Private Tales The Mountains Ahead

[Kasim Areth]

He paused for a second, wondering if he should stop her and keep her prisoner within the cave. After a few seconds he said a few simple words.

"I would worry about food only for yourself, Dear." Sarkus' voice was soft, but there was an edge to it. "Anything you find on this island will not be enough for me."

He smiled, though there was an oddity to it. "Unless it's a member of my crew."

The implication in those words were obvious of course. Sarkus could not make due with animals, no matter how large. His curse would not allow it.

Not if he wanted to truly survive.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She paused at his response and her lips pursed slightly. Arms folded over her chest as she turned back towards him with her brow furrowed. It made sense that he wouldn't want to feed off the animals on the island, but it brought another matter to her attention that she hadn't considered: what the hell Sarkus had been eating on the ship.

Her tongue pressed to the side of her cheek and then she gave voice to the question, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Is that how you got by on the Blackfort?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Of course." Sarkus was not at all shy about that fact.

Why would he be?

"Some members of that crew have been in the service of my family for decades." The Blackfort had been technically an asset of Vel Anir, but the truth was House Virak more or less had decided it's fate ever since his death. That was why they'd been able to send it after Kasim and Aviana in the first place. "They were ardently loyal."

Lips thinned for a brief moment. "I am not seen as the cruel master by everyone."

Though he undeniably was by some. A fate he supposed that he had earned himself long ago, not that it really mattered all that much now.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana gave a small nod of her head in understanding. From what she'd seen during her time on the Blackfort, Sarkus was surprisingly not cruel. He'd treated her well ever since he kidnapped her. But she couldn't forget the mental image that was scarred into her brain when the vampire had decapitated the crewman who tried to protect her.

Civil as he might have seemed, Sarkus was lethal. And she would do well to remember that.

He was the reason she was here in the first place. He was the one who took her from Kasim. It was him who intended to hand her over to his family so that they could use her children for Gods' know what.

She needed to find a way to get away from Sarkus. Trusting him was foolish and it would likely only end with her in his captivity once again.

"I'll see what I can find..." She murmured.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Sarkus stayed quiet for a moment, then before Aviana could leave he spoke.

"I would not wander far." His voice was soft, perhaps a mark of what they had been through, or perhaps a trick of some sort. "We do not yet know where we are."

The Vampire touched his chin, as if stroking a beard. "There is no telling what lurks here..."

He trailed off.

"Nor what will wash up." There was no threat to his tone, just an implication.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She arched a brow at him, curious at the almost concerned tone that he used. The vampire seemed oddly protective of her in his own strange way. She ran a hand through her pale hair, then gave a small nod.

"Of course. I won't go too far." She said with a strained, reassuring smile.

With that, she turned on her heel and ventured out into the growing sunlight. She started to collect dried leaves and branches, since she reasoned fire was the most important thing first.

As she walked, she could hear the burbling of a nearby Creek. Fresh water was close, which was a good sign. Their cave would be somewhat sustainable with a source of water.

Arms filled with the branches and tinder needed to start a fire, she returned to the cave and deposited them on the floor. "Should be enough to get us started... There's a creek nearby too. Do you drink water at all or...?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

Sarkus smiled almost grimly. "No."

The answer came shortly.

He held no judgement to his tone, but there was no small amount of amusement. Sarkus had lived for so long that he often forget there were things others simply did not know. An attitude that to most would have come across as more than a little haughty, but one he felt he deserved.

"Only blood I'm afraid." He explained.

"When I first found out I could no longer eat or drink..." He trailed off with a wave of his hand. "It was not a pleasant experience."

He glanced outside of the cavern. "After sunfall I will hunt for you."

Something he could do much easier than her.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She paused, and then she started to assemble the branches into an organized pile. During her time with Kasim on the road, she'd gotten rather adept at setting up campfires.

Once she was finished, she lit the tender and carefully blew on the delicate flame as she tucked it beneath the wood. Leaning down, bracing her hands on the stone floor to keep blowing on the flames, stoking the fire.

"But... What are you going to do? You can't eat animals here..." She whispered, looking up at him as she tucked her long curls behind her ear.

 

[Kasim Areth]

A shrug rolled over the ancient Vampire's shoulders.

The answer was of course a rather obvious one, but he didn't come right out and say it. There was no need to put any fear in her, not now. "I'm sure others will wash up on shore."

Sarkus reassured her.

The words were little more than placating, but the truth of the matter was that neither of them could be entirely certain of that fact.

"For a few days it won't matter." He told her. "Side effects will only come after a bit of time."

