IV
Casimir POV
Unknown Location
Every fiber of my being felt numb and as if it had caught fire at the same time. The last thing I remembered was grabbing hold of the sword with both hands then a wave of power came from the sword. Somehow that was also familiar, along with the sword. I knew I had seen that happen somewhere else before, but I had never been the kind of person to pay attention to movies in the past. That was coming back to bite me in the ass now that I was wherever the hell I was at.
I took in my surroundings and blinked a few times. My heart nearly jumped out of my throat as I realized that I was back on the street that I grew up on. Looking down at my hands I noticed that I was still holding the sword, though now I was only using one hand.
In a cruel twist of fate I watched as my old family emerged from the house laughing as they made their way over to the car parked in the driveway. My old parents looked older, and they seemingly had a new child. I watched as they drove away and I slowly walked to the front door.
The door knob felt cool to my hand before it dawned on me that I could touch things. Yet my old family didn't seem to notice me as they drove past me as I stood on the sidewalk by the house. With a twist of the knob the door opened and swung inwards as if someone had opened the door for me. I took a hesitant step forward before I felt a presence behind me. Whirling around I prepared to attack the figure when I saw a familiar mop of red hair.
"Dorina?" She stopped looking around and met my eyes.
In a blink of an eye she had closed the distance and threw herself into my arms,
"Casimir, where the hell are we?" I looked around one more time.
"Honestly I don't really know if this is the afterlife or some sort of cruel vision. But long story short, this is the house and street I grew up in. I just watched my old family drive away somewhere."
She looked at me before taking my hand and squeezing it gently. "It's okay if you don't want to go into the house. But I'm sure the closure would do wonders."
I sighed as I squeezed her hand back before turning to face the house again. Still holding her hand I pulled her towards the door and through the threshold. She pulled her hand away from mine as she began to look around the modest home.
Pictures of my parents and siblings were hung on the wall, trophies and awards hung on the shelves. Flowers and various plants decorated the various corners.
"Been gone for eighteen years, and they still treat me like I never existed."
Dorina walked back to me and pulled me into an embrace. "I had noticed that there were no pictures of you anywhere, nor were there any mentions of you. When you told me that you were a ghost in your family, I didn't think it would have been this bad."
Pulling away I walked back towards the door, "There's no point in staying any longer, let's leave the bad memories in the past."
Dorina grabbed on to my hand once more and led me out back into the empty street. Turning around she wrapped her hands around my neck and placed a chaste kiss on my lips.
"Things will work out for the best Cas, trust me on this. Besides, we don't even know if this whole thing is real."
"But it is real my children." The voice came from everywhere around us and I quickly pulled Dorina behind me.
The scenery shifted beneath our feet as the street disappeared, being replaced by a sterile white backdrop. Fog rolled out from nowhere and I gripped the sword tighter.
"Fear not Brent, I mean you and Fae no harm." Came the voice again
"Why does he know your old name?" I whispered to Dorina
She looked at me with obvious fear in her eyes, "I don't know, he knows yours too."
" Worry not, I am merely here to show you on the path fate has chosen for you, and to offer knowledge on things that you both seek."
A million thoughts raced through my mind as I continued to search for the owner of the voice. As if reading my mind a figure obscured by light emerged from the floor before us.
"Speaking draws too much of my strength, so I will just show you both what you need to know, however this information can not be shared with the other."
As I was about to ask another question I felt Dorina collapse behind me slumping into my back. I immediately caught her and lowered her gently onto the ground. Turning around I faced the being once again. Getting ready to raise my sword to attack, I could only watch as the being waved his hand and I felt my mind pull me back into unconsciousness.
I watched as armies burned before a figure in red armor. Millions of bats crushing another army of strange looking creatures. A figure holding my sword with both hands sending waves of energy at a group of creatures. The same figure twisting the sword in the air after 'stabbing' at nothing before a rift opened and items began to fall from the rift the sword opened. Strange coloured gems decorating the crossguard of my sword. Countless stars zooming past my vision before stopping on a strange looking planet. Lightning crashed into my sword causing the blue gem on the pommel to glow before the figure in red armor slashed the sword at nothing sending the lightning out into a magnificent arch of electricity into the darkness.
The vision shifted again, and I watched as a demonic being reached out for a figure with blazing red hair. The unbearable heat as I was bathed in fire. Shifting once more my vision shifts to a cottage in the woods, there by the front of the small house sat a woman with red hair.
