A Cursed Life - 5. Chapter 5

A Cursed Life pt 5

It's like looking over a mathematical equation and realizing that despite the calculation being worked out correctly the given answer is still wrong. For a moment or two, your brain almost takes a pause, having no knowledge of how to proceed from that point. I was tossed to the ground roughly and felt a foot placed in the center of my back to keep me there. At this point, I had little thought of trying to escape or fighting them off. As far as I could tell there were seven of them in all. After getting over the initial shock, I began to look around the room. The assault was no longer at the forefront of my mind, what I saw before me was.

Near the entrance to our home, three of the hooded men stood with large chains in their hands. In the center of these three men, on his knees, was Amon. A small trickle of blood ran from his forehead and flowed into his left eye. Whatever they had done to take him down was obviously not gentle in nature. I'm not sure my mind accepted what it was seeing in front of me. My master had been several things in my eyes; strong, stubborn, determined, strict, and at times an overbearing and dominating force. Never once have I looked at him and seen even a glimpse of the helplessness I saw now. A thick chain was wrapped around his neck and two of the men were holding each end of that chain. With each jerk or pull they would further choke Amon. And from this massive chain two shorter chains ran to both of his hands. This kept him from reaching out more than a few inches from his shoulders.

How all of this had been done to him was beyond any measure of understanding that I could grasp at the moment. Even more troubling was the fact that all of this had been done silently in a matter of minutes, just on the other side of a wooden door. All fight had left me as I was dragged out into this room and the scene before me only managed to push my mind into further paralysis. Amon was like a bound animal, struggling against his chains, and just like a trapped animal, the more he struggled, the worse things got. Yet another figure descended on Amon. This large figure backhanded Amon with a force that would have dislodged the jaw of any other man. The result was as I expected, and this only managed to enrage master further. Once again he was pulling at his chains and snarling viciously at his captors like a madman.

For a few moments, in my mind, despite the implications and momentarily feeling like a traitor, I knew it was better that he stayed in those chains. I wasn't allowed to think over the matter for very long. Shortly after Amon was struck, the last of these men stepped into the front room. He was younger looking than the others, and unlike the others he did not wear a hood or mask. Standing at an average height, with a heavily tattooed and bald; head, it was obvious from the moment he entered that he was in charge.

"That's enough Grafald, we've completed our task, others have yet to do the same and I trust you don't want to be held accountable for the hold up." The way he talked told me many things and I held none of them to be in our favor. I now knew with certainty that this was no common attack or raid; they were too well organized and too well prepared. On top of that I had the inclination that there were more of them elsewhere. This was going to get very bad before it ever had the chance to get better, before the end.

"Relax Falon, took us over eight months of tracking to find this one. We're all glad it's done with," spoke the large man with a smirk.

"You have your orders" was Falon's only reply.

At that Grafald and the other three men began to once again tug and pull at Amon's chains as they tried to drag him towards the door. If you've ever seen a beast captured and cornered, then watched as its tormentors tried to contain it. Perhaps, then you could understand the scene playing out before me. Master was throwing him self into the walls and planting his feet against their pulls and pushes. Doing anything he could think of to fight back against them. He was causing more harm to himself than any of them. I was held in place on the floor as they worked on getting master through the door. Eventually, after a few sharp jabs with the end of a sword to his kidneys, master was forced outside.

In my shocked state I had forgotten all about Xanthia, momentarily focused on my own survival and trying to makes sense of things. But as a man walked past me and out the door carrying her limp body, a few tears fell from my eyes. She was a friend, my mentor and in many ways she was like a mother to me. "Why, why are you doing this?" I pleaded, but my words meant nothing to these men. The tattooed man looked down at me shortly after and grunted for me to get up. At this point, I was defeated and broken and made no effort to comply with his orders. If he was going to kill me, why not here?

"Get up!"

"Why?!"

"Stand or be dragged through the soil like a lame animal!" he spat kicking dust up into my face.

I made no move, not entirely out of defiance; I simply didn't know what to do. Does one comply with his soon to be murderers just to make things easier on himself? Do you walk towards your fate with dignity and pride like you hear in stories and tall tales? Or do you stand your ground in your last moments and order death to come to you? I had no idea what my next move should be, fight or flee, beg and plead? Before I came to any real resolution a large hand was at my neck and I was pulled quickly from the ground. The large beast of a man, the one they called Grafald, had me by the back of my neck and hanging from his grasp with a single hand. With that single grip, I could feel the strength behind his grasp and I knew he was very strong indeed, even for an unnatural being such as a vampire.

