Aspen has a minion!

Vengeance the Shin

Note to reader: There will be two characters telling this story, Vindicare and Virosa Amanita.
To avoid confusion, their names will be labeled at the beginning of their section, along with an emoticon of their face.

Virosa The moon shone in through the opening of the cave, yet even in the dim moonlight, I could see her battle worn armor now covered in a fresh layer of drying blood. The blood was not her own nor of those she had slain, it was the blood of innocents. The stench of death surrounded the mouth of the cave, it emanated from my open wounds. Every breath taken felt like suffocation, yet I draped my beaten body against the damp wall, waiting for her to wake"¦ afraid to leave her.

EARLIER THAT NIGHT"Virosa," the voice boomed and echoed through the catacombs. "Did you really think you could get away from us? We killed Psalliota Agaricus, Amanon Amanita and Lanei Amanita many years before, and you will be no different." My hands clenched around the small metal vial, as he ticked off the names of my mother, my father and my younger sister. I wondered why he had bothered to remember the names of his victims, other than to torture those who remained living. I was hit by familiar aching in my throat as I was reminded of what was taken from me.

Behind the heavy stone of the tomb, I could see him and the others searching for me. I glanced back down at the small vial in my hands. This was what they were after. Twelve years prior, when I was eight years of age, my father told me of the lore behind the Serum of Eye Suroh. I remember he watched me with his gentle eyes as he started his story. "Fifteen generations ago, a stranger covered in blood soaked garments appeared at the Amanita apothecary. Though taken aback by the stranger's destitute appearance, Franco Amanita carried the man on his shoulders and offered him a place to rest. As he removed the bloodied cloak from the man's body to lay him down he stared in awe as the candlelight illuminated the man's face. Once perfectly chiseled, there were now scratches and scars. His arms lay riddled with deep puncture wounds. As Franco grasped the man's wrists to check for a pulse, he noticed the weak and erratic beat. He quickly ordered his assistant to draw clean water and gather medicinal herbs from the store. He knew the man's life was in danger. Unbeknownst to Franco at the time, there was no antidote that could have saved the man from the poison which contaminated his blood."

My father was no longer watching me, and instead, affixed his gaze on the far wall. "Giving medicine to treat an unfamiliar poison could have worsened his condition. It could have proven to be lethal. The greatest of medicines you know, can also be poisons" he said in a hushed voice. I wondered if he was still speaking to me. "But Franco never reached the point where he had to choose," he continued, "The man's eyes opened suddenly and he knelt to the floor. His body began rocking and incomprehensible incantations hummed through his closed lips. As suddenly as the ritual began, it stopped. The man stood weakly and pulled loose a small metal figure from around his neck. With what strength he had left, he used it to take Franco's hand, clasped the vial into his hands, and collapsed to the ground. He was no longer alive."

"This is where the story between the assistant and Franco diverge. Before he died, Franco claims the man told him "˜Taking a single drop of the Serum of Eye Suroh from this vial mixed with the purest of bloods, will allow the possessor to become immortal. I entrust the contents within, to you and your lineage. As guardians of the serum, do not take it yourself, for the consequences will be fatal.' That was all he said before he collapsed. The assistant however, claims that there was only the exchange itself, no words were heard." At the time, I thought the Serum of Eye Suroh was just a story.

My mother and sister went out to the village to purchase salted meats and breads one day five years ago, and they never returned. Their bodies must not have even been cold before they hit their graves. The following day, my father decided he and I must part. I thought he had lost his mind, but he knew what had happened. He knew something would be coming after us soon. He had acted as bait to distract them long enough so I could get away. He handed me the money he and my mother had saved, and told me to follow the path east until I found the tomb which held the body of our ancestor Franco Amanita. I had to find the vial that had been buried with his body, and I needed to take it with me and keep others from getting it. This is how I found myself underground.

I glanced out and my assailants were getting closer. I took out my knife, and cut open a small slit beneath my ankle. Just as I painfully pulled apart the skin and pushed the metal vial beneath, gruff hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me out from my sanctuary and tossed my body like a rag doll against the hard frozen ground. "Set," the voice boomed, "I found him."

I felt them pick my body up, their hands patting my clothes in search of the vial, nothing. "Virosa, I am getting impatient," Set spoke in a wary voice. "Tell me where the vial is, so we can stop delaying your imminent fate." I stared into the pupils of the dead white eyes, sunken in his aged skull. Before I could even take a step towards him, he had already struck my head against a shattered tombstone. His mere strength could have turned my bones into a fine powder, but his motive was not to kill me until he got what he wanted. Everything I saw blurred and momentarily turned shades of red. A vessel had burst in my left eye. I could taste the rich iron from my own blood, trickle down the back of my throat.

