The Anointed Prince of Dragons: Chapter 4.

It was evening when Vladimir, Scotty, Blackheart and the other crewmen finally set foot upon the shore. The sunset over the sea was beautiful; the sky black, yet the orange and red sun still gave some light, even as the red clouds partially covered it. The waves were picking up, and the water was rising with the pale moonlight, yet the sound of water washing over the sand was so peaceful and relaxing.

"Captain, send some of your men to scout the forests ahead." Vladimir said to Blackheart. They were on a deserted beach, nowhere near a port, somewhere in Northeast Florida. "Yes, master." Blackheart said, ever obedient since being reanimated.

Vladimir sighed, refreshed as he felt the cold night wind touch his face, like a gentle hand brushing his cheek, and his hair blew elegantly in the wind, as it had on the night Scotty had first met him. "I do love the night." He said, before turning around to look upon Scotty. "And what of you, my boy? Do you also have a fondness for the night, or do you prefer the day? Come now, don't be afraid to say the latter, if it is the truth."

Scotty thought for a minute, then shrugged his shoulders, "I never really thought about it, I guess I like the day more, since most of my night is spent sleeping." He had become somewhat less reluctant to humor Vladimir with conversation, since their last talk. The words that the so-called Vampire said had stuck with him.

"Ah, yes, that makes sense." Von Drachen nodded his head, then turned around to look towards the woods. "Is it not wondrous, this New World? Just think of the adventures waiting to be had! You're a young lad, surely you've an adventurous spirit?" He looked back over his shoulder at the boy, waiting for him to answer.

"Aye, I guess." Scotty answered, before looking to the woods himself. Vladimir returned his gaze to the trees as well. "I have to confess, I'd become rather bored in Europe, having already established a firm grasp on the major nations. Some of my children are commoners, who serve as informants, some are Nobility, serving as recruiters, and some are even in the royal families. I intend to see that the Thirteen Colonies soon fall under my power, as well. Mortals, they think they are in control of their little worlds, but we are the ones who truly rule, from the shadows through our puppets, pulling their strings."

A devious smirk formed upon his face, then sounds like war cries were heard as arrows began flying at the crewmen. Vladimir moved in front of Scotty, and one arrow hit him in the side, while another three flew past him. "So, we have stepped into the territory of savages. How quaint."

The natives soon swarmed the beach, fearless warriors determined to push these invaders back.

Their aggression was returned with pistol musket fire, as well as the edge of blades. Though they came with their spears and their tomahawks, these weapons were useless against this crew of the damned. Still, they came from out of the trees. One charged at Vladimir and ran him through with a spear. Vladimir stood there, calm and collective, blinking at the Native who then went wide eyed and released his spear, stepping back.

Vladimir then yanked the spear from out of himself, though it made the wound worse. He proceeded to impale the Native with it, opening a wound and causing blood to flow. He then opened his mouth whilst still holding the spear and his eyes focused upon the blood. It began to float and form into a funnel, much like when he drained Blackheart, and it went into his mouth, feeding him, empowering him until there was none left, and the Native was left as a lifeless husk, moistureless.

The other Natives saw this and converged on the Vampire. He rolled his eyes, even as they surrounded him, and reached out his hands. Five Natives, on either side of Vladimir, were then lifted up into the air. "Lest you ever think that I cannot manipulate blood unless I can see it." He said, speaking to Scotty as he formed that wicked smirk of his. Scotty watched in awe as pockets began to form in the flesh of the Natives whom he had lifted, apparently taking advantage of the blood in their body.

From out of those pockets, blood began to come out like steam as Vladimir's victims screamed in agony, using his evil magic to boil their blood in their very veins. The steam flowed through the air and towards Vladimir's nostrils. He breathed it in like the air itself, until the men were dry, and then he dropped them to the ground.

The other natives were stunned by this, frozen with dread for a moment, before he said to them, "Might I suggest running?" Though they did not understand his language, they had seen his power and the message was clear that he was far beyond them. They turned and fled in terror, and the pirates pursued them only as far as the trees, cutting them down as they fled. The beach was now littered with bodies, but only the bodies of Natives.

