“Does your Kingdom usually get this insane amount of snow Elizabeth?”
“As long as I can remember. Countess, has the amount of snow over the decades changed?”
“No your majesty. It’s been consistently this bad.”
The Sun was slowly arching into the horizon. The Coachman, staring forward without looking back as he creates a snowstorm from the four well bred horses adorned in the family colors pushing through the cold like it was nothing.
“Were the Werewolves always scattered? When me and Bahamut were making our way here. We’d encounter them with the Demon races, but we never did encounter a town or a place just full of them.”
“Hm. It’s due to my King’s campaigns back then. A hundred thousand or so years ago, Charles led a great campaign against them and their tribes as we expanded the Kingdom’s territory. It's arguably the longest war recorded in Threa, I am sure it still is.”
“Woah. So back then, there was a huge war between the Werewolves and Vampires? I gotta see that. I can only imagine the sight.”
“I personally visited some of the battlefields that he left in his wake to boost the morale of the troops. Charles was a great tactician and a gifted warrior. He had no questions when it came to leading his Legions personally. The land would be littered with the curved swords of the Demiwolf Tribes and their mending armor that changes shape for whenever they’d transform into full Wolf.”
“Are the Werewolves that much of a threat?”
“Yes My Lord. The original Demon King, who perpetrated their kind, made their species out of a curse from a rock that came from the Great Beyond. Hence, their claws innate ability to cut through anything, including Vampires. I am still thankful to the Gods that they regulated them to a tribalistic mentality and never moved forward and accepted new technologies.”
“They’re tough. Bahamut, didn’t you fight multiple ones? It took you way longer than expected.”
“What could I do? I burned them, skated them with firebolts, slashed and dashed, and yet they continued fighting. I wanted to use my Dragon Bolts but I thought that’d be far too much like my swords..”
“Really? Yet you were shooting up Dragonballs like it's the Fourth of July when it's us?”
“What? Chosen Ones are a troublesome enemy Master. I cannot hold back when it comes to your type. You still hold a grudge from that time?”
“Well yeah, I was part of the siege to your Labyrinth. Even outside it, I remember getting shot by your red and black Dragon Bolts.”
“Oh, Bahamut and My Lord, these Werewolves have two hearts and multiple backup organs. That might be why you had a hard time killing them, it's recommended to go for their heads though they’ve trained themselves to always be on the move to prevent that and their skulls are a few inches thicker than that of a normal Demiwolf.”
“That explains it. Werebeasts… grrrr. Who gave them such survivability?”
“My Scholars when we first encountered them noted that the First Demon King might’ve made them to be like that, though the other theory is that the rock from the Great Beyond forced them to evolve into unkillable machines.”
“M’Lord, please listen clearly to the Queen. I’ve personally fought one of them before, as it ambushed my carriage. Tsk, one cannot play around with their kind. One wrong move, and you're dead.”
“Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. I’m listening, but this makes me think how close I was to getting gutted. I wonder what happened to Zergel?”
“Master, you did tell the men on the airfield to return him to Geraldia, yes?”
“I did. But I never really got to check. I’m sure it's on a report somewhere.”
After a few hours, he could see the beautiful walls of the Capital city and even far away, he could gaze at the Castle on top of a Hill and to his surprise, it actually looked very modern and Victorian-esque. The guards at the gigantic golden gate with the lining of melted rubies didn’t even stop the carriage as they knew who it was and let it roll in. Alana then stands up and opens the window for him.
He was about to cover his nose but he wasn’t hit with the smell of horse manure. Everything was a fresh breath of cold air as he has been traveling in random villages and towns for the last few months where glass wasn’t even a thing, but here. It's everywhere and everyone dresses extremely nicely alongside their slaves and servants. Not one person wasn’t wearing a vest or a dress. Everything was refined and the buildings weren’t too tall as to block the landmarks and the road and sidewalk were neatly made and planned.
“Oh my, how long has it been?”
“Wait, you too Elizabeth?”
“I haven’t been to the Capital yet. It's been so long. My goodness, look at what they’ve done to the roads. Countess, who is responsible for this?”
“The Council of City Works. They’ve also been responsible for two other major cities and their current state. They have some of the best projects and always perform to the tee in all of them.”
