Chapter 8: A Thist for Blood

After gathering my things from my temporary home in Firecove I decided to make my way to the local trader to pick up a few small supplies. I entered the run down building to find an older man sitting in a chair behind the counter sound asleep. His legs were propped up on the counter and he was snoring loudly. I walked over to him and nudged him in the arm. “Hey buddy.” I said. I nudged him again, this time a bit harder. “Hey pal, wake up.” The old man stirred from his slumber and mumbled a few incoherent words before he looked up at me. “Eh, what do you want?” He made his way to his feet and leaned up against the counter. I set my pack down on the floor and said, “I need some meat. Fresh preferably, I’m going trapping and I need some bait.” He huffed at my request and said, “A strapping young lad like yourself should have no problems killing your own bait. Why do you intend to waste your money?” I reached into the pocket of my coat and pulled out a small cloth sack of coins and tossed it on to the counter top and said, “Because, I’m in a dead rush and can’t take the time to hunt before I go trapping.” He puffed once more at my response and turned to walk into the back of the shop. While in the back he yelled to me, “So whatcha trappin?” I replied, “The vilest, filthiest creatures to ever roam these lands.” He returned carrying a small stack of fresh bear meat and said, “You must be huntin’ them nasty Minotaur then.” I took the stack of meat and began to put it into my satchel and shook my head. “No my friend, these creatures are far more filthy than your Minotaur.” The merchant shrugged his shoulders and noticed for the first time that my eyes were red. He took a step back and grabbed his sack of gold as he did. “I…I don’t want any trouble mister. Whatever you are, and whatever’s wrong with your eyes I just don’t want any part of it.” I strapped my satchel to my back once more and said, “There is nothing to fear from me. I have seen my kind in this town already. It was last night as a matter of fact, so why do you fear me?” He stumbled backwards a bit more and grabbed hold of his chair. Working his way behind it he said, “Cause. Your eyes, the red that is in them. You are harboring a demon within you. It’s not just cause you’re a Vampire. It’s cause of your demons.” I stopped dead in my tracks. “I can assure you sir, I am harboring no demons. This was caused by a bite from a Necromancer’s liege.” The old man turned and ran into the back and said, “Go see Lartas in the Hermit’s Cave just west of town. He might be able to help you!” He was gone, and I was alone once more.



I made my way out of Firecove for the last time. I need to set my priorities. I have lost all ambition to find my sister, Catbriar. I have lost the desire to find out who destroyed Ohmanry Star. My wife Cirania and my friends have clouded my vision. I need to refocus. Kill the Orcs, find out who destroyed Ohmanry Star, and find Catbriar. Those are the things I need to do. Eventually Cirania will come around, once she discovers the kind of warrior I am becoming. But first I think I will stop and see this Lartas and find out what he can do for me. I walked for about ten minutes before I came to a faint beaten path jutting off to the right from the main road. This might lead to Hermit’s Cave. I followed the light path for another half hour before I finally came to a cave with a sealed off opening. I searched for a way in without causing much of a ruckus, I found none. I decided that the best way in was to just simply knock. I beat my fist on the stone that concealed the mouth of the cave. Within seconds the stone began to roll back out of the way. Once it had moved enough, a large hideously ugly woman emerged. “Whaddaya want?!” I suppressed the urge to laugh. Was this Lartas? Good Gaia, I hope not. “I, I am looking for Lartas. Would you happen to know where I could find him?” The large woman looked me up and down and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her shirt and said, “Yeah, I know where you could find him. He’s down in his cellar. Doin’ Gaia knows what.” I looked the ugly lady in the face and noticed her unibrow and moles that spotted her face periodically. A face only a mother could love. “Could I see him? I believe he can help me.” She stood to the side and motioned me to enter the cave. I entered the damp space and waited as the large woman moved the stone back over the opening of the cave. She led the way through a twisting maze of tunnels before we arrived at a closed door. The ugly lady knocked three times on the door and then opened it. She stepped back out of the way and motioned me in again. Once inside, she closed the door behind me. I looked across the dimly lit room to find a man with his back to me. He was wearing a blue mages robe and had the hood drawn up. I walked slowly toward him and said, “Are you Lartas?” He spun around on his stool and rested his hands on his cluttered desk and said, “Yes I am. And who might you be?” His deep, gravely voice caught me off guard and I said, “My name is Aerol Reign. I am a Vampire and I need your help.” I explained to him what had transpired in the trader’s house. Once I had told him what the old man had said about finding Lartas, the hooded man motioned me to sit down across from him. I did as I was invited to do. Once seated, Lartas removed his hood and said, “I’m not sure how I can help you. But I can see what I can do.” He leaned forward in to the candlelight. Lartas was an Orc.



