Yuanfen
By 7th Librarian and Mei1105
A/N: Yay, we're back! We're late, but we're back!
Night 1: Home Bittersweet Home
The ride was only half an hour, though Fran was sure they'd crossed a great deal more distance than should have been reasonable in that time. But she chalked it up to the unicorns; there were plenty of stories about their abilities and believing just a fraction of them meant warping travel time was easy.
As she slid off the unicorn, a shadow passed overhead and she watched as Dracula sailed past the riders, alighting gracefully at the rim of another small canyon and her two great wings melding into her body like shadows. "I didn't see her at all when we were traveling - how did she-?"
"I've learned, in my short time, that if I keep asking questions like that, I'll never get any real answers." Vuyo commented as she hopped down. "Best to accept the mysteries as what they are and let them reveal themselves in their own time. Bad things tend to happen if you try and force it"
"Secrets man was not meant to know, huh?" Fran asked with a grin and Vuyo just chuckled and nodded. "That why you have weed on you?"
"Oh, no this is necessary for a sangoma." Vuyo said, waggling her pipe between her fingers. "Lots of cultural and historical significance, important for my magics...and dealing with Lyrius on occasion."
Fran glanced over to where Lyrius was helping Mai off her unicorn. "He's not that bad. I mean, I've only really known him for two months, but you get what you see with him. A quiet, reserved awkward man."
"Wasn't talking about him, just the things you get dragged into by hanging around him." Vuyo said. "Remind me to tell you about the time we had to deal with a pride of lions who somehow, accidentally summoned a shetani and wound up turning themselves into drug smugglers."
"That sounds…" Fran hunted for the word. "Implausible."
"Like I said, not when Lyrius is around." She drew Fran's attention to the saddlebags the unicorns sported. "These beauties are going with you and you've got plenty of supplies. Red latch is first aid, blue is camping gear, green is food and yellow is miscellania."
"You've done this before." Fan said with approval, popping the green one curiously. The bag was neatly packed with ration bars, easy-heat meals, bottled water and a canteen.
"You get plenty of practice when you live out here." Vuyo said and they joined the other three at the rim of the canyon. It wasn't much of one, probably more of a gulley than anything. "I've been meaning to ask - what did your little Empire build here that required a teleport circle in such a random place?"
"This used to be a forward outpost. Sea travel was inconvenient and slow at best. It was common practice to set up a staging area, fortify it and create a teleportation circle directly back to the Palace to ensure a steady flow of supplies and soldiers. And when the original Three Heroes started dismantling the Empire, orders dictated all the circles be destroyed so they couldn't be used against us." Lyrius said and started leading the party down a switch-back path that nature had luckily provided them. "This one survived because this outpost was decimated by someone other than the Three Heroes and I hid it as an emergency escape from the Palace."
"What destroyed it?" Fran asked. "I thought you guys were pretty good at crushing your enemies."
"A roc inhabits Table Mountain. The fortress commander here decided he would make good hunting." Lyrius snorted in derision. "Once he failed and hid in the fort, Xicerine decided the commander would make even better hunting in return."
(It was no hunt, Master.) Resonae's snort of amusement ruffled the back of Fran's hair. (Xicerine peeled apart your stone hut like it was a piece of fruit and plucked out screaming humans like seeds. The savannah feasted that day.)
Fran twisted her head back to look at the Nightmare. "You're a thousand years old?"
The Nightmare gave a mysterious, fanged smile in return. (Old? I am of nature, blonde human and nature is never old. It simply is. Age is something you silly monkeys thought up.)
Fran frowned, not sure if she'd been insulted or given some insightful wisdom. But there was no time follow-up on it as they'd reached the bottom of the trail. Lyrius led them into a little alcove-like indentation on the canyon wall. Squeezed into the space was a stone platform too smooth to have been natural and with glowing sigils atop it. "Cozy."
"A thousand years of time tends to rearrange the landscape," Lyrius noted dryly. "As such, only two of us will be able to use the teleport at a time. We sent Dracula in first-"
"And why is that, my dear songbird?" Dracula asked. "Trying to flatter me?"
"No, I am not sure what is on the other side and you are the most indestructible member of the party."
"Your pragmatism hurts me."
"Then we send -"
"Me. I'm going next." Mai insisted, her expression tight. "Serenity is there."
There was something desperate in her voice that made Fran internally wince in worry and she said, "I'll go with her."
"Very well. I will go and Resonae and the unicorns after me." Lyrius stepped up to the ring and knelt beside it. "If you please, Dracula."
The vampire stepped up onto in a flurry of red greatcoat. "Such a mundane start to our adventure, teleporting to our destination. How anti-climatic."
"I am sure there will be plenty of dangers on the island." Lyrius said as the circle flared and Dracula winked out of sight. "Fran, Mai."
"Safe travels!" Vuyo waved with one hand and patted the unicorn with the other. Mai stepped up on the platform without any hesitation, Fran followed a bit more reluctantly. Standing next to the other woman was like standing next to an ice-cube. She spared Mai a concerned glance, but Mai's gaze anywhere but in the present. She caught Lyrius' eyes and he just nodded reassuringly.
What he was reassuring her about, she didn't know. And it didn't help that she didn't know what she was worried about. "Lyrius - I've got a bad feeling about th-"
Then the circle of light flared and she was gone.
TTTTT
Lyrius watched Fran and Mai vanish, then checked the circle again. It was still stable and active, but he could see tell-tale cracks along the etchings in the floor. "Resonae, you'll have to be careful mounting the platform. Your hooves might damage the linework and render it inert."
(I am no bumbling cow, Master. I am the epitome of grace and light-hoofedness.) As if to prove her point, the Nightmare trotted back forth on the tips of her hooves with hardly a wobble. (Save your worries for things that are worth worrying about.)
"Agreed." Lyrius stepped up onto the platform, frowning when a slender hand caught his wrist. "Vuyo? What is it?"
The Incantiter's expression was etched with concern. "Lyrius, are you sure you don't want me to come with you? I can get out of the wedding."
For a moment, Lyrius considered taking her up on the offer. Vuyo may have been young, but she was skilled in herbal medicines and magic, both things they would almost certainly need. More importantly, she was calm and level-headed in a crisis. A woman who shared trees with sleeping leopards or stared down poacher's guns had to be. She would probably be a very stabilizing influence on his little group.
But in the next moment, he saw just how young she was and shook his head. "Thank you, but no. Stay and spend time with your family. Live life, my friend."
Her reluctance was clear as day. "I wish you didn't have to go back. I wish...I wish it was your choice." Seeing his obvious confusion, she sighed. "I saw what you were like after the tournament. I hate that you're being forced back there."
"Forced?" His brow knitted together as he tried to puzzle that particular word choice. "No one is forcing me. I am choosing to save my...Serenity." The word 'friend' had been on the end of his tongue, but it didn't seem big enough.
She seemed taken aback, before her face softened into sympathy. "Oh sweetie...you don't have a clue, do you?" Shaking her head with a smile, she stepped forward to wrap him in a hug. "Please look after yourself? That island is going to test you in ways you will never expect."
"It was like that the first time I set foot on those shores, Vuyo, a thousand years ago." Lyrius returned the hug. "And I conquered it then."
"I meant in here, Lyrius," breaking apart, Vuyo touched his chest right over his heart. "Take care of this? It's the most important part of you. Arcadia is your home. All of those feelings and memories will cut deeper than any sword."
He nodded soberly. "I promise, Vuyo. All will be well." He hugged her again and then released her, a bit more reluctantly this time. He disliked these kinds of goodbyes. They always left things feeling bittersweet. Not only for him, but for Vuyo, too, if her look at him was any indication.
Stepping out of her grip back into the platform, he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile before the light flared.
It drowned out his surroundings and when it cleared, he was standing in a nightmare. A hissing, spitting nightmare that was punctuated by screams and snarls of battle.
