Cassandra Pendragon

Had I become a monster? I knew I was erratic and uncontrolled, my emotions getting the better of me, especially when I was angry, as the newest debacle, when I had accidentally allowed Lilith to enter our world, had clearly shown, but… was the same happening now? Was I doing something I’d come to regret later? Had I earned that look, or was it simply to be expected, arrogance and supremacy turned into despair and resentment? By the Great Fox, I had told Mephisto not two days ago that I wouldn’t stand for judging anyone based on their nature. Was I doing exactly that, now? No, I wasn’t condemning them for who they were but for what they had done. That the sentence was cruel was nothing I’d lose any sleep over. At least I hoped so. Well, the future would sort itself out. I had to make the best of the present and my mum’s plan was simply shitty.

“That’s not it,” I huffed mentally. “They’ll die either way and it’ll even be painless. That’s probably more than they deserve.” I was already moving again, pulling her along. “The vamps will be drawn to the bloodletting we’ll start. If some are waking up on the upper floors, they’ll head downstairs. Especially with the bleeding corpse I just left behind. His blood will lure them here and then they won’t be able to turn back. Which means there won’t be a hunt. The humans will most likely make it out and run back to wherever they’ve come from. That’s a result we don’t want, is it?”

“No, you’re right. So… now what? We’re nearly there. What do you intend to do?”

“Cut them loose, except for two and the priests. If they can’t satisfy their thirst, they’ll at least distract them. I can simply walk through Ahri’s flames, no matter what she’s done. We’ll feed Layla and her mother and if that doesn’t work… after the last time I’m not feeling overly confident in using my voice again on such a scale, but if I have to, I’ll try to break them out of their stupor. And if that won’t work either…. I fear we’ll have to burn them. Dragon fire and Ahri’s power are more than enough to deal with all of them. I’m pretty sure the only reason they haven’t yet is to keep them alive. We could also try teleporting our friends out and leave them be, but as far as I know, that’s a death sentence as well. They need the blood or they’ll cannibalise themselves. This way, we’ll at least be able to save a few, if not all of them.”

A stray thought hit me then, one she hadn’t wanted to project: “why even bother? Let them die, they’re dead already, their bodies just haven’t realised, yet.” I was toying with the idea of ignoring her and pretending I hadn’t heard, but ultimately, I thought it’d do much more harm than good.

“Because a pulse is not what makes a life worth living. Tell me honestly, despite the grudge you obviously still hold, do you think they’re more of a monster than us? You’ve seen what happens when I lose my temper and you, mum, aren’t much better by now. Death follows us as well as them and just because we don’t eat our victims, we still do what we have to to survive. How many would have still drawn breath, if we had died on Boseiju? Don’t tell me our presence hasn’t been but a bane to everyone who has crossed our path.”

“Only because we’ve run into psychopaths and twisted abominations for the most part. Don’t make yourself out to be worse than you are, your enemies will do that for you already. I’ve heard what you did in the taproom. What do you think you are to those two girls? They’d be wishing for the sweet release of death by now if it wasn’t for you. And going further back… the kids, Viyara, Erya, her family… they’re alive because of us, because of you. We protect whom we can.”

“I know, it’s just… I never wanted to have to make these decisions. I… I don’t want to sacrifice or kill, I don’t want to decide what the lesser evil is and if I’m justified in my actions.”

“Huh? So you don’t want to live? Don’t think just because our troubles are on a different scale that you’d feel less weighted down if you had to preside over a trial or decide whether to invest in the military or the healing arts. You were born into power, your ancestry and your station…” she paused and I felt a myriad of contradicting thoughts and emotions flutter through her mind before she continued: “do you want to run? Do you want to grab your girl and hide?”

“Even if I wanted to, I very well couldn’t. But yes, I’d love to hide in some small town, at least for a while… till the fields, build a house… get to know the neighbours, squabble about the harvest. You know that, why do you even ask?”

“Because I don’t believe you. Not only would you get bored within a week, you’d also feel responsible for everything you didn’t do. And that’s not because of what you are but who you are. Everyone has the chance to wake up in the morning and try to change the world. Only a few of us actually find the courage to do so, if we’re not forced in any way, we just stay in bed and allow the days to pass by until we’re old and wizened. But that’s not who you are, daughter mine, that’s not who I am and that’s not who your fiancée is. And the sooner you accept it, the good as well as the bad that comes with it, the happier you’ll be.”

