After passing the news of their defeat, Raziel remained kneeling, expecting punishment for failure. Instead, Kain began pacing back and forth in front of his throne. After a while, he stopped and bade Raziel to rise.
"Humans certainly haven't remained idle. They seem to have developed a clever response to your Clan's flight capability, sneak attacks at night cannot be so easily done anymore. Impressive. I still find myself pleased of what humans are capable of when under pressure, even after all this time." Kain chuckled.
"But I failed, how can that be pleasing, master?" Raziel protested.
"No, that kind of failure was unavoidable. There was no way you could have countered what happened, only get you all killed. Humans have kept their new invention in as much secrecy as possible, to be used the moment we would approach the Cathedral. They knew we would find out sooner or later about it and would come like a moth drawn to a flame to try destroy it."
"So what can we do now about the Cathedral? Aerial attacks have become much more difficult to accomplish."
"Here comes the part of not revealing all cards too soon. We shall now employ other means of approach." Kain said, offering a faint smile.
"You mean…?"
"Yes, Raziel. The Zephonim shall finally prove their worth. I have already called Zephon here to discuss this matter closely. Prepare yourself, Raziel, for you and your Clan still have your part to play in this."
Raziel couldn't do else but concede. Kain had made his mind. It didn't take long for Zephon to arrive.
"Excellent timing, Zephon. You and your Clan's services are required now." Kain said.
Zephon smiled like he'd been awarded the leadership of all the vampires in existence. He kneeled more or less humbly.
"I live to serve, master."
Kain choose not to acknowledge the sniveling praise.
"Zephon, you and your children shall take over the Cathedral of Sound as we call it. Razielim will act as distraction for your attack."
Zephon's expression showed nothing, although Raziel was certain he wanted to gloat about Razielim being relegated as a secondary attack force. He waited for Kain to continue.
"In the upcoming night, you shall attack the Cathedral while Razielim distracts the archers from your troops. Be warned, however, this time I won't accept any kind of failure, whether humans wield any secret weapon or not."
Raziel could see some of the bluster disappearing from Zephon's posture, but once again managed to remain stoic. Then Zephon bowed to Kain and left to prepare for invasion.
"That goes for you too, Raziel. Go prepare yourself!" Kain commanded.
Raziel bowed and then flew back to his Clan.
As the night fell, vampire hunters sharpened their guard. Despite the attack of last night failing, they felt certain vampires would try again tonight. They wanted retribution. That had happened before with other human strongholds which had later fallen under vampire control, but this time the structure vampires tried to conquer wasn't so easily taken. Many preparations had been taken to prevent that.
"Ha! I am anxiously waiting for those misbegotten unholy bastards to try again. They clearly won't get the point until it's driven straight through their foul hearts, right Bram?." One of the vampire hunters overlooking the window said.
"I hear you, Harg. No matter how much they try, this Cathedral is the one place they won't conquer. Should they unlikely find some means to breach us, it will be far too late for them. Our amplification system is ready, only some tuning and checking is left. We are practically ready to activate it tomorrow. It will be glorious, last day the vampires will be existing," replied his comrade.
"Hear, hear!"
The hunter's mood was high. Even if the master of vampires himself, Kain, showed up, hunters wouldn't relent. This was the time of humanity to strike back. Many years had been spended to the amplification project, there would be no stopping now. Vampires would be totally eradicated from the surface of Nosgoth.
Their glorified dreams were interrupted by a priest nearing middle-age, stepping slowly into the windowed chamber.
"While you two young hopes of humanity claim be able to take them down one at a time from here, remember that vampires have always attacked again only when they have either learned a weakness or flaw or gained some power needed for the task. So if they attack tonight, do not expect them to do same thing twice, mark my words."
"Bah, you priests are always typically hysterical about these things. Remember the story when flying vampires first appeared and attacked Citadel? I was very small then, barely seen two years in this world. Vampires harried the people, even managed to capture two, one being my father." Young hunter paused momentarily at this memory, he hadn't remembered that event particularly, but his mother had recounted it to him once he was older. That revelation had driven him to become a vampire hunter. Then he saw he'd trailed, since Harg and the priest seemed to wait him.
