Home
The following morning, Ennui leads them through the city, which sits nearly as still and ghostly as it had the previous night. Through the city, she urges them along a snowy path and through a copse of conifers. In the distance, the outline of the manor stands against the sky, resting atop a cliff overlooking the city. The mansion had been derelict since the fire that consumed it when she was a girl, but the building had strong bones.
After the fire, Ennui had explored the remaining wings of the manor and remembered being surprised at just how much of the structure had survived the fire. Granted, she had no idea how much of the building would still be standing after all of these years. As they break through the small copse of trees, Ennui laughs. The old iron gates still stand, their metal points like pure black spears rising to the sky, the rust which had formed across the gate reminds her of the blood spilled across the manor grounds. Behind the gate, the manor courtyard is just as she remembers it. The iron bowl in the center of the courtyard is overgrown with reeds. Ivy grows along the remaining wings of the house, while the central foyer and entrance have all burned to nothing but cinders.
Ennui puts her weight against the gates which refuse to budge in the slightest. She kicks against the chains wrapped around the gate unsuccessfully. She lets out a furious growl and rattles the metal gates. Khimi steps beside her and pushes his weight against the chained gate along with her. With a furious pop, a rusted link cracks and breaks, the chain rolls down the iron like a metallic snake. Together they both push the gates open as the remaining three walk through over the snowy path. They take a moment to admire the majesty of the once-dignified structure.
How bloody these stones were that day, she thinks as she takes the first step onto the flagstones. You shouldn’t feel bad for that… they never gave my life a second thought. Alone in her thoughts, she suddenly chuckles out loud as the rest of the group looks her over. Stopping before the iron bowl in the center of the courtyard, she looks into the scum-covered pond. Reeds grow through the top of the algae and rise nearly to her height. She remembers thinking as a girl how beautiful the strange reeds were, a plant brought to the north from the southern reaches. Anything can adapt.
“So, what’s the plan?” Augustus asks, poking his fingers into the top of the algae. “This place definitely looks haunted. How did you even know it was up here?”
“Just a hunch,” Ennui replies, looking at her reflection through the rippling water. Her pale form smiles back at her as she continues, “Since the city is full of ungrateful little shits, we can stay here. The wings of the manor should be in good shape. There are a few dozen rooms on each side… hearths… and enough broken furniture to last a while for burning.”
Lumi rubs his eyes, the drowsiness from the early morning still on his face. “What about beds… and bedding?”
Ennui waves a hand dismissively at Lumi as she walks past him, “Well assuming things are still as they are… I am sure there is something to sleep on.”
Lumi takes hold of Khimi’s arm and begins to drag him to the dilapidated building. “We’ll find our room,” he announces merrily as he slides over the icy stones.
Mido rushes behind them with Augustus quick on his heels. “I hope this place is as nice as you made it out to be,” he calls back to Ennui, his short tail wagging against the fabric of his tunic.
Ennui crosses her arms and steps cautiously over the stones, remembering each and every violent moment that transpired. “It’s absolutely peachy,” she cackles.
The central building had largely been burned down to nothing, only the southeast corner of the building still remained other than the wings on either side. The only thing that had managed to spare the side buildings from burning was the external hallways that connected the buildings. Lumi and Khimi pause and admire the burnt-out structure.
“This place was huge…” Lumi says, looking up at the remaining corner of the building. “I mean not as big as your place,” he adds with a quick look at Khimi.
“Of course not,” Khimi snorts confidently as he hangs an arm around Lumi’s shoulder. “Our place isn’t burned down.”
Mido and Augustus ease past them and Lumi shouts at them as he surges towards the wing of the house. Ennui smiles as she looks up at the remaining ruins and follows behind. The veranda running to the wing of the house still stands, the slate shingles litter the ground around the veranda. Khimi tugs open the glass-paned double doors, revealing a small foyer with a spiral staircase. The appearance of the wood inside seems to be in decent condition, a small area around the doorway has been taken by rot, but the remainder is still coated in beeswax.
