The Hunter's Blade

by E. C. Fisher

  “What is that awful smell?” He covered his nose and mouth as his eyes watered.

  “What smell?” Vlad and Vali remained unaffected by the powerful stench.

  Now my mind’s playing tricks on me.

  I don’t think that’s it, Alex. You must be feeling the impression left behind by your parents’ death, Vlad informed.

  That’s not something I want to experience.

  He continued into the house, bracing himself against the disgusting odor, and walked down the hallway to the kitchen. He found a wooden table toppled over and pressed against some cabinets.

  “That’s the table where your mother gave birth to you, Validina. The moment was frantic, but I remember it as if it happened in slow motion. Everyone was running around trying to barricade us inside. Alex’s parents headed toward the front door. Your mother held you in her arms, softly brushing your hair with her hand, giving you the most beautiful smile. I had fallen in love with her all over again at that moment,” Vlad reminisced, his voice sounding heartfelt and gloomy. “…then as she fell asleep, she passed away.”

  “She died holding me.” Vali’s tears streaked down her face.

  “Yes. Even with everything going on she was able to care for you as a mother and give you her love before her passing. I gave you over to Warren for protection while I carried your mother’s body. Take and Eleanor had us escape out the back while they held Dr. Frankenstein at bay. After we were safe, I buried your mother where no one would disturb her rest—one day, I’ll take you there, Validina. Hopefully, once this is all over.”

  Vali excused herself and departed the room.

  Alex made a move to go after her, but Vlad raised a hand to stop him. “Let her go. She needs to be alone.”

  “All right. Where would the Key be?” Alex asked.

  “I’m not sure. Take and Eleanor were in possession of the Key. It’s definitely here, hidden somewhere no one would think to look.”

  “They couldn’t make this any easier. If it were upstairs, it could be anywhere in the surrounding forest. It would take us forever to find since we don’t even know what it looks like.” Alex started moving around the kitchen in search of the Key.

  Alex opened the cabinets as he checked for any hidden levers or switches. He tried to press against the wall in hope to find a concealed button. Vlad moved to the adjourning room and scanned the walls with his hand and tapped his foot on the ground listening for any hollow spots. After Alex had thoroughly searched the kitchen, he went to find Vali.

  She sat cross-legged on the floor in the living room area. The smell lingered, but Alex had gotten used to it. He found almost all of the furniture smashed against the wall behind. He decided not to confront her yet and went about the room for any sign of a switch or mechanism. His search ended without results, so he decided to sit down beside Vali. He waited in silence for her to begin speaking as she wept.

  After a moment, her weeping ceased, and she reached for his sleeve. She used it as a tissue to wipe away her snot and tears.

  “You’re welcome.” Alex attempted to lessen the mood.

  “Sorry about that. I wasn’t about to reveal my face looking like that, and your sleeve was

  convenient to use.” Vali continued to clean up herself with his sleeve.

  “You shouldn’t feel ashamed to shed this type of tears. I think your father would agree. It’s all right to feel sad. I’ll always be around for you to use my sleeve as a tissue.”

  “Thanks.” Vali finished wiping her face and looked up at him. Her eyes were puffy and red.

  Still beautiful, Alex thought.

  “Any luck in the search for the Key?” Vali straightened herself. She could feel his intense stare and her cheeks blushed.

  “I haven’t had any. I’m not sure if Vlad has fared any better. My parents hid the Key very well.” Alex gazed out the broken window. He could hear the sound of insects chirping and buzzing as the branches swayed.

  “We aren’t going back empty-handed. Could the explosion have caused it to be covered up?”

  “We haven’t paid much attention to the ground around the explosion area. The wreckage could have concealed something, and we wouldn’t be able to see it.” Alex jumped up as he believed they may have a lead with Vali’s idea.

  “What’s concealed?” Vlad asked as he appeared behind them.

  “Vlad, can you use your—powers to clean this mess up? Vali thinks it might be hidden under all the soot and wreckage.”

