Chapter Nineteen:
The icy black darkness of nighttime came faster than the exorcist-and bookman in training- were ready for. Ariel, who already knew what was going to happen, smiled cheerfully and skipped alongside her terrified boyfriend as the mayor ushered them forward through the thick woods. Lavi walked along her other side, hand tightly gripping his hammer.
Allen dared a peek back, sighing heavily. Lavi's expression matched his, one of tough macho-ness and bravado.
Ariel snickered softly and fell back, motioning to the garlic covered villagers to keep silent.
Allen noticed the lack of Ariel a few moments later. The male stopped completely, gray eyes scanning the woods.
"Hey, where's Ariel?" Lavi quirked a brow.
"She's going to scare us shitless, just watch." Allen determinedly skewered the trees with his eyes.
Lavi blinked and regarded the short male before him with a look. At the moment, the redhead seemed to question his friend's sanity.
But Allen knew her better than he knew the back of his human hand. And the villagers were completely silent. He waited stubbornly for the female to show herself. Lucky for Ariel, who was gifted with just enough patience to pull off the prank, she just sifted back into the trees, disappearing from the male's senses.
"I know you're out there!" Allen called, cupping his mouth so the words would carry farther.
"Let's keep going." Lavi motioned forward, taking a small step. "She's tough. She can handle the dark."
Allen scowled but started to move forward.
Ariel followed them in the trees, lightly leaping from one branch to another. She was careful not to make a sound, for Allen's senses were on high alert. Even the slightest rustle of leaves would cause the white haired male to go on a slice and dicing spree.
Not that he'd hurt her, she snickered softly to herself.
Finally, a good thirty minutes later, Allen's guard finally began to fall as the spooks and bumps of the night got to him. His heart raced, thudding loudly in his chest for all to hear, and Ariel smiled triumphantly. Lavi slowed to a stop, his hands shaking, and looked around in the trees. Allen gulped.
"Scared?" Lavi teased half-heartedly.
"N-no." Allen scowled at him, jerking his chin towards the hammer Lavi held in a death grip. "You?"
"N-"
"BOO!"
Everyone screamed, including the pre-warned villagers, as the little redhead popped up behind her two fellow exorcists.
She fell to the ground laughing as Allen and Lavi tried to collect their macho-ness and piece it back together again. Allen sent her a dirty look as she tried to stand back up, falling back onto him when her knees couldn't hold her. Lavi pouted.
"That wasn't very nice." Allen scowled at her.
She grinned up at him sheepishly. "Since when am I nice?"
"True." He snickered. She shoved him lightly and stuck her tongue out at him playfully.
He wound his arm around her waist and they continued forward, Ariel bumping her hip against his. He bumped back, thus starting an all out war.
"Get back here, you turd!" Ariel hissed, chasing after the white haired male she liked to call her boyfriend. He laughed. The villagers watched on with Lavi, shaking their heads and laughing softly. A leaf crunched and a strange sound filled the air. Ariel slowed to a stop. Allen doubled back and stopped in front of her, arm changing. Lavi removed his hammer and prepared himself.
"What is it?" Allen murmured, the strange sound growing closer.
"Crow." Ariel stated indifferently, eyes scanning the trees as the giant sword appeared in her hands.
A large shadow darted past them. They whirled around in shock as one of the villagers screamed out.
A sweet scent filled the air. Ariel breathed in and nodded slightly, pushing her way through the crowd of villagers.
"Hello Krory-chan." She smiled slightly at the large black shape. The moon shifted, bright white rays spilling onto the shadow. Krory continued to chomp into Franz's neck, making everyone gasp out in shock. Ariel stepped forward; ignoring Allen's shaking hand that clamped onto her shoulder in warning.
"I-it's real, Ari-kun. He's an actual vampire. This is why I said I didn't want to look for my master." The male whined.
The girl just giggled, sending the white haired male a sly wink. "Isn't every girl's dream to get bit by a vampire, nowadays?"
Krory's eyes seemed to widen slightly in surprise. Allen's brows pushed together in confusion.
