Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Necromancer ❯ Blood Path ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter One: Blood Calling

"Children, lovers…fathers, mothers, rulers…all mine…mine…I feel you and I know you hear me. I felt it for the first time since…"

The soft voice lapsed into icy silence and the dead groaned silently in bereavement. A delicate sigh threaded through the soil and the souls in heaven and hell shuddered.

"So long, I've slept for so long. Too much time…time to make up. The hunger, my children, can you feel it? It calls me and I answer…I'm a slave to it…more than you can know…The poor are mine, the animals. That which has been born is mine…mine…

"Can you feel it? I do…Night has come. Their agonized death throes burn me and I desire their embrace…Feel that sword, glittering sharp, as it slices through the soft flesh. The blood…yes I can feel it seeping through my pores. I'm bathing in it…drowning in it.

"So much…too much…ah…more, I must have more…yes…The armies clash and death…aahh…Such sweetness draws me into waking…"

The ground trembled in released pleasure and the dead exulted with their Goddess and echoed her intoxicated moans.

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An agonized shriek filled the air and the ground gave way. Two monstrous behemoths plummeted through the dark chasm and landed with the crunch of twisted metal. From the carapace of one a slight figure staggered out, the other remained silent. Through the cloud of dust and dirt a disgruntled and highly agitated Dilandau Albatou stared at the crumpled remains of his Guymelef. He then proceeded to repeat every curse he knew, making up a few new ones while he was at it.

"Life…and death…"

He spun around as a soft voice insinuated itself into his mind. In the twilight of the hole he found he had fallen into some sort of cavern. From somewhere nearby the soothing chorus of a stream could be heard. He was, for all intents and purposes, alone. He glanced towards the Guymelef of the enemy. The operator most likely died from the burning steam of the damaged unit. A cruel smile crossed his face and stretched the scar down his cheek. The man's death scream had been pure musical ecstasy.

Overhead he could still hear the clash of metal and the cries of the wounded. The ground shook ever so slightly as the huge mechanical monoliths came together. He glared impotently at the wan light from the rift he had unwittingly tumbled into. He doubted anyone, including his own elite force, would begin or even be able to search for him until the battle was done. He swore again and kicked a piece of warped metal away. Growling under his breath he settled down by his damaged unit and began plotting a way out in vain.

Hours later thirst overcame him, the battle still having not reached a conclusion, and he decided to try and find that spring he could still hear. Several times he banged his shins against various hard protrusions and repeated his entire litany of curses. Through the painfully dim light he spied a dark slash across the cavern's floor, the sound of moving liquid originating from it. Eagerly he knelt beside it and plunged his sweat-dampened face into its cool embrace.

"What the hell?" he cried. He spit out the warm, coppery liquid, but couldn't rid himself it its all too familiar flavor. He wiped his face with his hands and then held them out for inspections. His horrified stare observed the dark streaks smeared across his palms and fingers.

"Who drinks of me?"

An oddly rapturous pain exploding through his head. He screamed and grabbed his head, writhing beside the unnatural stream. His face, hands and mouth burned as if he had drunk from liquid fire instead of…blood.

"Living flesh…living man…killer of men…Am I surfeit of your kind? I'm fed by your wars, glorious, shining…This wakes me, disturbs me…killer of men…you drink of me? Do you know of what and who you slack your thirst, killer of men?"

"Get the hell out of my head." The dulcet voice laughed with crisp malice. A phantom hand brushed through his mind and seemed to pluck out the secrets he had forgotten he had.

"My children feel me, killer of men…They moan my name…shh…Listen to their voices…They call me from slumber as do your wars…Death, hunger…I feel the soldiers strike…Yes…Overwhelm my mind…So much…Too much…"

"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." His words slurred together as he screamed out as fast as he could draw breath.

"Silence."

He tumbled into darkness.

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Okay, I said characters…I meant character. Dilly-sama. *cheers* Again please review, please? They make me the happiest girl in the world.