Chapter thirty seven.
Darren sped through the halls and tunnels of the mountain, following the pungent stench of Steve's blood, fury boiling in the half vampire's blood as he chased the Lord relentlessly. As he ran he had to leap over a sea of marching spiders, their tiny legs scuttling purposefully towards the main fight. If he was perhaps thinking straight Darren may have stopped to wonder about the strange anomaly which was a horde of spiders marching past in military precision.
Steve grinned over his shoulder, slowing to a mere walking pace as he arrogantly entered the Hall of Lords. A few vampaneze guards instantly saluted him, their eyes gazing into his as they silently asked him for answers about the on-going battle they were not allowed to witness first hand.
"We're losing," Steve said almost joyfully, hopping up upon on of the pews, drawing a cutlass from its sheath, "You can go if you want," he shrugged, "If I'm honest I have no time for you sorts; I have an old foe to confront. He will be arriving just…about…now."
"Steve!" Darren barked, teeth gritted together as he perspired and panted with rage. The guards rose their weapons to strike Darren down though were stopped by Steve.
"Ah-Ah-Ah," Steve grinned wickedly, "He's with me."
"My Lord," a guard bowed, indicating for the others to fall back into the shadows, awaiting this small though momentous battle that would surely follow.
"Why do you get to be called a 'Lord'?" Darren spat, "You're no Lord. Your barely even a man,"
"Oooh," Steve giggled evilly, the full extent of his insanity present in his stealing blue eyes, "At least I'm better than a vampire; they're bellow a man," Darren growled once more, putting Mr Crepsley's knives away and pulling out his own short sword, the dim orange flames of the candles dancing along the reflection of the blade. Steve took no notice but instead pointed to three bulges in the cavern's walls, concealed by thick cloth fabrics, "If you'd can peel your eyes from my face for one moment I will show you what you stand a chance of winning tonight," he sounded somewhat like a game show host which was never good; Steve played sick games, the only kid in the playground to actually chase ants with a magnifying glass.
"Stop fucking around," Darren snapped, hopping on to opposite side of the pew, his mentor's red cape snapping behind him just as Steve's green clock did the same.
"Watch me," Steve retorted, clicking his fingers at one of the guards who went to remove the clocks. "Behold! Allen Morris, Tommy Jones and Annie Shan!"
Darren's eyes snapped up at the unconscious people suspended by chains against the wall, their heads drooped lifelessly. Their breathing was soft but deep; they'd been gassed asleep, Darren was sure, having seen countless of Mr Crepsley's meals express the same sort of lifelessness when the orange haired vampire fed.
"You're a monster," Darren gasped, shaking his head.
"So everyone keeps telling me," Steve laughed madly, swiping his sword and catching Darren's as the two fenced like professionals on the thin beamed pews.
Meanwhile…
Vancha hurried through towards the Hall of Princes, stars in his hands as he attacked anyone who stood in his way. He needed the Stone of Blood; it had to be destroyed. If by some miracle the vampaneze made it into the Hall of Princes the entire clan would be doomed.
"We must make haste," Arra scowled her Prince as he studied the unfamiliar statues of vampaneze warriors which stood in place of the old stone carvings of epic battle scenes and triumphant vampires, "Hurry!"
Vancha complied, following the vampiress as she effortlessly jogged through the tunnels, "You know, Larten was a lucky man," he smirked as he watched her spitting out blood that had travelled into her mouth from a broken nose.
"He always liked a dominatrix," Arra retorted with a grin.
Vancha laughed at that, "When this is done, Arra, if you and I are still standing I will nominate you to become the first Vampire Princess." He laughed at Arra's disgusted expression.
"I would sooner be called Matriarch Arra," the vampiress stated, leaping over a dead Resistance member.
They hurried down the pathway to the Hall of Princes, the dull orb-like force field surrounding the vampire stronghold seemed almost dead to Vancha, so used to the throbbing pulse it produced. His mind travelled to memories of Paris and his fellow Princes, recalling his first encounter with the Vampire hub.
"Almost there!" Vancha grinned, not flitting but enjoying his run; flitting took up crucial energy and there was still a battle to fight. He licked his lips in anticipation, readying himself to come face to face with his place of work once more.
Arra, too, was growing excited. Gavner had seen to the workers and so if she and Vancha could destroy the stone they could leave and start again, a new colony of vampires someplace far from this mountain of death and sin.
