Summery
AU - Canon Divergent, A rewrite of the Vampiric invasion of Merrydale and the fall, and rebirth, of The Silver Six.
Maybe the situation wasn't completely irredeemable. Even if it meant dying in the end. Was this really any different than their quests from the past? There was a vampire attacking the town. He had to be stopped. That hadn't changed...even if they had.
Relationship Tags
Jander/Kellian/Alinora
Relevant Warnings
Lots of questionable consent as the result of vampire mind shenanigans. A small bit of lemony content part way through though it's only a couple paragraphs easily skipped over if it's not your cup of tea.
Notes
So, I started this fic with the plan on it being a short very self indulgent romp through angsty vampire town and little more. However...my muse grabbed hold of it and ran and...now I have this instead hah. I mean it still kind of is but...also more than that. While I did try and stay mostly true to D&D I also favored book canon a bit more for certain things, namely how Vampire Spawn are treated vs regular Vampires. Where D&D has Spawn being more limited in their abilities and unable to create other vampires the book treated Spawn as just servile vampires but otherwise basically no different...though the author seemed undecided on how intelligent they could be. Jander and Gideon are shown as being perfectly capable of acting like thinking people...but Kellian and Alinora acted little better than animals. That never made sense to me.
This takes place during the vampire invasion of Merrydale as detailed in the book "Vampire of the Mists" but is basically a complete rewrite of the entire event. Very much a "what if Kellian and Alinora were less mindless as vampires" and "what if The Silver Six had more character development instead of being flat throw away characters". Since I didn't want to rewrite the entire series of flashback sequences The Silver Six are a fairly typical adventuring party from the Dalelands of The Forgotten Realms who came to Merrydale after saving the region from a red dragon. They are as follows:
Alinora Malina - Human Barbarian
Kellian Graycloud - Human Ranger
Jander Sunstar - Elven Fighter
Gideon - Human Cleric
Lyria the Lovely - Human Wizard
Trumper Hillhallow - Halfling Rogue
If you're not familiar with Jander as a character and are just here for fun D&D based vampire whumpage...it's pretty much what if a party of adventurers get TPKed by a horde of Vampires...but refused to stay dead about it...and stuff...
Musical Inspiration
I Would Die 4 U - Epic Cover by Joseph William Morgan
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Jander skid to a halt as he rounded the building and saw his path blocked by a familiar figure. His hand flew to the hilt of his sword but he couldn't help the hesitation as the barbarian woman raised her head to meet his gaze. The grief of losing her hadn't faded and seeing her again, even knowing what she had to be, wasn't easy.
"Alinora..." He whispered and took a step backward.
Her eyes flicked to something behind him but he didn't have a chance to react before arms wrapped around him from behind and he felt a cold body pressed up against his back. His eyes widened and he forgot about whatever feelings he had on the matter. Sheer panic built up in his chest and he struggled to free himself from the other vampires grip. As arms looped through his own with unnatural strength, pulling them back, he knew he didn't have a chance of breaking free on his own.
"Hel-" he started to call out but his plea was cut off as Alinora darted forward and her hand gripped his throat. It was a firm hold that choked off his voice but only for a moment before it loosened again.
"Shhh...It's ok." a male voice purred in his ear...and he suddenly realized he recognized it as belonging to Kellian, the ranger of their party who had been the first of them to fall. A sound of distress left his throat as he was trapped between his two former companions. Alinora grinned and her eyes burned into his with a strange light. It made him want to stop fighting...why should he fight them? They were his friends...
He shook his head sharply, his elven blood proving resistant to her attempts to charm him.
"No! Let go of me!" he cried out, squirming futilely against them. Alinora grunted in annoyance and he felt her free hand reaching down to pull his sword free and throw it into the dirt several feet away from them. His eyes followed it and he desperately wished he had been faster in drawing it when he'd spotted her.
"Relax. We're not going to hurt you...more then we have to." Kellian's voice assured him as Alinora tangled her free hand into his hair and shifted her grip on his throat. He knew what was about to happen but he couldn't do anything to stop it as she came forward and drove her fangs into his neck.
The pain caused him to cry out and he tried one last time to break free, a desperate act that did nothing in the end with both vampires holding him firmly in their embrace. With a quiet, defeated whimper he gave up, letting himself slump against them as the strength left his body.
There was the sound of fast approaching footsteps and Kellian made a hissing sound. Alinora pulled away from Jander's neck abruptly and stepped back. Jander thought briefly that this was the only chance he'd get to free himself...but when he tried to move his body refused to listen to him.
"We have to go." he heard dimly as he began to fade, he didn't even know who was talking anymore, "...help me move him."
Their hands shifted their grip on him and he was being carried now. His eyes drifted and he thought he saw the familiar silhouette of Gideon through the smoke and shadows before they were too far away. He stooped to pick something off the ground but then they moved out of sight and Jander felt the pull of unconsciousness pressing in on his mind.
"Jander?!" Gideon's voice, filled with fear and desperation, calling his name was the last thing he heard.
