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To Life’s Bitter End

posted by Blake at 10:11 PM, October 15, 2003 | Filed under : Fiction | Comments and Followups

Jerod’s first long hellride following his initiation to the Pattern…

“I hate the smell, you know. That coppery stench you get when the blood dries along with the salt and sweat…maybe you just think it smells like that. Maybe the fear provides it to your brain. But I still hate it.”

Jerod closed his mind to the screaming from his arms, the nerves screaming in injured protest as he swung around, buried the stake into the chest of the humanoid as it charged him, glanced only briefly as it exploded into powdery ash before he clipped the legs from another. The stake found the vampire as it impacted into the ground and it twitched for a second or two before puffing out of existence.

“Hmmm…probably a master vampire, that one.” he said to himself, climbed to his feet slowly, his arm on fire with pain from the claw wound that opened the skin, blood crusting on the wound as it ran down his arm. He moved over to the rock outcropping and sits down, undid his shirt so he could get a better look at the wound before he dealt with it.

“Vampires…why did it have to be vampires?” he asked himself. “Cripes, couldn’t be anything else? Some ghouls maybe. Werewolves are always easy to deal with. Maybe some demonic possession. But no…I’ve got to get stuck with vampires.” he whined to himself.

He realized that he should have known this would be too easy. Simple job. A wizard with an amulet that allowed anyone to speak to ghosts. The land had very few ghosts so it must be a powerful amulet.

Should have figured it was vampires…they don’t leave ghosts…just more vampires.

Jerod finished the repair work on his arm, tested the dressing a bit before he looked around at his surroundings. Dim twilight sky, vegetation adapted to a low light environment. There has been no sunlight here in generations. A perfect environment for vampires. “Probably be thousands of them.” he muttered.

Jerod shrugged the shirt off, pulled a new one from his pack before he tossed the blood soaked one away. Definitely not what you want when travelling in blood-sucker country. Then he started off, made his way for the “V” shaped cliff markings, the sign where the mountain pass should begin. To lead him into the kingdom.

*****

He watched carefully as the last party exited the pass formations, noted the make-up of it. Humans and vampires together. There was a strange relationship on the way here, not symbiosis to be sure, but definitely not the traditional predator-prey behaviour.

It had been an interesting time, though he was not certain if it is morning or night here. The lack of sun was very disorienting, he realized. But the people seem to have adapted. And there are a lot of people. Singly, in groups, some with vampires but a lot without.

Once the last party has exited the pass, he watched a few more minutes before making his way down to the road. He set a good pace as he trudged the way he noticed the other humans doing, set the proper example even as he approached the pass. He noticed the fortifications along the side where a gate-keep had been constructed. But there was something about it that made him ignore it…the vague feel of decay about it. This was a human construction…perhaps left over from before the vampires had come. They would have no such use for such things.

The sight of the woman, pale and beautiful, was sufficient to cause him to start. She stood in the doorway as he approached, looking at him. He nodded to her, head bowed slightly in subservience as he had noted humans would behave towards other vampires.

“You won’t get ten feet past the gate on the other side.” she said, smiled at him prettily, the incisors only slightly visible. “You walk too well for any mortal…you’re not down-trodden enough.” approaching towards him slowly.

He stopped, noted her position even as he shrugged himself, the subservient position something he was definitely not used to. “Really? Do you think they’d notice?” he asked. “Maybe you’re more observant than they are?”

“Oh, I think they’d notice.” she replied, stopped about ten feet away. “And there are a lot of them too…so you’re not going to have much chance of escaping.”

Jerod took note of the information, watched her carefully, still not sure what her game is. He listened carefully too, wondered if she kept him occupied while others moved into position around him. But the air was quiet and no sounds were detectable.

“Where are you from?” she asked suddenly, a tone in her voice that put Jerod on his guard.

“A city to the south.” he said, thought of the town that he had passed through before reaching the borders of this land.

She shook her head. “No…I don’t think so. You’re not like the others. Even the strong ones…from the unconquered cities. You don’t act like them. You don’t smell like them. And you don’t fight like them. I saw that fight you were in. You alone against eight. And only a small scratch for your troubles.” she said, sniffed the air. “Your blood is not like the humans here.”

“An interesting observation. How did you come by that?” he asked. “Or does every vampire go around sampling the air for blood patterns?”

“I have got a talent for it.” she said, smiled, moved closer to him, noted how he did not move away. She walked slowly enough as to not be an immediate threat. “Most of the others don’t…at least, not the regulars. The Masters are another matter. They’d probably pick up on you, but I doubt you’ll run into too many of those over there.”

“Really? Any particular reason why? I’d heard that this was their stronghold, that they walk openly without fear of retaliation.”

She laughed at this, a crystalline sound that wafted through the air. “Propaganda is a wonderful thing. But it’s not always the whole truth. Sharankoor keeps them occupied at the moment.”

