Blood's Wake

[Fez_The_Kid]

Dusk had crept in like a cloak; a crescent moon appeared, slicing its way between clouds like a god's scimitar. Other than the few waning torches supported by wooden posts, there was scant light to illuminate Tanmere's boggy roads and alleyways. The sky overhead was lit by its first stars alongside the moon, but on the ground darkness commanded all.

Nonetheless, the hunters managed to discern shapes of scurrying figures retiring to their gloomy homes. A ghost town was nothing short of this trivial hamlet, but settlers were abound. Except they're a tad shy, Anubis thought. No harm done to us anyway, so can't complain. All we want is that house. That's where the truth should unfold.

They strode down the hamlet's main avenue, the boggy ground squelching beneath their feet. It had been pouring heavily the past few days, a rainfall which seemed to have fortunately let up in time with their advent.

Unease was the first thing to grip the Salvarian's spine as he fixed his gaze on the house. Monsters rarely frightened him, an expected attribute with his his being a tracker--and slayer--of even the wildest kinds. But here he knew, something, something else, was underway. And it was associated with Gareth.

Or so he would like to tell himself.

Merka occasionally paused to survey his surroundings with an expressionless gaze. Although the elf was not immune to emotions, he was well trained in hiding them. Perhaps the elf had not noticed the house, Anubis considered, and was still yet to show the worry settle in his features. Regardless, Merka did not so much as much smile as he glanced over at Anubis' sweat-gleamed face. But he was too experienced, at least in human years, to not spot the eerie aura Anubis felt spewing from the peasant house.

They halted as they reached the main door. Merka studied the two grubby windows flanking it, then returned to settle his gaze on the entrance. Blood had stained the woodwork, congealed, its tinge turned dark with time. A few weeks old, at least. The frame was crazed with cracks, a jagged fissure yawning at its top. The depression's raw edges led to a pitch-black gloom within.

Anubis knit his brows in silence as Merka made to open the door.

"Wait."

The elf retrieved his hand, glanced at Anubis. "What?"

The Salvarian drew a shallow breath, then sighed. "Nothing," he muttered, slightly shaking his head, partly to himself. Merka studied him for a moment longer, then turned and nudged the door open. Hinges squeaked.

They crossed the threshold.

The two paces that showed in the moonlight was all they could see, for beyond that the gloom had settled in well. Anubis saw Merka raise a palm, then laid a hand on the elf's shoulder. "That will be unnecessary," the Salvarian said, turned, then walked outside and out of view.

The elf shrugged as he stood in wait. He squinted as he let his eyes adjust to the gloom. Something dangled close to the wall directly ahead, but neither length nor material could he discern, though its faint rattle suggested metal. He swung his gaze to the left, then to the right. It seemed that vacancy was all that awaited Anubis' return, but Merka's nose led him to believe otherwise. Blood, at least as old as the one on the frame, was a strong undercurrent in the damp air.

Anubis stepped inside, scattering from his direction the stark, guttering light of a torch. Guided by the new light source, the elf edged forward, then halted a pace before the main wall. Anubis frowned, eyes on the hanging, blood-stained chain before them. A hand's span was all that remained between its dangling end and the dust-caked floorboards.

"Torture," Anubis said bluntly.

Merka's concurrence was a mere grunt.

The Salvarian half-turned and approached the left wall, then froze. Merka's suspicions were confirmed: A blotch of blood had been sprayed on the wall, nearly an arm span wide and a little less than that high. A heartbeat was all it took them to realize this one was older than the other wounds. Anubis narrowed his gaze on something further to the left, made to approach--

A snoring sound wheezed behind them.

Swords hissed in their sheaths as they both faced the hidden fountainhead. Merka edged forward.

A bead of sweat licked at Anubis' brow as the sound burgeoned, growing clearer with foot covered.

Hugging itself with its back against the wall, a figure lay wrapped in deerskin. A breath of ice literally swept on him as he discerned a tremble in its thin frame. Anubis glanced over at Merka, who shrugged. Then he cursed under his breath and, setting down the torch, cautiously approached. Anubis hesitated, then reached out with his hand.

A screech sounded as a girl's head jerked from under the hide, scrambling in her cover beyond Anubis and scurrying for an escape between Merka's moccasins. The elf bent over and intercepted the motion, clutched the youth by her collar as she squirmed in his grasp. She turned, shoving and punching his thigh. The elf grunted.

"Leave me be!" she squealed.

"Aren't you a wild one!"

Anubis approached, having retrieved his torch. "We won't hurt you," he said, letting his heart subside. "Where are your parents?" he asked.

The girl's efforts faltered as dangled from Merka's grasp. The elf pulled her upright, her head no higher than the elf's waistline. "Answer the question, lass," he said softly.

Most of her featues were sheathed in her overlong, raven hair, but what showed of her face was ghastly and cadaverous. She took note of the elf beside her, then returned her gaze on the ground. "They're dead."

Anubis felt a sting.

"Who killed them?" Merka asked.

The girl was motionless, eerily so, her feet bare over the floorboards. "The monster did it."

"The monster?"

"Yes."

"Can you describe it to us?"

"No."

Anubis's brow furrowed. Then he managed, "Why?"

"Didn't see it," she whispered. "Don't want to."

"Has anyone?" Merka crouched beside the girl, a hand resting gently on one small shoulder. "We want to make the monster pay, but we can only do that if you help us."

The girl seemed to fight tears back, then, "It was midnight, afore sunset. Da told me his brother was paying a visit, that I had to hide in the cabin in the wood 'cause he doesn't like me."

Merka glanced at Anubis, whose armor clanked in a shrug. "Your father told you that?"

She nodded. "He took me, a little bit to the west, deep into the wood. Then he hid me in the cabin." Her face then twisted, in dismay and disbelief. "I was afeared the wolves would find me… He--he left me… Da left me..."

"They didn't, didn't they?" Anubis said in an attempt to reassure her, clearly to no avail. "You're safe now."

There was a long pause, then Merka asked, "What is your uncle's name?"

"Da calls him Gareth."

