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2024-10-29 19:42:56The oceans clashed and the birds from the receding woods shrieked as they flew by.
A lone tent was in the middle of shore and the woods, blocked from the busy harbor of the seaside city by a large rock.
Inside the tent.
Amidst the searing pain that seemed to possess a power that burned through his veins like a hot brand of metal, Clawe's eyes fluttered open.
The brown old view of a tent was the first thing he saw, the lantern burning softly gave the enclosed place a light.
He sat up, wiping to a side his scattered, now clean, silver hair. Must have been washed clean when he was in the ocean.
The clashes of the waters that reach his ears, making him realize he hasn't gone far.
His coat is no more, only his baggy pants remained.
But where is this place?
His eyes moved around. Apart from the lantern, only a leather bag could be seen.
The remaining space of the not so large tent is unoccupied.
A temporary stay- he guessed.
The early yellow sun casted inwards beyond the small opening of the tent.
(Written and composed by Bright Theophilus)
It's dawn already.
Where am I?
His eyes flashed.
What am I doing here?
If he could reminisce, he knows that he should be at work now at the fishing dock at the Bahamas, his former place, since it's morning.
But here he is, in the middle of nowhere.
Suddenly, he felt like a huge hammer had struck his head and his face contorted as he palmed his forehead.
Everything came rushing back.
The frenzy. The massacre of the village. The brawl with the vampires. Then to when he fell into the torrents.
Everything came rushing back.
Guilt and terror burned through his system and he almost cried, not again.
His hand touched his abdomen but the deep gash is nowhere to be found. Yet he felt so weak, so drained.
His eyes flashed viciously. He must have been saved by someone, but where is the person?
He subconsciously flexed his fingers, trying to summon his claws.
But nothing came out.
What?
He tried again and again.
Yet nothing.
What's happening to me?
His fangs too.
Nothing came out as well.
Then it dawned on him. He had fought a coven of vampires, even if he doesn't know how that's possible. And he hadn't fed. He needs to, to recover.
But what's a vampire without his claws and fangs?
Vulnerable. That's the only word that could picture that very well.
Such a vampire is as open to danger as a snail in the middle of trampling legs.
(Written and composed by Bright Theophilus)
Just then he felt an approaching aura.
A vampire?
His face turned ugly but he couldn't even move when the figure stopped in front of the tent in a flash.
With a bend, the figure entered the tent and his red rimmed green eyes flashed at him.
His ecru flowing cloak dragging along his steps.
"Booyah! My man's awake," his voice appeared to be less lethal than his average, sturdy appearance.
"Hello," Clawe managed to mutter, his dead heart banging against his chest and his cold body twitching and getting extra vigilant to sense any form of hostility.
"How are you feeling now, man." The vampire man appeared to be in his late twenties but of course Clawe knows better than to be fooled by a vampire's appearance.
A vampire may look like a teenager but is actually over a century in age. If he or she feeds very well on fresh blood, the natural reward is immortality.
So to assume the age of a vampire isn't something he can do right now.
Not like he's even sure this vampire is a friend or enemy yet.
"Where am I?" His voice came in a growl. He needs to affirm that this vampire isn't hostile.
It isn't a joke that he just escaped a coven of vampires.
"You are in New Amsterdam, man."
(New Amsterdam is previous name of New York, US)
"New Amsterdam?!"
"Yup, but you were pretty chicagoed when I saw your body washed up shore. What happened?"
Clawe paused. A mistake here could endanger his life. If he had one.
"Hunters. Was cut all over. But come again, what do you mean by chicagoed?"
"Oh that? Means beaten and wounded. You got that already," the man dropped the bag slung over his shoulder then began to unload what's in it.
Stored blood, in a leather bottle.
That should be for me- thought Clawe.
"You'll need this, man. You must be stressed out. Carribean hunters aren't so cool, every single vampire knows that."
Clawe's face flashed to him. "How did you know that I am from the Caribbean islands?"
"I judged from the flow of the currents and the time it took. And don't forget those Caribbean islands are the nearest to here, the others are too high for the nuts."
"Oh." Clawe responded, barely getting the idea of what he meant by too high for the nuts.
He took the leather bottle from him.
Human blood, he sniffed. Gross.
He doesn't feed on human blood most times. But he has little if not no choice now, he's damn weak. With a swallow, he gulped the entire red in the bottle.
"My name's Heald, I am a count from London. I joined the Dutch company coming here, you know, since I'm no human. Staying too long in one location can prove to be disastrous."
