Vampire Hunter D Fan Fiction ❯ Determination of the Damned ❯ Reminiscence ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3—Reminiscence

 

 

 

Sitting uneasily on the smooth stone, his long, muscular legs stretched out in front of his body carelessly. Gabriel pressed his back flush against the cool rocky wall of the cave, breathing in deeply—letting the evening's muffled light brush against his face. Between long elegant fingers, the young dhampile clutched cream colored silk on top of his lap, pressing it firmly against his knee. Playing with the soft fabric absentmindedly he sighed gently, expelling warm air from his open mouth with a low grunt. Four more hours till sundown. Gabriel sighed again, twisting his hand around the smooth cloth while pulling a rush of soft silk between his index finger and thumb. Icel still isn't here. Looking across the impressive landscape that decorated the outside of their cave, the dhampile's blue eyes suddenly became distant. Will she ever come back to me?

 

Little, irregular-shaped white clouds danced across the muted blue sky above, casting strange dark shadows on the purple and gold wild grass of the meadow beneath the cave. This was their Eden, their perfect home. The dhampile duo would travel all over the world on mission after mission, but they would always manage to find their way back to this place after the hunt was over. She never said how she happened upon this enchanted area, but Icellina some how claimed all the land above the Grientane Valley as her own without much fuss. Situated near the outskirts of Westera, it remained unbothered for the most part, due to the rumors circulating town that dhampiles inhabited this cave. Recently, though, human hunters began venturing into these part to hunt them; threatening the dhampile duo whenever they had the chance.

 

Hardly anyone trusted their kind—even less now since the uprising of Count Maeken. His power was immense, even for a vampire. More and more people were beginning to take out bounties on dhampiles; killing most of the younger ones without too much trouble, focusing their blinded hatred on any who seemed to act vampire-like in nature. They feared, loathed, and hunted dhampiles just the same as vampires; something Icellina had warned would happen eventually. She never trusted anyone but Gabriel, and tried desperately to get him to do the same. Gabriel hated to see the wary faces when he went into Westera, but kept hope alive that some day dhampiles would be welcomed by humans.

 

Human hunters were spotted near the edge of town the last few months, watching this remote cave for Icellina and Gabriel. The duo had to be extremely cautious whenever going outside; wary of every single creature that crept though their forest. A single arrow or stake through the heart could destroy them, and those humans knew it. The townspeople of Westera were too ignorant to realize that dhampiles were NOT vampires. Just their half-breed descendents.

 

“Why can't they just accept us?” The young man suddenly broke the silence that enveloped him. Slightly surprised that he had spoken aloud, Gabriel quickly looked around in reflex.

 

Setting the cloth aside carefully, he closed his eyes and listened. Something inside of his mind was screaming at him to run, but he didn't know why. Smelling the air, as Icellina had taught him to do, the young man caught the thin stench of humans lingering in the breeze. Are they hunting us again? Standing up in disgust, he quickly dashed out of the cave and into the dim light of the evening. The scent was soon gone; the wind had stopped blowing, but he spun around searching anyway. For a moment, Gabriel thought perhaps he'd imagined the entire thing. Giving up his search, he slowly retreated back to his seat.

 

“Stop right there, fiend!” A young woman's voice echoed across the mountainous range, stopping Gabriel mid-step. She had managed to climb up on top of the cave, causing small pebbles to tumble down the side. Standing there, bow and arrow in hand, she stared coldly down at Gabriel with her dark brown eyes. “Don't move! I can kill you without even blinking.” She stretched the stiff line of the bow, targeting his heart.

 

Looking up at her, he narrowed his gaze and discretely began moving his left hand towards his sheathed weapon. Breathing hard, Gabriel toughened his voice, barking toward his new opponent. “Leave here human, this is our rightful territory.”

 

“Never! You make me sick! Going into our town and killing our families like they were nothing. Why shouldn't I kill you too?!” She narrowed her eyes, stretching the cord some more. Growling at him, she spat in his direction. “Murderer!”

 

“I have never done such things. You mistake me for someone else.” His hand was inches away from the sword now. Just a little further, keep her talking. His hand wrapped around the hilt of his weapon, ready to rip it out from its sheath. Waiting for the right moment, Gabriel suddenly wished Icellina was here to guide him.

