Sailing for Rebirth (solo)

[matthewkuch]

Gavner stared pensively from the loft of the southeast tower. The Ixian Castle had 5 main towers, 4 of which were at the corners of the perimeter and the fifth, which was the tallest of all, in the center of the castle. With each edifice at least thirteen stories high, they were some of the most strategic lookout places- or secretive areas, as access could easily be blocked off.

Gavner and Mavrik took the ship's passenger to the seclusion of the southeast tower where he was held in a room while they asked Jensen what to do with him.

Looking out over the scenic landscape, Gavner sighed as Mavrik's words repeated in his ears. It's all a matter of who you want to be- a human, or a vampire.

The creature of the night had never really thought of the nature of vamprism. He knew so many things about his vampire species, and the limits of his body, but when thinking of such things and performing incredible feats of strength, there was a certain distance from what he actually was. Despite his having been a vampire for nearly twenty years now, Gavner still saw himself as a human with vampire abilities rather than a true vampire.

"Gavner, are you out here?" Mavrik's voice came from inside the tower.

"Yes, I am in the loft," Gavner replied. Mavrik gracefully hoisted himself up onto the beam and sat next to Gavner all in one graceful motion before joining his friend in looking out over the landscape. The two supernatural creatures waited for a time, neither saying anything. Time seemed to be no real entity, as so many things were on his mind.

"I have missed the point," Gavner said.

"What do you mean?" Mavrik Replied.

"Mavrik," he asked, "What do you see yourself as?" His friend stared back blankly.

"I'm not sure what you are asking."

"Do you see yourself as a vampire?"

Suddenly, a gleam of understanding entered Mavrik's face, and he looked sympathetically upon the younger creature of the night. Mavrik could still remember when the same thoughts that were plaguing Gavner had ravaged his own mind. Some vampires handled losing their humanity worse than others.

"Well, Gavner, that is what I am," Mavrik replied gently. His friend remained silent. “Are you okay?”

Gavner continued to stare into the distance. “I do not know. I just- I still see myself as a human. I do not want to see myself as anything other than that.”

Mavrik studied his friend empathetically. He studied Gavner’s young, teenage features that would remain that way for what seemed a perpetual time. In comparison with his own matured features, Gavner was a mere infant; additionally, even in terms of age, there was over one hundred years of gap between the two vampires.

“I suppose we all cling to a bit of humanity, as children of the night. It’s how we are who we are,” Mavrik said. “Without being even a little bit human, we couldn’t understand exactly what it is to be vampric.”

Gavner lifted his gaze to look directly at his friend.

“We wouldn’t appreciate it.” Mavrik said, looking into Gavner’s glowing red irises. “Which is something you’ll come to understand, eventually. Gavner, we are creatures who live to see centuries upon centuries. You, you and your thirty-eight years, haven’t even begun to scratch the surface.”

Gavner gasped on the inside as he thought of his best friend. Black Shadow was a human who wouldn’t live to see more than a century. What would happen when he was gone? Gavner looked down at his hands. This was unlike him. Vampire generals were not supposed to be vulnerable to others. The creature of the night never opened up to anybody other than his closest friends. He looked at Mavrik once more, but a new light was cast upon his companion.

“Let’s get down to the interrogation room, Jensen wanted you.”

[matthewkuch]

“For the last time, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Gavner and Mavrik were in a cold stone chamber with the man they had caught fleeing the Ixian Castle. All was dark and musty save for the single oil lantern overhead. The man was seated in a chair at a small wooden table. Mavrik was standing in front of the only door that lead to and from the room.

“Listen,” Gavner said as he placed his hands on the table and pressed a fingernail against the oak. “This does not have to be difficult, but I assure you this will be a lot harder than it has to if you do not cooperate.”

After his conversation with his friend in the loft, Gavner had to snap out of his conflicted state and return to reality. A job had to be done, and he had no choice other than to follow orders. When he reached the conference room of the tower, it was to Gavner’s disdain that he had missed Jensen. The wetwork team leader was a very busy man, seemingly in all places at once, but he was never around when Gavner was present. June, on the other hand, was happy to fill Gavner in. Apparently there had been a massive catastrophe that Jensen didn’t have time to explain.

“He said you’ll find out soon enough,” June stated, “Then he said to have you interrogate that guy and find out everything he knows about something called the ‘Orgulus.’ Whatever that is. Then he rushed off in a hurry. He left mumbling something about checking the refugees for spies.”

Gavner went to the interrogation room in which the man was waiting, and ran though the standard interrogation procedure. He questioned the man about his knowledge of the Ixian Knights. He then poked and prodded, trying to find out whether he knew anything about the secret affairs in Radasanth. Finally he conceded that the man may not be a spy.

Gavner’s sharp black nail sank into the table as if the wood was butter. He slowly drew towards him his finger and a long curly shaving came out. The vampire general noticed the man’s quickened breathing and microscopic beads of sweat that were forming on his forehead.

“This is your last chance,” Gavner said, “Is there anything else that you should tell us?” He could hear the man’s very heart start to race. “Maybe about the Orgulus?”

The man’s eyes widened and he gasped. “So that is what you’re talking about?”

Gavner leaned in closer toward the man.

“If that’s what you want, then fine, I will tell you all you want to know!” The man cried, “Please, let’s just talk about it like civilized people.”

Gavner looked scornfully at the man. Of course he was making this claim because he was being interrogated, but Gavner really didn’t see a problem toning it down to a conversation, so long as the man was willing to talk.

“You will tell us all you know?” Gavner asked.

“Oh,” The man said less frantically, “Every bit. I just have a few terms to ask you about.”

A wave of disgust washed over Gavner. This man wanted something from them. Of course, now that the man knew he had knowledge that Gavner wanted, he would obviously want to start negotiating deals. The creature of the night threw a look over at Mavrik, who shrugged his shoulders. This was Gavner’s jurisdiction and domain.

I suppose it will not hurt to merely hear him out, Gavner thought.

[matthewkuch]

Note: this thread is not unresolved. Please do not archive