Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Hunter D. This story was meant for
entertaining purposes only. No offense is meant by it.
******* *******
Hi, I'm finally back! ^_^ I apologize for the delay again, but university can be a quite a pain sometimes. I've got this next week off due to Easter, so I plan on getting a few chapters done; I'll update as soon as I can.
Thanks for the reviews of the previous chapter! They keep me motivated.
Sorry if I extended the Aury part in the last chapter, but I sort of wanted to emphasize how important she is to Vitéz, and I wanted to pinpoint the contrast between her childhood and D's. And how, despite being raised by vampires, they both differ tremendously.
The impending meeting finally takes place in this next part...hehe. I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Hope you like it!
Let's get the action started! ^_~
~*~*~*~*~*~*
"And that is what Evil does: forces us all down dark pathways we otherwise would not have trod (...) Make no mistake, evil must be crushed, not only to eliminate the suffering Evil causes, but also to atone for the good lost. But if for no other reason, Evil must be destroyed so that we can once more guide our own destinies."
Dennis McKiernan, Shadows of Doom, The Iron Tower trilogy.
~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 8
Evil deeds, just penance
*******
Kígyó had been watching her since early morning. The girl had arrived at the farm just before dawn. Taking the necessary tools for the day's work, she had left the shed and farmyard, heading for the fields.
The snake-like barbarois stood hidden within the forest surrounding the farms near the castle, a hooded cloak covering his features as he surveyed all the movements in the nearby farm holds. It was easier to find the girl than he'd thought. At first, Kígyó had decided to watch the castle, to become familiar with its activities. He knew the object of his mission would constantly leave the castle on childlike expeditions to the forest, but he was also aware that the Stormblade Baron would send a barbarois servant after her, to follow the girl from a distance on the occasions when she decided to stray far from the castle's grounds. It was on such an occasion in which the snake-man planned on taking the child, for if he acted in close proximity to Stormhold, he would be detected immediately. Kígyó had been pondering on how to destroy the girl's barbarois babysitter while avoiding detection, when the perfect opportunity presented itself.
The day before, the Baron's adoptive daughter had come out the castle gates at dawn, driving a small carriage. She stopped at a nearby farm hold, staying there for the rest of the day, working the fields. To Kígyó's delight, her northern tiger had not come with her and was nowhere near the vicinity. The same occurred the following day.
Now, she worked the fields near the forest, and the barbarois was sure she would tire of her duties. Midday was approaching, and she must take her lunch sometime soon. Time would place the pieces of his game in perfect formation. He was on a hunt and like all snakes, his patience when catching prey was relentless.
*******
Aury planted the last of the seeds from her bag, covering it generously with earth. She'd done well this morning, finding herself near the edge of the field. Smiling softly, the girl went back to where the tools stood. Her eyes fell upon the many other bags full of seeds and her face fell. It was going to be a long day.
It was only the second time she'd come to the farm. Aury didn't mind the work at all, always enjoying the feel of the earth between her fingers and getting dirty while planting the seeds. It was tiring, she had to admit, but it wasn't the work that bothered her. It was the source of the work which put her on edge.
The girl still hadn't made up with her father. They hadn't spoken since the incident in the study; it couldn't well be labelled a discussion since all the screaming had come from his part. She didn't plan on crawling back to him, begging for forgiveness. She would assume her punishment, but for her own reasons, not his.
Aury felt terrible about farmer Hannich's loss, and she was trying to make it up to him by helping as much as she could. At the same time, she was defying her father's orders by making sure the farmer knew her work came from her volition. She wouldn't take the extra job as punishment, which canceled out Vitéz's pretensions of "teaching her a lesson". She'd learnt enough by following her own conscience.
'That'll show him to be so mean in the future,' she thought to herself.
The girl looked up at the sun, deciding to stop for her midday meal. Grabbing her lunch bag, Aury decided to eat under the shade of the nearby trees. Being inside the forest always made her feel better, so to calm her still vivid resentment towards her father, she made her way to the edge of the field once more.
Jumping the fence surrounding Hannich's farm, she soon entered the forest and came upon a small glade. Sitting on the grass, Aury took out her food, eating it fervently, not having realized how hungry she was.
The sun shone down through the trees and the blue sky peered across the dancing leaves. The small girl sighed, finishing her meal. Laying down upon the grass, she looked up at the passing clouds, feeling instantly content. Humming a quiet tune, she closed her eyes, thinking it would be alright if she took a quick nap before going back to work.
Aury heard a shuffling sound somewhere nearby, but when she turned to look, nothing was there. It was probably some sort of forest animal. Not making much of it, she lay back down.
Suddenly, she felt a stinging pain on her calf. Crying out, the small girl quickly sat up, hands instinctively clutching her leg. As she looked down, Aury noticed a small snake laying beside her, bearing its teeth.
'And where did you come from?' she managed to think, before the world went black around her.
*******
Vitéz writhed inside his coffin, intense pain overcoming his body. Trying to fight the layers of sleep, he was intent on disciphering where this strange stinging was coming from. He could not feel his leg.
Struggling further, the vampire tried to awaken, but his instincts told him the sun outside was at its worst. Despite the information, he tried to fight what his body was telling him. He had to get out, somehow.
Something was amiss...terribly amiss. Some strange events were going on, and he must try to prevent them. But what?
Not finding any immediate answer to the question, he groaned in frustration, trying to keep the claws of slumber from reaching him. But fight as he might, his body took over eventually, silencing his mind behind the dark veil of sleep.
