“The Monisar?” she asked bewildered. “Vampires?”
“It is what you are. And, what you always have been.” He gestured with his hand. “Don’t worry, it will all come back to you, Clarisse.”
Clarisse was shocked. “Is this true?” she thought. “Am I a vampire?” she paused. “Oh, I see,” she said to him, biting her lip.
Titanis looked at her and held her hand. “Your life is the most precious to me—over my own. I would sacrifice a thousand Droges in your honor.”
Melina put her hand to her lips. “A thousand Droges sacrificed in my honor.” She shook her head; it sounded familiar. She put her elbow on the table, her hand to her chin, trying to remember. Melina just sighed.
***
Confidus sat in the conservatory enjoying a cup of Earl Grey tea. While slowly sipping it, he read the book he had purchased from Morbius Moldridge. And, now as his eyes were affixed to the forty-seventh page, a guard approached him with great urgency. “You have something to report?” asked Confidus.
“Sire, one of our men rounded up a horse running the field,” said the guard.
“A horse running the field is really not my concern. The horse trainers should keep a watch on the horses that are let loose,” said Confidus.
“I wouldn’t be that concerned ordinarily, but when the stallion belongs to Melina Hampshire and she is not riding it, it strikes me as odd. Melina knows better than to have her horse running loose. She has not been seen,” said the guard.
“Not seen?” asked Confidus bewildered.
“Sire, she should have been back at the castle by now.”
“Perhaps, she arrived unannounced. Maybe taking a hot bath before dinner,” said Confidus. “We need not worry just yet.”
After Caprius was informed of the situation, he went knocking on doors and talking to people. He stumbled upon Confidus and exchanged words.
“Father, I’ve asked around. Fetrona says Melina was with her last. I can only think that something terrible has happened.”
“Good god. We must see the Golden Fleece at once!” said Confidus.
“Yes, Father, we’ll go at once!” Caprius stood, the muscles in his face rigid.
They arrived at the stables and saddled their horses. They led the horses to the water trough before taking off in a gallop through the hills of Meadow-lie to the basilica.
They rode madly across the trails of Meadow-lie, the horses’ hooves sounding on the ground like thunder. They shouted at civilians in their way, leaving them coughing in the kicked-up snowflakes, wondering what all the excitement was that had the king and prince in such a sprint.
The evening had darkened, the meadow thickly cast in a melancholy shade. Both Confidus and Caprius looked to the east and noticed how black and thick the clouds were that hung over the mountains of Drone. They rode onward until the night was dark, but soon, blazing in the distance, they saw the fires of the basilica on the hill and its belfry gleaming in the moonlight. Moments later, they were in the forest. They rode through and headed to the entrance of the basilica. At the gate stood a friar.
“Good evening, Friar,” said Confidus.
“Good evening, my king,” the friar said and bowed.
“We are here because Melina has gone missing.”
“I haven’t seen her. Perhaps Friar Basil can be of better service to you. Please, come in.” The friar opened the gate and let them in. They dismounted their horses and tied them to a post. “I will take you to Friar Basil.”
In the basilica, Friar Basil sat at his writing desk reading the word of God. He was startled by the men entering his library but quickly smiled and stood to welcome them. “Good to see you both again. What is it I can do for you?” he asked.
“Melina has gone missing. We must speak with the Golden Fleece,” said Caprius.
“Missing?” he asked concerned.
“Friar Basil, there is no time to explain,” said Caprius.
“Yes, of course, of course,” said the friar, frowning slightly. “I will do anything to help find her.”
Caprius and Confidus entered the small room where sacred texts were housed. Basil opened the chest where the Book of Bivion lay on its pillow, untouched. He picked up the book.
“Felicia will know where she has gone,” said Confidus.
Basil closed the chest and held the sacred book. “I will take you to see the Golden Fleece. Come, this way.”
They rushed from the sacred room, out of the library, and through the garden. There was no time to waste. The monks in the halls and garden saw them running. “What is it? What’s going on?” asked Friar Flavius.
