Chronicles of the Night
When we last left off, Night-claw met Morbius, a vampire hunter that is a vampire himself. The two rushed to the scene where Von Drake attempted to turn Night-princess over to his side. In the ensuing chaos, Morbius killed Paul and Jeff, Night-roller was forced to kill Trace, and Night-princess tearfully ended her mother's life as a vampire. Now Night-claw seems on the verge of victory over Von Drake.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel comics elements present in this story, I do own my original characters and the plot.
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Dusk and Dawn
They say when your life is nearing its end that all that has happened through your life flashes before your eyes. This is true, even for the undead.
"Face it Von Drake… compared to other vampires you're invincible, but even though you are stronger than they are, I'm still stronger than you, and I'm still faster than you!" Night-claw shouted as he held the wooden dagger at Von Drake's head.
"Pathetic… human… just like… just like all of them…" Von Drake thought.
Flashback…
Around the year 1564, a small boy in noble clothing with blonde hair was sitting underneath a tree inside a garden surrounded by a high stone wall.
"Madrick! Madrick come hither!"
"I come my father!" The small boy shouted. He walked to the door of a great house surrounded by the garden, where a tall man with black hair and a thick mustache stood, giving his son a cold glare. "Why hast thou called me hither?"
"Boy, thou shalt show thine respect for me." The man then slapped the boy across the cheek.
"Father! Why do you strike me?" The boy cried.
"Rumors of thy affair with a peasant child hast reached my ears. Dost thou dare disgrace this family so? Wouldst thou throw away our great history like the great fool of a king's court?" The father bellowed at the young Drake.
"No father! Your words hast no truth within them! Thy ears deceive you!" Drake shouted angrily, tears in his eyes.
"Show thy respect boy!" The man shouted, striking Drake once again.
That night…
"Why dost he torment me so? Why dost my father treat me as Satan's spawn?"
"There there…" A young girl with blonde hair in peasant's clothes said while stroking his cheek with her fingers. "It will be fine."
"No Madeline… Madeline if father ever found out… his fury would have no end." Drake said, tears coming down his cheeks.
Another night…
"Here she is sir." A man with a rapier wrapped around his waist said, holding Madeline by the wrist.
"Your job be done. Begone." Drake's father told the man. The man held out a hand to receive a small bag of gold before leaving the room. "Wench… dost thou not know thy place?"
"No father!" Drake ran in to the room, his cheeks red and his eyes watering up.
"Thou art a fool Madrick! A fool for a son I have born with thy mother! Thy mother wouldst stir in her grave if this atrocity could reach her ears! Now thou shalt both receive thy punishment!" Von Drake senior pulled out a wooden stick and struck the girl over the head with it.
"Ah!" Madeline squealed as this.
"No! AH!" Madrick himself then received a blow across the cheek.
Another night…
"Brother o brother, thou hast tainted our family honor by seeing that wench." A boy older than Drake said while pinning Drake against a wall.
"Stay away! Let me see her! Father cannot just keep her from her family and starve her!" Drake shouted.
"He can and has brother." Another boy older than Drake said as he walked over.
Another night…
"My family be devils. They do the work of the devil and enjoy it so. Madeline… thou dost not deserve this…" Drake cried in his room all alone. Little did he notice a figure creeping over him, bearing his fangs.
Later that night…
"AAAAAAHHH!!!" Drake dropped his older brother's head next to the body of his other brother, his other brother having two bite marks on his neck.
"What causes such cries. My sons!" He stood in shock as Madrick turned around and glared at him with his red eyes. "Madrick… what… what hast happened here?"
"Thou shall regret tormenting me as you have… thou shalt perish in a manner one-hundred fold of what thou hast put me through!" Madrick shouted, bearing his blood stained fangs.
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!"
Later that night…
"Madeline…" Von Drake entered through a metal door in to a dungeon like room where Madeline was lying in the corner, thin, and breathing heavily.
"Madrick… I can't see… is that you?" Madeline asked.
"Madeline… I shall save thou from this fate…"
"But then what?" Madeline asked. "How? Why?"
