Chapter 15: King of the Vampires

-10 MONTHS REMAIN-

In that moment, Aurora felt as if she understood everything. She had heard stories about Cassius before. The Lord of Darkness, Baron of the Night, King of the Vampires. Of course, all the stories she had heard were secondhand accounts of secondhand accounts. No one she spoke to at her shop had actually met the vampire themselves. They had always heard from a friend who heard from a friend who heard from a friend. The source of the stories was never actually around to tell it. Cassius seemed to be the only man where the infamous threat was true. Anyone who encountered Cassius really didn’t live to tell the tale. That was until he was finally captured, locked away to rot for all his crimes. Maybe that’s why Aurora didn’t believe any of the stories she heard. Or maybe it was because tales of a deranged vampire killer were commonplace. She never understood why people in Solstya were so adamant that vampires, really all nocturnals, were monsters. But now she finally did. They all originated here. Every myth, rumor, and superstition stemmed from this one man. He was the bloodthirsty creature of the night. He was the deadly stalker that lurked in the dark, waiting to prey upon another poor soul. It was all Cassius. Aurora’s wandering mind snapped back to attention as Cassius dug his fingers deeper into her.

“Come on Helson!” Cassius taunted. “I like it when my women struggle!” He pushed his hands further into her sides, still wriggling his fingers. Aurora fought through the pain and discomfort to try and push Cassius out and away, but to little success. She grunted as she exerted herself. “Are you close? You sound like you’re close? You should be because I am quite good with my hands.” Cassius chuckled. Suddenly something tugged on Cassius’s chains and he was forced back. Aurora fell to the ground as she was freed from Cassius’s grip.

“We’re not done!” Ulric growled, a green aura swirling around him. Cassius let out a boisterous laugh.

“Has the cycloptic cuck finally grown a pair?” He licked his fingers clean of Aurora’s blood. “Now I know you’re still heartbroken over your last one Ursine, but a true gentleman knows he should share his toys. Especially when they’re such pretty playthings.” Ulric ignored him. He charged forward with his halberd, using his spirit animal to boost his speed and strength. For the first time, Cassius seemed to be on the defensive. He dodged Ulric’s attacks and waited for the right opportunity. He continued to smile as he did. He taunted Ulric, making him angrier. Sloppier. Ulric stumbled slightly as he slashed. The blade grazed Cassius’s cheek, but he didn’t care. Instead he threw out his chains, tangling them with Ulric’s halberd. Ulric tried to pull himself free but his weapon was completely bound. Cassius grinned from ear to ear. He snickered as he pulled the chains taut. The shaft of the halberd snapped under the tension. Ulric stood dumbfounded as his prized weapon fell to the ground in pieces. In his shock he didn’t notice Cassius charge at him. Before he knew it he had plunged his nail into his eye socket. Ulric screamed out in pain as Cassius spun around behind him. “I hit your bad eye didn’t I? I really need to work on my aim.” He then wrapped his chains around Ulric’s neck and pulled them tight. He forced Ulric down as he strangled him. “That really is the funny thing though, Ursine. You guys are struggling so much against me, and I’m not even trying!” Cassius started to laugh again, more so than before. He cackled wildly, stumbling over. He was so amused by his own brutality. His job meant less to him now than when he started. Cassius had entered such a terrible laughing fit that his grip on the chains started to loosen. While it wasn’t enough to let Ulric go, it was enough for Aurora to notice something.

“Burns?” Aurora said softly. Cassius’s hands had burn marks where he held the chains. She hadn’t thought about it until now, but it was odd how Cassius carried around a set of chains. She couldn’t recall a story about Cassius that mentioned chains. He was most likely bound by them when he was imprisoned, but if those are the same chains then why would he willingly lug them around? And why were they gold? Why imprison someone with a metal so valuable, yet so soft? Unless they weren’t actually gold. A beam of light shot out from the trees. It grazed Cassius’s ear, leaving a similar burn.

