Vampire Hunter D Fan Fiction ❯ Vampire Hunter Ramika ❯ Mouth of Madness ( Chapter 6 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter 6: The Mouth of Madness


Ramika was disgusted at the sights she first witnessed. Anastasia had put various Barberoy in cages in order for them to be viewed. Ramika wondered why only a subtle message from Carmen made her passage near the Barberoy lands so easy. She had her answer.
A small amphitheatre was set up around a large cage. Several Barberoy were herded into the cage. A group of dhamphiles under Anastasia's control began abusing the cat mutated men.
Ramika smiled, when she would have rather vomited.
Anastasia laughed riotously as the cat men whimpered and cried out to be freed.
Ramika expected Hunter to be laughing with Anastasia, but he was not. His arms were crossed in front of his chest. A frown furled his brow and anger flashed in his eyes.
"Are you enjoying yourself, Hunter? This is to par with your circus in the west is it not?" Anastasia squealed.
"What was their crime?"
"Their crime? Oh come now Hunter, they are Barberoy. Their purpose is to serve us any way we wish. Who needs criminals when we have them to play with?"
"You thought I would enjoy this?"
"You always enjoyed such displays in your own arena, Hunter."
"I was punishing hardened criminals. The taste for this type of entertainment left my mouth long ago, Anastasia. Why don't you let the rest of the guests watch this display, while you give me and Ramika a personal tour of your trinkets. I can see the countess is not fond of the display either."
Ramika looked up into Hunter's eyes and wondered if all of the rumors of his extreme cruelty were exaggerated.
"Oh very well. I can watch this sort of play any time I wish." Anastasia rose from her seat and waved to her servants to keep the entertainment going. She took the arm Hunter offered as Ramika took Hunter's other arm.
"This way. " Anastasia pointed down one of the various tunnels in the labyrinth that existed below the lodge. "First we have my collection of interesting jewelry."
Anastasia rambled on about various pieces and each of their magical properties. Most of the information was of no interest to Ramika until they came upon a display case where one ring sat on a pillow of rich blue velvet.
"Is that what I think it is?" Ramika said in awe as she looked at the ring with the red dragon crest on its face.
"Of course child. It is one of the few pieces of my collection that I already had in my possession. I took it from Radu's dead finger just as he took it from Vladistan's dead finger."
Ramika peered at the signet and smiled a wry smile. "It is a fake. The true crest would have an emanation of power from it."
Anastasia stared at her aghast. "How do you know that?"
"Oh, it is very simple. We all carry crests of power handed down from the former king." Ramika raised her right hand, where she wore the signet of House of Lee. "You should be able to feel the power from my crest."
"She is quite right, Anastasia. I too have a signet, for the House of Sinclair." Hunter lifted his pale right hand to show his crest.
Anastasia looked rather livid for a few moments, but her agitation faded quickly. "It matters not. Even a fake will attract the curious."
"As for power, something down here is seeking to draw the energy from my crest. I am not amused."
Ramika's hand went to the spot on her chest where the child's ring hung from a chain around her neck. She suddenly realized why the ring in the case was a fake. She had part of the true ring with her. As her right hand went over her heart, she felt the energy travel through her own signet and out.
Anastasia bit down hard and managed a fake smile. "I had hoped to show you the reason for my triumph with a better crowd, but it seems I will not get the chance. I will allow my little sensibilities to ease for now. Come to the inner sanctum."
Anastasia led Hunter and Ramika into semi-circular room where a star-shaped seal was etched into the flat part of the wall. In the center of the seal was a small shelf where D's sword sat perched. Five other empty shelves sat within the points of the pentacle. The wave of power being drawn into the room was enormous.
"I searched for centuries for this place. Magnus was the only one I knew that knew of where this place was. When he died, I had to start from scratch."
Ramika stood with her eyes transfixed on the seal. "What is it?"
"The source of all of the king's power. Once, this place was a chapel. Holy vestiments, drapes, tapestries and such hid the true treasure. In this very room, centuries ago, His majesty cursed god and used the power of this ancient place to transform himself." Anastasia chuckled evilly as she pointed out several other smaller magical seals etched in the walls and the ceiling of the room. "This is the true Sulaman treasure chamber."
"Sulaman? Are you referring to the biblical Solomon?"
"Quite. The seals in this room are the true treasure, not gold or jewels."
Hunter ignored the conversation between the two women as he looked around the room. Around the walls stood several coffins with hinged glass covers. Two were occupied and etched with symbols to keep them from opening. Hunter walked to the coffin where D lay encased. He spat at the coffin. "I hate you. I hate that you were his favorite."
"What are you talking about, Hunter?" Ramika said as she wheeled around.
"I thought you would have known, dear little Ramika." Anastasia answered. "Hunter is also Dracula's natural born son. The woman in that coffin is Animika. She is also natural born of the king. One of the three directly from Dracula's very loins."
Hunter whirled around and looked Anastasia in the face. "Your invitation was a trap! One of these coffins...." Hunter started to say, but his boot hit a small circle on the floor next to an empty coffin. A power surrounded him and he was slammed into the coffin.
Anastasia removed Hunter's signet before shutting the hinged lid.
Hunter struggled for a few moments before falling into a peaceful sleep.
Ramika wanted to help him but held back. Any show of force in this place was worth nothing.
"Are you amused at what I did to the pretty one?"
Ramika smiled evilly. "He was too full of himself. If you do not mind, Your Highness, I must go see to my horse. I do not trust the humans to care for him as he should be cared for."
Anastasia laughed absently. "Go on, child. There is a room ready for you. You will see. Once the coffins are full and ..." She placed the signet in a small divot above Hunter's coffin," the swords are in the seal. The reign of the vampires will begin anew."
Ramika rushed out of the room, through the treasure halls and , up through to the lodge. "She is insane." She started outside, but stopped when a wave of sleepiness hit her as soon as she opened the front doors.
"Milady! You should not leave at the sanguine, the power of the forest encroaches us. Let me show you to your room, please milady." One of the tap girls said as she cow towed at Ramika's feet.
"Show me to my room then. I am exhausted."

