Illusions of Life and Death

Chapter 13
Intoxication

As the sun began to set that evening, the blue light of the moon slowly lighted the night as dark came. The air was crisp and clear. A perfect warm night on Besaid.

This was the night when predators stalked, the perfect night for them. Becoming part of the shadows. To lurk and stalk they're pray, without being caught. The night was their cloak, their ally, and their home.

"Move out." Seymour ordered, preparing the vampires within the main chamber of their home. "Tonight, we're gonna have a little fun. Kill ALL the hunters, leave none alive. Then, the main feast begins in the village. Father wants them all drained!"

A loud cheer erupted through out the chamber, creating an echo throughout the rest of cave.

Once Yuna had finished reading her father's journal that night, it fell from her hands and onto the floor. She knew what had to be done. Although it could possibly end Tidus' life, Yuna didn't have a choice. If she didn't help the other hunters in the extermination hunt to end the vampire's threat, they would continue on feeding and killing innocent humans. Not only that, Yuna had to protect her fellow people. Rikku, Lulu, Wakka, little Vidina, Lenne, everyone—Yuna knew that each and every one of them had to be protected. They all deserved to live in a world without fear—Yuna knew that she could make that happen. She could give them all hope and comfort of a better life. She would be selfish to put her romance before Spira.

"Yuna?" Came a low distant voice from her doorway. She turned around to be greeted by a friendly smile from Shuyin. "You ready?

"Oh." She exclaimed. "Uh, yeah. I'll be down in a minute."

"You know…we're really glad that you changed your mind and decided to come with us tonight." Shuyin nodded his head then left, closing the door behind him.

Yuna walked over to her mirror and gazed at her reflection. She found a boost of confidence knowing that her and the other hunters could pull the job off and finish the vampire race once and for all.

Once finished in her room, Yuna headed out where she met all the other hunters gathering in the middle of the village. There, Auron stood out in front to prepare his speech.

"Alright everyone, hush down!" He began. As they halted their speaking, all turned his way to listen to what he was about to announce to them all. "Now that we're all here, let's begin. As you know, each and every one of us here tonight are part of an important mission—to end the vampire race that plagues Spira with suffering, fear, pain and death. So let's mark this day in the history of Yevon—the day we put an end to that fear, pain and death! Let the great vampire hunt begin!"

A great cheer throughout the village—both hunters and villagers—erupted. Joy for the villagers and confidence for the hunters.

"The cave is the most logical area where the vampires are hiding. We should start there, which is the northwest corner of Besaid." Shuyin began to tell Auron and the others. "Let's go!"

As they proceeded out of the village and into the forest, many lit torches to guide them through the dark woods. It was quiet, too quiet to say. Yuna walked beside Shuyin near the front of the group as they continued.

She was down, wasn't exactly sure that was doing the right thing. But then again, what could she do?

All of a sudden Auron, who was at the front of the squad stopped. Many began to look around at their surroundings. Slowly and nearly he could hear steps coming towards them. Withdrawing his guns, he grinned. "It's an ambush! Everyone spread out!"

And with that, the vampires immerged. Fangs long and nails sharp ready for battle. All the villagers back in the village boarded up their huts and hugged their loved ones hearing the sounds of screams and gunshots coming from the forest. It was terrifying, the thought of those blood suckers breaching the hunters and entering the village.

Back in the forest, Yuna withdrew her guns in full force defending herself. Her mind was drawing a blank, she couldn't even think about anything besides killing as many vampires she could to protect herself from being attacked.

Finally after defeating the ones near her, she then noticed one more. The vampire was angry, irritated. But surprisingly to Yuna, he then turned around and began to run. "Hold it!" Yuna shouted, running after him. While doing this, Shuyin looked over to see Yuna chasing after the vampire. He looked concerned, hoping that she would be okay.

Finally catching up to the creature, she loaded her gun and fired, shooting it through its head and watched as its body dissolved into pyreflies. Taking a minute to rest, she found herself away from the group and alone. Looking around, it was quiet besides hearing the sounds of battle behind her. Deciding to continue onwards, Yuna walked through the eerie wood, the moon full in the sky. She looked around, ready to attack anything that came her way. Guns fully loaded and withdrawn in both hands. Suddenly, she spun around when she heard something snap, like a twig, behind her. "Who's there?" She asked, nothing but air.

