Vampire of Cosium Special -Ch2

The Vampire of Cosium ~ Special
Tale of the Winged Magic-User

Ch.2

    Kalarock, now about fifteen, looked out from his window in the bell tower with a sigh.
He was a black a hedgehog with spines decorated in red stripes, some being full red spines, and others tipped red. Blue markings covered his right eye and yellow markings were over the top corner of his left eye. He also had fangs and wings like a vampire, which were unusual since he was a Magic-User, a Warlock specifically. And markings like his were considered a punishment from the Gods to diminish the appearance. It was because of that belief that Immortals wore colorful masks. It represented having those markings.
Kalarock sighed, "Today certainly is beautiful."
A little light sky-blue hedgehog chao with dark red stripes and markings flew down beside him on the window. He also wore a little dark-red jacket. Of course, everyone knew chao couldn't understand people. They were simply considered other animals of the land, like Flickies.
The chao, named Palak, looked at Kalarock with big sky-blue eyes, looking innocent like any other chao. Then it looked annoyed, "Shame you gotta sit up here, alone, and not enjoy the day."
Kalarock chuckled, familiar with this, "I can still enjoy it right up here in the tower."
Another chao flew over. He was a white hedgehog chao with a dark teal-blue mask like a raccoon, red and black eyes, and wore a teal, sleeveless jacket. His name was Frost. He sighed, "Maybe, but you can't enjoy that from all the way up here."
He was pointing at a festival getting set up far below in the square. Kalarock shrugged, "I've learned to enjoy it every other year from up here."
A third chao flew down on Kalarock's shoulder. He was a tan hedgehog chao with silver eyes, silver bangs, and yellow tipped spines. He also had a fox tail. His name was Soul. He smiled,  "Oh come on, Rocky! Don't you wanna go be a part of something? Why should you have to stay up here all your life?"
Kalarock sighed and turned back to his little tower, "You know why. And who."
The three chao were curious, "Who?"
Kalarock looked back at them, "Ravon."
They groaned, "Oh."
Kalarock kicked a stone across the floor, "You know he would never let me leave. And the festival is full of Immortals, which you know he hates. Immortals are different, and he hates different. I'm lucky he takes pity on me and keeps me. I could be treated like the Immortals. I could be feared and hated and evil. Master Ravon raised me to be, you know, good."
Soul flew over to him, "Do you really see it that way? He locks you up in a bell tower. He treats you like a monster!"
Kalarock turned to him, "That's because I am!" Kalarock turned away, sad. The three chao glanced at each other, sympathizing him.
Frost sighed, "Kalarock, you're a good kid. Why else would you have three Guardian Chao? Monsters don't have that. They're not pure of heart like you are."
Kalarock looked at his only friends, "Then why do I look like this? I'm not a Magic-User and I'm not an Immortal. So what am I?" The chao had no answer for that.
Palak smiled, "What do you think? You're Kalarock! That's all that matters!"
Kalarock sighed, "I guess."
Soul smiled, "And I say that you should go to that festival! Be somebody! Enjoy your life! You only get one!"
Kalarock thought about it, "I don't know."
Soul landed on his shoulder, "You can't stay cooped up here forever." Kalarock looked at him, then at the other two. They smiled at him and nodded.
Kalarock smiled, "Alright, I'll go."
The chao cheered, "Yay!"
Kalarock smiled, "I'll go to the festival! I'll go right now!" Frost grabbed Kalarock's cape from its hanger. Kalarock smiled and turned around, "Let's do it!"
He suddenly stopped with a gasp. There stood Judge Kar Ravon. He was carrying a basket, "Good morning, Kalarock."
Kalarock shrank back, "G-good morning, Master Ravon."
Ravon walked over to the table, "Who were you talking to?" Kalarock glanced at the three chao, who all were sitting innocently on the floor, looking oblivious to what was going on. Frost was even snuggling Kalarock's cape.
Kalarock sighed, "My friends. I was talking to my friends."
Ravon glanced at him, "What friends?"
Kalarock sighed, ashamed, "The chao."
Ravon looked at the chao and chuckled, "The chao? You talk to the chao? They're your friends?"
Kalarock felt even more ashamed, "Yes, sir."
Ravon sighed with a smirk, "Oh, my dear boy. Answer me this. Do chao talk?"
Kalarock sighed, "No, sir."
Ravon sat the basket on the table, "Do they understand? Do they think at all?"
Palak glared at Ravon, but looked cute and oblivious when Ravon glanced at him. Kalarock sighed, hanging his head, "No, sir."
Ravon sighed, "Very good. Now, come eat your breakfast."
Kalarock walked over and pulled over a stool while Ravon sat in a wooden chair. Ravon set out two cups; one nice for him, one wooden and old for Kalarock. Same with the plates. Kalarock didn't mind. He knew he was lucky to have anything at all.
