Two Worlds: Clash of the Guardians (Completed)

XII - A Loyal Vampist - Part I

Elli

October 4, in the year of 8845, Reminis Calendar (RC)

Red lights, like a pair of a demon's eyes, shone from between the copses of trees. 

A sharp prickle of alarm ran up Elli's spine. "Did you see that? Something is watching us." 

The lights flickered off the instant she spoke.

"I didn't see anything," replied Marko nonchalantly.

"Weirdness, weirdness..." Rooney chanted, amidst stroking his red ironed hair.

Feeling unsure, Elli woke Dorris up. She had begun to trust the jukebox after what they had been through, though she still didn't approve of Dorris' attitude.

"How may I be of assistance, Lady Elli?" Dorris asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Dorris, do you feel any different frequencies nearby? I swear I saw something moving in the bushes."

The sallow witch in the screen frowned and closed her eyes. A tut-tut sound came from the speaker before she spoke, "Hmm, no, I didn't feel or hear anything, except your heavy breathing that's disturbing the tranquility of the night."

The witch jerked its tongue out at Elli, and the screen went black. Elli clenched her teeth, restraining her urge to strangle the jukebox. Marko laughed and brought out his reed pipe. He blew some woodland hymns, and Rooney hummed along with the lyrics. It was called The Fallen Angel. The tune, solemn and low, reminded Elli of the song her mother always sang to her. Fetching out her family photo, she caressed the smiling faces and thought about the dream she had yesterday.

She never had any memories about the incident happened during her tenth birthday. Her mother mentioned Halford's name in a way as if he was a stranger, instead of her father. Why? Was the dream a sign of what's going to happen? Was Halford really my father? I had lost a lot of blood during a sword practice and he wasn't able to donate his blood to me. Our blood types didn't match. Elli shook her head to clear away her confusion. 

She opened her eyes and closed them again.

A smiling man with long caramel hair flashed in her mind, a man she remembered fairly, a man whom she had never seen again after naming her. She only knew him as her mother once showed his photo to her. Though she couldn't recall him, the thought of him soothed her fatigue.

Who is he? Ahh, must be a godfather.

She began to assemble the missing puzzle pieces when Dorris suddenly exclaimed, "Elli, the footsteps, and the laughter. Oh no, they are coming, they are coming. Run!"

Dorris' voice trailed away, followed by a familiar raucous laughter. Elli, Marko, and Rooney seized their weapons, when Vadiraj appeared in front of them. He didn't come from the bushes; he had literally risen from the ground. Flanking his sides were a dozen of Vampists. Six of them were each holding an unconscious Black-Born wizard, where the necks of the wizards were pierced by the Vampists' staffs. The staffs, crafted by rubies, shone under the moonbeam.

"Good evening, my lovely bride. I've just returned from my hunt and I thought of you. I missed you so much so I come to visit." Vadiraj took two steps forward.

The bones on his cloak brushed against the mushy ground, creating an eerie sound. Stretching out his hand, he pointed to Elli, who was crouching at the brink of the cliff, readied for a fight.

"My lovely bride, I could've brought you to my home sweet home now, but I'm eager to know how you can open the Gate of Hell without dying. So, I will be waiting for you there." Vadiraj laughed while stroking his goatee. His laughter was still reverberating in the air before he turned to Marko. "I have a midnight treat for you, wizard. You spoiled my wedding night, and now I shall punish your kin to reciprocate your deed. Watch this."