“Hm hm, I want more of this! To the Towns and Villages too! Such magnificence to see my Kingdom grow to this… I could shed a tear at any moment at this wondrous sight. The fruition of me and Charles’ sacrifices. To all the Vampires before us, their deaths weren’t in vain.”
The path to the Castle was a large four lane road. Two oncoming, and two outgoing. The only thing separating it from the main city was the Castle’s own walls which were guarded heavily by the Knight Legion, adorned in their shiny Red armor.
“Okay, now. I want you to head to the back of the Castle and find a shop named Deux Pour Un. It has a secret path only meant for the Nobles of the High Council.”
Alana knocks on the wall at her back and a small slit opens and she gives instructions to the driver who follows it without error.
“Woah, those are some big ass crossbows on the wall.”
“Oh those? We’ve only recently installed those, five years ago to be exact so they're very new. I think they were meant to fight off Dragons that dare fly straight to the Castle in the event such a thing were to occur.”
Meanwhile Paul was mesmerized by the Dragons flying around peacefully and not bothering anyone. Some were sling loading cargo boxes and other materials needed as they landed near the river.
“I guess that’s the Dragon transport you two have been working on?”
“Yes, the big tower you saw when we were heading in was supposed to be their main hub, but for now. They’ll stay in the Eastern Warehouses, they’re big enough and insulate them.”
“Wow, good job gals. You did an amazing job, that’s for sure. I guess the Minuit family has grown in notoriety thanks to this?”
“Fufufuuu… yes.”
He pats Bahamut's head and then Alana’s, the two women smiling happily as the Sun was slowly hiding itself in the horizon and the snowfall getting worse. The coach arrives at the shop before the night comes. The Queen was the first to exit out and headed into the dilapidated building which was a few blocks away from the back of the Castle walls. Inside the shop was full of relics and random objects that for Paul and Bahamut, was something they’d pick up and store. Some of the Jars have fingers and eyeballs of random creatures with old Romanz on them.
“My Lord, I wouldn’t touch that if I were you. That’s the claw of a poison Lionsnake.”
“A what now?!”
Elizabeth then pulls a lever disguised as a flask underneath the shop desk and a shelf opens. Revealing a withered secret path that goes underground.
“Countess, you are sure that the sword is there?”
“Yes my Queen.”
“Alright. Follow my lead.”
Opening her hand, she uses fire magic to create a small fireball to light up the way. Bahamut on the other hand just spawns balls of fire around her as the group heads down below the tunnel. The cobwebs were everywhere and rats would pass them occasionally. Bahamut had to use her magic to start burning the webs so that they would be able to walk without having to constantly swipe their hands.
“How bad is it that you Elizabeth went on to become an Alchemist and start finding ways for Vampires to reproduce naturally? Was the Kingdom in that much many wars?”
“Nay. We weren’t even involved in any wars by that time… the Kingdom had long settled and the Werewolves were no longer such a big problem.”
“Then, what was the number one killer of Vampires that you had to do something so drastic about?”
“Boredom, My Lord. Boredom.”
“Eh? Well… I guess so. I can’t even imagine living for years and years without having to do anything.”
“Hm, you just perfectly described the plight of immortality. A curse that I would not want you to have.”
“Yea, Mortality is already enough for me to get depressed. I can only imagine eternity.”
“We… were losing thousands of Vampires a month. All due to that, boredom. When Charles finally conquered all of the surrounding Kingdoms, Tribes, Earls, and destroyed all those who’d dare endanger us. The nation was left without a conflict or a situation to busy itself with.”
“But I’m sure you also saw that war wouldn’t help as it also puts a strain on your economy?”
“Hm. And it also helps our enemies, the Elves and the Humans develop more effective means against us. Soon, my kin started slashing their throats in the forests with Divine Daggers given to them by Monks of the Holy See and the Twelve Gods. It was perfect, a method to wipe us out without a war. To use our own immortality against us.”
“Were you still alive at this time Alana?”
“ I am sure my great grandparents were. My Father would tell me stories of how commoners would die in the forest, growing tired of eternal life. That’s why it's taboo to go into some of them as some would say the ghosts of powerful vampires would linger around, snaring those who dare to come near and take their lifeforce instead of their blood.”
“Dang, How hard must it be for the two of you. At least Bahamut can sleep for ages and even travel inbetween worlds.”
“Master! I have you know I do not travel worlds just for leisure. When a Dragon becomes far too powerful, it must seek out stronger foes to further strengthen itself. This includes those from other worlds like the Abyss.”
