Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Holy ground
Nanami walked home slowly and quietly. She didn’t want anyone to know she existed. She wanted to join with the wind and the earth, flow like the water or be as calm as the hot coals after the fire. She wanted to become a bird and fly away. Up to the full moon that was now giving her strength. As she dreamed of soaring far away she heard a noise. Men, coming up the road that was shadowed by a field of corn, they were obviously sharing a joke, for they were both laughing loudly. What would the do if they found her? Probably hand her over to the nearest church. Nanami hid in the field, careful not to make a noise. She had just fed so she was no longer thirsty. She would just wait until they passed and then leave. As they approached she noticed one was carrying a lantern and speaking to a man high upon a mighty steed. Her night vision showed her that he was dressed in fine silk that was a deep violet; also he wore a sash of silver. Along side he, guiding the horse, was a man dressed in a browning tunic and a lather cap.
“I hear tell of vampires in these parts sire” Said the man guiding the horse.
“Worry not dear Lycurgus! For should one approach I shall rip its heart out with my best silver blade”
He then held up a magnificent blade of pure silver that glowed in the moonlight. Both were laughing, Nanami found it disgusting. A lordly slayer had come to the quiet village of Ouchou, her home. She had never killed anyone with her nightly prowls what were these men doing here?
She was still curios so she slipped into wolf form to fallow.

When the men noticed she was there they tried to shoo her, treating her like an old begging dog. If only they knew.
When they reached the church she tensed, their going in there, she thought, I’ll never be able to hear what brings their likes now!
She fallowed to the door and once it had closed she changed to her true form, leaned against it and listened….
“What brings a man of such dress and state to our quiet village?”
The priest, she thought. She loathed the man many a time had he tried to poison her or shoot her. She didn’t see what the villagers saw in him.
“I have come to rid you of your curse, I am Hazen wolfs bane, vampire slayer, demon silencer and heir to the throne of Nelan. I bring a blade of silver and a vile of holy water; I come only to save your people from further fear of what lurks in the night”.
Hazen, she had heard it before, but where?
“I bid thee welcome! May the lord help you on your quest then! You may stay here if you wish. I will tell you all you want to know of our curse”.
“I wish to know of what status is this vampire you have”
“It is a young female, she prays mostly past midnight and there have been no deaths of her victims. I have faced her a couple of times, she is timid and a very skilled escape artist but seems to possess no will to fight”.
“This will then be a simple task for none has escaped me yet! Tell me dose she take form of a bat or of that of the wolf?”
“She is a wolf of a charcoal black.”
At this the man paused, Nanami hoped he did not recall her at these words. She had heard enough anyway. She would leave in the morning to another village she didn’t want to fight this man.
“MASTER, MASTER!!! THE DEMON IT LIES OUTSIDE THESE VERY DOORS!!”
The servant had been putting the horse to rest and returned to find her at the door in full form. Her breath grew quicker as the nobleman barged out the door brandishing his sword and charging. She dodged his first blow by moving swiftly with the shadows behind a head stone. He was quick to parry and leaped around to face her behind the stone. Nanami fled toward the gates. To her shock the priest had moved to the gates and was holding up and brass cross with the image of Christ on it. Her body tensed she felt and burning pressure compacting her lungs and heart. She fell to the ground clutching at her burning chest. The priest was now moving closer with the cross, the closer he moved the more her chest hurt and the more it felt as if something was crushing her. It came to rest with the silver blade at her neck and the cross hovering above her.
She gave an evil smile; she had no fear at the moment she knew what to do. The priest anticipated her next move for he cried “Kill her! Hurry”. Hazen muttered
“In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit, I send this monster back to hell from whence it came”.
He struck at her but she had moved to quickly. Nanami was a pureblood, thereby meaning she carried the ancient art of shadow Tehb. It was an art of becoming a shadow; it was energy draining but allowed her to escape difficult situations. She has used Tehb to move into the nearby forest and watched from there.
“I told you she was difficult sire” Said the priest.
Hazen’s response was a simple frown, and then said.
“Come indoors where it can do us no harm good sir”.
Hazen, the priest and his servant all went inside the church and closed the door soundly behind them. Nanami rested for a while before noticing that some villagers were staggering up to the door. From where she was she could not properly see but it looked as if they were supporting someone. It was her latest victim. She had seen enough, Hisen got up and left. She was tired and the sun had begun to rise so she hurried home.

