Chapter 4: One Year Later

My life in Darckston had become somewhat normal. I was making a living with my wife Cirania, my rescuer when I first arrived here. While she didn’t quite approve of the way I had to sustain life, she accepted me for who I was. She was probably the only one that ever would. I knew that she regretted the fact that I could never give her a daughter or son. But she had come to terms with that in her own way. We were happy together. Somehow we managed to keep my curse a secret, but people were beginning to wonder why I never showed myself during the day. Our work kept me busy at night, and that is what we always told people. We had a starsilk farm that was used for making expensive fabric, which had to be tended to and harvested at night. However, people still wondered.

Over the past year, I was able to make my way to Ohmanry Star four times to investigate what had happened the day of my only dream. Each time I went, the dozen wolves that I had met on the outskirts of Darckston always showed themselves to me. And every encounter grew longer. No words were ever spoken. But I knew that they were friends. The Alpha Male always had a single red rose in between his teeth. There was always a rose. On my last visit, I sat down in what used to be the middle of Ohmanry Star, where I had been held captive by the Piamrev Bectish. As I sat examining the earth, the Alpha Male and Female cautiously approached me. When they felt it was safe enough, they came and sat down next to me trying to observe what it was I was studying. Satisfied that I was indeed a friend, the Alpha Female curled up beside me on the ground and dozed off to sleep. The Alpha Male still managed to keep a close eye on me though, his stare never leaving my eyes. I never found any answers to my questions. And I never picked up on the scent of the rider, and her steed. Convinced that there were no answers to be had, I told my new animal friends that I was never going to return. The Alpha Male, rose still between his teeth nodded his head and bowed to me. I returned the gesture to him. However it was not the last time I would see them.

It had been over six months since I had last stood in Ohmanry Glen and I missed my new forest friends. I exited the door of Cirania’s and my home at dusk and made my way to the forest with my bow for some hunting. I knew that I wouldn’t need the bow; it was more for show than anything. I strapped the Mystic Bow of the Druid onto my back once I was deep in the forest. I climbed a larger than normal Birch tree to get a better perspective of the upcoming meal. Relaxing, I let my senses open themselves to the world around me. There is one, and a young buck too. He will serve as a decent enough meal for me this evening, and should last me for a few days. I jumped down from my perch in the tree and landed with a soft, quiet thud. I stalked my prey with great precision and stealth. The buck that was about to quell the hunger inside of me didn’t stand a chance. Twenty feet away from him I leapt. I landed squarely on his back and sank my teeth deep within his flesh. I was growing more and more accustomed to feeding, and not having so much time pass before my next meal. Fortunately for me, I had Cirania to remind me often to feed as I had a tendency to forget until it was too late. I nearly drained my prey and reared back my head to suck in a deep breath of fresh cold air. My eyes landed on the new moon. In the distance I heard the howling begin. I thought at first it was a group of Lupines. But after several minutes had passed, I seen my wolf friends emerge from the southeast. As was custom between us, the Alpha Male bowed his head to me and I to him. A single red rose still hung from both sides of his jaw. As the two dominate wolves had done during our previous meeting, they approached with caution while the other ten wolves stood guard, ready to pounce if need be. I knelt down and presented them with what was left of my meal. The Alpha Male and Female declined by moving their heads left and right. However they let the others in their pack consume what was left of the buck. The Alpha Male sat right down beside me, and stared at me with knowing eyes. The Alpha female as she had done during our previous visit curled up beside me and drifted of to sleep. I reached over and scratched the male on the scruff of the neck and said, “You two look so intelligent compared to the rest of your pack. It’s almost as if you can talk.” The Alpha Male tilted his head to one side. We can, Aerol. He said inside of my mind.