"Anyway, despite those captures, vampires eventually fled from the defender's arrows. They didn't attack the Citadel again after that. Although I heard that vampires did conquer other places in the way you said, priest, but I take that retreat as a sign they don't dare to take over major places of human power. This Cathedral is second in power order after the Citadel." Bram finished
"I can see you cleary believe this Cathedral to be invincible and inpregnable. But I can tell with good experience that it is not healthy to underestimate vampires. When I was a child, my home village was easily taken over after vampires learned of our magician which kept meager wards in place. One day when he was recreating the wards, two vampires ambushed him from the most shadowed spot possible. Although they were burned to cinders by the sun, they managed to wound the mage fatally. By the time our guards arrived, there was only two smoking carcasses and a dead mage.
The next night my village was taken over by the vampires. Only I managed to escape, falling into the village's well in the general panic, barely managing to grab hold from the well's rock wall to keep myself as much above water as possible. I hanged there in shock, hearing the screams above me. Then all was silent. I held myself in place all the way to morning, shock having almost immobilised me. In the morning, vampire hunters came and after I weakly yelled, they found me and picked me up. After that I discovered I was the only survivor they found, rest were either dead or taken captive. I was taken to live in the fortress hunters lived." Priest stopped, catching his breath.
"It is obvious your village fell, it couldn't hope to have defenses in par with Citadel and Cathedrals." Bram said.
Priest's eyes catched fire. "I would not speak so lightly of things you know nothing about! That magician was one of the best in those days a small village could have. Not a single vampire had gotten through his wards, they held as securely as these walls. Part of the blame goes to the arrogance of the guards, they felt the ward was indestructable, so they paid little heed to guarding whenever it was up. And it was always up since the mage renewed it just before it would have ceased. Security laxed too much, which eventually led to the death of the mage and the village. If more vigilance had been kept, the village would still exist."
"Despite that, priest, security of a fortress, Citadel or cathedrals cannot be measured with that of a meager village. Things do not laxe here in same way." Bram replied, haughtily.
Priest pretended not to notice Bram's attitude, instead continued. "Cannot be measured?! Listen this young one and listen well. Seven years I lived with the vampire hunters, learning of their lifestyle and stories of vampire activity all around the Nosgoth. Then one night, as I was getting ready to go sleep, I began to hear commotion. I went to the hall to find out and soon came across one of the hunters who told that vampires were attacking the fortress. I panicked then, rushed quickly back to my room. The hunter didn't try to stop me, he had to hurry to defend. I tried to hide where I could but my small room didn't have any conventional place for it.
Well, there was one. I had been given a water barrel for drinking and bath water. It was the only place where I would fit and be more safely hidden than anywhere else in my room. I was around twelve years that time, which why I fitted in nicely. I didn't like being partially immersed in water again, but survival was at stake because I felt certain the vampire hunters would not be able to hold the fortress. I stepped into the half-full barrel and kneeled in as much as possible, placing the lid on the barrel.
For a long time, it felt, nothing happened. But then sounds of fighting began echoing from the hallway. I heard lots of screaming which all brought back the nightmare of my village's fall. All of a sudden my door was crashed in and then heard unmistakable sound of vampire searching the room. I prayed to whatever power there was to not let it find me. Agony of waiting which felt like eternity, I held my breath and remained still like stone. Then the vampire left the room and proceeded to other rooms nearby, from few I heard screams too, knowing they belonged to some of the household in the fortress."
Priest paused again, taking a mouthful from a wineskin hanging from his belt. Then he continued.
"Many hours later, I did not know how much, I awoke. I heard sounds from hallway. These sounds were clearly human as they talked occasionally, searching for possible survivors. Despite feeling stiff and cramped, I managed to climb out from the barrel and staggered to nearest human I saw. After telling what I knew of the invasion, I was brought to live here and have been ever since."
Both hunters didn't comment anything for several breaths, but Bram, as usual, found something to say.
"While I admit not knowing the details of the defenses of your former fortress, it is no surprise it fell too. Several of those have fallen along the years I have heard, the most in nearby area being the one next to that lake with whirlpool."