Merka's jaw bunched. The girl spoke again.

"Da said that he would come back and take me come sunset. It time came and he never showed. I were worried something might have happened…" she broke into sobs, barely managed to utter anything more, but, "Found my way home and saw this." She drew a shallow breath. Merka wiped off the tear that slipped down her gaunt cheek with his thumb. A moment later her face buried into the elf's massive shoulder.

"That's enough," he whispered. "Do you have any relatives close to here?" Merka saw her shake her head, then effortlessly rose with her in his arm. The action was done with so much care that Anubis had to force his gaze away.

"What's your name, lass?"

"Jodis."

"Alright, Jodis. I'll take you someplace safe." Merka studied his friend's robust frame. "Anubis," he called.

The Salvarian nodded after a brief pause, heard as his friend's footfall diminished. He silently studied the blood-etched symbols he had just noticed. A moment later Anubis' stomach sank as the cloak of realization wrapped him in its foul threads.

[Fez_The_Kid]

As he sat hunched over, Anubis gazed at the dust-casked floorboards, his eyes widened in disbelief. An hour had passed since Merka had had left, who now appeared at the doorway, his huge frame silhouetted by the moonlight. The elf seemed to pick up on the fact that something was wrong, and also seemed not terribly willing to know it. Regardless, Anubis decided to spare him the ambiguity and be blunt.

"That bastard Hither…" he said, considering, "he's right." The Salvarian sensed Merka's expression twist in a frown, then into uncertainty. Anubis cocked his head to determine the accuracy of his guesses, and indeed, the elf seemed rather dubious. Then he sighed and broke his gaze.

"Gareth is the monster."

Only the howling wind broke the long silence that ensued. Walls moaned under the pressure, but the house held. The elf approached, walking into a single lantern light, for Anubis had thrown out the torch.

"How?" Merka questioned.

Anubis knew well that his friend was not asking about the means of a man's transformation--curses were far from uncommon--but about how the Salvarian had come to such a conclusion. Anubis simply gestured to his left, where the heavy veil of darkness sat, waiting to unfold. Merka swung down to pick the lantern as he strode toward the wall, to the same spot where they had found Jodis. He paused, then a moment later, "These are Elven."

Anubis thought to speak his reaffirmation. Finding it unnecessary, he settled on the alternative.

Merka was silent for a while before he spoke again. "You think the monster wrote this?"

"Gareth, you mean."

"Whatever," Merka scoffed. "How does this explain anything?"

"The etching translates exactly into 'retribution,' right? Besides, even more problematic is that he's Jodis' uncle. This can't be a coincidence. Does none of this signify anything to you?" Anubis questioned, a hint of doubt edging his voice.

Merka returned to stand before his friend, shrugging. "We still have no evidence. We'll need solid, tangible proof before we go make any impetuous decisions. True, her father's disappearance right after Gareth's visit raises suspicions, but chances are it may be as coincidental as it is not. We'll search this place come the morning when we can see in this damned gloom..." Merka heaved a sigh. "May as well come up with something useful for a change."

"If you say so, my friend," Anubis muttered. "If you say so…"

Jodis had been left in one of the neighboring households' care, much to their disapproval. Merka, however, found threats inexorably efficient on peasants. But he had to have relocate her after they were done; these settlers were arguably a worse option for the girl than the monster, as it seemed that when not under the elf's eye they would give her to the wolves without hesitation. If it ever came to that, he ensured they would realize the magnitude of their blunder soon afterward. The girl had been promised safety, and keeping that promise was all that mattered in the near future.

Anubis awoke to the morning's frigid breath and the expiry of their single lantern. The eastern horizon paled, an elusive sun still lurking somewhere behind the treeline. The dusk's final moments were nearing as the firmament shifted into a lighter tint. Still reclining on his cot, Anubis scanned the lone, empty room.

Merka was nowhere to be seen. Probably out hunting, he considered.

Then started to a knocking sound. Twisting over, the hunter glared in time to see a pannel punched open from the floor. A trapdoor.

Someone was climbing out from below, and it was massive.

Anubis quietly reached for his silver sword, tilting his grip.

Before Merka's figure appeared, scrambling out from behind the lid. Anubis heaved a sighed, shoukders sagging. With his red-rimmed gaze he eyed the parchment in the elf's hand.

Merka swung his gaze to Anubis. "Spirits take me. Hither--no, you--were right. Jodis' father knew something was different about Gareth," he said, gesturing to the paper in his grasp. "It seems that our rescuee is a vampire."

The Salvarian pulled himself upright, rolled his shoulders. "How'd you know?"

"Here," Merka handed him the parchment, which revealed itself to be a letter. "Read."

Anubis' frown deepened as he read the content. He cocked his head after. "He's a vampire alright, and it seems he's a 'brother' to Jodis' father for all the wrong reasons."

"Yes. They're not exactly brothers, but it seemed the man called him his brother in front of Jodis. Not that she ever met him, but Gareth's visits were plenty, looks like. Gareth came here often for one thing: blood. Seems like the man hid Jodis on each visit, didn't wish her any harm. Something badly different happened during the last visit." Merka grit his teeth. "I think Gareth found out about her, but couldn't get the information out of the father. So he either killed him and sucked him dry, or took him along to wherever his den is and the man is still alive--which my gut tells me is not too far from here…"

There was a long silence. "And?" Anubis asked, slightly stunned. "What do you suggest we do?"

"What do you mean 'what do you suggest we do?'" Merka furrowed a brow, his gaze boring into Salvarian. "We hunt him down, of course."

Anubis studied the elf for a moment. "Agnes won't be pleased to hear her son was killed by her own hired trackers. Talk about the irony..." he muttered. "And if we return to her empty-handed we'll have went through all this crap for nothing. Nothing. You said it to her yourself: 'We'll find Gareth.'"

Merka scowled. "We did not know we would be searching for a… monster…" The elf faltered.

Anubis blinked. "What's wrong?"

He stared for a moment, then, "I think Agnes knows."

"Knows what?"

"That Gareth is a vampire."