Startled, I jumped and said, “What…how…wait, animals do not speak.” The Alpha female never moved from her nap. It was if she knew what my reaction would be and just let it pass on as history. We can do a many number of different things that our pack mates cannot. Such as speak to humans. I sat and stared at my friend with confused eyes and said, “Well um, if you can talk. What is your name?” He bowed his head and said, My name is not of importance. But you can call me Thresh. Those who named me gave me two names, Thresh Woarai. I scratched my head and still puzzled I said, “Well Thresh, it is good to meet you. I guess anyway.” Thresh turned his head toward the Alpha female and said, And this is my companion Oases Gagidd. That is all I will tell you of our names at this time. And we are at your service Aerol Reign. Still having trouble wrapping my mind around this I said, “At my service? How? I mean, I don’t understand what you mean by that.” I stood up and paced back and forth. Oases lifted her head when I stood and watched me for a bit, then stood up and followed beside me as I paced. Thresh stood up on all fours and said, We are here to teach you Aerol. You have been living as a Vampire for over a year now, yet you still no nothing of you abilities. You have been raising yourself, and that could endanger us all. We are here to help you. I stopped and looked at my friend, “How though? I mean, what do wolves know about Vampires?” I said. “And why doesn’t Oases ever speak to me? Why are you the only one who speaks to me?” Thresh walked over to me and sat down directly in front of me and looked up at me and said, Oases will speak to you when the time is right, and when she so chooses. But take heart in knowing that she has only shown herself to three other people in all of existence. I sat back down in front of Thresh, and Oases lay down beside me again. She likes you. Said Thresh. She doesn’t like many Vampires. But you, she like. Consider yourself lucky.

I sat on the forest floor and chatted the night away with Thresh. Oases never left my side, and the rest of the pack never let their guard down. I had never felt so safe in all of my life. While talking Thresh mentioned a Vampires blood magics and how they worked. How, if I had learned to create a spell I could draw upon my blood to cast the spell. Also he explained how doing so too many times would inevitably kill me if I didn’t refill my supply of blood. Thresh also talked about how I could sustain myself for a while longer feeding off the blood of animals. But that there were risks involved. The risks included craving blood more and more, with shorter spans of time in between my feedings. Also how too much animal’s blood would cause me to go into a frenzied like state, where I would not be able to control my actions no matter what I tried to do. My new companion asked of Cirania, and how our relationship was holding up. I tried to explain the complex situation, but it seemed as though whenever I spoke to him I wasn’t making much sense. Perhaps I was still sort of in shock by what was happening. Then Thresh asked me if anything had happened to me that I could not explain. Like using a power that I didn’t know I had. I told him about the dream that I had had. When I had finished, Oases perked her head up and flattened her ears. She shot a look toward Thresh. I gestured toward Oases and said, “What? What is wrong with her?” He shook his head like he was trying to shake the cobwebs loose and said Nothing. Nothing at all is wrong with her Aerol. You should just leave her alone for now. I shrugged my shoulders and crossed my legs. Placing my hands on my knees I said, “Well it doesn’t look like ‘nothing’ to me Thresh. Something is wrong, I can tell.” I noticed that the rest of the pack were standing at attention now and said, “It was the dream wasn’t it? I knew there was something wrong…” Thresh cut me off. Like I said Aerol, it is best to just leave it alone for now. We finished up our conversation a few moments later, and I bid my friends farewell.

An hour just before sunrise I made it back home to find Cirania cooking a pot of breakfast stew. I strode toward her and gently kissed her on the back of the neck. “Ah my love, it is so good to taste of your flesh once more. I had the most eventful evening, and I cannot wait to share it with you.” I said. My wife pulled away and walked to the table and sat down and said, “We have to leave Aerol. Too many people are asking too many questions.” She continued, a tear rolled down her cheek. “The village sheriff and his men are coming to the house today to drag you outside.” I ran my hands through my long blonde hair and let out a sigh. “Let them try then. I have learned more about what it means to be a…” I was cut off by Cirania yelling, “You don’t understand. They will burn the house down if it means getting you out. They’re pretty positive that it was you who killed Ana Stein and Marko Swang.” She continued in a calmer voice, “They even think they know where the bodies are buried. They’re going to go out tonight and try to dig them up.” I made my way to the bed that Cirania and I had shared for the past year and said, “Alright, what’s the plan?”

