He arrived in Romania a couple of hours later. He flew over the deserted caverns they had inhabited last. No Desmondontidae nor Daemoniacus was in sight. It was awful. The sands were tainted with tendrils of blood and piles of ashes were scattered around. Some torches were still burning. He noticed something moving behind a high dune. He soared over it and realized that it was a man. He landed then kneeled beside him. He was one of his. The vampire had a deep gash in his throat and was foaming at the mouth, choking and gagging. He was dying.
AJ looked him sorrowfully.
"I---"
Unexpectedly, the man grabbed AJ by his shirt, pulled him in closer, and tried telling him something.
"C-c-c…"
"What is it? Where are the others?"
"C-c-c-astle!"
"Castle? They're hiding in the castle?"
The vampire looked at him then combusted.
"Shit."
AJ took flight again, headed for the castle they had abandoned before.
Luckily for them, AJ wasn't an experienced hypnotist. Denise and Toni came out of their trances a few hours after he had left.
"Oh my God, Toni! We have to go to Romania! We have to find him!" Denise screamed hysterically. "We can't let him die! We can't---"
"Denise! We won't! We won't let him die!" Toni grabbed her by her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "We're going to take a plane to Romania, find him, and then drag his ass back here! We'll knock him out if that's what it takes!"
"How?! We don't know where he is?!"
"I don't know! We'll think of something when we get there! We'll go to my brother and ask him! Right now what we have to worry about is finding a flight to Romania that departs tomorrow night!"
"But how are you going to be able to get out when we arrive?! It'll take until morning to get there! You can't be in the sun!"
"No, over HERE it will be morning! It'll be evening or if we're lucky, nightfall over in Romania! Different time zones!" She started dialing the number of the local airport to find out their flight departures and if they were any for Romania at night. "Hello? Ok, do you have any flights to Bucharest or anywhere in Romania available for tomorrow night? This is an emergency! Yeah…uh…yeah, anything, anything at all! Really? Alright, yes." She looked over at Denise with excitement in her eyes. "Tomorrow at eleven, Buzau!" She turned back to the person on the phone. "Yes, we'll take it! Thank you! Thank you so much! Good bye!" She hung up the phone. "Come on! We have to pack!" Toni and Denise rushed upstairs to get everything they needed. There wasn't going to be any sleep tonight or day.
"Where the hell is Buzau?!" asked Denise as she stuffed everything she needed in a duffle bag. They weren't going to need a lot because they weren't planning on staying long.
"It's just 100 kilometers north of Bucharest on the Buzau River. We can take the train down or something."
"Ok. Well, I'm glad at least one of us is thinking straight! I'm so stressed out I don't even know what I'm doing!"
"Relax, Denise! Everything's going to turn out alright!"
"God, I wish I could believe you."
Back in Romania…
By the time, the sun had come up, AJ was safely in the castle. It was huge and the remaining Desmondontidae were doing a very good job on hiding.
"Hello?" he called into the seemingly empty hallways. "It's me, AJ! I've come back to help you and this time I'm staying!" His voice bounced off the walls. "Is anyone here?"
"AJ."
AJ turned around and saw a female vampire.
"Hello."
"Come, I'll lead you to the others."
He followed her down five staircases, through three secret passages, and two towers. They ended up in a secret room behind the dungeon walls, but AJ was to dizzy to know where he was.
"Damn, why are there so many turns in this place?" He looked around. There were four hundred or maybe five hundred pairs of eyes looking at him. Nothing compared to the thousands in the Daemoniacus army. "Oh my God. Is this all that's left of us?"
The same vampire who led him here answered his question. "I'm afraid so. They have diminished our numbers so much…and we can't make more. We know how Valencia would feel about us taking innocent lives simply for the purpose of us evening up the score."
"I wouldn't appreciate that either. We're just going to have to do the best we can. I'm willing to die for the world. How many of you are with me?"
Everyone raised their hand.
