Chapter Text
Everything is silent and still. This region has been that way for two centuries, keeping out all but the most persistent of wanderers, shielding itself from the outside since the last time abundant blood was spilled and fed the enchantment that ensures that the dreadful creature at its heart remains asleep.
The soil yearns for the call of its master, the corruption spreads, and the living beings that still inhabit this place keep on living, subdued, waiting. There's an air of anticipation: it's almost the promised time once again.
A spell to avoid further bloodshed that requires bloodshed to be maintained… I suppose, for those who cast it, the end result justifies the means. And so, every time it weakens, the land opens to the rest of the world, doing its best to lure in human lives that it can use as sacrifices. Let them settle, live, multiply, kill each other as they are wont to do, and the enchantment will stand.
But this time, things are different.
As the first human steps are heard in the distance, two entwined souls stir, feeling the change.
And, in that dilapidated grand castle, protected from crumbling by its slumbering owner's magick, a strange beacon absorbs one final drop of corruption, awakening the one in its depths.
A ripple of dark power is felt, and then.
Something shifts.
There's a loud crashing of stone.
It's dark… and then he's yawning and opening his eyes, confused. His instincts, and the rest of him, awaken, and that's when he becomes aware of his surroundings.
An enclosed space, made of stone.
Familiar stone.
His coffin.
"Did they…?" Scott's voice is croaky from disuse. He tries pushing against the lid, but it's surprisingly heavy. He feels very…
Weak? Pfft. That can't be right.
The thought is shoved to the back of his mind.
When he finally manages to slide the stone slab off, wincing at the loud thud it makes as it hits the floor, the sight he sees is also familiar, although a bit... worn.
"Hmm… everything seems to be the same… I wonder how long it's been?" He climbs out of the coffin and walks around the space of the crypt. Then, he tries to reach out with his magick, checking on the various wards and spells to see if they're still intact. "Well, whatever it is they did, at least I know they didn't touch the inner chambers, since there are no signs of a breach…"
There were, however, plenty of signs of the enchantments weakening, most likely due to age. And, as much as Scott hated to admit it, there was nothing he could do about that at the moment.
If anyone was around, they would've seen the unsightly, displeased frown on his face. Thankfully, he was alone, and could afford to lose a bit of his composure.
With a dramatic sigh, he begins to climb one of the ladders to the upper level. "Can't believe they buried me in my own castle… You go around turning a few people into vampires, and suddenly you're the bad guy that needs to be put into an eternal slumber… I don't get why they would be mad at me, it's not like I was merciless or cruel… Was it so hard to give up some animals as tribute? If the ones who did this are still around, I'm going to get out there and kill them all."
Scott's rant is interrupted by a sudden pang of thirst, and he lets out an involuntary hiss.
"Ugh… I'm so thirsty… I need to go out. Just need to maybe grab some things…" He is now on the upper level of the crypt, close to one of the walls. He nicks one of his fingers with his fang and presses the bleeding cut against the stone, which ripples and reveals an entrance.
His situation is dire, but, thankfully, the regular storage chamber has one of the weakest blood-bond barriers, and can be opened without offering much in sacrifice.
Walking into the room, he can see signs of the passage of time here too. There are cracks and dust everywhere, and even some cobwebs. Everything seems to still be in its designated space, though, so Scott expertly rummages through the chests until he finds some basic tools and supplies. Unfortunately, as this is the least protected chamber, it doesn't hold any valuables or food, and all he can get are stone tools and a few materials like charcoal. Usually, he wouldn't need it, but it's hard to tell what the situation is like on the outside, and he might need to blend in, as much as he hates the thought.
There is, however, one 'valuable' that can be found in this room, purely because it is useless from the elder's perspective: silver. The only ones who could handle and use it were the lowest level vampires under his coven, often not even connected by bond, and so, it had to be stored here. Scott avoids it out of habit, but his hand still brushes against an ingot by accident, so he flinches back on instinct.
But then, he realizes.
That didn't hurt…?
He can currently touch silver without any repercussion, which can only mean one thing, and it explains the 'weakness' he feels and has been avoiding thinking about.
I'm back to stage one…
A quick look at his hands confirm that he is, indeed, looking close to human, and so do the blue threads of hair he can bring to his line of sight (which he cringes at, mumbling, "Ugh, forgot about that…"). It's hard to accept, but if he does have to blend in, it will now be much easier at least.