*******
There was something definitely wrong. He could smell it in the air like the stench of a rotting corpse. It emanated from all around, coming from the trees surrounding the path he was on. It came from the very shadows the afternoon sun cast upon the ground.
Warrior instincts surfacing in full, enhancing his senses instantly, D urged his horse on.
Evil's presence could be felt clearly, invading his perception like the spreading of an infection. Eyes narrowing as he took in his surroundings, D knew the source of the horrible malice could not be far, or at least, had passed nearby not long ago.
The dunpheal was on the last trek of his journey; his destination lay just beyond the limits of the forest he found himself in. Somewhat annoyed, he knew he would be delayed even further. His principles would not permit him to continue without irradicating the creature who emanated such perversion.
At first, he'd thought the dark atmosphere within the trees had been a trap, but now he was sure it had nothing to do with the Stormblade Baron or his Council. It did not smell like anything resembling a vampire. This stench could only come from something fouler.
Coming to a crossroads within the forest, D dismounted, noticing some strange tracks on one side of the road.
"Let me see those," Left Hand said, as D knelt down for the symbiont to take a closer look.
"Hmmm," he mused. "I think we've come across the miscreant, dunpheal. These tracks have an evil aura about them. But they do not look like the tracks of a monster. They must belong to some kind of humanoid...a barbarois most likely. And a powerful one, too. All the more reason to be careful."
D nodded, scanning the trees that lay in the direction the tracks disappeared in. Taking the reigns of his horse, he lead it off the road, silently instructing the cyborg to stay put. Enhancing his perception, he swiftly headed in the tracks' direction, no sound betraying his feet.
Left Hand sighed. 'Here we go again,' he thought, as they both made their way through the tall trees, getting nearer to the source of evil with every step.
******
Kígyó threw the girl down from his shoulder. She landed with a loud thud upon the ground, but did not stir. His pet's poison had served well.
Looking around, the barbarois found he was almost at Arkenia's northern borders, marked by high mountains. One could look for a missing person for days within their wilderness; something the sly snake-man was counting on. Daylight would not remain in the sky for much longer, making his crossing through the barony's limits urgent. A vampire's powers were limited to his lands, and so, Kígyó knew he would be free of discovery as soon as he penetrated the mountain range.
He sat down, rewarding himself some rest due to his efficiency in accomplishing the Master's orders. Count Meszaros would be proud of his servant, and might even reward Kígyó handsomely. Smiling at the thought, the barbarois turned to regard his capture once more.
The girl was ugly, at least from his point of view. He'd never had much appreciation of the supposedly aesthetic features of humans. She was small, making her defenseless and vulnerable. Characteristics he couldn't tolerate in any creature. He truly did not know what the powerful Baron of Stormhold found in this grotesque human child.
The more he thought on it, the absurdity of the situation struck him even more.. The barbarois could almost laugh. How could a vampire make such emotional ties with any living thing? Specially a child. A human, at that. By creating such a relationship, Stormblade had basically written his epitaph. Not only was the girl a likely target for his enemies, she was also a weakness in her own right. The Baron was weighed down by her presence; he looked after her, keeping her safe, and was given nothing in return for his efforts.
In Kígyó's perception, a relationship was not worth anything if both participants did not obtain some benefit out of it. A barbarois willingly placed himself under a master due to the gains in protection and power such a position could bring. But to form some sort of tie with a child which could bring you no benefit at all? It was utterly ridiculous. The snake-man suddenly understood his Master's hate for Stormblade. The Baron lacked all the qualities which made a vampire powerful; he was no better than a human.
Getting up to take up his baggage once more, a sudden rush of adrenaline told him he was under observation. Becoming perfectly still, the barbarois flicked his tongue, to smell the air. Recognizing a violent presence in the surroundings, he was able to jump out of his cloak as the gleam of a blade appeared from the bushes in his left, aiming directly at his throat.
*******
After some hours of tracking, D could make out a dark cloaked figure sitting on a rock not so far away. Another form lay beside the first, but he could not discern it well for the trees hid it partially from view.
Making his way slowly down through the forest, no sound betrayed him, as he got closer to the form for a better inspection. He crouched behind some bushes to better judge the situation and to take the proper means of attack.
There was little doubt that this creature was the source of evil he'd been trailing. D found himself on the northern part of Arkenia, wondering why this malicious being would make its way with such haste towards the mountains.
The answer became apparent a second later.
The cloaked form shifted slightly, allowing D to see the identity of the person which lay beside it.
The girl. A small human child who had spoken to him a few days ago. There she was, lying completely unconscious, at the mercy of this perverse creature.
The shock was hard to control, for it evolved to anger as soon as D thought she was in danger. How dare anyone hurt her, a mere child?
The dunpheal knew he would give himself away by letting his wrath boil to the surface. But he did not care. This evil spawn had hell to pay.
Unsheathing his sword and jumping towards the figure in one fluent movement, D was not surprised when his swing did not connect with its objective: the humanoid's throat.
Kígyó jumped into the air, out of his cloak, landing with certain grace a safe distance away from D.
The dunpheal looked intently at his opponent, judging his movements and skill.
The barbarois' appearance was not pleasant. Living snakes took the place of hair on his head, much like the mythological Medusa. His arms and body were covered with scales, giving his skin a gleaming smooth appearance, his forked tongue flicked in and out constantly. But his eyes where the most shocking of all; yellow irises adorned with vertical pupils...the eyes of a viper.
