The old wooden coffin was reinstated to the back of the battalion to be looked after by the attendant of their lords. The Redberg chiefs enjoined their men to take motivation to avoid retreat or they become captive to their vicious opposer. The Islander could see that the Redberg armies were scheming on overpowering them with an enormous assault of their whole armed battalions, comprising further reinforcements. It was a record of almost two hundred monster knight men. So, in acknowledgment, Islander called up every man in reserve to dispute that bombardment with close to two hundred of their own. In doing so, the Islanders called away from the whole regiment that sheltered the wooden coffin of the vampire in its own tent, leaving it and its league of five lords entirely unprotected at the rear of the troop.Cornelius and Darwin had found a hiding niche near there the night before when they explored the troop's activities. As soon as the battalions were immersed in battle, all awarene
Near the auction houseDressed only in her decent chemise, a classic brown nightgown of low-quality wool fabric, which provides a flowing and flattering look with a frill at the neckline, Diana and Jenna hid behind a haystack in the midnight darkness. Inside a little cottage on the backside of the auction house, just a pebble’s throw away, the men from Winterberg Village were torturing someone. A young woman's screams echoed across the farm’s meadow.“Please, sirs! I speak the truth! I am not a witch.” The young woman let out a shriek, high and hideous. Diana couldn’t see what the villager's raiders were doing to her inside the cottage, but she’d sighted the blades in their hands a minute ago when the men came parading down the road."Don't you bloody intervene, Diana. We don't know about these people, and Tommy won't be happy.""Jenna, I just couldn't watch them hurting that poor woman. We need to help her.""Wait, I'll call Tommy. Stay here and wait for us to return. Don't make any d
Redberg VillageAfter the banquet, Andrew went to his chamber in Camellana villa. He tried to clear his head as he woke. The old woman kept asking him why he didn't find a nice girl and make his own bloodline of a powerful vampire. He wants some, but hasn't found a woman he can get along with. His mate. Whoever or wherever she may be. When sleep covered his headache Andrew succumbed to the lull of nothingness.Dreaming.He was so thirsty! His throat hurts, and he feels so hot and uncomfortable. With that thought, He opened his eyes.'Why am I naked and lying on the sand? Why am I at the base of a cliff?' He asked himself? Anxious and confused at the same time.It was completely upright, possibly forty or fifty metres high. 'Where on earth am I?' Did he fall and hit his head? Or was he rock climbing again, and on earth was he naked?In a while, Andrew sat up, then slowly stood. It didn't feel like he was injured at all; after all, who could have endured him? He was a predator and never
I carefully used a sharp edge of the broken bottle to gut the snake and remove the head. I peeled the bark off the sticks. It was very dry. Good! I shredded the bark up, and put it in a small pile, with the smallest sticks nearby.I used a piece of the broken bottle as a lens, and tried to get the bark hot, like a kid cooking bugs with a magnifying glass.I held the glass a long time, until my hand started to cramp up. I felt the bark. A small piece was hot, but nowhere close to igniting. There were no signs of smoke. I held the glass for at least an hour, but it just didn't work.I didn't have any string to make a bow drill fire. I had heard there were ways to just rub sticks together to make fire, but didn't know the details. I hadn't seen any flint around, and I had no metal to use it with anyway.I guess it was a raw snake, or nothing. But wait! Maybe I could slice it thin and dry it in the sun? It was worth a try! By the time I had it sliced in long, thin strips and set them on a
In the morning, Andrew awakens to a different place, the stone wall and the cliff was gone. At dawn again, Andrew wakes up with more turmoil than ever, he knew he was dreaming but how could such a thing happen to him? And now with another dream.He knew for sure he was scheduled to converse with the serfs over breakfast. He had organized a plan with the livery the night before for the rental of two carriages to borrow through the coming week. He had a terrible lot of welfare to transport around. The little boy and he packed their riding tack into one of the buggies first thing in the morning and headed out to breakfast with their recent group of hopefully exchangeable serfs.He said hopefully because there were no assurances that all of them would be able to break themselves out of a lifetime of habits or the fictitious insurance of the world they'd always lived in. A few of these people would be like lifers finally discharged from jail, only to find a world they weren't ready to cope
Later, Andrew went to the old woman's family tent. He needed to have another discussion about what he had bought into.An agreeable, forbearing lifestyle might be somewhere in his future but that somewhere certainly wasn't here and now. Confusion was in charge and he was compelled to dance to its tune whether he wanted it or not, though Andrew still got to decide a step here and there. He had a little moment before the feast and he needed to deliver a few messages, which he dictated to Lena.The old woman busied herself with basket-making while Lena and he labored away. Roland was sent off to look for suggestions down at the wharves. Andrew hoped he might wobble across something we could build while he was poking around. It took him a while to clarify to him that he was reimbursing for him to go out and just be interested in anything he came across that looked intriguing.And after depleting his minuscule understanding of the builder's exchange, Andrew got down to composing the messag
