Fight over the Seer
In the royal castle of the Transylvanian prince István Bocskai, people were going around with some panic and sadness. Their beloved prince was now dead. From the doctors' conclusion, it definitively was poison. Probably administered by someone working for Graf Dumas and the Holy Roman Empire… But people didn't know who.
While everybody was taking about this, Zwei was keeping company to the ex-duke of Walachia in some salon near the bedroom of the diseased. They were also still under the shock of what just happened. Over the few weeks he spent here, Zwei had quickly become friend with István. The ruler of Transylvania had welcomed his ally Radu X Serban with much joy and had also welcomed as warmly the duke's friend, Zwei, who was a little surprised by this warm welcome but really glad. They also had fought side by side against the invading forces of Graf Dumas for weeks. Zwei recalled István was always encouraging his troops to not give up and never lose hope in their chances to one day win the war. Even when he fell sick, he was talking like he would get up soon and go back in the fight… Even in his last conscious moments… Now his new friend was lying dead on his deathbed.
Zwei and Radu were both sitting in the small salon, feeling down and saying nothing when the chancellor of the late Transylvanian prince, Mihály Káthay came with some soldiers.
-Zwei, you are under arrest for the murder of Prince István Bocskai!
-What?
-Don't play innocent. We know you are the responsible for our beloved lord's death! Said the chancellor with a glare.
Zwei got up.
-That's crazy! Why do you say that?
The chancellor looked down on Zwei.
-You come from Graf Dumas' forces. You pretended to have deserted and to fight him so you could come here… and you used your influence on the Duke of Walachia to gain easy access. You then made you way to become close enough so you could administer him poison. And this letter is another proof of your guilt. You were sending information to Graf Dumas and writing about the murder you planned in a secret code.
The chancellor showed a letter written with Zwei's handwriting telling some information to the Ban of Hungary and explaining the poisoning. Zwei took the letter and read it.
-That's not me! That's my handwriting but it's not me!
Zwei turned to Radu for support but noticed the duke was staring at him with a strange gaze.
-You don't believe me as well?
-…
Radu was really embarrassed and said nothing. He was not the ruler here, he didn't have the right to decide… He was only a guest… If he opposed too much, he and his few people, his wife and child, could be refused hospitality now… They had nowhere to go… He had already put his own people into trouble since Graf Dumas seemed to be determined on making the Walachians pay since he rebelled and resisted… Radu had heard about the massive executions and the entire villages destroyed by orders of Dumas… Graf Dumas was not that hard on the Hungarian people… Of course he was making many malfested executions there also but now in Walachia… It was horrible. Maybe he should not have rebelled… Somehow with all that was happening, he felt very down… There was too many problems…
Zwei was disappointed in Radu's silence but then he thought that they didn't' know each other very much in fact, so the duke may be right to suspect him as well… So Zwei turned toward the chancellor to continue pleading his innocence.
Feeling guilty about his doubts toward the man who saved his daughter, Duke Radu decided to act. He got up as well and went between Zwei and the chancellor.
-Wait. Indeed he was in the Graf's army and I do not know him that much. But from what I know, this man is not an evil man. What he did before prove of his good intentions, he saved my…
-We are talking about present time, Duke Radu, interrupted the chancellor who then showed them an half-empty phial while he continued speaking.
-And we also found this phial of poison in his bag…
-Come on! If I was the killer, I would not have stupidly let this into my stuff!
-And where would you have put it?
-I don't know but the letter, the phial and everything makes no sense!
Radu sighed and said on a sad tone.
-It seems we cannot even stand together… How can we fight against the Graf and the Empire?
-We are standing together, said the chancellor. Only without the traitors. This low-life spy! Unable to dress appropriately! He should go back to his beggar friends! He is too low for our kind!
Zwei then tried to use his contacts.
-I know the Wolfkrone Princess, Hildegard Von Krone. She will tell you I am no killer.
The chancellor sneered.
-Ha! Princess Hildegard tried to meet the Graf and ask him for her lands since a while. She may have tried to win his favour by sending you.
-What? Ah come on! Now you're accusing Princess Hildegard Von Krone of conspiration? You're… out of your mind.
The chancellor became angry.
-Insults! How dare you? Get him to the dungeon! Shouted the chancellor.
Some guard came to grab Zwei, who tried to protest again.
-I didn't poison the prince! I didn't do it!
