Chronicles of Darkness: Shadows and Dust

by Andrea F. Thomas

  Instantly, Lilith's fiery temper rose and she pulled away from her mentor. "I am the daughter of the proud Dragon! I will never give in to the absurd orders of a human!" the young vampire snapped arrogantly, her head held high. Her eyes flashed dangerously. "That's what you truly meant, isn't it?" Her inner fire was blazing. "I won't stand by and watch while a human is living like an equal at my side. I will never understand how you can even tolerate him. The value of a human is like that of a stupid dog. He should be sleeping outside the door and be grateful when his master throws him a bone from time to time."

  As an answer, Sadden slapped her hard across the face.

  Speechless and dumbfounded, the younger vampire touched her hurting cheek.

  Without looking at her protégée, Sadden said in a cold voice, "All creatures of the night should be discreet and respect the ways of others. Everyone, Lilith, truly everyone, should be aware of their behavior to leave a nice impression. Our lesson for tonight is over and you may do whatever you please. Consider this, my decision has been made. Andrej will also teach you. Nothing will change that."

  Unrestrained anger flared up once again in the young vampire. Only this time she was smart enough to suppress her ire. Instead, she asked bittersweet, "Do you really think that he wants to spend any time with me? I have this vague feeling that he doesn't like me much, and you don't want to force him, do you?"

  "You will learn to get along and adapt, for the sake of me."

  For the meantime, Lilith let go of the matter, but decided to poke and prod another sore spot she had found on her mentor, and she loved to aggravate her. "I've asked myself, how does your friend like it when you suck the life out of others of his kind?"

  Confronted with such impertinence, Sadden almost attacked Lilith again, but she controlled the urge. "If it interests you so much, my dear, talk with Andrej about it. Ask him yourself."

  Disgruntled, Lilith indicated a bow and left the library.

  Reflecting on the old traditions of her folk, Sadden muttered, "Everyone that lives by the rules is protected by them. They are for the well-being of all creatures. Everyone that lives by the rules gives power and strength to them."

  These old words stirred horrible memories. Sadden tortured herself with the terrible experiences, of feeling pain and causing pain for others. Spellbound, she stared at the dancing flames of the fireplace. "I know what happens when a vampire does not obey the ancient rules. I had to pay a high price for doing it."

  With great effort she managed to turn from the fire and restlessly, she wandered between the library's shelves. "If only I would feel nothing... or better yet, would choke on the guilt..." Tormented, she fell to her knees, tears running down her pale cheeks. "Let me forget! Oh, please... let me forget!" she sobbed.

  For a long time, she cowered in this humble position. It was hard for her to escape the cruel memories. "I will atone for my guilt with my immortality. The never fading memories will be my punishment, until eternal perdition. That is how it was, that is how it is, and that is how it shall always be."

  *****

  The big table, made of old oak wood, was covered by countless letters. Their artful seals had been broken in great hurry.

  Soberly, Zephriel leaned back, tiredly running a hand through his hair. Composed, he told Ajatarah, "None of the clan leaders wants to take any form of action against the Unborn. It is utter delusion to refrain from doing so."

  His mate stirred and left the niche of a window. Rain was pelting strongly against it. She sat down beside him, looking at the letters that contained refusals. "They are indifferent to the danger due to the long time of peace. The leaders are unable to see the approaching threat."

  "...or maybe they do not want to see it. Ignoring the matter will not banish the danger." Angered, Zephriel continued, "In the end, only our strong coherence will save us, but blinded by their own arrogance they do not see that."

  Ajatarah agreed with her mate. "The clans have been lulled into a false sense of security. It was long ago that the last battle of the vampires was fought. Perhaps too long ago."

  Zephriel’s eyes flitted over one of the letters, condemning its indifference. "Even Gryphos, head of the Griffin Clan, once known for its unyielding fury, prefers to rake in gold and jewels instead of arming himself to determinedly face the danger."

  At a loss, Ajatarah regarded her mate with sad eyes, trying to find the right words to ease his disappointment. "Apparently, your old and wise friend Apophis has not given answer."

