Interlude: Live to Serve

The day was not her time, and yet she lingered anyway. She enjoyed lingering during the daytime, the complete covering of her body shielded her from the sun that shone through the grey clouds above, rendering her uncomfortable... but not completely hindered.

The sun was the least of her discomforts, even as she sat on the tarmac roof, absorbing the world around her, consuming the information that flooded her four senses.

She could not see, not like you or I, and definitely not like any human lacking insight, her portrait of the world was black and empty, but it rumbled and twanged like a vast symphony, like the thumping of tribal drums she could hear every footstep that boomed bellow, each with a unique tambre, a special way of movement.

Her nose caught on every scent that was carried on the west wind, spiralling up through the skies where she could study and understand the tiniest of details.

All things moved, and with each movement, she could feel the vibrations emanating from all things, it resonated in her flesh, rumbled her bones, but like a frequency, she could feel out the smallest of movements and identify them with ease.

But greatest of all was the power of her maw... like a snake, she would taste the air, softened by the bandages over her lips, as to not overpower her. The sweat on the skin, the blood in the veins, the smallest of breaths could spell out a Human's dietary habits, how they moved, how they spoke, she could taste the molecules of dust on the fabric of the girl's skirts, the boy's funky shirts; the split grass and mud from the football field.

It was then that she found Charlie again.

He was distinct above all others, She could pick out his deep and soothing voice from many many miles away by now, she knew his scent; the smell of hunger, wrath, **** and coconuts with buttermilk. She could taste the writhing need in his blood, the endless shadow of his step.

Cametotz followed him, day and night... and watched.

Carefully she slid down from the rooftop of the Academy library, and weaved through the cluster of iron electrical boxes and satellite dishes, twice as diligent, thrice as cautious; a Vampire could not use night powers within the reaches of the day, she could not mist, nor was her regeneration powerful enough to withstand great damage... she had to ensure that she was not seen.

But remaining unseen was her speciality.

As she shifted down, pressing to the side of one of the tall glass windows, she pursed her lips and let out a short "*Click*"

The sound boomed through the still and silent air like a crashing wave, it filled the space and painted her black world with colour and shapes. Within the Library, hidden in a cubical... Charlie and his Human companion left the stall, the Human was... waddling slightly; Camezots could feel her nervousness.

She had trouble listening through glass in the higher frequencies, and so twisted the black dials that covered her ears and set them down to the lower decibels. the iron clicked into place and the sharp waves that lapped the air outside died down and the low hum of voices scratched into her ears like a rusted radio.

"ayw litlrey couldn be lsse coraple dite noe."

Cammie frowned under her soft bandages and readjusted just a few decibels lower.

"You wook awfully escited for sommeone, uncomfortable. This is supposed to be a punishment, wemember?"

Her ivory brows furrowed, clicking the dial just a hair lower.

"It's... kinda hot. yeah."

Cammie smiled to herself softly. That was until her skin flushed with goosebumps, a chill running down her spine. The Vampiress quickly clicked both dials shut completely and immediately she hopped off of her feet, soaring slightly through the air as the boom of the bells fractured through the air, disturbing the waves and distorting everything around her.

_"1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6." _She counted to herself as she began to descend back to the building. it was like threading a needle, if she hit the ground too soon, then the blade-like vibrations would surge through the tarmac directly into her... she refused to have any more seizures.

But if she was too late, then she had jumped too high without preparation, the staggering thump of the landing would be akin to breaking every bone in her legs... or at least, the level of pain was comparable.

Her feet thumped against the floor, and Camezots was far beyond grateful to feel that the Bell had completed its round of screams.

Camezots clicked her hearing back into its low frequency... but could not see Charlie, she looked and looked, but he was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he had moved to the Cafeteria, or perhaps he had returned to the cafe to speak with the... Upir again.

However, she did not get the opportunity.

Cammie had toiled through the ages, stumbling falling, she had been broken and unbroken a thousand times, by a thousand men, for a thousand years... and she had developed a sense, beyond the four that she had remaining, and in that moment of pause with her back to the daylight and her tall mask pressed into the brick beside the window -- A roaring, screaming wave of terror swept from bone to flesh to skin, flooding her complexion with gooseflesh as every hair on her small body stood up on end.

"DANGER!"

These were not milliseconds that passed, but even beyond that, this level of speed was unfathomable to mortals, it took part in the very corners of time, where all of her strength cancelled into her toes and with a massive bolt of power, Cammie flew up into the air.

