The ceiling was covered with floating darkness, which made it impossible to see the layer of stone above, between the caves and the Council Building. He couldn’t see his own hands when he moved them before his eyes, few inches away from his white face and he had to shift from normal vision, to the sight that could see even the slightest change of heat in the air.
Even then there was nothing much to see, but the grey colour of the stone that formed the walls around him. There were few wooden crates and barrels that were slightly warmer, but the difference between the wood and the stone was so small that even the sharpest eye couldn’t see it properly.
Jaco yawned and looked around, just to make sure Reigh or someone else wasn’t hiding in the shadows and waiting for him to turn his back. He knew he wouldn’t find anyone, but you could neverbe too careful. As the elf took few steps forward, away from the place on the floor where he had slept, the memories pushed over him. He remembered the pain that came first, the burning, white pain that flashed within his mind, telling his body that someone else was now going to take over the thoughts. He remembered how something was preventing him from breathing and keeping him on the ground, shocking in agony and fighting for the control of his brains. And then before he could say (well, actually he wasn’t able to speak right at the moment as the pain rushed over him and probably it would have been a moan that left his lips) or do anything, everything became black, everything slipped away from him, leaving him alone into the dark void of emptiness.
He stood still before he could again force his legs to lead him towards the pair of doors, that so warmly greeted him. The memories that flashed rapidly before his eyes didn’t let him breathe for a few seconds and even without the grim thoughts that stormed in his head, he was unwilling to walk nearer to his death. He understood what was waiting for him in the other end of the stairs that led to a small hall in the end of a long corridor –the vampire hunters, who had been hired by the mayor of this town were here to kill him, and he knew they had a painful and a slow death waiting for him. He didn’t want to meet them now, when he was greatly weakened by the last day when the other half of his being had taken over the elven body and even though there was something that drew him towards the staircase, he preferred the black shadows, the darkness that was filling the dungeons to the warm light of the sun above.
He didn’t have much left to do, but to use his speed to get past the slayers. He didn’t want to use his strength and break Reigh’s weak bones, but the more he thought about the problem, the more he understood that he couldn’t just walk away without anybody trying to pierce his heart. Jaco knew he was in troubles, and trying to make the problems fade into nothing wasn’t an easy task for him; it wasn’t like he could just snap his fingers and the clouds that darkened his day would disappear. There was much more to do if he wanted to get away from the vampire hunters, and enter the forest and its calmness.
Sure, he would go upstairs –he couldn’t stay under the Council Construction for his whole life- but it didn’t matter how hard he tried to make up a plan, which would help him escape, for he knew the anger would rise within Reigh and before Jaco would notice what he was doing, they would be fighting. The elf knew he would hurt the hunter of the vampire, yet there was not even a trace of guilt flashing on his face. Why was Reigh so different from the rest of the people he had hurt before? And why didn’t he feel bad for wanting to cause pain upon the man?
Jaco walked towards the doors, sighing in defeat. Step by step he went through the cave and past the boxes and without even noticing it, he was growling. He was growling, because the frustration was becoming too great for him to keep it inside, he was growling because he knew he would break the promises he had made so long ago. He was growling, because he was hurting himself.
Then he stepped through the doorway and looked at the other pair of doors in the darkness above him. A small line of light came through the keyhole under the handle and after a few seconds of silent prayers to help him get into the woods safely, he took the first step and then another, slowly rising towards the doors that looked grimly at him…
---
Ander stared thoughtfully at Reigh, who smiled a dreamy grin as he looked at the new dagger in his great hand. The dagger Reigh had had only few hours ago, was now in Ander’s possession and the vampire hunter wouldn’t get it back any time soon. His friend had taken it form him, saying that he would need it and Reigh had unwillingly given the weapon to the short man, who had started to mumble and had cut a small wound in his finger with the dagger. Now the small blade was enchanted in a strange way, and Ander had told the slayer that with every step they would take towards the vampire, the blade would glow more brightly and this way they would find the Undead.
This new dagger was a much better one, and Reigh was very pleased with it. While the vampire had been hiding in the basement of the construction, they had visited the smiths and the old man had told him that there was holy energy flowing within the weapon. It would bite painfully into the flesh of undead creatures, and the fact made Reigh smile a mischievous smile. The vampire hunter had asked why the smith had forged this blade and the man had told him about another adventurer, who had come to him and had asked the smith to make him a great weapon against the vampires. The stranger wanted it to be small, so that it would be easy to handle the sharp weapon and he had given the smith an odd scroll, which he had wanted to put upon the blade. The smith had soon asked some help from the priests of Helm and together they had forged the weapon.
The weapon would make them tremble before him, Reigh reasoned and was very excited about the fight, which was coming closer very fast.
The smith had also told him that in a few days they had found the same stranger lying dead on his bed in the inn of the town. They had found no signs of fight or struggle and they didn’t know the reason for the death of the man and no one had even seen someone entering the room after the stranger. It just wasn’t possible that the man, who had appeared out of nowhere, was dead and for many months the guards and the people from the Council Building had tried to find the cause of death, but nothing had shown up in the investigations.
