Our journey back home was rather uneventful. Though we didn't leave immediately, as we had to canvass the plain in the canyon, along with the caves in the walls. To be honest it was a rather unpleasant experience, seeing as those places stunk to high heavens. But we could work something out concerning that at a latter date. Since there was already a heavily fortified gate that wouldn't be opening anytime soon at the end of the canyon pass, we were not too worried about anything coming from the other side. So all we had to do was reinforce the gate we had built at the entrance of the canyon. After that we all left, at the moment there was no reason to leave anybody at the outpost, and we had enough blood to last everyone at least a month if not more. That should be enough time for the next harvest.
Our journey back to the city was not as fast as our journey here. The atmosphere was a little subdued, due to our losses. To the spectating eyes, our losses we're not so bad seeing as we only lost 17 people out of a thousand three hundred and forty three. But these were still lives lost, the lives of our friends, our brothers. And we all had to go home and tell the people they left behind that they won't be coming back. I've made my peace about soldiers dying under my command, the path that I've chosen has guaranteed that no matter what I do, people will still die for me, by me, and because of me. Knowing and acknowledging that fact did not make me any better. Just powerless.
Queen has been rather subdued, which was good, because I don't think anyone of us could take more of her bloodline purity bull shit. Whatever good will she had fostered with us by helping us fight, had already been washed away by her elite attitude. Maybe she was reconsidering her stance after what was said to her, or maybe she wasn't. But nobody cared anymore, she was a beauty with a dark and rotten heart. I guess the saying was true, beauty was only skin deep.
On our way back to the blue district, Soren had chosen to stay in his lion form, and he insisted I ride him. It was a majestic entrance no doubt, and a rather intimidating one too. Soren was a part of me that I've hardly paidsl any attention to due to how busy I've been. But maybe now, with him being a little closer to me, there would be a chance to grow stronger. I was hoping he could transform into something other than a bike, probably a sports car or something of the sort.
"So Master Kael, what's next?" Revan asked as he came up beside me on his hover board, his sister not far behind. To be honest it was hard transitioning from black and white to Revan and Neva, but they had insisted. They were no longer keepingtheir identities a secret, so they could be addressed by their real names.
Their family has been a closely guarded secret, Ming Bae Ki was not able to get to them, but I find it hard to believe that after all this years she couldn't track down the family of the first vampire, but instead took in his other descendants rather than a direct line from his first son. But this were technicalities I couldn't worry about right now.
"Well Revan, first we go home, bury our dead and heal our wounded. And after that's done. We'll take the green district and the guard tower. I think it's time we kicked them out."
Neva sighed as she bowed her head and asked.
"will the fighting ever end?"
"The fight's only just begun Neva, the war that's coming is way bigger than Shearath. But no one will force you to fight if you don't want to. I'll protect you and your brother none the less."
"Hah! You're so reckless I feel like we're the ones who have to protect you. But either way, we're with you. Until the very end." Revan said, as his sister nodded In agreement.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
TWO DAYS LATER
BLUE DISTRICT
ETHERNALIA LEONIS.
"You should sleep husband, you won't be any good to the people if you're to tired come tomorrow morning."
"You need the rest more than I do, you both do." I replied
"We're stronger than you give us credit for lover boy, even though one of us is a heavily pregnant woman."
I shook my head, and just decided to enjoy the moment. They made everything better, and my perspective clearer. It was true what they said, love made fools out of everybody. I was standing on the central tower of the palace, to be more precise I was sitting on the roof contemplating my next move. While that's a dangerous position to be standing, it was the one place where I could think at the moment. I needed to plan.
"So what's going through your mind, right now." Xaseah asked, after we both helped Asha take a seat beside me.
"I want to send Rhea away, but I want her to take Teluna, Gus and Farina along. Let them go take control of the Cor family assets until we're done here."
"Is that safe? They could be attacked for being vampires." Xaseah said a little worried. But Asha answered.
"Not if Rhea introduces them as her slaves or servants. It's the perfect cover, though I'm sure the council of light would see through it, they're bound by their own laws to keep their nose out of the business of a noble."
"Asha's right Xaseah. We're blind in here, and without knowing what's happening outside, we might not be able to react on time should the council of light decide to take us unawares. I've thought about it a lot, and I think Rhea should go take charge of what she can, and have Farina help her do it. That way she could find some way to help us, or start her own little revolution outside. Make the people more susceptible to a world wherevampires are free and are treated with equal respect and regard."
"There's no guarantee that might work, in fact it seems impossible." Asha said to me.
"I know, but I wanted to make sure I've exhausted every avenue before resorting to war and attacking the green district. The guard tower is in the green district, and the moment we take it down, the council of light would want to retaliate, we will need the people's support to truly win that fight, and that's why Gus is going along. Away from the pit, secrets have more devastating consequences than you would ever expect, especially for people In power. Rhea has to go be a noble, and Gus and Teluna would accompany her as part of her retinue of bodyguards. However that would be a front as Gus would be fishing for information in every noble gathering he finds himself in. I guess you can say we need blackmail material, or just enough incriminating evidence to besmirch the name of the council of light to the people."
"But don't you think it's a little too early for that? We need them here you know?" Xaseah said to me.
"I do, which is why I intend to send them away the day before or after we kill Adein. That's should give them enough time to slip away before the council of light realizes that there's been a revolt."
"So when will this great assault against the green district begin?" Asha asked me.
"In two weeks. Before that, I need to try and break as much of the seals keeping Ming Bae Ki trapped. But I wouldn't be doing that for long either as I would like to train a bit. And find a way to increase my strength before then."
"Well just be careful, and don't be in too much of a hurry. You could make mistakes we can't afford at this point in time. There could be a different way to settle the problem with Adein without excess blood shed though." Asha said to me.
I turned towards her with a look on my face.
"Well I'm listening, what kind method would you suggest." I asked her.
"You can call him out. Adein is not the kind of guy to refuse a challenge, but it can't be a normal fight or you won't be able to draw his attention. You need to have a death match with him, but only if you're absolutely sure you're going to win. Humans might be short lived, but what makes them so dangerous is their rapid and startling ability for growth. A human would have twice the power an elder vampire would have, at just 30 years of age, whereas the vampire has lived for thousands. If you're going to beat him, you'll need more than just brute strength, you'll need to out think him. This method guarantees you a straight shot at Adein, and if you do succeed in bringing him down, then there's a possibility of destabilizing the guards, long enough for you to deliver a blow that's lethal enough to them. Adein dying would affect their moral, but it would also make them angry, so we'll use that anger to trap them."
That was a well thought out plan, it'snot as if something wouldn't go wrong during the process, as with all plans there'sa lot of variables to be considered. But this guarantees the least amount of bloodshed, and a way to trap the guards and make them dance to my very own tune. I guess she's right, she always is. I placed my arms around both their shoulders and said to them.
"I guess it's decided, in two weeks.....I'm going to fight Adein the lover, and it's going to be a battle...….to the death."