Door after door, the others shoulder through the rooms until they find rooms suitable for their needs. Lumi and Khimi had settled in a room with a wide bed situated beneath a rectangular window which had a view over the city. A random assortment of furniture in the room had been destroyed by trespassers at some point and ransacked. The landscape paintings Ennui had recalled were taken much to her chagrin. Across the hall and down the way, the other three had chosen to share a room, wanting to keep their numbers together. Four beds had been drawn to the corners and empty trunks rest at the foot of each of the beds. The blankets and sheets over each of the beds are moth-eaten and dusty but have been mostly preserved in the ancient tomb. An oval tub sits just beneath the window with the velvety red curtains drawn shut.
“Is it… necessary?” Mido asks suddenly in the privacy of their room. “I mean… we can all just sleep in one room and we can save on fuel for the fire.”
Ennui drops on the bed with an audible squeak. “You don’t really want to share a room with them if it can be helped… or even an inn.”
Augustus smiles as he climbs into the empty wooden tub. “Let them have their fun. Khimi looks a bit pent up anyway,” he says with a groan as he tilts his head back over the side.
Ennui laughs and points at Augustus, “See… he’s got brains,” she says with a wag of her finger.
Mido releases an audible hmm, his back leaning against the doorframe. “I don’t know. I-it just feels silly to split up at a time like this.”
“You’re aware that he is the Saint of Flames? Chosen by the gods?” Ennui asks as she sits up, “They’ll be fine. I am sure it was the gods that made sure he survived our shipwreck too.”
Augustus chuckles, kicking his feet up to the top of the wooden tub. “I’m sure they were plenty capable on their own. More capable than myself apparently. Somehow Mido managed to swim ashore.”
“Lucky pup,” Ennui whispers and leans back onto the bed. “I admit I don’t really remember when I finally couldn’t stay above the waves… but at some point, I felt I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore.”
“Eh, we were just lucky we somehow got pulled towards an island closer by. I-I didn’t even see it… I just felt it,” Mido says as he slides down the doorframe and onto the ground. “What’re we going to do for food? No one in the town would even acknowledge us. I don’t see how Lumi is supposed to help these people.”
Augustus sits up and hangs his head over the side of the tub. “I planned to check out the city later with Khimi. We were talking about it on the way up here… Mido is going to stay and try to teach Lumi how to read mor–”
“I don’t think it’s wise to split up… but if you’re set on it, then make sure you take your dagger. I don’t think I should leave Lumi or Mido to themselves. I doubt they’d survive without Khimi or myself.”
“So much for the vote of confidence,” Augustus sighs and dips back below the side of the tub. “That’s cruel, Ennui.”
“I’m being realis–”
“We never had any grand adventures before like you have!” Mido snarls from the doorway. “We’re basically novices from the temple… we shouldn’t even be here!”
Ennui chuckles and slaps the dusty sheets beside her. A plume of dust rises into the air as the midday sun pierces through the thick velvety curtains. “Tell me how you really feel, Mido. I’m curious.”
Mido’s lips twitch in anger and he tucks his knees up to his chest. “We should be back in the Desert Cities…” He begins softly. “We shouldn’t have come to Hermon’s Well. I told Augustus when we were at the lighthouse… before the ferry came that we could go to Vicchi and pass through the capital on our way. This journey isn’t for us. WE don’t have the experience and whatever it is that you are all getting yourselves wrapped up in is far beyond our own means.”
“But I convinced Mido that we should at least find you guys to know that you’re all safe…” Augustus says, his voice trailing off. “But I just don’t think we have it in us to tell Khimi or Lumi.”
“Wow,” Ennui chuckles, sitting up with a suddenness. “That was bleak…”
“What?” Mido snaps, forcing himself to his feet. “What would you have done in our situation?! And we’re not even getting anything out of this! You’re getting bloody paid for your work, aren’t you!?”
Ennui shrugs and purses her lips, “True enough. But I am not a follower of the Faith. Nor was I assigned to guard duty by one of the chosen. I mean… hells, imagine what the saint is going to think when you return to the Desert Cities with your tails between your legs like the Lorian girls you are?”
“Don’t mock us!” Augustus snaps from the tub. “You don’t know how hard this has been for us! All of it! I turned my back on my birthright for Mido’s dreams!”
