Evil Beneath Innocence
Chapter Four
Aisha waited quietly for Kain to acknowledge her presence. As the silent seconds passed by, she grew increasingly impatient. The vampire lord had summoned for her. It was not her choosing to be here. And now he pretends to ignore her. Aisha was not about to approach him first. He was the one who wanted something from her, so he would have to ask her for it, not the other way around.
While waiting for Kain to react, Aisha's eyes could not help but roam the chamber she had been placed in. Kain stood in front of the middle of three large, arched windows. Each window was trimmed with long, flowing red velvet drapes that cascaded from the high ceiling all the way down to the floor. The thick drapes were fully open to allow the night air to enter the chamber. The walls of this room, like the rest of the sanctuary, were construed entirely of smooth stone.
A long, wooden table stood between Aisha and Kain. The length ran across the room from Aisha's left to her right. Three cushioned chairs flanked each side of the table and another stood at the head. Aisha's needn't guess whom these seats were meant for. Upon the table, only a single canvas lie stretched out upon its surface. Aisha couldn't see what exactly had been inscribed on it from her viewpoint.
A few feet behind the head seat, a large stone fireplace stood. The mantle was tall and wide, providing enough space for a cozy fire to burn. However, it appeared to Aisha that it had been many years since the fireplace had been used for purpose other than decor. There were no logs in or around the fireplace, not even a stick of kindling. A thick layer of dust had settled inside as well.
Above the mantle, mounted on the wall, was a large golden shield. A red insignia had been engraved into the metal. This was Kain's symbol, Aisha knew. From behind the shield, the ends of two silver swords revealed themselves. Behind the shield, the blades crossed over each other. From above Kain's coat-of-arms, more of the red drapery flowed downward from the ceiling. Lengths of the fabric were pulled neatly to each side of the mantelpiece before it was allowed to fall freely to the floor.
On the left wall, opposite the fireplace, was a widespread map depicting Nosgoth in its entirety. Aisha imagined that the vampires must have spent much time exploring each of their clan lands to have depicted the geography in such detail. The few maps of Nosgoth she had seen didn't even compare to this one. On each side of the map, were plain-looking wooden doors. Where they led, Aisha was not sure.
"I presume you know why I have summoned you here," Kain replied calmly as he slowly turned to face his guest. He watched her as she silently glared at him. Taking a few steps towards her, he continued.
"Your earlier declarations have intrigued me. I had intended on discovering your secrets on my own, but to no avail. It seems you have hidden your knowledge quite well. And since your insight has not been revealed to me through other methods, I shall gladly resort to forcing the information from you myself."
Kain made to close the gap between Aisha and himself when a quiet chuckle escaped the girl's lips. The vampire lord paused in his advance, curious to the reasons for Aisha's unexpected change in demeanor. He had just threatened her, possibly with her life, and here she was laughing back at him!
"What, pray tell, do you think you could possibly do to me that Zephon hasn't already?" Aisha inquired, referring to the three days of torture she endured while in Zephon's custody. "Do you honestly think that beating and torturing the answers from me will be any easier than relying on the Oracle's caves for intuition?" For three days Aisha had been beaten, and for three days she refused to speak a single word.
"How do you know about the Oracle's caves?" the vampire lord demanded in a quiet, yet deep voice.
Aisha didn't reply, but a knowing grin spread across her face. Kain scowled. Until now, only he knew of the Oracle's caves. Not even his lieutenants, not even Raziel, his most trusted ally, knew about Moebius's ancient sanctuary. But not only did she know about it, but she also knew that's where he had gone after their previous conversation.
"You've been there before, haven't you?" Kain suspected. How else would Aisha have attained her knowledge? She must have visited the caves at least once before in her life.
"Yes. In a sense, I have been there before."
"And what do you mean by that?" insisted the vampire lord, growing impatient. "Either you have, or you have not."
"I have visited the caves of the Oracle on several occasions. It is always under the same circumstances. The same path is always explored; the same actions are always taken. The same scenes are always played out."
"A dream, then. Or a vision. Is that how you've discovered the caves?"
"No. I've seen the Oracle's caves through the eyes of another. But rest assured Kain, not through your eyes." Aisha replied after noticing a moment of uncertainty on the lord's face. "However, I am not the only one who has witnessed these events."
