The morning was bright, clean and clear for once in a long time in the City of Demons. There wasn’t much of the darkness that once shadowed over the streets and buildings when evil were around. Cars and buses had returned and the people of the city were feeling safe again. However there was still damage left over from the epic battles between the demon lord Censilo and the young girl by the name of Chisoutsa. Old wounds were still being healed, some deep wounds and hurts.
Chisoutsa was found at the wreaked Centrax Building where Censilo once stood. A small car pulled up near her and tow figures appeared from it. It was Alan Richards and Professor Walken who had come to see Chisoutsa. They watched her as she moved pieces of rubble as she viewed part of a old robot that was lost to the battle she won.
“Time heals all wounds Chisoutsa. These are the lessons that we learn,” Professor Walken said to her from behind.
Chisoutsa turned around and dropped the hand of Hayco she found to the ground, “It still hurts Professor. I wish I still had my power and hardness within me. I don’t like being bitter and sad,” she replied.
“That’s all part of life Chisoutsa. You wanted to feel more human and these things will happen. We are so hurt by Hayco’s passing. He was a young boy who was very real in our hearts. I understand the pain of losing someone close.”
“I heard Jiko has taken some leave to travel around the world. I might have a similar idea for you too,” said Alan Richard.
Chisoutsa turned and asked Alan, “And what might that be?”
“I’ve been researching my family history to keep my mind busy and off anything to do with the battles we have had with Censilo. Well I believe I have found the location of my family far away from the City of Demons,” he answered.
“Where is this place?”
“Alan’s family could be living in a place called the Death Lands, unlike here where the legend is demons. The Death Lands main theme is vampires, ghosts and the undead. I believe it’s a good thing for you to travel and expand your mind Chisoutsa. I’ve been there before in my younger days and there’s some interesting folk there,” Professor Walken said.
Chisoutsa looked down at the hand of Hayco and reached into pocket and popped out the transporter and heart of Hayco, “He would want me to travel and be happy. He always wanted to see and do new things.”
She turned to Alan and nodded her head, “Alright then, I’ll travel with you. I wanna see what this Death Lands is all about. Sounds very inviting,” Chisoutsa said.
“Great to hear! Because I wouldn’t go by myself just in case something goes wrong and we have had enough drama in our lives for a long time,” Alan smiled.
The three of them walked to the car and the drove off together leaving.
The Professor, Alan, and Chisoutsa met together with Charles Thompson at his house where they were researching maps. Charles was sipping wine and Professor Walken was trying to fix his cane. Alan pointed out the areas of the Death Lands.
“There some deserts to cross so you will need to drive carefully Chisoutsa. There’s a village at the end of it if I remember,” Alan said.
“I’ll be sure to drive safe,” Chisoutsa said.
The Professor and Charles gave each other smirks at her driving well, “You think she’ll be ok after Hayco and Censilo?” Charles asked him.
“I hope so. I think the break will do her well. She’ll love the new adventure. Staying here for now will only bring her memories of bad.”
“How are things with Emily and the fact you two know you have a daughter?”
“It’s been wonderful and very surprising. We are all still getting over this event and we need time to work things out. Our marriage has had its issues you know,” Jonathan replied.
“Well it doesn’t help when you avoided her for years. She did it too I guess. At least things worked out in the chaos we all had to go through,” Charles said refilling his drink.
“And this government, is it improving at last?” Professor Walken asked.
“Yes Jonathan, the Prime Leader is becoming more open about his affairs and getting the job done if that’s what you meant,” Charles answered.
“I was only checking old Charles.”
The group looked at the maps and Chisoutsa grabbed the keys to the Black Vixen. She a couple bags packed for Alan and herself. Emily came into the room and saw Chisoutsa.
“I see you’re ready for your big trip. Be safe and don’t get into any trouble,” she told her.
“I won’t Mum. It still feels strange saying that,” Chisoutsa smiled.
“The whole thing about Jonathan being your father is strange enough,” laughed Charles.
“I think that’s going to be your last drink for a while,” hinted Professor Walken.
“You never were the happy one were you,” smiled Charles.
Chisoutsa and Alan walked down to the Black Vixen with the others. Charles and Professor Walken helped with the bags and everything was pull inside the back seats of the car. It was still bright day and Alan was excited about his trip to find his family.
“It’s about time you repaid me for all the good work I have done for this car of yours,” Alan relied once the pair was in the car.
