Cultist Brood: Chapter 1
Damn after what maybe three weeks of stopping with this series I've finally managed to get the first chapter up? Well I guess I never really had anything to stop on heh... the break was nice is all I can say, I hope this chapter can do up some major apologizing for my laziness. Hope you guys enjoy!
http://www.sofurry.com/page/255500/user -- Prologue
Unexpected
I lied awake in my bed, thinking to myself of my Father's words. How did I displease him so much, I thought I handled things very well? I managed to take on that Orc thing all on my own, well aside from knowing that it carried the decapitation characteristic of a zombie.
_ 'He's not mad about you because of that,'_ My canine side was awake as well, consulting with me. 'You know why he's upset; you didn't bother to follow his ruling.'
_ Are you talking about using the bow?_
_ 'No, well yes... not only that, he told you to watch out for your Brothers and Sister. You lost yourself into the heat of battle.'_
_ That wasn't my entire fault you know, you helped a lot with that._ I growled to myself.
'Don't try to blame this on me now; we both know damn well you're the one who decides to let me out or not.'
Yes, and I did a very good job of keeping you inside, even when you pressured me to letting you out. You know you wanted out.
_ 'Then why don't you let me out sometimes?'_ He snapped pressing against my inner soul.
I narrowed my eyes glaring at his imaginary figure. Because when you're out, everything's unpredictable with you. Maybe if you could learn to calm yourself, and give me a little control every once in a while then maybe I would let you out more often.
_ 'What's the fun in that then?'_
This isn't a game you know.
_ 'You sure played it like it was last night, like you were immortal and nothing could hurt you.'_ I said nothing casting his presence out of my mind before making my way to the balcony. The city wasn't as bad as it seemed, the fires were now out, and everything still stood. The Elder District was unharmed, but the east wall was nearly in ruins. 'You're getting better at pushing me out you know.'
I growled again. Can't you leave me alone for now, I don't want to talk about this right now, there are more important matters to think about right now.
_ 'Hmph... Fine, I will obey Father's command to get some sleep. When you decide to realize that you're not the King, you can join me.'_ My soul felt half filled now as he descended into slumber.
_For being the less dominant side in me, he was right... perhaps listening to Dad would--_A knock came to the door--strange, I usually received a notice from one of the Poes unless it was--My nostrils flared at the dangerous scent of Father and as I turned, so did the knob on the door. The door creaked open, and seeing the bed empty his crimson eyes found me at the balcony.
"You shouldn't be awake." He said softly, closing the door behind him and crossing his arms. Even with my canine senses his black scale body was difficult to see, the only evidence he was really here was his eyes. I knew what he looked like though, standing at least around seven or eight feet with a large toned body. His scales weren't shiny instead they had more of a crocodile appearance to them, almost rock like. They were harder then steel, near impossible to penetrate, only their softer gold undersides could be harmed. Rock like horns sprouted out of the back of his head moving down his back becoming smaller with distance. A set of dark ivory horns rounded out from the sides of his face, one just behind the eye, the other half way down his face and last down to the back of the jaw. I couldn't see what he was wearing, whatever it was; it was near the same color of his skin, either black or a dark gray.
I turned away starring out to the forest noticing the glow of moonlight as it reflected off the saplings. "... I couldn't sleep."
"What's on your mind?" That was like him, asking a question he already knew the answer to.
I let out a short breath. "I think you know."
I could imagine him smirking after that, hearing the sound of my bed he must have sat down. "Come here, you and I need to talk."
I followed the pattern along the rails of the balcony with my fingers. "Can't this wait until tomorrow?"
"Now!" His voice was more firm that time and I knew to not dabble with his temper any further. Turning from the outdoors I entered my room and stood in front of him hands folded behind my back. He overlooked me for several long seconds. "I've noticed your change in temper, your feelings... Is something the matter? You've become rather rebellious lately."
If he was talking about not obeying him this once, I wouldn't count that as a rebellious matter. "I'm just... changing as you said."I tried to please him with my words.
"Changing is natural, what you're doing is not. Give me reasons as to why you disobeyed me earlier tonight? I gave you a simple command and that was to watch over your family. I thought you could take up the responsibility."