"Well, we don't have solid, tangible proof, do we?" Anubis sneered.

"Hence the word 'think.' But this… this is different. Why do you think Agnes agreed to hire us?"

Anubis shrugged. "Maybe because we're different. I don't know, there doesn't seem to be that many other hired trackers, alone monster hunters, around."

"Precisely… and what do monster hunters do?"

"... hunt monsters," Anubis said dryly.

"She thought that by hiring us we would bring him back instead, somehow. It must be a curse, she can't have had him since he was a babe if it wasn't. Anubis, she wants us to undo the curse."

"Well, that could work, barring the condition that our vampire decides we smell tasty--which is probably what's going to happen, mind, and one of us is going to count worms. And I'm not sure he'll be too eager to get these newly found powers taken away from him… In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw it more as a blessing."

"We'll try and converse with him then," Merka said, "perhaps make a deal."

"A deal? With a vampire?" Anubis questioned, raising a brow. "Color me intrigued. What kind of deal?"

"We'll ask him not to kill anyone again," the elf muttered. "In turn, we don't take his head."

"That could work," Anubis said, his tone considerate, "or, like I said, it could go very badly. So, there's no taking him to the baroness, is there?"

"Probably not. Remember our last time with a higher vampire?"

"Yeah, how could I forget…" Anubis sighed as silence rode the air. Then a short while later he spoke again. "What's down there, by the way?" he asked, gestured toward the open trapdoor.

Merka shrugged. "A study, a hearth, and other letters reading the same. All irrelevant, of course. It seems, however, that Jodis' father has some kin ties back in Salvar. We should drop her there on our way back."

Anubis pinched his lips together. "Agreed. Wise father she got."

"What do you mean?"

"This wasn't the first time Gareth and Sorry's father met. It seemed to have been an ongoing deal, a bargain of some sort. Gareth took him, yeah, but the man may as well still be breathing like you said. Regardless, I think the only reason he wrote these letters was that he hoped someone might come upon them. Save his daughter, at least."

Merka crossed his arms, two fingers kneading his long chin. "Well, can't say you're wrong."

The Salvarian faced the sun-kissed doorway. "Now, the question is where does Gareth hide." He glanced back at the elf. "Any ideas?"

"We could lure him out," he said, then considered, "but that would be too dangerous. We'll have to ask around, find some clues."

"Makes sense, since according to this letter, Jodis' father always hid her in the west. Which makes me ask, think she knew about all this, about these letters?"

"I'd be surprised if she even knew about an underground level. But that matters not; remember Anubis, we don't plan on killing Gareth just yet. Nevertheless, it won't hurt if we brew some vampire oil. Something tells me he won't be as hesitant to kill us."

Anubis bit his lower lip. "Yeah, but before that, I have an idea, and I'm guessing you won't like it."

Merka caught on quickly what Anubis meant. "No."

"Alright," Anubis shrugged.

They went on to preparations; the Salvarian stoked the burning embers of a newly set campfire, boiling a small glass vial which he he'd filled from his leather-wrapped waterskin. Merka had set out to the woods in search of ingredients.

The Salvarian knit his brows, face brushed by hot tendrils of steam billowing from the water. Who are we kidding, Merka. We both know we have no other option than putting down that vampire for good. A curse doesn't justify his actions. And besides, we're not sure how we would revert him. We know the instructions, sure, but we never tried it on someone before--let alone a vampire. He'll kill more people if we just leave him, even if he initially agreed to not to. We won't be there to save people; we can only do so much in fact.

As for Agnes' disappointment, we'll survive.

Somehow.

[Fez_The_Kid]

Spruce trees rose a half-dozen arm-spans into as the hunters rode in their shade, motionless astride their roan geldings and traveling through the wood's depths. The sky was cloudless overhead, a cerulean blue universe that spread its reach beyond what the eye could see. There was no wind to stir their mount's dangling mane, no wind to keep the humid air going. Merka had picked up on a trail, of a man-- a man-shaped monster. They reckoned it would lead them to Gareth's abode. Random footprint trails of men this deep in the forest were rare.

Perhaps it might have been a hunter traveling to his cabin, Anubis thought, eyes on the pattern, but whoever it was, he was in a hurry. And their reckoning, it seemed, was precise; a wide cavern mouth yawned at the base of a hillside ahead, a dozen paces wide and almost as high. A treeline eerily swayed at the top.

Merka sat stiff in his saddle, both gauntleted hands gripping the saddlehorn. Probably excited. Like I am, hands have been twitching the entire ride here. The entrance seemed like a gaping mouth of some behemoth, and they were marching square down its gullet.

Both reined in, pausing a few paces before the huge entrance. "Well, I suppose we're here," Merka said soberly. He dismounted, looping the reins over the saddlehorn. Anubis watched the elf walk up the bush-strewn slope that lead into the cavern. Merka paused at the gloom's very edge, then eyed his friend over one shoulder. "Coming with?"

Anubis' grin was wry. "No, I'll just stay here and listen as you get mangled into pieces."

Merka studied Anubis for a moment, then faced the entrance again. "Hilarious."

Anubis swung down from his saddle and followed suit. Darkness then swallowed him whole. "You know, I think now's the time to use your magic," he said.

Merka said nothing, raised a hand. A spark of light shimmered, then a heartbeat later a gourd-sized orb the color of limestone hovered a thumb above Merka's extended palm; it scattered its white rays to show no more than a dozen paces in circumference. Anubis stepped forward, guided by the spectral light.

Blue-colored petals rose in clustered sprouts that interspersed the path, their sweet scent a weak undercurrent beneath the heavy stench of blood. Which Anubis had smelled but a few minutes past--which was behindhand from him, for the scent was strong enough to be sensed before even entering the cave. Anubis turned and spared the elf a glance, who, from his expression, seemed to have also caught the stench.

They were close.

"If we do run into him--actually, if we run into anything or anyone--let me do the talking, please," Merka whispered as Anubis turned and faced forward again.

