《The Many over the One》 Chapter 1 Avern howled out in equal parts rage and pain. He ripped the head off another half-blood and savored the taste as the blood flowed down his throat. Or rather the beast did. And that beast was taking over more and more of him as he fought. Avern had only recently bonded with his and staying so long in this form was unsafe. But he had no choice. He needed it¡¯s strength. He needed revenge. This was his first true battle, and it was neither what he¡¯d imagined or hoped for. The Vampiri had taken them unaware. They¡¯d came in packs with the cover of darkness, moving undetected all around them. Now they were surrounded, penned in and unable to form a knitted defensive. Avern whipped his tail in a wide circle, lashing out and creating some space for him to leap away from his attackers. Smoke and fire littered the battlefield and concealed the rest of the camp. Chaos, Avern thought. He¡¯d lost his father¡¯s body amidst the fighting and was now alone. He needed to find others, desperate, he began scanning, willing his eyes through the haze enveloping him. Their plans were in tatters, as destroyed as the camp around him. Avern¡¯s father, as King, had personally chosen to lead the assault on Sangar. The city, which had long been a part of the Empire but had begun to give in to Vampiri conclaves within its walls. They had planned a formal breakaway. But if they were to go then who would be next? A message had needed to be sent. Sangar needed to be brought to heel and new rulers put in place. Rulers which understood the need to keep old alliances over new false ones. It was the right call, whatever the other Houses had claimed. But as Avern looked around him doubt gripped him. The army had not even gotten to within sight of Sangar¡¯s walls. The Vampiri had outmaneuvered them, surprised them at camp. His father dead and his family¡¯s position moving the same way. No, no he could not allow it. The Vampiri had deceived them but his father was right to worry on Sangar. He was right to fight to keep one city in their grasp. Because if one left then how many more would follow. He shook his head as if to rid himself of his doubts, now was not the time. Not with war all around him. He searched anew and finally he spotted two of his own, both being hedged in by a group of Vampiri. A company of soldiers huddled behind them, hopelessly holding out spears and pikes. Without the Chimeras covering them they would fall immediately. Avern turned and charged, there was no time for subtlety. He smashed into the circle of Vampiri using his long horns to pierce and gore. Avern was young and smaller than almost all of the others of his kind. But he was fast, very fast. Stunned by the swiftness of his attack the Vampiri¡¯s line was momentarily broken. That was all it took for his blood kin who wasted no time in exploiting the breach. Now they went on the attack and in moments they had freed themselves and the soldiers huddled behind them. ¡°Prince Avern.¡± The voice of the Chimera was grating, more growl than speech but Avern recognised it instantly. ¡°Lord Dreda.¡± Avern¡¯s own voice was even more beastly, he had still not perfected speaking in this form. The chimeras formed up together side by side. Dreda used one of his large paws to swat away an incoming attacker, another half-breed. ¡°Your father is dead. The camp ruined. Order a retreat. We must flee.¡± ¡°No.¡± Avern turned to face Dreda, ¡°If we run we¡¯ll lose even more. We need a block. To make a formation. We need to move as one.¡± Avern looked around him, he got his bearings enough to know he was in the flaming remnants of the Western camp. ¡°Everyone to the center. Dreda speak to the men, they cannot understand my speech. Sound the horns, signal all to make for the camp¡¯s center. We will gather ourselves there for a counter.¡± Dreda shook his huge head, his golden mane had taken on a red tinge from the blood he¡¯d spilled and it splattered all around him. ¡°Avern, it¡¯s too risky. Your father should have never came-¡± ¡°Do it.¡± Avern roared as several Vampiri thralls came rushing out of the smoke towards them. A host of bolts from the soldiers behind him slowed the attackers down. Avern and the other young Chimera finished them off as Dreda reluctantly relayed the orders. Avern took a moment to examine the Chimera alongside him. They looked about the same age but he could not place him. He might have been Dreda¡¯s son. His name too illuded him, Farden perhaps. ¡°Come, we¡¯ll cut a path through to the center.¡± Avern began to slowly make his way through the smoke, the sound of horns blaring out behind him. Dreda was no coward, his call to retreat was a rational one. But that would be a massacre. The Vampiri were too fast and illusive, they would chase them all through the night, cutting and killing every single one of them as they ran, scattered and easy pickings. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Their progress was slow, there were about fifty soldiers within a tight square being guided towards the center behind them. As they went however their numbers swelled. Two Chimeras joined Avern, Dreda and the other young Chimera. With them circling and the men unleashing a barrage of bolts into the darkness they began to move quicker. By the time they had reached the camp¡¯s ruined center four more Chimeras had joined them, and an innumerous amount of soldiers had fell into formation. They had started to build some momentum. The center pavilion was in flames, the huge enclosure in ruin. But through it¡¯s burning light the shadows were revealed. The horns did not stop, for miles around no one could fail to hear their sound, and even blind one would find it¡¯s source. The fighting was savage, the Vampiri pushed hard to break the formation before it could have a chance to solidify but they were repelled. Again and again they were pushed back. For every man they killed and every Chimera they destroyed more arrived, their formation was surging in numbers and strength. Their element of surprise gone and the darkness pushed back, the Vampiri began to falter. As yet another Vampir was sent flying back through the air it landed directly on top of one the tents opposite Avern, sending out a flurry of fiery light into the sky. His path illuminated, Avern saw a swarm of Vampiri gathered just beyond the edge of vision. Gathering for an attack. A concentrated thrust into our wall. Avern turned and quickly found Dreda fighting close by him. ¡°A charge, we need a charge. We have to break them.