Anna spent most of the time pretty much tied to the wall where some servant would come once a day and would give her some mouldy bread, and then stale water almost brackish in its taste. She missed the others and she even was beginning to think that everything she'd fought for was at a loss. She was beginning to think that nothing in this world could convince her that this world was worth living for. She felt as though all her humane emotions were nothing but a passing phase as a child believes the world has no bad guys. She'd lost everything that she held dear to her heart, for all she knew her grandfather was dead and Shino…Shino was dead. He'd died for her to save her life. He shouldn't have done that at all because Raistlin had still captured her while everyone was busy with the dead vampire. The worst thing possible that could've happened to her was that she'd learned that her mother was still alive. She was here with Raistlin her husband. Her mother was promising her death to come soon. Why would a mother want that for her child? Why would her mother even bother to have children if she was going to kill them anyways?
She cried silently closing her eyes she let the tears fall down not caring any more about whomever saw her or anything of trying to keep a strong image. Her strong visage was gone all that was left was an empty husk that felt so burdensome that all she wanted to do was to close her eyes and never awaken again.
"Why are you crying?" a voice asked from below where Anna was hanging from the ceiling.
Anna stopped crying and looking down saw that it was a man, a tall boy looking up at her with blue eyes and black hair. His blue eyes reminded her of her mother's eyes looking at her with such hatred and a fury that it had scared her. That thought alone brought more tears to her eyes. He looked to be about her age so that was bout 17 years old but she was turning 18 soon so she didn't really know his exact age. Who was he? She'd been here for about three days and she'd never met him. What was he doing here; anyone would know that this place is evil.
"Who are you?" Anna asked softly unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.
"Oh my names Andrew what's yours?" he asked smiling up at her happy that she'd stopped crying.
"Anna. What are you doing here?" she asked feeling some connection to this man she'd never met. The connection almost like a family bond between him she didn't like the feel of it and wanted it to go away, "What do you want?"
"Well I constantly hear mother and father talking about a girl hanging out in the courtyard so I wanted to see you." He said still smiling up at her, "I live here with my mother Elysee."
"What?" Anna exclaimed so shocked by this new news.
"Oh I'm sorry did I stutter mother says I do that often." The boy continued to smile and scratch his head blushing from his embarrassment, "My mother Elysee and I live here together."
"You're lying to me! Get the hell away from me you bastard!" Anna hissed through clenched teeth her mind reeling from the possibility of what stood in front of her. She wouldn't be able to take it if what she thought was true she'd rather die then learn the truth, "Just get the hell out of here!"
"But I just wanted…" he began tears creeping into his eyes.
"Andrew!" Raistlin's familiar shout came from the other side.
Her father Raistlin Majere was a black robed mage from the land of Krynn. He was average height but he had been injured gravely during his Test to gain the title of mage. He'd nearly been killed and sometimes during her long hours of hanging she'd begun to think what would the world be like if he had died during that Test of his? She'd even begun to wish he had died. But here he was calling to this Andrew who was lying to her.
"Get away from her this minute!" Raistlin came up beside Andrew and grabbing his arm gave him a very serious but soft glare, "I told you to stay away from the courtyard till all was prepared for you to come. How many times to I have to tell you young man?"
"I'm sorry father I won't go against your word again." Andrew muttered sheepishly hanging his head as his father lectured him.
Anna couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her own father, Raistlin Majere, the worst person she'd ever met was standing before her lecturing his son on being close to his own sister. She felt tears rising up quickly, she was a mistake from the beginning, and her mother and father loved Andrew because he was what she wasn't. He was a boy she was a girl.
"You sexist bastard!" Anna hissed narrowing her eyes dangerously at him. She would give anything to hurt him in some way. Some how.
"She's evil and not to be trusted Andrew remember she's the one who has to be killed," Raistlin snapped at Andrew wrapping his arm around Andrew's shoulders, as a proud father would do. Taking a look at her he smiled cynically, "For the good of the Four Lands.
They both knew that the 'good' wasn't actually good but was more evil then anything. They were going to destroy the world by controlling Shino's people and forcing them to kill when they didn't need to. Raistlin even had the good will of the gods on his side, all but one that is. Paladine didn't believe in him, and at the moment when Anna had most needed help had betrayed the others to help her. She was more thankful for that then anything else in this world.
