The next morning, Nathaniel woke up, his head spinning and his stomach aching like never before, "Why in hell's name am I dealing with such a strong hangover?" he yelled and rushed to the toilet, throwing up everything he had ate the day before, "Holy mother of cow, this is---" he continued to throw up confused as to what was exactly happening to his body.
He strugglingly rose up from the floor and felt the surge of energy rise within him, "What the hell is the matter with you!" he yelled at his torso, punching his belly. The next sensation he felt was a starving one. His stomach made all kind of weird noises while he rushed to the kitchen, opening the pantry and pouring cereal and milk in the biggest bowl he had available.
Feeding his organs, he was calm but not happy, a sudden surge of angry energy filled his mind and soul, he clutched his hands but couldn't figure out what was going on. His thoughts were interrupted by the heavy pounding on his door, "Jesus, COMING!" the pounding continued regardless, "Coming!! If you're trying to rip off the door, you are slowly succeeding I'm afraid!" he finally opened the door and saw the van driver with his typical attire staring at him angrily, "We got a second angry guy today…what is this? A hidden camera competition that I am unaware of?" his eyes met his, the guy was angry and disappointed while he constantly shook his head and finally signaled Nathaniel to follow him.
"Someone pissed off the wrong guy today." He muttered, quickly running into his room and changed into casual attire for the day and with a book in hands, he followed the driver to the van.
He sat and fastened his seatbelt, Daniel was nowhere to be found, were they driving them separately again? He rested his head on the seat and felt his eyes getting heavy from the cereal bowl he just devoured, was the Temhos finally healing him? He wondered and blinked a couple of times before he fell into a deep sleep.
He opened his eyes, it was almost early in the evening, he stared into the palm of his hands and his clothing, the skull T-shirt and the black nail polish, "the memories again…" he tried to stand up but he lost full control over his body. He picked up the beer can from the asphalt floor and began drinking it with Peter, David and a few other friends before Andrea's party at a small park nearby. Daniel appeared nearby wondering, noticed him and approached, "ahhhh, here comes the fun killer, what do you want Daniel. I am truly in no humor for parental lecture right now."
"Not to worry, I hear bearing a white flag of peace. I just want to let you know about something very important since all your friends do is shield you from the inevitable truth." Daniel said staring at Peter and David disappointingly.
"What the hell are you talking about?! I am not drunk enough for your none-sense. What are you getting at?" he lashed, staring angrily at him.
"Your girlfriend Pia? She is seeing someone else, she has moved on, bro! It is time you move on too."
"Who the fuck told you that? We are in love and there is no one who can come between us, she loves me!" he scoffed and continued, "You know what? I think you are actually jealous because you and that little bitch girlfriend of yours will never have what we have!!" said Nathaniel drunkenly as he rose up with his beer loosely in his hand, strolling to his face.
Daniel let out an exasperated huff, "Avoiding the truth as always, Nate! And to make matters worse you have chosen a bunch of cowards to be your friends who dare not disturb you with the truth because of the fear of your wrath." He growled, staring at Peter and David with an angry expression once more.
Nathaniel grinded his teeth, clutched his hand and smashed the beer against the floor, "You are full of shit, you know that? You left me drowning in my sorrows as you basked in the glory of being the school football team's captain, hanging out with the cool kids too ashamed to include your big bro for he is a weirdo, or am I being a paranoid freak again?!"
Daniel looked to the floor in shame, "No, unfortunately you are right. After father let us move to Europe, you put your faith in me and I failed you…I guess I deserve this treatment." He pulled himself up and continued, "But I am here to help you not drown any further in the quicksand you got yourself stuck in so let me be here for you!"
"You are just saying this because you are afraid that I am going to create a scene at the party tonight….I already----kind of ------knew about Pia seeing someone else…I just kept lying to myself about it. Peter, umm, told me a few days ago and I punch him in the face for it…I cannot believe she would do that to me." he said desperately, he wept a little while staring at the asphalt. He collapsed on the floor and contemplated his life without her. Daniel sat beside him and tried to reason with him, "I just want you to know that she is not worth the anger. So please don't make a show out of it!"
"No brother….the anger is not that strong….not anymore….the punching bag at the gym and the wall in my room paid the price for it." he said as he took off his gloves…his knuckles fully bruised. Daniel took his hands and stared at them even more worried about his brother's next move.
"I----just want to know why?? What did I do wrong to deserve this?" he said in a low voice weeping.
"That bitch did not deserve you anyways, brother!! I will help you find a new girl who will really have your back but you need to clean up first."
