Bebo

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	Liberty and Despair
	The pain was overwhelming. Joe lay motionless, the blade still held in place. The hate in Valdrek’s eyes glistening in his steel orbs as he glared down at Joe, sprawled out on the cold, stone alter before him. Red and blue lines meshed out from the abused strip of raw flesh, ornamenting Joe’s neck. The eyes of every Vampire, at the gathering, darkened slightly, as the combination scents of blood and burning flesh dispersed through the thin air of the cavern. David’s eyes were the last to darken, as he tried to resist the delectable fragrance that infiltrated his senses, but failed... Joe’s eyes flickered in their sockets. Fear overwhelmed into panic. Adrenaline rushed through his blood as the tendons in his arms and legs twitched. His pupils dilated as the same scent penetrated his senses as it had done the Vampires. A crack echoed through the hollow in the earth they were located in. Valdrek's headshot up to look around, the knife slowly moving slightly further away from Joes neck. Another crack reverberated around them. This caused Valdrek to pull away the knife completely and sliding it back into its sheath at his thigh, hidden under his robes. When a third crack sounded, David's eyes travelled around the cavern. A dark figure crossed his vision before blurring slightly. Blinking a few times, David reverted his eyes back to the spot again, to find the figure gone. He franticly scanned the cavern walls once more. Valdrek noticed his sons discomfort and also took to the search. His eyes picked up another flash of shadow, before it disappeared once again. "So…they have come..." he mused to himself. Valdrek quickly sheathed his anger away and turned away from David, to the guards next to him. "Take the sacrifice back to his cell, it seems we will have to reschedule..." Stepping back and around the alter, Valdrek took hold of David by the arm and dragged him away from the alter. David grasped Scarlet’s hand in a silent order to follow. Just as they reached the gathering, the ground began to tremble, scattering everyone within the cavern. Joe, slightly groggy from the overload of hormones in his system, was unsteadily dragged to his feet and down the way he'd come with David earlier, after being roughly unshackled from the alter. The two guards were also unsteady on their feet, due to the ground feeling more like jelly than the stone it was. The walls shook. The floor vibrated. The grip on Joe’s arms weakened. As rock fragments fell from the ceiling, the guards let go of Joe completely, in order to protect themselves from the falling shards. Taking his chance, Joe took off towards the tunnel and away to freedom. The earthquake increased its magnitude, causing the caverns walls to crack further and stalactites to fall from the ceiling. Rock shattered and shrapnel fired out from the impact zone in all directions. Valdrek was still attempting to get David and Scarlet out of the cavern, and back to the city, when the stronger waves of the quake hit the cavern. More shadows appeared further up the cavern walls on ledges, dark figures hooded and cloaked. As the shock waves grew stronger, more stalactites feel and the caverns floor became unstable. Scarlet’s grip on David’s hand was slipping, as Valdrek’s firm grip grew stronger, pulling David along more violently. When a particularly strong wave hit, a series of stone ridges moved across the surface of cavern floor, rippling towards the escaping Vampires. One ridge sent Scarlet tumbling to her knees, relinquishing her weakened hold on her lover’s hand. When David attempted to recapture Scarlet's hand, it was already too late... In those few milliseconds that David and Scarlet were separated, several stalactites dislodged themselves from the caverns ceiling. They hurtled down to the cavern floor, landing on an unsuspecting Scarlet within seconds. The 6-tone weight crushed her body upon impact. There was no time for her to scream. No time for her to call for help. Not even time for her to feel pain. Her death was quick, although not silent. Beneath the echo of the vigorous blow between rock and rock, the sound of bones crushing and blood splattering could barely be heard. A cord in David's heart snapped upon the sound. But as he turned, he refused to believe what his eyes could see. Scarlet’s body was nowhere to be found. Only a hand was visible beneath the smashed up rock. Pale. Bloody. Lifeless. David’s screams coursed through the quaking hollow Valdrek was almost free of dragging him out of. He screamed her name, as he was forcibly pulled away from his lover’s obliterated body. Valdrek continued to pull him away, through the tunnel, as the quake was still not letting up. Meanwhile, freedom had been short lived for Joe. After having been re-caught by the guards whom had been put in charge of taking him back to his cell, four dark figures had surrounded them. Joe looked between them, their eyes glowing green and blue beneath their hoods. The dark cloth of their cloaks wisped around them like a black shroud. The two guards were taken out quickly, leaving Joe to fend for himself. The four figures exchanged glances before three bounded away, up the walls of the cavern, and out through a hole in the crag, leaving one of their own behind. The lone figure gave what Joe recognised as, a wink and led him away. When Joe did not follow, an incline of the head motivated Joe into action. The quake had