Dusk had fallen; the sky was tinged with the last dying rays of the sun as a thin blanket of stars dappled the indigo sky. The air was cooling and a light mist was rolling in on the docks. The only movement came from that of four unlikely companions:
Ororo Munroe, Bloodstorm, had been turned into a vampire and had spent every day since her transformation fighting and denying what she was. She is also a mutant - capable of controlling the Nature's very elements. Kat Rasputin. A fellow mutant capable of "phasing" through solid matter; now leader of the vampire resistance. BloodRayne. A dhampir discovered frozen in an underground facility enlisted to help in the war against the undead. And Dracula, discovered as the personal play-thing of a sinister vampiress and recently liberated from his chains to aid them.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" asked Kat. "No one's heard from him in years."
"I have faith," replied Ororo.
As Kat and Ororo walked on, Rayne hung back curiously surveying Dracula. He smiled courteously as she moved to walk alongside him.
"What can I do for you, my dear?" he asked in a smooth tone.
"I'm curious," she admitted. "I mean, I always thought you were a myth."
Dracula chuckled to himself. "If I had a pint of blood for every time I have heard that-"
"You'd be fat."
Rayne and Dracula both looked at each other before they began laughing quietly to themselves. They soon caught up with Ororo and Kat who had stopped and were glancing out across the murky waters. Rayne squinted through the thickening mist, unsure at what they were looking at.
"What is it?" she asked.
Ororo did not speak; instead she gestured with her hand as the elements obeyed her command, sweeping the mist clear to reveal a gigantic structure. Upon closer inspection, they could see that it was the stern portion of a large oil tanker which had half-sunk into the oil-slick waters. Rayne whistled, impressed, as Kat turned to Ororo.
"Are you sure about this?"
Ororo nodded before glancing back toward the huge structure. Taking a step back Ororo flung herself through the air and landed perfectly on a metal strip. She signalled to the others as Kat phased, letting her lighter form float up through the air as both Rayne and Dracula followed Ororo's example and leapt the distance.
When everyone was ready, they cautiously made their way down to the access hatch which would take them below deck. The hatch however was sealed tightly shut and Kat had to phase everyone through to the topsy-turvy world beyond. The angle at which the tanker was resting had turned the inside of the vessel on its head and the walkways - once ceilings - where covered in debris and treacherous.
They made steady progress through the ships decks being greeted by the startled squeaks of rats. As they turned a corner, they found there way blocked by a collapsed bulk head. Doubling back they came across a semi-blocked hatched which buckled under the combined force of the three vampires and gave way to a dim mess hall filled with the stench of death.
Kat pulled a flare from her belt, casting the room in an eerie red glow. All around them on the walls, floors and ceiling where rotting bodies. Dracula stepped up to one and peered at its shrivelled face, noticing the elongated canines. The other bodies were similarly equipped as Ororo inspected the extent of their injuries, finding their skin had ruptured all over and dried blood was streaking the room. Upon closer inspection, it was noticed that large slivers of metal were embedded in their chests.
"This would not have killed them alone." commented Dracula.
Ororo looked at the surfaces behind the bodies, all around where deep gouge marks. Inspecting the dead vampire's fingers she found that they had been worn down to the bone. She stepped back concerned.
"Not unless they were held in place..."
At her words the tanker gave an unearthly shudder as bulk heads and metal groaned. Quickly, they made their way out, stepping out of the mess hall. Ororo was forced to hold the others back as a metal chair frame hurtled through the air toward her; she arched her head as it shot past, crashing into the wall further along. She sniffed the air, carefully suppressing the overwhelming stench of death.
"This way." She said with renewed confidence.
As she led the others forward, the shudders of the tanker increased, causing debris to slide toward them. The four companions pushed forward, ducking, deflecting and phasing their way back to the entrance. Rayne glanced over toward a small cabin where she could see the small flicker of candlelight. She motioned the others as they made their way forward to what turned out to be the captain's quarters.
Ororo took front and waved back the others. She sniffed the air again, her suspicions being confirmed as she cautiously stepped through the door. The interior had been more or less cleaned out with only rust and mould adorning the walls. Ahead of her was the dim glow of a single candle burning, silhouetting a torn and damage leather armchair and its occupant.
"Eric?"