Vladimir now reached out with his hands, then lifted them up and the bodies suddenly began to rise as crimson lightning protruded from his fingertips and struck them all around, filling them with dark magic, returning their souls to their bodies, resurrecting them to eternal death, much as he had with the pirates and many of the other crewmen before. They gathered around him, eager to obey his command. "Return to your tribe, my warriors, and kill everyone down to the last man, woman, and child." He said, ruthless as ever.

The Natives immediately left into the woods, to obey his command. "I do love the bitter irony." Vladimir said, before chuckling in grim amusement. He then turned to the boy, who had been hiding behind him this whole time. "I trust you are alright, and not too shaken up?" He asked, with what sounded like genuine concern.

Scotty gulped to relieve himself of the lump of dread in his own throat, then nodded. "Yes." He paused a minute, before adding, "Thank you." Vladimir smiled in that sickeningly warm manner, then reached out to ruffle the boy's hair. "But of course, my young friend. You have my word, I will let no harm befall you." Vladimir said, reassuringly.

Scotty knew that Vladimir had been in no real danger, but that did not change the fact that he'd saved him, and he was grateful for that. Was it possible that this man, this Vampire, was not truly the monster he seemed to be? Perhaps he really did care. "No!" Scotty thought to himself. He could not allow himself to be swayed by this murderer's charm. Still, Vladimir had indeed protected him thus far.

"I sense you are already beginning to warm up to me. There is no need to deny it, it was bound to happen. As I said to you once before; I have a way with people." Vladimir told Scotty, as confident as ever. Scotty looked up at him, staring into those wisps of crimson that were Vladimir's eyes. "I still don't trust you." He said, pausing a moment before continuing. "But I am grateful to you." At those words, Vladimir smiled that same insidious smile of warmth that could charm a dog into releasing a bone.

"That is a start." He said simply, then turned and walked towards the woods. "Though the pirate attack on the Lancaster was unexpected, it ultimately served me well. I now have one of the most ruthless pirates of this age under my command." He was silent for a time, deep in thought, before adding, "Soon, this New World will be my pasture, and its people will be my cattle."

Scotty stood there in silence, before proceeding to inquire. "Why? Why are you doing all of this?" Vladimir looked back at him again, silent at first, before answering, "Survival." He said simply, pausing before elaborating further. "I cannot afford to see humanity wiped out, although they are as much a threat to my kind as they are a source of food. Ever since the first Vampire, we have been hated and persecuted. The living fear what they do not understand, even as they fear that which is far superior to them." Vladimir began to walk towards Scotty, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Even if we only drank enough blood to survive, we would not be accepted by society as a whole, especially not by…" He paused to grit his teeth and he growled low with hatred before continuing, "His followers." What did he mean by "His" followers? Scotty blinked in confusion and inquired, "His?" Vladimir was silent for a relatively long period of time before he finally answered, "I will never speak His name again." He turned away quickly, seething.

"I will say only that He is the one who made me what I am, the one who set me on this very path. He sits upon His Throne, decreeing damnation to the many and salvation to a few. There is no free will, no hope for those who are not already destined for life beyond death." Even Vladimir spoke, he heard a soft still voice within his mind.

"Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have an understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?"

Vladimir clenched his fists as that voice continued to speak in his mind whilst his rage brewed, "To what were its foundation fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness swaddling band; when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; When I said, 'This far thou may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!'." Vladimir spoke under his breath, through gritted teeth, "Shut up."

The voice, however, would not cease until it had finished, "Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? It takes on form like clay under a seal, and stands out like garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, and the upraised arm is broken. Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this."

Vladimir looked up at the sky with eyes wild and filled with a burning hatred like none young Scotty had ever seen before and screamed at the top of his lungs, "Shut up!" He then began to pant, and took a moment to regain his composure. The voice in his head had stopped for now, and he turned to face the boy again. "Please, forgive me for that little outburst." He said, turning again and making his way into the woods, "Now, if you will excuse me, Blackheart can keep you company. I need to go for…" He paused and formed a most cruel smirk as he remembered the Natives. "A walk…" He added, before finally disappearing into the darkness and leaving Scotty stunned, fearful, and pondering what had just happened.