The Bruxa, a vampire whose rank is just below a Vampire Lord, has been droning at me for the past fifteen minutes.  Everything is a blur after my fight with Fion. I remember he ripped out my left eye and then got my left arm. No domain, so I can’t heal myself as well as I would like. I’ve been taken back to the Iron Spire and being watched over in the infirmary wing. 

The Bruxa rolls her eyes before taking my chin in her hand, “Pay attention! You should be grateful that Mael decided to save you. If it were up to me—“ 

“If you were in charge, we’d be all be beasts running around like this one.” A woman wearing a large black cloak walks into the room, her silver hair is wrapped in a loose braid and covered in dried blood. By appearance alone, her pale skin and sharp teeth would lead a person to believe she is a vampire. 

But this is A Fae. 

“You baffle me, you know.” The cloak drops to reveal her small clothes underneath. I would’ve pointed out her wings if she had any but I suppose not all Fae have wings, like I thought. 

“You’re pretty vain! Going around helping people to suit your own needs.” She holds up my journal in her hand, “Your compassion is like watching a play, you’re just saying the lines. And you try so hard to fit the role, its interesting!” 

“What about you?” I don’t really look in her direction, too busy staring at my missing hand. It got cut off a few inches below my wrist. “You’re a Fae, I can smell it. Yet you’re here with the vampires.” 

“Ugh, don’t mention them.” The woman throws my journal on the bed, “Another one mistaking me for a Fae, I suppose it’s my hair. I told you I should’ve dyed it again. Silver hair is so common for the undead. Lack of—“ 

“I’m going. Thank you for helping me.” I attempt to get up but the Fae grabs my shoulder and makes me lie back down, “You aren’t going anywhere. Forget the fort, forget your stupid dream, I need your help with something real and worth caring about.” 

Since she’s so close I can see the magic swirling around in her red eyes. They stand out against her pale skin. Combined with the silver or white hair and one would mistake her for a vampire, especially if they’re human or if their sense of smell isn’t very good. Fae always have the slight hint of pine trees. I never found out why and I doubt a sane Fae could tell me. 

“I’m not interested. I need to get back to the fort.” 

“There’s no need for that. They don’t want you back there.” The Fae sits at the end of the bed as the Bruxa pours some blood into a large wine bottle and shakes it around to mix it together. 

“Just get to the point, Mael. The broken horse has the attention span of a knat.” 

I stare down at my missing arm and realize that my left eye is still dark. My vision hasn’t returned even though the actual eye has healed. It shouldn’t be possible.. I keep repeating myself. I miss my river. 

“See? It lost focus again.” Mael reaches over and taps my cheek with her hand, “Hey! Listen to me. Do you want your river back?” 

“Yes.” I’m paying attention now 

“Good. Lets start over then. I’m Mael, a Vampire Lord, and the inventor of a device that will help us see beyond the clouds. If we can stop the storm then we can get the world back to the way it was.” She talks with her hands as well as her mouth. Very exaggerated. 

“Why do you think the solution is beyond the storm?” 

“It has to be, doesn’t it?” Mael stands up and takes the wine glasss from the Bruxa, “My people built the towers when the storm first appeared. The crack in the sky caused it so what if we just go through the crack? No one has ever tried it before and I want answers!” 

“Why do you care?” 

“Why do you care about becoming something fake? You even said so in your journal.” She points her finger at me before taking a sip of the wine. 

“I want to be different.” I reach up and run my fingers over my left eye, “To see if I can change since I’ve never achieved it before. I was bored going about just.. existing.” There’s no point in lying. I have nothing to lose. 

“You should want an actual personality…” Mael murmers under her breath. She walks over to the door and looks back at me, “When you’re ready head up to my office and I’ll explain what I have in mind. And I have to explain the little thing I did with.. you’ll see when we talk!” Mael disappears down the hallway.

“So, what do you think?” The Bruxa throws some clothes on the bed. They actually came off of me? My clothes are fused to my body, its my actual skin just morphed into— 

“Did you people shave me?” I reach up to feel the top of my head. My hair is still there, its uaual length. Some shapeshifting use a type of spell to present the projection of a different form but I find change physically. 

“Just your fur. Your wounds were infected.” 

“I can’t get infected or sick. Bacteria and viruses effect those with souls. I’m a Spirit.” The Bruxa picks up the shirt and throws it in my lap, “Put that on and stop worrying about it. Besides, your fur will grow back.” 

I stand up and grab her shoulder, “What happened while I was unconscious?! What did you and that deranged Pixie do?!” 

The Bruxa shoves me back and scoffs, “You’re far too weak to be acting like that. Touching me, how disgusting..” She walks around and uses one arm to lift me up and throw me back on the bed, “Get dressed and talk to Mael. You want answers? She has them. I was instructed to stay quiet.” 

This is too confusing. I don’t have enough information to go on and I bet that was Mael’s intention since I woke up. They might’ve done nothing and shaved my fur to make me paranoid and force me to speak to Mael anyway. Or maybe they did do something and— 

Calm down. Get answers. Context. I can’t do much right now. I’m not even strong enough to last the journey back to the fort right now. I have to talk with that lunatic.