The room shuddered as the metal of the ship groaned as if threatening to descend into the murky depths with all its prisoners. Ororo stepped forward, silently approaching the chair, as she began to here the sound of distant mutterings coming from the chair's occupant. She crouched at the side and glanced at the man sat quietly in the chair. His face was thick with grime as his dull eyes gazed out ahead of him. His silver-white hair hung messily around his face and his once distinguished jaw line was now framed by a thick matting of facial hair. His lips moved as a hoarse whisper of words came out of his mouth and he did not even react when Ororo took his hand in hers.
"...such potential - my daughter; powerful - so so strong...like her father; much like her father - me - her father...such potential..."
Ororo stared into his vacant eyes, trying to break his catatonic trance but his gaze was fixed, so instead she followed it to the bunk that was in front of him and she gasped in astonishment. Neatly tucked away in damp, moulding sheets lay an unmistakable body. Despite the years of decay, the flowing locks tinged with fading green, struck a chord of sorrow in her heart.
Lorna Dane. Once the X-Man known as Polaris. The two had once been dearly close sharing a bond of friendship that traversed the existence of their earthly souls. They had been sorceresses both and though they had come to blows on several occasions they had always harboured an eternal link. Ororo had not been present at the time of Lorna's demise but she had felt her light go out - a light that had shone bright and true in her role as Keeper of the Light. As Ororo turned back to the seemingly frail man sitting in eternal vigil over his long dead daughter, she shed a tear.
"Magnus!"
There was a distant glimmer of recognition in the man's eyes as Ororo felt a tangible ripple of energy emanate from him, causing the walls to buckle slightly and the whole structure to groan threateningly. Ororo glanced around the room in angst, searching her mind for what she could do to obtain her objective. Moving herself to block Magnus' view of his daughter she stares intently into his eyes.
"Listen to me. The world needs you. It's time for you to venture out again!"
The room shook violently, as the pressure on the portholes cracked the murky glass. Ororo grabbed Magnus by the shoulders and shook him; his head lolling from side to side, but continuously staring numbly into space.
"Don't fail us! Don't fail Lorna!"
A flicker of expression disturbed the stillness of his face as a dim crackle of energy illuminated his eyes. Ororo gritted her teeth as she forced herself to continue.
"Yes. That's right - you failed her! She died because of you - because you couldn't protect her! Your precious daughter who YOU let die!"
Tears filled Ororo's eyes as she screamed the words at this shell of a once powerful man. Her words seemed to breath life into his motionless limbs as his fists slowly clenched; his knuckles turning white. The air began thick with ionized energy as the candlestick beside him shot through the air, magnetically pinned against the wall. His eyes glowed with raw energy as a low sound built up at the back of his throat before he let out a defiant cry, wave after wave of energy rippling off him forcing Ororo back against the wall as he rose out of his chair.
As his cry died out the room shuddered a final time before the once notorious Master of Magnetism slumped to his knees and the glow of energy returned to the room to its gloom. Ororo nervously stepped forward, dropping to one knee resting her hand on his arm as he slowly turned to look at her, his eyes filled with life but ultimately grief.
"Welcome back." she whispered, squeezing his arm
"I-how? I mean..."
"Don't think too much, Magnus."
Magnus struggled to find his voice. "How did you find me?"
"People talk. Especially vampires with no choice."
Ororo smiled weakly as Magnus' eyes darkened at the mention of vampires. She lowered her eyes in apology but found Magnus gently lifting her chin to look at her.
"Thank you."
Stepping out together, Magnus was astonished to see a mix of strange and familiar faces in Rayne, Kat and Dracula. They spent a few moments familiarising themselves with each other before setting down the foundations of their plan. Dracula told them about the main court where the mysterious Lord of the Vampires was housed. No one knew who this menace was but Dracula informed them of the threats and possibilities of a direct assault on the small island nation proclaimed as the vampire capital.
Kat was unsure about the action and still doubted their small force would even get beyond the gates to the castle. Ororo consoled her sad that so many of their strong-willed allies had fallen years earlier but hoping that they would be with them in spirit. Rayne seemed the only level headed one as she questioned the exact nature of the plan.
"So we get in. Then what? We can't kill all the vampires - we're only five against the world!"
Ororo's face darkened as she turned away from the others. When next she spoke her voice was hushed, as if her words weren't so much for others to hear but more her thoughts being voiced.
