Chapter Two
"Raziel, this world is not as empty as I have led you to believe," Gonawae said gently. "I have brought others into this sanctuary. It is simply my practice to hold everyone here until I can be sure that they will not try to kill anyone."
His eyes widened in surprise. For a moment, Raziel was at a loss for words.
"If you promise not to attack anyone, I can take you to meet them right now," Gonawae said.
"This had better not be a deception," Raziel warned.
"I assure you, I am sincere," Gonawae smiled as she said this. "Wait here."
Gonawae crossed the room and opened a hidden panel in the wall. She brought out a strange artifact. It was a large box made of frosted glass, suspended from a brass handle. Gonawae struggled with its weight.
"Allow me," Raziel said as he moved to take it from her, only to jump back as it sounded with an electric crack.
"I think not," Gonawae said. "I don't have to carry it far. This way." Gonawae pulled back one of the tapestries, revealing an alcove in the wall. Raziel followed her inside, and immediately the two were transported to the grand hall of a large citadel. The architecture reminded Raziel of Janos' retreat.
Raziel instantly recognized the winged figures of two ancient vampires crossing the floor to meet them. Others were gliding through high balconies, apparently unconcerned at the new arrivals.
"Who have you brought us this time, Lady Gonawae?" the female said, eyeing Raziel with unmasked curiosity.
"Aros Konwi, Morin Gerad, I would like you to meet Lord Raziel," Gonawae said, her voice impressing on them Raziel's importance.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Aros said, her eyes shining warmly.
Morin only nodded his head in acknowledgment before turning to Gonawae. "There is a matter that requires your immediate attention," he said darkly. "I told you that no good would come of saving them. We have one locked in the far tower."
"What is he talking about?" Raziel demanded of Gonawae.
"Certainly nothing that I should hide from you, I'm afraid," Gonawae said. She pointed to the artifact at her feet, "Aros, could you please put this someplace safe? We will go see the prisoner straight away."
Aros lifted the artifact easily and flew to a small alcove in the ceiling. She hovered for a moment as she secured it from a dangling chain, and then dropped back to the floor. Morin led the way along a ledge that ran along the outside of the Citadel. The party had a clear view of the landscape dropping away from them. Gonawae hugged the wall, afraid of falling off.
"You had better explain," Raziel growled as he walked behind Gonawae.
"When I built this Sanctuary, I decided to save a sampling of Nosgoth's different races, but I took them from times when they were strong. The Vampiri here have never known war with the Hylden, though they have their differences. There are humans and Vampires here as well," Gonawae paused to indicate what were obviously other citadels, softly lit as twilight stole across the land. "Each race has its own fortress. Despite my efforts, they do not trust each other. The villages are a little more blended."
"The Vampiri and the Hylden?" Raziel asked.
"What you know as the ancient vampires and the adversary race," Gonawae said softly.
The ledge they were walking along suddenly came to an end. Morin spread his arms to Gonawae, and she wrapped hers around his neck. With a swift movement, the two glided across a chasm to the facing cliff. Aros offered her hand to Raziel, but he shrugged her off, judging that he could make the distance alone.
Morin glanced behind him in mild surprise at the creature that could do such a thing on tattered wings.
"You know the tales," Gonawae said.
"Still, I do not see why he must be shown this," Morin sneered.
"I do not like this either, but it would be much worse if he were to learn about it later. He does not trust anymore," Gonawae sighed.
"I would imagine him incapable," Morin muttered.
"They are not animals," Gonawae hissed as they came to a stop on the far side of the chasm. Raziel and Aros finally caught up with them, and all four went inside the tower.
The inside of the tower was gloomy with the failing light. Morin unlocked the gate that barred the entrance. "Be careful, his blood thirst has driven him mad," he warned.
Gonawae crossed to where the pale form was huddled. He wore a straightjacket, and his eyes shone vacantly. "This wasn't caused by the blood thirst," Gonawae said, "There's something else, and I can't do anything for him."
