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The Human From a Dungeon 107
🕑 Added 2025-06-09 05:50:10 +0000 UTCChapter 107
Master Vampire Kirain Yith
Adventurer Level: N/A
Drow Master Vampire - Balushenian
I took a sip from a goblet of blood as I examined the rest of the table. Count Hesseth, my primary aide, was seated to my right. Across from Hesseth sat Thalomus, who was also acting as an aide.
He was seated to the right of the one he was aiding, none other than Hirgarus the Decimator. I had learned a lot more about him during my stay in the hells. As it turns out, he has an odd history, even for a daemon.
Thalomus had eagerly explained to me that Hirgarus, unlike most daemons, had been bound to his flesh for millennia. The reason for this was simple, he was extremely powerful and had put too much of his power into his regenerative capabilities.
Hirgarus had been obsessed with flesh. He studied it as much as he could, coveting it. When it came time for him to create a body of his own, he used his knowledge to carefully craft one that could regenerate at an extraordinary rate. These regenerative capabilities far surpass my own, and even those of other, stronger daemons.
Unfortunately for him, this meant that his physical form was almost impossible to destroy. This resulted in a very interesting situation. While a daemon is inhabiting their physical form, they are reliant upon their physicality. At some point in the distant past, Hirgarus suffered an injury that damaged his brain and gave him amnesia. As a result, hee completely forgot how to unbind himself from his body. And since he could no longer willingly unbind himself, this left him trapped in his mortal coil until said body could be completely destroyed.
I found it to be a rather humorous form of poetic justice. A daemon made itself a suit of flesh to torment those who are forced to wear one, only to be forced to continue wearing it himself. An inarguably hellish existence.
"How go the preparations?" Marquess Naberius asked.
My seat was directly to the right of the Marquess, and Hirgarus was sitting to his left. Our positioning, both deliberate and subtle, was not lost on me. Naberius meant to flatter me by placing me on his right. Or perhaps he meant to anger his daemonic commanders. From the glares I kept getting, the latter was definitely plausible.
"The legions have nearly finished reforming," Hirgarus' deep voice rumbled from across the table. "As per your instructions, we have replaced those that failed to reform with oathbreakers."
"Oathbreakers?" I asked.
"Ah, yes, that must sound quite suspect," Naberius laughed. "Worry not, Master Vampire. An oathbreaker is simply a daemon who is willing to serve whomever will benefit them the most. A mercenary, though not for coin. Their motivations are quite simple, they wish for either pleasure or power. This invasion has the potential to grant both in large amounts."
"They will be disposed of upon our success," Hirgarus nodded. "They cannot be trusted to stand alongside the legions and defend our holdings."
"They are certainly more trustworthy than the true-flesh we're allowing to tag along," one of the daemon commanders said with a bitter tone.
The Marquess stared coldly at the daemon until she began to quake in fear.
"My, my. There certainly is a lot of impudence amongst my commanders as of late," Naberius' gaze swept the table. "Perhaps you believe that you are indispensable because I do not have the patience to replace you? Foolish. It would only delay things by a year or two to empower commanders who are able to still their waggling face-worms."
Hirgarus looked unworried, but all of the other daemons froze in their seats. It was obvious what they were thinking. Would Marquess Naberius actually kill all of his commanders just before an invasion or was he bluffing?
"Nothing to say?" the Marquess laughed. "Of course, I wouldn't want to inconvenience our guests..."
"It is no inconvenience to me or mine," I said as Naberius' gaze fell upon me. "I care only for success. Whether it happens now or in a few years is inconsequential."
"Well, there you have it."
"P-please, sire," the female daemon stammered. "We are yours to punish as you see fit, but allow us the honor of remaining yours."
The daemon commanders began a staring contest with the table, unable to lock eyes with Naberius. I could practically feel the fear rise in them as his gaze washed over them, one by one. A spark of jealousy lit within me. I held dominion over the vampires, but not through fear or respect.
They did as I commanded because of a quirk of our evolution. An ability, rather than actual power. But as the Marquess rubbed his chin, debating what to do next, I realized that the 'actual power' that he has must be exhausting.
"I suppose it would be a shame to delay what we have worked so hard to achieve," Naberius said after another moment. "Any further insolence would also be a shame, though, so mind yourselves."
The daemons nodded silently, still avoiding eye contact.
"What do our spies report?"
"Bolisir and the Empire of Calkuti have withdrawn and dispersed their armies," Thalomus said. "The main host of the Unified Chiefdoms have split apart and returned to their respective chiefdoms, but only two of the chiefs have dispersed their armies. The rest are still on high alert, and even patrolling."
