Soulless Men and Vanities: Chapter 2 – Weapon of Faith

Chapter 2 – Weapon of Faith

Various vampire rulers of the town known as Horizon talk about their plans for the people they hold people over. This meeting takes place in what was once the grand cathedral of the town and the meeting is more like a dinner rather than a strictly business meeting as the vampires indulge in the blood of their serfs and the finest meals that their serf chefs can make. The most business that gets done during the meeting is the exchange of serfs and inflating of pride.

“Here is the most beautiful woman on earth,” one says.

“Here is the most handsome and hard-working boy in the land!” another says.

Men, women, and children of all ages, and body types do their dance and parade themselves around the table in outfits that show more than hide.

“Look what I did to this man who once called himself the Spear of His Home. Now, he’s truly a watchdog,” a vampire says while pointing to the half-man, half-dog person in the room.

“Look what I did to this bishop. His appearance matches his snake behavior,” another says.

“Look, my serfs are other vampire lords that I beat in a sword fight.”

“Look at my genius through the beauty of mine.”

“Yours is nothing more than an amalgamation of different animals and human body parts.”

“That’s what’s so beautiful and special about it. Despite its many parts that don’t seem like they should fit, it lives anyway and can do a myriad of tasks even the more perverse one should you require it.”

“No thank you. I have plenty of livestock for that purpose.”

It is then that Raven crashes his way into the room much to everyone’s surprise. Everyone turns to look at him except for the serfs and vampires who are too dazed from their drugs and drinking to do anything.

“I’m sorry. Did I interrupt anything important?” Raven says while looking around, “I see that some of you that I trusted have broken that trust for temporary gains.”

“These gains aren’t temporary. They are eternal,” a vampire who was once a cardinal says.

“Drink of the blood of these slaves and you’ll have your youthful appearance restored to you,” another familiar face says.

“I don’t want to hear anything out of a charity worker who now dines on the people he served,” Raven retorts.

“Charity only pays so much. The devils have given us immortality on earth. It’s a far better gift than immortality in Heaven. At least we don’t need to toil and uselessly suffer day in and out for an uncaring God.”

Raven puts his fist through the vampire’s face then says, “Cease your blasphemy!”

The rest of the vampires take out their weapons and have their serfs ready to defend them.

“Think carefully about your next decision, Raven. The only reason we aren’t killing you now is because we didn’t like that trash you killed. You’ll be making dangerous enemies if you do not embrace the vampire within you.”

“I’d rather not ally myself with traitorous clergy, royals, and peasants.”

“Do you not yet realize how outnumbered you are? You don’t even have a weapon.”

“You are mistaken. I am the weapon.”

After saying this, Raven leaps up then kills the cardinal he once knew. The rest of the vampires and their serfs descend upon him but can’t do much of any damage to him. Because of this, his new heightened reactions, and combat prowess, Raven comes out of the fight with his clothes and armor being the only things that get damaged. The lesser vampires, their serfs, and the other civilians of Horizon gather around the cathedral and watch as Raven walks out covered in the blood of his enemies.

“Who wishes to share the fate of the damned that I have killed? Who can kill who is already dead such as I? Present yourselves as my challenger or run to your wretched lords and tell them that God’s will shall no longer be ignored!” Raven states.

The cowardly vampires and some of their serfs run away from the town as the light of faith is restored in it. On the other hand, the civilians and some of the serfs bow down and praise God for this blessing. Raven then proceeds to help clean his hometown. The first thing that he does is take off the bodies of those who opposed the vampires and their serfs. Some of these bodies are people he recognizes such as bishops, princes, princesses, nuns, farmers, and other simple folk and neighbors he used to exchange smiles and gifts with. Another familiar face hears of his sudden appearance and races to see him.

“Raven!” he says as he runs to him.

“Confessor Rinaldo!” Raven says as he goes to meet the priest halfway.

Rinaldo doesn’t mind that he is hugging his rotting friend. He is only glad to see him again. Raven is much the same way and is happy to see a familiar face after seeing the dead bodies of so many of his friends and family.

“I’ve missed you so much, brother.”

“I’ve missed you too. I’m sorry you have to see me this way.”

“It doesn’t bother me. In fact, I’m glad that you’re here and that you can defeat the vampires with your bare hands.”

“Can you do it as well? You’re a weapon of God like I am.”

