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A section from my novel: The Crimson Thread |
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I've been writing this since 2004 so bear with some of the immature descriptions and names/insults or anything you may think doesn't suit. I need to edit it, but so far, this is my favourite chapter, so feel free to comment. Thank you and yes, this is MY novel.
Part One: To Be Sired Against the Cross of Vampirian Faith
Moekjanase...
"Moekjanase..." I stood up at the sound of my name. I placed an arm on the warm oaken bark and looked down to see my mother staring up at me obviously trying to stay calm. When our eyes met she motioned me to come down into the garden.
I brushed my long raven hair out of my face and squatted neatly on the thick branch running my hand smoothly over the branch and grasped it firmly letting the rest of my body decend below it before I let go. I landed in a squatted kneal, head bowed one hand supporting me. I looked up to meet my mother's hand burning on my face. "Idiot..." Widening my eyes in shock, left hand clasping my burning cheek, I met her gaze just as the word left her mouth. I stood up and leaned against my tree looking away.
"Let me guess," she started."You don't why I hit you. One word: Acile." Her voice grew slightly firm."You forgot her again. I don't understand you, Moekjanase! Just because you don't go to the normal schools and you sit here all day, doesn't mean you can just go and forget your own sister." She pointed her hand roughly towards the location of the village center." She's waiting for you. Go." I looked at her a smile spread slowly across her face. I smiled back,"Right away, mother." Her eyes sparkled,"Just remember since you're here all day instead of normal school I can't get half as mad at you." I laughed and turned to go, pulling my hair into a neat pony tail.
"Hurry, supper is almost done." "Yes, like the wind. I'll be right back!" Running is my best talent. Slowly picking up speed through the forest path slightly skimming bare roots and rocks. Usually, my hair is flowing behind me, but when I have to go to into town I have to tie it back.
Let's just say my social level is kind of not the best right now. I have no friends, except for my sister, and my talents are mine to know only. Acile, my sister, as you know now, is always rooting for me even though she's the only spectator I have. I love my sister, but my time I spend alone is well spent.
I ran up to the bridge and slowed to a jog and then as I approached the road a moved into a casual walk. As always, all the villagers looked at me as if I was some spawn of the devil. Here was me, a five foot nine fifteen year old with straight black hair down to my shoulders pulled back in a now ruffled pony tail. My attire wasn't entirely, as you would say "normal" to the villagers in 1989. I was wearing a muscle shirt that was gray with age with torn sleeves where I cut the old shirt into what it is now. On my lower half I had on black pants that my mom had made from pieces of cloth that she had managed to forage from outside of the market place clothing stands.
My feet, by the way were bare and leathery, for I did everything in bare feet. I didn't need shoes. Shoes are a waste of time when you hardly ever leave your yard. Shoes are a safety precaution that I do not need as of now.The villagers always have had their reasons to be weary of me. For one, I hardly ever show my face except for the minute everyday I take to pick up Acile. Here is a child that looks and appears as a shadow but acts like a gentleman. I have manners, yes. I have always listened to etiquite and how to be a gentleman. Its just my appearances are always when everyone is in town and I am in the middle of everything.
I am always casually walking by, concious of the eyes watching me. The one that smiles and is well mannered, can sometimes be shunned. That's me.
Acile was leaning against the school yard gate with her eyes closed, a calm smile was formed by her lips, a soft happy tune protruding from this angelic figure. "Ah, Acile, you eye candy-" Unmoving, she replied,"Oh Moekja, though I can't see you, your sarcasm clearly reaches my ears." I stood in front of her and stared at her closed eyes,"Ah, but how did you it was me...?" Her eyes opened with a smirk,"Because you are the only guy that would even try to be flirtatous with me, you tease."
This whole conversation, just to assure you, is between siblings. We do not at all have romantic passion for eachother, we are just eachother's best friends. Since we are only hardly a year apart, we are very connected personality wise. Our closeness is impenetrable. Acile is barely 14, in saying she's pretty much 15. Her hair is ginger coloured and her eyes are metallic ultramarine with green speckles. She's about 5 foot seven and very tough. For a girl that is.