-Wait! Interrupted Radu again. Can't we calmly discuss this? Because István is not here anymore doesn't mean we have to act all barbarian and kill each other…
-You are merely a guest here, Duke Radu. And you should know that people are also speaking about you… You both came together… But since I remember your friendship to the prince, I am trying to protect you since I know you wouldn't do such a thing. I know you are innocent. That man organized everything.
-How do you know? Asked Zwei with some defiance.
-Enough talking! Take him to the dungeon!
-You cannot do this like this… He needs a trial… I shall take his defence. said Duke Radu.
-Alright. Take him to the dungeon and we shall organize his trial so you can try to get him out…
Zwei wondered if he should fight his way out or let himself be imprisonned and put on trial for a crime he didn't commit. Yet there were too many guards… He didn't even have his sword… but he had Ein… Yet maybe he should trust the Duke of Walachia… But he wasn't sure anymore if he could… and the chancellor seemed really eager to condemn him…
Quickly assessing his escape chances, Zwei decided it may be wise to surrender for now. Maybe he could escape later with Ein's help if Duke Radu could not save him… But he didn't surrender with pleasure and he grumbled as he was being chained and taken to the dungeon. With his ripped black clothes and his moody face, the servants seeing him in the gallery as he was being taken to jail had no difficulties seeing him as the responsible of this horrible murder.
Walking in the dirty alleys of Augsburg, Tira and Pyrrha came upon a man in some alley. The dark-braided man was holding a girl very tightly and seemed busy with her. Pyrrha blushed and sheepishly said.
-M-Maybe we should go… They are sharing some intimate moment… I think they are kissing…
-No, silly! Hey Solnhofen! shouted Tira.
The man let go of the woman who fell down before he turned toward the two women. Pyrrha then noticed with horror the woman's neck: It had blood coming out from it through some kind of bite marks… They were not kissing as she thought but he was drinking her blood!
She gasped and backed away behind Tira in a frightened way.
-Tira! What a pleasant surprise… said the man as he wiped his mouth from the blood.
-Yeah, well I can be unpleasant when I remember how you cowardly left the fight in Ostrheinsburg and abandoned Nightmare seventeen years ago…
-Don't blame me, blame fate. And don't say I'm a coward, I left only when I realized Nightmare was destroyed. What was the use to stay anymore? The castle was now full of Imperial and Wolfkrone troops. I was among the last to leave even if was pretty wounded and I barely escaped with my life.
-Well, you could have done more!
The man sneered.
-And where were you? I haven't seen you once during the fight!
Tira growled while answering.
-I was fighting. Outside the walls.
-Whatever. What do you want? Came to punish me for leaving?
-No. You gotta help me.
-Help you?
He turned to Pyrrha who had now come back beside Tira, eying her eagerly. Pyrrha backed away in fear behind Tira once more.
-And who is this pretty lady? My dinner? The offer you want to give me for my help?
-Don't touch! She's my Baby bird! Snapped Tira.
The vampire looked at Pyrrha with surprise. So this young girl was Tira's apprentice… Solnhofen really thought Pyrrha didn't seem cut out for the job of being a professional assassin… Not because of her angelic looks, this could very well do since it would be easier for her to get to people when not having the face of a crazy killer but she seemed so afraid, impressionable, whimpy… He really wondered why Tira took her under her wing… Must be because of her Soul Edge blood… Because he could feel it… She had it strong… He would so love to drink it… Tira and Pyrrha would both taste so good… Yet he knew Tira would be hard to taste, she would never let him do it and this little girl, Pyrrha was under her protection… so he had to forget taking some Soul Edge blood for now… Tira turned to Pyrrha with a reassuring smile.
-He's an old accomplice from the time I was in the Bird of Passage…
-I was her boss, interrupted Solnhofen.
Tira made an annoyed face and suddenly became gloomy.
-Boss… Don't get too cocky, you were only the leader of the mission…
-Yeah, namely: Your boss.
-Cut it out… I was higher than you in Ostrheinsburg…
Solnhofen sneered before he added.
-Whatever. Tell me want you want now. I don't suppose you came so that we kill each other? I don't suppose either it was that you missed me… So speak!
