"To Major General Harris, Space Command, I am here to report that we have secured the City-State of Salva. Minutemen and the 5th Ranger Battalion have established operational capabilities within the city. The city militia is reoccupying its former positions and giving our troops a rundown of the city layout and defensive positions.
The city is in terrible shape from the First and Second Sieges of Salva. I have requested an order for Army and Space Force engineers to rebuild the city defenses. I understand Major General Taylor Webster has requested additional supplies for the northern flank; however, my phantom drones have found the remains of the enemy forces routed in the recent battle. They have established a containment zone in the East, taking out my recon drones. This proves that the enemy is regrouping, and we have limited time to request priority for rebuilding critical infrastructure in the city of Salve.
As of now, I have deployed three Combat Fire Teams to the nearby villages. However, the enemy took one of my captains during one of these missions. Based on Warrant Officer-1 Rommel King, Second-in-Command of CFT-1 "Comanche," it is believed that he was targeted by an enemy Special Forces unit. The current theory is that the enemy recognized the Captain of that CFT from first contact on Earth and during the Second Battle of Indolass.
Three Minutemen teams are conducting a deep-penetration recon mission to locate and secure Captain Ryder. The British have offered assistance, and one of their teams, "Redcoats," has been attached to the operation. If my teams bear fruit, I have already requested a battalion with the 4th Ivy Headquarters. However, I have given them orders that if they cannot rescue the Captain or find where he is taken for future operational attempts, they fall back within 72 Zulu hours." - Minutemen Colonel William Hackett, Slava Palace
March 11th, 2069 (Military Calendar)
Fortress city of Forlace, Verliance Aristocracy
Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore
*****
Seeing the metal door of the Royal Armory, Assiaya slammed into it as she struggled to slow herself down. Reaching into the upper part of her dress, she pulled out a key, unlocked the armory door, and opened it. Once inside, she slammed the door shut and locked it.
She stepped back and watched the handle turn, knowing it was her Master Kallem. Knowing that would only buy her a few minutes, she panicked and scanned the room until she saw the hanging light chain. Seeing it, she pulled it, and the lights turned on.
A light green glow from the ring of crystal bulbs illuminated the room. What she saw was Kallem's armory. Weapons, armor, and equipment filled the room for her Master and his guard. All the magitech equipment and weapons glowed brightly, but when she found the Altaerrie gear, none of it glowed—as if none of it was influenced by magic.
Seeing all the glowing blue-white raw mana brightness from the equipment gave the slave girl a headache. She closed her eyes and looked away. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes, and everything in the room looked lifeless as the brightness faded, only emitting a slight glow.
Hearing a mighty bang against the armory door, Assiaya knew Kallem was about to burst through. She rushed toward the Altaerrie table and stared at the items there.
"What looks like a weapon?" she asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" the voice replied.
The armory door opened, and a guard entered the room. Behind him, Kallem followed suit. While his facial expression betrayed his anger, the Vampire maintained his physical discipline, refusing to let his emotions take over. When the door was blocked and the Vampire Lord firmly stood in the armory, staring at the slave girl, he said, "Assiaya."
Seeing what looked like a black handheld circiletum, she grabbed it and aimed it toward her Master. To her shock, the handgun was heavy, making it difficult to aim correctly.
She saw her Master's hesitant look, which only lasted momentarily. He was unafraid of the weapon and took a step forward as if he was daring her.
"Put down the weapon. Dragging this out will only lead to harsher consequences."
"No!" Assiaya said, her hands trembling with fear as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I will not let any of you drain me!"
The response left Kallem stunned, but he saw the girl's resolve. He shook his head and approached her calmly.
Seeing no choice, the dual-eyed girl pulled the trigger with the intent to kill her Master. She had seen soldiers fire their circiletum, knowing they were very loud once triggered. To her horror, nothing happened, leaving only silence in the room. She pulled the trigger again and had the same result. Only then did she start to lower the weapon from its weight, staring at her Master with tears flowing from her eyes, terrified of him.
"I will admit, you are brave," Kallem said. "Foolish, but brave. There is much you do not understand."
