Dar Tidings

Dark Tidings Ch. 02: Torn Apart

As best my limited night vision could distinguish, we stood upon a vast hill. At its base, there was forest, dense and primordial. At its apex, a massive citadel of dark stone, dotted here and there with flickering flame. We stood somewhere between, on the slope. Above our heads, stars dotted the sky, and three moons cast a pale glow. This jolted me to the core. Three moons? Where in the hell did the other two come from?

I heard a groan followed quickly by a scream.

"...the fuck!" That was Dan.

Next to me, someone was panting and shaking. That was Liz, in the midst of a panic attack. "Liz, it's me. It's Katie. Shhhh. Shhhh. Be calm. We're okay." I took her in my arms and rubbed her back. "We're okay. Breathe. It's okay. Breathe. Let your eyes adjust."

"I-I-I'm sc-sc-scared," she rattled.

"Katie...what happened to us? Where are we?" That was Sara, doing an admirable job of masking the fear in her voice.

I continued to sooth Liz. "What's the last thing you remember?"

There was a pause, then Sara said, "There was a dragon. A large one. We went for a better look...and there was a shop!"

Dan piped up. "That's right! It was called...uh...fuck! What was it called?"

"I can't remember," admitted Sara. "But it's a good bet our memory loss has something to do with the current predicament."

Liz seemed to regain her equilibrium somewhat. She pulled away from me and got in Dan's face as best she could, considering the disparity in height. "You had to check out that statue, didn't you, dumb ass! You had to look in that shop, didn't you, DUMB ASS!"

Dan smirked. "My memory ain't so good right now, but I recall enough to know you were an eager little beaver."

The conversation turned sour from there. I tuned out the bickering. Something was amiss down below us, at the verge of the forest. Branches twitched here and there, as if something big had disturbed the trees. Whatever it was, it was moving toward the hill, toward us.

"Hey," I hissed, "shut up. Shut up!"

My friends weren't accustomed to me using that tone of voice. They turned and followed my gaze. At the tree line, leaves shook violently, and something between a yowl and a growl issued from the darkness. Unmistakably the sound of a predator. Fear rose up in me, and I knew in my heart that something very bad was about to break through those trees.

"Run," I blurted. "Run for the city! RUN!"

I pelted through the tall grass fast as my legs would carry me. I had a head start, but both Liz and Sara were athletes, gymnastics and track respectively, and they eventually overtook me. Of Dan, there was no sign, so I spared a backward glance. He was far behind us, shambling and puffing like a bellows. The years of inactivity and lung abuse had done him no favors. I looked further down slope just as three dark blurs shot from the forest. The creatures were four-legged, incredibly large, and incredibly fast, but beyond that, I couldn't discern much about them. I did know that if they were like other predators, they would target the weakest member of the herd.

"Faster, Dan," I gasped. "You have to run faster!"

Dan let out a strangled yelp as he saw what was chasing him, and he surged forward, bony limbs pumping furiously, his face in a rictus of terror and desperation. But for all his renewed sense of urgency, I saw that it wouldn't be enough. Those beasts would catch him before he made the citadel. A tortured sob issued from me and I stopped running. I had to go back, to distract the creatures, and give Dan time. I wasn't sure yet how I would accomplish this. Maybe the stone Callyx hung on my neck would give those things a moment of pause. Could be the difference, I decided.

Just as I made to reverse course, Dan huffed, "Ohfuck. No! Turnyour. Skinnyass. Backaround!" His frantic limbs wound down and stopped, and he stood with hands on knees, sucking in great lungfuls of air. The creatures were very close to him now. I could hear their low growls, and sense their excitement. Dan stood up straight and gazed at me for a long moment, then nodded, and set his face in determination. "Bye, Katie," he said, then turned to face the beasts, and held his arms out as if seeking their embrace.

"No, Dan," I screamed. "No! No! No!"