She spoke quickly for about five minutes while gathering what few possessions we had. When she was finished I stood and grabbed her around the waist and kissed her passionately for what seemed like an eternity. When I let her go I said, “That is a fantastic plan my love, and I know it will work.” I relieved my wife of the belongings that she had gathered and strapped them to my back. She looked at me with loving eyes and said, “If they get to close to us, promise me that you will run ahead. When you are out of their sight, stop and then wait for me. I will come.” I shook my head as I reached to open the door, “No! I will not leave you Cirania. You are my entire life. You are all that I have, and I can never leave that behind.” I grabbed her hand and together we walked out of our home forever. We began to exit the northern part of the village when we heard people shouting my name. I spun around to see a mob of about twenty five people. All armed and prepared to fight. I glanced at Cirania and seen her close her eyes and mumble a few incoherent words before her eyes shot open. I had never seen my wife like this before. Her eyes had turned a deep blood red. The wind began to pick up, blowing stronger with each passing second. I could not believe my eyes, my wife was a mage. She was conjuring a cyclone right in the middle of town. Cirania spread her hands out to each side and said, “Aerol, you should be running.” Cirania began walking toward the mob and shouted, “Aerol, RUN!” I looked at her, knowing I was going nowhere. I dropped our belongings and sprinted toward the west side of town. I ducked behind the first hut, and concentrated on my abilities. Using celerity, I ran to the south end of town and came in behind the mob. There is no way I’m leaving you Cirania. I began to approach the mob when, inside my head I heard, You should respect your wife’s wishes. She is only doing what she has seen as the best path for you. I turned and seen Thresh and Oases and their pack of wolves. All of the pack with the exception of the Alpha Male and Female stood at the ready, and all of them frothing at the mouth in anticipation of a large feast. I pleaded with Thresh, “I can’t leave her. She is my entire life.” Thresh nodded in agreement, I understand Aerol. He said. My heart would be saddened if I were to ever lose Oases. But she would expect me to move on, and I would for the greater good of the land. I tried to come up with another argument. But Thresh was right, and besides who was I to argue with him?

I ran back to Cirania and told her that I loved her and I would see her soon. I picked up our belongings and dashed off into the woods. Behind me I heard wolves howling, then teeth gnashing, villagers screaming. Then I heard the air howl and whip. I continued running as Cirania and Thresh told me to do. About half way between Darckston and the Matadonia and Mitovia border I stopped to wait on Cirania. I found a large tree and began to dig underneath it for shelter for the day. I buried Sableleaf hilt deep into the tree so Cirania would know where I was. The day passed on without any trouble. When I awoke at dusk, I climbed out from under the giant oak tree and seen my wife forty yards away crumpled on the ground with gashes on her face and her arms. I ran over to her and held her in my arms. “My love,” I said, “you have to wake up. You have to get up. I can’t heal you.” Realization came pouring down upon me like a waterfall. Fumbling through my bag I said, “Yes I can! I can heal you!” Finding what I was looking for I pulled out a dull brass ring and slipped it on her ring finger. “I should have given you this ring a long time ago Cirania.” I said softly. I picked her up and carried her to where my resting place had been during the daytime hours. Knowing she was safe, I exited the underground crypt and pulled Sableleaf from the tree. I turned around to pick up our bag of belongings and seen the rest of the villagers, those alive and dead.

All 81 of the villagers stood before. Most of them were alive but some of them dead, including those that had just been slaughtered by the wolves and Cirania and the two that I had drained. Behind the group was the sheriff of the town, Ternay Darck, great grandson of the founders of Darckston. He had his eyes closed and was muttering an incantation that I could not make out. There was no doubt in my mind that Ternay was a Necromancer. All around me the villagers gathered, hurling insults at me about being a Vampire. Even the dead could speak. Already surrounded, the mob began moving closer to me. With no time to unstrap my bow, I held Sableleaf and said, “You want me, come and get me.” I pointed the sword at Ternay Darck. “I’m saving you for last.” The lynch mob came at me with their crude swords, staves, and shovels. I swung Sableleaf rabidly at the first two attackers, beheading them in a single swipe. Three of the dead came at me from the right. They were surprisingly quick. One of them, Marko Swang managed to duck the edge of my sword and tackled me to the ground. Within seconds the entire mob had engaged upon me and had me pinned to the ground. Marko Swang began gnawing on my flesh like hungry jackals. This will heal, but my god does it burn. His teeth feel like they’re on fire. I was able to break my left hand free and wrapped it around Marko’s neck. However he never slowed down. I mustered up as much strength as I could and squeezed with everything that I had in me. His throat collapsed within my grasp and his head severed just above my hand. With his head still attached to my shoulder, I flung the body to the side and pulled his head away from my flesh. The wound had already begun to fester. When Marko Swang fell, three more of the dead were on top of me. This is hopeless. Think Aerol. Think. I only had seconds to react. Then I did the only thing I could think of. I screamed, “KODIAK BEAR!” The horde of people flew off of me in each direction. I stood up on my hind legs. Now over eight feet tall and with fur as black as the night sky, I lunged at the person closest to me. With one swipe of my enormous paw I caved in his skull. With each step I killed another one of my fellow villagers. My fangs flashed in the moonlight as I took a bite out of another villager. When there was only about twenty people left standing I said, “Aerol Reign!” And I transformed back to my original self. I picked up Sableleaf that had fallen to the ground during my transformation to the Kodiak bear. I waved my black weapon at the band of people before me and said, “What is the meaning of this? Why do you attack me?” Ternay Darck was the one who spoke for the group of villagers. “We attack you because of what you are.” He said. “You have finally revealed yourself as being what we had thought all along. A Vampire.” I laughed an evil laugh. “Well Ternay, is what you’ve just seen is the power of a Vampire?” I said, growing more arrogant with each minute I stalled them. “Then you are gravely mistaken. That, my good sheriff was the work of a Druid.” I sheathed Sableleaf and put my hands up in surrender. Ternay Darck opened his mouth to speak. Before he could get the words out of his mouth I interrupted him. “THIS is the power of a Vampire!” I threw my hands down and shouted “DOMINATE!” The once powerful group was now under my control. I walked up behind each and every one of them and snapped their necks. Darck constantly watching me, knew, they all knew what was happening. They were in the midst of a Vampire. And tonight, the Vampire was proving his dominance over a lesser race.