Realizing that the weapon was not working for some reason, she dropped it and turned to find something else. The Altaerrie equipment looked confusing, as the only thing familiar was the knife. She grabbed the knife handle but dropped it as she was lifted by the back of her servant dress to her Master's eye level, about six feet into the air.
When she turned to face her Master, she saw his anger. Tears flowed down her cheek from the fear of what was to come. Her imagination ran rampant as the slave girl stared into the red eyes that seemed to be looking through her.
Before the Lord of Verliance could speak, the two heard a thump by the door.
Assiaya looked toward the door and saw the guard on the floor with a sword in his back. The Altaerrie man stood in the doorway. He pulled the sword from the corpse and stepped into the open area.
"He came back?"
She had tried to free him. She had failed, and when Kallem came after her, she had run. Yet somehow, the Altaerrie man had come back.
She suddenly dropped and fell hard onto the stone ground. Feeling the pain from the impact, she looked up as her Master entered the open area.
"Ryder. It seems I have underestimated you a second time."
The man entered the armory, blade at the ready as he got into position. "Speak English, you purple princess bastard, and then I could hear your evil villain monologue."
"I shall."
She saw the Altaerrie man react with surprise, as if he were shocked by what Kallem said, which was in the strange human native language. Even she was shocked. The Vampire Lord had been studying his opponent's language.
Ryder gripped his sword and then charged Kallem.
The Vampire Lord, however, stood there unfazed, waiting for the attack. Once the Altaerrie man got within range, he swung the sword. Kallem stepped aside at the last moment, allowing the blade to pass harmlessly by. Ryder recovered quickly and turned, swinging again. The vampire leaned away from the second strike, avoiding it with ease.
"He is not good with a sword," the voice said.
"I can see," Assiaya responded. She watched fearfully as Ryder continued trying to strike her Master. Every attack was avoided with ease. Kallem moved as if he already knew where the blade would be.
The duel stopped momentarily as the two men stood on opposite sides of the armory. Kallem stared confidently, as if he had already concluded that the match was over. To his and Assiaya's confusion, Ryder dropped the sword and retook his position, arms at the ready. This stance also confused the Vampire Lord, as he did not expect the Altaerrie man to fight without a weapon.
Kallem thrust himself forward with his superior speed, raising his fist for a killing blow. When he got within range of Ryder, to the dual-eyed girl's shock, the Altaerrie man caught her Master's arm, redirected the Vampire's momentum, and threw Kallem onto his back against the stone floor.
Ryder was on him before he could recover, driving a well-aimed elbow toward Kallem's throat before following with a sucker punch to the chin. Kallem staggered, but only for a moment. His expression hardened as he planted his foot and drove a side kick into the Altaerrie man with his superior strength, sending Ryder crashing into the wall.
Assiaya was shocked by what she saw. The fight had looked hopeless a moment ago, but Ryder had taken her Master by surprise. While the fight was not over, the two men recovered from their recent attacks and prepared themselves. Ryder looked confident, while her Master looked puzzled by how he had been defeated in that round.
Ryder stepped back to gain some distance, never taking his eyes off his opponent. "Thank you for the sparring lessons," he said.
*****
Mathew Ryder watched as his opponent, Kallem Verliance, stood. Spending the past thirty-six hours sparring with this Vampire, the special forces soldier had used the opportunity to learn everything he could about his opponent's weight, speed, reach, and every other micro-detail needed to face a stronger foe. How strong were these vampires compared to humans from Earth? While the lessons could have been better, he hoped the quick knowledge of vampire physiology would allow him to maximize his Krav Maga skillset.
Still, Ryder knew the longer this brawl went on, the more likely he was to lose to his opponent's raw strength and decades of experience. The Captain had hoped the sword would give him the needed advantage; however, that assumption proved fatal. Going against someone with decades of swordsmanship experience while this was his first time holding a sword was a significant mistake.
The Captain saw his opponent get off a table after being rammed into the wall. When Kallem turned toward a sword hanging against the wall, Ryder became concerned that he would use a melee weapon and end the fight immediately. However, the Vampire Lord looked away from the weapons rack and returned to his fighting position with a smile, choosing not to grab a weapon and shocking Ryder.