"I know what I have to do."
To Be Continued...
Ororo Munroe, Bloodstorm, had been turned into a vampire and had spent every day since her transformation fighting and denying what she was. She is also a mutant - capable of controlling the Nature's very elements. Kat Rasputin. A fellow mutant capable of "phasing" through solid matter; now leader of the vampire resistance. BloodRayne. A dhampir discovered frozen in an underground facility enlisted to help in the war against the undead. And Dracula, discovered as the personal play-thing of a sinister vampiress and recently liberated from his chains to aid them.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" asked Kat. "No one's heard from him in years."
"I have faith," replied Ororo.
As Kat and Ororo walked on, Rayne hung back curiously surveying Dracula. He smiled courteously as she moved to walk alongside him.
"What can I do for you, my dear?" he asked in a smooth tone.
"I'm curious," she admitted. "I mean, I always thought you were a myth."
Dracula chuckled to himself. "If I had a pint of blood for every time I have heard that-"
"You'd be fat."
Rayne and Dracula both looked at each other before they began laughing quietly to themselves. They soon caught up with Ororo and Kat who had stopped and were glancing out across the murky waters. Rayne squinted through the thickening mist, unsure at what they were looking at.
"What is it?" she asked.
Ororo did not speak; instead she gestured with her hand as the elements obeyed her command, sweeping the mist clear to reveal a gigantic structure. Upon closer inspection, they could see that it was the stern portion of a large oil tanker which had half-sunk into the oil-slick waters. Rayne whistled, impressed, as Kat turned to Ororo.
"Are you sure about this?"
Ororo nodded before glancing back toward the huge structure. Taking a step back Ororo flung herself through the air and landed perfectly on a metal strip. She signalled to the others as Kat phased, letting her lighter form float up through the air as both Rayne and Dracula followed Ororo's example and leapt the distance.
When everyone was ready, they cautiously made their way down to the access hatch which would take them below deck. The hatch however was sealed tightly shut and Kat had to phase everyone through to the topsy-turvy world beyond. The angle at which the tanker was resting had turned the inside of the vessel on its head and the walkways - once ceilings - where covered in debris and treacherous.
They made steady progress through the ships decks being greeted by the startled squeaks of rats. As they turned a corner, they found there way blocked by a collapsed bulk head. Doubling back they came across a semi-blocked hatched which buckled under the combined force of the three vampires and gave way to a dim mess hall filled with the stench of death.
Kat pulled a flare from her belt, casting the room in an eerie red glow. All around them on the walls, floors and ceiling where rotting bodies. Dracula stepped up to one and peered at its shrivelled face, noticing the elongated canines. The other bodies were similarly equipped as Ororo inspected the extent of their injuries, finding their skin had ruptured all over and dried blood was streaking the room. Upon closer inspection, it was noticed that large slivers of metal were embedded in their chests.
"This would not have killed them alone." commented Dracula.
Ororo looked at the surfaces behind the bodies, all around where deep gouge marks. Inspecting the dead vampire's fingers she found that they had been worn down to the bone. She stepped back concerned.
"Not unless they were held in place..."
At her words the tanker gave an unearthly shudder as bulk heads and metal groaned. Quickly, they made their way out, stepping out of the mess hall. Ororo was forced to hold the others back as a metal chair frame hurtled through the air toward her; she arched her head as it shot past, crashing into the wall further along. She sniffed the air, carefully suppressing the overwhelming stench of death.
"This way." She said with renewed confidence.
As she led the others forward, the shudders of the tanker increased, causing debris to slide toward them. The four companions pushed forward, ducking, deflecting and phasing their way back to the entrance. Rayne glanced over toward a small cabin where she could see the small flicker of candlelight. She motioned the others as they made their way forward to what turned out to be the captain's quarters.
Ororo took front and waved back the others. She sniffed the air again, her suspicions being confirmed as she cautiously stepped through the door. The interior had been more or less cleaned out with only rust and mould adorning the walls. Ahead of her was the dim glow of a single candle burning, silhouetting a torn and damage leather armchair and its occupant.
"Eric?"
