| Chapter 11 |
| The drizzle of the night before was gone. This night saw clear skies and bright stars. Because of these stars the night sky was a rich blue color. The moon was veiled, a new moon. A chilling breeze haunted the streets of Vienna like a spectral harbinger of winter. I had lit the fireplace in the living-room because of the increasing cold. Some of my kind are immune to such temperatures, yet I, though very resilient, am as vulnerable to heat and cold as a common man. The warm light that was shed by the fire soothed my mind. Olivier was reading a book while Dieter was sketching something. Dieter likes to draw and is quite good at it. I was about to look at what Dieter was drawing when there was a knock on the front door downstairs. The house I lived in used to be a grocery shop. Downstairs was used mainly as storage. It had a few lights and was rather dusty and neglected. Curious but hesitant I went downstairs. There I found there was no need to open the door. An envelope graced the floor, it was unmarked except for the fact that it was addressed to me. Once I was back upstairs I found Dieter and Olivier looking at me expectantly. Carefully I opened the envelope and read the letter. Dear Brother, The Master has requested that you come to him as soon as possible. The situation is dire indeed. Arrangements are already being made for your journey. Please notify me as the when you can leave as soon as possible. Post a letter to the Ringstrasse 14. We have not seen each other for many years now. It would be most joyous to see you again where is not for these confusing circumstances. Yours sincerely, Rudolph Rudolph had never bothered with last names. I thought of this as I tried to calm my mind so it would not plunge into chaos of the many questions this letter conjured in my thoughts. Why did my master want to see me? What was amiss? Why was Rudolph here who was normally always with the Master? My head swam and I tore my gaze away from the letter. Dieter and Olivier where still looking at me, they where worried and confused. Would I take them with me? Could I? Or perhaps I should leave them here. In a hurry I made the arrangements for Dieter and Olivier to stay here, I simply could not take them with me to the Master. I left them a large amount of money. Olivier delivered the letter in which I told Rudolph I would be ready in two nights. What could the reason be that my Master was calling me back to him? Maybe it was because I killed Vaudan. But Vaudan had become insane, like my Master had said one would become with the life Vaudan led. Surely he would not punish me, even if it were a transgression. Most broods uphold the law that only the Master is allowed to slay those of his brood. Though our Master never told us that he upheld this law. Worry gnawed at me nonetheless. There had to be some urgent reason the Master called me to him. Two nights later I said goodbye to Dieter and Olivier and gave them all the apologies and advice I could. I went to the railway station by coach. The railway station was dark at that hour. The train I would take was the last one to leave today. It stood there, still and silent like a sleeping dragon, ready to roar to life. A few people entered the metal beast but I decided to wait for Rudolph who was supposed to be here. “Greetings brother.” These words where not spoken but slipped directly through the mazes of my mind into me thoughts. As I turned around I saw brother step into the light shed by one of the gaslights that scarcely lit the platform. Rudolph was wearing a long black coat with a fur collar. His blond hair hung lose, a soft breeze caressed it, moving it. The light reflected of that golden hair seemed to form a halo. His eyes where cast in shadow but I knew them to be blue. The lips on his ivory face where curved into a gentle smile. I could tell he was happy to see me, yet not in this situation. Paralysis, caused by the emotions that welled up out of my heart, spread throughout my body as he walked towards. He could sense this as I could sense his mixed feelings. Then the moment came where we stood in front of each other. The moment was charged and seemed to stretch itself from seconds into minutes. A soft “greetings brother” slipped from my mind and into his. A hesitant desire grew to hold him once more, to feel his skin against mine and remember ages passed. It was so long that we had touched each other. But we where mere boys then, playing. Now we where beyond mature, we where ageless. Rudolph nodded and motioned at the metal machine that was to depart in a few minutes. With that the passed was gone. We boarded the train and found ourselves a private compartment where we could talk. When we sat down I decided to speak. “Rudolph, has this visit anything to do with Vaudan?” Rudolph shook his head. “Vaudan had gone mad, you released him from his insanity and released the world from another monstrosity.” “Then why has the Master send for me in this urgent manner?” My brother bit his lower lip. “I cannot tell you.” Rudolph wanted to tell me but he could not, he was keeping his promise to the Master. There was nothing I could do but accept that I would not know why I was summoned until I would speak with the Master. Outside the clouds where like cloth torn to shreds, allowing the moon to pierce through the ragged blanket at times. The weather appeared to be mild and was probably accompanied by a cool breeze. We passed the border between Austria and Hungary. The Orient Express rode on towards Budapest. I thought about Dieter and Olivier, I missed them. A strange feeling of longing began to gnaw at me. Though I loved seeing the place from whence I came again I got homesick. By day we slept and late that afternoon