Chronicles of Contessa: The Tale of Ventroth

I return to my room where Max stands by the window, he turns happily and almost skips toward me. I meet his smile and take him into my arms.
“I missed you” he says, I cannot help but laugh slightly.
“And I you… what was the talk among the others?” I say and remove my robe on my way to the small hook in my wall. He looks at the door and then sits on the bed.
“Taylor very much wants to meet you… I tell him everything” he says looking at me with every ounce of his seduction abilities pouring through his eyes. I look at him in a sly manner and sit on the bed beside him.
“Everything?” I say, he nods, “What do they say?”
“Taylor is Alexandria’s, and wouldn’t part with her for anything, the other three are for Crystal Moon”
“There are many pleasure slaves in this kingdom…” I say laying back, Max clambers up my body rather suggestively pulling at my belt on his way.
“For those who were born with nothing, it is the greatest gift to be among royalty… and to feel like someone needs you”
“I see, come to the courtyard tomorrow, I go to see Lucca and his ability with a sword” I say. He looks at me oddly realizing it is the first time I invited him to see me outside of this very room, he then smiles brightly igniting his soul with my words. I instantly remembered the way Boris spoke of him and I grew slightly angry, this boy deserved no hurtful words.
“I would be honoured to accept your invitation” he says. I stand and remove the rest of my garments and he bites his lower lip in anticipation, he then does the same.
Very well I think, if Boris enjoys the sounds emanating from my room, I shall give him this night like no other. And I do…

I opened my eyes to the sleeping Max, who would no doubt be feeling good yet oddly sore in a few moments I smile. I carry a case with me, and always have, it contains my sword, my precious sword to which I owe many victories. It is a weapon from the east, created with no ordinary blacksmiths toil, it is folded so many times it could cut clean through oak, and some steels. My favourite aspect was how it had a blood pool in the middle, a dip in the silver blade that caught my opponents blood, I would often scare them and let the blood drip into my open mouth. It was a good fear tactic, not something I would try against Lucca… if I even land a blow on him. I open the case, revealing my blade. The scabbard is a lovely polished dark wood, disguised somewhat to look like a walking stick. I pick it up, still light as a feather.
Max was standing beside me wiping his eyes and letting his hand travel along my back.
“Your sword?” he says sleepily.
“Yes young one, almost as beautiful as you… but it is sharper” I say jokingly. He simply smiles, still naked as I was. I turn to him and drag a single finger through his hair.
“You may want to sleep today, you did not get too so much last night” I say suggestively. He nods, letting his hand fall to my lower area and gripping lightly.
“You will be back tonight yes?” he says hoping for the answer he wants to hear.
“As always young Max…” I say lifting his chin to my face. I kiss him deeply and firmly, gripping him from his rear and lifting him effortlessly into me. He grew firm against my naked skin, the only way a teenager like himself would be able to after a night like the one we had. We separate and he breathes heavily.
“Until tonight” I say. I get dressed and leave while he remains standing there in that moment we had shared.

