Chapter 49 The Order of things (1/2)

True to her word, Arita had brought in a small goat for Rassa to feed from after he'd completed his bath. The clothes he'd been given were simple, just some trousers and a cotton shirt, but at least they smelled clean. At least he smelled clean. The clean smell, the soft bed and the meal was admittedly enough to turn his mood somewhat lighter, but that was soured by the reality that he was still in chains. He was growing unbearably bored. He tried to sleep for a few hours, but as the midnight hour came he had no desire to do so. The high windows gave Rassa the perfect view of the moonlight, and he basked in it as best he could. He sat there for hours, just thinking. Mostly about his choices up until now. What could he have done differently to ensure he didn't end up in this position. Evidently many things. But all of those paths, aggressive or passive, still would have brought him back here. It was simple, he was something different. And if those history books his father made him read were any indication, difference was something to be feared if not eradicated.

Arita returned in the early hours of the morning just as the sun was beginning to rise. Rassa turned to face her, and noticed she was accompanied by two old men and Jane. Jane grinned when she saw him, and ran over to him. Unlike everyone else that came near him, Jane didn't hesitate to hug him.

”How are you? Did you sleep well? You've been treated well right?” The questions tumbled from Jane's lips as she backed up to check over him. Rassa looked over Jane's shoulder at Arita.

”I'm fine,” he replied.

The old man with far more facial hair snorted, ”Quite the statement from someone chained to a wall”.

Rassa's gaze narrowed, ”I doubt you'd live if I wasn't fine”.

Silence engulfed the laboratory before Arita cleared her throat.

”Rassa, this is the Guild Master of Toulle City Guild, Lothwick Dannefor, and this is the High Scholar Erik Loch,” she said, ”They're here to...well to speak with you”.

Rassa looked between them, ”I'll admit it, that's a new approach”.

”Would you prefer us to starve you?” asked the man who had yet to speak, the Scholar, ”I heard that didn't go as planned for the Knights”.

After all Rassa had been through in the last few weeks, he couldn't help but crack a smile, ”No, it didn't”.

Jane looked somewhat ill at ease from this display, but didn't move from her spot beside Rassa on the bed.

”So, we also heard that you called yourself a Vampire. Care to explain what that is?” asked the Scholar, taking charge of the situation.

”I'm not entirely sure yet, haven't had the chance to fully comprehend it,” Rassa replied.

”How long exactly would you need?” asked the Scholar.

”With these chains keeping me confined? At least another 5 years, probably more,” Rassa stated.

”And without?” asked the Scholar.

Rassa scoffed, ”You're not going to let me out”.

No one denied it.

The Guild Master spoke up, ”So what can you tell us? From what we've seen of your life lines they're unreadable. They make no sense, they're-”

”Chaotic?” Rassa finished, ”I suppose they are”.

”What did you just say?” asked the Scholar.

Rassa turned to the Scholar, ”Ring a bell did it? That's good. I've been wanting to know what the Chaos is, what it means”.

The Scholar frowned, ”That's a myth”.

”I assure you, those dead knights would say otherwise,” said Rassa, then he glanced at Arita, ”As would the Mist, wouldn't it?”

Arita seemed surprised but again, didn't argue with him.

”What are you thinking, Erik?” asked the Guild Master.

”It's a very old story. So old that most believe it's just a story. Designed to terrify more than anything else,” Erik relented, ”The story of creation”.

”What the whole, 'Order decreed there be land and so there was land to balance the depths of the ocean' speil?”

”That's not exactly how this story tells it,” Erik stated.