Chapter Four ~Cret~

I hardly remembered the manor in its current state, the once bright stones that amassed the grand place looked so dulled, chipped, and weathered on the edges. Large wood beams made out of the mighty ash oaks from the Naxus Highlands supporting this once beautiful manor and running along the ceiling, now looked rotten and splintered. They gave off a warning creak under the harsh winds that had blown in when the rain started again. I feared this whole structure might collapse far before its time.

It had only been a decade or so since I last walked these halls and it was nothing like it was or should have been. Stone and wood didn't age this quickly without something aiding the decay. It had to be this awful presence, the same one that welcomed me into the valley, causing this level of rot. It was so strong here in the manor that it was causing my breath to catch in my throat, and with each step toward meeting the mysterious lord I felt the unmistakable pull of darkness.

When Serenity came to collect me at the temple I knew the lord she was referring to wasn't Davros, from what Magunis said Davros' death was the source of all this misfortune. At least that was the superstitious tale that people in the valley were telling, and by now the stories had reached all of the northern region of the Vrasum Province. I was fortunate enough to know better than to believe such fairytales. The reality of what was happening was far worse. Still people gave an air of fiction to the real events happening here with all the flare of a storyteller, full of exaggeration and dramatic ramblings to distance these very undeniable events from reality. Playing them out as some type of a fantasy.

Magunis, in the most dramatic voice he could muster, spoke of an unseasonable storm that entered the valley off the lake front and settled just overhead. Storms were nothing new but they rarely approached from the lake, and at this time of year it was unheard of. The most disturbing element of this strange storm was it had yet to pass. The clouds looming above Tentusa were the same from that day over a week ago. After that Lady Victoria had been kidnapped, and then returned the next morning in a strange series of events, but it wasn't until Lord Davros was murdered that terror took root in the city.

From what Magunis said many of the people believed Lord Davros' murder cursed this land, and the storm was a warning. They were right in some regard, the storm clouds were a warning. Lands with holy beacons like the temple in Tentusa often had a natural defense against things like vampires or any other creature that slithered their way out of the Underworld. The divine that protected this place were still trying to wash away the vampires tainted presence from the land and that was the reason the storm clouds remained.

Magunis said the storm raged like it never had before, reports of whole structures being washed away or blown over came flooding in from the outer rim of the valley, but the city had its own problems. A beast was ravaging the streets. Everyone that came in contact with the thing had perished, including Rhea. The next morning Marcus vanished and Lady Victoria fell ill—no one had seen her since. Giving this new lord a chance to take the seat of power. I could understand how people were speaking of curses and the gods’ wrath. These events were strange even for vampires.

What do you have planed Serenity?

Death and destruction always followed her, as did the Vamdari. This man…This lord she was taking me to see had to be a vampire lord. One of four most powerful beings in all the Vampire Nation. They would be the only ones Serenity would take orders from or even regard with the title of 'lord'. The question still remained, which lord was it?

Lord Mathus ruled at the top of the Vampire Nation as overlord, rumors were he had the very first vampire overlord killed by his own daughter. His powers of manipulation and constant scheming were how he kept his throne, a lowly gift but one that served him well.

Next in rank was Mistress Valorize, a beauty that worried constantly about the awful physical effects of being an immortal vampire. Her specialties laid in magical growth, expanding the nation through increased knowledge of the darker arts. Paired with her brother's, Delvorias, immeasurable strength, they were undefeatable. The one making up for the shortcomings of the other. These two were loyal to their overlord and served him well.

The final lord that made up the top of the vampire's food chain was someone no one knew. Male, female, powerful, magical, there was no knowing what or who they were. The only thing years of research and generations of searching had yielded for the Opsona on this mysterious ruler was that they commanded the Vamdari. Their hidden ruler always in the shadows, but more focused and determined than any of the other three lords.

The Opsona had been trying for centuries to learn the identity of this person without success, even Rhea lended herself over to the impossible task. It was her life's mission aside from protecting Tentusa. She even recruited the Bouchari to aid her. Small sneaky devilish little creatures with spotted fur and large pointed ears that looked too big for their small heads and tiny bodies. Their eyes were always wide open, watching everything around them like a keen owl. They were known for making trouble around the borders between the planes, but their knowledge and fact gathering skills were astonishing. These creatures knew anything that happened, from the most current Underworld leaders in all thirty realms, to why a small child in a random mortal village was crying. Despite all this ability not even they were able to tell us one detail about this mysterious lord.

