Of Angels and Vampires

Chapter Four

The Ceremony
And
The Choice

By Fallon

Nightfall came and Yukinari had his bandage removed. Shurii helped him and Yukinari looked in the mirror at the right side of his face.

"It's horrible isn't it?" He asked, turning his face towards the right.

"It could be worse, sir."

"You're right."

"Just be thankful she didn't kill you sir, like I have said before." Shurii said.

"You've always been a good friend to me, Shurii, never giving up on me."

"How could I ever lose my faith in you, my Lord? You are my leader and companion."

Yukinari stood up, moving away from the mirror and clapped his hands. Two women appeared and had his evening attire ready for the ceremony. They pulled his daily attire off and put on a blue kimono, one of the women handed him his sword and he placed it at his hip. Yukinari looked at himself in the mirror once more, admiring the design of a golden dragon on his blue kimono.

"Tell me your thoughts on tonight, my lord?" Shurii asked.

Yukinari sighed, "I heard we have two prisoners captured with Suzumi, I think we'll use them as a sacrifice to restore Suzumi's blood."

Yukinari had seen the two young boys captured, they seemed frighten.

"Please don't eat us!" Kenji pleaded.

"Nonsense, we don't want your blood just yet." Yukinari replied.

"What are you going to do with us?" Satoshi asked.

"Use you for tonight of resurrecting my daughter, of course."

Both young men felt frightened.

Shurii nodded, "Excellent idea, my lord."

"Yes, we have no other humans, so why not use these boys?" Yukinari chuckled. "Come, let us go see if our Empress is ready."

Suzumi sighed, she was glad those boys caught her and Takeshi together and not her father. 'Father would freak out.' She thought and she wasn't sure if he still wanted her to marry Shigeru. Suzumi thought about telling her father she wanted to marry Takeshi instead.

Her door slid open and Yukinari entered along with Shurii.

"Good evening, Lady Suzumi." Shurii bowed.

"Good evening, Sir Shurii." She replied, also bowing. "Father, there is something I need to discuss with you in private."

"Of course," Yukinari gave Shurii a nod, signaling for him to leave.

Shurii turned and left without saying a word, sliding the door shut.

"About the ceremony, father," Suzumi began, "I want to have your blessing of marrying Takeshi."

Yukinari thought for a moment, her marrying Takeshi? "What about Shigeru? I thought I had an arranged marriage centuries ago for you two to marry?"

"I don't love Shigeru, father. I love Takeshi."

"Have you made love?"

Suzumi blushed, "Yes," she whispered.

Yukinari was shocked; after all it had been centuries he had seen his daughter.

"I would disapprove," he replied, "But I won't."

Suzumi was slient.

"Since he has already—deflowered you, what is the use of an arranged marriage?"

Suzumi smiled, "You mean it?"

"Yes, your step mother is not here to protest, so why the hell not?"

Suzumi embraced her father, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet, where is the bastard anyway?"

"Right here, sir." Takeshi appeared out of the shadows near the window.

"So, you deflowered my daughter, I am not too happy, but once you touch something you can never give it back." Yukinari chuckled. "I will take good care of her, my lord." Takeshi put his arm around Suzumi's shoulders.

"Well, I hope so." Yukinari sneered.

"Of course, father, Takeshi is a good man."

"Too bad you couldn't join the karyuudo; they could use someone like you."

"I might consider it, my lord." Takeshi said, bowing. "I thank you for your blessing of having the opportunity of marrying your daughter."

"Of course, Takeshi, now let's us prepare for your ceremony, Suzumi."

People gathered in their seats outside the palace. Kenji and Satoshi were led out by guards to the front of the crowd. They could hear their hisses and whispered words of hate.

"I don't like this, Satoshi, what do we do?" Kenji said franticly.

"There's nothing we can do, Kenji, it was nice knowing you."

"What? That's all you can say?"

Kenji stopped as he heard the beating of drums suddenly sound off, signaling for the entrance of the Vampire Lord Yukinari.

The crowd arose, bowing. Yukinari made his way towards his throne, turning and holding out his fist to stop the drumming.

"Tonight," he began, "We welcome our daughter and sister Lady Suzumi. She has returned to us and I have good news to share with everyone, please come out Suzumi."

The crowd gasped and quickly bowed again at the sight of Suzumi. People had their heads bowed quietly thanking for her return.

Suzumi had on a red kimono with pink cherry blossoms scattered all over, she had her long red hair pulled back with two black and red beaded hair sticks.