“I’m afraid that I have to rely on my holy water, sword, and shield if I want to fight them face to face. I still have yours if you need them. You seem invincible as you are.”

“Hmm. I could use my family’s whip.”

“Ah, yes, but that was sent to Rome along with your second youngest son.”

“He’s alive?!”

“Yes, we sent him there so that he can learn how to be a soldier like how we trained.”

Raven falls to his knees and crosses himself.

“Thanks be to God that I have at least one child that’s still alive!”

He then begins to sob tears of joy before collecting himself and standing back up.

“The rest of your family is dead?”

“Yes, the vampires took them and sacrificed them in their blasphemous sacraments as they made me and their own into vampires. I was under their influence the entire time and couldn’t do anything to save them. It’s a good thing that the damned fools died soon after.”

“It is indeed, but still a tragedy. The devil worshippers must’ve put some kind of spell on you after you cleared their hideout. We all knew something was strange with you especially since you took your family away from the town and left without your second youngest. God must have great plans for that boy.”

“I still feel unworthy to be alive. I fell to the influence of demons and devil worshippers even after all my prayers and trying to serve God as best I can. There must’ve been something wrong I’ve done to deserve this. Was I blind to my sins or did I blind myself to it? Perhaps it was a generational demon that’s cursed my family or-”

“Stop it with this useless reflection. You brought honor to your dishonorable family’s name and you came back just when your home needed you most. Even the just Job fell to tragedy even though he was a blameless man.”

The people around the two who hear what they’re talking about recount to Raven his actions. Of his heroics in saving the town from bandits and devil worshippers to simpler things like giving gifts and simple advice to them when they needed it.

“Thank you, everyone. There’s nothing I can do to repay this kindness other than to seek the reason why God allowed me to become a vampire.”

“We’ll discover it together and I think I know where we can start. There’s a hidden clan of vampires known as the Corpus that are said to be repentant of their sins. Many including the vampires think that they are just myths because of how a person becomes a vampire and slave to their sin, but because of you, I think they truly exist. We should seek them out and ask them what you should do. We could also visit your son in Rome if you’d like.”

“I think it’d be better if I visit the Corpus first. I’d rather not have my son see me this way.”

“I understand.”

A citizen comes running to the two as they say, “Sir knights! The vampires are sending their serfs at us!”

“Their testing our faith again so soon. They either have a clever plan, being fools, or too cowardly to admit that they lost this town.”

“It’s probably the last two.”

“I assume this as well. Regardless of this, let’s get to where they are to meet them with force.”

At the gates of Horizon, many guards stand with their weapons drawn and ready for battle. Archers have their ballistas and bows armed and ready and the knights have their swords, maces, and axes blessed with holy water. In the distance, the vampires from before have gathered some of their nearby allies and sent their serf army ahead of them or rather to fight and die in their place. The archers send a rain of arrows on the serfs and the knights at the gates defeat those that remain. This quick victory is due to the restored faith of the civilians in Horizon that have strengthened the weapons of the soldiers and lessened the power of evil in the area. The vampires retreat with their horses and hope that their superiors do not punish them too severely.

“That was fast. We didn’t even need to act,” Raven says as the people celebrate their second victory in the row.

“That’s the power of faith, my brother. I’ve also trained each of these men and women personally,” Rinaldo says.

“Of course. It’s good to know that my home will be safe without my help.”

“It’ll be safe without our help since I’m going with you to find the Corpus.”

“Are you sure they’ll be okay without your help?”

“You’ve seen it yourself.”

“Fine then. It’ll be good to fight alongside you again.”

“It’ll be like the good old days, but at least we don’t need to have any pity for the damned.”

“Will you be able to keep up with me? You already had a hard time keeping up with me in terms of combat prowess.”

“That’s because I was doing confessions and blessing the dead during battle. Do not worry about me because I have with me the whip of St. Peter Damian. It’s not the same whip that whipped Christ Himself that your family has, but the blessings that it has have saved me and others more than once.”

“I believe you. Let us head off then. I am eager to learn my God-given purpose.”

The two say their farewells to the people of Horizon before heading off by horse to a location in the mountains where the Corpus are rumored to be. Meanwhile, the vampires that had control over and attacked Horizon tell their lords of their defeat. A few are taken away to be tortured while the lords think about what to do, but at the same time, are not too worried since most of the world is still theirs.