AN - Well, seems like I'm writing fairly quickly, which is a good thing : ). Still no reviews, but it's the day after I published. Perhaps I need to study the art of pacing U-U...
Disclaimer still applies. Same as it ever was ; )
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"I need to know if she is the reincarnation of Phelios." The lingering voice of a phantom saved from extinction by the burning desire for revenge echoed in the chill air.
"How?" the mother kyawl tilted her large whiskered face toward the night sky as if she could see the specter. The undead voice whispered a reply that only the great beast could hear.
"Blood… One taste of her blood and I will know."
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Phelios put a hand on each side of the green belt wrapped around his slim hips and looked around the glen. The surrounding trees were thick and obviously much older than the ones in the east forest. The woods were silent except for the twitter of birds and chatter of small animals in the afternoon sun. Phelios figured this was somewhere north of home in one of the older unexplored woods.
"Ooh, you're good," he said, tilting his head to look at the alien skyline. It was probably getting close to two, judging by the suns position. Yara would be turning the castle upside-down looking for them. Duzell was stomping around the glen, clearly frustrated by the unfamiliar woodland. He was still in the leather vest, black undershirt, and muddied dark-brown pants he'd worn out on the hunt.
"Shut up," Duzell groused. They'd been wandering around for a while and it had become embarrassingly obvious that the brothers were nowhere near North Road. He scanned the area, eyes squinting into the tree line as if he could see the road just beyond the twined branches.
"It's okay, Bro. If there are any beasties around I'll protect you." Phelios promised, dropping a hand to rest on his sword and smiling disarmingly at his twin. Duzell only gave him a brief sideways glare out of the corner of his green eyes before snapping his gaze back to the trees.
"We'll just have to teleport back," Duzell decided after a moment of intense consideration. Phelios snorted and shook his head, blond bangs flopping across his forehead.
"No. I'm good. After this I'm not so sure I'm willing to cast in my lot with your slipshod teleportation skills." Duzell stiffened, offended by the accusation.
"My skills are not 'slipshod'," he claimed, voice cold and low. Phelios gave him a look designed for a maximum patronizing effect.
"I'd rather go back the old fashioned way, thanks. I don't fancy winding up on the other side of Razenia." Phelios firmly believed there were far worse places for the Crown Prince of Pheliosta and his younger twin to be lost in than a forest. Like a dungeon, for instance…
"Don't talk nonsense. I've never even been to Razenia before," Duzell quipped, a little testy after his failure. "You can't teleport anywhere you haven't been before."
"Have you ever been here?" Pheilos supplied, raising a golden eyebrow. Duzell moved to snap a comeback, but the words stuck in his throat as he looked around. Maybe it did look familiar… Like something out of a past life… As he looked at the trees he seemed to half-remember something, but when he tried to grab hold of it the memory slipped from him like a shadow. Duzell thought he might have been here before, but hadn't everything been taller?
"There's a village nearby!" Duzell announced with a sudden, unprecedented confidence.
"How do you know that?" Phelios demanded, trotting alongside his twin as Duzell took off into the tree line. There wasn't doubt in the question, just curiosity. Duzell shook his head, long black hair swishing across his lower back, and concentrated on navigating. Phelios seemed content to follow along behind and was rewarded for his faith when the trees thinned and the creeping grey curl of chimney smoke could be made out in the distance.
"Way to go, Bro! I forgive you for getting us lost!" Phelios exclaimed with a wide grin, rushing ahead towards the village. Duzell smirked triumphantly and quickened his strides to keep pace with the fair prince. As they neared the village, the two boys stumbled upon a fenced off pasture where a ranch hand was dumping feed into a corral. "Hello, there!" Phelios called, waving an arm in salutation. The hand looked up, surprised, then smiled and returned the wave, setting down the feedbag and walking to the edge of the fence to greet them.
"G'day," he chimed, resting his forearms on the wooden cross-post. He only appeared to be a few years older than the twins and his face was smudged over with sweat and dirt.
