. They are dead...because of this monster. Because father saved people's lives." Dextros thought, his vision slowly turning red.
Vampires are pure evil. Everyone knows that. His father killed a monster before it could kill anyone else, and this thing felt justified in killing his family, out of sick form of revenge? For doing what needed to be done.
Rykord tried to stand, to protect his wife, but it was for naught. His body just wouldn't work anymore. And Dextros was in shock, and he too would probably die soon after they did.
As Damorenth strode closer, his smile became wider.
"You only have yourself to blame, Rykord." He said, standing only a few feet away from his mother.
Dextros's vision became clouded with rage. Damorenth lined his sword up with Intalia's neck, and he raised it above his head with both hands. His mother couldn't move even if she wanted to.
She spared one last glance at Rykord and Dex with all of the strength she had left. She strained a tear filled smile. Damorenth paused dramatically, seemingly giving her the equivalent of her last words.
"You didn't do anything wrong. I love you so much, Ry, and I love you too, Dex, my sweet boy." She said, resigned to her fate. If the heavens were kind to her, perhaps she would see all of them again.
Damorenth swung down, and Dextros snapped upon hearing his mother's words.
Intalia's eyes were closed, as she accepted her fate, yet she still smelled blood and ash in the air. She thought that maybe everything would go black, but nothing happened. She realized she wasn't dead yet when she heard a started gasp.
"WHAT?" Damorenth shouted in shock.
Intalia's eyes shot open, and what she saw left her stunned.
The blade was stopped mid swing, held aloft by tiny clawed hands. She blinked a few times, yet no matter how many times she did so, the scene remained the same.
A small figure stood between her and Damorenth, the blade easily caught in his hand. Damorenth seemed to struggle, trying to slash down, then tried to pull the sword free, yet no matter how much he tried, it would not budge.
She would never confused her baby boy for anyone else, no matter how different he might look. Dextros had the same face, but now, he was so much more. Horns grew from his head, and a black crown of fire sat atop his cranium. Small but strong wings had erupted from his back, tearing his shirt in the process. A tail was also present, and that too ripped through his finely tailored clothing. What she didn't expect to see, or feel, was the power that exuded from him.
Not only was his aura far, far stronger than anything else she'd ever felt before, her husband included, the intent that was suffused into his aura was shocking. It was full of sadness, and rage, but more than anything, was the killing intent that radiated from his body.
Rykord just stared at the scene mouth agape. He too seemed to be going through the same thoughts as she was. If she had any doubts however, they were squashed only a moment later.
"LEAVE MY MOM ALONE!" Dextros shouted, and Intalia's eyes grew moist again.
"Oh...Dex..." She sobbed. Her baby was still there, and his drive to protect her fueled him.
Dextros's gripped tightened, and he shattered the sword into small bits. Damorenth extended his fingers, fingernails turning into claws, and he shot foward. Damorenth's claws met Dextros's chest and his parents both screamed.
"DEX!"
Then, Damorenth, stared in shock, as did his parents, when not only did his claws not pierce Dextros, but the momentum caused his arms to bend backwards at an impossible angle, breaking it with several audible crunches.
Damorenth screamed, but that didn't last very look as Dextros slammed his fist into Damorenth's gut, and went right through his stomach and out of his back. Damorenth could do nothing except stare in shock. This child was strong. No...it wasn't just that, he was stronger than anything or anyone he'd ever encountered. And this aura felt far too old for a child of this age.
Damorenth wasn't a fool, and begrudgingly, he admited to himself that this unexpected turn of events would be his demise. Accepting that fate, he still managed a chuckle, blood leaking from his mouth.
"The ritual... you can't stop it...there is nothing you can do... you-" Damorenth said, but then he didn't say anything after that, as black flames covered his entire body in a matter of seconds. Well, he was still audible, but his monolouge transitioned into loud, pained screams.
Soon, even the screams ceased as Dextros called upon power he previously didn't know he had, yet in this moment, he knew exactly how to use it. Damorenth, the cursed monster, was nothing more than a pile of ashes. How... ironic.
"Dex..." Intalia choked out, causing him to turned to look at them.
Tears ran down his cheeks as he gazed upon his parents. The rage that filled his heart vanished like it wasn't even there, and only moments after, the horns, tail and wings disappeared, the black crown also going out. He raced over to them.
Intalia could barely move, yet even now, as he body continued to grow weaker, a mother's duty never stoped. Mustering what strength she had left, she opened her arms wide, and Dextros ran into her, burying his face into her chest.
"Mom...dad...please don't leave me." Dextros said, and Intalia felt her shirt growing moist.
Tears trailed down her face as she stroked her hand through his hair.
"It'll...be okay baby." Intalia sobbed.
Rykord had used what remaining strength he had left to crawl to them. He got to his knees, and joined them in a group hug. He knew his wife knew it wouldn't be okay, but she had to console their son, as did he. If this was the last time he would be with his son and wife, he would make the best of what he could.
