Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:29 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

There seemed to be something different about Ezra when he offered his blood to her. It was as if something inside of her instantly clicked into place. Her movements changed, and her eyes seemed to hunger for something more than just the blood. With a smile, he let her sink her hangs into him, and drink of the blood. Unlike the first time, this was much more gentle, almost affectionate. He was tempted to pet her, but chose not too in the end, in case it distracted her and caused her to lose control of her motions.

Finally, she withdrew, taking only what she needed, and after licking the wound, she gazed up at him, her amber eyes hungering. He could tell that something had awakened in her, and with a smile, he shook his head. “No, nothing as of now.” He knelt down, placing his finger at the corner of her mouth to wipe away a streak of blood, running his thumb over her lips in the process. “But soon. In the meantime…you will meet with Julia tomorrow. The two of you will have a special session.” With a sly smile, he stood back up, and waved his hand.

“Come now, Ezra. We can go back now. Do you think you understand yourself a bit better after everything today?”

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:13 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Lord Damien’s question took her off guard for a moment, but his smile washed over her. It made her want to wriggle with giddiness to see it so warm. As if a veil was lifted, he went from someone she revered, to something else entirely. She decided she liked the way the sun played with his hair, the curve of his lips, the sculpt of his chest. But the treat took her mind instantly off of everything before she even had time to process what she had decided.

Contrary to the first time he offered her his blood, Ezra took measured steps to close the distance between them. She delicately touched the back of his hand and forearm, guiding it to her lips. Damien was her first willing meal, for which she would always be grateful. Her fangs extended, and pierced into his flesh as painlessly as she could manage. The rush of power, the exotic flavor of him, and warmth spread through her as she slightly tightened her grip upon him. Each mouthful was savored briefly before the next draw. In keeping with the faith, she determined she had drank enough to sustain her.

While it was hard to withdraw, Ezra slowly trailed her tongue over the wound, healing and cleaning him up at the same time. With a blink, her dark amber eyes rose up to meet Damien’s cold sapphire blues. Her heart beat hard against her chest, breathing a bit excited yet nervous. ”Thank you,” she breathed, reluctantly releasing his hand. A deep blush had risen to her cheeks. ”Is there… Anything else… You need of me?” The hesitance was born from the uncertainty of what she was feeling, for surely there was something she could do to express whatever this was to him. Perhaps, with the way he looked down at her, he already knew.

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:42 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

As Ezrabeth attempted to steel her mind against against the attacks, Damien noted that each time she got just a little bit better. She was truly a gifted one, growing and learning at an exceptional rate. “Very good,” he would praise after each attempt. “When you are ready, we shall try again.”

Time after time, she put up a valiant effort, until finally she called to stop. Damien was surprised at how long she had lasted, but seeing her as she was now was more than expected. His magic was strong, and defending against it would have drained her of her energy. Another excuse to keep her enthralled with him.

“Ezra,” he said, lowering his hands. “Would you like to feed again? I know this has been tiring for you. And, since you’ve done so well…” He smiled warmly. “I was thinking I would give you a treat. You may take some of my blood, if you wish….”

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 11:02 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

She shook her head, watching his steps toward her. How does one keep their mind open, or closed, when anticipating an attack? Her eyes followed his hand. And then everything went black. Ezra's heart raced as she frantically blinked her eyes. The young one stood there, she could tell that much. Dark laughter erupted, surrounding her as torches lit up, revealing faces of men. Each one was different, but the look in their eyes all screamed death.

Try as she might, the child couldn't run, frozen in place as they advanced. Wicked smiles bore down upon her as the flames reflected upon steel. With a scream, Ezra fell to her knees, holding her head in her hands. She blinked against the flooding light of day, Lord Damien's booted feet just barely in her line of sight. So that was mind magic. It left her shivering, and afraid. But that was the child side of her. For Lord Damien, she needed to grow, to find her proper place in the faith, and there was no room for fear.