I walked through the great hall to the courtyard, dusk was nearly falling and I knew Lucca was holding a special night meeting for his demonstration and so I would be at my peak. I stood at a doorway where Lucca, only meters away was standing in complete stillness. A young group of followers were sitting and watching him as he stood motionless. His stance was the likes I had not seen before, with one leg in an almost kneeling position and the other stretched out. His one hand was loose over his outstretched leg, and the other was bent over his head with his sword hanging downward past his face. I watched leaning against the wall, the stars were out and the sun was gone, I felt my power grow.
He then moved, too swift for the people who watched but I could see him. He danced with the sword like a deadly partner, swinging it up and across laying waste to an invisible enemy. His most enchanting move was when he did a handstand without his hands and swung the sword in a circle beneath him as he was upside down. When he landed he made a stab motion, then leaped into the air again spinning sideways while the sword spun with him making a fan-like attack. I smiled at his cunning, he stopped and returned to his normal stance. The crowd applauds as do I, and he walks back over to them but sees me by the door on his way.
“Ventroth” he says
“Lucca” I return walking toward him.
“It is good of you to join us among the guild of the sword, these are all students I have so longed for a worthy opponent” he says, his voice echoing through his mask.
“It has been over a hundred years for me warrior” I say holding out my blade still sheathed. He looks at it oddly.
“I have never seen one like this” he speaks, mystified. I smile,
“Most don’t travel as far east as I, and so far as I know it is the strongest blade made in the world” I say watching him looks over the lacquered finish on my scabbard. He looks anxious and so very enticed, he does indeed love battle.
“I want to see it, when wielded by you” he says and walks back to the middle of the sparring circle.
I walk slowly toward him, on her balcony the Contessa watches, near the crowd of the young I see Max looking on somewhat worriedly. But I catch him in my gaze and all is well. I am in the circle now, Lucca draws his sword a very beautiful piece of work. It is crafted almost like a spear, thin at the hilt and widens up until the sharp point. The symbols are very wonderfully crafted and cover the blade, most likely only placed on the blades of Lizaberian Shadows. He stands at the ready, the way first saw him stand, only facing me.
I place both hands on my scabbard and place it behind my neck like one would with two pales of water. I pull the sword out slowly so all can see, the blade that glows like the moon above and cuts the very air I run it through. Lucca does not flinch but watches in respect. I place the scabbard down a sleeve in my back and hold my blade out and ready facing Lucca but pointing at the stars.
An eternity passes, as my old master would tell me the face off of a fight does last forever. Then Lucca is running toward me with all his warrior days behind him, he leaps spinning and makes a slash to my head. I am simply not there, I leapt to the side and he hits nothing but air. But at once he is on me again, this time he leaves his feet planted on the ground slicing left right and then directly for my heart. I block the attacks with my sword, the loud clangs of metal make the onlookers loose their breath. At his last attack for my chest I redirect his blade and push him off balance, I take this chance to turn and slice diagonally. He dodges the blade in the most ingenious way, another cartwheel missing the blade by inches as the sword glides along his side.
He then attacks my midsection, and I block and push back on his sword making him leap away but in an instant he jumps at one of the pillars and kicks off of it spiralling at me with his blade. Skilled indeed, I think as he rockets toward me he moves fast but not fast enough for my eyes. I see him coming slower then the others do, I catch his blade with my sword and send him in another direction still spinning. He lands roughly but on his feet and resumes his stance.
It is my turn, I walk then run toward him and slash for his head. He blocks then quickly stabs numerous times, I dodge them all the last one sends me into a sideways spiral and I land slightly farther away from him. I attack again, slashing downward and at an angle he blocks them but my attack is too strong and his blade is knocked away after each attack. I make a stab and he jumps up placing his hand on the blunt part of my blade and pulling toward me. I am thrown forward as he performs another spin attack, all while he is in the air. I dodge but leaning forward and soaring past his sword, I stab my sword into the earth and flip forward to land on my feet once again.
He is running at me with full force, I stand perfectly still. He attacks and I block, he attacks again and I block. He grows tired of this and attacks many times, I block them all with the last one sending his sword into the air. My chance is now, I make a stab at his sternum, he moves swiftly to his belt pulling a short sword while moving away from my stab. I catch his hand before his blade strikes my flesh, and I move it aside then throw him and his short sword away. He spins and lands on one knee and his other leg planted firmly.
He raises his hand and catches his falling sword he now stands with two swords. I pull my scabbard and place my sword inside it and wait for his attack. The wait is long, and the wind whistles around the sparring circle. He comes, faster then ever before and tries a stab with the short sword. I pull my sword with a secret technique, and send it soaring at lightning speed at his short blade. I strike it on the wide end and send it hurtling across the air. I hit it with such force it impales itself into the stone pillar.
He tries a stab with the other sword, I drop my scabbard while moving to block the other attack. I strike his sword but he turns moving his sword in his hand to a stab, and with his back to me, he goes for my stomach. His arm is in an “L” shape and I am able to block his attack with my left arm and place the point of my sword at his neck.

The fight is over.

