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Post by Blitz on Sept 29, 2009 20:35:05 GMT -5
Yeah, I figured I may as well repost and finih this. I went through and corrected typos from the original and added a couple small things. enjoy. I'll get the parts I'd already written revised and reposted soon, too, then finish t. happy Halloween early, everyone.
A Night in Hell Hall: Prologue
England – October 31st, 1750
A German shepherd ran through a field of tall grass, his grey fur flowing in the gentle October breeze, his brown paws narrowly touching the ground as he ran. His red eyes pierced the night. He came to a sudden stop, whiffing the air with his brown muzzle. Changing direction, he ran off once more, coming to a stop near a huge dead tree, it’s branches dancing in the chilling breeze. A wooden fence behind the tree drew the line for a pasture of cows. Looking down to the base of the tree, a female Dalmatian lay on the ground, blood running from a gunshot wound in chest. Her right ear was black, and her left ear had a spot that resembled a broken heart on it. She had a peculiar spot on her back that resembled a bat. All of her paws were black, and her soft blue eyes shed tears as they look up at the benevolent looking creature above.
“What happened here?” the shepherd asked.
“The farmer shot me…I was just going through his field….” The young female replied.
“Humans…they disgust me…”
“They aren’t all bad…”
“Say what you want, you aren’t changing my opinion…tell me, is this how you want your life to end? Lying helpless under a tree? Or would you rather live on…forever?”
“What are you talking about?” the helpless dog said, growing even weaker from the loss of blood.
“Hold still, child…” The shepherd said revealing his fangs, and licking them a bit. The female screamed as he sank his teeth into her neck. The pain didn’t last long, and her screaming soon ceased, her eyes changing to a blood red, as fangs bean to grow from her jowls. As the German shepherd released her from his jowls, she stood to her feet, the wound slowly disappearing.
“My name…Is Virgil…Virgil Nightslayer.” The shepherd said.
“I’m Cassandra Valentine…” the Dalmatian replied.
“Well, Cassandra, you’re a vampire now…You can’t be out past dawn… I’ll take you somewhere safe…” Virgil said walking off, Cassandra reluctantly following him.
They were near an decrepit old barn, the wood rotting and falling apart.
“How did you know?” Cassandra asked.
“How did I know what?” Virgil replied.
“That I was out there…”
“I could smell your blood, and I knew I had to find you before he did…”
“Who?”
“Dimitri…he’s a vampire too, but if he’d have gotten you, you’d be dead…or worse…”
“What’s worse than dying?”
“Becoming a mindless vampire slave…”
“Oh…So what does he look like?” Cassandra asked, turning her head to towards the barn as she heard a creak.
“Stand back…” Virgil instructed, Cassandra running behind him.
A black furred wolf stepped slowly from inside the barn, red markings running from the end of his muzzle down to he end of his tail. His claws were red as well, and his eyes the same bloody red as Cassandra and Virgil’s. The spiked band on his right front ankle only added to his menacing appearance.
“Ah, Virgil, you’ve brought her to me! Decided to save me the trouble, did you?” the wolf said with a laugh.
“You stay away from her, Dimitri…”
“What, are you going to try and fight me again? You remember last time, don’t you?”
“I’ll never forget it…the night you almost added me to your vile army…that day shall never come, Dimitri! Cassandra, run!” Virgil said as he and Cassandra ran as fast as they could away from the old barn, the sun just beginning to break.
“Going so soon?” Dimitri said, huge black bat like wings erupting out of his back, the inside of the wings blood red. With barely a running start he took to the sky, following them overhead, his abnormally large wings not even casting a shadow.
“It’s futile to resist me, Virgil!” Dimitri yelled.
“Just keep running!” Virgil ordered. The chase lasted at least ten minutes, Cassandra beginning to slow down, and huff, out of breath.
“Just a little farther!” Virgil said a small abandoned house in the near distance.
As they neared the old house, Dimitri landed, continuing to chase them on foot. The old house was a faded yellow, the shingles on top of it almost completely worn, all of the windows boarded in.
As they neared it, Virgil busted through the unlocked door, Cassandra hurrying inside. Virgil closed the door and locked it. Cassandra helped him push a nearby bookshelf in front of the door. The old house was almost completely dark inside, a perfect place to avoid the sunlight.
“Don’t worry, he’ll have to leave soon.” Virgil said.
Outside, the sun as just rising, Dimitri growling in anger as he flew away.
England – unknown date in October, 1985
Cassandra and Virgil stepped out of the abandoned house that they had sought shelter in. They had lived as normally as a vampire could with no sign of him for over two-hundred years.
They wandered to the spot where the old tree used to be where Virgil had bitten Cassandra. Nothing remained but a stump now.
“You still remember that night?” Virgil asked.
“How can I forget a night like that?” Cassandra laughed.
“How old were you when I bit you?”
“I was seventeen…”
“You stopped aging so young…you’ll always be pretty…as for me…well…”
“You don’t look THAT old.” Cassandra laughed.
Virgil laughed with her for a moment before his facial expression turned very serious. Looking into the field behind the old fence, he saw a canine figure sitting on it’s haunches. He whiffed the air a bit before turning to Cassandra.
“It’s him…” He said, the figure turning around, huge wings erupting from the silhouette.
It was, obviously, Dimitri who immediately started flying towards them, a grim smile on his face.
“Run!” Virgil said.
“Yeah, yeah, I know the drill!” Cassandra said as she followed Virgil.
Dimitri ensued them for miles, slowly gaining on them with each passing second.
Now directly overtop of them, Dimitri laughed. “Now, where does this seem familiar?” he said, the chase continuing onto an old dirt road. They were only on the trail a moment, before taking an unexpected turn into some nearby woods. Dimitri tried to follow, but his wings were caught in the trees, and they escaped.
After a while, the emerged from the woods in the yard of an abandoned manor.
“Hmm…looks cozy.” Virgil said with a smirk.
He and Cassandra continued towards the manor, passing through the rust old gate, a plaque reading “De Ville” on one of the pillars. Here they stayed for quite some time. Eventually, some dogs found out that they were vampires. Instead of killing them, they encased them in wooden coffins, and nailed them shut. They left the coffins in the basement of the old De Ville manor that earned itself the nick name “Hell Hall”.
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Post by Blitz on Sept 15, 2009 10:46:24 GMT -5
Before you read, please note that this is a PREQUEL.
If it seems a tad jumpy, it's because this is 3 parts cobined into a single document.
WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAIN VIOLENCE AND SOME SUGGESTIVE CONTENT
If you are for some reason offended by the content, let me know, and I will take this down.
The birds chirped happily in the trees on a bright sunny day. There wasn't a cloud in the blue sky in the beautiful neighborhood. Most of the houses were big, at least two stories and all of the yards were neatly kept. The sun gleamed in through the bedroom window of a three story white house, shining down on the bed of a young girl. She was a dalmatian, about sixteen years old. at first she only twitched her eyelids in the shining light, but within a few moments, she yawn and threw back her covers, sitting on her bed side. She yawned with a stretch as she stood up and scratched at her medium length black hair, the left bang covering her eye. She stumbled her way into a bathroom conjoined with her room, and shed her pajamas and turned on the hot water in the shower. She waited a moment before feeling the water with her black paws. It was warm and soothing to the touch, and she dropped her panties to the ground and stepped out of them into the shower. She lifted her face up into the water, letting it rush down her, warming her stiff tired muscles. her hair fell behind her revealing her black ears. Awakened by the water, she fully opened her blue eyes as she began washing herself, her black tail giving the occasional whip, tossing a bit of water on the wall. She worked her way from her head down, eventually reaching her wasit. Her right side had an odd spot that looked like a skull on it. After she finished, she hopped out and after drying, got dressed.
She opened her bed room door and exited into the upstairs hallway, peering over the railings at the two floors below her as she trekked down the stairs wearing a short white skirt and a loose fitting blue shirt. it was summer time, and got very hot it in Kera, a large town west of Verith.