'Dorina' I thought in shock, as the Dorina in my vision looked up from what she was knitting. She looks at my direction, smiling and beckoning me to come closer. Before I could approach an older me moves through my immobile form and sits next to Dorina. I had a small child in my arms. The child had vibrant red hair and eyes that were gray, just like mine. My heart skipped a beat as I realized what I was watching.
This was my ideal future, if I had to live in this era I just wanted a peaceful life with my family and Dorina. I watched my future self a bit longer before my vision forcibly shifted once again. Now I was in the cottage. Kneeling before me was my future self screaming with no sound coming out. Around him were the bodies of Dorina and our child. Cold lifeless eyes staring at nothing. Blood pooled beneath their mangled bodies. My future self was still screaming and crying out. No sound reached my ears but I felt the anger in my heart. This was a future that would do everything in my power to avoid. I watched as the pool of blood grew around my future self before smoke billowed into the cottage. My future self was still crying and screaming as he clutched his family to his chest, ignoring the blood staining his skin and clothes. Soon fire consumed my vision as the cottage completely burned to the ground around my future self.
There he was, still clutching at the charred remains of his family. My future self look up and made eye contact with me,
"Casimir" my eyes widened as he called my name
"Casimir"
"Casimir, son, wake up."
My eyes flew open and I felt relief wash over me. I was back in the library of the monastery. My father on one knee crouched over me. I felt as if I had broken every bone in my body.
"Father, what happened?"
"Brother Lucian said that you grasped on to the sword and a wave of power blasted him back into a wall. He said that he had never seen such a thing happen before."
I slowly got up and looked around the room, the tables were pushed off to the sides of the library, some missing legs. Whole chairs had been splintered, reduced into firewood. Papers and books lay scattered around the room, and the sword lay a few feet away from my hand.
"I had a vision father." Vlad looked at me, worry still etched in his face.
"We will speak of this at home." I nodded and grabbed the sword, carefully sheathing it and attaching it onto my belt.
My father looked at me strangely, "I have a feeling that this was the only time the sword will do this."
Vlad still looked like he doubted my words but with a nod we made our way out of the monastery. Monks began to clean the mess I had made in the library and Brother Lucian was there by the door to show us out. The monk had a bandage around his head, and I winced when I saw the blood that stained the back of his head.
"Brother Lucian, I can not apologize enough for what I've do-" he raised his hand before I could finish
"There is nothing to apologize for young lord, I just hope that you use this as an opportunity to hold up your end of that promise."
Vlad looked at the monk before looking at me, I stepped forward and put a hand on the monk's shoulder.
"It shall be done Brother Lucian."
The monk nodded and opened the doors for my father and I, the rest of his men were staying to help with the damages. As we stepped outside I looked into the sky and took a deep breath. When I opened them again Vlad stood before me offering the reins to Roach, my horse.
We silently rode back to the castle, as we moved past Broken Tooth Mountain I felt a chill run down my spine. It was as if I was being watched. I looked over to the mountain, the dense forest at the foot of the mountain provided ample cover. The river that ran around the forest and through the mountain offered fresh water. Overall it would have made a great place to set up a base to scout out the mountain. I made a mental note to explore the woods some day.
As we drew closer to the castle my father slowed his horse to a canter,
"Casimir, what truly happened back at the monastery?"
I weighed the odds in my mind. Telling him about Dorina's and my own past life was still out of the question. I could tell him about the vision. I remember reading that Vlad was a devout Catholic and he would probably take my vision as a sign from god.
"Father, can I have your word that you will not repeat what I tell you to mother?" When he nodded I continued, "I saw armies burning, a figure in armor like yours leading another army. I saw a golden lion burning as a dragon stood over it."
Sure I felt bad about lying to him, but there was no way I was going to tell him that the figure had been wielding the sword strapped to my hip. Nor was I going to mention the vampire in the mountain. I just hinted that Mehmed may or may not have been coming to ensure that Vlad was prepared for the time that he did come, and if I had to lie about it to my father, then so be it.
Vlads eyes darkened as he listened to my words.
"It can not be a coincidence then." I looked at him, prompting him to continue. "The church has just called for another crusade, and the sultan that my father sold your uncle and I to is on the opposing side."
There was no mention of a crusade in any of the history books. Sure they mentioned that Vlad had taken part in multiple campaigns for the church, but there was no mention of him partaking in the crusades.
"I shall accompany you soon father, after my wedding. We shall discuss it more." Vlad looked at me in shock momentarily. It was not as if I gave him much of a choice in denying me.
"Very well son."
