take it from me! This day has been playing on my mind for many years now.” He wrapped his fingers tightly around the hilt of his gleaming sword, his stance holding strongly in the winds. “I don’t want to live my life in the fear of what daggers may be pushed into my back, or spend every waking moment looking over my shoulder. Do you even have the guts to face me? Or did I create nothing more than a cowardly, spoiled brat?”
He held his sword firm for a few moments, the sounds of wind and rumbles in the distance his only answer.
Suddenly a too familiar voice cut through the cold air. “You knew I would wait here? I should have given you more credit, Father. You believed Vartan and banished him? Why would you do that? Never mind as you did me a favour by taking him out of the picture and it just further proves you are weak and unfit to rule. You should know that nothing you say to me will change the fact that you will die here tonight. Greenhaven will be mine, and a new age will begin. I will rule the city of Greenhaven as their new king!”
The prince walked a few steps around the turret’s balcony, his sword already drawn and held by his side. By now, the storm had barrelled down the mountainside and was only moments away from inundating an unprepared Greenhaven. Arman's face hardened as he turned purposefully to face Derian and slowly drew his sword from its scabbard. Its hilt glistened as the moonlight reflected off the diamonds embedded in its surface. 'If you even have a shred of my courage inside you, stop wasting my time.'
The prince screamed as he charged at his father and attacked him wildly with his sword. Each thrust was blocked solidly and effortlessly by his father’s blade. The sheer force of the attack pushed Arman back around the tower balcony as sparks flew angrily into the air between them, neither sword finding flesh. Momentarily distanced, they both stared with hatred and determination into each other’s eyes. Arman spat at the ground between them. 'What did you think would happen? Did you expect me to just give up?'
Derian stared silently, not moving a muscle.
As though it had angered the gods, Greenhaven was suddenly engulfed by the storm. Sharp crashes of thunder and vicious arcs of lightning erupted all around the city as its people ran to shelter. Sounds of panic rose around them. Water fell heavily from the skies and their skins were blasted with tiny shards of ice, and the clouds blotted out the moon, casting the city into darkness.
A flash of lightning revealed Derian’s second attack as he sprang off the turret wall to bring his sword plummeting down. Arman dropped to one knee, held his blade flat with two hands and thrust upwards to deflect the blow. Derian was sent reeling. As both men neared exhaustion, a bolt of lightning struck the wall between them and knocked them roughly onto their backs.
“Did you really think it would be that easy to just take the throne? You stupid child!” Arman cried.
The king struggled to his feet and again steadied his sword, lunging forward with all his strength to meet his son's weakly held weapon. Derian growled with annoyance and swung his sword as hard as he could in a circular motion over his head. Arman quickly stepped aside to avoid the blow and responded by smashing his fist into Derian’s nose, temporarily blinding him as his eyes filled with tears. Arman used the element of surprise to his advantage and thrust his sword with both hands to land deep into Derian’s stomach.
“It ends here,” said the king.
Another flash of lightning revealed blood, splattered onto the ground from Derian’s wound. The blood had begun to curdle, and eat its way into the stone’s surface. The dark sound of laughter suddenly erupted from Derian’s lips. “You foolish old man! I am immortal,” he spat with a blood-soaked mouth.
Arman's eyes widened as he laid his eyes on his son’s true form. With another flash of lightning, he saw the bite marks on the prince’s pale neck. The scars of his visit to the sorceress’s tower were now clear as daylight on his skin. With fangs that gleamed in the torchlight, grey skin, claws and eyes which shone crimson red… he knew that he had misjudged Derian completely. As Derian had only suffered a stomach wound, Arman knew that he was still in grave danger. Vampires can only be killed by a wound through the heart, being burned to death or beheading.
“Kassina turned you into a vampire? By the gods, what did you offer her in return?” asked the king.
