Bloodlines, page 11
part #3 of Amarok Series
Chapter 12
Doyle’s chambers were quite full. Just before the sun made any headway into the sky, several figures stole into the Temple without the servants noticing and stood around his throne; Novak, Infini, Ata and Atsu. With hushed voices, they discussed their plans.
“House Blood’s greatest weapon is their versatility, but that isn’t why they dominated our brothers,” Doyle started. “It was the power of my House, their ability to absorb magic. It nullified our greatest strength, took away our ability to fight. That is why, to prevent creating another threat, we cannot include the power of House Void in this new creature.”
Novak’s eyes bounced over the room as his thoughts raced. “A valid point. Not having a resistance to magic will put them at a disadvantage but perhaps, yes perhaps, we can make up for that.”
“You have some ideas?”
“My new experiments are focused on the strength of beasts. Humans, while full of possibility, seemed geared to single track. The predators have so much more destructive power within them. Without you in the combination, my power will be more present.”
“Good. But there is another reason I don’t want my power being used. Beasts are wild creatures. We need a controlled blade. Ata and Atsu, you are the most traveled of our group. Is there someone within House Law who you may persuade to help us?”
They nodded. “We know of a-”
“-fae who might help but-”
“-they will not come to this city.”
“How about my manor?” Infini suggested. “House Blood ignores me these days. Don’t live up to their honorable and tight standards but Roan keeps them from booting me out.”
“It will take some-”
“-convincing but we will-”
“-discuss it with him.”
“Do whatever it takes but bring him here,” Doyle hissed. “This is too important to simply try. Either we pull this off flawlessly or we face extinction. Understood? Good. Infini, you need to focus on clearing out your servants. The greatest key to this experiment, besides the outcome I mean, is secrecy. If Roan should get wind of this before we are ready to face him…”
Doyle nodded as an appropriate aura of tension settled over the group. “It would be great if we could get a member of House Storm to cooperate with us as well but they no doubt still despise us. Only three Houses this time but again four of the higher fae have come together to combine their power. Will our results be just as extraordinary?” He chuckled as the excitement of changing the world rushed through him. “Novak, what do you need to get started?”
“Subjects. The strongest, the fastest, the meanest, the sturdiest. The larger the variety, the more chances we’ll have to create a success.”
“Good. Infini, you shall request them. It will fit well with your eccentric reputation.”
“And what exactly will you be doing, oh great leader, hmm? Seems as if you’re pushing all the work onto us. I mean, if this were to go badly, you could just wash your hands of the lot of us, claim you didn’t have anything to do with it.”
Doyle glared at him. “Is that what you think I’m up to?”
“Everyone here has some goal House Blood is standing in the way of. Novak wants the freedom to conduct his experiments without Roan’s scrutiny. I want to escape their choking morality. The rainbow twins are trying to save the fae. My question is, what do you gain from this? You’re king. Roan adores you. If you asked, our boy would yank the sun out of the sky or burn trying. What could possibly be motivating you?”
Ata and Atsu stepped up to Infini’s side, each placing a hand on one of his shoulders. “There is no need-”
“-to question the motives-”
“-of the Dark King. He-”
“-is more loyal to this mission-”
“-than any other.”
“But why though? It just doesn’t make any sense!”
“You could not understand-”
“-his anger anymore than he could-”
“-understand the proclivities that have-”
“-made you lose favor with the-”
“-scion of House Blood. Such-”
“-is the differences in your nature.”
“Hmph.” Doyle relaxed his tense posture, letting his eyes drift close. “Now that we’re done with that nonsense, shall we continue? Novak, make your preparations. I’ll have your subjects delivered as soon as possible and we’ll only speed up after that. There’s no turning back from this. Shall we get to work?”
-
The door to Infini’s compound was thrown open in anticipation for Doyle’s arrival. Two members of House Blood waited on either side, distinguished by the robes they wore bearing the same crest as Roan’s.
Doyle could tell they didn’t recognize him. Their gazes lighted upon his strange features with interest as it marked him as something a little more than human. What caught their attention was the others around him.
He had no idea who Roan had assigned to escort him but the sentries must have recognized the guards. Once the wagon came into a distance where faces could be made out, the two vampires suddenly stood straighter than arrows, their laxed expressions becoming tense with a mix between worry and awe.
One of his escorts stepped forward and announced “Lord Doyle.”
They were simply two words but the sentries acted as if they had been struck by lightning. Their hands began to shake. One of them tried to speak but nothing came out, his lips moving uselessly for several moments. His compatriot tried to come to his aide, going so far as to step forward a step to draw attention to himself, but when he tried to speak, all that came out was a strangled “Urmph…”
The poor vampires were saved when one of Doyle’s escorts clapped the one in the front on the shoulder and then guided him to step the side. “Your lapse of etiquette is acceptable under the circumstances. Now move aside.”
“Ya-yes sir. Of course.”
The wagon started forward. Doyle glanced to the sentries and they hastily dropped to their knees, bowing their heads until their foreheads hovered an inch off the ground.