I could feel the rage welling up inside of me. He had to die, but first I needed his help. I don’t like the fact that I have to do this. It makes me feel like a hypocrite. Lartas folded his arms on his desk and said, “I see now why Edson sent you to me. He believes you to be possessed.” His voice was deep and guttural, and it made my skin crawl. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and spoke, “Yes, that’s right. He made mention of me having a demon within me.” Lartas laid his oily hands flat on his desk and pushed himself away. He stood up and turned his back to me, facing his work area again. He spoke of unimportant things. When he finally found what it was he was looking for he turned back to face me once more. I stood just a foot away from him with my hand on Harbinger’s hilt. Startled, Lartas jumped back and bumped his work table. “My good man, you scared me. You moved right next to me and I never heard a thing. You are getting good at that. I was even listening for you to move.” I took a step closer to him, “Why would you be listening for me to move?” I asked. He shook his head and maneuvered his way around me to the opposite side of his desk. “Nothing, nothing at all.” He slipped something into his pocket, trying hard not to be noticed of his actions. I slid Harbinger out of its scabbard only a few inches and asked Lartas again, “Why would you be listening for me to move?” I made my way around the side of his desk closer toward him. He fumbled to find the right words to say, “It’s just, I know you’re a Vampire. And I didn’t want to get bitten is all.”



I slammed Harbinger back in to its sheath and forced a smile across my face. “Now Lartas, I would not harm you. You are my new found friend. So, are you able to help me?” Lartas clumsily grabbed hold of the seat that I previously occupied and scrambled his way to a sitting position. He adjusted his robe and said, “No, no I am afraid I am unable to help you Aerol.” I walked in front of him and sat down on the top of his desk and said, “And why not Lartas? When just minutes before you were more than willing to help me?” Lartas sat still for several minutes. He knows his life is coming to an end. Good. He fumbled the pocket on his robe before he finally spoke, “I knew someone was coming to kill me. I was warned this morning. I help people everyday, it is what I do. I never thought that it would be you who wanted to spill my blood needlessly.” I felt almost sympathetic for the animal. He knew he was going to die, but he seemed unfazed by the thought. I leaned closer to him, “I want what it is that you slipped in to your pocket, and I want it now.” I slid off the desk and placed my hand on Harbinger’s hilt again. Lartas reached into his robe pocket and stood up as he did. He began to remove his hand and said, “I’m sorry that it has come down to this Aerol. I truly am.” He uttered a word that I did not understand, but knew right away he was using magic. A light so bright flashed in my eyes, blinding me. My skin also began to burn. Had this animal somehow found a way to bottle up sunlight? I swung my arms furiously to try to keep Lartas from closing in and piercing my heart. I tried desperately to focus my eyes, but all I could see were spots. I calmed myself down and focused on my senses. I could hear Lartas moving closely behind me. I spun around and said, “What have you done to me filth?” His voice appeared over by the door now, “I have managed to give myself an advantage over you, Orc killer.”



Unable to see anything at all I had to dig deep into my knowledge and said, “MIST”! I swirled around on the floor and made my way over to a dark area of the room. I concentrated on healing as I seeped my spectral form into a jar that had been lying on its side. Once inside I doubled my efforts to heal my vision and my burning skin. I wrapped myself around a stone that lay in the jar. I could feel power emanating from the stone. I drew upon the power and healed very quickly. I also felt as though I had just fed on an entire village. The feeling was quite satisfying. I’ll come back for you in a moment. I reached out of the jar with my sense to find where Lartas was. He was only about five feet from me. I gathered up all the strength that I had and yelled, “AEROL”! I sprung up out of the jar and drew Harbinger. “Now you need to die you filthy creature.” I lunged at Lartas as fast as I could. He ducked the attack and spun to strike me in the back with a solid staff. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned back toward him. I held Harbinger with both hands and allowed my weapon to envelope me. I could feel all of the hatred that one being could feel. It gave me power like no one had ever known before. Lartas stood defensively and said, “Aerol, why do you do this? We Orc are a complex race to be certain, but we are not unlike you….” I had heard enough of what he had to say. I had buried Harbinger deep inside of the disgusting creature. Near him now I whispered, “We are nothing alike.” I reached inside of his pocket and pulled out a small glass jar. It appeared as though nothing was in it. But I was certain it had held the sunlight. Lartas dropped to the floor and I watched as Harbinger absorbed the Orc’s blood. I then turned back to the dark area and sifted through the shattered jar to find the power stone. Finally finding it I stood up and turned to leave. The ugly woman was standing in the now open doorway.



I put the power stone in my satchel and raised Harbinger at the woman. “Move or die.” She looked up at me from Lartas’ dead corpse. “It is you.” She then turned and ran into the dark tunnels. After ten minutes of getting twisted around in the dense caves I finally found my way to the exit. I rolled the stone back and emerged from Hermit’s Cave. I started to make my way west once more when I heard a voice come from my left. “You are lost to us Aerol Reign. But the man who has lost all can find you again.” I turned and seen Thresh and Oases standing just feet from me. Thresh had the single red rose in his mouth once more. It had been Oases who had spoken to me. The two of them always spoke in riddles. I turned away from them and sprinted off toward the west.




Author's note; if you enjoyed these writings, join our blog group or go to my new blog page. The address is http://aerolreign.blogspot.com/ I hope all will visit. By joining our blog group you can follow the Chronicles of Desidarious Devenshire, written by my friend Dustin Green. And the Tales of Paralay Vextar, written by Damon Tinsley. If you don't want to join the blog group, then at least go to their pages and read their stories. Desidarious' story has already begun. And Paralay's have only just begun. Eventually, all three stories will become one. So you'll need to stay in the know. I hope you all enjoyed the eighth chapter of The Adventures of Aerol Reign: A Thirst for Blood