Crimson Claws & Fangs ch.24

     In the halls of the secret society of the Order of the Knights of the Golden Cross word has arrived to the ears of the Head Inquisitor of an oddity in their country. The Head Inquisitor sits at his desk stroking his wrinkled chin and with furrowed brow looks over the reports local agents have sent in of a vampire preying on other vampires. Some of the reports suggest it might be a Strigoni Benefici (a vampire that preys on vampires), however others indicate that it has also preyed on human muggers and other criminals.

 

    The Head Inquisitor cups his chin in his hands as he stares down at the reports on his desk, “hmmm” he thinks aloud, “a vampire trying to play hero? Wouldn’t be the first time some newly turned vampire tried to imitate the movies and funny books. Hmmm, it will though like all those others eventually turn on civilians, criminals, while criminals are still God’s children though in the mean time.” He rifles through the reports and finds a picture one of the agents took of the vampire, a grey gargoyle like creature with a point of red hair off the back of its head, is indicated in the blurry motion shot from the camera as it could be seen flying from the scene to the roof tops of some village. “this doesn’t look like any vampire from around here though. It does look familiar though, hmmm, something from the Orient perhaps. Ah, yes, I remember now, a blood sucking Japanese demon of some kind, a…toriyama…no…tokomana… . No, heh, never do get creatures like that around here, not to mention our Order hasn’t been able to step foot in Japan or China for that matter since WW 2. Blasted Pacific Rim Mystical Society and their demonic allegiances.” He stops and pushes his chair back from his desk a small bit, “I wander, what is it doing here? Only one sure way to find out.”

 

     He takes out a brass key from his vest pocket under his robe and opens a drawer in desk with it. He pulls from the drawer an object un-befitting his Vatican surroundings. The object is a small smooth black pyramid that fits in the palm of his hand. He holds it chest high and speaks down to it, “Great protector what course of action should we take, what is this creature that haunts our shores?”

 

    A deep and powerful voice emanates from the black pyramid, “The monster is a Toori-Ma, a vampire demon that feeds on the blood of other vampires and on the blood of sinners. It was sent to Italy by the vile demoness Litmet, possibly as a means to test the strength and resolve of the Church. She is a real threat to the survival of the Order of the Knights of the Golden Cross. She is the one that turned Rick Richardson against the Order, and in turn got him to cause the Elite Paladins to split apart and causing that rogue group to form. To deal with the creature send brother Alquad and the Elite Guard.” The pyramid goes silent as the Head Inquisitor takes in what he was told.

 

    High above in the clouds Ahm hovers in the air holding in his hand a proportionally larger black object, except that his is a sphere. He thinks to himself, “My spies are proving invaluable & the Lit opening a portal here and sending her minion here. She might as well be advertising her intention to size up the Order. I won’t allow it.”