 

“Of course it was you! The villagers said they had seen a tall, pale vampire-like man with light brown hair go onto my property. That was the night my family died!” Blinking away the tears, the woman's face darkened.

 

“I'm sorry for your loss, but I assure you; I'm not the one you search for. We are dhampiles, not vampires.” Gabriel gestured towards the low sun. “If I was a vampire, I would burn in the light.”

 

“You may be a dhampile, but that doesn't mean you don't kill humans!”

 

Smiling in agreement, Gabriel nodded his head elegantly. “Indeed, we have hunted you humans in the past—for the right price. We haven't accepted any bounties recently, however. I'm not the one who killed your family.”

 

She screamed angrily, cursing Gabriel. “So you ADMIT it! You have killed humans, and you killed my family!” She spat in disgust towards him again, gritting her teeth. “Time to DIE!”

 

“You won't kill me, woman. You couldn't, even if you tried.” Ah, channeling Icel's famous arrogance now. He almost laughed at the thought.

 

Sensing his enjoyment, the woman cursed the dhampile once again, bounding to the edge of the cave's mouth. “Killing you will make me a hero. Disgusting fiend! I'll enjoy watching you die. Just like you enjoyed watching my mother and father die!” Bitter tears streamed down her face. Ignoring them, she prepared herself for the kill, and stretched the bow's string to the max. “And my sister! Did you enjoy ripping her neck apart? Did you get pleasure out of sucking her dry? Bastard!”

 

The wind suddenly picked up, causing the woman's shoulder-length red hair to move into her line of sight. Taking the advantage, Gabriel glided over the land and up the length of the cave. Punching the bewildered woman in the face, he knocked her off the stone roof, sending her plummeting to the hard earth beneath. Landing on her back, she violently pivoted to find her weapon. Where is it? Shocked, the woman slowly moved her eyes up to Gabriel, who stood holding the bow and arrow in his hand on the roof of the cave.

 

“I believe you dropped this.” He sneered at her. With a single motion, he snapped her weapon and its ammunition in two; eliciting a yelp from the young woman near the base of the cave. Throwing the useless thing down to her, Gabriel crossed his arms in front of his body and cocked his head. “Are you satisfied now? Leave here, I've given you my only warning.”

 

Cursing him again, she stood, never taking her eyes off his body. “This isn't the last of me, dhampile! Marle, you remember that name! I'll come back to hunt you down and get revenge for my family.” Running off, she disappeared into the lush forest that made up the outskirts of town.

 

“Wow.” He casually climbed down from his perch, and looked indifferent in the direction she had fled to. Shaking his head skeptically, he walked into the main chamber of his home. What a strange girl. She had such a strong grudge against us. I wonder who that man was. Probably just some vampire looking for a warm dinner… Icellina would have been so beside herself. Sadly shaking his head, he made a face. Why can't they just accept us?

 

Picking up that butter-colored cloth again, Gabriel crept passed the worn rock `chairs' that circled around the dug-out hearth in the center of the cavern. In the winter months, this fireplace kept the couple warm. They'd sit together under one of Icel's knitted blankets, and hold one another until the icy air went away.

 

Long before Gabriel was taken in by Icellina, she lived here—on this magical little dot of God's green world. Over the thousands of years of dwelling here alone, his partner had managed to fix this grotto up real nice. It spanned almost two miles, tunneling deep into the earth with countless pathways and alcoves branching out from the main cavern. So many wonderful memories existed inside these thick walls—too many to list. Gabriel was raised here, grew up here, and to him this was the only place he ever wanted to be for as long as he lived. With her. Gabriel silently mourned for his beloved, sitting down on a seat near the unlit hearth.

 

How can I possibly live without you? Why couldn't you have just left me there and saved yourself? A long sigh broke the deafening silence inside the cave. If you were here…he frowned at the cloth, remembering how she used to look so sexy inside of it. It was what she wore to bed each day, this dress; laying next to him underneath her handmade quilts, she would allow him to hold her while they slept. How he loved to feel her soft skin next to his; this sheer dress the only thing separating their warm bodies from one another. Would he ever touch her again like that, or at all for that matter? He lifted the cloth to his face and inhaled its sweet scent deeply, relishing in the warm memories it formed within his mind. God, it still smells just like her. After all this time, her lovely perfume still lingers on this dress.

