The Second Attempt

Not exactly a sequel, but "The First Attempt" was a short story I wrote while in school, based on a Vampire scene. This is one I'm composing on the spot; something that's been going on in my head for a while, and I figured the best way to preserve it was to put it on paper. I blame my hours of vampire hunting in "Oblivion" as the major inspirations for this, along with one specific movie in particular, that might become more obvious in a continuation.




And I was upon it; the jagged rock mouth marked the entrance of the Cave of the Outcast, where he was said to reside. Voluntarily, they say, as no other Vampire could have forced him. But I didn't come to seek his life; I wanted to gain something I've never gained before, from one of the noblest of immortals I've come to learn of. It was ten years and mere days ago that I had learned of the story that befell him; I wanted to hear the tale from the legend himself, and perhaps see where my dreams that were haunting me placed me in it.

Not even a foot into the cave, there sat a pile of skeletal remains, no doubt those that had come before me. I knew not their reason, and I doubt he could have cared, to be sure, but on my life this wasn't a risk I was going to take lightly.

"Sire," I called, before setting even a good foot near where they lay, "I've come for an audience. I hold no malice. Please, I...wish to hear your story, if you would. On my life, I bear no arms."

And silence. For too long. Enough time for me to observe that there was no other life in the cave, well, not man nor beast. The cave itself, the water, the various juts and indents in the walls, almost seemed as if they were breathing, as if life pulsed through them. Whatever it was, the life inside was drained. Maybe this was his power as well.

"Come," I heard a voice echo, a distance away, into the nether recesses of the cavern. "No harm shall befall you; come, and have your audience, mortal."

I traversed, ever slowly through the cavern. The stalagmites seemed to part as I approached, guiding my way through to him; was it my imagination, or were they luring me straight to Lord Valdralus? The only assurance I had was his word; this was good enough. If I knew anything, he was honorable, and kept his word. I pressed on through, following the guidance of the cave itself. Not long through, I saw it; there he was, Ian Valdralus, in the chamber before me; the gleam-moss bore a natural light across the walls, which made it visible, yet bearable to withstand to one of his kind. This was not like the mansion in which I heard tales of him ruling in; how he made do in a hovel like this I couldn't fathom, but then again, I wasn't a Vampire. I wouldn't know the comforts such a place would provide, of such a defense.

"Welcome to my fortress, mortal," he spoke, seemingly much more welcoming than he previously sounded. "What exactly brings you here, in the presence of one others of your race loathe?" Quick to prove otherwise, I took a knee, and was ready to blurt out a rapid explanation, but was interrupted abruptly. "No; you forget, I know deception, and you are not of it. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Me. sire?" I sounded, near taken aback. What did my name matter to an immortal? Was I expected as well, or was he merely trying to ease my apprehensions? "Aron Viridens, Sire. I heard tales of you when I was but seven; townsfolk spoke of you out of fear and disgust. The story they told me; it didn't come across to me as that of pure evil. That's why I came, Sire. I wanted to prove that I was right. Plus--"

"You think you KNOW me, human?" he bellowed, seemingly annoyed that I'd be so brazen as to judge him, even if it was opposite of the norm. "what if they were right? what if I slew you where you stand, and without a care otherwise?"

"Your daughter, Sire." I belted, as quickly as I could. "You have a daughter, right? She's the reason you came here; you had to protect what was left. Please tell me this was true; I wanted to know for myself that it was possible, even if only in secrecy, for us to coexist. My dreams, the story haunts me; I know there's a reason for it."

"Ah, so it is," he said, with a sound of resolution in his voice. "You shall get your story, Aron. Take a seat; this will take a while..."

It was one-hundred-fifty years ago; Ian Valdralus, Vampire, and Lord of Blackstone Hall, over a legion of his brethren. Together, they had control of the humans in the towns; demanding a sacrifice every week from each, else the town in defiance would be ravaged. One town in particular, in 3M 186, put their threat to the test, and were all drained lifeless; not turned, just slaughtered. It was not long after that Valdralus set his eyes upon one of the sacrifices bestowed directly upon him, and fell for her.

