by Pet TorreS
“And did you get answers?”
“Yes!”
My ‘yes’ sounded bitter.
“Tell me everything!” she said enthusiastically.
“He felt attracted to me when I was human.”
“Did he declare that?”
“Yes.”
“What a pity it is not possible any longer!” Valaska exclaimed.
“There must be some way, somehow I can undo this curse,” I supposed.
“What do you want to do?” she asked.
“I want to find a way of becoming human again...to quit being a vampire,” I said determined.
“Are you even willing to go on with it?”
“Yes, I am, and today more than ever. And you will help me,” I said, serious.
“How?” her eyes became larger.
“Don’t you know anything? Isn’t there some formula to reverse it?”
“I know someone who might be able to help you with it,” she finished.
“Who?” I asked.
“He is a wizard who lives on top of the rocks.”
“How do I go to him?”
“It is not easy!” she warned me. “He has ferocious dogs. They protect him night and day and they don't allow anyone to approach him.”
“I am immortal and I have no fear!”
“You run a risk of returning wounded and even disfigured, ” she stared at me sternly. “Or even without your head.”
Valeska’s words didn't take away my thoughts of going to see the wizard. I was determined to pay some price to become human again, even if it would mean my flesh.
That night Valeska gave me all the necessary coordinates for me to put my plan into practice. She told me everything she knew about that wizard, though she never saw him in the flesh, but she had heard about him, since his existence on the planet Neptune.
Chapter 23
I couldn’t sleep that night, waiting for the right time to leave my father’s castle and go toward the top of the rocks. Valeska and I had a secret.
She swore not to tell anyone, not even to my father. If he missed me, she would find a way to invent some excuse to buy time until my return to the castle.
Before I left the castle, the only person I had contact with was her. Valeska made me some recommendations as she accompanied me to the edge of the lake.
“When you get there, tell Odik who you are. Surely he will help you,” she told me and held my hand strongly, conveying confidence and courage for me to move on. It was all I needed in that moment.
“Good luck!” She smiled. “All will be fine.”
I wanted to believe all would be fine, but something deep inside me said otherwise.
When she released my hands, I left her and then I walked toward the forest of dry trees. I disappeared into its midst. I was far from the castle and away from everyone.
I could see huge brown trunks.
I was not sure if I was on the correct track.
I could use my vampire powers to reach the site quickly and without having to go through so many difficulties, but I was afraid to spend them unnecessarily in case I might need them later and they would not work.
To use the vampire powers requires much of us. It is a mental and physical strain.
I walked across the forest until I saw the huge rock, with various tips. One was the most pointed and in there lived the sorcerer.
I felt a relief when I saw I was close and I was about to come before Odik. I was hoping he could really help me.
I climbed the rocks with no difficulty, so I turned into a black panther and arrived at the desired location. Soon I turned back into my human form.
From a height, I looked down and saw I was at an incalculable altitude.
I stepped on a flat stone. It was the territory of Odik. I was in the surroundings of his home.
I looked everywhere and saw no dog around, maybe they were hunting or sleeping...
His hiding-place was a cave. There was an entrance, a hole in the shape of a giant egg. Looking from the outside I could see inside. It was dark and silent.
I went into the hole and saw a corridor inside the rocks.
Several rats were on the ground and bats flying down from the ceiling. They didn’t scare me since I was familiar with them now. My footsteps made no noise. I took care not to draw the attention of his dogs as I did not know if they were around.
My concern was only with them. As for the sorcerer Odik, I should not fear him. Valeska had told me not to.
Inadvertently, I stumbled on a huge rock. I fell down with my face on the ground. My body hitting the surface made noise enough to scare the dogs.
Then I raised my head up when I heard scary roars. I saw two dogs in front of me. They were watching me and ready to attack me. They were horrible and deformed.
They looked like monsters in the form of dogs. Changing their color, they were black and gray at the same time.
Both advanced on me while I defended myself moving my arms to my face. They sought to find a way to sink their hard teeth into my skin. I rolled from one side to the other and then they were above me.
A radiant energy in sky blue color came out of my body. I put it up and the two dogs were thrown away from me. Both of them were unconscious.
I had to use my vampire powers.
Forward.
I saw a creature in a dark hood. His hood was covering his face. This creature was standing away from me. My presence was bothering him. His expression was not a greeting of welcome. I could see his state of mind.
What Valeska had described did not fit with his reality. It was not like I had imagined.
“Who are you?” he asked me as he was still quite a distance from me.
“I am Valkyrie,” I answered motionless.