"Man, are we happy to see you! My friend and I are travelers from over west and we've been trying to get to Pheliosta Castle, but we've gotten really turned around." Phelios spun the lie with practiced ease, even throwing in a sheepish grin and chuckle for good measure. The cowboy nodded along, reaching up to scratch his chin.
"Travelers, eh? Well, you're not all that far off from the Main Road. After that, it's maybe a five-hours trip, if you don't have horses. Y'an't the first to pass through here, neither. There's another man that's come just this morning. He's at the tavern. We don't get many passerby through here," the hand explained, flashing a toothy grin.
"Tavern sounds nice. Don't suppose you could point us in the direction?" Phelios prompted. The hand nodded, straightening up to scramble over the fence. With a wave of his tattered glove, he beckoned for the twins to follow him as he walked past the stable toward a tiny town that couldn't possibly have a population exceeding a hundred.
"'Ere's the Tavern. You can get directions there. The main road is just a little past that well there, by the cobblers, see?" he pointed. Phelios nodded along, thanking the good fellow before letting him return to his work. The hand nodded once, wished them luck on their journey, and left. Wasting no time, Phelios approached the little single story building, taking in the entire town in the time it took to walk twenty feet. Duzell followed behind him, more like a shadow than a traveling companion, green eyes inspecting the town in a practiced, cool manner.
Inside the tavern was just as warm as outside. Despite the hour, several of the town's residents seemed to be sitting down for either a pre-dinner or post-lunch pint. The barmaid looked up as the boys entered. Her face broke into a bright smile and she waved the newcomers over to the bar. Phelios and Duzell slid onto the bar stools, Phelios immediately striking up a conversation with the friendly bartender while she brought them each a beer and took their depleted canteens to fill with water.
Duzell ignored the proffered beverage, choosing to stare moodily at the opposite wall instead. So much for an adventure. If he'd known all they were going to do was get lost in Nowheresville he would have preferred sitting through Yara's dumb Magic lesson. Duzell heard his brother introduce them as 'Krai' and 'Jill'. What a waste of an afternoon. Sliding off the stool, he decided this was the perfect opportunity to hunt up a restroom.
Heading straight for a promising doorway to the back of the tavern, Duzell didn't even notice the man in his intended path rising from his seat until Duzell was inches from him. The prince stopped short, barley a noses-width away from choppy crimson hair and a pair of penetrating blue eyes that almost made Duzell shrink back beneath their intensity. That was, until those blue eyes widened in surprise.
"Du?" the man rasped, taking in the long black hair and serious green eyes with amazement. There was a moment of shocked silence where the two regarded each other curiously before the man's confusion blinked away and a look of realization passed through his haunted sunken-in eyes. "The young Prince," the man said, inclining his head, and stepping out of the way. It was Duzell's turn to look shocked, his eyes immediately searching the crowd for his father or any other guard that might have been sent after the twins. When no familiar disapproving face presented itself, Duzell let out a yielding sigh of relief. This seemed to key the mysterious man in to their situation.
"If you're going back to the castle, you should wait here until morning. It's not wise to travel at night without escort," the man imparted, gaze flickering to the happily occupied boy sitting at the bar. It was only then Duzell was able to take in the man's full appearance. The stranger was perhaps an inch or so taller than he, wearing half-armor, a sword, and a travelers cloak. He looked less than thirty and was youthful in body, blue-eyed, crimson-haired, but seemed tired and worn in a way not physical. Duzell narrowed green eyes.
"Then my parents didn't send you?" The man glanced at him, seemingly amused by the young Prince's assumption. A half-smile pulled at his lips as he slowly shook his head.
"Stay here until morning," the man repeated, inclining his head once again before pushing gently past the Prince and disappearing through the tavern door. Pondering the strange encounter, Duzell proceeded to the facilities and returned to his brother, still brightly chatting away with a woman ten years his senior and clearly flirting with him.
"We should leave," Duzell murmured, interrupting the conversation. Pheilos glanced up in surprise, tilting his head to the side and staring inquiringly at his brother. "I want to set out," Duzell elaborated. Phelios shrugged, taking Duzell's vague explanation as motivation enough. He produced two gold pieces from his pocket for the beer, bid his farewells with the barmaid, and exited the tavern with Duzell. Phelios immediately set out in the direction of the old well the ranch hand had pointed out earlier.
