Sitting down in the garden, the General enjoys a warm drink as the cold winter breeze passes him. The quiet garden was coated white with snow and the well trimmed hedgehogs swaying to the wind. He places a chessboard into the heavy marble table and enjoys the air for a bit, deeply breathing in and out. Following him was Elizabeth with a special Minuit Tea Set.

“Oh, My Lord, are you fine?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Yesterday, you kept passing out every five hours. It still irks me, My Lord. Is your health good? Did you do anything? I was far too much into it to realize, but you were lasting hours more than usual.”

“Yea, I kinda took some extra endurance potion of sorts. I don’t know why, but after five hours or when we're done, I’d get knocked out. But after that though, phew, I can go for another round!”

Elizabeth places the tea set next to the chessboard and lightly squishes the cheeks of the General. The woman's shiny emerald eyes staring into his brown and lively globes. “Hmmmm… well you don’t seem to be near death… or tired beyond belief. No eyebags either.” She then puts her nose up his forehead and sniffs him down to his neck. “Nor do I smell any curse or rot. Just what concoction did you partake in, My Lord?”

“No idea, but hey, yesterday was freaking amazing and you were also amazing. You kept teaching them and told them what to do and not to.”

“Goodness, I couldn’t have taught those two properly if it weren’t from you being such a good sport, My Lord.”

“Two days of just… wow. First in the bath and then in my room.”

“Though My Lord, I think we have to avoid the bath from now on. I hear from some of the Maids that the water there had to be completely drained and renewed to the Countess' expense.”

“Oh… so that’s what the Mage was called in for. Yeah… I guess we will. But still, good on you for going beyond the call of duty and teaching those two.”

“The Countess learned fast and well, she should be able to hold up on her own now so don’t be afraid to be intimate with her, My Lord. But Bahamut… goodness me even last night… I think she was the last one standing still.”

“Dragons are just built differently.”

“What more if it's a male Dragon in human form… I it won't last, My Lord.”

“Really? The ancient vampire queen has finally met her match in bed? Bwahahahahaha. But Bahamut did have fun though. Fun fact about Dragons, Elizabeth. If you wanna know if they're having fun. Look at their eyes.”

“Hm? What do you mean, My Lord?”

“A Dragon's eyes are also slits like Vampires as their predatory creatures, but there are special ones with diamonds and crosses like Swamp Dragons. Bahamut is a Volcanic Dragon, it's normal for them to have slits, the main difference between the two of you is that a Dragons slit has a wider middle area.”

Elizabeth sits down on the opposite chair and crosses her legs. Her fingers up her chin as she recalls yesterday, the both of them staring deeply into each other's eyes as they pant heavily. “Oh, I do see it now. Yes, her eyes also have this strange perimeter around it.”

“Yeah, that’s often seen in Dragons with divinity, the perimeter is like another pupil of sorts meant to give them vision of ghosts and things you’d often not see with the naked eye. So, yesterday for example. When we are all having… fun in bed. Did Bahamut’s eye, most of all the middle part, expand?”

“Hmmm… yes. She was also blinking more than usual.”

“See! Then she’s having much fun. Dragons don’t blink normally like I do. If they blink, then something must either be wrong or they’re enjoying the feeling of something. Like, you’d only see Bahamut close her eyes when she’s rubbing something shiny up her face, same in pleasure. She’d only close her eyes back when she was only a Dragon when I’m rubbing her belly or scratching her jaw. Her favorite areas for me to touch.”

“Huh, more information for me. Though I don’t know if I’ll ever do it with a Dragon again except for her. That stamina is just on a whole other world, My Lord.”

“Well, will you look at that? I never thought you’d shy away from something like that.”

“I guess it's because I’ve been satisfied… hmph.” Elizabeth then smiles and looks at the General’s eyes. “Yeah, I guess I am. I only need one man anyways, and you are more than enough.” The man then picks up the teacup he had bought with him and takes a sip.

“I still find it surprising that you only want one man. I always thought for a Vampire, they’d never get satisfied like that.”

“My Lord, both of our species share very similar bodies. The dynamic would also remain mostly the same between male and females. I also only prefer having one man, I know how much you love being the focus of all our love.”

“Hell yeah I do.” The General looks at the Queen, in her usual elegant and dignified self. In her frilly royal purple gown, beautiful and with the pint of danger as always. “So this is what it's like.”

“Hm?”

“To live the high life as they say. I’m… very lucky to say the least.”

“Ahahahaha, yes. This is actually a common sight amongst the Nobility, My Lord. With this experience, you should be able to level with them from now on.”

“Really?”

“Hm, except for a few that truly love each other, My Lord. Most marriages aren’t really for love unless they’ve been given the choice.”

“Why though? You're all immortal so why have this very human thing of marriage not for love when you have all the time in the world?”

“Business, My Lord. The Countess is also guilty of this, at her age. She should be married to one of the Counts or even Baron. This could propel their name to the upper echelons of wealth and power. Yet she hasn’t and now, you can see the men are chasing her and she on the other hand, not really rejecting them outright.”

“As she knows when it comes down to it… marrying one of them will make the Minuit’s richer than anyone else?”

“And powerful. The Dreyfuses weren’t even a House at my time. They were a Minor family till I guess one of their Son or Daughter got married off as a gift or token to a more powerful family and soon, they got big enough to have and establish their own House with numerous families under it.”

“Wow… yeah. I kinda never saw that side of things as she’s always been busy doing her own thing, I guess I should give Alana more respect for choosing a human out of everyone.”

“It is love after all, she just chose the best one for her, My Lord.”

“Hm.” The General then stopped drinking from the teacup and just stared down at it. Though smiling, he had a somber aura coming from his stare as both his hands held the small ceramic cup. Taking in its warmth.

“I never knew you drank tea, My Lord.”

“Oh this?” He tilts the cup to her, showing it's just full of normal hot water.

“Ah, well would you like some?”

“Sure, I’ll try it out. Something hotter would be nice. Agh, my back.”

The two sat down and enjoyed the peace for a moment with the General nodding upon tasting the tea while he cracked his back, sighing heavily with his body deflating a bit. He then starts setting up the pieces of the chessboard.

“My Lord, are you ready to return to the Castle?”

“I am. Just wanna take advantage of this last day of break. I feel so relaxed… Just look at how well groomed those hedgehogs are and the Sun all high and mighty with everything coated in white. What do you think? Do we have this in the bag?”

“Hmmmmm… Knowing the Voltaires, My Lord. This isn’t the first time they’ve sided with the humans.”

“Ah right, they betrayed you back then yea?”

“Yes. These scheming underhanded fools, but they took the risk alongside the Minuits and now, they both are the oldest Houses still alive and well. Back then, my court alone would have a hundred Houses and another hundred on my graceful consort, his King's side.”

“Is that how you both addressed each other?!”

“Yes My Lord. In private, we’d use our first names or even nicknames. But in public, it’d be My Grace Consort, his King, or My Lord, the King if I am hastened. Same as I address you know.”

“So that’s why you only call me by my first name when we're alone in bed. That’s some life, but it's totally chill that I am addressing you by your name wherever right?”

“Do not sully yourself with that, My Lord. You are an outsider to Vampire Culture, it's not necessary for you to invoke yourself with the pride and hardships of an eternal Noble.”

“I see, and Morgana, since you already met her once and saw her talk. What can you say?”

“Go for it My Lord. Trust her, her family might not have a good history but they know what to do if it means to survive. If she’s chosen you, then Humanity must have the means of survival. I do not know fully what she’s capable of, but a single look at her and I remember the Patriarch of the Voltaire family. They both have that aura that makes me want to put up my walls. Sir Voltaire lives inside her, that stare…”

“Would they? Looking at the High Elves and that fancy shiny blimp docked at the Castle, humanity looks like we don't really have much against them.”

“But the High Elves are also after something. You My Lord, are only after Neutrality and even maybe trade agreements with modern technology. By all means, you have the better hand here. The rapid and fast transport and logistics that your modernity brought will also help us as much with unrivaled speed that will boost our economy. The High Elves pride themselves in the metals they create that even make the Dwarves hiding in the mountain tops of Karathia would soil themselves and the ability to use hard magic with little ease.”

“How hard are the Dwarves to talk to here in building things? In Tur, the Dwarves are more into building weapons while here, it seems like it was the Dark Elves that are obsessed with that.”

“Hmmmm… well in my years of living. The Dwarves have always been the hardest to contact out of everyone. Even the vastly outdated and aboriginal Wood Elves are willing to talk and bow.”

“Wow, that is like the super opposite of the ones in Tur. The Dwarves there are EVERYWHERE. Like I’m sure in the cities you’ve seen Chosen Ones that’re Dwarves walking about in their wonky ways.”

“See I was shocked with that, I even accidentally apologized to one in a Club in Retro Tokyo, My Lord. It was something… to see a Dwarf in the open like that. Such a thing is an absolute rarity.”

The General then breathes in. Smiling at the smell of untainted air entering his lungs.

“I do wonder though about that ritual they did.” the General then perks up and opens the chessboard and starts unpacking the units. “A ritual, My Lord?”

“The one where they added this normal girl into their family.”

“You mean the one where they introduced a Commoner into the bloodline, My Lord?”

“Yeah that one. It seemed like something super special and I can’t believe that Nobles are allowed to do that.”

“It’s only done out of a fraught situation, My Lord. Morgana must not have yet to find a husband.”

“Really? A beautiful girl like her?”

“Didn’t you say she gave you a piece of her cake, My Lord?”

“Yea.”

“Then my assessment might not be as concrete, let me rephrase it as she’s unable to properly show her affection to whomever has gotten her smitten which has probably led with her not marrying a man yet.”

“I see, well. I can only feel pity for the guy she’s going to marry. Talking to her in the Cafe felt like it was one of the most exhausting conversations I’ve ever had in my life.”

“Ahahahahaha, you should’ve seen my back in my haydays, My Lord. It would’ve surely been a ride for you.”

“Like hell it will, knowing you. Sometimes your old style of speaking still pours out and it takes me two long seconds to process each one of those words.”

“Oh hearken me my lover and my dove. Thou’yeth has seeneth the besteth of thee. Thy yondering heart shall discern the infallible beauty of thou’s devotion and fealty to thee’s mortal lifeth.”

“ENOUGH ENOUGH! I WANT TO PLAY CHESS NOT HAVE MY BRAIN MELTED!”

“Bahahahahah! How entertaining! I love this so much My Lord!”

“Yeah yeah yeah.”

“Are you sure no woman back on Earth has ever fallen for you, My Lord? You give me so much joy and life even with this simple and quaint setting.”

“I’m sure.” The General smiles but his eyes wander to the skies with his hands stopping from arranging the chessboard units that he had unpacked completely and placed neatly on the sides. “Even after the war, humanity’s population didn’t boom to replace the millions that died. Mating and breeding is no longer really in the priority of a hustling and bustling modern world. It was rebuilding and then going back to our mundane life.”

