Flower of Avernus
Part 3: Winter
A/N: Sorry this one took a while, but we're back and HOLY DICKS THERE'S A REVIEW?
raziel1: AAAAAAAAA YOU ARE SO SWEET GRAZIE X3 I didn't think anyone would like this, to be honest. I'm glad at least one person does. ^_^ Sorry about Mikail though.
In any case, we're almost at the end. Next chapter will be the last part of Flower of Avernus. I'll be posting some art from this fic up on my DeviantART later (since I have a feeling that the tumblr community might bite my head off if I post it there), but for now, I hope you enjoy this next chapter! :D
With whatever was left of her family dead, Elspeth was trying her hardest to not fall apart. She had already sent a letter to the Bishop of Avernus to tell him the bad news, and feared what the reactions of her people would be. Now with her father and brother dead, all means of possibly seizing control of Avernus was now no more than a fleeting dream. She would not forsake her family's seat of power, but at the same time, she had no husband, no heirs. What chance did she have, given that her father's titles would more than likely go to Azimuth, should the small court decide- or perhaps the King would send a noble family from Willendorf, or even Coorhagen instead who would allow her to live with them until a suitable husband was found? All of it seemed hopeless.
Raziel's companionship became a welcome comfort as the winter chill set in across Nosgoth- especially when he made the decision to take Elspeth with him and a group of Sarafan soldiers to Uschtenheim to confront the demon accused of killing her brother. The letter said that Lord Mikail's body had been left in a horrendous state, gored and hardly recognisable save for his armour that marked him as a nobleman. Of course, there were some reservations about Raziel's decision to bring Elspeth along, but having decided she at least owed it to her brother to see this ended, she made no objection. Eventually, the soldiers had reached Uschtenheim. The town was small, quiet, and almost idyllic- it was peaceful, for the most part, dotted with taverns where they sold the finest ales in all the land with a cheery golden light illuminating the windows, and their vendors sold top quality carpentry and fabrics. As they rode through the town, Elspeth could smell the food from the taverns, the bread from the bakeries, and was, for a moment, reminded of the market square in Avernus. It was a sad thought to know she would more than likely not get to see it ever again, given her current situation. They continued up the mountain pass until they came to the Sarafan outpost, where they were greeted by other soldiers. Elspeth dismounted and kept her cloak wrapped around her to guard against the winter chill as Raziel guided her towards the rest of the group to address them.
"Brothers, I wish I had come bearing better news. This young woman is Lady Elspeth of Avernus- her brother, Lord Mikail, was murdered here in the mountains some days ago." He set a hand on the small of Elspeth's back, offering some support. "Some months prior, her father was brutally murdered. Now she suffers this loss as well- at the hands of our hated enemy, Janos Audron!" The name roused a chorus of hateful curses and jeering from the soldiers. Elspeth kept a mask of firm indifference in the face of these men, if only that she could remain calm and not shy away from them.
The name, Janos Audron, was infamous throughout Nosgoth. He was the most ancient of the vampire race, depicted as a great, terrible beast whose cruelty and brutality was matched only by his bloodlust. It was said that he sired the vampire Vorador, who lived in the Termogent Forest and often stole away hunters and pretty maidens lost in the woods to keep them captive and alive, if only to nourish himself or to satisfy his own perversity, or so the legends said. Elspeth was never one to take legend at face value, but she was never in a hurry to see if they were true, so when Raziel took her and a band of soldiers along with Inquisitor Turel and Warrior High Priest Melchiah to see the vampire lord's lair, it was no wonder she felt uneasy, yet somewhat curious as they walked through the snow.
