Thanks for all the Reviews so far! I don't own Cirque du Freak and I never will. Really sorry for the late update.
Mr. Crepsley led the way through the mountain. He navigated the tunnels easily though Elena and Darren were already lost by the time he made the second turn. "Don't worry." Gavner said seeing their wide-eyes. "You'll get used to all the Halls and tunnels in no time."
They stopped at the Hall of Osca Velm. It was a small Hall. Meant for new coming vampires to rest after the long journey. It was kind of cozy Darren supposed. Or at least it was for beings that slept in coffins. The walls seemed to be made of fireplaces, the smoke thick in the air, escaped through holes in the ceiling and in the walls. Tables and chairs carved from bone filed the hall and a large black slab stood at the back with names of every vampire in the mountain. Elena watched as a vampire etched their names onto it.
They all sat down at one of the larger tables after picking shoes from baskets strung up around the door. A large vampire came over with two barrels filled with hard bread and meat respectively. He returned again this time carrying three jugs. Filled with wine, water, and of course-blood.
They weren't given any plates nor mugs so the food had to be eaten right of the table and the drinks poured right from the jugs into their mouths. Darren made a mess, grinning sheepishly as water dripped down his chin while Elena looked disgusted by it.
"Oh lighten up sweetheart." Gavner said seeing her expression. "You're in a mountain full of smelly male vampires now."
Elena groaned. "Oh gods…"
"Speaking of which…" Larten said turning to her. "You are not to go anywhere without me or your mother. Understood."
"What about me?" Gavner asked. "I'm responsible."
"You think you are." Arra muttered.
Mr. Crepsley sighed. "Alright you are not to go anywhere without someone that has permission from us to take you. That goes for both of you."
"Okay." Elena said.
"Like anyone would touch your daughter anyway. Besides Elena and Darren have both proven they can fight."
"Animals are different from vampires Gavner." Arra reminded.
"Well Elena nearly killed me when I met up with them." Gavner said.
"It was an accident!" Elena said. "I said sorry!"
"She did?" Arra asked surprised.
"She would have had Darren not caught her arm to stop her." Larten said.
"But why would you attack Gavner?" Arra asked Elena.
"He came up behind me and grabbed my throat! What was I supposed to do?" Elena huffed.
"Nothing. What you did was right. It was all Gavner's fault." Arra said.
"All my fault!" Gavner protested.
"You were threatening her life, so she threatened yours." Arra shrugged.
"She didn't even stop to see who it was!"
"So?"
"So you think it's okay for her to attack first question later the way you do?"
"Yes."
Gavner was about to retort about how Arra was being irresponsible and a bad role model when another voice intercepted his, "Arguing again I see."
The group turned to face an older vampire dressed in red. "Seba!" Mr. Crepsley said just about lunging over the table to give the man a hug. Darren and Elena were surprised, besides themselves and the occasional exchange with their mother; their father rarely showed affection so openly. "It has been a long time." Larten drew back with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.
"Too long." Seba agreed. "When I felt you coming I hardly dared to believe it."
He ran his eyes over the group lingering longer on the kids and Harkat then Gavner and Arra. "Are you going to introduce me to your friends Larten?" He asked.
"Of course," Mr. Crepsley said. "You know Gavner and Arra."
"Gavner, Arra." The vampire nodded to each of them in turn.
"Seba." Gavner said returning the gesture.
"Hello Seba." Arra said pleasantly.
"This is Harkat Mulds." Mr. Crepsley continued.
"I have not seen a Little Person for quite some time." Seba said peering curiously at Harkat. "Greetings Harkat Mulds."
"Hello." Harkat said.
Seba blinked a few times. "He talks?"
"Wait until you hear what he has to say." Gavner said grimly.
"And your other friends?" Seba asked.
"Darren and Elena. They are my assistants." Larten said.
"Greetings Darren- Do you not have a surname?" Seba asked peering at Larten suspiciously.
"Crepsley." Darren supplied while Larten tried to look anywhere but at Seba.
"Did you adopt them Larten?" Seba asked. "Or are they distant relatives of yours perhaps."
Mr. Crepsley mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. Seba sighed, "Larten I am not going to tell you to speak up you are more than old enough to know better."
