The Vampire's Heart (2 page)

Marn-Theun just looks at me with those fiery blue eyes, her face the picture of calm. Her eyes close for a moment as she cast a swift spell; presumably a call for help.

When she opens her eyes again she sees what I am changing into, and though it does not show on her face, I know Marn-Theun must be scared. I can’t attack because of the physical change, but Marn-Theun is too busy with prayers to Calcia to take the advantage. I’m at the crux point of the casting, where my bones and joints are reshaping to accommodate my new figure.

With a painful crack as my spine shifts again, the transformation is completed, and now Sister Marn-Theun isn’t looking at a naked fourteen year old girl anymore, she’s looking at a three foot tall at the shoulder black panther, poised to attack its prey, hungry for far too long to resist.

I pounce and slam into her chest. My front paws drive the air from her lungs and bludgeon her against the wall once again. With her pinned I look into those blue eyes and lash down with my jaws, biting into the soft flesh of her arm. Again and again I bite, but she makes no noise. She just accepts what I’m doing to her. The taste of blood in my mouth is disgusting and I want to be sick, but the venom inside keeps me attacking. The bone splinters with an audible crack, and her arm comes free in my maw. I toss it aside and start on the next limb.

She is still alive and conscious as I gnaw off her other arm and start on her leg. Never once does she cry out. Never once do I get that satisfaction.

The door opens, surprising me. I was too engrossed in my revenge to have foreseen it. The door knocks the body of Theun sideways as a couple of guards storm in. I turn my head to look at them, and they physically wilt when they see my sleek black muscled body covered in blood.

I pad out of the door as the guards are no threat to me. Both rush to help the doomed Sister. I’d wager that none here even recognise what I’ve turned into; the panther was hunted to extinction about three hundred years ago. Its natural home, in the Draeg Woods, was the prime hunting grounds for the sport hunters of Tarse.

I head off down the hallways, passing by countless doors to girls that shouldn’t be here.

***

I’m hurrying along the circular halls, desperately looking for the stairs leading down. The Lighthouse, the place of my imprisonment, is set out with far more complexity than I had originally imagined. I had expected a single ring-shaped corridor with rooms on either side, but what I find is far more difficult to navigate while running. I’ve never had free rein to walk the halls and, as a result, their white washed curved corridors all look the same to me.

I smell close human scents, unhindered by walls and know there are people ahead, guards probably. I slow down and slink closer, sticking close to the wall.

A call echoes out from down the corridor, informing all that one of the girls has escaped her chambers. Suddenly the guards are heading toward me with their swords drawn. Following a few paces behind them is a Father. His name is Holste if I remember correctly, and he is strong with his magic. A deep growl escapes my throat, which brings the trio to a halt. Maybe they’ll just let me pass like the other guards did, not wishing to engage such a beast as I.

I pad forward and their swords are raised to their defence. Looks like I’m going to have to fight. I hear hasty footfalls approaching from the rear; three sets. I have to fight now, and fight fast, or I won’t stand a chance.

I leap forward and high. The guards do not expect my sudden and vicious attack, and my powerful jaws sink into the throat of the first of them, cutting flesh and filling my mouth with blood. His sword flails uselessly at his side. I jerk my neck and rip his throat out. As the dead guard drops to the stone floor, fire erupts down the corridor, emanating from the Father’s hands; the second guard is pressed flat against the wall to avoid the searing heat.

I leap back from the flames, but not quickly enough. They catch my face and body, causing my ear, eye and entire right flank to burn. I roar in pain and feel the muscles shriek in agony as I once more surge forward, my sight partially ruined. I have no choice but to continue now, through necessity of life. If I don’t make it out I will die tonight. I knock the Father from his feet and race off around the corridor, hurtling as fast as my damaged side can carry me. While I run I stretch out with my magic, easing the damage caused by the flames.

As I follow a wide arcing corridor my trophy slowly slides into view before my working eye. I run for the steps with extra vigour and immediately head down the switchback, crashing into the walls at each turn, moving too fast to be safe and needing to go faster because my life depends on it.

As I reach the bottom of the stairwell I begin looking around madly for the open world and the night air. I can smell it now. I follow the scent out of the ‘well, ignoring the offset stairs that lead further down, and move into another arced corridor. I’m halfway to the end of the corridor when I see it. The main doors are made of great dark oak and wreathed in costly iron for added strength.

The doors are closing ponderously as a couple of guards slowly heave them shut. My legs are working madly to get me there. There isn’t going to be enough time so I tense for impact and turn my head aside.

I thud into the doors at tremendous speed, opening them and sending the guards sprawling. I feel my bones fracture where the iron studs connect with my feline skeletal structure. Limping forward, I move out into the night. The courtyard gate is closed, but that should not pose much of a problem. I run to the back of the Lighthouse where the rocky ocean cliffs offer greater protection than the wall. The sea glistens in the spark-light. With every step pain flares throughout my body. I’m in no state to escape yet.

I pull my magic within me and concentrate it to the areas of my body that need healing, repairing it as quickly as I can. Bones de-fracture, muscles loosen and my eye shifts in its socket. The burns ease tremendously to allow a clouded vision. The hair re-grows on my flank and I’m once again capable of escape.

I run directly at the wall, hearing the stomp of guards’ feet as I do. I leap as high as I can; latching my claws into the mortar holding the vast lumps of stone together. I immediately begin my ascent. The climb is forty feet of terror. I know that guards are waiting to slaughter me if I fall, but I must make it before the Calcians can cast their offensive magics against me. I scramble onto the top of the wall as the first of the prepared spells is unleashed in my direction. With no time to think, I leap from the wall.