"A snake-man," Left Hand whispered for only D to hear. "Be careful dunpheal, there's enough poison in him to kill a hundred strong men."
D answered by gripping his sword more tightly, moving into an offensive battle stance.
"A dunpheal...how interesting," Kígyó said in his hissing voice. "What business do you have with me? I have done nothing to you."
"I am here to eliminate you. You will not harm this girl," D answered flatly.
The barbarois was amazed for a moment at this child's ability to cause such responses from the people around her. And how was the dunpheal related to this girl? Not having enough time to ponder the dilemma, he quickly dismissed the thoughts, concentrating on the battle at hand.
"That is too bad. I thought we might aid each other. But if that is the case, then, I am afraid you will have to die, half-breed."
With that, the snake-man suddenly drew a long-knife out of nowhere, lunging himself towards D.
The Hunter met his strike fully, pushing the barbarois back after the first impact, swinging back at his opponent. Knife met sword with a loud sound as D kicked out powerfully with his left leg, hitting Kígyó on the side.
Pain coming from his ribs erupted through the barbarois' perception, forcing him to lose his balance. He rolled on the ground, avoiding D's downward slash, coming to his feet once more.
They fought on equal grounds for a few minutes, sparks flying as steel met steel. But tiring rapidly, Kígyó realized he was no match for the dunpheal when it came to sword skills. The sun was near the horizon, urgently reminding him of his mission. This encounter must end soon.
Somersaulting back from D, the snake-man landed a few paces away, shaking his head violently in the process. Snakes fell from his scalp, some landing on the grass as they made their way steadily towards D, while others flew directly towards the Hunter, landing on his chest and arms.
"One bite is all they need, half-breed," Kígyó hissed triumphantly, attacking D once more.
D was only able to get rid of the snakes in his arms before he could meet the barbarois' charge. Blade danced with blade again, but the dunpheal could feel the vipers on his chest make their way steadily to his neck.
"You will perish from a snake's kiss instead of a vampire's.how ironic," Kígyó laughed, thinking his victory imminent.
But in that instant, the sun set behind the tall trees, casting the world into shadow.
*******
Vitéz Lengyel began to stir as the sun drew near its setting. Within the lighter confines of sleep, his worry returned tenfold, but he still could not place its source.
Something was wrong. The certainty of the idea was shocking, sending him into a desperate frenzy of thought.
'What is it?' his mind asked.
'I do not know,' he answered desperately. 'But I can feel it.'
'What do you feel?' it asked.
'I feel pain, helplessness, someone needs my aid. Something is wrong.terribly wrong.'
'For who do you feel?', his mind asked more urgently.
'For who? I...' he trailed off.
The answer came to him like a bolt of lighting.
Aury.
Vitéz came instantly awake, concentrating as he spread his awareness to the castle and to the fields beyond.
She was nowhere to be found, and it had nothing to do with her spontaneous explorations.
Someone had taken her away from him. He was certain of it.
With the power of his mind, the Baron of Stormblade blew the lid of his coffin right off its hinges. Sitting up, he bared his fangs, eyes red with fury, as he let the world know of his wrath with a powerful scream, just as the sun sunk into the horizon.
*******
D knew he was in trouble. The snakes kept their upward trail and he could not push them away for his hands were busy fighting the snake-man before him.
The dunpheal could see the gleam of triumph in the barbarois' eyes, and the latter kept up his attack, pushing him back further and further.
Coming out of nowhere, a wave of powerful energy swept the air, accompanied by the sound of an angry scream. It kept going over the land and could still be heard even as it passed over the two combatants.
Kígyó stopped instantly in his attack, looking up at the sky as if searching for something.
It was just the distraction D needed.
Rapidly, he brought Left Hand up towards his chest.
"I need you to get rid of these things."
"My pleasure," the symbiont answered, a smirk coming across his features before he opened his mouth widely.
The snakes were swallowed up quickly. D then pointed the parasite towards the vipers on the ground, and were taken up just as rapidly.
Kígyó, having recovered from his shock, jumped back just in time to avoid being eaten by Left Hand. Appalled by this knew tactic from his enemy, the barbarois was at a lost. He also knew where the source of that powerful energy wave had come from, making the end of the battle even more urgent.
Deciding he could not stay and finish this fight without getting caught, the snake-man turned round, swiftly picked up Aury and ran at full speed through the forest.
Closing his left hand, D followed swiftly, intent on not letting this foul creature get away.
But the barbarois was quicker than he appeared, and it took D more effort to catch up with him than he'd thought. Kígyó was at an advantage, for he knew the lay of the land well. Having planned this as his escape route, the snake-man knew exactly where he was going, outdistancing D despite his extra burden.
Eventually, the dunpheal was forced to use Left Hand again.
"I want you to stop his run," he said, tree branches flying past him.
"But D, if I misjudge the use of my strength I could swallow him entirely, and the girl with him!"
"Do it," the dunpheal ordered as he lifted his arm towards the barbarois' fleeing form.
"Alright," Left Hand said reluctantly, opening his mouth once more.
The force behind the parasite's pull managed to make the snake-man stumble in his path as his feet were stolen right under him. Kígyó fell face first, forced to let go of Aury, who landed forcefully beside him. Both of them were being pulled back towards Left Hand even as the snake-man tried to grab on to a passing rock, leaves and twigs flying around him.
