The Dark Magical World of Alamptria (2 page)

Richard A. Valicek is in the process of creating a vampire book series that will be talked about for decades. This series is uniquely written and finely crafted to please any one. The novels are iniquitous and chilling to the bone. Lust for eternal life makes us wonder about life after death. The books make your heart beat faster and fill you with fear. Top fantasy books stay on top for a reason. The best science fiction horror books are those that you’ll read over and over again. There are other books, many of them wonderful, and there are those that are not so great. But once you read Valicek’s fantasy book
Quantum Heights
, you’ll be wondering what’s next in this series.

The Vampire

He is the hunter who preys upon humans in his lust for blood. He is the iniquitous beast with the strength of ten men. He is swift enough to dodge bullets; stealthy enough to fly into the night as a bat; capable of transformation into a wolf, into a heavy mist, or into nothing at all; and capable of suddenly vanishing in a moment. He is Dracula, the bloodsucking vampire.

These immortal creatures captivate audiences because they speak to the beast that lies inside us all. Our curiosity about these bloodsucking parasites is insatiable. Is it the horror and danger? The overwhelming desire for eternal life? A dark possibility for seduction? Or it is that they can assume human form yet possess superhuman dark powers?

It is certainly all of these. Vampires have captured the literary imagination now more than ever. Dracula is one of the most powerfully written fictional characters ever created, and the books and films in which he appears continue to intrigue audiences. No single character has managed to captivate us equally since Dracula was created over a hundred years ago. Count Dracula’s intention to survive the ages has manifested; he who hungers for eternal life and embraces the darkness by which to draw human blood shall indeed live forever.

This creature of the undead who survives on human blood pre-dates the character of Dracula and in fact stems from the Bible. The character is abandoned by his love to death, forcing him to live alone as a disciple of the devil. To exact revenge against God, he vows to turn against the church and do wrong by inflicting terror in the hearts and minds of all humans. He becomes the Antichrist, feared by all. Any who attempt to rid the earth of him or any other undead risk their lives.

The undead feast on human flesh to survive and multiply. To avoid a plague, the bravest of mortals become vampire hunters. Their quest is to rid the earth of the scourge of the undead to save humanity. Through many stories we see what the vampire hunters endure in their attempts to destroy these disciples of the devil.

The origin of the world’s most famous vampire comes from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel
Dracula
. The book touched a nerve with readers, receiving international acclaim and becoming a classic. Today it continues to inspire readers and writers alike and, like its protagonist, will likely live for an eternity.

Count Dracula is one of a faction of creatures called “the undead.” They are neither living nor dead but exist somewhere between the two states. To survive, the undead feed on the living by extracting their blood, leaving behind two puncture wounds on the neck where the blood is sucked away from the living human. In Stoker’s novel, a woman is hypnotized and taken with the count’s charm. The hunters attempt to protect her by giving her garlands of garlic to wear and place at her bedside, as the book of the undead suggests these vegetables are abhorrent to the undead. But Dracula uses his powers to persuade her; once the night is dark and she lies asleep, she senses him by the window. Willingly, she removes the garlic from around her neck. He appears in the room as mist. She opens the window and welcomes him into the room, where he reveals himself in human form. He gently caresses her, and she is overcome. When she is weakened and vulnerable, he gives in to his hunger for living blood and brings her through the transition of becoming a creature of the undead.

It is a tale like no other—a horror story of an infatuated young woman persuaded by what seems to be a fine gentleman but whose exterior houses a beast within. Any who stand in his way are doomed to a horrifying death and transition to the undead. Any human so in the thrall of an undead creature stands on the brink of his last sunset before forever being locked into a world of darkness, to roam in perpetuity through the darkness as a disciple of the devil, never to see the sun again.

Killing a vampire is difficult and has over the years been conceived of in numerous, elaborate ways. In books and films, the beast has been destroyed by fire and by the rays of the rising sun. Vampires fear the crucifix, and movies often show the vampire’s flesh burning at its touch. Holy water is known to be quite fatal to the creature, as is a wooden stake through the heart. And certainly the cleanest kill would be to decapitate the beast.

But now there is a new breed of vampire, as insidious and menacing as the darkest creature of the world of the undead. Richard A. Valicek has created a tale of twenty-third-century knights who must battle against the most dangerous vampires ever known.
Alamptria: Red Moon Rising
is an original, exciting tale that spans love and danger in a magical fantasy world interwoven with the horror of the undead. The story takes us into the world of the powerful Seaton brothers and their struggles to maintain peace in their kingdom.

Valicek’s
Alamptria
series looks at the character and mythology of Dracula through a new lens, each book taking readers deeper and deeper into the dark and powerful world of the undead in an innovative and new way. The first book,
Alamptria: Red Moon Rising
, is a complex tale, culminating in a climax that has never been seen before in literature.

Vampires have taken on their own culture in literature. Like the propagation of the undead, their stories continue to inspire writers and filmmakers to revise their tales over and over again. There is something exciting and intriguing about the vampire that has tapped into the Zeitgeist of each age. Modern audiences are insatiable for these stories. The world of Alamptria will fuel a new reader, one who is ready to delve into the intricate world of these mysterious and dangerous creatures.

Alamptria: Red Moon Rising
- Excerpt 1

The original book
Alamptria: Red Moon Rising
was set in a fifteenth-century kingdom. Although it is close to my heart, as it was my very first book, I drew away from it and decided on a twenty-third-century kingdom, making it a science fiction tale. Here are a few of the excerpts taken from
Alamptria: Red Moon Rising
, published in 2010 by AuthorHouse Publishing… enjoy!

