Transformation

Transformation

~1~

         The cold feeling became unbearable and then she could see no more. Then came the coppery taste of blood, followed by an even colder feeling. She groaned in pain as it felt like something was twisting her organs in her body. The pain became a bit more intense and the cold feeling began to pulse... And then it all stopped, the pain subsided, and left her with only the icy feeling. Silently she opened her eyes, watching the man who had created her, leaving.
         She glared at him, but in her exhaustion, the world went black again, despite the waves of refreshing strength and power that had came with her new species. After a brief struggle to regain her vision, she gave in, letting her head rest on the ground, the strength fading as she did so.
         After an eternity of black, dark colors began to show and swirl, followed by slightly brighter shades, most red. Memories of the path flowed, victories and defeats, old foes, friends, lovers, the death of her previous lover... And then the man whom she had joined forces with. As the vision continued, no longer did she feel the panic and coldness that had held her in rare fear. No, now she felt a reassurance from this deadly friend she both hated and loved. But why him?
         Then it all blurred once again, fading to black. Exhausted from the strange dream, she thought no more of it, drifting into a true sleep. Or so tried to, for when she was almost asleep, she sensed someone near. First it was the feeling of no longer being alone. The first presence that came to her tired mind was her creator, but that was changed as she caught the scent. As soon as they came, they vanished again. Or so seemed...

~          2          ~

         The eyes of a vampiress known as Silo watched the fledgling sleep off her pain as she transformed from a mortal mage to the immortal vampiress. Briefly she had seen the fledglings sire and knew the look. He was not to return to help his fledgling in her first year of her transformation, as many felt obligated to do so. Placing a hand on the black husky's head, which was at her side, she whispered a quiet command for him to stay before moving out of the brush. Her read eyes glow in the night, providing excellent vision, her presence hidden as were her comrades who remained far behind.
         In silence and without leaving a trail, she approached the fledgling, hand resting on her swords hilt. Carefully she rolled her over, studying quietly before she realized whom this was. "Dasani..." she hissed quietly, sitting back on her haunches. "What to do... What to do... Surely you don't remember me, fledgling. What would Rya and Lucifer think to see their beloved, trusted General falling to the edge? Of course, you probably know Rya's plan that could destroy our kind."
         Sighing, she shook her head, once a commander of hell's army. That was until chaos came to the Dead Kingdom. How it had exactly happened, no one had figured it out. Silo and her group along with many other vampires had left Hell upon discovering Rya's plan that could destroy them all. She frowned slightly, thinking of the situation below. However, she was coming up with her own plan, and her friend's were following her along in it.
         She glanced back to the husky as he was now growling, coming toward her. With a sigh, she stood, looking back to the fledgling to find two black wolves on either side of her, growling, and fangs bared. The only difference between them was that one had a white scar along his face. She frowned, stepping back, "Damn mutts..." The husky, now at her side, growled back at them, fangs bared in warning, though his were much sharper as she had passed her vampracy to him. "Down Argo..." she muttered, setting a hand on his head.
         With a glance up at her with his blood-brown eyes, he calmed, sitting. She sat down beside him, watching the two calmly, in thought again. She glanced at Argo after a moment and waved a hand back to the path they had come from, "Find Dalaru and the group... Bring them back here, we'll need help getting this fledgling to cooperate and on the right track."
         Standing, the dog nodded, literally, and padded off down the path. The two wolves watched him in silence and then returned their gaze to the vampiress Silo, eyeing her with their green eyes as she gazed back calmly with her blood-red eyes.

~          3          ~

         Who does this presence belong to who is sitting so close? Why haven't they attacked? Why haven't my friends attacked? Poison? Incept? Thoughts and memories flowed through her head again. Beneath her eyelids, her eyes moved quickly. Get a hold of yourself Dasani... Lucifer will not be happy to find that you've snapped in your sleep.
         Why would he care? All he cares about is your cousin's death? Another voice said.
         Don't lie to yourself, Dasani! You know very well that it isn't true!
         Quiet! All! She shouted at herself, her own voices that were driving her insane, not certain why they were speaking. More approach... And as she commanded, the two subsided, allowing her to try and concentrate on the trio that approached but then all was black again.

