Rania Chalybs
The rouge,
Onyx Bay.
Rania settled into the plush blue velvet sofa, adorned with an array of colorful stains, eagerly anticipating Styx's arrival. Positioned near the room's window that offered an expansive view of the street outside, she absorbed the scene outside, fixated on the evening activities. Her fingers lingered on a pendant resting on her chest as she observed the passersby. Eventually, she grew restless, abandoning the window to wander the room, lost in contemplation. Suddenly, thunder resonated, announcing an impending downpour, and the rain commenced shortly after. Swiftly, Rania moved to close the window, only to spot Styx Bratoviae across the street in the midst of the chaos created by people trying to seek shelter from the pouring rain, cloaked in a black ankle-length jacket beneath an umbrella. Their eyes met, freezing her in the moment. A magnetic pull drew her towards him, a compelling desire to brush a strand of hair from his face. The trance shattered when raindrops touched her skin, prompting her to hastily seal the window against the impending storm.
After a brief interval, Styx Bratoviae entered, his boots carrying little water bubbles. Folding his umbrella by the door, he approached Rania, gracefully assuming a seat beside her, a regal gesture that defined his presence. Rania rose, maintaining a poised posture, and greeted him, "Good evening, your grace." He observed her in silence, prompting her to stand uncertainly. "What happened to your arm?" he inquired, directing attention to her bandaged left shoulder from a earlier stab wound. "Just the usual job hazard," she replied. Surprised by his concern, he pressed, "Are you okay?" Recounting the day's mission, she explained, "I sustained the injury from a stab wound today." Without hesitation, he instructed, "Have a seat," and she complied, settling back into her chair.
"In connection to the kidnappings, I presume?" Styx inquired. "Yes, indeed," she confirmed. "How did it unfold?" "During Zola's attempt to extract information from Seth, a trafficking merchant, his head unexpectedly exploded," she recounted, noticing his lack of surprise. Encouraged by his gesture to continue, she elaborated, "My superior reported the incident to the ecclesia for further insights. Acting on intel from our informants regarding Seth's address on Blueray Street, we investigated his residence. The house, while registered under Seth's name actually belonged to one Isaac Bernarui. We uncovered a plethora of intriguing clues. In the basement, resembling a prison cell, we discovered evidence pointing to the house being a collection center. Notably, a blue powder with an acrid odor was found, likely used on the victims.".
She inquired of him, "Did you witness the individual in the hooded garment adding that substance to the beverage yesterday?" He affirmed. "What is your motivation for investigating the abductions?" He glanced at her and replied, "Ghampires have been disappearing. The beverage was intended for a ghampire. I am curious about how the substance affects both humans and vampyres." Rania contemplated the new information and then queried, "You tested the adulterated beverage yesterday, correct? Any discoveries yet? We delivered the substance we obtained to the ecclesia sanctum for examination." He negated. "No, not yet, but we are pursuing it. Did you ascertain anything else?"
She reported to him, "There is more. Besides the property ownership dispute, we uncovered correspondence from gleaners with particulars about targets to be captured. We also detected a company emblem belonging to a MeaWarld Procurement Agency, the organization that operates the trafficking ring. The gleaners also had alias names with the letters in the alias indicating the cities where they function. The most intriguing finding was a memorandum from the agency notifying merchants that the figurines, a code word for victims, now had different specifications. The new specification would be revealed at the grand exhibition on the first day of the forthcoming month. They also cautioned merchants against vending damaged figurine." Rania concluded her report and looked at him expectantly for his response.
He queried her, "How well-versed are you in history?" Rania's eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly at the peculiar question, which she perceives as a slight due to the sense of inferiority she had felt towards vampyres as a result of the centuries-long treatment of humans as second-class citizens. She retorted indignantly, "I am aware that you are a vampyre, a noble one at that, but humans are not uneducated. We are well-informed on the matters of history." Styx chuckled, "I merely posed a question." She snapped, "I am well-acquainted with history from the Paleocene to the creation of Regnum. History begins with the enlightenment of mankind, to the rise of the sage of Bugiotia, Sage Kaiseus, who was the first blessed and the father of herbalism, to the assassination of Pope Andrunicos by your kind, which led to the Orion war that we unfortunately lost." She gasped for breath. Styx laughed loudly in a chilling manner, "If that is what they instruct you at the little elysian schools, you might as well be uneducated." Rania stood up in a fit of rage, "What gives you the right to look down on me in that manner? Do not forget that you are obtaining information from this lowly uneducated person in order to locate your missing people." Styx remained as calm as stillwater in the face of her fury and responded,
"He asked her, 'Are you aware of the reason why vampyres do not associate with humans?' He did not receive an answer from her, so he continued, 'You need to learn some history. Let us begin with the infamous sage, Kaiseus. He had a wife named Porphyria, who was the first of the blessed. She was an unrivaled expert in herbalism, and she was employed by the ecclesia, despite their disdain for women. She married Kaiseus with her power, and he usurped the previous pope. He imprisoned her and her daughter Acklomane, and claimed her works as his own. Porphyria escaped with her daughter and founded Velatae, the refuge of the maleficae.' He stopped when Rania inquired, 'Maleficae? I have never heard of them."
