Yet again Eirik was back in the same dark place.
The dream had been occurring even more frequently these days. In the past he'd only experienced it once every few months but now it was like each time he closed his eyes he was transported back to the same dark cell. As always he couldn't move. His limbs restrained, his body heavy. Darkness choked the air around him pressing in like a weight but his eyes adjusted to see the same floor. He could taste the remnants of dried blood inside the muzzle covering his mouth– a foul metallic scent –no doubt from the countless beating he received.
Though Eirik believed this to be nothing but a dream, he sometimes doubted himself. His thoughts were never trully his.
The place was lively today. Outside the cell he could hear other peisoners chattering, though they spoke in languages long dead he could understand what they said.
They spoke of a captive, a prisoner who was to be brought here but was apparently rescued en-route. He recognised the hope in their tones that they roo may be rescued or perhaps somehow escape. He scoffed or whoever he was here did. He'd been here long before any of them, and if there was one thing he knew for certain it was that there was no escape.
Hours later Eirik was walking into a hotel lounge, boots echoing on the polished floor.
Tariq was seated, sipping on a cup of coffee looking entirely too happy.
"You seem to be in good spirits" Eirik said raising a an eyebrow.
"Sunshine, a warm bed, a buffet of breakfast with the most delicious of meats. What's not to he happy about?" Tariq grinned.
"You act as if there was ever a time when you never had these things. Where did you get those clothes?" Eirik asked eyeing his friends attire. "I'm pretty sure none of us brought any luggage"
"Ah my friend" Tariq said adjusting the sleeves of his tailored jacket "One need not bring his own wardrobe to look stylish"
He wore a crisp black shirt tucked into a deep charcoal trousers with a silver lined jacket drapped over his shoulders. A pair of matte black leather boots completed the look.
"I went shopping with Sera earlier, bought this attire added a bit of magic to suit my style. Aahhh the perks of magic my friend"
Eirik rolled his eyes.
"Jelousy as always" Tariq said shaking his head " After all this time, I would have thought reality would have sunk in by now"
"Ans what reality might that be?" Eirik asked.
"That I" Taruq said spreading his arms wide "Am the most stylish and handsome between the two of us"
"If wishes were horses beggars would ride" he replied.
Tariq gave a deep laugh and Eirik joined him.
"So" Taruq continued while Eirik took a seat infront of him " Where'd you run off to yesterday?. I had thought we would have time to discuss strategy before meeting up with our supervisor "
"You mean Alric, yeah I figured they're sending him along to keep an eye on us. I went to meet up with my folks, got a scolding for not bringing you along"
"A well deserved one, I've wanted to meet them in forever "Tariq chuckled.
"I just found myself walking up their driveway, but perhaps we'll have time for a quick pop in before we leave"
"Let's hope so" Tariq replied.
"So" he continued "Alric said to meet him at the Ashen gate at sundown around 6" which is wierd wouldn't it be better to start at dawn?"
"Didn't you have me meet you in the middle of nowhere at midnight a few nights ago?" Eirik asked.
"Good point" he replied.
"Anyways he must have his reasons" Eirik said with a shrug "He's a high ranking millitary official. Probably has some info that we don't. By the way where is Sera?"
"She went exploring, something about the Moonroot garden. Said she might never get a pass to come here again so best not waste the opportunity"Tariq answered.
"Aye" Eirik replied "Not many outsiders are allowed in here. To be granted entry must be a dream come true to her"
"Indeed" Tariq replied. He had noticed had noticed the change in his friend as he looked past him. "You worried about the mission?" He asked.
"No, not the mission"Eirik said lowering his voice "I'm grateful you know, for what you're doing"
Tariqnods watching him. " You need not thank me, we are brithers are we not"
Voice tight "Aye we are, but still you're putting a lot on the line for me. We could die, you saw how powerful they were and we practically had a small army in that convoy yet we could do naught. Now they expect the three of us to succeed where they have failed for centuries "
"I do this because I know what this means to you Eirik" Tariq says while turning to face him fully. "Even if you never care to admit it. Yes our opponents may be powerful and we may indeed die but how many times have we succeeded where others have failed. Is it not why they called us in the first place. They know of our capabilities, it may be dangerous but the reward is wortg the risk . You crave to be whole" He taps Eiriks chest with a finger. " To fill the void inside you. You want to feel like you belong, like you're not...broken"
Eirik turns away, the words cutting deep. There's a long pause then.
