Gaining Strength [Part 2]
Jun. 10th, 2020 12:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonv2Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: Frankenstein needs to gain strength to protect humanity; the werewolves might hold the key to that.
Contains: Mild gore.
Notes: Frankenstein decides werewolves are the bigger threat AU.
Rating: PG
Genre: General
Word count: 1,766
Total word count: 3,632
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein's back smacked onto the soft ground and he could see they were surrounded by a number of cloaked figures. There were so many... A few of them had their hoods up, but not all of them.
They really did look humans - Frankenstein wouldn't have placed them as obviously different from human from their facial features. One with short red hair sticking up in spikes would have been his only hint as something unnatural, but there were others that were more normal, with shoulder length black hair or similar.
What had happened to the village? Was there anything left after the werewolves had ravaged it?
He heard Ateryi's yell just before she landed next to him.
Frankenstein tried to get to his feet, but he gasped at an invisible weight pressing down on him, forcing him to stay on his knees. What was happening? It was hard to breathe, hard to drag air into his lungs.
It was like stories he'd heard about noble mind control, but there had been no eye contact, and he was sure the ones around them were werewolves.
Frankenstein shoved up against the force as much as he could. He was able to push his head up, glowering at the werewolf standing in front of him. He couldn't see anything through the hood's shadow.
A chuckle rippled through the pack.
"Aw, the human thinks he's a werewolf, baring his teeth at us."
"Blunt teeth though."
"Yeah, there's no strength in those jaws."
Frankenstein shuddered when the pressure increased, forcing his head down again. A hiss escaped Frankenstein as he gritted his teeth.
"We will be your Lords from now on, humans," the werewolf in front of Frankenstein said.
Fury raged in Frankenstein as he struggled against the pressure, but it held him fast.
Powerless. He was absolutely powerless in the presence of werewolves.
And he had been so focused on gathering knowledge that he had spared no thought of the potential danger of walking right into a pack of werewolves!
Because he had assumed they would be too late. Because he had assumed they would only arrive in time to pick up the pieces of what had been left.
"Well? You should practice your new place as-"
"Hey!"
The first werewolf paused and Frankenstein exhaled, the pressure easing.
A new werewolf jumped in, landing in a crouch from one of the trees.
"There are nobles approaching," the new werewolf said, glancing over his shoulder.
"They found us so fast."
"How did they know?"
Hah. Maybe it had been some use to call upon the nobles after all.
The werewolves were distracted, murmuring between themselves. Now. This could be the only chance he had.
Frankenstein exhaled, his limbs listening to him again as he eased his hand back, feeling for the dagger. He drew it, eyeing the werewolf in front of him.
Could he do it? No, it didn't matter if he could or couldn't. It was a chance that at least one human could be saved in the future if he did this, and that was enough.
He could aim for the femoral artery in the thigh, but there was a chance it wouldn't be fatal to a werewolf. Frankenstein aimed higher and lunged, throwing his whole weight forward. He felt the dagger slice cleanly into the werewolf's gut. Good.
He kept a tight grip on the hilt as the werewolf howled, the pressure returning and forcing him back to his knees.
It made him yank the dagger out and vengeful pride warmed his heart, even as a furry arm reached down and grabbed him by the throat. Without the dagger in place, that should induce sepsis by getting toxins in the gut to escape into the coelom cavity. If it didn't eventually kill the werewolf, it would at least be far more painful for longer than bleeding out.
It was what the werewolf deserved.
Frankenstein was surprised by the hoots and cheering as he was lifted off his feet, claws digging into his throat.
"The little human has claws!"
Frankenstein couldn't move, the pressure keeping his arms still, stars dancing in his eyes as he tried to breathe.
"I will-" The werewolf holding him stilled, the other werewolves quietening.
"The nobles are here!"
With a snarl, the werewolf threw him. Frankenstein had just enough awareness to realise he was flying before he smashed into the carriage, sliding down with a wince.
Nothing broken, no sharp pain that was immediately obvious. Though if he lived, he would definitely feel it. And maybe he would.
The werewolves disappeared and as Frankenstein stared at the empty area, something black blurred in his vision before disappearing also.
He let out a weak chuckle, sagging against the carriage, just gulping in air, his neck burning as he felt blood trickle down his skin.
