Okay! Here is chapter eleven, folks! I do hope everyone is enjoying the story.

Edits are done as of 07/30/2021

Chapter Eleven: Back to Sanctuary

Many of the Ward Gates around the city that had been previously left inactive, or supposedly incomplete, were now up and running. The light from the gates bathed the city streets in a sickly green hue. Because of that, it took me far longer to get back to the Blue Lady than I'd hoped. Several times I found myself waiting for areas to clear of guards before I could continue on. Each time I was forced to pass through a Gate, I had to find a safe place for my Gift to recover.

It was exhausting.

I found myself cursing violently at one point when a wave of dizziness hit me, and I stumbled against a wall, causing Nikolai to let out a pained grunt. Had to force myself to shut up when two Human merchants started to look around wildly, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. Still, one more good thing to know about my Gift, right? The more drained I was, the less my ability blocked sound. I had to wonder if the same would prove true for my scent if I was injured.

Nikolai passed out at some point during the long trek, but since I could still hear his heartbeat loud and clear, I was able to avoid panicking outright. I actually liked the kid.

I wasn't entirely certain what kind of a reaction I would get from Kain or Vorador once I returned with the injured Human. A 'who the hell cares' attitude wouldn't have been that unexpected. They might Turn him, perhaps, but see him tended to? To them, at least based on what I knew from the story, the Vampiric race was the superior race. In Vorador's words, and later in Eldar Kain's as well, humans were nothing but 'cattle' to be fed upon. Sheep to be tended like a Shepard might tend his flock.

That kind of... entitled mindset might make it difficult to get aid. Or it might not. I knew of several Human Cabal members. Individuals who had been vouched for by other Vampires in the Cabal. They had to increase the Vampiric ranks somehow. If I needed to, I would try to vouch for Nikolai. He had just helped me, proving his value and worth as an ally at the very least.

Nikolai shifted a bit in my arms, his feet beginning to move with me as he regained consciousness. Good, even I was starting to get tired after carrying him for so long. He stayed silent for several steps before suddenly trying to move out of my grasp to walk on his own. An annoyed hiss escaped me. Not only had he almost knocked me over in the process, but he nearly slipped from my grip too. I helped him to steady himself, keeping a firm hold on his arm. We were in a darkened alleyway, and a look around showed that we were in the clear, for the moment at least.

I dropped my Gift. Despite being close to the Blue Lady, I knew I was running near to empty. I needed to conserve at least some of my energy. Nikolai shook his head and pulled away to lean against the wall. His hand brushed over the shaft of the arrow, and he let out a weak laugh. He flashed me a faint smile when he noticed my worried look.

"Do not worry about me," he said, his voice weak and thready. "It's all right. I'll be alright. T-the arrow missed my heart. Go on, I can get it out... by myself. I've dealt with worse wounds while out h-hunting boar."

"Are you crazy?" I hissed, looking around again to make sure no one was around. I was on edge, my wings all but vibrating with agitation. I glanced back at Nikolai. "If a thief doesn't run across you, another, unfriendly or hungry, Vampire might. Especially if they catch wind of your blood scent. You would be easy prey for either right now!"

Not to mention that I highly doubted that 'he'd dealt with worse' comment of his. But I'd never dealt with boars before. Regardless, he smiled in another poor attempt to reassure me. Honestly, why was he pretending? He could barely stand, even using the wall as a brace. Seeing my disbelief, he laughed and reached behind himself awkwardly.

"Ah... simple," he muttered to himself, his eyes glazing over a bit. "Arrow went... all the way... through... Just need to..."

Nikolai braced his shoulder against the wall, and I moved to his side, trying to see what the hell he was going to do. He wrapped one hand around the shaft at the base of the arrowhead, awkward as hell, but he still managed it. Grunting in pain, Nikolai kept his breathing shallow and controlled as he grabbed hold of the fletching with his other hand to keep the arrow steady. A sharp snap filled the air as he broke off the head of the arrow. I winced at the sound, wings twitching nervously.