He pointedly did not mention what those side effects were.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana nodded a little in response. They would need to take care of each other if they were going to survive. While he could rest during the day, she could gather wood, water for herself, and bedding. It would also afford her some time to explore the beach, to see who washed ashore. Especially if someone was injured and needed help.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Aviana pushed herself to her feet and smiled reassuringly to Sarkus. "We'll be okay. I'm going to walk the beach, see if any other survivors have washed up yet. We should try to save who we can."

"Should grab some bedding too while I'm at it." She said sheepishly, managing a faint smile. "Don't want to sleep on the cold stone."

 

[Kasim Areth]

Sarkus raised an eyebrow. "Do you think that's safe?"

He did not doubt that Aviana could protect herself under most circumstances, but it was important to remember just who could be washing up on shore.

"The Dreadlords likely will not take you lightly." He frowned for a few moments, not wanting to insult her. "Especially after what they've seen with the Dragon."

Any Dreadlord would more than assume Aviana was a threat now.

Before she'd been a kidnapped lost little girl, now she could summon Dragons.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She furrowed her brow at the vampire's obvious concern for her. It was unexpected, but not unwelcomed.

Turning back to face him, she put a hand on the curve of her hip, watching him.

"Am I any safer with you if they do make an appearance?" She asked him bluntly, but not harshly.

In truth, she did not fully understand the limits of Sarkus' powers.

 

[Kasim Areth]

It was a good point. "That entirely depends on what you consider to be 'safe'."

Sarkus put some emphasis on the word.

"I certainly do not want to see you dead." That was at least true. If not because he'd taken quite a liking to her, then simply because he would hate to inflict any more pain on his Nephew than he had to. "But I do still intend to take you to Vel Anir."

What was the point in lying to her, though it was only then that he realized what she had actually meant by her words. "Oh."

He realized.

"Yes." Sarkus said simply. "I can kill them."