The thing in the center leaped in the air and smashed into Dan's chest. He and his attacker went down in a tangle, and I lost sight of him in the tall grass. Meanwhile, the other two creatures slowed and circled the area. I finally had a good look at them. They were cats, but like no cats I had ever seen. For one thing, they had red eyes that seemed to glow in the moonlight. For another, their tails were barbed and vicious-looking. For a third, they were larger than any cat had a right to be, maybe twelve feet from tip to tip. Every feature on them seemed exaggerated, from teeth to claws to musculature. In fact, they looked straight out of hell. I suppressed a whimper. The cat that had attacked Dan was now standing over him, but gazing at me with those terrible eyes. It almost seemed to be gloating. Then the beast let out an ear-shattering yowl, exposing a muzzle full of long fangs, and bit down on its prey.

I turned and ran for my life, but the hell cats did not chase. They had what they wanted. I prayed Dan was dead and not suffering.

***

As I neared the citadel, I slowed and gaped. It was even larger than I had reckoned. The massive black walls loomed above me till they met the stars, illuminated here and there by large torches. From this perspective, I could see nothing beyond them, nothing of the interior. Directly in my path, a great arch was carved out of the wall, cut in half by a vertical slit of orange light. It dawned on me I was looking at the front doors, and they were slightly open. An invitation, or a trap? I briefly considered what sort of people might inhabit such a forbidding place, with such deadly creatures outside the walls. It was not a comforting thought, but the thought of spending the night out on the lawn with the hell cats, with only a silly little piece of costume jewelry to protect me, was even less to my liking. I gulped and walked under the arch, then through the black iron doors.

I quickly noticed two things. The first was the huddling mass of Sara and Liz, holding each other and crying softly. I felt a profound relief that they were okay. The second thing I noticed was the complete lack of another living soul. We stood on a wide thoroughfare, alone, as far as the eye could see. The torches followed the thoroughfare, hung in sconces on tall pillars, lighting the way, but the cross streets trailed off into darkness. Clearly, we were meant to go one way, and one way only: toward the center of the fortress.

Just as I was gathering my wits and breath, a loud, deep noise rattled my teeth, as if someone had clubbed a large bell with a sledgehammer, with me inside. Liz and Sara screamed. I jumped and spun to find the iron doors had closed of their own accord. I made a small sound in my throat and hurried over to my friends, hugging them for dear life. We stayed that way for a while, as I stroked their hair and made soothing noises. Eventually, Sara asked, "Dan?"

I shook my head. Liz started crying again. I whispered, "We can't stay here, like this. We have to get up, get moving, find some help." I fingered the bloodstone. "Callyx gave me this. I think it's some kind of protection. If we stay close together, it will protect you, too." That was a lie, but a lie was the only comfort I could give them now.

Sara asked, "Who is Callyx?"

I sighed. "Never mind. Just stay close to me. Now, let's go find someone to talk to." I helped them up, and we walked down the thoroughfare hand in hand.

***

As we walked, I studied the citadel. The buildings were composed of great cubes, stacked arbitrarily on top of each other, like some giant-sized child had come along at play time and used them as blocks. Everything was built of the same dark stone. I swerved for a better look, running my finger along the surface of a wall. It was veined like marble, but glassy like obsidian. The golden torchlight reflected from it, and I could just make out the features of my face gazing back at me. I'd never seen a material quite like it. Yet another reminder of the strangeness of this place.

As I peered at my vague reflection, I had the feeling of being watched. I turned quickly, my eyes darting over the buildings lining the way, but nothing stirred. I shrugged it off as a fear-induced response, and returned my attention to the stone. Just then, I saw movement reflected somewhere above and behind me. Something was negotiating the rooftops with inhuman speed and agility. I whirled to get a better look at it, but it was gone. I shivered as I considered the possibility that we were no better off in here than out with the cats.

Pushing that grim thought from my mind, I rejoined Sara and Liz. They stared at me with questioning eyes. "It's nothing," I whispered. "C'mon, let's keep moving."

