Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Hunter D. This story was meant for
entertainment purposes only. No offense is meant by it.
****** ******
A/N: Here's the next installment! Thanks to Kitala and hao for reviewing! : )
Also, special thanks to my "editor", Ralf, for the time he took to read this through. Love you! ^_^
Please review!!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"To light a candle is to cast a shadow."
Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 2
Hatred of the unbeliever
*******
D sat at one of the tables in the dining hall, eating a modest meal. There were other guests staying at the inn, but they paid him no heed. They sat eating their own food, presumably not aware that a dunpheal sat two tables away.
He tried to listen to their conversations, but they were not discussing anything that sparked the Vampire Hunter's interest. If he wanted some information, he'd have to pose the questions himself.
Luck was with him this night, for Petro walked into the room in that precise instant, making sure his guests were well accommodated. He spotted D immediately and made his way over to the dunpheal's table.
"Good evening again, master D", he greeted amiably. "Is everything to your liking?"
"Everything's perfect", D assured him. "I thank you for your hospitality."
"Oh, no need to thank me. That's what we're here for," Petro replied with a smile.
D bowed his head slightly, acknowledging his words. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, but finally, as if deciding something, he spoke.
"This is quite a beautiful town you live in", he said conversationally. He could feel Left Hand's smirk at his friendly tone, and he knew the symbiont was on the brink of making a rude remark. He closed his hand tightly in response.
"I've never been in these parts before," D continued. "Would you care to join me and tell me all about these lands?"
Petro didn't need much prompting, being the talkative man he was. He quickly sat down, gesturing the waitress to bring two cups and a bottle of wine to the table.
"There's not much to tell, actually," he began. "The lands you have been traveling in for at least some days now, I presume, are under the rule of Kalman Farkas, our vampire Count. Peace has always reigned in these parts. No bloody revolutions or wars. Many would think our county was dull with such a calm history," he finished with a chuckle.
"Not that I'm complaining," he quickly corrected after a moment. "I know our Count has always cared for our welfare, and I am not ungrateful for all his efforts. On the contrary, I know it is thanks to him that we've had such a peaceful existence. No civil wars, no disputes with neighbouring counties, no problems with traders. We've never had the need to take up arms to defend ourselves."
The old man's calm tone was completely at odds with the words he was saying. For a moment, D thought he had been hearing things, but then he felt Left Hand's stunned presence, and he knew he was not imagining things.
Petro was serving the wine by now. He filled a cup and handed it over to D, who accepted it politely.
"This here town is what could be called the "capital", the old man continued. It's the biggest town in the county, the wealthiest too, thanks to the castle's close proximity. Our town of Lunke has always led a happy life under the watchful gaze of Farkas Castle, and I pray for it always to be so."
D looked elsewhere for a moment, absently stirring the cup in his hand. Here was this old man, with long years of experience, and his first serious words to him expressed his enjoyment of living under the rule of a vampire. And by the way he spoke of him, it was easy to tell that the innkeeper held a deep admiration for his ruling lord.
The dunpheal remained silent, absorbing all the information.
"The Farkas Family has ruled over these lands for as long as any of us in town can remember. The family actually founded the town. As I told you before, the Count has always protected it from any danger."
'Protected the town?', D thought to himself, somewhat sceptically. 'Protected his own interests, most likely.' He knew there had to be something behind all this. This was all too strange. He felt Left Hand's agreement with the notion.
"For over three hundred years has Count Farkas been our lord, and a powerful one he has become. Did you know his skill with the sword is quite famous among vampires?"
"Is it?", D asked, well aware that the information Petro was now sharing could be crucial in his upcoming meeting with the very vampire they were discussing.
"Why yes, master D," he responded excitedly, as if he were a child speaking proudly of his father. "There is no other vampire Baron, Count or Duke that can hold his ground against our lord. Well, all except the Stormblade Baron, but they would never fight each other since he could be considered our Count's master. Taught him the blade, and all that."
D tucked away the name for future reference even as Petro waved away the whole notion and took a long drink from his wine glass.
"Anyhow, our Count's renowned skill and power is what keeps our county's borders safe. We all know that the world beyond our lands is cruel and perilous. I'm sure you're well aware, aren't you master D, with all your travels and everything?"
