Blood Oath By Mr KrUzz

Just One Click scroll down for ep2 Episode 3-6 Episode 7 nd 8 Episode 9 nd 10 Episode 11-14 Episode 15 nd 16 Episode 17 -20

ep. 2. . . . A ghoul can be defined as the hollow husk that remains when a person or animal is drained of all of its life- force by a bloodsucker or another ghoul. Around the same time the demigods first gained their power to fight and slay bloodsuckers, there was a sudden rise in the population of ghouls. Bloodsuckers who had always been careful not to overfeed on most of their victims had started becoming sloppy and sometimes binge eating. The result was a flood of people and animals transforming into ghouls and doing the same to anyone they could find. Soon the woods between villages were filled with the dangerous creatures, which only seem to hunt at night. To this day is unwise to travel between towns alone or on foot. The best way to stay safe is to never embark on a journey that will not end before nightfall. The exception is for people like Amon and Grange or Turok who can defend themselves against ghoul attacks. Of course no matter how many of them they kill, there always seem to be more. "Hey, I found something," Grange calls to his brother after peeking into yet another room in the long stone hallway. "Let me see." Amon pushes his way through the door. "It looks like a bedroom. What's so interesting about this?" "Look there." Grange directs his attention to a wooden cross at the foot of the rag bed. It is a stand meant to support a knight's armor. "So?" Amon still does not understand his brother. "It's empty," Grange hisses at him. "There is no armor here." "We might have company," Turok puts the pieces together before Amon can. "Big deal," Amon scoffs. "I can handle a measly guard." "This will be a fully trained knight," Turok warns him. "You best let me handle this." "You always take the big fish," Amon grumbles. "I want to see some action tonight." "We're not here for action; we're here to slay a bloodsucker before she has the chance to create more royal decedents," Turok snaps at him. "Oh, is that what we're doing?" Grange finally catches on. "You weren't very clear." "How was he not clear?" Amon is annoyed by his brother's slowness. "He said Corvic was stronger than most bloodsuckers and a natural leader of ghouls to boot. Obviously we can't have Lady Owleen spitting out more of these things. That's just asking for a new race of supercharged bloodsuckers." "But Lord Ironglave is dead," Grange reminds him. "How is she supposed to make more?" "If what that toothless guard told me is true, then she already has another royal offspring with her," Turok informs him. "We have to kill this one before she grows up to be just like her brother." "And we get to fight a knight while we're at it," Amon chuckles as he opens the next door. "That's right." There is a woman clad in shiny armor waiting directly in front of him. He is barely able to raise his arms defensibly before she has struck him with a long spear. "Brother!" Grange shouts as he catches him. "Are you alright?" "That caught me off guard," he groans while rubbing his forearm which is now dripping blood from a long gash made by the tip of the shiny spear. "Who are you people?" the knight demands. She is rather tall for a woman and obviously muscular enough to move quickly under her heavy armor. Her hair is tied back in a tight bun to keep it out of her face and there is not a single hint of makeup to make her look more feminine. "Why hello there." Turok bows to his new opponent. "You must be the filthy bloodsucker's personal slave." "If you are referring to my mistress, then yes; I am my lady's obedient servant," the knight responds with pride. "Do you know what you are protecting?" Turok is visibly disgusted with her. "She is an abomination." "My lady is beautiful and vibrant," the knight disagrees with him. "I will serve her until my death." She brings her spear down toward Turok without warning. "While I admire your loyalty, I must condemn your life because of it," Turok almost seems sad. "I do hate destroying well trained warriors like yourself." "I need none of your pity." The knight launches the spear forward again, barely holding onto the end so as to extend the distance it can reach. Turok easily deflects it with his axe though. The knight falters while trying to keep hold of her weapon. Eventually she recovers though and starts attacking Turok again. "Boys, she's trying to drive us away from that room," Turok realizes. "There must be something worth protecting inside." "We're on it, boss," Amon shouts while climbing to his feet again. "Oh, I thought you were dead," the knight mocks him. "It takes more than that to kill me," he laughs. "I shall increase my efforts then," she responds in a monotone. She does not appear bored with the fight, only focused. She expends no energy conversing, just attacking. "Come here brave knight," Turok mutters as he draws her away from the large oak door. She is reluctant to follow him but eventually gives in. She knows Turok is the leader and the most dangerous. "Hello? Anyone there?" Amon whispers as he peeks his head into the room. He immediately falls backwards just as a blade slices the air where his head was a moment ago. "What was that?" Grange is astounded. "She's in there." Amon is grinning ear to ear as he brandishes his chipped blade. Grange stands back and watches as he charges into the room, barely avoiding getting sliced by the thin sword again. When he turns around he can see the woman holding the weapon. She is hiding behind the door, having been waiting to behead anyone trying to enter. "Oh Lady Owleen?" he calls to her in a soft taunting voice. "Stay back," she spits while pointing her thin sword at him in fear. It can barely even be called a sword though as it seems to have been cast purely for decoration. "Wow, the rumors are true." He eyes her up and down. "You really are as spry as a twenty year old, aren't you? Hard to believe you had your first child sixty years ago." "I don't know what you're talking," the woman seems to be playing dumb. She sweeps her long black hair out of her eyes as she sizes up the invader. "Are you thinking of sucking my life out?" he asks cautiously. "Stronger creatures than you have tried." "I honestly do not know what you are talking about," she scoffs. "Give it up, Lady Owleen, we know exactly who you are." "Brother, what's going on?" Grange finally peeks his head into the room. "Don't!" Amon shouts as Owleen swings her blade down against his neck. He lets himself go limp, allowing it to pushing him down to the floor with it. Luckily the decorative blade has no edge and is barely able to make more than a small cut on his neck. "God, do you know how stupid that was?' Amon sighs with relief. "You're damn lucky to be alive." "Oh quit griping." Grange stands up, knocking the blade out of Lady Owleen's hand as he goes. "Oh dear," she gasps as he pulls her into a headlock. "Hey Turok, we got her," he calls into the hall. When there is no response he peeks outside again, only to pull his head back in just in time to avoid the knight's spear piercing his eye like a javelin. She comes tumbling into the room a moment later and retrieves it from the floor while rising to her feet. She glances back and forth between the two brothers, unsure which one to point it at. "I wouldn't do anything hasty if I were you." Grange lifts Lady Owleen off her feet by her neck. "What are you waiting for, kill her already!" Turok shouts while entering the room at an all out sprint, charging toward the knight. She lifts her spear in preparation to block but strangely his axe passes straight trough it as if it were made of air. Next it permeates her armor the exact same way. The knight is knocked backwards against a large cabinet in the corner of the room. Blood is spilling out of the spaces in her armor despite the fact that it itself is undamaged. "What, what was that?" she groans. "Arma Tua," Lady Owleen whispers. "Ah, you recognize it." Turok brandishes his large butterfly shaped axe proudly. "Always fun to see the boss pull that trick on a new person," Grange laughs in Lady Owleen's ear. "You monsters," she spits angrily. "We're monsters?" Turok's eyes narrow angrily. "You suck people's life out to sustain yourself. Who do you feed on in this lonely castle anyway?" "Champ…" Lady Owleen chokes on her words. "What? Speak up?" Grange turns his ear toward her so he can hear better. "Champaign," she manages to answer despite the pressure he is applying to her throat. "Champaign?" Grange raises an eyebrow. "What on earth is a Champaign?" "Me." The knight spits out a mouthful of blood while standing back up, brandishing her spear again. "It's not going to work," Amon taunts her. "Yeah, nothing can block Arma Tua," Grange joins in laughing. The knight, whose name they now know is Champaign, looks extremely confused. Her eyes dart back and forth between the brothers as she tries to understand what they mean. "Let me enlighten you on what Arma Tua is," Turok raises his voice above his henchmen. "When I received the power of a god, I was bestowed with a weapon to match. My Arma holds the property of spirit. You could say it phases through anything I want it to. Your weapon, your armor, they're all useless against Arma Tua. I can destroy you from the inside and there's nothing you can do." Champaign's eyes widen as she realizes her predicament. There is no way she can face such a terrifying weapon. The blood from her mouth has started to seep down her chin. She looks to her mistress with pleading eyes, begging for instructions. "It's okay, Champaign," Lady Owleen wheezes. "It's over, we've lost." "You're damn right you lost," Amon cheers. "Not yet." Turok holds up his hand. "Where is the little one?" he directs his question at Lady Owleen. "Who?" she is still trying to play dumb. "The child!" Grange shouts while slamming her head against the door jamb. "Where is the new royal bloodsucker you created?" Champaign's eyes widen with concern but she has no way to defend her mistress. If she raises another hand against these men they will not hesitate to kill her. Aiding a bloodsucker is a crime just as bad a being one in the eyes of a demigod. "Champaign." Lady Owleen reaches a shaky hand up toward her servant. "I'm here mistress." The knight bows her head. "What will you ask of me?" "Protect Row," she pleads. "Take her far away from here. Never let these men lay a hand on her." "Row? Is that your little monster's name?" Grange asks while leering at her. "She's my daughter," she spits back. "She's an abomination, just like you," he laughs in her face. "I'll do it, mistress," Champaign promises. "You'll do nothing of the sort." Amon lifts his cracked sword to point at her face. "Take me to her." "Go to hell." Champaign spits blood at him. "Why you little…!" he is livid with anger. "Run!" Lady Owleen shouts at her servant before twisting her head in an inhuman direction in order to slither out of Grange's chokehold. Instinctively he reaches for his sword but she is faster, sinking a pair of shiny white fangs into his neck. "Oh hell," Turok groans as her eyes begin to glow red. "Now you've gone and done it." His own eyes are a gleaming green, just like the robe he is wearing. He swings his axe at her but she is moving impossibly fast now. A bloodsucker that has recently fed is almost ten times as strong. "Grange!" Amon shouts as he runs to help his brother, who is now convulsing and bleeding from the neck. Champaign takes this chance to escape, darting out of the room as fast as she can with her injury. "Go," Grange manages to choke out a single word. Amon nods before stumbling to his feet and rushing after the knight. He knows that finding this so called royal bloodsucker is more important than either of their lives. Luckily Champaign is leaving a trail of blood in her wake. He easily follows it down the stone hallway until he comes to a similar room, equally as big with a blue door instead of red. "Hello?" He peeks his head inside. Again he falls backwards just in time to avoid getting hit, this time with a log of charred wood from a fireplace rather than a dull blade. Champaign is waiting behind the door clutching her stomach and breathing heavily. "Give up," he offers her one last chance as he stands up. "Never," she groans as she drops the wood at her feet to hold her stomach with both hands, making a clattering sound. "You're one tough soldier, I'll give you that," he wheezes while trying to catch his breath. She starts to shiver as he raises his chipped sword in one hand. "Any last words?" he asks with a smirk. "Will god forgive me?" she says something ominous while grabbing the end of his sword with her armored gauntlets and snapping it off with some difficulty. Amon's eyes widen as she plunges his own blade into his chest. As he falls to his knees his tongue darts out from his mouth, trying to say something. "You have drawn the wrath of god," he whispers his last words before falling on his face. She breathes a sigh of relief as she collapses on the floor next to him. It quickly dissolves into sobbing though. She has just killed the companion of a demigod, the second most heinous crime committable next to killing a demigod himself; all in the name of protecting a bloodsucker. It feels unreal to her. She is human yet she has chosen to defend a soul devouring creature instead. She can't remember the first time she ever let Lady Owleen feed on her but it only became more and more frequent during her service as a knight. How she had ended up as a knight in the service of a bloodsucker was simple enough. It was her father's job to protect Lord Ironglave before her. There was never any doubt in her mind that she would continue his legacy, not even after learning the gruesome truth of her mistress's true nature. She vowed to protect her with her life, and that is what she has done. "Is it safe to come out yet?" the soft voice of Lady Owleen's daughter emanates from the cabinet in the corner of the room. "It's safe, Row," Champaign breathes out. Immediately the doors burst open as the tiny girl rushes to the aid of her savior. Despite being the age of seventeen, Row holds the appearance of a ten year old child. Like most bloodsuckers she is ageless and will never grow old. As such it is not surprising that her rate of growth is off compared to that of a normal human's. Her hair is dark like her mother's with an auburn tinge from her father and her skin is smooth and pale. She also seems to have inherited her mother's beauty with sparkling red eyes and soft pink lips. Champaign can't help but liken her to a porcelain doll. "Are you okay?" the young girl touches the knight's stomach where her blood is seeping through the spaces in her armor. "I don't know," Champaign admits while ripping her chest plate off to check her wound. "That Arma Tua is something else." "Here, let me help you." Row sinks her shiny white fangs into Champaign's neck. The knight moans in pain as she feels the young bloodsucker transferring part of her own life into her. Immediately she starts to feel warmer as her blood loss slows. The wound on her stomach starts to close itself off and the color starts to return to her face. "Thank you." She touches the young girl's face. "Where is Mommy?" Row asks with a hopeful expression. "Is she alright?" "I hope so." Champaign rises to her feet slowly. "She needs us," Row spouts quickly. "We should go to her." "Yes," Champaign agrees. She is feeling a lot better now; maybe even well enough to fight Turok again. Row drags her out of the room with the blue door and back down the hall toward the red one. She stops in her tracks though when she notices Grange leaning again it. He looks positively ill with sunken in eyes and pale skin. He has one hand clamped to the side of his neck and he is groaning in pain. "You." His eyes start to focus when he notices them. "Where is Amon? Where is my brother?" "He's dead," Champaign answers honestly. "I killed him." "Wha…?" Grange's mouth hangs open in disbelief. A smile spreads across his face as he starts to laugh but it only lasts a moment. "You're joking," he still doesn't believe her. "No one can kill Amon. He's an even better fighter than me." "Then I guess you better not try to stop me." Champaign moves to walk past him. His arm shoots up to grab her sleeve though. "You're joking, right?" His eyes are filled with fear. "He can't be dead." "I'm sorry." She shakes her arm free before brushing past him. He slowly leans over until he is lying on his side, sobbing quietly into the stone floor. Inside the room Champaign is met with the sight of an all out battle. Turok is standing in the center of the room, swinging his axe wildly as Lady Owleen darts from one side of the room to the other, sometimes running up the walls like a spider or leaping onto the ceiling like a frog and dangling like a bat. Her fangs are still showing, dripping with Grange's blood and her own saliva. Her eyes are even redder than before and she seems completely feral. "What's wrong with her?" Row gasps. She has seen her mother feed on Champaign many times but nothing like this has ever happened. She must have practically drained Grange dry. It would not be surprising if he soon shriveled into the form of a ghoul. "We need to help her!" Row screams as Turok's axe collides with her shoulder, slicing into it cleanly until it reaches the bone. "You're welcome to come and share her fate," Turok offers in a mocking tone. "It'll be like a two for one deal." At that moment his axe tears into Lady Owleen's side, exposing her intestines. "There's nothing we can do," Champaign realizes. All of her confidence from Row's bite has faded. Why she ever thought she could stand up to a demigod is beyond her. If Lady Owleen is losing then she definitely stands no chance. "We have to go." She places her hands on Row's shoulders. "No, I'm not leaving her." She starts to squirm. "I promised her I'd keep you safe," Champaign shouts while dragging her toward the door. "Mommy!" Row starts to sob. The feral creature before her is unable to even respond though as she continues to leap around the room, avoiding Turok as best she can. His speed is almost able to match hers though and any wound she inflicts on him seems minuscule. "This is what a demigod is," Champaign mutters to herself as she lifts Row off her feet in order to carry her. She continues to scream and cry for her mother as they pass Grange again on their way down the hall. It is a slow trek to the end with the extra weight of the wailing child but Champaign is still slightly invigorated by the bloodsucker's bite. She has enough strength to carry Row all the way to the front of the manse and out into the courtyard. Her jaw drops when she sees the tunnel of water in front of her though. The guards on the walls have run out of arrows to fire at it and are now attacking with their swords, only to have Kalina direct jets of water out like spears, stabbing those that are too slow to avoid them. Champaign almost drops Row as her exhaustion comes flooding back. Even at full strength she is unsure if she could face a full-fledged sorcerer. "And who might you be?" Kalina becomes aware of her new audience as soon as Champaign steps onto the drawbridge. "I…" she sputters nervously while setting Row down to rest her arms. Kalina starts to sniff the air between them. A menacing smile spreads across her face as she recognizes the scent. "Bloodsucker," she whispers. "Stop right there." Champaign moves to stand between her and Row. "Not one step closer," she warns. "Or what?" Kalina scoffs. "You seem dead on your feet." "What about you?" Champaign counters. "How long have you been creating this barrier? How much mana have you used?" "I still have enough to finish you," Kalina hisses as the spears of water start shooting inward rather than out. Champaign barely manages to dodge them as she falls backwards onto the wooden drawbridge beneath her. "Pathetic," Kalina laughs. "You're sluggish," Champaign mocks her while struggling back to her feet slowly. "You really are straining yourself, aren't you?" "Be quiet," she spits. "I don't want to hear anything from a woman who defends bloodsuckers." "I swore an oath to protect my lady," Champaign responds confidently. "You will fail to uphold that oath and then you will die," Kalina assures her. "You can't fight me," Champaign remains confident. "You don't have enough mana left to attack me and keep your barrier up at the same time." "Maybe I'll just drop it and destroy you instead," Kalina tries to threaten her. "If you lower that barrier then all of those guards out there get in. You'll be dead within minutes," Champaign responds calmly. "Let me pass and we both live." Kalina's eyes flare dangerously as Champaign drags Row past her, keeping to the absolute edge of the drawbridge. "This isn't over," she spits. "Mark my words, bloodsucker sympathizer, you will pay for your crimes." "I know," Champaign mutters to herself as she finally makes it past Kalina. The sorcerer continues to glare at her as she picks up Row and sprints toward the end of the tunnel. When she reaches it though she realizes that it is also blocked by the water barrier. "Hey, open it!" she shouts at Kalina. "Like yell," she snorts at her. Champaign's jaw drops in disbelief for a moment but she quickly recovers. She reaches out a hand to touch the water but rears back almost instantly. It is moving fast enough to cause her pain as it brushes against her skin. There is no way she can make it through unharmed. "What should I do, what should I do," she starts to moan repeatedly. "Champaign, it's okay," Row tries to calm her. "It'll be alright. Just trust me." "Huh?" Champaign is confused for a moment before she realizes what Row means. "Are you sure?" she asks in a pleading voice. She is not looking forward to what she is about to do. "I promise." Row nods. "God damn it." Champaign winces as she wraps her arms around Row before charging through the water. She starts to rise off her feet as the current pushes her up. She makes it to the other side before she is more than ten feet off the ground though. She screams as she comes crashing down, armor and all. She starts to moan again as tears spring to her eyes. The wound on her stomach has reopened and her face is red from where the water licked her flesh. "Hold on." Row quickly bites her neck again, transferring more of her own life into her loyal servant. Champaign swallows her tears as she manages to sit up. "Sir!" One of the guards originally trapped outside rushes to help her up. "What happened here, Token?" she demands in a frantic voice. "We don't know," he admits. "We were unprepared for this. There was no way we were going to be able to stop a demigod. I don't even know why Turok would come here." "I have an idea." A younger guard steps forward. "Narick, do not speak out of turn," Token scolds him. "But I saw it with my own eyes." He points at Row. "I didn't believe Druge when he said it but it's true, isn't it. She just bit you, didn't she?" "Yeah, she did," Token agrees. "Who is she?" Narick demands. "Is she the princess? Is she Lord Ironglave's daughter? Why is she so young then? She's a bloodsucker, isn't she?" Champaign's eyes widen in panic as she backs away. "Answer the question, captain." Token is glaring at her as well now. "Who were we defending?" the other guards quickly join in. "Are we aiding a bloodsucker?" "Is Turok going to sentence us to death for this?" "Answer the question, captain!" "Answer the question." Soon they are all shouting the same thing. Champaign grabs her head while groaning. "I can't believe it." Token shakes his head at her disappointedly. "I looked up to you, captain. I trusted you." "She's our lady," Champaign tries to remind him. "We swore an oath." "I never swore to protect no bloodsucker," Narick disagrees. "What do we do now?" Token asks. "We present the demigod with his prize and ask for his forgiveness," Narick suggests. The rest of the guards erupt in agreement. Champaign can't believe her ears. How can they betray their mistress so easily? "I'm scared," Row whispers as the guards grab her arms and bind her wrists with leather straps. Champaign takes a deep breath as she contemplates whether or not to act. She already knows what she is going to do though; abandoning her oath was never even an option. "Let her go." She shouts while pulling Narick's blade from his scabbard. The startled guard looks almost terrified at the sight of his own blade. "Hold on there, captain." Token quickly draws his sword as well. "I said let her go." Champaign pulls Row towards herself. "You're not seriously going to defend her, are you?" Token pleads with her. "We swore an oath," she whispers one more time. "Men, are you with me?" Token asks the rest of the guards. He receives a thunderous shout in response. "Men, kill the captain," he gives the order. Champaign has no time to move as Token lunges at her. His sword meets the flesh of a different person though. "Narick!" she shouts as the blade pokes through the young man's chest. "I'm sorry," he groans before slumping over. He seems to be talking to neither Token nor Champaign though. The knight does not waste the time he has given her though. She spins around in the opposite direction of the castle and yanks Row behind her by the arm. Token leads the guards as they charge after her, trampling Narick's body without remorse. As she rounds the side of the castle, heading for the path that leads down to the village of Massmede, she notices someone slumped up against the wall, obviously dead. From the guard post he is stationed at and due to his absence at the drawbridge she can guess that he is Druge. Looking down at the blade in her hand she can see the dried blood. Now she knows who Narick was apologizing to. In order to keep his oath he had blindly killed his own guard duty partner. She can not be sure if he blocked Token's blade to protect her and his oath one last time or if he simply wanted to die to make amends for killing Druge. Either way he saved her life and she is grateful. She is still alive; still able to keep her promise, still able to protect Row. After all, her oath is the only thing that matters anymore.

Here...

interesting!

make the oath no kill you o

Am right here

Ride on

waitinq for more..

Next

ep. 3 . . It is not long before all of the guards trample down from the hillside castle, sounding their horns and waking the villagers. "What is going on?" the people can be heard shouting as the men round them up in straight lines. "We're searching for a bloodsucker," Token has taken charge of Champaign's formerly loyal guards. "A bloodsucker, here?" Several people start to gasp. Token chooses not to share that the bloodsucker is in fact the daughter of their late lord. Instead he simply describes her appearance. "Have any of you seen a young girl, about the age of ten. She will be extremely pale and dressed in a white nightgown." "A child? Are you saying the bloodsucker's a child?" "Bloodsuckers are ageless," Token reminds the villagers. "Even if she looks like a child, she is nothing more than an abomination hiding in the world of men. She has no place here and she will be exterminated. Now, have any of you seen her?" "Pardon my saying so, captain, but we was all still in bed until the horns sounded," one of the villagers explains. "I realize that but the bloodsucker may have come to one of your doors seeking assistance. Isaac, have you had any visitors this night?" Token turns his attention to the tavern keeper. "Not for the past hour." He shakes his head. "Even so, I think I'd remember a child." "Why don't we just tell them?" Rahn nudges Token. The self appointed guard captain rolls his eyes at his watch post partner. He has still not forgiven him for abandoning him at the drawbridge. His hair is still slightly wet from falling into the moat. "People, have any of you seen Guard Captain Champaign this night?" Token shouts. "Why?" The response he receives is not the blindly obedient one he was hoping for. "Has she been captured by the bloodsuckers?" "Bloodsucker; there's only one of them." "I thought he said there were two." "He said there was one child." "And Captain Champaign is helping him." "Is it a him or a her?" "Enough!" Token bellows at them. "You're all useless. I'll find the filthy bloodsucker myself." "Um, sir." Rahn taps him again. "Don't touch me, you traitor." He jerks away. "But sir, I think you should speak to him." Rahn gestures to an older man at the back of the line of villagers. He has stringy grey hair and a golden tooth. "He's been staring at his feet this whole time until you mentioned the captain." "I see." Token nods. "Why didn't I think of this before? Good day to you, Vonrah, or should I say good night." "You won't get anything from me," the old man sputters. "But I haven't even asked you anything yet." Token pretends to pout while actually mocking the old man. "Who is he?" Rahn is confused. "This was Captain Champaign's mentor once," Token explains. "He and her father were good friends. After his passing, he trained her in the art of sword and leadership." "He trained a traitor," Rahn spits. "He is a traitor." Token slaps Vonrah across the face, knocking him to the ground. "You'd beat an old man to get what you want?" he spits at the guard's boots. "It's not what I want, it's what Turok wants. Your protégé has put us in an awful situation. I'm afraid the demigod who has graced us with his presence may choose to punish us all for Champaign's mistake." "Ha, what happened to not kneeling to a false god," Rahn laughs at his partner. "Will you be silent," Token hisses at him. "I haven't seen Champaign on this night," Vonrah spouts sternly while standing back up. "I am completely unaware of her betrayal." "Nice try, old man." Token punches him in the stomach this time. Vonrah drops to one knee but does not say anything. "You're only making this harder on yourself," Token sighs. Just as he is rearing back to strike again, shouting from the far side of the line of villagers distracts him. "That's him." "He's really here." "What is a demigod doing in a lord's domain?" "He doesn't fear the lords." Soon the villagers fall silent as they watch Turok striding towards them, holding something in his hand. The villagers scream and cringe when they recognize it as their Lady Owleen's head. "Can you all see it?" he shouts. "Young and vibrant as the day she first set foot in Massmede almost sixty years ago. This is your lady. This is a bloodsucker." Token groans as he realizes all his work to cover it up has been lost. "Is he serious? Is that Lady Owleen?" "She looks so young." "That's just her head. Where's the rest of her?" "He killed her." "Is he going to kill us now?" The villagers are panicking now. "Silence!" Token tries to maintain control. "What are you doing here, Turok?" "I'm looking for my prey," he answers with a smug grin. There are cuts on his face that weren't there before and several of his braids have come undone. However these are all minor injuries while Lady Owleen obviously suffered more fatal wounds. "This is the power of a demigod," one of the villagers shouts. Soon all of the citizens of Massmede have dropped to their knees, bowing their heads to pray to the god before them. "Well this is an interesting change of pace," Turok laughs. As his eyes travel through the line of guards, they too start to kneel before him; all except for Token and Rahn. "Now this is odd." Turok's smile fades. "We have ourselves a straggler. Are you still going to defend this bloodsucker?" He tosses Lady Owleen's head at Token's feet. "No." The self-appointed captain shakes his head. "We were just in the middle of interrogating this man." He gestures to Vonrah who is still trying to catch his breath. "Who is this?" Turok's eyes light up with interest. "Turok," Kalina, the sorcerer from the drawbridge, interrupts the demigod. "Turok, he's fading. I need a healer." She is supporting Grange on her shoulder though he barely even seems to be alive. His skin is a pasty grey and his mouth is foaming. "Get him a healer," Turok orders one of the guards. "You there." He points at Mistress Rodeen, the local herbalist. "Help him." "I'll do what I can." The old woman rises to her feet and shuffles over to Kalina and Grange. "Now, who was this again?" Turok returns his attention to Vonrah and Token. "This is Champaign's mentor," the captain explains quickly. "I have no doubt that he helped her and the young bloodsucker escape." "Well that's no good." Turok clicks his tongue disappointedly. "What on earth possessed you to do such a thing?" He kneels down in front of Vonrah. His presence is immediately overbearing, like some form of unseen pressure pushing on the old man painfully. He can practically sense the power flowing from the demigod's body. He is definitely a superior human being. "Please," Vonrah snaps under the pressure of looking such a powerful person in the eyes. "Please, I didn't know she was a bloodsucker. I simply wanted to help my protégé. You have to forgive me." "Feeble old man," Token spits in disgust. Even he had held his ground in front of the demigod before; now it seems no one in Massmede plans to stand against Turok. Why was such a man ever even blessed with the power of the gods? What made him so special? "What did you do?" Turok demands. "Tell me!" "I gave them food and water," Vonrah sputters. "I gave them all my maps and a torch to light their way. They will be sticking to the path until morning for sure; lest they encounter the forest ghouls and become their dinner." "You fool." Turok shouts as he stands up. "Why would a bloodsucker need to fear the ghouls? They could be halfway through the forest by now if the little one has fed off the knight." "Why, why would Champaign let her?" Vonrah's eyes widen in horror. "Who would ever willingly feed one of those things?" "You've seen the abomination's face; what was your impression of her?" Turok asks calmly. "She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen," Vonrah admits. "I wanted to do anything to help protect her." "People of Massmede, listen up," Turok starts to shout again. "You have all been fooled by this woman and her daughter." He gestures to the head still lying at Token's feet. "She is not your lord, she never was. Lord Ironglave is dead. I am now in complete control of your village. If any of you disagree with this statement you may challenge me to combat one on one. Be warned though, I do not spare the folly in my duels." None of the villagers speak up against him, not even Token. "That's good, that's what I like to hear." Turok nods to himself with satisfaction. "As for you." He spins around to face Vonrah again. "You are to be hanged for your crimes against humanity." "What? You can't be serious." His eyes go white in terror. "I didn't know she was a bloodsucker, you have to believe me. I didn't know, I didn't know. At least give me a fair trial." "Is judgment by a god not good enough for you?" Turok leers at him. "Are you saying my words pale in comparison to the law? I am your new lord; I need not hold trial. I find you guilty, what say you?" he directs this question at the villagers. Too fearful to disagree, the villagers erupt in a roar of complacency. Turok nods proudly as they scatter to collect the rope and other equipment necessary for a hanging. Token is glaring at the demigod with absolute distain. There is nothing he can do though. §§§ "Hurry, hurry, Champaign," Row calls to her guardian as she runs ahead along the path. "It's almost nightfall. The ghouls will be out soon. We need to make it to the next town." Champaign is slightly annoyed by the strange little girl trotting ahead of her in her flowing white nightgown. Why should a bloodsucker even be scared of ghouls? They have been walking nonstop since leaving Massmede early that morning, before the sun had even started to rise. Luckily the majority of their actual journey took place in daylight. The ghouls are not afraid of sunlight but their hunting patterns seem nocturnal. It is considered a death sentence to travel between towns under the cover of darkness. "Slow down," Champaign wheezes as she drags her feet. She is absolutely exhausted. The supplies she acquired from Vonrah barely lasted the day and the wound on her stomach has been threatening to rip open this entire time. She was forced to abandon her heavy armor in its entirety, save for her boots, almost immediately after setting out. If she were attacked by a ghoul at this very moment, she would have nothing with which to defend herself. "Come on," Row urges her forward. "We can't be out here when the sun goes down." "Aren't you tired?" Champaign argues. "Couldn't we rest for a minute or two?" "I'm not tired." Row turns around to stare at Champaign with glowing red eyes, made all the more menacing by the setting sun behind her. Champaign jerks her head in shock; she was not prepared for that sight. "You've had so much food and water, Champaign," Row whispers ominously. "Why are you so tired?" "Are you sure you're okay?" Champaign asks in a shaky voice. She is trying and failing to remain calm. It had not sunk in until now but she is technically alone with a bloodsucker in the forest; a creature who survives by feeding off of human life force. "I'm a little hungry," Row admits while licking her lips. Champaign gulps nervously, contemplating what to do. "Don't worry, I'm not going to eat you," Row assures her in an unconvincing voice. "May-maybe you should feed on me a little," Champaign suggests nervously. She would rather offer herself willingly than have the creature before her attack in a moment of weakness. "Are you sure?" Row is eyeing her up and down, stopping to gaze at her neck repeatedly. "Just do it already." Champaign clenches her eyes shut in anticipation. "I'm really sorry about this," Row tries to be polite as she climbs the muscular woman like a tree so she can rest in her arms. "I wouldn't need to do it if I hadn't given you so much of my life force back at the drawbridge." "Hurry up," Champaign moans. Row sucks in a small amount of air as she sinks her white fangs into the knight's neck. Her eyes glow brighter as she absorbs Champaign's life force. The former guard captain sways from side to side as she slowly starts to lose strength. She is feeling cold again just like when she received her abdominal wound but she has little blood left to bleed as it starts to open again. "Are you done?" she groans as she grows weaker and weaker. Row barely acknowledges her as she continues to draw strength from the fading knight. "Row, that's enough," Champaign wheezes. "You need to stop now." Again she is ignored. She clenches her fist as tightly as she can and brings it down against the small child's head, knocking her to the ground with a thud. Instantly she collapses into the dirt of the forest floor, having almost no strength left. Row stands up slowly, breathing heavily as blood and saliva drip from her mouth. She is glaring menacingly at her reluctant meal. Slowly the glow in her eyes starts to fade though as she returns to her senses. "Champaign," she rushes to her friend's aid. "Are you alight?" "I, I can't feel my legs," the knight sputters. "Oh no," Row moans as she cradles Champaign's head her in lap. Looking up at the sky she can see the sun disappearing behind the horizon. It will not be long before the forest is overrun by ghouls of all forms and sizes. "What should I do, what should I do?" she starts to chant while rocking back and forth. "Go," Champaign urges her. "Run to the next village and don't look back." "I'm not leaving you," she whines the same way she did when abandoning her mother. "You are one stubborn little child," Champaign manages a chuckle. "I'm seventeen," Row reminds her. "You really don't look it." Champaign shrugs while closing her eyes. "Oh come on now, don't do that." Row slaps her cheek gently. "You can't sleep here. We need to get going." "I can't," Champaign argues. "You can and you will," Row groans while lifting the knight up over her shoulder. With the energy she has just siphoned her strength has increased. Champaign falls quiet though, appearing to have fallen unconscious. The sounds of different animals calling to each other can be heard throughout the forest now as the sun finally disappears from view. Only a few more moments of twilight remain before darkness is upon them. "No, no, no, not now," Row groans. She can hear the sounds growing louder all around her. In the distance something large is approaching. "No!" she shouts as a large shadowy figure leaps out from beyond the trees, landing directly in her path. From its shape she can guess that it was once a wolf, before some other ghoul got a hold of it and drained it of life. Now all that remains is a hollow husk of a formerly majestic creature, which appears to have swollen to at least twice its former size. "Nice doggy," she mutters to the ghoul while backing away slowly. "Go away now." Rather than obeying, it bares its shiny white teeth at her, the only thing about it not completely stained black. The darkness almost seems to have permeated the creature itself. Row takes another step back as the creature continues to advance towards her. It seems to relish in her fear, taking its time rather than simply pouncing on her. It soon grows tired of toying with her though. Just as she is about to break for the side of the path it leaps at her, springing itself forward with its powerful back legs. She screams as she is sent tumbling head over heels by the sheer force of the creature landing next to her. Champaign rolls to a stop at the base of a tree, still completely unconscious. The wolf ignores the knight for the bloodsucker though. It wants to incapacitate both of its meals before eating them. Row has just stood up again when the creature swipes at her chest, tearing her white nightgown and gouging a large chunk out of the tree next to her. Unlike with a human, the wound she receives is far from fatal for a bloodsucker, especially one that has just fed. She manages to stand up again while wincing in pain. The creature is obviously surprised by her resilience but it has not given up. It bears down on her, teeth and all. Row raises her hands defensively, only to have the creature snap its gigantic jaws shut on her forearms. Again she screams as it lifts her off her feet, slamming her against a nearby tree in an attempt to rip her limbs off. Again she is stronger than a human though and practically unharmed, something that enrages the creature. It throws its head back, tossing her into the air and opening its mouth wide in preparation to swallow her whole. She is already hoarse from screaming but that doesn't stop her. Falling toward the creature's gigantic jaws, its expanding throat is all she can see. As soon as she lands in its mouth, it snaps its lips shut. The walls of its throat close in around her, trying to push her down toward its stomach. Instinctively, she digs her fingernails into the fleshy walls, gouging them terribly. The creature opens its mouth again, roaring in pain. Unlike a human's fingernails, Row's resemble steel. It seems her recent meal has strengthened them as well. Row lands on the ground at the creature's feet along with a splatter of blood as it tries to cleanse itself by spitting. Despite being internally injured, it is still standing. Row leaps to her feet just in time to avoid its fearsome claws slashing the forest floor where she was. It is not stupid enough to try swallowing her whole again; it plans to kill her first now. Row's eyes glow brighter as she starts to rely on her instincts more. She somersaults backwards away from the creature as it continuously tries to flatten or shred her with its paws. Eventually she runs out of room to move though, accidentally slamming herself against a tree directly behind her. The creature wastes no time pinning her to the tree by stabbing its claws through her stomach. She spits out of mouthful of blood before clenching her jaw in determination. She is almost completely feral by now, relying on her animalistic instincts to keep her alive. The creature squeals in pain as she sinks her fangs into its paw, biting off several chunks of flesh in the process. It tries to rear back but she will not let it. She flips her head, flinging it upward against the tree behind her, the same way it did to her when it bit her arms. It is a magnificent sight, considering the fact that the creature is large enough to swallow her whole. It whimpers in pain one last time before slamming down into the ground and falling silent. Row drops to her knees while spitting out blood and flesh. She does not enjoy the taste of wolf ghoul at all. She is breathing heavily while trying not to gag. Her right ear twitches on instinct though as she notices another sound nearby. She turns her glowing eyes upon the source with the intention of tearing whatever it is to shreds. She stops herself though when she realizes that it is human. "Oh dear god, are you alright, little girl?" a rather skinny man in a thick brown long coat asks while eyeing her up and down. "Are you bleeding?" He can see the red liquid dripping from her mouth. He seems completely unaware of the black creature at her feet though. The lantern in his hand is barely enough to light up her face.

