Thaland of the Walk, Part 4
“I trust a Justicar.” Grandfather Bones insisted. “It was written in the Scrolls of Klamath IV that Justicars cannot lie, they also see the souls of the living and thus know each person’s character. I charge you to use my treasures to benefit the innocent and the victimized. That is something a person with my…condition… and its attendant…appetites…cannot.”
“Take my offer, Justicar. All I ask is that you not terminate my existence.” Grandfather Bones offered with a trace of hope. “I have spent my endless years recovering, cataloging and preserving the glories of our previous knowledge.” With a sad, ironic smile, the vampire added, “I can travel freely where no living creature may survive “
“I could terminate you and use your treasures anyway,” Thaland stated flatly. He sensed that Grandfather Bones was concealing something of great importance. Despite the vampire’s great power, it feared him (or his power). A few more threats should convince the creature to talk.
The vampire’s face registered an instant of stark terror at the realization of the truth in Thaland’s threat. Grandfather Bones’ form softened into smoke and rapidly rose toward the slatted floor above.
Thaland lunged with inhuman speed, grabbed the bottom of the form with his free hand and willed the vampire back into solid form. Grandfather Bones let out a cry of mingled surprise and fear as he suddenly solidified and dropped heavily to the floor.
“I shall agree to nothing until you reveal what you are hiding from me,” Thaland stated as he pressed tip of the charcoal-colored blade against the vampire’s neck. “I shall not trust you until you trust me.”
“Very well, Justicar,” Grandfather Bones said in a resigned tone as he raised his arms in a gesture of surrender. “I shall tell you my secret. The reason no bodies of many of my ‘assassination targets’ were ever found is that there were no dead bodies to find. I taught myself sufficient magic to bring a person with me when I vaporize. This allows me to capture a person and bring them with me to the catacombs. From there, I guided them out of the city through the ancient tunnels with supplies and coin sufficient to see them to somewhere safe.” The vampire paused a moment, then looking almost as a student caught cheating on an exam, added, “I have had to use my ‘persuasive’ powers to convince some to seek a better life elsewhere, for they cared not a whit about the Guilds’ determination to kill them. The only true kills I made at the Guilds’ behest were targets who I believed truly deserving of death.”
“I swear to you upon my word as a scholar that I will continue to feed only on animals and those who prey on their fellow people, and that I will not pass my condition on to anyone.”
“Oh?” Thaland asked questioningly.
“To pass on the curse, a vampire must bite their victim three times in a single dark cycle of White without killing them. If those conditions are not met, the bitten person suffers only from loss of blood.”
Thaland carefully examined the vampire’s statements and offer for deceptive words or intent, and found none. “Agreed,” he declared with finality. “You will be held to your word, Grandfather Bones. You may wish to move your treasury at this time. The Guild may decide those you killed had a value that needs to be redeemed out of your gold. I shall make my calls upon your treasury at my own discretion.”
“You trust me to keep our bargain?” the vampire asked, genuinely taken aback by the show of trust.
“Why not?” the Justicar replied, sheathing his sword. “You’re being honest, at least at the moment. Should you try to break this deal, I shall know it. You cannot escape me or my retribution, and you know it.”
Thaland smiled thinly. “Besides, you may want to reclaim the honor Kingston believes the Guild purchased so cheaply. I believe that we can work together to regain that.”
A faint trace of life lit Grandfather Bones’ pale features in the form of a thin, vicious smile.
It was nearly midnight before the Justicar and the vampire parted company. Androndicus (Grandfather Bones’ living name) had an extensive and precise knowledge of the buried ruins, and the catacombs beneath them, that the present city of Stormhaven rested upon. There was no tunnel or chamber used by the Guild, as well as leagues they did not, that the undead scholar didn’t know about. Now Thaland shared in that knowledge and intended to use it well in his crusade. The Guilds would come to regret the day they’d killed Thaland of the Walk.