"Ah... shouldn't we...?" I began worriedly. He waved his hand at me.

"I... got it..." he said as he started to ease the rest of the arrow shaft from his body.

Another hiss of sympathy escaped me, wings and hands twitching with a desire to do something to help. Sadly, I didn't know much in the way of tending such wounds. I was afraid I would make things worse. He held up the arrow shaft and smiled.

"See...? Easy..." he said weakly, letting it fall to the ground.

His breathing had gotten really rough. I leaned closer, trying to listen for that tell-tale whistle-like noise that came with a pierced lung. Nothing. Oh, thank goodness. I examined the wound closely. There was quite a bit of blood, but it wasn't gushing out either. Okay, that was good. Right?

I let out a sigh and shook my head, partly in relief, partly in exasperation. I took his arm in my hand and had him lean against me. He didn't complain. Not that I expected him to. He was sweating and pale, likely in a shit-ton of pain despite his efforts to conceal it otherwise. I looked at his face, noting that his eyes were all but glazed over. Shit. Glancing around, I noticed an old building with a rusted sign hanging from it. The sign had a stylized 'R' carved into it. I'd learned that the marking in question was for wagon shops. This one must have been abandoned a while ago. A wary glance around the area showed no one around, so I slipped us into the building, hoping this would be a good a place as any for him to rest.

"At least you'll be safer in here for the time being," I said as I tried to make him comfortable on the old bits of hay and tattered blankets in the dilapidated stable. "Better than just laying out in the street, at least."

"Thank you," he answered with a groan of pain. "And don't worry about me. I will be fine... you're the o-one in the most d-danger. If you stay here worrying about me, then the Sarafan will catch you."

"You're not wrong," I said with a sigh, running my fingers through my hair. "My Gift wasn't going to last much longer, covering the both of us, that is. Look... I'm going to go and try to get help. It may take some time. They may want my report first, so keep your head down and stay put."

"Right... go... please..." he muttered, panting weakly. "G-get yourself to safety and make your r-report. That's the i-important thing here..."

"You... you are a fool, you know that?" I said softly, looking away from his wounded form. "Following me, trying to watch out for me. Especially when I was on a scouting mission. I'm not human like you are. I can survive quite a bit more than you can."

An idiot but a good kid nevertheless. Especially given the fact that he'd just taken an arrow for me. He was the first person in a long time, Human or Vampire, that I wanted to have the chance to call 'friend.' And after so long a time, I'd like the chance to have an ally, and actual friend, at my side. Even though Kain and Vorador had fallen into the 'potential allies' category when I'd first awoken, I was still wary. Not to mention the fact that I had no idea how to label the odd relationship I now had with Kain.

"I know that," he said with a small sigh. "I still... wanted to make sure you returned safely. I was... worried."

"Stay hidden," I said firmly as I started for the door. "I will try to send someone quickly..."

I paused at the door and glanced at him over my shoulder. I wondered if I reminded him of anyone that he'd lost to the Sarafan. It made a certain amount of sense. I stood there a moment in contemplative silence before I shook my head and checked the area to make sure it was clear. Best not to poke at that potential wound.

With the coast clear, I pulled my weakened Gift around me and ducked out of the building. My current location put me close to the Blue Lady. To Sanctuary. Much as I might want to stay and see if I could tend to Nikolai myself, I knew very little in the way of properly treating injuries. What self-care I knew how to do was just that, self-care. But I wasn't going to be able to use my Gift for much longer without rest. I was already exhausted as it was.

And not only that, but Nikolai was right. I needed to make my report to Kain. Beyond that, I needed to feed and then rest. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long to talk to Kain and Vorador. I'd at least be physically able to function for a good while longer, given the extreme situations I'd been put through that had built my endurance, but with exhaustion came reduced mental capacity. A proper scout needed to maintain their mental acumen as best as possible.

