Story Portfolio: Showing Everlast

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Prologue

Life is thought to be merely the energy that keeps a being or person alive, the breath we breathe, the heart that beats with in, life is, and will only be as such.

The notion to view it as simple or easy is ridicule, as it can anything but.
Life plays with in the same rhythmic tempo as the time that makes the Earth turn, or the suns cycle through the solar system it supports, or the circulation of our force that keeps us alive.

Time is like a flowing river, and we are riding its thrashing surf, enjoying the journey.
But its deceivingly pleasurable trip can slam into a jarring halt as we reach the rapids, curving unevenly as we go astray from the path that life meant for us to follow.

This bump in the road between lifes choices and the time given to us to choose them is where I stood at this very moment, the temptation to go astray from my path in life, and choose something I was never meant to even consider.

It would be a waste of time, it would alter the path ahead of me, possibly in an irreversible way; I may be faced with regrets, I may one day wish that I could have undone what I shall be doing, in just a few moments.
But when your heart screams in protest against the path that is set for you, and demands the order for you to do something else, something that could rip you apart with out, how can you even think of resisting?

Why should it be impossible to have what you want, and still do what you must?
It seems to be a crime to half to live pinned to a path that may present choices you do not want, or to never have the temptations that you are required to decline.

I never really had asked for what was being present to me now, and the urgent warnings of logic and instinct were begging me to decline now, but my heart...
My heart was louder then logic, and instinct, and it was perfectly accretive to the offering at hand; it was encouraging me to accept, and when everything was said and done, with both time to choose was running out, and the path already set for me, why not?

Chapter One:

Shadows draped the city, in the year when the new 'industrial' age was being rumored of, a tanned brick town who's sharp angular walls and cross bridges clung to the steep, uneven terrain.
The oil lamps that lit the European city were set aglow as the sun began to sink below the distant country side, and the onset of autumn's breath consumed the landscape.

Vrantaro Torus was sitting in one of the cottages, a home above another, closely situated near the neighbors buildings.
The sandy colored walls and hardwood flooring felt chill as young Vrantaro sat in a whicker chair, considering his companions offer, looking up at the brown bats that were hanging from the rafters above.
The bats were stretching their wings, feeling the sun outside set; Vrantaro had turned twenty today, and his black hair fell in a carefully preened center part, trailing just above his shoulders.
His skin was paler then he would have liked, despite the summer he had endured this year, and his gray blue eyes were wreathed in long, delicate black lashes.

Vrantaro was the third son of the Mayor of the town, Alonvria, and was less then adored by his sire.
Bartholomew Torus of course cared for his sons, but whether or not he loved them equally, well, could be easily debated.
Vrantaro was the smallest, the weakest, and at the moment, his knowledge and enthusiasm to learn rather then do what ever it was his brothers did, was not exactly supported in the royal family.
Vrantaro hadn't been happy, if he came right to the point, and his long time companion, whom was mentioned earlier, Tulio Octarus, was offering something, something he had been considering already.

Tulio was everything Vrantaro was not, tall, sleek, athletic, courageous, and a many number of other things that Vrantaros family would have valued.
Tulio had very fair, very light blonde hair, almost icy, with it cut in an odd style; most of it hung loosely across the right side of his face, but the rest was trimmed messily at the back and opposite side.
The unconventional hair do was accompanied by a face that did look young, well...it appeared it had been young for a long time, and this appearance was difficult to explain.
Tulio appeared twenty four-ish, and yet he claimed he had been alive for over a century longer.

Vrantaro glanced up, and Tulio, standing at the doorway, flashed an unnaturally white smile, showing those unsettlingly sharp teeth.
"Come travel with me," He said again, encouragingly, "Your adult, I'm going with others, and its for the Hollows Eve' Harvest."
Tulio shrugged, "You will need the experience anyway, and might as well do so while the opportunity remains presented."
Tulio strided into the room, and sat down on the floor, following Vrantaros gaze up at he two or three small rather grayish bats.
"It will be a very quick bite." Tulio whispered, looking back briefly.

Vrantaro felt that instinctive recoil in his stomach, and flashed his friend a glare.
Tulio grinned.

Traveling was not the case that Vrantaro was apprehensive about, no not in the least; Vrantaro would travel to Russia or Transylvania if given half the chance to do so, and would be on his way even before he finished accepting the offer.
No, the object of apprehension that Tulio was offering was something that Tulio was taught all his life to reject.

Becoming a monster of All Hallows Eve's Harvest, becoming a night mare that dwells in the night, and slumbers by day.

Tulio was offering freedom from family ties, the ability to learn all he wanted for as long as he wished, and to live as long as the earth lays flat in the realm of which it existed.
Tulio was offering to change Vrantaro into Vampire, to drain him of his blood life and renew him with a fresh existence, and to change him from a human, to a monstrosity.
Vrantaro would love nothing more then to rid himself of the situation he was in now with his irritating social life, but Vrantaro just could not wrap his head around the idea of Vampirism.

"It does not take that long, Vrantaro." Tulio reassured again, making Vrantaro start slightly; his train of thought dissipated, and he looked at Tulio with exasperation.
"I'm still thinking it over." Vrantaro murmured dryly, and then averted his eyes back up to the bats.
The furry little creatures were stirring, and the room grew dim as the sun fell away from sight, its rays fading in small slanting beams that made the skyline bleed pink.

Tulio huffed impatiently, and inched closer to prod Vrantaros elbow, "It is okay to admit you are afraid." Tulio chided Vrantaro crossly.
Vrantaro waved him away in annoyance, but his friend prodded his elbow further.
"What are you afraid of, then? Hm?" Tulio questioned, insistent.
"I know there is something; do you wish to not depart from family? Human life? Or is it a physical problem? Do you have an injury or infection of any sort?"
Tulio urged, bright eyes prying; Vrantaro was quiet for a few moments, considering his reasons, and forming the best way to explain them.

