Chapter 19: Southland 4-3

I was beginning to wonder just how serious vampires were about this Masquerade of theirs, because Strauss' house just screamed vampire. It was near the end of downtown where the LA suburbs met the city, a huge gothic-looking place that looked straight out of a Doctor Strange comic. The building itself was about three floors high, with an attic level that was apparently massive, and a giant, circular stained-glass window that had a purple sun imprinted on it. Strangely enough, I'd been to these parts of LA and I hadn't noticed this building. You'd think I would, given how jarringly different it was from the other buildings of the block, but I didn't.

Something about it was intimidating, too. As I approached, I felt a similar feeling to the one I felt when I got near Justine's things, or when I first learned to manipulate blood. It was a quiet power, but it wasn't subtle, it was very obviously there and I couldn't ignore it. This power drew in my attention, encompassing everything within my senses until I felt and heard its low hum. Even my Beast was notified, and it bubbled and murmured strangely within the depths of my mind, for once quieted, but only a little. As I walked onto the porch, I couldn't help but wonder just what this place was. But I had a feeling that this place would give me more insight on Justine and what I'd become. At this point, that was the only thing driving me.

The door was unlocked, but as I walked through the threshold, I felt a silent thrum of power. It was as if I'd jumped into a pool of ice water; suddenly I felt alert, energized, awake. Before me was a staircase that led upwards and a hallway. I briefly extended my senses, but I couldn't smell or hear any other vampires in the building… but I could definitely feel one. A power that far eclipsed my own, and somehow I knew that. I walked down the hall towards the power that called out to me. The damn place was a maze, and exactly every single part of it looked the same. It occurred to me that the house was much bigger on the inside than it was outside, because I was walking at least a mile and a half, just chasing that feeling.

Eventually I came to another room, which had a coat hanger, a bench, and large, double-doors with a huge stained glass window on them. The power I felt was directly through the door. Without thinking, I walked through and found myself in a study. The walls were lined with bookshelves, which were full of books. Ahead, a figure stood in front of a lit fireplace, reading a book. Above him was the Renaissance painting Cain and Abel, the amber and red light making it and the entire place look somewhat sinister. When I walked through, the figure closed his book with a loud clap and looked at me.

He looked like a vampire Morpheus from the Matrix. He wore a red trench coat and black slacks with leather shoes that were the same color, with a black button-up and a red tie that made him look somewhat like the Devil. He was completely bald and pale as bone, but the lighting of the room made him look ghostly blue, and he wore red shades with rounded lenses that completely obscured his eyes. This man had a scholarly air about him, like I was looking at the quintessential college professor, but it was completely eclipsed by the sheer power radiating off of people. I'd seen people's auras before, seen how it indicated their mood and power. I looked at Mercurio, and if Mercurio is a battery, this guy was a nuclear reactor.

"Greetings, neonate." He said to me. His voice was low and almost monotone, cold. "I assume you have received my invitation? I've been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time. Please, sit."

I did as he said, sitting down on one of the couches in the study. The entire place was neat, but neat in the way that didn't look lived in. The only thing in this place that looked worn and used was the bookshelf.

"Yeah, I got your invitation." I said. "I assume you're M. Strauss?"

The man nodded, saying, "Maximilian Strauss. I am the Regent of this Chantry. Welcome."

There went two terms I didn't know the meaning of.

"Thank you very much." I said, nodding. "This place...what is it? I've never noticed it before."

"Ah, yes. Forgive me. I'd forgotten you were not Embraced within the Pyramid." He said, walking over to take a seat in front of me. He did a small gesture, and the modest light projected by the fire brightened enough that it was as if the room was lit by a lamp. How the hell did he do that?

"We share the same blood, you and I," He continued. "But there is much you have yet to learn about our clan."

"Our clan?" I asked. "You're...Tremere?"

"You are correct." Strauss confirmed. "As was your Sire, Justine, whom I am sure you have already heard much about. Fragments of information, I'm sure, as many knew of her, but not many knew her. This new life you find yourself in may seem strange, without a doubt, and I'm sure you have many questions. I will answer all which I am able."

"When you said, 'Embraced within the Pyramid', what did you mean?" I asked.

"It is the social structure by which our clan organizes." He explained. "You would be an acolyte, because you are currently outside of the Pyramid. This is the lowermost tier. Above you are apprentices, which are my charges, and Magisters above them, whom are my advisers, my eyes and ears within the Chantry. I am the Regent, the level above them, and above me is a Lord who watches over me and other local Regents, and so on."

"Sounds like a Pyramid scheme." I noted.

"I suppose you could call it that." Strauss said cooly. "Though scheme is a rather unfitting word. With power and secrets such as ours, a class structure such as this one is very necessary. We do not want to make sure such...power goes to the wrong hands, so our top down structure is perhaps a necessary evil."

