Chapter 11
Dathai looked up from the conversation he was having in the market to see the plume of green smoke in the air. Disentangling himself from the conversation politely he walked towards the market. Crossing the market place quickly he knocked and walked through the door of a house. Inside it was dark, a small fire burned low in the hearth. Beside it in a soft chair sat an old man. He sat nearly still and when he looked up it was clear he was blind. He was old and very frail. He flinched visibly when Dathai walked in.
‘It’s me, Mhehal’ Dathai said. ‘There’s a meeting tonight, green smoke’.
‘Have we told the temple yet’ he asked with a stronger voice that he looked like he should be able to produce.
‘The high inquisitor and the vampire hunter I told you about are now aware of us as it my Watch Captain. I believe that these people will be a great asset to our cause assuming that Dúlra can get her head around coping with Scath’.
‘Do you think it will be a serious issue?’ Mhehal asked
‘We just need to convince her that she should talk to him before she judges him for what he is. Hopefully then she will take a moment to think before giving in to her instinct to attack him. Years of training can be difficult to overcome as we both know’. Dathai replied.
In the office of the high inquisitor the letter inviting her or her representative to the meeting was in Carans hand. She read it and sat back in her chair thinking about this organisation. She stood and walked out of her office and crossed the grounds past the dining halls to the training grounds at the back of the residential rooms. Dúlra was there in training attire. Looking at how sweaty she was she had clearly been here since they had eaten together earlier in the day.
‘Preparing for the worst Dúlra’ She said interrupting her.
‘Not only is there an evil at work under the city but there is also a very real threat to our country allied with it. I can’t see how I can not prepare for it’. She stopped using the training dummy and walked over to the crossbow range. She picked up the crossbow pistol off the table beside her and loaded it. She aimed and fired down the range hitting the straw dummy in the heat painted on to it.
‘Nice shot, perhaps we should have gotten you trained on that before now’ Caran said.
‘Marion trained me thinking I might need to use it one day. I doubt this was what she had in mind however’ she replied.
'I've received this, Dúlra', Caran said handing her the letter. 'I'd like you to attend to see who turns up and what they plan to do about the current situation with the dark elf, whether they believe that this is the beginning of an incursion. I'd also like for you to see if you can arrange for the temple to receive a copy of the map of the tunnels when its complete. You have about an hour before you'll need to leave to get to the inn'.
'I'll be ready high inquisitor' she said bowing. Caran walked off. The girl was succumbing to the rage. She hoped that giving her such an important mission would focus her attention on that and not on the past. The mission was very important and she knew that Dúlra wouldn't let her down but she was concerned about the cost that she'd be willing to pay for revenge on those that had taken Marion from her.
An hour later Dúlra walked out of the front of the temple with her weapons on and prepared for any situation that could present itself tonight. Since the regular nightly murders and attacks had seemingly stopped the city was returning to its old boisterous ways. People walked along alone heading to the taverns and the street walking women were once more plying their trade. She walked through the merchant area to the Blacksmith Lane. Each entry way was dark but in each of the darkened areas the amber glow of the embers of the days work emitted its eerie light making the shadows seem much deeper. At the end of the lane right the corner was a tavern called 'The Dark Heart' she looked aghast at it thinking, 'There is no way they'd be that blatant!'. She walked up to the door to find it locked. Odd for this time of the evening. She knocked on the door and waited for a moment. A small hatch slid to one side and a set of eyes regarded her.
'Cant you tell we're closed' a woman said through the hatch.
'I have an appointment' Dúlra replied holding up the letter. The woman looked it over then closed the hatch. There was a rattling of locks and the door opened a little.
'Come in quick then, don't let the heat out' a small elderly lady invited. Dúlra stepped in and the old lady set to locking up the door again.
'I'd completely forgotten that Mr Conal had said that there'd be a representative from the temple here tonight' she apologised. 'Take a seat dear, I'll tell them you've arrived. Would you like a drink of anything?' Dúlra smiled and shook her head.
'No thank you, Mrs..?'
'Connolly' she replied 'but you can call me Aunty, everyone else does'. She bustled off through a door at the side of the bar. A few minutes later Dathai followed her back into the main bar room.
'Thanks Aunty' he said walking over to her and sitting in the chair opposite. 'I'm glad you came. Donncha is here too, we're out the back. Before we go out there though there is something I need you to know. Have you ever heard the tale of Scath?'
'Just the legend of the man who, on the kings orders, sacrificed his soul for the good of the country. The camp fire story from when we were children to teach us the importance of defending the land'. She replied.