They arrived at a frozen lake at the base of a mountain peak, and for a moment, Elspeth blanched at the sight of the vampire corpses impaled upon pikes that were embedded in the ground around the lake- no doubt they were put there to intimidate or frighten the vampire, but the sight was horrific, none the less. Elspeth had always been taught that one should treat their enemies with respect, even their most hated ones, but in a world like this where vampires were thought of as no more than animals, there was very little chance of the sentiment being extended towards them. Above them was a balcony, held up by two pillars and a huge, beautifully stone-carved figure of a winged being with its arms and wings extended and its face transfixed in an expression of solemnity. Even from so far below, Elspeth could see the finely-detailed archway over the balcony and the great care taken in the carving of the balustrade- whoever was responsible for this, vampire or otherwise, they must have been a great artisan- and a brave one at that!- to have carved all of this out of the face of the mountain itself. This, she supposed, was the lair of Janos Audron, and her uneasiness returned as she noticed the soldiers drawing their weapons or readying their bows and arrows.
The group waited, all eyes trained upon the darkened archway, and it was some time before Elspeth spied a stirring in the shadows above, and a winged figure stepped out onto the balcony. However, while the soldiers bristled, Elspeth could only stare up curiously at the figure on the balcony- she did not see a monster, not the beast she had seen in the books she'd read and the murals she'd seen, but an almost ethereal being that seemed to have the reverence of a priest- was this really Janos Audron? Dark feathered wings rustled as the vampire looked back at her, regarding her with mutual curiosity. Elspeth felt tempted to speak, until she felt Raziel's hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts as she looked to him.
"I know he is not what you expected," He warned her, "But do not be fooled- he is a demon, my Lady, and a demon thrives upon deceit."
Elspeth nodded slowly, and turned her head to look back at the vampire, but she only caught sight of those black wings before he disappeared into the shadows above.
Sitting in her tent that night, Elspeth's mind ran with questions. The creature she saw was most definitely not the hideous, bloodthirsty, fire-spitting monster in the other illustrations she'd seen- so what was she to make of this sudden truth? Doubt had taken root in her mind- there was no possible way that Janos Audron could have killed her bother. He had seemed disinterested in the soldiers when she'd arrived with them, and though he seemed curious about her presence, he didn't seem to care much. The soldiers said that there was no possible way for them to get into the vampire's lair from below, so he obviously did not regard them as a threat in any way- by that evidence alone she could tell that Audron would have no interest in her brother or his men at all. However, the fact still stood that he had killed people- and this fact also brought doubt. If the bodies had all been found in so horrific a state, why was there so much blood? The creature seemed unarmed, how could he have managed to cause such carnage?
These thoughts were insistent, and Elspeth simply could not sleep. She wanted answers. So, taking a dagger and a lantern from beside the cot and wrapping her cloak around herself, Elspeth slipped out into the cold night. She carefully approached the horses and untied Gypsy from the post, looking around to make sure she was not being followed or in any danger of being caught, then mounted and set off up the path, holding the lantern out to light the way. The wind was not too strong, and it had snowed earlier over dinner, so Gypsy's hooves were not too loud against the dirt road. Elspeth had spied a few snowflakes starting to fall, so she hoped their tracks would be covered by the time they'd returned. She knew this was foolish, that this could surely spell her doom and that she should have asked Raziel to come with her, but he had returned from his watch wearier than he allowed his men to believe, she hardly knew Melchiah, and she was definitely not about to ask Turel.
They arrived near the vampire's lair, and Elspeth dismounted. The cold air chilled her through her thick cloak, but as she drew the dagger, it only seemed to tighten her grip around the hilt as she approached the edge of the lake at the foot of the vampire lord's lair. A gust of icy wind blew back her hood, setting loose her long hair and Elspeth brought up the arm holding the lantern to shield her eyes from the snow. When it settled, she peered up into the darkness above, trying to look for some sign of Janos Audron, and for a moment considered commanding that he show himself, but she knew it would alert the soldiers in the camp nearby. After a while, Elspeth was starting to think that the vampire wasn't going to show anytime soon and had started to consider turning back, when a voice broke through the silence of that cold winter's night.
"Do you not feel the cold, child?"
Elspeth whirled around with a sharp gasp, and found the winged vampire lord standing before her, still ethereally beautiful with the aura of a holy man around him that did not fit so despicable a creature. He was tall, his skin an odd shade of blue, his hair dark and streaked with grey, his eyes the colour of the late-afternoon sun, and around his neck hung a necklace in the shape of an ouroboros- a snake devouring its own tail. So, her eyes had not played a trick on her- this was certainly no beast, but wolves do so love to play as angels. Adjusting her grip on the dagger concealed by her cloak, Elspeth squared her shoulders and steeled herself as she spoke.