The room shuddered as the metal of the ship groaned as if threatening to descend into the murky depths with all its prisoners. Ororo stepped forward, silently approaching the chair, as she began to here the sound of distant mutterings coming from the chair's occupant. She crouched at the side and glanced at the man sat quietly in the chair. His face was thick with grime as his dull eyes gazed out ahead of him. His silver-white hair hung messily around his face and his once distinguished jaw line was now framed by a thick matting of facial hair. His lips moved as a hoarse whisper of words came out of his mouth and he did not even react when Ororo took his hand in hers.
"...such potential - my daughter; powerful - so so strong...like her father; much like her father - me - her father...such potential..."
Ororo stared into his vacant eyes, trying to break his catatonic trance but his gaze was fixed, so instead she followed it to the bunk that was in front of him and she gasped in astonishment. Neatly tucked away in damp, moulding sheets lay an unmistakable body. Despite the years of decay, the flowing locks tinged with fading green, struck a chord of sorrow in her heart.
Lorna Dane. Once the X-Man known as Polaris. The two had once been dearly close sharing a bond of friendship that traversed the existence of their earthly souls. They had been sorceresses both and though they had come to blows on several occasions they had always harboured an eternal link. Ororo had not been present at the time of Lorna's demise but she had felt her light go out - a light that had shone bright and true in her role as Keeper of the Light. As Ororo turned back to the seemingly frail man sitting in eternal vigil over his long dead daughter, she shed a tear.
"Magnus!"
There was a distant glimmer of recognition in the man's eyes as Ororo felt a tangible ripple of energy emanate from him, causing the walls to buckle slightly and the whole structure to groan threateningly. Ororo glanced around the room in angst, searching her mind for what she could do to obtain her objective. Moving herself to block Magnus' view of his daughter she stares intently into his eyes.
"Listen to me. The world needs you. It's time for you to venture out again!"
The room shook violently, as the pressure on the portholes cracked the murky glass. Ororo grabbed Magnus by the shoulders and shook him; his head lolling from side to side, but continuously staring numbly into space.
"Don't fail us! Don't fail Lorna!"
A flicker of expression disturbed the stillness of his face as a dim crackle of energy illuminated his eyes. Ororo gritted her teeth as she forced herself to continue.
"Yes. That's right - you failed her! She died because of you - because you couldn't protect her! Your precious daughter who YOU let die!"
Tears filled Ororo's eyes as she screamed the words at this shell of a once powerful man. Her words seemed to breath life into his motionless limbs as his fists slowly clenched; his knuckles turning white. The air began thick with ionized energy as the candlestick beside him shot through the air, magnetically pinned against the wall. His eyes glowed with raw energy as a low sound built up at the back of his throat before he let out a defiant cry, wave after wave of energy rippling off him forcing Ororo back against the wall as he rose out of his chair.
As his cry died out the room shuddered a final time before the once notorious Master of Magnetism slumped to his knees and the glow of energy returned to the room to its gloom. Ororo nervously stepped forward, dropping to one knee resting her hand on his arm as he slowly turned to look at her, his eyes filled with life but ultimately grief.
"Welcome back." she whispered, squeezing his arm
"I-how? I mean..."
"Don't think too much, Magnus."
Magnus struggled to find his voice. "How did you find me?"
"People talk. Especially vampires with no choice."
Ororo smiled weakly as Magnus' eyes darkened at the mention of vampires. She lowered her eyes in apology but found Magnus gently lifting her chin to look at her.
"Thank you."
Stepping out together, Magnus was astonished to see a mix of strange and familiar faces in Rayne, Kat and Dracula. They spent a few moments familiarising themselves with each other before setting down the foundations of their plan. Dracula told them about the main court where the mysterious Lord of the Vampires was housed. No one knew who this menace was but Dracula informed them of the threats and possibilities of a direct assault on the small island nation proclaimed as the vampire capital.
Kat was unsure about the action and still doubted their small force would even get beyond the gates to the castle. Ororo consoled her sad that so many of their strong-willed allies had fallen years earlier but hoping that they would be with them in spirit. Rayne seemed the only level headed one as she questioned the exact nature of the plan.
"So we get in. Then what? We can't kill all the vampires - we're only five against the world!"
Ororo's face darkened as she turned away from the others. When next she spoke her voice was hushed, as if her words weren't so much for others to hear but more her thoughts being voiced.
"I know what I have to do."
To Be Continued...