'The tale of Scath is not a legend' he went on. 'Scath is very real and it is nearly exactly like the legends. To this day he defends our land by watching and waiting to see what troubles there are and keeping us informed as to threats. It was he that told the rest of us about the dark elf and it was he who saved your life and prevented Marion becoming one of the walking dead that you were under attack from by carrying her to the same tavern a you were brought to. The part where he lost his soul comes from the fact that in order to keep his word to the king he has to kill regularly. He balances this out by only taking murderers, rapists and worse. People that if he were to report them to the watch would be hanged for their crimes and be dead anyway.' Dúlra stared at him amazed at what she was being told. She stared at Dathai her mouth hanging open, speechless.
'You're telling me that the greatest legend of the last few centuries is true! That not only is Scath alive but that he is here, alive and well and in the back room. Really? Its unbelievable. How is it possible? Why has he not come forward to tell people about this threat?'
Dathai sighed and looked at the table surface. 'Its all to do with the sacrificing his soul part of the legend that the controversy arises. See, Dúlra, Scath is a afraid of how you will react t him and his involvement in the Society of the beating heart'.
Dúlra looked at him. 'What are you telling me here Dathai? Why would he be scared of me?'
Dathai took a deep breath in. 'Its because he sacrificed his soul for the king and this country in order to always be watching for any danger that approached by becoming a vampire'.
Dúlra felt the world spin and her blood run cold, this organisation was in cahoots with a vampire and an old one if the time line of the legend was right. It was odd though, normally she got a feeling for people that were thralls, but Dathai didn't fit that profile.
'I want to know who else is in this Society. You are clearly all under some vampiric spell controlling your minds. Scath indeed I should have known better'.
The door behind the bar opened and Scath walked in with his hands raised. Dúlra grabbed the crossbow pistol from her belt and had it cocked, loaded and aimed in less than a second. Levelling it at the vampires heart the stared at him. She didn't have a feeling of evil coming from this creature as it walked towards her with its hands raised.
'Dúlra, I appreciate the situation that you find yourself in here is an odd one but please let me show you that even though you believe my involvement with this society has tainted it, these people have a serious problem that they need your help with. I believe so strongly in this that I am here in front of you, unarmed and unarmoured at the point of Marions crossbow. If you feel you need to end my unlife then please I implore you. Pull the trigger and shoot for my heart, but if you feel I can still add to this society then please don't. I'd overall prefer if you didn't by the way'. By the end of this Scath was standing in front of Dúlra, the point of the bolt pressed lightly against his chest. Dúlra was clearly struggling internally with the dilemma that she was presented with.
Dúlra stared at the creature as it walked towards her in its fine attire. She heard his words but all that she could see was the creature within. She waited and waited looking at it.
'Is it true, did you get me out of that tunnel?' she asked.
'I did' he replied, 'and the body of your friend too. I thought you'd prefer her to meet the flames as all of your order do'.
'That was a very thoughtful act saving her soul from the corruption that you have suffered. Since you saved my life I'll spare yours for now. If, however, I get even a little suspicious that you are a corrupting force in all this then I will not only shoot a bolt into your heart but I will also decapitate you and place your head on a spike in front of the statue of Scath in temple'. She released the pressure on the crossbow and returned the bolt to her quiver on her belt. She didn't look happy but she looked less like she was about to kill someone.
'That sounds like true justice to me' Scath said. Dathai let out a long breath that he had been holding.
'Shall we go and join the others' he said and gestured to the door. Scath offered to allow Dúlra go first.
'I'd rather not turn my back on you thanks all the same' she said. Scath bowed low and formally and walked through the door. She looked at Dathai who smiled.
'He's alright you know, he's a very funny guy' he said.
'He's supposed to be dead' she replied and turned and walked through the door. Dathai stood there for a minute and followed, relieved that they had gotten over this first hurdle. Hopefully they'd be able to work together soon.
Through the door there was a flight of stairs leading down to the basement. They walked down these and found themselves in the cellar of the pub. There was a door in the back wall that Scath walked towards followed by Dúlra and finally Dathai. Scath opened the door and walked through. The room was well appointed wit h deep carpet and chairs around the room. In most of the chairs there was a person sitting chatting to the people around them. At the end of the room by the fireplace there was a table with various refreshments on it. Mrs Connolly bustled in and out making sure people had drinks. Dúlra found a seat and watched looking at the people in the room. There were people from every walk of life here. A lordly dressed gent chatted with a young woman in mill workers clothes. Dathai spoke to an elderly man that sat by the fire. She shook her head and smiled slightly.
‘Its odd to see people from such different places working together’. Scath said to Dúlra.
