I Am Living

"Not far from here," Vindrexis explained, "Is a castle atop a cliff."

Slowly, I nodded, indicating that I understood.

"And there have been rumours alive in a place called Radasanth in Corone -"

I nodded more. Despite my memory loss it could be said that my geography had not suffered. I seemed to know all the major countries in the world, with their cities and features. Though I was unsure about some minor things - like how long it took to sail across the sea from Corone to Raiaera, for instance - I could rest assured I knew what lands were.

"That a young family have discovered vampiric ancestry. The details mark out a particular castle, it being ..."

He paused for a moment, looking over the long set of stone shelves set into the wall of the room we were in. Another off the temple, secreted into the shadows. This was a library of sorts, filled with archives. Ancient and new articles, books and scrolls dominated the shelves that filled all the walls. Apparently before Vindrexis had come Sabazios had not been in this place much, rather leaving it to his high mages to look at. But now the half-god was here it had begun to earn it's use.

He grabbed an old scrappy parchment and marched over to the central table of the room. Like everything it was firm, grey stone. Flicking the paper out Vindrexis revealed a long map, of everything from the south of Alerar to the sourthent sea. Various arrows marked to where the other nations lay.

"Here," a slender lake finger prodded at where the map had a small drawing of the temple's exterior on it, "Is where we are. This" he moved his hand to a much more southerly point. "Is where the castle is. Right on the cliff-side, terrifying in nature."

My brow rose but I said nothing, only waiting for him to give further details.

"Anyway," he grunted, "Obviously this has attracted a great amount of attention. We have already received news that the castle was attacked by a dragon and his two riders. They did not get far, but did defeat the spiritual guardian of the place."

He stood straughter and focused his eyes on me. "There are more coming, however. I am certain of it, for I have felt their future footsteps."

Whether the phrase actually meant that he had some form of precognition, I never found out. Instead, before I could ask any questions my lord master went on.

"A group of people will traverse to it. Close. I want you to go and observe. Fight if you have to to bring me news. But I want to know what they seek and what they find."

I paused. "You ... do not want me to kill them?"

"Oh, by Vit's member, no," he replied, using a curse I did not recognise. "No, you cannot observe after you have killed, can you Idiot?"

Feeling it was right to do so I desperately shook my head.

"Oh course not, my lord."

Vindrexis curled his lip for a moment, and I honestly feared the worst of his distaste. I began to consider just what types of punishment he might have to concoct. Were I so unlikely. Though I had deserved it if I defied him. And actually when I did was was ultimately his decision.

"You really are stupid sometimes," Vindrexis sighed.

I nodded, wondering if I was. At any rate my inability to remember did make me stupid to some extent. Though I could remember the basics I could not say what happened on my last birthday. If I had celebrated it.

"Never mind. You will follow my orders, alright?"

Quickly I nodded more. "Yes my lord."

"Good," he sighed.

"The plan is simple. You travel, you observe, and then report back."

Inclining my head I gripped my hands on the haft of my mighty weapon. It seemed that I did not need it after all. It was a waste, perhaps, of a restoration for now. Slowly I blinked but held onto the naginata all the same with my fingers desperate. It was one of the things I had died it and did not seem to rot in my touch. I felt no pain and I was directly having claw to wood contact.

"What are you thinking?"

Frowning slightly, I glanced up to the half-god. I was confused for a moment, but then I saw the uncertainty in his mind. He was asking what I thought ... Which meant only that he could not see my thoughts. The idea made me become astounded. I had presumed he was near all powerful but it seemed that his half-mortality meant not.

"Well?" He repeated the question inpatiently. Clearly this was an issue that bothers him as much as me.

"I was considering the generosity of you returning my naginata," I lied fast. "When my mission is not a combative one."

"Do me good service and you will have particularly strong weapon after. I have material set aside."

I paused. "But ... Sir ..."

"What?" He asked impatiently.

I ducked my head immediately, not sure of what form his anger brought. Possibly more deaths of sudden value. More experimentation into my ability to constantly survive? Or the scent of death I was beginning to notice. Interestingly I was noticing the smell did not apply to me. Otherwise I would be stinking full time and not able to sense the others.

"Will I be able to use it? I can only safely touch the ones I start with."

"We will see. You seem to be perfectly fine with the new leather laid on that," he gestured at the naginata.