[Line Break]
The rest of the ride back to the castle was silent. I was contemplating my decision to join my father in his battles. What would Dorina say, I knew I had to get stronger. This would allow me to gain experience in true battles. You could only go so far with training swords and guards too afraid of your father to actually come at you with their full might.
As we reached the castle gates the guards stationed at the towers waved as we crossed the drawbridge. I waved back as I led Roach to the stables. My father dismounted and tied the reins of his horse to the stables post. I followed suit and we made our way to the castle's main entrance. My mother and brother were waiting for us by the doors.
Vlad ran the rest of the way to his wife before kissing her and my brother. I gave my mother a quick kiss to the cheek and a hug before making my way to the bath house. Dorina was bound to arrive soon, and if that strange vision was to be believed she would have questions. I stripped out of my dirty clothes and lowered myself into the lukewarm water. Reaching for a bar of soap and a scrub brush I began to scrub away the grime and dirt that built up on my skin. Finishing my bath I toweled off and drained the tub before sending for the servants to fill it back up for my father.
I put on some dark trousers and a gray tunic before slipping my boot back on and looking at my new sword that I had left on my bed. I unsheathed it and marveled at the beauty that it held. I was hesitant to grasp it with two hand again in case the shockwaves happened again but I had a feeling that the sword had submitted itself to me.
"Only one way to find out I guess."
Grabbing the handle with my left hand I felt power fill my veins as the gem on the pommel glowed a bright blue again. There was no shockwave though, looking around my room I realized that I could point out every speck of dust in the air. Making my way over to the polished bronze mirror on my wall I looked at my reflection.
My eyes were glowing a blue just like the gem on the pommel. And upon further inspection it seemed the blade of the sword was absorbing some sort of energy from the environment. The second I removed my left hand from the sword's grip I felt the energy dissipate from my body. I remembered another thing in my vision and I moved over to my desk and set the sword down before retrieving my hidden journal. Picking up the sword again I stabbed the air and twisted. Nothing happened at first and I was about to sigh in disappointment until the air rippled and a rift opened before me.
I reached into the rift with my hand cautiously and watched as my fingers disappeared into the air in the rift. I picked up my journal again and moved it into the rift. Amusement replaced shock as I watched my journal vanish into thin air. I reached into the rift again and imagined my journal, I felt it's familiar weight land in my hands. Pulling my hand back out of the rift I let out a laugh. The journal was just as I placed it into the rift. I quickly lit a candle before placing it in the rift. I counted to ten before retrieving the candle which was still lit when I pulled it from the rift.
'This is like some Skyrim torch in a barrel underwater bullshit, I'm not even going to question it. This is too good of a thing to pass up.'
I stabbed the air with the sword again before twisting it in the opposite direction. A few seconds later the rift vanished as if it had never been there. I restrained another laugh as I resheathed the sword and buckled it on. There was no way I was leaving this sword laying around. A knock at my door pulled me from my musings.
"Young lord, Lady Dorina and her family have arrived."
I yanked the door open a little too hard, startling the servant girl who had come to notify me. She let out a startled squeak.
"Thank you for notifying me, go ahead and take the rest of the day off."
She looked at me in confusion at first before my words registered to her and she ran off after thanking me for my kindness.
Eighteen years in this world and I still could not get a hand of having servants taking care of our needs. Of course I still made my own bed, and fed myself. But menial task such as laundry and cleaning the castle were left to half a dozen servants that my father employed. They were paid well and loved my father for his kindness and generosity. I gave them hell growing up but I think they had warmed up to me. As I made my way down the hallways to the main hall I looked at the various paintings on the walls. There were many, mostly of my family. Some of the paintings were of Vlad and his deeds. There was a large painting in the great hall that had all of us posing as a family, it was being updated however to add my little brother. That was another new tidbit of information that amused me. The fact that our family painting was updated every time we had a new family member. It had started out with just Vlad and Mirena, then I was added, and now Ingeras my brother was to be added. I wondered if there was a painting of my father, his brother, and my grandparents somewhere in the castle.
I made my way over to the thrones and took my spot next to my father after I unbuckled my sword and leaned it against my seat. My parents greeted me quickly as we waited for our guests to arrive. The doors opened and I watched as Dorina and her family entered the hall after being introduced by Cazan. Vasile and his wife greeted me before my parents led them away to their study. Dorina looked at me, and smiled. Though she looked a little pale, I smiled back and offered her my arm. She handed her small purse to her servant as I buckled my sword back onto my hip. Taking my arm I led her out into the gardens.
" Are you alright?" Looking at her, it seemed like she was recovering from a fever.
