Bonds of the Fallen
Chapter 7

The Dark Market unfurled around Bat like a tapestry of dreams and nightmares, each stall a vivid splash of color and mystery that pulsed with the crowd’s energy. Lights hung from the vendor spaces and above the street, their golden glow casting an enchanting spell across the entire scene. The air was thick with the scent of exotic spices and the tantalizing aroma of street food, and the crowd’s murmurs rose and fell in a symphony of otherworldliness.

Her gaze swept the scene, drinking in the strange beauty of it all. But beneath the glimmer and vibrancy, shadows danced and twisted, whispering of secrets and hidden dangers.

Val’s deep voice caught her attention. “This is the market of the forgotten and the forbidden. Everything you see here is not what it appears to be.”

Bat blinked, her eyes adjusting to the bright colors and shimmering lights. Music floated in the air, intertwining with the chatter of merchants and the calls of the hawking vendors.

“It’s like I’ve stepped into another world,” she whispered in awe.

Val’s green eyes gleamed with pride and amusement. “That’s because you have. This market is where the impossible becomes possible, and dreams and nightmares walk side by side.”

She let her gaze wander, taking in the rows of stalls lined the bustling street. Each was a treasure trove of wonders, from glittering jewels and intricately carved artifacts to mysterious potions and talismans. The air was alive with the energy of the market, a force that thrummed through her veins, invigorating her very soul.

Her fingers brushed against the soft fur of a pelt draped over one of the stalls, and her eyes widened as the merchant pulled back the cloth to reveal an intricate symbol inked onto the back of the skin.

“This is the mark of the shapers of destiny, the Norns,” Val explained the web of intersecting lines, his voice low and respectful. “Imagine a grand, interlaced network—a vast, intricate lattice that holds within its design the imprints of all that was, is, and is yet to be.” His fingers traced the lines of the symbols, brushing lightly against her skin. “Each juncture where the lines meet symbolizes a pivotal moment, an event, or a choice, with the intersecting lines suggesting the interconnected paths of cause and effect. A web of fate that binds Vampir and humans alike, entwining our destinies in ways that not even the gods can escape.”

“It’s beautiful,” Bat breathed, her eyes drinking in the pattern. She looked up to meet his green eyes looking into her soul.

“Beautiful.” Val’s gaze lingered on her face, a small smile on his lips. “I sometimes wonder what humans see when they look upon the wonders of our world. Do they see the beauty that has been lost to us or only the shadows that lurk beneath?”

He continued down the rows of stalls, the vendors calling out to them, their voices rising above the crowd’s noise.

“How do we replace the Dark Valkyrie?” she asked, her voice barely audible above the market clamoring.

Val’s eyes narrowed, and he shot her a warning glance. “Do not speak that name here. There are ears everywhere, and some secrets are best left unspoken.” He reached for her hand, his fingers grazing hers before dropping it to his side. “Stay close.”

Bat felt the whisper of his touch dance across her skin.

The market buzzed with activity, a chaotic whirlwind of people and stalls that shifted and changed with every step they took. The movement around her made Bat’s head spin. Musicians played haunting melodies that wove through the air, their notes mingling with the sounds of voices and the sizzle of food cooking on open grills. The scents of spices and meat mingled together, creating an intoxicating aroma. Everything whirled around her, unnatural and disorienting.

Bat was swept along by the crowd’s tide, suddenly adrift in a sea of faces. She turned around, searching for Val, but he was nowhere to be seen. The stalls and the people seemed to twist and shift before her eyes, their outlines blurring into an indistinct mass of color and sound.

Panic clawed at her chest, her heart racing in her ribcage as she spun around, trying to replace Val. She was lost in this strange, enchanting world, and the shadows that had once been distant now pressed in on her from all sides. She fought down the urge to scream as she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down and reason.

But rational thought eluded her. She continued to be swept along by the crowd, deeper into the market, powerless to stop it. The shadows grew darker. Bat’s heart raced in her chest as the market spun around her, darkness swallowing the light and reaching for her. She felt a cold fear curl around her heart, constricting her breath, pressing down on her. She was lost and didn’t know if she could replace her way back.

