Inching closer to Seeley, I found myself in awe of the Darklings. There was a method to their madness, and I had to recalibrate my judgments regarding them.
“These really aren’t just mindless fanatics,” I murmured. “They’ve got a pretty solid purpose. And it seems to work in the Aeternae’s favor. So, are we sure the empire’s leadership isn’t… I don’t know, in cahoots with them?”
“Good question,” Seeley whispered. He raised the issue with Zoltan. “Clarify this for me, then, Scholar. If your purpose is so noble, why are you all outcasts? Why isn’t the Aeternae empire rewarding you, instead of hunting you?”
“Not everyone agrees with our methods,” Zoltan replied. “Over the millennia, it has been our understanding that we are better off operating in the shadows. The fewer people who know what we do in the darkness, the greater our odds of success.”
“But you’ve got people infiltrated at all levels of the Aeternae society, right?” Seeley asked.
Zoltan nodded. “More or less, yes.”
“What about the Lord and Lady Supreme? Do they know?”
“If they did, we wouldn’t be hiding out here, on the edge of the world.” Zoltan scoffed. “Sometimes, the monarchs are best kept out of the loop on things like this. Our actions may seem questionable, but our sole objective is to protect the Aeternae.”
It wasn’t a good enough excuse to justify their atrocities, but I did feel a smidge of relief knowing my GASP friends were not in any immediate danger. Had the Lord and Lady Supreme been aware of and supporters of the Darklings, then Derek and the others would’ve been in trouble. I wondered who else the Darklings had reached in the upper echelon of Aeternae society.
“What about the death magic?” Seeley decided to revisit the topic. I knew it bugged him, and for good reason, too. “How’d you come across it? It’s not like you’ve always had the knowledge and resources to trap a Reaper and force them into telling you this stuff.”
Zoltan smiled, his lips parting. He was about to reply, but his attention, much like ours, was quickly drawn back to Veliko, who came back with Rudolph on a chain leash. The ghoul struggled occasionally but immediately calmed down when he saw me.
“Rudy…” I mumbled, my brain quickly putting two and two together.
“Here’s a good replacement for Ignatius,” Veliko said. “Rudolph, sit.”
“Remember, Rudy. Just like we talked about,” I told him, and he listened. Obedient and relaxed, Rudolph sat. The iron collar dug into his translucent skin, but he seemed much more accustomed to his condition now than yesterday. Slowly but surely, Rudolph was learning to live as a ghoul—a point of no return for Reapers. He could never go back to who he was, but he could certainly strive to be a better ghoul than most, much like Herbert and a few others before him.
“He’s a little young to be out and about like this,” Zoltan said.
“Nonsense. He’s got potential,” Veliko replied, motioning for two black guards to join the conversation. “Come over here, fellas,” he called out, and lowered his voice for Zoltan and Seeley’s ears only. “I’m going to prove it to you.”
“What are you up to?” Zoltan asked, understandably suspicious.
“Well, you were right. I killed a ghoul, so it’s my duty to give you a reliable substitute. I’ve been watching Rudolph in his ghoul pen. I’ve seen the way he carries himself. How polite he is with the guards. I think he’s got the potential to be a million times better than Ignatius ever was.”
My heart almost leapt, as I felt myself closer to freeing Seeley than ever before. Finally, after all these days and after all the struggles, a high-ranking Darkling had noticed Rudolph’s behavior. Getting him out of the “ghoul pen” and into a more casual position was the next step before Rudolph would be able to swipe a scythe and help get Seeley out of this mess.
With no Death or other Reapers around to help, we only had ourselves to rely on. I constantly wondered why she wasn’t sending more agents, but the question marks took a back seat, since Seeley was still in danger.
“Your benevolence irritates me,” Zoltan said. “I think I liked you better when you were trying to unseat me, Veliko.”
“Don’t be cynical, Scholar Shatal. I’m merely working toward the completion of our common goals,” Veliko replied. He smiled at the newly arrived black guards. “Thanks for coming over, fellas.”