Who had no time to react, no time for thought itself, as the cavern's end appeared in a dim, glowing torchlight. The tunnel they had just walked could hold three men abreast, but the chamber, its corners crowded with tapering stalagmites. The stench's source, an overlong blood trail, started from where the tunnel met the chamber.

Anubis' gaze followed its wet pattern closely, scowling as an ice-cold grip clutched his spine as he realized the blood was fresh--mere minutes ago, in fact. It went on for some paces, then ended abruptly, climbed up the jagged precipice of a small, orange-hued stone formation which resembled a rocky staircase.

Merka grunted.

Anubis' face was expressionless as his gaze fell on a hanging chain--exactly like the one in Jodis' house--its end attached to an iron collar that encompassed a man's neck. Similar strings were dug into the orange-hued bedrock to restrain him, both arms raised to the sides. The man, clad in bloodied rags, was unconscious, his body slumping on weak knees.

Iron racks were arrayed on either side of the chamber, tools of torture neatly ordered on rusty shelves. That's Jodis' father, has to be. He was tortured. By his own brother.

Merka's orb suddenly dissipated.

"Gareth is close."

Anubis bit back a flinch, not of fear, but of anxiety; he had longed to meet the very being they spent weeks traveling the lands for. And if the need ever arose, he would joyfully put the edge of his blade against its hideous face. It was only a matter of time.

[Fez_The_Kid]

The ex-Bladesinger stepped forward. Indeed, Anubis sensed the advent of a new presence, an aura of ancient blood coursing in mortal veins. Both hunters were nailed to the spot as a swath of black power rushed through the narrow space between them, disturbing Anubis' hair in its wake. The Salvarian cocked his head, his gaze on the black-robed figure standing beside Jodis' father.

"Greetings." The vampire's voice was like distant thunder in his ears. "I had thought that I would be having only one visitor. Alas, it seems my dear spies have not been as competent as one would prefer. Notwithstanding, I am much pleased for having you today, my dear guests."

Feeling's shared, you bastard. Anubis tore back the urge to speak out his thoughts, conformed to Merka's request. There was a threshold to that, however, and the Salvarian sensed it was not terribly far.

Merka's voice and statement both were dry. "I believe you are Gareth."

Who tilted his head, then a moment later released a soft laugh. "Aye, that is what dearest mother calls me."

The elf's eyes narrowed. "You've a different name?"

The vampire's expression suddenly turned sober. "My true moniker, I'd like to call it. The other one is but an alias, used only when I'm involved in… human matters."

"What is your name, then?"

"I am Meqaq Niall Predor zo Aramastus Lii." He offered a toothy grin, "Niall will suffice. I am actually much interested in hearing yours, as well."

The elf hesitated, then, "I am Merka Ralem," he said, then made to introduce Anubis but saw the Salvarian shake his head.

The vampire frowned. "Will your friend not introduce himself?"

Anubis sighed under his breath. "No."

"That is unfortunate." Niall stepped forward, the tip of his boots hovering off the edge of the cliff face. Fully clad in black, the vampire was like a man-shaped stretch of molten obsidian--a stark contradiction to his deathly pale face. Anubis could discern his overlong nails, which were then tucked away behind his palms.

Niall spoke. "You've had quite an escapade making your way here; crossing the border to tread across hostile lands, razing a stronghold in the mountains to the ground and killing a dozen dark elves. And you decide to help one abandoned child--" Anubis and Merka tensed--"and make her promises you likely will not--cannot--keep. Every moment you've spent for the last few days was spent risking your lives." The vampire tilted his head, his colorless eyes narrowing. "Why?"

Anubis raised a thin brow. "You don't know the answer?"

Bones rattled in a shrug. "Perhaps I do. What do you want?"

Anubis made to answer that, but then halted as Merka's hand landed heavily on his shoulder. Anubis turned and faced the elf, who jerked a nod, then swung his gaze back to the vampire. "An answer to both your questions, Niall: Your mother hired us to find you."

The vampire cocked his head knowingly, a frown folding his features. "Is that so? And here I believed you came as visitors, to enjoy my hospitality like dear brother Welby here," he muttered. His hand held up the man by his gray-stubbled chin.

"So he is your brother? He is--"

"Yes, he is." Anubis felt ice seeping down his spine. There was silence, then a moment later Niall continued, "The girl I just mentioned; she is my niece. As her uncle and--with the state of her father--rightful guardian, I am going to ask you once: Where is the girl?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Merka said, then raised his head and locked gazes with the vampire. "Niall, we do not have to do this. We can undo your curse, and we can get you back to normal. You needn't do anything but cooperate."

Niall was silent for a moment. "Interesting offer," he said, a tone of consideration edging his voice, "but I reject. We've gone off topic, don't you think..?" He grinned again, then his expression darkened. "I won't ask again."

Merka said nothing. Anubis was tempted to draw his sword, but settled with a fist clench.

The vampire released his grasp from his moaning brother, faced the two hunters. Then a heartbeat later he was standing on the ground level with them, his face plastered with a grin. "It is unfortunate that it had to come to this, dearest guests. It seems Welby will be the only person privileged to bask in my hospitality."

Merka stood motionless. "He'll be coming with us after we're done."

"For that, alas, I'm afraid I'll have to kill both of you."

The elf's voice bore no expression. "Indeed, rather unfortunate."

The vampire's laugh was chilling. "Isn't it, though?"

[Fez_The_Kid]

Niall's voice had acquired a deeper timber--a booming register no longer belonged that of a man's. The vampire hunched his back, raising his arms beside him like the pinions of a reeling phoenix. Overlong fingernails extended to claws in a sickening grate. His fierce visage twisted in a bestial grimace as a deep, guttural growl escaped his toothy maw.

Merka was motionless, squinting his eyes in acknowledgement.

Anubis scowled. A shea--a shape-shifting vampire sub-species.

The vampire clashed his claws, each the length of Anubis' forearm. A roar escaped the bunching figure in front them, loud enough to vibrate in their bones. Niall broke into a dash--and a heartbeat later he was among the hunters.