Clawe dropped the bottle. Feeling his strength coming back.
His gaze turned to the man, Heald as he called himself. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"Am Kylian, from the Turks," he lied.
"That's a long way, man," Heald said.
"As you said just now, staying too long in one location can prove to be disastrous."
"Yup, that's right. Welcome to New Amsterdam, Kylian," A broad smile crossed Heald's square face. "Here no Carribean hunters, no sniffing humans, no snitching bitches. Just you, your life, your coven for protection, and your feeding. You'll get addicted to it."
(Written and composed by Bright Theophilus)
"Uhm!" Clawe tried to evade him and his indirect offer to stay.
"Of course you can't go back to the Caribbean islands. The snags there won't welcome you with open hands. You can call this place a safe harbor."
After a bit of contemplation, Clawe nodded. "Okay."
"You wouldn't believe how long I've been waiting for a companion. It's been a lonely ride," Heald looks up and propped his hands on his waist, slightly ruffling his beige cloak then turns to Clawe again. "Get well soon, we are going into the town at dusk. Only came here to hunt."
"Umm" Clawe responded.
Deep within him, he hoped he's not making a mistake. It'll be like falling from a frying pan to a fire.
All he wishes for is rest, after decades of running from death and destruction.
And so his life began as Kylian.
*******
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Somewhere around Caucasian sea.Centuries ago.The villagers roared music into the air.They rejoiced that the war ended in their victory.The chief laughed good-naturedly as he addressed his warriors. They had all worked hard and we're able to stop the bandits disturbing them.The bandits that their empirical government couldn't get rid off.But the chief knew for sure who the honor belonged to. It's none other than Eleodore, son of Marcus.Everybody rejoiced and hopped around bonfires and heavily beat drums.It's a good day.Eleodore, the man in question, was away from the village square. Away from the loud yells of excitement and the bangs of drums.His chest was bare and his sword dangled at the waist of his armor pants.Gazing at the full silvery moon, the color of his ponytailed hair, he slowly settled his butts under the green olive tree.Alone, he appraised the glimmering moon, the green terrain around and the pine forest far in the west.Then all of the sudden, he heard loud
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A full silvery moon, beautiful yet melancholy, drooped from the night sky.It looked more like a haunted abode deep in the Night Hills. The foliages hunkered tight overhead, making the forest darker than the deepest depth of the sea and silent as the graveyard.The rustling of dry leaves emanated.A figure in a beige cloak emerged. His steps are casual.It's Heald.Under the shadows of the night, he walked.He had told Kylian not up to a day ago that he's going out. But now he's already coming back.A swoosh made him stop.His brows furrowed. 'What's that?'His eyes glowed red as he activated his vampire abilities.His ears caught sounds of spiders threading their cocoon nearby. His eyes pierced through the dark like it's the day and he saw clearly all that's around him.He found nothing. His spiked alertness relaxed and he returned to his normal self.But he still feels uneasy. Even though it's not like the earlier.He continued his walk.But things are not the same anymore. The t
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The Archipelago.Caius turned to the young hunter. Fury cursing through his veins."And to what account is this added? As much as I remember, our agreement still stands," Caius pointed to the headless body of the young vampire, Lahm, on the ground. The hot print of a crossbow on the boy's chest spoke volumes of who did the job.Caius' voice sounded calm, but even a dwarf would know there's a storm raging under.The hunter trembled slightly. "Aro reports to no one."Caius cocked his head, his razor sharp claws flexed beside him, barely illuminated by the dim candles that lit the rocky cave.The hunter flinched and quickly said, "you should listen to me. Who am I to know why the legendary hunter is here? But I think I know what he seeks.""And what could that be? You know that the longer it takes for him to get what he wants, the more my men will die. So spill what you know.""I'm not sure, but I may be able to find out. His former missions will tell, there's a document tracking it all
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Kylian's hand lifted to touch the door but he paused.His silvery eyes ran over the red brick building and he sighed. This house is his home yet he feels so reluctant to enter it.All the insides of the house replayed what was his past, what he fears.The past isn't what he feared actually, but the dark events that made it up.The massacre. The deaths. The struggle. The animosity swirling in it like a legendary snake. It bites at every inch of his very soul.The living room occupied by walnut furniture pictured his village back then, centuries ago. It's surrounded by huge walnut trees.The library, filled all over with portraits, books, scrolls, maps and his mighty diary, made shiver run down his spine.He didn't want to see or remember the memories these things held. He feared it.'I should be able to face this.'His eyes cut to his wrists, to the dark ink running in curves of a language unknown to him. The runes work against who he is but help him personally.Things should be easie