  “I can do that. Both of you should step outside, I can’t assure your safety otherwise.”

  They exited the house and waited by the tree line. The breeze picked up and swirled around the perimeter of the house. From the inside of the house, the sound of bats screeching could be heard.

  The entire house became encased by a swarm of bats. It only lasted a moment before the bats diminished and amassed in front of the house. They converged and the form of Vlad appeared.

  “Alright, the house is clean now. Let’s see if Vali’s hunch was correct.” Vlad dusted off his shoulder with his red handkerchief.

  The damage caused by the explosion stood out a lot more with the soot and the wreckage cleared. Alex entered the house and scanned the floor, looking for anything that might have been hidden before. He walked down the hallway when he noticed a peculiar design in one of the floorboards. Alex knelt to gain a better visual and realized the design looked like his pendant. He pulled out his keepsake and held it over the impression; they matched up seamlessly.

  “Vlad, Vali, I think I’ve found it!” Alex shouted. He received no response. “Hey, did you two hear…” He turned around to find them both staring out the front door. “What are you both looking at?” Alex approached and tried to peek around them.

  “Guardian, if you’ve truly found something then hurry it up so we can get out of here.” Vlad’s fists clenched so tight that his hands were paler than usual. He had a tension in his voice Alex hadn’t heard before.

  “Why? What’s going on? You both seem so spooked.”

  “Sentinels are on the way here. I can hear the beating of their wings. We’ve got—five minutes at their current pace.” Vlad turned toward Alex. “Hurry, Guardian.”

  He fumbled with the pendant as he ran back to the mark on the floor. Alex laid the pendant on top of the impression, it fit in smoothly, and he pushed it down. The board sunk a meter in before an audible click sounded. The floorboards in front of the pendant started to rise as the sound of mechanical gears started to move. A row of earthen stairs led into darkness.

  “We should head down before those Sentinels come,” Alex yelled out. He grabbed the pendant and put it around his neck.

  “Vali, you go ahead with Alex. I’ll lead the Sentinels away. Use that time to find the Key and get Alex to the site to perform the ritual.” Vlad grabbed Vali by the shoulders and embraced her. Vali was on the verge of tears.

  “Come down with us,” Vali pleaded as she shared his hug.

  “If I stay with you, I’ll only waste more time. Once the sun comes up, I have to wait until night. Our time’s limited, we have shown ourselves to Frankenstein. You must complete the ritual if there is a chance at survival. I’ll find you when I can. Don’t worry, Alex will protect you.” Vlad nodded to Alex and he nodded back.

  “Hurry, Vali, let’s head downstairs.” Alex grasped her hand and pulled her away from her father.

  “You know your duty, Guardian. I have faith in you.” Vlad’s crimson eyes shone brightly toward Alex before he vanished.

  Alex held Vali close as he helped her walk down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, the cover closed and left them in utter darkness. A moment later a clicking noise was heard and a torch lit. A cascade effect occurred as rows of torches lit up down the passageway. With the pathway now visible, Alex continued down the corridor as Vali wept on his chest. He reached the end of the passageway a few meters in to find a heavy wooden door.

  Chapter Five

  Fat
her, please be safe. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose you too.

  Alex is right, Father is strong! You should be focusing on what’s in front of you right now, Validina.

  I know that. Dr. Frankenstein is trying to get a hold of me. And I don’t even understand the reason why.

  For now, you should believe in Alexander and help him become a Hunter.

  Yes. And to save my father, I must accomplish that.

  “Looks like we reached the end, Vali.” Alex gave her a shake which brought her back to reality.

  She wiped the tears away and recomposed herself. “Have you tried to open it?”

  “It doesn’t appear to have a keyhole; it might be open.” Alex reached out to grasp the rusted handle. He had to apply some pressure since the rust had melded to the frame.

