A/N: Back again, folks! Anyway, once again before I get started, I heavily recommend that you read William King's 'Gotrek and Felix' books from the Black Library, even if just as good old-fashioned 'dumb action-fantasy fun'. They were a major inspiration for this story, and the books themselves are excellent.
As forewarning, starting from next week most AN's will be fanboy rants on recently previewed Dark Ascension cards.
One last quick note, I'm not 100% sure if I'm correct, but I'm using Stromkirk (From Stromkirk Noble/Stromkirk Patrol) as the capital of Stensia. On the origin of names and phrases in this story, from this point on I'm drawing heavily from Germanic sources in terms of the names of people and places, seeing as how much Gothic Horror is in the same region, and Innistrad is basically Gothic Horror: MTG edition.
Garruk and Avancyn
Chapter Two – Destiny Met in Stromkirk
By FutureCam
Inspired by William King's "Gotrek and Felix" novels
**
Avancyn's diary, day 128 of the 105th year since Avacyn Rising.
We arrived in Stromkirk about two days after our encounter at the Darkstone Ring and Anastasia, on her recommendation. It turns out that the locals have heard of Liliana, and that she passed through briefly about a week ago. Garruk wanted to leave immediately, but we were running low on money, being down to our last few Bronze Cathars. Fortunately, the tavern we were staying at offered to take us on as bouncers until their regular recovered – some kind of accident when he was invited up to the keep, he says.
If you ask me, everyone in this town acts suspiciously. The guards in their heavy plate armor keep their faces concealed, and everyone just seems in a rush to go to where they need to as soon as possible. Why is it that, considering that Stromkirk is meant to be the least affected of all undead and werewolf attacks?
Now, vampires, that's another story – but no self-respecting citizen would just let a vampire order them around.
Avancyn shut the musty tome he was writing in and carefully put away his quill. Across the table, Garruk grunted into his fifth Gavony Ale.
"Why bother writing in that thing if you're just going to get killed one day anyway?"
"So others can remember who I was." He said calmly. "Too many good men just get treated as statistics, and I don't intend to become one."
Garruk put down his tankard and belched. "Well, aren't you the odd one, Slayer." He wiped the sleeve of his longcoat against his mouth, causing Avancyn to wince. "What?"
"That coat cost me twenty Silver Herons." He moaned, clutching his head. "You've had it one month and we've already had to repair it three times. Treat it with a little more respect…"
Garruk waved him off. "Please. It's practically leather armor, it can take a little ale."
Avancyn just sighed and got up. "Well, it's just about rush hour. You want to take the first shift or should I?"
"You go ahead. I'll enjoy my daily ale ration a bit more. Thanks for giving me yours, Slayer!"
"Yeah, yeah" Avancyn sighed, leaving their shared chambers and belting on his sword. "Evening, Johan."
"Good evening, Avancyn." The portly bartender nodded. "Taking first shift?"
"Correct." He walked over to his usual place, leaning against a pillar near the door. "Garruk still isn't drunk."
Johan snorted. "If I could make ale that could knock him out in one cup I'd be the richest man in Stensia."
Avancyn shared a chuckle with him before the first of the regulars came in the front door. He liked Johan, he was an honest worker, something that was hard to find on Innistrad these days. In less than a few minutes the tavern was full of noise, music, and muscular men trying to impress the barmaids. Avancyn sighed as the regular monotomy of the job sank in.
Look around, nod to someone trying to appear friendly, throw guy out after one of the barmaids shrieked, rinse, repeat, look at strange black-clad veil-wearing woman in corner…wait, what?
Avancyn glanced at her, only to have her continue to stare at him. Well, that was…odd. He could deal with it later, he decided, and returned to the monotomy.
Then, about two hours in, the bar reached critical mass, and double shift began with Garruk. Due to Garruk's massive size, and vast amounts of alcohol consumed by both parties, Avancyn spent most of his time 'reminding' Garruk that he didn't need to crush that trapper's skull for feeling up Anna, just throw him out the door. Then, he had to less-than-gently remind him that the door was the open thing, not the glass thing, and that the repairs for that window were coming out of his wages.
