THE UNWILLING VAMPYR

CHAPTER ONE***

    The wind was howling in a way that was almost like it knew something deliberate and important would soon be happening, and it was trying its best effort to stop it, by screaming through the trees hitting all of the leaves, turning them in all different directions. The wind was saying no, now is not the time. Here is not the place, as the breeze was growing wilder through the densely wooded forest.  Finally, the fiercely blowing current began to calm its struggle to stop the unknown from setting down here in the crisp late fall air, leaving the woods once again peaceful and quiet.  The silence was suddenly shattered for a second time in the night, by the screeching of an owl.  The piercing, unwelcome, high, pitched, cry was cutting through the woodlands usual tranquil silence with a blind urgency.  The nocturnal birds senses was alert to something and he was using his voice to send out an assertive message to the other wild inhabitants, that, like the owl called this forest home.  After flying low through the trees and making sure he had spread the alarm from one end of the forest to the other, the owl had successfully completed his warnings so the loud screeching could now come to an abrupt halt.  Once again, the bird let his normal hunger quickly take over any precedence with issuing any caution to the animals, as the owl instinctually changed from just a night comfortable bird to a natural bird of prey, as it flew majestically away in search of this night’s meal.                                                                                                                  Directly overhead, the cloudless sky held the harvest moon that was in its final phase fullness.  It revealed the type of moon that one always expects to see in horror movies, lurking above the old haunted mansions that usually come complete with black iron gates and the menacing life-size gargoyles standing guard.  With all of the leaves that were still attached to the many trees populating these woods, the small beams of silver luminescent moon light that was streaming through, was making it very difficult to see anything clearly. When the shrouding and unforgiving, darkness of the forest was quickly being replaced by an unfamiliar light in its center that was growing larger, a deathly quiet ascended down over the trees, the animals, the bugs. Nothing was moving nothing was making a sound, except for the strange light that had started making a sound with energy crackling in and around the foreign illumination. As the popping and crackling began, the wild, animals that had been fixed in place began to run in the opposite direction of the growing mass, which had started out in the shape of a perfect, triangle and the size of a magazine or comic book, but as it was growing larger, the eventual size was still unknown.  It had first appeared amid the trees and brush in a brilliant angelic white, which had lit up about a ten foot area surrounding the expanse. The emitting light shed a dazzling brightness onto all of the areas that had been previously cloaked in the night that the moonlight was unable to touch. The brilliance of the light, was so radiant and bright, it made the ten foot area resemble a clear, beautiful, sunny, day with a cloudless, sky that held a blazing, sun directly overhead.  The crackling energy had stopped, but now the unknown thing was slowly changing colors.  The white was ebbing away and being replaced by myriad shades of red.  They seemed to be merging into one another as the colors started to violently swirl together.  It was still in the shape of a triangle but the colors were no longer changing slowly, but evolving rapidly through the entire family of garnet tinted reds.  The swirling mass finally settled on a deep dark crimson that matched some of the already changed late autumn leaves that were both still clinging to the many branches that were owned by a large number of trees and also those that had already broken there bond and floated down to the forest floor.

