by Arantes
“Something’s not right,” Axil grabbed one the men. “I’m not going to ask you twice, what’s going on.”
The man looked as if he wanted to piss on himself. He was so afraid of Axil that ultimately his fear took over and he said, “They’re going to burn down the old house.”
“They wouldn’t,” said a surprised Albedo.
They all looked at Ethan and he began to run towards the woods where the people were.
***
Michael and the others had made it before Albedo could arrive to Ethan’s house. He stood outside with the crowd ready to burn down the house.
“Tonight, we’re taking back our lives! We’ll burn down the house and this forest!” The crowd went rowdy with approval.
Michael walked in the house with a torch on his hand. Once inside, he saw Ethan’s mother. He walked in her room and there she stared into his eyes, he looked back with hatred.
Before he could drop the torch, she held out a hand to him and said with a smile, “My son.”
Michael dropped the torch as he was startled by her words. “Your son?” Why did she say my son? What’s going on! The house quickly caught on fire. Michael looked at her to see that she still had her hand out to him and that smile on her face.
***
Sonia and Angelione saw the procession of people as they could hear the loud noises. The maid came in and told them what was going on. They quickly made their way to the woods.
“Michael is taking things too far,” said Sonia. From a far they could see the flame, spreading to the forest.
***
The people outside ran when Albedo and his team got there. Michael was outside in front of the house with a dark smile on his face. The house lit up in flames.
“Where are you going you cowards? I thought this was what we came here for!”
Ethan rushed towards Michael and hit him in the face in anger. “What have you done? My mother was inside!”
Albedo despised that look on Michael’s face and wanted to kill him. Oh no, thought Albedo. He could feel it again, that urge to kill rushed in his veins. It was that same feeling with the bear and at the restaurant. If it wasn’t for Strong Arm he might have had actually killed someone. The power of the Elder was bursting out of him, ready to give him the strength he needed to kill. This desire is strong, is this master Jarvis warned me about? The sound of Dante using his ability to try to sustain the fire awakened Albedo’s stage of madness. He could feel his heart and eyes pulsating as the bead of sweat ran down his face. This urge is so strong; this is the killer-lust? Albedo looked at Michael and said, “Leave before I kill you.”
Michael saw a look he had never seen before. He ran away from Albedo as fast as he could. As fast as Dante’s ice was evaporating the flames, Albedo saw it wasn’t fast enough. Ethan wanted to rush inside the house and get his mom out of there, but the flame was just too much. Albedo however wasted no time running inside the house.
“Wait stop! It’s too dangerous!” said Axil.
When Albedo looked back he could see Sonia and Angelione arriving, but he was already inside of the house.
“What is he thinking?” said Sonia. The forest fire was spreading fast. Sonia made her way to go after him. Angelione pulled her back.
“Sonia no, you might be able to use fire but that doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you.”
Sonia in shock by Michael’s action started to explain to Angelione, “I forgot to mention to him that his hands that emit the fire act as the wick of a candle and remain un-harmed but the rest of his body and flesh acts as the waxy part of the candle that will melt and destroy easily.”
“Sonia, how could you have forgotten to tell him something this vital about the Crimson Flame?”
***
As Albedo made his way through the burning house, the flames around him were severe. The dryness made it hard to breathe. He moved out the way quickly, as he saw part of the ceiling falling down. The smoke made it hard to see and a big part of the ceiling fell on him. He was pinned to the ground by the giant slab of roof that had fallen on him. His face was burnt by the charred edges of the falling wood. He screamed in agony. He started to wonder how this fire could burn him but the one that he uses doesn’t. Did his body somehow protect him from his own flame? This was the only logical explanation he could think of. He remembered Aleister’s White Crimson Flame burned him, but his was hotter so it makes sense. This red flame was the same one that he uses, so why does it burn so much. He removed the debris from the burning ceiling from his chest and made his way to the bedroom, where Ethan’s mother is located. His body had third degree burns. His skin was peeling and red with puss as the flames reached him, his flesh exposed as the fire ripped through his skin. It hurt so badly. He got to Ethan’s mother, but half of her body was burned.
The room was engulfed in flames. It was filled with thick clouds of smoke from the waist up. The flames were eating the curtains and the paint off the wall. The heat was so immense that he could not even keep his eyes open. It looked as if Ethan’s mother’s bed was floating in a sea of fire. With a faint smile on her face, she was laying in the bed with her hand outstretched hanging off the side of the bed.
Albedo looked at her and realized that she was gone. He was too late to save her. He grabbed her. If he couldn’t save her, then he could at least bring her body back to Ethan. He tried to imagine the look on Ethan’s face once he had seen his dead mother, he thought about his own mother. How much he loved her, how he would kill anyone who tried to harm her. As he tried to escape, the house fell apart, blocking his exit. Albedo was now feeling helpless. His flesh from his face were burnt, and from his hands. “Why did this have to happen? Why couldn’t I save her in time?” the tears wailed up in his eyes but sizzled away from the heat. The pain instantly reached his heart. The feeling of being burnt was not as powerful as the pain he was feeling in his heart. Albedo’s eyes started to glow as his emotion took over. His fangs came out, and his nails grew longer and sharper. He had transformed like Aleister did! He screamed as he could no longer control his emotions. A powerful wind that was coming from Albedo started blowing and howling, strong enough that it obliterated the house. A wind of fire was rotating around him.
