“Chosen by blood. Bound by oath. Forged to defend.”
Astucia had been with The Bloodbearers for eight months now and had 4 Honour Guards but there was to be meeting new ones coming up today. She hated this but this is what would help her become protected.
——
The great training chamber beneath Drakon’s castle had been cleared.
Astucia stood in its center with Atreio beside her.
Four vampires waited across the chamber.
Two women.
Two men.
None were bonded.
That was precisely why Atreio had brought them.
Astucia had already learned how formidable bonded pairs could become. Their abilities could complement one another until two vampires fought almost as a single creature.
But Atreio had warned her of the weakness in relying entirely upon such bonds.
“Sometimes,” he had told her, “you need someone who has spent centuries learning how to stand alone.”
Astucia looked at the four vampires.
“And these are the best?”
“No.”
Astucia glanced at him.
Atreio smiled.
“They are the four who survived being tested.”
“That sounds more promising.”
She approached the first woman.
The vampire was tall and elegant, with long black hair tied tightly behind her head. Her pale grey eyes followed Astucia without the slightest hint of fear.
“Name?”
“Cassia Varro.”
“How old are you?”
“Two thousand, seven hundred and twelve.”
Atreio stepped away from Astucia.
That immediately made her suspicious.
“What is your gift?”
Cassia looked directly into Astucia’s eyes.
“Command me.”
Astucia frowned.
“To do what?”
“Anything.”
Astucia considered it.
“Walk toward me.”
Cassia didn’t move.
Astucia waited.
Nothing.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you move?”
“Because I decided not to.”
Astucia looked toward Atreio.
He smiled.
Astucia turned back to Cassia.
“What’s your power?”
“Sovereign Will.”
Cassia stepped closer.
“Compulsion doesn’t work on me. Domination doesn’t work. Mental commands don’t work. Blood commands are considerably more difficult.”
Astucia’s interest immediately increased.
Cassia continued.
“My mind recognizes anything attempting to override my will and rejects it.”
“Telepathy?”
“You may hear my thoughts if I allow it. You cannot control them.”
“Memory manipulation?”
Cassia’s expression hardened.
“No.”
That single answer was enough to make Astucia understand why Atreio had chosen her.
Memory had become far too dangerous in their world.
“Can you protect someone else?”
“For a short time.”
Cassia touched two fingers to Astucia’s forehead.
Something slammed into place.
Astucia gasped.
Her mind became incredibly quiet.
Even the subtle presence of the vampires surrounding her disappeared.
Cassia removed her fingers.
The sensation vanished.
“I can anchor another person’s mind to their own identity,” Cassia explained. “Possession, domination and memory manipulation become considerably harder.”
Astucia smiled.
“You’re staying.”
Cassia nodded.
“I assumed I was.”
Astucia laughed.
“I might reconsider simply because you said that.”
“You won’t.”
Atreio coughed to hide a laugh.
Astucia moved to the second woman.
She was smaller than Cassia, with dark brown skin and tightly braided hair decorated with tiny silver rings.
She had been staring at Astucia’s shadow.
Astucia noticed.
“What are you looking at?”
“You.”
“My shadow?”
The woman smiled.
“Your shadow knows things your face doesn’t reveal.”
Astucia raised an eyebrow.
“Name?”
“Nyra Veyne.”
“And your gift?”
Nyra crouched.
She placed her palm against Astucia’s shadow.
Astucia suddenly couldn’t move.
Her entire body locked.
Not pain.
Not paralysis.
Something else.
Her shadow had stopped moving.
Astucia tried lifting her arm.
Nothing happened.
Atreio smiled.
“Interesting, isn’t it?”
Astucia glared at him.
“You knew she could do this.”
“That is generally why I brought her.”
Nyra removed her hand.
Astucia immediately moved again.
She stared at Nyra.
“What did you do?”
“My gift is called Shadow Binding.”
Nyra stood.
“If I capture your shadow, I capture your movement.”
Astucia looked down at the floor.
“How long?”
“For ordinary vampires? Several minutes.”
“And someone like me?”
Nyra smiled.
“You broke my hold after eleven seconds.”
“I didn’t break anything.”
“You were about to.”
Astucia liked her confidence.
