Blood of the Lost: The Elder (Salem & Miranda)

[Razielle Shadana]

Razielle pulled the silk covers over the small form of her sleeping daughter. Somara was still only a little child but she was growing at an alarming rate due to her unstable mixture of Kirrek native, Vampyre and demonic blood. The girl was a walking medical anomalie, but that didn't stop her from being the light of Razielle's unlife.

Sitting in the rocking chair beside her daughters bed, Razielle remained in deep thought for a long while. She didn't like to dwell on things past, but that was the lot of a Vampyre wasn't it? Every night that passed Razielle wondered what had become of her Sire, Master Saurron. His absence troubled her greatly. She knew he was no longer allied with Roon and that was a great relief to her, but she still needed to see him. He was the one who had given her this life and to be away from him confused her greatly.

She wanted Somara to know him. She wanted Somara to be exposed to the elders of their great lineage. Along these same lines, her thoughts rolled back to her days with the Coven. There was another elder still around. Razielle had never spoken to her directly, she had only seen glimpses of her on board the Sanguine and at the Coven Citadel.

Miranda...

Perhaps in seeking out her past, she could find an answer for the emptiness she felt with Saurron's loss. Nodding into the silent room, Razielle stood and with a last look at her daughter, went in search of Salem. If she was going to seek out an Elder, she would need Salem with her. Miranda was older and stronger than Razielle, she was not foolish enough to do it alone.

Stepping into the lift, Razielle descended to the laboratory where she knew Salem to be lurking about. When the door's opened though she didn't see him. Curious, she stepped further into the room.

"Salem...?"

[Salem Ave]

A creak over head drew Razielle’s gaze upwards, where it fell upon Salem. His knees were wrapped firmly around one of the wooden rafters that ran the ceiling of the laboratory, allowing him to maintain his perch as the rest of his body swung forwards – so that he was dangling upside down. A pair of large goggles covered his milk-white eyes, giving the impression that he had been working on something. He wore an expression of slight irritation and confusion. “Yessss?”

[Razielle Shadana]

Oh.. how dare she interrupt him at work! Salem's irritation projected itself into her and within a second she was in a full blown rage. Clearly whatever she had been about to say, no matter what it had been, was not as important as whatever spider lurked on the ceiling that he was mutating. So the hell with him, she'd do it alone.

"Nothing, darling! " For once, her affection for him had turned into a sneer.

She would be flayed alive and roasted in the sun before she asked for his help now. So instead she just informed him of her plans. They had spoken of the old Coven elders enough that Salem should be able to grasp the severity of the situation.

"I'm going after Miranda. Have a nice night."

She clenched the lift door and slammed it shut with enough force that she would be surprised if the acursed device would even carry her upward now. Mashing the button in, Razielle sped up to the stronghold dashing a single tiny tear out of her eye. She wondered, briefly why she even cared?

Storming into her room she slung a few outfits, weapons and other miscellaneous items that would probably not be needed into a bag. Elias would look after Somara, that wasn't even a worry of hers.

What worried her was if she would be around to see her daughter again.

[Salem Ave]

For a time, Salem was motionless, simply hanging from the ceiling in silence. Razielle had whirled out of the laboratory in a temper that was quite out of character, and as a result had left her protégé almost stunned. He swung down onto the tabletop waiting below and discarded the goggles he wore before boarding the elevator that had just taken his sire upwards. Upon exiting, it would have been difficult for Salem to remain unaware of his counterparts location, as her frenzied packing could be heard echoing throughout the entire stronghold. She huffed and sighed with each movement, her infuriation punctuating her gestures. Standing without caution in the doorway to the bedchambers, Salem inquired in a toneless voice: “Do you intend to sss-earrrch alone?”

[Razielle Shadana]

With her back to him still, Razielle turned her face ever so slighty. She absolutley hated Salem's indifference and sometimes had the most horrible idea's about how to go about provoking a response out of him, just to see if he gave a damn..

"I hadn't originally intended to search alone, no. I got the distinct impression that my presence was somehow hindering your unlife's work. Far be it from me to distract you."

Grabbing a katana off the wall she slung it strap around her back and would have left, but then decided it would be better to ascertain where exactly she was going to, first. Also, she didn't want to part on bad terms with Salem, whether he was indifferent to her or not, she adored him and would be heart sick and distracted to leave this way.