Pain erupted on his left ankle, right thigh and he kicked reflexively, felt something sail off his foot. He snared the thing at his thigh, felt slithering scales on a slender body and the hissing made sense. Serpents!
He hurled the snake away, but it was like hurling a raindrop into a thunderstorm. Now that his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, the platform was covered not in darkness, but in snakes. Dozens, hundreds of them, hissing and weaving in and out amongst each other like tendrils of some great Lovecraftian horror. Hooded cobras and puff adders were just some of the ones he could see, but they were too many moving too fast to get any clear indication beyond a glance.
Fangs sank into his legs again and he kicked away before he barked the word of power again. The teleport circle flared, scattering the snakes like a windstorm, but nothing else happened. Something has altered it, made the path only one way!
The burst of light also illuminated enough of the room to see two puddles of blonde hair melting into the ocean snakes, feeble struggles showing skin pock-marked by fangs and smattered in droplets of venom and blood. Fran and Mai.
It had been at least one minute since they'd teleported in, maybe ten seconds since he'd arrived. And that still wasn't enough time to save them - not with snakes whose venom was lethal and not with this many bites. Even if he had the antivenom, one dose would not nearly be enough.
He tried, anyway. Another word of power triggered the ring, driving back the heaving, hissing masses of reptiles. His skin began to burn under his clothes and he saw several of the snakes rearing to spit at him again. Lyrius ignored them as he shoved his way into the ankle-deep swarm, felt the wedding band on his finger grow warm and sharp as the anti-poison spells sealed in it triggered. As long as he wore it, the only thing he had to worry about was the snakes' bites hitting a vein or artery and with blood magic even that was a minor concern.
His aura flickered as he let it out, his fury and kindling wrath palpable to the animals on a base level. The swarm retreated, parting enough so he could seize a feebly twitching set of fingers, then a wrist and he pulled. It was Fran, bare skin already puffy from venom and her head lolling with unconsciousness. Scooping her up into his arms, Lyrius tried to remember what this room had looked like centuries ago. It was a storage room, but one that had to double as a waiting room for soldiers. The seats at wall level were too low to avoid the snakes, but there had been-
He reached out with his will into the Palace, through the stone and darkness and pushed. Immediately the building resisted - it was like turning a rusty handle. Panic raced through him and he shoved hard against the will of the castle. Nearby serpents scattered as a large stone segment of the floor began to lift up. Underneath the floor was a rack of shelves, but right now the extra storage space was unimportant. Another command of his will called shadows around him and they pulled him atop the rising stone. A few kicks scattered the remaining snakes and just like that, they had space to breathe.
Instinct made him drop flat atop Fran and he felt something big and heavy flash overhead. He lifted his gaze, surprised to see Dracula grappling with another figure. In one moment, her opponent was an African man in shaman clothing, spitting curses at her and slashing with a dagger. In the next, he was a hooded cobra, coiling around her and digging dagger-like fangs into her body. And when his scales shed, he was somewhere between the two - a snake with arms and legs and wings stretched between forearm and body.
But there wasn't any time to deal with that now, even as the two combatants careened into the wall and crashed into writhing serpents. Lyrius could barely feel Fran's pulse under his fingers. His mind raced through the list of spells he knew. Blood magic could purge toxins from her, but that would sap him as well because there wasn't a third person to use as a sacrifice. And every second I take here is a second that means Mai, too, is closer to death.
His finger tingled hot and Lyrius ripped his wedding band off. Splitting the tip of that finger, he squeezed blood into her mouth and shoved the ring onto her right hand. He spoke words of binding, felt it the ring grow warm under his grip and managed to relax even as his body began to burn with the feeling of bites he had taken. No time.
There was no use in teleporting down and he jumped down into the mass near where he'd last seen Mai. As before, the snakes tried to swarm but instinctual fear at a more powerful predator overrode whatever commands they had been given and they balked. Like a shroud, they revealed Mai's body and Lyrius grabbed her, shadows tugging them both back up to the platform.
Her pulse was scarcely stronger than Fran's and he didn't have a ring this time. And anti-poison spells fell under clerical powers. He dug through his memory, trying to find something, anything. Nothing came up that would be fast or effective enough. I am not skilled enough with blood magic.
Light flashed in the room and he shielded his face reflexively, heard Resoane's voice in his head. (Blasted reptiles! Begone!)
There was a whoosh of flames, nearly drowned out by the frightened hissing of the snakes. Lyrius glanced over the edge to find Resonae's hooves and mane dancing like true flame. Sparks danced as she crushed snakes between her hooves or snatched them in her fangs, a ring of flames slowly spreading out from the teleportation ring. (Master!)
"We are safe, Resonae. But Fran and Mai are poisoned." He saw her golden eye locate him even as she kept pressing forwards. The teleportation circle flashed and another of the unicorns appeared. In the space of a breath, it had figured out what was going on and began assisting Resonae.
(Stay there. I will come to you.) Resonae and the other unicorn traded glances, then she backed up towards one of the walls. A third unicorn entered the room, almost instantly pairing itself up with the second to create a wave of horn, hoof and magic light to crowd the serpents away.
Resonae's hooves cracked stone and crushed snake in equal measure as she sprinted forwards in a full gallop. Leaping and contorting herself with insane grace, she landed on the platform like a gymnast performing a dismount. Seeing Mai and Fran, she lowered her head to touch it to the older woman's head. Her horn shimmered with light that swallowed up her eyes. (I will purge the poisons.)
"Hurry. My ring may not work well for Fran, she is already bitten." Lyrius rose to his feet, scanning the room for Dracula and her opponent. He spotted them crashing across a part of the floor not occupied by snakes. He was coiling around her, tree-thick body trying to squeeze unlife out of the vampire. But she was fading into mist that coiled around his head. As he watched, the snake hissed and reared away, ice crystal forming on its scales and eyes.
She looked to have things well in hand, the unicorns down below crowding the snakes into a corner. The reptiles heaped themselves on one another, a giant, wriggling ball. But the unicorns guided the flames to cut off escape and were closing the gap.
A warning instinct rang like a bell in his head and he saw movement near Dracula's position, a distortion in the air. A large distortion. "Dracula!"
The warning came too late. The distortion reared up and a cloud of venomous fumes spilled out. It engulfed the two fighters, with the silvery mist of Dracula tearing out a second later and resolving back to her human form as she crashed to the ground. She was on her feet in a moment, but her flawless skin was gaining green blotches and she spat out something that hissed as it hit the stone floor.
Lyrius watched as the snake shaman slithered free of the cloud, swearing under his breath as he realized the shaman was probably immune to whatever had been unleashed. And vampires were also immune to nearly every poison or toxin. But the cloud had been a terrible stroke of bad luck, infecting one of her transformations. Dracula will recover, but not before that snake kills us!
The unicorns had noticed the distortion - Lyrius could see now it was titanic, tree-like snake and he wracked his brain for anything that could both camouflage itself and be that size. They were the ones on the retreat now, the flames keeping the smaller snakes contained. But they could not do much against something far bigger than themselves. "Resonae-"
(I can kill it, Master. But my chances of survival are not high.) The Nightmare's voice was calm, practical. No trace of ego or worry. (And I would have to halt healing Mai.)
"Man of shadows…" The human-sized serpent hissed as it slithered towards their makeshift tower. Scales melded back into skin, legs fell free of torso and then it was heavily-tattooed bald African man. "You can control this place?"
Lyrius frowned. They were on the ropes, cornered. And this man wanted to negotiate. Why? His eyes fell upon the teleportation circle, noticed how it sparked and missing rings of seals. Functional enough to receive things, but not send them back. And if he recalled correctly, the Palace storehouses were sealed by giant stone slabs without locks or hinges.
