21.2
The national tower of the Sovereign.
The sole landmark that signified the collective rule of the six royal families.
Many centuries ago, when the ancient vampires met their destruction in the Great Demon War, vampire society as a whole had crumbled into nothing but mere savages whom slaved away to their unending thirst for blood, killing every and anything that breathed for the sake of feasting. Including their very own kind.
Such a period was known as the Great Culling, where in the short span of 6 months, billions of vampires were murdered by their very own kin.
Had the Great Culling persisted for another month or so, vampires as a species would have become extinct.
While vampire society had collapsed after the Great Demon War, there remained a handful who were descendant of the Ancient Vampires.
Domernig, Hangrabo, Mardedoni, Termezt, Trifellar, and Vulshker.
The six prominent vampires appeared to the brutal society that the vampires had regressed into, restoring order through the invention of Blood Ties, a magic that bounded individual vampires to the progenitors of the royal family.
Vampires who submitted themselves to either of the 6 vampires was granted not only nourishment, but also power that elevated them from mindless beasts that know only to satiate their bloodthirst.
In exchange, they were demanded their absolute servitude.
And such was the very beginning of the Vampire Sovereign.
Under the leadership of the progenitors, the vampires officially formed the royal family, along with the hierarchy system that denoted the importance of each vampire within the sovereign.
Whilst in past, each of the royal families were virtually identical but in name to the other, the Sovereign of today had continued to expand to a point where each of the royal family now held a specific role towards the Sovereign.
For the most parts of the year, the main governance of the Sovereign were left to the Marcedonis, the vampire family responsible for the creation of the Vampire Hierarchy and brought stability to vampire society.
Should the Sovereign require a massive task force, the Marcedoni family would seek the Hangrabos, a vampire family who not only housed many vampires, but also one that organized its members in a military fashion.
It was then up to the vampires in the Trifellar family to be versed in the arts of stealth and cunning, for there was not a major city in the world that the Trifellars had their own in.
From the rumor of the Forth’s appearance, to the Dwarven Kingdom’s resource turmoil, be it internal or external, there was none that escaped the ears of the Trifellar family.
The Domernig vampires specialized in commerce, holding power over each and every development that happens across the Sovereign, making Domernigs to be the most wealthy of all the royal families.
Where the Domernig was incompetent, the Vulshker family made up for it with the sheer intellect and skilled artisans, for they were family who popularized the universal usage of blood magic among vampire kind.
Finally, among the highly competent royal families that immensely contributed to the vampire society were the Termezts.
The Termezt vampires, not only their family were known to be small in size—at most a hundred according to historical records—but they had gained an unspoken notoriety among the other royal families.
Among the six vampires from the ancient days, Termezt Prime was the most elusive of them all.
The vampire was a oddball, often accredited by the other progenitors as unpredictable and uncooperative to the point where the other five had once conspired to revoke his status.
Yet, it was because of Termezt Prime that the vampires from centuries old were able to form the Soverign. The vampires who joined the Termezt family were just as unusual, if not arrogant.
If not for the early Termezts, vampire society would have never survived the Great Culling.
None can deny the value of having the Termezts among vampire society.
To the unbaised, the Termezts were the wild card of the vampires, always there when they were needed, but also there when they weren’t supposed to be.
One could even say that the Termezts were meddlesome in the vampiric affairs of the greater vampire society, to the point of being a horrible nusiance.
Yet, among the six families, the Termezts were the most looked down upon. Had it not for what Termezt Prime did to put an end to the Great Culling, the independent minded Termezts would have been driven off from the Sovereign and killed long before now.
With Ex’car Termezt as the fourth head of the Termezt family. His goal as a Termezt remained the same as it was when Termezt Prime was.
To restore the vampires of their rightful position as apex beings of the world, returning to their roots, to the age where vampires stood above the Higher Races and challenged the power of Gods.
Like Termezt Prime. Ex’car Termezt too, faced the same dilemma as his predecessor.
Seated before him were the five other Ged ranked vampires like him, people who belonged to the pinnacle of the vampiric world, the strongest among the blood suckers.
The head of the royal families.
His eyes narrowed into small slits.
Among the Ged Vampires, Ex’car was the more fearsome of them all, even more so than Hangrabo who commanded armies of vampires.
None of them dared to do oppose him for he bore the name of Termezt.
But should the 5 Ged vampires all decided to turn their hostility at him at once, he would most certainly be defeated in an instant.
Still, Ex’car’s concerns were shadowed by his exhilaration.
Behind him, was Palter Termezt, his Vampire son, and for the first time in the Sovereign, the Termezt family shall have a leverage over the other 5 families.
“Let us begin this adjourned meeting, shall we?” one of the five spoke, gesturing at Ex’car who was before them.
“Certainly so, Nulvith Vulshker. Allow me to formally introduce myself, I am Ex’car Termezt, on behalf of the Termezts I welcome the newly elected 6th head of the Vulshker family into—”
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“Cut your words and get to the point Termezt. You’ve delayed this year’s congregation, by six months,” the vampire beside Nulvith, Dakern Domernig interjected before Ex’car could get a word in.
