41 Tower System I : The Nexus Bar

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"Jason....Jason!"

"Mom?"

"Yes my love, did you fall asleep. What were you doing?"

"Dad asked.....Dad asked me to read the bible today, he say's it's my punishment."

"Jason!, Jason look at me! Tell me, son, tell me did he hurt you. Did he touch you again."

"No Mom!, he just held me a little too tight is all, he didn't hurt me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes mom I'm sure."

"Okay my love. Tell me what book did you read in the bible today?"

"It's prov.....proverr...."

"Proverbs."

"Yes that's the one."

"OK, so show me what you read."

[But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.]

Proverbs 4:18 KJV

"That's really powerful Jason, so you want to be a light?"

"Yes Mom, not just a light, but also just, don't forget just.....but what does being just mean."

"It means someone who stands for good things, who fights for the rights of those who can't fight. A leader who wants justice for all, and because he wants justice, he becomes a light to the world and the people around him."

"Oh! You mean just like Dad?"

"Ahh!....errrm....well it's...…hmm.Yes your right, just like your dad. Those kind of people are called heroes, and I know your going to be one someday. You hear me Jason, one day your going to be a hero of justice, and a light in the darkness for the people around you. Now, go to sleep, it's late."

"yes mom."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

THE PIT

GREEN DISTRICT MARKET

ONE AND THE HALF MONTHS LATER

ASHA YSMIR LEONA COR

Sometimes you just have to be thankful for this somewhat half darkness that has basked the pit for the thousands of years that it's been a prison. The light that denotes each district was never bright enough to bring out the outline on every object under its dim glow. It made it easy for people to slip in and out of places you would never expect them to be.

It did not matter how much of a light the humans provided, the pit was a place of shadows, and the vampire's within it's embrace were creatures of the shadows too. Regardless of the seals, and suffering and abuse, there's no better home for the vampires in the whole of Shearath. This was home to me, no matter how painful it is.

"Xaseah you should stop fidgeting, you'll get us exposed." I warned as Xaseah kept looking behind us every five seconds.

"I'm sorry Asha, sneaking around is not my thing." She replied in apology.

"I know little sister, but you just have to try. He's depending on us both to keep things intact before he wakes up you know."

'Sigh' "I know Asha. I know….."

"What did I tell you about calling my name Xaseah" I rebuked harshly.

"Umm...you said not too, unless absolutely necessary." Xaseah answered with a grumbling tone.

"And?"

"I'm sorry 'sister'" She answered with a pout on her face.

I couldn't help the smile that came over my face, she was just so adorable. And that was saying something considering Xaseah was beautiful enough to make most men loose control of their bodies with just a glance. Our relationship had changed, and it was not something that happened suddenly, whathad to build a sort of trust between the both of us.

And when the man you love is lying down helpless and in a coma, while his tower vibrated and shook in tandem to his one beat every three seconds heart beat, you tend to look at the bigger picture.

There was no doubt, that even with the bond, there was gong to be some sort of friction between me and Xaseah. But we had to understand each other, for Kael's sake. It also helped that the little vampire had an awkward crush on me, it was not funny when I found out, but it worked well to my advantage. The Bond was a tricky thing, and whether you wanted it to, or not.

It will make you love what you normally would not. We're not the first with a three way bond, in fact there are others with as much as fifteen. But only vampire elders have that much lovers in a bond. As an elder, you're not limited by anything but thatseal on your wrist and the guards in your home.

They had enough power to take as many women and men that catches their fancy into a bond with them. So Xaseah developing a crush was no surprise, we we're bonded after all, to put it in simple terms, she and I were married just as much as I was to Kael.

"So who is this guy we're going to see, that you had to have us sneak out of district and have Asare cover for us." Xaseah asked behind me as we made our way past a few stalls and toward a tower with gleaming neon lights in the distance.

I turned to look at her, running my gaze from one end of her body to other, loving how she shivered under my gaze. I was being mischievous, but I couldn't help it. Our relationship had changed over the sheer amount of sleepless nights we both shared as we watched over Kael.

And while I'm seriously worried about my husband's future, we both we're. I took little moments like this to remind that I was no longer just fighting for Kael anymore, Xaseah was now included in that equation, and I had to make sure the world was bright enough for me. That way I will have enough light to fight thisdarkness until he wakes up.

"He's a bartender."

"Seriously! You dragged me past how many kilometers just so that we can go see a bartender! Am I missing something here." Xaseah whispered furiously in my ear, wary of raising her voice so that the people around would not be able to hear us."