It clicked and he allowed himself a thin smile. "You used the ring in Africa to get here, but wound up trapping yourself."
"For three years." The man rasped in annoyance, forked tongue flicking out as he spoke. "But you made the floor rise. You can make the door be a door. If you do, Adder Man will cure your women, let you walk free."
"And if I refuse to let you out?"
Now it was the man's turn to smile, the corners of it reaching too high on his cheeks and exposing so fangs. "Then Adder Man will kill you."
"It seems like you will kill us regardless."
"Adder Man tells no lies." The shaman said. Behind him, the distortion curled up on itself and Lyrius felt hungry eyes lock on to him. "If you think too much, man of shadows, women will die."
(Not so.) Resonae said from behind him. (Mai is purged. She will live. And your ring is eliminating the venom from Fran.)
With Dracula hiding in the shadows, watching everything as her own body worked to cleanse her. But even with all of them healed, the odds weren't even yet. He and Dracula and Resonae could possibly defeat the gigantic snake and the Adder Man, but the real danger was how its toxin was a cloud, not a liquid. The storehouse had only so much space and even magic barriers didn't keep out air-based attacks - not unless you wanted to suffocate yourself with the safety. The other three unicorns and the two humans would not come away from the fight alive.
"It seems we are an impasse, Adder Man." Lyrius called the shadows to himself, emerging down at the base of the shelving across from the shaman. "We do not trust each other."
"Trust in Adder Man's power, man of shadows." Adder Man said, serpent eyes glittering. "It will make you beg for death if you do not help…"
"Perhaps. But whether you kill us or we kill you, you will never know the freedom of the outside world again. So let us have the oldest of magics decide for us." Lyrius held out his arm, Duel Disk appearing and his deck in place. "The loser complies with the victor's wish."
"A dark game...as the ancestors did…" Adder Man's tongue flicked in and out rapidly, as if it was helping him think. "Adder Man agrees. You will become Adder Man's slave and guide him to this place's treasures."
"There is no treasure to be found here, Adder Man." Lyrius drew his opening hand as his opponent gained a Duel Disk and mimicked him. "Only your death." (LLP: 8000) (AMLP: 8000)
The darkness around them flickered and deepened, becoming a world until itself that only encapsulated them. And through that impenetrable darkness, Lyrius' felt the Palace's magic surge for a brief moment to remind him of something.
"As we duel in my home, Adder Man, we must - " He broke off as Adder Man held up a card and it evaporated out of those too-long fingers. The remains morphed into a ten-foot tall snake man clad in ornate robes.
"This rule is known," Adder Man hissed as he bared his teeth in a fanged smile. "The Deckmaster is Vennonmion, the King of Poisonous Snakes."
That was a concern; if the Adder Man knew about the Palace's Deckmaster Rules spell in place, then he would have had to have dueled when he got here. But the Palace was supposed to be empty, so who had he battled?
It was a concern for later, however Lyrius pulled cards off of his deck and then flicked the fourth one into the air. "My Deckmaster is Ruin, Angel of Oblivion."
Platinum hair spilled to the floor, adding a regal air to the young woman dressed in purple finery and wielding a weapon best described as a halbred crossed with a great axe. She sneered at Adder Man and his Deckmaster, then planted her weapon into the ground. With a teenagerish air of petulance and one of regal boredom, she crossed her arms and leaned back against the weapon.
"My monster has fewer attack points, so Adder Man will go first." Tongue flicking out between his teeth, the Adder Man drew and then slipped the card onto his disk. "Two cards face-down and then I summon Ipira in attack mode." (500/500)
His monster was a squat, flat dog-sized grey lizard that had a tuft of white hair running down its back. It stared at nothing with vacant eyes, head twisting and tongue flicking out randomly. "When this monster is summoned, Adder Man is allowed to draw one card."
He did so, adding it to his hand and then giving Lyrius a gracious gesture. "It is your move, man of shadows."
"Draw." Lyrius snapped up the card and then grabbed another one from his hand. "I summon Makyura the Destructor in attack mode." His monster was odd, an ancient statue carved out of modern metals and colored in dark purples and greens. But the claws strapped to the backs of his wrists gleamed with true lethal intent in the gloom. "Makyura attacks Ipira!"
"Activate set card," Adder Man waved his hand and the card lifted. Ipira winked out of sight and then reappeared just as quickly, now curled up in defense mode. "Cross Shift returns a monster on the field to the hand and then replaces with a level four or lower monster. Like itself. So Ipira's effect activates again."
"He is still destroyed." Lyrius watched as Makyrua slashed Ipira into three sections and then jumped back to his field. Ipira breaks even in card avantage, no matter how many times he summons it. So why insist on it? Was his hand that weak? Light flashed in front of him, resolving into a brown-backed card. "I set one card face-down and end my turn!"
Adder Man drew and then held it up. "This spell card is Viper's Rebirth! I summon Ipira from the graveyard!" The grey lizard appeared in a flash of light and he drew another card. "Now Ipira is sacrificed to summon Venom Rattler!"
Ipira vanished, replaced by a snake as big as Adder Man was. It was a rattlesnake, thick as a small tree and its rattle reminding Lyrius of funeral bells as the snake hissed at him. (2000/2000)
"Now the effect of Adder Man's Deckmaster!" Adder Man's tongue flicked out, augmenting his creepy smile to new levels. Behind him, Vennonminon lifted his snake arms and they launched out, stretching to allow them to bite into Makyura's arms. When they retracted, a little serpent was latched onto the monster's arm like a lamprey. "Each time a reptile is summoned, he gains one Venom Counter. And during Adder Man's turn, those counters can be spread however is needed!"
"A Venom Deck for a snake man. How novel." Lyrius said flatly, but inwardly he was running through all that he knew about the strategy and was coming up a bit short. Unlike Fran or Mai, or even Dracula, his dueling career had only started recently and so his information was not up to par. Still, he knew enough. "But those counters will not do much without your field spell present."
"You think wrongly. Venom Rattler, attack Makyura!" Adder Man thrust out his hand and Venom Rattle struck, so fast that Lyrius didn't even see the hit - only Makyura's legs falling to the ground as the snake swallowed up the upper half of his monster. "And now you will be poisoned!"
"Poisoned-?" Lyrius felt pain sear on his forearm and glanced down. A snake tattoo was burning its way into his skin with a decidedly unpleasant hiss. It glowed a cruel shade of green and the pain didn't lessen. "The dark game…" (LLP: 8000 - 7600)
"Adder Man's rule, to make the game more interesting. Each time we are struck, we are poisoned. Life points become zero, poison reaches the heart and death follows. But poison may kill before then anyway…" Adder Man laughed, showing off his fangs and how they glistened with venom. "Adder Man wonders how sweet his poison will be this time."
Clever. He's most likely immune to venoms and poisons from all snakes thanks to his abilities. Whereas someone facing him will begin to panic and that will spread the poison faster. At least, if he were dueling someone prone to panic. Lyrius relaxed himself forcefully and let the pain in his arm stay there. It was just a distraction and he had a duel to play. "Since you destroyed Makyura, I can activate one trap card from my hand. I select this one."
He slid the card home and a marking appeared on the floor in front of him; a Chinese artist's rendition of a massive, man-sized spider. Then a pebble bounced over it and the floor exploded open like a door, revealing a real spider chattering hungrily underneath. "Trapdoor Spider!" (2100/1000)
"Fearsome monster. Make a nice meal for mine." Adder Man sneered. "When Venom Rattler kills a monster, it takes any Venom Counters that monster had and not only gains three hundred attack for each one but may attack a second time! Go, my snake! Devour the spider!" Venom Rattler reared up again, mouth wide to reveal those razor fangs. (2000-2300)
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Lyrius let himself smile as Venom Rattler struck - and this time, it was the one in trouble. Adder Man gasped in surprise as Trapdoor Spider had avoided the bite and instead managed to grapple the massive snake, pinning it to the floor and then hauling it underground. The tail tip disappeared as the trapdoor clicked shut and then there was a horrible, snake-like cry of pain followed by munching noises. "Any monster that battles my Trapdoor Spider has to do so with its original attack points. So your monster was nothing but a meal for my spider."