“Goodness, really? I’ve been in your modern cities already and more than ever would you need a partner to be with to survive such a struggle. Even at night, I’d meet people in suits, talking to their devices.”

“You weren’t there but Alana was. I think she noticed it, how in the modern world. Everyone has their own thing and their own tightly knit personal place, their own little world. So much so they don’t even notice your beauty and magnificence as they carry along with their empty lives. I was one of those too, if you were to see me back on Earth. I’d be just another man in a suit on his phone walking to work daily.”

“Don’t you truly want to stay here, My Lord? If you want, I could give you ten offspring.”

“I don’t know…” the man then relaxes, placing his back and putting all his weight on the back of the chair. “I have a family back on Earth, Elizabeth. As much as I do get the feeling of wanting to stay here, I have a brother, mother, father, grandma and grandpa to go home too. I can’t imagine the stress they're feeling right now that I am gone once again.”

“Did your brother My Lord also join the war?”

“Yes, yes he did. But when I graduated from Officer School, I made sure I had him sent to the backlines only. He was my little brother and is eight years younger than me. He deserves to live a full life, not to be on the frontline.”

“I truly love you My Lord.” Elizabeth learns down, placing her elbow on top of her crossed legs and her sharp shin resting atop her palm. “I’ve already lived in the modern world and my taste never changed.”

“What do you mean… by that?”

“It might be just a dream, but it felt like it was real. I lived in New York city My Lord.”

“Ey yo what?! NYC? How?!”

“Well it was in the countryside actually. In New Jersey, and I don’t know. I felt oddly at home in that small town, it felt the same as I was when I was a human still.”

“Then… since you’ve been in the modern world and lived sometime there. If you were to be back on Earth, what would your ideal man be?”

“Ohhh, what a loaded question. I like that My Lord. Hmmmm… A normal everyday man. Charles was also like that.”

“King Charlesmagnes was… a normal man?”

“My Lord, that man would jump up into a tree if he saw an insect. He was pampered and helpless beyond belief. I thought they sent him to protect me because the country wanted both of us dead.”

“Woah woah woah… Pffft…” the General then smiles and holds his hand up. “You're telling me, this magnificent and like Legendary tactician and General King was… a normal joe at best?”

“Yes and that’s why we both connected in the end. I was also just a normal village girl who was just gifted with immense beauty, but I was just that. A normal teenage girl with a teenage Knight. Sent by his family to protect a Maiden in the conquest to find the source of a plague.”

“Then, your ideal guy would be some hopeless guy who screams at everything and would… basically be a coward but in the end, would you pull through?”

“And that is…” she then unfolds her long slender index finger and in a swirling manner points it to the tip of Paul’s nose. “Also you, My Lord. I can still remember how you screamed when I awakened. It was like that of a woman, your voice even broke. Bahahahaha!” the General blushes and then looks away. His eyes make contact with her bright glittery emerald eyes that’s fixated on him only. He then puts his hand to the back of his head, scratching it. “Ahahahaha, you know you’d also have to factor in income right?”

“Doesn’t matter. Income can be made with hard work, if both people would work together. They can make any income they want.”

“And uhm uhm uhm… you know, land, a house and stuff like that are all needed in the modern world.”

“I have no need for any. I lived in the forests, deserts, swamps, and slept and ate there for most of my human life. I have no qualms living without a shelter on my roof.”

“And job! Yeah, you need a good job!”

“Skills can be learned, My Lord. Getting a job should be even easier with how vast the modern world is, correct?”

“Damn… you really lived in America. Wow, how was it?! Did you make friends? How were the Americans?!”

“My Lord, your war hasn’t occurred yet in that dimension. I don’t even think you existed there as Vampires were a real living concept.”

“Ohhhhh… yeah. That’s totally not my world but still, it was a modern world right? Like mine?”

“Hm hm. It was a great experience and the Americans? They’re good people. Just like everyone else, a bit too busy for their own good but it seems like that’s a plague in your world regardless of what place.”

“Heh. Yeah.” The General scoffs loudly. “When Asia became the Top One in economic power and exports, the same thing that happened to the West started to happen to us. Families are getting fewer and fewer people are being born with everyone being busy… Yeah… that’s the world I lived in. What was your overall experience then?”

“As I said, I’d prefer in the countryside living a quiet life with a man. Same as here.”

“You really like the rural areas huh? But when you have your Castle built in the middle of the forest. How did the Dwarves even agree to something like that?”

“I just told them I’ll pay them whatever amount they want and for them to build to their heart's content with my Vampire Artisans and Mathematicians.”

“And the Dwarves agreed to that?”

“Of course, Dwarves live the same lifespan as most humans. The idea of accessing the archives of a species that lives forever and the science we have preserved striked them enough to go all the way here and build a Castle for me.”

“How long did it take?”

“One hundred Ten years, My Lord. Three Dwarven Generations had to come and pass, their Sons all taking up their Fathers work and filling in the Master Builder positions left after their predecessors.”

“And the Vampires working on your castle?”

“I think one of them died. A buffoon to say the least. Master Build Jacques was his name, though he could paint and design, the man over indulged in everything. From women to alcohol, the moment he visited Geraldia and turned the woman of a Noble, he got slain.”

“Woah what?”

“Yes My Lord. Oh now I am remembering more from that time in my life… haaaah… I could name countless things he’d bring to my court, from accusations to assaults. I never got to hear the end of it even after his death…”

“Sounds like a true pain in the ass. I’ve met people like that myself, and to me. I just fired them straight out. For all I know you can make the code that can give androids personalities, but if you can’t follow company procedures and grooming standards. Off with the head and to the streets.”

“If only I could’ve done the same. He was a Master Builder after all, My Lord. They come in very few numbers and for one to be a Vampire is an absolute rarity. Though he never laid his hands on me as he knew My King would certainly send him to the hague. He didn’t forgive his servants that were made out of High Elves.”

“Geez. But the Noble that slain him… was he…?”

“He was a Baron of sorts… I do not remember as much about that incident as I was just happy that he finally met his match. But the human man that slain him was no ordinary man and was a Paladin last I recall.”

“No wonder. Paladins are usually given Holy magic. He must’ve gotten his ass cleansed beyond belief. Do Paladins here become more effective the Evil the person is? As in Tur, that is what makes them worth it in expeditions to the Dark Continent.”

“None of that sort happens here. Divine magic works on everyone regardless if you're holy or not. Though there are rare exceptions, it's mostly skewered now with how much magic has grown, I’ve still yet to fully learn how much of it has evolved.”

“I see, magic in Tur is the most insane batshit crazy thing I’ve ever seen in any form of entertainment. As we have two main groups of magic. Tangible and Intangible, and if someone has enough time in their life to actually learn how to master those two and max out what they can do at their level. It can make for some pretty good spectacles.”

“I do heard of this thing about avoiding Humans only wearing their underpants. What’s that about?”

“An old tradition in games like Dark World. Those are mostly the strongest of everyone, I even battled one on the heights of a mountain full of Wyverns as I was going to the shrine of Bahamut. The last one in all of Tur, next thing I know there was a naked dude there only in his loincloth and a mask of sorts. He came at me like a beast, I was in full armor too nonetheless.”

“Has Bahamut fought one before? That sounds like a human she’d be interested in fighting against.”

“Oh believe me, female Dragons would offer themselves to these dudes if it weren’t for the fact that Dragons in human forms can only be unlocked by defeating one. Dragons see strength, remember? Well, these dudes have basically left their life for the virtual one and have homed their mastery to a level beyond anyone. The one that first aggroed Bahamut? It was one of these legendary players aided by the Grand Mages.”

“Grand Mages? Such things existed in Tur, My Lord?”

“Yeah. I only saw them once and it was right before we were entirely frozen. Nobody knows who they truly are, but they are the head of the Magicians Association. They're kinda like a living myth of the community, so far only twelve have been counted but no one truly knows how many they are. One thing is for sure, they’re all level Two Hundred with purple coloured names, which means they have some freakish magic in their arsenal.”

“I do wonder… will I survive in Tur, My Lord? If I was to follow you there?”

“You? Oh no. Believe me, you won’t. The insane and crazy things people think up are just… on a whole other level.” Like a man recalling fond memories, the General seemingly becomes a warm aura that Elizabeth starts leaning towards, drawn by his smile as his eyes wander around. “The fight against the Lost King for example, the entire community just dragged him to the giant bridge outside and blew it up. He fell down the nine hundred meter drop into the watery ravine below and was finished off by True Magic by the Highrider Knights of Durkewood! Oh and I still remember this one time-” the sounds of Paul’s happy voice seemingly gets muffed for Elizabeth as she rests her head on her palm, tilting it a bit as she plays with her hair.

General Paul on the other hand gets so much into his storytelling and his hands started to depict the great battles that he was in, his arms then followed and soon, he’d stand up every one or two sentences to depict Bahamut coming in to give them air support and aid them in battle. Not long after, he got tired and sat back down. Drinking his hot water as he gives a warm expression to the cold Vampire Queen opposite of him. “Phew, yeah… good days.” The man then starts setting up the chess pieces. One by one, grouping them first together and then placing the finely crafted units.

“My Castle once had a garden like this, My Lord. Full of rare flowers and plants. I’d often use them in my research and give them out as gifts to my Nobles.”

“Really? Man, I can only imagine how it’d look. Knowing you and your care for attention and detail.”

“Ah, how you make me reminisce. It’s… like my own personal paradise on this planet, My Lord. A paradise of peace and calm, where I could drink tea and eat snacks and enjoy the life I’ve lived. It very much has this same aura to it, the same warmth and the same hugging feeling I’d get.”

“It still stands right? I think Alana told me something about it being cursed and no one going to it. Your Castle might still have a bit of its beauty left if we could check it one day.”

“Pfft. As if it’ll ever be cursed. My Castle is one of the most brightly coloured ones in the entire continent, full of all the decorations you could think off, with golden roofs on the towers and silver on all the window frames and gates, all the amenities you need and it's one of the first structures in Schon to have proper plumbing and piping. It was a marvel of its time and the Dwarves that I had contracted to build it with such pride that they assured me it will never fall as their Fathers and Grandfathers assured me.”

He finishes setting up the chessboard and appreciates the detail given to the carving of the units. The Pawns were Grunts in chainmail with the Bishop being a Cardinal of the Holy See and the King and Queen modeled after the leaders of the Kingdom of James. The wonderful piece even had a notice in Romanz.

“Uhm Elizabeth, can you read what this says?”

The Queen checks her side and she puts the tip of her finger on the finely carved wooden board, it shines and the units spawn to life. “YOOOOO! That’s so cool!” like animated creatures, all of them had visible facial expressions and would check their armor and weapons, their poses all show the tiny people were ready for battle.

“Ahahahaha, this is freaking amazing. Alright, let’s see. Wanna play? It’d be nice to teach you one of the best games from our planet.”

“Earth games huh? Alright My Lord. Beware though, I do not hold back.”

“Tsk. Try me.”

“Oh I have, and I shall once again.” she licks her lips sensually as the General swallows his saliva. He then smirks, rolling up his sleeves.