**********

Radji fought the pain as he rode through the night and well into the day. He had to stop and burry himself quickly as he neared the bridge across the gorge. The lizard-bird squawked. It wanted to continue, but Radji could not allow the bird to be lost to him. Not when he was so close to his goal.
He patted his sword and smiled before climbing in the shallow of earth he dug. "Soon, Pertinax, we will have our victory.
His dreams were filled with the sounds of monsters chattering. He did not realize that the sounds were real until he pokes open one eye.
A group of young Barberoy that resembled cats were eying the small cage with the lizard bird trying to figure out how to open the complicated lock.
Radji sat up and brushed the dirt from his chest. "May I help you, ladies?"
One of the cat girl looked up, licked her paw and washed her face. "We wonder why you have this bird. He is a very bad bird." The other three cat girls hid behind the one speaking.
"I know he is a very bad bird."
"Are you a very bad vampire?" One of the shorter ones hissed from behind the first.
"Very bad vampire took our papa away. Now we cry."
"Bad bird lured away our friends."
"Are you a very bad vampire?"
"Now, now ladies, do not all talk at once. No, I am not a very bad vampire. I need the bird to lead me to the very bad vampire. I do not know where she is."
"I know where she is!"
"I know too, followed a bird and was shoved away while they took my mate."
"In the forest, deep."
"So, ladies will show me where the bad vampire is?"
"No! Too scary! We are still to young."
"I'm not. I have a mate now. She took him away and I want him back."
"Will you show me then?" Radji rose completely from the ground and carefully brushed himself off. the burn wounds had healed well during his rest. The scars were faint and pink. Radji knew one more day of good rest and they would disappear.
"Ooh ! You pretty vampire! You need a mate? The three cats that did not have attachments swirled around him rubbed their sides against his body and purred."
"No, I do not need a mate, I need a guide to where the one who calls herself Anastasia is."
The cats hissed and stepped back from him partially in anger, partially in fear.
"I want to kill her." Radji stated firmly.
The four cats looked at each other than back at Radji before leaping around happily. "We will help. We will show you to the ruler of the forest. He will help you get the bad vampire."
"He will, yes he will."
Radji picked up the bird cage, and with one hand launched himself gracefully onto the back of his horse. His actions caused the cats to make sounds of admiration towards him.
"Please, lead on, ladies."