"Trickery!" Adder Man hissed in fury, uncaring as a purple snake seared itself into place on his arm. "But Adder Man has better tricks! Trap card, activate!" (ALP: 7900)
The card lifted, showing a river of purplish venom with dozens of poisonous snakes swimming in it heading towards Venom Swamp. "This card is Venom River! When a card with Venom Counters leaves the field, this card gains those counters!" Two serpents latched themselves to the card's face, hissing and dripping with venom like sweat. "Then during each of the end phases, you will take damage! Three hundred damage for every Venom Counter on the field! This turn is over! Now let your pain begin!" (LLP: 7600 - 7000)
Lyrius felt the aura sear to life around him, tingling pain spreading everywhere and his skin itched as another snake twisted itself into his skin. But it was just pain and it could be tolerated. More so than that annoying laugh the Adder Man had. "My turn - I draw!"
He drew and then slapped another card down. "I summon Synthesize Sphere in attack mode!" The new monster was strange. The monster had feathered wings, but also four feathered legs and a thick neck ending in a masked beak. The rest of it was hidden by the green orb it wore like a turtle shell. (1000/1000)
"Now, both of my monsters attack you directly!" Lyrius didn't take any solace in Adder Man's cry of pain as Synthesize Sphere spewed out a torrent of green energy at him. Not even when Trapdoor Spider erupted out of the floor behind the shaman and gave him a spider bite to go with the growing snake one on his arm. In his head, there was a timer ticking up steadily. Each tick meaning one more second Fran and Mai were battling against those poisons for their lives. I have to end this quickly! (AMLP: 7900 - 6900 - 4800)
"I set one card face down." The card flashed into existence behind his Sphere monster and Lyrius just stared back as the Adder Man hissed and spit at him. "My turn is over."
"Venom River will burn you for striking Adder Man!" The snake man leered as Lyrius grunted in pain this time while the aura washed over him. "Your snake is growing, man of shadows. It swallows your arm now. Pain must be so great it feels like you cut if off…" (LLP: 7000 - 6400)
"This? This is not nearly as painful as hearing you speak, serpent." Lyrius returned, regarding his glowing arm with the same severity one might regard a dirty fingernail. "Now hurry up and duel. With as few words as possible, if you can."
"You will regret your words, human." Adder Man rasped as he drew. "For if Adder Man cannot speak, how can he say 'yes' to the mercy you will beg for?"
He glanced at his card and then shoved it into the field slot of his disk. "I play Venom Swamp!" The ground beneath them melted, Trapdoor Spider scuttling to the surface for safety as it became a pool of purple, brackish liquid while vine-draped trees and leafy plants sprang up around them. "Then the next snake to strike appears - Venom Pitviper!"
This serpent was just as large as Rattler had been, but its coloration was patterned in dark reds, oranges and golds. It hissed quietly, coiling on itself as glowered at Lyrius' monsters. (1200/1000)
"Then Deckmaster ability!" Adder Man watched in delight as Vennomion stretched out his arms and his snake hands sank their fangs into Trapdoor Spider. The monster thrashed, gaining a sickly pallor to it as serpents sprang out of the swamp and latched onto its abdomen. "In Venom Swamp, all monsters lose five hundred attack for each Venom Counter they have! Venom Pitviper, destroy Trapdoor Spider! Venom Melt!" (2100-1100)
Pitviper launched forwards, its bite nearly ripping off Trapdoor Spider's eyes as it landed. The spider made a screeching noise and flailed about, but got nowhere as something ichor-like and hissing spilled out of the wound. Its thrashing slowly faltered and then it sank into the swamp, vanishing completely in an instant. At the same time, two more snakes added themselves to Venom River for a total of four. (LLP: 6300)
"Reverse card open! Soul Rope!" Lyrius felt the stinging pain from the new injection of venom erupt into a fountain as his life points plummeted further. "By paying one thousand life points, I can summon another level four monster from my deck! I choose another Synthesize Sphere!" In a flash of light, a second of the odd bird things appeared. (LLP: 6300 - 5300)
"You are not looking so healthy, man of shadows. Poison is crawling up your neck now. Perhaps pain is making you feverish? But you have not screamed in pain yet. Adder Man is impressed. Adder Man thinks this will not last." The shaman said with dark promise. "The turn is ended and now Venom Swamp places one Venom Counter on each of your monsters. And then Venom River will make you hurt!"
There are six Venom Counters on the field-! Lyrius clutched at his arm as the pain exploded, his Spheres shrieking in protest as snakes launched out of the waters and bit into them. It felt like lightning was using everyone of his veins and arteries to chase itself at top speed. But he rode the lighting, letting it run its course. His body ached in terrible ways, but he was still standing and he hadn't yet made a sound. (LLP: 5300 - 3500)
Adder Man now was staring at him with genuine amazement and perhaps a touch of fear. "You are human - that poison would kill an elephant many times over, so why are you not screaming for death?"
Lyrius just stared at him for a long moment, then reached for his deck. "I draw!"
"During the Standby Phase, Venom Pitviper's ability activates!" Adder Man pointed at the churning waters of the swamp and then a second, smaller version of Pitviper rose up to join the first. "It summons one Venom Viper Token!" (500/500)
"Another snake to crush underneath my heel. I activate the spell card Take Over 5!" Lyrius pulled a stack of cards off his deck and then fanned them out, revealing their number to be five. "I send the top five cards of my deck to the graveyard."
Shoving them into the graveyard slot, he flipped around another card. "Then the spell card Pre-Preparation of Rites. I add a ritual monster and it's ritual spell to my hand from the deck." His deck slid out two card and he grabbed them, holding them aloft. "I activate the ritual spell End of the World! I offer up my two level four Synthesize Spheres to ritual summon the level eight Demise, King of Armageddon!"
The two monsters both exploded, their pieces igniting into an inferno. The flames went from red to orange, then to black and blue as they leapt higher. Then a skull became visible in those flames. Then two glaring eyes in that skull. Then a massive, hulking armored figure who lumbered free of the fires, trailing wisps of them. Each heavy step made his armor clank in such a way it was like bell tolling for the dead. (2400/2000)
"Demise, attack and destroy that token!" Lyrius snapped his fingers and Demise rumbled an acknowledgement, hefting his great axe in one hand and slicing through the snake in one quick blow that left chunks of it smeared across the surrounding jungle.
Adder Man growled in pain as the attack's backlash hit him and shoved him back a step, but his anger quickly became surprise as he saw Demise fixing his gaze on Venom Pitviper. "But - that monster has attacked already!" (ADMLP: 4800 - 2900)
"This is the effect of my Deckmaster." Lyrius said as behind him, Ruin chuckled in approval at Demise's actions and held her hand up. A violent pink glow surrounded and then the same glow appeared around Demise. "Ritual Summoned monsters I have can make two attacks on monsters each turn. Demise, kill Venom Pitviper!"