“Melina has gone missing,” Confidus said discreetly as they passed him.
The men entered the garden on the hill, which shone in the moonlight. Basil quickly began reading the sacred words of Bivion to the statue. Instantly, light burst from high above the statue and swirled around her. After a few words more, white light shot from Felicia’s eyes and mouth. Caprius and Confidus gasped as the Golden Fleece came to life.
The moment Felicia was animated, she dropped to her knees, terrified by a prophetic vision of Melina being abducted by Titanis Clore. She stood and left her pedestal, walking toward the men with her hand on her heart and tears coming down her face. “Melina is…” Confidus comforted her while Caprius looked on, his face taut with worry.
Felicia righted herself and spoke, “I know why you have come and what you seek,” she paused. “I’m afraid Melina has been abducted. She has been tricked. She is in the hands of Titanis Clore and will enter the world of darkness.” Confidus bowed his head and pressed his eyes tightly together. Not his Melina.
“I’m afraid you may be too late.”
Confidus whispered, “Felicia, has Melina transformed to the undead?”
Felicia closed her eyes and pressed her hands to her heart. She smiled and opened her eyes. “Melina is alive. She will soon taste the blood of Makoor, and she has will endured the Monisar. It will still be in its early stages. She will willingly become his concubine.”
“We must leave at once,” said Caprius.
“Plaphorius is a long way off. It will take two days and night,” said Confidus.
“Go into the forest. You need to go toward the Mogo ridge. Follow the river until you get to a bridge,” said Felicia.
“Felicia, there is no bridge there,” said Confidus.
“There is. It was built by the undead. To cross the bridge you enter another realm,” said Felicia.
“An assault force is to be prepared, and you are to come to Plaphorius with me!” said Confidus to Caprius.
“Melina is not lost, and Titanis Clore has no means of transforming her at this moment! Now, both of you go. Prepare for war and leave immediately. Now go! I am Felicia - the Golden Fleece - and I have spoken.”
Caprius, Confidus, and Friar Basil left the garden of the basilica. Caprius paused and looked back. He watched Felicia walk onto the mound and return to a statue.
***
Within her dark chambers, Lydia stood overlooking a cluster of red-lit candles. The candles burned brightly, and she looked upon them with worry. She had just had a vision of Titanis Clore’s failure. She had seen the outcome of what will happen on Jethro. The slaying of vampires by the Seaton knights. Titanis Clore will send a small army of vampires to destroy the Seatons and will fail. Titanis Clore wanted to gain his respect but would fail to do so. “Damn!” she cried out. “Titanis will fail.” She put her hand above the candles six feet away, and with her powers, she drew a wind and blew out an array of candles. She walked out of the room and headed to a deep underground chamber.
She arrived in a dark chamber, which was again lit with many candles. These were white candles. To the side of the candles was a throne. Sitting on the throne was the corpse of her late husband, Orphius Clore. As she gazed into his face, she peered at his decayed bony jaw. She held her hand above drawing a force of energy. “I summon you, Orphius. Come forth to me and t
ell me what you see. What is in the future you see?” Suddenly, Orphius’ bony wrist began to move. In front of the corpse was a small table. Upon the table were five tiny bones. Orphius picked up the bones with both bony hands and shook them in his palms. He diced the bones onto the table. Lydia walked closer to the table, looking at the bones. “What is it you see, Orphius? Speak.”
Orphius’ head began to move. The corpse began to speak. “Our dark powers are under threat. A powerful knight will join the Seatons. The knight will grow strong. These knights must be eliminated.”
“Who is this knight? What does he look like? Where do we look?” asked Lydia.
“I sense she is female. And, much more aggressive than Calista Genesis. In time, you will know it. Titanis will send a small force of twenty vampires to Jethro. The knights will defeat us. The time will come when you must go to hotel Quantum Heights. It is there that these knights will confront you. And, there you must destroy them.” Lydia disengaged the dark forces and put down her hand. The corpse sat still and lay dead. Lydia left the chamber.
