By: SinfulWolf<\/p>\n
The wine was sweet, smooth and rich as it flowed down her throat from the rim of the silver chalice. The bottle sitting upon the marble table beside her cost enough that even a human king would clutch his purse and look elsewhere for his drink. Chancellor Lelthina however, didn\u2019t think a human would even be able to appreciate such divine quality.<\/span><\/p>\n Standing in her personal greeting chamber in the palace of Winterstone, she listened carefully to the man before her, one finely manicured hand resting upon that marble table. She only took small sips as she listened carefully to each word that flowed from the man\u2019s mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n The quality of his clothes was utterly horrid; a dull brown and tattered cloak with all kinds of patches sewn across the larger holes. A drab tunic of green, and breeches that had more dust on them than the dye used to give them whatever colour they had been. Normally, such a man she would not converse with, but one did not turn away spymaster Phano. She\u2019d seen him in such a variety of clothes, and act in such a variety of manner, that she could not say for sure how wealthy he truly was.<\/span><\/p>\n And she was usually so very good at knowing that.<\/span><\/p>\n The story he told now though was incredulous. If he were not Phano, she wouldn\u2019t have believed a single word of it; but the spymaster hated exaggeration. So, no matter how improbable what he was telling her to be truth, it was. It was shocking even.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo we have lost Driftafay,\u201d Lelthina said, her voice almost a whisper. She had never imagined this would come to pass. At the hands of a Goldulin bitch no less.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSeems the humans have finally decided to overreach themselves. Any word from their barbaric clans on this… affront?\u201d the chancellor asked as the spymaster moved to the table, and poured himself a glass of the deep red wine.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNone. They don\u2019t even know it\u2019s happened. Seems this, Sarya, has struck out on her own,\u201d he said, slipping out of the grizzled tone of a street urchin he\u2019d been using not two minutes before, and sounding much more like a noble Elf. It was off putting with the clothing, but Lelthina much preferred it. It sent a shiver down her spine.<\/span><\/p>\n Phano\u2019s smile told her that he noticed. Of course he noticed, he never missed anything.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cStupid Human bitch. No matter, Driftafay cannot stand on its own. I will inform the king of this. I\u2019m sure his daughter will want another shot at being the hero after the atrocity at Atzgol,\u201d Lelthina said shaking her head, and earning a deep laugh from Phano.<\/span><\/p>\n He slid behind her, stinking of the road. She could feel him, so close to her, almost touching her fine silken dress.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBathe before you enter my chambers,\u201d she said firmly, gesturing towards a side door, where one of her personal servants stood.<\/span><\/p>\n Phano glanced at another door, the one to her bed chambers. Where he would find himself soon enough.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cVery well chancellor. Enjoy your meeting with the king,\u201d he said with a deep bow that was both mocking, playful, and respectful at once. Lelthina still wasn\u2019t sure how he managed to pull that off.<\/span><\/p>\n Shaking her head, Lelthina drained the remainder of her chalice, and left the room. She\u2019d be back soon enough, and on her back. Phano had a way with women… and men. He could have whoever he wanted, yet he liked to have her. Lelthina had a little smile to herself at that, putting a little extra sway into her hips as she moved through the corridors of the opulent palace of Winterstone.<\/span><\/p>\n Servants all bowed as she walked by, proving that they knew their place in this world. Lelthina ignored them otherwise, walking with her chin up as she moved with her perfect Elfin grace.<\/span><\/p>\n When she finally reached the throne room, pushing both thick doors open wide, she let some of her pride seep out of her stroll. For before her, on his throne of gold draped in the finest blue silk, sat King Apol. Lelthina was quick to bow before him on the plush rug that ran to the base of his throne, feeling the pale blue eyes of not just the king, but his daughter Telva as well.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cChancellor. You have met with Phano then?\u201d Apol said in his quiet voice, drained by age.<\/span><\/p>\n Slowly, respectfully, Lelthina rose to her feet once more. She turned to Telva and curtsied quickly. When the princess returned the gesture with her beautiful white dress, accentuated with blue sashes, Lelthina smiled and turned back to the king. Even amongst royalty she demanded respect.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI have, your grace. It is as we feared, the rumours are true,\u201d Lelthina started, before telling Apol everything she had learned. In the corner of her eye she saw Telva\u2019s face redden with anger at the pure nerve of the Goldulin bitch.<\/span><\/p>\n When she finally finished her tale, the room was in utter silence. Telva stood stock still, shaking with righteous anger, and Apol silently tapped his finger against the armrest of his throne. From beneath his gray hair, his still perfectly blue eyes watched Lelthina. Finally he turned to his daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTelva. Prepare your army, you leave at dawn. You will take Driftafay, and you will fly the Winterstone banner from the Evermar Palace. We will run this Coalition now, and show the Humans who hold thoughts of turning against us, the power of Winterstone,\u201d Apol said, an edge of iron coming to his usually soft voice.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd those living in the city now?\u201d Telva asked, with the slightest of growls. Lelthina listened carefully for the king\u2019s answer as he pondered.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cExecute any who resist… then decimation. I\u2019m sure Sarya will appreciate the humour in that,\u201d Apol said with a humourless grin.<\/span><\/p>\n Decimation. Lelthina smiled. Finally the humans would be made aware of how insignificant they were to the world.