"Elaina..."
Fourteen years have passed since she had lost her family. However, over the years she gained a new one and she loved them all dearly. It wasn't to say that she no longer cared about her mother and sister, because she did and she always will. Losing them never got easier either. However, Gavril, and the twins Silviu and Kalyn made the years much more bearable.
"Elaina!" Gavril was calling out to her. He had noticed that she was distracted.
It was as though Elaina could not hear him calling out to her. She wasn't deaf or anything, her mind was just in some other realm. Elaina wasn't usually one to get so distracted but tonight was the anniversary of her family's death. Usually on this day she didn't bother keeping up on her skills since she was too distracted. Fourteen years and she has never seen the vampire who killed them. A part of her had hoped that no one else got to him first. He was hers to kill. Her mother and sister deserved justice.
"ELAINA!" Gavril shouted, finally breaking her away from her thoughts. He used this opportunity to swing a sword as though he was going to decapitate her.
"Oh Fuck!" Elaina quickly ducked only to be kicked in her stomach by Gavril. She landed on her ass panting and having trouble breathing for a few short moments until she could catch her breath. Gavril's kick had knocked the air out of her lungs.
A sigh escaped from her mentor. "What have I said about getting Distracted?"
"Getting distracted, even for a second, is one of the most fatal mistakes. Vampires will use that opportunity against you." Elaina repeated what she had heard many times over from Gavril as she rolled her eyes.
"That will be all for today. Rest. Can you come to my office later on today? I have a new assignment for you. We need to go over it." Gavril said. He walked over to a nearby wooden weapon rack and placed the sword he was using on it.
"Yes, Father.." Elaina said, nodding gently. The first time that Elaina had called him that was by accident. It was about a year or so after she had started her training as a slayer and it took Gavril by surprise. However, he didn't seem to mind it. Eventually Elaina had just continued to call him that and now neither of them think twice about it. Since she had time before she was to meet with Gavril later, she headed over to the fort's thermae to relax.
The room was a fairly large empty space with a giant indented bath of hot water in the center. Parts of the wall were sectioned off with each one of them having some form of picture engraved into the stone. Together, each of those pictures formed a story. Specifically, the origin story for The Order of the Dawn.
Elaina was thankful that no one was in there and that she was alone. It would mean that she was guaranteed to have some peace and quiet. At least, until if and when someone else arrived. Elaina approached the edge of the water and began to undress until she was fully naked. Usually she would pull her dark chocolate brown hair back and braid it, but since she just came from training there was no need for that. Elaina slowly lowered and submerged her body into the water before leaning back against the edge of the stone bath. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and just let herself think about whatever. Her peace was soon disrupted.
"Elaina!" It was Kalyn squealing happily as she nearly jumped into the water, almost splashing Elaina.
In response, Elaina sighed and forced a smile. She was somewhat annoyed by her antics and had hoped the relaxation would have lasted longer. "Elaina is not here right now." Elaina said in response to her friend calling her name.
Kalyn frowned, she knew her friend too well and could pick up that the smile was forced. "Who pissed in your porridge this morning?"
"The fucker who murdered my mother and sister. You know I prefer to be alone on this day." Elaina explained.
"I mean, yes… But do I ever?" A mischievous grin crossed Kalyn's lips.
"No, I suppose not." Elaina sighed, she knew that her best friend had a point and a part of her hated that. The fact that Kalyn never left Elaina alone was a big reason why they had became friends in the first place. It was she who had persistently approached Elaina and talked to her. Eventually, Elaina had just come to accept that was who Kalyn was and she just embraced it. Over time, Kalyn and her twin Silviu became her best friends.
"Besides, you shouldn't always be alone. Don't you get lonely?"
"Not at all. Solitude brings me peace. Never lasts long before it gets interrupted." Elaina sighed in minor annoyance.
"Well anyway... You know that order member who I had a crush on? Well, he just asked to call on me tomorrow!"
"Congratulations, The man you want to fuck you senseless is interested. I wish you both nothing but happiness." Unlike Kalyn, Elaina never expressed any interest in any guys either inside or outside of the order. Not that she had time as she was practically married to the order itself. If she wasn't sparing with one of the slayers, she was either patrolling one of the nearby towns at night, on an assignment, or looking for the specific higher vampire who murdered her mother and sister. The last of which, has felt nothing but hopeless. Kalyn would always joke that Elaina would die old and alone.
"I am so excited, I can't wait." Kalyn expressed as she shimmied from side to side briefly. Afterwards she threw her arms around Elaina, who didn't show much reaction to her friend hugging her.
"I am not surprised, but I got to go. Gavril is expecting me to be in his office shortly." Elaina said. She pried herself out of Kalyn's embrace. Once she was free, she wrapped herself in a fresh linen and dried off before she got dressed.
A part of her was disappointed that she got little peace and quiet to relax, a little annoyed even but she brushed that off. Gavril's office wasn't all that far from where she just was. Once she reached there, Elaina knocked on the door. She opened the door once she heard Gavril speak from the other side of the door.
