Grasping for air as if he was saved from drowning in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, Daniel woke up from a strange dream and looked around confused. To his surprise, he was safe and sound in his bed. He drank a glass of water and thought about the dream that felt like it lasted for weeks.
He rose from his bed and hoped all of it took place in his head---a silly nightmare. He trudged to the kitchen dismissing everything. Just when all seemed to be back to normal again, he had flashbacks---the cave, the ritual, the sacrifices---it all came back vividly. It was not a dream…but how did I find myself back home safe. Oh God, does that mean that I am now a vampire---of sorts?! Daniel rushed to the bathroom and watched himself in front of the mirror, touching his face and torso but there were no change.
Panicked and even more confused he rushed back to the end table and grabbed his phone; dialing his brother's number as fast as it was humanly possible, but Nathaniel seemed out of reach. He wondered around his bedroom dialing his number time and time again when all of a sudden he noticed a sealed letter right next to his side of the bed----How could I have missed it?!
He threw his phone on the bed and carefully grabbed the letter, hoping it had nothing to do with the Temhos but the symbol on the envelope would prove him otherwise. It depicted a two headed snake with ruby eyes entrapping on a golden grail, "Creepyyyyyy!" He opened the letter---his eyes dilated----he was not sure if it was his worst nightmare or a relief from the confusion.
Dear Daniel,
I hope you are doing fine…at least better than your last few hours at the temple. I firstly invite you not to panic, scream or run to your lovely girlfriend for help. No one can help you, but us, the covenant of Temhos. Do not worry about your brother either for he is safely laying on his bed in his tiny little, surprisingly tidy apartment probably still sleeping.
As of the ritual day which was only a few hours ago, in case you have opened the letter as soon as you woke up that is, you are currently in a state of transition which should last a short while during which I advise you to stay away from public as much as possible. I especially urge you to stay away from people you love for once the transformation takes place, the completion procedures will be ugly and painful to say the least and it would be a huge risk if it took place in front of unknown or known naked eyes.
I will contact you as soon as I am done with my mission,
Yours truly
Guthullu Biermann
Angry at the realization, he quickly sent a text message to Lea; really encouraging her to visit her parents for a few weeks. If I am to get that promotion I have been aiming for so long, I will need a week or two to myself because this work trip opened a few opportunities that will finally open the sealed gates for me, my love!" Lea instantly replied, "We need to talk!" Daniel's panic state surged and got even worse, his hands began shaking intensely not knowing what to say. I cannot possibly see her in this state what if I hurt her, I could never live with myself.
He took a few deep breaths for several minutes, hoping to control his state of mind but it was of no use, he was in full panic mode. He had trouble breathing and could not see his surrounding clearly and after a few minutes, he collapsed on his bed. He stared at the clock on the wall---seconds passed like minutes. Everything seemed so glim and hopeless; his life had permanently changed and as he was contemplating the people he loved and his new situation, his phone began vibrating. He barely got up hoping dearly for one name.
"Jesus man, where—where have…you be--en? I was….sic..k and worried abo—" he stuttered, barely getting the words out of his mouth.
"Sick? You sound like you have just been rescued from almost drowning to death, brother. What the hell happened to you? Did you have a stroke or something?" he said jokingly, in his usual cockish tone.
"I woke up….hopin…hoping that I---that all that shenanigans was a nightmare only to be shocked by a letter creepily placed right next to my bedside from dear old Guthullu. You know how much I care about Lea so..I---so I panicked and the Temhos, which is now literally residing within our souls, is probably making me exaggerate the tension and stress, too!"
"Relax, you idiot! You are not turning into a blood thirsty, crazed vampire; besides it will take a few days for the transformation to take place. You can still send her away. Send her off to her parents or buy her a romantic trip to Paris, excluding your boring self from it---if you're lacking ideas as usual."
Daniel went silent for a bit, deeply thinking about his suggestion, "Ok----ok that is a sound plan. Do you also feel the stream of emotions rushing through your veins? It is straight up from a Hitchcock movie…unbelievably strange and somewhat childish…" he said, his voice shaking; slowly gaining control over his deranged emotions.
"Oh great, if you are hoping that these few days are going to turn me into the adult of the duo then I got bad news for you, buddy! I am not babysitting you! and they wonder why I hate kids"---he paused for a few seconds, rubbing his eyes and continued---"pretty sure you came up with the lamest of excuses to send Lea away like some huge project from work which is running late or, like always, you blamed me and threw me under the bus, making up wild stories like 'Nathaniel is going through a psychic episode and needs my help again'…which ever it may be, I don't care, calm yourself down, breathe deeply, stare at your ugly face in the mirror and slowly whisper 'I am in control, I love me and I won't mess it up' then call her and tell her that you can do whatever the hell you lied about with her next to your side….and once she gets home make sweet love to her and…"
"Ok, Jesus! What I do in bed with my woman is none of your business, Nate!" he briefly closed his eyes and reluctantly said, "Alright----thanks! It sounds logical enough. Boy, look at how far I have already fallen from grace that I am taking advice from you! Nathaniel the big ol' mess" he laughed nervously.
"Rude! Is that how you repay me for helping you out with my flawless advice? A shrink would have charged you a couple of hundred Euros for such wise words. And so good sir, I demand a payment right away!"
"Fine, how about we go out tonight for a few drinks----some quality time for brother bonding? That and also learning a little bit more about this thing bound to my soul--"
"Hey, as long as you're paying, I ain't gonna say no to free drinks! After all, that little trip of ours, really killed a lot of freelancing opportunities!" said Nathaniel in a joyful tone---Now I finally have the powers of the Darkness growing within not only me but my brother who shall stand by my side for all eternity…or at least a very long time.
"Sure, my credit cards always work, drinks are all on me! How about 8ish, Beer Street same spot?"
"You are already reading my mind! See ya!"
He threw his phone on the bed and heard the apartment's door open. His heart began to raise steadily. Daniel knew it was his girlfriend and he had no idea what she wanted to talk about. He was scared to make the first move hence he simply stood in the middle of their bedroom pretending to look for something in their not so dusty bookshelf.
"There you are, handsome!" she strolled inside, her brows were risen for a split second as she saw Daniel and gave him a kiss, "Hey baby, I missed you!"
"I missed you too, honey---what are you looking for?"
"Oh, nothing sweetheart. Just looking for some old documents—ummm---I probably left them here somewhere---" he pretended to keep looking knowing he had to stop at some point and hide his discomfort some other way.
"What documents, I can help you." she trudged closer, laying her head on his shoulder, making him more nervous.
"It's alright, I am too tired to continue looking for it," he stopped and gave her a flirty look, "And I am pretty sure so are you. Now how about I brew some magnificent Italian coffee for the two of us for a tiny, little surprise catch up date evening?!" he turned around and held her face, caressing and kissing her cheeks, patiently waiting for her response.
