Chapter 446: Chapter 443: The Interesting Kind of People

Chapter 443: The Interesting Kind of People

 

  22 Years Ago…

 

  Aurelia leaned her arms over a marble balcony of the Silver Keep and stared out at the sprawling city of Evenfall below. Night had already come, yet the streets were alight with lanterns and the torches of the festival-goers. 

  She swirled her chalice around and stared at the rippling bloodwine, deep in thought. The balcony door swung open loudly behind her.

  “There you are. I was beginning to think you had slinked off back to the temple,” Sabina said and joined her next to the balcony railing.

  Aurelia shrugged, not even bothering to glance up at her mentor. “I wish, but you asked me to attend this silly party, so here I am.”

  “Would you rather be down there? With the rest of the tribes? The Festival of the Moon should be celebrated with friends— and family, if you have it.” 

  Aurelia chuckled sourly, “I have no family here.”

  “Your brother didn’t come?”

  “He sent a letter. He is with my mother.”

  “How is her condition?” Sabinia asked gently.

  “...She’s gotten worse the last few months.”

  “I’m very sorry to hear that... You know, you can always take some time away from the Celestial Shrine; visit her, no one would doubt your dedication to the temple.”

  “No,” Aurelia shook her head. “I’m better off here, learning more about healing spells from the temple’s archives. Soon, I’ll find a cure, I know it.”

  Sabina smiled. “The Blood Fang chieftain is lucky to have a daughter like you.”

  Aurelia nodded stiffly. “Thanks…” she mumbled.

  Sabina placed her hand on her pupil’s shoulder, “The Elects don’t realize it yet, but the world is changing. Your potent prime magic is proof of that. We need the younger generations to come into their own, now more than ever.”

  Aurelia glanced back through the balcony door, at the hall full of goblin leaders carousing at the party. “Speaking of the Lunar Elect and change of times, the council is growing old. It’s only a matter of time before they’ll all be replaced, including the Silver Mother. We’ll need to prepare for when that happens.”

  “Oh?” Sabina smiled knowingly. “Go on.”

  “As First Mother of the Celestial Shrine, everyone knows you are first in line to be the next Silver Mother, but there are others eyeing that seat of power. We must prepare for the inevitable outcome; someone will dare challenge your claim.”

  Sabina sipped her wine, “The Silver Mother has several years left in her old bones, I reckon. My claim is not something we need worry about, for now.”

  “But—”

  “You worry too much,” Sabina smiled wryly. “But I like that about you. You can never be too prepared, hm?”

  “There you are, Auri!” Virella called out and rushed into the balcony. “What are you doing out here—? Oh! Uh, sorry, First Mother, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “No, please do. This one seems to have forgotten the meaning of fun,” Sabina patted Aurelia’s back. “Enjoy the party you two.” She sipped her wine and walked back into the hall.

  Virella waited until Sabina was out of sight before rushing over to Aurelia and hugging her tightly. “Auri, I was so worried! You left me at the gate and disappeared. ~I thought you abandoned me!~”

  “Get off me.”

  “~But what if you run away again?~”

  Aurelia opened her mouth and sank her teeth into her friend’s shoulder.

  “Aguahh!” Virella screamed and fell back. “Shit, that really hurts!” she cried while rubbing her shoulder. “I think you even drew blood this time.”

  “I told you to get off.” Aurelia wiped her bloody lips with the back of her hand. “So, what do you want anyway? Shouldn’t you be back in there mingling with the other acolytes, shamans, and whatnot?”

  “And leave you by yourself on the balcony all broody? I don’t think so.”

  Aurelia smiled wryly. “Vi, I only came to the party because Mother Sabina requested it of me. There is nothing interesting there for me. Just a bunch of Sylvan officials posturing and preening themselves.”

  “Look I get it, but do you really have no interest in getting to know the most powerful leaders among all the tribes? This is your chance to make powerful connections. Connections that could very much help you someday.”

  “I’d rather be back at the temple training.”

  “Ugh,” Virella rolled her eyes. “Does nothing truly interest you besides training?”

  “Magic.”

  “That doesn’t count, it’s still part of training,” she huffed.

  “Then no.”

  “Argh, you’re hopeless!” Virella’s eyes suddenly lit up, “Oh! Did you hear about the intruder?”