Elena and Darren smirked. It was a nice change for someone to be telling their dad what to do for once. "I am sorry Seba. They are my children." Mr. Crepsley said leaning back to look at the old vampire's face.
Seba looked floored. "The legend is true then?"
Mr. Crepsley nodded. "True as the night is long."
"Well then. The Princes will not approve of ones so young but given the circumstances, an exception may be made." Seba said.
"They will not approve." Mr. Crepsley agreed grimly. "But I hope you are right about the exception." He turned to face the kids, smiling away his bad mood.
"Darren, Elena, Harkat- this is Seba Nile, he is quartermaster of Vampire Mountain. But do not let his age fool you. He is as sly and cunning as any cub you will meet-and will get the better of those that try to best him."
"As you've learned firsthand." Arra smiled.
"Yes he has. Do you remember when you attempted to steal half my vat of best wine and replace it with a lesser vintage?" Seba asked.
Larten groaned, "Do not remind me. I was young and foolish then."
"I remember that." Gavner said chortling.
"What happened?" Darren asked basking in his father's discomfort.
"Go on tell them Larten." Seba urged while Elena, Darren, and Harkat leaned forward expectantly.
Mr. Crepsley glared at his food and reluctantly told them. "He got to the wine first." He muttered. "Emptied the vat and replaced it with vinegar. I was halfway through a bottle before I realized. I spent the rest of the night on the floor retching."
Everyone laughed at his misfortune. Mr. Crepsley growled at all of them. When they settled down, the older vampires got round to talking about old friends and past events once again. The smoke and the heat from the flames were acting like a drug. The names and stories were hazy in Darren and Elena's minds, slowly they both drifted off. Mr. Crepsley and Gavner gently shook their shoulders and their eyes snapped open.
"They are tired." Seba said.
"They had a rough journey." Arra said somewhat affectionately.
"They have not made a journey like this before." Larten said.
"Well they are not the only ones who need to rest. You have all had a long journey."
Seba led them through more tunnels, pointing out the different Halls to Darren and Elena, explaining what they were for, and the history behind the room. Every Hall was named after a famous vampire it seemed. They came to another tunnel, this one filled with many chambers.
"Would you like one big room or separate rooms?" Seba asked Larten.
"Three rooms." Larten said. "I have had enough of Gavner's snoring."
Gavner snorted. "You snore too you know."
"I most certainly do not." Larten said offended.
"Yes. You do Larten." Arra said.
He huffed as everyone laughed at him again. "Who wants to share?" Seba asked when everybody had calmed down.
"The kids can have their own room." Arra said.
"Harkat can stay with us." Darren said immediately. Harkat gave a fang-filled smile.
"Larten and I will share." Arra continued.
"We will?" Larten asked.
"Unless you don't want to."
"No! That is. Sharing is fine."
Seba looked between his former student and his student's former mate knowingly.
"I suppose I get a room all to myself then!" Gavner said smirking at his two best friends who were both blushing furiously under their gazes.
"Come, I will show you to your rooms." Seba said leading them down the Hall.
All the rooms were simple. Holes carved out of stone. They all boasted coffins much to Darren and Elena's dismay. Seba caught their despairing faces and chuckled. "Not to worry children, I can have some of my assistants string up hammocks for you though it will not be possible until tomorrow."
The kids smiled in thanks and Seba continued further down the hall to the rooms he was assigning them. "Here we are." He said. The room in question had two coffins. "This will be Darren, Elena, and Harkat's chambers."
They dropped their packs on the ground near the coffins and followed Seba to find the others' rooms. Larten and Arra's room was situated four doors to the right from the kids. Gavner's was round the corner. "Far enough away so that I can not hear him!" Mr. Crepsley had said.
Gavner snorted and said good day, retiring to his coffin. Seba walked with them to Larten's chambers. Bidding them good day and turning to leave.
"Wait!" Mr. Crepsley called. "There is something I would like to show you. Darren would you fetch Madam Octa for me?"
Darren sighed and raced to his own chambers gently lifting the spider from his bag. He walked back slowly with her so he didn't jostle her and frighten her. When Seba saw the spider he gasped. "Oh Larten, She is a beauty!"
