| “Here he comes. You can ask him yourself,” Rahab nudged Turel on the shoulder as they both saw the ever-arrogant Zephon walk down the dark halls towards the assembly pits where he was responsible on the construction of the Sanctuary of the Clans. “Sure he won’t bite my head off?” Turel snickered. “Better that we find out from him than hearing it from the many servants and fledglings. You know as well as I do that gossip has the ability to change rapidly. What is a fish in the river soon turns into a dragon breathing fire.” Both Rahab and Turel stepped out from the shadows behind the pillars and in front of Zephon. He was a head shorter than Turel and came face to face with Rahab, but with the look that he had in his eyes, Zephon appeared even higher than Turel. Both brothers wore wide grins and immediately Zephon put himself on the defensive. “Move out of my way Turel, Rahab. I have work to attend to.” “But we need to ask you some questions,” Turel bite off a stifled laugh in his throat. Zephon’s eyes narrowed at Rahab placed a talon on his shoulder. “We really need to know Zephon about a certain ‘gift’ that Lord Kain bequeathed unto you.” Zephon slapped Rahab’s hand away and tried to move past the two, but they simply moved as well and blocked him again. Zephon tried once more but Turel placed a restraining hand on his younger sibling. “No, no, no. You really don’t like it when we ask the questions, do you? I need to know,” Turel glanced at taciturn Rahab, who was coughing behind his cape and hiding a smile. “I need to know about this present that father gave to you. Is it really a human woman?” “We are after all, your brothers, Zephon. You can tell us anything,” Rahab said encouragingly. Zephon gritted his teeth and cast his eyes at the marble floor. When he raised them again, both brothers stepped back with the look given to them. “If you must know this silly little piece of information that means the world to you, then yes. All right, are you happy? I have a human woman who is my consort, forced upon me by father as a gift! Are you pleased to learn about this embarrassment to me? Are you going to run off and tell Raziel or Melchiah since they doubtfully do not know about this?” Rahab and Turel exchanged quick glances with each other. Now they hadn’t known anything about a consort. Zephon was fuming; his face had turned a bright red and a glint came into his eye. Turel raised his hands as he approached his brother. “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to get you angry. If you need anything, anyone to talk to-“ Zephon punched Turel’s hands out of the way and looked at Rahab. “What I need is for both of you to get out of my way. I, unlike you two, have work to get done and I cannot spend all talk chatting about nothing of importance. Excuse me.” Tilting his head, Zephon made his face expressionless and brushed past the two obnoxious Clan lords. Turel looked at Rahab and Rahab looked at Turel. “When you get that look in your eye, it means that you cannot wait to tell someone. Usually that would be Raziel or Dumah,” Rahab spoke calmly. Turel nodded and pointed a thumb behind him. “I never thought Zephon would have a consort. So here is the plan, brother Rahab. You will go and tell Melchiah and I will dispense the news to Raziel and Dumah. It is only fair that we make them aware of Zephon’s plight.” Rahab gave a small grin. “Sometimes I believe you are pure evil.” “Who, me? Never.” Turel gave an innocent look before he went off in the direction of Dumah’s Clan holdings. * * * Zephon’s temper was very short by midnight. He was snapping at every one of the servants as they constructed another part of the newly built Sanctuary, finding fault in every little thing and ordering the human slaves to tear parts of the stone down so it could be built again. The Sanctuary of the Clans had almost been completed; it was to be the monument for Kain’s empire, a place where the Master could rule in triumph over the humans. But as Zephon was looking over his own drawn schematics he began to cross off parts that he felt served no purpose when they truly did, ordered the western wall to be collapsed and rebuilt once again without the windows, and the furnaces, huge machines developed by him as well, to be moved once again even after it had taken a whole week for the slaves to put them in the exact place. No one went near the angry Clan lord for they had seen first-hand what happened to people when they crossed Zephon. As Zephon screamed down at one of his foremen over some trivial matter, that was when Raziel appeared. The eldest stood quietly off to one side in the tent where the plans for the Sanctuary were made, arms crossed, and waited for Zephon to come storming in. “You need to sit down,” Raziel said quietly as his younger brother pushed aside the tent flap. Zephon looked at Raziel for a few moments, nostrils flaring, but sat down in one of the chairs with a crossed statement upon his face. “I have come, Zephon, because people are beginning to talk about a ‘gift’. The talking started out quietly, but now it has become a buzz and I would like to know the truth behind the whole matter.” “It is an embarrassment, the gift that Kain gave me. If you tell him that when you meet him again, then I do not care for I am beyond all caring.” Raziel pulled a chair up beside Zephon and rested his head in his hands. “Tell me, then, about this embarrassment done to you.” Zephon coughed dryly and