Cloud Haetae

"Pryo." Scott's voice comes out in a low growl.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Pryo jerks his claws away from my neck like he just remembered he had hands.

"Goldsmi—sir—Scott, it isn't what it looks like, I promise—"

Scott cuts him off.

"So you just happened to have your claws touching Avid's throat when I walked in?"

Pryo's voice shakes. "I–I–Scott, listen—he's still a liability, he stil—"

"He's still on our side. Unlike you. So leave him alone."

Scott's claws slide out with a sound that makes my blood freeze.

"But—no—Scott, come on! I'm still on the vampires' side! HE'S NOT EVEN A VAMPIRE ANYMORE, HE'S JUST A WEIRD-LOOKING WET RAT!"

That part hurt the most.

Not because he was wrong.

Because he was completely right.

"I said it myself... I said I wasn't a vampire. If I'm not... can I even truly be on their side?"

Scott must have seen the look on my face, because he snaps:

"So? He's proven more loyalty than you. You were one of the first turned. Avid's one of the newest."

His voice doesn't shake. Mine might have.

I stare at him.

Why? Why? Why is he doing all this? I don't deserve it. Why?

Scott breathes in slowly, eyes burning.

"Listen, Pryo. I better never see you again—especially near Avid. Got it?

If I do... I'll kill you."

scott said his eye full of angry but his voice calm and content like always.

Pryo scoffs and storms out through one of the exit tunnels.

Scott scoffs right back.

"How disrespectful of him. Tsk tsk."

He shakes his head with his eyes closed.

I can't help giggling a little before I stop myself.

"Hey, Scott... can I talk to you about something?"

He looks down at me—just slightly taller.

"Well of course, Avid. What is it?"

"During the battle I heard a voice. At first it was hard to tell who... but I think it was the void thing's voice. A-and Elle's. I'm worried she might be dead."

"Avid, you said you saw Elle after you died. So she can't be dead."

Scott says it confidently, but then murmurs "Right?" so quietly I barely hear it.

"I think I'm gonna finish my room," I say, starting to walk away.

Scott gently grabs my wrist.

"Do you want help?"

"Oh no. I just... think I need a moment to myself."

He lets go.

"Alright. See you later, Avid."

He places the blocks back behind us and walks away.

I watch until he's gone.

Then I start hollowing out my room.

When it's done, I place a bed and lie down on it.

As I respawn, I feel a numbing pain in my chest where Martin stabbed me.

Then I hear a twisted chuckle in the shadows that could only belong to Pryo.

"Well, well... seems like I can finally talk to you, since you've been ever so busy with my sire," Pryo says, taking slow steps toward me.

"What do you want, Pryo?" I ask, turning toward him as he circles me.

"It is very simple, really—I want you to die permanently," Pryo answers, circling closer and closer.

"Yeah, kinda guessed that. But I'm sure you already know how mad Scott's gonna be?"

"Way ahead. I can just lie and tell him I found your dead body when I was checking the escape routes. Quite easy to believe, don't you think?" Pryo answers with an evil grin.

"Oh yeah, Scott and the other vampires are totally gonna believe that. Uh-huh. Sure," I say, shaking my head. "Pryo, you've never been that smart when it comes to making plans. Well—neither am I, but at least I'm not trying to betray all the vampires."

Pryo hisses. "They might not believe it, but as long as it doesn't look like I killed you, it doesn't matter."

"Yeah, and me and you both disappearing at the same time, and me dying during that time period, totally won't look like you killed me. Uh-huh," I say sarcastically.

"SHUT THE FU#K UP, WILL YOU!?" Pryo yells, shoving me against the wall, his claws out and hovering by my neck.

"Sh!t," I mutter.

Before he can strike, someone with white hair—just like my own—breaks through the blocks to get in.

The fear on my face washes over to Pryo, and relief and surprise wash over me.

(This is scott POV if you couldn't guess)

"AVID, MOVE OUT OF THE WA-!

I scream as I run toward him to shove him out of the way—

but I'm too late.

Martin's silver sword rips straight through Avid's chest.

Killing him.

I drop to my knees, hopeless.

I know he isn't permanently dead—his body didn't stay—

but it still hurt. More than I'll ever admit.

"Are you feeling things?"

Shelby's voice echoes in my head from the time in the cave.

Terrible timing, Shelby. Thanks.

I force myself up and sprint toward Martin, stabbing him with everything I have and killing him in one final swing.

I sigh.

Martin was someone I used to like.

Now he's just a pain in my ašš.