"I hope you realize we have very little to no chance of winning this and most if not all of us will perish in the process."
"We understand," they all stated together like a chant.
AJ nodded. "Thank you. We're going to have to spend the daylight hours thinking of new stategies and gathering as many weapons as we can since those fuckin' sons of bitches destroyed our former plans."
A male vampire stepped up to him and saluted.
"Gustov, sir. Most of us managed to salvage some of our implements of war. It's not much compared to theirs, but it's enough to defend ourselves for a while, I think."
"Show me where they are."
"Yes, sir."
He took AJ to yet another lower level of the castle and into a large room. It contained cross bows, bottles of holy water, stakes, sabers, maces, and matches (evil was highly flamable). Basically everything needed in a medieval war.
"Ok. This is going to have to do. We have to divide the weapons amongst us to the best of our ability and find out where the Daemoniacus are situated and how we can lead them to somewhere advantageous to us..." They marched back into the main room and AJ began to speak and do what Valencia appointed him to do…lead. They spent the whole day planning and preparing for what would become the battle of the millennium and all of humankind's history.
Denise and Toni had already arrived at Buzau International Airport. Luckily for Toni, it was already dark at 7 PM over there. They rushed to get a cab to drop them off at the train station, so they could board the train and get to Bucharest as soon as possible. Once safely in the train, they began to relax and discuss their plan in detail and quietly between themselves. Not like anyone would understand English, but just in case.
"Toni, how do we know he's in Bucharest? You said that the clan had relocated, they could be anywhere!" hissed Denise.
"We don't! But my brother's in Bucharest! We'll stay with him and maybe he can tell us something! Anything!" she whispered back.
"Oh my God, if anything happens to him…" she began.
"We have to think positive and we have to pray that we get there in time."
"I don't know what I'll do!" Denise finished, wiping her tears away.
"Me neither," added Toni fighting back the urge to cry. She had to stay strong for Denise's sake.
Gustov was sent out to investigate the whereabouts of the enemy. He came back with good news.
"They're scattered around the other side of the forest, using a cavern as shelter from day."
"Good. At least they're on our turf, though that really doesn't help considering the overwhelming odds against us. But we have hope," declared AJ. He turned to the vampire army. "You guys ready to kick some ass?!"
"YES!!! DOWN WITH THE DEMONS!!! GOOD WILL PREVAIL!!!" the whole room shouted.
"I certainly hope so," he muttered to himself. "Alright. Let's do it!" They marched out of the castle and took flight in perfect formation.
Toni and Denise had arrived to their destination an hour and a half later. They had to bear another two hours on a stuffy bus to the edge of the city in the middle of nowhere and then, they were forced to hike the rest of the way.
"Oh my," stated Denise out of breath as they ventured through the wilderness, "Why do you people live so…so…"
"Secluded?" finished Toni.
"Yeah."
"We had to find a place that was well out of the way of humans, the Daemoniacus, and the Desmondontidae. No one would ever be stupid enough to hike so deep into this untamed terraine."
"Except us!"
"Well we have a very good reason! I could just make it there in half the time as a wolf, but you're only human."
"That's right. Umm, speaking,” she took a deep breath, “of wolves and wild animals, Jesus, I can't breathe, do we have to worry about unexpected company?"
"You mean will we be mauled by a hungry beast?"
"Yeah, that's what…I meant…"
"I don't think so."
"You don't THINK so?!"
"There are little critters scurrying about, but I don't think they'd want to eat us. Anyway, if anything attacks us, I'll kick their butt with my ferociousness."
"What…if it's a…bear…or something bigger than… a wolf?"
"Then we're screwed."
"Oh."
They continued to trek, dodging hanging tree branches, climbing over huge boulders, and crossing small creeks. Toni looked back at Denise. She looked like she was about to pass out. She stopped.
"Why…are…you…stop-ping?" wheezed Denise.
