EPISODE X:

.. "  Wild, Shapeshifters Who Hunt Like Wolves They walked leisurely down a narrow alley that led them to an old, deserted warehouse. It was almost completely dark inside; if it weren't for the shafts of moonlight streaming through the narrow windows near the ceiling, they wouldn't have been able to see much. "He's here..." Nilajhash said. "I won't let him escape this time!" Akasha grabbed her sword. At that moment, they heard a quick shuffle that echoed dully against the empty walls of the warehouse. And then they saw golden eyes, narrow almost like slits, gleaming in the darkness. "It's not Lilim," Akasha moaned. "A Beast. " "What Beast?" she moaned, turning to face him. "What Beast!? " "It's the primal, animalistic nature of every Vampire. It's a destructive, cold state of mind; when you stop controlling it, it will rule you. " "And now I'm supposed to fight it?" She didn't receive an answer, as the tall girl lunged at her with a scream. Akasha managed to escape at the last moment only thanks to Nilajhash, who stopped the Beast at the last moment. Crushed by her weight, he fell to the ground and began struggling. Without hesitation, she ran to them and thrust the metal blade with all her might into the vampire's body, who roared away from them, drenching the dusty concrete floor with blood. Nilajhash sat down panting on the ground. His chest was lacerated by the Beast's four claws. Akasha stood before him, wanting to protect him, and glared at the Beast. However, the Beast, groaning, sat down dazedly and began licking the blood from her hands. After a moment, her eyes stopped sparkling, and the girl looked at them in surprise. "W-what am I doing here?" she asked quietly. "Nothing. It's all over." They looked at a tall, dark figure with enormous black wings and blue eyes. She slowly knelt beside the dying girl and hugged her protectively. The vampire smiled gently, with obvious effort. - Tabaet... you came... The fallen angel pressed her bloody hand to his cheek. "...Are you sad?... Because of me... forgive me..." she whispered, closing her eyes. "Indra... It's not your fault! It wasn't supposed to end this way. Forgive me... I couldn't help you... " "I didn't want to live as a Beast. This cold, it was killing me. It was destroying me, drawing me in ever closer... Tabaet... I didn't want to... " "Oh, Indra! Indra..." his voice broke and faded. "I wanted... you to know..." A trickle of blood flowed from her lips. "I love you... Tabaet, I love you..." "Indra... You didn't say anything all this time, why... why?! "I was afraid, you were so distant... don't be angry with me... I'm begging you... " "Indra... I love you too, Indra... I love..." With that, he leaned toward her and kissed her gently on the forehead. Bitter tears ran down the girl's cheeks. And when Tabaet raised his head, he realized Indra had died... When the girl's lifeless body disappeared along with the fallen angel in the black mist, Akasha approached the wounded Nilajhash. The scratch was deep, though not life-threatening. At first, she wanted to bandage him, but he protested. For a moment, she stood undecided whether to agree with him or to attend to his wounds immediately. Finally, they both made their way to the other end of the dark warehouse to the exit, and at the same moment, they heard malicious giggling. "What a stupid Hunter! Hee hee ... They were certain that Lilim wouldn't escape them this time... After a dozen or so minutes, they stopped in a small room lined with iron shelves. Nilajhash and Akasha paused in the doorway, cautiously scanning the room. There was no way out. Lilim was trapped. "Watch the door," she said quietly. "He's wounded, he's lost a lot of blood... " "Be careful, he's mortally dangerous." Akasha nodded slowly and moved cautiously between the shelves. All around her was dimness and cold. Suddenly, she saw something crouching, running behind the shelf in front of her. She froze for a moment, then quickly rushed in that direction and knocked over the shelf, which fell to the ground with a crash, knocking out the other shelves in the process. The girl heard the panting, hoarse breathing of Lilim as he forced himself awkwardly through the gap created by the iron structures. She squinted, trying to find him. But it was exceptionally difficult; it felt as if fog were obscuring her vision in places, preventing her from seeing the Demon. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of movement, but it was far too late. Something pierced her side painfully. She screamed, but at the same time, she swung the sword in her right hand and severed the head of the Lilim, who was leaning out from behind the shelves. Then, with a groan, she fell to her knees, clutching her bleeding side, which held a knife with three curved blades. She had never seen anything like it before. "Akasha!?" Nilajhash ran to her. The vampire looked at him, breathing heavily. "It hurts so much..." she whispered, clenching her fists. "It hurts so much..." The fallen angel gently pulled Lilim's knife from her and examined it carefully. "It's silver," he muttered, picking her up from the ground. "He knew what he was doing..." He took her outside. It was starting to dawn. Both he and Akasha needed to find shelter quickly. Nilajhash looked around helplessly. "My apartment... It's nearby..." she whispered, trembling. The angel, still holding her in his arms, quickly left the alley and headed for the park they had to cross to reach the girl's apartment. However, upon seeing the monument, Nilajhash stopped abruptly and immediately headed in that direction. He had to hurry. The wound was deep, and Akasha had lost a lot of blood and was feeling increasingly worse. "W-will..." she whispered with difficulty. "Will I have to die now?" The angel flinched at the sound of her words. "Of course not!" he denied, trying to smile at her. "I'll never let you do that." The girl clenched her fists in his shirt, then moved her head to rest her forehead on his chest. Nilajhash felt her astral body weaken, and that was perhaps what worried him most. Only after a few moments did he stand in the center of the pentagram within the stone dome and begin to quietly repeat a few words she didn't recognize in a throaty, somber voice. Then she felt as if she were walking through walls. For a moment, she could see perfectly what lay within the wall, and then a sudden gust of air enveloped her body. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a staircase. Nilajhash practically ran down it until they found themselves in a gloomy hall with black walls, flanked by burning torches. "Is anyone here?" Nilajhash shouted. His cry echoed against the deserted walls. But no one answered. "Nilajhash..." she moaned softly, "I'm dying... I can feel it..." "No way! Do you hear me!?" he shouted, setting her down on the shiny floor. "No way! You have to fight. Do you understand!? " "I can't... I..." She choked on the blood that flowed in a thin stream from her mouth. "Akasha!" For perhaps the first time in his life, Nilajhash didn't know what to do. He felt embittered and helpless. He couldn't help her in any way. After all, he was only her guardian angel. He could bring the cruelest death to his enemy, but he couldn't postpone the death of the one he was supposed to protect with his own life... He leaned over her, his lips almost touching her hair. "You were right, Akasha! I was too confident, too arrogant! You were right... I'm sorry... But don't give up now... You can't die now. Not now... " "Didn't I tell you?" she smiled victoriously. But her smile was fading. And her voice was quiet and weak. "Help!" he moaned, lifting his head. "Help!" Suddenly he heard hurried footsteps. "What happened?" A woman with thick, black hair leaned over them. A thirteen-year-old boy stood beside her, and a girl next to him. "Help her. She's dying... " "Vampire?" she said. "Of course! " "And silver..." she added, undressing Akasha. The girl had lost consciousness a few moments earlier, so she felt nothing. The stranger, meanwhile, washed the wound with water the children had brought in a basin and after a moment, placed her hands on the bleeding wound. "What are you doing? " "Don't disturb me," the girl said, pressing her index finger to her lips. They sat in silence for a long time, watching the woman, who, concentrating her power, was trying with all her might to help Akasha. Only around noon did she remove her hands from her torn side and wipe the sweat from her forehead with her hand. "Already..." she whispered. "Have you brought any bandages? " "Of course." The girl handed them to the stranger, and a moment later, Akasha's side was carefully bandaged. The woman dressed her in a trench coat, buttoning it up. "Where do you want to go with her now?" she asked. "I don't know who you are. Thank you for helping us. But I think you understand... " "Does this amulet mean something to you?" The woman pulled a necklace from her blue blouse. Nilajhash looked at