 

It had been two whole weeks since he had last saw her; that terrible night burning its dark memory into his mind. He didn't even know exactly what had happened, the confusing events jumbling together and becoming muffled over time. The two of them had been tracking a carriage across the valley for hours, finally locating the perfect spot for a raid. Attacking it effortlessly, both of them managed to kill the guards and enter the stagecoach, but—what happened after that? Gabriel made a face. So many confusing thoughts clouded his mind now; he couldn't make sense of what really had happened.

 

The casket—the casket had begun to shake, and then…well…Gabriel shifted in his seat, trying to understand. It all happened so fast, the young dhampile barely had time to blink. One minute, Icellina was admiring the casket, and then…she pushed me behind that bush. Standing up from his seat, he walked deeper into the cave's large main chamber. Following one of the dark, twisting tunnels, Gabriel found himself staring into a handsome cavern—an inviting bed of pillows and blankets in its center on the floor.

 

Carefully, he laid the cream cloth down on top of one pillow—her pillow; arranging it the way she would before the night was over. They slept in the daytime, when the sun was its fiercest. His fair lady was too susceptible to the dangerous rays of the sun to live in the day; Icellina would collapse if she remained in the light for more than an hour or two. In order to avoid this, they hunted and lived almost solely during the night.

 

Now, Gabriel was much stronger than the frail, ancient dhampile Icellina, but he respected her needs and graciously lived by her rules. He enjoyed being her partner, and loved spending time with her underneath these sheets. He didn't mind living during the night. Didn't mind at all. Hmmm. Gabriel stroked his long fingers against her nightgown again, smiling at the visions flooding his head again.

 

Icel had many outfits, but this one was his favorite by far. Laying down on the bed, Gabriel relaxed, wrapping his arms behind his head. Closing his eyes, Gabriel forced one sweet memory of her to rush back into his mind; the nightly ritual she went through before laying next to him to go to sleep. Icellina would stand near the cavern wall, undressing in front of him without any hesitation. Putting that alluring dress onto her perfect body, she'd climb under the covers and prop herself up with her arms over him. His heart trembled whenever he witnessed this extraordinary event; the highlight of every evening. Stroking his hair lovingly, she'd whisper sweet nothings in an ancient tongue to him—stories for his ears only. It didn't matter if he couldn't understand her words; it was enough that she was his.

 

Every night, Icel would comfort and caress him like this; every night, she'd sing him little songs with haunting, ethereal melodies and exotic words. One would never guess how gentle and caring his dark beauty could be by the way she treated him on the hunt; only in the quiet darkness of this cave would she reveal her true tenderness. How he loved her when she kissed him at the end of the affair, pressing those soft lips against his for a fleeting moment before rolling over onto her side. Wrapping herself into his arms, Icellina would settle underneath the warm blankets, relaxing in his hold. Right before falling to sleep, the ancient dhampile would whisper in a dreamy voice,

 

`Goodnight, my darling Gabriel. I love you always.'

 

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She stared coldly at the splintering wood of the massive drawbridge; its uneven surface blocking her escape. Narrowing her eyes, she looked around for the controls of this monstrous contraption. Nothing. Icellina crossed her arms in front of her buxom body, sneering at the obstacle in her path.

 

“Of course, there always has to be something in my way.” Turning around indignantly, Icel suddenly caught whiff of a familiar scent permeating the air around her with its vile perfume. “Lizard demons…”

 

Quickly ducking behind one of the large statues lining the foyer, the dhampile unsheathed her sword and waited. The stomach-wrenching smell continued to swarm her; a dense mixture of putrid vinegar and egg assaulting her senses. It's such a shame that those bastards are the only demons in this castle…I'm hungry. She listened as her body quietly told her its needs. Narrowing her eyes, she sniffed the air again. Those lizard demons are too disgusting to eat. I guess I'll just have to wait. Growling, she twisted her face into an ugly frown. Damn it.

 

The right door underneath the stairs opened, revealing four ugly amphibian demons, slithering towards the light of the foyer. The first one out of the threshold paused, noticing the ruined door next to the one they appeared from. Examining it for clues as to why it hung from its hinges in small, fragmented pieces, he hissed and violently swerved around.