ep. 4 . . "Who are you?" she growls at him. "I'm a simple traveler on my way to Bos Stad," he answers quickly. "Liar," she spits at him. "No one travels the forest alone at night." "What about you?" he counters. "We were caught out here unprepared," she admits while rising to her feet. Her eyes are glowing less now as her feral instincts are subsiding. "We?" he is slightly confused. "Are you not alone?" Row glances around quickly for any sign of her companion. "Champaign?" she calls to her loyal guard as she rushes to find her. The fight with the wolf ghoul left her disoriented and unaware of her location in the forest. It seems she is not far from where she dropped Champaign though. "Oh no, is she hurt?" the strange man is immediately concerned when he notices the unconscious knight at the base of a slope in the forest floor, where she rolled after being dropped. "Do you know medicine?" Row asks while kneeling down to check Champaign's pulse, which is weak but present. "I'm no healer but I do have some herbs with me." He reaches into his side satchel. "I never go on a journey without something useful." "Why are you even out here by yourself?" Row is starting to grow suspicious again. "As I said, I'm on my way back to Bos Stad," he answers while rubbing some crumpled plants into Champaign's wounds. "Shouldn't you have waited until daylight though?" Row pries. "It makes no difference to me. I have made this journey many times before," he assures her. "I don't believe you. Without a caravan to barrel past these horrid creatures you'd be torn limb from limb as soon as you set out." "Who said I didn't have one?" the man responds smugly. "It's just beyond those trees over there." "You have means of travel?" Row's suspicions melt into relief instantly. "Might we ride with you? It doesn't matter where you are going. Bos Stad is fine. Anywhere is fine." "I suppose I can't simply leave you out here to fend for yourselves, can I?" He gives the idea more thought than he should. "Fine, you two are welcome to ride with me until we reach Bos Stad." "Really, thank you, thank you, thank you." She leaps up to hug him around the neck. "Alright, settle down, little one, you're getting blood on me." He pushes her away. She grabs the sides of her torn nightgown and folds it over itself to hide the wounds on her torso. They are slowly starting to heal themselves and she doesn't want him to realize she is a bloodsucker. He is already suspicious of the blood now drying to her face and chin. "Are you seriously okay?" He touches her mouth. "It's my own blood," she lies outright while trying to wipe it off. An internal wound like Champaign's is more than enough to make her spit up blood so it should not be too suspicious if Row claims to have a similar injury. "She's fading fast," the stranger returns his attention to Champaign rather than continuing to worry about the odd child. "I'll carry her to my carriage." "Thank you again, kind sir." Row bows politely. She has not had many encounters with humans and none outside of her castle. This is in fact the first time she has ever left the confines of its walls. "What is your name, little one?" the man asks as he hoists Champaign up over his shoulder. Row considers lying to him for a moment but it seems to serve no purpose. While her mother's name would definitely draw suspicion from anyone in league with Turok, no one at all should know hers. "Row, Rowleen," she answers weakly. "Row for short." "That's an interesting name, isn't it?" The man nods in approval. "My name is Cabith, and this must be Champaign." "How did you…?" Row's eyes widen in surprise. "You were calling for her when she was lost," he explains. "I must say, I'm confused about something. Your wounds are obviously from a ghoul, but this one on her stomach looks like that of an exceptionally sharp blade." "How can you tell?" Row's eyes narrow. "Ah, we're here," he announces as they break away from the trees into a small clearing. Row glances around with her nocturnal eyes, taking in her surroundings as if it were daylight. She can see a single brown horse tethered to a sturdy tree with an enclosed black cart behind it. "How do you know what a blade wound looks like?" she repeats her question as soon as she is done looking around. "I'm a trader of many things, including weapons meant for killing," he explains while carrying Champaign into the clearing. "In order to sell them I often have to let my buyers try them out first. I have seen many a tree slain by the sharpest edge on a butterfly axe. Your friend looks to have barely survived her encounter with one. If I didn't know better I would say it was an Arma." "A what?" Row's eyes widen again as Cabith opens the side of his carriage to load Champaign's body. She has heard her mother say the word before. "Armas are dangerous weapons forged by elite masters. They were gifted to the hundred demigods when they first rose to power over two centuries ago. I have never seen one in person but I hear they never dull. They are almost alive with the power of the demigod that holds it. Of course there are only nine demigods left, if even that. It is much harder to keep track of them now and it would not surprise me if at least a few of them have perished since the last time they were all in one place." "What if someone took the demigod's weapon?" Row suggests. "Would they be able to wield it?" "It is not impossible for others to hold an Arma, child," the man answers with a smile. "It would simply require the same amount of upkeep as any normal weapon. Without the demigod's power to imbue it, it would not remain as ageless and indestructible as them." "I see," Row mutters to herself as she climbs up into the carriage beside her guardian. The howling of ghouls in the distance startles her though. "We should go," she moans. "Do not worry, little one." He flashes her a prideful grin. "This is a safe area from ghouls. Apparently a great battle took place here once before. Several of the creatures were slain and the ground soaked in their blood. Whether out of respect for their dead or simply due to an unbearable scent of death, they no longer brave this clearing. That is why I left my horse unattended here. I knew it would not be attacked." Row nods slowly as Cabith unties his horse from the tree and climbs into the carriage beside her. She is not sure why but being around this human is more unnerving than with Champaign. His knowledge of the forest far outweighs hers, making her feel weak and helpless. Her mother's attempt to protect her by secluding her in the castle has backfired. She is now practically alone in a world that wants nothing more than to kill her with no knowledge of how to survive. Cabith flashes her another smile as he cracks his reins, startling his horse into a trot back towards the path. It is too slow for him though. He cracks them harder and harder until the horse is sprinting, causing the carriage to shake violently. Row can hear Champaign moaning as her head jostles from side to side. "What are you doing?" she shouts at Cabith. "If we want to avoid becoming dinner for those foul creatures, we must be able to outrun them," he explains. "They could not smell us in the clearing but they will definitely have heard us leaving. Ah, here they are now." He gestures to a group of black creatures now visible in the lamp light, running along side the carriage, whipping through the trees, waiting for the chance to strike. "We won't make it!" Row cries. "They're too fast." Unlike Cabith who can only see the shadows moving, she can make out each one's shape. There are five of them; two more wolves and three of what appear to be wild boars. They are all as black as night with dripping white teeth though, no longer normal creatures, only husks remain. They have one simple drive, to devour anything living apart from each other. "We'll make it," Cabith does not share her concerns. "I know all their tricks. If you want to survive long in the forest, then stick with me." He cracks the reins again, causing his horse to veer off away from the trees. One of the boars makes the mistake of leaping onto the path, thinking its meal is about to escape. Cabith pulls hard on his reins, telling his horse to stop. The boar behind them is running too fast and ends up slamming into the back of the carriage, hard enough to knock itself unconscious. Row screams as she is bounced from her seat. Cabith catches her with one hand and pushes her back in. "Keep an eye on your friend," he orders. "She isn't looking too well." Row peeks out of the carriage again just as the other four ghouls make the choice to leave the cover of the trees to attack. With the horse still trying to pick up speed again they are sitting ducks. Cabith is prepared though. He pulls a long whip out from under the seat of the carriage and cracks it against the horse's back. The terrified beast springs to life again, galloping forward and leaving three of the four ghouls behind. The final one is a wolf, something that scares Row greatly. She starts to imagine what will happen if it catches up to them and manages to detach the carriage from the horse. She will no doubt be required to fight it like the last one and she is not sure she could beat it this time. Even if she could it would mean revealing herself to Cabith, something that would definitely not end well. "Come on you black devil!" Cabith shouts as he swings his whip outward, catching the wolf around the neck and yanking it off its feet. He is not strong enough to keep the handle from ripping out of his grasp though. The wolf is left tumbling in the dirt of the path behind them, tangling itself in the black whip mercilessly. It will be a while before it is able to free itself, if it ever recovers enough to do so at all. "Haha, did you see that?" Cabith laughs enthusiastically. "Teach those creatures to mess with me." Row sighs with relief as she leans back in her seat, resting her head against Champaign's shoulder. She is desperately overjoyed at not having to fight another ghoul. Her calm quickly fades as she realizes that Champaign's breathing has slowed. She can not even feel her pulse at all. Her head starts to spin as she contemplates what to do. The simplest option would be to ask Cabith for help but she does not want to distract him. There is no doubt in her mind that they have not faced the last of the ghouls they will see tonight. The only thing she can think to do is to return some of the life force she stole from her earlier. It will mean weakening herself but she doesn't have any other option. Cabith seems too focused on the path ahead of him to notice as Row leans her head down against Champaign's neck. Once again the knight moans in pain as the bloodsucker's fangs enter her. This time it is for her own good though. §§§ "Row, don't leave me," Champaign is mumbling in her sleep by the time Cabith brings his carriage to a stop just in front of the wooden gates that bar entry to the town of Bos Stad. "Who goes there?" a guard in chain mail calls down from a watch tower above. "Oh, no one but little ol' me," Cabith waves to him. "What are ye doin' out past dark, Cabith?" the man is not amused. "I had a business transaction that ran long," he makes an excuse. Row has no way of knowing if he is lying or not. The guard grumbles in annoyance as he turns a crank to open the wooden gates just enough to allow them through. "Some day you're going to die out there." "He's right, you know," Row sides with him. "You are far too reckless." "Says the little girl who was going to die if I hadn't come along," Cabith counters. "I'm not little." Row crosses her arms and puffs out her cheeks to pout. "Alright, where is the healer?" Cabith is no longer paying attention to her. He pulls on his reins again, stopping the cart in front of a blue tent set up next to a rickety looking tavern. "Where is this?" Row asks as he climbs down from the carriage before pulling Champaign out after him. "Oh, Rederick," Cabith calls into the tent. "I have business for you." "What? Who?" a sleepy voice responds. Slowly a man in a bright robe emerges from the blue tent. "What hour is it?" he asks while rubbing his eyes. "It's just past midnight," Cabith answers. "Now wake up, I have a patient for you." "Goddamn it, Cabith, have you no sense of night and day?" Rederick snaps at him. "This can not wait." Cabith clasps the man's shoulder tightly to convey seriousness. "This young woman is fading and I've done all I can." "Let me have a look at her." Rederick tugs his arm away from Cabith while pulling a pair of glasses out of his sleeve. He has the merchant drag Champaign underneath a streetlamp in order to get a better view of her wounds. He almost yelps while jumping back in shock at the sight of her neck. "Dear god, she looks like she was fed on by a bloodsucker." "Forget that, she's got a giant gaping hole in her stomach," Cabith redirects his attention. "What? Oh yes, oh dear." Rederick clicks his tongue. "I must say I'm surprised she's still alive." Row tries to hide a guilty expression. She knows full well her guardian would have perished had she not embellished her with life force throughout their journey. "Just tell me what you can do," Cabith is growing impatient with the healer. "I'm not sure what the point would be." Rederick shrugs. "She seems stable for now. As long as I close up this wound she should make a full recovery eventually." "Then what are you waiting for, man?" Cabith claps his hands. "Hold on, hold on," Rederick grumbles as he returns to his tent. A moment later he reemerges with several different plants underarm. Row and Cabith watch as he breaks them up and mashes them together with a mortar and pedestal. He applies the thick green mush to the wound on Champaign's stomach before wrapping a white bandage around her torso. "Is she gonna be aright?" Row asks hopefully. "She should be." Rederick nods. "In fact, the stinging from those herbs should be waking her up pretty soon." As if on cue, Champaign jerks up into a sitting position. She lurches forward while groaning in pain. "Where am I?" she demands. "Row, who are these people?" "It's okay, Champaign, they're here to help you," Row assures her. "Really?" The knight glances at the two men skeptically. After having her entire guard squad betray her it is hard to trust strangers. "Merchant Cabith, at your service." Cabith bows to her. "I found you and your daughter stranded in the forest." "Daughter?" Champaign glances at Row. "Oh yes, my daughter." "I must say I'm surprised. It was extremely unwise of you to attempt to brave the forest on your own at, especially with such a young child to look after." "Hey!" Row is not happy about being referred to as a child. Cabith averts his eyes. Despite the fact that he has been speaking to her as an equal this entire time, he still believes that she is no more than ten years in age. Champaign does not want to rouse suspicions by arguing with him. "Thank you for rescuing us." She lowers her head to convey gratitude. "I wouldn't have taken my daughter out into the forest if I had a choice." "So what are you, some kind of knight?" Cabith eyes her up and down. "Are you on some kind of quest right now?" "Knight? Who said I was a knight? I'm not a knight," Champaign starts to stutter. The last thing she wants is for anyone to know who she really is. "Okay, easy now," Cabith tries to calm her. "I just assumed so because of those boots." He points down at her feet which are the only parts of her still clad in armor. "Oh these?" Champaign scoffs. "I made these myself. I work with metal, I mean I'm a metal worker, I mean I'm a blacksmith," Champaign rushes to come up with a believable lie. "Really now; a blacksmith?" Cabith's interest is piqued. "We in Bos Stad have been without a blacksmith for some time. Perhaps you would consider taking up the position." "Who me?" Champaign is caught off guard. "When the blacksmith died, he left no one to inherit his workshop. It is completely abandoned. I'm sure if you talked to the town council they would agree to let you move in. Are you looking for a place to live?" "Actually, yes." Champaign's eyes light up. She can hardly believe her luck. Of course she doesn't know the first thing about metal work, save for what work she saw the castle blacksmiths do whenever she requested new armor for herself and her men. "Wonderful." Cabith claps again. "You can set up trade with everyone in Bos Stad and the neighboring villages. I can be your liaison, for a small brokerage fee of course," he adds after a moment. "Always thinking with your coin purse, Cabith." Rederick shakes his head disappointedly. "Speaking of which, who is going to pay for my services? It cost double after dark." "I'll assume you have no money." Cabith grins slyly at Champaign. "No." She shakes her head. As Vonrah is long retired he no longer makes any money at all and was unable to give them anything. He lives purely off of supplies shared from the castle as gratitude for his many years of service. At least he did until, unbeknownst to Champaign, he was hanged at dawn for treason against humanity in the form of aiding the escape of a bloodsucker. It is surely the same punishment she will face if ever returns to Massmede. "Let me pay for this then," Cabith offers proudly. "Take it as a good sign of our future business together." "You still have to approve your little venture with the town council," Rederick reminds him as he accepts his pay. "Town council?" Champaign raises an eyebrow. "Isn't Bos Stad under the rule of a governing lord?" "Milady, Bos Stad is in the middle of nowhere," Cabith chuckles. "It is nothing but a stopping point on one's journey. Certainly nothing a lord should consider fighting for. Imagine if Lord Ironglave or Lord Glasstien took control of the only source of rest between their two territories? They could unfairly tax travelers and force them to brave the forest at night simply to avoid paying tolls. Is that what you want? No, we do well governing ourselves here." "I never thought about it like that," Champaign admits. She has lived her whole life under the rule of Lord Ironglave, and Lady Owleen after his passing. Being taxed was simply a part of life. "Surely your town council taxes you," she surmises. "There are five members and they each hold a position in prestigious families in the area. They have nothing to gain by raising taxes unfairly," Cabith assures her. "Well, good for them. If you don't mind I'll be turning in now, thank you very much," Rederick yawns before retreating back to his tent. "Is he really allowed to live there?" Row is curious. "He pays rent to the tavern owner," Cabith explains. "There is a medicine tent set up on the other side of town for locals to visit but Rederick is the man you want to see if you're from out of town. The ladies at the medicine tent will treat you well in exchange for favors from your family and businesses. Rederick charges a straight fee which is better for people not planning on staying in town long." "What do you mean family and business?" Row continues her questions. "For example they might have your mother fix something metal of theirs in exchange for a discount," Cabith answers. "I might deliver things to the next town for them for free. It all depends on what you and your relatives do for a living." "This seems like a very interesting place," Champaign sighs. "Interesting?" Cabith raises an eyebrow. "Not good, not bad, just interesting?" "That's what I said." Champaign nods. "I haven't been here long enough to know if it is good or bad. I'll give you my honest opinion on that later." "I'll look forward to it, milady." Cabith tips his hat. "Do you ladies have a place to stay the night? I'm sorry but you won't be able to talk to the town council about moving into the blacksmith shop until the morrow." "I suppose our fair merchant has some idea where we can stay." Champaign rolls her eyes. Despite how helpful he appears to be she is overly suspicious of Cabith. He seems far too friendly to a pair of strangers he met in the woods. Of course the people of Bos Stad might simply be that friendly. Once again the betrayal of her guards has made it difficult on Champaign to trust anyone. "I do have a suggestion," Cabith responds with a smile. "I could pay for one night at the inn and you could offer me a permanent discount on all metalwork in the future. You two can share a single bed tonight, can't you?" "Discounted metalwork for life?" Champaign's eyes widen. "Are you serious?" She has not even acquired the position of blacksmith yet but she knows better than to promise him anything so vague. He could purchase items adding up to a lot more than a night at the inn. "How about I just pay you back what a night costs with a little interest," she offers him while crossing her arms angrily. "See here milady, I've already paid for your herbal treatment out of the good of my heart. I'm simply trying to come out of this with my money well spent, is that so bad?" "I don't take kindly to being swindled, Mr. Cabith," Champaign responds hotly. "I'd rather sleep outside on the dirt than make a bargain like that." "On a cold night like this?" Cabith scoffs. "Are you willing to subject your daughter to such dismal conditions? Then again I did find you traveling at night in the woods. Your lack of concern for your child shouldn't surprise me, should it? Influenza could kill a child of her age though." "I've heard quite enough, Mr. Cabith. I shall endeavor to repay your kindness eventually but I shall be accepting no more of it. Good day to you, and good night." Champaign drags Row away from the streetlamp by the arm. Cabith shakes his head disappointedly at them as they disappear into the night. "Was that really okay?" Row asks with a hint of concern in her voice. "You're a bloodsucker; you can't die of influenza, can you?" Champaign grumbles. "No, but I'm more worried about you," Row admits. "I'll be fine," Champaign assures her. "I was trained for endurance. Guards are taught to stand their posts through rain or snow." "Even with a hole in your stomach?" Row reminds her. "Oh." Champaign's confidence drains away. "Well it's too late now anyway. I've already made up my mind, we're sleeping outside." "If you say so," Row remains skeptical. She can't really argue though. It will not change the fact that they are too broke to afford a room at the inn. Besides, after the day they have had, sleeping outside should be the least of their worries.

I'm suspectinq Cabith wanna sell both of you..

Next!

ep. 5 . . It is early evening in midsummer. The hard working people of Bos Stad are only just retiring from their fields and shops to the local tavern for a well deserved drink before heading home to their wives and families. They are not alone though as many travelers have just arrived in the self-governed town, either on their way to or from Lord Ironglave's territory or perhaps beyond. As the sun rises earlier and sets later during these three months, it is the perfect time to traverse the normally hectic forest that separates Bos Stad from the outside world. The local inn is practically overrun with business which it normally can not find even on the coldest night of winter. As the people pass through the doors to the tavern, they are unaware of the pair of eyes watching them from above. Perched precariously atop the rooftop of the building is a young boy, age twelve. He has been eavesdropping on all of the people coming and going from the pub for the past hour or so. It is his way of passing the time when he succumbs to boredom. He is a local boy who goes by the name of Seamus, with thick black hair and stark white skin. He is known well enough by the people of Bos Stad, along with his mother whom works as a housekeeper for those too prestigious to do their own chores. It is his habit to pop in and out of places children should not be and to antagonize people whenever he sees fit. It amuses him and serves to curb his boredom. The local watch would have dealt with him long ago were he not so light on his feet. They have witnessed him scale the sides of buildings quicker than a cat, and swing from tree branches like a monkey. Although he enjoys antagonizing people, he is not a criminal. He does not steal from the villagers despite how easily he could. He knows the repercussions against his mother would be severe. In fact, some of the villagers see him as more of a mascot than a nuisance. Whenever a passing tourist catches a glimpse of him scaling a nearby fence or building the locals tend to make up stories about a pale skinned ghost who haunts the streets and old structures. It is a source of great humor. Seamus is just getting bored of his perch atop the roof of the tavern when the barkeep steps out back with a sack full of spoiled food. He turns it upside down into a wooden trough meant for feeding stray animals. Seamus leans closer to watch and almost slips, making a loud clattering sound. "Oy, is that you up there, boy?" the barkeep calls to him. "Aye, sir." Seamus peeks his head over the roof. "No cause for alarm. I'm merely taking in the sights." "Sights of what? Me taking out trash? Come down from there and 'ave yerself a drink, milad." "As parched as I am, Mum would never stand for it." Seamus shakes his head. "Then some bread and cheese," the barkeep changes his offer. "I couldn't stand to see you get hurt falling from me own roof." "I've never fallen once," Seamus laughs pompously. "Just watch." He leaps from the roof, landing on a thick branch of a nearby tree. He then promptly runs vertically down the trunk, tumbling when he reaches the base and coming up on his feet directly in front of the barkeep, who claps in praise. "I've always wondered how you get around, boy. Try not to scare me customers though. Summer's the busiest time of the year." "Will do." Seamus nods before trotting off down the alley. He is tired of watching strangers pass through the tavern doors. There are plenty of other places he can go if he wants to watch people interacting with each other. For starters, there is bound to be an equally large crowd forming at the inn, which will be booked solid by sundown. The barkeep watches as Seamus grabs the top of the wooden fence that separates the tavern alley from the houses behind it. He swings himself up onto the slender wood and begins to tiptoe along it, making sure to keep his balance. Once again the barkeep is impressed enough to clap for him before he has disappeared from sight. The longer Seamus is walking along the fence, the more confident he becomes. He begins to pick up speed, almost running along the slender wooden line. Every time the fence twists in a new direction, he turns to follow it, losing himself in the endless back alleys of Bas Stad. Eventually he comes to a desolate part of town with less people, making it noticeably quieter. He slows down until he is able to come to a complete stop perched atop the fence, crouching to keep his balance. The houses he can see on either side of the wooden barrier are dark and rickety, giving him an eerie feeling. He almost leaps from his perch in shock when the shrill voice of a woman startles him. Looking back at one of the other houses he notices two ladies fully clad in evening wear, preparing to leave the building together. One of them is retelling a rather loud story to the other. "It's the strangest thing; it's like she's never even held a blacksmith's hammer before." "I didn't think women were capable of metalwork," the other lady responds pompously. Seamus is immediately aware of their conversation topic. It is no secret that a replacement blacksmith has been living in the formerly abandoned shop since winter. It was the subject of much gossip in the town at one time. Seamus himself has not had an excuse to visit the shop and see how the supposed blacksmith is doing. From the sound of these two women's conversation, she might actually be struggling. Of course being the son of a housekeeper gives Seamus little reason to ever visit a blacksmith shop. As Seamus continues to ponder to himself, one of his feet slips off the fence, causing him to yelp. "Oh dear!" the women shout when they notice him. "What are you doing up there? Are you spying on us? Shame on you." One of them begins to scoop up random rocks and pebbles from the ground to pelt him with. Seamus loses his balance quickly as he tries to shield his face with his arms. Eventually his other foot slips as well. He topples over the side of the fence and braces himself for the impact of the ground. It is not a far distance to fall but his still sprains his leg in the process. "Um, are you alright, boy?" the women are concerned. "I am, no thanks to either of you." He glares at them while trying to stand up. "Well you shouldn't have been eavesdropping then, should you?" they are unapologetic. Seamus does not feel like explaining his hobbies to the two strangers and instead simply nods while hobbling off in the direction of his own neighborhood in the lower part of the town. "Honestly, some children are just so rude," they continue to complain even after he is out of earshot. By the time Seamus has made it all the way down to his own house, his knee has swollen terribly. His mother is outside in the front yard, hanging wet sheets belonging to one of her customers on her clothesline. She cocks her head to the side in confusion as he limps past her, trying to hide his injury. "God damn it Seamus, what have you been up to again?" "Nothin' honest, Mum," he lies. "I wasn't doin' nothin' and these two old bats started throwin' stones at me." "And one of them socked you in the knee?" She glances down at his swollen joint. "Well no; I sort of fell on it." He averts his eyes guiltily. "Were you climbing in them trees again or was it someone's roof this time?" She places her hands on her hips. "It was only a fence," he admits without looking her in the eyes. "I wasn't hurtin' no one." "I don't care. You know better than to sneak around people's houses like that, Seamus," she scolds him. "Now let me get a look at that." He winces in pain as she pushes against his knee, trying to assess the damage. "Looks pretty bad." She clicks her tongue in thought. "How bad?" he is suddenly worried. As he is only twelve his imagination is wild enough to believe he might have to have his leg amputated simply for spraining it. "Not that bad," his mother assures him. "It'll take a good while to heal though. You'll need a brace if you plan to walk anywhere in the meantime. And absolutely no climbing, is that understood?" She points at him sternly. "Where am I to get a brace?" he asks miserably. "The old blacksmith could have whipped you up one in no time." She tilts her head as she thinks about it. "I guess you'll have to see if this new lady is any good." Seamus's eyes widen as he recalls the conversation he overhead at the top of the hill. The two noisy women had made it painfully clear they believed the new blacksmith to be completely incompetent. The idea of having her bending hot metal around his swollen leg does not sit well with him. "Um, I think I'll be fine." He starts to limp toward the house again. "Seriously now." His mother rolls her eyes. "I swear to god you're a greater coward than your father." "What was my father like?" Seamus sees the chance to bring up a conversion his mother has been avoiding. "I just told you, he was a coward," she avoids answering him. "I'm serious, Mum," Seamus whines. "And I'm serious too," she snaps back. "You better get to the blacksmith shop and have her make you a brace or I'll bend you over my knee. I don't want to be paying the healer in a few weeks because your leg didn't sit right while you recovered." "Yes Mum," Seamus chooses not to argue further. He slowly limps in a circle as he changes direction, heading back toward the town square where the majority of the local businesses are conglomerated. His mother continues to shake her head at him as she watches him disappear in the distance before returning to her laundry. The sun has already started to set by the time he reaches the blacksmith shop, which is almost directly across from the tavern with a cobblestone plaza in-between. Strangely the lamps in its windows have not been lit yet, causing Seamus to wonder if anyone is actually minding the store. The front door is not locked, allowing him to push it open slightly and peek inside. From the roaring fire burning beneath the forge he can assume that the new blacksmith is indeed at home. She must have merely stepped out for a moment before the sky became dark enough to require lamp light. At the very least she is not anywhere in sight from where Seamus is standing. Slowly curiosity overtakes the young boy as he starts to wonder what the inside of a blacksmith shop actually looks like. It can't hurt to simply take a peek inside, can it? He is desperate to learn if her skill at metalwork is as bad as the two noisy women seemed to believe. Ever so carefully he steps past the heavy oak door, cautiously craning his neck to make sure the blacksmith is not hiding in some corner, waiting to jump out and scare him. The most obvious object in the room is definitely the bright burning forge. The light shining from the glowing mass dances off of several glittering items hanging from the walls. There is everything from steel weapons to iron wagon wheels. None of them appear to be in disarray. If they were indeed all made by the new blacksmith then the two noisy women were definitely mistaken about her skill. Seamus paces around the forge as he takes in the room in its entirety. Like everything else in this town it is simply another interesting location of which he can use to curb his boredom. He has practically forgotten his original reason for coming to the blacksmith shop. He is just about to leave when a whisper draws his attention to a separate doorway from the entrance.

ep.6 . . are voices traveling from the next room as two people share a rather heated conversation. "Ouch, that really hurts," he can hear one of them clearly already. "Sorry," the second person's voice is lower, causing him to creep closer just to listen. "Can't you be more gentle?" "I don't know what you expect. I'm basically biting you. There's no way to make it hurt less." "Biting?" Seamus repeats the word to himself in a whisper as he peeks through the doorway. What he sees almost shocks him into screaming. A woman of at least twenty, whom he can only assume is the new blacksmith, is lying on a rag mattress with her head in a young girl's lap, presumably her daughter. The girl's front teeth are clearly visible entering the blacksmith's neck, puncturing the flesh and drawing blood. Seamus covers his mouth to prevent himself from squealing. Unfortunately the young bloodsucker's hearing is excessively acute, making even the slightest sound audible to her. "Who's there?" she hisses as her left ear twitches. "I can hear you breathing. Come out and show yourself?" Seamus gulps nervously as he backs away from the doorway. His swollen knee makes it impossible to run though. "Get him!" the bloodsucker orders the blacksmith. Before Seamus can even attempt to flee, the former knight has leapt from her mattress and tumbled through the doorway, coming to a stop in front of him, holding a shiny steel sword. "Who goes there?" she demands as Seamus falls backwards on the floor in utter shock. "I, I, I," he starts to stutter immediately. "I'm looking for the new blacksmith," he recalls his original reason for even coming to the shop. "Well you've found me." Champaign lowers her sword slowly. "Tell me, how much did you see?" "Uh, nothing; I saw nothing," Seamus lies. His eyes continue to dart from her blade to her bleeding neck though. "Oh great," Champaign groans. "I don't suppose you would believe that this is simply an intimate act performed by mother and child in the village I hail from?" Seamus shakes his head slowly as his mouth remains agape. "Then we have a problem." She grips the hilt of her sword tightly. "Wait, you're not really going to kill me, are you?" he gulps again. "I'm human, just like you. Why are you protecting that thing?" "Thing?" Row steps through the doorway silently. She even moves with the grace of a deadly creature. "Yes, thing," Seamus repeats. He has no room to be bashful as he is arguing for his life. "You are a vile creature; the festering sickness that plagues humanity." "I'd watch my tongue if I were you, boy," Champaign warns him. "What curse does she hold over you?" Seamus jerks his head at her dramatically. "Why is one as strong as you acting as both mother and meal to this wretched abomination?" "That's enough!" Champaign clangs her sword on the ground angrily. "No, I want to know the answer to that as well," Row interrupts. "Why are you still my faithful servant, Champaign. It would serve you well to simply behead me and go about the rest of your life in peace." "Stop talking like that. Look what you've done to her." Champaign glares at Seamus. "You've made her upset. It's alright, Row, you don't need to concern yourself with this boy's words. He can't possibly understand anything about honor or loyalty." "How about loyalty to your own race?" Seamus spits. "Watch as this creature you so lovingly coddle grows to devour everyone in Bos Stad. One day when we're all dead because of you, will you be sorry?" "We're not here to harm anyone," Champaign snaps at him. "It sure seemed like you were about to harm me," he reminds her. "All in the name of defending a bloodsucker." "I like this boy," Row mutters ominously. "He's smarter than he looks. Of course my good servant Champaign means to end those who would do me harm. She has already killed the companion of a demigod in the name of defending me and she'll do it again, I assure you. If you value your life, I suggest you start begging for it." Seamus is shaking in his boots but he is not about to give in. At this moment he is the soul witness to a terrible secret which could end the entire town of Bos Stad. He must figure out how to alarm his fellow villagers, even at the cost of his life. "Well, are you going to beg?" Row takes a menacing step towards him, letting her mouth fall open just enough for him to see her deadly fangs. On instinct he decides to do what he does best, climb. Before she has reached him he has darted to the side of the room and scampered up the wall until he is able to grab hold of one of the pieces of armor hanging on display. "Don't let him escape!" Champaign shouts as Row quickly gives chase. Like him she is an exceptional climber. Seamus leaps from the display hook up toward the ceiling of the shop. He manages to latch onto a low hanging rafter and pull himself up with difficulty. His knee is still bothering him too much for a more elegant form of escape. Row is not far behind him though, darting up the wall like a squirrel. Relying on the energy she has just siphoned from Champaign she is able to cling to the wall with ease. She scampers along the diagonally slanting ceiling until she is directly above Seamus before dropping down next to him on the rafter. He lets go with the intention of falling to the shop floor again, but she snatches his hand out of the air and pulls him back up. "Too slow," she hisses as she sinks her teeth into his wrist. Seamus yelps in pain at the sensation of two sharp points entering his flesh. They feel like hot knives trying to sear him from the inside. "What are you doing to me?" he demands as the boiling pain spreads throughout his body. "Interesting," Champaign snickers as she notices the swelling in the boy's leg subsiding. It seems her bloodsucker charge has elected to heal his injury rather than to drain him of life. "You… why would you…?" Seamus's eyes are wide with disbelief. Row drops him from the rafters into Champaign's waiting arms below before leaping down to the floor on her own, landing in a crouching position. She seems rather dizzy as she stands back up, perhaps from how much energy she lost healing Seamus. "You're lucky." Champaign sets him down so he can test out his leg. "It seems my mistress has taken a liking to you." "Your mistress?" Seamus repeats slowly while flexing his knee. The pain has been replaced by a warm fuzzy feeling and his wrist is barely bleeding. In fact, the two punctures wounds have already begun to heal over. "I am a knight, formerly in the service of Lord Ironglave." Champaign salutes. "Lady Rowleen is his direct descendent." "Why are you telling me this?" Seamus is still suspicious. "Because you belong to her now," Champaign answers eerily. "If you disagree with that statement then I can still end you where you stand." She grips her sword hilt again. Seamus's mind overflows with thoughts of his original plan to escape and warn the villagers of the bloodsucker living amongst them. Of course that plan hinges heavily on his ability to outrun Row which seems impossible even now that he has been healed. His only two remaining options appear to be to accept his servitude or let them kill him, which would serve no purpose. It is not cowardly to acknowledge one's limitations. For the moment he will have to accept their gracious offer. "I, I will serve your mistress." He bows towards Row with a defiant look. He does not like the idea of serving a bloodsucker in the slightest. "Really? Oh yay!" Row's ominous appearance melts away immediately. The red glow in her eyes dissipates and a smile spreads across her face as she dances around the forge in the center of the room. Seamus is not entirely surprised as she does hold the appearance of a ten year old girl. "So, what now?" he directs this question at Champaign. "What does serving a bloodsucker entail?" "For now, nothing." She shrugs. "Simply keep our secret and if necessary let her feed off of you. If a time arises where laying down your life for her is unavoidable then so be it." "What did you say?" Seamus's face has gone white. "I said laying down your life…" "No, before that." "Oh, you mean about the feeding. Bloodsuckers survive by feeding off the life force of other living creatures," she explains. "It's actually really strange that they are called bloodsuckers at all. Perhaps it has something to do with the blood dripping off their fangs after they are done." She gestures to Row who has only just begun to wipe her face on a handkerchief. Seamus feels sick to his stomach as he realizes the pretty girl before him is actually wiping off his own blood. "I'm not letting that thing feed on me," he announces adamantly. "It's not a matter of choice," Champaign informs him. "If I am not around to satisfy her then you will need to act as my substitute. I realize the heavy burden I am placing on a child but we can not risk her feeding on an unwilling victim of the town." "I'm an unwilling victim," Seamus argues. "As of now your rights as a human have been revoked," Champaign responds sternly. "Your mistress is a bloodsucker after all; what did you expect?" Row can tell that Seamus is having a hard time adapting to his new life as the servant of a soul devouring creature. "Don't worry." She pats him on the shoulder. "I won't feed on you unless it is absolutely necessary. You don't have to be afraid of me." Seamus would accept her words more genuinely if he weren't staring at the tips of her fangs peeking out of her mouth as she speaks. Now that he has seen them it will be impossible to ignore them ever again. He wonders if people simply do not pay enough attention to the young girl when talking to her. He can't imagine them not knowing what she is. It seems so obvious to him now. "What are you looking at?" Row blushes while covering her mouth to hide her fangs. Seamus's cheeks turn red as well when he realizes how intently he was eyeing her. It must have seemed as if he were taken with her soft pink lips, which he has only just noticed now that he is thinking about it. In the entire town of Bos Stad, he has never seen a girl quite as pretty as the creature before him now. Bloodsuckers are indeed fearful creatures with the power to enchant their servants endlessly. Perhaps being controlled by something so beautiful will not be without its own rewards. Seamus jerks his head as he realizes what he is thinking. He is succumbing to an illusion that simply isn't true. He has been entrapped by a demon, not seduced by a beautiful fairy. He must at least try to keep his wits about him. Perhaps an opening to escape her clutches will present itself one day. Until then he will be waiting for the chance to take back his freedom.

wildest dream.