“It’s not like I don’t know, I’m still here, aren’t I? It’s just… I felt like complaining and you’re one of the few to whom I think I can. And just because it’s true, doesn’t me I have to like it, do I? You know me well enough, don’t you?”

“I hope so. But I never thought you’d be struggling just like us. You always seem so… composed. At least when you’re not in the middle of throwing a tantrum.”

“Who says I’m not, right now? Just because I’m not angry doesn’t mean it’s not a tantrum. But mostly I can stop myself before I get swamped by self pity… or I talk to Ahri. Give me a week to recharge mentally and I’ll be as good as new. I imagine you know what I mean. I’m just getting drained much more quickly now. Anyways, enough of that. We can hug and grill some s’mores once we’re done.” We had reached the staircase were making our way towards the banquet hall, the smells and sounds of the still ongoing siege becoming louder with every step.

“What are s’mores,” my mum wanted to know when we reached the lowest floor.

“Nothing I can easily explain. If I get the chance, I’ll buy some sugar in town and try to make some. But don’t get your hopes up, I’ve got no clue how to actually cook. You never taught me.”

“Didn’t seem like the best use of your time. And truth be told, I can’t cook either.”

“Yeah, I know,” I replied resentfully when I remembered the few instance in my childhood when my mum had stumbled across pans and pots. I hadn’t been a wholesome experience.

We snuck along the dark corridor, our senses strained to the limit to catch even the slightest noise and the faintest smell over the mayhem that awaited us further away. Despite my materialised wings and the scent of blood that must be wafting around us like a breeze, we weren’t attacked again, until we reached the oaken double doors that lead to the banquet hall.

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I looked at my mum and she closed her eyes for the fraction of a moment, exhaling deeply. When she opened them again, they were filled with a thrum of power, silvery light dancing through the shadows in front of her. Without any further hesitation, I wrapped my wings around the hinges, pushed two of them through the hardened wood and heaved. Dust exploded form growing gaps, just before the whole door was ripped from its frame and thundered against the wall behind me, smashed to pieces. Swaths of smoke and a stench, horribly reminiscent of a spit roast, wafted through the newly opened hole in the wall, followed by angry hisses and the suppressed cries of burning undead.

Before I could move, my mum was already through the door, silver lightning crackling between her tails, drowning out the suffocating smell with the acrid scent of ozone. I followed, hot on her tails, already opening the veins of one of my captives. A warm shower of blood sprinkled across my back and I felt, more than I heard, the rest of them finally straining against their binds, struggling to get free. Before I had even gained a glimpse of the hall, I threw the wounded human away from us, hoping that the bleeding prey would garner the attention of the vampires long enough to orientate myself. Another pulse of energy from my core strengthened my vision further and dancing shadows suddenly became clear in the depths of silver my world had sunk into.

There were far more vampires down here than I had seen through Ahri’s eyes, the miasma of battle and butchery had drawn them in like moths drawn to the light. An accurate description, since they also danced around Ahri’s flames, getting closer and tumbling back when the heat became to much, like insects over a fire. Of the banquet hall itself, not much remained, the furniture had been reduced to flinders in the chaos, the exquisite wall hangings had been ripped and torn, their pitiful remains trampled and singed. Thick carpets had become slick with the blood of human servants, obscene, sloshing sounds accompanying the frenzied movements of the undead army that surged around a crimson cage, crackling with heat and power in the middle of the room.

Contorted faces, reduced to slavering maws with gargantuan canines and demonically glowing eyes, red embers amidst bloodless, parchment like skin, turned towards us as soon as we entered the hall. Eerie whispers, almost like the wind blowing through a dead forest, rose from the undead crowd and the realisation that fresh prey had willingly stumbled into their midst spread like wildfire among their ranks. As if hypnotised, their gaze followed the trail of blood my sacrificial lamb left behind while he tumbled through the air, his scream a bloodcurdling echo, nearly lost among the insanity. With a dull thud he impacted a wall to my left and slid down, leaving behind a glittering, crimson smear that seemed to enthral every single vampire.

He moaned quietly and toppled over, his hand clutched to the wounds I had inflicted. As if an enchantment had been lifted, a resounding growl rose form the hypnotised crowd, slowly gathering volume as more and more of them joined in and then, one shot forward, glistening claws extended to be buried in warm, reachable flesh. His brothers and sisters weren’t far behind and as they moved, so did we. With a flick of my wings, I catapulted two more living corpses towards the corners of the room and rushed to my friends in the wake of my mum’s tails.