When Jander woke again the first thing he became aware of was the pounding pain in his head. A pulsing that coincided with the sound of his own heart beat in his ears. At first he was confused, the memory of what he'd been doing last not immediately available to him. He swallowed and his throat lit up in pain. Now he remembered.
He was still alive. That was surprising.
He felt weight across his body and when he opened his eyes he had the brief hope that somehow, he had been saved. When the first sight to greet him was Kellian's pale face, relaxed in seeming sleep beside him, his stomach dropped.
Taking better stock of his situation they were laying down on a wooden floor behind a stack of crates. The air smelled damp and musty, suggesting they were likely in some kind of cellar below ground. Kellian was laying in front of him and he assumed the body pressed against his back must be Alinora. Both of them had their arms draped across his body, Kellian's resting near his hips while Alinora's was wrapped around him with one hand hanging down across his chest, close enough that her head was against his shoulder.
Any other time he could have welcomed this. Even taken comfort in it. Kellian and Alinora had become lovers over the course of their travels together and neither had been shy about letting him know how attractive they had found him. They'd invited him to be with them numerous times but he'd always politely turned them down...though it was never for any dislike towards them.
Now those very people threatened his life. Maybe even more than his life. He felt tears burning his eyelids as he tried to turn his head, wincing at the pain that radiated from the bite wound as he did so. He had no way of knowing what time it was. If it was still daylight then maybe he could get out of here before they woke up. He didn't know why they had left him alive instead of simply draining him, but he wasn't going to question whatever good fortune he might have found.
He shifted his weight to try and put a hand under him but when he looked back he found Kellian's eyes were open and staring at him. He froze and Alinora's arm tightened around his chest, pulling him back down.
"Mmm...where are you going?" Alinora's voice was teasing and almost playful, like they weren't holding him prisoner...like she wasn't the cause for all of his pain.
He took in a trembling breath and tried to swallow the fear that was crowding his throat, "Please, Alinora...let me go. Don't do this to me." he begged, his voice little more than a whisper.
She made a crooning noise and brought her hand up to run her fingers through the wheat-colored gold of his hair, tucking it behind his pointed ear in an act of attempted comfort, "Oh, our beautiful Sunstar...you don't need to be afraid of us."
Kellian was less gentle as he sat up and leaned over him, the hand on his hip moved up to his chest. He wasn't putting any weight on him but the threat was there if he tried to get away, "It's better this way. With us. We're keeping you away from him. At least as long as we can."
Jander frowned, "Him?"
"Cassiar...the Master." Kellian explained.
"He would not be as kind to you." Alinora added in even as her fingers trailed down from his hair to run a small circle around her bite causing him to flinch and give her a distrusting glare.
"He's the one leading the attack on this place. He has us but he won't want all of you. We'd be too much of a threat to him together." Kellian continued and Alinora nodded, "We have a plan to be free of him but we won't be able to do it alone."
"But we could-" Jander started to protest and push himself upright again, trying to explain that they could stay together regardless of what they were but Kellian's hand on his chest kept him from sitting up. Alinora put her hand to his face and forced him to face her, hushing him.
"You know we've always wanted you to be with us." she said with a smile that he had always found alluring before but now it made his heart beat faster for much less appealing reasons.
"You don't need to be afraid. It's us." Kellian's voice was in his ear suddenly and he shuddered, not realizing the man had moved closer as he had, "You can trust us, Jander."
Jander's breath hitched in renewed fear, "...Please...don't..."
"We love you. We don't want you to hurt." Alinora said and there was that strange light in her eyes again. He'd been strong enough to resist it before but he was weakened now, he had to force himself to close his eyes to block her out.
"Open your eyes, Jander. Let us take care of you. Let us make it easier." Kellian said and his breath tickled the hairs on the nape of his neck in a way that he knew should have felt threatening...but he couldn't help the shiver it sent down his spine, and it wasn't all fear. He opened his eyes and Alinora's will sank into his mind with a tingling warmth that spread out into his entire body. Of course, they loved him. He loved them too.
His fear melted away and he nodded mutely against her hands. She smiled and this time it was genuine as she moved in and kissed him softly on the lips. Her hands ran up his chest under his shirt and he didn't stop her. He didn't know why he'd always turned them both down. He'd loved them both so much...
Kellian pulled him up into his lap and pressed against his back. When his hands trailed down his stomach and began to unclasp his leggings, he didn't fight him. Kellian's hand was cold as he went under his leggings and took him in hand but it wasn't unpleasant. He let out a whine as Alinora pulled away from his mouth to trail kisses down his throat and onto his chest, licking and giving teasing nips against his skin as she went. Kellian stroked him under his clothes until he was aching and hard, the pleasure growing in his lower stomach until his head swam dizzily.
His head fell back against Kellian's shoulder as he shuddered between them, helpless between the feelings they'd forced upon him and his blood loss. His eyes rolled under fluttering eyelids and his mouth opened in a breathless cry when he began to peak. Kellian's fangs found the other side of his neck as he tumbled over the edge and this time, he barely registered the sharp soul deep pain of it. Then he was drifting away again.
