"Ali!"
"Ali!" the voice of the old lady snapped loudly. Alira blinked. She had been deep in thought over recent events and had laxed in the stretching pose. "I will knock those thoughts and your eyeballs right out that pretty head if you don't focus."
Alira looked at the woman for a moment as a spark of contemplation crossed her. There was no emotion in the thoughts at the woman's words... no shame... no anger. I should drain her for her disrespect... but she is correct to have criticism. She bowed her head in response, her white hair covering her face for a moment, "Hai, Sensei." Standing on one leg with the other bent as she pulled the heel against her rear. She lifted her head and looked between the stone columns and into the shadowy night A flicker of anger trickled along a thread in her mind. Reagan.
Her physical body continued with the stretches, leaning forward in her flamingo-like pose as her mind turned to focus on that emotion. A fragment of her consciousness dedicated to the connection to those who had her blood. It ran in the background of her thoughts effortlessly most of the time. She had trained and practiced so that even strong emotions of pain or emotion would not cripple her. She reached out and touched the metaphysical thread gently. What is it t'at troubles ye, m'dear?
"Your body will never be fat, never be out of shape, never be stretched. You're frozen, right?" Unable to separate her physical voice from her mental one.
Mildly amused by the girl's choice in words, Alira replied, "Aye... I am frozen. Even as I am... even as many years 'ave passed... despite being... frozen... a part o' me remains mortal. Without t'at humanity, I would become naythin' more t'an a mindless beast. Killin' without any recognition from friend nor foe. I would kill my most beloved without a flicker o' restraint o' care."
Alira switches legs and begins to the stretch her other one in the same fashion.
"There is a term among kindred called the Frenzy. It is a madness, akin to a flight-or-fight reaction to a stimuli. Severe stress such as overwhelming emotion or starvation are the most common reasons kindred can succumb t'it. The Beast is ever present within all kindred. It can rise t'the surface in t'at moment when the mind cannae' take the horror, hunger o' rage... an' it will take control. A kindred without humanity ne'er regains control o'er t'at Beast and they remain in a frenzy until t'ey are put down."
Alira returns both feet to the floor and places her right hand on the barre. She raises up on the ball of her right foot and begins to swing her left leg back and forth. Multi-tasking the conversation as she warmed and stretched out the ligaments and tendons. Her leg gradually increased the arc on which it swung like a pendulum.
"Have you ever frenzied?" Reagan asked
Aye... many times in my lifetime." Alira replied
"Have you ever killed anyone you loved during them?"
"Aye an' when the madness passed, I bore the regret o' what I had done." the sound of Alira's voice took on a slightly weary tone.
"Those you hurt, or those you loved. Were any of them strong enough to understand, to stay, to bring you out of this frenzy?" the girl inquired.
"There is nay negotiatin' o' reasonin' with one who is frenzied. If ever I frenzy in yer service, yer first priority will be t'isolate me with other guards t'prevent me harmin' allies o' compromisin' the masquerade. If'n ye 'ave the ability t'incapacitate me, do it without hesitation. Do nay try t'reason wit' me as I will nay give any pause t'rip ye t'pieces. Most likely I shall be able t'heal any damage ye inflict wit' time an' blood."
"You're asking me to hurt you."
"Temporarily" Alira affirmed.
"Then the beast, the frenzy, is the enemy always. Is that why you have no male companion?"
"Enemy... nay. It is somethin' t'strive t'keep under control... suppressed. An enemy can be eliminated. " Alira paused briefly before answering the question, "As t'the lack o' a male companion... It is a complicated subject. However, the chance t'at I may kill them when in the throes o' a frenzy is nay a factor."
Alira stopped the arc and turned around and repeated the position with her other leg. It was traditional practice to stretch and warm up for all dancers. Alira wondered if they made any difference in performance for her as a kindred. Her head tilted slightly as she swung her leg as another fragment devoted itself to that consideration. Her logical mind dissecting the possibilities from both angles of probability even as another fragment carried on the conversation with Reagan.
"Most kine refer t'us as a type o' undead, but that is the coping mechanism to handle w'at their mind cannae' understand. We are nay like the risen... the mindless animations o' skeletons an' zombies t'at necromancers control. They are creatures whom 'ave died and are brought back inta' life as puppets. When a mortal is embraced... their physical body is killed. The method f'this varies from sire t'sire... some do it gently, others with trauma. The kindred will give the perspective childe a small amount o' the vitae right before the moment o' final death. T'at vitae connects t'at one t'the kindred..."
"... As I am connected to you now?" Reagan inquired.
"Aye."
Alira turned to face the barre, balanced. She placed her hands lightly upon it and lifted up on the ball of her right foot. With her left foot arched and toe pointed, she lifted that leg straight out to the side. Each time down, she touched the point to her right heel and then lifted it again. Repeat. The apex of the lift increases gradually until her arch is almost level with her head as she continues her silent conversation.
"When ye die... the soul... spirit... whichever ye wish t'call it... it will go t'the place between 'ere an' whatever lies beyond. Death waits f'it. A sire will use t'at piece o' themselves instilled in ye t'follow ye, leavin' their own body behind, tethered on a proverbial rope with the energy in their own vitae. Both the lives o' sire an' childe are risked when a kindred is created so it is ne'er done lightly."
After several successful lifts of her leg at its highest point, she stops. Then she proceeds to raise her left leg behind her, still on the ball of her right foot. The leg starts gradually lifting the heel as she arches her back to further its climb.
"Death will always try to keep whoever comes into his realm. What happens after t'ey are caught, I donnae' know. W'ether that spirit journeys on t'another land or is rendered inta' nothingness. The sire will attempt to reunite in this place wit' the lost soul o' the childe t'be. If'n they are reunited an' the sire's vitae is strong enough t'pull both from the abyss... a kindred is made. If nay, t'en the mystery o' w'at happens after will be revealed. Each childe comes back changed f'ever by the experience... some are even broken, their mind shattered by the horrors. Each will come back with a piece from t'at abyss... a darkness, a reflection of the horror... t'at is w'at many call the Beast."
Alira switches legs and begins the same routine with her right leg. Her body stands motionless as she stares into the moonlit outside, blind to all who linger and watch her outside.
"The mindless dead 'ave taken the spirit's journey. W'at is brought back is an empty husk held t'gether by the magic an' power o' the necromancer. We are 'eld t'gether by the lifeforce within ourselves... our sire's gift of their own vitae bein' the catalyst... an' why we require blood t'survive. Without blood, we would ceased t'move an' function."
"I explain this so ye understand why I dance... why I sing... It is t'feel. T'feel t'at shred o' humanity t'at clings t'me. I've sent hundreds o' spirits t'Death... I 'ave killed children an' the aged. I 'ave done things t'at would drive most humans to incapacity an' madness... torture, mutilations, executions. Kindred are hunted by the living... t'them we are nay a miracle of life captured on the cusp o' death... we are an abomination an' one o' the damned. We are hunted by our own as each kindred seeks t'secure safety f'their lineage much like humans do wit' the breeding o' progeny. Survival dictates the use o' tools t'at most humans would ne'er contemplate. Some kindred commit horrors because t'ey enjoy it... others with indifference t'the suffering o' others... an' yet others f'mere survival. "
"Ali, enough. Let us begin." the lady broke the silence of the room and the night.
"Which one are you....?" Reagan asked, almost hesitantly asks.
"Hai," Alira responded as she turned to the dance instructor. She bowed her head briefly and walked to the center of the room. She took her position and held it motionless as she waited... and smiled at nothing in particular.
"I am all three."