“What is he up to?” I asked, not necessarily expecting an answer. Rudolph looked at me with questioning eyes, and I gave him a shrug in return. I had no idea what was going on here.
“Anyway, let me prove how useful Rudolph can be,” Veliko added, tugging on Rudolph’s chain. “One of these boys is carrying an Aeternae blood vial, illegally obtained. I want you to find it.”
The first guard was shocked and stammering. “Wha… What?”
“What are you talking about?” the other asked, one hand resting on his belt-mounted scythe. He seemed to have a better grip on his emotions, but the beads of sweat bursting on his temples told me that Veliko was definitely onto something.
“Aeternae blood is illegal to drink without the high priestess’s approval,” Veliko explained to Seeley. “We might be rebels, but we do not drink from our own. That is a law as ancient as the Darklings themselves. I know there’s a network of Aeternae blood traffickers just a few miles south of Astoria. I also know that not all black guards can be loyal friends to one another, hence why I have this kind of information. One of you ratted the other out, fellas. And Rudolph here is going to prove it.”
The guards exchanged troubled glances before shifting their focus to Zoltan, who was now genuinely intrigued. “Is Veliko telling the truth?” Zoltan asked.
“Milord, no,” the first guard said. “We don’t drink Aeternae blood.”
“And we don’t fraternize much among ourselves, either,” the second replied. “We’re loyal Darklings.”
“Rudolph,” Veliko cut in. “Go on, boy. I know you understand me.”
I gave Rudolph a brief nod and an encouraging half-smile. He got up and walked toward the guards. Veliko let go of his chain, smiling as he watched the guards move closer together, clearly intimidated by the ghoul’s proximity.
“Don’t move, or he’ll tear you apart,” Veliko warned.
Rudolph sniffed around them, like a dog searching for something. Moments later, his lanky fingers slipped into the first guard’s pocket and removed a blood vial with a cork top, which he handed over to Zoltan.
“This is Aeternae blood,” the Scholar said after dipping his pinky into the dark red liquid and tasting it. “Unbelievable.”
“Milord, it’s not mine!” the first guard replied. “I swear to you, it’s not mine.”
“What is the penalty for drinking Aeternae blood among the Darklings?” Veliko asked, scratching his head and pretending not to remember.
The second guard inhaled sharply. “Death, milord.”
“You! You told them, didn’t you?” the first guard spat, reaching for his scythe.
The second guard said nothing. Veliko snapped his fingers. “Death it is, then. Rudolph?”
The ghoul gave me another glance, and I shuddered as I nodded again, for I knew what I was pushing him to do. Murder was never an easy option, but it was clearly our best path toward freedom in these circumstances.
Rudolph didn’t wait to be told twice. As if the last remnant of humanity snapped inside him, he pounced on the first guard and tore him to shreds. Blood sprayed out. Limbs fell on the ground. I shut my eyes and covered my ears to drown out as much of the horror as possible, while the second guard moved back, not wanting to end up as collateral damage.
The guard’s spirit didn’t get away, either. Veliko allowed Rudolph to eat it, too, while Seeley and I looked at each other. I needed Seeley’s approval on this, because I’d pushed Rudolph deeper down the rabbit hole in order to secure Seeley’s freedom. I felt awful, but we both appeared to agree that this needed to be done.
As Rudolph munche
d on the first guard’s soul, Veliko threw Zoltan a cold grin. “See? Obedient little boy. Throw him a soul now and then, maybe a slice of meat, and there you have it. A better Ignatius.”
Zoltan seemed to accept Rudolph as a replacement for the lost ghoul. It was definitely a bittersweet victory for Seeley and me, but a victory nonetheless. We were one step closer to getting the hell out of here before the Darklings did something to Seeley, too. Hope, despite being such a fickle thing, tasted sweet for the first time.
Kelara
Upon discussing this Beta element issue with Death, I felt even worse.
“It must be done, Kelara,” Death said. “Whether you like it or not, this is one of those instances where I have no choice but to allow it.”
