Scene 10

There they were, a door between them and the Sacred Ancestor.

Leila threw a glance D's way, but the dhampire seemed impassive as he drew his sword. The whole trip up the castle he'd been nothing but a theatre of swordplay and grace as he slayed all they'd met on their way up here. One might think he was merely sitting down for tea rather than facing the man who'd given him life, and one he'd take life from, if he could.

If he could. Could D? What had the Sacred Ancestor said "Not by your hand, D". Did he mean that D wasn't strong enough to defeat him?

Meanwhile Meier unleashed his spiked hand, his face a few shades more intense than D's. One could easily imagine why. The Sacred Ancestor claimed the woman he loved was here, and was alive. It was exactly what Meier had dared dream but never hoped, but Leila also suspected that it wouldn't be as simple as spiriting Charlotte away.

They were being herded here for some reason...

Without asking any of them if they were ready, D laid a hand on the door and pushed it open.

Inside was the Sacred Ancestor looking immaculate and powerful as he rested on stone-and-gold throne, his black cloak sprayed over like midnight melted around his form. His steel-gray hair and eyes pierced them even as he sat there, completely at ease. A single crimson stone not unlike D's blue jewel hung over his white shirt that was completed by a black vest, trousers and boots.

He didn't appear evil but Leila knew appearances weren't everything.

"Come in," purred the vampire king, amused.

D strode in, cape floating around his body in his graceful step. Meier and Leila followed, standing at his flank a few inches behind. The dhampire held his sword in a figure eight stance, fedora shadowing his face as he tilt it. "I've come for your life."

The Sacred Ancestor made a soft throaty sound of amusement. "You will try."

Suddenly Meier stepped forward, past D. "Enough of this! Where is Charlotte?"

"Ah, yes," murmured the Sacred Ancestor. "Your damsel in distress. She's not the same, though. But if you will accompany me, I will show you."

"What did you do to her!?"

But of course there was no answer to that, the vampire king stepping off his throne and through a side door, forcing the three to keep step with him or lose him. He slipped up a set of stairs and into a room. D and Meier hurried on in, but Leila hesitated a moment, feeling desperately like this was one big trap. But curiosity and concern overcame her apprehension and the human woman entered.

Inside was a glass coffin on a pedstal. Charlotte rested in that coffin, still attired in that beautiful white gown. Her brown hair framed her body like earthly flowers, milk-white hands clasped, eyes shut.

Meier stumbled to her coffin, his face full of wonder. "Charlotte? Are you alright? Wake up, Charlotte!" His fist came down on the glass, but it withheld.

His eyes burned. "You will not remain prisoner, my precious love." The hand that contained his spiked fingers crashed into the glass, shattering it. It was a miracle that not a piece pierced the woman, but Meier was clever with the way he positioned his hand, and only some shards dared enter her hair, which he hastily brushed aside.

Meanwhile D quickly investigated the walls, his left hand running over them. There was no sign of the Sacred Ancestor. "Come out and face me if you do not fear me." His voice held too much animosity to be considered amused, but there was a slight taunting sound, as if the dhampire thought himself so imposing that his own father would not challenge him.

That couldn't be it, Leila was certain. Then they heard Meier gasp.

Charlotte had risen and left the coffin. Her hand was around the vampire's neck, digging her nails into his white skin. Her eyes burned crimson, vicious and joyous. She seemed to delight in torturing her lover and as D and Leila watched they saw elongated teeth protrude from her lower and upper lips.

"My...love...why?" Meier was gagging.

Then a swarm of darkness appeared in the far wall, colascing into a single form, that of the Sacred Ancestor. He looked as impeccable as ever, eyes like jewels formed from midnight, those eyes on D even as he addressed Meier. "She is mine now. When you were lying almost dead from being ensared in Carmilla's spell I inputted a chip into her brain that kept her alive, even as she appeared dead."

Charlotte had thrown the vampire lord to the floor, and his hand flew up to his neck. "How dare you defile her!" he yelled, standing. Then his eyes returned to his love, those eyes anguished. "Charlotte, listen to me, it's Meier...please..."

But all the young woman did was advance upon him, the hunger in every step she took.

"A few experiments later and I have achieved something miraculous!" the Sacred Ancestor went on, this time a bit of excitement coloring his tone. "She is ready for my greatest experiment!"

"There won't be any more experiments," came D's cold voice. Then, like a spear of sheer darkness, the dhampire launched into the air. Coming down briefly on the coffin, he kicked off again, landing directly in front of his fater. His sword made a satisfying ring of steel as it came free from his sheath, aimed at the Sacred Ancestor's heart.

"D, be careful!" said Leila but somehow she knew he had not heard, not cared.

"Have at me!" taunted the vampire king.

So D did.

The blade flashed out, blocked by some sort of forcefield. D spun around and attacked from another angle. Blocked. He leapt, achieving a downward cut. Still blocked. Sideways slash. Blocked. Diagonally. Straight. Curved. It didn't matter, for every single assault was deflected as easily as the wind pushed aside a leaf.

And still the dhampire came on, against all logic and with zero success. It was like D's mind had seized on this single action, killing his father, and no other paths lay before him. It was almost pitiful to watch, Leila thought, as the dhampire swung his sword to no effect, yet kept on coming, desperate to land even a single blow.

"D, this is pointless," Leftie was saying, fearful. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

"Yes, D, stop and flee!" This time it was Leila, her voice cracking as she watched the dhampire consumed by his hatred so much that he maintained the scoreless onslaught in the worst kind of tunnel vision she'd ever seen. Surely the Sacred Ancestor wouldn't stand there the entire time while his son attacked. Eventually he would be satisfied by whatever he was gauging and...

...and what? What exactly did he have planned for D? There was no point in shooting her gun or attacking with her knife, the human woman knew. Yet what else was there to do?

"I think that's enough of that," said the Sacred Ancestor as pulled something out of his volumious cloak. It was a strange object, a candle to be exact, but it didn't cast light the way Leila expected. Yet while it barely effected her, the human woman quickly realized the candle's purpose.

In mid-thrust D stumbled, gagging. His sword clanked to the floor, and his own knees met that stone soon after, clutching his neck. A hand came up to block the light emanating from the candle but again the dhampire could do nothing but choke. Meier too was rendered helpless, collasped on the floor, Charlotte hovering.

"What are you doing to him!" Leila demanded as she ran over to D.

"Run," growled the dhampire as he pushed her away. "Get out."

"This is time-bewitching incense," said the Sacred Ancestor seemingly ignorant of Leila's presence. "You've seen it before, haven't you, D?" His father strode past D, carrying the candle, its power not diminishing even as the vampire king clasped Charlotte's hand and led her back to the cracked coffin, completely ignoring Meier. "Of course you have. I made it, you know. This is the most powerful in my collection."

Then the vampire king strode back to his son, kneeling so he could be next to him. "And I made this one specifically tailored to your biochemistry. In fact I think with just one more..." The Sacred Ancestor brought the candle just an inch from D's face.

Darkness swam to embrace the dhampire. Where Leila, Meier, Charlotte or even his father were he no longer cared. From darkness he sprung and to darkness he would again be consigned, carried away from all thought and being.