Angels Blood

by Gerard Bond

  Taking Dark’s hand he led her back the way he came. On he pushed having to part his way, then he came upon Keera and he stood before her looking her directly in the eye. She too stared blankly back just like the others, he wasn’t sure what he felt now that he was seeing the woman that had put Dark here. It didn’t matter, he just needed to get out. On he went dragging Dark behind him until they made it back to his point of origin.

  Looking back once more and listening to the sounds, Wollfen committed to memory those wonderful scenes. He focused again and called out to Night. He felt her pull and he hugged Dark. There was no way he was going to let go of her. Back, back they went through the portal and into Port Volarus.

  He found himself back in the cold room, Wollfen was totally exhausted and ready to pass out when he returned. By sheer will he kept himself conscious. He turned to Dark beside him in the cot. Dark turned and looked at him and Wollfen smiled.

  “Hello my darling, I brought you back.”

  Dark reacted but not with a smile. She looked Wollfen in the eye and spoke in a cold hard tone.

  “I need to go for a walk.”

  She got up and left the room. Wollfen was left nonplussed and wondering what had just happened? It was the last thought that entered his mind before he succumbed to exhaustion. Night was already deep asleep on the other side of the cot, she too had exhausted herself on the ethereal quest.

  Outside Raz was still standing vigil waiting for word from inside. Then Dark walked out, looked at him and turned to the street. Raz watched as she walked off down the road. His mouth was open as she walked off, she truly was alive! Now where was she going? He decided to follow and keep an eye on her.

  Raz was glad there was no snow falling. He could see Dark wasn’t heavily dressed for the cold. Only problem was she was setting a cracking pace and in his heavy clothes it was tough to keep up. He didn’t want to call out but simply shadow her and keep her safe. Enough had happened tonight without Dark meeting some fresh misfortune. After about ten minutes she began to slow and Raz drew nearer, he could hear a sob from her direction. Then she stopped and sank to her knees. He heard her cry out loud into the night.

  Raz stood there for a full minute keeping a respectful distance. He understood her need to get out whatever was churning her up inside. When the moment was right he would move forward. He didn’t have any idea of what it may be that was so upsetting, maybe the fact that Keera had done what she did? Raz knew better than to assume anything though. When it came to women even at his age they could still be a mystery.

  He decided to move forward treading heavily through the snow so she could hear him coming. As he approached Dark, she turned, saw him and stood up. Her face was covered in tears and she reached out and hugged him close. It caught him a bit by surprise but he held her. Raz stood there in the snow covered street making soothing noises to her hoping he was helping in some way. She stayed there in his arms not saying a thing, not moving. The time dragged on and he wondered even more how much she was hurting. Then she spoke,

  “I was next to the ocean, running along the beach and into the edge of the sea. The cliffs overhead would reflect the sound of the surf off of them and I was reveling in it. The mountains were right there too and at one time I found myself walking through a cool rainforest. The soft ground was damp under my bare feet and I was listening to the sounds of a running stream. Then I found myself swimming naked and standing in a waterfall. It was all so wonderful. My father, mother and even my sister were there sometimes too.” Raz had no idea what she was talking about and so he asked.

  “Was that a dream?

  She shook her head.

  “It was where I was before Wollfen snatched me away. I was in total bliss. I felt fulfilled like I have never felt before.”

  Now Raz felt he had some understanding.

  “You want to go back?”

  Dark nodded against his chest.

  “With every fiber of my being I want to be there again, but I would have to kill myself wouldn’t I? Would that be the place I would end up in again? And what of Wollfen? Do I abandon him? Right now I don’t know how I feel about him Raz. I blame him, he took me away from that bliss.”

  Dark continued to sniffle into his shoulder. He couldn’t really understand such a desire, but then again he had never come back from death either. Looking down he realized she was barefoot in the snow.

  “Aren’t you cold? You will get frostbite Dark.”

  She shook her head.

  “No the exact opposite, I feel so hot at the moment I could strip off and still feel hot I’m sure. I don’t know what it is but I am burning up.”

  Raz removed his glove and felt her cheek and immediately pulled away, she was hotter than he thought was possible. They could not have known but the excess energy of the crystal used to heal her body was still within her and even now was slowly emanating from her as heat.

  Raz looked at her and realized she was going red with sweat trickling down her brow. Dark started to sway on her legs. She needed to be cooled off and fast.

  “Dark, you need to cool down quickly. Let’s go into the forest for a bit of privacy.”

  She nodded and they walked quickly into the darkness of the trees away from the edge of the town. There Dark started stripping off her top and undershirt in one go. Raz turned away at seeing her bare breasts. Dark giggled at him and continued to strip, now she pulled her trousers off and was left with shorts on. Sitting in the snow she lay back into the snow with a sharp intake of breath.

  “Oh, it's so cold, it's delicious!”

  She rolled onto her belly pressing herself down into the soft white powder.

  “Mm, that is so much better.”

  Raz peeked and saw her on her belly and turned, the redness of her skin had faded a little. Dark motioned for him to sit next to her in the snow. He planted himself there and sat quietly beside her. She lay there face down and head turned toward him.

