Chapter Text
Martyn coughed weakly as he and Ren dropped down into the crypt. They both laughed as his shirt got soaked with the water as it splashed and they moved deeper in. They ran to the end and Martyn opened the chest, pulling out the book. It glowed just as the other books did, but this book had a more red gleam to it than the others.
Was this something the Vampires could use? That wouldn’t be good, fuck that’d actually be incredibly dangerous. The vampires already had enough abilities as it was, they didn’t need more. He read the leather bound cover, it was blank, it had never been blank before, however the author name was blurred out just like on every other book, but the back of the leather bound book read “Can only be cast once, on one vampire and then the book is permanently destroyed.. If casted and it fails to hit a vampire the book is destroyed anyhow.”
Martyn read it three more times before ‘consuming’ the book. He knew who to cast it on already. Ren glanced at him to check to make sure he was alright and Martyn smiled, eyes lighting up as he said “I think we have the perfect way to weaken the Vampires now. And I know just who to cast it on.” Ren nodded and they left, running back to town, Martyn eventually forgot about the book, he’d never found the right time to cast it anyways.
Martyn was running after Doc and Apo, he wasn’t sure how much he trusted Apo, but they were an ally, and she had helped him after he was pushed off that bridge, and also they desperately needed Allies. He watched as the Doc staked Avid with Apo’s help and cheered, catching up with them, they were both a little scratched up, but not in terrible condition, Avid’s body stayed, showing he was real and truly dead, until it turned to dust, signaling he was respawned.
Everyone felt their eyes widen and they rushed back to town, terrified, because they knew that if Avid told the other vampires they staked him, the Vampires would come hunting. They made it back before nightfall, but none of them could be so sure they’d make it through the night at this point.
They survived the night, and eventually Martyn and Ren went out to kill some animals, the town still needed to eat afterall. Ren had thought he saw something and ran off, Martyn got lost looking for him but he came across a meeting, he saw Cleo, Drift, Pyro and Scott. He snuck up as much as he dared and heard Pyro admit to him and Owen staking Avid, and that Avid was dead.
Avid was properly dead now, and Scott, he began to look even more terrifying than normal, the already darkened area around him grew darker and it's almost like the bright red moon became brighter. It began to rain heavily, this felt different than whenever Apo or another Vampire summoned the rain though, this almost felt natural, almost as if the world around him was grieving Avid being dead, as Martyn continued watching, he realized Scott was dissociating, badly. Eventually the man snapped out of it and the Vampires left, after a bit more conversation.
Right as they left Ren found him and Martyn took his arm and began leading him back to town, where he told everyone what he saw and heard. A few nights later as he and Ren lay in bed, he remembered the book, as he got the faint tight feeling in his chest that signaled that the ability had finished its cool down. It had been weeks since he got that book, and it only just now finished? He sat up, going slowly so as to avoid waking Ren up. He slipped out of the room, and tugged his books and capelit on.
He slipped outside and he watched as Apo murdered a few pigs, eating the raw meat, he suppressed a shudder, Vampires needed to eat too he guessed. Even if it was kinda gross. He shook his head and snuck off, slipping past houses and whatever was left of the wall. He took a path though the trees, not wanting a vampire to sneak up on him. He made it to the edge of the bridge, right across from him was the Castle, where all the vampires lived.
He spotted Scott coming down from a mountain. The man looked exhausted even from this far away, he still looked down right terrifying, it began to rain again, it once again, didn’t have the same feeling as when one of them summoned it. He took a breath, maybe he should have left a book for Ren just in case he died here?
He nearly turned right back around at the thought, but didn’t, he began running across the bridge, being careful not to fall off the beams that allowed them to cross to the castle. He snuck around to the back, and found Scott talking with Drift, who was ranting and raving about how much they missed Avid, Scott was agreeing, nodding gently and murmuring soft words. Martyn blinked, the Vampires were nice to each other?
Drift sobbed a little and Shelby came up from the crypt, he snuck behind a tree and waited until Shelby took Drift down into the crypt to rest, and he rushed down, casting the book before Scott could react, the Vampire glared at him in hatred as a flash of white blinding light filled the area around them. Scott was gone. He was just gone. He just killed Scott, he had to leave, he ran before he could celebrate, running to get away from the area as fast as possible.
As he ran he heard Pyro and Owen in the area, shouting to demand answers as to what that was. He just kept running before they realized he had ever been there. He took the long way around back to town and made it there Midday, he made it back home and collapsed onto the bed beside a still sleeping Ren. He smiled gently, placing a hand on the man's cheek, before he fell asleep.
◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