The Vampire Trilogy - Forsaken Soul

Chapter 7 - Rise

There's a change coming, tonight I can feel it.

If you want to start a war... Try to change something

The time had come, Lucias would fall. Ethan didn't know it, but I held the better hand, I had a better plan. I lay in my bed in the apartment, October still slept on the couch, it was a one bedroom apartment and I wasn't upgrades, especially at the moment Lucias and I weren't seeing eye to eye. Razor was also ignoring me, he disliked my... alliance with The Lost but I didn't see the problem, but then again a politician, I was a soldier and I believed in an Iron fist and the stronger side. I lay in my bed cautious of what was to come. I didn't fear anything, it seems to believe but to me I felt like I had nothing to lose, nothing really care for. If I died ... again who would really affect. My family were long gone, my only friends would most likely die in the battle with me. I had nothing to lose. Someone told me once that when a man loses everything, he becomes truly indestructible, truly immortal. I was going to make a move, that would set off security and sent Lucias private army on me and I would have to rely on the trust of Ethan and The Lost, did I trust them? No. I knew however if they didn't help me that it would just lead to someone taking his place and the house of Barratus maintaining its rule. I don't think The Lost would stand for that, I was offering a chance to destroy Barratus forever, they would stand with me.

The time hit 11pm and I heard bell buzz, October and I headed down and meet with Jezzabella down the stairs, Jezzabella was ... different, she wasn't a vampire or a werewolf but something different. She was as powerful as any vampire but shared none of its weaknesses. I allowed her into my apartment where all three of us got ready for the oncoming fight. I took with me, two stakes taped to my leg and my sword that I wore on my back, I knew I would get to Lucias with the sword, the new security guard Barry was quite friendly to me. October came prepared with her own sword and shotgun on her back, her sword was shorter than mine so that when she wore it on her back you could only see it by directly looking at it, she also came prepared with a sawed off shotgun on her back, Jezzabella was similarly outfitted but she did not have the shotgun only the small sword. We left my apartment at half eleven, I approached the front of Sneddon Industries and answered my phone, it was Ethan "All in position?"

"Yeah, were ready, just make sure you do your part no funny business"

"Your handing me the city, trust me, you have my word"

"I mean it"

"You have ... my word" Ethan reminded me

"Can we trust them?" October turned and said to me

"We have no choice" I replied

"Don't worry, Ethan won't leave you, I mean too much to him" Jezzabella replied, I was worried by this, her loyalties were deep

"Good to know, I suppose", we headed into the building and were stopped by Barry, "Alright there, Damon, how are things?"

"I'm doing well Barry, you?"

"I'm fine Damon, must say you’re pretty well armed, the boss got you running errands"

"Yeah he called me"

"Well he usually lets me know but I suppose he let it slip, go on ahead up"

"Cheers Barry, how's the family"

"There good Damon, Lucias I think is going to offer me a pay rise"

"Make sure you get it out of him" I laughed, Jezzabelle had been stood still the entire time watching Barry talk, I was worried and anxious by this mainly as I thought she might give our cover away but that's when it happened, "He knows!" She shouted, she slipped round behind faster than I could blink and snapped his neck. "NO! What the fuck are you doing Jezz!"

"He knows we need to get in the elevator before Lucias blocks us off" Within the instant we all ran our fastest into the elevator using our vampire speed, we were there in the blink of an eye, we got in and the elevator started going up. "Jezza, how could you do that?"

"Wow this is the ruthless Damon Smith? The man who broke fingers and ripped of finger nails in an interrogation room"

"This is different!"

"How? Because you knew him? Because he wasn't a number to you, don't show weakness! Learn to act on a motive"

"That's how you get caught and killed"

"That's how you survive"

"Maybe for you but with Lucias, he'll kill you in seconds"

"If Ethan hears of your compassion for an overweight security guard, he'll kill you for weakness"

"I'm in charge here not you! You will learn your place!"

"I heard your story yano Damon, you don't sound to different from your commanding officer" I slammed her against the side of the elevator "You’re a dead man if you harm me, you'll make more than one enemy, so go on, how brave are you?" she said

"Don't you ever refer me to that coward or I will personally kill you! I'm trying to teach you the difference between surviving and dying my Lucias's hand, Ethan put you under my orders and you will obey" she pushed me off her "Fine" We reached the top floor and when the door opened we were surrounded by five vampiric guards with swords, we armed ourselves and ran into the battle ahead, The battle was brutal, people were beheaded and others had a silver sword plunged through their hearts, I ran from the elevator and went straight for the guy in the middle, I jumped and slammed my sword through his heart, when I turned I swung my sword and decapitated another guard, by the time I had turned and that guard's body had fallen, only October, Jezzabelle and myself remained. Jezzabelle radioed Ethan, to get over here and wipe all security as we faced Lucias, he happily agreed and he came himself with an army of The Lost. Jack was pleased to be on the front lines.