Another pang of thirst reminds him that he should really be getting out of here.
Scott begins his walk through the crypt hallways, taking note of the graves on the walls. There's nothing new about the ones near the innermost chamber, as those have been long dead, but, as he gets closer to the entrance, he sees a few new ones, which he takes note of to investigate later, when he's not starving.
He reaches the spiraling staircase that would lead outside and can see that there's light coming in from the top, and stone rubble at the bottom. "Ah, it broke open… interesting." He remembers a crashing sound as he was waking up, and concludes this must've been the culprit.
The sun doesn't burn him in this state, but he still climbs the stairs hurriedly.
Upon reaching the top, he can see that the passage of time is much more obvious here. His castle still stands, but it shows clear signs of instability, some of the higher towers crumbling or partially missing, and most walls having holes and cracks.
Scott really wonders how long it has been, if even his magick wasn't enough to fully protect the integrity of his home.
He enters through a nearby doorway, which is also missing a door, and heads through to the grand meeting hall. Part of him wants to check on every room, but he knows now is not the time, as he desperately needs to hunt. He reaches the hall, and, as he is about to turn towards the exit, something intriguing catches his eye.
On the podium where he used to deliver grand speeches, where his throne used to sit, there is a strange-looking cube, glowing bright red, swirling with dark power. It gives off a comforting, familiar feeling, despite being completely strange and unfamiliar to him.
"Well… that's weird… another thing to investigate later, I guess."
Scott really can't afford to waste more time here. He heads out through the front doors and onto the grand bridge. It too is crumbling, just like everything else. But, before walking across, he spots some animals on the hill that supports the castle, and his hunting destination is decided.
A sudden shift in the land makes him stir.
It has been a long time since he moved, or even felt conscious, his body focused only on restoring itself after sustaining heavy damage. He doesn't know exactly how long it has been, but it seems like a significant amount of time. Enough for him to feel healed, as he is no longer in pain, but also enough to leave him feeling weak, most likely at stage one of vampiric power.
There is, however, another feeling. A strong one, a connection to his beloved fledgling that he has held close all this time.
Their bond thrums with contentment at the prolonged proximity.
Louis opens his eyes. The darkness isn't a problem even at this stage, so the first thing he sees is his dear treasure, still sleeping. He wants to caress his face, but also doesn't want to disturb him, so he simply smiles and stares down at Owen, whose head is pillowed on his chest.
He's in no rush to disturb their peace, but his mind has other plans. It can't help but replay the things that happened that day.
The accusing stares… the burning… the excruciating pain… the screams… the blood and gore… his nest desecrated… more screams and burning and constant pain…
A confused whine breaks him out of his state, instantly feeling guilty that his feelings might have leaked through the bond. Louis quickly schools his pained expression as his beloved begins to stir too, brushing aside the thoughts he was having.
He would have time to deal with those later.
What matters now is that his fledgling is awake too and, if his own need is any indication, the other is probably starving too. He needs to get them both out of this cave and find some food really soon.
Reluctant to let go, and shushing the protests of a barely aware Owen, he finds the other's discarded tools nearby, using them to dig a little exit they could fit through. He's able to coax his beloved, who seems to be struggling, to follow him outside, the lack of a burning feeling from the sun confirming that he is, indeed, back to stage one. When he's sure the other can stand on his own, he scans their surroundings, then walks towards the nearby tower, which looks worse than he remembers, and checks inside.
A startled noise makes him turn around, seeing a very confused Owen staring at him.
It took him a while to adjust his eyes and stop feeling like he's floating. Owen has no idea how long it has been, just that he is suddenly awake.
He blinks, taking in the sight of the dead woods from his elevated location, but then his instincts make him panic, desperately looking for his sire, so he turns around towards the tower. However, instead of the expected and familiar white hair, what he sees is dark, auburn hair. And, when Louis turns around, his eyes are not red, but instead chocolate brown, and his skin, despite being covered in large, pink burns, looks more human too.
"Uh… Louis?"
The small chuckle he gets in return is all that he needs to confirm that this is, indeed, the same person.
"Ah… you must be confused because of how I look, right?"
He nods in response.