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cChancellor. You will accompany my daughter, as the new head of the Coalition Council. Obviously your predecessor did not perform adequately. That\u2019s what happens when you get soft with humans.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Lelthina bowed deeply.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is an honour, your grace.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n ><><\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMorkate take my soul, as I give my life for your harbinger,\u201d the woman said, holding a silver dagger in her upturned palms before her naked form. Kneeling before the priestess Aela, a silver bowl engraved with ancient markings of the Goddess of Lust and Blood.<\/span><\/p>\n Aela reached down and took the dagger from the hands of the sacrifice.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMay the shadows embrace you,\u201d Aela said, and quickly slashed the woman\u2019s throat open. She didn\u2019t even make a sound as blood pumped from the deep wound, down her body, and pouring into the bowl. When life faded from her body and she started to slump forwards, Aela caught her by the head, holding her up until more blood had filled the bowl.<\/span><\/p>\n When the sacrifice finally stopped bleeding, Aela looked up to the Helot guards standing at the entrance to Lillium\u2019s chambers. They\u2019d been there since Lillium had been returned to Volgras.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTake her to the temple. She is to be honoured,\u201d Aela said, and one of the helots nodded, carefully taking the dead woman in his arms.<\/span><\/p>\n The helots knew better than to disrespect Aela and the customs of Morkate. The priestess smiled to herself; even many of them were becoming devout followers. The harbinger\u2019s plans were coming along nicely, until that woman, Goldulin from what she\u2019d heard, put it all in jeopardy.<\/span><\/p>\n With no witnesses save the single helot guard, Aela moved to Lillium\u2019s bed. The succubus lay on her back, stripped down to only long leather skirts. There were no bandages over the hole through her chest, for she wasn\u2019t bleeding. But, neither was it healing. Aela could see the snapped ribs, the marrow within them. She could see the heart, struggling to beat with much of it torn asunder.<\/span><\/p>\n Dipping two fingers into the bowl, Aela painted sigils on her own naked skin, connecting her to the Goddess. Moving onto the bed, she straddled Lillium\u2019s form. Oh how she wished the succubus was awake for this. Looking down at her form, so near death that her breasts scarcely rose with breath, Aela could not help but admire the perfection of the snowy skin, the faint hints of blackened veins, the swells of her breasts.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMorkate, hear me your servant. Give me the strength to bring your harbinger back from the brink, that she may continue her holy work,\u201d Aela said softly, tipping the bowl so that blood flowed over Lillium\u2019s unmoving lips, and into the hole punched through her chest.<\/span><\/p>\n Her own heart stilled as the crimson flowed over Lillium\u2019s still form, dripping into her chest cavity. Aela\u2019s lips moved in silent prayer as she watched. She could even feel the tension in the helot\u2019s breast as they waited.<\/span><\/p>\n And waited.<\/span><\/p>\n Nothing happened. The heart still struggled, the exposed lung still barely expanded, and her beautiful eyes stayed closed. Aela hung her head. Until she heard the whispers. Her gaze snapped upwards, startling the helot guard.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI know where our answers are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n ><><\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI saw you kill her, do you doubt your own hand?\u201d Viviane said before the gathered officers and nobility of Driftafay, while Sarya sat to get pressure off her injured leg.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t, which is why I know she\u2019s not dead. The one thing we didn\u2019t know going out there, is that she\u2019s a fucking vampire,\u201d the Centurion said angrily, her gaze snapping at them all.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI was about to cut off her damn head when your soldiers pulled me back. I wasn\u2019t finished with her yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Some of those who\u2019d been around for some time, those that trained and led the very same men that Sarya had commanded in battle while they cowered behind walls, at least had the shame to blush.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cShe can\u2019t have been a vampire! We\u2019ve all seen her, a succubus,\u201d some noble with slicked back hair and a too well groomed goatee said. Sarya hated him on sight, purely because of all that grooming. Probably never saw a battle before. Even though that small skirmish outside might be considered one, he more than likely hid behind the skirts of a whore.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI saw her up close. I saw her heal wounds that would have brought a succubus down. I saw her fangs, her hunger for blood. I saw this, because I fought her. We\u2019re talking about the Kazdruk, not a clan of sheep fucking barbarians. They, do, not, follow the fucking rules of nature,\u201d Sarya seethed, staring down anyone who dared doubt her. Luckily for them, there was only silence that followed her outburst.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNothing else to say? Than go… and get ready for her to come back,\u201d the Centurion said, flipping her hand towards the door.<\/span><\/p>\n Most were quick to scramble away from the woman who had started a massacre in their very streets, and had braved the creature that had them terrified. Most, but not all.<\/span><\/p>\n Viviane remained where she was, standing proud and firm. Sarya let out a long breath to release her anger into the air. Viviane had been brave in the fight, hell just the fact that she fought at all meant the world to Sarya. For a moment she said nothing, just stood by the table letting Sarya calm herself.<\/span><\/p>\n The Centurion kept a hand pressed to her thigh, trying to ignore the throbbing pain. At least the apothecary had a steady hand with the stitching.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHow is it?