With my eyes fixed on the rooftops the entire way, it came as something of a shock when we spilled out into open space. Liz gasped, and Sara and I stared slack-mouthed, at the large plaza spread out before us. No, not a plaza, I realized, but more like a marshalling yard. I could see it was roughly square in shape, and void of any decoration. There were two exits: the one we had emerged from, and another across the way. It appeared that the road picked up again on the other side. Large golden torches sat in sconces along the perimeter, setting the walls ablaze with reflected fire, which barely penetrated the gloom of the vast space.

At first, I believed the yard to be empty, but as I stared into the murk, I began to make out a shape. It was a pedestal, sitting roughly in the center of the great square. Somehow, I knew that was our destination.

I lifted the nearest torch from its sconce, nearly dropping it before I adjusted to the weight of the thing. "C'mon," I whispered, holding the torch in front of me as I led Sara and Liz toward the pedestal. As we neared it, I saw it was made of a white stone, which was unusual in this place, and ornately carved, which was also unusual. The fact that the carvings appeared to depict the seven deadly sins did not comfort me. The top of the pedestal was flat, with a folded piece of paper resting upon it. Sara reached for the paper.

"Wait," hissed Liz, but Sara ignored her. She unfolded the creamy paper, and then frowned.

Liz got impatient. "Well? What does it say?"

Sara glanced up for the paper, her expression somber. "It says, 'The End.'"

Liz's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Oh shit," she mumbled. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit..."

Sara hurled the message away as if it were a poisonous snake. She whispered, "Let's get out of here!"

I shook my head. "It's too late for that now," I said, my eyes on entrance we'd come from. Three impressive-looking figures were blocking it, their arms crossed in front of them. They were tall and well-muscled, and their stances were aggressive. Two of the three were clearly male, with powerful, v-shaped torsos, while the other was clearly female, her body all curves. And yet, something was odd about their profiles. I squinted, trying to get a better look. I thought they might be hunch-backed, until two huge bat-like wings stretched from behind the figure in the center, shook a bit, then refolded. No, Katie, not hunch-backed.

Meanwhile, Sara and Liz were gaping at newcomers silently, fear and awe upon their faces. Liz whimpered slightly as one in the center began moving forward. We all huddled together, taking strength from each other. I took him to be the leader, judging by the way the other two deferred to him. "We still have time to run," whispered Sara.

"They will run faster...or fly faster," I replied grimly, watching their long strides eat up the space between us. It wasn't long before they entered the light of the torch and we were able to see their faces. I heard a gasp come from somewhere. It might've been me, for the approaching figures were indeed breathtaking. In the firelight, their flawless skin glowed like alabaster, and their eyes glittered like jewels. Their hair cascaded down their backs full and rich, as stunning as any water fall. Their movements were fluid and precise, almost hypnotic in grace.

They halted perhaps ten feet from us, and waited for several moments with inscrutable expressions. I sensed they were granting us time to study them. I did so, becoming more impressed. They were all dressed similarly: strange black armor over silken garments of varying colors, and they wore it all beautifully. Particularly the female, who managed to show a bit of cleavage while still looking very well fortified. They had prowled forward effortlessly in this gear, and now their postures spoke volumes. Clearly, these creatures were predators. Clearly, it was their nature to command others. Dominance rolled off them in waves. I felt a strong urge to kneel and to obey. I gathered myself and shoved those impulses from my mind, wondering if these creatures possessed the ability to project thought and feeling. I frowned as Liz and Sara let go our embrace and knelt upon the stones.

The leader smiled at me. It was disconcerting, like watching a statue abruptly grin at you. I noted his incisors and canines were long and very sharp. "Vampires," I murmured, and instantly regretted it.

He tilted his head ever so slightly, then spoke in a baritone that weakened my knees. "Yes. That description suits as well as any. Though, we have more differences than similarities with the vampires of your story books."

