A Thousand Years
Chapter 12: Into Battle Once Again
It's been five years since our first battle, and steadily Kain has led us all through Nosgoth, starting with the smaller towns, slaughtering all those who opposed us. Gradually, we moved on to larger villages as our experience and power grew. Oftentimes we have had to return to previously visited areas where opposition flared again. Nighttime was a time of great fear for the people, and curfews had been placed in every city. No one was allowed out of their homes after sunset save for the guards that were constantly on watch. The business of the bars plummeted, the people kicked out at sunset and the doors barred. On the other hand, the business at the brothels flared, laughably. None of the warriors fancied the idea of possibly dying without one last bedtime rendezvous.
Many modifications have been made to the hidden clan over the years. One of my favorite modifications was the introduction of a stable for our war horses, and the addition of several dogs to guard the horses from theives and wild animals. We each had two horses, a male and a female for breeding purposes, and one for when the other was recovering for an injury or happened to be killed. My horses were two of the best of their breed, stolen as colts and raised out here in the wilderness. Bane and Karma, both pitch black in color, save for the single white 'sock' on Karma's right front leg.
I'm babbling about them like a proud father, I know, but I am an animal lover at heart.
I was surprised to find that Kain had a fondness for the Irish Wolfhounds that guarded the stables. Intensely loyal dogs, and quite large, standing three and a half feet tall, they were Kain's pride. When I asked him where he'd developed a fondness of these hounds, he simply replied that in his human life, he'd grown up with a pair of Irish Wolfhounds, and they were his only comapnions. It gave me a hint of his past life, and of course made me hungry for more knowledge about it, but Kain waved off my questions and told me in so many eloquent words to bugger off.
It brought on a curiosity for my past life once again, remembering Miya's words. Funny, I hadn't thought of that so-called witch for quite some time... Nearly forgotten her, in fact. Unfortunately, nothing could be done about it, so I let the thought pass.
Zephon had developed a rather ingenious idea about a year back that he was putting into motion, and even Kain thought it was a good idea. Since it was getting increasingly difficult to hunt at night, much less satisfy the occasional desire for a drunk, Zephon suggested the capture of a few humans and a couple of kegs, to get the humans drunk and bleed them, capturing their blood into bottles and storing them for later consumption. The blood would be affectionately labeled as bloodwine, for it did resemble a thick, red wine.
I was a little bit skittish at the treatment of the humans... for although they were our food, they also had thoughs and feelings of their own... And I could not help but remember that we had all been human once, too. Did that make us cannibals, in a sense?
So, I brought up the idea of these captured humans given decent living conditions and steady meals, to not be harrassed in any means. The others were extremely skeptical, save Dumah, who looked curious. I pointed out that the bloodwine gathered from these humans would diminish in quality if the humans became weak and sick. It would be even better if the blood could be gathered from willing or docile humans - for if their blood was laced with fear and adrenaline, much of the calming effect would be lost. They accepted my reasoning and Kain decreed that new quarters were to be made for the humans to stay. But of course, the humans would never be allowed to leave the clan. We could not possibly have them leeching information back to their people.
It was Rahab that came up with the following idea: to figure out a means of keeping the bloodwine warm without having to keep a fire burning. He was digging further into the mountain, which was rumored to be a dormant volcano long ago, when he discovered the stone becoming steadily warmer the further he dug. He suggested that we carve out a room near this heat source, our own winery right there in the clan, where the bloodwine would remain warm, heated by the volcano itself. So it was done, and square shelves were installed to store the bloodwine in the volcanically heated room.
Currently we had twenty humans in our clan that were bled once every week, ten women and ten men, kept in seperate chambers so they would not procreate. The women also had a second purpose - a free meal whenever their menstrual cycles came around.
I know you're grimacing. I know.
All I have to say is, don't shun it if you haven't tried it.
The blood from a woman's womb is the purest, sweetest candy to a vampire. And quite honesty, the women like it too - for when we feed, we devour not only the blood that has been shed, but that which would be shed at a later time. So after we feed, the women are menstrual-free until the next month.
