Chapter 243 - The Taste of Blood

He was ready, so why couldn't he find the damn cave? It was frustrating to no end, circling through the woods and around the meadow and coming up with no results. He'd been positive that this was exactly what Surai had meant before she promptly disappeared. He'd known where all his problems started, so it made sense that that was exactly where they were supposed end.

Yet no matter how many times he circled, there was no cave.

Rassa paused in the centre of the meadow, frustrated to no end. He sat down, the lay back on the grass, looking up at the dark sky above him. He was ready to leave. Ready to leave this part of himself behind. What more did he have to prove?

There was a rustle in the grass to the side, and Rassa turned his head, spying a little white rabbit foraging on the edge of the meadow. His mind flashed back to that moment so long ago when he had waited on the edge of the meadow, waited for the right moment to run out so he could catch that same rabbit. Just a game. He'd only been a boy playing a game.

It couldn't be that simple, could it?

Rassa lifted himself so that his feet were beneath him and steady to the ground as he squatted low, peering over the grass at the rabbit. He made a slow move forward, then a stick crunched beneath his boot. The rabbit's ears perked up as it froze, it sniffed the air, turning. Rassa darted forward as soon as the rabbit moved into the tree line.

He followed it past trees and up a small incline, only to watch it disappeared into the dark shadow that swallowed all light.

The cave.

Rassa refused to feel either relief or excitement though as he stared at it, he only opened his mouth to repeat what he'd said back then, "Digs? Was there always a cave here?"

Rassa turned to the side where a mist like substance seemed to clump together, a young Diggory standing beside him as he too stared into the dark shadows of the cave.

"Who cares, someone has to go and get that rabbit," he said.

"We're passed the boundary line, we should go back," Rassa fell deeper into the memory with ease, "The game is over when the rabbit passes the boundary, remember?"

"But it's right in there, you saw it disappear too!" Diggory grunted, "We're barely a few metres passed the boundary, look, you can still see the edge of the meadow! Go on, I dare you to go and get the rabbit".

"But the game is-"

"What, are you scared?" asked Diggory.

He'd questioned it back then, why Dig was acting so haughtily. Now he realised why. He was just as scared, of course he was, but there was something else here influencing what was said. Like Diggory was always supposed to challenge Rassa like that. Like Rassa was supposed to go into that cave.

"Fine, Dig," Rassa spoke, sure of it this time, "I'll get the rabbit, then we can all go back to the village together".

Rassa didn't wait for a reply, turning and marching towards the entrance of the cave.

It was just as dark as he remembered, just as pitch black and haunting. He felt himself pause inside the entrance, and the mist concentrated before him again, the only thing lighting the darkness as his young self stepped forward, finding the rabbit, dead and bloody at his feet. Rassa felt the dread wash over him like it had then, only this time his eyes didn't widen in fear. He knew what was in the cave this time. Knew it and felt it.

A deep rumble disturbed the eerie silence of the cave, and the little Rassa shot to his feet. He turned, sprinting past Rassa towards the exit of the cave, he tripped, picked himself up in a scrambling fear, then proceeded to pound on the solid wall of the entrance, screaming for help.

The shadows shot out from the cave past Rassa to the little figure made from mist, and proceeded to drag him through the air deep down into the cave.

"Let me go!"

"Oh little one...you've barely had a chance to be welcomed...please, come on in".

The chuckle echoed and faded, then Rassa took a deep breath, and followed the apparitions down into the dark cave.

It didn't take him long to find the echoing cavern he'd been held aloft in by all those vampiric spirits. It was empty this time, the voices around him mere memories of what had happened here.

"Such a valuable specimen..."

"Suitable..."

"Yes..."

"...Make the pact".

"...Form the Seal!"

He'd feared them then. Feared what they'd said and the feeling they'd evoked in him. Now that they'd all taught him. Now that he'd come to know them as beings that had once existed, they did not seem so terrifying. Even the red eyes that had pierced through the darkness had a name now. Victor. Victor Lurossi, the last Patriarch of the Star Crash Coven before it had been decimated by the army of Order.

"Boy".

The voice that spoke above others did not frighten Rassa anymore, and there was no need to see the memories appear before him again, he'd lived them.

"I am a boy no more," Rassa replied in to the empty cavern, "But I am trapped by my burdens, tell me how I may be free".

"You may leave freely...but only once we have made a pact with you...one who believes himself a boy no longer".

"My name is Rassa, I am human, what pact is it you offer me?"

"You are trapped by our burdens, we too are trapped by ours. Our enemies grew scared of our darkness, and jealous of our favour".

It was different to how it had gone in his memories, but Rassa himself was different, no need to repeat the old when starting anew. This would not be his eternal prison, it would be his rebirth.

"In return for carrying on our great path, our Chaotic path, we will grant you strength enough to compare to a god.

"I do not need a god's strength," Rassa said, "But I am honoured you think so highly of me as to be able to control it".

"It is why you are who we have selected. After all, we cannot entrust power to someone who could not control it or themselves".

"I did not do so well the first time, I hope I can live up to your expectations this time, I accept your pact," said Rassa.

The mist condensed before him, this time in the form of Victor. His silver hair and red eyes not so intimidating now that they were at eye level.

"Chaos is not judged by the rules of Order," said Victor, "Just as Order is not judged by the rules of Chaos. You needed to learn Chaos' rules, you still do, but you have a very long time to do so. It's also plenty of time to correct your mistakes, though never apologise for them. It is not Chaos's way to apologise".

Victor then smiled arrogantly before he disappeared into the darkness once more, his voice echoing one last time, "You know the words, Rassa. Speak them and be free".

Rassa took a deep breath, then spoke into the darkness, spreading his arms to welcome it.

"I hereby consent to allow my being to be changed wholly. My body, my mind, my soul, all shall be rewritten. I submit to the grace of Chaos, and in turn shall relish in its darkness. Marr my body, mind and soul with your Seal, and from the time of my acceptance, let its power fill me. So shall it be, so shall I never regret".

And he wouldn't regret, not this time.

Not as he felt his Life Lines rewrite themselves onto his back, not as he felt his wings burst from his flesh, nor his body strengthen, harden and change. He settled into the dark void, embracing the pain as the illusion faded away for good.

He drifted, breathing deeply as he felt himself settle into what his body was supposed to be. What was right. No more human sluggishness. No more inadequate senses. No more solace in the light. No more being the prey.

Rassa felt the wet stickiness on his lips, and his tongue darted out to taste it. Blood. Rich and full of sustenance and power. He would pay his price. He would be gluttonous as was his path. In exchange for what he could do with his power, what he could protect, he would more than willing to pay that price.

His fangs extended and sunk into the source.