D nodded his assent, but carefully abstained himself from mentioning the fact that what he considered to be the most perilous of all creatures was ruling this county from a castle not so far away.
"You do seem to have the appearance of a traveler. How long have you been on the road?"
"Longer than what you could possibly conceive," he replied quietly.
Petro chuckled. "I take your word for it, master D. And I'm also sure that you've come across many of those evil creatures that roam the world, nowadays. Poor people live in terror of their very lives, I hear. I just think that we here in Lunke are luckier that most, having such a powerful Count defending us. A toast to that!"
With that, he lifted his wine glass in salute. D lifted his own cup a little, out of respect, but not too high. He would never have toasted to anything, specially not to the words Petro was saying.
He looked at his glass thoughtfully as Petro gulped down his wine and started refilling his cup once more. The old man seemed to be quite happy with the topic he had been discussing, and never did D suspect that he could be making all this up. The man was genuinely telling the truth, or at least, what he thought the truth to be.
D was silent for a few more moments, but then he mustered the courage to ask what he had been wondering since he had taken his first step into Lunke.
"Aren't you at least, to some extent, afraid of having a vampire Count as your ruling lord? Aren't you afraid that he may one day turn his powers against his people?" D knew it was a tactless question, but he just had to know.
To his utter amazement, Petro only laughed.
"The question every stranger asks on his way through", he said, chuckling. "Let me tell you this, master D. Our lordship, Kalman Farkas, has never given us reason to be afraid. He rules his lands with a fair hand; he welcomes us to his castle whenever disputes arise between the townsfolk, or when we have something to say to him. He makes sure every person in town has food on their table. He makes sure every family has enough goods stored to survive the winter. He sets the price in the markets fairly, so that everyone can afford what they need. There has never been a reason for us to complain about him, and there never will be."
D almost dropped his wine glass with what he was hearing. His mind was trying to deal with the contradictions that were being tossed at him, but outwardly, he gave no sign of confusion. He merely nodded at the man sitting across from him.
"He has always been a just and fair lord." Petro continued after a moment. "And the people of this town swear their loyalty to him willingly. We couldn't ask for a better ruler, master D."
Petro emptied his cup, and refilled it for the third time. D's glass still lay untouched in his hand.
"But you must know this, already", he kept saying. "You are here to visit the Count, are you not? Many a dunpheal has come to seek his council."
"Yes, I am here to see him." D knew he wasn't exactly lying. The purpose of him visiting these lands was due to Kalman Farkas. But he knew that if he were to confess his true intentions or his profession, the people that had treated him so amiably up until now, would surely place his head on a plate and offer it to their ruling lord. So well had the vampire protected himself. No, he had to maintain the façade that he had come here to meet the Count on peaceful terms.
"You must be here seeking information about the Leavings." Petro said more quietly. "Well, let me tell you that the Council of Stormhold has been pouring all its efforts into the project these last few months. Personally, I think it will be successful."
"Will it?", said D, curiosity sparking instantaneously. He could feel Left Hand's attention immediately come back to the conversation. Now here was some information they would surely fine useful.
"Yes, the Count has been making constant visits to Arkenia recently. To attend the meetings and all that. They have been giving the whole thing their full attention. The Council has been building on the resources to build the ship. But I only have vague knowledge of the whole process. You should ask Count Farkas to give you more information, when you see him. I'm sure he'd be glad to have you join them, master D, you do look like a formidable fighter and would undoubtedly be an asset."
D was about to ask why Farkas would need fighters to achieve these so- called Leavings, but the waitress suddenly interrupted their discussion.
"Petro, Duni is here to see you," she said to the innkeeper.
"Oh my yes, I'd forgotten all about him," he replied, standing up. "You'll have to excuse me, master D, but my grandson usually comes at night for me to tell him stories. I really enjoyed our conversation."
"I did too. It was really helpful, sir," he said, gracing the old man with one of his very rare smiles. "More helpful than you would think."
" Well, I'm glad I could be of some help," Petro replied, smiling himself. "I hope you have a pleasant stay, and if I don't get a chance to speak to you before you leave tomorrow, I wish you the best of luck in your meeting with the Count."