She lived right outside the cornfield in the abandoned farmhouse. It was very grand and was a little intimidating. But Nanami did her best to keep it well maintained. She would dust it and wash the furniture and sheets. She even cared for the cellar which she never used. She went up to the master bedroom which she had made simple, dark and comfortable for the day. She lay down to sleep thinking of what await her in the evening for she was sure it was going to be harder to live from now on.
----------------------------------

12/14/07

HAZEN

Hazen groaned miserably, he had let her get away. This was so annoying, he had her in his hands and she got away. The morning sun shined thru the stained glass windows of the room the priest had given him. This was bad; his father had demanded all vampires to be cleared from the land, and he the kings own son could take care of a measly young female. He would start putting up posters tomorrow with a picture of her requesting that anyone who finds her will report sightings strait to him. Yes, that was good. He needed sleep vampires come out at night and he was exhausted from traveling all night and the battle.
He had just laid down to rest when someone knocked at the door.
“Come in” he moaned.
It was the priest.
“Sir, I think it best you speak with the townsfolk and tell them what you are here to do. They live in fear and need hope. Bestow it upon them deliver the message, you are here to guide them in their darkest hour”.
Without complaint Hazen got up and vested himself in his finest wear. He strapped a sword to his side and held a cross in his hand. He walked out to the village and stood before the crowd. He did not wish to speak, he was tired and wanted to rest and plan but he needed to do a speech if he were to be king someday.

“My good people, I am Hazen wolfs bane, vampire slayer, demon silencer and heir to the throne of our beloved kingdom. Let it be known to you that I am here with hope in your dark hour; I wish only to bring relief to you from your curse. I encountered the vampire last night and must say that this will be no trouble at all”.
That in fact was a big fat lie, he had only ever seen a pureblood move with the shadows in such a way and he had never challenged a pureblood before.
“Tonight I will face it again as it comes to feed! You may rest assured that no demon will haunt you! You may all rest peacefully tonight!” he called.

The crowd’s response was a thunderous roar. There was much applause and he was offered drink and food. But he turned them all down and returned to his bedroom.
“You do know sir” his servant Lycurgus said “that you may face the beast while it sleeps”.
“Not today dearest Lycurgus, I must rest. Please leave me”.

Nanami awoke to no moon in the night sky. She hated it when it was like this, there was no soothing light. Also she was in a terrible mood after being awoken from leering taunts from the village’s youths.
“Hazen the greats just told us he's going to slay you vamp!”
“Not so brave now are you”
“I hope the priest lets us watch!”
Eventually she had been forced to go to the door and threaten to rip their throats out if they didn’t leave her be. They weren’t as brave then and fled without second thought.
She got out of bed and went over to the mirror on the wall, she knew she would get no reflection but always wondered if there was a reflection what would she look like?

She sneaked through the corn field to the village. She would take a back rout so the slayer wouldn’t see her. Nanami knew it was going to be tough getting blood tonight and dreaded it. When she had reached the village the slayer was standing in the middle of the road waiting for her. He sure was stubborn. To her he looked like a sitting duck waiting for the hunter’s arrow. Aristocrat blood was especially good she had heard and she often wondered what the difference was. She would have attacked him if it weren’t for his silver sword and his holy water.
She soon found a window that was creaked slightly open and used Tehb to slip through the crack inside. Inside was the tailor and his wife, they both lay so peacefully in their rest Nanami thought it was too easy. She leaned in on the tailor and sunk her fangs in. she felt the blood gush immediately like an opening appeared in a dike. She never killed anybody, she had once but hated the feeling of her victim dieing. She always knew where to stop and what to do so they wouldn’t bleed to death. As she drank the tailor suddenly tensed, he had woken up. Nanami pushed him down keeping him from moving or making a noise. But when he had woken his wife had joined him. She saw Nanami bent over her husband and screamed. Nanami stopped and escaped into the street. Apparently when the woman had screamed Hazen had come running.

Hazen stood in the street staring. The vampire had slipped in and attacked a villager, the tall lithe figure stood before him. He remembered her from the night before. She had ebony black hair and amber eyes with slits for pupils. Her hair was short except for her bangs which fell past her chin. She had a small pointed chin and thin lips to mach, but that was hard to tell because of the blood now dripping down her face. From this distance he would guess that she was maybe 5ft 5”. She was looking at him in fear and surprise but he also saw a hint of a fire in her eyes. He knew he had to be brave, he was Hazen he had (with mainly luck) slaughtered the vampire Aristophanes. He must have no fear. Maybe this vampire had heard of Aristophanes, he could use this as a weapon.