Nathaniel looked away and said in frustration, "Yeah, whatever….with your permission I will take tonight off though…this is too much for me to take. Tonight was supposed to be a night to remember for a lifetime for its joy and the epic party…fate, it seems, had a different plan for me…to end high school full of sorrow and despair…rejected by every single woman I have ever loved."
"It is all going to be alright, Nathaniel! I promise you that I will have your back on this and any other madness that comes your way. I will not neglect you anymore, brother!" whispered Daniel with a sad expression on his face feeling the endless pain and agony Nathaniel was going through.
He looked back at him with a tight smile and stopped weeping, "Well, there you have it. Your assurance that I won't make a scene at the party."
Daniel could see the deep sorrow in his brother's eye and continued to insist, "Nate, I am telling you we will find you a new, better girlfriend who will really love you and have your back….enough is enough, I mean that bitch was a bigger mess than you are right now, no offence."
Nathaniel looked at him frustrated at his perfectionism, "You do know I am human right? I need time to process a breakup of a relationship that lasted 6 month…the longest I have ever been in and hopefully the last. Your expectations are higher from that of father's!!"
Daniel sighed, "That's not what I meant….anyways. I got some people at the party who are bringing some decent booze so throw these cheap beers away and follow me into the VIP section."
"There he goes rubbing his popularity on my face again…" he laughed forcefully, trying to let go of his troubles.
"Jesus bruh, that's was not…whatever just follow me, fellas!" Said Daniel as they both got off the floor and he put his arms around his brother's shoulders, strolling towards the party.
Nathaniel walked into the party with his brother but as soon as he stepped on the other side of the door frame, it turned into a hallowed forest, foggy and dark as the night but he was no longer afraid nor was he about to turn into a little boy version of himself, he simply walked alone through the dark, black fog calm, and in control. Caressing the barks of every single tree he passed by. Nathaniel stopped in the midst of the forest and took a deep breath of relief, "Safe to say I can finally call this place my safe haven." He said out loud, a smile covered his face as he looked happily at the pine trees that no longer appeared to be so creepy like the visions of the past.
As he gazed upon the trees, the breeze running through his hair, the fog slowly began to fade, in the distance, however, he could see the same female figure that had been haunting him through all his visions, "Ah, great you again…so you couldn't find anything of value in my memories so you have lured me back into this----place, care to explain why?" the figure stood still, she didn't say a word.
"Creepyyyy!" he muttered and stared back at it, his brows frowned, his right hand clutched ready to strike at her. "Nathaniel!" she finally whispered, it echoed through the woods, he began walking towards her, his pace faster with each step taken but no matter how much he ran, the distance between them never got closer, "Nathaniel!! Stop and listen darling!"
"Why won't you let me see you?!" he yelled in utter frustration, "Now is not the time, you are in great danger! You cannot trust the covenant! They---they---"
"They what?!" before he was to hear an answer he was awakened by a bump on the road. He confusingly looked out the window, he was close to his destination. He could sense that something was terribly wrong and he was about to find out what.
The van drove in the front yard right in front of the manor house as usual where Guthullu and Father Alonso were talking, almost like they were arguing and Daniel stood in the far corner by himself, carefully listening to their conversation. As Nathaniel opened the door and got out of the van, his two masters faced him with anger and disappointment, "Oh boy, that does not look good…"
"So, the traitor among us arrives at long last!" yelled Guthullu angrily.
"Goodness, now what?!"
"The final results from our team's investigations are in, Nathaniel! And they don't look any good, not for you nor for us!"
"Ok, what is that supposed to mean?" Nathaniel shrugged and pretended to not know what they are talking about.
"Now is not the right time to play fool, boy! You have wasted our time long enough!" Guthullu continued to yell at him, Nathaniel, however smiled, he was truly unmoved as he watched Daniel approach them from the far corners curious as to what was going on.
"I knew you had done something dumb, Nate! Why didn't you tell me anything!" he whispered. Nathaniel simply gazed at him annoyed and then turned his attention back to Guthullu.
"Both of you come with me! Now!" Guthullu continued to yell pointing his hand to the manor house, the two exchanged a hesitant glare, "I won't be asking so nicely next time! come on now!" he pointed to the silver cross well hidden in his sleeve and so they followed him inside.
Guthullu rushed inside and yelled to his men, "It is time to apply the solitude protocol! These boys, or at least one of them, is not only not being cooperative for the training procedures but has also traded information and stolen goods with the sworn enemies of the covenant! Such unforgivable sin shall be punished!" Guthullu stride with a very disappointed expression on his face, looking at Nathaniel up and down like a stray dog.
