Vampiric Origins : Chapter 2 : Hide and Seek

I.


Justus?!

Phoenix LeStrange called out to her creator as she noticed the cage sitting open a bit. She looks around as she creaks it open a bit. She yells out again.

”Justus! I need to speak with you.”

A distorted voice is heard.

”The web you spun has now become that which you must escape. Follow my voice and make your way. To your goal, your ultimate prize. Win again or it is your demise!

Phoenix steps out of the cage and follows all the twists and turns as the room instantly becomes darker. The voice is heard again.

”Though your future may seem dark, there is a key. Follow the light from within your chi. You are the one, who knows the way. Hurry before time, tick tocks away.”

Phoenix, now even more confused than ever closes her eyes. Inside her head, he is there still leading her by a metaphorical leash.



She takes a deep breath as her eyes dart open, now glowing a bright red. She begins barreling through doors as she finally goes through one and there he stands. She smiles and then looks on in confusion as he throws his robe off to reveal a tanktop.

”Just...us?”



He smiles as he speaks in his normal, non distorted voice.

”In… Justin! You know, your ex boyfriend. The man who saved you from a most certain fate. The man who turned you into what you are. Come on. You can trust me. You know all the good times we used to have.”

He runs his hand along her cheek as she flinches, trying to not let him realize she has done such. He notices this as he sighs.

”When we met, I did some rather unfortunate things. I treated you like property instead of a lover. I made you feel inadequate in life. But didn’t you turn out alright, my love?”

Phoenix grabs Justin’s hand and squeezes hard trying to hurt the much larger man. A cackle so maniacal comes from his lips as he squeezes her hand back, almost crushing it to dust. She again falls to her knees, much like their last encounter with Justus. The laughing continues as Phoenix jerks her hand away, screaming out in pain as she covers her ears. He looks down at her as his face is evil, much like last week.

”You want to keep bringing me out? Why can’t you just behave like Pandora behaved in your care. She is someone who would have been a great follower. I give and I give and it is never good enough for you. You want to keep fighting me and fighting my guidance. Can’t you see, you need me! You need the Moroi’s blessing in order to keep your pathetic hopes and dreams alive. We make our presence known and you start winning… Is it any wonder? We are the only hope you have of realizing your full potential. We are that which will drive you to the World Championship!”

Phoenix has almost all but forgotten that she would potentially have two matches at Alpha Showdown. She needs to prepare. She bows her head in front of Justus.

”To thee, I surrender my life. To thee, I will serve. To thee, I am simply garbage. I am simply nothing.”

Justus places a gloved hand under Phoenix’s chin. He lifts her chin up and smiles.

”That is not true, Phoenix. We have chosen you to spread word of the Great War. The war that humanity isn’t ready for. The war that we...will...win!”

Justus chuckles as Phoenix joins in. The two share a laugh as the scene cuts off suddenly. The words “The War Wages On. Are You Ready?” flash on the screen in blood red letters as we end.


II.

”America is often seen as a world powerhouse. Look at the state of affairs.”

Phoenix LeStrange turns on the television to show violent protests breaking out over the death of a Wisconsin man. She shakes her head as she clicks the television off. She clicks her tongue.

”What is it about the country that I happen to inhabit that thinks this is normal? What is about America Jackson that makes him proud to MAGA… Make America Grave Again. The problem with you America, is your bigoted ass is going to get what you deserve and it happens this week.

For weeks you have prepared for Eli Beazley but myself and the Moroi threw a wrench into that. We made sure you couldn’t prepare for us. We made ourselves a wildcard.

Many say they are using me but I like to say they are making me better. They are making me stronger. They are preparing me for a world takeover. In order to conquer the World I must first conquer North America.

The North American Title has been passed around more than Covid 19! It needs a champion it can be proud of. It needs a champion fitting of being called just that… the champion. The thing about you America is you feel the need to assert your so called dominance in every situation but I see through the ruse. I see through you. Deep down you are worried. You are absolutely scared of that which goes bump in the night. You are scared of the wildcard.”

Phoenix begins pacing in front of the camera.

”America, I get it. You want to be the sheriff in a town that so desperately needs it. Since Irina Ivanova was let go of APW it has seemed to be in need of a new guard. As Adam Dante and the intern who is the scapegoat of it all made the decision to have me face you for the North American Title.

Did you watch what I did to Eli? I made it so he was not able to make it to Alpha Showdown. I made sure he was nowhere near OUR match. This way it is one on one and the best wrestler will win.

Fact of the matter is I will win. There is no way your kind can prepare for that which goes bump in the night. They say we fear that which we do not understand and there is no way you can understand me… you can’t possibly understand us!

The more I think about it, you do not even understand yourself, America. You are scared and you use your toxic masculinity to hide that fear. You hide behind a smile when all you truly want to do is cry.”

Phoenix lowers her head as the camera begins to glitch. She looks back up, cackling like mad, with a mask on that looks just like the one Justus wears. Her voice distorts much like his as she continues.

”America, we know you want to cry. Your will to die is not there at all. They say you will die for what you love. Do you love this business that much? Do you love this country that fucking much? Do you truly think you can battle our whole race in this match and live? The death we hand you will make the death of Raging Dead look like a happy little Bob Ross accident.

Will your family miss you? Will you miss them? You have an opportunity that we do not allow to many and that is the opportunity to live. How badly do you want to be a champion? Will you give your own life for it? You see, I gave my lifesource up to become an immortal vampire and try and eradicate the human race. I am here to take over this God damned world.

People are always so quick in America to condemn anyone that is different than what they are used to. Anyone who doesn’t line up with their definition of normal or beautiful.