"Yuna."

Turning back around, she jumped when she was faced with Tidus. But he wasn't the happy Tidus she once saw in him. No…he looked angry. His eyes were a dark red, his vampire eyes that look piercingly dangerous.

"Tidus…I'm so glad that you're okay…" She said, placing her guns away and ran up, gripping his forearms. "Please…please don't do this…"

Sighing in a frustrated tone, he looked at her with red eyes. "Yuna I won't just stand around and not to anything." He clenched his hands into fists. "Stay out of it."

"You know I can't!" She exclaimed. "If your father dies so do you!"

"Stay OUT OF IT!" He yelled, making her take a step back away from him, frightened. "Tidus you're not acting like yourself..."

"No Yuna! You're just not listening to me!" He approached her, coming upon her as her back hit a tree. "And you will listen to me, okay? You don't belong here in this battle. There is nothing you can do to change things without making sacrifices. So stay out of it."

"No…" She continued to refuse, hands pressing to the tree behind her.

"Why must you be so stubborn?"

"Because I can't just stand around and watch you do this! Because I love you!"

He then grabbed her neck and pressed his lips hard on her mouth, releasing his anger and frustration into the kiss. The intoxication, the sweetness. It all flowed through him now. Stubbornly, Yuna refused to heed the vampire's warning as she wined in displeasure. She didn't want this. Not like this. What was overcoming Tidus? Why was he suddenly acting like this? As his hips jerked sharply, forcing himself deeper into her mouth, his agonized cry, strangely muffled, reached her ears as he parted his lips from hers.

His hands slipped down to grip her upper arms, his mouth moving over her cheeks, jaw, and then her neck. He nestled his hips between hers, claws digging into flesh.

"Stop…" She begged, crying out at the pain.

But he didn't respond, instead continued, licking and kissing her cheek and neck passionately.

"Tidus…" She whined. "Stop…" She tried to push him away, but he was too strong.

But Tidus' mind was clouded with anger and rage. He wanted Yuna safe. But the vampire inside him was taking over.

"No…" Tears streamed down her smooth cheeks, wet blue and green eyes clamping shut as he started to caress a breast over her shirt.

His eyes glowed a dark, feral red, his ears listening to the blood pump in her veins. It was right there…her neck. Sweet skin just asking to be marred with the scar of a bite. She was his Yuna, a blood filled living thing, one that he could take. He dug his nails deeper into her arms, inhaling the scent of the red liquid, peaking his thirst even more.

"Enough…you're…you're hurting me…"

His kisses turned into nibbles, his teeth grazing her soft supple skin. A tight strung piece of thread stopped him from biting. The vampire could no longer be held back.

"Tidus…stop…don't…" She gasped, tears the only thing she saw. "I……I love you……Tidus…"

Then suddenly, snap.

Tidus drew back for a split second, fangs growing long. Yuna could only gasp before the teeth sunk into her neck and drained blood.

She coughed. "N-No…T-Tid…us……s…s-to…p" She tried to force her words out at best. But the draining was wavering her speech and breathing became harder to inhale.

"YUNA!"

Swiftly, Tidus reeled back and turned away only to be smacked down by a large tree branch that was swung at him. Yuna fell to her knees, placing her hand on the bite to prevent the blood from continuing to bleed out.

"Yuna!" She looked up briefly, her vision blurred to see Shuyin drop the tree branch and begin to run to her aid.

But being blocked from Tidus who stood back up, the two commenced into a fight with one another using their fists. Both were equally strong, neither one showing any sign of being beaten by the other nor backing down. With an angry growl, Tidus opened his fist, revealing his long sharp claws and slashed Shuyin with them across his back.

"Ugh!" He cried in pain as the wound sunk deep into his skin. "You monster! I'll kill you for hurting Yuna!" Shuyin grumbled, punching Tidus across the face.

"Uh…" Tidus' mind then unexpectedly snapped out of the blood lust as he fell to the floor and remained there as thoughts flooded through his mind.