"You know, no one has asked us what language we are speaking."
"We don't have to speak in English all the time if you don't want to." She looked at me as we walked towards the bench by the fountain.
"It's a reminder of where we came from, I'm okay with it," she stops as she takes a seat pulling me along with her, "I take it that the vision where we were in the street you grew up in and that house was real then?"
"Yes, I'm sorry you had to go through that," I took her hand in mine, " I swear to you that I will forge the perfect future for us. For you and for our future kids."
She blushed at the mention of children. " Kids? Was that your vision after we both blacked out?"
"You know I can't say," I brushed a strand of her hair out of her face. " If we are to be stuck here, then I will make sure that you are happy and all our wants, be it kids, riches, or fame be fulfilled."
She smiles as she leans her head onto my shoulder. I plant a kiss on the top of her head before pulling her closer.
No POV
Vlad and Mirena watched their first born son lead his wife to be through the rose garden.
"Vlad, are you sure he's your son? I do not remember you being that romantic."
"Must have got it from you then."
The couple continued to watch their pride and joy as he led his future wife to a bench and sat down after her. They spoke some words before scooting closer in an intimate embrace.
"Mirena, he asked me to take him with me on the next crusade the church sends me to."
Vlad felt his wife tense next to him, "He is still my baby boy, but he is also all grown up now. So long as you promise to keep him safe, and for the both of you to return home to me then I can not say much else against his choices."
"That I can promise you my love. Come let us go rejoin our guests, we have a dowry to discuss."
Dorina POV
I sighed again as Casimir held me closer, autumn was always a dreary season, but I had found a sort of beauty in it. Casimir has insisted on a winter ceremony for our wedding and I had barely managed to get him to move it to autumn. I hated the cold whereas Casimir seemed to thrive in it.
"Cas," I felt him shift beside me on the bench. "Promise me that if anything happens to me that you'll try to move on and find happiness."
I felt him tense then pull away from me. I looked over, he had stood up and had his back turned to me.
"Cas, I need you to promise." His shoulders started to shake, "Cas, can you promise that?" the shaking in his shoulder stopped. He clenched and uncle he'd his fists several times before turning to face me.
"Dori, I can't make a promise like that, but I- I can promise that I will never let anything happen to you."
My heart was in my throat, I had never seen Casimir cry, and yet he seemed to be on the verge of tears. I stood up and pulled him into my arms. His arms slowly snaked around my waist and he returned my embrace.
"I will never let anything happen to you." He repeated in English as he pulled me tighter into his embrace.
I felt his tears fall into my shoulder as he silently wept. I wanted to ask him why but it seemed rather foolish, so I resigned myself to just comforting him.
Eventually he pulled away and wiped away the wetness in his eyes.
"Sorry about your dress love." I took his hand and kissed his palm.
"Don't apologize for showing me that you have a softer side Cas."
Taking his hand I led him back to the main hall. Once we entered we were greeted by the smells of food and drinks. The tables had been set with a feast, following Casimir to the head table I took my seat next to him as he sat down after greeting his parents.
Casimir POV
My mother and father didn't ask why my eyes had been red and swollen from the tears. As Dorina sat beside me we waited as my father made his announcement of my marriage with Dorina that was to take place at the end of the week. My mother raised a toast to Dorina's family, thanking them for a wonderful daughter and an excellent partner for her "baby boy". Our guests laughed at that. Ingeras was being held by a female servant and he waved at me when he saw me looking at him. I waved back and he giggled as the female servant carried him away to feed him his own prepared meal.
Dorina left with her parents once the feast was over, I gave her a chaste kiss before bidding her goodnight. Vlad pulled me away once the servants had finished cleaning the tables.
"Son, we have to discuss your stag party." At my groan he continued, "it is tradition son, tomorrow you are to join me on a hunt, along with Cazan, Demitru, and Petru."
"Father! Cazan reeks of onions, Demitru owes me money and Petru can not shoot a bow for shi-" I felt my mother slap the back of my head as she walked past carrying Ingeras.
Vlad was trying to stifle a laugh but a look from my mother shut him instantly.
"Nonetheless, we are meeting early tomorrow to hunt for a large boat for your wedding feast, son. Meet us at the gates and be ready for a day's ride."
I sighed and nodded my head, "Good, now go get some rest."
I glared at him as I walked back to my room. He chuckled as he stood and followed my mothers retreating form.
