Thais Hostel VII: Survival

[Midnight Slayer]

Previous entries in the series:

Thais Hostel: The Murder of Annie White
viewtopic.php?t=5591&sid=7c9c1b9d9679a6 ... 6402c4715d

Thais Hostel II: Owin's Revenge
viewtopic.php?t=5611&sid=7c9c1b9d9679a6 ... 6402c4715d

Thais Hostel III: The Black Chariot
viewtopic.php?t=5677&sid=7c9c1b9d9679a6 ... 6402c4715d

Thais Hostel IV: Black Clouds
viewtopic.php?t=5681&sid=30343fcb5592f1 ... cbdda81590

Thais Hostel V: Black Hearts
viewtopic.php?t=5734&sid=641931f42220b0 ... 092a1cd89d

Thais Hostel VI: A Dance With Death
viewtopic.php?t=5766&sid=a2cb4871d221b8 ... fc1011af89


Thais Hostel VII: Survival
By Master Slayer / Midnight Slayer
_____________________________

Chapter I: For Banor

Annie has feelings of betrayal and disappointment while standing on stage with a knife held to her neck. Even the rain couldn’t wash away Elenore’s stained blood from the sharp steel pressed firmly against her throat. She is devastated from the belief that she has been manipulated by Marziel. She was murdered and turned into a creature of the night against her own will by his brides. Now, she has become conflicted with the reality that she must continue to feed off the living as a means to survive. Viewing the carnage unfolding from the stage and hearing the cries of the innocent has filled her with a sense of guilt. She refuses to be a pawn in Marziel’s twisted horror fantasy of murder and retribution.

“Don’t be fooled!”, Valkera warns her family and fellow Roses. “She is one of them. Hold your ground and clear the theater.” The Blackhearts and Roses move strategically with their knights in a circle around their shooters and healers as a barrier of defense. Screams from every direction fill the theater as the helpless scramble for their lives. A vampire that climbed the outer wall leaps down to attack Theoden. The Red Rose knight shield bashes the foul creature to the ground from mid-air. Man of Electric and Drarice Blackheart heal the wounded around them, and help lift up those who have fallen in the scuffle. Osiris Blackheart steps out from the circle and draws his bow with his sights on Natalie. An inquisitor clashing with a cloaked vampire collides with Osiris from behind causing him to miss his shot. His arrow is sent off course then split through Phoebe Monroe’s temple, pierced her brain, and dropped her to the floor. Natalie loses her breath and blood soaked tears fill her eyes. She had to witness her sister’s death by an arrow intended for her. Lord Xavy and Munch break from the group and summon their paladin familiars. The duo trail blaze through swarms of vampires scorching them with holy flames.

After breaking through the west exit, Owin charges toward the entrance of the theater where Mihiron was helping others escape. Mihiron could see the unhinged werebeast on a warpath in his direction then whistled for his faithful Pretinha to take him down. Pretinha lunges through the air landing on Owin’s back biting at his neck and shoulders. Sal Paradis fires two spectral bolts from his crossbow hitting both of Owin’s knees and brings him to the ground. Pretinha pins the beast, biting at him until Mihiron comes to her. Owin surrenders and returns to his human form.

Marziel shouts out to the audience, “You are no better than us! You are murderers that stalk and hunt your prey. What makes us so different, hmm?! Do you thirst for the kill, as we do?” Midnight attempts to grab Annie and pull her back down from the stage. Marziel swiftly strikes Midnight by kicking him in the face from above. After being knocked to the ground, Midnight whispers to Slayer once more. He is met with silence, then sits up in a daze with slain victims beside him. The sounds around him are muffled and his ears ring in his head. Marziel continues his psychotic rant holding the blade to Annie’s throat, “No, that would be an understatement. You are worse than us by far! You wage war against your own kind. You murder and betray your loved ones.” Midnight looks up and sees Annie with a great look of concern on her face. “Midnight!” she shouts to him. Natalie walks in Midnight’s direction through the pouring rain with blood filled tears dripping down her face. She’s wielding a large knife with a skull grip handle matching Marziel’s.

A voice speaks out to Midnight, “Let me help you.” A woman in a red dress helps him stand to his feet. Marziel watches from the stage and taunts Dama Blackheart, “Oh Natalie, I think this nice young lady in red would like to dance with you.” Dama anticipates Natalie coming toward her. She closes her eyes knowing she will be forced to defend herself against evil. She says a quick prayer, whispers the words “For Banor” and opens her eyes. Natalie swings the knife wildly at Dama’s face in a burst of emotional outrage. Dama instinctively tilts her head to dodge the attack and plunges the tip of her sword into Natalie’s stomach. She lifts her sword up high and Natalie painfully slides closer down to the hilt. Dama waves her sword to the side and Natalie’s body is thrown from it. Her remains lay a bloodied mess next to the fallen attendees of the play.

Members of the Red Rose continue to thin out the swarms of vampires and creatures of darkness while Midnight climbs his way up to the stage. After seeing the death of Natalie, Marziel loses his patience. “Release her!.” Midnight demands. “As you wish!” Marziel replies with a grin and uses invisibility to vanish from sight. Marziel reappears behind Midnight and swipes at him with his knife. His blade slices Midnight’s back and rips his cloak before he vanishes again. Annie worries for Midnight until Marziel suddenly appears visible again inches from her face. He walks beside her and slowly runs the blade across her throat gently without breaking her skin before vanishing one last time. He chose to spare them both. The sound of wings flap above Annie and Midnight as they turn their heads to the sky. The two of them watch as a bat flies out of the Open-Air theater and disappears into the black storm clouds.