  Aurelia rolled her eyes. “How could I not? It’s all any of the younger acolytes are talking about. It’s quite annoying really.”

  Virella grinned excitedly, “How much do you know about it?”

  Aurelia sighed. “Some stupid drow climbed over the steep mountain slopes and managed to enter the city, only to be caught by the guards.”

  “And you don’t find that amazing?”

  “That some idiot wandered into our mountain? You know it happens every couple of years. There’s always a vampire or drow idiot searching for treasure, adventure, or some such nonsense.”

  “But he climbed the slopes—”

  “Come on, Vi. Do you really believe that? He didn’t actually climb over the slopes, he probably just slipped through one of the abandoned tunnel shafts and found himself in Evenfall, that’s it.”

  “Okay, fair, but what about the battle?”

  “What? You mean when the guards captured him? I heard he gave himself up the moment they showed up. Not much of a fight if you ask me. I don’t blame him, no one wants to be riddled with a bunch of arrows and spears. But you know as well as I do, outsiders aren’t allowed to live within the city. And since the guards have probably finished questioning him, that fool of a drow is a headless corpse by now.”

  Virella smiled wide with a shit-eating grin, “You haven’t heard, have you?”

  Aurelia stared at her suspiciously. “What are you talking about?”

  “He didn’t just ‘give up.’ When he entered the city he was caught by Arden of the Frost Whisper tribe!”

  “Arden? The Arden.”

  Virella nodded, “They say he’s already as powerful as the Shaman Elect and as vicious as the Warrior Elect.”

  “And Arden didn’t kill the intruder?”

  “That’s just it,” she shook excitedly. “Arden lost.”

  “What?”

  “Arden was completely beaten, he couldn’t even land a scratch! The guards were terrified. And right before beating Arden to death, the intruder stopped and gave himself up!”

  Aurelia frowned. “Sounds like he collapsed from exhaustion after fighting Arden.”

  Virella crossed her arms, “No. It doesn’t sound like that at all. And what’s more, one of the acolytes working at the Keep told me that he’s been confined to a cell, but the higher-ups say they are going to let him live!”

  “That can’t be… Outsiders are strictly forbidden,” she muttered.

  “Oh, and get this! I hear he isn’t even a drow!”

  “Then what is he?”

  Virella glanced around conspicuously. “Something not from this realm,” she whispered.

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  “That’s ridiculous,” Aurelia said in a deadpan voice.

  “Hehe, yeah, I know, but I got your attention, didn’t I?”

  “Shut up,” she shoved her away playfully.

  Virella laughed, “So you coming in or what?”

  “When I finish my drink.”

  “~Okaaay~ Just don’t keep me waiting too long.” Virella raised her glass in acknowledgment and sauntered back into the party.

  Aurelia smiled wryly at her friend’s bubbly attitude. Sometimes she wished it were that easy for herself. Aurelia swished her chalice around and stared at the bloodwine inside. “What am I even doing here…?” she hissed quietly in frustration.

  I should be back at the temple training, searching for a cure.

  “I’m sorry, Vi.” Making up her mind, Aurelia placed the chalice on the balcony railing and turned to leave the party altogether.

  “If you’re not going to finish that, do you mind if I do?” a lighthearted voice called out from above.

  Aurelia jumped, startled at the voice, and looked up.

  A young man, dressed in loose pale clothing sat atop one of the castle’s spires that loomed over the balcony. 

  Aurelia stared at him, confused, “How did you—?”

  Without a word, he jumped off the spire and fell down. Just as he was about to crash horribly into the balcony, he twisted his body midair and landed softly on the railing. Like some sort of acrobat he walked atop the narrow railing, and stooped down and picked up Aurelia’s chalice.

  “You’re the intruder…” she muttered warily.

  “Visitor,” he corrected and raised the chalice to his nose. He swished the cup around and took a deep breath, “Hm, that’s a pungent scent.”

  “That’s because it’s bloodwine, you can’t drink it—”

  He downed the whole cup and smacked his lips together, “Ah, yes, I can taste the strikingly powerful metallic flavors. Odd but refreshing. Hm, I think I like it.”

  Aurelia stared at him, surprised, “You downed the whole glass… Why aren’t you throwing up?”

