Skull And The Fangs

Restricting his powers

The Archipelago.

Caius turned to the young hunter. Fury cursing through his veins.

"And to what account is this added? As much as I remember, our agreement still stands," Caius pointed to the headless body of the young vampire, Lahm, on the ground. 

The hot print of a crossbow on the boy's chest spoke volumes of who did the job.

Caius' voice sounded calm, but even a dwarf would know there's a storm raging under.

The hunter trembled slightly. "Aro reports to no one."

Caius cocked his head, his razor sharp claws flexed beside him, barely illuminated by the dim candles that lit the rocky cave.

The hunter flinched and quickly said, "you should listen to me. Who am I to know why the legendary hunter is here? But I think I know what he seeks."

"And what could that be? You know that the longer it takes for him to get what he wants, the more my men will die. So spill what you know."

"I'm not sure, but I may be able to find out. His former missions will tell, there's a document tracking it all."

"An answer should be in this place before the next three nights. I lose not any more men."

"Understood, Caius."

With that, the young vampire melted from sight.

"Father, I have something you might need to hear." Adrian, wrapped in a scarlet cloak, appeared from behind Caius.

"Not now, son. There will be a claw glow soon, so be prepared."

"Very well, father."

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Kylian was still as Sarai finished casting the spell. He's in the middle of a magic circle that glows blue like the sky.

Sarai stopped, sweating all over with her face as pale as a white sheet.

Slowly the glowing magic circle on the ground vanished.

Kylian opened his tightly closed eyes.

"Stand," Sarai murmured.

Kylian did. His eyes ran all over his body, he felt nothing unusual.

A frown appeared on his face as he turned to Sarai. 

Sarai ignored him and strotted towards the door of the dark inner room. "Before you give me that look, take a look at your wrists."

Kylian's eyes cut to his wrists and he saw it. On his wrists were a rune drawing.

More like an ancient language.

He couldn't help but stare. His bewildered eyes roamed the crests.

"Are you going to stay there, locked up?"

(Written by Bright Theophilus)

He exited the room and met Heald's expectant look.

"Hey," he greeted.

"What's the meaning of this drawing?" Kylian turned to the witch.

"It restricts your full might, thus your thirst and keeps your senses in check," Sarai explained.

"Isn't that too much?" Heald cocked her eyes.

"Too much? isn't this better than going off grid in the square?"

Heald gulped. "Very well, Sarai."

"And you should remember to spend more time amongst humans."

"You're kidding, right? You know it's the coven rule to stay away as far as possible from humans."

"That's the only way because this spell won't last long. The more time you spend with humans, the longer the spell will work." The witch grabbed an empty sheet of white paper and began to scribble down something.

"Till when does he need to do this?" Heald asked.

"For thirty nights." She passed the paper to Kylian who took it and tucked it into his pocket at once.

Kylian pulled on his shirt and drew the sleeves to cover the tattooed runes on his wrists then turned to witch. "We'll take our leave, then."

"I'll have the cost sent to you."

"No, I'll have that covered." Kylian placed a gold bar on the old wooden table.

Then he walked out, under Heald's and Sarai's gaze.

Then Heald dropped a nod at Sarai to which she smiled, before following Kylian.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. At least for now, nothing." Kylian turned from Heald as he whispered to himself, "I'm sorry friend."

Then, under Heald's eyes, Kylian walked away from the roaring market, into the dark night.

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At a bar down the street, heads turned to Kylian, different looks on it.

The 17th bottle dropped to the ground with a clank.

Kylian's eyes blazed and his face creased.

He had been this way since he left Market Street last night.

'Why? Why is everything kept coming back'

'Why is it going this way? I thought I'm free.'

'Two centuries, I was free from the death that circled me since the day I was turned. But now everything keeps coming back.'

He clenched his pale fists so tightly that it almost broke.

His phone beeped the hundredth time but he snubbed it.

Since yesterday night, he had been ignoring Heald. 

From behind the counter, the barman's young face kept peeping. A curious look on his face as he gazed at the clinking bottles on the ground.

Kylian scoffed and turned to him. He waved and said, "Another bottle."

The young barman lifted his head from the bottles he's arranging. 

He placed his palms on the counter as his eyes scanned the silver haired man that had been drinking since early morning.

After a thoughtful look he grabbed a bottle and shuffled outta the counter bars and to Kylian's position.

He stopped before Kylian's table but didn't drop the bottle. "Heartbreak sometimes sucks."

"And who told you it's a heartbreak," Kylian hissed. "Are you gonna drop the bottle or stand there?"

"Aren't you feeling dizzy now? You just swallowed seventeen bottles without a pause. What are you?" 

The bartender couldn't contain his curiosity anyway.

Vampires don't get drunk but how is he gonna know that?

Kylian was made to stand. His eyes blurred and he dropped back in the seat.

A frown crossed his face.

(Written by Bright Theophilus)

'What's happening to me?'

"Live and see the reap of your labor," the bartender sang as he walked away.

Kylian's hand found his forehead and he palmed it.

'This fucking crest must be the reason.'