Priest suddenly stopped caring, this hunter was so full of overconfidence brought by the feeling of security the Cathedral offered with its structure. He could not be brought to understand the severity of the situation.
"Very well. You keep maintaining this Cathedral cannot be conquered easily. But know this, I have come to love this place as much as I did my village and the fortress, even more so. I do not want it to become another deathtrap where I must cower in darkness waiting for rescue which might not even come this time. If you let this place be taken over by the vampires, despite your claims, pray the vampires manage to kill you before I do!" Priest snapped and then left the room.
For a while, both hunters remained silent. Then Harg simply scoffed priest's notions off and resumed watching through the window. Even Bram mostly forgot the whole incident, except the priest's threat lingered in the air, despite thinking the old man would not be able to overpower him should it come to that but still…
Bram decided to try take his mind off it by continuing observation. Darkness had finally claimed the land fully. Hunters felt themselves becoming more nervous. Hairs on their necks rose, indicating trouble. True to that observation, both began seeing small shapes in the distance which grew continually. Flight of vampires was approaching again.
Harg sounded alarm, and soon all window spaces and the roof was filled with archers. All fell into the routine, having done this once before, they felt certain of their chances, despite not having the element of surprise on their side anymore. When first vampire flew into firing range, first arrows loosed. They missed as vampire dodged them easily, having prepared for them. More followed but they were dodged too. Rest of the Razielim came in range and full frenzy of arrows flew. Vampires dodged them all easily, only few got glancing blows from them but no one was hit seriously. But vampires didn't try to approach the Cathedral or the hunters on the roof either, just flew around and dodged arrows, if started to feel they were merely harrassing the humans or just trying to find an opening in their defenses.
While the hunters peltet Razielim with arrows, several other vampires emerged from the edge of the roof, climbing the steep wall of the Cathedral with ease. Hunters were taken totally by surprise when Zephonim jumped on them, taking them down before any managed to resist. One hunter managed to fight back, almost managed to skewer his opponent but didn't get that far when one Razielim scooped down now that the firing had ceased, grabbed the hunter and dropped him off the edge. His scream trailed all the way down. Zephonim gave a slight nod in thanks and then joined his fellows to feed on remaining corpses.
The screaming hunter falling past the window shook the other hunters who saw or heard it. It became apparent that vampire or two had managed to pierce through the rain of arrows from the fellows on the roof. But since no other bodies fell, they assumed it had been an isolated case, there was no indication the entire squad on the roof had been killed. Otherwise at least one of them would have already retreated inside and sounded alarm about roof being breached.
Razielim still continued their harassing, not approaching the windows since they would become too easy targets for the hunters then. Some of the hunters began wondering what was their purpose of doing that? Didn't they realize it was impossible for them to approach Cathedral.
When Bram paused to reload, Harg took aim but before he got bearing, a shadow crossed his view. His eyes registered a vampire standing in front of the window, Bram too gazed the figure before him. Before they managed to recover from the shock of vampire's sudden and totally unexpected appearance, Zephonim simply plunged his talons into both their throats. Bram only managed to gasp a weak gurgle as they both died without otherwise uttering a sound.
Zephonim stepped inside, looked around for other humans, sucked his talons clean from the blood and then made a beckoning gesture with his hand outside the window. Immediately several Zephonim climbed in. The one who had first came, indicated few to left and some to right. They would take over other window spots from behind so more Zephonim would be able to enter.
Leron the priest was agitated, more than he had been in years. In fact, the only time he'd felt dread like this when his home village was invaded and also with the fortress he'd lived in after that. His hand was shaking uncontrollably, he felt his breathing was getting harder. Despite their claims, he was certain hunters wouldn't be able to hold Cathedral this time. He had fully believed that this dreadful feeling of the past had left him completely, but now it had returned with a vengeance like it had just been yesterday. He emptied the wineskin but it didn't help much to still the shaking. He had drank wine for years on occasion, so he was pretty immune to it now for such small amount to effect much.
