Chapter Six
The Absence of Time

It was a lamentation of some distant past. These quaint homes were all witnesses to an act of history that few had seen. And yet the stones of these buildings told stories, each one holding a tale or two, a statement, an understanding. I could feel such radiate from these structures, a great unrest that echoed throughout.

So our journey to the Pillars had been hindered by something that needed to be dealt with, although Mortanius and Malek never did mention what it was. And questions were never asked, not even by me, for Mortanius and at times Malek were the two members out of the Circle that forever had my respect, and the little I gave the others these two had by far, more.

It had taken us little more then a day and a half to get to Uschtenheim, and now it was late afternoon, a sky hued with an a piquing colour and the warm sun which glowed with the faint rays of a promising sunset. Nevertheless, our arrival at such a place and at such a time seemed displeasing to Mortanius, and he stated that our stop here would indeed be a quick one, lest the sun set upon us.

Our journey to this place had been dispelled evenly, Mortanius always knew of the ideal places to rest before it was we once again continued. With such I asked Ariel of the place we were going to, she looked to me surprised that I had not heard of it. Then with another one of her sad smiles she acknowledged my sheltered life.

The story of Uschtenheim and the Vampire that had dwelled there remained not known to me. The town that I grew up in stood to be an ignorant place, a place where its people took little notice of the outside world unless it affected them.

For a while they had remained silenced to the Vampiric pestilence, until it was our own town suffered. In oncoming months many Mortal bodies bled dry were found upon the streets in a longsuffering morning. And now the reputation of the Vampires rose to us like bloated corpses in water.

Automatically our own town rose to arms, and a group of hunters were dispatched to us. A watch post was set up upon our boarders, our citizens invigorated and roused by the words of one.

And so briefly it was Ariel who spoke of Uschtenheim, the tale told upon the night we rested, both Mortanius and Malek out of hearing. And through words she described the menace that had been the Vampire, Janos Audron.

The tale I listened to with fascination. How it was that this Vampire, the Vampire of Vampires had laid claim upon this town, using the people as if they were his own private herd.

Uschtenheim, a little place that had once lived in fear that constantly sprung each and every night of these peoples lives.

Ah, they too had had a Monster in their lives very much like I had. And yet as I regarded the buildings that lay in front of me I became aware that they had been rescued, their Monster had been laid to rest, and yet I was still in limbo.

Supposedly, I could have be seen as the Mortal image of Uschtenheim, waylaid in the temperament of a tyrant who prayed off the essence of others. And I too had been rescued. Yet my own history was haunting, the ghost of my past had not been put to rest. With such revelation I began to consider such, if it was not put to rest then would I ever be able to progress? Or would I always live in his shadow much like Uschtenheim had lain in the shadow of the one who hunted its people?

From the depths a ghostly breeze stirred. It called upon the currents of passing, a rising tide, a breeze of another time, winding throughout and reaching for all elements. Such an account gave the whole place a lingering presence, an eerie topography of such. It gave me an uneasy feeling; in all accounts perhaps the history of such a fiend had not been laid to rest after all.

The Sarafan, after many years, finally hunted down Janos Audron. They apparently tore his heart from his body, and whilst one stood over him, his heart still beating within Sarafan hands, Janos' life slipped from him.

We progressed forwards, and as we did so I could not help but think that this small town was separated from the rest of Nosgoth. Like in all the other places time flowed and yet here time merely edged curiously around it. Perhaps time feared this place, or more so perhaps it feared what it had been witness to, and so avoided it without another thought.

We entered, all these thoughts inside of me, more so the whimsy thoughts of time having eluded this place, and I half expected to see eternal young beings grace the streets with an everlasting presence. And yet a glance at an elderly couple perched on the threshold of their home told me otherwise. They watched us pass them by and I particularly noted that Mortanius was once again cloaked heavily; his robe that suggested his guardianship was hidden under the many folds of a cloak, whilst a hood was pulled up over his highly unique and very noticeable face. Of course there was no disguising Malek, how could one hide a walking suit of armour? Poor Malek. Tormented in ways that no one else could imagine.