slowly begun to decline, and had now developed into a low rumble. Taking hold of Joe from under the arms, causing the brunette to yelp at the unexpected contact, his new captive lifted, and held onto, him as he too bounded up the crag towards the exit the others went through. Once at the top, the other three, whom had left them before, rejoined them, one holding a rope. When Joe’s hands were pulled behind his back and bound, he knew that his true freedom had yet to arrive, as he was lead through the tunnels and away from Quoja... The group walked for what seemed like hours. The further they travelled, the more relaxed Joe's new captors became. When they eventually came to what looked like a mouth of a cave, the first three walked inside, followed by Joe and the final captor. The tunnel was darker than the one they had just exited, although the air was clearer and less musky. An eerie blue glow illuminated the rocks at the other end of the tunnel. As they approached it, Joe realised the light was shining from torches with blue flames. Gazing at them, he watched them flicker and let of sparks every now and then. He then turned back to his captors, seeing them slowly pull down their hoods, one by one, revealing their true identities. The first of the four was male, with eyes a misty blue. His hair was jet black and cropped, longer at the front than at the back. His facial features where strong, almost chiselled out of stone. His jaw square, yet narrow, his body structure was quite the opposite, however, being made up of powerful muscles that could be made out even through his robes. The second was female and favoured a longer cut. Her hair was a fiery red with streaks of black here and there. The top was choppy and stuck up in several directions. A black and red eye patch covered her right eye, obviously lost in battle. The other was a dark green. With smooth, pleasing, facial features, it was hard to believe the rest of her body was hardened with the experience of battle. The third was male also. This one far more experience than the first. His hair was in a crew cut style, deep brown. With eyes a light green, they eased his hard features a little. His jaw was wider than the first males, and his stature far taller and bulkier. He had an aura of status, and so Joe figured he was the one in charge of the operation. Finally, the fourth, revealed yet another male. With shoulder length blonde hair, he looked far younger than the others. His features were strong, yet gentle at the same time. His build was muscular, yet slim and a few inches shorter than Joes. Deep emerald eyes penetrated through his fair hair and pale skin. A scar disrupted his features, running down his cheek from above his left eyebrow. But what caught Joe’s attention most was the fact that his fourth captor had pointy ears. Finding this quite intriguing, he had to kick himself mentally when he found himself starting to reach out to touch them, only to be obstructed in his movements when his bounds created resistance. Said male turned to look at him, obviously feeling Joe’s intense gaze on him. He gave him a light-hearted smile, giving off an even more youthful face as his eyes sparkled a little in the blue light. Joe gave a lopsided smile back, a little confused. The eldest male then let out a laugh, and slapped Joe on the back roughly. "Its about time you warmed up to us lad, we were thinking that all that time with the enemy had made you hollow and cold." He let out another laugh. The girl and other male also gave a smile, as Dai walked around and stood behind him, realising his hands from the bonds. Joe was now gaining a headache in confusion, as he rubbed his sore wrists. "Oh come on, Michael, the poor guys been cooped up with dead people for god knows how long, lets hurry up and take him back to Fang so we can get a warm meal in his belly, and our own." The other male stepped forward, towards Joe. "The name’s Andrew, friend. This is Ella, probably the only girl I'll ever be afraid of..." He gave her a playful hug with one arm around her shoulders, before moving over to the older male. "Michael here has more experience out in the field than anyone I know, and at times, tells me more things than I ever want to know." He gave Joe a wink while patting Michael’s shoulder. Finally, he strolled up to the younger male behind Joe. "And this nasty piece of work is Dai." He wrapped an arm around Dai's shoulders, but instead of giving him a hug, he pulled his head down, towards his chest and rubbed his fist into the top of Dai's head in a nuggie. This resorted into Dai shouting abuse at the slightly older male, before Andrew released him. "I'd keep an eye on him if I were you, gets into all sorts of trouble." Andrew gave Dai one last tease before standing in front of Joe once more. "And by what name do we call you?" Andrew asked finally, as Joe eased up further, feeling safer, and lightly amused. "Joe. My name is Joe." He held out his hand, which Andrew took with his own and gave him a strong handshake that Joe returned with equal grip. "Hmm…Firm grip you have there" Andrew teased, once his hand was released. "You also may want to get have wound checked out when we reach Fang. Looks nasty..." Joe gingerly touched his neck, wincing a little before he gave him another slightly lop sided grin and following the group, as they walked further through the tunnel. Michael and Ella stood either side of Joe, as Andrew and Dai walked ahead. Finding new confidence