Give Chase​

Liam spent the rest of that night reading through and playing around in the spell-sword section of his tome. Ultimately it bore little fruit beyond what he'd already tried, but Liam did learn a lot of the theory that went behind using bound weapons.

The name of the spell itself was kind of a misnomer.

If one were to use it, they wouldn't really be making a weapon but instead summoning a type of lesser Daedra. These Daedra were, typically, more docile when compared to their powerful cousins. Which led directly into the next step of the spell.

Forming.

This is were a mage would actually force the creature into the armor or weapon that they desired. Overall the process just required said mage to burn a bit of magicka then force their will upon the creature. Soon after, it would form into whatever the conjurer desired.

These two things were the most basic way to use a bound weapon or armor, being the safest as well. (1)

One, if they wish, could try and force a stronger Daedra to their will, hoping to improve their craft beyond a basic bound weapon. In theory, all it would take is a larger amount of magicka used to summon the creature and a stronger will to form it.

Unfortunately with the way Hidja described it Liam thought that the process would be much more involved. The first thing that the mage said was a warning, telling any who were foolish enough to attempt it by themselves that they'd only be going to a quick death.

Other than that though, from what Liam read at least, Hidja never really explained why. The mage just stated the process and wrapped up the section without another word telling Liam why it would be so dangerous. After taking a few moments to weigh the risks versus the rewards, the boy decided to call it quits for the night.

It only took the vampire a few scant moments to fall asleep, being exhausted from walking along the road for hours and his fight earlier that day. Fortunately for him, Liam would be able to sleep through the night without conflict, the morning, however, would be anyone's guess...

The boy gave out a quick yawn as golden rays of sunlight drifted into his commandeered home, lightly brushing up against his skin. The little rays seemed to lick at him as they warmed the vampire's skin.

Pulling himself up and out of the bag from which he slept, Liam got on his two feet. In the distance, the vampire could hear birds chirping, calling out to the world it was time for it to wake. A groggy hand pulled itself forward reaching for the tent's zipper.

Slowly emerging, from the tent was Liam with his pale skin slightly blending in with the snow. Still a little sleepy, he took a step out into the snow, ignoring the cold frost wrapping around his feet. The boy's brown eyes traveled over to the tree a few feet away from his tent as he started to get dressed.

Just as Liam got his pants and orange Camp Half-blood t-shirt on when he noticed something aggravating itching at the back of his throat.

Lightly grasping his throat Liam growled, "It's back..again. It hasn't even been a day yet!"

The ever-present thirst was there, just lightly tickling in the back of the vampire's esophagus. To Liam, it didn't quite burn not yet at least. The one thing his thirst was to him was a constant reminder of his new life, as a monster. It was just another gift forced upon him by that infuriating woman.

Doing his best to ignore the uncomfortable thing, Liam finished getting himself dressed and pulled up his blue backpack. Still listening to the morning's songbirds, Liam began to think out what he was going to do.

The first thing to worry about was survival.

For the inexperienced boy, all that really equated to was food and water. He'd never really had to go beyond being thirsty in one of his old classes, but funnily enough, Liam didn't feel hungry at all. Looking back on the last week Liam thought When was the last time I actually felt hungry?

Slowly in his mind, memories began to play back as Liam tried to remember. At the end of the little dive, he couldn't. There wasn't a single time where the vampire actually felt hungry; sure he still ate but that was just because the food was given to him not that he felt the need to.

The only really need Liam felt beyond sleep was the thirst burning within his throat.

"Weird..." muttered the boy as he walked back towards the hidden tent, hoping to find a way to pack it up.

The second thing Liam could try and do was find somewhere to stay.

A small vision of Camp Half-blood and the Davis family home flashed within Liam's mind before he bitterly threw away the thought. Rolling up the sleeping bag in which Liam slept he sighed, "I guess that's not really too important..."

What else was there for Liam? To practice magic? Maybe he could find out more about his new "disease."

