The dining hall of the Serkoth Clan was vast, its high ceilings echoing with the quiet hum of conversation, but the mood tonight was far from festive. At the centre of it all, a single massive table stretched across the room, its surface of dark stone gleaming under the warm light of the chandeliers above. Long tapestries, woven with ancient symbols, draped the walls, creating a feeling of both intimacy and reverence for the ritual of the evening.
Vivienne sat near the centre of the table, flanked by Rava, her bodyguard and friend, and Korriva, who occupied the head of the table with her imposing presence. The High Fang’s eyes, sharp as a predator’s, never strayed far from Vivienne as she studied her guest, though her expression was calm, almost thoughtful.
The table was set for a select few, an intimate gathering befitting the occasion. The feast was abundant—roasted meats, freshly baked bread, and ripe fruits filling the table, their sweet aromas mingling in the air. Yet, the atmosphere was far from festive. Korriva’s advisors sat stiffly at the table, their eyes glancing cautiously at Vivienne, a silent awareness of her presence hanging heavy in the air. Among them was Korriva’s third child, a lekine man, whose youthful appearance belied his years—almost twice Vivienne's age, though his face was still fresh with the vitality of youth.
Korriva’s voice broke the quiet, her tone low and commanding, like the rumble of distant thunder threatening a coming storm. “So, Vivienne,” she began, her golden eyes narrowing with intrigue, “what are you?”
Vivienne flashed a mischievous grin, her eyes glinting with something darker, something older. “Complicated,” she replied, her voice smooth and laced with amusement.
Then, without warning, she opened her mouth wide—far wider than any human should be capable of, a cavern of needles and bone that made even the most stoic at the table flinch. She tossed an entire drumstick into the gaping maw, tearing it from the bone with a single snap of her jaws. She chewed once, twice, and swallowed. “Technically an aetherbeast,” she continued, her grin widening as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, “but a little more than that.”
The room stilled, the quiet after Vivienne’s unsettling display thick with tension. Rava’s older brother, Narek, shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his sharp eyes flicking between Vivienne and Korriva. He was tall, with fur that shimmered silver under the dim light, his youthful face betraying his age only in the subtle, quiet lines around his eyes. Korriva’s gaze remained unwavering, her sharp eyes studying Vivienne with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
“A little more?” Korriva asked curtly, as if demanding an answer.
“Think of a nightmare but with a bit more soul included,” Vivienne said softly, her voice laced with a strange, unsettling calm. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes flashing in the flickering candlelight. “I honestly don’t know too much about my supposed brethren. All I know is I eat aether—or aether-rich sources.” She let the words hang in the air for a moment, a challenge. “And you all smell delectable.”
The atmosphere in the room shifted, the words settling heavy in the air. Vivienne turned slowly, her gaze sweeping over each of the guests, lingering just a little too long on Narek, before shifting back to Korriva. “Am I that scary?” she asked, her tone playful. “I think Korriva here is far scarier than I.”
Narek, uncomfortable with the unnerving presence Vivienne exuded, glanced at his mother before clearing his throat. “We’re all here because we trust Korriva’s judgement,” he said, his voice steady but carrying an edge of challenge. “But don’t mistake the hospitality of our clan for weakness. The strength of the Serkoth is in our unity, not in how well we can scare each other.”
Vivienne waved him off dismissively, her expression playful. “Pish. I can’t feel fear, and I’m hardly going to kick up a fuss in Rava’s home.” She bit down on a fruit laden with juice, its vibrant color staining her lips. Before it could make a mess, she quickly tossed the whole thing into her mouth, chewing slowly as if savoring the moment. “Also, I can literally taste the fear-laced aether you’re radiating, and I know it’s directed at me.”
Narek opened his mouth to respond but paused when Vivienne raised a clawed finger, silencing him. His face darkened slightly at the interruption, but Vivienne only smirked in response, unfazed by his annoyance.
“There’s a saying I quite like,” she continued, her voice taking on a tone of reflection, almost as if she were speaking from experience. “One I’m familiar with intimately.” She met his gaze, her eyes cold but piercing. “Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is bravery in the face of fear.”