Arcing dexterously, the thin Vampiress cast out her arms and legs, breaking her momentum with the ****, so that she could spin around to see what had planned to intercept her.

"*Click*"

The click was loud and cracked through the air, filling the world with colour and with shape, it lapped across entire miles, filling Cammie's mind with a map of the world.

Below her, for a fraction of a second... Cammie saw what had come at her... and her bones filled with terror as she slipped into action.

This one produced absolutely no sound, Cammie could not hear them or smell them, nor could she taste any pheromone in the air to distinguish gender. But with her Dials near closed... Cammie did detect the faintest of movements, so quiet and so deft that no average mortal or even immortal could even pick up the smallest of its hints.

But Cameztoz was not average, she was Came-Zotz; the Vassel of the Night one and the Great Abandoner, Servant of the Great Night Lord Nox; and she would not be captured, she would not put her new clan in danger.

Still midair, Cammie felt the presence vanish like the Northwind, completely disappearing from its spot. Calm as still water, and still midair, Cammie reached up and clicked her dials shut. If she could not hear them, smell them, taste them, then she would feel them out.

With the sealing of her dials, the world became black and empty again... but with all of her might, she drowned out all other vibrations and sought out the strange and subtle one from before.

"FLANK"

The smallest of sensations from her left, Cammie drew her claws which cut through the bandages on her fingers, sliding out, long and thin, but sharp as swords and harder than steel, one cut into the flesh of her palm, sending an ungodly spiralling pain rocketing through her hand and resonated into her entire left side. It was paralysing and she clamped her jaws together on the bite guard that she kept in her mouth where she knew there'd be pain.

And as her dark blood filled the air before her, her claws slashed out the symbol as she whispered in the lowest of voices "Breath of the Dead: Full Impact."

The air spiralled, draining between Camezotz' lips, it **** her dead, blackened lungs to fill unnaturally with air, and whipping her head back, Cammie ripped off her mask and just as the impression of a hand reached out to snatch her small neck... Cammie unleashed the power of this ancient Rune.

Exploding like a bomb of pressure, Cammie blew the Blackened air out like a bellows with the power of a jet engine, cracking the sound barrier, shattering the sky... as Cammie shot like a bullet backwards through the air, faster than the eye could track.

Cammie flew across Wallace, piercing the daylight as she twirled comfortably through the air. She had little time, whatever it was that followed her was just as fast without the crutch of the rune, faster even, she could feel it cutting through the wind like a spear towards her.

She had seconds to decide, but there was no fear in her veins, nor panic, She merely... made the decision, knowing that there was no other way to survive.

Grasping at the collar of her thick leather trench coat, and dexterously hooking her ankles into the steel ringlets that were sewn at each side of her coat-tails.

The Coat was old as Rome, but it had yet to fail her, it was heavy compared to her bandages, but at its open collar, the coat extended wide like the membrane of a bat, her arms and legs splaying out as the Coat caught on the wind like a massive wingsuit.

immediately it inflated and her momentum was once again suspended, allowing the small, featherweight Vampiress to slowly and gently glide back down to the rooftop of a clinic in Wallace's Westside.

As she came to a safe height, Cammie slipped out of her coat, allowing it to fall to the ground limply in her absence, where she landed dexterously on her feet, her small form protected only by the bandages that covered her body.

She had seconds now, maybe less... as hesitant as she was... there was only one way to increase her kinetic sensory perception.

Cammie quickly reached up and with her claws tore away the bandages on both of her arms, revealing her copper-coloured skin. Immediately she reeled back as the cold air making her shiver, the pain of the breeze almost breaking her.

But despite this, she bit down on her guard and ripped away the bandages around her legs and feet, allowing her bare skin and the soles of her feet to be free to open air.

The Bat shook violently, every fold and jagged edge of the roof below could be felt, they stabbed like daggers into her, but she tensed up, locking her legs in a wide stance, as she began to spiral her arms in the air, slithering with her elbows in front of her and behind her in a fluid motion.

The World screamed against her skin, the sensations were overwhelming... and that is just what she needed.

"BEHIND"

Cammie slipped out of the way as a hand snatched at her, the cold subtle presence appearing as if from thin air, like a hurricane it moved to grab and drag her off a thousand times... but a thousand times its grasp was met with only air.

She twisted and turned, holding the strength of her posture while weaving at unimaginable speed to evade capture, the hands shooting like bullets from all directions, testing every variable for a break in Camezotzs defence, but it could find none.