In this first scene—an opening sequence to the story—Andromin Seaton cautiously enters a tent situated among thousands of tents on the terrain of Shillians Plateau. As he makes his acquaintance with a beautiful female, he plots to eliminate the enemy. This attractive female should have played her part more carefully, for her outcome wouldn’t have been so permanent.

***

“Don’t worry, Brutus,” she said consolingly. “The Elysians will pay.”

“There is a great force that stands in our way.”

“Yes, you talk of the Seaton brothers.”

“They are a menace.”

“You talk as if you know them well.” She gazed at him curiously.

“My lady, I’ve had my share of battles on the field, and I have experienced much. The Seatons are a great threat to us. But if they were to be eliminated…” He trailed off, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, but can it be done?” she whispered, her face sharp with excitement.

“They’re just three men. We are many. With the right tactics, we can disguise a band of our warriors.”

“What do you have in mind?” she asked, her voice devilish. “Hold that thought, Brutus. I have a bottle of very old grog. Shall I open it?”

“Indeed. It will make for a fine lubricant as we plan our attack.”

She brought the bottle over to a pile of blankets. “Come, Brutus, sit with me.” He sat down beside her and she poured. She smiled at him and winked. He caressed her arm. “Brutus, now that we have gotten to know each other, you may call me Salina.” They drank, and she poured them another. “Now then, we were discussing the elimination of the Seatons.”

“By sending a band of warriors disguised as Elysian peace keepers, men who know the ways of the Church of Christ, we can get close to the Seaton brothers and enlist them in the council’s peace initiatives. When the moment is right, and we have our men just where we want them—”

Salina immediately cut in. “Brutus, this is an inspiring plan. We get political chaos, and the Seatons will be no more.” She smirked.

“Indeed. A carefully created plot can be quite fatal,” said the knight.

“Still, what if one were to walk in and witness the extermination of the Seatons?” she asked.

“We’ll make no mistakes.”

“No.” Salina’s face was dark. “We’ll have to give this more thought. I don’t mean to offend you, but we can’t afford any mistakes. The slightest mishap could lead to terrible repercussions for those carrying out this assassination.”

“Salina, I assure you; this will work. The Seatons will fall into this trap. It will be like a dog caught in a snare.” He smirked. “Once the trap has you, it never lets go.”

“Brutus, you’re the paragon of all that is sinister, and you’re turning me on.” Salina leaned in close to his face. “Tell me more.”

“Yes, of course. But”—the knight backed up—“I really would like it if the two of us discussed it together with Agnon himself. Ah, by the way, where would Agnon be sleeping these days?” Salina gulped down her drink and smiled at the intoxicant’s warm glow.

“I’ll take you to him in the morning. But now, how do you bring warmth to a cold body?” She dropped her clothing and stood naked in front of him. “Any ideas, Brutus?”

“Yes, I know just the thing. I promise you, you’ll be dead tired by morning,” he said and reached for her. They were soon both naked on the blankets, making love like minks. During a pause, he took the bottle that lay between them and poured her another drink. In the next two hours, Salina took six more drinks. Meanwhile, the knight only sipped at his and tossed them aside when she was not looking.

Salina struggled to stay awake. Her head bowed and swayed. “Tell me, dear Salina, in which tent can I find Agnon?” Her eyes were half closed, and she didn’t appear to hear him. He gently held her chin. “Salina, I need you to focus. Where can I find Agnon?”

She peered into the knight’s face, trying to understand the question. Finally she said, “He… he is in the third tent. Third tent from the left.” With that, her head listed to the side, and the knight gently put her down.

“There, now go to sleep. Sleep it off.” He gave her a long-lasting kiss on her lips and patted her face gently. “Not bad for a Bramonian woman,” he said, smiling with satisfaction. “You’ve been very helpful, Salina. It’s unfortunate you’re on the wrong side.” He quickly dressed in a stolen combat uniform and took one last look at her naked body before covering her up. “All in a good night’s work,” he said to himself.

At a nearby table, the knight poured a toxin into a glass of grog. “I truly am sorry about this, Salina, but you leave me no choice.” He opened her mouth and poured the drink down her throat. She coughed and gagged but soon settled down into a permanent sleep. “I am sorry, but you would’ve done the same to me. Good-bye.”

Alamptria: Red Moon Rising
- Excerpt 2

Confidus is lured into a bed from within Castle Plaphorius and is seduced by a beautiful female vampire. He feels her love, and he begins to trust her. In his ignorance, he is unaware of her intensions, and his sexual appetite is on the rise, but soon he discovers the truth behind why he was brought to Castle Plaphorius. Things are really about to heat up. And the vampire has her claws at Confidus’s throat.

***

“Your skin feels so cold,” said Confidus.

“There is no warmth in this body,” said Helana.

“Then I will make it warm,” said Confidus.

“Come lay down beside me.”

Confidus undressed and lay down beside her, and they covered themselves. An hour passed by with them in a deep passionate romance. He could hear his heartbeat. But still he could not hear hers. And he wondered why her lips and body felt so cold. For as long as they were in bed she could not warm up his body. Without warning, Helana’s emotion changed. She became aggressive. Her hands possessed his body. She writhed about and gripped him with inhuman strength. He knew something was wrong; this wasn’t passion anymore.

She looked at him with wild eyes and saw the crucifix around his neck. Her face contorted, and she began to speak of great sorrow and pain, as if Confidus were not there. “Alone is my heart. I feel the pain of being alone. He doesn’t give me the warmth I seek, the suffering, the pain of being abandoned. He will not confide in me! I seek immortality! He does not wish to take it. A wretched being is he.”

“Helana, what nonsense are you talking!” replied Confidus, reaching for her.