Hiya, sorry I haven't updated my story for a long time, but my internet goes crazy sometimes. :P
Darren disappeard, and the other princes doesn't care... But what happens when Larten finds out...?
Enjoy!
Larten Crepsley yawned and opened the lid to his coffin. He had slept late, as usual. The scar-faced vampire dressed, swept his red cloak around his shoulders, and then walked over to Darren's room. He wanted to begin with the lessons instantly today. But when he entered his assistant's room, it was empty, except for Harkat Mulds who slept standing beside Darren's hammock, and snored loudly. Larten went forward to awake Harkat.
"Harkat... Where is my assistant?"
The Little Person jumped high and shrieked.
"Where is my assistant?" Larten repeated.
"Huh?" Harkat replied and turned to face the visitor. "Oh, goodmorning Larten."
"Where is my assistant?" Larten said for a third time.
"What do you mean by that?" Harkat frowned. "Isn't he in the Hall of Princes?"
"Are you sure? Did he leave without you?"
"Well... What can I say? He has work to do, so I guess he did."
Larten nodded slowly. "In that case, I shall eat my breakfast alone, before teaching him today's lessons. Are you coming with me?"
"Nah, I want to fall asleep again. I'm tired."
"As you wish."
The orange-haired vampire sat in the Hall of Khledon Lurt, eating breakfast, when Vanez Blane sat down at the opposite side of the table.
"Do you mind if I keep you company?" Vanez smiled and began eating his bat broth without waiting for an answer.
"Not the slightest. What have you been up to then?" Larten asked politely.
"Nothing important... I just gathered a gang of vampires and mocked Kurda." Vanez replied casually and continued eating.
"You know, Larten." he said after a while. "The floor in the Hall of Princes is broken! According to the rumours, there is a hollow part underneath the hall. Probably a tunnel or something."
"What, is it broken?" Larten exclaimed and stared at Vanez.
"Uh-huh. Didn't you know?"
"No... Was Darren in there?"
"Of course. All of the princes were. They gave orders to the Generals to repair it."
"So... Is my assistant unharmed?" Larten asked and eyed the games master suspiciously.
"I don't believe the other princes would let anything happen to him. Probably, he is safe."
Larten sighed with relief and rose. "Good. I am going to visit him now."
The Hall of Princes was packed with Generals, building a temporary wooden-floor over the big hole in the stonefloor. Paris scratched his head, wondering what they should do with the matter of Darren. Arrow was asleep in his throne, and Mika yelled at the Generals to hurry up. Suddenly, the entrance to the hall opened, and Larten and Vancha entered. Mika looked up, and immediately stopped shouting. Paris looked ashamed, Arrow snored, and Larten stared at them, wondering why they looked so guilty. There was an awkward silence in the hall for a moment, before Vancha spoke up.
"Where's Darren?"
Mika stared at him, disturbed, and Paris blushed, then turned his head away and coughed into his fist.
"Maybe you didn't notice, but I just asked you a question." Vancha sighed.
Mika and Paris hesitated, but eventually Paris replied.
"Now, there's been a small accident. Darren was... at the wrong place when the floor broke."
"Where is he now?" Vancha asked, although he already knew the answer.
Paris nodded against the hole, which was half covered with wooden-planks.
Larten glared at the three princes in their thrones, astonished.
"And still, you decided to cover the hole, without getting him out of there?" Vancha exclaimed.
"Ehm... We couldn't... It isn't... We don't know how long those tunnels are. We might would be lost."
Finally, the princes' words had sunk into Larten. Darren was missing.
"OH MY VAMPIRE GODS!" he screamed. Arrow woke up.
"Hey... Larten..." he yawned and stretched in his throne.
"Aaahh! You insignificant, irresponsible, cruel vampires!" Larten yelled.
"We are actually princes! We demand respect!" snarled Mika.
"I meant insignificant, irresponsible, cruel Sires!"
"That's more like it."
"Larten is apparently very worried about his assistant. Maybe we should offer him to go down there and search." Paris mused.
"Yes, Sire, I would appreciate that!" said Larten.
"Are you sure? Maybe we will lose you?"
"I am absolutely sure. I am going to convince some useful vampires to come with me."
"Very well. Your wish is granted."
Larten turned to Vancha.
"Please, old friend... Can you escort Vanez, Arra and Kurda to this hall?" he asked Vancha.
"Why them?"
"Vanez and Arra are both great fighters. And Kurda maybe knows about this tunnel. I will stay here and convince Mika to follow us. Maybe I will need him."
Vancha turned and walked out of the hall, while Larten convinced Mika. Very soon Vanez, Arra and Kurda arrived.
They stood in a line next to Mika, and Larten stood in front of them.
"Now, did Vancha mention our mission?" he bellowed.
"Yes, sir!"
"We do not know what is down there, so are you aware of that we might face great danger?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Do you all have weapons?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Do you have your maps, Kurda?"
"No, sir!"
Larten stopped. "What do you mean, no? Did you never discover that tunnel?"
"I possibly did, but I haven't got my maps anymore." Kurda sighed.
"Why is that?"
"Vanez, Arra, and a group of others threw all my maps at the stakes in the Hall of Death." Kurda sniffed angrily and glared at Vanez and Arra . Larten sighed and shook his head.
"Then I hope that we will get out of there alive anyway." He said sincerely. "Now, it is time for us to be off."
The five vampires gathered around the hole and stared down in the black abyss.
"I don't want to die..." Kurda squeaked, frightened.
"Then go. We have not got any use for you now, since you have not got any maps." said Larten.
"I can't go..." he replied. "I'll do this for Darren." The others nodded.
"For Darren." Vanez agreed.
"For Darren." Mika growled.
Arra just nodded for answer.
"I am going to count now... At 3, jump." Larten whispered.
"1..." Mika got ready to jump and stared fiercely at the hole.
"2..." Arra and Vanez looked at each other and nodded.
"3!" Kurda's body shook with fright, and then, he suddenly got pushed into the hole by Vanez, Mika and Arra, who then jumped down after him. Larten stood on the edge and saw the ohers disappear beneath his feet. The orange-haired vampire took a deep breath and leaned over the edge. How deep was this hole? Would they all survive the fall? Did Darren survive it? Plenty of thoughts flowed through his head as the floor disappeard under his feet, and the dark blocked his sight. He could see nothing but black when he fell like a rock, down into... What?
And the rescue-team goes down! :P
Please, leave a review and let me know what you think!
I will come up with the next chapter soon :)
~Virvelmaster~