Claws skittered along the shaft of Dirge, clutching onto the thick edge as it strained, pushing back in resistance--Merka the driving force behind it. Unsheathed, the two-handed sword was like a glittering piece torn from darkness itself; still, the wielding hand was what mattered, and Merka simply could not overpower a monster.

Anubis well knew if he stood idly in the path of those claws he would easily get torn to shreds. The thought forced a cold wrench in his gut as he cursed and unsheathed his silver sword.

He stepped forward to intercept the impasse, sword swinging down. A jolt rippled through his arms as the edge bounced off the earth; Niall having vanished in a blur. Both swung their gaze at the repeated sound of clashing claws.

The Shea was standing in a similar pose, only this time he straightened into something resembling a man's demeanor. A score of paces spanned between them; Anubis estimated less than a heartbeat for Niall to cover that. He hissed between grit teeth, readied his weapon.

The man they had spoke to was slowly becoming a monster, metamorphosing into its true form--a non-pareil killer. "I am impressed," he said, his voice that of a beast's, the words thunderous as they left his semi-transformed chords. "Show me your spins and pirouettes--your... maneuvers," the vampire's features sharpened into what seemed like a grin, as he once again slid into his attacking pose. "I... want to watch."

Anubis' view of the vast cavern was virtually covered by fangs, claws flanking the hideous visage. He brought up his blade barely in time, the weapons again skittering along the shaft, then clutching onto the edge. Like Merka, Anubis was forced into a game of muscle--his knees bending under the vampire's awesome strength--a game that he was losing. Thus, helpless, the Salvarian sidestepped.

Niall found himself pushing into space, toppling forward as Anubis drove the claws away with the blade. With this new leverage, the Salvarian stamped his foot forward and swung his weapon across the vampire's chest.

Blood sprayed.

Niall staggered a few paces as power exploded to the left, raw tendrils of sorcery submerging him and forcing him to buckle. A chilling screech reverberated against the cavern wall.

Anubis swung his gaze to Merka, whose extended hand was sheathed in a swath of dark power. Suddenly, the vampire's struggle halted as he found himself at the end of Dirge's blade, the tip a hairbreadth off.

Sword in hand, Anubis strode forward--

"No!"

Then froze at the new voice behind them, a shout fraught with pain. Anubis saw the elf's eye wander past him and settle on the man Welby--Jodis' father. He spoke, each word for him a struggle. "Do not kill him--don't kill Gareth..."

The Salvarian knit his brows in a frown, then looked over at the man. "Why? This man--no, this monster--"

"Is my brother," Welby rasped. "The baroness, our mother... she will kill you if he dies…" He paused for breath, then said: "Agnes knows about the curse."

Anubis widened his eyes, twisted to face them again. Merka's face was plagued with dismay.

Niall vanished in a puff of power.

The elf flinched, frantically searched the vicinity as he turned at the spot. Anubis spotted the shea approach from behind, made to warn his friend, but alas, he had no time to even react. Claws breached metal, cloth, and flesh. Blood sprayed as the elf roared, reached for his back.

Merka was effortlessly lifted off the ground, the claws carrying him like a hook. Bestial eyes studied him for a moment as the vampire swung and hurled the weight in his hand into a nearby array of stalagmites. The body disappeared beneath the rubble and a billowing cloud of dust.

Anubis stood stock-still, disbelieving.

Niall turned and faced him. This was no man gazing at the Salvarian--only a blood-sucking monster. The shea's jaws parted as it spoke, rolling its shoulders in a grate of bones. "Your turn, wretch."

[Fez_The_Kid]

The hunters had underestimated him, and as the shea sought to achieve, they would pay dearly. The Salvarian stood sheathed in blood--both his own and Niall's. Unbending under the weight of the monster's gaze, Anubis held out his sword, watched as a spark streaked across the shaft then jumped in a surge of fire.

Flames burgeoned on the blade, but the silver did not so much as burn--instead it bore a suppressed inferno growing wilder with each heartbeat. They gushed upward, kindled by their wielder's rage, only to settle back down on the weapon, held in check as he controlled his temper; lest they explode in a blaze and devour him whole.

No, it's your turn, Anubis retorted in thought, you blood-sucking shit. He raised his head, eyed the vampire. "Does your brother speak true?"

Niall tilted his head. "I'll let you ask him that," he muttered, dropping his torso to stand on all fours, "in oblivion!"

Without warning, Anubis broke into a dash, his sword trailing a line of smokeless flames. Anubis, while fast for a man, knew the three heartbeats it would take him were virtually nothing next to a shea in that regard.

Niall remained motionless.

Anubis thought nothing of it as he reached the vampire. Who vanished, the flame-strewn sword merely swinging into the space the creature had just occupied. Anubis stepped back, once, twice, focused his senses on the vicinity. Niall moved too fast to be seen--or he exercised invisibility.

Like now.

The shea did not reappear, but Anubis well knew he was well in reach of those claws. "Where are you, Niall! Face me, coward, if you acknowledge your manhood!"

Anubis' gaze met Niall's as the vampire stood two paces before the Salvarian. He was on his feet, stood like a man, though looked nothing like it. A heartbeat passed before the shea attacked.

The hunter's foot shot up to match the onslaught, armored heel raised like a shield.

The vampire misstepped and met it face-first. Anubis felt the skull buckle about his foot.

The vampire retired a few steps as raw blood streamed from his disfigured nose. Anubis' blade came down like an executioner's axe, neatly separating the vampire's arm at the elbow. Blood gushed as steam billowed from stump--the sword's blade drove through the abdomen.

Anubis felt the entrails with the weapon, and twisted the hilt in a sickening tear of flesh.

Niall's eyes were wide with shock as he sagged around the shaft, barely paying attention to Anubis as he leaned in.

"Niall," the Salvarian whispered, his face smirking. With his blade, he led the drooping vampire to the floor. "Perish."

He dug the tip of his sword into the earth, blood heavily seeping through the wound, forming a puddle. A desperate look on his face, the vampire extended one of his hands, the pointy tips of his claws directly staring into Anubis' blood-cloaked face. One, thin brow raised.

