Fan Fiction ❯ Journey of RedHell ❯ Excellant Expectations ( Chapter 3 )

The dawn came later than possible it seemed. Virago's sleep was restless, even under the spell she was in. She tossed and turned throughout the remainder of the night, whimpering in her dreams. She awoke with a sudden start, sitting straight up through the cold, misty dawn morning, the freezing fog rolling sluggishly down the mountainside. Panting, her heart racing, the snow leopard's eyes darted around as she swallowed the scream she had nearly let out, a hand over her heart to calm herself.

 

"I should have let it been dreamless then," Xavier's silky voice snaked quietly through the morning air to reach Virago. She shook her head slowly, as if trying to throw the dreams from her mind, but it was futile. Searching for something to help her take her mind off of her nightmares, she broke a small twig between her fingers, pondering if she should ask Xavier what had been on her mind.

 

Tentatively, she decided to ask.

 

"Xavier.... can I ask you something?" Virago wondered out loud, tail twitching, still playing with the broken twig. The vampire stepped from behind her, suddenly unveiled in the mist, his black cloak trailing on the ground, the hood pushed back.

 

"I believe you just did," he replied smoothly, smirking and stepping around the feline who pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them in her arms. He kneeled down in front of her, his slanted ruby eyes glinting mysteriously.

 

"But what it is?" he asked her once she threw him a disdainful and stressed out look. There was a moment of silence as a small flock of birds twittered overhead, passing by quickly, their silhouettes trailing through the morning fog.

 

"You said you had known that WoodenWay was burning... didn't you?" Virago managed to ask, a sick feeling churning her stomach as memories of the night before flooded her thoughts.

 

Her companion thought a moment before answering her.

 

"Yes I did. You want to know how I knew though, don't you?" he said quietly, his hair lifting slightly in the early morning breeze that rustled quietly throughout the mountain, swirling the misty condensation that floated icily through the trees. Virago nodded slightly.

 

"Yes, you have a lot to explain, especially about who you are and why you're helping me," she agreed bitterly, "but mostly about my hometown." She sat up straight, shoulders back and head held prominently. "You said you couldn't save it from being burned down. If you knew who did it, why didn't you stop them? You're a vampire aren't you? Aren't you supposed to have uncontrollable powers or whatever?"

 

The leopard's interrogation was only met with a short laugh.

 

"No I don't have uncontrollable powers. Vampires are stronger than mere mortals, but not completely supernatural. Anyway," Xavier waved a hand evasively, "I'm not going to tell you anything now about our race. No sensible being of darkness or light; earth or heaven would. That's just something you have to learn on your own." Virago rolled her eyes and sighed, giving in to her slight fatigue by allowing her head to rest on her knees.

 

"You sound a lot like master Noldoedan. Saying to learn things by experience." She cringed as the sharp memory of her elder flashed through her mind. Shaking her head and momentarily closing her eyes, burying her face against her knees, she looked up once more, composed again.

 

Smiling, the vampire continued to answer the rest of her questions, fingering the ground beneath his long pale fingers, like Virago had done, only not restlessly.

 

"As for your first question, no I don't know who did it. If I had, I wouldn't have taken the time to alert you about it but rather would have followed the fiend myself." Xavier said this rather casually, observing the testy feline from beneath raven shaded eyes. "It was something out of my control. Anyway, I don't control any kinds of elements, especially nothing inate to the earth. Rather, I can summon spirits and control certain animals, bats for instance, but I cannot bend their will. They do my bidding on their own accord, but only because I am higher in power than they are. Otherwise they would rule me. Ah but that's a little off subject don't you think?" Hiding his smirk behind his hand, Xavier leaned back on one hand before throwing his head back, blood-red eyes piercing the rolling fog like a beam of light cutting through the darkness.

 

Absently, he pointed upward, his gaze directed and set wholly upon a blue jay which had landed in a nearby pine to rest from its long and tiresome morning flight. Closing his eyes with a dim concentration, he opened them once more, before whispering with a heavy accent, "Come." Watching with some wonder, Virago nearly laughed to herself as the bird cocked its head to one side, flying over to another nearby tree. She smirked and replied to this magnificent stunt.

 

"Bravo! You managed to show me that you're nuts!" she chided. Ignoring her remark, the vampire opened his hand towards the bird, lowering his head, his eyes still staring in a mezmerising gaze. Turning away and nearly deciding to fly off, the blue jay thought better of it and instead hopped forward until it was perched on the vampiric hand like a trained canary. Xavier grinned, revealing his long canines. Virago just scoffed.