“What else can you do?”
Nyra stepped backward.
Then she disappeared.
Astucia spun around.
Nothing.
She could still smell Nyra.
Barely.
Then a voice whispered directly beside her ear.
“Shadows connect places light cannot.”
Astucia whirled.
Nyra stood behind her.
Astucia stared.
“You can move through shadows?”
“Short distances.”
“How short?”
“Usually fifty or sixty paces.”
Atreio folded his arms.
“She once entered a fortress through the shadow cast by a raven flying across a wall.”
Nyra smiled.
“They never figured out how I got inside.”
Astucia grinned.
“You’re definitely staying.”
She approached the first man.
He was huge.
Broad shoulders. Shaved head. Thick beard. Several scars crossed his arms and neck.
But unlike someone of his size, he carried no visible weapon.
“Name?”
“Theron Vale.”
“Gift?”
Theron looked toward Atreio.
“May I?”
Atreio sighed.
“If you insist.”
Theron raised one hand.
Atreio suddenly staggered.
Astucia immediately stepped forward.
Atreio raised his hand.
“Wait.”
Theron closed his fist.
Atreio dropped to one knee.
Astucia’s eyes widened.
Atreio was one of the strongest vampires she knew.
Yet Theron hadn’t even touched him.
“What are you doing?”
Theron released his fist.
Atreio stood.
He rolled his shoulders.
“I hate that gift.”
Theron smiled.
“Most people do.”
Astucia waited.
Theron explained.
“Burden.”
He pointed toward Atreio.
“I can increase the supernatural weight carried by a person’s blood.”
Astucia frowned.
“Explain that better.”
“The older and more powerful a vampire becomes, the more power their blood contains.”
Theron looked toward Atreio.
“I make that power heavy.”
Astucia slowly understood.
“You use their own strength against them.”
“Yes.”
“The stronger the vampire—”
“The heavier I can make them.”
Astucia looked at Atreio.
“That means he’s particularly dangerous against Ancients.”
Atreio nodded.
“And possibly Bloodbearers.”
Theron looked at Astucia.
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Why?”
“I’ve never fought one.”
Astucia smiled.
“Smart man.”
Theron smiled back.
“I’ve survived this long.”
Then Astucia reached the final candidate.
He was nothing like Theron.
Lean.
Long dark hair.
Quiet.
Two swords hung at his sides, but Astucia noticed something unusual.
His eyes were closed.
“They’ve been closed since I entered,” Astucia said.
The vampire answered without opening them.
“I know.”
“Name?”
“Elias Corven.”
“Are you blind?”
“Yes.”
Astucia looked toward Atreio.
Atreio said nothing.
Elias smiled.
“But blindness is considerably less inconvenient when you can see blood.”
Astucia turned back.
“What?”
Elias opened his eyes.
They were completely white.
No pupils.
No iris.
Nothing.
“I see every living thing containing blood.”
Astucia became interested immediately.
“How?”
“Every heartbeat creates an echo.”
Elias pointed toward Astucia.
“Yours is unusually loud.”
He turned toward Atreio.
“His is older. Denser.”
Then toward Cassia.
“Controlled.”
Nyra.
“Fast.”
Theron.
“Extremely irritating.”
Theron laughed.
Astucia walked around Elias.
His head followed her perfectly.
“What exactly can you see?”
“Blood moving through your body.”
He pointed toward her shoulder.
“Old injury.”
Then her side.
“Another.”
His finger moved toward her heart.
“And something around there I don’t understand.”
Astucia became still.
Atreio’s expression changed.
Elias lowered his hand.
“My gift is called Bloodsight.”
“Can someone hide from it?”
“Invisibility doesn’t matter.”
“Darkness?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Illusions?”
“No.”
“Someone hiding behind a wall?”
Elias pointed toward one side of the chamber.
“There are three guards behind that wall.”
Astucia looked toward Atreio.
He nodded.
Elias continued.
“One is nervous.”
Astucia smiled.
“How do you know?”
“His heart accelerated when you looked toward him.”
Astucia laughed.
“That could be extremely useful.”
“There is more.”
Elias drew one sword.
Astucia immediately prepared herself.
He didn’t attack.
Instead, he lightly touched the blade against his palm.
