FicWad

Chapter 24



Anjoumade her way through the woods, following the lead of her bats. However, she was becoming tired, and she really needed to rest. She needed blood, but feeding was out of the question. She finally sat to rest, trying to collect herself. Everything seemed to be falling apart, but she knew that Jean-Claude and her sister were still alive, so there had to be hope. Was there enough time? It was then she heard a familiar voice say,"Boy, this has turned into one complicated mess!"

She wheeled around to see Karin standing there in a beautiful summer dress. Anjouinstinctively jumped up to embrace her, but then realized that, first, that was not the dress she had been wearing, and second, it was too cool for that dress. She then froze in her tracks. "Who are you," demanded Anjou.

"Does this image frighten you?" said the person before her, "How about this?" and she changed. It was Francois now standing there. "If this is not good, how about this?" and she/he transformed into Jean-Claude. "Does this make you feel safer?" he said.

"Who are you?" demanded Anjou.

"No one who will harm you," the apparition said as it transformed back into the image of Karin, "I am someone you should not be able to see. However, because of your gifts, you are truly now sensitive to my presence. You may have noticed me before, but your skills were not as honed then, and I was so close to Karin at the time, you could not distinguish between us."

Anjoustill wanted to take a defensive, but somehow, she felt no hostility emanating from the stranger. "What is your name?"asked Anjou.

"If I had a name," said the stranger, "you could call me Sophia Pistis."

"I thought that was a person," said Anjou.

"No," she answered, "...and yes. I have been shrouded in mystery since just after creation. A certain reunion should have taken place many millennia ago, but it has not, and many who bore me suffered horrible ends. Please, sit, and I shall tell you all. You have time, because there is little the enemy can do right now."

Anjousat as Sophia continued, "When the vampires came to be through the sin of one man, it was decided that a way of redemption should come. It was not like the redemption that was to come, but it is a lesser redemption. When he failed, I was created. I was to be his wife, and our union was to reconcile his kind with his human cousins. Thus, you are not human, and yet, in a sense, you are. However, he rejected me, because Teresa had already corrupted him at that point. Since that time, He who crated me tried repeatedly to bring redemption to your kind. When Ryuu managed to survive the great deluge, he began to create the pure bloods. He who created me then tried to get the attention of the vampires by cutting off the seed from them. He then found your family line, and decided to send me in to one young girl vampire, and reside in her. The whole point of her was not to fertilize the vampires."

"I don't understand," said Anjou,"I know why grandfather Marker wanted union between vampires and humans; because he did explain that something had to happen between us and humans that were good, but he did not really tell how. All we knew was that her blood would make vampires fertile."

"Indeed it does," said Sophia, "because Iempowered that blood. This was one route to take, but it was not the only one."

"What was the other route?" Anjouasked.

"What was supposed to happen was that ahuman was supposed to link with her," Sophia answered, "Stop and think: why do you think Karin was able to go out in the day, and was more like a human than anything else? It's simple: that way she could meet a nice human, and create offspring that can bring about the coexistence of humans and vampires."

"What was the whole thing about the blood?" asked Anjou.

"It was useful," said Sophia, "but it was a bit of a ruse. It was really a test: would the vampires become greedy and propagate themselves greedily, and at the cost of one of their own, or would they search for a deeper meaning? Sadly, they kept making the surface choice, and many suffer. At first, a couple of founts were preserved, because it was put into the vampire the ability to do it. However, this allowed for the undead as well. Yet, when such creations were forbidden and forgotten, there was no more hope for them. I am to be linked to this cycle until the chain is broken by the right choice. My whole point of existence was to bring the coexistence. All was well, even after Karin was kidnapped. Kenta proved that there could be the coexistence, and essentially, they were already one. However, they wanted this, and so things went on as normal. It was wise the way they decided to deal with her blood, so that way, vampires could be fertile, and she could still have a life. They would have impregnated Karin, to preserve the line and the fount for the future, drained Karin, and started over again. The way it went showed that some sense of civility had come to vampires. What should have happened was that Karin's blood should have ceased rising, she would have been almost human, they would have united, given birth to a Golconda, and through that child, brought the coexistence."

"Why did it change?" asked Anjou.

"Danger arose, and things were thrown off kilter," said Sophia, "That's where Jean-Claude came into the picture.



"Now, before I tell you of the reasons, know that Innocent Katiri- the one you call Ruby,-is connected to your line, but weakly. It was as if creation could foresee the troubles, and established a second fount in case anything happened. This is important to what Itell you. Jean-Claude and Yuriya are both examples of what could have happened if either had come from the fount. Instead, they are what they are. This is why they were made agenetic dead end. However, no one ever thought to give the blood of the fount to them, much less have them mate afterwards. This was not even on the scope! Yet, to tell the truth, the birth of both was not an accident. Let's just say that they were there to act as reminders-cattle prods, if you will-to try to guide the vampire in the right direction. It was no accident of the lineage Jean-Claude has, nor was it an accident that he wound up with the seven. They could feel creation yearning, and they had an idea that it had to do with the attempt to get man and vampire to coexist. They knew he could be a key in the whole thing. Thus, when they heard of the trouble heading here through Boris, it had to be stopped. Karin had not yet stopped rising before he emerged. What is so funny is that Jean-Claude has been trying to make the coexistence happen before everything was in place. He was not wrong for doing so, for it would make my work easier."