  “Death isn’t to be feared. I had no idea until I had been there, but it really is everything you can imagine and all the people you love who have already passed are there waiting for you.”

  Raz nodded, he began thinking about his wife. It was almost six years since she died.

  “What of Wollfen? Isn’t he the love of your life?”

  Dark played in the snow with her fingers thinking. The fact she had to think about it showed just how much had changed this evening. Then she turned over and draped an arm across her cooled breasts.

  “I do love him, but before he was my rock. It was him I turned to for support and my spiritual center. Now I realize that my spirituality belongs to something higher and that's what watches over me. I had been totally dependent on Wollfen for that. Even my spiritual path was dictated by him and by his ideals. I’m not saying that it was wrong, but now I don’t feel it is necessary to take strength from him so much anymore. I don’t need him as a crutch. Until tonight I hadn’t realized that I was using him for that.”

  Raz quietly listened and pondered all that he was hearing. He understood what she was saying. It was natural for people to turn to someone for that. In essence wasn’t that what leaders did for the populace? Many relationships too he realized.

  “I understand what you are saying Dark and I see the validity of your thoughts, but it doesn’t naturally follow that just because you don’t need him to lean on anymore that you shouldn’t be with him. In fact, if your love is true wouldn’t you be staying with him because you wanted to?”

  Dark continued to idly play in the snow with one hand. Finally she sighed,

  “Yes you are right, but at the moment I don’t feel love for him. I have a deep seated resentment when I think of him and it all revolves around the fact that he took me away from everything that gave me bliss.”

  Raz looked directly at her,

  “Then you must give it time and also remind yourself of this. What he took away is only taken away temporarily. One day you will be there again and you just might g
et to share it with him the next time round too, if you truly love him.”

  Dark sat up. She was feeling more positive all of a sudden.

  “Yes that’s right too, why didn’t I think of that?” She sat there thinking a bit, “I can’t say I will run back into his arms right now. I don’t feel that, but I will give it time and I will do as you say.” Leaning to Raz Dark gave him a warm kiss on the lips, “Thank you Raz, you are a good friend.”

  He blushed a little and in the cold winter night’s air that was some achievement.

  Dark got up and started dressing. The time in the snow had done its job. Raz turned away again as she dressed and Dark smiled to herself. Raz really was a gentleman.

  “Raz, would it be alright if I took up residence in one of the guests quarters of the hall for awhile? I do think I need some time to sort things out.” He nodded,

  “Yes of course, that will be fine.”

  Dark slipped her arm through Raz’s,

  “Would you be so kind as to escort a lady back to her quarters?”

  He smiled and nodded again.

  The following afternoon Wollfen awoke to find Night lying next to him watching. He stretched and yawned then looked back at her.

  “Good morning or whatever it is.”

  Night smiled.

  “Actually I think it is afternoon but don’t quote me.”

  Wollfen smiled at the response. Night reached out and stroked his cheek then held it while she continued to glide her thumb over it.

  “You have a big impact on so many people Wollfen. Do you know that for the entire six months you were gone hardly a day went by without us thinking of you or talking about you, even plotting the downfall of nations to get you back.”

  She smirked at him and Wollfen chuckled.

  “You people are crazy.”

  Night didn’t like the dismissive tone he took and looked at him seriously.

  “Listen to me Wollfen, I’m trying to tell you something; all of us love you. I love you. Next to Loranda you are the most important person in the world to me. Think about that wolf boy, you are a man and I’m saying that about you.”

  Wollfen sat up a little realizing she was being earnest. After a little hesitation he spoke up,

  “I hear you Night, and I love you too. You are the best friend I have got.”

  Night leaned up to his face and kissed him full on the lips. Then leaning back and licking her own lips her face screwed up.

  “Nup you still taste yucky to me, it must be because you are a man. Anyway I’m off to see Loranda, I’ll see you later okay?”

  Wollfen nodded a little nonplussed, she swung herself out of bed and was gone within a minute. He lay back thinking about what she said and was only now realizing how all of them must have missed him, not just Dark.

  Wollfen pulled himself out of bed slowly, he felt like he had a hangover. He got up and went over to a stand with a bowl of water and splashed his face, it was refreshing and helped quite a bit. He decided to go find Dark and see how she was, right now he had no one to talk to and hadn’t caught up on anything about the place.

  Walking outside, he was confronted by a winter scene that came as a bit of a shock. Not twenty-four hours before he had been in a hot climate with a blazing sun. As Wollfen looked around he took in the sight of many buildings covered in a blanket of white for as far as the eye could see. It certainly was a huge contrast to what he was used to. Turning around, a man came up to him and bowed then addressed him,

  “Good afternoon my lord, I have been keeping station outside your door at Lord Raz’s request that I may inform you once you awoke that he would like the pleasure of your attendance.”

  Wollfen thought that to be a good idea. He had no bearings at all in this new place, he wasn’t even sure where he was anyway.

  “I accept the Lord’s kind offer, please lead the way.”

  The man bowed again then turned and begun walking west, Wollfen followed.