¡± Avern¡¯s mouth struggled to sound the words he needed to speak. Dreda ripped out a spear lodged in his shoulder, ¡°Now? We have just managed to create a perimeter. You want to risk us getting divided again.¡± Avern shook his head, ¡°No, we charge together, as one. We have to break out now. We can¡¯t keep our defense up for ever. We must make a move before they do. NOW Dreda.¡± Dreda sighed, the noise was strange coming from a beast as large and bloodied as he was. But he did not argue any longer. Instead he began to pass on Avern¡¯s orders as Avern did the same to any of those which passed near him. ¡°On me. On my command.¡± Avern roared the words out, the Chimeras would understand him, the men closeby would have to guess it¡¯s meaning. He waited, letting his breath settle before he went. Launching himself forward he lunged and landed hard on a Vampir who was crushed beneath his weight. The Vampir¡¯s body shattered at the force. The others did not need any more indications to make their move. Those who had heard and realised his order followed and those who hadn¡¯t, well, they hadn¡¯t much choice. Avern led the arrow head as the entire formation rushed to follow. They streamed past the Vampiri desperately trying to halt their advance. But they couldn¡¯t, the momentum was theirs now. They were breaking out of the trap. Avern was busy slashing open the belly of a Vampiri when he saw a blur flash across his path. It¡¯s speed was beyond unnatural. Avern did not need to see it to know what it was. A Pure blood. Avern ignored everything else and braced himself, still, even in his Chimera form he was too slow. The High Vampir slid past a flailing horn and lashed out, cutting across Avern¡¯s shoulder. Roaring in pain Avern brought his tail flying around. But it hit only ground. The Pure blood stopped to dodge a charging Chimera but his eyes never left Avern. He knows who I am. The entire battlefield seemed to fade as Avern examined him. He knew this Vampir. He had been amongst the delegation that had visited his Father. The delegation which had sworn themselves to a Peace. A peace they had broken. Avern gritted his teeth, Abhartach, that was his name. Avern recognised him from the single streak of silver in his jet black hair. He had been the most vocal opponent of any treaty between the two sides and had been quick to antagonize his Father. Avern hadn¡¯t forgotten him, and clearly he had not forgotten Avern. His blood red eyes saw only him. A chimera tried to push Avern away with the others but he brushed it off. He wouldn¡¯t run, not now. He weaved between the lines and smashed a huge claw down where Abhartach stood. The Vampir laughed loud enough for Avern to hear as he easily stepped aside. The shadow thrust with his sword but Avern caught it on his horn and felt nothing. No steel, not even that of Tralorian make would damage it. He used his tail to drive the Vampir back and then with the space created used his horns once again to lung forward. Abhartach stepped aside just as before but Avern was waiting for it this time. He twisted his back to swing his body around to grab the Vampir in a deadly embrace. He¡¯d crush him in seconds of grabbing hold of him. But Abhartach wasn¡¯t there, as Avern spun so too did he and when he reached out the Vampir was already bringing his sword down towards his head. Avern could do nothing. He lashed out in vain, waiting for the deathly strike. But the blow never came. Avern landed hard. But alive. Turning he saw Abhartach with his blade buried deep in Avern¡¯s saviour. Dresda. The old Chimera had given himself for him. The Vampir¡¯s sword was lodged in his huge skull. But Abhartach was lying lifeless on top of him, the tail plunged into his chest had gone right through him. Even a Pure Blood would not survive such a blow. Avern paused, unsure of what to do next. The sounds of war rushed back into him, the army was almost completely through, the final block of soldiers rushing past him. But he wanted to hurt, he wanted to kill. He was not finished yet. ¡°Noo, AVERN. We have to go. NOW.¡± Avern felt himself being dragged along with the rest of the army, he looked up in time to see the Chimera forcing him into line. Savar. His beast was even smaller than Avern¡¯s. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be in his Chimera form, or be involved in any fighting, but Avern didn¡¯t have time to be surprised. Avern knew he could break his young cousin¡¯s grip. But Savar was right. It was suicide to stay behind now. Resigned Avern gave in and focused on the retreat. He bounded on, his mind raced almost as fast as him. The Vampiri would pay for what they¡¯d done. But now all that mattered was escape. He lowered his head and ran. It is all I can do. For now. Chapter 2 6 years later. Avern pawed at the ground before rearing up to his full height to let out a roar of challenge to his foe. The beast opposite him answered in kind. Avern sighed deeply, savoring the thrill of battle inside of him. He had bonded with his own beast earlier than most had even managed their first transformation. They were one now, him and the Chimera inside of him. His youthful divided mind had been moulded into steel. In this form it didn¡¯t matter who or what was in front of him, he would never lose. They both had Royal blood but only he had the blood of a King. He began to prowl forward, he kept his head down and his horns lowered in case his enemy charged him. But he