Tides

CHAPTER 15--Cassin

Cassin followed Coryn, Valeno trailing behind them, wide-eyed at the grandeur of the vampire's ancestral home. Cassin breathed deeply, looking up at the vaulted ceilings, and the tall windows that lined the entrance hall, sunlight streaming in the east side. The light was colored green and red, and orange and blue by the stained panes it was shining through. Across the entrance-hall's ceiling splayed a mural of Vanhirr, the first vampire, and a god. The image depicted him wearing nothing but a golden circlet, while holding a silver chalice and a lump of white stone. 

"Because he was the first king of these lands," Cassin explained to Valeno, eager to tell an outsider of vampire lore. "And he created his children, the Vampra, out of his own silver blood, and white marble from his palace in the sky."

"Wow," Valeno whispered, reverently. "Our Ancestors are nothing like your gods."

"And his children made us, the first mortal vampires–or Vampre as we are more commonly called, out of their blood, and stone. That is why we bury each of our kin in a marble coffin–because they are returned from whence they came."

Valeno marveled at the intricate details of the mural. The folds of pale skin, each golden curl on Vanhirr's head.

"That mural took 500 years to finish, and it is painted on glass, for that is what the ceiling is made of," Cassin explained to the werewolf. Valeno touched one of the thick, white marble pillars that held up the delicate ceiling. "When the sun reaches the highest point in the sky, it is like magic. Vanhirr seems to glow like the divine being that he is and the silver and stone shine like they are alive."

As they left the entrance-hall, Cassin caught Valeno craning his neck to catch one last glimpse of the majestic hall.

"Wyrdynn, god of spirits made werewolves, you know," Cassin said, pleased when Valeno's attention landed directly on him. "Wyrdynn created you in his image, using brimstone and one of his own fangs, imbuing you with the spirits of wolves. He made you fierce and unchainable–just like spirits."

"And do you believe that?" Valeno asked as they rounded a corner and headed up a gray marble staircase.

Cassin looked Valeno up and down. "I do. In the Hall of the Divine, there is a shrine to Wyrdynn. He is the firstborn son of Vanhirr. He also is one of the only gods with long hair, the other is his nephew, Forynn."

"Why?"

"Because long hair stands for freedom of being. While the other gods are laden down with tasks, Wyrdynn is the watcher of ever-moving spirits, and Forynn creates creatures of every shape and size–He is the god of animals."

They climbed a second staircase, then a third. All of them were unnaturally long. Cassin was proud that he could keep up with Coryn who walked tight-lipped two steps ahead of him, no doubt internally freaking out that Cassin was telling vampire lore to a werewolf. Valeno slowed.

"So. Many. Stairs," he panted.

"Only ten more--staircases," Cassin said. "And we'll take the short cuts."

Valeno groaned.  

They cut through the servant stairwell and went up the back way until they reached a plain wooden door with the royal sigil–an eye bleeding out a single tear–imprinted on the door in gold. The tear was a minute ruby. "This is the back entrance to my chambers," Cassin explained.

Another vampire–a servant, was standing beside the door, holding a key. Word got around quickly, Cassin thought, pleased. The king was back.

"Thank you," Cassin said, taking the key and fitting it in the lock. It opened with a click!