glanced at the ground before looking up at the first-born of Kain’s Lieutenants. Raziel knew that this ‘gift’ had to be bad since his sharp-tongued brother did not want to look at him in the eye. “Yesterday, Kain summoned me and imparted a gift to me. I thought at first it would be humans to turn into new vampires for my Clan since we desperately need replacements, but that was far from it. Instead of receiving humans, I received a young woman instead. She is a sorceress from the human Citadel and I thought it might have been some poorly made joke. Either way I took her back to my Clan Territories and decided on what to do with her when the Master sent me a message. This human woman was to become my consort and wear my Clan flag, to stand equal beside me.” Zephon was quiet for a few moments, staring daggers at the ground. “So?” Raziel pressed, sitting back in the chair. “I had no choice but to keep her, the stupid wench. I want to have nothing to do with her; she is an embarrassment to my Clan and I. A human, standing by my side as equal? What is Kain planning, I ask you that Raziel? Why has he done this to me? I have no need for such a thing and yet Kain has placed this burden on my lap. It is as if he has made some silent joke on me that I cannot understand.” The anger, the damaged pride and honour showed in Zephon’s eyes and for a few moments silence hung in the air like a heavy curtain. “Do you even remember her name?” Raziel said quietly. “What?” “Do you at least now her name, Zephon?” “It is Zarina.” “Zarina and Zephon. I can see why-“ “Do not play games with me, Raziel, for I am in no mood today. I have told you everything, so I hope this little buzz of yours has been solved.” “It has, but now this discussion has raised a few questions. Why does this nag at the back of your mind so much, other than the fact that she is human?” Zephon pounded his fist into his opened palm and shook his head. “She is not even a vampire; she has no reason at all being in my Cathedral or in my Clan. But what gets me is that Kain has given me no real solid reason why he gave Zarina to me. A sorceress to help me in battle that is what the letter read. If you ask, she would of done better in Turel’s Clan. I…do not need someone prying into my affairs, helping me where I do not need the help.” “And you are just being a brat.” The audacity of Raziel’s statement made Zephon glare at him, anger palpable in the air. “Think of it for a moment, if you will. We are still at war with the humans, the Sarafan and what is left of them. A sorceress could help greatly; like you said yourself you need fledglings. But until you do, what better protection can your Clan benefit from than a powerful sorceress? Perhaps this is one reason why Kain gave you this lady Zarina. You can let her go over the Clan records and events that you do not have time for; just teach her the ropes and I am sure she will catch on quickly. Your word is law in your Territories. No one is asking you to love her or even bed her, Zephon. Besides,” Raziel leaned closer to his brother, “Turel is insanely jealous of you. He questions why you and not he have a consort. As well all know he is quite the charmer with the women.” A smile crept over Zephon’s face and he gave a chuckle. After talking it over with Raziel, a brother Zephon was jealous of, it made him feel slightly better. “I will have to face her sooner or later. Maybe it might not be all that bad if one were to meditate on it long enough.” “Right, and the worst thing that could happen is that she’s an assassin sent by the humans to horribly, horribly kill you.” Zephon looked at Raziel with narrowed eyes. “I am joking, brother Zephon. Father would do no such thing to you and I wish you no ill, even if sometimes we do not always agree on everything said and done.” “Hopefully.” Raziel patted Zephon’s shoulder comfortingly. “And once you do know the lady intimately, I would like to come over and make her acquaintance. But be careful about Turel for he might just come and sweep her off her feet,” Raziel said jokingly. Zephon gave a thin smile, and then went back out to continue the construction of the Sanctuary with a lighter heart. Doubt still plagued his mind, but Zephon was able to push it out of the way. For the moment. Zephon sat down in the small room, arms resting on the table in front of him as he looked out the window beside him. Below him, his Clan’s Territories extended into the night with the stars illuminating the canyons and fields. The river that ran around and under his Cathedral looked like a pale ribbon of silk with the moon’s light; on both banks he could see his children practice their swordplay or archery. The table in front of Zephon had two candles burning softly in their silver stands and the chair opposite of him was vacant at the moment; a covered dish holding Zarina’s food waited for her. The Lieutenant had followed his own advice and Raziel’s; he would meet with Zarina and find out more about her, teach her the ropes for lack of a better word of the Cathedral. “Sometimes,” he muttered to himself, “I believe I am the biggest paradox of all Nosgoth.” He chuckled quietly to himself and pulled the sleeves of his white shirt down and brushed his hair back. Zephon could see his reflection in the window; narrowed eyes that always showed distrust, his thin lips in a slight frown, skin pale and a slight gray. He would feed after this meeting, Zephon reminded himself. The