"Thou hast been the only one kind to me Madeline… no one else hast shown such kindness… close your eyes… it shall be done soon…" Drake told Madeline. Madeline closed her sad eyes, and Drake bit her neck.
A century later…
A now adult Von Drake and Madeline stood in front of some castle, Drake wearing a chain mail and Madeline wearing a fine tunic. "Madeline… they will find us soon…" Drake said. "Those priests will kill us if we do not flee."
"And then they shall hunt the rest of our brethren Von Drake." Madeline said. "Their crosses and steaks will harm more of our brethren if we do not act."
"Yes… you are right… then shall we put these humans in their place?" Von Drake asked as he turned to see some people in light clothing with crosses around their necks and holding wooden steaks.
"Let's…"
After the battle…
Blood was splattered all over the place, the group of people was deceased, and Von Drake kneeled over a pile of ashes. "Madeline… even as a vampire I could not save you… Why?" He held a bit of the ashes in his hand and looked at them. "HUMANS!!! HUMANS!!! ALL OF YOU SHALL FEEL MY WRATH ONE DAY!!!"
The beginning of the 20th century…
"Von Drake." A shadowy figure called. A cloud of mist formed in the room and joined together, and soon Von Drake stood there.
"Yes my king?" Von Drake asked.
"Von Drake… you have been my most loyal servant of all. I've never once sensed deception from you, and I've never had to use my power as king of the vampires to control you either. You have been completely loyal of your own will." The figure spoke.
"You have allowed me to pursue my goals. You have allowed me to kill those humans I despise…"
"And now a new century dawns. And now I grow bored with my eternal life." The figure continued.
"My king? What are you suggesting?"
"Von Drake, despite your power, equaled only by that blood traitor Morbius and exceeded only by mine… My magical spells have indicated that you are not to be my successor."
"… Then who?" Von Drake asked. "If thou seeks a successor more worthy than I, then I shall find that successor."
"I sense that this successor has not even been born yet… but I charge you with one final task."
"What my lord?"
"Prepare for the day my successor comes and then find that one. My magic suggests they will be born sometime near the end of this century, within the decade before this century closes, and when you find them, give them the means to succeed me, and when they are ready… give them this…" The figure said, handing a golden chalice to Von Drake.
"Is this… I shall make sure that only your successor touches this when they are ready." Von Drake said. "And any who stand in the way shall perish." Von Drake said.
"Good…" The figure said. "Now, I leave everything to you." The shadow said as he pulled out a wooden steak, and stabbed himself in the heart, crumbling to ash.
End of flashback…
"RrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"
"OOF!!!" Night-claw suddenly went flying off of Von Drake's back where he sprawled on to the roof. "Ooooooggg… what the hell?" Night-claw looked up and noticed that Von Drake was changing.
Von Drake's already pale skin was now turning chalk white, his nails on his fingers lengthened, and from the two slits in the back of the vest that Night-claw hadn't noticed before, two large bat-like wings emerged. Drake turned around and stared at Night-claw, his sclera and pupils blood red and the iris a fiery orange. "Human… I have hated your kind since I was a child… and out of all of them there was only one I hated more than you… but now you shall join him!" Von Drake fluttered his wings and hovered above ground slightly before flying at Night-claw.
"!!!" Night-claw wasn't expecting him to fly that fast and avoided a punch that only missed his face by an inch. "He's gotten faster…" Then Von Drake did a knee thrust in to Night-claw's stomach. "AUGH!!!" He shouted in pain. "And stronger…" Night-claw groaned. Von Drake then grabbed Night-claw and began flying in to the sky with him. "Ha!"
"Gah!" Night-claw punched Drake in the cheek and then clawed his face. Night-claw then escaped from Von Drake's grip and began falling towards the ground. Night-claw landed on the ground and ran along the length of the roof towards the dagger he dropped. Drake swooped down with incredible speed and tackled Night-claw from behind.
