Anageropoulos(15)

                                        ''LIKE THE CLASH OF THE TITANS WILL FIGHT''

Paul had only a few minutes awake, Suzan had already left his house to attend to business for her master.
The previous night like many nights before they had spent it together enjoying their relationship.
He was still on his bed when he heard his door knock.
Only seconds after, he heard the door open.
-What the hell? Paul reached for his guns
Suddenly silence and darkness covered his house.
-Your guns are not going to help you young one!
-Who are you? What are you doing in my house?
-You can think of me as family...
-Show yourself coward! said an anxious Paul.
Then, only a few meters in front of him, something sheened and Paul heard the sound of metal on his floor while a circle of blueish fire appeared around a man in a strange uniform.
-I have lived for too many centuries yet no one ever accused me of cowardism...
-Who are you?
-As I told you, you can consider me family, in a strange way I am your creator since I am the creator of yours.
-You are Narssel?
-I am glad she told you about me. What else did she say to you?
-Not many things, Nansy did not speak too much. Why are you here?
-I need to inform you about something. Something about your clan, our clan!
-I have nothing to do with your clan, I am a master of shadows now.
-Yes, I heard that joke already. I do not care what clan you choose to be, I care for a truce broken because of you.
-What truce?
-For years now Nansy and I have agreed on no more progenies, yet she ignored our truce and created you. I warned her and she defied me, now our ancient traditions dictate trial by blood.
-With me?
-No, not with you. Although I do not care about your existence you are innocent in my eyes. You see Nansy walks a road of blood while I walk one of justice and what judge would I be if I was to punish an innocent?
-Then why you are here?
-Tomorrow night me and your creator are going to fight to the death, that's what our traditions dictate. Your future is tied to this fight. If she wins you can continue to pretend whatever you want but if I win your innocence vanishes and only one way remains. Accept what you are and accept my training, I will lose a student and will gain a new one!
-Student? For what?
-As I told you, I walk a road of justice, a road that has been showed to us by our great creator. Many years ago I believed Nansy could walk this road by my side, I judged her wrong. Now I am asking you the same thing: Be what your clan dictates you to be...or die!
-I have a mentor already, you know that!
-I don't care about that spanish woman...
-Spanish? Roxanne is spanish?
-I am afraid youngling you do not know anything about the people around you. My offer is honest and true. I will not hide anything from you and that I promise on my own blood.
-And if I choose Nansy over you? Or if I go straight to the Prince and report you?
-If you choose Nansy then you choose your fate and if you go to the prince...Prince James knows better than to interfere with our clan's traditions.
-You don't leave me many choices then...
-You do not have many choices. Tomorrow at 00:00 in front of the zoo. If you bring anyone else with you, you will seal his fate!
-Wait, I need to know more th...
But the figure was not there anymore, he was gone in the same silent way he had come.
-Shit!!!

