Water Four

            The sound of clashing swords echoed through the dark castle, the blood on one blade glisten in the candle light casting an eerie pale red glow on the room.  One was a tall man in a dark brown poncho holding a very long bladed sword.  He had long equally brown hair which was all you could see due to the shadow of his wide brimmed hat that hid his face.  The other was a youth in nobleman’s clothes and wielded a simple rapier to fight his opponent.

            They had been at it for a while now, exchanging blows and insults at each other trying to wear the other down.  The walls of the room were covered in fine paintings and had many suits of armor that lines the walls.  Although most of the armor had fallen apart when the youth landed on it and the paintings were now tainted with blood from their wounds.  Even with the amount of wounds each of them had obtained they continued on, it was a fight to the death.

            “I can’t believe that you, the most hated vampire hunter, have his blood flowing through your veins.  The blood of our master.” The youth shouted charging at the other.

            “Believe it, boy.” He said in a calm voice catching the boy in the shoulder with the blade.

            Damn you, half breed.  You will never be like us, you freak!”

            “At least I’m part human, you parasite.”

            “Parasite?” The boy yelled growing furious at this comment.  “HOW DARE YOU CALL US PARASITES?!”

            “Well, you are.”

            “We are not like those lowly filthy creatures.  We are the highest evolution of any being.” The boy said glowing with pride.  “We are perfect.”

            “Hardly.”

            The man renewed his attacks while the vampire boy did his best to fend them off already exhausted from a loss of blood.  Bringing his sword’s blade to chest level, he aimed at the heart and gave one last powerful thrust at the boy.  The vampire jumped over him to dodge the blade, but the man interrupted this and drove the blade into his back.  The boy shouted writhed in pain on the floor, blood oozing from the wounds and dripping from the corners of his mouth.

            “No one is perfect.” He said stabbing the boy again, this time getting the heart.

            “Very nice.” A voice said from above.

            “Who are you?” He asked when he found a man in a deep blue body suit sitting in the high window.

            “My name is Gleen.” He said jumping down. “So you’re the half breed son of the high vampire?  Dash is your name, right?”

            “What do you want?” Dash asked leveling his sword with Gleen’s chest.”

            “That won’t work against me, I’m not a vampire.  I’m not human either.” Gleen told him.  “I came to help you kill the vampires who cause the suffering of humans, I chose you because normal hunters are too weak and don’t live long enough to make much difference, even with my help.”

            “What help can you be, you have no weapon.”

            “My chain is all I need.” Gleen said extending it for him to examine.

            “I’ve heard of a hunter who wields a chain, you must be him.”

            “I arrived in this world a year ago and have been battling the vampires ever since.”

            “What do you mean arrived?”

            “I’m from another world.  The Triangle of Light guides me towards where my assistance is needed.  I believe I’m here to help you.”

            “You may follow if you can keep up.” Dash said leaving.

            Gleen followed him out to where a black stead was waiting for Dash, climbing on he took the reins.  He was about to go when Gleen jumped cross-legged onto the back of the horse facing the rear.  Since Dash made no protest Gleen stayed there while he rode off at a slow pace following the path before them.  They rode for days until out of the blue a young girl blocked their path, lashing out a whip then there were within range, but Dash just simply moved his head a little.

            “Nice move, so are you a hunter for hire?” The girl asked, but got no response.  “Can you speak?”

            Getting still no response she whips again, this time the end caught Dash’s neck showing some skill while he just sits there.  She tries to pull, but he doesn’t budge until the cord finally snaps and she stumbles backwards.  Then without warning a chain shot from behind Dash, striking the ground at the girl’s feet and causes her to fully fall over allowing them to pass.  When he rode by Gleen was revealed to her having been sitting hidden behind Dash’s larger body the whole time.

            “Wait!  You two are not common hunters.” She called after them, but Dash didn’t stop.  “You’re vampire hunters.”

            “Dash.” Gleen said opening his eyes causing Dash to stop.  “What is your name?”

            “Jan.”

            “What do you think?” Gleen asked Dash after he examined her to find she had been bitten already.

            “There is still time to save her.”

            “So you are hunters?”

            “Lead the way.” Dash told her.

            They rode on making it to her ranch just after sunrise, where a little boy was waiting up for her.  The boy, John, was Jan’s adopted little brother and they lived there alone since both their parents died by a vampire, John’s being hunters like them.  John was very talkative when he had someone to listen, which was quite the opposite of Dash, but Gleen answered a few of the many questions.  By the time John had that done Jan had another horse hooked up to the wagon so she could go into town and get some supplies for the extra guests.