The ritual took one lumbering step forwards and swung, beheading the snake in one easy blow. Adder Man cried out again, clutching at his chest in pain. And when Demise took another step towards him, even as the snake tattoo crawled over his torso, his eyes widened. "What - no! Adder Man is not a monster!" (ADLP: 2900 - 1700)
"Demise does not care. In his presence, all things perish." Lyrius said coolly, pointing at Demise. "I pay two thousand life points! All cards on the field are destroyed!" Demise's axe glowed with black and gold energy as he lifted it above his head. With a mighty roar, he slammed it down and everything exploded. The energy evaporated the swamp, burnt away the jungle plants and shattered Venom River with a force so blinding it felt like it would rip the Shadow Game away from them. (LLP: 3500 - 1500)
But it didn't and when it cleared, they were standing in the neutral void they had been before. And Lyrius could feel fire crawling over his face and chest now. There was something cold on his skin, too and he knew it was sweat. The kind the body produces when it's vainly attempting to purge itself of something inside of it. The darkness around him blurred, edges going soft and indistinct for a few blinks and he wiped at his eyes. I just have to keep going forwards. The duel is almost over. "I set one card face-down and end my turn."
Adder Man drew, tongue flicking in and out again. "There it is, man of shadows. The venom is burning away at you, fire in your blood. Behind your eyes. Squeezing and clutching at your heart. You duel well, but not well enough. You are going to suffer for the Adder Man. And he will take your women as slaves to loot this home. Then maybe Adder Man will let you watch them die."
"If that is a threat, I have been more intimidated by a kitten." Lyrius said testily. "Now take your turn!"
"As you like." Adder Man held up a monster. "I summon Venomnomini, the Prince of Poisonous Snakes in attack mode." Like the shaman's deckmaster, this monster was a humanoid serpent clad in elegant robes of sea green, violet and gold. But he was smaller, having only one snake arm and his scales lacked the poisonous shine of the older monster. (0/0)
Lyrius was tempted to ask how Adder Man could pronounce names like Venomnomini and Vennominon with perfect clarity, but had trouble with 's' noises, but decided against it. The pain was too much to waste breath on anything and his breathing felt thick, the poison making his tongue feel like a mouthful of cotton.
"Then I activate another Venom Swamp." Adder Man looked relieved as the toxic waters surrounded them again. "As Demise killed Venom Pitviper and Venom Viper Token, it gained one Venom Counter for each. And the Prince gains five hundred attack for each one in play."
Demise growled, dropping to one knee and leaning his weight on his axe as snakes latched onto his torso through his arm. Seeing him suffer, Venomnomini gave off hissing, mocking laughter as his own power rose. (2400-1400) (0-1000)
"Then my Deckmaster's ability!" Adder Man sneered as three more snakes leapt out of the water and bit down on Demise. He groaned in pain and then shattered apart. "When the effect of Venom Swamp reduces a monster to zero, that monster dies! And Venomnomini gains the Venom Counters!"
Snakes slithered into Venomnomini's robes and he gave off a glow as his power rose. Adder Man flicked his tongue out in triumph, his smile obscene and wide. "Attack, Venomnomini, attack! Take his life points away!" (1000- 2500)
Lyrius pointed at his set card and it lifted, a flurry of flower petals spiraling out from it. They halted Venomnomini's charge and the serpent prince flailed about helplessly, trying to find a way past them. "Floral Guard negates the attack and then lets me draw one card."
Adder Man hissed in annoyance. "You survive like a bug, but Adder Man will crush you like one! Spell card! Venom Miasma!" The spell appeared and the swamp waters began to churn softly, an sickly putrid fog spilling over its surface. "End of turn!"
"Draw!" Lyrius did so, then nearly dropped the card as his fingers stopped working for a moment. The poison is getting to me and I do not have my ring - I have to end this now! "During the standby phase, I banish Take Over 5 to draw one again!"
He did so and then slammed the card into his disk. "Monster Reborn! Revive Synthesize Sphere!" The bird creature appeared in a flash of light. "When this monster is summoned, I can summon another Sphere from the graveyard!"
"That shall not happen! Venomnomini's special power! Venom Strike!" Adder Man laughed as his monster lashed out with his snake arm, biting down on Synthesize Sphere and leaving a serpent clinging to it's neck. "When you summon a monster, Venomnomini may give it one of his Venom Counters! And Venom Misama prevents all monster who are not immune to the venom from using their powers!"
It was true, Lyrius could see it. Synthesize Sphere was grayed out now, its special power gone and weakened thanks to Venom Swamp. It looked to be on its last legs. Like he was. (1000 - 500)
I did not come back to my home and my kingdom to just die here in the dark to this snake charmer and his scaly petting zoo! Lyrius grabbed one of his other cards and held it up. "I activate Powerless Sphere! Venomnomini now has his scores set back to their original of zero! Synthesize Sphere attacks!"
"You cannot -!" Adder Man threw up his arms as his monster suddenly sagged, weak and helpless as Syntheisze Sphere fired a single blue torrent that shattered the Prince of Poisonous Snakes like clay. "Coward!" (ADLP: 1700 - 1200)
"You are the one relying on poison to make himself seem frightening, Adder Man." Lyrius retorted and felt his strength wane enough to drop him to both knees.
"I activate trap card!" Adder Man's eyes widened in joy, his snake pupils almost completely invisible slits. "Rise of the Snake Deity! Venomnomini counted as Vennomion on the field and now this trap summons their master! Vennominaga, the Deity of Poisonous Snakes!"
His monster looked the part. Standing more than twice as tall as his Deckmaster, Vennominaga was a snake woman. She eschewed garb of the other two for baring her tree-trunk snake body covered in dark gray and gold scales, her arms ending in two broad, snarling snake heads and the luxurious hair that tumbled down her body writhed and hissed in anger as well. (0/0)
"Vennominaga is a god of poisons, man of shadows. She cannot be harmed by your cards and like the poison in your body, she will kill you simply by existing. She gains five hundred attack for every reptile in the graveyard." Adder Man held up a hand with its fingers spread, save for the thumb. "There are four in the graveyard...for the moment." (0-2000/0)
"Hmph. I wounded your pride, so you're going to power up your so-called 'god' simply to humiliate me?" Lyrius shook his head, his smile mocking. "Your ego is the most poisonous thing about you."
Adder Man's eyes flashed. "You are the one kneeling in front of Adder Man and soon you will be the one begging Adder Man for mercy!"
"Bold words, Adder Man. But that is all they are." Lyrius slid a card into his disk, feeling the cold sweat beading on his brow sting against his burning hot skin. "I set this card. End turn."
As he spoke, a second snake jumped out of the waters and bit down on Synthesize Sphere. The monster gave of a little pained cry as its attack points were drained to zero and then it exploded.
Adder Man drew. "I activate Snake Rain! I discard this reptile monster and then send four more snakes from the deck to my graveyard!"
Vennominaga glowed as her power rose, all three of her heads hissing with mocking laughter as they began to eye Lyrius like a delicious morsel. (2000-4500)
"Attack!" Adder Man hissed and his monster lunged for a triumphant strike at Lyrius. He saw the set card flip up. "That will not work on my deity! You are dead!"
"The trap is not for you-" Lyrius managed, managing to smirk despite the agony he was in. "It is for me. This card is Urgent Ritual Art - I activate the ritual spell card Contract With the Abyss from my graveyard!"
Darkness pooled in front of him, halting Vennonminga's charge. The shadows twisted and deepened becoming something solid yet fluid. Lyrius held up a card and it melted into the shadows. "I offer the level eight Sorciere de Fleur in my hand to ritual summon Crypt Melody Tribute Dragon!"
Music began to sound, slow and haunting in the ways that brought to mind a funeral march. Then, with a final deep tolling of a somber bell, the darkness melted away to reveal a skeletal dragon. The bones were polished obsidian but were hard edged and jagged as if they were recovering some great trauma. The dragon's wings spread, revealing that instead of feathers or scales, dozens of thin, glimmering harp-strings stretching from the wing bones to the monster's torso. They were the source of the haunting melody, keeping perfect time and melody as the dragon twisted to glare at Vennominaga. (0/00
Adder Man started, his monster hissing in vexation and confusion. Then he caught sight of the monster's stats and sneered, pointing and Vennominaga renewed her charge, her hands smashing through and shattering the skeleton dragon with the greatest of ease. "Your defense is laughable and sad, man of shadows. You think you delay death, but you only increase your sufferings-"
He broke off as a jet of red suddenly erupted from Lyrius' neck, his eyes going wide and his face going slack in surprise. "What?!"