  "Yes, his reply is still pending. The powerful Clan of the Serpentes will not refuse to support us, of that I am sure," he responded confidently. "Apophis has enough foresight to realize the seriousness of the situation. Far too long, we heard nothing from his clan. I shall send another messenger to tell him about my presentiments. A meeting with all clan leaders needs to be arranged. And, with Apophis' help, we will convince the others."

  Worry was reflected on Ajatarah's face. "He will be our last hope, since also the old Martiya Khvar, head of the Manticores, has rejected our concerns. In his message, he declares that our vigilance is unfounded."

  Bitter resignation was heavy in Zephriel's words. "Just what has become of the mighty vampire clans throughout the past centuries, my beloved?"

  Ajatarah didn't know how to describe the misery. "They are hiding, like we do. Losing sight of the world's concerns in our seclusion."

  "Yes," Zephriel agreed, his face and voice hardening. "We also missed to follow the constant developments on earth. Far too long we let it happen. But now, it is time to act, to find the evil and fight it, before the whole world is heading to its downfall."

  *****

  The biting wind howled deafeningly and carried the first snow from the high mountain tops to the valley.

  Despite the cold, Andrej was standing on one of the countless balconies, his sleeves rolled up, gazing thoughtfully at Lilith, who was on another balcony beneath him.

  Her head was turned in direction of north-west. Eyes closed, she listened to the wind's voice.

  "You seem almost lost in the moment, and I feel compassion stir in my heart, but then..."

  Soundlessly, Sadden joined him on the wind-beaten balcony, her gaze following that of her friend. Her voice was unusual thin and could barely be heard over the howling wind. "I think I may have lost the trust, which I just recently woke in her. My reaction, led by my own impatience, was wrong."

  Andrej's eyes kept wandering between Lilith and Sadden, before they came to rest firmly on his friend. "I don't know what happened between the two of you, but are you sure that there was actually one tiny spark of trust she felt for you?" he asked, skeptically.

  Sadden gave no answer.

  "Granted, at the moment she seems to be quite unhappy. But Lilith is Lilith," Andrej added after a slight pause. "It will pass, and then she will be back to her unpredictable self. You, Sadden, won't be able to change that, ever."

  "We shall see," the vampire responded, calmly. "Everybody can change. We just have to find out how Lilith will accomplish that."

  Andrej stopped short at that and suspiciously asked, "Did I just hear you right?" He pointed his index finger at Sadden and himself. "Did you say 'we'?" Carefully, he backed off, only to press on verbally. "Just... just what do you have in mind, Sadden?"

  "I made it clear to her that you are her mentor. She is to follow your orders and shall not frighten you."

  "First thing is, I'm not the school-masterly type," Andrej opposed. "And second, she didn't frighten me at all."

  "I am not asking you to be a pedant. Take her with you when you go on your forays. Show her the beauty of nature. For example, explain to her the effect of certain plants and herbs, or show her how to read tracks. Do whatever you see fit, but please, talk to her."

  The man looked at her in complete bewilderment. "When I go for a stroll through nature, I do that to relax! Do you honestly think that Lilith's presence will be very relaxing for me?"

  Begging,
Sadden continued, "Please, Andrej. I want for us all to live peacefully under one roof. For that reason it is very important that you two get to know each other better. You both need a second chance."

  Andrej didn't answer and so she enhanced her request. "I already talked to Lilith and she did not raise any objection."

  The tall man didn't know if he should believe Sadden, but in the end he relented to her wish. "Alright, although I'm not exactly happy about it. I haven't forgotten the last visit to Ardeal."

  Sadden was audibly relieved and embraced him. "Gratitude. Now, I can retreat. The time approaches."

  Cognition was written all over her friend's face, his voice full of worry. "For how long will it be this time? Does Lilith have anything to do with it? Is it her fault? Sadden, don't do it! One day, this martyrdom is going to kill you!"

  "No, Andrej. She has got nothing to do with it."

  "Every time I'm scared that you won't come back."