door to the chamber opened and the Clan lord turned his head to see his consort standing there. Zarina walked into the room, her hands clasped in front of her and head bowed slightly. She wore a modest dress of crushed velvet, dyed a deep green, with a white shawl wrapped about her shoulders with Zephon’s symbol stitched onto the back. Seeing that made him angry for just a moment, but it passed and he did not let the emotion show on his face. Zarina’s face did not hold their fear that is had when she had first come to the Cathedral; now the statement was more one of silent defeat but willing to accept it. The sorceress’ hair had been brushed back and placed into a braid that trailed down to her waist and hung with small ornaments. She sat down gracefully, Zephon’s yellow eyes following her every move. “Your supper, consort. So, how does the night fare for you,” Zephon’s voice was cordial, composed. Zarina’s blue eyes looked up from her meal at Zephon. “I am trying to get into the pattern of life around here, my lord. It is difficult, but not impossible. The night is still young but it is beautiful outside.” Her voice was calm, quiet and almost devoid of emotion. He looked out the window as she ate, caught up in a little drama between two fledglings that were ‘helping’ their friend from falling into the river. As the ‘friends’ grabbed the young vampire’s hands, they let go of him and at the last moment caught the hapless vampire before he fell in. Zephon gave a small smile and turned back to Zarina. “Are your rooms satisfactory or do you require someplace else?” “No, my lord. They are excellent. And thank you for the tailor and clothing.” “You are my consort; I cannot have you dressing in rags,” Zephon replied icily. A silence stretched out for an eternity until he spoke again, his voice sharp. “If you are finished eating, then come with me.” The vampire lord rose from his chair and walked over to the door. Zarina hurried after him, wrapping her shawl tightly about her shoulders as they stepped out into the hall. “I will give you a tour of my palace. Walk quickly, or you will be left behind and lost, then you will have to find your own way back to your rooms.” “Yes.” The halls were lit by torches and filled the air with warmth. Not that it truly mattered to the vampires as they were dead, but it made a difference to the human servants and slaves kept about. Zephon silently sneered as he saw Zarina rub her hands together against the cold that seeped in through the walls. When she spoke, her voice was so quiet that even Zephon barely heard it. “This Cathedral is massive, like a titan. I once heard that it belonged to the Sarafan until they were defeated, but I never imagined it to be this big. Some of the architecture does not look human; did your kind add onto this building after you took it from the former owners, my lord?” Zephon looked at her coldly, but the Cathedral was his pride and joy, so when he spoke there was a note of arrogance in the air. “Of course we have added to this place. The Sarafan thought that with this fortress, they would be unstoppable in their campaign to crush us vampires; it became their tomb. Over the centuries I have made fitting adjustments to the Cathedral. The first thing I wish to show you is this.” Zephon waved a claw about as the two stepped into one of the main chambers of the Cathedral. Running up from the ground and rising into the darkness were massive pipes, their metal a dull green. “And these pipes, what purpose did they serve?” Zarina pressed a hand to the cold metal and looked at the maze of pipes. “From an organ deep within the Cathedral, the Sarafan use to play their music, and the pipes would amplify the deadly sound, for if there were any vampires nearby they would be struck senseless by the notes and made easy prey for the hunting parties.” Zarina gave a small smile and looked at Zephon. “Then there must have been a very bad player at the keys. Do you get the joke, vampires and bad music?” Zephon gave her an icy look and said in a cold voice, “I do not see any wit in the joke. If you had been here to see the situation and on the side of the vampires, then you would not jest about such things. Now onto the next part of the palace.” The Clan lord moved quickly down a flight of curving steps, silently wishing that Zarina would fall behind and become lost, but there was no such luck. He took her to see the great libraries where knowledge from the old Age of Nosgoth could still be found, introduced her to any of his vampires that approached their leader and curious about his consort, then took Zarina to the highest part of the Cathedral to view the Gardens of the Dead. She did not try to make any more jokes, but asked questions after questions that made Zephon think that shoving her off the Cathedral would be a quick and easy solution. Of course he did not act upon it, but Zephon thought about it. “Shall we return now? You look tired,” Zephon secretly sighed as he saw a large yawn escape Zarina’s lips. He would not have to put up with her for much longer. “Yes, my lord, I believe I should.” “So how do you like your new home?” The quick emotion that crossed the sorceress’ face gave Zephon all the answer that he needed. She hated it here, but would of course lie. But Zarina did not speak at all but wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders as she gave one last look at the land surrounding the Cathedral. As Zephon led the way