I Only Love My Greatest Enemy

“You’re from the future? No way!” Lucia shouted.

“I received a blessing from Chronos. He let me turn back time, but only once,” Armand didn’t bother hiding his more mature speech patterns.

“Why would Chronos bless you? He hates humans,” she said.

“That’s a long story, but right now, I believe you require proof that I’m from the future,” he stated.

“Yeah! If you’re from the future, prove it!” Lucia demanded.

“Our father has a secret compartment where he keeps a book known as the Inheritance Book. The only people who should know about this book are him, Mother, you, Charles, and Mortimer. That book is to be taken out upon the head of the household’s death and given to the new head or the regent,” Armand said.

Lucia’s eyes widened in shock.

“That book contains a list of everyone who was ever considered for leadership of the house, as well as all our records of succession. Mother and Father showed it to you because if Charles dies, they intend for you to be his next heir. That’s why Father hasn’t arranged a marriage for you yet. He’s been trying to find a noble family that’s willing to matrilineally marry you.”

“Then…you already knew,” she said.

“I didn't. I told you that I'm from the future. That's how I knew. I'll give you more proof,” Armand nodded.

Armand unleashed a barrage of thrusts with his short pike. He went hard and fast through the air. The boy ended by throwing his pike into a tree. Then, he drew his sword so fast that Lucia almost thought he’d had it in his hand from the start. Still, Armand breathed heavily.

“You should have collapsed after that,” Lucia stated.

“In the future, I learned magic that took away my sickliness. I used one of those spells already, and I have two more left,” Armand said.

“Then…you really are from the future! That’s so cool!”

“Please don’t tell anyone,” he told her.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because no one would believe you. And even if they did, if certain people found out I was from the future, they’d assassinate me. I'm too much of a risk for them to leave me alive. It would also complicate things. If more people know I'm from the future, it'll change the timeline more. That could remove my ability to predict future events,” Armand answered.

“I only trusted Eris with this because I know that she doesn’t share knowledge easily, and some of her enemies might try to use my knowledge of the future to benefit them. So, I can hold the fact that I remember the future over her head if I have to.”

“How old were you when you came back?” Lucia wondered.

“I was 25,” Armand said.

“Were you the head of the house?”

“Yes.”

“Mother and Father said you wouldn’t last more than three years if you were the leader, but you made it to…how long were you head?” Lucia asked.

“I became head of the house when I was 10, so 15 years,” he answered.

"Well, I was technically the head since I was 9, but Mortimer was in charge until I assassinated him. I couldn't call myself the head of House Concord while he lived," Armand thought.

“Then Mother and Father were wrong about you.”

“Yes, but that’s not important,” Armand stated. “In the future, everyone in our family except me is going to die.”

Lucia’s face turned grim.

“We are?”

“Yes, but we can stop it, and I want your help,” he said.

“Alright! I’ll make sure you’re the head of the house!” Lucia nodded.

“All that matters is that I have influence in House Concord. I don’t need to be its leader,” Armand stated.

“No! We’re not losing you to the Hapsburgs! I won’t let it happen!”

“We'll talk about this later,” he said. “First, I need to perform the second ritual. The second ritual I need to cure my sickliness is easier than the first, but it also takes more time. I need you to keep anyone from seeing me.”

“You got it! I’ll…”

Lucia started; however, the clip-clop of hooves drew her attention away. Their parents approached on horseback. Mortimer was with them. Armand kept his composure, forcing a smile.

“Father, Mother, Mortimer, you were going for a ride?” he asked.

“No. We received some important letters,” Count Concord dismounted.

He approached Armand and handed him an envelope. The boy looked at it. Armand grimaced when he saw the Hapsburg family crest on its seal. He opened it, pulling out the letter that Eris sent him. Armand read it with care.

“The sole light? Eris always knows how to bring up bad memories. Every time people called me that, I remembered how all my friends died. She mentioned Mortimer too. Does she know the truth about what he did? No, she couldn’t have known. Eris would have used it to torment me if she did. Eris must have figured it out. Well, I doubt Eris knows for sure, but she should at least be almost certain of it.”