it closely; he rarely saw such amulets. The people wearing them weren't Vampires, but lovers or friends open to the Vampire lifestyle. "Black Swan? " "My name is Maya. These are my children..." She pointed at the boy and girl. "Aren't they too young for such things? " "Possibly. But they're half-vampires, so why should I forbid them from learning their true nature?" "I understand now," he nodded. "Okay then... I want to take her to the nearest Sanctuary. " "That's too far," she denied. "She's exhausted. She needs peace..." Nilajhash's face grew sad. He looked at Akasha's pale face and heard her wheezing, rapid breathing. He had to agree with Maya; unfortunately, Akasha needed an exceptional amount of sleep and peace right now... "So where can we go? " "We have rooms here. I'll show you in a moment." The rooms she led them to later couldn't even be called rooms. They were miniature cells, barely large enough to hold a camp bed covered with two blankets and a pillow, and a small cabinet... Nilajhash saw no comparison to what they might find in the spacious chambers of the Sanctuary. "Thank you for the shelter..." he replied, laying Akasha on the bed. "You're safe here. There are a few other Vampires living next door... If you have any questions, they'll help you. " "Thank you," he replied. "Again." "You were lucky, I was just about to leave. " "Lillith is clearly watching over us. " "I wish you that, brother..." Maya smiled broadly at him and, taking the girl's hand, left the room, leaving them alone. Nilajhash sat on the ground, against the wall, his arms wrapped around his drawn-up knees. He could have left her. He had no obligation to stay with her, let alone keep watch! So why was he still sitting with her...? Why was he so afraid for her? When he realized this, he clenched his fists. "Me?! I, one of the angels of the choir of dominions, sitting with a girl?! How pathetic! Humiliating!... for me to have to sit here... for her...!?" He stood up, not looking at the girl, and moved toward the exit. But with his hand on the doorknob, he hesitated and slowly turned to face Akasha. She lay still, pale, her forehead beaded with sweat. Her breathing was shallow and rapid... she clearly had a fever. Nilajhash didn't have the heart to leave her alone in that cell. He sat down again, this time on the edge of the bed where Akasha lay. "Girl..." he groaned reproachfully. "What have you done to me? What have you done to me!? I've never felt anything like this before... I've never felt obligated to anyone... Why is it different now?! Tell me!" But Akasha couldn't answer him, or even hear him. Nilajhash waited in vain for an answer, and when he realized this, he smiled grimly to himself. "What's happening to me..." he groaned. "What's happening to me?! A long time passed when someone knocked on their door. Nilajhash didn't bother to open it, continuing to sit beside the injured woman. After a moment, someone entered and cleared his throat discreetly. Then the fallen angel turned to the girl standing uncertainly by the door. "I heard she's injured here. I wanted to help. " "I wonder how..." he muttered. "I'm Kitra. I can give her some blood, maybe then she'll feel better. " "Blood?" he mused. "Yes... blood... after all, she's a vampire..." The girl knelt beside Akasha on the floor and with a deft move, cut her forearm. Purple blood slowly seeped onto the girl's slightly parted mouth. "You have to lift her head... otherwise she won't be able to drink..." Nilajhash, though initially hostile towards the girl, quickly obeyed her command and after a moment held Akasha's head on her lap so she could drink. Only when the vampire groaned, shifting restlessly on his bed, did Kitra remove her arm from above her mouth, tightening a snow-white bandage over the wound. "I hope she recovers faster now. " "Me too..." the angel replied. "But why exactly did you do that? You don't usually give your blood selflessly to everyone in need." "I know," the flaxen-haired girl smiled shyly. "But I know Akasha. We were friends once..." Only at dusk did Akasha regain consciousness. Nilajhash, pleased by her awakening, took her hand and smiled softly and reassuringly at her. "How are you? Are you better now?" Akasha looked at him with a dazed look, then nodded very slowly and with difficulty. "They helped us in Haven... you know, the Vampire meeting place... Your friend is even here! " "A friend...?" she moaned quietly. "Yes, she had long flaxen hair and a very pretty face and