"You know where we're going?" Duzell questioned as Phelios took a right at the well, heading for a dirt road running across a field in the distance.
"Yup. Sandra gave me directions." The barmaid. "It's not difficult, since the road doesn't really branch out much. We just follow it for twelve miles or so." Phelios glanced back at his brother. "So why did you really want to leave? Bored already?"
"Yes," Duzell supplied, not willing to go into his encounter with the stranger. Phelios shot him a knowing smile.
"That man wasn't looking for us, was he?" Duzell grunted in surprise. It made sense his brother would have noticed him talking to the mysterious traveler. The fair-haired prince wasn't blind, after all, and he was aggravatingly attentive to most every move his little brother made.
"No. I think he recognized me, though." Phelios let out a contemplative hum from low in his throat, folding his arms behind his head as he walked, their full canteens slung over his shoulder and bouncing against his side with each stride. He looked at the sky. The sun would be setting pretty soon. "He said we should wait for morning," Duzell added, staring at the pockets of light and shadow on the trees.
"It's a pretty fair idea. There are probably monsters this far north. Maybe even vampires," Phelios cautioned, glancing back at the rapidly retreating town. Duzell scoffed at the suggestion.
"There aren't vampires around here. This is human territory," he stated confidently. Phelios failed to look entirely convinced. His concern melted away fairly quickly as a mischievous glint crept into his wide blue eyes.
"That's funny, coming from you," Phelios teased. Duzell scowled at him out-right.
"Excuse me, Saint Phelios. It's not my fault your parents are half-wits. Considering their combined IQ it's a miracle I'm as intelligent as I am," Duzell complained. At least his mother was clever. Darres was just plain thick, in Duzell's estimation.
"Well, there's no need to worry, I suppose," Phelios said. "Even if there were vampires or monsters I'll protect you. I'd cast 'La Gamme' for you, Duzie." He was smiling and his tone was comforting, but the words still sent a shiver down Duzell's spine.
"Don't say that! I hate it," Duzell spat, trying to shake off the feeling of cold. That spell gave him the creeps. Yara had shown them the spell book for it once and he'd flatly refused ever to look at it again. Phelios gave a broad smile, putting a consoling arm around his brother's shoulders despite their four-inch height difference. Phelios grinned, remembering the days when Duzell would cry when his twin mentioned that spell. Paradoxically enough, this was usually directly after a bout of Duzell promising to kill Phelios.
The twins walked on in this manner, keeping a good pace as they traveled. The road changed from dirt to stone depending on it's proximity to a town. They passed farmland and forest, all the while their shadows growing longer as the sun hurried toward the west horizon. They were three hours out and between towns when the sun finally set. The boys paced subtly increased and their conversation dwindled to silence as they moved, eyes warily scanning the roadsides.
"Bandits don't come this close in to the castle," Phelios mumbled in an attempt to be reassuring. Duzell didn't reply. He was thinking of the dagger at his side and fingering the long wood bow he'd carried with him since the morning's hunt.
There was a sound from within the tree line. Both boys froze. Phelios' hand rested on the hilt of his sword and a Holy Spell hung ready on his lips. Duzell had his bow down and stung, his hand hovering in case he need to draw an arrow from the quiver. The sound came again, a low keening noise from somewhere within the trees. The boys listened intently and gradually began to make out the soft wails of someone crying. The boys looked at each other, relaxing slightly, but still apprehensive. The cry came again, this time clear and mournful. Phelios scrambled into the bush in hot pursuit of the cries and after a moment of hesitation Duzell followed suit.
Pushing shadowy limbs and leafy tangles aside, Phelios followed the soft crying until he emerged in a tiny clearing created primarily by two forest oaks on either side whose labyrinthine roots occupied the majority of the forest floor. Sitting on a root, clutching her leg to her shivering body was a young woman. She looked up at Phelios' approach batting big light-brown eyes. Phelios rushed to the maiden, kneeling gallantly beside her.