-Like I said before, I want you to help me… I want to find a girl…
With her visit in Walachia while Raphael was getting his revenge on everybody for the mistreatments Amy suffered and was making all those 'trials', she easily found out that this white-haired girl that was involved in this and that people were talking about was probably Amy. And there was not that much young white-haired woman in Europe so somehow she had the feeling it was that girl she sometimes saw while spying on the Schwarzwind. That also explained Raphael's presence with those goody-goody. Beside, she also asked some people in Walachia and her search in Raphael's apartments helped her confirm her doubts. Anyway, if it still wasn't Amy, it didn't cost anything to kill her anyway… Solnhofen asked her:
-What girl? And what do I get for this?
-You'll get her blood. Her Soul Edge blood.
-Why would I help you anyway? I know some beautiful ladies who have delicious blood as well… Why would I take the one you want me to when the others are nearer?
All along the way, the vampire always kept eying Pyrrha who was utterly afraid of him… She was happy to have Tira with her… She would die of fright if she was alone with that man… Meanwhile Tira was smirking. Even when Solnhofen made some slightly hidden remarks about her own blood, about both the women's Soul Edge blood, Tira didn't look impressed and continued.
-You touch me or Pyrrha and you're dead.
-You're tempting me.
-But you're too scared to do it.
Solnhofen smirked.
-Humpf… I'm not scared. I'm merely curious about who the other girl is… You never needed help before…
-I only need your… special talents…
Viola was still going south of Germany before she would go East, toward Hungary and Walachia. All along her trip, she barely went into the cities except when she needed to buy food. But one evening, Viola entered Nürnburg. She had decided to rent a room tonight since the weather was really bad. There was thunder and lightning while a heavy rain was falling. The winds were also very strong and the shelter Viola had previously tried to build in the wood had collapsed on her, just as she was seeing this would happen in her orb. So a little frustrated, all wet and cold, she had decided to go sleep into the city tonight. She had just rented a room and was coming back from leaving her horse into the inn stable that were a little farther to get into the inn when she suddenly noticed some armoured men going inside the inn. Their leader seemed to be a large man holding a giant axe. They didn't seem to have noticed her already so she quickly hid from them.
It's them! Thought Viola with some fear.
She had just seen those men yesterday in her orb. They were beating some man asking him where she was… She couldn't hear what they were saying but she knew they were searching for her. The vision had troubled her but since she could not do much, she pushed it aside. Now seeing those men right here scared her since she knew they were specifically looking for her. Why they were searching for her, she didn't know but she didn't want to know either. They seemed very brutal with the man in her vision; they were not searching for her to do her any good. She probably did something in her mysterious past that brought these men against her… Not wanting to fall into their hands, she tried to go back to the stables to get her horse but she suddenly noticed some armoured men were now also there. To flee from them, she quickly took some backstreet and ran away as the rain kept falling down on her.
Meanwhile, not caring about the weather, jumping from roof to roof, two assassins were looking at her while a young girl could barely follow them since she did not have the agility or the fearlessness of braving such height like the two others had and almost slipped down the roof each step she made while silently whimpering at her incompetence. At least the rain and the wind had diminished but the thunder and lighting remained, scaring the young girl even more.
-That's it! That's her! Goody! We found her! We can always count on my little birdies… Said Jolly Tira while showing Viola to Solnhofen who stared at the seer with a smile.
-She's even more beautiful than your Baby bird…
He looked again at Pyrrha who just arrived near them after having almost fell down the roof.
-…Who is already very beautiful… If one day, you don't need her anymore, I'd take her with pleasure…
-Stop being a meanie with my Baby bird! Said Tira while Pyrrha gasped in fear again at the lustful gaze the vampire gave her once more and too disturbed, she slipped on the roof while trying to quickly hide by Tira's side. She quickly got up and went to hide behind Tira while Solnhofen turned his attention to Viola once more and stared at her with lust.
-I'll have much fun with her…
And he jumped down from the roof.
Tira smiled as she thought it would be such a fitting end for Amy. Raphael will be so pissed off to see his own daughter killed by a vampire! He'll never be able to enjoy drinking blood again… yet he will have too drink blood… But he will be so tormented by it! He'll see his dead daughter each time he will want to drink!
