WA 3 - Remnants of Resistance Part 5

My opportunity to find out what’s going on comes sooner than I anticipated. Another lady in the office pulls me out of fifth period maths, much to the confusion of both the teacher and the other students. Annoyingly, I haven’t been given the opportunity to grab my things, she was in such a rush. It doesn’t help that it’s still raining hard and I didn’t get to bring my coat.

She hasn’t been very helpful either, unable or unwilling to tell me what this is about, but I’m pretty sure it must be to do with the officers from earlier on. Hopefully, I will be greeted by actual policemen, who only want to identify the imposters from earlier. More likely, the officers from today want to ask me more questions about something else they’ve “found”, just to see if I recognise them and establish if I’m a threat.

Unfortunately, it seems to be the latter. The same policeman and woman are standing by their car outside the central building, almost oblivious to the pouring rain. This immediately worries me – why would they be standing outside to question me? It doesn’t get any better when I see Jeff being brought over by another receptionist, also dragged out of lesson (and equally without a coat).

“What’s going on?” I ask, as Jeff walks up to us, already sodden and displeased.
“More evidence has recently emerged at the lakeside camp. We’ve been asked to bring you two to the police station so that you may help us identify it.” the man explains. I notice his eyes still aren’t entirely focused, and the woman’s expression is still blank.

“Didn’t you say the place had been searched earlier?” Jeff asks.

“A second sweep of the area was performed, and it yielded more evidence this time round.” the woman replies.

Jeff and I look at each other, the same look on our faces. Likely story, not.

“Couldn’t this have waited until later?” Jeff asks, prudently. “You could have waited until the end of school.”

“Or at least until I could grab my coat.”

“It is better that you come now. Get in the car.” the woman says, now opening the door and gesturing for us to get in.

“If we’re not coming back, can I at least grab my stuff? I can’t just-“

“Get in. Now.” the woman says, in a tone that cuts off Jeff’s protest halfway.

Neither of us want to go, of course, but something tells me that these two would be just as happy bringing us in handcuffs. It might be better to play along, until we need to fight back. So there’s nothing for it but to get in and sit back. At the very least it’s dry. Jeff, though equally reluctant, follows my lead.

Satisfied, the woman shuts the door and gets in the driver’s seat, the other policeman in the front seat. Within a minute we’re out of the gates and driving along the roads. Their handling is clunky, though. Gear shifts are off, they’re driving too close to the middle of the road, and I swear they’ve hit the kerb already. It’s lucky no-one else is on the roads at the moment.

“So… what do you think they’ve found?” I ask Jeff.

“I dunno,” Jeff replies, shrugging. Brief, as usual. “Maybe another bit of jewellery, like a ring or something.”

“Hmm, maybe.” I say, unsure of how to continue the conversation. Looking out the window, I spot a few shops on the roadside. Hang on, I know this route – this goes to the Downs, not into town. My stomach knots with worry as I realise that this was indeed a trap – we’re going in entirely the wrong direction to be going to the police station, or even the campsite.

“Isn’t the police station the other w-whoooaaaaa!”

Jeff’s question is cut off as the policewoman hits the accelerator hard, taking us very quickly down the road (and almost crashing us into some oncoming cars). No longer concerned with keeping their cover, our captors are intent on getting to the Downs as quick as possible, throwing Jeff and I about in the process. There’s nothing we can do – it’s far too fast for us to get out, and trying to grab the wheel would ensure a crash.

One disorientating minute later and we’re parked at the Downs, not far from the woods bordering the park. I’m pretty sure I must have banged my head against the window, because it’s hurting like mad. Jeff isn’t in much better condition, caressing his forehead with his hand. It didn’t help that we didn’t have time to put on seatbelts.

“Get out.” the man commands. His request turns out to be rather pointless, as he simply drags me out, before holding my arms securely behind me. I’m too dazed to try to struggle out of his grasp. Equally, Jeff isn’t putting up much resistance either. Knocked around, captured and soaked by the rain to boot. This has NOT been a good day.

The fake officers half-march half-drag us to the woods, shoes squelching in the mud, so that even if we do somehow get out of this, my shoes are going to be ruined. Just great. Jeff’s somewhat recovered and is trying to get out of the woman’s grip, but a knee to his back persuades him to comply.

