Chapter Twenty Four

 

Bethany woke up, rubbing her head and moaning to herself from the faint pain that lingered in the back of her skull. The Mokona’s were still asleep so she let herself out of bed. She bathed herself in and got into her attire. As she looked out her window, she spotted Soul and Rylie walking towards the castle, having the largest salmon on their shoulders she ever seen.

            “Ah, young love.”  Bethany said, yawning widely. The Mokona’s groaned in their sleep. Bethany turned back to them, soon covering them in the blanket due to the cold weather. Pulling up her boots, she let herself out and started going down the stairs.

            “Bethany, Bethany!” a voice called making Bethany turn only to come face with face with Kamui. Bethany stopped, Kamui there in a flash.

            “What is it?” Bethany asked.

            “Subaru and I would like to speak with you.” Kamui replied.

            “Oh okay.” Bethany said, hands on her hips.

            “Alone.” Kamui emphasized. Bethany looked at him skeptically and followed him to his bed room. The room was dark, but with a snap of his fingers the candles blazed a fiery glow and brightened the room. Subaru was in his coffin reading a book till he heard the door close.

            “Ah, thank you Kamui.” Subaru said. “Welcome to our room Bethany.”

            “Okay what do you want?” Bethany instantly said, already knowing there was a catch. Subaru only chuckled and replied “Oh we just need to talk.”

Bethany eyed him but seated herself down, Kamui offering a plate of doughnuts. She refused and Subaru continued “We’ve noticed a few things about you Bethany.”

            “I am quite noticeable.” Bethany said.

            “This goes back to the…incident.” Subaru said, ignoring her comment. “When Kamui bit you, you remained normal even though the vampire venom is coursing through your veins. Also, the chest has revived.”

            “Chest?” Bethany asked, then remembering the chest filled with dragon blood. “Oh that chest.”

            “As you’re already aware, this chest is filled with veils of dragon blood.” Kamui said, bringing the velvet chest towards them. “The dragon blood helps us withstand the heat that is the sun.”

Bethany then remembered the burn marks and bags under Subaru’s eyes when he was punished; his father had probably confiscated the veils. Subaru saw Bethany’s guilt and replied “It’s alright; we had no right bite you.”

            “Continuing on.” Kamui intercepted. “The chest pricked your finger, but that doesn’t normally happen for humans.”

            “What’re you implying?” Bethany asked.

Kamui and Subaru looked at each other, Subaru soon nodding and motioning Kamui to dig through the chest.

            “For years Bethany, we have been searching for the Vampire Queen.” Subaru explained. “It’s every vampires dream to at least lay eyes on her but she was said to have been staked by the Dragon Queen, both bitter rivals.”

            “Go on.” Bethany said one leg over the other and crossing her arms like she was doing business.

            “The Vampire and Dragon Queen never got along, always arguing or killing the others kind.” Subaru said. “To end their quarrels, they broke out in war. The Dragon Queen won, stabbing our precious queen to death, tearing out her heart and ate it.”

Bethany cringed but Subaru continued “The Vampire Queens body was never found. But many of our kind believed she still lives.”

            “Her heart was gorged out of her chest!” Bethany said. “Not even an immortal can live through that!!”

            “That’s the catch of this world.” Kamui said. “On your planet, wherever you’re from, spirits only go to hell or heaven. But here we have reincarnations.”           

            “There is no hell or heaven here.” Subaru said.

Bethany let her eyebrow raise, Kamui fishing through the chest. He then pulled out the mirror Bethany had found. Kamui held it before Bethany and said “Look into it and tell us what you see.”

Bethany peered into it, soon the image changed. She found herself staring at school, the handwork room filled with bustling children knitting or crocheting animals, sewing bags or gloves. Pictures of herself, Rylie and the others were all over. Their art teacher, Mrs. Khalsa, was helping one of the younger children.

            “That’s my world…” Bethany said, taking the mirror and looking.

            “This mirror shows what you desire.” Subaru said. “Apparently, you’re homesick.”

Bethany giggled quietly to herself before handing the mirror back and saying “To be honest, I’ve been thinking I’m Vampire queen too.”

            “How so?” Kamui asked.