Tira had first thought to only cut all her limbs and send them to Raphael but this vampire idea was kind of exciting even if she was not the one doing the killing… Yet maybe she could tear some of Viola's limbs also… to have some fun… and tell Raphy she did participate… But, she had to do it before Viola dies of her blood loss or else cutting limbs to a dead corpse is not as much fun… Her victim had to scream in pain, it was part of the fun… Maybe she could also kill Solnhofen after just to make him pay for abandoning Nightmare seventeen years ago, the real Nightmare… Oh, and for how he scared her Baby bird… and for how he would get most of the fun with Viola even if she was the one who asked him to bite her… and for her own fun… So many reasons…
Despite his high fall, Solnhofen silently landed some feet behind Viola, smiling evilly and ready to pounce on her. But before he could do anything, something hit him hard on his head and he feel down in the mud. As Tira was observing for above and trying to repress a laugher, Viola turned back toward him.
-As I thought.
She continued speaking as the fallen man was getting up.
-In the moon, I see everything. Now begone.
Viola had indeed a vision just moments before this man landed behind her, so she sent her orb to greet him. Now her orb returned to her and she was making it turn around her in a protective way. She had heard the man mutter something that looked like b*tch while he got up so she guessed he would not go away that easily… so she stayed in her defensive stance. As she guessed, he lauched himself at her. Viola quickly sidestepped his slash and replied with her claw while her orb was taking some momentum to come back and hit him. But Solnhofen evaded her claw and quickly replied with a kick, sending her slamming on the wall. He was not surprised anymore, now he'll show her that he was a professionnal killer! And he knew Tira and the Baby bird were looking at him, he could not look like a loser. This woman had already humiliated him enough by sending him down in the mud. She'll pay…
Meanwhile leaning too much on the edge of the roof for her own safety, Tira was looking at the fight with interest: The way Viola greeted Solnhofen was funny but the reply he gave her was also quite amusing. Now Viola was replying with her orb again and Solnhofen barely evaded it. But his attention on the orb gave her a chance to slash at him in the face since he wasn't wearing his usual mask that Tira almost always knew him with, since he was preparing to bite Viola. Solnhofen then backed away in pain as Viola told him:
-Now you know the meaning of pain.
Solnhofen sneered, ignoring the blood running down on his face. As he made an evil smile with his bloodied face, his red eyes glowing and his sharp fangs now showing up, Viola noticed that he was a vampire like her father. The sight was quite scary but even if she was somehow troubled, Viola kept an unimpressed gaze. The assassin then told her on a frightening tone:
-But you don't know it. Pain can be far much worst than this mere scratch… I'll show you…
Before Viola could do anything more, he quickly grabbed her arm with the claw while slashing at her hip with his rapier. Viola grunted as blood poured out from the deep wound before she sent him away with a kick. As he was staggering backward, she sent her orb once more. But Solnhofen evaded it again and came back with a powerful slash from his rapier that Viola quickly dodged. While looking at the fight, Tira thought that Viola was far better than she would have thought when suddenly she was interrupted in her thoughts as someone grabbed her by her belt and pulled her back on the roof.
-Huh?
-Huh… You were almost falling Tira… said the embarrassed Pyrrha as she was bringing back Tira from the edge of the roof.
Meanwhile the fight was still going on down there. Insults were being exchanged as were also strikes and groans of pain.
-There is no possiblity of victory for you!
-Fall… Crescent moon!
-Ungh! Dirty scum!
-Admit your defeat.
-The winner is determined by strength. Do you feel my power, you maggot?
-Argh! Dammit!
-Only the strong survive! As it should be!
-Fiend. Pierce… through!
-Arrgh!
-Brace yourself.
-Fool! Die!
-Not yet! Ugh!
-Hahaha! How was it?
-Argh!
-Hahahahaha! Crawl at my feet!
-I will not yield.
-Now, kneel before me!
-You're not... worthy.
-Suffer!
-No! Stop that!
Tira quickly turned around and leaned once more on the roof. It seemed she missed something. Now Solnhofen was having the upper hand over Viola and seemed to have immobilized her between him and the wall. Tira was angry to have missed it and slapped Pyrrha.
-You made me miss it!
-Ungh! … Sorry… Sorry… Tira…
The young Greek girl added after some seconds of hesitation.
-But Tira… I-I don't understand… Aren't we supposed to bring her to her father?
Pyrrha kept wondering why they took that evil man along but now she really was confused: Wasn't the goal to find this girl and take her to her father? Why was he fighting the girl?
-We will… Don't worry…
-But… He is trying to kill her…
Pyrrha received another slap in the face.