A deep chuckle rose from Kain's chest. "If not through my eyes, then whose? In almost a millennia, only I have knowledge of Moebius' ancient time streaming device. How is it then, that you, and supposed countless others, have bared witness to a place as secluded as the Oracle's caves?"
"Raziel."
"Raziel?"
"Yes. Raziel."
"Raziel has shown you the caves of the Oracle? Raziel has dared to betray me?"
"No. Raziel is undeniably loyal to you. He has not yet strayed from you."
"Not yet?" Kain inquired. "So you mean to infer that he shall betray me. What sort of prophet do you claim to be?"
"I do not claim to be a prophet, Kain. You visited the caves. You know what is to become of Raziel, the fate that awaits him."
Kain turned away from Aisha, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. It was true indeed. When Kain had looked into the windows of time, he had hoped to unravel the secrets Aisha had been withholding from him. Instead, Kain had witnessed events that would unfold at some undetermined time in the future. The lord of vampires had initially denied what he foresaw. But this girl seemed to know, and confirm, Kain's vision.
"The Abyss..." he muttered.
"Yes. The Lake of the Dead. The ultimate punishment for the weak and the traitorous. The watery grave that awaits your most loyal son. The excruciating death delivered to him by your hand. And yet, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. There is nothing you can do to change it. The deed has already been set in stone. Resisting your fate is useless."
With every word Aisha spoke, Kain's anger increasingly grew. Her words placed guilt upon Kain's shoulders that he was unwilling to accept. And her claim determining his future further enraged him. Kain's eyes flashed crimson as he leapt over the table towards her. Before Aisha could prepare herself, the vampire grabbed her by her throat and lifted her off her feet. As before in the pillar room in the same situation, Aisha showed no fear.
"My future, is not yet determined, wench."
"You can deny it all you want, Kain. But it shall happen nonetheless. You, Raziel, everyone on Nosgoth are but mere pawns. Your fate is determined completely by one person."
"Tell me who he is! Give me his name!" Kain demanded.
"She created Nosgoth. She created the pillars. She created you. And she can destroy you like she destroyed the pillars."
"Who is she? Where can I find her?"
Kain was becoming increasingly annoyed. His talons clamped down tighter around Aisha's neck. He could feel her weakening pulse beneath his claws. Aisha could barely breathe, but continued to torment him
"Knowledge... of her name... and her location... will do you... no good. You shall... never... find her," she choked.
"Tell me NOW!" Kain demanded with fury.
"It... will do... you... no good," Aisha repeated.
"Insolent bitch!" screamed the vampire lord as he slammed his fist into her stomach.
Aisha's eyes widened in shock. She felt a sharp, burning pain in her stomach. It was far more agonizing than a simple blow. Unable to look down while in Kain's chokehold, she weakly moved her hands towards her stomach. She felt Kain's fist still pushed up against her. But there was something else there... metal. And she could feel a warm, sticky substance on her shirt.
She lifted her left hand up slowly until it was in her eyesight. Blood. Her blood, dripping from her fingertips. And then Kain saw in her eyes the one look he had been unable to provoke until now. Fear. A smug grin spread across the vampire's face with his new achievement. But his victory was short lived.
Looking into her glazed eyes, Kain realized the fear in her eyes was not the result of his actions. Aisha suddenly seemed distant. It was as if her mind was elsewhere. But she was not yet dead. She was not even unconscious. Curious, his grip loosened a bit and she was placed back on her feet. But she still didn't seem to be acknowledging Kain's presence.
As mobility was returned to Aisha's neck, she was able to look down at the wound in her stomach. In her attacker's fist was a dagger - or was it a knife - which had been firmly planted within her. Looking down at her blood soaked clothes, a strange sensation overcame Aisha. She could not help but experience an odd sense of déjà vu. She felt as if she had experienced this before.
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Woohoo! Another chapter finally done. How do you like my evil little cliffhanger, eh? Mwahahaha. Okay, I think the next chapter will explain a lot. And I think there might be one more chapter after that. Actually, it's very likely there will be another chapter after the next one. Anyways, thanks to all for your reviews! I hope to see more of them!
