Legends of Marithia: Book 2 - Darkness Rising

by Peter Koevari

  “I’m sorry Yuski, something has been bothering me today.”

  “What has been bothering you?” asked Yuski.

  “Earlier today, the sun was blotted out by the moon. I studied the stars for most of my life, and my master Aldorus taught me how to predict when these events would happen, and it wasn’t time for an event such as this.”

  “Plenty has happened in Marithia lately that is strange, why is this any different? We have a red moon, does that not worry you?”

  Anakari’s voice broke and her eyes watered as she said, “I know, but that’s not all. When the sky darkened, I looked to the stars and I saw a singular star shoot across the sky, but I swear that I saw it fall to Marithia, far out to sea. It would not be so bad if I didn’t feel as if I somehow was connected to that star. I, I can’t explain it, but I suddenly felt saddened… as if I had lost something or someone close to me.”

  Yuski held her tighter and tenderly rubbed Anakari’s stomach.

  “Hey, I’m sure everything is alright. Shooting stars have been a common sighting over many ages. Maybe you feel that you miss your master, Aldorus? Or you feel far from your home? Don’t worry, I will protect you,” Yuski said, the warmth of her voice radiated through Anakari’s body.

  Anakari knew deep down that something was wrong with the shooting star but she felt comforted by Yuski. More than anything else, she felt safe in her company.

  “Yuski. What town was it… the town from your story, where Wumvarn massacred all those people?”

  “I thought you would have worked that out by now… Crondor of course,” answered Yuski.

  Anakari’s sharp intake of breath gave away her fear.

  Yuski breathed deeply, falling asleep almost immediately. Anakari was wide awake, her eyes darting around their surroundings as they continued toward the tragic town of Crondor.

  Chapter 10 : Fangs For The Memories

  “One’s fate can be changed throughout life’s journey.

  We may think that we know what will become of us as our years go by, but something unexpected can block the road ahead and divert our path in a new direction.

  Sometimes we have a choice, a crossroad, to decide our new future.

  Other times, that choice is made for us.”

  (Makya, She’Ma’Ryn trader)

  They ran tirelessly for days, stopping only to feed on unlucky Marithians they chanced upon. Hiding in caves and abandoned farmhouses during the day, they avoided a horrid death by sunlight. Daytime was the only time they rested and as time went on, Tusdar became accustomed to his new waking hours by the pale red shade of the moon.

  Tusdar found that he could sleep, but he had been stripped of the ability to dream.

  Mestal taught him how to hunt and feed. He quenched his thirst for blood and quickly adapted to his new source of food. It all began to feel completely natural to him in his new form. It was a feeling that he accustomed to far quicker than he thought he would. Constant feeding maintained their strength and gave him newfound abilities.

  With the changes came a gradual acceptance of what he now was, and although at times he felt ill when he remembered his human life, he tried to look only ahead to the possibilities that the future may hold.

  Mestal focused on a singular purpose; taking him to the vampire city, Zhendur.

  She yelled excitedly, “We’re almost there! Zhendur awaits us!”

  Tusdar leapt over the deep fissures in the dying lowlands, sucked dry of any life left in them by the Forces of Darkness, his movements becoming more animal than human at a rapid rate. A thick fog covered them like insects within an endless wispy soup; he relied solely on Mestal’s familiarity to guide them safely through it and blindly followed her.

  Each time the fog thinned, he caught a swift glimpse of the surrounding lands.

  Mestal’s voice echoed over him, “Far ahead of us is Kassina’s tower.”

  Until now, Kassina’s tower had been nothing more than a rumour to him and a place to avoid at all costs. He yelled between puffed breaths, “I don’t see much, let alone the tower. But you know, if I had come here before you turned me, I would be running, the other way! Where is Zhendur?”

  “That was then Tusdar, forget your old life! You won’t see Zhendur because you do not know where to find it,” she laughed.

  She turned sharply to her right and Tusdar barely caught sight of the shift through the fog but was able to keep up.