Ennui clicks her tongue, “Tsk, and whose fault is that?” She asks with a cruel smile. “You chose to walk this far… and you’ve come this far. Do you even think you two worms could make it back to Loria by yourselves? The only reason you’re still alive, Egg. Is because I kept you alive when that priest appeared.”
“Enough!” Mido shouts as he slams the door and lowers his voice to a whisper, “Nothing would have happened had you not brought us outside of the estate in the first place!”
“And you think he wasn’t waiting around for the first chance he could anyway? Come, tell me a better solution to that problem than him dead at your feet!”
Augustus looks between the two in shock, “W-what are you both droning on about? Dead priest?”
“Nothing!” Mido snaps as Ennui holds a hand up to Augustus. He turns back to Ennui, “You’re talking rubbish!” His voice falters. “It’s just like I said… Augustus and I have no right to be in the middle of whatever this is… his gods are not my gods. T-this isn’t our place. I just want to help people…”
Ennui palms her cheek and closes her eyes as Mido’s eyes begin to well with tears. “Calm down,” she insists quietly.
“Look what you’ve done,” Augustus snaps as he leaps from the tub. “All Mido ever does is care about others… how can you be so cold?”
Ennui’s face screws up. They’re both so weak… dead weight. She clenches her jaw and stares Mido down. “I won’t stop you if you want to leave, I’ll even lie for the two of you and say that I forced you to leave… they will be none the wiser because the truth is you will both die before you reach Vicchi. Your chosen asked you to grow stronger and if you want to turn your back on her… then do it. Do it, but do it for yourself. Do it because you know you’re too weak and loathsome to stand beside your friends.”
“You’re not our friend,” Augustus says through grit teeth as he stands beside Mido.
“What happened to you?” Mido questions, peering at her through soft eyes. “What made you like this?”
“Life,” Ennui snaps back. “Reality. You want to help people? You want to make a difference? There is a reason Nina sent you with Lumi…”
Mido pulls his hair in frustration, “Why? Since you’re so insightful… tell us why Nina sent us to watch after Lumi.”
“Because Lumi can make a difference,” Ennui says quietly, “I’ve never believed in anyone other than Khimi… until I met Lumi.”
Augustus laughs and glares at Ennui, “Khimi would have been better chosen than Lumi.”
Ennui can not believe the words that leave her lips, “Lumi is more suited to be chosen… his naivety will allow the gods to control him, and his kindness will allow the populace to cling onto him. He has the support of the Temple of Life and the love of one of the most powerful men in the Desert Cities.”
Mido stands before her as if he is seeing Ennui for the first time, “I believe he also has the support of the Sepulchre of Rites… their head priestess spoke to him at Rashid’s funeral.”
“I’m not sure who all support him,” Ennui confesses with a shrug. “But I find that people are drawn to him… even myself.”
Augustus places a hand on Mido’s shoulder, “Even you were drawn to him,” he whispers to Mido while keeping his eyes on Ennui.
Mido turns away from Ennui, “I don’t feel that way anymore… I haven’t since he stayed in Cecilia’s. I realized how unreasonable and childish he is. All he could do is make excuses for Khimi’s behavi–”
“Don’t,” Ennui interrupts as she narrows her eyes. “Don’t disrespect Khimi. The things he has had to do and live through… you could never imagine. So don’t pretend to know him enough to cast judgment on him.”
“He cheated on Lumi,” Mido mumbles with a look of disbelief. “We were there when he said it!”
“So was I,” Ennui admits. “But you will never understand the stress and complexity of Khimi’s life. So while I can understand your feelings… he deserves leniency. Besides, the woman all but threw herself onto him… he was in a poor state.”
Augustus nods his head, “I can understand completely,” he says quietly as Mido gives him a cold look. “I mean it! A bit too much to drink and suddenly you’re on a bed with a maiden on top of you.”
Mido scowls at Augustus, “You’ve never bedded a maiden since I’ve known you, don’t lie.”
Ennui looks at the two and sighs, “So tell me what you’re both planning to do… because there are decisions that need to be made. And soon.”
“Do you really think we don’t have a chance to make it to Vicchi?” Mido asks quietly. “It was only a few days south of the crossroads.”
