Author's Note: Well, it's been months since my last update due to a busy summer. The bad news is that this chapter was one of the most challenging to write (plotwise and descriptivewise) but the good news is that, after a lot of work, I've finally decided to post it. Joachim in LoI strongly implied through the quote "I would've won" that he and Walter's conflict reached a breaking point, possibly to the extent of a battle for control over Eternal Night. Well, history (err...the game) is the writer of who won, but you can read how it all went down. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!
Special Thanks: Thank you LateNiteSlacker for taking time out of your busy schedule to edit this chapter! Other thanks go to AzariyaBelmont for always leaving reviews/comments about my work, as well as danceofgold for the continued support and feedback. Sorry for seeming kind of inactive lately, but I greatly appreciate hearing from you and hope you will continue reading!
Chapter XXXII
Joachim flew up the tower steps, the tails of his robes flapping behind him in the howling wind like unfurled wings. The red moon peeked above the tower, its faint light illuminating the white features of his face. His lips drew into a cold, dark sneer the moment he came before the tower door. Fear throbbed through his heart when his pale blue eyes surveyed the nightscape beyond. A terrible injustice had been committed upon Sara, and upon him, which Walter could never rectify.
Walter stood beside the throne; the dark spheres of his eyes fixing upon Joachim with predatory intensity. With the dignity of a king, he gave the youth a graceful nod before ushering grandly to the woman standing by his side. The vampire lord towered over Sara's petite stature like a panther guarding its prey. His gaze flitted from him to Sara, and his refined lips lifted into a coy smirk. The luscious coils of crimson hair cascaded against his shoulders like rivers of blood, spilling across lifeless porcelain cheeks, their perfection masking centuries of tarnished glory. The vampire lord's calm demeanor, though practiced, failed to hide the venomous intentions surging beneath his sculpted form. The muscles veiled beneath folds of cold, red steel tensed anxiously, whilst his gauntlet-covered hands curled into fists. Like a dark sea, his long, black cape fluttered lightly around Sara's shoulders, encasing her within their folds while the demon's heavy arm slinked across her shoulders and pulled her close like a dragon guarding gold. Mockingly, his other hand lifted and cupped her chin, forcing her head up as though she were a doll.
Walter's eyes focused upon the white-haired youth, and his voice resonated through the room, immobilizing Joachim to the point that his body became statue-like. "Welcome, Joachim. I see you enjoyed entertaining the lady; it was gracious of you to not feed upon her during my absence. I am greatly looking forward to rewarding you…personally."
The sight of Walter and Sara standing so near to each other unsettled the other vampire, who stared back blankly in surprise, his eyes barely blinking under the penetrating aura of his lord's gaze. "What do you mean?" He choked, feeling like a fool the moment the question fled his lips. Something inside his mind screamed for him to snatch Sara out of his lord's grasp, but his feet felt as heavy as lead, and were unwilling to move. They stared at each other, seemingly lost in the silence encompassing the vast room. Although Walter was at a distance, the red-haired demon's presence suffocated him, for everything about the vampire lord demanded acknowledgement.
Walter's superior strength effortlessly restrained Sara. Despite her aversion of her captor, her voice held its calm sweetness. The lady lifted her head, the spheres of her sanguine eyes gazing upon the white-haired vampire, their softness drawing his eyes to hers whilst her tender lips moved to speak. Upon hearing her voice, Joachim flinched. "If you must obey Lord Bernhard, so be it. Leon shall have no one to save, and no need to endanger himself any longer." Sara cupped her hands in front of her, her eyes professing a profound grief that he had never before laid eyes upon. The humanity of her soul forced him to confront his own, tortured existence, which he had believed was devoid of compassion. Like a lamb brought to the slaughter, she stood near the one who oppressed them both, the lord of Eternal Night, in a manner of dignified solemnity. "I wish for no harm to befall you, Lord Armster. Do not condemn yourself, no matter what becomes of me."
"Ah, such nobility…" Walter mused. A low chuckle vibrated within his throat whilst the stunned youth looked on, his face paling when the red-haired vampire's hand slipped from her chin to her neck, stroking her throat in slow, even circles. Her unexpected lack of resistance prompted him to add silkily. "Although the lady's sentiments are amusing, her company has reached its end. You have spent a great deal of time with her, Joachim – far more than I should have permitted."
At first, Joachim did not know how to respond. Never before had Walter been so openly possessive of a human captive. As if lost in a nightmare, he could feel the other vampire's eyes burning against his and threaten to engulf him within their dark pools. The youth's fine lips formed a frown, his pale eyes giving his red-haired tormentor a look of cold restraint alongside his condescending reply. "You asked me to watch over her, and I fulfilled my obligation. I ensured her survival, but why, now, decide her fate? Baron Belmont may not believe she still lives without proof-"
"I am not interested in your opinion!" Walter snapped. "It is not you who has the power to decide. I am curious to know why the lady was so worthy of your attention."
"She was a foolish young woman, who would have easily fallen victim to the monsters. You wished to consume her blood, and I thought it wise to ensure that our guest was not devoured prematurely." He resisted the urge to return Walter's skeptical observation with an insult. Nevertheless, Joachim raised his head, and felt his lips lift into a proud sneer.
Joachim's disagreeable demeanor, in addition to the indifference in which he addressed Walter, seemed to spark something akin to disgust within the red-haired vampire. For a moment, Walter raised his other hand as if to strike him, but unexpectedly ushered to Sara. Unwilling to be baited so easily, the smirk upon his lips broadened, though the words they spoke were far from complimentary. "And you were a very skilled guardian." Walter whispered. "Since you have done so well keeping her alive, I have decided to reward you…with her blood."
Joachim only gazed back at the red-haired vampire, and was unable to move. The terrible thirst ached within his mouth, but Sara's calm proved too much, and he could not convince himself to consume her. Yet, it was within his nature to hunger, for his lord's offer appealed to the ravenous, insidious hunger building inside him. An aching thirst filled his throat and drove tremors of pain through his entire body. He could see the veins beneath her skin; their intertwining networks veiled only by delicate, fair white flesh. However, he was determined to repel the urge, for Sara's kindness and selflessness called to his soul, which he nearly lost to the brutality of vampirism. He despised his shadow-self, the side of him that wished only to devour and corrupt, the darkness within that sought to snuff out his humanity.
Desperately, he longed to preserve the fragile remnants of his human memories, which seemed to be his last link to the mortal world. Memories of himself seated in his armchair by the hearth, wisps of ivory hair brushing across his warm, pale skin whilst he read Beowulf - his hand enclosing around a porcelain china cup, feeling hot steam waft across his nostrils until the calming taste of tea slid down his throat. Memories of the summer sun drenching him in its glorious light during Sunday afternoon walks. Memories of casual conversations - silly remarks about the weather, servants, and dinner - things that he once found frivolous, and in spite of himself, grieved he could never re-experience…
Upon noticing the youth hesitate, Walter's eyes glinted, and his voice lowered. "Do you still wish to protect her? Her usefulness has long since passed, dear servant."