"Then perhaps we will focus our efforts on the dwarves and the elves whilst holding a legion or two in reserve. Once the orcs move to aid their allies, we can invade the less-defended chiefdoms with our reserves."
"And what of the Night Kingdom?" I asked.
"It has been merged with the Unified Chiefdoms, and several of the new 'Great Chiefs' are maintaining their standing armies," Thalomus replied. "Oh, slightly off-topic, we have abducted several mortals who can be turned into vampires. A total of... Seventy-two. It would have been more, but we're trying to remain subtle."
"Indeed," Naberius chuckled. "Wouldn't want the mortals to realize our plans before we enact them."
I nodded slowly. If one were to judge by the sparring sessions, a full vampire is worth twice its weight in daemons. Seventy-two was not the paltry amount that it seemed to be at first glance.
"And what of the other nations?" I asked.
"Bolisir, Calkuti, and the Unified Chiefdoms have the largest plane-rips," Naberius explained. "They will serve as our foothold and staging ground for further excursions. If all goes well, we will hold the entire continent within five years, even with the expected anyelic interference. Then we will build ships and begin our invasion of the other continents. Your role, however, is to simply take and hold the Night Kingdom."
"I see."
"Should you desire it, we can discuss expanding your role when it becomes more relevant, as well as additional rewards. Until then, though, it would be best for you to focus on the task at hand."
I nodded, unsure of whether or not I would want to help the daemons once the Night Kingdom was mine. On the one hand, the rewards would likely be well worth the trouble. On the other hand, the more I help the daemons the fewer casualties they will take. If they decide to turn on me once they've conquered everything else, it would be best for them to be as weak as possible.
"Prepare the legions," Naberius said. "We will march soon."
The daemons bowed their heads as the Marquess rose from his seat and left the room. I was the next to rise, with Count Hesseth quickly following suit. I felt several glares at my back as I left the conference room. Even if Marquess Naberius didn't betray me, one of his commanders might.
"Get us ready to fight," I said. "I am going to find our new recruits."
"Yes, my liege," Hesseth bowed and scurried off.
Once the count was out of sight, I realized that I didn't actually know where the daemons were keeping the mortals. After checking what I incorrectly estimated would be the most likely locations, I asked a passing daemon for guidance. It happily took me to where the mortals were being kept.
It was a large room, one of many that I hadn't been in before. Poles ran down its center, and several chains were attached to the top of each pole. Naturally, there were orcs, elves, gnomes, and dwarves attached to these chains. Seventy-two of them, in total.
"Am I meant to convert them all?" I asked with a little laugh.
"I do not know, sir," the daemon said with a bow. "This is not my area of expertise."
"Oh? What is your area of expertise, then?"
"Well... Fighting, killing, and torturing. And cooking, as it happens, but that tends to be a lot less relevant."
"Cooking?" I raised an eyebrow. "What use does a daemon have for cooking?"
"Very, very little, sir," the daemon let out a sigh of existential angst.
"Hmm... Well, we all must have our hobbies, I suppose. There is one more task I would have you do for me. Retrieve whomever is in charge of... All of this. I would have them advise me."
"Yes, sir."
The daemon bowed, then left to find someone who could provide the information that I needed. I was certain that the daemons had a particular order of operations in mind, and I didn't want to offend the Marquess by acting on my own volition. As I turned to examine the captives, their stench hit me. The conditions in which they were being kept were unsanitary, to say the least. The stench of piss, shit, and sweat hit me all at once. I began to raise my hand to my face to block the offensive odor, but another smell froze me in my tracks.
The delightful scent of blood. Fresh blood, still being pumped through veins and arteries. The stale blood that the daemons had provided was enough to meet my needs and slake my thirst. However, cold blood from a goblet is not nearly as appetizing as having it straight from the source.
The temptation was overwhelming. I finished covering my nose and tried to think of something else, but I'd already caught the scent. I dimly realized that I had taken several steps forward, and struggled to stop myself.
It was too late.
Blood tasted so much better as a master vampire than it did when I was a half-breed. No, it wasn't simply the taste. There was a feeling to it, a sense of euphoria. Like having a source of stress suddenly disappear, like having the tightness in your muscles rapidly alleviated, like experiencing every possible relief at once. It was very nearly the absolute peak of pleasure.
There was only one higher peak, and that was converting a mer into a vampire. Vaguely, I was aware of the screams, of the panic and fear that suddenly filled the room. But I had fully lost myself, completely subject to the whims of ecstasy.
