Chapter 34: Sendoff of a Knight
It was a fairly warm night as Hungarian nights go. It was September and the air was progressively cooler. There was a special moon shining amongst the stars and against the backdrop of the dark blue sky. Deep in rural Hungary, far from any settlements, the remnants of an ancient stone structure, an old shrine thought by the locals to be cursed, stood silently in the night.
A few minutes after the last of the sunlight was gone, several figures began to make their way to the shrine. They all moved quickly, but very drudgingly at the same time, as though they were sick.
As the night progressed, more and more figures made their way into the ruin. They dressed in dark cloaks and all had pale skin. Some of them carried torches, many of them came armed with swords and spears, all of them looked around nervously, as though they were afraid they were being watched.
Eventually a group of a little more than two hundred had gathered amongst the stones. They were not many, but they represented the remnants of the vampire race. All of them had felt when the head vampire, their leader, had died, and all of them knew that the only way to get their health restored was to be at the shrine when the new head vampire was named and coronated.
Little did the vampires know that a ways away, they were indeed being watched, and by a group of men who had been trained to kill them and had been waiting there for some time.
Sean O'Sullivan and Daniel Flanagan knelt side by side about one hundred yards from where the vampires were gathering. Sean was looking ahead and watching the gathering. He had his two swords strapped to his back and his knives on his chest, he wouldn't need his crossbow or arrows for this one, and Regal perched on his shoulder.
Daniel was keeping a close eye on the gathering through a telescope he held in his right hand. In his left hand, he held the handle of a double-bladed glaive, which rested across his back. One end of the weapon had a straight tip, like a spear, the other end had a more jagged blade, almost like an axe, which had a farther reaching tip and then dipped and slanted to the middle part of the weapon.
Sean was always patient, but for this mission he was on edge. He not only had the same jitters he always had before he went into battle, but he also had the knowledge that this would be his final battle. For the past two weeks, in between his coordinating the battle that was about to take place, he had often thought about what it would be like not being a Knight—and the prospect often made him concerned.
At this point, he began to feel for his crucifix so that he could fidget with it as he often did when he felt this way. But when he felt and found nothing, he began to think back to why it wasn't there. He remembered standing outside Hogwarts and talking to Ginerva Weasley. He remembered her tear-stained face and how much he wished he could see her happy. And he remembered her worry at never seeing him again.
Then he remembered putting his crucifix around her neck and telling her that he would return for it. "Please," she had said to him, "just come back from this last mission alive--come back to me." In that instant, he realized that outside of the Order he had a new purpose, and it's name was Ginerva Molly Weasley.
Sean came back to focusing on the moment at hand and spoke to Daniel. "How many?" he asked him.
"I count about two hundred," Daniel answered, "I could be off due to the light, but that looks pretty accurate. In any case, there can't be more than two hundred and fifty of them in there."
It only took Sean a moment to compute what this meant. "And there's fifty of us," he said, "so at most that's nine each."
Daniel kept watching the gathering through his telescope, paying close attention to the crowd to see when one or two of them would distinguish themselves and stand out from the rest. He could tell that Sean was thinking though because of the silence that was around him. He looked up for a moment to see that Sean was indeed in thought, and he thought he knew why.
"Sean," Daniel began, "if you feel that there are too many of them, we can wait for another time…"
"There won't be another opportunity like this," Sean interrupted, "we have to do this. And besides, I'm sure that the fifty of us can take these crippled vampires. Our skills, coupled with the element of surprise, should give us all the advantage we will need."
"Well," Daniel began, "I didn't see any of them standing out just yet, but it looks like all of them are there. And if you don't mind my asking," Daniel interjected, "why the long pause earlier?"
Sean answered almost immediately after Daniel finished, but Sean had a tone of wistfulness, as though he were remembering something with a great fondness.
"I was just thinking," Sean said, "about the future and the past. But now, we need to focus on the present."
Daniel merely nodded in response, and then the two of them walked a short distance back to where the other forty-eight Knights awaited them. The Knights were all dressed in battle gear, with long pants that didn't restrict their movement and cloaks for the cold, and came from all parts of the world. Some were from Europe, others Asia, and a few even from Israel and the rest of the Middle East. All but ten of the Knights assembled were armed with stabbing weapons, the other ten were archers armed with bows or crossbows. They were all waiting for orders from Sean.
