Caleb had already seen them, but not alive or moving.
Suddenly there was a loud roar that caused many of the crowd gathered around to flee in terror. This let the group that led the rebellion walk a few meters closer to see their fearsome foe. Some of Yong’s soldiers stood there with spears in their hands, aimed at the being, who was twisting without possibilities of escape due to the several meters of chains that surrounded each extremity. The chains clinked hard when he tried to break them to free himself.
“What the fuck is that?” Legrant muttered, approaching while he shook his head, he was as stunned as the rest of them.
“Oh, my God!” Elizabeth shouted, placing a hand over her mouth. “It’s disgusting.”
“Only a monster would do this to somebody,” Ajax told her. “We better kill them all, sooner rather than later.”
“Are you alright?” Caleb saw both Jeoff and Luxt had some wounds.
“Yes, it’s nothing important. They didn’t bite us,” Jeoff said with a sigh.
The beast was writhing on the floor while a thick black liquid spilled from a mouth full of sharp teeth. It might look human, once it was, but its skin was translucent and you could see its darkened veins and muscles. Probably because of the venom that had replaced the blood in its body. Amanda noticed this instantly when she was close enough to examine it.
“These beings must have a very high percentage of venom,” Amanda said worriedly. “I have never seen so much poison. It spills forth like saliva. Are they all like that?” Amanda asked looking at the two who had brought him. They nodded. “This is going to be a problem.”
“Can you find something to protect us?” asked Meryl.
“I don’t know. I could never neutralize the normal venom or make any kind of vaccine. But not all vampires have that gift, only one in twenty or thirty. It’s difficult to determine the exact number. But these things can convert anyone. Let’s take him to the lab. We’ll prepare a cell. I’ll try to study it,” she continued. “The more we know about them the easier it will be to kill them.”
The spawn seemed to get enraged when Luxt and Jeoff began to drag him to take him to the lab. Three of the other people present had helped them and they realized that the spawn was much, much stronger than any of them.
Meryl stood there as they took him, followed by Amanda, who was accompanied by several of the main leaders.
“Are you okay?” Caleb asked before following them all.
“No. This worries me, Caleb,” Meryl admitted, looking at him because it took five people to haul away the spawn and even then it took great effort. “Those things make us seem weak and suddenly it’s as if all the confidence I had was gone.”
“Don’t drive yourself crazy. We just have to stop them from biting us. I’m going to the lab to talk to Amanda. We need to release the virus. The more enemies we remove the better we’ll fight against the beasts.”
Meryl watched Caleb as he walked until he disappeared through a door. She had the terrifying feeling that he was vulnerable. That she could lose him from one second to the next and that terrified her. A hug from behind startled her out of her thoughts. Johana’s scent relaxed Meryl. She felt Johana tighten her arms around her as she buried her head in her hair. Johana was as terrified as she was. Meryl could feel the slight trembling of her body.
“How are we going to fight that?” Johana asked after a while. “They’ll kill them all and then they will kill us.”
“We must trust them, Johana,” Meryl said, trying to calm her heart. “Legrant will be fine and so will Caleb and everyone.”
♫♫♫
Two days after they brought the spawn the only thing they knew about him was that he was insane. He didn’t talk and he did not listen. Every time someone came up to the cage with the thick bars he threw himself at them and his arms tried to grab his prey. It was a being that did not reason, at least with them. Caleb was sure that Epsilon had a way to control them but Caleb didn’t know how to find that information.
“Are you still sitting there?” Caleb asked as he re-entered the laboratory. Ajax had been sitting in a chair for several hours while watching “Gerome” the name Amanda had given to her specimen.
“I’ve tried to think of every possible situation but I can’t understand what would lead anyone to create this. You know I’ve seen horrible things in all the centuries that I’ve been alive. I’ve been present in the worst battles and wars and I’ve never seen anything so disgusting. I didn’t think anyone, no matter how dark his heart might be, could do this to somebody. Because this spawn was once a human, then a vampire ... he had children or was a father. I don’t know but he was like us.”
“I do not think it’s worth thinking about this anymore, Ajax. Epsilon has a twisted and insane mind. Do you know he’s Meryl’s brother? That’s why I asked you to come to the meetings and not stay in your house.” Caleb smiled mischievously trying to appease the man. “His initial plan was to create a new race with her. He was going to get her pregnant,” Caleb suddenly said unexpectedly, making Ajax go pale.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m very serious. Although the child she remembers no longer exists and she denies it over and over. Meryl still sees him as a ghost. Imagine the mental battle that she is going through. I suppose when Epsilon lost the possibility and with a war a few miles away he had no choice but to use his plan B.”
“We must kill him.”
“Yes, and for that, I need you and Elizabeth to participate more.”
“We will, Caleb. Until now we felt a little lost with the current events. Although you know that we will always support you faithfully. The death of Amadeus left us in a state of shock. I vowed that I would not participate in a war again, but I will make an exception.”
“I know how hard this is for you and that’s why I thank you. We need your gifts in the battle. You have always been the best general and history corroborates it in all the names that you used to take your liege lord to victory.”
