Chapter 189: A Chat With A Deity

Nokti had many titles; deadly vampiress, mage prodigy, right-hand of the chieftain, commanding general of the Cairn’s armies, and more. These were the names she had attained through her own abilities.

Nokti never felt uncomfortable with the titles, because she knew she had worked hard for them. She was proud of her titles, they carried a certain weight to them, a reassurance of how far she had come, of what she was capable of.

Yet none of that mattered when a small blue freak had defied reality. His claws and fangs had somehow crushed through her yellow durability scales as if it were dry grass. All she felt was confusion, pain, and above all terror, as she laid there, blood spewing out of her torn neck. The world grew dark.

Nokti’s last thoughts were not of the Cairn she had sworn to fight for, nor of her parents she had sworn to avenge, it wasn’t even of her beloved chieftain she had sworn to protect. The only thought swarming her mind was, “Am I really going to die?”

Everyone feared death, Nokti was no exception, but she was a warrior, she had come to grips with the possibility of her own death long ago. It wasn’t death itself that terrified her, it was the feeling of unfulfillment. Had she made the right choice? Should she have dedicated her life to the Cairn, even if she disagreed with this war? She wasn’t sure and the thought of that uncertainty soured her last breaths.

The world quieted around her. Her body felt numb and her vision blurred. Nokti felt afraid and so very alone. She didn’t want to die, not like this. Her mind cried out to the gods, Bellum, Caligo, Stjerne, and Lunae. She begged them to save her, to give her one last chance; she would do anything if they gave her just one more chance. She pleaded to Bellum, the goddess of war and patron deity of vampires, to spare her life.

