Christian Belock's Story

Only a few minutes would pass before the manor doors opened and a lanky individual with gaunt features joined the group. Upon his arrival, it would be apparent that a large shield was casually slung over one shoulder.

Pulling it around front he give it a turn to look it over before shrugging. What the old hunk of metal meant to Sanina and the stranger didn't much matter to him.

Meanwhile, Sanina gave a wave of her hand towards him as he arrived, signalling him to wait while she awaited further remark from Aerona regarding the artifact and its location.

Several minutes would pass before the manor door opened and a youthful looking individual stepped out. He couldn't have looked more than eighteen or nineteen years old himself, though next to him, Avril looked downright healthy. His white hair and dark duster length coat only accentuated his gaunt pale features, leaving him look all the more ghostly.

“Hey lady, you can't stay here, this is private property,” he called to the girl at the base of the steps before closing the door the door behind him.

Given the emotional state of the girl, this could be more troublesome than it was worth and he had half a mind to just let the dogs loose.

Ugh tears. Just what he needed.

“I'm sorry, but Sanina isn't here right now. She's away on business.”

Great... what he hell was he supposed to do now. With a sigh he muttered, “Hold on.”

Stepping off to the side he fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed in a number. It would seem whoever he had called was expecting him, as he didn't get a word in edge wise for several moments.

“What do you think I'm doing? She says she knows Sanina though,” he began before getting cut off.

“Yeah yeah, but you know how Sanina likes the crazy ones...” he replied before breaking off into low laughter.

“Let's just bring her in for the night, we can send her off in the morning. Then we don't have to worry about Sanina having our heads later, if its one of hers,” he said finally.

“Yeah yeah,” he muttered before snapping the phone closed and turning back around and opening the door for her.

“Alright, go on,” he said to Avril.

“There's a bathroom down that way, go get cleaned up. I'll have Bri bring you some clean clothes,” he said with a wave of his hand down a side hall as they made their way into the building.

The sound of children playing could be heard coming from the far door of the room. “We can't have you running about in your night clothes looking like that. You'll upset the kids,” he explained. That was one rule they all abide by here. Sanina's protectiveness of the children was not a point of debate.

“What's going on?” a familiar voice asked. Stepping out of the trees was Christian. Of all of the Lessard's, Christian's delving into the macabre had left him looking for the all the world like a walking corpse. His skin was pale and gaunt and the color had been leached out of his hair. He lacked the restraint and patience of Sanina and Vincent in his dabbling and his recklessness was beginning to show in its effects upon his body.

Christian seemed somewhat stunned by the whole matter as he gazed back at the burning manor, mouth agape. Finally he settled for simply following Vincent and Parson. There would be time later to figure out what the hell was going on.

It was still the pre-hours before dawn as a man entered the plaza under the cover of darkness, and the sun had yet to rise and reveal the nights massacre to the denizens of Wing City. Strolling his way through the plaza, Christian was whistling a cheery tune with his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his coat. The streets were empty, devoid of life, or unlife as the case may be, and no movement was detected save for two hounds that slunk along at either side of him. They were spindly looking beasts with the flesh peeled back from their skulls to reveal the unnatural blue glow within their hollow eye sockets.

Since Sanina's death at the hands of Riaze, her once promising apprentice had taken to solitude as he delved into his macabre studies with a single minded intensity. He had yet to uncover the full extent of Sanina's research, and had yet to successfully merge demon with undead, but his progress continued to unfold exponentially.

The spectacle that had drawn him out of his reclusive hole at last was the mountain of bodies piled within the streets of the Wing City Plaza. He had read the decree, scoffed at it as openly as Varia. The Lessard family had claimed dominion over this city long before the Vankoryth had set foot in these lands, and they would remain long after the Vankoryth had turned to ash on the wind.

The Vankoryth's own actions would see to that. The Lessard's hadn't risen to power by force, or by massacres that would draw the ire of every hunter, lycan and law enforcement for miles around. Christian had learned Sanina's lessons well. Cunning, subterfuge, patience, these were the keys to success. One does not simply take Wing City by force, and come morning, this place would be crawling with investigators.

As he came to stand before the monument, Christian held a hand out, tendrils of blue necromantic energy seeping into the pile of mangled bodies. As if marionette puppets, the bodies began to stir, groaning and disentangling themselves from one another. Sunken milky eyes stared back at him as the group began to assemble.