In the beginning, the ones who started the Order of St. George realized the necessity of having one common language among the Knights. And since the Order had originated in England, the language was English.
"Okay," Sean began to the assembled group in English, "all the remaining vampires have assembled inside the shrine, it's time to move out."
He looked over the group and then pointed to the ten archers who were grouped together and had been counting out their arrows and making sure their bowstrings were good and taut.
"Archers, you know your position. Since Takaguri is the best marksman," he said gesturing to a Japanese Knight in the group who held a crossbow with a telescopic sight, "he fires the first shot. Prepare for the shot once you get in position, and Samir," he said pointing to an Arab Knight, "you watch for my signal and give Takaguri the okay." The archers all nodded in understanding after Sean finished this statement.
"The rest of you will be coming with Daniel and myself. We will be huddling in the cover of the trees over there," he said pointing to a clump of trees, "and will charge the shrine from the right side after Takaguri fires his shot. Archers, after Takaguri takes his shot, hold your fire until you see any vampires trying to escape during the battle. Ground fighters, you do not leave the shrine until the battle is done, I will not have anyone killed by friendly fire. Understand."
The entire group nodded, Sean gave a smile to this and then dropped to his knees. The other men did the same, for it was custom in the Order to always pray before a battle. Sean then spoke aloud as the other's knelt and listened.
"Our dear Father in Heaven," he began, "we are gathered here on this ground to carry out the sacred work with which we have been charged. We know that it is thy work, and that thou art with us to the end. We only ask for the strength to do what thou wouldst have us do, and to be given the power to defend thy children who remain loyal to thee against the demons that inhabit this Earth. We are thy loyal subjects and surrender ourselves to thee and thy mercy. In the sacred name of thy son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen."
The other Knights then chanted amen, followed by Sean and the rest of them making the sign of the cross and then rising to their feet. Sean took one last good look at the group and spoke his final instructions to the group as a whole.
"All of you know your assignments, I expect to see all of you in the shrine once this is over. Now go, and God go with you." Sean then performed the customary Order salute, which the other Knights returned and said in unison with them "for God, Truth, and Justice," and then they dispersed.
The archers left ahead of the others, for they had to spread out across the shrine. Their dark clothes enabled them to blend in with the darkness, and they were able to take their positions unnoticed. Takaguri immediately settled himself onto the ground against a nearby rock, and brought up his loaded crossbow so that he was looking through the sight.
Meanwhile, inside the shrine, the vampires had begun to start the ceremony. One figure made his way to the front of the crowd and began to chant a series of incantations in the vampire language. After the incantations, he began to speak more formally. All of the Knights were now close enough to hear this and recognized what the vampire was saying.
"Brothers and sisters," he said with a voice that trembled from weakness, "we are gathered here to restore our strength and renew the power of our race. Our father is gone, but we will continue." The vampire then looked into the crowd and called for one of those assembled there by name. "Mashala!" the vampire called out, "step forward."
By this time, Sean and Daniel had assembled with the group of Knights in the trees Sean had pointed out earlier. Sean was watching the ceremony through Daniel's telescope and could hear the incantations, but he knew that the time had not yet come. Regal waited patiently on Sean's shoulder and stared forward with his sharp and vigilant eyes. Daniel and the other Knights waited with Sean, some were becoming restless and wanted to get the whole thing over with, but the majority of them merely patiently waited for their commander to give the order. The ceremony continued.
"Malasha," you have been asked to take upon yourself the honor of reigning over our race for all eternity—do you accept?"
The vampire known as Malasha stood resolutely before the one who was obviously in charge of the ceremony and answered, "Yes."
The vampire in charge then held out a silver goblet, filled to the brim with a substance the Knights were sure was blood.
"This is the blood of Raiganzi, the father. This, coupled with the power of the moon of the changing, will give you all of his power and after you mix your blood with each of ours, we will all be restored to full power and free to live and feed again." There was a roar of approval from all the vampires assembled at the end of these words. Then, Malasha took the goblet and drained it.