Suddenly, the captive vampire broke free of his bonds. He hurled the straightjacket at his captors and spread leathery wings. He rushed out of the tower and flew off into the night. Morin took off after him, while Aros flew back to the main building of the citadel for reinforcements.
Raziel, who had been silently observing these events, confronted Gonawae, "What is the meaning of this?"
"I did not plan for this to happen," Gonawae said, sinking to the stone floor of the cell, "He belongs to you. I rescued as many of your clan as I could, fortunately Kain had ordered your brothers to leave your people to him. It allowed them to be scattered throughout Nosgoth for years."
Gonawae relaxed slightly as she sensed Raziel's momentary willingness to listen. "The Raziliem are provided for, as they are not allowed to hunt their own food. However a few have begun to lose their minds, they will not submit to the laws or common sense. I am not certain exactly why."
"What is to become of that one?" Raziel sneered.
Gonawae sighed, "What would you have me do?"
Raziel thought for a long moment before turning away.
"I cannot allow such a disturbed creature to wander freely," Gonawae whispered, "The others were destroyed in the gentlest manner we could arrange."
Raziel shifted to the spectral realm, unwilling to hear any more. He knew he would not stay there, but being transported to Gonawae's keep would buy him some solitude. He felt the same force dragging him, but instead he was deposited in the main hall of the Vampiri Citadel. Raziel realized that it was Gonawae's strange artifact that kept dragging him back into the material realm. He glared upwards; the object was far beyond his reach. He fired his telekinetic bolts at it in anger. No matter how carefully he aimed, he could not hit it.
"Raziel, please," Gonawae's voice rang through the hall. It had not taken the Vampiri long to bring her back here.
"I should kill you where you stand," Raziel snarled.
"The others are living quite happily," Gonawae said, terror edging her voice. "Would you like to meet them? They should be down in the village by now, in the tavern. It's called the broken spear."
Raziel turned away in disgust. He trod purposefully out of the hall and leap out into the night. It took him several minutes to glide down to the ground. As soon as his hooves touched the dirt, he was running.
"Raziel, this world is not as empty as I have led you to believe," Gonawae said gently. "I have brought others into this sanctuary. It is simply my practice to hold everyone here until I can be sure that they will not try to kill anyone."
His eyes widened in surprise. For a moment, Raziel was at a loss for words.
"If you promise not to attack anyone, I can take you to meet them right now," Gonawae said.
"This had better not be a deception," Raziel warned.
"I assure you, I am sincere," Gonawae smiled as she said this. "Wait here."
Gonawae crossed the room and opened a hidden panel in the wall. She brought out a strange artifact. It was a large box made of frosted glass, suspended from a brass handle. Gonawae struggled with its weight.
"Allow me," Raziel said as he moved to take it from her, only to jump back as it sounded with an electric crack.
"I think not," Gonawae said. "I don't have to carry it far. This way." Gonawae pulled back one of the tapestries, revealing an alcove in the wall. Raziel followed her inside, and immediately the two were transported to the grand hall of a large citadel. The architecture reminded Raziel of Janos' retreat.
Raziel instantly recognized the winged figures of two ancient vampires crossing the floor to meet them. Others were gliding through high balconies, apparently unconcerned at the new arrivals.
"Who have you brought us this time, Lady Gonawae?" the female said, eyeing Raziel with unmasked curiosity.
"Aros Konwi, Morin Gerad, I would like you to meet Lord Raziel," Gonawae said, her voice impressing on them Raziel's importance.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Aros said, her eyes shining warmly.
Morin only nodded his head in acknowledgment before turning to Gonawae. "There is a matter that requires your immediate attention," he said darkly. "I told you that no good would come of saving them. We have one locked in the far tower."
"What is he talking about?" Raziel demanded of Gonawae.
"Certainly nothing that I should hide from you, I'm afraid," Gonawae said. She pointed to the artifact at her feet, "Aros, could you please put this someplace safe? We will go see the prisoner straight away."