Since she is so unique many guys in her grade and older, including this twelfth grader coming up right now, try to have their way with her everyday, such as right now."Hey! Byrede! How are you today, you suductress?" Okay, I really dislike this show-off."Oh, why isn't it the poor little rat that can't take the truth that I'm "not" available?" Acile backed up herself well. By the way this guy's Arden Haans and he's an absolute a**.
Acile smiled venomously,"And again Adrian, I'm sorry enough to say, but maybe if you're going to attract girls, try making sure your pants are done up." His blush was priceless, I had to join in as Acile turned away and grabbed my hand."Oh, and Adri, you got something on your face..." Acile pinched me."Ow-try to wash it off okay?" I smiled sweetly and followed my sister. That Adrian is such a dolt, he didn't have anything on his face. "Later!" Acile bluntly spoke. When Acile and I reached the woods she hugged me and smiled,"I'm always so much more confident when you're around." "You should be more confident on your own, however, I know one day he won't know what hit him." She laughed. I meant by her fist. I rubbed my arm thinking of yesterday. She's got quite a punch."Do you wanna walk or run?" Taking the fact that she had already hoisted herself onto my back, she wanted to run. Fixating her comfortably, I leaned forward and took off. It was pretty much the same as coming to the village, except the fact that I was holding 115 more pounds on my back. No problem though. I do it all the time! She pulled out my hair, by the way. I love my hair blowing freely.
Since I had a firm hold on her legs, Acile lifted her arms off of my shoulders and stood tall letting the wind brush her hair backwards down her back. She didn't say anything, however, because it would alarm the villagers.She ducked down again just as we shot through the overhang of willows to the garden. Slowing to a stop, mother came out to greet her beloved daughter. But her son was only just welcomed. Acile is the light of her life, I am just there. Oh well, at the least she still cares for me.
Apparently there's this secret about our father. I vaguely remember him. He was rather tall and I deeply resemble him physically. Same hair colour and thin shoulders... oh well. I'll find out the secret sooner or later. The main thing on my mind right now was celery and squash pie and cream....I was ravenously hungry.
The first thing that I saw when I entered the house was Chika, my husky, in my face. She is roughly the same height as me when she's on her hind legs. I'm pretty sure she's part wolf."Hello, girl!" I scratched behind her ears, and she panted. Licking my face, I kissed her forehead and she got down. She's still pretty puppy-ish, she's only one and a half.
I walked slowly to the table and sat at the end across from mother and Acile. They conversed as women about school and new herbs and garden supplies from the market place. Other subjects came up too just when I had finished my food and left the room.
Women. So perky and...well...women! I climbed up into my tree and rested my head against the trunk, closing my eyes. The birds called loudly into the wind and I imagined cryptic images of moths and sayings written elegantly across yellowed white parchment. Then the words would dissapear; more words would take their place, and the moth slowly being reprinting in different positions across the parchment; roughly appearing as if flying. The words form sentences... beautiful sentences...
Sweet as the wind blows... the silver glitters from her wings
Leaving a trail to follow... to a place where none will hate
Birds of many colours... Bow their heads to this angel
Respecting her elegance... as she flys higher
Towards the stars... is her destination
All evils hide and cower... for the powder is only pure
The moth blinks her clever eyes... and points her head towards the sky
"Follow..." she sings... "To a place you will never die..."
Her eyes glow red... hypnotising all who watch her
They fall victims... to the fangs of the earth
Where the copper arches... menacingly tower over us
The silver moth grows red... the blood of her victims fly
To be sired... is to be blessed by the Savior
To be seen by the priest... under our cross he prays
Turning to the sired... his grin flys free
"My children..." the sky brightens, "Jesus loves thee..."
My eyes snapped open,"Father...?" It was dark... I had fallen asleep. Looking down I saw Chika lying at the base of the tree, obviously waiting for me to come down. "Chika." Her ears perked and she sat up, raising her head towards me and wagged her tail. "There's my girl." I jumped down."Did you miss me?" Suggesting that she did the way she jumped up at me and panted. I patted her and lead us both to the house. Well, to my window, if you care to know. My window is open. No glass, screen. Just a wooden door that I use in the winter. Chika jumped in first and I followed leaving the palette open on such a warm night.