“Hah-hah-hah. Well, I’ll give you a basic breakdown of the units and how they move. Also, do you want me to put a one minute limit on our turns?”

“Just give me the normal setup, My Lord. Either way, your doom has already been spoketh.”

“That’s the spirit. Alright! Let’s see how long I can last against you!”

Alana exits out of her office. Walking to the center of her manor, Bahamut is once again on the balcony there. Now reading another horror manga as her finger rimmed the shape of a strangely fine stone. Next to her on the glass table was a mountain of plates.

“Hm? Oh bloodsucker. What is it?”

“Goodness, you felt that gaze?”

“I can feel everything as long as it's connected to matter. Now, what is it?”

“What’re you reading? I’ve never seen a Manga with art like that before.”

“It’s Another. A pretty good horror book, the artstyle is just right enough for me.”

“Have you tried reading ones that’re more… subtle?”

“Hmph. No. Those bore me, I am already living the story of those books. Why read them when I am already experiencing it?”

“That is true… but just be sure not to read that when other Nobles arrive. Knightly stories are the ones that’s accepted here.”

“Is it also about humans?”

“Hm?”

“The literature. Is it about humans?”

“Yes, mainly from Dragovh as that’s where the most famous stories of Knightly deeds come from.”

“Why? Don’t you have literature from your kin?”

“We do. It's actually part of the curriculum in University. It’s just that errrr…”

“What?”

“It’s more tragic and depressing. We aren’t big on stories of heroism, most of our novels and stories surround the idea of immortality and what we will be doing for our eternities.”

“Pfftt… I see.”

“Hey, it's actually pretty bad as we have such super good stories that sell a lot to the Humans and Elves. Like the one that was about… hmmm… what was it again…” The Countess puts her fingers up her forehead. Racking her memories. “Oh! That one about a Painter who lived for so long that he couldn’t find beauty in the sceneries he onced loved to paint!”

“Isn’t that just an artist block?”

“No, it's not like the Humans, Bahamut. We do not have Artist Blocks as we’ve lived for far too long to have a limited amount of imagination. No, it's merely the fact that the art he has homed in and loved his entire life as a human has lost its novelty due to the years he had lived as a Vampire.”

“Ahhhhhh… Well that is tragic. But not as tragic as what the humans could write or tell, Master would make it look like living in a modern society full of everything they need is the most depressing thing ever.”

“Humans in his world have reached their peak, I can understand what it might be like. They’ve done everything they could, how can you stand out in a world where everything has been done. As a Vampire, I could think of many ways but for a human? That would be a challenge unless the circumstances allow.”

“I don’t know. Though Masters' fatal outlook on his life has more or less disappeared, I still fear that his friends might put him back into that mindset as they all live the same modern world they came from. He is a better man than he was now.”

“Don’t be. Our Lord might be human, but humans don’t forget. Hence why we’re all trying to make him smile don’t we? Let’s keep that up so that when he meets them. He can spread that positivity.”

“You Vampires are truly an impressive species. To understand humans this deeply, we Dragons can only hope.”

“Why? Don’t Dragons and Humans have a deep relationship already?’

“Wanna know if a Human you're talking to is a Dragon?”

“Hm?”

“If they have a far reaching personality. We Dragons can never replicate how humans truly are, our souls are far too different. Yet somehow, you Vampires can.”

“Hahahahaha, Bahamut. You do not need to try to decipher the Humans. Just see them for what they are, good creatures that we must get along with.”

“I guess so. Being an all powerful Dragon in human form has its limits.”

“Have you seen Our Lord anyways?”

“Master? He came out of his room early this morning. Last I saw him, he was downstairs wandering around the entrance to your garden.”

“Ah, alright. Then, May you have a good read.” Alana elegantly bows to Bahamut and the Dragon just shooed her away as she continued to flip through the pages. Going down the large carpeted stairs, she does a 180 and there she notices the two. The General looked out into her well combed garden and the Queen leaned down with her hand up her chin at the chessboard. Opening the glass door, the human looked at her and smiled warmly.

“Oh Alana. Wazzup?”

She puts her hands together as she politely intrudes between the two.

“Uhm… may I ask what’s happening?”

“Elizabeth is taking her sweet time in making a move.”

“SHUSH MY LORD. Can you not see I am focused here?”

Alana takes a look at the chessboard and though Paul had only taken two Knights, the Queen, three pawns and one rook while Elizabeth had almost taken all of his pawns and all the Knights he has and one bishop, the human general has seemingly punched through her defenses and has melted through her units and trapped her last Rook.

“G-Good work M’Lord.”

“Yeah, this is already like our ninth game and so far. It’s… eight wins. And one tie.”

“Really? You won that many times against her majesty?”

“Yup. She’s good at offensive attacks, but the moment I can put one unit behind her lines. She just falters. Heheheheheh…”

“Nay! I shalt not accept that inspection of my tactics! How could this be! I’ve felled entire Kingdoms would laying a single troop in their territory and yet here, I can defeat a mere human!”

“Haaaaaa… just give it up already Elizabeth. Look-” he takes his Knight and moves it at both axes. “Look, boom. Dead. Boom dead. Let’s say you take out my Knight.” he then takes the Rook far behind it and hovers it above her King. “Boom, dead.” Alana puts her hand up her mouth realizing just how trapped the Queen’s units were on the corner. “Tsk! This game is such a farce! I cannot believe this! Another round My Lord!” the General lifts his hands up in victory.

“I once again win! Bwahahahaha!”

“This time My Lord! I shall take you out immediately!”

“Oh, gonna go on the Offensive even more huh?”

“Uhm… you two… we have to get to the Castle by tomorrow. The snow has calmed down, so it's best that we prepare now.”

“Shush Countess. Leave us be, this is a battle of wits between great tacticians.”

“But your majesty…”

“Grrrrr… last! Truly! This is our last game!”

“Alright and if I win, I want you to say Ara Ara!”

“Ara Ara? Why’re you humans so obsessed with that? Do you even know what it means?”

The General shrugs his shoulders as he smiles. The man starts putting back the units into their original positions while Elizabeth crosses her arms. Puffing her cheeks as she scoffs at another defeat. Alana politely raises her hand. “I think it means Oh my, or my my, your majesty.”

“Hm? Is that what it means? Then what does Ka Ka Ka mean then?”

“I think it's just another version of Ha-ha-ha.”

“Ehhhhhhh… and why are the humans so in love with those words? My Lord, explain.”

“It’s because of your voice.”

“My voice?”

“Yup, your voice and body. Combined together, it just exudes big Okaasan vibes.”

“Okaasan? Alana.”

“It means a big motherly aura.”

“Is that so? Well I turn when my body has reached Adulthood.”

“Question Elizabeth.”

“Yes, My Lord?”

“Were your boobs originally that big when you were still human?”

“Oh of course. Though I was from a normal village. My family had Noble blood in it, hence I was gifted with great natural beauty. Even as a human, I had an extreme charm that no man could resist. It was actually why I turned to Religion and became a Nun as the Convent were all women. No one could bother me there and I could read all the books I wanted.”

“Really? Dang. And then you became a Vampire right?”

“Hm. My beauty only got more and more to the point that some humans when they first saw me, I oddly remember all of them offering their lives to me without question.”

“Geez girl. That true?”

“I-i guess so M’Lord. When I read about our history, that part was only seen as a myth.”

“Hmph. That’s not a myth. That did happen and many fell to me without me even doing anything to them. It got so bad that it started to affect women, animals, beasts, and even demons. I did not waste time in mastering the other types of magic and looking for one that could dispel the power of my looks.”

“What magic is that?”

“It’s an old human magic called Splitting Attention. It's meant for sneaking as it’d hide your aura and presence. It was one of the first magics I’ve mastered fully, thankfully since its human. It's cheap and efficient with Mana usage.”

“I see.” he then remembers something. “And it doesn’t work all the time right? I remember being more smitten by you when you fight.”

“Ah, that’s because I forgot to keep it under check when in the heat of battle. Fear not, I have more time now to home it more.”

“Well, the chessboard is all set up now. One last round alright? After that, it's Ara Ara.”

“Tsk. Already saying it as if my defeat is written in stone.”

“Because it is! Bwahahahahaha!”

“Ba-hah-hah-hah. This time, I shall win.”

Alana just sighs as she walks back to the Manor. Soon after, horses could be heard entering the front yard. Prompting the angry Elizabeth to turn into a Bat. But she didn’t leave, and continued to play Chess with him. A noisy rattling of a set of Knight armor could be heard as the doors to the garden swing open. The Vampire Knight freezes at the strange sight of a human in modern clothing playing with a Crimson Bat.

“Oh, hey. It's you again!”

“Where is the Countess? Her Conmac is at the stable right now.”

“Conmac?”

“It's the breed of her personal horse you imbecile.”

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“Ohhhhh, well she went upstairs. Why?”

“Another human has been stolen from one of the villages. I already suspect which Family did it.”

The Knight then runs up the stairs and the General tilts his head.

“Uhm… I think we should continue this later.”

Elizabeth turns back into her normal form and crosses her arms. Pouting at the sight of her devastated units. “Hmph!” the General just smiles and he runs up to her office and sees the Knight with his helmet removed. Respectfully talking to the Countess.

“Oh. M’Lord.”

“What’s happening?”

After a long brief about what occurred, General Paul walks back to his room and dons his proper uniform. “I’m going. If the Shineguards are there, I have to also be there.'' The Knight then looks at Alana who just nods in approval. The Vampire scoffs and waves his cape at the man's direction and hurriedly goes down.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to solve this?”

“No M’Lord, we’ll be busy with the King. You must reserve your energy for that.”

“Alright then, but I’ll guide the Shineguards as much as I can. I have to make sure these Militia don’t get things riled up.”

Bahamut then walks out of the central balcony. “Master, are we leaving alre-” and suddenly, Elizabeth appears behind her. “No. You’ll be with me as I have to teach you about dancing and presentation. I apologize My Lord, but I’ll be borrowing her.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like I’ll need her powers. Bahamut, be sure to behave.”

“Grrrrrr… I do not want to learn how to ballet!”

“Bahamut, calm down. Elizabeth, don’t push her too much alright? Your still interacting with a Dragon after all.”

“Of course, My Lord.”

The Dragon surrenders and lets Elizabeth lead her to the East Wing and the General just smiles at Alana as the woman bowed and smiled back at him. He then goes to the stables and gets Junior. The huge black horse was fully naked, without the pouches and the saddle and was clearly enjoying its vacation. The Vampire Knight on the other hand just looks emptily at the human.

“That’s your steed, peon?”

“Yup. Good ole Junior. My Demon Horse. Now, c’mon girl! Let’s get going!”

Junior’s head lifted up. But as if it thought about something, its head plops back down to the hay. Closing its eyes. “OY! STAND UP YOU STUPID HORSE!” The General then hops the fence and tries to get the evidently magical horse up but the man is unable to even make it move. “Sir Hanniette, is the human town we’ll be going to have Apples?”

“Hm? Yes. Why?”