A small grimace came onto the boy's face as he trudged up more bad memories. Subconsciously he was searching for a way to avoid them and every time he tried to think another one would pop up, subverting everything Liam was trying to do. One of his three books silently sat taunting him to take a look at it, hoping for some way to escape.

Doing his best to squash a wave of latent burning anger deep into his chest, Liam latched onto something he had never really thought of before.

What if there was a way to get rid of it? A way for Liam to no longer be a monster, a cure.

A disheartening chuckle sounded out as Liam pulled himself and the now three rolled-up sleeping bags outside and into the snow. Giving a deadened look at the tent in front of him Liam thought Ha, ya right. There's no way...Either that or it'd only make things worse.

For the boy at least, it would be nothing but food for his thoughts. As quickly as he could, Liam shook his head then grumbled, "Stop it, Liam. Just focus on the now, worry about that crap later."

Leaning down towards what, the boy could only assume to be, the pegs holding his tent in the ground he thought Oh, great. I'm talking to myself now. That's totally...normal.

As the vampire bent down and began to work, pulling up the tents four main pegs, something in the distance caught his attention. A far-flung humming could barely be heard over the sounds of birds chirping.

At first, he didn't pay attention to it, but slowly the noise began to creep ever closer.

The noise was almost musical as the definitively female tone kept rhythmically humming some song. To Liam, it almost sounded like some type of nursery rhyme, like the ones his mother used to sing to him when he was young.

Stopping what he was doing Liam, quickly pulled up his blue book-bag over his shoulders. Inside it, he'd put one of the rolled sleeping bags along with the rest of his meager supplies. Hurriedly Liam reached for his club and shield while thinking, I don't like the sound of that. I don't like the sound of that at all.

As the feminine voice slunk closer, now seeming to bounce off the trees around him in duress, Liam could have sworn he recognized it. The uppity, almost excited tone seemed to resonate with him in a way that part of him found pleasant while making the rest shiver in fear.

Liam just couldn't remember where he had heard the voice before; it was on the tip of his tongue. Slowly as a woman came into view, along the stream's edge, it hit him.

The two chocolate brown eyes within Liam's skull flashed a dangerous red. The boy's fists tightened in anger as he recalled the face of the woman in front of him. Red pooled around the boy's head as her face broke open into a familiar.

Beautiful laughter coming from a gazebo, with an equally beautiful woman to match. A red frilly dress made entirely of satin. The red, carnivorous flower sitting on the crown of her head. The manic smile stretching wide across her face.

Standing across the clearing from Liam was one Lamae Bal in all of her monstrous glory.

"Hello love! It's been so long." cooed Lamae, smiling all the while. Her voice came out and with it, Liam felt a small compulsion from her. Gritting his teeth he stood still, putting power in his legs ready to flee at a moment's notice.

"Tell me little fledgling, how have you been doing? Have you been alright? Eating well?" ranted the psychotic woman still in an endearing tone. Her almost flowery voice rang out like a chime perfectly matching with the birds singing around her, the complete opposite of the last time Liam had seen her.

For a moment Liam's eyes were drawn into her own as he stared into the baby-blue pools. They looked so innocent, so pure. They were so unlike the monster hidden just underneath. Liam took a single step back as she took one more towards him.

Lamae's nose seemed to turn up slightly as she sniffed the air. The already wide smile on her face stretched as the woman purred, "Oh, I can smell it; you have been eating well."

Instincts kicked in as Liam snapped himself out of his dazed stupor growling, "Y-You!"

The Blood-matron brought both of her hands out wide in a welcoming motion then said, "Yes, me. Come here, kindred. It's been so long."

Once again, Liam could feel her voice burning into his brain. Unlike the Empousa or when he first met her however, the flowery thing was just here. It was nothing more than a mere suggestion; it didn't feel as compulsive, almost like a small echo in the back of his mind. Liam was determined not to listen.

Who knows what else, she'll do? I-I gotta get out of here. thought Liam as his eyes darted around hoping for some type of distraction.

Despite what Liam would say, this woman truly scared him. He could take one of the wannabe Greek vampires. He could take the fifteen-foot tall horse monster. He could even take a murderous camper trying to be a hero, but Lamae?