My thoughts considered as I glanced down. True enough some of my claws rested on new leather bonds and they suffered no premature aging yet.

"My theory is that as long as part of essence of the thing remains the same, you are able to touch it. The pole, you see, is still the same."

My brie rose wth confusion, but I admitted it made everything easier. As time went on I would rent to improve my armour, my weaponry. As they were the only items that I could safely hold without causing myself great pain and others discomfort. I thought about my katana and other blades, how they would fit into the pattern. It meant I could afford to swap their blades for stronger ones so long as the handles remained intact.

And then there were my gloves. A life saving pair that I had been able to pass on with. They would allow my contact with general others without ill side effects.

"You have been generous, my lord," I said quietly. When I rose Vindrexis was smiling.

"Indeed I have," he proclaimed. "And you have been learning well. I am entrusting you on this mission alone, Avin."

I bowed my head, thinking of the enemies of Vindrexis. Those that sought to consider humans as equals.

"My lord ..." I began, the question coming to my mind again.

"There is no need to thank me, Avin," he waved a hand dismissively.

I paused. "My lord, I was more asking ..." But then I saw his face, his eyes beginning to burn. I fell silent, accepting the truth for now. As before, I reminded myself that I did not know the way of gods. Gods were above mortals for many things, and one of them was so that they could be a guiding hand.

Looking my new master up and down, but with only an instant sweep of my eyes I convinced myself of that truth concerning him. He was a man who had given me much - a second life and weapons I could only have wished for. And he had been good in pointing out the actual reasonings for Sabazios' past followers. For both of us Vindrexis had been wholly honest and gracious, and I saw in that time no reason for him to lie.

It was just as it was.

"Am I looking for anyone in particular my lord?" I asked.

Vindrexis paused. "You will know when you see her."

"Her, my lord?"

He nodded slowly. "Avin, you are from a very gifted race. Your people are resilient and strong. I not only chose you because you are a warrior, but because I knew your people are great. Some of our enemies also know of the kenku's power."

My eyes widened, the dull black pits that they were.

"There is another one of my kind out here?"

Vindrexis looked disgusted. "A few that live outside of your homeland, yes. But there is one in particular. She works for my enemy ... My worst enemy."

My intestines that I never used anymore twisted, and I felt a hard lump form in my throat.

The enemy of all enemies, that Vindrexis' had mentioned before, all those days ago now when I had first awoken. The one who looked on mortals with such a friendly eye that he might as well be one. He who likely used others for personal gain, who refused to acknowledge the proper way of the world, whom I started to imagine was cruel, not generous, negligent of those who otherwise should be protected by him. He who had forgotten his place as a deity, who had done anyway with all the responsibilities.

He who I now despised with all the hollow bones and dust in my body.

Who I had been created to hunt and slay.

He had one of my kin, and I now hated him even more.

"I will observe, my lord," I whispered with tension in my voice, "And I will find out just how powerful your enemy's servant is."

"Our enemy," he reminded me.

I nodded. "Our enemy."

And there I was, silent as death. Which was easy to know of because I had no memory of death. Therefore I knew it to be very silent indeed.

Around me was a forest of shadows and twisted trees. Harsh spires rose to the sky and let little light to the floor below. The ground was a carpet of dead leaves, that crunched beneath foot if you stood on them, but I was careful. The trees themselves were cruel shapes, taking in the emotions and emboding the land of which they were a part. It felt as if they had a stern interest in poking holes in the universe and declaring themselves master when others really were.

Such as the gods of the land, the demon lord rulers and the kings. The Tular Plains were such that no one power existed, though some might contest that. What I had found in my time here that each devil, each dark spirit and vampire (and so on) had his claim, and there was simply too many of them for one to be declared true leader. I served under Sabazios, admittedly a lower demon but still one who had a temple and followers. Vindrexis was merely a friendly half-god who had hung around Sabazios for slightly longer than was polite.

In a way it was his temple now, and in a way he was the one truly in charge. But none, not even me, his trusted creation, dared to raise that. Because ... Because of many things.

From what I understood and had gathered, Vindrexis Quansaldo had come in the quiet of a night and made his place in the temple. One day he had appeared, striding right in as if he owned the temple and began to talk. He had told Sabazios of the truth of his people and their desires and that had been that. The half-god had stayed because it was now his home. He had made it so.