next pls

roll call plz @jummybabe

ep. 7 . "Champ, hey Champ, are you in? Hello?" Cabith raps on the window to the blacksmith shop as he waits outside impatiently. "Come on, Champ," he uses a shortened form of Champaign's name. "Seriously, I have an order to fill and you aren't helping." "Mommy's not in right now," Row spouts while pushing the swinging window outward so she can speak to the visiting merchant. "Oh god, you startled me." Cabith cringes. "Who are you and where did you come from?" "It's me, silly," Row laughs. "Yeah, I can see your Champaign's annoying brat. I'm just wondering why you still look like a kid. It's been two years since you came to Bos Stad. Grow up a little faster, would ya?" "It's not my fault my growth is stunted." Row starts to pout. In the time she has lived in Bos Stad she has barely grown at all, which is entirely normal for a bloodsucker; not for a little girl though. Some of the people who see her on a regular basis are starting to become suspicious. "Are you alone in there?" Cabith tries to peek through the window. "What if I am?" she asks smugly. "Are you going to try robbing us again?" "I have no idea what you are referring to." He frowns at her. In truth he knows full well. Throughout the two years Champaign has been acting as the blacksmith in Bos Stad Cabith has played the role of sales representative; finding her clients with requests or buyers for her wares for a simple fee. On more than one occasion though he has attempted to take a larger cut than he was originally promised, prompting Row's assumption that he is a thief, to which he is greatly annoyed. "Why are you looking for Mommy?" Row asks while bobbing her head up and down playfully. She seems almost lost in her own imagination. Over the past two years she has become accustom to referring to Champaign as her mother. "I was hoping to hammer out a new deal," Cabith answers honestly. "I feel I've been getting the short end of the stick during a lot of our recent transactions." "Really? Why's that?" Row continues bobbing her head. Cabith can not be sure she is even listening to him. "You wouldn't understand, kid. It's grownup stuff." "I am a grownup." She starts to pout again. Nothing seems to bother her more than the fact that she is nineteen years old with the appearance of a child. Her mindset seems to match though. Perhaps bloodsuckers take longer mature as well as age. "Sorry for offending you, little one, but I really need to speak with your mother," Cabith refuses to budge. "Maybe you can speak to Seamus," Row offers with a snap of her fingers. "That little ruffian who's always coming round here anymore? Why would I speak to him?" Cabith is not excited about the suggestion. Ever since he first discovered Row's secret, Seamus has been visiting the blacksmith shop on a daily basis, simply to check in and receive instructions as her servant. She very rarely has any orders for him though and when she does they are never serious. "Where is the young fellow anyway?" Cabith glances around, half expecting Seamus to pop out another window like Row. "He's tied up in the back," the bloodsucker answers with a mischievous smile. "He's what?" Cabith is utterly confused. "He was annoying me so I tied him to a chair in the bedroom," Row elaborates. "Want to see?" "I know I'm going to regret this but I can't very well leave him," Cabith grumbles as he paces over to the front door. Row unlocks it for him so he can step inside. The fire under the forge is not lit, practically confirming Row's statement that Champaign is not home. "So where's the bedroom?" Cabith twirls around to take in his surroundings. "Over here." Row drags him through a doorway by the hand. There seem to be no actual barriers between the rooms of the shop, just oval holes in the walls. Cabith eyes the random hanging metal work as he allows himself to be pulled into Champaign's bedroom. The first thing he notices when Row releases his hand is the fact that there is only one rag mattress. "Um, do you share a bed with your mother?" he asks while raising an eyebrow. "Yup." She nods vigorously. "I like to sleep next to her at night." "Well, to each their own, I guess." Cabith shrugs. "Now where is…?" his voice trails off as he notices Seamus tethered to the only chair in the room with a thick rope. "Ah, I see." He begins to untie him immediately. "Thank you, sir," Seamus breathes a sigh of relief as soon as the rope has been removed from his mouth. "If you don't mind my asking, what were you doing?" Cabith is slightly curious. "I was being held captive," Seamus answers calmly. "That vixen has been keeping me from leaving for over an hour." "Her?" Cabith points a skeptical finger at Row. "How weak are you, lad?" "She's stronger than she looks," Seamus assures him. Cabith is not convinced in the slightest. "What are you doing up here, boy?" he changes the subject. "Just checking on her." He shrugs. "What are you doing here?" "I'm here to discuss the terms of my business agreement with her mother," Cabith explains. "Mother?" Seamus raises an eyebrow. Row tends to refer to her guardian by name when he is the only other person around. "Oh, you mean Champaign," he catches on quickly though. "What's wrong with the agreement you have now?" "It's not enough," Cabith raises his voice. It is clear he has given this a lot of thought. "I'm the one risking my life to ferry her wares through the forest each day. I should at least be charging double for my services." "Risking your life?" It is Seamus's turn to be skeptical. "How exactly is traveling through the forest risking your life?" "I travel at night sometimes," Cabith informs him. "I face the danger of being eaten alive by those monstrous ghouls every time I brave the darkness." "Yeah but you've always done that," Seamus reminds him. "You brag to everyone about how unafraid you are." "Yeah well, times are changing. Have you heard of the strange disappearances around town? People are going missing from their own homes." "Impossible," Seamus scoffs. "Ghouls can't be responsible for that." "Not the animal ghouls, no; but what about human ghouls? Apart from a nasty case of graying skin and the hunger for living flesh they are practically normal looking. They could sneak into the village unnoticed and drag unsuspecting victims out into the forest before devouring them, or worse, converting them into ghouls as well." Seamus is visibly disturbed by Cabith's theory. "Is that really possible?" he asks in a low voice, as if speaking too loudly will make it all true. "Haven't you ever wondered where ghouls come from?" Cabith matches the child's hushed tone. "I knew there was a link between bloodsuckers and ghouls but I've honestly never seen a human who has been transformed," Seamus admits. "I'm not surprised." Cabith nods in agreement. "To be honest there aren't many in these parts. People aren't stupid enough to be caught outside after dark anymore. I've not seen any that have not already been captured by the guardsmen in other villages." "Why would they do that?" Seamus is curious. "Some lords take it upon themselves to have their soldiers round them up whenever they begin appearing," Cabith explains. "A plague is never a good thing, especially one where the people intentionally start spreading it. It's best to stop this sort of thing before it blows out of proportion. In fact, they are having a meeting in the town square tonight to discuss what we should do." "Is it really that serious?" Seamus gasps. "I thought only a few people had gone missing." "One person missing is still one too many," Cabith spouts. "Like I said, 'got to nip this sort of thing in the butt.' I'll be heading down there myself to see what's what. I was hoping to catch Champ before then but I guess it can't be helped. I'll see you two kids later. Try not to kill each other, will you?" Seamus watches with his mouth agape as Cabith stalks off toward the village square. He can barely believe what he has just heard. Is it possible that people are being kidnapped from Bos Stad and transformed into flesh eating ghouls like the creatures of the forest? "Boo!" Row startles him from behind. "God damn it!" he shouts at her. "Someone's jumpy," she laughs while poking him in the ribs. He swats her hand away angrily. "Don't do that." "What are you so afraid of?" She leans close to his chest while staring up into his eyes. As usual he is drawn to the sight of her glistening fangs, barely visible inside her slightly open mouth. It seems she can't close it completely without causing herself discomfort. "What are you looking at?" she asks while blinking at him inquisitively. "Nothing." He turns away while blushing. Over the past two years he has started becoming more fascinated by her abnormal qualities than scared. It is something he is not proud of. "Why do you keep staring at my face?" she seems to have caught on slightly. "It's nothing," he grumbles while trying to avoid meeting her gaze. "Tell me," she begs. "If you don't tell me then I'm going to bite you," she threatens him jokingly. "You haven't bitten me since the day we met," he reminds her. "Today might be the day," she taunts him. "Champaign's been gone for a while now. Maybe I'm getting hungry," she draws out the last word. The sudden shivers running down his spine make her smile. She enjoys toying with him. "Stay away from me." He backs toward the door. "You know you can't outrun me." She licks her lips. His eyes are drawn to the saliva now dripping from her mouth. It is almost as if she really does plan to bite him. If he weren't scared out of his mind he would find her mouth irresistibly enticing. "Where are you going?" she asks playfully as he manages to exit the shop while still walking backwards. "I'm going to see what they're talking about in the town square," he makes a quick excuse. "Ooh, wait for me." She bounds after him, slamming the door to the shop behind her. "No, that's really not necessary," he moans.

ep. 8 . . "I've already made up my mind." She grabs hold of his arm tightly. "Escort me to the town square, servant," she orders pompously. "Ye-yes, milady," he whimpers as he leads her away from the shop. His heart is beating rapidly and his hands are shaking. It is taking all of his concentration to keep himself from yanking his arm away from her and running. Though he has been acting as her servant for almost two years now, he is still not comfortable being touched by her. She is after all fully capable of killing him without a second thought. When they arrive in the village square the meeting is already well under way. The five members of the town council are seated at a table in the center while several influential citizens form a circle around them. They are all shouting at each other, blaming one another for the situation at hand and for the lack of action about it. "Ooh, how exciting," Row is incredibly bad at reading the mood. She seems to think the yelling is part of some sort of entertainment. Again Seamus is not surprised by her reaction. He would actually be more concerned if a bloodsucker failed to maintain psychopathic indifference to the suffering of humans. He does however convey his annoyance to her my squeezing her hand painfully. "Ow, ow, stop it," she whines. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, just stop it." Finally he releases his grip. "Ouch, what was that for?" she pouts at him. He does not answer and instead continues to watch the townspeople shouting at each other. "What do you intend to do about this?" they demand of their council. "Do you even know if the missing people are still alive?" "Is it the work of ghouls or bloodsuckers?" "Should we send word to the nearest demigod?" The final question startles Row. She starts to tremble, gripping Seamus's arm tightly. "Hey, what's wrong with you?" he is taken aback. "I heard that the demigod Turok has been annexing land in what was once Lord Ironglave's territory," one of the villagers shouts. "Perhaps he would be willing to help us thin the number of ghouls in our forests." Row jolts violently beside Seamus. She is positively afraid of even the mention of his name. Seamus on the other hand is immensely excited. Having a demigod come to Bos Stad could be the answer to all of his problems. One look at Row and a demigod would know she is a bloodsucker. Seamus would have his life back for sure. He can already imagine it. Surely the bloodsucker next to him is afraid. She has just learned that her days are numbered. "Are you mad?" voices of protest arise quickly. "He'll try to take over Bos Stad the same way he did Iron Grove and Massmede. He has already laid claim to all of the land in-between. If we invite him in, we'll be in his debt forever. Is that what you want?" "We might not have a choice," the lead council member admits. "If we really are dealing with a bloodsucker, it may already be too late." "Why don't we put it to a vote," a different council member suggests. "All in favor of contacting the demigod Turok for aid?" "Wait!" a shrill voice interrupts them. Seamus quickly realizes that it is none other than Champaign. Apparently this is where she was rather than tending to the blacksmith shop. "We should only contact Turok as an absolute last resort," she shouts at the council members. "Why?" the leader of the council demands. "Why do you fear Turok so much? Should we not worship those blessed by the gods and welcome their assistance?" "Their assistance comes at a price!" Champaign warns him. "You should not be so trusting. These demigods were simply human once. They abuse their power and use it to rule like lords. Lords are exactly what you have been keeping from ruling Bos Stad all this time. Are you really willing to give all of that up now simply because of a few disappearances?" Seamus's heart sinks in his chest. Of course it would not be so easy. Champaign is completely under the spell of her mistress bloodsucker. There is no way she would allow the villagers to invite a demigod into their midst. She will fight against it to the death. After all, if she were to meet a demigod she may as well be dead. She is a traitor to humanity through and through. "We can't simply let people keep disappearing because you fear the demigods are corrupt," the council shouts back at Champaign. "It is not my fear alone," she assures them. Several nods and murmurs of agreement emanate from the surrounding villagers, putting to rest the council's plan to contact Turok once and for all. "We still have a problem to deal with," they argue relentlessly. "What do you suggest we do?" Suddenly the villagers start to shout at Champaign as well. Despite their agreement that contacting Turok would be unacceptable, they still feel the need to assign blame to Champaign for having no alternative. "What would you have me do?" the former knight asks in a calm voice. "Someone needs to lead an expedition into the forest to wipe out as many ghouls as possible," the villagers shout. "Make sure they know not to mess with Bos Stad ever again." "I can do this," Champaign answers calmly while keeping a stern face. Murmurs of disbelief arise immediately. "I can lead a small unit of armed militia into the forest. We will drive the ghouls out once and for all; will that satisfy you?" this question is directed at the council. Seamus shakes his head slowly. It is now painfully clear; the lengths Champaign will go to defend her mistress. It had never crossed his mind that she would be willing to hunt down the very creatures that bloodsuckers originally spawned simply to protect one little girl. The grip Row has on her must be immeasurable. "We the council, do find this course of action agreeable," the leader of the council answers Champaign. "In the event that you are unable to complete your task or that the disappearances continue, we shall indeed seek aid from the demigod Turok. Until that time, good luck on your endeavor. Good day to you all." He claps his hands before standing to leave the center of the town square, followed quickly by the rest of the council. Immediately the town erupts in roars of protest and agreement. "You heard the council," Champaign lords her victory above them. "Anyone wishing to defend their loved ones please see me at the blacksmith shop. All volunteers for this expedition are welcome." Again she is met with roars of equal agreement and disagreement. She is not listening though. She is already on her way back to the blacksmith shop, planning to prepare enough armor and weapons to outfit a unit as large as her entire former guard squad. Row drags Seamus through the crowd of screaming villagers as she attempts to catch up to her guardian. After the shock of hearing Turok's name, she wants nothing more than to seek comfort and solace from her substitute mother. §§§ "How much further are we planning on going?" Heidus whines for the sixteenth time. He is a younger man who volunteered to brave the forest with Champaign for the simple reason of being able to brag about it to the villagers when they return. Overall a total of twelve men agreed to accompany Champaign, including Cabith. "Will you be quiet, lad," the merchant scolds Heidus. "But we haven't seen a single ghoul the entire time we've been out here," the young man continues to complain. "Are there even ghouls in this forest?" "Is this your first time leaving the village?" Cabith asks in an insulting tone. "The sun has barely just set. In a few moments we will be attacked by dozens of ghouls. You're about to get your wish." "Wait, I've changed my mind. I don't want to fight any ghouls. When I said I had practice with a sword, I meant a wooden one," Heidus is practically sniveling now. "God pull yourself together, man," Cabith groans. "Champ, why did we even bring him along?" "So we have someone to trip while we're running away," she answers in an almost serious voice. This causes Heidus to gulp loudly. He has just started to whimper again when Champaign covers his mouth. "Quiet, I think I heard something." She cups her ear with her other hand. "That'll be the ghouls, no doubt," Cabith surmises. "Are you ready, men?" He brandishes a long black snake whip; much like the one he lost the day he first met Row and Champaign. The murmur of compliance from the other eleven men, minus Heidus whose mouth is still covered, is less enthusiastic than what he had hoped for. Of course it makes no difference as the creatures of the forest are upon them. The first ghoul to appear is a boar, much like the one that rammed into Cabith's cart two years ago. It is not stupid enough to charge at the tightly knit group of humans and instead begins to circle around them, keeping close to the trees in case it needs to make a quick escape. It is soon joined by what appears to be a pack of rabid raccoons, each several times larger than that of a normal one. "What's going on?" Bartain, another volunteer, asks as several dark birds begin circling above them. "Perhaps they were expecting us," Anthon, an older man with more wisdom than his peers, surmises. "Why aren't they attacking?" Heidus rips Champaign's hand away from his mouth so he can talk. "They're waiting until they outnumber us," Cabith answers. "Then we should attack them now," Heidus shouts while drawing his sword. "He's right," the other volunteers start to agree with him. "Normally I would say antagonizing ghouls would be a bad thing, but that is in fact what we came out here to do," Cabith admits. "Then let the battle begin!" Champaign shouts as she charges forward, drawing a rather elegant broad sword from her scabbard. It is the sturdiest weapon she has been able to forge since beginning her career as a blacksmith. She is currently clad in armor similar to her former captain's gear but nowhere near as strong. She still has a long way to go before she can actually call herself a blacksmith. The boar screams in terror as it realizes it has run out of time to wait. It actually smacks its head into a nearby tree as it tries to flee. Cabith is faster though, cracking his whip and wrapping it around the poor creature's neck. He drags it down the slope, bringing it to a stop at Champaign's feet. She quickly disembowels it, killing the strongest of their current foe. The circling birds above immediately begin to screech at her, diving toward the ground and scratching at her armor as they whiz past her. The men behind her are not so lucky though. Not many of them know how to wear armor and therefore chose not to. The birds' claws cut like inch long knives, digging into their faces and arms, drawing screams of pain from each. Cabith twirls his whip around himself, keeping birds from even getting close to him. It does nothing to protect against the raccoons though as they charge down the slope, scampering between the men's legs and even climbing up some of them. Heidus swings wildly as one of them claws at his face, nearly slicing a few of his comrades. The group quickly disperses, leaving him in the center of their tiny clearing by himself. Soon all of the raccoons have converged on him, clawing and biting his face and arms. Cabith attempts to scare them off by cracking his whip but they are too focused. They quickly start to tear pieces of his flesh off, gouging him right down to the bone. His wails of anguish are cut short by one of them biting straight through his neck and severing his windpipe. "This wasn't what I signed up for," Garth moans. "We're all going to die out here, aren't we?" "Get a hold of yourself." Champaign points her sword at him. "Anthon, Nordis, pour a circle of grog from your flasks and set it on fire." Obediently the two oldest and heaviest drinkers set ablaze a circle of fire to protect the group from the ravenous raccoons. The creatures begin to hiss at them in announce as they begin a tactic of approaching the fire only to retreat again whenever it licks their fur. "This will not hold them off for long," Cabith warns their leader. "Give me a moment to think," she shushes him. "We're going to die, we're all going to die," Garth has taken over the deceased Heidus's job of whining. "Someone slap him for me," Champaign orders. Cabith moves to do so but doesn't need to as the man quickly quiets himself while retreating to hide behind Nordis, who is trying to empty the last few drops of grog from his flask into his mouth. "Any time now." Cabith taps his foot impatiently. "I know!" Champaign snaps at him. "Hold on, there's something coming," Cabith's tone changes. After years of traversing the forests at night he has learned how to recognize impending attacks from ghouls. "There is a pack of five wolves approaching." "Oh great, that's all we need," Champaign groans. As predicted, five new ghouls soon appear at the top of the slope. At first all that can be seen is their yellow eyes in the dark but soon their black bodies become visible by the light of the flaming circle, which is already starting to die out. "What now, sir?" Anthon asks while readying his spear. "How good are any of you at bow and arrow?" Champaign asks meekly. All of them shake their heads. "I thought so," she sighs as she readies the long bow she has been carrying on her back this whole time. She is obviously not confident in her own skill. Long ago she had mastered every form of weapon available in Massmede, making herself one of the most skilled guards in the whole town. After being promoted to captain though she had fallen out of practice. Add two years of pretending to be a blacksmith and not a warrior and anyone would feel disadvantaged. She takes a deep calming breath as she draws her first arrow. The wolves seem aware of her intentions and quickly disappear from sight behind the trees. The raccoons however are not as intelligent. They are still playing a game of touch the fire, hoping that on the hundredth time it will have miraculously stopped hurting them. Champaign's first arrow sails lazily to the right of the nearest raccoon, impaling its tail and pinning it to the ground. It starts to scream and run in circles, through the flames, until it too catches fire. The wailing cry of a flesh eating creature burning to death is something the eleven men and their leader could have gone their whole lives without hearing. It is nothing compared to the smell of searing ghoul that follows. Several of the men turn to vomit. Champaign is too preoccupied lining up her next shot. One of the five wolves makes the mistake of peeking out from behind its tree in order to identify the wails of the dying raccoon. It pays for it with its right eye, which explodes in a shower of yellow juice along with an earsplitting scream. This causes the rest of the wolves to scatter from their hiding places. Anthon launches his spear like a javelin, skewering one of the wolves in the side and pinning it to a tree. It is not fatally wounded, but it gives Champaign the opportunity to fill it with arrows before it can free itself. With the count of wolves circling the fire diminished the men are feeling more confident. They ready their swords, axes and spears as the flames finally die out around them. Cabith is not much help with his whip but the rest of the men quickly manage to dispatch the remaining raccoons as they leap over the embers of the former fire circle, having been waiting for the moment to strike the entire time. The wolves are still panicking and running in circles, trying to avoid Champaign as she fires arrow after arrow at them while her men buy her time. Finally she hits another one. The arrow slides neatly between its ribs, piercing one of its lungs. The creature staggers a few more feet before toppling over. It is enough to send the rest of the wolves scattering. The men around Champaign start to cheer at their minor victory but her attention is drawn elsewhere. At the edge of the tree line, a dark creature is still stirring. It is the wolf she shot in the eye. It seems to have finally regained some composure. As soon as it realizes that it is alone it starts to panic. It darts toward the group of humans, causing them to disperse. It leaps over Champaign in her crouched stance, still holding her bow. She fires her final arrow at the creature's belly but it misses. The distraught animal lands in the clearing behind Champaign and scampers to its feet again, charging back along the path the group originally took. "It's heading for the village," Champaign realizes. The group is still recovering from the scare of the creature's brashness. The former knight is the only one ready to give chase. "Cabith, you're in charge," she shouts to the merchant before clamoring to her feet as she barrels after the creature. "Wait, you can't leave us here," Garth calls after her as she disappears down the path. "What if more of them come this way?" "Then we soak the ground in their blood," Cabith answers. "We make sure the vial things never dare set foot in this clearing again. At the very least it will make travel in these parts a might bit easier." Garth gulps nervously as he stares at Cabith's confident smile. He is not sure if the man is mad or heroic. He has little time to think about it though as the sound of ghouls howling in the distance fills the air. Apparently the scattering wolves have found reinforcements. In less than a minute they will be upon them. Garth starts to whimper again while Anthon retrieves his spear from the dead pinned wolf. "We're not going to die out here like this," he spits angrily. "Let them come, I'm ready." Slowly the men reform their circle, even without the fire. It would not be impossible to follow Champaign back to the village but that might mean letting the creatures pick them off one by one. This way they stand a better chance of survival and of taking a few more ghouls with them. This was exactly what they volunteered for after all; to clear out as many ghouls as possible in hopes of making Bos Stad even slightly safer.

continue

Interesting story

N.e.x.t

ep.9 While Champaign is off hunting ghouls in the forest, she tasks Seamus with looking after Row, just in case she fails to return. "So this is where you live?" Row twirls around as she enters his house, taking in every corner of the main room. "Um, who exactly are you again?" Seamus's mother is no where near as enthusiastic. "I'm Row," the young bloodsucker answers as if her name is all that she needs to know. "Ah yes, of course you are," the older woman mutters sarcastically. "How could I forget? I guess that answers all of my questions. I'll just be letting a complete stranger stay in my home because she told me her name." "That's awfully kind of you," Row responds smugly. "Seamus, come here." She drags her son into a separate room by the ear. "Who is she?" "She's the daughter of the blacksmith," he answers calmly. "She asked me to look after her while she leads the expedition into the forest." "Oh dear." His mother's face changes from annoyance to concern. "What if she doesn't return?" "Then we chop off Row's head and burry her under the house," he is only partially joking. His mom is not amused in the slightest though. "I'm serious, Seamus; we can't just keep a random child here." "We'll worry about it if and when the blacksmith fails to return. Besides, I'm sure she can look after herself," he mutters under his breath. "You're taking full responsibility for this," she warns him before leaving the building. She still has several more houses to clean even though it is already past dark. "Your mom is interesting." Row enters the same room as Seamus a moment later. "Don't touch anything," he growls at her. He is not much happier about having to put up with a strange girl than his mom, let alone a bloodsucker. He is still trying to think of a way to free himself from his current predicament. "Do you suppose Champaign will be alright?" Row is worried. "I honestly don't care," Seamus is blunt. "If she doesn't come back will that change anything at all?" "It will mean that you will inherit her responsibilities, including becoming my new source of sustenance." "I knew that," he sighs. The thought has actually been eating away at him quite a bit. Bloodsuckers have an abnormally long lifespan, at least twice that of a human. At some point Champaign will cease to exist during Row's lifetime and she will be forced to seek out a new source of food. Seamus is beginning to wonder if he should be trying to end the rein of this particular bloodsucker before it has even begun. He is not confident that he could kill her though, even if he caught her off guard. "What are you thinking about?" Row can tell that something is weighing heavily on his mind. "I'm thinking of killing you," he answers honestly. Row can not help but laugh. She does not believe him in the slightest. He stares at her blankly though, thoroughly annoyed that she is not even slightly worried that he might actually try to harm her. "So what do you do for fun?" she continues trying to have a normal conversation. "I like to climb things," he answers dully. "Oh yeah, you are really good at that, aren't you?" She recalls his attempt to escape from her when they first met by scaling the walls and rafters of the blacksmith shop. "I'm actually pretty good at climbing too." "I know!" he shouts angrily. "I saw it first hand. I'm stuck as your pathetic servant because I couldn't outrun you. You don't have to remind me about it." "Oh." Her expression sinks. She had not realized how angry he was with her until now. Despite knowing that humans have a natural dislike for bloodsuckers she had assumed he would learn to enjoy her company the same way Champaign seems to. It had not occurred to her that he is technically a prisoner bound under the threat of injury or death. "I'm sorry…" she tries to apologize. "Don't," he refuses to listen. "Don't pretend like you even care. I know how bloodsuckers think. You're incapable of processing human emotions." "I can feel things," she argues. "Sympathy and empathy are not the same thing," he disagrees. "You can attempt to understand human feelings but you will never fully grasp them." "That's not true. I've been trying really hard." He is starting to make her feel bad. "You mistook a brawl for entertainment at the town square yesterday," he reminds her. "They both involve screaming," she moans while grabbing her head. Listening to him is almost painful. In truth he is almost correct about her. She finds it difficult to emulate human behavior. Normal things that seem to bother the weak creatures such as jealousy and greed make no sense to her. She has never desired anything in her life. The closest feeling she can equate to it is hunger which can be referred to as the desire to feed. "See, you're completely clueless," Seamus continues insulting her. "I am not," she whines. For some reason she seems to value his opinion of her. Perhaps she actually desires him not to think poorly of her. "Wait, I think I feel something." She grabs her chest. "I actually think I care about the way you see me." "Well that's great, you can emulate ego," he scoffs. "I'm serious," she is on the verge of tears. Never has a human's words bothered her as much as his. Something about him is changing the way she thinks. She is almost learning what it means to be human. "Please, give me a chance to show you," she begs. "Ask me anything. Present a scenario where a human and a bloodsucker's choices would normally differ." "Fine, you want to play that sort of game, so be it." Seamus grins smugly. "You are walking down the street when suddenly a thief appears with a knife and demands all your money. When you refuse he grabs a random nearby person and threatens to stab them. What do you do?" "Well obviously I am stronger than a stupid thief," Row answers pompously. "I thought you were going to approach this question like a human would," he reminds her. "What would a normal human do?" "I suppose they would pay the thief in order to save the other person's life," Row surmises. "See, even I can figure that out about humans." "Alright, let's change the situation a little bit though. Now the thief is actually a crazed murderer. He plans to kill one of you regardless of money. Do you let him kill you to protect the other person or do you let them die to save yourself?" "How am I supposed to answer that?" Row whines. "It's not fair." "How is it not fair? It's a simple question of self sacrifice." "No it's not," she continues to disagree. "That sort of situation depends entirely on who I am in society. What if I were a lord or at least a descendent of one? The other person would be duty bound to lay down their life for me. If they were a lord then I would be expected to do the same." "You're thinking too logically," Seamus grumbles. "That's just like a bloodsucker, thinking before acting. Follow your emotions and make the choice to save the other person, regardless of stature." "You're simplifying it too much," she growls back. "What if the other person were a child? Obviously I would feel more obligated to sacrifice myself for them. On the same note I would feel less inclined to save the life of a random man I'd never met before." "I suppose I can see your point," Seamus finally allows himself to be swayed. His example was a rather poor one. How willing a person is to sacrifice themselves for someone else is entirely dependent on their own character. Not all humans would make the noble choice. On the other hand a bloodsucker would not lift a finger to save a human. The question suddenly occurs to Seamus, would a bloodsucker sacrifice itself to save another bloodsucker? He is entirely unaware that Row's mother did exactly that back in Massmede. "Do you see now why I…?" Row begins to gloat over her victory but stops mid- sentence. "Yeah, yeah." Seamus rolls his eyes. "I suppose you are better at emulating human emotions than I thought." "Quiet," Row hisses at him. "I thought I saw something." "Huh, where?" Seamus glances around the room stupidly. "Out there." Row points to the window. Outside they can see the cobblestone street dimly lit by a single lamppost. "What did you see?" Seamus is equally curious and concerned now. "I'm not sure." Row shakes her head. "My eyes might just be playing tricks on me." "Just spit it out," Seamus orders her. "I'll be the judge of how important it is." "Well… I kinda thought I saw a person climbing into the second story window of the inn," she admits while twiddling her fingers. "You what?" Seamus is shocked. "That's extremely serious. You know people have been disappearing, right? What if you just saw the kidnapper in the act?" "You really think so?" Row's eyes widen. "Come on, we have to make sure for ourselves." He grabs a lantern from the kitchen before exiting his house. "Wait for me," she calls after him as she follows quickly behind. "Which window was it?" he asks while striking a match on his boot to light the lantern. "Front facing. The one you can see from your house," she answers. "Hello," Seamus whispers as he dances the light from his lantern over the glass of the window. "Don't wake them," Row whimpers. "If they answer then they weren't asleep to begin with," he informs her. The curtains behind the glass of the window sway from side to side ominously, as if they have just been disturbed. "I think you're right. Someone just went in through there." "What do we do?" Row moans unhelpfully. "You wait here." Seamus hands her the lantern. She watches as he steps back in order to get a running start. It is actually impressive to see him scale the side of the building like a cat despite the fact that she could obviously do a better job. He slithers through the window silently but almost immediately falls right back out, having been pushed by something or someone. "Seamus!" Row shouts while tossing the lantern aside and opening her arms to catch him. If she were a normal human girl it would do no good but with the strength of a bloodsucker she is able to support his weight entirely. "Seamus, what happened?" she gasps while dropping him to the ground. She is unable to lift him properly for very long. "He pushed me," Seamus spits angrily while standing back up and dusting himself off. "Who?" "I have no idea what that thing is." Seamus points up to the window where a pale face is staring back down at them. "Clouse?" Row raises a confused eyebrow. "Clouse?" Seamus recognizes the name. "He smells just like Clouse… only different somehow," Row mumbles to herself. "Bloodsuckers really are impressive, aren't they," Seamus is actually in awe of her for once. She hisses at him for mentioning her secret out loud though. "Wait a second; Clouse was the third person to go missing, wasn't he?" Seamus realizes. "What he is doing here now." "Why don't you ask him," Row suggests with a shrug. Seamus can't see a reason not to. "Hey Clouse, where have you been?" he shouts up to the pale faced man. "That is you, isn't it Clouse?" "Aye." The figure nods. "Come down here so we can talk." Seamus waves to him. The man seems confused but he obeys, climbing down from the window in a sort of daze. "What's wrong with you, Clouse?" Seamus leans close to him, trying to get a better look. "Don't." Row quickly pulls him back as Clouse lunges at him with his mouth open, almost like he is trying to bite him. "What on earth?" Seamus's eyes are wide in shock. "What is he?" "He smells like a ghoul," Row answers. "Are you saying he's been turned? How?" "I, I'm not a ghoul," Clouse seems suddenly scared. "Please, you have to help me. He's going to kill me." "Who's going to kill you?" Seamus asks. "Start from the beginning. Where have you been?" "He took me." Clouse's eyes dilate as he starts to remember. Seamus and Row both note that they are almost glowing yellow by the light of the lamppost, just like a ghoul's. "Who took you?" Seamus tries to keep him focused. "The man. Well, he wasn't a man, not anymore. His skin was gray and he looked like a ghost." "You look like a ghost," Seamus admits. "Don't say that," Clouse hisses at him. "I'm not a ghoul; I'm not like him." "I hate to say it but I think you are." Seamus eyes him up and down. "Did this man feed on you? Is that what happened? Did he drain you of life until you turned into this?" "He said he was helping me," Clouse whimpers. "He said I would feel so much better when he was done. He lied to me; I don't feel stronger, I don't feel more alive. I feel dead inside. I feel lonely and weak and hungry; oh so very hungry." His eyes flash a bit brighter as he says this, causing both Seamus and Row to back up. "What's wrong?" He can sense their fear. "I'm not a ghoul, I swear." "I'm sorry." Seamus retrieves the lantern Row tossed and relights it. "What are you doing?" Clouse steps towards him. "Stay back." Seamus warns him while waving the lantern at him. "Hey, calm down." Clouse takes another step regardless. "Why are you here?" Row speaks up suddenly. "Huh?" Clouse's eyebrows twist in confusion. "Why did you come to the inn?" she clarifies. "Whose room is that?" "I don't know." He shrugs. "I only came because he told me to. He told me to find more people to join him. He turns a different person each night. He wants to make an army of us." "Oh no," Seamus groans. "I didn't want to do it," Clouse whimpers. "I have to do what he says though. I can't go back empty handed." "This is why I hate bloodsuckers." Seamus glares at Row. "This isn't the work of a bloodsucker," she argues. "He said he was as pale as a ghoul. Somehow a human got turned and now he's turning others." "He was probably turned by a bloodsucker," Seamus spouts accusingly. "Even if he wasn't, there wouldn't be any ghouls if it weren't for them. All of this is their fault originally." "If you want to blame someone then blame the demigods," Row spits back. "Demigods protect us from the likes of you," Seamus defends. "Demigods nearly drove us extinct," Row shouts. "Before they showed up we were always careful not to create ghouls excessively." "How do you justify creating these creatures at all?" "They keep the demigods busy. Without them we'd have been killed off a long time ago," she explains. "Such a selfish species." Seamus rolls his eyes. "Um, it seems you two are busy," Clouse laughs nervously while backing away. "Not so fast." Seamus smacks him in the face with the lantern, shattering it and spilling burning oil all over him. Clouse begins to scream and run in circles. "What did you do that for?" Row demands. "I'm not letting a ghoul run free," Seamus answers sternly. "He is our only lead at finding this intelligent ghoul who is turning other humans. Do want him to continue?" "Well…" Seamus doesn't want to admit that she is right. His chance to do so is cut short by the sound of Clouse falling over. The fire has spread down from his face to encompass his whole body. Even if they tried there is no way they can save him now. "Well that's just great." Row scowls at Seamus. She can't believe how easily he is letting his prejudice against bloodsuckers cloud his better judgment. "How exactly are we supposed to find the rest of these human ghouls now?" "Maybe we don't need to," Seamus whispers. "Of course we need to!" she starts to shout again. "If we don't deal with these disappearances then the council will vote to contact Turok for aid and I'll have to move and you're sadly mistaken if you think we're leaving you behind so you can tell him we were even here. No, you're coming with us when we run, dead or alive." Seamus is not even listening to her. He places a finger to his lips warning to be quiet but she is too angry to obey. "What is wrong with you?" she demands. "Why won't you answer me?" "I think we're in trouble," he mutters. "You're gonna be in trouble if you don't…" her sentence is cut off by Seamus as he grabs her head and turns her around. She falls completely silent as she realizes what he has been looking at this entire time. There are four humanoid figures surround them, all just as pale and pasty as Clouse. "Nice of you to kill our friend," the apparent leader speaks first. He is a tall man with more muscle than Cabith yet not overly large. He has long black hair that seems sleek with sweat or grease, probably from living in the forest for however long. "Who are you?" Seamus demands. He already has a pretty good idea though. All three of the other human ghouls are familiar faces from Bos Stad. Each one went missing during the past week. "I'm so sorry," he sighs while looking into Doreen's eyes. She is a sixteen year old girl he knew from around the village. She was always so lively and vibrant. Now she looks pale and dead.