  Her voice was distant as it reached his ears, “Far ahead of us are the famed cliffs, known as Eagle Drop. They were named Eagle Drop as Marithians thought that only an eagle would be foolish enough to leap off its edge.”

  Between the cliff and horizon was a long path of dense, foggy wasteland which led to Mount Wayrin, a dormant Marithian volcano. All of these parts were said to be controlled by Shindar and were the domain of the feared vampire sorceress Kassina.

  His voice crackled as he warily asked, “Mestal! You do know where you are going, right?”

  She replied in annoyance, “How many times do I have to prove that you need to trust me?”

  With a sudden thinning of fog ahead of them, he saw that they were nearing Eagle Drop. It would only take a handful of leaps before he would go right over the edge.

  “But…” he began.

  “Just trust me!” she snapped.

  In one final leap, Mestal must have stopped in her tracks as he didn’t see her again. Tusdar almost crashed into her body as she caught him, dragging him back from the edge as he lost balance and leaned over waving his arms wildly, his reflexes not yet as mature as Mestal’s.

  He saw nothing but fog and darkness below the edge.

  “By the gods! Where is Zhendur? There is nothing here but a fall to our deaths,” he squealed, regaining his composure.

  She only smiled and spoke through fangs that glittered in the moonlight, “Patience is a virtue, young man. Some secrets cannot be unveiled by anyone without great power or our gifts.”

  Mestal turned to him with her back to Mount Wayrin and the seemingly endless gap of air in between. The wind from below flicked her long hair around her face and caused her clothes to cling to her body in resistance.

  She leaned in to land a soft kiss on his lips, and purred as she said, “I have so many things to show you, and this… is only the beginning.”

  Mestal took a step back to the edge, spread her arms wide and let herself fall over the edge with her eyes shut.

  Tusdar’s voice echoed far below, “No!”

  His instincts took over him and he desperately tried to save her. Almost catching her coat as it rhythmically flapped in the wind, he caught nothing but air.

  Her voice disappeared in the darkness within the fog as she screamed, “Come with me!”

  “Grrrraahhh!” he roared, pacing by the edge. “Why is it that I always end up leaping off edges?” he said, thinking back to his narrow escape from the Forces of Darkness at Greenhaven.

  Tusdar realised that he was suddenly free, able to decide his own fate and for a moment, he contemplated turning and running the other way.

  I could try to find Vartan and maybe I can still help him. But where is he? I wouldn’t even know where to start, he thought, a pang of guilt filled his heart as he saw the faces of the people he had fed on that day, but Mestal did save my life and Vartan failed to save me when that vampire slit my throat. What welcome would I receive? They would probably kill me now that I am a vampire… it’s what I would do.

  He hesitated for a moment longer and the realisation sunk in that he had only one solution.

  “Gods, be damned!” he yelled as he leaped over Eagle Drop and fell through the fog, it felt as if his stomach jumped to his throat and latched on for dear life.

  The wind caught his body as he fell through the fog barrier and emerged into clear air. He continued to plummet into darkness and forced his arms and legs out wide. Using the horizon and Mount Wayrin as a guide, he could see that he descended quickly but he could not see where
he was going. Far below him he began to see tiny flickering lights through the darkness at what seemed in line with the cliff’s wall.

  He yelled frantically into the black space below, “Mestal!”

  He could barely hear her voice through the rush of wind past his ears and couldn’t make sense of what she was saying. He leaned toward the cliff edge and brought himself closer to it. The flickering lights became a little clearer in his vision and he was beginning to see the flamed torches far below. It appeared as if there were two figures standing on a lowered castle gate.

  Puzzled in his panic, he asked himself, “There is a castle gate opening from a cliff?”

  He began to hear noises. They started as a few squeaks, and then shrieking cries filled the air as hundreds of bats flew from the opened gate and headed upward, rushing straight towards him like a blizzard emerging from below.

  Tusdar raised his arms to defend his face instinctively, but the move wasn’t necessary as the bats were not attacking him.