Ryder stared at the Vampire's burning red eyes and confident smile, seeing that he enjoyed every minute of this fight. This only confused him, but one thing was clear: this was a personal fight—as if the Vampire Lord was trying to prove something, though Ryder had no idea what. What he did know was that this would be an honorable fight.
While the Comanche Captain considered himself honorable, he wouldn't die on that hill if there were other ways to win, provided they were not immoral. However, while they were in an armory, he had yet to learn how most of the weapons operated. Some looked like firearms, and he was confident he could figure out the mechanics and utilize them properly. He knew that the Vampire Lord would never allow him the opportunity to educate himself on their design at this moment.
He did notice his .45 sidearm on the floor, but he couldn't reach it. He could also tell it was unloaded. The enemy was smart enough to unload his weapons. Besides, Kallem would capitalize on any attempt to load the sidearm. A part of him wanted to ask the girl to hand him his gun and ammunition. However, he had no idea how to communicate his intent, and the last thing he needed was to divide his attention.
The only hope Ryder saw was knocking the Vampire Lord out long enough for him to reload his sidearm and finish the fight. Seeing that Kallem was still showing drowsy effects from whatever poison the girl had given her Master, he hoped this would balance the fight.
Kallem sprinted toward him. Due to the Vampire's superior speed, Ryder could barely react and step out of the way. The Vampire stopped and swung his arm around, knocking him back across the armory as if he had expected him to dodge. Luckily, Ryder stayed on his feet after regaining his balance.
Looking up, his opponent was already on the attack and about to strike. Ryder grabbed the approaching arm and guided it away, using the Vampire's momentum against him. Seeing the opening in Kallem's chest, he attempted to sidekick him in the ribs.
However, Kallem recovered faster than Ryder expected, and his leg was caught. Once the Vampire Lord had him in his grasp, he swung Ryder over and rammed him into the ground.
Feeling nothing but pain from the impact on the hard concrete floor, Ryder saw his opponent preparing to thrust his fist forward for a final strike. He quickly rammed his boot into Kallem's chest, stopping the strike. Seeing that the Vampire Lord was unfocused from the sudden attack, he rolled back onto his feet and brought both hands together, forming them into a single striking surface. He swung them against the Vampire's square head and knocked the Lord onto the ground, leaving a dark mark on his right side.
Seeing his opponent was down, Ryder rushed over and punched him in the head. He went for a second punch, but the Vampire Lord caught it with one hand. Ryder tried to pull back but could not overcome his opponent's raw strength.
"Shit."
With one arm, Kallem thrust Ryder across the room, sending him into the wall. Before he could recover, the Vampire Lord was already within arm's reach. He grabbed Ryder by the shirt, lifted him halfway off the ground, and drove his fist into the Captain's chest.
He felt intense pain and struggled to remain focused, knowing that if he didn't break free, the Vampire Lord would win the fight.
Ryder thrust his right arm toward the Vampire Lord. As intended, his opponent caught his fist but allowed him to swing his other fist into the Vampire's jaw, feeling a fang partially dig into his hand. The sudden attack caught Kallem off guard, causing him to let go.
Free again, Ryder focused on his opponent, knowing this would be his only chance to gain the upper hand. He rushed forward, thrusting his fist into Kallem's neck and temporarily paralyzing the Vampire Lord before grabbing his shoulders and driving his knee into his chest.
Seeing the opening, Ryder went on the offensive, forcing his exhausted muscles to continue attacking. With his opponent reeling from the previous blows, he aimed for what he believed were the vulnerable spots, intending to knock him onto the floor. However, after a couple of blows, the Vampire still stood, covering one eye but staring at Ryder and chuckling.
Ryder, on the other hand, stood there for the next round, drenched in sweat and screaming internally for the fight to end. While he had professional training, Kallem had endurance beyond what this world qualified as professional melee training. Out of defiance, he noticed a small gathering of blood building in his mouth, a sign of his refusal to surrender.
The fight stalled for a moment; Ryder was forced to take deep breaths as he gathered himself. His opponent stood there, also catching his breath. To the Captain's surprise, Kallem had a smile on his face, as if he was enjoying the experience.