As I neared the Blue Lady and the empty streets around it, I glanced around to make sure no one was around. Cost clear, I released my concentration on my Gift. Immediate relief filled me when the draw on my fading reserves stopped. I made my way into the building and down the hidden set of stairs as quickly as I could. Part of me wanted to stop by the 'kitchens' for a vial of blood. The rest of me pushed on, looking for Kain and Vorador when I couldn't find them in the 'War Room.'

Kain had wanted me to report to him immediately upon my return. I wasn't about knowingly do anything to earn his ire. Not when I wanted to make a good impression. When I wanted to show my thanks for the aid that both he and Vorador had provided me. Neither of them had needed to help me, after all. Hells, Kain could have easily left me where he'd found me, to either die or be captured. Vorador could have turned me out on my ass as soon as I had recovered my strength.

Instead, they took me in. Helped me heal. Provided a safe place for me to stay. Kain had even left his Mark upon me, a sign of protection and more, from what he'd told me. Though he had yet to elaborate on the 'more' aspect of the Mark.

Eventually, I found them in another of the many large storage rooms spaced throughout the underground. This one had been modified into a library of sorts. And the pair were also arguing. Again. I wasn't sure what it was about seeing them trying to verbally flay each other alive, but I found myself fighting to contain a sudden, tired giggle as I stepped into the room.

They fight like an old married couple, I thought to myself.

Kain and Vorador broke off their argument and turned to look at me expectantly as I entered the room. My wings twitched uneasily against my shoulders. I was not well pleased with myself, mainly because I had almost been caught. That the young Lordling had somehow known that I was there had left me decidedly shaken. Even now, I couldn't figure out how he'd managed it. Vorador spoke up, waving his hand in a gesture that was equally welcoming and beckoning.

"You've returned," he said with a faint smile. "Well then, have you learned anything of note regarding this new enemy of ours?"

Kain shook his head, rolling his eyes and baring his fangs briefly at the Eldar.

"I... was able to observe the new 'Sarafan Lord,'" I said quickly, trying to keep the two from bickering again. I shrugged, wings twitching. "His physical appearance seems to be that of a young man around sixteen or seventeen years old. Despite his youth, the Sarafan Warriors look to be following him readily and obediently. It... was a little strange at how obedient they were, actually."

Kain raised a brow at me and moved to sit in the chair he'd been standing next to. He waved his hand at me in a small motion for me to continue. I took a small breath, trying to quell the nervousness flooding my system. Now that the adrenaline rush was fading from my system, I felt a bit... shocky and out of sorts. It didn't help that my wings kept twitching, expressing my unease with uncontrolled, unconscious movements. I grabbed onto the edge of one wing, pinching it to quell the small vibrations running through it.

It didn't help much.

"I had a chance to listen in on one of his speeches to the Sarafan," I continued with a frown. "I... I believe that their willingness to follow him might have to do with the energy I felt coming from him as he spoke. It was similar, in a way, to a Vampire's Aura. But wrong at the same time. It filled the surrounding area, and... it was as if he were somehow enthralling them. Like he was forcing them to listen to him. To obey. It felt almost... oily. Cloying. Honestly, he doesn't look like much. Just a scraggly teen that... has a weird aura of power about him."

Vorador tapped his talons lightly against his chin, looking deep in thought. Kain continued to look at me, seeming to know that I had more to report, and yet he didn't signal for me to continue. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, letting out a thoughtful hum. Kain unsheathed the Reaver, moving it to rest across his legs. He idly tapped the skull hilt with his claws.

"It would seem," he began slowly, "as though this child has a mage behind him or is a mage himself. He may even be using an artifact that enhances his own powers."

Vorador nodded his head in agreement, which surprised me. What memories I had regarding the stories Nosgoth told me that it was rare for these two to fully agree on anything. Their near-constant arguing since my arrival had done nothing to disprove that belief.