“House Hapsburg wishes for you to marry their daughter,” Countess Concord smiled. “And she seems to have taken a liking to you.”

“I must object to this marriage once again. There is no need for any of your children to marry into a rival house,” Mortimer said.

“Because that will put me out of your influence, at least how my parents plan it,” Armand thought.

“We can gain too much from this marriage. Armand, we’re leaving tomorrow. You’ll stay at House Hapsburg for a month to get to know them better. I’ll convince Count Hapsburg to let you stay myself,” Count Concord stated.

“Fuck!” Armand thought.

With that, the count, the countess, and Mortimer rode off.

“Lucia, if we’re going to save our parents, we need to hurry,” Armand said.

Armand grabbed an axe, a wooden stake, a mallet, a knife, and a chicken. He then ran out of the castle with Lucia following him.

“Dammit all! Eris always finds new ways to frustrate me! I should have killed her when I had the chance. Because of her, I have to risk turning Lucia…” he grits his teeth.

“Do we have to be this fast?” Lucia asked.

“By the time I get back, it’ll be too late. Lucia, a month from now, a plague will hit Concord County. A month and a half from now, our parents will die from it,” Armand answered.

“Why couldn’t my parents have waited a bit longer? I know they want to make sure I marry into the Hapsburg family, but they couldn’t have waited 15 days for my 9th birthday?” he thought.

“How can we save them?” Lucia questioned.

“At least she’s calm under pressure,” that brought a smile of pride to Armand’s face. “First, I need to do the second ritual.”

The chicken struggled in Armand’s arms as he carried it.

“Then, I’m going to need your help. Even with that ritual, I won’t be strong enough to do this on my own. But we might be able to together.”

“What do you need?” Lucia spoke.

“We’re going into the basement of the abandoned church on the outskirts of the city. Then, we’re going to open a coffin in it,” Armand said.

“There aren’t any coffins there,” she stated.

“There shouldn’t be, but there is one. We’re going to drive this wooden stake into the heart of the corpse in the coffin. Then, we’re going to cut its head off,” he replied.

“Why are we doing something that barbaric?” Lucia asked.

“You’ll see when we get there. But I just need your help opening the coffin. After that, you should leave before I start. Keep a watch and make sure no one comes inside,” Armand answered.

“The Nosfer aren’t the only ones behind this plague, and I don’t want Lucia to suffer the fate I did. She should at least be an adult before something like that happens.”

“Okay,” Lucia said.

“I still can’t fully trust Lucia. She kept a lot of information hidden from me for years, but she's still my sister. She must have been conflicted between her loyalty to me and to our parents. Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep that loyalty on my side and keep her safe,” Armand thought.

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They arrived at a crumbling, roofless stone building. Once, it was a great church that stood taller than any other building in Concordia. Diabolists, however, had desecrated it long ago.

The Count Concord of the time was worried that diabolists might target the church again, so he ordered it abandoned and built a new church inside the city which he could better protect. For a while, guards entered the church to make sure nothing was happening in it. However, that practice eventually ended.

“Stay at the door and keep anyone from getting inside,” Armand commanded. “And no matter what I do, what you hear, don’t stop the ritual.”

“Okay,” Lucia nodded.

The boy went behind a stone pillar and took a deep breath. He put the stake and axe to the side.

“I consecrate thee to my flesh,” Armand said.

He raised the chicken above his head with one hand and slit its throat with the other. Blood poured over his head. Armand kept his eyes open, letting the liquid fill them. His eyes stung as they turned red.

“May my weakness fade like the night fades into dawn,” he opened his mouth, letting the chicken’s blood drain into it.

Armand grasped the chicken with both hands. He slowly crushed it. Over 15 minutes, the chicken’s blood, organs, flesh, and bones were squeezed out of its body and into Armand’s mouth.

When there was nothing left of the chicken, Armand collapsed to his knees. He gagged and hacked. Blood poured out of his eyes, pooling on the ground below him. Armand heaved. His body convulsed as his eyes returned to their normal color.