Augustus pushes Mido to the side and laughs, “We’ll stay… even if we die. It’ll be better if we die doing what the saintess asked, right Mido?”
Mido looks at Augustus out of the corner of his eye and sighs, “Right,” he says with a sigh before he smiles. “I… didn’t expect you to get so heated,” he confesses to Ennui. “You must have strong feelings about this then.”
Ennui turns from them and looks back to the empty hearth between the beds. “My feelings are limited to coin,” she says quietly. “I meant it when I said I would lie for you if you wanted to leave…”
Augustus approaches Ennui from behind and places his hand on her shoulders. “It was just a fleeting thought,” he whispers as he attempts to gently massage her shoulders before Ennui grabs his hands and pinches tight.
“Then push that thought forever out of your mind… because if push comes to shove and you turn tail on us. Northern vampires will be the last thing you have to worry about,” Ennui says coldly, forcing Augustus’ hands away.
Mido laughs at Augustus’ exchange and releases a heavy breath, “We’re basically holding you all back… we’ve never had any training. We’ve only been out on small assignments.”
“I can help you grow stronger if you’re willing… but only if you’re willing to put all your efforts into it,” Ennui says, tapping her foot on the ground.
“Of course,” Augustus says excitedly with a spark of eagerness in his eyes.
Mido’s eyes grow wide at Ennui’s words, “Truly? You would train us?” He asks, his pointed ears shaking as his tail wags beneath the tunic.
Ennui purses her lips and presses her fingers to the tip of her horns. “I’ll do what I can… but you’re both years behind in proper martial training. Surely you could both swing those swords you had?”
“Well enough,” Augustus replies, raising his brow curiously.
Ennui’s tail whips behind her. “I’ll see if I can find any weapons… see to getting the fire started. If you can even do that,” she mutters with a smile.
As Ennui pushes the door open, Mido follows behind her. “T-thank you…” He whispers, his voice shaking nervously.
“Don’t thank me yet, I’m going to beat you both once we get started,” Ennui responds, her tail slapping against the wooden floor.
Mido stammers his thanks as Ennui closes the door behind her. The lengthy hallway hosts several empty frames, the canvas paintings had been cut free, leaving the gilded frames behind. An art thief… or just some jackass. She pauses in the middle of the hallway and admires the floral-patterned rug which runs along the length of the hallway. Outside of the Desert Cities, weaving of this kind is uncommon. The expertise and craftsmanship remind her of the Rhazian weaves she had grown accustomed to. Before the stairs she pauses outside of Lumi and Khimi’s room, she brings her ear closer to the door, listening for any source of noise. Asleep already? Gently she pushes the wooden door open, peering inside. Atop the ancient sheets and blankets, Lumi sleeps on top of Khimi, his cheek pushing against his eyelid as Khimi’s snores cut through the silence. Much to her surprise, the two are still clothed, Lumi’s boots are unlaced but still clinging to his feet. Sleep tight…
Sanctuary
As Ennui makes her way along the central building, she pulls her cloak tightly around her shoulders to ward off the chilly air. The remnants of the fire still linger here, a constant reminder of the destruction and loss. Yet, she had spent a short time here after the flames had died down, searching for any supplies that could aid her on her journey. The manor was once filled with secrets and treasures, but they were all lost in the blaze.
Underneath the old stairwell, a large section of brick catches Ennui’s eye. Ignoring the chill of the soil and grass beneath her fingertips, she pushes against the knotted roots until she reveals a dark wooden door. It is made of Dolman Elderwood, a rare and sought-after material known for its resistance to burning and dense quality.
The surrounding grass spreads like a thick green carpet, which Ennui carefully flips to the side while she works over the soil.
Finally, after much effort, she discovers the rusted loops that serve as handles for the door. Despite her best efforts, it refuses to budge. Frustrated, she lets out a string of curses before grabbing her dagger. With practiced precision, she clears away debris from the hinges and gives one more determined tug on the loops – only to find that they are rusted shut. “Fucking hells,” she growls in frustration, not ready to give up just yet.