"Sounds fantastic baby, I also need to talk to you!"
Daniel's eyes widened; his pupils dilated. He tried his best to hide his weariness from her. What could she want from me now?! As if coming back from that nightmare of a trip was not enough now I must deal with more drama. "Alrighty then. Let's get that coffee underway, shall we?" he held her hand and led her out of the bedroom, "And, in the meantime, you can tell me all about your big news----by the way, regarding last night…do you remember anything? Did I wake you?" he asked nervously, avoiding eye contact with her.
Lea thought for a while as they approached the dining table and carelessly said, "Ummm---no, you were as silent and quiet like always honey, why?"
"Oh, nothing, I was just making sure my ninja-like skills have not faded. My dear mother taught me a lot of things but this skill is one I shall cherish for the rest of my life." He laughed nervously.
"Oh, ok." She kissed his lips, sat on the table, stared out the window while humming a song. "So, what was so important that you wanted to have the talk?" he said curiously, brewing coffee and avoiding eye contact but staying calm on the surface.
Lea stopped humming, she looked at him and was taken aback, struggling to think straight for a moment, "Well, I got bad news and good news."
"Just spill out the beans baby, go for the bad one first, will you!" he gave her a ghost of a smile expecting the worst.
"Ok, do you remember that position I have been wanting as the head of the branch of the Oriental restaurant?" she said with the most enigmatic expression on her face.
"Uh—hum, what about it?" his eyes frowned as he continued to carefully pour coffee into two cups.
"Well, I got the job!!" she said with a smile hesitantly expecting a harsh reaction.
He turned around in surprise with a make-believe grin, "How's that the bad part, give me a hug!" he smelled her hair obsessively and caressed her back.
"Well, the bad part is that I have to go away four times a week to Salzburg---the branch is located there---I start tomorrow so I have to leave early in the morning."
Daniel was both relived and sad but the stronger emotion got the best of him as he mumbled, "Oh sweetheart." He took a deep breath. Daniel was not ready for such a move regardless, he quickly changed the sad expression from his face and looked at her with a forced smile, she was sad too.
"I know we have not been apart since we began dating but," she hesitantly switched her focus from the kitchen floor and his dark, brown eyes, "You know how bad I really wanted this job and---besides, you keep talking about that promotion of yours so I think it is best if we both focus on our careers and have each other's back." She finished talking nervously anticipating Daniel's reaction.
He sighed again, holding her possessively and looked out the window, "Yep, that was the plan all along, I just---I just didn't think it would happen so soon. Everything is changing so fast…" "What's changing so fast, baby? I will be gone for four days a week. We get to spend every single weekend together plus an extra day. Don't be sad my sweet Daniel." She caressed his face and talked in a motherly manner trying to comfort him the best she could.
Daniel felt vulnerable and sad, he rarely relied on Lea for such occasions but the surge of negative emotions hit him and all he could do was to stop himself from subbing----Oh, come on man, don't cry like a bitch in front of her----he put his head on her shoulders, she kissed her head and stroked his hair, "It will be alright, my sweet Daniel!"
"I know, baby. I am just tired. A full night rest---will—umm—fix it…I hope."
He sat down at the chair and held Lea's hand, guiding her to his lap, "How's the Wild one by the way? Did he actually pick you up from the airport?"
He raised his head from her shoulder and pushed away the tears, "Yep---he was fine, staying away from trouble as of late---that bastard is brewing something sinister!" he chuckled and drank his coffee momentarily letting go of his troubles, "Speaking of bastards, what time is it? I have to meet him at eight for a couple of drinks----brother bonding and all." His eyes gazed upon the plain white, noisy cat clock in the kitchen that pointed at 7:16, "Oh goodies, I best get going, he has become punctual again!"
"Really! There is something big brewing then!" she said teasingly with a grin.
"I'll promise I'll come back soon to help you pack." He kissed her good-bye.
A few hours down the line and the Kings were toasting beer at their usual spot, cheering the victory of a dangerous journey that miraculously came to an end, "Whoo-hoo! I really needed that! Everything is changing so fast---but there is a certain feeling when I drink, it is like a surge of joy and empowerment. Could it be the beast enhancing the experience?"
Nathaniel shook is head at his silly comments, "Both yes and no. the beast doesn't have a full grip over us---not yet but it does have certain influence."
"So, my surging negative emotions---could it be the Temhos influencing it?!" he raised his eyebrows curiously.
"Perhaps," he smirked looking at the ceiling, taking a sip from his drink, "But until it transforms us into its harbingers, we shall remain fully human with our constant need to pee, eat and endure terrible hangovers."
"Wait?! So when we do actually turn, we no longer have human needs?!"
Nathaniel burst into laughter, "I was just kidding, you idiot! You are so easy to fool. If only you had listened to the things I have told you throughout the years, we would not need to have this little awkward conversation now."
He closed his eyes and carelessly hummed to the music in the background. Daniel's left foot kept kicking, his face filled with anticipation, he could no longer wait, "Are you seriously going to ignore my curiosity?! Now more than anything I need your guidance, brother!"
"I have already told you everything I know, Daniel. The truth is, apart from its preface, the black book didn't offer much except for vague stories and explanations that could be interpreted in a million different way. As I said before, let's hope our benefactors can explain to us the very origins of this being and what our----responsibilities consist of. Just saying the word makes me wanna barf, but sadly everything comes with a price." He carelessly took a sip from his Gin tonic and avoided eye contact with Daniel who stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you being serious?!"
"I am afraid I am, little bro. Try asking me specific questions rather than general ones and maybe just maybe, I might be able to help you out a little."
"Alright, ummm----well I know about some the abilities like hearing things from miles away and running wild in the dead of the night and vampire-like fangs to drink blood---is blood going to become our main source of food?!" Nathaniel sighed heavily, closed his eyes and mumbled something to himself, "Not to my knowledge, no. We shall eat normal food like the rest of this wretched humans----anything else?"
"I suppose I remember all the other things you have told me about it. My memory might be rusty but I am sure it will all come back now since I have to work remotely at home---though to some unknown, highly contagious sickness….courtesy of the covenant.…"
Nathaniel raised his hands and ordered a double shot of gin, "Oh really? God I only wish I could see what stories you came up with to tell your dear Lea!" he chuckled and toasted his glass with Daniel's who gazed back at him with resentment.
He rolled his eyes, let out an exasperated huff, his lips a thin line, "No need to do that anymore…she---umm—she got a new job. She will be spending four days a week in Salzburg." He said the despair in his voice hard to ignore.