Well, Reigh thought and chuckled slightly, it has nothing to do with me, so why should I think about it.?
The vampire slayer had also bought a magical sword and dozens of arrows, just to make sure they would get the vampire this time. The sword was slightly enchanted, but it was not as powerful as the smaller blade; it had only protective spells put upon it and they would surely help him soon.
“Hey,” Reigh soon said, excitement audible in his low voice. “Should you check the dagger? Maybe the vampire is coming closer.” He looked at the moon, which was shining its silvery light in the sky. “I think it is awake.”
Ander took the dagger from his pocket and immediately the red light that radiated from the blade, spread and filled the room. “It is very close now.” The short man said, with his childlike voice. “The blade is glowing very brightly and I do think it can become only slightly brighter.”
“Great!” The slayer bellowed, smiling. “I cannot wait!” Reigh drew his long sword and the mighty dagger. He readied himself, while telling Ander to get a good position and be ready to use his powers to send waves of the electrical energy towards the vampire.
They waited for many minutes before they heard steps coming from the other side of the door and then slowly opening the door, Jaco appeared, a serious expression on his face. “I just want to leave this town.” The vampire started, but Reigh laughed and shook his head, disbelief flashing on his face.
“Do you still think that I would believe you? Not a vampire?” Reigh grunted devilishly. “I know you are a vampire…”
“No!” Jaco interrupted him and took a step towards the slayer. “I am not a vampire. Maybe half of me is, but I am not a vampire.”
The vampire hunter laughed roughly, his eyes locked on Jaco. “Are you kidding me? That was the worst lie I have ever heard! ‘Maybe half of me is.’ Bah, I say!”
“But, that is the truth!” Jaco screamed in frustration.
“I saw you,” Reigh said, calmly, coldly. “And I know you are a vampire. Let me tell you something. There’s nothing you can say or do to change my mind.”
“You have come to your end.” The vampire hunter said quietly, almost whispering and smiling the man attacked. But when he was almost few feet away from the elf, he stopped and ducked, yelling, “Ander! Now!”
Jaco had not anticipated the trick. He knew, though, that he had only few seconds to move and knew that staying still would harm him very much. Wasting no time he ducked and felt as the blast of the holy energy flew harmlessly over him, and struck the wall. The elf turned to look at the damage that they had caused to the wall, and sighed in relief, for the scorches that were on the wall looked painful.
“Damn.” Reigh cursed and rose, walking towards the elf. “It is now my turn to fight you.”
He attacked, wildly swinging his sword and holding the holy dagger in his left hand, ready to thrust with it. The fight was a hard one and they both knew that if the other would make even a slight mistake, the other one would use it and then the battle would be over.
Jaco was dodging and ducking the slashes of the long sword, then using his fists and legs to hit the tall opponent. He had received few cuts and wounds but he was faster than the slayer and the elf had struck home more than only few times. Both of them were quiet and concentrating on the fight, for they understood that they couldn’t give room for any distraction.
Suddenly the vampire hunter jumped backwards, after he slashed with the long sword and sent his dagger flying towards the vampire. The holy blade missed, but only barely and Jaco could feel illness rising within him as the weapon went past him.
“Again!” Reigh shouted and tried to get out of the harm’s way, but before he managed to take another step, Jaco took hold of him and spun around, the man coming with him. Reigh felt the blast hitting his back, but unlike it had done to Jaco, it only sent him flying forwards and he struck the elf, who fell onto the floor. The hunter continued few feet past his opponent and they both moaned in pain as their bodies hit the hard floor.
Slowly rising, they both turned to face each other, while grimacing in agony. “That was a bad mistake!” Reigh growled and stepped forwards. “I will make you suffer!”
Jaco opened his mouth to answer the man, but then something flashed in his mind and he remained silent. He didn’t exactly know what it was, but as he began to think about it, the thought came clear; he didn’t have to fight with the man! He could just run away – the elf knew he was faster than the slayer – and then hide. He didn’t want to continue this battle, for it was surely waste of time and he knew he didn’t need to continue.
Without waiting he spun around and left the vampire hunters, running as fast as he could. Reigh watched the back of the escaping vampire in amazement, unable to say or do anything. What was happening, his mind screamed and before it all pushed over him, the elf was almost at the exit.
“Don’t let him escape!” He roared angrily, the words echoing in the building, like the sound of drums. “Don’t let him escape!”
Reigh began to run after the elf, but he was a lot slower than the opponent, which was already dozens of feet away from him. The man knew he couldn’t catch the elf with his speed, but he couldn’t just stop and then there was also Ander to slow him down, but he couldn’t leave his friend.
“Reigh! Wait!” The voice stopped him, like a wall of stone.
“What?” The slayer grunted and spun around, to see his friend holding the red dagger before him. Reigh’s eyes widened suddenly and it all came back to him; they wouldn’t need to run after the vampire, for the dagger would help them to find him.
“Ah, I forgot that!” He continued and walked to his friend. “Thanks for reminding me!”
------------
Thanks for reading!
This was the last episode I have done already. See you soon! 