"This is just what I look like as a stage one vampire, or, basically, at my weakest level of power. It usually takes a while for all the color to return if you are weakened but… we were asleep for a long time, after all."
Owen remembers a little bit of what he was told about vampiric stages, so he hums, nodding again, and moves closer to his sire, whose hand is stretched out towards him in a way that makes him reminisce about that night.
As he is reaching to take it, he hesitates.
Right. He was so out of it that he almost forgot everything that happened before they went to sleep.
Suddenly, Owen is ashamed to touch his beloved. There's a feeling of anger, too, and none of remorse, which makes him more ashamed in turn.
Those sentiments must come through the bond, because Louis's smile changes to a more bittersweet one, and he closes the distance between them, taking the fledgling into his arms and giving his forehead a small kiss. He hugs back, and can feel some comforting thoughts being sent through their connection, but no words are spoken; neither of them are in a hurry to bring up the subject.
After a few seconds, they separate.
"We should probably get going."
Louis takes his hand, entwining their fingers, and, with one last glance at the tower and its barely visible beacon, they start making their way downhill.
Owen is caught between wanting nothing more than to stare at his beloved and being too shy to do so, so he settles for just enjoying the proximity and physical touch.
But, before they could go very far, the other comes to a stop.
"Actually… I have a better idea." He says, scanning their surroundings. "Especially because it seems the dead woods may have spread again… and we won't find any food or answers here." Then, turning towards Owen, he smiles. "How about I teach you how to fly?"
"…Fly?" He replies, confused.
The other nods. "Yes. Turning into a bat, I mean."
"Oh."
Despite having been told quite a bit about how vampires work during their discussions, he didn't have much time to try them or even to process things because of… everything that happened. So, now that he finally could, the thought of turning into an animal and flying seemed a bit… scary.
Louis, perceptive as always, was quick to reassure and coax him, guiding Owen through the motions, until finally.
Poof.
A startled chirp is heard, and, with a chuckle, the eldest is quick to catch the flailing brown bat on the palm of one hand, petting the small thing with the other.
"See, that wasn't so hard was it? You just need to relax, and let your instincts take over. How about trying to fly now?"
Owen does as he is told, flapping his wings experimentally, and manages to take off. That makes him let out a "Whoa!", but all that comes out of his mouth is a squeak. His confusion must be visible, or the other must be able to understand him anyways, because Louis is laughing again, much to his dismay.
Even as a bat, you would be able to tell he's pouting.
"Alright, alright, no need to be upset. You're just too cute, my treasure." In a flurry of wings, there is a red bat hovering where the eldest was standing, almost twice the size as Owen in his current state. "It doesn't surprise me that you can't talk yet in this form, and that you're so… small and cute." There's an indignant chirp, but he continues. "Our state of torpor must have made it so that, despite how long it's been, you're still a newborn fledgling, which means it will take a bit to be able to do certain things." As he speaks, Louis flies around him. "Now, come on, we should go. Your transformation won't last forever, and mine probably won't either."
And so, the two take off.
They fly towards the south, avoiding the central island that houses the castle. Even without going near it, Louis can tell something is off, but they can't afford to delay, so, that's one more thought for later.
After a bit, they land on one of the mountains close to the lake, near a tomb. He can feel a shift here, too, and being so close to it confirms what he had been suspecting: the beacons and crypts must have woken up again.
A tiny hiss reminds him of the situation at hand. Owen looks exhausted, which is normal after having his first flight, but it also means they really do need to hurry up and find some food. Thankfully, they are now in the regular woods, and there are animals around.
They find a sheep further downhill, and Louis coaches his fledgling on the proper way to hunt, carefully explaining the right place to bite, and gently guiding him through it, despite the other's discomfort.
(Internally, he's uncomfortable, too. It's not as bad when it's animals, but he doesn't think he'll ever truly get used to taking the life essence of another living being.)
Once the creature is drained, he also explains how to harvest its meat, using a crude stone knife he had picked up along with the other tools that were in the cave. He takes some of it for himself, satisfying his hunger for now.
All that matters is that Owen is fed.
Just as they finish, he can hear voices, and two pairs of footsteps nearby. They see two people, two humans, both quite tall, even compared to himself. The two strangers approach the edge of the water, still talking to each other, and then swim across the lake, to the tower that houses a beacon.
