Chapter 7:

This is getting creepier and creepier.

As I looked on, I saw Gloria go towards the table where the fledgling stood nervously. Opening one of the vials, she lifted it above the fledgling's head and let the contents empty out. The fledgling vampire, who seemed to be a young boy, eagerly opened his mouth and let the liquid – the blood, I cringed – trickle into his mouth. When it was empty, Gloria set the vial down.

I watched on with Rick, a feeling of apprehension and horror growing. This wasn't right. This whole ceremony was wrong.

Gloria moved away from the boy and stood directly in front of me, still looking at the boy. She threw her arms gracefully into the air and opened her mouth. An array of notes flowed out of her mouth in a language that was ancient and powerful. Ixnior words were being sung.

Instead of the beautiful, gentle, and warm tone and words I had expected, I heard a harsh sound with a grating tone. I was not familiar with the language of Ixnior but I knew enough to know that these words weren't kind ones. I closed my eyes and listened carefully, trying to decipher the meaning behind it.

You, fledgling, have reached your time. A bloodthirsty one that shall never cease. Meet it, accept it, let it take over. Your will is not yours any longer.

My eyes jerked open. I couldn't believe that Gloria was saying this to the fledgling. It was a known fact that the words said to a fledgling during the initiation were like a blessing. They had the most impact on them and the kind of vampire they would turn out to be. The magic in the blessing would settle in their heart and slowly act upon them as they grew older. If it was a blessing that was wonderful, then their soul would not be tainted. But if they received one like Gloria's, then not only would their soul be tainted, but they would cause destruction for the whole vampire population.

How many people had she said this to? With many people influenced by such a blessing, they would soon become tainted and perhaps even form an army of destruction. A disaster like this has only occurred once before: someone had tried to form an army of vampires but they were overthrown by the high vampire priestess. The high vampire priestess was my mother. I turned to look at Rick. He seemed oblivious to the meaning of the words. Arisa, you idiot, only the high vampire priestess knows the language of Ixnior! How could I have forgotten?

I had to stop this. And I had to hurry. Gloria was finishing up the ceremony. All she had to do was place the wreath of herbs on his head. "No wait!" I burst.

Rick and Gloria turned to me. I blushed a bright red but strongly announced "This ceremony cannot end without one blessing from me."

I turned to Gloria. "If I really must become the high vampire priestess, then I feel that I should bless this fledgling. Please, Gloria." I pleaded with her, an urgency creeping into my voice.

She nodded to let me know that I may do as I please. Trembling from the knowledge of what I must do, I walked over to the boy. Placing my hands on his shoulders, I closed my eyes and prayed for Ignox to give me the right words for a fitting blessing that would undo what Gloria had done. "Aleanta nieskan suriendante nurishkklyin byern gyanausiest." My eyes opened and I contemplated what I had just said. Let your heart always be pure and never surrender to evil. Looking around, I saw rick staring at me in shock. There was something else there to, something indecipherable but unnerving all at the same time. I turned to see Gloria smiling at me, but her eyes revealing the rage at what I had done. As soon as she realized that I had seen her anger, her expression changed to one of kindness but it was too late: I had seen her for what she was.

I looked at the fledgling once more. "May the Goddess always protect you. Follow her teachings, young one." Kissing him on the forehead, I backed away and let Gloria brush past me and lay her wreath on him.

As Gloria led the new member of the vampire Coventry outside the doors, Rick turned to me. "What was that? What did you say? Did you ruin something?" he demanded.

I was shocked into silence. Here I had just fixed something that was a very big issue and he was asking me what I did wrong?

I glared at him icily "For your information, all I told him was to follow the ways of the goddess and to always be pure."

For a minute, we both stared at each other. I refused to back down. As I continued staring, I saw a softness enter his eyes. "Thank you for blessing him so well." He walked over to the doors and paused, hesitating. "Maybe….maybe you really ARE the chosen one." Smiling gently at me, he turned and stalked out, leaving me standing at the altar, wondering what exactly had just passed.

I reached my dorm room and sat down on my bed. A rush of giddiness swept over me. RICK HAD BEEN NICE WITH ME! He had treated me kindly and sweetly. And he had smiled at me, too! I lay down on my bed, grinning stupidly. Maybe… maybe the vampire academy wasn't so bad after all. Maybe RICK wasn't all that bad. I closed my eyes and let sleep wash over me.

The last thought I had was how I had managed to understand and speak in Ixnior, a language that I had never heard before this day.