His hands still shook but he was able to sheath the dagger without dropping it. A pure sample. If nothing else happened, he had a pure sample.
"Thank the gods," Ateryi muttered, crouching next to him as she checked him over. "You didn't need to attack them! The nobles would have dealt with them without your help."
"I'd rather not rely on the transient benevolence of the nobles," Frankenstein said, hissing as Ateryi dabbed a wet handkerchief to his neck. He wanted to rely on his own power. "They could have killed us before the nobles arrived."
"And they might have killed us for attacking them," Ateryi retorted. "Can you stand?"
Frankenstein nodded, getting up. He winced as his back muscles protested. "Nothing's broken."
"Shouldn't we-?" the driver started, and Frankenstein realised he'd kept his distance, staying away from them both. "What if he changes?" His eyes wouldn't leave Frankenstein's neck.
Frankenstein rolled his eyes. "I was scratched by the werewolf's claws, not bitten." If that myth even held true. He still hadn't hadn't found any concrete proof of that.
Though it would be interesting to test if he did begin changing. The full moon had just passed - he could track any changes along with the phases of the moon. "And the full moon was a few nights past - there's little danger of me changing any time soon." If it helped to soothe the man's nerves, then so be it.
"Ah, right." It seemed to work, the man settling.
Frankenstein peered towards the front of the carriage and his heart sank. Both horses were dead, laying in pools of their own blood. There was no hope for them.
"Yes, we're going to have to walk," Ateryi said.
Frankenstein sighed, the forest stretching out far from them in all directions. If they were an hour away by horse, then by foot...
It would take much longer.
"We'd better get moving then," he said.
* * *
"Still human?" Ateryi asked, poking her head into the doctor's house, smiling.
"Still human," Frankenstein said, smiling back from the bed. He'd been able to fill in a few more pages of his journal with notes, but so far, he hadn't felt much different from usual. Bruises and healing from the scratches, aside. "Any interesting news?"
"Ah, always business with you," she said, coming in. "The werewolves had only taken over for a few days before our arrival, but they made their want to rule very clear - the villagers are going to have to choose a new village Head."
"What better way to establish a new ruler by getting rid of the previous one," Frankenstein muttered darkly. "And the nobles?"
Ateryi shook her head. "They haven't been back since."
"Of course." They only cared about fighting the werewolves, not about the humans they supposedly felt a duty to protect. Frankenstein closed his eyes.
Of the two races, it was the werewolves that were more dangerous: the nobles' lack of responsibility for their creation of vampires was different from the werewolves' intent to rule. The nobles at least sometimes extended a protective hand, especially when werewolves were involved - werewolves had no such principals.
Well, now he knew what he should focus on.
* * *
Atreyi frowned at him as he moved to exit the carriage. "You should be resting."
"I have rested enough," Frankenstein said, opening the door, trying not to wince as that pulled at his back muscles. He'd spent hours on that doctor's bed already. "There are some things I have to see to."
She sighed. "Very well."
He gestured namaste in goodbye before he left, Atreyi returning it.
Frankenstein took in a deep breath after he closed the door, hearing the carriage trundle away. He was back home.
Well, his second home.
He made one last check the dagger was still in its sheath before entering the Union building.
"Ah, Frankenstein-!"
He turned his head, gritting his teeth as that pulled at his injuries. "My apologies, but I'll be a little busy over the next couple of hours and don't want to be disturbed." He smiled, hoping that would hide the grimace.
He hurried away before anyone else noticed his presence.
Frankenstein paused when he closed the door behind him, smiling at the familiar sight of his lab.
He unbuckled the sheath, setting it on his desk as he collected the supplies he needed.
Once he was ready, he eased the dagger free of the sheath. It was caked in dried brown blood and he exhaled, pride filling his chest. He'd gotten it.
There were streaks where the blade had been in contact with the leather, but he would be able to extract the blood from that as well.
Frankenstein leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes as he tried to calm his heart.
There hadn't been a reaction to silver as far as he could tell, though it would be hard to know the difference between a reaction to silver and to being stabbed.
It didn't matter. Either way, the dagger was proof that humans could harm the so called 'gods'. They bled red like humans. They could feel pain.
And maybe, with this, he could find a way for humans to gain the strength to kill them.