\
/
This time when he came back to consciousness it was to the sound of more voices. Boots stamping on wood. The sounds of panic.
"I-...-dark out-...-shouldn't have-...-"
"Stow it! -...-the door-...-"
The voices were familiar but his hearing was muffled as he came back to full awareness slowly.
His eyes cracked open but he couldn't get them to focus on anything right away. He tried to move but he was too weak to do more than twitch some fingers. His memory was hazy but what he could recall...
He didn't want to think about it too hard. Shame at his weakness buzzing around the edges of his memory. Again, they had left him alive...though he was feeling like he could not possibly take another feeding. There wasn't enough of him left. He tried to tip his head back towards the sound of voices in the dark of the cellar with him. It was dark even for him so he knew anyone not gifted with darkvision as he was would be completely blind in it. His neck was pure agony and the movement made the muscles along his shoulders and jaw spasm.
He let out a weak groan.
"What was that!?" a voice squeaked in alarm and Jander recognized it. Trumper.
"Lyria?" Gideon this time.
The cellar was suddenly lit up by balls of bright light that floated in the air. Jander hissed in discomfort as the sudden change stung his eyes.
"Oh, Gods! Jander?!" Lyria's voice rang out and he could feel as well as hear the thumps of Gideon's heavy foot falls as he ran towards him. The casks and boxes were pushed away half-hazardly as the cleric rushed to kneel at the elf's side.
"Hey! Be careful! He could be one of them!" Trumper called after them both but his warning went unheeded by the bearded man.
The cleric of Illmater was trembling as his hands came down to gently cup Jander's face and Jander barely had the strength to smile as he blinked up at him. Gideon shook his head, "No. He's alive." he reassured his companions as he took in the elf's haggard, disheveled appearance, and Jander was distantly glad they had at least had the decency to not leave any outward evidence of what they'd done behind. He gently turned the elf's head from one side to the other as he examined the bite wounds on both sides of his neck. Both sides were heavily bruised and the newer one was leaking blood lightly as it was disturbed.
Jander couldn't help the weak sounds of pain he made and Gideon squeezed his shoulder in a comforting manner, "It's ok. It's ok. I've got you."
Lyria came to kneel by their side and took in the gold elf's body with a more critical air. His gold skin had lost its luster, pale and yellowish in the magical light. Clammy and cold when she placed her hand on his wrist. His breathing was fast and shallow, the pulse under her finger tips thready and weak.
"Gideon..." and her tone of voice was not comforting. The elf was in a very bad state and they had no way to get him to safety.
The man shook his head and placed his hands on Jander's neck. Lyria could tell what he was about to do and she put a hand on his shoulder.
"No! You know it won't help! Save your spell!" She tried to get through to him but he shrugged her off and the glow of holy magic leaked out between his fingers. When the glow faded and he removed his hands the bruising and bite marks had vanished...but the overall state of him hadn't improved. A vampire's bite drained more than just blood and it would take more than a simple healing to return what had been taken.
"Great, just great." Trumper muttered from the other side of the crates behind them, nervously looking around the cellar and back at the door that they'd barricaded behind them, "You know...whatever's been feeding off of him like that...you don't think they'll come back? I don't think we should stay here..."
"We're inot/i losing him." Gideon growled, through the tightening of his throat and the tears in his eyes. He'd blamed himself for his friend's loss since the moment he'd found his sword dropped in the dirt. Every day each body they discovered he'd hoped, and also dreaded, that they'd find him. At the very least he could ensure he was given a proper rest having failed to protect him or any of their fallen friends when they'd needed him most.
If he hadn't let him go alone...if he had just been faster...
But now here he was and impossibly he was somehow still alive! Gideon wasn't letting him go!
"You worry too much, Gideon. No one's losing anybody." The reassuring sound of Kellian's voice was so familiar and comforting that it took them both a moment to remember that the person who had owned it had died several days ago.
Jander took in a sharp breath, and Gideon and Lyria jumped to their feet. The light cast from Lyria's spell lit the area around them but left the rest of the cellar in deep shadows.
"Where's Trumper?" Lyria asked and indeed the halfling had seemingly vanished into the darkness.
Gideon shook his head as his eyes scanned the area around them futilely. He was out of spells and if the rogue was gone that left two people ill-equipped to deal with any enemy. Let alone a vampire who had once been their friend.
Gideon felt something brush against his leg and he looked down at Jander. The elf had managed to move one of his hands enough to get his attention and his eyes were staring into one of the far shadows beyond the crates. Gideon followed his line of sight but he couldn't see anything within those shadows.
"Lyria." he prompted and she guided one of the lights in that direction.
The vampire's eyes caught the light before the rest of him, lighting up red in the darkness, then the shadows parted showing the undead ranger clearly. They had only a moment to register Kellian's appearance. The front of his body drenched in blood, and the limp halfling held in his hands, before something sprang out of one of the shadows behind them. Alinora crashed into Lyria from behind. The wizard screamed and the room was plunged into sudden and complete darkness.
