Heaven & Hell

Chapter IV

"Me? But..."

Henry was interrupted by Dracula who said, "Yes you Henry. Who better suited for the job but the maker himself?"

Dracula's form disappeared and reformed behind him and said, "You started this alone...shouldn't it end as so?"

Henry turned and saw the form of Dracula slowly meld into the shadows and he said,

Contemplate my offer Dr. Henry. You know in your heart what you want and what must be done. The only thing constant is change.

With that, Dracula's form disappeared and once again Henry was left alone. His last words buzzed in his mind endlessly, tempting him to do so. But something made himself hesitate, he could not pin point exactly what it was. He needed more answers, and while that night was an eye opener, it could not answer all of his questions. For now he would have to retire to his bed and sleep over his next course of action. He ascended the basement stairs and muttered  himself as he made it to the ground floor, "I must tread lightly and carefully. My next action must be faced with caution, or risk my work to be destroyed by my own volition."

"Where did you go off to snake!?" Exclaimed High Inquisitor Damon Van Helsing. Dracula's weak and bruised eyes opened with much hurt as he narrowed his gaze on the inquisitor before him. He smiled weakly as he said, "To what do I owe the honor of your presence Inquisitor Damon?"

          Damon struck the side of Dracula's head with a metal rod, breaking through skin and causing a gash along his upper jaw and cheek; letting a teady flow of blood to drip down. Dracula winced at the pain briefly, it was nothing new over the course of the last five hundred years. Suppressed within his very soul and aching to escape was his wrath and revenge that always tried to scratch its way out and into the world, Lucious Void was his name. His vision unblurred and saw the inquisitor's disapproving gaze. The sight of the pony in front of him was sore and Dracula slightly growled at the fact that Damon was the only one that could torture him effectively. Damon wore the usual garb of the Brotherhood of Light, a bleached white tabard with red scarlet markings around the border and a golden sun shining in the middle. He wore mail armor under his tabard but as well had a long scarlet and white tunic.

          He wore his red and white hood down slightly cascading over his small red and white shoulderguards. He was a tall slender stallion but was strong in his own right, by title and nothing more. His mane was a silvery grey type color matching well with his crimson colored coat. The only thing that put him off was his dark sea green eyes, bluer than the Western Sea. Damon kept his stone like look and said firmly, "Do not play games with me devil. I know that you shadowmelded somewhere, where did you go. I will not ask another time."

          Dracula sarcastically smiled and said in a raspy voice, "You get me all tingly when you get so controlling like that."

          Damon's look morphed into anger and struck Dracula against the same spot, flashing with great pain. Then struck him on the other side and then alternated again. Dracula felt on the brink of passing out when  stern voice called out, "That is enough brother Damon."

Damon stopped and looked to see who it was. Standing tall and stern was Justicar Cedric Lightborn. The armor he wore was similar to Damon's but instead of mail armor he wore thick steel plates. Armored from head to hoof in armor besides his head, it was customary to not wear your head piece while in the presence of your brothers. A rediculous rule in Dracula's mind, Cedric looked firmly at Damon. His heavy golden eyed stare broke through Damon's wall of toughness, revealing the weakling that hid underneath. Cedric had a smooth angular face with youthful features and his light grey coat accented well with his long brown mane tied back in a ponytail. He breathed in a long breath and said, "You were ordered to break him not allow him to fall unconscious. Follow those orders and you will not find yourself at the whipping post. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal brother." Damon said quickly, fearful of Cedric's words. Dracula briefly absorbed his fear and slightly healed his wounds. Just those on his face. Dracula's vision opened wider and took in the familiar sight of the torture chamber. The stone walls were illuminated a dark red color from the torches from all across the room. The roof was supported by four stone columns and the outer walls that hugged the room. It was not a spacious room, made to only fit a few ponies at a time. Making that number smaller because of the torture tables along the outer walls. Dracula was chained to two of the stone pillars which had equipment stabbed into his fore hooves, this let his magical energies be taken from him and into every member of the Brotherhood.

          Cedric stepped closer to Dracula with a narrowed gaze, studying him and judging every breath and move he made. Dracula returned with a hardened gaze of his own. Cedric continued to stare at Dracula and but addressed Damon, "Your services are no longer needed here brother. I will take care of our prisoner."

          Damon bowed low and exited the room. Cedric looked at Dracula very hoarse and stern a  he said, "You have some nerve Dracula. If you think you were able to use your magic and not have us notice."

          Dracula lifted his head and smiled deviously and said, "I expected no less from my dear brother's noble order. Afterall..."

          Dracula smiled and revealed his sharp fangs and said, "Blood is life is it not?"

          Cedric just stood in silence and studied Dracula carefully and drew his hoof to his sword once Dracula leaned in closer and whispered, "Tell me Sir Cedric. Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moon light?"

          Cedric drew his sword and brought it to Dracula's throat and said angerly, "Are you implying you wish to challenge me? Because with all of your weakness you would not stand a chance!"

          His smile never ceased. A low chuckle emanated from deep within his throat and Dracula whispered once more, "Have you ever heard of the pony who cornered an injured vampire?"

          Cedric thought for a moment and said, "...No."

          Dracula's smile deepened and his voice altered and shifted into a low baritone voice, "Neither have I."