“The wizard?” Jerod asked, recognizing his name.

“Yes…they had a pact with him when they conquered this region. They leave him alone - he agrees not to incinerate them. For some reason, the pact has collapsed. They’ve been massing troops against him in his stronghold. Which means that most of the guards and the elite troops are away from their posts. You might have a chance of slipping through, to get to Sharankoor’s fortress.” she said.

Her words put him on his guard and he adjusted, watched for signs of others. “Why would I want to go there?” he asked.

“Because you’re interested in the amulet too.” she said, smiled, before her attention was distracted down to the pass entrance. “A patrol…it’s time you choose what you’re doing. I can help you get through, be your ticket.”

He watched as well, noted the flicker as the lights approached. “Why help me?”

“I’ve got my reasons.” she hissed, irritation and nervousness in her expression. “Make up your mind. Go or stay.”

He looked again at the patrol, not trusting the odds. But part of him listened closer and decided for him. “All right…we go.” he said.

*************

The fog of sleep cleared slowly as he awoke, the encroachment of twilight made itself felt on him, his sleep rhythms well adjusted now to the lack of sunshine. It surprised him early on he realized how well he adjusted to the different situations that had developed, even as he rolled over to touch cool skin. Marissa was always there beside him, always close, always watching. She smiled at him, the incisors no longer shocking, her beauty comfortable to him now. And that had been a surprise at first too.

Over a week had passed since they had met and only half a day’s travel now separated them from the fortress. He had been suspicious at first, watchful for treachery but surprised that he slept as easily as he did the first day, awoke to find her sitting beside him just watching. He was equally surprised when she invited herself to his bed the second day, though more that he accepted than anything else.

“What’s so interesting?” he asked her on the third day when he awoke, her expression curious.

“The way you sleep.” she said, shrugged a little in frustration. “We cannot sleep as you do. There is no sunlight to force us into slumber, so we must remain awake. Sometimes I wish for the return of the sunlight, even for a little bit, to dream as you do. But it is a foolish idea. So I watch you. You know you snore.” she said teasing.

“I do not snore.” he replied indignantly.

“Oh yes you do. And it’s very cute too.” as she leaned forward to kiss him lightly, his own response to pull her closer to him. There was not much travel done that night he remembered.

Now, with so little distance left, wistfulness had encroached on her expression and it bothered him for some reason. But he would not push her. He realized she would speak when she was ready, even as he would do the same. They were more alike than sometimes they choose to admit. He dressed quickly, eating some of the meal she had prepared for him. He knew she had obtained her own meal from amongst the human communities they travelled past.

He motioned to the lights at the foothills, the encampment of the armies of the Masters. “You mentioned a way past to the fortress.” he said. “I presume it doesn’t go through that.”

She nodded, scanned the distance for some sign. “The Masters are occupied with the siege. Sharankoor’s forces are considerable. They must be engaged in open territory to defeat them. The way we will go is not feasible for an army to enter. But for one or two, it is.”

She pointed to a high cliff. “There. There is a narrow channel, a chimney in the rock. It can be scaled but the distance is great. It would take superhuman endurance to do so. No human here has ever been able to do it. Vampires could but Sharankoor has placed a geas upon the entire cliff face that makes those of us who enter believe the sun rises. Our bodies enter into slumber and we fall.”

She picked up her pack, a coil of rope within it just like his. “When you climb to the top, you’ll lower the rope and I’ll tie myself on. Then you’ll pull me up. Once I’m at the top, the geas will no longer affect me.”

He nodded, hefted his own pack. “Clever. Won’t there be guards? He doesn’t sound stupid enough to leave it completely unguarded.”

“There may be. That’s a risk. If so, we’ll deal with them.” she said.

He nodded, adjusted his sword belt. “Then let’s be about it…”

**************

The wind tore at his jacket as he pulled himself back over the ledge, heard the distant cry of the guard receding down the cliff. His breathing was ragged and his heart pounded loud in his ears as he rested for a moment, looked over at the bodies of the other guards to make sure they were dead.

Jerod was right though. Sharankoor hadn’t been stupid. He had his vampire hunters on the cliff edge, ready for intruders. It had been a near thing. If that first one hadn’t been so cocky, thinking Jerod was a vampire and throwing garlic essence on him, it would have been a different story he suspected.

He took hold of the rope loop he had thrown over the rock to the side, pulled up a little bit before he secured the end to a stout mountain tree. The remainder was allowed to fall as he looked around, alert for more guards. But his work was uninterrupted and soon he pulled Marissa over the edge of the cliff, held her in his arms as she slowly awoke. “Hello.” she said, looked over the bodies. “Hunters?”

“Four of them.” Jerod said, helped her to her feet. “One’s at the bottom now.” and he motioned to the cliff.