He doesn't see the scowl on Owen's face as the fledgling follows him towards the edge of the water.
The two on the other side are about to enter the structure when they notice them, turning back. Louis waves at them and thinks about crossing the water himself, but he isn't too pleased with the idea of getting his clothes wet. Thankfully, his beloved is a already few steps ahead, chopping a nearby tree in order to craft a makeshift boat, and the humans also swim back in their direction.
"Hello?" The woman is the first to speak, looking between him and Owen with cautious eyes.
Louis greets them with a smile. "Hello! We were just making a boat so we could get across."
"Oh, of course." The second of the humans says. "It is a bit-"
"You can't swim?" Her tone is casual, but he can tell there's an undertone of accusation, as if she finds it suspicious. The overall laid-back demeanor means she doesn't seem like much of a threat, though.
"We can, the water just doesn't seem particularly inviting." Owen says, returning to his side.
"Oh, I thought it was refreshing." The woman replies.
"And we also just wanted to avoid getting wet, if I'm being honest." Louis chuckles, continuing to examine the two in front of them. "So, what are you strangers doing around here?"
"We were checking out that tower over there, it looks…" He can tell the man is uneasy, stuttering his words. "It's so interesting, it, uh…"
"Mm, it does look peculiar." His beloved comments.
The four walk together to the edge of the water, engaging in some small talk. The woman mentions 'weird dungeons' and 'books', which further confirms that the tombs are, indeed, awake again. Owen reluctantly crafts another boat, placing both in the water, and climbs into one of them, with Louis following suit, while the others get into the second one.
They reach the central island and head inside.
"So, uh… What do you two want with Oakhurst?" He notices his fledgling is doing his best to act 'normal' around the humans, despite the clear distaste that he can feel through their bond.
"Oh, I've come to-" The man is interrupted by their companion once again. Owen walks ahead, hearing about her need to start a new life after losing her family, while Louis hangs back to listen to the nervous human. With an encouraging smile, he manages to get them to talk about how they're in the area to do some research for their studies.
At the top of the tower, there is, as expected, a beacon. He does his best to communicate to his beloved that he shouldn't get too close as they convene around it, discussing how strange it is and comparing it to foods like butter, which makes him have to suppress a laugh, a hand covering his mouth. Owen, however, does not suppress his mocking tone, and neither does the woman, and he can see how the other shrinks a little.
"I- I'm worried." The man says once the conversation moves on. "I've been hearing- uh, I was saying to Pearl, I've been hearing wolves howling in the trees and, I don't, like, the- the roads, and-"
"Yeah, these lands are dangerous to be in at this time of year." His beloved responds. "The… wolves are migrating eastwards, I think."
In reality, that kind of predator animal tends to give these lands a wide berth. Louis knows Owen knows it, too (as did every other villager, but he pushes that thought away), despite the fact that he hasn't told him the exact reason, so he must just be trying to scare the humans.
"Oh… I don't like the sound of that." The woman (Pearl?) says, walking towards the stairs. "And I think I'm ready to go, so can we find a new place to stay, then?" They all agree, and begin going down, when she suddenly turns around, stopping everyone on their tracks. "I didn't really ask, hold on, who are you?"
"Ah!" Louis berates himself internally for forgetting such basic courtesies. "Apologies. My name is Louis, and my companion's is Owen." He continues to talk as they begin descending again. "He used to work as a lumberjack around here, which is why we thought to come back after... an incident in the town we were living in previously left us without a place to stay."
By the time he finishes, they've reached the bottom, and, as they move outside, he points out the burn marks on his skin.
"I see… Yeah, I didn't want to ask, but ouch, those look… painful." Pearl says, wincing in sympathy.
The smile he offers in return is bittersweet. "Yes… it's a miracle Owen managed to rescue me unscathed, but… I'm glad he didn't get wounded because of me."
A pained look is shared between the two lovers that speaks volumes, both thinking about the true events that led to being here.
"Anyways, it's in the past now and we're… trying to move on." Louis says, breaking the awkward silence. "We should really get going, then. Oakhurst should be that way."
He points to the side of the lake they previously came from, the steep path that leads to town barely visible. The other two, who introduce themselves as Pyro and Pearl, also mention that it's the only path they've seen, so they cross the lake once again, and head off in that direction together.