Previously in Broken Bonds Part 2...
The five men cringed inside, unknowing how to feel right at that moment. They had all experienced the most hair raising event in their entire lives a mere few hours ago, but this was different. Having survive from the very jaws of death, they had been ecstatic to have gotten through it alive. But as they looked around at what apparently was the ruins of New York City, they couldn't help but feel like they were boyz again.
BOOM! A massive explosion sent the boys scattering like roaches in the light.
The unknown blurr, finally took shape of that of a shirtless man as he pulled Aaron behind the dune that had earlier been used to batter Aaron's young body.
100 yards south of the panic stricken friends.
"Eh, what's that over there?" A tall darkly handsome man overheard the commotion. He yanked back on his demonic mount's reigns to investigate the ancient ruins of Old New York. Just as his mount started to spiral down on thermals, barbed bolas came whizzing passed him, barely missing his head by a few hairs' width.
End of Part 2
Broken Bonds Part 3 Title: "Into the Fire"
"Aaron." Nick gasped as he ran over to where his brother had been a mere few minutes ago. The others took his lead and followed him hurriedly while the angry wind seemed to have taken a break.
"AARON!" Nick scampered around the dune to find Aaron battered and bruised but breathing steadily in the bare arms of a lean young man.
"He's alright. Willow bark extracts. Pain killers." The tanned, dark haired, and lean young man held up a drinking flagon slushing inside with a sweet smelling liquid. "Had he taken another hit, I shudder to think what would have happened."
"Oh Aaron..." Nick kneeled next to his resting brother and kissed him gently all over his peaceful face. "I'm so sorry, please be alright." Nick cried, burrying his face in Aaron's dissheveled hair.
"When he wakes, he will be a little bruised, but he should be fine." The other man gently laid a comforting hand on Nick's shoulder. "As for the rest of us, we need to get out of here before the Vampyre lords find us in their territory."
"The who?" Kevin was now more worried being this close to a maniac, even if he did save Aaron's life.
"The Vampyre. The Lords immortal that feast on human flesh and blood. If they find us here, they are sure to try their best to take and convert us." The other pointed to the sky a few hundred yards away from them.'
"What the f..." Aj was dumbstrucked where he stood. About 200 yards away there was frightening dogfight taking place. "Th...those aren't planes?!?" Aj gasped as he finally was able to make out the shapes of large dragon-like creatures glistening in their chitin and leathery hides.
"No, those are not planes. Planes haven't existed since Genocide in the early spring months of 2001, almost 170 years ago." The young man slowly got up from where he crouched and motioned for the others to follow him. "Now, c'mon. We don't want to get caught in this battle." The others had shot their attention to him shocked that they had been trapped in the elevator for almost two centuries.
For a few moments, the Backstreet Brothers stayed rooted to their spots still shocked from what the stranger had just informed them.
"C'mon..." Kevin gulped down his fears and followed behind the stranger.
200 yards away in the dogfight.
"Argh!" The tall dragoneer growled in his saddle. He spotted his assailant and immediately made a beeline for him. How dare he attack a Vampyre Lord of his stature.
Ten yards away from him, the lieutenant cringe in fear when he saw the Lord Radu the Handsome escape the barbed confines of his weapons. He reared back on his reigns, reaching back preparing to send another bola at the juggernaut barreling its way toward him.
"FOOL!" Lord Radu hurled his vengeance at the other man as his voice hit the other like a slap of hard concrete. The other was sent screaming to his doom miles below. Lord Radu was feared for his uncanny ability, even for a Vampyre Lord, of using the wings of his metamorphosed dragon mount's wings as weapons. He was definitely a master of metamorphism.
Lord Radu craned his neck back to his earlier pursuit, but gave up when he realised they had already gone. The battle at hand was more important. Now he was angry. He snarled once, his lips rearing back exposing his scythe-like incisors and eyeteeth dripping with his own blood. He made another beeline for the commander of the other army where he hovered literally barking orders at his troops. *******************************************************
A few miles away....