didn¡¯t, the Chimera opposite replictaed Avern¡¯s methodical approach, matching him step for step. They had been fighting for some time, both were more conscious of wild attacks now, both wishing to conserve their energy. Avern stopped when they were almost within reach of each other¡¯s long tails. Then he began to circle. He waited but his opponent made no move to attack. He¡¯s finally learned a bit of patience. Avern decided he needed to be the one to initiate and launched himself forward at his foe. They met in a vicious embrace, claws and horns clashing into each other. He waited for his opponent to lash out, he knew he would and he saw it coming. The sharp steep-tipped tail rushed towards his face, but he was ready. With his own tail he deflected the blow and used the momentum it gave to swing it around to snap the front paw of his opponent. Unbalanced Avern was able to easily force him down onto the earth. With a final flourish he pinned the smaller Chimera down to the ground. He raised one paw with claws spread wide and brought his tail to hover over his foe¡¯s ahead to emphasise his winning position. ¡°Yield?¡± He spat the word out. But he spoke clearly. ¡°I Yield.¡± His foe whispered even as he continued to resist. Avern didn¡¯t release him, instead he put more pressure down on him. ¡°Fine, I yield. I YIELD.¡± This time there was no whisper. Avern let go of him and leapt back. It was enough for today. Satisfied he placed his paw to his head and shut his eyes. He breathed in three deep breaths to calm and focus himself. When he opened them again he saw through human eyes once more. He no longer felt the beast inside of him spurring on his battle lust. ¡°You two work too hard.¡± Andol shut his book and jumped down from the balcony he¡¯d been reading on. ¡°Chimerean or not you can still die with such reckless fights, even if you do call it training.¡± He came forward to help his brother up off the ground, Savar¡¯s changing back had been far less polished than Avern¡¯s. ¡°I could never hurt my cousin.¡± Avern smiled, ¡°Not truly. Besides he pushes me harder everytime we do fight, soon I may not even be able to get the better of him.¡± Savar laughed as he dusted himself down, ¡°I have still a way to go yet cousin.¡± He sighed, ¡°We need a drink, you too Andol, we should enjoy these moments when we can.¡± Andol wrinkled his brow, ¡°These moments? Is training so precious to you.¡± Savar shrugged, ¡°If you did more of it you¡¯d understand.¡± ¡°I do enough,¡± Andol tapped his head, ¡°it is more than just the body that needs training.¡± Avern stretched deeply and began laughing, ¡°Come on, that is enough for now. Let¡¯s head in. There is something I have to tell you.¡± Avern raised his hand to stop Savar¡¯s incoming question. ¡°Wait. Inside. Let us get some food and drink first, we will need it.¡± It was late and the palace was quiet. Just as Avern liked it. The servants seemed to have finished their tasks for the day and the only people they encountered as they made their way to the his quarters were members of the Royal Guard. Avern led the way to his own room. Inside the table had already been laid out before them. He relished the sight as he sat down to it. He waited until both of his cousins had eaten their fill before he got up and took the beaker of wine from the table, he poured them both fresh cups. Sitting back down Avern drained what was left of the goblet in front of him. ¡°Look, I have made my decision. I am sick of waiting and wondering what is the Houses will do. I am King. I lead, they follow. I have listened to their calls for patience long enough. The Vampiri already control Sangar, now they move against Chairn. It is too much. There is nothing more to say. ¡± Andol scoffed, ¡°Nothing more to say, there is mountains more to say. Namely the fact that there can be no decision without them.¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t that the real problem?¡± Savar laughed throwing his hands up in the air, ¡°The Vampiri would have us go to war for all and every city we now control. The Houses would have us go to war in our very own city. I know who it is we must deal with first. Before it is all too late.¡± ¡°It is already too late,¡± Andol replied, ¡°by about two generations. The Forty have grown too powerful, they should have been culled years ago. But they weren¡¯t. And we must deal with the reality.¡± Avern sighed, both of his cousins were right. The Houses were both the biggest problem and the greatest asset to the King of Gorias. His finest warriors and his most stubborn opposition. ¡°I have no choice Andol. I am sure my father thought the same thing. And my grandfather before that. Each one believed the Houses too powerful to go against. And where has it left us? Our House holds the Kingship yes. But in name only it seems. What good it is being King if my every order is granted only with their approval. There is no law which says it must be so.¡± ¡°No law no, that is true. You are king and your word is Law. Or it is in theory. Unofficial laws can be just as powerful as real ones Avern. You know that. If you don¡¯t get the support needed to go to War then Gorias will not go to War. Remember how it went for us the last time. You barely kept our family¡¯s position intact. The Lords saw that as proof that any decisions made needed to be made together. Your father-¡± ¡°Made mistakes.¡± Avern slammed his fist down on the table. ¡°He made mistakes. But he had the right idea. He knew he had to do something to show who was Gorias¡¯s leader.¡± ¡°Then let us weed out those which conspire against our House, against the King, against you. Cousin,¡± Savar turned to face Avern, ¡°You know we have to address this. We can not go on like this. Our House built this city. The Kingship is ours not only by right but by Blood, by sacrifice, by history and whatever other measurement one might use. It is our right to rule. Let us show those which would stand against us why the blood of all Chimereans starts with us, and ends with us.