"Because you look like you're going to die at any second. I think we should stop and rest a while."
"Uh uh…I'm not…going to rest until my baby's safe back home and if it…causes me to have…a heart attack…I'm willing to go through it…man, I should've…exercised more…often…ouch! Cramp!"
"Denise, you should really rest."
"No."
"Denise…"
"I told you no."
"AJ wouldn't like it that you---"
"There's no fuckin' way I'm stopping now! You can rest if you want, but I'm going!"
"You don't know where to go!"
"Well then I'd be screwed, wouldn't I?!"
Toni couldn't help but admire her determination and stubbornness. "Ok, we'll keep going."
Meanwhile, a Daemoniacus watcher spotted the approaching Desmondontidae air force. He ran into the cavern to alert his master.
"Damian! Damian! They've arrived! They're here!"
Damian arose from his comfortable chair and grinned. "Let's give them a proper Daemoniacus welcome, shall we?"
"I realize this question is irrelevant to this situation, but," began a vampire gliding next to AJ.
"What?"
"Is it true you're in love with a Praedari girl?"
AJ thought for a moment and sighed. "I---"
Suddenly out of nowhere, a wooden arrow flew through the vampire's heart and reduced him to nothng but ashes blowing in the wind.
"Oh shit! Everyone, hide behind the trees!"
In the process of finding a place to ensconce themselves, several of them were shot out of the sky. Their dwindling numbers were going down fast.
"Dammit! The holy water NOW!"
A line of fighters soared above the Daemoniacus and poured the holy water down, blinding many of them. A second wave shot their cross bows and lit them on fire.
"Ooh, burn, baby, burn!"
Now it was time for hand to hand combat. They landed and charged at them with determination and anger in their eyes.
"Heads are gonna roll!" shouted AJ as he took five of them out with one twirl of his mace. "YEEHAW!!!"
"You are enjoying this TOO much!" commented Hans as he ducked a deadly claw.
"I might as well enjoy my last day on Earth!"
*Poof* One down. *Poof* Two down. *BOOM* Ten down, 3,136 to go!
"Gustov! Look out!" *Poof* Gustov never knew what hit him. "Oh no, you DID NOT just take out my pal, Gusty! You WILL die, bee-otch!" AJ decapitated the vampire. Then he burned a hole through another one and staked another. He laughed insanely as he slayed another dozen. "This is for killing Val! *Poof* This is for killing me!” he beheaded the creature, “This is for being ugly and evil! *Poof* And this is for just being!” he turned around and gutted another, pouring holy water down it’s throat,” TASTES GOOD, DOESN'T IT?!!!"
Meanwhile…
"What did you find out, Leo?" asked John as the other vampire walked through the door.
"They're on the southern side of the Walachian woods. The Desmondontidae are putting up a very good fight, but I doubt they'll last much longer. The Daemoniacus have over triple the amount of soldiers they do. That leader of theirs, he's crazy!"
"That's why I love him!" Toni burst through the entrance followed by a very exhausted Denise. "John, you have to help them!"
"W-w-wait! Toni, what are you doing here?!" He went over to her and hugged her. She gently pushed him off.
"I'll explain later! John, you have to send reinforcements! They don't stand a chance alone!"
"Toni, what are you talking about?! Are you crazy?!"
"I'm not crazy!"
A female vampire seated Denise and offered her a glass of water. "Thank you."
"Toni, this isn't our fight! It's just between the Desmondontidae and the Daemoniacus!"
"Let's make it our fight! You're just gonna stand here and let good and virtuous people die and let the Daemoniacus infect the world like an epidemic?! Besides, we should be at war with them as much as the Desmondontidae because they've harmed us, too! We've suffered because of their dispicable extistence, too! They killed our parents!"
"Do you realize what you're asking us to do?!"
"Yes, I do! And if you don't have the heart to help them, then I will! I'll fight with them! I know it's not much, but at least it's one more person on their side!"
