A gentle inferno, the world was on fire. I heard voices calling my
name, I screamed into the void, but the sound never came out... then another
voice, stronger then the others:
Kaliliah...
...kaliliah...
...liah...
what?
Who's there?
...there..
Come,
Come this way
Where am I?
...come this way...
...am I?
Child, come this way.
Wait for me.
...come this way
...Wait for me
...this way
...for me.
The smell of someone very close, a smell of
security...
I awoke to a world of colors. for some reason,
my vision was blurred.
then I began to be aware that I was laying on cold stone. I arched
my back and stretched my arms a little. I attempted to lift my head, but
I found not. I was weak, cold and hungry!
I feel a clawed hand lift my head and lift
me into a sitting position. My vision was returning to normal and I turned
my head to the one who was holding me. The first thing I see are a pair
of topaz eyes. With the other hand he brings a cup to my mouth. "Drink."
he says. His voice is firm but gentle. I take a sip of the substance, it
teases sweet and warm. I draw enough strength to sit up and to hold
the cup as I down the the liquid.
I looked around. We were in a large
room. I realize now that I was naked, though, unashamed of it. My
elder sister was already awake. She sat next to me wearing a white dress.
She helps me to pull on mine. The vampire who had awakened us looks
at us with some-thing akin to paternal pride. Strange yellow eyes gaze
at us from a handsome, sculpted face.
There was silence as we regarded each other.
My sister broke the spell, "Who are you?" she asked. her boldness had surprised
him and the question went unanswered. Again she asked, "Please tell me."
"I'm the Lord of this castle, also your master
and father. My name is Raziel."
She was shocked into silence. I was aghast,
impossible, that can't be true. With my tongue I felt my teeth and the
fangs lent their weight to the reality of his words. Raziel, I recognized
the name. Raziel is one of the 6 disciples of Kain. My sister turned
her head away.
"Why us?" I asked.
Raziel walked to the fire place, "Why not."
He lifted a small wooden box from the mantle piece. "Both of you had impressed
me with your loyalty to each other, to me that was reason enough."
"I don't remember anything that had happed
after we were thrown into the cell." I said. "Nothing at all."
"It's not unusual that you would have some
memory loss. These have your names on them." he said as he drew two gold
amulets that hung on silken cords. He placed them on the table before us.
The door opened and a vampire servant
appeared. "My lord, your carriage is waiting."
"Not under any circumstances you are not to
leave this chamber. understand?" We both nodded mutely. He left,
closing the doors behind him.
I reached for one for the amulets one side
was a design, the crest of Raziel. My sister grabbed hers and looked on
the back."Sa Satrin-ah." She tried to read the writing. I flipped mine
over. The name inscribed on the back was Kaliliah.
The room we were staying in was not as empty
as I had first seen. On the tables on the far-side of the room was covered
in odd objects. I played with a puzzle cube while Satrina fiddled
with something made of glass. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I dropped
the cube.
A gnawing feeling in my gut began to grow.
I was aware that it had been hours since we had awakened. Satrina shifted
uncomfortably, she was feeling the same. Another hour passed, the pain
grew. I stood up, "I'm going to see if there is anyone."
As I opened the door she didn't say anything.
This was unlike her, it worried me.
***
He swung a rapier through the air, his opponent
blocked and parried.Gavian advanced, but his sword was blocked once again
and he was driven back. "Why are you not at the tournaments along with
the others?" He asked as his opponent swung his blade. "Valir wins every
race, It isn't interesting any more." Manachem said, "Maybe you should
get on a horse and race him."
"No,I couldn't. But I wouldn't mind seeing
one of our own wining next time."
They continued sparring, the clashing of metal
echoed down the dark empty halls.
***
I pulled the heavy oak door open and walked out
into a long, dark hallway. In the distance I heard the sound of metal clashing.
I followed it down the halls. I stopped and leaned against the wall.
The pain made me feel dizzy and weak. Where was everyone? I sensed that
there should be many others. After the dizziness passed I continued
following the noise down, I came to a large room, the two combatants within
didn't notice me. They were involved with their sword-play. A flash of
bright steel, the clash of cold metal. Overcome with pain. I leaned
against the the marble pillar at the entrance. I pressed my face to the
coolness of the stone, I sigh. It feels good.
***
Gavian didn't block the blade in time and the
sword's tip grazed his left cheek, his attention was towards the entrance.
Manachem turned to the doorway. There, was a young woman, he had never
seen her before. The girl's legs buckled and she passed out falling
to the floor. Both men abandoned their swords. Gavian was the first to
reach her, he bent down to turn her over. A medallion around her neck claimed
her as one of their kind, their clan.
Manachem also bent down on one knee. "She
must be one of the newly borned that Rebecca was talking about" He put
one hand on her forehead "She's burning up, she could die if she doesn't
feed soon." The scribe stood up.
"Slave, get lady Rebecca, have her meet me
at the chamber at the other end of the hall." The human slave jumped up
from the floor and hurried away.
Gavian's wound had healed. He picked up the
girl and followed Manachem down to the chambers. The other had already
passed out on the floor. Gavian gently laid the girl next to her sister.