"Falon says stand, and you stand! Or I'll give you a reasonable excuse for your disrespect." He hissed, tapping my legs with the edge of his sword. I was released only to collapse to the ground again in a huff. Looking back up to the massive man, I met only an abrasive sneer. I knew one thing for certain, he would make due on his promise. I rose from the ground as quickly as I could, as

I did, a sharp pain shot through my side and I was reminded of my damaged ribs.

"Move" ordered Falon. And that was the only other conversation between me and my captors as I was forced outside to meet my death.

Upon leaving my home, the sight before me was more than I could prepare for. Fires had broken out in several homes around town and in the distance many people were fleeing the carnage as others took part in it. The plague was not yet a thing of the past, but it already seemed that the given response among humans was chaos. And just ahead of me, yet another figure stood waiting. He wore a deep red cloak and robe unlike the black concealing robes of the others. Xanthia's body was sprawled on the ground near his left foot and Amon was being made to kneel to his right. It took three nervous men to hold master there; his hair was everywhere and from my position it looked as though drool was running from his mouth. He was in complete disarray. Amidst it all, this person, this ominous figure, was completely calm. The man just stood there. Humans were running around looting and fleeing not more than 15 feet from all of us. Buildings were being razed to the ground and a viscous beast of a man was bound in chains before him. This was seemingly a night like any other night to him.

"Come here Devon." Spoke the figure. My eyes must have shot clear out of my head when he spoke my name. He lowered his hood and raised his head to meet my gaze. The image there; was not that of a hardened soldier or a murderous sociopath. And in contrast I found myself wondering what I expected to find in the first place, what should your murder look like when he stands before you? No he was anything but what I expected, he was ...beautiful. His hair was thick brown and wavy. It hung past his ears but not down to his neck. Visually he looked a few years older than me, maybe nineteen. He had a look to him that was undeniably attractive and at the same time he had such a powerful presence. He cleared his throat just then, as if purposely bringing me away from my wandering thoughts.

When I made no signs of moving as ordered, the large vampire Grafald that had man handled me only minutes ago, raised the end of his sword to strike at the back of my head. I was vaguely aware of this but I was very aware of the movements of the one who stood before me. He made but a quick head shake to the negative and Grafald stepped away.

He held my gaze, knowing I was more than hesitant, but his very presence dared me to make him wait any longer. With the heavy breathing of the large brute but a short distance behind me, I moved forward slowly. It's a strange thing, to willingly walk to your death; you read about it and see it in all types of stories. In reality it's not bravery or courage that motivates you, it's the desperate desire to cling to every second you have left, despite the madness of complying. After only a few short steps I stood before the man. Certain that I was about to be murdered and still I couldn't believe his beauty. He stared at me and just as those thoughts entered my mind a smirk flashed across his face.

"This is him Falon, the one born of Amon. They have the same wavering temperament, right now he doesn't know if he wants to have his way with me, run for his life, or rip the flesh from our bodies." His comments got a slight chuckle from Grafald, I could actually feel the rumble from his large chest.

"What do you want?"

"Shh... it'll be easier if you stay silent and stay still, this doesn't have to hurt...at least not this part."

As he reached out and placed a single hand on top of my head, my heart was beating so hard that my chest hurt and my mind was racing uncontrollably. "Calm down, I told you this won't hurt." He spoke, facing me with eyes closed. To even attempt to explain something like this is beyond me to do and beyond anyone to understand. In an instant my mind felt...fuller, and suddenly I felt as though I might collapse, vomit, or scream all at once and in another instant it was gone. My whole body was on fire, my senses reeling from the overload.

"Different...so very different, the proof, the memories are all there, and yet it's as though...yes, he's not even aware of the events. His mind has blocked them out somehow."

"What the hell are you talking about? Stop speaking about me as though I'm not here, What..."

"Be quiet! Your memories are so difficult to decipher, hard to tell what's real and what's a dream. You have such vivid dreams..." as he spoke those words his voice trailed off and his face began to slump slowly as though he was falling asleep.

"Xavien are you alright?" interrupted Falon as he shoved me harshly to the ground. It was almost as though he was trying to get me away from Xavien, like he wanted to sever our contact. As Falon once again spoke his name, Xavien seemed to recover from whatever it was that came over him. And the moment he did he locked eyes with me. "What it is it Falon? What happened, did he cause this?

"I did nothing!"

"Not another word" replied Falon quickly.

