THE GOLIATHUS CHRONICLES

Chapter 4- Friends

Thank you all for your continued reviews and most of all just for reading! I'm really so amazed to know that people like my ideas. I ought to stick to my own motto, "Never stop imagining."

/

The dungeon was cold and dark, and very quiet. Goliathus sat (if you could call it that since he had no legs) propped up against a wall, oozing his dark blood from his lost limbs, and shaking with the hunger that was driving him to madness. He had simply sat there and thought for many hours on himself...how he had become entirely too confident in his old age and had a tendency to leap before he looked. Then again, he had never expected the Shadow vampires. They were new and unexpected to the extreme...and they had no scent. Evidently the vampires were not as easy as he had thought they were going to be. But he should have known that. The humans wouldn't have created his kind if it were that easy, now would they have?

Curses.

He growled under his breath and looked around his dank prison. The whole place reeked of human blood and he could even see it splattered on the old stone walls here and there. And much to his surprise, he felt sick. The smell of human blood actually caused his stomach to churn. He should be proud of that, but for the moment the feeling didn't help him feel any better about the whole situation. Food.
He needed food.
But where was he going to get it here?

/

Ami paced back and forth on her already well-worn carpet, waiting. A mysterious woman by the name of Jezelle had called her...a supposed psychic who had known the now infamous Jenners. She wondered just what the woman meant when she said, "My dreams have changed." Changed for the better? Or worse?
She then heard the knocking on the door. "Miss Quinton?"
Ami walked over quickly but pulled the door open slowly, feeling cautious for some reason and peering around. "Uh, yeah. You must be Miss Hartman?" She stared at the somewhat heavy-set black woman. There was something about her brown eyes that was strange...they seemed to draw you in. Instantly she felt that maybe this woman did have psychic powers.
"I sure am, honey. Please, you have nothing to fear from me. I just want to help."
Ami nodded and stepped back to let the woman in. Jezelle quickly made her way to the nearest chair and sat, holding her head.
"Are you all right, Miss Hartman?"
"Child, you just call me Jezelle. I don't like all that formal stuff."
"You seem like you have a headache. I have some aspirin, if you want it-" Ami pointed to her bathroom.
"Oh no, no that's fine. I always get headaches when I'm having visions." She suddenly froze then slowly turned her eyes towards Ami. It made the young girl feel uncomfortable, self-conscious. She blinked. " Is...is there something wrong?"
"I..." Jezelle was staring at her abdomen. "I...I didn't sense that before!"
"Sense what?" Of course, by now Ami knew what she must be realizing. "Your..." Jezelle looked like she was going pale. Ami quickly sat next to her as if ready to hold her up lest she faint. "Are you sure you're ok Jezelle?"
"It's just that...I've been having these new dreams...different ones...about that monster. He doesn't seem the same, and yet I still have an awful sense of dread..." Jezelle met eyes with Ami and they were glassy. "...you have to know I hate this gift sometimes. I really do! I just want to be normal like everyone else, and yet day in and day out, all I get are these dreams...over and over again...of that damned creature! I don't want to have this connection to him, but for some reason I do! It's all because of this red-haired woman."
Ami held her breath for a moment. "Red-haired woman? With green eyes?"
"Yes...yes that's her. Name's Annabelle, from what I gathered. She doesn't talk to me much, just appears in the dreams and keeps pointing at something. Like I'm supposed to do something. And then...I saw you. Saw you in that dream and knew I had to find you. You're a very important person, Ami, but I don't know why yet."
Unbelievable. Ami felt that maybe she should get an aspirin for herself. Now her head was starting to ache.
"Annabelle. That's something else, Jezelle."
"Why's that, child? You seen her in dreams, too? Obviously you know what she looks like."
"No...it's not that really." Ami's voice was soft. "It's just that...well...she's that monster's mother."
A quiet filled the room. The woman kept staring at her. And then finally, just when Ami was feeling very uneasy again, Jezelle finally replied. "Mother? You mean to tell me that thing was born from a human?"
"Yeah. I'm kinda surprised you didn't see that. In less then five minutes I've been convinced very strongly that you indeed ARE a psychic. And yet, you didn't make that connection."
"Probably cause I wouldn't be able to believe it...which I don't know if I do yet..." Jezelle rubbed the left side of her head. "You know what, maybe I do need that aspirin."
Ami nodded and got up to head to her bathroom. On the way over, she screamed out as a sharp pain spread across her belly like a wave of electricity.

