Only Human

Chapter 5 - Sentry Entry

The question 'Who is The Council?' was no longer a question by the time a span of ten minutes or so had passed.

Within the said time, Drac and Mavis had explained to their spouses all there was to know about the ancient group of vampires, their strict practices, and how they oversaw all matters that came up not only in the vampire world, but in the affairs of monsters overall. As Grand Vamp, a title Drac had been bestowed years and years prior, he himself had dealt with the board members and had a significant hand in contributing to their operations.

"But that was years ago," Drac said. "Once I had Mavy and the hotel, and everything else that happened after that, we rarely kept in touch. There was only that time, around when Mavis was 114 or 115, when I was called in. But after that..." He put his hands up, making a zero shape and swiping it across the air.

"Yeah, but that's about to change reeaal soon," Johnny said. He had been at the wheel with Ericka, helping to maneuver the blimp. "How much further along is it, Drac?"

Dracula paced over to the gondola window and looked outside. They were deep into the tall, rocky mountains of the Transylvanian Carpathians, the landscape having looked the same for some time now. But, despite his last visit having been over a decade ago, Drac could still very well remember where he was at. And Johnny had been right. It wouldn't be long now before they approached The Council's headquarters.

"Just keep going straight," he said, scanning the area below. "We are getting closer."

With Dracula keeping tabs on the navigation, the blimp continued trudging along in the sky for several minutes more, until the vampire-turned-human raised his hand in the air.

"Wait," he said, looking below. It was a little harder to see without his vampire vision enhancing the view, but even so he could still tell that they were where they had to be. He nodded to his daughter. "This is it. We still have a little ways to go to actually reach the entrance, but it would have to be on foot." He turned and began pointing out. "Mavis, Johnny, Ericka, you come with me. The rest of you, stay in here. We shouldn't be too long."

With Mavis flying each of the humans down to the ground in her bat form, she, Johnny, Ericka, and Drac were soon off, covering the rest of the path. They trekked along down a dark, windy trail that continued to dip lower and lower into a steep ravine. Then, the path hit a dead end. Confused looks were sent Drac's way, but he didn't fret. He guided them along down an even darker hill, the rock faces that jutted up around them creating ominous shadows in the moonlight that took on various shapes and sizes. Then, at the bottom of the hill, a staircase of stone appeared before their eyes, and the group walked down.

As it turned out, this particular staircase ended at a hole. It wasn't small, but it wasn't too big either. It seemed just large enough to fit a person at a time if they were to crawl through. Which is exactly what they resorted to doing. Getting on his hands and knees, Drac bent down and began to shuffle his way inside, not unlike the manner in which he did when first entering the Crystal Cave back in the Amazon. Ericka went in next, followed by Mavis and then Johnny. This confined tunnel led them into another hole. This one, thankfully, was a bit wider than the last, but was also occupied. And the mice and moles who had burrowed into the earthen walls did not appreciate the disturbance of the four figures clambering through their home and disturbing the peace. They squeaked in defiance, hissing at the newcomers, and some of the more daring ones running forward and attempting to nip at them. But Mavis was able to shoo them away, giving the pesky rodents a throaty vampire roar that immediately frightened the little creatures and got them scurrying away. But all was not done just yet. When the group reached the tunnel's end and exited, they were met with the sight of a steep cliff.