What are they hiding?

Anticipation tickled down my spine as I followed the guards. In these next few seconds I might discover the most closely guarded secret in all of the Underworld. The idea filled me with pride. I would do what no other Opsona could, and with that my place within their clans would have to be acknowledged.

But at what price? I reminded myself.

Yes I would discover something but to ignore the warning signs, the awful feeling that had settled in my gut would be dangerous. I would pay for walking so willingly into this place, but I didn't see any other way. I needed answers and I was never mistaken for the subtle type.

We came to a large wooden door stained in a deep ash finish and carved in intricate detail with birds, hills, and a few smaller land creatures that were native to this area. The two guards in front of me placed their hands upon the beautiful piece of artwork ready to push them open. Excitement swelled in my chest.

I took a deep breath as the door inched open at a torturous pace. Serenity's sage lavender scent filled my already fully aware body adding to the thrillingly tense moments. I suddenly became aware of how closely she was following behind me, and having her so close was distracting me from the danger I was about to face. I couldn't be distracted. I had to focus if I wanted to survive in this manor.

Cold air rushed past as the door opened. Never ending blackness laid before me. Was it because no candles had been lit due to the early time of day, or from what resided just inside?

Caution took hold of my mind, stifling the over stimulated glee that came from the unknown before me. I wanted to rush in like a child awaiting some grand surprise, but I needed to be careful. Any faltered expression or movement. Any lie that was not told with complete confidence could give me away.

“After you, boy.” Serenity mocked, her playful way of belittling me was starting to wear on my not-so-patient side.

I'm so far from a boy. I'll have to educate you… Later. A thought which brought an inappropriate smirk to my covered face.

This room had been made to receive guests, villagers, or the casual traveler that was special enough to stand before Lord Davros. Without responding I entered the room, fully expecting to see some large brooding figure standing at the far end where chairs, like thrones, had been arranged. Instead the only thing that greeted me was nothing. Just an empty hall full of shadows, or it would appear that way.

I couldn't make out a figure with the shadows in the room, but I could see the truth of it now. The blackness of this room was not due to lack of light. The windows that lined the right side of the hall sat at an angle, allowing for the most light to filter in without the need of fire or candles. Even with the clouded sky above, illumining rays still streamed into the hall, but they did little to penetrate the darkness.

It was dense and thick, like a heavy fog that often covered the lake in the early morning hours just before sunrise. It blocked out every fraction of light that tried to fight against it, gathering in density toward the area behind the chairs. This was where the lord was. Hiding in the shadows like they always did.

To mortals and any other thing that would look upon this room their vision would be much different. They would no doubt see a room full of sunlight and a person standing in the weak dull shadow of the mock thrones, unable to see the intensity of the true darkness. The only hint they would have to the true nature of this person would be the odd feeling of unease. For those whom were sensitive to supernatural creatures, the feeling would be more intense, but no one outside of my father's lineage could see what I saw.

There was a veil, a thick wall between the planes. A voided space where nothing and noone could live aside from shadows. It was a place where reality became distorted but truth could never hide. It hugged around every living thing on every plane and I could see it all, a gift and curse. I need only look closely at someone or something, read the shadowed presences of its voided self and I could tell everything. From emotions to intentions, I read the darkness like mystics read auras, like seers pulled fortunes from their rippled reflections in looking pools. This shadow had nothing to give. Nothing but a warning of power.

It didn't just surround the person hiding away just before me, but swallowed the whole room with its presence. I was sure it could even extend beyond this room, that was the overwhelming force I glimpsed from this thing. I narrowed my eyes onto the focal point of the shadow, but even then the dark mass of black and blues twisted and distorted in ways to avoid analysis. This lord was clever. A puzzle that needed to be solved, much like my mysterious raven beauty.

A thought jumped into my mind when Serenity crossed into my thoughts. An itch to turn and witness how this black entity responded to her pulled at my will, but I refused myself that knowledge. It was better if I didn't know the connection between Serenity and the lord. I had an nagging suspicion they were bonded, linked by a sire and underling relationship, and seeing this intimidating mass of evil snaking through her would send me over the edge. I couldn't take that. It would only serve to draw out my odd possessive nature when it came to Serenity.

But if I did look, just gave a casual glance, I could solve yet another troubling mystery of the vampire world.

Who sired Serenity?