~          4          ~

         Silo still sat there, having watched the odd spasm that this fledgling had gone through. It was clear to her now; that the vampiress she was turning into would not be a normal one. If it had been a normal transformation, Dasani would be awake by now, maybe a bit disoriented, but no. Dasani was still asleep, going through different, odd spasms, and her power tottering from dangerously high to dangerously low.
         The only good things that had happened within the last few hours were the wolves. They had finally quieted and were almost asleep with their master. She glanced at the sky, studying the moon, estimating another two hours before the first rays of light washed over the land.
         She closed her eyes; sighing, but then came a flash of the trio approaching. Opening her eyes, she grinned slightly. "Its about time they got here..." Standing, she turned her gaze to the path where she felt the three presence's along with Argo's.
         Soon enough, the black husky came into view followed by a dark gray stallion ridden by a "man" with hair that almost matched his mount's coat, though he was far from being visibly old, his eyes a dark reddish color. And following him was a dark brown mare, her rider whistling cheerfully, the hood down, revealing her pale red lips and pale blue eyes along with black hair that faded to silver. She grinned; waving to her friend, leading a black stallion along that belonged to Silo. And then there was Dalaru who brought up the end. He was grumbling about being hungry, which was nothing new to his comrades, they had discovered his stomach never seemed to be full, his dark golden-purple eyes glaring at the ground, his hair a dark purplish color as well.
         The two wolves were now awake and watching the approaching group. Incept stood in his silence, eyeing Silo's heel before striking forward quickly, but all he snapped into was air. Silo raised a brow, gazing at him from the air where she hovered. Funny how quick her reflexes were now, after her own transformation and so many experiences. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to sense something coming and dodge it.
         She grinned, landing to the side smoothly. "Stupid flea bitten mutt... Did you truly believe you would strike me? Return to your fledgling!" With the command, the white scarred wolf padded back to his master's side, watching the undecided friend or foe carefully.
         After a slight hesitation, she turned her gaze back to the trio. Dalaru was glaring at her, "Someone tell me why were here now!"
         Grinning, she raised a brow, enjoying making him angrier. Stepping to the side, she motioned to the not quite transformed vampiress. "Yet another, abandoned fledgling..."
         Angelus raised a brow, dismounting from the gray stallion. "They're becoming more and more common now..."
         Dalaru smirked, "And they started with you, Silo!"
         If there was anything that could possibly anger her beyond belief, it was the reminder of her sire and her transformation. What hell the first year or so had been. She glared at him, eyes narrowed, trying to hold back the urge to attack. Argo licked her hand lightly, nudging her leg with a quiet whine. She placed a hand on his head, turning back to the fledgling. "Next time you won't get away with that, Dalaru..."
         Angelus and Celeste were silent, merely glancing at their friend angrily with a warning. He shrugged, dismounting as did Celeste, the three following Silo as she watched the two wolves, both just lying by Dasani, ready to attack to protect her. But then Argo was ready to do so as well, remaining at Silo's side.
         She stopped and knelt down, catching their gazes in her own. Slowly she was able to persuade them that they were there to help. With hesitation, they stepped back and away. She grinned, patting Angelus on the shoulder as she straightened. "Go get her and let's get to a cave or something... We have less than two hours to sunrise."
         He nodded, lifting up the fledgling and returned to his stallion and mounted, keeping a grasp on the female. Briefly he glanced to Silo and the other who were mounting as well. Quietly they waited for Silo as she gathered the reins and looked at the stars for a direction and guidance before picking a path and led on.

~          5           ~

         Who the hell are you? What are you doing? Where the hell are you taking me? She wanted to scream a flood of memories followed the thoughts, all the same as the times before. Always the same. Always ending with the same calming, disturbing grin of the same man. But the blackness did not return. Not at all. Instead, more pictures showed. At first, she thought it was another flood of memories. But that was quickly changed as well. The same "man" remained in her view.
         She watched and listened carefully to this dream like view of what was happening. Then she discovered she was able to control the view and carefully studied each, noticing each looked very familiar. Her gaze rested on Angelus and then to the body he was holding tightly as it began to shake and looked to be going through some kind of convulsions. It took a moment for her to realize who it was. The body was she and she continued to watch, thinking she was dying for good and there would be no second chance, but once again, a fresh flood of memories came. Battles, lovers, enemies, friends, the grin, the man. But once again, no blackness. Only a dark gray threatened her this time and she fought against it. Refusing to fall into another phase of blackness, she won her dream view back.
         As the gray faded to the colors of the night world, she began to catch a hint of pain from her muscles. She growled quietly to herself, startling Angelus who looked down at her after almost dropping her. With a twitch, she stopped; realizing her feeling was coming back. Slowly, she began to trust these outcasts who had found her and let her tired body and mind rest once again.

~          6          ~

         Angelus jumped slightly in the saddle, his gaze scanning the area quickly. Was it possible for something to evade his alert senses? No, of course not. That would be close to impossible. Glancing to the two wolves that followed close by, he was certain it was not they. He turned his gaze to Argo who trotted alongside Silo calmly, and was confirmed that it was not him either.
         Frowning, he scanned the area once more, adjusting his grip on the fledgling. As his hand brushed against her throat, he let go, nearly dropping her to the ground. He froze for a moment, looking down at her as she twitched. "Uh... Silo!" he called out nervously.
         "Yes?" she looked back calmly to him, having shelter in view.
         "I think your fledgling might be waking up..."
         "Nervous?"
         "I sense something very, very different."
         She nodded, looking ahead to an old mansion she had not seen in quite a few years. Vines crawled up the old; dark stoned walls, and railing of the porch. The old yard was overgrown by weeds, as was the stable yard. The graying night signaled the approach of dawn, giving the place an even more intimidating feeling. But Silo merely groaned as it reminded her of her childhood and years as a mortal. She nodded once more before replying, "Good, because her sire wasn't normal."
         Celeste looked to her curiously as she pushed the gate to the stable yard open. "What do you mean?"
         "I can't be certain yet, but I think there is a new breed surfacing. Her sire is probably the first of them." Shrugging to herself, she dismounted and led her stallion into the old barn. It may have looked pathetic on the outside, but on the inside, it was as good as ever.
         With the horses bedded down for the day, the four retired to the mansion. Silo led Angelus to a chamber across from her own. He laid the fledgling down, aware that she was watching them all. "She won't be like this too much longer, Silo."
         "And then will come the damned training of one pain in the ass."
         He only raised a brow as she shook her head and went on about fixing up the room some. Shrugging it off, he retired to his own chambers while she moved to a large library that took up the fourth floor of the mansion. There, she continued with her plans, receiving little sleep that day.