Page 75 of Dark Master's Redemption

The slowness of my Dark Haven’s approach is infuriating, as I feel all three groups of my people inch through the Hotel’s halls. I know what they do now as we fight to take it back; that the Gold Eyes has challenged us yet again, to rise to the occasion or give up.

Not only have Lucca and Ariana’s group had to diffuse the Gold Eyes’ warding sigils on the floors as they move through every hall, Luliana and Arturos have had to as well. Like Lucca trading off with Ariana, Ariana’s parents take some of the strain off Luliana, and all of it is bolstered somewhat by the Dark Haven’s power.

Arturos diffuses the Gold Eyes’ handiwork alone, however, despite the Dark Haven’s resonant aid. It leaves our strongest warriors incapacitated by the Gold Eyes’ diabolical works, even though they are somewhat able to conserve their strength.

I hate it that the gold-eyed fiend still controls my magic and my fate; I grind my teeth now as I wait for my Dark Haven to come to me, knowing that somehow, everything we’re doing here only serves the creature’s mysterious agenda.

Yet some part of me knows I’m already breaking away from the Gold Eyes’ power with every ambition I give up. I feel a strange liberation deep inside, each time I speak or feel from my truest heart, as I’ve done in these past few days since I returned from being Revenant.

Some part of me is already coming free of our Maker, just as Lucca and Ariana are, also. But it’s not quick, and it’s not enough as I simmer now, waiting to make our next move.

I feel like a rat in a maze as I wait for my beloveds to make their way to me. The returned Revenants are waiting for my signal; even Gunter’s Vampire-Giants at the front gates won’t begin their distraction attack until my say-so, delivered through Adicus’ amulets. That can’t happen until Lucca and Ariana get to me, because the three of us form the heart of the Music and need to be together for it to be at its strongest so we can take back the Hotel.

Each minute that passes makes it more likely all three groups will be discovered, however. Florian’s not a modern Vampire and has installed no contemporary security inside the Hotel, thank the gods, and hasn’t figured out how to work my own magical security measures. Because of my Dark Haven’s new resonance, each group has killed off their assailants so far, not alerting the Hotel at large of their presence here yet.

I feel our strongest warriors draining with every passing moment, though, despite the Dark Haven’s help. They switch off dissipating wards to give each other the best chance, but all are exhausted now, despite everything we did last night.

Each group has had to fight intermittently to defend themselves, even as exhaustion drains our best people to the max. I try to give those bonded to me as much energy as I can, but it’s as if each sigil they touch leaves a cloud within them, far darker than anything even Florian Delano could create. Like an inky void, it swirls inside them now.

Sapping their strength—and preventing me from bolstering them with my magic.

I growl now, debating what to do; until that decision is taken from me as Ariana and Lucca’s group are suddenly discovered by a large section of Florian’s forces.

A blaring war horn blasts throughout the halls as I feel over a hundred guards rush in and fight them now, a hundred more on their heels. We’ve kicked the hornet’s nest and Florian has realized our presence. I don’t have time to think as I face all our plans ripping into shreds, and the demise of my beloveds at Florian’s hands.

I act—roaring to the returned Revenants waiting inside my underground hall.

“Attack!” I seethe as my voice hammers through every connection I have now, ringing with powerful Music as it floods them. “Take back the Hotel! Kill all you can from the Council, but spare Florian’s Vampires if you’re able!”

As the returned Revenants seethe from my position, hurtling as black smoke through the back passages of the Hotel, I feel them burst out everywhere, clashing with Florian’s forces. I turn myself into black smoke too, which I didn’t even know I could do until this very moment, as I surge through the back passages of the Hotel with them.

The seven returned Revenants who pledged to me are with me as we burst into the main halls where Ariana and Lucca are. Becoming human again, I defend my beloveds, fighting for them with true love in my heart as my Dark Fae heave and battle, and the once-Revenants fight like banshees all around us.

As the returned Revenants whirl and clash with enormously impressive magic now, my people give no less, seething and roaring with courage the likes of which I’ve never seen.

The massive distraction at the gates that Gunter’s Giants are giving raises hell with their pummeling power and inundating waves of magic. It gives our far smaller forces inside the Hotel the confusion we need, as Florian’s guards don’t know which area to rush to, or which invasion to stop.

But as I feel hundreds, if not thousands of Societas Sanguinis hurtle to our location inside the Hotel now to annihilate us, I know someone has alerted the Council of my whereabouts. We may have the Revenants on our side, and most of our people bonded together now and sharing power via the Dark Haven’s magic, but I know it’s not enough, as a massive force floods the halls now, arrived by portal inside the Hotel from elsewhere.

Something must be done, something clever to fight this horde; as it comes to me, I quickly pass through to all my people an ability to open the back passages of the Hotel.

It’s like what Devi and Curio can do with my magic; I feel that knowledge rush into everyone now, connected to me by my Dark Haven’s bonds. My people are already imbued with my power, via the Dark Haven of Florence.

As we abruptly cease fighting—and rush to the nearest portraits to enter the back halls of the Hotel.

We break into packs, my people escaping through the blue-lit back halls of the Hotel—only to emerge some place else and battle on. We go on like this, in and out of the back halls as I keep Ariana and Lucca close to me now, making the Music sing between us as we all hold our true heart intentions, to win this day.

Our enemies are constantly surprised as we raze them, searing them with our combined Music and magic before disappearing again like wraiths into the walls. A guerrilla fighting tactic, we dart out from behind tapestries and sculpture vaults, pastoral paintings and austere portraits, only to clash hard and dash back in again.

I feel the Council’s forces struggling as our people gain from that incredible confusion of power and magic. Still, it’s taking its toll on us as we rush from place to place, battling, resting, then rushing out to battle on.

Even as I fight hard with a Faeanic spear now, claimed from one of my fallen Dark Fae, it’s a numbers game and we’re losing too many. Even with the Music stunning our foes, our Dark Haven bonded together in our power, and the returned Revenants fighting for us, we barely come close to matching the Council’s forces, pouring through from elsewhere into the Hotel.

I had underestimated how much the Council truly wanted me dead, as the elite warriors of the Societas Sanguinis just keep coming, no matter how many we kill. I’m not sure if they want to capture or kill me, as my paltry force struggle to take them out now, despite the Vampire-Giants winning their clash at the gates with Florian’s guards and barreling on inside.

Magical battles are draining, and even our most expert warriors can’t fight forever. And the Council’s forces are ever-fresh as they continue to come at us.

Rushing into every hall in never-ending brigades as they work to take us down.

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