A vampire doesn't get drunk but is he a vampire now? Or no, let me put it this way.

Is he a full vampire now?

According to the witch, the crests on his wrists restricts half his powers, thus his immortal durability too.

As he reasoned this, a face popped into his front. All smiles, the female face sat across him.

"Hi."

Kylian dropped his hand and gazed at her, more intently. "College?"

"Yes, Christa Richardson." She bowed, swinging her Auburn hair over.

'Shit! This lady again.'

"How are you doing sir?" She asked but then her eyes caught the bottles on the ground.

Her eyes cut to Kylian's face as her smile receded. Kylian held her gaze too but then he shook his head slightly.

Christa heaved.

"As you can see, I'm having a good time. My companion just walked out," Kylian lied.

"Then I can be your next companion."

'no!!!!!!!'

"No, I'm about to take my leave. I'm sor-"

"Oh yes, you will stay, sir." She waved to the bartender.

"I gotta go, I've class to handle today."

"Class?! The college is on lockdown since the incident of the dead student. Don't you know?" Christa asked incredulously. 

Kylian's lip pursed. "I know, yep, I think I know, you know."

Christa completely ignored the stammer and continued. "We can discuss for a while then."

"What are we going to discuss?"

"Just anything."

"We have got nothing to talk about, kid." Kylian stood to his feet.

"There was an accident yesterday's evening," Christa suddenly said.

Kylian stopped. His ears cocked.

'An accident? Hope it's not…'

"The driver, a middle-aged man, had his head ripped off in the accident. But his son, a six year old boy survived."

"And what does that have to do with me," Kylian replied over his shoulder.

"It proved you wrong."

"Wrong? Pttf." Kylian swiveled and faced her.

"The autopsy result made it clear it's not the accident that ripped off the man's head. It was caused by an animal claw."

"Animal claw? Then it's an animal claw," Kylian laughed.

"I don't think so." 

Christa shook her head, swinging her Auburn waves along, and leaned forward on the table. 

"That's what it's called in fantasy novels and movies too. Animal's claws. Tell me, which animal has the sense to rip off the head of a man and make it look like an accident?"

Kylian dropped his butt back into the seat. He placed his forearms on the table and leaned forward, like Christa. 

Christa smiled at this, finally her talks convinced this man.

"Tell me, what human in her right sense would think an animal ripped off the head of a human and did nothing to the body," Kylian said in a flat voice.

"My father is a doctor and he gave the result even though it makes no sense. I got it from his office." 

"Stealing an autopsy result from a hospital, the punishment ain't cool, is it? You are risking your life for something as dumb as this."

Christa's face ridged with frustration and her eyes flashed of resilience. "But-"

"Yep, I know you'll find something, I mean anything to prove your theory. You're only living in a fantasy, kid."

"Kid?" Her face uglied.

(Written by Bright Theophilus)

"I call resilient youths like you kid," Kylian nodded.

"And what do you have to say about the dead student in the restroom? His internal organs were all gone."

"I've heard enough of your obssession today, I'll take my leave."

Kylian stood up. He hadn't even taken up to three steps when Christa's words made him pause.

"I know there are other creatures out there apart from we humans and animals. They just won't come because we humans see them as beasts and abominations. Even when these creatures are just works of fiction, human hatred speaks volumes of what they will do if these creatures truly exist. So it's understandable if they hid."

"So what do you think?" Kylian asked.

"They exist, but are keeping their heads down. The evil ones won't let the good ones show their goodness and as always, we humans see the bad and not the good in things most times. One day I'll prove to you that they exist and not just that, I'll also show that not all of them are evil."

Kylian turned to look at her and all he saw was a determination as strong as the solid rock.

"Just be careful and stay out of trouble."

With that Kylian exited the bar.

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... The Archipelago …

Caius held his forehead in his hand with his elbow on the chair arm.

The fireplace in front of him crackles with fervor slightly cooling the dim and rocky cave.

A vampire appeared behind him.

"What have you come to say, vampire," Caius calmly asked, his body unmoving.

"The wizard is here, leader."

In an instant, Caius melted from his seat as the vampire felt a light breeze pass by him.

(Written by Bright Theophilus)

He knew at once what the breeze was. Leader.

He turned immediately and melted from the place too.

Out of the rocky room, in the large meeting hall made of a rocky cave, the Casal coven leader met with the wizard.

"Caius." The wizard dropped a slight bow. The snake scepter in his hand gave off a calm red aura.

"What have you got?" Caius ignored the greeting and asked.

"At a college, a student's organs were ripped off him. There were two vampire presence there. One is dead. Recently but the other still lives."

Caius appeared an inch away from the wizard in an instant. "Two vampire presence? Don't tell me vampires harvested the organs."

"That I don't know. But Aro hunted down one of them, the other is still alive out there."

Caius' mind flashed to the headless vampire boy that was brought in earlier today. Lahm.

Caius' body swayed and in an instant, he's on the antique wooden chair at the edge of the elevated platform in the middle of the hall.

"The other vampire, can you find him?"

"Yes."

"Find him.The vampire takes the blame for all loss Aro has caused my coven."