At long last, I've finished this chapter after much debate on how to end it. When I wasn't adding chapters to Supernatural, I did go throught the story and made a few revisions, such as naming some of the arcs as well as giving Chapter 4 a revised ending. Well, not much more to say about it. Here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy it.
29
"Now what?"
I stared in confusion at the entity in front of me. Its large form was nothing less of what anyone would describe as a monster. It's demonic like form and wings sort of reminded me of the gargoyle statues that I passed earlier. Realization soon dawned on me as I began to notice its stone-like exterior.
Scratch that! That is the gargoyle statue I passed earlier.
Panic began to overtake me after this new revelation. I only had that silver dagger used for killing vampires. I didn't have anything that could destroy stone. Unless my shoes or foul language could do the job, I was pretty screwed.
Just then, something crashed into the stone creature. What shocked me more was that whatever ran into it, pulverized it, crumbling it to pieces.
"What would you do without me?"
I smiled at the familiar voice.
"Not much," I said.
Morrigan's back.
"I wouldn't have made it this far if you weren't here."
Suddenly, Morrigan appeared behind me and had wrapped her arms around me, placing her chin on my shoulder.
"You've gotten a bit sweeter from the first time that we met," she whispered.
I smirked.
"I wouldn't show off if I were you," I said. "You remember what happened the last time you ran out of power?"
"You're no fun," she huffed.
I grinned. It was good to have her back.
"Um pardon me…"
I looked towards Rose who at the moment seemed somewhat annoyed with us.
"I hate to disrupt your reunion, but…"
Suddenly, more of those statues began to appear. A demonic dog statue landed behind Rose while another winged gargoyle separated her from us. Morrigan and I separated just as the statue lunged at us, swiping at us with its huge claws. After rolling, I looked back to see Morrigan jump back onto the statue's back. A large black drill formed around her hand and she slammed it into the gargoyle's head, shattering pieces of rock everywhere and then continued on with the main body. I then looked over to see how Rose was doing. She leapt onto the dog's back. Large shreds of paper shot out from her sleeve and embed themselves into the statue. They appeared to dig themselves deeper and deeper until cracks began to appear all throughout the dog. Soon, the living statue crumbled.
Just when I thought it was over, something suddenly blew through the bookshelf in front of me and slammed into me hard. Despite all that, I managed to wrap my arms and legs around it.
"Daisuke!"
Morrigan, who had just happened to see this, called out my name. I looked up to see her about to come to my aid when another large gargoyle statue dropped down behind her.
"Behind you!"
Morrigan whirled around to face the giant. It smashed into Morrigan with its huge claws, sending her flying across the room. It was about that time when I realized what I was clutching onto.
The head of a demonic dog statue.
The statue jerked its head in different directions, attempting to shake me off. Eventually, it did get me off. I flew into the air and landed on something on my back. Ignoring my injuries for the moment, I flipped over and found out exactly what I had landed on. I was now, on the demonic dog's back.
Aw crap, I thought, bracing myself for more pain that I knew was to come.
There was a crack in the stone behemoth's back. I took the knife and slammed the blade inside. I don't know why I did, but it just seemed like a good idea at the time.
Luckily for me, it worked. The blade was firmly inside the crack.
Suddenly, I felt like I was in a rodeo as the statue began bucking and kicking, trying to get me off as I held on to the knife for dear life. As I did, webs of cracks began forming across the statue's back. Just then, some black form—that I had guessed was Morrigan--blindsided it, shattering it to pieces and sending me sprawling onto the floor.
Suddenly, things were quiet again.
Rubbing my head, I looked around. There were stones everywhere, but not a moving statue in sight. I sighed, looking towards the floor where the knife lay. I picked it up and stared at it.
This is no ordinary knife I mused.
"Are you alright Daisuke?"
I looked up to see Morrigan kneel down next to me and gave her a nod. Just then, we were alerted by a noise sounding from the darkness. I groaned
Aw, gimme a break. What now?!
It was like one thing after another in this castle. Couldn't we ever get a break?
We both whirled around to see a figure step into the moonlight, clapping his hands.
"William," Morrigan deadpanned.
The elderly vampire didn't seem fazed by the succubus' greeting.
"Bravo milady," he said, smiling. "Bravo."
"I take it that you were the one who released those creatures on us?" Morrigan asked.
"Perceptive as always," William answered.
My eyes narrowed. I was beginning to like this guy less and less.
"What is it that you want?" Morrigan asked.
"I've come to inform you that we will give you back your friend."
My eyes widened in surprise. Did this mean that it was finally over? We'll be able to walk out of here with Jun in tow?
"But that means you admit to lying to us earlier," I growled.
"Milady, I really recommend that you get a muzzle for your pet," William hissed in response.
I glared at him and made a reach for the knife when a hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.
It was Rose.
She shook her head looked at me as if saying to keep the knife hidden. I couldn't argue with her.
"William, didn't I tell you earlier," Morrigan said collectively. She then looked at me with a smile.
"He's my companion."
William of course, snorted and raised an arm into a shrug.
"Yes, of course," he said, passively.
"And you know that I cannot overlook your lie earlier," Morrigan said to him dangerously. "Is she still human? Has she been bitten?"
"I assure you, she is still human," William answered. "She is also unharmed."'
I sighed as a sense of relief traveled through my body. Jun was alright and she would be coming back with us.