 

"Oh come on, even I can coax a bird to my hand!" she said snidely.

 

Xavier chuckled to himself.

 

"Do you really think it's just a blue jay?" he asked, looking to her with shining eyes. The wary snow leopard studied the bird quickly with a hunter's eye.

 

"Well, what else would it be?" she said with a shrug, suspicion beginning to grow on her, and her eyes narrowed, flitting from Xavier's face to the bird to see if anything would be given away. The vampire sighed, almost sadly, and shook his head.

 

"Nevermind," he said softly, then whistled to the bird as it ruffled its feathers, preening them. The blue jay chirped back happily, running a long wing feather through its beak before settling back in its place. It moved slowly up the black cloaked arm. Virago was faintly aware of the vampire's lips speaking soundlessly, delicately, commanding the bird to where it should go to next.

 

The feline was intent to stare at the brightly colored plumage of the small creature, her tail twitching with subdued anticipation. Birds were good to eat, at least fowl were. Whiskers detected the warmth of the bird, and she could count its heartbeat's rapid pace.

 

"What is it doing?" she asked quietly, with interest. Xavier just smiled and continued to guide the bird up his arm and across his shoulders to flutter down to his other hand. He was playing with it, like a cub with catnip. The vampire said nothing, but kissed the bird's beak, like a small peck on the cheek, before releasing it and allowing it to fly from his extended hand. Virago had to laugh at his sentimentality.

 

"Ah so the tough mysterious vampire has a soft side huh?" she said grinning broadly. Xavier veiled himself with the hood of his cloak, noting that the fog was dying off as the sun peeked through the trees, but said nothing.

 

Virago changed her position to sit sideways on her legs, her hand on the cool moist earth for support.

 

"That still doesn't explain about WoodenWay being burned," the leopard said, a bit colder than she had intended, but thinking about it turned her mood dark and sour.

 

"That's true," Xavier replied simply. His words were tailed by silence.

 

"Well? Are you going to tell me, or not?" Her voice hinted annoyance. Sitting back, the weary soul sighed heavily, but inside he was still going strong. He took to playing with several blades of grass.

 

"I told you, I don't know who did it. In fact, I can only guess. But I've been following someone... or something, for quite a while now," he began, fixing his hood to make sure his face was sheltered, not only from the sun but from roaming eyes.

 

"It's hard to even sense what it is. And I can't see anything, not even a spiritual trace from it on any of the planes."

 

"Okay.... now tell me so I know what you're talking about." Xavier twisted a particular blade tightly around his finger before plucking it from the ground. He pondered a moment on how he should explain it.

 

"Well, if I knew what it was, it'd be easier to explain. But since I don't, then it makes it rather difficult. Understand, what we are dealing with is something powerful, more so than I, if my assumptions are correct. More over, it's not seen in mind or by eye. At least, it's amorphous at the moment."

 

"Something without shape?" she asked, doubtfully but nonetheless interested. Virago wanted to know about this demon who had destroyed her village, to learn about it, so that one day, vengeance would be hers! But now, she'd have to suffice with an elusive answer.

 

"Physically yes. Unless it has some sort of powerful defensive magic that can't be cracked, it possesses no soul of its own either. The best I can give you is that it controls other beings, particularly the undead as well as spirits."

 

"So it can use spectral magic then?" Virago asked, unconsciously aware that she had been leaning forward to better hear what was being said, paying close attention to every spoken word. Xavier stretched the grass between his fingers.

 

"Possibly, but not necessarily," he answered with some difficulty.

 

"What do mean?" Her eyebrows were furrowed with question, but she allowed Xavier his time through her impatience.

 

"Understand this: you don't need spoken word, incantations, or any spiritual charms or objects to command something. Just your will and..... your being. It's hard to grasp the concept, and you'd learn more about it as a magician's apprentice but, as a magician it's mostly in summoning power and whatnot."

 

There was a brief pause for breath and to collect thoughts as the vampire stopped talking. A breeze blew through the dissipating fog, pushing it through the trees and allowing the sun to warm their backs.

 

"Summoning, you do need certain words and concentration, and even sacrifices sometimes. That's beside the point though. If this... 'thing' does know magic, it must have been taught by a magician or wizard even. But if that were so, it would probably have a master and a source of power. If we know that's for sure, it will be easy enough to overthrow, at least with the right kind of... 'people.'" Virago didn't like how he used the word 'people,' avoiding her eye contact as he spoke, and focusing on the grass instead.