But then Ryder saw his opponent's red eyes change. They went from entertainment to bloodlust, as if the Vampire had decided that the match needed to end. Even though he knew the game was drawing to a close, he threw everything he had into the fight while still catching his breath.
The Captain stood and prepared himself again; he didn't want to die on the ground. Kallem looked at him with an approving nod. The Vampire Lord started walking forward without saying a word but suddenly stopped.
Ryder saw his opponent's eyes go from a killer instinct to a droopy, empty shell. The tense square chin relaxed. His posture shifted from that of a well-disciplined warrior to a floppy stance before he dropped onto the floor.
Ryder held his position, baffled by the sight. When Kallem fell unconscious, he saw a silver-gray Kitsune standing there with a syringe in her hand. The Captain realized the woman was the same one who had healed him after the multiple sparring matches with the Vampire Lord, which only confused him more. He did not expect the Head Maid to betray her Master and save him. The woman placed the syringe into a bag before approaching the girl, bypassing him.
Not knowing what was happening, Ryder turned back to the unconscious leader. Noticing his Tomahawk on a bench, he rushed over. The Comanche Captain grabbed the melee weapon, intending to kill the enemy leader before his opponent could wake up. Before he could approach Kallem's body, the same Kitsune got in front of him, blocking the attack.
"Get out of the way!" Ryder said as he breathed heavily.
While he did not know if the Kitsune understood his words, it was clear that she understood his intentions. The woman stood in his way and shook her head.
Feeling conflicted, he was about to push her aside. Still, he noticed the Head Maid trying to communicate using her hands. The Kitsune held one hand over Kallem as if to protect him, while the other pointed toward herself, then toward the door.
Ryder believed that he understood what the woman was trying to say. She would show him the way out if he let the Lord of Verliance live. While part of him wanted to accept the offer, he knew that if he could kill the enemy leader, regardless of his own life, it would be a massive victory for his people.
Wanting to push the Kitsune maid out of the way, he heard a voice beside him. When he turned, he saw the girl with gold-and-blue eyes standing there. She looked terrified as her body shook, waiting to see what happened next.
Seeing the girl's eyes, Ryder knew he couldn't follow through with his plan. It was clear she wanted to get out of there, and regardless of what had transpired over the past few days, he couldn't forgive himself for betraying the girl who had attempted to save his life. The truth was, even if her plan had failed, it had given him the window he needed to break free.
The Captain lowered his melee weapon and acknowledged the offer. The Kitsune started heading toward the door; however, Ryder informed her to wait. He placed the Tomahawk on the bench and quickly connected his Itlian battlesuit around his body. The battlesuit would have been vital if they survived this far deep behind enemy lines. While the Captain could connect all the modules quickly because he had done this for a decade, it took longer than he wanted because of his bruises and sore muscles. This might not have mattered at the barracks, but every second mattered, and the slight delay only increased the risk of being caught.
Voices came from down the hall, meaning they had run out of time. Not seeing his rifle, he decided to make do and grabbed his sidearm, the few visible magazines, and his Tomahawk.
Before approaching the Kitsune, Ryder stopped and extended his hand to the dual-eyed girl as a sign of trust—to her surprise. It seemed the girl was having an internal conversation about what to do; however, she accepted the offer and grabbed his hand, which he held firmly. Knowing they had to move fast and not wanting the girl to fall behind, he would not let her go.
Once exiting the armory, the three ran down the many hallways. Each hallway had a long rug with its own color and design, each representing its path throughout the castle. The sides featured landscape portraits or what looked like historical tales of the country. Small statues of historically significant figures, either full-body or head-only, stood with their names engraved beneath them. The flow of the different types of art was broken by the many kinds of decorative chest armor, each representing a different era. Some were made of iron, then steel—all without any magitech features, like what the knights wore during the Earth Middle Ages. Only in the later stages did the Captain notice magitech and tactile features indicative of more modern designs.
Ryder had to admit that seeing everything and all this history made him jealous. The wealth and expense invested into the decoration were no small task. He hated the Vampire Lord for what he had endured as a prisoner; however, the Captain was forced to respect that Kallem valued his country's history and legacy—something he wished his people valued more.