Shakily, she stood, eyes downcast from his face. Ezra took a few deep breaths, steeling her determination to face this lesson. She held her head up high, looked her lord in the eye. "I'm ready." A wall was imagined, built around her mind to prevent all from entering. The first few attempts left her screaming once more, as Lord Damien instantly found the chinks in her armor. He offered pointers, but she was relentlessly throwing herself at the lesson. Several times she went through the attempts of blocking the powerful demon, each time becoming a little better.

"M'lord, I can't…" When she looked up at him, her eyes were nearly as blood red as they were that morning. "I'm tired." There was also that burning sensation associated with thirst. Her first thoughts went first to that silver chalice gift waiting back in her room. 

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:32 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Damien watched the little halfling with intrigue. She had set about the task with little question. Her strength for her size was astounding, but it wasn’t long before he noticed the fatigue set in. Her stamina was definitely lacking, It would all come in time, though, and that was the point. He wanted her to understand her weakness so that she could eliminate it.

As she finally tired, she turned to him with questions about his magical attacks. “Ah, I see. You’ve not experienced them.” The demon took a few steps forward. “I’ll start small, and then build from there. There are many different kinds of attacks, but they will all come about the same way.”

He raised his hand, and immediately summoned up his nightmarish mind magic. Should she not be able to resist, she would be cast into a dark abyss, paralyzed. Damien had already seen in her mind what she feared most, and thus created illusions of that all around her…hunters.

The magic was all simple to use, layered on top of itself to create a situation where she was unable to move, alone, and surrounded. This would drive her fear to levels that could create panic. But none of it was real.

He would have to be prepared for the aftermath though. After care. He knew the perfect thing…

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 11:11 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Ezrabeth eyed the tree, sizing it up. It was easily two to three times wider than she was. Her lord had given her a daunting task indeed. However, this was the point of the exercise, to find her limits. How far can she go before tiring, which will prevail before that point? Vampire or lumber? She took her stance by the tree, gripped the ax with both hands, poised it over her shoulder and swung.

A resounding "thunk" sound seemed amplified around them as the young vampire was stunned momentarily. The feeling of resistance had left her arms vibrating momentarily as the tree arrested the movement of her weapon. With a yank, the ax came free, following a near perfect trail back to ready position. Ezra swung again, and again, chips flying off periodically. In the middle of it, she realized if she minutely angled the ax differently each time, the cuts she made were more efficient in approaching her goal.

Her arms were beginning to feel numb from the repetitive actions against the tree, yet her muscles ached at the same time, creating an odd feeling of fatigue. The longer she worked, the harder it was to even hold or swing her ax properly. When she was no longer able to perform the task of cutting down the tree, the ax hung from her hands as she slumped forward a bit. The tree itself was almost three quarters cut through. "This is all… I can do… Lord Damien." Ezra informed him in between heavy breathing.

She returned the ax to its binding on her hip, then straightened up as best as she could. While attempting to control her breathing, her big amber eyes gazed up at Damien with determination. "Before we begin the next exercise, m'lord, would you show me an example of the magic I am to be resisting so that I know how to fortify myself against it?" This was her way of trying to tell him that none had ever had the magical prowess to attack her young mind thus far. In truth, Damien was the first and most powerful being she had ever met.

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 8:34 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Damien turned and looked her over. She had definitely grown since her arrival at the Faith. It was something wonderful to watch. The cultivation of her mind and body would benefit the faith of Temperance greatly. He clasped his hands together, taking a breath,

“The first thing we’re going to test today is the limits of your strength and your stamina” He pointed to a tree. “Use the axe to cut it down. But, you must carry the other two weapons on yourself.” The training exercise was designed to tire her out as quickly as possible. The weight of the weapons combined with the hard labor would be a lot for the half vampire.

However, while she was learning her limits, Damien would be learning information about her as well. Her movements had changed for the better, but he still had not decided what her purpose was to be until she was ready to ascend. As a part vampire, she would naturally be better at night, as well as hold a certain place in her heart for killing, should the need arise. Normally, that would make her a good assassin or protector, but…

It would all depend on what she wanted as well. Killing wasn’t something that came natural to everyone, even vampires. There had to be a certain level of intent.