  She regarded him sympathetically, but her decision was made. "Please, come inside. It is not good for you to be standing in the cold. You might catch your death out here."

  The vampire led the way and Andrej followed a few paces behind her, musing. He glanced back to the balcony beneath them, but Lilith was nowhere to be seen. "It's always the same, how she appears and disappears. Creepy. When I think about it, I really don't want to get to know her better. I only put up with her for your sake, Sadden," he mumbled to himself.

  *****

  Mist floated in thick, white patches around the Dragon Fortress. Zephriel stood in front of an open terrace door, feeling the air's cold wetness, which formed a layer of clear pearls on his skin. That didn't bother him. "In a night like this, hope can become the sweetest moment of our love. In a night like this, everything seems obscure and clear at the same time."

  His mood darkened and his initial enthusiasm fled. "From shadows and dust our ruin shall be born," the leader of the dragon clan mused. "Supposedly like that, it is written in the Chronicles."

  Ajatarah stepped beside him, reaching for his hand. "My beloved, do not fraternize with these disastrous words," she warned. "The downfall is not sealed. Victory will be ours as long as we keep our strong will."

  Tired, he leaned his head against hers.

  In a gentle manner, Ajatarah stroked his clammy hair and vowed, "There is one thought that shall keep us uphold. The certainty that our daughter Lilith, our only child, is safe. Far away from the lurking dangers of the new age. We have to fight for her future also."

  *****

  Aimlessly, Lilith roamed through the long, dark corridors of the castle. Her dress rustled across the bare, stony floor as she hurried along. She entered a big hall, which contained nothing but emptiness. "Nothing and nobody can be found in this dreary loneliness. My dear parents, your voices are fading in my mind, no longer accompanying me in this hard time."

  Restless, she began to pace. "Why am I wrecking my head? I'm here." Her sad eyes flitted throughout the empty hall. "I'm here, all alone."

  Footsteps sounded behind her and Andrej's voice drifted to her ears. "You are not alone. Sadden, your mentor, will stand by you... as will I," he added, slightly disgruntled.

  Displeasure was heavy in her voice as she answered, "How dare you talk to me first... human?"

  "I'm neither one of your servants, nor a ghoul!" he replied, greatly irritated. "I'm a free person. And, due to Sadden's wish, I'm your... teacher." A small smile stole across his handsome face as he took in the vampire's annoyed expression.

  "Are you laughing at me?"

  "I would prefer it if you would call me by my name," Andrej replied with the same cold arrogance as Lilith did before. His heart rate picked up while the vampire walked towards him. Even though he was two heads taller, he shuddered.

  "You do not deserve to be called by your name. I will always be superior to you. Always! And you can't change that. Never... human!"

  "We shall see... vampire!" Andrej declared firmly after Lilith had stalked proudly from the hall.

  *****

  It was one of the last sunny days. In the morning, frost had already covered the ground and the night's cold had only slowly faded.

  A happy laugh escaped Skylar's throat as she followed her brother, racing out of the castle and into the warm late summer's day. As fast as her legs could carry her, she ran recklessly over the last blossoming flowers. The girl had no glance to spare for the artful and symmetrically built flower beds. Indignantly, she called out to her brother, "You promised that you would practice shooting the crossbow with me!"

  Upon reaching the big wooden gate, which was the exit of the French garden, she stopped a moment to catch her breath. Straining, she scanned the fields, which lay in front of her in all their fruitful glory.

  The servants of the estate were busy with the hay harvest. A happy song drifted from their lips. The men swung the scythes, while the women raked the sweet-smelling grass together.

  Jean stood on top of a cart and adjusted the hay with a pitchfork. Then he discovered Helena's children, happily waved at them and announced a break from work. The other servants were grateful for a moment of rest.

  Kyrian reached Jean before his little sister, who surprised him and jumped on his back, firmly wrapping arms and legs around his frame. "I told you to wait for me, and not to play catch with me," she said.

  Jean laughed. "I always thought that siblings should be nice to each other and stick together."