She rested on the foot of my bed as I walked over to my chest and pulled out my loin cloth that I use to sleep. I changed, while thinking about that curious dream. Somehow it lead me too my father...and my future. The graphics were portrayed on a yellowed piece of parchment in black and brown ink, but they were elegant and shaded very deeply to give the story the horrific but beautiful pictures their labels.
Adjusting the string on my cloth, I kneeled on my bed comfortably and thought thoroughly of my plan. I readied myself by lighting the lamp and grabbed my brush and began my work.
...In gracefull strokes of red ink.
***
Acile...
I awoke to the sound of rain and voices.... I sat up in the inky darkness of my room and reached to the foot of my bed for my bathrobe. Shifting to hang my feet over the side of the bed, I slowly slipped on my robe, staring intently and curiously at my door. ...This is not normal... Decending from the bed, I exited my room stealthily and cautiously, as if some axe murderer was pacing just outside my room. But thats just something I heard about in a book.... Here in Norway, there would hardly be axe murderers!
The first place I reached, instead of going straight to the location of the voices and the strange light just outside in the garden, was my brothers room. Now, first of all, I've never been in his room. Ever. Mother had always told me not to. But seeing as her door was ajar and no sound proceded from it: she was outside at this strange occasion. I slowly reached for the wooden stub on the door (an odd replacement for a door knob...) and pushed the door open.
A vacume of air coming from the hole in the wall, that appeared as a open concept window, caused the door to slip from my hands and slam against the wall. "Oh!" My hand flew to my mouth as my heart raced. I did not expect such a noisy entrance into a room that I was banned from entering. The now noticed sound of pouring rain made me turn my eyes to the room that lay before me.
The room was laid out as four perfectly squared walls that brought the room into roughly the same size as a large closet. Three of the walls were painted a peachy color and were peeling from age. The other wall, however was pure white and was hardly scratched. Against the wall with the window and the white wall were two small child sized orange matresses thrown on a badly polished over dirt floor. On the bed was no pillow but a very old magenta wool sheet and a grayed tarnished afgan that lay folded neatly on the floor. In the center of the floor was a old fashioned braided spiral mat which on its right held a old brown "treasure" chest that leaned against the wall on my right. Plus, the window held a drift wood valance over it with torn coloured drapings hanging around the frame.
What caught most of my interest, however, was what was artisically embelished on the white wall. All across the length and height of it was a horrifically beautiful poem that was captured by the flight of several elegant sparkling moths circling around it in different positions. And along the left side of the wall near the corner of the peach wall that had the window was what seemed as a quoted engraving,"Let the siring save me...Rain..." The word that stood out the most was "Rain", because each letter seemed to be releasing drops of crimson such as the shimmers after the moths....
Suddenly I was forced back into reality by the sound of the door shutting into its frame behind me. "Who...!" I turned terror fuming in my voice towards the door behind me. My eyes softened the smallest amount when I saw that it was my brother that had entered the room. The only thing that kept me from completely calming down was the fact that he was dripping wet and that he was panting for breath, leaning against the door.
"Acile...you'll never guess who's here..." Giving my brother a curious look, I gestured towards his dripping hair and water drenched body,"First of all, why were you outside at this time of night in a Norwegian rainstorm..." "That's not of importance." He grabbed my hand and pulled me into a sit on his bed. I watched him as he crawled over to the window and, on his knees he pushed the curtains against the wall and dug his nails into them. His whole body firmented as he whispered,"Father...is here. Just outside in the garden..."
My whole body stiffened. Why after all these years... "Moekja...did you meet him...?" His body trembled."No, but I saw him and mother speaking..." He turned to the engraving down in the corner of the wall, Let the siring save me...Rain.... As his fingers left the wall, his eyes closed firmly. I watched intently as he pulled the hem of his loin cloth down to show on the small of his back some sort of cryptic tattoo, or birthmark...
"Acile...do you know what this means?" His eyes lay cold on me, as if he was trying to strangle the answer out of me. I looked away and shook my head. I saw him nod his head and reach down between his bed and the wall. What came out confused me: In his hands lay a dark leather bound book labeled The Legend of the Vampsumen.