All right, all right, I'll get off the subject. I've probably lost several of my readers by this point regardless.
Anyway, back to the story.
I finished saddling up Bane in his battle armor, made of an incredibly strong but lightweight metal, giving his muzzle a pat as I mounted him and led him out of the stables to join Kain and his grey stallion, Ghost. Soon, the rest of my brothers joined us, and we all stood before Kain, tense and ready for battle. Tonight was going to be another milestone in our steady conquest of Nosgoth. We were going to the city of Avernus to dispose of the warriors stationed there. But these were more than just a few trained warriors and a bunch of villagers waving pitchforks. These were highly trained warriors, sorcerers, and priests who had demons at their beck and call, as well as the means to raise the abilities of the other warriors, making them even more formidable.
We didn't have nearly enough men to be able to completely conquer these villages and cities, but what we aimed for at the moment was to extinguish the opposition. This not only made hunting easier and safer for us, but it would make our eventual taking over of the villages far easier. We would simply have to show these humans that wherever there were warriors, we vampires would come in to kill them. Those villages that were unprotected were left unharmed, save for the occasional kill.
Kain looked over us, his low voice serious, "There will be no slacking off tonight - no mistakes made. Make sure to keep track of the time of night. This battle may take us many days to finish, so be prepared to call it off and return to the clan before sunrise. Keep in mind, this is not a retreat, no matter how the humans may cheer. They would be fools to think the sunrise would bring a complete end to the battle. We will return home to rest the horses, then switch to the next horse for the following night.
"Avernus will be difficult. If there is a sorcerer or a priest in the battles you encounter, finish them off first. It will be hard enough fighting the warriors without having to deal with enhanced abilities and demons as well. Remember to feed whenever you have a chance, no matter if you are wounded or not."
Zephon raised his hand. At Kain's questioning raised brow, he spoke up, "Am I the only one that's noticed if you're feeding from a dying warrior at the neck rather than telekinetically, you won't get attacked?"
All of us turned to Zephon in shock. The fool had actually fed that way surrounded by enemies?
Kain smirked. "Yes... I think it's a mix of stunned awe to see their companion and a vampire locked in such an intimate embrace, and the desire to not hurt their comrade in the process of trying to kill the vampire."
"You mean... We can feed that way and we actually won't be attacked?" Rahab asked, blinking.
"And you knew about this?" I shot Kain an accusing look. I could remember several times when I was feeding telekinetically while trying to dodge other warriors, and getting wounded in the process.
"I knew," Kain admitted, giving me a firm look. "But I also know that there may be circumstances where that awe and shock may not come into play and you may be attacked regardless."
Ah.
"Any further questions?" Kain growled, looking around at the rest of us. After a moment of silence, he turned his horse around. "Then, let's go." He rode off into the woods with the rest of us following in a single line.
I tilted back my head and let the wind caress me with its cool hand, breathing in the crisp night air and the earthy smell of the forest all around us. I could feel Bane's powerful muscles moving as he galloped behind Ghost, ears perked forward in anticipation. Bane was a true war horse, never afraid to enter battle. He knew that his armor and I would protect him from the swords and spears of others. He was never afraid to lash out with his hooves and crush the skull of an enemy.
Soon we arrived at Avernus, standing on a hilltop above the city to get a good view, our horses occasionally stamping their hooves in excitement and nervousness. Kain stared down disdainfully at the city below, white-blue eyes glowing silver in the moonlight. His black-painted lips pulled back from his fangs in a low hiss, drawing the Soul Reaver from his back and raising it into the air with a silent battle cry. Ghost leapt forward, and we all galloped down after him with swords and spears drawn, silent save for the muffled pounding of the horse's hooves, the sound of a war drum echoing in our ears.
Denying the lying
A million children fighting
For lives in strife
For hope beyond the horizon
We burst through the gates, overtaking the guards swiftly before they could sound the alarm, cutting them down with our swords and trampling them beneath our horse's hooves. I split off from the others and galloped down the cobblestone street, leaning forward eagerly in the saddle. I was headed for the Avernus Cathedral at the center of the city. The cathedral was more than just a place of worship; it housed the priests and sorcerers that would immediately be sent out to assist the warriors should the alarm be sounded.