When the three made a turn, the highly valuable decorations quickly turned into plain white walls with a white rug over the gray stone. While the other section they had been in was for the public and royal types, this section was for the castle's servants. They passed rooms with dozens of bunk beds within them. Others contained laundry, cleaning supplies, and changing rooms.
It had been several minutes since the three left the royal armory. Alarms were going off, and Mathew Ryder was nervous about putting his life in this Kitsune's hands. The Kitsune guided him into one of the female servants' changing rooms.
There were dozens of them in different stages of changing, some naked and others fully dressed. All were dressed like Assiaya: short purple-and-black skirts, puffy shoulder tops, and white-tied lacing that held the maid's clothing together.
The Kitsune spoke to them all in an authoritative tone as they passed. Based on the reactions of all the females in the room, they feared her and backed away. There were many different races, some that he had already encountered, like Kitsunes, Nekos, J'avais, and Farians. However, he had never seen many of them: a bird-like humanoid, a female Nagal, and what looked like a female wolf.
The Kitsune stopped at the door. When she opened it, Ryder saw supplies inside, closer to a large pantry. Thinking he had been tricked, the Captain saw the woman enter and open a hidden door. She then turned to him and waved for him to come inside.
Ryder finally realized that a place like this must have hidden passageways through the castle. The Captain assumed this must be one of the passageways for the maids to get around without being noticed by the public elite.
The two entered the large pantry, and before they entered the passageway, he saw the dual-eyed girl stop and turn to the Kitsune.
The Kitsune knelt and spoke to the girl, which Ryder couldn't understand. The woman looked up at him, then at his hand. Seeing that he was still holding hands with the girl, he saw the first smile he had seen from the woman before she stared at the girl again.
The woman stood and waved them away. Ryder saw the girl go in first and assumed she knew how to navigate the passageway. Before entering, he turned to the Kitsune and gave her a thankful nod—which it seemed the woman understood as a gesture of gratitude.
Feeling the girl pulling his arm, the Captain entered the passageway. He then heard the door close behind him. While the room was dark, a few lights cast light around.
"Alright, kid. Let's get out of here."
*****
With a pounding head, Lord Kallem Verliance heard many voices surrounding him. Everything was dark, and he did not know where he was. Then, his mind regained focus, and the voices became recognizable. A bright light appeared, and then everything became fuzzy. His vision slowly returned.
"My Lord. Are you all right?"
"He is not dead, so of course he is all right—physically, at least. As for his pride, we shall see."
Kallem's vision finished refocusing, and he saw his Head Maid, Roath, tending to his wounds. He then saw his most trusted General, Verlcon Korva, and, to his detriment, the Unity Priestess, Erada.
At first, he was confused about why everyone had gathered around him, but then all the memories came flooding back. His slave had betrayed him for some reason, and he had fought Ryder. While the victory had been honorable against a weaker opponent, it had been robbed by an unknown third party. Someone had poisoned him, allowing the slave girl and Altaerrie man to escape.
"You finally awaken," Verlcon said.
"What is the situation?" Kallem asked as he sat up.
"The prisoner has escaped," Verlcon said. "I am setting up search parties, and a contract has been sent to the local Adventure Guilds."
"Forget the prisoner," Erada said. She walked over and looked down at the Lord of Verliance. "I have learned the only reason this happened was because of your slave. The dual-eye girl, Assiaya."
She stood before him, almost as if she were the Verliance Aristocracy's ruler and not him. Rage surged through Kallem, but he withheld his emotions. The question rattled him as he remembered what had transpired. His slave had drugged him, and he had dueled Captain Ryder. He knew someone had appeared behind him and drugged him.
Seeing that the Priestess noticed his lack of response—a mistake he quickly regretted—he said, "Can you please repeat the question? My mind is still fuzzy."
"You heard what I said," Erada said as she wandered around the room. It was clear that she was in no mood for games. "You have been protecting that little brat since I first arrived, which puzzled me. At first, I assumed you were keeping her around as a trophy because of her pretty eyes, since you reclaimed your ancient lands."
She then stopped and turned to him. "Now tell me. What happened?"
Feeling frustrated but forced to maintain his posture, Kallem stood. "How am I supposed to know? Most likely, the Altaerrie man broke free and took the girl, most likely as a guide home."