  “Wha…?” he exclaimed as many bats grabbed hold of his clothes and tugged him upward, madly flapping their wings in an effort to stop his fall.

  Feeling his descent slowing, he began to relax again.

  First I’m saved by a dragon, and now I’m saved by bats… I sure have moved up in the world, he thought.

  The bats brought him close to the lowered gate and abruptly dropped him, returning to the roof of the cliff entrance. He stood up and shook off his clothes, his eyes adjusting to the change in lighting.

  He smiled nervously, trying to regain his composure and said in a deep voice, “This was not what I was expecting.”

  Standing in the entrance were Mestal and a tall, strong vampire. The vampire looked important as his clothes were ornately woven and were laden with jewels.

  “Welcome to Zhendur. It is a pleasure to meet Mestal’s chosen. I am Lord Aryun,” he said, extending his hand as his smile revealed his pearly fangs.

  Mestal’s eyes were wide with annoyance as Tusdar took his time to shake Aryun’s hand, but was relieved when he finally took it.

  Warily but politely, he addressed the vampire lord and said, “The pleasure is all mine.”

  Looking over Lord Aryun’s shoulder, he could see that a short distance inside the tunnel was a large opening, and from that came the familiar sounds of a city bustling with activity.

  “I see you are eager to come inside. How could I blame you? Come, let us walk,” said Aryun, putting his arm around Tusdar and walking inside, Mestal following closely behind.

  Elite vampire guards were posted at the city’s entrance, heavily armoured and brandishing crossbows with arrows that appeared to be emitting an eerie green smoke. They watched Tusdar closely as he neared the city entrance.

  Aryun looked at him with curiosity, “Master Mestal has waited a long time for her chosen. She has turned many to join the ranks of our forces, but this is… different.”

  “What exactly do you mean by chosen?” asked Tusdar as they cleared the entrance.

  “Mestal has not yet told you?” laughed Aryun.

  “Oh stop it, Aryun… you are embarrassing me,” said Mestal coyly.

  “Oh my…” breathed Tusdar, as they passed through the entrance and stepped into the magnificent cavern that cradled the city of Zhendur.

  “This is your new home. Zhendur is sacred to all of us and I am sure that you will like it here,” said Aryun as he and Mestal stood with Tusdar, letting him marvel for a moment at his first sight of their city.

  Aryun spoke proudly, “Once the pact was made at Kassina’s tower, Zhendur was carved out of the earth and built by Shindar’s army. The pact saved all of our kind from extinction. You will learn that whatever you need, Shindar will provide.”

  Tusdar appeared like a startled rabbit as he said wide-eyed, “Shindar will provide?”

  Mestal smiled at his response, “You have a lot to learn Tusdar as not everything is as it seems. Shindar may be the lord of darkness, but he saved us from extinction.”

  The city was enormous, and it was incredible to believe that it was built underground, hidden away from prying eyes. The giant cavern was lit by seemingly endless glowing stones and gave the city a cooling light blue shade. It was if they were permanently under the moon with no sunlight to be concerned about. There were buildings with various but familiar signs, blacksmith, armoury, an Inn. But there were also many buildings with signs that were new to him, many that he wanted to explore.

  On the far north side of the city was where their vampire soldiers and assassins trained. Its training grounds were full of vampires practicing, but he noticed that entire barracks were empty, and that there were great stockpiles of bloodied weaponry and armour.

  “This is amazing, but why the empty buildings?” asked Tusdar.

  Aryun’s shoulder’s dropped and he spoke sadly in reflection, “Many of our brothers and sisters were lost to us in the recent conflict. As a result of the pact, we must fight for Shindar’s cause, and our souls are pledged to him if we fall in Marithia. We are immortal by nature, but there are ways to take that away from us. And when it has been, we meet Shindar in the underworld to continue our service.”

  “This is Mestal’s district, and I am sure that you will feel comfortable here. To your right is the library and I encourage you to read about our history. After all, you are also part of that history now. Go ahead and enjoy your evening together. I am sure that I will see you soon,” he said and nodded before freezing. His pupils whitened and he stared deep into Tusdar’s eyes.

