Arise

by Michael Dean

  I managed to pull my head back up, the water rushed over my face as I tried to focus through blurry sight.

  “If you were truly unconcerned about me, then why play theses games, why not free me and take me on?” My head slumped back down.

  “Is that what’s bothering you? That I’ve stacked the odds in my favor? Oh Leo, then you don’t understand the game. The odds were stacked against you the moment you made the choice to claim Diccitidel, now you’re angry because you’ve been outsmarted? This battle was over before it began…hero.”

  Shimmer was strutting around the pool with his hands placed behind his back. He was looking things over with an investigative eye as he walked around the waterfall behind me before coming around the other side.

  “Don’t take offense, Leo. I had to make a show of this…drag it out a bit. After all, I don’t want my followers to witness a knock out in the first round. That’s always such a let-down…wouldn’t you agree?”

  I couldn’t answer. I used all my strength before in just asking him the one question. But I was fuming inside.

  “And it’s a good thing that I decided to extend our relationship. Thousands of my loyal subjects have heard that you’re here, Leo. You have reached infamy…the demon that dared to be a traitor. They’re coming in droves to The Ball of the Dead this year…all because of you. So many that I’ve been forced to have a couple of weeks’ worth of Balls, instead of just one night as the prelude to Hallows’ Eve. They can hardly wait to see you fall at the hands of…me. Not to mention watch my union with my newest bride when I take her for my own on All Hallows’ Eve.” Murgit giggled uncontrollably behind him.

  His disrespect for me and my girlfriend caused me to react with the most strength I’d been able to muster in months. I tilted my head back up and gathered enough strength to push myself up to one knee. Shimmer, seeing my modest burst of energy, stepped into the pool, something that he had avoided just moments ago, and waded his way over to me.

  “Boy, you really are a fool for that girl, aren’t you, Leo? I guess it must be true that once you start feeding a stray, it never leaves. Let the human girl go, Leo, she belongs to me now.” He bent over to me slightly, pulling out the Demon Dagger from his shirt and placing it under my chin. Obviously, he had gotten the dagger from Christian.

  “Wher…where is she…I—I want to see her,” I managed to mumble.

  “How preciously pathetic, the boy who chases after a girl that found a man, she is no longer a concern of yours. Move on.”

  “Then…why don’t you kill me now…y-you have the weapon.”

  Shimmer chuckled. “Like I said, that’s much too easy and would take all the fun out of it.”

  I tried to say more, but the fight between my last sentence and getting to one knee wore me out. Shimmer could see that I wanted to speak further, so he antagonized me to try and do so.

  “What’s that? You have something more to say to me, hero?”

  With every last bit of strength I could whip up, I gave him hollow words of warning. “If I get free…I’m going to kill you.”

  Shimmer snickered at my threat, placing the dagger back inside of his shirt. “That’s the problem isn’t it…you’re never getting free. Enjoy the rest of your stay, Leo. I’ll be seeing you soon.” He wound up and socked me right in the gut, which knocked me back down to both knees. Being stretched out like I was, with my arms over my head, made that punch hurt.

  “Okay, Murgit, keep up the good work. I’ll see that you’re taken care of for your loyalties.”

  “Oh, thank you, master, thank you!” Murgit bowed repeatedly.

  “Let’s leave our hero here to his thoughts.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  Just before they walked out of the chamber together, Shimmer turned back around with a pleased look about him.

  “You know what? Just to show what a merciful lord I am, I’m going to honor your request to see the human girl. Why not?”

  I raised my head up.

  “After all, what kind of a ruler would I be if I didn’t show a more…cordial side to my nature? I will grant the forsaken one a last request. You’re welcome, hero.”

  With a wink, he walked out the door with his watchman. I knew that his approval of my request to see Shade was probably more of an attempt to embarrass me further, and in front of her to boot. But I didn’t care; if he kept his word, which I didn’t expect, at least I’d get to see her one last time.