down from the spire that overlooked the garden, footfalls coming from down the hall and fast made him stop, Zarina bumped into the Lieutenant as Zephon nearly fell off the last few stairs. Out of the darkness came Natarek, robes disheveled and dried with blood, his face filled with panic and relief as he spotted his lord. Zephon knew something was instantly wrong, for his own lieutenant never raced down halls or had so much of an statement on his face at one time. Stopping, the vampire bowed to Zarina, then looked at Zephon. “You-you must come at once, my lord,” he gasped as he delivered the message. “It is of utmost importance.” “What is the meaning of this,” the Clan lord spoke as he gazed over his lieutenant. Seeing the anxiety in his eyes, Zephon nodded. “Very well. Zarina, I am sure that you can find your own way back to your chambers,” Zephon spared a glance in her direction. “My lord, let me come as well. It is my duty as a consort.” Zephon had no time for arguing with the way that Natarek was pulling on his arm. “Then come along, but remain quiet.” The two walked quickly behind Natarek, who would not speak of what had happened but saying that they had to see it themselves to understand the full gravity of what was happening. Natarek stopped when they entered the dungeons of the Cathedral; he pointed a sharp talon to the farthest cell where the rest of Zephon’s own lieutenants had gathered. “In there, we have a prisoner of great importance. He was found just outside of the western gates, he had killed three of our fledglings. From the looks of him, milord, he appears to be a Sarafan priest.” Approaching the cell, the lieutenants backed off as Zephon peered inside. Stretched out on the cold stone floor, the only light coming from Nosgoth’s double moons through a small window, bleeding from his nose, lips and face covered with bruises, was a man wearing the armour of the reviled and hated Sarafan. The captive tried to push himself to his knees, but the injuries given him by the vampires had made him weak, and the soldier fell back defeated. That did not stop him from looking at Zephon with such insane anger blazing on his face, but the Clan lord gazed right back with his cold eyes; both silently gauging the others strengths and weaknesses. The Sarafan broke eye contact first and looked behind Zephon at Zarina; she had stayed close to the opposite wall and as far away from the other vampires as possible. “Sorceress Larconquelle,” the warrior spoke, his voice raspy. He raised a hand weakly towards Zarina, and then let it drop to the ground. “I have finally found you, my Lady.” Zarina, her face suddenly flushed with colour, pushed Zephon aside and knelt down, reaching her graceful hand through the bars to touch the Sarafan’s fingertips. “Ferrio. It is you, Ferrio. What has brought you here, my old friend?” Ferrio coughed and once again pushed himself to his knees, enclosing Zarina’s hand in his own. “To find you, of course. Since the last battle where you had been captured, I was sent by Lord Roken of the Western Chapter to bring you back. What are you doing in a place like this, Zarina?” “She does not have to answer your questions, human. You will answer to us,” Zephon spoke harshly as he pulled Zarina to her feet and pushed her away from the cell. “Tell us why you are here, the truth, and your death will be quick and painless.” “To find her and bring her back to where she rightfully belongs, hell spawn. That is the truth.” Ferrio coughed again, deep and strong enough to shake his whole body. When his hand came away it was covered in blood. Zarina whirled on Zephon, her face mere inches from his. “Find him a doctor; he cannot answer you petty questions in this condition. Look at him, he will die before the day is out, my lord.” “He can answer them with the way he is. If he dies then that is that, one less human for my kind to worry about. Your friend was able to converse with you easily enough, consort.” Ferrio’s statement turned from one of pain into shock as he heard those words echo in the dungeon halls. Zephon smiled at the Sarafan after he caught sight of the man’s statement and nodded. “Oh yes, you did not know. Well, she is my consort, now allied with us vampires, lowly Sarafan. But that is unimportant; just tell us the truth as to why you were here. Why were you trespassing in lands that even your kind would not enter without some sort of army that walks behind them. Tell me, or I will question you and I assure you that my method is one that you will not be fond of.” “I will answer no such questions, vampire. Release my friend for I command it.” “You are in no position to give demands,” Natarek voiced. He leaned against the wall, an arrogant statement on his usually impassive face. The other commanders laughed maliciously at the human’s plight. Zephon gazed at the Sarafan priest for a moment, then at Zarina. Why was there hope in her eyes directed at him when she knew he would give none? Human feelings were so weak and useless. “Since you will not talk, you will be tortured. Natarek, Siglar, prepare him. We will drag an answer out of your lips, human, and only after we are satisfied with the answers will you die.” Natarek swung the cell door open and he and Siglar entered. Ferrio rose unsteadily to his feet, blood seeping from a wound in his lower abdomen, and lunged at the vampires. Siglar punched the warrior in the gut without breaking stride; Natarek grabbed the Sarafan