Setting Up Camp

After securing Kain in an ancient crypt, Lent walked over to the balcony, careful not to get too close to the rail-less ledge. The moon shone bright and illuminated the distant city, and Lent found himself pondering the strange company he was now with. He didn't know who the Nerayan were, and didn't care. His master was safe now, and that was all that mattered.
Lent looked at the plate of food; it tasted horrible but he couldn't complain. Nor could he expect a vampire to prepare something worth eating. Taking a deep breath, he hoped his new companions were trustworthy. If the ancient one turned on him it could spell disaster for Lent; especially after that display of power earlier. All Lent had that could possibly save him, should such a thing happen, was a tiny whistle around his neck. Should a vampire turn on him all he had to do was blow on it and a devastating sound erupted from it, too high in pitch for humans to hear. The trick was to get it should such a time happen, and if he was immobile that made it very difficult.
"Well, best not to worry about that now," Lent thought, "He has kept his promise thus far and Kain is certainly safe from the Sarafan here. Perhaps he can indeed revive his master." He sat on the balcony, admiring how peaceful the city was from a distance. It was nearly dawn, and Lent had a busy day ahead of him. Whether these were his masters or not, he would fulfill his promise and uphold the Loki tradition. When daylight approached, Lent would seek a way down to the ground so that he might bring victims for his vampire companions, and especially for the sleeping Kain. Lent didn't mind this task though, he sometimes enjoyed bringing victims. It was almost too easy sometimes, but tomorrow would not be one of those times. There was his master Kain, Novanus, Lessa, and the vampire he met earlier Gadorian. "Four vampires," Lent thought, "That's quite a number of people, I'll have to steal an entire brothel." And as if the peacefulness of the city crept up in him, Lent found peace and fell asleep for the first time in days.

It was midday by the time Lent woke up and there was no sign of his vampire companions. He expected as much and began to explore the temple. Walking around the runes he found an entrance where the ancients had their human servants enter and exit, as well as a vampire pantry. Let it be known that vampire pantries are not too different from a human dungeon, but this was a perfect place to bring in tonight's meals.
Lent exited the temple through the servant entrance and carefully hid the entrance. After emptying his wagon, and changing into some Noble clothes he had acquired from one of Kain's victims, he left for the city to the nearest brothel house. The brothel was full of choice ladies, and the brothel master was greedy man. "Hello, young noble man, what can I do for you today?" The master asked. "It is not what you can do for me but what I can do for you," Lent said while tossing him a heavy purse full of money. "I'm throwing a party tonight and require 12 to 14 of your best girls, a banquet fit for a king, and the finest wine you have." "Yes sir!" The brothel master said with great haste and in no time the wagon was full of women, food, and wine. Lent had even talked the brothel master to partake in the festivities himself.
He led the party to the temple and up the great stairs to the main chamber. By the time sunset came there was a table lit with candles, food covering one end to the other, and over a dozen drunken women with an even drunker pimp. Lent was pleased, and hoped his companions would be as well.

Gadorian waited by the gates of the library until the guards began to return to their posts. Silently, he crept back into the building. Izael was still searching through cases of books when the vampire entered. He spoke directly into the boy's mind, "Hurry up, grab what you need and let us go. I am allowing you to carry the sword, but where we are going, you must keep the weapon sheathed. The integrity of the blade demands I keep you from becoming a meal or a fledgling, but Novanus is so pompous he's likely to rip you apart if you so much as raise the blade towards him." Izael looked up, and his eyes told that he understood.
The pair stole into the night and headed towards the newly inhabited sanctuary, Izael struggling to keep up with Gadorian's superhuman speed. Finally, they approached the summit. Gadorian burst through the doors and was surprised at the revelry he entered upon. Novanus was nowhere in sight, but after quickly surveying the room, Gadorian's eyes rested on Lent, and the party's explanation became clear.
"Worship, indeed," he said, as a fanged smile flashed across his face. "Izael, stay in this room, enjoy the party, but try not to draw too much attention to yourself. Lucky you left your armor behind, or we'd run into much trouble explaining why a Sarafan was involved in such a party."
Gadorian left Izael and entered the fray, scooping up a bottle of fine spirits as he did so. Most vampires were entirely immune to such inebriants, but Gadorian's unique abilities, intended to allow him to live amongst humans, had the added bonus of enabling him to enjoy such pleasures without any, or at least many, of their negative side effects. Picking out two of the finest women, and with bottle still in hand, Gadorian made his way towards one of the side rooms. With a quick nod of appreciation to Lent, he entered the room where he would stay till the others returned.