“Yea right…”
“Ehhhh?! I swear!”
“Heh… sure. What’s about strengthening when it comes to us Chosen Ones? I could still remember seeing you total a city like a big rig T-boning a sedan.”
“W-Well… Chosen Ones have very big cities and I thought it’d be enough to scare you…”
Paul looks dejected and just facepalms. Remembering her events and every time she’d appear, the entire gaming community would be up in arms, entire player wars would stop just to await her appearance and to find out what was her objective that time and the possible damage she could cause to player built cities and marvels.
The Queen then arrives at a walkway that leads to a hatch. She pulls a lever and the statue above her moves backwards and the marble floor opens, revealing the well cleaned and well maintained interior of the Vampire Castle. The porcelain pillars that supported a gigantic balcony and there it was, on top of a stage were two Royal chairs. One, for the King and one for the Queen.
“My… they actually preserved it.”
“Hm, members of the Bartley House still install someone for janitorial duties. It’s been very well preserved.”
“Then, I’ll be back. For now, you three enjoy the sight.”
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Paul immediately walks in the middle of the massive room as Elizabeth walks into one of the doors behind the Throne’s stage. Behind the Royal chairs was a massive stained glass, with blue rays of light from the full Moon giving lighting to the unlit room. The stained glass showed a Royal Knight and a Holy Priestess drinking red wine in a bountiful field with a castle in the back with a beautiful bluish sky.
“Where did Elizabeth go?”
“Uhhhh… I don’t know M’Lord. She just disappeared into one of those doors on the back.”
“I also do not know Master. That woman is dastardly fast. I just sensed the air move and she was gone.”
“Ah, no matter. Interesting though, even the marble floor and the pillars is art. Look at that…”
“Hm, it was the Mountain Dwarves that drew up the design for this Castle alongside Vampires. It's a marvel, but the current Royals are far too afraid of the past and shut out the most beautiful part of this structure.”
Walking back to the big wooden doors. He could see that the marble floor was divided into four parts. All depicting the history of the Kingdom and its many wars against the Demons, Elves, Werewolves, and Humans. The roof most of all showed the first coronation of the King and Queen, with pale pretty faces looking happy and a beautiful red sword being used to coronate them.
He then looked at the stained glass and could see the entire room itself was basically a painting of history. From the wars to the first leaders, it was all there. Neatly placed and put together in the most artistic ways. He then could see the Moon and its satellite’s placing, no matter where it’d face, the curvature of the stained glass would always reflect its bright blue color.
“I just realized… but how come your Moon is always full?”
“Hm? What do you mean, M'Lord?”
“Like, I just saw it now but your Moon never becomes half or even quarter. It’s always a full Moon.”
“Ah, that I do not know sadly. Since I was born, it's always been like that.”
“I see, but that could explain the existence of the permanent werewolves. Such a strange phenomenon. It defies my current knowledge of how the Sun and the planet is placed and angled, wow.”
After thirty minutes of just admiring the sight of the room, the Queen once again appears. This time wearing her Royal dress. A Crimson Red gown with expensive rings, necklaces, and a pair of earrings shaped like a rose. Her crown was even more grand than before, even a little hint of light would bounce back and blind anyone who looked at it.
“Now, Mine Lord, cometh before wert’s own throne and kneeleth.”
She then gestures for Bahamut and Alana to come closer. “Thee two! bareth witness to this event’th and dost remember ti’t!” She then reveals what she was hiding behind her back. It was a scabbard with red and gold hue. The crimson red grip with a gray gem on its pommel. Gesturing for the General to come forward, he fixes his uniform and stands straight up. With a dignified walk, he heads to her Throne chair on the right.
“Doth thee knoweth what this plaque above mine own chair sayeth?”
“No, your majesty.”
“Queen Elizabeth Marie Bartley, Eternal Queen of the Eternal Kingdom. Prayeth thee to all those who is't art before her, for the lady is our Goddess, aboveth all with thy King. That was art’s name, for those who held tru’eth power, to leadeth the most powerful of all thy species in Threa. The indomitable cold hearted Queen that defeated millions and bested hundreds of thousands and became a living legend even amongst immortals.”
“Your brilliance knows no borders, Queen Elizabeth.”