Blood appeared.
His head tilted.
“The blood remembers where it belongs.”
Astucia’s smile disappeared.
“What does that mean?”
“If I taste someone’s blood, I can track them.”
“For how long?”
“Until they die.”
The room became silent.
Astucia stared at him.
“Anywhere?”
Elias nodded.
“Distance weakens the direction, but never completely.”
Atreio finally spoke.
“That’s why assassins fear him.”
Elias sheathed his sword.
“They can run.”
His white eyes turned toward Astucia.
“They simply cannot disappear.”
Astucia walked back toward the center of the chamber.
She studied the four.
Cassia Varro.
Sovereign Will.
A vampire who could resist mental domination and temporarily anchor another person’s mind against possession or manipulation.
Nyra Veyne.
Shadow Binding.
A vampire who could trap enemies through their shadows and move through darkness.
Theron Vale.
Burden.
A vampire capable of turning the supernatural power within ancient blood into crushing weight.
Elias Corven.
Bloodsight.
A blind vampire who could see blood through darkness, walls and illusions—and track anyone whose blood he had tasted.
Atreio approached Astucia.
“Well?”
“All four.”
He nodded.
“I thought so.”
The four vampires approached.
Astucia raised her hand.
“Before anyone kneels, we’re establishing something.”
They stopped.
“I don’t want servants.”
Theron smiled slightly.
“Good.”
Astucia looked at him.
“I wasn’t finished.”
His smile disappeared.
Nyra laughed quietly.
Astucia continued.
“An Honour Guard isn’t supposed to be a collection of bodies I throw between myself and danger.”
She walked among them.
“You advise me.”
She looked at Cassia.
“You protect my mind when I cannot.”
Then Nyra.
“You go where my enemies believe no one can reach them.”
Theron.
“You stand against things stronger than the rest of us.”
Finally Elias.
“And you find those who believe they can disappear.”
She returned to the center.
“But understand something.”
Her voice hardened.
“If you swear yourselves to me, I swear myself to you.”
That surprised them.
Atreio smiled.
Astucia drew a dagger.
She cut her palm.
Blood gathered against her skin.
“I will never demand your death merely to preserve my pride. I will never command obedience simply because I possess greater power.”
She extended her bleeding hand.
Cassia stepped forward first.
She cut her palm.
Then Nyra.
Theron.
Elias.
Their hands joined Astucia’s.
Five streams of ancient blood touched.
Astucia felt something awaken.
Not inside the chamber.
Inside her.
Her heart struck once.
Hard.
The candles extinguished.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Nyra whispered.
“That wasn’t me.”
Astucia felt Cassia’s mental defenses snap into place around them.
Theron immediately braced himself.
Elias turned toward the far wall.
His white eyes widened.
“What is it?” Astucia asked.
Elias didn’t answer immediately.
For the first time since she had met him, the blind vampire looked frightened.
“There is someone beneath us.”
Atreio drew his sword.
“How far?”
Elias slowly turned his face downward.
“Far.”
Astucia looked at the stone beneath her feet.
“How far?”
Elias swallowed.
“Miles.”
Silence.
Then he whispered:
“And whatever it is…”
His expression changed.
“…its blood just started beating.”
Astucia tightened her grip on her four new Honour Guards.
Their oath had been heard.
And something ancient had answered.
——
“There is one more Honour Guard I want you to take. She would be your personal guard and captain of your Honour Guard. She is very special and has been looking for a person who will make her feel like family. “ Atreio said. “She was a close friend to Empress Valiche who was an ancient as well and she was her personal guard.”
She looked at him and then Drakon said “Her name is Vespera Draeven. She will fit in perfectly amongst your other members and she is very discreet.
——-
The memory came without warning.
One moment, there was silence.
The next, the world smelled of blood, burning oil, and rain.
Vespera Draeven stood at the foot of an enormous black-marble throne.
She remembered this night.
She remembered every scream.
More than three thousand years had passed, yet some memories refused to fade.
Especially those written in blood.
At the top of the dais sat Valdiche, the Empress.
The ancient vampire wore a gown of black silk edged with crimson. A thin crown of dark metal rested upon her head, its center set with a single ruby shaped like a drop of blood.
