Dragul vs Devil Part I

Part I: Death's Dream

   There are few things in the world that can actually scare a vampire.
   It was dark where he stood, but he could just as easily see his snow white gloves. Something was very wrong, and he knew it. The darkness then began to move. He thought it was a trick of the eye, but in the darkness, he swore he saw a large thundering shadow move. From one end to the other, whatever it was, it was getting closer. He knew that eventually he would have to do something, but first he had to see his foe first.
   Then suddenly, he heard the familiar voice. It spoke Italian, but in English, the vaguely familiar voice said, There are things I have kept secret from you, my young vampire.
   Suddenly, the dark turned to flames that glowed in a ghastly green and a heart shattering blue. His head started to moan and groan, his ears felt like they were going to pop out of his head, he was confused. He put his hands over his enormous ears, but it was no use. The smoke that rose over the flames formed shadows of the people he had met in previous lives. A woman with beautiful red eyes, a mouse with fangs, a cat with a hat, a cow and a horse, a dog, all of them flashed before his eyes, almost mocking him and his pain.
   He yelled to nowhere, "STOP IT! MAKE IT STOP! WHAT IS GOING ON!"
   Suddenly, the shadows disappeared, and the noise stopped. But he still seemed on edge. Then suddenly, from the flames, came the face of the devil. He was uglier than death, with a smile that broke bones, and horns that could pierce through a mountain. In one clawed hand, he held a mouse with sweet, kind red eyes. She screamed in pain as her black fur turned gray and she aged rapidly. In the monster's other hand was a black rabbit with a brown leather jacket and top hat. He struggled, but could not get away. Soon, he too turned gray and aged.
   "Ah, you are the Mickey that he spoke so proudly of," the monster said to him, "Well, I know you are weak! I kill most of my victims through their sanity. I see that the only way to get to you is by your heart! And I will destroy every single thing you hold near and dear!"
   The two victims in his hands turned into crows and then pounced on Mickey.
   The world suddenly went dark.

   Count Mickey Dargul woke up in a cold sweet, recollecting himself from the nightmare he had just seen. It had all seemed too real, every single detail was precise. Somehow he had recognized the monster who taunted him, yet Mickey had no idea who he was. It was two hours before sunrise as Mickey sprang up from his coffin toward the balcony that overlooked the dark forest.
   Mickey was not the tallest mouse alive, but he was the kindest. But, he was like the modern day HULK, if mad he would unleash a dark power that no mortal man or animal would ever survive. Mickey hated using this power, hated every single aspect about it. His father, Vlad, had called this the 'dark magic'. Vlad had used this several times, not even hesitating for one second. Mickey remembered his father as a cold blooded murderer. He would've killed Mickey too, had it not been for his mother.
   His mother was the only mortal soul who had tamed his father. Mickey still didn't understand how.
   Mickey looked down off the balcony and at the spires that made up his not-so-humble castle home. Since Mickey was a vampire, being social and inviting was not an option. People had always feared the Draguls, they were by far the most despised people in all of Italy. Mickey was lucky he had some friends, or else he would've gone crazy all alone in his castle. Well, not exactly all alone…
   "Mickey, are you alright?" came a voice that sounded like the bird's song. Mickey turned to see his soul mate, Mina, standing on the far other side of the balcony. Mina was as beautiful as Everest was high, she had hair that ran to her shoulders, red eyes like Mickey, and wore a silk white night gown that reflected the moon's warming glow. Somehow fate had brought Mina and Mickey together against all odds.
   Mina had ran away from her Uncle Scrooge's mansion in an attempt to escape marriage to the selfish Lord Mortimer. Now, she lived her life as a vampire alongside Mickey, her true love.
   "Oh, I am fine," Mickey replied, still fixated on the moon. Then, he saw the creature's eyes in the night sky stare down onto him. He looked away in fear, then asked Mina, "Do you believe that dreams can predict the future?"
   "A friend of my uncle, once told me that a dream is a wish your heart makes," Mina replied as she walked over to Mickey.
   The troubled vampire said to himself, "Figures. My heart is black and cold, thus is creates something equally as terrible."
   "What was that?" Mina asked, suddenly concerned.
   "Nothing," Mickey said, trying not to trouble her. Mickey knew better than to lie to his life mate, but she was in the dream. She had been under the spell of whatever the monster was, and Mickey didn't want her to be concerned. Mickey assumed her life was depressing enough, giving up her mortal soul, never again being able to tan in the rich warmth of the sun. Mickey would have never known he had always been a beast of the night.
   "Why do you ask of dreams, my sweet?" Mina asked. Mickey sometimes thought Mina had physic powers.
   The vampire then fibbed, "I was dreaming of you and von Helsing."
   Mickey was talking about Oswald van Helsing, the vampire hunter who was once hired by Mina's uncle Scrooge McDuck to bring Mina back home. He was indeed in Mickey's dream, but also suffered the same fate that Mina had. Mickey wondered if he should talk to him.
   "What were we doing?"
   "What?" Mickey was caught wondering off in his thoughts.
   "In your dream, what were we all doing?"
   "Oh, we were roasting."
   "Like out campouts?"
   "Uh, yeah sure, we'll go with that."
   Mina stepped over to her love and kissed him tenderly under the stars. For a second, Mickey felt warm and cool all over. More than anything in the world, he loved Mina, and he didn't want to see her get hurt. As soon as she went back to bed, he headed for his friend in the crystal bowl, the majestic and wise Madam Leota. But, when he got to the door that lead to her tower, he paused. Something in the back of his mind was telling him not to. Madam Leota might tell Mina, and this could help lead to her doom. Mickey decided the best thing to do was to go see Van Helsing.
   He quickly ran to the stables where he kept his horses, but before he could saddle up his own black stallion, he was pounced on by a mass of gray fur. It was a wolf, with large eyes, sharp knife like fangs, and well groomed fur. But Mickey knew better than to fear his pet…
   "You're getting better Pluto," Mickey informed his pet, "But next time try to add some foam, will ya'? Now THAT would send some shivers up my spine!"
   At that moment, Pluto began fobbing at the mouth, sending spit on Mickey's face. BLECH!
   Suddenly, Pluto switched from aggressive to cute and playful and began to lick Mickey playfully in the face. Mickey had found Pluto as a pup, abandoned in the woods. Cold, half starved, and alone, Mickey took the pup home and raised the wolf as his own. They have been best friends since.
   The duo was soon off through the woods toward Oswald's humble home in the middle of the forest. Unlike Mickey's castle, Oswald's house was only two stories tall and made of wood. It was painted green to camouflage with  the trees, and the roof was made of various wood scraps and pine needles. Mickey tied the stallion's reigns up to the front porch pole then walked up the porch steps, followed by Pluto. The vampire than knocked on the door, and was answered by a cat.
   This cat was Oswald's wife, Ortensia van Helsing. She was beautiful, not as knock dead gorgeous as Mina, but still radiant. To Oswald, she was the only woman in the world. Like Oswald, she also had a brave spirit, and on some occasions had saved Oswald's own life.
   "Mickey, what the blazes are you doing here?" Ortensia asked. It was half an hour before dawn.
   "I need to speak to your husband," Mickey replied.