ep 10 . .. "Do not pity them," the leader laughs. "I have freed them of the prison chain that is humanity. They are now stronger and faster and smarter?" "All they are is animals," Row spits. "Ghouls are not bloodsuckers. They don't even compare." "Is that what you are?" the leader finally takes notice of her. "I thought you smelled different somehow." "I am a royal bloodsucker, heir of Lord Ironglave and Lady Owleen. You would do well to listen to me." "Is this the part where you threaten me?" he laughs again. "I'm not afraid of a child, little one. I know why you wish to rid this town of me. You fear the demigod Turok. For someone so proud of your lineage you're quite weak." "Isn't he scared of Turok?" Seamus asks. "If he isn't then he's a fool." Row shakes her head solemnly. "Perhaps he plans to have turned this entire town into a ghoul army before Turok arrives. It still will not help him though. There is a reason Turok is still alive after two centuries while most of the original hundred demigods have fallen. He is not weak. He will tear through this town like water." "Are you trying to frighten me off, little girl?" the leader's laughter is becoming annoying. "I fear no man, demigod or not. Even one such as Turok can not stand against an army. Once I have defeated him I shall go on to slay the rest of the remaining demigods. I shall be the herald of a new age of ghouls. Humans and bloodsuckers will be a thing of the past." "I pity you." Seamus can see tears filling Row's eyes. "You shall taste the sting of Arma Tua like my mother did." "Arma what? Aren't those the mythical weapons given to the demigods two hundred years ago?" Seamus asks. "They're real," Row assures him. "Champaign almost died by one of them; Arma Tua, a powerful axe with the ability to ignore one's armor at will. It is impossible to defend against. Demigods didn't gain their titles by accident." "You're really scared of this thing, aren't you?" Seamus's eyes are wide. He has never felt pity toward Row before today. He almost feels bad for the loss of her mother and the death that awaits her if she ever encounters Turok again. It is not enough to sway him though. He still needs her to release him from his servitude. "Enough talk," the lead ghoul growls. "I will show you how powerful I have become." He bares his teeth, which are just as sharp as the wolves in the forest. His fingernails have also grown like claws and his eyes are glowing yellow. He is more animal than human now. He and his three subordinates all pounce at once, pinning both Row and Seamus to the ground. Their claws and teeth immediately start tearing into the pair's flesh, causing them both to scream. This is the most pain Seamus has ever felt. Of course, Row has not been so lucky. In fact, this is nothing compared to the wolf which nearly swallowed her alive. It almost comes as a surprise to the other ghouls when Doreen starts to scream in place of Row. The young bloodsucker has sunk her fangs into the former human's arm and twisted it painfully. It almost seems ready to snap clean off. As ghouls are in essence the husk that is left when all life force has been drained, there is practically nothing for Row to feed on. Instead she rips the flesh from Doreen's arm, straight down to the bone, rendering it useless without any muscle to move it. "Wha-what did you do?" she screams. Row's eyes are glowing red and her mouth is dripping with blood. She has already let her instincts take over. Luckily for Seamus the three other ghouls choose to leave him alone in order to attack Row all at once. Though his wounds are deep, he has suffered no permanent damage in the short time they were upon him. Row takes a stance as the three ghouls charge at her. She bites into the only other female's shoulder and flingers her into the air like a rag doll. She crashes to the ground a few feet away from Clouse's body just as the leader tackles Row. He pins her to the ground again and bites into her throat, attempting to suck out her life force. It has been a while since she has fed though and there is hardly anything to take. Row uses her legs to fling him off of her before pulling herself to her feet just in time to avoid being pounced upon by the third and final ghoul. With her remaining life force drained she is weak though. She is barely able to stumble out of his reach as he scampers along the ground after her. When she trips, he is upon her, sinking his teeth into her flesh and ripping it from her torso. She wails in pain at first but quickly falls silent, making only a slight gurgling sound as blood pours from her mouth. Seamus has managed to drag himself out of the street. He has just slumped against the door to the inn when the lead ghoul grabs hold of his legs and pulls him backwards. He digs his fingernails into the ground but it is no use. They actually begin to peel off as he is dragged over the cobblestone once again. "Let's hope you prove better sustenance," the ghoul hisses while biting into the back of his neck. Seamus is unable to even scream as he feels his blood spurting out. Suddenly the sound of a whimpering animal draws all four ghouls' attention away from their prey. A pitch black wolf is leaping from rooftop to rooftop as fast as it can. How it even got past the tall wooden gates of the village is a mystery. It is very obviously being pursued by something though; a figure clad in armor, sprinting through the streets below with fierce determination. Without anymore roofs within jumping distance, the wolf lands in the middle of the street, directly in front of the inn. It has a look of utter fear on its face. With the street filled with ghouls it can't decide which way to run. As they are practically unconscious neither Seamus nor Row are able to notice a splintered arrow shaft protruding from where its right eye should be. It has just decided to charge toward the collection of people fighting in the plaza when the armored figure appears from the street corner directly behind it. It leaps at the lead ghoul, trying to catch him off guard, but is too slow. It falls to the ground with a horrible whimper as a slew of arrows strikes it square in the back, directly between the shoulders. "Got you!" Champaign shouts as she tosses her bow into the air. The four human ghouls all stare at each other in utter shock. They have no idea what is going on. The armor clad blacksmith seems unaware of what they are though. It takes her a mere moment to recognize her charge underneath the second male though. "Release her!" she shouts while drawing her sword. "Who… what…?" he is too confused to comply. "I said get off her!" Champaign brings her broad sword down on him, slicing his head from his shoulders without the slightest bit of hesitation. The leader and his two remaining followers quickly leap away from their prey before the former knight can dispatch them as well. "Who are you?" the leader asks. "I should be asking you that," Champaign spits angrily. "What have you done to my lady?" "Are you not aware of what she is, human?" the leader asks. "She is a bloodsucker. She is an enemy to your kind." "And what are you then?" she counters. "From the looks of it you are all ghouls. You are not welcome in my town." She moves to tower over Doreen who has not yet recovered from her torn arm and is unable to flee. The other female ghoul winces as Champaign stabs her through the skull, killing her instantly. "Go, now. We have to go." She tries to drag her leader away. "I'm no coward." He shoves her off. "I'm not afraid of you." "You should be." Champaign grits to her teeth as she takes a stance. Row's eyes flutter open at the sound of her guardian's voice. "You're pathetic." She spits blood at the lead ghoul. "You wanted to face Turok but you can't even fight a measly human." "Shut up!" His anger is taking over. He crouches down like a cat before leaping towards Champaign with his claws out. She turns sideways to avoid him easily while also slicing off a good amount of his flowing hair. His eyes glow brighter as he hisses angrily. He spins around to charge again but Champaign has already retaken her stance. This time she doesn't move, letting him tackle her to the ground while trying to bite through her armor, which is practically impossible. Before he can retreat she has brought the hilt of her sword down on his head. He falls backwards dizzily as the glow fades from his eyes for a moment. He is able to recover in time before Champaign can swing her sword at his throat though. "What's wrong?" the former knight taunts him. "Did I hear my lady say you were planning to take on Turok?" "Yeah, that's right. I'm going to turn Bos Stad into the largest stronghold imaginable," he answers while scampering to his feet. "Why?" Champaign is genuinely curious. "Were you not human once yourself?" "Humans are weak," he scoffs. "I was a vassal for a lord for ten years. Do you know what I have to show for it? His lordship and I were attacked by ghouls while traveling throughout his settlement. Luckily his lordship managed to escape… by throwing me from the carriage as a distraction." "Oh you poor thing," Champaign clicks her tongue. It is unclear whether or not she is being sarcastic. The former knight rarely displays anything resembling a sense of humor. "I will have my revenge!" the ghoul bellows. "Lord Glasstien shall pay for abandoning me. He will face the nightmare that I have become." "And to have your revenge you must annex the citizens of Bos Stad?" Champaign asks cautiously. "I need an army. I need to be powerful enough to defeat lords and demigods alike. I plan to create a new world where ghouls can live freely. My days as a human are over. This is all I have left." "Well then I am sorry, sir, but that makes you my enemy." Champaign raises her sword. "Why can't you understand?" he growls while leaping toward her again. By now his eyes have started glowing once more. He seems strangely stronger than before, perhaps due to determination, perhaps due to having fed on Seamus for at least a short while. Either way Champaign is fully prepared. She uses the flat of her blade to block his claws and swiftly slice them off. Unlike Row's they are not as strong as steel. He is hardly daunted though. The pain he receives from each blow she lands is nothing compared to the penalty he will suffer if she defeats him, which will most definitely be death. It is universally accepted by humans that all ghouls and bloodsuckers are to be killed on sight. "What is your name?" Champaign asks as her eyes follow the ghoul. He is pacing back and forth just out of her reach, looking for another opening. "I feel you deserve at least that much; a name on your tombstone. All of your subordinates were once fellow citizens of Bos Stad but you are obviously not from our village." "You want to know my name? Sure, I'll tell you. One day you will all revere me as the spark that started a new way of life. I am the dawn of a new era. I am the herald of the age of ghouls. I am Rashad the beast. Fear me." "So the name is Rashad. It is a noble name, indeed. " Champaign nods approvingly. "I only wish you were still human." "Oh stop preaching," Rashad scoffs. "You have betrayed humanity. You are a sympathizer and an accomplice of bloodsuckers. If I were to turn you, you might actually choose to become my ally. Is that possible? Why don't you give it some thought?" "I already have a purpose." Champaign shakes her head. "Even if I succumb to the horror that is inhumanity as a ghoul I shall continue to protect my lady. I will not follow you." "Well that really is too bad," Rashad hisses while leaping at her again. This time he stays low to the ground, dodging each swing from her sword with ease. He may have once been a human but he has been developing his skills as a ghoul ever since the day he turned. He really has abandoned his former life for this one. As he said, what choice does he have? After trekking through the woods for several hours and chasing the one eyed ghoul wolf all the way back to the village, Champaign is more than a little tired. Rashad however seems full of energy and intent on fighting to the death. If only the former knight had the rest of her expedition with her; they might assist her in making quick work of this human ghoul. Eventually Champaign gives up swinging at the quick footed ghoul all together. Instead she stands perfectly still, waiting for him to attack her. He circles around her multiple times, looking for the slightest opening. Of course even when she is not facing in his direction it is difficult; she is fully clad in armor making it impossible to actually injure her even if he were fast enough to strike in her blind spot. "What are you waiting for?" Champaign resorts to baiting him. "Aren't you planning to transform this whole village into your loyal followers? Wouldn't it be best to eliminate people like me first? Hurry or the sun might come up. I've always been curious why ghouls only hunt at night? Does the sun burn you? I can't wait to see." "Shut up!" Rashad takes the bait. He may have accepted his new life as a ghoul but that doesn't mean he does not have regrets. He does not enjoy being looked down upon like an animal. With his rage clouding his judgment he circles around the former knight one more time before darting towards her from directly behind. It is not the opening he was hoping for but it is the best he will find. It doesn't seem to be enough though. Champaign spins around on her heels the moment his claws reach the space between her armor on her torso. His hand is caught and yanked painfully, tearing the tissue within and eliciting an animalistic yelp from his mouth. He once again attempts to scamper back to a safe distance but he can no long bound or pounce. Champaign's blade catches him in the back of the leg as he turns to run. He tumbles forward and comes to a stop a few feet away from Seamus, who is still unconscious. The seemingly small wound on the back of his thigh is bleeding profusely though. Champaign must have nicked something important. "Wha-what's happening to me?" Rashad demands in a slurred voice as his vision starts to blur. "A healer once told me that ghouls pump blood at a faster rate than normal creatures. With a proper wound in the proper place, you can latterly cause them to bleed themselves to death." "Ha, nice try, but I can keep myself alive through sheer force of will." He reaches out to grab Seamus, hoping to replenish his life force through feeding. "No!" Row, who he had not seen approaching, leaps at his arm, sinking her teeth into it and severing it from his shoulder. "Huh?" he is too shocked to respond. "I can't feel…" Row's eyes are glowing red as she curls up in front of the inn door like an animal protecting its kill. Champaign can guess that she is restoring herself by feeding on what little life force Rashad's arm contains. A few years ago it would have been enough to make her sick. Now she is practically used to living with this terrifying creature and watching her feed on everything from stray animals to the former knight herself. Row does not seem to enjoy the taste of ghoul at all though. As her glowing eyes glance over the bleeding stump that remains she catches sight of Seamus's limp form. She is still in control of herself enough to know she attacked Rashad to protect him. She doesn't however realize anymore why she would do such a thing. She is so hungry right now and he smells like nothing more than food. Champaign can tell what her mistress is thinking. As a proper human she should attempt to stop her. However she has abandoned humanity in the service of her mistress. She has no emotional tie to Seamus and sees no reason why she should not let her charge consume him. It would definitely eliminate the chance of him ever revealing their secret. His death could simply be blamed on the humanoid ghoul bleeding and sobbing in front of her. Champaign's focus shifts as she realizes that Rashad is not completely immobilized. He is still dragging himself toward Seamus with his one remaining arm. "I can do it," he whispers. "I've seen the ghouls in the forest re-grow their limbs with enough raw flesh. Come here little one, your suffering will be over shortly." Champaign stabs her sword into the ground between Rashad and Seamus, blocking his only chance to recover from his two mortal wounds. "This meal belongs to my lady," she informs him sternly. Rashad's eyes widen pleadingly. "But, but, I need him. I need to survive. I need to take my revenge on Lord Glasstien." Champaign doesn't respond. Instead she lifts her armored foot as high as she can and brings it down on the poor ghoul's skull, knocking him out cold. "Oh god," his final subordinate gasps in fear. She has been watching throughout the entire ordeal without making a move or a sound. "Please, please don't kill me. I never wanted any part of this. "Just let me go. I'll never bother you again." Champaign shakes her head. "If I do that, you'll just continue to feed on others." "I won't, I promise. I'll eat animals in the woods. I won't ever come near another human being again. Just please don't kill me," she begs. "I'd like to believe you, I really would," Champaign's voice is cold and cruel. The ghoul turns to run as the former knight retrieves her bow from the ground where it landed after she tossed it. She has made it almost a block away before Champaign's final arrow catches up to her, puncturing her in the back of the neck bringing instantaneous death. Row's eyes are glowing red as she watches. Not a single hint of remorse shows on her face. Her attention quickly returns to Seamus though. It is lucky that he has passed out from blood loss or her might be screaming at the top of his lungs at this very moment, trying to wake the town so they all can see the truth about the bloodsucker that lives amongst them. "Alright, here we go," Champaign grunts as she lifts her charge from the ground. "You have to hurry; my men will be here any minute." Row does not argue. She sinks her fangs into her guardian's exposed neck, drinking her blood and life force deeply. Champaign struggles to remain standing as Row siphons more than she has ever before, a definite necessity in order to recover from her wounds. The hungry bloodsucker seems entirely able to control herself this time though, stopping long before her guardian's life is even in danger. "Thank you." She smiles up at Champaign weakly after she sets her back down. "What about him?" the former knight gestures to Seamus who is still lying face down on the cobblestone street. "Shall we leave him?" "No." Row shakes her head. Despite his obvious hatred of her, she holds no ill will for him. She in fact might even regret it later if she decided to let him perish. Ever so gently she presses her fangs into the already existent wound on his neck in order to transfer some of Champaign's life force to him. Almost immediately he begins to cough and sputter, jerking violently while rolling over to stare at his savior. "What did you do to me?" he groans. "He's fine," she sighs while standing up. Seamus has just pulled himself into a sitting position when the sound of approaching footsteps draws his attention. He turns his head to look as eight men clamor to a halt in front of Champaign, all saluting like good soldiers. "Men." She salutes them back. "Is this all that's left of you?" "What did you expect?" Nordis, who has adopted the job of leader, responds coldly. "You left us to fend for ourselves in the middle of the forest." "I'm sorry." Champaign's eyes widen. It is obvious she had not even considered her men's safety when she left them. "I had to protect the village. Who knows what a lone ghoul could do among defenseless civilians. I thought you could handle yourselves. You volunteered after all." "We're not soldiers, sir." Nordis continues to glare at her. "What are you exactly? You look like an actual knight clad in glimmering armor. What are you?" he repeats. "I'm a blacksmith," she lies to his face. "Who all did we lose?" she tries to change the subject. "Anthon and Garth didn't make it back and you already know what happened to Heidus," Nordis answers solemnly. "What about Cabith?" Champaign's face shows genuine concern for once. If she had to choose a favorite from her makeshift expedition it would have to be the smart mouthed merchant. "He stayed behind at the gate to make sure none of the ghouls could get in. They seem wild enough to try scaling the walls tonight, much like that wolf you chased in here." Nordis gestures to the dead animal on the ground. "My god, what happened here?" he finally realizes the carnage they are standing in. "Here, this is the ghoul responsible for the disappearances." Seamus points at the only surviving human ghoul, still unconscious from Champaign's blow to his head. "What should we do with him?" Nordis's eyes are wide in awe. "He won't last long as he is. Lock him up but don't treat his wounds," Champaign orders. "We'll have the council pass judgment tomorrow. This way the people of Bos Stad can have peace of mind that this whole ordeal is over. There is no need to contact Turok or any other demigods now." "You really don't like the demigods, do you?" Nordis frowns at her while directing two younger men to carry the unconscious figure towards the town lockup. "We'll inform the council of this first thing in the morning," he assures Champaign before giving a final salute, which she returns. "Oh, one more thing; Cabith didn't look too well when we left him. I'm not sure he'll make it through the night." "Goddamn idiot," Champaign grumbles. "Thank you for everything, Nordis, I mean it." She waves as she sprints off in the direction of the gate. "Sir, don't expect me to follow you into battle ever again," he calls after her. "I'm wise to you now." She pretends not to hear him as she disappears down the street, leaving her mistress behind with Seamus who is still propped up against the door to the inn. He is quickly yanked to his feet by Row though, who proceeds to drag him along the street in pursuit of her guardian. Cabith is propping himself up at the entrance of the village with a spear when Champaign finds him. "Dear lord, what are you doing, man?" she snaps at him. "I really don't know," he laughs while wheezing. "I suppose I didn't want the rest of the men to see my final moments." "Why haven't you gone to see Roderick yet?" she demands. "If he can fix this, I'd pay to see it," Cabith coughs while opening his trench coat to reveal a large hole in his stomach. "What happened?" Champaign gasps. "One of those damn birds flew straight through me," Cabith answers with a groan. "I didn't even realize the damage it'd done at first. So, do you think Roderick can fix me up? Be honest now." "Of course he can." Champaign smiles at him sweetly, surprising both Row and Seamus. Never have they seen the former knight show any sort of positive emotion. She seems to be shaped entirely out of solemn experiences and stern expressions. "You're lying," Cabith scoffs. "Don't you know better than to lie to a dying man?" "I'm not lying," Champaign assures him. Everything's going to be just fine. Close your eyes now, you must be getting tired. I'll carry you to Roderick's tent." "Ah, that's all I need; to be carried by a woman." Cabith's protests seem unnecessary though as he soon passes out from blood loss. "Why did you lie to him?" Seamus is visibly upset. "Because he's going to be fine, isn't he, Row?" the former knight turns her attention to her charge. "Oh no," Seamus groans. "I don't think I have enough life force to help him though," Row argues. "It's alright, just borrow what you need from me." Champaign offers her neck to the bloodsucker. "We just need him to live long enough for Roderick to heal him properly." "Are you sure?" Row is cautious. "Does this man really mean that much to you?" "Despite everything he has done in the past two years he's still the only reason either of us is alive today," Champaign reminds her. "I'll be damned if I'm going to let him die when I know we can save him." "As you wish." Row shrugs before biting her guardian once more. Seamus is slightly unnerved by her calm reaction. It seems she is still not as good at emulating human behavior as she thought.

Getting interesting

Enjoying it..

loving this

Next

Next.t.

yap save him or you quyz are doom

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ep. 11 . "It's her, it's her, it's really her." Kalina is unable to control her excitement as she watches the approaching guests from the courtyard of the castle as they trot over the drawbridge. Grange is less interested in the faces of people he has never seen before. "Oh, welcome to our humble abode Lady Ardine." Kalina bows in front of the tall slender woman she has been eyeing since her arrival. Ardine is a woman of almost six feet with prominent cheekbones yet no signs of muscle or fat on her entire body; not that much of her body is visible underneath a blue flowing robe covering shiny silver armor. She is one of the original demigods like Turok, over two hundred years old yet with the appearance of a woman in her late twenties; save for her graying hair, which is a symptom stress and not age. "Who are you?" She sizes up her apparent fanatic with a look of distaste. "I am Kalina," the sorcerer with dark braided hair answers with an extended curtsy. "I am secondary vassal to Lord…" "Ah, you're one of Turok's toys," Ardine cuts her off. "How quaint." "Um, I'm sorry, have I offended you somehow, milady?" Kalina's eyes glisten with dread. "You need not try to impress the likes of me," Ardine sighs. "I am merely here as a courtesy to your master." "Lord Turok," Kalina can't help but refer to her employer by name. "Since when is he the lord of anything," Ardine mutters as she wanders into the foyer of the castle, leaving Kalina with a feeling of disillusion. She had expected the female demigod to be more impressive and less cynical. Of course she is a woman of over two hundred years in age. By now her sense of interest in people might have waned. They must appear like ants to someone as powerful as her. "Um, where are your vassals?" Kalina chases after the demigod. "I don't have any." Ardine shrugs. "You travel alone?" Kalina is both surprised and impressed. "How do you dispatch of ghouls or bloodsuckers along your path without aid?" "First off, I need no aid from humans," Ardine practically insults Kalina's entire race. "Second off, it has been years since I had to… dispatch anything in my travels," she pauses to emphasize her distaste for Kalina's choice in words. "Do you even carry the great Arma Kalo with you anymore?" Kalina is almost saddened by the loss of her embellished opinion of Ardine. "I see no reason to answer that question," Ardine grumbles. "Why do you need to know how prepared I am for combat? Are you planning to assault me?" "I wouldn't dream of it." Kalina holds up her hands defensively. "I was simply… I mean… I was curious," she stumbles over her words. "Well you shall remain curious," Ardine's snobbish attitude persists. "Yes, milady." Kalina dips her head apologetically. "Ah, Lady Ardine." Turok is waiting at the entrance to the throne room of the castle with his arms spread welcomingly. "What a pleasure it is to see you again." "Save it, Turok," Ardine is no nicer to him than his vassal. "As abrasive as ever, I see," he chuckles. "Still traveling alone? Whatever happened to Joric and Pendral?" "They got married over a hundred years ago and settled down with their children," Ardine answers with a yawn. "They actually have quite a few grandchildren to carry on their legacy." "Has it really been that long?" Turok pretends to be surprised. "I guess I hadn't really noticed. Been keeping myself busy, you see." "Oh I've heard all about your side project, 'Lord Turok'," Ardine places sarcastic emphasis on his new title. It is obvious she disapproves. "Oh don't you start," he sighs. "I'm merely looking after the territories left without a governor after the late Lord Ironglave's passing." "It's been five years and you're still occupying his personal estate," Ardine snaps at him. "You've spread out into the outlining territories as well. I hear you've actually taken over some of Lord Dashire's rice fields. What are you thinking, Turok? This goes against everything we stand for as demigods." "Don't you preach to me about what we stand for; you who hasn't slain a single bloodsucker for the past fifty years. What happened to you, Ardine? Where is the fire and death your fog used to bring?" "I grew weary of battle." She glances away uninterestedly. "Haven't you ever wondered if there was something more we existed for than fighting?" "I have." He nods in agreement. "I've found it too. I've discovered the joys of being treated as a lord. It's quite relaxing actually. You should try it." "Let's see; abuse my power by scaring thousands of innocent people into obeying my will simply because I am bored. No, I don't think I will." "If you're so against my occupation of this land then why don't you stop me? Why don't you call down your perilous rains or freeze all of my enforcers solid in a thunderous snow storm? How long has it been since the weather obeyed you, Lady Ardine? What about your weapon? Where is Arma Kalo?" "Why is this the most popular question of the evening?" Ardine glares at him. "I have no reason to show you my weapon, nor do I have any reason to involve myself in your meaningless bid for land and power. I shall do what I always do; wait and watch from afar. I shall let you succeed or fail at your own hands." "How boring of you," Turok sighs again. He almost seems disappointed. "Perhaps Brand will be more sporting." "Brand?" Ardine almost does not recognize the name. "Ah yes, Genlock's replacement. I had forgotten." "Oh how I do miss Genlock. It is a nasty pity that he had to die and leave that miserable excuse for a demigod in his place." "Haha, very funny. Did you hear me arriving?" a voice emanates from the hall behind the door to the throne room. "Presenting the holy red warrior Brand," Grange introduces the third demigod. "To be honest, I did hear you coming," Turok snickers. "How have you been, Brand? It's so nice to see you again." "Shut up." Brand slaps his hand away rather than shaking it. He is a broad shouldered man with thick black hair, a slight stubble beard, bright shining armor and a red flowing cape. "Ooh, someone's touchy," Turok continues to laugh. "How have you been? Are you still having trouble controlling yourself since receiving your new powers?" "Gall, Prain, accompany the pathetic bounty hunter for a moment," Brand orders his two trusted vassals to follow Grange rather than staying with him. He does not want to speak freely in front of them. "They're nice, aren't they?" Turok watches as the three of them disappear into the long hall. "I never go anywhere without Gall and Prain," Brand answers proudly. "Wouldn't want to wind up dead like Genlock, would ya?" Turok starts to mock him. "I'm seriously not in the mood for this." Brand's eyes narrow. He has had a dislike for Turok from the moment they met; almost immediately after he became a demigod ten years ago. Through what is only known as miraculous means, his predecessor was able to pass on his demigod rank and power to him at the moment of his passing, making Brand the youngest of all nine current demigods and Turok the oldest. Without Genlock to lead the remaining demigods they soon scattered, forming allegiances of their own like Grange and Kalina or Gall and Prain. Now they only meet as allies on occasions like this. "Is there a reason you called me all the way out here?" Brand is still glaring at Turok with distain. "Surely you are not simply trying to brag about your sudden acquisition of land." "I called more than you, Brand," Turok informs him. "Unfortunately only two of you chose to answer that call. I'm actually quite disappointed. I at least expected Wan to be here if not Kifflan." "I was actually hoping to meet more of my kin here this evening," Brand admits. "Again, what was your reason for summoning us?" "I asked you here tonight in order to share with you a very shameful secret," Turok sighs. "Oh this ought to be good." Ardine rolls her eyes.

ep 12 . "Five years ago I infiltrated this very castle under the intention of eliminating a bloodsucker by the title of Lady Owleen Ironglave." "That is common knowledge, Turok," Brand yawns. "Perhaps." He shrugs. "What's not common knowledge is what I found upon my entry. Lady Owleen was not alone; she had been in hiding long enough to constitute an heir with the late lord. I believe she had three in fact." "So there are three bloodsuckers unaccounted for running around; what's so bad about that?" Brand is growing impatient. "These aren't just normal bloodsuckers, fool. These are royal bloodsuckers. They are stronger, faster, smarter and down right more charismatic than other bloodsuckers." "Sounds like you speak from experience," Ardine almost laughs. "I'm serious here. There is a new breed of these things about. These royal bloodsuckers are harder to kill and harder to track; not to mention the fact that they descend from lords, making it practically illegal to kill them." "And yet you tore through a deceased lord's home to attack one," it is Brand's turn to snicker. "Deceased is the operative word," Turok responds pompously. "Without the lord around to lay claim to the castle I was entirely just in my decision to invade it." "Listen to yourself," Brand raises his voice. "Do you even realize what you sound like? You are justifying the hostile takeover of an entire territory. The majority of the people may be too afraid to voice their objections but I can name at least one demigod I know who will not stand for this abuse of power, Turok. If you do not wish to face the wrath of Arma Venture then I suggest you…" "Do not speak of Arma Venture to me!" Turok interrupts him. He is visibly annoyed at the mere mention of the weapon. "It doesn't matter if I say it or not, Turok; Lodar is coming for you. He is coming to put a stop to you and your reign of tyranny. Beware, Turok, beware." "This is exactly why I called you here," Turok's voice is slightly panicked. "I need your help to keep what I have accomplished. Will you not help me hold my ground against Lodar? Will you not stand with me, Brand?" "I will not." Brand shakes his head. "What I shall do is watch; watch and laugh when Lodar passes judgment on you. You brought this on yourself, Turok. You have only yourself to blame." Turok glances at Ardine for support but she has already lost interest in the conversation. She looks as if she is simply waiting for the best time to leave. "Fine," Turok spits angrily. "I'll face him on my own. I shall continue to expand my territory until I have enough followers to stand against him." "Do as you wish." Ardine strides from the room. She has no intention of sullying her hands with Turok's nefarious plans. She has been removed from all forms of fighting for almost half a century; there is no reason to re-involve herself now. "Goodbye, Turok." Brand soon follows Ardine's example, leaving the angry demigod alone in his throne room to seethe. "How did it go?" Gall and Prain, his two vassals are waiting in the hall to escort him. Gall is an older man with gray hair and beard whom served Genlock, the previous Red Warrior. Prain is his daughter who only took up the role of vassal when Brand, another former Vassal of Genlock's, received the blessing of the demigod's power; a rare accomplishment indeed. With only nine of almost a hundred original demigods left it is obviously not a simple task to preserve the endowed person's power when they pass. Brand begins his long winded explanation of all the reasons he despises Turok as he follows his vassals out into the courtyard again. He only stops when something catches his attention out of the corner of his eye. "What is it, milord?" Gall draws his sword, preparing to defend his master if necessary. "We're being watched." Brand gestures to a small grouping of trees in the center of the courtyard. There is a lone figure, cast in shadow, staring at the group of three with an almost menacing glint in their eyes. Their face however is completely hidden behind a white ceramic mask. The difference from actual skin is almost unnoticeable in the shadows of the trees though. "Who goes there?" Brand shouts at the mysterious figure. "Show yourself." Slowly the lone observer slinks away from the trees like a guilty child caught stealing food. "Who are you?" Gall demands while brandishing his sword. Instinctively the figure readies a long double- bladed staff previously held on their back. "Identify yourself!" Gall bellows while preparing to charge. "Wait." Brand grips his shoulder to keep him still. "I know you, don't I? I've seen that weapon before." "You have?" Gall is surprised. "Where?" "It is Arma Vec," Brand answers in a soft voice. "It belongs to the demigod Maumolla." His knowledge of the weapon startles the stranger who continues to point it at Gall defensively. "She doesn't seem to recognize you," Prain whispers. "That is because we have never met," Brand admits. "These memories belong to Genlock. I inherited them at the moment of rapture." "The moment of what?" Prain does not understand the term. "The moment of rapture is the moment directly following a demigod's death," her father explains. "I was there when my master Genlock passed. I saw the heavens call for his power's return." "Demigod's power returns to the heavens when they die?" Prain gasps. "It's supposed to." Gall shakes his head solemnly. "If anything, anything at all interrupts the rapture then it receives the power before it returns to the heavens and it becomes the new demigod." "You interrupted the rapture," Prain whispers while staring at Brand with wide eyes. "I didn't mean to," he is overly defensive. "I was simply trying to help Master Genlock. My hand passed through the light as it rose to the sky and I was imbued with his power and some of his memory. In essence I am Genlock. I will carry on his work for as long as I am able. That is my role now." "So you do not know me?" the ceramic masked figure asks in a soft feminine voice as she relaxes her grip on Arma Vec ever so slightly. "I know you are Maumolla but otherwise this is our first meeting." Brand bows to her. "If you would be so kind as to lower your weapon I shall have my vassal lower his." "Ah yes, my weapon." Maumolla's visible eyes dart to Arma Vec in her hand. "Of course." She returns it to its proper place on her back. "I was unaware that the demigod Genlock had passed on his legacy already. I feared he had become corrupt with greed much like Turok." "So you've heard," Brand sighs. "Of course you have. You were summoned by him for this gathering as well, were you not. I'm afraid it is over. You have missed your chance to pass judgment on the betrayer. It would do you more good than I; you who still hold the right to approach a demigod from the previous century. Unless of course your desire is to support him and his reign over this land. If that is so I must express my sincere disappointment." "How I choose to address the actions of Turok are none of your concern. As you said I am of the previous century and hold a higher rank than you. I should be more concerned about whether you choose to support the betrayer or not." "Me? Of course I wouldn't dream of siding with Turok. I know my place great Master Maumolla. I yield to your authority." "Your supposed loyalty means nothing to me," she scoffs. "You could just as easily yield to Turok at the opportune moment. I place no trust in you." "Of course," Brand mutters nervously. He is not afraid of Maumolla's strength or prestige, only of upsetting her and shaming the name of his former master Genlock. "Um, if I could, I would very much like to look upon the wondrous face of the Lady Maumolla with my own eyes," he asks as politely as possible. "It would be a great honor." "Again I must refuse." She turns away, showing her back to him and revealing a long blonde braid reaching almost all the way down to the tops of her boots. Brand is struck with awe as he draws upon Genlock's memory. Like bloodsuckers, demigods are amongst the most beautiful faces in the whole world and Maumolla was no exception, according to Genlock's memory. It seems the gods enjoy blessing beautiful people with power; a reward simply for being born pretty. "Are you gawking at me?" Maumolla asks in a sly tone. "I am merely overwhelmed," Brand apologizes quickly. "If my eyes bother you, I shall leave your presence at once." "I prefer watching people over being watched," Maumolla admits. "It does me no harm though. You may look all you like while I am here, just do not follow me when I leave." Brand takes the invitation, letting his eyes dance over the well proportioned figure that is the demigod before him. She is clad in purple cloth under iron armor, making it difficult to actually imagine what she might look like underneath. In fact, besides her eyes, there is not a part of her actual body he can see. "Alright, that's enough." She marches toward the drawbridge curtly. "Wait, where are you going?" Brand is caught off guard. "Did you not come all this way to speak with the betrayer? Will you not pass judgment on Turok for his actions most unbecoming of a demigod?" "I have already passed judgment on him, but that is none of your concern," she reminds him. "I have other matters to attend to. For now know that I have yet to pass judgment on you. Show me that you can rise above the greed of your predecessors and become a shining example of what the demigods were always meant to be. Know that if for one moment you falter, I shall be there to take back this gift you were never meant to receive." Brand gulps nervously as Maumolla disappears over the drawbridge. This meeting has left him with a different impression than he expected. She seems nothing like the Maumolla of Genlock's memory; almost like a different person entirely. It is not all that surprising though. Centuries of agelessness have changed many of the demigods, including Turok and Ardine. Fitting in with this group for the past ten years has not been easy on him and it seems it will only become harder as time goes on. "You seemed taken," Prain scoffs as soon as the female demigod is out of sight. "Daughter, do not speak to your master that way," Gall scolds her immediately. "I was merely surprised to see our all mighty master bow to another so easily. Was she really all that impressive?" "What's the mater, Prain? Are you jealous?" Brand finds his wit finally. "Wha… na… no," she sputters as her face turns red. Brand turns around to face her and reaches up to sweep a few strands of hair away from her eyes. "Do not worry, little one, you are still my favorite girl in the whole world." She is too embarrassed to respond and simply backs away while twiddling her fingers and staring at her feet shyly. Gall is trying not to laugh at his daughter's obvious distress. "Well now, it's time we were off," Brand sighs while turning toward the drawbridge again, thoroughly pleased with himself. "What exactly are your intentions now, milord?" Gall asks. Brand takes a deep breath before responding. "I know not what Ardine intends to do now that Turok has revealed his plans to us but I know what I shall do; I shall alert the demigod Lodar and ask him to pass judgment on the betrayer. If he chooses to stand against Turok then I shall stand with him. This is my decision." "But where is Master Lodar? During my journeys with Master Genlock we never once encountered him," Gall admits. "Will he even accept your council seeing as you have never even met outside of your inherited memories." A look of concern spreads across Brand's face. "From what I recall Lodar is a wise and noble demigod. I only hope that has not changed in the many years since he last spoke with Genlock. I shall seek him out and judge for myself. That is our task now."