“Yes, and thy’est wert be true with thou’s husband and King. King Charles, thee man thateth suppress’eth the Werewolves, ended the Demon scourge and their Kingdoms, razed entire populations to ruinous ends for threatening us. He was a Knight of the Kingdom till the end. May you bear that true?”
“Y-yes, your majesty.”
“Good, for thou wert about to receiveth a blade that has held on for eons, a blade that a brave and Knightly King used to conquer and best the enemies of thy Kingdom whose shoes sit upon on. Created from the rarest metals and only given to the ones titled King of Vampires. I behold you to you mortal! Whom eyes of humans ever laid upon were those death or enslaved!”
The General starts sweating as he had ever seen this side of her, her true self. The Ancient Queen of the Vampires right before him. Speaking in a high and mighty tone that could give even the hardest of men, shivers to their spines. She exudes beauty and danger, with every move and look. Her dignity, authority, and pride knew no bounds.
“Kneeleth before the Queen of the Immortal, mortal! Taketh the blade of the Night! The blade of the Ancient Vampire Knight. The blade of those worthy to be named King of the Vampires!”
She unsheathes the sword, revealing a magnificent glass sword made from melted rubies. It had ornate styling in Gold, going down from the point to the guard. The General’s eyes could tear up at the sight of the wonderful blade as he kneels. Alana who was next to the Throne gestures for him to put his hand on his heart which he does.
“Good. Now, repeateth after me.”
The Queen then holds the sword right in front of her, with the blade pointed at the ceiling.
“I, Queen Elizabeth Marie Bartley the First, doth solemnly gage to serve thee for all of eternity, till this blade falleth apart, till the stars from the skies disappeareth. Now, repeateth it, and changeth mine own nameth to yours.”
“I, Knight General Paul A. Jackson, do solemnly swear to serve you for all of eternity, till this blade falls apart, till the stars from the skies disappear.”
She then places the point of the sword to his left shoulder.
“Thou beseech thee to honor the Vampires most greatest virtue, to give one's service to a kin whose loyalty and fealty has been proven and sealeth.”
Then to his right shoulder.
“I holidam thyself to thee. This is mine own solemn holidam and may the witnesses in this chamber taketh this promiseth to eternity. As this contracteth of union shalt not be’est broketh coequal upon the worst curses and perils."
She then kneels before him, and puts the sword on her two hands and holds it up to him. The General stands up, stares at it for a few seconds then takes it. Holding it, he was immediately mesmerized by not only its lightweight but also the intricate design on the transparent glass blade. Bahamut and Alana were clapping at how amazing the performance was, not once did the Queen look not elegant. She said every word with courage and weight, and her hands moved like the stream of a peaceful river.
“Now! Triumphantly wield the blade of the Vampire King mortal! Heed its blade truest to one's heart, thou has proven to thee of one's worth. Be’it for better or for worse, use that blade to one's wishes and know the first and last of the Bartley’s has gifted thee with thy’s most precious weapon!”
And with a ghostly and soft walk, she turned around. Letting the empty room watch her extreme beauty flow as the full Moon behind the massive stained glass behind her shone her Throne and royal gown. The blue hue mixed with the colors of the glass as she sat back down on her dusty seat.
“So… how was it? Was thy’s performance amazing?”
“I-i-i have no words… Was it always like that before?”
“Bwahahaha… yes. It was always like that. That was me in my most royal self. The act I had to keep to constantly expose my power and beauty to all those beneath me. The true job of a leader, and a Queen who had been branded with many names, both wonderful and devilish.”
“I can’t even see it for myself. When this throne room would be full of Nobles and Royals. It must’ve been one hell of a sight.”
“Indeed, even to this day. I could still see it. The High Council around the Throne, sitting down in their chairs as the Lords of the Houses and their families stood and kneeled to me and my King… such days are past us now and I may only reminisce. But that was the time this Kingdom was at its peak, from its beauty to its culture and traditions. Though I am happy it has been carried on after that it could be thousands and thousands of years.”
“Also, what was that about? The whole ritual thing we just did?”
“Oh My Lord, that was a vow between King and Queen.”
“Oh nice. Wait what?! You were actually coronating me as the King?!”
“Oh my. I forgot to mention. It is a custom here to give one's husband a weapon before they set off to war. For Queens, it was supposed to be their gift to their King who is meant to lead the Legions headfirst into combat. So I kinda mended both rituals together and made you Knight and then King so that you may be able to wield that Sword without recompense.”