There had been documents upon documents of speculation, all in an effort to find out how Serenity gained her unusually powerful abilities and strength. The only thing the Opsona could conclude was it had to be one of the four lords. Powers from sires sometimes passed to the underling. It was rare since most vampires developed their own traits and skills over time, and the only thing similar between sire and underling was eye color. A mark of ownership, but Serenity was different. At least that was what many Opsona Elders thought.

The only way she could be so strong was if a lord's pure blood had sired her. That would allow for her increased amount of skill. Still there must have been something about Serenity before that to draw the attention of a lord. Being sired by one of the four was unheard of, a mark of honor only a very select few had ever had. Most initiates were granted immortal life by the highest rank just beneath the lords. So what was it about her that singled her out among all the rest?

I ventured another step forward into the room before taking a low bow. I couldn't see the person but I knew they were there. Showing respect might be the only way to prolong my death.

"What business do you have here, child?" The deep sharp male voice filled the room echoing out of the nothingness before me.

Without raising my head I answered in the most timid voice I could—it wasn't hard with this overwhelming thing lurking about. "My teacher summoned me to complete my training."

It was a lie and Serenity knew it. I could feel those questioning eyes burning into my back, those awful bright blue ones she so often wore in mortal company. It was disgraceful to see her hiding that pure beauty I had come to long for, but I was doing the very same thing. Not with magic but with all this clothing hiding the marks of my legacy, concealing the truth of whom I was.

"Rhea is dead boy," the voice said again as a pale hand slithered out of the shadows and into a beam of stray light. Long slender fingers of perfection extended in my direction. "As my servant has no doubt already informed you."

On mark Serenity appeared from the corner of my vision as I straightened from my bow, making her way to the man reaching out. Her small hand slid into his, the sweet olive hue of her skin a hard contrast against the pale complexion of the other. A growl rumbled deep inside of me as that possessive nature of mine stirred. I could never understand my actions when it came to Serenity. She drew something out in me that had a will of its own. I had no claim to her, but still the idea of him, this person touching her sent jealousy boiling through my body.

When those long fingers clasped around her hand I had to draw my view away to keep the jealous growl from raising to the surface.

“So I have come to understand,” I replied, glad my voice was muffled by the scarf wrapped around my face so they couldn't hear the anger building in my voice. “Might I inquire about the manner of her death?"

"First you will answer one of my questions," the mysterious lord countered. "What is your name? I would like to know whom I am addressing."

I answered without thinking. My real name rushed from my lips in a mad fury to get this line of questioning over with, "Cret Rebryn, and yours?"

"The beast took her."

The tone in his voice made it clear this introduction would be one sided, I would have to learn his name through other means.

I looked back in his direction. I wanted to know about this beast. If it took Rhea's life then I would take its. The second I saw the two pairs of bright blue eyes beaming out of the shadows rage over took my need for information.

Serenity was standing there beside this man, their actions hidden in the dark. He could be touching her. Feeling her like I so wanted to. That bastard!

“She died begging the thing for her life. Ripped limb from limb and left to rot in the streets. That is what happened to your teacher.” The lord's words were cruel and unnecessary. My hate was already focused on him, he didn't have to say anything.

My father's heritage rippled deep inside me, my vision faded to something that could best be described as the color of insane rage. I would make this man pay for what happened to Rhea, even if it wasn't under his orders. I would kill him to avenge my teacher, and then I would rip him apart for touching what was mine.

I could feel my fanged teeth drip with saliva aching to taste this man's blood, my muscles pulsed with extra adrenaline as my rage forced itself outward into my body. Bulking my slender build into something that was far stronger and more menacing in appearance. They could see none of it from the clothes I wore, but I knew Serenity could sense it. She could feel my body change and the murderous intentions I had by the way she took a step forward, putting her half in the light and shadow. She was ready to attack as much as I was.

The thought of battle. No. The thought of battling her was twistedly arousing. My body itched to test my skills against Serenity's. Our heated passions displayed in a series of adrenaline fueled attacks had me growing erect.

"Stay the night," the lord in the shadows commanded. His booming voice refocusing me and stilling the rage, but it did little to stop the throb in my pants. "Tend to your teacher in the morning. It's far too dangerous to wander in the valley this late in the afternoon. Night comes swift."

There was a slight chuckle in his last words that brought bile up into my throat, but I nodded my head in agreement. I still have things to do here. I tried to justify it to my head. Really, my reasoning was far less rational. I would kill this man and show Serenity who her real lord was.