A soft voice reached her through the shadows, “Hello, dear. You seem to be a bit lost.” A gnarled hand reached out and grabbed her arm.

Bat spun around, her eyes widening as they landed on the figure before her. An older woman stood there, draped in a blue cloak lined with red, the fabric worn and faded with age, the patterns on it belonging to another era altogether. Her face was a map of wrinkles, her skin the texture of well-worn leather. There was a serenity to her, a kindness that shone in her sparkling eyes. She leaned on an iron walking stick, the handle of three knotted roots twisted together to form an oblong orb at the top.

“You’re searching for the Dark Valkyrie, aren’t you?” the woman said gently, her voice filled with an undercurrent of strength.

“How did you—” Bat began, but the words caught in her throat.

The older woman chuckled, a sound that was both comforting and mysterious. “I heard you ask in the market. I can help you, dear. My connections run deep. If the Dark Valkyrie is here, he will come to you.”

“But why would you help me?” Bat asked, a frown creasing her forehead.

“Because it is meant to be,” the old woman replied simply before melting into the crowd, leaving Bat to stare after her in bewilderment.

Bat’s mind raced as she stumbled through the market, navigating the unending lines of stalls. Walking deeper into the market, it took on an older, more ancient feel. The stalls were fewer, the energy here different, darker, making her skin prickle with unease.

A low, raspy voice cut through the night, “I hear you seek the Dark Valkyrie.”

Bat’s heart leaped into her throat as a figure emerged from the shadows. A Vampir stood there, his eyes glinting in the dim light, his gaunt, pale skin almost glowing in the darkness. There was a predatory grace to him, and Bat felt like a mouse caught in the gaze of a cat.

“I am,” she managed to say, her voice steady despite her fear.

“Why seek the Dark Valkyrie when the festival is upon us? Can it not wait?” the man questioned, his voice straining with effort.

“I have no wish to be turned. I seek answers about my mother.”

The man moved closer, the shadows slipping from his face to reveal the blue tinge of his pale skin and the black hair that framed his face like raven feathers. His appearance was all wrong.

“Ask your questions. But be warned, there will be a price to pay,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“What price?” Bat asked, her mind racing as she stepped back, trying to comprehend the situation she was now in.

Laughter echoed around them, sending shivers down Bat’s spine. “I do not need trinkets. I deal in blood,” he said, his gaze lingering on her throat.

She swallowed hard, her voice barely audible as she asked, “What do you know about my mother’s disappearance?”

The Vampir’s eyes narrowed, and the playful light extinguished as he studied her. “I know many things, but knowledge comes at a cost. Do we have a deal?”

“Only if you give me answers,” Bat replied, her voice firmer than she felt.

A slow smile spread across the man’s face, his fangs glinting in the light. “Very well. Ask your questions.”

“My mother came to you when I was a child. She was ill. Her name was Airica. I want to know what happened to her.”

Recognition flickered in the man’s eyes. “Ah, yes. Airica.” His voice drew out the name into a hiss. “A persistent woman. She roamed the city, calling my name night after night. It is a shame what became of her.”

His thumb brushed against one of his fangs, a gesture that sent shivers down Bat’s spine.

“What happened to her? She never came back home.”

The Vampir’s eyes met hers, a cruel smile on his lips. “I turned her. Why she never returned home, I cannot say. Our deal was done. I gave her what she wanted and never saw her again.” He stepped forward. “A pity, she was quite the beauty.”

His hand shot out, grabbing her arm. Bat struggled to free herself, but his hold was unyielding.

“You turned her?” she asked, her voice shaking.

“Yes. And your mother gave me the most tender morsel to feed on.” He licked his lips as he stepped forward, closing the distance between them.

The weight of the revelation hung between them, the shadows swallowing them whole as Bat tried to free herself from the grip of the strange Vampir, a nightmare from which there was no escape.