"Really? That's how quickly you lose hope?! I thought she was leaving your boring ass from someone more exciting,"
Daniel looked at the tiles on the floor, biting his lips nervously "No---it is just that things are changing so fast and I am still only a human. There is only so much a man can take. The truth is, I never asked for this! And I am not prepared for what is to come next. This---this was always your dream not mine. I wanted to live a normal life and become great on my own terms as a normal human being not a monster which you have been describing ever since the day you got your hands on the cursed book---" his voice raised by each word leaving his mouth, anger and resentment towards his brother grew by the second as he clutched his fist and looked at him frowned and disappointed.
"Oh my freaking God---grow a pair man! What are you six? You are an adult now, be a man and take it like one!"-----Nathaniel got a bit angry and put the palm of his hand on his brother's shoulder.
"You are one to talk about being a man and taking it like one! Drinking like a fish day and night before I saved you." He clutched his feats, his eyes narrowed.
"Stop changing the topic. Hey Milana, can I have a refill?"
Daniel rose from his chair, paid for the drinks and walk out of the bar, leaving his brother hanging. Nathaniel followed in his footsteps, lighted up a cigarette, and hit him on the back, "Daniel, HEY DANIEL! Look at me damn it! You can get through this---we will get through this together! You got me and we got the covenant." He continued to ran behind him who would not stop and listen to him.
"You are really going to count on a covenant of fools who failed to protect our lives?!" he cried and finally stopped, his voice shaking while he put his hand on his forehead.
"They made a mistake!"----he patted him but Daniel pushed his hands away and strolled on his own.
"HEY, HEY!! I am still talking to you!" he ran right in front of him, forcing him to stop, "It will be fine, brother! I promise you….you stood by your promise to become a harbinger right by my side and now I am making one---one that will protect you, my little brother above anything else."
"Oh yeah? Why?" Nathaniel looked away, he had trouble swallowing his pride, but he knew he had to say it, "Because no matter what I do or say, you'll always have my back. You have always been there for me when it mattered the most and now---now that you have sacrificed your own life and soul for my dream to come true, I shall protect you above everything---because…you are all I have!"
"Fine" he sighed heavily, reluctantly agreeing with his words, "I trust your words for the time being but know this brother!"---he frowned and clutched his fist and walked to his face with bloodshot eyes, "I will do everything in my power to fail and sabotage your little covenant of idiots---"
Nathaniel stayed silent, there was nothing he could or even wanted to say hence they stopped the argument and trudged next to one another to the closest subway station. As they reached the entrance, Daniel gazed upon his brother one more time, his eyebrows still frowned, "I believe this is goodbye until we turn into the monsters you have dreamed of for so long."
"Well, don't be a downer, Daniel. We could always facetime or---something among those lines." Daniel scuffed at his foolish little comments and left, "Oh come on, my amazing sarcastic comments deserved something better than a simple scuff….no?!" He checked an attractive girl passing by, looking at her with a smirk. Once he has a taste of its ultimate powers, he will not only get over this resentment and fear but will thank me for it. I know it!----he strolled and whistled happily and caught the first subway back home.
His eyes opened wide involuntarily as if a force within him was forcing it to open. Despite drinking monumental amount of alcohol the night before, he was not sleepy and there were no trace of a hangover but rather a surge of energy and joy. Nathaniel's longing for power was soon to become true he thought staring at the ceiling. How long will it take, an hour? Five hours? Two more days?----he talked and opened the door for the grocery delivery guy and got the paper bag from him. He looked at him in awe, there was something unnatural on Nathaniel's face; hence he dismissed the guy as swiftly as possible and left the groceries on the table.
What was that all about?! Is there something funny on my face?!?---he rushed and stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom. The lines underneath his eyes were black, his face paler than when he was weak and intoxicated with alcohol, more like a zombie walking among the living. Nathaniel touched his face----ouch…what the heck?!---he carefully touched his cheeks, there was an unnatural pain but the source of it were not his cheeks---Jesus, my canine teeth…they.look.AMAZING!!" they had grown the size of a vampire-like fangs.
He admired them for several minutes before his stomach's rumble interrupted his fascination and forced him to stop. He opened the paper bag----sweet, sweet cereals…I haven't had breakfast since I was in my early twenties. What a joy to be calm and quite before lunch.
He poured some cereal and began ferociously eating it as if he hadn't eaten anything for days when the sound of the doorbell went off---Not again, who could it be this time? I shouldn't be having any visitors….not while I look like a recently turned, bloodthirsty vampire!---he talked annoyingly rolling his eyes and opening the door, "What?!" he covered his mouth.
"Express delivery for Mr. Nathaniel King!" the mailman said looking at the envelope with an enigmatic expression before he glanced at his face, "Ok, hah, there you go sir, bye!"
"Wait, don't you want me to sign something?" the mailman ran outside the building as if it was on fire. Happens…he carelessly closed the door and inspected the envelope, it had the symbol of two keys and a crown in the middle---Vatican's coat of arms?! Boy what did I get myself into----he laughed lightly and continued eating cereal while curiously opening the letter. His eyes instantly dilated; he could not believe his eyes.
To Nathaniel King,
My identity is of mere importance at this point in time. We shall become acquaintances if you choose to find the truth. You may ask what truth? No, not the Temhos which you are awaiting its hold on your soul to be completed at any given moment now but someone you thought you had lost many years ago. Someone who shares blood with you and is family---your dear sister Katherine whom your father claimed to have been dead and buried but I am here to inform you that she is in fact alive! And I have the evidence to prove it. You can find more, come visit me at Sant Stephan's cathedral if you dare and may. Do hurry now, child for I am departing from Vienna in a few hours. You will find a picture of her attached to this letter. Ignore my pleas and let your dear sister be lost to you forever or follow your heart and mind and find more about her. The final choice is yours to make!
Yours truly,
Father A.
He snatched the picture out, inspecting it carefully. Of course it is blurry. Nathaniel could barely see her face but it didn't matter to him, the news itself filled his heart and mind with joy-----My sister lives?!? This is fantastic news----He grinned and quickly took out his phone to call Daniel but before he was to dial his number, he stopped----He is also going through the transformation phase and most probably freaking out. Thank the Creator his dear Lea left this morning else he would have been calling me none stop from five a.m.
Regardless, excited and thrilled, he could no longer finish his breakfast; thus, he put the bowl away and trudged to his room, deeply drowned in his thoughts. Why should one trust a letter sent by a freaking nobody? he thought but his ever-hungry curiosity was triggered, it was too late to extinguish the fires in his mind. Nathaniel continuously read and reread the letter time and time again, he walked around his room in circles, staring out the window every now and then.
Was he being watched?! Was this all a prank or was it a test from the covenant? He stopped and stared at the sun; its light did not bother him more than it would a normal person. Folding his sleeves, his forearm was hit with the warmth beam of sunlight, yet it did not burn his skin or even slightly irritate him. Well, at least it is safe to say that I am not turning into a vampire with severe allergies to sun light and vitamin D!