  It appeared that Lord Aryun was entranced for a moment, before he blinked and seemed slightly concerned.

  Tusdar bowed respectfully and said, “Thank you Lord Aryun for the warm welcome.”

  “Warm? We are family now, it is the least that I can do,” he answered before walking out of earshot. Tusdar’s head reeled with confusion. Everything he had known about vampires was being challenged with every passing minute of his new life.

  Mestal took his hand and led him around the corner to a shiny golden fountain with a statue of a beating heart that flowed with fresh blood.

  She dipped her hand in to check if it was hot enough and said, “Here, take some and drink.”

  Tusdar reached into the pool of blood and cupping it with his hands, he drank heartily.

  “I used to long for a drink, of a kind far different to what I long for now, but I wonder…” he said in between sips, watching with amazement at the blood flowing through the fountain.

  “It needs to be run through the fountain for it to stay fresh,” she answered, anticipating what he was about to ask.

  He licked his lips and asked, “Where do you get all the blood from?”

  “As Lord Aryun said, what we need, Shindar will provide. It flows from under the ground, but he told us that a spell was cast from the underworld to send a continual flow of blood to Zhendur. It keeps us strong, but doesn’t help us if we venture out to Marithia.”

  Mestal joined him for a hearty drink before she took his arm and walked him toward a nearby building.

  “Now I know how to find Zhendur, and what it is. But how do we get back to Marithia from here?”

  “I think you have learned enough for one day, but don’t worry about that. You will find out soon enough,” she answered.

  They neared an ornate door to what looked like an official building and she paused to look deep into his eyes. Her right eyebrow raised as she asked through luscious lips, “You wanted to know what chosen means? It means that I take you as my partner, my apprentice and my lover. I performed a special ritual when I turned you, which links us by blood.”

  “Oh,” he said, smiling. Not fully grasping what he had just learned, he blurted out the first thought that entered his mind, “Why me?”

  Mestal grinned at his boyish confusion, “Because I took an interest in you, but it’s more than that, I felt a sign. That night when I saw you bleeding out in the woods, I was the lookout for our assassin
s. I knew that they would kill you, but I heard the voices of our ancestors telling me to save you. But there is more to being chosen by a master.”

  “And what is that?”

  “Anyone chosen by a master is to be trained in vampire history, combat, and will have the honour of being blessed by Kassina herself. You will be linked with her in a way that you could never imagine. It is a magical link between minds that transcends all barriers and allows Kassina to speak directly to you, to command you,” she answered.

  Tusdar’s face paled, he swallowed loudly and his voice broke as he said, “Kassina will bless and command me? Does she command you?”

  “Yes, she does. New masters are chosen by Kassina when she graces Zhendur with her presence. This is the symbol of the chosen ones,” she said, pulling down her coat to reveal a mark akin to a tattoo on her skin, just above her right breast. It was as large as a fist and was a pentagram with a detailed eye in the centre. A symbol that was similar to those of the ancients.

  Trying not to stare at her bare chest, he stuttered, “I… I see, so why was it of so much interest to Lord Aryun that you had chosen me?” he asked.

  Mestal covered herself slowly, and took a moment to answer.

  “I suppose that now is a good time to tell you. Lord Aryun is my father, which is why he considers you family. I am a naturally born Vampire, and both my father and I are descendants of vampire royalty. I had to test you and I had to know if you were truly a chosen one. You had to make the choice to follow me on your own, and you made the right choice,” she answered, turning the doorknob to her door.

  “This is magnificent, but I think I need to lie down” said Tusdar, feeling overwhelmed by it all.

  “I understand your confusion, come inside and rest now; we have lots of time for me to tell you more about our way of life. This is my home, which is our home now,” she said, beckoning him inside.

  Chapter 11 : A Forsaken Town

  “I have been blessed by a gift from the gods and will not let their sacrifice be in vain. My body feels stronger than ever and I am eager to discover what this element of water can do.