Hey! I'm back! Alright, as I have already demonstrated, I'm not good with action, so sorry if its not all that good. I seemed to have hit a rut, because despite this chapter's importance, it stinks as did my new X-men chapter. I'm thinking of discontinuing it. Oh well, have at it.
And BTW: Melztli is really Savtri or whatever who is really Lizzy. Please pay her review no mind.
So we meet again
Van Helsing wasn't sure where to look to best satisfy his worrying. His head rotated almost nonstop looking from the east where a pink line rose to meet the world and then back to the west where Ashian stood silhouetted on the roof of the village church. As soon as they had sent all of the townsfolk into hiding she had climbed graceful and spider-like up the side of the building. He noticed in dismay that she avoided the side of the roof with the cross on it. The vampirc venom was taking her faster than Thomas had predicted, proving once again that no amount of reading will give you the experience needed.
Van Helsing was brought back into reality back by Ashian laughing. It wasn't her natural laugh; it was forced, cruel, almost evil. It unnerved Van Helsing more than anything he'd ever seen. Well, there was that one time he'd caught the school priest and Haung together… "They'll regret they day they died, I can assure you that." The cold words broke Van Helsing's reveille, unsure if he should answer or even if the words were directed at him.
The vampires, now only three including Dracula, were well within his range now. He quickly doused the tip of his crossbow with Holy water and sent a volley of arrows flying over Ashian's shoulders. She stood unflinching as her hair ruffled in the breeze created by the bolts, and made only a slight grimace in response to the vampires avoiding the rain of death.
She still stood undaunted, despite Van Helsing's frantic shouts at her to leave her post, as the hellbeast and his brides landed on the opposite side of the church at her. Despite the many times she had witnessed the transformation, it still sent a wave of nausea through her, this time renewed by the knowledge that soon she would be doing the same disgusting upheaval of all the rules God had set. God. Who was he to make the rules? Who was he at all? Nothing, she reminded herself. He was nothing to her now that what little trust she had placed in God had left hand in hand with her humanity. But her humanity still lingered, still stayed to wish her well on this quest she would take without it. Clinging to an estranged hope that God would still answer her prayers she sent a small plea to whoever would listen. Please, she begged, let her death be worth something.
"I must say it is wonderful to see you in such good – or should I say bad? - health, my dear. I certainly thought that your body would put up a greater resistance to the poison. Oh well, perhaps it is not as strong as your will." Dracula's attention was on her and her alone. Sonwaja, not one to lie idle during conversation, dove off and began to harass Van Helsing.
Ashian responded only by leaping forward and lodging a silver stake into his chest and pinning him to the roof top with several cross shaped daggers. She took the few seconds the maneuver bought her and whipped out the dagger that had been announced to extend to three feet in length. True to the advertisement it extended with a satisfying swish.
Just as Ashian was about to relieve Dracula's body of its head Verona dove at Ashian. Fortunately Ashian's increased reflexes told her what was coming, so she flipped backwards and grabbed her crossbow. Unfortunately, as soon as she righted herself to fire, Verona launched both of them off the church top and crashing thru the cross that all had been avoiding. The impact of the cross caused Verona to backpedal (or whatever it is in the air) giving Ashian time and room to release several bolts into Verona's chest.
Meanwhile (just 'cause I want to leave you hanging) Van Helsing had his work cut out for him the instant Sonwaja leapt from the rooftop. Carl had been tossing him various armaments, such as holy water and silver stakes, but every time Van Helsing reached out to grab whatever Carl had thrown Sonwaja twisted herself and spread her wings to block the shot. She was bleeding from puncture wounds the silver stakes, but despite Carl's incredible aim when throwing at Van Helsing, he seemed unable to pierce Sonwaja's heart.
Van Helsing had run out of bolts quite awhile ago, and was attempting to ward off the approaching vampire with his pistols, which weren't loaded with silver bullets, when Ashian and Verona came crashing off the roof. He noted as Ashian shot Verona in midair that the vampirc venom was working so fast that though the maneuver took all of ten seconds to complete, she was still fully aware of her surroundings. She began to twist her body into a vertical position, but there wasn't enough time. Her body hit the edge of the town well with a sickening crack that suggested that her spine had been hit hardest. She slid limply down the hole, the knives in the heels of her boots sliding out.
Van Helsing had hoped that because only a vampire could have survived a blow like that Verona would swoop away and leave Ashian's body un-ravaged. But instead Verona continued her dive, plunging into the well just as the first light of dawn touched to sky. Van Helsing began to run towards the well, but Sonwaja grabbed him, using his body to crash through the bolted doors of the church. She landed on top of him in a very compromising position.