Immediately, his body collapsed to the ground and he began to act as though he were having some sort of seizure. His body twitched and rose involuntarily at the new rush of power that he felt going through his body. He let out a loud scream and then rolled over onto his stomach and rose to his knees after a few minutes, breathing heavily as he did. He then stood up and smiled an evil smile, first at the one who had been in charge, and then at the assembled mass, who eagerly awaited their turn to mix his blood with theirs and be made whole.
Sean was watching all of this with a sense of wonder and curiosity. He never completely understood how Raiganzi was able to change himself back at the beginning and was hoping to find that out here, but he realized that he probably would never know. After he saw Malasha rise to his feet, he knew that the time had come. He gave Daniel his telescope, which he quickly put away, and then Sean brought his arm up so that it went across his chest. His falcon Regal was trained to know that when his master brought his arm up like this, that he needed to perch there, and he did so. Sean then said those two words that he had said so many times before but never for the reason he was doing now, "Regal, imigh" and cast the bird off.
If he didn't have a letter tied around his leg, Regal was trained to fly away for a while and then return to the point where his master had sent him off. But he flew out far enough to where he was noticed by Malasha and the other vampires, the Falcon's cry also helped this, and they looked up to see the figure flying away, then they heard the sound of a crossbow firing.
Takaguri had aimed his weapon at Malasha the instant that he had come to the front and accepted the charge of head vampire. His aim was always at his heart, and when Malasha stood up, Takaguri had a perfect shot. At the time when all of the vampires looked up to see Regal, Samir looked up and then simply told Takaguri, "Fire" and he did so.
The vampires looked down to see Malasha with a silver arrow through his heart and falling to the ground dead. The next thing they heard was a loud yell from Sean, followed by the other Knights doing the same, from the nearby trees as Sean stood up and ran to the shrine with his swords drawn and thirty-nine yelling Knights behind him.
The vampires were in a state of panic as they heard the shouts from the charging Knights. The vampire who had been conducting the ceremony then shouted, "we must leave now, and live to fight another day!"
Even being crippled, the vampires knew that they could outrun the Knights long enough to escape. But as they exited the shrine, several arrows from every possible exit route let them know that they were not getting out that way. As soon as one of them would step through the opening between two of the stones, an arrow from one of the archers would strike them through the heart. The remaining vampires saw that the group of ground Knights were few and decided to stay and take their chances.
Sean was the first to enter the shrine. The first he did was perform a jumping turnaround kick on a vampire in front of him and then move to the central part of the shrine to allow the other Knights to file in. The other Knights made sure everyone was in and then began their work of destruction, careful to stay away from the other sides of the shrine but attempting to force vampires out so that the archers would pick them off.
Sean began decapitating and stabbing vampires with a kind of righteous fury that had never been seen before. Some of the vampires would try to fight him with their swords or spears, but they were no match for the man who had killed the head vampire.
Daniel was also a great warrior, and he showed his expertise with the glaive he was carrying. He would use the thick blade to parry swords or spears, then quickly flip it around and use the pointed side to thrust his enemy through the heart. At one point, he fought off four vampires simultaneously with both sides of his glaive. He eventually finished them off by decapitating some with the thick blade and thrusting the rest through with the spear tip.
The screams of vampires dying could be heard everywhere in the immediate area as they met their fate by blades or arrows. The tide was turning in the favor of the Knights as Daniel ran his glaive through another vampire. He was then pushed to the ground by another one who stood over him with a spear, ready to strike. Sean noticed this from across the way, and threw the sword in his left hand at the vampire about to kill his friend.
Sean's sword struck the demon in the abdomen, not killing him, but giving Daniel time enough to get to his feet and run his glaive through the demon's heart. Daniel gave a nod to Sean, who returned it and drew the knife on his left side. Sean then used the knife to deflect an attempted sword attack by one of the vampires, and then ran him through with his sword.
As the fighting continued, one particular vampire made eye contact with Sean. The two of them looked at each other, and then Sean raised his left hand and pointed the tip of his knife at the vampire, calling him over. The vampire barred its fangs and gave a sort of hiss as it ran at Sean with a spear. Sean easily moved out of the way when the vampire thrust its spear at him, he then brought his knife down, cutting the spear in half, and brought his sword around, cutting the vampire's head off.