in himself, Joe nudged Michael to get his attention. Once received, he whispered quietly to him. "Say Michael, why does Dai have pointed ears and the rest of you don't?" Upon hearing this question, Michael brow furrowed slightly, his thick eyebrows knotting together. "It’s not my place to say, lad. If you really want to know, I suggest you make friends with him and ask him yourself...It would do him good to socialise more..." Michael was then silent for the rest of the journey. Joe found himself conversing with Ella instead. When he asked her about the blue fire, she was more than happy to explain. "It’s magic. You see Joe; we have one advantage against the Vampires. But magic is the only tie that binds us together, yet also sets us apart. It is strange really. How we must suffer so much, as this war progresses, just to prove ourselves equal." She sighed to herself, before turning back to Joe, smiling gently. "Now let us hurry, we entered Werewolf territory some time ago. They will be expecting us..." As they continued down the tunnel, the flame torches became fewer and fewer, as the tunnel began to open up. Sunlight radiated down onto the group as they entered a clearing. Joe took a deep breath, happy to finally breathe fresh air again. Michael spoke quietly with his companions, before setting off into the wood that were in front of them. Andrew approached Joe, followed closely by Ella and Dai. "Joe, Michael is going on ahead to speak with our Elder. Ella and I also must report in. Dai shall show you around and help you settle in." Andrew’s voice was serious, although still slightly playful. "Make sure he keeps you out of trouble, ok?" This comment earned a snarl from Dai, towards Andrew, whom had already set off into the woods with Ella. Sighing in his obvious defeat, Dai turned to Joe. "Common...lets get going...I'm sure you're just as tired as I am..." Dai set off also, in the same direction the others had left in, with Joe in hot pursuit. After another 5 minutes of walking through thick woodland, Dai pushed a branch aside and held is back so Joe could walk out into the clearing also. Letting out a gasp of awe, Joe stood, fixated at the monstrosity before him. His bewildered expression made Dai's face light up with a soft smile. "Welcome to Fang...” All was quiet when the Vampires returned to the surface. The after effects for the quake showed themselves immediately. Shattered rock fragments littered almost every inch of the ground. The former glowing candles were broken and no longer a flame. The elegant decor was ripped and shredded, no longer reflecting its former beauty. David was one of the first to re-enter the cavern. Head flicking around wildly, he soon located what he was looking for, and ran towards it. Falling to his knees, David clutched his hand to his chest, next to all that was left of his lover. Scarlet’s hand, with the candle she once held laid beside, stuck out from under the carnage, which hid the rest of her form. Blood moistened the ground, soaking into the sleeve of her purple dress. Ruby red splatters smeared over the base of the boulders. Its scent driving David's senses wild. Pain burst through his chest, white, hot and agonising. The sensation caused him to double over further, the hand at his chest clenching harder into his shirt, the other digging into the blood soaked ground in front of him. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes; the pain inside reflected the loss in front of him. His first and only love was gone... He did not allow himself to cry. He couldn’t remember the last time he'd cried. Once the pain had begun to reside, he stood and stumbled forward onto the boulders before him. The room span, nausea took hold and David felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. He'd black out just before two strong arms caught his falling form. Sweeping the unconscious Prince into his arms, Valdrek carried him away from the Cavern, and back to his room. After leaving David in the care of two servants, Valdrek went to speak to another Vampire about a certain bloody mess. Later that night, Valdrek returned to his study. Within the darkness, he sorted through his desk draws in the yellow and orange candlelight. Bringing out a red leather box, he slowly ran the pads of his thumbs over its gold seal, almost as one would caress a lover. Inside, the box was lined with blood red silk, smooth and delicate. Within the confined space, a solid pewter talisman laid dormant. 13 flawless rubies incrusted its surface, each possessing great magical properties. It was their only weapon against the Werewolves, as the enemy lost theirs in battle, many years ago... David was on his bed, awake. He'd taken off his coat and boots and now lay on his stomach, hugging a silk smothered pillow, in but his shirt and trousers. His eyes were unfocused and red, from the amount of tears he'd held back. The loss was almost too much to bear. Everywhere reminded him of Scarlet, the great hall, his study, and the bed - for the most part. He remembered her touch. The soft kisses at night, with her voice purring in his ear. Burying his face into the pillow within his grasp, he inhaled deeply. The faint sweet, aroma of moonflower awoke memories, which lay beneath the scent. He savoured it. He wished he could turn back time and relive the happiest moments in his life. One crystal tear managed to slip free from David's eye. It slowly made its way, gliding, down his cheek, leaving a salty, wet