"Thank you again, sir," said D, lifting his cup in farewell. The dunpheal regarded him thoughtfully as the old man walked out of the room.
D's mind was in complete turmoil. He did not know what to make of all that had just been said to him. He actually didn't know what to think at all. But of one thing he was certain: Farkas was up to something, something big. A plan which most definitely involved the participation of other vampires, most likely other vampire lords. Vampires never joined together to reach common goals unless the need was very great, and it took a very powerful vampire to lead them and keep control over the group. D wondered who could achieve such a feat. He knew that once, long ago, his father had ruled over all vampires, holding them together as a nation. What great power he must have possessed.
D abruptly shook his head, banishing such kinds of thoughts immediately, returning his focus to the matter at hand.
D's curiosity had been definitely sparked, and he was now resolute on finding out what exactly this "Council of Stormhold" was, and what they were trying to achieve. He was sure of one thing though, a council of vampires could not possibly be planning anything beneficial for humanity; he could bet his life on it. And he, the Vampire Hunter D, would do anything in his power to stop them.
He stood up then, leaning his hands on the table for a moment. He should have a good rest before tomorrow; his meeting with Kalman Farkas was upon him, and he knew he would need all his strength before the following day was over. He was determined to get some answers from the vampire before the fight was over.
He turned from the table then, long black cape trailing behind as he left his wine glass sitting on the table, full to the brim.
********
The castle was very near. He could see the barbarois guards atop the gates now. He had been traveling since dawn, intent on reaching the castle before nighttime. No attacks came, but he took it all in stride, knowing full well that this attempt of being peaceful was all part of the game Farkas was playing at.
While he rode his horse out of Lunke, D had poured over all the information he had obtained the previous night. No matter how much he turned the matter over, he still could not come to believe that Kalman Farkas was a good ruler. Oh, he might be just and fair to his people, but that didn't mean he didn't have some darker intent behind his actions. He was a vampire, first and foremost, and that was enough to raise the suspicions of even the most trusting person on the planet.
And D had never been a trusting person, specially when it came to the species he had vowed to dedicate his life to exterminate.
Farkas was plotting something, he knew. He was probably using his façade of trust and fairness on the people he ruled over to attain some macabre plan; some plot that probably meant the eventual death of the townsfolk.
There were few things that made D angrier than a vampire posing as an innocent being just to feed upon the people he tricked.
As the day had worn on and he rode upon his horse, D's anger had fed upon the images he had seen last night. Visions of children playing on the sidewalks, of families enjoying their company together, of Petro and his grandson. All the lives the people of Lunke had built under the false impression Farkas portrayed of himself would end on the whims of the vampire Count. All the happiness they had known for all these years could be taken away any moment by the dark desires and decisions of their lord. The thought that he, Kalman Farkas, had perversely given them that happiness and joy only to take it away in the end as he willed, made the dunpheal's blood boil with a hate so intense that he could not remember ever feeling such strong hatred towards an enemy.
D was looking forward to his fight with Farkas, more so than he usually did. He was going to enjoy piercing the vampire through the heart. He was going to enjoy watching him die.
It was mid-afternoon when D rode up to the gates. The guards leaned over the edge of the wall to get a better look at him.
"I am the Hunter, D. I have business with the lord of the castle."
The guards only stared at him, and without a word, opened the gate.
D rode into the courtyard, the hooves of his horse sounding incredibly loud on the cobblestones in the surrounding silence. Flowering trees were all about him, and he could see that the castle gardens were immense.
'How predictable of a vampire,' thought D. 'Trying to surround himself with beauty to hide the ugliness that lays inside his heart.' The flowers and colours all around him did nothing more than to spur his anger further.
He eventually came to the steps leading to the huge front doors of the castle. Dismounted, the dunpheal noted there was no one watching his entrance, that there was no one monitoring his progress. There was only silence. The fact only portrayed Farkas' self confidence. D respected that. There was nothing more annoying than having to fight the legions of monsters a vampire would send his way when he would enter it's dwelling.
The Vampire Hunter made his way up the steps, and before he could knock on the doors, they opened.
D let his fighter instincts kick in as he walked through them.