"What's the matter, miss? Are you hurt?" She ducked her head, scrubbing the tears from her eyes with a pale hand. Phelios quickly produced a handkerchief and offered it to the weeping lady.
"M-my leg," she stuttered out, possessively clutching the limb to her chest.
"It's all right," Phelios said in a soothing tone, gently extending his hand toward her. "If you'll pardon me, may I see?" he asked leaning over her and dropping his chin to look down at the leg and exposing his pale neck. The girl released the leg and slowly entwined her arms across Phelios back and shoulder. "Miss?" he began, starting to lean back from the contact. She hushed him and drew him closer.
"Oh, please. Please help," she whispered, her head coming to rest at the crook of his shoulder. "Please help," she repeated, lifting her head so her cool breath played across the hairs on the back of his neck. Soft lips brushed against his escalating pulse. There was a sharp whistle and a twang as an arrow embedded itself directly into where the woman had been sitting.
"Get away from him!" The woman's arms were gone and Phelios could only look round in bewilderment. His eyes lighted on his twin, bow drawn and expression livid, full lips pressed into a grimace. Phelios' gaze snapped to where his brother was glaring. The woman stood with her back to a tree, her expression feral. The shadows that created the light-brown tint to her eyes were gone and in the moonlight the blood red color of her eyes was revealed. If that hadn't been enough to give her away, the sudden manifestation of giant bat wings would have been. Phelios was stunned, staring motionlessly at snarling creature baring her fangs at them.
She moved again and in a blink was charging down the younger prince. Duzell leased the bow, an arrow lodging in her chest. The vampire barely flinched and continued barreling toward the black-haired boy. Duzell drew his dagger, but she was upon him. Launching to his feet, Phelios parted his lips, remembering Holy Magic was the only means of bringing the creature down. He hurried to cast a spell, but the vampire's fangs were already at his brother's shoulder. She bit down and Duzell cried out.
The next several seconds was a mad flurry of bewildering activity. The vampire screamed, casting herself away from Duzell and cowering before him, wailing in genuine terror. The spell, half-cast, died on Phelios lips. Duzell was breathing heavily, clasping a hand to his freely bleeding shoulder, staring at the shrieking vampire. No one moved as the vampire's wails filled the clearing.
"Forgive me! Forgive me, My Lord! I did not know! Forgive me!" she shrieked. The twins stared in open astonishment, wondering if this was some other trick or if the creature was mad. Phelios decided not to take chances. He began the spell again. The vampire gave another squeal of terror and took off into the night sky as fast as her wings could carry her. The brothers waited breathless in strained silence, expecting the evil creature to return at any moment. When it became apparent that she truly had fled Phelios snatched up the dropped handkerchief he'd given to the vampire and rushed to his brothers side, pressing the cloth to the bite.
"What is this madness?" Phelios muttered, tending to his brothers shoulder. The wound was already clotting and it appeared that not all that much blood had been lost. Duzell stared wide-eyed after the vampire, silent as the grave. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have rushed off," Phelios moaned. Duzell looked back at his distressed sibling. The blond's brow was creased in worry and self-reproach. Duzell brought his hand up to rest over the pale hand pressing the kerchief to the bite.
"I'm all right," Duzell said, gently pulling Phelios hand away. He checked under the cloth. "It's not even bleeding anymore." Phelios nodded and pulled away, calming his pounding heart. Duzell was sheathing his dagger, the stained handkerchief still resting on his shoulder. Duzell stared almost vacantly at the ground, his hair creating a curtain that framed his face, lost in thought. Phelios glanced longingly toward the road no longer visible through the trees and the dark.
"Let's go. We're not very far now and I don't want us out here a minute longer than we have to be," Phelios said. His voice seemed to jolt his pensive sibling to activity. Duzell nodded, following his twin back to the road. They walked in silence, stepping quickly and carefully as if trying to muffle any noise of their existence. Phelios' clenching grip on his sword had drained his knuckles white. Though Duzell had yet to sling his bow over his shoulder, he held the weapon slack as if not quite registering its presence. His green eyes were focused on the road as he trailed after his brother. Phelios set their pace just short of a run, pressing onward with all possible haste.
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TBC