At the entrance of the pit, right before the guard tower, a platform of earth had been erected. To the vampires living here they all knew what that platform signifies, someone was going to die. Of course for the last two days that platform had been the viewing center of the hundreds of werewolf and human guards in the pit. Today however, the vampires were allowed to come closer, given a privilege to watch as one of their own is tortured to death.
At first they came like the tiny drizzles of rain water, and then in waves like the water of the oceans. even though they had not been allowed to come close to the platform for two whole days due to fear of a riot, or an attempt to save the prisoner, they have all been able to watch from a distance, they were able to see the brutality and horror inflicted on the Lover's latest victim.
But as they watched, they also heard how she fought back, the conviction of her words, her believe in her [Údāmá] it came as a surprise to a lot of vampires that she was now bonded to Kael Cor. It was no secret that the famed Lion Of Shearath had a wife somewhere in the pit. And if rumors are to be believed, she was an elder vampire, and the leader of a coven.
And so they were also not surprised when the famed Asha turned up, flanked on both sides by vampires, each one of them armed to the teeth and ready to die for their leader. Blood was going to be shed today, and all for the prisoner hanging suspended above the platform by two chains connected to a pillar of earth. This prisoner was Xaseah.
"Welcome all you filthy vermin to the loving celebration of Xaseah what's her last name again?"
When his voice rang out, more than seventy percent of the vampires there shrunk back in fear, the other thirty percent however bared their fangs and snarled in rage and bloodlust. His words were condescending enough that they left a bad taste in all of their mouths. They hated him, hated everything he stood for, and hated him for everything he had done to them. The bastard did not even have the courtesy of remembering her last name.
"It's Cor!" A voice shouted.
Adein looked at the crowd in surprise and said.
"Excuse me?"
"Her last name. Is Cor."
Adein had a shit eating grin on his face as he looked at the woman who just finished talking. Then he jumped down from the platform and made his way towards her, making every step as agonizingly slow as possible. The vampires surrounding her all had their hands on their respective weapon, each one of them itching to pull it out at the command of their leader, and behead this monster of a man in front of them. Consequences be damned.
When Adein was right in front of her, he lifted his hands up and brushed her vibrant blood red hair to one side of her face. Then he caressed her smooth pale skin, before opening his pearly white teeth in a satisfied grin. Then he bowed with a flourish and spoke.
"Her Highness Elder Asha Ysmir Leona...….. 'Cor'. You honor me with your presence, I had no idea you would be paying us all a visit. After all you're an elusive elder that's not been seen in public since she returned from her exile a year ago. But still I don't get how Xaseah can be related to you, after all....her. Bloodline. Is. Unclean."
As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of hisses and growls spread out across the ranks of the vampires. The werewolves and human guards smelling trouble either shifted, pulled out a weapon, or prepared a magical spell. But the person who this was all directed to, did not say anything, instead she just focused her gaze on the figure of a tortured Xaseah.
Then She looked at Adein, her grey eyes suddenly turned blue with veins spreading from the side of her face in an intricate tattoo that came down to the side of her face, making it seem like she was wearing a mask. Her sudden change seemed to garner a lot of support from her vampire compatriots, and all of them were charged up by her sudden transformation, and all for one reason alone. Asha was the only known unsealed Vampire in the pit, if she's out for blood, then things are bound to change. But Adein did not look affected, in fact he looked bored. As he watched her, waiting patiently for her to make a move.
"Let her go Adein, and I will consider letting you keep your head."
"Ha-ha ha-ha, that's so funny. Are you sure it's a good idea to use your abilities and powers like this, after all, you have that poison in your body. Any wrong move from you and those old fogeys on the council of light would tear you apart from the inside out. Besides I don't think you want your people to find out what you did to make it possible for your unsealing to take place."
He had brought his face close to the side of her head as he whispered all of this to her. Every word he spoke seemed to feel like a knife stabbing in Asha's gut, as her eyes narrowed in panic and anger. But Adein was not done, he had a lot to say after all.
"Besides why save her!" he shouted, as he spread his hands wide and spoke loud enough that every vampire around would be able to hear him.
"She practically stole your man, I understand that vampires are polygamous and all that shit. But you're husband until a year ago, was human. Yet he did not try to look for you once he got here, he instead went after the first sexiest piece of ass he could find and bonded with the murdering bitch. And now I want to punish her, to mete out justice, and you come here telling me to let her go. You should be thanking me for doing you a favor, maybe you could warm my bed for a few nights, or maybe till I get tired and toss your pale ass out of my bed."
