It was probably somewhere around what humans call noon. The sun was blindingly high in the sky – not the best thing for vampires like me. No, we don’t burn up in the sun, we just get weak. Well, I suppose we could die from the sun if we stayed out in it too long, but that’s only because it would drain our strength to the point where we couldn’t move and then our organs would shut down and all that jazz.
So that’s why I wrapped Arrakis and I in my wings, trying to block as much sun as I could. We walked as fast as we could out to the center of the courtyard, staying as much in the statue’s shadow as we could.
“So what exactly am I looking for?” I asked Arrakis, walking in circles around the statue trying to find something out of place.
“The book said something about returned the amulet to its rightful owner, and that only another Sera would be able to open the tomb.” Arrakis clarified, also shuffling around at the base of the sculpture.
We’d circled it probably a thousand times before it hit me. “What if we’re supposed to put it back on him?” Arrakis grinned and I jumped up, spreading my wings and flying.
I thought I was going to die of laughter when I realized that the amulet around Kain’s neck was not pushed out, but it was an indent perfectly sized for the dragon around my throat.
“Found it!” I called down to Arrakis, landing on the statue’s shoulder. Reaching down, I took off my amulet and pushed it into the impression. Nothing happened. I inspected the area around the amulet, finding out that his mouth was hollow and that there was a handprint-shaped imprint in his breastplate.
“Arrakis!” I called down, “his mouth is hollow and there’s a handprint impression on his armor! What do you think?”
Arrakis thought for a second. “Kain was the first vampire. Put some of your blood in his mouth, then put your hand in the indent.”
I nodded and slashed my nail across my forearm. When the blood started flowing I put my wound to the statue’s mouth. Gradually, the mouth filled with ruby and then drained down into the seemingly hollow statue.
As it kept flowing, I reached down and put my free hand on the indent. Click. The handprint pushed in and the amulet glowed. Rumbling shook the courtyard and I fell backward off the sculpture. Spreading my wings, I softened my landing. Arrakis ran over to me and we watched as the stones around the statue fell into the earth, forming a descending staircase.
“Down we go?” Arrakis suggested as the shaking stopped. I nodded and flew up to the statue, retrieving my amulet before bolting down the staircase.
It was dark – mega, super-duper dark. In my head, I started wishing for some light, then suddenly a blood red flame began floating over my left shoulder.
This darkness is your puppet; use it as you see fit. But I am your loyal knight. I act of my own accord to protect you. The words echoed through my head as I remembered what the voice had told me during my trials.
“Nice job on the light, Raven,” Arrakis congratulated. I shrugged off the foreboding feeling inside of me.
Something definitely felt wrong and I couldn’t ignore it. I held my arm out and stared at the ground. We almost walked straight off a cliff.