“You heard that girl? They have Apples there.”

Its left ear then perks up and the horse springs back to life. “Nice! Good horse!” He then gets the saddle and the extra pouches. Once again, fully equipping his steed. He then stops next to the brown horse of Lord Friedrich. He signals for his grunts on the back of carriages to move forward and the two go into the open snowy countryside.

In the midst of the ride to the town, the Vampire Knight rides next to him. Closely inspecting the human.

“Uhm… how may I help you?”

“You have an interesting smell, human. I would’ve never thought you and the Countess were that close.”

“S-smell? OH! Well… should I apologize?”

“No. She has chosen you. I won’t go against the wishes of My Lady. But know this, I have my eyes on you, peon.”

“You don’t have to, Alana has sent me as her aide. My word is basically the truth. So I can’t fuck this up you know?”

“Hmph. I used to do that for her, and now. Look at you, just keep those other mortals in line. I hate it when lowly peons get in my way.”

“The Shineguards are good people too you know?”

“Food. That’s all you are to me, cattle and slaves. Feel free to bask in my immortality, something your kin will never hope to achieve.”

“Isn’t Deus Vrax a half human who became a God?”

“Half human, peon. Even though you speak good Romanz, your knowledge of our ancient text is still not enough. I wonder how your species has lasted this long.”

After three hours, they arrive at the town. The players of the Shineguards wearing a mixture of Eastern and Western military gear were already there. Talking to the Town Chief as Lord Friedrich tells his men to form a path. The Vampire grunts quickly got to it with insane speed. Moving the humans into the side of the main road in the middle. The General breathes a sigh. He looks at the townsfolk and all of them are properly clothed and well fed.

Following the Knight, he also disembarks his horse. Closely behind the man as they both approached a player in an Officers uniform. Proudly brandishing his beret. The man saluted the General and then the Knight.

“Captain IAmGosling! Of the Third Shineguards Honor Battalion, good to see you General Jackson, sir.”

“Really? Gosling… of all things?”

“I always say sir. We are all Ryan Gosling deep inside us all.”

“You…” the man facepalms while the Knight looks at the General. “Peon, what is this lowly creature saying?”

“You don’t want to know.”

“Then, I wish for you to tell him to move aside. I’ll deal with the Chief. I’ve known him since he was still an infant.”

“Of course. Gosling, fuck off with me to the sides.”

“Yes sir!”

The two players move aside and the old village Chief bows with his wife and daughter, elegantly showing their respect to the man.

“Captain, what’s the sitrep?”

“We have one time missing civilian. The village chief from what I can gather… well if hand signs are enough. Pointed the person who did it to the Northeast, in some other Lords region.”

“Basically what Friedrich told me. Anything else?”

“Well… sir. If I may step out of the line.”

“Hm. Speak.”

“Sir, Shouldn’t we be freeing the slaves here?”

“What do you mean?”

“Sir, all of these people are captured and their personal rights taken. I’ve personally been to Meridia and have participated in freeing Slaves from the Sultans there. Shouldn’t we do the same here?”

“Look. Captain.” The General puts his hands together and then places his hand at the mans shoulder. “Right now, we do not want to anger the Vampires. I hope you can see that a million of them going against us could very well be the end of our Schon campaign, right?”

“Sir, that doesn’t matter. These people are captive against there will. This isn’t even the first time, since the Countess or whatever has been gone for so long. The other Lords and Ladies has been more violent in there methods. One of her own grunts almost even raped one of the women in the forest.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of that. Alana herself told me that she had to stop one of her men from violating the women.”

“See?! But… at least she stopped it. I guess the Countess has some goodwill in her sir.”

“That’s… not her reason.”

“Eh?”

“She did that as these are premium blood. To have it tainted would be a lowering of their production. Look, she might see me as an equal. But that’s not the same to the others, most of all slaves. So, Captain. Do not ask questions. Believe me, you won’t get your answers.”

“...” The Captain then looked down to his boots. His hands clenched into a fist. “Gosling, listen to me.” He looks sideways and sees that none of his men are around him. “This is the truth about international politics. It doesn’t matter who is good or evil, if they serve us for a reason. Then we partner with them. The only reason we’re going against the Sultans is because they're rampant in their kidnapping. The Vampires on the other hand are super selective.”

“That doesn’t make sense sir. These are still people, people without freedom, who live in fear.”

“I know, and I damn well wish we could do something. But we can’t. Right now, your job is to help Lord Friedrich, he will be going against the family who did this. So I don’t want you fucking this up for everyone. Got it?!”

“Yes sir.”

“Put away your morals. In this stage, it's all about who lasts the longest.”

IAmGosling then salutes and turns around to face the Knight. Still talking to the old village Chief with a high and mighty tone. The General looks around and sees one of the Townsfolk. The woman was just staring at the scene right before her.

“Hello ma’am.”

“Huh? Uhm. Yes?”

Though jumpy, the General puts up his best smile.

“May I ask, do you know who kidnapped this person?”

“N-n-no. Talk to the Chief.”

“Mhm. And does this happen often?”

“When the Lady wasn’t here. It happens almost every week… It was Lord Friedrich who kept fending off anyone that tried to steal us. But he was overwhelmed.”

“I see, but I’ve been here for almost a month now and this is a first.”

“That’s because the Lady is back. The Lady is here once again, the beautiful daughter of the Minuits. But we’ve already been targeted so much.”

“I see, then I shall do my best to make sure this is the last.”

He then waits for the Knight to finish up and the man ignores the Captain and goes straight to the General.

“Peon, tell our Lady that she's the daughter of the Antoines.”

“Alright, I’ll ride back home then. Take with you Captain here.”

The General shows the human player, saluting the Knight.

“This?”

Taller than the both of them and wearing shiny armor with a big crimson cape. The man leans down to inspect the human.

“You wish for me to work with this?”

“Yes. That’s the Countess’ order.”

“Tsk. I wish to question that but smelling you alone, I cannot refute that order.”

He then faces the player.

“HEL-O. INGHET.”

“It’s human. But nonetheless, a translator is coming here soon. So just wait a bit.”

Captain IAmGosling then puts up a smile and opens his hand. The Knight just stares at it, confused. He then looks at the General, who then puts both of his hands up and shakes it. Friedrich then just puts out his arms, his face full of questions. Paul then just smiles and shakes his own hands more aggressively.

Lord Friedrich then faces the Captain, he lightly bows first and his eyes wandered at the humans surrounding them. After a while of staring and the Captain visibly getting tired at holding his arm up. The Vampire Knight shakes the man's hand. Slowly doing it first but the Captain then puts his other hand on top of theres and shakes it more aggressively.

“I hope we’ll be able to work together.”

The General breathes a sigh of relief and gets back to his horse. Returning to the Manor, it was already nearing the night and the foreign world's Sun, sinking in the horizon.

“The Antoine Family huh? Well, their daughter is still in University. It's to be expected. Nonetheless, fetch me my pen and paper. I shall write a warning now.”

Her Butler then appears right before her and hands her the pen and paper.

“Thank you. Now, M’Lord. Be sure to get some rest.”

“Uhm… I just want to ask.”

“Hm? Yes, M’Lord?”

“I’ve talked to a lady there and she was pretty wack not gonna lie. She kept calling you The Lady, and…” he then scratches his head a bit. “If the time comes, will you release all of your slaves?”

Alana stops writing and looks at her Lord. Both of their eyes, on equal footing. “If the time comes.” She smiles at him and walks to the man. Holding his hands. “But right now M’Lord, we cannot free the humans. Our entire population is dependent on them. Unless we can create some sort of synthetic blood, it's not feasible. Maybe in the future, but right now. You must live it with, M’Lord.”

“I expected it. But, I’ll remember that. I hope so. Alright. Well, Imma go and sleep. Big day tomorrow.”

“Hm. Have a good night's sleep M’Lord.”

“And Bahamut? Are those two still there?”

“Hmmm… I think her majesty is with her right now in the dining room. Since Bahamut got finicky about food once again.”

“Expected. Good night.”

Back at the King’s castle. Paul and Bahamut quietly awaited their turn to speak to the King. Alana on the other hand was still too busy thinking and couldn’t help herself but be reminded every time she looked at her Lord about something, and Bahamut who was seemingly already way over everything Elizabeth taught her was looking at random things in the waiting room like the old ancient paintings and the gothic decor, with Bahamut sniffing the yellow sunflower inside it. Elizabeth was in her Cave Bat form and was sniffing around inside the Generals jacket. She pops out and sees Bahamut eat a red candy.

The Dragon quickly spits it out with a bit of fire. “EW! IT'S SPICY!” Elizabeth could then hear a sigh from the General as he continued to walk around. Looking at the new paintings that were put up in the room.

“Is it just me or are they changing paintings?”

“My Lord, I suggest you do not question it. The Knights guarding this place are all Lords themselves.”

“O-oh right.”

He then just rubs his chin while carefully inspecting the piece of art. “Who is this exactly?” The painting was a man wearing a red and gold Knight armor with medals bolted onto it. A middle aged face with a stylishly combed mustache with his left foot on top of a small rock, valiantly flashing his golden scabbard.

“Ah, it's General Mar Marioleone. My best man when it comes to warfare and one of my best helpers in inventing many of my tactics that I've perfected in battle. Tsk, I can’t believe you have defeated me in Chess. It's such a stupidly simple game.”

“Oh, so you had Generals as Advisors? Huh, well that does make sense since you do go to war. Most of the time back on Earth, Generals and Colonels would only be there to give sweet reports to the President and have them given medals or some shit like that. I know as I personally did that myself.”

“Funnily enough My Lord. Mar is my first thrall. I got him way back as the Kingdom was established only in the recent decade. The humans immediately mustered an army in that time and General Mar Marioleone was the one sent to lead it. An army of one hundred thousand, thirty thousand of which are Knights.”

“What the heck, then what was your troop number?”

Walking towards the ridgeline, the beautiful Elizabeth looks over at over a hundred Galleons deploying the human army into the shores of Schon. The soldiers noticed something shining hitting them, and they turned to look, just to be met with a long flowing stream of golden blonde hair and a crown that shines far beyond the Sun's light. They all just stood in place. Appreciating her beauty and wonder, the woman smitten the entire army without thought. While a painter right below her who was making an art of the army on the ground looks back to his painted canvas.

The painter immediately dropped the current painting he was making and put a new canvas and started with her long blonde hair and crown with expensive emerald rubies, and the color of the ten rings she wore and the luxurious golden earrings of the first Vampire Queen. He then makes a rough sketch of her eye shadow, the same color as her long purple gown and then her bright emerald eyes and the mascara that sharply showed her stare at the mortal humans assembling below her feet.

He then works his way down to her cape and cloak, painting as rapidly as he could to make sure he will remember her beauty. He drops his black pencil to the ground and goes for a red one on his pencil case to draw her lightly red lipstick and dangerous smirk. She lifts her hand to stop a golden Holy Arrow fired by a woman with the wings of an Angel on the back of her shining armor, without care. The Queen merely crushes it, breaking it in half and disappearing right before their sight and the painter, left with his jaw down.