Anubis heard a click.

Then lurched to one side as death scraped against his cheek, one claw punching straight through his shoulder. The impact sent him sliding half-backward, half-sideways, a blood smear stretching in a line where his body met the floor. The Salvarian settled, shifted his shoulder, then winced as he felt the claw's tip graze his bones.

He then glanced over to Niall.

And gasped in horror, his eye unwavering. Slightly reverted, the vampire was standing on his feet, staggering close, one hand holding his abdomen. The life was stripped away from his eyes.

Anubis had no strength, nothing left to muster in the face of this impending doom.

Niall halted.

Anubis raised his brows.

The vampire glared into space, his expression showing incongruous shock. A presence shifted behind him.

And a heartbeat later a blade came horizontally down, cutting through flesh, tendon, and bone--sent the head flying in a sluice of blood. The body's spasms ended in one final twitch, toppled to the ground in a meaty thud.

The Salavarian's heart hammered as he swung his gaze to an approaching figure, found himself staring into a familiar face with small, fierce eyes. His breathing slowed.

"Going to live?" Merka asked, slipping Dirge into its back-strapped sheath. He crouched down in a wince beside the Salvarian.

Anubis stared at his friend for a moment, then dropped his head back as he felt himself sinking into unconsciousness. He held, his eyes on the pointy ceiling above. Anubis sensed an odd, strange feeling that started the tears in his eyes.

The Salvarian laughed softly. "Yeah," he said, "I'll live."

[Fez_The_Kid]

Distant screeches filled the air. The rallying call of foul carrion-seeking beasts. War had ever been beneficial; a battle's bodily remnants were booty to these creatures, and death had ever attracted their kind like a moth to light. Decaying necropolises, after all, had always posed a promising feast.

The eastern horizon was brightening as sunlight punched through, scattering its rays as they chased after the retreating darkness. All that had remained of the dawn were the waning stars overhead. The night's reign was coming to an end.

Anubis winced as each shift of muscle beneath him sent a jolt of pain, the horse grunting at the occasional rein tug urging it to ease its motion. A deerfly alighted on the beast's ear, which it twitched each time it came into contact. The insect finally gave up, drifted to the side into the barren field of decay. Bodies had bloated in decomposition, hundreds of scores of swollen, rotting humps of flesh.

Graves had ever been a troubling sight. But not because they were death's calling card, no, for that was merely a veil to the unknown-- But because it what awaits us all. Dust. Everything expires at some point in its life. No-one can escape the inevitable. Anubis felt a chill cling to his spine, then mentally shook the thought off.

Only a few more leagues and we're done. Done.

He sighed. I need a break.

Lakewick appeared in the grassy plains to his left, the vague outline of the baroness' castle smothered in the morning fog.

Anubis paused at the sound of a cantering horse, then turned his horse to face the newcomer. He squinted his eyes as he made out out Merka's haunched figure atop his mount, and grinned.

The elf's horse slowed to a trot, and a few moments later he reined in, halting to stand next to the Salvarian.

"Took your time," Anubis grinned in his saddle. "Was wondering if you had finally succumbed to your wounds."

The ex-Bladesinger smirked. "Believe you me, I was wondering the same thing. But I pushed through, somehow. Seems it will need more than some negligible blood-sucker."

Anubis sniffed. "How're they healing?"

"They're healing fine," the elf shrugged, wincing.

Anubis furrowed a brow. "Merka."

"Spirits above, you're acting like my mother it's hurting my wounds. Let's get this over with. I'm already tired just from thinking about that crone."

Anubis grunted. "Yeah, no joke. I'm worried she might prove old man Welby was right. Shame he didn't make it." He stared into a space for a moment, then glanced at the elf. "Speaking of which, how's the girl doing?"

Merka sighed. "Don't worry about her, she's in safe hands now. Let's only focus on getting this contract done."

"You know, Ralem, there was no time before when I agreed as much as I do now." Anubis turned his horse, broke into a trot, alongside him the elf. "What will we do if she decides we're murderers?"

"He attacked us first--we were merely defending ourselves," Merka said firmly. "If they decide to confine us, don't persist, we'll only be making a mess, and have only more blood on our hands. And... I think we should tell her about the other son--if she even knew about him, that is."

"Yeah, makes you think. If she didn't mention that she had another son in Alerar…"

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Or, she didn't even know where he resided, that Gareth--rather, Niall--knew and paid him a visit. She may have wanted him in his grave, for all it's worth. I pity the man, to have been killed by his own brother. Oh, and by the way, I'll--"

"Be doing the talking?" Anubis asked, avoiding the elf's gaze.

Merka said nothing for a moment, then grinned, returning his gaze to the road. "Yes."

[Fez_The_Kid]

"Quite the adventure you've encountered, it seems," Agnes said, her voice expressionless.

The baroness turned as she noted they were covered in dressings. She stood, like the time past, gazing out of her window, arms brought behind her back. They stood in the same room, strangers then--and strangers now, the same scene replaying before their eyes. It seemed, from the dust buildup in the room, that the caretakers had grown neglectful.

An empty bourbon sat over her study, placed next to a red stain, a hairbreadth from dropping over the edge. The baroness had been drinking heavily. Anubis drew his breath, waited for Merka to respond. "Tell me, what do you need?"

Merka shifted in his boots. "Our contract is done," he said bluntly. "Pay up, Seabreath."

"The contract stated the retrieval of Gareth. In what form have you complied?" Agnes eyed them from behind one shoulder, the setting sun silhouetting her gaunt figure. A moment later she turned again and watched sundown. "Where is my son?"

"We had some… complications," Anubis muttered.

"Yes," Merka cut in, giving his friend a hostile glare, who shrugged. "Gareth refused to accompany us, and simply decided to stay."

"You're being ambiguous. I'll ask again," she said, her voice rising. "Where is Gareth? Why has he not returned?"

"He is far from here. It took us a full week to just locate him," the elf said, frowning. "As for the why, you should ask him that when you find him."

The baroness hissed. "My patience is running thin." She half-turned, her eyes overshadowed by a hard brow ridge. "I advise you not to test it."