I looked down at Justine's stuff, which I'd been subconsciously cradling in my arms. Was I supposed to have these things? Going off of what Strauss and Tung had said, Justine must've been pretty high in this Pyramid. Regardless of where I stood on the Pyramid or if I even wanted to join it, I wasn't giving up Justine's stuff. It was mine now.

"So...why exactly am I outside of the Pyramid?" I asked.

"The Tremere are usually very selective about who they Embrace. There are, after all, traditions and laws we adhere to." Strauss explained. "However...your Sire's actions were in violation of those traditions. Hence her fate."

His tone when he explained that was strange. I couldn't tell if he was unhappy or satisfied with the conclusion of Justine's trial. This Strauss guy was almost impossible to read, which in my experience came from a lot of experience lying. Considering that this guy was a vampire, I'd wondered just how many lies he'd told.

"Why would Justine violate tradition like that?" I asked. "Was she rebellious?"

Strauss paused, as if deciding on an answer. "She was not, no. Not openly, at the very least. Justine was a leader within our Organization, and held great sway due to her skills with diplomacy and her charisma. Within our clan, her sway was due to her skill in many forms of thaumaturgy."

I frowned. "Thaumaturgy?"

"Blood magic." Strauss explained. "From what I heard, you've shown quite a lot of skill in one of its paths, the Path of Blood. Often, thaumaturgy is a learned skill - you must learn it as one must learn how to read - but at times Tremere show an...innate talent for it."

So that's what it was. Blood magic. If that was magic, it wasn't what I expected. There were no magic words, no wands and staves. Furthermore, I wondered why I showed an innate talent for it? With Justine Embracing me against the rules, and me suddenly being able to intuitively use thaumaturgy...something about this didn't seem like a coincidence.

"I see...and can I get inside this Pyramid? Become an apprentice?" I asked.

"Such things are possible, Algernon." He replied. "Though for it to even become a consideration, you must prove your worth to the Tremere. We guard our secrets very well, and considering the recent behavior of your Sire, there may be distrust of you."

I scoffed. "Sins of the father, hm?"

Strauss nodded. "Indeed. Your membership within the Pyramid can perhaps be something we discuss another time. In the meantime, please be aware that your actions still reflect on the Tremere, whether you are part of our organizational structure or not."

I frowned. These guys weren't going to let me join unless I proved something to them, but I was still expected to represent them? That seemed entirely unfair. Then again, I wouldn't exactly describe my vampire existence as fair so far. If anything, this was just more of the same thing.

"And what is a Chantry?" I asked.

"A Chantry is a local gathering place for those of the Tremere clan. I live here, as do apprentices from time to time." Strauss explained. "Though as of tonight, only you and I reside here. The apprentices and Magisters below me are all tending to their own affairs this evening."

"Will I ever meet them?"

"Perhaps, on occasion." Strauss paused, looking at the door. "In fact…"

I heard a knock.

"Enter." Strauss commanded.

A woman walked through the door, dressed in a black sundress with fishnet tights a necklace with a pyramid hanging on it, and black gloves that went up to her elbows. Seeing her, I couldn't help but compare her to Justine; while her skin was bone pale, this new woman's skin is ash gray. While Justine's features were sharper, this woman's features were more regal and long, giving me the indication that she was of Middle Eastern descent. Her curly hair was cut into a bob, and there was some kind of longsword sheathed on her back. It hummed with similar power to the book in my hands.

"My apologies, Regent." She said, bowing her head. "Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all, Magister Kamala." Strauss answered. "I am merely giving the neonate basic answers to his questions."

The Magister gave me a sideways glance, and it wasn't kind at all.

Her tone, however, was pleasant. "I see. Regent, I have something urgent to tell you. This may not be for the ears of those low in the Pyramid."

There was a silence, and suddenly I felt like I didn't belong there. I stood up and nodded, saying, "I should get going anyway. Sunrise is in a few hours."

"Indeed it is." Strauss agreed. "I will reach out to you if your assistance is ever required, neonate. For now, I bid you goodnight."

I nodded and, without another word, walked through the doors. When I was on the other side, they closed without a single movement from either of them, as if by a ghost. Vampires sure were weird.

Finding a hotel at 3AM in Downtown LA was all but impossible. By the time I found one, it was almost four, which gave me about an hour before sunrise. I paid for a few nights at the relatively run-down hotel and walked into my room, covering the windows with duct tape I kept in my backpack so that I didn't have to worry about the sun. Once that was done, I placed Justine's things on my bed, separating them. Of all the things that called out to me the most, the book was probably the one that did the most.

I ran my fingers along its leather cover, examining the words. They said Sanguinus Cosmographicum in big, golden letters, followed by a symbol that was a circle with a square in it, and an arrow pointer that pointed to the upper right hand corner. I could feel the subtle hum of power coming from this object, which made me scared to open it. It was like a loaded weapon, or a bomb. I ignored my anxiety and opened it, which was probably a big mistake.

