Vampire Hunter D Fan Fiction ❯ Lucrezia ❯ Overture of the Night ( Prologue )

Born of primeval thorn, a twisting labyrinth sat eternal, ominous thickets ablaze with venom to welcome those who trespassed. Warmth abandoned this frozen terrain, and a petrified prison of icy graves grew from the victims caught in its trap. Frost veined out in swells across graying roots, preying upon visitors not careful in their gait. Within this bleak asylum many a human went mad trying to escape its grasp, choosing to suffer starvation rather than continue ahead. Even daylight condemned this unholy darkness, a hungry miasma consuming its depths from the world outside. Secluded and forbidding, Trepeste Forest scythed the Frontier in two, creating a mausoleum of decay that sat vacant as life blossomed around it.

 

Awkward was this ancient ruin, contrasted by cheerful gardens and sun-dappled meadows. Quaint little farmhouses dotted the pastures surrounding its keep, their flock grazing happily amongst ripened green grass. They encircled the heart of Merquoite, the haughty center of refinement and influence esteemed across the Frontier as the first word in style. Decades it had been since the last of the Nobles attacked, with memories of vampiric delight loosing color with age. Content in their safety, the townspeople of Merquoite turned a blind eye to their unattractive neighbor to the north, focusing on vogue new fashion statements and upper-class prestige.

 

Theirs was a society of wealth and snobbery, of corsets and fabrics ornately patterned to display their expense. One could not be bothered with such trivial matters as vampires or demons. Let the poor worry about death; the newest fad yearned to be flaunted instead. Trespeste sat confined by their eager development, the last trace of a dark past forgotten. But something evil churned beneath its dormant façade, an evil Merquoite pretended to ignore through layers of silk crepe. A terrible demon had made this quiescent fortress its realm, and slowly it consumed Merquoite by force.

 

For the past four months, this once quiet Frontier town had been home to unusual disturbances. Unattended children disappeared both night and day, no signs of struggle found in their wake. Nightmares of blood so vivid and fresh haunted the dreams of each person in Merquoite. Money could not protect them now, as once was believed. The line between rich and poor soon became as obscure as Night itself. Being wealthy meant nothing to a vampire, whose cold endless hunger knew no bias. Gold and jewels once used for adornment now became payment to those foolish enough to track this beast.

 

Rogue hunters raped Trepeste's graveyard in pursuit of this demon, most falling prey to its callous trickery. If lucky, endurance would reward pardon from the first phase and deliver another challenge; a dark twisting ravine of long jagged rock, stained red with the blood of humans' past. A windless void greeted them now, empty save for the uneasy heartbeats of those present. With no way to cross unscathed, the only choice was to plunge headfirst and hope for survival. Many did, but none returned. No human dared venture beyond this last summit after so many went missing, and so, they hired Him.

 

Against better judgment, He was summoned by the Sheriff of Merquoite to investigate these odd occurrences and bring back the missing children. A Dhampir, a half-breed abomination no better than the fiend he was paid to pursue. But who better to interrogate a demon than a demon as well? Such were the considerations the town leaders made. And such was the beginning of Their story...

 

 

 

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Disclaimer: Vampire Hunter D and all pre-existing characters, names, locations, or situations do not belong to me. They are the property of Hideyuki Kikuchi. I do, however, own and possess all creative control over the characters, place names, and storylines introduced to this story by me. Please do not use them without my permission.