220 Heart Ache VIII : Council Meeting 2

With that annoying guy out of the way, we could shift our focus to better things. There's quite a lot of things we had to reveal and talk about, and I needed everyone on board. However for some reason the young master of the Inferno bloodline coven has been eerily silent, it was rather strange he's not said anything since this meeting started.

"Do you have something say?" I asked him, and embarrassingly realized that I actually didn't even know his name.

"There's nothing to be said Lord Kael, the Inferno bloodline coven is in agreement with this alliance, and we would also like you to open the gates of your city and extend your aim of education to also cover the futures of our younglings. We don't have much to offer aside from what has been agreed by Bien and Sousa, however we can bring to the table a piece of the map, that can lead us to the ancient city of Idah."

I looked at him and said.

"That map is not as valuable as you think it is, not to me anyway. But it is appreciated either way, there's a lot of vested interest in this city, and this would help set some minds at ease."

He nodded his head and relaxed. He seemed to have been nervous or scared, I couldn't tell which. But if I were in his shoes I'd probably be scared and nervous too; Baeki just proved and showed why she should be feared, and as the most powerful vampire alive, everyone here (except me) would be looking up to her with gazes of reverence and respect. The interim elder from the Bediako coven probably didn't get the memo.

"Our next order of business would be to secure the pit in it's entirety. There's an array somewhere within the dancing caves of Noxis Nyx that's responsible for placing the seals on young vampires once they're born. We have to find it, and destroy it. That way everyone still sealed would be freed, and any children born from now, won't be sealed again. It is imperative we find it, and fast, because as long as that array is still active, there's a possibility that every sealed vampire could be killed by a kill switch from another location. It's the same thing that happened to Malek during the banquet, and I believe that kill switch is placed in every seal. We have to move fast."

They all looked surprised by what I had just said. Even Baeki, but I didn't blame them. The kill switch would have been the most carefully protected and hidden secret of the council of light, because without a doubt, this would have been their failsafe against another vampire war.

So it's now a race against time. A lot of people might start dropping dead any minute from now, and I was not yet strong enough to unseal everyone at once, heck I could only unseal a single person at a time. Rune circles were complex creations and any brute approach to breaking them, would end up in either the weaver dying or the person sealed expiring. Which left us with just the option of finding that array.

"In the mean time, Malek would focus on creating a more secure and faster route, and mode of transportation that would connect all of the districts together.Though usage of such facilities would still cost you, but a price can be discussed at a later date. And next you all have to extensively train your forces and make sure they're all ready for the war that's coming. Also please stay out of the black district."

That's bound to get them riled up, but I didn't really care. This next move of mine was selfish and hypocritical, but to be honest I didn't just come here to play nice and hold hands with these vampires; hoping to walk into the sunset as a happy community. They were going to definitely scheme against, me, hell I'm sure they're already doing so. This was the only way I could hope to keep them in line, and that's by having the monopoly over their feeding.

"What do you mean by that Lord Kael?" Bien asked with her eyes narrowed.

"Indeed what do you mean. The black district has never been claimed, and it's currently the only source of food in the pit, aside from your blood farms." Sousa said.

"Well I don't care if it has been claimed or not, I'm claiming it now! It would be my reward for being responsible for the ousting of the guards and the nefarious influence of the council of light from the pit. If it's food you want, you can pay for it with ores or any other valuables you might acquire. If you need passage through the black district, you can submit a request to Farina, and it would be reviewed by my council in Ethernalia Leonis. If it's approved, an armed escort would be provided for you. But to foster good will, blood would be regularly delivered to your districts each month, the amount would be specific to the current population in your districts, and it would be enough to last each mouth two weeks. If you need more, you'll pay for it. But as an added bonus, all of the children sent to study would be fed and properly taken care of. Now any questions."

BANG!

"What's the meaning of this! Didn't you say you wanted us to work together, if you do this we'll starve!" The young master of the inferno coven yelled.

He visibly deflated when he realized that Baeki was staring at him with the same murderous intent she had used in staring at the interim elder, before she relieved him of both arms. He sat down and held his shoulders as he gave her a wary look. He mumbled a silent apology and kept his head down.

I gave everyone around the table a cursory look, hoping to see if they still had something to say. Baeki wouldn't say anything, this was a plan she was already in on, and even if she didn't know, she's already promised to support whatever decision I decide to take, I just had to have faith in that.

"This might seem cruel, but this is how it's going to be. Until I know that I can trust you. If you choose to fight, I'll destroy you, and build something up on the ashes of your covens. I have an army and the weapons to do so. But to assure you that this wouldn't be a status quo, you can rest assured that it wouldn't be forever. You can think of this as a probation, that's going to last for five years. To a vampire that's nothing, so I expect us to all foster a good relationship with each other over those years, to give us time to mend old wounds. However you must know one thing, I would never allow you people to starve, no matter what! I just want you to pay for your meals if you want to have it in excess, rather than just enough to fill you up. Apart from the monthly deliveries, outposts would be built around the edges of the blue and greed district's boundary, you and any other vampire can purchase blood and blood crops with ores or anything you have that's of value. Is that okay with you?"

I had to give them something. There was no reason for this to get out of hand even though I made it seem like I was strong arming them. They couldn't hunt for blood themselves but rather they had to pay for it. And fortunately for them, they had more than enough of the currency needed to pay for it. I've given them monopoly over the mineral mountain in the mines, they had access to the other prisons, which means they could make contact with Naga, Nephilim and dragons before us, fostering a relationship that would be in their favor. It also meant that should those people come attacking, they're the first one's to get hit.

Maybe this was a little too extreme for me, but at the moment my emotions were far away from me. I needed to be rational about this, and protect my family. It was because I've let myself be led by emotions that I lost two very important people, no more.

Anyone who runs to me for help and refuge, if they're good, I'll help them, I'll save them. But from now on, I'm not going to live my life like I have a responsibility to save everyone in the pit, I live for my people and my city. And if there comes a time when I'm needed, regardless of whatever district I'm needed at, I'll be there.

But until that time comes, I'll be guarding my den from the pack of hyenas that wants it for themselves. I was a wounded lion, and as I am, I wouldn't hesitate to tear throats out to keep my pride safe, regardless of who the enemy is.