 

“Brothers,” the fiend's snake-like voice echoed inside the giant room, “Our prisoner must have escaped!” Hissing again, he twisted his head from side to side, searching for Icellina.

 

The other three joined him in his frantic song, condemning the dhampile wherever she may be. Icellina, watching the group from behind her hiding place, impatiently waited for others to join the four of them. During her torture, she noticed that where there was one, more were sure to be. And there were four right now, slithering their way around the room in pursuit. Icel knew there were more than just four in this castle--she'd heard them chanting in rooms above her cell. Gripping the hilt of her weapon, the ancient dhampile watched as the group split up suddenly, darting around the enormous room.

 

“Spread out! That little bitch can't be far!” A long snake tongue flicked furiously in and out of the largest of the four's mouth. This lizard was drooling and spitting in-between all the hissing, causing great amounts of slippery goo to drip down his leathery face. Giant, piercing yellow eyes were suddenly hindered by his vertically-closing eyelids, sending a shiver up Icel's spine. “You, go alert the others.” Pointing his green, spiny arm towards the mammoth of a staircase, he barked his orders to one of the fledglings. “The rest of you, search this room. If you find that dhampile, kill her!”

 

Enraged, the woman watched the lizard slide up the marble staircase, following the right pathway out of sight. Enough of this. Icellina bounded out from behind the statue quickly, surprising the three demons still in the foyer. Lunging toward two of the fledgling demons, she lifted her rustic sword and sliced the air around them. Avoiding her attack, one of the creatures slipped behind Icel, clawing her with its large talons. Roaring with anger, the dhampile turned towards her attacker and pounced onto its flesh like a wild animal.

 

Biting deep into the demon with her fanged teeth, Icellina ripped its neck open—sending deep cerulean blood splattering onto the garnet floor. Continuing her crazed slaughter, she slashed into its organs with her sword, piercing all the vitals she could before head-butting the poor fiend square in the brow. Taking pleasure in listening to the lizard's high-pitched screams, she dug her sharp nails into its yellow eyes, causing a slimy substance to mingle with the blood that poured from the demon's neck. The resulting odor was awful; the rotten egg and vinegar that she had smelled before replaced by a thick, terrible stench filling her nose now. It was indescribably disgusting.

 

The creature's intestines spilled out of his snake-like body, covering the floor with putrid, pea-green bile. With the last of her victim's gurgling convulsions, the woman watched as the ugly lizard fell to the floor, mutilated and disfigured—choking on the thick blood filling its gaping mouth. Enjoying its pain, Icel failed to notice the demon's brethren creeping up behind her.

 

Grabbing her arms and biting into her shoulder with its sharp fangs, one of the demons attacked; enraged by its brother's death, the lizard shrieked wildly, slashing its tail into her back. Falling abruptly onto the hard floor, Icellina quickly rolled to the side to avoid the powerful tail that smashed against the ground in her absence. Veering back onto her arms gracefully, she flung herself up back onto her feet, dodging another blow and sending her dagger through the lizard's head. With a howl it dropped, twitching as its life quickly drained away.

 

Retrieving her weapons, Icellina narrowed her eyes and turned to the leader of the pack; the giant lizard-snake that had bellowed the orders before. He waited near the base of the enormous stairway; his long, scaled tail twisting beneath his body and vibrating with his angry disposition. A long, slow sneer curled back his green lips, revealing the long jagged fangs that decorated his mouth. Blinking once or twice, he slid his way towards the crimson banister, wrapping his claw around the shining wood. With a sharp hiss, the towering demon darkened his face; burning its yellow eyes into Icel's body.

 

“Well, I guess it's your turn to die now, you ugly bastard.” Icellina nonchalantly sighed, wiping the blood off her sword with a hand and flinging the slime onto the ground. Taking a step towards him, she suddenly bent forward with a taunt. “Now, how would you like to die? Having your innards spilt onto the floor like your friend over here?” She gestured towards her first victim, “or simply sliced through the head like that one over there?” She smiled viciously, staring into his eyes. Her wounds had already healed nicely, leaving no signs they'd even been there. Being an ancient, her regeneration powers were superb; three times as fast as Gabriel's. Gabriel.