To succumb to the night mare, and allow permission to be transformed into something that was an intruder, a predator, and thief, it was just absurdity.
The thought of stalking his own kind like a hawk or falcon hunting pigeons in the church citadels repulsed Vrantaro immensely, and the thought of and ingesting the life force of his fellow human kind...
No!
It was just too wrong, and it went against everything his family had taught him.
Vrantaro was patted on the head, like a doctor checking her patient for fever, as Tulio searched for eye contact.
"Come on then, out with it." Tulio murmured scoldingly, as Vrantaro reluctantly looked upwards.
Meeting any ones gaze was bizarre for Vrantaro, and he spent the majority of his conversations looking just passed or behind the persons he talked to.
Vrantaro sighed slightly, suddenly self conscious; Tulio green color in his eyes seemed to melt at the edges of the iris, almost, the fringes and speckles flickering to a slight, smudgy brown.
"I'm not offended by what ever it is humans have gossiped about Vampires." Tulio pressed, encouragingly, "You can confide with me for anything, friend."

Vrantaro swallowed against the nothing in his throat, instinctively, averting his gaze back down at his hands folded in his lap.
Vrantaro began with when he had discovered Tulios condition, and went on to explain his studies of the Vampire sort in human literacy.
The horrific deeds, the otherworldly abilities, the hindrances, the... inhumanity of it all.

"It just seems evil." Vrantaro confessed, ending his conversation.
"But you only know this one half of the knowledge, the human half," Tulio chided, smiling kindly.
"You will never know the truth of it, unless you try yourself."
Vrantaro stole a glance up again, and the brown smudges in the green of Tulios eyes were brightening; a bright scarlet red was slowly taking over the color of Tulios irises, and from Vrantaros observations, he knew already what this meant.

Vrantaro felt a chill shiver up his spine, and a slight pulse of fear in his stomach, but even after the short conversation, he had already made his decision.
He was pulled up to his feet by Tulio, tugging his arms, and they walked out of the room together, heading down the stairs and into the small parlor.
Vrantaro took out a piece of stationary and dipped a pen into a well of ink, and scribbled down where he was going and for how long, and that he loved his family.

"The All Hallows Eve Harvest will last for several nights, I gather?" Vrantaro asked, following Tulio out into the dimly lit town; Tulio nodded, curling his coat collar up against the chill.
"Possibly, if the weather fairs well," Tulio responded, glancing back, "Your ready then, though, correct?"
Vrantaro nodded a yes, "Certainly."
(Author's notes; Re-edited it for a more eye-catching appeal, and I shall be fiiinally posting a part of chapter two tonight.)

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Chapter Two:

Vrantaro awoke to light that was too bright for his eyes to register, and he scowled at it in disgust. His neck and shoulders ached, and his head was throbbing, and the light of dawn was making his eyes water, so he turned away from it irritably. The inn attic was strewn with hay and other dry, ignorable debris, and the windows cut into the thatch roofing above allowed slants of pale winter light to fall in. He was dressed in a cream tunic, with a shirt underneath, and a pair of tan pants and knee high leather boots, and a black woolen coat, that was long and tapered. Vrantaro's throat felt dry, and his eyes would'nt focus correctly.

The trap door on the floor creaked open, and Tulios head popped up, "I brought you some water." He offered, climbing into the attic and crawling over to sit by his friend. Vrantaro sat up, his spine protesting as he accepted the wooden mug of water. "Thank you." He muttered accusingly as he took a few sips, only to discover he did not like the taste; it felt grainy, and tasted bland. "It tastes like you retrieved it from the cattles trough." Vrantaro commented sarcasticly; Tulio laughed. "How is your third month as a vampire?" He asked, reaching out to fix a stray strand of Vrantaro's hair.
Vrantaro hissed, showing his teeth as he ducked away, "It's horrific." He growled, setting the mug down and stretching, turning to crack the kinks in his back.

His teeth... ugh, they felt too big for his mouth, too long on the inside of his gums, and too long to close his jaws together. They would periodicly get long, then he would use them, then they would fall out to be replaced by normal teeth, then after a while, would get long and uncomfortable again.
It was just rididculous.

"We will be training tonight." Tulio informed Vrantaro, "Your abilities should be ajusting, by now." Tulio inspected closer, reaching out to check the clarity in Vrantaro's eyes; Vrantaro grimaced, growling in protest. "Stop touching me, you clingy nurse maid." He spat irratibly. Tulio chuckkled, ruffling his friends hair. "Once you figure out what we will be doing, you won't be as grumpy." Tulio said, grinning.
Oh sure, whatever. Vrantaro only wanted to sleep a bit longer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Moonlight glimmered like ghosts on the snow as Vrantaro watched in astonishment at his friend Tulio and several other vampires as they flew, in the forms of three small brown bats. Their small gray-furred bodies and flapping, webbed wings soaring through the air, it was just unimaginable to believe that this was real, and yet, here Vrantaro was, watching it all happen before his eyes.
And he was to believe that he was able to do this, as well.

Tulio, a more robust bat with slightly blondish fur, swooped around, and landed in the snow in front of Vrantaro, giggling in the fluffy, cold element. "Ah, Vrantaro old boy, come and join the flight!" He enthused, his voice sounding higher pitched, and garbled with bat-like screeches.
Vrantaro smiled, unsure, "I'd love to," He reassured, "I just have no idea as to how."
Tulio ruffled his little pelt, and looked up, blinking small, beady black eyes, "Just will it," He explained, "Your body will automaticly know what you need, and accomididate the form required to please your wishes."

Vrantaro tilted his head to one side, frowning.
(Unfinished, I'll add more soon.)