"The Altaerrie man took a youthful girl who is barely of childbearing age to be a guide?" Erada said, her tone showing that she was displeased by the answer. "The Council will not be happy with you at this time."
Kallem could tell he had no leverage and struggled to form a proper story to explain these events, so he turned away from the Priestess. He saw Roath preparing medication for the bruises across his body. The Head Maid was skilled at masking her emotions, so she did not listen to conversations openly, and he trusted her more than most of his Generals. However, this time, he could tell her pointed ears were focused on what was being said. This had to be because it concerned one of her maids. However, the Vampire Lord couldn't help but wonder if she knew something more, as this was not typical of her.
When Kallem stood, pushing away his Head Maid, he noticed his most trusted General intelligently standing by the door to prevent anyone from entering, patiently waiting for orders.
"I believe this topic should wait until we capture the prisoners," Verlcon said. "Our Lord was knocked out by an unknown attacker who assisted the prisoner. Once our parties find them—and we shall—they could only go so far. We can discover the truth then."
Hearing his trusted General, Kallem was not pleased with what was said. While he wanted Assiaya and Ryder to return to him, not in the manner his General suggested, it would only shed light on questions he wished to leave in the shadows.
Erada crossed her arms and stared at the General. "When you find them, bring them both to me."
"No," Kallem boldly said.
"I do not care what you say," Erada said. "After today's events, I no longer have to tolerate your stubbornness. I am in charge of the Verliance Aristocracy, and once the Council is informed, you will be lucky to keep your head."
"This is an internal matter," Kallem said. "I will not allow you to—."
"Not allowed?" Erada said. "On what grounds? In recent days, you have allowed a new enemy to gain a beachhead within your territory. You captured an enemy officer and allowed him to escape, all thanks to one of your pet maids. You are in no position."
To Kallem's frustration, he knew the Priestess was correct. The Vampire Lord was operating in the dark and had no idea what was happening. He could not fathom why Assiaya would betray him in such a manner after the level of protection he had granted the girl. Outside of disciplinary threats, he had never harmed her and had made sure everyone knew not to cross him. There was no way Ryder could have influenced the slave girl to betray him in the few encounters they had shared over two days. However, it did not need to make sense.
And what was bothering him was the Priestess. While the woman was angry, it was almost as if she was acting rather than being genuine. Something had happened, but he was outside of current events for once.
"As I said, General," Erada said. "I want the girl. And for you, Kallem, if I were you, I would lock you in your chamber and wait for the Council."
As the Priestess gave orders, she was silenced by the Head Maid.
"Why do you want Assiaya so badly?" Roath asked.
Shocked by the question, Erada stared at the Head Maid as if she were speaking to an insect. The fact that a motuia spoke, regardless of title, was an insult in itself. "Do not speak out of your station, or you will suffer a similar fate."
Roath sharpened her gaze toward Erada, showing that she did not fear the Priestess's threats. For Kallem, he was speechless. In the past twenty years, the customarily disciplined Kitsune had never once spoken out of turn or above her station.
"I will speak in defense of this House," Roath said. "I have seen your tentacles slowly spreading in the shadows. You had taken an interest in Assiaya long ago and had been plotting behind the scenes to undermine this House."
"Bold claims," Erada said. "I am part of the Unity, a Priestess of the Enlightenment. I don't need to play in the shadows."
The response only annoyed Roath. "Except for the fact that you had been playing mind games with my Lord's son. Tricking him into assaulting Assiaya on multiple occasions, against his father's wishes, to the extent of convincing the boy to drain her blood. All in your name."
"Foolish," Erada said. "Blame me because your Master couldn't control his family. For this disgrace, you will be sent to the Temple and punished. In general, take her to the Temple. Since this former Head Maid cares so much about Assiaya, you must have insight. You will speak to the Katra before your death."
A moment of confusion appeared as Verlcon did not move from his position. This angered Erada, who pointed at him and then at the Head Maid. "I gave you a command. Take her, or you are next."
"I only take orders from Lord Verliance," Verlcon said.