“What are you doing here?” He insisted.
“I need your help.”
“My help?” he asked astounded.
“You need to hear me,” I said, my voice was begging.
“I do not allow strangers here! And you put my dogs to sleep!”
“They wanted to devour me!” I explained.
“Go back to where you came from! I cannot help you!” He shouted impatiently at me.
“Not even when you know whose daughter I am?” I asked.
The sorcerer stared at me questioning my face.
“What are you saying?” he asked curious and his eyes ran through my body.
“I am the daughter of Vincent! You might know him!”
“You are daughter of Vincent! Why didn't you tell me this before?” He whispered, interested.
His expression changed and he smiled at me with his pointed, dark teeth. His mouth was almost worse than the mouths of his dogs.
“Come on!”
He made a brief gesture with his hand so I was behind him. We walked up to his witchcraft room. A dark place with many strange objects, fine for his spells. There was also enough dirt present. A dark dust raised up when he reached for his objects. It might have been hundreds of years since he hadn’t cleared those things.
“I didn’t know Vincent has a daughter!”
He said, looked into my eyes and smiled again with his dark teeth. His image was horrible.
“What's your name?” he asked.
“…Valkyrie!” I answered, suspicious of him.
“Valkyries are respected goddesses of war!” He explained.
I smiled weakly, compensating his unnecessary comment.
“Why do you appeal for my help if you're the daughter of Vincent?” He asked.
“Because my father would never consent to my desire,” I answered.
“What is your wish?”
“To quit being a vampire,” I said.
“Are you aware of what you are asking me?” he asked, dubious.
“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here,” I said, ill-mannered.
“Now you speak like your father.”
“If you know him so well, then you know what it costs me to c
ome here.”
“He does not know about your whereabouts,” he commented.
“Why did you say that?” I asked, becoming frightened.
“Do not take into account what I just mentioned,” he said and shook his head at himself.
“In relation to my wish, can you help me?” I insisted.
“Ex-vampires don’t exist.” he said.
“So you cannot help me,” I said, discouraged and looked down the ground.
“Well... I can try,” he said after an instant.
“What will you do?”
“I have to prepare a formula, but it will take hours to get ready. It might be ready when night falls,” he explained.
In my countenance remained a concern. If I stayed out all night, my father might miss me and maybe Valeska would not be able to foil him in time for my return.
“Some problem?” The wizard asked, seeing my worried expression.
“I hope this can be done in the time you mentioned” I said with my decisive voice.
“So come on, I can start the process.”
“Where will you take me?” I asked.
“I will take you to a safe place.”
He grabbed my arm and directed me to a circle. Seconds later, a steel cage from the top came down and I got stuck in it. I could see everything around me.
I was frightened as I was imprisoned in that place. I gripped the cage bars and touched my face against it.
“Why have you imprisoned me here?” I asked loudly.
“Take it easy! Being here, you will be safe from my dogs,” he said quietly.
“This is not comfortable!” I whispered.
“Be quiet! I need concentration to prepare your formula.”
I felt within me a prognosis there was something wrong with that wizard.
I wasn’t sure about his true intentions, if he really had some intention to help me.
Chapter 24
Night came quickly. Everyone was present in my father’s castle, except me.
My father requested my presence in the living room.
“Go get Valkyrie! I haven’t seen her today.”
“Valkyrie hasn’t returned yet from her walk,” Valeska said to my father, with her wide eyes, she was afraid of being discovered by him.
“Walk?” he insisted.
“She mentioned ... the woods,” Valeska said slowly.
“She should already have returned,” Vincent said, concerned.
“We can go after her,” Bizak mentioned as he was standing alongside Eros.
“Do it!” Vincent ordered them.
“She might be back?” Valeska questioned.
“You two go to look for her now!” Vincent ignored Valeska’s useless comment.
Eros and Bizak were looking for me immediately.
They entered the woods since Valeska had mentioned I went there. They took hours exploring the dark place, walking through several trees. They two were separated. They followed different directions, to facilitate their searches.
Bizak jumped from one tree to another. It was better to see the entire region. His vision was broad from the top.
He had no clue as to my whereabouts. After much searching, he returned to the castle with a vague answer.
“I didn’t find her,” he told Vincent, who was sitting on his armchair.
Valeska was at his side and she remained silent all the time, hoping that no one would find me in time.
Chapter 25
Tired of exploring the woods, Eros stopped walking in the middle and he was motionless. Eros did not know what direction to take, where to look for me. After all, he and Bizak had looked everywhere.