"Well said friend, I agree. I think that it is time to teach them about the Guild of the Scarlett sun as well because we are going to be together for a bit. I didn't think it would be needed to do so this soon but the bad news I've been receiving from my sources are very worrying." Said Alonso nervously fidgeting.
"You people pretend to be the bastion of good yet lie to us on a daily basis, keeping valuable information especially about my sister Katherine!" he turned to Father Alonso in anger, Daniel too began to see his brother's point and he believed Nathaniel was right, "Ever since our first meeting with grandpa here, he refuses to say anything about my long-lost sister. You guys don't even partake in our trainings! You simply hide in your rooms doing God knows what!!" Nathaniel said furiously clutching his fist.
Daniel looked at his brother with hesitation his doubts grew even more than before---Who am I kidding, Nate is right!! They are not telling us the truth and worst of all they are keeping valuable information regarding Katherine from us. The covenant us clearly deceiving us at an alarming rate. They even refuse to answer or share any information from their main archives that would potentially answer my questions.
He built up the courage and spoke fiercely, "I am for once with my brother on this one. I keep asking both of you for answers, reading veraciously through the books you were kind enough to lend me only to be disappointed and faced with even more question than before. There is something cheesy going on and you guys know it! I have played by your rules long enough and will not be your puppet anymore." Daniel's voice became louder and louder with each word said, he was beginning to fume with anger for he did not like the covenant right from the get go.
"Finally, a voice of reason! I am not following you two nor am I taking orders!!" Nathaniel stopped and looked at his mentors, his face fuming with rage.
"Me neither. I have never liked you nor your stupid covenant of lies! You guys failed us right from the beginning when you allowed a bunch of cave-men sacrifice us to their Gods and now you expect us to follow your orders blindly! Madness!" he scoffed and stopped right next to his brother, the two were ready to jump at their mentors.
"You two idiots will follow us or face my wrath!" Guthullu turned to them angrily clutching his hands not remotely afraid of their threats while Alonso stood next to him, his hands shaking, scared of what was to happen next.
The King brothers' eyes turned red simultaneously as they exchanged a look and got ready to attack, "Dear they are not themselves, they are new blood! Their emotions are heightened and they don't know what they are doing! Don't hurt them!" Alonso whispered nervously.
"Oh, I got a gut feeling that if I don't hurt them they will hurt us Father!" he took out the artifact of the light and pointed it towards them, forcing them to get on their knees in agonizing pain "Ahh, music to my ears. Excruciating to say the least for you bastards have been a pain in my ass ever since the very first day we met with your endless questions and remarkable curiosity but no more!! It is my way or the highway, baby! Guards take them to the punishment chambers!" shouted Guthullu, holding the artifact high up in his hands. They passed out from the severe pain.
They were awakened in shackles in the punishment chambers. The halls were dark as the night, the only source of light a beam in the ceiling that brightened up the place only enough to see a little of the surrounding areas.
Daniel's eyes wondered around a bit before it met his brother's, Nathaniel was coming to. Guards lighted up some torches in the room which revealed Guthullu and Father Alonso standing in the back. Nathaniel fully gained consciousness, notice his mentors in the back and instantly became enraged and yelled, "What the hell is the meaning of all this?!?" he struggled to rip the chains off the ceiling and the walls and attack Guthullu while his fangs grew and his eyes turned red, ready to devour anything or anyone who came his way.
Guthullu gave a firm look to the two guards standing in the back, a buckle in hand. They silenced Nathaniel quickly as they poured a colorless liquid in his mouth. Guthullu watched him scream amusingly with a smirk, he held his hands behind his back and confidently, with an authoritative tone said, "You got a very big mouth, boy! I give you that, no matter what we do or say, the two of you, especially you Nathaniel, find a way to mess things up and push us a step further back into hell! Do you know what you have done?!?! The book you stole was an invaluable asset we were guarding from our enemies! You foolish child, you simply took and gave it to that traitor George hoping to defy us! And now with the book in his possession; not only will they find ways to kill you but to doom our entire order!!" he said, changing focus from the two. He strode to Daniel, looking deep in his eyes, expecting him to understand their dire circumstance.
"Whatever you say, tough guy! Why don't you come a little closer, huh?! I dare you! Come on, old man!!" Growled Nathaniel angrily as his voice slowly turned into one of a monster.
Guthullu growled at him before he was stopped by Father Alonso, "It didn't have to come to this, we did everything we could to help you." He stopped and let out an exasperated huff, his eyes on the dirty tiles on the floor and then he continued, "And right now, with the little time we have, we are trying to teach you as we can. You don't understand children; if we erm--reveal everything to you, you would go mad. It is too much information!"