After all had fallen except for Ternay Darck, I walked up to him and stood face to face with him. I quietly said, “I release you.” He began to run, but thought better of it. Instead he stood toe to toe with me. Defiant. He opened his mouth to speak, “I’m not afraid of you Vampire.” He spat on the ground at my feet. I looked down and seen that some of his spit landed on my shoe. I looked back at him and with a smile on my face I said, “You know Darck, I was going to let you live. Now I’m going to let you be my dinner.” I jumped on him and buried my fangs deep in his flesh. His screams only lasted a few seconds before they stopped and his body began to go limp. Before taking the last drop of blood, I pulled back and sucked in a deep breath of the cool night’s air. I let go of Ternay Darck and his body fell to the ground. I bent over the top of him and got right in his face, he looked back at me with his last stand, and I said, “Now you and everyone shall know that dark magic is no match for my power.” I stood up and turned to go get Cirania. I placed my right boot on Ternay Darck’s left cheek and kicked. Snapping his neck instantly.

I went to the hidden crypt and picked up a now stirring Cirania. She looked at me with her bright green eyes and said, “I told you I would find you again.” I looked at her and replied, “I know you did. But when you returned to me you were in no condition to do anything at all.” Walking out from under the earth I explained to Cirania what had happened to the villagers. She only nodded in approval and then rested her head against my chest before drifting off to sleep again. I picked up our belongings and flung them on my back, and we were off once more. After we had traveled about a league into Mitovia, Cirania woke up and insisted that she walk. I obliged and put her feet on the ground. She placed her hand on my left shoulder and said, “Thank you Aerol, for everything.” I winced at the pain in my shoulder. She removed her hand quickly and examined my skin. She asked what had happened and I explained very briefly. She asked me if I had tried to concentrate on healing, and I nodded my head. She then removed the dull brass colored ring from her finger and slipped it on mine. I felt the ring’s power course through my body and attack all of the spots that needed healing. The ring worked on every wound that I had. Except for the bite on my shoulder. The wound had managed to spread from my shoulder down to my wrist. Leaving me with no feeling in my left arm. It had also spread up to the left side of my face. I looked like I had bloodmoss growing, where flesh should have been. Cirania never let her eyes avert from me and said, “Oh my goodness Aerol. Your eyes, they’re…they’re turning red.” As we entered the town of Firecove just inside the border of Mitovia Cirania began to yell, “HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME! I NEED A HEALER!” I seen a very small man wearing all red come running to me. He and Cirania helped me inside. In a high pitched voice with a thick accent he said, “Oh dear, it is a good thing that I heard you.” He and my wife lowered me to the floor and he began digging through various chests before finding a few scrolls that he wanted. “Yes, yes,” he continued, “tis a very good thing you yelled. Is a very good thing.” He made his way back to me holding three scrolls, each one wrapped with red ribbon. He knelt down and looked at me. In a more serious voice he said, “It is no coincidence methinks that you have found the Shahman.”