Vixerai took a long breath, lowered herself away from my manhood until she was sitting with her shins folded under her thighs. Her face was still inches from my hips. I looked down at her and saw that some of my seed was trailing from her mouth. I moved to wipe it from her with my finger, but her long red tongue beat me to it. Her tongue licked it off, and she seemed to relish the taste of it.
My hand swept some of her long hair aside, traced the contours of her horns.
“Come.” I took her hands and pulled her up to me. She wrapped her arms around my neck, sat her warm, toned hips on mine. We sat there embracing one another for a long moment. It was strange that I could care so much for her, though I had known her only an hour or two perhaps. “How do you feel?”
“I’ve never tasted something so delicious,” she giggled. “I’m full as full can be.”
“Gaumoon. Can you help him?”
“I’ll show you.” Her wings beat with utter strength as she hopped back. She slipped her one piece garment back, the stretching thongs snapping onto her shoulders. Then she darted from the room, the candle orbs swirling around her. I was barely able to keep up with her, still buckling my belt as I followed.
The candle orbs and the light from outside gave us plenty of illumination as we came to Gaumoon, his shallow breaths barely moving his huge hide. Vixerai hovered over him and placed her hand on his side. “You say his name is Gaumoon?”
“Aye. That’s all he says. And he took to it once I called him that. He’s cleverer than he looks.”
She nodded with a slight smile and closed her eyes in concentration. Her hand began glowing a gentle pink and the candle orbs began swirling around Gaumoon as he turned the same color. “Gaumoon, you gentle creature, heal!”
I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see One Eye emerging from the depths of the tunnel leading further into the innards of the sky island. He reached the chamber where I stood and looked puzzled at the sight of Vixerai healing Gaumoon. He turned to me and handed me some kind of tuber. His gloved hands were caked with dirt.
I held the dirt covered tuber. “What is this?”
“I do not know. I found it...burrowing.”
“Burrowing?”
“My eye.” Its red glow intensified for a moment.
“I see. You used your eye beam like a pick ax.” I looked down again at the tuber in my hand. “And this… you think it is some kind of healing herb?”
He nodded. “It was all I found.”
I took a bite of it. It crunched in my mouth, tasted like raw beet. “It’s a tuber.” I handed it back to him.
“Oh.”
I turned back to Vixerai. The rose glow around her hands had intensified. Gaumoon’s wounds were sealing themselves. Her face strained. The orb lights merged into her once more as if she recalled them. Gaumoon’s wing straightened as its tissues mended themselves.
She turned to me, out of breath. “He is well now.”
Gaumoon stirred. “Gaumooooon,” he bellowed.
“You fat bastard! You made it!” I laughed as I stepped to him and pet his rough hide.
Vixerai’s wings flapped as she panted. I looked up to her and saw her face was wan and covered in sweat.
“It took a lot out of you, didn’t it?”
“I do not use my powers to heal often. And I have never healed such a large creature. It drained me.” Her feet touched solid ground as she landed. “Good thing I have a source of infinite power with me,” she said as she hooked her thin arm around my thick corded one.
I only had a fleeting moment to consider the thought of filling her once more when the urgency of my task caught hold of me. “Come, we have tarried long enough. Take me to this human woman among your lost kin.”
She nodded. I hopped onto Gaumoon, clasped my chain around his fin. One Eye climbed aboard as well, latching himself to the giant manta’s fin once more.
The four of us went flying out from the island, into the red sky once more.
“Tell me, Vixerai—” I shouted from my mount. My succubi was flying close to us, the gusts kicking back her hair and wings. She was truly graceful, soaring like that. “What do you know of this Sombrala?”
