"I must have made an enemy of the wind." Van Helsing said to his travelling companion as they walked through the snowy field.
"You make an enemy out of everything." Rayven replied him in a dry tone, flinging the umbrella in his hand.
Before Helsing would take another step, he lifted his hand in midair.
"Are you sure we are in the right place?" He turned to Van Helsing.
Helsing whipped out the map from his jacket pocket and opened it. "It says frozen lake. So yes, we are."
"The lake is supposed to be frozen." Rayven hissed.
"Maybe some dragon had a hot soak." Van Helsing snickered quietly and Rayven gave him a glare.
"Dragons don't exist. Something else…" Rayven started ahead of him. "melted the lake."
"Melted? But that has to be impossible. We are still in winter and no creature alive possesses prenatural abilities." Van Helsing spluttered with widened eyes.
"Oh but someone does." Rayven replied with a hiss.
"What?" Van Helsing followed behind him. "W - who?"
"We're about to find out which one?"
"They're more than one?"
Rayven stabbed his umbrella deep in the slow and a blast of white smoke sliced through the air.
Van Helsing watched in admiration as Rayven's voice took a different tone. In the midst of the dancing wind, he stretched his hand and began to muter enchantments.
"What are you doing?" He said in a much thicker voice that startled Van Helsing.
Before he would reply, Rayven interposed with another deeper voice. "Melting the sea."
The wind stopped blowing, plunging the world into complete silence.
"What was that?" Helsing whispered with a gasp.
Rayven threw his eyes open as the images flashed in his mind. It was mid morning and the sky was grey but in the quiet came a loud crackle on the frozen water followed and then another until the cracks zipped through the ice, shooting up water in midair.
He withdrew his umbrella from the ground. "It was Damian."
"Damian?" Van Helsing's brows furrowed. "Damian has prenatural abilities?"
"Yes. Let's go find him and stop him from killing himself." Rayven said walking towards the ocean.
"If my eyes are correct, we need a boat to travel." Helsing said. "We can't exactly walk on water."
"That's why vampire have wings." Rayven flashed him a grin.
Suddenly, his shoulder blades protruded and his skin rippled. Then, with a sickening crunch, his back burst open, unleashing a pair of twisted, bat-like wings.
"What about me?" Van Helsing called out as Rayven's wings began to beat, stirring snow and white dust.
"What about you?" Rayven flapped his wings and it created a huge wave of air that pushed Van Helsing, sending him tumbling down the snowy road.
Rayven smiled as Helsing's body remained immobile on the sand.
"You will always be a failed experiment, Helsing." He drawled out in the wind, lifting his face heaven-ward.
A silent whistle echoed announcing the impact of a incoming object. Rayven side-stepped to avoid the collision. It was Van Helsing's fist.
"You dare betray me!" Helsing's roar rang out.
"I did not. All I did was put you away," Rayven's leathery wings sprawled out, becoming bigger. "Now, I have to do it again. Which is a waste of my time!"
"No, you won't!" Helsing disappeared and appeared behind Rayven. Sharp claws protruded from his fingers and he lunged for the vampire's face.
Rayven manuevered his wings to protect his face from the fatal punch.
"You are scared of me, Vampire!" Van Helsing blarred victoriously.
"In your dreams!" Rayven hissed. The sharp hooks on the wings curbed upwards and slammed into Helsing.
Blood spluttered from his lips as his body shook violently. Then suddenly, his veins turned purple and his skin became ragged.
With a malicious glint in his eyes, Rayven palmed Van Helsing as he struggled for breathe.
He leaned down and whispered. "The only reason you claim the Vampire slayer title is because Damian didn't come for you. Damian was never interested in a loser like you but I was…"
He stabbed his hand through the man's chest attracting a painful moan from him. "... and I find… my discovery…very… interest."
Helsing's eyes widened in shock as Rayven's malicious red eyes bore into his, his hand impaling his chest.
"Let it be recorded in history that Rayven de Caspian, som of Jarlen de Caspian killed the vampire slayer!" Rayven yelled with all his might and with a great force, he ripped his hand out of Helsing's chest, taking his heart with him.