**********

The sun was high in the sky before Ramika found a chance to escape from the lodge. the tap girls and other human servants of Anastasia did everything in their power to persuade her to stay.
A group of men, armed with guns and swords, stood at the door to bar her exit.
"Move out of my way or you will all die!" She ordered.
"We do not take orders from mere dhamphiles, only the queen gives us orders."
Ramika had no doubt that the men were strong. Some looked to be dhamphiles. The major difference in these servants versus the rest is that they were not scarred with bites. These slaves were guards, and therefore off limits for a quick meal by any of the vampires.
She was certain that four of the remaining glass coffins in the inner sanctum were reserved for her, Sabattian, Spenser and Rodgen. She was not sure who the fifth coffin was for. It did not matter. she had to get out of the lodge.
"Go back to your room. The queen has forbidden anyone to leave."
"I will go where I please, when I please. " Ramika barked out as she pulled Vindicare from its scabbard. The sword glowed with light, catching Ramika by surprise, causing her to let down her guard.
"She has one of the swords! Get her!" One of the guards ordered as he rushed Ramika.
Another of the guards ran towards the stairs shouting, "I am going to wake the queen! She will want to be here to help subdue her!"
Ramika regained her composure quickly and parried both bullets and sword slashes.
Tap girls and others curious about all of the noise rushed into the room. A few who looked at the bright sword slashing down the guards rushed forward to help subdue Ramika. The rest scattered and hid.
Help came from an unexpected source. Hunter's band mates, whom were sleeping on pallets near the stage, jumped up and fought against the guards.
Once the guards were busy with the band mates, the one called Daniel shouted, "Go!" to Ramika.
Another of the band mates followed Ramika out the door to make sure she got to her horse.
"Why?" Ramika asked as she mounted her horse.
"Because we know what she did to our master. Despite the rumors, our master is truly a kind and gentle person. Godspeed." He hit the horse on the rump to speed it on its way.
Ramika's horse sped down the path past a flurry of arrows from unseen archers. From the inaccuracy of the shots, Ramika suspected that her horse was simply catching trip lines tied to crossbows.
She veered into the forest itself, not sure where she was going. Any place deeper within the forest was safer than on the path or too close to the lodge. It did not matter that the horse was running mainly out of her control.
After what seemed like forever, the horse finally slowed it's frantic charge down to an easy trot. Ramika looked around to gain her bearings, but nothing looked familiar.
The sleepy feeling started to creep into her, but she used the spell Rodgen had taught her. She slid off of her horse and walked towards the sound of running water.
A small spring spilled into a clear pool of water. The horse padded forward and slowly lapped the clear liquid as Ramika washed off her face. she wanted to convince herself that she wasn't very frightened, but she could not deny the truth.
"There were shelves for five swords around D's, not four. Something is not right." She murmured to herself.

**********

"She is no longer at the lodge. Anastasia's servants are out in force looking for her." Mark reported to Rodgen as he walked to the cave.
"It is good that this alcove is warded. It is unlikely that they will find this place. You, Matt and Luke stay here. Sabattian, Spenser and myself will handle this task."
"How can we make sure that they will not come in here?"
Rodgen uncovered several seals within the inner walls of the cave. "My grandmother used this as her private sanctuary. I was told that if I ever got into big trouble that I should come here."
Matt gasped, "With that powerful magic, how were you three able to stay inside here?"
"We are not evil, Matthew, just different than the normal. After so many years afraid that your own heritage might rear its ugly head, you should know that." Sabattian replied.
"And, I have a spell of my own that only lets in those I want to enter." Rodgen added, "I am not a sorcerer extraordinaire for nothing." he winked as he walked to Spenser's horse. Spenser insisted he ride with him since Rodgen had no horse of his own.
"Do you have any idea where Ramika might have run to?"
"No Sabattian," Rodgen answered as Spenser spurred the horse forward, "But, when we get to the spot I indicated, I can use a spell on my sword to help me locate her."
"Locate the sword, you mean."
"Sabattian, do you honestly believe that she would leave the lodge without it?" Rodgen reasoned.
"He has a point."
"If her life were in that much danger..."
"You are a lovesick sot, Sabattian."
"Not that again." Sabattian rolled his eyes.
Rodgen laughed. "No, she is a Lee. She would not have left the sword behind. We are nearly to the clearing. Be on your guard for humans who serve the false queen."
As they neared the clearing, they slowed. The sound of mewing cats reached their ears.
"This is something we do not need." Rodgen whispered.
"What is it?"
"Barberoy. A group of cat mutants. For some godforsaken reason, Anastasia has been luring the males to the lodge. Most likely for one of her sadistic amusements." Rodgen slid from the back of Spenser's horse and motioned for Spenser to follow his example.
Sabattian drew his sword and slid off his horse. He stalked in the shadows of the trees until he reached the edge of the clearing. Spenser and Rodgen were close behind. Female mewing and purring reached their ears as well as male laughter.
"Female cats, but I have no idea who the man among them is." Rodgen whispered as he silently drew his pistol. "Perhaps I should give him a warning shot."
"No." Sabattian and Spenser said in unison as they burst into the clearing with swords drawn.
The cats scattered into the trees, but the turbaned man sat cross legged in the center of the clearing. He kept his hands in his lap and made no move towards the sword that lay beside him.
"Who are you?" Spenser growled out.
"I would ask the same of you." The man replied calmly. "I was simply talking to a nice group of cat ladies when you burst in here. What quarrel do you have with me?"
Rodgen walked slowly into the clearing with his gun trained on the intruder. He carefully kicked aside the sword. "He asked you a question, stranger."
The stranger raised his hands in the air in surrender. "Radji Raduaster."
Sabattian put his sword tip to Radji's throat. "Give me a reason I should not kill you right now, cousin."
Radji stared up at Sabattian. His green eyes twinkled as he calmly spoke. "Have the one who kicked my sword away look at it. You will have your answer, Sabattian, or are you Spenser?"
Rodgen got an odd look on his face as he holstered his pistol and went to look at Radji's sword. "Impossible!" he shouted.
"What is the matter Rodgen?"
"Just look Spenser!" Rodgen held up the sword so that Spenser could clearly see the pommel. "It is another draconian sword!"
Spenser sheathed his sword and grabbed Radji's sword from Rodgen's hands. "How can this be?" He held it up so Sabattian had a clear view of the ornamentation.
Sabattian glanced up slightly, frowned and lowered his sword slightly but kept Radji guarded. "What does this mean, Radji?"
"It means you need me to complete your quest." Radji rose slowly with his hands still above his head.
"The spell only mentions the name of four swords. Why is there a fifth?" Rodgen said.