Dift is coming back; she looks mostly recovered, so Avid should be back in a couple minutes.

"Hopefully... so I can see his cute wor—

Off topic. Stay focused."

I scan the battlefield.

Apo has returned.

Ren has healed from Avid's hit.

Shelby is actually doing a decent job putting out the fire.

I watch Apo lunge at Dift, and Dift fight back with her claws.

"It seems like the only humans missing are Abolish and Legs—

Wait. No. I saw Legs earlier... around the same time Owen left the battlefield.

A few minutes before Pryo went to 'check' the respawn escape routes.

Then Avid dies a few minutes later—

Oh no."

"SHELBY! DIFT! I GOTTA GO DO SOMETHING! WATCH OUT FOR LEGS, I THINK HE'S HIDING!"

The flames almost drown out my voice as I sprint down the stairs toward the crypt.

I reach the respawn room and break through the blocks—

And freeze.

Pryo's claws are pressed right against Avid's neck.

Avid looks terrified—

then surprised—

and then fear washes over him again...

"What?" I answer after scott. "AVID SCOTT THE CASTLE IS UNDER ATTACK WITH FIRE AND THE MILTA! WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK!" Shelby yelled running down the hall

"I WILL BE THERE IN A MINUTE! Avid you stay here okay you just died I am NOT going to lose you again. " scott said gently pushing me back in the almost hallowed out room.

"No I don't care if I just got back to life only a day or two ago I not loseing Shelby, Dift and especially not you." I said takeing a big step toward him.

"Fine! But the second you about to die you run got that?" scott said shanking his head "okay I can work with that."

"Shelby and Dift come here for a moment I need to tell you something before we go to battle."

Scott said dropping his voice lower. "Aww how did you know I was here? I thought was getting better at being invisible."

Dift said turning visible and stepping out of the shadows." HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE FOR!?" I said jumping up from Dift random appertain.

"I came in with Shelby. Why did something happen with scotttttttt? " Dift said grining."I will talk about it to you an other time." I said takeing a deep breath as my nose get filled with smoke.

"Listen no matter what happens when I die you three run as fast as you can no turning back and hide for a day and come back after got it?" scott said looking as cut- serious as ever.

Shelby takes a step back looking absolutely horrible. "NO! I NOT LOSING YOU, SCOTT!!!"

"SHELBY... Please if they kill me they can kill all of you. And it only an," what if" okay?"

"Shelby we need go okay lets just do it okay?" Dift said steping in remaining us the battle is going on right now. "Okay." Shelby answer blandly walking away as the others follow her in to the fire and smoke.

We all spit up trying to put out the fire and kill all the Miata that looks shocked to see me but they quickly continue the fighting.

I yell "I GOT REN!" As lung at ren. My claws and his sword clash against each other as we both try to get a hit on each other. "I will beat you long before you beat me, old friend." Ren yells at me even though I right in front of him.

"Not even a chanc-" I before I can finish I hear dift screamed in pain.

I turn around to see martin stabbed dift.

It only a sliver sword tho.

I turn a round and stab Ren right in the stomach almost killing him. "Doesn't seem like it." i yelled running to get a sneak attack on martin.

As a creeking up behind martin I hear a blend of two voices in my ear.

"STAB BEHIND YOU!"

I feel repelled to do it so only a second later there a surprise, looking apo as I see her limbs go numb an limp and soon she proofs out of the air.

I proud of myself only for a a second before I hear scott yells

"AVID MOVE OUT OF THE WA-" it cuts off as martin stabs me in the heart.

But it was only a sliver sword tho.

I wake in the respawn room Shelby had showed me only the day before I died.

I sighed-

Then hear a low twisted chuckle echoing in the shadows.

As we hollowed out a chuck of the wall Scott speak up "sooo is you partner, Elle I think her was you "partner partner" or just your monster hunter partner?"

I try to look at scott eyes but he seems to be hideing them for some reason. Was he jealous? But we nothing like that... Are we? "Oh absolutely not she gay, like you." I said pointing at scott calling him out while laughing a bit "wow how dare you call me out like that. True tho." scott laugh a bit with me.

"Oh avid by the way you really need to hide stuff better. You know like stuff like love letter address to " sire daddy" because remember Shelby your sire not me." scott said giggling as my pale face turn completely red." HOW THE FU#K DID HE FIND THOSE!?? " I thought I hide them in a wall."h-h-how did you find them? If you mind sharing."

"Oh I was just looking some of my old clothes and I was looking in the walls with Shelby and Dift and you know about 100 or 100s pieces of paper just happened to be there all saying from you. Shelby and Dift both found I kinda funny since you hated me day 1."