Helsing's body fell lifeless to the floor and turned into a pile of ash.
"Ugh," Rayven hurled the rotting heart into the ocean and wiped his hand on his tunic. "Now, Damian, where in mother's ocean are you?"
At Canterbury Castle,
The maids ran up and down the stairs receiving orders for the duchess, her voice echoing instructions to the staff.
"Clean the bloody sheets and make sure he is stable! Go find me another physician! Now!" She yelled.
Lucia's eyes filled as she watched her sister in action. Never had she seen Colette raise her voice at anything or act authoritative. It was a first and she liked it.
Archer was more worried that his wife might tire herself out. She had been on standby, giving the instructions to the maids and physicians who tended to Damian.
A shudder left Lucia's lips when she heard a shape cry.
"No,! Damian!" She screamed, reaching for the door but Anna was quick to hold her back.
"You have to stay here, My lady." Anna said, holding her in place.
"I have to be there with him,"Lucia crumpled to the floor on her knees, taking Anna with her.
Anna looked up at Bat to say something. She had been at her limit.
Bat understood the assignment and out his hand on Lucia's shoulder. "Damian is a powerful vampire. Nothing will happen to him."
"Aargh!" Came another scream from within the room and Bat pursed his lips.
"I'll shut up now." He stepped aside making Anna scoff.
"Lucia?" A voice not among them spoke and they looked up to find Archer coming their way.
Lucia lifted her eyes and her brows furrowed when she found Archer standing before her with 3 books.
"Now is not the time, Duke. Her lover is fighting for his life and you're bringing her books? Can't you read the room?" Bat stepped in but Anna shook her head.
"Fine." He crossed his arm over his shoulder.
"What are you doing here, Archer?" Collete shot him a glare. She had not forgiven him for that he had said that day on the field and since then, she had she had been confined to her own wing of the castle which was where they are now.
Archer lifted his left hand. "I come in peace."
"What are the books for?" Colette stepped in front of Lucia protectively.
Archer did what startle them. He went on his knees and ripped the books to the floor.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop the other day but I overhead the both of you earlier." He whispered as he opened the pages of all three books.
"And?" Colette spat angrily.
"Colly, let me handle this." Lucia sniffled as she took to her feet.
She joined Archer on her knees, her eyes glued to the open books. "What are they?"
"Book of spells." He spelled out.
"Unbelievable!" Bat slapped his forehead.
Archer cut in frustratingly. "Just hear me out, okay? I heard you both taking about Dream Walking. That's not the only thing the Helsings were known for."
His statement piqued their interest.
"How?" They all asked simultaneously.
Archer traced his finger on the one of the books as he read out. "House Yelmen were a family of witches… They needed a cover for their identity and chose to venture into trade so no one would notice but von Burren did."
This surprised them all again. "What?"
He went on. "Their secret of Dream Walking was exposed and they had no choice but to let the public know but they didn't notify them of the other two."
"What other two?" Lucia asked.
Archer turned both books to face Lucia. "The power of healing and immortalization."
"What? That's impossible!" Bat gasps in shock.
"When House Yelmen became House Helsing, the stories died with the former house but the last Yelmens know of this story. And only a few are born with this power. You can be born with one power and not all three." Archer said.
Colette shook her head. "You are beyond delusional."
"I don't know if Lucia can do this but she should try. Maybe she can save Damian." Archer said.
"No!" Collete refused blatantly. "I refuse to let my sister use dark magic!"
"For God's sakes, it's not dark magic! It's the power to heal. The van Helsings can heal both themselves and anything!"
Lucia leapt to her feet. "Teach me."
"Lucia, no." Colette stole her hand in his.
"I have to save Damian. He's dying." Lucia spoke between sobs.
"And what about you? What if you die?"
"I won't."
Bat turned to Archer. "You have proven yourself useful, Duke."
"Thank you." Archer exhaled softly.
"Is there a ritual for this?" Lucia asked.
"No but it's quite complex."
"How?"
"You have to die."