A Cadmusian bauble

[tinhuvielartanis]

I'll probably be expanding this over time, just for fun. It's something I've been poking at all day, off and on, for no good reason really. I've had better things to do, like apply for jobs (which I did....about 30 of them just today) and work on the second draft of The Chalice, but Faust has been niggling in the back of my mind..... and Cadmus is always there. I haven't even proofread the offering behind the cut so, if anyone reads this and finds it appalling, you have no one to blame but me!

His vast eyes opened to the silver grace of the rising crescent moon.  They were black, those eyes, infinite in depth and profundity.  A soul could fall into those eyes and find itself forever tumbling in their endlessness.  And many souls had done just that.  He could feel them even now, plunging into the eternal abyss that captured and held them enthralled.  The eyes caught the moonlight, but failed to reflect it, instead absorbing the light.

 

He had positioned the window shutters in the perfect position to allow a hint of natural light into the room without it touching his bed.  This way, the sun torment was absent whilst he slept, but he would be able to know the moon the moment her light reigned over the land.  The crescent was waxing so, each night, a little more light illuminated Cadmus’ bedroom, shimmering through his windows like Faery light.

 

Cadmus did not worship the Earth Goddess so well known across Earth in Her many guises.  His vague fascination with the moon wasn’t religious in the least, given his general disdain for the myths of humans and the dead cults of his Elven progenitors.  Rather, Cadmus found himself comforted by the cycles of the moon, how her waxing and waning affected every aspect of life on Earth, both natural and unnatural, even him.  Cadmus’ hunger revolved around the moon, it seemed.  As she waxed, his thirst for Blood was not so keen.  But, when the moon shrank in the sky, Cadmus’ hunger felt immense.  Not only that, but the chalice resonated with him, they were so intimately connected.  If no Vampires presented themselves for feasting, Cadmus found himself milking his pets into the chalice nightly as the moon moved to darkness.  It wasn’t something he could explain; therefore, this curiosity was something on which he found himself dwelling often.  The light of the moon was necessary and it reminded Cadmus that, despite his discomfort with the fact, he was subject to powers that were sometimes outside his control.

 

Instead of hunger with the waxing moon, Cadmus’ boundless memories took hold of him.  As the crescent grew ever larger, the memories that comprised the Abomination became prevalent in his mind, more intense.  Some memories, such as the ones of his childhood with Nissius, brought Cadmus nothing but a strange emptiness, reinforcing his emotional incapability.  But others inspired certain philosophical apices that made Cadmus’ spirit vibrate.  These were the memories he tried to cultivate, the ones of special merit that most usually involved the demise and consumption of a powerful Darkling.

 

Like Faust.  Faust, child of Rebekah, who is a child of Kelat and a dhampir child of Thiyennen.  It was Rebekah who, with her mate Mephistopheles, later created the hateful Orphaeus Cygnus, but that was a memory for another time.  On this embryonic evening, it was Faust who filled Cadmus’ mind as he allowed the moonlight to bathe his alabaster Elfin face in his repose. 

 

Even though Faust was still relatively young by Vampiric standards, a hair over a century old in Darkling years, his power was unprecedented.  No doubt it was in his Blood, being the child of a princess within the Hive.  He was immune to the sun and to religious relics, and he had the gift of Compulsion.  But he hadn’t walked the Night long enough to be wily in the ways of the Vampire, and he lived now in a time of incredible freedom and hedonism.  The late Twentieth Century, the 70s, were an age of wonder and quite possibly the greatest time for Vampires to exist.  Humanity of the West was open to any experience, but had sloughed off their superstitions, no longer believing in the old monsters of an old world.  They were ripe for the taking and forgiving of the monster amongst them.  Faust held no concerns and openly admitted his Vampirism to any and everyone, enjoying their acceptance and celebration of his persona.  He was a fixture at Studio 54, wallowing in the blood and sex of Humanity as well as engaging in Blood orgies with his fellow kin who accompanied him to the legendary disco.

 

It was at Studio 54 where Cadmus ensnared the lovely and naïve Faust, allowing him to lead Cadmus to his apartment wherein the Pariah eviscerated Faust for the first of many times over the course of that delightful Summer of 1978.

Comments

[booraven22.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Me like!
And I for one would love to hear more.
I absolutely love your turn of phrase, your choice of words.
As always, I have a vivid movie in my head to accompany me to sleep tonight.
Muah! Honey!

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

As you know, I have fine inspiration, so I can hardly take much credit at all. Glad you like! I may be working on the torture today. Oh what fun!

[noodledays.livejournal.com]

On this embryonic evening, it was Faust who filled Cadmus’ mind as he allowed the moonlight to bathe his alabaster Elfin face in his repose.

On first read-through, I think that was my favorite line.

The whole thing has such a lovely darkness. I agree with the previous comment: I must have moar.

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Why thank you! ::curtsies:: One of my favourite things to do is write Cadmus. It's truly a labour of love. Speaking of love, I'm in love with your icon there.

[noodledays.livejournal.com]

shit, I don't remember which one I used... *hurries to check*

well, thank you kindly, too. ;)

[morriganwind.livejournal.com]

I need to read it once more to enjoy it fully :)

However, I did have to compliment your music choice. I love writing to Vas! :)

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

I was introduced to Vas via the song "Inama Nushif" by Brian Tyler and Azam Ali. It's the montage song for Sci-Fi's Children of Dune, and quite possibly the most beautiful song ever written in the history of Humanity. If you haven't heard it, you really need to. I see a YouSendIt date in our future!

[morriganwind.livejournal.com]

Hehehehe I'll have to check and see if I have it. I have all of their CD's, plus Azam Ali's, along with Niyaz (her new group), and the 300 soundtrack. We got slightly obsessive about collecting those because when I play it, it really helps with the inspiration.

I think my favorites though are Izgrejala and the Reaper and the Flowers.

If it's only available on Children of Dune, I haven't heard it, and would love to!

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Here's the link to the YouSendIt download: http://www.yousendit.com/download/bWJyNnFNQ1BEa1UwTVE9PQ

And here's the montage from YouTube.

[morriganwind.livejournal.com]

Thanks!!! :) It's beautiful!

[morriganwind.livejournal.com]

Ok, I love the description of the waxing and waning of the hunger with the moon. It's quite original, and I love seeing something new and different within the genre.

I'd love to read more.

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The canon novel is being posted piecemeal at chalice_novel, if you care to join. I'm working on the second draft right now.

[morriganwind.livejournal.com]

I'll join up :) Thanks!

[razzle.livejournal.com]

Is vury purty. I love the punch of the last line. :))

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Ah yeah. That's the downside to being a Vampire: you heal...quickly. And it takes a lot to kill you. So suffering can reach whole new dimensions if you find yourself in the grasp of someone like Cadmus Pariah.

[falkenna.livejournal.com]

Yes, promising . . .

I need to set aside some time to read the latest version in order.