Styx's chilling laughter echoed through the room, leaving Rania stunned. Her eyes narrowed, registering both anger and curiosity, as she struggled to process the historical bombshell he'd just dropped.
Styx paused, allowing the weight of his words to hang in the air. The silence stretched, filled only by the distant echoes of raindrops against the window. Rania found herself caught in a maelstrom of conflicting emotions.
Mockingly, he comments, "The Ecclesia excels at rewriting history; naturally, women will be conveniently erased." Continuing, he details the Maleficae, blessed with life's power and unparalleled knowledge of flora were renowned for spellcasting. "After years of peace, Kaiseus' invasion led Acklomane, fueled by seeking vengeance for her mother and the murdered maleficae , sought Vampyre assistance and overthrew her father and the Ecclesia. Unlike her mother, Acklomane wielded the essence of death, ushering in a reign of terror. This prompted the Maleficae to divide into Lux and Tenebrae factions—light and dark, with the Tenebrae supporting Acklomane."
Acklomane, as the mortifer, enslaved both humans and vampyres, orchestrating mass massacres for sacrificial purposes. Her brutal actions prompted a collaboration between humans, vampyres, and Lux Maleficae, ultimately leading to her demise. The Ecclesia, led by humans, regained power but betrayed vampyres and Lux Maleficae, triggering a massacre that culminated in the Orion War—a conflict the Ecclesia ultimately lost. Finishing with visible anger, he leaves Rania stunned, prompting her to question, She could feel the pulse in her temple quickening, a physical manifestation of the tumultuous thoughts within. As Styx spoke of Acklomane's revenge, Rania's fists clenched involuntarily, a silent response to the injustices buried in history's shadows.
"Why were we never taught all this?", her voice strained with the weight of centuries of misinformation. She took a step back, distancing herself from Styx, who seemed unaffected by the revelation.
Expressing frustration, he states, "Humans harbor a superiority complex, believing in a false sense of moral high ground to absolve the historical ugliness they caused." Responding to Rania's inquiry about the Maleficae's location, he discloses with a deep sigh "They fought alongside vampyres in the Orion War, withdrawing from regnum after our victory to recover." Rania questions the enduring burden of past sins, softly asking, "Why must we bear the debts of those who came before us, even if our ancestors did your kind wrong, isn't years of suffering enough to atone for their sins" As she looks into Styx's eyes, he shifts the conversation.
Changing the subject, he remarks, "I shared this history lesson due to the head explosion you mentioned earlier. Lux Maleficae played a significant role in the Ecclesia, writing most tomes and creating the Ecclesian sanctum. They also crafted the Discretion curse, part of the oath during your appointment as a coalition agent." Confused, Rania questions, "How does this connect to the explosion?"
His response follows, "The Discretion curse you mentioned is a variant. The true Discretion curse, causing the head explosions, can only be wielded by a Tenebrae Maleficae." Rania, shocked, feels her heart pounding in her chest. "What?" she exclaims. The revelation of the Discretion curse, its dark origins, sent a chill down Rania's spine. Her internal monologue questioned the validity of the Coalition, an institution built upon secrets and half-truths. What else had been conveniently omitted from her education?
He continues, "This leads me to your mention of a letter claiming changes in the required figurines. Tenebrae Maleficae are known for sacrificial rituals involving humans and vampyres, subject to specific requirements." Urgently, Rania stands up, questioning, "Are the victims being used for some twisted sacrifice?"
Styx states, "If a Tenebrae Maleficae is involved, it's highly likely. This situation might be more complex than mere disappearances, as a Tenebrae Maleficae never sacrifice without cause." Pacing due to unease, Rania looks up at him and asks, "What do we do?" Styx steps forward, suggesting, "I propose an alliance. Let's collaborate to unravel the mystery. What do you say?" Initially Shocked by the proposal, Rania, after weighing the pros and cons, replies, "I accept your offer, but I insist on being treated as an equal, with no information concealed from me." Styx offers a small smile and says, "I look forward to this alliance, Agent Rania."
Closing the distance between them, Rania senses her heart quickening as Styx moves so close that she feels his breath on her face. His touch on her injured left hand causes a cold sensation at the wounded spot. Turning her head, she observes a glowing violet light, accompanied by his unintelligible murmur, and the pain in her shoulder dissipates. Looking up at him, she seems to question his actions. He explains with a slight turn of his head looking amused "I just healed your wound. I can't have you working with me when you're unwell. What did you think I was doing?" Blushing, Rania glares at him, mumbling, "I didn't ask you to do that, but thanks nonetheless." Ignoring her comment, Styx walks towards the window, gazing outside where the rain was still falling heavily. Rania, with flushed cheeks, inquires, "What's the plan?"