Chapter 46: Bloodlust

Gasping for breath, I rushed through the floor, smashing gates down desperately as I went. We'd just met a friendly man named Tom-an explorer who'd gotten attacked by a humanoid creature. His friend, unfortunately, was as dead as dirt. The creature had come back for more, and we (me, Osrie1, Amy11, Haldir6, Capablanca, and Tom) had fled the scene. Three of them were following us. They were ridiculously fast, and their skin was ice-cold. I heard a loud cackle from behind me as I ran. We skidded to a stop as we saw another four of them in front of us. The three that were chasing us stopped, and I saw them properly for the first time.

They all looked like humans-just a huge difference. They wore ragged, ripped clothes, and their skin was very pale. Their eyes were scarlet, but apart from that, they were handsome. The female wore expensive furs, and she attracted me strangely. Her alluring red eyes and her slim, beautiful, pale body seemed so enticing. She cackled, and the violins soaring in my veins screeched to a stop.

"What are you?" Haldir6 snarled.

"Us?" one of them said, smiling evilly. "We are the Cold Ones-more commonly known as…vampires." We all gasped. We all gasped, except me, of course.

"What's a vampire?" I asked, nonplussed. The only memory I had of the word 'vampire' was coffins, scary music, and haunted houses. The vampires stared at me angrily, while sneaking closer to us.

"A vampire is one of the vilest beings alive," Capablanca muttered darkly. "Their skin is pale, and they lure in their prey with their unnatural beauty. As they say, skin of an angel, soul of a devil. They love the taste of human blood-they feast on it. They can attack with unnatural speed and strength. You need proper guts to try and slay a vampire-they'll slay you first. If they choose to inject their poison in a person's body, the person will appear dead, before joining the vampires."

I gasped. Vampires sounded like awful creatures. I gave everyone the signal. On the count of three….one….two….

"THREE!" I yelled, and we ran like hell. Hissing, obviously pissed off, the vampires ran after us. They outran us, and I ducked out of the way before the female could grab me in her vice-like grip. In a desperate attempt to escape, I threw my one and only emergency iron dagger behind me. The female knocked it out of the way gracefully with her hand. No time to stop for it, though-unless I wanted to be their next meal.

It was no use. We skidded to a stop as the seven of them had us surrounded.

"So, the vampires are undead?" Capablanca muttered to Haldir6, as the vampires closed us in, licking their lips. Their pale skin shone with sweat. Haldir6 confirmed Capablanca's question with one nod.

"CRUMBLE OF THE UNDEAD!" Capablanca screamed, and a brown explosion surrounded us. The vampires continued towards us, undaunted, staring at us hungrily. With one huge swipe, one of them sent me to the floor.

"I'll take that one," the female said, as if we were a selection of chocolates, pointing at me. I backed off as she pranced towards me, hissing. I stood up, and slashed Silverlight in her face. A large, red scar appeared in her skin, which then faded. She stumbled back, giving us enough time to run past her and the others.

The chase was on again. We ran as fats as our legs could carry us, the agile this time, though, was the looming figure of the black fly in front of us.

"Blasted Master Samuel, false alarm, my ass….." The black fly muttered quietly to thin air, before he spotted us. Grinning in a way that reminded me of a cat about to eat a rat, he took out his large, green sword flamboyantly. We were cornered-vampires tailing us from one end of a corridor, the black fly flying towards us on his sky-stick in the other.

I ran forward to face the black fly, and ducked under his sky stick. He turned around, but accidentally crashed into a wall, and fell into the small crowd of vampires. He sat up, and looked around at the very pissed blood-drinkers. He jumped up a foot in the air, screamed, and, dragging his wrecked sky stick behind him, ran away past me. I chortled at this comical sight, but stopped chortling when several angry vampires lunged at me.

"You know, I give up. I can't run away much longer, my feet are killing me, and plus, we can't run very far from these creatures," Amy11 moaned. Even though I found her so attractive, I couldn't help but think of her as a lazy, stereotypical woman for saying that comment.

"Our master has spoken. He shall join the feast," the female hissed. Less then a second after her saying that, another dozen vampires came from behind us, trapping us. One of them stepped forward, and I recognised him as the leader-the one who attacked us first.