He grabbed the letter and the picture again and stared at the name, Katherin. He hadn't heard that name since he was but a boy. Flashbacks, a surge of joyful emotions and memories came back to mind as if he was living them in the moment. If she is truly alive, then I have to find out more…I have to find her! He gazed upon the window, "And since the sun is not going to burn my skin---he walked in front of the mirror again, his eyes were bloodshot, the iris almost pink. He picked up a pair of sunglasses and excitingly got dressed. Guess I am doing this then! He looked himself in the mirror one last time with a smile of confidence---pretty sure this is still work in progress. It is probably going to take another day or two for the transition to take place in full effect!
"What in Devil's name is the meaning of this?!?" Daniel screamed in front of the mirror, he had earlier come in front to see the source of the pain on his face only to be confronted by a monster-like version of himself, pale, extremely dark circles around his eyes and the iris of his eyes were pink. He looked upon his teeth, What he saw next terrified him to the bones as he took several steps back, tripped and fell on the floor, constantly touching his canine teeth in disbelief and horror.
He slowly rose up, hoping he was still dreaming. Clueless as to what he should do next and to make matters worse there was someone outside his apartment continuously pounding on the door. Goodness, how will I get myself out of this one?!? He swiftly covered his face with a scarf and opened the door, "Express mail delivery for Mr. Daniel King!" the mailwoman handed over the envelope and stared at him up and down like a freak before she noticed his bloodshot eyes and his pink iris, "What drugs is he on?!" she mumbled and handed over a tablet for Daniel to sign before she awkwardly walked away.
Taking off the scarf----It is probably from the company, hopefully it can take my mind off the monster I am becoming----but before he opened the envelope, he noticed the two key symbols and the crown in the middle. Now his curiosity was triggered, clearly the letter was not from his company, and it did not resemble the coat of arms of the Temhos covenant either.
To Daniel King,
I have heard of the tales of your hard-working lifestyle and your resolute mannerism; some call you Daniel the honorable and your brother mocks you by the name Daniel the do-gooder. My name for the time being is of little importance for regardless of what you do after reading this letter, we shall meet soon enough, however, I do have certain information that might very well interest you so much so that it might force your hands to leave the comfort of your apartment and show your not so human face to the public. If you wonder about the subject of the information, I can assure you it is of great importance to you and your brother---it is about your dear little sister Katherin. The one you thought lost and dead and since you are the logical head of the duo, I am attaching a picture of her as proof of my words. Do not linger at home for too long for I am leaving Vienna soon, come find me at Sant Stephan's cathedral. There we shall discuss this matter in greater detail.
Yours truly,
Father A.
Daniel gazed upon the picture; it was a blurry one taken from a CCTV. He instantly dismissed the whole idea------This is ridiculous, it sounds more like a trap from the heretics. Who else would know of my transformation and try to lore me out?!-----he squeezed the letter and threw it to the side and thought for a short while. Oh God, he probably sent an identical letter to Nathaniel too!! That fool will most definitely fall for the trap and go out…if the transformation takes place today…then he will be in the midst of the public eyes. No, no, no, no that's not good---that's not good at all. He rushed to his phone and began dialing his number.
After several attempts he finally picked up, "You have reached Nathaniel's phone I am right now too busy to care about what you have to say, please leave a message after the tone, bye now!"
"Nathaniel! Where are you?!? Please don't tell me you read that stupid letter and are all dressed up and ready to meet this guy, who is clearly setting a trap for us, at Sant Stephan's cathedral I may add?!"
"What?! What letter?! Of course not! I am out here strolling around, seeing some new faces, getting that sweet, sweet attention from the fairer sex." He said in his usual cockish tone.
"Don't freaking lie to me, Nate! People will notice your odd features; your eyes is probably pink and bloodshot just like mine. This is a serious matter if people find out---"
"No one will find out. I got my sunglasses and covered my newly developed fangs with a scrub. I'll get back home in like 10 minutes, you worry too much you know that?" he carelessly said, his mind almost fully focused on the mystery letter and its writer.
"Nathaniel! Go back home, this is clearly a trap! I am begging you!" he persuaded, hoping to reason with him.
"What? Wait oh, oh got to go and help the old cat lady! See—see you!" he hung up.
Darn it, he is so stubborn and stupid. It's like he is twelve all the time----he thought for a while before he swiftly got dressed and with a pair of sunglasses and a face mask in hand, left the apartment.
"Excuse me! Coming through!" Nathaniel got inside the metro and excitingly moved through the train car without a care in the world. He strongly believed that there was no way the transformation was going to take place anytime soon and that he had at least half a day before it was to take hold of his body. With that thought in mind, he recklessly took out his headset and listen to music all the while people around stared at him and his odd features, why was he wearing a sunglass and a scrub in the underground? What is he on?
Nathaniel was shaking his head to his favorite beat when his heart began to pound really hard---Ahhh, it's like it is trying to get out of its prison chest! What is this sensation….oh, God---Oh God please don't tell me it is taking place now?!?!---he panicked, strugglingly holding both of his hands on his chest and tried to control the beating but his chest became really heavy and he began to have trouble breathing---it is making its final touches, damn thing----he hid his face and turn his back on everyone, standing on the very corner of a train car avoiding as much human contact and eyes on him as possible.
The more he tried to control this struggling sensation inside of him, however, the more he failed until agony took hold of his body and he collapsed on the floor screaming in pain as if he was dying. Everyone around rushed and tried to help "Stay away! Stay away---from--me!!!" he screamed in agony "I can hurt you---just stay away and get off the ahhhhhhhhh----NEXT STOP!!" He begged them but people ignored his pleas and continued their efforts until he removed the sunglasses and the scrub, his pupils had turned fully red, and his fangs had grown to a point that he looked like a bloodthirsty vampire. Terrified, the public ran out of the train car screaming.
His legs and his arms began stretching, his muscles---every organ in his body was pumping a lot of blood as if they were growing bigger. After a few minutes of agonizing pain, it finally stopped. His hands spread wide, and the palm of his hands were open involuntarily as if it were to cast a spell, he did not understand the meaning of it.
Nathaniel stared at his hands, there was no change hence he quickly and curiously rose up and looked himself in the reflection of the windows----the features on his face had dramatically changed; for the first time he saw with his own eyes what he had read for nearly half a decade about the features of the harbinger of the Temhos. The iris in his eyes were fully red, the veins around it black as the dead of the night, his vampire-like fangs ready to torn anyone's neck off. He was slightly taller and a bit more muscular.
He kept staring at his own reflection like he had just seen batman unmasked---obsessed and in awe---he couldn't believe that the transformation had finally taken place, until passengers came in the wagon and noticed him with torn clothes just standing and staring at himself.
Watching people's awkward expression, he walked off and left the scene immediately, "Nothing to see here, just a beautiful recently fallen angel walking by….and now to look for earthly clothes---God I hope they don't think I am a hobo or something." he had to get new clothes, and he knew exactly where to go.