The symbiont closed his mouth suddenly when they were only a few paces away. This allowed D to run up to take Aury up in his arms before setting her gently behind him.
The Hunter faced the snake-man once more.
Kígyó had his legs under him in a blink of an eye, attacking the dunpheal with all his might. Knife met sword again in an intricate combination of strikes.
From the savage attack he was receiving, D could tell the barbarois was desperate. The latter reeked of fear, a fact he was trying hard not to show. Something was making him extremely uneasy, but D knew not what it was. Even so, the dunpheal did not think twice to use his opponent's off- balance to his advantage.
Letting Kígyó vent off his frustration on his sword, D only parried, not attempting to attack in return. After such a violent display of power, the barbarois was sure to tire soon, giving D all the advantage he needed.
They fought so for some time, desperation showing even more clearly on the snake-man's face. He was evidently tiring but did not relent on his strikes. His determination, under any other circumstance, would've been admirable.
But the life of a small girl hung on the outcome of this fight.
D pushed Kígyó back with a vicious slash, taking on the offense suddenly. The snake-man wasn't ready for the change, but did not fall under the power of the dunpheal. The latter pushed him back hard, his arm going numb from the strikes of the sword on his knife. He was losing this battle but he would not relent.
In a matter of seconds, the wave of three powerful presences swept over them and a rustle of fabric could be heard overhead.
Kígyó looked up brusquely, his face growing as pale as the moon. Letting out a garbled scream, he turned to flee.
But D was faster. Jumping up before the fear stricken barbarois, he turned in mid air, slashing his sword in a wide arc.
Kígyó's head rolled on the grass before his body fell soundlessly to the ground.
The Hunter landed gracefully into a kneeling position, his sword before him, breathing heavily. Without much thought, the dunpheal turned back to Aury, taking the girl up in his arms. Her breathing calmed him somewhat, reassuring him of his success in rescuing her. Proceeding to examine her for injuries, he felt the presence of various powerful creatures once more.
Hearing a soft sound nearby, he lifted his gaze to see three figures standing not so far away, long black cloaks covering their features. The gleam of several blades caught his eye.
With all his accumulated experience, he could discern their origins without even looking at them.
He was now in the presence of vampires.
*******
The scream had been enough to make Beriszl fly out of his coffin, sword and dagger in his hand, prepared to face the army of attackers that was sure to be invading the castle in that very moment.
Baring his fangs while placing his weapons defensively in front of him, he was surprised when no immediate attack came. Shaking his head to clear it of the last remnants of sleep, he made his way rapidly out of the room, heading for Vitéz's quarters.
As he passed the landing, he saw the form of his Meister fly by, black cloak trailing. Opening the window with a mere thought, Beriszl braced himself for flight even as Kalman jumped out of another window across from him.
Both of them caught up with Vitéz not so far away. The Baron set a northerly course, flying with all the speed he could muster. To the casual observer, the three vampires would be no more than a passing black blur in the sky.
'Meister, what is it?' Beriszl asked silently. He could tell Vitéz was on the verge of exploding with rage which reflected easily in his actions easily. Something very serious must have happened for him to scream so.
'Aury', the Baron answered simply, conveying the images of her missing presence to both his pupils.
Both vampires gritted their teeth, increasing their speed further.
The trail of evil was easy to follow. It could almost be seen as it made its way towards the northern mountain.
After some time, they could hear the sound of a battle below. Circling widely, Vitéz descended quickly, Kalman and Beriszl following closely.
Two fighting forms could be seen beneath the canopy of trees, engaged in a mighty duel. The vampires did nothing to hide their presence, causing one of the fighters to look up and attempt to run away.
Kalman could tell one of the warriors was the Hunter D; his graceful movements betrayed his anonymity. The Baron smiled inwardly; this meeting was long overdue.
Vitéz came closer, making his way through the trees. He landed in time to see a dunpheal behead a fleeing snake-man. As a comrade landed on either side of him, the Baron watched as the fighter before him turned round to Aury's small form laying close by. Displaying genuine concern towards the girl, the dunpheal's relief at seeing her alive was as apparent as the hat on his head.
Vitéz smiled. There was no doubt that the one in front of him was none other than D, the son of the Vampire King.
As the dunpheal lifted his head, their eyes met. The Baron of Stormblade could discern curiosity mingled with respect but with a certain reservation in his gaze.
It was time they crossed each other's paths.
"Greetings, Vampire Hunter," he said, his deep elegant voice resonating in the silent forest. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Vitéz Lengyel, the Baron of these lands. Of my companions, you already have met the honorable Count Farkas."
Vitéz gestured to his right, where Kalman bowed his head in greeting, a wide smile on his features.
D returned the gesture, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
Vitéz continued. "To my left is Beriszl Mátrai, Stormhold's Captain of the Guards. A fair and fine swordsman."
Beriszl crossed his weapons before him, bowing slightly in D's direction.
The dunpheal nodded his head in greeting, taking in this new acquaintance. In any other situation he would've been be wary of Beriszl, but D concluded he could be trusted. For now, at least.
Vitéz met D's gaze once more, before his eyes fell on Aury. A look of great concern came over his face before he finally added, voice filled with emotion:
"And that girl in your arms is my daughter."
****** ******
A cliffhanger!?! Hehe, I just love those! I can just picture D passing out; a great anime comedy moment! Hehe.
