THE GATHERING: VI -- ACCOUNTING
Raziel stood at the crest of the hill, digging his toes into the warm, yellowed grass. It was high summer, and though the sun was but a sickly disk of light hidden behind black clouds of smoke, it was very warm. From here, he looked down on the sanctuary of the clans, the magnificent palace that had been built around the broken pillars of Nosgoth. The sight lifted his heart. Representatives of all the clans gathered here, in the courtyards and hallways, built and maintained by mortal slaves. Around the enormous dome flew the six clan flags, and the entire building sparkled with endlessly detailed decoration in precious metals. Raziel wandered down the hill without haste, the evening was yet to set in. He was not sure Kain took any rest during the day, but it would be rude to arrive too early.
The main gate was open, and several vampires were already wandering the outer yard, discussing plans, gauging opinions, vying for power. They nodded and bowed gracefully to Raziel. He was wearing a sleeveless robe lettered with gold thread and clasped with a bronze disk which displayed his name sigil, not that that was necessary. Most of these vampires knew him by face. He noticed one of his own clan bowing particularly deeply, and went up to him.
"Selig, you little thief," he said smiling. "How do you like your new role as a courtier?"
Selig bowed deeply again. "Marvelously, my Lord. I cannot hope to repay the debt of gratitude I owe you."
Raziel smirked. Selig had been a travelling merchant, his most important wares being lies and fantastical cons designed to separate fools and their money. He had talked his way into immortality, something that both impressed and amused Raziel. "Do you happen to know if Lord Kain is in?" he asked.
"I believe you will find him in the throne room, my Lord," Selig answered. He bowed once more as Raziel turned to leave him.
Raziel passed through the enormous main gate. Many vampires gathered here, taking shelter in the shade of the gatehouse until the sun had begun to set. They stepped aside respectfully when Raziel approached. The gatehouse opened into a smaller courtyard, with shallow ponds on either side of a stone walkway. Beautiful, silver-scaled fish glided through the clear water, which was edged with dark-green, straggled plants. An unmistakable figure leaned his hand on the silver-plated fence around the pond, his back turned towards Raziel. Kain. He threw small pieces of bread into the water and Raziel paused for a moment, unwilling to disturb him. It gladdened him that a man like Kain would take pleasure in something as simple as feeding fish.
"Yes, Raziel?" Kain asked without turning around. His voice sounded weary. "What is it?"
Raziel had ceased to be surprised at Kain's apparent omniscience; he knew it was simply a series of clever tricks. It worked very well on the younger vampires, but did not fool him. "Good evening, my Lord," he said pleasantly. "I trust nothing troubles you unduly?"
Kain turned to face him, and looked him up and down appraisingly. He frowned, possibly at the ornate robe Raziel was wearing. Kain himself wore his red cape over a bare chest, as he had for the past few centuries. "You have something to discuss, Raziel. You might as well tell me now," he said.
"It's Rahab." There was no point to delaying further, although Raziel knew this conversation would not be pleasant. "I visited him a few weeks ago, and it seems his melancholy has deepened into a depression --"
"Really? I wonder why," Kain said cynically. "I heard what you did in Darheim. An unusual strategy, for a man to destroy his own herd."
"It wasn't a strategy," Raziel answered, too quickly. "It was --"
"A lunacy?" Kain interrupted.
"I chose the wrong man for the task," Raziel grumbled. Kain turned to walk slowly over the walkway between the ponds. Raziel followed beside him. "The reason for this," he explained, "was that all the right men were out hunting a band of zealots who had been murdering my people."
Kain raised his eyebrows. "Ah, yes, I heard of them. Did you catch them, in the end?"
"Yes, we did." Raziel realised that in steering the conversation away from Darheim he had only brought it onto more bad news. "It turned out to be a group of vampires, led by one who thought himself a prophet. Apparently he suffered from visions that told him the age of vampires was coming to an end."
Kain seemed amused. "One of your clan, I presume?"
"Why do you say that?" Raziel's anger at the insult answered before he had a chance to think. "It was," he admitted through clenched teeth.
"Your clan has always been plagued with a certain degree of madness," Kain explained, his teeth bared in a sardonic grin. Raziel shook his head, trying to say something but Kain continued, "like when they pursued Volker's army right into the Termogent forest. You have to admit no sane vampire would willingly charge into a swamp." Raziel remembered the battle Kain referred to clearly. A human army had fled into the marshes, shouting taunts at the war bands that followed them. Most of the troops were wise enough to let them escape, but not the Razelim. He still remembered shouting "halt" over and over in the darkness and fog, as his fledgling army charged to their certain deaths. Over half of them never made it out of the treacherous pools and streams of Termogent. Many others were so badly burned by the water they took years to recover fully. Silently, he followed Kain through the curving corridor that ran around the throne room. He realised he had never won an argument with Kain. He honestly didn't know why he tried.
"I suppose my children have never been known for their great intelligence," he said darkly.