“She is not from this world. No one knows exactly when she came, but all agree that it was near three decades ago!” I remembered that Tiloshar said three decades ago was when her memories began, and everything before that was lost. Vixerai swooped close, so that she was like a kite and her thin arm the string holding her one of Gaumoon’s fins. “She began conquering this realm of the Floating Isles within Malfeon. Though many in the Floating Isles still resist her, she’s nearly conquered it all. The lords of the red sun above respect her rule, as do the lords of the green sun above them. The lords of the Brass City below recognize her rule too, and the black pits below them. She lives at a place we call Meshoksko, or the White Tear in our common tongue.”
I immediately thought of Tiloshar’s home island. “Strange. What brought her here, and where did she come from?”
“No one really knows, and she’s not someone you can really question.”
“And this human, what of her?”
“When Sombrala came she quickly conquered the White Garras, those white-skinned riders of wyverns you’ve already met. She demanded the harpy tribes submit to her as well. We fought, but she overpowered our warriors and mages. Later, a few of us thought that if we willingly gave ourselves to her, that she would leave our people alone. So I and a few other harpies, one from each tribe, went to her. She took us to the fortress she had carved out of a large sky island… and she transformed us, made us her servants. In return, she stopped hunting our people, for a while, and it was during this peace time that my tribe found better hidden places to live in. Sombrala began killing harpies again because she didn’t like them hiding from her. Then I began hearing rumors that my former tribe was hiding a human from Hourne, from the human world. Sombrala was going to torture the knowledge of my tribe’s whereabouts out of me, since I knew our sky islands well and the best places to hide in. That is when I snuck away from her and White Tear, because I knew that if she tortured the knowledge from me she would hunt down my tribe.”
“So you have never met this human, then, the one you say lives among your hidden tribe?”
“No, I was already under Sombrala’s dominion when I heard rumors that there was a human in Malfeon. All I know is what I’ve heard, that she’s a human woman, truly beautiful, they say.”
It was strange to think that there was another Sanguinar vampire here in Malfeon, a queen over a fortress as well, though this one was white and was surrounded by a red sky rather than a blue sea. “There must be some link between Sombrala and… the one I seek the magic gem for.”
“Why do you serve her? Are you bound to her as I was bound to Sombrala? Did she transform you from a man to… an animal man?”
“She did not transform me, but I am bound to her… in a way.” My mind was torn as to what Tiloshar really was, a foe, an ally, a lover, an enemy? “She holds the key to regaining my freedom… as well as my friend’s.” I glanced back at One Eye.
“Will you get revenge on her once you’re free?”
“I have not thought of it that far.”
We soared through red sky and small scattered skyrocks for what must have been hours. My attention turned to something far more immediate. “By Fenris, what are those?” There were various pillars of something like fiery clouds. They all writhed in the sky and stretched as far high and as far low as I could see. They were enormous in their breadth as well, thick as mountains, each of them. There were dozens and together formed a kind of forest of burning cloud pillars.
“They are called the Endless Pillars. All creatures avoid them, as their fires kill harpies and demons alike.” We soared among these cloud pillars, weaving around them as youths running through a thicket of trees. Gaumoon, large as he was, was only a tiny mote hovering about a camp fire. The fires reflected off his thick hide and off Vixerai
’s wings so that all of us seemed like were afire. Vixerai held her hands out and a kind of crystal sphere appeared around us. It had a slight blue sheen to it and seemed strongest before us and faded behind us. It seemed it was meant to shield us from the heat. “That one!” She pointed to a burning cloud pillar and we dove to it.
She dismounted Gaumoon and took to the skies, swooping down below us. “Follow me!” She dove far, far down, following the writhing contours of the pillar. She reached a spot on the pillar where she came to a stop and Gaumoon began circling wide around her. “Here it is. I just hope it will still recognize me.” She aimed her hands at the pillar and spoke. “Elder Lassador, Elder Ardor, Elder Gessendor, open for one of your descendants.”
As if sliced by a sword, a slit appeared on the cloud pillar. It opened like curtains parting. A yellow light seeped out. “Come!” Vixerai waved to us to follow as she flew into this opening in the pillar. We flew in through these parted flame curtains, my weapon at the ready.