Read and review please! ^_^ You know you want to!
******* *******
Hi, I'm finally back! ^_^ I apologize for the delay again, but university can be a quite a pain sometimes. I've got this next week off due to Easter, so I plan on getting a few chapters done; I'll update as soon as I can.
Thanks for the reviews of the previous chapter! They keep me motivated.
Sorry if I extended the Aury part in the last chapter, but I sort of wanted to emphasize how important she is to Vitéz, and I wanted to pinpoint the contrast between her childhood and D's. And how, despite being raised by vampires, they both differ tremendously.
The impending meeting finally takes place in this next part...hehe. I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Hope you like it!
Let's get the action started! ^_~
~*~*~*~*~*~*
"And that is what Evil does: forces us all down dark pathways we otherwise would not have trod (...) Make no mistake, evil must be crushed, not only to eliminate the suffering Evil causes, but also to atone for the good lost. But if for no other reason, Evil must be destroyed so that we can once more guide our own destinies."
Dennis McKiernan, Shadows of Doom, The Iron Tower trilogy.
~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 8
Evil deeds, just penance
*******
Kígyó had been watching her since early morning. The girl had arrived at the farm just before dawn. Taking the necessary tools for the day's work, she had left the shed and farmyard, heading for the fields.
The snake-like barbarois stood hidden within the forest surrounding the farms near the castle, a hooded cloak covering his features as he surveyed all the movements in the nearby farm holds. It was easier to find the girl than he'd thought. At first, Kígyó had decided to watch the castle, to become familiar with its activities. He knew the object of his mission would constantly leave the castle on childlike expeditions to the forest, but he was also aware that the Stormblade Baron would send a barbarois servant after her, to follow the girl from a distance on the occasions when she decided to stray far from the castle's grounds. It was on such an occasion in which the snake-man planned on taking the child, for if he acted in close proximity to Stormhold, he would be detected immediately. Kígyó had been pondering on how to destroy the girl's barbarois babysitter while avoiding detection, when the perfect opportunity presented itself.
The day before, the Baron's adoptive daughter had come out the castle gates at dawn, driving a small carriage. She stopped at a nearby farm hold, staying there for the rest of the day, working the fields. To Kígyó's delight, her northern tiger had not come with her and was nowhere near the vicinity. The same occurred the following day.
Now, she worked the fields near the forest, and the barbarois was sure she would tire of her duties. Midday was approaching, and she must take her lunch sometime soon. Time would place the pieces of his game in perfect formation. He was on a hunt and like all snakes, his patience when catching prey was relentless.
*******
Aury planted the last of the seeds from her bag, covering it generously with earth. She'd done well this morning, finding herself near the edge of the field. Smiling softly, the girl went back to where the tools stood. Her eyes fell upon the many other bags full of seeds and her face fell. It was going to be a long day.
It was only the second time she'd come to the farm. Aury didn't mind the work at all, always enjoying the feel of the earth between her fingers and getting dirty while planting the seeds. It was tiring, she had to admit, but it wasn't the work that bothered her. It was the source of the work which put her on edge.
The girl still hadn't made up with her father. They hadn't spoken since the incident in the study; it couldn't well be labelled a discussion since all the screaming had come from his part. She didn't plan on crawling back to him, begging for forgiveness. She would assume her punishment, but for her own reasons, not his.
Aury felt terrible about farmer Hannich's loss, and she was trying to make it up to him by helping as much as she could. At the same time, she was defying her father's orders by making sure the farmer knew her work came from her volition. She wouldn't take the extra job as punishment, which canceled out Vitéz's pretensions of "teaching her a lesson". She'd learnt enough by following her own conscience.
'That'll show him to be so mean in the future,' she thought to herself.
The girl looked up at the sun, deciding to stop for her midday meal. Grabbing her lunch bag, Aury decided to eat under the shade of the nearby trees. Being inside the forest always made her feel better, so to calm her still vivid resentment towards her father, she made her way to the edge of the field once more.
Jumping the fence surrounding Hannich's farm, she soon entered the forest and came upon a small glade. Sitting on the grass, Aury took out her food, eating it fervently, not having realized how hungry she was.
The sun shone down through the trees and the blue sky peered across the dancing leaves. The small girl sighed, finishing her meal. Laying down upon the grass, she looked up at the passing clouds, feeling instantly content. Humming a quiet tune, she closed her eyes, thinking it would be alright if she took a quick nap before going back to work.
Aury heard a shuffling sound somewhere nearby, but when she turned to look, nothing was there. It was probably some sort of forest animal. Not making much of it, she lay back down.
Suddenly, she felt a stinging pain on her calf. Crying out, the small girl quickly sat up, hands instinctively clutching her leg. As she looked down, Aury noticed a small snake laying beside her, bearing its teeth.
'And where did you come from?' she managed to think, before the world went black around her.
*******
Vitéz writhed inside his coffin, intense pain overcoming his body. Trying to fight the layers of sleep, he was intent on disciphering where this strange stinging was coming from. He could not feel his leg.
Struggling further, the vampire tried to awaken, but his instincts told him the sun outside was at its worst. Despite the information, he tried to fight what his body was telling him. He had to get out, somehow.
Something was amiss...terribly amiss. Some strange events were going on, and he must try to prevent them. But what?
Not finding any immediate answer to the question, he groaned in frustration, trying to keep the claws of slumber from reaching him. But fight as he might, his body took over eventually, silencing his mind behind the dark veil of sleep.
