“You’re letting him die!” Nick yells at AJ looking back over at Justin again.
AJ stares at Nick then back over at Justin.
“Be calm Rider,” a female voice says floating across the room and Nick turns around to see Death standing beside Justin’s bed in all her glory. She had her long blond hair falling below her shoulders and she was wearing a plain black dress that fell down to the floor and seemed to be made of silk. Her blue large value eyes stared down at Justin calmly taking everything in.
“Stop it,” Nick says to her.
She looks up at him and then over at AJ, “Stop what?”
“Stop killing him,” Nick pleads.
She looks down at the floor before looking up at him again.
“At least lessen the pain,” Nick says softly.
“I’m sorry Nick,” she says, “But my orders come from a higher power.”
“No,” Nick says to her as another female appears suddenly beside her. This girl was shorter along Quest’s height and size wearing a deep blue dress. Her eyes seemed to be a purple color while her multicolored hair was hanging just above her shoulders.
AJ hisses slightly as he sees the new female appear near Justin, “Get out of here,” he says sharply.
“Who are you to tell me this,” the new girl says and laughs slightly.
“Leave,” AJ says again this time standing up.
The girl looks at AJ as AJ begins to walk towards her quickly.
“Stop it,” Death says, “…leave Justin alone,” he says to the other girl.
“You’re choosing a vampire’s word over mine,” the girl hisses at Death as Nick sees the calmness to her face disappear. All the beauty was gone from her face now and her purple eyes glowed with fury, “You are not God Death,” she says, “You better be right about this decision…or else,” she says before turning to AJ, “I will see you soon. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me already. Your scars say otherwise,” she says before disappearing.
Nick looks back over at AJ with wide eyes then over at Death, “Who was that?”
“Delirium,” AJ says softly as Death nods.
“She wanted Justin?” Nick asks.
Death nods, “You’re not supposed to nix bloods,” she says as AJ frowns.
“But Justin’s dieing.”
Death looks up at AJ.
“His heart is stopping,” AJ says, “We all go through that. He needs to die this life before starting another.”
Death shakes her head, “Stealing my children away from me,” she says to AJ who begins to walk back over to his wall.
“You changed him?” Nick says watching AJ’s back.
AJ stops and nods.
Death looks down at Justin as he suddenly stops crying and lays flat back on the bed. His breathing returns to normal and his eyes open suddenly as he takes in a large breath.
“What happened?” he asks as he sits up in the bed looking at Nick and AJ.
AJ keeps his back turned towards him as he looks at the wall.
Death looks at Justin and smiles weakly, “I will see you again some time my child,” she says touching his face softly, “I hope to see you again too Alex,” she says to AJ’s back before fading away.
“Why was she here?” Justin asks.
Nick looks at him, “You’re alive.”
Justin looks at them, “What happened,” he asks before taking in a breath and backing up against the headboard.
“What?” Nick asks, “What’s wrong?”
“It…it…it moved,” he says pointing to a statue of an elfin female in the corner.
Nick looks at it and then back at Justin. Maybe Delirium had gotten him.
“They do that sometimes,” AJ says, “Paintings will too and photographs.”
Justin stares down at the bandage around his ribs before unwrapping it and staring down at the flawless skin, “I got hurt didn’t I?”
Nick nods.
“I was in pain wasn’t I?”
Nick nods again.
“I was dieing,” Justin states to himself.
Nick nods slowly.
“And I’m not anymore,” he says looking at AJ, “You did something to me,” he says to AJ.
AJ keeps his back towards Justin and nods.
Justin runs his tongue over his teeth and feels a pair of sharp fangs, “You changed me,” he says softly.
“Get blood,” AJ says to Nick, “Tell the elves I need animal blood. Now.”
Nick looks at AJ before walking towards the doorway and back out of it.
Justin stares at AJ’s back and shakes his head, “What am I?”
“Vampire,” AJ says.
“I’m a werewolf.”