Two hours of this, and finally things began to die down and it became Garruk's shift only. This mere fact alone caused a mass vacancy of the tavern, much to Johan's amusement.
"You sure you don't want to stay on for a while after this week?" He asked Garruk. "Maybe even come back later?"
Garruk shook his head, smiling. "Sorry, Johan. This was always meant to be temporary."
Avancyn smiled as the two resorted to friendly banter over ale before realizing that the woman was still there, and still staring at him. Sighing, he walked over to her.
"Are you alright, Fraulien? You've been sitting there for over five hours-"
He stopped in horror. Underneath her veil, Anastasia smiled at him.
"Herr Avancyn. Please, have a seat."
"And if I wish to stand?" Avancyn asked, his hand sliding towards his sword. Anastasia sighed and pursed her lips.
"Then I kill Johan, hurt Garruk and break both your knees so you have no choice." She said, no longer faking friendliness. Avancyn blanched and took said seat. She smiled again.
"See? That's better. I hate resorting to violence."
Avancyn just scowled at her. "We could take you."
"Oh, I don't doubt that. Take the shackle off of your planeswalker pet and I'm a dead woman." She said casually, stirring her wine with the tip of her finger. At least, Avancyn hoped it was wine. "However, chances are everyone in a decent radius dies too. Personally, I don't think you'd take that risk."
Avancyn took his hand off his sword, slowly. "What do you want?"
Anastasia sighed. "So many things, Herr Avancyn. To be the matriarch of my brood, overthrow the Markov, rule all Stensia…But from you? All I'm asking is a favor."
"I don't owe you any."
"This is the kind of favor you do if you wish to retain a decent amount of your blood." Anastasia said casually. Avancyn nodded.
"Ah. That kind of favor."
"Indeed. Now, what have you noticed of this town?"
"It's…strange. The patrols never show their face, and the people are worried. The noble has never been seen, yet every week people are invited up to the keep to meet him, but come back injured…" He trailed off as he came to the obvious conclusion. "Oh no."
Anastasia smiled. "Oh, yes." She said with relish. "You are evidently not as stupid as you appear, Herr Slayer."
"Okay, so the town is ruled and policed by vampires. Everyone knows this and does nothing. What do you want me to do?" He hissed. Anastasia smiled faux-sweetly.
"Kill a king."
Two hours later, Avancyn was sat at the same table, contemplating what she'd said.
"What?"
"Oh, it's very simple. I want you to kill the Noble of Stromkirk in his keep."
"Why?"
"Kill him, and the grip of his brood's on this city fails. Then, mine takes over. We'll be much more…lenient than he is."
Avancyn began grasping at straws.
"Why should I? I've got bigger game to hunt down."
"Because, if you kill him, you'll get the other half of this." Anastasia said, dropping a sack of coins on the table. "That sack contains one hundred and fifty Gold Angels, and is only half of your payment."
Avancyn whistled. "That's a lot of money."
"Indeed." Anastasia smiled. "Enough to buy you two good horses, feed, supplies, a tent…enough to get both of you around Innistrad twice and still have twenty Angels left over, if you get the other half."
Avancyn sighed. "No good, Garruk would never go for it."
"The noble held a conference with Liliana." She said calmly. "Tell him that, and tell him to search his chambers. He'll find something that will help him find her."
Avancyn glared at her suspiciously. "Why are you trying to help us? Even if this man does die and your family rules this city, why use us?"
Anastasia smiled. "Because, to put it simply, Herr Slayer, it's more fun that way. You are deceptively good company. You have one week, now farewell."
She stood up and pushed her now-empty goblet towards him, and he recoiled. She smiled dangerously.
"It really was wine, not blood. You are too easy, Herr Slayer."
"And you try too hard, Anastasia." He said when she walked out the door. He spotted her winged bat form swoop up into the sky, far away.
**
Garruk wandered over to his table, grumbling something indistinctive.
"Learn anything?"
Avancyn looked at him for a few seconds, thinking. "I've got a lead on Liliana, but you're not going to like it."
Garruk shrugged. "She's already left town, what could be worse?"
