Awakening

“I still don’t understand why we got shackled with this lousy detail. Nothing ever happens here.” Spat Faust, a young templar recruit

“You need to relax, Faust. Nothing happens here? That means it will be an easy detail. We can sit here, let these eggheads do their research and relax.” Responded Matthaeus another young recruit

“But we should be out there fighting evil!” said Faust

“Instead of fighting evil, how about you go do rounds or something? Burn off some energy?” said Matthaeus

“Sure, whatever.” Said Faust dismissively

“Be careful!” Matthaeus shouted to his retreating back

“Of what? There’s nothing here but us and researchers. Said Faust without turning around

     Matthaeus hoped Faust was right, but he was unsure. Ever since they had come here a week ago, he had felt uneasy. The old paintings seemed to watch him, the shadows danced, and when he was alone, Matthaeus could hear disembodied voices, beckoning him to the deeper parts of the castle. It had made Matthaeus uncomfortable to the point where he refused to travel around the older parts of the castle at night. In truth he was glad that Faust took the first tour.

     Faust found himself disappointed in Matthaeus, here they were two young warriors being wasted in this decrepit monolith and he couldn’t have cared less. It was disheartening. For his part Faust didn’t understand why Matthaeus was so afraid, I mean yes, they had both been told the history, some really powerful vampire made their last stand here, but that was centuries ago. Now it was just empty. They had no reason to be here now.

Now Faust looked around, he had never been in this part of the castle. It didn’t look like anybody had been in years. Everything had a thick layer of dust. There were no lights, Faust wondered why nobody had been here yet. He got out his flashlight and began to search around. He didn’t have enough light and soon enough he tripped over something, He shown his light upon it to find a skeleton, at least that’s what Faust thought it was, but the more he looked at it, it seemed to be a dried up husk. As though all the moisture in it had been drained out. He couldn’t help but to continue his search. There were hundreds of these husks in here. They were all in a circle around a singular husk. It sat on a large throne, a throne of what appeared to be skulls upon closer inspection. In its hand it still clutched a vicious albeit rusty axe.

Every fiber in his being told Faust to take the axe, He couldn’t understand why. Before long Faust found himself inching further and further towards the axe. He could almost touch it. Then when he was fingertips away his commlink when off

“Faust? Come in Faust!” Matthaeus said cutting through the darkness in Faust’s mind

“Uh, yes this is Faust go ahead.” Faust responded distractedly

“Can you speak up? You’re breaking up badly.” Said Matthaeus choppily

“What? I can’t hear you?” responded Faust nervously

Before Matthaeus could respond Faust’s, comms cut out. In this moment Faust understood Matthaeus’ misgivings about this place. The walls seemed to close in on him, he got his flashlight back out and started nervously looking around trying to find his way out, then he stumbled again and dropped the flashlight. Now he found himself blindly wandering around in the dark. He stuck his hand out in front of him trying to find his way out. Instead of a way out, his hand found the blade of the axe. That was when everything went wrong. Out of nowhere a bolt of crimson lightening struck the body The flash was so bright, that for a brief moment Faust could see the way he had come from and he sprinted back to the safety of the research facility. Unfortunately for him, things had already been set in motion, and he was too late to stop them.

From her perch in the higher corners of the throne room Belladonna watched the entirety of the Templar’s adventure. In truth she was grateful for him, he had made her work considerably easier. After he had left, she got down to complete her work in earnest. She approached the throne of skulls and the corpse, when she first entered the room, she had noticed how rusty the axe was, but now that the templar had touched it and bled on it, it shone with a cold and beautiful malice. It shone as though it had only just been used. Belladonna steeled herself for what she needed to do next. Positioning herself over the corpses mouth, Belladonna opened her wrist. She poured as much of her blood as she could into the mouth. She could feel herself getting weaker, but Belladonna stayed the course

Elizabeth’s first thoughts in centuries were agony. She remembered the last few days of the assault and how far she had fallen. She had to make things right for her vampire brethren and for Wilhelmina. The blood she was being fed, was overwhelming. She could feel her body reanimating itself. Elizabeth grabbed, hold of her mysterious saviors’ wrist. And drank deep of the blood and the knowledge that was to be gleaned here. This child was too young, her memories were fragments, and her blood was foul, the blood of a betrayer. Elizabeth tore the wrist out of her mouth, and casually threw Belladonna across the room.