"You don't mean that! You'll be killed!"
"I mean every word! And me being killed is a realistic possibility! But I don't care! I'm willing to die for the man I love! At least we'll die together!"
"Toni---"
"Is it a yes or no!"
John didn't say anything. He just stared at her long and hard. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, but by the expression on his face, it didn't look good.
"Please?" came a weak voice. Toni didn't move her lips. It was Denise. She stood up and stepped up to John. "You don't know me and I don't know you, but Toni tells me you're brave and understanding, and…" She tilted her head way back to look up at him. He was very tall compared to her small size. She looked him straight in the eye. "I know I'm asking a lot out of you. I know I'm asking you to risk your people's lives and very well your own, but…I don't know what else to do." Her voice cracked with emotion and her eyes glistened. "I've lost him twice before, but he came back. But this time, he never would. Please, he's all I have and I would rather die than live without him. I tried so hard to accept it the first time, but…I don't want it to happen again."
John studied her eyes. They held excruciating pain, unbelievable sorrow and profound hopelessness. The same feelings that tore his insides apart when he watched his parents die. The demons raided the Praedari camp nearly a century ago. The Praedari were searching for permanent residence and decided to hide out in a couple of deserted cabins during the day in the mountains. They attacked a couple of hours after sundown. The Praedari were totally unprepared for it. While they were making their way towards the cabin where Toni, John, and their parents were staying, John's father told them to hide deep into the woods. They most likely wouldn't follow them in there. Toni and John didn't want to leave their parents, but they never disobeyed them before, so they took off. But before they could get out the back door, Damian and his posse charged in and started slaughtering everyone. John's mother and father jumped in front of them trying to block the sight of their children running away. Already out the door, John looked back just in time to see his father and mother being struck down with one blow of a claw. He grabbed Toni's hand and led her into the woods. They ran and ran and ran until they came upon an ancient hollow tree. They crawled inside and huddled together. John held his trembling sister as the gruesome scene of his parents being killed replayed in his mind over and over. He wanted nothing more than getting revenge, but for Toni's sake, he restrained himself from doing anything stupid. He promised himself that he would do everything in his power to stay as far away from them as possible and all those associated with them such as the Desmondontidae. But now keeping that promise might kill her. He realized that he had to let go. Let go of the past and focus on the future. A Daemoniacus-free future.
"John? John?" called Toni waving her hand in front of his blank face. He snapped out of his trance and opened his mouth to say something. "John, time's running out! I need to know NOW!"
"Toni…" There was a long pause. Toni was getting restless. Denise was anxious. "Toni, I-I-I…I think you're right."
"You do?"
"Yes. I've been holding onto the past for too long now. Thank you for making me wake up to that fact."
"So you're going to help them?"
"Yeah, we are."
She ran to him and enveloped him in a tight and loving hug. "Thank you, John. You have no idea how much this means to me."
"Actually I do. I know how much you love him. He must be something really special for you willing to risk your life for him."
She looked up at him and smiled. "He is."
Denise felt like she was about to cry again and stared longingly at the pair. John noticed her, laughed, and then waved for her to come over.
"Come here. Don't worry, I don't bite."
She hugged him as well and a few tears were shed. "Thank you so much, John."
"You're very welcome, Mrs. McLean. That's quite a kid you've got there." He let go of her and turned to his loyal and awaiting followers. "The ones without wives and children, arm yourselves! Tonight we fight! We fight for the Desmondontidae! We fight for ourselves! And we fight for the world!"
He was answered by a loud enthusiastic cry of approval. Then he turned back to Toni.
"Toni, promise me you'll stay here."
"What? But---"
"No buts. Please promise me you won't set foot in or anywhere near the battlegrounds."
"Ok, John, I promise I won't go near the battlegrounds."
"You swear?"
"John, have I ever lied to you before?"
He looked at her and smiled. "No. Ok, troops! Let's go!"
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