  “Why aren’t you throwing up? It’s your drink.”

  “I’m part vampire.”

  “Ah, let’s go with that then.”

  She raised her eyebrow skeptically. “You’re part vampire?”

  He shrugged and tossed the empty cup off the balcony. “Can’t I be?”

  “You don’t look like a vampire.” 

  And come to think of it, as Aurelia got a closer look at him she realized he didn’t look like a drow either.

  The stranger in turn looked her up and down, “Apologies, but you don’t really evoke the ‘vampire-esque’ appearance either.”

  Aurelia hissed, “And yet, vampiric blood runs strongly through my veins.”

  “Yes, I see that now,” he said dryly. “The fangs, hissing, and all that fun stuff.” He wiggled two fingers in front of his mouth in clear mockery of the teeth in question.

  Aurelia glared at him. “Alright, you have five seconds to explain what you’re doing out of your prison cell or I’m going to—”

  “—I wanted a better view. The cell’s window was quite small, honestly, the entire cell was quite cramped. It didn’t suit me.”

  “So you just escaped?” she asked in disbelief.

  “Escape is such a strong word. I simply walked out. Quite easily I might add. You’d be surprised how fragile prison walls are nowadays.”

  “Bullshit. The Keep’s cells are reinforced with several layers of arch-level enchantments.”

  “Are they now? Huh. Could have fooled me.” He shrugged, placed his hands behind his head, and fell back and off the balcony.

  “Wait, don’t—!” Aurelia yelled and reached out in a panic.

  But he didn’t fall. The heels of his crossed feet were resting comfortably on the railing, while his body was reclined over nothing but air. He should have dropped like a rock but he didn’t, almost as if the air was solid. “In any case,” he continued casually, “this view is much better.”

  “Who are you?”

  He glanced at her and smiled brightly, “You must be Aurelia Veres, yes? A daughter of Blood Fang?”

  Veres? 

  She took a step back. “How did you—?”

  “The white hair, hard to miss. Aaand all that vampire stuff you were spouting might have helped tip me off.”

  Blue mana slowly filled Aurelia’s hands, storm magic ready to strike at a moment’s notice. “What do you want with me?” she asked cautiously.

  “Hm? Oh, nothing at all. Except maybe to pay my respects, I suppose. Stryga was a great person, well, she was batshit crazy really, but she was— friendly…? Sometimes…? Gods, I’m not very good at this. Sorry.”

  “You knew my grandmother?” she whispered, shocked.

  “I had the pleasure of meeting her once or twice. Very conflicted that one was. On one hand, she was like, ‘Why must people kill each other? War is bad, bleh, bleh, bleh.’ And on the other hand, she was all like, ‘I am the sword of Veres and I shall always be loyal to my House. Serious Face!’ Then of course she went ahead and razed in an entire goddamn city. Crazy, I tell you.”

  Aurelia curled her fists. No one spoke of her grandmother like that, no one. Lightning crackled around her fingers.

  The stranger suddenly threw his arms up into the air and laughed. Not the forced laughter that many used to feign appearances, nor the laughter that came from simple amusement. It was the laughter that burst from deep within one’s chest, free of any restraint, a contagious sound that spread from one heart to the next. He laughed and laughed, unmindful of Aurelia’s anger, as if she wasn’t even there.

  Slowly, Aurelia felt her anger drain away from her. She felt uncertain about killing a laughing man.

  “You know,” he wiped a mirthful tear from his eye, “For all her scars, Stryga was one of the rare few kinds of people, that if you're lucky, you get to meet in your life.”

  “…And what kind of people are those?” she asked after a moment.

  “The interesting kind.”

  Aurelia blinked. “You’re serious?”

  “I always am,” he smiled. “You should head back inside, your friend is looking for you.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “I may not have pointy ears like you, but I’d wager my ears are sharper than yours.”

  She frowned, “If you think you can just—”

  “Thanks for the drink. Aurelia.” He closed his eyes, leaned back, and let himself fall. 

  “Wait! I didn’t—!”

  The door opened and Virella walked back onto the balcony. “Auri, how long are you going to stay out here? You’re gonna catch a cold.”

  Aurelia stared out at the empty balcony. “I didn’t catch your name…” she whispered.

 

 

 

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