Saints Of Satan Chapter Ten

I delved in and out of consciousness, a blinding swarm of images clouding my vision each time I attempted to open my eyes. Each time I awoke it was to a fit of coughs, straining my lungs and parching my throat. Pain would devour my senses, and sweet sleep would come once more.
Time mattered not, and I lost count of the amount of times I was awakened from my slumber by the fever that savaged my body.
From time to time I managed decipherable glimpses of faces, all attempting to speak to me, but making no sound loud enough to be heard passed an intolerable howling. After another few moments similar to these, I realised it was myself who was hollering, from the pain or sorrow I was unsure.
Finally, as it began to appear my life would not change from this cruel course, I had healed enough to awake fully.
Eyelids slowly opening, I winced at the light pouring into my eyes. For once there was no sound, no fuel for the headache that pumped through my head with each beat of my heart. A few moments later and my eyes began to adjust, and I caught sight of a flaming torch set above me, casting flickering light across myself and the bedding I was laying on.
Taking a deep breath, I tentatively attempted to wriggle my toes, wincing as for a moment they refused to move. Thankfully, the numbness wore off, and before long I had all my toes moving, each clicking from some time spent unmoved.
Next I worked on moving my arm, then yelped as I split the scabbing that I discovered had spread across most of my body. Silently cursing, I realised the sun must have burnt me brutally in my time spent wandering the land.
Blood trickled down my arm, warm and satisfying to the touch. The crimson liquid reminded me of my thirst, and I slowly moved my head to look about me, careful not to break too much of the scabbing.
A slim water pouch was set beside me, and I reached out and took into, wincing as ever more scabs cracked and let loose drops of blood.
Pouring the warm substance down my parched lips, I relaxed as the revitalising substance set to work inside of me, energy beginning to course through me once more and the pain subsiding.
Now rejuvenated, I hoisted myself up in a sitting position, back leaning against a cold hard wall behind me. As I took in my surroundings I realised I was in some sort of cave, but not of natural occurrence.
The cave could have almost passed for an ordinary room, its walls straight and intricately carved, and would have if not for the gaping hole to my right, covered by drapes of cloth, streams of light seeping in from numerous cracks in the ancient material.
The rooms interior was of simple design, a bedding upon which I was sat, a lone torch burning above my head and shelves carved into the walls upon which various objects rested. Beside me was a bowl of still water, herbs and a pestor and mortar. The half made salve looked as if it had been left in a hurry, but fresh enough to have been recently made.
It was as I looked at the herbs that I realised my arms were now moist with a similar substance. Raising my arm to my nose, I inhaled sharply, the foreign smells meeting my noise worrying me.
All of a sudden the sound of voices filled my ears, and before I could retake a sleeping position the drapes were thrown aside, temporarily blinding me at the change of light. Three blurred figures marched in, and as the drapes fell back my eyes re-adjusted and I looked at my visitors.
They were vampires, that much was clear by their scent alone. There were two male and one female, who hurried to my side and busied herself with wetting a cloth and dabbing herbs onto it. As I was attacked with numerous splatters of sweet smelling splashes, I studied the vampires suspiciously.
The two males stood side by side before my bed. They were both garbed in thick furs and bore strangely carved spears, the metal tips glinting in the torch light. The one on the left had a scarred face, a large slit drawn down his forehead in a vicious curve and across one eye, its slashed pupil glazed over. He had untamed hair and a short, scruffy beard, reminding me of some sort of primitive mortal.
The other seemed more sophisticated, with a head of short, combed hair and a clean shaven face. His mahogany eyes bore into me with obvious contempt, and a slight sneer befouled his face as he awaited the female to finish.
I turned my head, catching her eye as she began to vigorously pound the herbs in the mortar. She held my gaze for a moment, and then concentrated on her work. The vampiress had similar clothing to the men, and bore a large knife at her side, the bone handle leather bound and with a small spike jutting from the hilt. Her hair was tied tightly back, and her vivid features lacked any kindness.
As she began to apply a fresh salve to my wounds, the smart looking vampire spoke to me.
“You have been in a feverish state for three days now,” his voice was thickly accented, though I couldn’t place it, “We have cared for your wounds, allowed you to shelter in our realm and relatively saved your life. Do not think this was out of the kindness of our hearts. You would not have travelled so far so as to simply die before your apparent destination. And I hope you were not insufferable enough to ignore our previous statements to whatever clan you deprive from and come seeking our help,” his eyes glared into my own for a moment, before he continued, “So it is of our interest to know why you have come,”
The three vampires stared at me, and I found myself in an odd state. I had suddenly realised I was no longer in grievance for Maria. For some reason, all I felt was a fiery determination begin to build within me, to finish what we had ventured here to do and not let Maria’s death have been in vain.
I looked at each of the vampires in turn, holding their gaze and proving I was not but some mere messenger sent by the lords. Finally, I began.
“I think I will put aside mere flatteries for the time being, and go straight to the point. The clan of the middle region is seeing its end, a mutinous member has grown to abnormal power and seeks the end of our clan and eventually each and every one,” I winced as they looked at each other in turn, and then sneered at me and spoke harshly.
“We have already told your pathetic clans that we will have nothing to do with these strives for power. Our clan’s ancestors announced centuries before your own birth that we will remain an isolated clan. Do not attempt to influence us with voice of trickery or deceit, we have heard your words spoken form many mouths and with strict authority I answer your plead with a resounding no!”
I didn’t bother answering; I understood how defiant the northern clan was of the others. Indeed, they had heard pleas for help many times before, but I hoped I had a factor that could play into my hands. But before I could word it I had to speak to someone of higher authority.
“I will speak with your leader,” I murmured defiantly, the tone of my voice stating I would have no argument.
The wild looking vampire growled and began to speak, but I cut him short as I sat up sharply in my bed, ignoring the pain as scabbing cracked and bled.
“I have just witnessed the death of my loved one! The downfall of a clan I had sworn loyalty to for centuries and you dare deny me a simple audience with your lord!” my eyes flared, my booming voice resounding throughout the cave and sending a swarm of bats from neighbouring caves fluttering into the night air. I held the vampires gaze with a fiery fury, staring him down until he cracked and bowed his head.
“Granted,” spat the sophisticated looking one. The two males turned to leave, whilst the vampiress tried to gently lay me back down.
I batted her arm aside, glaring at her to leave and sitting in silence as I waited.