“Leave him alone!” Miryam shouted, trembling. “I’m warning you!” Cassius looked back at the terrified girl and dropped his current prey. Oh gods no, Aurora thought as Cassius stood. She tried to get up to stop him, but her bleeding leg and sides made her drop back down.

“My my. You’re shaking like a leaf.” Cassius casually strode over to Miryam. He tried to play the part of a concerned bystander but he wasn’t doing a good job hiding his excitement. “You look so scared and nervous.” Miryam attempted to back away. However she was so paralyzed with fear that she could only manage to shuffle a couple steps. Cassius’s form became hazy as he melted into dark mist. Suddenly he was upon Miryam. He grabbed her wrists, threw them above her head, and shoved her to the ground. He sat on top of the girl, keeping her pinned. His free hand caressed her, running down the length of her body. He bent over to get close to her face. “I know it’s your first time, so I’ll be gentle.” He whispered. He snickered to himself and licked a bit of blood that dripped from Miryam’s cheek. She paled. She squirmed, struggled, and kicked from underneath the vampire. She found no success. Miryam started to bawl. She cried out in desperation. She begged and pleaded for any form of mercy. She called for her mother. She called for her father. She called out for Aurora and Ulric, calling them by their first names rather than the typical mister and misses. The sight of her terror only excited Cassius more. Before he could go any further, he felt something sharp pierce his back. He sat up, more confused than anything, and glanced behind him.

“How dare you even think about laying a finger on her!” Ulric growled. His bear claw daggers dug into Cassius’s flesh. The vampire snorted.

“What? Upset you’ll have to be my sloppy seconds? Honestly Ursine, if you’re gonna deflower a girl you should do it when they’re young and ripe. Not old and spoiled!” Ulric barely let Cassius finish his thought before twisting the blades. Cassius winced slightly at the pain, but he was still largely unbothered. He was still chuckling to himself, amused. Ulric ripped out the bear claws. He then swiped across Cassius’s face, and with the added strength of his spirit animal, grabbed him and pulled him off of Miryam.

“Aurora! You take it from here!” He commanded.

“Again! You aren’t going to fight me again!” Cassius shouted, exasperated. “And to add insult to injury, you substituted yourself with the fucking alchemist? Ignoring the fact that I beat her into a worse bloody pulp than I did you, what is she going to do against me? Brew me up a little drink?” Aurora aimed her crossbow. She did her best to keep steady but it was struggle. On top of the fact that her leg was still bleeding profusely and was impossible to put weight on, she had tied something to the end of the loaded bolt. A hastily modified potion bottle filled with some liquid.

“I can do a lot more than that.” She said. Cassius shrugged and lunged forward. The two were face to face before Aurora could even blink. She pulled the trigger and shot Cassius point blank. The bottle cracked against his chest and suddenly they were engulfed in an alchemical fire. The flames, though intense, were short lived. That quick burst was all she needed, however. Aurora jumped back as Cassius staggered, her hair now undone and dancing with the flames. As she landed she whipped out a dagger. It glistened in the firelight, dripping with some liquid. Aurora leapt past Cassius, cutting at his side as she did. Cassius spun around to catch her. He swung his fists wildly but something was wrong. He couldn’t hit her. He moved sluggishly, which gave Aurora enough time to react to his attacks and dodge. He eventually paused. Cassius looked down at his hand and flexed his fingers, noting how delayed his muscles were. She grinned at him and licked the paralyzing agent off the blade. She seriously can’t be enjoying this, Ulric thought. Cassius couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m impressed alchemist! I actually underestimated you!” He continued to work his muscles. As he did his body slowly became more responsive. “A clever little trick, but unfortunately ineffective on a vampire like me. You’re Solstyan so I’ll forgive you for not knowing our anatomy well.” Aurora frowned. The poison would’ve traveled via his bloodstream. As a vampire, Cassius’s kidneys would be stronger and more efficient than any human’s. The poison was effective in slowing him down, but he would be able to work through it quick. Cassius resumed his attack. Aurora continued to dodge him, but it was becoming more difficult over time. He was getting quicker, and the chemical concoction Aurora drank for her wounds was wearing off. “You may have wits, but you still lack strength and experience!” Cassius caught Aurora as she stumbled. He struck her across the face and followed up with a punch to her gut. She fell back and landed next to Ulric and Miryam. Ulric had been tending to Miryam’s wounds and comforting her. While he wasn’t as skilled as Aurora, he still knew a thing or two about first aid.

