Freedom

Ambrose had been wandering for what felt like an eternity. The sky had remained pitch black, lightless and unchanging for what had felt like years, or perhaps it was only a few weeks or even days, his perception of time was beyond warped by this point. The dry winds blew across the hot red desert sands. Though there was no sun in the sky there was still light around him and objects cast shadows in all directions, the ground being cluttered with collections of odd and oblong shadows cast by every object around him. The brightness around never  changed from what felt like a mid day/high noon but as he looked up no matter when or from what angle there wasn't a sun, cloud or color to be seen only a black endless void. All around him now the harsh windstorms kept generating sporadic hot sandstorms that would last hours and then disappear, or perhaps it was only minutes? He couldn't tell anymore. What Ambrose did know for a fact is that he was headed in the right direction. The blood compass had, in fact, worked and pointed him right to his prize, the demon he wanted nothing more than to obliterate from the face of existence. Ambrose knew that at the very least he'd wandered now for a week following his entrance to the desert of lost souls. He knew the device was used by demon hunters and exorcists to track down the possessed or demons who'd fully manifested in the flesh on the mortal plane. He was determined yes, so determined and hungry to destroy this creature, but right now he was running on empty and at risk of shutting down, or worse. As a vampire Ambrose was stronger, faster, more agile and more durable than any human could ever hope to be, but even he had his limits. Food brought him no relief, water was no where to be seen and his blood hunger was close to driving him completely mad. His head hammered away with a skull splitting migraine, his calves cramped, his lips cracked and scabbed and his vision was hazy and red hued but still he pushed forward hell bent of finding his quarry.

Ambrose hadn't always been like this, a vampire. He wasn't always a monster. In fact it was his ascension or rather decent to vampirism and its circumstances that drove him ever onward as it did. Ambrose had once been a proud soldier, a warrior of God and of his nation, and like all great soldiers he'd developed his craft over years of training, discipline and sacrifice. He was a very pious soldier who possessed nearly superhuman will and had many times beaten back foreign army's of humans and creatures of the night that sought to terrorize his people. He was what one might consider a model disciple of God. This, however, only served to make him the target of many enemies, most notably attacks on his mind by demonic influences. Long did demons of rage, gluttony, lust, pride and more come to torture his consciousness day and night but he was able to resist for years. But he was only mortal and because of this he was not infallible. One day 30 years ago he was visited in a dream by a beautiful woman, one with a body and face as though they'd been sculpted by master craft artists. She came to Ambrose and began to visit him in his dreams talking to him, bringing him gifts, comforting him and spending time with him. Over the course of several months Ambrose became somewhat careless and detached from reality, preferring to spend more time sleeping in his dreams with this perfect woman. Eventually he began to hear her speak to him, her voice calming and sweet like honey, asking him questions "would you like if I could visit you just once?", "what would you do to be with me?", "do your friends and family know about us?", "do you love me?". Ambrose was in love with her. He was wrapped around her every question, determined to feel as though he was appearing stoic and upright and would always give an eloquent answer that simply helped to hide his desires behind big words. One day during training Ambrose noticed he wasn't as agile as he used to be and his strikes weren't landing as true as they normally did. He was concerned but none the less went on training. That night the maiden in his dreams asked him "dear Ambrose my love, what ever is the matter?" He replied "oh my love, I'm not sure if I'm being completely honest. I feel as though my edge is slipping and I may have difficulty upholding my oath. I must devote more of my time to training, I can't be spending so much time in this mind of mine with you." The maiden embraced him, kissed his cheek and looked him in the eyes "oh dear Ambrose, if that is what you must do then so be it but I ask you leave out a candle for me each night. One lit so that I may come to you and give you a warm embrace as you sleep and fill you with love and energy." Ambrose was confused "how can you do such a thing? You are a dream of mine you are no real person. Have you withheld from me the truth of you until now? Speak and be honest with me what are you truly?" The maiden blushed and turned her gaze down to the side then looked back up at Ambrose and spoke "oh dear Ambrose I was afraid to tell you the truth, I was afraid you would hate me. I am a lost spirit of an innocent maiden who was taken wrongly by murdered before my time. I have wandered this hollow house for many years now and none have been such a ray of light to me as you have. I