Shackles Of The Past

Chapter 21- World of vampires

The gods are deaf,

to the prayers of the wicked.

~Ovid.

***

As time passed and Xavier failed to return, Ariel suddenly felt uneasy as it was getting late. He looked around, unnoticeable. “Where’s Xavier?” he finally asked, not pleased by the time he had spent. He should’ve returned by now. Knowing Xavier’s full nature, he wouldn’t spend much time on a whore, even if he was as drunk as hell.

“Busy with distractions,” Rheon deadpanned, obviously not interested in his whereabouts.

“Mm,” he said, looking around, his eyes following every bit of naked whore gallivanting around the brothel. He took the cup to his mouth, staring at their bare breasts.

“You should take one,” Rheon said, and Ariel turned to face him. Then he raised his brow and dropped down his cup.

“Yeah, I should,” Ariel said. “So I can line up bunch of debts for my last living successor.”

“Let me see, what is he going to inherit? Your clothes, your shoes, or perhaps… your debtors?”

“My skill.” He said, grinning next. Then he returned to face the whores. His eyes roamed around a bit, taking in every detail he needed to reabsorb and increasing the heat he felt by temptation.

With the help of the music, it gave him certain sensation that leveled the amount he had drank and the looks he kept passing to whores who either blushed at him and made lustful movements as a gesture or eyed him from afar. But he just kept observing, the fun of it until he saw a red-haired walk in. And his eyes lit up. “Look who we have here…”

Rheon, who heard him say, looked up from his drink and followed his line of sight until he spotted a red-haired girl in disguise as a man. She walked in, surveying her surrounding and giving that aura of a foreigner.

He almost laughed at how big those clothes were, but his laughter slowly faded off when he realized whose clothes those belongs too. Wasn’t that…?

“Isn’t that…”

“Hell yeah, a red-haired. Xavier’s dream woman,” Ariel said, taking down the last liquid in his cup until the last drop. Then he slammed it on the table. “Just that this time, I’m taking this red-haired. Let’s see if that cunt tastes better as how he describes them to be.” He fumbled with his belt and rose from his seat.

“Oh…” Rheon said, brushing off the feeling. Maybe it was just his messy thoughts, he convinced himself. Then he looked away.

But just then, a whore rushed in, almost scattering their table. “Wow, easy there,” Rheon snapped. “You’ll pay if-”

They recognized her. Wasn’t she the one Xavier had left with?

“Y-your friend, he-,” she spoke in rasped breath, not thinking clearly. Then she looked up, “That’s she! The one who had hit-”

Ariel’s eyes darkened, giving off this aura that scarred the poor girl. “Where’s is Xavier?”

“S-she-” she pointed towards the red-haired that had begun walking towards another direction, her eyes fixed on a particular client in the midst of other whores. “She had killed your friend!”

“Who?” Rheon rose along, following her direction. And it was the red-haired who had just entered.

Meanwhile, the first thing that got to Elvera’s hearing was the chatter and the noises filled in the place. She moved her nostrils, not liking the smell surrounding this place. It was thick with something different. The strange people on the couch, in company of… females. She thought.

Her eyes looked around, searching for the inn keeper. But what passed her view was a female walking around naked, with giggles slightly uncomfortable. Her eyes stretched to infinity.

What in the…?

Then the next thing she saw was a man and a female… what were they doing? The man had his head on her neck, like he was biting her, the exact same process which occurred earlier and Elvera stood alert again. Another vampire, she thought. But she looked around. No, there were many vampires.

Then a sudden cry got her head whipped to the direction of the noise. There she saw men stranding a poor girl helpless, making her do things… do things… Elvera couldn’t find the word. All she knew was the girl were in pain.

She walked towards them, her footsteps sharp when someone suddenly grabbed her by her hand. “Is she the one?” someone said, and Elvera turned to look at him, her blue eyes questioning who dared pull her in that manner.