“Now, now… You’ll have to excuse dear Ex’car here, he delayed our congregation because he has a surprise for us. Don’t you Ex’car?” a sweet female voice rang through the dimly lit room, calming Dakern Domernig as her gaze met Ex’car’s crimson eyes.
“Even you Trifellars are clueless to the Termezt’s secrets, Moriel. That seduction of yours only work on the lowly Lonth.”
Moriel retaliated, “My, my, Taruin, dear. Be careful of what you speak or the next infighting among the Marcedoni family shall leave you without your tongue~”
“IT WAS YOU!!!”
Taruin Marcedoni jumped to his feet, his eyes glowed in gray with a hand raised above his laurels, magic swirling at his palm, ready to attack Moriel Trifellar.
“Calm, down.” The fifth vampire before Ex’car spoke, placing an arm on Taruin. "If she tries anything against you while you are still head of the Marcedonis, I will personally send my men to your aid.”
“I-I…” hearing the vampire’s words, Taruin recoiled, returned to his seat. “I am counting on you, Ledriz.”
“The honor is all mine, Lord Marcedoni,” Ledriz placed a hand across his chest, lowering his own head ever so slightly.
“Tsk! As meddlesome as always, Hangrabo! I hope your recent converts will be as traitorous as you found them,” Moriel Trifellar spat. The pleasant courtesy she gave Ex’car moments ago was now twisted into a horrible scorn befitting a haggard witch.
Marcedoni and Hangrabo have joined forces against Trifellar. Vulshker and Domernig are as close as always. Trifellar seemed to have resorted to gain our favor?
Ex’car smiled as he spoke.
“Yes, I do apologize for the delay, my good Dakern. That is why I brought gifts to all of you. A delicacy that could be found nowhere else. Cultivated by my own kin, back when he was an acolyte.”
To his words, the five heads of the royal vampire family perked, all of them watched Ex’car with the upmost attention.
Compelled by their animalistic desire to feed on blood, the moment a delicacy was brought up in vampire society, even Ged Vampires could not resist the temptation well cultivate blood.
The five gluttonous vampires began salivating at the mere anticipation of blood.
“Palter! Distribute the Seeds of Blood to everyone!”
“Yes, master.”
Palter, who had no spoken a word behind Ex’car nodded before swiftly placing the individual fist sized red orb before the royal family heads. Starting with Hangrabo, Marcedoni, Trifellar, Domernig, and finally Vulshker.
“What you are seeing, are Seeds of Blood, in its decompressed form. It contains the cultivated blood from the most healthy individuals through a timespan of decades, and most importantly, made of human blood—”
Slurp! Chomp! Smack! Gobble! Crunch!
Before Ex’car could finish explaining, the five vampires feasted on the vermillion orbs of blood, whatever dignity these Ged ranked vampires held disappeared when human blood was presented before them.
Among vampires, human blood was the most favored due to the blood suckers’ ancient history with mankind. Some claimed it was the blood content, others liked the iron taste that came with it, and even more attest to the richness of texture of human blood.
The cities in Pardlorn held constant sales of human blood, but like wine, the quality of human blood differed. Akin to a poorly manufactured wine could cause blindness to one, poor quality human blood would drive vampires into a state of blood frenzy that they could never recover from.
And when it came to vampires of the highest status like Ged Vampires, quality human blood befitting of their diet was almost difficult to get a hold of. Vampires like them, had refined tastes, specific way they preferred their human blood.
But before the Seeds of Blood. All 5 Ged Vampires could not resist.
No doubt, Ex’car’s Seeds of Blood were refined in quality that even the most wealthy from the Domernig family gave in to the pure essence that the Seeds of Blood held.
Like starving dogs, the royal families lost all control to their desires, like the mindless beasts they were.
It was Ex’car Termezt’s victory.
Amidst it all, he caught a glimpse of his son, Palter’s repulsed expression towards the five Ged vampires.
Nothing else could delight Ex’car even more.
To his vampire son’s knowledge, Ged vampires were pinnacle of all vampire kind, they were perfection incarnate. Whatever the Ged vampires said or ordered were treated as gospel. And in many cases among the Lonth and Knuf vampires, the Ged Vampires were deemed as deities that protected all vampire kind.
Yet, with the simplest of temptations granted to them by Ex’car Termezt, these Ged vampires were reduced to creatures driven by their blood craving instincts. All their higher sense of reasoning, experience, intelligence was cast aside for something as trivial as a snack.
Palter, in his revelation, only closed his eyes and lowered his head to Ex’car.
Their desires blind them to their own demise. Palter, this is why we Termezt are different. Few we are, yet our power stems above them, we need not the numbers, nor the approval of the weak, for by our own merit, we are the perfect vampires that His Evergrace sought to cultivate.
“Ex’car…” Dakern Domernig spoke with crimson liquid dripping from his lips. “This vampire attendant you’ve brought today…”
“That’s true, I have not seen his face on the Huza candidate list, where have you fetched this…child?” Moriel piped, squinting . “There were no Itex in your family last I remembered Ex’car, how is this child…
“Ah, yes. Onto the purpose for today’s congregation. Allow me to introduce to you to Palter Termezt, my vampire son of the Huza rank!”