My eyes watched his every move suspiciously and confusedly as he opened the book and scaled down a page near to the end. "...Yes, listen to this Acile, Helen said with her dying breath,'Another will take my place and forefill my duty...' After her death many vowed to find this heir, themselves knowing that the heir would prize a birthmark that resembled the upper wings of a moth spread widely from the outstretched arms of an angelic stick figure..." At this my brother looked at me with sunken eyes.
I now was almost in tears...: My brother was about to become a vampirian to save this blood thirsty race. I knew the answer. "S-so your telling me that, you have to...wait, wait..." I stood up and pointed towards the door."This is just a wild guess, but is our father a vampirian?"
Moekja's sunken eyes laughed, though his face stayed solemn,"Wow, you got it on the first try..." he stood up and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. His whispers trembled,"I want you to be with me...during...the...siring..." I felt his tears saturate the shoulder of my robe."I'll try...Rain. Trust me...I will try." I gently rubbed the back of his head to sooth him.
A few minutes past, I grabbed his hands off of my shoulders and stared into his eyes. His tears had dried, I noticed, and there was a new fire burning in the soul of his retina. I could see it."Are you ready..." He nodded firmly and I let go of one hand, together we walked through the dark corridor to the kitchen door. The rain still thundered on the roof above and the ground outside.
I pushed the door open to reveal the scene that unfolded in the garden. As we slowly, hesitantly, made our way down the stone path, we were brought upon a company of our mother and two abnormally tall men...or what seemed as men, at that matter.
I noticed, of what I could see of the shorter one, was that he greatly resembled Moekja...well, the other way around. This man had the longest hair I had ever seen. It was silky black, and that the matter was it was weighed down by the rain, it reached to roughly his knees. Right now, however, it was neatly braided and was just above the knees. Our father...
Our mother seemed as if she had just been given a death sentence. She was hiding her face and crying rather loudly, since it was heard over the rain. When she saw us she gave out a yelp, as if someone had just violently jabbed her in the stomach with a dull stick. The other man, was not noticable from here, for he was standing back in the dark shadows of night.
I noticed, however, that when Moekja saw "our father" he all of a sudden stiffened and became this emotionless warrior. He seemed... how would you say it...invincible. The raven haired man shifted as Moekja let go of my hand and placed himself between me and him. I stiffened myself, for I did not want to seem vulnerable in front of these creatures.
The man whom Moekja faced, bowed slightly."I am honoured to meet my children after all these years..." "Yes, and yet that's what you say when you commit yourself to me, be given heirs and leave without even watching them grow... wait, you didn't even watch Acile's birth. It's no wonder you are so honoured." I gave my mother a look of upmost shock, as I rested a hand on her shoulder."Mother...why do you speak to father so?"
She ignored me."I have spent a matter of 15 years rearing up your children away from harm and their fate, and you have never given a thought to their well being!" "Darcina, my love, I was busy-" "Busy? Busy for 15 or so years? Well, than Dracono. I have misunderstood you..." Her whole face darkened into something that was not of this world.
"If your work, is more important than your own flesh and blood, then I don't know why you even dared to show your face back here." I looked from my mother's blood thirsty face to Moekja, whom was staring intently at father, to father, whom was watching my mother in what I could almost picture as fear.
I grabbed my mother's arm and forced her into my view."I cannot believe what I am hearing but still...you seem to show us what is wrong when you've taught us what is right." Her eyes widened as these words left my mouth."You will not hurt father whether or not he left you as a single mother. For I speak as your daughter... and seeing the circumstances," I looked over at Moekja who was staring at me,"I forbid you from adding any more strife to this situation."
I felt someone staring at me. I looked over at father, to Moekja... they weren't looking at me. I thought again about the stranger in the shadows. I looked, meeting a glowing gaze. Letting go of my mother I walked over to the shadows."Who are you, stranger...?"
I felt a hand wrap around my chin."Well...you are not only teasing to the eye, but also curious... like Pandora..." I glared at the speaker, or roughly where he would be."How dare you speak to me so. You have no right-" "Vampirian..." His voice purred. A laugh came to him."You are speaking to a vampirian, my dear. I have every right to croon..." I pulled my face away, and reached into the darkness to meet a hard torso under silky fabric. Not a face.