***
Sonia and the others had their hands in front of their eyes; the fierce-wind was pushing them back.
So intense, is Albedo emitting that? Thought Angelione.
The house was now gone and they watched Albedo in tears with a wind of fire surrounding him.
“How can he produce this much power?” asked Axil with disbelief.
Ethan saw his mother in Albedo’s arms, dead. A chill went through his spine and a lump was in his throat, tears flowing down his cheeks.
How can his ability be this strong, how strong are you Albedo? “Master what do we do? Is this the Elder’s doing,” asked Dante.
Even Angelione had no answer; he and Sonia had remembered those eyes. Those same glowing eyes Aleister had on his face, enough to make a man fear him. Those glowing eyes and long fangs, there was no question, this was the Reawakening.
No, it can’t be, that’s the Reawakening, thought Angelione, so that’s what the King been hiding from us.
No Albedo, you can’t be one of them, you just can’t! As much as he reminded her of Aleister, Sonia loved him too much to fear him. She started moving towards Albedo, she could feel his pain; her death had affected him deeply.
Angelione saw her attention and said, “Sonia no, he might kill you!”
As powerful as the wind was, Sonia’s strength was fearless. Slowly she made her way to him. The wind was pushing her back away from him, but she was determined to reach him. Ethan’s mother was still in his arms. Sonia went to Albedo and struggled to wrap her arms around him fighting against the wind and the fire with tears flowing down her eyes, “It’s all right Albedo, I can feel your pain. I’m here for you!” she was burnt a little but nothing that couldn’t be healed easily.
The
wind slowly lost its strength, the glowing on his eyes was gone and his fangs were also gone. With that Albedo fainted.
Dante noticed Ethan running, “Ethan wait!” he shouted.
Ethan ran towards the woods in Michael’s direction.
“Let him go, there’s nothing we can do for him now,” said Angelione.
Axil looked at Albedo lying on the ground in disbelief, wondering what had just happened. “Master, I felt his sorrow.”
Dante had felt it too; the pain in Albedo’s heart. He couldn’t save her in time, now he’s going to blame himself. It’s not your fault Albedo, you tried.
Angelione rushed to Sonia and said, “Sonia it’s all right, I’ve got him now.” He put Albedo on his back. His body was unrecognizable from his flesh burning.
“Dante hurry and heal him!” shouted Sonia in fear of losing him. With his flesh exposed he had lost lots of blood.
They all looked at Dante in hopes that he can heal Albedo’s body. Why did Ethan have to run off, I’m not good at this healing thing, thinking Dante. “Alright, but we must take him to Frank’s house right away. I can heal his flesh but that’s not going to do anything essential. What he really needs is blood and fast before it’s too late.”
Sonia cried at Angelione to hurry. Their bags were at Frank’s house, and inside the bags were their emergency supply of blood. Angelione hurried and ran as fast as he could, the others followed. This was not what Angelione wanted out of this mission. He wanted to teach them, not watch them die. If he allows Albedo to die who knows what the King might do to him, he’s the son of Dragan. His master had protected him during his mission with them and he had failed to do the same for Albedo. Dragan and Cecelia can never forgive him if he allowed their child to die on his watch.
***
Michael returned to his father’s house, waiting to be praise for his heroic act. He walked in his father’s study room with intensity in his eyes. “I’ve done it Father! I’ve done what you were too weak to do! I put an end to our nightmare,” said Michael. Michael explained the horror he had just committed, waiting for his father to compliment him. Instead Frank was furious; this was not what he wanted at all.
“What have you done?”
Michael was angry, as he had thought his father would be pleased. “I did what you wanted me to do, I got my revenge on the vampire who murdered my Mother!” said Michael.
Frank was shaking now. Michael had committed a horror beyond his control. “I know that you’re the killer my son, I know it’s you who has been terrorizing our town. I never thought it would go this far.”
“How do you know?” said Michael in bewilderment.
“I know because you’re a half vampire and a half Pureblood, a Bloodhound. I had hoped that after you satisfied your thirst that you would stop.” Frank started to explain to Michael he knew more than he thought he did. “That woman that you murdered was your Mother!”
Michael put his hands on his head as if pulling his hair out, “You lie!”
His father continued to explain to him, “It’s the truth, she is a vampire and I am a Pureblood. If the people had ever found out. I don’t know what I would do. When your mother and I were together, we had you. I wanted to be head of the town that I loved, but your mother was afraid we might get discovered of being different, our conflict resulted in us separating.”
“So Ethan is my brother,” said Michael.