He exhaled, opening his eyes again.
Time to get started.
Summary: Frankenstein needs to gain strength to protect humanity; the werewolves might hold the key to that.
Contains: Mild gore.
Notes: Frankenstein decides werewolves are the bigger threat AU.
Rating: PG
Genre: General
Word count: 1,766
Total word count: 3,632
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein's back smacked onto the soft ground and he could see they were surrounded by a number of cloaked figures. There were so many... A few of them had their hoods up, but not all of them.
They really did look humans - Frankenstein wouldn't have placed them as obviously different from human from their facial features. One with short red hair sticking up in spikes would have been his only hint as something unnatural, but there were others that were more normal, with shoulder length black hair or similar.
What had happened to the village? Was there anything left after the werewolves had ravaged it?
He heard Ateryi's yell just before she landed next to him.
Frankenstein tried to get to his feet, but he gasped at an invisible weight pressing down on him, forcing him to stay on his knees. What was happening? It was hard to breathe, hard to drag air into his lungs.
It was like stories he'd heard about noble mind control, but there had been no eye contact, and he was sure the ones around them were werewolves.
Frankenstein shoved up against the force as much as he could. He was able to push his head up, glowering at the werewolf standing in front of him. He couldn't see anything through the hood's shadow.
A chuckle rippled through the pack.
"Aw, the human thinks he's a werewolf, baring his teeth at us."
"Blunt teeth though."
"Yeah, there's no strength in those jaws."
Frankenstein shuddered when the pressure increased, forcing his head down again. A hiss escaped Frankenstein as he gritted his teeth.
"We will be your Lords from now on, humans," the werewolf in front of Frankenstein said.
Fury raged in Frankenstein as he struggled against the pressure, but it held him fast.
Powerless. He was absolutely powerless in the presence of werewolves.
And he had been so focused on gathering knowledge that he had spared no thought of the potential danger of walking right into a pack of werewolves!
Because he had assumed they would be too late. Because he had assumed they would only arrive in time to pick up the pieces of what had been left.
"Well? You should practice your new place as-"
"Hey!"
The first werewolf paused and Frankenstein exhaled, the pressure easing.
A new werewolf jumped in, landing in a crouch from one of the trees.
"There are nobles approaching," the new werewolf said, glancing over his shoulder.
"They found us so fast."
"How did they know?"
Hah. Maybe it had been some use to call upon the nobles after all.
The werewolves were distracted, murmuring between themselves. Now. This could be the only chance he had.
Frankenstein exhaled, his limbs listening to him again as he eased his hand back, feeling for the dagger. He drew it, eyeing the werewolf in front of him.
Could he do it? No, it didn't matter if he could or couldn't. It was a chance that at least one human could be saved in the future if he did this, and that was enough.
He could aim for the femoral artery in the thigh, but there was a chance it wouldn't be fatal to a werewolf. Frankenstein aimed higher and lunged, throwing his whole weight forward. He felt the dagger slice cleanly into the werewolf's gut. Good.
He kept a tight grip on the hilt as the werewolf howled, the pressure returning and forcing him back to his knees.
It made him yank the dagger out and vengeful pride warmed his heart, even as a furry arm reached down and grabbed him by the throat. Without the dagger in place, that should induce sepsis by getting toxins in the gut to escape into the coelom cavity. If it didn't eventually kill the werewolf, it would at least be far more painful for longer than bleeding out.
It was what the werewolf deserved.
Frankenstein was surprised by the hoots and cheering as he was lifted off his feet, claws digging into his throat.
"The little human has claws!"
Frankenstein couldn't move, the pressure keeping his arms still, stars dancing in his eyes as he tried to breathe.
"I will-" The werewolf holding him stilled, the other werewolves quietening.
"The nobles are here!"
With a snarl, the werewolf threw him. Frankenstein had just enough awareness to realise he was flying before he smashed into the carriage, sliding down with a wince.
Nothing broken, no sharp pain that was immediately obvious. Though if he lived, he would definitely feel it. And maybe he would.
The werewolves disappeared and as Frankenstein stared at the empty area, something black blurred in his vision before disappearing also.
He let out a weak chuckle, sagging against the carriage, just gulping in air, his neck burning as he felt blood trickle down his skin.