Pleased with his handiwork, Christian shoved his hands back in his pockets before simply turning on heel to walk away, the congregation of shuffling zombies following in his wake. It was a rare opportunity to acquire so many useful bodies, all with no trouble to himself. The Vankoryth Detante's signature would see that any repercussions were directed elsewhere, well away from himself.

Christian entered last, his hands shoved into the pockets of his coat. He looked irritated, though Christian often looked irritated at these social events, however infrequent they may be. He would just as soon rather be burrying himself in his research than mingling about in public.

"So why are we here again?" he asked.

His white hair and gaunt skin left him looking perpetually sickly.

In the background, the sound of a thud was audible as Christian hit the floor.

It didn't take long for Christian to arrive, and he didn't bother knocking as he let himself in.

"Viktor?" he called out before he found his way into the room where Viktor and Nare currently resided.

He glanced over the state of the place with an arched brow before looking to Viktor. "I hope you pay your cleaning crew more than- oh wait, I don't pay mine."

He cracked a smirk.

"What was so important that it couldn't wait?" the young necromancer asked. "I'm making headway on recreating Sanina's research, but not if you lot keep dragging me all over the city. This isn't exactly easy you know. The fire destroyed most everything."

Viktor left Christian to his complaint and moved only after the man had fallen quiet. He gestured briefly to Nare.

"This one claims he was raised by Sanina," Viktor explained.

"And?" Christian asked. "I have a few of her old pets in my basement still."

"He claims he was raised by Sanina after the fire," Viktor emphasized.

"Well clearly it's confused. Sanina died in the fire. You told me you saw her fall yourself," Christian replied with a frown. "It's probably just mixed up. Trying to maintain a sense of sapience in these raisings can muck up their cognitive functions."

Viktor shrugged. "Can you verify that?" he asked.

Christian sighed. "Sure, whatever." He shrugged his coat off and tossed it over the back of a chair as he moved over to Nare. "Hold still," he instructed.

Reaching a hand out, he placed his palm against Nare's chest. The sensation would be somewhat unpleasant to the zombie, not too unlike the feeling of worms crawling beneath his skin as Christian delved for Viktor's answers.

After a moment he withdrew his hand with a frown. "It's Sanina's alright, but there's nothing there anymore."

"What does that mean?" Viktor asked.

"It means it has a will of its own. Whatever it told you, Sanina's dead. I can't find anything to suggest otherwise."

"And you're certain of it?" Viktor asked.

Christian shrugged as he grabbed his coat up and threw it over an arm. "Well it's possible she never left any threads to begin with. Created it to have free-will, but why would she?" he asked. "Your grasping at staws here. Best to forget about it, she's not coming back. If you want I can take it with me. It might be useful in my research."

"No, that won't be necessary," Viktor replied. "That will be all for now."

"Whatever you say man," Christian replied. "You know where to find me."

Viktor turned his attentions back to Nare as Christian let himself out. If he was one of Sanina's, what purpose did he have for lying? Sanina rarely did anything for trivial reasons. He frowned lightly.

"Go get yourself cleaned up," Viktor spoke finally. "You can stay here for now."

By the time Christian arrived an hour later, Viktor had succumbed to a restless sleep. He had fed, and the wound had been dressed as best was able, but the bleeding had yet to show any sign of healing. He was for lack of a better term, an animated corpse, and he lacked the natural means of healing that humans had. Whatever was interfering with his vampiric regeneration was making it difficult to properly stop the bleeding. The dressing had helped in slowing it though.

Christian didn't bother knocking as he, and Varia at his heels, filled into the room. Having been unable to know if the phone call had been a deception of some nature or another, he had opted for bringing the somewhat volatile woman along.

"Who the fuck are you people?" Varia growled at the pair of strangers in the room as the scent of blood filled her nostrils.

Christian meanwhile threw no more than suspicious glances at Talyria and Valentina before he moved to Viktor's side. He pulled the coat back enough to get a look at the blood soaked dressing before trying to rouse him.

"Viktor? Viktor can you hear me?" When no response came he looked instead to Talyria. "What happened to him?" he asked. "And how long ago did he feed?" It was perhaps youthful ignorance that he had turned to Talyria over the 'child' in the room. An ignorance that he should have known better about given his own past involvement with vampiric children whose ages were not reflected in the youth of their bodies.