Reaching the ground floor of her home, she walked through her vast living room, past the large television and the couches and through a large open doorway into the kitchen. The black and white checker tile floor matched her fur and the black marble counter in the center glistened with the morning light shining on it. Her mother was behind the counter at the stove. "Morning, Cyra." her mom called as she walked in.
"Good morning, Mom...i'm just gonna head on out." Cyra said.
"No breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry..." Cyra said opening the door and leaving.
Cyra walked along the sidewalk, a couple of cars passing by. It was a private neighborhood, so the traffic wasn't normally heavy. About a mile down the road, she passed by a man on a bench. He was a grey wolf, though wearing a black cloak that covered all but the end of his muzzle. She didn't pay him any mind though, but just continued on.
"Cyra..." the man called.
"Huh? Who are you?" Cyra said a bit freaked out as she turned around.
"That's not important...I've been watching you for a long time now, cyra. I've seen you run track at your school, and you're very agile..."
"Yeah, so?"
"I think you're just what I need...we've already got the muscle, so..."
"Ok, umm...I'm gonna...go now..." Cyra said taking a few ackwards steps, slowly before turning around and running away. She ran a good distance, and looked over her shoulder at the bench, but the man was nowhere in sight. She stopped and stared in awe at the spot he had just been sitting, interrupted by a female voice. "HEY!" it called, a young girl about her age running towards her. She too was a dalmatian, albeit with only a single spot - a patch over her right eye.
"Hey Lily....' cyra said a bit nervously.
"What's the matter?"
"Well there was this.....it's nothing. Lets go!"
Cyra and Lily had friends for a very long time, and were quite close. They went out to the mall and spent the majoority of their time in one of the many clothing stores. With hundreds of outfits lined up on racks all over the store, they had anything you wanted, as long as it was clothes you were looking for. Cyra stood in front of one of the racks, going through it swiftly, Lily standing behind her, eying a pink jumpsuit on display in the distance. Cyra took a very short skirt off of the rack and pondered over for a moment before showing it to Lily. "Think it's too short?" she asked.
"Maybe a little..." Lily replied.
"Yeah...you're right...plus, I got enough guys bugging me WITHOUT showing off." Cyra said placing it back on the rack.
"You're complaining?" Lily asked.
"It's kind of annoying...I swear, if another guy asks me out within the next week, I'm gonna snap." Cyra answered as a young handsome German shepherd approached her, resting against the rack. he was wearing a sleeveless shirt, his muscles rippling as he crossed his arms. "So..." he said before Cyra abruptly interrupted him. "NO!" she yelled as she stormed out of the store angrily, Lily chasing after her.
"Hey, cyra I...think that guy kinda..ya know...works there...." Lily said.
"Oh...." Cyra said playing with her hands, "Well, he was probably just undressing me in his head anyway!"
"They aren't ALL like that, ya know?"
"You're not convincing ME..."
"Yeah....well, you ready to go?" Lily asked.
"I guess so." Cyra said with a sigh.
The two girls exited the mall into the orange light of dusk. They'd spent almost the entire day at the mall.
"Hey, Lily...could you spend the night at my place tonight? i'm kinda freaked out..." cyra asked.
"Sure thing...but about what?" Lily answered.
"Well, there was this weird guy in a cloak earlier, and he said some weird stuff, and...I'm just freaked out."
"Oh, ok....wow, that is weird. Should I stop by my place and get some clothes?"
"Nah, we're about the same size, so it's cool if you just borrow some of my clothes."
"oh, ok, cool...man, my feet are so sore! I wish I had a car....better yet...I wish I could just teleport places..." Lily said sulking as she walked on her aching, tired feet.
"Teleport? What kind of freaks can do that?!" Cyra asked as they trudged on to Cyra's house.
That night the girls came in, and found a small yellow piece of paper on the table. It was a note from Cyra's mother, "Your aunt is in the hospital and I've gone to see her. See you in two days." It read. "Oh great...we're all alone at night and there’s some freak possibly trying to kill me..." Cyra said.
"That's...not exactly comforting..." Lily replied.
"Well, the doors locked, so..." Cyra said heading up the stairs with Lily trailing behind.
A couple of hours passed and the girls were up in Cyra's room sitting on her bed talking. It was lightly raining outside, the soft tap of rain drops on the windows echoing through the near empty house.
"I'm not exactly a cook, but are you hungry?" Cyra asked.
"I thought you'd never ask!" lily said anxiously holding her stomach.
Cyra went down to the kitchen and started going through cabinets to find something to eat. She spotted a loaf of bread and decided a sandwich would as good as anything else. Placing it on the counter in front of the fridge, she turned around and started to fiddle around in the refrigerator. She opened a drawer and found some packaged slices of meat and as she shut the door, and turned around a look of shock came upon her face as the food fell out of her grip to the floor. On the other side of the counter was a cardigan corgi, his fur as black as the night itself. He was holding in his right hand a ridiculously oversized scythe, the blade curving in an arc all the way to his left shoulder. Behind him was the cloaked wolf from before, his face still masked by the shroud of darkness.
"Want me to make it quick?" the corgi asked with a twisted grin.
"Not so fast, Pendulum..." the wolf said calmly as he slowly walked around the counter to the frightened, trembling dog. "Will you help me, child?...or will I have to make you help me?" he asked.
Cyra didn't answer him, she couldn't answer; Her body refused to move and her mouth refused to speak.
"So this is how it's going to be?....I had hoped you would have cooperated, Cyra....I didn't want it to have to come to this child...." he said, Pendulum rearing his arm back as if he were holding a hammer.
"CYRA!" a voice boomed from upstairs.
"You sure are taking your time! I'm coming down now!" Lily called. Her footsteps could be heard trailing down the stairs at a fast pace.
"You're a lucky girl...." Pendulum said, lowering his weapon and walking away slowly, the wolf following him. Cyra turned towards Lily as she came into the kitchen, and then looked back to where Pendulum had been standing. They were both gone. No door was open, no sounds were heard as they left, and yet, they were surely gone from the house. Lily rushed to the side of her frightened friend, grabbing her by the shoulders.
"You look like you've just seen a ghost, Cyra! You okay?" Lily asked.
Cyra opened her mouth and began to speak, but didn't even finish a word before burying her face into her friends shoulder. "It was him again..." she said, her voice muffled by Lily's shoulder.
The next morning Cyra woke up with a yawn, and turned over to Lily asleep on the other side of her bed. She didn't want to bother her, so she got up quietly and looked out of her window. It was a bit messy from the rain, but the sun was dimly shining through the clouds. After she got dressed, Cyra opened a drawer on her nightstand, waking up Lily by rummaging through it.
“Hmm? Cyra what are you doing?” Lily asked yawning.
“I don’t feel safe without something to protect me anymore…” Cyra said pulling out a seven inch long dagger, and fastening it to her side with a belt.
“Yeah, I guess I can understand.”
“You can go home if you want to, or have anything to do. I think I’ll be alright.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“Okay then, I do have some things to do.” Lily replied.
About six hours later, Cyra was in her living room watching TV on the couch. She was sprawled out with her head in her palms, relaxing and trying to forget about the night before. Looking through the doorway to the kitchen, she saw the back door’s doorknob begin to shake. Immediately, her heart began to beat a little faster as she sat up a little, prepared for the worst. As the door opened, her mother came in and called her name.
“Cyra, I’m home early!” she said.
Cyra let out a sigh of relief hearing her mother’s voice. Almost the moment she got up from the couch the phone rang, and her mother answered.
“Cyra, it’s Lily.” She said handing her the phone.
“What’s up?” cyra asked.
“You’re totally gonna hate me for this…” Lily replied.
“Hate you for what?”
“I set you up on a date…”
“You WHAT?!”
“Told ya so…”
“Aw, crap, who with?”
“You’ll see, his name’s DJ, meet him in the park at 7:00!” Lily said hanging up.
“Wait!? WHERE in the park? What’s he look like?!” Cyra asked only to be answered by the repetitive beeping of the busy signal.
