CHAPTER 5

The next day, Malus joined the other village children in the meadow. Edward sat beside him, cleaning his glasses.

"How do you see out of those things...?" Malus asked, taking the glasses and examining them.

"Easily..." Edward replied bluntly.

"Can you see me without them...?" Malus waved his hand in front of Edward's face.

"No, that's why I need them."

"Ah..."

The story of Edward and Malus going into Dracula's castle had spread rapidly over night. The two were swarmed by the other village children, both younger and older than them both. Malus in particular was the most questioned, from his encounter with the flock of "demon" bats. Malus told them the story over and over, and yet none of them grew tired; But still he remembered the advising words of his uncle and hadn't sought to venture into the castle again...or so he thought. The sun shone bright and the air was warm, despite the fact it was fall. He lied in the grass filled with fallen leaves. Sleep seemed to overcome him as he closed his eyes and fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.

Someone shook him awake.

"Huh?" Malus opened his eyes. The sun had nearly set and the meadow was empty except for the one boy that stood beside him.

"You've slept nearly all day!" Edward said, "It's time for supper."

Malus tried to get up, but fell back down.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't get up..." Malus murmured, "My heart feels heavy..." He clutched the grass in his fingers and shivered, though the air wasn't cold. He felt a cold, dark feeling overcoming him...

Suddenly, Edward snatched the cross from around his neck and pressed it against Malus' chest. Malus screamed in pain . A vapor rose from his own body and formed into a wisp of black cloud above them both.

"God save my soul..." Edward whispered, "It's the Devil!" He grabbed Malus by the hand and broke into a run. Malus couldn't stand for long. He fell on his knees to the ground.

"Malus!"

Malus looked up at Edward wearily. "You go ahead. Hurry! I can't stand any longer."

Edward nodded. "I'll go get your uncle...I promise!" Edward ran out of the meadow, towards the forest. The crushing pain expanded from his heart until his whole body ached. His skin became pale and cold, and his breathing was shallow. He felt as if he was being crushed alive under and avalanche of freezing snow. He shivered uncontrollably until he could no longer support himself up. Malus tried to lift his arms, but it felt as if they were paralyzed; he could not move. He closed his eyes and excepted defeat. He felt his body being lifted off the ground by darkness itself. The dark vapor wrapped around him, as if choking life from his soul. His breathing was now slow and labored, until it felt as if he weren't breathing at all. What had he done to deserve this? Why had fate dealt him such a terrible hand? He finally collapsed back to the ground. Body still aching and shivering, he laid there. He wasn't sure whether he was breathing or not. He wept silently and eventually fell unconscious.

Malus awoke to find himself gazing in a mirror; only he wasn't dressed in his usual beige overalls and blue turtleneck sweater. Now he was clothed in a purple-robed outfit, with a pale gold sash belt and boots, with a cape and purple kid-gloves adorned with lace, and a delicate white ribbon in the back of his hair.

"Impressive, wouldn't you think?" his voice said smugly. Malus startled. He had not said that...or thought to...He tried to move his arms one way but they didn't budge. They were fixed on adjusting the purple ascot tie around his neck. "You no longer have control." His voice said again. "It is a wasted effort."

What? Malus thought. His voice answered him again.

"Did you not hear...?"

Malus took the opportunity to look at himself in the mirror again in his new outfit. He remembered one of the stories that Cornell told of with someone in particular dressed by the same fashion...

Malus didn't bother to speak. Who are you? He asked in his mind.

His face conjured up a wicked smile. His voice gave himself an answer.

"I am Count Dracula Vlad Tepes. Lord of this castle, Lord of the dead, and Lord of the darkness." Malus felt fear in his heart. Only if he could control his emotions, his face would have paled with it.

"Does that comfort you, boy?" Dracula asked spitefully. "Does that ease your troubled mind?"

Malus didn't answer. Dracula laughed cruelly, sending a shiver down Malus' spine. Dracula walked out the room into a fairly large hallway filled with knight armors on both sides. Immediately, the knight armors knelt down, bowing their heads to the young dark lord. Even though Malus was still frightened and confused, he managed to awe at the knights and the enormous castle itself. Dracula came to a set of double doors at the far end of the hall and opened them. Inside appeared to be a large ballroom of some sort. The only light came from candles lit along side the walls and from the moonlight that shone through the windows. With each step he took, a soft clopping noise came from his knee-high boots, and echoed across the large empty ballroom hall. He stepped across over to one of the large glass windows and looked out at the red moon glowing in the dark sky.

"And so I return in the body of a child..." Dracula muttered to himself. "But who is it that shall attempt to save him and all humanity this time?" He sneered. "They all shall die at the mercy of the dark lord!"

Dracula picked up the violin and bow which appeared in the windowsill next to him.

"Do you know how to play a violin, boy?" He asked Malus.

Malus was startled by the fact that Dracula was talking to him. Uh...Erm, yes... A little... Malus said quietly.

All his thoughts came out as words, only in their mind.

"Play then." Dracula said.

Uh... Malus tried to move his fingers. They moved! Malus stretched his arms and glanced around the ballroom quickly on his own. He placed the violin correctly and began to play. The sound echoed around the ballroom. He only knew a few notesso it didn't last long.

Dracula chuckled. "You still have much to learn." This time, he took control of the violin and started to play. The melody was soft and beautiful. Every note was filled with sorrow. It was as if it were calming Malus' own troubled and weary soul. Malus eased into a state of half-consciousness, but held on to the sweet sound of the violin. He awoke abruptly at the true dark, mocking voice of Dracula in his head, which sent another chill down his spine.

You are easy to please, aren't you?

Not by you, Devil. Malus retorted boldly.

Dracula laughed. And why are you against me? We both share the same soul, do we not?

Liar! Malus said. You ambushed Edward and I when–

Dracula laughed again. My dear boy, I was here before you took your first breath. I have been here eight of your miserable child years. I have merely slept in the shadows of our mind. But the hour is late, and that time has passed. Only one of us can have control over the other.

You will not stay. I saw how you recoiled against the touch of Edward's cross!

We recoiled. As long as you are here, you will share the same detests and pain as I do. You have no choice.

Malus was silent.

But if defiance is what you desire, so be it.

Dracula stopped playing the violin, looked up and smiled. "You will not last long." He said. Dracula hurried out the ballroom, into the main hall, and through another door. After a few stairs, and more halls, and passing through another double-door, he arrived outside. He looked up at the sky and whistled twice in some sort of rhythm. Moments later, a horse with wings glided out from the sky. Its fur and bat-like wings were a shining midnight blue color, and its mane and hooves were a pure silver, with a long demon tail. Its eyes were a fiery red and a single, silver unicorn horn grew on its forehead. The dark horse landed in front of him and reared with a loud neigh. Sensing Malus' fear, Dracula chuckled.

"Have you ever seen a more marvelous creature?" Dracula asked, stroking the horse's silver mane. "This is Nephalitheous."