She sat down on the bed and took a deep breath.

"Sorry.. I'm being impatient with you again, I know. I'll quit. Will you come with me, please..?"

[Salem Ave]

Arms slipping over his chest, Salem nodded. Truthfully, he would have come whether or not she’d asked him to do so. It was in his nature to follow her, and he’d do just that until the day that, the Force willing, death claimed him. “Wherrre arrr-e we going?”

[Razielle Shadana]

"Honestly, I don't know yet. I supose I should have thought of that before packing."

She flopped backward on the bed. She was going to have to relax if she wanted to locate Miranda. She would be able to hear and feel the heartbeat of her own lineage, but pinpointing it was somewhat harder.

Razielle patted the spot beside her without sitting up. She could describe to Salem what she saw, then they could both work at figuring out where it was.

"Sit with me?"

[Salem Ave]

At the command he did as instructed, and sat at first awkwardly on the bed’s edge. He corrected himself moments later, however, and shifted somewhat closer to Razielle, sensing the vexation that would rise in her within seconds if he continued to act so coldly. “I-sss she as Xanatos was?”

[Razielle Shadana]

She wasn't going to miss an opportunity, when it was presented. Razielle shifted a bit and within a second had her head on Salem's thigh and stretched out to relax. It required an almost trance-like state to accomplish a tracking, so she needed to be comfortable.

"I don't know, yet. It's doubtful though. "

Closing her eyes, Razielle focused on her heartbeat. In less than the span of one beat, she also heard and felt Salem's, then Somara's. Within minutes she was connected to most everyone with the Cabal. It was disconcerting the way her psyche was pulled this way and that, she could feel the tug in her gut and it made her clutch the bed sheets to steady herself.

Estranged vampyres of her Coven days one by one played within her thoughts and then finally she had the one she was seeking. The Vampyre, Miranda. She was well it seemed. Unlike their comrade Xanatos had been, she was not in any immediate danger.

"It's dark.. more dark then a normal night. She is inside somewhere deep beneath the ground. The tunnels stretch on and on. There is equipment of some kind laying about in ruins..

There are small cages, the kind animals would be transported in, but these are not filled with animals. They are filled with children! She is going to kill the one responsible.

She knows I'm here!"

Razielle sat up straight, and wrapped her arms around her knees in a protective gesture. No one she had ever tracked before had ever felt her presence. Miranda had seemingly looked right through her.

[Salem Ave]

Though Salem was by no means an expert on the lore of the Coven, he knew enough to now that Miranda had been one of the eldest vampires there. Her bloodline was strong, and its strength potent. As a consequence, he was not in the least surprised that she had sensed Razielle’s invasion of her mind. “It sss-ounds like she is in a … mine of some kind, perrrhaps,” he hazarded, eyes narrowing.

[Miranda Dunleavy]

The Elder Vampyre stopped in her tracks, baffled that another one of her kind was able to track her. She immediately had sensed the intrusion, and the one responsible had broken contact. The intruder's was in a panicked state, but that did not alleviate Miranda's concern. She would have to kill her target as soon as possible and move on quickly before confronted with any curious Vampyres. Her mission came first and she would not back down because she had been found.

Once her shackles had been broken from her creator, Critchon, she had drifted as a member between the two Vampyre Clans. Centuries of torment had closed her off from wanting to settle, failed relationships had caused her to become bitter with her own kind. Only by embracing her demon nature was the red head able to find some purpose in her unlife, since she was too afraid to end it herself.

Do not worry little ones....

She knelt before one of the cages. A young girl of six looked at her with pleading eyes. Her face was filthy, but some of it had been washed away from her tears. Miranda stroked the child's cheek with the back of her hand. There was no fear, only hope within the child's eyes. The red-head was impressed by this. She didn't even flinch at her ice cold hands.

Soon you will all be free. The man responsible will pay for his crimes against you.

Her hand pulled away slowly as she rose to her feet. Unearthly green eyes became fixated on the presence of the slave driver and his minions. They were down aways still, deep within the mines, but not so far that their air supply would be hindered. Not an issue for Miranda who had sensed several presence heading in her direction. Their thoughts were simple. Doing their rounds, making sure the children were quiet.... She opted to not attack them just yet. Her main target was their boss and removing him of his help may alert her presence...