"I didn't hate you hate you was just a-""vampire?" interrupted scott "well no you just um you just you you were were um just um um... I don't know." I admited

"Well okay sure sure, anyways while me, Shelby and Dift were looking for my old clothes I found this really nice dress I used to wear and I want your an opinion on it. Do you want to see it?" scott ask eagerly

"Um sure I don't see why not."I replied. "Okay I will go get it!" scott said running some where very excited. "Wait. Scott already handsome and cute enough I can bearly keep myself from compliment him 24/7 how am going to not compliment him if he drag. Da!m it me!" I think to my self

"Okay how you think? " scott walked in to the almost-hallowed out room wearing an early 1600s wine red dress

"Umm you looks beautiful,scott." My face flush a pale but still noticedble red. "SH!T SH!T SH!T

SH!T!!! HE LOOKS TOO CUTE AND HANDSOME UGH!!" out of the corner of my eye I see red flowing down my nose.

scott suddenly stopped in his tracks as he looks at my face."Avid, your nose is bleeding" he said leaning his head on his shoulder. He takes a few steps forwards towards me. I take a few steps back and find my self back against the wall.

"I know it nothing to worry about it okay." Scott still took more steps towards me till he was only a foot away from me. Then he leans in and kiss me "w-w-wHAT!!" I hink to my self in a panic. My arms go a bit num. Before I can kiss scott back he pull away from up licking my blood by my nose bleed.

"Sorry hoped you didn't mind me tasting- EW HOW MUCH GARLIC DID YOU EAT AS A HUMAN TO GET IT IN YOU BLOOD!!? I GET THAT YOU WERE PARTLY SCARED OF VAMPIRE BUT

DA!M" scott ask looking at me with the most confused and surprise face I ever seen and hunching his back while holding his stomach.

"Umm like 5 per week. Listen I was very terrified." I said secretly very happy that the subject is changing. "FIVE PER WEEK! Wait no why am I surprise this makes so much sense coming from the one and only avid" scott giggled a bit

As me, scott and Shelby down the cold crypt halls to up the meeting room "SH!T SH!T SH!T!!! WHY DID I DO THAT?! HE WAS CLEAELY ONLY GOING TO TALK WHY DID I HAVE TO MAKE IT WEIRD!!? " I was looking at the wall. I really wanted to bang my head against it but I could do that after the meeting.

As walk in to the meeting room I noticed Pryo and Owen siting together on the last two seats while everyone else sit on the other side including scott and Shelby when they go sit down. But apo was not here. I seat myself at the front of the table nearest to the beacon.

Cleo and pearl wore surprise faces mostly everyone else seems mostly content while Owen and Pryo have and evil look in their eyes like they planing murder which they probably am. I swole my nervousness in my throat.

I clear my throat before talking "ahem I sure lots of your guys are wondering how am alive even though some people in this room saw my dead body. But I here to explain why." I take a sigh before talking once more

"So I sure alot people here had heard about my scratch I got when I was child and that now wrong now. It wasn't a vampire my partner wasn't a vampire either is she right now. She alive in our base in a forest very far away. Apo killed me with a skate before Owen and Pryo killed me and I met this void thing. It was the thing that st Me as a child. It said could only do this once. After I died the second time I turn in to it. " I took a deep breath

"What are you then?" ask pearl riseing her hand with a look of confusion " no idea" I told her "I going to go build my room in the crypt now" I walk down to the crypt,scott followed "you gonna have to make one from Scratch cause we ran out rooms." I sighed, i was never that good at building especially from scratch. "I can help you if you want,Avid?"

As he said that memorys of kissing him came flashing in my head. "He was cute when he turned red and when he looked- we got to stay serious scott here, we can gush over him later."

As I walk in with scott I fall from a flash of red and white. Shelby and Dift! They had knocked me over with a hug. As I look up I see scott with a light smile aimed at me that he quickly earse after he noticed I noticed it. Shelby and Dift was crying something but I couldn't quite make it out.

They got off me after at least 2 minutes of them huging me. "We missed you so much, Avid." Shelby said "also what did you mean but " I don't I a vampire anymore" did pryo or Owen somehow cure you before killing you?" Dift asked curiously after all she was a detective "the one question I wanted to avoid because I have no clue at all." I thought very worried and panic.

"I-" before I can say more scott clears his throat before speaking "we should explain infornt of all the vampires so avid don't have to waste his time explaining it later." scott said

"Did he know I didn't want to say " I think" or did he just generally didn't want me to waste time explaining to each vampire?" I think while shooting a grateful look at scott. "Then what are waiting for?" ask Shelby. A scott make a face for only a slight second but slow enough for me to make out panic?

