Chapter 61 - Dead Woods (1/2)

It was a full moon; the refracted rays of the sun provided no warmth, no life. The moonlight only served to illuminate what creatures scurried around in the absence of the warm rays of the sun. Invisible clouds marched across the dark sky, only becoming visible when revealed by the silver light bouncing off the large celestial body hanging in the sky. Frigid air swept the sleeping forest below, freezing the dew clinging to the vegetation.

Silus stood atop the ramparts of his small castle, looking out over the forest surrounding it. It had changed, transformed from something teaming with life into something dead and rotten. The tall leafy trees were now withered and barren. Strange, viscous gray mold grew uninhibited upon the trees. The mold was slowly pulsating, and what looked like veins could be seen just underneath it's pallid surface.

There was no wildlife scampering amongst the treetops, no deer grazing the sparse vegetation or the wolves that stalked them, there was only decay. Between the infected trees was nothing but dead earth. Not even the leaves that fell from the trees remained, it had all rotted away into nothingness. Interspersed within the dead forest were writhing domes of ebony flesh, oval orifices eight feet tall lining the diameter one-hundred feet across.

The chill of the coming winter blended together with the natural heat and moisture generated by the tumorous growths, creating a thick mist that blanketed the forest. Silus' vision could easily pierce the heavy fog, leaving nothing hidden from him. He watched as the many demons Phthisis had granted him possession of carry corpses of many species, some humans as well, into their nests so that they may feed.

"My Lord." A deep but refined voice sounded out from behind him. "Adventurers have entered the forest."

"It was only a matter of time." Silus said, turning around to face his brood.

Theodore was knelt down upon the freezing stone walkway, his eyes trained on the floor beneath him. His long jet-black hair hung loosely, swaying gently in the night breeze. He was dressed in a midnight-blue silk suit that hugged his massive frame, showing off his outstanding musculature.

"Shall I send the demons to intercept them?"

"No, send the familiars. It will be beneficial to see if it was worth sparing their lives." Silus ordered.

It had been almost two weeks since the attack on Swayzee. During this time, he had completed several rounds of sacrificial rituals, boosting the number of demons under his control to five hundred. He had also allowed Theodore to turn a few of the humans they had abducted, transforming them into what most people would imagine when thinking of a vampire. A creature that could not walk under the sun and had to sustain itself on the blood of the living.

These 'normal' vampires held vast amounts of strength, nothing compared to himself, let alone Theodore; but when compared to a mortal man it was substantial. They could also wield blood magic just like their creators, using their own blood to cast powerful spells. They were also imbued with supernatural abilities such as heightened senses, as well as the means to travel between shadows as long as they were in sight.

The weaknesses were also as great as the power they possessed. Not being able to move during the light of day was just one such weakness. They also were highly allergic to silver, going into an anaphylactic state with the slightest contact. The need to feed was also severe; their parents, the Noble Vampires, only had to feed twice a month at most, as long as they hadn't used their powers. Their progeny on the other hand had to feed once every two days, no matter the usage of their abilities.

Below even the common vampire in the hierarchy was the familiar. A familiar was bound to the vampire that turned it, forever tethered to it by blood. It was a human, or other sentient being, which had pledged itself to the vampire race. In making the pledge, they were promised the chance to become full vampires, and to gain the immortality that comes with it.

They were capable of tapping into the vampire's powers, using their connection to enhance their natural strength and regeneration. They were also not bound by their maker's weaknesses, being able to walk amongst the warm rays of the sun and adorn themselves with fine silver trinkets. The only price they had to pay, was their freedom.

They were physically unable to betray their overlords and were also compelled to follow every order given to them, no matter how obscene. They were also prone to fall into psychotic episodes. Being tethered to their makers meant also sharing a small part of their urges. Sometimes, especially if the vampire they had contracted with had gone between feedings for some time, they were susceptible to become belligerently violent; specifically, when exposed to fresh blood.

Currently, there were twenty such familiars roaming the grounds of his small estate. Theodore had given the gift of un death to five humans he had found worthy; and in turn, those five vampires had been given control over the familiars. Silus had only requested Theodore to send out the familiars because the five vampires were busy directing the demons.

The familiars were a group of bandits that had set up base within the surrounding forest. Instead of just wiping them out, or using them to fuel the ritual, Silus ordered to have them put to use. Even with the growing strength of his army, he was still some ways away from reaching his goal, it was still necessary to interact with the humans. They were far from self sufficient.

"I shall have them move immediately, My Lord."

"Do keep an eye on them, should they fail, you may have to intervene." Silus added.

"Of course, My Lord."

Silus watched as Theodore faded away, blending silently into the darkness. When he was alone, he let out a bored sigh. He had been cooped up inside his castle for some time now, working diligently, performing the sacrificial ritual several times a week. He had been forced to slow the rate at which they 'recruited' participants due to not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves.

The razing of the village was just a test of their military power. It could have been considered a resounding success; they had completely eradicated an entire town while only loosing three demons to armed combat. The only variable was that lone mage, he alone defeated fifty of his demons. Of course, he could have chosen to ignore the mage, but he dared not risk it, not when his foundation was still shaky at best.

He thought back to when he was still human, when he was considered a genius mage. He stipulated that should he have been in a comparable situation as the mage in question, that he could have been able to also kill those demons without too much difficulty. Only a few of the demons were capable of using magic, most were purely melee fighters. They have a weakness to certain affinities as well, making magic their weak point. Then again, the amount of mana required to sustain the spells capable of slaying those numbers of demons would have been astronomical, probably more than he would have been able to endure when he was mortal.

He desperately needed more information, he had yet to receive word from the noble vampire he had sent out to observe the mage, Marissa. He could sense that she was alive and well, and also feel that for some reason she was excited. All he could do was wait, he let out another sigh, perhaps it would be best for he himself to go gather what he needed. It wasn't that he didn't trust Marissa, it was just that he wished to gauge the man's strength himself, also, he was tired of staring at these gray walls of cold stone.

…..

Theodore walked along the magically lit stone hall deep within the keep his master had refurbished. The wooden structures the slaves had built not too long ago had already been replaced with meticulously cut stone, giving the structure an intimidating feel. The long hall was well lit with magical lanterns, casting white light, tinged with blue, keeping the shadows at bay. Rounding a corner, he came upon a thick oaken door. Behind the door he could hear a din of boisterous laughter and merry making.

Not bothering to knock, Theodore flung open the door and strode inside, turning slightly to allow his bulky frame enough clearance. Inside, amongst a haze of choking smoke and the smell of sweat, were a group of men taking part in many carnal desires. Drugs, alcohol, women, all could be found within this small, cramped room. Theodore crinkled his nose, the mixture of smells assaulting his senses. He detested these humans, but they had their uses.

As soon as his presence was noticed, the twenty former bandits instantly stopped what they were doing and fell to a knee, some of them stark naked. Theodore focused his eyes on the head familiar, a tall man with many scars covering his muscled body. He had a shaved head and an eyepatch covering a dead left eye. He had been the leader of this group of bandits, commanding them for several years as they robbed carriages between the borders of Morgania and Amine.

"Lark." Theodore started. "There are adventurers within the forest, take your men and prove your worth."

A wicked grin stretched across Lark's face, the only thing he loved more than women was violence. "Sure thing, boss."