Our sudden appearance and the squirming sources of blood I had brought along had captivated the vampires’ attention but as soon as we charged, their instincts made some of them whirl around and focus on us. A handful managed to bar our way, arms flailing widely to catch their balance after their abrupt turn. My mum didn’t care. She turned into a streak of silvery light and exploded forwards, tearing straight through their bodies without any regard for their fangs or claws. The one at the centre immediately collapsed amidst a bloody vapour, his chest a gaping hole, wiggling strings of intestines and veins dangling within, like disgusting, red grey ropes.

The ones on his left and right were distracted for the fraction of a second, their heads swivelling after the small vixen. I wasn’t in need of another advantage, but I wouldn’t waste it, either way. Another flash of silver and the smell of charred meat became almost unbearable as they fell, their legs cut cleanly at the knee. Even in their crazed state, shock and pain managed to pierce through the veil of their blood starved fury and they cried out, their voices swallowed by the pandemonium reigning around us. With a twist, I crippled the last two standing in our way and without hesitation, I glided through the gap in the reaching, clawing wall of bodies. An instant later, a warm breeze ruffled my hair as I dashed through the wall of flames and came to a halt at Ahri’s side.

“Miss me,” I smiled and swiftly brushed my tails along her legs.

“Always,” she replied through gritted teeth, the strain on her mind from continuously supporting her flames with energy had made her voice hoarse. “Don’t bother with me,” she added, “I’m fine. Look after the vampires and Viyara. Something’s wrong with her and I don’t know what it is. She can’t reach out to us… she can’t use her telepathy. It’s not blocked, but...”

“I figured as much. Otherwise she’d have been able to at least communicate with me. Can you hold on?”

“I’ve been standing here for quite a while. I won’t topple over in the next few minutes. Stop fussing over me already and go help the others! I’ll call when I need you.”

“Yes ma’am.” While my mum kept us safe in her own way, patrolling along the inner edges of the flaming circle, I quickly headed over to the dragoness who had been following us with her eyes ever since we had broken through the fire. She still held Layla and her mother down, her tail quivering with suppressed anger and up close I saw two puncture marks directly above her paw. Damn it, she really had been bitten. That might become a problem all on its own but at least for now, she didn’t seem changed. Except for her telepathy, which had gone down the drain.

I placed my hand on her snout, her huge, golden eyes, staring at me with the same burning intensity she always exuded in her original skin. For a moment I hoped physical contact might bridge the gap and allow us to communicate mind to mind again, but unfortunately, it didn’t work. I could still feel her presence at the edge of my perception, but there was something in the way, similar to a door that had been closed. There was still the faint outline, illuminated by the light spilling through the cracks, but I couldn’t get through and obviously, neither could she.

“Are you alright,’ I asked and rubbed my hand caressingly along her jaw, completely ignoring the hissing vampires beneath her paws. “Can you still understand me?”

She rolled her eyes, as if to say “I’m not an animal,” but still pressed her scaly skin against my palm, intensifying the contact. Her tongue darted out form between her shimmering fangs and lightly brushed against my cheek.

“I know you’re worried, but we’ll figure everything out. Just give me a moment, I’m going to feed the spitting monsters you’re keeping in check.” I lightly tapped against the almost invisible holes in her golden armour. “Did one of them bite you?” She jerked her head towards Layla and averted her eyes, a clear sign of her embarrassment. I could understand her, in her draconic form, the two vamps were about as long as her paws. Getting bitten by a mosquito and suffering any serious repercussions wouldn’t sit well with her pride.

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of, by the Grey Fox, if I became embarrassed every time I’ve been injured, I wouldn’t be able to leave my room anymore,” I told her while I was lowering two of the struggling humans to the ground, placing their necks directly in front of Layla and her mother. An instant later, both girls sunk their teeth into the squirming mass of flesh and blood, a small, crimson river escaping from the corners of their mouths. A few seconds later, their prey stopped struggling in earnest, the endorphins in their saliva turning their gruesome death into the most sensual experiences they could have wished for.

As if it was the most natural thing in the world, I made sure the vampires were drinking from the twitching, moaning humans before I returned my focus to the dragoness and said: “I think you could let them go now, but better safe than sorry. Until they speak, I’d very much appreciate it, if you didn’t. Alright then,” I muttered and straightened my back. “How bad is it,” I asked myself while I focused on the blurry, silvery images that reached me through the crimson wall of flames around us.