The struggle was brief. There was a brief flash of light as Lyria got off another spell but it did little to prevent Alinora from grappling the other woman and pinning her to the floor.
Jander could do nothing but shut his eyes and block out the sight of his friends fighting around him. Something landed hard on the floor next to him and something warm and wet splattered against the side of his face. He flinched and turned his head away with a whimper. When it all finally stopped, he was hesitant to open his eyes again.
Gideon had died next to him. One hand outstretched towards him and Jander couldn't stop the shaky breath he let out as he stared at him. He had a pretty good feeling he knew whose blood was dripping slowly down his cheek.
Alinora was suddenly at his side but he refused to look away, "Oh, I'm sorry Jander. I know this has been hard. I know. It was hard for us too. We had to wait. We knew Gideon wouldn't be able to help himself with you. Not if he thought he could still save you."
He still refused to react to her words outwardly, the shock setting in, but she continued, "It's ok. I promise. Everything is going to be ok now." and she was running her fingers through his hair again. They were sticky and he refused to accept what that meant.
There was the sound of wood being moved and he saw Kellian pulling up the boards from the floor. Under them were four shallowly dug pits in the dirt. Once he was finished, he picked up Lyria and placed her carefully inside the hole. Jander realized what he was looking at and a wave of cold dread settled over him. His breaths quickened until his lungs burned and the sound became a heavy wheeze as he began to hyperventilate. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be real.
Kellian moved Gideon last and then he knelt down and looked back at Jander. His expression was neutral but there was a look in his eyes that Jander thought was remorse. What was he remorseful for? That he'd killed their friends? That he'd made Jander suffer through it all knowing he'd be next?
He couldn't begin to guess...and he was too tired to try.
He felt Alinora's hand on his face again, forcing him to look at her but again he shut his eyes, "I'm so sorry, Jander. It's over now. No more pain."
He shook his head and his voice was so weak he barely got it out, "Please...Alinora...Kellian. Please...just let me die. Don't put me in there. I don't want to come back...please...just-" but she put fingers to his lips to stop him.
"It's going to be ok. I promise." she said again, with more force behind her words, "You'll see. When you wake up everything will be better. You don't need to be afraid anymore. We'll all be here with you. We'll be together."
She stroked his face and he opened his eyes to meet hers. This time he didn't even try to fight the effects of her gaze. He just let the feelings of love and comfort she was forcing into his mind take hold and chase it all away. When he looked at them like this, he saw them as they used to be, as the lovers he could have shared, and not the monsters they'd become. She smiled than pulled him upright and into a tight embrace while Kellian took hold of one of his hands. He felt her lips pressed against his skin and for a moment he could forget the horror of the past week. Exist in a world where none of this had happened to them.
Then she bit him again and this time it went deeper than it ever had before. The pain of it enough to jerk him out of the charm. He struggled again briefly, legs kicking weakly against the ground, and a choked cry escaped him before the last of his strength faded away and he was left limp in their grasp. Kellian's hand was running over his hair and Alinora was rocking him as she held him. The shadows that formed at the edges of his vision were deeper and there was a sense of finality to it. His eyes closed and he surrendered to that darkness.
\
/
There was something soft and cool pressed against his face. He moved a hand and realized it was pressing over every inch of him. Oddly he found that he didn't mind it so much. It felt nice. Almost comforting to just lay there as he was. Peaceful.
Something was moving above him. Shifting the pressure until it was being removed completely. Air hit his skin and suddenly there was something grabbing him, pulling at him. The cold pressure shifted...no...he was shifting, being pulled up out of it. He blinked blurrily and more hands were pulling at him, dragging him out of the hole he'd been buried in.
He heard someone shouting his name. He blinked and focused on what was in front of him.
"Jander! Wake up! Come on!" Alinora was holding him by the shoulders and pulling at him. One hand came up and slapped him across the face and the world snapped into sharp focus. They were still in the cellar...and he was being pulled out of the shallow grave they'd put him in. The others were already up though they all looked equally dazed. All of them were covered in grime.
The air was hot and he realized the cellar was filled with smoke that was billowing in through the cracks in the wood above them. He looked up and cinders began to drift down around them.
"They've found us! We have to go! Now!" Kellian said and Alinora began herding them towards the door. There really wasn't any other way to describe it as she pushed at them to get them to move.
"They're burning the place down! Just go out the door and run!" She explained. Kellian threw open the cellar doors and a man with an axe chopped down at him. These people were expecting other townsfolk...not the adventuring party they'd been celebrating a week before. Kellian ducked under the axe and grabbed the handle as he came back up. He cracked the man in the side of the head with a fist and Jander was fairly certain he had just killed him by doing so from the way the man's head and neck snapped back.
Alinora pushed him and then they were all outside running. He didn't know where...just...away from the fire burning behind them and the mob of townsfolk gathered outside. The sky was still darkening but streaked with the oranges and purples of late sunset.
