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| Chapter Nine: The Masters of Death | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the meeting hall - within the mansion - Calloway was laying flat on his back twitching as Samuel stood over him. Calloway struggled against the power of the Giovani - but it was a fight he could not win. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are probably one of the best fighters our time has seen. I have heard that watching your fight - is akin to watching a lethal ballet," Samuel stated calmly as he waved a hand over the twitching body of the Setite. Calloway strained to fight the power that was sucking the very soul from his body. "Pity those skills are of no use to you here," he added as a specter was flung from the body of the vampire. The specter shook off the effects of what had happened and then looked over and saw his body. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What have you done?" Calloway demanded. Samuel laughed as he walked over to where the spirit was. Calloway tried to attack the vampire - but all of his attacks passed harmlessly through his body. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are too headstrong young fighter. You thought because the others opted for a more - physical - more hands on approach - that I would do the same? Heaven's no," the Giovani master of the manner remarked as he walked away. Calloway growled as he leaped to attack the vampire from behind. But like before his attacks passed harmlessly through him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You will die," Calloway growled. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That very well may be - but I doubt that will happen today. Excuse me for a moment please," the vampire remarked as he walked over to a phone. "Hello? This is Sam. Yes - I know - the situation is under control. Yes - thank you for the assist," he said into the phone. "Had to tell the locals that the problem had been dealt with," he justified. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Has it?" Calloway asked. Samuel quietly laughed as he walked over and leaned on his table. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - it has. Now - we have a bit of a problem here. You see - your boy Snake - he sent you here to kill me and well - you failed big time. Now - this is where the consequence part of the action - consequence pendulum comes into effect," he stated diplomatically. Calloway laughed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You must be more inbred than you look if you think I will do anything to help you," he retorted. Samuel chuckled as he looked up at the roof. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You aren?t the first wayward soul that sought to defy me. Nor will you be the last. You see - whereas - some people learn to extract information from the living - I prefer - the dead. You see - even in the weakest of mortals and kindred - the body is strong. Yet - surprisingly - the spirit - the soul - is surprisingly fragile," he pointed out. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I would never betray Snake," Calloway rebutted seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have heard that before. Do your worst they boast. I will never break. I love her - I am loyal to him. I am stronger than you think - sonny - I have heard them all. Within - minutes - they forsake all they knew just so that they can be free of the pain - I can inflict," he rebutted as he walked over to where Calloway's body was. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Calloway floated through the desk and bumped into the wall. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - the place is nicely warded. You ain't going - anywhere until I say so," Samuel stated smugly. It was then that Luther appeared. "Hello? I don't believe we met," he remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh this is just perfect," Calloway remarked as he leaped over and knocked Luther to the ground. Samuel watched as the two spirits fought. With a wave of his hand - the two were flung away from each other. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I take it the two of you know each other?" the vampire asked sarcastically. Luther rubbed his stinging jaw and smirked at Calloway. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That bastard murdered me. If you plan on making him suffer - I want front row seats," Luther stated. Samuel looked at the ghost that haunted Calloway and then over at the spirit in question. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh the circles of life and death - it is ironic how they cross over some times. You say he murdered you? What for?" Samuel asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I had the misfortune of working for that wretch Snake. He didn't like the way I worked so he sent the viper to kill me," he replied. A smile crept across the Giovani's face. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You worked for Snake? Perhaps you can tell me what I wish to know," he suggested. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Would that I could. I have been out of the loop for decades at least. Plus that bastard has funky wards all over his area that keep me out," he began as he looked over at Calloway. "Now viper boy here is another story. He is one of Snake's best. Dare I say? He is probably one of his most trusted assassins,' he replied. Samuel chuckled. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Probably his best," Samuel corrected. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I stand corrected," Luther admitted. Unbeknownst to them a robe dropped down from the roof over the window behind them. Calloway blinked but paid no attention - he had to stay focused if he wanted to get out of this mess in one piece. Once again though his attention went to the rope. For just as it had fallen down - now it was being pulled up. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I think - what needs to be done first - is - the disposal of his body. Once it is gone - he will remain trapped here - completely at my mercy. Or dear that would be an oxymoron," the vampire mused as he turned. It was then that a cloaked person on a rope came swinging down from the roof. "What the?" he muttered. A crossbow bolt shattered the window - knocking the vampire over his desk. The cloaked person rolled into the room and loaded another bolt. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You brought a friend? How unsporting of you," Samuel muttered as he pulled the bolt out. He got up to mount some sort of defense - but was rewarded with another bolt in his chest - this one impaling his heart. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What have you done to him?" a female voice demanded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "None of your business," Samuel groaned. He tried to move - but the bolt acted much like a stake would. The woman walked over and lowered her hood - it was Tanya! She lifted up the paralyzed vampire and slumped him over his desk. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wrong answer. He doesn't move in a few seconds," she began as she bared her fangs. "I will show you suffering the likes of which you have never seen," she hissed. Calloway blinked in modest disbelief. He dived over to his body and laid down within it - hoping that distracted - the necromancer's spell might slip. The body of the vampire twitched. Calloway gasped as he sat up. "You okay honey?" she asked seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I've been better," he admitted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You will be a lot worse you filthy assassins. Auto destruct! Activate!" Samuel shouted. Before any of them could react - dozens of explosions rocked the house. Pillars of napalm flames erupted from the floor - washing the walls with fire! "You punks! I will take you to hell with me!" he shouted. Tanya threw the staked vampire into the wall of flames and watched as he began to burn. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We have to get out of," Calloway began as a large piece of ceiling fell on him knocking him out cold. Tanya looked over and saw Samuel twitching. He was still alive. She shook her head - the choice for her was no choice at all. She raced over and carefully picked him up. Unknown to her - his special dagger - the one capable of slaying spirits slipped from his pocket and fell into one of the fire filled holes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't worry baby - I'll get us out of here," she whispered as she ran across the room with her unconscious boyfriend. She leaped through the window as a good portion of the roof caved in. Carefully she slid down the rope until they were on solid ground. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the distance she could hear sirens - all the fire and explosions must have attracted the attention of the local hazard crews. She looked at Calloway and smiled as she carried him away - vanishing into the shadows of the night. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * * * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Later that night - close to sunrise. Calloway slowly came too. He tensed up as he realized he was back in his haven. He twitched as a pain in his head stabbed at him. It was then that Tanya came in. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - you're up," she remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How did I get here?" he asked seriously rubbing his head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - I thought you could use some help - so I sort of tagged along. I hope you don't mind," she sincerely replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - brought me all the way back here?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - I got you off that Giovani power base set up. Then we took a cab here. You mad?" she hesitantly asked. Calloway sighed as he propped himself up against the wall. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You caused the distraction at the graveyard," he stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I thought you could use a few seconds to work your magic," she justified. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I did," he began - rubbing his head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You still hurting?" she asked seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A bit," he replied. "Is he dead?" he asked seriously. She anxiously looked around. "Tanya?" he repeated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - don't know. It is possible I guess. But he was cooking in a napalm induced inferno - and the whole place did come crashing down," she replied honestly. "Are - are you going back? Please say you aren't. The place is swarming with police - media and I think some of the prince's people," she requested. Calloway sighed as he tapped his head against the wall. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Justice he said - make him face our justice," Calloway remembered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Calloway?" she asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That Samuel was a cocky bastard. Even though I was able to get all the way to where he was - he didn't take me seriously. He knows now that - the will of Set is not to be taken lightly. If he lives - when next he sends someone - I think he will be more inclined to listen," he rationalized. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Does - does this mean you aren't going back?" she asked hesitantly - trying in vain not to get her hopes up. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't see any reason," he began as he tensed up. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What's wrong?" she asked. He quickly reached into his pocket. The knife - it was gone! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wraithbane? Where is it?" he said in a mild panic as he frantically looked around. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What is Wraithbane?" she asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A weapon," he began but stopped when he saw Luther standing by the doorway. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That toy has gone the way of the dodo. Plunk, plunk, plunk - into a flaming building it went. Magic and fire rarely mix. Too bad hero. Better luck next time," the ghost mocked as it vanished into thin air. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is it my fault? Did I lose it?' she asked hesitantly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That fucking useless pest said it fell from my pocket when we fled the building," he muttered covering his hands with his face. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Could - could he have been lying?" she asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't think so. My one chance to be free of that pest," he muttered to himself. Tanya walked over crawled onto the bed and curled up beside him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Other opportunities will come up. I know they will," she suggested optimistically. He quietly laughed as he looked over at the smiling vampire beside him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You think so?" he asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "With you anything is possible - but then again - I'm not exactly unbiased," she added. He quietly laughed as he put his arm around her. "So you aren't mad that I tagged along?" she asked. He sighed as he remembered one time that she had - and how he yelled at her because of it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you weren't there - that Giovani scumbag - he would have won," he said as he kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you," he whispered. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How about we get some sleep? It has been a long night," she suggested. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I like the way you think," he replied as the two slipped under the covers and almost instantly fell asleep - as the new day's dawn began to greet the day. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The End? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||