Meeting the Other
After leaving Fred's apartment, I went straight back to the church. There I remained ever since...huddled in a corner of the dark catacombs beneath it. Holding the champion's amulet, I slowly ran my fingers across it. I was yet again alone...with one more priceless artifact in my possession.
I'd trade it away in a heartbeat for a friend.
Suddenly the amulet began to glow, and I instinctively dropped it and backed away as far as possible. I was immediately glad I had when a tall, badly blonded man appeared out of thin air. He looked confused as to where he was and what he was doing here as he looked around. He staggered for a moment and seemed about to fall over, but he steadied and shook his head, as if to clear it. Then his eyes fell upon me...
"Who are you and why the hell am I 'ere?" he asked me with a British accent.
I was beginning to suspect who this was. The other. The other protector who had replaced me. Made me obsolete.
"Go to hell!" I yelled at him.
"What? 'Ave you lost yer soddin' mind?" he asked, looking at me like I was mad.
Which was what I was. Mad. Beyond mad, I was furious. Giving a battle cry, I ran full-tilt at him. He just grinned smugly like this was amusing and crossed his arms across his chest.
He stopped grinning when I slammed into him.
We both fell to the floor, with me on top. I immediately began to punch his face repeatedly, taking out the years of pent-up pain and lonliness on him.
"'Nough!" he shouted as he heaved me upward with great strength.
I slammed into the ceiling and fell back down...the hard stone floor rushing up to meet me...
When I awoke, there was ice on my face, and I was outside. Reaching up to my face, I held the ice in place against my forehead as I sat up.
"Feelin' better, are we?" asked a unfamiliar voice.
Looking over to my right, I saw the other sitting on the sidewalk beside me. We were outside a convenience store, and he was smoking. Typical vampire habit.
"Yes, thank you," I answered, being polite.
My anger had fled along with my consciousness...
"Don't mention it. You goin' to tell me why ye were so ticked to see me?"
Nodding, I wondered if he even knew who he was.
"You're the dark knight of prophecy, my vampire counterpart. A protector of great skill and renown of the champion's line."
He sat there, and his face looked surprised.
"Oh...yer goin' to have to explain better then that, kid."
I tensed at his calling me a kid, but I nodded anyway.
"I will. It shall take some time though."
He nodded as well, and we both fell silent. Him content to sit and smoke, me to hold the ice against my bruised forehead. There would be enough time to talk later...
I'd trade it away in a heartbeat for a friend.
Suddenly the amulet began to glow, and I instinctively dropped it and backed away as far as possible. I was immediately glad I had when a tall, badly blonded man appeared out of thin air. He looked confused as to where he was and what he was doing here as he looked around. He staggered for a moment and seemed about to fall over, but he steadied and shook his head, as if to clear it. Then his eyes fell upon me...
"Who are you and why the hell am I 'ere?" he asked me with a British accent.
I was beginning to suspect who this was. The other. The other protector who had replaced me. Made me obsolete.
"Go to hell!" I yelled at him.
"What? 'Ave you lost yer soddin' mind?" he asked, looking at me like I was mad.
Which was what I was. Mad. Beyond mad, I was furious. Giving a battle cry, I ran full-tilt at him. He just grinned smugly like this was amusing and crossed his arms across his chest.
He stopped grinning when I slammed into him.
We both fell to the floor, with me on top. I immediately began to punch his face repeatedly, taking out the years of pent-up pain and lonliness on him.
"'Nough!" he shouted as he heaved me upward with great strength.
I slammed into the ceiling and fell back down...the hard stone floor rushing up to meet me...
When I awoke, there was ice on my face, and I was outside. Reaching up to my face, I held the ice in place against my forehead as I sat up.
"Feelin' better, are we?" asked a unfamiliar voice.
Looking over to my right, I saw the other sitting on the sidewalk beside me. We were outside a convenience store, and he was smoking. Typical vampire habit.
"Yes, thank you," I answered, being polite.
My anger had fled along with my consciousness...
"Don't mention it. You goin' to tell me why ye were so ticked to see me?"
Nodding, I wondered if he even knew who he was.
"You're the dark knight of prophecy, my vampire counterpart. A protector of great skill and renown of the champion's line."
He sat there, and his face looked surprised.
"Oh...yer goin' to have to explain better then that, kid."
I tensed at his calling me a kid, but I nodded anyway.
"I will. It shall take some time though."
He nodded as well, and we both fell silent. Him content to sit and smoke, me to hold the ice against my bruised forehead. There would be enough time to talk later...