Idiot. Hmmph. You shouldn't be discouraged so easily.
"L...Lukas?" Matthias murmured weakly. He couldn't feel anything anymore. The snow settled around him like he wasn't even there. He had tried to find shelter, but the cold finally got to Matthias, pulling him into an icy slumber. "W...where are you?"
Quiet. You need to wake up. Don't give up. You're going to get through this.
He could nearly feel Lukas' arms around him. "L-lukas! W-where are you?!" He spun around wildly, the snow falling off of his shoulders. Seeing nothing, Matthias groaned in frustration, slamming his fist against a tree.
Good! Exercise. Warm up. Be strong. Wake up!
"Lukas! Stop pushing me away!" Matthias yelled, beginning to run. He could clearly see Lukas' figure in front of him, but whenever he reached the spot where the Norwegian was, Lukas appeared to be farther along the path.
Wake up, Matthias.
Breath coming in short huffs, heart pounding, Matthias ran deeper into the forest, not noticing the snow and trees turning into shadows.
Wake up.
If he didn't stop running, Matthias guessed that he would dissolve into shadows as well. Fear overtook him. What if Lukas had been taken as well? But for good this time? He wouldn't be able to live.
WAKE UP!
X X X
With a jolt Matthias sat upright in bed, clutching the blankets and panting.
"Well, it's about time you woke up." Purred a familiar voice.
Matthias groaned and laid back in bed, glaring defiantly back up at the stranger that had given him the map in the woods. "Of course you're the one who saves me."
"And you still haven't thanked me for that yet, Matthias. You were almost dead out there, buried in the snow." The stranger pointed out, handing him a steaming mug of tea. "Careful! It's hot."
"How about I get your name first? You already seem to know mine." The Dane took a cautious sip. A comforting warmness spread throughout his entire body as one drop hit his tongue. "And what is this?" He asked in amazement, quickly drinking the rest of the liquid.
"Oh just a little brew I whipped up." The stranger giggled. Not laughed. Giggled. "Andrei Kogalniceanu, at your service!"
Matthias nearly spat out his tea. "You're Andrei? This whole time?!" He stared at the man in disbelief.
"Yes! And you were looking for me!" Andrei flashed him a toothy grin. "Pity you didn't figure it out earlier!"
Laying back on the bed, the Dane groaned. "I could've gotten the answers from you earlier..." His sky blue eyes widened in realization. "The answers!" He sat up quickly. "You can give them to me!"
"I can...but why should I?" The Romanian challenged, crossing his arms.
Matthias stared at him for a second. He'd have to use his wits, try and outsmart Andrei. Since Matthias was a bit known for his stupidity, and Andrei was obviously very clever, it was going to be hard.
"I'll let you have everything in this bag if you tell me." He held up his knapsack.
Andrei's red eyes glinted. "But I don't know what's inside. There could be nothing." He pouted.
The Dane shook the bag, and items inside shifted. "There's something in there, I promise. But I'm not letting you peek until we agree to the deal."
"I don't accept. There could be just rocks inside." Stated Andrei.
"True." Matthias shrugged. "But who carries a bunch of rocks with him? And you don't really know me. I could secretly be a prince with lots of treasure. Or I could of slain a dragon on the way over."
"Well lucky for me I've been following you for days, like I always do with anyone who begins to look for me." The Romanian grinned wickedly, poking his nose. "Don't try to outsmart me, you'll just end up hurting yourself."
"Why you little-"
"Sssshh." Andrei suddenly put a hand over Matthias' mouth, his smirk disappearing. "They're here."
Matthias stared at him. Was this guy insane? "Who?" He mumbled behind Andrei's hand.
"Open up!" An angry, high pitched voice shrieked. Probably belonging to a woman. "We're know you're there!"
The Romanian instantly jumped up, looking around for a place to escape."Oh nu...nu, nu, nu, nu, nu, nu, nu-FUTE! There's no place out!" He hissed under his breath, his crimson eyes wide with fear.
"Why do we have to get out?" Matthias whispered, confused.
Now the person began to pound on the door. "Open up! You can't hide from me, Andrei!" The woman shrieked shrilly, making the Dane wince.
"S-she's a..." Andrei gulped. "V...vampire hunter."
"...so you're a vampire?"
"NU! Of course not!" Andrei whispered and rolled his eyes, obviously having been through this before. "I'm just a very powerful mage with oddly sharp fangs. But some stupid idiots don't believe me."
The pounding on the door suddenly stopped, and Andrei stared at it. "Oh shit she's planning something...You have to help me here!" To Matthias' surprise he knelt besides the bed, clasping his hands and begging. "I could die at her hands!"
"Well..." Matthias thought for a minute, a sly grin spreading across his face. "...Nah. There's no reason for me to."
"Please! I'll do anything! I-" He stopped suddenly, eyes narrowing when he realized what Matthias wanted. "Fine." Andrei scowled. "I'll tell you how to bring someone back to life."
"Thats what I wanted to hear. Now hide under the bed." Matthias insisted.
Andrei stared at him. "You can't be serious."
"If you want to live then get under the bed. NOW!" The Dane hissed.
Deciding he'd rather be safe than sorry, The Romanian squeezed himself under the bed and Matthias sunk back under the blankets just as the door opened.
"Where is he?" Asked a woman. She was tall and muscular, with long wavy chestnut brown hair and mossy green eyes that glinted dangerously. One hand on her hip and the other holding a sword, Elizaveta Hedervary, head vampire hunter, stood at the foot of the bed, facing Matthias. "I know he's here."