He took the cage from Darren, placing it on the lid of the coffin opening the door of the cage carefully.
"Wait!" Elena said. "She's poisonous!"
"It is alright." Mr. Crepsley assured her. "Seba knows what he is doing."
"But-"
"It is quite alright Miss Crepsley." Seba said. "I have yet to meet a spider I have been unable to charm."
Elena fell quiet. If the old vampire got killed it wasn't her fault. But to her surprise Madam Octa didn't bite Seba. He whistled a short tune and Madam Octa perked up at the sound. She crawled to rest on Seba's shoulder as he stared intently at her. He was controlling her mentally. Darren and Elena were both impressed. Even their father who has had Madam Octa for years needed to whistle constantly to hold her attention and here was this strange vampire that she didn't know controlling her with ease.
"She is wonderful. When we have the time you must tell me more about her." Seba said stroking the spider's head.
"I figured you would like her. I wanted to give her to you as a present." Mr. Crepsley said.
"You would part with this creature so willingly?" Seba asked an eyebrow raised.
"You are the one who taught me to control spiders in the first place. I think it right I give her to you."
Seba shook his head. "I think it would be best if she was passed on to one younger than I. One with the time to care for such a creature." He allowed Madam Octa to crawl over to Darren who held his hand out for her.
"Besides, she seems quite fond of young Master Crepsley here. Look after her Darren, she is both beautiful and rare."
"She is." Darren agreed as Madam Octa made her way up his shoulder, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.
"I must go, there are many more new arrivals that need places to sleep. Good day." Seba left the room and Mr. Crepsley cautiously approached Darren taking Madam Octa from his shoulder and putting her back in her cage. She promptly turned around and fell asleep.
"I think it's time everyone got to bed." Arra said seeing Darren let out a yawn he didn't even bother to hide.
"Good night." Darren said.
"Good day." Mr. Crepsley corrected.
"How on earth can you tell?" Elena asked in disbelief.
"You'll get used to it." Arra said.
"Now go to bed." Mr. Crepsley said ushering them out.
Walking down the hall to their room, they didn't say anything. Upon arriving they realized there were only two coffins in the room. "So who gets them?" Darren asked.
"Well me and you could always share." Elena said.
"I…don't…think I'll…fit…anyways. You guys…can sleep…in…coffins." Harkat said.
"But where will you sleep?" Elena asked.
"On…floor…I don't…mind."
"In that case, see you in the morning. Or evening. I can't tell." Darren said.
"Darren?" Elena asked somewhat timidly as he was climbing into his coffin.
"What?"
"Can I-um-Can I stay with you? Please?" She asked looking down at her feet.
"What's wrong with your coffin?" Darren asked.
"Nothing!" She snapped. "It's just, I'm scared I guess."
"Scared of what?" Darren laughed.
"To go to sleep by myself." She said glaring at him.
Darren softened when she said that. "Oh alright then." He said shifting over to make room for her.
"Can you keep the lid open?"
"I wasn't going to close it anyways." Darren said. Putting his arms around his sister to make more room. Coffins weren't made for two. He wondered how mated vampires managed. Maybe they made coffins bigger for couples. Or maybe they just didn't mind being sandwiched in together. Although the coffin he saw in his parents' chambers was twice the size of this one.
Within a matter of minutes Darren fell asleep. As soundly as he would have had he been back home at the Cirque.
When he woke up he had an awful pain in his neck from tucking it on top of his sister's head and another in his back and in his shoulders. Coffins defiantly weren't made for two people.
He groaned as he sat up. Harkat was standing next to the other coffin; eyes wide open, staring at nothing but the hard stonewall.
"Harkat." Darren said. The Little Person didn't even blink.
"Hey, Harkat! Harkat!" Darren was shouting at him by the end of it. Elena groaned and punched him hard in the stomach, effectively knocking the breath out of him and shutting him up. The Little Person started at the sound of his raised voice though.
He stared at Darren with wide green bulbs. He tilted his head confused. "Why…Are…You shouting?" Harkat asked gasping for air every few words as usual.
"You were staring at the wall."
