(Never Alone)
Ridley Johnson awoke at four in the morning, his head pounding from a deep sleep. Little did he know, he had tapped into a reservoir of power, a power that was only just beginning to reveal itself. Beside him, a bottle of acetaminophen overturned on the nightstand, its scent mingling with the aftershave. This was no dream. Reality had taken on a surreal quality, a hint of something more.
His voice was resolute. Ridley Johnson whispered, "Master, hold on. Just twelve hours. I promise I will bring you back." His determination was unwavering.
He got the generic Tylenol bottle and went to the bathroom for water. He looked at himself in the mirror, took two capsules, and swallowed them. He would have to eat and rest to regenerate strength. It was dangerous to try and cast too much at once. His Master had told him he would get stronger over time. He did not want to wait one more second. He wanted Paul back now. Seeing him in the coffin was shocking. He was here, not in bodily form, until meeting his Master. He had not known such things were possible.
He was drinking the whole glass of water when he dropped it. He felt a shock in his nervous system. It was coming from the front door. It was the powerful shielding his Master had erected around the house. He quickly went down the stairs. If a fight happens now? It might be difficult, but he was far from defenseless. The shielding would hold whatever it was. Paul was powerful.
He cautiously opened the front door, the darkness outside barely illuminated by the pre-early morning light. His heart raced as he saw what was there—or who? A blue field, a manifestation of powerful magic, encircled the house, casting an eerie glow. It seemed as if someone was trapped in it. He had never seen one of these, only read about them and what Paul had taught him. The shielding, a protective barrier erected by his Master, was what he felt earlier, a sign of imminent danger.
Upon casual glance, he looked like a handsome man, maybe in his mid-thirties. His aristocratic features included a sharp nose, piercing dark eyes, and long black hair. He wore a very expensive-looking suit, and shielding held him relatively immobile. Thanks to his Master, Ridley could now see auras, the energy fields surrounding living beings, and that was not a man. The light blue tint suggested maybe once long ago it had been. It also had red swirling around it, a sign of the supernatural presence.
Master Paul explained that this was the hallmark signature of the scrolls called Nosferatu, a term used to describe a specific type of vampire. Ridley was looking at his first genuine vampire. His Master told him he had probably seen one several times. They had an uncanny ability to bend the minds of the untrained or the magical could resist. He could have been right next to one and possibly never known it, a chilling thought that sent shivers down Ridley's spine.
Ridley was trying to figure out what to say. He would not be able to bend his mind now. His Master had prepared him too well. The handsome undead was the first to speak to him. Ridley's mind was racing with fear, curiosity, and determination. He knew he had to stay calm and composed, just as his Master had taught him.
"Pardon me, and good morning, sir. Can you please release the shielding and invite me in?" The voice had a thick European accent—French? The voice was relatively calm, though its eyes looked towards the lighting sky, where the sunrise was imminent. Despite his undead nature, the vampire exuded an air of elegance and sophistication, his every movement and word calculated.
It added, "Before I burn to a cinder. I assure you I am a friend of Paul's and intend no harm."
His Master had told him he did know a vampire, and Ridley was incredulous. They tended to get around, though he had not seen him in several years. The idea of learning a creature of the night, a being that was the stuff of legends and nightmares, was complex for Ridley to comprehend. Yet, here he was, face to face with one.
Ridley said, "I am sorry, but if I do that, and you attempt to attack me, the fireball I will hurl at you will do you in much faster than the sun. While you are on this property, I am the owner's Apprentice, empowered to bid you to speak your name, vampire."
The undead jerked a bit as the rules that governed them forced it to do so. "I am Count Renault De Char Le Maine." Once it had complied, "I am a Count, and you would not believe how many people make fun of me over that."
That was the name his Master had mentioned. Ridley had Nefertiti rubbing on his leg, and he got the powerful odor of his Master's aftershave. He felt soothed and knew the vampire could not reach through the shielding to do that. Master! He raised a hand and spoke a passphrase to allow one entry.
He said, "Welcome to my Master's home. I am Ridley Johnson, a student of Paul Rogers. I bid you entry."
Char Le Maine was released from the shielding and walked gently past him into the house. He offered Ridley his expensive overcoat, and the Apprentice took it and closed the door. The vampire turned to him and bowed politely.
He said, "Sorry for the odd hour, my young friend. I heard about Paul and was in the area. So, is it true? He has an apprentice now, which is how time moves for us. I have known your Master since he ascended. I called him a friend and an ally and stood with him many times. It shall be with you by extension if you would, have it?"
Ridley had no experience with vampires, but this was not his enemy. He said, "Perhaps moving you to the basement as the sun rises would be prudent."
He hung his expensive coat on the rack and opened the basement door. He had only read about such protocols. He had never done them. The Count walked gracefully by him and down the stairs. Ridley followed him, and they spoke on the way down.