Set and his coven sneered. "Centuries before you were born, we have been chasing the angelic breed for this vial, only to recently discover the journal of Franco Amanita's assistant. We have come to understand your family is in possession of the elicit Serum of Eye Suroh. Do you even understand the power it holds, boy?" I braced my body against the tombstone, and he continued, "The Serum of Eye Suroh grants immortality. Though you may believe my kind to be already immortal we are still vulnerable," his voice trailed off.

"It was foolish to have entrusted something of such value, to mere mortals," his fangs bared, and in a sudden rush to display his control, he tore at my calf, leaving a palm-width tear, showing jagged muscle and sinew below. I knew he would tear my body apart to find the vial, leaving me an inch from death, or at the very least scaring me into submission. I clawed at the ground, trying to pull myself away from the tears. The vampires had enclosed around us, pushing me down at every escape attempt. Had it not been for the adrenaline rushing through my veins and the lack of air in my lungs, surely I would have screamed in agony. I would have prayed that someone would hear my underground screams, would help me"¦ But who would? Who could?

The attacks stopped suddenly, and my body sank into a puddle of my own blood. The only thing that had kept my body erect was the harsh blows pushing me back. I was drifting in and out of consciousness. I heard Set's voice, confidently yelling "What makes you think you alone can make us to stop?" There was a soft whimsical chime, and then "I would like to see you try." Something was stirring around me, a rush of motion and the sound of bodies hitting stones, the ground. I struggled to open my right eye, hoping that whatever was killing the vampires would disregard me as dead.

When I finally saw her, it was the silhouette of a woman, a pale golden aura glowing around her. Even if I had dreamt her, I knew she was not human. I shut my right eye, as the left had already swollen shut. I felt a cold shadow tugging at my body and then they were gone. A second presence encompassed me now. I heard the same chime from before, only now humming an unfamiliar lullaby. I slept as I was swayed by the rocking motion. I dreamt I was floating on water, but the sea turned dark and ominous. This was not water, but an ocean of dead and decaying bodies.

I woke to the sound of my own gasps. All else was silent.

The moon was three-quarters across the night sky and offered scant lighting. Under these conditions, I was still able to see the small frame of the armor-clad woman who lay before me. As she stirred slightly in her slumber, a tousle of white hair fell across the nape of her neck, revealing her face. I quickly inhaled the putrid air, and held my breath as I let the air out slowly. Her skin was flawless, though thin and slightly transparent revealing the small veins beneath. Her face held a delicate nose, high cheekbones, and full lips expressing a distinctive pout. Though she looked quiet young and innocent, her eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought, hiding an ageless wisdom. She was beautiful. I decided she would do me no harm, for if she had wanted to kill me, she would have already done so. I nudged her side with the tip of my toe. That is when I noticed the base of my ankle. My fingers felt down, in fear my eyes were deceiving me. The skin was smooth, and no longer carried the weight of the vial. It was gone.

EARLIER THAT NIGHT, Vindicare "Your eldership was it not you who asked me to watch over this family for so many generations. If you do not allow me to go to him now, I foresee his death. One mortal man cannot defend himself against such a large coven. If Ureol chose the Amanita family upon his death and entrusted our vial to these mortals, then he must have felt--”"

"Ureol was a fool to have taken the vial outside of our realms! We know better than to meddle with mortality. To challenge the balance of life and death," Amon interrupted.

"It is for this reason, the balance of life and death, that I urge you to let me save this man. Had our vial not been in their world, people would not have had to die this way. If this man dies, humanity may go with him. If he dies, the vial will fall into the hands of the vampires. With their thirst for blood and full immortality, who knows how many will perish in order for them to find the purest of all bloods?"

"Ureol was the last of our kind to leave our realm. The price he had to pay to cross the planes was his ability to heal. We instantly lose the ability that is most valuable to us, to become less than what we are. Having been attacked by a coven hundreds of years ago, Ureol died without his ability to heal. Their venom killed him. What would you be willing to give up? Your ability to feel compassion, your freedom, your life?"

"Yes," I said simply. "If losing one ability means I must die, and many, many others shall live—live even one day more, than I shall give it freely. I would do so, because it will mean I have at least tried to save this man. I cannot watch idly and do nothing."

"Then so be it," Amon said slowly, contemplating his own words. "I will gather light armor for you, a sword, and a compass. The pieces which cover your body will be impenetrable. Your face and your arms will be uncovered to allow free movement, but this will leave you partially vulnerable. This sword will allow you to cut through the toughest of opponents, be they mortal, immortal or inanimate." "This compass," he said with a heavy sigh, "Was used by the ancient immortals, to get from our realm to theirs and back. It is protected by magic, and cannot be destroyed. It will always point you in the direction of the thing you desire most. Though I cannot tell you how to use it to come back, as it has only been done once. The method for creating a rift between worlds has long been lost. Perhaps intentionally so."