Nathaniel strolled in for a few blocks, ignoring the judgmental glances of the people passing by, and reached one of the most expensive stores the city had to offer. And here ladies and gentlemen I shall use my newly accumulated powers to get some decent, over-priced clothes for free—combined with my gorgeous eyes.
On the other side of the city Daniel had just barged out of his apartment building with a face mask and a pair sunglass on; clumsily covering his odd, monstrous features. Anxious as to quickly find Nathaniel and save him from what he thought was a trap, sending them back to the safety of their homes; he swiftly boarded the first bus towards the city center. As soon as He entered, however, he felt a change in him, his heart began pounding against his chest as if he was having a heart attack.
Daniel held both his hands on his chest, raising the attention of the public around him thus; he panicked even more and got off the next stop to catch some fresh hair and hopefully make it all go away, nevertheless; as soon as he got off and took a few steps, agony and anguish stroke him as he collapsed on the floor, twisting and turning in the middle of the street. People began to gather around and approach him, it was not far away from Westbahnhof, an area known for its junkies.
Daniel grew even more weary, he could bare the pain but he was concerned about the safety of the people around him. I could never forgive myself if I were to hurt any of these people. He begged everyone around him to go away but people wanted to help this poor soul until his pupils turned red and his body began to stretch. With no choice in that moment, he took off his sunglasses and face mask and forced everyone to flee the scene.
After a few minutes of agony, the transformation was done and just like his brother, his arms too were stretched involuntarily, the palm of his hands open as if he was sending a magical signal to the surrounding areas.
He slowly rose up from the ground and looked down on his clothes and figure, struggling to find a spot to see his own reflection, his clothes were torn but he felt no shame. He stared at the palm of his hands and stretched them a few times and began aimlessly walking until he finally found a glass doorway. He looked a bit taller and more muscular, but the fangs and the color of his iris were normal as he rubbed off some dust from his shoulders.
Can't believe it finally happened….it was real all along---although, I wonder why I don't have the features Nathaniel told me about. He robbed his chin and thought. Wonder if Nate has gone through the same process even though technically speaking, he was second to accept the call of the Temhos…how ironic is that?!
The cathedral's bells were ringing, the clear skies and the smiling tourists approaching the entrance, there was a calling; he could sense it. Nathaniel trudged towards the doors and looked at his new expensive watch. It pointed at twelve p.m. And now to find this odd fella----Mr. A. that's going to be fun! Have to walk around like a guy with Alzheimer's looking for Father A. He was about to enter when a hand behind pulled him away with such a power that had he not recently transformed, he would have been dragged a few meters away.
Nathaniel stopped angrily and looked back ready to kill whoever dared to lay hand on him when he realized a familiar, not so different face staring back at him with a frown, "Ohm well you take a look at that! Someone could not resist the temptation, what happened, Daniel? Are you becoming soft?" he smirked with his head held high and slapped his brother's hand away.
"It's all fun and games for you, isn't it, Nate? This is clearly a trap---and I was transformed in the middle of the streets with no idea why the cops are not after me." Daniel carefully looked behind his shoulders.
"You worry too much. Didn't your arms and hand stretch involuntarily right after the transformation?" Daniel nodded curiously, "Well, that was the Temhos sending waves mesmerizing the poor souls who saw you turn into a monster! So relax now and let us see what this----Father A.---is all about."
Daniel was still concerned, he could not shake off his gut feeling, "What if I am right and it is a trap?!"
"Then we will face it with our new powers together---we have literally died and came back from the dead. Do you really thing this is going to be any harder?! I know it sounded shady and all but---deep down I---I always knew our little sister made it out alive. We have to find out more about her, brother! Together as family!"
Daniel sighed and looked at the gates while being pushed around by rude tourists and struggled to decide for a few moments, "Come on! Don't be a wuss and just follow me!" Nathaniel grabbed his arm, and he walked in reluctantly fearing the worst.
As they entered the cathedral, they were thrown left and right by the masses, who were standing, moving and taking pictures while pretending to care about the prayers taking place at the end of the hall---"Great, now how do we find this, I am assuming, old man?"
"Oh, I got a feeling he will find us—as our dear friend Guthullu said, patience is key." said Nathaniel confidently. Suddenly they were called by someone with a strong Italian accent, "Ding ding ding ding, what did I tell you?" he smiled and turned around.
"I have been waiting for you for a bit, children!" Said the mysterious father, a short, old priest with a pair of round glasses, pretty much what they expected him to be.
"Well, you got our attention now, oh great old one! Now let's cut to the chase since I have a lot to do on my to-do-list." Nathaniel approached him and stared into his eyes sharply, "What is it that you know about our sister?"
"Patience my son. I will tell you everything I know---somewhere more, um, private. Please, follow me." He whispered curiously gazing upon the masses.
"Oh great, another one, he is also probably part of that freak circus. Do you all have the same English teacher? Extending your vocabulary seems to be a must…also it is kind of creepy for all of you to use the same set of words." Daniel followed the priest through the cathedral's halls—
"But of course dear, I am Father Alonso---I also serve the Temhos covenant." He said with a genuine smile.
Nathaniel briefly smiled, "Fingers crossed; if you're not lying and you are actually a member of the covenant then not only do you have to help us find our dear sister but also to guide us to get this Temhos business in order!"
"You Nathaniel are as ever impatient as they told me. And yes, I am here to help you with your new powers too. Why do you think I would, um, lore you with information about your sister. I was making sure you would survive the transformation and live." He gave them a hesitant look.
Daniel mouth dropped almost open. What does he mean by that?! "Jesus Christ man, these people are so inconsiderate, did the thought of us transforming and hurting innocent people cross your mind? And what the heck do you mean by surviving the transformation? Was there a risk of dying or something among those lines…that bastard has been keeping secrets from us---all of them are." He looked angrily at his brother while clutching his fist.
"Keep your calm child, there was no way you would have hurt anyone. The Temhos' hold on you is not strong enough---not yet and you could have easily used mesmerism to make people forget what they saw."
After a moment of silence, all the while they kept walking and wondering; he began to speak again, "Yes, I am afraid that my dear old friend Guthullu has hided some information from you." He took a deep breath, "There---there is a risk for the harbinger to die during the transformation----it has not been very common but a few harbingers---um, did die during the ritual." He said nervously fidgeting, "…and a few others severely hmmm…injured, I was just making sure that if you were injured then people would take you to the hospital."
Angry and mad, the duo argued with Alonso, "What do you mean?! They already failed at protecting our lives once! We literally died by the hands of the heretics and now this?!?!"
"I told you we shouldn't trust these bastards, brother. not only are they hiding valuable information from us but also failing yet again at protecting our lives. What are we lab rats for your experiments in the name of your stupid covenant?" The two Argued.
