Dark Magic

By Dragonkid
 


"Witch! Witch!! You're a witch!!!"
        Those words burned worse than fire. Trisen knew that all too well. She was accused of being a witch every time somebody caught sight of her cinnamon-colored eyes.
        "Am I those mortal's witch?" Trisen asked herself, walking away from a town where she hadn't been welcomed warmly.  "Or am I a freak of nature? A weirdo? Am I what I think I am?"
        The wind suddenly picked up and blew Trisen's long, extremely blonde hair wildly. With an absent thought, Trisen forced her hair to lay back down. She was a witch...but not like the mortals of Nosgoth thought. True, she could use magic and her kind lived forever, but they did not go around hunting people or vampires to use as experiments for their magic. Nor did they massacre entire villages. Trisen's kind pretty much wanted to be left alone.  But, after the Sarafan's attack, Trisen was the last of her kind.
        Trisen smoothed down her mulberry/crimson red shirt. She wore a belt with a jet-black gem set in the buckle. Her dark-brown pants were made of a material unknown to mortals and vampires, which was extremely tough. Leather gloves, which had been enforced with magic, covered Trisen's hands and lower arms. Her blonde hair matched her pale complexion. Trisen's boots had extremely good grip and she could quickly scale trees and mountains.
        "Mmhmm..." Trisen muttered, studying a sign. "Te-Tero-Tero-oh whatever... I've heard of this forest... It's supposed to be home to lots of vampires and Vorador, the most powerful vampire... Gee... I don't even know if I should go in or not.. Sounds pretty scary.."
        Suddenly, a younger vampire came running forward. He was too busy looking behind him and he crashed into Trisen.  Both fell to the ground with a hard thud. The vampire yelled out and tried to gash Trisen's face, but Trisen managed to grab the vampire's hands.
        "Hey!" she screamed. "Stop it!!"
        "Get off me!" the vampire howled back. "Those vampire hunters will kill me!!  Let me go!"
        Trisen shoved the vampire off.
        "What?! You've got vampire hunters after you?"
        The vampire nodded.  "Yes! I-"
        The three vampire hunters abruptly came charging forward. Trisen turned her head. She lifted her hands and lightning shot out of the tips of her fingers. The vampire hunters leaped back, howling and cursing.
        "It's that witch!!" one of them yelled before he was electrocuted.
        When the three vampire hunters were disposed of, Trisen turned to the now very frightened vampire.
        "Please don't kill me!" he yelped, cowering back.
        "I wasn't planning on it...," Trisen answered. "Vampire hunters are trying to kill me too, so I saw it fit to get rid of them."
        The vampire stared at Trisen with a mixture of confusion and fear.
        "So... Where were you planning to go?" Trisen asked.
        "I was going to seek sanctuary in Vorador's mansion...," the vampire answered.
        Trisen's eyes widened.  "Whoo... Good luck there... I can't help you... Vorador would turn me into a pile of dust just by looking at me!"
        "Seriously?" the vampire asked.
        "Well..." Trisen muttered, scratching her head. "Not actually... But he could easily kill me..."
        "B-But what about your powers?"
        Trisen held up her hands.
        "My magic? It's pretty powerful, but Vorador can control his... I can only control weak spells... If I try any strong magic, the spells start ricocheting around the place like crazy... And the spell doesn't stop unless it hits something alive..."
        The vampire stood up, brushing himself off.
        "My name is Jacquez...."
        "Name's Trisen..."
        "And I will send you both to hell!!" roared a vampire hunter, clad in steel armor and wielding a spear and crossbow. Both weapons' steel glinted fiercely. The hunter had seemed to come out of nowhere and more vampire hunters soon joined their leader.
        "Run!!" screeched Trisen.
        The two dashed into the dark forest with steel arrows raining down on them.
        "Aaaah!!" Trisen screamed, covering her head.
        "Follow me!" Jacquez cried out, ducking wildly as arrows whizzed by his head dangerously close.
        "What?! Where are we going?!" Trisen called out.
        "Just follow me!!"