“Did you just make me King of the Vampires? Me, the most human of all humans?”
“I wouldn’t mind it, My King Paul. Teehee.”
Hearing her call him King so earnestly made him blush so hard his cheeks puffed up all red. He had to look down as the women giggled at how cute he was at the sudden moment of embarrassment. The Queen then crosses her legs on her Throne, her eyes wandering as she reminisces of her life as the leader of the Kingdom.
“It has changed so much… ahhhh… but to this day, the tiles of this room still gleam.”
She rests her head on her knuckles, with her heels tapping the marble floor as her head wanders, staring at the once sparkly and beautiful throne room.
“For the better your majesty?”
“I do not yet know Countess. Hmph, Monkey took over. How long did it take him to become King? And who is the sad woman that became his?”
“He only became King fifty years ago, and he is married to Duchess Marienette Laurent.”
“What house did she hail from?”
“From Dreyfus.”
“Of course, so that they could have all the power to themselves.”
She sighs. “My King, sheathe that sword. We must depart now, for there is a play for us to watch.”
“Are you gonna keep calling me that now? C’mon, it's far too much.”
“Pffftt… just joking unless you truly want to. I have no qualms calling you My King, truly.”
“Just… call me Lord as usual. I can’t stand being called King by a woman like you.”
“Oh, it suits you very well. King Paul, that name is once given to Anthony’s most successful Saint King. Huh, to think of its ancient history now. I still oddly remember seeing it plastered on our town when I was but a human.”
“But I’m not really used to it. Keep it at Lord.”
“As you wish.”
She then stands up, but as she faces the left. The General kisses her on the lips. “Thank you.” caught off guard, the Queen herself blushes but kisses the General back on the lips. “Your Welcome. My King. You deserve this, for a human to save a vampire, let alone someone like me. The way you fought with everything you’ve got, charged through a fortified Castle on top of a mountain with nothing but your armor, sword, and horse. My King and My Lord, live your life to the fullest knowing you’ve saved one of the most powerful vampires and gave her purpose once again to live.”
“I will, and I hope you will also live long. Live a fruitful life, reclaim lost time and use your power to better your country and your species. But do not be misguided, I know even Vampires fall to the same things we humans fall too. Know better next time, I still believe you when you told me that you wanted to make things better for your kind. To take over the world so that your species may no longer need to find where to get blood and have no enemies. But not like that, by all means. War should be the last thing, if it could be. Don’t even have it as an option.”
“Sounded like a true Veteran.” The Queen stands up and walks down her throne to him. Running her long slender finger along his chin to his abdomen. “It’s not like I’ll die easily, I’ll be sure to live longer than you My Lord. But I shall remember this day till my last time on this planet and as you wished, I will live as long as I can. For you and your hope for me, I’ll be sure to bring it till the end.”
Bahamut then starts thinking, putting her hand up her chin.
“But Master, and Bloodsucker. How would you live though? Would the world forgive you for what you’ve done? Would they sing to you the words you want to hear and be forgiven and allowed to live alongside them?”
“Hmph. I do not care if I am forgiven or not. But time will continue and it will make people forget and forgive. It’s been thousands of years now. I am sure most do not care anymore about it and only stories of me linger about now.”
“Very well. I’ll look forward to seeing your soul Bloodsucker. It seems deep down that blood and gore is a soul that is very pure and beautiful.”
“You flatter me Goddess. But I’d rather not have that side of me shown, it has been long since I was a mere innocent woman traveling alongside one of the first Knights of the land.”
“In death, everything shall be revealed. In death, all those you hid shall be shown, and your deepest secrets and regrets. Given as a gift to the Abyss, to see if you are worthy to go Up… or Down.”
“I always think about what the Underworld would look like. But regardless, I shall be the Ancient Vampire Queen and my blood shall never be beaten as I will continue to fight. My Lord has spoketh, and even in death. I shall keep on living.”
“Hm. I see, Master has really done a number on you. Just like me. Bwahahahaha!”
Bahamut’s laugh echoed through the empty Throne room, holding up her hand to prevent her laugh from spilling out even more.
“To think, it's a human. Ahhhhh, Master! You truly are an interesting individual, though your scent is mundane, your face and behavior truly far exceeds my expectations!”
“Yeah yeah yeah, c’mon. Let’s get back to the street. We still have a big event to attend to. Alana, do we still have time?”