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ep'.13 . "Halt; who goes there?" the night watchman at the gate of Bos Stad shouts from his perch. He is staring down at the edge of the forest, having just been startled by the sound of rustling leaves. When no one answers he continues shouting. "I'm warning you, I am armed." "Alright, alright, there is no cause for alarm," the soft calm voice of a man responds. Slowly a lone figure appears from the darkness of the trees. He appears to be in his late twenties with brown hair and a slight beard. His attire consists of magnificent golden armor which emphasizes his chest particularly and a wreath atop his head made out of what appears to be antlers. "Who are you?" the watchman's suspicions only deepen. "Excuse me?" the stranger seems surprised. "Is this not the welcoming village of Bos Stad? Are travelers not welcome anymore?" "Not this late at night," the guard answers. "Not since Cabith stopped making deliveries past dark almost three years ago. Now I'll ask you again, who are you?" "Such a shame." The stranger shakes his head disappointedly. "May I ask what prompted this sudden curfew?" "You may." The guard nods. "Several of our townspeople were kidnapped and transformed into monsters by a human ghoul. Now we do not trust anyone unwilling to brave the daylight." "Oh I'm willing, I'm more than willing," the stranger insists. "The problem is that it is not daylight and I'd much rather be having this discussion within the safety of your walls." "How did you get here? Surely you did not walk through the forest at this hour?" the guard is cautiously curious. "What is with all the questions, man?" the stranger is losing his patience. "Are you going to let me in or not?" "I don't see why I should." He shrugs. "You seem perfectly capable of surviving out there on your own." "Is that any way to speak to your god?" the stranger demands in a suddenly booming voice. "God?" The guard raises an eyebrow. "Surely you don't mean to tell me that you are a demigod. Which one are you?" "My name is Lodar the clairvoyant," he bellows. "I demand entrance into this village at once. Do you disobey your god?" "I do I'm afraid," the guard sighs. "While being a demigod would explain your ability to traverse the forest at night without so much as a ghoul scratch, being one of the nasty creatures yourself is a much more plausible assumption. My statement still stands. I will let you in when I've seen you brave daylight with me own eyes." "Is that your final decision?" Lodar glares up at him sternly. "Aye." He nods. "Then so be it." Lodar shakes his head disappointedly again. "I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this. By the power of Arma Venture I command you to obey me." Lodar's eyes begin to glow bright yellow, startling the guard horrifically. "I knew it, I knew it. You're one of those creatures. I…" his voice trails off as his eyes start to focus on Lodar's. "What are you…? What…? How…? How may I be of service, my lord?" he slowly becomes submissive. "I really did try to avoid this." Lodar clicks his tongue. "None can disobey the power of my Arma Venture. Oh well, open the gate good sir. I must have safe passage." "As you wish," the guard mutters in response. There is a slight amount of drool dripping down his chin now. He is completely under Lodar's control. "Make sure you leave it unbarred," Lodar orders while slipping through. "I have some friends coming along soon who will need a way inside as well." "Absolutely." The guards nods obediently. "Now then, where to begin," Lodar hums to himself as he trots down the dirt path that leads from the gate to the center of town. "I'm sure the council should be in this direction." "Um, excuse me." A villager taps him on the shoulder as he passes by. "Did you just touch me?" Lodar's yellow eyes flare angrily. "Sorry, sir, but did you just come from the gate? What business do you have there at this hour?" "I was merely concerned for the watchman's well being," Lodar lies while attempting to sidestep the annoying peasant. "I can't help feeling that's a lie, sir." The man moves into his way. "I've never seen your face before. Are you new in town?" "What is it with you cautious simpletons?" Lodar growls. "From this moment forth, you will question my presence no more!" he orders while focusing his yellow eyes on the villager's. "Um, yes sir." The man nods slowly. "I am your loyal servant. What would you ask of me?" "Where does the leader of the town council sleep? I have business to discuss with him." A sly smile spreads across Lodar's face. "You must want to inform him of your lord's arrival, am I right? Oh how joyous this shall be. I will fetch him at once." "You do that, good man. You do that." Lodar pats him on the shoulder while continuing on towards the town square. Despite the overly suspicious nature of these villagers his infiltration of Bos Stad is going well; obviously thanks to his powerful Arma, which holds the ability to control the mind of anyone who meets his gaze. It is a fearful talent earning him the title of clairvoyant, mystical mind dominator. As Lodar walks along the dirt path his flamboyant appearance draws stares from all of the villagers still outside on the street this late at night. They can tell that he is not normal. Each one that approaches him to question his arrival quickly falls under his spell though, agreeing to do his bidding and bother him no more. It is not long before every villager still awake at this hour has fallen prey to his Arma. "This is good, this is very good," he mutters to himself with a large smile while wringing his hands mischievously. "You will all do nicely. I only wish you had more fighting experience and perhaps a good armory. You there, where are your weapons stored?" He points at one of the foremost villagers now all lined up like soldiers in the village center. "Weapons?" He cocks his head in thought. "Not much need for them unless you a watchman. If you be needin' something for yerself I can only suggest the blacksmith. She weren't much good at makin' such when she first arrived but she grown into the role. The shop is down the lane, just past the pub, you can't miss it." "Why thank you, good sir." Lodar bows his head graciously. It seems even a demigod is not beyond common courtesy. "On second thought, could one of you show me the way?" he asks while glancing down the row of mind controlled villagers. "Ah, you there." He points at a rather short woman with brown hair turning grey from overworking sticking out from under a cloth bonnet. "You look like a capable woman." "Yes lord, follow me." She steps out of line obediently. "Right this way. The shop is…" "Mum?" the voice of a young man interrupts her. "Mum, what are you doing? You're supposed to be cleaning the Shaw household. Mum, are you listening to me?" Like the majority of the villagers Lodar has encountered thus far he is immediately suspicious of the demigod. "Who are you?" he asks when he notices the man clad in golden armor standing near his mother. "Have you no manners, boy?" Lodar scolds him. "Is that how you address an elder?" "Um, sorry sir." The man bows apologetically. "My name is Seamus, sir. If I could simply have a word with my mother in private…" "Your mother is busy, child. Go back to bed." Lodar waves at him uninterestedly. "I'm sorry, sir, but I really can't do that," Seamus apologizes again. "What?" Lodar raises a confused eyebrow. "Did I hear you correctly? Did you just disobey an order from me?" "I'm afraid I did, sir. I really must speak with my mother. She's…" "She's busy obeying her lord, as should you be," Lodar bellows at him. "Go back to your home and do not speak to me again, is that clear?" "No, sir; no it's not," Seamus refuses to obey. "Who exactly do you think you are?" "Are you not taken with my voice?" Lodar is startled. "Do my eyes not entrance you?" "No, sir." Seamus shakes his head. "Should they?" "Curious; curious indeed." A smile spreads across Lodar's face. "I don't very much like the sound of that." Seamus gulps nervously. "Why should I obey your command?" Lodar gives a halfhearted shrug. "Because I told you to. To be exact, Arma Venture told you to. The fact that you can disobey its command is most intriguing." "You, you have an Arma?" Seamus is immediately impressed. "Is it that thing you wear on your head? I've never seen one before. How does it work?" "Arma Venture is a wonderful little tool that allows me to interact with the thoughts of others," Lodar answers honestly. "In some cases I can extract information but I mostly use it to enact obedience in my followers." "And the fact that it does not work on me means what exactly?" Seamus's interest has faded to suspicion again. "It means you are not easily entranced by my lure," Lodar continues to answer his questions freely. "You do not find my commands irresistible like your dear mother here." Seamus is already dreading the answer to his next question. "And why would I not?" "I can think of only one reason. You are already under the control of a more powerful trance." "Oh no," Seamus breathes out. "This town is infected with a bloodsucker, isn't it?" Lodar surmises. "You are a servant to her, boy, are you not? You despicable excuse for a human; how dare you betray your kin for that vile creature." "How dare I?" Seamus's eyes flare dangerously all of a sudden. "How dare I? How dare you? You are the great demigod Lodar, are you not? I've heard of you before. You protect villages like ours from bloodsuckers, do you not? So where were you when the blacksmith and her daughter first arrived in Bos Stad five years ago? Where have you been for five goddamn years?" "Oh dear boy, I'm sorry." Genuine regret floods Lodar's eyes. "I had no idea you were suffering so." "Don't patronize me!" Seamus screams at him. "I have been under this bloodsucker's control for half a decade and you only just arrive. It's too late; it's just far too late." "Wait, I can help you, boy." Lodar reaches out his hand. "I didn't come here to exterminate bloodsuckers but I will. If that is your wish, I shall free you from your master's control. Tell me where this beast resides and I shall slay her myself." "You can't help." Seamus shakes his head. "What have they done to you?" Lodar's eyes are wide with pity. "How have they broken you?" His attention is taken as Seamus's mother tugs on his gauntlet, directing him toward the path that leads to the blacksmith's shop. "This way," she mutters in the most careless voice. She is completely oblivious to the conversation happening around her; completely useless for anything other than following the order put to her by Arma Venture. Seamus follows his mother as she leads the demigod to the very front doors of the blacksmith shop. Lodar wraps on the large oak barrier with his golden metal gauntlet. "Who goes there?" Champaign's deep yet feminine voice responds almost instantly. "I'm warning you, I have defended this town from the likes of your kind before and I'll do it again." "My kind?" Lodar is slightly taken aback. "What exactly is my kind?" "Ghouls, monsters, animals and freaks," Champaign spits incoherently. "Wouldn't that be you though?" he turns her accusations around on her. "The fact that you are not under the control of Arma Venture at this very moment is proof enough; you serve a dark master. You have forsaken humanity." "Who… are you?" Champaign's voice drops to a whisper. "Open the door," Seamus calls to her. "Seamus, what have you brought upon us?" She is trembling audibly. "You have brought this upon yourself," Lodar bellows. "Come out and face judgment at the hands of your god." "You are no god of mine," Champaign manages to maintain the slightest amount of courage. It is obvious that she is utterly terrified though. "Why are humans so stubborn?" Lodar sighs while raising his arms. Slowly villagers under his control start to gather around the blacksmith shop. They push against the oak doors until their combined weight is too much for them. Champaign can't help but yelp in shock as they give way to a wave of villagers, tumbling like bodies at her feet. "Surrender," Lodar orders menacingly. Champaign is already clad in her self-made armor with her broadsword drawn. She glances through the doorway to her right, into the second room of the shop where Row is waiting on their bed and watching her. "Defend your mistress," the bloodsucker whispers. "As you wish, milady." Champaign nods obediently before turning to face Lodar again. "What is wrong with you?" He frowns at her. "What has this creature done to earn your loyalty? Surrender now and I may yet still spare you. Do you not wish to be free of your servitude? Let me end this nightmare for you." "I have no doubt that you could." Champaign smiles at him. "Unfortunately my loyalties forbid me from surrendering. This will end for me with my last breath and not a moment sooner." "You're insane," Seamus whispers under his breath as Champaign charges forward, attempting to strike at the demigod with her broadsword. Rather than even attempting to dodge it, Lodar flicks his wrist, directing one of the villagers to stand in front of him and block her attack. "No!" Seamus shouts as a man he has known his entire life is cleaved in half by the former knight. "Wha-what, what did you do?" Champaign almost drops her sword in shock.

ep. 14 . . "Don't you mean 'what did you do?'?" Lodar corrects her. "It seems you have just killed one of your fellow villagers; such a shame." "You bastard!" Champaign's screams at him. "What kind of demigod are you? You can't use humans as shields?" "Why not?" Lodar shrugs. "It's you who is attacking me. I'm simply using whatever is at my disposal to defend myself. If you do not wish to harm your friends then surrender. It's as simple as that." "Shut up!" Champaign swings again. This time a young woman of under twenty steps into the path of her blade. "Stop it!" Seamus screams at her. Champaign is trembling more than ever now. "You're sick," she mutters while staring at Lodar, utterly appalled. "You're the one who can end this," he remains completely calm. "How far are you willing to go to defend your mistress?" "I…" Champaign glances back at Row who is still waiting in the next room. All she receives is a nod from her master. "Don't," Seamus begs her. "I'm sorry." Champaign swings again. Seamus stares in absolute horror as villager after villager is chopped down by the former knight as she hacks her way toward the demigod, who simply steps back every time she closes the distance between them. "Ah, this is such a shame. I was collecting these people as soldiers for my army. I did not realize how pathetic they would be in the face of one trained knight." Lodar shakes his head disappointedly. "Please stop," Seamus is practically sobbing. "Please just surrender. You can't beat a demigod, Champaign. You're only hurting innocent people." "You fool. You're the one that led him here," Champaign growls at him angrily as she continues to slaughter the people she has called friends for the past five years. "You think I care about any of these peasants? I swore an oath to protect my lady and I will uphold it to my last breath. I do not care if the whole world dies around me. I will destroy it myself if I have to." "This is becoming tedious." Lodar raises his hand, ordering the villagers to converge on Champaign and actually start attacking her. "I'll never understand knights and their loyalties. Have you ever stopped to realize what you are? You're a monster's pet." "What about you?" she counters. "You're using innocent people to defend yourself. Tell me that is not something a monster would do. My god, are all demigods like this now? Is there no honor left amongst the legendary nine? You've become more monstrous than the very bloodsuckers you were created to defeat." "You think I should not use humans as weapons, eh?" A smile spreads across Lodar's face. "So be it then. Let's see how well you handle my other friends." He waves his hands in the air once more, calling upon even more mindless puppets under his control. Champaign's face turns pale as she recognizes the sounds of ghouls howling in the distance. "What have you done?" Her eyes are wide in disbelief. "Surely you did not expect me to traverse the forest at this time of night without using my Arma Venture to defend myself," he answers mockingly. "I encountered over five dozen ghouls on my journey. All of them remain under my control. What will you do now, bloodsucker servant?" Champaign is already growing tired but she has no time to rest. The street is now overflowing with pitch black creatures scampering over one another for the chance to get at her. It does not mater which way she swings her sword it is impossible not to hit flesh, be it human or ghoul. "Oh dear, we're running out of soldiers," Lodar mutters in a mocking tone. "I wonder who we have left. Ah, how about this young woman. It was ever so helpful of you to lead me here." He waves his hand at Seamus's mother, taking complete control of her. "Don't you dare." Seamus darts toward the demigod but his path is blocked by the mass of ghouls still circling the faltering knight. "Say goodbye to your charge," Lodar cackles as he directs Seamus's mother to lift an axe off of the blacksmith shop wall and swing it at Champaign. The knight is still strong enough to block it though. In one swift move she slides her blade down the shaft of the axe, slicing Seamus's mother's fingers clean off. Next she stabs her through the chest, killing her instantly. "No!" Seamus finally manages to break through the wall of ghouls. He pushes his way into the very center and drops to his knees in front of his dead mother. "Why?" His eyes are filling with tears as he glares at Champaign. "It doesn't matter," she is unapologetic. "If the world is my enemy, then so be it." Seamus rises to his feet slowly, faltering each time one of the ghouls bumps into him as they continue to circle around the weary knight. He takes a shaky step towards Champaign, still glaring daggers at her. "I will not hesitate to kill you," she warns him. "Not one foot closer, understood?" She is too distracted to realize the ghouls around her are closing in. One of them clamps its jaws down on her arm, causing her to drop her sword. Soon the rest of them are upon her, biting through her armor and dragging her to the ground. Row watches in horror as her guardian struggles to fight off a seemingly endless wave of creatures with nothing but her armored fists. They are much harder to fight off than normal ghouls as they are organized, working in tandem with Lodar's direction. "Stop!" she finally shouts while charging to her defense. The ghouls are scared enough to release their hold on the knight. They retreat to a safe distance, cowering and whimpering behind Lodar as he watches with a cruel glint in his yellow eyes. "Stand back," Seamus orders Row as he approaches the knight. He is holding her own broadsword in his hand. "What are you doing?" Row asks in a shaky voice as he raises the hilt above his head, pointing the blade straight down at its owner. "This is for my mother," he whispers. Row reaches for his hand but is too slow. The blade stops a mere inch from Champaign's throat, hovering above her as Seamus tries to force himself to stab her. Something is stopping him though. "I… I can't do it!" he screams while tossing the sword aside. "I just can't do it." He is still sobbing uncontrollably. "Well that's no good," Lodar sighs while shaking his head. "This boy's a complete mess; we'll have to fix that. Look at me, boy," he orders. "Don't do it," Row whimpers. Seamus ignores her, lifting his head and staring into the demigod's glowing yellow eyes. "That's right, focus everything on me." Lodar nods slowly. "Focus on the sound of my voice. Who are you?" "I… I'm Seamus," he answers in an unsure tone. "Again, boy, who are you?" "I'm… I don't know." His eyes dart back and forth as he searches for his name in his mind. "Good, now tell me who that woman is." Lodar gestures to his mother's corpse. "Someone I know?" Seamus stares at him inquisitively. "Do you?" Lodar shrugs? Seamus quickly copies him. "That's right; you have no memory of her. What about the knight? Do you remember her?" "Champ… Camp… Can… I can't remember." Seamus grips his head while groaning in pain. "No, you don't know her," Lodar answers for him. "Now here comes the most important question. Who is that girl before you?" "Row?" Seamus looks up at the bloodsucker who is watching him in utter confusing. "No, who is she," Lodar repeats. "That's Row, my lady, my mistress, my master." "No! Tell me again, who is she?" "Row," Seamus answers confidently. "No, no, no," Lodar's eyes flare brighter. "Who is she?" "Row is Row… isn't she?" Seamus is no longer sure of himself. "She's Row, right? Right?" He looks at Lodar for confirmation. "Who?" he pretends not to know. "I mean, I think she's… she is… who? Who are you?" Seamus tilts his head in thought. "Oh no," Row gasps. "What have you done to him?" "I reset him," Lodar answers honestly. "He was far too broken. After five years under your control, I'm not surprised. He's much better now, aren't you boy?" "I… feel better now." Seamus nods slowly. "No." Row shakes her head. "You can't do that to him." "It's too late," Lodar laughs. "Are you ready to obey me now, Seamus?" "Seamus? Who's Seamus?" He blinks at him stupidly. "Oops, I may have gone too far. Oh well," Lodar is not concerned in the slightest. "Time to take your revenge on your master, Seamus. Kill the bloodsucker." "Bloodsucker?" Seamus turns to face Row again. "Pretty." He can't help but smile at the sight of the beautiful girl. "She's a monster, boy, remember that," Lodar tries to keep him focused. Seamus shakes his head to clear his mind. He instinctively grabs Champaign's discarded sword again and swings at the young bloodsucker. Row is barely able to avoid him by tumbling backwards. "What are you doing?" she screams at him. "You can't attack your master." "You are not my master," he responds in a monotone. "You are a monster." "That's right, boy, she is a monster. Kill the bloodsucker. Free yourself!" Lodar is cackling like a mad man. Seamus takes a calm step towards Row as she cowers on the ground. "Stay away from me," she warns him while raising her arms in front of her face defensively. "Kill her!" Lodar's voice is ringing in his ears, preventing him from even hearing her. Every step Seamus takes causes Row to shake more and more. She still holds the appearance of a child no older than twelve, making her look immensely pathetic under the gaze of her former servant bearing down on her with sword in hand. Just as he is about to strike though she raises her head. Her eyes are burning bright red and her white fangs are showing. When faced with the threat of death her animal instincts always seem to take over. She leaps at him before he can swing the sword, latching onto his front and wrapping her arms around his shoulders so he can't move as she sinks her teeth into his neck. Seamus drops the sword as he tries to pry the bloodsucker off of him. It is not the first time he has been fed on and he knows full well she intends to drain him entirely. He manages to slip one arm free of her grasp and punch her in the stomach. She spits up a mouthful of blood but is otherwise unfazed. Again he plants his fist into her ribs, trying to force her off and again she manages to hold on. His vision starts to blur as what remains of his life force drains out of him. His skin is a pasty grey and his eyes are glowing their normal emerald green mixed with the signature yellow of a ghoul. His transformation is upon him. In mere seconds he will be nothing more than the hollow shell of a human, forced to survive by siphoning energy like the very master he despised. "Enough!" Lodar finally chooses to interrupt, kicking Seamus in the back, sending him somersaulting forward. Row is unable to cling on. She lands at Lodar's feet, drooling blood and glaring red at him. Seamus rises to his feet, swaying dizzily from loss of blood. He needs to feed. The first thing he sees that might sustain him is the former knight he tried to kill a moment ago. He pounces on her armor clad torso, scaring the nearby ghouls away before they have a chance to converge on her again. He opens his mouth as wide as it can go, revealing strangely jagged teeth. Champaign's eyes open just as he is about to bite her throat. She slaps the side of his face, causing him to close his mouth. Before he can recover she brings her legs up and kicks him in the stomach, flinging him off of her with as much force as she can muster. He tumbles to a stop directly behind Row's feet as she continues her staring match with Lodar. The yellow glow has faded from his eyes as some of his sense has returned. His teeth are still sharp though. "Well this is interesting." Lodar's attention is drawn away from Row for a moment. Champaign does not waste the chance to attack him while he is open. She grabs the axe Seamus's mother dropped and charges toward him. He turns his head just in time to feel the sharp edge collide with his cheek, splitting a good portion of his skin from his face. Champaign continues to push him back causing him to slide as he drags his heels in the soft dirt of the ground. It is obvious that the demigod is not used to this sort of close combat. "Look what you've done to my face?" he spits angrily while smacking Champaign hard enough to send her tumbling backwards. The difference in strength between a normal human and a demigod is blatantly apparent. The wound on his face has already stopped bleeding. In a short day it may heal entirely, leaving almost no trace at all. Champaign struggles to clamor back to her feet but her ghoul bite wounds have opened up even more. She is losing blood fast. "Finish her!" Lodar shouts at Seamus. "Why?" He stares back in confusion. He has no memory of why he is even fighting. "By my Arma Venture, I command you to obey me." The elegant mocking tone has disappeared from Lodar's voice. Seamus does not need to be told again. He scampers along the ground on his hands and knees like an animal, tackling Champaign onto her back and digging his fingernails into the spaces between her armor. As soon as he has managed to remove her breastplate, he bites into her torso, tearing her flesh and swallowing mouthfuls of blood and skin. She is too weak to kick him off this time. Instead she simply writhes in pain. "Good, good." Lodar regains some of his demeanor. His left eye, which was nearly carved out by Champaign's axe, is glowing again as it slowly heals. Suddenly Seamus stops biting Champaign and spits out the contents of his mouth. His eyes have completely returned to normal and his teeth are no longer sharp. He has absorbed enough of the former knight's strength to restore his humanity. "What am I…?" He glances around in confusion. He almost screams when he sees the wounded knight beneath him. He scampers backwards, spitting repeatedly as he tries to cleanse himself of the taste. "Ah, that ended too quickly." Lodar frowns at him. "What did you do to me?" Seamus shouts at the demigod. "Me? I did nothing. Ask your master." Just as Lodar raises his arm to point at Row she bites the tips of his fingers, ripping them clean off. "What the…?" He is in utter shock. She quickly leaps onto his chest, knocking him to the ground and digging her steel-like fingernails in-between his ribs and ripping at his organs. "Get off of me!" he wails while beating the back of her head with his fists. Seamus manages to stand up and grabs the demigod's arms to stop him. "Help me," Lodar begs. Seamus simply stares at him with a blank expression. He can not comprehend what is happening; he has no memories to draw upon. "Obey your master," Lodar tries to order him. "But you said she was my master," Seamus recalls. Lodar's eyes widen as he remembers his mistake. Before he can say anything else though Row's fingernails slide through his throat, severing his vocal cords and his windpipe. He is unable to speak and unable to breathe. The bloodsucker is not finished though. She continues to rip chunk after chunk from the bleeding man's chest, showing no intention of stopping any time soon. "That's enough." Seamus finally pushes her off of him. "You've done enough." "No." She shakes her head while climbing back onto his chest and shoving her entire right hand into the hole she has made. "He's a demigod. It takes more than this to kill him. He'll never die. He won't, won't, won't die, goddamn it!" she is screaming at the top of her lungs with tears flowing from her eyes. Strangely the motionless man beneath her is still alive. At least his eyes are still glowing brightly. "What is a demigod?" Seamus asks in confusion. "Monsters," Row growls. "They hunt and kill my kind simply because we are different. They will not rest until either we or they are all dead." She is growing tired but still she does not stop attacking the wound in Lodar's chest as it continuously attempts to close itself up. "It's impossible." Seamus shakes his head in disbelief. "Why won't he die?" "Please," Row is practically begging. "Just let go." She clasps her hand around the demigod's heart. Lodar opens his mouth to say something but is unable to make a single sound. Slowly Row squeezes his heart causing him to shake and shudder. Finally the muscle simply bursts, splattering the bloodsucker's face with red liquid. "Is it over?" Seamus asks hopefully. Row shakes her head solemnly. "What do you mean?" he raises his voice. "There is no one who could survive that. He must be dead." "Not yet," she mutters softly. "How do you know?" Seamus asks. Row stands up slowly while wiping the blood from her face. She clasps his hand with her red stained one and drags him away from the demigod's body. Seamus watches in complete awe as a yellow glow appears in the night sky above them. It descends to the ground in a cylindrical beam, surrounding the demigod's entire body. "What is that?" he breathes out. The yellow glow that is fading from Lodar's eyes slowly starts to rise out of them, lifting up into the sky, returning to the heavens. "The rapture," Row whispers in equal amazement. This is the first time she has ever seen it. "It's so beautiful." Seamus reaches out his free hand. "Don't." Row shakes her head while holding him steady. "Why not?" He breaks free of her grip. "Wait!" She tries to stop him but it is too late. The beam of light expands rapidly to encompass him as well. The yellow glow from Lodar's eyes suddenly falls back down, diving at Seamus's face and knocking him to the ground. "No!" Row screams as the beam of light shoots back up into the sky like lightning, disappearing as if it were never there. It has been denied its purpose; now it shall wait for however long it needs to before it can descend again to reclaim the power of the golden demigod. When Seamus manages to open his eyes again they are glowing bright yellow, just like the demigod Lodar's. "What happened?" he groans while glancing around. He is literally lying amongst a mass of bodies including ghouls, villagers, a demigod and one fallen knight. The only other living creature is the young bloodsucker Row, who is crouched over her dead guardian sobbing incessantly. "Who, who are you?" Seamus reaches out to her cautiously. "You don't remember?" She looks back at him while trying to hold back her tears. He shakes his head slowly while eyeing the dried blood on her face and hands. He quickly realizes that he is also covered in red as well. In fact, not a single body there has been spared the bloody red mess. "Are you alright?" Seamus reaches out to the crying girl. "You're not hurt, are you?" "I'll be fine." She grabs her stomach as she remembers how recently she fed on him. "What is your name?" Seamus touches a bloody hand to her cheek, sweeping her auburn hair over her ear. "Row," she whimpers softly. "And you are my master?" he confirms. "I am." She nods while refusing to look him in the eyes. Their yellow glow is incredibly unnerving. "Then I shall serve you." He crouches down on one knee, bowing his head. "Do, do you swear your loyalty to Lady Rowleen Ironglave of Massmede?" she asks in a shaking voice. "Will you lay down your life for me and protect me from all who would do me harm?" "I do." He nods. "Then rise, my servant." She pats him on the shoulder. He lifts his head to stare her bloodstained face. The only part not covered in red are the streaks of tears running down her cheeks. "Are you afraid of me?" she asks calmly. He shakes his head. "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It is an honor to protect you, milady." Row manages a slight smile before picking up Champaign's broadsword and handing it to him. He steps over the fallen bodies around him and enters the blacksmith shop where he retrieves a shoulder scabbard for it. "Are we leaving this place?" he asks while staring down at the dead villagers. He can tell that they were almost all slain by the very sword he now holds. "Yes." She nods. "We can not stay here. The village of Bos Stad is dead. Let us find a cart and as many supplies as we can. We start our journey at first light." She directs his attention at the horizon where the sun has only just appeared. He nods obediently before trotting off in the direction of the village square. With absolutely no memory of who he is, he now has only one purpose in life, to travel with this young bloodsucker and protect her with everything he has. He will not question why. There is no reason to.

Champ gone... Now seamus half human half demiqod.

Chai sad story for champ. Chai

Hmmmmmmm row now has a powerful guardian; now there a slim chance that a demigod can defeat Her since seamos is nw a demigod under her command.

Interesting story....

Too bad, next!

ep. 15 . "Seamus… Seamus… Seamus, can you hear me?" Row calls to her servant. He is currently sitting on the bench at the front of their carriage, steering the horse with his reins while she sits in the back with all of the supplies they were able to collect before fleeing the village of Bos Stad. "Seamus, will you answer me?" she starts to lose her patience. "Huh?" He finally turns his head to look at her. "Oh, I'm sorry, Milady. I'm Seamus, aren't I?" A guilty expression spreads across Row's face as she recalls that her servant has recently lost all of his memories. She had made sure to bring the deceased demigod Lodar's powerful weapon, Arma Venture, with them to prevent it falling into the hands of someone who would abuse its power. "Did you want something, Milady?" Seamus asks while trying to keep an eye on her as well as the path ahead of their carriage. "I was wondering how far we are from the next village. I believe we are in Lord Glasstien's territory now." "We are well past the border but I'm afraid there are not many towns within a day of Bos Stad. The whole point of it was a safe haven from ghouls in the middle of nowhere," he explains. It seems that only his personal memory remains lost; he still has access to his common knowledge. "What about the capital of Glass Gate," Row asks. "I'm not sure we should be heading to trade capitals like Glass Gate," Seamus argues. "Surely any demigods looking for Lodar will come through there." "In my experience a larger city is the perfect place to hide," Row disagrees. "My mother used to tell me stories of Glass Gate. Almost a tenth of the population is actually bloodsucker. The demigods have no way to prove it and no right to attack random citizens without cause. Lord Glasstien is not known for being understanding toward their crusade. Furthermore I can already assure you that the nearest demigod is, in fact, Turok, whom has taken up residence in the former territories of my late father, Lord Ironglave," Row adds. "It seems you have given more thought to this than I," Seamus admits defeat. "We shall endeavor to reach Glass Gate by morning then." "Morning?" Row's eyes pop as she glances over his shoulder at what little sky can be seen through the cover of the trees. The sun has almost completely vanished from sight. "It's almost night." "We have been traveling for nearly a day now, milady," Seamus informs her. "Can you please stop calling me that?" Row asks in a slightly annoyed tone. "It reminds me of castles and lordships and my mother." "As you wish," Seamus responds obediently. "What then should I refer to my lady as?" "Call me Row, like you did before," she orders him while crossing her arms. Seamus nods slowly while continuing to watch her small and frail frame bob up and down in the shaking cart. She is currently clad in men's clothing including a baggy shirt, trousers and a vest, rather than the normal burlap dress she has been wearing since adopting the role of a blacksmith's daughter. Before the start of their journey, Seamus had suggested that she don clothing easier to move in, just in case they were to be attacked by ghouls in the forest. "What are you staring at?" She covers her chest instinctively. His eyes have returned to their normal emerald green rather than the glowing yellow of that morning but she is still unnerved by the sight of them. At any moment the power he has absorbed could overwhelm him, causing him to fall back on the instincts of all demigods; to hunt down and destroy all living bloodsuckers. "Me? Nothing." He shakes his head. "I'm merely concerned for my mistress's well being." "You need not concern yourself." She turns away to avoid meeting his eyes. "You are ever so small though," he reminds her. "I'm afraid you might fall ill on a long journey such as this." "I'm twenty-two!" she shouts at him. "I'm older than you. Besides, I'm a bloodsucker. I'm immune to all human diseases. The only thing I require is sustenance, which I can go without for almost three weeks if absolutely necessary." "I see." Seamus frowns at her. He obviously does not enjoy hearing about his mistress's less than human attributes. At least that part of him has not changed, even with the loss of his memory. "That's pretty amazing though. I never realized how resilient bloodsuckers actually were. It's no wonder demigods have had such a hard time eliminating them from existence entirely." Row's eyes narrow angrily as she turns to stare at him again. He quickly realizes what he has said and falls silent. After a moment he pulls hard on the reins, bringing the carriage to a complete stop. "What are you doing?" Row demands. "Any second now, this forest will be crawling with ghouls. We need to keep moving." "I'm sorry, milady… I mean Row, but this is going to be a long tiresome journey. If we are going to survive then you need to keep your strength up, as do I. We need food." "We have food." Row tosses a piece of dried meat at him. "There, eat up and lets go." "Row, I'm serious," his voice is stern. "We need to find something you can feed on. I'm going to have to hunt for animals." He reaches past her and grabs hold of a longbow and a quiver of arrows. "No creature in its right mind will be out at this hour," she argues. "It's fine, I'll feed tomorrow." "Just wait for me here." He ruffles her hair before leaping down to the ground. Row turns out her lip to pout, which makes her look rather silly considering the fact that her fangs are always slightly protruding from her mouth. "Who gave you permission to touch me," she mutters to herself. Seamus has already left the trail and entered the deeper part of the forest. He has both his quiver and broadsword strapped to his back and one arrow in his hand opposite the bow, ready to draw at the first sight of an animal. As Row warned him though, there are absolutely no creatures stupid enough to be outside when the hour of the ghouls' awakening is almost at hand. Seamus already knows what he is hunting though. Even though most animals choose to disappear into trees or holes in the ground at night, there are plenty of nocturnal ones to take their place. In fact he can already hear the ruffling of feathers high above him in the tree tops as several brown owls take flight. Ever so slowly, making sure not to alert his prey of his presence, Seamus draws back on his bow string, pointing the shiny metal tip of his arrow up toward the tree tops. It is too dark to actually see what he is hunting but its silhouette still forms against what little sunlight remains. "Got you," he whispers as he releases his arrow, which sails upward into the branches of the tree. The screech that follows is low and weak, but it is definitely an owl. His arrow has found its mark. Though he is nowhere near as good as the knight that taught him, Champaign, he has spent a good portion of time practicing the use of simple weapons since nearly dying at the hands of Rashad almost three years ago. Never again does he plan to be so helpless in the face of danger. He can see the outline of the injured owl rising into the sky as it tries to flee but the arrow has pierced one of its wings and it is sinking fast. Seamus positions himself nearby as he waits for it to hit the ground, hoping the force of the impact will end its life and make his task that much easier. Just as the falling creature is about to descend below the lowest line of branches of the trees, another dark figure shoots past, snatching it out of midair. "What the…?" Seamus is left in utter shock. He quickly regains his composure though. "Hey, that's mine." He chases after the shadow. "Get your own bird." He follows the dark creature as it bounds through the trees. It is much faster and more nimble than him but he is angry enough to keep up. "Give that back!" he shouts while readying another arrow. "That is for my mistress." "Seamus?" the familiar young voice of Row startles him. He accidentally releases his hold on his arrow, sending it sailing high into the treetops, nowhere near its intended target. "Row, what are you doing?" Seamus gasps while lifting his mistress off her feet. "I was worried about you," she admits. "I thought I saw black creatures in the trees so I came after you." "Well thanks to you I lost your meal," he scolds her. "I told you I don't need…" her voice trails off at the sound of something rustling in the leaves behind them. "Who goes there?" Seamus shouts while drawing the broadsword from his back and pointing it into the darkness while still keeping Row above the ground in is other arm. "Put me down." She starts to squirm. "Wait, we're running." He informs her while sliding the broadsword back into its sheath. She grabs the bow from his other hand as he turns in the opposite direction of the sound. He kicks off of the dirt like a pouncing animal as he sprints back toward their carriage. She has to twist her fingers in the cloth of his cloak just to keep from fall as she jostles about. They slow to a stop just as they reach the path again. "What is it?" she whispers in his ear. He sets her down and places a hand on her head to keep her low to the ground while peering through the trees at their carriage. There is a pack of six ghoul wolves surrounding it, some pacing in circles and some resting with their paws tucked under their chins and their eyes closed. "Still think I should have waited for you?" she asks smugly. "Quiet," he hisses at her while stepping out of the woods and onto the path. The circling ghouls are immediately aware of his presence. They make high pitching yipping noises at their resting companions to alert them of the intruders. Soon all six ghouls are on their feet, ready to defend their find. Again Seamus draws his sword. He knows he can not defeat six ghouls on his own but he does not plan to have to. All he needs to do is make it back the carriage. Speed will be the advantage in their escape. "Seamus?" Row whispers as she follows close at his heels. He waves his free hand at her, telling her to remain quiet. "But Seamus…" "Not now," he hisses. "But the horse," she raises her voice. "I said shut up!" his voice rises above hers, scaring the wolves slightly. "Oh great," he groans as they move to surround him and Row. They still refuse to actually attack though. Despite all appearances, ghouls seem to be rather intelligent creatures. Seamus knows they will not wait forever though. Rather than letting them make the first move, Seamus sprints toward one of the smaller one's jabbing at its legs as it tries to avoid him. Quickly the other five wolves converge on him. He ducks in time to avoid two of them leaping above his head and rolls to the side to avoid two more. Once the wolves are satisfied their comrade is no longer in danger though they again retreat to a safe distance. "What's wrong with them?" Seamus asks out loud. "That's what I was trying to tell you. I think they're trained!" Row informs him. "Trained?" Seamus is taken aback. "Who would train a ghoul… and how for that matter?" "I don't know but I thought it odd the moment I saw the carriage. They haven't harmed the horse at all. She's not even scared of them," Row explains. Seamus's eyes dart to his target of escape. Of course the young bloodsucker is correct. Their horse is standing lazily in front of the cart, completely ignorant of the danger nearby. "What is wrong with her?" "She doesn't sense any threat," Row answers. "My guess is someone else came by first and calmed her before she spooked. They left the wolves to guard her." "By someone else, you mean a human?" Seamus's eyes are wide in disbelief. "I can only assume it was a ghoul who was once human," Row's voice lowers. She is still slightly afraid of the memory of Rashad from three years ago. Seamus however is completely clueless. He has retained his skill with bow and sword from training with Champaign but he has no actual memory of it or the reason he took it up to begin with. Instead he has a very hollow feeling in his chest, warning him to avoid an encounter with this human ghoul at all cost. Of course, it is already too late though. "Very good, little one," a masculine voice from beyond the tree line startles both Seamus and Row. "Who goes there?" Seamus points his sword at the shadowy figure of a man as he emerges from the forest. "Oh there's no need for that. If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already. My name's Aldrea. It's a pleasure to meet you." He pushes Seamus's sword away from him as he approaches with the intention of shaking hands. Seamus backs away instinctively though. "Well, what's your name, boy?" Aldrea keeps a genuinely friendly demeanor though. "Are you a ghoul?" Seamus asks in utter confusion. "Technically I was a human first. Just because I had the serious misfortune of being caught out after dark one night does not mean I need to abandon my humanity in the pursuit of living flesh, does it?" "Huh?" Seamus is unable to follow Aldrea's unnecessarily complex words. "How do you sustain yourself?" Row asks. Her curiosity is outweighing her fear. "By eating animals, of course," he chuckles. "Why just today I managed to catch a wonderfully delicious looking bird. It was just falling out of the sky. Some idiot must have shot it." "Hey, that was my owl!" Seamus's eyes flare angrily. "I see." Aldrea nods. "Well I am sorry but I've already taken it back to my camp. My wife is currently preparing it as we speak." "Preparing it? As in cooking it?" Seamus raises an eyebrow. "Oh yes, my wife is a wonderful cook. She prepares most of the meals in our camp." "When you say camp, you mean a camp of ghouls, right?" Row tries to follow. "Some of us are ghouls, and some of us are human, like my wife." Aldrea flashes her a grin. "What are you blabbering about?" Seamus can't wrap his mind around the idea. "It's against the laws of nature for ghouls and humans to coexist. It just isn't possible." "In normal society, no, I guess not." Aldrea shrugs. "But out here, things are different. We choose to remember the fact that we were once human and be thankful for it. One day my wife may choose to join me in this extended form of life but for now I'm happy she can enjoy certain feelings I can not." "This is madness. You're making this up." Seamus stumbles toward the carriage. "Perhaps you'd like to see for yourself," Aldrea offers. "We could even provide you with food as payment for your bird. What do you say? I rarely get to speak to travelers. It has been years since I've been able to leave the shelter of the forest and enter the surrounding towns." "Shelter?" Seamus scoffs. "Those cites are shelter from the likes of you and your pets." "Differing points of opinion I suppose." Aldrea shrugs again. He seems to be an easy going sort of person. "We'd love to see your camp," Row is overly excited. "She means we'll be leaving now," Seamus corrects her while tugging on his horse's reins. "But Seamus, this is a wonderful chance," Row begs. "We might never get to observe ghouls like this again." "Why would you want to?" Seamus cringes. "We're basically following seven ghouls into the depths of the forest. What if they simply want us to still be alive when they get us back to their hungry friends?" "I don't think they'd go through all this trouble," Row argues. "Please, Seamus; I've not had much contact with anyone inside the walls of my castle. I want to see the world." "This is a part of the world no one should want to see," he snaps. "We need to keep moving, remember?" "I'm not the one who stopped us in the middle of the forest at sundown," Row spits back. "I was looking out for you," he argues. "Really?" Aldrea interrupts their bickering. "Is there something wrong with the poor girl?" "Huh?" Row's eyes widen. "Can't you smell me?" "I can tell that you both carry the lingering stench of death," Aldrea admits. "I fear you have recently been near an immeasurable amount of fallen corpses. Perhaps that is blocking my senses. Is there something else I should be able to smell?" "Um, no, no, not at all." Row shakes her head. She is not sure that he would be so welcoming if he knew she were a bloodsucker. Despite ghouls being the direct result of her own species they do not tend to cohabitate. In fact, they tend to avoid each other due to competition for food. "Come on, Seamus, let us see their camp," she tries to return to the previous conversation as quickly as possible. "But…" he still tries to argue. "You wanted me to eat something, didn't you?" She glares at him intently. "Yes," he sighs. "Fine, we shall visit their camp but as soon as the sun rises, we need to be off. I want to reach Glass Gate before tomorrow night." "Glass Gate?" Aldrea is intrigued. "I wonder what you could possibly plan to visit a place like that for. I won't pry of course; your business is your own." "And we'll keep it that way, thanks." Seamus frowns at him as he lifts Row into the carriage. Aldrea whistles at his pet wolves, ordering them to scatter into the forest before taking the reins from Seamus with the intention of leading their horse on foot.