Some of them probably tried to fight me, but I didn't feel any pain. Only the warmth of the blood rushing into my mouth and down my throat. Only the rapturous delight of the conversions.
Then, it was done, and I was left standing in a room full of newly crafted vampires.
My influence met their wills and completely overwhelmed them. They were fully within my power, like my servants in the dungeon had been. The blood in my throat caused the sound of my laughter to take on a much more ominous tone than usual, which only served to make me laugh harder.
The door opened, and my new vampires turned to watch two daemons enter the room. The first to enter was the daemon that had escorted me. Following close behind him was none other than Hirgarus the Decimator.
"I see you have resolved your dilemma unaided," Hirgarus said, glaring at the other daemon. "My time has been wasted."
"I-I'm, uh... My apologies, sire," the other daemon grovelled. "I-I didn't know for sure how to ans-"
I have seen people killed in many, many ways. Hanging, beheading, prodded to death with red-hot instruments, ripped to shreds by beasts, and torn to pieces by hnarses. Hirgarus showed me something new by... Well, there's no other way to describe it. He backhanded the daemon in half.
It happened in the blink of an eye. One moment, the daemon was quivering and making excuses for an admittedly minor foible. The next, his upper half was smashed flat against the wall. Ichor flooded out of the daemons lower half as it fell to the ground with a disgusting plop.
"I don't believe he was at fault. I really did ask him to retrieve someone," I said.
"It is no great loss," Hirgarus replied, wiping his hand with a cloth. "He was an oathbreaker, and not to be trusted. His indecisiveness was caused by weakness, and that weakness can only serve to make me stronger."
"I see..."
The room began to waver a bit, but I casually leaned against the wall to mask my overindulgence.
"You are filthy, and I can sense your vertigo," Hirgarus said. "I am returning to my duties. You should get cleaned up and take a rest."
"Sound advice," I nodded, instantly regretting the head-movement. "What do we do with these ones?"
The vampires watched us silently, still covered in their mortal mess. I felt some of them hope for better accommodations. Others regretted their choice to convert.
"I'll have someone cleanse and transfer them."
Hirgarus waved a hand dismissively and left the way he came. I suddenly felt the weight of my vampires staring at me, and pushed them to avert their gaze. Their chains rattled as, in unison, they stared at the floor.
Another wave of fatigue crashed into me, and I left to find my room. By the time I was halfway there, my brain was swimming whilst my body plodded along. I came to my senses briefly as I entered my chambers, and debated whether or not to bathe. My exhaustion made some very good arguments, so in the end I compromised by removing my clothing before climbing into bed.
The moment my head hit the pillow, I found myself suspended in a never-ending expanse of white. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. This bright void, completely free of any form of shadow, seemed to permeate throughout the entirety of my being. It was quite uncomfortable.
"What a vile thing you are," a voice said from behind me. "But you don't have to be."
Confused and insulted, I turned to confront my harasser. Instead, I found myself face to face with the nude form of my mother. Her deep blue eyes regarded me coldly, and her pitch-black hair was the only sign of darkness within the void of light.
"Mother?" I asked, dumbfounded. "What's the meaning of this? You shou-"
My voice halted as I ran out of air, and I found myself unable to take another breath. It was still a novel enough experience that I panicked for a moment, but I quickly realized what was going on. A higher one stood before me, disguised as my mother.
"You see me as your mother?" it asked mockingly. "I wonder at why those on the mortal plane perceive me as a nurturing female."
I remained silent, keenly aware of how capricious and powerful the being standing before me was.
"You must be wondering why you're here."
'Yes, you said that you would be silent to me from now on and leave me to do as I please.'
"No I didn't," the being laughed. "You and I haven't met. Your former patron has a fondness for royal plurals, though, so I can see the source of your confusion. Despite its word choice, it does not speak for all of us."
The laughter contorted my mother's face, and for a moment I was able to glimpse through the facade. The higher one's eyes became a deep purple and its teeth became rows of fangs. My mother's pitch-black hair slowly shifted into a gleaming blue.
It strained my eyes to witness the transformation. I blinked, and was suddenly facing a nude woman that was much taller than me. Her skin was a pale pink color, and her nipple-less breasts were larger than my head. I wondered at the symbolism for a moment, but quickly banished those thoughts.
'Why am I here?' I asked, hoping that it didn't notice my fear.
"Everyone and everything has a role to play in the grand production that you call life," the higher one said, its voice no longer resembling my mother's. "Tell me, sinner, what role do you think best suits you?"