The vampire said, "Your hospitality and graciousness reflect well upon Paul favorably. Can you tell me, young man, exactly what is happening here? "
Ridley was slightly off balance but said, "Some of the Master's family is grabbing his seat. At least, that's what they think. They did not know how prepared he was for such. I will summon him back tonight after resting."
The Count stood with an air of importance to the universe. Many would say arrogance. He was like watching a character out of a James Fenimore Cooper Novel.
Char Le Maine said, "Ah, Victor, he never changes. He has always been blinded by a power he can never have. It is a story older than I, which is quite significant."
Ridley got a good whiff of his Master's aftershave and several candles hanging on the wall lit.
The vampire could smell it, "Paul is even formidable halfway on the other side. Greetings to you, my friend. I look forward to speaking with you tonight."
Ridley shuffled his feet a bit. He knew what the visitor protocols were for a friendly vampire. The Apprentice would do as his Master had taught him, but it didn't mean one had to like it. He was the Apprentice of a treasured house of this unseen world. The Count's presence could easily matter if things turned nasty. He got a smell of the aftershave again he had duties.
He got down on one knee and offered his upturned wrist to the Count. It was a customary thing; according to the literature, these things rarely killed people. It would draw too much attention in today's world.
The effete Char Le Maine took his hand and smelled of him closely. Ridley never felt the fangs penetrate his skin. Paul had said they secreted a kind of anesthetic in their saliva that was far more potent than any artificial antibiotic at killing microbes and viruses. The Count only took what he needed for the day. As soon as he pulled away from Ridley, the wound closed immediately. Idiotic scientists would utilize the military and everything else to try and harvest the biochemical secrets to that.
From his studies, Ridley knew that it was not biochemical. It was a force man had known about since the dawn of time. People had done what humanity of the Middle Ages had done with the mathematics of the ancient Greeks. They had forgotten about magic, which was too potent to launch another Enlightenment. Humanity had enough destructive power already.
Ridley had learned two inherent flaws with the scientific process. It had forgotten and ignored two powerful and fundamental forces in the universe. The mystical was like what he could now do, and it animated this undead creature. And the existence of evil: Scientists would argue against evil as they performed it in their work. Was the Manhattan Project inherently good? It had only provided all the world with a means of complete and utter destruction.
Were mages burning the planet down with carbon? See, said scientists for reference in three hundred years. That was the very definition of irrationality, and people argued the counter. Someone like Paul Rogers would not come into a lab to demonstrate anything for you. You were too busy killing the world for him too. If science was rational and reasonable? Why were its most impressive applications used to kill people? That sounded rational to Ridley, as Adolf Hitler was a poster child of some sort.
Ridley had fallen asleep as the vampire bites and was so tired. He woke up and sat against the wall, and Char Le Maine was lying on a couch over the side. As the literature says, they shut off during daylight hours.
Most coroners would diagnose Char Le Maine as dead. According to his Master, this had happened several times. He laughed about it as they found it most unamusing. Ridley walked up the stairs, and he needed food. As scary as vampires may be in books and movies, compared to a mage, they got gone. It didn't mean they were of no concern, but he had seen what his Master's shielding had done to Char Le Maine.
Ridley had become accustomed to Paul's gentle touch and constant attention. He had to wait until tonight, and he had no choice. Now, he was cooking himself some oatmeal and frying some bacon. He didn't normally eat bacon, but Paul did and needed the protein. He was in the middle of breakfast, and his Master's ring, which he was currently wearing, started to vibrate.
He smiled. Idiots were trying to complete the ascension spell while his Master was on this side, and he was now next in line. Plus, he was in Paul's shielded home. He thought, "Duh, okay."
His mind wandered as he ate, back to his Master first telling him what he was in for. If he agreed, Ridley would be added to the chain. When something eventually happened to his Master permanently, and he was gone, this ring would come to him.
At one time, Paul had his cousin, whom he had seen, set up to take the seat, but something happened. As Paul had diplomatically put it, he was not a suitable candidate.
Ridley had asked from his desk, "May I ask why, Master?
Paul had said, "Because he has killed people, the holder of this seat doesn't do that, except in self-defense or that of the greater good. No need to ask if that day came, he would know."
His Master had explained how and why the mysteriously organized the invisible world. In the scheme of world history, America was a young nation. Cultures like the Western European countries had their roots over 2,000 years ago, during the Roman Empire. Trick question: Did the Europeans know North America existed when the Romans erected Hadrian's Wall in the UK? Not even on the same timeline.
Compared to most of the world, the United States was the brat that cries constantly and has a giant shotgun. Ridley had found it amusing to hear his Master say. The chair the Apprentice was now set to inherit was set up while the original thirteen colonies existed. There was no United States.