She smiled and shifted into her human (or at least human looking) form, letting her fangs extend. "Don't worry about your precious Ashian; my master will give her what you never could. She will be happy even after you are dead!" There was extra emphasis on "dead."
Van Helsing's voice was calm and cool as he replied, "You disgust me."
This only widened Sonwaja's grin. "That is alright; I disgust myself. Like when I think about what that little witch sees in you; that is an incredibly disgusting."
Van Helsing had had enough. He grabbed the small crucifix he kept on a chain around his neck and swung it at Sonwaja. She leapt away from the charm, giving Van Helsing a clear shot to the door. Not waiting for Sonwaja to blockade it, he sprinted to the town square.
Clouds had covered the new sun, making it safe for the vampires again. Dracula was taking advantage of the cloud cover and watching whatever was happening in the well with his arms spread out to lean on. When Van Helsing came into the plaza he looked up and gave his old enemy a fiendish grin. Van Helsing debated weather to attack Dracula, hold his ground, or look down the well too.
Before he could decide Verona came rocketing out of the well, causing both Dracula and Van Helsing to take several steps backward. There were two puncture marks on her stomach, several bloody streaks on her face, and a long gash on her back. Moments after she had cleared the well stakes attached to ropes flew through her left wing, her stomach, and finally, her heart. The corpse's momentum carried Ashian (who had been the one on the other end of the ropes) several feet past the rim of the well, but before she could touch down again Dracula shifted into the hellbeast and swept her away.
Carl had predicted something like that would happen, and had saddled Van Helsing's horse while he had been in the church. With a hearty slap to the stallion's flank, he sent the beast to Van Helsing, who swung onto the mount without causing it to stop.
I don't know how long they went like that, Dracula carrying an unconscious Ashian and Van Helsing chasing the pair, but despite how many hours the sun always stayed behind several storm clouds. Eventually Dracula brought Ashian to a bluff that overlooked the river. Actually, it was more of an island, with an almost-jumpable-but-not-quite gap separating the mainland and where Dracula had marooned Ashian.
Ashian regained consciousness sometime during the flight, but had found it wise not to struggle, seeing as they were a good hundred feet off the ground. True, at this stage in her vampirism she might survive, but arguing with Dracula a hundred feet off the ground didn't seem like a very good idea. When she was set gently (surprisingly enough) back on land she began to speak, but Dracula cut her off.
"Lovely view, don't you think?" Ashian noticed that he wasn't even looking at the dark river below them. "Since you seemed to have developed a taste for heights I thought you would like it."
Ashian burst, "I wouldn't have 'developed a taste for heights' if you'd leave me the hell alone! What do you want from me?!"
Dracula grinned at her, like he would grin if a child had asked a question. "My dear, isn't it obvious? I want you to be a vampire. What other reason do I need?"
Tears welled in Ashian's eyes, despite her attempts at self control. "But why me? Why am I special?"
She might have gotten an answer, but at that exact moment Van Helsing had managed to jump the almost-jumpable-but-not-quite gap and shoved yet another silver stake between Dracula's shoulder blades. He shifted into the hellbeast, in the process dislodging Van Helsing and sending him plunging into the dark river that swirled below them.
Without thinking Ashian dove after him, and because she hadn't thought, plummeted downward with him. It was a deep canyon, but not deep enough for either of them to say anything, but Van Helsing did manage to give Ashian a look that conveyed that despite the fact he was pleased she had dove after him, she had still been incredibly moronic.
Then it was there. The river enveloped both of them, pushing them downward. Ashian opened her eyes and began to swim upward. She wondered how long her breath would last when it dawned on her that she didn't need to breathe anymore, and consequently she didn't feel lightheaded. Van Helsing, however, was not so lucky. He had already made it halfway to the surface when he began to sink again.
Once again not thinking about what cost her actions would have, Ashian swam toward Van Helsing and began to drag him upward while forcing her own breath into his lungs. Wondering why every time they kissed it was under dangerous circumstances, she floated downriver on her back, holding him.
Soon she banked up against the shore, and dragged the semiconscious Van Helsing out of the water. Fortunately she didn't have to perform mouth to mouth because as soon as she had landed a heavy blow to his thigh he sat up, coughing and looking thoroughly disoriented.
"It amazes me that you managed to stay alive this long, rushing into things like that." Ashian poured water out of her boot as she spoke.
"Me?! What about you! At least I don't go diving off cliffs on a whim!" Van Helsing began rubbing his bruised thigh.
"Well, I wouldn't have jumped if you hadn't been stupid!" Not waiting for a reply, she began to walk off into general direction of the Valerious castle. Van Helsing shook his head and walked off after her, all attempts at speech frozen in his throat by Ashian's glowering.