As for myself, well no one questioned me, I would just follow remaining silent. And if anyone other then the three I travelled with dared to come close, then they would back away, very quickly and with the sense that something predatory had nearly crushed their essence. Ariel meanwhile stayed close to me, the one side of her face forever masked by that veil, and I had yet to see why she wore it so, and what she hid from the eyes of others.

To everything Mortal her and me were just children, children in the presence of Malek and a figure that radiated calm and forebode at the same time. However unsuited we seemed no one questioned us, probably for their own safety, I acknowledged with a powerful smile.

At the verge of a street I stopped and rewrapped the cloth around my hand tightly, it of course had now stopped bleeding but I applied the pressure in hope of dulling the pain a little.

"Does it still bleed?" I heard Ariel's question and gained a glance off Mortanius at the same time. It was only now that he noticed the bit of cloth I had secured around my hand and I awaited his response.

Mortanius was swift within his movements, taking a hold of the wounded hand and undoing the petty makeshift bandage I had applied to such, turning it over to examine my palm. Under his scrutiny my fingers automatically curled inwards, as if to hide the infliction I had caused upon myself. It was a natural reaction for him to reopen my hand, smoothing back my fingers with the tips of his own.

Coldness seethed through my skin, a coldness that touched the hurt of my wound, curling around the dull throb and encasing it in its frozen core, yes, coldness and a calm. Inside the cloth there was blood upon the textile where the wound had festered and bled its bloody tears, my own skin weeping at my own self-maiming. But the vestiges of blood were now dry, just landmarks left on a landscape of material, remains of a ritual I had done to myself some time before. The wound itself now lay open and yet shed no more blood. It was not that deep of a wound, merely a mark, a tear, an open infliction; the kiss of the cold blade from what was now my dagger.

"When did this happen?"
"Back at the tavern." I replied as he ran one of his nimble fingers over the wound upon my palm. Again my fingers curled inwards.
"How so?"
"I cut myself." I stated calmly.
"Upon glass." Ariel added in haste, her voice rising next to me. "Azimuth broke a mirror in the room. We cleaned it up and it was I who saw to infliction. It is not infected?" She asked curiously, curious to whether the wound was indeed infected and inquisitive at his overall manner of the situation.

"It is fine." Mortanius reassured her, covering the wound with the cloth again and securing it properly this time.

As Mortanius turned and began to walk off again I gave Ariel a quick glance. Why had she said such a thing, why cover up for me? Wistfully she smiled and then pushed me forwards directing me to follow the others, and so without question, I did.

The streets were clearly marked with cobblestones in the normal fashion that adorned most towns, and around us the homes of the Uschtenheim people rose. In the haunting melody of such a place, and wavier of the day, these homes seemed almost pretty. Yet the streets remained empty. What fear did these people have which made them leave the streets at a certain time and take refuge in their homes? Poor souls, clinging to what was theirs with the hopes that nothing would trespass upon their property.

I glanced around quickly, wondering whether our presence was known, whether we were being expected. My gaze continued to take in what it would, falling upon every detail. I noticed that silence seemed to linger deeply within this place. Some lull of an aftermath forged in a distant time. Whatever it was, the scene of what had happened here was not yet over, of that I was certain. Indeed was this lull the aftermath or only the beginning? As there is silence before a storm so there is in events such as these. And it seemed this place held its breath and awaited such.

I was too taken in by this place and too caught up in attempting to figure the silence out that I did not notice anything else that went on around me. The others had walked on ahead. In truth I was caught up with this atmosphere that flowed throughout, the silence was almost poetic in a sense, and being fascinated by such I did not realise that it was binding me, trapping me, and separating me from the others.

And as a hand latched around my arm it was then that I was shaken into my senses. It was a cruel way to be taken from your own thoughts, for some bony hand like an animated corpse to suddenly latch upon you like that.

"When darkness comes they come, they do!" His hissing voice suggested he was far gone in madness, wavering vocals that went up and down the scale of hearing.

My first reaction of course was to get out of his grip, and I attempted to pull away from him but his fingers, as decrepit as they were, still managed to keep a hold. I frowned and struggled again, but his hand only replied to the reaction by gripping tighter. He was beginning to annoy me, and his grip was hurting.