Lyrius ignored him, hand clamping down on the spray of blood coming from his neck. He rose to his feet, the blood staining his hand and neck suddenly wriggling and twisting as if it had life of its own. It faded off him, becoming a mist that surrounded him briefly and then faded. He dropped his hand, the wound gone. His dark eyes glittered in the shadows. "My suffering and your poison are no longer relevant."
"Impossible - you slit your throat to drain the poison -" The Adder Man couldn't have sounded more stunned. "You should be dead!"
"I would pay more attention to the duel, Adder Man." Lyrius lifted a hand to indicate the darkness around them. "Or did you not notice my monster's melody is still swelling around us?"
The Adder Man glanced around, suspicion and wariness crossing his face and Vennominaga. "But that monster is dead-"
"The dead, Adder Man, do not always stay that way. And your monster is about to be the sacrifice for my dragon's revival." Lyrius allowed himself a superior smirk as the music swelled even further. "As Vennominaga killed my dragon, my dragon now uses its flesh and soul to return the world of the living!"
Vennominaga began to twitch, all three heads twisting and curling awkwardly as if they were being electrified. Then the snake monster curled up on herself, trying to shield herself from the onslaught and ultimately, failing. Her scales split, black ooze trickling out of them and spreading over everything. When she was completely consumed, the blackness became a sphere and then the music stopped. Then started again, darker and heavier, as the sphere melted away into the form of Crypt Melody Tribute Dragon.
Adder Man stared in horror as the dragon twisted its sightless gaze to him, Lyrius continuing to speak. "And when Crypt Melody revives itself in this fashion, it gains the attack points of the sacrifice. So if you have anything else to play, I suggest you do it." (0 - 4500/0)
The shaman glanced down at his hand and then held up a card. "Adder Man will not die to this abomination - Adder Man plays Paralysis Venom! This card, as long as it is in play, keeps your envenomed monsters from attacking! And now Venom Swamp will poison your dragon!"
Lyrius watched as a snake erupted out of the waters, but his dragon's claw flashed and the snake fell into pieces. "Crypt Melody is immune to such effects."
Seeing Adder Man just hiss and flick his tongue rapidly, he drew for his turn. "This duel is over. Crypt Melody Tribute Dragon attacks directly! Dark Triumph!"
The blast caught Adder Man in the chest and threw him off his feet, his cry of pain echoing loudly as the darkness around them faded back into the storehouse. (AMLP: 0)
He could see - and as could the Adder Man - that his little army of snakes was dead, the unicorns have taken advantage of the duel to shred them or chase them into the corners. Lyrius approached the Adder Man, looming over his opponent, this...intruder to his home. And for this moment, as the Adder Man looked so small and weak, he was Shadow King again.
"You beat Adder Man-" The shaman said in quiet horror, his snakelike visage making even surprise an ugly thing. Then his eyes lowered to the floor. "Adder Man will comply with terms of dark game. Adder Man will heal your women."
"That's not what I said." Lyrius watched as Adder Man's gaze darted up to him, wary and confused. "I said the loser would comply with the victor's wish."
"But…" He hissed in confusion, long neck bobbing. "Your women…"
"Are no longer in danger of your venoms and toxins." Lyrius said. "What I wish, Adder Man, is for you to kill your giant monster behind you."
Adder Man's eyes shrank in horror, stuttering hisses spluttering from his lips. Then the Penalty Game's compulsion hit him. Forcing his body to turn, to gesture towards his hidden pet. The air shifted as it moved and then peeled away to reveal a massive snake. Even in the half-hidden gloom, the scales had an oily, rainbow cast to them and Lyrius realized he knew what the monster. It was Rainbow Snake Eingana. A Duel Spirit.
Adder Man waited until the snake was almost nose to nose with him, then reversed his grip on his stick and drove it into the giant reptile's eye. The snake hissed and jerked away, but it was already too late. Blood gushed out of the wound as it swayed back and forth hypnotically before it's body went limp and it rippled into the ground with a defeated thud.
It suggests, Lyrius mused, that death was a terrible snake charmer.
The shaman let out a blood-curdling scream of rage, his human skin shedding off him as scales sprouted to cover the expanding cords of his snake body and he coiled up as his eyes burned red. Wider and wider his mouth opened, still not distorting the rage in his voice. "Adder Man will swallow you whole! And digest you! Your screams will make Adder Man laugh!"
The snake shot forwards impossibly fast, mouth easily wide enough to swallow Lyrius in one bite. But even as he closed the distance, movement flashed overhead and then the Adder Man slammed into the stonework so hard all four fangs went flying off in all directions as rage became a bellow of confused agony.
Dracula, balanced on splayed legs on his head, just pulled his shaman stick to her side and drove it down. The wood crashed through his scales like a hot knife through butter and Adder Man's entire body thrashed and convulsed before going limp against the floor. Wrenching the stick free, she regarded the blood-stained tip, then sneered and tossed it aside. "Arrogant fool. He could have gotten his freedom if he had simply asked for help, but then he had to attack us. Once he did, his only freedom then was death."
"I'm sure there is a quote or two about trusting serpents for help," Lyrius said, taking her hand and helping her step down. He pulled her close, cupping her chin and tilting her head back and forth. The splotches he'd noticed on her skin had faded into beauty marks. "I am glad you are not suffering any ill effects from the Duel Spirit's poison."
"It is nothing more than a bad itch to me, my songbird." Dracula replied, leaning into his hand. "Though I will require blood to heal fully…" Her finger trailed along his jaw. "Be kind and lift your head high, glorious victor…?"
"Before you guys have your moment or whatever, could you get us down, please?" Fran's annoyed voice accompanied the feeling of her glare digging into the back of his head and Lyrius turned from Dracula as an exertion of his will caused the storage unit to lower again. "What was that?"
"My guess is that the Adder Man, upon learning of the Shadow Queen's defeat, realized what the teleportation circle was and teleported himself in with his familiars. Hoping to explore the Palace itself and loot it, but found himself trapped here." Lyrius glanced over Fran and then Mai. The older blonde was leaning on Resonae, one hand a death-grip on the flaming mane. Her eyes were scanning the room furtively, but not really seeing it.
(I can purge the toxins on her body, Master.) Resonae's mental voice was soft, even though no one could hear but him. (But the ones in her mind and heart, I have no magic for.)
(Leave those to me. I know how to battle the craven wolf called fear and the demon called need.)
Lyrius resisted the urge to whirl and face Dracula - the vampire adding herself to the mental conversation was unnerving.
(My children are born with such monsters bound to their beings.) Dracula continued, slipping past Lyrius to join Mai. She relaxed at the vampire's nearness, but didn't release her grip on Resonae. (Do not concern yourself with these matters, my songbird.)
Her presence slipped from his mind and he was glad for it, as Fran was suddenly in front of his face. With folded arms and a scowl with her eyepatch, she was quite fearsome indeed. "You said the Palace would be empty!"
"I said it might be. But I was never certain. The Shadow Spawn may have left a very secure door on the front, but doors can be broken. Many dark powers and treasure seekers would love to get in here and as you know, determination can make things happen." Lyrius gestured to the dead Rainbow Snake beside them, then shook his head. "But I apologize. We went in blind. We could have done better. I should have done better. Sent in a scout or secured an alternative way in. And because of my incompetence, we all nearly died."
She stared at him for a moment longer, then huffed enough that her bangs moved. "You're going to beat yourself up terribly about this, aren't you?"
"Yes." Lyrius nodded.