"Is he paniced about me? Why would he be panic he has no reason to be." scott clear his throat once more" well then can you and Dift go get Owen, Pryo, Cleo and Pearl. I want to talk to avid for a minute alone." Shelby and Dift nodded and bated to town.

"Follow me" scott said leading him in to the crypt at the castle. They went to Scott's . Scott whispered "I know I told you " anytime you want" but you need to talk now either that or come up with a very good lie only for it come back to bite you." I knew I would have to tell all the vampire at some point but I didn't know this soon.

"But I don't even know what I am and I don't want to say " I think" because that one the reason they didn't believe me that Owen,you and pryo are vampires at the town meeting WHICH I WAS RIGHT! But still I worried." I said start to look down but scott lift my head.

"Well last I checked this isn't a town meeting this is you explaining how you still alive so therefore you can say " I think" as much as you want." scott said it made me laugh a little bit "so are you going explain it to me first or Wing it with Owen and Pryo president?"

"Okay, before Owen and Pryo " killed" me apo did it first and I met this void thing they they revived me.  they said they can only do it once so when Owen and Pryo thought they killed me I just went to sleep. And I saw Elle like I said she looked so similar to me but yet so different. And then I woke to you, Shelby and Dift in the crypt and you know the rest."

My head was facing away from Scott by the end. Scott lift my head towards me and he opens his mouth to speak. Before I can realize what I doing I kiss him. His soft lips meet mines. they felt warm but they were still dead cold. I noticed scott pale white face turn a light red with shock and... A little delight?

(This is a Pryo pov this chapter it is gonna be really short less than 500 words like I usually do)

"Hey Owen have you heard who alive yet?" I ask opening his door to his room. He was writing something like he always did but I pretty sure it not a book.

"No, who is it?" Owen ask without looking up. "You not gonna be very happy either am I so remember I only the messenger. The vampire who came back to life was, avid."

Owen slam his hand on his small table "WHAT! WE SKATE HIM HE DEAD WE BOTH SAW HIS DEAD BODIE!" Owen said basically yelling coming towards me.

"I know I know I in the same boat as you, Owen but we need to be worrying about if avid wants to kills us. Which he probably does. If you got killed permanently unwillingly and then came back to life you would 100% kill who killed you." I said worrying not wanting to die

"Ugh then we kill him again he probably on level one so it would be rather ea-" before Owen can finish I correct him "Shelby and dift was talking about him saying something about him not being a vampire anymore so he not on level one. But I did glimpse of him and he does have claws so that sure to make it alot harder."

After Shelby and dift bated out avid and Scott mined a staircase out of a wall. "Avid?" Scott ask looking in to my eyes "yes Scott, what wrong did something happen?" I ask Scott looking in his eyes. We were about halfway done.

Suddenly after a few seconds later Scott lunged a big hug at me. Knocking me over a bit but I regained my balance fast. "I SO SORRY AVID THIS IS MY FAULT I SHOULD HAS PROTECT YOU BETTER! I COULD HAD STOPPED THIS FROM HAPPENING! I COULD HAVE-" Scott started crying in my shoulder so the rest was hard to understand but the meaning of what he was saying was clear: he missed me a lot and thinks it his fault.

"I wonder if he missed me like I missed him." I wonder for a second

"Scott, it not your fault it Pryo's and Owen's fault. They the one that tricked and killed me." I said picking his hand up to face him "it will never ever be your fault, okay Scott." I pick up my pickaxe and started mining a staircase up.

Eventually we made it out and Scott catched me up with everything that had happened in the last week "We have 4 beacon pale forest,crypt the castle and the ruined tower. We turned pearl and she in the castle with Cleo, so Cleo is mostly fully on our side." Scott explains.

"hey um Scott so is Owen and Pryo still at the castle and still hates me?" I ask realizing if I die it might be permanent "oh 100% Pryo still calls you "a liability" and yes they both still in the castle. Owen and Pryo actually both made their own room, so now you the only one without a room. Are you going to make one?" Scott asked tiling his head at me to face me.

"Oh, maybe I might just leave the second we get all the beacons." I saying fighting fight the urge to call him cute. "I mean I have called him cute before and he didn't seem bothered about it." Just as I about to call him cute Scott start to talk "so? Me, shebbly and dift are too but we all made rooms so make one yourself.-" "you really cute you know Scott?" I interrupted Scott.