 

“You think just because you managed to kill my subordinates, you'll be able to kill of me too?” He laughed deeply, flicking his tongue out to return her taunt. “Stupid little bitch! I'm superior to those weaklings! My Master--” He closed his eyes in silent revere, “shared his strength with me. He will rise up and take his rightful place in history, now that he has what he needs to complete the ritual.” Flipping that long, pink tongue out of his mouth again, he gave another gruff laugh. “He is a GOD among the feeble creatures that walk this Earth; he will dispose of the filth—destroying your kind and humans alike. Once HE wakes up, there shall be no stopping him.”

 

Raising her eyebrow, Icellina paused, slightly intrigued by this `master' the lizard spoke of. D was looking for Maeken. This freakin' demon's master must be Maeken…right? Reveal something, she pressed the issue, desperate for more information.

 

“Tell me, you repulsive pile of shit: you say this `master' of yours is almighty, but why he isn't here then? Is he too afraid to face a real terror like me, or is it that your `master' is nothing more than a fake?” Come on, you bastard. Tell me who your master is. Icellina crossed her arms in front of her. She wasn't worried about this demon's power. She could handle it. All she was concerned about was Gabriel.

 

“I'll slit your throat for disrespecting my Master like that!” His tail slapped the garnet floor loudly, causing the grand chandelier above to tremble. Tensing his claws, the giant demon extracted his long, razor-sharp talons and sneered at her again. “I'll kill you for Master's--”

 

“I don't have time for this!” She shouted over him. “Just tell me who your fucking master is, you wretched demon!” Gnashing her teeth together, Icellina raised her weapon, preparing to gallop towards the gargantuan lizard-snake.

 

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He stared up at the ceiling of the dark cave, silently moving his eyes over the bumps of the rock; the black not affecting his vision at all. As a dhampile—even a young one—his sight went unparalleled. Having all the strengths of vampires, but none of their weaknesses, Gabriel was proud to be a half-breed. Icellina had been very adamant about this crucial lesson when he was growing up: dhampiles are superior to all other species, even humans. She resented demons, humans, and vampires—accepting money to kill them without even a second thought. But she made it a rule never to kill her own kind, no matter how much bounty was offered. She wanted dhampiles to flourish; she knew that with time, they would become the dominate species in this world.

 

Icellina stressed this belief onto the young dhampile, right from the moment she met him. It was her who raised Gabriel—finding him among the ruins of a burning fortress during a mission, two thousands years ago. She had been hired to kill his father, Lord Balthius, which she did with ease. Finding his human mother, who had recently been turned by his vampire father, Icellina killed her as well—never knowing Gabriel even existed. It wasn't until she happened upon his cradle during her escape, did the dhampile discover the angel-faced child; all alone to suffer the consequences of his irresponsible parents. Sympathy saved Gabriel that night; rescuing him from the lonely life most dhampiles face. Icellina took him in and raised him to be a hunter like herself, caring for him and preparing him to be her partner.

 

Icellina never pretended to be his mother—only his teacher and once he was old enough, her cohort. He had always loved her for that, even when he was a child. She had many faults, including her egotistical nature and lack of patience, but then again he wasn't perfect either. Being an overly impatient woman, Icellina was a bit much at times—especially when Gabriel would take too long learning something she deemed important, like multiple languages.

 

Icellina could speak many different languages perfectly, unlike her younger partner who only spoke one. English. She had given up on Gabriel years ago after he got an attitude while studying. Unlike Icel, the young dhampile was lazy, impulsive, and pretty laid-back at times. He liked to jump right into a situation without thinking, most of the time needing Icellina to help him out of trouble. They were a good team, each of their faults canceling out when paired together. She made up for his sluggishness with her speed and keen senses, and he made up for her arrogance with his retiring, calm-headed attitude. Separate they were weak, but together nothing could stop them. How I miss her.

 

Without her by his side, Gabriel's heart felt incomplete; a huge chuck missing where Icel's bright spirit should be. Not even the death of his family left a hole this big; he hardly even thought of them anymore anyways.