"So, vampirian..." I closed my eyes calmly. "Show me your face." I had grasped his hand in this process and lightly pulled it towards the lantern's light. He agreed silently, by following my motion into the light. What I saw amazed me. His face was manly yet gentle as if he worshipped the Lord by bathing in the Holy Water, itself. On his muscular body hung the finest white priestess' robes that seemed slightly foreign, to go along with his ivory complexion.
His hair was also very female, as it seemed. It was breast length, blond, and as I could tell in the rain, fairly curly. As I gazed at him, I noticed his eyes actually did have a natural glow to them... a greenish glow.... almost enticing, to send shivers down your spine. I must of been standing there awhile, because as I stared, I heard an annoyed clearing of the throat.
I looked behind me sure enough to see Moekja staring at me quite confused. I smiled at him and cleared my throat, turning back to the vampirian. "Well, vampirian... you have surely surprised me, I see now that you, vamp-" "Please, milady, call me Naragai." I looked up at him."Then that's what it shall be, Naragai." Looking away once again, I whispered up at him, gesturing him to bring his head down."But... surely you know that I'm not...-interested, do you?" He snickered softly in my ear,"As it seems I am not fond of females in that sort of intimacy." Pausing he pulled my face closer to him as I gasped softly."I am more fond of those like me in my behavior, body, and mind."
I looked at him in quite a confused awe."You mean you are those who are labled sinners then..." As he nodded I grinned."Well then, Naragai, I feel that we will be quite good friends. To assure you, I feel safer now." He patted my head and smiled sweetly."We shall see, milady, we have all but to see..." With that he pulled away and walked slowly up to father and whispered silently in his ear. Father nodded and stood tall, closing his eye lids he faced mother.
"Darcina, my dear, we must finish this important business before day break. Afterall it is... very secretive, as shall be said." My mother burst into tears at this and slowly backed away. "No! Dracono...I can not let my only son go through this!" She fell against the gate weeping and muttering to herself about her baby, and... siring?
I ran over to her and caressed her. "Mother... it will be alright... shhh... it's alright..." She looked up at me and stroked my face lovingly, forcing a smile. "Acile, you do not know what your brother's fate is... do you, my child?" I grinned back, tears began to well in my eyes."Sadly I do, mother. Sadly I do..." I burst into tears on her shoulder. "He's leaving us, isn't he? He's going to become one of those vampiric worshippers and- and...." My mother covered my mouth gently and firmly spoke."He is to be a vampirian, yes...."
"Acile... mother...,"I looked over to my brother who was closer to us and letting a small tear run down his face, he spoke."I love you with all my heart, and even when my blood has mixed with those of others, run cold, and pumps through my empty heart, I will still love you." He embraced us both and kissed us on our foreheads and cheeks."I will be back soon... don't you frett." I smiled at him and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Oh, how I will miss you, Moekja! Please, please just be safe." As I let go, mother whimpered softly and spoke,"So long, my raven haired baby boy."
And with a kind smile he turned to us before he left the garden. He waved his hand and let another tear fall before turning and following the two others to his fate.
***
Moekja...
...Just over the hill, I told myself as I galloped after these two giants. One my father, and the other his partner. Their big steps definately kept me going to keep up. I could of out ran them if I wanted, but these two could easily break my neck in two...and then sink their fangs into my flesh. But, uugh... why was I thinking of this? I had to keep up to them. Despite this tense cold feeling in the depths of my stomach. Yes, I was nervous.... Nervous of what to expect of a siring.
I'm already half vampirian, thanks to my father. So then I half know what to expect, but then half don't.... A siring can be both brutal, but also can be gentle. Depending on the one whom does the siring either way, this was destiny. My destiny....
I brushed my wet hair out of my eyes and saw the two vampirians had stopped at the top, clearly gazing at something. I wondered what it could be, so I raced to the top of the hill, my feet slipping involuntarily on the wet grass. Rain...though it's my middle name, sometimes I despise it in itself.