'Should we tell him you don't want the crown?' My canine side was awake again.
_ Perhaps if I didn't want to live anymore..._
_ 'He's going to find out sooner or later, you can't hide this from him for long. What happens if he chooses you to rule and you don't have the inspiration to do so?'_
_ He's not going to choose me; I'll make sure of it._
"Darrin, what was the reason?" He said harsher.
Shaking my head I spoke. "I... I don't know... I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, I didn't realize the threat you gave me when you said there was something more out there. Orcs are stupid and that's exactly what I thought would be waiting for me."
"That is not good enough, when are you going to realize that we can die? We may not have encountered a hard opponent yet, but we will soon. You've seen nothing of what other races are capable of, Darrin you've only fought against the Orcs, you cannot become so naïve when in war. You're not a God."
"I never said I was and I don't act like a God on the battlefield."
He growled. "Right, charging blindly into the field hoping to simply improvise your whole way through the fight was planned? Quit holding back your personal morals and confess, you know you've been arrogant these last few days."
"I am not being arrogant; I assess my situations perfectly fine." I retaliated.
He snapped his jaws in anger. "You were almost killed today, ready to be smashed into the earth and reclaimed by Mother Nature! You think that's assessing a situation Darrin? You don't have a clue how war works! You cannot blindly charge into something and expect to win! War takes coordination, willing to understand and carry out with commands of someone who's dealt with war! Until you've had much experience with it, you have no say in anything that goes on! War's been in my blood since the day I was born! Since I was first old enough to carry a blade, your Grandfather had me out in the field training, coordinating, escorting! I know damn well what I'm talking about; I don't want to see another mistake like this from you ever again!" He was breathing deep when he finished, like he was ready to tear me limb from limb.
"I'm not like you; my ways of blade are different! I'm not like Thera or Brendon, I don't have to assess as much as they do!" My words sort of mixed with my other growing deeper and more feral. "I do not fight with a two handed weapon, or become civilized with the bow! I stick to a series of certain weapons, I'm not going to suddenly change my ways I've been studying for years."
Disappointment portrayed in his face. "Fine... forget about the weapons for now... All I want to see is more loyalty than what you've shown in the past few days. I've warned you today Darrin, you know the consequences if you do not change! I will not tolerate any more of your crude rebellious acts. Treason is not something to mess with."
I didn't respond, knowing how over exaggerate he became when flared up with rage. Treason was entirely different than what I was doing; it wasn't the right word... I didn't know what it was or didn't bother trying to figure it out, all I did was nod. A true nod, knowing that his punishments were brutal; I would at least try as best I could to stop myself from becoming this rebellious person he saw me as.
"Then get to bed."
"Wait..." I had a question of my own. "How... Did the Orcs attack our gates without us knowing? What would have happened if it was much worse than what they showed? I thought the Poes were supposed to be watching our gates while we slept?"
"The Poes are a mysterious being; their reasons for not responding immediately have me wondering as well. I'm sure they have a well reason for doing so."
My face grew hard. "What's the point in having such an ally if they can't even help us?"
"These Poes have done more than you know, before you were born they were powerful spirits capable of taking hold of any living being and binding them to their will. Whatever reason they had for this is unknown. I will try and speak with Loguth about it." Loguth was the spiritual leader, an ancient and powerful dragon that was centuries before our time. Not a dragon like Dad, the ones capable of destroying entire cities with a single wave of its fire, ones with wings and massive bodies to take out hundreds of men single handedly. The ones that put fear in the enemies heart just by the looks of them. Though our brood does this, it's not as frightening when facing a true dragon. He had the greatest story behind him as well; noble and courageous, he allowed our race to continue. He gave up his life to save his beloved who was pregnant with a dragon just as powerful as Loguth and with his sacrifice it led into a stream of history as stories descended from him.
"Where do you go to speak with Loguth?"
"No more questions Darrin, you need to sleep now. Go to bed, I do not want to hear you, I have giving you a warning. Keep to it, you know what will happen if you don't." I said nothing back to him as he left and shut the door behind him. Rolling into bed I laid my head back and starred at the black drapes above me, as much as I did not want to sleep, I forced myself to; the pain Dad would invoke wasn't worth it.