The magical worlds in Europe and the Far East were set up similarly. Anytime you had such power, there had to be some governing or management system. Modern nation-states threatened and bullied one another continuously. Eventually, historically, they always devolved into war. Two powerful mages could cover any one of them underwater. That is why this world did not share. Science made the mistake with the Manhattan Project. By their reckoning, past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.
So, we will not teach you how to teleport after three countries have large nuclear stockpiles. Six others have just enough to piss off one of them into an extinction-level event. The magical world had collectively said no and even helped to prevent things from the everyday world from spiraling out of control.
After Ridley ate, he sat down upstairs and read to review and ensure his knowledge of the summoning ritual. He fell back asleep and was not alone when he woke up. It was late enough in the evening for the sun to go down. He opened his eyes sleepily to the pasty countenance of Count Renault De Char Le Maine. Who was sitting perfectly still, staring at him?
It was unsettling. Many who read books or watched vampire novels would need to be more familiar with the concept. It was a bit unsettling as human beings are locked with motion, the only time a human being is perfectly motionless. Is that okay? Can I see you later, perhaps? You added the perhaps in deference to atheists who, as you did not want to be offensive to anyone. A live person is constantly moving, heartbeat, breathing, even in sleep, turning, and rapid eye movement.
Looking at him, Char Le Maine did none of these. He didn't even have to blink his eyes. To an observant person, it was unsettling. Especially to wake up to, but he had been a very pleasant-looking man once. It was easy for Ridley to see him having been part of a now-defunct, name-only French Aristocracy.
Ridley got down on one knee and offered his wrist.
Char Le Maine said, "No, my young friend, I have reached the age now that I do not require so much. You are a gracious host."
Ridley stood up and wiped the sleep from his eyes. He looked at the clock: 6:02 p.m. He said, "Mr. Char Le Maine, or Count, I cannot cast the spell successfully till Midnight."
The vampire said, "Char Le Maine is fine. You forget I have been pulled across twice. Perhaps you do not know? Your Master did me this service once after a bit of nasty business with some gypsies."
Ridley said, "It would be easier with you; you are already immersed there. You would need a tiny nudge, that is all. What was it like?"
Vampires were not as animated as people but could still smile.
Char Le Maine said, "That is not a question you ever ask anyone."
Ridley looked down, "I am sorry. Paul is all I have ever been around, and you are the first of your kind I have encountered."
Char Le Maine said, "Ah, the movie quote, to everything there is a first time. Do not let this worry you."
Ridley said, "Did you just quote Leonard Nimoy?"
Char Le Maine laughed, "You found a scroll in Paul's pile that says vampires cannot watch Star Trek? If so, I shall not repeat it."
Ridley said, "You are just nothing quite like I imagined. Is it improper to ask how old you are? Humans don't like that one."
Char Le Maine said, "I was born in Paris in 1547. Can we lop off the 15 and say I am 47?"
Ridley was delighted at his humor. He could see Paul liking this Char Le Maine. He said, "I don't think you made it quite to 47 in this life?"
Char Le Maine said, "You and I are about the same age in this life. It is probably my youthful looks that caused me to get turned. Mon Dieu! He was a fucking scoundrel; such is life, or in my case. Un-life."
Ridley said, "I imagine you have seen some spectacular things."
The vampire said, "Ah, the sun rises and sets, the world spins, and out comes the same stuff repeatedly. As you have probably read, I would have loved you in my bed as you seem most intellectual. Life is a tale told by an idiot. They knew back then."
This creature fascinated Ridley, and the literature said they were potent mimics. Ridley used a scale made by an alchemist in the 1700s that approximated these creatures' physical strength by age. Almost five hundred years old, fuck! That alchemist had never encountered one this old.
He had to know, so he asked, "I know you are extremely fast and have tremendous physical strength. Do you know how strong you are?"
Char Le Maine was still grinning, "During the last great war, they say they are all great, but that would be WWII. A group of German soldiers were harassing my bound, so I threw a Panzer tank at them."
Ridley said, "Jeez! How can you be so strong yet interact with things as easily as you do?"
Char Le Maine said, "We learn with time and practice. Is experience not the greatest teacher of all?"
Ridley got himself a sandwich and a drink and brought Char Le Maine some beer. They could metabolize the part of alcohol that crosses the stomach. The vampire thanked him for the drink.
Ridley said, "If you can throw a tank, so much for me hitting you with a fireball. You would tear my head off."
Char Le Maine, "No, my young friend, you do not know your stock and power. I cannot harm you." He pointed at Paul's ring on his finger.
Ridley held his ring up and asked, "I need it to move significant amounts of mystical energy. Why would it prevent you from attacking me?"
Char Le Maine looked amused. "There are several reasons Paul Rogers pulled me from where he was with it. Therefore, it is linked to me. To harm the ring bearer is to harm myself. It is also a Master Mage's ring; they don't like having their heads torn off."