"Ah!" Night-claw landed on his hands rather roughly and scraped the skin under the gloves, but he nonetheless managed to kick Von Drake off of him and send him back in to the air where he righted himself with his wings. Night-claw then sprang off of his hands and attempted to kick Von Drake, but Drake swooped under him and came back up behind him where he kicked Night-claw in the back. "GAH!"
"You are no match for me in the air human!" Drake shouted. Night-claw went flying until he hit the wall of another building. Night-claw barely regained his senses in time to cling to the wall by his claws and keep him from falling in to the alley. He climbed back up and got back on his feet, listening around for Von Drake. Drake swooped down and prepared to hit Night-claw when Night-claw jumped over the top of him. However Drake did a barrel roll and smacked Night-claw to the side with his wing.
WHAM
"AH!" Night-claw went sprawling across the roof. "Those wings… they could probably break a few bones with enough force…" Drake landed and tucked his wings in closer to his body before running forward faster than before. Night-claw also ran at Drake and the two began trading much more fierce punches and kicks. Drake would sometimes swipe his long nails and leave Night-claw with bleeding scratches while Night-claw himself retaliated with his own claw swipes.
"Rah!" Von Drake then flapped his right wing and hit Night-claw with enough force to knock him way off balance, and allow Drake to kick Night-claw across the face.
"Oof." Night-claw tumbled on the roof for a moment before jumping back and jumping to another rooftop.
"You can't run from me human!" Drake shouted as he took the to the sky and flew after Night-claw, gaining on him much more quickly than Night-claw expected. Night-claw hopped, spun around, skid across the roof as he landed and looked at Drake. As Drake swooped in one more time, Night-claw jumped and delivered a spinning kick to Von Drake's face. "Gah!"
"Who's running!?" Night-claw asked angrily. He pounced at Drake with his claws revealed. He landed right in front of Drake and began swiping his claws rapidly at Drake's face, and his chest, leaving numerous cuts that would heal only for Night-claw to open them back up. Night-claw was then knocked away by a punch from Drake, finally giving his cuts time to heal.
"You pathetic human!" Drake lunged forward, however Night-claw jumped high above Drake, only for Drake to fly up after him and ram him in the stomach.
"OOF!" Drake grabbed Night-claw around the waist with one of his arms and proceeded to beat Night-claw in the head over and over again with Night-claw doing the same thing. Finally Drake spun around and then threw Night-claw down to the ground. "Whoa!" Night-claw barely readjusted himself and landed on all fours only for Drake to swoop down and knock him far across the roof with his left wing. "Oooooooohhhh…" Night-claw groaned.
"Hmph…" Drake walked over and kicked Night-claw in the stomach. He then grabbed him around the head and looked him in the eyes. "Maybe I can't turn you in to one of us… but you'll be key in making Lisa our queen… if I hypnotize you and make you follow my bidding." He said. Drake's orange iris turned somewhat cloudy and it began to swirl around and around as he looked in to Night-claw's eyes.
"…" Night-claw could only stay where he was, in the light of the moon, his small and narrow eyes fixated on Drake's eyes. After a moment, Felix's eyes completely narrowed out like a cat, and he bared his teeth. "Hsssssssssss…" He hissed.
"What?" Drake seemed puzzled and then. "OOF!!!" Night-claw kicked him away with much more force than before. Drake caught himself with his wings and hovered above the roof, where he stared at Night-claw who was now kneeling on all fours, hissing at Drake with fierce eyes. "That wasn't supposed to happen? Why aren't you under my control?!"
"You… hurt… you… enemy…" Night-claw growled. "Hssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!" He hissed louder before running forward with much more speed. He tackled Drake and the two went down in to the street below.
BAM
BEEP
BEEP
BEPP
BEEP
"My car!"
"Oh my god! What is that!"
"RAH!" Drake sent Night-claw flying backwards, Night-claw did multiple flips in mid-air before landing on the side of a car on all fours and then gently hopping down on to the street.
"Mutants!"
"Run!"
"Call the police!"
"Hsssssss…" Night-claw continued to stare at Drake.