  This situation really sucked. I’m sitting here waiting to die. I can’t even be granted the dignity of a fight. I thought by submitting to them like this I could save her, but I was so wrong. Shimmer never had any intention of giving her up. His tricks will lead me to my death and her rebirth as his vampire mistress.

  Time passed. I could tell that seasonal changes were taking place, telling me that October was drawing ever closer. The sun and the moon were coming in at different angles through the hole and the air began to change as well. That same vision of the girls, and of course the ongoing visits from Murgit, kept my mind busy to a degree, but all I could think about anymore was dying. I just wanted this misery to end. I was even losing my urge to fight for Shade, which was my only reason for pushing on to begin with.

  Maybe that was the point. Get me to submit to him then break me down enough so I wouldn’t fight him even if I got the chance. Well, it was working. I was sick of this existence…my existence. I just needed it all to end so I didn’t have to go on fighting anymore.

  Then one night, the chamber doors opened, much like they’d done a thousand times before and the little blood blister walked in. “Oh, hero, tonight you have visitors!” he announced as he walked around the room.

  I thought that was completely bizarre, because of course, this was, after all, a cold prison cell in a dark cavern. It wasn’t exactly the kind of place people request to be taken to for an extravagant night out. I watched him scamper around the room, replacing the candles along the wall with new ones and then lighting them. He seemed elated as he whistled all the way over to the chamber doors and actually grabbed a damn broom from out behind them on the outside. I couldn’t believe it. Never mind the creature shackled to the wall, just make sure there isn’t any debris on the floor. Did I mention before that vampires are brilliant? After watching this, I may have to retract that statement.

  When Murgit was done, he left my chamber and for the first time ever, he left the steel double doors wide open. He disappeared into the blackness of the dimly lit corridor. I was kind of shocked. I mean, it didn’t matter that those doors where there, I think they shut them in order for me to feel more secluded, anyway. I could easily bust through them if I got free or go out the hole above me. Like I said, I believe it was for psychological reasons Shimmer had Murgit keep them closed on me so it was odd that Murgit left them open.

  It felt like hours went by and the doors remained ajar with no one checking on me. Then there was a break in the silence. I could hear the chatter of a few voices coming down the hallway. I distinctly heard Murgit over the top of the others. He was, as usual, sounding upbeat. The closer he got, the more voices I heard. They were getting louder, laughing and talking as they approached. Finally I willed my head back up to see Murgit with his back to the room, standing at the entrance, addressing a series of people, well; vampires.

  I couldn’t make out anything he was telling them, but he would occasionally turn to point at me and the very curious slew of people would smile or giggle. I could tell that I was a part of some tour, or more like the butt of the joke. Finally, he waddled his way into the cavern, extending his arm as an invitation of welcome to the slew of vampires who started to reluctantly walk into the room.

  “Go right ahead, my friends, he is of no harm to you. He cannot escape. Our Lord Shimmer has taken all the necessary precautions in housing such an abomination.”

  The nervous guests began to fan out around the room. More and more blood blisters filed in like cattle. There must have been a hundr
ed of them packed in that corridor waiting to come in. I thought maybe it was just a handful, but the more my cell filled up, the more I knew the vulgar display of my misery was truly an event of pleasure to behold for them.

  There was an equal amount of male and female vampires, both young and old, drinking wine, or for all I know, it could have been blood, out of exquisite crystal wine glasses. Their attire ranged from fashions dating back to the thirteenth century, to modern day. Their styles could have dated back even further, that was just all that I could see in front of me. I couldn’t get a glimpse past the first couple rows. I was so weak on top of it, it was hard to keep constant focus.

  The room was so full, all the way around me, that Murgit had to squeeze through the dense crowd and stand up on the small riser on the edge of the pool to address everyone.

  “As our Lord has promised you, this is the demon that claimed Diccitidel and killed the queen of the sirens…Agrelia!” The crowd “oohhed’ and “ahhed” and whispered among themselves, never taking their eyes off me.