"Lovina Adules," he smiled. "I'll never forget that beauty; I'll never forget that rage. She cursed me for ever being spawned; such viciousness and liveliness from mere cattle was a sight to be seen, and I was enthralled by it. So I gave her a different fate; instead of draining her life like the rest of the sacrifices, I gave her a child. She couldn't have disagreed more, I admit, but somehow I knew it had to have been better than the alternative. You wouldn't have guessed it from her words, though."

"I let her escape. I told her to tell the rest of the town that she had somehow bested me; that her beauty was no match for my power. She scoffed and spit at me, and said that should this child ever make it to adulthood, that it would be the end of my days. It was better than I expected from her, so I sealed the exit behind, and prepared myself for the more obvious consequences to come."

"She disappeared shortly thereafter, possibly ashamed that such events had happened. I was set upon by my own clan, as a lover of mortals, for bedding with a human. I slew quite a tenfold of my brethren that night, all but mere apprentices at combat, and eventually left to this cavern as a result. I was no longer welcome to human nor vampire, and hunters from both sought to destroy me in these years, none of which were in the least bit successful."

Lovina had birthed their child in 3M 189, and raised the halfling on her own for a while. "Miriella Adules," Lord Valdralus whispered, "she denied her my last name out of fear and hatred. But as she hated the vampire that was her child, she loved the human that was her child. It became harder to take care of her; to fulfill her needs, and when she finally did start feeding, on mere animals, of course, Lovina knew she needed help to take care of Miriella. So she found me, and brought her to me."

Ian taught his daughter the art of discretion, and how to keep the animals from turning vampiric on them within the next day; Lovina nearly succumbed to a rat that had suddenly came to, "if it weren't for the blood link, Miriella may not have sensed the danger, and have been upon the rodent so quickly. If anything, she protected her mother at all costs." He smiled, "The most beautiful thing of my Miriella; she's a halfling. When she feeds, all signs of her vampiric side simply disappear for a while; she appears as human as you are. It doesn't last forever, though, but it was enough to help her survive in the world of mortals without causing much of a stir."

Lovina brought their daughter to him nearly every month; the same greeting, though preceded by "mongrel," "bastard." or "hellspawn," but always, "I've brought your daughter." And father and daughter would catch up and tell of their hunts, as Lovina grimaced in disgust. That was when she decided she had to try to break the link. Unbeknown to Miriella, she hired a band of vampire hunters shortly after feeding her, just before the trip to Valdralus. She told them that the girl was merely a bait; she would present her daughter as a sacrifice, and when Lord Valrdralus appeared, they could slay him. A brazen and reckless suggestion, they unanimously agreed, but if it guaranteed they would kill a vampire that day, they were all for it.

"Only she didn't change her greeting," he moaned, saddened. If only she had, I might have been more prepared to see the outcome. No, it was the same as before."

"Mongrel," Lovina started, "I've brought your daughter--" she suddenly gasped. She realized the grave mistake she made. The hunters turned to each other, and then to Lovina.

"You bitch!" one cried. "You set us in a trap! Look at her; she's part vampire. I can tell! Look at her eyes!"

"How could you!" another started. "Were you planning to get us all killed?" No! To arms, men; the real traitor is before us!"

The hunters attacked Lovina. Miriella, having just fed, was unable to help her mother fight. Frightened, she hid in the shadows. Lovina cried for Miriella, and finally, after the last blow, called for Valdralus.

"Ian! Please--" And he listened. Lord Valdralus slew every last one of the vampire hunters with ease, but it was much too late. His beloved was lying in a pool of her own blood; her life was rapidly escaping her. "Ian," she breathed with her final breaths, "please forgive me. Our daughter...protect our daughter." And she was gone before him.

I was in shock. And in tears, as was Lord Valdralus. After a moment of silence, he started, "So now, human, you'll tell me what you wanted to achieve by hearing my story."

"My liege," I responded, almost instinctively, "My dreams shall haunt me no longer. I've dreamt of preserving that which was not supposed to be in our world or yours, and now I'm before you, who has presented me with just that. I'm here to help you, Sire."