When the female disappeared, she started to creep towards Viktor, but only got a few paces before she suddenly appeared again with a first aid kit. Squeaking and shoving herself back against the wall, Valentina hugged her legs right back up against her chest, rocking back and forth again. She whimpered softly, going back to the night her parents were slaughtered in front of her. This was how she spent the majority of the night before she decided to be turned and even after she had been, she was generally like this. In fact, it hadn’t even been too long ago before she was turned. In all respects, it had only been a little over a year since she lost her parents and was offered immortality by Lily. Now that she thought about it though, the child really wished she would have waited until she was older before being turned. Returning her attention towards the situation at hand, she watched as Viktor finally fell asleep.

Being left alone with a complete stranger, though in all actuality, Viktor was a stranger too, Valentina wasn’t sure what to say or do. So, she instead continued to rock in place, watching NomNom sitting silently beside her. Unsure how much time had passed, she snarled and glanced towards the door when it swung open and two figures stepped inside. Her lavender eyes narrowed towards the male and female before she slid back further, trying to find some shadows. Though, she growled at the woman and managed to overcome some of her fear for at least a moment.

“Who the fuck are you?! What makes you think you can just waltz in here!” She hissed before darting back into her crouched sitting position. When the male, who she began to wonder if he was Christian, asked the female that Viktor had fed from what happened and how long ago he fed, Valentina snarled softly.

“He got shot with a bolt by a mean man!”

Talrya sat in silence after Bandaging Viktor. She watched him and frowned at the lack of improvement other than a slight slow of blood. She glanced here and there to the young girl in silence. This poor child, surely she had seen a lot of things in her time however long she had been turned. But this still seemed to affect the child. Her human emotions hadn't waned any like they often did with time. She must be a young vampire then considering her behavior. She half wanted to scooped the girl in her arms and console the girl that everything would be alright, but she wasn't sure if one the girl would tolerate it and two if that was appropriate behavior between two strangers or not even in the current circumstances.

After about an hour the door slammed open. Her attention snapped to alert and looked to the figures coming in. The man she hoped, would be this Christian that Viktor seemed confident could help. The woman she immediately recognized as the hot tempered female that had argued with Viktor earlier when she had arrived at the town home. She was uneasy in the hot tempered woman's presence, but she didn't show it. She held her stance strong and confident despite how she felt. She wouldn't give the woman the means to feel she had any power or anything over her at all.

Upon hearing the questions thrown their way with aggressive tones, she knew they were aimed mainly toward her as most people would dismiss the child. Figuring, despite her race, that she would be unable to coherently help them and/or answer them. She stepped aside some to allow Christian in to examine Viktor. She followed Christian with a mix of caution and concern for if he could help Viktor.

She responded in a calm gentle voice to Christian first, feeling his questions were more pressing to the matter than the volatile woman's demand. "I am not certain what happened to be honest. I was here. Viktor came home in this condition with aid of the Child. I would assume..." She was cut off by the young girl's response and her gaze fell to the child. " I would assume possible hunters considering the condition the two came home in. I fed him while the child was on the phone informing Christian of Viktor's condition. So about an hour ago. I also dressed the wound in attempt to help. I couldn't think of anything else to do but be here for him and do what little I have. I know nothing of alchemy or medical affairs."

She then glanced up to Varia, "It is a long story I am sure to who we are. So let's just do simple introductions and then once Viktor is well we will get into to details on both our presences and being with Viktor." She answered softly to Varia. "My name is Lady Talrya Rei Katsumi. I am a recent acquaintance of Viktor's. I am not even sure of who the child is. I figured Viktor's condition was a more pressing matter than simple pleasantries and introductions." She looked into Varia's eyes with a raise of one brow to her in genuine interest. "You are?"

"Oh come off it Varia," Christian muttered.

"And who died and put you in charge?" Varia spat back.

"Viktor if you don't shut up and make yourself useful," Christian snapped back.

That seemed to calm her a bit, as the thought that Viktor might be any real danger hadn't particularly crossed her mind.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"I don't know," Christian replied. "He's going to need to feed again soon. If this bleeding doesn't stop he's going to need to feed every hour or two, and I don't know where we're going to find that sort of blood supply on short notice."

He sat back on his heels as he mulled over the matter.