His hands still shook but he was able to sheath the dagger without dropping it. A pure sample. If nothing else happened, he had a pure sample.
"Thank the gods," Ateryi muttered, crouching next to him as she checked him over. "You didn't need to attack them! The nobles would have dealt with them without your help."
"I'd rather not rely on the transient benevolence of the nobles," Frankenstein said, hissing as Ateryi dabbed a wet handkerchief to his neck. He wanted to rely on his own power. "They could have killed us before the nobles arrived."
"And they might have killed us for attacking them," Ateryi retorted. "Can you stand?"
Frankenstein nodded, getting up. He winced as his back muscles protested. "Nothing's broken."
"Shouldn't we-?" the driver started, and Frankenstein realised he'd kept his distance, staying away from them both. "What if he changes?" His eyes wouldn't leave Frankenstein's neck.
Frankenstein rolled his eyes. "I was scratched by the werewolf's claws, not bitten." If that myth even held true. He still hadn't hadn't found any concrete proof of that.
Though it would be interesting to test if he did begin changing. The full moon had just passed - he could track any changes along with the phases of the moon. "And the full moon was a few nights past - there's little danger of me changing any time soon." If it helped to soothe the man's nerves, then so be it.
"Ah, right." It seemed to work, the man settling.
Frankenstein peered towards the front of the carriage and his heart sank. Both horses were dead, laying in pools of their own blood. There was no hope for them.
"Yes, we're going to have to walk," Ateryi said.
Frankenstein sighed, the forest stretching out far from them in all directions. If they were an hour away by horse, then by foot...
It would take much longer.
"We'd better get moving then," he said.
"Still human?" Ateryi asked, poking her head into the doctor's house, smiling.
"Still human," Frankenstein said, smiling back from the bed. He'd been able to fill in a few more pages of his journal with notes, but so far, he hadn't felt much different from usual. Bruises and healing from the scratches, aside. "Any interesting news?"
"Ah, always business with you," she said, coming in. "The werewolves had only taken over for a few days before our arrival, but they made their want to rule very clear - the villagers are going to have to choose a new village Head."
"What better way to establish a new ruler by getting rid of the previous one," Frankenstein muttered darkly. "And the nobles?"
Ateryi shook her head. "They haven't been back since."
"Of course." They only cared about fighting the werewolves, not about the humans they supposedly felt a duty to protect. Frankenstein closed his eyes.
Of the two races, it was the werewolves that were more dangerous: the nobles' lack of responsibility for their creation of vampires was different from the werewolves' intent to rule. The nobles at least sometimes extended a protective hand, especially when werewolves were involved - werewolves had no such principals.
Well, now he knew what he should focus on.
Atreyi frowned at him as he moved to exit the carriage. "You should be resting."
"I have rested enough," Frankenstein said, opening the door, trying not to wince as that pulled at his back muscles. He'd spent hours on that doctor's bed already. "There are some things I have to see to."
She sighed. "Very well."
He gestured namaste in goodbye before he left, Atreyi returning it.
Frankenstein took in a deep breath after he closed the door, hearing the carriage trundle away. He was back home.
Well, his second home.
He made one last check the dagger was still in its sheath before entering the Union building.
"Ah, Frankenstein-!"
He turned his head, gritting his teeth as that pulled at his injuries. "My apologies, but I'll be a little busy over the next couple of hours and don't want to be disturbed." He smiled, hoping that would hide the grimace.
He hurried away before anyone else noticed his presence.
Frankenstein paused when he closed the door behind him, smiling at the familiar sight of his lab.
He unbuckled the sheath, setting it on his desk as he collected the supplies he needed.
Once he was ready, he eased the dagger free of the sheath. It was caked in dried brown blood and he exhaled, pride filling his chest. He'd gotten it.
There were streaks where the blade had been in contact with the leather, but he would be able to extract the blood from that as well.
Frankenstein leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes as he tried to calm his heart.
There hadn't been a reaction to silver as far as he could tell, though it would be hard to know the difference between a reaction to silver and to being stabbed.
It didn't matter. Either way, the dagger was proof that humans could harm the so called 'gods'. They bled red like humans. They could feel pain.
And maybe, with this, he could find a way for humans to gain the strength to kill them.
He exhaled, opening his eyes again.
Time to get started.