Harkat frowned. "I was…Asleep."
"So was I." Elena grumbled glaring venomously at Darren. He ignored her and continued talking to Harkat.
"You had your eyes open." Darren pointed out confused.
"No eye…lids." Harkat said.
"Oh." Darren said. "So you can't close your eyes then?" Harkat shook his head.
Gavner came into their room. "What's all the noise about?"
"His fault." Elena said pointing to Darren.
"Sorry." Darren said sheepishly. "I was trying to wake Harkat up."
"Well you may have succeeded in waking a hall full of full-grown vampires. Including your father who doesn't take waking up lightly as I'm sure you know."
Darren gulped. "But being the amazing godfather that I am, I came to save you from them before they could clamber out of their coffins."
"You're our godfather?" Elena asked in surprise.
Gavner nodded. "Arra told me the other day if she had kept you, she wanted me to be godfather."
"What about our godmother?" Darren asked. "Did you know her?"
Gavner turned red. "Liz is your godmother."
"I've never heard of her." Elena said.
"No you haven't. She's human. Or she was. Your mom met her a couple times when we did a few missions together. They got along well. Larten's never met her."
"Is she the one that gave you those ridiculous underwear?" Larten said coming in the room.
Gavner's face turned redder. "They are not ridiculous!" He exclaimed avoiding the question.
"They have pink elephants on them." Larten said as if it closed the matter.
Gavner huffed. "Come on, let's go eat." Darren and Elena followed him out of the chamber, Harkat and Mr. Crepsley bringing up the rear.
"Where's mom?" Darren asked Mr. Crepsley turning slightly toward him as he walked. A pair of Generals walked by when he said that staring at the young half vampire in confusion and a little concern.
Gavner chortled at their expressions and Mr. Crepsley answered his question. "More than likely at the gaming halls." He said with a tight-lipped smile.
"The what halls?" Darren asked.
"Games Halls. You will see them eventually." Mr. Crepsley said. The rest of the walk was silent. Gavner led them to the Hall of Khledon Lurt.
It was the dining hall. All their meals and drinks were served here. They sat at a table with Seba and several other raucous vampires who were speaking loudly of battles they fought, and challenges they had won. According to the vampire on Elena's left, he had lost his hand to a crocodile while in Australia. When Elena pointed out that he had to hands he stared shocked, blubbering excuses that were unintelligible before swiftly standing up and walking out of the hall.
His friend's roared with laughter at his misfortune of being outsmarted by what, in their eyes, was a little girl. Even Larten managed a smile. Seba shook his head. "Foolish vampire." He muttered.
Eventually the other members of their party left to either tend to their duties or to challenge their peers in the gaming hall. Each one aiming to best all the others. All that was left at the table was Seba, Darren, Elena, Larten, and Gavner. It left them with breathing room.
Finally, Elena thought, vampires rarely bothered to bathe outside the human world. The smell was starting to make her sick.
Darren meanwhile, was not bothered at all by the stench of the smelly male vampires. Instead, he took the time to look around the Hall at all the different vampires, and his surroundings.
The Hall of Khledon Lurt, like all the halls- was made entirely of stone. Furnished with at least a dozen fireplaces, filled to the brim with wooden tables and chairs fashioned out of bone. He noticed that out of all the vampires in the hall, the majority looked to be about his father's age or a little older. Out of everyone in the hall he could count the number of woman he had seen on one hand and with the other, he could count the older vampires he had seen. In fact, Seba looked to be the oldest.
When he asked, Seba chuckled. "Few vampires live to be my age. While we do not age as much as human do, we are compelled to push ourselves by our very nature. Most vampires look for death in battle once they feel they are too old for such acts as battle, and fighting."
"How old do they usually get?" Darren asked.
"Around their vampiric sixties, occasionally seventies." Seba replied.
"What?" Elena asked confused.
"They look like they are in their sixties or seventies." Mr. Crepsley supplied.
"Oh. So how old are they really?" Darren asked.
"Around five hundred." Seba said. He snorted when he saw Darren's eyes widening. "That is nothing. I myself am nearing seven hundred fifty."
"How come you're so old?" Darren asked.