The word servant made something within Joachim break, like a rock shattering a glass windowpane. He tried to restrain the ferocity caged within himself, but anger threatened to undermine his composure. With a cool huff, the young man tossed his head, curtaining his displeasure behind locks of his silvery white hair. Sara's crystalline eyes were filled with dread, and she looked on at him in silence. He shot the young woman a scathing look, and realized that his stance was much more rigid than he expected. Despite his attempted disdain, his desire to conceal his weakness for Sara was waning. "You think this helpless girl is a worthy reward for obedience? Do not insult me. You fail to understand that damsels in distress are of no interest to me-"
"Oh, but I do understand…" Walter hissed. The demon's eyes bore into the young man's with the intensity of an inquisitor, their dark spheres locking with Joachim's pale blue. "I understand well enough, to know you are refraining for another reason. If you refuse to drink from her, your feelings will betray you at last."
Joachim's eyes widened and he fell completely still under the penetrating force of Water's gaze. It took great effort for him to find the words to reply. "My feelings?" He gave the other vampire a sardonic sneer. "Yes, Walter, why don't we both sit down and share our feelings over a glass of blood. I will pretend I did not hear your implication."
"Silence!" Walter snapped, his eyes kindling a shade of vibrant crimson. "Disobey me this time, and you will never be forgiven." His hand balled into a fist and the dangerous glint in his eyes intensified. "For centuries, I have played games with humans. Do not attempt to mask the transparency of your emotions, Joachim. Your dedication to the lady is no different than Baron Belmont's, and equally as hopeless."
Joachim lifted his head and held it high, eyeing his master with rising impatience. Sara was standing so close to Walter that, at any given moment, the red-haired vampire could tear her to pieces in the blink of an eye. He remembered a time when he was a spirited young man with a gentle disposition, who loved reading by the fireplace and playing games of chess. It seemed like a simple life, until Walter stole his innocence away. Everything he held dear to his heart was gone: his village, home, and his life because of the red-haired demon standing before him.
The castle and the forest surrounding it was a forlorn, brooding place, with abnormal perpetual darkness. A profound aspect of him wished to see Eternal Night's lonely rooms drenched in sunlight, as they might have been during a long forgotten era. Although the sun could never grace him with its light, Sara could dwell within its golden rays, and restore the castle to its former magnificence. It was an impossible dream, but he dreamed it nonetheless, for he was weary of endless night. Even vampires needed sleep. Walter's presence exhausted him – his incessant games, unnatural wakefulness, and boredom defied the very nature of vampires. If darkness gave way to daylight, eternity could regain its beauty and discovery. Daytime promised rest and recuperation, until the night could greet him with its glorious stars and arcane stillness. Images of pain and suffering disturbed him because he could never sleep as long as Eternal Night was shrouded in darkness. Walter was afraid of daylight, normalcy, and rest – for even demons had demons of their own to haunt them in their dreams.
The night must fall!
If he was cast into disgrace, he would at least know love again. He would lead Sara out of the shadows and return her to the light where she belonged. Joachim looked upon her anguished face, feeling her apprehension and fear for him growing each passing moment, for they were both standing upon the brink of the dark abyss. He was prepared to fall into the shadows, if only to save her from them. Determination swept across his pale features whilst he looked Walter in the eye, his voice filling with revulsion. He would not hide behind a façade of indifference any longer.
He eyed the Ebony Stone - the source of Walter's power, while his thoughts lingered upon Sara and his own, uncertain fate. "I will not kill her, and condemn her as you condemned me! Sara does not deserve such a cruel fate."
"What?" Walter's eyes blazed and his hands balled into fists, ready to crush the frail creature like an insect. Disbelief shattered the vampire lord's composed façade. Nearly trembling, Walter's great frame towered over him and cast a dark shadow across the youth's delicate form as he snarled between gritted teeth, his once dark spheres alighting a shade of brilliant red. The rage and impatience within his voice intensified. "You still cling to your pathetic humanity despite my efforts to prove the futility of their existence! The brevity of human life is not worth your desire to spare her from the inevitability of death. Should you disobey me, your insolence will only bring greater suffering upon you."
"So greatly have I suffered, more will not make a difference!" Whether he survived was of no consequence, as long as she could escape from the darkness that had imprisoned his soul the night he was bitten and turned. In an effort to reiterate his defiance, the creature allowed the five blades to leave their dormant position behind him. The swords obeyed his thoughts and began orbiting around him, their sickly greenish light casting a shadow across his ashen visage. He clenched his hand into a fist. Boldness filled his voice when he spoke, his words poisoning his adversary's confidence. "For far too long, I have bowed to your will, like a serf before a lord. So much have I given you, but what have you given me in return? Eternity, perhaps, but not autonomy! Your need for power and control disgusts me; I can no longer look upon you, for all I feel toward you is hatred."
"This is not a game that you can win!" The loose coils of the demon's lush red hair seemed to compliment the flickering crimson glow within his starlit optics. A slow, deliberate smirk spread across the vampire's lips whilst his titan-like form drew Sara nearer to him, his power alone forcing the young woman unwillingly by his side. "I am curious to know how you will comprehend the matter of the lady's death. Your refusal is disappointing. I gave you everything…and yet, you turn from me like an ungrateful child! As I expected, you refuse to accept the fact that this woman, like your beloved Catherine, shall fall to you as you fell to me-"
"Don't!" Barely conscious of his own rage, a roar escaped the youth's throat, and he pointed his index finger at the red-haired demon, gnashing his incisors. "Don't you ever speak her name! You have merely confirmed the fact that, if I must live for eternity, I will ensure that you do not. Eternal Night – and the Ebony Stone – will belong to me."
Sara's bright blue eyes widened, and the moment she neared her captor, the sound of her cry made the pale vampire's throat tighten. "Joachim, you must not lust for power-"
"You know as well as I, the truth is not so simple, Walter!" Joachim added, his voice rising alongside his rage. He could hear Sara pleading for him to refrain but there was no turning back. The arrogant smirk upon Walter's face made the blood in his withered veins boil with rage. "You are so skilled at spinning tales that you ensnare yourself within them!"
Walter gave the young vampire a look of cold indifference. Although his voice was steady, rage simmered like a cauldron within his unblinking, dark eyes. Upon hearing the young man's words, the demon fell completely still. A low chuckle escaped his throat as if the dark intentions his servant held toward him were of little importance. "Your imagination never ceases to amuse me, Joachim."
"I will no longer watch you torture innocents!" The young man began, his eyes narrowing accusingly. "Though I have committed many horrible crimes, I will not drink from her. Servitude is far beneath me. I deserve much more than that."
"What makes you think you are entitled to rule?" Walter chuckled, his dark eyes glinting with amusement, which contrasted against the scowl slowly appearing upon his lips. The vampire lord released an exasperated sigh. "I am hardly inclined to agree…" The sound of his rich laughter stung the young man's ears, whilst he added condescendingly. "You think you can take the Ebony Stone from me? I am certain you will discover that victory is but a distant hope after I break you of your spirit. Surrender now, and I may not tear you to a thousand pieces, along with that human you try to protect." His blood red armor gleamed under the torchlight and seemed to exaggerate the severity of his rage.
Joachim felt his feet lift off the ground until his slender figure levitated over the floor. A flicker of disgust clouded his pale blue irises a shade of brilliant red. He bared his fangs while the swords whirled around him. With a low chuckle, his eyes locked with the red-haired lord's, his calm voice articulating his resolve. "No."