"I-thank you." Scott studded for the first time since i have even meet him. Scott empty his throat before talking "so what are you doing when you get out of here?" Scott ask clearly trying to cover up what I had said. "Well I was originally going to go home and bury my partner, Elle and then I Dunn after that. But when I "died" I saw her, she looked different like me almost but a bit different."

Scott eyes widen "but didn't you stab her with a skate in the heart? That should had killed her permanently if she was a vampire."  The castle slowly came in to view along with the moon. Which was nice since the sun still hurts me. "I-I-i-I don't think she was a vampire. Like I no longer a vampire she wasn't a vampire and I don't know what she or I am. I didn't have enough time to asked her." I explained to Scott as we start to go on the bridge.

"Now pyro, Owen tell me where you killed avid?" I ask looking in to both of theirs eyes. "Pryo seems to be more nervous while Owen seems completely content with this. Yet Pryo said he stabbed the skate in." I noted in my head.

Owen responded only a few seconds later "in the crypt, in the pit trap be careful we trick him saying it wasn't deep enough to kill. Idiot really since it killed lots of people." Owen said as Pryo stayed quiet but still makeing eye contact "that would be enough Owen I will be leaving for the crypt now." I said as I bat.

Shelby and dift joined me a second later. I bated as far as I could down and then I mined down dift and Shelby helped. All in silence we were all still mourning and seeing his dead body would not help a lot. When we finally got down his he looked... different? He had a horn and part of his arm was black and his claw seemed...sharper? I took him and hugged him.

Shelby patted me on the shoulder while looking down avoiding avid dead body. "It okay avid, we gonna try to get the town and vampires at peace and, then we gonna get you a proper funeral. And you Prather Elle we also going to buried her right by you."I whisper in avid cold dead body  just low enough for no else to hear as I put his body back on the ground while I collected my thoughts.

But a few seconds later when Shelby, Scott and dift tried to pick up his body his eyes began to open and as they did Scott, Shelby and dift let go out of fear."OW!" Avid voice screamed. "He really is alive still." said Shelby takeing a step forward with Scott and dift.

As avid eyes began to fulling open he yelled "I ALIVE?!??!" Avid stand up brushing off some dust off of him. Then we all hugged him at once. I squeezed him more than I needed to but I missed him so much. "Hey um avid what on your hand it looks kinda like a bat wings?" Dift said holding avid hand up.

"I-I-i I don't it wasn't there before, Pryo and Owen killed me...." he paused before that second part "I-i don't think I a vampire anymore. I don't feel any of the power anymore." Avid said confused shaking his head "l-let's just get back to the castle. I can make a staircase." Avid said quickly before what I guessing any of us could  question how he not a vampire anymore.

"I will help you avid you still probably weak, you just died." I said as I got out my  pickaxe "okay, that that makes sense." Owen responded only a few seconds later "in the crypt, in the pit trap be careful we trick him saying it wasn't deep enough to kill. Idiot really since it killed lots of people." Owen said as Pryo stayed quiet but still makeing eye contact "that would be enough Owen I will be leaving for the crypt now." I said as I bat.

Shelby and dift joined me a second later. I bated as far as I could down and then I mined down dift and Shelby helped. All in silence we were all still mourning and seeing his dead body would not help a lot. When we finally got down his he looked... different? He had a horn and part of his arm was black and his claw seemed...sharper? I took him and hugged him.

Shelby patted me on the shoulder while looking down avoiding avid dead body. "It okay avid, we gonna try to get the town and vampires at peace and, then we gonna get you a proper funeral. And you Prather Elle we also going to buried her right by you."I whisper in avid cold dead body  just low enough for no else to hear as I put his body back on the ground while I collected my thoughts.

But a few seconds later when Shelby, Scott and dift tried to pick up his body his eyes began to open and as they did Scott, Shelby and dift let go out of fear."OW!" Avid voice screamed. "He really is alive still." said Shelby takeing a step forward with Scott and dift.

As avid eyes began to fulling open he yelled "I ALIVE?!??!" Avid stand up brushing off some dust off of him. Then we all hugged him at once. I squeezed him more than I needed to but I missed him so much. "Hey um avid what on your hand it looks kinda like a bat wings?" Dift said holding avid hand up.

"I-I-i I don't it wasn't there before, Pryo and Owen killed me...." he paused before that second part "I-i don't think I a vampire anymore. I don't feel any of the power anymore." Avid said confused shaking his head "l-let's just get back to the castle. I can make a staircase." Avid said quickly before what I guessing any of us could  question how he not a vampire anymore.