Aveyond: The Lord of Twilight

Chapter 8

In a land far way, across the worlds, stood the village of Ghe'dare. The entire settlement had a strange violet hue. There were houses of varying size, not properly maintained and too many graves around to count. The sky was peculiar; it seemed to be unending but had not a trace of the stars or the moon. The lighting was mysterious, as one couldn't make it out where it came from. The air smelled, of blood, skin and rotten flesh. The ground was covered with bones of small animals and slime.

Tei'jal was fuming. No one seemed to know where he had disappeared. It was one of the few and crucial times when she actually needed his help, and he had disappeared as usual. Not that she could blame him, of course.

She smelled carefully. The air was too full to detect anything properly. She didn't expect anything else, in a land where hundreds of vampires lived.

She tried using her other sense. She could hear someone talking gibberish in the house next to her, someone chanting and rather peculiar sounds- banging of metal. Something not usually heard in those parts. Grinding her teeth, she walked towards the direction of the sounds.

The forest around Ghe'dare was not only dangerous, but filled with skeleton warriors. For ages, vampires had tried to destroy them, but the skeletons persisted. They were the ghosts of soldiers who died unnaturally in extraordinary battles. Their skills from life seemed to have not left, for they were fierce in battle. Tei'jal raised her eyebrows as he came into view.

'Why don't you give up, husband? she asked him, looking skeptical. 'Your suicide mission isn't going to work. You're already dead!'

Galahad looked at her. He was still wearing the same armor as that of the fateful day when she had killed him after he agreed to marry her. His skin had barely paled, for even after years of insistence by her, he refused to feed.

'Go away, wife!' he said in the usual army-ish tone. 'This is the final time'

Tei'jal sighed and joined in the fight with the skeleton warrior, which ended into their making it into a heap of bones. The skeleton hadn't even been able to get a slice at her, maybe more because it was only three arrows later that his sword hand severed off. Galahad had, perhaps against his own will, severed off the skull, after which it crumbled down.

'Listen here, now, husband' she said. 'I need your help. Gyendal is planning to take the sunshine out of the overworld. He must be stopped'

'Lies!' Galahad yelled, his blonde hair throwing a bit. The sharp cut near his left eye seemed to have widened a bit. 'Why do you want to save them? What are they but a source of blood for you?'

'I have a soft corner in my heart for food' Tei'jal said coolly. 'Gyendal has got his hands on a certain artifact that will aid him. For this, I don't know why he needs a certain mortal; a girl who's just come of age'

Galahad looked at her for a second. He seemed to be caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Not serving the mortals was betrayal. Helping Tei'jal was something he had vowed against. It felt like self-betrayal.

'You don't have a soul!' he cried out, desperate for a retort. 'How can you feel bad for someone?'

Tei'jal waited for a moment, looking at him with slightly raised eyebrows.

'Gyendal is meeting his followers at the cathedral in less than an hour. If we make it, we could save the girl before he kills her'

Galahad groaned. He looked agonized. Finally, after a few seconds, he nodded, more to himself than her. Without looking at her again, he set off in the direction of the cathedral. Tei'jal smiled coolly. He wasn't much fun, but she'd found the right man.

-----

The cathedral was completely sealed, which meant no sound or smell could be detected outside. The huge stone building had been specifically designed to hold meetings for "the greater good". In other words, it was a place for discussing evil schemes.

Tei'jal broke open a window and the two slowly slipped inside through the ceiling. Carefully balancing on the ledge, she slowly recorded everything.

The vampires present were the usual lot, several who had supported earlier moves against the light and restrictions on feeding. Gyendal was not present, though the stage was ready and a stand, which looked made for a sphere was resting on the table. The vampires were talking in low voices, when the one at the front stood up.

'My fellow dead ladies and gentlemen' he said loudly. Everyone stopped talking. 'Welcome our leader, Lord Gyendal Ravenfoot!'

Some of them clapped. Without much show, Gyendal walked up from behind the stage and stood on front of the table. The steak of white in his black hair was gleaming. He was wearing his usual red cloak, a sign of power among them.

'Fellow vampires!' he said loudly, in a tone that suited a leader. 'The time has come for us to take our places as the rightful rulers of the world. For too long, the mortals have dominated the world and have shown us down. The time is now ripe, that we take this glory for ourselves. We will finally take over the land of the living!'

A few people again clapped, though the speech had been rather short and unimpressive, not to mention repetitive.

'How do you plan to do it?' a man at the front said lowly. 'We have been promised too many times. The sun will destroy our civilization!'

Gyendal smiled. He had been hoping this would be asked. With an expression of greatness, he took out an orb from his robe and kept it in the stand. The orb stayed black all through.

'Behold!' he cried out suddenly. 'The orb of darkness. This will be our tool, to destroy the light forever! The orb carries the ultimate power, with which we can, forever, destroy the sun which may never be brought back. The orb, crafted not for this purpose, has lied unused for too long!'

'But how will you use it?' the man asked, almost immediately. Gyendal looked irritated.

'You must be unaware' he said. 'Long ago, in a small town, a great sorcerer created two orbs: The orb of light and this, the orb of darkness! This particular wizard created these objects to rule over both the worlds. A prophecy was made. Someone would eventually use these to conquer the world: both, theirs' and ours'

'But what if the humans used the other orb on us?' a woman with an extremely high pitched voice cried. 'We'll be done for good!'

Gyendal chuckled evilly. Again, he seemed to have been waiting for the question.

'This time, I over smarted him!' he said, throwing up his arms. 'I killed the guardian of the orb, in Naylith, and sealed the location! Never shall the orb be found or talked about again. For the world, only one orb will exist. And then, the worlds shall unite. Everyone knows what naturally follows!'

This time, many more people clapped. They seemed to be satisfied finally.

'Well then why don't you start it now?' the man at the front said eagerly. 'Let the darkness come!'

Gyendal shifted slightly, his smile gone.

'Patience, vampires!' he said loudly. 'The orb can be used only by a mage; a direct descendant of the wizard. Don't worry though, I've found her, and will bring her here soon! I tricked the girl into handing me the orb herself, but couldn't get her to use it due to... due to a traitor. But that's not an issue. I know where she is now, and tonight, she'll be ours!'

He stepped down as people clapped foolishly again. They seemed to be obsessed with the very thought of darkness. Tei'jal nodded to Galahad and they slipped out. They had quite a journey ahead.