            Gleen went with her and was glad he did as it turned out everyone there knew she had been contaminated by the vampire.  Everyone one was silent after they entered the shop, which was quickly emptied except for the keeper.  Now that the news of Jan being bitten was known, everyone was avoiding her as is she herself was already a vampire.  They offered no sympathy or help for someone in trouble, they only abandoned them to worry more about themselves.

            “Afternoon.” Jan called to the keeper.  “I’ll be having a month of the usual.”

            “You can’t have anything.” The keeper told her.  “If I sell to a vampire, no one will buy from me again.”

            “I beg your pardon.” Gleen said shooting his chain at him, just missing his neck.  “If you won’t sell it to her, then sell it to me or I’ll hang you on the wall by your neck.”

            Given a little fear the keeper quickly sold him the supplies she needed and they were on their way back to the ranch.  If they failed this would be the last time they be seeing that town and knew what would happen to Jan.  While Gleen helped carry in the supplies, Dash was looking the perimeter over to locate any weak points.  The only apparent one that need to be guarded was front gate where Gleen meet up with Dash, the rest had been fortified against vampires for a while now.

            “What do you think?”

            “I doubt he’ll come himself.”

            “He’ll be testing us to see if we’re worth his time.  I can feel his power, he is an old one, possibly one of the first.”

            “This will be difficult.”

            “Just remember you’re not fighting alone anymore.  You’re going to have to learn to trust in others when the fight begins.”

            “If others fight many will lose their lives.”

            “Everyone dies, even we will one day.  It’s an unavoidable fact that no one can escape, we can only decide what to do with the time we have left.” He said then noticed Jan by the window.  “You should ask her what she knows of the vampire, it may be useful when it’s time to fight him.”

            While Dash went inside Gleen pulled his guitar around and began to play a slow tune while his mind wandered back to his home world.  Traveling to a new world made him wondered if that was truly his home, or was he looking for home?  Another question that came around was, who had his parents been, it is true that Triangle Guardians are trained from birth and never know their family.  Yet the questions still continued to rise in his head and he couldn’t help but to wonder if they even from that world?

            He sensed them coming, as did Dash, not the vampire they were after but two others that had come from the castle.  One was a young vampire girl, possibly an offspring of the vampire, while the other was a monster in the shape of a man.  Dash stepped forward to meet the man while Gleen remained on the fence watching the fight.  It was obvious Dash was stronger and the girl must have seen this too, stepping forward Gleen blocked her path when she tried to join.

            “You’ll face me if you wish to fight.” Gleen told her.

            “Then take this.” She said throwing a type of energy needles at him, but he reflected them away by spinning his chain and they exploded when they hit the ground.

            “Be careful.” Her companion suggested when one of the blades flew at him.

            Before she could form any more of the blades Gleen rushed forward and pinned her arms behind her back with one hand while the other rested on her shoulder.  Holding her there the two of them watched the rest of the match play itself to the end, where Dash won.  Yet instead of killing them Dash sent them back to the vampire with a message of warning.  They had made the first move and had failed soon it would be their turn and they would attacked the castle.

            When dawn came it was finally their turn making their way to the castle and made their own way in.  The castle was filled with monsters of every type, working for the vampire and standing in their way.  They however didn’t manage to get too far hitting a well-placed trap and were now falling into what seemed an endless pit.  When they eventually did hit the bottom, they hit it hard and it took them a little bit to recover.

            “Well, isn’t this scenic?” Gleen asked looking around at the hundreds of skeletons that littered the cavern.  “How many hunters have gone after this one?”

            They continued down the cavern until they came to an immense lake in their way, they walked through it only a bit before they heard the siren-like music.  Just ahead of them women with hair much longer than their own bodies rose from the water.  Each sang continuing the music while they slowly came their way while the two stood waiting for whatever came.  Long hair suddenly entangled and lifted the both of them from the water, catching them off guard by the attack.  The women also rose up and hovered around them as Gleen could feel them begin to pull his energy through the hair that entangled them.  They were doing the same to Dash, drawing from them slowly to savor the energy and make it last as long as possible, obviously having not had victims for a while.

            While they were being held there Gleen became worried that he now sensed Jan within the castle.  That sense was soon overpowered by the one near him, Dash’s body began to glow and his true vampire power was revealed.  A single blast was all it took to turn the all women to ash and free them as they now ran through the castle after finding the way back up.  They slammed through the door of the bedchamber to find Jan on the bed in a deep sleep and the vampire girl holding a glowing needle ready to kill her.  Gleen charged forward pinning her arms with her back again, while Dash grabbed Jan and ran.

            “Why do you linger here, they will find you soon.” The girl told him.

            “I’m only giving Dash a head start.  What is your name?”

            “Sycuya.”

            “Well Sycuya, I’ve given Dash long enough to leave the castle.  Until we meet again.” He said waving.

            “Wait!  What are you?”