Vorador nodded his head at Kain's words. He seemed to actually agree with Kain for once, much to my surprise. What memories I had regarding the stories Nosgoth told me that it was rare for these two to fully agree on anything. Their near-constant arguing since my arrival had done nothing to disprove that belief. The green-skinned Eldar turned to look at Kain, and his yellow, cat-like eyes narrowed.

"Yes, it could be that, or perhaps this new Sarafan Lord is, as has happened before, of another race entirely. One that ages slowly," Vorador said. The tone of the Eldar's voice made it clear that he was still mostly lost in thought. He turned back to me. "Were you close enough to tell if he was a Vampire playing at being Human? A whelp trying to grab for power and hiding his nature? If he, then that may explain a few things, especially this apparent 'Charm-like' ability."

Kain looked like he did not entirely agree with the Eldar but kept his opinion to himself. He instead nodded his head at me in a nearly imperceptive motion. A sign to continue. I nodded in turn and was about to continue when something struck me. I could actually answer Vorador's question. I had been around enough Vampires back at Auron's. The Vampires here had the same 'sense' to them. It had made it easy for me to tell if someone was Human or Vampire, and the ability was useful too. More than once, Auron had left a Human-looking Vampire near me to 'befriend' me.

Necessity dictated that I learn the difference to avoid being used.

"No, he in no way appeared to be a Vampire," I said to Vorador, "and even if he was a fledgling, I believe I would have been able to tell. I can pretty much 'see' a vampire's Aura."

At that point, I reached up and rubbed at my neck under my right ear. I kept the motion casual, but Kain still caught the intent behind the gesture. He raised a brow at me, and a flash of amusement filled those gold-blue eyes. Good. He knew that I could 'see' the Mark that he'd left. I let my hand fall to the side and let out a frustrated noise.

"It was odd, though..."

I frowned and shook my head. I could feel the beginnings of a headache pounding at the back of my skull. Part of me wanted to start pacing. The rest of me wanted to avoid having them track my movements so. I didn't precisely enjoy being stared at. To add to my growing nervousness, I felt like I had somehow forgotten something. Something that I needed to remember.

What the hell am I forgetting? I thought to myself with a frown.

My head began to hurt. It was as if the memory was right there, just out of reach. The boy had... an object in his possession, hadn't he? Or was it just the weird magic and his eyes? I pinched at the bridge of my nose, getting so lost in thought that when Kain spoke, I jumped.

"You are certain that this boy is truly the new leader? Was he wearing anything gaudy or ornate?" Kain asked with a grin that showed fang. A derisive chuckle escaped him, and he leaned to the side, resting his elbow on the arm of the chair, placing his chin in his hand. "Humans like to make themselves seem more important with fancy and often overly colorful garbs. Indeed, even the Dark Gift cannot take that desire away from some of them."

Kain's eyes turned to land on Vorador's form, making the target obvious. Kain's sneer widened, and his hand tightened around the hilt of the Reaver. My eyes widened as Vorador's gaze flash solid white in response to Kain's not-so-veiled insult. I stepped forward, not exactly getting between them but close enough to put their combined attention back on me. I did not want to be stuck in the middle of a full-out fight between these two. Vorador and Kain both had Aura's that fairly sand with power. They were just waiting for a chance to go at each other.

"He wasn't wearing anything that I could call 'gaudy,'" I said quickly before frowning. That... wasn't quite right. Was it? "He wore what I recognize now as a set of high-tier mage robes, but what stood out the most was... was..."

Pain flashed in my head, and I rubbed at my brow. Why were my thoughts getting so... so scrambled when I tried to focus on what the Lordling had been wearing? Apparently, I had fallen silent quiet for too long a time.

"Out with it!" Kain snapped abruptly.

I jumped again and just barely managed to keep myself from letting out a small yip of noise. I shivered as I looked up at the two full-blooded Vampires in front of me. Both of them looked annoyed. Thankfully, my thoughts seemed to stabilize as I remembered something.