Chapter Four
Aisha waited quietly for Kain to acknowledge her presence. As the silent seconds passed by, she grew increasingly impatient. The vampire lord had summoned for her. It was not her choosing to be here. And now he pretends to ignore her. Aisha was not about to approach him first. He was the one who wanted something from her, so he would have to ask her for it, not the other way around.
While waiting for Kain to react, Aisha's eyes could not help but roam the chamber she had been placed in. Kain stood in front of the middle of three large, arched windows. Each window was trimmed with long, flowing red velvet drapes that cascaded from the high ceiling all the way down to the floor. The thick drapes were fully open to allow the night air to enter the chamber. The walls of this room, like the rest of the sanctuary, were construed entirely of smooth stone.
A long, wooden table stood between Aisha and Kain. The length ran across the room from Aisha's left to her right. Three cushioned chairs flanked each side of the table and another stood at the head. Aisha's needn't guess whom these seats were meant for. Upon the table, only a single canvas lie stretched out upon its surface. Aisha couldn't see what exactly had been inscribed on it from her viewpoint.
A few feet behind the head seat, a large stone fireplace stood. The mantle was tall and wide, providing enough space for a cozy fire to burn. However, it appeared to Aisha that it had been many years since the fireplace had been used for purpose other than decor. There were no logs in or around the fireplace, not even a stick of kindling. A thick layer of dust had settled inside as well.
Above the mantle, mounted on the wall, was a large golden shield. A red insignia had been engraved into the metal. This was Kain's symbol, Aisha knew. From behind the shield, the ends of two silver swords revealed themselves. Behind the shield, the blades crossed over each other. From above Kain's coat-of-arms, more of the red drapery flowed downward from the ceiling. Lengths of the fabric were pulled neatly to each side of the mantelpiece before it was allowed to fall freely to the floor.
On the left wall, opposite the fireplace, was a widespread map depicting Nosgoth in its entirety. Aisha imagined that the vampires must have spent much time exploring each of their clan lands to have depicted the geography in such detail. The few maps of Nosgoth she had seen didn't even compare to this one. On each side of the map, were plain-looking wooden doors. Where they led, Aisha was not sure.
"I presume you know why I have summoned you here," Kain replied calmly as he slowly turned to face his guest. He watched her as she silently glared at him. Taking a few steps towards her, he continued.
"Your earlier declarations have intrigued me. I had intended on discovering your secrets on my own, but to no avail. It seems you have hidden your knowledge quite well. And since your insight has not been revealed to me through other methods, I shall gladly resort to forcing the information from you myself."
Kain made to close the gap between Aisha and himself when a quiet chuckle escaped the girl's lips. The vampire lord paused in his advance, curious to the reasons for Aisha's unexpected change in demeanor. He had just threatened her, possibly with her life, and here she was laughing back at him!
"What, pray tell, do you think you could possibly do to me that Zephon hasn't already?" Aisha inquired, referring to the three days of torture she endured while in Zephon's custody. "Do you honestly think that beating and torturing the answers from me will be any easier than relying on the Oracle's caves for intuition?" For three days Aisha had been beaten, and for three days she refused to speak a single word.
"How do you know about the Oracle's caves?" the vampire lord demanded in a quiet, yet deep voice.
Aisha didn't reply, but a knowing grin spread across her face. Kain scowled. Until now, only he knew of the Oracle's caves. Not even his lieutenants, not even Raziel, his most trusted ally, knew about Moebius's ancient sanctuary. But not only did she know about it, but she also knew that's where he had gone after their previous conversation.
"You've been there before, haven't you?" Kain suspected. How else would Aisha have attained her knowledge? She must have visited the caves at least once before in her life.
"Yes. In a sense, I have been there before."
"And what do you mean by that?" insisted the vampire lord, growing impatient. "Either you have, or you have not."
"I have visited the caves of the Oracle on several occasions. It is always under the same circumstances. The same path is always explored; the same actions are always taken. The same scenes are always played out."
"A dream, then. Or a vision. Is that how you've discovered the caves?"
"No. I've seen the Oracle's caves through the eyes of another. But rest assured Kain, not through your eyes." Aisha replied after noticing a moment of uncertainty on the lord's face. "However, I am not the only one who has witnessed these events."