She had her eyes cast towards her father, who looked on with pride. She looked towards her left and seen the two young men, Kenji and Satoshi, chained. 'They're going to sacrifice them?' Kasumi asked. 'Yes, it's the only way I will get back to my own body.' Suzumi answered.

She sat by her father and Yukinari rose again, "I announce the news of the marriage of my daughter to Takeshi."

The crowd buzzed with whispers and small talk.

"Now we will begin the ceremony for Suzumi's return." Yukinari said, "Bring out Suzumi's bones."

Two guards brought out a pile of bones, the skeletal form of Suzumi, they placed it in front of Yukinari and Suzumi.

Suzumi stepped down, looking at the two young men. "Bring forth the prisoners!" Yukinari commanded.

"Wait!" Suzumi said, "I have an idea."

"What?" Yukinari said, confused.

"Don't use these boys, father. Use my incarnation, Kasumi."

Hanako and her army stepped onto the palace grounds.

"I need a group of eight to the west side of the palace and I need a group of ten to the east side of the palace. When you see the red orb light up, that's the signal for you to attack."

The women nodded.

Hanako flew up past the gate of the palace and landed on the ground. She was sent here on a mission: to stop the ceremony and kill Yukinari. She had no other choice; she had to do it. Gaia was counting on her.

"Use your incarnation? But how?" Yukinari asked.

"Use her blood to resurrect me." Suzumi answered.

"But that means Kasumi will die!" Satoshi yelled.

"I don't want to use you two boys, so either she dies or you all die!"

Suzumi lied down on the ground, holding a dagger in her hand.

'I don't want to die, Suzumi.' Kasumi said, 'It's all right, I have a plan.' Suzumi replied.

Suzumi slit her right wrist and poured the blood on the left wrist of her skeletal form.

"What was once was, shall now live again…AWAKEN SUZUMI-NIGOUSAN!" Yukinari yelled, waving his hands outward. Wind suddenly blew across the crowd and Suzumi's eyes turned a light blue. Two spirits emerged from the single being that is Kasumi; Suzumi's spirit lied on top of the skeletal form and submerged, veins and skin began to form. Her red hair grew as the anatomy began to form on her body. She lied naked on the ground and two women came rushing to her side with a black cloak to cover her up.

Suzumi stood up, looking around and the crowd was in awe, bowing and sang in unison, "HAIL SUZUMI-NIGOUSAN!"

Hanako gasped, 'I'm too late, but I'm still not finished!'

Suzumi looked down at Kasumi, grabbing her hand. She was listless and cold; she brought her own right wrist up and bit into it. She placed her open wound over Kasumi's mouth and the blood dripped into her mouth. She waited, hoping her plan would work.

Kasumi gasped, squeezing Suzumi's hand.

Suzumi smiled, "It worked," she said.

"What the hell did you do to me?" Kasumi asked frantically.

"Kasumi!" Satoshi yelled.

"Release the prisoners!" Suzumi ordered as two guards unbounded both Kenji and Satoshi.

Kasumi embraced Satoshi.

"So glad to see you are all one big happy family, Yukinari." Hanako said.

"General…" Yukinari sneered, "What a pleasant surprise to see you here!"

"I would welcome your daughter home, but I don't have time for that. I'm here for one purpose and that is to kill you!"

Yukinari grinned, "Why kill me when you can have fun with me, General?"

"You are a threat to the human race along with your hellspawn!" Hanako yelled.

The crowd buzzed with hisses and curses at Hanako.

"Wait General Hanako!" Suzumi shouted, "I have something to share with you—"

"Share nothing with me evil witch!" Hanako barked. "Yukinari, this ends tonight!"

Hanako grabbed the red orb off of her staff, throwing it up into the air. Angels swarmed the palace walls and the crowd scattered to fight.

Hanako jumped and flew towards Yukinari, her staff forming into a sword and clashing it with his sword.

"Back for round two, I see?" Yukinari chuckled. "This time, I intend to win and I intend on fucking you!"

"You make me sick!" Hanako swung her sword at him again and he grabbed her by the throat.

"You can't resist me, General. I am very fond of you and just looking at your beautiful face is really turning me on! Why don't we forget about this and go make love? Make love not war! HAHAHAHA!"

"Enough Vampire!"

Suzumi turned her attention towards Kasumi.

"Get out of here Kasumi, it's not safe!" She said, waving her arm.

"This is what you were telling me about, the war of Angels and Vampires!"

"Yes, get your friends and go! I will have my assistant guide you to the next city!"

A woman with blond hair came rushing to Kasumi, grabbing her by the wrist and Kasumi grabbed Satoshi and Kenji ran with the group to exit the palace grounds.

