Sinister Forces

From the perspective of Chase Cringle.

Nicole and I were waltzing around, enjoying the festivities, when all of a sudden it began to rain and thunder. We sought refuge from the elements underneath the Master Tent, as well as countless other Prometheans. I huddled next to Nicole and it was pleasing to feel her warm skin in stark contrast to my ice-cold skin. We both looked outside as the rain poured down and thunder roared like a distant wartime bombardment.

"Don't worry," I said. "This doesn't mean the fun has to end just yet."

Nicole smiled and took my hand.

The DJ made an announcement over a microphone. "Hey, everyone. Don't let the rain get you gloomy. There's plenty more fun in store for all of you! Gents, ladies, grab your significant other, or a friend, or anyone that is next to you, and proceed to get jiggy with it! This song is 'Pumped Up Kicks'!"

Nicole dragged me over to the dance floor and before I knew it we were dancing in sync together. I didn't really know how to dance but the beat of the music helped me keep rhythm. Even though I was just copying the moves Nicole was using, neither of us seemed to care. We were just glad to be having fun together.

Nicole shined like a goddess underneath the light of the disco ball. She didn't skip a beat as she kept rhythm with the music. She was all smiles, her eyes soft and bright, her cheeks rosy red. I felt a strong connection to her as we were dancing. I forgot all my troubles and all my woes as I could only think of how beautiful and how amazing Nicole was and how lucky I was to be dancing with her. It was as if I forgot that she was a witch and that I was a vampire and that neither of us were human. I lost myself in the music and the lights and, most of all, Nicole's beauty.

I felt compelled to kiss Nicole. But my body didn't cooperate. Crucial moments passed as she gazed passionately into my eyes, as if analyzing my very soul. I couldn't make myself kiss her, not this time, no matter how much I wanted to. In the back of my mind I cursed myself, unable to proceed with a simple kiss. Nicole went back to dancing, thinking nothing of my frozen stature. I stared down at the floor and I sauntered away as Nicole's back was turned. I felt like a coward and a failure, that I would never be happy as a vampire.

Away from the dance floor, the hairs on my arms stood up. In my head I saw flashes of chaos and discord. The music had everyone in a mesmerizing groove, except for myself and one other shady individual. This certain individual radiated a sad, sinister aura. I couldn't help but glare at him as he glared back at me with his deep amethyst-colored eyes. He took a step closer to me, his hands in his pockets. The music suddenly was no longer audible to me as my heart dropped and time seemed to stand still. The shady individual's emotionless face turned into a sly grin.

"Chase Cringle, is it? You're the only other person here that I've seen with silver-colored hair."

I was perplexed. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"I'm Narcissus Bianchi. I'm on a quest. I've been assigned by Jaeger, Lord of the Eight Fangs, to bring you to him alive. I don't see why you haven't already cooperated."

Questions began forming in my head. "You're not an assassin?"

Narcissus chuckled, amused with my question. "No."

"Then what are you?"

"I'm a necromancer."

"Why should I go with you?"

Narcissus rolled his eyes and breathed out of his nose. "Jaeger is just going to keep hiring other people to try to kidnap you and you will eventually get tired of it. Jaeger will not stop until he has you. You might as well come with me, before some very bad things start happening."

I knew that going with this Narcissus fellow couldn't be good for me. But I also knew that if I didn't go with him willingly he would turn to violence, and that wouldn't be good for anyone. What was I to do? Go with my heart and resist being captured, or give in and avoid conflict? The decision challenged the full capabilities of my mind, but I ultimately chose to give in. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. "Okay. You win. I'll go with you. I won't resist, not one bit."

Narcissus smiled in response. "Thanks. I appreciate it very much, so much so I'm willing to share with you half of everything that will be awarded to me once I hand you over to Jaeger. It's clear that he doesn't want to kill you. Neither do I."

"That's funny, because I remember Jaeger's brother, Orrus, trying to kill me in a fit of rage, and he was under the authority of Jaeger."

Narcissus shrugged. "Don't know him. Maybe he didn't like you and he wanted you dead? I just know my job is to bring you to Jaeger. Ready to go?"

I nodded in agreement. I followed Narcissus and a female companion of his outside of the Master Tent. The rain fell down upon us and within seconds all three of us were drenched. I felt extreme regret for leaving Nicole without notifying her.

Surprisingly, I heard Nicole's voice shout out my name. "Chase! Where are you going?!"