Avancyn sighed. Time to try and convince Garruk. "That woman I was talking to told me why everyone in this town acts strangely." He said in a hushed whisper. "The noble of Stromkirk Keep is a vampire. Apparently, he had a meeting with Liliana just before she left, apparently giving her directions for something. We need to…'convice' him to give us those same directions."
Garruk grinned broadly. "Then do your civic duty and kill the bastard?"
Avancyn glanced around in panic. "Avacyn's heart, keep your voice down!" He hissed. Garruk's grin grew wider, but he lowered his voice.
"Will we?"
"Yes, we'll have no choice. It won't free Stromkirk from their influence, but it should disrupt it enough for us to escape the city."
Garruk nodded thoughtfully. "How are we going to do this, then?"
"Every week, ten citizens volunteer to be brought up to the keep to meet the noble, apparently to keep him company, but the woman who told me this said that it's so he can feed on them."
Garruk frowned. "You say we volunteer?"
"Essentially, yes. We volunteer, get in close, and try to incapacitate him before he does too much damage to us." Avancyn replied. "He's a noble, so he's going to be significantly stronger than the one we faced at Darkstone Ring – and she knocked you out in one blow."
Garruk scowled. "There's no need to rub that in, you know." He muttered darkly. "I wasn't myself, and this damn collar restrains a great amount of my power."
Avancyn inclined his head in acknowledgment and withdrew the point. "Either way, we need to tread carefully. We've got two days before the next trip to the keep."
Two days, six hours and twelve minutes later…
"Well, that didn't quite go as planned." Garruk hissed to Avancyn, before the rear end of the polearm belonging to one of their surrounding vampire guards slammed into his gut and knocked the breath out of him.
"Tell me about it." Avancyn hissed, before the same end whipped itself across the back of his head.
"Did you really think it would be that easy, slayer?" One of them chortled, his pitch-black armor polished to a perfect sheen. "I mean, really. You thought you could come in here, kill Herr Sigmund and walk out again?"
"Well, you missed this part in the middle where we were going to question him-" Garruk started before another guard kicked him in the head.
"WE DIDN'T TELL YOU TO TALK!" He roared. Garruk winced in pain and glanced desperately to his greataxe in the corner.
"I think your informant tipped him off." He muttered to Avancyn lowly. Avancyn nodded carefully.
"I think you may be right, for once."
The enormous double doors in front of them swung open, and a particularly well dressed vampire – all frills and sequins – walked out the door, flanked by another pair of guards. Avancyn's eyes flicked around the room quickly – they were outnumbered six-to-one, and although the guards looked weaker than Anastasia was, he had a feeling that the noble was even stronger than she had said he was.
"Herr Avancyn, I presume?" The noble said with a smirk, sitting down on a red armchair next to the blazing fireplace. Avancyn took this moment to look around carefully.
"So this is what one of the infamous Bloodhalls look like?" He said conversationally. "Looks like you could use a better interior decorator."
The noble's smirk faltered slightly. "Cute. I am Sigmund, patriarch of the Falkenrath brood."
"Big deal, I bet you bleed the same." Garruk snorted. One of the guards raised his polearms, but Sigmund waved him down.
"Herr Garruk, I'm shocked and appalled at your insinuations!" He said melodramatically. "After all, just because we are vampires does not make us zombies!"
"Yeah, for a start, zombies are easier to kill." Avancyn muttered under his breath. "All differences I care about end there, though."
Sigmund glanced at him and pulled out a gold timepiece. "She should be here by now, strange girl."
Avancyn flashed him a strange look.
"What are you talking about?"
"Our mutual informer, Anastasia Markov-Falkenrath" He replied casually. Avancyn's jaw dropped open. "Oh, you didn't really think she'd want to kill her dear old patriarch, did you?" He waited a second. "One of them, anyway."
Garruk growled dangerously. "One of them?"
Sigmund waved a hand. "I turned her into a vampire but the Markov got first dibs as to who she worked for. Brood politics, nothing you need to concern yourself with, especially considering your fairly short life expectancy."