He had not told anyone else, neither Suzan nor Roxanne. If the man was serious-and Paul had no reasons not to believe he was not-he would also put them in danger.
Next night he packed his newest toy-a Barret-a sniping weapon or a cannon if you believed Roxanne, took his motorcycle and headed for the zoo.
The zoo was a deserted place, for at least decade now, at the borders of the town with a forest nearby.
Only junkies hookers and illegal couples were going there to be out of sight.
There were stories of weirder creatures being there at night but since his elders were going to be there he had no reason to believe something weirder would also happen by.
He left his motorbike near the entrance and on 23:58 he entered the zoo.
No sign of anyone.
''Maybe he sent me to a trap'' he thought.
But Paul was sure the man was speaking the truth last night. He didn't like him at all but from his voice Paul was sure Narssel was a creature that loved the truth.
He walked a bit further inside with his hands on his pistols, he knew of course those guns were no real threat to a vampire but touching them made him feel more secure.
''00:01 where the hell are they?''
Out of a sudden a figure appeared, a long sword in his hand.
-I greet you young one, glad you decided to come, Narssel said.
-Where is Nansy?
-Somewhere around, I can feel her.
-I waited for you to show up first in case you prepared any surprises for me, Paul heard a woman's voice nearby and Nansy appeared out of the shadows.
-Trickery is not my weapon especially when it comes to the clan's traditions woman!
-So we are gathered here, a big happy family Narssel, lets get this over with.
-As I already told both of you, Nansy you broke our truce and you defied my warning. Tonight we will fight to the death. The last one standing will have the right to do as he pleases.
-Why did you call the young one? This is between you and me.
-I gave him a choice. Should I die, you and he may do as you please. Should you die, he either joins me or he dies with you. Either way this circle of blood stops tonight. I am warning you young one, if you try to interfere with our fight I will not hesitate to kill you.
-Neither will I Paul, this fight is between me and my long dead husband!
-You called me just to be a witness?
-Exactly Paul, though if I win you can go back to Roxanne and that silly ghoul you are flirting with.
-Suzan is not...
-Silence! Narssel shouted. Draw your sword woman.
Nansy drew a long curved blade Paul knew very well.
Those swords were called ''Slayers'' and they were forged to deliver accurate and lethal hits on vampires while their forging helped with the usage of many of his clan's unique powers.
Narssel's sword was nothing unique on the other hand. It had very nice curvings and its blade was black but nothing else stood out.
Paul moved a few steps back as the two figures stood still, facing each other.
Suddenly and faster than any mortal eye could see Nansy attacked roaring a war cry.
''Damn she is fast''!!!
She thrusted her ''Slayer'' towards Nanrssel but every attack of hers ended up parried by Narssel's black sword.
She carried on frantically with her attacks not leaving her opponent any free time to act.
Yet Narssel avoided every hit with ease.
''He is letting her attack to get tired and short on blood'' Paul thought, after all Vampires were powerful creatures but their mystical powers were fueled by their cursed blood and this blood would deplete unless you had a source nearby.
-Is that all you can do woman? Narssel taunted his opponent.
Nansy screamed in anger and doubled her efforts but every time Narssel's sword was there to block the incoming devastating attack.
-What are you waiting for? Nansy screamed at him
''An oppurtunity'' answered Paul mentaly seconds before Narssel answered the same.
A mere moment later Nansy missed an attack giving Narssel the opportunity he wanted.
His sword sheened with a white glow and he tried a hit that Paul was sure could split the hardest rock in two pieces.
Nansy knew she could not parry that attack and she did what was better, she tried to dodge it .
Nansy was fast but Narssel was faster, Paul didn't even see Narssel changing the course of his attack while Nansy tried to dodge the first one.
The last moment Nansy put her sword in front of her body to avoid getting split in two.
The two swords collided and for a moment Narssel's attack seemed to be blocked when the sound of breaking metal reached Paul's ears.
Narssel's attack broke Nansy's sword and cut through her chest sending her bleeding a few meters away.
Paul already knew that even without a broken sword this fight was lost for her.
That hit may not have killed her but the massive damage she took would give Narssel all the advantage he wanted to finish her off.
-It is over! He announced. You lost!
-Finish me off then! she screamed in pain and anger.
-That I will not do!
''What?''
-I will keep you alive in torpor Nansy and maybe in some centuries you will realise your mistakes.
-I will not become your toy, a helpless corpse at your disposal. Finish me off.