“Begin when you are ready, and let me know when you tire. After this, we will test your mental prowess and your limits of resistance to mind magic.”

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Fri Jul 6, 2018 12:10 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Everyone has limits. Ezra felt giddy at the mere thought of learning her own limits. How was Lord Damien going to teach her about her own limit? At the display of weapons, the vampire received a new instruction. Without question, she grabbed the three weapons, strapping the sword to her back, the dagger on one hip, and the ax on the other. It felt weird with the heavy weight on one side, but it was not something she couldn't handle.

She frowned at the question. Because she had abstained from the consumption of blood, the merest sight of someone, or worse, the scent of blood, sent her into a frenzy. It had taken days for her to build to such a reaction, but that was her limit. Damien, however, illustrated that she was being narrow minded. There were more than just the one limit, there was a limit on everything. How far one can run, how much pain to endure, how many actions before her body gives up? Ezra blushed as she looked away. "I don't know any of that, m'lord."

They walked farther into the forest, to the clearing that Julia usually used for her training. As per usual, she was silent while her mind churned. The only way to test one's limits of endurance was to push the body to the limit. A different kind of pain was going to be felt, one that was almost as familiar as the burning need for blood. Was Lord Damien going to attack her as they had? No, he wouldn't save her just to treat her similarly. Ezra stood at attention, staring at Lord Damien with a determined confidence. "I'm ready, Lord Damien. What shall be my first task?"

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Thu Jul 5, 2018 9:04 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Lord Damien took long strides naturally, but upon noticing that Ezra was smaller, he started to slow down. It was rare for him to take younger girls, but this was certainly an exception, especially considering her rate of growth and progress. And then, of course, there was her undying loyalty…

“Today, we shall teach you of limits. Everyone has them, and to know your own limits means to know what one is capable of.” Like Julia, he lead her outside of the keep. Once more, she found herself in front of the weapons. Unlike before, though, Damien pointed to three in particular. “Sword. Dagger. Axe. Take those three, and strap them to yourself as best you can.”

“Do you understand what limits are? You should at least understand one of them. Your reactions this morning before I came in with the chalice were a direct cause of your limitations on hunger. You can go a certain number of days without feeding, much like humans can, but the longer you go, the weaker you become. As such, you should learn at what point your limits will break, and when you should feed.” He pointed to her. “Likewise, you’ve trained with each weapon, correct? Do you know how many swings with each weapon you can do before you tire? Do you know how far you can run before you need to catch your breath?”

Damien took heed of the weapons, and pulled a large, unwieldy scythe from the mix. “Do you know how much of a beating your body can take before it gives out?” He glanced her way. “We shall test some of these limitations today, so that you may learn what they are. At best, you become aware of your faults. At worst, you will learn that you have much more work to do before you can achieve your goal of learning to fight.”

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Tue Jul 3, 2018 11:38 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Her eyes closed, subconsciously leaning her head toward him while he stroked her hair. It was a soothing feeling, a kind gesture none have ever offered her before. Damien explained more in depth what a vampire was, something she only knew the term of. Shame deepened as he pointed out that he had spoken to her before about the excess of drinking versus what was necessary. "I'm sorry, Lord Damien. I forgot." In the excitement of being in a new place, with so much to learn, and the wonder of not being shunned, it was expected. Old habits were hard to break in either case.

With a sense of reverence, the young vampire took her lord's hand to stand, holding the chalice carefully as to not make a mess. When she looked down at it, eyes widened with surprise as it was clean. Not a speck of blood was to be seen. "Thank you, Lord Damien!" Ezra placed it on her bedside stand, only to second guess and carefully stashed it in the drawer instead. Hearing how people were reacting to the new angel, someone might be jealous of the chalice too.