"No, I'm much more interested in you, Garruk Wildspeaker. She told me you were hunting for Liliana. Strange, a hunter tracking another hunter…do you know what she's doing?"
Garruk snarled. "I neither know nor care!"
Sigmund shrugged. "Fine, be that way. However, you probably should be aware that, at the very least, by the time you'll catch up to her she'll either be dead or far stronger than you are."
Garruk let out a berserk howl of rage and dived for him, arms outstretched. One of the guards intercepted him and knocked him back again. Sigmund raised an interested eyebrow.
"Well, well, well, what is that around your neck? I didn't have you pegged for a man of taste, Wildspeaker…pity, I'll be taking that now."
The implications of what he said sank into Avancyn while Sigmund walked towards him.
He thinks the collar is just jewelry, which means Anastasia didn't tell him everything, which means that Anastasia really does want him dead and this is her way of helping us!
Why can't she just do things the easy way?
Sigmund found the release clatch on the collar, and Garruk broke into a grin a few seconds after Sigmund tried it on.
"Gotcha" He said darkly, before picking up one of his guards and throwing it at him. Sigmund raised his hands to block the flailing vampire, snorting derisively, only to be smashed aside by him. "Avancyn! Heads up!"
Avancyn grabbed his sword as Garruk threw it, turning and parrying a thrust from one of the guards. Garruk took out another with one swing of his axe, before stretching his arm out and muttering something. From the ground, a group of vines rose up and wrapped itself around the third guard's pike, reducing it to soil in seconds. Unarmed, the vampire hissed and dove for Garruk's neck, only to be slammed against a wall.
Meanwhile, Avancyn took a step back and breathed carefully as his two opponents stalked him slowly. Concentrating as hard as he could, he carefully forced himself to feel the strength of the plains outside his hometown in Gavony, imagining the breeze and the simple stretches of farmland. Through this, he carefully brought a steady trickle of white mana – almost nothing compared to the ease Garruk brought his forward – and shaped it in his left hand, carefully considering what he was going to do with it, while breathing an incantation under his breath.
"A single blade is all it takes/A force of strength that cannot break/No matter of high birth or low/A moment of Heroism can drive it all"
He could feel the strength the simple spell gave to him flood his body, and his sword glowed white with the energies contained within it. Startled, the first of the guards lunged out in desperation, but Avancyn forced the pike aside and brought his sword crashing down on his exposed neck, decapitating him easily. The second was more methodical, lashing out with the pike to the left before bringing it forwards again, using the reach to keep Avancyn and his sword away from him until the spell dissipated.
Back to Garruk, he kept the fourth vampire pressed against the wall with one ham-sized fist, slowly choking it to death, while his axe rested at his side and his free right arm pointed at the dazed Sigmund and the fifth vampire.
"You're next." He muttered, snapping the vampire's neck and hefting his axe. Sigmund pulled the collar off his neck with a snarl.
"Clever plan. Some kind of power seal, right planeswalker? However you managed to keep that secret from Anastasia, I'll never know." He said casually. "Not that it'll matter, since you're going to die here anyway!"
He raised his hand in hate and pointed one finger at him, a storm of red mana clustering around it.
"A simple task/Shock mine foes!"
The three entwining bolts of lightning lept from his fingers and ripped through Garruk's left shoulder, drawing a cry of pain from him, before he launched himself forwards, a rapier appearing from out of nowhere in his hands to come slashing down at his exposed neck. The fifth vampire guard dove towards Avancyn from behind, just as the effects of his last spell began to wear off. Cursing, he dove backwards and tried to bring forth more mana, but couldn't.
The two vampires grinned and dove for him, their halberds slashing down. Avancyn managed to block one, but the other slashed across his thigh, downing him. He desperately fended off two more strikes, but one of them forced his longsword out of his hand and the two prepared to stab him-
-only for a hand to shoot out from behind one of the room's blue curtains and snap its neck!
The other spun in disbelief, only for a glimmering rapier to stab him through the stomach and leave him to bleed to death. Anastasia smirked at Avancyn.
"Evidently, you need to take better care of yourself." She said conversationally. Avancyn fainted.