        Jacquez and Trisen leaped over the pools of murky water. Trisen looked up and saw Vorador's mansion looming in the mist.
        "Good god! Have you gone mad!!?" Trisen squeaked.
        The vampire hunters were no longer pursuing the duo, but Jacquez had been hit by an arrow in his right side.
        "I'm sorry... But my injury's draining me of strength... Please get...Vorador.....," Jacquez mumbled as he passed out.
        Trisen looked at the door of Vorador's mansion, with the skeleton near it, then back at Jacquez.
        "Oh man," Trisen moaned.
        Finally, Trisen swallowed hard and walked up to the door. She faintly knocked on the door. There was no answer, so Trisen pounded her fists on the door and kicked it for all she was worth.
        "Hey! You!! Vorador!! There's a hurt vampire out here!!"
        Trisen continued to pound on the door. The door suddenly swung open and a lady stood in the doorway, glaring hotly at Trisen. Trisen let out a little squeak and staggered back. The woman stared at Trisen.
        "Why do you summon Vorador?"
        Trisen pointed to Jacquez.
        "He's hurt... And he needs help..."
        "Get back," a new voice said. The woman looked behind her and then ran off into the mansion. Trisen stared up in terror as Vorador walked forward.
        "What did you do to him?" Vorador hissed at Trisen.
        Trisen leaped back.
        "It wasn't me!! It was this vampire hunter with a crossbow!"
        "A likely story, mortal," Vorador answered darkly.
        "I'm not a human! Don't even insult me like that!" Trisen said, still stumbling backwards.
        Vorador seemed confused.  "How can you prove that you're not a human?"
        Trisen made two small balls of fire appear in her hands.  "Now what humans do you know that can do this?"
        Vorador glared at Trisen decisively.  "Fine... You may come in..."
        Vorador picked up Jacquez and Trisen followed closely. She looked on in horror as they passed through the torture chamber. Vorador noticed with pleasure Trisen's fear, but he said nothing. Trisen smoothed her hair and kept her gaze down.
        "What are you?" Vorador asked abruptly.
        Trisen's voice turned mocking.
        "Witch! Witch! I'm a witch! And, as the mortals say, 'Burn her at the stake!  Let the flames of purity burn away this wretch!'"
        Vorador paused slightly.  "I see.... Where are your parents then? It's not normal that one would
venture this far out.."
        "Malek and other Sarafan killed all of my kind long ago... I'm the only survivor..."
        Vorador lay Jacquez down and turned to Trisen.  "Are you telling the truth?" he asked, surprised.
        "Yes... I wouldn't lie about something like that..."
"Then we have a common foe," Vorador growled. "Sarafan killed everything I ever cared about, as well..."
Trisen nodded.  "I've heard of the 'Vampire Purges'... All of my kind fiercely opposed such slaughter, but that was our downfall... Learning of our rebellion, Malek led an army of Sarafan into our small city and massacred everybody… I managed to escape by mere luck..."
        Trisen kept quiet as Jacquez slowly awoke, her mind racing. How was she going to get out of here? Fear had erased a good portion of Trisen's memory of the mansion's hallways.
        Jacquez thanked Vorador and then was led to the door, Vorador by his side. Trisen watched them go, and then glanced up at the mutilated body of a human above Vorador's table. Trisen felt some fear, but no sympathy for the idiotic human. In all actuality, Trisen felt no sadness or grief when she had seen those mortals chained to the walls of the torture chamber.  ‘Humans felt no remorse or sorrow when Malek and the Sarafan killed my race, so why should I feel despair when they're in pain or agony?’ Trisen thought bitterly.
        Trisen's thoughts wandered back to her hometown, before it had been burned.  Her kind had had their own goddess, which they prayed to and worshipped.  Trisen had never fully understood any of the prayers or rituals toward the goddess, but she knew that the goddess could be summoned to wreak havoc and destruction on a place. The goddess was said to be the very first witch that had ever been born. She had been killed at an early age, but her soul remained to protect her children, and their children, and so on and so on.  The goddess's name was-
        "What is your name?" Vorador asked, suddenly appearing in the room.  Trisen let out a squeal of fear and scrambled back madly.