Morning came with a sunder of banging against my door. "Get up Darrin! Dad wants us in the throne room in less than ten minutes!" Brendon was pounding against my door.
"I'm up, shut up Brendon! I'll be down in a few!" My canine self growled while I tore some clothes from my wardrobe and pulled them on. I stuttered for the entrance, barely awake and groomed. My hands felt the rough stone texture of the wall as I followed the spiral stairs down to the hallway where the other rooms for my brothers and sister were held.
Thera was in the same mood I was staring at me as he closed his door behind him. "...Brendon wake you too?" His voice was much deeper when he wasn't awake, having a sinister tone. He had the same form as Dad, but of course smaller, he was almost like a miniature version, except for a scar he had across his stomach. When he was young he had gotten into a horrible battle and was nearly severed of his stomach if it wasn't for Father who stepped in at the last moment to intercept the attack. He hates to be reminded of his scar, that he needed Father's help or he would have died that day. I refused from taunting him on it, unlike Brendon who hadn't grown into his hard skull yet. Brendon was a cocky son of a bitch to put it plain. Anyway he could embarrass you, he would put forth, and it was very obvious he wanted the crown more than any of us, but his overconfidence showed. Father saw it, but tended to ignore it trying to keep Brendon from loosing that side of him.
I simply nodded and followed the stair way down to the bottom floor where the throne room was. Morei was on the opposite end of the hall stepping down the stone steps and welcoming Thera with a smile and me with a wave. Her figure was stunning, perfect body, flawless skin; she was of course the daughter of a vampire so all of her beautiful features came from her mother. She blended into one very well taking up the seduction already with whomever she could to amuse herself. Black hair hung down her back, pulled behind her shoulders. Her single flaw, were her eyes, a dangerous red that warned any opponent that she had the will to kill.
"Father's going to tear us." Thera simply said as we all arrived together before the double doors.
Morei nodded before glimpsing past us. "Where's Brendon? "
Thera and I shrugged then I spoke. "He's probably inside already, sucking up to Dad."
Thera nodded. "I swear if he could, he would make love to Dad. He's always by him."
Morei and I couldn't help but laugh. 'Thera was probably right.' "Whatever the reason is, I'm sure he's making it worse for the three of us."
"It doesn't matter to me; Father's not going to hand me the crown unless the three of you are dead." For a second her voice almost alarmed me, but then she smiled kiddingly.
Thera smiled. "I'm sure you'd make a better Queen then Brendon." We all laughed again then entered.
Father's head lifted, serious and emotionless. The room was very large, having a circular layout with a grand gold chandelier that hung down from the ceiling and a vast crescent table to compliment it. Of course Dad's chair, largest in size was in the center and two more on either side of him one for each of us. He watched us as we took our seats before beginning.
"This morning... the Orcs swarmed our black citadel not to invade, but to test their new creating in battle. I warned each of you something new was at our gates and to my disappointment each of you lost your formations." Already he was lecturing, less than fifty words and he dove right in. "One battle... and already my sons and daughters have forgotten the ways of war..." He shook his head in shame. "Darrin," Of course me, I was the one to be targeted first.
_ 'Just shut up and pay attention this time.'_ I growled silently to myself.
"I specifically told you to watch for your Brothers and Sister on the battlefield. Your ignorance and greed for blood could have cost them their lives! You disappoint me to think that you would give up their lives so quickly, to not analyze your environment... out of my brightest children... you were the one to do this. I have spoken to you already about your rebellious matters and look forward to seeing something different. I have nothing more to say to you other then I'm disappointed." My rebellious self seemed to catch attention when he said that. He really was trying to nail that into me huh?
_ 'I hope you paid attention.'_
_ Did you?_
_ 'Of course I did!'_
_ Then yes, I paid attention._
"Brendon," His head turned with his word. "Like my usual child you've always followed my directions, but you share a similar characteristic as the rest of your brothers... blindness. Failure to realize what you're up against will get you nowhere but death." Brendon nodded repeatedly to assure he was paying attention. I smirked to myself and looked away sick of his stupid intentions. Father new exactly what he was doing but wouldn't call him out...