He was, clearly, the biggest and worst vampire here. Blood dripped from his mouth, and his skin was so pale you couldn't compare his hand to a sheet of parchment. His eyes were a deep black, and his hair was a filthy blonde. His teeth were huge, and absolutely filthy. His knuckles were the size of large rocks, and, instead of wearing ragged, filthy clothes, he wore a long, black cloak, and under that, a rather ragged tuxedo. He smiled wickedly towards us.

"Well, hello," he began. "My name, in its entirety, is Sir Mort Potter Roderick von Vampire, of the extensive Dracula family. To make it easier for your tiny brains to comprehend, you may call me Mort. I began this vampire tribe on the second floor, because it is the only proper place we are accepted. Upstairs, humans get slaughtered too easily, and we don't really like being around wolves. Downstairs, any bodies we find are usually diseased and inedible. On the last floor, the floor of the dead (or undead), we'd be quite welcome, if it weren't for the final horseman. Even though we are constantly starving, because of the lack of good prey, this is the only place in the whole stronghold where we can hunt safely. You're going to be one large feast, that's for sure. We're lusting after your blood," Mort sneered, grinning. Before I could say or even do anything, he'd jumped forward at the speed of sound, and scratched me. Blood leaked from the cut that had appeared there.

"NO!" Tom yelled; but, before I could move, I was surrounded by twenty-one suddenly ravenous vampires.

"What the HELL is happening here?" a very familiar person said, and the vampires spun around, irked. Creator and Sin stood there, the remaining members of the support team. Creator swore loudly.

"Vampires?! In the stronghold of security?! What in the name of Saradomin?" he stuttered, before he realised what was going on. Roaring with rage, he kicked Mort in the face. Mort flinched, and glared at Creator. "Sin, go with them. I'll sort out these guys," Creator ordered, sounding unsure. We didn't have to be told twice-we ran like there was no tomorrow.

We ran and ran and ran a bit more. By the end, we were exhausted, and were all panting for breath. We waited with baited breath. After what felt like hours, Creator decided to show up, panting, covered in bruises and scratches.

"I fought, and fought decently, but they're too strong, especially in numbers. I know Mort-not only do I know him, but I used to be friends with him in my youth. Little did I know he was a vampire," Creator muttered. "They nearly did bite me-I'm glad I fled, even though I've lost half my dignity. You can't kill them. I heard rumours that some sort of food can weaken them. We'd better keep going; they've got our scent, and are following us right now." I sighed, and sat up. We continued to trek through the stronghold-we'd be safe once we were at the grain of plenty.

I heard a small, quiet hiss from behind us. I swung around, and everyone stopped to stare, alarmed, at me. I squinted in the distance, and saw what looked like a cloud of dust. The cloud of dust was going towards me alarmingly fast. I looked closer and saw that it was a figure, with a cloud of dust rising behind him. I yelled.

"VAMPIRE!" I cried, and everyone looked around frantically. I looked at the corridor, and saw nothing. Then I jumped-something cold brushed against my skin. I could hear a low hiss in my ear. I heard a cackle, and Osrie1 screamed. One of his legs had a massive, bloody gash in it. Really scared now, I swung around. I wondered if I was becoming paranoid, but I kept hearing a voice whispering, 'I smell blood….I want blood…..blood….blood…BLOOD!' I kept looking around, and I saw the face of a pale, red-eyed vampire. I blinked, and it was gone. Capablanca yelled. He had a huge cut on his arm. Blood was dripping everywhere.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Sin bellowed, and we all didn't need telling twice. We ran as fast as we could down the corridor. I kept hearing echoing cackles around me. The vampires were following us, in some sort of stealth mode. A pale hand swiped for my head, but I ducked. I wasn't concentrating on where I was going, as long as it was away from these creatures. I was so engrossed in following the others and getting away that I didn't see where I was going. I smashed into somebody. I looked up, and saw Mort staring down at me hungrily.

"Sorry to disappoint you, boys and girls, but we're not going to let a perfectly decent meal get away from us that easily. We're always starving on this floor; it isn't called the catacomb of famine for nothing, you know." We were suddenly surrounded by vampires. One jumped at me, and landed on top of me. He desperately attempted to bite my neck, but he wasn't having much luck. I wriggled my way out of his grasp. Just like me, everyone was struggling with a vampire or two. Tom was the unlucky one-he had to endure the full muscled fury of Mort. I vomited at what came next.