before he could fall to the ground. Zarina covered her face with her hands, not wanting to see her friend’s accusing eyes glaring at her as he was dragged past. She felt helpless; she was helpless to do anything. The rest of Zephon’s officers filed past their Lord and Lady to begin the interrogation on the Sarafan. “How could you,” Zarina whispered softly. Her blue eyes, wet with tears, looked into Zephon’s soulless gray. They were filled with hurt, such pain that he looked away disgusted. “You could of let me stay a few moments longer with him. I haven’t seen him in so long, so very long. How would you feel if you had someone you had known all your life just taken away like that?” Zephon shifted his weight from one foot to another and glared at her. “I would not mind at all. In fact, I know a few people that I would like to be rid of entirely. If you want to see your beloved friend, then come with me to the interrogation, wench.” Zarina stopped her crying and looked at the Lieutenant for a moment. Zephon expected some sort of wounding comment to come from her, but Zarina did not say anything. She acted instead. She slapped him full across the face. For a few moments, time seemed to slow and stop. Lowering her hand, Zarina wiped the tears from her eyes and walked away quickly, the rustling of her skirt the only sign of her passage. Zephon’s cheek stung, but he made no move to see if he had been cut. He couldn’t believe that Zarina had slapped him; no one had done anything like that to him in his whole life. One side of Zephon wanted to go after her, to beat her, but the other side told him to stay, to leave Zarina alone with her grief. He did that just that, thankful that there was no one around to see his embarrassment. He did not care for Zarina or her feelings; she could throw herself from the Cathedral for all Zephon cared. As he walked down the dungeon corridors to the interrogation room, Zephon wondered why if he didn’t care for Zarina at all, then how come his chest was hurting so much and he couldn’t stop thinking about her? “I have no time to deal with such trivial matters,” he muttered to himself. Silently Zephon made a note that he would see her after the questioning to make sure she had not done anything stupid. Opening the door to the dark interrogation room, he closed it behind him, a malicious smile playing across his lips. The interrogation finished just past dawn. The Sarafan was strong, but ever with his wounds and more being dealt to him, he would talk sooner or later. And he did. The information that was given was valuable to say the least, Zephon mused. Ferrio uttered the words though skinned lips, his face nothing more than a mass of bruises, skinned flesh that exposed the muscle and bone underneath. He was allowed to die after he had spoken every word; Natarek had given him mercy by slitting his throat. After making quick plans and sending out scouts of his own, Zephon ordered the body burned. He needed to go and see Zarina. The sun was coming just above the horizon as Zephon marched down the halls quickly. He did not know what he was going to say to the woman; he didn’t think anything could be said. For once in his life, Zephon felt shameful for the act he had just committed; he knew that Zarina had gained the upper hand that she was in the right with the slap across his face before. “I will not reprimand her, I am simply there to tell her what that Sarafan said. She said it herself, she wants to know everything that happens here and that’s what I will do,” Zephon muttered under his breath. “Why the hell am I talking to myself? She has cast a spell on me, that sorceress. I am sure of it.” Too soon did he find himself standing outside Zarina’s door; he should have taken the longer route. Reaching for the handle, Zephon found to little amusement that she had locked the door. It didn’t matter; one swift jerk of his arm was all it took for the door to come off its hinges. Another thing for the servants to fix. As Zephon stepped into the room, he wasn’t prepared for the scene before him. The entrance hall was ruined. The table in the center had been overturned and the vase of flowers broken into millions of tiny shards; the flowers themselves had been crushed. The tapestries along the walls had been ripped down and scorched; Zephon thought about how Zarina could make fire come from her hands. Walking around an overturned chest containing clothes, the vampire peered quickly into the bedroom. Zarina was not in there, but the room itself was in the same state of disarray as the main chamber, the sheets torn off the bed and ripped; the dresser doors flung open and the contents scattered about the floor. Cursing for not posting a guard outside the chambers, visions of the young woman leaping from the Cathedral began to appear in Zephon’s mind. Maybe this time he had really pushed his luck; his bluff had been called. If she is not in the other room, then I will order the Watch to find her, Zephon numbly thought. How could he have let such a thing happen? He passed back through the main chamber and into the large parlor; it looked as if a small cyclone had entered the antechamber and had a ball. The bookcases had collapsed, their tomes scattered along the red-carpeted floor with pages torn out; the sparse furniture overturned and pillows torn, the feathers still floating about the room. The arched windows had been opened, their curtains torn from their rings and Zephon’s