Talking in a Hail Storm

"And to what do I owe this visit, Amadeo?" Marius asked, crossing his hands in front of him. Armand smirked.1

"Amadeo? It has been a while since I was that poor, defenseless boy in need of a will to live, in need of a teacher. Cut the introductions, tell me what you are doing here." Marius cocked his head to the side, seemingly not fluffed by Armand's curt reply. Above, the wind roared with a cold onslaught of leaves, threatening with each growl a storm. Both men stood, unfazed.2

"I know you have questions, as do I. But at this moment there are more important things we must be attending to."3

"We? Since when has it become we?" Armand scoffed and glowered up at his maker. "Why such a hurry now, Marius? Why do you suddenly have a need of me? Perhaps it was her necklace? Did it frighten you?" Marius's face remained un moved, but something flashed across his eyes.4

"That is quite enough-"5

"Were you afraid of that familiar presence?" Armand interrupted, raising his voice. 6

"Amadeo-"7

"I RECOGNIZED IT! AND SO DID YOU-"8

"I SAID ENOUGH AMADEO!!!" Marius flew forward, his arms outstretched, and Armand dodged to the left, but not fast enough. Marius wrapped his hands around Armand's neck, in an attempted to silence him, but to no avail,9

"Are you going to kill me, Marius? Are you going to spill my blood like the sacrificial lamb of the Bible?" Marius's face was marred with anger, but it fell away immediately and Marius loosened his grip.10

"Amadeo-" He said without finishing. His face was clouded with sorrow, and if Armand's mind wasn't distorted with contempt, he would have seen it. Seeing he had reached beneath Marius's skin, he held back anything else he wanted to say, at least long enough to hear an explanation from Marius.11

"I felt the power of the necklace, yes. I do not deny I am quite familiar with it," Armand opened his mouth to speak, but closed it. "It was as I had feared when I came here. That ruby is tainted, poisoned with the blood of a vampire." Armand smug thoughts disappeared. Could it be?12

"Marius, that blood. It is old blood, powerful." Marius nodded, and his hands fell from Armand's neck.13

"Yes, it is The Blood. Very old, the oldest and most powerful blood there is. It is The Blood of the Elder, Enkil." Armand was dumbfounded, and he let his guard slip, allowing a million of his confused thoughts to slide. Marius's tall stature shined in the dark night, and Armand could see by the faint light his features twisted in worry, and he was deeply in thought. Suddenly, a terrible thought gripped Armand.14

"They will be coming." He said aloud. Marius grimly shook his head in agreement.15

"The other vampires will be coming, there is no doubt about that. The power of the blood is to strong to hide. You saw how even Amarante was uneasy of it."16

Armand felt suddenly restless, and he began to pace. He stopped and turned to Marius.17

"But how is Enkil's blood within that ruby?" Marius rubbed his hands together, and sighed.18

"I should not tell you this, but under the circumstances, I believe I have no choice. So sit, stand, do whatever you please, but do not interrupt me, for I have a long tale, and a short time to tell it."19

THE STORY OF ENKIL AND AKASHA'S JEWELS OF BLOOD20

Marius tenderly painted the walls with Egyptian symbols, as he knew Akasha would enjoy. It seemed like only days ago he had saved Akasha and Enkil from there last keeper, though it had been at least weeks. Since Akasha had come in his dream, he had not seen any change out of the pair, nor any sign of movement. The sacrifices remained untouched, and the room always stayed the same as it had before, nothing moved or out of place. And yet, Marius found some comfort in going and talking to his King and Queen, knowing they could hear and were listening. This night was no exception, and as Marius painted he sang a few songs, or talked of the village below his huge castle. The candle was blown out suddenly with a cold gust of air, not fresh, but a stale, inside breeze. Startled Marius went to stand, and found he could not move. Now alarmed, he tried to call to Akasha with his mind.21

'Do not fear, Marius. I protect you.' he heard. It was Akasha, in his mind, calming him. Instantly, he felt safe.22

'My queen, what-' He answered back, aware of the tingling going up and down his spine.23

'Listen, Marius, for I have a task for you to complete. You have done well to bring me here, and I am grateful, but, there is something of great importance to me, that has been overlooked.' Marius suddenly saw Enkil in his mind's eye, sitting on his throne, unmoving as he has always been. But around his neck was a lone necklace, one that Marius had never noticed before. It had many precious stoned on it, but it was the dangling ruby that caught his eye.24

'So you see it. My blood hangs in that ruby, a token of our blood promise to each other. But mine was stolen away, by a young and greedy vampire.' Marius did not understand why she was telling him this. He heard Akasha laugh in his head, a sound that was not all together unpleasant.25