“I am Hazen, I slaughtered the vampire Aristophanes, and I shall do the same to you devil” called Hazen to Nanami.
Fury filled her, this was the man.
“Aristophanes was my father! I will kill you in the way you cruelly killed him! We are no monsters compared to the greed and murders of men. I hate all of you and my kin would agree! You call us demons and yet you pride in you wealth, you are gluttonous pigs who feed for pleasure not to survive, you greedy fools who steal from others to provide your own, you lazy sloth who force others to work for you, you envious dogs who glare and disrespect your uppers, you lustful morons who crave only mates and stare rudely at beauty but do not respect it, and you all feel wrath towards others who maintain and live and care not what you do. Are these not the sins of the devil? Why do you maintain them and still call us devils? We who feed only when necessary and to a point, we need not riches or glory to sustain us only blood to survive. Tell me who the monster is now!” she spat at his feet and glared.

Hazen did not know what to say, he had obviously struck a week point in the armor, she seemed like a completely different being now. That fear and shock he saw was now replaced with a burning hatred.

Nanami waited for his reply, she felt satisfied though. He had looked brave but now stared at her almost in fright.
“We call you demons because you kill our kind. Man is a flawed race, but we are protected by the lord-“
She laughed
“Did your lord save those who have been killed by my kin? Where is your god now? Why dose he not help you defeat me then? ‘God’ loves all his creations, yes? Then does he not love us too?”
“The lord does not give free help to those who can fix problems themselves! Your kind was but spit from Lucifer himself, from the deep bowels of hell. Where I have been given the task of returning you to the fiery womb”
Nanami attacked him in an angry rage; she wanted him to leave her. She would not bear to see this man on a throne of any kind.

The vampire had attacked, Hazen saw the fury in her glare and felt the malice all around him. It was terrifying, he dodged her blows as best he could but was not able to land one upon her. She was biting and punching, like his brother used to do when they were boys but she was doing it out of pure hatred, whereas his brother and he had been playing.
“You will pay for the death of my father!” she screamed at him. Her fangs glistened with blood.
Hazen noticed with a notion of dread that the villagers had stepped out to watch. All the demons yelling had awoken them. The tailor’s wife was running her husband to the church sobbing as she went. Hazen was frightened, this vampire was totally losing it and he would have to do something soon or he would lose.
He cried out in pain, he had left an opening while trying to defend himself. The vamp had bitten into his arm hard. In retaliation he grabbed onto her hair and tried to pull her off but failed, only to cause himself more pain.

Nanami knew victory was upon her, she was going to kill him for good. She grabbed his wrist with one hand and grabbed his chin with the other. She relieved her death grip of her jaw and twisted his arm so he dropped his sword. He had the richest blood she had ever tasted; it was so satisfying to drink. Tonight would be a sweet one. She forced his chin up revealing his whole neck. He reached up and grabbed her arm and tried to force her away but it was too late.

Hazen panicked, he could feel her breath on his neck. He was trying to force her hand off of his chin but he couldn’t make it release its grip. She licked his neck as if taunting him and whispered “May you carry my name to your ‘God’, I am Nanami daughter of Aristophanes and Sophia, sister to Hikaze and Siemu, and I have defeated you. Hazen wolfs bane, the vampire slayer and the demon silencer”.
Hazen felt the bite the moment it happened; there was a sharp pain on the right side of his neck. He could feel her tongue lapping the blood like a cat and milk. He began to feel faint when he heard a loud ‘bang’.

Nanami stopped; there was a burning pain in her side. She felt very faint and looked to see the cause of the noise. Standing in the road holding a smoking pistol was the priest. Only a silver object can do serious harm to a vampire. And judging from how faint she felt it was obviously a silver bullet. She clutched at her side where she was shot and felt her own precious blood slipping away. Her legs collapsed, Hazen had also fallen to the ground but he had already passed out. She used the art of Tehb to escape a quickly as possible. She made it home and passed out after locking the door
---------------------------------

12/15/07

Chapter 2: Awaken
Hazen lay in the bed the priest had offered him three days ago. His mind wandered on things he had never considered, vampires and good. His outlook towards vampires has always been that they were demons who cared not about death or suffered no emotion. Yet the events of two nights ago changed his mind. Nanami (or so she called herself) had showed a sign of great sadness at her fathers death and a need for vengeance. He knew he had to save the villagers though, for only in the next room lay last night’s victim. He touched his neck where he had been bitten, he had heard that one who is bitten by a vampire will transform into one. He prayed it wasn’t true. Would his father take him as a son where he to transform into a vampire? What was he to do?
“Sire?” Lycurgus walked in.
Hazen put on his proud act in order to show no lack of spirit toward his comrade.
“Ah Lycurgus, what brings you. I feel well enough to fight off the demon of the northern gales once again!”
“Well sir” he sounded slightly hesitant “I would wish to travel with you next time you face the vampire”.
“Her name is Nanami, dear Lycurgus. And why do you wish to aid me?”
“You were wounded sire, and I am you loyal servant. Your father wanted me to help you in anyway possible. Please except my offer to assist you, I will not let you down”
Hazen paused, he did not want to bring Lycurgus along for fear of him being injured or even killed. He walked over to the mirror and looked at his reflection (at least he still had it). He carried his father’s eyes, mouth, ears and nose which were all strong steady. Yet he had his mother’s hair and round face. His mother had died to save him when there was a rebellion of the vampires of the capital. He was only about three years of age but can remember the entire thing as clearly as yesterday.
He sighed
“You may accompany me tonight Lycurgus. The demon failed to show last night but im sure it was appear tonight”
“Thank you sire! You shall not regret it I promise!”
He was like a child on Christmas. His bearded face glowed with joy, and Hazen was glad to see Lycurgus so exited about something that he knew he would dread.

