Sern looked up from the knives laid in front of him for sharpening and oiling. Gesald stood in the doorway with a superiour air about him, looking down his sharp nose.
´What?` Sern asked, instantly annoyed. He wasn't even certain if he was annoyed because Ranloo had rubbed off on him, or if he didn't like the man himself.
´Jackal wants a word with you. Now,` Gesald said and walked off without waiting for a reply.
Sern frowned. What now? Had Jackal found out about his little adventure last night? Sern grimaced. He hoped not. He aligned a knife and stood. Best not make him wait. It was late and Jackal didn't normally stay up past midnight. He dealt with most of his work during the daytime. Like normal people. Sern sniggered. He wasn't even sure when he'd seen the sun last. Being friends with a vampire had totally thrown his daily schedule upside-down. He hurried after Gesald, seeing his red hair and the back of his grey tunic disappear around a corner.
Sern waited outside the guild leader's room. The guards glared at him, as intimidating as ever. Funny, Sern thought, but they never felt half as intimidating when Ranloo was with him. Now, he nervously squirmed in place as he waited.
Soon a woman exited the room, carrying papers, and hurried away down the corridor. Jackal beckoned from the doorway with a slight smile.
´Hello?` Sern said meekly as he entered. ´You called?`
Jackal walked to his desk and sat down in the stuffed chair, resting his hands on the desk. ´Yes, I did.` He watched Sern with an unreadable expression.
Sern had no idea where this was going. But at least he didn't look angry. That was good.
´Sit.` Jackal indicated the chair in front of the desk.
Sern gratefully sat. Jackal steepled his fingers in front of him and regarded Sern for a while in silence. ´Um, what –`
´I want you to tell me how long we need to keep his part of the basement sealed off,` Jackal interrupted.
Sern opened and closed his mouth like a fish a few times, not knowing the answer. ´No idea, really,` he confessed after a while.
Jackal sighed. ´I didn't think so but it was worth asking.` A slight frown creased his forehead. ´Are you alright?`
Sern blushed. Was it that obvious he wasn't? ´Yeah. Just tired.` He forced a smile.
´You know I don't like it when you lie to me,` Jackal said. ´And you're a terrible liar.` He flashed a smile at Sern's discomfort, then turned serious again.
´Yeah, no, I know.` Flustered, Sern ran a hand through his messy, short hair.
´What's going on?` Jackal said in a softer tone and leaned back in the chair.
´I'm worried 'for him,` Sern said honestly. ´He's never been this hurt before. Listarl said he gotta carry him back.` He bit his lower lip, guilt coiling inside.
´But that's not all, is it?`
Sern met Jackal's kind eyes. How did this man know him so well, he wondered. He'd always liked the guild leader, but it wasn't like they spent a lot of time together or anything. Sern sighed deeply and shook his head. ´I don't wanna talk 'bout it.` He looked down at his hands in his lap.
´As you wish. As long as it won't interfere with the guild or put you in danger,` Jackal said, his look hardening.
Sern shook his head again. ´It won't,` he promised.
Jackal nodded, looking pleased. ´So, what can we expect to happen when our... friend... wakes up?` he asked, fingering his sun-medallion.
Sern glanced up, not liking the pause or the emphasis on the word ”friend”.
´He'll be outta control,` Sern said grimly. There was no point in trying to lie about that. ´Anythin' that moves'll be wasted if nearby.` He knew it was true. He'd never seen Ranloo this hurt before, nor had he slept for this long. He'd be a monster when he woke up. Sern shuddered at the thought.
Jackal pursed his lips, thinking. ´So, is there a risk he'll come up into the guild and kill people here?`
´Don't think so,` Sern said slowly. ´There's animals in the next room.` He carefully avoided Jackal's eyes as he spoke as if the guild leader could see he knew about the prisoner. ´That room leads t' the outside. I'm guessin' he'll go straight out, wastin' anyone he sees.`
Jackal gave Sern a long look, his face an unreadable mask again. Sern swallowed, certain the man knew he'd been down there. Sweat beaded on his forehead and ran down his back.