Xavienhad yet to respond to Falon, or to utter a single word in fact. He simply stood there mouth agape, staring at me. "Xavien I need a report now." When Falon spoke this time Xavien looked over his right shoulder and down at Amon. The look on his face was a mix of disgust and rage. And in that moment the beauty his face had held only moments ago slipped away. "Kill the beast now, he is guilty of all things he's accused of and much more." Falon didn't hesitate for even a second, didn't question the order, and didn't have an internal battle with his conscience over the fact that he was going to kill someone, he simply moved into action. As Falon pulled a very long sword from his waist I began to sit and get to my feet.

"Wait, this is insane, you can't do this, I won't let you" I spoke in an rage. That familiar feeling started creeping over me once again. I could feel it in my veins, this immense heat as the sudden and explosive anger swept over me. If not for the energy of the moment, I'm sure this feeling would shake me to pieces. If she were still with us Xanthia would look at me with those eyes and be thinking about how alike master and I are. But she's not! And they're to blame!

I hadn't begun moving yet when I heard master yell out. I gathered my thoughts instantly and my eyes could barely keep track of what was happening. Falon's sword was in my master's chest, his blood was everywhere. Despite the obvious pain he must have felt from such a wound he seemed almost unharmed in those moments. As quickly as I had taken sight of the sword in Amon's chest and the blood on the ground beneath him, Falon was sent hurling to the ground several feet away. The men holding the chains didn't have much time to react as Amon grabbed at the metal bonds that had moments ago held him in place and pulled at them, Pulling both men towards him quickly with one harsh tug. The very sight of Amon was monstrous, it wasn't due to the blood that covered him, it wasn't even due to the sword that was left protruding from his chest. Amon himself had taken on a monstrous form. His eyes were as red as the blood pouring from his wound, only they had a fire behind them that threatened to burn alive anyone who met his gaze. His facial features were different somehow, elongated maybe. He simply didn't seem like the master that I knew, more than that he seemed as far from a man as I've ever known. Even at this small distance it seemed as though his very presence had taken on more mass.

Those eyes, as horrible as they were, I knew something of them and the look on his face was familiar as well. As I watched him use the chains that bound him to strangle one man and beat another. I began to recognize it all too well. The rage, Amon was feeling that heat, that intense surging warmth and it was pulsing through him right now. Just as it had in me moments ago, whatever this was that I had perhaps inherited from him it was nowhere near as strong in me. And I was thankful for that.

Before Falon had even stood again Amon had killed one of the vampires and was spitting out a large chunk of flesh that he'd taken out of the other. With the large and cumbersome chains still around his neck and trailing behind him, he took off towards the woods like a madman. The man left standing was on him instantly in pursuit and before I could really process what was happening, Falon was flying past me as well. I'd never seen anyone move that fast. In a blur of dust and the echoing rattle of those chains, they disappeared into the dense darkness surrounding the woods. I only gave a quick look over my shoulder and knew that I wouldn't be making any similar escapes. The large brute had moved closer and was cracking his knuckles just behind me. The sounds of branches snapping and rattling chains were echoing throughout the woods before me and getting farther and farther away. I was stretching my senses to the limits to keep up with their locations through the dense woods. They had to be moving at an incredible pace and fighting the entire way it seemed.

While I struggled to keep my senses and thoughts on tracking their movements in the woods, my eyes suddenly caught Xavien's. With all this chaos and craziness going on around us, with two of his men laying dead or dying and two others chasing a raging lunatic through the woods, his eyes had apparently been on me the whole time. When I focused on him I immediately thought he was in my mind again. But I soon realized that strange feeling wasn't present and yet he was still staring.

"Xavien, your orders?" came the grunted voice of Grafald behind me. We both waited for Xavien's words. Standing there and waiting for the words to cross his lips to command this beast to end my life was more than enough to take my mind off of Amon. "Lord Xavien...what of these two, shall I dispose of them?" And there it was, I was expecting it, knew it was coming but still it was like a slap in the face to hear them talking about my life as though it was a bit of soiled parchment to be tossed out. And all the while Xavien stood there watching me, I wasn't even sure he was still blinking at this point. Grafald was just about to speak again when Falon appeared from the woods. He came jogging over towards us his sword in hand and his suit covered in blood. I noticed instantly that Amon and the other man weren't with him.

"He's escaped; Anthony is dead now as well. He's worse than the stories tell of, I've never seen madness like that in a man. What he did to Anthony in those woods....."

"Lets get after him again Falon, he won't get far" started Grafald with a huff.

