Deep Roots (Iris' Atlantis 2)

I opened my eyes to gaze at a starry night sky. It was a surprisingly bright sky with more stars than velvety gaps between them. Soft wind whispered in the woods. I knew I was alone. While the forest around me felt more alive than many other tree clusters I had ever witnessed, it was just a forest, with small bright animals hidden in its midst. Beside the Forest, there was just the everpresent phantasm of Stump.

I drew my lungs full of air, released it slowly.

There was no Nettle and no elf. Just softly whispering leaves.

I closed my eyes again, listening to the night wind, almost hearing the spirits rustling in the forest floor. My head pillowed on a mossy rock. Quite comfortable. The air was just pleasantly cool and a passing wind spirit caressed my cheek.

"Son, aren't you at least slightly curious, if nothing else? And what became of your hurry to rescue Nettle?"

I sighed heavily. And opened my eyes. Maybe just to shake my head free of Stump's ghostly mind-talk.

The moon had ruby eyes.

I blinked.

A vampire I had never seen was crouching over me, his elegant pale face placed between my resting place and the firmament above.

He was offering a hand down to me.

I could do nothing else but stare. I didn't feel his presence. Where the apparition stood was nothing but Stump, the presence that had been haunting me for months, which no one else even felt, which sometimes talked into my mind with words no one else ever heard.

The man withdrew his hand and straightened up. He looked at the sky above us and closed his eyes, waiting, apparently enjoying the light from the starry sky or maybe the wind that didn't seem able to touch his perfectly combed dark hair.

I rose too and found out he was tall. Maybe as tall as Blizzard was, though he didn't have Blizzards hulking musculature. This stranger was simply tall.

As my position changed, I could see that we were actually standing in a very small clearing surrounded by massive trees. From my previous vantage point I hadn't been able to appreciate the size of everything. This rather tall vampire seemed tiny compared to the nearest tree trunk behind him which we couldn't have encircled holding hands. Actually, the ferns beside the tree seemed too big as well, reaching the man's shoulder. I could have walked in them and disappeared completely from sight.

"A hug, maybe?"

I started, as the tall vampire spoke. He had opened one of his clear, gleaming red eyes and regarded me with it. There was a smile to the gesture, as if he was waiting for me to realise the joke.

"Or a taste?" the man continued. He seemed to be talking to himself. "It seems like everyone has had some. Blizzard got some, Plume had a mouthful. Oh, yes, I am extremely curious. How does it taste? I never tried. You did, already when you were human, so curious. But I did not."

He planted an elegant wooden cane against the ground where it sank deep into the lush moss blanket and then leaned over his stick to wait for my reaction to his words.

I took a step back.

"You want my blood?" I asked. "I would rather not share it."

The vampire rolled his eyes and sighed out an exasperated flow of air.

"It was a joke. At least mostly." He massaged his neck and then continued with a different, somewhat more sincere tone: "You really don't recognize me? This conversation is not the one I was prepared for. I am really disappointed about the hug."