“I’ve never taken a life before,” I replied, finding an inkling of solace in our telepathic connection despite the misery inflicted upon me by the horrible situation.
“Rest assured, Kelara, that your soul remains pure. Consider this a sacrifice,” Death said. “If you cannot bring yourself to do it, let one of my first children do it, instead. It doesn’t matter who does it, only that it’s done.”
Sighing, I allowed the conversation to vanish into the ether and turned around to face the others. The Widow Maker’s face was covered, but the Soul Crusher and the Phantom’s expressions were painfully obvious—they didn’t like it any more than I did, but it had to be done.
The Vetruvian stood next to them, his eyes dull, his head low. He’d been around for too long, suffering like the others. I could only imagine the horrors he’d witnessed, the millions of years’ worth of memories crammed inside that head of his. Maybe death would be a sweet release for him. Maybe we were just putting him out of his misery.
The other Vetruvians were still, watching us with curious eyes—that was the Morning Star, though, using the collective to communicate with us. “What did she say?” they asked in unison, sending shivers down my spine.
“Naturally, she agreed it must be done,” I said. “However, I can’t bring myself to do it.”
“I will,” Widow replied.
“Where are the remaining nine Beta elements?” Phantom asked, looking around.
“They’re on their way,” Morning said through the Vetruvians. “It will be over soon.”
“Damn Spirit for making us do this!” Soul said. “Even I don’t like what this is all about.”
“It can’t be helped. The universe needs us all back together,” Phantom replied. “At any cost.”
Widow took hold of the Vetruvian man’s arm, raising his scythe. The Beta element’s eyes sparkled with recognition at the sight of the blade, and I could almost feel his fear freezing the blood in his veins, but he didn’t move. Morning had a firm grip on him.
“May the universe forgive us,” Widow muttered, and brought the blade down.
The Beta element fell to the ground, purplish blood pouring from a gaping wound in his chest. As soon as his last breath left his lungs, the air rippled around him. A familiar pulse expanded outward, making my skin tingle. I felt it. I felt the seal break—a part of it, anyway, but I felt it.
I sucked in a breath, tears gathering in my eyes. “It worked.”
“That was it?” Phantom mumbled, staring at the Vetruvian’s body, now pale and lifeless, his blood already seeping into the ground. “I would’ve expected more… pizzazz.”
“He’s dead. The first Beta element is destroyed,” Soul replied dryly, and reaped the Vetruvian’s soul, now visible. It vanished in a puff of silvery sparks.
“Here comes the second,” another Vetruvian said, joining the hive voice as he came out of the woods. Morning had brought us a second Beta element, after digging through the memories of the locals. She’d identified all ten, and she’d begun sending them our way. This was the most heartbreaking hive mind situation I had ever come across.
What a monster the Spirit Bender had been, to put his siblings and all these innocent creatures in such a difficult situation.
Soul handled the second Beta element, cutting him down with his scythe before reaping him. Purple blood was splattered across his tunic, dripping down the white strips of leather tightly wound around his torso. They took turns as the other Beta elements came through.
Phantom killed two, the Widow and the Soul taking one more each. With six Beta elements down, the atmosphere began to change around us. The Vetruvians were shaking, some squirming against Morning’s mental and physical control. The weaker the seal, the stronger the people.
“They’re… They’re starting to break free,” Morning managed. One of the villagers gasped, suddenly loose, and ran off into the woods, screaming her lungs out. “I can’t hold on to them for much longer…”
“There are four more Beta elements,” Widow replied. “Where are they?”
“I’m trying to get them to move… but their consciousnesses are taking over,” Morning said. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult to steer them in your direction.”
Soul groaned with frustration. “Dammit. Where are they?”
“A young Vetruvian woman with a birthmark on her cheek. Five miles northwest of here,” Morning replied. Soul let a deep sigh out and vanished. Moments later, he reappeared with the Vetruvian woman in his grip. She struggled to free herself, but he didn’t give her a chance. His scythe cut through her, removing the life from her being.