´What do you know?` Jackal asked, raising an eyebrow. ´You seem awfully nervous.`
´Uh...` Sern said. Good argument there.
´Or is it that you did something you shouldn't have?`
Sern glanced up, certain his guilt could be seen plain as day. ´No. I just... This hasn't happened before an' I dunno what t' say,` he spluttered.
Jackal didn't look convinced but didn't press the issue. Sern tried to calm himself down and dug his nails into his legs.
´Very well. Is there anything we can do to... calm him down when he wakes? To minimize the damage?` Jackal asked, getting back on topic.
Sern swiped the sweat off on the sleeve of his tunic before answering. ´I'm not sure. He's gotta eat. Put more than one animal down there...`
´Already did that,` Jackal said pleasantly.
Sern swallowed. ´Uh, keep the door locked. But you do that already too, so. Yeah. I dunno.`
´Very well. I guess we're done here then.` Jackal stood.
Sern bounced up and the chair flew back, scraping loudly against the floor and almost toppled. Sern flinched at the sound. Jackal raised his eyebrows and gave him a scrutinizing look. Sern blushed and looked down. ´I'm sorry,` he mumbled.
Jackal smirked and shook his head. ´What's up with you today?` He stepped around the desk to open the door and let Sern out, not expecting an answer.
Sern left in a hurry, face red and eyes on the floor. Stupid, stupid, he berated himself. He really was a terrible liar. At least when he spoke with Jackal. He was certain the man knew everything. He knew Sern had broken into the basement, that he had gone to Ranloo and seen the man tied up down there. Maybe he even knew it was Sern's fault that Felisei had died? He hurried back to his room and slammed the door shut.
* * * * *
The wet dark days crawled by. Sern and the others only went out on smaller jobs together, mostly to have something to do, but none of them had any real aptitude for it. Listarl told Sern off for leaving the guild that one night alone, reminding everyone about the danger still present.
Sern began hanging out in Diquarl's lab, helping him with his potions and experiments. At least Diquarl wasn't overly talkative and wouldn't ask too many questions. And he hadn't been with them at Doseix Hall and didn't know what had transpired there. For each passing day, Sern's worries grew, however. Would Ranloo ever wake up? Had he been too wounded? Had they saved him, only to have him slowly die in the guild's basement? He didn't dare go back to look anymore. It was too dangerous. Of course, he could go there during the day. He assumed the people caring for the animals and the prisoner did. But it scared him. It had been eight days now. Ranloo had never been asleep this long.
´Do you think he'll need more of those explosive potions?` Diquarl asked, startling Sern after a long time of silence.
´I dunno. They were effective. I think,` he stuttered. So assertive. Great help there. Diquarl didn't seem to notice and kept doing whatever he was doing. Writing things down on paper, looking at things in glass bottles, burning things. Sern had no idea what he did or why.
´Will he wake up soon?` Diquarl asked and turned his blue eyes on Sern.
Sern stopped putting glass bottles on a shelf and looked at the small awkward man. ´I dunno. He's never been out this long before. I...` he sighed and shook his head.
Diquarl stiffly patted him on a shoulder. Almost as if he'd heard it was supposed to help but had never done it before. Sern raised an eyebrow.
´So that's a maybe then,` Diquarl concluded as he stared at a bottle with liquid in.
Sern had no idea what he looked for. Nothing seemed to happen. He shrugged. ´I guess.`
´I heard Jackal had an Eldon symbol hung on the door to keep the vampire out in case he wakes up,` he said in a conversational tone.
´What?` Sern snapped and stared at him.
´On the door. To the basement,` Diquarl waved a hand in its general direction. ´To keep him out. I guess he's more nervous about it than he lets on,` he chuckled.
´Why... the door into the guild?` he asked, dumbfounded.