Walter's smile faded; his flaming red locks cascaded against his cheekbones. "Must you consume yourself in hopeless quarrels, Joachim? Do not forget, you have been defiant in the past, and lost. Your devotion to this girl is ridiculous. What would you do should Leon come for her? Humans dwell in the light…the accursed sunlight, which burns our flesh and corrodes our bodies into ash. Perhaps, you mightn't go with them...but soon, as it was in the past, you would realize their fear of you…"
Joachim's eyes widened when Sara's frightened scream alerted him. "Joachim!" his head jolted to the right, where Walter's form translocated and levitated above the floor. He summoned another sword and sent it hurtling forward, his lips curving into a grin when the blade stabbed the other vampire through the shoulder. Walter's throat released an agonized roar, and his frame staggered, straining to remain standing as rivers of blood poured from the wound he inflicted.
Joachim summoned the blade back, smirking at the sight of the bright crimson blood trickling down Walter's armored frame. "As you can see, master, I am not as weak as you think." He scoffed. But something Walter said still injured the deepest part of his soul. He shook his head, trying to banish the thought from his mind, but his lips still spoke the terrible admission. "They would…fear me…"
"I hope that is not your best, since this battle is far from over." Suddenly, Walter lifted his arm and formed three dark spheres in front of him, which exploded and sent the pale youth reeling halfway across the room. "Ah, how it thrills me to wipe that conceited little smirk off your face!" Walter's glittering eyes followed the young vampire, who had taken the full impact of the attack. The sour tang of blood welled in his mouth as he staggered to his feet, wincing upon feeling currents of pain surge through his chest and arms like jolts of electricity.
Joachim scanned the room in search of him, and jumped back when Walter's frame appeared before him and cuffed him with the back of his hand. "You impertinent little fool!" The vampire lord's dark eyes lit with a shade of crimson as the white-haired youth fell back against the floor. Joachim's grasping hand snatched Walter by the collar – and with as much strength as he could muster – dragged the other vampire's bulkier form onto the floor with him. Fortunately, he landed on top of the larger vampire, and dug his nails into the silky black fabric of his lord's collar like a master restraining a vicious dog. However, as easily as swatting away a fly, Walter seized him by the trusses securing the back of his chest armor and yanked him off.
"I remember when you enjoyed this," A tiny smirk spread across the demon's lips, his rich voice resonating through the young man's wounded pride. "I might still have a purpose for you after I quell your pathetic attempt to defeat me. I doubt very much, you will find pleasure in it as much as I."
Walter's knee collided against the youth's vulnerable chest. The impact from the blow was so severe he coughed up a spurt of bloodied saliva as the red-haired lord aimed a heavy kick at his side. He barely had time to dodge the blow, but he managed to roll out of the way before Walter could inflict more damage. Joachim readied his swords and sent them all away the second Walter reappeared. The vampire lord's gauntlet shot up the moment all five of his servant's massive glowing swords careened toward him, but he only managed to avoid three of the blades before two ripped through his shoulder and waist.
Horror stricken, Sara looked on at the two vampires' forms, her lips releasing a scream the moment Walter had kicked him. As if oblivious to her own vulnerability, she rushed forth and flung her arms around the white-haired vampire's waist, the unexpectedness of her action allowing her frail strength to pull him back. Walter's ironclad fist swung at the side of Joachim's face and narrowly missed due to her intervention. "I will not let you hurt him!" She cried. Somehow, her soft voice acquired a power he did not know it could possess, for her kind eyes were alit with fiery rage. "You cannot own a soul, Lord Bernhard!"
The young vampire swept away to gain some distance, while his voice shouted across the room. "Cover me!" his mind summoned the swords back to him, and the last two managed to pull themselves out of Walter's armor. He allowed them to still behind his back but kept his posture steady. Walter emitted a guttural growl to create flash of white light in his hand. The red-haired vampire lifted the energy into the air and threw it forward. The glowing white light spiraled toward the youth with lightning speed. Despite Joachim's efforts to dodge the attack, the light followed his movements and exploded. Searing pain ripped through his body whilst he shielded Sara from the attack's remnants, and he felt the smooth skin on his face burn and erode. Red flashed through his eyes before he lifted his head, ignoring the pain, and sent his swords hurtling toward the other vampire.
Whether it was out of arrogance or insult, Walter had already begun to turn away, a smirk pressed across his ashen lips as if the battle was already won. However, upon sighting the incensed creature's five blades, he whirled to avoid them. Walter's long black cape fanned around his muscled shoulders, and the shimmering coils of his blood red hair swept against delicately contoured cheeks. His expression, once transfixed by satisfaction, warped into agony when the five relentless blades plunged through his breastplate.
Walter writhed under the impact. With the swords still impaled through his chest, he crumpled forward, and a fountain of blood gushed down his heaving frame. "Your pathetic efforts…will yield nothing. I have reigned over this castle for centuries…even though you are a vampire, my power is far superior to your own." The words fled from his bloodied lips with bitter satisfaction, as Joachim's broken body attempted to get up after colliding against the wall. His burning red optics watched Walter slowly straighten and rip the sword out. Blood covered the metallic blade, its vivid claret hue gleaming in the torchlight. "Lest you forget, it was I who gave you eternal life." Without hesitating, the red-haired lord grasped the other blade by the hilt and tore it from his flesh with a single, swift jerk. The blood-covered swords hovered around his armored frame whilst the pale youth concentrated his thoughts, preparing to strike again, until the demon's armored form vanished in a flash of white light.
Joachim's struggled to keep his mind focused. Despite attempting to subdue his oppressor, his attacks seemed to have little impact. He staggered against the wall, gasping and coughing up clots of blood. His skin appeared to lose all the color it possessed, and despite managing to keep his concentration, it took much longer for the swords to return to him.
Walter reappeared in front of Sara. Her mouth gaped as he lunged upon her, his eyes blazing and fangs gnashing, while his gauntlet-covered hand sought to snatch the young woman within his grasp. "Foolish girl," he snarled. "Why do you pity this insolent wretch? It would only be a matter of time before his will overcame yours. It is the nature of all vampires to consume blood. How dare you taint and corrupt him with human ideals-"
"Ideals?" Sara snapped, her eyes narrowing the moment Walter's clawing fingers came within inches of her face. When it seemed like fear would rob her of her voice, she refused to concede. "It is you who tainted and corrupted him. I am neither immortal nor powerful, and yet, you fear me. You do not understand…and Leon may not understand why…but I won't let anyone else suffer as you made Lord Armster suffer!"
"Alas, you are misguided." The demon hissed, his eyes burning a brighter shade of red the moment Joachim's steel blades shot in front of his face and impaled themselves into the floor between he and the young woman. The metal barrier separating them did not hinder Walter from continuing as though it was merely an annoyance. The vampire lord gave the swords a wary glance, his dark eyes focusing intensely upon Sara's gentle countenance, their dark spheres attempting to mar her resolve. "I am interested to know why you love him, Lady Trantoul, for it is difficult to comprehend his imprudence otherwise. I am the decider of his fate…and yours."