At that moment the slave appeared, holding two large cups. He dropped to
one knee and bowed his head. "Master, Lady Rebecca doesn't wish to be disturbed,
even at this emergency." His voice wavered.
Manachem threw up his hands in frustration.
God, that woman! He thought. The scribe took the the two cups and handed
one to his friend. This was no time to be choosey. He sunk his fangs
into the human's right wrist. With the slave's veins opened, the vampire
poured fresh blood into the cups. The smell of blood had awakened the sisters
from their blood fever. Satrina held out her hand, a cup was passed
to them, then another and still another.
Later, Satrina stood up. "Tell me your names."
Manachem was impressed, this girl didn't ask. She demanded. The younger
one, Kaliliah, didn't say any-thing. but her green eyes never miss a thing.
They fell on Gavian, She smiled shyly.
Manachem gave them a stiff bow. "My name is
Manachem, I'm the court scribe. This is the Captain of the guard, Gavian."
Gavian did the same.
"This is Kaliliah, my sister. I am Satrina."
she said.
"It's not often that our master would create
2 new vampires, you are the first females he has created. He must have
something planed for you two." The scribe said as he departed.
Gavian slowly closed the door. "I'll be just
out-side if you need anything." He said, then smiled at Kaliliah, who smiled
back.
Satrina frowned.
The rest of the night was uneventful.
As the sun rose, I fell asleep on one of the chairs. When I did awake
the next night. Satrina was gazing at her medallion, tracing a finger along
the design.
"Did you get any sleep at all?" I asked
her.
"No. I was just thinking, are vampires
placed higher or lower then humans?" She looked up.
"What do you mean?"
There was an awkward silence.
"As vampires, we must depend on human
blood for sustenance..." She sat down beside me.
"Well yeah, if vampires didn't need
the human race then the vampires would have driven the human race into
extinction."
"Is that right?" She asked.
I nodded.
Suddenly she stood up, facing the fire-place.
She pondered. "Then wouldn't mankind have to depend on vampires?"
I blinked in confusion."Huh?"
"If Lord Kain hadn't created the vampire
clans, then he would have found another way to vanquish the human race."
She went on. "With the creation of the vampires clans of nosgoth, mankind's
progression in the world is suppressed, held down by Kain."
I considered this. "And mankind is allowed
to exist...a cattle for the vampires."
"She is correct."
Surprised we turned to the doorway.
Raziel stood there. We gawked at him. I had never heard him come in.
"That was why kain had ordered that
humanity be domesticated..."
"As cattle and slaves to build your
monuments and smog factories?" Satrina interrupted. I braced my-self,
she wouldn't."Whom are the superior species Raziel? The humans you use
to construct your furnaces, or the vampires who rule them?!" She demanded.
Raziel's face darkened,"Kaliliah, wait
outside."
I obeyed, scrambling for the door.
***
"You will address me as Lord Raziel,
Satrina."
She took a step back. He continued.
"Don't challenge me child. Don't forget that...."
"No my Lord, I didn't forget." She said.
placing one hand on her neck where he had...
"It was you, wasn't it? She asked.
~~~Flash-back~~~
She had tried to get up, to fight. Anything
to stop him. He picked her up against held her to the wall. Still, she
struggled against him. He bent over her, brushing his lips against
her throat, searching. Crying out in pain as Raziel pierced her throat,
the girl renewed her struggle. Managing to free one arm, she tried to pull
him away from her. To stop him from draining her life. Gasping now,
it hurt to even breath.She stopped fighting. "I don't want to live in fear...anymore..."
giving a sigh of resignation she looped her free arm around him. As the
darkness enfolded her she didn't feel pain...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You did ask me, you didn't want to live
in fear any more." He lifted her chin, encouraging her to look at him.
"But I didn't mean to sound ungrateful..."She said.
"I knew what you meant, you are forgiven
Daughter." He said.
She blinked "Daughter?"
***
I waited impatiently. What was happening
in there? I paced and waited. When they did emerge, curiously, Raziel
was holding on to Satrina's hand.Seeing my confused expression, he smiled
and offered his other claw. I took it. After all, it had been he who had
saved me from death.
We were lead down the halls to a large
set of doors. I sensed many others of my(now) kind behind them. I
gazed around in amazement,I didn't know that there were so many.
They filled the main courtyard, men and women. Overhead, blood red banners
flew. Bearing the crest of the Razielim. A burning brazier sat on
a dais, it lighted the top terrance. One by one we were introduced to the
court.
Lady Aria, who was to be our mentor.
The court messenger, Sir Trilain. Lady Rebecca, the castle chamberlain
and General Adrian, who was also called 'David' by some. "You have already
met the court scribe and my Captain of the Guard." Raziel said. "Their
names are Satrina and Kaliliah!" His voice soared over the clan assembly.
The cheer that erupted was deafening! Everyone voiced Their joy and approval.
I noticed a small smile on Satrina's
face. "He called me 'daughter'." She whispered.
I believed I smiled too...
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