“I will make the promise that this time the Black Vixen will not get damaged in anyway,” Chisoutsa said.
“And I promise I won’t get lost in the Death Lands,” Alan said.
The Black Vixen drove away from the sidewalk as the Professor, Emily, and Charles waved them goodbye from The City of Demons.
“I hope everything goes went for the two of them,” said Emily.
“Hey where is Jiko by the way?” asked Charles to the couple.
“I believe he went traveling in the west. He could visit the Death Lands if he travels near there. But he’s interested in Lake Pure first,” Professor Walken answered.
The Black Vixen drove outside of The City of Demons and for the first time Chisoutsa was away from her mentor. She was now on her own.
The darkness covered the land where a Village was. It was quiet and tender. The village people were peaceful humans who farmed and practice in health and minor spells. Children played outside with bows and arrows. There was a small lake on the left hand side of the Village. The sign post of the Village moved in the wind with the name “Huwette” on it. A figure was walking towards the village for a meeting with a friend of his. He stopped just outside when he saw a machine of some sort badly damaged. It seemed it had been there for weeks. The figure moved his hand over it. A name appeared over the machine called “Black Vixen”.
“Strange name, I wonder how it got here,” he said to himself.
The young man walked onwards. He played with his hands and small balls of magic and fire appeared from them. He was a wizard and known around the Huwette Village. He entered a quiet bar where his friend was in the corner. He came up to him and sat down at the table.
“Good to see you again Irasil. You know some places in the world never change. Such as the Death Lands here. Still the cold, strange and ancient area it is. Don’t you think?” he asked him.
“While it is true that the Death Lands rarely change, it is the Convoitise Vampire that still seeks terror and death from his people Frithdar,” Irasil said.
“Don’t tell me that the legendary Irasil Allegheri is going to go something about it. That’s about 300 years late for that,” Frithdar said.
“I’m sure someone will be willing to do the job for a good price,” Allegheri said.
Frithdar was served a drink by the bartender and sipped on it for a while thinking, “Do you know what a Black Vixen?” he asked Allegheri.
“No. Show me it first and maybe I can tell you,” Allegheri answered standing up. He was dressed in a black and red cape and gown. He wore a black rounded hat to shield himself from the sun and the night.
The pair stepped outside the bar and wandered down the main street of Huwette Village. Frithdar appeared in a blue gown and black pants. He looked middle aged like Allegheri but were far older then they looked. Frithdar pointed out the Black Vixen to Allegheri and he walked over with him and inspected the machine.
“This is the first time I have seen a vehicle car in the Death Lands, whoever drove here no idea where they were traveling,” Allegheri spoke.
“So where did it come from. It’s a long distance from anywhere here,” Frithdar said.
Allegheri opened the side door and climbed inside. The keys were still in the car and he turned it on, “No fuel left.” He looked at a tracker map to see where the car was driving from. “City of Demons, that’s a name I haven’t heard of in a while,” he said.
“That’s where the Demon Lord Censilo lived in his first life. I’m going to keep the keys. See if the owner turns up later on,” Allegheri said.
“So we watch the car or not?” Frithdar asked.
“We don’t have the time for that. We need to keep moving. I need to find my killer for Convoitise. Free the people of the mess that he is,” Allegheri said.
“Are you nuts or something? He’s like Censilo or worse. Very powerful, doesn’t give in easily. Why won’t we just battle him ourselves?” Frithdar replied.
“We don’t have the power for that. Besides, this is not the easy City of Demons where there’s one big bad guy and you win the game. There is more then one evil in this land,” Allegheri explained to his old friend Frithdar.
“I can help with tracking the owner. I have a little magical camera here. Now if I stick it to the tree here next to this car. Then we can see who owns it,” Frithdar said.
Allegheri looked beyond the Village and towards the deserted castles in the east. He had memories of living in some of them in his earlier days.
“We shall visit some of the old castles Frithdar. Rediscover the good old days,” Allegheri said.
“Relive the legendary days. Which part is more famous, the fact that daylight doesn’t hurt you or that wooden stakes doesn’t hurt you?” Frithdar asked.
“Both I say. I still can get hurt Frithdar. I’m not perfect, just different from the other vampires. Let’s go now,” Allegheri said. The pair walked away from the Black Vixen. The cold night went on for a few more hours.
It was early in the warm morning; children were helping their parents getting water from the lake where another two figures were walking towards the Black Vixen. One strong female character and one thin male with a white cloth over his arm.