"No, we chased him for well over a mile, he's like an animal, he got away from me while I tried to help Anthony but there was nothing I could do for him but finish him off, Amon is long gone by now. We need to finish up here and report to the Elders" said Falon cleaning off his sword. It was like someone suddenly struck a match and there was this small flame burning amidst all the surrounding darkness. The elders, in my mind it was all laid out but there was no solid connection, there had been no time to analyze things. But with those words I was sure, these were the elite warriors of the elders, their assassins. "Xavien, we need to move yes?" questioned Falon. I still wasn't completely sure who was higher ranking Falon or Xavien, though it appeared that the two men were waiting for Xavien's words. As Falon stepped a bit closer towards Xavien, the latter finally let his eyes fall away from me. He immediately began to sit on the ground, pulling his hood down over his face and crossing his legs. This action was confusing to me but Falon and Grafald seemed to understand the meaning behind it.

He sat there for some time without moving, seemingly meditating. And it was moments later when I realized that the air around us all seemed to be heavier. My hair, my clothes, even my skin felt as though there were some pressure placed upon it. There was nothing threatening about the sensation at least not on the surface, it was just so strange. Imagine the feeling of walking through a thick fog, only there is no fog. Shortly after I noticed the added pressure a light buzz began in the center of my mind, not pain or even any real discomfort. It was seemingly some level of awareness, and somehow I understood that. The thickness to the air had a meaning; it was because of a presence that was all around us. More intense then the feeling of someone standing next to you, this sensation was like standing inside someone else.

And just as quickly as I noticed the buzz of awareness in my mind, yet another piece fell into place and I realized the sensation floating around us all was Xavien's conscious mind. He had sent his mind and awareness out into the surrounding area and beyond, from what I gathered. No doubt in an attempt to find Amon once again. It was amazing to feel and as I looked towards Falon and even the brute Grafald, I wondered if they were even capable of being fully aware of what was happening.

My thoughts were pulled away from the sensations dancing around us by the sound of a deep huff of air not far from me. My eyes darted to Falon and Grafald but the sound seemed to not concern them nor come from either one. A small moan broke the silence around us and my attention went to the spot where Xanthia lay. She was moving, breathing, she was alive. That huff of air came from her, how could I be so stupid?. She'd been alive this whole time and I left her to lay there in the dirt and suffer alone. I wanted to rush over to her, to call out to her but that was impossible at the moment. Not once had I tried to confirm her death, I simply accepted it, how easily we forsake others when our own wellbeing is at stake. And now that I knew to listen for it the sound of the blood in her veins and the weak beat of her heart were just barely tangible. If only I'd paid more attention, I'd been too caught up in the things happening to and around me, to notice.

I was standing there trying my best not to stare openly in her direction, perhaps they missed it. She was obviously more of a threat to them than I am, it would only hurt things if they realized she was still alive. And still, there was so much blood pooling around her, how could I just let her lay there alone. As she took in another sharp breath I lost my composure and rushed over to her.

I was just a few feet from her when the large boot of Grafald came down at the back of my knee. As I feel to the ground just over a foot away from Xanthia he brought his foot to rest on the top of my head and pressed it firmly into the dirt. I had to get to her, I had to! With the full weight of that giant coming down on my head and neck I crawled through the dirt while he laughed above me. When I finally reached her I wasn't sure what to do. My vision was blurry with tears and my hands were shaking as I placed it over her wound. The blood was still flowing freely and I can't imagine what I was thinking, I had no idea what I could do for her.

"Xanthia, can you hear me?" I whispered, at this point seeing her up close I wasn't sure what outcome I wanted more. For her to still be alive or for her to be out of her misery. For as long as I can remember Xanthia had been a thing of beauty and to see her lying there in the dirt in a pool of her own blood was so...disturbing. After some time she let out a small groan, there was no way for me to know if this was in reply to me or just a reaction to all the pain she must be in. I moved closer and embraced her as best I could, all the while Grafald's boot was stepping down on my head.

"That's enough of that, Grafald, don't be vulgar" spoke Falon sharply as he returned his attention to Xavien.

"Yes, quite enough," Xavien spoke in a low tone surprising all of us. His tone caused a sense of fear and anxiety to wash over me again.

Both Falon and Grafald moved over to Xavien immediately as he stood and began to dust himself off. Xavien began to speak to them. In a language that I had not heard before, it was obvious that whatever was being said was not meant for either of us to hear. Something that didn't make sense at this point, they were going to kill us both now, I was sure of it so why the need for secrecy, the dead tell no secrets. With the weight finally removed from my head and neck I was able to sit up and get a better look at Xanthia and once I did a few tears began to gather in my eyes. She was badly bruised in several areas, obviously from the blows that had brought her down. And up close the wound to her shoulder was so much worse than I realized.