She scared him.

"S-Stay back!" stuttered Liam, slowly backing away all the while. Unlike any of the other times Liam had gotten into some type of conflict, the voice of Molag Bal was surprisingly silent. The boy couldn't feel it fanning his emotions trying to force him to fight.

Despite not liking the voice much, not having it frightened Liam even more. It was something he had had for his entire life, every time he came around this woman it became completely silent. His mind felt empty and with it; Liam felt alone.

The woman's blue eyes seemed to slowly dye a darkened red as she mumbled, "No...that's not right." while looking down at the ground. Lamae looked almost sad when Liam didn't approach; it only took her a second to recover though.

As soon as she brought her head down Liam reacted. Thinking it was his only chance to get away from her the boy started sprinting out towards the road, hoping to get away from the fiend.

Lamae's now glowering eyes shot up at the sound of snow crunching beneath Liam's feet. Surprising Liam, he couldn't hear her chase after him. The Blood-matron's face seemed to warp slightly before settling back into her usual disturbing smile.

The meat-like flower on her head dripped cold blood as she raised one of her arms. Even in the distance, Liam could feel it.

All around the forest magicka swirled as the ethereal energy rushed into the woman. Her hand curled as purplish energy lit up, brightly shining in the morning sun. All of the wildlife within the clearing went silent as the woman brought her hand down.

The sky in front of Lamae rippled as the lavender-colored Magicka ripped through the air. A sound of grinding metal brushed itself through the sky as a purple portal opened, instantly shooting out a long red and black limb.

"Bring him to me, alive." ordered the Blood-matron as the portal in front of her closed.

Standing in front of the woman was a type of Daedra few would have experience with. Within the realms of Oblivion, they would be considered someone higher up in the Hierarchy, something akin to nobility, but here the beast was nothing more than a mere servant.

A loud hissing voice intoned, "Yes, Mistress." as long spider-like limbs pushed into the ground, propelling the Daedra forward.

Lamae looked on as the Spider Daedra she summoned chased after Liam following the trail he left in the snow. Looking over the female vampire could see three smaller portals open up with small spiderlings quickly following behind her. (2)

The Daedra had four spider-like limbs on either side of its large body, with each one matching the glowing-red, heavily armored, black carapace beneath it. The creature itself was about the size of a large horse with the torso of a human woman meeting the lower body of an arachnid just below it.

The spiderlings looked to copy there mother in appearance in all except size. Each one had long, white hair that flowed around their bare chests with the same spider-like body waiting below. Every one of the three smaller Daedra were about the size of a small dog, quickly following behind their larger counterpart.

Their more massive mother slowed her approach as her children sped forward. Small clinking noises quickly echoed out, each of the children's small spindly limbs ripping through the snow with reckless abandon.

The glow within Lamae's eyes seemed to fade as she watched them disappear into the distance. Slowly walking, she trailed after them letting a smile come back onto her face. She'd have him soon; all she would have to do is wait.

-Near the Main Road with Liam-​

As quickly as Liam's feet could carry him, the boy rushed through the forest. Behind him, he could hear what sounded like a small snap as more Magicka poured through the air like a thick syrup. Suddenly the growing mass of ethereal energy seemed to reach it's peak as it all disappeared.

Following soon after, Liam heard a few chitinous clicks before he knew something was chasing after him. Bated breaths ran from Liam's lungs as his feet finally impacted solid asphalt. A short distance away the boy could hear the clicking get faster and faster before something came into sight.

The boy's eyes rapidly gained more color as three small spider-like Daedra burst forth rapidly gaining on him through the snow. Liam's fear seemed to drain away at the site; to him at least, they didn't really look powerful at all.

Nothing but knee-high bugs to crush underfoot.

Hurriedly bring up his shield and club, the vampire readied himself for a fight, stopping in the middle of the road letting them come to him.

Dexterously, the three little beasts approached leaping forward onto the lightly covered road. Their blackened carapaces let out hollow tones as they impacted the hardened rock below. The four spider-like limbs on either side of the creatures' bodies went still as the one in the lead craned its neck.