shy..." The girl said nothing for a moment. Only then did tears trickle down her cheeks. "What happened, Akasha? " "Saja... I found Saija..." whispered Akasha. However, contrary to Akasha's expectations, Saya didn't come to them again. The girl, however, didn't lose hope. She knew where to find her now! "It's all right, all right..." she moaned, leaning heavily on Nilajhash's shoulder. "Let me walk, even for a moment! " "You're badly injured and... " "Please! Could you stop lecturing me? " "What can I do?! Not only am I wasting my time with you because you don't listen to me anyway, but you'll also yell at me. " "When I'm not yelling at all..." she groaned, leaving the room with him. The hall, which had been empty when they first arrived, was now filled with a large group of people. They were smiling and relaxed. Some were eating sitting against the walls, where torches burned in iron lamps, others stood in small groups, chatting. Akasha felt Nilajhash sigh. Disgust and contempt were etched on his face, but he said nothing. Then they heard energetic footsteps on the stone floor. Everyone fell silent, and a member of the Sanctuary Elders appeared before them. He tried to quickly cross the hall, but as he passed them, he suddenly stopped and looked at them in surprise. "What are you doing here, Akasha?" he asked, approaching the girl. "I..." she moaned, her voice breaking for some reason. "Greetings, Ramkht. Unfortunately, Akasha was very seriously injured during the fight with the Lilim. She had to take refuge here. " "What about him? " "Dead," he replied without hesitation. "But someone will have to go get his body..." "Nareau! Zotz!" he called out to two young men. "Go to the warehouse, look for the Lilim's body in the city there, and bring it here." The boys immediately left the hall and returned with the Demon's body less than thirty minutes later. The priest ordered a hole dug in the center of the hall, and the stinking demon's body was then placed on the floor, and Akasha was handed her bloody sword. Nilajhash helped her kneel beside Lilim's body. Then he stepped aside. Complete silence fell upon the hall, disturbed only by the vampire's rapid, shallow breathing. Akasha took the sword in both hands and raised it above her head, intending to plunge it into Lilim's body. "Lillith, mother of Vampires, Black Priestess!" she said in a low voice. "I offer you your disobedient child! Accept her as a sacrifice, offered to you by the entire Community, faithful to you and your law!" With these words, she plunged the sword into Lilim's body with a powerful thrust. Dark, blue blood spilled onto the floor. But she couldn't stop now. She delicately ripped open the Demon's body and plunged a trembling, pale hand into his chest. It took her a while to find his heart, then, literally tearing it from his chest, she placed it on the floor. Then the Priest standing opposite her handed her a small copper coin, which Akasha, disgusted, placed under the Lilim's tongue. Then the Priest placed the Demon's body in a specially dug hole, face down, and placed a sickle beside it. While the men were burying the body, Akasha took a sword and severed the Lilim's heart in two. Now he could never reawaken. He was rendered harmless, forever. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. However, until the Lilim was completely buried and all the stone slabs forming the floor were in place, no one moved or uttered a single word. Finally, the Priest took Lilim's heart in both hands and with the blood that was in it, drew a large pentagram on the floor, which was to drive away all evil forces from the Demon's resting place. "This place takes on special significance!" the Priest said. "Now the body of Lillith's child rests here. We can be proud that this unquestionable honor belongs to us! May our Mother watch over us..." After these words, the Priest helped Akasha stand and looked at her from beneath the dark hood pulled low over her face. "I can take you to the Sanctuary. Or perhaps you'd like to stay a little longer? " "I'd love to stay. We'll return tomorrow, but I still have a few things to attend to. " "Fine. We'll meet you at Lillith's mass then. " "Thank you for your help. " "I've already taken my payment," he smiled grimly, and then, seeing her approaching, Nilajhash hurried toward the exit. "Now, will you return to your room?" he asked, holding her tightly around the waist to prevent her from falling. "I wish for nothing else," she admitted with an effort