 

"But if it can just summon with its own will power, then what?" she asked eagerly, her ears cocked towards the sound of a squirrel's chattering.

 

"It's not that simple. Will power is the strongest thing anyone has. Without it, you're pretty much meaningless, just an empty shell awaiting to be possessed into commandment. If you have a strong and powerful will, one that's too much so, it would be very difficult to overthrow." Xavier watched the blade of grass thoughtfully, then smiled. "That's why your rule of government is rather simple here." Virago blinked. She sensed ridicule.

 

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" she growled, a little upset at the insult. Xavier just laughed quietly.

 

"Nothing."

 

He sighed once more, continuing to play with his small organic captive.

 

'He seems so distant,' Virago thought, watching him, especially the movement of his shrouded eyes, 'Almost dreamy. I wonder what's on his mind.' She lingered on this thought a moment, wrapping her tail around her arm and over her shoulder, the tip still wiggling slowly back and forth like a worm on a hook. She opened her mouth to convey her thoughts but got no farther before the blade of grass, which had been caught between two slender fingers, burst into flames. With a suppressed cry, Virago lurched forward to aid the vampire, but he only held the small fire at his fingertips before it evaporated into a thin plume of smoke. Tail swishing, ears bent forward, the feline looked with puzzlement to Xavier who wore not mockery or glee, but held a stern look, as if concentrating deeply on something.

 

He let his hand drop to the ground before standing up and throwing his head to one side. His black hair reached from within the depths of his hood, like the arms of a spider reaching out towards a doomed fly that was just caught in its web, as the wind blew restlessly and rather wildly. Virago's ears perked, her eyes still wide as she watched Xavier carefully.

 

"Come on," the vampire said, as if issuing a command to his troops, and leaped down the steeply slanted mountainside.

 

"Wha?" But before she could say anything else, the sure footed companion was out of sight and jumping nimbly over and around the hawthorn bushes that tangled with the other brush along Kio's peaks.

 

"Hey! Wait! What about my bow and arrows!" Virago called after him as she took quickly to foot, following the demon down along a granite-filled slope. She could only catch a glimpse of the billowing black cloak as it rounded trees and disappeared within the blink of an eye.

 

"Wait up!" the feline growled, avoiding upturned roots and knots in the ground. The morning sun shone brightly where the trees had thinned out; the fog had already long since been burned off by the powerful heat. Giving up on trying to push her way through an amassed tangle of honey suckle and a large branch of holly, Virago took to hissing viciously at the shrub, baring her claws and instead converged with the vampire on the other side by taking a swift jump over it.

 

"There you are," the leopard panted, "You know it's not that easy keeping up with you!" She looked up to the vampire who was perched on a low hanging oak tree branch, kneeling over it and staring towards the hills with a predatory gaze.

 

"Hey! Are you even listening to me? Earth to Xavier! I'm talking to--" She was abruptly cut off by a sharp hiss for silence. Her chatter ended, still watching the shadowy figure for any clue as to what he was up to.

 

Leaning forward, Xavier notably plunged sharp taloned nails into the bark of the oak, keeping his balance perfectly and cat-like. He looked like a reptile on the side of a wall; a leopard in a tree, ready to pounce on it unwary prey below. Virago started to ask again.

 

"What are you doing? Xav--"

 

"Quiet fool!" Before Virago could argue about who the fool was, a small rattling hiss came from behind a sycamore, only a dozen feet from where they were. The cat stared hard at the tree and thought that she could see the distant shape of someone, or at the least, something, hidden there. Quite suddenly, and rather surprisingly, Xavier gave a loud vicious snarl.

 

"Show yourself!" he demanded. Virago's eyes left the spot they had been trained on momentarily to glance astonished at the vampire who was clinging motionlessly to the tree. She observed how tensed his muscles were, flexing and un-flexing, coiled and ready to spring like one of her own hunters of her once beautiful village.

 

An icy chuckle emitted from the distance of the sheltering sycamore.

 

"Who are you acting upon, vampire?" the fiendish figure spat in an icy tone, "Give me a good answer, and I just might show myself." Xavier's face was drawn in an enraged consideration, but he chose his words lightly, and kept his manner calm.

 

"Only upon my own, my good fellow. Now face me like the demon you are!" Another cold laugh was heard as the figure took a single step from behind the tree.