Nanami woke later that day feeling weaker then ever. After she had awoken from the struggle two nights ago she had bandaged her wound, but had no way of removing the bullet. She had only had water to drink and was dying for some blood. She felt dizzy when standing and drowsy at all times. She needed to feed or fall asleep and never wake up. But she was frightened, Hazen and the priest were in the village now and she was too weak to perform a Tahb. She moved to the village in a cloak hiding her from the suns burning rays. Why humans came out only during the day only god knew. She had an idea, she was about as weak as the average human female now and she knew the need man felt for drink. Stupid idiots that drank the drink of death, it was hard on the stomach and rotted the liver did the not see. But it left their minds more open and foolish then ever and that’s exactly what she needed. There was a tavern in the town and she would stop there for a ‘drink’.

Nanami approached the tavern and went in. the room was lit with candles at the tables and the light from the windows. She put her cloak on a rack and walked in casually. Hisen was 134 in human years but looked only a teen; she barely passed the age requirement for her drink. She looked at it in disgusted but took sip anyway. It was awful and she decided to fake anymore sips she might take.
At a table nearby there were some men playing with slips of paper that bore numbers and figures. She went over to watch.
One of the men lay I card down and the other would counter it with one of his own cards. Eventually one of them would have no cards remaining and would take the money laid out on the table. After about three wins one of the men smiled and said to Nanami,
“You seem to be my lady luck tonight, for before you entered I was losing something awful.”
Nanami smiled sweetly but was sure not to expose any teeth.
“I merely was interested in your game sirs, for I am new and know not the ways of this country”.
“Then come join me” said the man “I will teach you”!
After a while and a few drinks the man was starting to act funny. He would laugh a lot and leaned on her. The foolish human was drunk, her plan was going perfectly. Another hour passed and she asked if the could step outside. The man foolishly grinning agreed. She pulled on her cloak leaving and led him behind the tavern.
There she stood in front of him and he forcefully pulled her near. She leaned in and kissed him. He was being very harsh and crude, but it would be done with soon. She began moving down his face until she reached his neck. He still thought it was love apparently for when she bit he said,” Gently my love” but stopped and stared in horror as she grinned at him, fangs bared and dripping in his own blood.

She left him passed out behind the tavern when done and wiped her mouth. She felt a little better now but had not had enough yet. Nanami went home; she knew that she couldn’t get any until that night.
----------------------------------

12/16/07

Hazen was awoken rudely buy one of the sisters at the church.
“Master Hazen, the priest needs to see you immediately! There has been an attack in broad daylight!”
Hazen leaped to his feet and rushed to the priest.
“You’re Honor what has happened?”
“We found this man outside the tavern as if asleep a drunk. But when we tried to wake him we found the mark of the vampire upon his neck.”
Hazen didn’t understand, Nanami didn’t attack at night but during the day?
“I fear she has survived. She must be weak but alive. This must have been a desperate act sire.”
Hazen sighed, if he was going to stop Nanami he had to do it soon, while she was weak. But there was still something bothering him that he wanted to talk to the priest about.
“Excuse me but may I speak to you alone sir.”
“By all means young one.”
He and the priest stepped into the alter.
“Sir I was bitten by Nanami last night, correct?”
“Who dear boy?”
“Nanami, it’s the name of the vampire. But was I not bitten by her?”
The priest paused “you were, but why do you speak of it now? I can tell something is on your mind.”
“I have heard rumor that those bitten by a vampire will become one. Is this true your honor?”
The priest smiled and replied, “No dear boy, the only way for a human to change to a vampire is for the vampire to pour its own blood into the system of the human. There is not a chance that you will become the demon. Fear not, the lord will not let his children be cursed so easily.”
“Thank you sir, now if you don’t mind I am going to sleep. I need to be ready for tonight.”
He then made a quick prayer and went back to his chamber to sleep.