"What stood out the most was his eyes. I think they were supposed to be a natural blue, but they were glowing, kind of like your eyes did," I nodded my head briefly at Vorador before looking back at Kain, "except that they glowed black, not white. It felt wrong just looking at them."

"Is that all you have to report?" Kain asked curtly, eyes narrowing on me.

"No... I," the headache was getting worse the more I tried to focus on what the Lordling was wearing. Maybe if I went over the rest of what happened. Ugh. The embarrassing part of things... "I followed the Lordling, keeping out of sight. He hadn't had a guard with him, so I thought to either learn more or... maybe get lucky enough to dispatch him."

Kain's other brow rose, and I blushed faintly under that look. Yes. I was well aware that I had been overly cocky, thank you. I shrugged and tugged again at the edge of my wing in an effort to still the nervous twitching. Stupid things gave away my emotions too easily.

"I tracked him to what I assume were his quarters," I continued, keeping my tone level. "And made a mental map. I can draw it up later. But there was a barrier on the door, something far strong than the Ward Gates and invisible to the naked eye. I doubt even a Human could have passed through it."

"Good to know," Vorador said with a thoughtful hum. "I'll ready some charcoal and parchment for you to use later."

"Thanks," I responded with a faint smile. "As for the Lordling himself, it... My Gift makes it where people can't see me, but it was as if he knew roughly where I was. And I kept to the shadows, so I know it wasn't that."

The last was said in a rush as Kain looked ready to lay in on me. He let out a small huff, a faint smirk quirking his lips upwards. He nodded for me to continue.

"The entire time I was in his presence, he never seemed to take his eyes off of the general area I was in," I said with a sigh. "And I moved at least once to test if he could track me."

Kain frowned and glanced at Vorador, who returned the inscrutable look. He then leaned back in his seat, seemingly getting lost in thought. His frown deepened. He muttered to himself, though it was loud enough for us to hear.

"It seems more and more like this boy is a strong mage or at least has an artifact of some power to assist him," he said after a few moments of tense silence. "I doubt this young Lordling is truly that strong, however. No matter one's natural talents as a Human, he would not be able to affect so many so quickly. No, I doubt he is the only one at work here."

Vorador's ears twitched, and I looked down at to the side, trying to bite back a fit of inappropriate laughter. Shit. I really needed rest and food. And soon. I looked back up only after having taken a few deep and steadying breaths.

"Do you think it is the Hylden again?" Vorador asked, worry in his voice.

I frowned at the Eldar. Kain stiffened and scowled at him as well. The tension was thick in the air between the two and was steadily getting thicker.

Please don't fight, please don't fight, I kept thinking to myself.

"I doubt it," I said before Kain could comment. "From what I've heard, Kain sealed that enemy away."

"Precisely," Kain growled. "Or are you saying that you were wrong about their routes to Nosgoth being cut off?"

"Whelp..." Vorador started.

"Wait... That's not all that happened!" I let out a faint sound of annoyance, wings twitching and flaring slightly. I rubbed at my head and let out a growl. "He said something. 'The one whose wings are stained with blood.' He didn't just seem to know that someone was there, but that I was there. I... perhaps he knows how I got here. Or was the cause of it...?"

Kain tilted his head at me, looking me over. He shook his head a moment later. My wings twitched again, and I rubbed at the back of my neck. Kain waved his right hand at me while the other remained on the hilt of the Reaver. He leaned forward, letting the blade shift down so that it rested against the side of his leg.

"You were not brought here by him," he said firmly, hand tightening around the hilt of the Reaver. "The manner in which I found you proves that. His dogs would not have been trying so readily to kill you had he wanted you here. They would have been working to capture you instead. Though, I do not doubt that he may have something powerful spying for him."

"True enough," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "But that still doesn't tell us exactly what the new Sarafan Lord is. Again, he appears Human, but the energy coming from him... I wouldn't say it was Vampiric either. Do you... should I find a way to observe him further once things calm down at the Keep?"