Mr. Crepsley spit out the bat broth he had just put in his mouth. "Darren!" He gasped.
"What?" Darren asked innocently.
Larten sputtered while Seba laughed, "Larten do not chastise the boy for being curious. You had some choice words when you were young as well. I recall you saying that you would never become a General. You said Generals were backwards imbeciles, and we should be looking to the future, not dwelling on the past."
"I never said that!" Larten huffed.
"You did. And more besides!" Seba said. "Students never appreciate their teachers until they have grown wiser themselves. And Good teachers never expect love or praise until their students are much older."
"Does the same apply for parents?" Mr. Crepsley muttered.
"I would presume so. You must be patient Larten. Accept your children's stubbornness and their questions. They will mature as any young one should."
"To answer your question Darren, I was made quartermaster many decades ago, the job is honorable, if not desirable. It means living in the mountain, hardly ever hunting or fighting. If I had not taken the position, I would have been long dead by now."
Arra approached their table taking a seat next to Seba.
"Are you going to eat?" Larten asked her raising an eyebrow at her slightly dishevveled and sweaty appearence.
Arra shook her head, "I ate before I left for the gaming hall this evening."
Gavner stood up suddenly saying he had to leave. He asked Harkat to go with him. "Where are you going?" Elena asked.
"To the Hall of Princes." He said. "I have to tell the Princes about the vampaneze on the mountain. I also want Harkat to give them his message. The sooner the better."
"Bye." Elena said as he hurried out the door, Harkat trailing behind him.
"We should go too." Arra said.
"To see the princes?" Darren asked.
She laughed, "No, it's been a long journey, I meant that we should go to the bathing hall."
"Oh." Darren said blushing.
"I'll take Elena there now, you two can finish breakfast and clean up after."
Elena stood up with her mother and waved goodbye to Seba, Darren, and Mr. Crepsley. "I will see you later." The latter said.
"You'll know where to find us." Arra said with a smile.
"Where else would you be?" Larten asked jokingly.
"Where will they be?" Darren asked as Arra and Elena made their way through the now crowded dining Hall, after watching his parent's exchange.
"The gaming hall." Seba answered. "Your mother is somewhat of a legend on the bars."
"On the What?"
"The bars. It is a sport we play." Seba said.
"Your mother has an incredibly sense of balance and co-ordination, even when fifty feet in the air." Larten remarked fondly.
Darren stared at his father. "Fifty feet?" He asked astonished.
"You'll see." Mr. Crepsley said with a tight-lipped smile. "Come on, we will go wash."
Mr. Crepsley and Darren bid their goodbyes to Seba and made their way to the Hall of Perta Vin-Grahl. They passed Arra and Elena who were on their way to the gaming hall. Mr. Crepsley chuckled when he saw his daughter shivering intensely. Darren was immediately filled with a sensation of dread.
When they got to the hall, Darren looked around. Like all the rooms in the mountain, it was a simple cave. The only difference was the waterfalls that fell in torrents of icy water falling from an opening in the roof over the side of the cavern. He looked at his father who was wearing a rather sadistic smile on his face.
"You aren't serious." Darren stated bluntly.
"Why do you think so many vampires do not wash?" Mr. Crepsley asked pulling his shirt over his head.
Darren groaned and followed his lead. Scrubbing furiously so as to make the torturous shower as fast as it possibly could be. Leaping out of the waterfall's reach, Darren grabbed two thick towels that had been laid out by the pool. His teeth chattered as he draped them around himself.
Mr. Crepsley laughed as he dried himself off. He threw clean clothes at Darren while pulling his own on. While they were getting dressed, another vampire entered the hall slamming the door and panting.
He was tall and slim, with long blonde hair. He looked like a toothpick compared to the other vampires Darren had seen. Even his father had more muscle than this vampire.
"Hello Larten." The vampire said.
"Kurda." Larten replied. "What are you doing here?"
"Avoiding questions." Kurda said rolling his eyes. "I've been looking for you actually, I wanted to ask you about Harkat's message."
"He did not speak any of it to us." Larten said.
"Not a word?" Kurda asked his face falling.
"Well it was strictly for the Vampire Princes wasn't it?" Darren spoke up.
