A Dark Attack. 12

Darkness covered the palace as hooded figures moved through the city. Like dark shadows they streaked one by one closer. A lone guard stood outside the gates working on one of the palace carriage. He looked up as he thought he heard a noise. Looking around he saw nothing in the darkness. Vampires had the best night vision next to werewolves, so he went back to work. Moving slowly and hooded one came up behind him and grabbed him he slammed him in to the wall and dropped him behind the carriage. At the gates two guards keep a watch. Neither noticed the carriage man as he fell, and they didn't see the four silently moving towards them ready to throttle them. Both guards talked as they stood watch. All about the happenings of the day. How they worried about there king and all the missing. Where were they? What they didn't know was that they were all around them. Stalking everyone in the palace. Making there way to the one they wanted the most, Valkar Zlenka King of the Vampires. Suddenly they both gasped as swords passed threw there bodies and they crumpled dead to the ground. Once they had cleared all the gates. Balthazar came in to cast his spells to put the rest of the house to sleep. Once sleep, he planned to kill the house servants then take Valker as a sacrifice to his death goddess.
Deep in his sleep Jandar and Rage flew in there dragon forms high over the the Keanna Mts. The monument below them blew its eternal flame as they passed. Together they coveted and played in the sun. In there dreams was the only time they had to enjoy themselves. In the waking world they had to be serious all the time. To many people depended on there decisions. Their clan, the people in New Keanna sometimes the world. But this was there chance for fun and laughter. The sun beamed down on them as they landed on a plateau and sat down together. They held hands and moved closer to kiss. There love was everything. Suddenly they both felt it. Something was wrong in the waking world. They could feel spells being cast it them. They felt evil in the magic.
[You feel that?] Jandar asked.
[ Yes.] Rage said. [ A sleep spell. Someones trying to make sure we stay asleep. Were being attacked. Hurry, wake up!]
Together they both jumped up and released each other from there embrace,
" What do you smell?" Jandar asked. He took a few whiffs of the air and frowned.
" There's many people about to enter the castle." Rage told him. " Go wake the others. They may be under that spell. I'll have father come back and meet us. I'm going to find Valkar. This is about him. No one knows were here."
They both jumped out of bed and hurried to dress and ran from the room. Athene and Azeal were on the next floor up. Jandar ran down the hall to the stairs. There he ran into two strange men coming up. He knew they weren't Valkars people and he didn't have time for a spell. He howled at them and shifted to his wolf form. The two vampire charged at him, claws ready to rip at him. Jandar ducked the first and grabbed the second and threw him into the wall. His head hit with a loud smack and Jandar grabbed the other man. The man hissed at him, reaching for his throat. Jandar sent energy through his hand into the vampire searing his heart and killing him. He dropped him and ran on up the stairs. As Rage feared they were sleeping deeply. Jandar knew the only way to wake them was to touch them in the middle of the forehead. He reached Azeal's room first. He reached out and touched him in that spot over his nose and his eyes flew open.
" Whats going on?" He asked. " Whats wrong?"
" We're under attack." Jandar told him. " Get Justice and come on."
Azeal reached over and pulled Justice from its scabbard. The jewel glowed brightly as it grew to a short sword. He turned back to Jandar and he was ready to go. Athene was in the next room down the hall. They left Azeal's room and started down the hall. They didn't make ten feet before six cloaked men came from each side of the hall. Four in front and two behind. Jandar called his staff and shifted to his man wolf form.
" We will protect the king." He said as the magic begain to build around him and his eyes glowed with power.
"We have magic on our side to." One vampire said stepping forward. He raised his hand. In it he held a blazing power ball. Jandars eyes grew wide. The vampire laughter at him . He thought Jandar feared him.
" Say good bye dog!"
His arm raised and he threw it at Jandar. In a quick motion Jandar caught it and smiled. He crushed it in his hand and let the ashes fall to the floor.
[My turn.] Jandar pointed his staff at the group in front of them and sent a bolt of electrical energy at them. They fall to the floor smoke rising from there clothing. The vampires on the other side watched all this happened
[I don't have time for this.] He snapped with a great bark and growl.