Fate must have a sense of humour, because we’re brought to the exact same place where we captured Errisan. Now the tables have turned, as now we’re the captives of a group of three vampires in addition to the fake police officers. They’re wearing some strange armour, though, instead of attempting to blend in like last time.

“Did you have to drive so crazily, Kredan? It’s probably tipped off every human in town that something’s going on.” one vampire says. An amiable-sounding voice, despite his most likely malevolent intent.

“Have you tried operating one of those things? It’s difficult in person, let alone through a thrall,” the one called Kredan replies. I knew it – they were controlling these officers after feeding on them. “These useless bodies can barely hold on to these two without our influence.”

Well, that explains some things. These people have been fed on, and the vampires are using a mental link to essentially enslave them. Judging by the defocused eyes and lack of co-ordination, it erodes mental capabilities as well. In fact, just as Kredan said, the man’s grip has loosened, but before I can capitalise on it, it returns to a vice grip.

“So, you two are the last of the eight, the ones who stayed behind while the others left for Erydan. I have to say, it took a while to find you.”

So they were after Chris and I after all. That’s what they’re doing here, but why us? At least Chris’s laziness has actually managed to save him this time round. But how come they grabbed Jeff?

“So, how did you know how to find us?” Jeff asks, playing along.

“You both recognised that biomorph amulet. That was the main clue. Only people who have been to Erydan would recognise them.” I knew there was a reason for revealing that amulet. They knew that we would react to it.

“But why do you need us?” I ask. “What makes us so special?”

“Your blood, quite simply.”

Silence, save for the rain in the background. Then, after a few seconds, Jeff speaks.

“Why our blood?” Jeff asks.

Kredan scoffs. “That would be revealing our plans. I am no fool.”

“Who cares? Sounds like you’re going to kill us anyway.”

“The blood of your true forms is what we need. That is all you need to know.”

“But we’re stuck in human form on Earth – you can’t force us to…”

Oh. Oh. Now it makes sense. The dying man in the woods, he said…

“Bring the clasp.”

The third vampire brings out some sort of band of metal, intricately designed with swirls etched into the surface, black against the silvery metal. But what surprises me is the stone embedded in the centre of it. A keystone… No, not just any keystone, the keystone that I was given over three months ago, back when we first travelled to Erydan. I’d recognise that tree pattern anywhere, but instead of a faint yellow, the veins are black as well.

As he places the clasp on my right arm, I feel the raw energy of the stone emanate through me. I can feel it coursing through my body, much like the activation of a biomorph amulet. Almost exactly like a biomorph amulet. After a few seconds, the energy becomes more of a gentle buzz than a great surge. I can’t see them, but I’m pretty sure my ears are now pointed.

This is what the dying man meant when they made him change. They forced him into his Erydan form, using this. And then they killed him for his blood. But they’re expecting Chris’s blood, centaur blood, so this will disrupt their plans. If I make it out of this, I will actually thank him for his laziness for once.

“Hmph. Fortunately for you, we do not need elven blood. But that just means it’s your blood that we’ll need.” Kredan says, looking at Jeff.

Jeff struggles more, but to no avail, as the thrall’s grip is too strong. Kredan walks over to me and removes the cla-OH my GOD! The severing of the connection hits me like a lightning bolt, causing me to yelp in pain. My blood feels like it’s on fire, and the thrall is now supporting me more than restraining me. Removing the connection must cause instant reversion to a human form – nothing else could hurt so much.

Weakened, all I can do is watch as Kredan attaches the clasp to Jeff’s arm, eagerly awaiting centaur blood. But of course, he doesn’t turn into a centaur. In fact, nothing seems to happen to him at all. He must be feeling that surge of energy right now, but nothing appears to be changing. Everyone stands silent, the only sound being the rain in the background and the rumble of distant thunder.

“What’s this? Shouldn’t he have gained his centaur form by now?” Kredan asks after a minute, confused.

“Maybe the clasp isn’t working properly.” one vampire suggests. Another boom of thunder, closer, this time.

“Of course it was working properly – it worked on the girl!” the other vampire responds.

“Are you sure this is the right person, Kredan?” Another flash, with thunder almost immediately after.