"We will rest here. We should be safe here for a while." The stranger laid Aaron gently on a decomposing trunk of what must have been a very large tree. "I am Jase of the nomadic Rache Tribe." The stranger extended his arm lined with layers of rippling muscle.
"I'm Kevin." Kevin took his handshake. "These are my friends and family, this is Brian, Aj, Howie, Nick, and that one is Aaron. Nick's brother." Kevin looked around him at the looming wilderness. This was definitely not the New York he remembered. "What is this place?"
"This is the Queen's Forest." Jase answered echoing the questioning looks of the others. "You are not of this place?" Jase cocked his head to the side, taking in the entire crew.
"Yes...I mean no, I mean I thought we were." Kevin replied. "All I remember was being in the elevator cab when it started to plummet."
"Ah, I see." Jason looked at Brian, the sleeping Aaron, and Nick closely. "You are all shades of the past then? You are fortunate that I had come along. I have heard stories of others like you that were encased in those metal sarcophigi who found themselves at the mercy of the Vampyre Lords. Until today, I thought your kind was all but extinct?" Jase made a statement directed moreso at the blonde trio. "Since the Genocide that resulted from a gigantic nuclear battle around the world, the light skinned and golden haired people was wiped out."
"What?" Brian was still reeling from all that he learned. "What do you mean, 'your kind'?" Brian stood to confront the other man.
"I didn't mean to offend you. I was only pointing out that since 50 years after the great divide, the lighter skinned Americans, Europeans, and whatnot were the first to succumb to the searing heat of the new nuclear sun. The rest of the people who had darker skin and hair, they proved to have been more adaptive to the environment. Please, accept my apologies." Jase offered his hand again for forgiveness.
"It's alright man. It's just everything is so...is so strange from what we used to know." Nick looked up grateful at Jase.
"We should return to the tribe now. The Chief will be happy to meet you all." Jase smiled down at Nick and offered his hand to help the other up. "Your brother, Nick," Jase bowed his head slightly for more emphasis to the name. "He should be fine now. Right now he is just sleeping. He should be fully rested and himself by the time we arrive at Camp."
"Thank you." Nick's hand lingered a while longer in the strong hand of the other. "I really appreciate you saving my brother's life."
"My pleasure." Jase whispered in response and proceeded to pick Aaron up gingerly in his arms. "The camp is only a few ke'raks distance away."
He led the group with Nick close to his side and the others forming a tail that ended with Aj. *******************************************************
A few minutes later...
When everything seemed to have become an eternity of going around in circles, they finally arrived at a clearing under a thick canopy of trees. The camp was almost like those of the earlier gold rush day. It was a town of leather tents, campfires, and busy men and women. There were dogs here and there running around, playing, laying, amidst all the excitement. The air was thick of the sweet smell of roasting meat.
Plus there was also the freshness of the rushing stream next to the encampment. There were some mewling beast that appeared behind some of the tents. These were beasts indeed. Many had thick hides like bison, but that is where the similarities end. Many of these were large creatures with sometimes six to eight muscled legs. While others had only one bulking head, many more had two or three large bushy heads with small beady eyes.
"This is the Rache Camp." Jase led them past the first covered wagon.
"Oh...my...God..." Brian quietly gasped as he looked around at the monstrosities that were once animals. "What happened to them...?" Brian almost had tears in his eyes.
"The radiation of the nuclear warfare. I will take you to our historian later after we meet the Chief." Jase answered kindly. Aaron started to stir in his arms.
"Aaron, you awake?" Nick leaned over his brother.
"Y..yeah. I think so." Aaron looked up at him groggily.
"Can you stand?" Jase asked.
"Yeah..." Aaron attempted to jump off Jase's arms but failed. "Hehe, I guess I might need a little help for a little while." Aaron snickered, leaning onto Jase and Nick's arms.
"Jase, who are your friends?" A lovely young woman with long black hair stepped out of one of the covered wagons.
Ithica, the daughter of the Chieftain, long time friend of Jase. Her motives remain as mysterious as her hair was jet.