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The cab pulled over and the back door opened. Straight, elegant legs in sneakers emerged followed by a Auburn haired head that ducked outta the door. Christa Richardson stood by the towering structure as the cab revved off. Her eyes found the billboard in front of the building and what's written on it. St Mark's Hospital. A brief sigh escaped her lips as she readjusted the back bag slung on her shoulder. She ventured. By-passing visiting people and personnel bodies in white. The large hallway bustling with people, the elevator and the passageway, all became history soon. She stopped by a door. A tag was on it. 'Dr Richardson'. She could hear voices conversing in the office of her father and could tell it's not a cool one. She knocked and waited. Not a second had passed when Dr Richardson's voice boomed. "Please come in." The door parted with a twist of the knob and she entered. Three faces stared at her. Her father and two others. Also personnels in the leading hospital
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The dark night 2
At the Western part of the castle, Hector and Kylian's side.Bodies flashed around the hall as the vampires battled Hector and Kylian, slashing and lashing at them, aiming to kill them.Hector growled loudly in pains as another claw slash appeared on his back.He turned to retaliate but the vampire was gone and another was heading for him, he couldn't even react when a kick slammed into his chest.Hector groaned as he fell to the ground. He turned Kylian who was fighting with a speed that clearly matched the vampires'.Like the vampires who were all turned by Akotal, a Primordial vampire, Kylian was also turned by a vampire of a clan of Primordial Vampires, the Skulls. So their strength is on the same level, unlike Hector who was turned by a vampire.However,Bang!Kylian was sent flying across the hall. Hector's eyes followed Kylian's body as it slammed hard against the gold-lined wall. Quickly, he sprung to his feet and rushed to Kylian's side.His fearful eyes glanced back at the
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The dark night 1
Swoosh! Swoosh!!At the Western part of the castle, there was a flash of light in the middle of utter darkness.After a few seconds, the light subsided. Then, two figures were revealed.Kylian and Hector.Hector grinned sheepishly as he gazed at his hands, slowly lowering his gaze to look at his other bod parts, awe visible in his eyes.Kylian glanced at him and whispered. "What is it?""I haven't experienced that before in my entire life." Hector responded, still in awe."Emmm!" Kylian took off his eyes and looked around them.They were in the middle of a twenty meters wide and over a hundred meters long hall, which was dimly lit. The wall, made of black stone, had veins of pure gold running through it, making it look like streaks of gold in pure black sea of walls.The floor looked like a wood but not entirely like a wood, it looked like a metal.The place was so silent that if a needle dropped, it sound would be heard all over the hall.Even though there's a source of illumination
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The others waited, all silent and in their thoughts, as they watched Sarai whisper words, inaudibly.She stepped forward, ahead of them as the blue magic circle on her hands vanished and the exact type appeared beneath her feets.An invisible wave of energy poured outward, with Sarai as the core.Her voice got even louder and the wind blew around very hard, flapping her dress.After about thirty minutes, she finally stopped, heaving heavily."Hey, how is it?" Hector asked.The others had their eyes on her too as she struggled to steady her breathing."I think she's done it guys." Benzo's voice reached them and they all turned to see the waters.It's no longer just a water body, it's now a lake. And standing erect in the middle of it, towering in its black form, was an old castle that looked like a thousand years old house.The sinister aura that emanated from the building alone sent chills down the spine of the group as they gazed at it."Beautiful, isn't it?" Kylian smiled, wryly and
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The ritual: walking into death
The ArchipelagoCaius, Bones-the-old and Adrian stood before a stone, which was covered in dust.Bones-the-old wrinkled face had a serious expression as he placed the Bone knife, Argus on the stone.He casted Caius a glance, the latter nodded, signifying his grasp on what Bones wants. He pulled up the sleeve of his black attire, revealing his pale white hand and bit his wrist, letting out pale red blood.He moved his hand to the stone and let the blood dripping from the wrist fall on the Bone knife. Bones-the-old's eyes glowed bright white and his whole body trembled as he activated his supernatural ability of foreseeing the future. This time, it's the future of the coven.While the process went on, the others were quiet.Anxiety or worry can't be used to qualify what Caius and the others are feeling right now. What they are feeling right now, but can't say it out loud, was terror.Why won't they feel like that?A Primordial vampire who is after them, but currently too weak to do it,