Nokti’s mind went dark, she knew no more.

~~~

Nokti opened her eyes, she found herself in a warm cot, in her own tent no less. Vaughn, the arch-mage hybrid, stood over her. A soft white glow emanated from his hands and seeped into her body.

Healing magic? Nokti thought numbly.

Did that mean she was alive? Had she made it?

She looked down, her upper body was naked, save for the bloodied bandages wrapped tightly around her.

She tried to sit up and grimaced, pain shot through her entire body.

“I wouldn’t move just yet if I were you. Your wounds are still quite serious,” Vaughn said without emotion.

As soon as he said the words, Nokti felt them, the injuries. Her chest and stomach burned as if someone was roasting her on a spit over a fire. Her neck felt constricted like a million tiny spiderlings were scratching at her throat.

With slow, cautious movements, she brushed her fingers across her throat. She could feel the bandages wrapped around her neck from where the blue monster had bit her.

Nokti took a slow, deep breath, it stung, but she was alive. She glanced at the bracelet hanging from her wrist, four small talismans dangled from the stone beads. The star, crescent, eye, and sword, the symbols of the four ebon gods. They had listened to her prayers. Bellum had saved her.

Nokti gripped the bracelet in her hand and smiled with relief, a tear slipped down her cheek. She wasn’t alone, the gods had spared her life, they did care.

The tent flap pulled open. A man she had never expected to see in her own tent, walked in. The insufferable Crow sauntered over and looked down at her immobile body. Nokti couldn’t see his eyes, let alone his face behind that mask, but she knew deep down that he was smirking. What she would give to smack that mask off him right then and there.

“What’s Nokti’s condition?” Crow asked.

Vaughn proceeded to explain her injuries. Nokti grew angry when Crow mentioned she had survived through luck. It wasn’t luck, it was the will of the gods. But her anger quickly turned into panic when she heard Vaughn admit that he probably wouldn’t be able to save her.

Crow ordered Vaughn to leave and much to Nokti’s surprise, the arch-mage listened. Suddenly, she found herself in the tent alone with the person she least wanted in her tent.

Crow sat down in the chair in front of her. He crossed his legs, rested his elbow on his knee, and his chin on his palm.

“Hello, Nokti.”

She stayed quiet and stared at him suspiciously. Why was he here? To gloat?

“Why all the staring?” Crow chuckled. “Oh, it must be my cloak. Without all the feathers it looks quite different, doesn’t it? Although, I suppose the scales have their own flair, no?”

Now that he mentioned it, she did notice his cloak was different. Gone were the black feathers, in its place were shiny onyx scales. It looked very expensive. She briefly wondered how he got it.

He probably stole it, she guessed.

Crow lifted the edge of the cloak, “A bit too flashy for my taste. I’ll have to get new feathers knitted over the scales again.”

Nokti glared at him. Why was this idiot trying to waste her time?

“Come on, say something. You know I’m a good listener. Besides, I can be quite persuasive when I want to be,” he tapped his head.

“...What do you want, Crow?” She whispered in a raspy voice.

“Hmm, it seems Vaughn was unable to heal your throat fully. Although I guess you should count yourself lucky you can speak at all. Even with the bandages, your injuries look pretty bad. And to think it was a simple student who did this to you. Tsk, tsk, you should have never let your guard down like that, big mistake on your part.”

Nokti bared her fangs, “I don’t have time for your antics. So kindly fuck off.”

Crow pointed a gloved finger at her clenched hand, “I see you're still carrying around those talismans. Even after almost dying so horribly, you still believe in your precious gods, huh?”

She frowned, “Why do you think I’m still alive? When I was dying, I cried out to the gods to save me, and they did. My faith is stronger than ever.”

“That sounds more like sheer luck, not divine providence.”

She rolled her eyes, “Right, because I should listen to the words of an atheist and ignore divine intervention.”

“Right, because we all should be fervent servants of the gods like you, is that it?” Crow chuckled.

“You think you insult me? Unlike you, who hides behind a mask, I am not ashamed of who I am. I am proud to be a servant of the gods.”

“Hm, doesn’t it get boring? The whole ‘praise the ebon gods’ act? I honestly don’t know how you do it.”

“Pretty easy when it's not an act, you should try it sometime.”

“Pass.”

Nokti smiled, “I’d say I miss your atheistic views, but I don’t. You’re an ass, Crow.”

“Well, forgive me for wanting to choose my own destiny, instead of believing in some unseen god to do it for me,” he shrugged.

She shook her head, “You really have no faith in that miserable little heart of yours.”

“I believe in myself, does that count?”

“There is no true strength behind only believing in ourselves, we are all simple mortals. Even Vaughn, an arch-mage, as powerful as he may be, cannot heal me. If I live through this day it will be because the gods willed it.”

Crow glanced up, “Well, I suppose if there was any day to pray to the gods for help it would be today, The Festival of the Gods. Perhaps Marek could pray with you if he wasn’t so busy conducting the summer solstice rituals. The price of being chieftain I suppose.”

Nokti held the sword talisman between her fingers, “Marek can’t help me in this. Only Bellum’s grace will save me.”

Crow’s shoulders shook as he tried not to laugh, “Bellum? Do you think she will help you? If the goddess really exists I doubt she even knows your name and if she did, saving you would probably be the last thing on her mind.”

Nokti scowled, “You really are a presumptuous ass. What would an atheist know of the gods?”

Crow pointed a finger at himself, “Me? Nothing, not a single thing. But I know people and if Bellum was a person, instead of just some religious figment… Well, I really don’t think Bellum would care about one small, tiny vampiress in the middle of Dusk Valley, who, by the way, has really not accomplished anything of importance or significance. Do you believe the goddess of war herself would care if you lived? Hah, and you called me presumptuous.”

“...Why are you here?” Nokti asked bitterly.

Crow tilted his head to the side, “Isn’t it obvious? I’m terribly bored.”

Nokti wrinkled her nose. She recalled the story of the sirens he told her the week prior. There was a particular phrase he had used, a warning.

“...A bored sadistic predator is the most dangerous of all,” she recited.

Crow clapped his hands leisurely, “So you do remember our little late-night chat.”

Nokti smirked, “Are you serious? I’m not afraid of you. You’re an ass, maybe a sadistic one, but you’re no scary predator.”

Crow yawned, “Scary predator, hm? I have been called much worse, some have even called me a monster.”

Nokti glanced around the empty tent warily, she wondered when Vaughn was coming back. “You’re too weak to face me on regular terms, so you waited until I was bed-ridden to come face me? Have you forgotten the rules, idiot? Just like how I’m not allowed to hurt you, Marek won’t allow you to lay a finger on me.”

“Oh, Nokti, why would I want to hurt you?”

She narrowed her eyes, “What do you want exactly?”

“You asked me the same question last time. When you stopped by my tent, remember? I gave you my answer then and it still hasn’t changed.” Crow leaned towards her, “I want you, Nokti. I want your loyalty, your devotion, your body, your mind, your love, your soul, I want every single part of you, and I want it all for myself.”

Nokti’s brown cheeks turned a shade of bright red, anger practically oozing off her. “I’ll fucking kill you, you pig!”

She gritted her teeth and tried sitting up. Pain rang through her body, but she didn’t care. She was going to rip this man’s mask off and beat him to death with it, damned be the consequences.

Crow sat back and laughed, “That insatiable anger truly is your greatest quality, I really do love that most about you.”

“You cocky bastard, who do you think you are?” Nokti sneered.

Crow snapped his fingers, “Excellent question, but I already know exactly what I am. The question you should be asking, the only question that truly matters right now is, do you know who you are?”

“I’m done with your stupid questions and your stupid games!”

Crow raised his index finger, “Many things in life are a game, it’s just that you’re not always the player. And the question still stands.”

He pointed his finger at her, “Who are you, Nokti? Are you a brave Cairn warrior, fighting for her people? Or are you in it for the one and only Nokti? Are you hoping you can prove yourself worthy to the gods, maybe have Bellum shower her grace upon you? Or maybe you are just a coward, a vampire who would abandon her loyalty the moment she was truly tested?”

“What the fuck are you trying to insinuate, you bastard?” Nokti growled.

“I am simply asking a question and I want to know your honest answer. Hmm, perhaps this is too personal for you. Allow me to start over in a more interpersonal manner.”

Crow slipped his thumbs underneath the jaw of his mask and lifted the mask up. Nokti’s eyes grew wide, she stiffened and fell back on the cot. She couldn’t help but stare at the impossible sitting in front of her.