“Betrayer, why have you awoken me?” asked Elizabeth in a raspy whisper

“Wilhelmina sent me. I need your help.” Said Belladonna weakly

“Wilhelmina is dead. Lie to me again and the Blood God will take your head.” Said Elizabeth motioning to her axe.

“She’s not dead, she’s in chains.” Said Belladonna tossing a vial of blood at Elizabeth

“Where is she?” asked Elizabeth putting the vial around her neck

“Do I have your word that you’ll assist me?” asked Belladonna in a shaky voice

“You’ll never have my word; I don’t trust betrayers. Wilhelmina has my word, she always will. Now, I don’t know how you got here, but I would suggest you leave.” Said Elizabeth dismissively

Elizabeth didn’t wait for a response instead she pulled herself up off of the throne of skulls. And headed for the exit. Looking over her fallen comrades. They weren’t like she was. She was strong enough to hibernate, all of her comrades had slowly starved to death.

“I will avenge all of you, I made a promise, our people will have a home of their own.” Elizabeth said eulogizing the corpses

“Where are you going? I was told to bring you to Wilhelmina!” Belladonna shouted after Elizabeth

“Why are you still here? I know where I need to be, but Wilhelmina is a warlord, and I am one of her generals, if I show up with no army then I serve no purpose.” Responded Elizabeth leaving the room

“Well, you heard her, teleport me out of here, Raven.” Said Belladonna in a disappointed voice. No sooner had she said it a green light enveloped the room, spiriting Belladonna away to parts unknown

Back in the research facilities, Faust tried to explain to Matthaeus exactly what had happened in the throne room.

“Look, I can’t explain it. It was a room full of emaciated bodies. One of them was literally on a throne of skulls. How haven’t the research teams found it yet?” asked Faust in a bewildered tone

“I don’t know where you were. Judging by your commlink you were miles under the castle. It was no wonder you saw what you did. Look man, just get yourself something to drink and try to calm down a bit.” Said Matthaeus in a calm tone.

“Maybe, Maybe you’re right. I’m just overreacting is all.” Said Faust breathlessly

Faust strode over to the refrigerator to get something to drink when he noticed something odd, something was causing research teams to go dark, they had lost three teams in about fifteen minutes. And whatever was doing it was getting closer to them.

“Matthaeus, call for reinforcements right now.” said Faust in a panicked tone

“Why what’s wrong?” asked Matthaeus walking over to join his friend at the computer

“Look for yourself.” Said Faust motioning to the quickly decreasing number of research teams

“Oh no, oh god no. We need reinforcements! It’s awake!” shouted Matthaeus into his commlink

“What’s awake?” asked Faust glibly

“Never mind that, you wanted action. Well you’re about to get it.” Responded Matthaeus resolutely

He walked over and activated the teleporter; their reinforcements had arrived. Twenty of the enormous Crusader Host and a Templar Grandmaster.

Matthaeus had always hated the crusader host, they were bonded to their armor, and were essentially monsters. It was unnatural that the templars would do this to their own men still at this moment he would be a fool to turn away any help he could get.

The grandmaster organized the crusader host and prepared to move out to meet the threat. He sent all of them out into the dark corridor and waited. Before long, a commotion started The Crusader Host let out roars as they tried to defend themselves. The door to the research facilities remained open then suddenly one of the Crusader’s heads careened through the air. The monstrous soldiers had failed. Understanding the situation, the grandmaster knew that at this point containment was the only option. He walked over to the teleporter and set it to self-destruct.