A dead world
A dark path
Not even crossroads to choose from
All the blood-red
Carpets before me
Behold this fair creation of God
I rose up to stand on the saddle as Bane approached the cathedral, releasing the reins, leaping from his back to the stone walls of the cathedral and catching hold of the edge wtih my claws. Sword sheathed at my side, I began to nimbly climb up the wall while Bane went to a secluded alley nearby where he would come when needed. Making my way up to one of the windows, I peered inside the stained glass, making sure there was no one in sight before using my claws to cut through the glass and silently remove it. Taking one last quick look around, I squeezed through and darted behind one of the massive pillars, slowly peering around to look at the grand room below. Several priests and sorcerers were walking around, a couple of them praying at the altar at the front of the room.
My only wish to leave behind
All the days of the Earth
An every day Hell of my kingdom come
I unfastened one of the many buckles on my bracers, removing the buckle and flicking it out. It spun in the air, catching the light, before landing on the floor with a soft 'ping'. Nevertheless, it caught the attention of the priests and sorcerers, who curiously gathered around and began scanning the room, wondering where it had come from. I smirked to myself and prepared my Dark Gift, leaping down and bolting toward them, unleashing my Inferno when I was within range. Screams of agony rose up as they caught on fire and began running around the room with their arms flailing, running into each other and the stone work all around them as they struggled to douse the flames. I didn't wait to watch long, there were more coming. I made my way quickly toward a sorcerer, dodging the fireball that he hurled towards me, lunging forward to slice off the offending man's head.
The first rock thrown again
Welcome to Hell, little Saint
Mother Gaia in slaughter
Welcome to Paradise, Soldier
My victory was short-lived, however, as I felt something suddenly slam into my side and send me flying into the air to land roughly nearly halfway across the great hall. I dazedly looked up, and my eyes widened at the sight of the huge beast stomping its way toward me. I recognized it from Kain's teachings - a fire demon, looking like an upright, muscular ram with red skin and a frightening face full of sharp teeth. My heart leapt into my throat as I swiftly climbed to my feet and drew my sword. My Inferno would be utterly useless against this creature of fire. As it grew close enough to attack and we circled each other, I was distracted by a pair of fireballs hurled at me from both the priest that summoned the demon and the sorcerer at his side. I barely managed to dodge them before the demon's horns slammed into my stomach and caught me, sending me up and over the demon, landing roughly on my front.
My first cry neverending
All life is to fear for life
You fool, you wanderer
You challenged the Gods and lost
I stiffly climbed to my feet, bruised and bloody, just in time to dodge another set of fireballs. This was getting me absolutely nowhere. I steered clear of the demon and began making my way toward the humans, swiftly dodging the three sets of fireballs (two from the humans, and one from the demon). I came upon the sorcerer first and tore into him with my sword as he tried to run away, hacking and slashing at his back and sides before he finally fell to one knee. I grabbed him up and fed from him swiftly, my eyes riveted on the priest and the demon. The priest stood by in stunned horror while the demon was making its way toward me again.
Save yourself a penny for the ferryman
Save yourself and let them suffer
In hope
In love
This world ain't ready for the Ark
Letting the demon get close, I dropped the sorcerer and bolted just as it lunged at me with its horned head lowered, dodging to the side and running toward the priest, who snapped out of his shock and tried to summon another fire spell to hit me with. I reached him before he could pull it off, impaling him through the chest and lifting his form up into the air from the upward motion of my sword, staring into the shocked priest's dying eyes until I let him slide off my sword. The demon had made its way back over again, and I had to make due with a quick telekinetic sip of blood before I had to dodge another blow. As the demon blazed past and slowed to rear its head up in confusion, I lunged at it from behind and sliced at its legs with my sword, dodging between its legs as it turned to face me and slicing at them again.