The ground rushes towards me and I thank Herne and his horns that I chose this form. I hit the ground and my feline reflexes take up any damage that should have been.

Shaken, I race off into the night, not knowing my direction other than that it is away from my murderers. My plan went a little awry somewhere along the line.

***

I have run for a night and a day, and now night once again claims the sky. I glance behind me at the shaft of light emanating from the Lighthouse. It has shone for the past one thousand five hundred years, ever since the end of the Calcian War; it was said that the goddess Calcia plucked out her own eye so that she could watch Gatheck and protect her Heart. Nowadays the Calcians prefer to think of it as purely metaphor: the idea of Calcia injuring herself to view the world when she could just turn up whenever she desires seems ridiculous to them.

Focussing my mind, I see the faint smudge of woodland ahead slowly growing as I flit over the land towards them, though they are still some thirty miles distant.

I’ve figured I’m travelling southeast from the position of the North Point, the brightest blue spark in the sky. I don’t know the makeup of the land this side of the Gatheck Range as before I was sent to the Lighthouse I lived my whole life in and around Rudra, the great eastern city. Thinking of my erstwhile home brings the Circle of Calcia to mind. It is the Circle I fear: those who wish to convert all to their cause. At least the Descendants only wish for the non-believers to be slaughtered.

Soon I’ll be amongst the trees and safe. Its dense formation and thick canopy will protect me from any prying eyes. I just hope I don’t run into anyone in those woods.

How long am I going to have to hide there? How long before I can go home? Can I even go home? My parents sent me to the Lighthouse, so will they accept me now that I’ve escaped? So many questions and not a single answer for any of them.

1,543 days until the birth of a god

6
^th
day of Spring-Fall, 1533

Creeping forward slowly, and keeping low to the ground. I don’t make a noise. I haven’t been seen yet, and I know I can do this. I’ve got to.

I sniff at its scent and see the relaxed muscles under its skin and hair. They are muscles that could bunch and flee with tremendous speed at any moment. I creep further still, closing in on the grazing creature. I get to the point where I think I can jump atop my unsuspecting victim.

The wind suddenly changes and it turns, sees me with a dark glassy eye, and bolts. I pursue it at breakneck speeds through the vicious woodland. Thorny bushes and low hanging branches scratch at my face and body as I chase after my prey. I ignore them and race on. I follow hard on its heels, but I don’t have the energy to keep up the chase. I crash to the moist forest floor, as a root catches my leg, and skid painfully and abruptly to a stop. My chest heaves air in after the strenuous chase.

My body burns as the blood courses through my veins and arteries. I’m tired, so tired. I’ll just close my eyes for a while, then I’ll cast again; give myself the strength to continue. I just need to rest for a while. Rebuild my magical stamina.

I’m so tired.

***

I can’t continue like this, these woods will be the end of me. But at least the woods hold a better ending for me. How can such an ending not be better, compared with the end that awaited me at the Lighthouse. At least here, amongst nature, it is peaceful. It would be silent but for the noises of animals foraging, birds flying about and singing their morning songs, and the trees talking to each other in their hugely drawn out deep creaking voices. Every sound is completely at home amongst the dense trees.

I am now at home too. This is where my final memories will be of; these woods that I cannot name. This place will take my body and return it to the air, ground, and water of Gatheck. Rudra is not my home, I have no family there. My family would not have put me in this situation.

I open my eyes. The early morning sun makes the leaves glow above me. I feel the inherent magic in the woods energising me, but it’s too little too late, I have no more desire to continue.

I lost everything when I was sent to the Lighthouse, and now I want the woods to take the last thing I have: my body. I close my eyes and let the magic go. I sense it seeping into the world around me. I know the gods will welcome me into the Summerland. I have lived as well as I could. I have lived as myself, never trying to change who I am for the sake of others. I have done everything the gods have asked of me, and so now I go to join them.

“
You are in the Brangaine Woods, directly east of here is the city of Tomam. There you will find the path you should walk. We are with you, and as always, we guide you and we protect you.”

“
Herne?”

My mumble evokes no answer. I don’t even have the strength to open my eyes and look at whoever has found me, but the voice was hollow, dry and deep. It was a voice of death.

I lift a hand to my head and run my fingers through my tangled hair. I barely even noticed my body painfully change back to my natural human form. I open my eyes, sit up and glance around, suddenly feeling more energetic and alive than I have in years. There is nobody in sight.

Getting up, I check for tracks; to my surprise, there are none. The only evidence I find of anyone ever being here, aside from myself, is a bundle of rough furs some five feet away. When I pick them up I feel the magic contained within them course through me, enriching my own magic and refreshing and calming my body and mind. I check them over and find that they have been sewn to fit a human.

I put the furs on which fit perfectly and instantly drive out the slight spring chill. I smile to myself. It must have been Herne; the green man of the woods, the horned god. He is my patron god after all. It stands to reason that he would look out for me.

I turn and walk east towards Tomam, full of energy and the zest of life. I can hardly believe that only moments ago I was contemplating letting go of this beautiful world. I smile to myself. I’m prepared to take on anything... Well, anything except Calcians; I’d like some time off from them.

The First Chapter

- Lys-Karalis -

96 days until the birth of a god

The 13
^th
day of Winter-Fall, 1537

There is darkness and a musty smell. My eyes quickly grow accustomed to the dark. I see wood only inches from my face. Instinctively I know where I am. I’m in a coffin.

There must be a mistake. I’m not dead, I’m very much alive. A vague memory flits across my mind. I recall a beautiful and elegant woman. She is my wife.