“He recognised the amulet! He must have seen one somewhere.”

“Isn’t this boy the brother of another traveller?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“He could have seen his brother with it. In fact, that seems most likely. It would explain our lack of success here.”

Kredan growls in annoyance. “Who is the last traveller, the centaur? Where is he?!”

Kredan shouts the last question at us, but Jeff is oblivious, his eyes transfixed on the sky above. More flashes of lightning, more frequent and much closer. In fact, there are inter-cloud flashes right above us almost every second… Oh, yes! This is just what we need. Jeff didn’t seem to change when the clasp was placed, but maybe...

I shut my eyes pre-emptively. If I’m right, I’ll need to. The thunder is almost continuous now, booming and clashing in a symphony of storm. Kredan finally catches on, and he lunges for the clasp on Jeff’s arm. But it’s too late.

The boom of five lightning bolts almost destroys my eardrums, but they do much more damage to the vampires around us. For an instant, thousands of volts course through their bodies, but an instant is enough, as they fall, smoking slightly on the ground. Somehow Jeff has already established enough control to avoid zapping me with them (though my ears are still ringing from the strike). Kredan, for some reason, seems to have been blasted away out of sight, since I can’t spot him anywhere.

We stand there for about half a minute, the rain in the background mixed with ringing in my ears.

“I guess you’re a lightning elemental, then.” I say, once my ears have mostly recovered.

“Looks like it.” Jeff replies, looking around with grim satisfaction.

I follow his gaze and crouch by one of the fallen vampires. I can just about feel a pulse. Comatose at worst, but that’s fine by me. Just to make sure, I rummage around for his amulet and yank it away, watching as the wings on his back recede. I check the thralls too. No pulse, but they were essentially dead anyway. At least they’re free now.

“So… can I keep this?”

“Definitely. I have a feeling you’ll need it.” I reply, realising another problem we might have now. Now, where’s the amulet they showed to us?

“What do you mean?” Jeff asks.

At the moment, all I have is a gut feeling, but hopefully explaining it will make more sense. “They’ve managed to establish who went to Erydan last time, right? So it’s probably not that hard to find out where all our families are now.”

“Good point. Do you think we should warn them?”

“Soon. But that’s not the immediate problem. This amulet,” I say, finally finding it in the officer’s pocket, “belonged to a previous group of vampires who’ve already returned to Erydan.”

“Michael did say about them. Apparently a guy called Errisan was helping you guys, wasn’t he?”

“Not sure if he’s helping after all. But anyway, we kept all these captured amulets back at Louu’s house. So if they have one of them here… I could be wrong. This could simply a spare, just as a precaution. Or…”

“Or they’ve managed to find Louu’s house, and have captured her family.” Jeff finishes.
I nod. “Her mother and sister may be in trouble.”

“I guess it’s up to us to bail them out then?”

“Well,” I say, looking back at the four prone figures at our feet, “it doesn’t look like the police will be able to help us. I don’t think their training covers otherworldly bloodsuckers. But no.  We don’t have to save them, I have to save them. You can still stay out of this.”

Jeff sighs, wiping some rainwater from his forehead. “No, I’ll join you. If you’re right, none of our families are safe anyway. We’ll try this tonight. You knock for me at my house at around eight, and we’ll see if we can rescue them without dying horribly.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well, you can’t zap people, so yeah, you probably need my help anyway.”

“Fair enough,” I respond, with just the slightest hint of a smile. At least we now have an edge against these murderers. I just hope it’s enough. “I’ll inform Chris and warn my family. After that, I’ll come and get you.”

“Great. Now, I need to get my stuff back at school. It doesn’t feel right leaving it back there.”

“Oh yeah, forgot about that. I’ll check if Caroline has my stuff.” I scoff almost immediately after. We’ve just been driven here at breakneck speeds, captured by vampires and rewarded them with lightning, and now we’re talking about school stuff, almost as if it’s normal.

My smile wanes quickly, though. I feel exhausted, the stress of the day now catching up to me. Jeff’s looking pretty beat too, having to concentrate in order to control the storm. He sighs again, wiping errant raindrops from his face.

“We’re in real trouble, aren’t we?” he says, not quite a question or a statement.
“More than we know.”

But is it more than we can handle?