"Ithica, these are Kevin, Aj, Howie, Brian, Nick, and little Aaron. They are survivors of the Long Sleep after the Genocide." Jase smiled at her in an exchange that only they were a privy to. "Gentlemen, this is the lovely Ithica, daughter of our high Chieftain."
"A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ithica." Kevin reached down and kissed the back of her hand in a smooth, gentleman-like, and seductive fashion.
"Likewise, Kevin." Her voice was the thick sweetness of honey and spring. It held a mysterious undercurrent that had quickly swept Kevin away. "Are you on the way to my father, Jase?"
"Yes, Princess." Jase answered automatically. "I thought your father would be happy to meet such survivors of the Long Sleep."
"Yes. Any news on the Vampyre Lords?" Ithica's voice gained a new level of curiousity.
"Yes, m'lady. When I had arrived to 'scout', the two Lords Radu and Lobos were in the thick of a battle. When I had led these gentlemen away, Lord Radu had taken control of the battle and was on the verge of victory."
To that reply, something close to joy sparked in Ithica's eyes.
"Jase, what news do you bring of our enemies?" A tall, muscled older man appeared from the same covered wagon from where Ithica had appeared from.
"Yes, Dominic. They were again at odds with one another. Radu and Lobos were tearing it into each other's armies. I think Vilya and Vera also had their strengths behind the Lord Radu. They made quick work of the Dog Lord."
"Always the bearer of good news, Jace. But I do not think your mother would appreciate you braving the lands of our enemies when you deem it appropriate. I know that I have never given you the permission to do so." The large older man's voice was that of a warm summer breeze. Anyone who hears his voice will almost immediately fall to trust the man. It was just in his soft spoken and strong nature to be a man of the world. "And your guests?"
"Ah, that is something I think you will find interesting, Dominicus." Jase motioned for the others to step up beside him infront of the big man. "These are Kevin, Howie, Aj, Brian, Nick, and Aaron. They are survivors of the Long Sleep and the Genocide. They came from one of those steel sarcophigi that laid burried in the ages."
"Ah, I understand." Dominicus Rache turned to the boyz. "I welcome you all to the camp. Anyfriend of humanity, is welcome regardless of their pasts." Dominicus shook all their hands. "Have you all dined already?"
"No, not really." Aj answered, hungry all of a sudden.
"Splendid. Join us around the campfire. Our Tribal Elder and historian shall speak on the Genocide. I would assume that you need to be brought up to date with what has happened around the world." Rache led them to a huge makeshift table covered with food. "Please enjoy, the celebration of life." Dominicus bowed and excused himself and made his way to greet the other members of the tribe. ******************************************************* Miles away in the confines of the horrific homes of the Vampyre Lord Zakaiyus.
"Brothers, sisters I am sure of it. I saw one of those metal pods open and reveal new arrivals to this world!" Vera was excited to get her colleagues to join her in her proposed attack. "These ones, have somehow escaped the scouring of our ancestors and predecessors. We must capitalize on this gain. Who knows what weapons they might have from the past." Vera The Virulent, a hag of a Lady. Her hair is as stringy as she is excitable. Her patience for events such as these was never too great. She always felt uncomfortable in the confines of that of another Vampyre Master's or Mistress' halls even those of her allies. She had a gaunt almost skeletal face, her lips a bit wide but thin as a pencil line drawn on her face. Her leathery face made the sound of old parchment whenever she chose to speak. But the others knew quite well that she looked the way she wanted, despite the fact that she is one of the younger of the older masters and mistresses around the table.
Next to her was another less than stellar queen of vampires of her own right. Lady Vilya Fjoird, the Dark Queen of FjoirdTress. Next to the Hag Vera, Vilya was a goddess. Her long raven hair framed her almost delicate but strong features. Her cheek bones were high on her face giving her a more hautish appearance. Her cruel lips slim, but still the colour of blood, openned in a slight smile exposing her small pinprick needle teeth. Her lizardlike tongue pierced the air as she liked her lips lustfully at the thought of the Golden comers that her sister vampyre and her ally spoke of.