An inky black darkness came right from the first page, jumping at me and swallowing me whole. It was so fast that I didn't even get the chance to react. Now I was in a massive, featureless abyss. There was no light, nothing but a void. If I stood on anything, it wasn't a visible ground. Ahead, I saw a figure slowly approaching from the shadows. As she materialized, an ethereal blue light radiated from her, illuminating the way to her. I got closer and saw that the figure appearing was Justine.

She was dressed differently from when I last saw her. Now she was in a gown made from what seemed like the night itself, stars twinkling on the fabric like diamond studs. Her long, black hair was neater than when I last saw it, and the serene expression on her face was absolutely beautiful. I didn't know why I was so in awe of her, but it was now as if I was looking at a goddess, not the girl I had a one-night stand with. She was so recognizable yet unrecognizable at the same time.

Now I was within arm's reach of her. Almost hypnotic green eyes looked up at me, and a smile formed on her features that absolutely melted me. She reached her hands up to caress the sides of my face, but the touch felt cold. Unreal. It's as if it wasn't physically her, but a phantom, a spirit. It would make sense. I saw her executed at the theater. But how could she do something like this?

"Justine…?" I asked. "I saw you die...this is impossible."

"After all you've seen, you still think about what is possible?" She asked, her tone quizzical, almost playful.

"You know what I mean."

She nodded, then lowered her hands. "I see you've been given my grimoire. LaCroix's incompetence is predictable."

"Yeah, nobody seems to really like the guy." I mused. "I guess you are - were the same way."

"You'll discover why soon enough." Justine told me. "But first, I don't have enough time. I - or rather, Justine - had placed a limited amount of time upon the spell that keeps me here. Soon, I'll fade."

"What? No!" I protested. "I have so many questions-"

"Know this, Algernon:" She interrupted me, her voice firm. "Your survival within Kindred society and the Tremere will depend largely on your ability to discern answers yourself. Vampires love taking advantage of the young and inexperienced."

Although her tone was harsh, I could tell she meant well. Strangely enough, she behaved almost completely differently from when I knew her. Before, she seemed like your average girl. Now she was authoritative, almost queenly. I didn't know if this had something to do with the fact that I was her childe, or if her behavior around me was just an act. I suppose I never truly knew Justine.

"Right...okay." I said. "What were you going to say?"

Justine's expression became neutral. "I have arranged events to occur in very specific ways." She said. "You may wonder why I chose you. This is because - and I'm being honest here - I felt a connection between you and I. I had decided in that moment to consummate that connection and make you my childe. I'd intended to explain to you everything that was undoubtedly explained to you now myself, teach you myself, but I had less time than I thought."

I was speechless. I only nodded.

"In the following nights, as events unfold, you will undoubtedly learn things about me that will be startling." Justine continued, and I could tell she was choosing her words very carefully. "But know this: the ends justify the means."

"Ends?" I asked. "What ends?"

"We are in our final nights, Algernon." She explained, as if it should be obvious. "The ancients will rouse from their sleep. We need to make sure the right one wins."

I frowned. What was she talking about?

"I...they gave me your stuff, and I feel like it's mine." I told her. "But...I don't know if I should keep it. Strauss said-"

"Do not mind what the Tremere Regent says." Justine said, cutting me off. "You feel like my effects are yours because they are yours. I had made sure that LaCroix gave them to you. Keep my coat and my satchel. The most important item is my book. In it is every discipline and Path of thaumaturgy I've learned and mastered. I hadn't been able to pass on this knowledge to you myself, so I wrote it down."

I nodded. "Okay...so you want me to keep all of this power?"

She nodded. "It is yours now. I have no need for it because...well, I'm dead."

"Right."

Justine began to fade. Although she was fairly translucent in front of me, she began to become less and less real, like a fleeting memory. My heart dropped. I didn't want her to leave, I wanted her to stay here. I didn't know why I suddenly felt so attached to her, why I'd been feeling this way over the last few nights.

"The duration of the spell is wearing off." Justine said. "I have one last thing to tell you."

"What? What is it?" I asked.

"Do not trust the Camarilla." She told me firmly.

"What? I...do you want me to be an Anarch, then?"

"No, not the Anarchs. They don't even begin to understand the forces at play here. And do not trust the Sabbat either. They're pawns as much as the Camarilla are."

"I...I don't understand. Pawns to who? If not the Anarchs or the Camarilla, then who?"

"There are more than three sides to this war, childe." Justine explained, then faded away completely. Her voice remained, however, disembodied. "Continue as you are, and you will find out soon enough."

Then the void melted around me, seeming to drain back into the book like grime getting washed away by water. The book then closed itself, and I heard low whispers in my head. After they quieted, I no longer felt the massive presence of Justine's power in her book. I only felt a low thrum from the book, a more silent and subtle power. In that moment, I knew that was my last chance to speak to Justine. That was the last time my Sire was going to speak to me.

If I wasn't alone before, I certainly was now.