“No, he’s not. Ethan is my brother’s son, since his father’s death Ethan had been living with us. He has been living with us since he was a baby. Your mother had treated him as if he was her very own. Before we split Ethan had shown signs of ability at a young age, but you had none. So when your mother and I separated, she took him to prevent suspicions, because of his ability. I took you since you had shown no signs of abnormal. I was going to tell you what you are one day, but you found out on your own and started killing the people. I had no choice but to ask for the king’s helped.” Frank shook his head and got himself together. “It was a hard decision, to choose between family, and power. As you can tell, I chose power. Your mother never forgave me to this day. I have not seen her since she left.”
Michael still didn’t want to believe his father. He walked up closer to his father, “This is all your fault old man!” He stabbed his father with a dagger.
Frank struggle for air, “My son.”
“I could have had a family! For years I had to live with this secret by myself! Do you know how desolate it is to feel as if you’re the only one like this in this dump of a place?!”
“Son, I’m sorry.” Frank fell on the floor.
“Sorry isn’t good enough,” he said in a bitter tone. I can leave this place. I don’t have to be here anymore. For so long I’ve been in his shadow, for what? To be the leader of this dump of a place. I hate all these filthy humans. I’m free; I can go beyond Inferno and see more. The world is vast and at last I can be with my own kind. He started to laugh. Michael heard the maid screaming as she saw what happened. Well, then, it’s time to take my leave.
***
The towns’ people wanted to know what was going on after the fire. They heard the scream of the maid coming from Frank’s house. When the people got there, the maid explained what happen. “Michael did this, are you telling me he was the one behind the killings?”
The people were shocked that Michael had deceived them. Frank was a well-respected man amongst his people. Slowly he was dying from losing too much blood. As they looked back they could see Ethan rushing into the house. The people stood in front of the house, not willing to let him get through.
“Let him in, he’s innocent,” pleaded the maid. She explained to Ethan what happened.
“My uncle?” Ethan rushed to see Frank lying on the floor in the pile of his own blood. The wound, it has to be close. He quickly used his ability to close the wound.
***
Sonia and Angelione arrived a few minutes later and were told what happened. Angelione wanted to go after Michael, but where would he start? He couldn’t track a Bloodhound with his ability. If worst comes to worst he’s going to have to contact the King and let him know the situation before this Bloodhound manifested. The people were inside of Frank’s house making sure he was well taken care of after Ethan had stopped his wound. Sonia and the others had provided him with blood from their supply they had brought with them. Even though the people found out that Frank was one of them, a bloodsucker, they still saw him the same way. He had nothing to do with the killing and he had never harmed anyone. In front of the house Sonia and Angelione were having a conversation.
“King Victor never told us the whole truth about him. For all we know, he could be one of the Kings of Awakenings. The only person I know with glowing eyes is Aleister,” said Angelione.
“No, he’s not!” raising her voice slightly, “he’s too different to be one of those monsters!” The thought was unbearable for Sonia.
“You have to take it into consideration; why else would one of them be after Albedo? Sonia, I know you both have feelings for each other, but we have to look at the big picture. He’s one of them, a King of Awaken-.”
Before Angelione could finish talking, Sonia wanted to hear no more. “Don’t ever say those words again Angelione! He’s nothing like Aleister and he will never be!” Sonia left to cool off careful not to let her emotion get the best of her. Angelione was wrong, he had to be.
***
Albedo was put in bed to rest after his transformation. Ethan’s mother had died and her body had burnt beyond recognition. Ethan, Axil and Dante were by Albedo’s bed with tubes hooked up to his arms providing him blood he desperately needed.
He awakened at last. His body was getting back to normal. There were still visible second-degree burns. He looked around. He could see his friends by his side. He looked at the cherry blossoms in the glass; Sonia must have left it for him. She must have took some from the trees back in Inferno and kept them inside her bag.
; “Look who finally decided to wake up, we’ve been worried about you,” said Dante.
Albedo looked at Ethan. “Ethan, forgive me, I couldn’t save her. If only I was stronger,” he said with much disappointment.
“It’s all right Albedo. I’m not sad, this was going too happened anyway,” he smiled in content. “She’s free now from her suffering.”
Albedo admired the bravery in his eyes. “What happened? I don’t really recall too much.”
Dante explained to Albedo what happened after he fainted.
So, Michael is a Bloodhound after all, thought Albedo.
“I tried to heal your body, but it rejected my ability,” said Ethan. He wanted to be the one to heal him after all he did for him.
Yes, that was strange, thought Dante. “His body responded to the blood as soon as it hit his veins.”
Albedo had forgotten that his body was almost burnt to ashes, he was mad at himself for having not saved Ethan’s mother.
***
The maid walked in the room to find the four boys with sorrowful eyes. She hesitated and said, “Sir Ethan, your uncle, I mean Mr. Frank would like to speak to you.”
Ethan left to the other room to find Frank waiting for him.
“You look just like you’re Father. I am sorry for not telling you the truth and allowing all this to happen because I wasn’t honest with you boys. I am also sorry for the loss of the woman who raised you as her own son.” Frank was still weak after the incident. Ethan had saved his life with ability. “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Ethan was at a loss for words; he had never had a different relative before.