“Yes,” and she turned to look at who spoke next. It was the girl she had saved off a vampire. Oh…

“A woman?” he scoffed. “He was hit by a mere woman?” he couldn’t believe it. Then his attention returned to her. “You hit one of ours. You’ll pay.” Elvera stood, confused. She yanked her arm off him, her eyes fierce and unyielding.

Xavier bit his mouth, staring at the girl in disguise of a man. “To think he was actually hit by his kind of woman. The heavens finally punished him for his sins,” Rheon said, his voice slugging off as though he was drunk. His breath reeked of ale and he grabbed her again.

“Let go off me,” Elvera warned, shooting daggers at the man who dared touch her.

“Do you know who you just hit, red haired?” he asked, inflicting more pressure to her arm that she yelped a bit. She couldn’t fight it because she was tired. How was he this strong? Humans weren’t as strong as this, she noted in thought, her eyes glinting in confusion. “You hit my friend, and I will take you as a form of replacement, right, Madame Matthar?” she heard him say.

“Take your quarrel outside.” The brothel owner intervened brashly, and it was a woman dressed in different attire exuding sophistication, the silk dress adorned with intricate lace which was formal. Her eyes held disdain and curiosity as she looked at the girl. “And do whatever you like.”

“What do you think of this one, Ariel? She would cover maybe half of our expenses,”

“She hit Xavier,” he reminded him.

“He didn’t die,” Rheon retorted, stating the obvious. “We are taking this one.” The grip on Elvera’s hand intensified and a small cry escaped her lips. She would have fend them off, but her energy was nowhere in her. And she was dragged out.

***

“Let me go!”

“Shut up.” Ariel said, covering her mouth to stifle her screams. But Elvera still struggled, trying to kick him off but he was the same as the former. They dragged her into the dark woods, the trees looming like sinister.

The deserted land they walked upon was quiet and dark, making Elvera blind by where she was been hurled to. Even as she kept kicking, the grip on her was unyielding making her even more tired and suffocated than usual.

Her eyes would blink in an attempt to cower into darkness, but Elvera kept fighting it, not wanting to faint at a time like this. Who were these men? Her heart raced at the thought of them as one of the Dark Liches accomplices.

As she was in this time phrase, she wondered if humans were regarded as now their puppet from breeding. The thought came out wild, causing her to feel terrible. Where were they taking her? She could let them take her back to the Dark Manor. She had to get to the Order.

“Mm,” Elvera slurred, fighting him off again, but his grip on her only tightened further. Even as she still kicked and pushed and made uncomfortable movements, they were still strong.

Elvera remembered a time she would have kicked anyone who kept her in this position to remain vulnerable, but her energy compared to her fighting spirit was less as a result of her chase. She felt her whole body ache, and even under slight pressure, she would muffle a hiss, the effect becoming too strong on her.

As the commotion broke outside, with Elvera as their captive, a woman clad in dark robe strode in emerging from the shadows. Her piercing eyes looked unto the men, but her face was hidden behind a hood.

“Let her go.” She commanded, her voice steady and authoritative as someone had said. And with all difficulty, Elvera turned. It was the girl she met few hours ago.

The men suddenly froze, her arrival unpredictable. “Who are you?” Rheon spat, dropping Xavier to the ground.

“That isn't what you should be concerned about." She replied. "That’s my sister you have there.” She said. Her eyes never wavered, her hands stretching the bow, with an arrow notched and ready to fly. “Let her go.” She warned, her voice dripping with strong will.

“Sorry to disappoint,” Ariel grabbed Elvera towards his front. “.. but this one goes nowhere, woman.” He said.

“She’s not for sale.”

“But she murdered someone. And we are taking her to the magistrate.” Rheon fended off.

“Oh, are you?” the girl questioned back, shooting them uncomfortable glances. Then she threw a pouch of coins towards him. “That should do. It contains more gold coins that you ever dreamed.” She said, dropping her bow slowly. “Now, let go. I don’t want this to create an unpleasant scene,”

Rheon and Ariel exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. And without much thought, Ariel pushed the red-haired girl towards Rheon, and rushed to pick up the pouch, but an arrow followed, flying towards him and ended near his feet.