Save yourself a penny for the ferryman
Save yourself and let them suffer
In hope
In love
Mankind works in mysterious ways
The demon, unfortunately, was not a complete imbecile, and the fourth time I attempted such a maneuver, it whirled around to suddenly pound both its fists down on my body, knocking me down and sending me skidding across the stone floor on my back. Stunned and dazed, I blearily looked up at the demon and didn't even have time to scream as it lunged for me with its head lowered, scooping up my body and hurling me into the air.
Save yourself a penny for the ferryman
Save yourself and let them suffer
In hope
In love
This world ain't ready for the Ark
Smirking, I turned in midair and maneuvered myself to fall down toward the demon, sword held up with the blade pointed down toward the demon. As I fell to the demon, I slammed my blade into its head, my own strength added to the momentum of my fall giving me the strength I needed to fell the great beast. It staggered forward in dazed confusion as I rode its shoulders, wrenching my blade back to rip open its skull. With a moan, it toppled over, and began to burn away as I removed my sword and leapt from its body.
Save yourself a penny for the ferryman
Save yourself and let them suffer
In hope
In love
Mankind works in mysterious ways
Holding out my hand, I telekinetically called the demon's blood to me, devouring it as it entered my mouth. I could feel all of my wounds healing and power flowing through my veins. My rapture was broken off by a loud noise that made me clamp my hands over my ears.
BOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG! BOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGGG!
Damn it! The bell tower! Someone must have escaped to sound the alarm! I didn't particularly feel up to fighting any more fire demons at the moment, so I fled from the front doors, whistling to Bane, who immediately emerged and galloped toward me. I leapt up onto his back and took off toward the distant sounds of screaming and fighting, coming upon a startling scene.
A black demon, the most fearsome demons to be summoned by the priests, was running around after the warriors, slaughtering them left and right. I looked around in confusion for the priest and finally caught sight of it, lying dead on the ground. But even if they die, the demons are supposed to know who it is they are fighting against!
Suddenly, in the midsts of the chaos, the demon spotted me.
And it waved me over to join it.
My jaw dropped in shock and confusion. Had this demon escaped from its master and wished to fight alongside us vampries? I hesitantly made my way over, and the demon pointed upwards, growling something. I looked up in confusion and blinked, my eyes widening as I saw Turel with his hands pressed to his head, kneeling on the edge of the roof. I did a double-take at the demon. "...Turel?"
The demon... Turel... smirked and watched me. So Turel had achieved a Dark Gift as well, some sort of mind control? That was interesting. Quite a useful one, too, except that it left his body vulnerable to attack. He motioned to his body and growled to me, his voice low and glutteral, "Take my body and follow me to the others. My mind control can only extend for so far."
I understood his meaning as I leapt up to his body and picked it up, leaping back down to Bane and setting myself and Turel down on his back. Having Turel fight as a black demon would be an awesome advantage, not only for his strength, but for the confusion and panic it would cause as well. Turel turned to take off deeper into the city, and I followed him with Bane. It felt so strange carrying Turel's unresponsive body while his consciousness was in the massive demon up ahead. A sudden chilling thought occured to me... Could he do it to vampires as well...?
He led the way to the village square, where the rest of our clan were gathered, fighting warriors with a smattering of demons, priests, and sorcerers here and there. The numbers of priests and sorcerers had been reduced drastically thanks to my assault on the cathedral, so they were not completely without hope. Turel grinned and barreled into the crowd with his head lowered, spikes aimed forward. Warriors flew into the air left and right, others impaled on the huge spikes, screeching and howling with agony and terror. Turel even fought against the other demons, who were too confused and dimwitted to realize he was not their ally as they died beneath his claws.
Eager to join the fight, I noticed Rahab defending a badly injured Zephon on the outskirts of the battle and quickly rode up to their side. Bane's hooves and my sword did much to mow down the warriors gathered around them, giving them breathing space for a moment. I leapt off of Bane's back and lifted Zephon up behind Turel. "Zephon, hold on to him and don't let him fall. Rahab, lead them to the outskirts of the battle until Zephon is able to rejoin us."