He stepped into a huge hall. A high ceiling, filled with numerous candelabra, met his gaze as he swept it upwards, trying to get a bearing of his surroundings. Large windows on the walls allowed the sunshine to pour in, lighting the adorned marble columns that graced the sides of the room. A large staircase lay at the end of the hall, leading to the upper chambers, where the master of the castle dwelled, no doubt.
It was towards this staircase that D made his way decisively. He wished to get this matter over with as soon as possible and his patience, shortened by his anger, was running thin. But as he came to the center of the chamber, the curtains along the windows began to close.
He stopped dead in his tracks, his hand going to the hilt of his sword immediately. The blocking of the light could only mean one thing: Count Kalman Farkas was about to make his appearance.
D chuckled mentally at the thought. The mere act of coming out in the daylight to fight him bespoke, once more, of the confidence Farkas had in himself. Few vampire lords would have come out at all, least of all during the sun's light, to meet a Hunter head on. Most would have sent their barbarois servants, as soon as he entered the front door, to deal with D or to at least detain him until it was dark. But Farkas had decided to face him immediately, face to face. This made the respect D had for the Count increase considerably. But still, he thought that the vampire probably had no idea of who he was about to pick a fight with.
The curtains finally closed completely, and darkness engulfed the large chamber. All lay in the dark for a few moments, but then, the candles hanging from the ceiling lit, radiating dimly around the room.
It was in this moment that a tall figure standing in the middle of the staircase decided to make its appearance.
His eyes glowed red under the dimmed light, letting D know clearly of his presence. His face was angular and handsome, typical features of a vampire. But his white hair, unlike his vampire kin, was short. His long black cape hung from his broad shoulders, covering almost his entire body, except for the sword that lay strapped to his waist. The ease with which he carried it bespoke of his skills as a swordsman, as Petro had affirmed. D had no doubt that he would be a formidable foe.
It was after long moments of silence that the elegant figure spoke.
"Hunter D, welcome to my humble abode. You are well renowned, dunpheal. Let me introduce myself: Kalman Farkas, Count of the lands you have travelled for some days. I was informed you wished to see me. I come to answer your call."
****** ******
There you have it. Please review!
****** ******
A/N: Here's the next installment! Thanks to Kitala and hao for reviewing! : )
Also, special thanks to my "editor", Ralf, for the time he took to read this through. Love you! ^_^
Please review!!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"To light a candle is to cast a shadow."
Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 2
Hatred of the unbeliever
*******
D sat at one of the tables in the dining hall, eating a modest meal. There were other guests staying at the inn, but they paid him no heed. They sat eating their own food, presumably not aware that a dunpheal sat two tables away.
He tried to listen to their conversations, but they were not discussing anything that sparked the Vampire Hunter's interest. If he wanted some information, he'd have to pose the questions himself.
Luck was with him this night, for Petro walked into the room in that precise instant, making sure his guests were well accommodated. He spotted D immediately and made his way over to the dunpheal's table.
"Good evening again, master D", he greeted amiably. "Is everything to your liking?"
"Everything's perfect", D assured him. "I thank you for your hospitality."
"Oh, no need to thank me. That's what we're here for," Petro replied with a smile.
D bowed his head slightly, acknowledging his words. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, but finally, as if deciding something, he spoke.
"This is quite a beautiful town you live in", he said conversationally. He could feel Left Hand's smirk at his friendly tone, and he knew the symbiont was on the brink of making a rude remark. He closed his hand tightly in response.
"I've never been in these parts before," D continued. "Would you care to join me and tell me all about these lands?"
Petro didn't need much prompting, being the talkative man he was. He quickly sat down, gesturing the waitress to bring two cups and a bottle of wine to the table.
"There's not much to tell, actually," he began. "The lands you have been traveling in for at least some days now, I presume, are under the rule of Kalman Farkas, our vampire Count. Peace has always reigned in these parts. No bloody revolutions or wars. Many would think our county was dull with such a calm history," he finished with a chuckle.
"Not that I'm complaining," he quickly corrected after a moment. "I know our Count has always cared for our welfare, and I am not ungrateful for all his efforts. On the contrary, I know it is thanks to him that we've had such a peaceful existence. No civil wars, no disputes with neighbouring counties, no problems with traders. We've never had the need to take up arms to defend ourselves."