 

"So you work alone? How odd, that something of the darkness, and from a different plane I might add, should work without a master." Finding this funny, the shadowed silhouette continued with his self-pleasing silly laugh. As the wind picked up, it rattled the branches of the tree the person stood under, allowing the sun to snake through and penetrate the shadows, revealing that the figure wore a red cloak. The cloth was the same color as Xavier's eyes: a freshly painted red, like that of newly spilled blood against the clashingly white powder snow.

 

Cape swirling with the wind uncovered the figure's silver studded boots, with its many clasps, rings and chains. Even from the distance they were at, it was apparent that the figure had short, rather unkempt hair that fell messily around the face like black claws. A dark grey cloak was thrown around broad shoulders making its gender rather apparent that it was male.

 

"Give me your name," Xavier growled, his voice low but audible, and something about its surreptitious quietness made Virago shiver.

 

"I still don't see why I should trust you, vampire," the demon ridiculed, "But, it would be interesting to see what you've got hidden up those long black sleeves of yours." With that comment made, the figure turned around on one heel and bounded forward in one long leap bringing himself only a few feet from where Virago stood.

 

He sneered in her face, his pale green eyes snake-like and unblinking. Xavier dropped from one clawed hand to look the friend straight in the eye.

 

"What is your business here?" he hissed vehemently, hanging in front of Virago so that the demon couldn't hurt her easily. Birds chirped off in the distance, unaware of the danger close at hand. Xavier was being cautious about this unknown being, and Virago could sense it. The fiend, on the other hand, seemed as if he were having the time of his life. The devil considered something for a moment, perhaps telling them what his name was, but Virago doubted it. She was interested, but some sort of fear held her back. She wasn't really afraid of either of the two that stood glaring there, especially Xavier who had shown her hospitality, but there seemed to be an odd and binding aura around the other. She gulped down her voice and took a half step back. This caught the demon's eye.

 

"Leaving are we? But you don't even know my name!" With a step to the side and a very dramatic, flourished bow, the man took Virago's hand, jerking her forward a few steps and planted a gentle but poisonous feeling kiss that made her skin crawl.

 

Whiskers out, fur standing on end and tail tip twitching in anger, Virago pulled her hand quickly away, wiping the back of it on her shirt. Her head raised over his gave her a feeling of superiority which didn't last long. Just the menacing glare of the man below her made her feel as if the end of the world were near. Xavier dropped silently beside Virago, his posture stiff and serious, his fingers flexing at his side.

 

"I will ask you once more before I--"

 

"Before you what? You want my name already, you could at least ask nicely," came a sneering interruption, "But I guess politeness is beyond control of a mere vampire like you, isn't it? No matter! You can call me Poiu and don't bother asking who my master is; I'd die before I'd tell the likes of you. Not that I can die."

 

Poiu took a light jump backwards, his cape flapping against his legs which were apparently clothed in a soft dark grey material. Virago took this in as she could, her eyes oddly attracted to those icy faint ones. Xavier considered the person standing before them.

"What exactly are you? You aren't a full fledged demon are you?" Xavier asked, somewhat curiously, but his heavy voice covered that with it's dripping hate and sarcasm. Virago took back what she had said about his sentimentality earlier. Poiu only snickered and waved, conducting his posture with his hands. Standing straight, he brought his arms around him in a weird gesture, mouthing something at the same time. Virago's sensitive ears couldn't pick up his whispers, but she felt something a little odd about this situation.

 

Xavier growled and stepped in front of the feline, protecting her with himself, throwing his arms out with his cloak to shield her. He himself kept his posture just as stiff as the demon's he held before himself. Eyes wide with fear, whiskers out and sensing something very odd about the air around her, ears angled back, Virago crouched low and backed off to the side, but her curiosity held her there. She jumped into the crook of the oak tree Xavier had been using as a perch, feeling more secure and much safer with the protection that it gave. Peeping around the corner of a thick branch, she spied on what the two were doing. Poiu held his hands out, his palms to the sky, and it looked as if his wrists were bound by something invisible. His face darkened, becoming pallid as a wind took up and rustled about them before dying shortly, then speeding back up with a greater force.