"You can't be bitten… you can't be hypnotized… WHAT MONSTROSITY AMONG HUMANS ARE YOU!?!" Drake yelled at Night-claw.
"RAH!" Night-claw dashed at Von Drake and attempted to tackle him. Drake flew over the top of him just in time and flew over the roof of a near by building.
"Prey… run…" Night-claw growled as he jumped over the top and went in hot pursuit of Drake. Drake did a U-turn in the air and swooped back down towards Night-claw and nearly punched him Night-claw not avoided it and threw a kick at Drake. The two were soon jumping and swooping at each other, clawing, biting, punching, and kicking at each other with primal fury.
"Oh no…" Night-roller said from a distance.
"What? He wasn't hypnotized like I expected him to be, now he's fighting with a lot more ferocity as a matter of fact." Morbius said.
"Exactly… that hypnotism must have made him go feral in an instant." Night-roller said as he raised his left glove.
"You mean…" Night-princess started.
"Feral? What are you saying?" Morbius asked.
"No time to explain, but I've got to inject him with this right now." Night-roller said as a small vaccine came out of a compartment in the left glove. He took it with his right hand and began jumping and skating towards the fight scene.
"Come… we must follow." Morbius told Night-princess.
"Okay." Night-princess said, still trying to dry up her tears.
"RAH!" Night-claw pinned Von Drake to the ground and began clawing away at his torso and face.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Von Drake gave himself a push off the ground with his wings and then shoved Night-claw off with his arms before righting himself again.
"Hsssssssssssssssssssssssss…" Night-claw continued to growl. Suddenly a small energy blast hit him. "Hm?" He immediately wheeled around to find Night-roller standing there.
"Here kitty kitty kitty…" Night-roller said.
"Enemy… HSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!" Night-claw then ran for Night-roller.
"Our fight is not over human!" Drake shouted as he started flying after him, though Night-claw was far faster this time.
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Right as Night-claw was about to tackle Night-roller, Night-roller swung his right hand around and stabbed Night-claw in the chest with the needle. "Umph…" He seemed to gag for a minute, but his eyes soon returned to normal. "Owwwwww… thanks…" Night-claw groaned.
"No prob… LOOK OUT!" Night-roller dived to the side and narrowly avoided Drake. Drake spun around and prepared to dive at the heroes again when…
"AH!" A wooden dagger flew through one of his wings, leaving a rather unclean tear in the wing, and he fell to the ground with a thud before returning to normal.
"It's over Drake… you lose this time." Morbius told him as he walked closer.
"…" Drake looked at the two Night-hunters, then he looked at Morbius, then he looked at Night-princess. "Lisa… one day you will be our queen." Drake said as he stood up. "And mark my words, I'll kill the rest of you!" Morbius nearly stabbed Drake, but Drake dodged to the side at the last second, grabbed Morbius and hurled him towards the other two.
"Oof!" Morbius shouted as the other two caught him. Drake then hunched over, his face elongated, and blonde fur grew over his entire body as his hands turned to paws with sharp nails on them. Where once stood Von Drake now stood a blonde furred, red eyed wolf. The wolf turned and sprinted off the roof at speeds much faster than a normal wolf. It leaped down in to the alley, and soon disappeared from their view.
"Get back here! Augh…" Night-claw stood up to give chase, but he fell to his knees when he tried. "Guess he… got me better than I thought." Night-claw then looked over at Night-princess. "What's the matter?" He asked.
"…" Night-princess looked away from him. She then fell to her knees and started bawling again.
"Night-princess." Night-roller and Night-claw went over to her and kneeled down next to her. "It's okay… we're here for you." Night-roller said.
"Oh… Joseph…" Night-princess wrapped her arms around Jospeh's thigh and cried. She cried and cried and cried, Night-claw put a hand on her shoulder as she cried.
"Just let it out Lisa… just let it out." He whispered, a few tears coming from his eyes.
"They're gone… I can't believe they're gone." She cried.
"They wanted what was best for you… but Drake tried to use them… they loved you Lisa." Night-roller said trying to comfort her.
