DISCLAIMER: All characters in this story are fictitious. Any resemblance to those who are living or dead is purely co-incidental. The characters of this story have not been created to hurt the sentiments of any community.
For the story writing contest for which I wrote Vision, the first part of this series, I wrote this story for the next round. And this story also had to be cut short due to word limit. Hence, here I present it in the entirety.
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RECAP:
In Treta Yug, Kalush, a vampire in the army of Ravan had a dream of overthrowing Ravan one day and establish a vampire kingdom in Lanka. But after Lord Ram killed Ravan, he realized that his dream would never get fulfilled.
His siblings Alwar and Ragini asked him to live with them and took him to the house of Yavakri, a kind hearted man who was taking care of their injured brother Kalp.
After Kalush saved the life of Yavakri, Lord Shiva showed Kalush, the future where he would have his vampire kingdom.
Read the first part here.
Now the story continues:
Treta Yug – 7292 BC:
In the cottage, Ragini was helping Sushila, Yavakri‘s wife with cooking. Kalush was returning after chopping some woods for a yagna that Yavakri wanted to perform.
A pigeon perched in front of Alwar and Alwar took the note tied on the foot of Pigeon. He told Kalush after reading it, “Some scholars holding grudge against Aryans accused Ram of Brahma-hatya (murder of Brahmin) because Ravan was the son of Maharishi Visharva! Ram has taken bath in a river to cleanse himself, of the sin of Brahma-hatya! People of village close to that river have named their village as Rameswaram!”
Kalush replied, “Very generous of Ram! He cares for the sentiments of his enemies too!”
Yavakri started his yagna. Alwar asked Kalush, “You wanted to be a king! Now you are protecting a yagna like Ram! Are you happy?”
Kalush replied, “I don‘t want to be like Ram! But I am protecting this yagna as a king should protect his subjects!”
While yagna was going on, some demons attacked Yavakri. Kalush and Alwar fought bravely. Within minutes all demons were dead.
Seeing this, Ragini suggested, “Kalp has recovered! We should leave this place! Not just demons, even taantriks (sorcerers and witches) and wolves can turn their attention to this area as long as we are here!”
Brothers agreed. After thanking Yavakri and bidding adieu to him, all four vampire siblings left.
Alwar asked Kalush, “So are you going to win all the battles in future? Did Lord Shiva say that?”
Kalush replied, “Pretty much! Because my kingdom will exist in Kaliyug also! And I will have worthy opponents in Kaliyug also!”
Kaliyug – 1442 AD:
In Transylvania, there was a practice hall for sword fight where Count Vladivostok, born as Vladislaus Tepes or Vlad as his close associates called him was fighting alone with three swordsmen. Vlad defeated all of them.
His Chief Minister Vasile Ceausescu arrived and said, “Your Majesty! Domnisoara Zhestakova is arriving in five minutes!”
Vlad left the room with minister. The defeated swordsmen looked on while he left. Spanish swordsman asked the Transylvanian swordsman, “He is a dangerous fighter!
"Howcome?" Transylvanian swordsman replied, “That is why his enemies call him Dracula which has been derived from the word “Dracul” that means devil! He was born in Vladivostok and hence, he got this name from his mother out of affection! Although, his father named him as Vladislaus! One day he will rule that city! Born in 1422, Vlad became our king at the age of 20 after his father; our previous king was killed by some werewolves!”
Spanish swordsman asked, “I have heard that The Count had differences with his father! Is it true?”
Transylvanian swordsman replied, “Count Tepes, the father of Vlad had named him as Vladislaus Tepes as a child! Vlad wanted to serve in Royal Army to prove that he could be a great commander and hence a great king! Count Tepes always underestimated Vlad and refused to allow him in army! However, during the last war with Turks, Vlad voluntarily went with a bunch of soldiers and captured their Commander, making the Turks surrender to Count Tepes! However, Count Tepes still underestimated Vlad! After the Count was killed, Vlad became our king and decided to carve his own identity! Retaining Tepes in his name, he changed his name to Vladislaus Vostok Tepes or Vladislaus Vostok! That is why; we all started calling him Count Vostok when we want to differentiate our message from the message we had for his father! He may return to his original name the day people learn to differentiate him from his father!”
Outside the royal palace, Vlad and Ceausescu saw the arrival of a horse carriage. The door opened and Ukrainian aristocrat Alyona Zhestakova came out, followed by her maid Galina.