*******
There was something definitely wrong. He could smell it in the air like the stench of a rotting corpse. It emanated from all around, coming from the trees surrounding the path he was on. It came from the very shadows the afternoon sun cast upon the ground.
Warrior instincts surfacing in full, enhancing his senses instantly, D urged his horse on.
Evil's presence could be felt clearly, invading his perception like the spreading of an infection. Eyes narrowing as he took in his surroundings, D knew the source of the horrible malice could not be far, or at least, had passed nearby not long ago.
The dunpheal was on the last trek of his journey; his destination lay just beyond the limits of the forest he found himself in. Somewhat annoyed, he knew he would be delayed even further. His principles would not permit him to continue without irradicating the creature who emanated such perversion.
At first, he'd thought the dark atmosphere within the trees had been a trap, but now he was sure it had nothing to do with the Stormblade Baron or his Council. It did not smell like anything resembling a vampire. This stench could only come from something fouler.
Coming to a crossroads within the forest, D dismounted, noticing some strange tracks on one side of the road.
"Let me see those," Left Hand said, as D knelt down for the symbiont to take a closer look.
"Hmmm," he mused. "I think we've come across the miscreant, dunpheal. These tracks have an evil aura about them. But they do not look like the tracks of a monster. They must belong to some kind of humanoid...a barbarois most likely. And a powerful one, too. All the more reason to be careful."
D nodded, scanning the trees that lay in the direction the tracks disappeared in. Taking the reigns of his horse, he lead it off the road, silently instructing the cyborg to stay put. Enhancing his perception, he swiftly headed in the tracks' direction, no sound betraying his feet.
Left Hand sighed. 'Here we go again,' he thought, as they both made their way through the tall trees, getting nearer to the source of evil with every step.
******
Kígyó threw the girl down from his shoulder. She landed with a loud thud upon the ground, but did not stir. His pet's poison had served well.
Looking around, the barbarois found he was almost at Arkenia's northern borders, marked by high mountains. One could look for a missing person for days within their wilderness; something the sly snake-man was counting on. Daylight would not remain in the sky for much longer, making his crossing through the barony's limits urgent. A vampire's powers were limited to his lands, and so, Kígyó knew he would be free of discovery as soon as he penetrated the mountain range.
He sat down, rewarding himself some rest due to his efficiency in accomplishing the Master's orders. Count Meszaros would be proud of his servant, and might even reward Kígyó handsomely. Smiling at the thought, the barbarois turned to regard his capture once more.
The girl was ugly, at least from his point of view. He'd never had much appreciation of the supposedly aesthetic features of humans. She was small, making her defenseless and vulnerable. Characteristics he couldn't tolerate in any creature. He truly did not know what the powerful Baron of Stormhold found in this grotesque human child.
The more he thought on it, the absurdity of the situation struck him even more.. The barbarois could almost laugh. How could a vampire make such emotional ties with any living thing? Specially a child. A human, at that. By creating such a relationship, Stormblade had basically written his epitaph. Not only was the girl a likely target for his enemies, she was also a weakness in her own right. The Baron was weighed down by her presence; he looked after her, keeping her safe, and was given nothing in return for his efforts.
In Kígyó's perception, a relationship was not worth anything if both participants did not obtain some benefit out of it. A barbarois willingly placed himself under a master due to the gains in protection and power such a position could bring. But to form some sort of tie with a child which could bring you no benefit at all? It was utterly ridiculous. The snake-man suddenly understood his Master's hate for Stormblade. The Baron lacked all the qualities which made a vampire powerful; he was no better than a human.
Getting up to take up his baggage once more, a sudden rush of adrenaline told him he was under observation. Becoming perfectly still, the barbarois flicked his tongue, to smell the air. Recognizing a violent presence in the surroundings, he was able to jump out of his cloak as the gleam of a blade appeared from the bushes in his left, aiming directly at his throat.
*******
After some hours of tracking, D could make out a dark cloaked figure sitting on a rock not so far away. Another form lay beside the first, but he could not discern it well for the trees hid it partially from view.
Making his way slowly down through the forest, no sound betrayed him, as he got closer to the form for a better inspection. He crouched behind some bushes to better judge the situation and to take the proper means of attack.
There was little doubt that this creature was the source of evil he'd been trailing. D found himself on the northern part of Arkenia, wondering why this malicious being would make its way with such haste towards the mountains.
The answer became apparent a second later.
The cloaked form shifted slightly, allowing D to see the identity of the person which lay beside it.
The girl. A small human child who had spoken to him a few days ago. There she was, lying completely unconscious, at the mercy of this perverse creature.
The shock was hard to control, for it evolved to anger as soon as D thought she was in danger. How dare anyone hurt her, a mere child?
The dunpheal knew he would give himself away by letting his wrath boil to the surface. But he did not care. This evil spawn had hell to pay.
Unsheathing his sword and jumping towards the figure in one fluent movement, D was not surprised when his swing did not connect with its objective: the humanoid's throat.
Kígyó jumped into the air, out of his cloak, landing with certain grace a safe distance away from D.
The dunpheal looked intently at his opponent, judging his movements and skill.
The barbarois' appearance was not pleasant. Living snakes took the place of hair on his head, much like the mythological Medusa. His arms and body were covered with scales, giving his skin a gleaming smooth appearance, his forked tongue flicked in and out constantly. But his eyes where the most shocking of all; yellow irises adorned with vertical pupils...the eyes of a viper.
