"Well, if it isn't Vlad the Impaler," said a tall, thick man in the middle.
Vlad takes a short bow. "Dragon salutes Dragons."
"How are your wife and my nephew?" the man in the middle asks him.
"They fare well, Uncle" Vlad replies.
"Well, let's get down to business. I'm sure you've heard of the Sultan's campaign to conquer Europe. Fortunately for us, he has thought to start with our beautiful country, Romania." said Bagdan the second, Vlad's uncle.
"I thought they were just rumors, sir," Vlad says.
"Oh, they are far from being rumors, Impaler," the man on Bogdan's left answers. "A few miles from here, the Sultan has set up his camp. Our spies say he readies his troops to march in four nights' time."
"Then we meet him at battle then," Vlad says confidently.
The men look at each other, surprised at Vlad's boldness.
"I appreciate your confidence, Impaler, but we cannot battle the Sultan. His forces are too numerous," Bogdan says.
"But they are not used to our lands. They do not know how to navigate our dense forests," Vlad counters.
"So, you truly believe we can defeat the Ottomans, Impaler?" Darius asks skeptically.
Vlad studies the map, his brilliant mind racing. "Of course."
"I wish all men had your confidence, Vlad. Then this war might be easier," Bogdan says wistfully.
"The men's spirits will be uplifted if we execute successful attacks. But if we stay in this tent every day and go to bed every night without taking any action, then what do they have to believe in?" Vlad argues.
"You only speak with such confidence because you have not seen the might of the Sultan," Tokovic, the slender man on Darius's right, says condescendingly. "You forget that I have served in the Sultan's courts. I know exactly how mighty Mehmed's forces are."
"Well in that case, Impaler, it would be your job to coordinate these attacks." said Bogan.
"It would be my honor, Dragon, I'll return to my castle and make preparations, for I had not expected a war."
Vlad took a short bow and left with his men behind him.
Vlad returned to his castle, he sat on his throne, with Justina by his side, in the court room being briefed about the things that happened while he was away.
"Sire, the people are panicking, they see the increase in the amount of soldiers at the forts and it's putting them on edge."
"What do you expect me to do, leave my lands unprotected?"
"No sire, what I am saying is try to make it less obvious that there's impending war."
"It is good that they know and they prepare themselves also, is there anything else."
"Yes sire, there is one more issue."
"What is it?" Vlad said, trying to hold his irritation at his whining delegates, Justina squeezed his hand to calm him down.
"Well, two bodies were found in a stream not too far from the castle, they had on the armor of the Ottoman Empire, we figured them to be spies."
"Well, if they are dead, how are they still an issue?"
"It is not they that are the issue sire, but how they died."
Vlad narrowed his eyes and motioned the man to continue.
"Sire, they seemed to not have died of any injuries, but that they were completely drained of blood."
"Drained of blood?"
"Yes, sire."
Vlad began to rub his chin as he delved into deep thought. After what seemed to be an hour, he began to speak.
"And what stream is this that you speak of? There's no stream close to the castle that I know of."
"Not this castle sire, the other one."
Vlad's eyes bulged wide open in realization.
Vlad walked towards his horse, fully armored, while Justina trailed behind. "You don't know what's inside that castle," she said, her voice laced with worry.
"And I intend to find out today, wife," Vlad replied.
"You don't have to go," Justina said, her eyes pleading. "You can just send your men."
"Since I took my father's throne, this is the most exciting thing to happen to me," Vlad said with a hint of excitement. "And besides, it could all be nothing."
"That's what you said about the Order," Justina reminded him, her voice laced with skepticism.
Vlad resisted the temptation to laugh. He stopped to mount his horse and turned to face her, seeing concern etched on her face. "Look, I promise you, if I see any signs that I shouldn't be there, I will not hesitate to leave."
"You promise?" she asked, her eyes searching his.
"I promise," he replied, kissing her before mounting his horse.
He rode out with fifty soldiers trailing behind him.
They reached the "haunted" castle, as the people called it. Some said a rich count built it, and his spirit still haunted it after his death. His own castle was nothing compared to it in size and it had a weird shape the castle seemed to be upside down, with top of the steeple facing downwards.Vlad dismounted his horse and walked up to the door. The castle was large, and so were the doors.