'Why are you getting so upset, you don't want the crown anyways?'
_ That's true... but to give Brendon the crown... what a waste, he was not meant to have it._
_ 'I'm sure Father isn't going to hand it to Brendon, Thera would obviously be a first option if it were just between the two. Just calm down and listen to what Dad has to say.'_
_ Hmph... easy for you to say..._
_ 'It's not any different being inside, now pay attention!'_
He was on to Thera now. "My first born child, I can honestly say you have shown the greatest sign of obedience and leadership. I feel so much better to know that I don't have to worry about you as much as the others." Short and simple, Thera was wiser though and he did stop Brendon and I from breaking out during the middle of the battle earlier today.
"Morei, my only daughter. A battlefield is no place for you; to see you disappear from my sight during a time like this weakens me. I do not want you on the plains of battle unless I allow it."
"What?" Her eyes looked up shocked by his words. "I have the same amount of potential as the rest of my siblings, to be excluded from war as a Cultist Brood is near betraying this race! I am not going--
"I don't want to hear any of it Morei, a woman's place is not on the field, you should be in here safe."
She stood from her seat, a terrible mistake. "I am not going to by stand while my home goes to Hell!" You could hear from her voice that she was holding back tears. "I don't give a damn if I die in battle, I would rather--
Father's growl silenced her. "Enough Morei, I will discuss this privately later with you."
"No, discuss it now!" She wailed wiping away the tears from her face. She knew she could get away with pushing Father's temper a little bit; he was much less fierce on her.
But not today, "Enough!" his voice bellowed shaking the chandelier above us and forcing Morei down into her chair. "I have minimal patience for any of you who dare speak out of turn! I've made myself very clear hundreds of times and I can't get a single clean response from the four of you! Things are about to change from here on, no more of this rebellious bullshit or failure to perform any of my commands! I've tried to be reasonable with each of you, handed out fair warnings--no more. NO MORE! I will not watch my children grow to become defenseless and stupid! I swear on each of your mother's graves that I will form you to your greatest potentials!" The table cracked. "No... more." He said again. It fell silent in the room all four of us having our heads down and eyes planted on the table waiting for another bellow. "Now," Surprisingly enough, he had calmed himself. "Back to the reason I had called all of you in here... The Orcs are planning something against us; it's very obvious now by this attack. They're becoming stronger and more intelligent... we cannot allow them to pursue any further and with the displacement you have bestowed with me I have decided to alter the way we have done things in the past. So... I have arrangements for each of you... Thorn!"
The door opened and in came three armor plated dragons followed by Thorn himself. Thorn was a skinny dragon, clearly not a dragon of war but he was very smart. He was dressed clean, fire red hair slicked back and a monocle on his right eye. His body was thin more of a gray color with ancient orange eyes and heavy wrinkles around them. Thorn was one of Dad's council men, he had been a part of it before I was born.
"Who are they?" Brendon spoke starring at the one who had taken his place behind him.
"They are you're mentors, I told you things were about to change and I wasn't kidding. Every day you will awake and report to them, they will give you a list of duties to complete and training sessions that you will abide by regardless of your own opinions."
"Where's Darrins?" Thera's eyes were on me followed by everyone else's.
I looked to Father who smiled. "I will be training Darrin." My heart dropped and all my freedom followed it.
I stood up from my chair forcing it out behind me. "Dad... Be reasonable, you know nothing of my ways, you can't change what I want to become, it's too late."
He growled narrowing his eyes. "Darrin, I've warned you already."
"I'm not being rebellious, I'm saving you time I see no reason as to why you would want to train me. If anyone you should be training Thera, he's a spitting image of you! What reason could you possibly want to train me?" Then I realized it... No... No, no, no, no, NO!
The words I so desperately did not want to hear came out all at once. "You're the son to gain the crown." The room fell dead silent, all eyes turned to me and I couldn't help but stare at Thera. His face was emotionless, sort of confused as was mine.