Jander felt something hit him in the chest and it staggered him but someone caught him by the arm and they kept running. He looked up and realized it was Gideon.
Kellian stopped running and they all just followed his lead...just...standing in a small group of very confused and disoriented individuals.
"...what?" was the first thing anyone said and it came from Lyria.
"Hey...are you ok?!" Trumpers voice cut through the air of confusion and when they looked at the halfling he was pointing at Jander, his face creased in alarm.
Jander blinked and then looked down at where he was pointing. There were the fletchings of an arrow sticking out of his chest. That's what had hit him while he was running. Someone had shot him with an arrow.
He couldn't feel it at all.
He reached up and touched it. Nothing. It may as well have been a part of him for all the harm it was doing.
"...I...I think so?" he answered. He gripped it and pulled. It came out easier than he was expecting and still there wasn't any pain. He put his hand down to feel the wound...but there wasn't one. There was still a hole in his shirt to show it had been there but nothing on his skin.
"...what the-" Trumper started but Lyria's face suddenly twisted with shock and her hands flew to her mouth as her quick mind began to catch up with their situation, the truth beginning to register.
"Oh...gods...we're-" She started to say and Trumper laughed, "No...no...we're not-"
"Vampires?" Kellian finished for him and the laughter died away as they all looked around at each other and the two of their group they knew had been turned already, just...standing there with them. Like they always had.
Alinora smirked and then held up her hands, "Surprise!" like it was the best practical joke in the world.
No one laughed.
"You two...are really messed up." Trumper said, breaking the silence as the events that had led them here slowly came back to them, "You know...you guys always say I'm the worst...nah...you...you two are officially the worst. By far."
Kellian snorted and rolled his eyes, "Give it time. You just got here."
"I don't recall ever pulling anyone into the shadows and ripping their throat out...at least no one I liked." Trumper shot back waving an accusing finger.
"I wasn't aware you liked anyone."
The halfling just growled at him.
Jander couldn't understand what was happening. The others had been surprised but they all seemed to be just...falling into old behaviors. Accepting it. Like this was normal. He watched Gideon reach up for his holy symbol, frown upon finding it missing...and then just looking mildly resigned about it. Even Lyria's shock had dissolved into quiet indifference and she started brushing at the dirt staining her multicolored robes as if that was more important than the fact she'd just found out she was a member of the blood drinking undead. As if the horror of the past week hadn't happened at all. Of course...none of them had been locked in a cellar with them for the past couple days either.
"We'll need to find something for you guys to eat...but the townspeople have gotten wise so that might be a bit difficult..." Alinora commented and Trumper just snorted while Lyria nodded. She looked thoughtful...typical Lyria, working out the problem to find a solution.
A ringing started in his ears and the sound of their voices became muted. Suddenly he couldn't take it anymore.
"What in the Nine Hells is wrong with all of you?!" he cried out in distress. They all stopped to stare at him and in that moment they weren't his friends anymore. They were all suddenly just monsters and he was the only one who could see it.
Alinora exchanged a concerned look with Kellian and stepped up to him, putting a hand on his arm gently, "Jander..."
He snarled and swatted her hand away from him, "How could you do this to me?! I begged you not to! I begged you!" he yelled at her, and there was as much pain in his voice as there was anger.
She pulled her hand back and looked confused by his reaction, "...it's not so bad." she argued though her voice sounded weak.
"You're talking about people...like it's bacon. Like we're just looking for a meal at the local tavern."
She didn't say anything but now they were all looking uncomfortable, though not nearly as alarmed or outraged as he felt. Kellian cleared his throat, "...we can discuss this later. We still have the Master to deal with. Nothing we care about will matter as long as he's around. Jander...it won't matter how you feel about it. He'll make you do it." the former ranger explained.
Jander shook his head, "Never."
"You won't have a choice...trust me." Kellian said and there was that look in his eyes again.
Jander met his eyes and his look was cold, "You had a choice." he hissed between clenched teeth and Kellian flinched.
"No...we didn't. We...we tried. We really did. He made us go after you and we needed you. All of you. We need us. We can't do this alone. What we do after...that will be our choice...and you can walk into the sun if you want to." Kellian shot back. Alinora made a sound of protest but Kellian held his hand up to stop her.
Jander didn't know how to respond to that and the others were all looking at him expectantly. Kellian held his hand out to him, "...are you still with us?"
He frowned, conflicted. His mind struggled to wrap itself around the concept. These were his friends. The Silver Six who had fought beside him for so long now. They had become as good as family, but at the same time they had all suddenly become strangers to him...and yet? Maybe the situation wasn't completely irredeemable. Even if it meant dying in the end. If Kellian was being truthful with him...if he could trust that look in his eyes that said he wasn't as accepting of all of this as he acted like he was. Was this really any different than their quests from the past? There was a vampire attacking the town. He had to be stopped. That hadn't changed.
He was still uncertain but he took Kellian's hand, "...ok..." He said and Kellian smiled, nodding. He clasped Jander's hand tightly between both of his, "Let's kill this bastard then and be done with it."