“Damnit! Ursa! Go!” Ulric sent out his spirit animal. A green blur shot out from his body and charged at Cassius. The vampire smiled wickedly as he grabbed ahold of the bear.

“Hey hey! There we go! It’s not exactly what I had in mind but you’re finally taking me on!” The two pushed on each other. Their heels dug into the dirt, neither one budging. Ursa roared and Cassius screeched back. The sound briefly stunned the bear, allowing Cassius to overpower it and push it away. “Here’s the problem with spirit animals, Ulric. People forget they’re just like any other form of magic.” He took a length of chains in each hand and whipped them both at the bear. “They’re only as strong as the caster!” Ursa’s form dissolved and Cassius lunged through the dissipating green light. Aurora and Ulric flinched, totally exhausted from fighting. Miryam yelped and instinctively stuck out her hands. Cassius unhinged his jaw, ready to bite down on his prey. Instead his teeth lodged themselves into a golden barrier. He paused. He looked at the party. The party looked at him. He struck the barrier. Then he struck it again. And again. And again. And again. Nothing. Not a dent nor a scratch. “What is this?” Cassius said defeated.

“A shield…” Miryam replied meekly. Cassius scowled. He screeched at the barrier. He whipped it with his chains. He bombarded in with dark magic. No effect. Cassius growled and slammed his hands into the shield. He pressed his forehead against it trying to get as close as he could.

“That’s fine! I’ll just wait here until it drops! I know a girl like you can’t hold it forever! All that magic must put a terrible strain on your precious body!”

“Oh yeah? Well I can keep it up for… a whole year!” Miryam snapped back.

“That’s cute. You’re cute. I waited in jail for a hundred.” Cassius smiled when he saw Miryam’s confidence quickly drop. “So go ahead! I can wait another year. I believe you three, however, are on a bit of a time crunch.” The party frowned and Cassius laughed. “Sit here for as long as you want! Abandon your quest, your people, your country! I don’t care! I have nothing better to do than to sit and wait for my prey!”

“Cassius!” A voice called out. Cassius’s smile dropped and he glanced up. A projection of Hawthorn stood on the other end of the barrier. “What do you think you’re doing?” He scowled.

“I’m taking care of business! You know how worried the rodent was about the little girl. Personally I don’t see what the big deal is but I’m just helping the little guy out!” Cassius said. He defended himself like a child, and his smile made it obvious he didn’t care.

“You’re needed back at the castle. Your troops are getting restless and I need you to keep them in line.”

“Can’t you get Eclipse or the rat to do that? That’s what you hired them for right? To manipulate people? You brought me on to kill and that’s what I’m trying to do so if you’ll excuse me.” Cassius turned his attention back to the party. Hawthorn calmly raised his hand. Suddenly the chains on Cassius glowed and he keeled over in pain. Aurora could hear the sizzling of his flesh.

“Eclipse and Rattus are busy right now with other missions, their actual work. I hired you for your army and I expect you to fulfill the duties of your contract. Are we clear?” The glowing stopped. Cassius laid on the ground huffing.

“Crystal…” He growled.

“Good. I’ll see you soon then.” The projection of Hawthorn vanished and Cassius picked himself back up.

“Fucker.” He looked down at the party, who was still cowering. “It’s better this way anyway. I want a decent fight from you three. When I’ve got some free time I’ll come find you, so keep that shield handy!” Cassius laughed as he transformed into mist and disappeared. Despite being gone, the party stayed inside the barrier for the rest of the night, too terrified and too exhausted to move.