The one terrifying fact about her father was that he was a powerful mage and was ambitious in his life. But during his Test he had been injured that had left his skin a metallic gold colour that gave contrast to his white hair. His eyes were the same gold as was his skin but his pupils caused you to gasp in horror; they were shaped like hourglasses the Conclave had given them to remind him of his mortality. Her father had passed down to her a golden eye the other was the same crystal blue colour of her mother.
"I'm evil that's a laugh and a half you bastard!" Anna yelled at him spitting her anger at her. She hated him and would hate him for the rest of her life, "Get out of here you asshole!"
"Now come on you shouldn't use such language Anna." Raistlin lectured her mocking her. She knew that he used worse words then she ever had in all of her life, "After all why else do you think were going to kill you."
"I don't think she's evil father." Andrew stated locking eyes with Anna, "There's almost this nostalgic feeling I have towards her. She seems familiar to me, I don't know why."
"Your mother has been looking for you. You better go and find her she'll begin to worry about you." Raistlin said taking Andrew's arm he began to direct him in the direction he'd just came from, "Go on tell your mother I'll be there in a moment."
Anna felt a pull as Andrew kept his eyes locked with her. She was feeling something towards something that as he had said was nostalgic. But he had to be lying there was nothing the two of them had in common. They didn't know each other, how could they?
Then it hit her in a wave of power she felt the power between them. The pull was stronger then she could ever have thought. She gasped and felt it rush through her body touching every nerve and bringing pain every part of her body. Screaming out Raistlin finally pulled Andrew away to the hallway where he'd come from. Andrew ran away afraid of what was going on ran to his mother. He didn't know what happened all he knew was that he had seen the fear on his fathers face and that meant something.
Once Andrew was gone and well out of earshot and range of Anna. She felt the power dwindle away and leave her body throbbing all over with the pain. She sagged in the chains and was a bit weary from the experience. She looked down and saw her father glaring at her. She didn't do shit all and here he was angry with her for what? Hanging from the wall still panting from the pain she could still feel along her body.
"Why'd you do that Anna?" Raistlin asked looking away from her, "You could've killed him."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Anna demanded, "I was the one screaming out in pain if you remember. Beside that anyways I have no idea what the hell just happened, all I know is that every part of my body feels as though someone took a hot red poker to the inside of my body and decided to poke around as though they were looking for something deep down in my soul. Some magic expert you are."
"Some Druid you are." Raistlin retorted.
"Say what you want but just remember that it wasn't me who did it." Anna said taking a deep shuddering breath. She was weak from the unexpected attack, "Come on father we both know that I don't have enough knowledge in being a Druid to harm anyone even with their history encrypted onto my brain."
"Anna quit the act and just tell me why you did that." Raistlin said keeping his voice calm while he spoke.
"Why didn't you guys tell me I had a brother?" Anna asked making it more of a statement then a question.
"It was privileged information no one even knows that Elysee had twins." Raistlin replied waving it aside, "Now tell me why you did that."
"I didn't do anything you idiot don't you see that? God damn it you old bastard it was your son!" Anna screamed at him, "He locked eyes with me and a pull began then the power just came out of no where. How the hell should I know why it happened? All I know is that it happened and it's over."
Raistlin came to stand below her digging in one of his little pouches he finally produced some silver looking dust. She knew what it was. It was a spell component that helped him put people to sleep. She let her eyes close and heard her father's spidery language and he threw the dust at her. She fell instantly asleep and she didn't care she was tired anyways.
He looked up at her from the entrance to the hallway and sighing muttered to him, "Maybe it's not Anna, but then that would mean Andrew…that can't be right its Anna there is no doubt in me that it is Anna."
"Why are we waiting here?" Tanis asked impatiently pacing around, "Damn it Allanon it took us long enough to get here lets go in there and save her!"
"It is not that simple Tanis look at where we are." Shea whispered sighing with a practised patience he learned as a child with his brother Flick, "Look at the building Tanis and tell me what you see."