"A snake-man," Left Hand whispered for only D to hear. "Be careful dunpheal, there's enough poison in him to kill a hundred strong men."
D answered by gripping his sword more tightly, moving into an offensive battle stance.
"A dunpheal...how interesting," Kígyó said in his hissing voice. "What business do you have with me? I have done nothing to you."
"I am here to eliminate you. You will not harm this girl," D answered flatly.
The barbarois was amazed for a moment at this child's ability to cause such responses from the people around her. And how was the dunpheal related to this girl? Not having enough time to ponder the dilemma, he quickly dismissed the thoughts, concentrating on the battle at hand.
"That is too bad. I thought we might aid each other. But if that is the case, then, I am afraid you will have to die, half-breed."
With that, the snake-man suddenly drew a long-knife out of nowhere, lunging himself towards D.
The Hunter met his strike fully, pushing the barbarois back after the first impact, swinging back at his opponent. Knife met sword with a loud sound as D kicked out powerfully with his left leg, hitting Kígyó on the side.
Pain coming from his ribs erupted through the barbarois' perception, forcing him to lose his balance. He rolled on the ground, avoiding D's downward slash, coming to his feet once more.
They fought on equal grounds for a few minutes, sparks flying as steel met steel. But tiring rapidly, Kígyó realized he was no match for the dunpheal when it came to sword skills. The sun was near the horizon, urgently reminding him of his mission. This encounter must end soon.
Somersaulting back from D, the snake-man landed a few paces away, shaking his head violently in the process. Snakes fell from his scalp, some landing on the grass as they made their way steadily towards D, while others flew directly towards the Hunter, landing on his chest and arms.
"One bite is all they need, half-breed," Kígyó hissed triumphantly, attacking D once more.
D was only able to get rid of the snakes in his arms before he could meet the barbarois' charge. Blade danced with blade again, but the dunpheal could feel the vipers on his chest make their way steadily to his neck.
"You will perish from a snake's kiss instead of a vampire's.how ironic," Kígyó laughed, thinking his victory imminent.
But in that instant, the sun set behind the tall trees, casting the world into shadow.
*******
Vitéz Lengyel began to stir as the sun drew near its setting. Within the lighter confines of sleep, his worry returned tenfold, but he still could not place its source.
Something was wrong. The certainty of the idea was shocking, sending him into a desperate frenzy of thought.
'What is it?' his mind asked.
'I do not know,' he answered desperately. 'But I can feel it.'
'What do you feel?' it asked.
'I feel pain, helplessness, someone needs my aid. Something is wrong.terribly wrong.'
'For who do you feel?', his mind asked more urgently.
'For who? I...' he trailed off.
The answer came to him like a bolt of lighting.
Aury.
Vitéz came instantly awake, concentrating as he spread his awareness to the castle and to the fields beyond.
She was nowhere to be found, and it had nothing to do with her spontaneous explorations.
Someone had taken her away from him. He was certain of it.
With the power of his mind, the Baron of Stormblade blew the lid of his coffin right off its hinges. Sitting up, he bared his fangs, eyes red with fury, as he let the world know of his wrath with a powerful scream, just as the sun sunk into the horizon.
*******
D knew he was in trouble. The snakes kept their upward trail and he could not push them away for his hands were busy fighting the snake-man before him.
The dunpheal could see the gleam of triumph in the barbarois' eyes, and the latter kept up his attack, pushing him back further and further.
Coming out of nowhere, a wave of powerful energy swept the air, accompanied by the sound of an angry scream. It kept going over the land and could still be heard even as it passed over the two combatants.
Kígyó stopped instantly in his attack, looking up at the sky as if searching for something.
It was just the distraction D needed.
Rapidly, he brought Left Hand up towards his chest.
"I need you to get rid of these things."
"My pleasure," the symbiont answered, a smirk coming across his features before he opened his mouth widely.
The snakes were swallowed up quickly. D then pointed the parasite towards the vipers on the ground, and were taken up just as rapidly.
Kígyó, having recovered from his shock, jumped back just in time to avoid being eaten by Left Hand. Appalled by this knew tactic from his enemy, the barbarois was at a lost. He also knew where the source of that powerful energy wave had come from, making the end of the battle even more urgent.
Deciding he could not stay and finish this fight without getting caught, the snake-man turned round, swiftly picked up Aury and ran at full speed through the forest.
Closing his left hand, D followed swiftly, intent on not letting this foul creature get away.
But the barbarois was quicker than he appeared, and it took D more effort to catch up with him than he'd thought. Kígyó was at an advantage, for he knew the lay of the land well. Having planned this as his escape route, the snake-man knew exactly where he was going, outdistancing D despite his extra burden.
Eventually, the dunpheal was forced to use Left Hand again.
"I want you to stop his run," he said, tree branches flying past him.
"But D, if I misjudge the use of my strength I could swallow him entirely, and the girl with him!"
"Do it," the dunpheal ordered as he lifted his arm towards the barbarois' fleeing form.
"Alright," Left Hand said reluctantly, opening his mouth once more.
The force behind the parasite's pull managed to make the snake-man stumble in his path as his feet were stolen right under him. Kígyó fell face first, forced to let go of Aury, who landed forcefully beside him. Both of them were being pulled back towards Left Hand even as the snake-man tried to grab on to a passing rock, leaves and twigs flying around him.