They went on and on ramping endlessly while they continued to stroll down the hallways, and in the midst of their rage, their eyes turned red; they could no longer control the beast inside. Daniel's fangs grew and he tried to assault him. Alonso immediately pulled out a unique looking cross out of his pockets and held it high. It gave them a headache and made them get on their knees, "What---what is that thing—ahhhhhhhhh." Daniel screamed in agony, holding both his hands against his head.
"Attacking a member of the covenant is going to be harder than you think, child. I'm going to let this one slip under the rug." He hid the cross, "Now get up, take a deep breath in and walk with me---we are almost there."
"What the heck was that?!" Daniel said shocked giving a gaze to his brother who looked equally shocked.
"Needless to say I have never heard of anything like it in my extended research…" they whispered to one another and followed on his footsteps.
They finally arrived at the doorstep of a room. Alonso opened the door to what appeared to be his office, bright stones covered its walls with an old, huge dark wooden desk in the middle and three armchairs around it, "Pretty sure Saint Stephan made those armchairs himself." Nathaniel mocked from the corners of his mouth, holding his laughter.
Alonso trudged to his desk, sat on his chair and calmly said, "You do not understand the importance of your conversion into the harbingers of the Temhos in these dire times."
"Again, with the codes and abstract words that make no sense, can you please speak plain English, old-timer?!" Nathaniel rolled his eyes and mocked his authority.
"Now is not the time, brother! We are here to get some answers about the Temhos." He whispered, quickly changing his focus to Alonso, "Why did the deity chose both of us and not one?! My brother has been always talking about the fact that there can always be a single Harbinger at a time, never two! So how come both of us have become the instrument of its wrath?!"
Nathaniel turned to him in shock, his face frowned, "Really? You are going to ignore our sister and focus on the Temhos? And you call me obsessed."
"I don't believe this guy has any information regarding our dear sister…it was a cruel ploy to lore us here." They whispered to one another.
Alonso simply sighed at Nathaniel's ignorance, looked at Daniel with a bright smile and continued, "You two are very lucky, the Temhos chose Nathaniel at first for he is---well Nathaniel….but we had to struck a bargain with the Guild and so, the deity made a deal. It would, for the first time in history, choose not one person but two to be its harbingers.
"What is the point of this then?" Daniel said impatiently, kicking his leg.
"The deal of course, came with a price---" he robbed his chin for a while staring at the surface of his desk, "If one of you goes---how do you say, a-ha, if one of you goes rogue then the other shall---kill him."
"Oh brother," Nathaniel rolled his eyes.
"But why did he choose us out of literally billions of people out there?! Why the King Brothers?!"
"In time children, we have a lot to discuss and talk about…these topics are not important right now."
"So, what is the Temhos exactly and what is its core mission? I am so confused…until a month ago I thought it was all part of my brother's imagination only to end up like this?" he asked, pointing at himself like a freak.
"Well, the Temhos is an agent of the Creator. It's main job is to destroy evil in this world but with power comes temptation and corruption that can lead good man to become evil themselves, killing the innocent. That was the story of the last harbinger" he paused and studied their reaction. "The good part is that it created the vampire myth which made some really great novels and movies."
Daniel thought briefly, frowned and with his eyes fixed upon the cold stone tiles on the floor, "So, wait, how can it corrupt good men? Isn't that ironic! And here I thought it was only meant to fight off the bad guys while protecting the innocent."
"Yes, but the nature of the Temhos is one of destruction doesn't matter if its victim is innocent or evil. It corrupts the dream world, and it will be a long battle against yourself, your will and the nightmares. You must always ignore the nightmares and control your urges----something Anatu, the last harbinger, couldn't do and no one blamed him. He became the, umm, how do you say---umm, a-ha yes the scapegoat for the civil war between the three orders. Once the war was over, the archimage of the guild sacrificed him and imprisoned the Temhos."
"Well, that explains a lot." He rubbed his chin briefly, "The archimage of the Guild" Nathaniel mumbled to himself "What guild?!? I have never read anything about them! Who are they?"
"Patience, more on that very soon. As you can see, you are just at the beginning of a long trip. The Temhos will try its best to control you from the dream world. To make you mad and push you to do what it wants and unfortunately, there are very few ways for us to help you with controlling it. What you can do is to stay strong and ignore its lies in the dream world. Ignore them and stay strong and you will become stronger everyday."
"Alright, I think we have heard enough for one day about the Temhos. I know I came here for one thing and one thing alone and I am not leaving before I get what I want." He looked at Daniel disappointingly, "I came here for my sister….were the words on that letter of yours true?!?! Is she truly alive?!?" Alonso slowly got up from his chair, paused for a few moments and peeked out the window as if he was waiting for someone outside.
"But of course! Your sister Katherine is well and alive. She lives well with her---new family here in Europe." He took a sit back at his armchair, put his hands on his forehead and tried his best to keep his eyes open a little longer, "I shall give you more information later down the road as you Americans say."
Daniel gazed upon Alonso doubtfully before he rubbed off the impression on his face and pretended to believe him, "So, if she is alive then why not reveal more and let us to her? What's with the hiding, Father?!"
"You two really need to learn more about patience else you will fail your mission from the very start. To answer your question, dear Daniel, all shall be shown to you in time when you have successfully passed your training and the covenant agrees to ah-to give you more information. Only then will you be ready to see your sister again. I just called you here to make sure a smooth transition."
"Hmm, to lore us here and only show the tip of the ice burg, that sounds really cruel---almost like something I would do." Nathaniel chuckled, his hands in his belly amusingly.
Daniel rolled his eyes, sighed and annoyingly said, "Seriously?! He just gave news about our dear sister being alive and you still find a way to make it about yourself?"
"Well my most humble apologies; I simply got a bit bored since this old man---no disrespect---is not going to tell us anything else…..he also seems to be immune to mesmerism which I used earlier when we first saw him downstairs so either we kill him as our first victim and relentlessly raid his office or wait until he has finally taught us something about patience. Truth be told I too am happy that she lives but there are so many things we need to figure out first!"
"So typical and selfish of you---now that you have your precious Temhos, all you care about is yourself and its powers."
He looked annoyingly at his brother, "Whatever Daniel, only a few minutes ago you did not believe that this guy could possibly have any information about Katherine and now you're going to act like a total ass? Only one of us is acting like an adult here." He fixed his shirt, took a short breath and continued, "she is fine and living a life of luxury—besides the Temhos' hold on us will become stronger by each passing day and if we don't get help from these nice people then we might hurt her on sight. So now, do let us know about the abilities we are to train ourselves and the use for our 'holy mission' oh great old one!"