We both stand and he turns to me.
“You are a very skilled swordsmen” he says and bows. I return the bow.
“The Lizaberian Shadows are a frightening sect of warriors, I would pray for those who have reckoned with your blades” I say. He is breathing heavily.
“Well, do come again I long for a rematch” he says
“It was a draw good Lucca, had you extended your arm you could have stabbed me, and I your neck” I say and bow once more before stepping off the sparring ground. He watches me go, and then looks at his blade still vibrating within the stone pillar.





I go to the river in the forest, my sword is still quite clean but I wash it anyway. I like watching the cool water splash over the steel, and stream down the blood-pool dip in the blade. Quite wonderful I think, I feel I fought well in the sparring circle. I had not expected the human to be so good, he is indeed not to be trifled with.
“Why?” his voice says from the trees and the moonlight. I smile, he read my very thoughts.
“You come far too often these days old friend” I speak and shake my sword of its moisture.
“You do not wish me to come?” he says, still I only hear his voice. I take my cloak and wipe the blade and look at it shine in the moons glow.
“No, it is okay… your voice is soothing” I say and lean against the tree. He is close, I can feel the air become slightly thicker, the creatures of the woods are silent fearing death were they to open their mouths.
“You fight well young vampire” he says and he has shifted to somewhere closer. I nod and look back to the castle.
“He was very skilled, were we fighting to kill… I feel I may have lost” I say admitting to myself my folly.
“Your mind is sharper then your sword, I feel you would win” he says. Suddenly he is before me, but not his true form. He is a snake this time, an immense cobra as long as a python and he is standing with his face close to mine.
“What do you come to earth for, to slither through the night?” I say almost laughing, and he smiles his snake-like smile.
“All the powers of darkness are mine to command, you have but a few… you would become a snake if you could” he says smiling his leathery skin stretching. His fork tongue flicking out involuntarily.
“You are right old friend, I smell something” I say, it is the smell of Contessa, she followed me here.
“It is your love”
“Silence” I say he hisses back, “you must leave before-“ I cannot finish
“Fear not… she can’t see me if I wish it” he says and slithers up the tree. On his way he passes an apple and smiles, he says nothing for even I can grasp that irony.
She comes, veiled into the wood, looking around but not afraid. I see her, most humans would fear the trees of night but she does not quiver. I watch her as she moves toward me, I am frozen against the tree and Nelchael’s snake head is near my own. She sees me now.
“She is most beautiful” the fallen angel says into my ear
“Ventroth… are you alright” she says, her worry warms my cold heart and Nelchael smiles an evil grin.
“I am well you highness, should you not be abed… few follow my steps into the night” I say sheathing my sword.
“You fought magnificently, no one has been a match for my dark brother”
“Your brother… is a great ally for those in this kingdom, tell me, why did you seek me out this night?” I say.
“I… am to see the people of the new kingdom tomorrow, I ask for you to come as I have with all the members of the council” she says, now I see she is afraid. Nelchael hisses.
“Say the word… and I could make her yours” he tells me, such a wonderful temptation. I turn and whisper to him.
“I will win her of my own power” I say Nelchael nods still smiling in his snake skin.
“Ventroth?” she says. I turn back to her.
“Yes, I would very much like to go and see these people for myself as rumours do not tell the truth like your very eyes do” I say and she smiles.
Nelchael becomes his normal form, directly behind her but she cannot hear or see his form. His dark wings expand and wrap around her, he looks at me quite devilishly.
“We leave tomorrow at noon, Yondaime has a potion that can allow you to live one day in sunlight”
“I look forward to it, I shall see you tomorrow” I say and bow, she bows as well. She turns away walking through Nelchael like a ghost and his body spreads away and comes back together like a cloud. He sighs deeply his silver eyes staring into me.
“She is as you said” he speaks and lets his arms fall.
“I thought you knew all?” I say attempting to trick him.
“Yes but I could not feel her presence until tonight… it was fate and I was longing for it” he says and returns to his snake form.
“Good night angel” I say and begin my walk to the castle.
“Anon vampire, see the truth and I shall see you when you return” he hisses and slithers away. I watch him leave as my mind fills with the questions I am to ask the strangers.

Especially their queen with her hair of white.