would like to thank you, dear Ambrose, for bringing such light into this hollow existence of mine. If you could leave a candle lit for me at the foot of your bed on a table then I could come to you physically and embrace you as you sleep and bring you strength." Ambrose was perturbed "Maiden if you were murdered then should you not be with the Lord? Tell me then why do you still walk this plane as a spirit?" Ambrose inquired. The maiden sniffled and spoke "I died with unrepented sins on my soul, long did I desire to be released of them, but I was taken  before I could and so I now wander in purgatory and that is how I come to you." She said plainly. Ambrose loved her, she hadn't given him any reason to distrust her as of yet and had been there with him and for him in his dreams for comfort many days and nights before this one. He said "very well, I shall light a candle for you this next night and for all nights after this, but should you ask for things that are debauched I shall deny you and turn from you." The maiden smiled and spoke "I would never think of such a thing, you'd see right though me if I did.". Ambrose obliged the maidens spirit and did leave a candle for her on a table in his room. As he awoke the next morning he felt a warmth in his flesh as he had not once felt before, a virtual fire in his belly and his body seemed to vibrate with energy. He took to his training with a vigor and eagerness as he hadn't done before. He became obsessive in his endeavor to become as great as he had once been, no, even better then that. He sparred his fellow soldiers day in and day out between conditioning sessions, challenged them to shooting competitions and even live fire shoot house runs for time. All the while lighting the candle for his maiden who seemed to every night give him energy and strength each day greater then the last. Over time Ambrose did eventually surpass his previous limits become nearly super human in strength, agility, reflexes and shooting and marshal tactical ability. He had done this of his own volition he thought to himself. None had helped him get here, it was HIS hard work and Blood, Sweat and Tears that brought him this achievements nothing more. He needed no such help to reach these heights and he should rightly be proud of his accomplishments. One night in his dreams he was once again visited by the maiden who bid him well "Dear Ambrose, you've become a pinnacle of human perseverance and hard work, look how much you've grown and achieved" Ambrose blushed saying "well I must say you've helped me sleep sounder and become more refreshed after each rest, surely this is a gift from God for giving you the aid your pained soul has sought." "Oh Ambrose it is,you have been rewarded by him for your aid of me. If I may be so bold I would like to request another favor of you?" Ambrose smiled saying "and what would that be dear maiden?" "If you would be able to leave me some food as a gift each night near the candle, I would be able to replenish and smooth my aching spirit and I can spend more time soothing and strengthening your earthly body." The maiden said with a smile. Ambrose paused as he was concerned this may be taking things a bit far, leaving food and gifts for spirits. But he then thought of the gifts he'd been granted for aiding this lost soul in the little way he had with the candle he already left out every night, surely this would be no different. Besides that, this maidens had brought him peace of mind and soothed his aching soul many times over the past 3 years. She'd given him no reason to distrust her. Ambrose asked her "what would you have me leave for you dear maiden? I presume for a spirit simple bread will not suffice." She chuckled saying "just a simple piece of meat, a fresh piece of beef or leg of chicken will do." Ambrose shook his head saying "then I shall leave this for you next to the candle each night. I do hope that this will help sooth your lost wandering soul a little more each day." The maiden smiled saying "I can assure you it will my love more then you know. Thank you so much I have felt more loved and remembered now then any time in the past I can remember." So Ambrose went about procuring a small ounce or 2 of beef or a chicken leg each night and left it next to the candle he already left out. As time went on each morning Ambrose would awake he felt larger, stronger, more confident then any of the mornings prior. Every day at training he could see his improvements as well as the widening ability gap between him and his comrades. He was simply beyond them now, it was so obvious, they had to know this. His hard work had paid off and now, he was just better then them. Ambrose wouldn't tolerate any slight to him from them now, not ones so unskilled as them. Any who jested with him or mocked him would find themselves in a combat arena and pinned to the ground, knocked unconscious or choked into submission. He became more aggressive in his war campaigns. Where once he had been calm and discerning he was now brash, aggressive and out right blood thirsty, all the while holding high the banner he claimed loyalty to, the God he swore he loved more then anything. Once again he was visited in his dreams by the Maiden in his dreams "Oh dear Ambrose look at the glorious heights you've risen to. All the