Nanami woke annoyed and dizzy, the blood from the man had let her survive but she needed more and soon. So she rose and walked to the village she didn’t bother to go through the cornfield, it wasn’t worth it. When she entered the town she was surprised that no one was there. She walked around some more and found every building deserted, all but the church. The lights were flickering in its windows. Nanami walked forward and listened at the door. The quire was singing and as she peered through the window her heart fell to the pit of her stomach. The entire village was in the church for the night. There was no way she could make it until morning. She hit the doors in frustration and sunk to her knees about to cry. This was it; she was going to die, in a few hours she would lose all her strength and die.
She clenched her fists, why, why must she die for their selfishness, she has never killed anyone, and she hated death.
She heard the cocking of a pistol, and turned to see Hazen with a gun pointed at her. His servant was behind him, holding a cross; she could feel its effect.
Nanami stood up slowly and weakly glaring at Hazen. She felt a rage burning through her. It was him he had come once again to attempt to take her life as he took her fathers. She had never felt this hostile toward a human.
“You will pay Hazen son of Atarah. I will leave this village but may you never find peace again for chasing me from my home. I am too weak to fight you and have no desire to die I will leave this village in peace if you pursue me no further.”
“I can’t do that.” He responded.
“Why not? You have won I will dispatch, was it not your goal to save the village? Then when I leave is your task not complete?” she was getting angry, why couldn’t they just accept fate?

Hazen felt awkward, he knew his father wanted him to kill any vampire he found but how could he bring himself to do it. She seemed so human, she was weak right now and frightened. An idea struck him at that moment.
“Lycurgus, hand me the rope.”
“Rope, sire, I am afraid I don’t understand?”
“Just hand me the damn rope!”
Lycurgus jumped and did as he was told. When he was finally handed the rope he turned to Nanami

“Turn your back to me” he ordered.
“Excuse me” Nanami replied, she was in no mood for orders.
“Face the other direction or I will shoot you!”
Grudgingly she faced the other direction. Hazen quickly bound her hands, his servant to hold her for a moment. She was confused, annoyed, angry, hungry and tired she had no time for this. She turned her head to the side to see the servant and bared her teeth. Hazen, on the other hand, went up to the church doors and opened them. He bowed to everyone in the room and said “I take my leave”.
Hazen got on his horse and Lycurgus pulled Nanami along to leave the village forever.
----------------------------------

12/17/07

Chapter 3: The Long Road
When they were about two miles from the village Hazen turned on Nanami.
“I’m gong to take you to my father, okay? He can deal with you in what way he wishes. I don’t want any complaints or anything.”
Nanami only glared, she would not give him the satisfaction of her speaking to him.
“And one more thing vamp” he added “We travel at daytime, so you better get used to wearing a cloak”.
Nanami was now even more frustrated; she would have to endure walking all day! Was this human insane?! Why did she have to suffer because he wanted daddy to do everything for him. Humans were so weird.

She couldn’t sleep during the night it was impossible so she just waited until the sun came up and the two humans woke. She put on a cloak, she was tired now and dizzy she had not fed and the wound from the priest’s bullet burned. She was sitting cross legged facing west and refused to speak to either of them. When they had packed their sleeping thinks and had their breakfast it was time to go. Hazen grabbed the rope holding Nanami and pulled up to get her to stand. She obliged grudgingly and fallowed them.

Several times she felt weak and needed to rest but was not granted the opportunity. If she could just have a pint of blood she would be fine but there was almost no chance of that with these two. She didn’t know how much longer she could last under the burning sun. By midday she was all but spent she stumbled often and her vision was poor and unfocused. Soon her legs became weak and she felt light headed and nauseous. She managed to utter a single noise before everything went black.