Garruk tried to force Sigmund off through sheer strength of muscle, but the vampire's unnatural strength fought back at every turn. Desperately, Garruk gave a wild swing with his fist, but the vampire's unnatural speed and skill was far greater than his, and it missed by a mile, only for Sigmund's rapier to slash down on his neck, leaving a deep cut. Garruk staggered back and took off his helmet with one hand, breathing deeply. Sigmund frowned and sighed.
"Pity. You were actually pretty good."
His sword slashed down, but Garruk's left hand – his unarmed hand – came up and grabbed the blade with more speed than Sigmund could gather!
Sigmund's face turned confused, and it turned out that that was the expression his head would carry for all eternity as Garruk's axe slammed down on his neck. Growling, Garruk looked at the world through black eyes, his veins pulsing against his skin as he lost control once more.
Fortunately, it was then that Anastasia's fist collided with his face, breaking his nose and knocking him out.
The first thing Avancyn noted when he awoke was that he was still in what remained of the bloodhall after their battle.
"Alive. That must be good." He said lightly.
"It's a start." Anastasia's voice came from behind the chair he was in. He turned his head sharply, only to see her in a dark red dress that reached to just above her ankles instead of her more traditional wear.
"What's with the-"
"The matriarch of a family's got to look good, you know." She said calmly, standing up again. "Thanks for fulfilling one part of my dream. Only two left to go."
Avancyn's face fell. "So that's why you wanted him dead – by killing the vampire that turned you, you became matriarch of your own brood."
"Not if I killed him – only if another did." Anastasia inclined her head. "Don't worry, I'll keep my end of the deal. Three hundred angels, and Liliana Vess' last known location. All I ask is that you stay out of my business for a while."
Avancyn snorted. "If I say 'no', you're just going to kill me anyway."
Anastasia smiled thinly. "Oh, I don't know about that. You're starting to be interesting. How many slayers are mana-mages, Avancyn?"
Avancyn turned away from her, flushing. "None of them. It's a belief that if you can use mana demons can corrupt you."
Anastasia's smile became genuine. "You are something quite fascinating, Avancyn. You should find out more."
Avancyn shot her a confused look. "Where's Garruk?"
"Awake and already going back to the inn to tidy up some loose ends. I explained everything to him – don't worry, the collar's back on."
Avancyn sighed in disbelief. "So, this was all your little game, was it?"
Anastasia frowned for a second. "Game? Don't be ridiculous. This is all part of a grand plan."
"And what will this plan result in? Ruling all Stensia?"
Anastasia smiled brightly. "Oh, I can't say. That would ruin the fun."
It took another hour before Garruk returned, in a fairly bad mood. "Alright, vampire, you got what you wanted from us, now where is she?"
Anastasia sighed and unrolled a map on top of the table. "After talking to Sigmund, she moved towards the hinterlands, seeking a harbor…here, Stumkoff."
She tapped a small red dot to the north of the mountains, through a forest.
"From there, we don't know where she'd go, but I'd assume she'd try to make contact with the Skirsdag, a demon-worshipping cult."
"Why?" Avancyn asked simply. Anastasia shrugged.
"She was hunting down this demon, Grisl-something-or-other, through the planes. Apparently she thinks he came from here."
Garruk raised an eyebrow. "That would explain a great deal of her power – if she got it from a pact with demons."
Anastasia nodded. "That's correct. However, with this chain veil artifact that you encountered, she's no longer needing them, so she's going to kill them to free herself from their service."
Garruk scowled deeply. "Alright, but where would she go to contact the Skirsdag?"
Anastasia nodded towards the northern side of Innistrad. "Across the oceans, there's two main points she could go to. There's an old isolated chapel they use frequently here-" She tapped an area in the middle of a group of swamps to the northeast. "Or, alternatively, there's been a large amount of demon sightings here."
She tapped a location deep in the mountains of the far north. "These are called the sulfur falls – apparently, they're no ordinary waterfalls – they also spout fire."
"A volcano and a river in the same place." Garruk muttered. "Interesting."
Anastasia nodded.
