Along the Great Divide

Chapter 13--Agonizing wait


It had been three days since Mamoru saw Ludwig last. He sat in the infirmary on one of the beds, having finished healing one of the bastards that took them both in. Wiping his hands of blood, he stared down at the floor before getting agitated, throwing the rag down on the floor.

"I can't stand this anymore!"He yelled, starting to pace around. An older mage grabbed his shoulders and made him sit down again.

"There is nothing that we can do right now…You have to wait, Mamoru…"Heno said softly, petting the mage's hair down and sitting beside him.

"There is no waiting when I may lose Ludwig for life now…"Mamoru said, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to drown out those images from the prison cell. Ludwig's empty face…all those people made to dance like puppets on a string to that bastard Malacai's will. "I have to get us both of out of here safe and sound…"

"Hey look! There's people coming out!"A mage exclaimed, standing at the main doorway. "Vampires? No, they're not burning up in the sunlight…"

Mamoru got up immediately and ran to the doorway. In two long lines of ten each, Vampires started to walked out without chains, lead by the inspector. They were all dressed in the same attire though two in front were dressed in similar attire. Black, tight uniforms with a cowl over their heads, little bits of silver treading coiling around their shoulders and around the hem of the cowl. They bore weapons on each of these sides and from the looks of it, hidden ones on their arms as well.

Mamoru's eyes dashed about, looking at each face as they brushed against the light, finding the right one that he was looking for. "Ludwig!"Mamoru called out, running out of the infirmary toward the group. One of the figures at the very front of the line stopped. It turned, standing down Mamoru as he got closer. The mage wrapped his arms around him, holding his close.

"They let you out? Are you okay?"Mamoru questioned, bringing his hands up toward his face. Two hands stopped him and they were jerked down.

"Who are you? How dare you touch me."Ludwig's voice growled at him. Mamoru's eyes widened, his hands trembling.

"Ludwig…Wiggy it's me…Mamoru, don't you remember?"The mage asked, his eyes starting to water over.

"There has been no one in my life other than my master."Ludwig said harshly, his hood falling back with the quick jerking motion of his head. Mamoru paled even more. His eyes…His eyes were a deep yellow with a ring of red around them. They had cropped his hair so short except for a few long braids that hung from the right side of his head, decorated with thin gold cords. The other vampires stared, having formed a circle around them both, weapons on the underside of their arms drawn and pointed at Mamoru.

"How could you say that? I went looking for you…for nearly a century…I kept looking…And now, someone's taken you away from me again."Mamoru's voice wavered, tears spilling from his eyes. However, they stopped, his fists clenching. The ground started to shake, the vampires around them looking around to find the cause but finding nothing. Ludwig stared Mamoru down but looked around. There pieces of earth now jutting from the ground, having knocked the vampires off their feet and made a fortress of stone about them.

"Mamoru is your name, hm?"Ludwig scoffed, looking down at him again. The mage was trembling, his teeth bared together. The motion the vampire made was so quick that Mamoru found himself on the ground with Ludwig over him, pinning him by the throat. The ground stopped shaking and the earth sunk back down into the ground. "You are making yourself a threat. It is not our duty to kill a mage but for you, I will make an exception."

Ludwig flexed his hand, a hidden blade sliding out from under his arm and extending about six inches outwards. Pulling his arm back, he was about to drive the blade down when a voice called out: "That's enough, Captain."

"Yes, master."Ludwig answered as he rose to his feet, releasing Mamoru. The mage sat up and coughed. Mamoru's head whirred around though to see Malacai standing there, his arms behind his back with a calm expression.

"I see you haven't given up yet, mage…You can now very much see that your Ludwig doesn't care about you anymore. He now only obeys my command. Why don't you go back to the infirmary where you belong and get back to work, hm? That is your place after all. A healer in the ranks."Malacai sneered, waving his hand back to the infirmary building.

"I would rather die…then to see MY Ludwig like this!"Mamoru growled, standing to his feet. There was a mass of black whirrs around Mamoru. Ten were around him, another ten were standing around Malacai in a defensive circle.

"Go ahead and try to kill me, mage. You'll find yourself seeing where your 'Ludwig' has gone to."Malacai said, snapping his fingers. Ludwig stepped back having taken his place at the head of the circle and moved to Malacai's side. He kneeled down, taking Malacai's hand and kissing it, his eyes closing. "If you attack me, you may as well be attacking your Ludwig as well. Now wouldn't that make all your hard work over the years just…go away?"