“I don’t know what you are now,” AJ says turning around to face him.
“No,” Justin says, “No you didn’t take it away from me,” Justin says beginning to panic, “No,” he says standing up quickly and getting caught in the bed sheets slightly as he runs for the door and down the hallway.
AJ sighs heavily and goes running after him, “Justin!” he yells as Justin turns out into the courtyard, “Justin!” he yells as he sees Justin standing in the middle of the court yard staring up at the moon and the stars, “Justin,” he says softly as he walks up to him.
“Shhhh,” Justin says as AJ stares at him silent, “I can still hear it.”
“Hear what?” AJ asks.
“I can still hear the moon,” he says softly as a wind blows on them slightly tossing Justin’s curls and he closes his eyes.
AJ stares at him hard before looking up at the moon.
Justin raises his right hand out and touches the wind slightly moving his fingers slightly, “I can still hear the wind,” he says before opening his eyes and putting his arm back down.
“Still part werewolf,” AJ says as Nick walks out in the courtyard carrying a large cup.
“This is what they gave me,” Nick says walking up to them handing AJ the cup.
AJ takes the cup and takes a sip out of it, “Pig’s blood,” he says before holding it out to Justin, “Drink it. Drink it now before the blood lust hits you too hard and you end up hurting someone.”
Justin stares at the cup before taking it in his right hand.
“Drink it,” AJ says to him.
Nick watches Justin raise the cup to his lips and take the first drink of his new life.
Nick stares out across the land as the sun beats down on the green hills outside the Lothlorien walls. Below him around the palace an elf army was being put together. They were all dressed in the same uniform topped off with gold armor placed over their chests. Some carried flags and banners while others were on horses in the front. Most of the soldiers though were on foot swords swinging by their sides from their belts and others had quivers on their backs with bows slung over their shoulders. Elves were well known for their archery skills. Oleander was in the front on a horse pacing back and forth in front of the first line yelling out orders in the elfin language. Nick could make out Josh and Lance standing in front of them watching the troops as they organized their battle plans.
“What ya looking at?” a voice asks as AJ floats up to Nick’s fifth floor balcony and over the stone railing sitting on the top of it.
“They’re getting ready,” Nick says motioning to the elfin troops.
AJ nods.
“I’m going with them,” Nick says.
“So am I,” AJ says as Nick looks at him, “I got nothing better to do,” he smiles.
“Where’s Justin? I thought you were supposed to be teaching him?”
AJ rolls his eyes and motions back down to the ground.
Nick leans over slightly and sees Justin standing on the ground jumping ten feet into the air effortlessly before landing back on the ground. He jumps again and stays in the sir for a few seconds before falling back down to the ground.
“He’s impossible,” AJ says, “He’s strong as hell, but he’s thinking too much about the laws of motion of some Isaac Newton shit.”
Nick smiles, “He’s a werewolf what do you expect?”
“Something I can work with,” AJ sighs, “Justin stop flapping around and get up here!” he yells down to him, “Stop thinking about falling so much!” he yells standing up on the railing and jumping off it into the air. He falls towards the ground at a fast speed and lands on his feet effortlessly not even staggering a bit to catch his balance.
Nick shakes his head before walking away from the balcony and back into his room. He was going to take the long way down. He yawns slightly as he makes his way down the hallway towards the stairs when he hears Quest yelling from down the hall in front of him slightly with her uncle.
“I will not stay here!” she yells loudly as Nick notices the bright red streaks in her hair. Guess red meant anger.
“You will stay here!” Westclox yells, “You are my niece! Your father would have wanted you to stay safe.”
“My father taught me to fight!” she snaps back, “And you are not my father!”
“This is a battle Questapatania! Our future rides on this…”
“Then let me fight,” she says.
“No, you are to stay here.”
“I will not!” she says, “I am old enough to make my own decisions!”
“Battle is no place for a woman,” he says.
“I am not a woman! I am an elf!” she yells at him, “I will go and you are not going to stop me,” she snaps before storming off down the hall.
