I backed around the corner, “Hello what can I do you for . . .” my father began.
“David, sir.”
“Well than let me rephrase that . . .”—I smacked my palm against my forehead knowing that my father was doing this on purpose—”. . . What can I do for you David?”
“Is Princess Cecelia here?” David asked, “I wanted to speak with her.”
Aw David . . . I thought as I heard the familiar nervousness he had when he spoke to me. “Well you see my daughter at the moment is a little busy.”
“Oh I see,” came his reply.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to let her know that you want to speak with her. I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear that.” said my father that mirrored the familiar closing sound of a door. I waited until David’s presence was gone before I climbed out of my hiding space. I was soon met with a dark gaze. “Care to explain to me why you’re giving that boy a tough time?”
“No.” I said crossing my arms and facing the balcony. “You can’t lecture me on guys. Only mother can.”
He sighed. “I’m telling your mother about . . . this.”
“What do you think that was?” I asked flaring my hands towards the door.
“That that poor boy likes you and you run away and hide in a closet.” he easily stated and I eyed him from head to toe and back again. “What?”
“You’re not weird out at all by this?” I inquired.
“A man has to grow up sometime.” he grunted obviously not happy males were interested in me.
The door opened and my mother graced the room. She kissed father on the cheek and skidded towards me. “Mom?”
“Hurry! You have to get ready!” she said. “Why aren’t you ready?” My mother eyed me expectantly and I sighed and gestured towards my father not really in the mood to explain, let alone talk.
“She can’t find her combat gear.” stated my father.
My mother gasped, “She can’t train without it.” Than my mother discussed with my father how important my mentor was and that she didn’t like being kept waiting. “We have to tell her that Cecelia can’t train.”
“No you won’t!” I growled, “I’m going to train we still have time!” I didn’t realise how angry I was at my mother’s suggestion. The look on her face and my father’s confirmed their surprise. I relaxed. “What?”
“You didn’t feel that?” they asked, in union.
I glanced between the two of them with a puzzled expression. “What are you talking about?” I asked and before I could receive a decent answer, I was yanked out of the room and hauled down the hall. Even with my protests and questions they just smiled and said that I was ready. By the time we ended up down at the courtyard they beamed over at where Kal stood in her Nefaliem Form. Her cloak swayed around her as she turned around.
“About time.” Kal said, surprisingly she wasn’t angry and I felt my parents relax. I regarded them and walked towards the wooden railing that surrounded the courtyard as a makeshift training ground.
“Hey,” I greeted and noticed a small smile pulled at her lips.
“Where’s your gear?” Kal asked.
“Lady Kalverya,” my father began. “Cecelia already has it on.” I pivoted around to my father and he shrugged, no doubt, at my very confused expression. “It’s better if she explains it to you than us. After all this power originated from her people—the Nefaliem.”
“Huh, makes sense.” Kal spoke.
“What makes sense?”
“You, had a strange or rather stronger energy level than when I first met you. I thought it was because you have yet to awaken your powers or perhaps it was because you were awakened but than that theory proved to be false.” Kal evenly spoke as she moved towards me. “Nefaliem were the first with the power to materialise or rather summon is the term we use. We use the matter around us to change our power into visible usable forms. Hence my uniform.” I eyed her silver armour, skin tight blue scales that concealed her from her neck down to her toes and the silver cloak that glittered under the crescent moon. “Over time as other races were created from the Underworld, they too were given the power we possessed. So your suit remains compartmentalised within your central core, with concentration, you will be able to use the matter around you to bring forth your Vampieruz form. One that you’ve seen other Vampieri wear.”
“And it will look like yours?” I asked.
“No. We are a different species—a different race. The colours and texture of our scales or scaly suits is determined by our genetic makeup. You are a Vampieruz so your uniform will be a blood red scaly suit. It will not look rough, instead, smooth like a well cut diamond.” I recalled now seeing Zarlach’s Vampieruz form, his arms were smooth but sturdy and powerful.
“Then what about the armour?”
