disclaimer: warhammer and all the shizzle in it belongs to GW. Not me, damnit. . .
thanks for the nice review of Azza 3100. Ive tried to take your advice into account. and of course to L choopa cabra, my loyaylist fan. thanks man!
Chapter 5
Owen loved spending his days outdoors. He was a very active young man, always hunting, riding or practicing his duelling in the courtyard. It was his favourite sport duelling, he would spend several hours a day in practice bouts, most commonly against his younger brother. At eighteen the young Owen was the picture of an energetic young lord. He lived in the family manor with his father Martin Shusselburg, his mother Anne and his younger brother, Henry. Times had been good for the past few years. Incursions from the northern tribes had been minimal and the dark province Sylvania to the east had been quiet as the proverbial grave. Life at the Shusselburg manor was good.
That changed when Owen fell ill. The physicians said it was a wasting sickness of the muscles. The young man was horrified, his life, as far as sports and swordsmanship were concerned, was over. This was a crushing blow to the young lord and he became deeply depressed and moody. As the sickness progressed he became bed ridden. His mother and father were frantic, despite the commonly distant relationships within noble families; both his parents loved him deeply. Various physicians and doctors were consulted, no expense spared in acquiring possible treatments, but his condition grew steadily worse. In only a matter of months, Owen had gone from a strapping young man with a bright future to a ghoulishly thin, bedridden invalid. The situation was particularly hard on Owen's sixteen year old brother, for the pair had been inseparable since they were young. Henry had always looked up to his older brother for his boundless enthusiasm and his easy charm. To see him so weak, to have to help him eat or make the slightest movement was shattering to Owen's younger sibling.
One night, a man came to the gates of the house. At first the guards refused to let him in, it was the middle of the night after all. The man, wearing a dark full length travelling cloak, said
"I have heard news that your lords son has fallen ill, I come here offering my services, I believe your lord will be most interested to hear what I have to say." The guards had been told to allow any physicians entrance, so they escorted the man into the main hall and sent servants to awaken lord Shusselburg.
After several minutes the fully dressed Lord emerged. Martin Shusselburg was a tall man, broad shouldered and proud. Although his hair and moustache had turned to grey, it was clear he was still a powerful man. The cloaked man introduced himself as one, Stefan Von Ludendorf, a simple doctor according to him, but his noble bearing implied something else. Lord Shusselburg escorted him to a private study where he spent ten minutes alone with the 'doctor'. No one else heard what was said in that room but it must have been convincing for when they emerged Shusselburg stated that this Von Ludendorf would be Owen's sole physician from now on, and to prepare a room for him.
Von Ludendorf requested to see the young Owen immediately and was shown to his rooms. After being awakened the young lord had the situation explained to him, that Ludendorf was his new doctor. After this Ludendorf asked Lord Shusselburg to leave, asking for some time alone with Owen. For whatever reason Shusselburg complied, leaving the pair alone. Ludendorf observed the young man in front of him, after six months battling the disease he was pitifully thin, his eyes were sunken into his skull and he looked more like a skin wrapped skeleton than an man.
"How much do you want to live?" was Ludendorf's first question to Owen.
"How much do you think? Of course I want to damned well live; I want to have my life back!" Although his body was wasted away Owen's mind was still perfectly lucid, the bitterness in his voice was clear.
"What if I were to say I have a way for you to keep on living, for many years, that you could have all your strength and vitality back that you had before, that you could walk out of this bed tomorrow feeling reborn?" Ludendorf said slyly. Although young, Owen was not naïve, or stupid, far from it.
"I would say why would you help me?"
"Because I believe that some people in this world deserve a second chance." Replied Ludendorf, his body language indicating how urgently he wanted Owen to believe him. Despite his reservations Owen was being convinced, who wouldn't be, after six months of suffering someone offering a way out. Although hardly daring to believe that this doctor's offer could be sincere Owen wanted to agree. Still a little cautious he asked
"And what do you want in return; I'm sure my father can offer money, if this 'miracle cure' of yours works, is that what you want?" Although not exceptionally wealthy compared to most nobility, the family was still extremely well off compared to most everyone else.
"No, no, nothing like that, I simply want the satisfaction of having helped someone in need" Ludendorf replied, with a barely noticeable smirk at the corner of his mouth. Whatever the man wanted Owen thought, ultimately I'm willing to pay it. Anything is better than the situation I'm in at the moment.
"Alright, I agree, what do you have to do?" The man smiled, seemingly pleased with Owen's decision.
"All you must do is drink this." He said, pulling out a glass flask from his coat. Within the glass was a dark red, liquid. Seeing the flask and its contents Owen looked mildly disgusted, wondering if what was in the flask was really what he thought it was. . .
"Don't be put off by the colour, I promise, by tomorrow evening you'll be as good as new." This swayed Owen, any chance of being healthy again, any at all was worth taking. He was so sick of being ill. . .
"Alright, if you could just put it to my lips." Owen said, bracing himself for whatever flavour it would be. Ludendorf complied, tipping the end of the flask into Owen's mouth and holding it there.
Owen swallowed the first mouthful; it tasted vaguely salty in his mouth, but was otherwise not unpleasant. It was when it hit his stomach that the pain began; it felt like it was burning through his stomach. The pain was horrifyingly intense, like his insides were literally on fire. Choking, Owen tried to struggle, to push the flask away from his mouth and keep from swallowing any more. Ludendorf was holding his arms down, in his horrifyingly weakened state Owen had no chance. Despite all his efforts to stop swallowing any more of the vile stuff he had no choice. It was either swallow or drown and his body made the decision for him, slowly, agonizingly the flask emptied, until he had consumed it all and was writhing in agony at the pain in his stomach.
"Now that you've had some of my blood, I just have to take the rest of yours." Von Ludendorf said conversationally, smiling at the same time and revealing needle sharp canines. Owen looked up in terror, horrified and trying to push away from the monster before him, but his arms were too weak and the pain in his gut was too great. The monster leaned forward, planting its mouth on Owen's neck and biting down. Owen felt the pain of the two punctures then everything faded to blackness.
Stefan Von Ludendorf looked down on the dead body of Owen Marius Shusselburg, he looked so pathetic and scrawny now, but Ludendorf had seen the boy a few months ago, practicing his skills with a blade. For one so young he was most impressive, and the order of the blood dragon was always looking for promising swordsmen to join their ranks. After hearing that the boy was near death Stefan decided to act. Young Owen would most likely never forgive him for 'saving' him, but frankly Stefan didn't care. He showed the appropriate level of martial skill, he was given the blood kiss, whether or not he wanted it was entirely irrelevant.
In a few hours Owen would rise from the dead as a vampire. It might take a while for him to figure it out, but in the end he would, and he would come looking for Stefan. It might take years for them to meet again, but that hardly mattered. Stefan turned to leave, on his way out he told Lord Shusselburg that Owen was 'resting' and that he mustn't be disturbed for at least twelve hours. Using his modest skills for compulsion, Stefan convinced Lord Shusselburg that it was really in his son's best interest, that disturbing him before that time was up would be dangerous for the boy. Leaving a slightly glazy eyed Lord Shusselburg behind him, Stefan left the manor, disappearing into the darkness.
reviews make the world go round. . .oh wait, maybe thats money. . .