It was all culminating now.
Brian sits in the grass of the courtyard watching the elf troops line up. His heart was racing for them now. They would be the first wave to go out. The rest along with Brian and the others who were fighting would follow after them. To his other side AJ was trying to teach Justin how to fly…well more of less levitate coming from Justin. Brian was just glad that Justin just wasn’t dead. Josh, Lance and Quest were watching the troops line up a few feet in front of him standing as they lined up. Quest had come rushing out a few minutes before fuming about something as Oleander went up to talk to her before going back to his post. Whatever it was she was angry.
Brian along with all of the others would be heading out tonight along with the other troops. As far as he knew everyone was going to go with him. AJ had tried to persuade Justin out of it because he didn’t know exactly what he was capable of yet as a vampire, but Justin refused. Nick was going to be heading out as a leader of their wave along with Josh and Oleander. AJ would be riding beside Brian with Justin among the elf warriors while Chris brought up the back. Brian suspected that Quest would fit in there somewhere, but he wasn’t sure where. It was win or die now. This is what there whole journey had been leading up to he suspected. Everything came up to this. Back to where they started from in Lothlorien. Ironic wasn’t it. This is what his whole life was leading up to. His whole life and he never knew it.
AJ looks over and stands still as the first wave of elves head out away from the palace. They were setting out and the others along with himself would follow close behind later. Everyone on the palace grounds had stopped to watch the men head out for the battle. The first casualties were among them now. It was a somber mood in the air now and AJ could tell by the warrior’s faces that they were worried about what lie beyond Lothlorien walls. Most of them as Quest had told him had never even been outside Lothlorien walls. To them there was no world outside Lothlorien walls and now they were going to defend the world as they knew it, their world.
AJ knew how to fight though. Not with swords though. AJ fought like a vampire and he had been trying all day to try and teach Justin how too. AJ fought with the strength of his hands and arms. He didn’t put shields or swords before himself. When he fought it was messy, gory, a slaughter even. Vampires would crack necks, break bones, tear a person to pieces with their bare hands. That was how a vampire fought.
Justin jumps into the air again behind him and falls back onto the ground landing with an uncoordinated thud. AJ shakes his head and smiles to himself. Fledglings.
“You never show your fangs when you smile,” Quest says from beside him and AJ turns to look at her.
AJ shrugs, “It takes years of practice to do it. Fledglings are usually the ones who flash their fangs all the time. Gets them killed too. I just show them when I’m angry and or trying to make a point.”
Quest nods.
“Are you going into battle?” AJ asks him.
She nods, “They don’t want me to, but I am.”
“Who are they?”
“My uncle and other people.”
“Oleander?”
She shakes her head no, “He says it is my decision. He has never stopped me from doing anything before.”
AJ nods, “You’ll be fine I think.”
“How is he doing?” she asks looking at Justin.
AJ shrugs, “Being a fledgling. They all seem to act idiotic.”
“Did you?”
AJ shakes his head no, “Course not.”
She smiles and shakes her head, “Getting along with the kid you hated in the beginning then?”
AJ nods his head, “Surprisingly. I just wish Kevin could be here. He said that I’d never get along with anyone.”
Quest frowns slightly taking away from her cheery disposition, “Please don’t talk about that.”
AJ nods, “I knew Kevin for a long time,” he sighs, “He would have wanted me to finish this. He would have wanted me to save Justin too.”
“You said you saw Death right?”
AJ nods.
“Did you ask her about Kevin?”
AJ goes to say something, but stops then is dawned on him. He should have asked Death about Kevin, “No, I didn’t,” he says.
“Oh.”
“I should have though,” he says.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” she says.
AJ nods, “Probably bossing everyone around up there now.”
“He lived a long life,” she says.
AJ nods, “Not sure how long though. I know he was older then me though.”
“Old,” she says, “I could tell.”
“Now I’m stuck with Justin of the many falls.”