Liam's eyes went wide as the child's torso that seemed to grow from the spider body let out a gurgled hiss before green noxious fluid rocketed through the air. A smell almost akin to vomit hit his nose as the verdant juice impacted onto his shield.

Almost immediately, the young vampire could feel the stuff begin to drip down to the ground while glowing a poisonous green. All the while, the thing's vapors wafted from it all around in the air. The smell seemed to get a little bit worse, but it didn't affect Liam in the slightest.

A small scowl came across the Daedra's child-like face it approached, with its sisters following close behind. From the back of Liam's mind, Molag Bal's voice suddenly cut in growling, The Spinner's unruly servants. Leave before their mother arrives.

Startling Liam a bit, the constant drone of fury that usually came with the voice was noticeably absent. It still sounded angry, almost irrational really, but the prince's words didn't carry their usual weight. The voice sounded like it was drowned out, almost as if it was talking through a thick film.

Shit, what do I do? They're too fast. Thought Liam as the smaller creatures completely surrounded him, poking and prodding with their legs.

All it took for the boy to attack was one of them straying a bit too close.

The spiderling farthest to Liam's left rapidly pulled one of its legs up trying to get around the boy's guard. Having the three of them line up in front of him, Liam noticed the attack fairly easily. Sparks flew through the air as the charred leg ran along his shield.

Taking the opportunity for what it was, Liam pushed forward knocking the Daedra with his bronze-leaden guard. Quickly following it up, he slammed his club through the air hoping to catch the jumpy creature as it stumbled.

A high pitched squeal rang out as the Daedra's fleshy abdomen crumpled beneath Liam's club. Green and yellow puss shot out of the dog-sized creature's torn skin before it seemed to ripple.

Looking over in a bit of shock, Liam could feel the same Magicka from before appear to dissipate back into the air as the same snap from earlier sounded out in front of him. The spiderling glowed a bright purple before disappearing through a portal.

"A-A summon?" stuttered the vampire before quickly turning to the other two monsters left on the road.

Yes, you imbecile. Now leave before the one who conjured them arrives! Ordered Molag Bal sounding more clear within Liam's mind.

In the distance, Liam could hear loud clunking steps punch through the snow; the other two spiderlings continued to wail into his shield, each of their smaller front limbs not seeming to get through.

Slowly Liam's arm began to tire as the two unrelenting beasts continued on, each one haphazardly throwing their legs at him like a storm. A sharp pain came from the boy's left leg as one of their limbs struck true.

Roughly shoving the Daedra off, Liam suppressed a growl. The boy's eyes angrily glared at the two as he thought What in the hell is up with these things? They're just throwing themselves at me like animals!

Time continued to tick by with each side throwing blows at each other with little to no effect.

Liam seemed to be dealing most of the damage, having a larger size and an adequate weapon to his advantage. Small pieces of the beasts looked to be crumpled against their bodies with one even having a broken leg.

The spiderlings only ever achieved a few glancing blows as they kept trying to get around Liam's shield. Dripping from the limbs Liam could feel something splash into his wounds, but it did not seem to take any real effect.

With each passing second, Liam kept slowly backing away, and the little spiders looked more and more worried. Their faces started to fill with desperation; confused the boy tilted his head before it suddenly clicked.

That's right, they're summons! Thought Liam as he clumsily blocked another leg pushing it to the side.

The vampire raised his club high going in for another swing, only to catch nothing but air. Every time Liam would try and finish off one of the beasts it expertly dodged, jumping through the air. A little bit of anger burned in Liam's chest at the infuriating enemies.

"They've got what, less than a minute...then they'll pop," said Liam as he tried to monitor how much Magicka their summoner had lent them.

Running through the Daedra's bodies was the same bluish energy, seeming to be mainly held near their bodies' surface. Liam slammed his club into another one of the spiderlings' legs, and he could feel the amount of available Magicka within the beast drop drastically.

Feeling more burning wounds pile upon his face and lower body Liam seethed, "Why won't you just die already!"