That night Cyra arrived at the park. It was sunset, and the park was flooded with an orange glow. It was a beautiful park that was very well kept. There were several decorative fountains, a few gazebos and brick paths that made a walkway. She walked down the brick path until she encountered a young tabby cat leaning against a light pole. He was dressed in black jeans, a black shirt and a black leather jacket, and had a crazy kind of spiked hairdo.
“For the love of God, tell me you aren’t my date…” Cyra said.
“If your name is Cyra, then I’m afraid I am. My name is Darwin Jynx…DJ for short.” The tabby replied owing slightly.
“Can I just call you dork?”
“Oh, come on now!”
“Fine, I’ll make the best of this...Where are you taking me?”
“Well, I thought we could grab a bite to eat, I have a reservation at –“
“Ok, let’s get this over with…” Cyra interrupted.
DJ took her to a restaurant on the edge of town, it was kind of fancy looking, but in actuality was quite affordable. DJ held open the door for Cyra, and as she entered, followed closing it .
“I’m going to the restroom…” Cyra said slipping away as DJ went to ask about his reservation. She went into the women’s bathroom, and began looking around. She saw a window on the far side of the wall, and unlocked it. Silently, she slipped out of the window into the woods behind the building. “Why’d she set me up with such a dork?!” Cyra said walking a bit deeper into the forest, not wanting to just go around to the front of the building. As she was walking she heard a rustling in the woods. Suddenly, she felt frightened, and grasped the dagger at her side. It was so dark she could hardly see the figure that appeared in front of her, but she recognized his gigantic scythe, and knew immediately it was the one from before.
“This time, you’re mine…” the wolf said from behind her.
Pendulum took one hard swing with his scythe and with barely a whimper Cyra fell at his feet. “I think we can continue…” Pendulum said.
Cyra was on the verge of death, but didn’t let on that she was even still breathing, taking tiny breaths and holding them for as long as she could. It was pitch dark, and they couldn’t really see her anyway.
A large purplish black mass started to from behind the wolf, and then slowly it went towards Cyra in streams, entering her body, and taking over her mind. Under the darkness, her crystal blue eyes turned a crimson blood red, and slowly she stood as if she wasn’t even harmed.
“I went through a lot to get you, Cyra…and finally, you’re mine.” The wolf laughed.
“No….” Cyra replied , her voice deep and maleficent, “You’re mine…”
“Whatever do you mean, child?” asked the wolf as Cyra pulled the blade from her side and violently rushed towards the wolf. He grabbed her wrist, and twisted it, and brought her to her knees.
“Do not resist, child…” he said as Cyra stood up and ran. She came out of the woods onto the sidewalk of a street, the street lamps illuminating the street with a soft, calming glow. Lily was walking down the sidewalk, on her way home when she came across her friend.
“Oh, hi Cyra…um…aren’t you supposed to be somewhere?” Lily asked.
Cyra slowly turned her head to look at Lily, and when she saw her, her eyes dilated and a blood lust overcame her. She grabbed her friend by the collar of her shirt and pulled her up to herself. Lily gazed into her blood red eyes, and became scared.
“Cyra…what happened?” she said, just before Cyra’s blade came across her throat. Cyra threw Lily down on the sidewalk, and walked away thinking her dead. Lily, still well alive reached up toward Cyra as she walked away, feeling of her slit throat with her other hand. She tried to call out, but no sound came from her mouth.
Meanwhile, DJ was sitting at a table in the restaurant alone, his chin in his hands. “This is just swell…” he said himself.
About half an hour later, Cyra arrived at her home. As she entered into the house via the kitchen, she saw her mother washing dishes at the sink.
“Hey, honey, you’re home a little early aren’t you?” her mother asked never turning around as Cyra slowly approached her from behind.
Cyra held her face in her hands, as she shook violently. Her mother turned around when Cyra didn’t respond, and saw her daughter quivering.
“What’s wrong, dear?” she asked getting closer.
“JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME!” Cyra screamed holding her mother down on the counter.
“What’s wrong with you?!” her mother asked gazing into her eyes, “You aren’t my daughter!”
With a growl, Cyra slammed her hand on her mother’s chest, her claws clenching her flesh. In an amazing display of strength, Cyra’s paw penetrated into her mother’s chest as she cried out in pain. Ripping her mothers beating heart out of her chest, she crushed it in her right paw, the blood spraying her clothes, as well as everything else around her, and running down her arm. Breathing heavily, Cyra looked over her shoulder at the cloaked wolf behind her.
“Oh dear…things didn’t quite go as I planed…turns out you were still alive when I performed that little….operation.” he said tilting his head. “You see, that was meant to take over your corpse…to make turn you into my mindless little slave…but since you weren’t quite did, all it did was change your way of thinking. To everyone else, your friends, your family, the Cyra they once knew is gone. You’re a blood thirsty monster. No will accept you. No one will ever love you.” He said Cyra growling in anger as she drew her blade again.
“…except for me….only I will accept you for what you are now….you’ve no choice but to follow me, child.” The wolf said with a laugh as approached Cyra and placed a hand on her shoulder. “May you serve me well…” he said, a dark shadow enveloping them as they both disappeared.
Cyra, the hooded wolf, sand Pendulum belong to me
Lily belongs to Rip
DJ belongs to Kynelongtail
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Post by Blitz on Sept 14, 2009 19:55:38 GMT -5
it may seen a bit jumpy due to the fact that it's just all the chapters thrown into a single document....
This is NOT[/i] One Hundred and One Dalmatians fan fiction. it my own creation taking place in my own fictional universe using mine, as well as some others(including members of this site) original characters. If you take the time to read even a portion, I would appreciate your feedback, be it good or bad. and critique is ALWAYS welcome.
Due Fate: Volkner's Saga
15 years ago; unspecified location.
A black Cardigan Welsh Corgi wandered a dirt path, mountains on both sides of him. His eyes were blood red, and seemed to glow in the dark of the night. His white paws and chest contrasted with the rest of his fur, as did the white mark running down the center of his muzzle. He was dressed in loose, green, cotton pants and a simple green tee. The look on his face was stern, and rather cold as he walked towards the colossal stone tower ahead on the path. The tower was huge, at one hundred stories. Pushing the huge double door open, he stepped inside with an evil grin.
In an Unspecified floor of the tower.
Inside the tower, a figure walked the halls. A grey wolf he was, although, wearing a black cloak, all that can be seen as evidence are his paws and a bit of his muzzle. In his hands was an old red book that he read as he walked the halls, never taking his eyes from it's worn out pages. He treaded the halls quietly, his feet not making a sound as they touched the red carpet beneath him. his shadow looked benevolent on the stone walls around him, as it flickered in the light of candles that lit the way. As the figure came to an abrupt halt, he shut the book with force.
"I know your here, show yourself....coward." he spoke calmly.
The corgi from before seemed to appear from nowhere, grinning as he appeared.
"I am..." The corgi spoke, unable to finish his words as he was interupted.
"Pendulum...what does someone such as yourself want with me?" thw wolf said.
"So...the rumors are true....you really do know all....even the names of those you've never met."
"You expected less of me?"
"Of course not, Sir....but...can you tell what will happen....later in life?"
"As in see the future? What am I, a roadside gypsy?"
"Oh! Of course not, Sir!...but you know who I am....and you know that I can...."
"Enough of this idle talk, why did you come here?"
"There's something...that I wish to show you." Pendulum said with a chuckle.
Approximately 22 hours later, in a small town not far away.
"Thank you....I don't know how to repay your favor..." said a Dalmatian, dressed in black. His spots where bountiful and very close together, most of them touching one another. There was more black than white in his coat, and his eyes where a sky blue.
"Just....make it back...." said a corgi, exactly like the other corgi, only with green eyes, and brown instead of black fur. The corgi turned and left the house. It was a decent sized house, not small and not big. it was made of brick, and the interior had polished wood floors. The furniture had a classic look to it, things like grandfather clocks and portraits of family members decorating it's rooms.
"You're going to go?" said a female Dalmatian. Though a Dalmatian, she had no spots, and her eyes where as blue as her husbands. She wore a white dress that almost seamlessly blended with her fur.