I understood what he meant. "I will be able to leave, but I may never be able to come back," I said.

Amon nodded solemnly. "Before you go, I have two warnings for you. First, you may encounter enemies who are not after Virosa and the Serum of Eye Suroh, but you. When you descend, there will be an archway of light across the night sky. The fallen angels will know you have come, and they will come to find you. Their desire is to reclaim our realm as their own, and should they find a way back through you, battle and chaos will ensue. Second, you cannot spill a single drop of innocent blood. Should you take the life of an innocent, you will become one of the damned. Do not let either of these things happen." "I understand," I murmured "thank you for your help Amon."

"You best get going," he said "You do not have much time."

Together, Amon and I began humming ancient hymns to open the barrier long enough so I could cross. As we did so, I descended and began to materialize. No longer omnipresent as light and air, I was bound to a body of flesh. Amon's gifts were with me, my only remnants of home. Whatever ability I was meant to lose through this transition, was now gone. In front of me was Virosa Amanita, struggling against the coven, barely clinging to his life.

"STOP," I yelled.

All was still, and the coven leader turned his head towards me and spoke. "What makes you think you alone can make us stop?"

"You fight a mortal, unarmed and incapable of defending himself, in order to take what does not belong to you. If you should go near him, I will kill each and every one of you. I do not jest."

"I would like to see you try," he smirked.

They rushed at me quickly. Not one at a time, but multiple attacks around my body. It became like a dance. I swung my sword and thrust the blade into their gluttonous bellies full of innocent blood. Every swipe would splatter on my armor. I did not have time to mourn. They attacked together, working in unison to hold me back. Although I was stronger, I could not stop every blow from hitting me and sometimes their venomous fangs found their mark on my arms, biting deep into my skin. I would not allow myself to feel the pain; I did not have the time or the luxury. I knew if they were to drink my blood, they would heal much more quickly. I had to prevent this.

I took my sword and separated their heads from their bodies. Once, twice, fourty-seven times. As I was finishing off the last remaining attackers, from the corner of my eye, I saw three of them huddled around Virosa's body, and then they were gone. Around me, decapitated bodies laid askew. I collected the pieces and burned the remains to prevent the bodies from reassembling. I was thankful for the slow burning lantern someone had left behind from an earlier visit.

I sat down and held Virosa's body. He was still alive, breathing, but he needed rest. I gently rocked his body and hummed a soft lullaby,” glad he was unable to see this pyre and what it consisted of. Tonight would not be a good night to chase after them.

The blaze finally burned out. It was time to leave. I stood, unfolding and stretching out my wings. Carrying Virosa in my arms, I climbed above ground and stepped into the brisk night air.

Aerial scouting made things much easier. I found unsettled terrain near a small mountain range, far away from any other humans. I had to ensure as few lives would be endangered or unnecessarily killed because of us. Once on the ground, I found a cave with a freshwater stream nearby. I set his body down and leaned him against the wall. His left eye was a bit swollen, and crusted blood remained on the edge of his mouth. I wiped this off for him. His legs and arms had been ripped badly by their fangs, but he would still be able to limp, if not walk and move. The wounds were already clotting, and I would need to find herbs to dilute any toxins in his system and to treat any infections. He would heal even faster if I gave him my own blood, and that was when the searing pain erupted from my arms.

I looked down, and saw the pinpoints where their teeth had bitten me. The entire night I had been blocking the pain, ignoring the venom that was slowly coursing through my veins. But now, I felt everything. The flood gates had been opened. My own heart pumped their poison, circulating it through my body. From the crown of my head to my toes, the neurotoxin caused a burning sensation, overexciting my nerves to the brink of paralysis. My lungs ached from the smoke I had inhaled while burning the bodies. Everything smelled sour, like death. If my ability to self-heal was gone, like Ureol, I would die from the inside out. I clenched my teeth as I lay on my side. I would not allow myself to be so pitiful. This unfamiliar body needed rest. I faced him and shut my eyes. Searching for herbs would need to be delayed until the sun was up.

Three sensations hit me when I woke. First, was the pain, accountable by the burning venom in my system. Second, was the cold, due to sleeping on the ground at the entrance of a damp cave. Third, was a strange tactile sensation, origins unknown. I opened my eye, and saw Virosa sitting with one leg outstretched. He must have poked me, I mused.