"I've some questions for you, vampire," She said sternly, trying not to let her voice falter as she looked into those golden eyes that regarded her as curiously as they had before. "My brother, Lord Mikail, died here in these mountains, and I have been lead to believe that you, Janos Audron, are his murderer."
This seemed to confuse the vampire, who tilted his head to the side questioningly. "What is your name?" He asked slowly.
"I am Lady Elspeth of Avernus, daughter of the late Lord Grigori." The weight of the dagger in Elspeth's hand was more noticeable now that she was face-to-face with the vampire lord, and she adjusted her grip out of nervousness. "My brother and his escort detail were riding through the mountain pass from Willendorf when they were attacked and brutally cut down by some sort of monster. And so I ask you plainly- are you my brother's murderer?"
Janos seemed to take the accusation with little offense, either because of the Sarafan presence desensitizing him to the curses they threw at him or because he saw her as no threat. "No, I did not kill your brother. However, I have seen a creature more terrifying than anything I have ever encountered in my lifetime that only recently began to roam the mountains." The vampire lord gestured with a cloven hand to the trail beyond. "I thought I heard the sounds of battle some distance away perhaps some days ago now. I heard a voice mention a 'Lord Mikail', but I saw nothing of the massacre. All I saw of the creature was the sword still lodged in its back."
Whether or not Elspeth believed him seemed to be irrelevant- he gave no tell that he was lying, and Elspeth's own instinct told her he was telling the truth. Mikail would have at least injured Janos if he was indeed the one who attacked him- he always was a skilled warrior. However, that was not evidence enough. "How can I be sure that you speak honestly?" She asked. "Have you any proof?"
Janos nodded slowly, though not in affirmation. "Yes, I suppose you would find no reason to trust me so openly," He mused, "Considering you came here accompanied by the Sarafan."
"And yet I came here alone," Elspeth reasoned. "I wanted to be sure that you really are my brother's murderer before the Sarafan come to kill you."
"That you would spare an old man's innocence before his death says much about you." Janos smiled and chuckled, shaking his head. "It is more than what most would think I deserve."
"You are only doing what you must to survive; I would not think it is anyone's place to persecute you or your kind for existing." Elspeth's grip on the dagger loosened and the stern expression she'd held when she came had faltered. Yes, the vampire did look old- old and so full of sadness hidden behind those eyes and the smile he gave.
Janos seemed touched by those words, and inclined his head in thanks. He folded his hands behind his back. "It is late- come tomorrow night, I will have evidence for you then."
Late that next night, as Raziel had returned from his watch and had gone to sit with the other soldiers, Elspeth slipped out once more with lantern and dagger in hand. However, when she reached the tying post where the other horses were tied up, Gypsy wasn't there, and the tell-tale hoofprints in the snow were evidence enough- either a squire had not tied her securely enough or she had slipped loose, and she had gone up the path alone. Panic overtook Elspeth- there was no time for her to ask for help. Taking a quick look around to make sure she was not being followed, she hurried up the path, thankful that some of the soldiers had cleared away the snow from the storm earlier that day. The wind was starting to pick up again, snowflakes flying straight into her eyes made them sting uncontrollably, but still Elspeth pressed on up the path, hoping that Gypsy had not gone far- perhaps Janos had found her and everything would be alright, but a distant, panicked whinny told her otherwise. Coming to the foot of the peak, Elspeth came upon a scene that stopped her heart cold. A huge, horned beast stood over once was her beloved Gypsy, the snow stained with her blood as the beast made a meal of what was left of the poor horse. Elspeth was too terrified to scream, but her trembling caused her to drop her lantern, which fell with a clatter to the ground. The beast's attention was suddenly shifted, and it turned its glowing red eyes on her. The beast had dark violet skin and teeth like spears that dripped blood as it looked at her hungrily and growled in anticipation of its next kill. Protruding from its back was a familiar blade- Mikail's sword! Elspeth's stomach dropped. This beast had killed Mikail, one of the most formidable swordsmen in Avernus- what hope did she have now?
