MJ: Alright, here is the next installment. Please, find some sort of heavy rock music like Disturbed or Metallica to listen to while you're reading this chapter, as LOTS of rock music is being listened to while I type.
chaos: Yes, and I have to say, her tastes in artists has gotten better. Last time she wrote a chapter while listening to music, I ran screaming from the room.
MJ: Hey, I was trying to write a humorous chapter! The only song I could think of was the Numa Numa song!
chaos: I thought it was Dragostei Din Tei?
MJ: That's the actual name, but everyone just calls it Numa Numa. Anyway, let's continue on with the story!
Disclaimer: ...read the others...
Chapter Eight: Return of Vampires - Atmos' Worst Nightmare Begins! -Part Two
Everyone at the meeting turned to see Master Cyclonis walking over to them, and they all immediately prepared for battle.
"Rest easy, for I intend no harm. Instead, I come with some information on these...creatures you just saw." the evil queen said calmly, violet eyes scanning the crowd.
"Speak, and we shall listen." the head council member stated, looking right at the teenage empress. She stepped forward to the front of the crowd.
"It is not just Atmos who is threatned, for one of my most loyal Talons is also one of the Vampires - we just found his victims' remains in the Wastelands. From the amount we've found, he's been at this for quite some time. I believe you all know him as the Dark Ace."
Murmurs rose in the crowd, everyone either confused or startled at this sudden turn of events. Cyclonis raised her hand up, the motion telling them she had more to say.
"We have also found evidence of multiple others with varying positions throughout Atmos to be Vampires, as well. Many of them are Sky Knights who were reported to be missing-in-action, and others held positions within the Council at one point...I have even brought this proof with me; the Council can verify it's accuracy." Cyclonis stated, handing a large folder to one of the council members. Opening to the first document, the council member paled considerably as he read the file :
"Skye Ridgely, reported missing twenty years ago; multiple people have claimed to see him after he was declared dead, though this would normally be impossible. Held the position of marksman for the Storm Hawks, went missing seven years before the squadron was destroyed." the council member's voice had trembled considerably as he read; he flipped to the next page, and nearly passed out, as he recognized the face. "It couldn't be...No..." Another snatched the folder, and also tensed at the picture - a red-haired man with forest-green eyes, bearing the Storm Hawks insignia. The file also held details of his "death," though none of them were expecting many of them. The head member looked directly at the new Storm Hawks.
"Would the second-in-command of the Storm Hawks please come forward?" Piper hesitantly walked over to where the council was; nervousness was evident in her stance and expression.
"Yes, sir?" she questioned meekly, not used to addressing the council as a leader.
"Did you, or did you not, know that Aerrow Hawkin's father was also a Vampire?" Many people paled, becuase if he was a Vampire when Aerrow was conceived, that would mean the teenage Sky Knight would at least be half.
"No, sir, neither me or the others knew this...I doubt if Aerrow himself even knew..."
"Oh, he knew alright..." a voice came from the shadows, sinister and all too familiar. Everyone turned to find themselves staring right at the Dark Ace, a group of maybe ten vampires behind him. He wasn't in his usual uniform, the one everyone was used to seeing him in; no, his clothes were completely black, and a long katana hung from his back. "After all, it only happened before I supposedly betrayed and killed my squadron."
"So, you...you were the one who murdered them?" Piper, who had backed up a bit by this point, questioned softly, orange eyes wide as details from the scene only a few nights ago floated into her mind. Dark Ace gave her a grin, his fangs showing easily in the light that came form the torches that dotted the area.
"What are you doing here? You're message said you'd give us two days to come up with an reply." a council member stated, glaring at the group of vampires.
"Huh, perhaps it was because a group of Hunters came to our home, claiming to have been sent by the Sky Knight Council of Terra Atmosia? I thought we had made it clear that we wanted them called off." Dark Ace replied, crimson eyes glancing at one man in particular. Many of the others became frightened at the aura that surrounded the dark-haired man. The council member the Vampires had suspected growled and rose from where he was sitting, standing up to the creatures.
"Why should he trust hell-spawn like you?! You've proven time and again that your kind isn't trustworthy! Give us one good reason we should agree with your terms, you filth!"
"Your words condemn you..." A calm voice came from behind the group of vampires, chilling and familiar to many. The group parted, bowing their heads in respect as a hooded figure walked up, a scythe strapped to his back and the faint sound of his steps hitting the ground filling the tense, silent air.
"And you are?!" the council member from before demanded, glaring at the new comer with an intense hatred. The Storm Hawks immediately knew who it was, and needed no more proof than the flash of green coming from beneath the hood of the person's cloak.
"One of the two leaders of our kind. And that is all you need to know." the person replied, stopping just in front of Dark Ace. "Dorian, I shall handle this...In the meantime, I want you and the others to get rid of the Hunters that are hiding in the shadows."
"Yes, sir." Dark Ace, or Dorian as the new Vampire had called him, stated before he and the others took off.
"Now this leaves the matter at hand." he whispered, stepping forward a bit more. Many of the Sky Knights prepared for battle, but were stopped when Piper glared at them. She stood between the Vampire and the others, and they all swore they heard a snarl.
"Get out of my way..." the figure growled meancingly, stepping closer to the teenaged girl.
"This isn't like you; you were never like this before...Why are you doing this?!" Piper asked coldly, still standing in front of the other. When she got no reply, she gritted her teeth. "Answer me, dammit! Why are you doing this?!"
"Because I have no way of knowing if it was you who told them...There's no way to figure out if you gave away my identity or if it was somebody else." he growled; you could literally feel the anger that came from the Vampire.
"We were your friends! Why would..."
"Humans are raised on stories of what we are perceived to be: mindless, blood-sucking creatures of the dark. If I had told you, what would you have done? The answer is usually the simplest one - you would've gotten scared and told the Hunters. It's always the same, for if you fear something, the easiest way to get over that fear is to get rid of it, is it not?" the Vampire asked, watching the reactions of the crowd carefully although nobody could tell he was. His gaze shifted as Starling walked over to Piper, her green eyes watching him carefully.
"Piper...you know him?" the purple-haired woman questioned, standing next to the other girl as if to protect her.
"I believe you should all know me quite well, Starling. After all..." he trailed off, lifting a hand to remove the hood that covered his face, shocking everyone, "I'm supposed to be MIA according to everyone else." Aerrow finished, staring at them all coldly.
MJ: DUN DUN DUUUUNNNN!! Aerrow's revealed his identity!
chaos: And now, we must leave the rest to be answered in "Return of Vampires - Atmos' Worst Nightmare Begins! -Part Three!"
Both: Please review!!