"You take orders from your true superiors," Erada said. "Or have you all forgotten what is at stake? The Domain is forever expanding, and childish drama will not stop it. All fall within their Realm, including the little world you call a country. If you want a future, you will appease me and do as commanded. Do I need to remind everyone what has happened to the others who rejected our desires?"
It was hard for Kallem to accept his Head Maid's words. But then everything came into focus. He had no reason not to believe Roath's accusations against the Priestess. If true, Erada had been corrupting his son and everyone else under his nose, and he was too focused on the upcoming war to notice what was happening. The pointless debates, arguing about who was in command and the flow of resources, were all a ploy to keep his mind off the domestic affairs around him.
While Erada had the superior position and knew her threats were not toothless, he noticed a grave mistake. The Lord of Verliance understood that the next few moments would dictate his Empire's future and his House's survival.
"Regardless of what has happened, Roath, you should know better than to accuse one outside your station," Kallem said. "General. Do as commanded."
The order somewhat shocked Verlcon, as he had not expected it. Kallem turned and saw his Head Maid's eyes filled not with disappointment, but regret. He understood why, as the woman always followed a strict code of conduct to stay out of politics, and this was the perfect example.
The General looked slightly surprised and defeated but followed his Lord's orders. He grabbed Roath's arm and started guiding her to the exit.
Seeing that Erada was watching the General, Kallem approached the table with the Altaerrie equipment carefully. Most items were still present, like the long projectile weapon that Ryder called an M31, hanging above the counter. Small circular devices with pins and what looked like a small screen similar to a crystal screen were also there. He noticed some missing items, probably Ryder grabbing what he could in a hurry before fleeing. The Vampire Lord was hoping to find the small axe; however, it was missing. Thankfully, the small, well-refined knife was still sitting at the far edge of the table.
Hearing that Roath had reached the door, Kallem turned and saw the Priestess watching the events, distracted by everything else. While he had underestimated the Kitsune woman's political influence, her one flaw was that she had already assumed she had won this war against his House.
"I do wish to ask," Kallem said as he grabbed the knife handle. "What do you plan to do once you find Assiaya?"
"That is for me and my superiors," Erada said. "You are hiding something, and I will discover the secrets of these lands. The Domain is forever growing and absorbing. Nothing can fight or hide from it. The Unity will find the truth."
At this point, Kallem knew there was no way he could prevent the Unity from taking Assiaya from him if they found her. He had lost this fight and saw no path to convincing Erada otherwise. Either she suspected something or was doing this to humiliate him further. That would only result in more questions, ruining the past six years of effort to keep her hidden from the Council.
With this traitor, there was no doubt he would lose his position as head of the Verliance Aristocracy. Everything he had sacrificed for his family and people would be reduced to ashes, and one of his enemies would take the throne. He knew that would lead to the destruction of their people's history and culture.
Kallem grabbed the knife and approached the Priestess. He noticed that Roath saw his actions and began struggling to make as large a scene as she could. This confused Erada and Verlcon, as the usually strict, disciplined Kitsune acted unhinged.
"How sad," Erada said. "Behind that posture was a scared, shameless pet. I always knew you were putting up an act. I believe it is time for a change within your House. Recent events have brought chaos that you can no longer manage."
"You might be correct," Kallem said.
Noticing the Vampire Lord's shadow, Erada turned to face him. The woman's confident eyes were replaced with fear when she saw the knife. She started to back away, but he grabbed the Kitsune by the neck.
After firmly grabbing his victim, he stared deeply into her green eyes. "You were correct that I have allowed recent events to cloud my judgment. Thank you for educating me about my mistake."
Before Erada could react, Kallem thrust the knife into her throat before letting go. The woman wandered around as she attempted to pull the knife out before collapsing onto the hard floor, lying dead.
The Lord of Verliance stood there, staring down at the Priestess's corpse. This felt too quick compared to the recent fight with the Altaerrie man, who had fought honorably. One who had survived multiple assassination attempts throughout his life had grown to find the tactic dishonorable.
He then turned to the others in the room and saw their shocked reactions. "Ryder killed her as they were escaping. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my Lord," Verlcon said.