“I’ve no complaints about that.” Marissa said, looked around. “The fortress will be on the other side of this escarpment. We’re very close now.”

“Then let’s get going.” Jerod said, took the lead through the trail that meandered through the boulder debris and piles of rock. The effort was slow going, the trail partially blocked at several points by rock falls. But eventually they made their way through the escarpment ridges, the low black tower of Sharankoor below them.

Marissa pointed into the distance, the horizon dotted with torches. “The armies. They’ve breached the passes.” she said, as flares of brilliant light illuminate the horizon. There seemed to be a ripple in the air and Marissa ducked behind Jerod, hiding as best she could within her own cloak as the light passed them.

Jerod shook his head, the spots clearing quickly. “Sunlight.” he said, turned to Marissa. “We’ve got to get inside quickly. Sharankoor must be facing the armies…the amulet will be less protected.” and she nodded, moved with him as they sped towards the entranceway.

**************

The wall was comfortingly solid as he lowered himself to the ground, the blood from the sword wound filling the bandage. Marissa finished the last swordsman, tossed the husk aside after draining it before she knelt in front of Jerod. For a second, he thought she was going to examine the wound, but she hesitated, unwilling it seemed to touch the blood soaked cloth. She noticed him seeing her hesitation and she smiled. Even with the blood and the fangs, he realized how beautiful she was.

“The amulet.” he said, motioned to the strong room just ahead, the bodies of guardsmen littering the room. He tried to stand but the pain in his side seized him and he sucked in a short breath. She put a hand on his shoulder, kept him seated. “Hang on here. I’ll get it.” she said, headed to the room. He could hear her rummaging through things before she returned, a small iron box open in her hands.

As always, like other adventures, the prize seemed cheap and faded. A faded crystal, orangish red and mounted in a garish setting. The chain of the metal was a dull brass and the workmanship appeared cheap, the metal links bulky, blocky. He picked it up, looked at it curiously. “The famous amulet.” he said.

Marissa nodded. “Very famous…kept hidden from the masses all these centuries. With all the power at it’s command.” She looked at it as he helds it, her gaze marked by something like avarice, but with a note of sadness to it.

“I’m curious as to that power.” Jerod said. “Why would it be so powerful if you just use it to talk to ghosts?”

“Because the ghosts are stored within it.” she said as she took the amulet by the chain. He did not try to stop her, merely watched as she handled it.

“You wondered why there were no ghosts.” she said. “Originally, we also wondered too. Everyone thinks that because we feed on the blood of the living, that their souls must be destroyed as well. But it’s not the case. The Masters found out that the soul is not destroyed…but it is separated from the whole. The majority…vanishes, it seems, with but a small part remaining behind in the body that becomes the vampire.”

She re-adjusted, knelt beside him now, held the amulet in her hands. “We found out later, that here, the majority of the soul…the ghost you call it, comes to this.” and she held up the amulet. He could see now that the interior has begun to sparkle a little, flickers of orange and reddish flame coming to life as he watched.

“The user of the amulet can speak to any spirit that is contained here. They can have valuable information, knowledge of ancient history, spells or powers.” she said. “A human can become quite powerful.” and with that she put the amulet on, settled the chain on herself.

“So that’s why you helped me?” he aske. “For the power?”

“No.” she replied, looked at him with sadness. “For an end.”

He frowned. “An end? I don’t understand.”

“Any spirit can be summoned to speak to the user of the amulet. But no one planned on vampires using it.” she said, as the amulet grew slowly brighter as she spoke. “A prophecy was foretold, that should a vampire ever use the amulet, it will release all of the souls that are within it. That’s why Sharankoor held the amulet. He was a Master. He did not trust anyone else to hold onto it. Because the spirits so released would immediately seek out the remaining portion of themselves, to unite with it. And then…they would depart from the corpse that they animate.” she said quietly, placed her hand on the amulet as it flared brightly.

Jerod listened to her words intently, the import of the words only coming to him at the last moment. “NO!!!” he yelled, reached forward despite the fire in his side. But the flash blinded him and he jerked away, the pain overwhelming. He shook his head, tried to clear the spots.

He could see her on the ground, the amulet a fused black crystal now. As he crawled over she stirred momentarily and he took a quick breath, felt the warmth of her skin now, no longer chill and pale. When she opened her eyes, he smiled, hoped a little.

“It’s a shame….” she whispered. “It’s been so long. I’ve wanted this a long time. Now, I don’t want to leave.” He nodded, the hope fading as he cradled her. “You should’ve showed up a hundred years ago. I’d have put this off…for awhile at least.” she said as the light faded from her eyes.

He held her against him, rocked back and forth slowly, unheeding of the tears. “Vampires…why did it have to be vampires?” he asked himself.

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