Count Vlad kissed the hand of Alyona saying, “Welcome Domnisoara Zhestakova!”
Alyona replied, “Call me Alyona! It is an honor to meet you Your Majesty!”
Mesmerized by her beautiful eyes and face, Vlad said, “Call me Vlad!”
Vlad and Alyona had breakfast together and then on two horses, they left to see the scenic forest. Alyona was thankful to Vlad hosting her. Vlad asked her, “Why did you wish to leave Ukraine?”
Alyona replied, “Last year, Haci I Giray founded Crimean Khanate! Tarjan tribes fighting against Haci created problems in Kiev! My father was a doctor who once treated Haci! After my parents were killed, Haci sent me here, requesting you to host me!” Vlad said, “I should be thankful to Haci! By the way, we have something in common! My mother was a Ukrainian!” Alyona laughed.
The two spent the whole day together and bonded really well. While they were returning in the evening, Vlad heard some sound from the bushes. He realized that wolf-men were around. He shouted to Alyona, “Go to palace! I will catch up with you!”
Alyona did not want to go but she was bound to obey the orders of Count in his kingdom. She sped off. Vlad fought the wolf-men attacking him. Alyona was weeping, feeling guilty. By the time she reached palace, she broke down. Galina consoled her. Minister Ceausescu asked her, “What happened Domnisoara Zhestakova? Why are you weeping?” With tears in her eyes, Alyona spoke as she wept and sobbed, “Vlad put himself in danger to save me! Please send soldiers as backup for him! He is fighting wolf-men in forest!”
Minister Ceausescu said, “Be calm Domnisoara Zhestakova! Count Vostok is invincible!” Alyona started to wipe her tears when she saw Vlad arriving on the horse. She wanted to run and hug him but in front of everyone, she controlled herself. Vlad smiled and told her, “I told you I would catch up with you!” Minister Ceausescu looked at the sword in the hands of Vlad that was stained with blood.
At night there was a party in the honor of Alyona. Dancing with Vlad, Alyona said, “Today, I felt that as long as I am with you, nothing can harm me!” Vlad replied, “You are my guest! Your safety is my responsibility!”
After the party, when Alyona was sleeping in her room at night, she heard a strange sound. She opened her eyes and saw a skull flying in the air. Blood from skull was dropping on her bed sheet. She cried, “Vlaaaad!” Many soldiers came running with flambeaus in their hands. Vlad who was asleep, woke up. Wearing a robe, he came running.
Skull had disappeared and except Alyona, nobody had seen it. There was no blood on bed sheet. Vlad consoled Alyona and helped her to gain composure. He said, “Relax! Nothing can harm you here!” After Vlad left Alyona‘s room, Minister Ceausescu told him, “Perhaps she has gone insane!” Vlad said, “I refuse to believe that!”
Next morning, Vlad summoned Ceausescu and asked him, “Good Morning Minister Ceausescu! Today I need to know about some spells from different parts of world that could bring supernatural advantages to me and my army! Turks have been using genies in their battle against us and now I need some supernatural stuff to counter genies!”
Standing with complete report, Ceausescu told Vlad, “Today I will tell you about a vampire called Kalush who was secretly ruling a city of seven islands in Hindukush region when most of the Northern part of that region was being ruled by Muhammad Shah of Sayyid Dynasty!”
(DISCLAIMER: In the present day, city of seven islands is Mumbai.)
Vlad asked, “How did Kalush become vampire?” Ceausescu told a story to Vlad:
*FLASHBACK*
Treta Yug – 10, 0032 BC:
Thousands of years ago, Kalush was born to a warlord called Prajwal and his witch wife Aastha. In Hindukush region, witches are known as Taantrikas and sorcerers were known as Taantriks. Prajwal had conquered various tribes living in his areas and ruled them.
On the day Kalush was born, there was an earthquake in the area ruled by Prajwal. A priest named the baby Kalush, saying that earthquake came because the new born baby was the human form of malice. Enraged Prajwal killed the priest.
Demons led by Kroorasur wanted to kill Prajwal! Prajwal was a devotee of a God called Shiva. He was performing a ritual seeking blessings of Shiva to conquer demons. An attack from demons resulted in the killing of Hridayesh, the youngest son of Prajwal.