After the kill, Sean noticed that things were suddenly very quiet. He looked around and could see several corpses dressed in black cloaks, and some Knights walking around and stabbing wounded vampires through the heart, ensuring their deaths. Since the Knights had all been wearing battle gear, specifically their tank tops and pants, they had dropped their cloaks when they had started fighting, he was looking for corpses with uncovered arms. But before he saw any dead Knights, he could see that the battle was over. The whole thing had only taken about twenty minutes, and he called for the archers to enter the shrine and then called out for all the Knights to gather around him.
After about a minute, the Knights gathered around Sean. He then began counting the number of men before him "one…two…three" he was dreading at the thought of how many more names would be on the plaque in the trophy room and how he would live with himself knowing that he was the one who led them there. "Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine…" he continued counting wondering how many more survived. After a few more seconds he finished counting, "forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine."
He breathed a sigh of relief and thanked God for sparing all of them, and then he spoke to the men. "We have been very fortunate today brothers. We must all thank God for sparing us." Sean then dropped to his knees and the other Knights followed suit. No one spoke aloud this time, for they all said private prayers.
After a few minutes, they were all back on their feet. "We still have work to do," Sean began, "I want you men," he pointed to a group of large muscular men who had been fighting with large weapons similar to sledge hammers, just with thicker handles, much bigger and thicker sledges, and with pointed ends on the sledges to use for stabbing, "to start tearing down this shrine. Remember to pour the holy water onto the remnants after you've toppled it. The rest of you start piling the carcasses, and don't forget to count them to be sure we got them all."
After all of them had saluted Sean, the large men with the hammers left to begin destroying the shrine and the other Knights left to begin the task of piling the carcasses of the dead vampires. Sean then turned to Daniel, who walked up and handed Sean the sword he had thrown earlier. This was coupled with a silent "thank you" from Daniel, and then Sean gave an order. "Go back into the trees and get the bag with the napalm," Sean instructed Daniel.
"Yes sir," Daniel answered, and then he left to carry out the order. Sean then reached into the pocket of his pants, took out a hand mirror, and made his way to outside of the shrine, taking one of the torches with him for light.
After he was out a ways, he found a place to set the torch and held the mirror up to his face. "Michael O'Connell" Sean said into the mirror. Sean kept staring at the mirror, and saw his own reflection turn into the image of his Sagart, who was in front of the full sized mirror he had received from Minister Moody a few days earlier.
"Sean my son," the Priest said in Irish Gaelic as he saw the image reflected in his mirror, "I am very glad to hear from you." The Sagart had a look on his face that suggested anticipation, but it was at the same time serious and investigative. "How did it go?" he asked.
"They're all dead," Sean answered in Irish Gaelic, "the men are doing a final count and destroying the shrine as we speak."
"That is wonderful news," the Priest said, "I am very pleased with you." The Priest smiled the kind of smile that a father does when they are pleased with a son, and Sean smiled back. "I will be expecting you back here for purification and to then return your weapons," the Sagart added.
"I'll be there," Sean answered, this marked the two of them ending their conversation.
Sean put the mirror back into his pocket. He then said "Regal, tar" and his beloved falcon swooped down and perched on his shoulder, nipping affectionately at Sean's ear and then his finger as Sean stroked his bird. He began walking back to what was left of the shrine. From the light of the torches around it, he could see a pile of carcasses in the middle of the ruins, and he could see that a lot of the ruin had been toppled already.
He personally found the pile of carcasses and the napalm. After Daniel confirmed with him that they had killed all the vampires and all the bodies were accounted for, Sean threw the bag onto the pile and watched the flames consume the last of the demonic race.
He sighed inwardly as he watched the flames and took in the sight of the last battle between Knights and vampires. "It's all over," he said to himself. He began thinking about what his future would hold. He knew that he would be honorably relieved from the Order after he was done with purification, and he knew that he would need to go back to Mullingar to make peace with his past. But he also saw Ginny in his future, for he had promised to come back to her--and he always kept his promises.
He looked up at the sky. He found the pattern of stars he had chosen to designate his father, the one he had lost to Raiganzi those many years ago, and he hoped his mother as well, and spoke. "Well Dad," he sighed after he said this, "It's all over now, I hope that I've made you proud." He then paused for a moment and then prayed to God to guide him for this next part of his life.
About four days after the battle, Sean found himself in the building of the Sagart. He had been given some civilian clothing, and stood dressed in a pair of hiking boots, some sox, a pair of dark blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and a denim jacket. He was looking at the trophy cases on either side of him. He stopped to look particularly at a few new additions.