"Your work?" asked Anjou,"Now I don't understand."

"You see, Kenta and Karin would have given birth to me, and set me free," said Sophia, "At some point, I would have become aware of my purpose. It would have been about the time I would have awakened. They that are of the Golcondaonly need to feed occasionally, but they still need to feed. Yet, they need very little. Their powers would be great, and by that, they would have been great leaders for the vampires to learn to join the rest of earth society. However, until that happened, I was still trapped. It was fortunate that Jean-Claude helped you to defeat the enemy, and that he created an atmosphere that would make Karin and Kenta's union more acceptable. Thus, Jean-Claude was beneficial. The birth of the twins was outside of the equation, but because of how they came, they have the Golcondastatus already. They will not get the job done alone, but, first, I still have to come in, and two, the three would work together as a stronger force. That was before Teresa came to be. The bokor were a danger, but nothing that you could not have handled. Yet, when she jumped in, that spelled trouble."

"Why is she in this?" asked Karin.

"It was her involvement that kept the blood building going," said Sophia, "because she was a danger that needed to be contended with in order to allow the union. She believes herself to be the mother of the vampires. She is wrong. All she did was produce the spirit that corrupted the first, and that corruption spread. Since that corruption was of her making, she feels the mother of you all, because she can either control you, or destroy you. However, no one owns your kind-know that for a fact. You are all as the humans: free will moral agents. She knows that, with the union of Karin and Kenta, her control would be broken, because I, your future niece, would have the power to break it. That power also resides in the twins, but they would need more guidance than what Jean-Claude could provide. Yet, she cannot, nor ever will she, be able to control them. She does not know of me, and therefore, she feels that their destruction stops her own. All she would do is reset the clock, and our hope would then come through Innocent."



Anjouthought for a moment or two, and said, "How did she end up with the mantle?"

"Thanks to Ryuu's understanding of things," answered Sophia, "he spared the opportunity for the reconciliation. No one expected the fount to dry before things were done, but he knew the past, and he knew what was done then. Because the contact with Karin's blood, I simply passed from Karin to her. Now, don't think that things have ground to ahalt, because Karin and Kenta's union would be going in the right direction. Essentially, what was supposed to happen shall happen in a roundabout way. What will happen is that, since she was the original fount, I will be set free, but I will remain, because the work would not be done. Innocent would then have to find a human herself, and finish the job. It has been the prejudice of the vampire, not the human, which has kept these things from happening. However, because of Jean-Claude, that barrier is being broken down, and there is a chance. The bottom line is this: Karin and Kenta must wed, Innocent must find a human mate, and the families of Jean-Claude and of Innocent need to stay in contact that all may come to pass. A deeper base to this really goes back to what Bear Fang said a few days ago. What we are seeing is, with the help of My creator, nature is doing what it normally does-correct damage done to it, and restore things to their rightful place. The resistance of this has brought disaster to the vampire for millennia, but the change will come. Yet, the more the vampire resists, then the greater the toll for the restoration. Jean-Claude is here to remove a cancer, and allow things to happen. As I said, his birth was no accident. No, the bokor are not trying to restore the balance of nature, they are resisting the restoration of this balance. This, Teresa knows, because it is that imbalance that keeps her in control of you. Therefore, you must insure the safety of the twins and Ruby at all costs. If it is just you two and the twins, raise them well."

Anjoulooked at the blades, and Sophia understood that she wanted to get going, but before she let her go, she said, "Oh, by the way, there is another reason why you should thank Jean-Claude for coming."

"What's that?" asked Anjou.

"Your parents were contemplating wiping your sisters memories, and giving her over to Kenta for good," answered Sophia.

Anjoulooked at her with her mouth agape. Sophia continued, "If there had been no imminent danger coming, nature would have allowed the vampires to become fertile permanently, and her blood would have stopped rising. I would have been free, and entered the world as their child. However, if that had happened, she would have essentially been a human with one bad overbite! By erasing her memories, it would have been far less painful for her, because she could not have been with her family anyway. Not having any memories of anyone to miss would have been far better for her. Eventually, that memory would have had to be restored, because, when their child awakened, the child would have needed guidance. Yet, because of the oncoming threat, the change did not take place, and Jean-Claude came in and made all of you afamily. He began to unite, even in asmall way, the two worlds. Because of his involvement, he was indirectly responsible for allowing your sister to become a normal vampire, and thus, preventing forever her separation from you. Innocent would now not have to suffer a mind wipe, because of the work of the Clan. There is much good coming, but we must first remove all threats. Now, go, they await you, and victory must be gained."

Anjoustarted off, but before she went, she said, "Will all threats to the dream be gone after this?"