Biding her time, she waited and evaded and waited and evaded, and waited again, until she fet the smallest of drops on the still pool of reality, and without hesitation, the Bat raised her claws and slashed at the air with pin-point precision... where she felt the explicit carving of cold flesh against her claws; she had landed a blow.

And then.... nothing... emptiness, she could sense nothing, and nothing had tried to catch her, at least not the same thing that attacked before.

"By Cain, Aren't you a slippery little thing?"

It appeared that another had come!? much more noticeable, she could taste wine? and Sawdust? and her skin felt odd like a bubble had popped against it... and suddenly this new being had appeared, and it smelt like a female... although it too produced absolutely no sound.

Camezotz had much more ease displacing herself from this one, it was elegant and quick but Cammie could feel every bit of it's movements, they were obvious and needlessly flashy... and yet.

It was gone? Cammie paused in confusion, it didn't even move, at least the other had some impression of movement when chasing her, but this was completely different, it had completely-

"Vanished?"

Cammie spun out of the way as it reappeared behind her, and tried to snatch her up. She wasn't mistaken, this woman truly had appeared from nothing? but that was completely impossible, nothing but one of the High court could move _That _Fast.

As it came for another round of attack, Cammie analysed this being as well as she could. It wore all black, she could tell by how little light waves bouncing off of it, the darker colour absorbed a greater amount of light and by her guess this was a Vampire, as they were completely covered head to toe to protect from the sun's tyranny, which was still quite disturbing even overcast as it was.

She was medium height and lightweight by the feeling of her footsteps, and she moved with unimaginable speed, if not for Cammie's weightlessness, she would already be dead.

"SUPERIOR?"

It couldn't be anything else... there was no sign of life, this attacker; or more likely, Attackers, were definitely undead.

But what could they want with her? of all the Nox she was possibly the smallest asset, but it was possible, she decided, that her knowledge of Charlie's locations, habits and movements 24/7 was one of the greatest advantages that the enemy could possess.

"Enough. Be still"

Every joint locked tight, the bones stiffened, the muscles petrified, Camezotz could not move... her focus was concentrated on remaining conscious through the staggering pain, and so her mind was easily invaded, especially by a voice so momentously powerful, a different voice she noticed than the second Attacker.

_"Looks like I got her." _The voice spoke, accented, deep as a well and smooth as butter.

_"This one cannot be a mere Blooded, she moves, unlike anything I have ever seen." _The Female voice spoke, in a tone of soft but sharp native English.

_"We can ask questions later. This daylight offends me, come, Hisa. Swan will take her back." _The male said.

And then, as Arms crept around her, so gentle that they barely hurt at all, Camezotz found herself... falling? or perhaps floating, the sensation was odd and in this new place it was chaotic, disorganized and immaterial.

But when Cammie felt her feet press on old floorboards, her nose packed with the thick scent of dust and metal mechanisms clicking around her.

This was a completely different place than where she was before.

Camezotz felt herself being gently moved, a sharp talon pressing into her back. "..,.,.,...,...,...,..."

Her attacker spoke aloud this time, she did not communicate via thought and with her vials closed, Cammie heard only silence. The claw eased from Cammies back. ",,,....,,,,....,,,,.,,an... ear.... ee?"

She did not listen this time but instead felt out the vibrations in her attacker's voice. She was asking if Cammie could hear her, Cammie shook her head patiently and calmly. She did not wish to appear hostile, and so very very carefully, reached up.

An air of conflict raised in the air, a light threat of greater predator warning its adversary, but Cammie was calm as still water, completely unthreatening, and so she was allowed to click her dials into a dampened listening frequency.

"Ahhh, I see."

Cammie did not move.

The voice that spoke was cool and English just as before, but with her powerful hearing back on track, she could listen to the vibrations and see much more than she had before.

The woman was beautiful, pale and again in her feature, her eyes a deep fiery crimson, she wore an outfit, a long jacket of thick silk on top of a black blouse, further contained within a leather corset. She wore light heeled boots that traced up to her knees, thick leather trousers covered the rest of her legs. Cammie could feel her presence, it was agitated and irregular, unbalanced just like her clothes, her left half black as night and the right half white as day. A wide black bonnet sat on her head, with a long violet feather tucked into it's ribbon, and covering her face, Camile felt the half porcelain, half Obsidian mask that shone with dual light and darkness.

"You're blind aren't you?" She asked with a smile.

Camile did nothing, said nothing.

Her head did however turn subtly as she heard the sound of rapid movement, dead silent and fast. A body appeared beside her, walking along at a human pace, his hands echoing in a slow clap.

