If you cannot bear the silence and the darkness, then do not go there; if you dislike black nights and yawning chasms, never make them your profession. If you fear the sound of water hurrying through crevices toward unknown and mysterious destinations, do not consider it. Seek out the sunshine. It is a simple prescription. Avoid the darkness. It is a simple prescription, but you will not follow it. You will turn immediately to darkness. You will be drawn to it by the chords of fear and longing. You will imagine that you are tired of the sunlight; the waters that unnerve you will tug in the ancient recesses of your mind; the midnight will seem restful—you will end by going down.

—Loren Eiseley

fromThe Night Country

Forgotten Memories

Chapter 26

Gohan dodged the attack coming to him and, like a deadly dance, slashed the vampire first in the chest and then down it's spine. The vampire screamed and choked as he died, blood spraying everywhere. Blood sprayed all over Gohan's face and he reveled in it, his eyes a shimmering crimson as his blood lust was piqued.

The battle was well underway and he was ready for the blood bath that followed. He could see Victor to his far right dealing with an orc and reeling back with disgust as the dissatisfying blood stained his new armor. To his far left Antonius was dispatching a vampire of his own, not enjoying the blood as much as his brothers, but accepting it.

Catching Antonius' eye Gohan winked at him before throwing his dull sword into the throat of a giant charging at him like a dagger and, in a burst of flames as it escaped it's sheath, pulled out his new toy. The Phlegathon, a sword wrought similar to a flame, shined as if it was alive and--unknown to Gohan--Victor burned with jealousy at the sight.

With a fanatical look in his blood lust eyes Gohan leaped into the heart of the battle, using the giant he had just dispatched as a trampoline and catapulting into a pack of Nekoarma. The lion-men roared at him in defiance and came at him with their sabers as more Nekoarma rushed to their aid.

Antonius, finally finished protecting the eastern front, turned to watch Gohan battle the Nekoarma as his warriors routed the enemy who was now hauling ass in the other direction. He was glad that the battle was almost over so he could go back to reading, but disliked the fact that he had to do it for war instead of peace. He longed for peace.

The Nekoarma were fantastic creatures and, ironically, the enemies of the Werewolves. Even the Dark Lord has his humor. The felines were musclebound lions with eyes as blank as a piece of parchment. Their fangs and claws were sharp and their cord-like tails as strong as their technique was beautiful.

He wasn't surprised, however, as he watched Gohan dispatch of them one by one. It was a deadly dance he created, his brother, a feline's grace combined with a canine's hunger. The Nekoarma who came out him were outclassed as Gohan fought in the deadly circle, a smirk that rivaled Cain's on his face as blood continued to rain where he waltzed.

The Nekoarma weren't stupid though and after almost half of their warriors died fighting the deadly assassin they retreated, the last to leave just as they had been the first to charge. Victor and Antonius ran to their brother as the enemy left, knowing they would return again in less than a week's notice.

Gohan stood amidst the dead, his eyes frightening to anyone who didn't know him as his tongue ran across the sweet liquid on his blade. The blood of the enemy covered the side of his face and his lengthened fangs arched out menacingly. There was a slight shine of silvery blue in his eyes which made Victor shudder.

Nothing was worse than when Gohan's Vargul side wanted to play. He made note to not invoke Gohan's inner beast. Having his half-brother's monster lay his wrath and blood lust upon the battlefield was like an incurable disease, very detrimental to your health. Hell, anything that had to do with Gohan was detrimental to your health.

I'd take Cain anyday... Victor thought with a slight frown. "I see the enemies have ran with their tail between their legs."

"Something you're familiar with correct Victor?" Gohan taunted, his eyes still holding their blood-lust as he looked at his brother.

"Shut up!"

Victor glared at his brother as he with-held the shiver that he wanted to release ever since Gohan's blood-lust started. Even though he was a vampire it was hard to remove the picture of his brother hacking, slashing, and feeding in a whirlwind-like frenzy. Many vampires in his ranks agreed with him and he wondered why he had to relive this part.

Can't I just skip this crap?

"Come we should return soon to the castle, father is waiting on us." Antonius began and sheathed his sword, glancing at Gohan with a smirk. "Oh and your Phlegathon was incredible. The way the sparks and ends burned and slashed your opponents...it almost made me want to go into blood-lust at the sight of it!"

The proud Lord Vikram sheathed the Phlegathon, a smirk on his own lips. "It seems to have that effect on the undead, but let's not meet with father yet. I have to shower and I'm sure you two have something else to do. Victor, shouldn't you be rotting in a forgotten coffin somewhere? Antonius, shouldn't you be rutting with one of your favorite books?"

Victor scowled and trudged away from his brothers in a dark mood while Antonius blushed as darkly as his heritage would allow him. "I do not rut with my books! Brother your humor is utterly atrocious!"

Gohan couldn't help but laugh.

XX

"Calm down Serif and tell me what you had seen in slower sentences."

Serif gulped in air and drank a glass of warm blood, trying to contain his fear. No one knew that he had returned and was spying on the Dark Lord's business as best as he could for Azazel. The Madrid Lord wanted to know how Serif survived ever since the ambush by Lucius but the vampire refused to this day to tell.

"The Four Riders...Choinix, Stephanos, Martes..." Serif looked around in fear as he whispered the last name as if the Primus would hear him if he said it too loud and appear. "Dyath..."

Azazel blanched. "Impossible! Lord Fenrir had banished them with the Book of Light! I was there that fateful day when his lordship's troops were close to losing the war against...well we won an impossible battle that day against the Four Horseman thanks to Lord Fenrir. The Seals of Blood were placed, the stone coffins hidden...how could they have escaped? That could only mean one thing..."

Serif's brows furrowed in concentration. "It is possible that the Dark Lord could have released them somehow. Do you think that he obtained the Book of Light?"

"Impossible." the Madrid waved off as he paced, talking without thinking about what he was revealing. "Samael couldn't possible touch a gift from Ra. The fallen angel is too tainted..."

The vampire choked as his eyes widened. "Sama-who?"

Azazel cursed and thanked the gods that he had the forethought to lock the doors magically before talking to his spy. "What I have to say to you does not leave this room, understood?"

Serif nodded adamantly, his eyes still as wide as saucers. "Crystal clear, sir."

The Madrid sighed and began to tell the tale of a time when the world was still young and Serif's generation wouldn't be born until centuries later. The young vampire's facial expressions did amuse Azazel a bit as it went from accepting, to anger, then immense fear, and lastly astonishment.

"Gohan's grandfather?" the vampire managed to choke out when the Madrid finished his story-telling.

Azazel could only nod. "Yes, Samael is notorious for using his Four Horsemen against armies that irritate him enough or so he can watch the blood spill. I have never seen him go into battle myself and sometimes I doubt that he has to skill to. I'm sure that the army that you have seen so far is nothing yet. Samael is famous for using the Necrogan, Giritus, and Nekoarma against his enemies. I'm glad to say that Lord Vikram has never had trouble with any of them, but that is his lordship. Victor and Gabriel always had their hands full, especially with the Necrogan and the Nekoarma."

"What are the those creatures Lord Azazel?" the vampire asked in confusion, his eyes wary. "I have never heard of such things."

"That is because they do not always appear in the mortal realm and none dare to speak of them." the Madrid reprimanded softly. "The Necrogan are dead, decaying dragons who are as big as a house. They're very poisonous so you have to be careful with them. The Giritus are...how can I explain this...bear-like creatures that are armor plated and wild. They have two tusk-like teeth protruding from their jowls and claws on their fore-paws as long as your arm. Their eyes are a milky white, but turn black when they smell blood."

"Hm interesting." Serif murmured. "If this...Samael wasn't so evil I'd call him a maniacal genius for creating those things. What about these Nekoarma creatures?"

"Vicious. Ruthless. Bloodthirsty." he spoke, trying to explain them in three words. "Unrelenting until the very end. Oh yes these saber-wielding lion-men caused many a problem with their feline abilities and beautiful technique. I'd rather go against fifty vampires under blood-lust than fight even one of the Nekoarma. Then again I'd go against the entire Nekoarma army and the Primus army than go against Lord Vikram in blood-lust. I haven't seen it, but I heard it leaves even the strongest vampire trembling in fear..."

Serif didn't say anything for a moment, trying to put his thoughts in order and imagine how Lord Gohan would look in blood-lust. "What happens when Lord Vikram goes into blood-lust?"

Azazel fixed him with a serious look. There was a long pause of silence before the Madrid spoke and for good reason, he was trying to find the right words to explain it. "Woe to he that faces the wrath of the beast."

XX

Victor sat in his room in the memory world, a sickeningly satisfied smile as he relieved his father's last moments of anguish. His arm tingled a little at the fading pain of using the Phlegathon, but it was worth it to once again witness his shining moment. He was in control, he had power, he was his own boss.

Flashback

Fenrir looked up to see Victor walk in with a scowl on his face. Ignoring his bastard of a son his feral eyes looked back down to the book he was writing. Victor waited impatiently for his father to address him, said father too busy to even talk to him since he was doing something more important than anything else.

Once the Lord of the Lands was finished for the moment the book vanished into his many shelves and he fixated his gaze on his youngest son. "Though I may have taken you under my wing I have no reason to have any sort of connection to you Victor. I know about your unhealthy obsession with your half-brother's wife and the tears you cause your step-mother to shed almost every night. If you harm a hair on any of their heads I will kill you myself."

Victor said nothing at first and they stood in silence before Fenrir turned around and began to look at his bookshelves, quickly losing interest and patience in his third-born son. "If you have nothing to say Victor leave me, I have no time for you."

"Then you will make time!"

Fenrir turned around to late with his sword as the Phlegathon slid through his body, The burning sword had cut his sword in half in it's way to his body. Fenrir choked as he could feel the fire's stirring and beginning to lick him, tasting him as it slowly began to consume him. In front of him, his hand screaming in torment, Victor laughed unmercifully.

"Woe be to you father for turning your back only son!"

Fenrir dropped to his knees in pain, his eyes blazing with hate as he choked out his words, blood dribbling down his chin. "Only?"

"Yes." Victor purred, "Your only. I will be coming for Antonius and dear step-mother Undomiel soon enough. Then afterward I will consume Arwen and Melime in my undying flames of love."

"You damned monster!" Fenrir choked out, coughing up blood. "Your just like your bitch of a mother!"

Victor laughed darkly. "Monster indeed I will claim but being like Scelesta? I'll pass. I'm going to tear your family apart father. Ending with Gohan, the one you cherish more than anything else. When I'm done with him even Grandfather will have to love me!"

"Curse you Victor!" Fenrir snarled, "Curse you and your existence! May the transformation of the Vargul that you wish to perfect become distorted and permanent. Your lycan will be hairless, disgraceful, and unchangeable. A fitful end for a worthless son!"

Furious as he felt the curse bombard him from different directions Victor twisted the sword, causing Fenrir to roar in pain. "May these last words stay with you into the afterlife father: FUCK YOU!"

In a blaze of flames the Lord of the Lands burst into ashes that floated gently onto the shiny white marble. Victor hissed as the flames backfired on him as if punishing him for what he did and scorching his hand. The vampire dropped it quickly and hissed again in pain as he tried to move his fingers. Painfully he grabbed the Phlegathon and ran out of the room.

End Flashback

Victor sighed with contentment. "What a wonderful flashback..."

"Are you having a wet dream dear cousin Victor?"

The Vampire King jolted and fell backwards on his recliner. Cain watched with dark amusement as Victor scrambled to his feet with a scowl on his features. "What the--how the hell did you get in here?"

Grin widening ever more Cain pointed at the door and Victor felt a streak of embarrassment as the door was wide open. "I knocked a few times with no reply and then entered to find you drooling. So I ask again, bastard cousin, were you having a wet dream?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Victor snapped, "I was not having a wet dream! I was reminiscing on killing Fenrir you sick bastard!"

"You're so funny cousin!" Cain purred, a dark glint in his eye. "However I am tired of your childish dark magic. These memories are so repetitive...so bland...I have decided to end your charade and tell Gohan the secret of his so called...deja vu."

"Ha!" Victor barked in triumph before sneering. "He would never believe you! Gohan is so far gone in his memories that by the time we come to the end of them he will be trapped in his coffin for another six centuries before he realizes what happened!

Cain laughed maniacally before placing a crazed gaze at his cousin. "Oh dear cousin Victor I have my ways...and so does the Dark Lord. Even now his gaze fixes upon you with the utmost darkest passion. He wants to slay and torture you into oblivion for ruining his plans. He is...oh how do you say...furious?"

"What? Grandfather would never..." Victor sat in silence, thinking of the memories before cursing profusely and disappearing without a trace. Cain snickered as he walked away, singing the words his mother used to sing him in the same slow rhythm.

"There" most everything is nothing that it seems

"Where" you see the things you only want to see...

XX

Videl felt something touching her face and jolted awake in fear of it being either Samael, Victor, or one of the creepy crawlies that lurked in the shadows. In front of her stood a handsome man with a kind smile. She felt the special ropes holding her to the chair that her and O-kyo had been bound to being loosened by the Madrid.

"Hello Lady Vikram," the man announced, showing his fangs in his gentle smile before bowing t her. "My name is Seretur."

She couldn't help but blush when he called her 'Lady Vikram'. She knew that was supposed to be Gohan's real last name and was embarrassed to go by it even though it sounded nice rolling off the tongue. Lady Vikram hm? "Um, Seretur, my name is Videl. Just Videl."

Seretur shrugged. "Whatever you say Lady Vikram."

Videl just sighed and working her muscles a bit as O-kyo interrogated their rescuer with narrowed eyes and a frown. "Who are you and how did you know we were down here? Are you working with the enemy?"

"Hell no." their rescuer answered bluntly. "I'm here to rescue her ladyship because a war is going to start soon and hopefully Cain can get Lord Vikram out of that...that place. Besides this is a GV fic I mean come on, they deserve a happy ending right? They've been separated half the time I bet they want some together time."

Videl blushed profusely as he wagged his eyebrows. O-kyo grunted and nodded his head agreeing as he rubbed his chin, his eyes looking upward in thought. "Well that is the case...ok I'll take it you're an ally. No one on the evil side would want a GV fic to continue right?"

"Hey! Hello! Come on guys let's focus here!" Videl shouted, waving her arms to grab their attention and letting out a large breath of air as she tried to make her red face go away. "So how did you find us here? This place is like a maze!"

Seretur snorted. "Well I unfortunately have a guide who knows too much about this place. Anyway we need to get out of here before someone comes to check on you. Don't know how long that will be since I don't know too much about the guard system here. Cain swears up and down on his mother's grave there is no security...well I guess I believe him this time. I mean it is his mother he's swearing about..."

"Look can we just get out of here?" O-kyo grumbled, "I've wasted enough of my life hanging out in the Dark Lord's Underworld ok? Fair enough?"

"Well that's fair enough..." Seretur agreed, "But I can't."

"WHAT?"

The halfling placed his hands over his ears as he attempted to stop the ringing. "What the fuck man? I'm a fucking lycan over here ok! Samael's balls are you trying to make me death?"

O-kyo laughed. "Samael's balls? I've got to use that once this is over."

"Enough!" Videl snapped, rolling her eyes at O-kyo's comment. "I thought you had a guide that led you in. Can't you just retrace your steps to get out?"

Seretur stared at her a if she had grown another head. "We fuckin' teleported over here okay? That's how he showed me the way in. I didn't say he showed me the way out."

"Great..." O-kyo drawled out, "Instead of being prisoner to the first Dark King who's gone creepy and cuckoo the last couple of centuries, we're stuck with the maniacal servant who was born that way."

"It could be worse." Seretur quipped as he sat in a chair and relaxed, "You could be the V in the GV fic."

O-kyo nodded, a serious look on his face as he too sat down to wait. "True."

"HEY!"

To - Yes I noticed how I did that and I will take your advice. I just need to watch how I'm placing everyone on the chessboard and keep the king and queen per se away from each other for a while until they can make it across the board. 'winks' That will be fixed in my next story and I hope you review that one too. I'd had a while to actually start forming an idea for it. Until the next review!

- Lucied