Team Seven of Heroes III Chapter 31

Book 4

The Conflict of Life and Death.

31.

“Let me explain myself to all before the one in disguise reveals himself.” Dracula looked to the faces that were showing puzzlement then on his revelation.

“I am whom you have all heard of by my name Dracula. I was also tagged the inglorious name as the Prince of Darkness or the blood sucker. I was also named the King of Vampires.” Dracula had then revealed his fangs which he swept his tongue over as if he had feasted on a delightful meal. “Most of you assumed I was from a land in the far reaches of Europe, associated with a young Prince then whose exploits of blood ceremony was to be his bane and thus named upon him. For the informed, he is not the Prince of Darkness but I am for I created the fame when I was his aide. I was more than his aide; I was his close adviser unknown to many. I created the dark image of him to create fear. As I have done before him, the fame did not spread then. I was in Rome when it burned. I was with the Vikings when we discovered the main continent. I was with early savages.”

“I was with the Fallen Angels, bowing to my Master, the Lord Lucifer while he reigned over the world. My name was not Dracula but Mephistopheles; the one who loves not the light.” Dracula sneered at the peaking sunlight. “I shunned it for my skin have not the shield to block its rays. I will burn on the light but death denies me of my place, so I will constantly feel the pain.”

“Am I not right, brother?” Dracula once more cried out.

“Rudeness prevails in you. So soon after the eons of living supremacy had probably ingrained that in you.” The one spoke had them stood a step forth. “Hello, my personal aide.”

Dracula bowed to the one that he acknowledged as his Lord. The figure stood before him was dressed in the khaki dressing and with the wide brimmed hat on the head. Everyone was taken aback by the identity of the figure.

“Mrs Hudson? I am at a loss…” Mycroft gasped out in horror. “It can’t be.”

“Shudder your thoughts, my dear. I was not Mrs Hudson then when you were fornicating with her. I had many disguises before I became her. I am after all, an Angel and for us to remain hidden among all of you, we needed to blend I effortlessly.” The lady who claimed to be Lucifer stepped out. “Mrs Hudson was a good character to take on, with her tireless serving of tea, and the baking. I learned much from her memories, and…”

“You killed her? I mean…” Sherlock displayed his rare emotional self.

“Yes, I did. We are like the …Skinwalker. Unlike the myth from the Navajo people, we have the ability to take over other human forms. The Mesoamerican named us as nagual.” Lucifer explained. “I was with the Emperor in the Far East influencing him to extend the Vault and imprisoned Dracula there. I also contacted Moriarty on item that Dracula wanted. And how to create the arm that assisted Van Helsing. Surely, a mathematician held little knowledge om the intricacies of mechanical workings. I assisted in India to call for Watson to go there. And there was not much convincing to do on Captain Nemo for the mention of treasures was ever a delight to any pirate.”

“Enough of the historical events. We are here for the Elixir.” Sir Fleming sprung the inducement to their involvement. “Do tell, Lucifer. What is your contribution here?”

“I had the Elixir once in my hands but on the foolish action of mine, it was returned to the Vault. A hidden section built before most of your time and more formidable to access. It lies within the Vault and yet it’s hidden inside. The Vault held seven levels with Dracula imprisonment was on the first level. The Elixir was moved to the last level, the hidden level there. Where even I have no access.”

“Are you mocking us?” Sherlock glared at the lady he once knew as his tea lady. It was easy to ignore the one that stayed in your shadow. He was a master of observations and held himself aloft in his deduction skills but there were some he had chosen to ignore. And for that, he regretted his action. In his life, anything however menial may be important. So being mocked was something I will not ignore anymore.

“No, I am just telling all of you this that there are more bitches out there. And the one we will meet when we reached the Vault. She ….”

“Is she the one they named Daeng No Pra, the Head Priest? If yes, then she must had grown old and sprout a prick 

although I have not seen it yet.” Van Helsing sneered at the lady. “The one I …”

“Lilith does not take kindly to such refence.” Mrs Hudson remarked back. “We wasted enough time. Shall we push on? Or they are doing it?”

The sound of the battle on the western side was loud and it drew everyone’s attention. Sir Fleming drew on his confidence.

“That must be my reinforcements. They must be cleaning up the last ones.” Sir Fleming looked to the skies. He saw one of the three dirigibles he had deployed for the task. He was surprised then when the sight of the dirigible bursting into flame. He saw the burning projectiles hurled at it. “It can’t be. They are….”

“They did their task and now they are getting their remuneration. They killed the mercenaries and now the others are just retaliating. How does that feel to be the loser?” Mrs Hudson smiled and then she looked at Mycroft. “It’s like laying on your back. You never could lose if the other refuse to give up.”

“No, it can’t be. I …” Sir Fleming saw another dirigible taking on the flames. He looked towards the Eastern Emperor. “It can’t be…”

“I can assure you I have no such…” It may had riled the Emperor then for being useless. His army was still at the Eastern side.

“Yes, your heavy guns are damaged.” Mrs Hudson display her batsman’s swing. “Howzat!”

“So, who is shelling my …. flyers?” Sir Fleming cracked in his voice. He felt as if he was on the losing end.

“It’s the Wolves. They are antique in the guns, but their aims are good.” Mrs Hudson looked at Dracula. “You are not the only one who held control over them. I have their souls.”

“Enough of all these theatrics here. Can we focus on the task here?” Sherlock cut in. “I am wasting time here.”

“No tea this morning? Anyway, its past the hour. Then we shall begin.” Mrs Hudson stepped out of the tent into the hot sun. She had removed her hat and raised her arms towards the sky. She then placed her hands over the back of her head and pulled her hair to the front. With it she ripped the skin off her head and then over her face. From there, she ripped it across her shoulders alongside with her clothes. When she peeled the skin off her. It revealed a lithe body of reddish flesh devoid of any hair and there was a set of protruding knobs at the forehead small in nature. The reddish figure stepped off the discarded skin and then turned to face the others.

“Hello, shall we rekindle our meeting once more. I am Lucifer.” The reddish figure smiled before asking for some clothes. “I am naked. That is embarrassing with the ladies there.”

Lucifer got his wrap of clothes and appeared more like a nomad then.

“Shall we begin now?” The two knobs on his forehead extended out to display the curved edges. “I feel horn-y now.”