-You knew that's our family's curse, you like your mentor will remain in torpor untill you realise the wrong of your ways.
Nansy tried to stand but her wound was so aggravating that she fell to the ground.
Narssel drew a wooden stake and approached her.
-If he wins you will not have a choice, you will go with him and you will be his puppet, Nansy screamed at Paul.
''What other option do I have''?
-Attack him now! she screamed as if she had heard his silent question.
-Do not interfere! Narssel said. This is not your fight.
Paul had to take a quick decision since Narssel was already above her ready to stake her.
-If he wins you need to forget that girl, according to Narssel's faith you are not to mingle with ghouls.
-Is that true? Paul asked.
-The path soon to be yours has no place for emotions, a judge uses only logic rather than passion.
-He might kill Suzan to keep her away from you! Nansy shouted again.
-Shut up, woman!
Paul used his supernatural speed, his eyes blazing with anger, Suzan was not to be harmed. He knew he was not even close to Narssel's speed but he had a weapon.
The same moment Nansy gathered all her strength and hate from all those years of undeath and attacked him with her long blackened nails.
That attack gave Paul the time he needed to ready his weapon.
And while Narssel avoided Nansy's attacks easily, Paul was ready to shoot and he did!
He heard the sound of metal colliding with metal while Narssel put his sword in the bullet's way.
-Impossible! Paul said in disbelief.
Narssel's supernatural speed was so high he could parry incoming bullets.
He shooted again and again but every time Narssel parried his bullet while at the same time he avoided Nansy's attacks.
-Then you chose your fate, he said to him, no emotion in his voice, and what awaits you is only the grave!
''I am dead'' Paul thought, ''Unless...''
The last month he was experimenting with a new type of bullet that had an explosive effect rather than piercing.
He had managed to craft two already but they were expensive and required dozens of hours of work.
Thankfully he had them with him.
The same moment Narssel staked Nansy, Paul had already loaded his weapon with those bullets.
Narssel strafed at him.
-Bullets have no use on vampires young one, yet again you try to shoot me? Preposterous!
Instead of an answer Paul shot.
Again Narssel placed his sword in the bullets way
But this time the bulled exploded on impact.
Narssel got surprised while the explosion also hit him and burnt a big part of his body.
He shouted a war cry and charged at Paul who was preparing for the second and last shot.
''Either me or him''
The same moment Narssel thrusted his sword Paul shot him.
Paul felt the edge of Narssel's sword piercing his arm and the pain was almost blinding.
When he opened his eyes again he saw Narssel's torpid body near him while his right arm was almost cut from the shoulder down.
He could feel pain, not like humans do but still he could feel the almost missing limb of his.
He focused on his wound and used his blood to heal that grave wound but nothing happened.
He knew he could heal almost any wound and even grow new limbs but now he couldn't.
He remembered Nansy telling him that their clan possessed a power that made some wounds difficult to heal unless you would spend time and lot of blood.
He had the time but he didn't have the blood.
Choosing to spend the last night with Suzan Paul had not fed for two days and tonight's effort plus the wound had made him weak.
-I will remove the stake from Nansy and together...he started talking to himself...together? Why? Why should I help the one that destroyed my life and murdered my friends?
-She was the one telling me about the law of the jungle and the survival of the fittest, fate wanted me to survive this night, why split the spoils with someone that lost?
Greed!!! Such a humane sin took over him.
He reached Nansy's helpless body.
Her blood would be enough to heal his wound.
He bit her neck.
Her blood was so sweet and pulsating with the raw power of her age.
He was drinking and at the same moment focusing on his wound.
He felt his arm growing back and he felt the pain going away and now he could not stop himself from drinking her blood.
Roxanne had told him that the greatest sin in their kind was to drink another vampire dry cause after his blood you could also drink his soul, empowering you temporarily if the vampire was younger than you or permanently if he was older and Nansy was much older than him.
This sin called ''Diablerie'' was the greatest among all since you could become addicted and forced to drink only the blood of other vampires.
But Paul couldn't stop, his beast had taken control and wanted more of this potent blood.
He lost himself in the euphoria of a blood frenzy...

The next thing he could remember was himself lying on the floor.
His barret only a few meters away together with two swords but no sign of the other bodies, only two piles of ashes!
The realisation came along with terror.
-WHAT HAVE I DONE?

Many times since then he regreted the moment his humane greed took over!