Bat’s head swam in a sea of confusion and disbelief. The Dark Valkyrie had turned her mother, and she never returned home. “What happened to her after?” she shouted, yanking and twisting her arm. The question lingered in the air, unanswered, as a loud crack echoed through the dark alley, shattering the moment.

Bat stared in horror as the Dark Valkyrie crumpled to the ground at her feet, a lifeless heap of what once was. Her heart raced in her chest as her eyes met Val’s. He had snapped the Dark Valkyrie’s neck.

“Why? Why would you do that?!” she screamed, her voice breaking as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. “He knew my mother!”

“He admitted to turning her. Turning someone outside of sanctioned rituals is a crime punishable by death.” Val moved closer, his face a mask of empathy and concern. Bat recoiled, a torrent of emotions crashing over her. She saw the pain etched into his features as she retreated, conflict in his eyes.

“You were in danger. The Draugr, those who feed from the unwilling and turn people without consent from the Vampir council, do so for twisted reasons. He would have killed you,” Val explained, his voice steady, brimming with an underlying current of anger.

“I know Vampir drink blood to survive. You do, too. How is this any different?” she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper.

“We drink blood because we must, but we only take from those who are willing. We do not harm or kill. It is a mutual relationship, built on trust and respect.” Val’s gaze flickered to the body at their feet. “But those like him, Draugr, take pleasure in the fear and pain. He would have made you suffer. He would have taken your life.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll never replace my mother now,” Bat choked out, the weight of her loss crushing her. “It was my only lead.”

Val’s expression softened. “I am truly sorry for your pain. But there are other ways to replace answers.”

“You keep saying that,” she muttered, her voice heavy with grief.

They walked in silence through the maze of the market, the vibrant sights and sounds fading into the background. When they finally emerged from the crowded alleyways into the open air, Bat stopped and turned to face Val.

“Did you use me as bait back there?” she demanded, her eyes searching his for any hint of betrayal.

He stopped abruptly, his eyes blazing with intensity. “I would never intentionally place you in harm’s way,” he said, his voice unwavering. “I believe a Volva used magic to separate us.”

“The woman in the market,” she whispered, realization dawning. “A Volva. She’s what separated us in the market.” Bat recalled the tales of Volva from her childhood, which she had written in her notebook. They were women who practiced Seidr, a form of ancient magic. Men rarely practiced Seidr, and those who did were often ostracized and forced to hide their abilities from the world.

“There are more beings in this realm than just the Vampir and humans. Some are benevolent, while others wish us harm,” Val explained, his eyes never leaving hers.

“And which are you?” she asked, her gaze lingering on his lips before meeting his eyes.

Val paused, his chest rising and falling with each breath. “Every being is capable of both good and evil. The more time you spend in the realms, the more you’ll understand that to be true.”

An invisible force pulled him towards her. She allowed it to draw him closer to her for a moment, the air crackling with tension. But then, with a visible effort, he stepped back, his face a mask of control.

They resumed walking back towards the embassy, their footsteps echoing off the stone buildings that lined the quiet streets. The city center loomed ahead, the night sky a deep, inky black. The only light provided by the flickering streetlights cast long shadows on the cobblestone streets. The world shifted on its axis.

“May I accompany you home?” Val asked, his tone gentle, almost tentative.

Bat hesitated for a fraction of a second before accepting with a nod. Though she was still grappling with the revelations about Vampir and the Dark Market, she couldn’t deny the sense of safety she felt in Val’s presence.

Their footsteps took them across the courtyard, the atmosphere shifting subtly around them. Gone was the oppressive weight of the marketplace, replaced by a tenuous calmness.

After she was appointed an auxiliary employee, Bat was granted a modest apartment close to the embassy. It was a far cry from her previous accommodations - a cramped, bare-bones room in one of the city’s less reputable areas. The years following her mother’s departure were a series of unending struggles for Bat. She was placed in a foster home, an unsettling limbo, as they tried to locate any relatives to care for her. Even when she had finally aged out of the system and found her place, life in Slaingard, with its dilapidated infrastructure and lack of job opportunities, was far from easy.

