Chapter 5

[ A week and 3 days in the past ]

BLOOD FATHER

Most people knew Widows Woods only as the entrance to Blood-Father Kolden's demesne....

What they didn't know was that Widows Woods was also the site of a mass slaughter of human soldiers many ages ago after a treaty between the humans and the vampires had gone bad.

Of course.....that was what earned the forest it's cursed name; Widows Woods.

Kleo, the female vampire who had been on a reconnaissance mission deep in Werekult was now jogging through Widows Woods on her way back to Vamparia to report her findings to Kolden, ruler and master of the vampires.

Kleo upon reaching the gates of Vamparia was stopped by a sentry stationed atop one of the guard towers that stood on both sides of the kingdom's gates.

"Identify yourself this instant or be killed" the guard shouted down to Kleo strongly.

Kleo immediately removed her hood and looked up to the guard tower.

"I'm Kleo, a member of Blood-Father Kolden's Murdelia."

With a slight nod from above, the guard signaled for the gates to be opened.

Kleo walked in briskly to meet with Kolden as she took a glance around the place.

Vamparia was both a home and a fortress in itself.

Built to offer comfort to the members of the vampire community and also constructed in such a way that it could withstand the most vicious of outside attacks, with it's high walls and metal larger-than-life crossbows that were glaring menacingly downwards,

Vamparia was the brainchild of one silently brooding immortal... Kolden the Blood-Father.

All these didn't matter much to Kleo as she marched past parading battalions of vampires, casks of blood being loaded onto wagons to be shipped to the vampire population in the farthest corners of Vamparia.

Kleo upon reaching the Red Room, palace and home of Kolden the Grim, bowed slightly to the statues of long dead warriors that adorned the entrance to the palace.

Kleo then took a deep breath and pushed the doors open.

Kolden the Grim, ruler of Vamparia and master of the Night Walkers who was deeply in thought, opened his eyes to see Kleo as she approached his throne.

"Halt" was the one-worded command he voiced to Kleo and she halted a mere 8 feet away from his throne.

"Kleo. I can see that you're back from your little trip to werewolves territory. Report your findings immediately".

The Blood-Father then stood up from his throne and flexed his shoulders as Kleo began to speak.

"My Lord, it seems like a war might soon be brewing yet again between the Werewolves and humans, their scouts caught a couple of human travellers who had strayed too close to the werewolves side of the border in Burnt Side Forest.

Upon interrogation, the travellers or to be more specific; one of the younger human travellers said that they were there to get a herb he called ACONITE".

Kolden then smiled a little, revealing bloodstained fangs as he whispered "Wolfsbane....my oh my".

Kleo then bowed a little as she continued speaking.

"One of the older werewolves who was summoned by one of the senior werewolves Commander who goes by the name Damon identified it as such".

"My Lord, I believe I see an opportunity with this Damon individual".

Kolden then turned slightly towards one of the braziers burning quietly in one corner of the palace and nodded his head for Kleo to express herself.

Kleo with a slight grin then made her thoughts known to Kolden.

"The Alpha Wolf Lucian doesn't hold Damon in that much of a high regard, he just keeps him around because he's.....for lack of a better word.... efficient as a Commander.

We can capitalize on this gap in trust and sow a seed of malice in the heart of Damon...then watch how our schemes will play out"

Kleo then looked towards the Blood-Father and bowed slightly.

Kolden who at this point was stroking his bare chin while looking into the lit brazier then turned with inhuman speed and rushed up to Kleo and tenderly held her neck to one side while he bared his fangs.

"You've always been my favorite one Kleo, only a mind as brilliant as yours can actually come up with an idea as ingenious as this"

Kleo then gave a hesitant smile and Kolden smiled at her as he let go of her neck.

Kolden who at this point was twirling his fingers in the air while he walked back gracefully to his throne then said to Kleo.

"We'll go ahead with your plan.... we've nothing to lose after all".

Down at an abandoned mine situated just outside of Gorgon Mountains,

a group of men all armed to the teeth with axes, crossbows, silver arrows, iron traps, long swords and broadswords were busy conversing and discussing among themselves until a hooded figure entered into their midst and they all fell silent.

The hooded figure then brought down his hoodie and looked towards the gathered men.

"My brothers in arms, fellow soldiers and fellow warriors.

In times past our race used to glorify the warrior caste.

We were regarded as lords and masters of humanity in our own rights.

Now look at us, since the Great War ended and this silly thing known as peace descended on us..."

He took a deep breath and continued.

" We now spend our time going to the farms and listening to our wives groan about their washings not getting properly dried.... while reports filter in about the werewolves from the East killing and taking our people....must we allow this to continue?!!"

The gathered men angrily chorused "NO"

The person who was whipping up the sentiments of the men then continued.

"Must we sit back and watch while our way of life is being threatened all for the sake of an old lazy man that sits on the throne of Grenalia and calls himself King!?"

The men rattled their weaponry angrily as they shouted "NO!".

The heavy breathing figure who was addressing the men then continued speaking.

"Then follow me brothers. For I Harold will lead the way to a brighter and better path for the human race.

Never again will we have to endure massacres by the lesser races for the sake of "keeping the peace". Harold said with a sneer in his voice.

The men who at this point had been whipped into a sentimental frenzy were chanting "We are with you, down with the old King!."

Some of the more angrier men on the other side of the room were also shouting "Slaughter the werewolves, down with the lesser races".

With the chanting growing by the minute, Lord-Militia Harold nodded his head slowly and smiled as the men continued screaming their support for him.

Harold then stepped down from the podium from which he had been addressing the men and began to give each and every man a warrior's handshake while he gave some of the more vocal men a bear hug.

After this show of fraternity, Harold then stepped out of the mine and into the dying light of the setting sun.

As he came out, he threw his gaze to where he had kept his horse earlier and saw his son, Josef dutifully keeping watch over both his horse and that of his father's.

Harold then walked down to meet his son with a smile and shaked him.

Josef, while untying the horses from a nearby tree, tried starting a conversation with his father.

"I trust the meeting with the men went as planned judging by how you were grinning from end to end"

Harold who gave off a little laughter then turned to his son while he saddled up on his horse and gave him a playful smack on the back.

"My son, our time has surely come.

The men agreed to follow me through thick and thin. Now all that remains is for you to play your part by marrying Anna.

Once we have the throne of Grenalia firmly under our control, then nothing will be able to stop us from fulfilling our dreams of becoming the dominant race".

With these words, Harold and his son Josef rode at full speed back to Grenalia just before the night finally came.