She pinched her nose as she walked across the drawbridge into the cavernous maw of the castle’s gate. That is truly rank. Kanzen thought as she stared down into the corrosive slop that served as the castle’s moat. Her Vampire escort seemed to be unaffected by the noxious smog rising from the bubbling liquid but her goblins were struck with a severe case of projectile vomiting. Ak’Gak roared with laughter as his friends splattered each other in rancid bile. He was elbowing Kanzen’s knee, wanting her to turn and look when he suddenly lost his lunch as well, spewing a half digested meal all over her feet.
He looked up at her, his eyes widening to impossible size and was beginning to say something the moment she kicked him off the bridge. He shrieked as he landed in the foul soup and sunk below the surface, his body disintegrating as the strange gunk digested him.
The other goblins stared at her in horror.
“Go.” She bade them. “I know where the Lance is now, I have no need for your services.” With that she turned and walked away.
The Vampire leader, ‘Varis’ he had introduced himself as, chuckled. “They’ll die swiftly in this land without you to protect them.” He noted.
“That’s none of my concern.” Kanzen replied, her voice devoid of inflection.
“Heh. I think perhaps you and the Count will get along swimmingly, you both show your minions the same amount of care.” Varis observed.
Kanzen said nothing, just continuing forward to enter the fortress’s courtyard. The entire Castle appeared to be made of an ugly gray granite which formed chipped and dusty blocks that added a great deal to the feeling of decay that gripped the keep. Massive spires towered oppressively over the courtyard and hideous gargoyles leered down upon any that dared to enter. Throughout the open yard on both the floor and walls were strange concave impact zones of cracked granite that looked as if a giant had slammed a hammer down upon it.
Perhaps this was the case as before Kanzen stood two Dire’Orgs guarding the Castle’s inner gate. Dire’Orgs were the half-breed spawn of a Demon and a Giant. They were humanoid in shape with red leathery skin and massive horn-like spikes protruding from various places on their bodies. Their raw strength and toughness were legendary.
“The Count doesn’t lack for security.” Kanzen commented dryly.
“He likes his privacy.” Varis responded. “Though if you find them impressive just wait till you see what he uses to guard the things he actually cares about. Come now, the Count awaits.” The steel grate of the inner gate rose as they approached.
Kanzen considered the Dire’Orgs as she past them. The giants, being half Demon, would be quite sensitive to her aura and yet as she moved between them they didn’t so much as flinch. Impressive indeed. She thought. Perhaps this Count will live up to his reputation as an all-powerful dark god. In addition to the physical gate Kanzen felt herself pass through a number of mystical wards as well, though they deactivated to let her through without harassment.
The outer keep was run through with dark, dank halls. The spiritual oppression Kanzen had detected over the castle intensified immeasurably as she traveled through the shadowy tunnels. All about small creatures scurried and large beasts slithered. A strange tableau of mutants, freaks, and Demons gathered to watch her on her illustrious journey to the throne room of the Count.
Why are they here? Kanzen wondered. Are they hoping to gain the Count’s favor like Varis said? Or are they simply drawn to his side by his powerful aura? Many were the times foul creatures had attempted to play lackey to Kanzen for this reason but she had little use for minions so most of the hopefuls ended their lives as shredded piles of meat soon after approaching her. Still, I’m a loner who moves around a lot. Perhaps if I were to lair down for a few centuries I would begin to see the charm in hordes of filthy admirers. She mused.
Varis lead Kanzen around for many hours through strange architectural loops and cul de sacs before finally moving through the dark gates of the inner keep to the Castle beyond. What lay ahead was surprising even to the eyes of a well-traveled Demon Lord like Kanzen.
Varis lead her across an ornately built skybridge wide enough for six carriages to ride abreast that towered over a sea of amazingly rich mansions and their grounds.
Kanzen walked to the edge and looked down. The mansions, each outfitted well enough to entertain royalty, were spread haphazardly across a landscape of crystal lakes and gorgeous gardens. The palaces were sequestered from each other by towering hedge mazes that produced a sense of mysterious and enticing isolation. Kanzen could see Vampire couples stalking quietly through the foliage, hunting frightened humans released within for the Vampires’ hunting pleasure. The mansions themselves were brightly lit and filled with Undead party goers, whiling away the endless nights in sensuous abandon. Kanzen looked up to the exposed sky, realizing the full moon was in the same place it had been hours earlier when she first entered the keep. It’s always night here. She realized.
“Coming?” Varis called, clearly enjoying her enrapt appreciation of the Count’s lands.
Taking one last look she turned and nodded.
“Follow me.” He beckoned.
She did.
It took the better part of an hour just to cross the lengthy skybridge but soon they stood before a pair of ornately carved doors a thousand feet in height. The adamantine monstrosities opened smoothly without a sound at Kanzen’s approach.
“We must wait here.” Varis said, gesturing to himself and his fellow knights. “Even one as powerful as I am not allowed in the master’s presence without an express invitation. You must continue your journey alone.”
Kanzen did as he bade and continued on into the gaping maw of the fortress’s heart without comment. She soon disappeared from her escort’s view as the doors swung silently shut behind her.
Before her was a massive staircase covered in a smooth vermilion carpet. She ascended the steps slowly, her path lit by golden candelabras, and entered the Count’s titanic throne room.
She crossed the nearly mile long room, admiring the marble floors and ornately carved ivory pillars that reached up into the supernatural darkness thousands of feet above.
A pleased smile crossed her face when she finally stood at the feet of the Vampire Lord’s titanic throne and stared up at his stony countenance.
At last, time for answers. She thought.