¡± Andol shook his head, the older of the pair he was far more cautious and weary of rash moves than his brother. Typically it was to him Avern turned to for advice on such matters. But he was convinced. Drastic action was needed. Savar might go too far at times but on this matter they were in agreement. Avern raised his hands, ¡°I do not want to create chaos. I only wish to ensure Gorias¡¯s future. Besides this War against the Vampiri is necessary even without the trouble from the Houses. They must see that. It may be the exact thing we need to unite our City. And to solidify our Family¡¯s position at it¡¯s head.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Avern stood up and walked over to stand behind his cousins, he placed a hand on each one but leaned down towards Andol. ¡°Call a council cousin. We shall see how the Lords of the Houses view my proposal. Through it perhaps we may see just how many dare defy us. If at all.¡± Andol patted Avern¡¯s hand, ¡°Very well then. Perhaps Forty Houses is too many anyhow. To War cousin. To war.¡± The Hall was full. It was always full but Avern thought it looked particularly so today. From his throne atop the dais he could see everyone and no one. My subjects. Though after today he wondered if they would remain so. Below him the Chief Herald was busy naming out the Lords and Ladies of the Forty. He was still only on House fourteen. Avern let his eyes wander over the room trying to pick ou the faces in the crowd¡¯s anonymity. There were supposed to be no set places or preferences given to those standing beneath the throne. But there was. As real as any Royal decree. The most powerful Lords to the front, the weaker to the back. Predictable. If they were smarter they would hide themselves better. ¡°Lord Dentad of House Danann.¡± Twenty four. Avern gripped his throne tighter, it wasnt a lack of intelligence which made them so bold. It was pride and a lack of respect for the crown which did it. My crown. He began to drum his fingers on the arm of his throne, to the left and right of him he could almost feel the shaking of his Royal ¡®Advisors¡¯. Cowards all, not one supported him in his idea. They at least had the sense to keep shut about it, even if their eyes screamed out in protest. But he had made his decision, and now he would keep it. Besides, his cousins were the only advisors he needed. Those in the employ of the Families were merely pawns designed to guide him to the correct conclusions according to their donor¡¯s wishes. Finally the Chief Herald came to the end of his announcements and with a low bow to the King made his exit. Avern gritted his teeth when he saw the man give an equally low bow to the Lords of the Families. He got to his feet and stood up straight with his arms out wide. ¡°My Lords. My Subjects.¡± Avern stifled a smile at the many grimaces to the word subjects. They needed to be reminded that though a Lord might not answer to many, they did have to answer to one. ¡°I will not waste time on idle chatter. I have called you all here today for one reason and one reason only. There has been much debate, much treatising and a immense deal of back and forth. I have watched it all closely from my throne. But as your King I must and will have the final say on this matter.¡± He paused and delicately wiped away a loose strand of hair. The entire room seemed to be holding it¡¯s breath. Avern smiled. ¡°We will have War.¡± The room erupted in noise. Avern strained his ears, there were some sounds of agreement mixed in the chorus, but they were being drowned out by the cries of protest and anger. As expected. They do not even have the courtesy to fake it. The Lords and Ladies focused only on the desire to share their own feelings about the announcement. They did not even look up when Avern leisurely drew his sword. No one paid any mind to him, too busy in their mindless babbling. He let the sword fall and hang by his side, the blade¡¯s tip barely touching the stone steps. Slowly but nonchalantly he began to walk down. His sword was truly that of a King, handed down through a dozen generations. The steel was Adronian and the sound it made as it slid down the steps was piercing. By the time he¡¯d reached the final one no voice could be heard. Avern raised his sword from the steps but didn¡¯t sheath it. ¡°You are not pleased by your King¡¯s words?¡± Avern spoke softly, ¡°Has something I said caused you stress? Is war so frightening to you?¡± For a moment no one dared speak. But only for a moment. ¡°My King. There are procedures, we cannot make such a rash decision without vote. We must be agreed on this, the Forty must have it¡¯s say.¡± Of course it was Lord Farda who spoke. His House, Aureate, had grown too wilful with it¡¯s abundant wealth and riches and it¡¯s Lord had followed suit. ¡°There are no procedures Lord Farda, there are certain privileges which my grandfather King Asa granted. He, it is true, began to consult the Council on all matters before making a decision. But that was done out of his own generosity and willingness to share in responsibility. I have no such need. I am the King, and I say War.¡± Avern lifted his sword onto his shoulder, ¡°So it will be. The Forty may agree with it, or they may not. But they will obey it.¡± The room took on a frosty air at that. Let¡¯s see how far they will push. ¡°If there is to be War then we will all suffer, us, the Houses more than anyone.¡± Lord Grendal stepped up beside Farda, his House, Atlantian, was one of the highest rising of the newer Families. The Old and the New, both are against me. ¡°If you wish for war then you will need us. All of us. And our support.¡± ¡°You are right Lord Grendel.¡± Avern agreed, ¡°I do need your support. And as your King I will have it. Infact I demand it. For that is a King¡¯s right.¡± He pointed his sword at him, ¡°Is it not?