“Uhm… we should still have a lot of time, M'Lord. Oh, I know a good cafe where we can stay as we wait for the bell.”
Exiting out and back to the carriage, Paul had to carry the Queen’s gown and crown through the tunnel. Being used as a bag boy, having to slouch from the large box that contained her most expensive gowns and accessories in the tight tunnel. They then await in a Cafe near the park, everyone they met kept bowing and giving respect to Alana while being curious of the blonde woman with them with a masquerade mask.
“So, exactly how does your hierarchy work? Is there anyone I have to mind?”
“It's simple, M'Lord. The Four Houses rule the Court and pass Laws the King and High Council wishes. Hence usually, the King would give them favors and pass things they wish to create leverage, or sometimes even backdoor deals.”
“Pretty normal, okay. What else?”
“Lower ranking Nobles, like Viscounts, Knights and Lords are seated in the back. If a House has a Duke or Marquess, they’d be seated in the front. So always look out for those stares. If they look at you, then something must be up.”
“How long does it usually take to become a higher ranking Noble from a lowly Knight?”
“Hundreds.”
“Of Months?
“Years.”
“My Lord, do you know what rank I would’ve given you even after our intimacy and your Heroism of saving me?”
“I have no idea.”
“Either a Baron or Viscount if we go through with your title as a Knight. If you were just, let us say a commoner. Then I’d only award you with the title of Lord or Knight of the Kingdom.”
“It's… that hard to climb the stairs of Nobility?”
“Yes, so listen carefully to Alana. She may only be a Countess, but when her parents retire. She is guaranteed to become a Marquiss.”
“Eh? Really?”
“Heh-heh. Yes M’Lord, as she said, I will inherit my parents title the moment they retire as it would be handing all of their land and power to me. A mere Countess cannot hold that much, thus forcing the Kingdom to upgrade my title.”
“But isn’t that a gigantic jump… from hearing how hard it is to rise up through the ranks naturally?”
“Hence why Nobles have many children. Though it also helps with their reputation as they could give more powerful Vampires to the Legions.”
“Yea, what’s up with you Nobles sending your precious Sons to war? I read in a report some Slavic Guild up north got destroyed by two vampires.”
“To gain experience M’Lord. Even women like me are allowed to venture off and talk to less friendly nations and bridge gaps. I’ve fought many would-be attackers and assassins and the experience from it made me a better woman, and so the day comes and my parents give all of their land to me, I may be ready to inherit it and not lead it to ruin. Even in times of war.”
“The expectations must be off the roofs. Like all my parents expected of me was I’d graduate and get a stable job really. It’s just that war gave me an opportunity to take advantage of the geopolitics and become rich. Wait, wasn't Elizabeth a Priestess? The murals on the throne room showed a Knight with a Holy Priestess.”
Paul turns her head to Elizabeth while Bahamut was already in the process of devouring a Blueberry cheesecake but the Queen's hand on her chest prevented her from making a mess and was quickly reminded to be proper.
“It was hard at first, King Charles did everything he could to teach me how to properly act and behave, but even then. It took me decades to fully perfect it and create my own flow. Though you shouldn’t worry as much with how you present yourself, My Lord. You are an outsider, and a commoner. Just be respectful as always. I’m sure Alana has already told you how to properly conduct yourself.”
“Yes, for men. Straight back, look them in the eyes and hands in the sides and always try to put on a smile.”
“Exactly My Lord. Though I’d like to apologize on behalf of the Kingdom. I can already see them offending you due to your mortality.”
“It’s fine. I do find it funny how insults are thrown at me here, it’s like… not even an insult but a critique of my very being. Basically a threat to my soul.”
“Yes, that’s just how it is.”
“Also, since you made me officially your Knight. What would that make me now?”
“Knight of Eldwood and Knight of the Red Moon Regiment.”
“Red Moon Regiment?”
“Oh M’Lord. The Red Moon Regiment is her personal Knight Regiment, known to be the best of the best. Their job is to be her bodyguard wherever she may be. Kingdom or Battlefield. It's part of her personal army, the Crimson Knights of the Blood Moon.”
“Wow, so I’m some sort of a glorified Royal Knight of the Vampires? Even though I’m a human?”
The few Vampires in the cafe look at him with disdain. Some scruffing off the idea of him being a top Knight.