He had a strong connection with my thoughts. This happened a few times. It was imposed telepathy.
In his mind came a scene in which I was next to the dwelling of the wizard.
Then he concluded I would be there.
Chapter 26
My throat was dry, as I was agonized to be imprisoned in that cage. The sorcerer hadn’t honored his word. The hours imposed by him to be ready the formula had been exhausted, it was more than necessary.
I'd be lost if he didn’t remove me from the cage.
He had prepared no formula yet, it was all swindle.
He returned to the site after an extensive time away, with his empty hands.
“Why did you imprison me here?” I questioned.
“Aren’t you accustomed to it yet?” he scoffed at me.
“What have I done to deserve this?” I asked.
“You, nothing ...but your father....” he said and his stare looked angry.
Things were starting to make sense. He wanted to avenge my father by using me.
“What has my father done to you?”
“The problem ...is... he ‘hasn’t’.”
I narrowed my eyes. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
“I wanted the immortality of the vampires,” he said, approached the cage and put his terrible face next to mine. “I would just need to drink your father’s blood ...nothing else.”
He walked around the cage slowly.
“And he denied it with all contempt. I had to resort to another method of immortality. I invented a way to live for long. Up until now I have had no success.”
He stopped walking and focused his attention on me confined in the cage.
“You will be my new attempt.”
He laughed long and it startled me.
“And when it finally happens, I will need you no more. Then I will throw you to my dogs to satisfy their hunger.”
“So you do rapidly what has to be done and finish it!” I pleaded.
“I have no hurry and seeing you in this state. ...I think it compensates all my wasted time,” he said.
“Destroy me soon!” I yelled at him.
The wizard ignored my screams and walked to the next room, leaving me alone again.
Chapter 27
I had used all the force of my mind as I had invoked my vampire powers to try to step out of there.
Thereafter I contracted a vast fatigue and it made me powerless.
The circle on the floor blocked all my powers, nothing happened.
I heard a noise from the corridor. I thought the wizard was returning to the site. A dark creature approached me. Finally, I recognized it.
“Eros!” I exclaimed and stood up.
“Valkyrie!” he said smoothly.
“How did you know I was here? Did Valeska tell you?” I asked ingenuously.
“We have no time for conversation.” He needed a way to get me out of that cage. Then he walked away and took several steps back, in order to use his powers against the cage.
“Protect yourself!” He said before unloading a wave of lightning against the steel cage.
Two dogs came up behind him.
“Take care! They’re behind you!” I screamed when I saw the dogs.
Eros turned his body back and was surprised at the sudden jump of two dogs over him. Then Eros was thrown on the floor. They advanced on him with the instinct to devour him.
Eros was fighting with two dogs on the floor. He used his vampire powers to get them off him.
Odik returned to the site and saw Eros in the fight with his gigantic dogs.
“Devour him!” The wizard screamed at them.
I felt a deep desperation watching that scene and I could not do anything to prevent the dogs hurting Eros. I shook the cage with all the force that came from my distress. I had to save him. He was there for me. I put him in danger.
“Let him go! Do what you have to do to me!” I cried deeply, as if my prayers could save him from some danger.
Vincent appeared at the scene, flying over the room.
When I saw my father, hope painted the face of defeat. I thought everything was not lost yet.
“Father!” I cried.
Vincent flew up to the wizard Odik and held his throat firmly with his hands. His intent was to strangle him.
“I'll do to you what I should have done centuries ago!”
Vincent raised his hand and a metal bar flew up his hand. He pulled out the head of the wizard with it. The body fell to the ground without its skull. The wizard’s head rolled on the ground like a ball.
Vincent looked at Eros struggling with two dogs on the ground. Energy went out of his hands and hit the dogs, throwing them onto the wall. They were destroyed and dissolved like ashes.
Eros got up from the floor. His clothes were torn, and there were several bites on his arm. He was very hurt.
I fell to the ground, relieved to see everything ended well. That wizard no longer existed and those devouring dogs were gone. Eros was safe.
“Stay down!” my father ordered.
I buried my head onto the ground, protecting me from what would come next.
My father stared at the cage. Red rays came out of his eyes, hit the metal and melted the cage.
I looked up and saw I was free. I got up and ran to hug my father.
“How did you get here?” My father asked as he hugged me.
“It was my fault!” I replied with my face hidden in his costume.
Chapter 28
We returned to the castle. For me, returning was faster than the trip there. The three of us were standing in the living room. I was dirty and Eros was wounded.
My father demanded an answer from me about what had just occurred.