A/N: Okay, chapter two. Thanks to those who reviewed! And BIG time kudos to FireKidd, who translated dialogue of a certain character for me. You rock!
And, to everyone else, please understand that the translations are not exact.
Ikalyia woke up with a major ache in her back. She turned around and found that a tree root had been poking into her back.
I hope I'll make it to an inn before nightfall tomorrow.
She turned over and tried to get into a more comfortable position, hoping she'd be able to get some sleep before daybreak.
A rustling of leaves caught her attention, and Ikalyia quickly got to her feet. The next moment, Necromancer began whinnying like he had gone mad. Ikalyia went to calm him, and then heard leaves rustle behind her, and turned around.
She was horrified when she saw a strange creature come out of the woods and towards her, baring fangs. Its wild hair was greenish-white, like it was aged and had been soaked in mint paste. The hands were sporting claws and talon-like. The eyes red and menacing.
"Chiang-shih!" Ikalyia half-whispered, half-screamed.
"Humph, cong zhe li, wo neng gan jue dao nin de xue, wo zhe jiu xie xie ni le, nin de xie hui shi wo bian de geng li hai, geng qiang!" (Hah! Even from this distance, I can feel your blood. Your blood will cause me to become even more powerful.)
Ikalyia couldn't understand the creature, but its intentions were obvious by the way it was glaring at her.
Before Ikalyia had mastered her fear, however, the thing lunged at her and was holding her tightly.
"Zhi yao wo xi ni de xue, wo jiu neng wu you wu lu di sheng huo zai tai yang xia le." (once I suck your blood, I can freely walk under the sun again)
Just as the Vampire went to bite, a sudden and dramatic increase in temperature happened at the places where her skin was touching Ikalyia.
She jumped back quickly, and Ikalyia turned towards her.
The next moment, the Vampire was a mass of flames, and it wasn't long before she was writhing on the ground, screeching like a banshee. Ikalyia waited until only the flames were left moving, then she put them out with frost sprouting from her mouth as she blew on them.
Ikalyia quickly gathered her bag, and found that Necromancer had calmed, now that the danger had passed.
"Come on, boy." she said soothingly, petting his nose. "We better go."
Ikalyia saddled him up, but instead of getting on herself, she merely attached the bags and led him by the rein on foot.
Vladislaus was feeling much better. He had had three meals so far, and it was just the thing to get him feeling like his old self. On his way back to the cemetery, with an armful of stolen pillows and blankets, his thoughts turned to his last conversation with Death. She had said that he was needed.
Now. If I could just find out what Death wants me to do.
Don't think that was our final conversation, Vladislaus Dragulia.
Vladislaus felt the familiar, icy presence of Death. Suddenly, she appeared in her black shroud, a veil over her face, and he heard the hoofs of the horse which pulled her wagon, the wheels of which creaked loudly. However, only the dead or doomed could hear or see these things. Vladislaus fell under the category of dead, though he continued to thrive.
A girl shall arrive here in Budapest in three days' time.
Death always communicated telepathically. It was strange how many stories portrayed her speaking verbally, as she had no lips or tongue. She was a skeleton, after all.
A girl? Vladislaus asked curiously.
Yes. She must be protected, for a terrible evil shall surface soon. Its only intention is to wipe out everything, be it animal, vegetable, mineral, undead or alive. Other Vampires will believe that they can join it, but it will only dispose of them once they have served their purpose. They will begin amassing here very soon. I have told you of the other species.
Yes. What manner of girl is she?
She is the last of her race. She can destroy the evil, but must be aided to survive until the evil surfaces. She has been sheltered for too long and lacks combat experience. You will know her when she arrives. All supernatural beings can sense her power. She has already been attacked on the road, but I can only do so much in this world. It will be up to you to protect her.
How will I get her to trust me?
She will be afraid of you at first, but there is a way to prove that you are her protector. This will be revealed by old enemies, with whom you must forge alliances.
Vladislaus had many more things to ask, but Death had already left, leaving the area feeling considerably warmer than it had been during her presence.