Gideon smiled, "One last ride?" referencing their time together as Hellriders as he stepped forward and put a hand on Jander's shoulder.
Jander looked up at him. His friend for even longer than the Six had been. His brother. He gave a sad smile and a small bitter laugh, "Yes...one last ride." he agreed and nodded.
\
/
Kellian and Alinora guided them through the town, avoiding the occasional small mob of townsfolk who had lost their fear of the night at this point. They were putting torches to buildings and the air had become thick with smoke. The night had become loud with the cries of pain and anger as Merrydale rose up to take itself back from the nightmare that had befallen it.
They stopped just before leaving the town and Kellian directed them to stay in the alleys. Jander couldn't help but notice that they weren't entirely alone as they went. Other vampire spawn were being drawn towards them and he wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. There were so many of them now. How could a single vampire cause this much damage so quickly?
"Wait for us to signal you." Kellian directed and then suddenly gripped Jander by one arm.
Jander gave him a questioning look and both he and Alinora looked saddened. He knew these looks by now and he leaned away from them warily, eyes narrowed in suspicion. What was happening now?
"I know how you feel right now...but I need you to trust us. Whatever happens next. I'm sorry. I never wanted to do this. Any of it." and the man began pulling him out with him towards the town square.
Standing in the middle was a young man with copper colored hair, cut short with a natural curl to it, and by his side were two beautiful women. He didn't seem like much at first but then he looked up as they approached and Jander could feel the presence of him like a physical force.
The man had been glaring at the town as it began to burn and his expression could have been categorized as a disappointed pout. As if someone had just broken his favorite toy. When he saw the three of them approaching though his expression lit up with a smile and he laughed.
"Ah! Here I thought you both must have been destroyed! How wonderful! You iwere/i my favorites." he said and then his eyes focused on Jander and he looked even more pleased. Jander couldn't help but notice the way the two women with him exchanged looks behind his back though. They didn't seem at all happy to see them.
"Cassiar." Alinora said in way of greeting and Kellian tugged Jander forward. He really didn't need to act as if he was reluctant about it as the man walked right up to him and grabbed him by the chin.
"We brought him as you asked." Kellian said and Cassiar chuckled as he examined Jander.
"Amazing. I had always thought elves couldn't become one of us." and it made Jander shudder with revulsion. He jerked his head away and pulled against Kellian's hold on him.
"Don't touch me!" he cried out, "Monster!"
Cassiar just laughed, a short barking sound, and just as suddenly his expression became more severe, "Be still." he commanded and Jander felt the weight of it press on his mind. He stopped moving before he even realized what was happening.
"Has he fed yet?" the master vampire asked without looking away from the elf before him.
Kellian's eyes twitched slightly but he shook his head, "No."
"Good." and the look on Cassiar's face was one of pure cruel delight, "I was saving something for him, just in case."
Cassiar stepped back a couple paces. He motioned to one of the women and she disappeared inside the nearby tavern. There were screams of fear and sorrow from inside and she returned dragging a young man, barely older than a child, outside with her. Jander recognized him as the kid who usually tended the stables. He'd often enjoyed tipping him in gold rather than his usual copper just to see the happy wonder light up his eyes.
Those same eyes were wide and pleading now when they settled on him. Begging for help. Jander immediately recoiled, "No..." he moaned as he realized what this was about, "Kellian..."
Kellian's hand tightened briefly on his arm but his face remained carefully impassive as he watched.
Cassiar smirked and motioned to Jander, "Come here."
Once again, he felt that weight on his mind compelling him to walk forward and out of Kellian's grip. He couldn't stop himself and he walked until he was close enough to hear the boys frantic heart beats. His senses seemed to lock onto him and a strange ache came over his teeth and jaw as he moved closer. The scent of the boy's blood hit him suddenly and the feeling became worse. Fangs were growing into place in response to the smell and it took all of his will power to make himself stop. To not throw himself onto the kid and rip him open with his teeth right then and there.
He stopped walking, body trembling faintly from the effort it took, "No no no no...I won't do this! You can't make me do this!" he cried and he covered his face with his hands.
Alinora came up behind Kellian and she subtly took hold of his hand behind his back, squeezing it. Neither of them liked having to watch what was happening. It just had to be the kid didn't it. How long had this vampire been watching them? Planning this? Knowing exactly how to make all of this as painful as it could be.
Kellian was surprised to see Jander stop as he had. That he was somehow capable of resisting not only his own blood thirst but also the will of his vampire master for any amount of time, fresh out of the grave as he was, was impressive...to say the least. His eyes flicked briefly towards the alley their friends were waiting in and wondered if their chance might come sooner than he had expected it to.
Cassiar was no longer looking as pleased as he had. He stalked towards the elf and grabbed him by the back of the head, fingers tangling in his hair, before pulling him roughly up to where the kid was being held.
"I like you...I've gone through a lot of trouble to get you too, so it would be very upsetting to have to end it all right now." he growled in his ear, "I plan on keeping you a good long while but I am the Master here and if I tell you to do something...you will do it, and I am telling you to feed." he commanded and released Jander though his eyes were blazing red and he had his full focus on the elf.