A deep chuckle rose from Kain's chest. "If not through my eyes, then whose? In almost a millennia, only I have knowledge of Moebius' ancient time streaming device. How is it then, that you, and supposed countless others, have bared witness to a place as secluded as the Oracle's caves?"
"Raziel."
"Raziel?"
"Yes. Raziel."
"Raziel has shown you the caves of the Oracle? Raziel has dared to betray me?"
"No. Raziel is undeniably loyal to you. He has not yet strayed from you."
"Not yet?" Kain inquired. "So you mean to infer that he shall betray me. What sort of prophet do you claim to be?"
"I do not claim to be a prophet, Kain. You visited the caves. You know what is to become of Raziel, the fate that awaits him."
Kain turned away from Aisha, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. It was true indeed. When Kain had looked into the windows of time, he had hoped to unravel the secrets Aisha had been withholding from him. Instead, Kain had witnessed events that would unfold at some undetermined time in the future. The lord of vampires had initially denied what he foresaw. But this girl seemed to know, and confirm, Kain's vision.
"The Abyss..." he muttered.
"Yes. The Lake of the Dead. The ultimate punishment for the weak and the traitorous. The watery grave that awaits your most loyal son. The excruciating death delivered to him by your hand. And yet, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. There is nothing you can do to change it. The deed has already been set in stone. Resisting your fate is useless."
With every word Aisha spoke, Kain's anger increasingly grew. Her words placed guilt upon Kain's shoulders that he was unwilling to accept. And her claim determining his future further enraged him. Kain's eyes flashed crimson as he leapt over the table towards her. Before Aisha could prepare herself, the vampire grabbed her by her throat and lifted her off her feet. As before in the pillar room in the same situation, Aisha showed no fear.
"My future, is not yet determined, wench."
"You can deny it all you want, Kain. But it shall happen nonetheless. You, Raziel, everyone on Nosgoth are but mere pawns. Your fate is determined completely by one person."
"Tell me who he is! Give me his name!" Kain demanded.
"She created Nosgoth. She created the pillars. She created you. And she can destroy you like she destroyed the pillars."
"Who is she? Where can I find her?"
Kain was becoming increasingly annoyed. His talons clamped down tighter around Aisha's neck. He could feel her weakening pulse beneath his claws. Aisha could barely breathe, but continued to torment him
"Knowledge... of her name... and her location... will do you... no good. You shall... never... find her," she choked.
"Tell me NOW!" Kain demanded with fury.
"It... will do... you... no good," Aisha repeated.
"Insolent bitch!" screamed the vampire lord as he slammed his fist into her stomach.
Aisha's eyes widened in shock. She felt a sharp, burning pain in her stomach. It was far more agonizing than a simple blow. Unable to look down while in Kain's chokehold, she weakly moved her hands towards her stomach. She felt Kain's fist still pushed up against her. But there was something else there... metal. And she could feel a warm, sticky substance on her shirt.
She lifted her left hand up slowly until it was in her eyesight. Blood. Her blood, dripping from her fingertips. And then Kain saw in her eyes the one look he had been unable to provoke until now. Fear. A smug grin spread across the vampire's face with his new achievement. But his victory was short lived.
Looking into her glazed eyes, Kain realized the fear in her eyes was not the result of his actions. Aisha suddenly seemed distant. It was as if her mind was elsewhere. But she was not yet dead. She was not even unconscious. Curious, his grip loosened a bit and she was placed back on her feet. But she still didn't seem to be acknowledging Kain's presence.
As mobility was returned to Aisha's neck, she was able to look down at the wound in her stomach. In her attacker's fist was a dagger - or was it a knife - which had been firmly planted within her. Looking down at her blood soaked clothes, a strange sensation overcame Aisha. She could not help but experience an odd sense of déjà vu. She felt as if she had experienced this before.
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Woohoo! Another chapter finally done. How do you like my evil little cliffhanger, eh? Mwahahaha. Okay, I think the next chapter will explain a lot. And I think there might be one more chapter after that. Actually, it's very likely there will be another chapter after the next one. Anyways, thanks to all for your reviews! I hope to see more of them!