        "T-Trisen, sir..." the frightened little witch stammered.
        Vorador sat down in a chair, swirling blood in a cup with his middle, left claw. With his free hand, Vorador motioned to a chair.
        "Sit," he offered absently.
        Trisen was surprised to hear that Vorador's voice was kinder now. She very slowly and cautiously pulled the chair out and sat down, her hands in her lap.
        "Why did you help that vampire?" Vorador asked, now looking at Trisen directly.
        Trisen inwardly shuddered as Vorador's cat-like eyes burned holes through her.
        "Because vampires are the only ones whom I hold respect for," Trisen answered truthfully.
        Vorador chuckled at Trisen's answer. He took a sip of the blood and then replied to Trisen's response.
        "I am surprised at your answer, not very many like you would think highly of vampires.."
        "Humans deserve nothing from me... They have brought me nothing but sorrow," Trisen answered defiantly.
        Vorador set aside the chalice of blood.  "Are you sure that you're the last of your kind?" he asked.
Trisen nodded solemnly.
        "Yep... When Malek and all those Sarafan impaled everyone of my line upon those wooden stakes, I understood that humans are nothing but heartless, scummy, little wretches..."
        "Yes..." Vorador said softly. "Yes they are..."
 

        Trisen was allowed to stay in Vorador's mansion, but she kept what she considered a "safe" distance from the vampire.  She feared him more than she feared Malek. Finally, hunger made Trisen ask Vorador for food.
        "I have nothing but blood in this place..." Vorador answered seriously.
        Trisen chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully.
        "I can make food appear...but I wanted your permission first..."
        Vorador stared at Trisen, surprised.  "Why do you need my permission to survive?" he asked.
        "I-I just wanted to make sure..." Trisen stuttered, fear starting to grab her throat.
        Suddenly, a faint smile spread across Vorador's face.  "So... You do fear me..."
        Trisen paled and her eyes widened. She very slowly scooted back.  "Yes... I fear you very much,” Trisen said, her heart pounding so hard it hurt.
        Vorador shook his head.  "You shouldn't... I have no intention of harming you..."
        Trisen's first thought was that Vorador was lying to her, but then she realized that Vorador was telling the truth.
        "Th-thank you," Trisen said, relief making her body numb.  Trisen then proceeded to make a glass of water appear, which she drained in a heartbeat. Then, Trisen, after making them appear, devoured a piece of bread and an orange.
        "Which room have you been staying in?" Vorador asked.
        Trisen blinked.  "What? Room, sir? I've been sleeping on the floor... If that's okay with you..."
        Vorador sighed.  "Follow me..." he muttered.
        Vorador led Trisen into a dark room with a bed in it. The bed's canopy bore gauzy curtains and an opaque cloth roof.  Trisen's eyes widened. The only type of bed she could remember like this was her parent's bed, and they were high priests of the city.
        "This will be your room," Vorador said. "If it suits you..."
        Trisen nodded her head so hard she thought her brain might fall out. "It's perfect!" she squeaked.
        "Good," Vorador stated approvingly. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you like..."
        Trisen's mouth froze and words ceased to exist for her. Vorador was...inviting her to stay for as long as she wished?
        "Th-thank you..." Trisen finally managed to sputter out.
        Vorador smiled and then disappeared, leaving Trisen wandering around the room, studying the windows, tables, and, most interesting, the books. There was one large, round table in a corner of the room, with a bookshelf in the opposite corner from the table. Even though a fire burned brightly in the fireplace, the room still had a dark tone to it. The fireplace lied directly across from the bed. The fireplace was built into the wall, with the chimney built atop of it.  Trisen lay down on the bed, which couldn't have been more comfortable, with one of the hardback books in her hands. She leafed through it until she found something of interest. It was on the "Purges", but Trisen didn't mind.  She adored reading, so this was heaven for her.