He had sworn to himself that if he would have to experience this sensation again, he would rather kill himself than endure it again. The custodian Abbot of the Cathedral during the time when Lerin was first brought here had seen the disturbance in him. After lengthy and gentle talk, he had learned of his harrowing experience in the village and the fortress. This resulted into a revelation when the Abbot was finally dying.
He had requested Leron alone to his deathbed and told him of a secret only he knew. Leron learned of a secret passage about midpoint in the Cathedral, created for the inhabitants to use if ever the place would be overwhelmed by the vampires. But that had not happened at all, not even a glimpse of vampire had been seen near the Cathedral. So in time the knowledge of the passage was forgottten, only the founding father of the idea lived longer than others who knew of it (Diggers had been secretly executed and buried in the cave beneath Cathedral), so he deemed it wise to pass the knowledge of it only to his predecessor. The less knew about it, the better. There was no more risk of someone falling into hands of vampires and willingly or unwillingly revealing it.
Leron was told of it because of his past, Abbot had wanted to give the youth a glimmer of hope should the worst come to pass. The current Abbot knew of it too, naturally, but he didn't know that Leron knew of it too. This knowledge alone made Leron forgo any ideas about suicide, he finally had an escape route should worst happen, and he felt it was going to. Trusting on instinct, he started packing the few meager belongins he had, mainly his spare robe, journal, ink and quill, and finally a map of the Cathedral. He had created it in his early days, because the sheer size of the place had felt overwhelming, along with notes in his journal. He also grabbed a loaf of bread and his last full wineskin before leaving the room which had been his for many years permanently.
He wanted to believe this nervousness was just that, nothing more. Still, he felt prudent to go near the secret door just in case, wait the siege to play out. Other priests, workmen and some hunters who passed him paid him no heed. No one questioned his doings because he was practically second-in-command due to his prestige, although he had strictly refused any position of power.
Many times he wanted to scream warning but he knew no one would believe him. They thought his mind was shaken of his past experiences and was seeing shadows in every attack that occurred. Hence keeping his own council, he walked quietly to the secret door.
He barely managed to step into the room when a scream pierced through the hallways, more soon followed with clash of swords. Leron had to grab a wall for support, so overwhelming was the memory which the scream brought up. It was the same all over again, only this time he was not needed to be in enclosed space filled with water, he really had started to hate water after the second time. No one else was nearby then, although he heard running from somewhere close. Leron began concentrating to steady himself, he had to be clear headed for this process.
Finally he calmed enough to get ready. Before got his bag up, he heard running from upstairs, somebody was approaching. He wondered what he would say to the person to allay suspicion of what he was doing here in time like this. But the running stopped suddenly with audible scream and flesh being teared, then silence. Moment later, faint scraping sound began and was getting more audible. A vampire was approaching. This jolted Leron into action. "Mherasjh," he uttered. It was a one time only use word to open the secret door which opened smoothly the moment he said it. Dusty air came to his nose and he almost sneezed. Holding his nose and lifting his bag, he stepped into the passage. Pressing the locking mechanism inside the door caused the door to close before it would automatically close few breaths later, if one was in hurry to close it.
Just as the door began closing, he heard the door nearby open and the current Abbot ran into view, apparently he had planned to use the passage as well. He stopped momentarily, apparently amazed that someone else had opened the door. Shaking his head, he ran for the door but it managed to close in front of him. He began furiously pounding it, demanding to be let in.
Leron was at odds, he could save the Abbot, considering he had been coming too. But then he realized that he had come alone, hadn't even bothered to tell anyone else about it. Just wanted to save his own skin. Same applied to priest too, although no one would have believed him before it was too late. That's why he couldn't delay elsewhere to get survivors along with him. But Abbot was a different thing altogether, he could have rallied as many of the inhabitants with him but no, it seemed.
Leron hadn't got any real friends at all down the years spended in here, so he didn't feel obliged to anyone else either. Finally, the opening of the door would take too long for him and by the time it would be open, the approaching vampire had either just killed the Abbot or was about to and would get two victims instead of one.