  After a moment, the handle gave way, and he opened the door. They stepped inside to find a room with metal shelves lined along the wall. Metal counters wrapped around underneath the shelves as a lone table sat in the center. The equipment inside was covered in dust, however, it appeared brand new and sophisticated compared to the style of the house.

  As they approached the table in the center of the room, the lights flickered on. The space was rectangular and half the size of the main house above. A low humming noise was heard emitting from the table as a computer screen turned on the surface.

  Alex wiped away the dust that covered the top of the table to find that it was a huge monitor. The symbol on his pendant hovered in the middle of the display as it slowly rotated.

  “What is this place?” Alex asked.

  “It appears to be a hideout or safe houses.” Vali walked to the other side of the table. The metal shelves that were currently closed by shutters suddenly popped open to reveal a cache of weapons.

  “Holy-! That’s not a sight you get to see every day,” Alex blurted out as he walked over to one of the shelves.

  He examined the assortment of weapons inside the rack from top to bottom. He found it filled with different weapons ranging from pistols to rifles; many he had never seen before. He picked up a handgun and when he removed it, a drawer slid out from the counter. It was full of ammunition and magazines for that particular weapon. He set the weapon back and the drawer closed.

  “Alex, you need to see this,” Vali called out. She stared at one of the shelves, her body blocking his view from seeing what caught her attention.

  As he approached, he could see a sword resting at an angle on the shelf. It measured sixteen feet in length with a worn leather handle, and a dull gray pummel. A silver hand guard wrapped around the handle. The blade shone bright with not a hint of dust on its keen edge. The interior metal wrapped around a thin piece of wood, which ran the length of the handle to the tip.

  “That’s an interesting sword.” Alex's eyes lit up as he gazed at the magnificent weapon.

  “My father told me about this sword.” Vali didn’t take her eyes from it. “It’s the sword of a Hunter. The Hunter’s Blade. This blade was given to Hunters who passed the rigorous training requirements and the ritual. The sword became the personification of the Hunter; created to vanquish vampires and werewolves. The metal pieces are forged from silver. The piece of wood is from an Aspen tree; the power to destroy vampires.” Vali took a step back from the sword.

  “The power to destroy werewolves and vampires. This is a sword I can see being used to complete such a task.” Alex still admired the blade. His hand reached out unconsciously toward the blade.

  Don’t touch it, stupid boy! A brash voice yelled from behind Alex. He jerked his hand away and swung around to find the source of the voice.

  “Did you hear anything just now, Vali?” Alex didn’t see anyone else in the room besides her. He realized she hadn’t reacted to the voice as he had.

  She can’t hear me. Only those with the blood of Van Helsing or Maximillian can unless I allow them to.

  “Vali, I’m about to talk—to something—don’t respond to me for a moment. And, no I’m not going crazy,” Alex informed her before he started to search for where the voice might be coming from.

  “Okay,” Vali’s brow furrowed at his comment.

  “So, why can’t I touch the sword? And, where are you?” Alex asked as he moved around the room and under the table.

  The sword is only meant to be handled by true Hunters. It’s not that you cannot touch it, I just don’t want you to soil such a wonderful blade—and as to where I am, well that’s a tough question to answer since I am both here and not here at the same time.”

  “My two favorite things, a smartass, and a puzzle.”

  It’s not a puzzle—this is why I hate dealing with children. The voice let out a sigh. What’s your name, boy?

  “Alexander Van Helsing-Maximillian.” Alex introduced himself using his given name. It felt strange but satisfying.

  Van Helsing-Maximillian! You’re Eleanor and Take’s son. By the Gods, I can’t believe it. I’ve waited eighteen years for you, boy. The voice was overjoyed.

  “That’s great and all, but we still haven’t met yet.”

  You have the pendant. Alex pulled the pendant out from under his shirt. Place it on the table.

  Alex placed the pendant on the table. The monitor went blank as a green light scanned the pendant. The sound of a lock unlocking was heard from the right side of the table. A part of the table lifted to reveal a crystal orb.

  Here I am, boy. The crystal orb glowed as Alex heard the words in his head.