When I made it back to my room I kicked off my boots, unbuckled my sword, and fell face first into the bed with a long drawn out sigh. I flipped over to my back and stared at the stone ceiling. Today had been a long day, what had Dorina seen in her vision to bring up moving on without her. Whatever it was, if it was anything like mine I would make sure that it would never come to be. There was no chance in hell that I would allow my second chance in life be ruined by some stupid vision. I extinguished the candles in my room before collapsing on my bed once again. Closing my eyes I felt sleep creeping it's way into my consciousness.
"Dorina!" I screamed until my throat was raw. I was running through a dense forest. The sound of men cheering in the distance. I ran until I entered the clearing, the cottage I had built was on fire. I heard Dorina scream as I ran to the burning cottage.
There a man stood over Dorina, a blood stained sword in his hand. Blood pooled around Dorina's body. The man turned to a crib by the bed, raising the sword over his head and then the man stabbed into the crib. A sickening crunch echoed in the burning cottage. Blood started to spill from the edges of the crib. I felt pain in the back of my leg and I turned around, Dorina had crawled over to me and stabbed a knife into my leg. I could only watch in horror as I raised my arm, bloody sword now in my hand before plunging the blade into Dorina's throat. Blood sprayed my face and I kicked her corpse away from me. I made my way over to the mirror by the bed, there was no one else in the room. I had been the only one there. My blood stained reflection sneered at me. My reflection eyes were a deep red, blood poured from my mouth as rows of fangs replaced my teeth. My skin turned a sickly gray as muscle and bone reshaped and my body turned into that of an actual demon.
"Beware of the Cursed." A garbled voice from my reflection.
Fire consumed my vision, as the cottage burned around me once again.
I woke up in a cold sweat, shirt plastered to my body. Breathing hard I got out of bed and poured myself a cup of water from the pitcher by my bedside table. Gulping the refreshing liquid down I looked outside the window in my room. The sun had just begun to crest the horizon. The dream I had was too close to the vision I had after holding the sword for the first time. It could not be ignored, so I retrieved my journal and wrote down what I remembered.
Most of it had been warnings, seemingly cautioning against losing my humanity. At least that's what I could gather, I knew that there was something there that alluded to the fact that I was afraid of hurting Dorina. It seemed killing the master vampire seemed to be the only option left. I did not want to risk becoming a vampire only to die after killing the master vampire. Nor did I want to lose myself in a bloodlust and accidentally hurt my family.
I finished my entry into the journal before hiding it away once more and getting ready for the hunting trip my father had planned. Donning dark subdued clothing I belted on my sword and retrieved my bow and a quiver of arrows from my trunk. I tucked a knife into my boot, and threw on my travel cloak before exiting my room and making my way to the stables.
My father and his friends were already there waiting for me, Petru greeted me with a brief nod as did Demitru. Cazan looked at me and smiled as I glared at him. It was dawn and the man already smelled like onions.
We mounted our horses and rode off towards the forest, the last words my reflection echoed in my mind.
" Beware of the Cursed"
[Line Break]
The boar crashed through the thicket as my arrows slammed into its side. Vlad had a spear in his hand and began to ride towards the fleeing boar. Throwing the spear he managed to nail the boar in the head. I pulled on Roach's reins willing her to stop. Nearly forty years old and Vlad was still deadly with a spear, I shuddered thinking of his past. We dismounted at Petru and my father began to prepare to butcher the boar.
We had been out in the woods for hours now, light was fading fast. The boar had smelled us coming from a mile away, and I blamed Cazan and his stupid onion cologne or whatever the fuck he did to constantly smell like onion. I had doused the man once we reached the river, he sputtered and cursed at me while the others laughed after I kicked him off his horse.
Once we finally managed to track the boar it had taken us another hour to set up the traps. Cazan volunteered to take the shot, I was about to point out that he couldn't hit the board side of a barn when my father interrupted and told me to give him a chance. I reluctantly agreed and watched as Cazan missed several shots before nicking the boar in the ass spooking the animal. We had to track the boar again, and this time no one complained when I took the shot.
The boar had been properly butchered and the headless skinless carcass was strapped to the back of the spare horses that we had brought. Vlad rode by my side on the way back to the castle.
"We're meeting up at the tavern later tonight after we hand the boar over to the servants."
There was no point in trying to argue so I nodded in agreement. Vlad fell back as I took the lead to take us back to the castle. I heard Vlad and Petru laughing in the back as Cazan cursed at them. Soon we reached the drawbridge and had the boar sent to the castle for the servants to prepare for the wedding.
I met my father and his friends at the tavern and we made our way inside. I was immediately greeted by the stench of sweat, and the smell of spilled alcohol.
This was going to be another long night.