“So do you really have a missing family connection or not?” the female asked.
“Well Chisoutsa, Charles showed me the pictures and the information. I’m sure he was right. My past family lived in the Death Lands. Thou I wished they lived in Lake Pure. Much nicer and not so scary looking,” he answered.
“Alan, we have been looking for a while and there’s nothing great in this area. When we get the Black Vixen fixed then we can go back to the City,” Chisoutsa said.
“The damages are not that easy to fix up. I don’t have the tools I had in the City,” Alan said.
Chisoutsa and Alan came up to the Black Vixen and saw the car door opened and the keys missing. She walked up to the car and kicked in the door.
“Who the fucked took the keys!” she shouted out.
“I don’t know! Stop shouting, the car doesn’t work at the moment so no point in getting upset,” Alan snapped back.
“We have been driving for a month and this is the dump we have come to. So much for finding new adventures,” Chisoutsa said.
The pair check around the door and closed it. Then they carried on into the Huwette Village. Alan pointed at the bar where Allegheri and Frithdar were before.
“Let’s have a drink in there. It’s like a wild western this place,” he said to Chisoutsa.
“Expect westerns don’t have castles nearby,” Chisoutsa replied.
“Yeah well you know what I mean,” Alan said.
The pair entered the bar and Chisoutsa ordered some drinks. Alan played with a notebook and pen and made notes on the damages of the Black Vixen.
“The sandstorms really made a mess of things. Also the long driving didn’t do it well. It was a shame that the flying panel was destroyed near the start of the trek to the Death Lands,” Alan said to Chisoutsa.
“Can we fix everything?” she asked him.
“We can get it to drive again but there’s no fuel here. We can only fix the flying panel when we return back to the City,” Alan answered.
Chisoutsa stood up from her seat and a dark figure entered the room. Dressed in a brown suit and disguising himself he walked up to Chisoutsa and Alan and pulled a pistol on them.
“Get up and walk over to corner room way from the bar.” He said.
Chisoutsa paused and nodded at Alan. They walked over into the room and they sat on the chairs and table there was in the room. The hidden hood was revealed when they turned around.
“Mr. Umzeu?” Chisoutsa cried surprised.
“Why is it when I try to escape from you? I always find you near me? Come on, tell me why you are here in the Death Lands,” Mr. Umzeu asked…
There was smirk on Chisoutsa’s face when Mr. Umezu’s face was revealed to them. The smart ex-company owner sat down with them and placed his gun back in his pocket and looked at Alan. His look had changed from a business owner to a man on the run and on holidays. Dressed in a brown suit and still holding some of his high tech devices in his other pockets.
“I’m not that surprised I found you here,” Mr. Umzeu started off, “But I am with you Mr. Alan Richards. You’re not fighting against me again, are you?”
“No I’m not. I’m looking for a distant family member who lives here. I got into my family history where all the drama in the City of Demons ended” Alan explained.
“So you pulled out the finger and defeated Censilo Chisoutsa?”
“Yeah, I defeated him, saved the world from certain doom and lived happily ever after. All that stuff you know,” nodded Chisoutsa with a grin.
“You must be so bored now with no challenges left in the City. Is that why you used Alan as a excuse to wander the Death Lands. How did you know of this place?” Mr. Umzeu asked.
“Shentile told us about this place a month ago. Said something about a legendary vampire lives here. Might pay him a visit,” Chisoutsa answered.
Mr. Umzeu laughed out loud and past Chisoutsa a cigar to smoke like old times and got out a paper from his pocket. She lt the smoke up and watched him.
“The Death Lands contain a number of problems for you and me. The place is fucking covered of evil. It was easy to watch Censilo as he was the main issue in the City of Demons but this in this place. You don’t know who your friend is or who your foe is here. I know of two legend vampires and one imprisoned lord. Couldn’t tell which vampire was the evil one until I found this paper the other day,” Mr. Umzeu said handing the piece of paper to her.
“Wanted for the murders of thousand of villagers: Reykjavik Convoitise, Come to the Lockjaw Castle for more information. Reward: $15 Million dollars. Nice pocket money there,” replied Chisoutsa.
“This Convoitise vampire was lucky enough to get the entire Death Lands named after him. Much like Censilo in his own demon legends, this vampire contains different powers. He has powerful followers and hard to follow on foot. You would be stupid to follow anyone in that Black Vixen of yours,” Mr. Umzeu said.