♦

Hours passed, and I felt myself losing the will to stay awake. Exhaustion still reverberated about my body, and before long each of my limbs seemed to become thrice their usual weight. I slipped into unconsciousness once more, relief swamping my body as I gave into fatigue.
The next time I cracked open an eyelid, I felt as though a plague had swept the area, for pangs of icy shivers rang throughout my body, only to be swiftly followed by raging heat, and torrents of sticky perspiration.
Turning my head slightly, I caught sight of two female vampiress’, one of them vaguely familiar as the one that had accompanied the two males. Odd words reached my ears, and even though my senses had been thrown into turmoil I managed to make out a few words.
“The fevers... know how long... to wait,” I screwed my eyes shut, precious time slipping away yet again as I had become succumb to sickness. In the brief few moments before I slipped away to the realms of my mind, I felt an odd feeling for the first time. It was a rare sensation for the vampire folk, and its coming was a bad omen indeed. Fear had begun to pang at the corner of my mind, and for the first time I began to question whether we would be able to overcome the coming ordeal.

♦

I was thrown to my knees, and I held a yelp of pain as I gritted my teeth and winced as my half healed scabs threatened to scab. After a brief moment, the binds on my wrists were cut and the blindfold removed from my eyes. Stuffing was also removed from my ears, and I felt relief as I was brought back to full awareness.
The fever had passed less than a day ago, and it seemed clear that the clan was reluctant to keep me too long, as I had been brought immediately bound and blindfolded through their realm the moment I was found recovered.
I looked cautiously about me, taking in my surroundings. It was clearly their main hall, or area, for many flames burned about the room, revealing a single throne atop a large smooth podium. The throne had been carved from stone, it’s thick set edges and clean smooth surface providing no comfort for whoever sat atop it. As I looked, I saw the walls were covered with carvings scratched out of the stone, each portraying a story within itself. Stalactites overhanging far above confirmed it was, or at least began as, a natural cave. I shivered, the thin clothing I had been spared doing nothing to shoulder the colder.
However, what caught my attention most was the figure sat on the throne. The figure was enormous, a true beast of a man to say the least. Even from the distance of the hall between myself and him, the vampires rippling muscles could be seen. He wore a large robe of thick white fur, a snow leopards skin, the bottom jaw removed so that the heads skin rested over his own. Thick, unruly brown hair tumbled down either side of his head, the rest lost within the folds of the fur. The vampire wore no shirt, his defined muscles bared freely, and a pair of leather hide trousers covered his trunks of legs. Enormous boots rimmed with bone spines and teeth protruded from the end of his trousers, and I thought I saw dried blood spattered along the side of one, but I couldn’t be sure.
He wore a necklace baring the skulls of three humans, tiny in comparison to the size of the vampires own head. A huge war hammer rested against the side of the throne, made entirely of thick smooth stone, the end carved so blunt studs were evenly spaced over its face. This being had been born for only one thing, battle.
The vampire fiddled idly with the hilt of the hammer, encrusted with a ruby the size of my fist, a look of disinterest across his face. After a long few minutes he slowly raised his head, meeting my steely gaze with his own vibrant blue eyes. They seemed to be alive, full of energy and power.
“Come, I wish to see you closer,” his voice was the deepest I had ever heard, the sound echoing about the hall. I felt no nerves as I rose steadily to my feet and traversed the room, holding the vampires gaze.
Stopping metres before the steps leading up to his throne, I held my head high and allowed him to scrutinise me.
The vampire casually leaned forward, observing me as though a predator would his prey. Another few moments passed, until he leaned back in his throne, looking down at me with undisguised contempt.
“I am Walkar, king of this realm. I understand why you are here,” he paused, sighing gently, “I am an understanding king, believe me or not, I will listen to what you have to say,” he sat back, folding his arms and nodding at me to begin.