"I don't have much of a choice..." the male replied. He walked over to a wooden cabinet, and opening it's doors pushed back the clothes hanging in the way to reveal a shiny zweihander broad sword sitting in the back. It's black was decorated with beautiful markings carved into the blade.
"Sigurd...you swore...." his wife called.
"I know...I swore that this blade would never spill blood again....but it's his blood or ours, which will it be, Sylia?" Sigurd replied picking up the sword and walking towards the door.
"If I don't come back..."
"Don't even talk like that!"
".....you're right...." Sigurd said, Continuing on his way.
In such a small town, few people roamed the streets at that time of night. The town seemed almost empty, the lights inside most buildings off as well. Sigurd came to a stop in the middle of a cobblestone street, a cloaked wolf walking towards him slowly.
"I don't fully understand what was shown to you...but I know you're going to try and stop it..." Sigurd said, black dragon like wings erupting from his back. The wolf just smiled as he continued to approach him.
In a blind rage, Sigurd charged the cloaked canine, his sword held high. As he neared the wolf, he brought the sword down, but with a gasp stopped at his forehead. The wolf had already stabbed him through the heart with a rapier he had kept under his cloak. Sigurd's sword fell to the ground as he struggled to speak.
"Please...just...stay away from them..." Sigurd murmured, wincing in pain. The wolf withdrew his sword from Sigurd's chest as his body fell to the ground.
"Fine...I'll grant you a dying wish..." the cloaked wolf said, a large black mass forming behind him. "You will..." he laughed, the black mass forming into streams and entering into Sigurd's barely living corpse.
In her home, Sylia sat patiently with her eyes shut on a cream colored couch. Opening her eyes, she looked up at the door nearby, her husbands shadow cast upon the small window. Her face lit up with glee as she jumped up to go meet him.
As she opened the door, Sigurd’s hand wrapped around her throat, and forced her against the wall. Looking up at him, she gasped for breath as his once blue eyes, now red, looked down on her. A look of shock displayed on her face, she died quickly as Sigurd's blade pierced her chest.
The next morning
A female Dalmatian with black ears, and heavily spotted arms approached Sylia's home. She was wearing pink sleeveless top and khaki pants, and her eyes were brown. She approached the door of the home at gave it a few knocks. She always stopped by this time of morning, and they were always home. She knocked again when no one answered the door. Curious, she reached for the door knob, and found that it was unlocked as she turned it. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside, a little confused.
"Anyone home? Sylia?" She called, getting no response. She looked around the foyer, she saw nothing and proceeded through a nearby doorway to find Sylia's corpse lying against the wall, a stab wound in her chest.
"Sylia?!" she said with a gasp. "Sigurd!" she screamed running through the house. "Oh no, the kids!" she screamed, running for the hallway, and up a flight of stairs. Running through the upstairs hallway she barged through a door and into the bedroom of two young pups, about 2 years old. They both appeared to be asleep in their separate beds adjacent to one another. The female approached one of the beds and pulled back the covers to find a slash across it's neck, blood running down his neck onto a silver cross hung about his neck. He was still alive but barely. Quickly, she checked his sister, who was in the same condition. She picked up the two pups in her arm and carried them out of the house.
15 years later
"Hey!, that was mine!" exclaimed a young male Dalmatian. He had black ears, and his paws and arms were black up to the elbow where they formed sort of a flame pattern. A silver gothic style cross was hanging on a chain from his neck. He was wearing a red hoodie and jeans. He was sitting at a table, the female that rescued him as a puppy in front of him, his sister to his right and his adoptive sister to his left. His sister had just stuck her fork in his plate and taken a piece of steak.
His sister just grinned and stuck her tongue out at him. Her right ear was black while the left was white, and she had a spot on the right side of her muzzle. She had long, flowing brown hair. She wore a pair of khaki shorts and a sky blue short sleeve shirt that matched her sky blue eyes. He legs had several spots on them, in contrast to the few on her arms.
Volkner sighed and stuck his fork into another piece of steak. "Hey, mom, I need..." He started to say before he looked down at his fork, which had nothing on it. He looked to the side at his sister who was chewing. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and stopped chewing, a mischievous smirk on her face.
"Amaranth!" He yelled slamming his fists on the table.
"Guysth, sthop it...." his adoptive sister spoke with a lisp. She had five spots on each of her ears and three on her right leg near the calf. She also has 3 large splotches on her back, half on one which could be seen poking out from her short pink top. Her white capris covered a bit of the spots on her calf. She had her short brown hair done into two small pig tails.
"Shut up, Lynette..." Volkner said angrily.
"Volkner, be nice to Lynette....Amaranth, eat your own food!" their mother said.
"Sorry, Volk! Want it back?" Amaranth laughed.
"So help me God if you don't shut up..." Volkner said.
"VOLKNER!" his mother exclaimed.
"She started it..." he replied.
Late that night
Volkner was laying in his bed asleep. He woke up and rolled over to look at his lack digital clocked. The bright read digits read "12:30". With a yawn he crawled out of his bed and went down the hall towards the bathroom. About halfway down the hallway he slipped on the polished hard wood floor, landing with a thud on his back. He reached for the white wall of the hallway and used it to help him back up. As he rubbed his back he looked down at the floor. That particular spot looked much shinier and cleaner than the rest of the hall. Shrugging it off, he continued towards the bathroom. When he reached the bathroom door, he found a sticky note on it. "Gotcha!" was written in Amaranth's hand writing. With a growl he entered the bathroom and slammed the door.
After he was done, Volkner started back down the hallway towards his room. He came to a sudden stop and looked down at his necklace. It was glowing a ghostly pale blue color. "Volkner..." rang a voice through his mind.
"Who's there?!" Volkner said, looking around.
"Names are of this world...and so I don't need one..."
"What do you want?!"
"Do you know what really happened to your mother?"
"She was killed by someone...whoever they were, they tried to kill me and Amaranth too. My dad just kinda went missing...."
"Close...so close..."
"What are you talking about?"
"It was your father who did it!"
"Yeah right..." Volkner chuckled.
"Let me show you...leave your house early in the morning...I'll provide you with the directions you'll need. Get ready for a long trip..."
"Why are you doing this?"
"..."
"Whatever..." Volkner said trying to shake the eerie feeling off. He began walking towards his room again, and slipped on the slick spot again. "AMARANTH!" he screamed.
"Yes?" Amaranth said poking her head out of her bedroom door, which was very close by.
"You're sick in the head..." Volkner said.
"Gee, love you too..." Amaranth replied, "Who were you talking to a minute ago? You sneakin' girls in the house?" Amaranth said sticking her tongue out.
"No..."
"Of course not...no girl would ever wanna..."
"WOULD YOU SHUT UP!"
"Maybe..."
"Ugh...whatever....my necklace...it started glowing, and...I heard this voice..."
"I'm sorry, didn't you just call ME sick in the head?"
"I'm serious! It said that...our dad is the one that killed our real mom...and he tried to kill us too..."
"And you believe it?"
"I don't know yet...it told me to leave early in the morning and it would give me directions to find out for myself..."
"You gonna go?"
"Don't know yet..."
"If you want to go, I'll cover for you."
"Thanks...well, if I don't see you tomorrow...you know I left."
"Take your time. I'll enjoy it while you’re gone." Amaranth snickered.
"You'd miss me." Volkner said.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah...you wouldn't have anyone to torture." Volkner said going back to his room.
Early the next morning
Volkner started to head out that morning. He had to know the truth. He wasn't going to say goodbye to anyone, it would be too hard. Walking through the kitchen towards the front door, he heard a faint noise in the room next door. He quietly paced across the black and white tiled floor and turn the knob on the living room door. When he opened it, he saw Amaranth, already changed out of her pajamas, watching TV.
"Amaranth, what are you doing up?" Volkner asked out of curiosity.
"I'm going with you..." She replied.
"What?! No, no, no, no, no!"
"Volkner...he's my dad too ya know...."
"But what if you get hurt?"
"I'll have you to protect me, right?" Amaranth said passing by him, and heading for the door.
"Amaranth..."
"Hurry up, slow poke!" Amaranth replied, heading out the door. With a sigh, Volkner followed.