Relentless and frustrated, Daniel too stayed silent and listened to the priest. Alonso laughed lightly at Nathaniel's name calling, "That's a long story for some other time, child. For now, my eyes are very tired, and I got other things I need to do today! We will begin the trainings very soon and teach you everything about the Temhos and your Holy missions."
"What does the training include? Sunday mass every week and a confession to our dirty little secrets to you, father?" Nathaniel chuckled and annoyed Alonso just as he intended to before he continued, "By the way I thought you were leaving tomorrow morning. Who is going to train us then? Master Shifu?"
"I will be gone for a few days. There are things I have to do back in Rome before your trainings are to start. But before the training, you have to learn about your powers on your own and practice alone."
"Alrighty then! What's the next step towards our training oh great old one?"
"First, learn to use your weaves of mesmerism and master it----every time you have to destroy evil, no one needs to know about your existence, because when government agents find out about you then you will be ah-kidnapped? Yes kidnapped to the closest CIA building." He rose up from his seat and approached Nathaneil.
"Second, using your powers too much and for personal things will have consequences." He staired at Nathaniel's expensive shirt and watch, "The guild is watching and if they find out that you're using it for this," he pointed to his expensive watch, "Then you are in trouble, child."
"Not a shocker." Daniel scuffed at his brother.
"What? I was just testing if I could actually mesmerize people during day light. Besides how was I supposed to come here? Butt naked? I needed something to cover my beautiful body and so I---I simply got the most expensive ones." He faked a nervous laughter.
"Ok, we are done for the day my sons, I have other things I need to do before I leave Vienna. You can go now and I will contact you as soon as I get back."
"Wait; do you know where Guthullu is? Or what happened to him? Are we going to see the bastard again?"
Alonso sighed so ever tired of their endless questions, "Guthullu is fine and alive—he is on an important mission for the covenant which I cannot discuss in any more details but he will be back for your training." He slowly guided and pushed them out of his office pointing his head to the exit.
The King strode out of the cathedral with more questions than before but there was little they could do for the time being but to wait. Nathaniel smirked confidently and looked around to the people arrogantly as if he was a supreme being and teasingly smirked, "So, what's the plan? What are you going to do now, Dan?"
"Too much information to process for one day, I'll probably simply go home and think about all these shenanigans for at least a couple of hours. If I feel any better I will maybe later watch a movie to distract myself and hopefully avoid a headache."
"Wow, all these powers were just bestowed upon you and you are simply going back home to think? The Temhos did not fix you being a complete bore now, did it?"
"Apart from my body becoming a bit more muscular I haven't felt any change in me. The pain from the fangs vanished and my eyes did not turn red as you said they would." He said confusingly touching his torso.
Nathaniel put his arm on his brother's shoulders and walked him into the sunlight, "You see that huge source of light which has been there since eternity?" Daniel nodded confusingly, "There is a reason why they say vampires die in sunlight and that is because our powers are pretty much useless in it and I for one got a feeling that your transformed right in front of its beautiful, joyful beams of light!" he sarcastically pointed to the sun.
"Well, with the deity being called the Temhos, I should have thought so….wait then how did you---ummm---how did you mesmerize the store clerks to give you free clothes?"
"You can use its powers whenever you want just not in broad daylight you dummy!" Nathaniel said confidently smiling and slowly trudging away from Daniel who was processing all the information within him, "Oh for crying out loud, did you at least try to mesmerize someone?" he stopped and looked back at his little brother disappointed in his lack of effort.
"Nathaniel, I was so freaking scared of the cops coming after me for literally turning into a bloodsucking monster that I rushed to you only to ask for guidance on the next step…to be fair I didn't even care if this was a trap anymore." Daniel confessed looking to the floor in discomfort and shame.
"Oh, what do you know! Daniel the brave, the do-gooder the honorable was afraid…how low have we already fallen brother!"
"Shut up Nate!" he turned his back on him.
Nathaniel strode to his face and with his brown eyes sharp and narrow fixed on his brother's eyes he said, "You better start learning now before the sun goes down else you will freak out and be afraid of its powers even more. I would stick around and help you out but---I got more important things to do like partying and finally using its ultimate powers to my advantage----before the covenant takes the fun part away from me."
"Nah, I will stick with my plan and head home for the rest of the day. Whatever this thing had turned me into, I rather face it on my own and learn without----anyone's involvement in." he said hiding his fear. He was frightened to the core.
"Welp, your call then!" Nathaniel lowered his voice, "P.s. I can also see the fear in your eyes, don't worry you are not going to drain anyone of their blood because you just turned into a blood crazed vampire. If anything----just give me a call rather than panicking on your own like always." Nathaniel strolled away joyfully like a child who had just been gifted a new toy.
Everything is like a game for him. I wish I could take things so easily and carelessly----Daniel looked over his shoulders and rushed back home like a loose felon on the run all the while he kept staring at the sun hoping to race against the night for the twilight of the day would be his undoing, he thought paranoidly to himself.
Alone in the corners of his room like a freak, shivering and holding onto the blankets that still smelled of his lover who he dearly missed----How I wish she was here---he mumbled in fear constantly changing focus from the window and the guitar shaped clock for the time. When the sun goes down the beast comes up----when the sun goes down the beast comes up---he kept shivering in fear, repeatedly saying those words and praying to God it could all stop and go away until his eyes felt heavy.
Daniel rubbed his eyes several times but to no use, he was too tired. Why do I have the urge to sleep so much?! It is like I went to the gym for four hours straight….I got---I got no more energy within me. His eyes felt heavier and heavier by each word he mumbled until they were fully shut and surrendered to the dream world.
In his dream, Daniel was running through the same cursed forest, his only source of light the moon which brightened his path that led to a massive black tree. Why was he running towards it? He had no idea but he could not stop himself either as if he was trapped in his own body, controlled by an unknown force. Could it be the Temhos? Can it hold full control over my body? He said to himself while continuously running like a mad man being chased by the big bad wolf.
He looked behind but there was nothing but solitude and the hoot of an owl which always reminded him of the peacefulness of the forest. Wondering deeply about the purpose of his run and the big black tree which didn't seem to get any closer no matter how much he ran, he suddenly heard the growls of a lion like creature which echoed through the forest from a very distant.---A lion in a forest in the middle of Europe?! His heart began pounding strongly against his chest, he could literally see the shape of his heart hitting against his torso like a cartoon all the while the growls became stronger and closer as if the source of it was running behind him.
He looked back but did not see anything, however, the growls were continuously echoing regardless, when suddenly he heard a distant whisper of a female coming from the tree, "Daniel-----come to me. Come to me! It is safe here!" he put up the pace and ran even faster towards the tree.
This seemed to work for it finally began to get closer. Curious and nervous about the growls, he checked the road behind him when he finally saw a black figure, a humanoid creature running like a wolf but he could not see it's features.