“General! General!”

Standing inside a tent with his shiny monocle. General Mar looks over at their main plan with arrows going straight into the recently established Vampire Kingdom and already, a note is attached to it about the future plans and the subsequent surrounding of the castle against potential foreign invaders. Everyone around him was wearing chainmail and short swords with him, the only one wearing proper Knight armor though not as bulky and full protecting as the more modern ones.

“Hm? What is it, Priestess?”

“The Queen!”

“I know, I can see thousands of my men just watching her stand over the ridge. She is as beautiful as the stories say, the contour of that face is magnificently well sculpted. That means King Charlemagnes isn't far from here.”

“What?! Why haven’t you done anything then?! We could’ve captured her right then and here!”

“Calm your nerves woman.” The tall short red haired holy woman in armor pouts. Crossing her arms. “Do you think a thousand people can suppress a powerful Vampire like that? They aren’t like the ones you’d meet in Geraldia that roam the night and drink the blood of the innocent. Those are the modern Vampires, far smarter and more dangerous.”

“What makes them different!? Those are the same bloodsucking monsters that have been born alongside humanity’s most devilish desires! They must be stopped now!”

“And we will. The Kingdoms of humanity have answered the call of the Pope. But we will not rush this and die. I’ve fought everything from Werewolves, Vampires, Orcs, Giants, Goblins, and even Ghosts and Demons. Of all of them, you must pay special attention to Vampires, most of all the modern ones that can walk in the broad daylight.”

“Tsk, had God Lux left our side and blessed the Vampires to no longer burn under sunlight?!”

“Girl, you are young. Far too young, are you sure you are ready for this campaign? It might be another bloody one that will send thousands to die brutally.”

“I am ready. The Pope eagerly awaits the news of the tarnishing of the Vampire Kingdom’s name and birth.”

“It’s not as easy. Those two, Lady Elizabeth and Sir Charlemargnes. They birthed an entirely new species of Vampires that we call as Modern Vampires. Have you heard of this before or have these Vampires not yet plagued your land?”

“None. I am from Dragovh, the land of the Dragons. We have no such Vampires.”

“I see, though still few. These are the rare ones that could walk in the Sun and feed on human food and act like a normal citizen without you even knowing.”

“Hm? Is this why the Kingdom of Gareth sent you here and the Alliance had you become the General of this united army?”

“Hah! Has my Legendary name reached that far?”

“It takes a special tactician to win against the Elves and their technology.”

“Hah! Technology can only take you so far against a determined enemy. I merely did what any human would do. But the enemies we have now… the Vampires. They are not to be played around with. They are not like the Elves who’re selfish and so sure of themselves. These monsters would back off and retreat in spite of a weaker foe if they know they are outnumbered.”

“They are also not scared to do dirty tricks and do unholy things as per my experience of exterminating them. At least the Elves from what I heard had a strict protocol to follow with their tactics.”

“Do not think of the Elves nor their mighty bronze army in this war. This is more of a war between who can perform the most attrition against one another than who can win the most battles. The only factor is that our enemies are immortal while we are mortal. No amount of attrition can work against them.”

“Then what do you suggest, General?”

“Hmmmm… Since they already know we are here. With their Queen blatantly showing herself to intimidate us. Something tells me they already have something set up far down the main road. Nonetheless, we shall take the longer and far more treacherous route. As even that would be safer than walking straight into a Vampire's trap.”

“Eh? But we aren’t equipped with weapons meant for Werewolves nor the Demonkin’s offsprings.”

“It shall be a no factor. The Knights of Gareth and James are always prepared, me and my men shall lead the way. You and your Holy people are to cover the flanks and our backs.”

“Alright, I shall do it then. But the Holy Knights will be there if needed.”

“Your Knights are trained to protect you Priests and Priestesses. I’d rather have them continually do that than charge into the fringe against Werewolves.”

The night rolled in and the ships had changed, taking turns in unloading their cargo. With the Holy See using powerful light magic to illuminate the entire shoreline so that work could continue, a Knight in his tabard with a scroll in hand, with an interchanging color of red and yellow with the coat of arms of four different families embroidered on it enters a huge tent. The man's eyes open wide at the sight of General Mar still wide awake at the dead of night. Making arrows and rubbing his chin on the sight of the map. Lit up by a single candle.

“Lord Marioleone. Sir.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“It’s already in the evening. You must prepare yourself for tomorrow.”

“No need. The Vampires already know we are here, I have no time to rest.”

“Then, this letter came. It has a seal on it, which seems very official.”

“No sender or signature?”

“None, I’ve personally checked it, Lord Marioleone. I assure you it's not laced with anything.”

“Hmmm… leave it be. It might be laced with poison magic that we still yet to detect, Vampires are known to conjure the most dastard ways to kill a person. I’ll open it later.”

“Yes, Lord Marioleone. Oh, I’ve also heard of you marrying Baroness Alice Richard the The Third of Avaria.”

“Oh, yes. Alice, my beloved. I won’t be marrying her instantly. I wish to wait till she’s mature enough.”

“But Lord Marioleone, you are already nearing your thirties. You must marry her immediately before you die.”

“No need, no need. It's already sealed, my home country of Avaria will soon have its coffers filled once again with this marriage, and I hope the next King is far better than the last. Though I serve Gareth, my heart and homeland is still Avaria. What about you? Of Dragovh, your land has seen much peace thanks to the Dragons.”

“It has been peaceful indeed. As a Knight of King Meilirious, I can never hope for so much. The Kingdom of James has not stopped improving its army though which brings us with great need for an improvement with our Navy.”

“Nonetheless, I see why you came here, Sir Hakeman. Worry not. Alice, I am planning on respecting her wishes. I also do not plan on making her marry me without actual love, if I was to give birth to a child. It must be out of love, I was a peasant before a General you know? The Nobles and their way of life is as alien to me as a Demonkin whose head is of a horse and body of a man walking in the streets of the Capital full of humans.”

“I’ll put my trust in you, Lord Marioleone. She’s a kind and pretty woman. She doesn’t deserve a bad life. I’ve met her a lot as our parents are related, and I do wish harm to be bought to her innocent smile.”

In the midst of their conversation, the tent flap opens and it was the Knightly Priestess once again.

“General Marioleone! I am here to report that the Dragons have sent their people.”

“Good! This is what I’ve been waiting for! It will take three more days for our Winged Forces to arrive, we must take advantage of this now.”

He dons his armor and the man goes out the tent, touching his well combed mustache and to the open shoreline as his men continued to do there duty and assembled more tents, the camp growing and growing even more that it has started to reach the forestline with people cutting down streets to use as fire and foundation. The General’s and Knight’s tents stand out having prettier and vibrant colors and flags. Their size overall was also larger than a usual tent meant for soldiers and smiths.

Walking through, everyone stops as they hear the roar of a Dragon far away. In the distance, they could see a silvery fire being breathed as a large Dragon with four wings supported by eight Wyverns approaches them. The fire of the mighty beast lighting the shoreline even more, dimming the light of the Holy See and the Galleons. Everyone was in awe of the great creatures as they flew over them in a low altitude and turned around in a quick 180 and crushed a bunch of streets as they landed.

General Marioleone swipes his cape to his back and walks to the white one with glistening stone skin. The Dragon lowers its head as its comrades turn into human form. The Wyverns now men in Noble outfits, standing next to their Squad Leader who remained in his Dragon self.

“Ahhhh… Marioleone. I’ve heard much of your exploits. For a human, you’ve done a lot and showed the Elves what it truly means to wage a war. I am Praeministrator Gaius Servis Spurius of the flying capital city Volans Draconem of the Dragon Kingdom. Lived and born, I am pleased to come here with Squadron Volturius.”

Even far away, the loud and monstrous deep voice of the white Dragon echoed through the camp. “I THANK THEE PRAEMINISTRATOR! I AM GENERAL MARIO MARIOLEONE OF GARETH! IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU!” The Dragon breathes out and in. Lowering its head even more to meet the General as he walked to the dirt path that leads to the dark forest. “The pleasure is all mine, General Marioleone.” Now close enough to feel the breath of the Dragon, the Priestess Knight trembles with her hands together and a wide smile on her face.

“Priestess Agnes. I suppose this is your first time meeting a real Dragon?”

“Y-Yes! They're far more magnificent than I expected!”

“Hm, be sure to respect them. Not one of the Species except the Demonkin have any ill will against them. They are born of warriors, older than the lands with wisdom far more than the most ancients of the Wizards and must be respected as such.”

“Ah! A first timer, I bid welcome Priestess Agnes. I am the Praeministrator Servis of the Magistrate of the Kingdom of the Skies. The oldest Imperium in this wonderful planet of Lunaris.”

“Lunaris? Oh! I remember that word, your kin is truly as ancient as they come!”

“Hm. You must be of the Holy See to know much about our culture. I am pleased to know that humans still remember what this planet was once called.”

“Hm! But we mustn’t forget the Hero King and his contributions to science and this world's unraveling.”

“Such is the beauty of time, Priestess Agnes. It flows like a river, whether it is a newborn or a hardened iron skinned elk, it shall take it with the tide for it to be forgotten and its end, met. Words may change, but to us. This planet shall always be Lunaris, as King Augustus and our ancestors named it as such before you humans even came to be.”

The other members of his squadron walked into the camp in their human forms, while Servis remained a Dragon. Sitting down and balling up on the path, blocking the way out. “Well, I’ll leave the two of you to converse. I shall return to my tent, Praeministrator. If needed, I am inside the largest tent in this camp.” he bows elegantly and goes back to the camp and to his tent alongside Sir Hakemann. To their surprise, the letter was opened.

“Huh?”

But the seal was still there. To the curiosity of the two, they surround the paper. Looking on below them to stare at it.

“Lord Marioleone, have you…”

“No. I have not.”

The General looks around and sees a stick on the ground. Taking it, the man starts poking at the strange letter as outside, trails of a person can be seen stepping on the sand of the shoreline. But no footsteps or sound was being made, only the air being disturbed and a trail of someone with two feet being left. The person walks through the camp without care, with humans left and right moving boxes while some assemble for night patrols. The light of the lamps nor of the magic balls didn’t illuminate the stranger as it made its way through the right section of the growing camp.

Passing through Holy Nuns and Priests performing ceremony to their savior Deus Vrax and the statue of the holy man in his gallant armor to the Knights and next to them are the grunts and squires of the Knights of Gareth. In there fancier tents with decor outside. The squires on the dark open night sky sharpening the tools of there Knightly Lords while the servants and grunts carried out there evening duties of patrolling the perimeter and helping around in the camp in setting up foundations and moving boxes of equipment while relighting whatever lamp they see. The stranger didn’t even make a single sound nor disturbed any of them as it turned to the largest tent in the camp with the red flag waving proudly on top of it, having the logos of four different Kingdoms and the Sword icon of the Holy See in the middle.