I am one of those people. I am different and so people condemn me so quickly. People like Sierra Sin. People like Lilianna Rose. I don’t blame them. It is the way they are raised. It is the way they are conditioned. It is your fault America. It is your conservative bullshit agenda that has made it where they don’t want to associate with anyone of any ounce of being different in them. Look at Lilianna and her new partner in crime, Sylk, or little Lilianna as I call her. They are carbon copies of each other.

Much like you America. You are all about being a gun toting good old white boy and trying to show why you are the leader in everything when the rest of the company, and quite honestly the rest of the business, are glad they are not you. I do not wish to be you, America.

Please, do tell me America, what is there to envy about you? You are a big guy but you are not that talented. You are someone who is wasted potential. You are someone who needs to be eradicated.

Look at the bright side. When you die, the religious zealots of the world will come out and call you a Martyr as they scream “America’s Life Mattered” and use your name to push their divisive agenda. You are going to be made into a hero of the people who adorn white robes and fight over a flag that was used for seven years. You will be second, or I guess like fiftieth, coming of Jesus Christ himself. You will become a Saint to people who like to drink Budweiser and shoot guns at the empty cans.

You know, the kind of people who no one wants to be associated with. The people who look up to idiots like you. I am ready to not only dethrone you but to dethrone Zaigon Carter as well.

America, I will see you at Alpha Showdown!”

Justus appears behind Phoenix placing his gloved hand on her shoulder as the two of them laugh and the scene fades to black.



III.

The lights in the former HaVeN compound flicker in an eerie manner. Phoenix LeStrange lays in her bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Her reality has been twisting and turning since Justus came back. Was he real or was he in her head? She knew not the answer to that. She did know that Justus was right about one thing. He had made it so she couldn’t die. She looks into the mirror in her cage as her face twists into a look of disgust.

”What have you become Phoenix? A fearless leader turned fucking pet. You have let Justus completely rule over you and you are not even sure what is real and what is fiction when it comes to him. When it comes to the Moroi. He is the only other “Vampire” you have ever met. What if Lilianna is right and it is all a ruse?”

Justus places a hand on her shoulder. He laughs as his voice is distorted.

”I and We are very real, Phoenix. I will take you to the ancient lands in due time but first you must continue doing our work. You must handle Zaigon Carter and claim the APW World Title for US! You need to keep showing why we are not the race that humans want to fuck with. Look at yourself Phoenix. You are attractive but you are also fierce. You are a fighter. You are a warrior. You are a Moroi!”

Phoenix’s face twists from disgust to a sheer sign of evil delight. She kisses Justus’ lips as she smirks at him.

”You are absolutely right, like always, Justus. I will keep making examples out of these idiots. Zaigon Carter is a false idol, a false prophet. He is no champion. He couldn’t even defeat Cray Mitchell, the bottom of the barrel so to speak. He lost to Cray. What makes him think he can get past me and every other champion in the company.

I can hear the fans bitching and complaining. “Phoenix, you have to get past America Jackson first.” It is a foregone conclusion that I am going to annihilate America and I am going to go on to win the APW World Title inside the Alpha Showdown!

Zaigon Carter needs to realize that Capitalism is such a dirty business that no one should want to associate with. He is another corrupt and rich man who needs to just disappear. He needs to be gone and myself, and the rest of the Moroi, will make sure you don’t walk out of Alpha Showdown with the title. We will make sure you don’t walk out at all. As we sit here and watch you claim to be the best, we can’t help but realize that nothing will stop us from ridding the wrestling world of trash like you.

You see, people give us a bad rep. They try to villify us simply because we have a different diet. Just because we have different feelings. Just because we have different teeth.

No more will I sit idly by and allow it to happen. No more will I allow myself to be beaten on simply because I don’t fit the normal look of a human. Simply because I like to handle things in a different manner. Zaigon Carter is someone who would likely try to bully us.

The uprising is here. The Great War is upon us. Zaigon are you prepared to fight for humans you don’t even like. We, the Moroi, will fight for one another. Whether we love or hate each other we realize we are one in the same. We all come together in spite of our differences to fight this war. Your race is more divided than ever. That is why we choose now to strike at full force. That is why we choose here to be the place we strike. That is why WE will leave as the World Champion!”

Phoenix smirks wider as Justus cackles like the mad man he is. Justus opens the cage as Phoenix steps out of the cage as Justus watches her up and down.

”It is crazy to think about the fact that you are fighting for us and alongside us. It is terrible to think about the fact that people like Zaigon Carter and America Jackson will discredit us. They will say we are not real and that our Vampiric Origins are nothing more than horror tales. The fact of it all is we are more than real. We are not the boogeyman. We are much much worse. You better prepare for the fight of your life as your whole race is put in our crosshairs. Zaigon, you are nothing more than a piece of collateral in this war. You are not the focus. You are a small cog in a much bigger machine. You are but an inadequate piece of shit and that will all be proven once you are enclosed in the Alpha Showdown. Phoenix knows a thing or two about cages and she knows her way around one. We have taught her well and she will make sure you go to an early grave. For the Moroi!”

Phoenix walks up to Justus and smirks again. She bites into her own wrist as she raises it to his lips.

”You are hungry, Justus. Much like I am hungry. Hungry for victory. Hungry for gold. Hungry for the end of times so that we may finally step out of the darkness and into the forefront of this business and of this world. We will no longer be held back. We will no longer hide who we are. We will take back what was ours centuries ago. We will make sure these humans pay the ultimate sacrifice as we eradicate them from this world. Good luck with your future, pathetic humans. You will need it!”

Justus sucks the blood from Phoenix’s wound as the scene fades to black.