Ch. 4: Intrusion

Sleep did not come easy to Squall as he lay in bed, his stormy blue eyes gazing up at the ceiling. A sigh sneaked its way past his barely open lips as he turned over on the couch that Sora and Kairi had formerly occupied, feeling the crimson blanket that was wrapped around his body follow and crease with his every movement. His black leather coat lay on one of the armrests of the couch, the white fur collar resting against the curve of the couch as if it were his neck. He vaguely heard Sora's soft snoring and Kairi's annoyed tossing and turning that resulted from it. Without anyone to see him, he smiled a bit before turning his attention to the chimney that lay across the room.

They knew it had been a risk to install the brick structure, but the nights and days were horrendously cold in the city. It had been a necessity to keep the town's defenders safe from hypothermia during their resting hours and warm while they stood watch. By keeping a fire constantly ablaze with the occasional Firaga, they also prevented the dreaded monsters of the night from sweeping down into their fortress's only weakness in defense. His eyes played around the room, focusing on this object and that, trying to exhaust him mind as he tried in vain to sleep. He didn't even hear the small creak as the tiny crack in the window grew slightly wider as the wind blew against it. Squall paid the small noise no heed as he instead got up, belts clinking as he walked to his gunblade. The silver blade still reflected light, even in the darkest of nights. Smiling, he picked it up, taking it back to the couch.

As he sat down, he again missed the movement near the window as it opened up a few inches wider. He heard the groan that came from the frames, but it had happened so often that his paranoia was sated for the time being. Rather, he opened a small box that he held in his pocket, placing the small, cylindrical silver bullets into their slots in the revolver. He heard the soft clicks as they struck the insides of their casings, missing the almost-silent squeak that came from the pushed window pane. Gravity continued to cause more noise as a few bullets dropped to the floor, bouncing up once from the floor before rolling under the couch. Squall growled softly as he reached under the upholstery to retrieve it, the noise and darkness again cloaking the sounds and appearance of the intruder.

The trespasser silently continued their advance, swiftly yet quietly slipping through the now open window and moving like a shadow across the floor. At this point, Sora, not Squall, leaped up and yelled in alarm; though it was from his own nightmare, it alerted everyone else in the room. The lights were turned on and the candles all lit as Sora's, Kairi's, and Quistis's faces lit with shock, confusion, and horror as they saw what had slipped into the room, unnoticed and uninvited. Squall remained silent, his face revealing no emotion; it did not appear threatening, but knew that the other Knight's experiences with this town and its inhabitants far outweighed his own. It wasn't human, and wasn't a vampire. It walked closer to them on four legs, and looked like a medium-sized dog to Squall.

That's what it was; a dog. A medium-sized dog walked slowly up to the group, its brown and cream patches of fur a clear signal to the three experienced Knights, who by now had their weapons in hand and seemingly ready to fight. All Squall saw was a dog, not a threat. Her brown fur ran down her back and ornately across her face, while seeming to entirely miss her tailless bottom. Her cream-colored fur ran everywhere on her body where the brown had missed, running under her belly and across her chest while adorning most of her muzzle. She did not sit down, and shocked Squall as its formerly dark brown eyes turned a bright, glowing red. She had not been blocked by the windows… she was not a vampire, and could easily go through the crosses and let herself in.

Give me the new Knight; hand over the man who stands before me. Squall was shocked as he heard the dog's deep, feminine voice and words escape from the dog's mind, rather than her throat. It was no ordinary dog he was dealing with now, he knew. The others quickly sprang to his defense.

"Like we would! Get out, dog… or you'll never see your master again." Sora growled. It was an empty threat, he knew… despite her appearances, the dog was much swifter than they were. Though not as powerful, her speed and immunities more than made up for it. That dog had killed as many as her vampiric masters had done, leaving her victims for her masters to feed upon. Because she was immune to crosses and sunlight, she was also a prime spy and infiltrator for stubborn groups of citizens hiding behind crosses or the scarce beam of sunlight.