The person then stops next to the tent. Hearing the sound of a middle aged man making comments as he poked something with a stick. “Lord Marioleone, I think it's better if we take it outside and have one of the Bishops summon an Angel and have it open the letter instead.” with a grunt, the figure takes the letter and goes outside just to be struck by something. A blade with a hair thin width enters the body of a man wearing a tabard and his body drops to the ground just for the figure to be struck by a sword. But the bleeding instantly stops and the angered General screams to the top of his lungs. Alerting the tents next to him to spur into action, the figure quickly leaves the premises but gets stopped by a man with strange white eyes, wearing a noble uniform.

“I can smell you, you know?”

He grabs it by the throat and lifts up an invisible figure. But the man grunts and falls forward as a small wound behind it slowly heals but a rotting of his flesh grows as the figure gets away completely without any trace. Inside the forest, the person removes the cloaking and the beautiful tall woman squats on the ground with another female teammate, both sighing.

“Her Majesty won’t be happy with this.”

“I’ll explain everything.”

“Then-” before she could finish, the two heard footsteps cracking fallen sticks and bushes being rustled violently. The sounds of the forest went silent, and a deafening feeling of something far more dangerous than the both of them combined has arrived. They immediately started running nonstop but the steps continued to go and follow them as without the noise of the animals in the woodland, their chaser could easily trace their location. The two women both nodded at each other and went their own ways and the sound followed the one who went left and was getting closer and closer just for it to stop suddenly.

“I suggest you do not give chase.”

Priestess Agnes looks to her right and is struck by the handsome and beautiful face of a man in noble clothing. With a beaming blonde hair and starry blue eyes with a well built facial feature worthy to be called the perfect man, stops her from following them. She tries to break free but is unable to do so, with the man's strength being on a whole other level with his hands not even moving an inch.

“I will let go of my hand on your mouth. But if you do scream, I will put my hand over your mouth again. I do not wish to harm you nor do you any Evil. I only wish to talk.”

His voice was soft and soothing, young and full of life which calmed the woman down. Feeling her body relax, the blonde man removes his hand.

“W-W-Who’re you?! How come I didn’t feel your presence at all?!”

“I am King Charlesmagnes, one of the original Knights of Lunaris. Oh, it's called Threa now, yes? As per that human hero king?”

“I-I-I-mpossible! What do you plan to do with me?!”

“I want to break you a deal. Tell your people to go home, at least return and tell everyone to stop. The Vampire Kingdom’s rise is solidified. Nothing can stop us, needless bloodshed will only leave more Mothers and children without their loved ones.”

“What would a disgusting bloodsucking thieving cretin like you would know?!”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of my name in the history books, look deep into it and find the one named Sir Charles the Great of Geraldia. The founding Knights of Gareth, you might find what you are looking for.”

“S-S-So you're a human?!”

“Was. Though I still feel as one, I am no longer human. All of my blood has no trace of humanity, but my soul is still one. Though my wife had easily discarded her human soul, I have not. I do not wish to kill more people, enough has died in our travels to find our own place in this world.” The pretty and handsome man's face seemingly frowns as his hands tight grip loosens. “Please, the world doesn’t need more dead people. My Nobles are hungry for war and so are yours, we must put an end to this before we both are ended.”

“As if! The order of Deus Vrax shall take revenge for what you did to our envoys to Schon! Innocent Monks carrying books of knowledge and holy texts all burned and dead! There heads returned to our Pope with disgusting letters!”

“Hadn’t you received the letter? We aren’t the ones who killed them. It was the Demonkin. It wasn’t even murder as you scream it to be but an accident thousands of Cessels away from your Holiness who had not seen or investigated what actually transpired. The Demonkin aren’t smart and had to make it seem the way it was. I can explain everything if you give me the chance. My Queen Consort, the beloved Elizabeth, would never let you have this chance.”

“Grrrrrr! Let me go!”

“Hah. Then at least do this, do not be afraid to remind your people to retreat. Do not say you’ve not been warned of what is about to come.”

And just like that, the man was gone and the Priestess left to the cold silent forest. Soon, the noise of nature around her returns and the sounds of the forest return to her ears, giving her much relief.

“My Queen Consort.”

“Oh, yes, My Lord?”

“I have tried. But sadly, I wasn’t able to tell them to retreat.”

“Haaaah… I do respect you still for wanting to do things the diplomatic way. But they’ve all the way to kill us all. Words won’t matter to them, My Lord.”

Elizabeth then walks back to their tent, with King Charles removing his scabbard from his belt and sitting down on their bed. His face leaning down and his body launched forward as he fiddled with his thumbs and fingers. The Queen rummages around the papers she had on her table and finds one with an accurate drawing of a Vampire’s body and their differences with a human one.

“Oh love! Look, I’ve been researching Vampire Anatomy even more and I think we can reproduce through coitus. It’s possible! We already have the necessary parts, it's just that we must bring it to function properly once again like that of a normal human reproductive system!”

“Really? That’s good my sweet. But I wish to be left alone.”

Rubbing her chin, she decided to take a seat right next to him, removing her crown and placing her head on his shoulder as her left hand patted his well combed shiny blonde hair.

“You should really know this by now.”

“I already know. But I still couldn’t help but feel sad about this. I could feel the vomit emerging from my stomach.”

“Haaaaah… just know that whatever happens. I’ll be here.”

“Thank you. Just give me time to prepare myself. I promised you and everyone else that believed in this Kingdom that we will carry on and make our own history and our own place in this world. I will do it.”

“Just rest and take your time.”

He then smiles and turns his head to her.

“I still find it funny, you're still the Priestess that I used to know. So much into science and the meaning behind all of this.”

“What about you? You're still the same pompous Knight raised in a fancy manor. Still going against enemies far above your level and thinking that talking is a solution to the most dangerous of combatants.”

“Hey now, you can’t use that excuse on me since you have your own Manor too and the head of my Diplomatic ministry.”

“Hah, as if I care. I only need to be by your side and I am happy. Even in this tent with mud below us and the cold forest, I am content.”

“I’m still surprised you can move on so fast. But you are the Priestess that punched a Laird so I kinda should’ve known.”

A light punch goes to his head. “Oy, I only did that because he is a moron. Because of him, people in the town were unable to eat.”

“I’m not saying you were wrong. Ahahahahaha, just that… you impress me so much.”

“You impress me too. You are the only man who was brave enough to face a Stone Troll with a flimsy sword and walk out alive.”

“Pfft, it was merely my duty to protect you.”

“So, what’s the plan?”

“We’ll ambush them as planned. But things changed, the Dragons arrived far too early. We will instead fight them village to village, fast attacks. We will waste their time and slow them down.”

“But they’ll still reach the Kingdom though.”

“I hope it would be enough for their souls to be shattered, my sweet. Tire them out before they could even reach our walls.”

“Oh! Then I know, we can use the locals to our advantage then.”

“I was just thinking about that actually, what do you have in mind?”

“Simple. Bribery.”

“HAH! Bahahahahaha! Of course, my sweet. Of course, I was planning on instead making an elaborate plan to have them fully enter this war. But that also works just as fine. Alright! It’s settled! Let us go with this!”

“But are you sure attrition is enough to get them? It’s that famed General Mario of Gareth that’s at the helm of this army.”

“Even then, if we manage to tire them out just enough, scaling the walls of our capital should be an immense feat compared to one that’s motivated and well fed. I just hope the trap we have planned is ready.”

Weeks later, on the top of the capitol walls. A Knight spreads his bat wings and lands on the top of the wall. Kneeling down in front of their leaders.

“Your Majesty the King! The town of Nice has fallen completely.”

“What was the attacking force?”

“Calvary of the Holy See with the Knight Order of Sir James the Great.”

“Tsk. I hadn’t expected them to still be using calvary this deep into Schon. Nonetheless, prepare the spells, cannons, and the ballistas! Target the horses!”

Weapons are raised from elevators. Composed of Ballistas and Cannons, the Vampires easily moved them around and to their positions. The open plain before them quietly echoed the whirlwind of the summer. With the leaves minding their own with the calming breeze of a good sunny morning. Perfect for tea and crumpets.

“My Lord, I want General Mar Marioleone. I have much use for someone like him, to achieve this feat after all that we’ve done and tried.”

“Hm, I was thinking of the same. He deserves to become a new vampire. One to lead our Kingdom’s forces. He has done nothing but impress the both of us from beginning to the end, the man needs to become ours.”

“Shall I?”

“You do you, My Queen Consort. Just beware of the responsibilities of making a thrall and teaching him of our ways… there’s also the question if he is willing to continue living as an immortal creature.”

“I’m sure he does. Humans like him would fight on regardless of their circumstance. It's the question of loyalty that I want to see, but let us win this first, My Lord the King.”

“Hm. Let us.”

“Damn, the fact that the both of you were already talking about taking him. You had some sort of a super devilish trap laid down don’t you?”

“Shush My Lord. The story is just getting better.”

The ground rumbled and cressing the horizon was a huge army of grunts and Knights. With horses leading the front formation while Dragons drop cannons and the ammo boxes for them. A white gleaming four winged dragon appeared from the clouds, blasting off a massive plume of silvery fire that reached the ground from the skies, turning countless Vampires into ash as the Knights took off to battle the Praeministrator head on in the air.

Already, the sight was grim; a portion of the city turned ablaze but the two Royals and their Lords kept their cool with the enemy army stopping over the hill. A man then appears to the front. Wearing shining golden armor with a large logo of Gareth on his helmet. Unsheathing his enchanted longsword, the man points at the walls and the calvary charges forward.

“My King!”

“Not yet Sir Nigel! Look at those Knights! There are far too few! Wait for the entire army!”

The cannons and ballistas fire, but the fast horses dodged them with their wings, as the charging enemy Knights had enough magic to put wings on their steeds, taking off and immediately reaching the walls. With the Vampires numbering in the hundreds on each section, the human Knights weren’t unable to do much damage before they were killed and ripped apart by the far more superior creatures. Jumping down the walls and jumping back up to safety.

“Tsk, are the cannons ready?”

“Yes General!”

“Good, fire fragmentation balls and chain shots. Pepper the wall till nothing remained, these fools are far too smart. Do not go far without Wyvern support. Only their breath can kill these beasts in one go.”

The army then divides itself into three pieces, all supported by the Dragons as they surround the city from three axes. King Charles then runs to the top of a defense tower and takes a monoscope. Seeing that the still massive army was about to completely engulf all routes, in and out.

“Call the Nobles of the Minuits and Voltaires! Have their forces charge straight forward at the moving army and carve a way out for us just in case! I want the remaining Nobles to take off and battle those Wyverns! My Queen Consort! Have your Knights continue to battle the Minister in the skies and keep it occupied!”

Everyone quickly got to their feet and assembled together and got their orders without haste. The gates of the Vampire Kingdom opens and the humans are shocked to the sight of fully armed Vampires in Knightly suits of armor appear. “Deus Vrax be with me…” the grunt could only stare as his impending doom came. “Do not worry my friends! Keep flanking! We shall cover you!” The two Wyverns protecting them change course and head straight to the calvary of vampires.