Tanis took a deep breath and looking at the castle saw nothing unusual about it except that somewhere in there was Anna. Probably exhausted and scared from everything that had happened to her. He wanted to go in and get her out of there, get her far away from Raistlin as was possible. It had taken them days to reach here, they had taken days off by be able to fly the griffons in but from a certain point they wouldn't carry them any further. So they were left on feet and that didn't bother them at all. They had kept a rigours pace where they were exhausted and so tired that they fell asleep standing sometimes.
"The place is the same as from when we had first come here Tanis." Allanon answered softly watching the castle with an intense gaze, "From when Shea had come to defeat the Warlock Lord. The building was left in ruins and yet look at it now. It's been rebuilt. But who would do that?"
"Are you sure?" Caramon asked tentatively quiet, "You could be wrong and we have the wrong building."
"No Caramon they're not wrong I can feel it the blood and violence of this place." Tika whispered shivering in the cold night air.
"Tika's right though Shea hadn't come here I had and it was in ruins the last time I had looked at it." Allanon said taking a deep breath calming him down. He was so worried about Anna that it was making him lose sleep and keep his nerves on alert the whole trip, "This part of the Warlocks castle was a secret no one knew it but a few Druids. It was where the rituals and sacrifices were made.
"If everything I fear has gone into place then we are too late but it hasn't been a week since Shino died so I believe all they've been able to do is get the ritual in place. Be ready for everything that's to happen when that night comes."
"Somehow I still don't believe that a master vampire like Shino could be killed by a simple silver sword. There is something at work here, something else that doesn't stink of Raistlin." Dalamar stated shaking his head, "None of you understand how old or how powerful Shino really is. He's alive somehow I know that much."
"Dalamar you saw that he was completely dead everyone knows that." Crysania whispered softly her voice choked with tears, "I could feel that he was gone I felt no soul within his shell of a body."
"No I don't believe it." Dalamar muttered shaking his head.
"Is that why you demanded that we bring his body with us?" Ander asked in disgust looking over at the wagon, "You realize that caused a lot of problems for the griffons."
"I know that but I still think he'll come back from the dead for Anna." Dalamar whispered looking at the sheet that was wrapped around Shino, "He loves her more then anyone in this world or the next one. A bond like that can't be broken so lightly."
"Yes but does he love her enough to get out of the enchantment that he's been encased in?" a females voice sounded from the left. Sitting elegantly down on a boulder with a dress that fanned out in a medieval sort, "What are you all staring at? Cat got your tongue?"
"Who are you?" Tanis asked sword in his hand ready to jump her.
"I would be Shino's younger sister Kala. A pleasure to meet you all I'm sure." She said smiling enough to show her dainty little fangs, "I'm so surprised that Shino would allow this to happen to him. He is after all stronger then all of you could ever possibly understand."
"What are you talking about?" Allanon asked coming to face her. He wasn't afraid of vampires he had known a many vampires when he was a child they had been friends together before they were shut away, "We don't understand all vampirism."
"Well of course you don't the only human who does is Anna and I'm surprised she didn't figure it out yet." Kala stated waving her hand around, "But no I'm sure it's just because Anna really believes that he died. But he isn't he's just asleep in is own way. Not many people known that it takes a lot of energy to be a vampire, well Shino can last a lot longer even with the restrictions imposed on our kind."
"Restrictions, like what?" Tika asked.
"Restrictions that can either bind or imprison him in his own mind for eternity. Why do you think most of us vampires left for the world of Earth?" Kala said grinning at them, "No magic means no one can do this to us. But he loved Anna so much he wanted to risk everything for her. Now look at him. I can't be queen of the vampires they'll challenge me the first day and kill me the first chance they get. Anna's the only one who can get him out of this. Where is she?"
"Raistlin took her and she's somewhere in their." Allanon stated pointing to the castle.
"You let Raistlin take her are you insane?" Kala screamed jumping from the rock with her speed grabbed Allanon by the scruff of his neck and lifted him clear off the ground, "Do you understand what will happen to her?" Her eyes were glowing now with her unnatural powers. She began to calm her anger and throwing Allanon to the ground cursed herself, "Of course you don't. None of you seriously know what Anna did when she was on Earth do you?"
"Why would we? Anna never talks about it." Tika stated shaking her head she went and helped Allanon to his feet, "Anna never liked to talk about it, too many bad memories she used to say."
