Childe Of His Heart
The past…
Weryn followed Legion in his unkindness of ravens form.He soared through the Ever Dark night sky looking down upon Legion’s hulking, hairy shoulders and long, prehensile tail as his Childe led him–and only him–to an entrance into Nightvallen thatwasn’tone of the known ones.
“Kaly worked with Daemon to turn the entirety of the underground of Nightvallen into a massive labyrinth,” Legion had explained as if they were the expert on the Vampire King’s capital city and not him.Yet Weryn had known these things.
“There are hidden entrances to the city from various ruins surrounding it.Each leads to a different spot inside.The one we’re going to was made after Daemon went to sleep.It was Kaly’s special route to visit his tomb.Once we reach the tomb, there will be another passage leading us directly into the Kaly Palace.”
Weryn found himself unwilling to look past the wall into the city of pale stone and the tomb with the golden dome that could have been seen from his altitude.He just kept the high wall in the corner of his eye, but looked no further than that.It was why he hadn’t asked Legion why they simply couldn’t enter the city and go directly to Daemon’s tomb and this other passage.Delaying the inevitable was evidently what he was doing.
“How do you know all of this, Legion?”Weryn had scoffed, but his eyes had been narrowed with suspicion.
Legion’s murky silver eyes blinked at him slowly as if they were a particularly slow child, which they were not.“Was it not Kaly who told you of a tunnel that could connect your palace and Ashyr’s?”
Weryn had shifted uncomfortably at that question.Had he told Legion about that?That seemed unlikely.He didn’t care about the War Children, even those that had survived as long as Legion had.He certainly didn’t speak to them of Ashyr.Not so personally.So perhaps he had simply muttered it to himself when his mind sometimes sent him spinning into harangues at an invisible Kaly.Then again, Legion seemed to have made–notfriends, because they did not have friends–acquaintances with the other War Children.Some Eyros Vampires acquaintances who might have read his mind and informed on him to Legion.
Not that they were friendly with that Bloodline at all any longer.No, not since their bloody Immortal had thought to control things as usual.Eyros had even tried to controlhim!Who was that rat bastard to think he had the right to mess with Weryn’s mind?So what if he had lost a little control once in a while?It was just like that arrogant ass to think that he should be in charge of everyone and everyone needed to behave just so!This waswar.One had to let go.One had to let the monster out.
Legion is certainly that.
And yet as he flew above Legion’s head, he felt disturbed.A growing disturbance and almostguilt?Which was ridiculous!Legion was nearly new!They hadn’t even existed fifty years yet.They were no match for him!If they were the one to lose control, unlike Eyros, he would be able to control them as their Master, as the Immortal of their Bloodline.Yes, they were powerful.He’d made them that way.Chosen them for their natural aggression.But they were no match for him.
Yet you look upon them with horror and pity, my love,Ashryr’s voice whispered in his brain.Because you know that nothing like them should exist.Even the Ever Dark has tried to show you this with the form it bequeathed them.
I had to make them, Ashyr.If you were really here, you’d understand,Weryn answered the ghostly voice.
I am here.I see everything you’ve done and it hurts me, Weryn,Ashyr said.You’re going to Daemon’s tomb.This is your chance to reach our king.Wake him.We need him.He’ll stop this war–
I’m not his beloved future fledgling, Ashyr!Weryn snarled.Even if I were able to wake him, he’d just turn over and go back to sleep again.Kaly wasn’t wrong about him being a fool to do that!But he doesn’t care anymore about us!He–
Does!He does care!If he knew this was happening, he would put a stop to it,Ashyr insisted.
Considering this was only hisimaginingof Ashyr, it was strange that he’d envision his beloved saying this.Did that mean part of him believed it?Perhaps he wanted to believe it was a better way of putting it.But that meant that he didn’t think he could stop Kaly and the others on his own.That meant he needed Daemon to fix it.
And if he saw what we’ve all done?If things were still the disaster they are now and I woke him, he’d never forgive us.Never trust us again.How could he believe in his Soldier who cannot win a goddamned war?Kaly doesn’t even have an army!
It didn’t even appear that Kaly was using their own people to assist them in whatever this game was they were playing.It was just them.They alone were capable of destroying everything.They’d just had to push the right buttons and the other Immortals had blown up past slights and imagined wrongs and envisioned dark futures if they did not act against one another. So he’d had to go to war against them too.
What will Daemon say when he hears I’ve killed so many of the Immortals?Horys is as gone as a fast storm.Siryn has sung their last song.Helm has finally disappeared forever.And more of them are hiding or finished, too. Friends once, but… no longer.
He’ll forgive you, Weryn.You aren’t yourself,Ashyr begged.Neither is Kaly.Both of you are unwell.
That’s what Eyros said!Weryn spat.Claimed I was mad!Claimed I was unfit!Claimed I had to be put down–
No!That’s not what he said,Ashyr’s voice was sharp.He begged you to stop the slaughter.He wanted you to bring everyone–even Kaly–to the table.What you all are doing is mutually assured destruction.
Kaly started it!They killed you!He shrieked that at the phantom Ashyr voice.They took you from me!
Death is hardly the end, Weryn.Kaly could tell you that,Ashyr reminded him softly, sadly.I will return to you.Don’t let me come back to a nightmare.To someone I don’t recognize.
I need you now!NOW!
The flock he had shifted into let out wild caws of anguish and pain and rage, which had Legion turning that massive horse-like head over their shoulder to see what the problem was.Weryn straightened out the flock and went silent.Even though Legion was his Childe, he would not communicate with them over their bond.He would have that bond wither and die altogether. Besides, to speak of this was weakness.A Soldier must have a plan and must execute it.
His General gives him the plan, Weryn.This is not my plan,Ashyr’s voice was so soft as to be nearly inaudible.Wake Daemon.Stop this madness.
Weryn ruthlessly emptied his mind of all thoughts except to follow Legion.The War Childe led him to a small ruin about half a mile from Nightvallen’s southern wall.The tree canopy practically obscured the broken structure.Only the remnants of a tower thrust through the very tops of the trees.A single piece of white stone.