‘True she answered, but it’s nice to see. I realise the point you’re trying to make though’, she continued to look around and look at the people.
The door flew open, nearly knocking a tray out of Aunties hands, and Conal arrived like a hurricane.
‘Sorry I’m a little late’ he boomed. ‘I had to deal with a students rogue experiment that got out of hand. Silly girl was trying to use warp stone to manipulate metals. That was proven not only to not work but also to be dangerous. Rocks with tentacles can be more than a little risky’. The room chuckled with him as he set his bag on the table. ‘Well’ he continued, suddenly serious, ‘there have been three more murders since the last one we discovered. The bodies had been hidden a bit better than the original lot’. A murmur circled the room as people reacted to this news; they thought that things had quietened down. ‘We again need to be more vigilant on the streets and in our circles. I also have the sad news of telling you that the most recent death was Nessa, one of our own’. Silence descended on the room as they took this information in. ‘It would appear that either the enemy is aware that we exist and are working against them, or she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Given they killed Doctor Roche and we know that was with a dark elf crossbow then we have to take it that we are compromised’. The silence continued. ‘You each have missions that you have been given in private and the other members of the cells that you are in. Dúlra’ he said turning to the vampire hunter ‘I realise that this is not the introduction to this organisation that you, or Caran, would have wanted but unfortunately desperate times call for desperate measures. Can I ask you to work in the cell with Dathai as his mission is much more directly related to your skills and abilities?’ she nodded and smiled at Dathai. ‘I think we should disperse now. Wait to see green smoke and we’ll meet up again. It may be a while so please be patient’. People stood up and started to pick up their coats and cloaks and head to the door. Dathai walked over to Dúlra with the old man that he was talking to.
‘Dúlra, I’d like to introduce Mhehal. Mhehal this is the vampire hunter I told you about, Dúlra’. The old man bowed low as did Dúlra, she smiled warmly at the man and shook his had firmly. He still had strength in his body despite his frail appearance. Dathai continued ‘The cell you’ll be working with consists of me, Mhehal and Scath. Nessa was part of this cell but as you heard she was killed last night. We also have Donncha joining it as well as yourself’.
‘I don’t mean to seem flippant but you don’t seem all that concerned that one of your society and more so one of your own cell, was killed’ Dúlra asked
‘We all realise that there are great risks in this endeavour and that the enemy will not hesitate to kill anyone of us at even the hint that we are involved in the society. We will mourn her but only when the current threat is past’ Scath said from behind her. Dúlra span around her hand flying to the crossbow pistol on her hip.
‘Easy there’ said Dathai putting his hand on hers to prevent her drawing.
‘Don’t sneak up on me or you will find yourself pinned to the wall behind you, vampire. Saving me only buys you a slight reprieve on your final death’ she shouted at Scath and shrugged Dathai’s hand off.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you and I certainly don’t mean you any harm Dúlra, please accept that. I don’t expect you to trust me but we at least need to work together to deal with this threat. Truce?’ Scath offered, hands raised.
She stared at him then relaxed. Donncha walked over and stood beside her.
‘I assure you then Scath. If you take any action against Dúlra, or any innocent people then I will join her in your destruction. Until then however, I’m happy to give you the benefit of the doubt’. He extended his hand and Scath smiled.
‘Can’t say fairer than that I suppose’. Scath replied shaking the proffered hand warmly. Dúlra appeared to relax a little but her hand stayed resting on the grip of the crossbow pistol on her belt.
They were the last to gather themselves and leave the tavern. They walked together through the city streets towards the merchant district and where the recent murders had once more happened. Word about the new murders had obviously spread like wildfire through the city the streets were once more deserted apart from the occasional group that walked along looking around them and steering clear of alley entrances. The tension that had been relieved had come back stronger than it had been before as people realised they had been walking the streets with murder afoot. They walked to the latest crime scene. As they crossed the market Mhehal split off and headed away.
‘I’ll leave this to you younger people. I’m off home if you need me’. He said waving as he walked down the alley to his house. The other four continued to the crime scene.
As they approached the two guards stood to attention but exchanged glances as the four walked towards them.
‘What have we got?’ Donncha asked the guard.
‘Three bodies sir, under the bushes in the garden. They walked in to the garden and looked around. The bodies had been removed to the university and the ground was very churned up from people walking over it. They took a brief look around but didn’t find anything of note. Heading back to the office Scath turned.
‘I’ll go to the university and see what I can discover from the bodies’ he said and walked away. Dúlra Donncha and Dathai made their way to the watch house. Half an hour later they were sitting in Donnchas office in silence taking in the evenings events. Dúlra stood up and picked up her coat.