Swoosh!
Far faster than of the rest could blink, an arm shot out from Dakern Domernig’s shadow, grabbed Palter by the neck, lifted him into the air as another shadowy arm came shot at Ex’car.
Without flinching at Domernig’s attempt, Ex’car titled his body sideways, causing the shadow arm to miss his white coat by an inch.
Shroom!
Having missed him, the shadow arm made a nimble turn, what was the rounded fingers of the arm, now turned into sharpened claws, making its way back to the target it missed.
Ex’car jumped at where he stood, vanishing from the Ged vampire’s sight.
And reappeared behind Ledriz Hangrabo.
The shadow arm adjusted its trajectory to Ex’car once more. This time, in far greater speed that none could see.
Ex’car lowered his body to match Ledriz who was still seated, and instead of colliding with him head on, the shadow claws that were aiming for his neck moments ago was now going to plunge into Ledriz’s chest.
“Enough!!!”
An orange glow appeared to Nulvith Vulshker’s eyes, the youngest Ged vampire slammed the roundtable, halting the moving shadow claws in mid-air as chains made of orange aura appeared around Dakern’s body, constricting the vampire to where he stood.
…
…
…
“What are you doing! We agreed to no violence!” Nulvith looked at Dakern’s black eyes.
“I-I…” Dakern stuttered, shaking his head as though he was confused, but not a moment sooner, the vampire’s usual gaze returned, along with it, a newly formed scorn. “What do you know, youngling? You have no idea what Termezt did! H-he…made that thing his vampire son!!!”
Trifellar chimmed in, “What Termezt does is none of our business, on what basis does Domernig have the right to attack—”
Taruin Marcedoni placed his fingertips together, “Palter Termezt is not vampire bred, Moriel. I don’t suppose I have to point that out to a Trifellar?”
“So, what if he isn’t pure vampire!” Moriel spat. “If Ex’car gave Palter his blood, it explains why the sudden jump in the hierarchy, this is outrageous—”
“Palter Termezt never had a single drop of vampire blood in him. Ex’car turned him. Ex’car Termezt, who belonged to the family that forbade conversion of other species into vampires broke the rule that his forefathers had in place.”
“What!?” this time, it was Ledriz Hangrabo who jumped from his seat. “Termezt!!! What have you done!?”
“What was necessary. I understand the repercussions, that is why, the Seeds of Blood were graciously given to you all. I assure you, not only your desire for human blood will be satiated until next winter, but you would find your abilities enhanced as though you received His Evergrace’s blood.”
“Don’t screw with me, Termezt!!!” Ledriz turned and lifted Ex’car by the neck off the ground, his vermillion eyes trembling as he met Termezt’s. “You think this will appease me!? Your little bribe won’t hide the fact that the pathetic creature you call your vampire son is an inferior being—”
“Six Itex assassins, four Juko defenders, ten Lonth escorts, and three Huza.” Palter, still clutched by Dakern’s shadow hand spoke. “Please check in with your underlings. Lord Hangrabo, Marcedoni, Domernig.”
“I...” with wavering eyes, Taruin Marcedoni turned to his two fellow Ged vampires.
“Bullshit! How could you have—”
Before Dakern could finish, Hangrabo silenced him with a raise of his palm, quickly, he placed two fingers along his ear, utilizing [Message] to contact the vampires that he had stationed.
Hangrabo’s face contorted into a series of hideous wrinkles.
“What’s going on?!” Nulvith spoke, looking to Moriel before turning to Ex’car whose smile had yet to leave his fair devilish face.
“Fret not, my Lords. I merely incapacitated them,” Palter answered with a smile as Dakern’s shadow hand lowered him, shaking from the realization of Palter Termezt’s prowess.
“T-Termezt, h-how…how c-can a m-mere H-Huza like him…”
Unfurling Ledriz Hangrabos’ fingers along his neck, Ex’car gently let himself to the ground, adjusting his collar before moving back to his seat.
“As I have said. Palter Termezt is my Vampire son, such is the result of his training under my wing. It matters not what his origins stem from, what you see here, is the true heir to the Termezt family. My most trusted, and my most capable. I brought him here to justify what I have done, and to seek forgiveness for my transgressions upon the very law that is set by my forefathers.”
The law that your families forced my Vampire Grandfather to agree to.
When compared to Ged Vampires like the six currently in this room, Palter Termezt, whose power far surpassed other Huza vampires of his own hierarchy was a merely one tenth of theirs.
Even if Palter could never hold the same powers as a Ged vampire, his abilities and mastery over his blood hunger had hone him, sharpened his skills far beyond a Huza vampire, making him almost equal to the few Huza vampires who had fallen from Ged rank among the other families—usually a result of infighting and succession.
The fact a Huza vampire could achieve one tenth power of a Ged vampire was unfathomable. For the it was common knowledge that a Huza vampire that is one hierarchy below should only amount to 100 to 1 of the power of a Ged vampire.
“Make no mistake, I am willing to stake my own life to for my Vampire Son’s existence in our great Sovereign.”