"Fine. That's good enough for me." Seeing him blink in surprise at her, Fran shrugged. "Look, we could have been killed. We could have also been killed trying to get onto the island the normal way. And we could still very well be killed once we get out there, looking for Serenity. This place was a death-trap and a half last time. Why should it be any different this time?"
"...how can you have half a death trap?"
"Better question - how do we get out?" Fran gestured at the broadness of the store room. "I'm not seeing a door. And I'm guessing the magic circle is out."
"There is a door. It simply has no hinges or locks." Lyrius turned to the nearest wall and stepped up to it. Once more, he reached out with his will and felt the Palace respond. Three stone blocks, each larger than any of them suddenly sank into the floor to reveal empty, expansive hall beyond.
Fran whistled behind him. "You have the Force?"
"No. But the most secure parts of the Palace are all like this. Your enemies may be able to pick a lock, break down a door, but they can't move several tons of stone at will. Thus, Iris and I are the only ones who can get in and out of them." Lyrius felt Resonae slid up beside him and mounted her deftly. Mai was already on her unicorn, Fran pulling herself up onto a third while the fourth waited. "This hall connects to an antechamber and there is a hidden passage there that will exit near Keelhaul Key. There, we start our search for information."
With that, a press of his heels sent Resonae into a full gallop headlong into the darkness and he heard the others fall in behind. It had been five years since he'd last been here and before that, a thousand wandering this place as a ghost. He knew every inch, nook and cranny. But as they galloped along, Lyrius felt a new sensation he hadn't felt before. One that sent shivers down his spine.
Someone was watching him.
TTTTTTT
Every breath tasted of blood.
Castiel had told her that it was a reflex left over from life, the brain not quite realizing what had happened to the body it was running. Most vampires would lose it within their first year, but he explained further that it was useful for newborn vampires. Young, new and hungry, breathing would let them fool prey - people, people! - to get close to strike, as many of their other vampiric abilities and magic hadn't developed yet.
He hadn't mentioned that it would taste so good. Every intake of breath was a burst of flavors, the sharpness of metal in the blood and subtle things that she hadn't ever thought could have tastes. Fear. Lust. Surprise.
She had fed tonight twice now. The first target - victim - had been a drunken lout, stumbling out of one of Rogueport's taverns after losing a round of cards to someone's fist. Already bleeding and intoxicated, it had been easy to call out to him and get him in the alleyway. She drank from him, stunned by how she could taste the cheap alcohol over anything else. Left him propped against a rain barrel, knowing he'd wake up and not remember her.
The second had been a woman at the celebration they were having. Serenity had hidden herself in a cloak, her familiar covering her bone limbs in blackness so that in the dark, they looked like clothing. A dance had happened, the woman enraptured by Serenity's eyes and soon her voice and dancing had become flirting had become slinking off to find privacy. Privacy led to a kiss that led to Serenity's next meal and the woman remembering only that she'd pulled a hot stranger before they'd been interrupted.
Serenity felt her cold skin go clammy at the memory. Castiel had shared that power with her, her ability to alter a mind by having Weevil put his glasses on top of his head, then making him forget they were there and leading Weevil to panic about losing them. He had said it was only good for surface thoughts, that the trick was giving them a twist they could accept as logical because if you pushed too hard or did it more than once, their brain outright rejected the fantasy.
He hadn't mentioned how good it felt, at how the rush of slipping away into the night was a bigger version of a child getting away with looting the cookie jar. He hadn't mentioned how good blood tasted, the rush of her own power sinking into her with every gulp. Drinking animals was nothing compared to actual people and her hunger was a gluttonous thing, urging her to just have one more bite. People were a cake that would never stop being delicious.
She shook her head, trying to shake the thoughts away but they remained lodged firmly in her brain. Serenity clawed her bone fingers at her palm, felt pain as little droplets welled and the fog thinned. For the moment. Already, the little wounds were healed and she raised her palm to mouth, licking her own blood.
It didn't satisfy, it didn't even taste of anything but ash. But it took the edge off and she forced herself to reach into her being. The necklace around her neck grew cold, tightening like a comforting embrace and the fog cleared.
For the moment.
Castiel's command to drink from three people hung in the back of her head and the Orichalcos pressed into her neck. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't slip away from Rogueport and spare these people herself. And that want had been shrinking all night.
Just one more. Just one more and then, I can go. Serenity promised herself. And tried very hard to ignore the part of her that was whispering that three people had been the minimum.
Not the maximum.
And the hunger burned in her veins.
Rogueport seemed to have some kind of law that required a certain number of parties happening every night - Serenity had passed by five on her trip round the city and had only avoided them because the alleys and taverns were better places to hide and sneak away. But as the night had worn on, the bars had closed and there were fewer people on the streets. And Serenity had spent too long trying to explore the city, looking for something that could help her. Help her do what, she wasn't sure, but anything to delay seeing Castiel or going back to the Fahr Outpost.
Now the urge to feed was hammering at her mind alongside Castiel's orders to make sure she had three meals and she wasn't sure how long she was going to be able to resist. The few loners she'd seen on the street had left her baring her fangs and already imaging tasting their blood. In desperation, she picked the biggest party and slid her way inside. It was some kind of charity event for donations to Arcadia's infrastructure or something. But it had more than fifty people and she hoped that one more wouldn't be noticed.
It was just too tempting. Everywhere she looked there were people. Full of mirth, and alcohol and warm blood...she helped herself to a glass of Champagne being circulated, but even occupying herself with that didn't help. It was like her nose was honed into that smell. If it had been anyone else, she would have been interested to investigate how that particular survival instinct had developed in the vampire species. But it wasn't happening to anyone else, and all she could think about was the command.
Just pick someone. Just pick someone and slip out...but she couldn't. She still felt guilty from the last two. She couldn't be like her brother. She couldn't enjoy what he'd done...what he'd made her…
But she was so hungry. Hating herself, she set the glass down, and picked the first person she laid eyes on. He was of average height, but had the musculature of someone who had a very active life. He was young and from the way his eyes were flicking to the cocktail dresses and the women who wore them, looked like he was just waiting for a pretty lady to start talking to him.
But he was also armed - there was a sword across his back, hilt jutting over his shoulder. Serenity slid through the crowd, trying to see what kind of sword it was. Vampires were stupidity tough and she knew that getting skewered would hurt, but not stop her if she was determined enough. But if he knew how to use it, then he was going to be troublesome to get a bite off of.
She froze at the sight of the weapon itself - simple, golden adornments for the hilt and crossguard. But the blade wasn't any metal she'd seen before -it seemed to be a void in the shape of a blade, as if any light that got near it when scurrying away in fear. And it resonated with her.
Resonated with her necklace - she could feel it. A pulse of recognition from the gems. The shadow magic she had and the magic in that blade were almost one and the same. It was the Shadow Queen's sword. Lyrius' sword.
And it cuts through anything. Serenity touched the ugly hunk of Orichalcos on her choker, mind weaving a thread of through the tiny loophole in her brother's orders to not free herself and to become more powerful. And this Orichalcos cripples my magic...I have to get stronger…
Now with twice the reason to have this man, she started taking measures to get what she wanted. Her borrowed clothes were not doing much for her (if she didn't know better she'd swear her step-brother had picked these out specifically so that Weevil wouldn't ogle), so she tugged her shirt down as low as propriety would allow, and smoothed out her hair so that it framed her face. I almost wish this necklace didn't make me young again - nobody would suspect the sweet-looking sixty five year old lady who just 'fell over'.
Finally, as she caught his gaze through the crowd, she pushed gently in her mind like Castiel had explained. She felt his surface thoughts shift, drawing all his attention to her. She didn't push any further. A sweet, embarrassed smile and tearing her eyes away to stare at the ground like she was mortified to have been caught staring was enough to do the rest. She saw him smile back out of the corner of her eye - it was quite a nice smile actually, and she felt all the worse for it - and his eyes followed her as she drew back, away from the noise of the party and into the shadow of a wall. She glanced back one more time, saw his attention still on her, and gave him another, less nervous smile, before drawing behind the wall under the shelter of a nearby tree.