I opened the doors and walked in with a girl on either side, Lucias turned around to face me, Razor standing by his side. "Well well well, I knew you weren't to be trusted Damon, to bad poor Barry had to pay the price and coming here with the Fallen Angel girl, something I didn't expect of you, to deal with outcasts"

"Don't speak of my people that way" Jezzabelle said

"Why would you do this Damon, I offered you a place in Barratus, I offered you the best life a vampire could have" Razor said to me

"This isn't the best life a vampire could have, it’s the opposite, you’re a slave to a politician and a coward" I replied

"You have quite the mouth on you" Lucias looked at me

"I must Lucias, you taught me something, you don't get to the top by sitting following orders, you take action, you make deals and you fight your way there, Razor was right in one sense, Razor you told me that the people who get to the top of the Vampire Underworld are those who are respected or feared, I believe it’s a bit of both"

"Big words for a dead man" Lucias said to me

"We'll see" I looked into his eyes and saw a man who looked a thousand years older looking back at me, we all drew our weapons and charged, I didn't care about Razor, I had one target and that was Lucias, we engaged in a sword battle which involved us constantly fighting for control of the battle, and kicking each other to the ground, we got to the point where I knocked Lucias to the ground and went for him but he successfully defended himself and got back on his feet. The fight was going well and my side had taken no casualties until Razor pierced Jezza's side and grounded her, October forced Razor back and fought him with such ferocity of which I had never seen, there was a hatred of which I had never seen, yet these two had never met. In the ensuing chaos I lost concentration by watching October's fight that Lucias got the upper hand and knocked me to the ground, he stood over me and was ready to finish me , he forced his sword into my left hand and I dropped my sword in pain, I felt like I had lost and that the battle was over, I looked around to find October still fighting Razor, she had the upper hand and it wouldn't be long before he fell, Jezza was lying in a pool of her blood clutching her side, I turned and faced Lucias, he stared into my eyes and smirked. I looked into his gaze and smiled, "Well Damon, I guess this is the end, I offered you everything, a chance in Barratus and a life beyond the dreams of mere mortals and you refused me, look at yourself, how you expect to survive?"

"Well Lucias, that’s rather simple, I'll cheat, using my right foot kicked him in the balls and he fell to his knees, Lucias fell to the floor, in this time I used my right hand to pull the his sword out of my left hand and I plunged it into his heart, he stared at me as he slowly turned to ash, I turned to see October forced Razor to the ground after disarming him and she was ready to finish him. He pleaded "Don't please, I'll do anything, I'll do anything!" October wasn't convinced and went to finish him but I stopped her. "How can I trust you Razor?" I said

"Look I'm a soldier like you; I just want the stronger side"

"And if a stronger side rises"

"I promise, I’ll stay with you, I swear to god please!"

"I say we kill him" October said

"I agree, if you don't Ethan will" Jezza added

"I say we leave him, Razor come with me, I will have uses for you" I said

"Ethan won't allow him to live" Jezza replied

"Ethan, will have to learn to listen" I replied, Ethan entered through the doors "You’re a strong leader Damon, I respect that" Jezzabella said she told Ethan of the fight and we left the building victorious, but the fight wasn't over, I had one card left. We got down to the bottom of the building where The Lost had gathered ready to their mighty leader, I stood with him as they stood on the ground below us. We were standing on the steps outside the building, Ethan walked to the edge of the path and said "My friends, today we triumphed and politics and the House of Barratus has fallen, today we welcome another two members into The Lost, Damon and October. My brothers and my sisters we own Galark, we have achieved through brutality and war, and this is no place for politics, for Vampires only the strongest shall survive!"

"Ethan could I say a few words" I tapped him on the shoulder, he give me a nod and I readied myself "The fight was brutal but we succeeded and we shown that the strongest truly survive, and now I offer you a choice my brothers and sisters" I turned to Ethan and I put my arm round him and walked him up with me, when he was beside me, I lowered my right arm and slipped the stake that was in my sleeve into my hand, "Join me or stay Lost!" I staked Ethan publically, he looked into my eyes and I could see that sense betrayal and hatred before they faded away like dust in the wind. "My brothers and sisters, on this dusk we rise, a new coven The Blooddusk, I sign with the blood of Lucias and Ethan, and I offer you this, join us or stay Lost, only the strongest shall survive" I stood there and watched as friends separated to bow before me, Jezzabella was one of the first as she wiped tears from her eyes over the death of Ethan, Jack soon followed, he said to me that he disagreed with my decision but he would follow me loyally, Razor applauded my skill and my brutality and happily followed, October followed happily. I watched as some of The Lost gave up hope, they were leaderless, some retreated to the lower parts of Galark and some joined me. "I speak to you now brothers and sisters, we have risen, we are the forgotten souls given immortality, and we will show the vampires how it is truly done. The Blooddusk will rise and never fall"

"If you want to start a war... Try to change something"