we arrived in Budapest. The sky was clouded, pregnant with fresh rain. Far of I heard the soft rumble of thunder. The sun was well hidden, which was all the better for us. Our carriage awaited us outside the railway station. I knew where the carriage would be taking us. Rudolph and I where still silent. We had tried to start conversations but none of them had lasted long. The tension was high now and soon my question would be answered. The carriage took us to the hidden places north of Budapest. As we entered the domain of my Master rain started to fall, a powerful summer shower. Wild thunder echoed through the sky. The rain smelled fresh and reinvigorating. We got out once the carriage stopped at the crossroad that was very familiar to me. Dense foliage covered the area around the crossroad. I knew what bush hid the secret path. We took what luggage we brought with us and pushed aside the branches of the bush with dark green leaves and small red berries. The path behind it was narrow, it led to a small clearing deep within the dense bushes and trees. In the middle of the clearing was something that resembled a man-made cave, dark gray stone steps led into the dark beneath the earth. At the bottom of the stairs there was a doorway, wide and tall enough for a man to pass through. The doorway held a sturdy wooden door that would be hard to break even for some of my kind. Rudolph took a key from a pocket in the inside of his coat and unlocked the door. With a loud click echoed of the walls the lock that opened. My brother gave a push against the door and it opened creaking loudly as if pain, as if a wound of some unearthly creature was being torn open. Beyond the door was darkness. With a wave of Rudolph’s hand light from candles that suddenly ignited pierced the darkness. These candles where set in iron candleholders that where placed in alcoves along the walls of the hallway before us. The hallway led us deeper beneath the earth. I knew where this twisting passage led. It was no more then three decades ago that I traveled along this passage on a regular basis. Down we went to the lair of the Master. As I walked on a feeling crept into my flesh and seeped into my brain. It was the feeling that I was walking into the underworld, the Hades of Greek mythology. When our journey through the winding passage ended we stood in the antechamber of my Master’s crypt. Finally I felt that strange aura, that energy, my Master’s presence. Entranced by that familiar ancient feeling I boldly stepped forward passing the arched doorway that separated the antechamber from the crypt proper. There I saw the creature that I knew to be my Master. He looked older then I remembered him. His skin seemed wrinkled, and his hair seemed lighter like it was turning gray. His voice though carried the same power it always had. “My son you have returned to me.” As was expected of me I knelt and responded: “as you requested master.” My Master spoke again but this time his voice seemed weaker: “you wonder why I have called you here, why I have send Rudolph out to fetch you.” I simply nodded in reply. “First let me soothe your fears. This is not about Vaudan, and yet it is. I have called you here because I will soon leave this world. Do not try to change my mind, as I know you would try. I have thought about this for a long time and I have grown disenchanted by this world and I desire to leave here.” I was shocked, I wanted to say something, something to change his mind but I could not. “Yet I cannot leave this world without passing on the gift of the brood. The power to create more of our kind. You slew Vaudan, something that I, as Master of this Brood, should have done. I wish to pass this gift on to you Alexander. It is my wish that you will take it.” There was nothing I could do, I had no choice in this. Shackles of loyalty and love wrapped around each other and both dragged me down. “I will accept your gift Master and my blessings are upon you where ever you may travel after you leave this world.” “Thank you Alexander, I bestow it upon you then use it carefully.” The room grew dimmer and my Master’s form seemed to grow translucent, dissolving. “Alexander, take care of Rudolph, my poor Rudolph.” The voice was soft like a whisper and then there was the crumbling of ash as my Master’s physical form dissolved and his spirit was set free. Then a chill crept along my spine and it worked its way into my bones then into my blood. As my blood chilled then if froze and then it seemed to boil. And then it was gone. I heard Rudolph weeping I walked to him, kissed him, took him into my arms. I shared his sadness and his tears. We left that place and I took him with me to Vienna. On the way there he told me about how we where the last of the Brood. The master had chosen me for my qualities as a leader. Rudolph admitted that he envied me at first but now he did not care anymore. He found my comfort much more pleasing that being the Master of a Brood. Dieter and Olivier where first surprised to see Rudolph but after the sharing of stories surprise mad way for friendship. We shared our love, or ideas and our nights together. Rudolph, who had never been much under the mortal populace except to feed and to take care of the Master’s business, found the company of mortals quite pleasing. Now as Master of the Brood who would I initiate, Olivier and Dieter? They where too young, they should grow up as mortals first before they could join our world. Rudolph, though he was not of my making, was of course part of my brood. I did not worry too much though I had time enough to think on this. My story would end here, where it not for the most amazing thing that happened a few years after I received my gift. |
| Chapter 12 |