"Who?" Matthias wheezed, looking up at her weakly. "I'm the only one-" He broke into a fit of coughing, shivering.
"...what's wrong with you?" Elizaveta asked coldly, not lowering her sword.
"J-just the plague..." The Dane murmured. He had played sick many times when he was a kid, mostly to escape scooping the dung in the goose pen. Maybe it would work now.
The Hungarian raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "You don't look sick."
"Thats because it's only on s-step one." Matthias replied, pretending to have a coughing fit. "First I h-have a n-normal cold...then it becomes a f-fever...then my sk-skin starts corroding away...piece by piece until I d-die..." He looked up at Elizaveta. "I-it's very contagious...you m-might want to leave."
There was no hesitation. Elizaveta nearly dropped her sword, running out of the room and slamming the door behind her. Yet again, better safe than sorry. After a few minutes of silence Andrei's laugh came from under the bed.
"You're smarter than I gave you credit for, Matthias!" He said, sitting next to Matthias on the bed. "Not by much, but enough to get by.
Matthias bowed slightly. "My pleasure. Now tell me everything I need to know."
"Your wish is my command." Andrei replied. "First- you have to find a place that's sacred to you and Lukas. A place that you both shared a special moment."
"Like what?" Asked Matthias.
"You know what." Andrei winked, grinning mischievously. "Just kidding. Basically any place where you felt a connection with each other. Your first kiss, perhaps, or where you first met or first fell in love. There your lover's soul will be waiting."
Matthias stared at him for a few seconds, letting it process through his mind. "Alright. Then what?"
"Once you touch his soul, you will enter a world in your mind, then have to face three challenges." Andrei replied. "One to give him back his body, one to give him back his mind, and the last to prove that you're worthy of her. Or him. It?"
"Him." Matthias corrected. "His name is Lukas. What if I can't complete these?"
"If you can't complete any of them, you'll wake up and nothing would be changed, except for the fact that no one would remember Lucas, as if he never existed."
Matthias whistled. "Wow...thats...a little harsh."
"Of course. But if you complete the first two, and fail the second, he will live, but you will die." Andrei giggled. "And all of your quest will go to waste! And I suggest you grab your bag and hurry. You only have until sunrise tomorrow to get him back."
Spinning around, Matthias glanced outside at the sun, which was high in the sky. Within seconds he had jumped up, slung his pack over his shoulder and was running into the forest.
X X X
The moon was beginning to rise, and Matthias still couldn't find where Lukas' soul was hiding.
With a sigh, Matthias wandered aimlessly, looking up at the moon every second, knowing that he was wasting his time. It was hopeless. Everything was at an end.
Something soft, warm and round nudged the Dane's shoulder. Spinning around, Matthias turned face to face with a snow white stag.
The white stag.
"You." Matthias whispered, staring straight into it's liquid brown eyes. "You know where Lucas is. He was your guardian, making sure you didn't get killed by the other stupid people that were like me."
The stag nodded, snorting and pawing at the ground.
"Where's Lukas?" He asked. "Can you take me to him?"
As an answer, the stag turned around and began to walk deeper into the forest, its snow white hide shining eerily in the moonlight. It left no footsteps in the snow. Leaving his bag in the snow behind him, Matthias followed, his breath turning into frost.
"Where are we going?" Matthias asked, then slapped himself. "Wait...You can't talk...can you?"
The stag snorted and tossed his head, as if saying 'that would be completely ridiculous.'
Matthias smiled. "Alright. Should've known."
After nearly an eternity of walking, the stag stopped in front of a cave entrance. It blinked at Matthias, waiting patiently.
With a nod, Matthias saluted. "Thanks." He slipped inside the cavern into the darkness. Stumbling blindly, he soon reached the end of the tunnel, stepping out into a snow covered glade, that seemed slightly familiar.
It was the glade that Matthias nearly died in. The glade where he first saw Lucas face to face, and where Lukas saved his life.
Knowing the night would end in a few hours, Matthias looked around the glade wildly, trampling through bushes and brambles. His foot caught on a root, and he tripped, sprawling onto the surface of a frozen pond, his face pressed against the ice. As if on cue, something deep below the ice glowed an electric blue, pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Lukas..." Matthias whispered, smiling. "I found you."
Without any hesitation, he stood up, taking his axe and beginning to hack a hole in the ice. There was a small crash as the surface broke, revealing the dark water below, and filling the glade with light from Lukas' soul underneath.
Rolling up his sleeves and sitting his axe aside, Matthias knelt besides the hole and slipped his hand into the water, reaching for the light. It was deathly cold, and his arm was almost instantly numb. Biting his lip, he leaned in further, fingers reaching desperately for the soul that was out of reach.
"Matthias! STOP!"
Emil's cry startled Matthias, and the Dane tumbled into the water, the icy liquid quickly taking over him, reaching through his clothes, under his skin, into his lungs. Struggling blindly to reach the surface, Matthias only hit the top of the ice.
He felt warm arms around himself, and a breath against his ear.
Good job, Matthias. You actually made it. Purred Lukas' voice softly. But this is easy compared to the challenges. For now...rest. Rest for the fight.
A smile tugging at the corners of his lips, Matthias closed his eyes and let the darkness take over him.
((Nu- No (Romanian)
Fute- Fuck (Romanian again)
Ehh sorry for slacking again! DX I've been really bad about it. But I have good news and bad news. Good news- I will work on the next chapter and see if I can get it up either tomorrow night or the night after that! 8D
And the bad news is that...there's only two chapters left. D:
WHERE HAS ALL THE TIME GONE?!
Please favorite, review, follow and share! Stay fabulous everyone!))