Excited with the news of working with Damien today, she darted to catch up, scrubbing at her face with a sleeve to remove the last traces of blood. "I thought that if I knew how to use them, no one could use them against me anymore. What shall we be learning today?" As she walked next to him, she held her head high, a smile seemed permanently affixed to her face.

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Tue Jul 3, 2018 8:22 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

As Damien watched the child burst from beneath her covers, he noted her ravenous nature. It would seem that Julia had not been teaching the child very well about her vampire side. Perhaps Julia had not considered the child’s needs, and how they might differ from her own needs as a vampire. He sighed, She will need to be spoken to….

There was something about watching a vampire drink lifeblood that made Damien almost giddy in nature. It was very similar to the high he got when he devoured his own form of energy. Perhaps, in a way, he enjoyed seeing others devour what they craved in such a primal manner. After all, despite all of his ‘guidance’, he never once truly forced anyone into the Faith. He merely helped them along.

“Ah, little one,” he said as he walked closer to her, taking a knee. “You have misunderstood the tenants. I shall take blame for this, for you are not at fault.” He reached out and stroked her head gently. “You know what you are, correct? You are part vampire, a creature that feasts on the lifeblood of the living. It is a core of who you are, and thus cannot be changed. However, this was not a choice that was given to you. Although the circumstances were different, you and Julia both were born into this world with little choice.” He stood up. “You may drink as much as is necessary to sustain yourself, but never to excess. That is what I told you before, is it not? The hunger you have is not unlike we mortals, who hunger for the flesh of the animals we hunt. As long as it is done for necessity, there is not shame to be held.”

“Now, Ezra,” he held out his hand to help her up. “The chalice is yours to keep. It will fill when the word ‘Zivot’ is said. However, if that is not something that you think is appropriate, we can always change it. I do believe it is a fitting word, for it means ‘life.’” He started for the door.

“Now, my dear child, let us go. We have many things to do today. You will be with me today. You have expressed interest in weaponry, so…I will be teaching you some things today.”

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Tue Jul 3, 2018 12:13 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

The familiar musk of her savior's scent filtered through the blanket. When had he come in? There had been no sound from the door… Was there? Regardless, Ezra buried herself deeper, grinding her teeth as she attempted to keep herself true, denying what she was. His voice washed over her, forging a deep seeded sense of yearning for him. In her innocence, it was a desire for a fatherly embrace, a proffered wrist to latch onto, and soothing words as he explained something. At least, that was what she could describe it as, but it felt so much deeper than that at the same time.

Suddenly, blood, sweet, beautiful, metallic blood filled the air with its aroma. Ezra moaned as she dug her fingers into the bed, continuing to hold the fight. Her eyes snapped open, mere seconds later, the blanket thrown off of her as her crimson eyes searched for the source of the blood. The blanket was beginning to settle on the bed as the goblet was snatched and lifted to her lips. She drank greedily. Eventually, she opened her eyes, now softening to a golden amber, and eyed Damien.

Shame filled her as she lowered the goblet, running the back of her hand against her lips, smear it across her cheek. "I'm sorry, Lord Damien… I tried. But… Am I not good enough? Do I have to go now?" She didn't understand why she needed the scarlet, warm liquid that flows within the bodies of living creatures. As such, tears began to fill her eyes as she thought of being forced to leave due to the lack of ability to control her "addiction" to the blood.

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Sun Jul 1, 2018 7:21 PM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

The morning service that day was done once more by Julia. She held herself with pride despite the risk of the sun, and paraded about the courtyard, drawing the praise of the crowd. She had not missed that Ezrabeth had not showed, but she was told that it would happen. She knew Lord Damien would take care of it.

And Lord Damien did. Ezrabeth was alone in the room one moment, and then the next she was not. He was standing there, a great overcoat resting on his body, but without a shirt, his chest exposed to the elements. “Ah, child…I feared this would happen.” There was a strange sound of something metal being placed on the floor. There were more sounds as Damien moved things around in the room, and finally there was silence.