The weather around the castle was cooler, and it was very quiet. He could hear his men dismounting their horses, the crunching of sand beneath their feet, and the rustling of their swords against their hips. But he didn't hear any animals, birds, or even crickets.
Vlad walked up to the door, which had two iron knockers welded into the mouths of iron wolf heads nailed to the door. He tried to push the doors open, but they wouldn't budge. So, he decided to use the knockers. He knocked three times, but nothing happened.
As he turned to leave, the door opened slowly, until it was fully open. His men drew their swords, ready to fight, and Vlad turned to walk inside. He heard one of his men breathe a prayer as they entered the castle.
The castle was dimly lit by the sunlight coming form outside,as soon as the last of his men stepped into the castle the door closed shut. His men began to panic, they would have ran the door but the castle was now pitch black, his men began to complain,he could hear the fear in their voices, then another sound got his attention and drew his own sword.
"Everyone stay quiet."
The men did as their prince commanded,years of training had taught them to put their prince's command over their own fears.
"Did you hear that?"Vlad said as he steeled his voice, to give his men courage.But he too was deeply afraid for he had led then into unknown territory.
The sound came again like a gush of wind, his eyes had adjusted to the darkness,but he still could not see what made the sound, and the sound came again ,and again, and again, He then realized it was not one object making the sound, it now seemed that he and his men when now surrounded by the moving objects, and they were moving in circles around them .
He heard a hissing sound like a snake, and then a scream from one of his men being dragged away, and another,and another until it seem like the were only a handful left.
They back each other he could not see them but he estimated the remaining of his men to be ten.
The demons or spirits that surrounded them were still moving in circles arm, his battle instincts kicked in, he felt as a blur came towards it was very fast but he blocked the attack,and his sword shook heavily. The demon hesitated as if shocked that his attack had been blocked and Vlad took his opportunity to strike, and he slashed his sword at the demon's head, at the last minute the demon retreated, but he still struck it ,and the demon hissed as it joined the others to continue circling them.
They took all his men until it remained only he, he was tired , exhausted, angry and sad he had lost all his men,but he would not die until he kills one of them, at least he knows that they bleed, and whatever bleeds can also die. All of a sudden the noise stopped, he felt like he was alone and no one was in the room except he.Was his mind playing tricks on him?, Had he fainted from the fear or something.In that moment of, all the candles in the castle lit up.
He could see stains of blood everywhere, his men's blood obviously ,but he did not see their bodies, just swords, and bits of armor here and there.
In front of him was a flight of stairs ,and on the top of the stairs stood a very beautiful woman, the most beautiful he had ever seen.
She had pale white skin like the snow, beautiful red lips ,and eyes that were an unnatural red eyes, her brown hair styled in a bun ,and wore a white gown with delicate lace and silver embroidery, She began to walk down towards, and she did it with remarkable grace, it seem like she walked on air. When she reached him, he was even more captivated by her beauty and height,for she was remarkable tall,and then she smiled revealing her fangs.
Vlad held up his sword ready for strike.
"Ohhh,my dear Vlad, there's no need for that thing, I do not wish to hurt." She said in a soft, thrilling voice.
" How do you know my name?,Demon!!!
She winced at the word 'demon'.
"It not nice to call people names, especially when you don't know them well, Vlad." She said playfully. "And who doesn't know Vlad Tepes, Prince of Wallachia , son of the dragon,the great Impaler."
Vlad was surprised, she knew his full name , and his family legacy.
"Don't be too surprised, Vlad, I too am a ruler it is good for rulers to know of each other especially if they rule the same lands."
Vlad did not understand what she meant by, 'rule the same lands.'
"I hear you will soon have a bout with the Sultan, how I about I make you an offer."
"What offer?"
"You see I can offer you great power, power , enough to guarantee your victory over the Sultan."
"I do not want your devilish power."
"Are you sure?, You could be a god, Vlad.You could conquer lands far more than Wallachia, you could travel anywhere, and live forever."
"I said I do not want it."
"Well, then I'll just have to let you go, please don't bring your men here again, I have instructed my... minions to spare you, but not your men.
"You say again like I'll be foolish enough to return."
"Oh,don't you worry, my dear Vlad, you will return.Until then, good bye."