She let the words linger in the room, watching as Narek’s expression faltered, his defensive posture softening for a brief moment.
“I would hardly call your clan weak,” Vivienne added, her tone shifting to something warmer, though still laced with her usual dark amusement. “Not when the glimpse I’ve had of this city so far is so impressive.”
Korriva’s lips curled in the faintest hint of a smile at Vivienne’s words, and she took a slow sip from her cup, observing the exchange with careful eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere,” she said, but there was a note of approval in her voice.
Narek, still holding his composure, nodded curtly, though the edge of his initial discomfort had dulled. “I’m not concerned about flattery,” he said, his voice firm but measured. “What concerns me is the unknown. You’re not the first aetherbeast we’ve encountered, but you… you can speak. You’re something different.”
Vivienne tilted her head with a playful grin. “I mean, sure! Different can be scary. I’ve always been different.” She hummed for a moment, letting the words hang in the air, before continuing, her tone shifting to something more thoughtful. “I wasn’t always like this, but I was always feared, even when I was harmless. Now, I’m hardly harmless, but neither is Rava.” She glanced at the woman seated beside her, eyes gleaming with admiration. “I’ve seen her crash into an aetherbeast twice her height like she was a goddess riding the storm.”
Rava, who had been quiet up until now, cleared her throat. There was a faint flush coloring her cheeks, though she quickly masked it with a calm expression. “That’s enough of that,” she muttered, her eyes flickering briefly to Vivienne before turning her attention back to the table.
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But the faint smile that tugged at Rava’s lips didn’t escape Vivienne’s notice. She leaned in, her tone lowering with a teasing warmth. “Oh, come on, Rava. I think Narek needs to hear about how you once single-handedly took down an entire band of marauding aetherbeasts while barely breaking a sweat.”
Rava shot her a pointed look, her brow furrowing as she took a slow, deliberate sip from her glass. “That’s not the point,” she said, her voice cool but with an undertone of fondness. “What matters is that we work together. We don’t need to keep proving ourselves to each other.”
Vivienne’s smile softened, and for a moment, her usual bravado seemed to waver. “Fair enough,” she said quietly, looking back to Narek and Korriva. “But the point remains—Rava and I, we’re not so different. Fear is only as strong as the strength we give it.”
Korriva’s sharp gaze lingered on Vivienne for a long moment, and then she nodded slowly, almost imperceptibly. “Strength comes in many forms,” she said, her voice steady but carrying the weight of experience. “And some forms are more dangerous than others.” She met Vivienne’s eyes, the unspoken challenge between them palpable. “The question is: what will you do with that strength?”
Vivienne leaned back in her chair, eyes glinting with something unreadable. “What I do with it, or what the gods want me to do with it?” she asked, her voice thick with the implications of the question. “That’s a tricky question. I’m not exactly the type to take orders.”
Rava’s lips twitched, as if fighting the urge to smile. She leaned forward, her tone light but with a deeper edge. “No one here is asking you to take orders. But I think we’d all prefer if you didn’t make it harder for us to trust you.”
Before Vivienne could respond, Korriva spoke up, her voice calm but laden with intent. “I think I have an idea for that. A test of sorts. Deeds are the strongest form of trust, are they not?”
Vivienne nodded, using her claws to slice a whole slab of roasted meat into three generous portions. She then pierced one of the cuts with her sharp talons and placed it in her maw, chewing thoughtfully as she spoke. “Deeds do speak louder than words. After all, anyone can say they’re trustworthy, but it’s the actions that prove it.”
Korriva tapped the table idly, her gaze unwavering. “Indeed. Recently, farmers have been disappearing at night. There have been reports of a creature—some say it can disappear into the shadows.”
Vivienne’s ears perked at that, her eyes lighting up with a mix of intrigue and amusement. “Oh, that sounds like me!” Her statement was met with a few horrified looks from the table, and she chuckled softly, waving them off. “Not literally me. Just... similar capabilities. I presume you want me to look into it?”