Mamoru stared that man down like he was the most disgusting thing on Reyah's precious earth. To see Ludwig kissing that man's hand just made him want to lop it off. Along with another appendage that man probably used more than once a day. Mamoru's fair white hair bristled, making him seethe. His breath quickened, his hands clenching and unclenching. He was trying so hard to keep from trying to attack him with the vampires around him and Malacai.

Then, he fell into a deep calm. His eyes closed, his head tilting a little. "Can I…give him one last good-bye?"He asked.

Malacai couldn't help but smile. The mage was caving. "I have a weakness for tragic good-byes…So yes."He said, Ludwig getting up. "Go and give your lover a last good-bye Ludwig."He ordered, waving the Vampires off. They stepped aside, forming two lines behind Malacai. Ludwig stepped up to Mamoru but he was still clearly annoyed from earlier.

"Am I really what he says I am?"Ludwig huffed.

"Yes…Can I give you one last kiss?"Mamoru asked, reaching up slowly and touching Ludwig's cheek. The vampire stared at him, both of them leaning in. Mamoru kissed him, sliding his tongue through and nicking his tongue Ludwig's fang, his blood dribbling a little into his mouth. Ludwig's senses went on overdrive, leaning in more and holding onto the mage, sucking on his tongue and rolling his own around the mage's mouth. When he pulled away, he licked his lips.

Mamoru watched him step away into the army's ranks. Malacai smiled coyly at him, turning and starting to walk toward the far end of the encampment. Mamoru watched, noticing that, for just a slight moment, Ludwig looked back at him before dashing up to the front of the line again. Blinking, the mage started to walk back to the infirmary with some satisfaction that he may have gotten through.

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As night fell and the camp grew livelier with the sounds of the vampires arguments or conversation in the prisons. Mamoru sat on a bench outside the infirmary, staring down at the ground in contemplation. The small vampiric army Malacai had created had gone to train down at the far end of the camp then returned just as the sun started to go down, returning to not the prison but the nicer building that Malacai stayed in with an army of undead to keep him safe at night.

Mamoru returned indoors but was caught off guard when a hand covered his mouth, the whirr of scenery winding around him. When he blinked again, he was in an alleyway, on the ground with one of the undead soldiers between his legs, grinding against him. It was one of the Captains from the shine of the hood. "L…Ludwig?"He asked, pushing the hood back.

Ludwig looked to be in agony, trying to fight some need or force. On the wall, his fingers made indents on the stone. "Your blood…"He said lowly. "I can't stop thinking about it…The taste was out of this world…You said your name was Mamoru…Just WHO are you?"

Mamoru stared but his heart fluttered. Since he cut his tongue, Ludwig had been thinking about him so much that now it was driving him crazy. It seemed Mamo had found his advantage over Malacai's spell. "I'm your soulmate…The only one you will have in this world. Malacai…will never be able to take that away."He said softly, petting the vampire's cheek as he perspired in cold sweats.

"Can I have more?"Ludwig asked, pressing himself against Mamoru's back end.

"Of course…"Mamoru answered. Ludwig was about to lean in and bite him on the neck but Mamoru stopped him. "You don't want to get in trouble. Bite here."He said, moving his robes aside. The previous bite wounds from before their arrival had healed over way before they had arrived. Pointing to the mark on his chest, Mamoru guided Ludwig's head downwards, feeling the puncture of his fangs in his skin. Letting out a hiss, he felt the warmth of his blood pool around the wound. When Ludwig had his fill, he pulled away, licking his lips.

"It's incredible…It feels like fire…"Ludwig admitted, his hands going around Mamoru's body, massaging his hips and feeling up his legs. He just wanted to touch him. Was this person really this incredible? Just touching him made him feel like ripping his clothes off and fucking him right then and there. And why not?

Mamoru looked like he was about to do the same. Glancing around, Ludwig made sure that there was no one patrolling and not that they really needed to. Leaning in, he kissed the mage deeply, reaching under his robes and pulling his pants down while Mamoru tugged at Ludwig's belt under the thick leather stomach armor and sash that he wore.

Ludwig assisted, pulling his pants down slightly and slipping his member out. It was already hard. Moving forward, they both knew that they didn't have enough time to spare. Someone would come by eventually and preparation would take a little too long. He trusted his hips forward, feeling Mamoru envelop his member like a glove. Mamoru hissed a little with the little to no preparation that he got, holding onto Ludwig's shoulders. He moaned softly, the vampire staring to thrust in and out so quickly he was seeing more than just the stars above them.