Mort, snarling furiously, grabbed Tom's head. He twisted it a full 180 degrees. I heard a loud crunch and snapping, like snapping twigs. Mort then pulled Tom's head off-a look of pain and horror was paused on his face. His body, spurting blood like a scarlet fountain, fell to the floor.

I gasped, tears running down my face. My body filled with sadness at the death of yet another friend. I had a brief flashback of Sir Vant, a brave white knight, sacrificing his life to keep me alive. He took the full blunt of a deadly curse from Master Samuel that was meant to be for me. It wasn't fair-I had just met Tom, and he' been brutally killed.

All of a sudden, my sadness and agony was replaced with anger. The anger that filled my lungs like a deadly fluid was strong and unbridled. I felt a slight vibration in the pocket that contained the skull half. Osrie1, while trying his best to avoid the blows of a vampire, looked towards me, worried.

"Mainiac97?" he asked, with a note of worry in his voice. "You're eyes are red. Are you feeling OK?" I ignored him, and stepped towards a vampire drinking from the pools of Tom's blood on the floor.

"You killed my friend." My voice shook with fury. This felt unnatural for me-was it normal for me to be this angry? I felt powerful, too. "You, your friends and your leader killed my friend! You have no right to go near an innocent person!" The vampire stared up at me mockingly.

"You're going to end up the same," he chuckled, sitting up. I smiled back at him coldly.

"I don't bloody think so!" I roared. I grabbed his neck. A look of surprise was on his face, before I slammed him into a wall. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look. He stuttered what sounded like an apology, before I pounded him into the ground. He sat up, wheezing, and I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. I threw him into the wall again. He tried vainly to stop my rage, but there was no stopping it. My skull half shook harder then ever, but I ignored it. I was seeing red-my mind concentrated on only killing this vampire. I smashed him into the ground. I could hear yells of pain. I stamped on his neck, and a wonderful crack resounded though the area. I could hear what sounded like a twisted version of crying coming from him. I pulled him up.

"Want your mommy?" I mocked, before disarming him-literally. I tore his body up in such a gruesome way I couldn't even describe him. I then threw the pieces everywhere.

"You want flesh and blood? THERE'S YOUR FLESH AND BLOOD!" I bellowed. Amy11 stepped up to me, alarmed.

"Mainiac97?" she questioned. I saw a tear on her face. I softened up, and instantly regretted my show of anger. Strangely enough, the vibrating in my pocket stopped. I gave her a look of apology. She smiled warmly-my eyes were probably blue again. I decided to keep up the act, though.

"You guys want to end up like him?" I roared falsely. "Then you'd better clear off!" At that moment, most of the vampires fled, howling with rage. Mort stepped up to me suspiciously.

"You know," he began. "I have been blessed a slight gift. There is the occasional rare vampire that has these gifts. Most vampires have speed, strength, and are virtually indestructible. The only way to kill a vampire, practically, is to do what you just did. But my gift is a smidge of mind-reading. And I can read your mind-just a second ago, all I could see was red. But, now I can see you trying to scare us away. But I'm not thick-I will not allow good food to get away so easily." The remaining vampires nodded in agreement, and the battle ensued. I noticed no vampire was even going near me. I decided to take the moment to have a small meal.

I took out a meat sandwich. Aubury had made it for me-apparently, it had been spiced up with some sort of vegetable that made your breath smell bad. I bit into it, and it was delicious. The chewy, cold meat tasted nice in my mouth, even better with the vegetable that started with the letter G. Mort stared at it, horrified, along with all the other vampires. Suddenly, they all started moaning.

"I didn't foresee this," Mort choked. "I'm not letting you slip away that easily. I'll be back to get you-we can't stay on this floor much longer, anyway, we're too hungry." All of the vampires ran off, and we all sighed with relief.

I finished my sandwich with relish. Haldir6 led the way.

"The sooner we get off this floor, the sooner we can get away from the zombies, flesh crawlers and vampires," he said, a tone of depression in his voice. And so our journey through the stronghold of security continued as planned.

We soon arrived at the grain of plenty, as planned. There was another heavenly light coming off from the ceiling. Under it, there was a sack full of grain. I reached inside.

