The BATTLE of the CENTURY! [S!7] - Round 1: The New Frontier

Originally posted on MSPA by Ixcalibur.

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As the fleet of airships broke through the cloud most of the refugees were up on the deck eager to get their first proper view of the land that was to be their new home. Aubrine, a refugee of no particular importance, with long blonde hair and a cloth tunic that hinted at ample cleavage beneath, was not amongst them. Her reasons were not all that interesting; she simply desired a little space and time alone after a long and rather cramped voyage. The corridors of the airship were quiet, though not completely silent (the sound of the heavy propellers rather obviously never ceased and even though the sounds of the multitude of passengers were muffled down here they were not completely blotted out), it was by the standard of airship travel almost peaceful. That is until the crash of something shattering in a corridor nearby drew her away from her bunk.

Aubrine emerged from her room clutching a thick glass bottle as a potential bludgeon. It wasn’t that she seriously thought there could be anything to fear up here, high above the world, in the comfort and security of HMS Sanctuary; it was just a precaution. She told herself this as she made her way down the lamplit corridor searching for whatever had smashed. She soon found a heap of broken glass and metal, the remains of a lantern and amongst the shards there was a couple of sheaves of paper. All pretences of making a serious attempt to defend herself from potential attackers dropped, she grabbed the papers and began reading through them. She didn’t read much, partially because her bare bones literacy and the fact that she had no idea what an apartment was impeded her understanding of the document, but mainly because something hit her very hard from behind and she passed out.

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When Aubrine awoke she found herself draped across somebody’s bed while a man with black hair, pale skin and a long cape was standing over her, and though her attention was currently elsewhere it didn’t escape her notice that in the time that she’d been knocked out her tunic had been torn a neckline so plunging that her bosom was all but hanging out from it. After a moment of just looking at one another awkwardly Aubrine screamed as loud as she could. Vlad was dumbfounded, just for a second or so. It had been a long time since a girl had screamed in horror in his presence. He had long since gotten used to humans who knew their place; specially cleaned and perfumed necks, that dead-eyed look that indicated that they had long accepted the inevitable. Her terror had caught him by surprise and it took him a second to remember to react and press his hand over her mouth.

“Shush my darlink.” He said; his voice thick with an unusual accent. “I am not here to harm you. I fact I am here to do the very opposite of that.” For a moment Aubrine paused in her fruitless struggling against the vampire. “You vill ascend to a higher form of being. You vill be stronker, faster, smarter… better. You vill be an immortal my dear; like me.” Tentatively Vlad removed his hand from Aubrine’s mouth, though he tensed himself to replace it should she not be cooperative.

“Why should I believe you?” she asked.

“I give you my vord.” Vlad looked very solemn and sincere.

“Are you… Here-oh-ni-moos?” Aubrine pronounced the name slowly and carefully and was almost certain she had gotten it wrong.

“No my name is Vladimir Roth, President Vladimir Roth.” He smiled a smile that might have been described as charming if it wasn’t for the prominent fangs. “But you, my fair lady, may call me Vlad.”

“I’m Aubrine.” She ummed and erred for a moment as she glanced around the unfamiliar cabin. “Why me?”

It was a reasonable question. Vlad had in the past been very selective of those who he turned; it was unlike him to sire the first girl he laid eyes on. The answer was that he didn’t think he would be here long. Vlad firmly believed in the superiority of vampires over humans, it followed that he would believe in their superiority over butterflies and boats and whatever that plant-like thing had been. He’d make short work of them for sure, and then this opportunity to spread the wonderful gift of vampirism might be lost to him forever.

“It is because you are such an exquisite beauty, a rare flower, one girl in a million. I simply cannot bear to think that one day your life might be cut tragically short.” Vlad bluffed enthusiastically. “I must preserve you frozen in this perfection so you might take your rightful place over the humans of this vorld.”

Aubrine blushed, she looked delicious.

Eventually she said “Okay.” It came out hesitantly, like she thought it was probably a bad idea but was going along with it for some reason she didn’t really understand. “How does this work?”

“Just lie back my dear.” Vlad said. “I vill take care of the rest.” He leaned down over her, bringing his face so close to hers, her mouth hung slightly open as if expecting the slightest most sensual kiss. With a hand he brushed aside a strand of golden hair and he whispered “This might hurt a little bit.”