´Yes. Of course. Not the door leading out. That'd be stupid, wouldn't it?` He studied Sern for a moment, his brows coming together. ´Are you sure you're alright? You seem a bit slow.`
Sern frowned. Thank you so much, he thought but didn't say it aloud. But maybe Diquarl was right, he was a bit slow. Too distraught to listen or think properly. He wished Ranloo would wake up soon. ´I think I'll go t' my room an' rest,` he excused himself. ´You're right.`
He left Diquarl in a hurry and marched to the door to the basement. He saw nothing on the door. Had it been a lie? Or just a rumour? A joke? Or was in on the inside, facing the vampire? Probably. He wanted to see for himself. But it was already night and he feared to open the door. He decided to check tomorrow afternoon instead. Was Jackal that scared of Ranloo? He hadn't exactly let that on when they'd talked a few days ago. Slowly, he walked towards his room. Jackal had implied that Ranloo was dangerous in the way he'd called him ”friend”, Sern remembered. As he climbed the stairs, vague shouts rose behind him. He looked down but didn't see anything. What was going on?
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
* * * * *
Water pattered on his face. Ranloo blinked in the rain and looked around. He stood outdoors. His thoughts flowed slow and sluggish, his soaked clothes clung to his skin. The residue of rage slowly diminished. On the ground at his feet lay a dead man.
Very dead, he corrected himself. He spun around. A cobbled street, a lantern some way off swivelled back and forth in the wind, making shadows leap. The buildings stood close together, foundations in stone, second stories in wood. He stared about.
He couldn't see as well as he was used to and touched a hand to his face, feeling his right side. Scabbed and rough skin. Where in the abyss was he, and how had he ended up here? He didn't recognize the place. He looked back to the body by his feet.
A man, dressed like some tailor or other. A common worker. Diluted by the rain, blood spread in the street from a gaping wound in his neck and a broken arm bent the wrong way. Ranloo's lips pulled back in a grimace of distaste. He knew he'd killed the man. Probably. But he couldn't remember doing it. The taste of blood lingered in his mouth. He glanced at his bloodstained hands. Guilty as charged. What had happened?
The last thing he remembered was following Listarl back to the guild. He frowned. He couldn't remember getting there. Confused he spun around, trying to spot any landmarks that he recognized. Where was he? He studied himself, sill in the damaged clothes from the fight against the hunters. He poked the big hole in the front of the tunic, wincing at the memory of the sword stabbing through him. He turned his right hand around before his face. Not as bad as it had been, but still badly burned.
´Alright,` Ranloo muttered. ´I've healed from the worst wounds. But I'm still not fine. So, it's been two... three days maybe?` He must have lost control completely. Better get away from here, fast. Find a way back to the guild, safety, and his friends. The thought caused a painful ache in his heart and he hugged himself with a groan. Pain, anger, loss. Felisei.
Attempting to focus on his current situation, he pulled his cloak closer around him and hid his face under the hood. It was also stained and full of holes. But it didn't matter. Better than openly showing people his torn, bloody clothes, and ruined face. Good thing Gesald had given him black clothes. It helped hide the stains. It troubled him that he couldn't remember getting back to the guild. Had he lost it before they got back? Surely he hadn't attacked Listarl? No. He massaged his temples. Listarl had been in much better condition than him. He'd have died if he had attacked the big man.
Setting off at a run, sharp pangs of pain reminded him with each step of his condition. Still not fully healed. Going in a random direction, he hoped to find some place he'd recognize when a thought brought him to a stop. He sniffed the air carefully.
If he had hunted people, he should be able to follow the scent trail. He had killed that man. Where had he come from? He detected a faint whiff of blood in the air in the direction he'd run, so he kept going in that direction. He didn't know what time it was or for how long he'd run around. If he'd killed more people, it might have drawn attention. He had to be careful. He checked his sword. Still there. Heavy, cold, and reassuring. He smiled grimly to himself. He didn't like this part of being a vampire. Losing control, losing his memories.
Hushed voices speaking alerted Ranloo before he ran into them. Slowing down, he carefully approached an intersection. Hugging the wall, he peeked around the corner. Down the street lay another body. No two, he corrected himself. He couldn't make them out from the distance despite the light from the onlookers' sputtering torches. Two city guards and three citizens by the look of them. Probably living nearby. They pointed this way and that. Ranloo noticed some curious people poking their heads out of open windows as well. He frowned. He had to stay away from them. Backing off, he looked around. Maybe he could get up on a roof, get off the ground.