The old man's calm tone was completely at odds with the words he was saying. For a moment, D thought he had been hearing things, but then he felt Left Hand's stunned presence, and he knew he was not imagining things.
Petro was serving the wine by now. He filled a cup and handed it over to D, who accepted it politely.
"This here town is what could be called the "capital", the old man continued. It's the biggest town in the county, the wealthiest too, thanks to the castle's close proximity. Our town of Lunke has always led a happy life under the watchful gaze of Farkas Castle, and I pray for it always to be so."
D looked elsewhere for a moment, absently stirring the cup in his hand. Here was this old man, with long years of experience, and his first serious words to him expressed his enjoyment of living under the rule of a vampire. And by the way he spoke of him, it was easy to tell that the innkeeper held a deep admiration for his ruling lord.
The dunpheal remained silent, absorbing all the information.
"The Farkas Family has ruled over these lands for as long as any of us in town can remember. The family actually founded the town. As I told you before, the Count has always protected it from any danger."
'Protected the town?', D thought to himself, somewhat sceptically. 'Protected his own interests, most likely.' He knew there had to be something behind all this. This was all too strange. He felt Left Hand's agreement with the notion.
"For over three hundred years has Count Farkas been our lord, and a powerful one he has become. Did you know his skill with the sword is quite famous among vampires?"
"Is it?", D asked, well aware that the information Petro was now sharing could be crucial in his upcoming meeting with the very vampire they were discussing.
"Why yes, master D," he responded excitedly, as if he were a child speaking proudly of his father. "There is no other vampire Baron, Count or Duke that can hold his ground against our lord. Well, all except the Stormblade Baron, but they would never fight each other since he could be considered our Count's master. Taught him the blade, and all that."
D tucked away the name for future reference even as Petro waved away the whole notion and took a long drink from his wine glass.
"Anyhow, our Count's renowned skill and power is what keeps our county's borders safe. We all know that the world beyond our lands is cruel and perilous. I'm sure you're well aware, aren't you master D, with all your travels and everything?"
D nodded his assent, but carefully abstained himself from mentioning the fact that what he considered to be the most perilous of all creatures was ruling this county from a castle not so far away.
"You do seem to have the appearance of a traveler. How long have you been on the road?"
"Longer than what you could possibly conceive," he replied quietly.
Petro chuckled. "I take your word for it, master D. And I'm also sure that you've come across many of those evil creatures that roam the world, nowadays. Poor people live in terror of their very lives, I hear. I just think that we here in Lunke are luckier that most, having such a powerful Count defending us. A toast to that!"
With that, he lifted his wine glass in salute. D lifted his own cup a little, out of respect, but not too high. He would never have toasted to anything, specially not to the words Petro was saying.
He looked at his glass thoughtfully as Petro gulped down his wine and started refilling his cup once more. The old man seemed to be quite happy with the topic he had been discussing, and never did D suspect that he could be making all this up. The man was genuinely telling the truth, or at least, what he thought the truth to be.
D was silent for a few more moments, but then he mustered the courage to ask what he had been wondering since he had taken his first step into Lunke.
"Aren't you at least, to some extent, afraid of having a vampire Count as your ruling lord? Aren't you afraid that he may one day turn his powers against his people?" D knew it was a tactless question, but he just had to know.
To his utter amazement, Petro only laughed.
"The question every stranger asks on his way through", he said, chuckling. "Let me tell you this, master D. Our lordship, Kalman Farkas, has never given us reason to be afraid. He rules his lands with a fair hand; he welcomes us to his castle whenever disputes arise between the townsfolk, or when we have something to say to him. He makes sure every person in town has food on their table. He makes sure every family has enough goods stored to survive the winter. He sets the price in the markets fairly, so that everyone can afford what they need. There has never been a reason for us to complain about him, and there never will be."
D almost dropped his wine glass with what he was hearing. His mind was trying to deal with the contradictions that were being tossed at him, but outwardly, he gave no sign of confusion. He merely nodded at the man sitting across from him.
"He has always been a just and fair lord." Petro continued after a moment. "And the people of this town swear their loyalty to him willingly. We couldn't ask for a better ruler, master D."