Black bile spewed from Armand’s mouth. It was coated in bones and feathers. The boy threw up so much of the substance that he should have died from dehydration. When the bile touched the ground, it evaporated into the air.

Armand took deep breaths after the last of the bile was expelled from his body. He stood up, reinvigorated. A smile crossed his face.

“My sickliness is almost gone. I just need one last ritual to get rid of it entirely and banish it forever. Then, the other rituals I know will improve my healthy body,” he thought.

The boy walked to the door. Lucia was waiting there. She hugged her brother the moment she saw him.

“Armand, I was so worried about you! I heard all sorts of horrible sounds! I was so scared!” tears leaked from her eyes.

“I wish I could hold her in my arms and comfort her, but we don’t have much time. People in the castle will probably wonder where we’re at, and someone might have seen us going to the church,” he thought.

Armand gave his sister a quick hug that he broke fast. He picked up the stake, mallet, and axe.

“Follow me into the church’s basement.”

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Armand and Lucia walked down the stairs behind the pulpit, the stench of stale air flowing into their nostrils. They stepped into a long and wide room. Streams of sunlight from the cracks in the church floor above illuminated the room. There was a lone stone coffin in the center. Armand marched to it. He put down the stake, mallet, and axe. Then, Armand grabbed the lid.

“Lucia, over here,” he said.

“Are you sure we should do this?” she asked.

“I am. Trust me. You’ll know why when you see what’s inside,” Armand stated.

Lucia walked over with reluctant steps. The two of them pushed the coffin lid with all their might. Their muscles strained, but they managed to push it off. Then, Lucia looked inside. Her eyes widened in shock and terror.

There was an emaciated, hairless, naked man in the coffin. He had two slits where his nose should be, pointed ears, and massive eyes. Armand reached down to open the man’s mouth. Jagged, rat-like teeth lined the jaws.

“What is that thing?” Lucia shuddered.

“He’s a Nosfer. They’re undead monsters that spread plagues. We need to kill as many of them as we possibly can. Now, go up the stairs to the basement entrance and make sure no one comes down here,” Armand instructed.

“No,” Lucia said.

“What do you mean, no?” he asked.

“I’m not leaving you alone down here with that thing!” she answered.

“I mean it, Lucia. You don’t want to be down here.”

“You’re right, but I don’t care!"

“Please, Lucia, trust me,” Armand begged.

“I do, but I don’t want you to be alone with that monster! What if it wakes up?” she said.

“It isn’t the Nosfer that I’m worried about,” he thought.

“If the Nosfer wakes up, you won’t be able to stop it. I need you at the entrance to get help if it does.”

Lucia pondered that for a moment.

“Okay, I’ll stay there. But don’t do anything stupid,” she commanded.

“I won’t,” Armand promised.

Lucia left the room, and Armand took a deep breath. He picked up the stake and mallet. The boy placed the stake over the Nosfer’s heart and slammed the mallet into it. Red blood welled up from the creature. Armand slammed the mallet down again and again. Soon, the stake was embedded deep in the Nosfer.

Then, Armand picked up the axe. He hoisted it in two hands and climbed into the coffin. Armand stood over the Nosfer’s body and slammed his weapon onto its neck. It smashed down. The creature’s throat split open.

Armand swung the axe again. It took six swings before he decapitated the monster. By then, the boy’s arms were sore, and he was taking heavy breaths.

A faint noise came to Armand’s ears. He sensed a presence behind him. The boy closed his eyes and prepared for what would come next.

“To think that a mere child would kill a Nosfer. And that you’d know what they were already. That is most impressive," a voice said.

“Just turn me into a moroi already, Dominus Nerva,” Armand replied.

“You also know who and what I am. Quite fascinating. And here I thought we kept our existence a secret so well,” the voice stated. “I could use someone like you.”

Armand felt himself getting raised into the air.

“I trust that I don’t need to tell you what a moroi is?” Nerva asked.

“A living vampire. I’ll grow normally, be slightly more durable, and heal much faster than a normal human. And I’ll feel horrible pain when I haven’t had enough blood to drink. It’ll be so much pain that I’ll wish I was dead. And when I die, I’ll turn from a moroi into a strigoi,” Armand answered.