Annie looks to Midnight frightened and pleads with him, “If the guards or inquisitors apprehend us, they will likely kill us both. We must leave while we still have the chance.” Midnight agrees and they make a run for the exit. One of the Red Legion guards sees them fleeing to the outside. He attempts to stop them until Mihiron holds out his arm and blocks him. “Let them go”. The guard becomes furious and raises his voice, “They are wanted criminals. Violent dangerous criminals!”. Mihiron replies, “I didn’t see them harming anyone.” The guard stands down while Dama passes by them both.

_________________________________

Chapter II: The Escape

The storm settles and puddles of rainwater mix with blood on the muddy path outside of the theater. Corpses are scattered about from the aftermath of the attack. “We cannot leave it behind!” Annie shouts, as she pulls Midnight’s hand. She takes him to the chariot and opens one of the doors. She reaches inside and grabs the book of Banor left in the seat. Annie hands the book to him and looks in his eyes, “Take this with you little elf.” Midnight accepts the book and looks to the west exit. “The road is clear”, he tells Annie. “Let’s make a break for it”. The two run off into the night racing through the streets of Thais, fleeing for their survival. Dama Blackheart follows them from the theater trailing behind.

Annie and Midnight swiftly run through back alleyways and turn heading north on Temple Street. To their surprise, the north gate is unattended. Annie can barely catch her breath. “We can leave for Greenshore!” she says. When the two of them approach the bridge, Henricus steps out from behind the city wall with a blessed wooden stake gripped in his hand. “To hell with the both of you!” Henricus shouts and grabs ahold of Midnight. “Do you realize what you have done?”. Midnight tries to shake off Henricus but he is overpowered. “The demon is in you, isn’t he?! I swear I’ll cut him out myself!”. Henricus swings the blessed stake at Midnight's heart. Annie screams “No!” and tries to shove Midnight out of the way. The wooden stake misses his heart and stabs him in his shoulder.

Annie attacks Henricus, cursing and scratching at him relentlessly. Midnight is wounded terribly and is losing a substantial amount of blood. He can hear Annie fighting with Henricus behind him. He grips his book of Banor and tries to ignore the pain, but it doesn’t help. He takes a few more steps and clears the bridge. His vision begins to fade and his heart slows to a faint beat. With his last breath, he calls out to Slayer once more before collapsing in the grass outside of the north gate. In another realm, an old elf writing away at his desk is stricken with sudden feelings of suffering and death.

Annie claws her nails across Henricus’ face, bloodying his eyes and vision. She breaks free from him and runs to Midnight laying still in the grass. “Wake up, little! We have to run!”. She nudges him but he doesn’t respond. “Little elf! You have to wake up, please!”. Tears begin to pour from her eyes. “Do the magic with your eyes, little! Wake up!”. Henricus shouts out to the Red Legion guards further down the road. “Stop that girl! She is a vampire!”. Annie turns her head back and sees the guards heading her way. She screams in anger and frustration, “Why won’t you wake up?!!!” She wipes her tears and sees the book of Banor next to his body. She tries to lift him in a desperate attempt to save him, but fails. She has no choice but to flee. She grabs his book once again and runs off into the woods outside of Greenshore. She lures Henricus and the guards after her and away from Midnight. Minutes later, Dama Blackheart arrives at the north gate.

Dama finds Midnight, alone, deceased, and laying in the field. She slowly and cautiously approaches him and kneels down. She pulls the hood from his cloak away from his face and sees his elf ears come out. “Poor little guy. Oh, and he’s wounded!” she thought to herself. “Little elf, are you awake?” she asks, with no response. She puts her hand to his neck and doesn’t feel a pulse. “He’s so young. I cannot leave him here. Where would I take him?”. Dama has an irrational belief that there is still hope for him. She lifts his blood soaked body in her arms and dashes with him in haste toward Ab’dendriel.

______________________________________________

Chapter III: A New Day

07:48 - The next morning at the Thais Hostel.

The front doors of the Hostel swing open and the bell from above rings out. Xavier, the caretaker of the Inn, has finally returned from his vacation in Port Hope. The sleepless and manic temporary inn-keeper Frodo walks from around the counter and confronts him.

Xavier: Good morning to you, Frodo! How was business while I was away?

Frodo points his finger in Xavier’s face.

Frodo: Never ask me to watch over the Hostel again!

Frodo walks around Xavier and storms out the door.

“Sheesh! What’s come over him?” Xavier thinks to himself. He walks around the counter and finds an Antica Times newspaper from the Alanui Institute. “What's this?”. He reads about Owin’s attack at the Hostel along with reports of vampires and a demonic elf in Thais.

“What happened while I was gone?!” he asks himself.

The doors of the Hostel swing open again and the bell rings out.

A new guest has arrived.

_______________________________

-MS-

[Midnight Slayer]

The story continues in my self titled tale Midnight Slayer.

You can find it here: viewtopic.php?t=5704&sid=5f1e7ad17f5294 ... fd7947443a

-MS-