Enraged over the death of brother, Kalush and his brother Alwar planned a ritual to gain supernatural powers to kill demons! Kurupa, demoness in the gang of Kroorasur abducted Aastha and reached the spot of ritual, taking her form to start the ritual! She tricked the sons of Aastha performed a dark ritual of turning them into vampires.
Her intention was subjugate the army of Kalush by enslaving them and giving them human blood as a salary. Along with some soldiers of Kalush, Kurupa (in the form of Aastha) turned Prajwal, Alwar, Kalush, Ragini and Kalp into vampires.
Meanwhile, Aastha freed herself from the captivity of demons. Reaching the spot of ritual, she exposed Kurupa. Kurupa tried to flee but was captured and ended up being the first “blood pack” for all four vampire siblings and their father.
Aastha knew various immortality spells and she did not want to lose her powers as a witch by becoming a vampire. So she did not become a vampire but her family became the first vampire family of Aryavarta.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
Kaliyug – 1442 AD:
After hearing the story from Ceausescu, Vlad went to meet Miruna Eliade, a witch loyal to him. He asked her, “Greetings Miruna! I want to know whether it is possible for me to posses the vampire abilities in human form? I want to kill the werewolf pack that killed my father! I also need supernatural powers to fight the genies that Turks are sending to fight my army!”
Miruna replied, “It is possible my king!”
After saying that, she designed a mystical sign on the ground and put the deadbody of a man killed by the bite of a bat. On another mystical design, Vlad stood, wearing only a pair of trousers. Chanting the spell, Miruna cut a bat with knife and made the blood drop on the dead body.
Winds started blowing. Closing her eyes, Miruna chanted:
Evocatis naturae viribus, concedo supernaturalis vires sanguis suckin meo regi ultori
An aura started appearing on the dead body and another aura appeared around the body of Vlad. Vlad felt powerful. Miruna chanted another spell.
Sum rex ab eo erunt immortales. Nihil in hoc mundo occidatur.
After the spell was over, auras disappeared. Miruna told Vlad, “According to your stars, a strong possibility of death is in 1462, twenty years from now! But now that can be evaded!” Vlad asked, “How?” Miruna replied, “Because now if anyone kills you, you will not die! Instead, you will become a vampire! Right now, despite being a human, you already have various powers of a vampire like physical strength, speed and hearing ability! Once you become a vampire, you will get many new powers!”
Vlad returned to castle and he was told that Alyona fainted and was not waking up. Doctor checking on her ruled her healthy. Vlad suspected witchcraft. Writing a note to Miruna, he sent it via pigeon. He left for forest to test his new powers. Miruna‘s spell worked and Alyona was waking up. She had dream of Vlad getting stabbed. Once awoke, she ran looking for him and saw Ceausescu following her with a knife. Ceausescu said with an evil grin on his face, “To lure Vlad to the destination of his death, what better bait than you?” Alyona tried to run away and in the other direction, she saw Galina who was now aligned with Ceausescu, blocking her path. Galina said, “Please do not run! Else I would have to kill you!”
The two abducted Alyona and took her into a dark location where a witch called Lenuta Dumitru was performing a dark ritual and Alyona was tied up for sacrifice. Hearing her cries from a distance, Vlad reached there with superhuman speed. Seeing Vlad, Lenuta raised her hand and chanted:
Tenebris potentiis naturalibus non possim te mei estis
Vlad fall on his knees, trying to get up. He felt agonizing pain. Ceausescu said, “I formed an alliance with wolves to kill your father! We tried to distract you by trying to kill Alyona as grief would weaken you! Then I would rule with my coven of witches and my queen Galina!”
Ceausescu chanted:
Naturae viribus dominari permittas evertere regnum rex
Vlad was not an ordinary human now. He threw a knife stabbing Lenuta. Using his speed he ripped of the head of Ceausescu. After that, he stabbed a shocked Galina with his sword.
He freed Alyona who was sobbing. Tightly hugging Vlad she said, “I love you Vlad! Only you can protect me! It is always you!” Looking in her eyes Vlad replied, “I love you too Alyona! Will you marry me?”
With tears in her eyes, Alyona shook her head in a “yes”.
The End
(For now)
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I hope you enjoyed this story. I am working on a story. Kalush, Avibhuj, Vlad and other characters will return along with new characters appearing. A supernatural universe is shaping up.
Art by Amit Kumar