  “Alex, what is this thing? Could it be the Key?” Vali looked puzzled by the sudden occurrence.

  The young lady’s quite sharp. You should take after her a little more, boy. Is she your girlfriend? The voice had a deep tone of sarcasm in his words.

  “She’s not my—wait, so you are the Key.”

  Yes. Your parent’s thought that I alone should act as the Key. You may grovel before me, boy. He tried to sound triumphant, but the effect failed due to his appearance.

  “Vali, this orb’s the Key. We’ve found it.” Alex ignored him as he informed her.

  “That’s great, Alex, but who or what is this thing?” She poked the orb.

  “Oh, I never did ask, do you have a name?”

  How rude! I can see you were never taught manners, boy. What makes you think I’ll tell you now. Alex held back a laugh as he heard the orb’s pouting voice.

  “We could just call you Orb if you like. What do you think, Vali?” Alex snatched the orb and tossed it in the air like he was going to juggle.

  Okay, I get it. I’ll tell you, just set me down.

  “That’s what I thought.” Alex set the orb down on the table.

  “My name is Mordekai Montgomery Rosenfall. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  “Mordekai, it’s nice to meet you, sort of,” Alex said.

  “The pleasure is all mine. I have been waiting a long time to meet you, Alexander.”

  “Call me Alex. Can I ask, how long have you been an orb?”

  “Hmm—a little over half a millennium, give or take a century or two.”

  “Were you human? How did you become an orb?” Alex asked.

  “I’ll sum it up—I lost the woman I loved, my soul mate, and in order to reconnect with her in another lifetime, I found a way to separate my soul and body to transcend time and space. Unfortunately, I miscalculated and failed in my experiment. I was unable to return to a physical body, but I was able to contain myself inside inanimate objects. Centuries passed, until one day, I found myself in this orb, being passed around like a cheap toy. Your parents found me, and an agreement was forged. I’m bound to this orb for as long as a Van Helsing or Maximillian lives, and as such I will follow their commands and help them in any way I can. That is the Accord I made with your parents,” Mordekai explained.

  “Then the attitude’s a sign-on bonus?”

  “No. I threw that in for free—just for you,” Mordekai quipped. Vali giggled at his joke.

  “Vali, di
d you just hear what he said?” Alex asked, his eyebrows raised.

  “I didn’t hear everything, only from when he greeted himself. I was able to make a telepathic link between us. So, when Mordekai talked to you, I was able to hear what he said.”

  “This girl is something else. Never seen a quarter vampire before. Your girlfriend’s something special, boy.” Vali was still connected—her face became beet red. She covered her face with her hands and turned away.

  “She could hear that, huh?”

  “Dumbass,” Alex muttered under his breath.

  “Let’s get back on track,” Alex said, after a moment. “How do we perform the ritual? We need to hurry; we have Sentinels after us.”

  “Sentinels! Those God-awful creatures are here. Just our luck,” Mordekai glowed a bright red.

  “No, Dracula got them to chase after him. What are Sentinels?”

  “Gargoyles.”

  “Gargoyles—like the stone statues found on old buildings?”

  “Not quite. These are bigger and stronger. During the morning, they’re harmless stone statues and easy to destroy, but when the sun sets, they turn into hideous creatures. Dr. Frankenstein’s been using them to guard his castle, but when he sends them out, they’re a force to be reckoned with,” Mordekai explained.

  “They always travel in pairs. They’re not fast or smart, but their ferocity makes them deadly. One on one a vampire could defeat them, but as they’re always paired up, it’s never an easy task. Even my father can only run from them.” Vali thought of her father.

  “Can they be killed when they aren’t stone?” Alex asked.

  “Yes, but as we said, it’s no easy task to accomplish,” Mordekai answered.

  “Let’s hope we don’t run into any. I don’t plan on attacking Dr. Frankenstein’s castle, do either of you?” Alex asked.

  “No.” They answered simultaneously.