            “Well, I have found it weird how I was completely unfazed by the bite and I’ve been making voodoo dolls lately, also I’ve gotten dreams on dragons; biting at me…” Bethany said.

            “Can you show us these voodoo dolls?” Kamui asked. Bethany rose and the twins followed up to her room, looking uncomfortable entering a girl’s room. Bethany shuffled through the nightstand, soon pulling out the piles of voodoo dolls. The vampire twins examined them closely, running their pale fingers up the spines, feeling the stitches and looking at the buttoned eyes.

            “Just like she did.” Kamui whispered.

            “Bethany, you said you were having dreams of dragons?” Subaru asked.

            “Yeah.” Bethany replied.

            “Those might be visions…of the Vampire Queen.” Subaru said. Bethany was about to say something till a roar reverberated across the land, causing the castle to shake. Subaru and Kamui covered Bethany, the earthquake ending as the roar faded away.

            “The Dragon Queen…” Kamui said eyes wide with fear.

~ * ~

            “Dragon Queen!!” the King of Toradora bellowed, his army of knights standing behind him just in case. An army of dragons stood on the other side, an ash mist following them. Amidst the ash mist, red eyes looked down upon the king, ready to kill but willing enough to listen.

            “Please, do not take your wrath out on my people!!” The king said. “They are mere victims of our war! I beg of you, please make peace!”

The red eyes were fixated on the king. There was rumbling, a large black dragon with a purple underbelly, long black talon claws and a black spikes going down the spine. The large dragon roared softly, the other dragons soon flying off and landing on its long back. Rylie was one of the many soldiers, waiting for the queen’s response. The dragon suddenly laughed replying “You want to make peace when you’ve already taken one of my kind?”

The soldiers looked around, rather confused. The large dragon’s eyes narrowed, continuing “I want my Patricia back!”

Rylie heart stopped her face paling at the sound of Patricia’s name made her blood run cold. The dragons dispersed off of the Queens back.

            “Rylie are you alright?” Soul asked.

            “I-I… “ Rylie mumbled.

The large beast soon changed form, taking shape into a human. She approached the king and smiled ever so sweetly.

            “Here’s what I’ll do.” The Queen said, playing with the grey beard. “I’ll slit your throat so fast you won’t have time to blink. Then I drag your dead corpse to my dragons who’ll eat at the sad remains of a fake king…”

The king looked at the Queen in shock, eyes wide with fear at his greatest fear being realized. The Dragon queen then drew back her hand and slashed his throat, the man falling over but before hitting the ground one of the many dragons caught the corpse and flew off with it.

            “ATTACK!!” The queen bellowed, soon backing away into the ash mist and her dragons attacking. Rylie took action, taking her guns and shooting at the dragons. The bullets merely scratched the speedy flying beasts and only made them screech and retreat.

            “Fall back, fall back!!” the general said only to be grabbed by the shoulders and carried off back to the dragons den. Taking action, Rylie climbed aboard and bellowed “DON’T FALL BACK, WE NEED TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE!!”

            “YEAH, YOU TELL IT LIKE IT IS!!” a voice said. Looking past the people, she spotted Bethany dressed entirely different. She wore a queen’s gown, gauntlets on her hand and she gripped a mace, the twins on both sides of her. She gave Rylie a thumbs up of encouragement. The soldier got their hope back and soon followed Rylie. Rylie smiled and cried “CHARGE!!”

The dragons charged as well, a Nightfury leading as it spat palls of blue fire at all who tried getting past the ash mist.  

    “Rylie get down!” Bethany cried.

Rylie looked up, a dragon swooping in and nearly clawing at her head but she was able to roll over and dodge it. Letting bullets soon fly and hit the beast who had to retreat.  

            “Bethany, above you, quick dive!” Rylie quickly said.

Bethany was nearly grabbed by the talons of a dragon but dived to the ground, rolling on her side and seeing a dragon zip by and only catching a few strands off hair. Bethany got up and grabbed her spiked mace and hit a dragon making it fly to the side and collide with another. The two plummeted to the cliff, retreating back to its land. Rylie was then grabbed by the arm and the dragon lifted her up. Rylie tried punching at the dragon, digging into her pocket and pulling out her silver gun. As the bullet flew, the smoke formed a skull hitting the dragon in the wing. It fell, releasing Rylie who jumped into the tree and watched it plummet.

