Deep into the night, after several months had passed. Revian sat upon his throne deep in meditation, nearly recovered from his wound when suddenly a commotion roused him from his mediating and He went to investigate. He reached the front gate where the guards were dragging someone. Revian said, "Who is this and why is he here?" One of the guards said, "This human thinks he knows one of us here, I say he is a spy and we should end him right here right now." Revian said, "Not so fast, let us see what he knows first. Then we can feed him to the young ones." Bring him to my throne room and we will decide who he really is.

  The guards dragged the man behind them following Revian to the throne room. Once there Revian shut the large metal doors behind them and sat upon his throne. He said, "Guards, leave us and wait outside the door, he will be no challenge for me." The guards dropped the man and left the throne room to do as they had been told. Revian stood up and said, "You come here, to my Kingdom claiming to know us?" The man said, "Yes." His face still hidden under long black matted hair.

  Revian asked, "Who are you stranger?" The man said, "I am a Vampire." He looked up so Revian could see his face and it left him in shock. Revian said in bewilderment, "Ricard?" The man stood up and said, "Yes, it is me old friend." Revian laughed and said, "I will now apoligize for your treatment then, my guards are very suspicious of people nowadays, we are at war once again with the humans." The man, Ricard, said, "That is precisely why I am here Revian. I heard you were gathering all Vampires, and I came as soon as I could. I thought you long since dead until the tales of a new Lord of Lord's spread, and when I heard your name I could not believe it was you."

  Revian said, "I thought you long since dead as well old friend, please..." Revian motioned down a hallway, "... Let us go for a walk." Revian and Ricard talked for a good several hours, when they reached the door to the throne room again. "Do not worry old friend, we will win this time." Revian opened the doors, and the guards asked, "What is to be done with him my Lord?" Revian said, "It has been found he is an ally to us, go get refreshed, and get me Orik." The guards rushed off and soon enough Orik arrived.

  Revian said, "Orik this is an old friend of mine Ricard. Ricard this is my commander Orik." Orik and Ricard greeted each other and they went on talking about the nature of Ricard's visit. Ricard was one of the foremost users of the Old Magic, a powerful force that the world had long since forgotten, even when the first Vampire and Human war erupted. Ricard said, "I have a secret to tell, that no one else alive now knows." Revain asked, "What is is Ricard?" Ricard smiled and said, "I have found it." Orik asked, "Found what?" Ricard said, "Before the end of the war I was tasked by Xeroch to find the source of the Old Magic. I did not find the source as it was not a place, but a person."

  "This person had been taken by a group of Elder Vampires that we thought had been lost since before the war, only one of them survivng. This Vampire in particular was the one that held the key to it all, and he taught me everything he knew. He is somewhere in the Northern mountains in a sanctuary, built millenia ago by the first to populate this land." Revian was caught in his thoughts about the map he took from the Hellatic, one of the Vampires was in the Northern mountains. Revian said, "I know of this Vampire..." He took out the map, "... This Vampire is dead however."

  Ricard laughed and said, "You cannot kill Heron. He has learned the path to true immortality. He is very much alive at that very location. He is far too powerful even to be killed by silver blades. Every curse of our people was taken, and he was given the gift of a god." Revian said, "If this is true then I must find him. Heron was an immensely strong warrior, I knew of him. I did not know him personally however, that was Xeroch mainly. His legion was lost early in the war, I thought they were all dead but it seems they were not. I will go find him."

  Orik said, "That brings me to say we have bad news My Lord." Revian asked, "What news is this Orik?" Orik said, "An army of Humans marches on us once again, their strength has been regained, I might say that is a far more important matter. We need you on the battlefield My Lord." Revian said, "Ricard shall assist you with that, and he is far better to have at the moment than nothing. I will find Heron and I will return with much haste. Ricard, I need you to do what you do best." Ricard said with a dark tone, "I will find great enjoyment in helping destroy a puny army of Humans. We must not waste time, you should Leave immediately. Orik and I will handle this for you, and we will wait for your return."

  Orik and Ricard took their positions atop the wall that faced where their enemy would soon be arriving from. As their troops gathered in their positions, a new strategy he had to develop in order to keep catching the humans offguard. His small attacks as they traveled no longer worked, they were too ready for them. He spoke to Ricard about these tactics and how he had to change them to which Ricard responded, "Maybe do what it is they expect, then hit them where they are not looking." Orik asked, "What do you mean by that?" Ricard explained, "For these small attacks, they would focus on them, as they expect them to happen. So why would you not send a larger force in behind them, while spacing the rest along the path. It would make for the ultimate ambush and they would not expect it, and they won't escape it."