things you've accomplished, surely you bring great pride and glory to that which you serve." Ambrose smiled, she was right, for he knew that only he could have done these things and no one else. Who else could have lead so many campaigns in such a short time and with tactical and military might and come out victorious even in the most desperate of circumstances. He was the one who did it because he was the only one who could. He spoke "I do these things because I am the one who can, who else could continue through these challenging times as I have, for my ability alone is what leads our forces to victory. Without I they would not have near the success that they do. The maiden smiled saying "I would like to ask a favor of you oh great Ambrose" he smiled hearing himself referred to as such saying "of course what would that be?" The maiden spoke saying "my mortal soul still pains for the longing warmth of human life or heavenly light. Great Ambrose would you be so kind as to bring me but a bit of this warmth?" Ambrose became confused "and how would I go about doing such a thing, sharing this my warmth of life with the dead?" He asked. The maiden said "a drop of blood each night in the candle wax before you sleep and your life warmth willingly given will alleviate my suffering. Will you do this for my poor wretched lost soul?"Ambrose smiled and declared "dear maiden I will share with you this warmth and shall, through me, bring to you God's living warmth, grace and mercy." The maiden smiled saying "Oh thank you Ambrose, my love, you do my spirit a great service his day." She said to him as she kissed him as he dreamt. So Ambrose did, he went and each night pricked his finger and placed a single drop of blood in the melted candle wax along side the meat offering he left for the spirit of the maiden. As time went on Ambrose continued to rise in ability and knowledge. Nothing now seemed out of grasp, how could it be? He was the greatest mind and warrior his nation had ever known. But he had become bored with these very human things he became distant and despondent and though he now had everything he'd ever wanted and worked for only the warmth and embrace of the maiden as he awoke each morning seemed to fill him with life, as Everything else around him seemed to be hollow and meaningless. One day a thought crossed Ambrose's mind "what if I could give her a body again? Surely this would not be wrong. She was murdered, taken before her time. If I can bring her here perhaps my heart and mind will be content!" He said to himself in hushed excitement as he hoped to see her again soon in his dreams. Not long after this she did again visit him in his dreams but she appeared so much more life like now so much more...real. He was taken aback but pleased as he inquired of her asking "dear maiden you are the only one, no, the only thing that brings me vigor of life anymore. How can I go about bringing you back to this world? As you were taken before your time and deserve a life to live." The maiden blushed saying "oh dear Ambrose I am so touched that you would do something such as this for me, but this price would be great are you sure you would be comfortable doing this for me?" He nodded and said "for you I would give anything for you are the one that brings me true happiness." He told her plainly. She smiled saying "very well you must give a part of yourself as a payment for my return in flesh and blood to this world. Your left ring finger will need to be given along with your blood from it" she said. He nodded his head and said "for you I will sacrifice my love." And they both embraced as Ambrose awoke that morning eager to prepare for the night ahead. He couldn't stop thinking of it, the woman of his dreams made manifest, he would do anything for her. As night fell he prepared himself. He went and did as he was instructed to do and severed his left ring finger and placed it at the base of the candle and drained his blood into the candle wax. He cauterized the wound by heating the flat edge of his knife with the flame and searing his flesh shut. He took a medicine to numb the pain in his hand and eventually fell asleep. As he did he was greeted by the maiden. She was completely naked with her beautiful body on full display. She approached Ambrose, kissed him passionately and spoke "take me, you need to consummate my return to the living world for me to come to you." Ambrose wasted no time. Long we're they both enraptured in the throws of passion with one another making love for what seemed like hours. Ambrose's head was in a fog he was half delirious when he heard the maiden speak to him "do you love me?" "Yes" he spoke without hesitation. "Would you give anything for me?" Once again he replied "yes" without hesitation. "Would you do anything for me?" She asked again her voice even sweeter and more entrancing then then last time. Again he replied "yes". Then she spoke once more "do you love me more then God?" And without even thinking, Ambrose replied, "yes". With that the maiden spoke again, but this time in a voice far more sinister then the previous times. With that she said "perfect" and before Ambrose could even contemplate what he'd just said he felt a searing pain in his chest and a thunder clap headache like none he'd ever felt before encircled his body.