The enchanted arrows fired upon their thick shiny metal skin were unable to do anything but annoy the powerful flying beasts and the ballista bolts merely shattered upon contact with their mighty bodies. Breathing fire, the Knights below slumped but their regeneration made them stand up once again fully healed and alive, and their horses even after getting burnt continued to go forward. Letting their riders use magic to fix their burns.

“Tsk! Magnus Clemente! Land now and stop them from reaching our friends! These Vampires are different!”

“As you wish Centurio! Cover me!”

Landing, the massive crash made a billow of dust and soil and the Vampire Knights caught off guard by the violent landing the dragon had made. Before even getting their senses together, a huge spiked tail leaps at them and throws armored bloodsuckers off their steeds. Those fast enough took off with their wings, just to be eaten whole by the flying Wyvern above them. The ground inside the capitol then lights up, circles ten meters in diameter appear at junctions and parks and without notice, silvery lasers rain down from the skies as the Crimson Knights of Queen Elizabeth falls to their deaths. But the sight didn’t prevent more of the powerful Nobles from taking off and replacing their fallen comrades.

On the open fields outside the walls of the capitol, Clemente turns into his human form. A young teenage man in a noble uniform with the white surcoat of the Dragon Kingdoms army. With his sword out, the man single handedly fought four Vampire Knights at once, parrying all of their attacks and wounding them all. His holy sword prevented their regeneration as one by one they fell. Only those who managed to take off reached the flanking humans. But their numbers were far too few to make a difference as the Holy See’s weapons pierced their armor at the sacrifice of thirty people for each of the ten Vampire Knights that made it through. Staking them brutally through their armor and using enchanted weapons to tear them apart and prevent them from getting their limbs back.

With the war reaching its climax, Clemente looks at the walls. The human man staring down the Vampire Lords who were still in their noble outfits. Watching as their Knights took the brunt of the assault. “Come down here bloodsuckers and fight me! I! Magnus Clemente! The Great Wyvern of Magnus Cataracta, the flying city, has come on behalf of my region to fight you all!” one of the Nobles steps forward. Amidst the flying arrows as the Vampires slowed down the flanking army.

“I, Sir Richard the Leon, have come forward and accepted your battle. The wondrous high blood Vampire Noble! Lord of the Shattering Moon and the one that defeated the Beast that lies between the crevice of the Highlands!”

“Good! Come at me with the best you got, immortal creature! Send more men to fight with you if you wish! I shall bring home the glory of this battle!”

As the divided army took its position. General Mar, who was dodging arrows and bolts, makes a leap into the back of a tree. With the thick trunk slowly getting shipped by the insanely accurate fire of the Vampires even from such a range where normal humans could never hope to reach nor fire with such accuracy. He opens his pouch and takes out a magic ball.

“Are all positions ready? Their arrows are all aimed at me.”

“We are prepared with your orders! And where did your guards go?!”

“Good! First wave now! Remember, the rest of the army has to quickly retreat! My guards?! I’ve sent them to the front! Hahahahaha!”

“Are you sure about this? We can clearly scale those walls without effort General Mar! Send your personal Knights back to protect you!”

“Don’t you see how weird it is, Bishop? They didn’t put any defenses nor men on the fields. Something is amiss and we must quickly enable it before going any further forward.”

“I see, I shall order the Holy Regiments to quickly go forward then! I’ll preserve the Knights with my Holy magic!”

“Good! If we spring whatever trap they have, we might be able to win this or atleast cripple the Kingdom hard enough for it to not grow any longer!”

With their shields up, the first wave moves forward. The steel shield kept tanking the arrows of the Vampires but soon, the ballistas were pointed at them, slowly cutting down their numbers. The cannons brought by the invading army were unable to do much but dent the outer layer of the walls, making it nigh impossible to fully destroy with their current arms. Some of the human grunts then started stepping into something hard below the soil and they reached the walls itself. Their shields up as the Vampires from above kept on firing everything, and soon started dropping barrels of oil at them and with a single Noble, flicking his finger. An entire platoon was set ablaze.

The blood curdling screams of the soldiers as they burned didn’t stop the rest from deploying the ladders and began to scale the walls from three different angles. The fire burned insanely as it spread on the grass of the open killing fields. But soon it stopped at the feet of the Great Wyvern Clemente, who had managed to stand toe to toe with a high blooded Vampire for so long.

“Strange, it is far too strange! Something is not right with all of this!”

“General Mar! I suggest we do it now! While our men are scaling the walls, they're getting cut down even before getting to the ladders! The Wyverns are also itching for battle!”

On the top of the walls, the Vampires open a box full of special arrows and point them straight down at the shields of the humans. Firing, the arrows create explosions upon contact, completely destroying the soldiers that had reached the walls and only leaving craters on where they were.

“Second wave! Now!”

A second wave, now a mix of grunts and Knights, charged forward as a protective layer of magic stopped any arrows from reaching them. The holy shield was tough and even the magic bolts of the Noble Vampires were unable to do much. On the walls, a woman with a cloak returns to King Charles. “Your Majesty, their Nuns and Priests are located in the Eastern forest, hidden in trenches.” He then disappears and appears at the East side of the wall, going to the Noble defending the sector.

“Y-Your Majesty the King!”

“Aim your cannons up, and load special bolts into your ballistas. Set that forest aflame completely.”

“As you ordered, Your Majesty the King!”

The Cannons and Ballista’s then aim upward, leaving the Vampire grunts to take care of the second wave charging at them. The massive rain of explosions and incendiary javelins sets the forest flame, and it quickly breaks the shield of the army as followed by water magic falling on the leaves, extinguishing the flames just for more incendiary bolts to arrive. This prompted the soldiers to go and make a mad dash at the last two hundred meters. Their numbers immediately dwindled down to a handful. But with the Knights on the walls, the arrows were unable to do much and even after setting them ablaze, the enchanted armor of the humans stood tall and they started scaling the walls.

“Last wave! Go!”

“May the Saviour bless us!”

The Bishop steps forward in his holy robes, the silvery sword of the man pointed at the capitol and there Knights spreading their angelic wings. Taking off alongside him, the majestic view of the humans on the walls scaling it alongside the flying armored men in holy white armor with there Holiness the Bishop himself only in his glistening white cassock going for the roofs of the towers and walls was disturbed by the return of the four winged Dragon. Its stoney white skin is still perfect and untouchable as it crashes through the central gates of the Vampire’s walls and lands in the middle of the city.

“Come to all those who dares! Challenge me more so that I may become worthy of the fire of Dragonoth! Send more of those Crimson Knights! I shall bury them with my mighty flames!”

From the dust, citizens of the Vampire Kingdom look in awe of the giant dragon, taller than their buildings and walls. The massive majestic creature with its gleaming white horns and golden eyes looked more of an alien not of this world. Dazzling everyone to the point of forgetting the destruction it bought, the Dragon roars. Prompting the Wyverns to break their guard duty and fly straight to the cityscape alongside the 3rd wave of the attack.

“Finally! The enemy's defense has been broken! Everyone! CHARGE!”

General Mar who has already changed cover multiple times runs to the open plains as the screams of over a hundred thousand and more people join together in the valiant assault against the eternal Kingdom. On the defensive wall, King Charles makes a grin as Queen Elizabeth sits down and drinks tea.

“Do it now.”

Marioleone walks over the plains, seeing the devastation as the guts and blood of his men lay dead on the ground. A glint of shine then hits him and he walks over to it. The seemingly normal soil with blood on top of it had a foundation underneath it. With his sabatons, the man swipes at it and it reveals a circular shrine hidden by the dirt, with all sorts of engravings. His eyes widen at the sight, and takes his magic ball.

“EVERYONE! INSIDE NOW!”

“Inside?!”

The Commanders, all confused by the order, are shocked as lightning hits the ground and a bluish fire sets the plains ablaze and claws of blackened creatures from the beyond rise from below. “INSIDE NOW! FORCE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE VAMPIRES! THE REMAINING KNIGHTS TO BE WITH ME OUTSIDE AND DELAY THEM! CUT DOWN THE NUMBERS OF THE DEMONS!” with their long aerials and eight eyes, and mangled bodies with multiple limbs, the creatures started lunging at everyone while in the middle of it all, Magnus and the Vampire Noble we're still fighting. With the Dragon not even scratched by the Noble, clearly wounded by the holy sword.

“What devilish plan. I should’ve expected much from your kind.”

“Heh, we did it though. We delayed you enough and forced you to move.”

“You win. For now.”

The Vampire man retreats as he leaves the Dragon to fight the Demons, and the Noble punches one that tries to bite it. Completely shattering the head of the Demon as he jumped back to the walls to watch the chaos below. The monstrous creatures were numerous in their numbers, and the main Castle and the four huge towers gleaming a violent color. The Praeministrator looks at it and breathes fire at one. Melting the tower completely, and in an instant effect. A portion of the cold bluish flames on the plains that surround the city weakens. “Ah, Ancient Magic of the Devilish God. I should’ve known.” he then starts walking through the city just to be punched by a Vampire with golden bat wings.

With the strength of something far beyond that of a normal one, he takes a gander at who punched him and it was the King himself. The state of the Dragon dwarfs the handsome blonde King. He suddenly plops to the ground as Crimson Knights with warhammers and the Queen scales his spines while keeping the other Wyverns busy with her reserves, battling them in the air. The Warhammers slowly chipped away at his skin and the exterior of his spine. Seeing the situation, circles appear to the top of the three remaining towers and the King disappears suddenly and lasers once again appear from the skies.

In its trajectory, entire houses with their foundations are thrown, completely stopping the destruction of the towers. The Praeminsitrator opens his mouth and lets off a massive trail of fire. “Hey! Stop that! You are an imbecile of a Lizard! I’ve just had that castle built!” Elizabeth runs to the head and with her heels, she stomps and the Dragon quickly roars and shakes his head to throw off the Purebred Vampire on top of him.

Back at the plains, General Mar goes into his knees. Surrounded by dead Demons twice his height and his entire ensemble full of purple blood. He could see the head of the Praeministrator from the top of the walls as Vampires fight Humans, and Humans fight Vampires while battling the Demons that were easily scaling the walls without problem. Running to the top in mere seconds with their sharp nails. The Knights defending him were a mix from Gareth, James and of the Holy See. All of them flimsy swinging their sword from how tired they were but kept on fighting, defending their general.

He once again checks his magic ball as he rests his back on the head of a Demon. Its eyes closed as it bled from its mouth. “Retreat. Everyone! Retreat!” A massive roar then follows and the Wyverns burn the scales of the Praeministrator, forcing the Crimson Knights and the Queen to jump off as he takes off and lands on the plains outside, flapping his wings to force off the Demons from getting closer. The Dragon lowers his head on the wall. Letting the remaining soldiers to get into his back while the other Wyverns started sweeping parts of the wall that was full of Vampires, letting the humans get on their leader.

His message of retreat could be heard by the soldiers, from the fallen hands of their commanders who the Vampires gave special attention to in killing first.