Aros lifted the artifact easily and flew to a small alcove in the ceiling. She hovered for a moment as she secured it from a dangling chain, and then dropped back to the floor. Morin led the way along a ledge that ran along the outside of the Citadel. The party had a clear view of the landscape dropping away from them. Gonawae hugged the wall, afraid of falling off.
"You had better explain," Raziel growled as he walked behind Gonawae.
"When I built this Sanctuary, I decided to save a sampling of Nosgoth's different races, but I took them from times when they were strong. The Vampiri here have never known war with the Hylden, though they have their differences. There are humans and Vampires here as well," Gonawae paused to indicate what were obviously other citadels, softly lit as twilight stole across the land. "Each race has its own fortress. Despite my efforts, they do not trust each other. The villages are a little more blended."
"The Vampiri and the Hylden?" Raziel asked.
"What you know as the ancient vampires and the adversary race," Gonawae said softly.
The ledge they were walking along suddenly came to an end. Morin spread his arms to Gonawae, and she wrapped hers around his neck. With a swift movement, the two glided across a chasm to the facing cliff. Aros offered her hand to Raziel, but he shrugged her off, judging that he could make the distance alone.
Morin glanced behind him in mild surprise at the creature that could do such a thing on tattered wings.
"You know the tales," Gonawae said.
"Still, I do not see why he must be shown this," Morin sneered.
"I do not like this either, but it would be much worse if he were to learn about it later. He does not trust anymore," Gonawae sighed.
"I would imagine him incapable," Morin muttered.
"They are not animals," Gonawae hissed as they came to a stop on the far side of the chasm. Raziel and Aros finally caught up with them, and all four went inside the tower.
The inside of the tower was gloomy with the failing light. Morin unlocked the gate that barred the entrance. "Be careful, his blood thirst has driven him mad," he warned.
Gonawae crossed to where the pale form was huddled. He wore a straightjacket, and his eyes shone vacantly. "This wasn't caused by the blood thirst," Gonawae said, "There's something else, and I can't do anything for him."
Suddenly, the captive vampire broke free of his bonds. He hurled the straightjacket at his captors and spread leathery wings. He rushed out of the tower and flew off into the night. Morin took off after him, while Aros flew back to the main building of the citadel for reinforcements.
Raziel, who had been silently observing these events, confronted Gonawae, "What is the meaning of this?"
"I did not plan for this to happen," Gonawae said, sinking to the stone floor of the cell, "He belongs to you. I rescued as many of your clan as I could, fortunately Kain had ordered your brothers to leave your people to him. It allowed them to be scattered throughout Nosgoth for years."
Gonawae relaxed slightly as she sensed Raziel's momentary willingness to listen. "The Raziliem are provided for, as they are not allowed to hunt their own food. However a few have begun to lose their minds, they will not submit to the laws or common sense. I am not certain exactly why."
"What is to become of that one?" Raziel sneered.
Gonawae sighed, "What would you have me do?"
Raziel thought for a long moment before turning away.
"I cannot allow such a disturbed creature to wander freely," Gonawae whispered, "The others were destroyed in the gentlest manner we could arrange."
Raziel shifted to the spectral realm, unwilling to hear any more. He knew he would not stay there, but being transported to Gonawae's keep would buy him some solitude. He felt the same force dragging him, but instead he was deposited in the main hall of the Vampiri Citadel. Raziel realized that it was Gonawae's strange artifact that kept dragging him back into the material realm. He glared upwards; the object was far beyond his reach. He fired his telekinetic bolts at it in anger. No matter how carefully he aimed, he could not hit it.
"Raziel, please," Gonawae's voice rang through the hall. It had not taken the Vampiri long to bring her back here.
"I should kill you where you stand," Raziel snarled.
"The others are living quite happily," Gonawae said, terror edging her voice. "Would you like to meet them? They should be down in the village by now, in the tavern. It's called the broken spear."
Raziel turned away in disgust. He trod purposefully out of the hall and leap out into the night. It took him several minutes to glide down to the ground. As soon as his hooves touched the dirt, he was running.