I told you that I wasn't afraid. That I wanted to be with you. That I was willing to take the risks!

It's just…I…I don't want anymore people to die, taken away from me…

If your father dies so do you!

Because I can't just stand around and watch you do this!

I……I love you……Tidus…

You monster! I'll kill you for hurting Yuna!

He closed his eyes in pain. What was happening? "Ugh…" He forced himself back up, only making it to his knees. "I…I hurt…Yuna?" He looked over to see Shuyin pick up and held Yuna in his arms as Yuna lay there, eyes barely opened, too weak to even move as well as blood continuing to drip down her neck. "Yuna…"

Once secure in his arms, Shuyin turned away and began to head back to the village.

Tidus remained on his knees in pain. "What have I done…? ...Yuna…"

Seymour stood atop of the ruined cave, watching all the other vampires and hunters in a full scale battle. His smile was filled in excitement, he felt himself in bliss, watching the humans die.

Yes…that's right my brothers and sisters…kill them…kill them all.

The battle continued on with no end in sight. The hunters were out in full force with their guns and knives and the vampires with their fangs and claws.

"Move out hunters! We've got to get to that cave!" Auron instructed the surrounding hunters around him.

Looking out in front of him, he was only seconds away from the entrance of the cave. Looking up, he noticed the blue haired vampire with his arms crossed over his chest staring at him.

Seymour then jumped down and began to charge after Auron.

Auron braced himself. This was the vampire that killed Baralai. His death had to be avenged. Loading up his guns, he began to charge after Seymour.

Tiredly, Shuyin finally reached the village with the unconscious Yuna in his arms. Reaching the mansion's steps, he fell to his knees from exhaustion, placing down on the main porch in front of the front doors.

He had suffered a great amount of blood loss as the scratch wounds on his back continued to sting.

Lenne was up in Rikku's room, wiping her forehead with a wet cloth to cool her temperature down when she heard the loud voices of worry coming from downstairs. As she looked over towards the door standing up, seconds later Wakka came walking in carrying Yuna in his arms.

"Lady Yuna!" Lenne spoke at the first glance she saw of her unconscious state. "What happened?"

Wakka continued and laid her down on the bed across the room from Rikku's. "She's been bitten. Shuyin brought her here."

"Did he already leave?"

"No, he's also injured."

After hearing that, Lenne immediately left the room. While exiting the room and turning down the hall, she right away bumped into someone. To prevent her from falling, he wrapped his arms around her.

Lenne flinched from the sudden impact with her eyes closed.

"Are you okay?"

Lenne then opened her eyes and looked up to see Shuyin holding her in his arms.

"Uh, Shuyin…" She removed herself from his embrace blushing so that she could get a good look at his face. "I heard that you are injured."

"Yeah, My back…" He replied with a smile. "But I'll be alright. I have to hurry so that I can help Auron."

"Yes. Allow me clean you up and mend your wounds."

He nodded his head in agreement. "We don't have much time. Yuna is in need of assistance as well."

"Wakka is taking care of her. Once I'm done with you, I will tend to her."

Making his way back to the cave slowly, he could hear the cries and screams in the near distance from the battle that continued.

The battle seemed boundless as dawn was soon to approach. If that were to happen, the vampires would have to retreat into the cave, which would allow the hunters to proceed in and be even closer to Jecht.

Hmm…Jecht… His father's name echoed through his mind. With the vampires and hunters in battle, it would be the perfect time. The time to end this.

Picking up his pace, Tidus then began to run, making his way to the cave and in. Running through the long gloomy tunnel to the main chamber, he approached the main doors to his father's room. Before entering, he noticed a knife perfect size and length to get the job done. He picked it up and hid it behind his back as he entered the room and saw his father sitting in his chair across the room.

"Tidus?" Jecht began wondering why he had come. "What are you doing here?"

"Father…" Tidus began, his voice was rough and deep unlike his usual sweet self. "There's something I need to talk to you about…something very important…" He gripped the knife even tighter in his grip as he approached his father.

Once Lenne had finished with Shuyin, she left his room so that he could finish preparing before heading back out.

Entering Rikku's, she saw Wakka be Yuna's side.