Not easily, but he could.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

~~~
​

Kiovec was carrying Kasim on their daily ritual, flying as far and as fast as he could to reach their next destination. He was growing larger and stronger with each passing day. By now, he was considerably larger than even Aviana's war elk had been.

How long had they been traveling now? Weeks?

They'd fallen into a daily routine. Wake up, eat, fly until Kiovec's wings wanted to give out, land and sleep. Then wash, repeat.

Today, however, something was different.

There was a beacon, something that burst through the atmosphere. A beam of golden light that acted like a flare. But not just any light... This belonged to an Ancient Queen -- and his Warden. He could sense Aviana through the magical pulse. There was pain. Fear... And danger.

Something triggered in Kiovec's brain. He felt it click into place and it came as natural as breathing.

With a mighty bellow, the dragon banked his wings and turned towards the coast. It called to him. Aviana needed him. The Royal needed him.

He pushed himself harder and harder, but he couldn't gain enough speed. Snarling, the dragon started to climb. Higher and higher he carried the hapless bard on his back.

And then as he reached the crest of the arc, Kiovec folded his wings tightly against his body and started to dive .

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim had gotten used to the routine by now, so much so that he barely held on. Kiovec was surprisingly easy to hang on to when you got the hang of it, and the Dragon had only kept growing in Aviana's absence.

The flight was now almost...boring. He had used most of the time to craft new runes and come up with ways to actually recruit people to help him save Aviana. He knew that it would not be easy alone, actually he knew it would be all but impossible.

That was why when Kiovec suddenly began to turn, Kasim began to slide off.

"Shit!" Kasim swore as he let go of the small scrap of paper he had been holding onto and suddenly clutched the Dragons sides. Fingers dug in, and Kiovec suddenly began to push himself like a mad men.

"Shit shit shit!" The wind buffeted him harder than ever before and he struggled. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

He felt the air begin to grow thin, his lungs straining as the Dragon began to climb high into the sky. The clouds were left behind, and he felt his muscles weaken.

His head began to spin, and then Kiovec dove.

Without the strength to hold on, Kasim felt himself slipping from the dragons back.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Kiovec felt the man on his back start to slip. Had it been anyone else, he would have let them fall, but he knew that Aviana would not want to see her Mate harmed.

Frustrated, he had to lift his head and pull out of the dive, leveling off as he spread his wings. They were at a lower altitude now and the dive had given Kiovec a small boost in speed, though not as much as he wanted. The drag here would slow him down again before too long.

Twisting his massive head around as he briefly looked to Kasim and snapped his jaw once, as if expecting him to understand.

He would not stop, not until he reached the source.

"Her." the dragon rumbled in a deep growl.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim wasn't stupid.

He had often feigned being so in the many royal courts he'd traveled through in his day, but he was no fool. The sudden change in Kiovec's behavior, the way he moved and shifted, the frustration that was clear in his body language.

Even the word, if it could be called that, which came from his mouth. It was all such a clear mark, like someone yelling into his face.

Is she close? The question burst through his mind. We aren't heading to Vel Anir.

Something must have changed, something that he couldn't quite tell. His fingers tightened on the Dragon, and he said nothing as he trusted the great beast.

There was nothing else he could do.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

For hours, Kiovec carried them across the lands, until he saw the coastline finally come into view. Sniffing the air, he course corrected to adjust his heading. He was so close.

Up ahead, thousands of birds whirled in massive flocks. Their cries filled the air and the stench of death followed shortly after.

Laying in the shallows, washed up on shore, was a massive white serpent. A sea dragon. There were deep mounds carved into the Leviathan's flesh and it was clear the birds and wildlife of the island were feasting on the creature of the depths.

Kiovec could practically smell Aviana.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Dear Anirius." Kasim called on the long forgotten god of Vel Anir as he saw the massive sea dragon laying upon the shore.

His eyes were filled with the sight of it, his lips thinning slightly as he observed the deep gashes and the sliced of skin. Birds whirled all around the beast, scavengers and whatever else wanted a piece of the mighty beast.

"Bring us down." He yelled to Kiovec. "I need to..."

Needed to do what? "See it."

A better look.

There was something here, something important, he just wasn't entirely sure what.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Kiovec subtly tilted his wings and turned in a wide, banking maneuver. He didn't want to accidentally dislodge the man on his back a second time.

It was a slow process descending in a steady spiral to the massive corpse that was strewn across the beach. There still was not much of a stench, which implied it was relatively fresh.

A sense of indescribable dread settled in the dragon's chest as he touched down, looking up the colossal sea drake before him.

Cautiously, he walked towards the creature, though his steps were rather hesitant.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim patted Kiovec gently on the back before sliding off the relatively small dragon and stepping onto the sands.

The nearby sounds of the sea were oddly calming, washing over him even as he wandered towards the corpse. As he moved closer Kasim raised a hand, the small rune enscribed in his palm glowing for a brief moment.

An odd wave rushed over the area, sand kicking into the air as the scavengers were suddenly sent away from the body of the Dragon.

Slowly he approached. "I know this."

He said softly, leaning down as he touched the corpse of the Dragon, observing one of the wounds on it's side.

"The magic." His eyes slowly closed. "I know it."

Would Kiovec know? Understand?

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The dragon padded up next to Kasim, leaning his head closer to sniff at the gruesome wound in the Leviathan's side. His snout wrinkled in disgust and he took a small step back, snorting as he shook his head.

He snapped his maw, showing his agitation at the magic he sensed. A low growl formed deep in his throat as he looked to Kasim with a puzzled expression on his draconic features.

Though he wasn't quite sure what it meant exactly, he knew something nefarious had happened.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Dreadlords." One in particular, in the service of his father.

He'd already known that they'd taken Aviana, that much had been obvious for weeks now but...this was something new. Had the Dragon tried to save Aviana? Had it somehow heard her call just like Kiovec could?

It didn't make any sense.

Lips thinned for a brief moment and he glanced over towards Kiovec. In the back of his mind he wondered if the Dragon felt grief for it's larger cousin, or if it was just acting on instinct for Aviana's sake. His head shook. "It must have tried to save her."

He said softly.

There was no other reason for this. Vel Anir was still too far, and the magic he saw here could only belong to one man. At least part of it anyway.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

The younger dragon nodded once and then lifted his head higher up, as if catching a scent. His Warden was close. He could sense her, but also knew that she was not alone.

Slashing his tail through the water in agitation, Kiovec knew they were not safe here. It was too exposed on the beach, especially if the person who'd slain this massive creature still lived.

His attention turned back to Kasim and then he nodded towards the deep wounds on the pale dragon's flesh.

He leaned close and then huffed, reaching out to rake his powerful claws across the exposed flesh. Blood started to trickle forth once more and he looked to Kasim, nodding towards it.

The implication was clear, he thought the blood would prove useful for Kasim's particular magic.

 

[Kasim Areth]

The older the person, the more powerful the blood.

He supposed it was true for dragons as well, and though he knew not how old this grand beast was...it clearly was far more ancient than Kiovec. Even with that fact in the back of his mind though Kasim couldn't help but hesitate slightly.

There was a difference between taking advantage of his Dragon companion and doing...this. It felt almost like grave-robbing, like taking something that was not meant for him.

His fingers danced for a moment, and then he relented.

Much as he had done with Kiovec, he quickly began to work on getting the Dragon's blood in small vials sat around his belt. Yet as he collected it, a bit of it splashed onto his hand.

The instance the blood touched his skin, something happened. His pupils grew, and an odd sensation took over his entire body. It bit into him, freezing him in place as his mouth fell open in a noiseless scream of agony.