Daniel's heart raised even more but he could not run any faster from it---What kind of messed up thing is that? What does it want from me?!----he cried in anguish the beasts growls haunting him every step of the way to the big black tree and as he approached it even further he noticed a wooden doorway on its barks----That's it, that's my way out of this nightmare, I can sense it!-----but before he was to go through it, the doorway closed and he hit his body against the rough bark of the tree. It took Daniel's breath away, but he had no time for such courtesies for the beast was still there.
As he turned around the black figure rushed to him like a hungry predator finally catching its pray, Daniel held himself together but what he saw next filled his heart with dread….the face of the beast, it was him, bloodshot eyes, with the iris of them fully red like a demon---blood dripping from its mouth growling and shouting at him; Daniel screamed in horror until he woke up from the nightmare, cold sweat covering his face.
He covered himself in his blankets and looked around confusingly to his dark surroundings. It was the comfort of his bedroom; the twilight had finally gone by, and his worst fears were now coming to play. The nightfall was upon him, and the beast had to be handled.
Still shivering in his bed, he refused to move for a few moments out of sheer fear but he had to do something. Oh for crying out loud, I have to get up and handle this no matter the hardship. He rose up from his bed and stared out the window to the city which was filled with life and adventure for the night before he felt the sudden extreme urge to drink water, his mouth and throat felt dry like never before as if he had been stranded in an island with no clean water for weeks.
Daniel rushed to the bathroom and drank water like a mad man before he noticed his own reflection, to his surprise it did not frighten or shock him. This time he was ready for the change, as he curiously stared at the iris of his eyes that were red as blood, the veins beneath his eyes black.
He touched his teeth for a while but there was no sign of the vampire fangs until he heard the buzzer ring, it felt like a tiny earthquake---When did I turn that thing's volume so high?!----the loud noise alerted him and this in turn made the fangs grow. He examined them in awe for a short while before he walked to the buzzer, "Yeah?"
"Pizza delivery for Aaron!"
"That's unit 45!" he put back the handset smashing it involuntarily----Oh boy, I better be more careful with my actions from here on…
Daniel wanted to stay home and test his powers away from everyone just as he told his brother but the sudden surge of power and excitement within him was too much to be handled at home. What if I hurt someone-----I could never forgive myself or live with the guilt…but this energy this joy I have never felt anything like it!!----He ran to the bathroom to see his reflection one more time in a speed that amazed him even further. He looked at his reflection with joy and laughter----this---this is incredible it's like I inherited the powers of the Greek God Hermes! I wonder what else I can do?! God I wish I had listened to Nathaniel's endless conversations about the Temhos sooner. He rushed to the hallway leading to the exit and gazed upon the entrance---I guess there is only one way to find out! Putting on his clothes, he rushed out into the streets.
Daniel could hear conversations from the buildings he was walking by. He heard a couple fighting. Where are they? He wondered and looked up, hearing their voice like they were screaming in his ears. They were on the fifth floor of a building across the street. It is going to be fun to sleep with this new powers! He continued to trudge when suddenly he felt the need to rush and run as he used his powers to skip a couple of blocks, he stopped and looked at the palm of his hands and laughed, "Woooohooo! This is incredible! Such power, such joy!! This is beyond from what I could have ever asked and imagined!!" he screamed in the middle of the streets, a bunch of teenagers passed by looking at him like a crazy person talking to himself, "Well I promised Nate I would practice so here are the perfect subjects for that!" he rushed to them mesmerizing them to stay put and silent, then he grabbed one of their faces and stared deep into her eyes, "You will forget what you saw just happened! In fact you will forget your own name now!" he said the iris of his eyes turned red, the veins below them black as the night but she did not react she stood there with a numb expression and then came back to her senses when Daniel stopped talking, "I only have one question miss, what's your name?"
She wondered for a while looking at the floor, "I---I how is this possible….I don't know!" "Excellent, now you will remember your name and go back home and sleep!" he sniffed the stash of drugs in the palm of their hands, "Yes! You will all go back and sleep instead of doing drugs with your little friends, go now!" he said to the others taking away the drugs from their hands and throwing it into the nearest trash can.
"A job well done! A few minutes in and I have already done something positive for this sick society!" he talked and laughed rushing to the city center until he reached the Voltiv Church and gazed upon the twin bell towers, "Huh, I wonder what is the view up there?!" and within a few minutes time he was atop the tower staring down the city in amazement, a grin on his face which was rare to happen when he heard the slow clapping of familiar hands behind him, a dark figure leaning against the towers in the dark, Daniel's eyes turned red and he took a defensive stance, "I got to hand it to you! I am impressed! You're handling this a lot better than I anticipated! I'll give it a solid 3.5 out of 10 just for the effort!" Nathaniel chuckled coming out of the shadows, "Terrible timing as usual, Nate!"
He rushed right behind him, "I never asked for any of this, Nathaniel! I just wanted a normal life! Not really standing by your words now, huh? Daniel the honorable." He scuffed and looked for his reaction but he avoided eye contact and instead stared deep into the city below them.
"To be fair I still stand by my word. I didn't ask for any of this but…"
"But what, Daniel?" he annoyingly awaited his little brother's response, "But as a human who just got his hands on a set of super-human powers it is quite obvious and expected for me to act all excited…besides, the powers are incredible! We have the power of not only some of the most powerful super heroes from the comic books but of a demigod!" he said sounding too excited like a school boy going on his first field trip.
"Aha, now you finally understand my deep obsession! The ultra hearing, the supreme sense of smell, the speed the fangs…..Goodness such a huge relief! Now my brother gets it!" Nathaniel said sarcastically in a funny voice.
Daniel ignored his mocking comments and smiled staring at the city and then to the palm of his hands, the powers in it were there to stay. He was so happy yet frightened of the future and as he kept staring at his hands, his eyes began to blur, getting worst by each passing second, "I----I don't feel so good, all of a sudden….is---is this normal?!" he mumbled and collapsed on the floor half conscious.
Nathaniel sighed and rolled his eyes before he got to his knees to check on him, "Let me guess, you have been using the powers since the sun went down, haven't you?!" Daniel simply made a mumbling noise affirming positively to his question, "Well, there you have it. The first lesson, you see we're not like superman who was born with these powers. As harbingers of the Creator's wrath there is a limited amount of power we can use during the night, up until we are trained to handle more. I am guessing you got so excited that you ran all the way from your apartment to up here and now, you are depleted for the night."
Daniel simply mumbled something in frustration, too gibberish for his brother to make sense of it. Nathaniel grabbed it and carried him on his back, "Alright, thank goodness I am a----sort of an----expert on Temhos related stuff and still have enough in me to carry you down there, mesmerize a cab to take you home and carry you to your bed and go out and party! Whoohoo!"
He carried his brother down the bell towers, got him a cab and decided to go to a bar nearby and have some fun with his remaining dark essence.