"You ever wondered what it's like... Knowing you were born wrong?" Eirik lets out a quiet bitter laugh.
"In a society that worships strength I came out a runt. Unabke to shift my birth oarents apparently sensed this the moment I was born and discarded me. I could not run as fast as the others my age let alone those younger than me. I was weak, couldn't even hear the call of the moon. An abomination " he swallows.
"I was abandoned, cast out least I stain my family's legacy, huh " he looked up "To this day I don't even know who they are"
Tariq listens quietly. He doesn't interuor letting the silence stretch, letting the wound breathe.
"Centuries I spent" he gulps " Clawing through mud and fikth just to prove I belonged. But no matter how far I got, no matter how strong or how many wars I fought in their name I was....." Eirik's voice cracks " So I left to build my own home, where I would beling but sometimes I still feel like the boy I was. The one that was abandoned"
"But not everyone did my brother " Tariq says softly" You had Mei and Callum eventually even your aister Hanna and now me. You belong brother maybe not to this kingdom but you belong"
Eirik smirks faintly " You believe it to be so"
Tariq leans in slightly "Yes brother, do not feel shame for being different. I've been treated differently by others solely because of the colour of my skin I'm too dark they say, so they believe me to he inferior to them. But are we brother?" He leans back. "Have we not built an empire?. Do they not rely on us to protect them and their precious items?. There is a saying among my people 'The lion does not concern itself with the opinion of sheep' "
A long pause passed, Erik didn't replybut his fists tightened.
"To be different is to be unique, to be unique is to be valuable. I know what this mission is about brother. It's not about finding and completing our objectives, but the recovering you. That part of you that was stolen, the part that was buried"
"You have a way with words. You always make things sound so simple" Eirik replies voice low.
Smiling Tariq says " Nothing worth claiming ever is"
SUNDOWN
Eirik and Tariq now approached the Ashen gate. Towering above them stood two massive Plane trees. One bleached white like bone, the other charred black as coal. Helarion the white one and Nyxarion the black one. Their colossal trunks were gnarled with runes. The air shimmered faintly and though the trees looked dead they exyded a slow pulsing energy, like ancient hearts beating.
"The Ashen gate" Tariq murmured "So called for the pale ash hue of the Platanus Orientalis. A portal to anywhere in the world"
"Correct spellcaster" Came a voice ahead.
Alric stood beside a sleek G63 AMG, arms folded, eyes calm. A half dozen guards stood in discplined formation, watching the gate.
"You're on time, good" Alric said checking his watch.
"No thanks to me" Tariq said, glancing at Eirik.
"Give it a rest "Eirik replied.
"Now" Alric said, stepping towards the car "I assume you have everything you require"
"We do" Eirik nodded.
Withouth another word, Alric slipped into the driver's seat and the two followed, Eirik riding shotgun with Tariq in the back.
As the doors shut the guards behan moving. One on each side pressed their palms to the runes carved into the trunk of the twin trees. Light flared ,white on one end black on the other, and the space between them rippled like a disturbed pond.
A gateway opened.
Beyond it stretched a narrow road flanked by dense forest on both sides, moonlight glinting through sparse clouds. Alric accelerated through the portal, the ripple closing behind them in the blink of an eye.
The hum of tired on gravel replaced the silence of the gate.
"Still in Europe" Eirik noted peering into the night.
"Where are we?" Tariq asked.
"Romania" Alric said tone even "We're in Vampire territory now"
Sikence settled in like a shadow as Alric drove onto a highway.
"And they're expecting us?"Eirik asked.