I waited for him to elaborate, but instead he moved closer to me. My breath hitched in my throat. He really was quite exquisite, with his glittering green eyes and perfect features. He continued, "You must have a strong mind, to keep your feet in my presence. Or perhaps it's this little bauble Callyx gave you." He fingered the bloodstone, and I shivered at his touch. Then he stepped back, and his expression went deadly cold. I shrank away, hoping I wasn't his next meal. "A pity," he intoned, "that you have no other useful qualities. In any case, I'm done with you."

He moved to stand in front of Liz, who was still kneeling, her eyes downcast. "Look to me, child," he commanded. Liz met his emerald gaze reluctantly, and was captured by it, a whimper issuing unbidden from her lips. His expression became one of distaste. "I know your kind. All lungs, and no guts. When the path grows difficult, you crumple like yonder vellum." He gestured to the note lying on the ground. His disgust was palpable. Liz hung her head and cried softly.

The vampire turned his attention to Sara, who was stroking Liz's back and glaring at him with hatred in her icy blue eyes. I had never seen her so angry. "You're a big man, a real tough guy," she sneered, "bullying three lost and defenseless women. Is that supposed to impress me? It does not. In fact, I find it pathetic. Why don't you scurry on back where you came from, and then stick your nose where it belongs! Up your ass!"

There was absolute silence as Sara's insults echoed off the walls of the yard. Then rich, throaty laughter rumbled from the vampire and his companions. The female purred, "Oh, I like her, Severin!" She was gazing at Sara lustfully, and I sensed the vampire was mentally tearing her clothes off. Sara must've taken the full brunt of the vampire's projected lust, because her eyes glazed a bit, and she began panting softly.

Severin reached forward and trailed his fingertip slowly along Sara's jaw, which elicited a low moan from her. "That is my mate, Talia. She desires you. Do you desire her?"

Sara bit her lip stubbornly. Severin's hand moved to her breast, squeezing it softly. "Well? Speak up, girl!" He pinched her nipple between his fingertips and twisted.

"Mmmmm yessss..." Sara moaned.

Severin stepped back and fixed her with another cold stare. "Here's the way of it. You can serve me willingly, and I will make your initiation into my world distinctly pleasurable for you. Or, you can serve me unwillingly, and I will make your initiation distinctly pleasurable for everyone but you. What shall it be, girl?"

Sara took a deep breath and composed herself. She looked to Liz and I, and her eyes hardened with resolve. She turned that steely gaze on Severin and said, "I will not leave me friends."

Severin smiled widely, his fangs glistening by torch light, then back-handed Sara across the temple. She fell to the ground, unconscious. "Excellent choice," he said, then scooped her into his powerful arms. Liz jumped up to stop him, but Talia was on her before she could even take a step, knocking Liz hard into the pedestal. Her head rapped against the stone and she slumped over.

Talia turned to me. "Am I going to have any trouble from you?"

I memorized her porcelain face, and her sangria hair. "Not right now. But there will be a reckoning, count on it."

She laughed and spread her wings. "I look forward to that day." Then she leaped and beat the air with powerful strokes, taking flight, the other male on her heels.

I turned to Severin, who cradled Sara like a child in his arms. His eyes drilled into me, exposing my secrets. He purred, "How do you like the bargain now, Katie? Angry at me, is it? You know the only person at blame here is you." Then he launched himself into the night sky and was gone.

I hurried over to Liz to find her breathing slowly and regularly. I probed the back of her skull with my fingertips, finding a nasty bump, but no evidence of fracture. I maneuvered her so her head was resting on my lap, and then stroked her hair softly.

Gradually, I let go the tension I'd been holding and my shoulders slumped down. Severin was right, after all. There was no better life for my friends in this place, only misery and death, and I was the one responsible. I had delivered them all on a silver platter, pretty as you please. In that moment, I felt so incredibly weary. I wanted to lie down on the cool stones and will my heart to stop, to sleep the eternal sleep. But then I looked at Liz and realized that as long as she was alive, I still had purpose. No sleep, Katie, not yet.

"Oh, Sara, I am so sorry. Dan, I am so sorry. Please forgive me!" I held Liz tightly, shaking as I wept.