He was a man who was hard to put an age on, too weathered, with greasy grey hair that lingered in dank strands down the side of his face, and far gone in his mind.

"Let me go." I protested sternly, face creased in that ever growing frown, struggling to escape his grasp.
"They come, they take life…" He continued to mumble to himself, caught up in his own little world. He did not even seem to notice me, I just seemed to be something for him to grab onto. Nevertheless, I loathed being in his grip.

And now he began to stumble forwards, quite strong for such a wretch, and as we proceed I lashed out, turning and kicking him in the back of his leg, and it was only after such a gesture that he saw me. Now that I had made myself known to him he regarded me.

Too true, he obviously had not noticed that he had a hold of me, muttering away to himself in some incoherent voice that wavered each time. It was as if his hands had just taken on a life of their own, and so willingly latched onto me, and he had not even noticed.

Now he regarded me for a moment, and I wondered whether my kick had brought him back down into the real world. Obviously not because his eyes still seemed to cloud over and he continued his sway of inaudible words.

"Each night they desire blood…"
I am sure they did, but I was not one to offer my blood so freely. What was his intention in such, to suddenly take a hold of me like that? Perhaps my mind was working upon a too overactive imagination, but what it did think and what it whispered was chilling enough for me. And no, I was not going to become something he could leave out to spare his miserable, wretched own life.

It was a quick reaction; my free hand had already gone to the dagger, which now remained to be my solace. And as he turned to face me once more I brought it up in a defenceless manner, drawing it across his face and digging it in deep.

He gave a piercing cry and stumbled backwards bringing his hands up in hope of stopping the blood which now flowed freely down his face. Now that he had let me go I sprang backwards, stumbling to the floor, dagger still gripped within my hands.
"Wretch!" I hissed, insulted by his overall act of presuming that I was going to be easy to offer to those who hunted others.

"Azimuth!" There were footfalls behind me but I did not turn to look at them, I only continued to stare at the feeble creature that snivelled in front of me, hunched over himself.

At first I was nothing but surprised at how I had handled this situation. Not quite the gentile Azimuth, the feeble child who hid from dangers, no, not at all. Instead this was everything, a new side to me indeed. My anger had rose and I had lashed out, in doing so I quelled in calm. But there was still a foreboding feeling inside of me because I hated him. I hated and despised him. Maybe it was the sudden memories of some other times where I had been dragged through my home. More so this man, this dissipated, dilapidated creature had taken advantage of my sudden vulnerability of being away from the group. In doing so he only aroused the anger inside of me, an ancient anger, stemmed from the very beginning.

I glanced at my arm where he had held me firm "Ariel…" I spoke realizing she was kneeling next to me. "He…"
"I know."
"Who was he? A Vampire?" It was a silly question, I already knew this, and I understood that he was not likely to be of Vampiric essence. But, I asked out of sheer curiosity, which was met with a response of such to which Ariel laughed, though not at all in a way of mockery.
"No," she added. "Definitely not."

The others I now noticed, Mortanius once again pulling me to my feet and Malek standing guard. I also noticed that the strange man had gone, backing away into the shadows, although his wails could still be heard. And I kept close to the others, certain that Malek would listen to an order if I gave him one, but then I left this situation be for reasons only known to myself.

"We turned around and you were no longer with us." Ariel noticed that I was looking the way he had gone. "Worry not about him, Azimuth. It is unfortunate but some towns have their share of those who are inflicted with madness." With this she glanced around. "And this town of course is of no exception."

And so easily she was to brush that man aside. Yet she had not heard the words he had spoken, and she had not beheld the fear that I had seen within his eyes. I had managed to strike him away, but his muttered words and his intentions still chilled me. There was a darker side to Nosgoth, and it was not just an affair with Vampires that hinted such. I had stepped out of my sheltered town, and all the wonders I had imaged and longed to see I had yet to regard. Instead all that I had found in this world was an eternity of horrors.

Our stop within the hamlet was very brief; we were merely passing through it. Pity, I would have liked more time to explore, and yet at the same time that madman had made me weary. And so we left Uschtenheim, descending from its sheltered landscape and edging away. The sun was still in the sky, but it brought me no comfort, for we all knew that soon it would bring the curtains of the day to a close.

