Chapter 8
Luc traced the circle with his blade on the ground. In the center he placed his objects he had worked so hard to gather. Bowing his head and clasping his hands, he began the chant.
"With these objects I have worked to gain, restore my humanity!" He cried thrusting his hands to the heavens. He felt strength course through him and he began to smile as he watched himself glow. "Now return me to what I once..." he was cut off as a blade scored marks across his back. Luc wheeled around and could not believe what he saw.
"Remember me?" The figure laughed.
"You bastard!" Luc cried, for the man that stood before him was the cause of his curse. "I killed you!"
"We vampires do not die easy," the creature replied. "You should have figured that out by now. It's time to end this, knight." The vampire lunged and brought his weapon through Luc's chest. Luc growled and turned his blade on the Undead adversary and slashed him across the chest. Luc delivered another blow throwing his enemy into a tree.
The vampire shook his head and rose, angered at the attack he had suffered. "Sempat Nagash!" He roared, his eyes blazing. Strange beams of black energy flew at Luc knocking him back and causing his sword to crack. Cursing, he flung the broken weapon at the vampire burying the iron weapon in his enemy's chest. The vampire ripped it out and cast the worthless weapon to the cold ground.
Luc, now unarmed, rushed forth and slammed his fists into the face and stomach of the vampire. The monster flashed his teeth and delivered a slash with his own sword. Luc grabbed the object and hurled it as far as he could.
Not wasting time to recover the sword, the vampire grappled with Luc. The two rolled across the plain for minutes, neither gaining the upper hand. Finally, the two separated and rose to their feet. Panting, the two circled, neither making any move to attack until Luc uttered two words: "Heru Nehek!" The ground shook and bony hands shot up. The skeleton warriors grabbed onto the vampire and began to flay him with various melee weapons. The vampire knocked them off, but they rose again and again to fight. Luc took advantage of this distraction and raced to obtain the vampire's discarded sword. He rushed to join his undead minions. As he raced, the vampire began to fall and Luc aimed his sword and stabbed it through the vampire's neck.
With a last breath the vampire uttered several words "Dust is man's beginning and dust is his end...ha ha ha..." Luc noticed that the vampire's hand lay on his leg. Luc felt weak, and crumbled into dust, as did his opponent. He had failed.
The great black coach came to a halt before the lone warrior. Raising his bony hand, the wraith snatched up the urn containing the precious ashes. Nodding to the warrior, he whipped the nightmares into a run as he sped onward.
The wraith had been commanded to recover the ashes and resurrect the mighty vampire warrior. His master, the Great One, would be pleased that they now lay within his possession. By claiming a thousand lives this mighty warrior would rise again and aid his master in the destruction of the Empire.
The wraith place the urn into a special compartment in the coach's frame and looked to the small town. The foolish villagers would not be able to stop him, for he was the avatar of death.
It was only a matter of years until the Blood Knight walked again, Luc de Fevre would aid his master in the destruction of the Old World...
End of Story