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Love in pieces
Flashback.A thousand years ago.The twenty meters tall, five meters wide wooden double doors broke apart. A manly figure dashed into the large hall with hurried steps. The heavy breathing of the figure, definitely not that of exhaustion, spoke volumes of how vexed he is.In the middle of the large hall was a large and long wooden table with wooden chairs around it.Spread beneath the spot was a woven carpet that had the embroidery of a bat that had three eyes, the symbol of the Tribunals.Four figures occupied the chairs and were having a tete-a-tete on the table. They all looked young and youthful and a deathly aura that had a pressure that could kill a normal human, emanated from them.They are the Primordial Vampire family known as the Tribunals. They are the elders of the Tribunals. They are the true Primordials of the clan.The figure that entered the large hall earlier stopped by the table. He looked like a young man. But he isn't just a man. He's one of the true Tribunals. He
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Flames of determination to..... Die
The MarcabaKylian didn't feel a thing when he heard what Heald said about the person who wanted to use Christa as a sacrifice. He just went numb. His dead heart stopped beating and he felt like he's drowning in water and the pressure is sucking out his life, slow, slow.A Primordial vampire wanted to make use of Christa as a sacrifice. A Primordial vampire?!Those words alone sent shivers down his spine. Every obsession that the soulmate something brought on him all died down as he recounted the words.A Primordial vampire!"Why?" He whispered, the word barely heard."I can explain it all to you, if you would hear me out," Sarai said. Kylian slowly shifted his gaze to hers. The blank expression on his face began to morph and soon became that of perplexity. "Tell me, Sarai.""You were turned by a Skull vampire, do you know that?" Sarai lifted a brow."Yes." Kylian nodded. His eyes fluttered and bitterness shown in it as he added. "Even though I don't know his name."It is such a pit
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Feeling self pity.
Urgency washed through Kylian and his veins pumped hard. He yelled in alarm. "We need to find Christa!" Heald nodded and held Kylian's shoulder as he said, "we know."Kylian's face crumpled. "You know?""Yes." Sarai nodded."She's been taken by Hellsong and you are all here saying you know?!" Kylian snapped. "Do you realize this girl is my soulmate?""It's not that we don't care about your soulmate, Kylian." Heald shook his shoulder slightly, "this is more than you think.""You must have known before that she's going to be used for a sacrifice by a person?" Sarai asked.Kylian nodded."It's not just a person." Sarai added. "It's a vampire.""He's a very powerful vampire." Benzo muttered.Kylian shifted his gaze between them, his eyes utterly filled with confusion.Heald sighed with a deathly expression as he completed. "It's a Vampire Lord. It's a Primordial vampire."********Flashback.1778Florence, Italy.It had been fifty five years since Caius met Ava.He got control of his pow
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The curse
Silence ruled the space. The silence was so much that it would alarm even a god. The space was void. Just plain white and it stretched as far as the eye could see. It was endless, like a whole world. Kylian was standing in the middle of the place, his eyes, normal silvery flashed around in confusion. 'Where am I?' he thought inwardly as he swiveled, constantly, in 360° turns. "You are here, Eleodore!" A voice echoed around the place. It sounded like the union of speakers located at the four corners of the white realm. That's if it has corners and ends. Kylian looked around. 'My real name?' he thought and the confusion on his face overflowed as he desperately searched for the caller. "It's me." The voice came again. Kylian searched around his head for where he had heard the voice before. No one knows his real name. Apart from Heald, Sarai, Mei Li and Benzo, no one else knows his real name. They knew his name only because he told the story of his past to them. No one from his p
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Breakthrough of the true born Vampire
Flashback continuation..1723Florence, Italy...Mercato Vecchio(Old market of Florence)..Two figures under cloaks turned into a corner, behind a shop and got to a much thinner road which was sided by another sets of shops.A pair of curious eyes under the first cloaked figure glanced at the second figure.A masculine voice sounded from beneath the first figure as they went on. "What are we doing here, Ava?"The second figure, identified to be Ava, seemed not to be bothered by question as she gazed around.She dodged a man in a black mantua as she replied calmly. "Your curiosity will be gone in a moment, Caius."The first figure, Caius sighed and turned his eyes from Ava as they went on, under the scorching sun."Here we are." Ava pulled down her hood as she stopped by a shop in front of which several talisman and lucky cards are displayed. She gestured to Caius as she muttered. "Come in."Caius' eyes glinted with hesitation at first. But at the slight reassuring smile of Ava's, he s