My only concern was…
"What's the catch?" I asked suspiciously.
Right then, the vampire smirked.
"You merely have to attend a party that we're having."
Morrigan and I looked at each other surprised, not knowing how to react.
"Your friend—that is, Jun—will be attending our masquerade ball this evening," William added. "We only insist that you attend as well."
"A masquerade ball?"
I was torn. I was skeptical, but I really wanted to believe him. This was a chance to get my best friend back safely and possibly walk away from this nightmare. I heard William chuckle.
"Rose, will take care of you," he said, turning and walking away. "I look forward to seeing you at the ball."
Later, Rose led Morrigan and me into separate rooms in order to get ready for the ball. I soon found myself inside some wardrobe room. Rose had measured me then disappeared for a few minutes then came back and delivered a black tuxedo before disappearing again. During that whole time, she said nothing about the exchange that we had with William earlier. As I began to change, I heard someone walk up to the wardrobe room.
"How are you doing in there?"
It was Morrigan.
"I'm alright," I answered. "And what about you, aren't you supposed to—"
I suddenly remembered who I was talking to.
"Never mind."
I heard her chuckle. I guessed that she had caught on to what I was about to ask her. I shook my head as I picked up the dress shirt and put it on.
"So what do you think?" Morrigan asked. "Finally getting Jun back?"
"It seems too good to be true," I answered truthfully. "If we really do get her back, then I don't think it'll be any easier for us to get out of here."
"I don't like it."
She said it quietly, but I heard it.
I didn't blame her.
It almost seemed far too easy and I was in fact very suspicious.
But it was our only chance to bringing Jun home.
Normally, Morrigan seemed ecstatic about walking straight into traps while saying things like, "it is fun." This was the first time that I ever heard her sound so grim about it. Maybe she was worried because of the handicap that was put on her.
I soon put on my tailed coat and exited the wardrobe room out to where Morrigan was waiting, standing against the wall next to the door. She hadn't changed yet.
"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know how to tie on a bowtie would you?" I asked her sheepishly.
Morrigan pushed off the door and turned towards me. I handed her the material and took a step closer to her as her arms when over my head then came down onto my shoulders. I raised my chin and stared at the wall as she wrapped the tie around my collar and went to work. A few seconds in, I caught myself glancing down at her as she tied my tie.
She seemed to be enjoying it.
"I hope we get Jun back."
I looked down at her to see her wearing a rueful smile.
"I hope we do too."
After Morrigan had finished my bowtie, Rose escorted me to another foyer much like the one near the entrance. Unlike the entrance however, there was a huge stair case covered in red carpet leading up to a large pair of double doors at the top. She then left me there with a mask similar to what the phantom of the opera wore and had told me that it would keep me safe for the time being.
I certainly hoped that she was right.
Stood there waiting as numerous couples passed me and climbed the stairs into the ballroom. Rose had told me that on some nights, the castle held events like these and invited guests from all over the world. To me, that meant that all of these guests were darkstalkers…
…or they were all human.
The thought of warning them what they were getting themselves into had crossed my mind. I only kept quiet because I thought it would jeopardize my chance at getting Jun back.
"Were you waiting long?"
I pulled from my thoughts and turned to see a masked woman standing behind me. She wore a violet ball gown that had bat designs embroidered around the hem of her dress. When I noticed the long green hair, my eyes widened.
"Morrigan?"
She placed a finger over her lips, shushing me.
"I know I look gorgeous, but don't get me away," she said. "This is a masquerade ball y'know."
I stared blankly for a moment before smiling and shaking my head. I held my hand to her.
"Shall we?"
She smirked in response and took my hand.
The ballroom was safe to say, the brightest room within castle Zeltzereich. It had—when I thought about it—the most windows, with several of them surrounding the room.
It also had another long flight of stairs descending downward into the ballroom.
Oh great, more stairs.
Morrigan interlocked her arm with mine and we descended the stairs together.
"Demitri occasionally holds events like these to draw humans to the castle," Morrigan whispered.
I was right about the human theory, but it was something that I already knew.
"Not everyone leaves here," she added.
However, I didn't know that. Then again, it would explain where Demitri's servants came from.
"Does he take them?"
"No, some of them, mainly women choose to stay here to serve him willingly."
I scowled at that. Human beings were submitting themselves to darkness which was unsurprising to me. It also reminded me of our other situation.
We still had ARC to deal with.
Soon, Morrigan and I reached the sea of people mingling with one another. Many of them women there wore ball gowns of many color as well as designs as their masks came in different shapes, shades, and sizes. This was definitely a masquerade ball.
Finding Jun was going to be harder than I thought.
Morrigan and I went and stood by the windows as we took in the scene. I took the chance to glance out the window.
The moon was still blood red, but it no longer held that ominous glow from before. Judging from how high it was, I guessed that it was merely three more hours before midnight. I felt a little relieved that I would see Jun here tonight.
"Hey Daisuke, look over there," Morrigan suddenly said to me.
I looked towards the stairway, where she was pointing and noticed to figures entering. One of them was William. The other was a young woman with her arm interlocked with his. She was dressed in an elegant lavender ball gown with a matching mask, concealing her identity. However, I knew who it was.
It was Jun.
Well, it seems like Daisuke's finally getting a break. What happens next? Well, I'll let you know when I post the next chapter XD.....Don't lynch me!