She didn't suppress though, rather marveling at how distinct and weird he looked from the others.Andrew looked around to see any residence of the tribes but found none. He was supposed to move inside the wilderness to explore, so he hoisted the woman on his shoulders and hurried inside. After a while, they came upon a small clearing with cabins made of dried hay and the remains of a small bonfire. Instantly they were besieged by insignificant, skinny tattooed dark dwellers with long pikes and daggers. Andrew didn't flinch and held his ground.From somewhere a cry came out. An elder dark man who looked just like the javelin wielders, stepped out, pursued by a small old woman. Both were almost naked and only a small loin cloth covered them. Both were stark naked, except for their conventional tribal wooden jewelry and they yanked the woman from his shoulder and hugged her.They said something to the dark warriors, who violently took Andrew to their central shack, deeper in the wilderne
Diana and her group went further away from the high mountain of Winterberg territory. After another hour they finally appeared from the pine forest. The route ran down a grassroots hill to a broad plateau of farmland. About a hundred fields ahead was an extended chain-link barrier that sprawled at least a mile to the north and west. On the other barrier of the border were meadows and fields of corn stalks, approximately ready for harvest, and broad grasslands flecked with scraping goats and sheep.Way off in the expanse Tommy sighted an enormous brown old shed, a dark silo, and half a dozen simple dwellings of dark native people created in a circle. Behind the farm was massive wilderness. It looked like a tiny agriculture commonhold, the dark people clan with room for twenty or twenty-five people at the most.This wasn’t what they’d expected. They'd assumed the Dark native clan would be more densely inhabited. Strange, Diana glanced at the two spear-wielded patrols, who swiveled their
" I… I've come to realize that things aren't quite as black and white as I've been portraying them to be. I don't need to give up something to become someone else. I'm hoping to gain something more. But as long as you were with me. I don't care anymore, Andrew. My grandpappy can wait. In fact, the tenth century can wait. Right?” She looked at him with a sheepish expression.It took him no time to respond affirmatively. His hands glided down her back to her shoulders as they reached his chamber, then he went down her neck back again. "Yes, my love." The corners of his mouth split into a sensuous smile. "Your grandfather can wait." His words kissed the side of her face. “However, I believe you could push yourself even further. You are powerful Diana. Never hold back yourself. Do whatever is necessary to survive.”“Why? Do you want me to be like you?” She exhaled as his hand became entangled in the buttons on the front of her gown. Slowly giving her goosebumps.“You are really similar to
Diana's heart began to beat again, her lungs began to fill with air, and she took a deep, gasping breath. Slowly, the chill began to melt away from her body, dissipating in the face of the raging river coursing through her, ratcheting up her seer magic a notch. The amazing bliss she felt from his single drop of blood fueled her mind and made her want for more, and she felt like she was drunk on lust. Diana could see everything so clearly now, and at that moment, she wished she could have Andrew with her. Now! Right here, right now!And so she stepped closer, coming to a complete stop in front of Andrew. Then she pushed herself to her toes and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him against her for a long, passionate kiss. In that kiss was the sweetness of passion, a million loving thoughts condensed into a moment. In that kiss were the promise of years and the sweetness of waiting for real love.She then drew back just as fast as she had come. Diana was aware that people were starin
Blanca's cheeks were flushed. "I'll be delighted to comply with my lord's wishes." She kissed his cheek once more as she grinned. It had been a long journey, a long adventure, and she had given up hope that she would ever see Dimitri's smile once more...The ladies with the wine approached them, and Blanca whispered to Dimitri, "This area looks like a battle zone, and I can't wait to taste you again." He halted when Elfar groggily waved the ladies over to them. "How is he going to get it ready for a celebration by tonight?" "He was drunk as hell." Blanca wondered as she waved her hand to Elfar, who reciprocated by waving his hands in their direction."The stubbornness of Elfar should never be underestimated. He was more than just a mere wolf. He is my sire demon for a reason.""I get what you're saying. He's just as stubborn as you are!" Blanca spoke with a little smile on her lips as she gave him a sly look. "Don't be concerned. There's no danger of that, my love. My stubbornness wil