¡± Lord Grendel cast a quick sideways glance before turning back to the King. ¡°It is a King¡¯s right. But a king must answer to his people also, he must put their concerns over his own in order to best rule his Kingdom. Your family has always done that. I advise you now do the same, my King. Do not dismiss the wishes of the Forty for the one. For it may be costly.¡± ¡°Costly? Watch your tongue Grendel and have a care how you address me.¡± Avern waved out to one of the ceiling-high windows, ¡°I have a Kingdom to rule, it may be hard for you to imagine life outside of our inner walls but we have a city full of people here outside of the Forty. Them and three more cities full of people besides. Am I to abandon their concerns over yours? When they are so threatened? We have already lost much to the Vampiri. Can we afford to lose another. Chairn is our ally is it not?¡± ¡°It is, but be that as it may, the Forty are the ones who helped build this city, and the Kingdom which you now rule, without us there would be no people to worry about.¡± Lord Grendel frowned, ¡°The Vampiri are a threat. But we must be sure of victory when next we meet them. We, the Houses of the inner ring will be the ones who suffer most if we fail. Our allies may be threatened but if there is war it is us and all our Chimeras which will be key. We must take precedence.¡± ¡°Precedence? Over who exactly? The People.¡± Avern took a step forward, ¡°Or me?¡± Grendel didn¡¯t answer, instead Lord Tregar came forward to bow before him. ¡°You are the King. No one takes precedence over you. Your Highness.¡± Avern nodded his head at that. Lord Tregar was the leader of House Fortan, an old and proud Family closely aligned to his own. I have some support it seems. ¡°But is a declaration of war truly what you want? The Vampiri wish to entice us in doing just that. We would be playing into their hands.¡± Farda turned to implore his fellow Lords as he spoke, and he got approval from many as he did so. ¡°The Vampiri always want War, if not now then when? The King has made his decision and we must follow it.¡± Tregar actually moved forward now, he stood directly opposite Farda. Avern turned and walked slowly back up to his throne. ¡°I have made my decision. There will be War. Some of you may disagree with that decision, as is your right. I cannot control that. But remember this, any act which goes against the King is punishable by death. Not just of the one who commits it but his entire House.¡± Avern let his eyes linger on Farda and then on Grendel, ¡°Should any of you choose to disobey me then I will not hesitate to use my own right as King to have you killed. If we are to defeat the Vampiri then we must be united. We need to face them as one, as a Kingdom and under my rule.¡± Avern paused, he tilted his head slightly, he waited to see if any would take the bait but the Lords had pushed hard enough it seemed. He had surprised them with his speech. They are not used to having their King be a King. ¡°I have already made the necessary arrangements and tomorrow we will meet with the army beyond the outer walls. We must not delay, the Vampiri have already moved against Chairn, we must begin our march immediately if we are to come to the city¡¯s aid. If it is lost then the entire Northern Front will be open to them. I will not have that. Chairn has been a close friend of ours for too long to abandon it. We are bound by history and blood. Each House is to fulfill their obligations, half of their Chimeras and two thirds of their House guard. We will not leave our city undefended but we will make a statement at Chairn. It will be a show of force and a reminder to the Vampiri that we are not for breaking. I will command myself. Tomorrow at noon all Lords are to meet with me in beyond the city walls where we will outline our plans before we depart.¡± He placed a hand on his chest, ¡°Today marks a new age for our State, one which will put us firmly back to our glory days. Together we shall place Gorias back to where it belongs. On top.¡± Avern waved the Chief Herald forward and he hurriedly made his way back to below the throne. As he began a formal closing of proceedings Avern looked back to the crowd of Lords. Grendel and Farda stared up at him. Their faces showed nothing but he knew. He had made his move before they had thought to make theirs. He smiled down at them and they smiled back. War is a dangerous thing, many people would die, some Lords included perhaps. They will not smile for long. Chapter 3 Avern led the Royal Procession as they passed through the Inner Ring and out into the City itself. He was pleased to see the crowds waiting and cheering as he passed. It seems I am more loved outside than within. He was protected on all sides by his personal Guard. Gorias¡¯s soldiers were the best armed force of any human Kingdom, but even they paled in comparison to the Household guards of the Inner city. Each House had 100 of their own private Guards, only the Royal Family was permitted to have 200. Avern had decided to bring half his guard with him for the Campaign. They made an impressive sight as they rode the streets. Every guard there wore a suit of armor and weaponry so fine they would appear as Generals to any other human army. Whoever wished to get to him would face serious opposition from their numbers. Gorias was famed for it¡¯s wide streets but even still the volume of crowds made their progress slow. It was past midday before Avern finally passed underneath the immense Outer Walls and was greeted by the impressive sounds and noise of over 12,000 soldiers busy assembling. The trumpets blared and horns blasted out over the camp. Avern waved to his soldiers and their greetings as he passed, the men were in good spirits, eager to be off. The thought lifted his own. He directed his Guard directly for the frontline where the Lords and Ladies of the Forty would be waiting for him. As he approached a column of riders rode to meet him. ¡°King Avern.¡± The voice of Dagdan boomed in the early morning¡¯s silence. ¡°Uncle.¡± Avern embraced him warmly, clasping his wrist in his. ¡°It is good to see you, the coming days will be eventful ones. No matter what happens.