"Well, where to?" Amaranth asked.
"I dunno...whoever's voice it was said he'd tell me when I needed to know, so...I guess we just wait..."
"We've never even left Verith before! Shouldn't you bring a map?!"
"Amaranth, just shut up and follow me!" Volkner said, a bit annoyed by her questions as he walked along. It was a sunny day in October, the town of Verith was bustling. Vehicles traveled most of the streets, and a few pedestrians were walking about.
"Where are you going?" Amaranth asked huffing from trying to keep up with Volkner's fast pace.
"I don't know..." Volkner replied. After a few minutes he, came across a strange looking girl on the edge of town. She was a husky mixed wolf, and she was dressed in all black clothing, and black high heels. Her white and grey fur almost shined in the light, and the handgun on her side cast a glare. She had shoulder length jet black hair. There was a rifle on her back as well.
"Volkner, I don't like the way she looks..." Amaranth whispered. Apparently, she didn't whisper quietly enough. The female's ear twitched and she turned to approach them.
"Excuse me?" she said, her green eyes casting a glare at Amaranth.
"I said…um...what I meant was umm.....oh, crap..." Amaranth said hiding behind Volkner.
"Hmm?" the wolf/husky said, leaning in towards Volkner, examining the charm on his neck.
"That cross..." she said under her breath. "My name is Serenade...might I have a look at this?" she said reaching for Volkner's necklace, only to get her hands smacked.
"HEY! That's the only thing my Dad ever gave me....course, from what I'm hearing, he tried to kill me..."
"I see...was your father by chance named Sigurd?"
"What the....how do you know that?!"
"I have my sources....You'll have to come with me, Volkner Faust..." the Serenade said with a wink.
"I ain't goin' with no one!" Volkner snapped.
"Yep! It's true! No one will go with him!" Amaranth said, Volkner giving her an angry look.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself..." Amaranth said, scratching her head.
"You misunderstand, Volkner...I'm not an enemy....me and my brothers have to take care of some business with your father....so if you're looking for him, I suggest you come with me." Serenade said turning around and heading for some nearby woods. "Coming?"
"I......yeah..." Volkner said following Serenade, Amaranth not far behind.
As they walked through the fall woods, rotting foliage crunched beneath their feet. he autumn breeze blew leaves astray, and created light rustling noise as they marched on. Suddenly, Serenade pressed her back against a tree.
"Get down! Hide! I don't care, just get out of sight!" She said drawing her pistol. It was a semi automatic 9mm with a silencer on it.
Volkner and Amaranth followed Serenade's example, and hid behind trees. "Hey, what's going on!" amaranth asked, only to be shushed by Serenade.
"I can't believe it, they're here too!" Serenade said quietly.
"Who's here?!" Amaranth yelled.
"Ammy, zip it!" Volkner whispered.
Peeking around the tree, Serenade saw five canine's, dressed in a black uniform, their faces covered by masks. She stepped to the side and took aim. Steadying her aim, she pulled the trigger. As she pull the trigger, the silenced fell off of the barrel and the first shot caught their attention. It bounced off of a tree nearby one of the targets.
"I don't get paid enough for this..." Serenade said retreated behind the tree.
Serenade crouched behind the tree, reaching for her silencer that had fallen. Volkner reached over and took the rifle off of her back. It had a scope on it, and was semi automatic. Checking to make sure it had ammo, Volkner cocked the gun and peered around the tree through the scope.
"HEY! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" serenade said a bit angered that Volkner had just taken her gun, "Do you even know what you're doing?"
"Shooting those guys before they shoot us..." Volkner replied.
"Don't worry, our uncles a cop...Volkner trains with him at the shooting range." amaranth said just as Volkner pulled the trigger. The masked canine barely screamed as the bullet pierced his skull, falling dead as his blood splattered onto his nearby comrade.
"There you are!" said the unit next to him, taking aim in Volkner's direction only to be shot in the arm dropping his weapon as he grabbed his wound and screamed.
"I must be getting a little rusty..." Volkner said shooting again, this time shooting him in the head.
Amaranth was a little freaked out. Watching her brother kill so efficiently, and without remorse made her uneasy.
"This kid is good..." Serenade commented as he shot a third. Only two enemies remained. They were aware of Volkner, and Serenade's presence, and proceeded without caution. They didn't know exactly where they were, but they had a rough idea. Amaranth shifted a bit, creating a rustling in the leaves. The enemy units turned to face them, both firing shots with handguns a split second after Volkner fired his rifle. Volkner's shot hit one unit, causing him to misfire and shoot his partner. His partner's bullet hit the tree Volkner was behind, as amaranth screamed and covered her eyes.
"...I'm sorry, but, weren't they supposed to pose a threat?" Volkner said offering Serenade her gun back.
"You're what they call a natural..." Serenade said.
"Didn't you hear my sister? My uncle taught me...and that’s been a while, I'm really not THAT good...I don't like guns anyway." Volkner replied.
serenade pushed the gun offered to her away. "You've got a good shot. keep it for now. There might be more." She said as she began walking through the woods again.
"Who were they?" Amaranth asked as she walked along.
"Lackeys..." Serenade replied.
"WHO'S lackeys?" Volkner asked in succession to his sister's question.
"We don't really know...but whoever has control of Sigurd is who we assume to be their leader."
"I'm confused...did our dad kill our mom and try to kill us? Or was it someone else? Why wasn't my dad ever seen again, or even found dead? It makes no sense!"
Serenade an Jay took Volkner and amaranth to a huge building in the middle of the city. It had a total of thirty floors, twenty-five of them above ground and five below. The building was painted white, and no name was on the building, for privacy reasons.
"Where are we?" Volkner asked.
"This is our HQ..." Serenade replied.
"I still don't know who you are!"
"Section 10, we're a top secret government agency."
"I've never heard of you..."
"And I doubt you ever will." Serenade said, entering a code on a pad near the door. The large door slid open automatically and closed after they had all entered. Inside, the building was brightly lit, though a bit bland. The white tiles on the floor were very old, and the simple white walls didn't do much for the atmosphere either. Lots of doors and machines littered the building, and everything looked high-tech.
Jay walked over to a chair, a literally fell onto it, closing his eyes like he was taking a nap.
"I'm gonna go get them set up." Serenade said.
"Whatever..." Jay replied.
"Heh...you two sure are different to be brothers...but I see a resemblance too..." Serenade said
"I don't...that guys a jerk..." Amaranth added as they walked through another door.
"You just don't know him very well....well, ok, he is a bit of a jerk..." Serenade said as they came into a large room, lots of computers and such on the desks all around. Most of them were turned off except for a couple. At one of the computers sat a leopard, typing on her keyboard with a smile on her face. Her green eyes were glowing with the light from the screen they were fixed on, the black clothes she was wearing perfectly matching the black of her spots. She had medium length brown hair.
"Sheena!" Serenade yelled, her voice echoing in the large room.
"Yo!" The leopard said, turning around to face them in her chair.
"Get these two straight, would ya?" Serenade said as she left the room.
"So then...your his other kids?" Sheena asked.
Amaranth and Volkner simply nodded in response to the question, Sheena crossing her arms.
"I don't bite, ya know...Your surname Faust too?" She said, typing at her computer once again.
"Yeah...I'm Volkner. My sister's name is Amaranth." Volkner said.
"You sure you're related to Jay? You don't seem to be a punk like him..."
"I'm not too sure, really...I'm kinda confused."
"Aw, it'll all be clear soon! Don't worry!" Sheena said, a machine next to her spitting out two plastic I.D. cards.
"Here, you'll need these for a few things around here." Sheena said handing them the cards.
"You guys are a little small for a government group, aren't you?" Amaranth asked as she took her card.
"Wasn't always like this..." sheena sighed.
"If you're gonna tell us a long story, it can wait. Why did you bring me here?" Volkner asked.
"Well, you're Sigurd's son, right? He gave you a charm similar to Jay's. When anyone infected by the "darkness" that possesses him is nearby, they glow blue, or if the "controller" uses his telepathy on you....have you ever heard voices in your head, Volkner?" Sheena explained.