"But why play the deceiving game? why couldn't you trust us and let us know that it will take time for us to absorb these information and secrets rather than relying on lies and tricks." Protested Daniel.
"What my brother Daniel meant to say is, knowing how childish Nathaniel is, why couldn't you simply trust me? Why did you have to crush my ego like that?" he mocked in a childish tone.
Daniel looked at him angrily before ignoring his little comment, ready to listen to whatever his mentors had to say. "You two chuckle heads do realize that this is only the 3rd day of your training and that we got 11 more days to train you, right? As always rather than relying on your patience and trusting the process; you had to revolt and question our authority." Guthullu focused his attention fully on Daniel, "And don't you play the role of the good guy, Daniel! You might be more mature than your brother but deep down you are just like him…impatient, childish and arrogant. Always indirectly questioning authority figures in your life." He said, looking into Daniel's eyes, shaking his head in disappointment, "You are lucky time, under current circumstances, is of the essence and so your punishment will be brief, however I never said anything about it being easy." He let out an evil laughter.
"Oh yeah, what you gonna do, old man?! You gonna lock us up here in the darkness for 2 hours?! Do you expect us to cry for our mommy?! You stupid punk, just let me get out of these chains and I promise you I will devour your heart whole!! Pray to whatever the heck you believe in that I don't get out of here, you hear me?!!?" Yelled Nathaniel from the top of his lungs, his eyes once again turned red, and he grew fangs.
"Ok, I was going to talk some sense into you but, as always, you refuse to act as adults. Don't say I didn't warn you! So, off we go Father." Said Guthullu as he left the artifact on a pedestal in the middle of the room, extinguished the torches and closed the gates to the chamber. The brothers were left to scream in agony for many hours without end.
"That will teach them a lesson. They never listen, never will." Said Guthullu angrily as he and Father Alonso strolled to their office to plan the next stage of their trainings and how they could possibly explain and reveal more about the Temhos.
Daniela was right behind the doors to the chambers listening to their conversation and as soon as her two mentors rushed out, she followed into their footsteps, "If I may, master, I would have a few words with you!" she said shyly.
Guthullu gave her a quick glance, "You may speak my girl."
"I pray and hope that these two few days will be about enough for the two of them to attend the grand meeting with the Guild of the Scarlett sun. They seem a lot more impatient than I anticipated but yet again, no disrespect master,"----she quickly glanced at Guthullu who blech--- "But we did hide quite a bit of information from them, especially about their sister Katherine whom they have been wondering about ever since the day they met Father Alonso. I was there….I could see their eyes begging for more but…I will stop now since it is not my place to judge" she said looking shyly to the tiles on the floor following them like a good, obedient student.
They reached Alonso's office, Alonso turned around and put his hand on her shoulder and said in a fatherly tone, with a huge smile proud of his student, "No, my dear Daniela, you are right. We were so busy on how to come up with a strategy to prepare them in a short time that we totally forgot, or better say I forgot to share a bit more about their sister…I alone will take the blame and the brothers shall suffer for their impatience and erm--disobedience." He huffed, turned to Guthullu and said in an uneasy tone, "Did you send a raid group to find George?"
"Yes Father, I have sent some of the best people in our ranks to look for him and his companion. We should be able to get back the book without him noticing in no time." As Daniela left the room to check on with the raid group Father Alonso turned to Guthullu and with a sense of relief said "This went better than I thought. Nathaniel fell right into our trap and handed over the book to George so we could track him for information…those heretics won't leave us alone."
"Indeed, they shall be dealt with soon enough. After the transformation ritual went almost sideways we sure have to come with a swift plan to obliterate them for once and forever. I am still surprised that the chuckle head did not stop and wonder why on earth did we let them pass through the security gate without being frisked."---Guthullu chuckled and shake his head--"Kids these days, they will never learn. The chamber shall be a good device to put them in-line and teach them a lesson on their poor mannerism."
"That is true old friend, but I do really agree with Daniela. We should have showed a bit more about their sister and also about the origins of the Temhos."
Guthullu sat on the study desk, turned on the computer and showed Alonso a well-detailed presentation, "I am already on it, Father! I got some of our people still working on more details to add on this. Raul promised that it would be ready in an hour or two enough time for the two idiots to suffer down at the chambers." He clutched his hand, "God I wish we could keep them there for days if not weeks, only the Creator knows those ungrateful bastards deserve it."