  “But as you can see here, our Lord has captured the hero, known as Leo, and will eradicate him, as a gift to you all-on All Hallows’ Eve!” The group began to clap and nod in glee.

  “Not only that, our master, Lord of All, will be taking a new bride in celebration before the disposal of the traitor Leo, and she will join up with our beautiful queens, Sierra and Molina.” The gathering began to clap and gloat in expectation even louder at that news.

  Turning around, he swayed his arms out in my direction and spoke in a calming but antagonizing voice, “The bride our Lord Shimmer plans to take is the very girl our friend here saved the life of when he betrayed us all.”

  An uproar of clapping broke out and Murgit smiled and laughed at my plight. I was on fire inside. If I get free from here, they will know my pain. I will make them all pay for what they’ve done to me and Shade.

  “C’mon now, let us move along. Our Lord has arranged a feast for the ages in the dining area of the castle. Our queens Sierra and Molina will be in attendance and I don’t want to keep them waiting.” Murgit tossed his arms into the air, ushering them out of my chamber.

  The exuberant guests filed out of my cavern and their voices faded before silence set back in as they left the Chambers of the Forgotten. But this wasn’t the last time this happened. For the next few days and nights, the same humiliation repeated itself. Murgit would bring in another full capacity crowd, take pot-shots at me, they’d laugh, then he’d announce some kind of special festivity going on elsewhere and they would leave. I even recognized some faces in those crowds from Mountainside and the party that night. Nothing could help them now, they were pure vampire and they were all milking my decline for every last drop they could get.

  One night, things changed. Shimmer came in with Murgit and what looked to be some very high ranking elder male and female vampires. I could tell they were high ranking just by the manner of respect Shimmer gave them. Not to mention the older, more powerful vampires wore more period dress, like ages dating from the eighteenth century on back. But one thing was still constant, the room was full, wine was flowing, and their lack of respect for me was unwavering.

  “My dear friendsssss, behold, Superman in his kryptonite!” he boasted, waving his arms about as timid levels of laughter came from the elders. It was as if they were too sophisticated to laugh hysterically, but too egomaniacal not to gloat.

  “As you can see, I have the All Hallows’ Eve festivities in order. Of course we’ll have the elders’ ball just before my dear boy, Leo here—the main attraction—will make his contribution to the party. I’ll also be treating you all to the birth of my next queen.”

  Some idle banter from the elders went off as they nodded to one another in approval. Shimmer then raised his glass in the air.

  “I would like to take this moment to thank our hero,” he turned and grinned at me, “for his contributions to our gathering this year…without him, neither the death of a traitor, nor the birth of a new bride would be possible.” The elders all raised their glasses and with Shimmer’s nod, they downed their drinks.

  Then, with a complete lack of integrity, Shimmer reared back and threw his glass just inches above my head with great force. The glass shattered on the rock waterfall above me, causing the broken crystal fragments of the wine glass to flow onto me with the water. This brought out the most laughter yet.

  “Which reminds me…Murgit, bring in the girl. A promise is a promise.”

  “As you wish, my Lord.” Murgit shifted through the group and walked out the doors.

  I was stunned that Shimmer might actually be keeping his word for the first time in our relationship, but I’d have to see Shade to believe it. His words caused a rush of strength, fueled by hope, to flow through my body. The thought of seeing her again after all this time brought me back to one knee again. Shimmer picked up on my anticipation and made sure to knock me back down a peg.

  “A dying wish for the damned…granted, my friends. The hero wishes to see his love before she takes another as her own…in his bed.” The group roared in laughter with him.

  “So the demon actually loved the human girl? A demon?” one of the elder women asked.

  “Yes,” Shimmer answered as he stepped into the pool with me. “Apparently, the one thing incapable of love—or to be loved—is in love.”

  I looked through my blurry vision and could see the vampire woman looking at me. She stared, not with malice, the usual way my kind is viewed by the vamps, but with yearning. It was if she was craving something within herself that I was somehow able to harness. She also looked upon me with…sympathy.