"I... I can't possibly be the one to--
He slammed the table with his fist. "Ignore what your brothers are thinking; this matter does not involve them!"
The fucking crown!? Of all things, how the hell did I get it? My canine side said nothing. Of course you ignore me at a time like this! I ran both my hands through my hair. Thera's eyes were still on me, eyes of betrayal, I felt so filthy stealing this from him. I did not want the crown. "...Dad... I'm not... I don't deserve the crown."
"All of you out!" Father's voice boomed to the others watching. I bit my lip watching Thera leave turning away; it felt like our bond just broke. Like a door had closed our connection. The door locked behind Thorn. "When are you going to realize your potential Darrin?" He stood from his chair and walked to me. "Huh, when?"
"The crown isn't mine to claim, Thera--
"Thera does not deserve the crown as much as you do, I've noticed your movements, your ways with words, and how you think. For eighteen years Darrin I've been able to watch you... my decision is right."
"I--If you say this... I had nothing to do with it.-- I don't want the crown!" I blurted out, his eyes boiled red and his claws yanked me by the collar forcing me against the stone wall.
"The crown will be yours! I swear this to you now, nothing will change my mind, nothing will change it at all!" He pressed against my body, my ribs straining against his palm. "Do you know why I chose you?" His palm rubbed over my chest almost loving like. "...I chose you, because you're the son that I've been watching for eighteen years and have had these same feelings. Ever since you were a child I've found myself much more drawn toward you... much more than a father son love... more than a love between your mother and I." I tried to push away but he had me too far in his grip. "It's not a want... it's a necessity... I tried to escape it at first... to drown out this feeling by having Brendon... but the feelings never went away with his mother. I always found myself returning to you." His breath tickled my neck as he leaned in.
I shoved hard this time, somehow I combined my canine side with my normal self and he tumbled back. I took the advantage and fled to the door pulling it open and hearing him call for me. My mind was going through so many thoughts, mixed emotions, and wants all clouding it
"Darrin!" His voice bellowed again.
I came back to reality for a moment noticing the courtyard before the thoughts crashed back down on me. I was running from both my emotions and my Father, unsure where I was going as far as I knew I was running blindly and head on like I was use to. I was in the forest now, no longer in my human form and on all fours. My new nose sniffed through the air, the freshness flooding through my mind while I tried to dilute the haziness.
"Darrin!" His voice yelled again for me. It was much further in the distance though. My body was charging blindly into the trees until finally the events fell and I could calm myself.
Alright, stop! I yelled to my werewolf side he gave me control strangely enough and I tumbled into the earth.
'What the Hell just happened!?' His voice was frantic in my mind.
All I could do was shake my head. I... I don't know... I don't know what's going on... or if I'm dreaming... or what. What the Hell!
'Dad just... and then he was about to!'
_ I know, I know... he almost kissed me..._ I slowed my breathing to try and calm myself. I never knew he was like that... to go through four wives and to think this was so hard to believe!
_ 'You didn't even move when he neared!'_
_ I wasn't expecting him to suddenly tell me he was gay!_
_ 'Thank god I took the advantage of it... what would have you done without me?'_ I stopped and managed to make room for one more thought that entered my mind. 'No... absolutely not!'
I laughed. You had to admit... the way he rubbed our stomach... it really felt...
_ 'Wonderful?'_
_ Yes..._
'Well... I sort of enjoyed it... a little bit... I couldn't help it... his palm.' I laughed a little bit rubbing my stomach.
I don't know how he did that... but it sort of... felt good. I looked around now and breathed in. Home was near a mile away. Why did you run this far?
_ 'Dad just told us he was gay... what the Hell would have you done? I panicked and took off in one direction!'_
Well now that we're here and out of the city, he's going to think he made a horrible mistake I'm sure...
_ 'Think he's shattered any of the windows yet?'_
_ He's probably moved onto his room by now... Should we head back and stop him?_
_ 'Do you think we can handle it... I know the feeling of incest isn't exactly something either of us enjoy.'_
I bit my lip and looked toward the direction we came. _I think I can make an exception. _