  Orik said, "I will think about this for the future, but for now we mus focus on the task at hand." Ricard replied, "Ah yes. Yet another war for our people to suffer through." Orik said, "This will be the last one, Revian will make sure of that." Ricard said, "He will try to, war has plauged our species since it's birth. It was born in it and it will die in it. That I am certain." Orik and Ricard remained quiet until the night crept in. Through the dense trees where their enemy would come they saw torch light.

  Orik said, "They attack at night? They have never done this before, they must be joking." Ricard asked, "They have never come at night before?" Orik said, "No they have not, this will be an easy victory for us." Ricard said, "They must have something else then, something that makes them bolder than usual. Last time thier night raids were the most terrifying. They had beating drums tha...." Just as he was about to finish his sentence the deep rattle of drums was heard. Ricard said, "Pull your men behind the wall."

  Orik looked at Ricard and said, "Are you mad?" Ricard turned to Orik and said, "I said pull them back. I will deal with this one myself." Orik hesitated for a moment but gave in and called for his men to pull back into the safety of the wall. Orik said, "You better know what your doing." Ricard laughed and said, "I have never been more sure in my life." Ricard began to run forward and he leapt from the wall. He landed with no sound and walked towards the torchlight, and towards his enemy.

  The human soldiers poured out into the open field before the Vampire's stronghold and began to form ranks, the drums grew louder and louder with each passing second. Orik did not realize until Ricard was too far out that he did not have a weapon with him, no way to fight which caused him great concern, this Vampire was mad. Ricard lifted his arms out to the side and began to concentrate. Within seconds the air began to thicken, and dark clouds rolled over head. Soon thunder could be heard, a counter to the drums perhaps.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Suddenly the air around Ricard began to glow a deep blue. A crackling began and soon Ricard was surrounded by what appeared to be lightning. Ricard smiled and started to sprint towards the ranks of the Human army. With each thrust of his hand he sent great jagged bolts of lighting that decimated all it touched. As he did this a fog started to set, covering the entire field but was low enough that Orik could still somewhat see what was going on beneath. Orik watched Ricard, who wielded a power he had not seen before, an unholy power.

  The fog lit up in the dark of the night with terrific flashes of blue light as Ricard struck the army head on. The humans became engrossed by fear as they could not see what was going on, only the crack of thunder and the flash of lightning. The drums stopped and horns were sounded that called for a full retreat but that did not stop Ricard's advance. All the Humans fleed in terror as Ricard dissapated some of the fog so they could see who was the cause of this.

  Ricard was met by one who did not run, a Hellatic. Ricard yelled to him, "I would turn and run if I were you traitor." The Hellatic stood his ground and said nothing. With no warning hundreds of Vampires poured out of the fog, with no sound showing of their advance. This made the Hellatic take a few steps back, and eventually flee as well. Ricard laughed meniacally and shot bolt after bolt into the forest, killing many Humans in the process. As the fog faded, so did the illusion at play dissapear.

  Ricard used the fog to make it seem an army of Vampires were charging when in fact they were not. Once Ricard made sure the army had fully fled he made his way back to the wall, which he jumped back up to Orik with one easy leap. Orik asked, "What was that?" Ricard said, "The power Revian wishes to master as well. He will no doubt become unbeatable with it. It is the meaning of his haste to find The Old One. He taught me this. He is one of the first of our race, and he will win us this war."

  Revian landed outside a massive temple that had long since been overgrown, but he remembered what it had looked like during the prime of his race. The temple used to shine a gleaming white, even in the dead of night. He entered the temple, paying his homage to those that were lost in the great struggles over the millenia since his race first rose from the ashes of darkness. He looked at the many murals depicting battles of Old, and then he saw a new one, one which had not been there before.

  This mural in particular was centered around the last war, and led to a new war. He assumed it was the war they were in now, and there was a single being standing alone on a mountain. This figure had tremendous torrents of lighting erupting from him in every direction, and an inscription near the bottom read, 'Only his true heir can hope to save us all. Only the blood of Dracula can bring an eternal darkness. He will bring us peace.' Revian could not belive what he saw. A voice behind him said, "That mural there is a prophecy young one. That is the one who will lead us to a new age."