When she awoke Hazen was over her and Lycurgus was holding onto the horse.
“Why do you have such problems keeping up demon?” he asked her.
“I have not drunk in over twenty-four hours you idiot, I cannot sustain in the sun for that long!” she would have taken it from him were she not so weak.
“Must you have human blood, can you not live off that of a sheep?” he asked her exasperated.
“Human blood is all my kind can take! It is not my will, and I don’t particularly like your attitude!” she snapped back.
He sighed and told Lycurgus to bring him his knife. Lycurgus brought the blade, a simple hunting knife with a wooden handle, and before his servant could protest Hazen sliced a wound on the palm of his hand. He placed it on Nanami’s lips and she drank. Normally she would have refused the blood of a known enemy but she was dying and needed it more then anything.
They sat there for a while Lycurgus looking faint with worry and Hazen looking dizzier by the minuet, but Nanami was growing stronger and stronger. But sadly Hazen pulled his hand away looking feint and Lycurgus quickly bandaged it.
“Happy?” he asked her weakly.
She simply looked at him and nodded wiping the blood from her face.
Lycurgus looked at Hazen worriedly and opened his mouth to speak but Hazen cut him off, “I don’t want my fathers gift dying before it reaches him”. He then got on the horse and silently started away. Lycurgus pulled Nanami to her feet and forced her to walk behind them.
The sun began to sink behind the mountains and Nanami was starting to cheer up. Night was coming she wouldn’t have to wear the heavy cloak anymore. They had stopped to rest in a field next to the path. The yellow grasses came up to about their knees and blew peacefully in the wind. Lycurgus was clearing a spot for a fire and Hazen was tending to the horse. Nanami sat down, they had tied her to a tree and left her there while they tended to the campsite. She knew that tonight was a new moon, it would light the earth. She knew that when the full moon came again she could perform Tehb no matter how much blood she had consumed.
She leaned back against the tree as Lycurgus dug a pit for the fire. Hazen came over. Curiosity had been eating at him all day. Finally he turned on her and asked “why do vampires drink blood”?
Nanami looked at him and grinned revealing her sharp fangs “Simple, our bodies can’t produce our own blood so it has developed the ability to adapt to others blood. We drink blood to keep our hearts beating fool”.
There was a short pause.
“Oh and by the way” she added as an afterthought “the blood you gave me earlier has all but worn off I need more if I am to last the night”.
Lycurgus stopped and leapt to his feet “Let me do it sire! I will not stand to see you wound yourself to keep the demon alive”.
Nanami threw him a nasty look she hated being called a demon.
“No dear Lycurgus it is my choice therefore I will feed her. I wish not to see you wounded because I cannot kill the vamp”.
“This is really sweet and all but” Nanami said “But I’m serious I kind of need it now”.
Hazen sighed and slit his hand once again and pressed it to her lips, she drank again. His blood was so good, it was sweet and thick.
“Ow” he said “You have no need for fangs!”
She apologized “Old habits are hard to break sir”.
When she was done they went and had their supper. It was disgusting to Nanami watching them eat. Ripping and chewing were pointless and savage acts, but drinking was simple and easy just a little nip and then sweet satisfaction. They finished and poured over a map.
Hazen said to Lycurgus “where do we head? We may keep heading northward but I’m not sure if it’s safe to enter towns with her”. He was at a lose for ideas, if they cut threw the forest it would be simple and quick, but he knew not what manner of demons lay in wait there. Lycurgus was obviously in the same state of mind but he said “Why not attempt the forest sir. If we meet anything of a dangerous nature we will leave immediately how about that?”
Hazen had no alternate idea so he agreed. He looked over at Nanami; she was looking at the moon, a kind of peaceful and mystical look in her eyes.
She was thinking of many things and what she wouldn’t be able to do under the night sky anymore. She would never be able to walk through her cornfield again and would never be able to taunt the priest while he cried religious mumbo jumbo at her. She could never again stand in the streets of her village and wonder who was next. And she would never lie in her bed again and wait for the night. A tear welled up in her eye and slowly rolled down her face. As she wiped it away she noticed that Hazen was looking at her. She threw him a nasty look and turned her back to him.

That morning when everything was ready Nanami gotten up stretched and waited. She had gotten no sleep last night. It was impossible there was no way she could have slept with the moons light on her. Hazen woke up Lycurgus, asked him how he slept and they packed. They had breakfast on the move that day which for Nanami meant she had a hand pressed in her face while walking. What she would do to get a neck instead of a sweaty palm. They saw a group of buildings approaching, a town. Nanami couldn’t hold back her evil grin; while those two idiots slept all she would have to do is sneak off and get someone, they would never know.

Hazen gave a sigh, there was a town they had to pass through and the sun was setting in the sky. They would stay there for the night, but what was he going to do about Nanami. He knew she must be getting tired of his blood. He turned to face and she was to slow to hide her grin.

“Don’t try anything funny” he scowled at her “I’ll be sure you suffer if I hear of a vampire attack in the morning”. She frowned, and responded “where are we staying then”?
He paused as if thinking, “the church, they always have rooms for weary travelers.”
She glared at him “And what of me?! I cannot step foot in a ‘house of God’ you idiot!”
“You’ll be in the stable with the horses”.

As they walked threw the town people stared. They bowed to Hazen but stared at her, his obvious prisoner. They walked strait through the town to the church, Hazen instructed Lycurgus to put the horse and Nanami in the stable. Nanami glared at him as she was taken to the stable.

Hazen entered the church and drew the cross on his chest with the holy water. He then found the bishop and asked if he and Lycurgus could stay for the night. He conveniently left out Nanami though in order to insure their stay was solid. The bishop agreed and Hazen sat in one of the pews and waited for Lycurgus.

At the stables Lycurgus paid the stable master and tied both the horse and Nanami to up. Nanami glared at him the whole time. It smelled awful in the stable and they got to sleep in nice beds.

