Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

The damage from the earlier in the night seems to have healed though the older scars are still there. Dracen sniffs the air for a second and takes a look around before shrugging his shoulders and saying.

"Not really sure other than somewhere along the African coast. Now as much as I would like to stick around and act as gravedigger I'm going after the Settite. Are you coming Jourdain or are we through with our most recent partnership."

Jourdain looks up from the grave he is praying beside and shakes his head while answering. Anabelle gets the distinct feeling that the two of them don't really care for each other despite the partnership from their tone.

"I have the quarry I was after and little interest in chasing a Serpent across the desert. So I guess our partnership is at an end once more."

Dracen simply turns from Jourdain and gives a curt nod to Anabelle before taking off at a run through the desert. As Anabelle watches her sire leave them he suddenly changes to wolf without breaking his pace and quickly disappears into the night.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"What kind of hell have I entered?" Anabelle muttered to herself, before slowly turning her eyes to the knight, Jourdain.

"I suppose you're going to be taking off as well," she said, almost bitterly.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

Jourdain finishes his prayer near the grave and nods his head towards the body of Rexford.

"Bring the body here, he should at least receive a proper burial."

Assuming she carries the body over he continues.

"Actually I was hoping you might do me a favor and accompany me to Malta as a witness. I can get you to the continent afterwards in repayment of the favor. At the very least I can show you to shelter for the coming day."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

Anabelle hadn't been a weak for a long time, but it still surprised her how easy it was to drag Rexford's body across the sand and into his grave. She crossed herself and said a small apology to him, hoping he'd be able to hear, before joining the knight in his prayers.

After they finished she listened to his proposal and thought on it a minute.

"Suppose some of the tales about you... us, are true then. I'll go with you, it'll be the quickest way home," she says looking up into the sky.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"Most of the myths have some truth to them. Sunlight and fire are deadly, holy symbols have little power unless they are held by the truly faithful, garlic and such things do nothing. Even he is not truly dead yet, a stake through the heart only puts us into torpor, a kind of paralysis. Now to finish what I came here to do."

As he says the last part he moves over to the staked body of the vampire who had killed her. Pulling his sword from it's sheath he reaches down and yanks the stake from the body and holds the vampire down with one hand as it seemingly comes back to life. The vampire struggles but it seems much weaker than it had earlier as it can't quite break free from Jourdain who says.

"Idris of Tyre, a court of blood has found you guilty of committing diablerie without proper consent, therefore your unlife is now forfeit."

The vampire stops struggling in Jourdain's grip and turns his eyes toward Anabelle as she stands watching. He tries to catch her gaze as he commands her to help him. Before he can finish however the sword comes down beheading him with one blow. Causing the vampire to turn to a pile of ash before her eyes.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

Shaking her head violently, Anabelle looked down at the ashes.

"I felt him, in my mind... and he was out on the ocean with... tentacles or something. Can we all do that?" she asked curiously, kicking at the ashes with disdain.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

Jourdain moves over and quickly covers the grave with sand before retrieving his gear and waving that Anabelle should follow him. As they walk through the desert sand along the shore he answers her.

"Yes, I forgot to warn you not to look in his eyes before I removed the stake. We are all supposedly descended from the same vampire, Caine the first murderer. Each of his grandchilder is the founder of a clan or family each of which shares certain similarities. Each clan is known to have a certain affinity for different powers or disciplines. For example my clan, the Lasombra can control others minds as well as shape and control darkness or shadow, the tentacles I believe you refer to are a use of this power.

You are of the Gangrel clan and while I can't tell you much about it I do know that you have the power to call animals for aid or food, a supernatural resistance to damage beyond a normal vampires, and protean which you saw you're sire use when he changed to a wolf. Though I believe you would have to train your powers before you could change shape."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"Nothing comes ease," Anabelle grumbled, still feeling a bit numb over everything that had happened the past few hours. As she follows the knight across the sandy shore she looks out towards the ocean and shakes her head sadly.

"So what am I to be a witness for?" she asks, almost afraid to know.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"I merely need proof that Idris was executed properly for his crimes against the clan. I should warn you that the judges may probe your mind to see if it has been tampered with. I should also warn you not to say anything that may insult the Cainite's at the monastery we will be staying at for this day. The Brujah may be wise and honorable but they can be quick to lose themselves to the beast."

He nods his head towards the horizon where Anabelle can see a monastery sitting along the shore.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"Cainites? This is a lot of new language to dump on someone right after they've died," Anabelle said carefully, not wanting to accidentally insult her mentor, of sorts.

