I opened my eyes and looked around. Instantly, my jaw dropped and the huge temple before me. It looked a lot like an Egyptian temple, but without the carvings of the Gods. Instead, vast monuments to hunting birds were scattered methodically around the stone courtyard I was stood in. Tall trees grew here and there, littered with fruits of one sort or another. It was so peaceful….
"Darren Shan, come with me. My lady awaits you" the messenger's deep voice informed me. I lifted my gaze to meet his. I know I should have kept my thoughts to myself, but I had to ask "What are you people?"
He chuckled and removed his cloak. Before me stood a tall and muscular man with a tattoo of a feather on his right cheek. At his back was a huge pair of white wings. I stared, unable to believe what I was seeing.
"My people, Darren Shan, are The Sky Guardians. We are harpies"
Harpies? I had heard that name before, in some book or another about Greek mythology. But harpies were not real! Well, obviously they were, one was staring right at me, but how could this be true?
The man laughed lightly, seeing the shock upon my face "My lady is waiting" he said "If she waits much longer, she'll have my hide for it"
Inpatient leader, I thought, let the woman wait. Well, it was not my fault I had been dragged all the way to….where was I?
"Where am I?" I inquired, trying my best not to sound unsure of myself and a little uneasy. But, like I said before, I never was much of an actor.
"You are in Sangre Ver Rise" came a soft, musical voice from behind me. I span on my heel and came face to face with the a tall young woman with dazzling golden eyes. She had a smile playing upon her soft lips as she looked at me through the curtain of crimson curls covering her right eye. She too had wings at her back, hers the colour of blood "Welcome, Darren Shan, to my home"
This was starting to unnerve me slightly. How and why did everyone here know my name?!
"Who are you?" I inquired, receiving a stifled chuckled from the messanger.
The crimson stranger laughed, her voice ringing out like a fine silver bell. Why was I being poetic, thinking this all of a sudden?!
"I am Roselin Vartella, the Lady of this temple" she responded, eyes lighting up. Could she really be... "I am The Blood Rose" Ah, so she was, I thought with a smirk.
"Why did you bring me here?" I found myself asking, the words coming out of my mouth unbidden by my mind. Well, there were things my troubled self needed to understand about all of this. Why had I been chosen to come here, out of all vampires? Why me?
"Because, Darren, I.... I need your help" she confessed, seeming troubled to admit this simplest of facts. perhaps she was too proud to admit such things most of the time. Not not, she had said it to me. This made me wonder....
"The vampaneze have taken it upon themselves to hunt my people don. I need the vampire's help to stop them from destroying my entire race. Only you can make them help me, Darren. You are their Prince!"
"What makes you think I will help you?" I inquired, giving myself time to think about all of this. Why should I help I race I hadn't heard of until a few moments ago?
"Because if you don't, the world as you know it will cease to exist"