Kurda raised a brow as he saw him. "You must be Darren. I'm Kurda Smahlt." He said raising a hand for Darren to shake.
Darren took it with a look of surprise. "You've heard about me?"
Kurda chuckled, "When a legend like that comes true, people will talk. Particularly when the most uncaring vampire who ever existed has children."
Darren looked to his father. Mr. Crepsley chuckled. "Not me. Your mother is not nice to everyone she meets."
Kurda snorted, "She's hardly nice to anyone she meets."
"Why are you here Kurda?" Mr. Crepsley asked.
"To get away from everyone's questions." Kurda grumbled.
"Questions?" Mr. Crepsley echoed.
"About Harkat's message. They won't leave me alone!" Kurda cried.
"Why is everyone asking you?" Darren asked.
"I got an investiture." Kurda said.
"Gavner Purl told me about that. Congratulations." Mr. Crepsley said dryly.
"You don't approve do you?" Kurda laughed. "You aren't alone it was a very close vote."
"So I heard." Larten said.
Darren just looked confused. Mr. Crepsley noticed and explained. "Kurda is going to be a Prince."
"Really?" Darren asked surprised as well as impressed.
"Yes." Kurda said and then frowned. "Unfortunately until then I have to run around doing errands for the other Princes." He shook his head disgusted.
"It is all part of it Kurda." Larten reprimanded.
"I know." He sighed. Then his face brightened. "Do you mind if I give Darren a tour of the Mountain?" He asked.
"Take him wherever you like. I want to meet with a few old friends anyhow." Larten said.
"I will see you later." He said to Darren leaving the room with a whisk of the blood red cape he had found in one of the storage rooms.
"So where do we go now?" Darren questioned.
"I'll take you to all the important rooms." Kurda replied easily.
Kurda showed Darren the kitchens and the tunnels in which he made his maps. They made their way to the Hall of Cremation soon after that. The Guardians of the chamber loomed in the corner. Strange creatures, with white hair and eyes, completed with sagging yellowish skin. The sight of them made Darren shiver. He wanted to ask Kurda about them but was too afraid to ask while they were in their presence.
Darren walked ahead of Kurda when they left the chamber. He made to turn into the door next to them when Kurda laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't want to go in there." He said seriously.
"What's in there?" Darren asked.
"It's the Hall of Death."
Darren stared blankly at Kurda. "It's the execution hall." Kurda explained.
"Execution hall?" Darren asked.
"Where vampires who have committed treason are sent to die."
"How are they killed?"
"If you really want to know you can go in." Kurda said hoping Darren would be too scared to go through. Of course there was no way for Kurda to understand how curious of a boy Darren was.
He pushed through the heavy door, much to Kurda's dismay. As soon as Darren caught his first glimpse of the Hall, he immediately regretted ever daring to open the door. There was a fairly high cliff-face, all looming hauntingly over a pit of sharpened stakes.
The sight paralyzed the boy. Kurda gently put a hand on his shoulder dragging him back out of the door. "Come on." The elder vampire muttered. "Let's get you to your mother."
Darren numbly followed Kurda through the twisting tunnels of Vampire Mountain to the Hall of Sport. Kurda led Darren over to a red headed vampire who only had one eye. He was sparring with a familiar ginger-haired vampiress. They stopped their fight when Kurda and Darren approached.
"Your highness." The red-haired vampire said bowing mockingly at Kurda.
"Vanez." Kurda greeted.
"Who's this?" Vanez asked looking at Darren.
"This is Darren. I'm assuming that this is Elena." Kurda replied peering around Vanez's bulky frame to get a better view of the young vampiress.
"Aye." Vanez replied. "She'll be a great fighter too, after more training."
"Darren this is Vanez Blane the games master."
"What happened to your eye?" Darren said bluntly.
Vanez laughed. "He's forward is he not? I suppose he gets that from his mother."
"He gets what from his mother?" Arra said coming up to them with a wooden staff in her hand leaving a poor soul to pick himself up from the ground beneath the bars.
"Hello Arra." Kurda said holding a tentative hand out for her to shake.
