Lacrimosa

Author's Note: Thanks to LittleVamp for being my only reviewer (apart from Grizz on Deviantart). I was beginning to wonder if I would get any reviews at all. I'm like, "Oh god, it wasn't THAT terrible, was it?" But anyways, here is the next chapter!.

The sublevels of the Sarafan Keep were a labyrinth of many different rooms and misty halls. While some pathways led to sewer systems and others led to dungeons, one obscure and very narrow hallway lead to Holly's workshop. The room was large in size and was divided into halves: one half took on the appearance of some kind of laboratory, while the other half was decorated with dummies and targets. Climbing along the walls and ceiling was a gold pipe, connected to a switch. The switch was on at all times, for it created a Ward Gate over the entrance to the workshop.

Holly often prided herself on the invention. While the Glyphwrights operated and invented the use of Glyph Energy, it was Holly who helped them channel it through her pipelines and switches. Her invention had become so successful that the Sarafan took this opportunity to activate the ward gates on restricted areas in Nosgoth. They were easy to operate: while the Glyphwrights were the only ones capable of creating the Glyph energy, the humans could easily use wheels and switches to change pathways, shutdown the gates, and be in complete control at all times. This invention had earned Holly not only a fair share of wealth, but had also earned her respect from her superiors. The Sarafan provided her with her own quarters and work station in the Sarafan Keep, where she worked very long hours devoting her life to helping the warriors destroy the vampire plague.

This evening, she was creating a blueprint for a weapon upgrade. Though swords and crossbows seemed to work well enough, she was in the process of designing something better. Cannons had been invented, but were mostly used on ships, or as a long-range weapon to be placed behind the barracks. She wanted to invent a sort of hand-held cannon: one that a Sarafan soldier could hold in both arms, load with perhaps smaller cannons, and work more as an offensive weapon as oppose to a defensive one. She also was interesting in the concept of using a weapon to shoot large flames, much like a dragon. There were also ideas of converting the glyph energy used in the ward gates into projectiles that could be fired at enemy vampires. But how to make it operate... that was the biggest puzzle of all.

Holly sat at her desk, a pair of half-moon glasses resting on the brim of her nose as she looked over her notes. Her employer would hopefully be impressed with these new designs. She had only seen him once. He had asked to see her when he heard of her invention of the Glyph energy pipelines, and she was brought to this very keep to see him. In all honesty, she hoped that it would be the last time she would ever have to see him. Here she was expecting some ambitious old man, and what she got was the face of a monster. Flaming green eyes, rotting, brown skin, very large teeth, and the voice of a demon. Part of her couldn't believe that this creature was so welcomed and respected among the Sarafan soldiers. If they found the vampires as monstrous, how could they possibly not look upon him as such?

She had kept her thoughts to herself, refusing to comment on his appearance or how he had managed to intimidate her. He was interested in her work, wished to use her invention, and offered her a position in this keep. Being that she came from a small house in the Lower City who could barely pay her rent, this new job and home was something that Holly jumped at. She could work for this creature as long as she had a place to stay and food to eat. So far she seemed to be on his good side, mostly by helping the Glyphwrights and soldiers to create ward gates and other barriers. The Glyph energy was also used to power electricity and many of the machines in the rest of the city. At first, creating these barriers and pipelines were more than satisfying for her employer, and then she turned her mind to enhancing armor for Sarafan soldiers. Though she did not invent the armor for the Glyph Knights, it was her idea to use the glyph energy as a signal for vampiric activity to alert the guards. The Glyphwrights constructed the armor, and when they became a success, Holly earned a small profit for her efforts.

All seemed to be going well, but then The Sarafan Lord began to question her about weapon designs. Wanting to keep her job and her home, Holly began to convert towards designing weapons. She often found herself running back and forth to the keep's blacksmith, providing him with equations and ideas for him to work with. Her hours had grown longer than she would have liked, but at least the work was getting done.

Holly looked up from the notes and eyed the clock. She had overworked herself. Her shift ended an hour ago. With a tired sigh, she placed the notes into a file and stored it away. Her glasses were removed and placed in a small pocket on her robes, and she proceeded out of her workshop, closing the door behind her and leaving the ward gate on at all times. Marcus could press his luck on her at any other time, but when it came to her work, she was happy the ward gate could keep him out. And if he so much as charmed a human into entering her laboratory without her permission, he would regret it.

She took a lift to the main hall, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before she stepped out of the elevator. It had been a very long night. She needed a few long hours of sleep and relaxation. She moved through the hallways, making her way to her quarters and seeing the green haze of her ward gate glowing over her door. It was one of the few ward gates in this estate. While most of the gates blocked the entry to classified areas rather than the bedrooms of the inhabitants, Holly made sure that her home and her laboratory were protected at all times. As she was the inventor of the pipelines, she was entitled.

Her hand passed through the green barrier, remaining unharmed by the effects, and she pushed the door open. As she slipped inside, she closed and locked it behind her. Even though the vampires could not penetrate the barrier, humans were more than capable of doing so. And Holly did enjoy her privacy.

Before she was able to lay down on her bed, that was when she found an envelope laying on the desk. She recognized the insignia on the seal, frowned, and tore the envelope open.

The message was very straightforward:
Emergency in the Industrial Quarter. You are to meet with Sebastian. Bring whatever equipment you need and come immediately.

"Damn it," Holly cursed, giving a very loud, tired yawn. "Don't they realize that I'll work better if they let me rest awhile?"

The idea of meeting with Sebastian, yet another pet vampire of her employer, was nothing she was looking forward to either. She wasn't sure if it was because she had little respect for a creature who turned against his own kind for selfish purposes, or if it was because she could not stand to listen to that shrilly voice.

With an exhausted groan, Holly moved to one of the cupboards in her living quarters. She pulled out a tablespoon and a very large bottle of honey. After managing to fill the tablespoon to the point of overflowing, Holly swallowed the sticky, sweet substance and then put it away. Honey was pure energy, and lord knows she was going to need it for tonight. She grabbed her cloak and with another groan, proceeded back to her lab.

"I wonder what kind of emergency it is anyways..."