Ranloo ran atop the roofs. The houses stood close together, making it easy getting from one roof to another, even when he had to leap across the street. The biggest issue was the slick roof tiles, almost felling him a few times. He couldn't follow his own trail but at least he was safe from prying eyes and it was easier to find landmarks.
Stopping by an impressive chimney, he climbed up and perched on top like some gargoyle on a tall temple. Squinting through the rain, Ranloo glimpsed the golden towers of the Eldon temple, glowing far away in the mist. At least he knew where the temple lay in relation to the guild. Using it as a guide, he ran onwards.
He had run far, he thought. That was worrisome. Either he'd been in a total loss of control for a large part of the night or he'd lost it before he even got to the guild a few nights ago, then continued to rage around until this night. Neither prospect was a good one. But to get answers he'd have to get back.
A patter of feet caught his attention and he looked down. A person ran along, covering his head from the rain with a pack held over his head. Instinctively, Ranloo leaned forward over the edge of the roof, like a cat enticed by a mouse. When he realized what he was doing, it was already too late. With a surprised yelp, he lost his balance and slid down and out over the edge of the roof. Desperately grasping for the edge, he got nothing but air. The ground rushed towards him. He spun in midair, hit the ground, and rolled into the opposite house's wall with a thud.
Dazed, he lay still on the ground for a while, panting in shock, his back, hands, and feet stinging from the heavy impact. Idiot, he thought. What in the abyss are you doing? Get a grip.
As he struggled to get up, a hand was presented in front of his face. He looked up and met the friendly smiling face of a young man with a blond braided beard, long hair, and a pack balanced on his head, steadied with his other hand. The man he had almost charged. Ranloo blinked, for a moment unsure whether to attack or run away. The moment passed and the man extended his hand again, a slightly impatient huff escaping him.
´Are you alright, mister?` he asked. ´I heard a shout and turned around to see you hit the wall there. Did you fall... somehow?`
Ranloo shook his head, still dizzy and confused. ´Yes, I... fell,` he mumbled and reached out to take the man's hand. He yanked Ranloo to his feet in a less gentle manner causing Ranloo's hood to fall back. Ranloo groaned as pain below his ribs burned.
The man furrowed his brows. ´Are you hurt?` He inspected him, and Ranloo saw several emotions flit across his face like an open book. Disgust, fear, worry, astonishment.
´No, I'm fine. Sort of,` he muttered, snatching the cloak around him, hiding his broken clothes. He'd lost his direction in the fall and glanced towards the roof with a frown. He had to get back up again.
´You've been through some serious business,` the man commented.
Ranloo assumed it was his way of politely pointing out that he looked a mess. He nodded in acknowledgement and brushed some hair from his face.
´What happened?`
Ranloo regarded him again. Why wasn't he leaving? Maybe he could ask him the way since he still stood there? ´I got into a fight a few days ago.` Ranloo studied the man's reaction.
He grinned and nodded. ´I can tell.`
´Can you also tell me the way to the Eldon temple?` Ranloo asked, somewhat irritated.
´Sure, sure,` the man answered and pointed. ´It's that way. But hey, it's pretty far away. I'd wait until morning to go there.`
Ranloo sneered. ´I can't wait until morning! This is urgent.`
The man's eyes widened, suddenly fearful. Ranloo snorted, he didn't need this.
´Are you that vampire?` the man gasped and took a step back.
Gods be damned, Ranloo thought. Why was nothing ever easy? ´Yes, sure,` he said with annoyance and brushed himself off. ´Leave me alone now. I've got things to do.` The man laughed to Ranloo's astonishment. ´Why are you –`
´I actually thought you were a vampire for a moment there!` he snickered. ´But of course, that's silly. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.` He bowed slightly from the waist.
Ranloo blinked. What in the world? Humans were so strange sometimes. He shook his head, turned and walked in the direction he had pointed.
´I'm sorry!` the man called behind him. ´I didn't mean to, I just... you're an elf and I've heard those stories lately. Look... wait,` he ran after Ranloo.