Lessa walked into the crypt where Kain rested. It had been many a year since she had seen him, newly made and killing all of Vorador's ghouls just to get to Vorador. Lessa had been one of Vorador's favorites then, not as a mate but more as a daughter than anything else. It was she that had opened the last door to give Kain entry to Vorador's chamber because if he had been left alone, Vorador would have had no guards left.
Leesa looked at Kain now, so different from that time, but with so much more power than before. In this chamber she could hear his breath rasp and sense his growing hunger. So far the mortal had been feeding him other mortals, but Lessa began to wonder…Vorador had always said that her blood was special. It was true that she would heal quicker that any vampire she knew, including Vorador. In truth Vorador himself had drunk of her to heal him after his fight with Malek. If she were to give some of her blood to Kain then it was possible he would heal twice as fast. But Lessa would not act yet, she did not know Novanus' plan so she would ask him first. Lessa turned and left the crypt and as she passed the doors she heard the sound of females laughing in the dining room. Scowling, she decided to investigate.

Gadorian stirred, sensing another vampire presence. He incinerated the corpses of his meals, and shook off the lingering effects of alcohol before exiting his room. Upon his exit he was assaulted by the overwhelming beauty of a female vampire. He knew that with vampires, however, beauty is usually equally matched by treachery. Nonetheless, he could not recall ever meeting this one before; he thought he would remember such a vision, though he had been mistaken before. He decided to introduce himself, for he would likely have to collaborate with her and the others in the future to face the coming crisis. Gadorian's emerald eyes pierced the night as he reached out his hand. "Gadorian, m'lady. An honor to make your acquaintance..."

"And there she is!" Lent said to the drunken brothel master as Lessa entered the door. "Isn't she the most beautiful creature you've ever seen?" Lent gave a mischievous smile to the vampiress. Lessa gave him a look of confusion. "He's all yours, my dear. And if he passes out on you, maybe you can have me as well." Lent winked playfully, pretending to be drunk. Truth be told, Lent had never touched alcohol in his life. "Dulls the wits," his father once told him, "and in our line of work one needs all the wits you have and then some."
"Keemmer my dear," the drunken man said, practically stumbling into Lessa's arms. "Ish alright, I'm not as drunk as I look," and without another word the man passed out to the ground. Lent looked down disappointed, "Well, it's the thought that counts, right?" Lessa gave Lent a look, as if she scarcely believed he had managed to do all this. Lent let down his guard a little and gave a hint of a smile.
"Come here my dear," said a woman while she and her friend wrapped their arms around Lent, "I think we should show some gratitude to our benefactor." "And with that," Lent said to Gadorian and Lessa, "I must tend to my master."
"Did you hear that Elza?" one woman said, "He calls his bits 'Master,'" the two women laughed. "Oh, and just wait till you see him." Lent said escorting the ladies out of the room, giving a cheeky smile to Lessa before leaving for Kain's crypt. "Master."
Novanus dropped the body of the now dead whore and turned his thoughts to Admar. "What is it Admar?" "I've brought the things you requested." "Excellent. Where are you?" Admar replied, "Outside the temple, I'll tell you what, master, it weren't half difficult getting all of this stuff and then getting it up here was even more troublesome." Novanus laughed, "Well done, Admar. I shall come and meet you." Novanus walked out of the chambers, incinerating the whore's body as he went. He didn't exactly agree with the feast Lent had provided. Novanus preferred to hunt his own food. His cloven feet rapped against the marble floor of the temple he had once been high priest of. He walked down four corridors to the main entrance of the temple. Each corridor was lit by torches and each wall displayed a moment from the Ancients' history.
Novanus exited the Temple to find a rather bedraggled Admar with a large collection of sofas and two beautifully crafted tables as well as a bag full of silver plates and cutlery and a few candelabras. Novanus could not help but laugh.
"My God Admar, how on earth did you manage to get all that up here?" "Oh sure you laugh, but do you have any idea how heavy some of these things are?" With a thought, Novanus lifted the entire collection of furnishings into the air and left them levitating three feet off the ground. "Now master, that just isn't fair, you're cheating." "I know, fun isn't it?" Admar laughed
"Enough of this, Admar, my old friend," said Novanus. "Let's get you inside and get you something to eat." "Oh that reminds me, master, I remembered you said you had a few mortals with you so I brought a few things from the pantry at home, it's not much, just a roast chicken and a few other things." "Admar, I think you are about to instantly make a few friends." Novanus clasped his friend around the shoulder and went inside the temple, the heap of goods following through the air behind them.
Inside the Temple, Izael, Gadorian, and Lessa were resting in the main Hall.
"Everyone, this is Admar and he has been kind enough to bring us a few treats." Novanus levitated the objects in front of him, and placed them all down perfectly around the room, winking at Gadorian as he did. "God I love winding him up," thought Novanus to himself. "I wonder if he realizes I'm not as pompous as he thinks I am."
"Also," Novanus addressed Izael, "Admar has brought, for those who want it, a roast chicken and a few other foods." Novanus clapped Admar on the shoulder. "Eat, my friends, otherwise you won't grow up to be big and strong." Novanus smiled broadly. "Where's Lent?" "Tending to Kain," said Lessa. Novanus nodded, left the Hall and walked to the impromptu crypt.