14
Inside the fire pillar, there were many sky islands, of many shapes and sizes, all floating within the pillar at different heights. Many of these sky islands were covered with thick moss and something like mushrooms that were the size of sheep.
We swept up and went flying among them. Winged figures darted from the sky and into sky islands, finding various tunnels to hide in like frightened birds.
“Harpies,” I said.
“Yes, the whole colony will soon know that there are strangers among them.” Vixerai pointed to a sky island that was covered all on its underside with flowers that resembled cotton. On its top side, there were various bronze statues all along its rim, with the rest of its surface carved, polished stone so that it seemed a gem rather than an island. It was vast, at least a mile long and near the same length in all directions so that it was nearly a sphere. Like many sky islands we had come across, it had various entrances to tunnels that ran all throughout its inside core. This one however, seemed different. Rather than dark, its tunnels seemed to emit a faint yellow glow from inside them.
“Why does this island glow from its inside, unlike others?”
“Deep within it there is a Lumina Blossom. It is a plant of great magical essence. It spreads its roots everywhere, giving the island light and power. My people can use this power to grow food, to protect the island from arcane spells, to give warmth or cold. It is like the island’s heart.”
It nearly sounded like this plant was a small sun to the harpy people. We flew straight on toward this resplendent island, but Gaumoon came to a jerking stop when a flurry of wings surrounded us. They were harpies, their wings white or gold, some with more resplendent colors like sapphire blues, or greens and oranges only seen in birds from deep in the rainforests of Gongol back in Hourne. My scanning eyes quickly counted nine, perhaps ten, all female save for one. He was a male harpy whose wings scintillated in blinding colors. His wing’s leading edges were emerald green, yet the feathers that descended down were a motley of gold, azure, violet, ruby red. Down from his back protruded a long tail that was made up of feathers with eyes in them, much like a peacock, though these seemed true eyes with roaming pupils that studied our small party with shocked intrigue. His sinewy flesh was an emerald color with subtle iridescence.
“How dare you all intrude upon the Hidden City! Lay down your arms or face death!” the male spoke, his wings flapping with powerful grace as he hovered before us. A long, white shafted spear backed up his command, its amethyst blade glowing with arcane power.
“Sirucan, how can you speak like that,” Vixerai said as she slowly drifted toward him, “to your sister?”
“Sister? How dare you claim my blood!” He snapped his spear arm out, aiming, and the spear tip began glowing more intensely. I knew what he would do—Platina, king Albrecht’s champion, had a similar weapon. A dart of violet energy barreled out of the spear like a crossbow bolt.
“No!” With my ghost hand, I lashed out. My spectral claw collided with the violet energy bolt in midair, intercepting it and forcing it to burst with a small explosion. Vixerai reeled back, unharmed but shaken. “We are not here to harm you! We’re allies!” I shouted, to no avail.
The other harpies in their form-fitting metal half armor readied their weapons. They wielded spears or bows, two held throwing weapons that were in the shape of sharpened disks with hollow interiors for gripping. Sirucan, the male harpy with green skin and rainbow wings commanded, “Take them, alive or dead—it matters not!”
“Vixerai, give us some cover!” I motioned for Gaumoon to barrel straight ahead as my bird maiden put up a crystal sphere around us. Spears and arrows came crashing against the glass-like substance. I glanced back to One Eye who was already taking aim to fire back with his Iron Cross. “One Eye, don’t fire!” He quickly lowered his weapon and stared at me dumbfounded. We plunged on toward the island. An energy bolt from Sirucan’s spear shattered Vixerai’s protective sphere over us.
She screamed as shards of solidified energy sparkled around her like broken glass then fizzled white and disappeared.
“Vixerai, follow us, we’re going on land!” I grabbed One Eye by the arm, shot my chain claw at the island. The chain hissed as it covered the two hundred feet and I felt it ripple as it impacted upon the island’s sculpted surface. The two of us were wrenched from Gaumoon by my chain and sent barreling to the island.