'I-I don't know.'
"Yes you do, you just don't wish to say it aloud and risk offending me."
The higher one's laughter mocked me, but the memory of my last encounter with such a being served to keep my anger in check.
"You see yourself far above your station, as a king, or even an emperor. You frequently imagine the luxuries such a position would bring, and only occasionally wonder at the burdens that latch themselves to it. You are smart enough to know this is an empty pursuit, but your circumstances prevent you from seeing any other route to take. So, you plod along, hoping one day to wear a crown. Am I wrong?"
Once again mocked, but my anger remained sheathed.
'No,' I admitted.
"Tell me, if the daemons keep their word and allow you to be the king of the Night Kingdom, what then? If they are successful in their ambitions, you will be unable to expand your borders to the lengths that you desire. And outside of those borders, the daemons will rule. You will constantly fear their encroachment, and it isn't as if they will rule the lands that they hold in a way that will benefit your people. There will be no immigration. There will be no cultural exchanges. There will be no trade. The Night Kingdom will stagnate, eventually withering, dying, and becoming one with the daemonic horde."
The casualness with which the higher one laid bare one of my deeply held insecurities about my partnership with the daemons further offended me. It had condescendingly explained exactly what had been dwelling just beneath the surface of my thoughts, as if I was too stupid to have thought of it. I couldn't help but snap a little.
'And what am I to do about it?' I asked bitterly. 'What choice do I have now?'
"That's exactly why I am here," she said with another laugh. "You see, vampire, you have an almost infinite number of choices ahead of you. Regardless of how many there are, these choices will ultimately lead you down one of two metaphorical paths. Ruin or redemption."
'Paths? Ruin or redemption?'
"Yes. The road to ruin is obvious. You remain loyal to the daemons for a bit too long, even as a ruse, and you will suffer for it."
The higher one added extra weight to the word 'suffer', which heavily implied that it would be an extreme form thereof. I felt a quake of fear run through me as I recalled what happened to me at the hands of the kobolds in the dungeon. She seemed to notice this and smirked.
'And the road to redemption?'
"Naturally, that's a bit more complicated. The point of redemption is not to pay for your sins, but to learn from them and grow in such a way that they aren't repeated. Knowing this, do you believe that you can be redeemed?"
'I don't even know what sins I have committed.'
"Not consciously, no. But I know that you've been looking into the fair folk. Their laws, customs, and relationship with my kind. You know that your current form means that you didn't commit a sin that's easily forgivable. That's why, even without knowledge of your transgressions, you rail against your demise with such ferocity. You're afraid of what might come next."
'Isn't everyone?' I asked sarcastically.
"No, actually. The fair folk don't fear death. They do not concern themselves with suffering, either, for such things are temporary to them. When their flesh is rent asunder, they are born anew, ready to experience all of the pleasures of life once more," the higher one stared at me silently for a moment. "The greatest joys that you can experience as a vampire are a mere trifle compared to even basic contentment as a wylder. The most minor inconvenience to one such as you is equivalent to the most intense torment that a wylder can experience."
'Ah, so I should want to be a fairy, then?'
"What you desire is entirely up to you, but you can't fool me into believing that you don't despise your own existence. Even the smell of the most beautiful flowers holds the scent of corpses for one such as you."
Every minor torment that I suffered on a daily basis came to mind. Flowers do carry the scent of corpses. Food tastes of old blood and bile. The sun burns my skin, and the only reason I can withstand it is because I immediately heal the damage that's done. I stared in silence, feeling the truth of this being's words cut into me.
'What must I do, then, to be redeemed?' I asked, trying not to sound pathetic.
"Demonstrate that you have learned from your mistakes. Release the wylder-turned-thralls from their torments, and the vampires from your control. Let them make their own choices and follow their own paths. Betray the daemons and attempt to thwart their plans. If you do this, you will eventually encounter the being that defeated you in the depths of that dungeon. Aid him. Do all of this, and you will be redeemed."
'That doesn't sound so complicated.'
"Oh, but it is. The road to redemption ends in your death, whilst the road to ruin might see you live for quite a while. If you can call it living."
A ripple suddenly traveled through the void, and I looked around in alarm.
"It would seem that it's time to wake up and make your decision," the higher one laughed. "I only hope that it's an amusing one."
Comments
Ben Bass
TYFTC! Oooh, potential redemption for our former half-breed vampire turned Master vampire? I know that will be a difficult road, does he have the necessary drive to follow that path to actual redemption?