"Budapest! At last!" Anna felt wonderfully at home whilst being surrounded by people who spoke her tongue.
"I haven't seen you look so happy in a while, Anna." Gabriel said, bringing his horse up beside hers and placing and arm around her. "Except when we're…" he smirked and Anna smirked back.
They kissed, and Anna felt her euphoria multiply.
"Excuse me, but we do have a mission."
The couple broke off and saw Carl waiting nervously behind. They looked at each other, shrugged, and continued on their way.
"How are we supposed to know her when we see her, Carl?" Anna asked, looking through the crowd.
"Well, the monk had taken one photograph last year." Carl rummaged through his sack with one hand, steering his horse with the other. "Hopefully it will be enough."
He found it, and handed it to Anna.
The girl was very pretty. Due to the tone of the photo, it could be surmised that she was either dirty blonde or rustic. These locks were also curly in the same manner Anna's were. Other than that, it was impossible to tell anything.
"Not much to go on." She said, as she handed it to Gabriel.
"That's for sure. Does she at least have a name, Carl?"
"Well, of course she has a name. What kind of question is that?"
"A question which, had you any brains for things other than books, is supposed to be answered by her name, you dolt." Anna said, only slightly losing her patience.
"Sorry. Her name is Ikalyia."
"Ikalyia." Anna muttered under her breath.
"Looks like a storm's coming on." Gabriel said, looking up at the dark, swirling clouds. "A very strange storm."
The clouds were pure black, except for a strange, glowing blue at places.
"I believe that means that both Ikalyia and her protector are here in Budapest." Carl prompted.
"Well, if we see lightning strike anywhere close by, we're in luck."
The trio rode on in silence, keeping their eyes open.
"Necromancer, where are you going?"
Ikalyia had begun riding after a few hours, and Necromancer was not following her commands. He seemed to be bringing her somewhere.
Ikalyia felt herself go pale as a cemetery came into view.
"Necromancer, turn around, now." Ikalyia pulled the reins forcefully, but the horse did not obey.
A heartbeat which stood out from all others grew louder as it approached. Vladislaus also felt something like invisibles waves of… something, passing through him. He got out of his crypt, and stepped out of the mausoleum.
Almost by instinct, Vladislaus looked in the exact direction of a young girl with her horse. The girl was standing beside it, trying to make it turn around. The horse, however, was prompting her towards the mausoleum.
One look at her would've taken his breath away, if he had had any.
She was beautiful. Dirty blonde hair, which seemed to have been bleached by the sun, flowed in curls around her shoulders and almost reaching the middle of her back. Her skin was lightly tanned, and her lips full and slightly red, though it seemed to be naturally so.
Her form was perfect, with the curves in all the right places.
And the power, oh the power he felt from her.
This must be the girl.
"Milady!" he called out in English, gambling that the girl spoke it.
The girl turned toward him, startled.
"Do not be frightened." he continued, walking towards her slowly. "I am a friend. I am here to help you."
The horse gave the girl a nudge towards him, and the girl finally took this as a clue.
"My horse seems to know your intentions better than I." she said.
"Your horse is very intelligent."
"His name is Necromancer."
Sorcerer. Nice.
Vladislaus walked closer still.
"Gabriel, who do you see there?" Anna asked, sounding like she was in total disbelief.
Gabriel looked where she had pointed, and felt like he had been slapped.
It was Dracula, standing in a cemetery quite a distance away, but close enough that they knew him on sight.
The three sped their horses towards the cemetery.
Vladislaus held out a hand to Ikalyia so that he could kiss hers, but at the moment that their skin touched, he couldn't see due to a light that was completely surrounding him.
The light blinded him even after closing his eyelids tightly. It was like being consumed by the sun, except that it had no heat.
When the light finally stopped, he and the girl were standing exactly where they had been before the light had engulfed them, and she looked just as bewildered as he felt.
"No! It's not possible!"
A/N: Who yelled? Find out next chapter!