His breaths quickened, his fingers trailing through Ludwig's cropped hair, tugging at it. Groaning, Ludwig desperately kissed at his neck all the way up to his lips, probing his tongue through. With four hard thrusts, Mamoru came into his robes, Ludwig releasing his liveness seed into him. Both of them sat there, panting and nuzzling each other.

"You do remember…"Mamoru said softly, petting the back of Ludwig's head gently.

"I remember your name…your face…just slightly…."Ludwig whispered softly into his ear. When he softened, he removed himself from inside of Mamoru, helping him to slide his pants back up. There was the sound of footsteps, Ludwig looking over and pulling his cowl up. "I'll be back another night…"

"Wait, do you have to go?"Mamoru said, holding his shoulders. Ludwig nodded.

"They'll be doing a patrol…It's best you get back inside."He warned, bringing his hand to touch Mamoru's face gently. "Hold onto me."

Just like before, Mamoru felt the rush of air along his skin. When he opened his eyes, Mamoru was standing in front of the infirmary. Alone. Someone inside saw him standing there, going out to meet him. "There you are! You weren't at dinner so we were worried. Come inside, we saved you a plate."Zayer said, holding Mamoru's hands and pulling him inside.

Mamoru looked out toward the compound listlessly, a smile coming to his face for the first time since they came here.


The next day, the army moved out of the compound, Ludwig and his Prison mate Matthew walking a head of their lines. It was the first day that they would go out on the hunt for others like themselves. Mamoru had gone to retrieve water from the well when they left. Ludwig hadn't given him a second glance and for good reason. He had to keep up the facade that he wasn't himself.

He was the Captain of the undead army of Malacai the vampire slayer.

He didn't feel like it though…As they headed down the pass, the compound and that mage seemed to become so much further away. As they headed down the path, the groups started to split up. Two soldier's each, one assigned to each Captain as sort of a body guard. They raided towns, villages seeking out the other undead but instead of bringing them in…

They butchered them on the spot. They dragged the corpses into the streets, burning the bodies on a pyre if they hadn't already turned into ash. The smell of the bodies was overpowering but the cries of the people who knew the vampires they killed was even more so.

Ludwig watched the smoke and ashes rise, staring up at the sky. A nudge brought him to attention. "Is something wrong Captain?" The entranced Kir asked. Ludwig nodded, pulling his cowl up again and starting to walk away.

"That's enough for today…"Ludwig said, the soldiers saluting before they reformed a line behind the halfling Vampire. As much as killing the foul beasts that roamed the earth, he felt a very human pang of guilt. Especially when villagers started cursing and throwing rocks at them as they left. Back at the compound, they stood in formation in front of Malacai's manor, waiting to give their report.

Mamoru peeked around the corner of the doorway, watching as Malacai came out of the building, standing in front of the two Captains. "What is your report?"He said, a smile sliding across his face. Oooo, if Mamoru could just rip his lips off that would satisfy him all the more.

"Master, there was a grand total of one hundred and fifteen undead found. All have been eliminated from the immediate area."Matthew answered.

"Only one hundred and fifteen? I could have sworn there were more. Very well, good work. Go get your meals and retire for the day."Malacai said with a wave of his hand. "Oh, and Ludwig…good work. Yet I have a favor of you to perform this evening."

"Favor, master?"Ludwig inquired, looking down to the shorter man.

"Bring the mage Mamoru forward. I have an important question I need to address to him this evening. You are welcome to stay and watch."Malacai said. Ludwig's interest was peeked but he knew, in his mind, how Malacai acted. He was curious however, to just what he was going to 'ask' Mamoru. Ludwig nodded, Malacai smiling and heading back indoors. The soldiers relaxed, walking at their own pace back inside to their room: eighteen beds with the captains getting their own rooms.

Ludwig was the only one left standing outside.

Something didn't feel right.

"Psssst. Wiggy~"A voice called.

Ludwig ignored it the first time.

"PSSSSST!" The voice called again, this time getting Ludwig's attention. With a blur, he was right behind none other than Mamoru who blinked, jumping. "Sweet Reyah, you scared me!"

"What do you want?"He asked. "You know you're probably in trouble. Malacai wants to see you tonight."