"But all the more for their -- enthusiasm," Kain offered. "And now they have wiped out Rahab's forces, and he is upset with you," he summarised the situation.
"Actually, he seems more concerned about his herd than about his clan," Raziel explained. "His latest gift has given him a new perspective on history, and he fears for the future. Everywhere he sees decay and corruption." They had reached the door to the throne room, and looked inside at the leaning ruins of the pillars. The room was deserted. "I'm afraid he has reason to worry," Raziel continued, "the continued droughts are taking their toll, and the villages in his territory were already much weakened by the continued raids, not to mention the Turelim, who seem to consider all of Nosgoth their territory --" he stopped before he lost himself on an old issue. "He... We are both concerned about our own futures, too. Our fledglings seem to become weaker with every generation, and it has been a long time since you last presented us with a new gift. I wonder, has our ascent -- stopped?"
"That is not for you to concern yourself with, Raziel," Kain said sternly, his eyes fixed on his throne. "All will become clear in time. As for Rahab, if your quarrel troubles you, or him, then I suggest you put an end to it." He turned to Raziel, who saw the sharpness of his voice mirrored in his yellow eyes. "These clan-wars of yours are inane. You should have ended it a century ago. Amusing it may have been, at first, but it has long since turned into a pathetic waste of blood. There is but one clan, Raziel, my clan."
Raziel found himself actually stepping back. "Yes, of course," he said.
Kain continued their walk around the throne-room, and once again, Raziel followed. "Have you seen your youngest brother lately, Raziel?"
"Melchiah? No, not recently."
"I wonder how he fares," Kain said, musing.
"I'm sure he fares well enough," Raziel offered, but Kain cut him off.
"I'm not." There was a moment of silence. "Would you visit him, Raziel, on my behalf? I have had no news from him for far too long."
Raziel considered asking why Kain would not go himself, but realised a refusal would not help his own position. He had brought only bad news today. Annoying Kain further might not be the wisest course of action. "Certainly," he said, "I would be happy to visit him. I have not seen him in a long time either."
"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, there is someone else I need to talk to." He left, striding over the bridge between the fishponds, leaving Raziel standing alone in the corridor without so much as a glance in his direction.
Raziel wondered if he was headed towards Dumah or Turel's territory. Something told him he was not Kain's favourite son tonight.
Perhaps it was time to end the feud between his and Rahab's clan for good. The conflict had indeed gotten badly out of hand. In the meantime, while visiting Melchiah was not the most pleasant task he could think of, it was probably a chance to redeem himself. He decided not to waste it.
Raziel stood at the crest of the hill, digging his toes into the warm, yellowed grass. It was high summer, and though the sun was but a sickly disk of light hidden behind black clouds of smoke, it was very warm. From here, he looked down on the sanctuary of the clans, the magnificent palace that had been built around the broken pillars of Nosgoth. The sight lifted his heart. Representatives of all the clans gathered here, in the courtyards and hallways, built and maintained by mortal slaves. Around the enormous dome flew the six clan flags, and the entire building sparkled with endlessly detailed decoration in precious metals. Raziel wandered down the hill without haste, the evening was yet to set in. He was not sure Kain took any rest during the day, but it would be rude to arrive too early.
The main gate was open, and several vampires were already wandering the outer yard, discussing plans, gauging opinions, vying for power. They nodded and bowed gracefully to Raziel. He was wearing a sleeveless robe lettered with gold thread and clasped with a bronze disk which displayed his name sigil, not that that was necessary. Most of these vampires knew him by face. He noticed one of his own clan bowing particularly deeply, and went up to him.
"Selig, you little thief," he said smiling. "How do you like your new role as a courtier?"
Selig bowed deeply again. "Marvelously, my Lord. I cannot hope to repay the debt of gratitude I owe you."
Raziel smirked. Selig had been a travelling merchant, his most important wares being lies and fantastical cons designed to separate fools and their money. He had talked his way into immortality, something that both impressed and amused Raziel. "Do you happen to know if Lord Kain is in?" he asked.
"I believe you will find him in the throne room, my Lord," Selig answered. He bowed once more as Raziel turned to leave him.
Raziel passed through the enormous main gate. Many vampires gathered here, taking shelter in the shade of the gatehouse until the sun had begun to set. They stepped aside respectfully when Raziel approached. The gatehouse opened into a smaller courtyard, with shallow ponds on either side of a stone walkway. Beautiful, silver-scaled fish glided through the clear water, which was edged with dark-green, straggled plants. An unmistakable figure leaned his hand on the silver-plated fence around the pond, his back turned towards Raziel. Kain. He threw small pieces of bread into the water and Raziel paused for a moment, unwilling to disturb him. It gladdened him that a man like Kain would take pleasure in something as simple as feeding fish.
"Yes, Raziel?" Kain asked without turning around. His voice sounded weary. "What is it?"
Raziel had ceased to be surprised at Kain's apparent omniscience; he knew it was simply a series of clever tricks. It worked very well on the younger vampires, but did not fool him. "Good evening, my Lord," he said pleasantly. "I trust nothing troubles you unduly?"