Yukinari swung his sword sideways, aiming for Hanako's neck. She put her sword in front of her to block the blow, her wings shuttered at the impact and feathers scattered.

"You truly are beautiful, my dear, why must we be enemies?"

"I won't answer to that because you already know the answer."

Hanako twirled around Yukinari, swinging her sword at him.

Suzumi seen Takeshi, "Takeshi," She said embracing him. "I have to put a stop to this!"

"How?" he asked.

"I have to tell my father and the General about the peace treaty!"

Leiko grabbed an arrow behind her back, pulling the bow string back and aimed it at a female vampire.

In the corner of her eye she seen a figure with gray hair approach her at rapid speed, she blocked his sword with her bow.

"Foolish Vampire," she spat, "You will meet your death!"

Shurii glared, "Don't be so sure, Angel, for it may be you joining your former General Ria!"

"Don't talk about General Ria!" She shouted, pulling an arrow out and ready to aim.

Hanako fell to the ground, quickly rolling to the right to dodge Yukinari's sword. She jumped to her feet and positioned herself to her fighting stance.

Yukinari chuckled, "Let's make a deal, General,"

"What?"

"If I win, I keep you. If you win, you can kill me."

"Deal, I intend not to lose! YEE-AH!"

She jabbed her sword at him, but Yukinari easily blocked it. He quickly knocked her off of her feet and she fell down again. She lied on her back, trying to reach for her sword. Yukinari had his sharp edge pointed at her neck.

"Looks like I'm going to win this one, then you'll be mine." He said, curving a smile.

"FATHER STOP!" Suzumi yelled.

Yukinari looked up and seen Suzumi standing a few feet away from him.

Hanako quickly grabbed her sword and jabbed it at Yukinari's chest.

"Ugh!" Yukinari cried out, dropping to his knees.

"NOOO!" Suzumi screamed, tears streaming down her face. "FATHER!"

She rushed to his side, catching him in her arms.

"Father hang on!"

Hanako's sword formed into a staff and she heard thunder boom in the distance. She did it. She wounded the Vampire Lord, but maybe not enough to kill him.

"You fool!" Suzumi spat, "I was planning on forming a peace treaty with you!"

"A peace treaty? You know that is entirely impossible, child!" Hanako barked.

"It can be done, if we join alliances—"

"You are a threat to the human race!"

Yukinari coughed up blood, "Why protect those humans when they're easy to kill?"

"It is our duty on Gaia to protect the human race from evil and beings of Darkness." Hanako said.

"We, as beings of Darkness, can join forces with the beings of Light." Suzumi said, looking at her father and then at Hanako.

"Why? How can we join forces when you kill humans?" Hanako asked, glaring.

"As empress, I plan on changing that no more humans be sacrificed or killed." Suzumi replied.

Hanako laughed, "You amaze me, Lady Suzumi! Suddenly there's a Vampire with a change of heart. Too bad your dear old father didn't think of that one."

The rain began to fall on the crowd of Vampires and Angels. Yukinari was bleeding and there was a pool of blood forming around him and Suzumi. Yukinari was beginning to lose consciousness, he groaned and Suzumi immediately laid her eyes on him. "Father!" she said.

Shurii came rushing to Suzumi's side, "My lord," he said.

"Shurii," Yukinari said, "Take me to the castle."

Hanako was going to turn and leave until she heard the Vampire lord speak.

"Guards, take the Angels as prisoners!" He yelled.

Suzumi was shocked, what was her father doing? "Father, what are you doing? You can't lock them up!"

"Yes I can and I will. Hanako is my prisoner!"

Shurii entered the palace with Yukinari's arm around his neck. He led him up the stairs to his chambers and settled him on the bed.

"Will you be alright sir? Shall I bring aide?" Shurii asked.

"Yes, please." Yukinari replied.

Shurii summoned health care providers to close up Yukinari's wound and they gave him rest. He was worried that his leader would die, but he had also questioned himself of why his lord wanted to take the Angels as prisoners. The Angel with the bow and light-blue hair glared at him as she was being taken away.

"Sir, might I ask why you took the Angels as prisoners?" He asked.

"I want to make Hanako mine." Yukinari answered.

"But why the whole army, sir?"

"We're going to kill them."

"What about the others? Gaia will surely come after us."

"Let them come."

Hanako was put in a dungeon by herself and the others were thrown together in groups.

She looked out the barred window, watching the falling rain.

She wasn't sure what Yukinari had in store for her: rape or death. She would rather die than have him touch her.