Chapter ii: Dumah cannot read a map
The seven vampires briskly strode through the desolate land of the once beautiful Nosgoth. Kain, of course, led the party, as the lieutenants followed relatively single-filed in order of their birth. They had been journeying for hours now, and the young vampires glanced around slightly bored as they blindly followed their master.
"I suspect you are wondering," Kain called back to them, "as to what destination this journey is leading." He stopped and turned to his now curious fledglings. "I cannot give you anything substantial as to where we shall find ourselves, but I do know this: Henry James is out there somewhere, and I intend to find him."
Melchiah cocked his head. "Why would you expend so much energy searching for this human, sire?"
Kain eyed him menacingly, stopping the inquiry. Raziel, being the only one of the brothers that understood their sire in any way, had an idea as to why he bothered to make this trip: he was bored. There had been no threats by the Sarafan of late, and even he was becoming quite restless. Yet he knew better than to say that aloud. Turning ahead once again, Kain motioned his lieutenants forward. "Do not fret: I do not expect this to be a long expedition." He waved his hand dismissively. "Dumah, make yourself useful: direct our little throng in the direction of the nearest town."
The bulky vampire scratched his head as he critically studied the old map Kain had given him. "Well, if we continue proceeding as we are, and make a right that way," he directed, pointing to the west, "then we shall arrive in the town of—" He paused. Bringing the map closer to his eyes and squinting, he slowly and strainfully tried his best to pronounce the name. "Mi – elk – snnah – me – if … by twilight."
Rahab turned to Dumah and furrowed his brow, trying to look to the map. "Are you sure you are using the correct pronunciation? I have never heard a name such as the one in question."
Dumah angrily pulled away from his brother, pressing the chart against his body. "Lord Kain has given me the duty of navigating our trip, and only I will do so!"
Kain sighed. "Rahab," Kain commanded exasperated, "refrain from bestowing upon your brother adversity." Rahab turned from his brother with an angry defeated look. "Dumah: do not crumple my map." The young vampire, startled by the sharpness of his words, thrust the chart as far from his chest as possible. "And both of you: stop this asinine bickering!" He shook his head. Vorador had always believed a sire's duty is much akin to that of a father's, yet only until he had fledglings of his own did he realize the accuracy of that statement.
The elder vampire pointed ahead. "We shall continue to Mielksnnameif and plan our course of action from there."
After many hours of seemingly directionless wandering, the whole band of vampires was becoming quite irate, except Dumah, who could not discern why the village was not in sight.
"I do not understand, sire," he desperately stuttered as they continued in their mindless drifting. "The map reads that it should be here. Yet I do not see any sign of buildings or even of construction."
"I will hear no more excuses; I want results! Why are we not at" —he turned to Raziel— "what was it?" —Raziel shrugged as Kain turned back— "Milksnamurf?"
"Mielksnnameif," corrected Rahab.
"Mielksnnameif. That is the most reliable map I have ever known; it guided me in my journeys as a fledgling." Dumah instantly became even prouder of himself, now realizing the sentimental importance of the papyrus chart cradled in his arms. For this one moment in his unlife, he felt even more important to Kain than Raziel, his firstborn and suspected favorite.
Zephon crossed his arms over his chest as they all continued forward. "Are we certain Dumah is even reading it right?" He placed a condescending glare upon Dumah. "We all know of his … handicap."
Dumah looked as if he could kill his brother any minute now. Kain was becoming quite irate. "Would you stop declaring your brother as mentally challenged for one evening!" He rubbed his temples, a headache creeping slowly into his skull.
Zephon looked away. "I was actually referring to his reading disability."
"Oh yes. Quite."
Dumah angrily huffed as Kain's throbbing ache started to recede. "I can read. I just do so slowly." The glares of the other vampires dug into him. "To fully understand what is written," he hurriedly added.
The rest of the vampires, except Kain, scoffed at his notion. Kain of course did not believe that statement, but he made it a point not to openly insult his fledglings. Or at least try not to.
Finally, and much to all of their surprise, the intrepid crew found themselves in a village. They stopped at the fringes of the town, for this place looked very strange: all the buildings were falling apart, the road looked as if it had not been cared for in centuries, and surrounding this village was a terribly fearsome bog, which produced an ominous mist that flooded the town.
Kain, being quite experienced in such matters, knew these to be the divulging signs of a dangerous area. Thus, he curiously glanced from side to side, trying to remember if he had ever been here in his past. He was certain this was new to him.
"Odd," he slowly articulated deep in thought. "I have never seen a bog in Nosgoth's southern regions. Where are we?"
"This must be Mielksnnameif," Turel resolved strongly. He started to walk forward, his head held high with pride, when Kain shot an arm out in front of him. He shook his head. Turel questionably stared at his master.
There must be a reason he had never been here. "Dumah," Kain called over his shoulder, "let me see that map." It was passed to him as he studied it diligently. Kain perplexedly stared at it. Oddly, he could not recognize this area of Nosgoth; this was becoming too weird for his taste. Then, Kain found the underlying problem that has dogged their heels, the cause of their mindless wandering and his own confusion.
"Dumah!" Kain raged to the startled vampire. "You idiot! You have been reading the damn thing upside down the whole time!" He corrected the map, now holding it to where he could recognize it. "We are actually in the village of--"
Kain's eyes went wide in realization. Seeing this look on their sire's face discerned one conclusion from the lieutenants: They were in serious peril.
A muffled moan was heard coming from the streets of the town. A single man stood in the street, looking half-dead. No, fully dead, much to Kain's dismay, now confirming his worst-case scenario. Many other people afflicted the same as the first came swarming out of buildings, holes, anything that could hold a human.
Kain turned to Dumah, now understanding how perilous the situation in which he had led his fellow vampires had become. "Thank you, you ignoramus! You have just led us to Tiemannschliem--" he turned to the approaching zombies, drawing his reaver – "the village of the undead!"
Kain: Damn Dumah… idiot.
Quite; but at least you get to kill people, right?
Kain: I suppose so… (Just realizing) Hey! You had more "connotation" again!
What?
Kain: "Throbbing?"
You know; when you have a really bad headache, you seem to have a throbbing head?
Kain: You just said "throbbing head!"
(glaring) You are looking for this stuff, aren't you?
Kain: I am just making sure you don't get any ideas.
(shudder; not in a good way!)
Hey you out there! If you have any ideas for what the "Intrepid crew" should face, write me!
Kain: Yeah. Review and such!
'Twould be awesome!