black heart leapt into his throat. How could he of been so stupid? He regretted even bringing her to the dungeons; all of this could have been avoided had he sent Zarina back to her rooms. Then he found her. Curled up in ball, her knees tucked underneath her head and with her arms wrapped around her body, lying on the window seat, was Zarina. One of the ruined curtains covered her and spilled down onto the floor. She was staring blankly out of the opened window, staring at the approaching dawn. She did not seem to notice Zephon as he approached her, nor moved when he gently touched her shoulder. “Zarina,” Zephon’s voice broke the quiet. The sorceress turned to face him. The statement she wore was unreadable, her eyes glazed over and looking at nothing, passing right thought him. Zephon sat down beside her, his hands on her shoulders, as he looked her over. She hadn’t injured herself, at least what Zephon could see, but she looked…dead. “Damn you, Zarina, answer me.” Those words seemed to rouse her; she raised her head to look at him. “Why?” With that word a spike pierced into the Clan lord’s heart. He expected finding Zarina for her to scream at him, to hit him with her bare hands or to have found her on the ground dead. She was so weak, so weak. Zephon grasped her hands and brought them up to his face; she was so cold, even colder than he was. Pain filled Zarina’s blue eyes but no tears formed. She had cried all she possible could; there was nothing left inside. “Do you want to know why,” Zephon replied, his voice low, soft and surprisingly gentle. Zarina gave a short nod, her eyes never leaving his. “To say it was necessary was an understatement. He is Sarafan, the Clans and Lord Kain’s mortal enemy. The information that we needed from him took top priority; he had come into our lands and for good reason. He is, was, scouting ahead for an army. The Sarafan will come to my lands in under three days; that is what he uttered to me. I have a duty to protect Lord Kain, but also my own people. We are just as caught up as you humans in this race for survival and your friend had information that I needed to keep my people safe.” “Was it quick?” Her hands were lax in Zephon’s but he could feel them tremble slightly. The truth would break her, Zephon thought. I cannot tell her what happened; her heart will break from knowing what she should not. Caressing her hands gently Zephon whispered, “It was quick. He was in great pain, but he told us everything. I made sure that he did not suffer, my lady.” Zarina gave a choked laugh. “I am glad. I would not want to see him suffer any more than he had to. Ferrio and I had been friends since we were children; I never thought I would see him like that. I am glad that he is released.” She turned her head back towards the window and was silent again. On an impulse, the smallest one, Zephon wrapped his own arms around Zarina and held her close. She didn’t resist, only continued to look at the rising sun. “I am sorry for causing you this pain, Zarina. I am so sorry.” Why did he say those words? Zephon’s mind spun; he was apologizing to a human? Vampires should not care for humans in any way, Lord Kain’s voice echoed in his mind. They will kill us all; slit our throats like dogs when given the chance. Then why am I doing this, Zephon questioned. Zarina rested her head against the Lieutenant’s chest; a sigh escaped her lips. “Do you need anything, my lady?” “No, I don’t. Zephon?” “What?” “Could you just hold me like this for a little longer, if you don’t mind?” Her eyes did not seem as lifeless anymore and the warmth was returning to her body. “No, I do not mind at all. I will hold you for as long as you want.” He tightened his grip on her slightly to show he was not joking. “You will have to go and see Kain, won’t you?” “Yes, but not at the moment. Let us enjoy the quiet right now.” The sun rose over the Cathedral, making the stainglass cast its vivid artwork over the courtyard below. By mid-afternoon Zephon, Zarina, and his officers were heading towards the Sanctuary at a brisk pace on their horses. Scouts from his Clan had been coming and going, updating their lord on where the Sarafan army lay. To Zephon the vampire hunters were getting too close for his tastes; that was why his meeting with Kain would be brief and to the point. Pulling his mount closer to Zarina, Zephon leaned over to look her in the face. “You did not have to come. My brothers will most likely be there and they will wish to speak to you.” She gave him a smile with a glitter in her eyes. “I cannot avoid them forever, my lord. Sooner or later I would of had to meet them and this presents a perfect opportunity to make their acquaintance.” Dressed in a gray riding skirt divided down both sides, Zarina’s hair was pulled over one shoulder of her white blouse and tied into a loose braid, shawl still wrapped about her arms. Zephon thought at that moment, even in the overcast sky, that she was beautiful. Of course he would never say anything like that out loud, but all the same he thought she was beautiful. And in that short time of holding her in the ruined study, Zephon felt all the closer to her. He didn’t resent having her around anymore; he had gotten use to Zarina and liked her company. Perhaps she felt the same. “Either way, you could of stayed at the Cathedral.” Zephon secretly thought to himself that he rather she didn’t come because Turel, always the player, would be there. Turel