"Malacai?"Mamoru said, paling a little. The man couldn't have figured out that he gave Ludwig his blood…did he? Impossible. Looking down and away, he felt a chilly hand on his cheek, bringing him to attention.

"I have a feeling he doesn't know…"Ludwig said lowly, his eyes narrowing. "Be on your guard. I'll be coming by tonight."

"Right…You better go."Mamoru said, reaching up on his toes and giving Ludwig a kiss. The vampire didn't reject it, enjoying a lingering taste of Mamoru's blood on the mage's tongue as he sucked on it. When they separated, Ludwig returned to the building to find his prison mates enjoying a water sack of blood. Inhaling, he could tell that it all came from the same person.

Master.

Retreating to his room, he closed the door and sat down on the bed. On his night table was a watersack which he took and removed the cap. Wafting it under his nose, he confirmed it was the same blood. Tilting it back, he drank a good portion of it before stowing it away, falling back on the bed with a long drawn out sigh.

As his eyes closed, images of Mamoru's face swirled around his head, dancing between Malacai and the mage before they settled on one face. It was his choice who he wanted to follow…wasn't it? He felt himself grow a little hard, bringing a hand down to adjust his pants a little.

Damn it all…

He wanted more. The blood in the watersack was far too bitter and far too bland. The mage's blood was sweeter. It played with his taste buds and ran down his throat like silk. Trying to drown these thoughts out were just annoying him all the more.

Drifting off to sleep was proving much harder as he tried to push the thoughts out of his head. By nightfall, Ludwig stirred from his room and went to go retrieve the mage from the infirmary. There he found him, solemnly picking at some food for dinner. When he saw him, Mamoru's face brightened up as he ran over to hug him, startling the vampire some.

"You came…"He said softly, taking in his smell when they were so close like this. Ludwig's arms didn't move but he patted Mamoru's shoulder a little awkwardly.

"We have to go."Ludwig said as he started to guide him out of the building toward Malacai's 'home', if that's what you could call it. The army of undead lined the corridor, standing at attention when Ludwig came walking through. It was a little impressive of what Malacai's blood could do to these men but it was disgusting how he used them. Up three flights of stairs, they stood a two elaborately carved wooden doors. Ludwig pushed one of them open, guiding Mamoru in and standing at attention at the door.

"Good, you've arrived just in time."Malacai said with a smile.

Mamoru looked around the room, paling a little. There were chains on the walls, one dangling from the ceiling just a little above him. Malacai pointed to a seat, Mamoru sitting down stubbornly. He hated this man and made a point of it by making the candle's flames in the rooms ignite nearly two inches higher in it's flame.

"Don't be like that Mamoru…I have asked you here to give you a wonderful proposition. If you decide to take it, you and Ludwig may go be free and happy as the lovely pair that you are."Malacai said, leaning against his desk.

"And what if I don't like your offer?"Mamoru said lowly, staring darkly at the man.

"Then this will happen. Ignite."Malacai said. Ludwig started yelling, Mamoru's head whirring around and seeing the vampire on the ground, writhing in pain. Smoke was rising from his skin, boils from burns showing up on his skin as he arched, trying to put out the flames that hurt him so.

Mamoru's eyes widened, looking over to Malacai. "Make it stop! You're hurting him!"He said, getting up from the chair but a hard kick to his groin made him sit back down again.

"Enough."Malacai said with a wave of his hand. Ludwig's screams subsided, the vampire laying on the floor with a stunned expression. Why had Master done that? It hurt! What did he do wrong?

Mamoru sat doubled over, looking up at Malacai. The owner of the compound slid a hand under the his chin, making him look up. "Now you will consider my offer? I want you to tell me everything you know about the vampire nation."He purred, running his thumb over Mamoru's bottom lip.

"I don't know anything."Mamoru said, sitting back up.

"Ignite."Malacai said again.

Ludwig's screams started up again, the vampire struggling to keep himself from bursting into flames. He sat up, grabbing onto one of the chains on the walls, pulling himself up.

"Stop it!"Mamoru cried again.

"Enough."Malacai said, Ludwig's screams stopping. The vampire stood leaning against the wall, panting and looking down at his hands. The boils healed over and the burning sensations were dying down slowly once more.

"I'm telling now that I don't know anything. We were trying to find any information we could on the way there about where it actually was! I only know that it's safe from bastards like you who want to kill them!"Mamoru said, rising to his feet.

Malacai managed a smile but he still didn't have the information he wanted. That was probably all he was going to get out of the mage. "Seems you speak the truth…"He said, summoning Ludwig over. "My good Captain…I'm sorry I did that to you…will you forgive me?"

