Crimson Heart of Lies

Zafar’s eyes squinted as he placed the unconscious lady over the altar. In his hand was a knife, sharpened by the roughest stone ever found. Around him were the clan leaders. They stood around him, watching what he did. The lady was unconscious. No one knew her name or where she was from. But that wasn’t the point. The full moon had now risen in the sky, and the elders straightened their aged arched backs. Their wrinkled skin turned smooth, and they looked 20 years younger than their age. “The moon accepted her,” said Arial the priestess. “Get this done quickly. We don’t have time.” Zafar knew what had to be done. His fist clenched, and his fangs sharpened through his gums. He sped towards the altar and pinned the lady to the darkened stone. Then his eyes hovered over to her milky white neck. “Do it! Now!” Arial impatience grew. Then he launched, and he felt it. The soft grip on his arm. His darkened expression softened, seeing the girl now awake. Her eyes were filled with tears and her lips trembled with every word. “Don’t hurt me, please,” she pleaded. Cold chills clogged Zafar’s pores as he backed off from her. She looked very familiar, he could swear. But where has he seen her before? Her eyes were clouded. Her body was weak and emaciated. It was obvious she died slowly. “What the hell are you doing?!” Arial’s voice asked in embarrassment. “Get this done now!” “Where did you…?” “Your wife and unborn child will die with the rest of the clan, Zafar! She has human blood! Feed her to the moon before it gets too late!” Arial warned. Then his motivation set in. Marida, his beloved, was on her labor bed, weeping poorly. She would bring their heir into the world and nothing that night could stop it. Marida was his future. She was his entire world. Then his face darkened again. “Please…I don’t want to die,” the human pleaded. His steps went closer and closer. His fangs were sharper, and his evil instincts set in. He lashed at her, growled in her face and his body went rampage. Suddenly, a light sprang into the air and blasted into flames from the dark woods. The blast was loud enough to catch the attention of the elders. They stared into sky alarmed by this. “Someone else is in the forest,” Arial alerted. “Be fast!” Then a ball was thrown in the middle altar. It cracked open and released a gas flow. Zafar felt a sharp pain in his chest and fell on his knees struggling to breath. He gasped, coughed, rolled on the cold earth. What the hell was going on? The smoke was foggy, and he could barely see anything. All he heard was flying arrows and the blood chilling cry of his people. He backed away, his legs pulling against the rough sand. He noticed. The leaders bursted into flames upon being hit by the arrow. They disintegrated into dust. “Zafar! This is dangerous! Let’s go.” Arial pulled his arm. Zafar gazed back at the altar. There was an unclear image of a lady in the smoke. She was dressed in brown leather armour, and her legs sprinted towards the lady in white. Then he squinted his eyes to see clearly. There was a daisy flower pinned to her hair, and a quiver of arrows clinging to her back. Those were the weapons! “Marida doesn’t have much time! Let’s go!” Arial reminded him, jeering him back to reality. He nodded and bolted into the woods back to the clan. Then he was met by the horror. Flames! Lots of fire engulfing the buildings as vampires ran out in fear. Arial stopped. “It’s too late. The gods destroyed everything,” Arial fell on her knees, her eyes crowded in tears. “No…no!” Zafar cried out. His heart was now in his mouth and his body trembled at every step.