She smiles at him again, “Just make sure you’re ready by tonight ok.”
AJ nods as he hears Justin hit the ground with the thud again, “JUSTIN stop thinking about it so much!”
“So wait,” Justin says as him and the others sit around the table for supper that night, “I don’t have to go to the bathroom anymore?”
“No, you don’t for the last time,” AJ says as he sips a cup before as the others ate food beside Justin and himself.
Brian shakes his head and smiles. Both of them were nursing cups of pig’s blood while the others ate food. Both of them also had a lot of color to their faces from the newly drunk blood in their veins. They were all gathered around the table for their last meal before heading out into the battle directly afterwards. Of course Lance had been placed at one end of the table and AJ at the other end in fear that AJ might have another sneezing fit. Lance seemed to feel horrible about it too. AJ had explained to him though that it was the fairy dust that made him sneeze not fairies themselves. The dust itself came form the wings, so all he had to do was cut off his wings and things would be fine. Lance didn’t feel that bad though.
Josh was eating everything in his eyesight though making up for what AJ and Justin were not eating. He was trying to replenish the energy he had used trying to heal Justin and even used before that from the shapeshift in Mono. To make things simply even though AJ could bench press a Buick he only needed a cup, while Josh needed about three whole meals because of the energy he exerted for his gifts.
Nick, Nick was trying to look on the brighter side of things. The truth was though that Brian could tell how scared he was now. It was dawning on him just how close at hand the battle was now and he had begun to get quieter and quieter as the meal went on. He was supposed to be their leader of their wave too along with Oleander. Only twenty-two years old and he was leading a group of warriors in to battle along side an elf who was…actually Brian didn’t know how old Oleander was.
“Quest,” Brian says.
“Yes,” she says smiling.
“How old is Oleander?”
“Oh not that old,” she says, “Around I’d say 642,” she says calmly as Nick chokes on his wine and begins coughing as it goes down his windpipe instead.
“642 years old?” Brian repeats, “How old are you?”
“Oh I’m young remember? I told you before 63.”
AJ shrugs, “Not that old.”
“This coming from the man who saw the rise and fall of Rome,” Josh says.
“That’s how long we live,” AJ shrugs, “What?” he asks looking at Justin’s expression, “Life was a hell of a lot simpler back then.”
Nick smiles brightly before his face falls again.
“What’s wrong?” Brian asks him.
Nick shakes his head no in reply.
“What is it?” AJ asks.
“An aura,” Nick says before looking around the room.
“What is it of?” Josh asks.
“I’m not sure. It’s not familiar,” Nick says.
“What should we do?” Lance asks.
“Shhh,” Nick says.
“Can you hear anything?” Josh asks Justin, AJ and Quest.
Quest shakes her head no.
“No,” AJ replys flatly.
Justin tilts his head to the right slightly before nodding, “Footsteps.”
“Footsteps,” Brian repeats.
Justin nods, “Coming closer too. They’re so faint though. They should like a vampire would when it walks. Not as light as an elf though.”
Nick pulls a small knife from a sheath around his boot as Josh does the same. Nick had realized by now that Josh and him tended to think a lot alike when it came to being prepared. He would have made a good Rider if it weren’t for the Shapeshfiter factor.
“How close is it?” Josh asks Justin.
“Close,” Justin says in the silence only slightly above a whisper.
“Is it getting closer?” Nick asks.
“Yes, it’s…” Justin goes to say but stops as the large wooden door leading into the dining area is opened.
Nick stands up quickly knocking his seat backwards and JC gets up from his seat as well.
AJ gets up in one swift motion not making a sound or disturbing anything. It took years of practice to move like that.
The three of them make their way towards the door as a tall dark figure walks in with a black cloak on and the hood covering its eyes.
“What do you want?” Nick asks him holding on to his knife tightly.
The figure looks at them all and they hear a slight laugh.
AJ’s eyes grow wide and his mouth falls open widely, “Kevin,” he says.