The full force of the older vampires will was put on him and Jander couldn't hope to hold out against it. He fell over the boy without any further hesitation and just as his fangs found his throat Kellian turned and signaled their friends. Cassiar was so focused on forcing the elf to kill he barely noticed the furious hisses of the two vampiresses he'd kept by his side until it was too late.
The sound of arcane chanting registered too late and Cassiar turned to face the unexpected threat just in time for a stream of Lyria's magical bolts to slam into his chest. It staggered him but he was back in time to intercept Kellian's charge. The two vampires locked together briefly but Cassiar's eyes flashed, "You fools! You can't oppose me! I made you! Let go of me!"
Kellian flinched but found himself backing away with a growl regardless. He glared at the other vampire but his attack had been halted.
Alinora was charging at him then and his gaze shifted to her, "Stop!" he snarled and she found herself standing still as well.
"...what are you all waiting for...you want to be free?! Don't you?!" Gideon's voice cried out and Cassiar's gaze shifted from the two immediately in front of him to the many glowing eyes appearing in the darkness around the square. All the townsfolk who had been turned forming a growing mob of their own around the master who had created them. Too many. Suddenly he looked a little less sure of himself. The two women at his side exchanged looks again.
Lyria began to chant another spell but Cassiar turned his focus on her faster than before, "Silence!" he snapped and she choked on her words, the forming spell effectively interrupted, but before he could revel in that victory claws suddenly tore into his back. The two older spawn at his side turned upon him suddenly. Their claws tore deep rivets in his undead flesh and the splash of blood on the ground sent the forming mob into a frenzy.
The Six stood back and watched as the mob of vampire spawn swarmed forward onto the Vampire that had ravaged their town. There were simply too many of them for him to repel them all...and soon enough the Masters presence broke...and his influence faded as he was literally ripped to pieces in the middle of it. The frenzy didn't immediately end with his death and for a moment the freed spawn turned on each other as well.
As the mob was still distracted Kellian rushed to where Jander was still feeding, a slave to his own unnatural thirst even with the will of his master gone. The boys heart beat was weak but still present as he pulled the elf away. Jander's silver eyes were eclipsed with red as he turned on Kellian, one hand clawing his face before Kellian managed to grab hold and restrain him. He shook him roughly, "Jander!" he called trying to break him free of his bloodlust even as the elf snarled at him with bloodied fangs.
Slowly, the red began to fade and he regained control of himself. Kellian smiled and gave him a quick kiss to the forehead, "It's ok...It's done."
"I...did I...?" Jander stuttered, his voice sounding broken as he tried to turn his head, searching.
Kellian glanced towards the boy and saw Alinora was dragging him back towards the Tavern as swiftly as she could before his blood drew unwanted attention from the mob. She dropped him by the door and retreated as hands reached out to grab him, pulling him back to the relative safety of the inside. He shook his head, "No. No, Jander...you didn't kill him. He's going to be fine."
Jander shuddered in his grasp and Kellian pulled him into a tight embrace as if he feared the elf would fall apart if he didn't. The frenzy of carnage in the middle of the square slowly began to settle and calm as the vampires fully began to realize that they were free. The two women met eyes and then quickly retreated together. The rest were slower but eventually all of them began to drift off into the night to whatever ends.
The rest of the Six began to gather together again in their absence. The Tavern door opened and several people came out to stand just outside of it, weapons, makeshift and otherwise, in shaking hands. They were eyeing the party with deep distrust but for a long moment no one moved or said anything.
Finally, one of the men cleared his throat and spoke, "...This town will be razed to the ground come daylight. There will be no places for you to hide within these walls." he said with forced courage.
Kellian knew it was meant to be a threat but he chose to ignore that, "...we appreciate the warning."
The man shifted uneasily and the people behind him were even less pleased.
"You...did us good...so...in memory of that, be on your way and no harm will come to you. Know that once dawn comes...you will be our enemy." he said as steadily as he could manage.
Trumper sneered at that and looked as if he'd say something decidedly unhelpful but Lyria spoke up first, "We understand. Thank you."
"...what a load of shit." the halfling muttered as Kellian motioned for them to leave and they began to walk towards the front gates, though there were obvious looks back at the people hiding within the tavern by the three who had yet to feed since they'd woken up.
"Shut up, Trumper." Alinora snapped and the rest of the party followed in relative silence. She kept looking at Jander as they walked and the elf appeared to have fallen into a state of shock. Silent and only walking because his companions were leading him forward. She remembered what Kellian had told him before they'd confronted Cassiar and her face creased with worry.
\
/
The party traveled away from the town most of the night. They stopped to consider some of the farm steads on the outskirts but even if they were abandoned there was no guarantee the people of the town would stick only to the buildings within the walls when they set out to burn out the infestation of undead in their midst. Taking shelter in any manmade structure was simply too risky and they began scouting for caves instead. They could be glad at least that The Dalelands had such openings in the earth in ready abundance.
