Chapter V - The Feast

Hunger was satiated, but Vull Seul was required to be gluttonous despite his wishes, courses of hot meat, sweet fruit, and jars of blood wine was served in his honor. In the great hall of Bellfaust on his throne carved of moonstone he was honored as the king of Dwoveland, and leader of the Order of the Dark. Citizens of Bellfaust came to pay homage to their ruler, witches from the mountains offered virgin blood and carnal pleasures, the giants of the east gave gold they plundered, and the emissary's of the west gave a fortune in emeralds. Seeing no use for such things he gave a thankful smile, and tried to enjoy eating past his fill while beautiful red haired witches pleasured him sexually.

Having sexual acts performed on him were physically gratifying but it brought memories of before his baptism, memories of feelings with no origin, feelings of pain haunted his mind. Telling the witches he had his fill sexually he turned them away despite their erotic pleads, Judas Khan attempted to lure them to him but they were disgusted by him which enraged him to the point of murdering one of them.

"That life was not yours," said Dative who stood at Vull Seul's side "they were offerings for your king."

Judas licked the blood on his hands.

"Pardon my rudeness," Judas said bowing his head to the throne.

Dark Vull Seul was unoffended by Judas Khan but he looked at the mutilated remains of the witch, seeing her dead eyes brought pain to his heart.

"Leave all of you," he suddenly commanded as he rose from his throne "I wish to retire to my chambers."

Before anyone could leave he dashed out of the hall and went to his private chambers in the inner sanctum, there he was guaranteed privacy for no one was allowed to enter there except him and Dative. Inside his bedchambers he paced the floor trying to deal with his emotions, something was wrong but he forgotten what it was, he wanted to remember but couldn't. Appearing in his chamber from a shadowy corner the living god saw the Avatar in turmoil.

"Please be at ease Vull Seul," pleaded Dative "you'll sour your celebration if you don't stop."

"I can't," Vull Seul said "seeing that dead woman hurt me."

Clutching his chest he felt his heart beat strongly, he was extremely resilient to physical pain, but his heart ache was crippling.

"I'll have Judas repay his transgression with a tribute to you," offered Dative.

"No," protested Dark Vull Seul "it isn't what he did, it's what it caused inside of me, something happened to me before I became who I am, and I can't remember."

Falling to his knees Dark Vull Seul wept, pain of loss was a wound too deep for him to bear. Pitying its champion Dative stretched out long arms and embraced the sorrowful Avatar. Comfort eased him, as he calmed and rose to his feet, walking to the door to his balcony he opened them, and stepped outside. Gazing out onto his realm Dark Vull Seul contemplated his role in the world, what was he to do?

"Dative," said Vull Seul "what do I do?"

A feeling came over the living god, it wasn't pity or joy, it was a understanding of what the Avatar was going through, and knowing the answer that it had to give.

"Dark Vull Seul," said Dative "you do what you'll do."

'That doesn't help,' thought Dark Vull Seul.

Turning around to ask advice from Dative he saw the living god was gone, leaving him alone to gaze out onto the land of red sky.

'Nothing here can help me,' thought Dark Vull Seul, 'maybe it's somewhere beyond those black mountains.'