"That is untrue, Lord Bernhard." Sara replied, releasing an exasperated sigh. "How I wish you would not try to control death, for you fail to realize, how death controls you. You live…to watch others die…whilst the innocence within your soul slowly dies with them. The fact you would condemn Joachim to a similar fate is unjustifiable. Though I am bound by the devil's will, God shall be my witness, and may your cruelty one day be brought to an end, Lord Bernhard!"
Walter's voice had become a low rasp, occasionally silenced by the blood trickling down the corners of his refined lips. The vampire lord's starlit optics looked beyond Sara's determined expression to the pale, gasping creature slumped against the wall at the back of the room. Upon feeling the intensity of his lord's gaze upon him, Joachim abruptly straightened and staggered forward, his face a mask of fury and dread.
Walter would not relinquish Sara willingly. The insatiable need to retaliate had corrupted his confident façade. "I made you what you are, a perfect being who would have lived forever by my side, if only you had chosen to kill her. Eternal Night will never be yours."
Joachim attempted to move himself away from the demon; however, his strength was fading. Blood gushed from his wounds and stained the beautiful fabric of his robes crimson. He staggered forward, rasping curses under his breath, his eyes smoldering with rage. He could not move fast enough to protect her, for the room was beginning to spin and everything blurred. "Don't you see…?" He gasped, feeling the air drain from his lungs with each word he spoke. One his hands covered a wound in his shoulder, feeling the sticky wetness of blood squish between his trembling fingers. With a bitter laugh, he snarled. "I would rather die for her, than live for you."
Though Walter did not speak, he could see something within the other vampire shatter., Walter's armored form lunged upon him with the ferocity of a viper, and a roar escaped his throat whilst his lips parted back, exposing the needle-like points of his gleaming incisors. "Then die!" The red-haired demon drew his arm back, preparing to strike the injured youth down, whilst his fingers sought to snatch him round the neck, and crush him within their vice-like grip.
The severity of Joachim's injuries hindered made him unable to avoid the attack. A cry escaped his lips when he attempted to fly backwards, and felt something push him instead. In the seconds that passed, he remembered seeing her appear – her eyes wide and fearful as the demon plunged upon her. Yet, she stood her ground, the delicate folds of her dress sweeping around her as she threw herself into death's embrace. With a single sharp blow, Walter struck her down with the swiftness of a hunter felling a doe. Raindrops of blood spattered the dark marble floor poppy red.
Joachim watched her fall. He felt every breath being crushed out of his lungs. He dove and caught her in his arms, but all he received was a limp form. "Sara!" His voice choked in his throat, and he fought to restrain his tears. He lifted her off the floor and pressed her against his chest, listening to her voice whispering faintly. She breathed deeply, her eyes opening and closing as if they had become a heavy burden to bear. "Joachim, I am sorry…" Sara eyes traced his despair. She was so weak she could not move; however, tears began to flood down her face. The vampire trembled, his eyes blurring with hot burning tears. A part of him died then, and the most profound feeling of loss etched itself across his fine visage, warping his face into the very image of pain and grief.
Joachim clutched her close but could not be distracted enough to be startled when an icily familiar voice filled his ears. "Perhaps death is a gift. I did not expect her to survive." His ears stung as Walter's voice filled the air, drawing his eyes upward to where the vampire lord loomed only a few feet away. A dim glitter reflected in his radiant crimson optics, as the sound from his boots echoed over the floor. "What a pathetic sight! An arrogant young lord, fallen to his knees upon the floor, and lamenting her before she has even begun to die."
Joachim cast his eyes away, appearing to have ignored the words, or not have heard them at all. He gazed down upon Sara's soft face, gasping to find her eyes had closed and she lay still in his embrace. "Sara?" his voice managed to speak her name, but although she was still alive, he sensed death's presence near.
Walter's frame was so close that if he looked from the corner of one eye, he could see the vampire's armored boots inches from his writhing body. Tears rolled down his cheeks, but as his heart wrenched sobs consumed the silent atmosphere, Walter merely stood staring at him with indifference.
His steel-like eyes locked with Joachim's pooling optics, before trailing to the young woman in his arms. "The lady was doomed regardless, however she is not dead yet, to be precise. If you want to have her forever, I will see that your wish is granted!"
His eyes caught sight of the ebony stone kept strung around Walter's neck, and without another thought to counter his attempt, for there was nothing left for him to lose, he sent two of his swords directly at the vampire's armored chest. His eyes widened when Walter's hand shot up, and halted the swords in mid air. His mind had finally lost all focus on his weapons, so that Walter had not trouble taking control of them and countering his attack. With the swiftness of a viper, Walter threw him into the air and sent him flying across the floor until his back smashed against the wall. A vengeful cry managed to wield through Joachim's bloodied lips as Walter held up a hand and kept him pinned against the stone. Pain filled every fiber of Joachim's body when the tips of the blades punctured through each of his hands and wedged themselves into the stone, so that the only thing supporting him above the floor was the force of the steel blades embedded into the wall.
Joachim struggled against the force of his own swords, which he could not maneuver to free himself from the excruciating pain. His eyes looked where Sara's unconscious body lay at Walter's feet, and the physical pain was replaced by his thoughts of her, which consumed him to the point he felt numb to the harsh throbbing from his bloodied hands. A wicked smile spread across Walter's smooth lips, whilst he grasped the woman's neck and tilted her head to expose a bloody artery partially concealed beneath her collar. Sara's eyes remained lightly closed; her face almost peaceful, as coils of thick chocolate brown locks brushed against her smooth cheeks. The red-haired lord glanced down at her for a moment, before staring purposely at the defiant youth's stricken face.
Water's deep voice filled with indignation. As he spoke, the contempt within his blazing red optics intensified. "If Leon arrives at my tower alive, she will be his worthy prize, as well as your worthy punishment."
The youth watched her fall limp in the demon's arms, the coils of her long, dark brown hair tumbling around her paling face. Blood streamed from her wounded neck and chest, staining the beautiful blue fabric of her vest crimson. A reflective red pool slowly appeared over the room's black marble floor and slinked around the soles of Walter's armored boots. The red-haired lord clutched the young woman against his chest, his eyes blazing a luminous shade of red while Sara's stolen blood gushed down his throat. Like a lover, Walter cradled her in his arms, unwilling to relinquish his hold until he had taken his fill. Joachim saw the demon's eyes flit to look at him for a moment, deliberately cursing him as he remained trapped against the wall by his own swords. With a desperate cry, his mind attempted to focus upon the weapons, commanding them to move so that he could save her from the demon's curse. Torrents of pain reaped through his mangled body but he had numbed himself to it, for his only thought and purpose was to snatch her away from Walter's cruel embrace.
Endless curses fled his lips as he snarled and thrashed against the swords for freedom, feeling the flesh of his hands and feet tear as his mind struggled to regain control over them. But he knew it was too late when he saw Walter withdraw his fangs, his eyes glowing and ashen face painted with her blood. Joachim's lips trembled, and his voice fell eerily quiet. "You will die, for what you have done!"