"Lisa… I know what it's like to lose your parents… I know." Night-claw said. Morbius watched this silently for a moment and then walked over to them.
"Tonight has cost you a great deal young draculina." Morbius said to Night-princess. They all looked at him. Night-claw and Night-roller stood up and looked at him. Night-princess was the last to do so and she looked up at him. "I will continue to hunt Von Drake, but he intends to make good on his word. He may return." He warned.
"Is that all?" Night-claw asked bitterly.
"No… I feel as though I must tell Lisa one more thing." Morbius said.
"…" The other two seemed hesitant, but Night-roller nodded his head, indicating a yes.
"Lisa." Morbius kneeled down and got in front of her. "Though there are very few, I am sure there are more like you and I that have this curse but still fight it. And you now must keep your friends closer than ever."
"…" Night-princess listened to this, wiping away a few tears.
"But you must remember… you aren't human anymore, and you fear you'll lose more of yourself by holding yourself back. But if you want to help your friends, then stop holding yourself back." Morbius continued to say.
"Stop… holding… myself back." Night-princess echoed.
"Yes, if you fear it will affect your personality, bring out the worst of your instincts… then don't. For it will not affect you for the worse. Good luck." Morbius said. He stood up and his body dissolved in to multiple bats that flew away in to the night. The Night-hunters watched him fly off, the bats now silhouettes in the moonlight.
"Let's go home guys… let's go home." Night-roller said.
A few days later…
"Sheesh, the press is having a field day with us not having been going out the last few nights." Felix said quietly. He was holding a newspaper in one hand, and a spray bottle of something in the other. He and Joseph were in the hallway where Lisa's room was, walking towards it slowly. "Oh and they're enjoying something else too."
"What?" Joseph asked.
"You should know... dad." Felix said, putting emphasis on 'dad'. "You being Lisa's godfather and all that."
"Well… she didn't have any other relatives." Joseph said. "I wonder if they'll figure out that I hacked in to their lawyer's computer and messed with the will though."
"Hey, they bought the whole they changed their will story though didn't they?" Felix asked. "…"
"I know… I still feel bad for her. And… I'd understand if she hates me for doing that." Joseph said.
"No, she's not upset with you, I can tell. I should be the bad guy here, they wouldn't have died if I hadn't been so… so… so stupid." Felix said. They were now outside Lisa's door, standing in front of it.
"Hey… none of us could have known this would happen." Joseph said, putting a hand on Felix's shoulder.
"…" Felix looked at the spray bottle. "Do you have her shades?" He asked.
"Yeah." Joseph said, pulling out a pair of Lisa's shades.
"I'm going to make it up to her. I'm going… to give her some hope." He said. They walked in to her room quietly, found Lisa sound asleep, her pillow with a few tear stains on it, and they snuck over. Felix shook Lisa gently to wake her up.
"Mmmmm… Felix?" She whispered.
"Put this on your skin… I want you to see something." Felix said while handing her the spray bottle.
They waited outside the door, and then Lisa came out in her nightgown and handed Felix the bottle back. "You got it on every patch of skin showing?" Felix asked.
"Yes. What's this about?" She asked. Joseph then handed Lisa her shades, and she put them on.
"Come on." Joseph said invitingly, he stooped over to allow Lisa on to his back. She did that. The three went downstairs, to the kitchen, and to through the kitchen doors.
"Aaaaaahhh…" Lisa gasped in amazement.
"That stuff… was a sunscreen I had been working on for a while." Felix said. For the first time in over a month, Lisa was looking at a beautiful sunrise, dying the sky a fiery orange, warming the earth with its first rays. Lisa couldn't help but smile, and she couldn't help but let a single tear of joy run down her face at the sight of this.
"Lisa? You going to be alright?" Joseph asked.
"…" Lisa continued to look at the sunrise through her shades. She continued to look at it for a long time with the two people who had helped her the most since that night over a month ago. "Yes." She whispered. "Thank you."
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And so ends the blood ties and family arc. Leave a review with your thoughts.