She shook her head in refusal. "I'll bow to you and do your bidding when you become Prince, but I don't respect you enough for that."
Kurda drew his hand back unsurprised. "I know you don't agree with me becoming Prince but-"
"I don't either." Vanez piped up with a grin.
Kurda groaned. "You people seem to enjoy spending your lives making mine a misery."
"What other fun can we have?" Vanez asked smiling.
"What does he get from his mother?" Arra asked again.
"His forwardness." Vanez chuckled.
"Oh?" Arra said.
"The first question he asked me was how I lost my eye." Vanez laughed.
"And did you at least have the courtesy to answer him?" Arra asked.
"Well, that is-" Vanez stumbled.
Arra sighed while Vanez blushed. "I got into a scrap with a lion while I was on a mission in Africa."
Darren gaped at him. "A lion," He said.
Arra laughed at his expression. Vanez's face suddenly took up a thoughtful expression. "Elena why don't you face Arra on the bars." He said.
"Are you trying to get her killed Vanez?" Kurda asked.
"Oh come on, Arra's not going to kill her." Vanez said. Arra meanwhile, was already perched on the bars, twirling her staff hard and fast.
"Are you sure about this?" Elena asked as Vanez gave her a staff.
"You'll be fine. I'm sure your mom has enough heart to not hurt you too badly." Vanez said nudging Elena towards her mother. "At least I hope she does." Vanez mumbled after the fact.
Elena scaled the bars, swinging herself onto the same level as her mother. They stood in the center of the bars. A group of vampires had gathered below, waiting to see how this would play out. Arra smiled, but Elena had the feeling it had more to do with her chances of winning than the fact that her daughter was across from her.
Vanez clapped his hands signaling the start of the fight. Arra wasted no time, jabbing her staff at her daughter's middle a millisecond after Vanez clapped his hands. Elena sidestepped the blow, swinging her own staff around in a circle to catch her mother's skull. Arra caught the blow but barely. She had a surprised look on her face and looked at Elena this time with pride and admiration.
"Perhaps we'll make a fighter of you yet." Arra said and then attacked again. This time with one swipe after the other, pushing Elena to the edge of the bars. Elena jumped to the bar on her left, swiping at her mother from the side and landing a blow on her shoulder. Arra let out a cry of surprise from the blow.
"Point to Elena!" Kurda said happily.
"You know as well as I do that this game does not run on points." Arra snarled.
"Watch yourself Arra." Vanez warned. "You'll never be able to show your face again if a little half-vampire beat you at your own sport."
Arra was angry now, and Elena hopped further away from her. Gavner had told her horror stories of what happened when her mother was angry. Arra and Elena were sparring openly now. When one delivered a blow the other blocked and it continued.
Arra delivered a strong blow to Elena's legs, knocking them out from underneath her. She grabbed a hold of a bar and then latched on to her mother's staff as Arra swung it at her hands. Their places were evidently switched. The vampires below applauded the move and Arra swung herself up again.
She narrowed her eyes and ran at her daughter again blocking her blows. Arra grabbed the end of her staff, using it to swing her daughter off. In a rush of air, Elena hit the ground, unconscious.
She came to a few minutes later, surrounded by a sea of concerned vampires. She groaned, "What happened?"
"You got knocked unconscious." Kurda said helping her to sit up.
The rest of the vampires backed away, and Arra came to face her. "Are you alright?" Arra asked.
Elena nodded and held a hand out, "Shake." She stated.
"One good fight doesn't make you a warrior." Arra said shaking her head.
"Shake!" Elena demanded again.
"And if I don't?" Arra asked eyebrow raised.
"I'll get back on the bars and fight you until you do." Elena said.
Arra looked taken aback for a moment and then laughed. She took Elena's hand much to the surprise of everyone else. "Power to you."
"Power." Elena repeated grinning until promptly passing out in her arms.
The rest of the vampires applauded and Mr. Crepsley pushed his way through the crowd as Arra brushed the hair from her daughter's forehead.
"Do you want me to take her?" He asked.
"No I've got her." Arra said scooping Elena easily into her arms. The vampires parted like the red sea as they walked through, each craning their necks to get a better view of the new half-vampires.