Author Warfang

Of course I don't own The Saga of Darren Shan (if I did, the Des Tiny would walk into walls from nearing so near sighted

Chapter Three

Today, in this life after death world, Arra Sails was thrashing some of the older and even first Generals of the Vampires. The world was inhabited solely by Vampires (and their mad descendants, the Vampaneze), making strains and chaffs in dealing with day to day life, but everyone managed. The Princes had rolled off to regional ruling, and even had a rudimentary system to exchange rulers with positions every twelve years.

Arra cared little for how the world schematics ran. She was more worried about how the Vampaneze behaved. Some came over to the vampire's side easily enough, just as Kurda- that traitor….stupid idiot, had predicted. Others went far away into reaches of the world that others just did not care to head into.

Arra frowned, bending over and retrieving a towel. Kurda….she had seen him just yesterday, right?.....No, she decides. No one had seen Kurda in a long time. In fact, the Vampaneze heralded Kurda as a peaceful endeavor, doomed from the start, a fool who did his best…..and no one had seen him for quite some time. Arra straightened up.

Larten may be sore about talking about this over dinner…but we have to know what happened to him. After all, the Vampaneze were looking for Kurda, and believed he had disappeared.

A shadow fell over her. Arra turned around, and glanced up. Gavner Purl had felt the pull through the psychic link.

"Hey…mind if I join you guys for dinner?" The question was softened because while Gavner certainly held a grudge, even he bitterly admitted that in Kurda's place, they all would have done the same.

"Everyone really seems to want to pin all of our problems on Desmond Tiny." Arra smiled wryly.

"Well, we can look at it this way- everyone here has already served for their crimes, so why continue to hold the deeds against them?"

"Unless we find that their case is special." Arra murmured softly.

Gavner had no reply to that.

Many of the Vampires had finally defaulted to keeping written record after the first thousand years, not wanting all of the stories to become confused with the arrivals and new stories. The books were then shelved, and collected dust until an apprentice needed clarification in keeping track of their own oral stories. There was a magic in spinning tales that could not be found in the volumes. There was also a separate book, not even finished yet, that was to hold the names of all the traitors and cowards. The strange part was, all the cowards and traitors disappeared…the latest being Kurda.

The older Vampires had laughed at Kurda when he explained what he had wanted to accomplish…and Kurda let them. He did not defend himself. He would not bow to their judgment.

When Steve arrived after nearly a hundred years, he soundly cussed out the entire Vampire population at large.

Upon arrival at Paradise (a name that was commonly used), Darren had also reacted vehemently to Kurda until he exclaimed "It is good and all to hate me and despise my presence-if you reacted any way else I'd tell Crepsley he blooded a brain dead apprentice!"

"Wait- you knew what you did was wrong, you still did it-I thought all you regretted was not being able to help?"

"Wrong, unavoidable, pointless in retrospect, anything. I am not asking forgiveness. I only want that when you are ready to listen, please let me explain. I did what I believed was right. I have no excuse."

"Well, good. Only I and Vancha are the only ones in the know, Harkat. The rest of you should be along soon- though I hope, not too soon.

And now everyone was certain, roughly fifty years after Steve had arrived- Kurda had vanished.

And there was a slim chance he was not the only one.


Steve moved another piece across the board. Blane growled at him, and moved a rook to parry. Steve deftly moved his queen to check.

"Lad, you should never have taught me chess."

Steve blinked down at the board. Blane maneuvered his bishop into checkmate.

"Amazing….so you do not think these 'mere mental exercises' are boring anymore?"

"Listen, kid, you are only allowed outside with a chaperone especially with the Games so diverse and huge. An accident could easily happen, even just an accident."

Steve sighed. Then moved his knight over one of Blane's pieces and knocked over the bishop.

"Still in check."

"What? I had checkmate!"

"And very clever at that- In fact, you still win." Steve motioned to the board. Blane studied the set, and then nodded.

"Ah, I see."

"Now, I believe that if I got you to agree to the chess set, that the vampires would add a small Hall for such recreations..?"

Blane grunted, and then nodded. "Allows for the injured vampires to learn more about their opponents, and keeps the strain off of most."

"Yes." Steve gave a small smile. "Did you know that I used to dream about this? A world where we had the chance to get along, and in here, we more or less do."

Blane grinned. "Quite reminiscing and get ready. I only agreed to a game and considering the addition if you would go five rounds with me."

Steve grinned back.

"Luck to you, Games Master."

Seba Nile swooped over and barked out "Where's Kurda? He was supposed to go straight to his coffin to sleep."

Noticing the blank looks on the Vampaneze Lord and Games Master faces, Seba huffed and walked off, muttering about spry idiots who should listen to their betters.

"Wait!" Steve cried out. "You said that Kurda was back! You saw him?"

Seba paused, and turned around. "Yes, he staggered through a portal when I was out for a walk. He seems to be in fine shape, but this is the first time in a definitive twenty-five years that anyone has seen him."

"I'll help ask around. Blane, can we post-pone for now?"

"Ah-fine. But you will not have my backing until the five games are done."

"Deal."

With that, Steve rushed out of the Game Halls to run along the outside prairie, mapping the world in his head, calculating a Vampire of Kurda's standing, the terrain, distances, and his apparent…errr, let's say fatigue, Steve decided. Seba had not said that anything was wrong with Kurda.

