New Generation
Chapter X
Close the door, put out the light.
You know they won't be coming home tonight.
The snow falls hard and don't you know,
the winds of Thor are blowing cold?
There're wearing steel that's bright and true.
They carry news that must get through.
They choose a path where no one goes.
They hold no quarter. They ask no
quarter.
Walking side by side with death.
The Devil mocks our every step.
The snow drives back the foot that's slow.
The dogs of doom are howling more.
They carry news that must get through.
To build a dream for me and you.
They chose a path where no one goes.
They hold no quarter. They ask no
quarter.-
"No Quarter"-Led Zeppelin
"Gentlemen, secure your weapons," Christian told them, as he grasped the blessed whip from his belt. Lysander, Alcander, and Brian followed suit and drew their swords. With everyone prepared Christian directed them to the large castle door
As Christian approached the large iron door it slowly creaked open. "I suppose that's our invitation to enter," said the sarcastic Lysander.
"Yeah, you could say that," replied his brother.
The four young men, full of courage, entered the large stone structure; and when they were securely inside the Castle's walls the iron door closed behind them with a powerful thud. "This is our destiny, Gentlemen," Christian declared. "Let us not falter from our mission."
The rays of the sun emitted their glow through the Castle's dimly lit windows. On the walls hanged a few portraits for Vlad Tepes in triumph over the foes of Christendom, the family's seal of the dragon, and a few lit torches. The Castle's floor had a beautiful bright red rug. "Prince Tepes must be giving us his royal welcome," said Lysander with even more sarcasm.
On the Castle's ceiling was a large and bright chandelier. Brian couldn't help but fix his eyes upon it, which was fortunate because he watched the chandelier sway, and shouted the words "Get to the walls!" when he noticed that the chandelier was preparing to fall. The chandelier fell from the ceiling with an incredible force, leaving plenty of dust in its wake.
"Shit!" Alcander exclaimed. "We would've had one hell of a time trying to get that thing off of us!"
"Yes we would've," Christian said before turning to smile at Brian. "And it's thanks to Brian that such a thing didn't happen."
Lysander and Alcander looked at Brian for the first time in a different light. Brian possibly saved their lives by warning them about the chandelier. Both of them thanked him for what he had done, but Alcander felt obligated to say more. "Brian," he began, "I just want to let you know that I'm sorry about what I said to you at that inn. I think I was slightly out of line, so again, I'm sorry."
Brian smiled back at him, but his moment of glory was short-lived when his eyes noticed a sort of shadowy figures. "What are those?!" he exclaimed, pointing to the shadows.
"Evil spirits, servants of Dracula," Christian replied, cracking the whip. "If I remember exactly what my Dad told me he said one good crack with the whip and they will be no more, let the same hold true for your blades." The party charged toward the shadow creatures, but Christian chose to remain close to Brian just in case he ran into any trouble, since he had the least amount of training with a sword. Fortunately, this was an easy battle. One crack of the whip, and one slice of the blades was enough to crumble these particular shadow monsters.
After the battle Alcander was beginning to wonder, "If Jessica is here, where do you think she is?"
"Probably not on this floor," Christian told him. "Probably on the fifth floor…or maybe even in his throne room."
"Well, I'm committed to check every single room in this Castle to find her, including that room right there," replied Alcander, as he marched to a door.
"Cander be careful!" exclaimed Christian, as his cousin opened the door to reveal a large skeleton swinging a sword. The skeleton attempted to leave a large scar on Alcander's face, but Alcander's quick instincts allowed to push the door back into the skeleton's body, knocking him to the ground, and giving Alcander the moment he needed the sever the skeleton's head from his torso.
"Damn it, Cander!" Lysander shouted, furious of his brother's ignorance. "Make sure to wait for all of us next time! You could've been killed!"
"Sorry about that," Alcander replied, acknowledging his guilt. "I guess I let my emotions have the better of me."
"Don't worry about it," Lysander added, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulder. "I want to see her again too, but we have to be careful. We'll check every room, but lets check them together."
Alcander nodded. "Yes, Sander. Lets do that."
The four continued to walk side-by-side on the red carpet of the Castle's first floor, hoping for no more random encounters, and believing that they would not encounter any so long as the sun continued to shine its light upon the earth. "Christian, how long do you think it will take us to reach Dracula's chamber?" Brian asked.
"I don't know. When Dad faced Dracula he said it took a couple of hours, but he didn't have the sun as his ally."
"Monsters in the castle are hurt by the sunlight?"
"I wouldn't really say that they are 'hurt' but it, but some do grow weaker because of it."
"Hey!" Alcander shouted. "There's a staircase with a door at the top!"
"That must be the door to the second floor," replied Lysander.
"Quite right!" declared a voice from the shadows adjacent to the door. The windows of the Castle immediately closed, dimming the sunlight that was already faint inside the Castle. Now the Castle's only light were the torches on the wall. Wherever the voice was coming from it was followed by a loud 'clang.' Eventually the 'clanging' sound revealed itself to be what appeared a knight from the Middle Ages, dressed in full-plated armor. "Those who wish to go through that door must first pass through me!" the knight declared displaying his sword, as he descended the stairs. Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian flashed their weapons; and Brian, being the most nervous, gave the Sign of the Cross. "You'd better hope that God of yours is with you," replied the knight when it noticed Brian's gesture.
"God was with my ancestors, and He is with us now!" replied Christian, as he cracked his whip at the knight's torso. Christian's attack failed, and the knight attempted a counter-attack. But Brian, who was standing beside Christian, remembered what Christian taught him about 'parry-and-dodge.' Brian raised his sword to block the knight's blade, which allowed an opportunity for Alcander to attack the knight off guard. Leaping into the air, Alcander struck a powerful blow across the knight's neck. Alcander's blow was powerful enough that it severed the knight's helmet from its armor, leaving no trace of a body. With one piece of its armor gone, the knight as a whole simply collapsed.
"There was no body in that armor!" exclaimed Brian.
"No, that knight was created by Dracula's power, as are most of his minions," Christian told him. "Once one part of his armor was destroyed, the rest of him simply fell. But you, Brian, did very well in your first major battle. That monster was a worthy adversary, and you blocked his blow with perfection."
"Yes, you did," Lysander and Alcander replied unanimously.
"Thank you," Brian said with a smile.
"No need to thank us, Brian," added Christian. "Thank yourself."
Brian continued to smile, but Alcander said, "Come! Let us hurry to the second floor. Jessica may be there!"
