Footsteps accompanied by the sounds of armor scraping against another accompanied Izrael and Theodore as they walked through the dungeon. The halls were rundown and looked more like ruins, spider webs were in every corner and the stench of rotting corpses of dead rodents and prisoners were glued into the noses of everyone who stayed too long in the dungeon.
Theodore carried the torch as he led the way down the halls and into the Vampire's lair. Izrael was behind him, bearing his shining white armor and his sheathed long sword. The two transverse the long halls of the dungeon and arrived at the vampire's chamber.
Two guards stood guard outside of the door. Officially, those who were to visit the vampire must have clearance by the clergy or the royal family.
The two stopped and Izrael walked towards the guards, he handed over the letter bearing the sign of the queen herself as proof of their approved visit. The guards acknowledged the letter and after a few creaks and thuds, the guards unlocked the heavy metallic door and pushed it open.
"You sure it's a good idea? Vampires have always been hard to tame or even capture and yet we have one," Theodore asked Izrael.
"When I first visited this abomination, I thought it'd be a great minion for the army. After countless failed attempts and dozens of dead clergy and guards later, I decided it needed to be purified. I asked the queen but she insisted on trying to forcefully make it breed instead."
Theodore was visibly confused about the Queen's idea. The two then walked into the room.
The room was wide, it looked even worse than the rest of the dungeon. Blood stains were smeared all across the walls and the floor was full of scratches and claw marks. A pale creature full of bruises and cuts was chained on to the wall at the other end of the room facing the door. The creature had long hair and a disfigured face, mucus and blood reeked from its exposed cavities and its eyes were bloodshot red. The rest of its body looked crippled and skinny and the bruises from the chains on all its four limbs were visible as it struggled from time to time.
As Izrael and Theodore came closer, the creature looked at the two and growled in an animal-like manner. Theodore was disgusted but Izrael remained composed.
"I thought vampires looked better than that… and acted somewhat like humans.."
"Well, Theodore. The rituals performed by the clergy weren't exactly that face-friendly for our little friend over here."
The vampire began to struggle and opened its mouth wide, revealing its two sharp fangs which craved the blood of humans. It growled, screamed and gnashed its teeth as it kicked and waved its arms in another futile attempt to escape from its chains and release its anger, hunger, and resentment against the humans.
"So... what do I do?" Theodore inquired as it drew its sword, he was still disgusted.
"Well, I called you here to assist me in removing its fangs," Izrael simply replied to the shock of Theodore.
"Wait! You should've told me before we got in here! I mean why, this should be even considered a surprise for me."
Izrael only chuckled and took out a small pair of hardened scissors which were mainly used to cut weeds.
"Take this, I'll restrain the vampire and you use each of these scissors to cut out the fangs. Use one for each and make sure the fangs don't hit the floor nor do they hit each other. The fangs are quite toxic and may melt anything it touches."
Theodore sighed to show his disapproval and reluctantly grabbed the first scissor. Izrael then slowly walked towards the vampire which was still struggling against its chains. Izrael immediately drew out a shining magic crystal which shone a bright blue light that blinded the vampire.
"May the light of the goddess extinguish your sight" Izrael dashed towards the vampire and placed it in a chokehold as he held the magic crystal against the vampire's face.
"Theodore!" Izrael shouted at Theodore who was just standing in place. Izrael and the vampire were struggling against one another. A vampire was more powerful than a human and Izrael was just the vampire's equivalent. The vampire began to choke as it wailed louder and louder.
The guards outside the door were frightened by the sound of the vampire as it completely went into a mania. Theodore bent his knees to the level of the vampire and slowly walked towards the two.
He extended the scissors and proceeded to cut the left fang of the vampire. The vampire's mouth was forced open by its screams but it tried to close it to stop Theodore only to be a second late. The left fang was stuck in-between the scissor and Theodore carefully wrapped the scissor with some leather he had.
Placing the wrapped scissor on the floor, he grabbed the other scissor and slowly repeated what he had done. But, the vampire started to gnash its teeth once more to prevent Theo from removing the second fang, even as Izrael drew the glowing magic crystal nearer, the vampire showed a lot of resistance.
"Open your mouth!" With a shout and a tightened headlock, the vampire was forced to open its mouth as it struggled to breathe.
"Do it!"
Theodore charged at the vampire shouting and cut off the second fang, due to the extra force exerted by Theodore's hands, the entire tooth went loose and part of the vampire's gums were cut.
The vampire wailed it's loudest, its horrid voice echoed through the dungeon and silencing the entire prison block. The human prisoners were more than knowledgeable of what death sounded like and they didn't dare go along with it. The two guards outside of the room were shivering and were praying to their gods for what was even happening inside to stop. Both of the guards knelt and prayed earnestly.
Soon the sounds of struggle and the horrendous voice stopped. An eerie silence befell the dungeon and only two pairs of footsteps echoed.
The two guards were reluctant to open the door but hearing two footsteps, they were convinced it was the two. With their swords drawn, the two guards stood up and slowly pushed the door open. As it creaked, a hand grabbed the top part of the door's corner and frightened the guards.
"Hey, hey, it's us" Izrael and Theodore walked through the half-opened door and hastily made their way through the halls. Theodore had the two scissors wrapped and he carried both in each hand, Izrael was pleased and smiling cheerfully as he fulfilled another mission by the royal family.
The two come across a seemingly dead-end. A brick wall which was different from the rest of the dungeon blocked their path.
"Izrael, what are we going to do with these fangs?" Theodore was curious.
"To secure something powerful, don't ask any further." Izrael coldly answered. Whenever Izrael gives off a cold tone, meant that it was not something Theodore should know, nor should he get himself into. Theodore then kept his silence.
Izrael pushed a brick on the wall and the wall slid open, revealing a hall. The wall connected to the palace in the capital of Atira.
The two walked out into the hall, this part of the castle could only be accessed by guards and no maids or nobles knew or were allowed to enter the place. Only the queen and the royal military or the royal guards were allowed access to the dungeons or even know a vampire is being held underneath this very place.
"I'll be going to meet the Queen. You go form a team and scout the fortress city to the east,"
Theodore nodded and walked away to the left, Izrael stared at the young lad who was wearing his silver armor which clanged as he walked.
"The Fortress City should be liberated in a few more seasons."
Izrael walked to the right, his chin up high and posture superb. The entire kingdom of Atira was still unaware of the tragedy which had befallen the Senadate Theocracy, messengers and travelers passing through the Alnub Forest have mysteriously disappeared preventing the news of the Pope's death to reach the kingdom.
For now, the news is spreading to the northern and southern countries, a new nation is about to make itself known, a new country to shake the foundations and principals of this world.
War will be redefined, millions will die and billions will suffer.