Korriva regarded Vivienne with a cool, appraising gaze, her expression unreadable as she listened to the woman's confident words. “Yes. You’ll find that there’s more at play here than simple disappearances. I trust you’ll be able to handle it.”
Vivienne leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other and flashing a wide grin, her eyes gleaming with anticipation as the firelight danced across her features. “Consider it done,” she declared, voice smooth and unshaken.
Korriva arched an elegant eyebrow, her mouth twitching in a faint smirk that suggested she wasn’t easily swayed. “I will consider it done when it is done,” she retorted, her tone dry and precise.
The corners of Vivienne’s mouth turned up even higher as she let out a hauntingly beautiful laugh that seemed to echo off the stone walls of the chamber. “Of course. May I borrow my dear friend Rava here for the job?” she inquired, shooting a playful glance over at the lekine woman sitting stoically beside her.
Rava rolled her eyes, though a faint trace of amusement played around her lips. It was hard to be truly irritated with Vivienne when she was so undeniably captivating in her boldness and unpredictability.
“I do not see an issue with that,” Korriva said, her tone calm but authoritative. “I will need to debrief her beforehand, though. After a night’s rest, of course.” She gave a subtle nod, her gaze flicking briefly to Vivienne before settling back on Rava.
“Of course, High Fang,” Rava replied with a polite bow.
Vivienne, clearly unbothered by the formalities, gestured toward the half-eaten roast sitting untouched at the far end of the table. “No one’s touching that anymore. Can I have the rest?”
The advisors exchanged wary glances before one hesitantly nodded, clearly unsure of what was about to happen.
Without further hesitation, Vivienne reached out, her clawed hand shifting and expanding unnaturally. The limb split along its length, revealing a second mouth brimming with razor-sharp teeth. With an almost casual motion, she enveloped the entire roast and pulled it into herself in one swift, grotesquely efficient movement.
The room fell into stunned silence. Several of the warriors at the table stared wide-eyed, forks frozen halfway to their mouths. One advisor dropped his cup, the clatter echoing loudly in the hushed hall.
“Well,” Vivienne said, leaning back in her chair with a satisfied sigh, “that hit the spot.”
Rava buried her face in her hands, groaning audibly. “You just had to do that, didn’t you?”
Korriva’s reaction was measured. She leaned forward slightly, her golden eyes narrowing as she studied Vivienne. There was no fear in her gaze, only a keen interest. “You are… unique.” she said finally, her voice carrying a note of dry amusement.
“Thank you, High Fang.” Vivienne offered a broad grin, her tone as bright and cheery as if she’d just been praised for exemplary table etiquette—an amusing irony, given she hadn’t so much as glanced at a utensil all evening. Her claws, after all, weren’t exactly designed for delicate dining.
The leader of the Serkoth Clan rose to her full, imposing height, her commanding presence immediately drawing the room’s attention. “I will have a room prepared for you near my daughter’s quarters,” Korriva declared, her tone as unyielding as stone but laced with a hint of hospitality.
Vivienne’s grin widened. “Such generosity, High Fang. I’ll try not to scare your household staff too much.”
Korriva gave Vivienne a long, appraising look before turning her attention back to her advisors. “Ensure our guest is settled and that she has everything she requires. Rava,” her golden gaze softened ever so slightly, “you will see to her yourself.”
“Yes, High Fang,” Rava said, bowing her head. Her tone was respectful, though there was a glint of something unspoken in her eyes as she glanced at Vivienne.
“Good.” Korriva’s expression hardened again, her gaze sweeping over the room. “The council meeting will resume tomorrow.”
With that, she stepped away from the table, her presence commanding even as she departed the hall. The room buzzed with quiet activity as advisors began to file out, each casting lingering glances at Vivienne, their expressions a mix of curiosity and unease.
“Well,” Vivienne said, stretching theatrically, “I think that went rather well, don’t you?”
Rava shook her head, already rising to her feet. “You’re insufferable.”
“Charming,” Vivienne corrected with a wink, falling into step beside her. “Lead the way, Rava. Let’s see just how luxurious these Serkoth accommodations are.”
“Luxurious?” Rava snorted, her tone dry. “You’re in for a surprise.”