Kings had knelt before Valdiche.
Ancient vampires had sworn allegiance to her.
Entire Houses had disappeared because they had spoken against her.
But Vespera had never knelt.
She stood.
Always.
That was the privilege Valdiche had given her.
And the warning she had given everyone else.
Vespera was not merely one of the Empress’s soldiers.
She was her personal guard.
Her executioner.
Her shadow.
Her Crimson Blade.
Vespera remembered the weight of the sword in her right hand. Its narrow black blade was stained red nearly to the hilt. Blood dripped from its point onto the polished floor.
Seven bodies lay between her and the doors of the throne room.
They had been Valdiche’s own nobles.
Men and women who had served the throne for centuries.
Tonight, they had decided they wanted it for themselves.
One of them was still alive.
Lord Cassian crawled across the marble, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
Vespera followed slowly.
Her dark boots echoed through the chamber.
Cassian looked over his shoulder.
Fear filled his eyes.
“Vespera…”
She stopped.
“Do not make me beg.”
Vespera tilted her head.
“You entered the Empress’s chamber carrying a weapon.”
“We wanted freedom.”
“Then you should have asked for it.”
Cassian laughed bitterly. “Asked Valdiche?”
Vespera’s expression hardened.
Behind them came the calm voice of the Empress.
“Let him speak.”
Vespera immediately stepped aside.
Cassian rolled onto his back.
Valdiche remained seated upon her throne.
“You call yourself Empress,” Cassian said. “But you are nothing more than a tyrant surrounded by frightened servants.”
Several members of the court shifted nervously.
Vespera did not.
Valdiche smiled.
“And yet you did not come for me alone.”
Cassian’s expression changed.
“You brought seven assassins,” Valdiche continued. “Three servants had their throats cut. Two guards were murdered outside my chambers. You poisoned the blood intended for my table.”
She leaned forward.
“That is not rebellion, Cassian.”
Her eyes darkened.
“That is cowardice.”
Cassian suddenly moved.
Vespera saw his hand disappear beneath his cloak.
She was already moving before the dagger appeared.
Cassian threw it.
Vespera stepped directly into its path.
Her hand snapped upward.
She caught the dagger inches from Valdiche’s face.
Silence consumed the chamber.
Vespera looked at the weapon.
Then at Cassian.
His face went pale.
Vespera tossed the dagger aside.
Valdiche slowly rose from her throne.
“That,” she said quietly, “is why she stands beside me.”
Vespera walked toward Cassian.
He tried to crawl away.
She caught him by the throat and lifted him from the floor.
“You murdered six of my companions!” he shouted.
Vespera stared into his eyes.
“Seven.”
Confusion crossed his face.
“You forgot the one waiting outside.”
Cassian’s eyes widened.
Vespera drove her sword through his chest.
His body went still.
She withdrew the blade and allowed him to collapse.
Blood spread across the black marble beneath him.
Vespera turned toward the throne.
The nobles gathered along the walls lowered their eyes.
None dared meet hers.
Valdiche descended the steps.
She stopped before Vespera and looked at the blood covering her sword.
“You have served beside me for six hundred and twelve years,” the Empress said.
Vespera bowed her head slightly.
“Six hundred and thirteen.”
Valdiche smiled.
“You always were better with numbers.”
A few nervous laughs came from the court.
Valdiche’s expression became serious again.
“Many have guarded me.”
She looked toward the bodies scattered across the chamber.
“Most guarded the throne because they feared me.”
Her gaze returned to Vespera.
“You never have.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Vespera considered the question.
“Because fear makes poor armour.”
Valdiche raised an eyebrow.
“And loyalty?”
“Better.”
“Love?”
Vespera hesitated.
For the first time that evening, the Empress’s expression softened.
Vespera finally answered.
“Dangerous.”
Valdiche laughed.
“That may be the wisest thing you have ever said.”
She turned toward the surviving members of her court.
“Look carefully.”
No one moved.
Valdiche pointed toward Vespera.
“This woman has stood between me and death more times than any of you will ever know.”
Vespera remained silent.
“She has fought armies for me. She has killed Ancients for me. She has walked into burning cities because I remained inside them.”
Valdiche stepped beside her.