"What's happened to Turel?" Rahab asked as he panted for breath.
"He's using his new Dark Gift, it's a sort of mind control. His consciousness is in the black demon over there." I pointed, and Rahab's eyes widened in wonder.
"...Oh sure..." Zephon mumbled, holding up Turel with one hand while the other clutched at a nasty wound deep in his side. "...He's kicking ass all over the place due to his new Gift and it's going to inflate his ego even more."
"Better an inflated ego than our deaths," I commented wryly. I then left them to go rejoin the battle. It seems like we fought for hours, but no matter how many humans and demons we cut down, more kept coming. The bodies were stacked high and we had to be careful not to trip over the carcasses. Zephon had rejoined the battle after resting and feeding, and it was Melchiah who was taking time out at the moment. Turel had rejoined the battle after he'd been forced to leave the demon's mind. Apparently if he controlled a creature too long, it led to a massive migraine. The black demon was taken care of - it'd been on its last legs anyway, so it wasn't too difficult to terminate. I didn't really want to think about what might happen should the demon die with Turel's consciousness still inside it.
All through the battle, the bells of Avernus had been steadily ringing, an irritated humming in the backs of our ears. At some time during the fight, Kain found his way by my side and we fought back to back while he hissed in my ear, "Go back to the cathedral, Raziel. Those bells are summoning help from other cities. We will never get anywhere if those bells are not silenced."
I nodded curtly to show that I understood, and began to fight my way out of the crowd. Finally, I broke free and whistled for Bane, leaping up onto his back and running for the cathedral. Swiftly entering in through the door I entered before, I leapt down into the empty hall littered with burned and dead bodies, dashing in through a small archway to one side of the altar. I swiftly scaled the spiraling staircase, my hand on the hilt of my sword, ready to draw it at any time.
Up in the bell tower were three men who took turns ringing the masive alarm bell. They all looked up in alarm as I entered and immediately tried to scatter, but I cut them down with little effort and feasted on their blood. The bell's momentum kept it moving for the moment. It was deafening to my ears, numbing my sense of hearing until I could feel the blood pounding in them. Swiftly I scaled the ladder leading up to the rafters, nimbly dodging the swinging bell. Looking up at the support, I wondered if my Inferno would set fire to the wood, and not just people. Well, it was worth a shot.
I summoned my inferno and unleashed it up toward the support beams overhead. Sure enough, they burst into flames like dry kindling and began to crackle and burn. The bell had stopped tolling, and I decided I'd better get out of the tower before the support gave way and the bell came crashing down.
I leapt down and headed back down the stairs, hearing the groan of the wood overhead and the crackling of the fire. I had to hurry or I might get caught up in the falling debris. Leaping down the stairs several at a time, I blazed out of the stairwell and into the open hall. I barely had time to register the presence of an extremly large man bringing a war hammer down on me as my vision went black.
A/N - Holy shit, am I evil. XD Sorry for the cliffie, but this chapter was getting extremely long. The song lyrics I incorporated in the battle scene were "Planet Hell" from Nightwish. I was listening to it as I wrote that. It's extremely good battle music. I was not happy with the battle scene I wrote for Uschtenheim, so I made sure to put more effort into it this time around. Let me know what you think! Please R/R!
Also, if you have any unique/creative ideas for a name for Turel's Dark Gift, please let me know! Should I make it a contest? ..Yes, I believe I shall. Enter in your ideas and the winner's name will be posted at the beginning of either the thirteenth or fourteenth chapter!
Zephon: How about "Boggle"?
Turel: (Gives him a flat look) ...Boggle?
Zephon: Yeah! You know the term "mind boggling", don't you? Boggle! It sounds funny. Boggle boggle boggle!
Turel: ...I don't think so.
(((Outtake)))
After a friend reads the part of the story concerning the menstruating women...
Friend: So, it's basically like a seafood buffet for vampires?
ShadowWolf: LOL! ...For some reason, that grosses me out more than those paragraphs! XP