The Trial

Chapter 16

As my eyes quickly adjusted, my other senses picked up the smell of blood, sweat, and death. the smell was so thick in the air that it felt like it was going to suficate me. the sound of screaming and fighting came from all around. I could feel the chill in the air and feel the movement of people very close by. 

it only took me a few seconds to get my eyes to adjust to the near pitch black darkness all around me, but, as soon as they did, I shot to my feet and started moving toward the princess. the last guard protecting her was about to fall. it was now or never. i had to get her away from the car and the house and moving toward the gate. 

as the guard raised his arm to block the vampire coming straight at him, I ran straight toward the princess. the other vampire was going to attack her, but the guard would stop him. unfortunately, he would loose his life in that moment. 

reflexivly, I stepped in front of the princess and took the hit that was intended for her, but I twisted my body and pulled the vampire to my left, away the guard and the princess. his momentum did the rest. as his body stumbled past mine, he tried to recover, but I quickly pulled my blade from my back and thrust it into the back of his neck. his body went limp and fell to the ground. 

the guard had spun around to save the princess, but I had already done it. he looked surprised and confused, but I couldn't explain anything there was no time. many more were coming, and we both knew it. 

as he opened his mouth to say something, three more vampires came out of the darkness around the rear of the car. I knew they coming, but I also knew I didn't have time to fight them. "watch your back." I said in a rush, and he spun around. I knew another guard was coming out of the house, but I also knew the two guards and three vampires wouldn't live. this was it. 

as I spun around, I quickly grabbed the princess by the shoulders and pointed her toward the gate. "run!" I said in a rush, giving her no choice and pulling her along with me.

as soon as we were close to the spot where the beast would confront us, a loud roar ripped through the darkness, and I stopped and whipped around to the princess. "no matter what happens. I need you to stay right here. don't make a sound. stand your ground. if you run, he will chase you, and I won't be able to stop him." I said in a rush. she looked confused for a moment, so I quickly added "the beast is here, but I can stop him, if you do as I say." she looked terrified but nodded. "no matter what, don't move from this spot, unless I tell you otherwise. your life depends on it. all our lives do."

"okay." she breathed in a ragged voice, nodding.

I turned around to see the beast coming through the gate. he was incredibly fast; faster than I calculated from the recordings even. I gave her a quick glance to make sure she wasnt going to move, before I ran straight at him. 

every time he would try to veer around me, I moved in his way. after the third time, he quite avoiding me and came right at me, which is what I needed him to do. I raised my blade and came to an abrupt stop. "I don't want to fight you!" I called, which made him let out a dark, sinister laugh.

"you can try, human." he snarled as he stopped about ten feet from me, glaring at me with those pure black eyes. 

I stood tall and took no fighting stance. holding the small blade in both my palms with them face up, I gently said "this moment will define all our futures; vampire, hunter, and human alike. all of us. what you came here to do will put all of us on the brink of extinction." his eyes narrowed, and his head tilted to the side. he was listening to my calm heart and breathing. 

"no one knows the future." he hissed.

"I know what the future holds. the vampires are left to feed from each other to survive. the last of the humans and hunters live here in the light. you are all left to rip each other apart to stay strong enough for the next dark days in this small place. all our kinds are dying out."