The Sacrifice (Legends Of Transylvania) (6 page)

“What has happened
Ariana?” she asked, with a look of concern on her face.

“Oh, it’s nothing aunt.”She replied, in a calming tone. “I went for a walk last evening and a dog on the street jumped on me. But don't worry, I am fine.”

“Are you sure dear? Asked Clara, “Let me have a look at it please to check if it’s not infected.’’

“You worry way too
much,”Ariana responded assuringly, as she tried to keep her injured arm from her aunt's sight. “Everything is alright. Let's go out in the garden. It looks like it’s going to be a sunny day.”

Later in the evening Alexander took up his guitar to play, and as he was concerned about Ariana he thought of going to her house. Then other thoughts filled his mind and troubled him.

“What if her arm is still bleeding? And what if he won't be able to control himself?”

“We had great fun last night, didn't we?” The familiar, annoying voice of Volod rang out and disturbed Alexander's thoughts again.

Alexander turned around and grabbed at
Volod's neck with his hand.

“What the damn was all that?” He scorned. “What was that creature? And why did he attack
Ariana?''

“He wanted to attack you not her. Well, okay, maybe her too?” he shrieked with laughter.

“Me? Why would it attack me?” Asked the boy with nervous tension in his voice.

“Because he felt you.” Volod replied. “I'm not sure what it was, but it looked like a black cat to me. Well, maybe too big to be a cat? Perhaps it was a panther, but I think it was too strong? It doesn't matter anyway, you should be happy that I saved you.”

Hearing those words Alexander felt more and more trapped.

“What other things do I have to find out about, you evil bastard?” Alexander demanded to know, but Volod disappeared again and left Alexander with his doubts.

Each new day Ariana remembered the night of the bad incident as well as the evening they met, and even though she couldn't understand Alexander's attitude she still loves him desperately. A few days later she decided to go for a walk, hoping that she will find Alexander and he will settle her mind. As she walked she heard low noises between the trees which scared her, but at the same time gave her a strong desire to find out what happened that night. She came upon someone sitting on a tree, and beside him was laying an animal of some kind.

“Good evening.”She said with a frightened voice. The creature raised his bright eyes and looked into hers.

“Can I pass? Or will your beast attack me?”

“Zinon is his name.” He said.

“Ah, such a powerful name.”
Ariana said. “It is nice to meet you Zinon, and my name is Ariana. I believe you are the same person who helped me that night? And he is the animal that attacked me…

“That's right!” He answered, as he looked at
Zinon. “Fate is responsible for what happened.”

“Your friend looks like a panther.”
Ariana observed, as she looking carefully at the beast's black fur shining in the moonlight.”

“
Panthera onca.” The man confirmed.

“So it's a black panther?”

“It's a black jaguar.”

“Oh! I never thought to have such a dangerous pet.”
She replied with a half-smile.

“A dangerous animal with a wounded soul.”
The mysterious man replied, “What could be more dangerous than that?”

“I suppose there are more hazardous things?”
Ariana responded with saddened eyes.

“That's right; you too have a wounded soul, do you know the similarity between you and
Zinon?”

“No, perhaps only the hurt soul,” said
Ariana,”but probably for different reasons. My parents have died, therefore, my soul will cry until I close my eyes forever.”

‘‘Soon you will see the resemblance between yourself and he, “the man concluded,” and
I'm sorry for your murdered parents, but my parents were killed too.”

“No, my parents died in a car accident. I feel sorry for your parents. May I ask what happened?” she asked in an air of confusion.

“They were killed by the same person who killed your parents.” continued the old man.

“I don't think you understood me. My family died in a car accident?”
Ariana tried to explain.

“No
Ariana, your parent’s accident was caused by the same person who two hundred years ago killed my whole village - my entire family, and all my relatives.”

“Two -hundred years ago? And who was that person?”

“And the jaguar next to me is my son.”

Ariana
became more and more frightened.

“I do not believe in fairy tales or myths, nor life beyond death, and even less of a human being to have an animal as a son?”

The man began to tell a horrifying story, and stroked the animals head as he spoke.

“Two hundred years ago we lived in a small village not far from here. The people were very poor, but they were related to each other. One day I went to visit my brother who was living in the city. When I returned I stood at the entrance to the village, and from there I could smell the stench of death, and of blood and suffering. My footsteps became heavier when I stepped on a few drops of blood, which became pools, and I came upon all my folks
laying on the ground all around me. Some had met dreadful deaths. Bitten and tortured. Others were bleeding and moaning, and crying out one name of the culprit - Volod. This devil is the embodiment of the evil, vampires and death, who is trying to rule the world.”

While Ariana was listening frozen in shock, Zinon was watching her face carefully.

“When my son stretched out his full of blood hand and asked for help, you know, nothing is more painful than when you see your child in pain and you cannot help. I had to do something to save some of them, I killed the jaguar who has been my friend for a long time, and with his blood I have brought back to life several family members, including my eldest son, Zinon.”

“How did you do that?” She asked.

“I was a well-known witch doctor in my region. I was born to make the impossible possible. The Black Panther is a quiet animal, a symbol of people's defense of devils.
A symbol of darkness, death, and rebirth. The jaguar I sacrificed has defended our village from powers of darkness and injustice. I made out of my wounded family the strongest creatures to revenge Volod's victims. Including you pretty girl.”