            “The castle’s burning!” Bethany cried. “Put it out, put it out!”

Turning, the castle was infiltrated by the dragons who were letting balls of fire loose on the castle walls, the citizens running as fast as they could to shelter. Rylie then felt a surge of energy rise inside herself. She rose her hands as if pushing up a weight and a wave of water came, putting out the fires as it drowned the dragons, who couldn’t get out fast enough. Bethany went around saving those who were unable to swim to higher ground. The dragons suddenly retreated back to where they came from. Everyone cheered but Rylie and Bethany were on high alert.

            “BEHIND YOU!” cried a five year old, pointing a shaking finger. Rylie turned, seeing an ash mist appear behind her. Suddenly, a hand appeared and grabbed Rylie around the neck, chocking her. Bethany quickly raced to her, her mace ready to strike.

            “THE DRAGON QUEEN, SHE’S RETURNED!” screamed an old woman. The queen suddenly appeared from the mist, chocking Rylie and throwing her at Bethany. The queen’s eyes were red and she roared at the sky, fire suddenly following behind. Rylie and Bethany’s eyes widened with fear as the wave came at them.

            Rylie stood before them and urged another wave to collide with the fire. The queen roared, lunging at Rylie and biting into her shoulder and pinning her down. She slashed at her armor, Rylie trying to push her off. The claws sunk into her flesh making her scream in pain.

            “Rylie!!” Bethany screamed, her canine teeth extending and her eyes turning golden and her pupils becoming slits. She swung her mace, hitting the queen in the stomach and the two rolling down the burnt grass. The Dragon Queen angrily swiped and tried biting at Bethany who only punched her in the jaw. The Dragon queen wiped the small stream of blood from her lip and looked up at Bethany.

            “Vampire Queen…” The Dragon Queen said, smiling widely. Her eyes gleaming as she took in Bethany appearance. “It’s been so long…”

Bethany hissed, lunging and the two fighting. Rylie got up despite her hurt shoulder and pointed her guns at the two who were slashing at each other. Se fired, hitting the Dragon queen n the forehead making her fall back, the other bullet grazing Bethany’s cheek. Bethany backed away, suddenly feeling drossy. The queen plucked the bullet from her forehead and glared. She flapped her wings and said through gritted teeth “This isn’t over.”

            She roared, the dragons freezing in place roaring in response. They flapped their wings and soon took flight, heading into the ash mist which flowed away with them. The injured soldiers were sprawled out on the grass, all enabled men all trying to get them to a medic. Rylie and Bethany sat down, Bethany breathing heavily and her throat feeling horribly dry.

            “You okay?” Rylie asked.

Bethany tried catching her breath but replied “I-I’m fine…”

Bethany spotted Subaru on his knees, weeping with Kamui patting his shoulder. They’re so called father was taken away and all that remained was his crown. Bethany forced herself to stand and walked over to them, and placed a hand on Subaru’s shoulder. Looking up he saw eyes that matched his and his brothers own.

            “It’s okay…your queen has returned.” Bethany said, a death like aura now surrounding her new form.

Author's Note

The Vampire Queen (aka Bethany) has finally returned!!

Reviews

[Popble]

I wish my internet were a bit more consistent so I could read this faster. The action in this is wonderful, I'm loving it! I want to write about the fight between the last Vampire Queen and Dragon Queen, it sounds like it would be awesome. I am curious as to how the next three chapters are going to be; it seems like the Final Battle would take place pretty quick after this. Then again, the chapters might not be so long. Hopefully I can read through the rest without having to stop due to connection issues.

[MadnessIsBliss]

your not gonna kill me.......right yazzy.........
brava! nice and violent!

[StillShorterThanYou]

tell it like it is~ tell it like it is~ spread the message of- surely you remember that song. anyways, good chapter!

[PokemonFan#1]

Oh! Really awsome! Keep it up!

[TheEverHungryOne]

You got shot-in-da-head Yazzy! How on earth did you guys not reconize eachother? Jaya and I were bright enough to. And why didn't Rylie just go get P?! oh its so good! write more!!!!!