"Tis' wishful thinking." Walter's lips curled into a sardonic grin. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, whilst his crimson hair cascaded around his ashen face, its silky coils falling haphazardly across his broad shoulders. A chuckle reverberated within his throat as he swept his cape around the woman's limp form, eyeing the enraged creature with growing repugnance. Walter's ominous voice attempted to shatter the young man's resolve as though it were made of glass. "In truth, the lady will die, and you will suffer. You do not yet know the meaning of pain, though I will gladly ensure you do, soon enough!"
Joachim's eyes widened, and his bloodied lips parted, bearing his fangs. Rage pulsed through him like wildfire until his words were incoherent. He gnashed his teeth, his eyes gleaming with ferocity unknown to him until that moment. He could feel his swords slowly dislodging themselves from his flesh, and with a bitter snarl, shot endless curses upon the other vampire. "My only purpose, now, is to ensure that you die. I will not stop until I drive my swords through your damn heart, Walter!" All at once, Joachim Armster – the young nobleman – seemed to disappear into the dark confines of his memories. Rage filled his soul as a dark shadow crept across his visage. Like a wild beast, he snarled and thrashed to free himself, his thoughts focusing upon the swords with such desperation that, with one feral yank, the blades dislodged themselves from his hands.
Blood gushed from his wounds as he fell forward upon the floor, trembling and gasping, his wide eyes blazing with the fury of a thousand suns. "You…will…die!" Nearly blind with rage, he lifted his arm and pointed his index finger at the demon, his fangs gleaming in the torchlight like knives. Tears freed themselves from his eyes and trickled down his cheeks as his voice, once harsh and bold, shook with grief. "It is not too late, it can't be!"
"She is beyond salvation." Upon seeing the creature rise once again, Walter's armored frame abruptly stiffened. Without leaving his kneeling position, the red-haired lord shook his head, his eyes glinting with renewed amusement. His dark spheres tinted a shade of red, as though the glare he cast upon the youth alone could incinerate him instantly. "I will rule the night, whilst you are abandoned to the shadows. Time will erase your memory from my thoughts until your very existence is forgotten. As a vampire, you will live forever, and remember your defeat…as it should be." The vampire lord lifted a hand, fully prepared to deal a blow that would end the young man's challenge permanently. Walter's smooth lips curled into a smirk, whilst the pale vampire before him weakened under the influence of the lord's telekinetic strength. The sight of the young man struggling to stand heightened his amusement; and his dark eyes glinted. "If you beg for mercy, I may be lenient. Fall upon your knees, and declare that your body and soul are mine completely. You will always be inferior and cursed, for nothing – not even this human woman – will change your fate."
Joachim coughed up clots of blood, feeling the thick, red liquid stream from the corners of his lips and down his throat. Tattered and broken, his legs threatened to give way under the agony encompassing him. With a defiant huff, the creature's pale eyes glinted a shade of red, as his hoarse, enraged voice filled the room like a demon's roar. "Damn you, Walter!" He spat, waving his injured hand dismissively. His hand speckled the floor red like an artist flicking paint onto a canvas with a brush.
Walter's eyes narrowed. "You speak boldly, even though you are destined to fail. This wretched girl you sacrificed yourself for was insignificant, and it seems you do not know when to accept defeat. It is time that I demonstrated the profoundness of my disappointment-"
Before the vampire lord could lift a hand, a horrible, gurgling gasp suddenly escaped his lips. Sara held a dagger against Walter's jugular, and with one swift swipe, plunged it into his throat; bringing the metallic blade upward and across. Walter's great frame lurched forward as torrents of blood surged from the wound. Horrified gasps escaped his lips and one of his trembling hands clamped over the serrated gash. Blood gushed through his fingers and flowed down his arms and chest. Walter's dark eyes became wide and glassy. His grasp upon the woman released, and he crumpled sideways, landing against the marble floor with a resounding crash. Blood pooled around his armored form as he writhed and trembled from the unanticipated assault. His lips moved to speak, but his gurgled cries made his words incoherent.
Sara withdrew the dagger and rolled across the floor beside the demon, her chest rising and falling from the exertion. Joachim could barely believe what had just transpired. Her eyes met his, and her gaze made him fall motionless. Within her blue spheres existed a frail hope. An affectionate smile creased the corners of her lips, before her graceful lashes fluttered closed and she moved no more. "Sara!" Joachim screamed her name to no avail. Blood continued to swirl around where she and the demon lay. The youth hurtled toward the chaos, his wide eyes brimming with tears as he pulled her away from his lord's writhing form. As tenderly as he could, he lifted her into his arms and held her close. He tried to say her name again but his throat constricted, and words seemed meaningless – for she could neither hear him nor awaken. A vengeful cry erupted from his throat before he carried her with him into the black, starless night.
Desperation surged through him as he descended the tower's carpeted staircase, stumbling and nearly falling as he went. An icy wind whipped through his blood-soaked hair and made the tails of his long indigo robes flutter behind him. The wind violently struck his face like an invisible hand, though he continued onward, and refused to surrender to the night. Like a candlesnuffer extinguishing a flame, hovering black clouds slowly veiled the red moon's light and shrouded him in a dark abyss. Yet, as he descended into the castle, the clouds moved off and the light of the full moon shone upon him once again, its faint red light casting an outline of his thin shadow across the ground.
A trail of blood followed him as he dashed through the castle's pagoda. Faint streams of moonlight flooded through the windows and across his face as he passed them by, illuminating his broken body and the woman's bloody form, whose regal dress and neck was soaked in red. Even though his strength was waning, he tore through the castle with the fury of an escaping convict. The walls of the castle seemed to threaten to enclose and trap him, whilst his swords guardedly accompanied him as he went. He swept through the castle's entryway with the swiftness of a rabbit, his eyes and ears alert to every sound for fear that it belonged to his pursuer.
It was not long until the young nobleman rushed into the teleport room and stood in front of the mysterious, lone door he had visited earlier. There were no other options left and nowhere to run where Walter could not find him. Nothing within Eternal Night was beyond his lord's perceptiveness except, perhaps, whatever was locked within the deepest, darkest confines of the castle itself. He forced the door open and swept into the blood spattered chamber beyond. The sound of the monster scraping against the hollow walls below – its putrid stench, and rasping breath – was almost welcoming. He could see the fiend moving through the floor's metal grate and glimpsed at its ungodly construction of dead flesh and blood.
Without hesitating, he approached the room's unsealed blue door and swept beyond its dark threshold. A vast spiral staircase became visible beyond the doorframe, its steps leading into thick, cloaking darkness. With baited breath, he descended into the black abyss. His arms wrapped tighter around Sara while sobs wracked his chest. Locks of silky white hair tumbled about his paling face, whilst the specter death threatened to consume the remnants of Sara's flickering life. His steps echoed faintly across the steps as the tortured fiend's rasping breaths rumbled through the castle's ancient walls. A faint silvery mist drifted from the base of the staircase until the vampire could barely see what lay before him. He felt Walter's presence nearby – warning him that time's cruel pendulum was about to swing in the other vampire's favor.
Upon reaching a rusted, torch lit door at the bottom of the staircase, the corners of his lips slowly lifted into a smirk. His thoughts commanded the door to admit him into the room beyond.