trail behind. Looking up slowly from the bed, David heard footsteps coming down the corridor towards his room. When a shadow appeared, beneath the door, from the other side, David rolled over so his back was facing the door and nuzzled deeper into the pillow as another tear slipped free. The handle squeaked as it was pulled down. The door hinges, in turn, creaked as the heavy oak swung open. A few more creaks. Another squeak. A click. All signalled that the door was now shut. The footsteps continued, muffling slightly when two booted feet met the thick fur carpet, which was laid parallel on floor at either side of the bed. The mattress dipped when the intruder climbed onto the bed and sat against the headboard next to David. Said dark prince rolled over slightly, having recognised his father's familiar scent, upon entering his chambers. Replacing the pillow, in his arms, for Valdrek's chest, David wrapped his arms around Valdrek's waist, before settling down. In turn, the cold lord, allowing what little love he had for his only offspring to surface, smiled warmly and rested his left hand on David’s head, stroking the purple mob, reassuring his child. "Come now, David. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd see you cry again...But do not fret...Scarlet’s death will not be in vein..." leaning down, he set a feature light kiss onto David’s brow, before sitting upright once more. Be that as it may, Valdrek's pet talk did not seem to rekindle the prince's spirit. Every pore of David's being oozed misery. His eyes were slowly dulling with Despair. The heartbreak he was feeling now was only the beginning, But Valdrek believed that he would heal and get better...in time... After a few more minutes of stroking David's hair and bonding, Valdrek's ability to be the loving father, David needed only from time to time, was starting to wear thin. Gently taking David’s hands and unwrapping them from his waist, gave David the signal to sit up. Wiping away the few stray tears what dampened his cheeks; David pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Turning his head to look at Valdrek, David raised an eyebrow when he found his father stood by the bed, searching through his robes. Dropping his arms, David knelt closer to his father when a red leather box was presented to him, once Valdrek and perched on the edge of the bed. "I won't lie to you David. There will be tough times ahead. But there is still hope yet, for our clan." Placing the Box on the bed, Valdrek stood. He then paced a little before retuning his gaze to David. "I am old David..." "Father..." David interrupted him, standing also. Valdrek held up a hand to silence him. "I am old, David, whether you refuse to acknowledge it or not. For over 10 centuries I have protected our people, 1000 long years. My time at the head of this coven is coming to an end, David. It is you; the people will have to look to in the future. And so I am asking you...As both your ruler and father, to let the peoples needs come before your own..." He placed his hands on David’s shoulders, in silent comfort. "There will be a time to mourn for Scarlet...Just as there was a time to mourn for your mother...But we are on the brink of war, David. Their remembrance will come...But not yet..." Valdrek turned back to the bed and picked up the box, holding it closed before David. "Within that box...is the key to our future, David. But I need to know whether you are ready, whether you are willing, to take on the responsibility I am putting before you." The box was slowly opened and the talisman revealed. "It is your destiny, David, but will you embrace it?" David was awe-struck. Before him was the heirloom that ornated every neck of his line, that was preserved in every portrait, and that could end this war. Hatred consumed him at the thought of the war. He knew that the earthquake, only hours earlier, was triggered by the enemy playing with their box of tricks. The Werewolves, having lost their family air loom some century’s back, were trying to fabricate a new one. The failed attempts at making new stones for the talisman sent shock waves through the cave systems, resulting in the lost city becoming unstable in some areas where the stone above was not supported correctly. Many Vampires had died from cave-ins throughout the tunnels. It was their fault the ceremony was interrupted. Their fault Joe had escaped. Their fault that Scarlet was dead. Fire lit up in David’s veins. Scarlet would want him to be strong, not weak and pathetic. His eyes darkened at the opportunity of revenge. David dropped to his knee before Valdrek and bowed his head. "It will be an honour to reap my vengeance in this war, my lord." A cold smirk drifted across Valdrek’s features. All was going as planned, and soon, everything will have fallen into place... Later that night, a deafening crack echoed through the cavern. Another reverberated a few seconds after the first, then a third and final time. Unknown to the undead inhabiting the chambers not too far away, a freshly planted cluster of moonflower bloomed from their place atop of the recently filled in grave. A dull thud, accompanied by scratching, followed the cracks, which were still echoing through the far side cave system. A bloodied and half-dead hand forced itself out of the ground, snatching the flowers up from their newly rooted spot, before crushing them in its skeletal grip. Scarlet, was back…
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