'The Stuff of Nightmares'

frolickinraptors (58)in #fantasy • 6 years ago

Chapter 4 from the English Fiction Novel: The War of Legendary Secrets!
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The Stuff of Nightmares

The trip took us first by ship

across the treacherous ocean to a port town called Constanta, Romania, and then we took a train to a city called Brasov, Romania, where we rode in a carriage to a very small village outside of it, known in English only as 'The Dark Wood'. There we paid for the use of two rooms for the evening, at an inn called Willow's End. After a wonderful dinner, we sat around a fireplace in a cozy, red-wallpapered, living room.

“Listen closely Clara, for I think you should know this before we reach the Ancient Ones.”

“Grandfather, no!” exclaimed Kries, standing up in determination.

I was surprised by Kries’s extreme reaction and now wanted to know even more then before, what Alex wanted to tell me.

“She should know, just in cases, Kriestoph,” Alex yelled, arms waving.

“Go on," I whispered, trying not to look at Kries, as he sat down on the soft, gray sofa, in defeat, next to me.

“What I am about to tell you must not leave us.

This conversation is not to be retold by you to anyone, not evens your family. Do you understand?"

I nodded in response. 'I'm not very good with secrets,' I thought to myself.

"Centuries ago, a war started; a war between races. Species if you choose: the Greeks," hitting his chest happily, "...and the Turks," he booed softly, "...as a result of the war, and the holy ground which it was fought, a curse was placed upon the royal bloodlines of both races. Those born from the lines gained a gene in the wombs. The curse affected each race differently, and yet connected our races in war forever. Therein some Greeks are able to heal life as well as themselves, and are incredibly handsome," hitting his chest again, "...and others are normal, not special."

My eyes widened as I listened intently so willing to believe Alex, yet so far what he was saying to be true sounded more like something I would read in folk-tales, not in reality.

"The royal Turks on the other hands, became monsters. Evil descendants from a combination of what are commonly known in Romania as the Strigoi and Strigoiu demons.”

I stared openly, entirely in disbelief.

If Alex had not been speaking in such a serious tone, I would have thought he was inventing a most horrific story.

“These demons are dark creatures that live off of innocent beings by eating their organs, their favorite are humans Lady Claras, mostly children."

I gulped, taking a quick glance at Kries. 'Children, really?' I wrapped my arms around myself in a hug, suddenly feeling rather cold. I scooted closer to the fire, and continued listening.

*"The Turks however, did not inherit the demon's exact genes. Their genes mutated. They have to live the same life as the demons did, but they live off of only, human hearts; while the original form of demon could survive on animals, the Turkish royal bloodline cannot. At first, the two lines tried to live separate lives, and not interferes with each other…"

"How could you not interfere?" I stood up, yelling angrily. Kries gently put his hands on my shoulders.

"Let him finish," he whispered, easing me back on to the sofa.

"Clara, I understand your anger.

But just like everything in life, there is both good and bad. Did you know... that the antonym to demon is angel? Like negative and positive charges, it is what makes a whole; they cancel each other out, you cannot have one without the others. That is a fact of life that you will one day have to live with. No one likes it, but that is what it is."

I nodded. I hated what he was saying but I knew he was right. The royal Greek line were extra good just as the Turkish royal line were extra bad, they canceled each other out. I sighed, and with that Alex continued the history lesson.

"Eventually, we had no choices, and were forced to protect our genes. The Turks grew greedy and short sited. They decided that if they combined one royal Greek with one royal Turk, they would make an unstoppable being, to use to their advantage. Naturally, a war started all over agains! The Greek royal clan would never agree to such betrayal of their genes. The war continues today, as neither side is willing to give up what the other wants. As long as there are descendants of both lines," he tapped his nose, "there will be a war.”

I sat in silence for a moment,

thinking about everything he had just told me. How was it all of this was happening and yet no outsider seemed to be aware of it?

"How is it humans without the gene variants, are not aware of all of this that is going on around them?" I asked very carefully.

"There are stories, suspicions, especially here in Romania, but as far as the Turk side of it goes, most human beings won't allow their thoughts to accept that there is that kind of horror in the world. I mean, is it something you want in your dreams?"

"Nightmares more like. Well, I mean… if the Turkish royal line eats… you know… I mean that is pretty hard to ignore isn't it?"

"Humans in general, still find a way to explain it. An animal attack or something. Though there are a few exceptions to the rule, whom know and tell the stories and pass it downs the line of their families to keep them aware and prevent anything from happening to their generations."

"Is there anything they can do to protect themselves... if they are attacked or preemptively before hand?"

'This knowledge might come in handy,'

I thought to myself.

"Yes and sometimes, no. The best preventative medicine is to move to Antarctica," he chuckled.

I gave a weak smile.

"However, if that is not an option, I suggest quickly ingesting as much Rowan as possibles. Though it is not fatal to humans, it is extremely poisonous to the Turk line, though it still won't kill them. It rushes straight through your blood to the heart, and attaches itself on to the inner chambers. There is nothing a Turk can do at that point, and they will instantly smell that it's in your system when they approach you. After a couple of days or so it will deteriorate and fleck off of your heart, leaving your heart the way it was before."

I smiled in relief, as least there was a way.

"Though this stops them from eating the human's heart, it does not always stop them from attacking."

"What do you mean?" I asked cautiously, aware I didn't really want to know.

"In order to sustain life, they must eat human hearts, however if they choose, they can also change you into a demon."

"How?"

Another question I wasn't sure why I was asking.

"It's referred to among the Greeks as the kiss of fear. Our leaders have told us what happens, but we have never witnessed it. It is said that the human loses the ability to move. And as it is frozen in fear, it is forced to watch the Turk place its lips on theirs. As soon as a Turk's saliva mixes with a humans, the human is already on its way to becoming a demon. How long it takes to turn, no Greek is quite sure, but it seems that the tales go, before the following full moon. If their saliva touches a human's skin, it does not harm them, it is only if it mixes with the humans, or enters their blood stream. If that was ever to happen to you my dear, not that it would, you have multiple Greeks surrounding you who can heal you, so not to worry." he clipped my chin with his hand.

“So, wait if that’s true, then you two are angels, right?”

“This one’s a keeper Kries; don’t let her out of your sites.”

I blushed and Kries knocked my elbow, trying to get me to loosen up.

“Yes Clara, we both have the genes, though we are not exactly angels as we are mortal, but we can heal others and we do heal ourselves rather fast. Kries if you would be so kind as to demonstrate.”

I turned and looked at Kries wondering what Alex was talking about. I watched Kries as he stood up; he unbuttoned his dark blue silk vest, and took it off and set it on the sofa. He already had his sleeves pulled up to his elbows, and was now unbuttoning his blue striped shirt, showing a white fitted undershirt he had had on underneath. He pulled the undershirt up his tan rippling chest, leaving him standing there in his dark blue slacks. I blushed, but paid close attention, as Kries took a steel letter opener from nearby.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

I started to stand up and take the letter opener from him. Before I could reach it he took it and sliced a giant gash across his chest. I gasped. I reached my hand out to his ghastly wound, which was now dripping blood down his chest.