-Shut up! Stop asking stupid questions or I'll really get angry! Said Tira with her scary and raspy voice.
But as Tira looked down the roof again, it seemed Viola had succeeded in getting out of Solnhofen's hold and was still fighting.
-It seems he can't do anything alone… muttered Gloomy Tira before Jolly Tira quickly took over.
-Oh Goody! Let me have some fun!
Suddenly Tira jumped down from the roof. She landed exactly on Viola who fell down and lost consciousness.
-You didn't see that one, right? Said Jolly Tira as she jumped away, giggling.
Solnhofen was upset and insulted that Tira came like if he needed help but said nothing.
Not long after, Viola could not tell how much time it had been, she woke up with the vampire pinning her against the muddy ground while holding her wrists together above her head so she could not use her hands. Not even her orb. Viola wondered what happened between when she was facing him and now but she thought she must not have been unconscious for too long or else he would probably have already bitten her. But now he was staring at her with a voracious gaze and an evil grin.
-You fought well, but it is now time to die, my pretty…
He gazed at her with delectation.
-You will taste so good… Soul Edge blood…
Viola gazed with some fear at the man. She was wounded and unable to flee… She also wondered if he was a minion of her father. Could she order him to leave? maybe her father didn't have any power over his minions anymore… Maybe the minion didn't recognized her… Maybe he would attack her anyway… Maybe he wasn't even a minion…
But before she could tell him anything, the vampire violently bit her neck and began to drink. Viola tried to get out of his hold but Solnhofen was a professional assassin and knew how to overcome his victims. He was holding her firmly, forbidding any move from her. Viola felt she was feeling weaker as Solnhofen kept eagerly drinking her blood while she could do nothing and she was now feeling herself die. Unable to get out of his grasp, she thought: So this is what it feels to die at the hands of a vampire… That was how my father's victims felt…
As Viola was being drained of her blood, Tira crouched beside them and told the seer:
-I'm so glad to have found you, Viola… Oh! I mean Amy…
Viola was surprised by this woman; she haven't seen her before… Where did she come from? Somehow Viola felt some fear at the sight of this purple-eyed woman. She knew that woman was really evil and not here to save her… But who was she? It seemed the woman knew her…
-… Unghh… You… you know… gargh… me…? Who… ungh… are you…? Articulated Viola as the vampire was drinking her blood.
Tira told Solnhofen to stop drinking for a while. Even if it seemed to take all his will, it was Soul Edge blood after all… the vampire stopped and holding Viola's both wrists with only one hand, he put his other hand on her bite marks to keep the bleeding from being too abundant. He didn't want it all to go to waste during the conversation. Tira then pulled on Viola's hair to turn her head even more toward her, making Solnhofen let go of the wound.
-Hey! Watch it! I need that blood!
Tira didn't listen as her partner in crime quickly put back his hand to stop the bleeding. She adressed Viola.
-I still remember… We could have been friends…
-… Ungh… Friends? Ow… How come? Who… are you… ?
Rapidly losing conscience, Viola wondered: Who was that woman? What did she want? She hoped to get answers before she would faint… But even more, she hoped she could get away before she fainted. She noticed the vampire was not holding her as strongly as before since it was only with one hand now, she may be able to flee… But his heavy body was still on her and that woman was there as well… Yet, doing nothing meant dying. She might as well try… Tira continued speaking.
-Your father is such a secretive one… He told me he hasn't found you yet… Well, he did deceive me for a time… I looked everywhere but in the Schwarzwind for you… Then my searches led me back to the goody-goody Schwarzwind…
Tira suddenly noticed the rapier Viola had by her side. Viola had not used it in the fight since she was more used to her orb and claw.
-Oh, you even got his petty weapon it seems… His inheritance, since poor papa is dead…
So these people had to do with Raphael and her past… Was that woman the one who captured him? That Tira her father warned her about? And did she really killed him? Yet as much as she would like to know the answer, Viola did not have time to ask her, she sensed the vampire's grip became even looser for a moment, she had to take this moment and flee now.
So summoning her remaining strength, she suddenly freed both her hands from the vampire's grip, made some gesture with her left hand before she slashed the vampire's head with her claw and tried to push him as he was still in pain. Her orb that had fell down when she got immobilized came back with her previous gesture and hit the unsuspecting Tira on the head, making her lose her balance and let go of Viola's hair while also falling in the mud. Having succeeded in pushing the larger assassin, Viola quickly got up and started to run away but she ran straight into the wall since she was now too dizzy with the blood loss to walk or run properly. Meanwhile both the assassins had got up and Solnhofen grabbed her.