“So be it. I’ll go talk to Elizabeth. I hope to be whole after the beating she gives me.”
“I’m sure you will be.”
Ajax left to search for his companion, with whom he had been sharing for more than a few weeks the status of leader. Caleb occupied the chair where the man had been sitting to watch the enemy. They were lethal. They created in him a strange feeling of fear of not being effective enough. Doubts about being unable to change his fateful future clouded his mind and heart.
“Caleb!” André shouted, entering the room. “One of Yong’s explorers has arrived. It’s bad news.”
Caleb sighed and rose to leave immediately. Outside a man knelt with one knee on the ground. He seemed unstable and Yong placed a reassuring hand on his lowered head.
“Caleb,” Meryl called out to him before he reached them. When he looked at her, he saw instantly that something bad was happening. “He’s been bitten.”
“Fuck,” he muttered, Caleb continued walking toward the group of men that Luxt and Jeoff had just joined.
As soon as Caleb arrived, he could see the soldier trembling. It was almost as if he were cold. He was breathing in a choppy way and it was hard for him to remain kneeling on the ground. Yong whispered something softly as if he wanted to convey peace to him, knowing that soon he would cease to be.
“The city is in chaos,” he began when Caleb arrived. His eyes looked at Caleb. They shone and were turning into a terrifying black color. My lord the city is full of them. They have been released. They attack everyone.”
“No! Meryl,” Johana gasped.
“The rebels?” Meryl asked.
“Maybe they haven’t found them yet,” said Luxt. “I’ll go into the mountains. I’ll go to the pass where we exited the area. Maybe I can help them escape,” he continued earnestly.
“It’s very dangerous,” Caleb s
aid. “But I don’t think I can convince you not to go.”
“That’s right. You can’t. Anyway, few people know that exit. I’ll look and if I see something strange I will return immediately.”
“I’m coming with you,” Jeoff said, putting on his glasses.
“There’s no need,” Luxt said, frowning.
“You accompanied me and you saved me. I’m going. Caleb?” Jeoff asked, hoping to get his permission.
“You will do as you please,” Caleb murmured, shaking his head. “You are two of a kind. Go but return if you see any sign of danger. I want you both back before we release the virus. You have a few days. Is it clear?”
They nodded and turned around ready to leave as soon as possible. Caleb hadn’t given them much time. So they would have to hurry. At least the mountains were closer and more accessible from where they were. As they started to walk away, Meryl intercepted them.
“Return please,” she pleaded.
“We will.”
Caleb turned his attention to the explorer, who was finding it harder and harder to stay upright. He was beginning to sweat and the tremors began to look like violent spasms. Amanda came running after being told what was happening. It was a golden opportunity to get to know the process better.
“Take him to the lab. We can see how they are transformed,” she shouted, getting some disgusted looks.
“No,” Yong said furiously. “He won’t be your guinea pig, woman.”
“Please, Amanda. This is not the time,” Caleb tried to mediate when he saw the scientist’s stupefied face. She was about to let out a scream of indignation. “What do you want us to do, Yong?”
Silently, Yong cast Amanda a poisonous look and bent to stare at the man who was beginning to suffer.
“Son,” Yong called in a whisper, drawing his black eyes to him. “What is your wish? I can give you a quick and painless death here and in an instant.”
“My lord ... if I can help ...”
Caleb watched as Amanda smiled, but her smile vanished when she felt reproachful eyes on her.
“It’s not necessary.” Caleb stood beside Yong, crouching down just like him and staring at the soldier. He could see in his eyes all the fear, frustration and confusion. “Seeing how you transform will not help us, but seeing how you suffer will affect us.”
“It’s very painful,” the man muttered, lowering his head once again. “If this terrible pain won’t help, please ... give me rest …”
“Caleb,” Amanda called out in anguish as the two men stood up. “Yes it will, it may help …”
“Stop Amanda. This argument is over,” Caleb roared angrily. “It won’t help anything. You just want to have another subject to study. I’m not going to let an innocent suffer for that. I don’t believe in doing everything for science,” Caleb said as Yong stood behind Son.
“Caleb. Give me your support.”
Caleb crouched down again in front of the soldier. He knew perfectly well what his former mentor intended. He had lived for many years with Yong on a mountain and had killed many vampires who didn’t want to continue living. It was not an easy thing to do. Most were new, others were old, but they had decided that they had endured enough suffering.
Caleb lifted Son’s head with both hands, looked at him for a moment, then leaned his forehead against his in a friendly gesture.
“If there is a God beyond,” Yong began, drawing Meryl and Johana to the first row, “may he welcome you and forgive your mistakes. May he understand your suffering beyond your former deeds. Eternal rest may not be the end, but it will be redemption.”
“Rest dragon,” Caleb added, pulling up to grab him by the shoulders.
“May your death be quick, my friend.”
The crunch immediately brought to Meryl’s mind the moment Axel died, but this time she wasn’t fast enough to turn around. She knew that the image of the head separating from the body would cause her horrible nightmares. Amanda left, snorting all kinds of insults while some of the soldiers prepared a fire to finish burning the corpse, killing him once and for all.
