Guest Post Fan Fiction. The Deathdancer histories - Part 1.

On the EverWinter castle battle training field, Devon And Kevin were complaining again. Over and over. 

Devon:  This is too much hard work

Kevin:  This is too much any sort of work

Melody: Right!  That's enough!  The Vampire Lord said to send you to see him if you kept whining - off you go!

Kevin: ...

Devon:  Umm, sorry?

Melody:  Too late now - you'd better not keep him waiting - Go!

The white Vamparoo twins slunk their way through the castle and into the Vampire Lord's office. After waiting for just long enough for them to get really nervous, he appeared in a flash of lightning and crash of thunder. 

Devon:  Do you always do that?

Vampire Lord: It's a matter of style.

Kevin: Are we going to be punished?

Vampire Lord: I am going to remind you of your family heritage - what it means to be of the Deathdancer Clan!

The Vampire Lord waved towards some chairs.

Vampire Lord:  Sit down, and let me tell you a tale.  Just over two centuries ago, near the end of the last great war, another Deathdancer showed all Vampires what loyalty, duty and courage meant!

The wide-eyed twins sat down, and then as the Vampire Lord began his story, they felt their eyes slowly start to close as they were transported back in time...

A small black Vamparoo could be seen wandering through the remains of a battlefield.  A floating haze of thick cinnamon smoke and fog, combined with the long afternoon shadows to make a ghostly scene.  Broken armour, swords, spears and shields were scattered around, and a few groans from the wounded survivors could be heard damply on the air. She moved carefully between the  warriors, looking for signs of life, and giving healing potions to friend and enemy alike, to any that it would help save.  But all the while, she was searching for someone in particular - she was looking for her friend.

Bella: ...he has to be here somewhere...

A soldier from her own village opened his eyes and swallowed the potion she held to his mouth.

Soldier: Tunka! I feel much better now - I think I can make it back home,  I recognize you - you're Bella Deathdancer!  Who is it you're looking for?

Bella: That's good - take it easy, and go home through the forest, it's safer.  I'm trying to find Elyot, the grandson of our Vampire Lord...

Soldier:  He's been captured! I saw the UnMythics carry him away.

Bella: Was he injured?

Soldier: I don't think so - he was just knocked out by the cinnamon bomb, the same as the rest of us. What's in the potion?

Bella: It's a mix of cinimo hilee practo and silverberry essence.  I made it myself!

Soldier:  Well, thank you again - it's getting dark, you should go home too.

Bella:  No! - I'm going to rescue Elyot!

Soldier:  you can't do that - you're not even a warrior - you're just an atarex!

Bella:  Just watch me - I may only be a potion apprentice, but I'm smart -  stay safe and go home!

Bella headed towards the beach, the UnMythic's fort was visible against the darkening sky.  As she got closer she decided that trying to get inside was a silly idea - there were guards and flaming torches protecting the large front gates.  Keeping to the trees, she circled around the fort, and then drank one of her own new experimental potions, a karte-hia practo.  

Bella: (thinks) My potion master would have a fit if she saw me drinking this! Experimental potions are risky! But if my head doesn't explode - this potion should let me listen in on what's being said in the fort...

The sudden burst of hundreds of voices filled her head, but with concentration, she managed to pick out individual soldier's voices until...

UnMythic Guard:  General! We've put the prisoner on the boat, and it's set sail for Castle Stoneguard - just as you ordered.

UnMythic General: Very good - ready my ship, I will head for the castle soon too.

Bella: (thinks)  Bother and botheration! He's gone - I'll have to sneak on board the General's ship and follow him... I wonder what other potions I have to help out?

Bella looked through her backpack and found a bottle she'd borrowed from her master - Dalan Practo, the potion of shadows.  She swallowed a big mouthful, and keeping away from the blazing torches, she made her way down the beach to where the General's ship was anchored a little off shore. Diving into the icy water, Bella swam out to the boat and clambered aboard. She then climbed up the mast and hid amongst the sails.

So this was adventure!  She wasn't sure she really liked it yet, but things probably couldn't get any worse...  just then the General came aboard, they raised anchor, and sailed away into the darkness.