The day did come to an end, closing heavily upon us as we continued to walk. Such was the path we walked; yet the route that we were following was coming to an end as well.

On the borderland in remoteness a watch post was situated, very much like the one that had boarded my own town. And yet it seemed impractical for such to be built here, for normally a watchtower was built upon the very edge of towns or at least near by. However, here was this one, separated from the dwelling we had left. I could not help but wonder whether this watch post had been built to watch for an even larger threat then what was your normal nightly Vampire.

I glanced back at the landscape that stemmed back to Uschtenheim, it seemed to be of the highest beauty, picturesque in all accounts. Nevertheless, not even its magnificence could hide its sorrow.

We were greeted humbly in the utmost modest nature to what was known to those whose duty it was to watch the land; of course they had been expecting Malek.

Curiously I followed Ariel's finger as she pointed different things upon the landscape out to me. She was quite well educated in geography, which made me question her upbringing, and in time I would ask her about that.

"That forest there." In the distance I could the beginning of a gathering of tress. Of such it was apparently just the beginning of what branched out to be a vast terrain of woodland. Truly a forest, and one that seemed a highly beautiful one at that. Nevertheless, it is wise to remember that what is of beauty can sometimes be more deadly. For beauty has never claimed to be innocent, and even if it were, even innocence can kill.

"That forest boarders Vorador's land." Now that name was familiar, ah yes, the so-called 'great' Vampire, the one who had massacred our predecessors. Maybe at the thought of their deaths I should have felt sorrow, and yet instead all I acknowledged was through Dimension's death I had been born, and I had been empowered.

"In the depths of such the Ancient Vampire may be found. That is the reason of why our stop here is swift."
'Among other reasons', I thought, for there was something more then just fear of treading near terrain that bordered Vorador's land. Alas, I feared that not even Ariel knew what that fear was, though she remained as tense as the others were. Regardless, Ariel truly was afraid of Vorador.

"If anything, then Vorador is the main threat to us, to the Circle. In all accounts stay away from that forest, this part of Nosgoth remains cursed, it is but a lament to a cruel past."
And I knew Ariel was right. Her voice had been lined with distress, and yet it was not just her emotion that stirred me, no, for I could feel the ground beneath me sing that lament, and I could almost sense that curse… whatever it was.

"Ariel." Mortanius, who called upon her name and wavered his hand in a motion that she should come to him, beckoned Balance. He had been speaking to one of the guards, and as she walked to him I turned to see Malek nearby glaring at that distant forest as if it posed as some threat, a threat that was slowly closing in around him. I approached him with an enquiring nature, treading lightly on the ground.

"Tell me, Paladin." My voice remained respectful as I took my position of standing next to him. If I was to get him to tell me what I wanted to know then I understood that I should ask in a respectful tone. It is a simple equation that should work, and yet I understand that that is not always the case. Nonetheless, it is wise to remember to respect those who you wish to respect you, and in return perhaps gain the knowledge that you desire. 'Paladin' seemed very much a respectful title, new to the Circle I did not wish to just jump in and call him by name like the others did.

"What do you know of the 'great' Janos Audron?"
I admit that the bits I had heard of this Vampire had sparked interest within me. His tale was legendary and yet not many spoke of such. And as to back this up I received silence, and no reply was made for my question.

"What do you know about Vorador then?" Again, no reply. I tilted my head sideways observing his overall mannerism, whether his silence was due to his annoyance towards me, or whether to speak of such re-stirred old memories that he desired to dispel of and lay them to rest, I did not know.

In this world, we all have things we wish to put to rest so that we may bring peace to our own souls. Even I had to put to rest my own past, quite literally.

Slowly I got a response, not one of words but purely one of reaction. He turned his attention to me, gazing down at the child that stood before him. I am not certain if he was about to give an answer because the moment was broken… again, as my name was called. I turned and walked away, noticing that once again his attention was back upon the beginning of that woodland terrain, a terrain he could not enter.