"I've already arranged transport for you in Stumkoff to take you to the town of Aldorf in the moorlands, the closest port to the chapel. Be warned, it's meant to be a real safe haven for ghosts and spirits."
Avancyn chortled to himself. "After what we faced today, ghosts and spirits would be a welcome diversion."
Anastasia smiled. "I can imagine, yes. Better get going, then."
Garruk nodded and stormed out the door. Avancyn turned to go, before Anastasia called out to him.
"Herr Slayer?"
He stopped and turned, an eyebrow raised, before Anastasia walked right up to him. It was then he noticed just how tall she really was – at least a head taller than he was, and probably slightly more than Garruk. He opened his mouth to say something when she leaned over and pressed her lips to his forehead.
His brain shut down for a second, until he felt something warm and wet trickle down from where she kissed him. He reached up to touch it, and his fingers came away red.
"Blood?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "You've not bitten me, have you?"
"Don't be ridiculous." She snorted. "It's a charm known to my race that marks you as safe from any vampire who wishes to attack you – unless they wish to invoke the rage of the Matriarch of Falkenrath."
Avancyn nodded carefully. "I see. Thank you, then."
"You're welcome."
They spent another two days in Stromkirk before leaving – mainly to say goodbye to Johan, who made them promise to return once they finished, but also to see the end results of the chaos they caused. The vampires stalking the streets changed their armor from black to blood red, and it was announced that the weekly visitations ended, and that Countess Anastasia would enjoy a much more public relationship than Count Sigmund.
Avancyn remembered how Garruk snorted. "Probably knows how to put on makeup to look human. Women, never change no matter the species."
The day they left, mounted on a pair of white stallions and carrying more gold than Avancyn had seen in his life, Anastasia was waiting for them outside the city gates.
"You're certain you want to go after her? She can control her powers as a planeswalker, and she's much older than you are, Garruk."
Garruk growled dangerously. "I shall complete my vengeance!"
Avancyn paused to figure out how that made sense as a sentence, before Anastasia laughed.
"I figured you might say that. Therefore, I'm coming with you."
There was a pregnant pause.
"I'm sorry, what?" Avancyn got out eventually. Anastasia shrugged.
"The matriarch doesn't really do anything, and I'm not Sigmund – I don't like sitting around drinking rich wine and reading good books. No, I need to do something, and it'll take months before the Falkenrath are organized enough to take on the Markov." She mounted her own black stallion and brought it up alongside them. "So, this seemed to be the most entertaining option."
Garruk opened his mouth to protest when Anastasia continued. "Besides, I know the land you're going to better than Avancyn or you – why waste money on a guide when I can pay for myself?"
Garruk shut up. Avancyn considered protesting, until he realized that having such a powerful ally along could only have positive benefits for them.
Besides, they had bigger prey to hunt than one vampire.
"Alright, fine, but you'll need to keep your head down in towns and cities – we are not going to help you if you get attacked." He said grudgingly. Anastasia just smiled.
"You really are quite unusual for a slayer, aren't you, Herr Avancyn?"
She rode out ahead of them, and Avancyn and Garruk followed. Avancyn leaned over to Garruk and whispered into his ear.
"Did you notice that cut on her thigh?"
Garruk snorted. "She bit off more than she can chew, or I'm a Bottle Gnome!"
Avancyn looked at him, confused. "What's a Bottle Gnome?"
"It's quite possibly the strangest and most pointless creature in all of the multiverse."
And so, the planeswalker, the slayer and the vampire set out to look for a necromancer who was looking for a demon, and what was undeniably the strangest chapter in Innistrad's most eventful time period began in earnest.
A/N On the Uses of Magic: I understand that there are no incantations in the canon novel-verse, but we've not seen how Innistrad uses it - they don't actually need the incantation, it's just something they thought they did, hence why Garruk could use Naturalize without saying anything.
So, our strange little party sets out for the real adventure now. Yes, I fully intend to visit all the lands in the set, with the Bloodhall being here and Aldorf being Moorland Haunt. I felt it would help bring the set to life in this story.
Thoughts? Opinions? Critique? Flames? I can use them to heat the fireplace, you have no IDEA how cold it is up here in Canada.