  Revian turned to face this voice and he was astonished to see it was Xeroch. Revian said, "Xeroch? But how? You were killed, I saw you die." Xeroch laughed and said, "Yes I am dead Revian. It is this temple, it is because you now are the Lord of Lord's and I would have no other take my place. We have much to talk about but that is for another time. Your host is awaiting, he has been very anxious to meet you." Revian walked down several halls and deep within the temple where he walked into a large room, which used to be their sanctum.

  In the center of the room a massive stone carving of Dracula stood, and everytime Revian saw it he was filled with a sense of pride. He was proud to carry the title of Lord of Lord's. Xeroch appeared from behind it and motioned to a solitary pair of doors, up behind the main stage in the center of the wall. Revian approached it and as he went to open it Xeroch said, "You have exceeded our expectations Revian. You will be a strong leader for our people, and you have been. Make our ancestors proud young one." Xeroch faded away and once again Revian was alone in the temple, or so he thought.

  Revian opened the doors slowly, as he did a light fog poured out and the smell of rain filled the air. He opened the doors all the way and entered the dense fog room. Once he was through the doors, they slammed behind him and a deep voice said to him. "Revian, I have waited for you." Revian asked, "Who are you?" Slowly through the fog Revian could see a dark figure approach him, the figure said, "I am old, very old. I have seen the rise and fall of many of our kingdoms since the one in which I was known had fallen...." The figure stepped into the light where Revian could see him and continued, ".... I am a legend."

  Revian took a step back and gasped at the sight of the figure, he knew this Vampire, he had seen him before. The figure said, "Yes I am who you think. Your questions are too many to be answered in such little time. You are here for one thing, a teaching and nothing more." Revian said, "You could come with me, help fight for our people." The figure said, "Sadly I cannot. This temple is the only thing that binds me to this life. If I leave, I will vanish forever. Come closer to me Lord of Lord's I wish to get a better look at the one who leads my people." Revian stepped forward a few steps and stood still as the figure looked over him, weapons armour, and it even felt like his soul was being searched to Revian.

  The figure said, "You are different than those from the past who came here to learn. You have what they do not." Revian asked, "What might that be?" The figure said, "The blood of an ancient one. The blood of a true Vampire." Revian had thoughts racing through his mind, and questions began to rise but he could not ask them. Was it fear that stopped him, or perhaps because he already knew the answer deep inside himself? He asked, "Who's blood do I have within me elder one?" The figure laughed and said, "You will find that in time young one, you still have much training to do."

  The figure handed Revian a set of rings and said, "These belonged to a long lost bloodline, one in which held the purest of power, fitting their hands and their hands only. Take them, they are your birthright Revian." Revian reached out and took four rings, and he placed them on his fingers. The rings slid on with ease, but they did not fall off when he put his hands to his side, they were a perfect fit. The figure smiled and said, "It is finally time for the world to once again feel my full power, prepare yourself young one, this may hurt."

  As the figure finished his sentence Revian was enveloped in torrents of lightning. He felt a pain he never imagined he could, one worse than any blade of silver could provide, this was true pain. He endured this pain for a long while before the lightning suddenly stopped. Revian sank down to his knees, smoke rising from his body in some places. He looked at his hands and saw his rings were now glowing a deep blue, and they hummed with power. The figure said, "This will help you learn my secret, this will win you the war Revian. Now go, you know what you need to do. Make me proud young one, proud to have you as my heir." The figure faded away, and the fog dissapeared with it leaving Revian kneeling in an empty room within the depths of the temple.

  Confused and left with many unanswered questions Revian made his way back to his kingdom. His mind raced with new knowledge, and it left him astonished he did not know this before. He walked past the large statue of Dracula and ran his hand along it. As his hand glided across it's near smooth surface he felt a humming coming from the statue, and slight vibrations which it gave off. Revian smiled and proceeded to leave the temple. Once he was outside the temple he looked into the nights sky and concentrated.

  He knew what he had to do, deep down he always knew who he was somehow and now it was proved as fact. Revian was a true Lord of Lord's, it was indeed within his blood, and was indeed his birthright. He suddenly shot both of his arms towards the sky and sent massive bolts of lighting into the sky lighting the area for miles around. He stopped after nearly a minute long of doing this, his hands sizzled and smoke rolled off the ground from around him and he began to laugh. He was a new Vampire now, he was as he always was, the heir of Dracula.