        After reading the entire book, Trisen looked up at the picture above the fireplace. What she saw made a scream rip from her throat and pierce the silent air. The picture was of a female statue with two angel wings and two demon wings and long hair.  The statue was crying. The statue was crying tears of blood…
        Trisen quit screaming and looked again at the picture. Not only was the statue crying blood, but there was real blood on the picture! This time, Trisen fell back, staring in horror as the "tears" of blood slid down the picture and splattered onto the stone in front of the fireplace.
        Very slowly and cautiously, Trisen walked towards the fireplace and closer to the picture. She held out her right, gloved hand below the small waterfall of blood. A drop of the blood splattered out onto her hand, but then disappeared before Trisen could bring her hand closer to her face.
        "What the-?" Trisen muttered.
        The heat of the fire began to burn her face, and Trisen foolishly looked up.  She saw a woman's face in the flames. The woman's crystal-colored eyes stared at Trisen hauntingly, causing Trisen to gasp and dash back.
        ‘Trisen... My little child... Don't fear me....’
        Trisen didn't listen. She skidded under the bed and cowered down.
        "Stay away!!" Trisen screamed, shoving herself even farther under the bed.
        The woman's face seemed deeply saddened, but faded away back into the flames. Trisen breathed a sigh of relief and lay down on the dusty floor for a few moments until she got out from under the bed.
        The fire seemed as normal as ever and there was no more blood running off the picture. Trisen stared at both, confused and frightened out of her wits.  Finally, Trisen managed enough courage to turn her back to the flames and picture to get another thick book. She then walked over and sat down on the bed, reading the book.
 

        Trisen began to feel drowsy and tired, so she set aside the book and lay her head down on the pillow. Suddenly, an involuntary fear made Trisen's heart leap. What if Vorador killed her in her sleep!? Trisen couldn't push the thought out of her mind, so she set a spell that would waken her every five minutes.
 

        Trisen woke up before the sun had even risen. She felt so sleepy that Trisen feared she may collapse on the floor and fall asleep, but an inner strength kept Trisen awake.
        After a breakfast that brought back some of Trisen's strength, Trisen began to explore Vorador's huge mansion. She made sure to avoid the "pantry" and torture chamber, not out of disgust, but so that she would not have to listen to all of the humans pleas and cries for help.
        When Trisen reached the "library", she made a bee-line for the historical documents. Once there, Trisen picked up the nearest book and began thumbing through it. Finally, she found what she was looking for. It wasn't much, just a paragraph or so, but it mentioned the "Soul Stealers" or "Mind Thieves", the race that Trisen was from.
        "What are you doing in here?"
        Trisen squealed and jumped around, nearly dropping the heavy book. Vorador stood in the doorway, watching Trisen.
        "Oh! Uh, nothing! I mean, here, I'll put this up..," Trisen said hurriedly.
        Vorador held up a hand.  "No, no... It's all right... I merely want to know why you are in here..."
        Trisen scratched her head.  "I was just looking something up..."
        "May I inquire on what you are looking up?"
        Trisen grinned.  "You just did... But anyways... I was looking something up on my race..."
        Vorador walked forward, scanning the room.  "Is your race the kind that can posses the mind of any creature?" he asked.
        Trisen shrank back slightly.  "Yes... But I have yet to be able to fully control and focus my powers..."
        Vorador nodded.
        "What is it that you are lacking in your skills to control your magic?"
        "I am able to cast very powerful and destructive magic, but the magic soon gets out of my control and it ricochets everywhere... It won't stop until it has destroyed everything in the vicinity..."
        Vorador's cat-like eyes widened vaguely.  "Hmm... Very dangerous then, hm?"
        Trisen nodded sadly.  "Yeah... Too dangerous..."
        "Will you ever be able to control your powers?" Vorador asked, trying to get off the subject of Trisen's uncontrollable powers.
        Trisen immediately perked up.  "Yeah! The older I get, the easier it will be for me to control every ounce of my powers!"
        Vorador held out a hand.  "See…? It is not impossible."
        Trisen set the book back and straightened the silver-chain bracelet that she wore on her left wrist.