So the priest made the only prudent decision, he turned his back to the pounding door and began descending the narrow and rickety staircase. He didn't get far when the pounding stopped suddenly and moment later a horrified scream came from behind the door, followed by very obvious and audible sound of blood being sucked. Shaking the momentarily revulsion away, priest began descending, swearing never to reveal the existence of this passage as long as he lived. Humans didn't deserve to retake this Cathedral if they couldn't even hold it in the first place, especially when they lost it in the eve of the vampires total extermination. Why hadn't they believed him? Oh, the arrogance.
Zephon felt triumphant. More than ever. Commencing the attack after one of his scouts had found an opening in one of the windows, killed the guards and received a 'clear' sign, his entire brood capable of climbing had stormed the Cathedral, killing all humans they found. Zephon had raced along his children, killing hunters and priests. Poor fools hadn't realized where the true danger came from. There was very little resistance, it seemed the hunters had been almost completely unprepared for melee range attack. Whatever, the Cathedral would be taken over swiftly. The ability to climb more than served Zephonim well in the cramped confines of the Cathedral, they were able to reach many places quickly and effectively, something which might have been harder for Razielim. Zephon began entertaining idea of making this bastion of human power a new home to his Clan, like Rahab had done years back. He had a Clan Hold fitting to their abilities, so why shouldn't Zephon have one too?
Kain teleported inside the Cathedral and found Zephon rather soon from the lower central area. Seeing Kain, he quickly kneeled, then stood up.
"You seem to have done things well here, Zephon." Kain said.
"Thank you, master. It was easier than I thought. I would have expected some heavy resistance but these humans were completely unprepared for close combat inside their base, the thought must have never occured to them that we could penetrate their defenses."
"I see. And what about the sound amplification. Have you made anything of it?"
"All we have detected is a vast network of pipes leading all the way to the top of Cathedral. There is some sorf of engine in the bottom of the Cathedral which apparently powers the sound generating system. We broke some pipes from random places but can't see any other way to harm it."
"I see. I will inspect it closer myself and sabotage it more, where necessary. You have done well, Zephon. You may go."
"Master, one more thing. This Cathedral has magnificent structure which marvelously supports my children's ability to climb. I would like to make this a new home for my Clan."
"As you wish, Zephon. At least that ensures there is somebody suited for the environment to guard the place should humans try retaking it and activate their machine again."
"You will not regret this, master." Zephon said as he bowed deeply.
"I am certain." Kain said before disappearing to some other part of the Cathedral.
"This has been a great success, my sons. Human's secret weapon has been stopped before it managed to become active. They now have no other choice but to conduct minor skirmishes, though there is no telling what they may come up in the future but for the time being, their biggest threats have been laid low. And we gained couple new bases of operation for us." Kain said, applauding their sucesses of recent years.
"All has merely been parf of proper timing, master. One action triggered the other." Rahab said.
"Maybe so. But without co-operation, none of this would not have come as easily as it did."
"I see now why you wanted my Clan to be held in secret as long as possible, master." Zephon said.
Kain merely nodded.
"Our biggest threat is silenced now, otherwise we would have heard one sound too deadly to handle. It is fitting that my new home is now called Silent Cathedral." Zephon said, smirking at his own cleverness. But to his great surprise, everyone agreed with him, instead of scoffing off his comments as usual. He found it pleasing.
"Now we can relax a little more and let our number of Gifted vampires grow." Raziel said.
"That is true. Humans are out of great menaces to trouble us for now." Kain said.
"By the way, has Melchiah heard the news? I know he does not want to come out of his Hold after his Gift was revealed but surely he would come to celebrate this event with us? Considering he got his own direct underground route made for him leading straight here to Sanctuary." Turel said.
"I sended him the summons, but he hasn't answered them for some reason." Kain replied.
Then the door in south opened and one of the Razielim walked in. He bowed in front of his Clan Leader and said something only Raziel heard. Moment later, Raziel turned around. His face was puzzled in a way everyone, even Kain, found curious.
"I just received report that Melchiah has sealed himself in his Clan Hold, inside a new underground chamber."
Author's Note: Result of the priest's decision mentioned here is revealed in my older story, Hive.