As the monastary came into view however, Anabelle couldn't help but frown. Undead using a house of God? Despite the fact that she was now one of them, the revelation tasted bitter on her tongue.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"Cainite would be a polite term for vampire. To be honest though most of your clan isn't that big on politeness or society for that matter. It is a lot to learn all at once which is why most clans don't just abandon their childer immediately after their embrace. If it's easier though we can just speak of other things or I could just answer you questions as they come to you. Though I'll try to use less terminology from now on."

The monastery is now much closer an she can make out what she assumes to be monks working around the grounds.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"All these monks are vampires, Cainites?" she asked as she stepped closer, able to make out the individual figures now. Almost out of instinct her fingers brushed the hilt of her sword, but she forced her hand away from it.

Her clan, the Gangrel... if they were outcasts amongst the damned, perhaps she could live with herself.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"Actually only 2 of them are Cainites, the abbot and the blacksmith. At least that's how it was the last time I was here, though that was a few years ago. The majority are just normal humans though I have no doubt a few might be ghouls, a human who has imbibed Cainite blood. They usually act as guardians and servants during the day since we must sleep when the sun rises."

Jourdain answers as they continue to near the monastery. He doesn't speak for a moment when Anabelle's fingers brush her sword when he adds.

"Faith in god isn't merely a human ideal, many Cainites have just as strong a faith as any human. It might seem odd after what you've been through tonight but we aren't all monsters damned to prey on humans."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

Anabelle looks up at the knight for a moment, then nods slowly. She felt as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders even if her doubts and fears remained. Perhaps she wasn't as damned as that monster, Idris, claimed.

"It makes sense," she said finally, letting her hand drop from her sword.

"So... do we sleep, or meditate or something for the day?" she pressed. The term childer seemed so appropriate, she felt like a newborn, not knowing anything about this world she had been brought into against her will. Though she wondered if in her moment of death she would have said yes to some form of life anyway.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"It's very similar to sleeping though I wouldn't say it's exactly the same. You are still somewhat aware of your immediate surroundings while in it. Are you feeling hungry before we get to close?" Jourdain answers.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"A little, yes," Anabelle said with just a hint of hesitation. She felt guilty for the hunger rising within her, something she simply instinctively knew could only be satisfied with blood. Yet at the same moment, it felt... normal.

She's have plenty of time to think on it if all the stories were true in regards to a vampires... a Cainites's longevity.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

Jourdain moves behind a small hill and takes a quick look around the area, he points off to another small hill in the distance. In the moonlight Anabelle can see a pair of jackals sitting beneath a palm tree. He cups his hands around his mouth and makes a howling sound like a wild dog, the pair of jackals jump up from their spot and begin coming over toward them. Just as the jackals arrive Jourdain turns and says.

"We'll start with something a little safer and easier, animal blood isn't all that fulfilling but it will work if you need it. Just look in it's eyes and make an appropriate sound, you should be able to communicate with it and then you just need to convince it to aid you."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

"Alright..." Anabelle said, not entirely understanding but willing to give it a shot anyway.

As the Jackals came ever closer, she crouched in the sand. She kept her eyes glued to the animal on the right, gazing into its own. She whimpered, much like the dogs that used to follow the army around looking for scrap meat. She'd heard those whines enough to know she was fairly close.

Hopefully it worked, the sight of the beasts made something lurch inside her gut.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

Jourdain does much the same with the other jackal, only instead of whimpering he growls. The two jackals split up and move towards the two vampires slowly. Anabelle's jackal whimpers back and to her surprise she seems to understand it. It's a little hard to understand the creature because it's intellect is different from her own but she understands that it's willing to help.

Looking over she sees Jourdain bend over the jackal and begin feeding from the animal, it's all over in a few seconds and the animal seems to be fine after he's finished. He then turns to Anabelle and instructs her.

"Try to only take a few drinks from it, that should be enough to prevent any problems. Than after you've finished just lick the wound and it will heal."

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Prologue: Anabelle MacLoyd

Anabelle nodded to Jourdain, and slowly bent over the jackal before her, wrapping her arms around it much like she would embrace a child or her own mother. Lifting her lips, she bared her fangs and let them sink into the creature's flesh.

Fresh blood flowed from the wounds and filled her mouth, spilling across her tongue. Her eyes closed for a moment, and she imagined a man beneath her for just a second. After that split second her eyes snapped open, and she forced herself to slowly pull back, running her tongue over the bite and releasing the jackal.

She felt... better, but not satisfied.