"Hello,"I said and sat up. I noticed his eyes had not been watching me, but instead, he had a perplexed look on his face and was staring at his ankle.

"My vial, it is gone," he said."I hid it, but someone must have taken it. Do you know where it is?"

I thought back to the night before, and remembered seeing three vampires surrounding his body before they disappeared. They must have taken it then. I nodded.

He seemed calmer after seeing my response. "My name is Virosa Amanita. Thank you for saving me last night," he grinned. "What is your name?" he asked and looked down bashfully.

"I do not have a given name, but most refer to me as Vindicare. Do not worry about the vial, we will get it back. I can track the Serum of Eye Suroh with my compass," I smiled at him.

His face looked blank. "I am sorry, I do not quite understand what it is you are saying," he said.

"Vindicare," I said, and pulled out my sword from its sheath. My name had been etched into the blade. I held the sword out to him so he could read it.

"Your name is Vindicare? That is a lovely name," he smiled, "You could have just said so!"

"I thought I did," I mumbled.

"There you go with your chimes again," he smiled.

Chimes? What did he mean by chimes? I took the sword back, and glanced down. Why did he need to read my name before he could understand me, I pondered. When I spoke to the coven last night, clearly they understood me... why can’t he? Could it because they are immortal and are not technically of this world? Could it be that when I passed into this world, I lost my ability to speak?

"I lost my voice?!" I exclaimed.

"That was a loud one that time," he poked me again with his foot.

I decided to test this theory. "That left eye of yours looks like a lousy pus-festering blob. It is so bloodied and red, like someone took a needle and jabbed you right in the face!" I spewed. Surely any modest person would have been slightly offended or at least avoid eye contact.

His puzzled look remained as he watched me, grinning goofily as he shrugged.

I slumped back against the cave. I could not communicate or tell him anything. This darkened my mood, but this meant my ability to heal was still intact. Things could be worse I decided. The sun was peaking over the horizon now. I stood up and turned towards him with one arm outstretched. He grabbed my hand and limped to his feet.

"What exactly are you?"he said quietly. I did not say anything. We walked outside, him behind me. I opened my wings to let the sun’s rays warm them. "Oh" I heard him say, "An angel."

Virosa I sat in a warm meadow as I waited for Vindicare to come back. She was farther up the hillside looking for herbs, berries and other edible plants. I looked up at the sky and the sun was directly above me, noontime.

Earlier in the morning, as I stood and stared at the sunlight reflect off her fantastical translucent wings, she turned abruptly and swiftly picked me up. "This is awkward," I joked, "Should I not be the one carrying you?" She just smiled. We flew to the stream, and though she did not even measure shoulder length to me in height, she was amazingly strong and had amazing flight precision. Upon arrival, she set me down and pointed to the water. Her voice chimed again, as if to say "You smell, please bathe," and she walked a distance away. Her figure was partially hidden by a large tree. She was removing her armor, washing away the blood. I chuckled lightly as I wondered if angels even wore undergarments. Her head turned towards me suddenly, I tried to look away, but I was caught like a startled doe. "Yes Maam,"I yelled over at her, "I know I am still dirty" her nose wrinkled and a frown crossed her face. She had finished washing some of the pieces, and laid them on a large rock to dry.

I removed the raw hide satchel which had been strapped to my body, and laid it on the ground. Waddling into the stream, I took care not to get the water on my healing wounds. The sudden rush stung the slit below my ankle, but the sensation was quickly numbed by the cold. I removed my clothes and washed them, watching as the clear water turned red-brown. I used my shirt as a cloth to wash my face, arms, back, legs, always around the wounds.

Inside the satchel, I had a spare shirt and pants which I pulled on. I also removed the leather canteen I had inside, and filled it with fresh water from the stream. Now quite empty, I folded and stuck my wet clothes into the bag. I would need to take these out to dry later when we stopped. Vindicare was already adorned in her light armor, kneeling at the at the waters edge, leaning forward with her hand in the water. With her eyes shut, she hummed quietly.

A large brown fish, about a forearm in length, swam curiously around her hand its scales shimmering under the sun. It stopped, settling in the palm of her hand. She lifted it out of the water, and there was no struggle. I thought it had been resting, but it died without her ever touching it. Plucking several leaves off of a nearby tree, she wrapped the body in leaves. She handed the fish to me and picked me up once again. We headed to the base of the mountains.

To be continued...

Additional Vindicare Art by Burzum

Name: VindicareOrigins: LatinPronounced: Vin-duh-kah-rayMeaning: To avenge, to protect, to set free.Type: Immortal Guardian

Image by Rainchan, Profile by Neko, story/mood icons/customs by AeriaLure
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