"Have you lost your mind?" Lavi squeaked.
Ariel let out a loud peal of laughter, twisting the sound so it came out malicious and insane. The villagers squirmed in fear and moved back. Allen stared at her for a moment before realizing she was joking. A small smile flitted across his lips.
"You're mean, Ari-kun."
She grinned at him and wagged her eyebrows. "You love me anyways."
"Oh? Is that what you think?" Allen smirked.
"Okay, enough with the flirting!" Lavi cried, pointing dramatically to the withering Franz in Krory's arms.
Ariel smiled and shook her head. A sharp pinch in her stomach kept her from telling them, though, that Krory was really one of them. 'Guess they have to find out themselves.' She pondered.
"Let him go." Allen drew his arm ready.
Ariel sighed. "I'll protect the villagers."
Lavi snorted. "No, I'll protect them." He turned to the large crowd and screamed, "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"
The villagers squealed and took off like a heard of frightened pigs. Ariel rolled her eyes. "Great job, Lavi." She drew her sword, aiming the razor sharp tip at their soon to be friend.
"You really want to fight me?" Krory let Franz's neck fall from his canine teeth, staring at the trio with amused yet intrigued eyes.
Lavi lashed out, swinging out with his hammer and yelling for it to extend. Krory leapt up into the air, dodging the hit completely, and darted forward. Allen began to shoot at the now blurred vampiric shadow and Ariel moved back. She didn't want to hurt Krory like the others did and thus was hesitant to strike.
"Big hammer, little hammer. Grow, grow, GROW!" Lavi shouted, his hammer growing twenty times it's original size.
Allen shot at Krory several more times before pushing back, taking Ariel with him. Lavi smashed down. Ariel covered her ears, the explosion still ringing in her ears, and Allen pulled her into his chest.
Lavi stood on his hammer, quite smug. "He's dead right?"
Ariel was shaking her head even before the smoke cleared. Allen gasped out, eyes bulging like a fish's out of water. Lavi frowned and looked down.
"No fucking way." The rabbit squeaked.
Krory had caught the very tip of Lavi's hammer in between his teeth, completely unscathed. The vampire grunted softly and swung his head, the hammer flying with it. He twirled it around several times and then let go, sending the hammer and Lavi flying. The floor beneath the vampire, however, cracked. It shattered as a large silver hand jerked up through the ground, metallic claws clasping Krory in a death grip.
The vampire's eyes traveled to the two before him, his gaze lingering on the small redheaded female for a few moments. Allen's grip tightened and his eyes moved back to the white haired male.
"What are you?" Krory seemed to ponder the thought. "Are you monsters too?"
"Yes." Ariel smiled. "I live a double life. By day I'm a water nymph stuck in the depths of this murky yucky pond but by night I'm a normal human girl with a giant badass sword."
Allen rolled his eyes. Ariel jerked her chin towards the male beside her. "And he turned into a hairy werewolf during the day." She added. Allen scowled and shook his head.
"I do not."
"Yes-huh." Ariel jabbed a finger in his direction. "I've seen it. You're an albino wolf with crazy blood thirsty red eyes."
"Am not!" Allen growled.
She giggled. "S'okay, I still love you, Allen-woof."
The man rolled his eyes, sending the girl a small but loving smile. "You're a dork, Ari-kun."
"Hmm." Krory watched them. Allen turned his attention back to the vampire in his hand. "I never thought I'd be in this situation."
To Allen's horror and Ariel's delight, Krory bit down. Pain flitted up Allen's arm and the white haired male released the vampire quickly to retract his hand. The vampire cried out, his tongue sticking out in distaste. "Bitter! Bitter! He tastes bitter!"
Krory darted off, becoming a blur once again, and disappeared into the dark, taking his victim with him. Allen stared at his hand with terrorized eyes.
"He bit me!" The male shook.
Ariel doubled over in laughter at the incredulous look on the male's face as his arm changed back into its original state, bite marks on his finger.
"You're a goner." Lavi squeaked, scuffling backwards into the woods.