I stopped to turn around. Nicole's face clearly showed that she was confused, standing at the edge of the Master Tent. I told her the truth. "Jaeger wants to see me for some reason. I figured that I should just quit defying his wishes. If I resist, who knows what kind of hell will be unleashed on Promethean Territory?"

"Chase. Don't think you have to go. Don't let Jaeger use you. You have friends here that care about you. Don't leave them. Don't leave me. Whatever these two are capable of pales in comparison to the full force of you and your friends' combined power. That includes the four of us of the Fatal Six that are still alive."

Nicole made a fair point. If I went along with this Narcissus, and Jaeger got his hands on me, I would just empower Jaeger instead of stopping him. I couldn't freely allow myself to walk into the hands of my enemy. What was I thinking?

Narcissus spoke. "I hope you're not thinking of going along with her? You know the consequences if you do."

Narcissus slipped his right hand into his right pocket and he pulled out a shiny half violet, half onyx-black crystal orb. "Do you know what this is?"

I knew all right. It was just like the others I have seen, except, like all the others, it had its own color scheme. It was a Promethean orb, for sure, but what it was capable of doing was beyond my knowledge.

"Yeah, I know what it is. But no Promethean orb is going to scare me or make me change my mind."

Narcissus chuckled and shook his head. "You're foolish to make assumptions. What you don't know is that this orb is the Assassin Guardian Orb, and it holds a sinister force: an ancient, primordial deity that once dwelled in the Nether Realm. Now this deity is under my control. He's just itching to be released."

I took a step back. I sensed great power emanating from Narcissus's Promethean orb, a power so overwhelming I nearly passed out over the thought of it being released. Did I really stand such a chance against the Assassin Guardian, a mystical deity? I had no practical power in this situation. I was only a vampire. A new vampire, at that. I was without a weapon. And I didn't know where my friends were to back me up. But I knew that if I gave in to Narcissus, Jaeger would use me to his advantage. I couldn't allow the Vampyr Empire to grow stronger and gain more ground. I had to make a stand, even though doing so could jeopardize the lives of countless Prometheans.

"Bring out your Assassin Guardian," I said confidently. "I'm not going anywhere."

Narcissus's expression turned dark, his eyes narrowed. A smirk formed on his face. "You just had to choose the hard way. You alone will be responsible for the deaths of countless people today, Chase Cringle. When all is said and done, you friends will be dead and you will be trapped inside my soul prison. Now… Feel the wrath of the Assassin Guardian."

A massive portal ripped through the sky about two hundred feet above the Master Tent. Everyone looked up to see the spectacle. Out of the portal popped the head of the Assassin Guardian. His eyes were acid-yellow, his jet-black hair bunched in a ponytail. His skin was slate-black, and he blew smoke from his nostrils. He smirked just as Narcissus had smirked, and then he retracted his head. I thought for a moment the Assassin Guardian wasn't going to come out of the portal and that I had nothing to fear. I was wrong.

A moment later the deity came bursting forth from the portal, a twenty meter deity decked in dark amethyst-colored armor somewhat like that of a Japanese ronin from a bygone era. He came crashing down upon the Master Tent, causing it to collapse. The giant deity landed on one knee. Countless screams of horror emanated from the Master Tent. Thankfully, Nicole had already moved away from the tent and came to stand beside me before the Assassin Guardian had landed. Unfortunately, there was no doubt the Assassin Guardian had crushed a few Prometheans as the screams of agony continued.

The Assassin Guardian rose to his feet, towering above everything else in Promethean Territory. He reached his hand behind his back and grabbed hold of a sheathed nodachi, then he pulled the nodachi from its sheath and he posed for battle. Black flames erupted from his body as he shouted loud and far, his voice like a thousand angered spirits. The Assassin Guardian gazed intently at me, his target; his shout was clearly a demand for a duel. Who would win? I wondered.

I would never back down. But the situation became worse, much worse. Humanlike shadowy wraiths spawned all around the Assassin Guardian in the dozens, as if they served to protect him. These wraiths were terrifying and menacing, and they all looked the same with their beady, glaring acid-yellow eyes, their skin the same slate black as the Assassin Guardian. How would we deal with a Nether Guardian, plus dozens of these Shadow creatures? The outcome appeared bleak and uncertain at best.

All of a sudden I was having doubts. What should I do now? Where was my backup? Was it just me and Nicole, together, against these demonic entities? I seemed like a sitting duck, standing there staring at what could possibly crush me with a single effortless punch.