The two charged at them. Azeal swung his sword and cut them down in two quick swings. One was stabbed through the heart and the other he decapitated. Azeal was becoming quite the vampire killer whether he liked it or not.
[Come on. Athene is right here.] Jandar opened the door and walked up to Athene in the bed. He watched her breath rise and fall. Then he reached out to touch her in that awake spot. She opened her eyes and jumped up.
" Father, No!!!"
Sweat rolled down her face. Jandar grabbed her by her shoulders as she thrashed about. It only took her seconds to realize where she was and who she was with. Her dreams flooded back into her mind as Jandar helped her off the bed.
" I know whats going on." She said. " It's my father. He's the one attacking Valkar. Him and his damned coven."
" How do you know this?" Azeal asked.
" I saw it in my dreams." She said. "We have to hurry to Valkar."
Valkar's royal apartment took up the entire top two floors. Rage parted ways with Jandar on the second floor as he kept climbing. As he reached the royal floors he found a guard laying on the landing. He had succumb to the the spell everyone else was under. Rage stepped over him and tried the door. It was locked. No matter, for him and his dragon strength, a little twist and it was open. All along the corridor, Rage saw Valkar's body guards passed out on the floor. He could hear noise coming from further ahead in the royal suite. He ran on jumping over the sleeping guards and stopped at the door where the sounds were coming from. There he saw Valkar being held by rings of magic. Crimson bands around his arms and chest and his legs. There were many others in the room surrounding him and a tall figure pacing in front of him gloating. Rage thought he better listen in and gain what knowledge he could. He hoped Jandar and the others hurried. He would be needing their help.
" So the bat finally comes down from the rafters." Valkar said to the him.
" Yes, the time has come Valkar." Balthazar grinned. " It's time we go back to being the power we were meant to be."
" You have no idea what we were meant to be." Valkar struggled against the magic holding him.
" You won't break that spell." Balthazar pushed him down to his knees. " It's much stronger then you."
" So what are you going to do?" Valkar asked.
" Take the world." He said. " That's what we were meant to do eons ago. I'm going to finish what the Baron started. Remake this world into a vampire heaven. And our war with the werewolves will this time end with our victory"
" You mean a hell." Valkar shouted at him. " Can't you see it 'work. You'll doom us all.. The people won't follow you. They know what your darkness will bring on them."
Balthazar laughed at his cousin and smacked his face knocking him over.
"The people are mine to command." He said. " My goddess will take care of that. They will do what ever I tell them to do. You don't believe me?"
Balthazar walked over to one of Valkars guards and touched him between his eyes. The guard woke. He opened his eyes and looked around. He saw Valkar on the floor and tried to go to aid his king.
"STOP!" Balthazar said. The man froze where he stood.
" I am your master now. I want you to prove it by jumping out that window."
A dazed look suddenly appeared in the guards eyes. He turned and walked to the window and climbed up on the sill.
" STOP HIM!!" Valkar yelled. " Don't make him do this!!"
" To late." Balthazar laughed as the guard threw himself out the window. They all heard him die as he hit the ground crushing and destroying his body. Valkar hung his head. He had known the man and called him friend for years.
As he watched Jandar and the others came into the hall. Rage signaled them to be quiet. Right on time, Shine appeared at the window in the hallway. Azeal slipped over and opened it for him. The little golden dragon flew in and landed on Rages shoulder. Rage filled him in on what was going on.
[We have to get him out of there.] Rage told them. [Azeal, can't you let him know were here without the others hearing you?]
[ I think so.] Azeal reached out to his father and touched his mind. He told him they were right there and going to get him out of there.
Athene looked in to the room and saw the men holding Valkar. She saw her father standing over Valkar and caught her breath. Old memories came flooding back to her. Memories of her mother and her death. Her father and his cruelty to her. Hatred burned deep in her for him. She knew what he would do to Valkar. He would sacrifice him to his mad goddess. He's been doing this for year. But no more she thought. Not this one.
"Rage," She said. " If I fill the room with fog. Can you grab him and get out the window and get him away?"
" I guess I could." He said. " What about all of you?"
"Azeal, tell Valkar to stand and be perfectly still. Then Jandar take Azeal out that window and meet us at my old cottage.You remember were it is?"
