The Dark Magical World of Alamptria (3 page)

She pushed him away. Her eyes had gone red like rubies. Her face became a papery shade of white. She took her hands to his shoulders and began to drive her fingernails into his skin. Confidus grabbed her arms and overpowered her and sat above her, his crucifix dangling in front of her face. She looked at the cross and struck Confidus with her fist, knocking him down onto the pillow.

“Get that thing away from me!” she cried out.

On his back, he shouted, “What in God’s name is going on with you?”

Helana felt instantly calmer. “Oh, I hurt you. I am so sorry, my dear, sweet Confidus.” She pointed at his neck, her finger trembling. “Please, please, for me, take that off.”

Confidus began to get very suspicious. He lay for a moment and thought about her words. Then he reached for the crucifix and took it off his neck. With the crucifix visible again, Helana became uneasy. He felt his heart drop, for he knew then that his suspicions were correct. He held it in front of her. Her pale face wrinkled, and her mouth widened. Fangs sprung from within her mouth, and she made a horrifying growling sound. Quickly, Confidus took the crucifix and put it on her forehead. Helana began to scream as her forehead burned and smoked. Confidus threw her off the bed and quickly got into his clothes. She leapt to her feet, keeping her red eyes on him. She then transformed fully into a creature of ugliness and sprang at him. Confidus struck her with his sword, and she fell back but immediately got up again.

“You cannot defeat me. We take what is ours. Blood I must have, and I will have it. Our race has lived for centuries by feeding on the blood of the living. My race will survive even without you. You cannot take away the gift of immortality. You will become one of us; it is inevitable. You, like the rest of your people, will walk among the undead. Confidus, come embrace the blood of Makoor.” She licked her lips. Her voice had changed terribly.

“Who is Makoor?” asked Confidus.

“Makoor is the master!”

“And what are you?”

“I am a vampire, Helana, queen of the undead. I answer to my dark prince, Clore.”

“Clore?” Confidus was shocked. “You mean, Tyrus Clore is your master?”

“No! I only answer to Tyrus Clore. We all answer to him.”

“And whom does Tyrus Clore answer to?”

“The great master Makoor, king of the vampires. Clore is the only one who sees the master.”

“How many of you vampires are there?”

“We have legions.”

“Why do you show yourselves now? Why has mankind not seen you before?”

“We are creatures of the night. We sleep by day.”

“Where do you sleep?”

“You ask too many questions! And Clore grows angry with me!”

The creature walked closer to Confidus. He held his sword high, freed his dagger from his belt, and made the sign of the cross with the two blades. The creature came at him, and he pressed his makeshift cross against the creature’s body. Helana screamed in rage as her flesh smoked and burned. She pulled herself from the cross and ran out of the bedroom.

“Good God, devils and sacrilege, what is this place!” exclaimed Confidus.

He stormed from the room into the corridor and headed toward the dining hall. With every step the corridor seemed to be closing in on him and growing longer with no visible end. Vines sprang from the wall and floor and wrapped around his body. He struggled to free himself and was able to grab his sword. He thrust it against the vines and cut them off of him, forcing his way out. More vines twisted around his body, but he continued to fight. With a last violent swing of his claymore, he broke free and ran. A vine wrapped around his leg, and he fell, but he rolled over and sliced the vine in two. Two vines came at him again and, this time, got both his legs into a bind. Confidus fell to the ground, hitting his face. Dazed but conscious, he grabbed his claymore and dagger and made the sign of the cross. He pressed the cross against the vines, and they instantly began to smoke and burn. They withered and lost their strength, and Confidus was freed. But there were many vines, and the end of the corridor was a black hole. He turned and leaned his makeshift cross against the wall tangled with vines.

“Devils and sacrilege!” he yelled.

The wall began to smoke, and then it ignited. The fire spread quickly and engulfed the entire corridor. Confidus stumbled to his feet and ran toward the end of the corridor, hardly able to see anything through the smoke. He held his sword and dagger before him, which cleared a path. As he continued to run, the smoke dissipated at the end of the corridor. Before leaving the corridor, he looked back, and the corridor was exactly as it had been before, like nothing had happened.