Even his most vivid imagination could not fathom the sight of the demonic entity concealed within the forgotten prison. The creature was so massive that he could barely see its face when he looked up. It possessed a humanoid shape, though centuries of decay had made its flesh partially rot away, exposing its blood-entrenched muscle, spinal column, ribcage, and pulsating internal organs. He could only view the creature from the torso up, since its lower body was too large to see, and remained cloaked within the dark pit below the stone platform on which he stood. Massive spikes projected from the walls surrounding the atrocity, evidently, to contain it within the prison. Large, filthy white maggots fell out of the creature's organs and wriggled blindly on the platform. The creature's enormous hands fought against the chains entrapping them, its talon-like claws grinding against the steel shackles with excruciating fury. The stench of the monster's decomposing carcass made him gag, while the room shook under the force of its agonized, guttural roars. Every aspect of the monster repulsed and terrified him, yet he remained within the room, eager to assist – rather than destroy – his grotesque cohort. The monster's gleaming white eyes flashed within the dimly lit room, though none of its features was recognizably human. Two long, twisted black horns like that of a ram jutted from its head, matched only by two smaller flesh-like horns projecting outward on either side of its jaw. Rows of razor sharp incisors protruded from its massive gaping mouth, and the sound of its bestial roars made the room and ceiling tremble.
Centuries of rage had been building within the monster during its confinement until the pale vampire sought to grant its demand for liberation. With a quick nod, he sent the swords hurtling toward the chains binding the creature to its torment. The chains securing the monster's great hands were stronger than he expected, since after several blows, his blades still had great difficulty severing the links. His unblinking, steely eyes watched his swords incessantly strike the chains, until the steel gave way and tumbled into the abyss. Uncontrollable rage and power emanated from the demonic entity's colossal form, as its large hands claws against the walls of the room, fighting to pull its half-rotten corpse out of the prison condemning it for eternity. Massive, steel hooks through the creature's collarbone and shoulders kept it restrained, and the brutality of its imprisonment seemed to be a testament to its power.
He cradled Sara's limp body in his arms, speaking unintelligible sentiments of reassurance in her ear. His strength left him, and he collapsed against the wall beside the door, greedily watching the fiend's attempted ascent out of the prison. Blood stained his armored chest, face, hands, and robes as he absorbed the symbol of his victory. Joy filled his tortured soul when, as he expected, Walter's blood-covered form stumbled through the unsealed door. Streams of blood continued to flow from the open wound in his lord's throat, though the flesh was healing faster than he anticipated, and had already begun to regenerate. Walter's tall stature seemed small and insignificant compared to the monstrosity before them. Damp locks of bloodstained hair clung against Walter's cheeks, whilst he fell still – temporarily devoid of his senses, before instinct made him step quickly backward. The vampire lord's dark, glittering eyes widened, whilst his lips drew back to unveil the gleaming whites of his fangs.
Joachim could contain his enthusiasm no more, and broke into a fit of loud, boisterous laughter. His voice was poisonous with rage and hatred while he rasped sarcastically. "You're late, Walter. I have a surprise waiting for you!"
Walter spun around to look at him, his face a mask of fury as the sound of his deep voice, rose to an enraged roar. "No! What have you done!" Almost blinded by rage, the red-haired demon lunged forward and struck the laughing creature across the face.
Blood spurted from Joachim's mouth as a bright, searing pain throbbed in his face. He gave it no heed, and continued to laugh hysterically, whilst hissing through gritted teeth. "Why, it should be fairly obvious! I will finally obtain the pleasure of watching you die, Walter! The moment it tears your body to pieces, I will kick your remains into the abyss and mount your head over the throne as a trophy."
"Foolish wretch! Do you not realize what you have unleashed?" Walter's rage threatened to make him snap the frail creature in half. However, his waning strength made him hesitate. Alarm surged through the demon's starlit eyes as he looked upon the maniacal youth, his lips curling vehemently. "You will suffer under its wrath as well, for its power is unmanageable! If it escapes from this prison Eternal Night shall fall into ruin!"
"Perhaps, that will happen." Joachim sneered, and his laughter escalated. "But it is of no consequence, so long as you die! I am curious to see if your precious Ebony Stone will protect you this time! To me, you are more grotesque than this monster, and it should be you who is locked away for eternity. I will rule Eternal Night at last, while your corpse rots in this stinking pit!"
"Madness!" Walter snarled, his great frame whirling to look at the raging monster once again. His fine lips formed a deep scowl, as one of his hands clenched into a fist. With a huff, Walter swept his long, black cape around him and strode forward, the soles of his armored heels thumping against the platform. "I am not easily defeated." His rich voice carried above the demon's raging screams, whilst he approached the grotesque mass of demonic flesh. Despite his swiftness, Walter's stance was somewhat unsteady, and his hand flew to the wound in his throat to cover it. His dark, blazing eyes glared at the atrocity in growing detestation. "I suppose the challenge of containing it will be interesting. I do not fear death; death is but a dream for one who can never die. The Ebony Stone ensures my existence and unending reign over the night, despite your pathetic attempts to best me at my own game. You may have unleashed the Forgotten One, but you shall alwaysremember your defeat."
"Forgotten One? How could anyone forget about that?" The youth replied amidst fits of deranged laughter. He watched Walter look over his shoulder, and felt the sting of his lord's cold gaze upon him. With a shrug, he sneered under his breath, hoping that his red-haired adversary heard him. "Let's see if your actions are as grand as your speeches, Walter!"
With a thunderous roar, Walter's great frame flew into the air. The raging monster jerked its head forward, willing to devour the vampire lord with a single, well-aimed snap of its enormous jaws. The red-haired lord swept in front of the demon; narrowly avoiding the creature's thrashing hands during his ascent. A strange, black whirling cloud appeared at his fingertips, whilst a coy smile spread across his ashen lips. Walter waved his hand in front of him, creating three small, dark red spheres, which exploded into an array of fire. The colossal fiend's deafening roars made the entire room quake when pieces of blackened flesh burned away from its face. Without giving it time to recover, the vampire lord's great arm lifted and threw a twirling ball of whitish light at the side of the monster's face. A low, resounding chuckle vibrated through his throat when the leviathan's massive head thrashed in agony.
Joachim watched with baited breath, his eyes widening, whilst his blood-covered hands clutched the woman against his chest. He covered Sara with himself as rocks dislodged from the prison's eroding ceiling and tumbled against the platform, narrowly missing the vampire huddled beside the door. Rage bubbled inside his soul like wildfire the moment he glimpsed at his lord's smirking face. "Is this too easy for you Walter? Allow me to intervene!" The weapons obediently left their encirclement around him and careened toward the raging monster, slashing at its face and hands with deadly precision. Thunderous, infuriated bellows escaped the colossal demon's throat before it threw its head back, and unleashed a storm of molten fire from its gaping maw.
Walter's eyes flashed a tint of red as he attempted to dive out of the way. However, the blade of a large sword pierced through his armor-clad chest and sent him tumbling onto the platform below with a resounding crash. Blood spattered into the air as he attempted to get up, heaving, and gasping while the sword remained lodged within his chest. Blood clotted in his mouth as his piercing dark eyes lingered upon Joachim's grinning countenance, his voice lowering into a deep, bitter rasp. "You! You…you…" Pieces of armor fell off Walter's heaving frame as he stumbled onto his knees, and pressed his hands against the platform, his red hair curtaining his face and shoulders. Like broken wings, the demon's fire shredded his long, flowing cape into tatters. Rage filled his dark eyes as he lifted his head and clenched his hand into a fist.