Infini’s compound was extravagant. The wagon rolled down a road lined with gold and precious stones. It took them through a lush garden, the greenery interrupted by statues depicting humans in the midst of a wild dance. Servants could be seen ducking about, but they never stayed in one place long enough for Doyle to catch a good glimpse of them.
At the door to the Infini’s manor, Doyle jumped down from the wagon and waved his escorts back when they tried to follow him inside. “There is no need. Nothing will come to pass while I am with my brother.”
“As you wish my lord.”
Doyle was pleased to notice that none of the servants wandered about the mansion. Despite his distrust, Infini had followed his order. He had picked good people to scheme with.
Assuming the mansion had been designed in the same fashion as his temple, Doyle ascended the large staircase off to the side, expecting it to lead him to Infini’s chamber.
He wasn’t disappointed. At the top of the stairs were two grand doors. He pushed them aside and stepped into a space dominated by vibrant colors. Bright yellows, reds, blues, and greens lined with spotless white to make them pop. The furniture was oversized and plush, furs from exotic animals thrown across them for extra comfort. Nothing matched but at the same time, it drew the eye, creating a hypnotic effect that was both pleasing and headache inducing.
Infini lounged on the bed that dominated the middle of the room, whistling a tune at the ceiling. Doyle cleared his throat and the other fae popped up, grinning widely. “You have arrived!”
“I said I would.”
“Indeed.” Infini linked their arms together and guided him back down the stairs and through an entrance on the side that led to a back exit. Another garden was here but unlike the one in the front, this one was wild. Shrubs grew unevenly and weeds ran rampant, swallowing up the dirt path. At the far end of the property, just before the wall enclosing the compound, stood a tree that could have been a mirror image of the one that used to stand outside Doyle’s village. The sight brought a smile to the dark fae’s lips.
Infini marched them up to the tree and rapped his knuckles on the bark. “Come on green man! You have visitors.”
A split ran down the tree and spread, creating a small opening that the two of the slipped through.
Though the outside was nostalgic, the inside of this second tree was nothing like the first. It had been hollowed up but it didn’t stop there. The first floor was wide and spacious. Further up, ledges stuck out from the walls, four feet outwards and over twelve feet long, curving around the trunk. There were twenty of them all together, five on each side.
Each of them held a cage containing an animal, both predators and herd beasts. Normally, these beasts stood at the pinnacle of nature and held no qualms about challenging any who stood before them. Not here. Staring down at the blood-stained stone tables that sat side by side in the middle of the tree, they pressed themselves against the wall, hoping they would not be next to come under the green fae’s knife.
Novak looked up from shoveling animal remains into a wooden bucket and wiped his bloody hands on the robe he wore. “Brothers. Good, good. You must see my progress. This way.”
“Hello to you too,” Doyle muttered as he was dragged to the other side of the tree. As before, florescent mushrooms provided minimal light, but it didn’t take long for his eyes to adjust. If there were any markings of an opening, he would have spotted it. As it was, it appeared that Novak simply pulled back the wall, revealing a small alcove.
“I keep him here. It seems unnecessary exposure to the world agitates the creature.”
Doyle leaned in. It was hard to make out details in the dark but a man knelt in the middle of the dark. Vines went about his body, keeping him rooted to the space but he didn’t appear uncomfortable. His eyes moved over Doyle and Infini, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air.
“This is it?” Doyle asked, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice.
“Ah, he doesn’t seem like much now. The secret is inside, yes inside him. Watch.”
Novak stepped forward until he was in arm’s reach of the man, then hastily jumped backwards. A good thing too. Doyle’s eyes widened in surprise as the man leaped forward with a roar. The sound of cracking bones filled the air as fur sprouted from his bronzed skin. A horrific display of flesh rippling and twisting itself into a new form lasted for a few minutes and then an animal was pulling at the vines holding it back, snapping its teeth at the green fae.
Doyle laughed wildly at the sight. “Oh, this is excellent. Far better than I could have imagined.”
“Yes. It took many tries but I have finally balanced the two bodies to merge them into one. These creatures still retain their intelligence but at the same time, they hold the savageness of animals and their incredible senses. Even without the aid of the fae, they are formidable. With our powers added into the mix…”
“When can we begin the next experiments?”
“Ata and Atsu have sent word,” Infini answered. “They have found a member of House Law willing to cooperate with us and will return within the next moon cycle. We can begin as soon as they arrive.”
-
Infini was lounging on his bed, dining on a platter of freshly cut fruit when a knock sounded on his door. “What is it?” he groused.
The door opened and a woman timidly stuck her head in the doorway. Her skin was the pale green of baby sprouts and pointed ears stuck out of her dark hair. “My lord, the bandaged ones have returned. They have brought you a guest.”
“Well, show them in!”
The woman ducked out. Moments later, Ata and Atsu walked in, followed by another man. He looked quite different from the humans of the region, having pale skin and more delicate features. While his head was bald, he had an impressive amount of facial hair, his mustache neatly combed and his bright red beard tied into a thin braid that reached his chest. Black symbols of the First Language moved across any exposed skin, the letters twisting and squirming like living things.