“You’ll get that in time. The more you train, the more armour and weapons you’ll have in your arsenal.” Kal held out her hand and a double edged blade summoned within her grasp. It glistened and gleamed. She skilfully turned the weapon around, rotating the pummel to face me. I gasped in surprise at how awesome that power was. “Here.” She offered her weapon to me and I glanced back at my parents and eyed my mother’s “go on” gesture. I turned back to Kal and grasped the weapon.
It was real.
I felt the metal of the pummel and regarded the etching engraved throughout the weapon. “What is that? A language?” I asked.
“That it is. My language. It’s called Nerudan.”
“What does it say?” I asked.
Kal eyed the sword with a saddened expression, “This is the blade of courage, strength and endurance. The power to Prevail. This is the name of this sword and it has remained so for many millennia.”
“Cool.” I breathed, blown away. “Wait . . . you said millennia. Does that mean this sword has been around before you?” I asked and she smiled.
“I’m not that old.” she chuckled. “Even though my Nefaliem form states otherwise. And, yes. It has been around before me. This was my father’s sword until he decided to pass it onto me when I had proven myself. Before him, it was my grandmother’s, before her, my great grandfather’s and so on and so on.”
I handed the long thick sword back to her, “It’s beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
I felt more presences surrounded the training arena. I glanced around and watched as all of the members of the Faction were there. They stood with a calm but proud expression, I regarded Bella in the distance and observed as she nodded. I smiled and turned back to Kal. “The vampieri aristocrats. I see,” Kal spoke as her deep bright blue eyes skimmed the area around the training ring, “Did you invite them?”
“No . . .” I confessed and considered, “But, I would like for them to stay. If that’s okay.”
Kal smiled, “It’s perfectly fine with me.” Kal’s sword began to de-summon away and I watched until it faded into nothing. She relaxed her grip and darted her attention towards me. “Now, before we begin, I’ll need you to transition.”
“Transition?”
She smiled, patiently.
“Yes, transition. Transform into your Vampieruz Form or what we call such transformations: armour up.”
“There’s not much difference.” I pointed out.
“I know.” declared Kal as she shrugged, “Don’t look at me I wasn’t the one that came up with it but in the end it does make sense. When we transform not into our true form but a morphed version of our true form we are cladded in thicker skin that, literally. Works to protect us from high speeding arrows or in modern Russia, firing bullets.”
I considered her point and understood it.
Sure human skin was made up of soft tissue and I would like to be invulnerable that would be awesome but I have to wonder if invulnerability really was a weakness. The one thing I’ve learnt from old war movies was that everyone was quick to pick up a gun but not to learn how to use it, morally. So it made me wonder, if people unlike Kal, instead like that
Minotaur, who attacked me a while back could co-exist. One set of good and one set of bad with the power to stand against a tank. Then that must mean the humans were far more insecure about their safety than ever before, regardless of whether or not, they’re their own enemies.
That thought alone scared me. If this scared me, a Vampieruz Princess, then I must consider how the Human populous would feel about our new proposed existence—terrified no doubt. “Um . . . how do I go about that?” I asked unsure how to make what she wanted, to work. In a sense it reminded me of zero gravity, sure you can spin and flip but you couldn’t get your body to propel without a wall or leverage—that was something I felt I was sorely missing.
ELEVEN
The Spring Festival
. . . I would say close your eyes . . . but so far I’ve seen that, that always doesn’t work. So instead . . .”—Kal’s form moulded into a smoke green mist that flowed along and over the ground, towards me—“. . . prepare to defend yourself,” she said as she ascended for me.
I stepped out of the way in time. Slowly eyeing her fist that missed my nose by mere centimetres, Kal skidded behind me easily into a kneeled crouch. “You aren’t going to win any battles by not fighting back.”
I declared. “But I don’t want to fight you.”
