The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Andraste Naïlo: XCV

XCV

The whole room paused in utter silence, Andraste was trying to point out parts of her story to better explain to the detective Vincent. She didn't realize how quiet it had gotten until that moment. "They lived in the upper regions just-"

"What.. did you just say?" Markos's voice sounded.. Careful yet erratic, scared yet calm. She grit her teeth, she was slightly fearful of this.. This kind of reaction.

"Yeah hold on a second, what?" Herod was second in the chain of those to raise their voice.

"My parents name. My original last name." She began to explain. "It was Naïlo." She spun on her heel to face the party, perhaps they were just curious? That's when she met the dead panned stare of Markos. His violet eyes had always stricken her as unnatural. The cultist was strikingly feminine with his facial structure, body, and other things, but right now he was holding his trident, a look of genuine fear was in his eyes they looked.. Misty.

"Naïlo.. Like, the fucking.." Markos started.

"Dagger." Herod finished. "You're related to the dagger?" He was the first to genuinely move closer. "To Ant'tran?!" Andraste swallowed nervously, she took a shaky breath.

"I.. am related to the body he now inhabits.. I've seen the innocent murderer before." She bit her lip cautiously. Andraste felt pangs of memories flood her mind, the day her sister had gotten married.. The day that thing came for him.. The day she killed her brother in law.

"What?!" Markos raged, like the information was far too absurd for him. "H-how could you not tell us? Is this all connected?? Fuck fuck fuck." He started walking back and forth clutching his head. "I never got out.. This.. this is a wrinkle.. I should've known a wrinkle." He began to mutter erratically. His voice sounded more like someone in pain, or crying rather than a maniac. Herod grabbed Markos's arm and held him steady. A fierce look passed between them. Andraste could see it unfold, confusion was turning into rage. Shit. she cursed herself for not talking to Vincent in private, she had been so obsessed with the notion. Ever since that question was asked she had begun thinking of her parents, waiting would've been smarter.

"Did you know about Ant'tran?" Herod whispered. His voice was so on edge, the normally calm and smooth warlock sounded like his power rode a knife blade. She clenched her teeth.

"I.. did know of him, however.." She began.

"However what?!" Markos snapped. "You.. You knew of Ant'tran this whole time? The dagger fucker whos been trying to nab me and Herod and you said nothing?!" Andraste grew upset, what obligation did she have to tell them?!

"The primary body he resides in now is the fiance of my sister.. Lia.. She.. Is under Ant'tran's spell.. Following him and-"

"Spell? Under his spell? So you know what he could do. What he was doing.." Markos accused. "H..how could you not tell us? How many times have we mentioned this dagger wielding fuck named Ant'tran?" Andraste saw a flash of red in the cultists eyes. No, literally. It seemed like the blue of his purple vanished for a brief second replacing it all with a unique vermillion red. Even his voice sounded more commanding.

"Markos, calm down!" Riu chimed in. She rushed between the two of them. "Andraste.. Had to have had a reason.. She wasn't lying to you she just-"

"Knew that Ant'tran was in my room.." Markos muttered. "And didn't bother telling me what he does.. Is that right?" his voice was.. Deeper than normal not very much it still was high pitched and erratic, but his tone and speed was slower.

"I didnt know what he did j-just.. He corrupted my Sister fiance.. I didnt realize that that was.. A separate entity.. I wasnt sure.." She felt panged, was she lying? How much did she actually know about the death wielding dagger, and the powers he possessed. "Hold on, you lied to us!" She yelled back, recalling the seconds he defended his actions. The room seemed agitated, she grit her teeth and considered going on the attack. Markos stood there, for seconds, looking at the ground in thought.

"I..You lied.. To us, to all of us. To me. You knew something you didn't let on to. About someone you questioned me about.. You seemed concerned about him.." Markos was holding his trident ready. It was almost like he didn't know he lied, like some else had.

"I ran to your room because you sc-"

"Screamed?" He cut off. "Bullshit." The cultist now sounded even more on edge. "I scream all the time when I wake up, hell it's the one thing Herod constantly complains about.. No.. you came because you knew. Somehow you knew what was going on.. You knew he had come.. Come to kill one of us, or worse. And you knew this.. Because he visited you beforehand." Andraste's mouth tasted like bitter metal, she had written Markos off as an erratic lunatic of a boy. Was she wrong? She couldn't get a good read on him. He had blatantly lied to her, and the others but they had just brushed it off. It was like they treated him as some kind of nonsensical being. What was all that of it not being real? What was he talking about? She ached to have some kind of anchor.

"Markos.. Calm." Riu started again.

"Calm how? I nearly made a mistake because of this erratic brain. I'm not sane, you idiots!" Markos yelled angrily, Andraste saw a tad bit of pain in his eyes when he screamed this. But he was still hostile, she knew that. He looked like a child at that point, gripping his trident angrily.

"Careful what you say to me." She growled in response. Markos took another step forward. "You are out of line, and have no right to criticize me."

"Nota Cerdest." Markos spat. A portal opened next to him and a figure flew out. "Ant'tran attacked Asher, attacked Herod, traumatized Riu, and attempted to get both me and Herod to join his fan club. All the while you knew anything about him? Andraste regardless of how little you knew, something would have been useful. We let you into this party."

"Call off your familiar." Andraste whispered back. "Or you'll see how a druid summons lightning." She stepped forward and towered over the cultist. He was short, probably five foot two or something far beneath her. He wasn't a threat. He looked over to his familiar and seemed to talk to it psychically, probably asking if this was a good idea, what was his issue? Sure she had withheld this information but it wasn't his to know. Regardless, being insane or young did not excuse the fact that he had covered up Ant'tran even if he was now revealing it. She looked around the room for allies. Oh.. She saw Adleth standing behind Markos, along with Vestus, and Alekzandr. The figures of the room seemed to stand behind him. Were they not going to back her?

"Threats.. Interesting.. I doubt you've really seen what we can do." she got the feeling he wasn't talking about the party.

"I'm warning you cultist.. Unlike you I have a life.. And ideals, I don't hide things for no reason." She watched rage actually dance in his eyes. Before Riu placed a hand on his shoulder she pushed herself against him and whispered something into his ear. Trying to calm the cultist down. The rage that quelled in those specks began to fade, he slowly nodded like someone was making sense. What had she said?

"Cerdest.. Go back." Markos muterted. His familiar zipped backwards through a portal and the cultist began to walk away. "I'm not doing this right now.." Andraste sighed in relief as she turned around, she was going to head to her room.

"Go to bed Markos." Riu said. "You're just tired.. Get some sleep." Bad idea.. Andraste thought.

"Stop acting like you're older than me." Markos replied. "Trust me Riu.. I am much older than you think." His voice was more solid.

"Then act like it." Riu shot back. She was starting to like Riu more and more.

"Try pretending like you never know if your existence is even real anymore.. I've been through things you couldn't imagine.. Seen things you wouldn't believe, I know things.. Words.. Secrets that I can never utter to another. Apologies if I have lapses.. In sanity." He didn't sound sorry, was he justified? Andraste couldn't help but wonder, was this her time to be wrong? She shook her head and headed up the stairs towards her room never getting a chance to fully speak with Vincent.