"That's for sure but I thought for sure that she would at least tell you all that she was a vampire executioner." Kala stated staring Allanon in the eyes; "She has the highest count of bodies for a licensed executioner and most were cause they were trying to kill her so she defended herself."
"What?" Allanon asked shocked that his granddaughter could be so violent, "That's not possible you have the wrong Anna."
"When she came to this world she was sweet and innocent cause she couldn't remember but now that she does know she hates herself." Kala whispered walking over to stand beside Shino's dead body, "Shino was the only one who could show her that not all of us were monsters. She even began helping us out of situations that would normally have killed us."
"Allanon is absolutely right you have the wrong Anna." Tika said shaking her head, "Our niece doesn't like to kill anything."
"Your not listening to me, your letting yourself become trapped to that ideal that when you first met Anna that there was nothing else about her. But there is so much more that none of you could ever understand." Kala whispered softly her voice full of fear, "I just want my brother back and Anna safe. She's my friend and he is my family."
"Well you said only Anna could get him out of his state how do you propose we tell Anna that?" Caramon asked laying a comforting hand on Kala's shoulder.
"Allanon you're a Druid you can call to her and tell her." Kala stated giving Caramon a weak smile, "Please you can call to her through your bond as a family and you bond as a Druid."
"She's still new to it I don't think I can Kala." Allanon whispered shaking his head, "It could turn out bad for her and for Shino."
"Please you have to try." Kala begged her eyes overwhelmed with blood red tears, "I know I have no right to ask but please do this."
"You have all the right to ask me." Allanon said taking in a deep breath, "I'll try it but I'm not sure if it'll work the way you're expecting it to."
Anna woke up to a noise from below her. She looked down and saw that it was Andrew working his way up to where she was hanging. He was going to climb up here. Before she could say anything a hand wrapped around her mouth. Startled she tried to break free from it but she was too weak from lack of food and water.
"Calm down we are not here to cause you harm you." A soft voice whispered in her ear. She couldn't determine if it was a man or a woman but Anna relaxed, "Andrew knew who you were before you even answered him in the beginning."
She watched with patience as Andrew kept climbing. He knew her and yet he was with her parents with out her, probably happy. Happy that he didn't have to share his parents love with anyone. She began feeling tears come to her eyes, why was she feeling so emotional all of a sudden? She never really cared all that much about family before why was she caring now?
Andrew finally got up to her and he unclasped the manacles that were around her feet, surprisingly the manacles didn't clang to the floor alerting Raistlin and Elysee. Andrew then went quickly to getting the manacles off her hands. He caught her before she could fall and jumping down he finally settled on the ground. He took a water skin and filling a cup put it to Anna's lips.
"Drink this." He said as though it would save her from all the pain she was feeling.
She drank it with difficulty and it helped her somewhat. He picked her up, holding her in his arms as though she was no weight at all. He had two packs that looked to be stuffed to the point for a long journey.
"Annabelle come on get down here." Andrew hissed up where the hand had grabbed Anna to silence her.
"I'm coming." A more feminine voice floated down.
A cloud of what looking transparent thin came down and floating in front of Anna formed a face where a female's face was perfectly etched. She didn't no what matter of creature she was but she was beautiful.
"We should be going Andrew your father and mother will be waking soon." Annabelle whispered the mouth moving with such grace and flawlessness that it startled Anna.
"What the?" Anna asked shock all over her face.
"It's a long story my dear that we do not have time for." Annabelle replied, "We must be going if we are going to get out of here."
Andrew nodded and he began running as fast as he could to the exit, or what Anna presumed was the exit. She saw that he wasn't panting or even struggling to breath. He was setting an incredible pace that should've tired him out earlier then this. Anna felt herself slipping off to sleep, his smooth rhythmic movement easing her into a soundless sleep.
"Anything yet?" Kala asked Allanon for what must've been the millionth time.
He didn't reply back cause he couldn't hear her. He only had ears for Anna's breathing, he had found her close to the moment when she fallen asleep in Andrew's arms. Of course Allanon didn't know this, he figured she was sleeping in a torture room. Exhaustion and the torturous pain bringing her down to the ground where she fell asleep soundly.
"Anna can you hear my voice?" Allanon called out to her.
Anna whilst asleep in Andrew's arms felt something in the back of her mind. She heard a voice that sounded strangely like her grandfather. What was he doing in her dream? Could she not find some quiet time within her dream world at least?