Kain turned to face him, and looked him up and down appraisingly. He frowned, possibly at the ornate robe Raziel was wearing. Kain himself wore his red cape over a bare chest, as he had for the past few centuries. "You have something to discuss, Raziel. You might as well tell me now," he said.
"It's Rahab." There was no point to delaying further, although Raziel knew this conversation would not be pleasant. "I visited him a few weeks ago, and it seems his melancholy has deepened into a depression --"
"Really? I wonder why," Kain said cynically. "I heard what you did in Darheim. An unusual strategy, for a man to destroy his own herd."
"It wasn't a strategy," Raziel answered, too quickly. "It was --"
"A lunacy?" Kain interrupted.
"I chose the wrong man for the task," Raziel grumbled. Kain turned to walk slowly over the walkway between the ponds. Raziel followed beside him. "The reason for this," he explained, "was that all the right men were out hunting a band of zealots who had been murdering my people."
Kain raised his eyebrows. "Ah, yes, I heard of them. Did you catch them, in the end?"
"Yes, we did." Raziel realised that in steering the conversation away from Darheim he had only brought it onto more bad news. "It turned out to be a group of vampires, led by one who thought himself a prophet. Apparently he suffered from visions that told him the age of vampires was coming to an end."
Kain seemed amused. "One of your clan, I presume?"
"Why do you say that?" Raziel's anger at the insult answered before he had a chance to think. "It was," he admitted through clenched teeth.
"Your clan has always been plagued with a certain degree of madness," Kain explained, his teeth bared in a sardonic grin. Raziel shook his head, trying to say something but Kain continued, "like when they pursued Volker's army right into the Termogent forest. You have to admit no sane vampire would willingly charge into a swamp." Raziel remembered the battle Kain referred to clearly. A human army had fled into the marshes, shouting taunts at the war bands that followed them. Most of the troops were wise enough to let them escape, but not the Razelim. He still remembered shouting "halt" over and over in the darkness and fog, as his fledgling army charged to their certain deaths. Over half of them never made it out of the treacherous pools and streams of Termogent. Many others were so badly burned by the water they took years to recover fully. Silently, he followed Kain through the curving corridor that ran around the throne room. He realised he had never won an argument with Kain. He honestly didn't know why he tried.
"I suppose my children have never been known for their great intelligence," he said darkly.
"But all the more for their -- enthusiasm," Kain offered. "And now they have wiped out Rahab's forces, and he is upset with you," he summarised the situation.
"Actually, he seems more concerned about his herd than about his clan," Raziel explained. "His latest gift has given him a new perspective on history, and he fears for the future. Everywhere he sees decay and corruption." They had reached the door to the throne room, and looked inside at the leaning ruins of the pillars. The room was deserted. "I'm afraid he has reason to worry," Raziel continued, "the continued droughts are taking their toll, and the villages in his territory were already much weakened by the continued raids, not to mention the Turelim, who seem to consider all of Nosgoth their territory --" he stopped before he lost himself on an old issue. "He... We are both concerned about our own futures, too. Our fledglings seem to become weaker with every generation, and it has been a long time since you last presented us with a new gift. I wonder, has our ascent -- stopped?"
"That is not for you to concern yourself with, Raziel," Kain said sternly, his eyes fixed on his throne. "All will become clear in time. As for Rahab, if your quarrel troubles you, or him, then I suggest you put an end to it." He turned to Raziel, who saw the sharpness of his voice mirrored in his yellow eyes. "These clan-wars of yours are inane. You should have ended it a century ago. Amusing it may have been, at first, but it has long since turned into a pathetic waste of blood. There is but one clan, Raziel, my clan."
Raziel found himself actually stepping back. "Yes, of course," he said.
Kain continued their walk around the throne-room, and once again, Raziel followed. "Have you seen your youngest brother lately, Raziel?"
"Melchiah? No, not recently."
"I wonder how he fares," Kain said, musing.
"I'm sure he fares well enough," Raziel offered, but Kain cut him off.
"I'm not." There was a moment of silence. "Would you visit him, Raziel, on my behalf? I have had no news from him for far too long."
Raziel considered asking why Kain would not go himself, but realised a refusal would not help his own position. He had brought only bad news today. Annoying Kain further might not be the wisest course of action. "Certainly," he said, "I would be happy to visit him. I have not seen him in a long time either."
"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, there is someone else I need to talk to." He left, striding over the bridge between the fishponds, leaving Raziel standing alone in the corridor without so much as a glance in his direction.
Raziel wondered if he was headed towards Dumah or Turel's territory. Something told him he was not Kain's favourite son tonight.
Perhaps it was time to end the feud between his and Rahab's clan for good. The conflict had indeed gotten badly out of hand. In the meantime, while visiting Melchiah was not the most pleasant task he could think of, it was probably a chance to redeem himself. He decided not to waste it.