“Very good. Don’t worry. You won’t lose yourself. Now, to…”

“I have one question first,” Armand interrupted him. “Why didn’t you stop me from killing the Nosfer?”

“Quite bold of you to interrupt a strigoi. However, I respect your courage. So, I will answer you: just because I fear the Bird of Death doesn’t mean I’m a friend of the Nosfer.”

With that, Armand felt hollow fangs pierce his neck. Dominus Nerva drained the boy's blood and replaced it with his own.

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Armand exited the church basement with a heavy heart.

“Thank the gods that moroi can drink animal blood, but how can I get that at the Hapsburg estate without being seen? Eris will be keeping a close watch on me. I can’t let her know that I’m a moroi,” he thought.

“Did everything go alright?” Lucia asked.

“I killed the Nosfer,” Armand answered.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“That’s my clever sister. And to answer your question, no. I was hit by a curse, but I knew this would happen. I didn’t tell you to spare you from getting hit too,” he said.

“Becoming a Moroi is a horrible thing, but it has its advantages. Some people would welcome it as a blessing. I'll give Lucia the option of becoming a moroi, but only when she’s an adult and can make the decision for herself. And after I’m sure I can trust her,” Armand thought.

“A curse? Shouldn’t we get it cured?” worry crossed Lucia’s face.

“Don’t worry about it. I lived with this curse for 15 years before. I can handle it. Besides, there is no cure.”

“That’s horrible,” Lucia said.

“Yes, but let’s get on to other business. First, do you still intend to make me our family’s heir?” Armand asked.

“I do,” she answered. “You know the future! You’d be perfect!”

“I only know the future until I’m 25. I know nothing beyond that point,” he said.

“There are probably more disasters waiting for us after then.”

“That still means you’re more experienced,” Lucia replied.

“Are you certain? Me becoming the heir could lead to problems. Charles and I might become enemies. You and I might become enemies,” Armand pointed out.

“I’ll talk to Charles about this. He’ll agree with me,” she stated. “And if you don’t let me make you the heir, I won’t help you anymore.”

“Then it looks like I don’t have any choice. In any case, me being the heir isn't a bad thing. It'll ensure that I have influence in the House of Concord,” he thought.

“Meet me in the solar tonight. I’ll tell you what I need you to do,” Armand said

Armand and Lucia returned to the castle, getting scolded by their mother for staying away too long without telling anyone where they went. The children went to bed, and Armand snuck out first. Lucia joined him half an hour later.

“What do you need me to do?” Lucia asked.

“First, don’t talk to father or mother about me being from the future. They won’t listen to a child,” Armand answered.

“Okay,” she nodded.

“Next, do you have a way of getting to the Inheritance Book?” he said.

“I do. I know where Father, Mother, and Mortimer keep their keys. They always leave one set at home in case something happens to the other two when they’re traveling.”

“Then, take the book after we leave and before Mother and Father get back. Hide it somewhere they’ll never find it, and put this letter in the secret compartment,” Armand stated.

He handed Lucia the letter.

“You will not steal my birthright. It’s amazing how much saving just one person can change,” she read it.

Lucia seemed confused.

“I thought you’d make some big scheme.”

“Big schemes have their place, but I’ve never been a fan of them. The larger the scheme, the more likely it is that someone will figure it out. This letter will be enough until I get back from the Hapsburg estate,” Armand said.

“What can one letter do?” Lucia asked.

“A few things. First, the words “you will not steal my birthright.” This is me telling our parents that I know about their plan. They don’t know that you told me, so they’ll think I’m somehow spying on them. If they ask you if you told me, lie to them. Make sure it’s convincing.”

“I’ll do my best,” she stated.

“Next, “It’s amazing how much saving just one person can change.” This will imply that I’m more in contact with the Hapsburgs than they think and that I saved Eris to get the Hapsburgs on my side. That should make them think I’m not hopelessly nice,” Armand said.

“Is that why you saved her?” Lucia questioned.

“No. And me saving her was a horrible mistake on my part,” he sighed. “Just know this: do not trust Eris. She is not a good person.”