My squad looks up at the gates outside Bran Castle.
Sonia has joined us, as has Hunter. Gizmo is staying in the van, acting as Sonia’s mission control in a secure location.
Hunter’s horn is now razor-sharp and gleaming silver, Sonia having removed the rubber sheath that hides his upgrade from unsuspecting vampires.
Sonia turns to me.
“Alright, Mr. Korkea. How do we get in?”
I grin at her.
“Like this.”
WHAM
With one punch, I send the gates flying open.
“We’re doing that to every gate or door we see. There’s nowhere they can hide.”
After punching our way into the entrance hall, we make our way to the stairs, and suddenly hear a cheerful, flamboyant voice speak up behind us.
“And so you arrive, Mr. Korkea! Like an unexpected rainstorm at a pleasant day on the beach! And you brought friends! Come one, come all! And welcome to the show! I’ve been waiting for you, Mr. Korkea!”
We turn around.
Standing in the doorway, moonlight streaming in around them, is a rather… unusual person.
Probably male, judging by the voice. He’s dressed head to toe in a purple and yellow jester’s outfit, and a white harlequin mask with a painted smile covers his face completely.
We all point our respective weapons and powers at him, and I address him.
“Are you with the vampires?”
He chuckles.
“For the moment? Yes. The role I currently play is the jester in His Majesty’s court. But my partnership with the Count and his clan is merely a temporary one, and I think my loyalty to him has just expired. Do not fret. I’m on your side. Or rather…”
He chuckles again.
“…you’re on my side.”
I glare at him.
“I don’t think so, clown-face. I don’t even know you.”
The jester chuckles yet again.
“Ah, but everyone knows me, deep down in their hearts. You just don’t realize it yet.”
“The fuck are you on about?”
He looks me in the eyes, or least, I think he does.
There aren’t any eye slots, how can he see with that thing on his face? How can he breathe? Is he a vampire too?
“You’ll find out sooner or later. Let’s just say, it has something to do with the secret you’ve been keeping, Mr. Korkea. If you really don’t believe I’m here to help: the person you are looking for is in his study, at the top of the highest tower. But it won’t be easy getting up there.”
“Let me guess, we’ll have to fight our way up there.”
We hear snarling behind us, coming from various hallways and stairways.
We all turn around.
They’re closing in on us.
We hear the jester speak up once more behind us.
“You guessed it! Have fun, all of you! Ta-ta!”
I turn back around to him, but he’s already gone.
I didn’t even hear a blip or a fingersnap.
I turn around one more time, and pull out two stakes.
Everyone else is already armed.
We see three dozen vampires enter the hall from multiple locations.
I call out to them.
“ALRIGHT!!! WHICH ONE OF YOU MOTHERFUCKERS WANTS TO GET STAKED FIRST???”
The only answer is more snarling.
“FINE!!!”
I charge at one of them at top speed and stake him before he even realizes it.
SKLURCH
I pull out the stake, his heart still impaled on it, and the rest of him bursts into flames and crumbles to ash.
I shake the heart off the stake.
“THEN WE’LL CHOOSE FOR YOU!!!”
As I whip around and stake another vampire mid-lunge, me and my squad cry out as one.
“AND WE CHOOSE ALL OF YOU!!!”