She was before me in an instant once again, “Than you’ll die.” I caught her fist that shot for my solar plexus. Her other fist rounded to my temple and I deflected the attack. Impulsively going for a head-butt, she recoiled as my forehead shattered against her armour. I felt a little dizzy but noticed she stepped back and waited for me to gain my grasp on the world once more, “Good. That’s it, trust your instincts. They are what saves you in any fight. Or if not saves you, then it prevents you from any form of combat.”
Once my world had returned, she shot forward and this time I was prepared. I felt a surge of power build up within me and I flew my arms forward. I watched astounded as Kal soared away from me. She flipped and landed on her feet as if she were merely swatted away. A small smile graced her red lips. The training session carried on like that and I knew that no matter what I did, Zarlach wasn’t too far away.
As the hours passed, I noticed, my reflexes increased as did my knowledge of myself as a Vampieruz. All these things I knew; they were familiar but all I was reminded was that I needed practice. Something I was eagerly looking forward too. I needed a distraction, something to control my already raging emotions and attachments. I needed to focus on something sturdy, something that will require all of my attention and training for the next battle or training session is I figured the way to go.
By the time the training session was over, I vastly found my way to my room and crawled into bed hoping that my aching body and battered muscles would allow my mind to drift and to my surprise it did and this time, I dreamed a different dream.
I watched the stars and waited, far from home. Soon hearing a voice call from the fogginess of the woods, “Cecelia.” There in the shadows of the Russian Forest was Zarlach. “I told you to stay inside,” he gruffly spoke as he sauntered over me, the closer he came the taller he appeared. “It’s not safe out here.”
“But you’re here now.” I addressed my voice childish and sweet innocent in so many ways. “I’m safest with you.” I watched as he kneeled down and smiled.
“I’m happy you think so kid.” He pulled me into his arms and carried me away. But as he did I watched the shadows—expectantly as I knew we weren’t alone. I felt it and I was sure he did as I watched the blurry trees speed by. I was safe with Zarlach, always.
When the blurry line of trees and cold rush of the wind ceased, I felt Zarlach place me down on the wooden floorboards. I held up my arms and looked at him expectantly, “Cecelia?”
“I want up.” I demanded and he sighed, kneeling once again on the wooden steps. He wrapped me up in his arms and held me with one arm as he headed inside the cabin at the edge of the campsite within the mountains. I smelt the warm blood and charred burning wood. I knew we wouldn’t need fire but I also knew it was a necessity to pose as human.
The moment Zarlach and I entered the room. I heard the sound of my mother’s panicked voice, “Cecelia!” I pressed my head against Zarlach’s shoulder and folded my arms around him burying my head, into his shoulder. I knew this was a dream but in a way it bore reality. “I told you to wait here for Zarlach!” my mother growled in an angry but upset voice. I knew I never did like upsetting her but I also knew I couldn’t stay away because I knew nowhere else was safe.
“Natasha,” I heard Zarlach’s voice vibrate against my ear. “It’s okay. She’s fine now.”
I felt my mother relax a bit. I loved her and hated to see her upset. I glanced at her and watched the furrowing of her brows. “I know that now. But what happens when she’s not with you or Vladimir or me. The Dark Cartel will stop at nothing to see our peaceful race removed from existence.”
“We know. And we’re taking every precaution necessary to ensure her safety. They can try and get passed us.” I heard my father say as he zipped into the room with his super Vampieruz speed. He held out his arms and I leaned over to him. “He won’t touch her.” I felt the sound of my father’s voice dance, as I placed my head against his chest and felt his even beating heart.
I began to nod off. It felt like seconds when I felt my father shift and move. My mother was on the other side of father and as I dozed. I soon caressed the warm familiar texture of my bed and its quilt. I sensed the frosty familiar kisses of my parents before they slipped away into the darkness. It changed so quickly the dream, one minute I was a sleep in bed and the next I was in the forest running and crying. I remembered seeing the burning flames of the surrounding cabins and smelt strongly freshly spilled blood.
There were men in the distance and they weren’t like Zarlach or Father. They were dangerous and I stepped back. I knew I had to get away. But they were fast, within an instant they surrounded me, “Well, hello little Princess.” I heard one say.