She was a patient and for now, the shadows were her ally and she disappeared out of sight just as the two guards appeared from around the corner of the mine shaft.

[Razielle Shadana]

"Exactly. So we'll run a search of unihabbited mining planets that match the description of what I saw. How many could there be..?"

She found out later on board the shuttle Nefarious that there were actually several possibilities. Once it was narrowed down to mining planets, then uninhabbited ones, then ones that match what she had seen of the topography and climate it was fairly easy to draw a conclusion.

They were going to Nurstin.

It seemed operations had been shut down there for years and it was a favorite spot for less then reputable transactions to take place. Somehow Miranda must have followed an enslaver of small children to his hideout and was prepared to exact her own vigilanty revenge upon him.

In Razielle's opinion he deserved what he got. She was a creature of darkness, yes. But she had a lingering respect for the innocence of children. She hoped that they arrived in time to watch the death blow.

[Salem Ave]

The journey passed with little event. Razielle and Salem discussed some of Miranda’s heritage and history within the Coven, or at least what Razielle knew of it. The vampire had just begun to wax lyrical on one particular event in Dunleavy’s history when the shuttles computer informed them that they were arriving at their destination. Nurstin, it seemed, was now occupied by a handful of illegal operations that didn’t have the resources or inclination to build proper planetary security, so the Nefarious was able to pass through the planets atmosphere and down to the surface without any interference. It landed with a soft bump, on a plateau of hard rock.

[Razielle Shadana]

"Alright, so from what I gather, its hotter than the infernal planes here. So long as we get deep into the main area of the mines quickly, the heat won't bother us. Obviously it will be cooler the deeper we go. The children didn't appear to be suffering, so I am guessing we have quite a walk. Once we find the entrance."

Razielle rambled on while she checked her saber at her hip, and slung her katana across her back. She didn't intend to use either on the Vampyre Elder, but she would rather have them and not need them... as the saying went.

Lowering the ramp and sauntering down to the seemingly red and barren surface of Nurstin, Raz glanced back at Salem, hoping he had come up with a miracle and knew which way they were heading.

"Ready..?"

[Salem Ave]

Striding out in tow, Salem carried no weapons, having almost abandoned his studies in lightsaber combat completely, as a result of his fixation on other areas of the Force. As they stood out on the surface of Nurstin, scanning the surface for any clues as to where to go next, Salem picked out what he perceived to be some kind of lift shaft. On closer inspection, the pair found that it had been long since abandoned, falling into disarray. Though a cage blocked the entrance to the mines, someone had been kind enough to tear a hole in the roof and floor of the elevator cab itself, allowing access into the shaft.

The shaft itself was comprised solely of rusting metal, with a handful of handholds lining the walls. It must have been at least one hundred feet tall, cutting down through solid rock into the subterranean levels of the planet. Moving down the surface would be no problem for Salem, who buried his claws into the metal with ease. Razielle, on the other hand…

Looking expectantly up through the hole, Salem offered a possible solution. “Climb on.”

[Razielle Shadana]

She was going to have to be asked twice, not by Salem anyways. Razielle quickly tied her hair back so it wouldn't swing into Salem's face, secured her weapons, then sat on the edge of the opening. Enjoying herself just a little too much for such an important job, she carefully slid her body forward and wrapped her limbs around Salem.

The comment 'We're coming to Nurstin more often..' was on the tip of her tongue, but she spared Salem her sense of humor, just this once. She lay her chin on his shoulder and put her complete trust in him as he made the climb down into blackness.

Not wanting to be useless, or to sneak up on a Vampyre Elder, Razielle began to silently search for Miranda and give her notice that she would soon have company.

Miranda...?

[Miranda Dunleavy]

She had already feasted upon the guards that protected this monster to quench her thirst, feeding in front of the bound slaver as a warning to what would befall him. Their bodies lay discarded behind Miranda as the still conscious slaver writhed within her grasp. Her strength was considerably superior to his, crushing several ribs as arms tightened their hold upon his body and pressed her cold lips against his ear.

"Disgusting human. You call me the monster... You who buy and sell children for cheap labor! You who fulfill your sick desires!!!"

Yes, Miranda knew the truth of the accused. His mind was picked cleaned and every sadistic act he committed against the helpless children through the years was known to the Vampyre.