There was a large framed picture that had been taken a few nights before of him and the rest of the vampire hunters in their battle clothes and with their weapons. He smiled as he found Daniel and his other comrades in the picture and sighed in relief that they were all okay.
Earlier that day, each of the vampire hunters had come into the Sagart's office to present their weapons and receive their civilian clothing and a sum of money that they had been given to help them start their new lives. Each of them was allowed to take their horse to wherever they chose to go. Sean was especially given his horse because there was no way Cuchulainn would come back without his master. He and the other Knights were also given their falcons so that they could keep in touch with the monastery, especially if their services were required again.
Sean then looked at another new addition to the case. He saw a portrait of himself with his swords drawn and all of his usual weapons visible. Next to this was a flesh-colored statue with Sean's face. The figure had Sean's old armor and weapons, with a replica crucifix, and stood up straight and tall. The inscription below it read, "Sean O'Sullivan, our greatest vampire hunter." The katana he had used to kill Raiganzi, and the ring he had taken from Raiganzi's finger, were displayed in another part of the trophy case, with some of the papers, swords, and other souvenirs.
Sean had packed all his personal belongings and had mounted his duffel bag onto Cuchulainn. He and Regal were waiting in the stable. Sean wanted to say goodbye to the man who had taken his father's place, he made his way upstairs, knocked on the Sagart's door, and entered after he told him to come in. The Sagart smiled a big smile as Sean entered.
"I thought that I would see you again my son," the Sagart greeted him in Irish Gaelic.
"I just came to say goodbye—" Sean began, "and I especially wanted to say thank you so much for all that you have done for me."
Tears of gratitude began to force their way onto Sean's face. The Sagart had been sitting behind his desk, but rose and walked over to the young man who had been like a son to him. The two of them embraced and held each other tight, as if they would never let go. The Sagart began to shed tears as well, and inwardly poured out his soul to God in prayer that the young man before him would be okay.
After about a minute, the two of them came apart. Sean stepped back to face his Sagart. "I want you to know," he said in Irish Gaelic, "that as far as I'm concerned you are my father."
The tears continued to roll down the old man's cheeks as he answered, "and you will always be my son—the son I never had." The two of them stared at each other a while longer before the Sagart kissed Sean on the forehead and then told him, "Godspeed Sean."
Sean then performed his customary bow and salute, then rose to his feet and then with a great sincerity said, "farewell Priest." Sean then turned and walked out of the Sagart's chambers.
A few minutes later, Sean arrived at the stables to find his horse and falcon loyally awaiting their master. He stopped in front of the horse. "Well old friend," Sean said to the horse in Irish Gaelic, "it's time for another adventure. Take me there." He then mounted Cuchulainn, and called out "Regal, tar!" prompting Regal to perch on Sean's shoulder. Sean gently urged his horse forward to the open front gate of the monastery, wondering why the grounds looked so deserted. In a moment, he would be shown his answer.
He paused for a moment to look at the place that had been his home for so long, and he remembered all that it had meant to him. It was then that he saw the Priest and the Knights who were at the monastery, all standing along the parapets and the top of the wall. All of them had come to get one last look at the legendary vampire hunter, the one who had his own exhibit in the Order trophy case.
He smiled at the monastery and all those assembled there. He then thumped his chest twice, raised his arm into the air, and yelled "For God, truth, and justice, Erin go Braugh!" This was responded to by all those on the wall doing the same and repeating "Erin go Braugh!" several times.
Sean then performed the Order salute, which was also returned, brought his right palm up to the air in a farewell gesture, and then turned his horse around and was off. The Priest was emotional as he watched the young who he had raised as a son ride off to an unsure future. He kept his composure, and he and the other Knights watched Sean until he disappeared over the horizon.
The Priest then turned to the Knights, "the work is not over," he said, "we must all continue on until it is accomplished. Everyone back to your posts." The Knights nodded and dispersed, the Priest returned to his chambers and went back to work.
Just before the monastery disappeared over the horizon, Sean turned his horse around so that he could get one last look. He stared at it for a while, then let out a sigh and turned back around. He headed east, on to Mullingar and the next phase of his life, counting on God to guide him.