Joachim commanded the sword to return to him, and watched it dislodge itself from his master's trembling body – its metallic blade soaked in blood. The young man's strength was leaving him, and he fell back against the wall. As he lay there, his steely eyes watched the demon's fist hover over overtop of Walter's bleeding figure, prepared to crush him like a mere pest. Walter rolled out of the way as the monster's heavy fist slammed against the platform with the force of a hundred thunderstorms. After barely avoiding its hammering assault, the red-haired demon managed to stagger to his feet. The monster's rage was reaching its peak, and its attacks were far more severe than its opponent's injured body could tolerate. It lifted its arm, swiped its massive fist, and knocked the red-haired vampire across the room with a single, harsh blow, like a child tossing away an unwanted toy. The force of the monster's assault sent Walter careening into one of the wall's obtruding spikes. Torrents of blood trickled down his waist and armored legs, casting a dull, crimson sheen as his great frame fell motionless.
Joachim nearly leapt to his feet when he cast a mocking glare upon his master's limp body hanging from the spike. He observed how his lord's head lolled and hung downward, his face shrouded by the glossy locks of thick, blood red hair. The youth's cold eyes absorbed the scene with growing excitement, whilst he whispered a remorseless lament.
"Tis' a shame I could not have killed you myself, Walter. It is destiny for all things to end…I suppose yours was sooner than expected. I might have grieved, but you are not worth my tears-"
His words were caged within his throat the moment his eyes caught a flicker of movement. Walter's left hand twitched, and a indignant groan reverberated through his throat as he turned his head and stared at the white-haired devil in the eye. Amidst the leviathan's deafening roars, he brushed his trembling hand across the luminous black stone adorning his neck. Low chuckles escaped Walter's lips as his once dark, glittering eyes slowly illuminated a shade of bright red. Joachim had seen Walter's eyes glow before, yet the sight of them glowing completely red made him hesitate. Apprehension overwhelmed the young nobleman's former calm. He watched his master's eyes glow like rubies, as the red-haired lord's rasping chuckles ascended into proud, menacing laughter.
An intense crimson glow encased his entire body as his arms transformed into massive bat-like wings folding around him. His smooth, pale face disappeared within a black shroud. Walter's armored boots melted into long feet adorned with talon-like claws. Two finely pointed ears formed on top of his head, as the coils of his thick red hair vanished. A horrific, guttural sound faintly resembling Walter's voice filled the room. "You will not escape from this prison, demon, for you are bound to my will. You will obey me, or else face your own destruction…!" Its glowing red eyes focused upon the enraged fiend, its ears pricking forward as its opaque form launched into the air. Joachim fell completely still, taken back by the fact that the venomous voice he heard, in fact, belonged to Walter Bernhard. Despite the shackled monstrosity's superior build, the creature's sleek black form emanated a sinister air. It resembled a massive bat, though the red glow surrounding its body revealed that an unearthly, demonic power surrounded it.
With god-like agility, the creature flew toward the raging monstrosity and hooked the claws on its wings and feet above the elbow of the demons' right arm. Fearsome, deep roars escaped the creature's throat as it opened its jaws, unveiling rows of needle sharp teeth, and plunged them into the demon's raw flesh. Joachim could scarcely breathe as he looked at the indistinguishable form that was once Walter. He wanted to scream but his voice was lost in the sound of the demon's anguished bellows and the dark creature's snarls and roars. Two powerful entities were locked in a battle for dominance, but only one would reign supreme. He watched the Forgotten One's left hand try to grab the creature in its fist; however, the hooks through its collarbone and arms restricted its movements. With unparalleled speed, the dark creature climbed around the demon's arm, its teeth relentlessly gnawing and slashing while rivers of blood streamed down the decomposing flesh. Horrific screams escaped the fiend's throat as it thrashed vainly against its iron restraints. With a feral snarl, the demon threw its head back and unleashed a burst of molten fire from its mouth to force the dark creature to release its hold.
The black devil leapt into the air, avoiding the fire with ease, and circled around the room. It barely flapped its wings to stay air borne and seemed to float instead of flying. The moment the massive fiend ceased its attack, the creature plunged to the wounded arm and hooked its claws into the flesh. Like Lucifer himself, its black form refused to bow to the monstrosity's power, and hatred burned within its radiant eyes. Thick, red blood continued to rain onto the platform as the demon's arm was drenched red with blood. After a few moments, a dull grinding sound reverberated through the room, alongside the monster's intensifying screams. The black devil succeeded in inflicting a deep gouge around the flesh of the demon's elbow, which exposed the raw bone formerly concealed underneath. Howls of rage and agony escaped the gargantuan demon's throat whilst its left hand continued to snatch at the dark creature in an attempt to pull it off, like a horse swatting away a fly. However, the black devil's viciousness was inexorable, despite the immensity of its opponent's strength. The creature tethered itself to the monster's arm like a parasite, its glowing eyes narrowing whilst blood spattered across its shadowy face. A dull, echoing snap reverberated through the room when its teeth effortlessly sawed through the bone of its opponent's arm. With a sickening crack, the bone snapped in half, whilst the tendons securing the arm gave way under the immensity of its weight. Amidst the Forgotten One's screams, the amputated arm plummeted into the dark abyss below, leaving behind a crude nub of severed bone, blood, and flesh.
The white-haired vampire's eyes became wide and glassy, and his mouth fell agape, as the horror of what he had just witnessed invaded his mind. He averted his eyes from the dark creature, clutching Sara against his chest, and was unable to move. The colossal demon's rage was building, and its remaining arm thrashed violently in the air until its heavy fist slammed against the platform. However, the demon's temper served to only blind it and make its desperate retaliations even less effective. The loss of blood it suffered slowed the bestial monster's movements, and its head began to loll to one side. Nevertheless, the dark devil was far from finished toying with its prisoner. After severing the arm, the creature released its hold and flew into the air in front of the demon's face, its leathery wings gleaming in the dimly lit space. A growl vibrated from the creature's throat as its wings folded around it, and a bright, bluish white light formed under its control. The brightness of the sphere prompted Joachim to shield Sara with himself, whilst he stared at the orb, his breath trapped within his lungs when the sound of Walter's deep, resonant voice shook the foundations of the room.
"Behold my strength! Now this is power!"
The energy sphere's size began to increase rapidly, and when it became almost as large as the creature itself, the demon's wings unfurled and released it. A massive dome shaped wave of fire exploded across the room. Joachim released a fearful cry, his eyes blinded by the heat whilst he covered Sara with himself. He was fortunate that he was sitting near the door because he was just out of reach of the creature's assault. The inferno hit the Forgotten One, whose gigantic, shackled body took the full force of the attack. Loud, heaving breaths escaped the monster before its glowing white eyes closed and its giant head sank forward. The silence that followed was broken by the massive demon's shallow breaths. It drifted into an unconscious stupor, while blood trickled down its mangled face and sloshed onto the platform blow.