Alric gave a faint smile shifting gears, increasing speed. "No"
The steady hum of the engine filled the silence, broken only by the occasional thrum of tires over uneven patches of Romanian asphalt. Tall pine trees lined both sides of the road, their black silhouettes like silent sentinels in the gloom of the early evening. Mist clung low to the earth, curling around the base of the forest like a living thing
Tariq finally broke the silence. "Why Romania? Why are we in Vampire territory unannounced that is? Is this not clearly suicide?".
Alric kept his hands firmly on the wheel, his sharp eyes scanning the road ahead. A dull flicker of light glinted offthe polished metal ring on his finger as he signaled a turn.
"We knew there was a chance that the convoy might be ambushed and the prisoner rescued." He said flatly " So we had a tracking chip embedded in him while he was unconscious"
"So the location of the tracker is here in Romania?" Eirik asked.
"It is" Alric replied, switching on the indicator as they approached a sluggish hatchback Infront of them. The vehicle crawled along the road, oblivious to the cars behind it. Alric sighed under his breath, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel.
"Coming through" He muttered, his hand shifting gears as he pressed the horn sharply. The driver startled, swerved slightly before resuming a slow roll. Alric pulled the wheel and overtook the car smoothly, the engine growling as the vehicle surged foward. The tires kisses the road aggressively as they re-entered their lane, the road opening before them once more.
"But why here?" Eirik asked again, the wind tossing strands of his hair through the open slit of the window. " Why would they possibly come here?"
"Perhaps they have some sort of alliance" Alric answered, tightening his grip on the wheel as the forest thickened around them.
"Lykans and Vampires are not exactly allies. Though we may not be at war currently, we are not friends either. So they may have allied together considering us a common enemy"
"The enemy of my enemy" Tariq said.
"Sound thinking " Eirik said casting a sideways glance at Alric " But I doubt they would align with the vampires"
"Why do you say so?" Alric asked, eyes still focused on the road.
"If they were aligned, then they would have ambushed us together with the vampires in tow"
"Perhaps the vampires did not intervene so as to conceal their alliance " Alric replied "Remember the fog" he added easing his foot slightly on the accelerator. "Though that witch was indeed powerful, I doubt she could cast that spell alone"
"What do you mean?"Tariq asked.
"Romania is known for its eternal fog like weather " Eirik said voice dipping in tone "The fog reduces the sunlight's effect on vampires allowing them to walk even during daylight. Vampires are known to creast fogs or mists to comceal their presence and the one we experienced must have been cast by one"
"Exactly " Alric replied "The vampire which in this case one capable of conjuring such a dense and thick fog would have to be no ordinary vampire. It would uave to be very old and very powerful to be able to create a fog capable of derailing our senses. Our sight, hearing even sense of smell was rendered useless. Only a vampire that's vwry old would be capable of such a feat, one capable of even concealing the presence of that giant beast"
"And what of the Witch" Eirik asked.
"She would have cast the spell that nullified me and Sera's magic" Tariq replied his eyes lighting with realization. "Effectively making us unable to dispel the fog. No wonder we did not detect the fog as unnatural. Had she been the one to cast it we would have sensed it immediately and dispelled it. They must have anticipated that you would risk hiring Witches to safeguard the Nullbox"
The vehicle took a slight curve and Alric adjusted the steering wheel.
"Yes. The transport of that prisoner was highly classified." Alric said a hint of frustration in his voice. " No one was to know about the contents of the Null box. Hiring outsiders was a risk we had no choice but to take." He shifted gears. "We needed the Null box empowered, to be able to draw from the leylines and witches on standby incase we ran into any magical complications. But all precautions were for naught as our adversaries proved atronger and had come even more prepared"
Tariq looked at the commander with new found respect. He had desuced events that uad taken place during the ambush and had come to a logical conclusion. Even without the tracker he was sure Alric could have figured out where to look first.
"So" Eirik began, breaking the silence as the road narrowed between two rising cliffs. "Where in Romania are we headed?"
Alric's jaw tightened slightly as he gripped the wheel his knuckles turning white. His voice dropped a stone.
"Wallachia"