They continued to run, eyes on the prize. Overhead, in the higher chambers, they could hear the bloody screams of the battle and thus hesitated to continue onwards, guilt washing over them. Vancha turned and nodded at Arra, "Go back and fight with our brethren you, Gavner and Darren are symbols of hope to our people now. If you go, I'll get the stone and destroy it. Okay?"
Arra watched his uncertainly but nodded, threw her arms around him for a tight embrace then let go, smiling sadly, "Luck Vancha,"
"Luck, Arra,"
Meanwhile…
Steve and Darren fought bravely like Pirates; it seemed more like a game than a real fight to the death. Steve could see Darren was thinking the same thing, his sword swiping Darren's before the vampire returned and struck forward.
"Go on then, Shan," Steve laughed, breaking the lengthly silence that had befallen over their fighting, "What character are you?"
Darren wanted to laugh, his mind rewinding to the duels and battles he and his friends had had on the football pitch years and years ago, back when they were all still innocent. "You choose first," he smirked, catching Steve's sleeve.
"I will be Captain Jack Sparrow," Steve beamed madly, "The underdog of the seven seas. Annie can play Elizabeth, Tommy and Allan can play those two buffoons. You know the ones I mean? One was fat and the other eyeless and tall?"
"Aye," Darren grinned, remembering having this exact conversation with Steve in has back garden after watching the Black Pearl together.
"What character do you want? You could play Barbosa? Maybe Will?" Steve pressed, his conversing causing him to make slower jabs and stupid mistakes.
The vampire suddenly launched his sword at Steve, causing the boy to pivot to the side too quickly and fall ever so slightly.
That mere slip was all Darren needed, pulling Mr Crepsley's knives from their sheath and pouncing on Steve, blades at his throat, "I am going to play the orange haired vampire who removes you from this earth after a lengthily reign of tyranny and terror over innocent people, you evil little brat!"
"I'm not evil!" Steve shrieked, wrestling under the weight of Darren.
The halls suddenly opened up, a vampaneze running in, "Sir! The Resistance are in the Hall now!"
Darren frowned. There were hundreds of halls in the mountain. What was 'the hall'?
In his puzzlement, Steve kicked Darren off, running forward a few yards to make a slight distance between the savage vampire. His hand delved into his coat and pulled out what seemed to be a remote control device, Steve's manic laughter and deranged wild eyes told Darren that that was not for a television.
"Do you like fireworks, Darren?" Steve asked then laughed, shaking his head, "Opps. I forgot you were a total pussy who cuddled his mummy on bonfire night,"
"Shut up," Darren growled then gasped as realization donned on him. "No," he whimpered as Steve went to press the button, "No!"
The button pressed.
An explosion sounded.
Then a second.
Finally a third.
Screaming, Darren could hear them all shouting out in agony as Steve detonated a bomb within the hall the Resistance had taken. There was a horrific boom as stone and brick fell and the entire mountain shook as it appeared to cave in on itself.
Darren stared at the murderous man in horror; Mr Crepsley had been right all this time.
In the Hall of Princes…
The first explosion had taken Vancha and Arra by surprise, both jumping to the floor. However it was the second and third explosions which proved catastrophic to them both. The ceiling caved in, rocks the size of SUV's rained down upon them, both vampires screaming out in shock and running swiftly towards the exit.
Arra stumbled ever so slightly, a smaller rock slamming into her head and causing her to double over and fall. She groaned, rolled onto her back just to see the largest rock of her life hurtling towards her. She braced herself, biting her lip for the fatal impact when suddenly someone scooped her up and threw her out of the door. The rock collided with that someone, squishing them as bones cracked and organs compressed in a sickly sound.
Dazed, Arra took a moment to come round, her eyes surveying the damage of the hall of Princes. Realization donned on her when she realized she had been saved by the only vampire present. A terrible bloodcurdling shriek emitting from her bloodied lips;
"VANCHA!"
I wanted Steve to do something terrible, something evil and murderous and so I thought that maybe his evil mind would have saw to the rigging of a certain hall and detonating the explosives just as the opposing army march onwards.
As for Vancha's death, I thought it would be appropriate that he should die saving his beloved Resistance, freeing himself to be with Gannen once more.
Next chapter soon; thank you all so much for the support you've given me to write this. I swear at the end I will write down the names of everyone who reviewed and thank you all personally. It means that much to me.
Preston (: