by David Paul
“I am famished,” Capello said. “Would you like to get some food?”
“We don’t have to leave the house, old friend,” the vampire said. David’s kitchen is stocked well. He prepares food for Fiona all of the time, and the vampire is quite the amateur chef. Cooking is a hobby of his. David leads Capello to the kitchen. “Just wait, in a little bit, you will feel like you are back in Sicily.” He fries some fresh garlic in a pan of extra virgin, olive oil, and the smell carries all throughout the house. In no time, he throws together a gourmet meal for his guest. The food is almost done.
“Smells wonderful,” Capello said. The fortuneteller is eagerly awaiting his meal. The smell is intoxicating.
“Wait until you taste it,” David said. The vampire smiled. He knows that his dish is phenomenal.
David whipped up a late-night hearty meal of angel hair spaghetti, pork, steak, veal, and Italian sausage in tomato gravy, reminiscent of an Old World Bolognese sauce. Capello looks like a fat kid waiting on cake. The hearty aromatic smells bring them both back to a better time and place. Even though David will not partake in the meal, he enjoys preparing it. The ladies were awakened by the succulent smells coming from the kitchen, and Fiona took Emily to investigate. David is in the kitchen about to serve Capello at the kitchen table.
“Hey aren’t you the wiener guy?” Fiona asked.
“Yes,” Capello said with a smile.
“He is a dear friend that I haven’t seen in years,” David said. “In fact, I have spoken to you about Capello.” Once he revealed the prophet’s name, Fiona’s jaw dropped.
Fiona remembers David’s story, and she puts it all together and realizes that Capello is ages old, just as David. Fiona introduces herself, and then introduces Emily to the man. The introduction means far more to Fiona who knows the background story, but Emily is still genuine about meeting Capello. Emily just has no idea who he really is in the scheme of things. She thinks that he is just a super nice, food vendor that David knows.
David also feeds the ladies who have a serious case of the munchies from their earlier activities. Fiona senses that Capello is there for something important and directs Emily back into the living room after a short while to let them attend to their business. Damien gets a healthy dose of gourmet leftovers, and the ladies have him performing tricks for pieces of sausage and such in the living room. The charismatic Damien keeps the ladies occupied.
After Capello has a full stomach, David brings him back to the library sitting area. Capello requests a bowl of olive oil from David. Capello takes out a leather bound wooden case from his inside jacket pocket. Inside, there is some sort of glass contraption, which appears to be a pipe that is smartly and ingeniously stored in the case. David secretly laughs on the inside as he is looking at Capello dressed in Old Navy clothes. He remembers his previous garb, and this new look after all of these years is extremely comical to the dark and brooding vampire. David has gone through so many phases over the years, and the vampire’s sense of humor is slowly coming back after a torturous long absence.
The fortuneteller uncaps a small glass jar full of thick and sticky opium. The unmistakable odor fills up the room as Capello packs some into the glass pipe. “I am too old to chase dragons,” Capello said.
With a snap of a lighter, he inhales deeply and passes the pipe to David who does the same. They pass the smoking pipe back and forth until the potent opium is burnt down to light gray ashes, and their minds are set completely free. He takes out a jeweled pocketknife, undoes a bandage on his middle finger, and makes a small incision. The blood drops into the bowl and does a mystical dance while combining with the oil. Capello shows the look of an entranced Indian shaman, and he talks to David.
“Old friend, it is good to see you. Thank you for your hospitality and such a fine and filling meal. Now, it is time that I must speak with you on another level. It has been many years since we sat together and chased the ancient dragons that were given birth in the womb of the earth. I’ve watched you become who you are, who you are meant to be, and who you are fated to be. In your entire existence, the next few years will become the most important. In the pivotal moment of the war, your hand alone will tip the balance of the scales into alignment. The direction of your influence is your decision. The manner in which you complete your destiny is unclear, but your role in the prophecy is crystal clear.”
Capello pauses to prepare another pipe full of opium. David finds this a bit odd because Capello has never interrupted his prophecies to use more opium. The vampire recalled the potency of the drug in the past, and to the best of his knowledge, this opium is comparable if not stronger than before. That tiny difference struck the vampire as being somewhat weird.
“Why are you partaking in more of that?” David asked.
“You are also going to partake in more of this.” Capello hands the pipe to David and exhales a thick cloud of smoke into the vampires face. “It is needed,” Capello said. That is the sole answer that his old friend would provide him with. David refrains from asking Capello anything more in regards to his actions.
“I will do as you ask,” the vampire said.
“Everything comes down to you,” Capello said, “and that is something that you already know, but I would like to reiterate. I do not wish to bring up painful memories, but many years ago, your dear Katerina gave birth to a demon spawn. The beast you saw was in his proper demon form of the winged serpent. You have yet to see him in his human form. He is your son.” Capello closes his eyes.
“What do you mean my son?” David asked.
“Your son! As in, you are a father.”
“That fearsome beast is my son?” David asked. “Where has he been for all of these years?”
“All demons have more than one form. They have their natural born form, which you have already seen, and their form on Earth. He is the apt pupil of the Devil, and his shining most-prized prodigy. Your offspring has spent his childhood under the tutelage of Lucifer himself, and his powers are comparable to some of the most powerful demons and devils. This is all in the prophecy, and every piece to the puzzle will be interwoven to complete the final portrait. In time, different parts of the future have been revealed, but the main prophecy has been in place since the days of man. His demonic name that is recognized by the ranks of Hell is Asimodeus Lucijlcarum Vampyrum, but his earthly name is Devin Schilld.”
“Devin Schilld, it is an anagram for Devil’s child,” David interjected.
“He has also gone under the names Devin Frost and Devin Wolf at times, but Devin Schilld is his earthly given name. You have met him once before when you confronted Dr. Carver. He is the demon that has possession of Carver’s soul.”
“That would explain the level of his powers,” the vampire said to himself.
“Devin is a more than a worthy adversary as you have seen in Regina’s castle and recently in Carver’s office.”
“Why haven’t I come across him before?” David asked.
“Devin has watched you for your entire life as a vampire,” Capello said. David looks stunned. “Every time you have felt that missing piece of your soul, it was he that you felt and not Katerina or any other. Devin is seated at the right hand of the Beast, and he will attempt to draw you closer to him and Lucifer. Devin is the Devil’s trump card to win the last hand that is dealt in the battle.”
“Why is Devin the trump card?” David asked.
“Lucifer is counting on you to side with your only son when it matters the most. In the end you will have to choose between your only son, and the fate of the world. David, they are not going to make this an easy decision either.”
“Capello, nothing has been easy since the days of Zurelda. I know my duty, and I will prevail.” Confidence rang out in the vampire’s tone.
“I’m glad to hear the confidence in your voice, but do not become complacent or underestimate your opponent. Devin’s powers are extraordinary and fall just short of Lucifer’s. Devin was merely toying with y
ou in Carver’s office.”
“I could feel the intensity of the evil in his presence,” David said. David lights a cigarette. His lighter leaves a visual light trail as David is still feeling the affects of the powerful opium, and his mind plays tricks on him slightly. “If he was simply toying with me, then we may all be in trouble.”
“On Earth,” Capello said, “his physical strength cannot far exceed that of a human. His showing of force at Regina’s castle was a one-time occurrence as he fled our dimension. The power of his mind is ranked in the upper echelon of pure evil genius, and it borders upon being god-like. It is his mind that you will need to be weary of.”
“What is so special about Devin?” The vampire asked.
“Just as you are prophesied to be the One to preserve the balance of light, Devin is the powerful antichrist that Lucifer has patiently waited for to bring forth the darkness. Devin is the demon prince spawned from a holy man and a holy woman. Lucifer loves that his bastard antichrist child is born from such virtuous parents. The Devil believes that you can be persuaded into pledging your soul to darkness.”
“He’s not going to persuade me to do anything,” David said.
“So far,” Capello said, “you have defied him, but he is counting on the fact that you will not abandon your only son. They will stop at nothing to persuade you. Lucifer has the edge because your heart is already filled with much blackness. Somehow, you have managed to resist giving into the curse completely. David, you are unlike any vampire that has ever walked this Earth.”
“Thanks for the praise, but what can I do to overcome this opponent?”
“You must remain true to yourself, and what you believe in. You must also keep the higher purpose in mind. In the end, all that matters is that evil does not prevail over the light. Xavier Rawley is your most powerful ally, and he will help you overcome your opponent. I cannot change your fate. I can merely guide you towards the correct path. My purpose is to provide you with the knowledge that you need to possess to be successful. At no point in time am I to intervene with what must happen.”
“You have intervened,” David said.
“Every single piece of information that I have provided you with has been necessary. In your adventures, you have taken my visions and worked independently toward finding yourself and completing your tasks. I cannot tell you how to circumvent your fate. You have remained on the course that you have set for yourself for many years and have only strayed in minor fashion on certain occasions. Most importantly, you have gotten back on the path after straying, and that is what you must continue to do.”
“And Carver?” David asked. “What about him? Can his soul be saved?”
“That is going to depend on sheer luck,” Capello said. “In ethical terms, Carver is important, but in cosmic terms, his life is worth that of a pawn. That is the hard truth about life and death. Maybe his soul can be saved by exorcism, but maybe not. Try your best to save Carver, but if he perishes, then there is nothing that can be done.”
In the days of old, if an exorcism didn’t work, some exorcists would throw the victim into freezing cold water in the middle of winter. They figured that the demon would be trapped inside of the frozen body. Most of the time, the demon would release itself just as the possessed died. The downside was that the victim died, and the demon usually possessed the closest soul that was in the vicinity of the dead body.
A good exorcist will protect himself and others from the expelled demon, or else the demon will invade their souls. Saving the possessed is a difficult task that is compounded by the power level of the demon. A minor devil is more easily banished than a major malignant spirit from the upper pantheon of demons in Hell. Unfortunately for Carver, Devin is as powerful as they come.