Merka made to speak, but Anubis beat him to it. The elf's wit seemed to have been a concept lost on the elf, as if eluding him as his body focused on its recovery. Time I spoke, Merka. Give it a rest. "Gareth is in an Alerian village; Tranmere. A dozen leagues south from the Kachuck sierra. You'll find him there. In a cave."

"A… a cave?"

"Yes." Anubis hesitated, then continued. "Welby--" the woman's attention hit him like a hurricane-- "name ring a bell?"

Agnes studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Yes. He is also my son. What of him?"

"Tranmere is where Welby lived. I'm sorry to say, but your son has been murdered."

The baroness's expression was fraught with a plethora of emotions, as she fully turned to face them. She was clearly short of breath.

Anubis scowled. "We buried him in the cave."

"Cave..? What--" Agnes' eyes widened. "You… tell me--tell me everything--or you will never see the sun again, I promise you that."

"Careful with the threats," Anubis snarled, "you're in no position to make any. Trust me."

Agnes' rage seemed to dissolve in her face. She simply ignored his statement, edged forward. "Gareth--my son… is he dead?" Anubis said nothing, sighed under his breath. "Did you kill Gareth--my Gareth?"

Silence. Then, "Yes," Merka said. "He attacked us first, Agnes. Welby told us who--what he was. He did not even call himself that."

Anubis saw something behind the woman's amber eyes go to ruin, her expression frozen with shock.

The baroness murmured something faintly, till they both heard: "Murder..."

Merka blinked. "Agnes--"

"Murder!" she screamed. "Guards!" The door behind them was flung open. "Apprehend them!"

"Strombreath!" Merka shouted as heavy footfall approached, "listen to reason!"

"I will listen to your pleads of mercy in the gallows, you murderers! You killed my son!"

"He killed Welby! He attacked us first--we had no choice!" Anubis roared as hands closed on him. "He wanted us dead!"

"And I shall conform to his wish!" she hissed, eyed the guard directly behind Anubis, then gestured wildly with her hand.

Anubis buckled under a heavy thump of a hard object against the back of his head. He saw the same happen to Merka as the elf collapsed to the floor. They struggled to remain conscious, but darkness simply prevailed and engulfed them whole.

[Fez_The_Kid]

His confined hands invisible in the gloom, Anubis stepped into the dark chamber, heard the heavy metal door clang shut behind him. He allowed his eyes to adjust, then noted a single candle flame flutter atop a small tabletop.

A weathered face sat in the light of the flame, adorned with a greasy beard tinted orange. The stranger smirked knowingly, then a moment later gestured for the hunter to approach. He then pointed to the empty seat opposite to him. Anubis took it.

"Chance, Alderman of Zhanta," the man croaked. He extended a hand, offering it to the Salvarian.

Anubis felt the temptation to spit on it, but bit back the urge and did nothing.

"Ah, of course, you can't move your hands."

Wrong, smartass. "Where am I?" he questioned bluntly.

"The baroness sent you here, didn't she?"

"Didn't answer my question."

"Nor must I…" The man's face suddenly turned sober. "I am the one who is to ask questions, and you, as a prisoner, are obliged to answer them--clearly, and consicely. Am I understood?"

Anubis grit his teeth, said nothing.

"Good. Now, where was I. Oh, yes, Agnes of Lakewick has accused you of murder. But knowing her, I wanted to hear your version of the story beforehand." The man leaned back in his seat, fondled with his scruffy beard.

"Oh, you should have said so from the beginning," Anubis sneered, a smug smirk creeping onto his features. "You want to make friends with me."

The alderman paused, narrowed his eyes, then shrugged. "Sure, why not. Let's be 'friend,' then... Why did you kill her son?"

"I am a monster hunter," Anubis said, "I kill monsters for a living."

"I am aware of that," Chance said slowly.

"Her son was one of them - a shea."

"A what, now?"

"Vampire. Could take down ten of your men before they even realized it."

"I see… So she has sent you to find her son, and you--"

"Killed him," Anubis completed.

"Quite ironic." There was a short pause, then Chance continued, "Why didn't you tell her?"

"We did. And she had another son, that's where the first one went, anyway."

"Another son..." Chance muttered.

Anubis narrowed his eyes, asked. "Know him?"

The alderman blinked, then sighed. "Not personally, bo. Only 'bout a few decades ago, rumors were building up in Lakewick. Between a traveling merchant and a young, iron-fisted baroness - still new, she was--"

"Seabreath had an affair?" Both thin brows rose fractionally.

Chance grinned.

"As I was saying," Anubis drawled, shrugging the thought off, "Gareth--or I should say Niall--tortured and killed him. His own brother."

The bearded man's brow furrowed. "Niall?"

"Yes. Seems like he changed his name some time after he first transformed--"

"Transformed?" he questioned, a tinge of surprise in his voice. "So it's a curse, then."

"Well, well," Anubis said, surprised, "seems that we know our monsters." The alderman shrugged. "Yeah, it's a curse. And no, Niall didn't want it lifted. He wanted to hold on to his powers. Agnes needs to understand this."

Chance smiled. "She won't."

"What do you mean 'She won't?'" Anubis hissed. "That bloodsucker attacked us first…"

"I know, I know. Agnes… isn't exactly right in the head."

"What, you're going to tell me she's insane now?"

"That's precisely it. I ain't sure for how long, but it's definitely there. And with the war going on, Knife's Edge couldn't give two shits about some crazy 'baroness' of some countryside village. There's not much we can do about it, sadly. Sorry to say, kid, but you're stuck here." Chance's sigh was clearly counterfeit, when his face suddenly brightened. "Unless…" he murmured, staring the Salvarian dead in the eye.

Anubis narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What are you scheming now?"

Chance leaned back in his chair, folded his arms atop his paunch. His eyes glistened in the candlelight. "Tell me, Anubis, how do you find Lakewick and the surrounding countryside?"

"Horrible," Anubis said bluntly. "Why?

"Precisely. How was the state of the people? Awful, yes?"