The three-sided shape had suddenly stopped growing and was now the size of a single car garage door.  When looking through the three-sided object, it was found not to be solid, as the foliage and brush beyond the shape could be seen, as it took on a wavy and rippled appearance.  It was like looking through dirty, murky, water.  A faint outline began to take shape in the center of the three cornered configuration.  The soft contours of the outlines gradually began to transform from a barely there misty haze, to a solid fixed body of matter.  It moved out of the triangle fluidly, revealing itself to be a man.  He silently walked away from the mass to stand in a small clear patch of grass just to the now apparent entryways left.  While walking, the stranger did not turn his head either left or right to take in any of his new surroundings.  Instead, he kept his gaze fastened directly on the crimson doorway, clearly waiting on something that he alone knew.  Seconds ticked by on an invisible clock, until once again, another hazy mist started to coalesce amid the redness, eventually transforming into the same silhouetted shape as before.  Just as his predecessor before him, he mirrored the first man’s steps exactly, by moving out of the mass to glide with the same unmistakable self-assured walk. Also not breaking any of the hundreds of dead branches and twigs, that were scattered or strewn abundantly over the dirty ground, that had previously fallen from any one of the trees, during the gusting winds, that the fall of the year famously produce.  Man number two stood rock still beside his partner, who had used the now obvious portal to travel through the gateway separating there origin from ours.  Then at precisely thirteen second intervals, transparent outlines from the triangle center, would transform into a flesh, blood, and bone male.  One by one in a hurried succession, the newest man would stand idly by the previous male that had emerged from the mystical entrance until the fourth and final uninvited guest had arrived here at their destination.  Standing so close together, it was close to hopeless in telling them apart in the inherent darkness. The portal was casting off harsh ruby colored shadows across the ground that bounced off the wooden husks of the trees until finally resting upon the men’s faces, causing each ones features to take on a red tinted glow that made all of the men resemble some made up version of the devil and at any moment horns would be erupting from each males forehead.  As the intruders devils, but most assuredly, they were something more than mere mortal men as well.  Each was very similar in appearance, with hair so white it glowed silver in the places where the moons iridescent beams would hit. It came to rest towards the middle of each man’s back and was currently pulled together by a band to rest at the nape of their necks.  In appearance the men looked to be in there late seventies but they all exuded a powerful sense of vitality and strength. Three of the men wore beards that were as white as their hair and closely trimmed to their faces, with the remaining man being clean shaven.  There angled features were amazingly average, and even with their age they all only had the slightest hint of wrinkles beginning to show through on their pale, oval shaped faces.  The group of men’s eyes however, was anything but average, as they each pair could hold you in a powerful and penetrating stare that was both inviting and challenging at the same time.  Slanted thin eyebrows hovered above the deep, dark violet colored irises that undoubtedly created the most piercing gaze when looking directly into their lavender depths.  They were all tall with a common build, but none the less strong or intimidating.    To add to their alikeness, the group was dressed identically, by wearing head to toe brocade robes in a bright blood red color.  The scarlet cloaks had very large hoods that at the present time, were not being taken advantage of, even though, the men could feel the biting sting of the winds that had once again started to blow rather severely, which was common with late October weather.  The garments being worn by the assembly, was plain and unadorned, but somehow, the clothes were far from anything ordinary and obviously completely out of place here among the tangled green and brown bushes, as was the magical entryway, that the quartet had emerged from only minutes before. On each stranger’s right wrist lived a shiny silver metal band about an inch in width.  Even here in the darkened forest, the wristlets had a shimmery translucent glow that highlighted unknown symbols that were intricately engraved into each bracelets entirety.  As if on cue, each man moved in unison until they created a semi-circle facing the triangle. As a fevered determination was starting to be shared equally on all of their faces, the collection of individuals quickly reached for grasped their allies forearm until they were all connected together, creating a united front amongst them.  As they all held one another’s arms in a rock hard grip of carefully controlled power, each man closed his eyes and spoke.  The words were being murmured slowly, but collectively with all of the men’s tone made one unified voice that was deep and powerful.  The enchanting sound was being carried gracefully through the woods, being helped by the ever increasing winds that were gusting more by the minute.  The lyrical sound of their collective voices was bringing through a confidence that only learned wisdom can produce.  It cut through the quiet darkness, erasing the huddled coven’s miraculous feat of being deathly silent that they had all mastered since their arrival.  The words being spoken aloud would sound totally foreign to any of the hunters who would once again be traipsing all over these grounds the very next day, all vying for the same thing.  To fell one of the handsome bucks who stalk through these woods.  Some use rifles, some use bows, but their intentions were always the same, get the deer that would get hung on a wall someplace in their home, or more importantly, give the hunter the bragging rights, that only taking down a multi- pointed buck can produce. The words were both melodic and lyrical in tone and speech, so listening to the intonation, was mesmerizingly depleting, tranquil but still knowing something is going to be happening.  The feeling it left you with was one you often felt as a child when listening to a bedtime story and desperately wanted to hear the ending of the often adventurous or terrifying scary tale, but before reaching the exciting conclusion, the peaceful and restful state of sleep would once again claim you as theirs.  The group spoke

“YB ETH KDRA”

“YB ETH ILGIH”

“TA HSTI GNTIH”

“VGIE IMH NCBAUSTSE”

“VGIE IMH ASMS”

“GBRIN IMH OHRFT”

“HSTI I ASCT”