It was here that Mortanius and Malek left us in the care of some hunters within the watch post. I was weary of them doing such, yet I was reassured that this was the safest place for us to be. When I asked Mortanius why we were not to go with them he simply explained that such sites were not meant for the eyes of those our age. It was hurtfully patronizing to hear such a thing like that come from him.

Mortanius knew that I was more then just 'some child', that I was far more mature then just a mere babe thrown forth harshly into this world. But it was Ariel who spoke to me as I watched them leave, saying that I should be feeling lucky that I was not going with them and the six hunters that headed out on such a night. If Malek was involved in such then it normally had something to do with those of Vampiric essence. Ariel however, was missing my point and overall desire. Where as she wished to avoid Vampires, I was only curious to see one for myself.

As the night moved on I settled in a chair in the corner. A small fire purred on the hearth, just enough to come this small shelter warm, although I pulled the cloak I had been given tighter around my shoulders.

Outside the sound of many nightly voices of the terrain song their symphony of the night, and a distant howl from a wolf calling to its mate. The whole concert of such nightly sounds, the breath of the breeze, the light of the moon, it was all there for those who were willing to take notice.

Ariel slept in a chair next to me, tired out from the walking we had done for it had not been the easiest of walks. Now here we resided, in the middle of nowhere on a strip of ominous land.

It was not how I had expected to be spending my time as a Guardian, sitting in a little rickety hut with six hunters who watched over the land. And I was still questioning whether they were even strong enough to be protectors to us. Before Ariel had fell asleep she had attempted to reassure me once more that yes, they were. Besides Mortanius would not have left us if he had not thought we were safe. I had finalized this conversation with the statement of 'only time will tell'.

I glanced around, and for a while I watched the fire. A female hunter offered me a warm drink but I reclined although I did appreciate her concern in the way of my comfort. Outside her companions stood watch, whilst lazily two dogs slept close to them.

It was when the female hunter dozed lightly that I slipped outside. Having trained myself to avoid the eyes of my father, passing these hunters did not course much of a problem.

I did not go far, it was merely so I could stretch my legs and stand under the moonlight and think. Within a matter of days I had escaped my home, been named a Guardian and seen some places that I did not think I would ever see. A lot had happened and in such a short time. It made me think of what would happen next.

Although I found it tempting to explore now that I was alone, I decided against it, pushing my mind to stay focused and not to be reckless upon land that was unknown to me. Still, it seems that even when I am not inattentive, things of a sinister nature have an inclination of finding me.

By a tree I decided to rest, just for a short while before heading back. A typical child in that moment, one like most who does not see the danger. Had I known that we were being watched when we had left for Uschtenheim then I would have probably not ventured from the eyes of others, but then again maybe not. For you would have thought that even having met that strange man back at the town that I would have wished to stay close to others. My curious nature however, has a way of taking a hold, and even now my one curiosity was to be filled.

Still sitting upon the floor a hand fell lightly on my shoulder. In suddenness I jumped, my hands already reaching for my dagger as I turned.

"Ariel…" I sighed as she gazed back at me, scowling in a disapproving manner. "It is not wise to be out here Azimuth, not alone… not even with others…" "I thought you were asleep." I replied getting to my feet. "Yes, I was, until it was Dimension left us."

I did not ask her how she had known that I had left. No doubts her knowing was probably linked to her overall position of power, or perhaps maybe she had not been asleep after all, but instead resting her eyes lightly.

"Why did you leave us?"
For a moment I thought. "Because I wished to see a part of this landscape. I was not going to go far. It is truly beautiful in the moonlight."
"Yes, it is. But did you not you heed my warnings? Azimuth…"

Her words were lost to me as I took interest in the landscape around us, the beauty of the tree I had sat under, the way its leaves caught the moonlight and filtered the small particles of light. From the tone of Ariel's voice I could tell she knew I was no longer paying much attention.

I studied the tree's architecture and the way it branched out above us in a tall canopy of greenery. And then with abruptness I realised that Ariel had stopped speaking…

As I moved my gaze from the bows of the tree I looked to a figure that stood not far away in front of us. I am not sure how it was I knew, but something automatically whispered in my mind 'Vampire'.