"Sorry, I forgot to say, he also runs an Inn." I answered back with nonchalance.

"...…"

I think I broke her. Well that was a shame. Xaseah was not someone who appreciated the art of subtlety, she was straight forward to a fault, and would rather speak with her fist than her mind. That didn't mean she was stupid, not at all. It only proves that Xaseah was not made for the scheming arts, she was a soldier, a general, not a politician.

If she thought half as crafty as I did, then she would know I would not drag across the districts just to go see an ordinary bartender. I was too calculative to make such a time and energy consuming journey without journey. Xaseah's lack of craftiness was the reason why she just remained as a normal foot soldier when she was still with the night wraith gang, she was well known and feared, but a foot soldier none the less.

We came up to the tower as discreetly as possible. Thankful with how crowded the market district was, no one would pay attention to a pair of ladies wearing thick hooded cloaks. The neon sign over the its entrance read [THE NEXUS POINT BAR, RESTAURANT AND INN].

We went in, and then I signaled for Xaseah to stay close to me as we made our way towards the counter at the other end of the tower. And to be honest it took us quite a while to get there whip maneuvering past the hundreds of tables placed between us and our destination. Unfortunately this was an annoying journey we had to make, in a tower 500 meters in diameter and thousand of feet tall, it would be like owning a stadium as house or something.

There were vampires, the more entitled type though, the vampires I could see were mostly bloodline vampires, followers of the six bloodline elders, a part of the family so to speak. This bloodline vampires are mostly distinguishable by the Idifferent physical traits. Most of them had different hair color, skin tone, eye shape, or even physical appendages like tails or wings. One family had a third eye.

But they were not the only vampires around, the none bloodline vampires were not as much, since they made up the entire destitute part of the vampire race, but those of them lucky enough to have a somewhat good and comfortable life in the pit could dine here. But one thing about the Nexus was that it didn't differentiate between races, bloodlines, or social status. All were welcome here, but of course they were still separated with the less privilege having to sit at one side, and the privileged having their own area.

But apart from vampires, I could see a few sirens, gross need to keep those man snatchers away from Kael. Nagas were also here, however they we're the servers. And no surprise there, the Nagas we're as much a prisoner as the Vampires, they had their own area in the dancing caves after all. Elves, pixies, dwarfs, you name them. As long as they can be found in the pit, they we're here, in the nexus.

I dragged Xaseah behind me as we made our way towards the bar counter. When we finally got there, I swear I could feel every eyes in the nexus on us. But it was hard for them not to, who wears hoods indoors, thisdisguise might have worked better outside with the crowd, but in here t was different story all together. But there was no way I was exposing our identity, Xaseah and me were to high profile at the moment. Exposure will cause more trouble than it's worth, especially with the equivalent of vampire nobility around.

The Bar counter was only being manned by one person. The person I had come here to see.

"Good evening Bob, how's the business going." I asked as I planted my weary butt on the leather seats in front of me.Xaseah took the seat next to me.

"Ahh! Lady Asha. It's always a pleasure to have you in my fine establishment." He answered.

Bob was huge, heavy set and packed with enough muscles to make a prized bull cry it's eye out in shame. It was as if he was an orc or something. But that's where it gets tricky, no body knows which class Bob held. However his class gave him skills that altered your perception of his face and race every time you saw him.His body size never changed, but every time you met with him, he would be a different race, or have a different face. And no two people ever saw the same thing, even if they were standing right beside each other.

"Always welcome?, I'm pretty sure I broke a few bones and bottles the last time I was here. If I remember correctly I caused what would most probably be the most epic bar fight….. ever!" I said with a tilt to my lips.

"Why yes! You did do that, then you left withouta scratch, and without ever having to throw a single punch, and a massive bill for repairs and injuries that mind you I had to pay. But all is forgiven, at least until the next riot. Now to what do I owe the pleasure of you two fine mistresses of house Cor."

I heard Xaseah gasp in surprise that Bob was able to tell who she was even with her disguise. I placed my hands of her tight, as a warning for her to keep her calm. My palm lasted there a little longer than was necessary before I pulled it back.

"I'm here for information Bob, quite a few of them actually." I answered back.

"Well you know the rules, to receive any information, you must give back knowledge or information of equal value.So do you have something of equal value."

I nodded my head.

"Well then, fire away, no one can hear you now." He said, as he waved his hands and a red dome covered the three of us, isolating us from the rest of the bar.

"My husband Kael, was born a weaver. It washis biggest secret when he was still human."

There was no way Xaseah could keep quite. This was an information that was much to sensitive and valuable.

"Asha!"