More green and yellow puss shot through the air with Liam slamming his shield into the more injured spiderling. Looking over Liam could see the little fiend stumble as he raised his shield up again this time pushing the arm holding his mace behind.

Celestial bronze met darkened chitin as four loud bangs echoed through the surrounding area. Liam let out a raging yell, hammering his shield into the spiderling over and over again until a familiar snapping noise cut into his ears.

A murderous look crossed onto Liam's cut-up face as he turned to the last Daedra, getting ready to finish the fight. His opponent seemed to look on the edge as it lunged forward in a desperate attempt to further harm the boy.

As the beast's sharpened leg rebounded off of Liam's shield, he let a cruel smile build on his face.

Bloody puss sprayed through the air as Liam brought his club overhead, hitting the Daedra directly in its human torso. Surprising the boy, the creature didn't seem to mind as it let out one final, almost victorious, hiss.

Another crack rang out in the road with the creature fading back into Oblivion. A wave of blinding pain ran up Liam's leg as he looked down, adrenaline fading.

The power behind Liam's eyes faded a bit as the grisly sight of his newly opened knee became apparent. It looked like the little creature left him a gift.

The boy's knee had a large gory hole sticking through it's front and, from what he could see at least, all the way through the back. As loud thunderous clinking noises ebbed ever closer, he collapsed to one knee with tears building in his eyes.

The pain seemed to flow even further up his spine as Liam looked at the wound. It felt like someone was slowly sticking in acid-covered needles beneath his skin which traveled up his body in waves. Reeling to the floor the boy let out a loud cry.

A few small globules of blood leaked from the open wound before it was quickly staunched.

Without any real input of his own, the vampire's body began work to heal itself. Almost immediately small tendrils of blood reached out into the wound covering it as the hole slowly began to heal. If Liam's mind were to stray he might have noticed the thirst in his throat start to steadily increase.

A large, almost metallic, leg pierced through snow and asphalt as the spiderlings' larger mother casually approached. In the distance, Liam could barely make out the sounds of melodic humming as his blurred vision began to clear.

"Oh, I did tell them to be gentle. Shame, the young ones were always over-excited when they hunt." commented the Spider Daedra all the while stalking closer. As the word gentle left her mouth, it upturned into a cruel smile with inwardly curved fangs poking out between her teeth.

Rolling over to his side, Liam tried to push himself up only to grimace as another wave of pain shot up from his knee. Looking down Liam barely got out, "W-Why in the hell isn't it healing!" (3)

Unlike any of Liam's quickly healed wounds from his earlier fights, this one appeared to regenerate at the speed of a small snail. Little tentacles of blood were wrapping around, mending into new flesh at a rate that didn't seem to quite match before. It was almost as if the ruby tendrils were moving through molasses.

Amused the much larger Daedra strode over to Liam before gibing, "Oh, didn't you know? The best time to hunt your kind is during the day. Especially if you're one of hers, none of that pesky blood-filled fun."

Liam absentmindedly noted the tone at which the Daedra spoke of her summoner as he tried to push himself up. With each try, another red-hot brand was shoved into his spine as he flopped down onto the ground. Gritting his teeth the boy started to crawl away.

A small trail began to be made in the snow following behind Liam as he pulled himself along, refusing to give up. Behind him, a hissing laugh brought itself from the Daedra's charcoal-colored lips.

Cruelly she pulled her hair behind one ear before saying, "Go on then, my mistress already gave me enough power to stay around for a while yet. Crawl little worm, and We'll play a game."

The spider woman's eyes continued to stare into Liam, akin to a cat watching a mouse. The boy himself kept pulling his body away, barely making it to the side of the road. Fear snowballed down his throat and into his stomach as the distant humming came closer with Liam now being able to make out the nursery rhyme Lamae was performing.

Desperate for an out, Liam pulled himself forward through the snow all the while letting out little whimpers of pain from his bloodied leg. The hole now had some semblance of lobster-red skin covering it, but Liam wasn't too sure about putting any real weight on it.