Slipping on the rock path that appeared near the top, I hit the ground hard on my knees and scraped my hands. I winced and closed my eyes. Hearing a faint sound I looked up to see my father grinning at me, lovingly."It surprises me, my son, that you are so excited to meet your fate." I squinted my eyes into a slight glare."Do not push me, father. You know that you yourself would do the same." He closed his eyes in a sweet smile and turned away."Alas, you are right. I would, though it seems, do the same..."
My eyes left him and gazed to the scenery... I was centered on the stone path that lead to a broad marble base. On the base was a plaque, and sadly I couldn't make out the words. My eyes rose above the base to a thick marble pillar that widened into a crucifix, laden with a gold skull of a long horned ox. The crucifix was decorated by elegant engravings that swirled and twisted into rough shapes of... silver moths....
"The Cross of Vampirian Faith..." Startled out of my train of thought I gazed over to the blond vampirian, whom was staring also at the cross. I gave him a look and then my father looked startled at the horizon. "Naragai, we must get this done." "Yes, sire. As it seems sun rise will be in three hours. Daylight can not be worthy of such business." Father nodded."Precisely...." He pulled on his hood over his damp hair, letting his face darken."I will be waiting in the cathedral. Do not fail me." Naragai nodded and bowed his head,"Yes, milord. I will not fail you."
With that father turned and decended the path, disapearing from view. I was still on the ground, staring at Naragai. Was he the one doing the siring...? He turned away from the direction that my father had left, to me and he sighed. "Do you know what siring is?" I looked away and slightly nodded."I do... it is the sacrifice of the living blood to transform from human to the creatures that bear the fangs of the earth, vampirians..." Naragai, nodded. "Very good. Do you know then what the Vampsumen is?"
At this I got to my feet and walked over to the cross. "The Vampsumen is a creature, a hero, that is a firm mixture of a human and vampirian's flesh.... One who appears as a human but has the nature and personality of vampiric genes.... One who must save the vampiric culture from the hands of destruction of humans..."
The vampirian said nothing but instead walked over to me and grasped my shoulders, and turned me into his gaze. "Well spoken... you have studied." He closed his eyes and whispered,"But... young one, how do you recognise a vampsumen...?" I looked away. His voice was smooth, and I was worried he would open his enticing green eyes again. "...A vampsumen bears a tattoo on the small of the back that resembles a stick figure with the outstretched upper wings of the silver moth...."
As this was said, Naragai reached out his hand to the cross behind me and clasped it shut, bringing it infront of his green eyes. "Young Moekjanase, place your eyes on our symbol..."
He slowly opened his hand to show a silver winged moth. Each wing was ornamented by red lines of glittering dust. She slowly flapped her wings, and twitched her feathery antennie. Enticed, I reached a finger gently to the small creature and softly brushed her wing."A silver moth..." Naragai nodded."...Rare, and malicious. Blood thirsty in her nature but only feeds off of plants...." He also gently stroked her wing."The stories of them are true. Whenever a human lays his eyes on one of this beauty, a vampirian is near by... ready to feast..."
I opened my eyes in horrified shock: Here was a silver moth, I have layed my eyes on her, and here is a vampirian... with hunger in his eyes.... I backed away, but didn't get far, for the crucifix's base was directly behind me. Naragai placed the moth back on the crucifix and layed his hands on my shaking shoulders."You see, Moekjanase... her story still is true.... You know it too... I can see it in your eyes..."
I gulped, and stared at him with wide eyes and sweat broke all over my body. I was speechless...and terrified. Siring... this is my siring! I closed my eyes as I felt his hand gently stroke my neck where my blood pumped rapidly in my fear. "...Don't be scared... it will be over in a few seconds.... You will fall unconcious as soon as you feel the pain...."
I felt his breath on my neck. It was warm and rapid. I felt fatigue take over as his hands gripped firmly on my shoulders. I whimpered softly as I felt his whole body shift into something inhuman. I heard saliva and muscle stretch, and his body press against me. I started hypervenalating. My heart skipped a beat...
...Hot fangs sunk with white pain into my skin as the panic took over. I screamed out in subconcious pain loud and long and fell limp as my voice cracked and ceased....
...Everything span into complete darkness as my breath died....
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