After the last word was uttered, an eerie quiet fell over the dense woods that was unlike anything that had come before it.  There were no birds flying or chirping to one another, as was so common when it was this close to dawn. Even though not a peek of sunlight had begun its eastern climb into the sky, birds always seemed to know exactly when the sun was close to rising and chose to alert the world of the morning with their chirping songs.  However, at the end of the men’s recitation, the birds were alerting no one. The other wild animals that called this forest home were also observing the same deathly silence as the birds. Even the wind that had been gushing through the trees with a blind speed only moments before, had suddenly stopped, leaving not a solitary leaf to sway back and forth.  Along with the silence from with-in the forest, revealing that there was nothing moving inside the confines of the woodlands, there were no sounds emanating from beyond them as well.  A switch had been flipped and turned off any noises from the outside boundaries surrounding the large wooded area on all sides.  Gone, were the distant sounds of cars gone, were the crickets with their annoying loud tweets to other one another.  There was nothing except the deafening quiet that was quickly taking over the woodlands and was pushing in from all sides.  When the four men had completed what they needed to say, they opened there eyes and simultaneously relinquished one another’s arms in unison.  The troupe began looking at the portal with anticipated stares and after a few moments had passed, a released sigh was hastily exhaled amongst the quartet, as a small bundle appeared inside the triangle depths, to lay in a clump of wrappings on the shapes solid garnet colored floor.  The first man that had journeyed through entryway was also the first to swiftly rush forward, bend down and retrieve the newly arrived package.  When the light roll of cloth coverings was tucked safely away in the capable man’s arms, he moved the wraps away just enough to reveal a small sleeping baby.  The child had not stirred during the apparent magical process of transporting the infant from wherever the opposite doorway in the triangle was located, to this leaf covered spot.  The infant, who was no more than a few days old in age, already had a full tuft of chestnut colored hair that was downy soft.  The babe’s delicate features and pale supple skin were cherub looking and perfectly beautiful.  Each man stopped to admire the child that was resting so easily in their companion’s arms.  They each had an equal measure of pride, awe, and apprehension in their wizened eyes.

“I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MUST BE DONE BUT I FEAR THE INFANT WILL BE LOST OR DISCARDED HERE” the second man who came through the triangle said in a tightly clipped tone.

The one holding the still peaceful baby clutched the little one protectively tighter in the safe cradle of his arms, after picturing the dreadful scene his friend had planted in his mind with his words of the child being lost or discarded, while looking down into the serene face of the sleeping infant.

“YES ITS TRUE THERE ARE A LOT OF WHAT IF’S ABOUT THIS SITUATION, AND THE FACT THE CHILD WILL KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT HE WILL ASCEND TO BECOME, OR FOR WHAT HE WILL BE INTENDED TO DO.  WE HAVE TO PUT OUR TRUST INTO KNOWING WE ARE DOING WHAT HAS TO BE DONE, SO THE BOY WILL AT LEAST BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO LIVE.  BROTHERS, THIS IS OUR ONLY CHANCE, TO TRY AND KEEP HIM SAFE, UNTIL THE TIME COMES WHEN IT WILL BE UPON HIM TO DECIDE HIS FATE.” The man said while still holding the baby.  He was using a confident resolve when he spoke that he knew he had to maintain.

“LETS DO THE TASK AND BE DONE HERE” another one of the men said in a loud and hurried voice.

The group once again let an audible sigh escape their lips, as a stony resolve had replaced the combined look of worry and apprehension they had been collectively wearing since there magically maneuvered arrival.  The man named Javon, who was still cradling the newborn protectively, bent down and laid the baby boy atop a thick mound of autumn leaves that were sitting idly at the base of an old oak tree  By its size, it was clear, it had been calling this wooded area home for decades long past. The large pile of leaves that was being used as a stand in for a bed had already went through the usual and expected custom of being a vibrant, flourishing green, and then turning a mixture of fire lit oranges, dark browns, and muted reds. Then when the leaf is ready it lets go to slip down to the ground to combine with the dozens that had fallen before it.  During the handoff, Javon took special care not to awaken the tiny slumbering baby, as he, along with the remaining three men behind him knew, the longer the boy stayed sleeping, the better for them all.  The man called Tremayne stepped forward, showing that he too had been carrying something in his arms.  The object was easily recognizable as a book.  The tome appeared to be very old, as it looked to have the original bindings covering it, which show the books bindings to be an unknown animal Hyde, which even being worn very thin, the stretched leather still worked perfectly at protecting the contents of the books. The pages with-in were numerous and made of thick parchment, that had faded to a dull yellow tone over the many lifetimes of the books existence.  The volume was also unique as the front and back covers gave no hints as to what the weathered vellum pages held.  There was no visible title, markings or symbols.  Even the author it seemed wanted no credit for their writings on the parchments inside the leather antique.  Tremayne carried the book with care and respect. He showed the same care as he slowly opened the vintage manuscript while slowly closing his eyes.  The stiff crinkled parchment turned pages started to flip dramatically of their own accord.  About half way through the book, the pages instantly stopped turning, to lay there open.  Tremayne opened his eyes to look down at the page that was in answer to the silent question, he had asked with-in his mind.  After quickly scanning down the right side page, he shook his head in a slight nod to let the other three men know he had what was needed.  He slowly extended his arms in the direction of the moon-filled sky.  The book however, that Tremayne had been holding with-in those same arms did not move.  It stayed fixed in the same place it had been since its opening.  Invisible hands were holding the tome in this spot, while keeping it from falling to the ground.  With his arms raised high, Tremayne looked to the boy with a direct and calculated stare.

