Once upon a time, there was a vampire.
A mystical water brings fictional books to life on a faraway land called planet Verdamnt. Vampires emerge from the fictional books and immediately prey upon the humans. After rising to the top as the dominant...
Rainfall descended on the land, the spring air welcoming the cloudy sky in change of prior sunlit days. Iérti stood near the open window, listening to the rain steadily fall, soaking the ground with its gentle taps. He enjoyed overcast weather and how often it evented. The rain always felt calming and peaceful, soothing his troubled mind.
Mallen came near, rubbing his eyes as the sound of plattering rain resounded everywhere, each raindrop heard as it fell on grass, earth, dirt, castle walls, and everywhere else. The scenery outside was blurred by the rain, the interior scenery as sharp and clear as glass.
Iérti had opened the long wide wooden shutters, appreciating the view of the rain falling on the landscape. The sun wasn't out, the sky grey and bleak, the weather downcast with pouring rain, though daylight was a danger to vampires should the sun dare to come out. They could venture out in overcast and cloudy days, but direct sunlight was like a death ray.
Mallen's voice sounded from amid the steady platter of rain. "It's almost midday. You should go back to sleep."
"It's raining," said Iérti, enjoying the rain. He wanted to stay up and keep listening to the rain even though he had to stay inside.
Iérti reached out the open window, his face and body just out of daylight's view. Iérti sighed contently, relishing the sensation of raindrops falling on his hand. He closed his eyes, remembering the days he and his wife would relax in each other's arms while listening to the rain. What he would give just to have another day with his wife.
Mallen stood slightly confused, a little disoriented. After a moment's hesitation, he too reached his hand out in the open, daring to touch the rain. A few raindrops splattered on his hand. Mallen's hand was outstretched, straight across, while Iérti's was open palmed, as if receiving the rain. Mallen withdrew his own hand, studying the wet raindrops on it.
"Feels wonderful, doesn't it?" Iérti asked, almost blissfully.
"Yes, I suppose so," Mallen said cautiously, not sure whether he understood Iérti's love for rain. Mallen didn't like getting wet and sometimes thought it annoying, particularly when it was a heavy rain that slid its cold icy fingers down your jacket and froze you to the bone. Mallen didn't like being cold and liked to wear a long coat that went down to his knees. It hadn't been too cold lately, given it was spring.
Mallen never wore anything short sleeved; short sleeves were reminiscent of the time he was a servant, when he was human. He only wore long sleeves and was pleasantly happy Iérti seemed to share a similar clothing style. The only time Mallen had seen Iérti in short sleeves was once when he was a young man, and that was many years ago. Short sleeves were a reminder of Mallen's youth, of his servitude, of the time before he turned into a vampire.
Iérti seemed almost mesmerized by the rain. It was the calmest Mallen had ever seen him. For a moment, Mallen wondered whether it would be ok to leave Iérti unsupervised, then he relaxed, sure that Iérti wouldn't think to do anything drastic in such a peaceful state of mind.
"I'm going to get some sleep," Mallen told Iérti, feeling the need for it more than the strange want to stand near the window like Iérti and listen to the rain.
As a vampire, Mallen often appreciated nature, taking the time to sit out and enjoy it, but he hadn't really been interested in things like rain or snow. He didn't like things out of his control, things that fell from the sky and drenched or melted on him.
As Mallen headed for his room, it dawned on him that this was the first spring rain this year. There was something significant about it that Mallen tried to recall, something having to do with some sort of plant or greenery....
Garlic. The stench of it would be bogged down by the rain that covered the ground with its pleasant, earthy scent. Without the overwhelming garlic aroma lingering in the air like smoke, the vampires could cover more ground and certain radiuses they were previously kept from. But it wasn't the garlic farms Mallen was thinking of.
It was the fortresses.
Humans would have to rely more on silver, though wet garlic was still effective if touched upon a vampire. Now would be the perfect time to strike; the rain provided the prime opportunity to do so.
Mallen glanced back to where Iérti was admiring the rain. He looked like a painting, standing against the wall with his head leaning on the side of the window, out of view of the world outside. Iérti's hair was loose and shiny, neatly brushed. He wore red robes with long sleeves. His skin was pale, but even as a human, his skin was very fair. He was a good-looking man, the kindness on his face making him even more handsome.
Mallen's own physical appearance was stunning, very exquisite, the kind of looks women swooned over, but Mallen had a slightly vain look to him, contrasting Iérti's soft, gentle look.
He loved stylish clothing, often wearing things of good taste and fashion. Mallen was pleased that Iérti hadn't complained about the clothes he had given him and that he had thanked him. Mallen sought to make sure Iérti was well dressed, a rare behavior of Mallen that astonished even himself; Mallen never let anyone have his things, treating other vampires as though they were beneath him, yet he was willing to share everything with Iérti, giving him the best clothing and a comfortable room in his castle to stay in.
How does he seem to bring out the best in me? Mallen thought, looking at him curiously. And I seem to bring out the worst in him.
Mallen walked away, going over to one of his vampire subordinates. "Tavaly, I want to send out my army to the North fortress long after nightfall. By the looks of this weather, it will be raining for quite some time. You know what this means."
Tavaly, dressed in orange-red robes, his dark skin glistening like cocoa, looked up at Mallen, his vibrant yellow-hazel eyes lighting up with eagerness. He was a longtime soldier who had followed Mallen since the beginning when they first materialized on the planet.
"It means we finally lay siege to the fortresses," Tavaly said, excited for battle.
Battle neither the humans nor were aware of.
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