would immediately turn on his charms and flirt with Zarina. With a start the Clan lord realized he was envious; he didn’t want anyone but him to become close to Zarina. She was his consort, not one of his brothers. When did you begin to act like this, a voice chided inside Zephon’s head. He brushed it out of the way and turned his attention back to riding his horse. Rounding the last bend of the canyons, the Sanctuary of the Clans came into view. Riding up to the massive iron gates, the vampire guards saluted to Zephon as he dismounted and helped Zarina off her horse. The two strode through the gates and into the dark halls; a few vampires passed them by and whispered amongst themselves after finally seeing this consort of Zephon. Crossing over wide bridge overlooking a garden below, the throne room’s doors finally came into view. And standing beside them were the other Lieutenants. “Wonderful,” Zephon muttered as he saw Turel point in their direction, the first to notice them. Only Turel, Rahab and Melchiah stood outside the doors; Dumah and Raziel possibly had business elsewhere. Zarina’s hands were clasped tightly in front of her but she did not show any anxiety on her face, as she was about to meet some of the most powerful beings in all of Nosgoth. “Brother Zephon, we are glad to see your face again. And this beautiful woman must be your consort. We finally get to meet this mysterious sorceress that has been the talk of the Clans for the past while,” Turel spoke as he took Zarina’s hand and kissed it lightly. She smiled cordially at him and took her hand back. “I am Lord Turel, milady. Anything that you need, you only have to ask from me.” Turel obviously did not see the dangerous look in Zephon’s eyes. “I am Lord Rahab,” the scholar nodded his head towards Zarina and she gave a slight bow back to him. Melchiah stepped forwards and took Zarina’s hand but did not bother to kiss it. He had seen the look given by Zephon and did not wish to stir his brother’s anger. “I am Lord Melchiah; it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” “And yours,” she replied. “I need to speak to father as quickly as possible,” Zephon interjected. “It is of utmost importance.” “Raziel and Dumah are with him at the moment,” Rahab replied bitterly. “They have had another one of their disagreements and father has decided to settle the matters once and for all.” “What I must say to him overrides their petty troubles. I need to speak to him immediately.” Turel shrugged his shoulders and gave one of his most charming smiles aimed towards Zarina while he spoke to Zephon. “You can go in if you want to but you will have to pay the price if it truly is not of great significance.” Zephon turned to Zarina and whispered something in her ear before opening the doors to the throne room and walking in alone. Turel brushed imaginary dirt from his Clan shroud and walked a little closer to Zarina. Rahab rolled his eyes but did not do anything; she looked more than capable of caring for herself. “So you were a sorceress before coming here?” “Yes, and I still am,” Zarina tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave a slight smile. “And I heard that your Clan dealt in magic as well.” Turel gave another smile and Melchiah shook his head. He did not know what he was getting into. “So you have heard. Well, my Clan does specialize in magic, but we are all competent warriors. Tell me, do you enjoy living at the Cathedral? What do you think of our brother Zephon?” “Isn’t that a little personal,” Melchaih spoke up. Rahab waved a hand; he was engrossed in this little conversation as well. “I enjoy the Cathedral despite it being a maze at best and my relationship with Lord Zephon is none of your business.” Turel’s face fell for a moment, then that same grin came right back. “You much of had many admirers when you lived in the Citadel. One of your looks should have; it is only proper for a lady such as yourself.” Rahab elbowed Melchiah in the ribs and the two silently laughed; they knew where this would be going. “I had no time for such things; I was always busy practicing my magic or helping out around the castle. Either way, when you are a sorceress, there is an air of aloofness around oneself. Most men thought I would burn them to cinders if they asked me a question I did not approve of.” Turel sighed dramatically and crossed his arms over his chest. “Simple fools. If I had known about you, I would of come riding in on a white horse and plucked you from your tower for myself. You are a rare flower, Lady Zarina.” She gave him a small smile and fixed her shawl, showing Zephon’s banner. “Too bad that this flower was plucked by your brother, isn’t it, Lord Turel?” Melchiah and Rahab began to laugh at the look on Turel’s face when he had known he had lost. But he took it in stride, and began to laugh as well. “I know that we will become good friends, Lady. Rahab, Melchiah, introduce yourselves further to this cunning sorceress.” * * * The doors clanged shut behind Zephon and he steeled himself for the reprimand that was to come from Kain. Both Raziel and Dumah were kneeling in front of their father with looks of puzzlement on their faces as Zephon walked towards them. Kain retained a mask of neutrality, his eyes looking over his fifth-born with some annoyance. “Father, I must speak with you about the gravest of matters.” Zephon knew that if he were to make his plight known, he would have to say everything quickly. “The