The beast lunged at her, and Elspeth threw herself out of its path, though she was unable to avoid its claws as they tore open a gash in her side. She gave a pained scream, and her heart hammered in her chest as she collapsed in the snow, clutching the wound in an attempt to stem the bleeding. She could hear the crunch of snow underneath the beast's feet as it approached, making an almost triumphant sound somewhere between a growl and a laugh. It raised its claw to deliver the killing blow, when there came the sound of metal through flesh, and the creature roared in agony. Near blinded by pain and weakened by cold, Elspeth struggled to look upon her rescuer, but saw very little of the battle before it ended- with Mikail's sword driven through the beast's head.
Suddenly, she was being lifted up, and she could only just make out her rescuer's voice before something was pressed to her lips and she was being ordered to drink. Delirious from blood loss, Elspeth obeyed, and no sooner had she started to drink was her mouth filled with a metallic taste as something warm slipped down her throat. The more she drank, the less faint she felt, and eventually when the blood was taken away, she was light-headed and still exhausted, but conscious again. The pain in her side had lessened, and she could faintly feel the wound closing itself- just what had she been forced to drink?
"What…what happened?" She asked, unsure of who she was asking.
"You were attacked," Came a familiar voice. "By a creature dragged from the demon dimension." Elspeth looked up in shock at her rescuer- Janos Audron was holding her up in a sitting position, his white robes stained with the blood of the creature who attacked her, but his focus was on the monster that lay dead not far away from them. "It is worse than I feared- Guardians turning on their own for the sake of power…"
Distantly, Elspeth could hear the shouts of the Sarafan soldiers coming up the path- her scream must have alerted them, but the wind was still strong. Janos appeared to have heard them, too, as he set her gently back on the ground and spread his wings. Elspeth called out to him weakly before he took off, and she only saw one of the vampire lord's black feathers settle into her hand before she lost consciousness again.
When next she woke, Elspeth was met with the sight of Warrior High Priest Melchiah standing over her, working his holy magicks on her wound. She blinked at him wearily, though no words passed between them until he noticed she was awake. "Lady Elspeth," He said. "We were beginning to lose hope."
"What's happened?" Elspeth asked weakly, her words slurred from exhaustion.
"It was our hope that you could tell us." Melchiah took his hands away and helped her to sit up. "Inquisitor Raziel has been worried. After he learns of last night's events, he is sending you back to the fortress for recovery."
Elspeth wanted to smack herself square in the forehead- of course Raziel would want to hear about this. He was more than likely furious with her for being so stupid, running off to risk her life to save a horse. "Tell me, Lord Melchiah- is the High Inquisitor angry with me?"
There were footsteps outside the tent, and Melchiah sighed. "We'll soon find out."
Raziel stormed in with Turel not far behind him, and Elspeth could only avert her eyes under his gaze. He looked livid, the scowl on his lips more than evident of his anger. "Leave us," Raziel barked sharply to his comrades, and no sooner had they left had Elspeth started to try and explain herself.
"Gypsy got loose somehow, I couldn't just leave her out there, I had no idea-!"
"Enough!" The sudden outburst sharply cut off Elspeth's frantic excuses. "Your lack of judgement almost cost you your life! Are you really so desperate to join your father and brother in death that you would wander off into those mountains alone?!" Elspeth had to look away for a moment, her eyes filling with tears as she recalled the previous night's events. She had almost died facing the monster that had taken her family's lives, and with the look Raziel was giving her, she couldn't bear to tell the tale. Raziel made no move to comfort her, perhaps because they were not in a place where it was safe to do so, perhaps because he was too angry to think of doing so. "You will be leaving for the stronghold by daybreak," He told her sternly. "Word has come from Lord Mobius- we will be here longer than I expected. Rest- you're going to need it." He left without another word, and Elspeth could do little else but hide her face in her hands and burst into tears.