In a deep self-assured voice, Tremayne pledged one word “TRICEOPTON”

All at once, a golden shimmering circle starts slowly enveloping the sleeping baby.  After it had completed a ring around the entire length of the child, it quietly dissipated back into the darkness, leaving no signs that it was ever there.  The mystical experience went by unheeded by the baby boy, who was still peacefully sleeping and therefore very unaware of the unique situation and becoming with these four men. It was clearly amazing that the child had not awoke a single time during the entire exchange, and was not close to even now, if you listened closely to the newborn, you could hear soft little snores escaping his nose and mouth, signaling his deep slumber.  Another one of the men, the one named Tanyth had yet to speak, but chose to do so now. 

“WILL THAT BE ENOUGH TREMAYNE?”  Tanyth asked the question quickly, before he could change his mind, as he was still unsure if he even wanted to know if it turned out what they were doing here was not enough and it was all for naught.

Before Tremayne had the chance to answer his trusted allies’ inquiry, Javon decided to speak to all of the assemblage standing around the infant in a guarded circle.

“YES THE SPELLCHANT WILL HOLD UNTIL THE ASCENSION BEGINS FOR THE BOY.  TREMAYNE AND I CAN FEEL THE POWERFUL ENERGY FROM THE CASTING OF PROTECTION THAT NOW SURROUNDS HIM.”  Javon said to all three of his loyal companions.

As he finished talking, Javon cast a furtive glance that once again landed on the baby boy, who he had only known for a few hours, but had already slipped inside his heart.  The baby snuggling up tightly in his blankets and Javon was relieved to know that he honestly did look quite comfortable on the bed of colored autumn leaves. Javon was also thankful for the magick casting that was performed before their arrival that would prevent the cold from emanating from the ground creating a warm insulation of heat from the leaves, so none of the chill that was so common this time of year, would ever enter the sleeping infant.  He quickly had to look away from the small boy, as his mind was suddenly conjuring an opposite scene of what the four men had orchestrated and meticulously planned.  Instead of a peacefully, sleeping, baby that was quickly found.  His mind kept showing him a mound of dirty, torn blankets that held a baby who was never found and had succumbed to being exposed to the unforgiving elements of Mother Nature, or even worse, any of the wild animals that live in this forest, could very easily overtake a defenseless newborn.  Trying his best to wipe the horrible images away, before he was changing his mind and deciding to take the boy back with him, he looked to Tremayne for help.

“HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR THE CHILD TO BE FOUND AFTER WE HAVE LEFT HERE?” Javon asked Tremayne in a tight but still hopeful voice.

Tremayne’s eyes once closed as he searched for the answer that only Javon had asked, but Tremayne knew he would be answering to all of them, as they each needed to know as well.  After a few tense moments had passed, his eyes snapped open to scan his most trusted allies’ faces, which were patiently waiting for the results.  The gathering of men had grown accustomed to hearing Tremayne’s self-assured confidence, whenever he was explaining a spellchant, he had cast, so as he started speaking, using that same assertive and positive voice, all three men felt at ease while listening to his response.

“REST ASSURED THAT HE WILL BE FOUND WITH-IN AN HOUR OF OUR DEPARTURE. “ Tremayne replied.

The three remaining men all nodded their heads once in a unified agreement. Showing they were both relieved and satisfied with Tremayne’s information. The fourth and final man that was brought into being through the triangle was Merryk.  After hearing that the boy would be found quickly, made him once again believe that they were doing the right thing for the child, Merryk knew he would not have easy decisions to make once he knew the truth, but the child did have his mother’s white light. So he did have it in him, he would just have to find it. 

“WE HAVE COMPLETED THE PLAN HERE BROTHERS. I FEEL IT CALLING US HOME. THE FASTER WE DEPART, THE FASTER SOMEONE FINDS HIM, SO HIS NEW LIFE CAN BEGIN. HERE HE WILL BE A NORMAL LITTLE BOY AND A NORMAL TEENAGER UNTIL THE ASCENSION. AT THAT TIME, WE WILL RETURN AND RECLAIM HIM.”  Merryk said to the group.

Javon, Tremayne, and Tanyth hurriedly agreed upon Merryk’s words, as they wanted and needed the boy to stay alive and if being able to live a normal life even for a brief time, was a part of the deal, then even better.  Also like Merryk, the other men could feel the supernatural power starting to surge through the triangle.  They each one gazed briefly at the cherub like boy, knowing that this would be all they would have left of him until he was ready. Until it was time for the ascension, and even then not all live through the ascension process, He would however, because he was special, he was unique, he was the only one of his kind. Standing in front of the mystical gateway, each man in exactly the same order they had come through the opening, entered the triangles eerie depths to transport home.