“Oof. Well, there goes a bit of my ego.”
“Don’t mind them M’Lord.”
“How come none of them are judging you even though your calling a human Milord?”
Alana just points at herself with a big grin.
“Ah, yes. The power of being a Noble.”
“Hm hm hm, M’Lord. Later be aware that even if a Noble Vampire respects you doesn’t mean that they aren’t thinking of heinous things behind your back.”
“Pretty crazy though that there are still a lot of people outside even though it's a snowy night. Just how many Vampires are living in this city?”
“Last count was Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand. The Nobles counted in too. Though some cities had already reached the million mark.”
“Dang, that’s a lot of Vampires. But thinking about it now and the population alone of James’ Capital means you still aren’t really in a position to conduct a major war.”
“Eh eh eh My Lord. I did it with only a million Vampires and another five or six million thralls.”
“What? Oh yea, you once conquered the Continents. Yea, how the fuck did you manage that? Even with six million thralls, that wouldn’t still be enough. The region outside alone is a deathtrap.”
“One thing, time. I was able to wait for it out, My Lord. I implanted spies long before some Kingdoms were even born and slowly waited for the stars to align, I destabilized three massive Continents, even the Elves. And when it all came falling down, I merely had to walk in, kick the door and see the entire house collapse upon itself.”
As if the woman was reminiscing of great times, the other three could see her eyes light up in wonder of her war and attempt at capturing the entire planet. Not a single hint of regret was in her, only finality and acceptance.
“Though I remember that the Kingdom of James put up a fight.”
“Ah yes, King James and his Knights. They were indeed a problem as I remember in University, there was also the Holy See. They don’t require noble blood to become a Knight of that religion. Thus they conducted warfare on a different level and were more creative than the restricted Knights with Noble blood. There was also the Hero that rose up, a strange man who was seen out of nowhere.”
“There’s actually a theory girls… that he might actually be a player too. One who got teleported here way more earlier than we did. Even then, the timing is worrying. I have my own theories but I do think that your Gods are messing with us.”
“That could entirely be true, but our Gods have long been sleeping. After the great war that tore the continents apart, the Gods never truly showed themselves again. Though I was born thousands of years after it. I still remember stories that the Gods have abandoned many Sects and never responded to them since. Only a handful of Gods continued to give their followers blessings and then… Deus Vrax came and became the first mortal to rise to Godhood. Something even the High Elves weren't able to achieve thus their jealousy to the humans.”
“But people are still able to get Divine magic though. The Holy See and it's magic can devastate even modern armor without problem. Heck, our armor should be tougher than Chobham since its Bialloy, made of multiple composites that has magical properties. So, I’m sure your Gods are still active but I think they’ve instead taken a backseat or something.”
“Hm, my guess My Lord is that they’ve become afraid of the power they wield. Or knew what would happen if they dare meddle with the affairs of the physical world. Last they did, the entire world itself was plunged into peril and entire lands were torn apart ruthlessly without effort..”
“Jesus, the way you word it seems like everyday was the end of the world.”
“Because it was. The history books from my age never lied, My Lord, as what was there to lie about?”
“Anyways, Alana. On the scale of One to Ten, how boring is the play going to be?”
“Uhm… Hmmmm… Five M’Lord?”
“Awwwww…” like a kid, Paul stretches out and deflates like a balloon. “And you tell me the King and Queen are gonna be there?”
“Mhm, they’ll be seated in the middle. King Harold and Queen Marienette like being in the middle of the theater. I remember that it’s because when they were dating. They sat there a lot.”
“Ain’t that cute, but at the same time. Ugghhhh…”
“Do not worry M’Lord. The Minuits are seated at the balcony tonight.”
“Oh shit! Are your parents going to be there?!”
“Oh, Ma and Pa regulates jobs like these to me. They really wanna expand the family business further than ever, so mundane things such as this are my responsibility.”
“Phew. Well, that’s good. I have no idea how I’ll explain to vampire parents that I defeated their beautiful daughter by literally shooting her stomach open by a huge ass bullet with a revolver.”
The nearby Church bell rings, alerting the two Vampires. Their sharp pointy ears flaring up with the sound.
“Wha-what does that mean?”
“Five bells. The King has arrived, M'Lord.”
“Oh crap, we’ve been talking for so long! Let’s go! Bahamut! We’ll buy you more food later!”
“Yes Master! Let us go!”