"Wait...darkness? The controller?" Volkner asked a little confused.
"You'll see for yourself eventually...just...if you hear that voice again...don't let it know your with us. We can use it to find him."
"Find who? My dad?"
"We don't know, kid, stop playing twenty Q with me! Now...Serenade has two half brothers and a nephew. They're hanging out around here somewhere. They're gonna be your bodyguards of a sort. Dirge is the really laid back type...Requiem is a little more outgoing...and Nocturne is...um...well, he's kinda weird if you ask me." Sheena said, as the screeching of tires was heard outside. Sheena ran to the window, and outside was parked a black sports car, black streaks at least twenty feet behind it.
"Derek, you idiot! If you break that thing again, I'm not fixing it for you!" Sheena yelled out the window.
“It’s best to leave her alone when she gets angry…” The wolf said.
“And…you would be?” Volkner asked curiously.
“I’m Dirge. I believe you’ve already met my sister.” The wolf replied.
“So you our guardian or whatever, right?” Volkner replied.
“Well, me, my brother and our nephew, yes.” Dirge answered with a nod.
“And why exactly are you protecting me?”
“Because your our ticket to “The Controller”. “
“I just don’t understand any of this crap.” Volkner said putting a palm to his forehead.
“You will in time…” Dirge said, Volkner walking out of the room.
“Amaranth, is it?” Dirge asked, Amaranth nodding in response.
Volkner didn’t have any destination in mind, he just needed to be alone and think for a bit. He went outside, and sat on the ground near the door, leaning against the wall. As he shut his eyes, he felt a strange presence and his charm started to glow an eerie blue again.
“Did you make up your mind?” the voice asked.
“I made my mind up a while ago… I left this morning.”
“Oh?...well, most people your age aren’t exactly early risers…I’d assumed you’d just be getting started.”
“I’m in some place called Zolos…it’s a big city.”
“Zolos...How did you get there so fast?”
“I got here on accident.”
“You might run into some trouble in Zolos.”
“Such as?”
“A group of people who call themselves “section 10”…They’ll do nothing but hinder you! Avoid them at all costs!”
“Really now? And how do I know you aren’t doing the same thing? You won’t even tell me your name!”
“I told you, my name is “nothing”….must I repeat myself? Names are of this world, and therefore, I do not need one…”
“Cut the crap!”
“Enough!...I’ll take care of Section 10….I’ll let you know when you need to leave Zolos.” The voice said, the glow fading from his charm.
As Volkner stood up, Sheena was walking towards the door, dragging a male leopard by his ear. He was wearing a dark green shirt and black pants, winding his green eyes as he was dragged along. His right arm was mechanical, and immediately caught Volkner’s attention.
“You are such a PAIN!” Sheena yelled as she entered the code on the door. “C’mere!” she screamed dragging the male inside, hitting his head on the wall on his way in.
Volkner squeezed in before the door shut, and began to search for Serenade, thinking it best to tell her about what he had heard.
When he found Serenade, Jay was standing nearby talking to her; his necklace glowing like Volkner’s had. Volkner noticed that as he got closer, his started to glow as well. The room was almost like a lounging are, a few sofa’s here and there, and a couple of TV’s.
“What’s going on?” Volkner asked.
“Shh!” Serenade shushed him, throwing the rifle he had before to him.
“Get ready…” Jay said, black, dragon like wings like his father’s erupting from his back.
“Do I...have…?” Volkner asked quietly.
“Perhaps…” Jay replied, picking up two Uzis nearby.
Almost the moment he grabbed them, a female Dalmatian lunged through the window, Jay unloading on her. All of his shots missed, the Dalmatian grinning an evil smile as she looked up at them. She had black paws, a black tail, black ears and a spot that oddly formed a skull on her left hip, though it was covered by her jeans. She wore a simple white tee, and it was stained with what appeared to be blood. Her right paw and half of her arm were permanently stained with blood. She had medium length black hair, her left bang hanging down over her left eye. Just looking at the manic sent chills down their spines.
Volkner took aim, and started firing rifle shots at her, though she dodged them without effort, as if she could see the bullets approaching. As she neared, the dog removed a combat knife from her side, twirling it about in her hand before bringing it up towards Volkner. Volkner leaned back, narrowly dodging the knife, a few pieces of fur from his face floating to the ground.
“Hmm?” the dog said, looking at Volkner’s necklace.
“Wrong one…” Se murmured before screaming as Serenade shot her in the back with her handgun.
“This isn’t over…It’s personal now…” she said retreating out of the window from whence she came.
"Who was that?" Volkner asked.
"We don't really know, she must be working for "The Controller" though... did you notice your necklace glowing when she was near? Everyone under the influence of the controller causes that to happen." Serenade explained.
"But the glow was stronger than usual..." Jay said.
"I don't know how to answer that one..." serenade replied.
Meanwhile, the female who attacked them was walking through the nearby woods, bleeding profusely from her wound.
"So...?" a voice said in her head.
"He's sided with them...." Cyra said.
"Did you kill him?"
"You told me not to."
"Yes, but him changing sides wasn't part of the plan..."
"Want me to go back?" Cyra said with a sigh.
"No. They'd be expecting it."
"Good, cus that one got me pretty good..."
"You're host will still live?"
"I think so."
"Good..." the voice said as it faded.
Back at Section 10's base, Serenade, Jay and Volkner stood in the main foyer with Dirge, his brother Requiem, a wolf with grey fur dressed rather casually. Their nephew, Nocturne was also nearby. He was a grey and black wolf, who wore a brown trench coat and khaki pants, his glasses falling down on his nose just below his eyes.
"Sounds like you wounded her pretty bad... probably left a blood trail. Should we try and follow it?" Dirge suggested.
"Well, we don't have any other leads..." serenade replied.
"Honestly, I think we have too many people on this." Requiem spoke up.
"Requiem is right...for once." Nocturne replied.
"Well...Dirge, you go and take Volkner and Jay with you." Serenade said.
"I'll go round up Jay for ya." requiem said walking out.
"You do that...hey, didn't you say she said "It's personal now"?" Dirge asked.
"Yeah, she did." Volkner replied.
"When "The Controller takes over someone, they no longer have a will of their own...she isn't under his control..."
"But...that glow?"
"She's under the influence of the same type of evil, that's for sure..."
"I'm just not going to try to understand." Volkner said shaking his head as Requiem returned with Jay.
"Alright, let's go." Dirge said taking Volkner and Jay with him to the room where the female had broken in. They climbed out of the window she came through, and sure enough, there was a trail of blood spots leading up through the woods. There was a clear cut path through the woods.
"I don't remember this path..." jay said.
"How many times have you been back here?" Dirge asked as they walked along the trail, following the blood.
As they progressed up the trail, the encountered a female walking towards them. She looked exactly like the one that had attacked. Volkner immediately took aim, the female laughing as he did.
"It's ok..." She said "You're looking for this person, right?" she said, her appearance changing o that of Volkner's.
"Wha- ?!" Volkner said in shock.
"Don't worry, I'm not your enemy..." he spoke in Volkner’s voice, before changing into Jay.
"My name is Eisenheim." He said.
"A shape shifter?" Dirge asked.
"Yes...but I don't remember my true appearance...so I borrow from whomever I happen to see. Are you looking for that wounded female?"
"Yes, she attacked us earlier." Volkner said.
"Well, she went up this path here, but I'd be careful...up ahead there’s an old abandoned church. Look for a man named Shadow." Eisenheim said.
"Well, Eisenheim ,if you keep going this way, you'll find a large white building...we could use as much help as we can get if you're interested." Dirge said, Volkner snickering at the mention of Eisenheim's name.
"Eisenheim...you have a strange name..." Volkner said.
"Look who's talking..." Jay said.
"Well, I'm sure I can be of some assistance to whatever your cause is...I'll go on ahead and see, hmm?" Eisenheim replied.
"Normally, you need a code to get in, but there’s a broken window...but be careful when you go in, everyone else is probably on guard after the attack." Dirge said.
"Not a problem." Eisenheim replied changing his appearance to that of Dirge as he continued forward.