She stormed into Titanis’ chambers. As Titanis had his back to her and sat down in a chair, Lydia came from behind him. She pulled out a dagger on him, held out her hand, and came around him slitting his throat. Titanis put his hand to his throat as he bled. He gasped. With his powers, he healed his wound and stood to his feet looking at Lydia. The bloodstains upon his hands and throat had disappeared. She looked at him intensely then through the dagger on a table near her. “Are you brain dead?” she asked him. “Orphius has looked into your future. This girl, Melina, should not have been abducted from her homeland. You bring us death and destruction!”
“I sought to get retribution for Jengon Crumps’ death,” said Titanis.
“By sending out a mere small force of twenty? It’s suicide!” she exclaimed.
I sent no such force,” said Titanis.
“Not yet. But, you will. I don’t want you making the same mistake over again. This act of vengeance will only cost more of our kind. I need you to focus on getting results, not making more mistakes. Makoor has probably seen this, as well.”
“Jengon was a leader. He had greatness,” said Titanis.
“Your foolish sentiments will only make you weaker. I need you to grow up. If you are to be king of the undead one day, I need you to take a greater course of action. When the time is right, we will send out a great force.” Lydia crossed her arms. “I have heard the words from the world of none existence. Your father has spoken to me. The Seatons are to be confronted by a knight who will join them, and they will grow stronger. Orphius also states that this knight will confront us at Hotel Quantum Heights.”
“Quantum Heights? Why there?” asked Titanis.
“I don’t know. For some reason it is to be there.” Lydia put her hand to her chest. “But, I for one don’t intend to see it end over there. I want these knights out of the way before that.” She crossed her arms again. Lydia put down her arms and walked out of the chambers.
***
They came out of their rooms and walked into the hall together. They entered an elegant room. Caprius closed the door behind him. Dragus swung open a painting of Castle Elysium, which was hinged to the wall. There, he pushed a large brick. At the far end near the painting, after the brick movement triggered a mechanism, a large wide column emerged from beneath the floor. It was oval in shape. As it came to a halt, at the top center appeared a large circular surge of energy, rotating. It was light purple in color with sparkles of gold. It twinkled and rotated. At that instance, from the globe of energy, a voice began to speak. “Welcome, knight masters. You are about to embark on a mission. The vim of Petoshine is active.” This was the voice of the elf wizard Grongone. A beam of white and purple light shown on Caprius’ forehead, which beamed out from the ball of energy. “Please state your name and code,” said Grongone’s voice.
“Caprius Seaton. Code 472556.”
“Name and code recognized. Permission granted,” said the voice. At that moment, beside and in front of the column, a sword of power emerged from the floor incased in a field of purple energy. Caprius took his claymore of power in hand.
Then, a beam of light shown upon Dragus’ forehead. “Please state your name and code,” said the voice.
“Dragus Seaton. Code 723446.”
“Name and code recognized. Permission granted,” said the voice.
Again, from the floor, a sword incased in energy appeared. Dragus took his sword in hand. From the ball of energy, the lights scanned the room for more knight masters. The energy recognizing two knights said, “Good luck, knight masters.” Caprius and Dragus stood side by side with their swords in hand. The floor, which they stood upon, began to move back. As it moved back, the darkness of night shown. As the two knights looked to the bottom, they could see the castle from beneath them.
“Ready, at my signal,” said Caprius. At that instance, Caprius jumped followed by Dragus. As they were falling down to the earth, the two knights channeled their powers and a force of energy came from the swords, which lit up the night and brought them safely down to the ground. The bottom of their boots had air compression, which helped soften the landing. The knight masters came down to the ground landing with a thump and ready for combat. They both headed for the nearby stables. When they came to the stable, they harnessed their horses and rode off. They had joined with the rest of the army to meet Andromin and Confidus.
Like thunder rumbling the skies, Confidus and his small army stormed across the forest. The moon shone brightly. They traveled far. They now went passed the fields of bluebells. The forest was thick with birch trees. They approached the stream. “This way!” yelled Confidus. They ran the shore line with their horses. It wasn’t long before they came across a bridge. “I don’t recall there being a bridge here,” said Confidus.