I landed with a thud, my legs absorbing the impact. One Eye landed as well, though the momentum forced him to buckle and roll a few times like a tossed stone. His legs might have been shattered had he not been an undead. He staggered up. Where we stood, the island’s surface had been carved into a kind of mosaic. A glowing hole in the island was only a moment’s run from us. “Come, I see a tunnel!” As I ran, I glanced up and saw that Vixerai flew toward us, with the other harpies giving chase. She drew zigzagging patterns with her flight as she dodged oncoming arrows and energy bolts. Some missed her by a hand’s breadth.
“Vixerai!” As the ground rushed under my pumping legs, I clawed with my ghost hand and my chain claw. I did not aim to kill but merely tried to divert the harpies’ attention from Vixerai. Two of them had to reel back as they felt my oncoming claws. “One Eye, give Vixerai some cover, but don’t aim to kill! We need the harpies as allies if we ever want to find Sombrala’s gem.”
One Eye slowed to a trot behind me as he cocked his Iron Cross. He aimed. Shhm. Shhm. Shhm. He unleashed three quick energy bolts. I glanced up to see the harpies flying in erratic patterns as they avoided One Eye’s purposely haphazard aim. “Vixerai!” I waved for her to come toward us. She swooped down and together we all descended down into the tunnel. I had to hop down some twenty feet, as these tunnels were not designed for those without wings. My feet felt the solid, hard surface of the tunnel as I landed. One Eye followed behind and Vixerai swooped ahead of us. We rushed on. The tunnel was lit well enough to see, yet it did not have sconces holding torches. Simply, mild yellow light streaked along its stone surface, for vines were imbedded onto the surface of the stone and they gave off the mellow glow that lit our way.
We ran on. Up ahead, I saw the tunnel split into three. “Vixerai, do you know your way around?”
“Not really. This used to be an empty sky island, for hiding mainly. The tunnels were dark and no one lived here. Now they transformed it into a city since I have been gone—near thirty years now!”
I heard the flapping of wings behind us. “One Eye! Cover.” My zombie companion began loading bolts into his Iron Cross. “Vixerai, which one of these tunnels was the longest, do you remember?
“The middle one… I think.”
“Come, One Eye!” We rushed into the middle stone tunnel. It began widening as we ran further. We did not run far before small entrances to chambers began appearing along the sides of this tunnel. As we ran, I caught sight of some harpies scattering, entering these smaller chambers off to the sides of the main tunnel. They closed doors behind them. As I ran past, some o
f them I noticed they were made of some bone-like material and folded like Parthan doors made of paper.
The tunnel flashed red as One Eye unleashed some more energy bolts to stave off the pursuing harpies. “You there!” I spotted a harpy fleeing into one of the private chambers splitting off from the main tunnel. It was a male harpy, and seemed aged, with a cloud of wispy white hair trailing from his head and mud-colored wings whose feathers were frayed and covered with dingy age spots. If he was aged, he must know the layout of this sky island. I ran up to snatch him, but he managed to close his bony room door behind him.
“You think that will stop me!” I unloosed my ax from my back. The door went splitting apart like a chicken bone in mastiff jaws.
“Baghh!” the old harpy recoiled further into the small chamber. I rushed in. He was grabbing some kind of staff from the wall, but I snatched him by his white robe’s collar and yanked him away before he could reach it. I dragged him out as he shouted in panic.
“Vile creature! Elders protect! Elders smite this demon!”
“Listen to me,” I shook him until he stopped flailing for a moment, “I don’t want to harm you, so you must do as I say! You’ve seen a few years, so you have to know your way around. Take me to the blossom, the plant at the heart of this island.”
“You think I will take you there, you foul wingless creature!”
“Your life is at stake, but you still refuse?!”
Wolf Blade: Chains of the Vampire Page 13