"Anna can you hear my voice?" his voice came clear and urgent in her head.
"Yes I can what's it matter about?" Anna asked sleepily grumpy at him.
"I never thought I'd hear your voice again my sweet granddaughter." Allanon replied his voice having a slight laugh to it, "Are you alright?"
"Yes I'm fine I'm with Andrew." She replied still sleepy.
"Andrew?" Allanon's voice sounded troubled and concerned.
"My twin brother Raistlin states. He's quite nice I'm in his arms while he's running taking us away from our father and mother." Anna explained still trying to wrap around her mind what was going on with her and her grandfather.
"Listen to me Anna can you get this Andrew to take you to us. We are at the border to the north of the castle." Allanon said his voice still troubled, "Shino needs you."
That's when the connection between the two broke Anna couldn't stand it anymore she had to get up. Her eyes snapped open and Andrew was already heading to the north border. Had he heard her conversation with their grandfather? No he couldn't have, unless he was a Druid there was no way that could happen. She didn't want to talk about Shino if it meant her crying more over his death. It was a hard subject for her; she could remember what the two of them had done with each other. She wanted him alive but there was a limit to how much damage the undead can take.
"Were almost there Anna." Andrew's voice came from above her still untroubled by the entire running he was doing, "I have enough endurance to run us all the way back to Solace Anna."
"How'd you know I was thinking about that?" Anna asked looking up at him.
"Just a hunch." Andrew replied.
That's where there conversation ended. He didn't really talk to her at all. Maybe he didn't like her after all it would make sense. Here he was giving up there parents love to save her from them. She couldn't help but feel as though she should never have been born. She began to feel tears trail down her face. She buried her face in her hands pretending to try and sleep.
"Open your eyes Anna." Allanon's calm voice came from in front of her.
Opening her eyes she found that she had fallen asleep again while Andrew had ran all the way here. She looked around and found that she was no longer in Andrew's arms but he was right besides her looking gravely down at her. She looked around and saw that everyone was here. Everyone that she'd met on her travels. She gave them a weak smile and getting unsteadily to her feet looked around again till her eyes settled on Kala. She was here for her brother. Walking over to her Anna placed a hand on Kala's shoulder. Unrepentantly Anna jumped into Anna's arms and hugging and crying into Anna's chest stayed there while Anna calmed her down.
"Where is he Kala?" Anna asked softly taking a deep breath.
She pushed away from her and Kala pointed over to a wagon that had a sheet wrapped around it stained with blood. She didn't want to go over and remove the sheet but she had to she knew that. But it was hard to do that when all she really wanted to do was to break down and cry some more. Taking a deep breath she walked towards the wagon.
Hoping into the wagon she slowly removed the sheet from Shino throwing it to the ground with disgust. His face had blood spattered on it, that pale perfect skin was marred by it. She took her tongue and by instinct licked it off his face. She cleaned the rest of his face with her tongue. She opened his mouth and saw that his fangs were still sticking out, usually he retracted them, to make it seem as though he was more human. She had loved that about him, he knew how much she resented it when he would ask for blood from her. She wasn't his meal she was his girlfriend. There was a big difference she had stated with venom to him when they had argued about it. She laid beside him her hair was long again so she had tied it back so it wouldn't get in the way he had always hated that when he used to kiss her neck. She took her wrist and placing it close to his mouth where his fangs were forced those sharp canines to cut her wrist. She let the blood flow into his mouth it was spilling out but she had to hope that this would work.
She'd never shared blood with him before so she was sure if this was correct but instinct took over her and she raised his head so that his fangs could pierce her skin. That's when it happened when she was about to pull away Anna felt his tongue move. Looking down she saw that his hands were wrapped around her wrist. He was feeding off her, gaining the strength from her to escape his imprisonment. She was feeling dizzy but she couldn't take her wrist away from him she wasn't strong enough. Taking a huge breath she began feeling herself fall to the wood of the wagon. Shino's eyes snapped open and releasing her wrist he went for her neck. His teeth dug into the side of her neck she gasped out in pain and wanted him off her. She'd had other vamps sink their teeth into her and they were all currently dead cause they'd done that. She tried to push him off her but he was too strong.
"Shino…" she whispered her voice so weak.