-À l'aide! Screamed Viola in a language she normally didn't use anymore while being grabbed and brutally brought back toward the vampire who was now holding her really tightly so she could not move anymore. She was not used to screaming but now she saw this as her only solution. She also didn't know why it came in this language but she had more important things to think of.
-Yes! Cry out in fear! Said Solnhofen as he enjoyed her fear. Seeing his victims fear him was something he always enjoyed greatly, even before he got malfested. It was even more enjoyable than killing them.
Tira came before Viola and slapped her in the face with the metal side of her gauntlet to keep her from screaming. She seemed less happy of Viola's reaction.
-Bad girl! Trying to get away while I speak!
Still angry, Tira slapped her once more.
-And pushing me down the waterfall! You thought I'd forget about it? I remember all that happened! I remember even if you don't!
Furious at Viola, Tira slapped her again. And again. And again. In her now frenzied anger, she would have continued but the vampire quickly took Viola away by turning her around and blocking the next slap with his arm. Viola, who now had her face all bruised and bloodied with the violent slapping, was lifted like a rag doll as Solnhofen took her away from Tira's wrath and told his partner in crime:
-She's mine! You told me her blood was mine! Don't touch! You're making me lose precious blood with your frivolities!
Indeed Viola was still bleeding; all this blood was now staining her clothe and dropping down on the ground. All the more blood he would not be able to drink…
-Get lost! If I wish to punish her, I can! Yelled Gloomy Tira.
Solnhofen backed away while bringing the now unconscious Viola near his face where the wound she inflicted him was still bleeding. Ignoring this wound, he growled toward Tira and told her again that the woman's blood was his before he began to drink Viola's blood once more, checking out on Tira so that she didn't come closer, like a beast keeping watch on its captured prey. Too addicted on Viola's Soul Edge blood, he could not wait any longer to get some more. He had no time to wait for Tira's insults, explanations or whatever to Viola. But Tira quickly replied with a slash of her ringblade on Solnhofen's leg.
-Arrgh! You b*tch! Said her surprised former leader as he tried to remain standing after this deep slash while still holding Viola.
Taking out his rapier, he was about to violently reply as well when both of them heard sounds coming from the street. The two former Birds of Prey then noticed that the people coming here were not city guards but were mostly armoured and armed warriors. Their leader was a large warrior holding a giant axe that Viola would have recognized as the previous man searching for her. He shouted as he saw them:
-That's the girl!
The two assassins understood that those men already knew Viola and were seeking her as well. Tira quickly jumped on them with her Eiserne Drossel.
-That's our girl!
Since they were in a dead-end with no escape but going through the newcomers, Solnhofen quickly licked Viola's bleeding neck and deposit her on the ground before he came to help Tira. He would have fled with Viola leaving Tira alone but there was no escape and the strike Tira gave him already made him limp in pain as he moved. Escape was not possible… But he would so kill Tira after this… For now, he launched himself at the enemies like Tira who was already fighting like crazy. After a while of fight, since her more or less ally Solnhofen was already wounded and the enemies were more numerous, Tira called out to Pyrrha who was still observing everything from the roof.
-Pyrrha! Come down here, you chicken! Give us a hand!
Pyrrha, who was horrified by the brutal attack on Viola and frozen with the beginning of a confrontation between the two assassins, now understood she would have to fight as well. She took her sword and let herself fall in the alley.
-So that's your bird… a chicken! Said Solnhofen as he slashed at one enemy while making fun of Tira's choice of student and choice of word she just used. Tira was not happy someone else could call her protégé 'a chicken'. Only she had the right to.
-My Baby bird will become an eagle one day! The most ferocious one!
Quickly gazing at the unsure, scared and still reluctant to fight, young woman, Solnhofen said:
-She looks more like a dodar now…
Indeed, still doing nothing, looking harmless and scared, Pyrrha reminded the assassin of this inoffensive and almost stupid bird, sailors found on an island, the dodar or dodo. The sailors could kill them so easily since the birds didn't flee nor did anything since they were not aggressive at all… Like this supposed assassin in training. But after a while, Pyrrha decided to come and fight. She had to protect Tira. As she passed beside Viola who was lying down unconscious in her blood, she told her while lowering her head in shame:
-I'm sorry…
Then she went to help her Mama bird.