¡± ¡°It will,¡± Dagdan wheeled his mount in closer beside Avern and brought his voice down low, ¡°but there are timely ones Avern, the Forty have grown too bold, they do not respect tradition. Even in the army we have seen their influence grow. Though I cut it down where I can. This War is necessary no matter what they might say. I am glad you have decided to move. The Vampiri need to be brought to heel. And we have our own personal debts to administer besides.¡± ¡°My thoughts exactly.¡± Avern smiled and looked over his uncle more closely. He was closer to fifty than he was forty but he still carried himself as much as warrior now as he had twenty years ago. For the past ten he had held the post of First General. A position owned by a member of the Royal Family since it¡¯s inception. Dagdan had spoke about leaving the position, easier jobs awaited him but Avern had persisted in persuading him to remain. He neeeded the assurance of having his own family in the post. With Dagdan and his army about him Avern felt secure. Even the Forty would be wary of antagonizing him with such power surrounding them. Dagdan fell in beside Avern and together they made their way to the very front of the army line. The Lords and Ladies of Gorias were already there waiting, each one dressed in Adronian armor and adorned in their House sigils. Avern quickly acknowledged their bowed heads with a nod, he did it casually but made sure that each one gave it. He rode forward to place himself between Andol and Savar. Andol was stoic, straight posed in his saddle. Savar however was leaning off to the side looking out past Avern back to the city. He only bobbed his head in agreement. Avern rolled his eyes and pulled at his beard in annoyance. Savar needed to learn about keeping appearances. In public at least. Avern pulled up and leaned in towards Andol. ¡°All accounted for and each one has brought their designated compliment.¡± Andol whispered. ¡°There¡¯s been no trouble. Thirty three Lords and Ladies here and seven chosen House representatives from those too old or too young to ride out.¡± Avern nodded happy with the tally. He thought about saying a few words. But there was six days march ahead of them. Better to save it for the Battles which undoubtedly lay ahead. Besides what was there to say just yet. Avern settled for raising his sword high above him. With an extravagant signal he thrust his sword forward. And with that the the army of Gorias moved, like a great river meandering its way onwards. The sun was high in the sky, the day bright, warm and full of promise. Their progress was smooth and passed by without event. Chairn, as with the other eight great Cities of the continent lay upon one of the Grand Highways. The well-set paved stone made for comfortable riding, and even marching was made far easier. Through it¡¯s use they would make good time getting to Chairn. Avern kept a steady pace for some six hours. By the time they had reached the fifty km mark he decided it was enough to make camp. With daylight falling and a suitable embankment not far from the road his order to halt was greeted with enthusiasm. Avern did not have to order a perimeter established around the camp. Dagdan would have seen to it already. Even with Chairn several days ride away yet it was still not wise to lower their guard. Avern¡¯s father had learned that fatal lesson and he had not forgotten it. The camp was soon established and the land transformed from a hilly outcrop to a bustling cloud of activity. Avern waited patiently with Savar and Andol as the Royal Pavilion was erected at the camp¡¯s center. It did not take long, his personal Guard was not known for lethargy. Inside the three quickly sat down to eat. They had hardly spoken all day. Avern had spent most of his march filing back through the lines, speaking with one Captain and the next. He was familiar with many of them but it did not hurt to learn more about them. Each one would have a crucial part to play in the Battle ahead. The army would be the main force of the attack. The Household Guards of the Forty, some 2000 of them, would be mostly charged with aiding the Chimeras as they destroyed the Vampiri lines. The army then would be the anvil and the Chimeras the hammer. ¡°They did not approach you?¡± Savar asked as he examined a chicken leg. ¡°Offered no words of wisdom for the road ahead?¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.¡°Not one of them.¡± Avern leaned back in his seat, ¡°They have kept to themselves, grouped together away from my eyes and ears.¡± ¡°You think they plot against you still? Even on the road?¡± Andol placed his food to the side and placed his hands under his chin. ¡°They would not move when the army is all around them. Chimeras or not it¡¯d be a bloodbath on both sides. Without the army they have nothing.¡± Avern nodded at Andol¡¯s words, he ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°My thoughts exactly. Yet I am not fully convinced of their loyalty just yet. Despite the fact they¡¯re here they do not wish to be. If we fail at Chairn then they¡¯ll come for me. Use it as a reason to rid themselves of us. You remember what it was like after my father¡¯s death. The Royal House will not survive another failure like that.¡± Savar whistled though his teeth, ¡°Better not fail then.¡± He pointed his knife at Avern and smiled, ¡°And what do you mean rid themselves of us. Might be they just want a new King on the throne.¡± Avern slapped the knife away but laughed, ¡°Well it¡¯ll be Andol they¡¯d make King then not you. You¡¯d bankrupt the Kingdom in weeks.¡± ¡°In days.¡± Andol didn¡¯t look up from picking at his nails. Dagdan entered the pavilion. He looked down at them and gave a quick bow. ¡°Uncle.¡± Avern stood up and beckoned Dagdan in, ¡°Come, join us. You deserve a drink more than anyone. Is everything in order.