 

Icellina had always been so honest with him about the circumstances of his mother and father's death. It hurt the young man to hear such things, but he loved Icellina, and knew that she was only following orders. Trusting her with his entire being, the young dhampile never resented Icel for what she was; the slayer of his family. She was his family now, and that was more important. Once he became 20 or so he confessed his affections for her, binding their eternal partnership. She loved him too, even if she was hesitant about confessing it.

 

Closing his eyes, he could feel his body slowly relaxing in the peaceful darkness of their den. Allowing himself to fall into the fathomless black, he exhaled deeply, preparing for sleep. Icellina…

 

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He heard the commotion before he could see it, still up on the second floor somewhere. Going down the corridor, he ran right into a lizard demon on its way to alert the others. D quickly destroyed the weak monster, preventing it from reaching its destination. Following the high-pitched shrieks to the stairway, the dhampile stood watching in horror at the scene down in the foyer.

 

Covered in dried blood and scratches, Icellina was overpowered by the immense higher-demon that crushed her with its tail. Going airborne for a minute, the ancient warrior collided into a nearby statue with a sickening thwack. Falling from the spot, she hit the garnet floor. Coughing in a shattered manner, Icellina pushed herself back up warily with her arms. Sitting in a pool of deep crimson, she impatiently wiped some blood off her face.

 

“Bas-bastard,” She sputtered, convulsing uncontrollably while her body slowly healed itself. Its normal, quick regenitive powers were rapidly failing. Standing up feebly trying to regain her balance, Icel spat out some blood onto the floor adding to the growing puddle around her feet. She had lost a lot of it over the last half hour or so trying to kill this demon, and she needed to rest now. I can't take much more of this. Struggling to lift her weapon, she armed herself and waited—knowing it was better to conserve her energy. “Re--Ready… to die yet….bastard?” She breathed heavily, standing there watching the lizard creature curl its thick lips back into a sneer.

 

“I've told you before, dhampile. There is no beating me,” snickering, he rushed at her again, dodging her inferior attack and slicing into her flesh with his razor-sharp claws.

 

Ripping the skin near her neck, the monster reared back and swerved, smashing his long tail into Icellina, and sending her crashing into the floor. Skidding across the polished surface with a trail of blood following her, the dhampile came to a halt and lay there, unmoving. Of all thirty-five thousand years of fighting demons, this one was the hardest to kill by far. Did gaining a partner make me soft?

 

She wanted to cry, but didn't dare move. Laying motionless in the thick blood pooling up around her, Icellina felt her veins draining of their essence. Her body was giving up now; the end was surely near. She was too weak to recover now--too weak to do much of anything except lay there dying. Listening to the demon slither towards her position, she shut her eyes tightly trying to block out her impending doom. I need blood, or something. I can't believe I'm going to die here. Gabriel, I'm sorry. With the last of her strength, Icellina opened her eyes slowly, fighting the urge to pass out. Faintly looking around the darkened, blurry foyer, she noticed something moving in the corner of the room. D? Drifting her vision up to the top of the stairs, the dhampile saw the dark figure darting silently down the steps, sword in hand.

 

Shuttering violently, Icellina's heavy eyelids fell back down. She could hear the slicing of D's weapon and the screams of that wretched demon around her, piercing her mind as it floated into the darkness. In her mouth, a bitter metallic taste of death assaulted her tongue—her slowing heartbeat filling her ears as she counted down to her death. As she went unconscious, a single thought burned into her brain… Gabriel…

 

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Gabriel shifted where he lay, waking from a cloudy nightmare. “Icellina!”

 

He searched the darkness for his beloved, forgetting she wasn't there. Slumping onto his side to gaze ruefully at her empty spot next to him, he propped his head up with an arm and sighed. Will I ever see you again? I hope you are safe. Looking at the abandoned night-dress that sat on top of the pillow next to him, Gabriel's heart sunk. Oh Icel…Closing his eyes, he settled back down into the comfortable bedspread, clutching his pillow underneath his head. Rubbing his face into the layers of goose down beneath it, he momentarily cracked an eye open to look at the barren space where Icellina should be. Sighing somberly, Gabriel whispered to the darkness, hoping it would carry his message to the one he loved.

 

“Goodnight my darling Icellina. I love you always.”

 

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