When they found one, they set about scouting the inside to ensure they had no competition. Only Jander remained outside...keeping watch on the area as they worked.
It was an excuse. Some reason Kellian could give him so he could be left to some kind of relative peace as the rest of the Six worked.
The elf hadn't spoken a word since they'd left and it was obvious to everyone that nothing had changed since they'd woken. No sign of acceptance to what they had become. If anything, he was worse.
The sky was lightening with the coming of dawn when they realized he was still sitting outside and likely had no intentions on joining them.
Alinora let out a pained sound and ran to the exit of the cave, not even fully aware as the others followed behind her a bit slower. Jander was sitting against a stone near the entrance facing the direction of the coming sunrise. She slowly approached him and noticed that he had his flute clasped in his hands. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight and any other day it would be normal to see the elf welcoming the sun with a tune from that very instrument. She must have made some sound of distress at the sight and he turned his head to acknowledge her. He smiled but there was no joy in it and there was an empty look in his eyes. It didn't even feel like he was really seeing her.
"Jander...come inside." She bade him.
"No, it's alright. I think I'll stay here." he said and he nodded after he spoke as if this was a perfectly reasonable thing to say.
"Please...don't-"
"I'm staying." he said and his tone was firmer, his hands gripping the flute tighter to the point she feared he might mistakenly damage it.
Alinora looked behind her at the others and her expression was one of desperation as she found Kellian. Urging him, or any of them, to do something. They couldn't just let him do this!
Kellian frowned and left the cave to kneel in front of the elf. Jander grimaced and refused to look at either of them, glaring at the brightening horizon. Kellian's hands came up to hold his where they held the flute and Jander's expression became graver.
"Jander..." he started but Jander shook his head and cut him off.
"No. I'm done listening to you. You said it was my choice."
Kellian nodded but refused to let him go even when he tried to pull away, "I did...and it is...I'm just asking you to make a different one."
"What right do you have to ask anything of me anymore, Kellian Graycloud." he asked caustically and he finally looked at the man, "What more could you possibly desire of me...have I not given you enough? Have you not taken enough?"
Kellian couldn't hold his gaze and he at least looked appropriately repentant.
"I have nothing left..." Jander started but Kellian didn't let him finish and reached up to clasp the elf's head between his hands, pulling him down, ignoring Jander's protests and squirming.
"That's not true! It's not! I'm sorry, Jander! I'm so sorry! For everything we did! I'm sorry we weren't strong enough to protect you! We tried. We really did."
Jander shook his head but stopped trying to pull away from him, "It doesn't matter...I can't...I can't be like this. I'm not like the rest of you. I can't just be this way. I...I feel wrong." he didn't know how to explain it. To explain the sickening feeling that crawled through his veins in a way that the others couldn't possibly understand. Like he was being repelled by his own undead flesh. Like he had to rip himself apart to be free of it.
"We can figure it out! Together! Let us help you! Jander, please!" he was sounding desperate and the way the night was growing brighter around them he could understand why, "Don't do this! We need you!"
"Why? What reason could you possibly need me now?" He asked with a bitter laugh.
"I don't know why you're different. I don't know why you can still feel this way or how you were able to resist yourself like you did. All I know is we feel different with you here. I feel different. We need you to keep us ourselves." Kellian explained desperately and while he wasn't sure how true the words were or possibly could be he knew he didn't want to let the elf burn. He knew they would never recover from it if they did. In the end, if nothing else right now, he just hoped the elf could believe it. Some, iany/i, kind of lifeline for him to grab hold of and pull himself off of this precipice.
He saw the first hint of doubt in his silver eyes and knew he had hit some kind of nerve, "...I..."
"We love you." Alinora added, "Please...don't leave us."
"We may have lost our way...but we can find a new one. Together, brother." Gideon's voice came from the darkness of the cave.
"Be our light in the darkness...like you always have been." Lyria said, "If we cannot have the actual sun...we can at least have a small piece of it."
"...it won't be the Silver Six without you with us." Trumpers voice was unexpected and the honest sentimentality in his voice was enough to garner looks of surprise from everyone. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "What...? It...literally won't...there'll only be five of us..." he muttered, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. It was obvious for the excuse it was.
Finally, Jander broke and he melted into sobs. Blood filled tears streaking down his face as Kellian pulled him into his arms. He stood up and pulled the elf up with him.
"Ok...it's ok. Let's go in now. Come on." Kellian said and this time Jander didn't fight them as he and Alinora pulled him into the cave. The rest of the Six fell in around them as they went deeper. They laid down in the center of one chamber with the elf in the middle, tears still silently falling as multiple pairs of hands came to rest across his body and he was wedged comfortably between several bodies.
When the sun rose and they fell silent and still around him he realized suddenly that he could still remain awake and aware. He shifted his position and knew that he could leave. Just stand up and walk out into the sun if he chose to. They would be none the wiser until night fell again, completely incapable of stopping him from doing anything.
He chose not to.
