Chapter 11

As the group of lizardmen joined with Malus and his friends, a few of them came over and talked about how they came to be there. Edward, Malus, and Carrie walked among them and listened to each tale. As it turned out, there were two young women that were lizard creatures as well.

"It's a very rare case," Marcell explained with bleakness in his voice. "The Count doesn't allow many women to live, let alone become a lizardman, or woman in this case. Not unless he sees something useful in them... The oldest of the two here is Carmella."

Marcell nodded his head to his left, and there a lizard creature with a thick, long braid of mossy green hair stared at Marcell, then Malus and the others. She bowed her head to look less intimidating to them, and smiled.

As they walked on, Carmella decided to answer the question in the traveler's eyes. "I came here many years ago by accident. I was traveling through the country, but decided to pay the Count a visit." In her light voice, Malus noted both sarcasm and regret. "Reason being, the Count stole one of my family's heirlooms a couple of centuries ago. I found the vase, but I didn't expect to run into the vampire. It was daytime. I was prepared anyway, and I ended up in a scuffle against him. Dracula was startled that I put up a pretty decent fight and severed his entire left hand off. He's grown it back since then," She interjected, noting the aghast look on Edward's face, "But he wasn't pleased with what had happened. He was still outrageously powerful without it. The Count had me beat not long after that. I thought he would do the same to my hand of course, but he didn't. Instead he had me taken away, and I was turned into this."

Carmella sighed, but smiled at the trio again. "That brings me here. Your papa's saved the lizard people here a lot of trouble, Malus. When he came..." Her words were caught. "He reminded us of what humanity was..."

"He brought us together, like a family..." Another lizardman added. His voice wasn't light like Carmella's was, but it sounded a little young. He came between Carmella and Marcell. There was a short tuft of golden hair growing out the top of his head. "I dunno what we'd do without him."

"What's your name?" Carrie asked.

"Sam."

Marcell took notice to the large sword strapped across Malus' back. The pommel was shaped like a silver wolf's head and a half-moon shape made the center of the crossbar.

"That's Cornell's sword, isn't it?"

Malus nodded.

Marcell smiled, and his eyes lit up. "How is he...? And Ada...?"

Malus looked back to his father, not sure of what to say. Ten years passed, and Marcell never knew. Count Dracula didn't mention his great defeat of Marcell's cousin, Cornell. Marcell didn't know of his wife, Ada's, sacrifice to save Edward. Both deaths were the result of the vampire count's vengeful hand...

Malus couldn't say it. The words were caught in his throat. The memories of his uncle's last fight, his mother, and everything he blamed himself for flooded over him.

The young man unexpectedly began to sob.

Marcell understood something was definitely wrong. His eyes turned over to Edward, deep with concern.

"Edward, tell me what happened."

The young preacher looked very remorseful. After hearing the story, Marcell closed his eyes. His entire lizard body was shaking with sadness, and yet trembling with rage. It made the lizard people around him uneasy, and they moved back. Carrie and Edward were restless. Marcell's entire form was tense.

"That wretched vampire will pay for what he's done. For all our families...."

The lizardman leader charged forward. Everyone else followed.