"This changes things however...these two return with us, bind them." said Xavien as he ended their private conversation. I held Xanthia close to me as the three of them turned to look in our direction. Go with them? Where, why? Xanthia couldn't go anywhere she needed blood fast, and sleep. "Grafald find us some logs, Falon there is some rope in my satchel back with the horses you'll have to fetch it. I'll remain here, there's more that I wish to uncover."

"Are you sure? Grafald could fetch the rope as well.."

"The fewer minds, in the immediate area the better Falon, it won't take long and I can handle things here just fine." said Xavien. With that the two men set off to carry out their tasks, what was intended for us that involved logs and ropes was a mystery to me but I was more concerned with my mind reading captor. "I wasn't expecting you..."

"I wasn't expecting to be murdered tonight but I guess I'll have to get over it somehow." I fired back at him. This entire encounter was confusing and I'd been through a range of emotions at this point and now I was once again somewhere between confusion and anger. Did he really think I was going to sit here and converse with him. No amount of niceties was going to change the fact that they dragged us from our home nearly killing Xanthia in the process, and attempted to do the same to Amon thereafter. Who knows what our fate was to be once we arrived wherever they were taking us. All the while I hadn't forgotten the state of my master and I doubt I ever would. He was out there in the woods somewhere and I had mixed feelings about that.

"I'm not sure what your fate will be at this point, it's out of my hands for now. Still what I said remains true, your master and the woman I was prepared for. You...you were just to be a fledgling caught up in all this. In fact the information we gathered is apparently inconclusive where you are concerned, more so than we knew."

"What are you talking about?" I replied

"You were to be a boy...a boy turned at the age of 13 or possibly 14. I know now that your were in fact 17 years of age when you were turned. No physical description was given, nor was a name....you were the only unknown in all this and even knowing that I still didn't expect...you"

"...what does that mean? So I'm older than you thought and you didn't know what I looked like but now you do."

"How often do you meet with others?"

"I don't understand."

"Vampires, your own kind; how often do you meet with them? How many have you met?" I was confused by his line of questioning but I was more intrigued now than ever. This seemed a strange course for an assassin to take.

"Not often at all, hardly ever, we keep to ourselves and we never harm anyone. I don't even know why you are..."

"Stop, we'll come to that later, perhaps. You see our information is so incomplete about you because as far as our records show, you are but a few lines away from not existing." Several questions were ready to leap out of my mouth but he continued on before I could speak. "And the beast took a child, in the way that beasts do. From blood and suffering a young one came to be among us."

"That line is meant to speak of me? But what beast..." My words trailed off until even I could barely make them out. That answer had been given to me earlier tonight, before I even knew the question existed. "Master?" Xavien nodded in reply. "What does that mean, ...took a child, in the way that beasts do? And why do you refer to him as a beast, before tonight, before your attack he'd never been like that, ever."

"As far as you recall..." said Xavien. As he said this his eyes were watching more intently than before. As though he was waiting to analyze my response.

"I've been with Amon all my life, I'm telling you, he's never been like that."

"Do you know that nearly no one among us has even seen you, how does someone exist for centuries and leave no evidence of said existence? If not for the women and the boy you'd still have been an enigma, an unimportant one but still an enigma."

"...Layla and Gabriel?" I spoke and he nodded once again in reply. "They were the ones that she saw that night. It was all completely true...and if so then they did kill those vampires."

"Yes, we were, and we did"

"Stay out of my head, isn't it enough what you've done to us tonight."

"That brings me to my next topic, your mind." said Xavien

"My mind?" I questioned.

"If I explained everything as I now know it to be, most of the things that you have seen and heard tonight would fall into place. And yet I'm not sure if I'd be doing you a favor or in fact the opposite."

"Stop talking in circles! I said. Throughout this conversation Xanthia had been deathly still. Without my enhanced senses I would have thought she was dead. She seemed to be in an early sleep, her body trying its hardest to heal itself. I looked down at her as I waited for Xavien's reply.

As he learned in life, so he lived, and such he pressed upon others. The beast, son of chaos incarnate; murder, rapist, and betrayer. Living at the feet and in the shadow of the incarnate. The beast learned only merciless discipline. And where he was taught the twisted lessons of victory through the suffering and destruction of others, he gained only a taste for the suffering and...death of others. Unwavering strength and insurmountable rage. Amon; the beast, son of Larsare; chaos incarnate.

...And the beast took a child, in the way that beasts do. From blood and suffering a young one came to be among us."