  After about five minutes of walking they came up to a large hall near the center of town. It had wide verandahs stretching all the way round its girth. Wollfen stepped up onto it and the man went through the main door. There was a set of secondary doors that were closed about twenty feet in and once inside it was quite warm and inviting. They stripped off their overcoats and hung them on the wall. Moving further inside the man approached a person at another set of doors and after a little discussion the new man turned to Wollfen as the first left.

  “If you will wait here please my lord I will announce your presence to Lord Raz.”

  Wollfen nodded and waited. Within moments the fellow came back out and ushered him in. Inside he saw Raz sitting at a large desk working through some papers and he looked up and stood as Wollfen approached, sticking his hand out to him they shook.

  “Good afternoon Wollfen, it is very good to see you, won’t you come sit by the fire with me?”

  They both moved to a pair of large leather bound chairs angled towards the fire and sat down. Raz motioned to an attendant who came forward with two glasses and a jug of rum. After pouring them each a cupful the attendant retreated into the shadows.

  “So we have much to discuss you and I.”

  Wollfen’s response was short and to the point.

  “Yes there is much that I would like to catch up on, but right now I would like to find Dark and see how she is.”

  Raz moved in his chair a little contemplating the best way to address the situation. He decided that with this man, being blunt would probably be best.

  “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way but I shall just say it. Dark is not interested in seeing you at the moment. She has gone on a journey for a couple of days into the wilds with Vaughn. I do believe she has had some fundamental changes to how she sees the world and well to put it frankly I think she is taking stock of her life right now and thinking about what she really wants.”

  Wollfen sat there silently listening, considering what Raz was saying as he went on.

  “It is also obvious to me having known her for the last six months that last night did have a big impact. I could tell immediately after that she has changed in some ways and I don’t know whether that is for the better or not,” Raz looked on gauging his reaction and continued, “I think it would be prudent on your part to give her some space for now and let her approach you when she is ready. I know you will do what you think is best and as such this is advice only.”

  They sat there for a minute in silence after Raz had finished. Finally Wollfen spoke,

  “Thank you Lord Raz for saying what you felt needed to be said. You are right in your conclusions with regards to Dark. She is a nightclan woman and if I tried to force the situation I am sure I would drive her away. I will do as you suggest and leave her to her own devices. My main concern right now is that she is safe and on that note, who is this Vaughn?”

  “He arrived from Port Cholandra with her. They met there you see. He has been a close companion since. As for his capacity to protect her, he is an adept and skilled person not only with the sword but also the crossbow too. You need have no fear when it comes to her protection.”

  Wollfen wondered how close this Vaughn was? Had she taken a bed partner while he was gone? Normally he wouldn’t have believed it to be so, but Nightclan society had a fundamentally different and open attitude when it came to dealing with sex.

  The Nightclans lived on the edge of the orc hordes where clashes were common. Because of this there was a high attrition rate amongst the males and as such the women far outnumbered men. It was necessary for the males of their tribes to take multiple partners just to be able to sire enough children for the next generation. Ultimately it proved to be to no avail. The tribes were wiped out under a concentrated effort on the part of the orcs after they had organized together. That too was something out of the ordinary. Orcs just didn’t get along with each other too much.

  Anyway, he realized that with her open attitude towards sexual encounters he m
ay be put out by the idea of her doing so but he couldn’t really talk, hadn’t he been with Madeira? Wollfen might be able to argue the circumstances but no, he had to accept whatever Dark did. He needed to focus on the future and whatever that may bring.

  “So Lord Raz tell me of this place. It doesn’t look familiar to me. Also how goes the war? I have been away since it started, you will have to fill me in on a lot.”

  Raz waved his hand for some more rum, this was going to take awhile.

  He talked of the early days like the evacuation of Port Valderus and their journey to Port Volarus where they had established this new deep-water port. He also talked of Admiral Alard showing up and the close cooperation that was taking place between Oceania and Volarus. Now that winter had set in up the entire coast, most shipping was frozen in up north until the end of winter so what campaigns had been waged on the sea were in hiatus. He was still getting word from Captain Koberg stationed around the south western islands, even they were getting lean pickings. The convoys had dried up to a trickle. Raz explained that while things were slowed up dramatically they were still focusing on reinforcing the defenses of the Port through the winter months.

  Then Raz began talking about the land campaign the Isogorreans were fighting.

  “On land the Isogorreans are having much more success than at sea. The Kingdom ships are quite superior to the Isogorrean ones but on land our soldiers initially were quite inexperienced and lacked good leadership. This led to many losses early on in the campaign and I can relate the first two major clashes. Just north of Port Cholandra, a Kingdom army of eight thousand men came upon a fort that was built specifically for trapping and killing enemy forces. Even after the initial heavy losses Lord Urroz who was in charge kept going in until he lost every single man. Then another force of five thousand horsemen was sent down the coast road from Kassandrea and it too was lost against an enemy of superior numbers. It was only two weeks later we heard that Kassandrea was placed under siege and now the Isogorreans control the country immediately around the city, it is effectively cut off from everyone.”