With a swift motion, Derian grabbed his father’s sword by the hilt and ripped it out of his own chest with another explosion of blood. He then swung the blade around with unnatural speed and sank it deep into Arman’s heart. It was as if the preceding fight had been but a simple game to the young prince.
“Allow me to correct your aim, father. This is where the heart is,” he growled. Congealed blood mixed with acidic saliva splattered onto his father’s face, and burned deep into the king’s flesh. Arman dropped to his knees and brought his shaking hands to his chest. They were immediately drenched with steaming hot blood. As his vision blurred, he felt his heart give up the fight, his face hitting the cold stone floor of the turret. His last breath escaped his body as the life disappeared from him.
The bedchamber door suddenly burst open and armed guards flooded the room with swords drawn, followed closely by the queen.
“Something is wrong. The king is in danger and we must find him immediately!” she ordered.
Aidan and Stenwulf stayed close to her side as the rest of the guards spread out inside the room and made their way to the balcony. Stenwulf said, “Arman’s protection orders are immediately underway as a precaution, my Queen.'
A guard stepped out to the balcony and a moment later yelled, “We are too late-the king has been slain!” He turned his vision to the other side of the balcony and screamed, “Vampire!” as another flash of lightning revealed Derian still dressed in his royal clothes. “It’s the prince!” began the guard. “The traitor must di-”
His next words were cut off by the sound of choking as an icy-cold blade ran through his throat. Derian pointed towards Andrielle and yelled, “Leave now, Mother, or you will die! With Father’s death, you are no longer Queen of Greenhaven.” He picked up the dead guard’s sword from the floor and threw it through the air to land deep in Stenwulf’s skull, sending his lifeless body flying into the cold stone wall.
“My Queen, we must get you to safety-now!” shouted Aidan.
He grabbed Andrielle by the hand and ran down the turret stairs. They heard the bedchamber door slam shut with a violent shudder. The remaining guards swarmed like bees onto Derian, fighting with all their strength to allow their queen enough time to escape.
The booming voice of Derian echoed behind them as the vampire prince screamed into the night, “Army of Darkness, hear my call. Greenhaven is ours and with the king’s death, it shall fall!”
The ground rumbled beneath the escape party’s feet and they shared uneasy glances.
'For the queen!' they cried. The sounds of the desperate fighting could be heard echoing down the stairwell.
“Arman, my poor Arman! My own son is a filthy vampire, and the beast killed his own father. Why didn’t he listen to Vartan’s words? Why?” wept Andrielle as she was pulled further down the stairs by Aidan’s strong hands.
“Quickly, my Queen, you have to escape the city-it isn't safe for you here anymore. With the king dead, your life is in danger,” said Aidan.
They finally reached the bottom of the turret after what felt like an eternity. She was greeted with Helenia, another guard, and four knights donning their armour and drawing swords. They were surrounded by two more groups of guards, each man holding a brightly lit torch above his shield as if to ward off the darkness of the evil that had invaded Greenhaven.
Helenia stared at her mother with tearful eyes and cried, 'Tell me it isn't true! Is father dead by Derian's hand?”
The queen looked at her daughter wordlessly and Helenia began to sob quietly.
Aidan looked Andrielle in the eyes and spoke firmly. “My Queen, everything has been carried out as per King Arman’s commands. Helenia, your horses, and your elven armour have been readied for you. The remaining knights will accompany you on your journey. May the gods protect you all.'
The entire city had descended deep into chaos with devastation in every direction. Houses burned bright like lit candlesticks in the night. The remaining guards fought with honour to defend Greenhaven against the invasion of the Forces of Darkness, but new shadow demons spawned continuously from the freshly dead to reinforce the Dark Army’s ranks.
The queen's voice broke as she cried, “My people are dying. We have to save them!'
Aidan put his hands on her shoulders and addressed her directly. “We are under strict instructions to ensure your safety, and I have no choice but to respect King Arman’s orders. We are overwhelmed, and it is only a matter