Nirvana, on the other hand, smirked and murmured, "I happen to know that you are killing all of the offspring you have spawned through your wicked younger years," Nirvana said with a smirk and a "tsked."Camellana looked at Danny with a guilty expression on her face.Nirvana went on to say, "After all, you are not the only one that has spies." It turned out to be true. Nirvana had covertly dispatched spies across the hamlets in order to gather information about Camellana's plan.Continuing to dig, Nirvana said, "You are gathering military resources for yourselves to take with you, leaving Redberg Village as a shell of its former self, with its great walls as its sole defense. And I'm not sure what the assembly of the knights had expected you to perform, but I'm sure it's something big, something monumentally important. Despite Sulu's self-assurance and bluster, your very situation was dire. Andrew Norton was led here by my spy, and you are well aware that I am probably the only person i
Diana made a shaky motion with her head. Several strands of filth dropped from her hair and landed on the dirt floor. Diana then continued to recount all that had occurred earlier, while the others sat there and sobbed as she spoke. The others were so enraged at the traitors that it was understandable that they were infuriated. Even Anna had been questioned about what had transpired, and she proceeded to tell them about her confrontation with Sulu as well, which elicited a gasp from the audience.The elderly lady was deafeningly silent. Diana recognized that she was just as excellent at concealing her feelings as Lucinda was. In addition to being a charismatic leader, she would also be an excellent commander of their troops, as Anna would be.The following morning, Diana, Danny Nirvana, and Elfar, who had recovered from his wounds, arrived in the Redberg Village, which was close to Camellana's villa. As a result, Knight Leo chose to stay for another day at the witches' new cavern, firs
Elfar had the distinct impression that the ground itself was enraged at them. Massive mountains of loosened rock were falling into the cavern, and the rapid shift of such a large amount of mass was causing the entire area to become unstable. A louder, sharper disturbance could be heard just above their heads, and when Elfar peered up, he noticed fissures appearing in the concrete and stone roof of the tunnel. It was a terrifying sight. Within seconds, the fissures had grown in length and width. Clods of earth spilled out of them, strewing the train rails with their ashes."Run!" Elfar let out a yell. He snatched Anna and Leo's arms once more. "The tunnel is about to collapse! Is it possible for Nirvana to create some gateways, perhaps portals, to allow us all out?" Elfar was the one who inquired."I'm not sure if it's even possible to do so. Lucinda had made certain that her spell was strong enough to prevent anyone from entering or exiting the cavern without her permission. It's not t
Leo and Anna seemed to smile at their successful accomplishment.When they returned to Diana, they saw that she was barely holding her own against Sulu, but Nirvana was on her side as well.But Anna rushes to the other witches who were still battling with the two elders, and the three of them are found dead in the ravine, practically sizzling with the lava, as the enormous beast slowly drops its black tail into the ravine and falls. Along with the witches, of course. Then Anna threw herself at the elders and engaged in combat with the four friends. While Tommy engaged in combat with the four huge goblins that had fallen from the above-ground pit. And Leo rushed to Diana's side to assist her.Although she was backed up against the ravine that encircled Sulu's dais, Diana came close to falling, until the snake plunged into the lava under her feet. Nirvana was well aware that Diana was on the verge of being pushed over the ledge and into the abyss of molten lava below her feet. She didn'
Tommy added, "Oh well, D. I had planned on eating snake BBQ for dinner this evening, but it's not even feasible with that shadow hanging over me. Doesn't it look like a green screen that was used in future movies, D?""Yes, it's some kind of animated fuck of crap! In addition to a pot of giant worm soup. So put an end to your stomach aches and put your wolf fangs on, Tom."Then both of them halted their mind foolish conversation then Sulu's boomed around the niche of the chamber."Your commander Cornelius is a weakling," Sulu howled. "...Cornelius was a softie, but Nirvana here, on the other hand, was astute in assisting me, as were the two other chiefs." The two elders of the Dark Native's coven appeared out of nowhere, causing the witches to gasp in surprise. It took them completely by shock. It's no surprise why Sulu was successful in apprehending Lucinda. "Traitor!" Anna muttered under their collective breath while the rest of the witches stared at the two older leaders with contem
But Sulu is a master at exploiting the relatively weak aspects and outsmarting his stronger opponents. Yet he was livid, and his hands trembled. His fury had such a potent effect on him that if he had stayed that way in front of a human, it would have blinded them. Nevertheless, Diana was not a human. Vampire Seer, the Fated One. She wouldn't be phased with this jerk. She thought to herself.Sulu, on the other hand, flashed a menacing smile and lifted his hands in the air as if invoking his magical abilities. "Arise, my brethren!" he said emphatically.Then unexpectedly, the huge shadow and black barrier started to wiggle and move. To slither towards them. It was not a column that had fallen. It had come to life. And it was now poised to swoop down on Diana's entourage.Meanwhile, Knight Leo vampire knights and Aya's witches were frantically fighting with the Goblin who was waiting at the entrance to the Gathering Hall. It was a bloody battle. With its hammering power, the battering r