¡± Dagdan shook his head, ¡°Everything is going to plan do not worry. But I am afraid I must drink with you another night. There are some matters I must attend to before sleep. I have to see to the Captains and their reports. Then I need to meet with the Lords to assess the strength and experience of their Chimeras.¡± Avern picked up a cup, ¡°Those can all wait. And the Lords I can have report to me Uncle. Do not work yourself so much. You can rest a little too.¡± Dagdan smiled but shook his head once more, ¡°It is important I hear it from the Lords myself Avern. You know I will not rest easy until I do so.¡± Avern laughed, ¡°Yes, that I do. Very well Uncle. But tomorrow you will have to ride with me. I wish to hear everything that you have.¡± ¡°I believe you would fall from your house with boredom then. But I will share what you need to hear. Rest assured everything is in order do not worry.¡± Dagdan gave a final bow and made his way out. Savar shook his head, ¡°He never stops does he.¡± ¡°Never,¡± Andol agreed. ¡°But I believe he would not have it any other way. He¡¯s always been like that.¡± ¡°At least he can deal with the Lords, I am glad of that.¡± Avern drank deeply, ¡°In truth, though I need work with them, I would rather focus on other matters outside our city then their political mindgames.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, have the scouts returned.¡± Andol turned to Avern, ¡°A wise move getting them to report to you directly. The King should have information that others do not.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Avern scratched his neck, ¡°And they came to me just before we stopped for camp. Chairn is surrounded as you know. The Vampiri must be aware of our impending arrival but not so soon. They think us politically and militarily divided. Which one could say is not too far wrong. But we are not as disjointed as they¡¯d hope. And more than that they will expect any attack to be by sea. To break their fleet and effectively end the siege through naval routes. But that would only be a temporary fix. Their army needs to be broken. Thankfully Chairn appears to be holding out well. It¡¯s walls are thick and strong. They will not fall easily. That and they have a considerable force of their own. And six Chimeras besides.¡± ¡°6?¡± Savar sat up, ¡°Our granduncle was busy. He spread his Royal seed around well enough.¡± ¡°Yes, it would seem so. It will be good to meet more of our blood kin, distant though they might be.¡± Avern pursed his lips, ¡°And even if circumstances are less than ideal. Speaking of which Andol, bring the numbers. Let us see again what exactly are the odds we face.¡± Andol drummed his hands on the table before getting up, he heard back to where one of his many chests had been stored away. Avern watched him as he pulled out a huge bundle of papers, Andol was always writing, on history more often than not. But he did his fair share on military too. Andol flicked through the papers until with a sigh he found the one he sought. He waved it and brought it back to the table. Quickly clearing a space he laid it out in front of him. ¡°Here we are. Who do you want to hear first then?¡± ¡°The Vampiri.¡± Savar said instantly. Avern shut his open mouth and nodded his head at Andol, ¡°Fine, the Vampiri first.¡± ¡°Very well. From our own scout reports and from what little we¡¯ve got out of Chairn we have a fair idea of just what we are dealing with. The Vampiri have come in force.¡± Andol peered down at the paper, ¡°130 Pure-Bloods, 2,000 Half-Bloods and 9,000 Thralls.¡± Avern gestured for the paper. On the document he could make out Chairn and its walls and the army which surrounded it. It was a considerable show of strength. 130 Pure-Bloods was the number which worried him the most. Even a chimera was vulnerable to their kind. Andol gave Avern a moment before pulling out another document. ¡°And ourselves. We have the Army, 10,000 men. 2,000 House guards. Plus 100 of our own Royal Guard. 12,100 men in all. Our Chimeras number 105 in total.¡± Savar drummed his hands the table, ¡°A fine force that.¡± ¡°We will need it.¡± Avern said. ¡°And should the Vampiri breach the city before we arrive then we are doomed. Let us hope that Chairn¡¯s belief in itself to hold out was not unfounded. Tomorrow we must march hard and fast.¡± Savar sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry my King. I am sure they will manage. They are not our greatest tribute for nothing. And anyhow that is all for tomorrow. Tonight we should drink. A little at least. To ready ourself for the battle ahead. Agreed?¡± He raised his cup to them. Andol rolled his eyes and scoffed, Avern shared a look with him but together they both raised their own cups to Savar¡¯s. ¡°Agreed.¡± The following days marching went by in a blur. A constant stream of dust and sweat as the army forged on. However nothing occurred to slow the march, even when on the fifth day some scattered fighting occurred towards the front. A squad of Vampiri scouts had been killed as they fled back to their siege. The roar of a Chimera sounded out loud and clear. A triumphant roar. Avern would have liked to have questioned those Vampir scouts but he understood well enough just how tricky relenting could be for a Chimera under attack. He wasn¡¯t surprised to hear then that the Vampiri¡¯s heads had been ripped off in the process. That made talking quite difficult naturally. To avoid too much probing Avern had sent out a roaming party of 80 riders fitted in the colors and arms of a small neighbouring city to Chairn. Provided the Vampir did not look into it too much they would think their scouts had been taken by some aggrieved neighbours rather than from that of an advancing army. By the end of the sixth day of marching the army was almost within striking distance. Dagdan and some of the other Lords wished to press on, to attack the Vampiri and relieve the defenders as soon as possible lest the walls fall before they could intervene. But Avern resisted. The night favored only the Vampiri. Even the half-bloods and thralls would