“Zivot,” the demon said in his smooth voice. At once, the room filled with the scent of glorious blood. He took a step back, his eyes on Ezrabeth, and waited for her to act, as he knew she would.

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Sun Jul 1, 2018 12:30 PM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

It only made sense that there was such respect for Damien. While the depth of other's regard for him was still questionable, depending on the topic, Ezra knew only that she wanted to please him. She owed him her life, for he had pulled her out of abuse, offered her nourishment, shelter, and acceptance. Damien had gone out of his way to help, and it meant a lot to the young one who knew nothing but pain.

"Yes, Julia." Ezra acknowledged the warning against too many questions. She fixed her stance, and worked hard to please the Angel. Somehow, she dodged anything about feeding, and was given time to herself. The next day, she seemed a bit distracted, a hint more irritable, but still dodged any personal questions and inquiries. This happened several days in a row, her mental stability deteriorating more and more.

When her seventh day dawned over the keep, and morning service was held, there was a distinct lack of a certain red headed, crimson eyed vampire at the sermon. Instead, Ezra was buried under her blanket, curled in a tight ball, shivering. 'I shall not harm, I shall not harm. So thirsty.' The young vampire had avoided learning to hunt creatures outside of the keep, keeping her focus on learning the weapons first. 'True to the faith… Stay true.'

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Sun Jul 1, 2018 9:01 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Ezrabeth was doing well so far, and her curious mind was a change of pace from the normal day to day of the rest of the Faith. “Banshees are very dangerous female spirits. Rumor has it, they appear as a herald of death. They have a terrifying wail that can cripple even the strongest of warriors. Believe me, child, you will know when you see one.”

Julia laughed at the half vampire’s next question. “Even full vampires have learned that some things only happen during the day. Thus, we have learned of methods to keep us safe. Despite this, it is very dangerous for us. You are quite lucky to see the sun with little pain.” She sighed. “Supposedly, if I truly ascend, I could do so again as well…” It seemed as though she held her master in a very high regard, and that was he spoke was truth. “Oh, I should warn you…”

“Many of the Faith have lived difficult lives, some worse than others. You may ask me anything, as I have come to terms with it, but I would ask that you refrain from such personal questions to the others” Julia stepped forward to look at her stance. “You’re slipping up here. Move your leg a little more inward here. And the grip…”

“You can take a break, now,” Julia said as the girl wiped sweat from her brow. “Sadly child, I do not. There are different grades of the vampire curse that run throughout the world. In my particular case, my body never rises above a certain temperature, no matter how much effort I put forth. Magic is the only thing that can affect my temperature. Well, that, and the sun itself…”

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2018 7:46 PM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

She nodded. ”Yes, is that a problem?” With a little ingenuity, since Ezra was not quite tall enough for a sheath to be comfortably resting at her hip, they set it on her back. It felt odd, and she shifted her shoulders uncomfortably. The halfling tilted her head curiously at banshees. ”What are banshees, how do I know it when I see it?” While her mentality was rapidly growing with her body, her knowledge of the world was severely lacking.

Ezra followed the vampire into the woods. Once in the clearing, the defensive stance taken, the young vampire did as she was told. She focused on her breathing, the movement of the sword, the control of her muscles with each swing. ”If you don’t like the sun, why are we out here now?”

Julia had her run through several stances, and movements designed to develop muscle memory. Sweat was beginning to stream down her face, which she used the back of a hand to wipe at her forehead. ”Julia? Do you sweat?”

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:40 AM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Julia knew what the girl was feeling. Overwhelming was the least of it. But it was all worth it in the end. That was one of Julia’s task…to convince her that it was all worth it.

“You would like to learn all of them?” Julia asked in genuine surprise. “Well, I’m not too terribly proficient with everything, but I can handle a sword if that is where you would like to start.” She drew one from the weapons rack herself, and helped Ezrabeth set up a sheath. It was a little cumbersome for her, but in due time she would adjust, and grow.

