Carpathian 05 - Dark Challenge

"I found two entries that might have alluded to them. One was in a personal journal, that of a count. He wrote that he saw two demons fighting near the cemetery right there in Paris. That the fight went on for some time, a vicious battle but almost choreographed, as if each combatant knew what the other would do before he had done so. He claimed the two continually changed from one being into another. He wrote that both fighters appeared to have suffered terrible wounds, yet there was no trace of either fighter and no blood on the ground when he was able to get close enough to examine the cemetery. He told no one of his Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    sighting for fear of being ridiculed."
    "It does seem possible, then, that you uncovered something our people have searched centuries for."
    There was praise in Julian's soft voice. "And the other entry? Where did you find that?" It had been the excitement and lure of this mystery that had first ensnared Julian's interest in Bernado's studies all those years ago.
    "It was a mere line or two in a record kept by a supervisor of the cemetery workers. A personal record, no more. It alluded to one of his workers, who he suspected had drunk far too much wine one night. It was the same date as that of the count's memory. The supervisor wrote that one of his men told of a fight among wolves and demons that ended in mortal wounds. He would no longer go into the cemetery and work, as he was certain the demons had risen from the graves."
    Julian nodded. "You were once a man I thought had greatness in you. I looked up to you. To your learnedness. But you betrayed that trust."
    The vampire blinked at him, uncertain about his mild tone. "You wanted knowledge. I gave it to you."
    Julian could feel the power building in him, around him, in the very air itself. Century after century, each dark, barren rising, the aching need for his twin, the lost fledgling years. It was rising in him, the bleakness, the emptiness, the dark stain of humiliation and isolation. All he'd had left was his honor. His Prince and the healer had known and had recognized his need to be of value to his people, but this monster before him had altered the course of his life for all time.
    "You gave me a living death, Bernado." Julian moved then, with blurring speed, whipping toward the ancient monster as the creature suddenly surged forward. His fist was outstretched and plunged deep into the chest cavity, using the vampire's forward motion to aid his attack. "I studied your methods, every kill."
    He whispered the words, his golden eyes gleaming savagely. "You taught me the importance of knowledge, of knowing your enemy, recognizing him, and I learned well." He wrenched the pulsating heart out of the chest and leapt away with the withered, blackened organ in his hand. It sickened him.
    There was no triumph as he thought there would be.
    The vampire screamed in rage, a high, unearthly sound that hurt the ears and sent wildlife scurrying for cover. "You learned well the kill because I live in you," he hissed, poisonous saliva spewing from his mouth. "You are no different than me. You wanted to be like me, but you did not have the guts to embrace the life."
    Bernado staggered toward him, his rotten teeth jagged and stained from thousands of kills, his body beginning to collapse in on itself. Julian stepped back farther, full) aware the aberration was still dangerous as long as the heart was in proximity to the body. He flung it away and directed a blade of light to incinerate it. At once the body began to flop around, spewing tainted blood that crept toward him relentlessly. Julian calmly sent the energy toward the body and then the blood, removing all evidence of Bernado's existence. At last he used the white-hot heat to sear away the taint from his hands. From his soul.
    It was over. At long last. It was over. He had never felt such sorrow, an oppressive, nearly numbing force weighing him down. He found himself down on one knee, his body shaking, his chest burning. This thing had nearly destroyed his life, had taken so much from him. The vampire had made him believe it was invincible and Julian had spent centuries, centuries acquiring knowledge for this one moment in time.
    It was over in seconds. Only seconds. When the vampire had cost him so much.

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    Bernado was right. He had turned Julian