"Are you all right, child?"

/

Dragging himself along the wet and dirty floor, Goliathus looked for anything edible. But there was nothing, not even a measly rat. For a few moments, it was starting to really feel like the past when he had been captured and locked in a dungeon very similar to this one. Too similar. Enough to make him feel very apprehensive. Should he expect to see men in white robes come in at any moment as well?
He had searched the entire dungeon, but there was nothing.
Nothing.
Not knowing what to do, he pushed himself back up and leaned once more against the wall. He then wrapped his wings tightly around him as his hunger roiled relentlessly.
And then it happened. It started out faint at first, but he could hear it. A voice. Somewhere in the back of his mind. A chilling, slithery, eerie voice that would instantly drive any human to fatal madness.
Goliathus...hear me...your old friend.
It was not saying anything. He was not going to listen.
...I would never leave you...abandon you...starve you...
Snarling now, Goliathus covered his ears. Whatever good that would do.
...do you smell the human blood...you knew it for so long...they will put their victims down here...and then you can...
FEAST.
FEAST...

KILL...

EAT...

The shriek that filled the air was Goliathus' attempt to drown out the voice in his head. But it seemed the more the fought it, the louder it got.
Listen to me...old friend...I am you. Why deny yourself?
If there was one thing Goliathus knew for certain, it was that demons were tricky and cunning beings. And one should never, EVER listen to them. To do so meant certain chaos, and it was guaranteed. He had to fight this, to be strong and not let his own rare fear cause him to falter.
He could not let the Creeper come back.

Unfortunately, it was going to get harder. Much harder. He heard the iron door open from up the long and spiraling stairway, and picked up on the sounds of a struggling, cursing human and Donovan who was dragging him down.
When the Master vampire got to the bottom, he went over to the cage Goliathus was in, and laughed. "I have a little something to keep you company..." He opened the door and threw the victim in the cage with fast reflexes that only a vampire could muster. "Maybe you can tell each other bedtime stories, before you both die." Still chuckling under his breath, Donovan left it at that and made his way back up the stairs. The iron door was slammed shut and pure darkness returned.
The wounded man smelled middle-aged, and he had injuries on his neck and arms. He was absolutely terrified, but nonetheless, was keeping a brave resolve about him. He had probably faced a lot of bad things in his life, even if this one was just about as unreal as a situation could get.
Not being able to see even less then Goliathus, the man spoke to him. "So what are you in here for?" He was trying to be vaguely humorous, though his other emotions made it hardly noticeable to the heradus.
"I was trying to kill them, and I got a little sidetracked." Goliathus didn't even bother to try and speak telepathically to this man. Besides, it would only frighten him more.
"Heh...well you're my kinda guy, then. I tried to kill them too...had me a wooden stake and everything...but well...whose got any defense against those mean bastards the Shadows, eh?"
Ah. So the man was a vampire slayer of the classic kind. How fitting, really.
"Do yourself a favor, and stay as far away from me as possible." Goliathus warned, trying desperately to ignore the hunger that was growing worse by the second. Especially now with the fresh scent of something injured.
Rather then question it, the man smartly decided to back up and lean against the opposite wall, which was about two yards away. "You better believe I ain't going down easy. Whether it's the vamps that try to kill me...or you."
There was nothing that could be said in reply to that. Goliathus sighed and tightened his wings further. Sometimes...truly...he wished he could go back in time...and erase his very existence.