            “Something you’ve never seen before, or will again when I’m gone.”

            With that he shot from the castle in a blur of light that was gone in the brink of an eye to anyone who saw him.  When he reached Jan was still asleep in the house with John looking after her and Dash was working outside.  Gleen help Dash get ready for their next defensive and was soon joined by John after he was done with Jan revealing all his parents had taught him.  While he worked Gleen suddenly sensed the vampire’s monster from before, but he wasn’t after Jan, he was heading for John.  Dropping what he was working on he ran in that direction only to find a note pinned to the fence.

            “It’s for you.” Gleen said handing the note to Dash once they caught up to him.  “It’s from your dance partner from the night before.”

            “What’s it say?” Jan asked him.

            “He’ll hold John until Dash comes to face him.” Gleen told her, then turned to Dash.  “Go, I’ll stay here with her.”

            Dash immediately mounted his horse and shot off in the direction the monster was waiting for him.  Gleen assured Jan that everything would be alright and that John would be back before the soon setting sun was fully down.  Not long after he left the blacksmith, an old family friend, came with good news for Jan, he had found a holy mark in an abandoned church near the town.  Jan was of course overjoyed to hear there was a place where she would be truly safe and decided that they should go.

            “Let’s go then.” Gleen told them.

            “Won’t you need to stay and tell your friend where we are?” The blacksmith asked him.

            “It’s alright, I’ll be fine.”

            “We’ll be joining you soon.” Gleen said before they rode off.

            He didn’t have to wait long for Dash to return with John, strangely enough John had no idea what the blacksmith was talking about, and there were no churches outside the town.  Taking a short cut John knew about they got ahead of them and went after them head on at the narrow pass.  When they caught up with it the cart was not moving, a figure was holding a strange device that seemed to effect those of vampire blood.  Shooting his chain he knocked the person off the ledge before the light began to effect Dash.  They found Sycuya in the cart still paralyzed, beside the knocked out Jan and blacksmith, realizing why whoever it was had used the device.  Picking her up Gleen jumped off the cart and began walking towards the castle, she began to wake half way there.

            “Where are you taking me?” She asked when she realized she was being carried.

            “Back to the castle.”

            “You’re letting me go?”

            “You’ve brought no real harm to Jan, there is no reason to fight you as long as you do not.” He told her.  “You appeared to be trying to help Jan by taking her away from town.  I don’t approve of placing the blacksmith under your control, but no harm came to him.”

            “What are you?  I’ve never smelt blood like yours before.”

            “I’m from another world, I came to help those in need.” He said letting her down, then offered her his right arm.  “You need to regain your strength, that device drained you.”

            Hesitantly she sank her fangs into his arm drinking deep into the strange new blood being offered to her willingly.  His other arm embraced her as they stood there until she was able to stand on her own.  Sycuya lingered there a moment and watched him go with a unreadable face before returning to the castle.  When he reached the ranch he sensed nothing and in the middle of everything he found Dash with a stake through his heart.

            Pulling out the stake he found Dash had a bit of life left in him as he used the Soul Blast to transfer a large amount of energy over to him.  Dash was revived and healed as Gleen fell over next to Dash exhausted from using that much energy.  It turned out the monster had been waiting for him with the device they had knocked off the cliff.  Why Dash didn’t finish him in the last fight Gleen couldn’t figure out and didn’t ask while they hurried toward the castle.  When they drew near the castle was open and Sycuya was standing by the door, Gleen only nodded as they ran deeper into the castle.

            In the ceremonial chamber the vampire was about to make his final claim on Jan when the chain shot through the vampire’s chest and pushed his back a few feet.  Grabbing the chain the vampire swung Gleen straight into a wall that he crashed though as debris flew everywhere.  Gleen returned the pull by ripping the chain from the vampire while still in the wall, throwing him off balance for Dash’s attack.  The sword swung forward, but it bounced off the vampire’s erected barrier field with no effect, Gleen tried the chain again only to have the same happen.  Smiling the vampire used his power to throw them back smashing through opposite walls.  Walking from the wall with all his strength Gleen was surrounded by a blue aura, to the vampire’s amusement, watching to see what would happen.

            “Soul Blast!” Gleen yelled firing an enormous blast of energy at the shocked vampire.  “Dash finish it!”

            Exploding from the wall Dash charged at him, sword ready and before the vampire could react the long blade pieced his heart.  Blood sprayed from the hole in his chest and from his back where the blade protruded, the vampire gave one final yell before falling over.  Strangely enough Sycuya chose to remain at the castle once all the monsters were gone, to live out her life in peace with the humans.  While they rode off into the night after placing Jan next to the sleeping form of John, disappearing like wind, a dark wind to those who would harm the innocent.