"My father omitted the name of one sword in the poem, purposely. He did not want the king's sword to be able to be called. My sword is called, Pertinax, or persistent. And, may I ask who you are?"
"Rodgen of the wood, Rodgen Lee."
"Ah, that explains much. So you have gathered three of the swords needed to call the sword of the king?"
"Four. Ramika has the other."
Radji nodded. "Then my sword completes the set. The poem should read, ' When the persistent, gallant hawk sings its melody of vengeance, the king will return to the center. ' That is why my father believed he would be safe from the king's sword. A sword he knew he could never hold. He did not count on the treachery of the bitch he was sleeping with."
"Well now that we have all of the swords needed, all we need to do is find Ramika." Spenser said.
"How can we trust a vampire to help us?" Sabattian growled.
"I an just as you are, cousin. My father thought me too far beneath him because my mother was a whore. I am merely a dhamphile. May I lower my hands and have my sword back?"
Sabattian slammed his sword back into its scabbard. "Go ahead." He growled. "As long as he helps us wake father, I could care less what else he does."
"The ritual may not be enough. It will bring the sword to us, but if Anastasia has him under a deep spell, he will not wake. There are three more things needed."
"What do you mean?" Spenser said as he handed Radji his sword.
"Two rings and a name. I have one of the rings. Dracula feared treachery from my father, so he had his true signet melted into two rings. One that resembled a ruby encrusted wedding band. He wore this on his left pinky." Radji pulled a ring from a hidden pocket inside his boots, "My stepmother took the false signet after she killed my father. She is an idiot. She believed she had the true signet."
"How did you come by it?" Spenser asked.
"I stole it from my father's dressing table. I felt the energy and knew that Esmerelda, as she called herself then, should never have it. The other ring, a child's ring, he entrusted to his youngest son, your father."
"Ramika has that ring, " Sabattian said, "on a chain around her neck. How Magnus Lee got his hands on it, is uncertain."
Radji nodded. "Now we only have one more thing we need to free the prisoners of the false queen, her true name."
"How in the hell are we going to find that out?" Spenser bellowed.
Radji shrugged and shook his head.
"As much as I am interested in this debate, I need you to move so I can perform the spell to find my sister." Rodgen pushed the other three men aside as he positioned himself in the center of the clearing. "Back up some more. I need room to do this properly."
The three backed away towards a tree. "What exactly is he doing?" Radji whispered to Spenser.
"He is a sorcerer, from a line of great sorcerers. On his mother's side, of course."
"Will you two be quiet. You are breaking my concentration."
Rodgen pulled his sword and drew a circle in the ground around him with it, followed by several small symbols. He took several deep breathes, mumbling in an ancient language between each breath. He held his sword high and allowed the weight of it to guide his hand.
"What language is that, Sabattian?" Spenser whispered as quietly as he could.
"I have never heard anything resembling it." Sabattian whispered back.
Radji blinked a couple of times and whispered to the two. "Hebrew, specifically, ancient Hebrew. How does he know it?"
"He was born in the cabin that Anastasia now occupies. It was home of sorcerers that were his family.
Radji sighed and concentrated a moment. "This is more complicated than I feared."
"She is over by the cold springs. Anastasia can get nowhere near the place, but I am not so sure about her henchmen."
Spenser rushed from the clearing to get the horses.
"Let's be quick about it then. Radji, do you have a horse?"
"Have you ever known a noble-blooded Turk to not have one?"
"That is not an answer."
Radji laughed, "Of course I have a horse."
"Don't mind him. He is touchy because he is a lovesick sot." Spenser said with a laugh as he lead the horses into the clearing.
"Shut up."
The three mounted their horses as Radji went to get his horse.
"Your lady awaits, I believe, Prince Sabattian."
"I have less qualms about killing you than about killing Spenser." Sabattian spurred his horse in the direction Rodgen indicated.