The seal weakened further, my skin buzzing all over. I had to admit, it was tragic but also weirdly interesting. “Is anyone else feeling this?” I asked, glancing around.
“Feeling what?” Widow replied.
“This… skin thing.”
Phantom smirked. “You’re reacting to the seal breaking. Remarkable.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, frowning with confusion.
“I knew there was more to you than met the eye,” Phantom said, downright fascinated as she gazed at me. “You’re hypersensitive, Kelara. You feel death magic like very few of us do.”
“I’m confused.” I was also scared and angry, but I had figured out that these situations required layers of inquiry, otherwise I’d risk descending into a dark spiral of madness, overwhelmed by the many secrets of the universe around me—secrets to which a Reaper like myself didn’t normally have access.
“To my knowledge, there are only five hypersensitive Reapers in existence,” Soul said. “Phantom here, Unending, Time, the Night Bringer, and our late brother, Spirit. Well, that actually means four, now that he’s dead. And you’re the fifth.”
“Your eloquence is something else,” Phantom muttered.
“But I’m right. Kelara is the fifth now,” Soul insisted.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
Morning briefly interrupted us, as another Beta element was coming through. Widow was quick to take him out, further loosening the spell. If Morning had put the last ounces of effort into guiding that Vetruvian our way, she was downright spent. The remaining locals began to scatter, mumbling mostly to themselves.
For the first time since the dawn of their civilization, they were finally free, and they didn’t seem to know what to do with themselves. They wandered around for a while, gradually dispersing into the woods.
Morning’s voice was gone, with no other Vetruvian left around to speak on her behalf. The silence was upsetting, as it made me feel heavy and filled with bitterness. We needed two more Beta elements, and she wasn’t able to tell us where they were anymore.
“Well, this is a problem.” Soul sighed. “We’re missing two. We should’ve held on to the others before she found them all.”
“A little late for hindsight, don’t you think?” I replied, inching closer to the edge of my patience.
“Morning could’ve warned us,” Widow said. “But her head’s a mess, scattered all over this place. I doubt the thought occurred to her.”
“Morning?” Phantom called out, but no answer came.
“She can’t control the Vetruvians anymore,” I said.
“Which is great for the Vetruvians, but not that great for us, obviously,” Soul replied. “We have to find the other two Beta elements, otherwise Morning is stuck under an incomplete spell.”
On one hand, I felt infinitely better knowing that the people were safe from her influence. On the other hand, however, I worried it would hinder our mission going forward. All the Beta elements we’d killed so far had to count for something. Their deaths could not be in vain.
Leaves rustled somewhere to my right. I turned around to see a young Vetruvian woman coming toward us, her knees shaking as she struggled to stand. It didn’t take me long to realize what was happening, as she kept walking toward us.
“I had to… I had to let them all go,” Morning said through her. “I had to… So I could bring the last two Beta elements to you…”
“Damn, our little sister is remarkably persistent,” Phantom said. Moving like a shadow, she bolted across the tall grass and captured the Vetruvian woman.
“One more,” I replied. “Where the hell is it?”
My anxiousness was not without reason. The sooner we got this over with, the faster we’d get off Vetruvia. This place was beautiful, but it had been scarred by the Spirit Bender’s malevolent actions. The Morning Star had forced the people into a hive mind, taking over their bodies and minds, keeping them awake for days on end in order to stop the curse from torturing her. Ironically enough, darkness and sleep had been known to offer relief in most instances.
In Morning’s case, unfortunately, darkness and sleep had brought nothing but torturous agony. We had to end it, no matter what. The longer she lingered here, the harder it would be for the Vetruvians to recover and rebuild after all this time.
“What do we do after we finish this?” Widow asked.
“What do you mean?” Soul replied. “We get Morning out of here and we go find the others. I thought that was obvious.”
Widow sat on a rock, his elbows resting on his thighs. “No, I know that, Captain Obvious. I mean what do we do when Death is free? I understand all of us First Tenners working together to help her, but what does she want from us afterward?”
A Shade of Vampire 80: A Veil of Dark Page 11