Verses A Vampire

          Reioi pushes open the castle door. The air inside is stale. Within the ancient walls are paintings just as old, covered in dust. The group walks in with their weapons drawn, footsteps steady. Occasionally along the forgotten halls are rouge candles lit, just enough to provide light for a creature of the night. Rivhild goes to pick up one of the candles, the moment her fingers wrap around the chamberstick, the candle glows thrice as bright. “At least we can see now.” One of the knights mutters.

“Where should we check first?” Tuipa whispers. “I don’t really have experience with rescue missions.”

“As much as I’d hate to say it,” The woman knight answers, “we should probably split up.” The crash of a bookshelf hitting the floor comes from somewhere on the second floor. “Or we all go there.” She suggests.

The group slinks around, checking door after door, trying to find the stairs, instead they enter into the great hall. The walls are lined with old tapestries covered in dust, however, the carpets, that were once a vibrant blue, have now been stained red. The one of the arm’s of the chair where the count would sit, still drips with fresh blood. Lucianu’s lips quiver. “L-lady Mistasha…” He looks down at Rivhild. “Are you sure she is still alive?” He questions with an unsteady voice.

“Yes.” Rivhild answers quietly.

They keep searching for the stairs, until finally, they find them. Slowly, everyone climbs the staircase, each footstep as careful as the last. When everyone finally reaches the top of the stairs, they pause and listen. They can hear a man yelling, though, no one can make out what he is saying. They creep along, the shouting getting louder and louder the closer they get. Reioi takes the candle from Rivhild when they get close enough to hear what he is saying. “Listen here you little brat! Your father has had plenty of time to send a rescue for his new heir. No one is coming for you, and I have been more the patient enough. Now, do as I say or I will drain your blood!”

A sob comes from the count’s daughter. “Fine! I will marry you, but I must have proof you are truly dedicated.”

“And what does the little lady request?” The vampire sneers.

“I only ask for a few wedding gifts; a glass vase made of sand from deep within the Destroyed realm, a gown made of the finest silk of Hiedoi realm and a ruby necklace made in the Isnoliae realm.” Lady Mistasha begs.

There is a silence. Everyone holds their breath. “It shall be done. My bride deserves the best.” The vampire agrees.

The former count then walks towards the door, with the sound getting closer, Reioi blows out the candle she is holding. Tuipa silently sneaks over to a candle perched on the wall and blows it out as well. Vuncuali emerges from a door two and a half meters a head of Rivhild. He turns his head to the left, towards where five knights, an angel, two priestesses and a goddess currently stand motionlessly. The moment only lasts for maybe a few seconds, but it feels like an hour. The vampire then shuts the door and turns right down the hall. Once he has fully disappeared, the nine trespassers head over to the door. Rivhild tries the handle. “It’s locked.” She whispers.

Tuipa motions for her to move aside. She then pulls out a bobby pin and a hair clip from behind her head. “I didn’t know you wore anything in your hair.” Reioi comments.

“That’s the point.” Tuipa mutters as she begins picking the lock.

“Where did you learn to do that?” Chimes asks.

“My grandpa taught me. I also got a lot of practice because my sister would keep locking me in places. My bedroom, the toilet, the storehouse.” The lock clicks open. “There we go.” She pushes the door open to reveal the only well-lit room in the whole castle.

Lady Mistasha sits on a bed, she is trying to pick the lock on the chain around her foot. She looks up, “Ah! I knew my father would send someone!” Everyone files into the room before closing the door just enough to keep much light from escaping, just in case the vampire came back this way. Reioi steps over the fallen bookcase and picks up one of the books as the count’s daughter speaks again. “I never planned on marrying him, I just needed to keep him busy, so I had time to escape. He killed my brother, I would never marry him, even if he was the last man in all the realms!”

“Killed your brother? Your twin brother?” Reioi asks as she sets down the book.

“Lady Mistasha! Lord Misthew, is still alive! He was only wounded.” Lucianu explains.

“He is? Then the former count is truly a fool.” The count’s daughter smiles. “Can you pick the lock on my chain, then we can get out of here.”

Soon Tuipa gets Lady Mistasha free. Rivhild looks up at the knights. “You should get the lady out of here. The rest of us are going to distract the vampire.”

“Former Count Vuncuali may be dumb, but he is still powerful, are you sure you can take him on?” The lady murmurs.

“Don’t worry about us, we got this!” Rivhild puts up her thumb. She then follows where the former count had gone with Tuipa, Reioi and Chimes close behind. The knights and their lady then go back the way the group had came.