“The girl first,” She said, not baiting her eyes off them.

Ariel inched back slowly. Rheon looked between him and the girl and then finally pushed the girl towards her, greed consuming him.

The girl helped Elvera stand, still shooting wary looks at the man who took up the coins. Their eyes were on the pouch, and the noises coming from the coins when he dangled it to be certain.

And then, he opened the pouch, expecting to see what he bargained for.

“When I say run, you run,” The girl whispered to Elvera, who stared at her confusingly. Her eyes would blink and blink, in attempt to fight off her dizziness. The exhaustion was overwhelming her entire body, “Run.” and it flew away the next second, her eyes clear as never before upon the sudden alert.

“GET THEM!” Their eyes flared, understanding dawning as they hurried upon the two running figures. Inside, instead of glinting coins, laid a handful of finely crafted silver-tipped wooden stakes.

And the chase broke out. Oh no, Elvera cried for the nth time. The girl glanced back, her grip on her hand tightening. “Faster!”

Elvera’s breath came out in ragged gasps as she kept running like her whole life depended on the sudden race. Of course it did!

As they cornered, the girls spotted a carriage. And the girl yanks open the door, “In!” she shouted. They leapt inside, and the carriage hurled forward, but slow making their chasers closing in much faster.

She thought they would get caught upon the sight of her abductors near the moving carriage, but her eyes flew towards the lady who stretched her bow, preparing to aim a head. “Hold on.” And an arrow flew, aiming to the leg of one of them.

“Ah!” They could hear from afar.

The carriage hurtled through the darkness, and both Elvera and the lady braced themselves for impact. Suddenly, the driver whipped the horses, and the carriage surged forward, leaving the men struggling to keep pace.

Elvera peered through the window, and in the darkness she could hear painful noises but hardly could she see any figure. Her eyes misted, grateful for the ride. And she released a sigh, as she left the brothel she had called home, and ushered herself outside the world of no vampires.

.

"You can stay with me for the night." The girl said, taking Elvera by surprise. "It's already late." She added with a small shrug.

The carriage had begun to ride slowly, the darkness closing in on the both of them. And it was at that moment Elvera saw the face of her savior much clearly. Her features were soft and delicate, like an angel, and her raven hair spotted from the small gap the hood couldn’t hide gave off that serene aura.

With someone emitting such, Elvera would never have believed such fierce nature earlier was possessed by someone who looked this innocent. A human, she noted.

And the girl smiled, making Elvera find her voice with uncertainty. "But-”

"Not to worry," The girl cut in, thinking she was about to refuse her proposal as a result of inconvenience. "I don't mind. And you must be exhausted. Taking Windmoult is a far journey."

Oh… Elvera thought. But she was still wary of the girl’s sudden appearance. She was also a human, and human at this time phrase could have been an accomplice of those creatures. Should she be worried? Or was she just wrong?

“What are you?” Elvera’s sudden question made the smile on the girls lips fade like dust replaced with confusion.

“What?”

Good, no Lich, she thought. Elvera gave a short smile. "I mean, I hope I'm not going to disturb…”

"Ah,” the girls lips formed an ‘O’ and she shook her head in response. “Like I said, nothing to worry. Once it's daylight,” and Elvera obliged without much option left.

It is fairly impossible for anyone to take note of anything considering the time frame for anything of worth. To her credit, without that Book, it was impossible for the Dark Liches to find her. And considering the moon peeking through the sky, and the dark weather, she doubted again anyone would hurdle to the woods by this time, causing her mind to finally be cleared. For now.

And with that thought, she sighed in relief for the nth time. At least, not until she finds what she needs to.

By dawn, she would heed back to the forest and retrieve the Book, find a way to return to her time and fix her misdeeds. She would save her people and rescue her kingdom.

With a deep breath, she smiled, one that didn't quite reach her eyes and stepped down from the carriage. The smell of earth surrounded her nostril but her blurry vision became intense to the ignorant when she opened her mouth to speak. "Tha-” But she fell into drowsiness, and darkness became the last sight she saw that night.

***