Chisoutsa and Alan turned to each other and didn’t say a word about that issue, “So why aren’t you chasing this guy for the money. Your company busted five months ago now?” Alan asked.
“Look at me. I’m old and I’m on a long holiday here. Chisoutsa here has the goods. Her resume is outstanding. Slayer of the Demon Lord is pretty damn good to get the job for the Vampire Lord.”
“So now we head to this Lockjaw Castle?” Chisoutsa asked.
“Yeah why not, I’ll tag along with you. Never saw the major battle of you and Censilo. Also this other guy is a legend too. Got to remember his name too!” he said.
The three of them exit the bar and traveled north east of the Village. The Village was the safe point for any travelers, beyond the ghost gates were where the danger lived and few trekked. Mr. Umzeu and Alan chatted to each other while Chisoutsa watched ahead seeing the number of burnt out and old castles ahead of them.
“All that training you did with the Professor and Shentile will come in handy. However no gun shooting here is allowed. Swords play is the preferred game they like. But there are some battles where you won’t have a clue in how to fight,” Mr. Umzeu warned Chisoutsa.
“I’ll look out for those un-fightable battles,” Chisoutsa said taking not much notice of Mr. Umezu’s words.
The Lockjaw Castle was well known was crushing people and adventurers with spikes and traps. Ladders and ropes lead people to the top. Chisoutsa and Mr. Umzeu opened up the doors. Alan stepped inside as well and noticed the ropes leading up. A line of traps and spikes prevented Chisoutsa from a easy ride. Mr. Umzeu noticed a figure appearing at the top. A blue dressed wizard watched the three.
“Who is the adventurer who wishes to kill Convoitise?” boomed the wizard.
Mr. Umzeu and Alan stood back and Chisoutsa moved forward, “If the price is right, I’m your girl,” she answered.
The wizard reached out his arm and two beams of red shoot down at Mr. Umzeu and Alan. They were frozen red and rose above Chisoutsa’s head. She darted back towards the door. They shut tightly and the traps and spikes started to move. The ground randomly showed pit traps where Chisoutsa quickly jumped away from. She grabbed hold of a nearby rope and climbed up. Shots of spears attacked her from the walls and she pulled out her old sword that defeated Censilo and knocked them out of the way. She flipped herself up on the top level where the blue wizard was. She ran towards him with the sword and a light green shield covered him as she fell to the ground. The red frozen statues of Mr. Umzeu and Alan were released and the shield was lowered to the ground. The wizard smiled at Chisoutsa and he shouted out to someone in the background.
“We got a good one here. This one lived and has good sword fighting skills.” He cried.
The shadow figure rose from the darkness and a thousand of bats flew around him as he entered the picture. Chisoutsa slowly rose to her feet feeling the same fear she felt when she first met Censilo. The legendary vampire approached her.
“My name is Irasil Allegheri and this is my dear old friend Frithdar Longmagmar the wizard. You came for the job of Convoitise, the lust vampire, the ghost that rapes the dead,” Allegheri spoke.
“Yes I am here for that. I know of your name. This is Alan Richards and Mr. Umzeu. We all come from the City of Demons. A long way from here,” Chisoutsa replied.
“So this is yours then,” Allegheri said throwing the keys to the Black Vixen to the ground.
“You found my car. So you knew of me before too.”
“Where have you heard my name before? Many know of my days in the past,”
“The Second Life world, you build that College. I’m a Walken. My father was mentored under Shentile,” Chisoutsa explained.
“Shentile, the wise old man, whose battles are like watching a sweet ballet. Your connections run deep, I’m impressed,” Allegheri said.
“She defeated Censilo, you should know of this name too,” chipped in Mr. Umzeu.
“An old respected and evil foe of mine. Censilo will be licking his wounds in the Second Life World. He is a powerful and dangerous demon to have defeated. You have the skills to fight the Vampire Lust Lord, but not to beat him,” Allegheri.
“I think I’m sure I can beat him. He shouldn’t be as hard as Censilo,” Chisoutsa replied back.
“Even as the master I am, there are skills I am learning and that applies to you to Chisoutsa. You will understand more in detail when you battle the dangers of the Death Lands. For now, rest here and I will talk more about the Lust Vampire,” Allegheri said.
Chisoutsa looked back Alan who ha a worried face on him. What new dangers could be worse then the Demon Lord himself Censilo?