/

Puvo flew around frantically, trying to catch as many moths and other insects as he could, stuffing them all in his cheeks. After a while he seemed satisfied enough and went back to his furry spot with his master. He then crawled around to the front of his head, offering the meal.
"Yuck. I hate bugs, are you crazy?"
Dismayed, Puvo lowered his ears and slowly ate the bugs himself.
"Aw, it's all right pal. Don't take it hard or anything." He scratched the little bat's head, who responded with a series of chirps. "I'll find something...soon..." The tall and thin-framed heradus was nothing but skin and bones, accented by a thick and furry white mane going down the length of his back and all the way to the base of his whip-like tail. His sharp blue eyes were a strong contrast to the dull grey color of his skin.
He took a long and deep breath to take in the night air, but found himself coughing violently again. A thousand years had left his lungs with about ten tons of dust to sort out. It would take a while for his breathing to recover properly.
Slowly making his way through the cave and out into the forest, Dinarius used his keen nose to try and detect something edible. Hopefully something injured and easy to kill...he doubted he had the strength to even take down a lamb.

Many hours went by, and finally, he collapsed from mere exhaustion. After several minutes he managed to get up to a sitting position, but what little strength he had was fading fast.
"Well Puvo, looks like I don't age very well...what do you think?" Even now Dinarius attempted to keep his sense of humor, he had always been the type to try and find the best in every situation.
His little bat familiar flew around his head, seemingly agitated that he could not help. But then his tiny nose twitched, picking up on a scent that was not bugs. Chirping crazily, Puvo suddenly veered north and disappeared amongst the trees.
"Huh fine. He just goes and leaves me here."
Dinarius decided to try and get to his taloned feet once more, and finally did manage to stand, but wavered. He grabbed a branch and tried to steady himself. Why am I even awake, anyhow? He thought, trying to remember what happened to him last. Right now his mental file cabinet was nothing but a mess of memories strewn everywhere...he could hardly make sense of any of them. Puvo had stuck in his mind somehow, but then again, who could forget Puvo?

As if in response to that thought, the little bat returned at that moment. In his mouth was a small chunk of meat. Dinarius took it and sniffed, recognizing it as deer.
"Where did you get this?"
With another series of chirps, Puvo signaled that he should follow. "You bet. Just lead the way."
The two went on for what seemed like miles, at least to a very weak and frail heradus. Then, at last, near a stream bed, he saw the carcass of the young buck. It had only recently died, the scent was very fresh and made his mouth water.
Nearly falling onto the animal, Dinarius began to stuff himself.

/

Snapping out of a nightmarish dream, Goliathus looked around and saw that the prison was real, he had not imagined it. So which was the worse nightmare...his dream, or this place?
The sound of the man's steady breathing told the winged creature that his prison mate was asleep. He wouldn't bother him, but instead would concentrate on pretending he wasn't there.
Unfortunately, the demon wasn't going to have any of that.
Goliathus felt something utterly cold and foreign grab him from what felt like around his neck...not like hands but rather like an invading thing you wouldn't want there, as if a parasite or a disease. He saw visions of the most horrid thing you could imagine, but mercifully this part was brief. A foul odor stung at his nose, but it was familiar. He knew this odor...it had never really interfered with this ability to smell other things...just was always there and keeping a sickish feeling in the back of his mind.
Oh gawd. The demon was trying to control him again. To wrap its shadowy tendrils of evil around his mental plane and send him back to his life as a psychopathic killer.
No...I am friend...a friend who is always here for you.
He wanted to gag. How dare the foul thing keep talking to him in its loathsome voice. He screamed out, startling the injured man and waking him up.
"What the hell was that?" Evidently the vampire's victim had still not realized he was in a cell with some kind of inhuman being.
What would he say to him? For the time being, he was afraid to do anything, even move. Concentrating hard, he tried to block out the demon.
And then...he remembered that boy...

DARRY!

There was a swirling mass of light in his mind, and suddenly Goliathus realized that he felt normal again. As far as he could feel like anything normal, anyhow. The demon had retreated, but it was very close by.
Very close.

