Chapter 32: Ch. 31 – Eve of Scattering

POV: Darius

"Urgh, I'm here again?"
"Doctor! He's awake!", I hear one of the nurses screaming.
"Quick, fetch a rope before he runs off again!"
Doc, keep such jokes to yourself.
"Could you stop shouting? My head hurts already enough!"

The doctor comes over and performs a quick check-up, "how are you feeling?"
"As I said my head hurts a lot. What happened this time?"
"I was hoping you could tell me, Darius. You've been out for a whole day. Well, a few hours more than that, it is evening right now and you were brought here around noon."

Did I really run into a vampire progenitor there or was that just a bad dream? Please be the latter. We're in no shape to deal with such a legendary creature. Especially if my suspicion is true and Therese has betrayed us...

No, that was clearly a dream. There's no way I would be alive after a hostile vampire bites me. That's simply not possible.

"Did the one that brought me here not say anything?"
"Nothing in particular. Though among them was the silver one, Jared. He said he had something to talk to you about."
Wait, so it wasn't a dream? ...what is going on here?
"When will I be released?"
"I'd like to keep you for another week here but knowing you you'll disappear on me if I take my eyes off of you."

The last time I ignored his orders I almost died, I should really do what he says for once.
"...I promise I'll stay put AFTER I take care of a thing or two, doc."
"*sigh* You're impossible, you know that? At least stay in bed for today and when you leave on your trip take some escorts with you - and not the duty derelict kind from yesterday!"
"Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks."
"I swear... each and every time you're here you make me question my oath", he shakes his head and leaves.

The next day around noon I get visited by some of my men. I again order them to accompany me. After I discharge myself to the nurse's chagrin we make our way to the vault.

Despite everything, I have a plan to deal with the progenitor. I've spent most of the time I was awake thinking about my options and this is the only one I can see. Though I don't like the consequences of that plan either. But given what I have to deal with it is still the lesser of two evils.

"Darius?", Marc greets me in the vault, "I thought you're still getting treatment in the medical center?"
"I am, well, I'll go back there later. I just must deal with something important first."
"Can't you leave that to Therese?"
Even if she wasn't potentially a traitor this is a burden I have to bear myself.

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"No, that is too important to leave to anyone else. I must do that personally."
"Alright, so what can I help you with?"
"I need a specific artifact from the vault - can you give me the inventory list so I can check where it is?"

The redhead scratches his beard, "uh, sure. I hope you've prepared the paperwork for the retrieval of such a high-class item?"
"...I'll do that once I'm properly discharged by the doc."
"Darius, whatever will we do with you... I guess it is that important?"
"Yeah, it is. No way around it."
"Fine, whatever. Just make sure you actually finish the paperwork this time. Let's see... here's the list."
"Thanks. So it is... in that section."
"What are you looking for... wait, that thing?"
"Exactly. The banishment crystal."
"I haven't heard of a big undefeatable monster appearing - what do you intend to use it on?"

I can't tell you that old friend. Your lips are even looser than mine and I can't risk the target getting advance warning or panic breaking out, "sorry, Marc, but that is above your paygrade."
"That's... I hope you know what you're doing."
"So do I."

Marc leads me to the indicated item and confirms that I've retrieved it, "there you go. Now don't do anything dumb with it. This is the last charge it has. The other two charges supposedly got our people through some pretty nasty situations in the past. Whatever you plan to do with it, make it count."
"That is the plan."

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