Viola woke up on a bed in some room. There were two men, really well built men in the room talking together in a language she didn't know. She wondered what she was doing there and felt some fear being locked in a room with two strong men. The room had a strange perfume scent. Something was burning in some small plate like some kind of incense. She felt even more fear: Has she been drugged or something? But as the men noticed she was awake they turned to her and the youngest told her in French with a kind tone to stay down.
Viola looked at him questioningly with a surprised stare. She now remembered: She saw that man in her orb last night… with the other man… and with her father… Her father looking older with a scar on his forehead… Well he did look like her father a lot… Seeing this vision, she he had wondered if she would meet her father in some years and he would have aged because he would have been purified or something but she was meeting those men right now… Maybe once purified, her father reverted to his real age… He must have gained that scar in his fight against Tira, through some torture or something… Tira lied to her by pretending he was dead… But where was he?
Before she could say anything, the younger man got up from his chair and came to her. He took the plate with the incense and a feather and swept the feather and the smoke toward Viola while apologizing. Viola wondered why he was doing that. He wanted to drug her again? What was going on? Before she could do anything, he told her:
-Désolé, it may look rude but it's a purification ritual. It's sage. From the New world. You got bitten by a vampire and may be infected. Mostly since you once were a vampire yourself.
How does he knew she was a vampire? And why does he speak to her in French? Wasn't she in Germany? Does he speak to her in French knowing her origins since he knew her father? Feeling threatened somehow since they knew about her vampire past, Viola tried to get up but felt dizzy. The young man caught her as she was about to fall.
-You lost a lot of blood. If you want to get up, do it very slowly.
Viola sat back on the bed and gazed around: she felt some relief, her orb was there. Calming down, she then noticed the bandage on her neck and suddenly remembered what happened. But she was being drained by a vampire and now she was with those men… What happened? Did they save her? The oldest one then told her what she thought.
-I'm Rock and he's my son, Bangoo. We found you in a back alley. You were attacked by this vampire that bit you and some other guys wanted to abduct you too. There seemed to have a big fight over you when we came… But none of those sides seemed really kind… The newcomers who confronted the vampire and the two girls had just killed some people while looking for you as well… We took you here because the guards were coming and since you're a malfested, you would have been burnt to the stake even if you clearly seemed to be the victim there… The guards captured some of them who were wounded and probably will put them on trial… The vampire who bit you was among them… The two girls fled…
Viola didn't remember two girls… Only one… and she didn't even see the newcomers… Probably those she saw in her orb earlier… Something really happened when she was unconscious… She then wondered if she was a minion of this vampire who bit her and drank her blood: she felt her teeth with her tongue. They were normal, which was a relief. Maybe that man could have done like her father and do minions… But she supposed minions could not do minions themselves… Was he one of her father's old minion?…
In fact Solnhofen was not a minion, he was even a vampire since longer than Raphael, seven years earlier than Raphael since it was because of the Evil seed that he transformed. But he had no power to make minions since his transformation occurred with the Evil Seed, he was a less powerful vampire than Raphael who really had the evil energy directly infused from the sword through his body.
-But huh… you… you know my father?
-… More or less. Said Bangoo.
-Did you purify him and you are now purifying me?
Seeing the hope in Viola's eyes as she was gazing at the feather made the young man feel bad.
-Huh, no. We haven't met your father and what I'm doing is only a small purification… I'm not a shaman. I only have some knowledge…
Bangoo added a little ashamed:
-… In fact, very basic knowledge… Soul Edge is too powerful for me to do anything… I only hoped to at least purify you from the bite. I'm not even certain it would work… Sorry.
-But… where is my father?
-I don't know. We searched for you since a while… We were searching for Amy, the Count of Sorel's niece. Continued Bangoo.