Thank you...Darry...

How many times was that gold-hearted teenager going to save his ass? There would never be enough words to give him enough gratitude. He was starting to feel very affectionate towards him, wasn't he? Like some kind of son?
No...more like a true friend. Goliathus, the King of heradus...with a true friend?
It seemed unreal, but he would accept it. Because deep down inside, he wanted to. He wanted to be accepted himself, to have people care about him...and of course, to be loved...maybe if he could stop his self-loathing for one damned second...he could see how others could be perceived as friends as well.
Like even the man across from him, smelling of fear and uncertainty.
"Are you all right?" He croaked out, his voice worse then it usually was.
It took some time, but he finally responded. "Yeah...yeah I guess so. Wish I had some water though, I'm thirsty enough to drink from a toilet, for gawd's sake!"
Thirsty. Goliathus was thirsty too, but he needed meat more then he needed water.
"I do not believe they are going to bring you any water...or food."
"Apparently not. So by the way, what's your name? I'm Trevor."
"Just call me...Goliath."
"Goliath, eh? Some kind of nickname?" He chuckled. "Must be a huge fella. So then, Goliath...you're in the same business as me, huh? Slaying vampires and all."
"You could say that."
"Well I'll tell you what. If one of them does come down here and is foolish enough to get close to those bars...I'll be waiting. And I'll tear out its gawd-damned heart with my bare hands if I have to."
Heh. How interesting...if only the man knew that Goliathus really could do that.

But as time went on, it seemed no one was going to be coming down those stairs any time soon.

/

Helping Ami up to her feet, Jezelle supported her as she lead her to the couch. "Everything ok?"
"Yeah..." Ami sighed. "The pain's gone. I've been getting those here and there."
Jezelle looked at her intently. "It's like I was going to say before, I didn't sense that earlier...until I saw it, your belly. You have something not human in your womb, child."
Silence. Ami merely stared at the floor. Sooner or later she knew that someone would find out about her relationship with Goliathus, but she didn't quite want it to be in this fashion.
"I'd ask you how, but...if that thing...well...raped you..."
Looking up, Ami met eyes with the psychic woman, feeling almost insulted by her remark.
"No, it's not like that."
Jezelle's eyes widened. "Now what are you talkin' about?"
Sighing, Ami took one of Jezelle's hands in her own.
"Ok, let me start from the beginning. Of how I met Goliathus and how I...changed him."

/

With his stomach finally full, Dinarius found his strength rapidly returning. His flesh filled out, his wings went from dried and caked to their full twelve-foot length, and his mane even seemed whiter, fluffier. Puvo was certainly happy about it, and after a few crazed circles in the air, exuding the energy that only a bat could express, he found his way back to his spot nestled in the back of the heradus' neck.
"Well..." Dinarus took a mighty stretch, letting joints snap back into place and rotating his shoulders a few times. "I think it's time to try and fly. This walking business is awfully slow-going anyway."
He stretched his wings once more, then flapped them furiously. Becoming airborne rather quickly, Dinarius found it be easier then he had thought...even after all this time such instincts were too well ingrained. Grinning, he went high up as he could manage, then dove down until he could soar above the tops of the trees.
It was so invigorating, so wonderful up here. Nothing beat flying.
He saw an image of Puvo behind him in his mind, the little bat agreeing whole-heartedly.
Looking around for a moment and hovering in the air, Dinarius wondered where he would go.
Well duh, obviously he should go and continue the hunt for vampires. What else was he made for?
He decided to head south, where the scent of something vaguely familiar caught his nose.
As he flew on, he noticed something odd below. The trees were covered in so many crows that they looked almost black. For a moment, he actually thought very little of it. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks.
"The Ring of Black Fire? Puvo! Is that what I'm seeing?"
The bat responded by letting out a shrill chirp.
"My gawd. It is them. That means..." His blue eyes widened into saucers. "The King heradus. He lives!"
/

End Chapter 4