ep. 16. §§§ Seamus tethers his horse and carriage to a rather large tree and lifts Row down to the ground before continuing to follow Aldrea on foot into a clearing. The first thing he notices are over a dozen separate tents of all sizes with blazing fires burning next to each one, making the entire area rather warm even though it is the middle of the night. "This place is amazing," Row spouts while twirling around with her arms out, letting the smoky ember filled air surround her. "Stay on your toes." Seamus taps her to get her attention. "Are you still worried?" She frowns at him. "I have good reason to be. We're in the middle of an encampment of ghouls." "As I said before, not all of us are ghouls," Aldrea interrupts. "In fact, most of the children here are completely human." He gestures to a group of kids not much older than ten running and playing near one of the fires. Row watches with obvious interest. "Would you like to join them?" Aldrea offers. "I don't know." She blushes while turning away. She had played with the children of Bos Stad upon occasion when she had first arrived but after a while her stagnant appearance became an obstacle. The children continued to age while she remained the same. Eventually they simply forgot about her. "Oh look, here they come now." Aldrea waves as the children sprint from their fire to the edge of the clearing to greet their guests. "Who are you?" A young girl pokes Row in the stomach. "Why are you dressed like a boy?" "For various reasons," she responds shyly. "I'm Row, by the way. What's your name?" "Clementine," she answers proudly. "No you're not, I'm Clementine," another girl interrupts. "What about me? I want to be Clementine," yet another girl joins into their argument. "This is odd." Row furrows her brow in confusion. "Is Clementine a common name here or something?" Seamus and Aldrea both stifle laughter simultaneously, causing her face to redden even more than before. "What's so funny?" she demands. "Have you ever played wolf man?" Seamus asks, to which she shakes her head. "It's a rather simple game that almost every kid plays at some point in their life," he explains. "You start by picking a boy and a girl to be the heroes, Boris and Clementine. Then they leave the group and start counting without looking while the rest of the children choose someone to be the wolf man." "That sounds interesting." Row nods as she listens. "What happens next?" "Well, the children scatter while Boris and Clementine chase them. When they catch one they ask if they are the wolf. The person shouts someone else's name, supposedly the wolf's. Boris and Clementine decide whether or not they believe them and if they should let them go. If they were the wolf and managed to trick Boris and Clementine then they win the round. If they weren't the wolf then Boris and Clementine still have to keep searching." "That's strange." Row tilts her head as she tries to follow. "So the next person they chase will be the name the person shouted?" "Exactly." Seamus nods. "They then decide if they think it's the wolf or if the first person lied. They repeat the process over and over again until they actually catch the wolf or accidentally let it go." "What happens if they do let it go?" Row gasps. She has already immersed herself in the rules of the game. "Then they lose their turn as Boris and Clementine and a new pair is chosen along with a new wolf," Seamus answers. "That actually sounds pretty fun." Row claps happily. "Want to play with us?" the original girl offers. "I'll try." Row lets the children drag her away by the hand. "I see you've played wolf man before," Aldrea seems impressed with Seamus. "Most kids have," he responds with a deliberate lack of enthusiasm. "I'm sorry if you are still not comfortable here," Aldrea is overly apologetic. This only serves to annoy Seamus even more. "You mentioned your mistress was hungry. We have more than enough food to share." Aldrea gestures to a blue cloth tent next to a fire. There is a woman turning a spit with what is obviously Seamus's owl on it. "Hey!" He rushes to reclaim what is his. "Oh, hello." The woman is surprised by his sudden appearance. "Um, Aldrea, who is this?" She turns to her husband for answers. "This is our respected guest. He has yet to share his name with me though," Aldrea answers. "A guest; how wonderful. Will he be staying for dinner?" "I'm not sure. Will you be?" Aldrea asks. "That's my owl," Seamus is still upset. "Oh yes, sorry about that," Aldrea gives a short chuckle, which only seems to bother Seamus more. "Well then you are more than welcome at our fire tonight. Will your mistress be joining us?" "I'm afraid not." Seamus's eyes are focused on the long dead bird in front of him. There is no way Row will be able to siphon any energy from it now. The most he can hope for is a chance to build his own strength so as to allow her to feed off of him at a later time. "Nonsense, we can wait for her to finish playing with the other children," Aldrea's wife spouts quickly. "Our boy Jolee will be returning as well." "You have a child?" Seamus blinks at her in astonishment. "I was unaware that ghouls could have children." "Oh yes, ghouls are perfectly adept at reproducing. In fact, at any given time, the majority of ghouls you will encounter in the woods were spawned rather than turned. It has after all been hundreds of years since they first started appearing," Aldrea explains. "That's not a pleasant thought." Seamus frowns at him. "I understand exactly how you feel," Aldrea takes no offence. "If things keep going the way they are, the forests will eventually be overrun by ghouls and there will be no natural source of food left to sustain them. They will be forced to attack human settlements just to survive." "They'll probably starve first," Seamus disagrees. "In over two centuries they have yet to figure out how to overcome things like high walls and gates." "Oh they can take down such defenses with sheer force in numbers," Aldrea informs him. "They simply choose not to because they are not desperate enough yet. Once the hunger and necessity sets in, there will be no stopping them." "I really hate ghouls," Seamus mutters to himself. He is not even slightly concerned if his hosts can hear him. Aldrea once again is unbothered but his wife has a difficult time hiding her scowl. After a while Aldrea decides it is time to change the subject. "This is my wife, Noreen. I wasn't sure if you were properly introduced." "Nice to meet you, Noreen," Seamus responds monotonously. "Pleasure." She glares back. "Um, so what is your relation to Row?" Aldrea tries again. "Huh?" Seamus is caught off guard. "Why do you travel together? It is obvious you are not related and I highly doubt you are betrothed. You must be a kind young man willing to take in an orphaned child." "Maybe I am," Seamus sighs. Aldrea is obviously confused by his response. "I honestly do not know how we met. I have been suffering memory loss as of late." "Oh dear, that's terrible," Noreen gasps. "I hope it gets better soon." "It's not the sort of thing you recover from," her husband whispers. "Oh, I'm so sorry; please excuse my rudeness." "Just forget about it," Seamus is in no mood to discuss his condition. "Quite right. Let us get back to the matter at hand; food. It seems Jolee and Row have finished their game." Seamus looks up to see Row trotting through the camp toward them with a boy of nine following close behind. "Did you have fun?" he asks as soon as she is within earshot. "Row got picked to be the wolf man!" Jolee shouts happily. "Is that so?" Aldrea snickers while offering his lap for his son to sit on. Seamus can see by the yellow rings in Jolee's eyes that he is at least part ghoul; another thing that disturbs him greatly. Row sighs as she takes a seat on the ground next to Seamus. "What's wrong?" he can tell something is bothering her. "Why did I get picked to be the wolf man and not Clementine?" she complains. "I already know what it's like to be the hunted creature. I wanted to be the hero for once." "Oh dear, are you two being hunted?" Noreen picks up on the most serious part of Row's complaint. "Nothing so serious," Seamus tries to calm her. "Here child, have something to eat." The woman hands Row part of the owl's wing. "Um…" the young bloodsucker simply stares at it with a look of distaste. "Is something wrong?" Noreen asks calmly. "Nothing, nothing at all," Seamus assures her while taking the wing from Row and eating it himself. "Well that's no good, you've got to let her have some too." She quickly hands Row another piece. The young bloodsucker angrily tosses it at Seamus again. "Does she not like it?" Noreen is concerned. "She… doesn't eat much," Seamus tries to make an excuse. "If she's going to be traveling in the woods, she needs to keep her strength up," Aldrea interjects. "Come on, one bite won't hurt." "It might," Row grumbles while burying her face in her knees. "Maybe she's just upset about having to play the wolf man," Noreen suggests. "Why exactly did the other children pick her?" "Because her eyes are red!" Jolee spouts confidently. Both of his parents gasp in unison. Seamus's hand travels to the sword on his back instinctively. "Bloodsucker," Aldrea shouts while standing up, dropping Jolee on the ground. "Wait, we're not here to hurt anyone," Seamus tries to assure him. "Oh this is a treat." Noreen's eyes are sparkling as she examines Row's face closely. She has to lift her head by the chin to see her red eyes, which are not glowing at the moment. "Wow, I never thought I'd actually get to meet a bloodsucker in my lifetime." "You, you're not scared of me?" Row's eyes meet hers. "Oh, of course not, child. We've dreamed of meeting one of your kind for a decade." The woman grabs hold of Row's hands. Instinctively the bloodsucker wriggles herself free though. "You people worship bloodsuckers," Seamus realizes. "Is that so strange?" Aldrea asks while smiling at Row. "Is it alright if I touch your skin?" he asks. She scoots backwards along the ground in response. "Don't be afraid." Noreen crawls after her. Seamus sticks his hand out to block her path. "What's all this?" she is confused. "Do not touch my mistress," he warns her with a menacing glare. "You certainly are uptight, aren't you?" She frowns at him. "Don't worry, I won't do any harm. Just let me look at you properly. Row shakes her head while shivering. "That's close enough." Seamus's eyes flare yellow for a moment, causing Noreen to stop in her tracks. "I understand, master." She nods obediently. "What in blazes…?" Aldrea is completely shocked. "What did you do?" Row hisses at him. "I don't know," he is starting to panic. "By my stars, are you by any chance a demigod?" Aldrea seems equally impressed and terrified. "Wait, no, that's impossible. That would make you the Golden Clairvoyant. You can't possibly be Lodar the mystical mind dominator." "I'm not," Seamus tries to assure him. "But that is most definitely his power," Aldrea is positive. "How can this be? Unless… you killed Lodar, didn't you?" "I…" Seamus does not know how to respond. "Yes," Row answers for him. "I killed Lodar the Clairvoyant. Are you going to pass judgment on me? If you think you can stand against one who has slain a demigod, then go ahead and try." Seamus stares at her in complete astonishment. He has no idea where the shy girl from a moment ago has gone. "I wouldn't dream of judging you," Aldrea spouts quickly. "In fact, we here are not friendly with any of the demigods. Surely they would destroy our entire way of life if they found us." "I have no doubt." Seamus nods in agreement. "We applaud your act of ending one of the nine's reign. Our great bloodsucker forefathers are most definitely pleased with you. You should be proud of yourself. Perhaps you should seek out the remaining eight and end them as well; then all ghouls and bloodsuckers will be able to live peacefully without fear of unjust persecution." "You must be joking," Seamus barely stifles a laugh. "Why? If you have the power to destroy the nine then you most definitely should," Aldrea continues to preach. "See here, I may have sworn an oath to defend this one particular bloodsucker to the death but killing demigods is another matter. They are the heroes of the gods. They were chosen for…" "For what?" Aldrea scoffs. "Do you know what the gods are? They are nothing but children playing wolf man; one hundred Boris and Clementines chosen like game pieces for the gods' amusement." Seamus's expression twists in awe as he slowly starts to understand Aldrea's point of view. "Are you insinuating that the demigods are nothing more than toys?" "The gods have a sick sense of humor. It's not about right and wrong or good and evil; it's about choosing sides in a game. You can't choose to be on Boris and Clementine's side anymore either; you're already on the side of the wolf man. You have no other option." Seamus turns to look at Row, asking for her opinion on the matter. She is just as overwhelmed as him. "We should go," he surmises. "Wait, stay here a few days so the rest of our camp can meet you," Aldrea begs. "Many of them have never seen a bloodsucker before. They will worship you like one of the gods, I promise. I'm sure they will even bless you with supplies if you so desire. Some of the humans may offer themselves as sustenance for your mistress. Please, just stay with us tonight." Again Seamus looks to Row for an answer. She seems extremely embarrassed at the prospect of being gawked at by the entire encampment but she also seems intrigued. All of her life she has had to hide her true nature from humans. This may be her only chance to meet people not terrified of her and desperate to kill her. Seamus can see the decision forming in his mistress's mind. "Fine," he gives in. "We will stay the night and meet the rest of your encampment tomorrow. We will not stay a single day longer though, agreed?" "Agreed." Aldrea shakes his hand. "We welcome you to our humble home. Of course I would like to ask one more favor of you though, good sir." "What now?" Seamus sighs in annoyance. "If you could remove the curse you have placed upon my wife." Aldrea gestures to Noreen, who is still standing perfectly still with a blank look in her eyes. Seamus had completely forgotten about her. "I'm sorry. I will release her at once." He clenches his eyes shut as he concentrates on ending his control of the poor woman. As she slowly wakes from her daze the thought crosses Seamus's mind that he was not even wearing Arma Venture. Somehow he was still able to use its power though. Perhaps the connection between demigod and weapon is such that they can use them from a distance. He will definitely need to look into it more when he has time. §§§ "Milord, are we stopping here?" Gall asks as his master Brand brings his steed to a halt. They have been riding through the forest on horseback for the better part of the night. It is only just past dawn. "Where are we?" Brand asks in a hoarse voice while swinging his head from side to side awkwardly. "Milord, are you alright?" Gall is extremely concerned. "My chest hurts," Brand groans as he slips from the saddle of his steed, barely landing on his feet. "Are you hurt?" Prain gasps while leaping off of her horse. She quickly props the unsteady demigod on her shoulder and presses a hand to his forehead. "You aren't feverish," she mutters. "As if a demigod would succumb to illness," he sputters. "Sir?" Gall steps down from his horse as well. "Perhaps these forests are too much for one demigod," he refers to the fact that they have been fighting their way through horde after horde of ghouls just to get as far as they have. With a demigod's power it is not as impossible as it would be for normal people. "Do not look down upon me," Brand growls at him while letting his head sway. "I asked you where we were, Gall; answer me." "We are just outside of Lord Ironglave's territory, now occupied by Lord Turok." "And those?" Brand gestures to a wooden structure just beyond the nearest line of trees. "Those would be the gates of Bos Stad; a self governed town that acts as the midway post between Iron Grove and Glass Gate. Surely you should know this." "I don't have full access to Genlock's memories at will!" Brand snaps at him. His black hair is dripping with sweat and he is breathing heavily. "You look terrible," Prain coos softly while stroking his head. "Perhaps we should stop and see if they have a healer." Gall takes a long look at his master before responding. "It does not appear we have any other choice," he agrees with his daughter. Prain helps Brand back onto his steed and leads it forward on foot while Gall takes control of her horse. There is a line of men waiting at the base of the tall wooden gate when it comes into full view. "Halt, who goes there?" the lead watchman shouts at them. "Step aside. We demand safe passage in the name of the demigod Brand!" Gall shouts back. "Who?" The men ready their spears. "Have you not heard of the great red warrior?" Gall asks pompously while leaping down off his horse and drawing his sword. "He must be Genlock's replacement," one of the watchmen whispers to the leader. "I see." He drops his spear. "Sorry for the hassle, we are in the midst of a crisis. Perhaps Lord Brand can be of assistance." "I'm not…" Brand spits at him. "Excuse me?" The watchman cups his ear. "I am not a lord," Brand wheezes. "Oh, of course not. Quite right, sir," the guard quickly agrees. "Sorry for the mistake. You are the next best thing though, are you not?" "What is it you require our assistance with?" Gall's eyes narrow suspiciously. "Actually, there's not much you can do now," the watchman admits. It all happened the night before last. We're still sorting through the bodies." "The what?" Brand clasps a hand on the man's shoulder. The guard immediately crumples to the ground in pain as he tries to pry the demigods fingers off of him. "Brand, your strength!" Gall quickly reminds the demigod of his power. "Oh." Brand releases his hold immediately. "What on earth was that?" the man groans while pulling the cloth of his tunic away from his neck, revealing a terrible bruise. "That is the power of the red warrior," Gall informs him. "He has the ability to focus his strength onto any part of his body. I've seen him run with legs as powerful as an ox and toss boulders like pebbles." "He's a monster," the other watchmen begin to chatter amongst themselves. Prain glares at them to silence them but Brand seems unconcerned. "You mentioned bodies," he draws them back to the previous statement. "Oh yes, we had a terrible plague set upon us the night before last. Nearly half of our village was slain." "What?" Gall's jaw drops in shock. "You can't be serious." "I wish it weren't true but it is. See for yourself." They push the gates open to allow the travelers inside. They are immediately shocked by the sight of corpses upon corpses piled on every street corner. Prain has to turn her head to puke while trying not to drop Brand, who is still too sick to stand without her. "What happened here?" The demigod's eyes are wide in disbelief. "Who are these people?" "These are our neighbors," the watchmen answer. "These are people we have known for years." "But how did they die?" Gall demands. "When we awoke yesterday morning they were all just lying around the blacksmith shop." "Where? Take me to it!" Brand coughs. "Is he alright?" the lead watchman is growing concerned. "Just take us to the shop!" Gall channels his master's urgency. The watchmen nod obediently as they lead the way down the street. Prain struggles to maintain her composure as they pass more and more bodies. "Here we are." The watchmen stop them just before the town square, right behind the blacksmith shop. "Look sir, ghouls." Gall points at the many black creatures littering the ground. "Are they what killed your neighbors perhaps?" "If only." The watchmen shake their heads. "As you can plainly see, the majority of these wounds were made by a blade." "They were killed by a human," Gall realizes. "But who? Surely they were not fighting each other." "We have only one guess as to who may have attacked them. There is only one face amongst the dead we do not recognize." "Who?" Brand lifts his head while clutching at his chest. There is a sharp pain burning in his heart. "As I said, we don't know him…" "Show me his face. Take me to him!" Brand shouts. "Sir, it's not a pretty sight. He almost seems to have had his heart torn from his chest." Brand jolts violently at the mention of the injury. He grabs his own chest in pain once again. "What's happening to him?" Prain begs her father for answers. "Take me to him!" Brand screams at the watchmen again. "He's, he's inside the shop," the lead guard sighs while hanging his head. The oak doors to the building are wide open as there are too many corpses blocking them from closing. Again Prain looks like she may be sick at any moment. She still manages to support Brand on her shoulder as they follow the sauntering watchmen inside. Past the forge in the center of the main room there are two rectangular stone tables meant for setting hot weapons on temporarily. Instead they both hold a single body each. One is clad in steel armor while the other's seems to be made from gold. Brand grabs his chest again as he lurches forward, breaking away from Prain's support. He stops with his head hanging directly above the hole in the golden armored man's sternum. "No," he whispers as tears spring to his eyes. "What happened? What happened to you? This is impossible. This, this, this…" Gall places a hand on his shoulder and tries to pry him away but he will not move. "Who is it?" Prain shouts. She is unable to take the suspense anymore. "This is the Golden Clairvoyance," Brand answers while choking back his tears. "This is the man we came to see. This is the demigod Lodar." "But, but he's dead." A shiver runs down Prain's spine. "That's, that's impossible, right? It's impossible to kill a demigod." "Look at this wound. He wasn't killed by a human," her father informs her. "This is the work of a bloodsucker." "But why so brutal?" the guard captain asks. "Why rip his whole heart from his chest?" "Because that's what it takes," Brand answers. "That's what it takes to kill a demigod." "Have you actually ever seen one die before?" the guard is skeptical. "We told you, didn't we; this is Genlock's successor," Gall reminds him. "He watched a bloodsucker named Corvic and his followers hold Genlock down and force feed him molten lead." "My god, that's sickening. Why would they do such a thing?" the guard is horrified. "Because that's what it takes!" Gall repeats his master's words. "Ripping Genlock's heart from his body would not be enough to kill him. With sheer force of will he could control his own blood and force it to continue pumping through his veins." "You really are monsters?" The guard backs away slowly. "That is the Red Warrior's power; to control every single part of his body at will," Gall continues preaching. "He has full access to everything from the very blood he bleeds to the thinnest strands of his hair. I once watched master Genlock use his own arm to pierce a bloodsucker's chest like a sword. He could go weeks without eating or survive off of raw meat if necessary. He was almost like a ghoul…" "Enough!" Prain shouts while grabbing the sides of her head and crouching down to the floor. She does not know what sickens her more, the piles of dead bodies outside or her father's stories. She didn't want to know the extent of the power her master wields. In her heart she knows he is far beyond human but a small part of her still hopes he is not actually a monster. Brand is not even listening to Gall or Prain. He is too busy sobbing over the loss of one of Genlock's dearest friends. Though he himself never even met Lodar, he has more than enough memories of him to mourn his loss. The reason for the sickly pain in his chest has become clear now, he felt him die. He has no idea how, but he felt it. "Sir?" Gall tries to gain his master's attention. "Sir, what are we going to do now?" "What?" Brand turns around and blinks at him stupidly. "Who is going to pass judgment on Turok now?" Gall asks calmly. Brand's eyes flicker for a moment as he recalls his anger toward the oldest of the demigods. "We will," he answers calmly. "Um, excuse me, sir?" "Without Lodar, the job falls to us. It is now our responsibility to stop Turok." "But, but, sir. You, you can't stand against Turok. It's impossible. He'll kill you where you stand. Need I remind you that Arma Tua can pierce any part of your body as he pleases? It does not matter if you harden your skin like stone, he can simply ignore it. Even if you had Arma Lita with you…" "What about Arma Lita?" Brand's eyes flare dangerously at the mention of Genlock's weapon, which he has never held. "I was merely reminding you that it would do no good against Arma Tua in a fight," Gall refuses to be intimidated. He knows Arma Lita is a touchy subject for Brand. Following the act of pouring molten lead down Genlock's throat, Corvic had left him to die, taking his precious Arma with him. Of course it took nearly an hour for the powerful demigod to succumb to his injuries, at which point Brand had just arrived in time to touch the rapture and inherit the role of the Red Warrior. "I don't care how powerful Turok thinks he is. If he bleeds, I can kill him," Brand is confident. "I strongly advice against this course of action, sir," Gall argues relentlessly. "Taking a direct stance against a fellow demigod could result in a division of loyalty. You could bring the wrath of seven other demigods down on your head in one fell swoop. Is that what you want?" "I want Turok to pay for his insolence. I want to honor Lodar's memory by doing what he couldn't. I want to find the filthy bloodsucker that killed him and rip their head from their shoulders." "While I have no doubt your strength would make that possible, sir, I still must protest." "Why?" Brand crosses his arms in annoyance. "When did you become such a coward?" "Can you just think for a moment, milord?" Gall snaps at him. "How old was Lodar?" "He was one of the original demigods like Genlock, Turok, Ardine and Maumolla," Brand recalls. "And how long had he survived up until now?" "Two hundred years," Brand mutters while hanging his head. "And if I said that he was undoubtedly killed by a bloodsucker, what would you say?" "I'd say it was impossible," Brand answers solemnly. "There are nine demigods left who can not be killed by mere bloodsuckers; at least, there were before Genlock died." "When you hear of bloodsuckers killing one of the nine, who comes to mind?" Gall asks softly. "Corvic," Brand's voice sinks. "Now, tell me again, what do you plan to do when you find the bloodsucker responsible for Lodar's death?" Gall taps his foot. Prain watches as her master sinks into a nearby chair, clutching the sides of his head in utter despair. Having just heard the story of Genlock's demise, she does not need to ask who Corvic is. It shocks her to learn that there is a bloodsucker in existence who her master fears. "What do we do now?" she asks. "I don't know." Brand continues to pull at his hair. Gall places a hand on his daughter's shoulder and starts to lead her out of the shop. She is not ready to leave though. "Wait, what about…?" "Leave him be," Gall insists. "He needs time by himself to think." Prain nods slowly. She knows there is nothing she can do to help her master. Part of being a demigod is making decisions no one else wants to make. In truth he is still only a human trying to fill the role of a demigod. It is taking its toll on him and she can tell.

ep. 17 . "Why are we here?" Row groans as Seamus finishes tethering their horse and carriage to a post next to the inn. They have just arrived in a small village only a few miles away from the capital of Lord Glasstien's territory. "Because we need to rest for a moment while I plan our next move," he answers with a sigh. "I thought we were going to Glass Gate," Row whines. "I wanted to meet other bloodsuckers." "Do you really think other bloodsuckers care to meet you?" Seamus tries to disillusion her. "The way those forest dwelling ghouls worshiped you is not a common thing. In fact, they were rather strange people in general." "Don't insult them," Row snaps at him. "Look at this dress Noreen sewed for me. Isn't it beautiful?" She twirls around so he can see her outfit in its entirety; an ankle length dress with an overskirt and a bodice. "It's better than wearing boy's clothing, I guess." Seamus shrugs uninterestedly. He is more worried about where they will be spending the night than with what clothing his mistress chooses to wear. He is still merely clad in his shirt, trousers and tunic, along with a hooded cloak for hiding his face when he wishes. As if to answer his concerns, a man in classic barkeep attire pokes his head out of the front doors of the inn at that very moment. "Excuse me, are you travelers?" he seems extremely excited. "Um, yes…" Seamus does not know how to respond. "Oh, thank the stars. I'm nearly going broke here looking for patrons. Will you need one room or two? Will you be staying for a night or a month? Can you pay up front?" "Hold on, hold on," Seamus tries to calm him down. "First off, how much is a room?" "Well it'd normally be ten silver pieces a night but I'll let your lady friend stay for free if you share the room." "What a gracious offer," Seamus mutters suspiciously. "Why exactly is business so lacking in these parts?" "What, who said that?" the man is immediately flustered. "No, we have plenty of business. There's no trouble around here, no sir. Not one tiny shred of…" "Enough!" Seamus loses his patience. "Tell me what is happening here or I might just brave the journey to Glass Gate tonight!" "Oh, if you're heading to Glass Gate, you mind taking a message there for me?" the inn keeper squeaks. "Depends on the message." Seamus crosses his arms. "If you could drop this letter into the box outside the Dust Pail Pub, I would be most obliged." "Let me see that." Seamus grabs the letter from his hand. It is sealed shut with wax on the front, which has been stamped with a peculiar symbol. "What is this?" He hands it to Row so she can examine it. "Oh no," her expression is not a happy one. "What, what is it?" Seamus pries. "This seal belongs to the demigod Wan," she explains. "This is a request for aid." "You're damn right it is," the man responds pompously. "We're under plague here. There's a thing with no form spiriting away all our women folk. During the past month at least ten men have lost their wives and daughters." "That's disturbing news," Seamus is immediately on guard. Though she is a bloodsucker, his mistress is first a lady and therefore a probable target if they choose to stay here. "I think it best we move on." Seamus places a hand on Row's shoulder. She does not move though. "Come on," he hisses while trying to drag her. "We can't," she whispers. "Why not? You wanted to go to Glass Gate, didn't you? Well now you can." "We can't," she repeats in an only slightly louder voice. "Wan is in Glass Gate." "What? That's impossible," Seamus scoffs. "Lord Glasstien absolutely despises demigods. A good portion of the citizens of his territory are made up of bloodsuckers. It's almost like a haven for them." "Wan is there," she raises her voice again. "There are no demigods in Glass Gate," Seamus spouts sternly. "No, she's right." The innkeeper beams proudly. "If any demigod is in Glass Gate, it'll be Wan." "Is there something you both know that I don't?" Seamus stares at them in confusion. "My mother has told me everything about the nine remaining demigod. Wan is the fifth most power after Ardine, Genlock, Lodar and Turok," Row explains. "That doesn't explain how he could be in Glass Gate," Seamus continues being skeptical. "Wan's power is that of a shape shifter," Row answers. "He can take any form he chooses. Lord Glasstien could have him thrown out a dozen times over and it would still do no good. He is known as the man of a thousand faces. His weapon is Arma Scov; a wire he can control at will with a razor's edge." "Wow, your mother must have been quite the demigod fanatic," the innkeeper is impressed. It is obvious he has no idea Lady Owleen was a bloodsucker on the run from the legendary nine. "So what do we do now?" Seamus asks. "If we can't go to Glass Gate, then we'll have to stay here." "Oh yes, yes you will." The innkeeper nods enthusiastically. "You might need this." He pulls a shard of glass from the pocket of his apron and hands it to Row. "All the pretty girls in town have taken to cutting their faces so the spirits won't want them." "Are you serious?" Row's eyes widen. "It's merely a choice they have made." The man shrugs. "Keep that with you, just in case." "Is it just me or are human's just plain crazy?" Row whispers to Seamus. "A situation like this is bound to cause some form of hysteria. There's no need for you to worry though; even if you cut your face, it would not leave a scar." "I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about them. What lengths will humans not go to?" "None." Seamus shakes his head. "We are survivors." "Just giving up would make things so much easier," Row moans as the innkeeper leads them up into the building and up the stairs to their room. It is small with a slanted roof but it has a window, which faces the town square, allowing Seamus to keep an eye on his horse. "Oh, don't worry, I'll feed and water her for you," the innkeeper assures him. "Thank you." Seamus hands him ten silver pieces and a few extra coppers ones as gratitude. "So we're just going to sit in this room until dawn?" Row asks when the man has left them alone. "I don't see an alternative. You're the one who's too scared to go to Glass Gate now. I'll just have to find another town nearby. We'll travel from village to village during the day and rest at night." "What about the spirits?" she asks in a playful voice. "Aren't you afraid they will come to take your mistress away from you?" "You could always cut your face if you wanted," Seamus plays along. "You know, it won't heal," she informs him. "Huh, what do you mean?" He raises an eyebrow. "It won't heal unless I feed on you," she answers. "I forgot about that," he sighs. "I don't very much like it when you bite me." "Well too bad. It's your responsibility now that Champaign is gone; like it or not," she is unnecessarily stern. He nods to show he understands. He has no idea why but he has no intention of disobeying his mistress. §§§ "Seamus, wake up." Row taps her servant's cheek repeatedly. When he finally sits up, he realizes that she is on top of him, straddling his chest. "What is it?" he asks with a yawn. "Are you hungry? Do you need to feed?" "No, look." She directs his attention to the window. By the light of a street lamp outside he can see a shadowy figure standing in the town square. "What the…?" He stands up, letting Row topple onto the bed. "It's not a spirit," Row informs him. "Well, I don't think it is. I can sense its presence." "You can do that?" Seamus is surprised. "It's more like a sense of its life force. I can feel the energy I would normally siphon from it. My guess is that it can sense me too." "That's not good." Seamus peeks out the window again. He almost falls backwards in shock as he realizes the shadow is staring directly at him. He can even see a pair of silvery gray eyes glowing in the dark. "What? What is it?" Row pushes on his back to keep him upright. "It saw me," Seamus gasps. "What do you mean?" Row pokes her head above the sill. She can see the shadow slowly walking towards the inn. "What do we do?" she whimpers. "First we find out what it is and if we can kill it." Seamus grabs his sword and slings the scabbard belt over his shoulder before opening the window. The creature is still sauntering towards them. "Who are you?" Seamus shouts while stepping out onto the slanted roof of the inn. He can see the face of the shadow better now. It is rough and covered in patches of dust and dirt but there is not a single scratch on it. The absence of facial hair is the next thing to catch Seamus's attention. There is not even the slightest amount of stubble. It is as if the hairs simply fell out. His actual hair on the other hand is much longer. It is stringy and dark with sweat. Altogether he looks like he just stepped out of the forest, with a dark robe covered in dirt to match his face. "Who are you?" Seamus shouts again while leaping off the roof and tumbling to break his fall. When he stands back up, he is a mere ten paces away from the shadow. "What do you want from us?" He draws his sword. A sudden pain in his chest causes him to falter though. It is a burning sensation which he can feel on his skin. It rises and fades in waves, almost like he can feel the shadow's heartbeat. "You," he points a shaky finger at the man before him. "Are you… Wan," he whispers. The man does not answer. Nor does he move. He seems to be eyeing Seamus up and down with his silvery stare. How the seventeen year old can tell that he is Wan the demigod is beyond him. Perhaps part of Lodar's power is speaking to him. "Why have you come here, Wan?" Seamus deepens his voice, trying to sound less afraid. Slowly the shadow begins to move again, first shuffling then striding towards Seamus. He comes to a stop a mere yard in front of him, tilting his head oddly as he continues to examine his face. He starts to sniff the air between them, similarly to the way Row sometimes does. "Bloodsucker," he finally speaks in a hoarse whisper. "He knows, he knows, he knows!" Row squeals from the roof of the inn where she is still hiding. "He knows who we are!" Instinctively Seamus raises his sword, driving the tip toward the shadow's face. The man does nothing to avoid it, letting it pierce his right eye, stabbing all the way to the back of his skull. "What the…?" Seamus steps back in shock, pulling the blade out in the process. He had expected at least some sort of resistance. "Is that it? Did you kill him?" Row is hopeful. Suddenly an earsplitting scream fills the air as the man covers his eye with his hand. "You stabbed me!" He roars at Seamus. "You actually stabbed me in the eye!" "What's going on? Why isn't he dead?" Seamus asks Row. "I don't know." She starts to shiver while covering her ears and crouching down. Slowly the hole in the shadow's silver eye starts to close, eventually disappearing entirely. "No way." Seamus shakes his head. "Can he do that? Can he heal himself?" "Theoretically, he can control his form at all times," Row reminds him. "If he doesn't want to have a hole in his eye then he can simply close it." "But he shouldn't even be alive to do that," Seamus argues. "Can a demigod survive a blow to the head like that?" "I believe Genlock could," Row answers, "just barely." "But he's not even fazed." Seamus gestures at the shadow who is staring at him like nothing has happened. "What could survive that without even flinching?" "I could," Row's response is calm and immediate. Seamus's eyes widen as the answer dawns on him. "He's a bloodsucker," he whispers to himself. "Wan is a bloodsucker with the power of a demigod." "Maybe he killed Wan and stole it from him," Row surmises. "Can a bloodsucker do that?" Seamus is in disbelief. "If he touched the rapture like you did then he inherited the power. It's as simple as that," Row explains. The shadow is not listening to the pair in the slightest as they debate his origin. Instead his glowing silver eyes are darting around, pausing every few moments as he takes in his surroundings. He seems almost uninterested in Seamus or Row. He actually starts to walk past Seamus after spotting something more interesting at the end of one of the streets that leads away from the town square. "Hey, where are you going?" Seamus tries to grab his shoulder. The shadow clasps onto his arm and yanks downward, flipping him over his shoulder and dropping him on the ground on his back. Seamus groans while rolling to the side just as the shadow attempts to stomp on his face with his boots. As soon as he is a good distance away though the shadow begins to ignore him again, heading down his chosen street without looking back. "What is he doing?" Seamus asks Row