"She even saw me comin', what a unique specimen?" The male voice, accented came next, it rung in her ears, the slow clap making her flinch.

The First woman eyes her curiously through her mask "She smells like a rabbit, weak and small."

"It may be so, but she's definitely the one, Sweet Swan." He replied.

Camile visualized the man, He like her was covered head to toe, Superiors were especially susceptible to the daytime, it was unbearable for her ilk, but near impossible for them, if they had taken the risk to bring her to this strange place, then it was for a very very good reason.

"Hisa. This is the one you wanted, yes?" The man asked, straightening his white tie which was laid with silver and diamonds, his suit was purely ivory and he himself stood tall and strong, his mask was of pure gold, a pharaohs mask, in the shape of the Falcon, with a long mane of Azure and silver running down from the Mask's beautiful faceplate.

"Yes."

But it was the last, that truly caught Cammie's attention. She tried to see her, tried to hear her, but could detect nothing, but a low and fleeting voice, which seemed to echo from no particular direction; Her initial attacker no doubt.

Her skin rattled as something loud and painful chimed like an explosion around her, the Bat covered her plate as her knees gave out, clutching her head, shielding her skin as she shivered. The Pain was becoming too much to bear.

"The clock's chime pains her. Intriguing... If I were to have my guess, I'd say that her deafness has granted her even further enhanced extra sensory perceptions."

"That would explain how she was able to evade us, despite her weakness in contrast." The woman, Lady Swan, spoke.

"It must be very painful, she removed her bandages to substitute for our silence, very clever indeed. --Oh come on, that's enough writhing on the ground. You will feel no pain, and You will see us"

...

.....

.........

"Get up, weakling." The Woman demanded, pulling Cammie up by her arm... her fingers... were strong, but... not painful?

Cammie heard nothing, she peered around, blind and confused as she could detect nothing? The Bat cautiously felt out the world, but saw relatively little compared to before. "Do not waste out time, Blooded. Remove those bandages." Swan demanded.

Camezotz hesitantly and slowly, reached up, before grasping the loose ribbon from her head and rapidly unspooling it from her head and face.

She was frozen... she could not move... her eyes were open... and she saw.

She could see? her eyes were wide, and looked around, overwhelmed by the sights around her. The wooden floorboards in this vast dusty clocktower were like the gates to the hall of the gods, the light shone through the stained glass of the great clock above, and the figures, of which there were three, were clear to see before her.

Cammie was in shock, she had not seen... she didn't even remember being able to see, the world looked alien, terrifying, the great mechanism of the clock spun and clicked above, kicking dust into the air, their particles floating in the still air.

The Bat fell to her knees as tears red as blood, fell from her eyes, the colour of crimson/magenta, the eyes she was born with, so crudely taken from her.

"I... I..." Cammie spoke in her low whisper, lost and joyful and sorrowful and pained all at the same time. How much she had missed, how much she had heard, tasted and touched, but never seen, she never thought that sight would return to her ever again. "I... can see?"

"Technically no."

Cammie's craned her head to listen but then realised that she had to move her eyes to look and peered with slight difficulty to the Undead Lord.

He indeed was a Superior, around his neck was a signet of fool's gold, glowing with silver veins on a chain of gold, a Lord's locket.

"It is merely temporary, you are seeing with my eyes." Fawkes Spoke.

Camezotz paused "You are Lord Horus, Fawkes of Falconia."

The Lord reached up and unfurled his mask, allowing his dark smile to show on his chocolate complexion, his long dreadlocked hair tied back into a tall ponytail, linked with clips of gold. "And you are very special."

She slowly got to her feet, staggering slightly at the depth of her vision. A Hand caught her, gentle and light.

"You must answer my questions."

The Last Undead Lady spoke, and Cammie beheld her. She was far taller than her, but thin like she was. She wore a pale shawl of grey and a thick jumper along with sleek black jeans. She was unmasked and beautiful beyond belief. Her long black hair was dead straight and soft as silk, while her thin but widely open piercing silver/brown eyes, cut into Camezotz like a blade.

An amethyst locket that glowed with silver veins hung on her neck on a silver chain.

"Lady Fall, Hisano of Genryu." Cammie whispered.

Lady Fall merely continued to stare.

"Not only skilled but knowledgeable too?"

The final woman removed her mask from under her hat, her hair was wavy and blacker than black, her eyes glowed red, matched with a threatening smile. A mixed locket of Ivory and Ebony hung from her neck.