Nothing else needed to be said. She could see the fear in his eyes, see the sparkle of awareness that the Vampyre knew all his secrets. He knew that she was her death and screamed. Miranda twisted his arm around his back and shoved his head to the side, sinking her fangs into his neck with little pretense...

**********************

The fiery red-head tore away from the slave master's neck at the call of her name, ripping away the skin in a gruesome manner due to the surprise. Blood spilled forth in plentiful amounts from the exposed vein and onto the floor in waste. Her senses quickly pinpointed the source, the same source that had reached to her before.

She had to fight the urge to growl like some beast and focused her rage to the dead man in her grasp, throwing him against the wall. The crunch of bone a pleasurable respite briefly to the intrusion heading her way.

How dare you come to me NOW! Leave me be...

Miranda's thoughts were solid as a brick when they hit Razielle's mind.

[Salem Ave]

For a second, Salem felt Razielle’s grip on him tighten. The impact of Miranda’s message was not lost on him. Regardless, he did not slow and if anything quickened his movement. Whether the elder vampire liked it or not, the Cabal pair were coming for her. Even if Razielle’s intentions were somewhat more peaceful, Salem meant to drag her to Kirrek whether she liked it or not. He tired of gallivanting back and forth the galaxy in search of their so called elders, and longed for the day when the Cabal could simply exist without worry of some old friend-turned-foe rising out of the earth.

[Razielle Shadana]

Razielle's grip on Salem tightened considerably while she was being cast aside mentally by Miranda. The elder did not wish company at this time and to proceed was at their own risk. They had come too far now to simply give it up and go home. It was not their nature anyways, they would go on.

The final impact of Miranda's message hit Razielle with the force of a blow. She completely let go of her hold around Salem's neck and had begun to slip backward into the black pit beneath her. She frantically swiped at the air hoping to catch hold of Salem before she was lost to the depths.

[Salem Ave]

Dust and rubble scattered down the shaft as Salem pulled one hand away to catch Razielle. Looking over his shoulder at her with widened eyes, the panic was evident in his expression. It made him look younger somehow, like the boy he had been when he had first arrived on Corellia and be taken under Jeseth Cloak’s wing. The glimpse of innocence was brief, however, as it was masked over with concentration. Carefully, he lifted Razielle enough so that she could once again get a hold on him, muttering curses to himself as he did – something about blood of the elders.

[Razielle Shadana]

She'd thank him later when she could devote more thought to her words. Right now, 'thanks' didn't seem like it would be of much importance. Rather than keeping an eye on their descent, Razielle now only put her efforts into holding onto Salem. There wasn't anything she could do to help him anyways. She stuffed her face into the crook of his neck and commenced with speaking to Miranda.

I am sorry Miranda, but we can't do that. We have come far to seek you. I ask only for a bit of your time. Surely a Timeless One can spare me that?

The last thing she wanted was to be pitched backward again. Razielle concentrated on her own powers. Pulling them to her and around her like a blanket to sheilding both herself and Salem from the wrath of the Elder.

Fortunately she could now see the bottom, one step closer to their target.

[Miranda Dunleavy]

You have no conception of what my time means to me. I'm sorry you traveled far for nothing.

Her words dripped with sarcasm. The Master Vampyre did not care about the lengths the two of them had gone through to find her. They were still a bothersome lot.

Leave me..

Her mind broke the connection with Razielle and Miranda frowned while hiding her mind from the pair. She began to wonder how that one was able to track her. Before, the ancient one had merely assumed that it was pure luck that Razielle had sensed her. It was an unavoidable consequence that other members of their kind could feel the presence of a blood drinker.

It would be difficult now for Miranda to slip away as Salem and Razielle worked their way down the shaft. When they were far enough away, she could slip away easily, especially now that the woman was trying to protect them from her powers. She just needed to remain patient and use the shadows for cover until the opportune time.

[Salem Ave]

You have nothing but time, Elder. Yield. Salem’s thoughts carried to Miranda’s mind clear and loud as he and Razielle dropped finally to the floor. The Knight released his grip on his counterpart and looked quickly left and right, scanning the darkness of the mine and listening keenly for any sign of the errant vampire.