  "We do that, Jean," Skylar answered, innocently. "Can't you see how tightly I cling to Kyrian?" She increased the strength of her hold.

  "Hey! Stop that, before you suffocate me!" her brother complained.

  Jean scratched his head, smiling slightly. "Well, Skylar, sweetie, I didn't mean it quite like that. But if your brother likes to carry you around, then that's fine with me. Anyway, why are you two running as if chased by the devil himself?"

  Skylar slid off her brother's back. "Shooting the crossbow is lots of fun. But Kyrian doesn't want to practice with me anymore. Why? I don't know. Even though he did promise he would." she explained.

  Kyrian took out said black crossbow, running his fingers softly over the fine silver inlaid work. "Pure ebony."

  Jean was quite impressed and acknowledged, "Ebony... I've never seen ebony in my life." "It is one of the most beautiful, but also very expensive woods of the world," Kyrian declared, proudly."My father build the crossbow and gave it to me. Ebony is a very hard wood, difficult to work with. My father was a master cabinet-maker. As you can see, when one knows what to do, you get an exceptional smooth surface, unlike with any other wood. The arrows are also carved from ebony, their tips enhanced with silver and they have raven feathers at their ends."

  Jean whistled loudly through his teeth, expressing his appreciation. Then, slightly embarrassed, he cleared his throat and innocently asked, "But for what do you need such a fine and unusual weapon?"

  Kyrian's face fell and an awkward silence ruled.

  Instantly, Jean apologized for his frankly spoken question. "I beg your forgiveness, young master. It was inappropriate and nosy to ask you that. Please, forgive me." The tall man bowed and continued in a more submissive tone, "I'm needed. We have to finish our work and get the hay harvest done." He went back to the others and they continued with their work.

  Skylar watched Jean leave and then turned to her brother. "Why did you let him go like that? So clueless?"

  Kyrian struggled to defend himself. "And what should I have told him? Hey Jean, this is a necessary, special weapon for hunting vampires, because it's the only way to kill them successfully from a safe distance?"

  Skylar shrugged her shoulders. "You should have made up something, an excuse. That was an uncomfortable situation and who knows what he is thinking now."

  Meanwhile, Kyrian stashed the arrows. "I just didn't know what to answer him. Lying to other people, about our family and what we do, is hard for me. I know there is no other way, but I don't like how lying make
s me feel."

  Skylar sighed. "I know what you mean, Kyrian. It is the same for me... Hey, what are you doing? Why are you putting the arrows away?" she asked and a pout formed on her lips.

  Her brother smirked. "Did you really think I would let you use our valuable arrows? Do you know how long it took me to find them again, after you scattered them all over the place the last time?"

  Bashful, Skylar hung her head, one foot drawing circles in the soft earth. "That was just a misadventure, but I promise to be more careful," she replied in a small voice.

  Kyrian remembered that day clearly and gloated. "One of the arrows flew through the open kitchen window and nearly hit Monique."

  "Now you are greatly exaggerating!" Skylar was outraged about her brother's words. "She was never in any danger. The arrow penetrated a flour sack that sat right beneath the window. She just got a little fright, that's all."

  Kyrian finally relented to the arguments of his sister. "Fine. But, I came prepared. Early this morning, I carved some arrows for you, for exercise purposes. They are made of willow wood, soft and flexible. So you won't be able to hurt anyone."

  "Well, thanks a lot, brother dear! You say that as if I'm not sane!" she grumbled, angrily. As soon as she held the crossbow in her hands, her mood brightened considerately.

  Much like an experienced weapon's master, Kyrian explained to his younger sister every detail that had to be heeded while handling the crossbow.

  Highly concentrated, Skylar followed his instructions, but it wasn't enough for him. Impatiently, and under the girl's protests, he took the weapon from her hands. "Here, I will show you quickly what to do. Look, over there. I will aim at the handle of the pitchfork and hit it."

  With calm precision, Kyrian positioned the crossbow, closed one eye and took aim. Just as he was about to shoot, his eyes got distracted and completely lost sight of the intended target.