He had heard her and had immediately released her. He began to writhe and jerk in the wagon. Anna got lazily to her knees she took his hand in hers and willed him to come back no matter what. She was sorry that she'd been an idiot she was sorry that she had forgotten him. She was just god damn sorry for everything. He stopped moving and stopped breathing. Looking down at him she felt tears crawling to her eyes again.
"Shino come back to me…please." Anna whispered digging her face into the non-bloody part of his chest, "I love you."
There was no response from Shino he was gone forever. It was all her fault no matter what anyone would try and convince her not. She felt like crap and she'd done it all to try and save her boyfriend, and it hadn't worked at all.
She felt a hand crawl up her back and an arm wrapped around her, "I've waited so long to hear you say those words ma petite."
Anna jerked up and the familiar grin of Shino was looking at her. Her tears came out and she buried herself into his chest crying hard and loud enough.
"Calm down ma petite you are fine and so am I and only cause you have finally showed me how much you truly love me." He whispered stroking her back to calm her crying, "You shared your blood with me when you hate to do that so much. Thank you."
"I thought I'd never see you again." Anna replied back between sobs.
"I can tell that ma petite." Shino said laughing a little.
"Don't call me that." Anna said pinching his side, "You know I hate it when you do that."
"Exactly why I do it." Shino replied taking her chin in his hand he raised her face to meet his, "I am truly sorry for any pain I caused you."
"You damn bastard you sacred the crap out of us all!" Kala's voice shouted smacking Shino over the head, "Do you realize with you dead that I'd be next in line for the throne? Do you also realize that I'd would've been killed immediately?"
"I am sorry to you as well my little sister." Shino said grinning as he sat up, "Now lets see I take it Andrew helped you get to my aid ma petite."
"Yes but how did you know that?" Anna asked confused by her love.
"You didn't tell them did you Andrew?" Shino asked looking sadly over at Andrew who still sat where Anna had woken up.
"No master I haven't." Andrew replied keeping his eyes lowered as Shino's glared down at him.
"What's going on?" Anna questioned forcing Shino to look at her, "Tell me this instance or someone's going to get hurt."
"Ma petite Andrew is my human servant." Shino replied softly, "It was a long time ago when he was fairly immature and young. I had found out that it wasn't you that your parents were meant to kill, it was Andrew."
"What?" Anna exclaimed, "No it isn't they love him more then-"
"-life itself. Yes they do and only cause he is a male and you aren't." Shino explained cutting her off, "Anna they didn't want to kill their only son so they captured me and made sure that I make him my full servant. If they kill him it is probable that I might die as well."
"No." Anna shook her head stepping away from Shino she got out of the cart. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, sure she'd suspected it but it was different to be told it.
Her head was so dizzy from the blood loss and adrenaline and lack of food that she just simply fell to the ground. Lying on the ground she was completely knocked out with emotional shock. Shino was the first to her side holding her hand.
"I'm so sorry ma petite if I could've I would have made you my human servant." Shino whispered brushing aside her hair revealing her pale sunken face.
It made him angry to see her this way but what was he to do? He was going to fight Raistlin and Elysee. He didn't want Andrew to die and he didn't want Anna to die.
Andrew's hand wrapped around Anna's other hand, "I don't want her to die either Shino. But Elysee won't rest till she's good and dead."
"You should turn her Shino." Kala's voice stated from behind him.
"Are you insane she'd never forgive me." Shino hissed.
"She'd be safer as a vampire then she would be as a human." Kala whispered softly almost seductively to Shino.
"Turn Anna into a vampire to save her?" Shino questioned himself.
Kilyn Bloodstone: Hello! I finally finished another chapter. Yippee! I purposely left this off at this point cause I think you'll all be wondering what's to come next. Guess what you should wonder cause after all lets face it Anna would be so better off being a vampire then a human, at least then she could beat the shit out of her mother…but will Shino have the will to do sink his fangs into his true love to turn her into the undead? Questions Questions…..must be answered but won't not till next chap.
Right I don't own anything of Dragonlance or Terry Brooks. I do however own Anna, Elysee, Peter, Shino, Annabelle, and Kala.
Oh and in the next chapter Annabelle's secret will be revealed and what sort of creature she is and how she came to be one.