Part of her hoped it hadn't worked. That part of her wailed as he took less than ten seconds to round the wall, and out of the eyeline of the party-goers. He was still smiling. "Hi. You want some company?"
Maybe it was the atmosphere. Maybe it was the friendly, almost innocent way he said it. Or maybe it was the heaviness of the command pressing into her skull. Something about the words made Serenity reply before she'd even thought about it. "I want so many things…" And wasn't that the truth.
He blushed, his handsomeness transferring to an equal amount of bashful adorableness. "I'm Andy. I didn't expect a boring party like this to draw a lovely lady like yourself here. Are you having a good time?" He blinked, going redder as if he'd decided he'd put his foot in something. "If you are, can you show me how you're doing it? I'm drowning in the snobbish around here."
In spite of the hunger, Serenity was human enough to feel sympathy for him. Bless. He's barely out of teenagedom. Flirting clearly did not come naturally to him. She took a step closer, leaning casually on the tree as she did. "If it's so boring and snobbish, why did you come in the first place?"
"Oh, I'm working for the Crown as security. A revenant crashed the party - undead immortal monster." He added, seeing Serenity's lifted eyebrow. "I took care of it and decided to stick around just in case."
Oh superb, Serenity thought sarcastically. Of all the people in that party, I pick the law enforcement. But it was too late now - he was engaged, and she needed that sword. Her eyes flicked up to it again, before turning shyly away. "That's amazing. I could never do something like that."
Gently she gave another little push, and he took two steps closer, almost within reach. If she could just get him to come to her - to step into the shadow of the tree - he would be completely out of sight.
"Well, if I do my job right, you will never have to," he said. He was clearly proud of his achievement, and she couldn't fault him for that. If he's keen to take out undead things, I should introduce him to Fushioh...she was tempted to add her step-brother to that thought, but Castiel's command pushed against it, and she shook it away. Fine. I can't think it, but I can still feel it in my heart…
"Does that mean you can help me?" Serenity asked, putting a bit of hopeful tremble in her voice.
"Yeah, course I can." Andy said with a firm nod. "Is someone giving you trouble? Better not be those satyrs again…"
"No, it's just my step-brother. He's a bully and a bastard and he's just…" Some real emotion bubbled out of her as a choked sob and she took a reflexive step back, twisting away. "The things he's done...what he'll do…"
"Hey - you're safe here." His hand was warm and reassuring as his words when it landed on her shoulder and Serenity found herself actually wanting to believe him. "Tell me the details so I can help? Don't bottle it up inside. I can help. I know people who can help. No matter what it is."
Serenity nodded, sucking down air to avoid another sob. It was tempting to just break down and bawl, but she couldn't. Not here. If Castiel found out she'd given any hints at all - and he would ask when they got back to the Fahr Outpost, just as he did every time they went out - he'd be even more strict with her in the future. The only one I can trust right now is myself. I can't risk anyone else getting hurt by him.
Still, she leaned into Andy heavily, letting the emotions overcome her for a moment. He staggered, catching her. But Serenity had decades of controlling herself and she let the emotions just slide off her core, focusing only on what was in front of her. Getting that sword. "You can't help. No one can. You can't do it."
"You haven't even let me try. And if you're that worried, we should get you to somewhere safer than a party." He was glancing around, scanning the crowd for someone. "I know this guy - he's real good with magic-"
"No!" Serenity caught his shirt and his head snapped back to look at her pleading face, his brown eyes locking onto her honey ones. And she knew she had him. Just a little nudge on those heroic instincts - let him listen only to that. "Only you can help me, please, Andy!"
"Okay." He said reassuringly, his expression becoming firm. "Just tell me how."
This was the hard part - Castiel had told her to pull off this little mind blur successfully, she had to feed Andy something he could believe, that followed logic. If she said this wrong or put too much pressure, he'd balk. And Andy wasn't drunk and this wasn't as easy convincing a drunk man she'd done more than kiss him. Serenity put on her best doe-eyed expression of pleading and concern - an edge neither of her big brothers could resist. "I need more power. I have to become stronger. And you're the only one who can help."
"Anything. You don't have to be afraid."
"I need your blood. My brother...he's making me do things…I don't want to hurt innocent people. Please help me…" Serenity hated herself for how she was playing him, how he was just nodding and lifting his head so as to expose his neck. And then the hunger drowned out the self-loathing.
Her fangs entered him easily and she gulped down mouthful after mouthful. Andy tensed under her, gripping her arms but he didn't offer a protest. Just a moan. Another little trick that Hollywood had got right - the kiss of the vampire did feel good.
But she was so hungry. She pulled out, speaking against his neck as she felt him tense again. "It's okay. You're helping me, Andy. Just give me a little more." When he nodded against her hair, she sank her fangs back into him.
And as she drank, her eyes were still open and one of her hands slid up his back just so, as if she was going to press him closer. And her fingers closed around the sword's pommel.
He felt her tugging it away. "Hey - that's not - " But his mind was fogged by her little pushes and slowed by the pleasure of the bite and the blood loss.
Serenity pulled away, clutching the sword to her like a stuffed bear and met his gaze again. "It's okay. I'll give it back. You're just helping me, you know? You're a hero, Andy. You're doing what's right." She pushed mental force into the words and saw him nod once, twice. Then wiped a hand down his face. "You know I'm sorry about this, don't you?"
"Yeah, you're sorry…" Andy said slowly. "Don't be, though. Just let me...help…"
Her heart panged - it looked like his good intentions were honest ones, too. But there wasn't any more time to deal with this. "You can keep helping me, Andy. Go eat some cookies from the dessert table. You donated blood. You don't want to pass out."
"Right…" He nodded again and turned, shuffling for the table.
"Wait-" Serenity surprised herself with the word and watched him turn to look at her blankly. "I want-" The rest of your blood. You taste delicious and oh god, I don't have to stop at three...I don't want to stop at three...please, more.
It took every ounce of willpower to continue speaking. "-to say thank you. You really have helped me."
"Yeah, sure. No problem." He offered her a casual wave before turning back into the crowd. "What're friends for? Now I'm gonna get cookies…"
Serenity didn't stay - she couldn't. She felt like she was going to rip into a million pieces - everyone there was food and delicious and why was she so hungry and why wasn't she free!?
She turned and bolted, leaping over the wall in a single silent leap and sprinting down the cobblestoned street, desperate for the deepest, darkest hole she could crawl into. Where she'd be safe and no one could find her, not even Castiel and then she'd use this sword to cut the Orichalcos from her neck and she'd be stronger and safe in her shadow magic and then...and then…
She didn't know 'and then'.
She could only keep running.
OOO
A/N: No one ever said that things would ever be happy or easy. So take that, every piece of fiction that takes becoming a vampire and ignores how traumatic and painful it is so it can focus on teenage angst and how sexy their angsting is!
...husband, are you thinking of the venom-penis again?
Okay, look, Twilight said vampires don't have blood, they have venom and then they went off and had a baby! It is not hard to draw the line on how that part of biology had to function!
...if Serenity has a venom-penis, I'm quitting this collaboration.
...okay, you. That's it. Out of the gutter. You're about drowning in there. Anyway, we honestly had a blast writing this part of the story. There's something very gratifying about writing characters not having amazing, over-the-top victories and instead having them cope with the small things.
Glad you're enjoying the experience, husband. Speaking of small things, I know he's only name-dropped, but Xicerine is my feathery grumpy old man - no stealing! (clings to her characters possessively)
N'aww, look at how adorable that is! It's like a British porcupine, except all blonde and cuddly! Hope you all leave a review!