“Snag her and take her to Master Ivan,” the other said.
I screamed and crouched. Than they were all gone. Their bodies melted away before disappearing into nothing. I stared at where the vampiere servants were. “Cecelia.” I heard the familiar voice of Zarlach and I recoiled into his arms, crying. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”
Then the dream shifted once again. I heard the sound of clashing steel and saw my mother kneeling down before me. “Mum! Mum!” I called as I tried to yank myself from her grasp. I saw behind her, Zarlach and Father fighting that horrid man who never left me alone. “Dad! Zarlach!” I cried and attempted to squirm against my mother viced grip. “They’re in pain! Mum!”
“I know honey,” I heard Mother purr. But I didn’t hear her the rest of that sentence. All I heard was the clashing of steel and screams of agony as Zarlach and Father were injured. “But you’ll be safe.” Fire burned in the background, scorching the smell of burning flesh. The mountain was silent behind the two men I loved most—filled with soulless bodies. “I’ll make sure you’ll never be scared again.” she whispered, “I should give you that much.”
I watched as her blood red eyes turned gold. “Mum! What—?”
That was when I woke. The evening night of the next Vampieruz schedule began and I sat up in my bed. I felt the sharp contours of my cold skin. “Talk about . . . traumatic.” I sighed and forced myself out of bed knowing that this was all I could do to keep myself in the present.
Later that day, I sat around the table. Utensils clattered against the ceramic plates as I poked at my mint scented fresh red meat. The crimson juices that pooled off of it didn’t make me hungry for some reason it just made me lose my appetite. Even as I stared at the blood-stained mint herbs I didn’t desire the blood. “Honey?” I heard my mother’s voice sing and I glanced up. All eyes were trained on me. My mother’s, my father’s and Zarlach’s eyes bore into my own. Their expressions were concerned and I wiped my mouth and stood.
&
nbsp; “I’m going to my room,” I said and quickly fled. I quickened my pace as I heard Zarlach leave the table. Most likely to chase after me. By the time I managed to enter my room there was a knock.
I sighed and moved to the door. I pulled it open, “Yes?” I sincerely asked. I spied Zarlach and my father watching me with concern and my mother didn’t miss this feat as she stood at the end of the corridor, worried.
Zarlach asked, “Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine. Just trying to get used to not being human,” I spoke the words this time sarcastically and I could tell I offended him in a manner but didn’t mean to. I sighed. “I don’t regret changing I’m just trying to get used to all these newly unfound abilities.”
“It’s only a matter of time,” he said and I smiled. With a hand, I gestured him and everyone else to leave. Once he was certain I was fine, he left and I closed the door. That was how I spent my Friday; locked away and unresponsive, as I stared at the pillow on my bed.
The next day, however gave me more energy, as I was able to sit by and watch as my human friends decided to huddle around waiting for the others. The car pulled up and Zarlach turned off the engine. I eyed my old friends through the windscreen and wandered if I was able to do what they asked of me. “Remember, stay in your idol form. You’ll be able to walk in sunlight but your powers will be limited . . .”—I turned to him about to say something—“. . . don’t use them.” I rolled my eyes. “And don’t be a pain.”
“They’re my friends . . .” I announced. “. . . And since when am I a pain?” I retorted, a little annoyed, “Besides, the only one who’s been a pain is you!” I snapped and forced the car door open. I slammed it behind me louder than expected, hoping I would be forgiven as I skidded across the road while praying I wouldn’t get hit. During my whole reckless stampede across the road, I felt Zarlach’s gaze on me probably ready to pull me out of the way if I was going to be a victim of an oncoming car.
But as I made my way to the safety of the opposite sidewalk. I turned around and watched Zarlach step back into the car before speedily pulling it away. I couldn’t help but mutter, “Show off.” I continued to watch after the car not caring, I was mad at him for his rejection. Instead, I just hoped he wasn’t going to get into some sort of accident and reveal his heritage. And, maybe Zarlach dying did bother me—a little.
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