“Now, let us go into the forest. Now, I must warn you…there are banshees about, and they are not to be trifled with. If you see one, run. I will handle it. In the event that I do not make it-” she laughed internally at the thought, “-you are to find Lord Damien and let him know. But, knowing him…” Again, it seemed as though she were completely enamoured, “Well…he’ll come and save me if there’s any trouble.”

It did not take them long to find a small clearing where the trees parted. The sun was starting to shine brighter, which Julia noted and pulled her cloak farther over her head. “Now. I want you to get a feel for the sword. Take it, and mimic my stance.” She pulled her own sword, and took a very basic, defensive stance.

“Hold it for a few moments, and then swing the sword straight. Then hold the stance again, and repeat.”

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2018 3:44 PM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

She lifted her gaze, resisting the urge to reach out and touch the white locks. ”Um, it’s all… overwhelming.” Ezra began to fidget with her hands as she looked down at her feet, blushing at the thought of her last feeding. It had only been about three days. ”No, not since Lord Damien.” The halfling tilted her head in confusion at the hesitation before the word “necessities”. However, the woman brushed over the fact that she was still young, which begged the halfling to question exactly how they would determine what was too young in her case.

Dutifully, she followed the Angel, keeping the day’s itinerary in mind. ”Julia, I’m not like you. I don’t think I was turned, cause I’ve always been like this.” She quickly did the math on her fingers, and decided it was best to keep her true age a mystery. There was simply no telling how anyone would react. Wasn’t there a general rule of not to ask a woman for her age anyway? ’This is the most I’ve spoken to anyone…’ It amazed her how easy it was to talk, now that there was someone to listen.

Julia and Ezra stopped before a display of weapons, eyeing each, and knowing next to nothing about them. Bows shoot projectiles that hurt if she doesn’t evade quick enough. Those swords are for close range, daggers for close and personal. Ezra grabbed a sword and lifted it, surprised at how heavy it felt, though she kept a firm grip on it. ”I don’t know which… Can I learn on all of them? Starting with… Sword?”

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2018 2:36 PM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

“There, there, child,” Julia said, crouching down. “Do not hang your head so. Be proud that we are of the Faith. And it seems you are of the lucky ones, who can stand the light of day.” She smiled. Underneath the cloak, her pales skin could be seen clearly. She had sharp, elf like features, which only help to accentuate her body and strengths. Her hair was a shocking white, a side effect of the turning that she had experienced.

“You may address me as Julia. I do not command you to give me as much respect.” Her smile was warm, and endearing. “How have you been acclimating? Have you fed recently?” She seemed genuinely concerned over the ward. “Well, today, we shall go over some of the basics for you. I will teach you to hunt both prey for the Faith, and prey for yourself. I will also teach you other…necessities. Even female vampires have urges that must be repressed to remain in the faith,” she said, blushing. “However, if you have tasted Lord Damien like I have…” She was not referencing his blood. IIf a vampire could blush, she would have turned red.

“Alas, that will not be for you anytime soon. You’re young, still, and even the Faith have morals to follow.” Julia stood up. “Young as you may be, you will also need to learn to defend yourself. Should you leave the premise for any reason, you’ll need to be able to fight against those who would do us harm. Now, Ezrabeth, follow me.”

Julia lead her to the grand entrance, where a line-up of various tools and weapons lay. “You may pick whatever suits you best. I, myself, have a bow for hunting. While I may be teaching you to hunt, it is not a requirement for you to do so. If you find yourself better suited towards something else, we will go down that path.” There was no pressure to choose from the full vampire. If anything, it seemed as though the vampire were expecting the girl not to choose anything. If that did happen, she would reevaluate the situation and act accordingly.

Author: Ezrabeth, Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2018 1:08 PM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

Her first day at the Faith of Temperance, Ezra spent it exploring the whole place. From top, to deepest depths. Any room that was not locked was fair game to her. For the first time in her life, she had a bed, was thoroughly bathed and groomed, and given a fresh set of clothing. The best part was, everyone was not screaming or yelling at her, throwing rocks, or trying to attack her. Instead, they were trying to communicate with her, show her how things were done at the keep.

