Chapter 17 - Kaiden
“So, I’m good to go right?”
“No my child, you were almost drained completely of blood,” Miss Dalia said throwing her hands in the air.
“I get that, but that was then, this is now.”
“You need to take it easy. You can’t just rush out into the world because you feel better. There are still long term effects we may not be aware of yet.”
“I mean, what are the odds something bad will happen? Besides, I got faith in you Miss Dalia.”
“Mother Dalia, I’ve told you it’s Mother Dalia. Are you listening to anything I’ve been trying to tell you?”
“Yes Miss Dalia.”
“Kaiden, you are going to be a handful and I’m much too old for it.”
“I am so not a handful. I’m super chill,” I have no idea why she would think I’m a problem. I haven’t been here long enough to do anything.
It’s good that I’m healthy again. They told me I was a thrall for a while. A few years actually. I don’t remember any of that. Supposedly a thrall is someone that’s under control of vampires. That’s something they do. All I know is, that’s not cool, and someone should do something about it. That someone might be me because nobody else here is worried about. Not that I’ve talked to a lot of people. But the ones I did, aren’t worried at all.
“Kaiden, did you hear me? We’re going on a tour of the grounds,” Miss Dalia calls from the door, hands on her hips. She is really sassy for an old woman.
Dalia spends so much time walking me around this ancient looking place. It’s like a little city built around this huge temple I’m not allowed to go into yet. Why would you build a huge temple if people weren’t allowed in it? Isn’t that what temples are for? For people to worship. Apparently, I’m going to have to go to school here. That’ll be fun. School has never been fun. Well, there’s a bunch of super killer monks here. So maybe it’ll be cool.
“Hey, when do I get to learn about killing vampires.”
“When you are sixteen, if you choose that path. However, that is not our only way of life,” Miss Dalia says.
“Why can’t I go into the temple?”
“There are many temples here you may go into. The large one, you may not go into unless called to be one of our religious or political leaders.”
“That’s stupid.”
“Boy, when you are a guest in someone else’s homeland you follow their customs and do not make such bold judgements like saying things you do not understand are stupid,” she looks ticked off.
I just sit and listen to the rest of the tour. I don’t ask any questions, and only speak when she speaks to me. I don’t want to make an enemy out of her. She seems like she’s got a little power around here. Probably killed a bunch of vampires too. Old but deadly woman. She’s could probably kill me and no one would know.
“Look at that statue. What do you see,” she says pointing to one of many in a small park.
“I see a person shaking hands with a pointy eared person,” I’m not blind.
“No, that is a statue of the men who founded this place. A man, and an Elf who granted him the land in their sacred forest.”
“So, Elves are real? Like those movies with the ring, and dragon and volcano,” she took a left with that.
“Yes, you’ve met some since you’ve been here. Elves, Orcs, Goblins and more are all real. How can you accept vampires so easily but not others? You have a one tract mind.”
“So, the founders? What’s their deal,” I had to get her back on topic.
“Centuries ago, the world was not as it is today. It was a world at war. Humans fighting elves. Werewolves fighting Orcs, vampires draining us all. Goblins and Dwarves fighting for control of mountains and caves. There was death and despair everywhere. This place was founded as a place where people of all races and species could come and live together. In time, the rest of the world grew peaceful, but it was not without casualties. Still, there were those men and creatures that would harm innocents. That is when our people picked up arms and casts spells to defend those who could not defend themselves. It was not just vampires they fought, but werewolves, orcs, humans, elves. Anything that would harm another with no remorse. Today we still carry on that mission,” Miss Dalia finishes wiping a tear from her eye.
She finishes up the tour at her favorite restaurant and insists I have dinner with her. She makes me order from the kid’s menu. She keeps referring to me as a child but, I’m not a kid. Dinner is just filled with more rules about living here. She keeps avoiding my questions about learning how to fight. I don’t know why she can’t just give me a straight answer about why I’m not allowed to fight. I know she said sixteen, but I’m sixteen. I’m only a kid by a technicality.
“So you’re not budging on this sixteen thing? Even if I am sixteen technically,” I ask moving a green bean to the other side of my plate.
“I don’t make the rules or even enforce them. Your discrepancy is not with me child.”
“Well, can you tell me another story then? One about Jason.”
“Why do you look up to that man?”
“He’s like a superhero. He saved me, and a bunch of other people. That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Very well, do you know what a Basilisk is?”
“Not a clue.”
“Well, we’re going to have to do a little history lesson, but I’ll tell you about the time he killed one.”
0 comments :
Post a Comment