'Marius, I want you to find this neclace, and it will not be easy. The neclace was taken by one of Enkil's children, Ahmose, I believe him to be called.' Marius felt his heart sink.26

'But how, My Queen? I am only newly made, I have not the power of any of the Sons of Enkil. Is there no one else?' Even as he asked this he knew there was no one. But the moment was over and the darkness gone. The candles had been lit, and Marius found himself laying on the ground as though he had been asleep. Confused and alarmed, he stood, wondering if the whole thing had just been his imagination. Everything was un changed, and everything was rightfully placed. Had he dreamed of Akasha's request? Looking to the pair of marble beings, he saw nothing different or out of order. It was quite obvious neither had moved, or if they had it was not by much. Marius walked towards them, curiously eyeing Akasha and Enkil.27

"Maybe it was just a dream." He said aloud to no one in particular. Then Enkil caught his eye, had he just moved? Something shined bright red on his chest, the dangling ruby that Marius had never noticed before. Even as he saw it the air in the cave moved slightly, causing the candle to flicker, making the ruby seem to gleam. Marius knew that it had not been a dream the moment he saw the neclace. Looking back at Akasha, he could have sworn that her lips had turned upwards, just slightly, into a sly and mysterious smile.28

Armand blinked, once, twice, suddenly alert.29

"That's it? That's all your going to show me? What about your journey? Did you find the vampire that took the neclace? Why did you stop, the story has only just begun." Marius tilted his head at the continues questions that poured from Armand, not indicating he had heard or even cared for the answer.30

"I showed you what I meant to show you, the rest I can tell you." Armand opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. Marius looked up at the dark sky that had suddenly stopped its leery moaning and growling, as if it too wanted also to hear the rest of the story.31

"There is not much time, but I shall tell it in hopes that we can save this family before it is to late."32

"The vampire I went in search of, Ahmose, was not as strong as I was led to believe. On the contrary, he was quite weak in comparison to my powers, and the neclace was easily obtained. Only when it was securely within Akasha's abode did I rest within the safe confinements. For many centuries their crypt lay quiet, not even the inhabitants moved. Then, on that fateful day, Akasha rose. You know the story from there. But there is a part of that story that is not known."33

"The rubies..." Armand said, entranced by the sudden light that seemed to shine on his closed mind.34

"Yes, the rubies. Akasha had thrown her ruby from Enkil's neck, and it broke, spilling her sacred blood. But the ruby that held Enkil's blood, she kept just in case she needed the power. But as she drank human blood, she became The Powerful, and not needing The Blood of Enkil anymore, she cast it away. It should have remained lost forever, but you felt its over whelming power. It was found, and for years it traveled from vampire to vampire, none able to obtain the power that all thought was rightfully theirs. For years I tried to find it, I have searched to collect the neclace so that I might destroy it, once and for all. But it seems that Acacius has beat me to it, and now I am unsure of what to do. I was there when Acacius bought it, I heard what was said, and I must say that I am afraid for Amarante's safety. Acacius bought it from a man, that I can't say I haven't heard of. He has the Mind Gift, and he saw that Acacius had ill-will for his daughter, so he promised him a cursed object."35

"So that is why Acacius was so eager to give his daughter this present? So she will die?" Armand shook his head in defiance. "But why?"36

Marius shook his head sadly, his eyes filled with emotion.37

"Surely you know of his hate, his contempt towards his daughter. You have seen the way he treats her." Armand felt overwhelming anger.38

"So he would kill her? His only daughter, he would kill?"39

"Yes. His hate is strong, and his reason is-" Marius quit when he saw Armand's face.40

"He would rape his own daughter?" Armand felt his anger boil.41

"He lusts after her, yes." Marius stated.42

"And Adrian-"43

"His is a pure love, but he, also, is lusting after her."44

The silence was long as the pair stood there in the clearing, still as statues and high as mountains. Suddenly the clouds broke open, and they seemed to let out the wrath of the Heavens as hail poured down, and lightning flashed, causing thunder to crash.45

The two stood as statues against the onslaught of ice and rain, each seemingly waiting for the other to say something, or to move. Armand finally turned away, back towards the house. He had walked into the safety of the trees before Marius said anything.46

"So, she is calling you?" He said in a suddenly soft tone. Armand continued to walk as if he hadn't heard Marius, and soon his presence was only a dull thud of life near enough to reach in seconds, but far enough to be safe from. Sighing, Marius walked back to where Amarante had been sitting on the rock, trying to take in all that was left of her scent. 47