“We--”
“-have brought a compatriot willing--”
“-to help us. Clay--”
“-of House Law.”
Clay looked about the room in distaste, a single finger scratching his chin. “Where exactly is this weapon I’ve been hearing about?”
“That’s out back.” Infini rolled to his feet, squeezing past them and waving for them to follow him. “I hate to rush you after your travels but Doyle was very particular that we start the moment you arrive so time to get back to work.”
Clay huffed. “And where is the famous king? I’ve been wanting to see who screwed us so badly.”
“He is back in the city. If he spent too much time out here, Roan might get suspicious. Honestly, he’s not that big of a deal. Much smaller than you’d imagine.”
“Doyle doesn’t need---”
“-strength. He has vision and---”
“-determination.”
“Well someone’s a fan.” They came out the back entrance of the mansion. The woman who had escorted the fae through the house was moving through the garden. Her eyes widened when she saw them and she hastily lowered her head. Clay stared at her curiously as they passed. “I have never seen a human quite like her before.”
“That is because she is not simply human. She is part fae. One of Novak’s daughters in fact. They keep the gardens pristine.”
“Half fae?” Clay sputtered, looking back and forth between the girl and Infini with disbelief. “How is that possible?”
“Roan put him up to it. You see, House Blood is constantly growing. There aren’t enough fae for them to feed on to maintain their magic. So, Novak impregnated females with male sperm infused with our cells and ta-da! Half human, half fae. Quite interesting.”
“That is…disgusting.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m quite fond of my gardeners. Unlike their twisted sire, they have a real sense of art and passion for creation. What do you two think?”
“It is reassuring--”
“-to know that if we should fail that--”
“-our kind will not simply--”
“-cease to exist. We have also--”
“-volunteered to sire our own line.”
“Wow! Well, when you put it like that…maybe I should get involved in this myself.”
“All of you have gone mad.”
They reached the tree. Infini knocked on the bark and it opened. Clay jumped backwards at the eerie effect but Infini grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him inside. “Come on. Nothing’s going to try and eat you.”
They entered the gloom to see Novak standing over the tables. Strapped to them was a brawny man, a gag muffling his shouts of protests, and on the other was a wolf, growling softly despite its bounds.
“Good, good, you are here. This is the member from Law?” Novak moved toward them, frowning when Clay backpedaled. “There is no need to be afraid. I will not hurt you. We are comrades in this scheme.”
“That might go down better green man if you weren’t covered in gore.” Infini pointed at him and Novak glanced down. Blood was splattered across his chest, drips slowly staining the ground below him.
“Oh. Then you stay there. Ata, Atsu, Infini. Stand beside the man please.”
“Not between them?” Infini asked as the three of them moved to the opposite end of the stone table holding the man. “Aren’t you using both of them?”
“Yes, yes, but humans form the base. Otherwise the creature is too instinctive. Creativity and ingenuity persist strongest through humanity and is indispensable. Come on. Now we will begin.”
Novak stepped between the two tables. He leaned over the wolf, a green glow forming over his hands. The wolf struggled as the fae crouched over it, going still when Novak’s hand pushed into his chest. It a gave a jerk when Novak yanked backwards then went limp with death.
The beast’s heart still thumped strongly in Novak’s hand as he moved over to the man, whose voice almost became understandable through the gag as his panic increased. “I will need you for this next part. Infini, you know what to do.”
“Uh huh. I even brought the stuff.” Infini pulled out three knives, handing the other two off. “Just follow what I do.”
“Are you ready? Then let’s begin.” Novak thrust his free hand into the man’s chest, making him scream behind his gag. The same as before, he pulled out the heart, dropping it to the ground like garbage. He placed the wolf heart into the open wound before using the sharp nails on one of his hands to slit his wrist, dripping his blood over it. Infini winced as he cut his own wrist, holding his arm above the wound as well. Ata and Atsu didn’t hesitate to follow suit.
Novak’s opposite hand glowed green and he laid it on the man’s chest. The light spread to envelope his whole body. Clay watched with amazement. He could see the light affecting the man’s body, making the skin ripple and muscles seize.
After hours of the strange display, Clay moved to one side of the tree and took a seat. It appeared he would be there for quite awhile.
Chapter 13
It took several days for Novak to balance all of the powers into the new creature but it ended in success. And so, they birthed another race, one that would come to be known as changers.
The changers proved far more powerful than Doyle could have hoped. Without the abilities of Void, the other Houses’ influences were strengthened.
The magic of Verdant gave them immense strength and regenerative abilities. Unlike the vampires, they didn’t require blood to regenerate from major wounds, making them nearly impossible to kill.
From Harmonic, they received the pack bonds. The effects of which were not easily discerned with the naked eye and, in fits of humor, Infini joked it did nothing at all. The fae who created them in the beginning didn’t know the true power of it. The pack bonds drew the changers together and impressed upon them the need for a hierarchy. Whenever a group of them gathered, one would emerge as a leader. The larger the pack this leader commanded, the stronger they became, as if they could draw strength from those they protected.