"That," said Sophia, "I cannot foresee. However, whether or not that is the case, if Innocent were able to reproduce with a human, even if another threat arose, what would have happened with Karin shall happen with Innocent, and there would be no more need for the fount. After that, any threat can be stopped, and the path towards complete coexistence between humans and vampires could be forged. Look up, Anjou, for the future is bright."

Sophia faded at that point, and Anjouwent to find Jean-Claude, Karin, and Kenta.



As she went her way, she suddenly did not feel so forlorn. She would have been considered a brooding child for all those years, and that was always because of the sense of doom that hung over her and her family because of Karin. She did not know from where this gloom came, but now she knew, and it had a clear face. Yet, now, knowing that all would soon be resolved in such a fashion that none would have to be apart, or forgotten, gave her a hope for the future bright enough to melt winter snow. She reestablished contact with her bats, and she began to head towards her goal. After about ten more minutes, some bats began to fly about Jean-Claude and company. Karin said, "They're Anjou's bats!"

"She's coming this way," said Jean-Claude.

She emerged out of the brush, smiling from ear to ear. "CORN MUFFIN!" he hollered, and he scooped her up. He was wet and muddy, she was not the small girl she was, but at that point, neither one cared. He then set her down, and saw what was in her hands. She tossed Karin the Toledo, and gave the saber to Jean-Claude. "Wow! Why are you all smiles, Muff?" asked Jean-Claude.

"Ask me after all this is done," she said,"because, when I tell you, you're going to smile as well!"

Yet, as she was saying this, Antonio noticed the brush and about four undead bokor emerged. They were doped up, and moving with haste. They were right behind Anjou, but because he saw it coming, he was able to clothesline three of them. Jean-Claude already had his saber drawn, and he was removing the head of the fourth. Antonio quickly knelt, muttered a short prayer, and suddenly, he was moving as fast as the others. Two had bludgeons, and the third had a sword. Karin and Antonio took on the ones with the bludgeons, and Jean-Claude took on the swordsman. At one time, Karin would have been lost with a blade, but because of over three years training, and now with her enhanced blood abilities, she was up to the task. They kept fighting, and the bokor were putting up a fighting withdrawal, right back to the marsh. The bokor were being cut up, but because of their undead state, mixed with the amphetamine-like drugs in their system, any injuries they received were being healed quickly. "We can't keep this up all night!" said Jean-Claude, but he then had an idea. Since they had made their way back to the swamp, and that one spot, he had an idea. When they got close, Jean-Claude said, "When I give the word, Muff, push them as hard as you can!"

They fought in such a fashion as to line them up on the shoreline, Jean-Claude yelled, "Everyone hit the deck, NOW!"

The moment they did, Anjouextended a hand, and they flew about twenty feet, straight into the quicksand. Because they were not in their rational minds, they began to flail wildly when they became stuck up to their knees. Within a minute, they disappeared under the quagmire. What would be worse for them was the fact that, when they lost consciousness, they would not yet be dead. In time, they would float to the surface. Yet, by the time that happened, they would be long gone. Even then, unless they knew how to survive on animal blood, they would eventually go into torpor, and become food for the forest. Any way you sliced it, they were doomed. At that point, he could see, even in the darkness that Karin and Anjouwere growing pale. "Looks like you two need to feed before we find the others," said Jean-Claude, "I could use apick-me-up myself."

"How," said Karin, "Our preferences are not here."

"Blood is blood, and getting it is more important now than whether or not it is to your taste," said Jean-Claude frankly.

"I'll volunteer my neck," said Tony.

"Thanks all the same, friar," said Jean-Claude, "But we need you upright and conscious for the fight. So, we'll have to resort to plan B."

As he said this, he turned his nose to the wind, and smelt a deer nearby. "Hold on,"said Jean-Claude, as he tore off. There was some thrashing in the brush, and he emerged with a deer, dragging it by the neck. "Okay gang, dig in!"

Karin and Anjouboth put on looks of disgust, but Jean-Claude said, "In these conditions, we don't have a choice. It's this, or you starve!"

With a look of despair and concession, they sunk in, as did Jean-Claude. They tried to make sure to find a clean spot on the fur of the neck, and they wretched a couple of times at the smell of the deer. Eventually, they dove in with a "let's get this over with" attitude, and drank. It was not great, but they were very hungry, and that helped get it down. They drank deeply, and then pulled out as quickly. While Jean-Claude seemed fine, the other two looked ill. Tony then reached under his robes, and produced a canteen. "I never come into things like this unprepared," said Tony, "It's actually holy water, in case I need it, but it quenches a thirst just as well, so you are welcome to it."

Kenta said, "Won't that...," but Jean-Claude smiled, and said, "That's a myth! Don't worry; it may do them some good!"

They rinsed their mouths out, and then drank to make sure it stayed down. Jean-Claude then said, "Sleep well, dear creature, and may you be blessed for your sacrifice. You have helped in ways you shall never know."

With that, he looked at everyone else, and said, "Come on, let's find the others."