"A-..Always master…"Ludwig said, bowing his head. Mamoru was filled with complete disgust for this man. He tortured Ludwig and now expected the Vampire to just lick his feet, accepting his emotionless apology. Rising to his feet, Mamoru looked at him, the candle flames rising in high. One almost caught Malacai's sleeve on fire.

"You disgust me…Reyah does not allow murderers into her loving arms…and you will burn in the deepest pits of Hell…you Monster…"Mamoru seethed, raising his hand up. Around the room, the flames began to draw in towards his hand, forming a pike of fire in his hand. Ludwig stared, Malacai looking like he was about to piss himself.

There was always that one rule in life that you were supposed to remember. And he forgot it.

Never piss off a mage. Mamoru lunged at him, pushing Ludwig away and trying to run the pike right through Malacai. Malacai bent back, retrieving his one-shot hand pistol and aiming. Ludwig looked back and forth, his mind conflicted.

His job was to protect the master…

but he didn't want to hurt Mamoru.

Mamoru was a good person wasn't he? A 'friend' of sorts?

And his friend was attacking his master….he didn't want to hurt either of them.

Ludwig with a quick step pushed himself between the two of them, standing with his back to Mamoru. Mamoru looked surprised but Malacai was angrier than ever. "You traitorous little undead bastard…You protect him? I AM your MASTER! I don't know what's gotten into your little rotting brain but you will be severely punished."He said, pulling back the little hammer on the pistol. Ludwig and Mamoru started to edge around the room, ending up backing up toward a window, perhaps their only escape route without dealing with the army downstairs.

"Master, he's human. We don't hurt humans, we hurt other vampires."Ludwig said, his ears flattening back. Malacai sneered.

"We kill those who sympathize with vampires as well, Ludwig…"Malacai said, stepping forward while the two stepped back toward the window.

"Ludwig, stand aside!"Mamoru said, trying to give the vampire a shove. He wasn't moving.

There was a loud bang and Mamoru felt the cold spray of blood on his clothes and skin. Ludwig stood there, bringing a hand to his chest. Malacai had shot him. He had actually shot him? Mamoru felt Ludwig fall backward, catching him. Their combined weight made the window crack and shatter, sending them both tumbling out from the third story window. Ludwig grabbed onto Mamoru, rolling along the tiles of the roof and hitting the ground hard enough to make a dent in the earth.

When Mamoru's eyes opened, the flaming pike in his hand was gone and Ludwig lay beneath him bleeding. Normally, he would have healed really fast but something about that weapon was preventing him. Ludwig coughed, air filling back up into his lungs. "He…hurt me…"He gasped, trying to sit up but Mamoru made him lay back down again.

"Hold still."Mamoru said, looking around then down at himself. Grabbing one of Ludwig's knifes on his person, he slid the blade of it along his wrists, pressing it to the vampire's mouth. "Drink. We need to run and quickly. No doubt Malacai is going to send them after us soon."He said as he felt the warm dribble down his wrist.

Ludwig's tongue slid out to meet the warm droplets, savoring the sweet taste before he could reach up, grabbing his wrist and drinking as much as he could, just enough to heal himself partially. He could feel the warmth fill him, pooling in his stomach.

Mamoru gasped a little, biting back a lusty moan since then really wasn't the situation for it. "Ready?"He asked, Ludwig pulling his mouth back, licking his lips. Mamoru could see a change in him already. His eyes had turned into a mix of yellow and violet, the red rings around everything fading away. Helping the vampire up, they jumped a little when they heard the banging around inside of the building.

Heno and the others had grabbed a metal pole and were trying to use it to hold back the army.

"Go!"Heno called out, being jostled around by the banging on the door. "Get out of there! We'll hold them back as long as we can!"

"Heno?"Mamoru questioned, getting a tug on his sleeve.

"Come on."Ludwig said, pulling him up and along with him, running toward the gate. Soldiers tried to keep them from passing but Mamoru used the earth to throw them up in the air or knock them away until they could get through. However, the gate, being heavy as it was, was closed. Looking around, Ludwig could only look up.

"You can fly can't you mage?"Ludwig asked, getting a nod. Mamoru started to hover, grabbing the back of Ludwig's shirt and starting to fly upwards until they were at the top of the gate. Lugging the vampire over, they dropped over the other side, making a mad dash to freedom.