"No," Kain said with a fanged grin, standing and shaking his head. "I believe that you have learned all that you are capable of learning... for now."

That grin all but screamed that he had a plan that he intended to set into motion. He moved over to my side and then behind me. I started to turn to follow him, and his hand fell upon my wing, where it lay resting on my shoulder. I tensed and started to look back at him, only to freeze. An instinct flash of something pushed at the back of my mind. Something that screamed 'Alpha' and 'do not challenge.' I swallowed roughly and glanced at Vorador out of the corner of my eye.

The other male's expression was inscrutable. He continued to remain silent even as Kain's hand shifted and claws played over the side of my neck. I wondered what was going through his head but couldn't find the strength to speak past the pulse in my throat and ask. It took me a moment to realize that what I was feeling was his Aura flowing around me in testing waves, which did nothing to help the growing headache. I grimaced but made no sound or move.

"You have not met all the forces that live in Nosgoth, Little One," Kain said, turning me around so that I was facing him directly. "How could you possibly know if this boy, who is playing at being a Lord, could be otherworldly or not? For example, you've not met a werewolf as of yet, now have you? Perhaps the boy is one of them, and they are vying for power."

"I... have not met one," I said slowly, letting him tilt my chin up and meeting his piercing gaze. I relaxed as the pressure of his Aura faded. "I understand your meaning..."

"Good," he said with a thoughtful hum.

I still felt nervous, but the only parts of me that showed that unease were my wings. The limbs twitched against my shoulders, and Kain ran one claw through the down-like feathers in an idle gesture. A soft, wary hiss of noise escaped my lips. Though I'd not been here long, he'd learned quickly just how tetchy I got when someone got near my wings. But Kain had taken to outright ignoring my warnings as if he was trying to force me to get used to someone touching my wings.

I got the intent behind his actions, but seriously, it put me on edge more than anything else.

Kain smirked a look of dark satisfaction in his eyes and then moved away from me. Despite no longer having his gaze holding mine, I could still see that intense gaze in my mind's eye. I shivered. There had been something Kain's penetrating look that had promised... danger. It was true that I wanted to prove that I could help them, could return the favor, but... something about that look had me on edge. Vorador drew me from my thoughts by moving to a nearby table where another handful of maps had been spread out. I moved over to him and saw that the maps were duplicates of the ones in the War Room.

"We know that the Sarafan have outposts in these locations," Vorador said, "and we also know that this young Lord makes personal checks upon them regularly."

Each camp in question had been marked with a small scratch of a quill. Kain reached out and dipped the tip of one claw into the nearby inkwell, marking off a few more locations. Vorador frowned in annoyance, and for a moment, I could have sworn there was a hint of embarrassment in his eyes. Kain examined the map, his scowl growing deeper by the moment. The two of them glanced at each other, likely sharing some silent conversation over the Whisper.

"All of this information is useless to you, Little One," Kain said abruptly, turning to look at me with another dark smile. "Not only that, but as Vorador has been stressing so very much lately, you are a half-blood. Go. Feed and rest."

"Ah, Kain?" I began, and he paused in turning away from me and back to the maps. I swallowed roughly. "I... would ask something? The Human, Nikolai? He was injured helping me get back. Took an arrow for me. I left him hidden in an abandoned wagon shop a few blocks away. My Gift wasn't going to hold for very much longer. Would you be willing to send someone to fetch him and tend his wounds?"

Kain hummed, leaning against the table and shifting the Reaver so that it was resting comfortably against his leg. He looked down at the maps for a few moments before looking at me over his shoulder.

"Perhaps," he said, his voice filled with an almost cruel hint of amusement. "Rest, and we will speak more at a later time. Now... go."

Not willing to poke the tiger further, so to speak, I nodded and quickly left the room to go get something to eat.

Thank you again, everyone, for reading and reviewing. Do let me know if you spot any spelling errors or are enjoying the updated work. :)