Nicole summoned the mighty, fearless Leo while I was in my stupor, and they stood at my side.

Narcissus and his female partner, on the other hand, stood twenty feet away opposite us. I was waiting for the two of them to make their move. But they stood still, all the while the Shadow creatures began to wreak terror and chaos. What could I do, though? I was no match for a twenty meter tall Nether Guardian.

There was something inside me that wanted to be released. I had just forgotten that it was there. I didn't know what it was that I sensed back in Mt Vernon, Illinois, but it was my only hope at combating the sinister forces that now surrounded us. I prayed the rest of my friends would arrive soon, and immediately afterward I gave up control over my body to the voice in my head.

"Chase," the voice addressed me. "I will protect you and those you hold dear."

As the voice in my head took over my body, I could see, through my own eyes, exactly what was happening, though I had no control. Nicole and Leo glanced at me, their faces depicting total shock, as if I was some kind of monster.

"Whoa," Nicole said. "What's up with you? Your eyes. They're black!"

The voice in my head spoke for me. "Don't worry about that. You and Leo can go after those Shadows. I'll take care of the big guy."

With the voice in my head now controlling my body, I fearlessly walked toward the Assassin Guardian who stared me down. I looked up at the behemoth towering over me, even as he bent down, mere inches from my face. I put my faith in the voice in my head.

"Hiroto, old pal." The voice inside me turned stern. "What are you doing?"

The Assassin Guardian, Hiroto, sneered. "I am simply following orders, Khaal. You wanted the fledgling, did you not?"

There was a momentary pause, then Khaal, speaking through me, replied, "That is true. But all this chaos? It's not needed. Stand down at once."

"I cannot," Hiroto replied. "Not unless my master commands me to stop."

I immediately glanced over at Narcissus who smiled weakly, as if he knew he had done wrong.

"Narcissus! Command Hiroto to stand down! You have three seconds!"

Narcissus obeyed. "Call back the Shadows, Hiroto, now!"

In turn, Hiroto obeyed and called back the Shadows, and they immediately vaporized into thin air.

"What's going on here?" Narcissus asked the voice speaking through me.

"What's going on?" Khaal replied. "What's going on is your little guardian was about to harm Chase. I cannot have that. He must be in excellent condition if he is to be my next vassal."

"I'm sorry. It's just Jaeger, he didn't explain that to me."

"That's my fault. I should've been the one doing the explaining. Not him."

Narcissus raked his long silver hair. "Am I still getting what I'm owed?"

"You shall receive everything you have asked upon delivering Chase to the Onyx Palace. But then I don't want any further business with you ever again. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I suppose we won't need Hiroto now, do we?"

Hiroto interjected, "I wouldn't be so sure of that. We have company."

Nicole and Leo, along with Scolopendra, Evelyn, and the remaining Promethean Guard gathered in front of the four of us. I was a little disheartened to not see my two best friends, nor Austin or Atropine. Where were they?

Scolopendra spearheaded the opposition as he stood at the front of the group. "I don't know why you all are here, or why you all coincide with the appearance of Shadows, but you all will leave, save for Chase. He's not going anywhere with you guys."

Khaal spoke for me yet again as I took a slight step toward Scolopendra. "I don't believe you know who you are dealing with, wizard. I am Khaal, the first necromancer, ruler of a thousand undead legions. I command Jaeger. That makes me the emperor of the Vampyr Empire. Nice to meet you."

"It doesn't matter who you are. Chase is staying here with us. Now, you can give up, or you can fight, and you will fail. We have fought for Chase too much to let him be taken by you or anyone."

"I see there is no way of dissuading you Prometheans. Fine. Have it your way. Narcissus, have Hiroto smash these pests."

"Sure thing," Narcissus responded. "Hiroto, summon the Shadows back. Then I want you to destroy anyone that gets in our way."

Hiroto agreed with a simple nod. "With pleasure." Hiroto snapped his fingers, and the Shadows returned, just as they had disappeared. The Shadows charged at Scolopendra and the others, screeching with their fists and claws and spears and swords at the ready.

Out of nowhere appeared a massive twenty-foot high wall of flames that separated the Shadows from Scolopendra and the rest of the opposition. Although the wall of flames was quite high for any human, the wall was puny compared to Hiroto's stature.

The Shadows hissed and cowered, unable to pass through the wall of flames. I knew Khaal wasn't expecting retaliation of this level, and neither did I. There was only one person that could have created such a massive wall of flames.