The four sneak through the halls, checking in every dust filled room. They come across a study, which Reioi enters. She skims the titles of the books on one of the shelves. “Most of these I’ve never heard of.” She moves over to another shelf; she suddenly pauses and reads a title out loud. “Atlas of the Riatruil realm?” She picks it up. "If I remember correctly..." she opens it and flips through a few pages "It is! Rivhild come take a look at this!" The young goddess walks over as Reioi kneels so she can see the pages. "This book is filled with maps of what the Destroyed realm used to look like over one hundred years ago. The Destroyed Realm, used to be called Riatruil back then." The black haired woman explains.

"Because it wasn't destroyed yet." Rivhild stares in awe at the page before her, showing a map where Aicolia realm and Riatruil realm meet, including Comaia Town. "Can we ask the count if we can have this?"

"Of course." Reioi nods as she slips the atlas into her bag.

Chimes head snaps towards the door. "Vuncuali is approaching, six meters out."

The women get their weapons ready. Everyone watches the door. The candles all flicker simultaneously, leaving everyone in pure darkness. When the candles comeback, Vuncuali stands in the center of the room, right in front of Rivhild, a hungry grin plastered on his pale face.

Rivhild screams. The vampire's smile vanishes when Rivhild puts her hands in position. "Sin-" Vuncuali screams and bolts out the door. "Huh?" Rivhild and the others immediately give chase.

"What are you?" The fleeing vampire whimpers.

"I am Rivhild; the black winged goddess!" The child shouts back.

"Goddess? That explains the magic aura, but how? I thought... no I mustn't speak of this!"

"Speak now or face my wrath!" Rivhild demands.

"Nooo!" The former count screeches as he grabs his hair, shaking his head side to side. "I fear his wrath more then yours!"

"Whose!" The goddess orders.

The vampire wails again and runs into the master bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. "Don't let him escape!" Tuipa shouts.

With that, Rivhild charges straight through the door, breaking it down. The vampire let's out a terrified shriek and jumps out the massive window.

Rivhild, Reioi, Tuipa and Chimes gather at the broken window and look down to the scene below. Lady Mistasha and the knights all stand frozen, staring at the vampire who just face planted. Dame Eania calms her stomping horse. As the vampire begins to rise from the ground, Rivhild narrows her eyes. "I demand you tell me what you know!" She calls out from the broken window.

The vampire meets her stare. "I will die before I tell you anything!" He retorts.

Rivhild jumps from the window and spreads her wings. She manages to glide down in between the knights and the vampire. "Why were you surprised that I was goddess, what did 'he' do?"

"If you are a goddess, you should know!" The vampire spits as he lunges at the girl.

Rivhild punches him in the gut. Before she can strike him again, the vampire is behind her. He grabs her by one of her wings and throws her against the castle wall. "Gah!" Rivhild cries out. "You're fast. I won't have a chance to blast you."

"Ha! Some goddess you are!" The vampire snarls.

Up in the broken window, Chimes scowls at the vampire. He wraps his arms around Tuipa's and Reioi's waists. "Hang on, I'm going to fly us down there." He murmurs. Both women hang on, although Tuipa holds Chimes tighter but not because she is scared. The angel spreads his wings and flesh down to where Rivhild is fighting the vampire.

The little goddess is thrown again by the vampire; she remains upright as her feet dig into the ground. Vuncuali then turns his attention to the approaching angel. "Rivhild!" Lady Mistasha calls out, she then tosses a branch she broke off from a nearby tree to the goddess. "Ram that into his heart!"

Rivhild nods as Chimes punches the vampire, causing him to fall onto the ground not far from the child. Rivhild wastes no time and runs up to the vampire and rams the branch into his chest. Vuncuali immediately turns to dust, leaving only his clothing lying on the ground.

Lady Mistasha walks up to where the vampire once laid. She picks up the coronet from the ground and looks at her reflection, then down at the goddess. She kneels before Rivhild. "Thank you, goddess Rivhild. You have saved me and returned this castle and all the lost relics back to my family; how can I repay you?"

--

"All you want is an outdated atlas?" Count Isateo raised an eyebrow. "Of course you can have it, but saving my daughter is worth much more then I can ever give you, let alone just letting you take a book as a reward."

Rivhild lowers the atlas from in front of her face. "Well, I do have a request for you. Freyiao Village is in your county, yes?" The count nods. "I want you to protect the village and all the villages in the country, they shouldn't have to wait for divine intervention to save them from some bandits."

The count nods solemnly. "It shall be done. This county will be known as the safest in all of Aicolia realm!" He then rises from his chair and brings a small pouch to the goddess. "Still, take this, it contains one hundred fifty gold coins, as a token of my gratitude."

Rivhild takes the coins. "Thank you!"

"No, thank you, goddess Rivhild." The count then bows to her. Everyone says their goodbyes and Rivhild along with her companions set out once more.