"You're depraved and perverted bastard. A fucking cancer!" Asha retorted in anger. Her fist were clenched tightly, as it was taking all of her will power to not lash out and murder this lousy bastard in front of her.
Her followers were not that patient, but a wave of her hand was enough to keep them rooted in place, like well trained soldiers.
"Perverted, ha ha-ha, you've got to be kidding me. Compared to you, a two thousand year old great, great, great, grandmother that married a sixteen year old boy, I can be considered a saint. You really have no shame, it you still haven't answered my question you old hag. Why do you wan to save the murdering bitch."
Asha was silent. Her gaze cold and focused as she looked at Adein with eyes colder than death. If looks could kill, then this human psychopath would have been dead a million times over. She was resolute in her stance, she was not going to give this disease what he wanted or play his game.
Adein smiled, then he shook his head in amusement before raising his hand up. The silver whip curled around his hand that had been unnoticeable for the whole exchange of words between him and Asha suddenly sprung to life. It was like a serpent as it twisted, writhe and curled in the air in a horrifying fashion. The vampires took a step back, and funny enough so did the werewolves.
The silver whip gleamed as its tip split into four different parts, and each one of those extra whips had tiny silver barbs on them. The barbs were shaped like a crescent moon, which meant as soon as it came into contact with anybody, it would carve rather than pierce. Then the whip flipped and flew towards Xaseah, striking her from shoulder to hip, relieving her of her tattered clothes, and drawing a fresh line of blood on top of the numerous scars that where now exposed on her naked body.
"Argggghhhhhhhhh!!!!" her painful screech resounded across the entire area as the whip carved into her flesh and the silver burnt her from within. Her torment left cold shivers in the spine of every vampire there.
Asha's gaze burned with a fury that would make hell look like a simple barbecue party. Any inhibitions she had previously about starting a fight were gone and she really didn't seem to give a damn about the consequences that was bound to rise if she attacks Adein. And Adein seemed to notice, so he spoke up quickly enough to stop her in her path.
"You see what you've caused with your stupid pride Asha. Hah, what a pity, that's why I say women should always be regulated, you had to train them right, you know. Like dogs or they will end up very disobedient hmm. I just asked you a simple question Asha, and I really need an answer. How is the murdering bitch related to you that you would want to save her."
If Asha could rain hell on earth, she would rain hell on earth. But above all she wanted to shove a devils pitch fork, flaming and rusted into this bastards ass hole. That should be training enough for his depraved mind. If he wanted an answer so bad, then she was prepared to give him an answer.
"She's the Bond mate of my husband, the one you know as Kael Cor, in essence. This makes her my sister wife, and you an enemy I so badly want to tear to pieces."
"See, was that so hard to do. There might be hope for you yet Asha. You would make a fine dog I'm sure. Well here lies the dilemma. She killed a soldier of mine, and in the most grotesque way possible too. She broke every bone in his body! Can you imagine that. So I'm honor bound to punish, and then kill her. You know all that a life for a life bullshit the werewolves believe in.
And trust me I want to let her go, I really do!. Look at her, she's such a fine, fine specimen, I wouldn't want to do anything to hurt that piece of real estate. That's a prime location to sow my seeds, if you know what I mean Hehehe. But alas my hands are tied. Bitch has to die, sorry you came here for nothing."
Asha could not stand this man, none of the vampires, here could. He was cruel, pretentious, evil and psychotic. But she was going to get what she came here for one way or the other. This was a way for her to make amends for her past mistakes, not to mention Kael was not the only one bonded to Xaseah. Her bond with Kael was never lost, even though he had lost his memories just like Asare had said, she knew that bond was still there.
The only reason he had not come looking for her, was because she closed herself off from the bond. She couldn't feel him, and he couldn't feel her. And it was that way until the day he bonded with Xaseah. And then all of a sudden Asha could feel a third person, it made her complicated life and hundred times more complicated. She couldn't let Xaseah die, not just because of what she felt she owed Kael, but also for herself and his future.
Because like every vampire here she knew what would happen when your bond mate dies. How could she not, she has had to experience it three times in her two thousand years of life. The loss destroys you, everything good in you becomes empty and you're left grasping at straws and pieces of forgotten memories and emotions.
If you loose your bond mate, without a doubt you loose a part of your soul. And for a weaver, that's the ultimate curse.