“I feel as if this is never going to end,” Meryl muttered next to Johana, not taking her eyes off the small ceremony they were performing. “I feel so powerless Johana. I wish I could do something and that everything was normal, no more wars, no more death, no more pain.”
“I feel the same. We have to have hope, Meryl. Someday we’ll accomplish it.”
“I’m not sure anymore ...”
Johana watched in surprise as Meryl turned around to walk into her little house. Meryl wasn’t usually so negative. After all, she had lived through Meryl always tried to smile. Johana was sure that since Alexander’s death, not only had she become stronger, but she had begun to lose that tender innocence that characterized her so much. Johana sighed and thought. She turned to Caleb, who was engrossed watching the flames.
“Hey,” Johana said. “I think you should talk to Meryl.”
“Is something wrong?” Caleb was surprised to see that they were not together.
“I think all this is starting to affect her a lot. It affects us all, of course,” Johana added,” but she is the sister of the one who has done all this. I don’t know. She didn’t look well. She’s gone home.”
Caleb nodded in acknowledgment. He said goodbye to Yong and began to walk home. He didn’t like the silence that he found. Caleb began to look for Meryl until he reached her room. It was right next to his room. When he opened the door Caleb saw her sitting on the bed, with her knees bent, her head was on her arms and knees. Jacob was already there trying to calm her down.
“I can’t stop thinking this is my fault, Dad,” Meryl said. Caleb stood in the doorway.
“Don’t say that, Meryl. You haven’t done any of this.”
“If I had not agreed to the experiment I could have watched out for George and they would never have taken him.”
“Meryl, do you really think that would have changed anything? They kidnapped him and they would have done the same with you. Deep down you know it as well as I do. If someone is to blame for all this, it’s me. I should have taken care of my children, protect them and saved them. I did everything wrong.”
“Dad ...” Meryl said with her head still lowered. She let out a small laugh. “We’re a mess.”
“I’m sorry. That’s my inheritance. Your mother was brilliant.”
“I wish she were here. She always knew what to do.
“I’ll see if I can help Yong with the organization. There’s a lot to do. Get some rest.” He kissed her on the head and stood up. Before leaving, he gestured for Caleb to enter.
“I don’t want to talk now, Caleb.”
“You knew I was here?” Caleb was surprised.
“I smelled your scent when you came in,” Meryl admitted. “Don’t go,” she said when she felt him turn around. “Just stay with me for a while, please.”
Caleb sat down next to her and hugged her. It couldn’t be easy to think about all those things. Nor feel the weight of a guilt that didn’t belong to her, but she would always be Epsilon’s sister.
“You know. It’s weird to think my father is your great-grandfather,” Caleb said in a humorous tone after a few minutes of silence.
“You’re making a joke?” Meryl was astonished and raised her head to look at him. “The world has definitely gone crazy.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to stop you thinking about all the junk you’re trying so hard to keep in your head, Meryl. It’s enough.” Caleb was serious. “I told you he’s not your brother anymore. It’s not your damn responsibility.”
“A part of me knows that, but the other part does nothing but torture me. I mean, one day I get up and don’t feel guilty. I think George disappeared long ago, but the next I open my eyes, or, like today I see what they have done to that boy. And my mind tell
s me that maybe if I had acted differently in the past he wouldn’t have ended up like this.”
“Your father already told you nothing would be different. They needed you to make the virus. If you hadn’t gone willingly they would have forced you.”
“When you go after Epsilon. I want to go with you, Caleb,” Meryl said suddenly, her face serene and serious. Caleb stared at her eyes, aware of the decision in them, and realized that nothing would change her mind.
“If I say no you’ll come anyway, won’t you?”
“Yes. I know I can help,” Meryl said slowly, “I’ll distract him and you’ll kill him.”
“I don’t know Meryl. After the dream I had I’d be calmer if you stayed away from him. But as much as I refuse or imprison you here. I know that you will follow me.”
“I would follow you to the end of the world, Caleb. I know that Epsilon will kill you as soon as he has the chance.”
“When Luxt and Jeoff come back we’ll leave. Now sleep. The next few days will be terrible.”
He knew they were one step away from the war and if they came out victorious it would change everything.
♫♫♫
The next morning the small square in which Son died from the venom of the beasts was once again crowded. Watching as the crowds gathered, Caleb and Meryl hurried to discover what was happening this time. Amanda was there talking to a group of twelve people, both men, and women, who, with a serious face and standing like soldiers before a battle listened to what she was telling them with all their attention.
“It’s the volunteers,” Caleb whispered.
“The virus?”
“Yes. We won’t kill off all of the spawn but at least we will remove many of Epsilon’s allies. It’s difficult having to face them all.”
“They’re not ... They’re not coming back, are they?”
“The chances of them coming back safe and sound are one in a million,” Caleb replied, putting a hand on Meryl’s shoulder. “They know it and accept it. They no longer have anyone. They are alone. If they are going to die they prefer to do so by giving the rest of us a chance.”
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