“She has been offered kingdoms to betray me.”
Vespera remembered those offers.
Castles.
Armies.
Bloodlines.
Even immortality beyond vampirism had once been promised to her.
She had refused them all.
Valdiche reached down and took Cassian’s blood upon two fingers.
She drew a crimson line across Vespera’s cheek.
“From this night forward, Vespera Draeven shall no longer be called merely my guard.”
The chamber became utterly silent.
Valdiche looked into Vespera’s eyes.
“You are my sword when diplomacy fails.”
Another streak of blood crossed Vespera’s other cheek.
“My shield when enemies come for me.”
Valdiche placed her blood-covered hand over Vespera’s heart.
“And the last thing anyone shall see should they raise a weapon against their Empress.”
Valdiche turned toward the court.
“Kneel before the Crimson Blade.”
For several seconds, no one moved.
Then one vampire dropped to his knee.
Another followed.
Then another.
Within moments, the entire court knelt.
All except Valdiche.
And Vespera.
Vespera looked across the chamber at hundreds of bowed heads.
She should have felt pride.
Instead, she felt the weight of what had just happened.
Titles became legends.
Legends became expectations.
And expectations became chains.
Valdiche leaned close enough that only Vespera could hear her.
“Does the title frighten you?”
Vespera glanced toward her.
“No.”
“It should.”
Vespera almost smiled.
“Then perhaps you chose the wrong woman.”
Valdiche smiled back.
“No, Vespera.”
Her hand rested briefly upon Vespera’s shoulder.
“I chose exactly the right one.”
The memory began to fade.
The throne room disappeared first.
Then the bodies.
Then the kneeling vampires.
Finally, Valdiche herself vanished into darkness.
But Vespera remained.
Standing alone.
Sword in hand.
The blood upon the blade still looked fresh.
Even after three thousand years, she could still hear Valdiche’s final words from that night.
My sword.
My shield.
My Crimson Blade.
Vespera opened her eyes.
For centuries, the world had believed the Crimson Blade had disappeared with Valdiche’s empire.
Some believed she had died defending her Empress.
Others believed Valdiche had eventually turned against her.
A few whispered that Vespera had betrayed the Empress herself.
None of them knew the truth.
Vespera slowly looked down at her hands.
“I remember you, Valdiche,” she whispered.
Her eyes turned crimson.
“And I remember what they did to you.”
——-
Vespera walked into the castle and embraced Atreio and Drakon. “What was so important that you called me away from my retirement?”
Drakon laughed “Vespera you know well I would not bring you here unless it was important. There is a new Bloodbearer and it’s a lady. We need you to be a personal guard and in command of her Honour Guard”
She looked at him “I haven’t served in that role in over 2000 years. I am retired. What makes this person so special that I come back?”
Atreio sighed “She is going to be going into combat against one of the 7. Mneme has spoken to her and is trying to destroy her from within.”
Vespera gasped “I haven’t heard that name in forever. The Memory Maker, the last time I went up against her was a draw. “
Astucia walked in “So you have first hand experience against Mneme. This is what I need to know about. If you decide to stay I am about equality and any oath you swear to me, I swear back to you. My Honour Guard is my family and will remain that way”
Vespera reached out and touched Astucia.
—–
The vision struck without warning.
Astucia saw Vespera standing in a ruined courtyard, sword drawn.
Across from her stood Mneme.
“You guard Valdiche well,” Mneme whispered. “But memory outlives loyalty.”
Vespera smiled.
“Then remember this.”
They attacked.
Steel crashed together as they moved with impossible speed. Mneme’s blade cut across Vespera’s shoulder.
Vespera answered with a slash across Mneme’s cheek.
They collided again.
Then stopped.
Mneme’s blade rested against Vespera’s throat.
Vespera’s sword pressed against Mneme’s heart.
Neither moved.
Mneme slowly smiled.
“A standstill.”
“For now,” Vespera replied.
The vision vanished.
—–
Astucia gasped as she came out of the vision. This was not what she expected Mneme wasn’t invincible and was someone who could fight because of her age but when you see another younger who is even stronger and better fighter.
_________
“When vampires cross blades, victory is measured in blood—and survival is never guaranteed.”
Crazy Canadian Writing 