[Razielle Shadana]

A frown marred Razielle's face. Miranda had somehow veiled herself from them. She wasn't quite sure how she had done what no other of their bloodline could accomplish, but Razielle was now "in the dark", so to speak.

Instead of trying in vain to regain a connection to the Elder, Razielle focused her thoughts on what Miranda had come here for. The Children. She glanced down a corridor and inhaled, then pointed.

"That way..."

[Miranda Dunleavy]

"Come now. Hurry little ones. We must not dally here any longer." She impressed upon them the urgency of leaving here to enjoy their new found freedom. The true urgency lay within Miranda. The Vampyre needed to retrieve the dozen or so children from their cages and depart quickly before they had found her. They would slow her down but she could not forsake her mission

One of them, a small boy of four, was so weak from hunger that he could barely pull himself out of his cage. While the other children gathered around each other for support and laughter that they were free, Miranda reached in and took the child within her arms so he did not have to exert himself any longer. "Once we arrive at my ship, there shall be plenty to eat." She spoke in a cool, comforting whisper that made him smile. Her ship was well stocked ahead of time, filled with fresh water and pre-packaged meals in the cooling unit. There were also medical supplies waiting in the medbay for a change incase any of the children required more assistance then a way to help being so malnourished.

"Thank you, Jedi lady..." Came the boy's weakened voice as he latched onto her arms.

"What makes you think I am a Jedi?" His innocence touched her and for a brief moment, she did not feel like a monster.

"Only Jedi .. or... or Sith can rip doors off cages like that." He said with a small smile. "Sith would have killed us. You are Jedi."

She closed her eyes and sighed, "If only that were true. I am no Jedi." her green eyes were visible again, saddened by the truth of what she was, "Just a person who wanted to save all of you."

[Salem Ave]

Hunting children. Salem recalled a training session that Jeseth Cloak had conducted for him, where he had been required to entrap and kill a young boy. It had been so easy, because the minds of children were so naïve and frail. They felt no need to hide anything from the world, and as such were easily manipulated – and, in this case, found. Though their laughter could not be heard, their joy could be felt. It was like a shining beacon, lighting the darkest corners of the mine – and showing the way for the two Dark Jedi to travel.

[Razielle Shadana]

They were getting close, nearly on her. Razielle somehow knew that the children who were just put through and ordeal from hell would not benefit from the sight of more undead creeping up on them. It was a simple matter of illusion to cloak both her and Salem in forms more pleasing to the childish eye. Miranda would be able to see through it easily enough, but on top of the present circumstances they didn't need hysterical children on their hands.

She shot Salem a look, picking up on where his thoughts were wandering. Miranda would also not be pleased with his thoughts of murdered children, especially not while she was in the process of saving these examples from such a fate. Of course, Razielle knew without asking that Salem wouldn't give a damn what pleased or displeased Miranda.. She could only attempt to reason with him.

At least try to not incite her wrath further..

She could hear her now. Miranda's blood was beckoning to her, it was so similar to the call of her Sire, that Razielle nearly lost her composure. They were close enough now that Miranda could also physically hear them and telepathy was no longer needed.

"Miranda - childe of Crichton. Do you not recognize your own Blood family when they come for you? You have known me before, I am Razielle. In better times we shared a drink together you and I, in the safe haven of Saurron LeStat's pub. You are the answer to my searching. For nothing more than the sake of our shared lineage, please...?"

[Miranda Dunleavy]

Miranda was forced to stop and calm herself because she had begun to tighten her grasp around the child within her arms. If she had continued, the boy's arms would have been crushed by the how strong her grip was becoming.

"They know your name? They came to help too?" The boy questioned as the Vampyre set him down while beckoning another of the older children to help him.

"No. They do not care about any of you." Her feelings for the children only ran so deep, for it was the satisfaction in killing their captors that allowed them to be saved. She motioned for them to quickly gather and gave the access code to her ship to the eldest of them. "Wait in my ship. I will come for you after dealing with those here. There is food, water and medical supplies in the cargo hold."

Some were beginning to open their mouths.

"Do not question me. Go. Now."

They were scared, but Miranda wasn't concerned with that. There was no way of avoiding her kin now since the pair was so close and turned around towards the darkness in silence, waiting for Razielle. Yes, she remembered the woman and it was only for the sake of expediency did she wait, for it was obvious they would not leave her alone until they were allowed to speak their minds.