Frustrated, she raises her hands to shield her eyes and lets out a groan of annoyance. With careful steps, she makes her way to the center of the basement doors, testing their strength with her weight. Bouncing up and down, she can feel the doors barely budge under her. Determined to test it further, she jumps with more force. A faint creaking echoes through the air, similar to that of a loose wooden plank. Ignoring the warning signs, she continues to jump, her boots hitting the wood with an audible thud at the apex of each leap. Suddenly, there is a loud crash as the rusted hinge gives way under her weight. Her nails claw at the sliding door as she tumbles into the dark basement. The door catches on the narrow stairwell, sending her careening forward over dusty stone bricks with a cloud of debris billowing around her.
Ennui’s eyes adjust to the darkness as she catches herself over the brick stairs, and grabs hold of a metal railing along the edge of the stairs. Balancing herself, she stands and looks up at the entrance, wondering just how dank and disgusting the cellar would be after all of these years with potential exposure to rain and the elements. Step by step, she descends into the dark of the cellar. The ceiling forms before her, a curved arch made of bricks in a large and open room. Casks of distilled spirits move along the length of the hall, likely built to be hosted in this particular cellar. Lucky the fire didn’t reach here, she thinks as she begins to wander along the rows of smaller casks.
Bottles, their tops neatly corked and wrapped with cloth, sit in endless rows among the wall. A broken glass here and there reveals the contents of the bottles. Wine, more wine than Ennui had seen in her lifetime. I could sell this… be rich. She sighs to herself, then I would have to explain its origins… and where it came from. The vintage. How I got it. Never mind, she thinks with an audible groan as she shoves the dagger into one of the smaller wooden casks. Pulling the blade back, a small trickle of the amber-colored beverage drips over the light colored wood and onto the dusty stones below.
Running her finger through the liquid, she tests the taste against the tip of her tongue. Sharp, bitter, and smoky. The flavors are not unlike those she had tasted at many of the finer establishments through the Desert Cities and beyond.
“At least you had taste, father,” she chuckles to herself as she continues her tour through the cellar.
Through a stone arch in the darkness, Ennui finds herself standing in a drawing room of sorts. Similar in style to those in Lorian households. A hearth along the wall had partially collapsed in on itself, and there is fungi and lichen growing in abundance along the stones around it. The faint sound of dripping reveals the opening to the surface through the broken hearth. She peers up through the opening, small ferns and lichen cling to the stones along the path to the surface. Opposite the hearth are two chairs embroidered with a similar floral pattern as the rug in the other portion of the manor. Bronze rivets hold the carefully woven fabric in place, speaking of the fine craftsmanship and detail that had gone into this masterpiece.
On the stone wall behind the fabric, chairs are exactly what Ennui seeks, her eyes light up at the crossed blades on the wall. Though they are thinner than her usual weapon of choice, the pointed rapiers are well-suited to her needs. Ennui approaches the chair and kicks it against the wall, stepping onto the dusty fabric as she rips the two blades from the wall. Holding them over her shoulders, she pushes her weight against the back of the chair and causes it to fall across the stone with a crack.
Following the path of the cellar, she walks back through the central area and beneath another stony arch. The room hosts a number of small chairs and a central table, obviously made for the purpose of entertaining. A metallic glimmer along the wall catches her eye, and Ennui steps back to take a better look at the framed painting. Any joy and excitement she had felt from her find fades. She drops the rapiers onto the stone and looks up at the portrait of what should have been her family. Her mother and father are just as noble in the portrait as she had always imagined. The few living images of them in her mind are marked with their final moments of terror. Sigmund, the name that had been given to Ennui years later. Her brother, the boy that she killed. In the portrait, he appears so noble and brave, with a confident grin on his face.
Ennui’s fingers tense on the handle of the rapier in her hand and without thought, she hurls the saber at the painting. The point rips along the canvas and clatters against the floor. Ennui’s breathing becomes labored and anxious as she knocks over the chairs and tables about the room. You did this. She growls audibly as her boot smashes through one of the chairs. You made me like this. The second rapier falls to the ground as she takes one of the chairs and tosses it at the family portrait. Her mother and brother’s light hair contrasts sharply to her own dark black locks, their gentle and fair features are unlike her own. Yet she and her father bear such similarities that had it not been for her devilish features, they would be immediately recognized as kin.