Sarafan are marching towards my Territories with a vast army; they are just two days away from my Clan holdings and from the Sanctuary. We need to act now if we are to stop them.” There, he had said it. Now all Zephon had to do was wait. Kain rose from his throne slowly, a deadly grace about him. The father of all vampires walked over to his son and placed a claw on his shoulder. “I already know of this, Zephon. The Sarafan force will be easy enough for your own army to beat.” “My own, father?” Dumah and Raziel exchanged looks between each other, and the first-born vampire spoke. “Father, the Sarafan are not to be taken lightly. Zephon’s army is still recovering from their last encounter and if the humans forces are anything that we have seen before, then he will need help. I will commit my own warriors to this battle.” “As will I,” Dumah added. “My Clan has been ready to see battle again for the last year; we are eager to test our mettle against this new force.” Kain glared at both of them, a look that told the Lieutenants to be silent or he would silence them himself. In the distance, church bells from the human Citadel tolled. “Your force will be enough to stop them, Zephon. I have faith in you; you captured the Avernus Cathedral without any help from the other Clans so what does a force of Sarafan mean against your Clan territories? Do you know the size of the force?” Zephon shook his head. “My scouts have yet to return with an exact number, but they will give it to me once I return to my palace. Father, what makes you so sure that my force will be enough to stop the Sarafan?” “Because I have complete faith in you, Zephon.” Kain gave one of his rare smiles, and then turned to look at Dumah and Raziel. “Your Clans, and your brothers, will not interfere. I have my reasons Zephon, and I expect them to be obeyed. You may leave now. Raziel, Dumah, I still need to have words with you.” The look on Zephon’s face was one of bewilderment. Why would Kain just brush off the Sarafan like this? Did he not know what could happen if Zephon’s own forces were not enough to stop the humans? His army was mainly composed of foot soldiers with catapults and cannons for his artillery; all of the vampires in his Clan were trained to fight but perhaps the years of peace had made them grow lax. And now Zephon could not even count on his own brothers for support if it was required. Just was game was Kain playing at? Bowing, Zephon left the throne room. * * * “Over fifteen hundred Sarafan,” Natarek reported to Zephon, bowing deeply with his eyes on the floor in the large war room. He had seen first-hand what had happened to vampires that brought his master bad news and Natarek wished to keep his head on his shoulders. “One thousand cavalry, the other five hundred foot soldiers. What do you wish, my lord?” A large map of Zephon’s Territories was unrolled across the large table, coloured pins showing the advance of the humans’ army. New reports came in from the scouts every few minutes; the Sarafan were moving quickly. Zephon looked with some concern at the map, then traced a claw down one of the lines that marked the canyon the Sarafan were using. “We place some of our scouts here and here and they can make hit and run attacks against the foot soldiers at night; try and cut down the number and instill fear. We will divide the forces at this point, were the main canyon route splits off into two smaller routes towards the Cathedral. Catapults and cannons at both ends, as well as five hundred vampire troops at each point with archers along the canyon walls. One vampire alone makes up for three Sarafan. The remaining thousand vampires will be held in reserve just beyond in the field just in case the Sarafan break through. They will have to divide their own forces when the canyon path breaks.” “My lord,” Siglar stated, “why can we not ask the other Clans for assistance?” Zephon gave him a quick glance and turned back to the map. “Orders from Lord Kain, we fight alone. Besides, we can hold this army and cut them to pieces as we have time and time again with others. The newly created cannons will cut down their cavalry, the catapults will crush the Sarafan from far off and then we will attack. It is a strategy that had always worked. We ride out by nightfall. Natarek, Siglar, Oscot, prepare the forces.” The three sub-commanders nodded and left the room. “Where shall I be?” Zarina quietly asked from the chair she was sitting it. “Will I ride into battle beside you, my lord? My magic will be of great help.” “No, I want you to stay here at the Cathedral. Just in case,” Zephon’s voice fell quiet and he looked at the map for a moment before continuing, “just in case that my army is smashed, the reserve force will come back to the Cathedral and defend it. I would like you to stay here and shield this palace with your magic if it comes to that.” She nodded and rose. “I understand. I have no regrets fighting against the Sarafan; this is my home now as much as it is yours.” She gazed out the window and signed. “Night is falling.” “Then I must prepare. Don’t do anything rash that your kind is capable of,” Zephon told Zarina. Brushing a lock of her hair out of her face gently, the Lieutenant looked into his consort’s eyes for a long moment, and then left the war room. The silent bells of war began to ring. |
| "Memories of Zephon" Chapter 2 by Demon Hunter Anamae |
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