Alamptria: Red Moon Rising
- Excerpt 3

Melina Hampshire awakens to find herself in a dismal situation. Unaware of where she is, she is horrified to find herself lying in a coffin. What’s even more horrifying is the sheer ugliness and loneliness of the place, a dark place of solitude. As she walks about, she treks through the surroundings and discovers that she is in a large underground crypt. She walks further to come across a flowing stream of water. What happens next can only mean she has lost the life she once had to the new life of the undead.

***

She awakened and blinked until her eyes focused. “Where am I?” she whispered. She squinted but could see little in this dark cave; no daylight found its way inside, and only torches lit the dark stone walls. She was looking through a glass panel, and she put her hands on it. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she realized with horror that she was entombed inside a casket. She panicked and pushed with her whole strength. The panel swung open easily, and she sat up, her face aglow in the torchlight. Trembling, she stepped from the casket, down the steps to the stone base, and gingerly began walking around to observe the horridness of the place.

She was aghast to see Tyrus Clore sleeping in a casket next to hers, identical to the one she’d been in. She grew dizzy, and her breath caught in her throat. She put her hands to her mouth so as to not scream. At her feet slithered two snakes. She shuddered and carefully walked around them and away from Clore. No one else was about, so she freely wandered round the cavernous sanctuary among the dead trees that lay everywhere. A chill raced up her spine. She realized she was inside an enormous eerie underground land of the undead. A slight wind whispered in gentle voices that called to her. But each time she heard someone speak and turned round, no one was there. She continued walking, hoping to find a way out, or at least some clue as to what had brought her here.

She came to a bridge over a flowing stream and gazed down into the water. It called to her, and she crossed the bridge until she was on the other side. At the cave entrance, high above her, was the night sky with bright, twinkling stars and a full moon. At once, a colony of bats flew past her into low-lying fog and frightened her into springing into the stream. When she looked up to make sure the bats were gone, she saw she was within a rocky dead zone. The rock walls were high, and there was no way to escape. Still crouched in the icy water, she heard the low growl of a wild dog. Looking up at a rock above her, she saw a white wolf peering down at her. She became more frightened and gasped for air, clutching her chest. The wolf leapt off the rock and padded toward her. Rather than attack, however, as she’d expected, it sweetly rubbed its body against her exposed legs as if it were a domesticated dog. Melina hesitated, then reached down and petted it. She caressed its soft fur and began to feel more at ease. The wolf panted happily, looking at her. She smiled at the creature and let her gaze drift to the large rock where she had first noticed the wolf. She saw she was not the only person in this dismal land of the dead.

On the rocks stood three beautiful women in flowing gowns of white just as the one she wore. Melina was afraid to call to them, for they did not make a sound and just stared at her as they watched her. Yet while they were not friends, the women didn’t seem to be foes either, so Melina brushed the hair from her eyes and walked out of the stream, then turned back to the wolf. She tapped her leg, and again the wolf came to her and licked her palms. She was glad to have found such an affectionate friend in this desolate place. It was a small comfort, for she noticed a man emerge from the shadows, his eyes glowing red. He wore black, and his face was partially obscured by a cowl. He came out of the darkness toward her. It was Tyrus Clore.

He reached down and scratched the beast between the ears. “The wolf is without a doubt one of the most beautiful creatures of the night. A good evening to you, Melina.” The wolf scooted closer to her. “It likes you,” he said, laughing.

Alamptria: Red Moon Rising
- Excerpt 4

Melina is offered friendship from the evil Tyrus Clore. He pampers her. He offers her food and drink and tries to comfort her. She is introduced to the most bazaar creature. But as evil as Clore is, he shows Melina he loves her. And Melina wonders to herself if a vampire really can love her. She misses her home back in Elysium, but Tyrus Clore ensures her that she will find comfort in her new life in Plaphorius.

***

“Melina, come closer,” Tyrus said. Melina did not move. He picked up his goblet and took a sip. “Ah, still warm.” He smiled. They looked at each other from time to time and said little. “You must be hungry, my dear. Dinner shall be served momentarily.”

