I don't own anything except the Takahari family
Note: This chapter returns to Ian's perspective.
It wasn't long after Ryan left that the Phantom Ship came into view. I was the first to spot it, given my vantage point. Unfortunately for my safety, the sight at first failed to penetrate my reverie, a fact that I quickly came to regret, as the ghost ship promptly rammed the Queen Fury. While I was on top of the mast.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!" The impact sent me flying off the Queen Fury's mast and onto the Phantom Ship's deck, a second impact which knocked me unconscious.
I came to in a very unsettling situation: I was surrounded by apparently malevolent ghosts, and both my katanas were lying several feet away, having been jolted out of their scabbards. Great. Why is it always me? And where's Ryan with the Soul Cleaver when you need him? That'd probably deal with these things.
Though I didn't expect it to work on non-corporeal targets, I swept my Desert Eagles out of their holsters and opened fire, desperately spitting round after round into the horrid things.
Click. I glanced down. The slides on the pistols were locked back. Out of ammo. I looked up again. The phantoms were unharmed. "This ain't good."
Wait a minute. Non-corporeal. They might be able to hit me, but their very nature means… I dove straight through them, rolled, and retrieved both swords.
"Ian!" Recognizing Ryan's voice, I stood back as he dropped in, sweeping the Soul Cleaver all around. With howls of pure torment, they vanished.
"Thanks, Ryan. Wasn't sure how to deal with those things." I calmly sheathed the katanas. "Is everyone alright?"
"Not sure. We can't find Shana." Ryan sheathed his own blade.
"She's probably here. Look, Ryan, you go on ahead. I can handle things here." I drew Masamune again.
"Wait a minute. I thought you couldn't kill those things on your own. And why would you want to be poking around here?"
"There's something I want to investigate. Call it a hunch. And don't worry. Magic should work on these things."
"If you're sure…" Ryan shrugged and leapt away, no doubt to rejoin the others.
After he'd gone, I headed for the pilot house, from where I had heard an odd noise coming. With no patience for niceties such as lock-picking, I simply kicked the door in, drawing the Masamune at the same time.
"Oh, no," I moaned, "not again." There was a vampire standing in front of me. "Didn't I kill you already, Draco?"
Draco the vampire smiled evilly. "You missed my weak spot, I'm afraid. And now I'm back to take my revenge."
I remember thinking when the old man showed up that next time something like this happened, I'd kill myself. Guess I can't hold to that now. This is an old score that I need to settle, and I won't have the task fall to anyone else. This monster has murdered too many people, and worse.
I readied my blade. "This time you don't escape, you nekulturny bat. I won't have a creature right out of Earth's horror stories exist."
The vampire drew a weapon of its own, a slim, fifteen-inch stiletto. "Go ahead and try it, assassin, but I'm going to teach you why ninja shouldn't be vampire hunters." Then his eyes widened as I sheathed my sword. "Leaving yourself defenseless? You've lost your senses since we fought in that castle on the Rhine last year. Even the time before, in Venice, you showed more intelligence."
I smirked. "Are you sure? Or could it be that my skills have improved such that I feel confident that I can draw my sword before you get anywhere near? And you're not too smart either, using a dagger against a sword. I thought you used a broadsword."
"I do. But a knife can be useful, too." Draco threw the knife.
Time seemed to slow as the dagger sailed toward my heart. I reached for the hilt of the katana slung on my back, lurching to one side at the same time…
Too late. The slim knife hit me in the left arm, piercing the thick cloth and lodging in my elbow. "Urgh!" My katana clattered to the deck, while I fell to my knees, clutching the wound.
My old foe drew his broadsword from with his cape. "You've lost your touch, Takahari. Now, you're going to lose your life. You'll soon be one less thorn in my side."
"I don't think so, 'mon ami'," I said sarcastically. I slowly stood, yanking the knife out of my arm. "Seems to me that you've caused me more trouble than I've caused you. This fight will be our last. This time, the blade goes through your filthy heart!" Before the startled vampire could react, I swept Masamune out of its scabbard and knocked Draco's sword aside.
"You're tougher than I thought, Takahari. This will be a good fight. But only one of us will walk away from this battle, and it's not going to be you." He began a quick series of slashes, which I blocked as well as I could.
Blast! The old vampire's gotten better of late. But I can still clean his clock. I hope. I went on the offense, aiming for Draco's chest. He fouled the sword in his cape, then jerked me off balance.
What he did next frightened me: he pulled out a chain, the sword's natural enemy, and began twirling it over his head, then flung it out at me, catching my sword in its links. Once again, Draco knocked me off balance, this time bringing his sword to my throat.
"Tut, tut. I suppose this is the end of our rivalry, Takahari. You lose." He brought the broadsword up for the beheading stroke…
And just before it could land, I plunged the purloined dagger into Draco's stomach, then kicked his legs out from under him.
Knowing that, being a vampire, he would heal within moments, I retrieved both katanas, ran out of the room, and flung myself over the side of the Phantom Ship.
As the cold sea caught me, I faintly heard Karen screaming. "Ian!" And everything went black…
Author's note: A short chapter, but it was primarily a setup for future events. As you no doubt inferred from the dialogue, Ian and the vampire Draco are old enemies. Draco will be a persistent foe for much the story from here on out, as I thought it was time for Ian to have a rival to battle, sword-to-sword. This also provides an explanation for Ian's preference for beheadings and stabs to the heart. Anyway, read it and let me know what you think.
