Mystic Elf 2.4 Vampires

The Mystical Half-Elf (Chapter 2, part 4) Vampires

Character images:

Summer B'Rhynn - The young Half-Elf rogue. Her image is "Half-Elven Rogue" by Valedhaven. This is the image that launched the story.

Summer's horse: "Katrina" by Wren Stormbringer

Dowrbre's unicorn: "Frolic" by Wren Stormbringer


The story: Dowrbre and Summer enter the spider queen lair

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"Time to go Summer."

Summer awakened to the sensation of Dowrbre shaking her in her tent. As she opens her eyes she feels the dampness of the early morning darkness. Forcing herself out into the chill air she quickly readies herself before joining Dowrbre by the small morning fire who hands her some warm tea.

"Why so early?" Summer asks.

"Spiders are sluggish in the early morning chill and we will need every advantage today." They hurriedly readied themselves, broke camp, saddled their horses and moved into the darkness. They moved single file down narrow forest paths that left Summer wondering if Dowbre really knew where he was going. Suddenly he stopped.

"We walk from here. But before we go I need to show you what your parent's amulet is for."

Summer retrieves it from her saddlebag and hands it over to Dowrbre who touches it to the head of Summer's horse, Katrina. "Here put your hand over mine and join me in repeating the ancient chant described by these runes on the amulet once you memorize the pattern. In a melodic voice he begins to chant. As Summer joins in the central blue crystal begins to glow. Then suddenly Dowrbre stops.

"This amulet of yours stores magic energy that allows its owner to draw upon its reserves to cast more powerful spells then would be possible using only the energy from our own bodies. I have not told you this before but our horses are magical beings just like us that continually generate magical power. When properly bonded you will be able to draw directly on their power. The ownership and thus use of these amulets can only be transferred if it is given to another so don't give it to anyone."

Summer placed the amulet around her neck and noticed that Dowrbre had a similar amulet around his.

"Come follow me," said Dowrbre. With that they silently entered the dark woods, all senses alert. As they came to a small clearing Dowrbre stopped by a spider web. Summer then knelt down to examine it. "Why do you think spiders are so successful, Summer?" asked Dowrbre.

"They set their traps and let the victims come to them. That way they have all the advantages," replied Summer. "Standard rogue operating procedure," she smiled.

"Yes", answered Dowrbre smiling back, "and we are the victims walking into their web but we have no choice if we are to find the answers we need. Can you feel the spider's minds at all Summer?"

Summer closed her eyes and reached out towards the spider with her mind. "No, not a thing."

"Well, it was worth a try but mental magic seems to be a skill only found among vampires and a few others like the spider queen"

Summers eyes widen with interest as she looks at Dowrbre.

"Yes, mental magic is how she controls her spider minions. You remember our plan. Her cave is just ahead."

As they come close to the entrance they cast area chill spells to immobilize any spiders nearby without causing any alarm to be raised. With this tactic they quickly proceeded deep into the spider queen's lair until they come to a dimly light chamber full of spider eggs and the spider queen herself at the far end.

"Hello Baumgartini", says Dowrbre to the spider queen as he steps out into the open after having chilled all the other nearby spiders. "I suspect you know why we have come?"

"I see you have brought a friend on this visit" replies the queen in a deep yet feminine voice. "That is good because this whole adventure was not my idea".

The last thing Dowbre remembered before he blacked out was a warning scream from Summer.

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Summer awoke in a haze of semi-consciousness. As she struggled mentally to fully awaken she came to the awful realization that something blocking her emergence into full wakefulness. She couldn't focus, couldn't concentrate, and thus couldn't access her powers. Through her mental haze she slowly became aware that she was sitting in a chair before a dark hooded human-like figure with piercing yellow eyes looking at her. Her hands were bound to her sides and a feeling of coldness made her realize she was fully naked and exposed to his stare. Through the torch lite darkness she soon made out the bare back of Dowrbre tied to a rack. A loud crack of a whip and a flinch from Drowbre caused her to impulsively yell out an anguished "No!"

The hooded figure in front of her spoke in soothing tones, "Dear Summer, I see you have awakened. I am here to teach you a way of inner peace."

Summer's mind reeled in confusion.

"Submission Summer, submit to me and you will find peace and your friend will go free."

"Crack" went the whip.

"You find it hard now but you will come to need submission, to crave it, and only I can give it to you."

"Crack"

Her mind tried to come up with an answer but she only felt confusion from wild colliding passions. "Kneel and bow to me Summer"

"Crack"

Suddenly the need to help Dowbre washed over her like a tidal wave blocking out all other feelings. She slid onto her knees in front of the stranger.

"No!"

She saw the yellow-eyed stranger fall flat on the ground in front of her. She felt her mind suddenly clear as the bindings tying her hands were cut away. Looking around she gasped as a pair of red eyes stared into her's, eyes that she had seen once before when he took the love potion away from her. He pulled her up and handed her a bundle which she quickly discovered was her clothing.

"Put these on but hurry!" he commanded.

She really didn't need any prompting but she blushed as she realized he was watching her.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dowrbre being helped down a corridor by another person clothed similarly as her red eyed benefactor. As she finished she saw a horde of spiders and Yellow Eyes coming straight at them.

"Run" exclaimed her rescuer

They ran towards and then through the nearest tunnel. "Collapse the tunnel" he shouted. Frantically reaching for her amulet once again safely around her neck and holding it in her left hand she stopped, and imagined the desired event happening. She heard the boom as the rock ceiling was rent asunder above her and then the sound of it all giving way. A strong pull on her arm sent her sprawling on top of her rescuer as a large piece of rock landed where she was standing. She found herself looking into those reddish eyes which, to her surprise, looked right back into hers. She became aware of how close her lips were to his....

Suddenly she saw his eyes widen in fear as he pushed her off him. "Dowrbre is just ahead,"he said, and then he just disappeared into thin air.

Summer looked around, disbelieving, but soon spotted Dowrbre ahead waving to her. She ran over to him and gave him a big hug. She felt him wince. "Oh, I'm sorry, you are still hurt! Let me heal you. Dowrbre sat down on the floor as Summer moved to examine his back. It was bloody with several long skin cuts. An inner rage boiled up inside of Summer. "How could they do this to you! I hate them so much!"

Dowrbre smiles, "I have been through worse. "But then more seriously he continues, "Don't hate Summer, hate clouds your mind and kills your spirit faster then anything. Simply seek to understand the emotions and motivations behind peoples actions, only then can your spirit be set free. You don't need to accept what was done, simply understand. This is what the often misunderstood word of forgiveness really means."

"But then why?" she asked.

Dowrbre replied, "Apparently the yellow eyed vampires want to control you and use your powers for their own plans, whatever those might be. The spiders seem to be their allies but both seem to be opposed by the red eyed vampires."

"Did you see how the one with me just disappeared?," replied Summer.

"Disappeared? I did not see that. He just ran away from you."

Summer was speechless.

Dowrbre laughs, "Vampires, being mental magic users, can affect your perceptions. He probably cast a spell on you to block his image from your mind. That kind of power is what makes vampires so dangerous when they can touch you."

"But he wasn't touching me when he disappeared." Summer replied. "You are all fixed."

"Mmm, he must be a rare powerful vampire. Let's get out of here before we are discovered."