\u201d Viviane finally asked to break the silence, and Sarya let a humourless smile curl her lips briefly.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPainful, but it\u2019ll be fine soon enough,\u201d she said, and looked down at the table before her, with its map of DelHelshan, marked with coloured pins for all the Kazdruk raids and attacks. The coast was getting hit hard, and with the Atzgol plains fallen the Kazdruk were advancing up along the Ruby sea.<\/span><\/p>\n Then there was Volgras, and Lillium. How the hell had she gotten so far into Coalition territory without being stopped? Why were those helots so respectful of her? Everything Sarya had seen of the Kazdruk grunts showed they would abandon their cruel masters at a moment\u2019s notice. Not Lillium though; they carted her away. Was it her vampirism, or something else? Sarya stared at the map, cupping her chin in her hand as she studied it.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe won\u2019t get help here, we\u2019re not the front lines,\u201d Sarya muttered to herself, until Viviane\u2019s cough reminded the centurion that the Knight of Oan was still standing before her.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo Lillium is a Kazdruk experiment. We know she used to be human, but now she is some kind of… abomination. We need to go after her, and finish what you started,\u201d Viviane said firmly, and Sarya looked up with a raised eyebrow. She didn\u2019t want to admit it, but the knight\u2019s determination impressed her.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t even know for sure where she\u2019s holed up. My guess is Volgras, most reports suggest that. But, I can\u2019t leave. Driftafay is on the brink, again. And I doubt anyone else is going to want to go hunting her,\u201d Sarya said, hating herself for saying it.<\/span><\/p>\n To her surprise Viviane was nodding, and gesturing to Sarya\u2019s leg.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if you\u2019d be at top game anyway.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Sarya laughed, a little bitterly at the comment but nodded. She pointed to Volgras.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t stop you. I want the bitch dead. We all need the bitch dead. Just… don\u2019t get yourself killed doing it. I\u2019m starting to like you,\u201d Sarya said with a smirk, and Viviane smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll see in I can find that Wolfkin that managed to escape. I\u2019m sure she\u2019s fled the city by now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTake the woods then. I have a feeling she\u2019s not that far away,\u201d Sarya said, slowly getting to her feet.<\/span><\/p>\n The two warriors nodded to each other, then clasped hands firmly.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGo with Oan Sarya.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cJust kill the bitch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n ><><\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Watching Aela pack a bag while draped in a long cloak that covered much of her form seemed simply strange to Mia. The temple was nearly deserted, save for herself, the priestess, and Lillium\u2019s first concubine Yannifer. Even the sadistic elf had her attire of leather straps concealed beneath a cloak of black cloth, her eyes watching the priestess pack.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhere are you going? The Mistress needs you,\u201d Mia said pleadingly as Aela clasped her pack shut and threw it over her back. The woman said nothing for a moment as she stepped down from the dais that held the stone altar of Morkate up, before finally turning to the Harbinger\u2019s concubine and acolyte of Morkate.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThorlgruz. Yannifer is accompanying me for she knows the way, and the layout of the cathedral. There is a grimoire there, the tome of the Kazdruk sorceress Aeltha, that contains all her secrets of corruption,\u201d Aela said as she began to walk towards the front doors of the temple, Yannifer falling silently in step with her.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThorlgruz? A tome?\u201d Mia asked confused, and Aela glanced at her as if a child.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt will contain the secrets of how she created the Harbinger, and therefore the knowledge we need to bring her from the brink. Lorth will be in command while I\u2019m gone… I need you to oversee the needs of the temple,\u201d Aela said as Yannifer pushed open the doors.<\/span><\/p>\n All three stepped outwards and down the three steps to the dirt road running through Volgras. Two horses were waiting there, their reins held by the Helot captain, who bowed in respect to Aela as she emerged from her temple.<\/span><\/p>\n Yannifer quickly mounted while Aela fixed her pack to the horse\u2019s saddle. Mia could only watch, feeling the weight of responsibility upon her shoulders. As Aela gracefully mounted she looked down upon her acolyte.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMorkate has told me of this, and I must see it done. We will return as quickly as we can,\u201d she said, as she took the reins from Lorth.<\/span><\/p>\n Concubine and priestess both kicked their heels into the flanks of their mounts, and without further conversation or proper farewells they were riding southwards. Towards Thorlgruz. Mia stood beside Lorth and watched them riding down the road.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat if Aeltha discovers this?\u201d she asked, and the helot snorted.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThen you better learn how to kill.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By: SinfulWolf The wine was sweet, smooth and rich as it flowed down her throat from the rim of the silver chalice. The bottle sitting upon the marble table beside her cost enough that even a human king would clutch his purse and look elsewhere for his drink. Chancellor Lelthina however, didn\u2019t think a human […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[10],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=212"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1059,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212\/revisions\/1059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dominionschain.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}