Melina fidgeted with her fingers, in no mood for conversation. The joy she’d felt when she first came to Plaphorius was gone. A knock on the door startled her. The squeaky door opened and closed with a sudden clang. A Drogust approached.

“Ah, Cringe,” said Clore, looking down on him. Saliva dripped down from the Drogust’s mouth. “You disgust me, Drogust!” he said, appalled by his appearance. “What brings you to my lair?”

Melina shuddered.

“Speak!” shouted Clore.

Cringe swallowed uneasily. “My lord, it seems there is a problem with one of the Droges.”

“What is this problem?”

“The Droge caused an outbreak against us Drogusts. He has been contained and is being held in the lower chamber. We await your word, my master. What matter of punishment do you decree for him?”

“This behavior will not be tolerated. He must be disciplined,” said Clore.

“My lord, the Droge I speak of has been dealt with on numerous occasions.”

“Who is this imbecile?”

“It is Mischief.”

“What! Him again?”

“It seems any form of punishment given to him is not entirely effective,” said Cringe, smirking in the hopes that Clore would hand down a more effective form of punishment.

“Then let that be the last of it. Drown him and let’s be done with him.”

“Yes, my lord,” said Cringe, smiling with satisfaction.

“Have the Droges be witness to it. Let this be a lesson to all of them,” demanded Clore. Cringe walked away and shut the door behind him. Clore took another sip from his goblet and smirked.

“So this is how you justify your actions,” said Melina.

“On the contrary. His welcome among us has been overstayed.”

Once again the squeaky doors opened and Birus walked in with a tray of food. “Ah, dinner,” said Clore. “Melina, my dear, your meal has arrived.”

She frowned at Birus and gestured to him that she had no desire for food.

“No need to be shy, my dear. Birus has prepared something special for you.” Tyrus stood and held out his hand to her. “Come.”

They walked over to the dining table made of black marble. She stared at the table. “It is nice,” she said awkwardly.

“No, I see it does not please you,” said Clore, frowning.

“It is not that, only that I miss Elysium,” Melina said humbly.

Tyrus Clore was displeased. He raised his voice. “There will be no talk of Elysium! You are among my people now, and you will show respect.”

Melina stayed silent, pouting and staring at the plate before her. Birus took off the lid from her dinner, revealing the exquisite food set before her. “Don’t think of me as a monster. I am merely suggesting you put all past things behind you.”

“This meal, it is my favorite dish from my homeland. How did you know what I like?”

“I have read your mind. I know all that you like. So you see, I can bring you happiness.”

Melina gave him a frown. She didn’t like her mind being read. “Well, perhaps just a bite or two,” she said, but only played with the food.

Tyrus smiled and took another approach. “The roasted pheasant is quite good.” Tyrus smiled ear to ear. “Very well, perhaps later. Do as you wish.”

Melina stared down at her plate.

“Cheer up, my sweet. At least you are in a much better state than that poor pheasant.”

They looked at each other in a stalemate.

“Petunia,” said Clore.

“Would you stop reading my mind!” exclaimed Melina harshly.

Clore laughed; she was easy to tease.

Saddened, her thoughts were on her beloved Caprius. No matter how much Clore pampered her, she couldn’t accept life outside of her homeland. She missed her friends dearly and wished she had never stepped foot in the coach that led her to this dismal land of solitude.

Minutes turned to an hour. Her food was now cold and remained untouched. Not even a well-cooked meal she usually fancied could lift her spirits. She finally broke the silence.

“Who is Cliea to you?”

Tyrus Clore sat back in his chair and clasped his hands. “She is my mother. Cliea is the eldest of all female vampires. She has not seen a sunrise for countless centuries. She was born to this world by Makoor and brought death to her mother. Her transition to the undead brought legions of our kind. What she started was from a seed planted. That is why mankind will cease to exist. She is mother to us all. And she has the power to condemn me.”

“Good for her. Better sooner than later,” Melina said under her breath.

“She has great powers. And her sister shares the same qualities.” Clore paused and grazed the tabletop with his fingertips. Melina pushed away her plate and sat back in her chair. She took a deep breath and felt weak. She slid back her chair and slowly stood. Clore sat and watched as she walked about.