"Dear, you need act professionally here. This is some very important business we are dealing with!"
Guthullu sighed, gave a quick glance to Alonso and turned his attention back to the monitor, "I am sorry Father…it is just that these two remind me so much of my son and…never mind, I shall keep my personal grudges out of this as you said Father!"
Meanwhile in Vienna the deployed raid group had disguised themselves as guests and entered the hotel George Mason was staying at. With the help of the tracking device inside the book, they swiftly managed to track down his room and open the doors to it. The book was lying on the end table, "Who in their right mind would leave such a valuable book like this?! On second thought, don't answer that!" said the raider as he quietly got inside and closed the door behind them.
They took full surveillance of the room and his belongings as well as his companion's. One of the team members found a notebook with very interesting information written within it. "Well, well, where have you been all my life…this is enough details for us to track their entire nest of infestation and exterminate the cursed heretics for once and for all." She said with a smile as she took several pictures of the pages and left it intact on a suitcase.
With their final surveillance done, the team signaled their connections within the hotel's security team to quickly erase the footage of them getting inside the room and replace it with something else in case Mason got suspicious.
As soon as they left the building and got inside a vehicle, their commander contacted Guthullu "Sir, it is done. We have replaced the book of the mages with a forged one and took pictures of the content of a very interesting notebook. It might be very helpful with our little war with those damn heretics."
"Well done lieutenant, a marvelous and flawless work as always from you and your team. You shall all be rewarded handsomely. Now return to your stations and upload the pictures to our archives asap."
"Yes sir! It shall be done at once!" And with that said the raiding team drove away.
Back at the training grounds of the seven saints, the punishment continued. The pain was so excruciating that they continued to pass out, but the Temhos kept healing them only for the two to repeat the painful process once again. A never ending loop of torture and agony but Nathaniel was not about to give in, he was not going to surrender to their tortures and ridiculous training methods. He would find his own way to train himself in the arts of the Temhos and defy the covenant.
As Daniel kept passing out every half an hour, kneeling to the covenant's will, Nathaniel would not only keep resisting the pain but also resist his body's temptation of passing. His resilience grew with each passing second. He really wanted to rebel and show the covenant that his will is strong, stronger than anyone they had faced or had as a harbinger in their archives.
Slowly, his eyes felt heavy, "No!! I must resist, I cannot fail myself and show weakness!" he yelled at the empty chambers but to no use, his eyes got heavier and heavier until he eventually had to force them shut where he instantly began to have horrific visions of the past. There were bodies in a forest covered in blood, but the location was not the forbidden forests nor anywhere he had seen before. He looked at the palm of his hands, they wear bigger and hairier almost fully covered in blood, "This is not me!" he said in a voice he did not recognize…Nathaniel stared at the blood-covered corpses once again but did not recognize any of them and only noticed the mark of his huge fangs on their neck, "Drained of its blood…to its last drop…" he said horrified on his knees checking the face of its victim.
The look of dread hacked in her dead eyes, Nathaniel let go of her face, got up and looked around his surroundings, he was deep within a very dark forest which looked like somewhere in east or north Europe. The sky was so ever dark and hallow as the howling of a lone wolf from the near distance gave him goosebumps, but his fear was interrupted with a sudden urge to hunt, one of his victims was not dead yet. A black fog began to take over the atmosphere and in the very near distant one could hear a woman struggling to run away while she cried for help but to no avail.
In that moment he felt like he had lost almost full control over his body, "So this is how it really went on, huh!" he said surrendering to what was to happen next. His eyes turned red, the veins beneath them began pumping black veins and his fangs came out. No doubt he had taken over the body of one of the harbingers of the past gone. He watched all living creatures in the dark and followed every single one of their moves and in the middle of it all, he caught sight of the poor woman who was strugglingly running away.
His eyes followed her for a bit, "Ugh, she is getting away!" He growled involuntarily and jump up to the sky and landed a few feet away from her. She instantly fell on a puddle of mud and began to crawl backwards, begging to be spared but there was no sparing her for she had seen who and what he was. He gazed upon her weeping, begging him to stop but deep down he was tormented by his failure, he was empty and the only thing that mattered was the fresh blood pumping in her veins----Who is this?!---thought Nathaniel curiously again. He had fully lost control over the body as it began tearing down into the woman's neck, draining her of her blood. Her eyes rolled back within a few seconds, her screams of agony finally silenced.
As he got up and left the corpse to rot with the rest of them, he heard villagers from afar with torches, spade forks and sickles approaching the thick, black fog trying to end his reign of terror over those regions. What now?