You will address me as Angelo, insolent fool! Angelo growled, snarling slightly before continuing her former message. As we speak, Rinoa has already infiltrated the Infirmary. It's your choice, Knights… either hand over the one we seek, or lose the many human lives that lie across the street. It's one life versus the feast of a lifetime. Now, choose!

"Wha…!" Kairi could scarcely believe her ears as she heard the mental threat. Part of her mind wanted desperately to believe that it was a lie, a fallacy cooked up by Angelo's canine mind. However, hearing the shrieks of terror ringing across the street, she knew it was no empty threat that they were facing. Her eyes darted in fear and indecision… to give up one was to have their blood on her hands. Who would she choose…? To give up the townspeople would defeat the purpose of protecting them for so long, and yet… to give up Squall was like asking for another Rinoa. She knew his potential, and was aware of the gamble she was now involved in.

"…" Quistis could not respond. Though she usually kept her cool in situations like this, her mind was on overload from all the possibilities and consequences in the situation. She had stopped, her mind and joints locking like deer in the headlights as she pondered everything possible. There were no weapons that were useful against the animal… Angelo had been launched against brick buildings, lashed at with whips, and beaten with clubs, and yet she returned, time and time again. Poison was sucked out from her wounds, and lost blood replenished over time.

"Damn it…" Sora seethed. He had already lost two friends, and was now faced with losing another. It was either losing a new and crucial member or sacrificing an entire town. The choice seemed obvious, but he didn't want to simply hand the prize over to the bitch on a silver platter. His hand clutched the keyblade with such strength and anger that his hands trembled at the hilt of the weapon, the movement reflected at the weapon's length.

Would you prefer me to make the decision for you? I can always initiate the feast earlier than expected… I'm sure that they wouldn't mind. Some haven't fed in days, and some for weeks; a few minutes head start ought to make their day. The dog continued to toy with their minds, almost sneering with her canine expression as she sought to make them come out of their state of constant indecision. No matter how entertaining it might have been, it was now growing tiresome, her patience and attention span wearing quite thin.

Squall stepped forward.

"…Fine. Take me to her, then." He said, his voice revealing no fear or apprehension as he approached the canine. Sora reached out his hand and was about to stop him as Kairi held him back, reaching her slim arm forward to block his progress. Squall had made his own choice; no one forced it upon him. Quistis was devastated as she saw him leave, and a sinking feeling in her gut replaced the former fear and indecision. She felt as if… as if she wouldn't see him again. And even if he did… she shuddered at the mere thought.

As you wish. Angelo seemed to smile as she walked towards the window. Come here, Squall of SeeD. She watched silently as the seventeen year old followed behind her, waiting until he was standing side by side next to her. As she stood by the windowsill, she leaned back her head, letting out a long, mournful howl that broke the uneasy silence of terror and tension that had spread through Esthar. She looked back at the Knights one last time before she spoke.

It is done. With that, the others turned around to see dozens upon dozens of the vampires fly out like shadows from the windows of the Infirmary, with one in particular landing in their room instead through Angelo's open window. Rinoa, who had landed kneeling on one knee, lifted her head, letting the veil of black hair fall down her back. Her fangs were unsullied by recent blood, clean of the crimson liquid as she stared at the three who stood there in silence.

"We have touched no one, as I have decreed." Without warning, she quickly dashed behind Squall, who had seen nothing but a sudden blur of black before his eyes. Her elbow swiftly came down on the back of his head and he grunted in pain, losing consciousness quickly as the vampiress's right arm caught him in his descent towards the ground. In her left, she scooped up Angelo as she leapt out the open sill, her laughter ringing through the night as she departed. As she disappeared into the tapestry of stars in the night sky, she left as a stinging pain for the knights… a laugh of victory that would forever torment their dreams and lurk in their nightmares.

Tonight was the night that Sora had his vow shattered. He crumpled to the ground and tears fell in cascades from his eyes as he felt the bitter pain of losing another friend, felt the burning anger in his heart, knowing how helpless he felt and how little he could do for the one who had been taken.

No, no, it can't be… am I doomed to suffer this loss yet again?