Ranloo gritted his teeth, anger exploding to the surface. ´Leave me alone!` he roared and twisted around. The man skidded to a stop, eyes round. ´Yes, I'm a vampire! And I'll kill you if you follow me another step!` He grabbed the man's coat at the front, almost lifting him.
´Look, there's no need to take it that far. I said I was sorry,` the man yelped, dropped his pack and raised his hands.
Ranloo snorted and let him go. Taking a deep breath, he left the man in the rain. If he didn't leave now, he would kill him. Cursing under his breath, Ranloo hurried away, following the directions he'd gotten.
It took Ranloo a while to calm down. But eventually, the cool darkness and pleasantly pattering rain brought his burning anger down a notch. Another thing that got him in a better mood was the fact that he recognize where he was again. He smiled as he finally found familiar streets, sensed the usual smells, and heard sounds he'd grown accustomed to. He ran the last few blocks towards the guild. As he rounded the last bend, he spotted something ahead and skidded to a halt.
A goat's torn off head. He stared at it. What was it doing there? He glanced up, saw the open backdoor to the guild. What was going on? Had he left it like that? Did it mean he'd got to the guild after all, then completely lost control when he woke up?
Frowning, he picked up the head by a horn. He couldn't leave it there, could he? Slowly approaching the open door, he peeked in. It reeked of blood and guts. He wrinkled his nose, even as it sent a thrill of excitement through him. The goats had been killed in a less than tidy manner. He wasn't even certain if he'd drunk their blood or just plain killed them. It certainly looked like it.
A dead man slumped in a corner, his throat gashed open, spilling blood over his bare chest. Ranloo stared at the corpse. What was the meaning of this? Anger stirred in him again. He let go of the goat's head and it rolled away on the slanting floor. He stepped closer to investigate. The man had been dead for a few hours and been drained of blood. Ranloo could tell because of the deathly pale hue he'd learned to recognize against his will. But what disturbed Ranloo the most was that the man had been tied, gagged, and unable to escape.
His fangs extended as fury soared. Who had done this? Why? Not that the dead man out in the street had had much more of a chance than this one. But at least that one had chosen to go out into Jaris at night. This man hadn't had a choice. Who was it even? He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He had to speak to some people. Angrily he pushed open the door to the corridor behind it.
As he touched the door, it fell off its hinges with a crash and Ranloo flinched in surprise. He stared at it. Had he broken it? Raising his head, he looked towards his room. The door hung at a weird angle and the wood was broken and bent. Only the iron hinges and framework kept it in one piece. It looked like he had beaten the door out rather than opened it.
He studied his bloodstained hands, heavily bruised with cut knuckles and split skin. It could have been from the fall off the roof but he strongly suspected it was from beating the doors down. It was more likely even.
His rage had been stifled by his surprise, and maybe that was a good thing. Not smart to charge into the guild, furious and looking like he did. He'd scare people, maybe provoke an attack and kill someone. He had to speak to Jackal about that prisoner, but maybe he should find his friends first, take a bath, and get new clothes. Give himself time to calm down before doing something stupid he'd regret. Again. Closing his eyes, he stood in the basement corridor for a long while, taking deep breaths and relaxing his knotted muscles. He would have prayed, but couldn't. He wasn't comfortable praying to Zeidon, and Mizar wouldn't listen. He batted the thoughts aside least they agitate him again and focused on breathing.
Eventually, he felt calm enough to proceed down the corridor. He bounded up the stairs, two steps at a time. As he reached the top, he was abruptly brought to a halt by a dreadful feeling. A familiar, horrifying, oppressing feeling.
He stared at the door at the top of the stairs. A blazing Eldon-symbol hung on the door-handle, a beautiful yellow gemstone set in its middle. Ranloo squinted and backed away. Where had it come from? He couldn't ignore this one, definitely couldn't pass it by. It was too strong. It must be new. Anger overcame him again. Who would put it there? How dared they!
Turning on his heels, he stormed back down the corridor and out the back doors. Out into the rain. He slammed the doors shut behind him and ran around the building to the main entrance. His calm blown out the window, he beat his fists on the door and yelled for them to let him in.