" Yes." He said. He and Azeal got up and went to the window. Shine flew out and began to grow. Soon he was big enough for them both to ride. Then he sent his message to Valkar and climbed out the window with Jandar.
"Ok, Rage." She said. "I'm going to fill this hall with fog then sweep it all into the room. Once its full you know what to do. Be quick, they won't be distracted for more then a minute or two."
" I'm ready." Rage told her. Athene stood and started gathering her fog to her. It became thicker and thicker as she disappeared in the mist. Rage had no trouble seeing through her fog. His dragon vision gave him sight in all conditions. With a sweep of her hand she sent it all into Valkars chamber and then ran for the window and dived out. Feathers grew as she shifted to her raven form and flew away. With the room full of fog suddenly everyone was completely blinded. Balthazar screamed Athenes name, He knew this was her fog but couldn't find her. Rage at full speed ran in and grabbed Valkar and dived through the window. As they fell he shifted to dragon and carried Valkar away. In the back he could hear Balthazar screaming his rage.

Deep in the Desdain Forest, Athenes cottage sat. No one had been there in a long time In fact no one could get near it. She had placed many spells on and around the place. If you did find it, walking in the door just might kill you. Out of the sky in a clearing nearby dropped a great golden dragon. He carried two people. Jandar and Azeal climbed down and waited for the rest to arrive. Soon Athene flew in and shifted back to her vampire form as they watched Rage and Valkar fly in.
" Jandar, can you get these bands off him?" Rage asked. Jandar looked at them then spoke a few words and they were gone.
" Thank you." Valkar said. " Thank you all for your help."
" Come this way." Athene called to them. She led them to the cottage. There she passed her hand over a stone set in the door and it opened for them. She sat them all in her parlor and made tea for everyone.
" Father knows this place." She told them. " We can't stay long."
" Then we go back home." Rage said as he got up. "Jandar, I have something to tell you."
He took his mate aside and told him what Balthazar had said about the werewolves.
" I have to warn father. He won't be expecting this."
" Not me." Valkar told them. " I'm not going."
" Valkar. You can't stay here." Azeal moved over and sat next to him. It was time to tell him his secret.
"Did you see what he did to Lem?" Valkar asked. " They can do that to almost anyone in Yadessa. They can make them believe whatever they want. Azeal, Our people are free now as opposed to the old days when all we did was hunt humans and make wars. No ones hunting us any more. We can walk in sunlight. We have our souls back. I can't let Balthazar and his death goddess do this to us. I have to stop them."
" Then let me come with you," Azeal said. " I can help you."
Valkar reached over and run his finger alone the scar on Azeal's face. The boys mother had done such horrible things to him. He had missed his ward so much since he'd been with the dragons. Be for his safety, he had to go back with them.
" I cant let you get involved with this." He said.
" I am involved." Azeal told him. " More then you think."
"What do you mean?" Valkar asked. He frowned at him.
" There's something Velusia told me before I killed her." Azeal looked around the room. He knew he had the support of everyone there. They all knew, it was time Valkar knew.
"You and she were to be married once right?" He asked.
" Yes." He said. " I always loved your mother. All our lives."
" Your our father." He told him. "All three of us. That's why she hated my brothers and I so much. She said she never wanted you to know this. She planned to tell you as she killed me and Ranjer in front of you."
" It's true." Jandar told him." And we're all involved here. If you think we're going to let you go off and fight alone your mistaken."
Valkar looked at Azeal. He had a son? He had two. He hugged Azeal to him.
" I didn't know." He said. " I really didn't know."
" You do now." Tears ran down Azeals face. " We'll help you save Yadessa. All of us."
" How did she do it?" Valkar asked.
" Magic." Jandar told him. " A curse or a incantation on you or herself is all she needed. Then she had one of her fathers men claim responsibility for the boys. But I can assure you, its all true."
" Theres one way to prove it." Valkar stepped up to Azeal. He took a ring off his ring finger and held it out.
" This is the family seal of the Zlenka family. Only a prince on the house can wear it." He heald it out to Azeal. Azeal reached out and took the ring and slipped it on his finger. The gemstones set in the ring began to glow bright. Valkar smile as he took his son into his arms.