"Son... you are strong. You can do this." Rykord said, trying to reassure him.
Dextros shook his head, his cries muffled as he was still buried in his mother's chest.
"Dex... promise me that you'll keep going. No matter what happens, you will stay strong. Live, and find love. Can you do that for me?" His mother asked him gently, still stroking his hair.
"NOT WITHOUT YOU! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" Dextros cried, and this only made Intalia's lips tremble even more. She clutched him tighter to her breast.
"Shh. I know you can do it. As long as you stay the same sweet boy that we love, I know you'll be okay." She said, her voice gentle, but still filled with pain.
Dextros looked up, and saw that his mom wore the same gentle smile that he loved so much. Dextros looked to his father, and he smiled as well.
"I know I was hard on you, and In sorry, but I know you can do this. I know I don't say it much, but I love you son." Rykord said, causing Dextros to sob even more.
The last thing he saw that night were the caring and loving smiles of his parents, and then, just like his brother and sisters, they crumbled to ash, leaving him grasping at the air where they once were, as his cries echoed across the night.
Back to the present:
Dex released a heavy breath as he finshed his story. He could feel the moisture leaking down his face, but he didn't care. It was a painful memory, and one of the reason he rarely told anyone about it. The only people he told until now, were Mira, Lyra, and Lilliana.
There wasn't a dry eye in the room, and Jess and Renna were so emotional that it was like it had also happened to them. The fact that they were shedding tears for him warmed his heart, but unfortunately, the pain wasn't going to stop there. That explained what happened to him as a child, but not what happened that led him to this place.
He took a deep breath, and he continued on with the most recent tragedy. He told them everything, from how he met the three women, how they all fell in love, and how they too were taken away from him when he thought he had found peace. He had found what he promised his mother and father he would find, and then, in a cruel twist of fate, the same thing happened, and by the son of the man he had previously killed, no less. This world was unkind, and unfair.
No one said anything as Dex finished his story, but sobs could probably be heard all the way across town. Jess and Renna were a mess, wiping their faces on their sleeves, and Maria wasn't doing much better, clinging tightly to her husband as she choked on tears.
Will and Frank remained semi stoic. Their eyes were moist and red, but their tears didn't leak like a veritable waterfall like everyone else.
Helen tried her best to look like a confident and stoic leader, but the tears steaming down her face betrayed that. He was actually kind of surprised that she of all people reacted this way, but then again, it probably goes to show how good and kind these people were.
"Anyways, that's how I ended up here." Dex said, wiping at his eyes.
"Dex...I didn't... that's..." Jess said, voice trembling, unable to find the right words.
Dex understood. There was really nothing that could be said that would make it easier to cope with. It was terrible, through and through.
Dex was then surprised as a soft body slammed into him, and soft fuzzy ears rubbed across hia face. Renna's tackle hug caught him off guard, but she just gripped him tightly as she sobbed into him.
"Shouldn't this be me?" Dex asked, but his confusion morphed to gratitude, and accepted the gesture for what it was.
He wasn't even surprised when Jess got up and hugged him as well. All he could do was wrap his arms around them both, and accept their comfort for what it was. He felt his eyes grow moist again as he realized how much these people already cared about him.
"I'm still going mom, no matter how hard it gets. Even when I want to give up, I'm still going. I hope you'll forgive me for the times I've tried to end it." Dextros thought as the warmth of the two women filled his heart.
Helen dismissed them all, saying she needed to time ponder what she just heard, as well as what to do about their prisoner. Dex already knew what he was going to do, regardless of what she came up with. The air was heavy with sadness as they left the town hall, and walked together for several paces. Frank had told Henry he could spend the night at his friend's house and he aqueoused, although he seemed confused by everyone's solemn expressions.
When they went to part ways with Will and his family, Renna didn't budge, still firmly attached to Dex. He felt a little awkward, as both her and Jess clung to one of his arms, but he didn't push them away. The comfort felt nice, and he would accept it for now. Eventually it was decided that Renna would be staying the night with them, and her parents didn't arguing when they saw her face.
Upon reaching the home, Frank opened the door, and Dex and the girls followed behind.
"Dex...that was... lot. I'm sorry, but I'm mentally exhausted. I hope you'll forgive me." Frank said, rubbing at his eyes.
Dex couldn't blame him, and he just wished Frank a good night and he went towards his room. Dex was so exhausted from the fighting and the mental strength it took to tell his story that he was sure he'd fall asleep the moment he hit the bed. As they walked past the living room, a girl still plastered to either side of him, they instead gently guided him over to the couch. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he wasn't going to argue with them. He was far too tired, and if he was being honest, the comfort they gave him was too good to pass up right now. It seems they didn't want to let him go just yet.
He fell onto the couch with the girls, and they just stayed huddled together in companionable silence. He wasn't sure when it happened, but in only mere moments since sitting down, his world went black as the exhaustion caught up to him.