I fished out another sack full of coins, which I shared out evenly. There, instead of the finest wine, was a box full of the finest apples. They were rich and juicy when I bit into one. We had a feast of the edible and delicious grain and apples. The box in which they came in read 'apples of plenty'.

There were two more rewards at the top of the sack. One was a box full of green seeds. There was a note pinned to the box. I unpinned it, and it read 'these are the seeds which will grow the apples of plenty. A bite of an apple of plenty is enough to fill your stomach up. Give one to a homeless, starving man, and it could possibly be enough to feed him for a whole year. No farming level is necessary to grow one-all you need is the equipment. Enjoy the feast of a lifetime!' I gave everyone a handful.

The last reward was half of a staff. I picked it up. It felt solid and reliable in my hand. It felt strangely like bone. It must be related to the half skull. I put it in my bag.

Everyone went to settle down for a final nap, but I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about what happened today-the horrors of travelling through the first two floors, a huge war at the gift of peace, running away from vampires, seeing a brand new friend being slaughtered in front of my eyes…

"Hey, mainiac97…." a quiet voice whispered from the shadows at the other end of the room. Ilookgood99 stepped from them, his shining face settled into a warm smile. "Come with me-I haven't seen you for a small while, haven't I?" I followed him.

"So, how's the travelling going?" he asked casually.

"It's been hell," I replied. "I don't want to hear the word 'vampire' for a long, long time." He chuckled at that.

"You're here precisely for this sort of thing," he replied. "I can't say too much about it, but you're here for a really important reason. Mainiac97, person from another world, you must endure the darkness. You must fight it….there will be so much agony….but, at the end of the path, there is a dazzling end…..embrace it….beware the man of brown and green….there is something on your back!"

I heard it, once again. But, this time, it felt more powerful. Every time I felt this strange object on my back, it grew stronger. I could feel its weight this time….the clicking and hissing was louder and now accompanied by a strange beeping sound. Ilookgood99 smiled, and, when I blinked, was gone. I looked in my hand, and saw a familiar bomb that always accompanied Ilookgood99. It exploded, and I sank into the fog of visions once again.

Master Samuel crinkled his nose. He was in a narrow corridor, and the walls were made of green sludge and decomposed creatures. It was sickening. The black fly sat near him, repairing his wrecked sky stick. However unpleasant the third floor was, he'd have to endure it, because he needed to get to the last floor. He saw the mysterious cloaked man walking towards him, accompanied by somebody else.

"Hello, master," the mysterious cloaked man said.

"Hello…." Master Samuel replied. The other man coughed. The cloaked man then went straight to the point.

"Sir, say hello to Mort, leader of the vampire tribe upstairs," the cloaked man announced. "He is furious of the teams upstairs, due to their use of garlic. He wishes to join us." Master Samuel considered this request.

"You know, I'll be glad to help you, as long as I get two privileges-one, I get to follow your growing army around, and two, I get to choose my own prey." Master Samuel considered this for a second, and nodded.

"Fine, you may join us, but you realise, you cannot double-cross us. Trust me, you'll sorely regret it," Master Samuel said. Mort nodded. The black fly then sat up.

"It's fixed!" he announced, and they set off.

I awoke soon, sweating. When I went back, I saw the others were awake, and looking worried.

"Where were you?" osrie1 demanded. I explained what had happened, and they gasped.

"Mort has joined them?" Amy11 cried. I nodded grimly.

The exploration team decided to stay a bit. Capablanca was going to stay there to keep guard, the same way Clayguy7 stayed at the gift of peace. Though, for some reason, he wasn't there when Capablanca went past…..

The exploration team set off for the third floor. An hour later, Sin and Creator decided to make a move on. Capablanca sat up, and stretched. At least he wouldn't have a shortage of food. But then, he heard a voice that suddenly made him ravenous.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" a man's voice said. "Food has never wandered so willingly into my midst…."

"Are you a vampire?" Capablanca asked shakily, panicking.

"No, I am not a vampire. I am a horseman. I wonder if you've met my brother War yet. My name is Famine, and I am hungry-if you don't shift, you might be my next meal," the voice rasped. Capablanca screamed as a bony, yellowing hand grabbed his ankle, and pulled him in. Was Capablanca going to end up a meal?