"Are you sure we should trust him?" Jay asked.
"Right now, we don't have many choices...help is help at this point..." Dirge replied, the three continuing on.
Not even a mile ahead, they found the old abandoned church Eisenheim had mentioned. It was very shabby, and hadn't been used in ages. The paint was peeling, the stained glass windows were broken and there was a large hole in the roof.
"You don't think this Shadow guy actually LIVES here, do you?" Volkner asked.
"Not sure...be careful as you go in..." Dirge said as the three slowly and cautiously entered.
They entered into the old church slowly. All of the pews disorderly, overturned or broke, many of them rotted. A beam of light shined in from the whole in the room, giving a bit of light to an otherwise dark building. They moved slowly up the aisle, constantly looking around, on guard incase something should happen. A silhouette followed the on a beam in the church roof. The could here his steps on the beam, but he was nowhere to be found.
"I don't like this..." Dirge said. As he spoke, the figure dropped from above landing in a crouch in front of them. He was a black lab with green eyes wearing a jacket with the collar turned up, covering his mouth. Without a warning he stood and charged forward grabbing Dirge by the shoulders. He pushed him to the back of the church and held him against the wall.
"What are you doing?!" Volkner said aiming his rifle at the dog.
"Hmm?" The dog responded looking over his shoulder. He returned to looking at Dirge and stared him closely in the eyes. After studying them for a moment he let out a sigh. "So. you aren't like them." He said a moment too late. Dirge kneed the Labrador in the gut and as he doubled over, kicked him to his back.
"My apologies..." The lab said with a cough, "I assumed you were one of them. What business do you have here?"
"Eisenheim sent us." Volkner said.
"Eisenheim? Why didn't you say so..."
"You didn't give us a chance."
"This is true...I apologize for acting so hastily."
"Do you know anything about Sigurd?"
"Is that what you call him? If you're referring to the one with the red eyes, and the wings...then yes...you two kinda look like him..." The lab said looking at Jay and Volkner
"Well, they're his kids...they should." Dirge replied.
"I see...they...aren't like him?"
"No. There's no need to worry."
"Good...my name is Shadow." the lab said, stretching his open palm towards Dirge.
"I'm Dirge, and this is Jay and Volkner." Dirge replied shaking his hand.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about a girl working for Sigurd would you?" Dirge asked.
Meanwhile, Eisenheim, still disguised as Dirge had entered through the broken window. He wandered the building somewhat lost when he bumped into Sheena, the both of them falling on the floor.
"Hey, how'd you get back so soon?" Sheena asked.
"I didn't." Eisenheim said changing into Sheena's appearance.
"Wha-?!" Sheen said, stammering to her feet.
"Relax...Dirge sent me. He said you needed help."
"Oh...Yeah, we're a little short handed around here..." Sheena replied, "Come with me."
Back at the old church, Shadow had finished explaining a few things to Dirge, Volkner and Jay. "It's very simple...and at the same time, it's very complicated." Shadow said.
"I think I understand it." Dirge said.
"So Cyra...that is her name, isn't it?...she's controlled by something too, but she wasn't dead when it took over and so all it did was change her mindset?" Volkner asked.
"That's correct." Shadow replied.
"There's someone you should meet." Shadow said walking toward a set of stairs leading to a basement. They followed him down into the dark basement, illuminated by only a small light bulb on the ceiling, lots of boxes lying around. Sleeping on a tattered blanket was a brown, long haired dog. His fur was matted, and his breed was undeterminable. He was dressed rather strange in a gray cloak.
"Astrid, wake up." Shadow called as the dog yawned and slowly stood up.
"Oh? We have visitors?" Astrid asked.
Volkner was snickering a bit, Astrid eyeing him strangely.
"Isn't "Astrid" a girl's name?" Volkner laughed.
"Oh, be quiet!" Astrid said as he crossed his arms.
"These are Sigurd's sons." Shadow interrupted.
"I see...Well, your father and my father were quite good friends... that's beside the point. We know where your father...or what was once your father is. We wanted to try and take him on, but we knew alone it was impossible... Even now it may be risky." Astrid said.
"I don't care WHAT the odds are, take me to him!" Volkner interrupted.
"In a hurry?" Astrid asked.
"The only reason I even got up this morning was to get revenge on him, take me to him NOW!" Volkner demanded.
"Whoa, hold on!" Dirge said before Jay interrupted him.
"I agree with him...I've been after him for far too long...I can't pass this opportunity up. Take us." Jay said.
"There's no talking you two out of this, is there?" Dirge said with a sigh as he took a phone out of his pocket. "At least let me let them know." He said as he dialed a number.
"Hello?" Sheena said as she answered back at the HQ.
"Sheena...we know where Sigurd is...and...Volkner and Jay are set on going after him NOW."
"What? Are they crazy!"
"I know, it's kinda dumb...but there's no talking them out of it now. They're going with or without me."
"Where are you? Me and the others will come."
"There’s an old church in the woods. There's a path leading straight to it, you can't miss it. My guess is he isn't very far from here."
"Ok...bye." Sheena said hanging up.
"Alright, where did you see him, Astrid? We have back up on the way incase things get dicey." Dirge asked.
"There’s a clearing farther back...follow me." Astrid said heading upstairs, everyone else trailing behind him.
Approximately 20 minutes later
Astrid brought them to the clearing, and sure enough they saw Sigurd and Cyra talking, though they weren't audible enough to understand. There was oddly no grass in the clearing, it was all dirt. The tree's around the clearing were all dead, and a chilling breeze filled the air.
"It doesn't make any sense...why would he just be out here alone...there aren't even any grunts like you ran into on your way to Zolos to protect him..." Dirge said.
"He doesn't need them..." Shadow replied.
"Hey!" Sheena called running towards them, Nocturne and Requiem following her.
"You got here fast." said Dirge with a smile.
"Where's Amaranth?" Volkner asked.
"Back at HQ with Serenade, Derek and that...Eisenheim guy." Sheena replied.
"By the way Volkner...A little bird told me you don't care for guns." Nocturne said offering a broadsword to Volkner.
"This is more like it." Volkner said exchanging the rifle for the sword. The blade was cleaned to a mirror shine, and the bronze hilt had markings carved into it. The leather wrapped handle felt smooth in his grip as he took a practice swing.
"We ready?" Jay asked.
"Wait!" a voice called. Eisenheim, taking on the appearance of Volkner was approaching.
"I thought you stayed behind!" Sheena said.
"I know, but I thought I might of some use...shall we fool him?" Eisenheim looking at Volkner.
"Sounds like a plan." Volkner said.
Eisenheim, who was disguised as Volkner approached Sigurd and Cyra casually. As he neared, the two took notice of his presence.
"You don't really need my help, do you?" Cyra said stepping away.
"Not at all...Well, Volkner, I would be flattered that you found me so soon...except you aren't Volkner!" Sigurd said, stabbing Eisenheim with the same sword used to kill Sylia.
"How...my disguise is flawless..." Eisenheim said coughing up a bit of blood.
Sigurd withdrew his sword, the doppelganger falling to his knees, coughing up more blood before, against his will transforming into a white tiger, his eyes sky blue as they shut and fell onto the ground. "I finally...know what I am...I can rest in peace..." Eisenheim said as he struggled to breathe. "Good luck..." were his last words as he perished.
"No...." Astrid said clenching his fists.
"Astrid, no...let it go." Shadow said calmly, almost unaffected by the situation.
"No...NO!" Astrid screamed rushing out into the open, grasping his right wrist with his left hand. His left hand was glowing a strange orange energy around, his angered eyes fixed upon Sigurd. "Have you no regard for something so precious as life?!" Astrid exclaimed raising his hand, a blaze of fire shooting up at Sigurd, who dodged it narrowly.
"Humph...child’s play!" Sigurd said thrusting his hand forward. He was several feet away from Astrid, and yet he was sent flying back into the forest. "Come out, Volkner!" He said, drawing his hand back toward himself, as Volkner was thrown towards him by an invisible force. Raising both of his arms, an invisible force field was created around the clearing. nothing was getting in, and nothing was getting out.