Glad to see his trusted General remained loyal, he turned to his Head Maid. Her eyes were calculating, to his surprise, adding to the recent chain of events. It was clear she knew more than she was letting on; however, the woman didn't want to question his loyalty, since she didn't have to speak at all. If anything, she had purged an infestation within these walls. He would seek the truth of what was happening within these walls, as Assiaya wouldn't have acted in such a manner without good cause. In the meantime, Roath acknowledged that she would state, whatever she was asked, that the Altaerrie had murdered the Unity religious representative.
"I do not understand but will respect your wish. Regarding the prisoners?" Verlcon asked.
Taking a deep breath as he tried to manage the situation, he turned back to his General. "Do you have any idea where they would go?"
"The main route is heading north," Verlcon said. "The Altaerrie man does not know these lands and will have to rely on the dual-eye…." The General hesitated after receiving a glare from his Lord. "I meant, Assiaya. She would stick with the main route to the other side of the mountains."
"I do not believe so," Roath said.
"These are interesting times," Verlcon said. "A Motuia speaking out of turn multiple times in one setting."
"I apologize," Roath said. "I will remain at my station."
"There's no reason to stop now," Kallem said. "Speak your mind. You seem to know Assiaya better than anyone at this point."
The Head Maid bowed and fixed her maid uniform. "She is smarter than you think, General. She knows there is a large military presence north and will stay away. She will brave the countryside."
"That is suicide for someone like her," Verlcon said. "She wouldn't make it a day before something kills her."
"Normally, I would agree," Kallem said. "That is why she freed Ryder. He would stay away from populated centers and head west."
"If so, then you are correct," Verlcon said. "Assuming the Altaerrie man wouldn't abandon the girl at first opportunity..."
Warriors could learn a lot from a match, diving deep into the soul of one willing to fight. While the mind-reading mage had provided him with much-needed information regarding the Altaerrie forces, tactics, and situation around Salva, there needed to be more respect than he had initially given the man. Being able to read memories did not replace the actions a man made, which meant finding one's true character could not be discovered with magic alone. A warrior acting like a warrior was the way to see a man's character, motivations, and insecurities, all revealed when fighting. Kallem intended to learn the inner man of the Altaerrie and see what he was made of.
While events did not go as planned, Kallem believed he had gained the important insight he needed. While he had defeated Ryder in every fight up to this point, from his homeworld to the match in the armory, victory continued to be evasive. Choosing to face him when Ryder had the opportunity to flee, and not wanting to repeat the events regarding the man's wife, Ryder would not abandon the girl.
"He won't," Kallem said.
"Then our focus will be west," Verlcon said. "As I said, I informed the Guilds in the area to keep an eye out for two Lats. I expect them to use the mountain range as a guide until they find a path across. I know of a few they must pass, so we could cut them off. I can direct our forces in the region to focus there."
Before the General responded, Kallem noticed that Roath forced herself to remain silent. Her mannerisms showed that she knew more than she was letting on. He knew someone had snuck up from behind, which allowed Ryder and Assiaya to escape. Only a few would know that the Altaerrie man was here and would be interested in the dual-eyed girl. And that brought the additional question: Why wouldn't Ryder take advantage and kill him while he was unconscious?
However, that issue had to wait as Kallem was forced to decide. They had a good idea of where the two went and their end destination, so it would be easy to bring them back. However, as he stared at Erada's corpse, he knew the Unity would soon send a new Priestess. The Unity would take Ryder and Assiaya against his will, defeating the point of murdering Erada. And he refused to send the dual-eye slave girl to them.
"Inform all the search parties to the north."
"North?" Verlcon asked with a confused tone. "Why would we do that? They will surely escape."
"Because, for now, that is what I wish for," Kallem said. "Erada was killed by the Altaerrie. That should give us the economic and military support we need without raising too many questions. And send the search parties north; say a seeker found them, but it turned out to be a mistake."
Seeing that his General was about to leave, the Lord of Verliance raised his hand to stop him. "After you are done, get a necromancer to read the woman's brain and destroy it. I do not want to risk the Unity's ability to read her memories."
The General stood there. It was clear he wanted to ask questions, but he saluted. "As you command, my Lord." He then left the room.
When the two were alone, Kallem turned to Roath. "Finish your tasks and come to my quarters."