“I think I can manage from here,” she pointed to a quaint building across the street. “But thank you,” she added, her voice softer. She hesitated a moment before speaking again. “May I ask you another question?”

Val stepped closer, giving her a slight nod.

“How do Vampir accumulate the wealth they use to help the host cities? Why not just conduct the ceremony and leave everything as is?”

“It wasn’t always this way.” Val sighed, his eyes darkening as he replied, “We were once regarded with fear and disdain by humans. Countless members of my family were sacrificed for the sheer enjoyment of the gods. Disillusioned by our circumstances, we took what we needed to survive, our actions bringing joy to the gods who relished in the chaos that ensued as humans and other beings turned on each other.”

His gaze was distant as he continued, “Then a Norn stepped in and negotiated a treaty with the gods. The gods feared the Norn, for she held the power to weave the threads of fate that not even they could escape. That day gave us hope. It changed everything.”

Bat’s lips quirked up into a teasing smile. “But you haven’t answered my first question.” Echoing the same statement he wielded earlier.

Val’s movements were fluid and graceful as he approached a bench and sat down, his arm casually draped over the backrest, with one leg crossed over the other. The fabric of his shirt stretched over his well-defined muscles, the sight rendering Bat momentarily speechless. She sat beside him, the warmth of his body radiating through the fabric of her clothes.

“We had fought for so long that we lost our way, our sense of home. So, I took it upon myself to create a sanctuary for my kind, built from the blood and sacrifices that had defined our existence. Over time, it evolved into the prosperous community you see today. The world may have changed, but our numbers haven’t swelled proportionately.” He uncrossed his legs, the length of his thigh pressing against hers. “The gods continue to meddle in the affairs of mortal beings, even during times of peace. I just wanted to give those lost souls the choices we never had.”

Val’s gaze roamed the nape of her neck, dropping to a moth that fluttered and landed on Bat’s shoulder. “May I?” he asked, his fingers brushing against her neck as he gently coaxed the moth onto the back of his hand. Her breath hitched, the light touch stirring something hidden within her. He watched the moth take flight once more, disappearing into the night.

The moment shattered into a thousand pieces as Rorick stumbled into view, his friends behind him. “Well, look who we have here,” he slurred, a vile grin stretching across his face. “Fancy a bit of fun, sweetheart?” He approached. “I promise you, you’ll be begging for more, just like your mother.” Crude laughter rang out behind him.

Rorick’s lecherous gaze shifted to Val. “Or perhaps this man is already showing you a good time? Maybe he will share...”

In the blink of an eye, Val was on his feet, his hand closed around Rorick’s neck, lifting him clear off the ground. His lips slowly lifted in a sinister smile, revealing sharp fangs. His eyes were nearly black, gleaming with an inner fire as he growled at the onlookers, sending them scattering in all directions. Rorick dangled from Val’s grip, his legs flailing helplessly above the ground.

“I am no mere man, boy, and this woman deserves your respect,” Val snarled.

“Put me down!” Rorick squealed as he struggled to maintain his grasp on consciousness. “Do you know who I am? You will hear about this!”

Val lowered him slightly to eye level, a menacing glint in his eye. “You are beneath my notice.”

With a flick of his wrist, Rorick crumpled to the ground. He picked himself up, his face a mask of confusion and rage. Casting a nasty look at Bat, “You won’t get away with this.” He called out in contempt, stumbling into the night.

Val returned to Bat’s side, his voice solemn as he vowed, “He won’t trouble you again.”

But to his surprise, Bat’s response was a peal of laughter. She doubled over, gasping for breath, her laughter mingling with Val’s deep chuckle.

Once she had regained her composure, she pointed a playful finger at him. “Just remember, no killing.” She winked at him before heading towards her home, leaving Val staring after her with a smile playing on his lips.