“How did you save me that night?” Ariana continued, as if she was seeing her own eyes through the eyes of the jaguar.

“After I collected the bodies of my people they came back to life after seven days and seven nights as jaguars with miraculous powers. You begged me to save you and I did it by taking blood from my son's body.”

“What does that mean?”Ariana asked reluctantly, as she was scared of what he might answer.

“It means that during the night hours you will live like a jaguar, and now you're part of our clan and you will fight against evil with your people.”

Ariana
fell onto her knees and broke down in tears.

“I will not fight against anybody. I don't have enemies, and I will sure not become one of these dark animals of the night. Who gave you the right to do experiments on me?”

Ariana picked up a pile of earth in her hand and threw it at the man. A moment later Zinon moved his footsteps slowly and silently towards her, showing his sharp fangs to make her understand that he defends his master no matter what.

“Let's go, Zinon.” The old man said.

“What has this
Volod got to do with the death of my parents?” Ariana demanded to be told.

“You will have to find out for yourself.” Came an undignified reply, and a few seconds later the huge panther and his master disappeared.

After a few moments of gazing at the moon Ariana started to feel bad. She began to tremble and her breath became faster and louder. She saw that hair began to appear on her arms, and her body was changing its shape. Her mind saw only with the bright eyes of a panther, and her strong growl sounded like someone punched her heart with a tightened fist. She ran and ran in a fit of craze and confusion, not knowing who she is or remembering anything from her normal life. So many things were new for her. She stopped suddenly as an annoying smell disturbed all her senses, and then she slowly started to walk again. She was as dark as the night and only the moon lit up her yellow sparkly eyes. The smell was getting closer and suddenly she observed a human with his back to her, and when the man turned around she attacked him. She threw him to the ground and pounced on him, and with her big arms and legs she covered his body and held him down in a helpless position. She opened her mouth, and with a grunting sound she showed the big teeth that were ready to devour him. Several more jaguars began to appear out of the shadows all around them, bearing their sharp teeth and showing they were ready to kill the one they were stalking. They knew he was a member of the enemy clan - and his name is Alexander!

Alexander looked up into the huge creature's eyes and saw something familiar, and the creature looked back and saw terrifying images from the past. The day of the accident; the moment she left him in front of his door; the moment when he took the rose and pricked his hand. She even saw some of the lonely life he has endured for 13 years, and Volod's image at the cemetery threatening him. Now she understands who that dark evil man is. Everything was reflecting in Alexander's eyes and she saw it and felt it. Alexander wasn't moving as he thought a motion could take his life away. He was hypnotized like a stone.

She was suddenly disturbed by a male animal which leaped on Alexander, but the female pushed him away with a mad look in her eyes, which showed that Alexander was her prey and she ordered that nobody else was to touch him. While he was on the ground
Ariana moved stealthily away from him, then a loud and piercing howl full of pain resounded everywhere among the darkness. She turned around with heavy steps and disappeared into the night with all the others.

“The look in that creature's eyes was so familiar.” Alexander thought to himself, as he felt his heart beat fast and strong, like the soul and mind of that creature went right inside him.

  As the sun rose above the hills to start a new day,
Ariana had returned to her normal feminine form. However, her clothes were ripped and she had lost her shoes, and she wondered how she will get home looking the way she did, and how her life had become so weird. She longed for things to get back to normal. She put her clothes in such way to not look too unusual in case she met someone on her way. She was confused, and she wondered if it was a dream or reality? There were many questions with no answers. When she got home she went straight to her room to change the clothes. Her hair was messy and she was dirty. As she was lying on the bed she remembered everything that happened and the hurt she saw in Alexander's eyes. “He has suffered so many bad things and yet he continued to love me all that time.” She pondered, and a feeling of torment rose inside her chest. “What is going to happen from now on, and how am I going to live this way? Am I cursed to live like a dark beast for the rest of my life, and is Alexander destined to remain a vampire. How are we going to sort this out?”

Alexander had found an old abandoned wooden house in the depth of the forest with not much in it but for a bed, a chair, a table, and a fireplace which he didn't need. The view from the window was beautiful though, and watching the leaves fall from the branches and the sound of the wind relaxed his mind. He couldn't stay in the sun, so he spent most of the days inside the house.

“How I miss her.” He whispered sadly, as he sat in the chair by the hearth.

“Really?
Ha-ha!” Volod interrupted in his usual rude manner. He had slipped in through the door without a sound and was standing behind Alexander.

“What do you want now?” Alexander cried out mournfully as he turned to face the demon. “Those black beasts almost killed me last night.”

“OH? Come on, are you not strong now?” Volod frowned, “Or perhaps you don't want be a vampire anymore? Well, the solution to that is very simple. Kill the girl and take the rose and you are done!”

“Believe me, they are very strong too, and they attack in a swift and stealthy way. What are those fearsome creatures?”

Volod
had no intention of answering the question. He turned and walked through the empty room with his heavy steps making the old floor creak as he did so.

“I really have no idea what they are, but I saw that they resemble some kind of big cat, like a jaguar.”