 

The vampire stood, opposing him, arms still out from his sides as he held a word on his tongue. He was waiting for the precise moment that the demon would strike. He calculated the situation meticulously. If this fiend were tricky enough, he could distract them while accomplishing whatever purpose he had. He could also attack the enemy, Xavier, or Virago. He could even attack them both if he was strong enough, so the vampire had to be ready. Eyes trained fully on Poiu, he never noticed the people rising behind him. The demon still stood, chanting something, his arms gradually rising until they were above his head before he gave the final command.

 

"Kill."

 

Xavier braced himself for whatever Poiu had to throw at him. He wasn't quite expecting a back attack. He should have been able to sense the undead behind him, but was unable to. There was some kind of mirror force at work here. Virago, however, noticed them from her sanctuary in the tree. She was frightened at these specters, for spirits usually didn't go running around anywhere at all. She gathered up all her courage, but still it faltered a moment. She watched as those pale clammy hands reached slowly for the vampire.

 

'Why isn't he doing anything? Can't he tell they're behind him?' Virago screamed to herself, but apparently, he couldn't, as she could see. They touched his cape, the vampire failing to produce the last word to give order to his shield, and so allowed them within his vicinity. He heard a loud ringing in his ears, and the sounds of women's voices in his head. Riddled with confusion, he had to wonder why Poiu was laughing.

 

"You aren't nearly as strong as you look, incompetent vampire!" he giggled, "My friends will keep you company. For now I have to split though! Goodnight, vampire." With that said, Poiu swirled his cape around him, concealing himself within its blood red depths. It gave another spin before falling to the ground in a puff of smoke then blew away in ashes with the turbulent air.

 

"Behind you Xavier!" Virago managed to cry out, faintly, but still heard. Her mouth was dry as she clung to the tree. She had no clue what to do or how to help Xavier. The nearest specter reached her arm through the back of the vampire, making him jolt upright and become rather limp. His eyes half closed and his brows were drawn in what looked like pain. Virago viewed this in fear. She had to help him, somehow. Forcing her legs to work, the feline fell rather unceremoniously from the tree, nonetheless landing on her feet.

 

The undead were surrounding Xavier, drawing in closer with their ghastly forms, their intangible clothes whipping in the wind. The vampire moaned, his pupils dilating and contracting. It seemed as if he were fighting something internally. He shook his head, coughing before dropping to his knees, his eyes still wide with fear. The apparitions around him cackled with glee as they took their time to draw slowly closer. Virago was certain they were all female specters, but that didn't stop them from making her stomach churn. The lady with her arm in Xavier's back had pulled out and was now looming over the smitten figure. Virago had to move! Now! Shaking all doubts and thoughts from her head, she rushed forward, hissing and baring her claws at the ghost-like figures. Some backed off, fear of physical pain still fresh on their minds, but others pressed closer.

 

Suddenly, it was colder. Virago felt like she was being restricted and it was harder to breathe. Her breaths came in cold frozen puffs, though the warm sun streamed down upon them, it seemed unwelcome. Clouds veiled it, as if on command. The specters moaned around them, longing for the breath the living held in their lungs. A shrill cry resounded within the feline's head, a ringing sounding dully in her ears, growing louder with every heartbeat. She saw a vision of flames licking the air, houses crumbling to the ground and a huge explosion. The newly spawned memory of last night filled her vision and her head swam. She fell to her knees, grabbing hold of Xavier's arm. He looked up at her weakly, confused. His lips were blue, his eyes cloudy and distant. Virago saw this through half squinted eyes, her teeth grit, set and determined.

 

'Damn it!' she shouted inside herself, stirring her thoughts. Suddenly, a small realization hit her. She disrupted her broken memories with good memories. They weren't strong, and not enough to fight the darkness within her mind, but they held them back if only to some small extent.

 

Virago stood, with some effort, and pulled Xavier to his feet along with her. Leaning him against her shoulder, his arm around hers, she took a floundering step forward, nearly landing on her hands and knees. She felt drained, but she continued to push herself, her sheer will and determination driving all thoughts out of her mind, no matter how strong or real they seemed. The specters shrill cries and moans remained, but Virago was somehow able to pick up her step, a hidden strength renewing her. But it wasn't enough. She got fairly far before her legs gave way and she fell to her knees. The soft grass broke Xavier's fall as he landed next to her, completely unconscious. The undead glided toward them, laughing with pleasure once more.

 

'No!' Virago howled to herself, too weak to scream it. With the last of her strength, she kneeled over her companion, shielding him from those deadly souls.

 

A last dying scream in her head was heard, but only in the mind of the leopard before she collapsed in a heap over her friend.