ep. 18 . "How should I know?" She shrugs. "Maybe he sees something we can't. He can transform his eyes into that of an owl or a hawk, you know. He can probably even see in the dark right now." "What does he see; something worth letting a bloodsucker and her servant pass him by?" "You're still thinking as if he were a demigod. This is not Wan," she reminds him. "He is not duty bound to hunt us. In fact, most bloodsuckers simply ignore each other unless fighting over prey." "So he's not going to do anything to us as long as we stay out of his way? That's brilliant." Seamus is suddenly relieved. "In some sense, we're not that different from him," Row realizes. "We killed a demigod and stole his power too. We're the same." "Are you suggesting we try to get along with this guy; maybe travel with him for safety or something?" Seamus's eyes narrow. He does not like the idea of keeping a second bloodsucker as company. "I wasn't going to suggest anything like that. I was simply…" her response is cut short by a shrill scream emanating from the direction the shadow vanished in. "On second thought, he may simply be ignoring me because I'm not a girl," Seamus recalls the innkeeper's tale of pretty women going missing in the town. "You think he's the one spiriting them away?" Row quickly catches on. "It would make sense. Shall we see for ourselves?" Seamus offers his hand to Row so he can escort her down the street. She nods slowly, despite appearing quite uncertain, perhaps even scared. At the end of the street, Seamus and Row enter upon a fearful sight; a young woman collapsed on the ground bleeding from the neck. There is a basket of bread a few feet away where she must have dropped it. The shadow is kneeling down over the woman, licking blood from his lips. "That's better," he whispers in his horse voice. "Fixing me eye took more out of me than I thoughts. Now it's time for payback." "For what?" Seamus jerks his head back in fear. "You didn't think I was going to let that slide, did ya?" The shadow's eyes flare as he speaks. "Oh, this is good," Row gulps while cowering behind Seamus. "Perhaps we can work this out," Seamus decides to try speaking first this time. "I didn't realize who you were when I attacked you. I was confused. I had this overwhelming sense that you were Wan and…" "And I believed you were Lodar," the shadow informs him, "how peculiar. I hold the memories of Wan, you see. I remember things about Lodar. I…" As the shadow continues ranting about how he can recognize the power Seamus has stolen a different sound drowns him out. "What a pathetic fool," the eerily close voice of Lodar startles Seamus. "Huh, what, where?" Seamus starts to panic. "Ah, can you finally hear me?" a transparent figure appears in front of Seamus, directly beside the shadow. "You, you, you…" Seamus points at him while stuttering. "But that's impossible. You're…" "Dead?" the golden armored demigod answers for him. "To put it simply, yes, my body has perished. I however have imbedded myself deep into your mind. With the power of the Golden Clairvoyance and a little help from Arma Venture, I can manifest myself in front of you." "Wait, you've been following me this entire time?" Seamus asks. "I'm not following anyone. I am a part of you now. My mind and memories exist within you. This happens every time a mere mortal inherits a demigod's power. Interestingly enough Arma Venture has allowed me to take on a separate nonphysical form in order to communicate with you directly." "So why have you chosen this moment to appear?" Seamus is curious. Just as Lodar is about to answer, a long thin wire springs out from the shadow's sleeve, wrapping itself around Seamus's neck and pulling him to the ground painfully. "Ah, there we are; Arma Scov," Lodar seems impressed. Seamus reaches a shaky hand out to him while prying at his throat with his other one. "Do you expect me to help you?" Lodar leers at him. "What are you gawking at?" the shadow can tell that he does not have Seamus's attention. "Look at me while I kill you," he demands. Seamus wraps part of the wire around his arm and tugs as hard as he can, trying to rip it out of the shadow's hand. It is too long though. He now has enough length to slip it off over his head at least. He starts to gasp and wheeze as soon as he has freed himself. "Pathetic," Lodar scoffs. "What kind of simpleton has inherited my power? It would do you better to just give up and die. Let the rapture reclaim what you stole." "Get out of my head," Seamus coughs at him. "Who are you talking to?" the shadow is only becoming more annoyed. "Yeah Seamus, who are you talking to?" Row is suddenly concerned as well. Seamus has no chance to answer as the shadow pulls on the wire, dragging him forward by his wrist where it is still coiled. It digs into his flesh, drawing blood and grunts of pain. He stabs his sword into the ground with his free hand to keep himself from being pulled too far but it only serves to tighten the grip of the wire, which is continuing to wind its way around his arm, almost as if it has a mind of its own. "Remember, Arma Scov was made specially for Wan," Row shouts at him. "It can almost change its shape just like him." "It what?" Seamus is startled. He does not have to wait long to see the weapon at work though. It continues to wrap itself around his arm and eventually his entire hand, coating him like some sort of armor, all the while squeezing his flesh horribly. He almost feels as if it is trying to crush his bones. Without any alternative, Seamus resorts to sliding the blade of his own sword underneath the wire like a wedge. He can feel the edge of his blade slicing his arm but he ignores the pain. Eventually he is able to remove his hand from the mess of wires. It is now colored red though, dripping with his own blood. The shadow is taken aback for a moment, surprised by the seventeen year old's determination. He is severely punished for his lack of concentration by Seamus who flings his sword upward from the ground, slicing his face in half. The shadow stumbles backwards while screaming in agony, clutching his bleeding face. It is a much more difficult wound to erase than the punctured eye but he still manages. Starting from the bottom of his chin, the wound slowly fades until his face is once again whole. "You're going to pay for that," he growls. "Oh, how wonderful," Lodar's voice is still wringing in Seamus's ears. "Go away." He swings his sword at the transparent figure. "I'm going to enjoy devouring you," the shadow hisses at him. Seamus watches in awe as his jaw starts to extend past that of a normal human until his face has completely changed shape. Soon his body has transformed as well. He has taken the form of a great mountain panther, posed to strike at the distracted seventeen year old. Seamus attempts to duck as the panther pounces on him but his shoulder is caught by the creature's sharp teeth, which drag him to the ground. He can feel the large cat's fangs scraping against the bones in his arm, dislocating it from the socket. Row covers her mouth to keep from screaming as she watches his arm dangle limply at his side. "Oh my, that does look bad," Lodar clicks his tongue. "If you're not going to leave, then can you at least help me?" Seamus asks hopefully. "You must know how to fight Wan." "Perhaps," Lodar shrugs uninterestingly. "Then again, why would I help the likes of you?" "Like it or not, I am your new master," Seamus tries to sound authoritative. "If I die, then what happens to you?" "I don't really care," Lodar scoffs. "I'm already dead. Threatening me won't help." "What about Wan?" Seamus tries to guilt him. "Don't you want revenge for your fellow demigod? This is the bloodsucker that killed him and assumed his identity." "Oh this terrible creature has done far worse than that," Lodar laughs. "You've realized it already. He is the one kidnapping pretty girls and feasting on their life force, among other things; the very reason the town was asking for Wan in the first place." "And you still won't help me?" Seamus grunts while wrenching his arm out of the panther's mouth. "I'll have to confer with my colleague first." Lodar waves his hand ominously at the empty space next to the panther. Seamus watches with interest as he draws something out of the creature, another transparent form just like himself. "Ah, here we are, this is Wan." Lodar makes a presenting gesture at the silvery figure he has just summoned. He has long hair and a beardless face, just like the shadow did before its transformation. "Lodar?" The silver figure blinks in confusion. "Lodar, what is the meaning of this?" "It's aright, old friend. Rest easy now." Lodar pats his shoulder, something he is able to do since they are both equally nonphysical. "Where am I, Lodar?" Wan is still disoriented. "I think the name of this town is Quess." Lodar glances at a rickety sign hanging above the main street. "I can't remember how I got here," Wan groans. "I was hunting bloodsuckers in Glass Gate when I stumbled upon a den of them…" "That must have been years ago," Lodar interrupts him. "I'm sorry, old friend, but you've been dead for quite some time. Normally your memories would be scattered inside the mind of your inheritor but I have drawn you out with Arma Venture." "Why would you do that?" Wan grabs his head in panic. "I was enjoying my afterlife in blissful ignorance. Look at that disgusting creature. How am I supposed to continue existing knowing that thing is in control of my powers?" "Calm down. Jeez, I figured you'd leave well enough alone. I drew you out so you could come to terms with your demise and tell this boy that his revenge conquest is for not." "For not?" Wan's eyes widen in disbelief. "Are you telling me that none of the nine are planning on avenging me? Is no one else on their way?" "Look at me, Wan." Lodar shakes him by the shoulders. "I'm just like you now; my days among the living have ended. All I have left is what you see before you." "Are you telling me that two of the nine have fallen?" Wan gawks at him stupidly. "Excuse me, could we get back to the current problem?" Seamus interrupts them. "Oh, you mean your inevitable demise?" Lodar rolls his eyes. "Who is that?" Wan takes an immediate interest in the young man before him. "That is the new Golden Clairvoyance," Lodar grumbles. "Oh what wondrous news," Wan cheers happily. "He can fight this monstrosity to the death and avenge me." "He's far too green for such an undertaking," Lodar disagrees, "besides, this one's a sympathizer." He gestures to Row who is now cowering behind a barrel next to the bakery where the woman the shadow fed on is lying. "He what?" Wan's eyes pop as he stares at the young bloodsucker. "My, what a beautifully disgusting creature. Lodar, have you not trained him to avoid falling prey to such trickery." "I'm afraid he was under her spell long before inheriting the Golden Clairvoyance," Lodar defends himself. "Can one of you please tell me how to kill a bloodsucker with the power of a demigod?" Seamus shouts while rolling to the side to avoid getting slashed by the panther's claws. "Impossible," Lodar scoffs. "With the power of the Silver Shape Shifter, he can heal practically any wound, even eventually fatal ones. Your only option is to kill him in one blow; an impossible feat when facing a bloodsucker who has just fed." "Stop discouraging him." Wan slaps Lodar's arm. "You could help him control Arma Venture and defeat the shape shifter." "Arma Venture will be powerless against a demigod. I know this is hard for you to accept, but our time has ended," Lodar responds condescendingly. "The best we can do is help our individual inheritors in their efforts to kill each other. Hopefully this skirmish will end with the demise of both." Wan stares at Lodar for a long time before responding. "Fine." He hangs his head in defeat. "I shall see you again in the heavens after the rapture, old friend." The silver form of Wan dissipates as he returns to his host. "Are you ready?" Lodar turns his attention back to Seamus, who is still struggling to avoid being bitten or scratched by the panther, a difficult task with the use of only one arm. "You mean to get me killed," Seamus spits at the spirit angrily. "Consider this my revenge." Lodar smirks as he fades from sight. Seamus's eyes begin to glow a bright yellow as the deceased demigod assumes control of his body. "You there; bloodsucker, fetch me my Arma," Seamus shouts at Row. She quickly darts from her hiding place down the street, back toward the town square and the inn. Seamus follows close behind, drawing the panther after him. Row leaps onto the roof of the inn and dives through the open window of their room in search of the wreath of antlers she took from Lodar's corpse. "What are you planning to do?" Seamus manages to say something despite not having control of his own body. "Arma Venture is a powerful talisman constructed for me by the wisest mystic in existence two hundred years ago," Lodar answers using Seamus's voice. "When I first gained the Golden Clairvoyance I knew no ordinary weapon would suffice. Arma Venture is a part of me; an extension of my mind. With it I can dominate the mind of any who are beneath me, mostly humans, animals and ghouls." "Who are you talking to?" the panther shifts back into human form just so it can speak again. "Seamus, here!" Row's voice rings through the air as she tosses the antler wreath from the roof of the inn. Seamus's uninjured arm extends to catch it with ease. The shadow seems visibly annoyed at not having his question answered. His form shifts again as he dives at Seamus. This time he takes the shape of a large growling dog, with foam dripping from his teeth. "Here we go," Seamus laughs in an eerie tone, the same way Lodar always does. Suddenly all of the doors to the surrounding houses open up, revealing entranced villagers marching forward like brainless soldiers. "Seamus, what are you doing?" Row shouts from the rooftop of the inn. "You can't use these people to attack a bloodsucker!" "Oh don't act so high and mighty," Seamus spits at her. "It's not like you care what happens to these people. Your late shining knight killed dozens of villagers without the slightest hint of remorse, all for you." Row's eyes fill with tears at the mention of Champaign. "Don't you dare talk about her!" she growls at Seamus. "You don't have emotions," he continues to demean her. "You're simply trying to emulate human behavior. In truth, all you care about is surviving and feeding." At this moment the dog prepares to bite Seamus's leg, only to have its teeth sink into the flesh of a random villager instead. "That's right, my puppet; you exist to protect me," Seamus mutters as he directs the rest of the villagers to converge on the dog. The creature starts to whimper and whine as it dodges attacks from the entranced people, carrying kitchen knives, pitchforks, table legs, ice picks and anything else they managed to grab before leaving their homes. After being clubbed and stabbed nearly a dozen times, the dog manages to shift into the form of a snake, healing all of its wounds in the process. It then proceeds to slither around the legs of the slow moving villagers, biting each one as it goes. "Stop it!" Row shouts while leaping off the roof and landing only a few paces behind Seamus. "I don't want a repeat of what happened in Bos Stad. Please, just stop," she begs. "Just try to make me," Seamus cackles evilly. Without thinking twice the young bloodsucker leaps onto his back, slicing into his neck with her fangs. "What the…?" he is utterly shocked. He had not expected her to turn against him so easily. Slowly the yellow glow fades from his eyes, only to reappear in Row's. It mixes with her normal red, making for a fearful orange. All of the villagers fall to the ground as soon as Arma Venture's control ends. The snake quickly shifts back into the form of a man with glowing silver eyes, preparing to greet its new opponent. "So now there are two of us," he whispers as he eyes Row up and down. Having just drained Lodar's power into herself, she is basically the same thing; a bloodsucker with the abilities of a demigod. "Let's see who is stronger!" The shadow darts toward her with speed reminding her of her late mother, Lady Owleen. This only serves to anger her more as she sprints away, kicking up a cloud of dust in her wake as she skids along the ground. As she is smaller and more nimble, she is still faster than the shadow. She forces him to chase her in a circle around the town square until she leaps onto a lamp post, taking a waiting stance. The shadow's hands turn into fearsome paws which he uses to slash the pole straight through. Row lands on her feat but is immediately tackled onto her back. She uses her legs to kick the shadow off but he quickly scampers back. He is larger and therefore stronger than she is. She kicks him in the stomach and chest repeatedly, breaking several of his ribs which simply heal themselves a moment later. "It's no use," he hisses in his hoarse voice. "As long as I have life force, I am invincible." "Then I'll just have to break you over and over again until you run out," Row growls while wrenching one of his arms out of its socket. The howl of pain that follows is short lived as the shadow quickly repairs the damage. "With so many tasty meals lying around, you'll run out of energy before I do," he snickers. "I won't give you time to feed." She digs her steel fingernails into his face and pulls his head to her chest before promptly snapping his neck. For a split second his eyes begin to gloss over as death almost takes him but it is not enough. Somehow he manages to repair his broken spine just before his life fades. "Impossible." Row's eyes are wide in disbelief. She keeps a tight hold on his head though, making sure he can't escape. "If you won't let go of me, then I'll just have to feed on you," he growls while digging his fangs into her chest. Row can immediately feel her strength fading. She has no time to push him away. Her only option is to respond in kind, sinking her teeth into the side of his face and drawing energy back from him. Seamus has only just managed to pull himself to his feet, and the sight before him astounds him. He is watching two bloodsuckers rolling around on the ground in a tug-of- war over each other's very life force. "This is no good." He can hear Lodar's voice in the back of his mind again. "Both of them are equally powerful right now, except for the fact that he started feeding first. She's lost this fight. He'll finish her off shortly." "Not if I can help it." Seamus picks up his discarded broad sword with his good arm. He moves to tower over the wrestling pair, preparing to stab the shadow through as soon as he finds an opening to avoid hitting Row as well. Something odd is happening though. Row's red orange eyes are now changing again, growing lighter as silver enters the mix. "What is this?" Seamus whispers in amazement. "She's winning," Lodar is equally as shocked. "Who is this child bloodsucker? Where is she from?" "I don't know." Seamus shrugs. "I can't remember anything except that I am her servant." "Oh yes, your memories. That was my doing, I'm afraid," Lodar recalls. "Oh well, nothing we can do about that." "There isn't?" Seamus appears slightly disappointed. He has no idea who he was so he has no reason to miss his memories but it still might have been nice if Lodar could have helped him. "My best guess is that this bloodsucker is of royal decent," Lodar continues to mutter to himself. "Royal?" Seamus is intrigued. "She must have been born of a bloodsucker and a noble. Every lord in this nation was a descendent of the great ruler King Doryan. He conquered all of this land over three centuries ago. Some say he was a fallen god; cast out of the heavens for intervening in affairs of the world below." "That's laughable," Seamus scoffs. "The rest of the gods are still intervening. That's what demigods are, after all." "Everything known about demigods is pure speculation," Lodar reminds him. "We can only assume that one hundred people were given the chance to better humanity by the gods over two centuries ago. The wide variety of powers we inherited makes me wonder how many different gods were involved. It may even have been a hundred of them as well. Either way, they have chosen not to interfere since, leaving us to our own devices and retrieving the given power via the rapture when we fall." "Except when another human intervenes," Seamus whispers while removing the wreath from his head. "Except when another human intervenes," Lodar repeats. "But that doesn't explain why you believe Row is of royal decent," Seamus is still confused. "The one person a demigod can not disobey is a lord," Lodar informs him. "As descendents of the fallen god Doryan, they carry heavenly blood. It makes them stronger, with a divine right to rule. Bloodsuckers who are born from a lord are more powerful than normal ones. It's a whole new breed of sick creatures." At that moment, Row finally manages to push the shadow off of her, having drained enough of its life force to weaken its regenerative abilities. It is nothing more than a hollow husk now. "That was disgusting," she groans while spitting on the ground. "I'm not one for cannibalism." "Is he… dead?" Seamus asks while poking the body with his sword. "Oh dear, your arm, let me heal you." Row touches his dangling appendage. Instinctively he moves away though. "What's wrong?" She stares up at him with her bright mixed orange and silver eyes. "I need to finish him off," Seamus answers while turning his head. He doesn't want to look at the blood pouring from her mouth right now. "I understand." She backs away. "Make it quick." Seamus raises his sword in the air and lets it fall with the weight of his weary body. The shadow barely flinches as the blade severs his spine. "Alright, now back away," Row warns him. "I… I can't move." Seamus's eyes are wide in fear. "What do you mean?" Row tries to pull on his sleeve. "I'm not in control of my body anymore. Lodar, what are you doing?" He knows that this is the demigod's doing. "This is the way it has to be," Lodar's voice is stern. "No, I don't want to do this." Seamus shakes his head. "Move away!" Row screams at him. "Two of the nine have fallen," Seamus's voice changes as Lodar takes control of him again. "I need to protect the demigods at all cost. This is the only way I know how." Row's eyes are flooding with tears again as she shuffles backwards. There is nothing she can do to help Seamus and she refuses to be caught in the rapture herself. Her gaze is transfixed as the silver cylinder of light falls from the sky and encompasses the shadow and Seamus entirely. As soon as the glow has transferred to Seamus's eyes, he begins to scream at the top of his lungs. Row watches in horror as boils begin to form on his skin, growing large and larger and eventually bursting in a spray of blood. His cheeks start to melt, exposing the bone underneath and his teeth. He is now covered in large burns, spanning his entire body. "What's going on?" Row screams. "This is the rapture," Lodar manages to halt Seamus's screaming to answer. "He has gained everything that was Wan; his powers, his past." "What do you mean?" Row takes a shaky step toward Seamus. "Wan was burned in a fire when he was ten. He spent the next six years of his life in a constant state of agony until he was blessed with the power of the Silver Shape Shifter." "His power is what's doing this?" Row gasps. "He is reliving the memory of Wan's injury and the power is making his body experience it as well," Lodar continues to explain "But why? This didn't happen when he inherited your power," Row recalls. "This time is different. Normally the memories of the previous demigod stay dormant and scattered. This time, he is holding Arma Venture. Everything is crystal clear. He is reliving every detail of Wan's life." "So it's your fault." Row's eyes narrow angrily. "If you want to assign blame, then remember who killed me," Lodar remains spiteful. Row grows silent. She continues to watch as Seamus twists in agony. There is nothing she can do. Finally Seamus falls to the ground unconscious as the silver light retreats into the sky. Row rushes to lift him up. The burns on his body have vanished, as have the wounds on his mangled arm. He is completely healed. Row drags him to the font of the inn where she finds the door slightly ajar. The innkeeper is peeking out with a look of fear on his face. "Is it dead?" he asks in a terrified whisper. "Did you destroy the spirit who has been plaguing our town?" "Yes." Row nods. "Please help me." "Of course, of course." He lifts Seamus onto his shoulder and carries him back up to their room. "I and the rest of the town are truly grateful to you both." Row does not respond. She simply waits for him to lay Seamus down on the bed before leaving the room. She lies down next to him and presses her face into his chest, feeling the warmth of his body and hoping she is able to comfort him in the slightest. He remains fast asleep though, not making a single sound. Unknown to Row, the spiritual form of Lodar has appeared again. He is pacing around the room, biting his fist and muttering words of concern. Eventually he waves his hand at Seamus and draws the silver form of Wan out as well. "What happened?" the younger demigod groans. "You lost," Lodar answers honestly. "I see." Wan smiles at Seamus. "I suppose he is my new master. Is he that bad, Lodar? Perhaps this is a good thing." "Oh, it's a very good thing. I have found something to curb my boredom." "Oh dear," Wan groans. "Please tell me you did not do this for reasons as petty as that. I would not wish the pain I have suffered onto my worst enemy, and yet you have forced this young man to feel the pain of my past for the mere prospect of curbing boredom? What are we if not century old sadists, Lodar?" "I have no idea." Lodar shrugs. "All I know is that this pair intrigues me. The little one is a princess bloodsucker." "Are you sure?" Wan's eyes light up with interest. "I thought they were merely a myth; a product of Turok's overactive imagination." "They may have been when he first brought up his concerns, but they're real now. They exist." "What will you do?" Wan's eyes narrow. "If I were still alive, I would obviously kill or capture her in order to gain the prestige and valor that would come with it." "But…" Wan is still glaring at him with suspicion. "But I'm not alive," Lodar reminds him. "I have no desire to gain prestige anymore. Right now I want to watch this princess and see what she does with her life." "A very good response." Wan nods approvingly. "If you'll excuse me now, I would like to retire. I leave these two in your capable hands, Lodar." "Of course, old friend." Lodar bows before waving his hand again, sending Wan back to the depths of Seamus's mind. It is none of the Silver Shape Shifter's concern what happens to Seamus and Row now. He will not call on him again without good reason.

What a powerful one now row servant seamos has the powers of two demigod therefore they re untouchable next pls

Wow

Interesting

Interesting next

ep 19 After burying Lodar's body properly, Brand and his two trusted vassals continue their trek through the forest on horseback. The demigod has not told either one of his companions what his plans for the near future are. Too afraid to challenge a bloodsucker as strong as Corvic and not powerful enough to stand against Turok, Brand is at a loss about what to do. For now he plans to keep traveling and hope that his companions do not perceive him as weak. They are only an hour away from Bos Stad when a sudden pain in Brand's throat forces them to stop. He lurches forward, falling off his horse and rolling on the ground while making a strange gurgling sound. "What's happening to him?" Prain asks her father while trying to help him. She positions him on his back and presses her lips to his in an attempt to force air into his lungs. He coughs and sputters for a moment before shooting up into a sitting position. "What is it, milord?" Gall asks cautiously. "Do you still feel the loss of Lodar, even now?" "No." Brand shakes his head slowly. "It's Wan. Wan just died." "That's not funny," Prain does not believe him. "He's not joking," Gall can tell that his master is serious. "Are you sure about this, milord?" he asks. "I feel it in my spine," Brand answers, prompting Prain to start massaging the afflicted area. "This is getting out of hand." Gall strokes his graying beard. "Do you suppose someone is going around killing demigods?" "I wouldn't put it past Corvic to do something like this," Brand mumbles. "What will you do?" Gall asks in a serious tone. "I don't think I have a choice. If memory serves, both Husk and Kifflan should be traveling on the other side of Lord Glasstien's territory. I will not wait for them to be slaughtered like Lodar and Wan." "Like I said, we don't even know if Wan is really dead," Prain tries to argue. "Shut up, silly girl. Do not question your master's declarations," her father scolds her. "It's alright, Gall." Brand touches Prain's face to show that he is not mad. "I enjoy my declarations being challenged. It makes me all the more wary of the things I say. I'm sorry though, but I am sure that Wan has met with some sort of injury. If it is not already too late, then he definitely needs our help. We shall ride for the city of Glass Gate." "Yes Sir," Gall shouts obediently. Prain frowns while pushing Brand's hand away from her face. She is not opposed to him touching her, just his overprotective attitude. She does not need him to defend her from her father's ridicule. It seems he can only see her as a child who needs protecting. It is not surprising considering the fact that she was only ten when she became one of his vassals. Brand had been twenty years old when he inherited the power of the Red Warrior. Since then he has not aged in the slightest, making him and Prain the same in appearance but not actual years. In his mind she is still the ten year old girl who always followed her father around. She does not know how she plans to do it but she is desperate to make him take her seriously. §§§ It is nearly a day before Seamus wakes up after inheriting the power of the Silver Shape Shifter from the shadow bloodsucker that defeated Wan. In fact, he sits up in his bed at the inn, screaming at the top of his lungs. Row, who had been resting her head on his arm while sitting in a chair next to the bed is jolted awake as well. "What? What is it?" She glances around in confusion. "I can feel it." He starts to pluck at his skin. "I can feel every single burn. I can feel the flesh melting off my face." Row places a hand on his forehead while shushing him. "It's okay now," she whispers while trying to push him back down onto the bed. "It's over now. Those are memories of Wan's. They aren't yours." "But I can feel it," he repeats. "It happened to me." "I know, and I'm sorry." She presses her cheek to his to comfort him. "Just try to forget." "Ha," he almost laughs. "I can't remember a thing about myself but I have an entire novel about Wan in my head now. Some things just aren't fair." "I know." Row continues to stroke his black hair. It has grown longer in the five years since she first met him, making him look slightly less civilized than he used to. "By the way, who are you?" Seamus lifts her onto the bed so he can stare her in the eyes. She tilts her head in confusion, not understanding his question. "Lodar says you might be something called a royal bloodsucker. I have no idea if that's true or not." "It's true." She nods. "I am the daughter of the late Lord Ironglave of Iron Grove." "I see. I guess that makes you his heir, doesn't it?" She shakes her head quickly. "I am the youngest of his children. The oldest is a bloodsucker over sixty named Drogen. If he has perished since leaving Massmede then the right falls to his younger brother Corvic." "And if Corvic is dead?" Seamus asks tactlessly. Despite the fact that these two bloodsuckers are obviously her older brothers, he believes she has no emotional attachment to them. In his mind, bloodsuckers do not have emotions at all. "Corvic isn't dead," Row answers sternly. "How do you know? He could have met a demigod and been…" "He's not dead," Row repeats in an almost angry voice. "Corvic is a manipulative genius with a thirst for power. He was cast out of Massmede by my father before I was born. I have never met him but I have seen paintings of him. He is almost fifty years old with a feminine face as round and beautiful as my mother's and black flowing hair to match." "He sounds like a spoiled brat," Seamus scoffs. "Can he even fight?" "He once took on two demigods at once," Row answers calmly. She is not being smug or proud of her brother; she is simply stating facts. "What? Really? Two of them? Which ones? How did he survive? Did they even survive?" "Last I heard from my mother, Ardine gave up fighting after her encounter with Corvic. Turok came to my castle and kicked in the front door like he owned the place." "So that's why you don't like your brother," Seamus surmises. "He's the one who led Turok to your home." "Who said I didn't like my brother?" Row is taken aback. "I love both my brothers. I hope I have every chance to meet them on our travels." "But you sound so solemn when you speak of them," Seamus is flustered. "You sound like Corvic did something you can't forgive him for." "On the contrary, Corvic is exactly what bloodsuckers should aspire to be. I'm the disappointment. If I meet him he may kill me just for being so weak. I'm giving his family a bad name by running and hiding like a coward and relying on humans for my survival." "Hey, I don't think you're weak." Seamus touches the side of her face. "You may run and rely on humans but you are not weak. You proved you were of royal blood last night." "Um, that was actually the night before last." A guilty expression spreads across Row's face. "You've been asleep for a long time." "Oh no, what about our schedule?" Seamus crawls across the bed to stare out the window, jostling the small bloodsucker around in the process. "Wait, when was the last time you fed?" "There is a sheep ranch not far from here. I've already replenished my strength," she explains. "Thank you for worrying about me though." She flashes him a fanged smile. Seamus tries his best not to shudder. The memory of blood running down her face is more than he can take. He wants to see her as an innocent child, not a monstrous creature who could kill him at a moment's notice. There is a smell of food wafting up from the kitchen below, which prompts Seamus to throw on his boots and descend the stairs. "Good morning, young sir and madam," the innkeeper greets them with a smile and a bow. "Let me first extend my thanks to you. You were unconscious following your bout with the spirit and I was not able to give you proper congratulations." "You know what happened?" Seamus is surprised. "The whole town knows." He beams proudly. "Don't worry about your tab. Practically everyone has pooled together to pay for your stay. We was gonna try buying a favor from the demigod Wan, but treating you to a few finer things will be much cheaper." "Ha, Wan," Seamus mutters while trying not to smirk. It is ironic that the very person they were planning to pay to deal with their spirit essentially turned out to be the culprit. They may never know that though. "So our breakfast is free?" Seamus confirms while sitting down at one of the long wooden tables in the dinning hall. "Well your meal will be free," the innkeeper mutters. Seamus shoots him a suspicious glare. "I simply meant that the girl seems uninterested in the food I've prepared," he explains quickly. Seamus turns his glare to Row who simply shrugs. She has not been making it too obvious that she does not eat human food but someone was bound to notice eventually. "We can't stay here long," Seamus whispers after receiving a wooden plate of bread, meat and cheese. "I don't really want to stay here," Row admits. "Everyone is looking at us." Seamus glances around the dining hall to confirm Row's suspicions. Everyone in the room does indeed seem to be giving them awkward looks of interest. "Perhaps they too know we are the ones who dealt with their spirit." "Something's still off though," Row remains on guard. "They don't seem to want to congratulate us; they've left that job to the innkeeper. They actually seem suspicious of us. Maybe they are wondering how we defeated a spirit if we are not demigods ourselves." "All the more reason to leave," Seamus reaffirms. Row nods in agreement. The rest of their meal is silent and quick as Seamus wants to be traveling again as soon as possible. Row simply watches him eating, licking her lips while focusing her eyes on his. It is extremely unnerving for him. He almost wonders if she is imagining feeding on him. A separate thought enters his mind about letting their lips touch for some reason but he quickly squelches it. He can't remember that he had similar thoughts back when they first met but his reason for refusing to dwell on them remains the same; she is a bloodsucker with life or death control of him. He can not afford to think of her in any other way, no matter how entrancing her appearance may be. Outside of the inn, the situation is not much better. All of the villagers stare at them as they walk past, whispering belittling remarks under their breath. "Where exactly are we going?" Seamus asks as Row leads him down the street to a small shop. "A nice woman came and took our laundry from the inn yesterday," she informs him. "She said she'd bring it back today but I don't think we should wait." Seamus nods in agreement while glancing down at his clean clothing. Row must have been the one to undress him while he was unconscious, a thought that bothers him slightly. She is wearing the dress that Noreen made for her. The white nightgown she wore during her fight with the shadow was soaked in blood. Hopefully the launderer will not find it too suspicious. Row knocks on the window to the shop, prompting a woman with a small face to slide the curtain aside to peek out. She nods when she recognizes her customer and shuffles to the front door to allow them in. "That sure was a lot of blood," she makes an offhand comment while handing Row a bundle of clothing including her nightgown and Seamus's outfit from the night they killed the shadow. Seamus waits for her to pry about its source but she does not. Instead she leans down to whisper in Row's ear. "I'd leave town if I were you. While everyone is grateful for your help, I'm afraid the innkeeper saw everything. He knows your secret, child. We all know what you are. As long as you don't attack us we will keep our distance but I really wonder why your kind tries so hard to fit in with humans. You're different; accept that." Seamus grits his teeth. He wants to argue with the woman and explain that his mistress is at least trying to emulate human emotions but he can't. He knows that he is just as prejudiced against bloodsuckers and ghouls as the rest of the people in this town. He has asked himself the same questions they are asking now a hundred times; why do bloodsuckers try to coexist with humans? Row is staring at the laundry woman with calm eyes. She is not bothered by her brutal honesty at all. Perhaps she is incapable of taking offence like a human would. Seamus can't remember but she once argued quite forcefully with him about his opinion of her. Perhaps she only cares what he thinks and no one else. Either way it appears as if she has no emotions at all, just like the people of the town assume. She is only proving them right. "Let's go." Row hands Seamus their laundry as she turns to leave. He does not argue and simply followers her back toward the inn where their horse and carriage still is. Again the eyes of the villagers follow them as they pack their things and set off in the direction of the edge of town. Seamus is extremely worried about his mistress as she is remaining completely silent. When offered the chance to be worshiped by the humans and ghouls in the forest she was overjoyed. It stands to reason the opposite reaction would put her in low spirits. For some reason though, she is acting like it does not matter at all. Perhaps she is used to it by now. As they reach the far side of the village they notice a group of children gathered in the shadows cast by the nearest buildings. They seem to be laughing at them. Seamus is forced to bring their carriage to a halt when four older boys move to block the path that leads out of the village. "What do you want?" he asks in a stern voice. He is in no mood to deal with rowdy children. "Why are you leaving so soon?" the tallest one asks with a smug expression. "Don't you want to stay a while?"