"The bite has finally stopped bleeding." He began.

"How bad is it?"

"I'm not sure. She hasn't awakened yet. But her pulse and breathing are stable."

Lenne walked over to Yuna and examined her neck where the bite mark was. Placing her finger over it, she suddenly pulled back. "Uhh…what the?"

"What?" Wakka asked. He looked over and stared in awe to see what was happening.

The bite wound on Yuna's neck was self healing itself at an abnormal speed. In seconds, it was as if she was never even bitten as the wound fully closed and left no trace.

"What…?" Wakka asked. "Could it be possible that a vampire's DNA can circulate that quick in a human's body that it can self heal that quickly?"

"I'm not sure…I've never seen anything like this before…"

All of a sudden, Yuna's eyes shot wide open, which startled both Lenne and Wakka there.

"Whoa! Yuna!" Wakka shouted.

"Are you okay?"

Yuna remained there, blinking her eyes two or three times. Tidus… She then sat up and began to stand up.

"Wait Yuna, you have to rest."

But Yuna didn't even reply. It was if she was emotionless to say the least and it perplexed Lenne and Wakka. Suddenly beginning to run, Yuna left the room.

"Wait, Yuna!" Lenne called out but was unable to do anything.

Once Shuyin was done placing a new shirt on and walked into the hall, he saw Yuna run out and down the stairs. Lenne came out soon after and turned her head to Shuyin worriedly.

Already knowing that he should chase after her, he nodded his head and began to do so. Lenne then ran into the next room, which was Yuna and over to her window to see the two out and continue into the forest.

Yuna…what has happened to you…?

Turning back around, she then noticed Braska's journal that she had given to Yuna when she first came to the island on the floor. Walking over and picking it up, she began to read the contents on the pages.

Vampires begun at the dawn of times as humans who were born under the name of the malevolence and mysterious spirit Yu Yevon, while humans on the other hand are born under the name of Yevon. Each and everyone one of them have the potential to live forever, as long as they can supply upon their basic need to feed. They are not entirely dead, nor are they alive. Their personalities without doubt warped in response to the lifestyle that is the true curse of vampirism - closed, dangerous and mad. Although known to be dangerous monsters of the night – my studies have shown that there is a way to covert their cursed warped lives into becoming once again a human. A Half breed.

Half breed vampires are the results of when a human and vampire mate together. Thus into doing this, the child is born half of each type. The child shows both the characteristics of a vampire and human. Half breeds are considered neither entirely dangerous nor nice. They're mind can slip from good to evil or vice versa in an instant. Half breeds live a cursed life of being born under the names of both Yevon and Yu Yevon, which complicates the situation of they're closed minds. Aside from their personality, my many years of studies have finally discovered the answers that we've all been desperately search for.

Firstly, in order to be rid of the vampires, their main, the 'father' vampire must be killed. Places in which this vampire whereabouts could be are mostly abandoned dark places where we would never step foot into. Underground ruins, caves, abandoned buildings, and so on.

To cure a human who has been bitten by a creature of the night—the only solution to this is to kill the head vampire. The most amount of time a human can withstand a bite is three days. If done so before the third day, the vampire DNA within that will dissolve and he/she will regain her normal self once again.

And finally the last piece of the puzzle. How to convert a vampire back into a normal human. Unfortunately, there is no way for that to be possible. Once a vampire, always a vampire. That is, for one exception. A Half breed. If done properly, a half breed can be saved and can be reverted into a human. The only way for this to be done is to firstly make sure that no human kills the—

The rest of the page was torn so she was unable to continue. She turned the page to see the last sentence in the journal.

To whoever is reading this please see to it that this information is put to good work to hopefully one day end the race of vampirism that torments Spira.

Lenne closed the journal and held it in her arms. "Oh Yuna…what's going to happen to you? To the vampires? …To Spira?"

End of chapter. Okay I hope you all really enjoyed this chapter because I know I did while writing it. What's going to happen now you ask? Will Tidus kill his father? Will Yuna reach him in time? What exactly will happen once dawn approaches?

All will be answered. Stick around to read chapter 14, A Pierced Heart Through Love.