The shadow devil returned to the platform and landed upon it with a resounding thump. Joachim tensed when its glaring crimson eyes focused upon him intently. Then, without a word, its cloaking darkness slowly lifted into the familiar shape of Walter. The red-haired vampire stood in silence upon the platform. Walter's armored form was covered in blood and his pale skin glistened. One of his gauntlet-covered hands brushed aside a lock of hair. Walter's abyss-like eyes focused upon the wounded vampire slumped against the wall, drawing Joachim's gaze while his voice echoed through the eerily quiet space. "I am not finished with you yet, Joachim!" He hissed, his eyes shooting daggers at the pale youth, while both fury and revulsion swept across his elegant features. With a huff, the red-haired lord flicked his cape aside, and his heavy frame limped forward. The wounds in Walter's neck and waist continued to seep blood and left a smeared trail in his wake. Rage seethed within his starlit eyes as he continued darkly. "You should have known, not even the embodiment of humanity's hatred could defeat me! Your rebellious and traitorous nature deserves a punishment worthy of your betrayal! Now, I shall end this tiresome quarrel between us for the last time!"
"No!" Joachim screeched, his eyes blazing the moment Walter's hand grasped him by the collar of his robe and dragged him forward. He struggled to maintain his hold upon Sara, while attempting to break free from his master's crushing grip. In desperation, he summoned his swords, but Walter had expected him to attack. When he commanded the swords to kill his tormentor, the red-haired lord's telekinetic power broke his control over the blades. Unbearable, searing pain flooded through Joachim's entire body when the five swords betrayed him and slashed at his own chest, shoulders, and waist. Warm, thick blood flowed freely from the wounds as he collapsed into Walter's hold; his eyes burning and blood dripping from his gaping mouth. Yet, he continued to cling onto Sara's body until Walter sought to wrench him away. Blood filled tears dripped down his smooth cheeks as he gasped and wept, his voice like that of a captured rabbit's scream before death. "I wanted to save her!"
With a quick flick of his hand, Walter twisted the young man's wrist to such an odd degree that it snapped, and the bones shattered instantly. A strangled cry fled Joachim's lips as a blinding pain blurred his vision. He felt the other vampire pull him forward until their faces were merely inches apart. Joachim attempted to look Walter in the eye, but the searing agony tearing though him made it nearly impossible. A mocking smirk slowly appeared upon the red-haired vampire's lips.
Walter's rich voice haunted the youth's tortured mind. "Your nightmares are merely a prelude to your suffering! I shall grant your wish to rule; a Dark Palace worthy of you, in the deepest depths not even rats would find appealing! There, your worthless corpse may rot in a watery grave, where neither God's angels nor hell's demons will venture to comfort you, and your only companion will be your shadow cast upon a filthy floor. You will be a ruler as wretched as your domain, and I bid many nights of torment upon you, Joachim…"
"You…can't…!" Joachim hissed, his eyes widening as fear temporarily overpowered his will to fight. "No! This isn't over…I will…kill you…"
"Oh, but I can, Joachim." Walter whispered, his eyes tinting a shade of red as his lips brushed across his captive's blood-soaked cheek. "The powerful are destined to control the weak. Pitiably, Lady Trantoul will suffer…once her beloved knows she has been turned, he will undoubtedly choose to 'free' her from her fate. The lady's death will ensure Mathias' promise is fulfilled-"
With a vengeful roar, Joachim snatched the stone by its ornate gold necklace, and pushed Walter backward with all of his remaining strength. He desperately fought to free the stone from its master's neck; his eyes blazing as his lips drew back and unveiled his gnashing incisors. The force of his attack snapped the necklace and succeeded in taking his red-haired adversary by surprise. Joachim secured the dark, glittering object in his enclosed fist, and with a wild laugh, lifted his arm back to throw the accursed object into the abyss. More than anything, he wanted to watch its dark shape disappear from sight. Victory and freedom would soon be his-
Violent shockwaves made his throat erupt into a scream, whilst Walter's fist snatched his hand containing the stone, his vice-like grip shattering the bones like twigs. A vengeful roar vibrated within the vampire lord's throat as he pried the necklace out of his adversary's broken, bleeding fingers. The youth's steely blue eyes clashed against his tormentor's blazing red. Spots of agony blinded his vision when the back of his skull collided against the platform with a sickening, dull crack. Blood seeped across the youth's ivory hair, his battered, mangled body strewn across the red-haired demon's feet over the ground.
He stared up into Walter's blazing eyes, whilst the suffocating, thick tang of blood clotted in his throat. "No!" The blood made his voice almost incoherent, and its faintness was barely detectible. Hopeless desperation surged through him when the specter of defeat loomed over his mind. It was a miracle alone that he even survived his lord's assault. Overwhelmed by sorrow, he kicked against the platform with his legs, and pushed his mangled body toward the fallen woman. Tears slid down his blood-covered cheeks as he screamed in anguish and fury, his eyes blazing until he managed to cover her with himself, and encircled her blood-soaked body in his arms. His vision began to blur as Walter grasped him around the throat and lifted him up, until his feet dangled just above the platform. The cruelty of his master's rage broke him completely, and he did not struggle, except to rasp through bloodied lips. "No! I would've won!"
Walter gave the youth a look of cold indifference. Without hesitating, the red-haired vampire slammed the young nobleman against the wall beside the door. Joachim felt his spine crack under the impact, as bright, white spots of pain entered his vision. Walter aimed a kick at his side and snapped the bones of his ribcage with terrifying ease. Low, guttural snarls filled the red-haired vampire's throat.
"You betrayed me!"
Spurts of bloodied saliva spilled down the young man's chin and throat, as the vampire lord's heavy hand struck him across the side of the face, and shattered the bones in his jaw like glass. Joachim could not open his mouth, and the swelling around his eyes nearly blinded him. When he could no longer move except to breathe, he felt Walter's hand grasp him by the hair and yank him forward. His limp body hung like a slaughtered lamb. His limbs were broken and his battered face made his features barely recognizable.
A chilling silence fell between them until, at last, the sound of his lord's voice sent tremors down his spine. "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe that they will be free."
Loud, cruel laughter erupted from Walter's throat as he kicked the bloodied creature with his boot, relishing the agonized sounds of the youth's pain. Nevertheless, the demon's laughter was hollow and devoid of the satisfaction that should have come with victory. Two forms lay together, their souls slipping further and further away into darkness. Joachim remained unmoving in a tangled heap on the ground next to Sara, slowly drowning in his own blood. Blackness began to encompass his mind while he struggled to look up at his condemner, his eyes blazing with rage and despair. Walter's voice echoed through his thoughts, the last sound he remembered before his mind and vision gave way to terrible, cloaking darkness.
"I cannot look upon you and regret your existence. I could very well sentence you to death for your treachery, but you are of better use to me alive. Your vain and rebellious nature has wrought only ruin upon you, Joachim. I shall, therefore, consign you to darkness, where you will remain as nothing but a shadow of my power. It pleases me to imagine you forever tortured by the scourge of defeat; to never again partake in the splendors of the night and love. The Ebony Stone will always belong to its rightful master, and so will you. A great injury has been committed upon me that even eternity in darkness will not atone for it, Joachim.
Farewell…forever…"
Yet, Joachim was determined to ensure that keeping him alive was a mistake Walter would someday regret.