Mountain ranges full of snow covered the north-west. Another range moved from North to south on the Eastern side. A river spilt the ranges apart, only connecting to the Northern one, though. The desert to the far North caused more worry than the river. There were four forests-two located near the southern sea, that easily wrapped back up to the Northern ranges, and two more located along the river.

There were also some cities. Or, close to cities. Vampires killed during the War of Scars brought back many tales of how the fighting could be commenced in the cities and towns, leading the Vampires to build some prototype settlings, first for amusement, and then for function.

Three cities were near the giant forest, in the south-west portion. One built behind the Far-East mountain ranges. The fifth was built at the Northern end of the same range. The last City was where many vampires wondered if they had gone mad, for it rested in the middle of the lake. Of moving water. Steve wondered if he just so happened to embody insanity. He loved to go diving into the black depths. An addiction.

Steve shook himself. At best, Kurda was at the nearest forest. At worst, he had collapsed somewhere between point A and point B, and Steve really was not in the mood to find out if there was a life after this one.

I guess that the whole Harkat Mulds theory was being smoothed over, which means that Kurda will no longer be happy to see my face around.

Steve reflected upon his time in the Lake of (LOST) Souls. His real battle had been over why had Darren lied to him. Nothing else mattered. Such a child, people called him. Such a child indeed, Steve scoffed. He knew his crimes. He could justify them in the face of his own scrutiny. He had his time coming, and he had served. He…..did not share this, but he had wanted to stay. He had wanted time to reflect and dwell. No one to interrupt him as he mulled over his past. Killing Shancus was inexcusable- because it was pointless. No- it had not been so, he had proved to Darren how alike they were- but brothers?

Now Steve turned his thoughts to how he had escaped the Lake. He had never felt sorry for himself. In fact, he had scorned those he had tripped in life. In fact, if he was them, this was what he would have done, and then he role-played out their lives.

But, they had not done so. And so Steve had questioned and prodded his memories. And then they came back. Warm sunny days. Comics spread over the bed. Sweaty, muddy, triumphant body beaming with grins through split lips. All the chores he did to buy Darren that new soccer ball……Why had he wanted to become a Vampire again?

O, no…

One word had tolled inside his head, as the church bells would in the city, then. Culprit. He was the source. And then Steve cried for his victims. Cried, and sobbed and wailed for far longer than he had stayed in the Lake. I know you won't forgive me…..but I want to set this right. The one thought has no sooner echoed through his being than the Lake had spat Steve out as a baby does with displeasing mush.

Steve woke up to find himself in Paradise before Darren. Which was funny. He was quite certain of the time that had passed-oh, well, that was a reflection for another day.

"Has anyone seen a masochistic blonde about my height with three scars on the left cheek? Seba swears that he saw him a while ago!"

Steve certainly had not lost his touch with influencing others through his speech, however.

Mika-ver-Leth certainly had a few choice words to say into his blood at the sight of Steve bounding through the Halls with his body as that of a young adult.

The more savory ones were swallowed with the arrival of the Vampaneze answer. "Negative, sir! We shall search, too!"

And then a two-hundred or so search party swept out. Steve slowed, then jogged down a side passage, yelling a "Thank you!" over his shoulder.

An eyebrow twitched on the Prince's face. The most ruthless killer, and the Vampaneze love him…Charna's guts. Steve even admitted to doing wrong, and the Vampaneze still would not turn on him. Most likely because Steve had left that note. 'I, Steve 'Leopard' Leonard, hereby declare that in my death, Gannen Varst is to become the next Vampaneze Lord.'

That note established the Vampaneze ruling body, which literally was a two person ruling.

"Then the note carried on to explain everything, and why Gannen should be the undisputed leader. Yes, there were those to rock the boat, but with Evanna, everything worked out."

Mika glowered at Crepsley.

"Arra and Gavner wish to speak to you."

"Very well, I shall join them presently. But Mika, please agree with Darren on this if nothing else- the boy certainly knows how to do a funeral pyre."

Crepsley left, striding purposely back to the Hall Steve had left from. He hoped Gavner had found a lead on the next stash of aspirin, given that Steve had recklessly gone off on the hunt for Kurda….

In the early morning hours.

Soon to be covered by an irritating, non-lethal sun.

With no guards.

"Infernal brat!" Crepsley exploded, dashing into the Hall to recruit Arra and Gavner, then head off after the well-meaning, atoning, and stupid Vampaneze Lord.

OI! I am many things, Mr. C, but crazy and stupid do not apply.

The entire Hall fell silent.

Sweet! Guess what Kurda found, everyone?

Numbness swept through the Vampires.

Now the Vampaneze have a Stone of Blood! Except, this one has to work through yours for a while. Hope you don't 'mind' the intrusion.

Crepsley groaned. Steve and his puns!

A/N: Whoah! Nearly six pages! A personal best. Now, the time paradox with Steve will be explained, and there may be a cameo appearance of the Space-Time Witch (snicker doodles to you if you know who that is, sugar-cookies if you don't like peanut butter), and I am comfortable doing this, given what Des Tiny does as a profession. No, this will not be moved to the cross-over section, a few lines and no direct use of names don't warrant that.