"Come in!" Gavril was wearing some reading glasses and going through various letters and reports. Those who knew of the order would write to them and request their assistance if they suspected vampire activity close to them. Most notably, corpses that went missing or bodies drained of blood before they can be prepared for burial.
"You had a new assignment for me?" Elaina sat down across from him.
"Ah, yes…" Gavril quickly looked through the various letters before he pulled out a specific one and placed it in front of her. "The Duke of Grymmere is hosting an annual masquerade and has requested that we send a group of slayers. There have been multiple vampire nests in that area that keep popping up and one large scale attack already. He wants some protection there just in case. I figured why not send one of our best?"
As Gavril explained the situation, Elaina glanced through the letter that was sent. "Understood. Who else will you be sending?" she couldn't help but be curious.
"I have selected Kalyn and Silviu to go as well. You three make quite the trio after all."
"Understood, Sir."
"Oh, and can't forget your invitation!" Gavril looked around his messy desk before he slid it over to Elaina. She gently grabbed the invitation and left his office. She had to start preparing for the ride to the ducal estate as it was further away than either of the closest towns. If she was to start now, it would give her time to arrive before night falls. Elaina knew she could buy a dress there; she mostly just needed to bring some weapons.
When she had made it back to her room, Elaina pulled out a leather pouch. She gently opened the latch to reveal the inside was lined with red velvet material and contained a small box of silver bullets and a flintlock pistol wrapped in a cloth. On the outside it had two holders for holy water and necroblood and on either side of the pouch had wooden stakes strapped to it. Elaina noticed that her vial of the necroblood and holy water was almost gone so she replaced those before she closed the pouch. She doubted that the pistol would be necessary, as this was meant to be a public event. Elaina would have to stick with the traditional wooden stakes. Regardless, she would take her entire kit.
It didn't take Elaina long to prepare for her departure for the duke's estate. All she had left to do was get her horse ready and wait for the twins. While she waited on them, she made her way down to the stables and towards a glossy-coated black mare. "Hey there, Krone…" She spoke to the horse gently as she brushed her hand across its body in the same manner. "Seems we have an assignment, what do you say?"
Elaina knew that her horse couldn't talk, but regardless it let out a snort to let her know that it was indeed ready to leave. It has been a few days since they last left this fortress on Gavril's orders. Since Elaina had been putting her all into the order and working non-stop, he had begun to worry about her. She on the other hand, didn't need the rest. Elaina had spent her training almost non-stop.
Kalyn and Silviu had come rushing over with their stuff that they had prepared to leave with. Elaina turned to look at them, raising an eyebrow. She wasn't sure why they had felt the need to rush over like that, It wasn't like she was rushing them. Or perhaps they were just excited for the mission since it had been a few assignments since all three of them had been together. The last one was some months ago to exterminate a medium sized vampire nest which went flawlessly.
"Kalyn set fire to your ass again, Silviu?" Elaina said sarcastically.
"Nope! It has just been awhile since we have been to an event or assignment together. I have never been to a masquerade ball before." Kalyn protested.
"Hey, Elaina." Silviu said.
"Hey Silviu. We aren't going there to have fun, Kalyn. We can't afford to get distracted." A soft sigh escaped from Elaina's lips. She had always been the more serious one of the group. Kalyn frequently whined that she was no fun at all. Elaina however didn't see the problem, especially when it came to slaying vampires. To Elaina, it wasn't fun and games like Kalyn liked to act sometimes.
"Awww, Come on, Elaina! There isn't even a guaranteed attack on the event. We can have SOME fun for once. Tell her, Silviu! Back me up, please?" She begged her twin brother while she widened her eyes slightly and pouted.
"Uh… I am not getting in the middle of this." Silviu walked away, getting his own horse prepared to leave.
"We should get going, Kalyn. Prepare your horse.." Sometimes Elaina felt like the mother of the group, mostly due to Kalyn's child-like antics. Elaina couldn't help but wonder how Kalyn had seemingly endless amounts of energy. She couldn't recall a single moment that she had seen Kalyn tired at all. One of the mysteries of that girl.
"Fine, You're no fun." Kalyn grumbled to herself and prepared her horse.
Once all three of them were done getting ready, they started heading in the direction of the duke's estate on horseback. It was about several hours before they had made it to where they were going. The Duke of Grymmere was kind enough to offer the slayers sanctuary while they were there. Once they had finally made it, night began to fall. When they made it to the door of the Duke's estate, it was one of his servants who opened the door.
"Ah, You must be the ones that his grace has hired for tomorrow night. Welcome! The Duke has told me to show you three to your rooms as soon as you get here. You must be exhausted."
"Of course. Thank you." Elaina said as she followed the servant and soon the twins had followed behind her. They were led over to the quest wing of the estate where they would be staying.
"You girls are in the two rooms on my left and the sir is on the right. Goodnight." After he had informed them which room belonged to whom, the servant was on his way.
"Goodnight, you two." Elaina said before she had entered the room that was hers for the next two nights.
"Goodnight, Elaina." The twins said in unison, almost in a creepy way. They both went into their own rooms.