"Someone calm that kid down, so I can find out exactly what happened?" he asked.

Valentina scowled slightly, her arms wrapping tighter around her legs. Once again dropping her head down against her knees, she glared at the newer arrivals, before realizing that the other female finally introduced herself. So, she was a Lady, whatever that meant. Ignoring NomNom as he crawled onto her shoulder, she glanced towards the other two and sat up straight, mostly

“I am Valentina Rosetti and I met Viktor a while back and again tonight. My … I… I was looking for my Sire, but she is dead… I found her in an alley… her body was mutilated and her head was cut off and put on her body. I then ran into Viktor and we were coming back here when … hunters or whatever followed us. We went up a huge fire escape and that’s when he got shot with the bolt. Oh, and my white kitty's name is NomNom.” Frowning, she curled up again, rocking back and forth.

She kneeled down next to Valentina and wrapped a comforting arm around the girl to try to calm her. She offered soft warm smile to the girl to try to give her a sense that things were going to be alright despite her uncertainty in herself if that was indeed true. That is why the poor child is so shaken up. It was probably her first encounter with hunters. Viktor, please be alright. What were you doing out there anyway? Did I drain you too much and you had to feed? If so, then this is all my fault he is like he is. However, if he wasn’t there…what would happen to Valentina had he not been there for her? She thought to herself. She then looked to Christian and then to Varia with a look of calm on her face again, hiding her inner turmoil with ease.

She then turned back to Valentina, “I love kitties. They are such adorable, personality filled little critters. Can I pet NomNom? It is a pleasure to meet you both. “She spoke with a warm, almost motherly tone of voice as she addressed Valentina.

She would give Valentina a moment to consider her request, but for now she would address the issue of Viktor.
“I will feed him.” She answered calmly as if the idea of being fed on didn’t unnerve her.

In fact, it didn’t disconcert her considering she had fed him once already. She wasn’t sure how long she would be able to maintain her strength, but she wanted to do anything she could to help since this was most likely her fault in the matter of his current state. She wasn’t sure why she felt so driven to help him. She typically wouldn’t careless what happened to her meal. Something was different. She cursed her human emotions for still lingering. The Lady of Malevolent Chaos had fun tormenting her followers, especially her new creations.

"Unless you can spare a pint of blood every hour or two, we're going to need more," Christian told Talryia. "You'll be dead in hours. Varia I need you to-"

"Fuck no. I'm not playing errand girl while he bleeds out. We need to get out there and find the fucking pieces of shit that did this," Varia spat.

Christian grit his teeth in frustration. "He won't last the day if we don't get blood in him, Varia. A lot of it. The only place we're going to find that much blood is a blood bank, unless we want to start piling bodies up in the basement."

Varia's wolfish eyes were a swirl with anger, but whatever retort she had she bit off as she turned and left.

"She'll get it," Christian assured the other two. "We're going to need to set you up with an IV in the meanwhile, it'll be more efficient. And kid, is there anything you can tell me about the people you ran into? What they looked like? What they were dressed like? I don't suppose you have the bolt? I could run some tests on it if I did."

It took Valentina a lot to keep from shying away from Talyria when she wrapped an arm around her. She didn’t do comfort all that well, but right now it felt okay. After all, she no longer had Lily to take care of her, so she needed to find someone else. Or she would probably end up getting killed, especially since there were hunters out there. Frowning at the memory of what had just happened, she glanced over towards the Lady when she asked to pet NomNom. Blinking, she peered at the kitten who mewed before rubbing himself against Talyria’s legs.

“Sure… he likes being petted.” She smiled faintly, her eyes tearing up again before she managed to push back the emotion.

Valentina was glad when Varia was sent to get some blood because she made her extremely uncomfortable and maybe a little edgy. Once she was out of the house, the vampire relaxed a little, though she remained up against the wall, her knees still against her chest. Her attention shifted towards Christian and she decided she wasn’t so sure about him either, especially when he called her kid, not by her real name. Snarling, she flashed her fangs at him, mostly out of habit, since it wouldn’t phase him.

“The name is Valentina, you ass! No, I didn’t see them… one had stepped in front of us down the street, but Viktor stepped in front of me before putting me up on the fire escape and told me to climb. The bolt was removed when we slipped inside of the building… I picked it up, but didn’t think to bring it.”