“Tread lightly with Carver,” the fortuneteller said, “and give him every chance at living, but do not put his life before yours. We are coming down to the wire, and the next upcoming months could determine whether we praise God or bow down to Lucifer when the Battle of the Apocalypse begins in full swing.”
“Understood,” David said.
“Everything leading up to it is also a battle, but the war is not in full force as of yet. We want to be prepared before it starts. There has been an up rise in demonic possessions, hauntings, vampires, werewolves, and other paranormal activity. It is all leading to the beginning of the end.”
“We need to find Carver and put an end to this,” David said with conviction.
“They are all counting on you to find Carver. The rituals that Carver is performing do have significant importance to their cause, but it is mostly to bait you. Think about it.”
“What do you mean, counting on me?” David asked.
“Lucifer and Devin could have chosen any place in the world to perform satanic rituals for the empowerment of evil. Do you think it is mere coincidence that they are in Rhode Island? It would have been so much easier to do that in a Third World country with little or no police force to intervene.”
“I suppose.”
“Think about it, and also think about your entire life since you met Zurelda. Is everything that had happened since then mere coincidence? Since before you were born there has been the prophecy, and every single event in your life has led you to this place.”
“Yes,” David said, “but I’ve been many places.”
“You were in Paris for quite some time prior to coming here, and something pulled you and made you gravitate here. The same force that brought you to Paris has willed you to the United States.”
“I’ve traveled to these places by my own free will.”
“In some instances,” the fortuneteller said, “even what you considered to be your own choices were actually outside forces applying influence on you in some way or another. These satanic murders were done mostly to make your path cross with Devin.”
“All of this just to make our paths cross?” The vampire asked. “Why not just walk up to me?”
“It was not fated for Devin to walk up to you. If you were to align yourself with the forces of evil, Lucifer would gain more power and control than any of these rituals could ever bring to him. This is yet another spoke in the ever-turning wheel of the prophecy.”
All of this information is seriously beginning to play tricks on David’s mind. While Capello spoke, David recanted his entire existence looking for instances that either discredited or corroborated the fortuneteller’s information. All of his major decisions and relocations have been because of what he has felt inside him. He feels like this inner voice is betraying him. David never wanted to be a vampire, so he rebels. He never wanted to be part of a prophecy, so he feels cheated. Someone or something else has been influencing his actions. His biggest internal problem to overcome was losing his independence as a man. David is a slave to his bloodlust and his curse, and that enrages him.
Every meeting with Capello provides information that was previously unknown to the vampire, but David seemingly never receives news that is comforting to him. Not one soul on Earth wants to hear that they are the One who has to stop the end of the world. Given David’s wretched past and traumatic background, the last thing he wants to hear is that things will get worse. The vampire feels like he has already endured centuries of being imprisoned in Hell.
David smashes a huge hole in the closest wall to him out of frustration. The impact echoes throughout the house, and it seems to shake the foundation.
“I didn’t ask for this!” The vampire screamed.
“Did Jesus Christ ask to be crucified by the Romans to save the souls of all humanity?” Capello asked. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. Devin and Lucifer are going to use all of your resentment and feelings of entitlement against you. Once they have gotten into your mind and toyed with your emotions, you will willingly join them. It won’t take too much convincing at that point.”
Capello showed some anger. David has never seen Capello angry, and he is almost ashamed that he has brought it out of his fri
end, yet his feelings of anger still burn deep inside his twisted soul.
“You are already giving into the anger!” Capello said loudly. “Fuck! You’ve got me giving into anger! Control yourself, David for Christ’s sake.” Capello raised his voice once more, and he motioned the sign of the cross asking forgiveness for saying the Lord’s name in vain. David has also never heard a curse word out of Capello, and this almost snaps him out of his rage. He centers himself, and he takes control over the rage inside himself.
“I am sorry, old friend,” the vampire said. The angry vampire is also agitated because he hasn’t fed, and the bloodlust is maddening to him. “It is difficult to know that every time I feel like I have some control, I find out that nothing is within my control.”
“You have control over your actions,” Capello said, “but you cannot change fate or alter your destiny. No matter what you did prior to coming to Rhode Island, you would have ended up here in some way, shape, or form.”
“That is not true.” David is still skeptical.
“Why did you leave New Orleans then?” Capello asked. “New Orleans is the biggest city of lost souls and the murder capital of the world. You gave up an easy lunch to come to the smallest state in the country where everyone seems to know everyone. You could have blended into the crowd and fed unnoticed in Louisiana, yet you were drawn to this place.”
“What if I left right now and went to Siberia?” The vampire asked sarcastically. “That is a choice that I could make instead of staying here.”
“Your presence here is unavoidable,” the fortuneteller said with confidence. “At some point, you’d be coming back here from Siberia.” Capello grinned. “Even if you locked yourself in a coffin and had someone throw it to the bottom of the ocean, fate would have found a way to bring you here at the time that you were supposed to be here.”