Ridley said, "So it is warded against vampires?"
The vampire shook its head yes.
Ridley asked, "How do you know did you and Paul fight?"
Char Le Maine said, "Never, but I know Master Mages, I have crashed through more than one wall at the wrong end of mystical lightning. It makes an impression quickly."
The vampire began to shake quickly like he was being shocked. It was comical, so Ridley laughed. They talked for hours, and the time was approaching.
Another property of vampires was they were a virtual warehouse of mystical energy. Ridley looked hopeful, "Can I use you to help me retrieve the Master?"
Char Le Maine said, "You are not powerful enough to hurt me that way. Fireball, yes, that no. I will help you, Mon Ami. Will you let me watch you change clothes? It is time."
Ridley said, "This way."
He went to the bedroom and got his ceremonial robe. The vampire watched him as he unclothed. He stood for a minute, then put his robe on."
He splashed water on his face, and they headed to the basement. It was dark down there again, and they had to leave it that way. The Apprentice got into place, and the vampire stood right behind him. He reached and got Ridley's un-ringed hand and put it to his chest.
Char Le Maine said, "We' we,' let's rock."
The Apprentice waited for the grandfather clocks in the house to begin chiming. They did, it was time. He extended his casting hand, reaching out for every mystical energy source he could get.
He said, "Here we go, Char Le Maine."
The vampire was a powerhouse. He began to chant. It had to be correct, or the consequences could be disastrous. The symbols went straight to blue. He had so much power to access the chant, and it was completed. He threw his will at it. He had promised to Paul until death. He would not be without Paul until then. He could smell the aftershave, but there was more resistance than before. Paul's Kin were trying to mess things up; they could not access it here, but they could, Paul.
They were ill-prepared as they didn't know he had a five-hundred-year-old vampire to draw from. He steeled himself and pulled with everything he had. They could not overcome that, so he kept pouring it on. It was not easy, but most things worth anything were not.
He opened the portal to the other side and projected into it with a solid lightning bolt. He could feel he had broken him free and would not stop until he was here. Sweat ran all down his hairline. He was pushing the limits, but without him, he would go where he had to be with him.
He finally stabilized the portal. Come on, Master. Paul Rogers came walking out, and he had opened such a powerful conduit; it was an easy transition for him. He just came walking out naked, and when he was clear, Ridley started again to close and lock that portal.
He shook but still used his will and borrowed power from Char Le Maine. In short order, he collapsed the portal and sealed the fabric between the realms. Ridley would fall, and Count Renault De Le Charla Main was there before a human eye could see it to catch him.
Ridley's Master and Teacher, Paul Rogers, was a bit disoriented. He was more adept with magic than Ridley, but that was quite a transition. For anyone to traverse, he was surprised his Apprentice had made it as smooth as he did. Seeing his friend, that swarthy vampire, Char Le Maine, was a comfort. He walked over slowly and got the bathrobe Ridley had brought down. He pulled it over himself and waited for his head to clear.
Paul finally said, "Renault, it is good to see you, friend. How is my Apprentice?"
Char Le Maine answered, "He is fine; he is just exhausted. He drew a great deal of power. I am not a mage like you, but I know someone tampering elsewhere. He overpowered them."
Paul came over, ran his hands through Ridley's hair, and said, "This one, Renault, will overshadow me greatly. Carry him upstairs and put him in bed, and I can sense the power he uses. I was nowhere near that ability at his stage."
They walked up the stairs, and Char Le Maine said, "This is a good thing, no?"
"Oh, he will fill the seat fine and is a good person. How many have we seen that kind of power corrupt? Not him. He is not doing it for that."
Ridley had woken up in bed, and Master Paul gently ran a warm cloth over him. He was so delighted to see him.
He said, "I got you, Paul. I was worried, as it took two castings. I know you know that. Oh, that warm cloth feels so good."
Master Paul leaned over and kissed him quite deeply for several minutes. He laid back in the low light and just looked at Ridley.
He said warmly, "Don't get your motor up and running hot on me, Ridley. You need to rest and recover. You had two nights of heavy casting. I am sorry it came at you like that. It will not get easier, and my family must be dealt with."
His Apprentice reached for the Master's ring, which he was still wearing, to release the binding spell holding it bound to him. Paul smiled and put his hand atop it.
"Get some more sleep first, Ridley. I can cast well without it, and Renault is here. This house is a fortress; they would not dare attack us here. Wearing it will help you recover more quickly. I have some advanced things to teach you quickly. Agreeing to join the chain has linked us forever, and I can spend that time with you. Rest now, you will need it."
Ridley said, "The bonding chant for the chain said forever, I will always try my hardest for you."
He drifted back off to sleep.