Ravon put grapes and bread on the plates, "So, have you learned how to spell the words on the next page of your book?"
Kalarock nodded as he ate a grape, "Yes, sir! Every word!"
Then he heard some voices yelling from far below in the square. Ravon didn't seem to hear it as he ate. Kalarock sighed, "Um, Master Ravon. I was wondering something."
Ravon spoke, "I would be careful if I were you, boy. You're too young to let your weak little mind wonder. It could be damaged by the world around us. I've raised you to have a strong mind. You wouldn't want to ruin all my hard work, now would you?"
Kalarock spoke up quickly, "No, sir! Of course not! I just... well, you go to the festival every year..."
Ravon scoffed, "Only for appearances sake. The people expect it from me to be above such petty feelings as hate."
Kalarock was confused, "But you do hate the Immortals."
Ravon sighed, "Indeed I do, but I wouldn't expect a child like yourself to understand. What of it?"
Kalarock sighed, "Well, I was wondering if, perhaps, I could go with you."
Ravon spit his drink, "What?!"
Kalarock shrank back, "I'm sorry, Master Ravon. Its just that I'm always alone up here. I had hoped maybe, since I have done everything you've ever asked, you would let me go with you. I could prove how good your teachings are! I won't be effected by the world around me!"
Ravon sighed and stood up, "Oh, you poor child. You truly do not understand why I keep you here." He took a couple steps away, then turned back to Kalarock, who looked sad and ashamed. Ravon sighed, "Do you remember why you are here, Kalarock? Why I took you in?"
Kalarock knew, "I do, sir."
Ravon turned to the window, "When you were just an infant, your awful mother saw you and was about to drown you. I saw her and stopped her. I took you and decided you deserved better than that. It was not your fault you were hideous."
Kalarock was silent.
Ravon walked back over to him, "You must understand there is more to you being here."
Kalarock was still silent.
Ravon sighed and walked up to Kalarock, "The world is cruel. The world is wicked. It's I alone who you can trust in this whole city! I am your only friend."
He motioned around the room, at the food, cape, and bed, "I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you. I who look upon you without fear."
He lifted Kalarock's face to him, "How can I protect you, boy, unless you always stay in here? Away in here."
Ravon picked up his basket, "Remember what I've taught you, Kalarock." Kalarock walked after him.
Ravon sighed, "You are deformed."
Kalarock spoke softly, "I am deformed."
"And you are ugly."
"And I am ugly."
"And these are crimes for which the world shows little pity! You do not comprehend!"
"You are my one defender."
Ravon motioned out a window, "Out there they'll revile you as a monster."
"I am a monster."
"Out there they will hate, and scorn, and jeer."
"Only a monster."
Ravon turned Kalarock's face to him, "Why invite their calumny and consternation? Stay in here!"
He started walking away to the door, "Be faithful to me."
"I'm faithful."
"Grateful to me."
"I'm grateful."
Ravon laid a gentle hand on Kalarock's head, "Do as I say. Obey and stay in here."
Kalarock watched as Ravon left, closing the door behind him. Kalarock sighed and walked back.
He glanced up at all the bells above him, "Safe behind these windows and these perepets of stone. Gazing at the people down below me."
He walked over to the window, "All my life I've watched them as I hide up here alone. Hungry for the histories they've shown me."
He walked back into the room, where the chao were waiting, "All my life I've memorized their faces. Knowing them as they will never know me."
The chao watched him, sad for him. Kalarock walked over to his window, "All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day. Not above them. But part of them!"
He stuck his head out into the sunlight, "And out there, living in the sun! Give me one day out there! All I ask is one! To hold forever!"
He pulled himself out to sit on the ledge, "Out there! Where they all live unaware! What I'd give! What I'd dare! Just to live one day out there!!"
He smiled, looking down at the people going about there lives far below, "Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives! Through the roofs and gables I can see them! Everyday they shout and scold and go about their lives! Heedless of the gift that is be them!"
He fell backwards out the window, "If I was in their skin, I'd treasure every instant..."
He stopped falling and was flying, "Out there! Strolling by the sand!"
He flew up around another tower, "Taste a morning out there! Like any mortal man, Who freely walk about there!"
He floated, holding to a pillar, "Just one day and then, I swear I'll be content! With my share!"
He started flying straight up along the tallest tower, "Won't resent, won't despair! Old and bent, I won't care!"
He stopped, floating above its tip, "I'll have spent one day out there!!"