Anubis nodded slowly.

"And, if I'm right, that place is undermanned--meaning there's not enough guards to protect those poor, oh poor villagers."

"Where are you going with this?" Anubis knit his brows.

The alderman bawled, one fist thumping the tabletop. "Gods, you're an idiot!" There was a pause, then the man glanced at the Salvarian's sulking face. "I want you to kill Agnes."

Anubis' skin prickled. He shook his head slowly. "No…"

"Yes--yes! You have no choice." Chance leaned in. "Either that, or face confinement for the rest of your miserable life. Do it for the better of the people under that bitch's rule. You'll be free afterward, I give you my word."

"I'm not an assassin, Chance. Hire someone else; hell, contact the Crimson Hand. They're everywhere."

"Fine, but how do you plan on getting out?"

Anubis opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again.

"Exactly," the alderman nodded. "Don't feel bad--even your elven friend agreed."

Anubis blinked. "What? Merka agreed?"

"Believe it or not, he is already waiting for you." Chance leaned forward, whispered, "You must do it. Go into her study when she's alone, and do the thing. No-one sees you, understood?"

Anubis glared into the man's aging face, disbelieving.

Chance continued, in a raspy voice, "And we never talked about this…" The alderman's expression darkened. "You ever wag your tongue, I'll find you and kill you."

The Salvarian furrowed his brows, said nothing. Blackmailing me, huh? Seabreath might be insane, but she doesn't deserve to be die--not like this--hell, you should be hanged for this... but like you just said, no-on's going to react. You want Lakewick, you'll get it; alongside all the crap its people hold dear. But know this, Chance: You'll pay. Sooner or later, you'll pay. I will be the one to find you when I'm done, and Merka will be right beside me. Just you wait, you bastard.

You and I are going to have fun.

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

Judgment

Story: 21

My initial feelings were that there was a bit of a lack of build up to Anubis and Merka enquiring about the Baroness’s son and as a result the initial outset of the plot felt jittery. However, what followed was a thoroughly enjoyable plot. I particularly enjoyed the crossing into Alerar, the intervening action in post seven (which really helped your pacing) and I loved the way the thread twisted from being a rescue mission to a manhunt. Towards the end your score for pacing really improved and I felt you finished on a particularly high note with that internal monologue. Good work.

As per my comments in technique, I was really impressed by the way you helped the reader to visualise the various settings that you selected for this story and I appreciated how your character reacted within the world you constructed (even small details like the snapping low branch in post seven made an impact on me), but, again, my biggest issue was that I sometimes felt your earlier posts were a bit convoluted. That being said, writers sometimes spend so much time crafting the setting in the first post that they forget to actually interact with it, but you did well to ensure that wasn’t the case here and throughout there was a healthy balance between interaction and description. The way you put thought into how Merka would interact with Alerar also impressed me – little details like that show you consider more than just the characters, but the way they fit in to the overall setting.


Character: 20

There was plenty of dialogue here and I felt what was said was consistent with the characters your portrayed. Dialogue can often be unappreciated and I believe it is important for a story to have that extra dimension, so well done on ensuring that your story not only had it but utilised it well (Merka’s being a particular favourite of mine in this piece). To really liven up the piece, you could also add in a bit more in-character thought. What characters are thinking and what they say sometimes contrast and this is another device that will help you give the reader a feel for the dynamics of your characters.

This also applies to the action in the thread, which I quite enjoyed for the most part (especially the adrenaline-fuelled chase in post seven which was absolutely outstanding). Nothing Anubis did seemed out of place and I never questioned anything he did.

Turning for a moment to Anubis himself; I believe he is a character with hidden dynamics and some of those extra layers got a chance to shine through here. Getting the reader inside your character’s head requires good communication but also exploration of those subtle nuances that make him or her stand out. What I did see of him fit the overall picture I got of him through your writing. He’s a monster hunter – a good one – and you portray that well both through interactions with the supporting cast and through dialogue. To take your writing to the next level, though this may seem vague (and is not intentionally so), I would think about how to explore the depths of Anubis further and really bring him out to blossom.


Prose: 18

At first, I was wondering why there were so many spelling errors! It took me a minute or two to realize that the errors I was picking up in the thread were due to my laptop using the UK dictionary instead of the US one and once I changed it over I found very few actual issues. Two glaring ones were:

He screamed something in Elven and pounced the ex-Bladesinger

Which, I think, should read “pounced on”, and:

They struggled in a stalemate, but Merka soon overpowere

Which was obviously a typo.

Aside from a couple of other similar issues, there wasn’t much wrong at all. Sentence fragmentation (i.e over or underuse of commas) is a common problem on Althanas as a whole and there was a bit evident in your piece, but that’s about it.

Speaking as a reader on this occasion, I think your technique in this thread starts off a little shaky but improves throughout. On one hand I do particularly like the way you use vivid description to paint a picture of what’s happening and I point to your opening paragraph (which, to me, is one of the most important in a thread) as an example of this:

Singed trees quivered under a raw, soughing wind, a wide strip of decaying forest that crackled and slanted in protest. Trodden roads cut through the landscape, traveling ancient woodlands and prairies. Hooves of mounted warhorses had furrowed the ground, leaving their prints' asymmetrical pattern on the path.

Yet, at times, I felt that some of that wonderful imagery was spoiled a little by overuse of adjectives, although I found as I progressed further through the thread that this eased a little and improved vastly towards the end. You like to string together lots of these to try and draw the reader in. While your effort and intentions here cannot be faulted, this method left some of your early work in the thread (not all of it, I might add) clunky and stoic whilst sometimes affecting clarity. A few less adjectives would have helped the fluidity of the read early on. That said, your paragraphing and the overall feel of the thread later on improves a lot. Well done.


Wildcard: 7

I feel this was your best piece to date and after reading it I genuinely want to see more of your work. Anubis and Merka are a great team and I’d love to see more of them working together!


Final score: 66


Fez the Kid receives 3010 EXP (including Althanas Festival bonuses) and 255 GP!

Congratulations!