I held back my surprise, admiring the simplicity in his words, but was at a loss for where to begin. However, after a brief moments thought, I decided to simply lay the cards on the table and see where we got.
“I am John Woodchuck, prior official of the middle region clan and temporary reinstated member. However, today I come to you, as a mortal being. In the past month I have witnessed the downfall of a clan I had once committed my life to and still held dear, the deaths of many a lord and friend and above all, the death of a loved one this very week. A once simple life I had found myself in has now become a tornado of death and despair, and I am finding the situation, the endeavour, to lead to a fatal end not only for our clan but for all the clans of the world,” I paused, looking for a response, but the king gave no sign on his stony face, “A vampire, by the name of Francis, has twisted the majority of our clan into a mutinous horde, his intentions clear: to destroy ours and every clan on this very earth. I understand you will see this as no threat, but this vampire is dangerous. He has turned the minds of many a life loyal vampire and he needs to be brought to an end,” I hadn’t realised it myself, but as I had spoken my voice had grown in intensity, and the king looked mildly surprised at the anger and venom laced in my words.
For a hard long minute I awaited a response. My plead had been short and to the point, as the king before seemed like not the one to dwell on simple exaggerations.
Walkar leaned forward in his throne, his face set hard in a stony glare. “And what would you have me do, John Woodchuck of the middle region? What were you expecting as you journeyed through my domain? Our immediate sympathy and a legion of warriors to rescue you from your own doing and save the day?”
I bit my lip hard, concentrating my anger as a beady droplet of blood formed in my mouth.
“You may have unwittingly made the assumption that due to my physique I could be swayed by the simplest of words, but dare you not allow my appearance to fool you. I have lived for tenfold your lifespan, I have seen the dawning of age after age of human, and you dare enter my throne room and seek help knowing undoubtedly we would decline!”
Anger swelled in my gut, and I released it with splitting determination. I darted forward, in an instant square nose to nose with the king.
“I have not travelled this far, witnessed the death of my love and the downfall of my clan, to simply be swept aside by a brute in a crudely fashioned throne!” I spat, words cutting through the air, “Now you listen to me, Walkar, we face the end in less than half a year, and you still think it sane to squabble over oaths sworn by ancestors long before you, on matters that saw their end millennia ago! Is it not time to let bad blood flow free and allow us to take the matter at end by the throat? Or are you too cowardly?”
Walkar stared back expressionless, then put two beefy hands about my neck and lifted me effortlessly from his chest. I dared not struggle, the king simply had to squeeze sharply and I would see my end.
After a tense few moments, the king cracked a slim smile, tossing my to the ground and then pouncing himself onto my chest. I heaved, and looked up at him, his fangs practically cutting into my face.
“Your courage is admirable,” he began, his deep voice resounding through my body, “To mock a king in his own throne room, guts like that aren’t found in every maggot that calls himself a vampire,” he paused leaning back slightly, so we were about nose length apart, “I don’t accept your plead. Yet. First you must prove yourself to be worthy of my assistance. You will attempt the Hort Kal, an ancient set of three unendurable tasks set to test a vampire to his limits and allow him to earn his place in the ranks of our legion. Only upon completion, will I consider your request,”
He stood, gesturing for the two guards that had been stationed by the doors to take me. As I was bound and gagged once more, I felt the king’s hand once again on my throat.
“And John. Ever try something like that again, I’ll tear your head from your neck, understand?” I sniffed, and he chuckled slightly, then winded me with a blow to the gut.
“Your first task will be in three days, I suggest you gather what meagre rest you can ascertain, you’ll need it,”