Chapter 16:

The Elf Prince

Vampire Lanterns


Demyan quickly glanced around, grabbed the stranger by the cloak and dragged him into the tight alley with branches growing over, so nobody would see them. He pushed that man against the wall. The stranger was giving him a toothy grin from under his hood.
Demyan pressed him even more out of anger. They were almost same tall. "Who the HELL are you?!" The man chuckled. "Close enough, but I am sad, you don't recognize me." He pulled down the hood and revealed his semi-long, black and curly hair. "I am Adrik..."
His deep red eyes looked straight into Demyan's vampire ones. He transformed in that situation. His pupil slits became even narrower. "Don't play games with me!" He caught Adrik by the throat. Adrik didn't even flinch, just disappeared in a black mist and reappeared at Demyan's right side. "A demon?!"
He turned towards him. "You should be nice to your benefactor. I overestimated you, I guess... We met before or should I say after? Nevermind."

Demyan heard Petrona's scream. He ran out of the alley, back in his human form and caught a glimpse of her being dragged into a teleporting portal. He hurried up and reached out his hand to get hold of her, but he wasn't quick enough.
Right as he was already about to touch her, the portal closed and she disappeared with those men. He fell down to his knees and clutched her satchel, which was left on the ground. Adrik casually came out of the alley with crossed arms and stood over Demyan.
"They came on time..." Demyan thought, he had something to do with it and swiped his sword at him. Adrik jumped to the side. Demyan was going to change into a vampire and fight him. "Don't! I am not the one you want, so don't waste time on me." Adrik placed his hand over Demyan's face. He bent over in pain and held his head.
He saw worrisome images in his head of Petrona being physically abused and taken advantage of. Adrik smiled. "Did you see also the castle? That one is over in the Elf realm. You should hurry up, those things you saw will happen, if you don't step in. Go to a secluded area and fly from there. We will meet again soon."Adrik with a waving hand disappeared.
Should Demyan trust him? He had no other options, he never saw that kind of architecture, so he should be right. Demyan took up into the sky, flying at his maximum speed. It was quite a distance. He couldn't forget what he saw. Those things made him just angrier.
Not long after, he could spot the place, which he searched for in the distance, near the sea. That place was pleasingly glowing in the twilight. Buildings and roads made out of green marble, wood and glass. He never saw anything like that. Such a clean and well-kept castle with beautiful gardens all around. The town under was well-balanced with the nature.
He flew over the castle to make for himself a better picture about the foundation and to map it. As he flew over a glass dome, he spotted Petrona in the clutches of elf soldiers. She was kneeling on the marble, bloodied and almost stripped naked. Another one was approaching her with something in his hand. Demyan's eyes became horrified.
He could recall one of the images. One of the elves was about to stab her stomach with a red hot stoker. Demyan didn't waste time and decided to break through the glass. He just went into free fall, flew through the glass and landed in between. Everybody fell to the sides.
As the dust subsided, Demyan in his human form held Petrona in his arms with a sword pointing towards the offender.
A relative tall elf, with very long white hair and emerald eyes, stared down Demyan. "Who dared to interrupt the Elf prince Jegor?" Demyan didn't humor him and just went after his throat swinging his sword. The elf prince dodged and blocked Demyan with the stoker. The both sides jumped from each other.
"I am Prince YAN! You dared, to touch my guide..." The elf prince was confused. "Pardon me, what did you just say? I bought her just a while ago. It was said to me, she was just a slave, so I wanted to have some fun with her. I had no idea, she already had an owner."
He made Demyan furious. "She is not a slave, I don't own her! You disgust me!" ...while Jegor was dusting his clothes. "I always thought elves are honorable creatures, but you are even worser, than demons!"
Jegor flipped on Demyan. "What did you just say?!" He pulled a sword from an armor standing next to the fireplace and went into full attack mode. Demyan gently pushed Petrona to the side and answered Jegor's aggression.
Since he was a skillful swordsman, who fought in many battles, he had an upper hand over a spoiled little brat of a prince, who cared more over his appearance. The fight was pretty much over, as soon, as Demyan sank his sword in the side of Jegor's chest.
Demyan smirked. You should rather do your nails instead of fighting real warriors. I see how useless you are for your kingdom. Would be easy to invade." Jegor fell to his knees spitting blood. Soldiers, who ran up to help their prince, froze. They never saw anything like that. They were weak and their minds frightened, didn't allow move a muscle.
A servant had enough bravery and brought a potion for healing his prince. Demyan snatched it away and they all could just watch. "For the trouble you caused us..."

He covered Petrona, who was in her undergarments with his coat, took her into his arms and walked off.