Chapter 6

Screams brimming with terror dissapeared into the wind.

Heavy driving gusts slammed against the huge body of The Darling, violently altering the ship's course into a region of tumbling icy darkness.

Aboard The Darling all hell had broken lose with a bloodthirsty vengeance.

"What foul beast is that! You must send out more men, send the servants! My guards will obey your orders! Those accursed things must not breach the door!" A noble shrieked. His bloodshot eyes darted endlessly about the room, as if seeking a desperate lifeline to cling to.

After a moment his madness filled gaze landed on the centre of the room.

Disorderly thoughts could be faintly seen spinning within the noble's glossy pupils. His face contorted with a primal rage.

The noble cried out hatefully, "You!"

Messy jangling noises echoed in the heavy silence. Jewellery shook and rattled on the noble's body as he furiously advanced to the center table.

All eyes were focused on the noble.

Warm putrid breath washed over the tall woman who had banished the guests' to their rooms. Despite his madness the noble had cleverly targeted the individual who could incite the most outrage amongst the guests.

Extending a trembling pudgy finger the noble violently jabbed it in the woman's direction. The tip of his finger was only inches from her uncannily gorgeous face.

Inhaling a breath of the entrancing perfume that spread from her body the last of the noble's rationality dissapeared.

"You! You did this! Come with me to my chambers now! I will hand out punishment for your crimes!" He declared self-assuredly.

Beads of drool dripped from his mouth. It was as if he could already feel the soft and delicate curves of the gorgeous woman pressed underneath him.

Rage twisted the noble's features once more as the woman remained stubbornly in her chair. Not only this but she dared to angle her head and smile at him!

"Come with me now!" The noble shrieked, no longer maintaing any pretense of justice. His fat and swollen fingers reached out lustfully to grab the woman's wrist.

Suddenly the noble's movements halted.

Peals of alluring feminine laughter echoed in the room.

"Oh how pathetic. A worm like you wishes to lay it's hands on a beauty like me? Truly pathetic." Venom dripped from her words.

Straightening her head the woman gently drew a single finger against her full red lips, "Why don't you get rid of those dirty hands? There's a darling knife just over there."

Motionless the noble stood rooted in place for a few seconds. Then the corners of his lips rose into a joyous smile.

Plates clattered noisily to the floor and the seated guests' gasped in astonishment as the noble strode delightedly down a long and beautiful rectangular table. Elegant glasses of wine shattered under his feet and shards of glass pierced into his boots. The bottoms of his trousers were stained a deep red.

Even as boiling oil spilled across his shoes the raptured smile on his face never faltered. Some nobles gagged with disgust as the smell of sizzling meat drifted from the noble's feet.

Arriving at the end of the table the noble's smile grew wider still. Unblinking he turned his head to grin at the tall woman from across the room.

"Hurry on worm." The woman spoke in a sickeningly honeyed tone.

Praise from his benevolent master sent the noble deeper into ecstasy. Snatching up a long glimmering blade used to reveal fresh caviar in the bellies of fish the noble raised it aloft.

Several guests were unable to hold back the churning contents of their stomach.

Blood spurted hight into the air, splattering across the horrified faces of a few nearby guests. Neatly separated from his arm, the noble's hand, still adorned in bracelets and gemstones, rested in a pool of bright crimson.

Helplessness flashed in the eyes of the noble as he frantically tried to lift the blade with his severed wrist. Veins protruded hideously against his skin and the ever-quickening loud pounding in his chest sent palpitations down the guests' spines.

Tears of blood trickled down the noble's cheeks while sweat ran in thick rivulets, soaking the collar of his shirt.

Despair distorted the noble's features into a sorrowful and harrowing picture.

Chilling tearing sounds hung in the air as the noble directed his final longing looks at the gorgeous woman. His neck was twisted so that his eyes could peer down at his back.

The pungent smell of blood hung suffocatingly in the air. On the velvet floor the noble's body lay silently. A peach wood hilt, decorated with leaping fish and gentle waterfalls, stuck out from his chest.

Feminine and tender, a giggle broke the silence, "At least in your worthless life you may find joy in serving me in your final moments."

Seated in his chair the elder mage released a weary sigh, "All of you, return to your rooms. We will not appear before you again."

As if released from their petrified transfixion the guests' snapped back to reality. Powerful nobles toppled to the ground, dragging themselves across the floor even as their nails bled. Those that had since fallen unconscious were lifted by their allies with quivering limbs.

Closing his eyes the elder mage said solemnly, "Vanetta, you have gone to far. This insult will not be permitted."

Hearing the elderly man's words the tall woman scowled hatefully. Sloppily suppressed fear swam in her purple irises, "You could have stopped me. Do you seek to absolve yourself of blame?"

The mask of calm on the elderly mage's face didn't crack, "I believe the Hand will conduct a fair review."

Shaking with rage the gorgeous woman tightly gripped the arms of her chair. Her past arrogance was nowhere to be seen.

"I won't let them take me." The gorgeous woman declared with heaving breaths.

No one spoke in response.

After some minutes had passed the elder mage chose to speak, "I will take care of the body. I suggest all 4 of you return to your cabins. I will report only the truth to the Hand and I advise you to do the same."

Rising slowly from his chair, the elder tapped his gnarled wooden staff against the floor.

Droplets of blood flew through the air as a miniature hurricane formed in the grand hall. Feeding more power into the spell, the elder continued until every millilitre of blood and bone fragment had gathered.

The elder lowered his head and chanted in an archaic language. In the next second the air wobbled and shook under the terrifying heat as a blazing flame devoured the flesh and blood he had collected with his spell.

Unsatisfied the elder frowned and tapped his staff forcefully against the floor once more.

Immediately the noble's body visibly began to recover. The veins protruding against his skin slowly sank back into his body and the blue of asphyxiation vanished from his lips.

While his clothes remained torn and dishevelled, the elder had at least restored some dignity to the dead noble.

Weak green light shone from the windows of the upper deck.

Snaking down from the ceiling, multiple tree roots wrapped around the frail figure of the old man. Then, rising from beneath the dead noble's body, slender roots raised the corpse into the air. A thick and ugly root that stretched outwards from the elder's chest curled around the former noble's waist.

Quietly the monstrous combination descended into the lower floors of The Darling.

Had a single thing gone differently the noble might still be alive. If he had chosen to accuse the wise and benevolent old man or the scripture-reciting bald monk; the wicked manipulative nature of the gorgeous woman would never have revealed itself to the light.

The hearts of mankind could lead into inky depths where no trace of light could be found.

At least, in the icy darkness of the waves, an end could be seen.