"Run little mouse! Stand tall and give me some fun." encouraged the Daedra from just a few feet behind the younger vampire. Her voice had a predatory tone, almost psychotic in the way that she seemed to enjoy his pain.

Ironically it reminded Liam a bit of himself, well when he was angry at least.

G-Gotta get up...I have to move! Roared Liam in his mind as he once again tried to push himself up onto his two feet.

Ignoring his leg, the boy rushed forward through the snow limping while putting as much of his weight as he could on his uninjured one. The newly formed tendons within his knee barely held up, ripping and tearing at the slightest touch, but it seemed to barely be enough.

Callously grinning all the while, the Spider Daedra stalked behind the boy following the path he left in the snow. She almost seemed lazy in her hunt as she casually walked, pushing each of her limbs forward in a methodical dance.

Shifting between thick trees, Liam hobbled forward cursing under his breath. Behind him was a trail of easily noticeable footprints broken through the thick snow. All the while he continued to frantically push forward while thinking of a way to get away from his pursuer.

W-What am I gonna do...Shit! Growled the vampire as he heard an audible pop come from within his knee. One of the poorly built tendons, having already been drawn taught, suddenly snapped. Almost immediately, Liam began to fall to the ground with his hands outstretched, hoping to break his fall.

In front of him was a small pile of brush filled with what, to Liam, looked like the leftover remains of some long-dead trees. The little pile of pine and cedar had a thick layer of snow atop it, gingerly blending in with the sickly green of the ancient pine.

Hearing the same methodical clicking from before, Liam pulled himself forward towards the heap of decaying wood. With a lackluster gasp, he finally succeeded pushing up one of the tree's boughs before roughly dragging himself underneath.

Liam, doing his best to slow his breaths, began to wait hoping she'd pass him by. Slowly but surely, the boy became silent as the almost metallic clinking got louder and louder in his ears. Peaking from between the trees, Liam's eyes centered in on the Spider Daedra standing just a few feet away.

With a hitched breath, the boy could see her eyes narrowly zero in on the pile of brush where his footprints led before the creature jeered, "Oh, come on; you could do better than that."

Unceremoniously, Liam closed his eyes, all the while constantly praying she wouldn't see him. If Liam's heart could beat, it would be rumbling around in his chest. The lead ball within his stomach grew even heavier as the boy focused on one thing, one wish.

To hide.

Something ingrained within most varieties of vampires started to kick in as Liam felt a slight drain on his meager Magicka pool. With his eyes opening in fear, he could feel the Magicka pulling itself outwards slowly covering him like a thin film.

The summon slowly leaned down, and Liam could hear her roughly gripping one of the large trees covering him. Two of the kid's eyes stared up into the maw of what he thought would be his death as the creature roughly pulled up his cover.

Rotted cedar flew through the air as the Spider Daedra exclaimed, "Finally found you...little mouse?"

The words seemed to die in her throat as the psychotic grin painted on her lips fell to the ground. Confused, she turned her head around the forest looking for any sign of the boy. Meanwhile, Liam held his breath just below her, shaking slightly at the sight of the armored carapace just a few feet above him.

The monster's bewildered look quickly changed to hot fury as she called out, "Oh so you do know how to play! Well let's play then; entertain me."

Instantly Liam felt some relief; the Daedra pulled back, her legs clicking and chattering against each other. Looking from where he laid Liam could see the summon angrily stomp around, furious eyes lapping up their surroundings trying to find any hint of where he might be.

Slowly bringing a single hand up in front of his face, the young vampire's eyes went wide. Peering into what to Liam appeared to be open-air, the boy thought I...I'm invisible? (4)

More of his magicka drained as he looked down at the rest of his body in disbelief. Matching the phantom limb, Liam's entire figure seemed to be obscured to the world. Amazed, the boy stared on at the sight or rather the lack thereof.

Elsewhere, a vampiric woman continued to daintily walk through the snow, hoping to get another taste of her brood's scent. The humming stopped as she thought Or maybe just a little bite; it wouldn't hurt.