"Lady Swan, Jack the Ripper."

Three Great Lords stood around her, Cammie did only what was expected of her, and what came naturally. She knelt in deepest respect. "I am at your service." She muttered, Camezotz kept staring at her nose in the middle of her face and peered at her long, frizzy hair of pale silver.

"You will comply with us? just like that?" Fawkes asked.

"It is my purpose to serve." She replied, "My Lord would wish as much."

Lady Fall approached, Camezotz knew that if she would not be seen unless she allowed it. The Great Owl gestured "Rise."

Caemzotz did as she bid and met the Ancient Lord eye to eye. Lady Fall observed Cammie closely, she likely saw her albinos features, pale-haired and red eyes, Camile had been heralded for her features since the day she was born.

Fall peered over Cammie's arms, were on her wrist laid a black dragon tattoo "You are devoted to your lord, to put yourself in such pain?" Hisano noted.

"I live to serve." She repeated.

"Indeed." Lady Fall spoke. "You will answer my questions."

"Yes, Milady."

Camezotz followed as Fall beckoned, drawing her over to a seating area, as her fellow lords watched Cammie closely from behind. Horus smiling ominously and Swan watching cautiously.

Lady Fall offered Cammie a seat, which she awkwardly placed herself in, struggling still with her depth perception.

The Lady took a seat in a large recliner, lounging into it deeply and sitting crossed-legged on its body.

"You're Lord... He is Mortal. The Noxium will not answer. You will." Lady Spoke.

Cammie bowed her head low "I cannot."

Swan appeared by Cammie's side, red eyes and fanged "Your insolence will be met with swift punishment. Blooded."

Cammie peered at the British Lady "All will be met with swift punishment if I reveal this truth. It cannot be done. Kill me if you wish, but I will not speak on this specifically."

Fawkes walked from behind Swan, gesturing passionately as she spoke "Now that is a Bloodoath if I ever saw one, they must have all sworn to secrecy."

Cammie said nothing. But Fall continued to stare unsatisfied, but understanding; nothing could break an oath of the blood, especially one symbolized physically: the Symbol of the Black Dragon, their Lord and Master.

"You follow him, day and night do you not?" Hisano asked.

"Si." Camezotz answered honestly.

"Why do you put yourself at risk to the tyrannical sun? do you wish to burn just for intel on your own master, who clearly has no knowledge of you?" Fawkes asked next in a clear and friendly voice.

Cammie frowned and stood, insulted "I am Came-zotz, of **** and darkness, I was born of the night and baptized of the sun, my blood is that of Old Maya, I fear not the sun nor the light for they are my brother, sister and kin." She would sail through aeons if she had to, but she would never forget. "My Master is kind and gentle, and is under _My _Protection, this is my purpose."

"Maya!? by Cain,e you are very old indeed. Urantus must have loved you delay to turn you so young."

Camezotz frowned deeper and retook her seat "Lord Urantus loved no one."

"Skilless and foolish, for a lord to be killed by a lesser being, disgraceful." Lady Swan spat

"Your new master is different, ah? He's got plenty of love to go around." Fawkes smiled.

Camezotz said nothing.

Lady Fall pressed on Camezotz' mind "You will speak."

"Yes, he does. He is... good, his heart is dead, but his soul burns with life." the words slipped from her mouth involuntarily.

"You care for him?" Lady Fall asked in her tone, smooth and cold like ice.

The Bat flushed and tightened shyly.

"I find myself, also caring for him." Lady Fall admitted "I don't know why. But he is... drawing, alluring, I have tried to... expose myself to him, but I sensed... hesitation. I had given him a gift, and yet he does not carry it. Why?" Lady Fall seemed slightly hurt, more so ****.

Cammie blinked, it felt... wrong "You... care for him? I have walked this earth age after age, and I have heard the stories, of the Tri-goddess, of the cold and the mist and the three blades. I have heard of how Hisano of the Genryu rose above all others, the greatest of the Ancient lords, slayer of man and sovereign of the sky. You are the Owl and the Butterfly, the strongest Superior to ever live, why would you care for a lower lord, made mortal?"

Hisano fixed Cammie with an inquisitive eye, but did not answer "I love him, that is all you need to know. And before this night is over, you will tell me all about him, so that I can properly prepare for our meeting."

Cammie knew better than to refuse and bowed her head "Yes, Milady."

She would assist as she was needed, it was her purpose... if these lords wanted her help so badly as to capture her outside of their agreement with the Nox and Rose, then she would have little choice; after all...

She lived to serve.