“General Mar! We must get you onto Servius!”

“Not until we’ve done a sweep! Pick up everyone that is wounded, check the walls first!”

He regains some stamina and they run to the walls under the cover of the Wyverns from Gareth and James. There under the piles of bodies were some still alive. He picks them up alongside the Knights taking whoever they can as a Wyvern wearing blue armor lands next to them.

“General Mar, I apologize for the defeat. King James will not be happy with this news.”

“Worry not Dragon! We shall return in the future!”

With his wings down and they start putting those who can still live or have a chance up into the Dragon’s back as the Holy Knights heals whoever they can. Soon, a massive golden magic circle appears on top of them. The Bishop surrounded by the Demons casts a massive AoE healing magic, but the effects also help the modern Vampires and the wounded people. Springing many of them back to life as the Demons burned with the healing.

The opening was enough to fetch the survivors and General Mar runs to the Wyvern but multiple Vampire Nobles land on him. Without effort, they kill the Knights leaving him alone. “GO! I’LL FEND THEM OFF!” The Wyvern nods. “You shall be remembered, General Marioleone! Your name entombed by the Dragons for your courage and heroism in battle!” The Dragon takes off with piles of wounded bodies on top of him as he roars and the Praeministrator lifts his head and extends his wings. With the Bishop being the last to get inside.

Retreating far into the horizon, the purple flames on the plains disappear as if the tap was turned off just like that. General Mar stands up, the last human in the region as he is surrounded by the handsome Nobles with their ragged noble uniforms and luxurious outfits. Letting their Knights clean up the Demons as many were busy eating the corpses of the humans that littered the grass. He gathers what remains of his strength and tries to swing his sword at the Vampires. Only to be laughed at as they dodged him without effort. He removes his monocle and grips his sword, changing his stance. A burst of fire and flames then came, as lightning struck around him. But the laughing didn’t stop, the Nobles stood in place as they regenerated without care.

It then stops completely and walking through them was the Queen, in all her beauty. The blonde woman looks at him with a stare that could kill. Her mascara and eye shadow just makes it worse as it accentuates her eyes and the leer of the dangerous woman. Making the human general feel the complete weight of the power that’s before him.

She extends her hands as he drops to the ground. Letting go of his sword, the flames and lightning completely stops. “If you're going to kill me, do it fast.” her hands then open, revealing her gloved palm.

“Nay, I want you to become one of us.”

“Hah, kill me now. I won’t ever become a Vampire.”

“That is not a choice but an order. I shall give you two avenues to your vampirism. Either you do it the easy way and I’ll give you a pint of my blood with water, or I’ll have the Nobles here to bite you painfully. You have half a chance to survive with that method if you power through the pain and your body is strong enough to survive so many bites at once.”

The man just laughs at her and the Queen scoffs and flicks her finger. The Nobles tearing into the man's neck and hand. But he fights back, standing up bleeding and his armor bent, scratched, and thorn. “Hah… hah… hah… as if this will kill me!” he lunges at the Queen, but she just appears behind him, completely tearing off his Knight armor and biting into his neck. Her fangs dig deep into it and he collapses completely, the Nobles watching as the long blonde hair of the woman hides the bloodsucking right before them with her hand. Like a woman politely covering her mouth as she ate her food.

“And that’s how he turned to my first thrall, My Lord and the Kingdoms greatest asset for the next two to three thousand years.”

“I’m surprised he lived. Though he did fight Demons like it was nothing. So I guess he was strong enough to become a Vampire after all that hellish biting.”

“Hm. He was a strong man and Vampirism saw him as worthy to become one, My Lord.”

“Geez, it's like everyone here has some super insane backstory to even the ones in the paintings. He isn’t dead right?”

“Nay, he had drank far too much blood to even be killed by the Hero. I do wonder where he is now.”

“Wait, his body is not in the Kingdom?”

“No My Lord. If it was, it’d be displayed somewhere or a monument named after him.”

“Oh Christ, that seems to be a problem.”

Two Nobles appear from the balcony and the Butler screams at the room.

“Next!”

“Alright, show time. Nice story though.”

“Mhm. Good luck, My Lord.”

There on the balcony he once again meets the King of the Vampires. Ever so flamboyant and luxurious. Flaunting his wealth and power to all, the High Elves who were first in the queue looked down on the human man as they passed him. Scoffing off the inferior creature as they went on their way.

Sitting down once again, the King turns on the silencing field and relaxes himself even more. Lowering the angle of his seat.

“So, General Jackson. Good to see you all fit and fiddle. Seems that you’ve had a good night’s sleep.”

“Oh yea, I did. I mean, yes your majesty. I had an incredible sleep yesterday. It was… very eventful to make it short.

“Really? Hm, you do seem more… experienced and your scent is far more different than it was. So, had you considered it's time to call for a Court Meeting and see if the Houses will agree to your Leader's proposal of absolute Neutrality? Or would you have me wait longer?”

“Wait, this fast, your majesty?”

“I’ve heard rumors of Duchess Morgana sharing a Cake with you, correct? That already says enough. Not even the words of the other Lords can stop you now with the Duchess of the Stars behind you.” He then looks over to Bahamut, and smirks.

“R-Rumors really get around… it's scary.”

“It’s merely the duty of the King to know the affairs happening within the Kingdom. Most of all someone like Lady Morgana. I’m surprised she’s impressed by you enough to share a cake. Do you know how intimate that was? And to do it in public with a human. Just what are you… General Jackson.”

“I just talked to her though, I guess something I said really impressed her enough. Your majesty.”

“Hmmmm… and how long do you plan on making us wait? I have other affairs to go through, including the impending Demon horde that is surely upon us.”

“I feel like we must wait a bit more. Maybe next year? The people will have to settle first with the fact.”

“Next year? May I remind you that you're human. We Vampires could wait for millennials if you so wish, but next year? That’s awfully long for you humans.”

“Well, by next year, I mean the first week of the first month, your majesty. Since this year is already coming to a close. I’m more than willing to wait till everyone has acclimated themselves to the future and I also have to tend to other duties about that.”

“You’ve gotten better with your words General… and for such a short amount of time too. You had indeed learned something. I’ll agree to it, but I would also like you to consider a fallback route if by chance that the Duchess’ influence is not enough to sway the Houses to your favor.”

“Of course your majesty.”

“If the Houses do not agree, I may be able to perform some political moves. Of course, it will hurt my name and status, but it should be enough to win the favors of the Houses and have our Neutrality locked.”

“And what would that be, your majesty?”

“I want you to use your weapons and help us vampires expand out even more. You’ve already helped us in cleaning more… undesirable of the Demonkin but we’d like to take it a step further. With this, the Houses themselves won’t be able to deny your help and power and see you as equals.”

“Exactly where are you taking this, your majesty?”

“Help us expand our territory for about ten to thirty cessels in some parts.”

“Your majesty, I cannot simply act on the whim and tell the skeletons to do this. There will be a long line of bureaucratic and political agreements first before combat action must be taken.”

“Really? Even after your entire debacle of sieging the Three Rivers Fortress City? Or how you murdered your way to the borders of Vitas? I believe no political actions happened there and it was merely your officers performing onsite movements.”

“I believe you're mistaken, your majesty. At extreme times, we do indeed have to move things on our own. But to prevent the collapse of the chain of command, that is only for the most extreme of things and everything else must be decided by the state and only the state. That also includes the long convoluted paperwork and the trail of loops and turns it has to get before the order or request could be carried out. A joint operation of this size could mean months of preparation beforehand.”

“You’ve gotten very good, General. We shall see next year… or next week to be exact.”

“Of course. Your majesty.”

“And would you be coming to the Year End Masquerade party? It’s the first one to have the High Elves and Humans as members.”

“Uhm… if I’m invited I guess…”

Alana then taps his right shoulder. Whispering into his aer.

“Do not worry M’Lord. I’ll have an invitation from the Dreyfus family and they will allow me to take you and Bahamut.”

“Eh? Bahamut? Are you sure?”

Behind them, outside the silencing field was the Dragon God getting pampered, everything she asks. The servants would deliver some of the Dukes and Counts with the King's personal entourage trying to snare her with expensive gifts and elegantly prepared food. But she’d growl at them like a predator as she stuffed her mouth with the snacks.

“...Just be sure to keep her near you at all times.”

“Alright, alight.”

He then looks at the King, with a big smile.

“Of course! I’ll be looking forward to my first vampire party. I’m actually very curious with how you folks do it as I’ve heard a lot of stories. Some would even last days from what I remember.”

“Bwahahaha! You know how to please me. Let me tell you, when I was with Queen Elizabeth, the parties would last for three weeks at least! She was really into partying at her massive personal castle!”

“She did that?”

“Oh goodness, the debauchery and endless sins that were committed behind those castle walls as her mental health declined was on a whole other world!”

“W-Wow. Impressive, very impressive.”

“You should visit it, if the locals hadn’t turned it into the foundation left. It’s open to the public but people would rather not visit it as they’re afraid of her power.”

“I’ll keep that in mind then. Thank you for your time, your majesty.”

He then closes the Silencing Field and once again gives his thanks to Bahamut, and gives her tribute in the form of some Muffins with Jewelry. In the hallway, the General stops and takes a massive breather.

“M’Lord, you did amazing.”

“I didn’t know a man could exude so much authority. I nearly fell for his trap there, he made a lot of sense with how we’ve been moving things since the start… goodness.”

“What’s important here M’Lord is that you showed him, even though you are human. You proved to be of equal footing in negotiations. All that is missing now is the decision of the Houses.”

“Not only that, we have to at least do something with that Dragon Courier thing since that’s the biggest puller here. Let’s go to the site immediately and I’ll see if I can help with its construction.”

At the sight of the tower being built, the General is surprised that the vampires had already finished the foundation and had started the first floor already and its near completion. The Elven and Human slaves were more regulated to pushing and doing the final touches while the vastly strong vampires were carrying the heavy bricks and concrete blocks and placing them with extreme precision.

“Do I really need to send heavy equipment? Seems that you guys already got it handed.”

“Heheheh. M’Lord, this is how we do it here. We do not need much of anything else other than our bare hands.”

“It’s impressive, pretty damn impressive. I guess what we have to do next is check with the Diplomats and see if they need anything or need help with. Finish this once and for all…”

“And what about the Queen?”

“Hm? She seems to be sleeping nicely inside my jacket. Why?”

“No, I mean. What role will she play in this entire thing? M’Lord, your higher ups allowed her to be bought here and lifted the many restrictions in using her name and power. I’m sure as a General, you see it too.”

With a grin, and his hands on the sides of his stomach, the General proudly stood in front of Alana as Bahamut just stared at her Master with a blank expression. Knowing he's having another moment.

“Nothing. She has no role to play, unless we deem it necessary.”

“Oh my. Someone’s gonna get fired.”

“As if, those morons know my worth as a commander. They’d be a fool to fire me if I still produce results. In my world, results are all that matters in the end, no matter the means. Alright, now to check on the Diplomats. I hope there making results.”