“We cannot let this creature escape. We need to fight it long enough for the self-destruct to do its work. Are you with me brothers?” the Grandmaster said to Matthaeus and Faust

“We’re with you.” The two friends said in unison

“That’s adorable. Absolutely adorable. I can smell the hypocrisy on you three from here. Tell me grandmaster, do they know what those soldiers you sent after me are made out of?” Asked Elizabeth in a mocking voice

“Silence monster!” shouted the grandmaster

“I just want a safe place where my kind can live how they want without persecution from the likes of you. Your templars seek to control and subjugate everything in the world that isn’t human. But I know a secret.” Mused Elizabeth, brandishing her axe menacingly

“Don’t believe anything she says!” shouted the grandmaster desperately

“You see, my memories aren’t what they should be, I’ve been asleep for too long, but I can tell you for certain that I recognize your grandmaster here. He was in this castle all those centuries ago, in fact he was a bit of a scientist. He walled us up just to see how long it would take for us to starve to death, didn’t you?” asked Elizabeth in a dark whisper

“Silence monster!” Shouted Faust rushing to attack the vampire

“Ah, you’re brave, my axe tasted it, now I want to see just how deeply that bravery runs in your blood.” Said Elizabeth quickly disarming the young templar by slicing off his sword arm then biting his neck and draining the remainder of his blood.

“Nothing but a bloodsucking parasite.” Spat the grandmaster

“Its funny you should mention that lets talk about your abnormally long life, shall we?” said Elizabeth coolly tossing aside Faust’s corpse

“Whatever she says don’t believe her.” The grandmaster said to Matthaeus

“You see more than just walling up vampires he would capture the weakest ones, children mostly and drain them of their blood, then he and all the other Templar leadership would drink it, increasing their strength and lifespans abnormally for centuries. Imagine the scandal, Templars using the blood of their greatest enemies to secretly control the entire planet. It would be poetic if it wasn’t so vile.” Elizabeth said with a deep contempt

“Is this true master?” Matthaeus asked crestfallen

“I told you child, whatever she says don’t believe it.” Said the Grandmaster desperately

“That’s why I’m asking you to your face, is it true?” Asked Matthaeus growing increasingly frustrated

“Of course, not my son, that’s impossible!” said the Grandmaster a little too quickly

“A lie? Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.” Said Elizabeth sitting down in a nearby chair

“Tell me the truth!” shouted Matthaeus

“Fine you want the truth, we the Templar Order are the only thing keeping humanity safe from monsters like her and from themselves! Sometimes it takes darkness to fight darkness!” Shouted the grandmaster

“I see.” Said Matthaeus before beheading the grandmaster “what do I do now?” he found himself asking Elizabeth

“I can show you a new world. Then you’ll be strong enough to make your own decisions.” Said Elizabeth calmly

“I am willing to do whatever it takes.” Said Matthaeus falling to his knees in front of her

“Well then drink, drink and if you survive, you’ll see this world in a new light.” Said Elizabeth presenting her wrist before using a small knife to make an incision

Matthaeus grabbed her wrist and sloppily drank his mind flooded with centuries of the pain and suffering Elizabeth had been subjected to. It was overwhelming, but he had to understand he drank for two minutes before Elizabeth stopped him, and he began to convulse on the floor of the research laboratory his body was in agony as it seemed as though he was being torn apart and remade endlessly soon the pain became too much and he passed out. Matthaeus awoke after seventy-two hours, a note addressed to him was pinned to the grandmaster’s corpse

“Dear Matthaeus if you’re reading this you survived the transformation. It’s up to you now how you’ll use my gift. If I were you, I’d take the time to walk the earth and learn about the real world not the one the templars have used to lie to you with for all of your life. When you’re ready come and find me. Until then I leave you to learn as we all must. Until we meet again, EB PS: Be sure to feed otherwise you’ll go insane. It can be from animals or humanity just know that the blood is important.”

Finishing the letter, Matthaeus wondered what he should do. For the first time in his life he was free. He stripped off his templar armor, the last remnants of his former life. And he set off to find out what it truly meant to live.