Allen gave his friend's retreating figure a dirty look. Tim flew around the white haired male's head once before slowly moving back as well. Ariel snickered at the male and took a couple steps back just to mess with him. He scowled at her.
"Yay! You did it!" The mayor cheered, standing with the rest of the villagers a good distance away from Allen. "You chased him away!"
Allen glared at the crowd but said nothing. Ariel grinned and waved back. Lavi protruded from the woods as if he had never left. Allen fixated his glare on the rabbit-boy, noting the necklace of garlic and large wooden stake. Ariel laughed.
"Got any extras?"
Allen scowled at her and nudged her. "Not nice!"
She snickered and stood up on her tiptoes, allowing her lips to brush against the male's cheek. He blushed and nudged her again, a small smile gracing his features.
"Guess we have to go after him." Lavi let out a soft sigh, staring in the direction Krory had disappeared in.
Ariel nodded.
"You monsters go on ahead. We humans would die instantly in a battle between you and the vampire!" The mayor called out, waving cheerfully from the sidelines.
She scowled at them. "Cowards." And went to flip them off. Allen caught her hand, shaking his head, and tugged her forward.
"No need to piss them off now, love." He grinned.
She rolled her eyes and they continued on.
Krory's castle was utterly breathtaking, in Ariel's point of view anyways. Allen and Lavi cowered with each step. They pushed open the large old wooden door and stepped into the large grand entrance. Ariel grinned and moved forward, twirling.
"It's it gorgeous?"
Allen's eyes were glued to the ceiling. "I guess."
Ariel sent him a dirty look but continued to twirl. "I think it's marvelous! We'll have to steal it from Krory-kun, okay Len-kun?"
Lavi rolled his eyes and Allen sent her a small smile. "Like he'd let us."
She wagged her eyebrows and stopped twirling, standing in front of the large grand staircase. Ariel pursed her lips, taking a moment to think. "Scooby-dooby-doo, where are you…" She hummed softly to herself, looking around her. The dark spooky castle seemed to bustle to life, creatures of the night slithering around on the walls and floors. "Allen! Which way should we go?"
Said male simply looked around once, carefully calculating the passageways. "This way."
He moved to the right, stopping to turn and smile. Ariel shook her head and followed suit. They made their way through the hallways, stopping to turn every now and again, until finally they found themselves in a large dark room. Purple mist coated the air, floating over to them in a giant puffy cloud. Ariel gasped and covered her mouth and nose.
"Guys!"
Lavi collapsed behind them. Ariel whirled. "Allen, it's sleeping gas!"
Allen covered his nose and peered into the darkness. "Flower…"
"Recognize them?" Ariel asked, her eyelids beginning to droop.
He nodded. The flowers moved. Large pink and purple petals opened, revealing large razor sharp teeth. Allen jerked back, hand changing. Ariel blinked hard, trying to keep from falling asleep, and her sword materialized in her hands.
"Ready?" She breathed.
He nodded curtly and they jumped apart. Ariel sliced out, beheading several flowers. Allen ripped a few from their roots.
"I remember now!" Allen called, killing a few more flowers.
"Oh?" Ariel called back. "Care to explain?"
"These flowers are the same ones that my master used to grow; only his were on a much smaller scale." Allen nodded to himself. Ariel sliced through the rest of the flowers. Allen dropped to the floor and whirled, looking for Lavi.
"Ahh!"
They turned and looked up. Lavi wrestled with the giant flower that had captured the once sleeping male and entrapped him in its giant mouth. Ariel giggled. "Lavi-bunny! Tell the flower you love it!"
"ARE YOU CRAZY WOMAN?" He screamed back.
"Lavi! My master used to grow these plants. If you think happy thoughts towards it and tell it you love it, it'll let you go!" Allen called.
Lavi opened the flowers mouth long enough to send them incredulous looks. "Seriously?"
They both nodded.
"I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU." They all began to shout.
The flowers that had been creeping up behind Allen and Ariel started to draw back. Lavi's flower slowly loosened its stranglehold and Lavi fell to the floor with a loud thump.
"What have you done?"