"Enough, Vera. You are not yet fed. You have become delirious." Donovan laughed his effeminate ear piercing squeal. The Lord Donovan of Donsden was a tall, slender lord. His slim almost narrow face was noted as something more pretty than it was handsome. His soft features were accentuated by the fairness of his vampyre induced appearance. His lips were full and red as blood, his nose was a perfect slender proboscis that none in this new world could contest. His lond tapering slender fingers moved in a fluid of delicate featherlike flutterings from his utensils to his drinking flute and back. The Lord of Marcusmanse noted that there were even ladies like Vera who's so called vampyre beauty couldn't even hold a candle to Donovan's tender, homosexual persuasions. Zakaiyus a mental chuckle when his eyes scanned the forementioned ladies and Donovan. He didn't know which he would more consider as a lady.
"Enough, all of you." Radu's quiet but deadly voice rose over the rest. "I agree with Vera. I too witnessed the emergence of the survivors that she speaks of. Amidst the battle with the late Lord Lobos, I noticed the commotion beneath us. And yes, there they were. Many of them were Golden. Something, that you, Magus have often prophesize would come someday to destroy us all." His eyes blazed in a serene fury at the effeminate lord. Zakaiyus' eyes narrowed as his attention was captured by Radu. Radu The Handsome, one of the most dangerous lords of the entire Vampyre Valley. Tall, muscled, and dangerous, he was definitely one of those few that Zakaiyus considered an equal to his great years. Radu's face was indeed true to his surname. His cheek bones were of a perfect slant, his strong nose rested hooked under his prominant brow. His lips always drawn in a vicious sneer, was framed by a thin and clean cropped goatie. His only flaw, to Zakaiyus' eyes, was his cruel cruel piercing iron grey eyes.
"I...I..." The older Vampyre stuttered for an answer next to Zakaiyus the oldest and most feared Vampyre of the Red Gorge. The Magus, Zakaiyus' oldest ally was the scribe and the mentalist of the Valley. His powerful mental prowess surpassed even that of Zakaiyus himself. But the Warrior King would have noone else at his side other than his most loyal Adviser.
"If that be the case, my victorious Lord Radu, then action must definitely be taken against these new survivors." The thunderous voice of the Vampyre Emperor echoed in the great halls of his dinning room.
"What do you propose we do, you lordship?" The delicate and beautiful Brittania Belladonna's alluring voice chased away the thunderous affects of the warrior king. Her slender girl's form a perfect foil to the great warrior king's menacing, loominous figure. Her vampyre had fashioned for her the most flawless figures that even the old mythical Greek Goddess Aphrodite would envy. Her long silver hair glistened in the false lights of the torch-illuminated dinning hall.
"I propose that we do something about it, and we do it quickly." Donovan responded in the Warrior Lord's stead. "Do you not agree, m'Lord?"
"I agree to a certain extent, Lord Donovan." Zakaiyus' response dripped vile and venom. "I suggest that two amongst you that find this so devouring, find these survivors and bring them back here to me -- to us. They must be left untainted for the Magus to examine." Zakaiyus turned his large sloping skull towards Donovan. "I take it you will volunteer for this venture, my dearest Donovan?"
"I..er...I will." Donovan gulped. His effeminate features convuluted in fear, shock and surprise at the rage of their commander-in-chief.
"Correction, my dear, we will." Brittania added in support of her long time ally.
"As will I." Radu spoke up, not ready to be one upped by his enemies. While his allies Vera The Virulent and Vilya Fjoird nodded their approval.
"Well then, that is settled. A toast, to our Victor, and our volunteers." Zakaiyus raised his goblet of human blood and lustfully gulped it down. His intimidating figure of 7' tall in height and a yard across shrouded the others at the table with his shimmering shadow. His long silver streaked black hair billowed around his sloping skull of a head as he shook in pleasure and delight with his baying and guttural laughter.
"To our victor, and our volunteers." The other 12 Lords and ladies of the gorge echoed, drank, and proceeded with their dinner. A spitted man, and wolf cubs basted in their mother's blood and fluids.
End of Part 3
------------------------------------------------------- If you finished reading, please email me your thoughts. zachstack@yahoo.com
thank you John