The symbiont closed his mouth suddenly when they were only a few paces away. This allowed D to run up to take Aury up in his arms before setting her gently behind him.
The Hunter faced the snake-man once more.
Kígyó had his legs under him in a blink of an eye, attacking the dunpheal with all his might. Knife met sword again in an intricate combination of strikes.
From the savage attack he was receiving, D could tell the barbarois was desperate. The latter reeked of fear, a fact he was trying hard not to show. Something was making him extremely uneasy, but D knew not what it was. Even so, the dunpheal did not think twice to use his opponent's off- balance to his advantage.
Letting Kígyó vent off his frustration on his sword, D only parried, not attempting to attack in return. After such a violent display of power, the barbarois was sure to tire soon, giving D all the advantage he needed.
They fought so for some time, desperation showing even more clearly on the snake-man's face. He was evidently tiring but did not relent on his strikes. His determination, under any other circumstance, would've been admirable.
But the life of a small girl hung on the outcome of this fight.
D pushed Kígyó back with a vicious slash, taking on the offense suddenly. The snake-man wasn't ready for the change, but did not fall under the power of the dunpheal. The latter pushed him back hard, his arm going numb from the strikes of the sword on his knife. He was losing this battle but he would not relent.
In a matter of seconds, the wave of three powerful presences swept over them and a rustle of fabric could be heard overhead.
Kígyó looked up brusquely, his face growing as pale as the moon. Letting out a garbled scream, he turned to flee.
But D was faster. Jumping up before the fear stricken barbarois, he turned in mid air, slashing his sword in a wide arc.
Kígyó's head rolled on the grass before his body fell soundlessly to the ground.
The Hunter landed gracefully into a kneeling position, his sword before him, breathing heavily. Without much thought, the dunpheal turned back to Aury, taking the girl up in his arms. Her breathing calmed him somewhat, reassuring him of his success in rescuing her. Proceeding to examine her for injuries, he felt the presence of various powerful creatures once more.
Hearing a soft sound nearby, he lifted his gaze to see three figures standing not so far away, long black cloaks covering their features. The gleam of several blades caught his eye.
With all his accumulated experience, he could discern their origins without even looking at them.
He was now in the presence of vampires.
*******
The scream had been enough to make Beriszl fly out of his coffin, sword and dagger in his hand, prepared to face the army of attackers that was sure to be invading the castle in that very moment.
Baring his fangs while placing his weapons defensively in front of him, he was surprised when no immediate attack came. Shaking his head to clear it of the last remnants of sleep, he made his way rapidly out of the room, heading for Vitéz's quarters.
As he passed the landing, he saw the form of his Meister fly by, black cloak trailing. Opening the window with a mere thought, Beriszl braced himself for flight even as Kalman jumped out of another window across from him.
Both of them caught up with Vitéz not so far away. The Baron set a northerly course, flying with all the speed he could muster. To the casual observer, the three vampires would be no more than a passing black blur in the sky.
'Meister, what is it?' Beriszl asked silently. He could tell Vitéz was on the verge of exploding with rage which reflected easily in his actions easily. Something very serious must have happened for him to scream so.
'Aury', the Baron answered simply, conveying the images of her missing presence to both his pupils.
Both vampires gritted their teeth, increasing their speed further.
The trail of evil was easy to follow. It could almost be seen as it made its way towards the northern mountain.
After some time, they could hear the sound of a battle below. Circling widely, Vitéz descended quickly, Kalman and Beriszl following closely.
Two fighting forms could be seen beneath the canopy of trees, engaged in a mighty duel. The vampires did nothing to hide their presence, causing one of the fighters to look up and attempt to run away.
Kalman could tell one of the warriors was the Hunter D; his graceful movements betrayed his anonymity. The Baron smiled inwardly; this meeting was long overdue.
Vitéz came closer, making his way through the trees. He landed in time to see a dunpheal behead a fleeing snake-man. As a comrade landed on either side of him, the Baron watched as the fighter before him turned round to Aury's small form laying close by. Displaying genuine concern towards the girl, the dunpheal's relief at seeing her alive was as apparent as the hat on his head.
Vitéz smiled. There was no doubt that the one in front of him was none other than D, the son of the Vampire King.
As the dunpheal lifted his head, their eyes met. The Baron of Stormblade could discern curiosity mingled with respect but with a certain reservation in his gaze.
It was time they crossed each other's paths.
"Greetings, Vampire Hunter," he said, his deep elegant voice resonating in the silent forest. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Vitéz Lengyel, the Baron of these lands. Of my companions, you already have met the honorable Count Farkas."
Vitéz gestured to his right, where Kalman bowed his head in greeting, a wide smile on his features.
D returned the gesture, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
Vitéz continued. "To my left is Beriszl Mátrai, Stormhold's Captain of the Guards. A fair and fine swordsman."
Beriszl crossed his weapons before him, bowing slightly in D's direction.
The dunpheal nodded his head in greeting, taking in this new acquaintance. In any other situation he would've been be wary of Beriszl, but D concluded he could be trusted. For now, at least.
Vitéz met D's gaze once more, before his eyes fell on Aury. A look of great concern came over his face before he finally added, voice filled with emotion:
"And that girl in your arms is my daughter."
****** ******
A cliffhanger!?! Hehe, I just love those! I can just picture D passing out; a great anime comedy moment! Hehe.
Read and review please! ^_^ You know you want to!