ep. 20 . v "Just move out of my way," Seamus refuses to engage in conversation. "My dad says you're a monster; is that so? Are you one of those creatures that eat people?" "If you don't move, then I'm going to have to run you over," Seamus resorts to threatening the boys. "Oh I'm so scared." They pretend to shiver. "My dad says that you're going to attack us all in our sleep. He stayed up all last night watching the streets to make sure you didn't come near our house. He has a bow and arrow ready to shoot you on sight." "As do I." Seamus retrieves his long bow and draws the string back. There is no arrow but the boys still flinch when he releases the string. "You're just asking for it now." Their confidence has drained slightly. Slowly they disperse, allowing Seamus's carriage forward finally. "Wait," Row whispers before the iron wheels manage to cross the line that represents the end of Quess. "I'm not waiting for anything," Seamus snaps at her louder than he intended. He is still annoyed from having to deal with the children. "I smell something though." She starts to sniff the air like usual. "Please don't tell me…" Seamus groans. She grabs his head and directs his attention to the shadowy cover of the trees. There are several pairs of yellow glowing eyes watching them. "Ghouls," Seamus whispers. "What are they doing? I thought they only came out at night." "The cover of the trees is dark enough for them," Row answers. "My guess is they've noticed Wan's disappearance as well. They perceive the town as weak and this is their chance to strike." "Strike at villagers traveling during the day?" Seamus raises a confused eyebrow. "No, they'll attack the town come nightfall," Row surmises. "Then we have to leave now," Seamus urges. "We can't; they have the whole of Quess surrounded." "Maybe they won't attack us. They won't waste energy on one carriage leaving when they have a whole town ripe for the taking, right?" Seamus remains optimistic. "If they have enough ghouls to attack an entire town, then one carriage will be easy pickings. They won't even waste any energy killing us. In fact, they may even gain some by feeding on us." "You're a real ball of sunshine, you know that?" Seamus is becoming annoyed with her pessimistic attitude, though he knows she is correct. "What can we do then?" he defers to her intelligence entirely. "The best we can hope for is an opening to slip away while they are attacking the town tonight," she answers. "Should we warn them of the impending danger?" Seamus asks in a worried tone. He can already guess her response. "It's not like they would believe us. Don't you dare ask that I try to save them either. I'm not risking my life for people who wouldn't do the same for me. Besides, it wouldn't do any good; I can't beat this many ghouls. It's just not possible." "I wasn't going to ask you to." Seamus shakes his head. "I'm pretty sure I'd be no help either. I don't even know how to control either Wan's or Lodar's power. It took them nearly two hundred years to master their abilities and we still managed to kill them." "Wait, don't you have Wan's memories?" Row recalls. "Doesn't that help at all?" "I have flashes of his past," Seamus disillusions her. "Controlling their power is not all about knowledge. The amount of stamina it takes to shift form repeatedly like Wan is immeasurable. The only reason that bloodsucker managed it is because he just fed. I have no way to replenish my strength. My mind is no where near as overbearing as Lodar's either. I would more likely end up being the one controlled if I tried to use Arma Venture." "If only you had Maumolla's power too," Row sighs. "The Violet Champion?" Seamus draws on Wan's memory to identify Row's meaning. "She has unlimited stamina, doesn't she?" "Her weapon, Arma Vec is more taxing than any of the others," Row informs him. "It literally drains the wielder and their opponent of life and mana as they fight. Only someone with extreme endurance training or Maumolla's power can use it without passing out." "Why would one of the great masters make such a weapon to begin with?" Seamus is appalled. "Remember, the great masters were the best craftsmen of their time. They mastered almost a thousand forbidden techniques each. Weapons like the Arma are so powerful that they are banned. The great masters each received one chance to practice their skill when the demigods first rose to power. Each of the hundred demigods requisitioned a different weapon from each of the great masters, specifically designed to compliment their abilities." "A wreath that can amplify the Golden Clairvoyance. A wire that can coil into any form, just like the Silver Shape Shifter. A staff that drains the wielders life force, perfect for the Violet Champion," Seamus rattles off the three Arma he knows of. "A large butterfly axe that can pass through anything and inflict massive internal damage." Row shivers as she remembers the first Arma she ever saw. "Arma Tua," Seamus recognizes it from Wan's memories. "What exactly is Turok's power?" "I don't know." Row shakes her head. "My mother never saw it in person until she died by his hand." "Why do I feel like killing Turok will be much more difficult than defeating Lodar or Wan was?" Seamus is starting to worry. "Because we didn't actually fight Wan," she reminds him. "That bloodsucker did all the work and then got sloppy." "Then how are we going to go on living like this? We got lucky twice but it's not going to happen again. If we meet another demigod, we are done for," Seamus is now the pessimistic one. "We'll have to try drawing on Wan's memories to learn how to fight them. I'm sure with Arma Venture you will remember something. Until then, let's just focus on escaping this godforsaken town." Talking about demigods appears to have shaken Row's resolve slightly. "Let's hope the villagers can stand having us stick around for a little longer," Seamus tries to laugh as he turns their carriage around, heading back towards the inn. §§§ "How long do you think they'll wait?" Row asks as Seamus glances out the window of their room again. There is a mob of people in the street below, all holding torches and swords, ready to behead the both of them as soon as they decide to risk going outside. "You'd think they'd be more grateful," Seamus grumbles while pulling the curtain closed again. "It's human nature to hate those who are different, isn't it?" Row sighs. "Different is an understatement." Seamus frowns at her. "You eat humans to survive." "Are you afraid of me?" Row asks while crawling along the bed they are both sitting on until her face is only a few inches away from his. "Do I frighten you?" "Honestly, I'm terrified of you," Seamus admits. "I keep wondering at what point it will become beneficial for you to simply turn me into a ghoul." Row looks extremely hurt by this statement. It seems she still does care what he thinks of her for some reason. "You know, you're the closest thing I've ever had to a friend," Row whispers, prompting Seamus to scoot a little closer to her, almost letting their noses touch. "What are you doing?" she is surprised. "I'm showing you that I'm not as afraid as you think," he whispers back. "I swore to serve you, whatever that may entail. You need not worry about my personal feelings." "But I do worry," she admits. "It's not a façade like everything else about humanity I emulate. I actually do worry about you. I worried about Champaign as well. I can't explain it." Seamus is taken aback by her honesty. He does not know how to respond though. "It's almost nightfall," he tries to change the subject. "We'll have our chance to escape any minute now." "Yeah. We will." Row's expression remains solemn. She was almost hoping for a response to her statement. She still has no idea what Seamus feels toward her apart from loyalty of servitude. Seamus peeks out the window again in time to see the crowd below shifting in the street. They have noticed something odd happening around the rest of the town. Some of the ghouls from the forest must have already begun their attack. "The lights; the lights are going out!" one of the men shouts while directing everyone's attention toward the streetlamps. In the distance Seamus can see them dimming. The ones closest to the edge of town are indeed going out. "What's happening?" The people are starting to panic. "It's the bloodsucker's doing." Some of them try to remain focused on the window of the inn but the majority are too scared. "Here they come," Seamus whispers as a flood of ghouls pours into the village square. Pitch black animals with glowing yellow eyes surround the mob and begin to pounce on the people one by one, starting with the torch bearers. Slowly the light outside the inn starts to fade. "Ready?" Seamus clasps Row's hand tightly. She only nods in response. A sudden knock at their door startles both of them. "Please help us," the voice of the innkeeper resonates through. "I know you can help us, please try," he begs. "I'm sorry," Seamus's voice is full of genuine regret. "Please, I beg of you." He pounds on the door. "My family is here. You have to do something." "Let's go," Row's cold demeanor has returned. For a moment Seamus is left wondering if she only acts warmly upon occasion to mess with his head. If he didn't know better he would say she were flirting with him like some of the girls back in Bos Stad often did. He has no actual memory of it though, just a general idea of what it was like. Seamus pulls Row out onto the roof through the window, just like the night they fought the shadow. They run along the slanted structure until they reach the post where their horse is tethered. Seamus leaps first, pulling Row after him with ease. She not only looks like a twelve year old, she is as light as one too. The animal is already spooked though. It whinnies while raising its front hoofs in the air, kicking at the dark creatures now surrounding the inn. "Go!" Seamus shouts while cracking the reins. Row undoes the rope binding it to the post. The black and white mare gallops forward a few paces before rearing back, twisting itself and the carriage around the post. The ghouls in the village square have taken notices. They bound towards the helpless horse as it continues to panic. Seamus cracks his reins again, trying to urge the mare forward while also attempting to scare the ghouls. It does not work though. In a matter of seconds the black creatures have swarmed on the horse, digging their teeth into its flesh and dragging it to the ground. Seamus draws his sword and leaps out of the carriage to protect it but it is too late. They have already torn too much flesh from its bones. In an attempt to save it some pain, Seamus slashes its throat before turning his blade on the ghouls. He actually manages to chop off the head of one of the boars while it is distracted. His accomplishment is short lived though as soon a swarm of birds descends upon him from above, pecking at his face and arms. He staggers backwards before falling to one knee. He props himself up with the sword while trying to shake the birds off. They swoop up into the air, preparing to dive at him again. "Are you okay?" Row calls to him from the safety of the carriage. "Can you heal yourself?" "I'll try," he grunts while trying to imagine his form changing. Perhaps he can shape shift into something fierce enough to fight back. "It won't work," the familiar voice of Lodar rings in his ears. "It took Wan years to master his power and that bloodsucker had a distinct advantage over you." "What if I let Wan take control of me," Seamus suggests. "You did it once before, didn't you?" "It doesn't work like that. Wan can only manifest himself with my assistance," Lodar explains. "He can't posses you the way I did; that is strictly a part of Arma Venture." "Then you can possess me," Seamus surmises. "I could try." "Promise me you won't try to hurt Row," Seamus demands. "I would gain nothing from continuing my crusade now that I am dead," Lodar informs him. "Besides, I'm rather curious about this special creature you serve. I wonder what impact a royal bloodsucker might actually have on the world." "Special?" Seamus repeats in an unconvinced tone. It is not that he doesn't believe Row is special, he just can't believe Lodar would care about such a thing. "Oh yes, everyone who realizes it will want a piece of her," Lodar adopts his normal condescending manner. "You best keep her safe from ghouls or other bloodsuckers who might want to make her their queen." "Queen?" Seamus is again skeptical. "She holds the divine blood of Doryan; the right to rule both human and bloodsucker. Some may perceive that as a threat and a reason to eliminate her." "I understand," Seamus finally decides to take Lodar seriously. "Now, help me protect her." "I'll do what I can." With Lodar's words, Seamus's eyes begin to glow bright yellow. He is not holding Arma Venture so the power is still weak. The ghouls seem slightly startled by his sudden change though. Some of them even seem to believe he is one of them due to his matching yellow eyes. It is not enough to deter the majority though. There are wolves, rabbits, raccoons, skunks and even a few bears converging on him from all directions. Seamus's eyes begin to flicker as he struggles to overtake their minds. He forces a few of them to back away but there are too many. He is too busy trying to control Lodar's power to even bother swinging his sword as the wolves and raccoons begin to bite his legs. They rip off several pieces of his flesh and retreat to a safe distance to eat but he barely seems to notice. He is now on the verge of passing out as the strain of taking on Lodar's mind and power is far too much for him. Just as the yellow light leaves his eyes, he notices a slew of flaming arrows raining down upon the flood of ghouls. The creatures scream in anguish as their flesh starts to burn. Seamus manages to look in the direction of the arrows' origin. There is a silhouetted figure standing atop the saddle of a brown steed. "Are ye alright?" the voice of a boy no older than sixteen calls to him. "Oy, alive, are we?" Seamus reaches a hand out toward the figure before collapsing on the ground. "Come on, come on," he can hear Lodar's voice in his head still. "This will take everything I've got." Slowly the fresh wounds on his legs start to close as Lodar uses Wan's power to the best of his knowledge. "Well that's an impressive trick." The silhouetted figure lets out a whistle. "Who are you?" Row pokes her head out from the carriage. As she is slightly closer than Seamus and slightly higher off the ground she can see him a little better. To her he is not pasted against the night sky, which is glowing with the reflection of a burning town. "My name is Nuve." He bows to her. "I'm a ghoul hunter." "I see." Her eyes dart from side to side as she examines him. He has longer hair than Seamus's which is also much lighter. His eyes are sapphire blue rather than emerald green and he is at least a year younger with no signs of facial hair whatsoever. He is wearing a red tunic over a white shirt with a brown cloak. Row gasps as she spots the weapon he used to launch his barrage of arrows, a crossbow built into a metal right arm. "Ah, I see you noticed." He flexes the iron appendage. "It's alright to gawk, I'm not shy." He flashes her a flirtatious grin. "I'm not ashamed of my injury. This is the staple by which I make my living." He folds the sides of the crossbow down into his arm before flicking his wrist to extend a rather wide blade. "See, it has every use you could imagine." "Th-thank you for saving us," Row stutters. "You didn't have to." "Oh, but I did," he disagrees. "I could never abandon a fellow human in trouble. You are humans, right? Wait, of course you are; what am I saying? Why would ghouls attack their own? What is your name, by the way, milady?" "Row," she mutters shyly. "Row?" he repeats with a perplexed expression. "Is that short for something?" She shakes her head slowly, not wanting to tell him her full name. "Oh well, the name doesn't, matter. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Might I ask if you are betrothed to anyone? If you are not, let me be the first to offer my bid." "Excuse me." Seamus suddenly rises to his feet, startling both Row and Nuve. "Ah, hello there, sir." The young man leaps off his horse, landing a few feet away from their carriage. "My name is…" "I heard your name," Seamus cuts him off. "I heard everything. I'm injured, not dead." "You don't seem very injured now, do you?" Nuve struts around their dead horse to stand in front of Seamus. Their difference in height is as minute as their difference in age. "How old are you?" Seamus is glaring at him. "Does it matter?" Nuve rolls his eyes. "I'm old enough to be a ghoul hunter, let's just leave it at that. I'm much more interested in learning how you recovered so quickly. Are you by chance a creature of the night as well? If it weren't for your eerie green eyes I'd say you were a ghoul or a bloodsucker yourself." Row instinctively looks down to avoid letting him see her red eyes. In the dark they could pass for brown when not glowing though. "I'm neither ghoul nor bloodsucker, so stay your blade." Seamus pushes the wide knife back into Nuve's metal arm. "Aren't we snippy?" The younger boy grins at him. "Am I to assume she's your fiancée?" "My what?" Seamus is taken aback. "Wha-what would give you such an idea?" "It was just an observation. You're awfully protective of her. I can see why though. I can imagine every man within riding distance lining up for a chance to kiss those succulent lips. I'll pay you ten pieces of gold just for one night with her. You look like the sort that's desperate for money, am I right? What's she worth to you? I'll take her off your hands for a thousand." Seamus responds by punching Nuve in the face, knocking him flat onto his back. "Alright, I deserved that." He is not even slightly upset. "She could be your sister for all I know. I shouldn't have treated her like an item to be bartered or traded. Let me start over, milady." He rises to one knee and lifts Row's hand with the intention of kissing it. Seamus slaps it away before he can though. "Ouch." Row rubs her sore fingers. "What do you want from us?" Seamus asks sternly. "Nothing much." Nuve shrugs. "I'm just trying to get acquainted with this lovely woman." "Do you always pursue children?" Seamus asks in a serious tone. "My-my, there is no such thing as age when a woman is concerned. I will wait 'til she is older if that's your concern, stranger." "Enough!" Seamus shouts. "It appears you have managed to drive the ghouls back for the night at least." He gestures to the burning town which is far too bright for the nocturnal creatures now. "If you'll excuse me, we must be off before they return." "Oh that won't matter," Nuve chuckles. "I'll be staying in town until I'm sure it's safe. I'll stand watch night after night if I have to." "Well that's very kind of you." Seamus tries to move past him. "You know, you aren't gonna get far with a dead horse," Nuve stops him. "If you like, I'd be willing to put you up at the inn for a few nights. You could have your own room and I'll share one with the lady…" his attempt to flirt with Row again is cut off by another punch to the face from Seamus. He manages to stay on his feet this time though. "Wow, for someone who almost died a moment ago, you sure know how to hit." He is completely unfazed. "My offer to put you up still stands though." "We don't need your help," Seamus refuses. Despite their intention of beheading them, the villagers already promised that everything in town would be free for them in exchange for defeating the spirit. "Well, if you change your mind…" "We won't," Seamus growls at him while leading Row away by the hand. She winces as he squeezes it tightly in the exact same part he slapped. "Sorry," he mutters while loosening his grip. "It's okay," she responds in a low voice. She is not sure why he is suddenly being so protective of her but it is not exactly unwelcome. She would much rather him act like this than be afraid of her. "Ah, back so soon." The innkeeper is peeking up from behind the bar of the inn when they enter. "It sure was lucky that ghoul hunter was here." "Yeah, very lucky." Seamus's eyes narrow. He is almost positive Nuve was sent for the same way they planned to send for Wan. Whether he was called to deal with their spirit or in fact Row is a different matter. "Will you be staying another night?" the innkeeper chuckles nervously. "It's still free, right?" Seamus is still glaring suspiciously. "It's complimentary, yes." The innkeeper nods. "Anything for our town heroes. Naturally I shall be offering our new ghoul hunter friend free lodging as well." "Naturally," Seamus repeats ominously. "The same room again?" the innkeeper asks. "One bed is still alright?" "What? One bed?" Nuve pokes his head through the door of the inn. "Are you two actually sharing a single bed?" "It's none of your concern." Seamus shoots him a disgruntled look. "Of course it's my concern. How can you share the bed of a lady before being wed?" "Weren't you the one offering to buy a night with her for ten gold pieces?" Seamus reminds him. "Wow, that's something you don't want to do," the innkeeper interjects. "Really? Why?" Nuve's curiosity is piqued. "Trust me, you just don't." The innkeeper wipes the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. An angry scowl from Seamus warns him not to say more. The last thing they need is this strange ghoul hunter learning that Row is a bloodsucker. It will not be long before someone in the town tells him though. They can not stay long. As soon as they are back in their room, Row drags Seamus to the bed and pushes him onto it. "Hey, what's gotten into you?" he is surprised. "You need to rest," she spouts in a shy voice. "I'm fine, really?" he tries to protest. "You almost died again," she argues. "I don't want to lose you too." Seamus stares at her blankly for a moment. He holds no memories of Champaign and has no idea why she is so upset. What he does know is that she is showing genuine emotion again, something he is starting to enjoy seeing. "Okay, you win." He pats her head. "I'll rest tonight." "Thank you." She flashes him her normal fanged smile before crawling into the bed next to him. It is not strange as this is how they have been sleeping since arriving in Quess. She places an arm over his stomach while pressing her face against his chest, trying to take up less space. He is actually tired from his short skirmish and therefore barely notices. For the moment at least they are safe from ghouls and angry villagers. Tomorrow will tell if they should be worried about their new ghoul hunter friend.

So nice. Next

nice one

the royalty in me that d name @juddy

ep. 21 . "Good morning." Nuve is waiting at the bottom of the stairs of the inn to greet Seamus and Row at sunup. "Are you still here?" Seamus's response is not a friendly one. "As I said, I shall stand watch until I am sure this village is safe. Quite a shame I didn't arrive earlier though. A good number of people were killed." "That's your concern, not mine." Seamus stalks past him to the bar where the innkeeper is waiting to serve him breakfast. "What will you be having?" the man asks in as cheerful of a voice as he can muster. "Whatever you have is fine," Seamus decides not to be picky. It is a wonder the man can even continue to function normally after the commotion of the night before. "Oh, I'll pay for the lady's food," Nuve offers with smile. "Um, I don't think that'll be necessary," the innkeeper tries to deter him. "Why not? A woman has to eat, right?" Nuve wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at Row. "The lass doesn't have much of a stomach," the innkeeper makes an excuse. "Well that's no good." Nuve clicks his tongue while shaking his head. "Come on now, darling. You have to keep your strength up. Here, I'll feed you." He grabs a piece of bread from Seamus's plate and tries to push it into Row's mouth. "Don't touch her." Seamus's hand travels to the hilt of his sword. "Easy now, calm down." Nuve prepares to block any impending attack with his metal arm. "What's the big idea? Is she incapable of eating?" "It's a condition," the innkeeper spouts. His attempts to cover for Row are only making things worse. "A condition, eh?" Nuve's eyes narrow. "I'm reaching here but that sounds an awful lot like a bloodsucker to me." Row and Seamus glance at each other nervously. "Of course that's impossible, right?" "Damned impossible," the innkeeper is far too enthusiastic. "Then eat the bread," Nuve's voice is stern, almost threatening. "I'm not hungry," Row mutters while hiding her face behind Seamus's sleeve. "What's the matter; already had your fill on human blood?" Nuve taunts her. "What are you insinuating?" Seamus glares at him. "Why does it matter? All she has to do is eat a little bit of bread. If she's human then I'm not even asking that much. Problems only arise if she's not human." "She'll eat your bread… right?" Seamus stares at Row inquisitively. He has never actually seen her consume human food before. "I don't want to," she mumbles almost inaudibly. "Too bad." Nuve shoves the bread towards her again. "Come on, Row, just a bite," Seamus urges her. She stares at him as if he has asked her to hang herself. "Please," he is practically begging. Slowly she opens her mouth to allow Nuve to push the bread inside while making sure to hide her fangs from view. All three men watch cautiously as she chews for what seems like forever. She looks like she may be sick at any moment but she manages to swallow it at last. "There, satisfied?" Seamus asks Nuve. "Absolutely." Nuve beams proudly. "I knew you couldn't be one of those monstrous creatures. You're far too pretty." Row grabs the side of her stomach nauseously but manages to hide her discomfort from both Nuve and Seamus. "What exactly was all that about?" Seamus asks Nuve suspiciously. "Can you keep a secret, friend?" Nuve lowers his voice. "I was summoned here to track down and kill a bloodsucker. Look at this." He hands Seamus a letter similar to the one he was supposed to take to the Dust Pail Pub in Glass Gate. Seamus's eyes dart to the innkeeper immediately. "It weren't me, honest." He shakes his head violently. "Quiet you bumbling fool," Seamus hisses at him. Luckily Nuve is too absorbed in his explanation to notice. "It seems there is a nasty little bloodsucker running around here. Something like a spirit was kidnapping women folk and this bloodsucker made the mistake of revealing itself while fighting the thing off." "Really?" Seamus pretends to be perplexed, earning him a disappointed scowl from the innkeeper. "If this spirit was evil, doesn't that mean this bloodsucker did the town a favor?" "The reason it chased the spirit off doesn't matter. It doesn't change what the thing is; a monster. This thing lives by sucking the life out of humans. It's very name says it all. It's my job to make sure creatures like that don't get to wander free for very long, understand?" "I think I do." Seamus frowns at him. He is beginning to question whether bloodsuckers are really all that bad or if humans have never even given them a chance. "Of course my services come for a price," Nuve adds in a cheerful tone. "Killing a bloodsucker cost fifty times as much as a ghoul. I can't wait to get me hands on one finally." "Wait, you've never killed a bloodsucker before?" the innkeeper asks in shock. "There aren't that many of them left," Nuve laughs. "I bet you've never even seen one." "I've seen one," the innkeeper assures him. He is quickly warned to keep his mouth shut with a glare from Seamus. "Is something going on that I don't know about?" Nuve is becoming suspicious. "You better not say a damn word," Seamus whispers to the innkeeper. He looks like he would like nothing more than to tell Nuve everything. "I don't like being left out of the loop, men. Whatever you know, spit it out," Nuve demands. Despite his playful attitude and obvious lack of age he seems to take his job very seriously. The fact that he is missing his whole right arm is proof enough he has been in more than a few fights. Seamus is not sure he could face off against him head on. The innkeeper is practically bobbing up and down with anticipation. Air is escaping his mouth but he is not actually saying anything. "What is wrong with you, man?" Nuve is disturbed. "She…" He does not have time to speak before a sudden fit of hacking and coughing from Row draws everyone's attention. She falls off her barstool and lands on her hands and knees, choking on her own vomit as she expels the bread she swallowed. Seamus starts to rub her back softly. "What's wrong?" "It's her." Nuve backs away from the bar. "It really was her." "What do you mean?" Seamus asks in confusion. "Bloodsuckers can't eat human food," Nuve explains. "Meat is a little easier on them but they just can't process plants and grain. The term bloodsucker comes from their need for a strictly liquid diet if they consume anything at all besides pure life energy. Your pretty little friend there is a monster." Row's red eyes glare up at him as she continues to spit saliva despite her stomach already being empty. "What are you going to do?" Seamus asks cautiously, giving Nuve a chance to refrain from becoming their enemy. "I, I don't know," he admits. "I came here fully prepared to kill a bloodsucker, no matter how young." "She's not a child, idiot," the innkeeper shouts at him. "I'm well aware of the aging process of bloodsuckers," Nuve spits back. "Just let me think for a moment." "You'll forgive me if I don't wait for you to try to kill us." Seamus helps Row to her feet and drags her toward the door. "What are you waiting for? Stop them!" the innkeeper growls at Nuve. "If they're leaving then it doesn't matter, right?" He shrugs unconvincingly. "What happened to your spiel about not letting them roam free? What are you gonna do when she attacks someone else in another village? Could you live with yourself knowing you could have stopped her here?" The innkeeper seems dead set on convincing Nuve to kill Row. The ghoul hunter takes a deep breath before responding. "You're right. Of course you're right. I don't know what I was thinking. It's my job to destroy these monsters." "Then get out there, lad." The innkeeper nods. Outside in the street Seamus is busy searching for a horse to pull his carriage. Of course no one in Quess is going to be willing to sell him one. He is actually contemplating stealing one, a crime punishable by death. Then again, aiding a bloodsucker carries the same punishment. Just as Seamus is about to un- tether Nuve's horse from its post, the ghoul hunter startles him. "What are you doing?" he asks while shaking his head disappointedly. "Don't judge me," Seamus grumbles while continuing to fiddle with the rope. "Are you seriously going to add another crime to your list of offences?" Nuve asks calmly. "Come on, man, walk away. You have nothing to gain from continuing to protect this bloodsucker." "Leave me alone." Seamus tries to ignore him. "Are you smitten? Is that it? Has she placed a trance on you?" Nuve tries to discern the reason for his loyalty. "I'm not like you," Seamus spits angrily. "I don't swoon the moment a pretty girl walks past." "I'll admit that was a mistake on my part." Nuve smiles while tilting his head from side to side. "To think I was taken with a bloodsucker. They really are beautiful creatures, aren't they?" Again he is ignored by Seamus who is still struggling to undo the knots in Nuve's horse's rope. "You won't get it. I tightened that myself with this arm," Nuve informs him while flexing his metal appendage. "Does that thing even work properly?" Seamus scoffs. "If you're asking if I have trouble controlling it then the answer is obviously yes. There is no possible way it will ever handle as well as my own arm but I don't have much choice now, do I?" "I really don't care," Seamus grumbles. "I've been awfully patient with you but I think it's time you make a decision. Walk away or I'll be forced to kill you," Nuve's voice is stern. Without warning, Seamus draws his sword, which clangs against Nuve's arm, knocking him back into the street. He manages to somersault backwards before Seamus can follow up by pinning him to the ground with his blade. "That wasn't smart." Nuve's eyes flare angrily. "Row, go wait in the carriage," Seamus orders. The young bloodsucker is still feeling sick from the bread and therefore has no qualms about fleeing rather than fighting. "If you're still there when I finish off this guy then your death will be slow and painful," Nuve taunts her. Seamus tries to quiet him by slashing at his chest. Again Nuve's arm serves as the perfect means to block it but he seems less confident in his ability to beat Seamus now. "I see you've been trained by a professional." "I really couldn't tell you if that were so or not." Seamus shrugs. Without his memory of the rigorous training Champaign put him through following his ordeal with Rashad, all of his fighting skill feels like a natural part of him, coming out on instinct when he needs it. "I'll wipe that smile off your face, once and for all," Nuve snaps. "Wouldn't that be you?" Seamus counters. "You're such a happy-go- lucky person. If I were a cripple I'd be much more depressed." "Now you've done it." Nuve unfolds the crossbow attachment of his arm and launches three separate bolts at him.

ep. 22 . "Jeez, that thing's fast." Seamus is barely able to deflect them all. He is given no time to rest though as Nuve has a massive supply of bolts in a satchel on his side and a wire bow string that re-draws itself every time he clenches his fist. "I really didn't want to have to fight you," Nuve shouts over the sound of his arrows clanging off of the sword. "You could still let me go," Seamus suggests jokingly. "If only I could," Nuve sighs. The next bolt to hit the sword explodes in a cloud of smoke, knocking Seamus off his feet. "What was that?" he coughs while rolling behind a barrel to avoid another slew of arrows. "Some of these things are pretty tricky," Nuve informs him. "Those ones you saw last night are meant to set a whole building ablaze. What do you suppose they'll do to your measly shelter?" "Is that your only weapon?" Seamus asks. "I've never needed anything else." Nuve shrugs while preparing to launch another volley. "Good to know." Seamus smirks. Nuve's arm suddenly jerks downward at the ground, accidentally launching one of the flaming arrows. "What is this?" Nuve asks while tugging on a long silver wire coiled around his metal appendage. It is holding him in place, making it impossible to flee from his own fire. "Do you like it?" Seamus laughs. "I'm still learning how it works. You're lucky you have that hunk of metal. I had to feel that thing scraping the skin off of my arm." "This is… Arma Scov," Nuve realizes. "Where did you get this?" "Wouldn't you like to know?" Seamus is grinning ear to ear as he stands up from behind his barrel. "Are you willing to call this a draw yet?" "Not by a long shot." Nuve is smiling as well. He folds the bow back into his arm just as the wide blade he showed them the night before springs out. It can't cut Arma Scov but it stretches it far enough for him to slip free. He also drops a small pouch of powder from his satchel onto the arrow still burning in the ground. Seamus ducks behind the barrel again as it explodes. "Black powder," Nuve informs him. "Quite strong, isn't it?" "You take too much joy in your job," Seamus spits at him. "I do, don't I." Nuve simply smiles again. "Seamus!" Row shouts from the cover of the overhanging roof of the inn. What remains of their carriage is still sitting underneath it in the shade. "I think it's time for Arma Venture," Seamus shouts back. "Arma what?" Nuve's eyes widen as Row tosses the antler wreath at Seamus. He knows he can't let this already overpowered human touch the deadly weapon. He tosses another pouch of black powder at it and shoots it with one of his flaming arrows. Seamus's hand explodes along with the wreath, which shatters into tiny pieces. "Try piecing that back together," Nuve tries to remain smug but his fear still shows. It is Seamus's turn to stare with wide eyes at the bloody stump that was once his hand. "Maybe you could use one of these," Nuve taunts him while waving his metal hand. Slowly Seamus starts to pick the pieces of antler out of his arm and chest. Each one feels more painful coming out than going in. Suddenly the remaining shards start to sink into his skin, causing him to bite his tongue to keep from screaming in agony. "What's going on?" Nuve is extremely disturbed. He and Row continue to watch from a distance as what remains of Arma Venture digs its way into Seamus's flesh. They can almost see the bumps in his skin as it travels up his arms and into his face. Seamus grabs his head and screams as two small horns poke out of his forehead. "What in god's name are you?" Nuve's arm falls limply at his side as he stares in awe. Seamus's eyes start to glow silver as the blood pouring from his stump increases. Eventually it starts to solidify. Finally it starts to morph into the shape of a new hand. Nuve draws a W across his chest with is left index finger, a popular symbol used when praying to the demigod Wan. Slowly the horns protruding from Seamus's forehead retreat back under his skin, allowing the wounds they created to heal over as well. Nuve is at an utter loss. "What has become of the Golden Clairvoyant and the Silver Shape Shifter?" he demands. "I am both of them," Seamus manages to answer despite being hoarse from screaming. "Blasphemy," Nuve whispers. "I am your god," Seamus raises his voice. "Heresy." Nuve shakes his head. "You are a usurper. You have stolen those powers. You are not a god; you are a pretender. You are…" "Enough!" Seamus shouts as his eyes flare yellow. Nuve falls silent immediately, completely transfixed. "We are not your enemies, ghoul hunter. You will not attack us again." "Understood." Nuve nods dizzily. "I will be taking your horse," Seamus adds after a moment. "No, not Adrial," Nuve snaps out of his daze. "What?" Seamus is too surprised to respond. "Adrial was a gift from a farmer I once saved. I asked for his daughter's hand but he wouldn't hear of it. This was the only thing he would offer." "What's happening?" Seamus turns to Row for answers as he always does. "You're not Lodar. You can't control Arma Venture the same way; not mention it's been shattered into a dozen tiny pieces. You control other people by dominating their mind with your own. If his thoughts are stronger than yours, then he'll maintain control." "But thoughts of his horse?" Seamus is skeptical. "He must have strong feelings about it." Row shrugs. "Quick, try to lead him away from the topic before…" "You!" Nuve interrupts her. "What did you do to me?" "Easy now, ghoul hunter." Seamus raises his hands, trying to calm him. "Wait a moment, why are we fighting?" Nuve glances around at the destruction they have caused in the wake of their skirmish. "Well…" Seamus tries to think of a way to answer. "We're not enemies," Nuve sputters. "You aren't ghouls." "I think some of what you said got through to him," Row shouts excitedly. "So you're not trying to kill me anymore?" Seamus confirms. "Um, no." Nuve stares at him like he said something unbelievable. "I can't believe it." Row laughs while running out from her cover and leaping into Seamus's arms. "Ouch," he groans as he tries to hold her weight. "Oh, sorry. Are you still hurting?" "Changing my form does nothing for the pain, unfortunately," he answers. "I'm actually left with a lot of phantom feelings when it happens." "I'll get you some ice and water," Row offers while leaping down to the ground again. "And what about you?" Seamus turns his attention back to Nuve. "I… I'll be dealing with the ghouls outside the village," he answers in an unsure tone. "Good, that sounds good." Seamus nods approvingly. "I just need… need a moment to rest." He falls face forward on the ground. "Seamus!" Row shouts while kneeling down next to him. "Seamus, you've used too much energy. I warned you about this." He seems unable to respond though. "Come one, let's get him up." Nuve lifts him up onto his shoulder. Row stares at him in bewilderment. The man who only a moment ago was trying to destroy them is acting like an ally. She can't help but feel extremely lucky that Seamus managed to at least insert that one thought into his head. It has completely drained him though. Despite having the power of two gods inside him, he is barely able to even access the potential they hold. Wan's power to heal any wound is useless if it almost kills him in the process. §§§ Nuve is sitting alone at the bar of the inn, trying to wrap his head around the fight he just had with Seamus. With Arma Venture forcing him to believe they are not enemies, everything he figured out about Row has been suppressed. He does not even remember that she is a bloodsucker. "Another round?" the innkeeper asks while hovering a bottle of mead over his empty tanker. "No, I'm done." Nuve turns the mug upside-down. He has only just turned sixteen and has not been old enough to drink for very long. He is not used to it at all. "So… I can't help but notice that my two special guests are still here." The innkeeper points at the ceiling. Presumably Seamus's and Row's room is directly above them. "And?" Nuve stares at him blankly. "Well… I just thought… weren't you going to handle them for us?" The innkeeper stares at him in confusion. "Why would I do that?" Nuve is unable to recall anything due to Arma Venture's control. "Never mind then." The innkeeper raises his hands innocently. He can tell that something has happened and he has no intention of sticking his nose in any deeper. "It's a good thing I sent a summons to Wan though, isn't it?" he laughs while rubbing his nose proudly. "You what?" Nuve leaps to his feet, letting his stool fall backwards. "Yeah, I didn't just send for a ghoul hunter. No, no, I sent for the real deal. A letter should have arrived at the Dust Pail Pub just about the same time you got yours." "But, but, but," Nuve sputters at him stupidly. Arma Venture is blocking his memory but he is almost positive Wan will not be able to answer the summons. "He should be arriving any second now." The innkeeper peeks out his front window to check the street. "Ah, speak of the devil." He pulls the curtain aside to reveal a tall and slender figure tethering his horse to the post outside the inn. "Welcome, my lord." He bows to the man as he enters. "Evening," the man responds in a deep authoritative voice. "Is this the village of Quess?" "It sure is." The innkeeper pulls out a new stool for him to sit. "You must be the demigod Wan; it's a pleasure to meet you." He tries to shake the man's hand. "He's not," Nuve whispers. "No, I'm afraid not." The man shakes his head solemnly. "I am known as Husk, the Bronze Cognition." "Where is Wan?" Nuve interrupts him. "I don't know," he admits. "We the nine have had no contact with him in over five years. He has failed to answer any summons and has not made contact with any of us. All five of his most trusted vassals have disappeared as well. We fear the worst." "I see." Nuve stares down at his feet. "Regardless, it's been a while." Husk slaps him on the back. "What have you been up to, boy?" "I have a name, you know," Nuve grumbles. "I know, I know. It's, umm… what was it again?" Husk averts his eyes in thought. "It's Nuve," the hunter loses his patience. "We met in Palinthia almost five years ago." "Yeah, but you were only a boy," Husk defends himself. "I honestly thought you'd have become a vassal of another demigod by now, kid." "I tried," Nuve sighs. "I really did." "I can see that." Husk frowns at his metal arm. "I'm really sorry." "I don't need your pity," Nuve grumbles. "I need answers; where's Wan." "Like I said, he's been quiet for far too long. I've been keeping an eye on this area in his stead. For that matter, I noticed an unusual amount of ghouls in the forest when I arrived. They seem to be planning something. Are you sure this town is safe?" "No, no it's not," the innkeeper interrupts them. "We've been attacked by spirits and bloodsuckers and ghouls night after night. It's horrible. You need to help us, Mr. Husk, I beg of you." "If you can afford the protection fee, then I'm all yours." Husk grins at him kindly. He is a tall man with a slender yet not scrawny frame. His beard is short and dark as is his hair and his skin is rough and pink. He looks like a weathered soldier of sorts. "We don't need you," Nuve mutters while flipping his tanker over again. "What was that?" Husk cups his ear. "I've got it handled. I don't need your help," Nuve answers. "Either way, I think I'll stick around for the night, just in case." Husk pats his shoulder condescendingly. He does not seem to trust Nuve in the slightest. "Do as you like." Nuve stands to leave the bar, spinning around on his heels and stomping up the stairs to his room. "What's wrong with him?" the innkeeper asks while crossing his arms in annoyance. "His father was turned into a ghoul when he was ten," Husk answers calmly, startling the innkeeper. "I didn't realize…" "He didn't see him again for a whole year while he survived in the woods," Husk continues. "When he returned to Palinthia, he attacked and killed the boy's mother. Wan and I killed the creature right in front of him." "Wow." The innkeeper's eyes are wide with awe. "That's not something any child should ever have to see." "No it's not," Husk agrees. "He's strong though. Rather than being upset, he channeled his sadness into resolve. He began to train with the intention of becoming a vassal of Wan one day." "Wan? Why not you?" the innkeeper suggests. "Because I wouldn't have him," Husk sighs. "It's nothing personal. I don't have any vassals anymore." "Why not?" The innkeeper is completely absorbed in his story. "They kept dying and leaving me behind," Husk admits. A look of guilt spreads across the innkeeper's face. "I work better alone," Husk assures him. "I don't need unreliable people getting in my way." He is obviously masking his regret with harsh words. The innkeeper does not say anything though. He has already done enough harm by drudging up these memories of Husk's. "Have whatever you want, on the house," he offers. "Thank you." Husk manages another kind smile.

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Next. This story is like a film

please can u send me d link fr the forbidden season 3

WOw, at last

Mr Kruzz,pls kindly post the next episode