After they received Marienbard's address, they went in Germany to meet with her. The ex-vampire accepted to meet them and learning they wanted to help Amy, she told them what she knew about Raphael's daughter. Seventeen years ago, she had been confirmed that Raphael and Amy had been secretly released by the then duke of Walachia after she, Jacqueline and Auguste had just left the castle. But some months later, she heard rumours that the new duke of Walachia would keep the Vampire's daughter captive and that he was making experiences on her and on other ex-malfested. But as she came to try to save Amy and the others, feeling sympathy for her malfested companions, she learned the duke had been destituted. She also learned Amy would have had white hair after that… Marienbard told them she tried to search for Amy, but didn't find her and had to go back in Germany since the place was becoming dangerous for her too as an ex-vampire… Someone suspected and recognized her and some peasants wanted to burn her at the stake in many towns. After a furious fight when many peasants tried to burn her, she barely escaped with her life… Then fearing the country and its anti-malfested peasants, she never returned again…
-The Count of Sorel? Raphael Sorel's brother?
-Yes. He hired us to find you. Said Rock.
-Why?
-He promised his brother he would help finding you.
-He… When?
-Huh… Sometimes ago… About a year or something… It took us some times to find you… We had to interrogate some people…
Viola was surprised; Raphael never told her he met with his brother… But then again, they didn't speak much… Viola still felt some regret to have been so distant with her father.
-Wait… Then you didn't see my father?
-No.
Then why was her father with them? … Unless… Unless the uncle looked like her father… thought Viola who then asked:
-Does my uncle have a scar on his forehead?
-Yes, he does. Why do you ask that? You were not certain?
-So it really was my uncle… stated Viola pensively. From what she read about Raphael's family in his letter, they chased him away; before he met her… He never said he was getting along with his brother… But then she didn't speak too much with Raphael at the fortress and he didn't deem it important to write in his letter that he met his brother it seemed…
Maybe she could learn more about Raphael there… But since Raphael only wrote the part where his family threw him out, was it that he still didn't get along with his brother and his brother would want to see her for something else? To annoy Raphael? He must not be a friend of Raphael… But he would have promised her father… Yet so many people were after her… Why are all those people after her? And why did the brother really want to see her? Is it really because of some promise or some evil plan against her father?
But Raphael was probably dead now, it would give the brother nothing… Beside his family may have thrown Raphael out but they never seemed to absolutely wish for his death… Raphael never wrote that… And those men didn't seem evil… Maybe she could get more information with the uncle… Anyway, France was in her options… If they get her to Rouen that would be great since she lost her horse with the attack. She would travel fast then… Maybe she should go there for a while and meet Zwei later… Anyway, she didn't want to bother Zwei in his mission… Maybe she should write Zwei to tell him… She knew the code… Or write to Siegfried instead, to not worry Zwei for nothing… and in case the uncle would want to hurt her, Siegfried would know where she was going…
-So my uncle would want to help me to please my father? As I know, my father's brother was not his best friend…
-I know. He told us. But he wants to make peace with his brother and help his niece… He did tell us that he and his brother were often not getting along well but he regretted some things he did and wished to make it up to his brother and you. He wished to protect you if you had no one else…
-Protect me?
Suddenly they heard noises outside. People were shooting angry things.
Rock peeked outside.
An angry mob was holding torches and weapons while searching for malfested and shooting anti malfested things. Rock turned to Viola who was still sitting on the bed.
-You'll have to be discreet, many are after you… You were indeed a big group of malfested there… with some dead people… It didn't go unnoticed… People are angry… We'll have to discreetly flee the city… I think they will search everywhere… Inns are not immune to searches… We have to leave.
Meanwhile, Tira was happily making her way out of the city slashing at any opposing her or even any fleeing from her, followed by Pyrrha who also slashed at people coming her way, yet with much less happiness. She was asking for their forgiveness at each strike and begging them to go away and not approach them. She would certainly not chase those who were fleeing like Tira was doing… Pyrrha didn't understand how Tira could be so happy while killing and why they met that evil man and did this to the other girl. She asked Tira again for the reason.
-Well, he's punished now… Aren't you happy? Oh! We could come back later and try to see him and the others being burnt at the stake, you could yell to him that he is a bad man! A really bad man! A big meanie! What do you say?
-No… I don't want to see him die… even if I'm still sad for what he tried to do… I still don't understand for the girl and her father…
-When you get older I'll tell you… Maybe in one week you'll be old enough…
She added in her Gloomy state:
-For now, just shut up! You're annoying me!
And Pyrrha knew she had to shut up until Jolly showed again…
Solnhohfen seemed to be a vampire since he had Raphael's fighting's style which include that every fencer is a vampire with the critical finish even if they may not really be a vampire. But it seemed amusing that he would be one so I wrote the story like this.
Thank you again for reading. I really appreciate it.