***********

The Quiet rest did not last. After a few sips of water, Ramika found herself fighting again.
A half a dozen humans, some with bite marks, some without, rode in on four wheeled mechanical carriages.
The roaring engines of the vehicles spooked her horse, sending it fleeing who knew where.
One man swung an axe as he rushed his vehicle past Ramika. He barely missed her head. as she dove backwards into the shallow, icy water. The shock of the cold sent pain throughout her body, but it also served to refresh her. She rose to her feet and poised her sword.
As one of the men came by swinging a large club, Ramika ducked low and caught his vehicle by the tire and him by the leg. The vehicle swerved to the side and rolled, pinning him beneath it.
the one with the axe hopped from his vehicle and came at Ramika. She slid between the legs of the huge man, causing him to barely miss his foot.
Ramika whirled around and sliced the back of the knees of the axe wielder as she ducked to miss a rock thrown from one of the other men on vehicles.
The rock hit the axe wielder, causing him to fall on his own weapon.
The man who had thrown the rock wheeled his vehicle around and raised a spear.
Ramika barely had time to drop and roll out of the way before she was skewered.
Anger sped through her, and she, without thinking, used her innate power of fire throwing. The fireball hit the engine of the one carrying the spear, causing the vehicle to explode.
She rolled aside and into a crouch in order to miss being run over by another of the vehicles. She raised her sword at just the right moment, decapitating her enemy.
The smell of blood filled her nostrils, making her hungry, but there was no time to think of her stomach. There were three more men, two on the mechanical beasts to worry about.
The man that was pinned wiggled his way out from under his vehicle, pulled a knife and rushed towards Ramika as one of the vehicles rushed in her direction.
She whirled and caught her sword on the man with the knife, only to have one of the two remaining vehicles crash into her and send her flying hard into a tree trunk.
If Ramika had been human, the impact would have left her body too broken to move. She dropped her sword and crawled as quickly as she could to retrieve it.
One of the two remaining men hopped from his vehicle to take it before she could reach the sword. Ramika dove, grabbed the pommel in her hand and swung at the man wildly. It gave her opponent on the remaining vehicle to crush her under his wheels.
The crunch of her legs being broken was of little comfort, but at least neither of her opponents had the sword.
The man on foot swung his club, trying to knock the sword out of Ramika's hands as she rolled and tried to sit up. Ramika managed to plant the sword between the man's legs and use the pressure against his hipbone to propel her into a seated position.
The man dropped his club, backed away and rolled into a ball due to his grave injury.
Ramika looked at her mangled legs as the man on the vehicle prepared to run her over again.
Ramika posed her sword as best she could and prepared for the impact.
A horse suddenly ran between her and the vehicle, causing her opponent to slam on his breaks.
The horse reared on its hind legs but did not throw the rider off.
Another horse with two riders stopped behind the vehicle to keep the driver from running.
A third horse, with a turbaned rider, jumped over the vehicle. The rider of that horse grabbed the driver by the shoulder and tossed him to the ground.
The driver had to scramble to keep from being crushed under horse hooves.
"No you don't." Rodgen slid off the back of Spenser's horse and caught hold of the driver before he could try to scramble away.
Sabattian jumped from his horse. "Ramika!" His eyes were wide with pain as he looked at the damage done to Ramika. He dove to her side and wrapped his arms around her, warbling promises about never leaving her ever again. He rained small kisses on her face.
"That hurts!" Ramika screamed.
"Oh god!" Rodgen said as he saw the extent of the damage to Ramika. "Get away from her Sabattian, so I can use a spell to help her heal! She may heal fast, but her injuries could still kill her!"
Spenser had to drag Sabattian off of Ramika so Rodgen could use his healing spells.
Radji began questioning the man they captured. "How many does the false queen have under her command?"
"I don't know, lots!" the human said as he stared into Radji's eyes.
"How many are full vampires?"
"About a dozen, I think. there are more than twice that many dhamphiles, and lots of humans. Please don't kill me!" The man got an eerie smile on his face as he suddenly went calm.
"What is the matter with you?" Radji shook him a couple of times.
A feminine voice came out of the man's mouth. The voice laughed maniacally then suddenly stopped. The man slumped, dead, in Radji's hands.
"She knows we rescued Ramika." Radji said flatly as he dropped the corpse. "She knows we are here."
"She was using the humans as her eyes and ears. Damn it!" Spenser said. "Do you know of any other powers she might possess?"
"No. " Radji replied.
Ramika's horse wandered to the other three horses , calmed by the familiarity of finding more of it's kind.
Ramika's vision blurred as she felt the power of Rodgen's spell running through her. She slowly fell asleep.
"My sister will ride in front of me. We need to get back to the cave. I will send one of the boys back here for the vehicles once I am sure Ramika will be alright. Mark has a liking for mechanical objects, he might be able to put the vehicle that runs to use."
"Anastasia has a spell on the machines." Sabattian barked.
"Hold onto Ramika just a moment." Rodgen cast his spell. A screaming clouds floated away from the working vehicle and all of the non-working ones as well. "Not anymore she doesn't. The souls she trapped into the machines are now free."
Sabattian stood swaying back and forth as he cradled Ramika in his arms. He whispered the words of a lullaby.
"You are right, Spenser." Radji whispered, "He is lovesick."
"Lets all get out of here before Anastasia sends someone else here."

***********

Anastasia screamed in frustration at her failure. She paced back and forth in her sealed chambers tearing at anything she could get her hands on.
Two of her bodyguards, and a half a dozen tap girls were dead at her feet, casualties of her angry tirade.
"How could I have not felt the sword when the little chit was here? What is wrong with me? How is it possible that I could not tell a fake crest from a real one?"
She flung herself on her enormous bed and cried like a spoiled child. "Why?" As soon as she relaxed a little, she fell into a deep sleep.

**********