Ennui’s boot taps on the stone tiles and with a sudden determination she moves opposite the table and pushes it across the length of the room. Laughing at herself in a nearly delirious state, she pulls the dagger from the side of her boot and begins to cut along the length of the frame. There had been many times Ennui had been tasked with stealing antiques and rare paintings, but where she usually exercises the utmost care, here she allows the dagger to rip violently through the canvas, tearing at the image. As the canvas folds over with her cuts, she does not stop, instead ripping the dagger back along the edges until the portrait falls onto the table.
She hurriedly curls the painting into a scroll and tucks it beneath her arm before she grabs hold of the two rapiers. Back before the stairs, she shoves the portrait between the railing of the stairs and takes the final remaining hallway straight through the center of the cellar. More bottles, more casks, more spirits. Ennui grumbles to herself as she reaches the end of the hall, which opens up to a large, rounded room. Laughter leaves her lips, unwanted. A shrine? The room has a domed ceiling and hosts a circular engraving on the ground displaying the symbols of the Faith. I suppose it makes sense… you need to be drunk to deal with the gods. Along the walls are carved niches which host various statues of the nameless gods. Typical of the shrines throughout Talmus, the gods are always depicted as staggeringly beautiful but with uncharacteristic features. At times, artisans would depict them as all females, and others as all male. The one thing that has always been important to the Faith is that there are always five; five statues, five gods for each order.
As she walks about the room, she holds both rapiers in one hand and feels along the walls and objects. Ornate ewers, golden chalices, and silver candelabras. Well… if we can find someone to buy this, we can make it through the north without worrying about coin. She wonders if she should take Lumi to the shrine before she thinks better of the idea and turns back to the entrance. She grabs the portrait and hurries back up the stairs, stepping through the cellar entrance as the midday sun kisses her pale skin. The gray skies are scattered along the skies, allowing the sun to shine in rays over Cochon.
Ennui looks across the courtyard and notices Mido and Augustus along the edge of the iron fence. Augustus turns and looks at her, trying his best to wave at her with both arms carrying bundled wood. Mido stops and shouts a greeting, and Ennui raises a hand gingerly in response. Still haven’t made a fire yet, have they? She thinks, glancing up at the standing building. To her surprise, a thin trail of white smoke rises from the chimney. Looks like they can do something.
Back in their bedroom, Ennui closes the door behind her and forces a chair beneath the knob. Before the hearth, she unfurls the portrait one final time, glancing at her would-be family. The tiny fire the others had managed to make without Lumi or Khimi is tiny, clinging to life by the bits of kindling which still hold the flame. Someone had brought in leaves and small sticks, which hardly helped keep the flame. A laugh comes from Ennui’s parted lips as she places the tip of the canvas in the flames, watching as the fires consume her, the stuffy portrait. She shoves the full canvas into the hearth, the fire bursts through, eating away at her father and mother before finally devouring her younger brother.
Despite hating her family, Ennui had spent time researching them. Her mother had been born in the north and married her father in Loria. Her mother was the daughter of the dying Kraus family, a lineage that crossed the frozen strait from Breva generations before. Their noble bloodlines were destined for greatness, this is until she was born. With the death of Sigmund, the noble Livius line had ended. And as the painting burns, she wonders once more. What would you have called me? She knows she will never receive the answer to the question. A series of names scroll through her head. Minerva? Livia? Luna? Cybele? She laughs to herself as the final folds of the canvas are consumed. Livia Livius… what a name.
Ennui sets the rapiers beside the hearth and stands, warming her hands by the fire before she rests on the ratty, moth-eaten sheets. A short while later, Mido and Augustus burst through the door with their arms full of firewood. The little bits of wood that had been in the hearth all but faded some time ago, any remnants of the painting had burned away.
“Don’t mean to disturb your slumber, but we got the wood,” Augustus beams, holding the door open with his foot.
Ennui snorts and leaps from the bed. “Great timing, I was starting to grow bored.”
“W-what are we doing?” Mido asks, tilting his head quizzically.
Ennui squats and grabs the rapiers from the edge of the hearth. “Training.”