  “I didn’t know demons could feel…love,” a male elder called out.

  “Ironic, isn’t it, Gerrod?” Shimmer stood at my side and pulled my head back by the hair. “The one thing in hell specifically designed to live without feelings of happiness…sadness…empathy…compassion…and of course…love, somehow betrayed those that blessed him with eternity—for those very emotions.”

  Murmuring continued among the crowd as Shimmer bent down to my ear, still holding my head up by the hair. “How. Is. That. Possible?”

  I could only look at him. I didn’t have an answer. I didn’t know how it was possible, either. I just knew it was how I felt about Shade.

  Whispering in my ear where only I could hear, Shimmer belittled me further. “Don’t worry, Leo, she’ll be…well…taken care of when you’re gone.” He snickered.

  Suddenly I heard a voice that filled my dark soul. It was like pouring hot apple cider into a cold, empty stomach. I was instantly filled with warmth.

  “Take your hands off me! Where are you taking me?”

  It was Shade. Although she was in distress, it was still very nice to hear something so pleasing to my soul. The elders moved to the side as Murgit escorted the fiery Shade by the collar. When they got through the flock, Murgit released her with a shove.

  “She’s a spicy one,” Shimmer added, releasing my head, but this time it didn’t sink back down. Seeing Shade gave me the strength to hold it up.

  Shade looked towards Shimmer and noticed me in the waterfall. It seemed like it took a second for her to recognize that it was actually me, but when she did, her face lit up and she came running into the pool at me as Shimmer stepped aside.

  “Leo!” she cried as she ran. “Oh baby, oh…” She started kissing me on the face and lips, hugging me with no care about getting wet while rubbing the wet hair from my face. “What have they done to you?”

  I could only sputter out the words, “Holy water.” Instantly she knew how they were holding me captive.

  “Ah, the lovers reunited,” Shimmer addressed the elders, “even if it’s only for a few minutes—it is a…touching moment.”

  I wanted to comment on something I had observed as Shade was bending over to coddle me, I didn’t see her necklace with the meteor I gave her around her neck. She was oddly enough wearing her promise ring, but the
necklace was gone. I wanted to ask about it but there was so much going on, not to mention I was very weak, that I just didn’t feel it was important enough to point out.

  “You coward…set him free!” Shade demanded.

  Before he could answer her, another elder male chimed in, “Seems as if your new bride has much contempt for her new beau,” he joked.

  Sporadic laughter broke out among the horde, including Shimmer.

  “Well, my friends, the love bite always seems to do away with any malcontent,” he kidded back as more chuckling rang throughout the elders.

  “I hate to be the party-pooper…Murgit.” Shimmer snapped his fingers and his watchman jumped into the pool and jogged up to Shade, who was still holding me and kissing me.

  “I thought I would never see you again, I won’t let you go.”

  Murgit reached around and grabbed her. His first tug bore no fruit and he quickly realized she was a little stronger than he’d expected. So, with that knowledge, he ripped her away from me with great force.

  “No!” she cried, still reaching for me. “You jerks! How can you do this? I love you, Leo…I love you!” She continued to yell she loved me as Murgit dragged her between the vampires, down the corridor, until her cries disappeared into the distance.

  I tried to shout to her that I loved her as well, but it only came out as a whisper. I was drained of strength from the rush of seeing her.

  Shimmer proclaimed, “My side of the agreement has been kept with our hero here…his side will be fulfilled in the coming days.”

  The elders nodded, raising their glasses in approval.

  “Let us leave the young lad to his thoughts and get reacquainted in a much more suitable environment…shall we?”

  The elders slowly piled out of my cavern with Shimmer at their backs. He extended his arms out as if escorting them from behind. Shimmer was the last vampire to walk out my cell doors. When he turned to shut them on me, he left me with a parting sentiment.

  “Leo,” he shouted out to me. I lifted my head. “The next time we meet…will be your death. Enjoy your final days.” With that, he slammed the steel doors and latched them shut.