"Enough of this magic...I want to fight you with my own strength..." Sigurd said getting into a defensive stance.
"This is bogus, I want in!" Jay yelled taking the two Uzis from before out of his pockets and emptying the clips. The bullets bounced off of the invisible shield doing no damage.
"Fine..." Volkner said rushing at his father, and taking a heavy swing at him. Sigurd blocked it without effort, and parried his blade. Volkner, off balance, fell on his back, Sigurd's sword pointing at his throat.
"Get up!...You can do better than this..." Sigurd commanded.
"Why do you only want to fight me?" Volkner asked as he stood up.
Sigurd just grinned as he took another swing at Volkner, who blocked the strike with his own sword.
Meanwhile, Jay was walking alone around the invisible barrier occasionally firing in a futile effort to find a weak spot. He felt a presence of some sort as he looked around, a shadowy figure rushing past him in several directions.
"BOO!" Cyra said falling from a tree and landing in a crouch. Jay aimed for the psychotic Dalmatian, but pulling the trigger, nothing but a click came from the automatic pistols.
"Looking for these?" Cyra said laughing as she dropped two empty clips on the ground, followed by several bullets which she had removed from them. Reaching to her side, Cyra slowly removed a dagger from it's sheath and slowly approached Jay. He couldn't move no matter how hard he tried, something that he couldn't see had a tight grip on him. Cyra was holding the knife with the blade pointing downward as she raised it up to his throat and laughed for a moment. "Normally, I'd torture you a bit....you should be thankful." she said slitting his throat as he fell to the ground with nothing but a gasp.
As he lay there dead at her feet, a black mass started to form behind Cyra. The shadowy mass split into several skinny, long strands and entered Jay's lifeless corpse as his body, reanimated, opened it's eyes to reveal his pupils turned blood red.
Volkner and Sigurd were steady exchanging blows, to no avail, one matching the other's movements like they could see the next move in their minds. Volkner was holding his blade horizontally, locked with Sigurd's vertical blade, both pushing against one another. Volkner found himself on one knee, trying to push back.
"Ohh, c'mon! Astrid! Don't you know how to get rid of this shield?" Asked serenade.
"I think I ca-" Astrid spoke before being interrupted by Shadow.
"Some battles are meant to be fought alone. I think this is something that he wants to do himself." Shadow said.
"Yeah, but he's gonna die out there! It's true that some battles can only be fought alone, but all of them can't be! Sometimes, you've gotta have help! Astrid, bring it down!" serenade demanded.
"Better do what she says!" Requiem said with a chuckle.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn..." Dirge continued.
"Hmm...lets see..." Astrid said.
Meanwhile, Volkner found his way back to his feet. Sigurd took a heavy swing at Volkner, but he parried his sword, and sliced Sigurd across the chest. Sigurd stood down holding his wounded chest, the blood running out between his digits, and down his shirt. With a cough, Sigurd fell to the ground.
"Ah! I Think I've got it!" Astrid said before being tackled from the side by Jay.
"Jay! What are you doing?!" Serenade exclaimed, as jaw looked up at her with his lifeless red eyes, hovering over Astrid, a crazed grin on his face.
"That's not jay..." Nocturne said.
"Enough! let's go! Cyra!" Sigurd called, Cyra running to his side, and Jay as well.
"It has only just begun..." Sigurd said as he swiftly ran away, seeming unaffected by his wound.
Jay picked up the lying body of Eisenheim, and slinging it over his shoulder, he and Cyra followed Sigurd.
"We probably should've killed Jay..." Requiem said.
"Volkner...it's probably not safe for you to go home...I think you and Amaranth should stay here in Zolos for a while. Let's go back home for now, ok?" serenade said to Volkner as he approached, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Volkner and the others all entered into the foyer of the HQ at the same time, and Amaranth jumped to her feet from an old chair she was waiting in nearby.
"Isn't somebody...?" Amaranth said slowly.
"Jay." Nocturne answered swiftly.
"Amaranth, we're gonna have to stay here for a while." Volkner said approaching his sister.
"What?! Why?" she asked.
"We didn't finish our Dad off...he could come after us...do you really want to endanger Mom, or Lynette?"
"Oh...I see."
"Go ahead." Serenade said offering a cell phone to Volkner.
Volkner dialed p his homes number and waited for someone to answer, expecting to be chewed out.
"HELLO?!" His foster Mother answered, her voice full of worry.
"Mom..."
"Volkner!"
"Mom. I’m....m and Amaranth are...it's not important where we are, but we aren't going to be home for a while."
"How long is a while? As in a few hours a while?"
"No...as in a few days....if that. maybe months...we don't know."
"WHAT?!"
"We're fine, ok..."
"But where are you?"
"I can't tell you that."
"Why not?!"
"Because then you'll come looking for me."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"I don't want to get you or Lynette involved."
"Involved?! INVOLVED?!"
"I don't have time to explain, Mom...we'll see you soon....we hope." Volkner said, closing the phone.
"How'd she take it?" Amaranth asked.
"As she takes everything else." Volkner replied.
"You mean too far?"
"yep."
Volkner's foster mother hung up her phone with a sigh, Lynette sitting at the kitchen table nearby.
"Who wath that?" Lynette asked, her speech impediment somewhat blending her last two words into one.
"It was Volkner..." her mother replied as she slowly walked across the black and white checker floor to the table.
"Where ith he?!"
"He wouldn't say...he doesn't want to "get us involved"."
"What?! And Ammy too?"
"I'd assume she's with him..." her mother replied shutting her eyes.
Meanwhile, at Section 10's base, Sheena was in the drab old computer room, typing away at who knows what. The door opened and Volkner came in, sulking a bit.
"What’s up, Volk?" Sheena said never ceasing to type.
"Just thinking..." he replied, "What are you typing?"
"A report basically. We log everything hat happens incase we need it for a reference later on."
"Thats smart."
"Yeah...." Sheena said as she clicked the mouse a couple of times and stopped typing. She gazed over at the depressed looking Volkner leaning against the wall just staring at the floor.
"Hey, cheer up, alright? it's not like you'll never see your folks again."
"I know that, but..." Volkner said as he was interrupted by the squealing of tires and a loud clanging noise.
"UGH!" Sheena growled as Volkner chuckled a bit. Sheena stormed out of the door, and Volkner watch her yell at Derek through the window. she wasn't audible, but Derek had a scared look on his face. Or maybe he was just about in tears because of the light pole that was lodged in the front of his car.
Volkner gave a light chuckle as Serenade entered the room. "Those two are certainly one for the books...or...two for the books....oh, whatever." she said, "Come with me, Volkner, I'll show you your room. I’ve already got your sister set up."
Volkner followed serenade to an elevator, and they went down , stopping at floor b1. there were no stairs in the building, as it would be too much to climb due to it's size. They left the elevator into the long hall line with many doors. All the doors had room numbers on them, and in it's hay day, was an apartment complex for Section 10's many members. They walked down the hall a ways and serenade stopped in front of one of the doors. "Enter the number on the card Sheena gave you this morning." Serenade said.
"Volkner reached in his pocket and pulled out the ID card, and punched in his ID number on the keypad hanging on the wall. with each press of a button, the unit made a beeping noise, and a louder, longer beep when it was finished. the door slid open and he walked inside the room. it wasn't very large, but it was big enough. The carpet was old, but very soft, and the walls where just plain white. There was a TV, radio, alarm clock and anything else one would need, including it's own bathroom. Volkner walked over to the side of the bed and sat down on it. It was soft, but firm, and he fell back on it with a sigh. "Feels good....not as big as my bed back home though." he said.
"It's big enough for two should you have "company"!" Serenade teased him leaning against the doorway.
"Pfft, yeah, right." Volkner replied.
"Well then, I'll leave you alone." serenade said walking away as the automatic door shut.
"This might be ok...well, for a little while..." Volkner said as he drifted off to sleep.
THE END
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which has been planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." - Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
As far as I can remember, all characters used in this segment belong to me. if I used one of your characters and forgot to credit you, let me know.
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