By far, Ezra’s favorite thing to do was to hide in the shadows, as close to Damien she could get. Unfortunately, he was not always available, and she knew better than to try and push the matter. The day started just as any other. Get up, get dressed, gather for the serman. Their Lord had saved the angel who gave it. While the story was touching, a single thought kept bouncing across her mind. ’She’s a vampire.’

The halfling slunk into the shadows, hiding in one of the doorways, watching the one who was like her, but not. Julia seemed paler, and seemed to shy away from the the sun which didn’t bother Ezra. It was curious to note the different characteristics. But she had said “turned”, and the halfling was sure she was not turned. What was the difference? She listened to Julia talk to the red haired man she called Angelus.

It surprised her to realize that Julia was searching for her. When Lord Damien’s Angels seek you out, she already learned not to ignore it. Ezrabeth left the safety of the doorway to answer the summons. She gave an awkward curtsey, and stumbled over her words, sounding quite shy. ”Y-yes, Angel Julia?” Speech was a fairly new concept for her, as no one wanted to hear anything she had to say before. Even her head hung a tad low as she looked up at the woman from beneath her long lashes.

Author: DivineBlood, Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2018 12:30 PM, Post Subject: The Daily Faith [P/R]

The Faith of Temperance started its daily routine at sunrise. As the sun burst forth brilliantly over the horizon, barely visible from the ground, a bell was rung to signal the start of the day. The entire keep had seen a miraculous transformation in the months that it had been put to use. Although the walls were still in mostly disrepair, there were wooden structures already in place for the repairs to begin. The inner walls had seen some renovations, however. The paths had been cleared of the vines, and flowers had been planted in each of the four sections where the great trees resided. The fountain at its center had still yet to be repaired, as the well had been dry for quite some time.

As the believers of the Faith came together each morning, coming from the once-dilapidated barracks, they gathered in the center courtyard for a daily sermon from one of the Angels who may preside over the keep. If, at any time, the Angels were not present, Damien himself would give the speech. It wasn’t anything fancy or intricate. It was merely a reminder of why they were here. And most would agree, the rules were simple to follow.

Children were allowed to play throughout the day, with sticks and pretend sword fighting, so long as it was in good faith. The adults were tasked with work, but in return, once it was done they could do whatever they wished after the labor was finished, as long as it was within the guidelines of the Faith.

When Damien was available, he would take those who wished to voice their concerns or ideas in his main chambers, which consisted of only a single, ortante chair gabred in red silk. It was here, where he was sitting that morning, while his Angel gave the sermon.

The only current presiding Angel was vampire by the name of Julia. With her bow strapped across her back, and cloaked to avoid the harsh rays of the sun, she spoke of how she was saved from death by the Lord Damien, recounting how she had been sold out by those she had called friends once she had turned. There were a few tears in the crowd as she spoke, but all were silent. After she finished, she stepped away from her place in front of the crowd.

“Angelus?” she called out. “Angelus? Where are you?”

A tall knight walked into view, though missing his armor that morning. He was tall, but not as tall as Damien. He held himself with a sort of pride, as if he alone were the only one keeping all of them safe. “Aye, lass, I’m here. It’s been a bit of a busy mornin’.” His accent was thick, and heavy. He had a fiery head of hair, and a medium length beard and moustache to match. “What do ye need?”

“Lord Damien has asked me to check up on that halfling, and see how she;s settling in. Since I’m the only vampire in the Faith.” She swooned slightly, as if speaking to Damien had been the best thing to happen to her that week.

“Ah yes,” he said. “Saw ‘er leave the barracks this mornin’. The wee lass should be out here. What was ‘er name again?”

“I believe…Ezrabeth.”

As if saying her name were a magical spell, she popped into view. “There she is!” Angelus said, point her out. “Ezrabeth, m’dear? An Angel has summoned you!”