        "Where did you get that?" asked Vorador.
        "What? This?" asked Trisen holding up her wrist. Vorador nodded. "Oh..." Trisen continued. "It's the bracelet that's rumored to have the ability to summon the goddess..."
        "Goddess?"
        "Yeah... The goddess is what my kind worshipped and prayed to.... She was supposed to be the first witch ever born...  She was murdered when she was twenty-five, but her soul remained in the physical world to protect all of her "children" or, my race.."
        Vorador seemed truly interested.  "What was, or is, her name?"
        Trisen shrugged.  "She has many names because nobody can remember what her real name was... A few of the more popular names are Tiona, Khorane, Sennai, and Helone...."
        "I see... A lot of names... Is it true that you can summon her?"
        Trisen laughed.   "Me?! I doubt it... But supposedly my dad summoned her once, when the city was being attacked by vampire hunters... That was before Malek destroyed everybody and everything, except me…"
        "Did the goddess get rid of the vampire hunters?"
        Trisen nodded with a cocky grin. "Uh-huh! She kicked butt!"
        Vorador chuckled slightly.  "Good for her, then... I must go out to feed... I will be back shortly…"
        Trisen pushed a lock of hair back.  "Can I come?"
        Vorador turned around, facing Trisen.  "Of course you may… Just stay close... I wouldn't want you to get hurt..."
 

        Trisen kept up with Vorador as they made their way through the thickness of Termagant forest.
        "Ummm.... I'm probably going to tick you off for asking, but aren't vampires stronger at night, not day?"
        Vorador nodded.  "Yes... But it can't be helped... I need to feed now, day or night..."
        Trisen saluted smartly.  "Sure! Just asking... Hope I didn't burden you with my question..."
        "Sh!" Vorador suddenly hissed, putting a claw up to his lips. "Get down!"
        Trisen fell to her stomach, the stale smell of rotting leaves filling her nose. She saw Vorador creep forward and then suddenly a dead vampire hunter was thrown to the ground, his blood staining the leaves. Vorador crashed through the brush, holding a vampire hunter by the throat. Trisen stared in mute terror as the blood went from the man into Vorador's mouth.  Another vampire hunter tried to hack his sword into Vorador's back, but Vorador wheeled around and blocked the man's attack with his sword. Trisen caught sight of a man slowly sneaking up behind Vorador, his sword raised. Trisen also saw that Vorador was busy fighting off the other vampire hunter. Trisen narrowed her eyes and screamed out, "There will be NO 
back-stabbing in this fight!!"
        Vorador jerked his gaze and saw a large wolf lunge out of the clearing, it's fangs bared. The wolf slammed into the man who was about to drive his sword through Vorador's back, it's teeth shearing away at flesh. The man fighting Vorador soon forgot about the vampire, and tried to get the enraged creature off his partner. The wolf wheeled around, it's tail brushing the ground, and jumped at its attacker. The wolf's snout hit the man's stomach, and the wolf proceeded to disembowel the man, tearing organs and tissue. Blood splashed on the ground and wolf, making part of the wolf seem red. The wolf turned to Vorador, licking its lips and teeth. Vorador glared hotly at the wolf and raised his sword. He feared that the mad creature may have already killed and half-way eaten Trisen.
        The wolf suddenly whimpered and cowered back, it's tail curling under.
        Vorador stared at the animal in confusion. His confusion was soon ended, however, when the wolf began to morph into a young girl.
        "Trisen?" asked Vorador, surprised.
        Trisen grinned triumphantly.  "Neat trick, huh? But I know you can turn into a wolf too, so my little trick isn't much..."
        Vorador shrugged.  "For someone such as yourself, morphing into creatures is quite good..."
        "Thanks..."
        "Can you morph into anything else?"
        Trisen looked around.  "Hmm... Let's see... I can turn into an anaconda, wolf, eagle, and uh, lion..."
        Vorador smiled and then began walking back to his mansion, with Trisen following him.
 

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4
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**Proofread by Tenaya