Nanami waited until she knew they would both be asleep and used as much of her strength as she could muster to slip away out of the rope using Tehb and escape.
----------------------------------

12/19/07

Chapter 4: Hikaze


Nanami sneaked through the town looking for a place where the attack wouldn’t be noticed until morning. She familiarized herself with the area and how she could get in buildings. This was a little harder then she thought it would be for it looked like the doors and windows were locked every night. Nanami sighed and slipped thru a crack under the door to the tavern using Tehb. Men who slept drunk were not easily awoken.
She walked through the main hall where the tables had been cleaned and the chairs lay upon them. When she reached the end of the hall she found the stairs. Carefully and quickly she snuck up them. She sneaked through the hall to the door with the loudest snores. She used the Tehb to creep into the room where there lay a man smelly strongly of the vile drink.
Nanami wrinkled her nose at him. But she was getting a little tired and sick of the noble’s blood. She leaned in and noticed how scruffy he was, is this really worth it, she thought miserably. She still bit and drank, the man’s snores were slightly stifled by her but he didn’t wake. She was happy to have a neck again, and to be able to use her fangs as well.

She left the tavern feeling refreshed and happy and gleefully she went back to the stable. She was sure to wipe all the blood from her face so it was not obvious what she had been doing. As she walked past the church she felt a pang of guilt. Hazen had sworn to punish her if she attacked a villager. Oh well, it had been worth it. She slipped past the stable hand and put the rope around her hands again and went to sleep full and happy.

Hazen woke and sat in bed for a while. He had dreamed a very strange thing. He dreamed that in the middle of the night a raven woke him. It was on the window sill and had him fallow it. He fallowed the bird to the town square where a frightening sight had met his eyes. There was a vampire drinking the blood of Nanami. He had called out and when the vampire heard him it broke into many ravens that all flew away into a full moon.
He had moved over to the window and looked out at the stables where Nanami was sleeping. He hoped she had behaved and not fed last night. But that hope was quickly depleted when a sister came in and said “You are Hazen the slayer of Aristophanes are you not?”
He slowly replied “Y-yes, why?”
She then led him down to a separate room where he found two people a man and a woman, both bearing the mark of the vampire.
“They were both attacked last night sir” the Sister said “The woman passed on sometime last night but the man has a chance”.
Hazen went up to the both of them and examined the bites, and noticed something strange. On the woman the fang imprints were larger and farther apart then on the man’s.
“Sister, these two were attacked by different vampires” he informed her. “And I know were we can find one of them”.
----------------------------------

12/20/07

Nanami was awoken with a splash of cold water to the face. She looked up very angry to see Hazen, the bishop and a few of the churches sisters glaring down at her.
“What” she snapped at them “First you force me to sleep on the cold floor in a dirty stable now you are waking me in such a fashion! You cruel swine what have I done to you!”
Hazen glared at her for a wile and then replied “You know what you did demon! I warned you not to and you go and prey upon a villager! I will be sure to make sure you remember your error!”
The bishop looked a little confused and angrily hissed at Hazen “You failed to mention you were traveling with one”.
“I apologize your honor but I believe I have a solution to the other problem as well”.
“What might that be?”
“Who better to catch a vampire then a vampire sir” Hazen responded with a smug grin.
At this they all looked at Nanami and her heart sunk.

She had been allowed to sleep all day and in an actual bed at the tavern because as punishment for drinking the blood of the drunk she would have to face the other vampire with Lycurgus and Hazen. She knew it would end in them slaying the other vampire which made her feel sick to her stomach. It was a betrayal of kin and she knew it. The three of them stood out in the street and waited.
“Would you put that away until we need it” she hissed at Lycurgus who was holding a cross and was but one foot away from her. He silently stowed it in his pocket. She stepped forward, she could see someone approaching. Whoever it was she couldn’t see his face but noticed he was a long and tattered windbreaker. And was a bit taller then she was. He stopped when he saw them and used Tehb and suddenly disappeared. She scanned the shadows and found him. She then began the high speed pursuit thru shadows against him.
----------------------------------