Petro emptied his cup, and refilled it for the third time. D's glass still lay untouched in his hand.
"But you must know this, already", he kept saying. "You are here to visit the Count, are you not? Many a dunpheal has come to seek his council."
"Yes, I am here to see him." D knew he wasn't exactly lying. The purpose of him visiting these lands was due to Kalman Farkas. But he knew that if he were to confess his true intentions or his profession, the people that had treated him so amiably up until now, would surely place his head on a plate and offer it to their ruling lord. So well had the vampire protected himself. No, he had to maintain the façade that he had come here to meet the Count on peaceful terms.
"You must be here seeking information about the Leavings." Petro said more quietly. "Well, let me tell you that the Council of Stormhold has been pouring all its efforts into the project these last few months. Personally, I think it will be successful."
"Will it?", said D, curiosity sparking instantaneously. He could feel Left Hand's attention immediately come back to the conversation. Now here was some information they would surely fine useful.
"Yes, the Count has been making constant visits to Arkenia recently. To attend the meetings and all that. They have been giving the whole thing their full attention. The Council has been building on the resources to build the ship. But I only have vague knowledge of the whole process. You should ask Count Farkas to give you more information, when you see him. I'm sure he'd be glad to have you join them, master D, you do look like a formidable fighter and would undoubtedly be an asset."
D was about to ask why Farkas would need fighters to achieve these so- called Leavings, but the waitress suddenly interrupted their discussion.
"Petro, Duni is here to see you," she said to the innkeeper.
"Oh my yes, I'd forgotten all about him," he replied, standing up. "You'll have to excuse me, master D, but my grandson usually comes at night for me to tell him stories. I really enjoyed our conversation."
"I did too. It was really helpful, sir," he said, gracing the old man with one of his very rare smiles. "More helpful than you would think."
" Well, I'm glad I could be of some help," Petro replied, smiling himself. "I hope you have a pleasant stay, and if I don't get a chance to speak to you before you leave tomorrow, I wish you the best of luck in your meeting with the Count."
"Thank you again, sir," said D, lifting his cup in farewell. The dunpheal regarded him thoughtfully as the old man walked out of the room.
D's mind was in complete turmoil. He did not know what to make of all that had just been said to him. He actually didn't know what to think at all. But of one thing he was certain: Farkas was up to something, something big. A plan which most definitely involved the participation of other vampires, most likely other vampire lords. Vampires never joined together to reach common goals unless the need was very great, and it took a very powerful vampire to lead them and keep control over the group. D wondered who could achieve such a feat. He knew that once, long ago, his father had ruled over all vampires, holding them together as a nation. What great power he must have possessed.
D abruptly shook his head, banishing such kinds of thoughts immediately, returning his focus to the matter at hand.
D's curiosity had been definitely sparked, and he was now resolute on finding out what exactly this "Council of Stormhold" was, and what they were trying to achieve. He was sure of one thing though, a council of vampires could not possibly be planning anything beneficial for humanity; he could bet his life on it. And he, the Vampire Hunter D, would do anything in his power to stop them.
He stood up then, leaning his hands on the table for a moment. He should have a good rest before tomorrow; his meeting with Kalman Farkas was upon him, and he knew he would need all his strength before the following day was over. He was determined to get some answers from the vampire before the fight was over.
He turned from the table then, long black cape trailing behind as he left his wine glass sitting on the table, full to the brim.
********
The castle was very near. He could see the barbarois guards atop the gates now. He had been traveling since dawn, intent on reaching the castle before nighttime. No attacks came, but he took it all in stride, knowing full well that this attempt of being peaceful was all part of the game Farkas was playing at.
While he rode his horse out of Lunke, D had poured over all the information he had obtained the previous night. No matter how much he turned the matter over, he still could not come to believe that Kalman Farkas was a good ruler. Oh, he might be just and fair to his people, but that didn't mean he didn't have some darker intent behind his actions. He was a vampire, first and foremost, and that was enough to raise the suspicions of even the most trusting person on the planet.
And D had never been a trusting person, specially when it came to the species he had vowed to dedicate his life to exterminate.