“This is it. Felicia said it was a bridge near the Mogo ridge,” said Caprius.
“There’s a whole lot of nothing across the bridge,” said Dragus.
“No, this is it,” said Caprius. Caprius began to ride his horse slowly across the icy bridge. The thirty-five soldiers followed. On both sides of the bridge was the river beneath. The river seemed to go for miles across. And, further up was a dense fog. As they now trotted through the fog, they were transported into a different realm.
“I feel strange,” said Confidus. As the icy fog cleared up, they saw a great castle. The soldiers sat on horseback gazing at the solid large doors.
“We must have been transported into a far off land. This bridge is a gateway to this world,” said Dragus.
“When our mission is over, this bridge must be destroyed,” said Confidus. “Break down the doors,” said Confidus quietly and with controlled strength. He motioned to the men with the battering ram.
“No, a battering ram won’t work,” said Caprius. Suddenly, as Caprius was on his knees, from within Caprius grew a great power. His sword of power shone a bright white color. Caprius’ eyes were keen and focused. He rose to his feet and pointed his sword at the tall icy doors. Dragus now channeled his powers, as well. A great burst of energy came from the swords of power. The doors were engulfed with the light of Petoshine. Moments later, the large doors blasted open.
Andromin motioned to his men to enter the castle. “Kill everything in sight. We are going to take them by storm. Show no mercy!” he yelled.
The soldiers expedited Andromin’s orders and stormed the castle grounds. But, once inside, many of them stopped short. In the main courtyard, an uncountable array of wood and stone coffins lay scattered.
A vampire emerged from a coffin. The soldier forced down the sword, cutting through the vampire’s hands. The creature, nonetheless, tried to hold the sword back, blood pouring through her fingers. The vampire rose from her coffin to get a better grip on the sword and began pulling on it, but Caprius was faster. He lunged forward and drove his claymore deep into her heart.
The vampire cried out. Her ghoulish face shra
nk, and the tiny red veins in her eyes turned blue as her eyes rolled back into her head. Her fingers went stiff, and she slowly laid back. Caprius dislodged his sword and decapitated her. The head toppled to the floor. He backed away in horror, leaving her once beautiful face pressed into the earthen floor.
The knight masters and their army quickly went around the castle grounds setting the wooden coffins ablaze. The fire consumed the vampires quickly. The soldiers silenced their squealing with their swords. In moments, the castle grounds became a crematorium littered with bodies.
Caprius grabbed a hold of a vampire by the throat. “Where is she!” he yelled to the creature.
“Sorry, I can’t help you with that,” the creature gurgled. Caprius lunged his sword of power into the creature, slicing him upward to his chin. Caprius grabbed a hold of another and another, destroying them all. “Where is Melina Hampshire!” Caprius grabbed a vampire by the chin.
“You’re too late, Caprius. She’s down in the cave of the sacred forest. By now, she’s one of us.”
Caprius drove his claymore into her belly and with his powers, he set her a blaze. The creature burned rapidly on the floor.
***
Beneath the castle grounds, Titanis walked the forest cave with Clarisse. She had accepted her life of the undead with him to be her husband. The life she once cherished was forgotten. And, it was now that she would fulfill her dark destiny; a life never to walk in sunlight and never to see the sun rise and set through countless centuries. They stood in a crypt within the forest. torches were lit, which nested upon columns. There were two caskets made from glass and gold trimmings. The two caskets were upon a large flat concrete tablet. Down upon the tablet, snakes slithered and hissed. Clarisse didn’t seem to be frightened. Her mind was lost, and she was a follower of the underworld. As she looked into his eyes, she felt love and welcome. “Now, my sweet Clarisse, I give you the first of three blood transfers. In three days, you will be in full service to the Dark Lord Makoor. Let the blood of everlasting life after death enter your soul,” he said to her.
“I give myself to the Dark Lord Makoor. It is of my own accord,” said Clarisse.
Quantum Heights: Book one of the Dead Path Chronicles Page 5