Vlad Harris, a Son of Erebus warrior and very special Vampyre, stared out the window of the plane like a child would, still amazed at the scene before him. His consort sat next to him, sound asleep.
The man had been given the task of tracking down hives of ancient beasts by a Goddess who had marked him as hers twice. That was what he was doing. A new report came that the Noir were starting to build up in Berlin, Germany. He sighed and grabbed at his back for where a quiver of arrows would have been. Not being allowed weapons in the passenger part of the plane always made him wary of travel but he had no choice, since boats were all but decommissioned.
He looked around at the many empty seats of first class. Only a few were filled. A tall blonde woman was cursing at a flight attendant. The seat next to her had a girl with brown hair back in two braids, she wore a grey sweater. In front of him and Lacey sat a female with black hair with red streaks; this very punkish hair was up in ponytail.
"Vlad, my dear! Fancy we meet in a place like this!" A voice smirked behind him. He turned and saw someone who above all he hated: Xia Vampress. She was using the color red that day.
"Xia." He hissed, turning to face her. Again he reached for a weapon that was not with him, a sword this time.
"How is the quest going? Pretty well I can tell, if the scars on your pretty face are any indication." Xia smiled and leaned on the back of his seat. "How are the kids?"
Vlad hadn't seen the woman beaming at him since his children's birth, roughly fifteen years ago. That was the day she charged him with the task he was on his way to complete. "It's going as well as it can go, bitch." Vlad rolled his eyes. "And they're perfectly fine, especially without you in their lives. We're still not sure what to do with Yanette!"
"You can't stand to look at her, can you?" Xia's smile grew, both in size and creepiness. "Can't say your boy's name without cringing either?"
"What are you going to Germany for?"
"Do a little site seeing, haven't been since the wall was torn down! I bet Berlin's such a better place!"
He glared at her. "I know you; you have a reason for everything."
The other three women in the compartment laughed.
"Yeah, and it's usually make my life a living hell!" The brown haired girl next to the blonde groaned.
"Really? I always thought it was to get a piece of ass, Lola."
"That's all the other times, Ese." The brown haired girl replied to her neighbor.
"Why don't we ask Sophie's opinion?"
The girl in front of Vlad stood up and turned toward Vlad, pointing very childishly at Xia. "Don't ever listen to this woman, all she does is lie and fuck! But be sure to do everything she says, or you could become her next meal!"
Xia rolled her eyes at the people were apparently her friends. "Oh shut up, don't give him advice. He's gotten a lot done in these past few years."
Sophie shrugged and put her earbuds into her ears. She sang along with her iPod obnoxiously loud.
"But yes, you are right about the fact that I am going to Berlin about something other than the wall." Xia was suddenly very serious. "There will be five like you, each with their own problems and affinity. I have chosen these children out of the hundreds in their countries. Five countries, five fledgling, five cities, five elements, five HONs, five chances, and only one spoiler: We're landing at the same airport. Oh, and guess who mister mentor is? His name starts with 'V' and ends in 'lad Harris.' Also, prior mission, terminated as of now." She sat down and refused to talk to him the rest of the ride. He groaned and decided just wait for the information to come to him.
When they arrived at the airport he watched as Xia and her band of pale young women walked out. He have could follow them but they were expected at the Berlin HON. A fellow Son was waiting for them in the terminal. Lacey had been asleep during the conversation with Xia and was yet to be filled in on Vlad's silence.
A man with a map as tattoos smiled at them and took Lacey's bags. "I'm the Berlin high priestess's warrior. Siegfried Dymitri at your service."
"You know who I am, then? And why I'm here?" Vlad asked, following him to Benz waiting out front.
"Of course. Vlad Harris, slayer of the Noir, defender of the innocent, all around good guy, man with many women; I could go on all day." Sieg smiled at the pair as he shoved their bags in the boot. (I really should lay off the British car shows… Top Gear! Why must you corrupt me so? T^T)
"You don't seem too thrilled about Vlad killing the Noir." Lacey said grumpily.
"I happen to be half Noir. I hate the bitch that put us into this war more than them."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know."
Vlad stared at the older man. "You know Xia?"
"Know of. Because of her I lost tons of friends and a brother." With that he turned and smiled. "My priestess will be very pleased to see you."
Cleopatra Darth smiled at the silver haired man when he stepped into her office. "How have you been? Last time I saw you, you were a brat that didn't know anything."
Vlad laughed lightly. "Hasn't changed that much. How long have you been the High Priestess in Berlin?"
"About twelve years. I still haven't quite mastered the language." Cleo sighed. "When are you getting on our Noir problem?"
"I'm not. Xia told me to stop worrying about them."
Cleo snorted. "Xia saying something is a pretty good reason to do the exact opposite. When did she let you know this?"
"On the plane on the way here. I think there's going to be a mirror showing up here soon."
"Xia is in the city?" Cleo hissed. "She told you she was going to Mark someone in the city?"
And so the third installment of The Noir Chronicles! Aw, poor Vlad. Missed you Cleo! Glad to see you return to the center stage! Anyway, hope you're as excited for this as I am!