Farkas was plotting something, he knew. He was probably using his façade of trust and fairness on the people he ruled over to attain some macabre plan; some plot that probably meant the eventual death of the townsfolk.
There were few things that made D angrier than a vampire posing as an innocent being just to feed upon the people he tricked.
As the day had worn on and he rode upon his horse, D's anger had fed upon the images he had seen last night. Visions of children playing on the sidewalks, of families enjoying their company together, of Petro and his grandson. All the lives the people of Lunke had built under the false impression Farkas portrayed of himself would end on the whims of the vampire Count. All the happiness they had known for all these years could be taken away any moment by the dark desires and decisions of their lord. The thought that he, Kalman Farkas, had perversely given them that happiness and joy only to take it away in the end as he willed, made the dunpheal's blood boil with a hate so intense that he could not remember ever feeling such strong hatred towards an enemy.
D was looking forward to his fight with Farkas, more so than he usually did. He was going to enjoy piercing the vampire through the heart. He was going to enjoy watching him die.
It was mid-afternoon when D rode up to the gates. The guards leaned over the edge of the wall to get a better look at him.
"I am the Hunter, D. I have business with the lord of the castle."
The guards only stared at him, and without a word, opened the gate.
D rode into the courtyard, the hooves of his horse sounding incredibly loud on the cobblestones in the surrounding silence. Flowering trees were all about him, and he could see that the castle gardens were immense.
'How predictable of a vampire,' thought D. 'Trying to surround himself with beauty to hide the ugliness that lays inside his heart.' The flowers and colours all around him did nothing more than to spur his anger further.
He eventually came to the steps leading to the huge front doors of the castle. Dismounted, the dunpheal noted there was no one watching his entrance, that there was no one monitoring his progress. There was only silence. The fact only portrayed Farkas' self confidence. D respected that. There was nothing more annoying than having to fight the legions of monsters a vampire would send his way when he would enter it's dwelling.
The Vampire Hunter made his way up the steps, and before he could knock on the doors, they opened.
D let his fighter instincts kick in as he walked through them.
He stepped into a huge hall. A high ceiling, filled with numerous candelabra, met his gaze as he swept it upwards, trying to get a bearing of his surroundings. Large windows on the walls allowed the sunshine to pour in, lighting the adorned marble columns that graced the sides of the room. A large staircase lay at the end of the hall, leading to the upper chambers, where the master of the castle dwelled, no doubt.
It was towards this staircase that D made his way decisively. He wished to get this matter over with as soon as possible and his patience, shortened by his anger, was running thin. But as he came to the center of the chamber, the curtains along the windows began to close.
He stopped dead in his tracks, his hand going to the hilt of his sword immediately. The blocking of the light could only mean one thing: Count Kalman Farkas was about to make his appearance.
D chuckled mentally at the thought. The mere act of coming out in the daylight to fight him bespoke, once more, of the confidence Farkas had in himself. Few vampire lords would have come out at all, least of all during the sun's light, to meet a Hunter head on. Most would have sent their barbarois servants, as soon as he entered the front door, to deal with D or to at least detain him until it was dark. But Farkas had decided to face him immediately, face to face. This made the respect D had for the Count increase considerably. But still, he thought that the vampire probably had no idea of who he was about to pick a fight with.
The curtains finally closed completely, and darkness engulfed the large chamber. All lay in the dark for a few moments, but then, the candles hanging from the ceiling lit, radiating dimly around the room.
It was in this moment that a tall figure standing in the middle of the staircase decided to make its appearance.
His eyes glowed red under the dimmed light, letting D know clearly of his presence. His face was angular and handsome, typical features of a vampire. But his white hair, unlike his vampire kin, was short. His long black cape hung from his broad shoulders, covering almost his entire body, except for the sword that lay strapped to his waist. The ease with which he carried it bespoke of his skills as a swordsman, as Petro had affirmed. D had no doubt that he would be a formidable foe.
It was after long moments of silence that the elegant figure spoke.
"Hunter D, welcome to my humble abode. You are well renowned, dunpheal. Let me introduce myself: Kalman Farkas, Count of the lands you have travelled for some days. I was informed you wished to see me. I come to answer your call."
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There you have it. Please review!