12/27/07

Hazen watched and sighed; he felt completely worthless. The two graceful figures leapt seemingly effortlessly from shadow to shadow. He had seen Nanami do the same thing on their first meeting. She was doing her best to keep up but was having trouble keeping in pace with the other vampire. The opponent seemed to do the leap to a shadow but did not appear again. When Nanami appeared there to and saw he had vanished she walked into the street and looked around. Hazen looked around wearily, where did he go? As his eyes scanned the village he heard Nanami give a slight gasp. He turned to face her and saw a familiar sight. The vampire had sneaked behind he and now had his right arm around her torso holding in her arms and his left was hold her chin and forcing her to extend her neck. He was peering over her shoulder at Hazen.
“Who are you” Hazen called.
The vampire smiled at him and leaned in so his face was reviled by the moonlight “Can’t you see the family resemblance?”
Hazen paused; this vampire had the same round face, the same dark hair, and the same eyes as Nanami.
“Hikaze” Nanami muttered “have you gone to savagery already?”
“Silence little sister” he hissed at her “My question is have you gone soft, traveling with this man and you haven’t bothered to slit his throat yet?”
Nanami was silent.
“Let her be demon” Hazen called to Hikaze “she has no part in this, I am your opponent!”
At this he lunged at Hikaze and aimed for his head with the silver sword. Hikaze pushed his sister out of the way and drew from his cloak a dagger. He disengaged Hazen and gave a sharp stab to Hazen’s right shoulder. While he was still in shock Hikaze grabbed the moment and slashed Hazen's arm that was holding the sword. Hazen dropped his weapon and was about to be stabbed yet again when a small arrow struck Hikaze on his left shoulder. Lycurgus had pulled out his cross bow and was now firing upon Hikaze. Hikaze leaped out of sight once again leaving his dagger behind.

Nanami was torn, she knew Hikaze had long sense lost his sanity and now it seemed his bloodlust was stronger then ever, but he was still her brother. She didn’t want to fight him but knew she had no choice. She walked over to where he had dropped his dagger and picked it up. It was an eight inch dagger that was carved of flint and in a brass hilt; it had a single stone at the base of the hilt that was as dark as a moonless night.
Lycurgus was bandaging Hazen's wounds and said “see sir, now what would have happened if I let you do these things yourself”?
Nanami waited and listened, she heard the deep breathing of all the sleeping peoples of the village. She felt the ground beneath her feet and the wind and the energy of the crescent moon. But wait, there was a disturbance. Something wasn’t in rhythm, mixed with the slow deep breathing of the villagers there was a rasping panting one. Nanami called “he’s in the blacksmiths” to the others.
They all rushed to the blacksmiths shop and found him wrapping his wound.
“Hikaze” Nanami cried at him “I don’t want to see you killed! Leave please!”
“Unlike you I am not a coward little sister” he responded with almost no expression on his face.
Nanami’s heart sank; there was no way to save him, ever sense he was little he had been this stubborn. Hazen and Lycurgus came in.

Hazen looked at the scene; Nanami was looking at the ground appearing sad and crestfallen. Yet Hikaze was looking at her with a stern and dark face that was illuminated by the embers in the blacksmiths fire. Hazen turned to face Hikaze, sword in hand.
“Your outnumbered demon, I’m sure that if you surrender the bishop will give you a peaceful passage” he called to Hikaze.
Hikaze simply looked at him and gave an evil grin “you underestimate me foolish man”. The vampire lunged himself at Hazen, who’s reflexes pulled him to the ground. The vampire was upon Hazen and biting and clawing at him. Hazen’s mind went blank, his heart was racing and sweat was pouring down his face. It became a pure wrestling match between the two of them. Hazen was punching and kicking to prevent Hikaze getting a shot at his neck. He found himself outside the smith’s and into the street once again. He forced all his weight at the vamp and was now on the ground fighting once more. Hazen found Hikaze’s neck and grasped it tightly; pushing himself on top of the vampire it stopped. He was now sitting on Hikaze's chest with his hands on the vamp's neck.

Nanami couldn’t watch anymore and began walking down the path. She would not watch them kill her brother no mater how much she loathed him. Every memory of him was bad; he had been a selfish bully that fit the title demon. He had no mercy and loved the feeling of a human dieing in his jaws.
“I’m not done yet slayer” she heard him say to Hazen. And then felt a hand cover her mouth and hold her arm. Hikaze had used Tehb to escape Hazen and now held her. He whispered in her ear “when was the last time you fed dear little sister”.
She wanted to bite him but it was too late he bit her neck, the blood she had taken from Hazen hours before now streamed into Hikaze’s open mouth.

Hazen stood in horror; he was witnessing the very scene in his dream. In panic he pulled from his pocket the small vile of holy water he always carried. He ran over the two vampires and splashed it in Hikaze's face. He howled in pain and staggered away from Nanami who fell to the ground with a soft ‘thud’. When he removed his hand it revealed that the entire left side of his face was burnt. He leapt into the air as a bat and flew away.
Hazen watched him leave then ran to Nanami. She was unconscious, or so he hoped, had any of the holy water hit her?
He took her back to the tavern and wrapped a bandage around her neck, which by that time had already begun to heal.





please be nice and don't steal my ideas i worked hard planning this and am on chapter five. so please dont be a stupid uncreative theif please...
Comments (7)