There were mixed opinions from the villagers, but they seemed to keep their negative views from me when talking direct to my face (not that I did mucb talking back). Instead the darker thoughts I overheard in the mutterings in the single pub of the village, which was really just someone's back room. I had still not told Vindrexis. The reason why I had not was to do with their lives. I feared at what he might do. If he ever asked me directly about their opinions, of course I would answer honestly, as my loyalty to him bade me. But for now it was secret from him.

I trudged over dead soil like a ghost who should not exist. After about three hours of walking I began to see the shimmers of firelight between the trees. Keeping my naginata close I set off towards the trail of charcoal - the most common smell of a camp. My nostrils twitched, trying to decide for a moment if the burnt scent was death or actually something on fire. As I gained nearer, I began to see a defined outline of people, and flames, with curves picking out the beings from the trees.

Still I remained quiet, and I took pause before deciding how best to approach this. I could try and watch from the shadows, determine if this group was the one I desired, or climb a tree and listen to them talk. I could wait for time to pass, and see if more came, or scout in a wider berth and ensure this was the area near the castle. Decisions were hard, and I knew I was alone and so only had myself to ask advice from.

I took a few more steps and began to hear murmuring. Many voices, perhaps six or so, intermingled together of various genders, races and ages. It would take some concentration to determine which was which. They were like a small hub-bub of the hoi-polloi.

Taking two silrnt steps forwards was the furthest I dared without being detected by normal mortal means. I now stood roughly twenty metres from the fire. It took me that long to realise the ghost of a giant castle on the horizon, rising above the campfire on a small, gradual, upwards slope. As I paused and looked at it a smile came to my eyes, knowing that I had to be at the right place.

Here were the people, there was the gothic palace of doom.

Gripping my naginata tightly I watched as sic figures gathered around a fire. They were all of various forms, sizes and genders and had a great array of weaponry from what I could tell. Colours of white, purple and red stood vividly in my vision alongside shapes of twisted, round and more stocky variety. A noise behind me and I had moments to disappear out of the way before a seventh figure stepped into the light.

Tall and muscular this one was mightier than the rest. Thin, wirey hair and a wild look in his eyes. Part of me could tell that this particular individual was dangerous and I felt myself knowing that I would suffer incapacitation - death - in a matter of seconds if I engaged just he.

Thus I let the man take his place along with the fireside companions and when there was enough noise I ascended a tree.

It was there I could firmly get a sight of all individuals, silhouetted or not.

A red haired man, human in form, stood as the seeming head of the group. His dark eyes were lit with intrigue as he surveyed his people, and a soft smile played on his lips. I took him to be strong, but possibly not beyond a single fell of my naginata. He turned and started up towards the castle, allowing me a brief look of the others.

Another human male, older and shaggy. He looked experienced but not too daunting as a dueling enemy. Then there was an odd feline form of a being, one I had never seen. She had small pointed ears and a twitching tail, but a human face. Something close to a kenku in half-species but with more human. Odd. I passed her off for the sake of the next.

A woman who was not a woman, beside another of her kind. Before I had thought them both the one being but now I saw ... Two. Two plants, twisted vines as if they were of the forest itself. Four glowing eyes from beneath shadowed faces, odd and intriguing. I had no idea what they were but my senses longed to study them, see what might happen beneath my poison touch ...

A further being I assumed human, with white hair but no discernable gender. I passed her - him - them over for the creature now walking. My chest felt like it should be tightening as I was filled with wonder at the sight of one of my own kind, but perfectly black. With a sheer, glossy coat and no broken feathers. Gripping the branch I was on tight I extended myself out as excitedly I watched her. For she was a her. Dressed in a dark chainmail, eyes full of darkness and determination. She strode with purpose, with strength and there was a moment of me that thought ... That wondered ...

Could I know her? Should I know her? Was it possible for me to dart from this tree and catch her alone? Explain who I was, what I had become?

See her horrified face as I appeared, broken and pale and ugly?

The thought struck me and my eagerness to jump from the branch faltered. A lump formed in my throat as I remembered my orders from Vindrexis, the lord I had sworn myself to, to simply observe. To not take part. Just observe.

But her. There was something about her.

I sat as an emotionally struggling mess as she spoke to the newest figure. She took papers from his hand, then paused and followed him up the path into the house. Getting away. From me.

Observe. Do not speak. Do not interact.

Just observe.

Damn my new life.

Avin receives 1,100 EXP and 165 GP!

All rewards added!