be at an advantage fighting in the dark. He decided to call a halt and have a camp set up. A fortified one. The camp had been specifically chosen to keep them hidden. No fires were to be lit and torches kept to a minimum. But even still Avern wanted defenses set up. He would not be surprised, whatever happened. Chapter 4 Morning justified Avern. His risk had came off. As the sun rose so too did the army. Their sleep had not been an overly comfortable one but at least now when they attacked they did so with some rest after their intense march. And with a rising sun to inspire them. Avern met the other Lords of the greatest Families in his own pavilion. He chose the finest warriors from their numbers. Whatever his feelings were towards him Farda was one of them, and his family had brought along with them four Chimeras to the Battle besides. He was gathered along with Lord Tregar, Lord Dren of House Danann and Lord Ressan of House Parandin. Andol and Savar were there too. Whilst the final preparations were being made outside they were busy making their own preparations inside. Avern¡¯s table had been entirely given over to a map of Chairn appropriately marked with the army of the Vampiri which surrounded it. Now so close they had a clear idea of the Vampiri and their positioning. ¡°The Pure-Bloods are in the siege camp¡¯s center. I will lead the main of our Chimeras directly there. Andol and Savar will come with me. With surprise and our speed we will be able to engage them and tie them down long enough for the army to arrive. Lord Tregar, you will lead the left flank. If the defenders are watchful and wise they will react quickly to what is happening. Our last correspondence to them was met with silence but I trust that they will have the wits to recogise what is happening. Skirt as close to the wall as you can and seek to join up with whatever men they choose to send out to aid us.¡± Tregar nodded to Avern before quickly directing his focus back to the table. Avern traced his finger down onto the map. ¡°Lord Dren, I want you to lead our right. Head far wide before arrowing back in. Plunge into their center. If we take that then their thralls will falter at the edges.¡± ¡°An honor, my King.¡± Dren gave a short bow. Avern raised his hand towards Ressan, oldest of the Lords he had seen more fighting in his own life than most of the other Chimeras put together. ¡°Lord Ressan, you will lead our center. I want you to hold back a little before you engage. Allow the left and right time to create their confines before you charge in. Take twenty chimeras with you to act as it¡¯s head.¡± ¡°Ten will do.¡± Ressan didn¡¯t look up from the map. ¡°Keep the others for the Pure-Bloods.¡± Avern smiled and finally turned to Farda. He stood stony faced and arms crossed. ¡°Lord Farda. You will lead the Household Guards. Take my own Guard with you. Follow me and the other Chimeras to the Camp¡¯s center. You will have five of your own chimeras to use as you wish. What we start you will finish. ¡± Lord Farda showed no emotion but Avern was pleased to see him bow low. ¡°It is a good plan, my King.¡± Avern looked at each of them. He nodded his head satisfied and drew his sword from about his waist. ¡°Today we show the Vampiri that Gorias has not grown weak. We took what power they once had for our own. We rule this continent now. Us. We dominate. They survive. Today we remind them what happens to those who anger us. They may stand against us now but they will be made to kneel by day¡¯s end. Ready your men. Today we hunt.¡± Savar beat his chest at Avern¡¯s words and one by one the others followed. Avern¡¯s heart began to beat fast. He enjoyed it¡¯s thumping on his chest as he led the way out of the Pavilion and into the growing sun. There was little time to waste, every moment spent organising gave the opportunity for them to be revealed. Avern took up his position at the head of the Chimerean cohort. All of them with the blood of the Chimeras in their veins. They would lead the attack, and consequently be the earliest indicator of which way the battle would fall. Avern was the first to change. Placing his fingers to his forehead he took a deep breath in and relinquished control. The sun¡¯s glare reflected differently in his Chimera¡¯s eye. It felt good to be in his Beast form again. He could not help recalling the last time he had had to face off against Vampiri. Sangar seemed a distant memory to him now. He was bigger now, much bigger. Some of the oldest Chimeras might still have some size on him but not much. And Avern was still in his prime. While those older Chimeras had long since lost their some of their speed, if not their ferocity, he now had the perfect blend of speed and strength. He stretched waiting for the others to transform. A lot of the Chimeras gathered were new to him, he had seen most in training but never enough to be able to recognise them all. Avern had to fight down the animalistic urge to roar out, it would not do for him to be the one to ruin their plans. Instead he watched closely as the men began to move to their positions. The Chimeras would be on the Vampiri in minutes once they got running. It was important to give the men enough time to be ready to strike once the Chimeras had made their own move. He waited until the rear of the men on both flanks had almost disappeared before he finally turned back to those gathered behind him. No words were needed. They were ready. Avern turned back and began bounding off towards the city. He led and the others followed close behind. The sound of close to a hundred Chimeras charging was surprisingly quiet. Low growls and snarls reached him but little else. Despite their size none of them had lost the feline sense of subtlety. Were it not for the mountain of dust they sent up behind them there would have been no sign of their approach. Even as it was the precautions and careful elimination of Vampir scouts had proved it¡¯s worth. As they came over the ridge to peer down at the Vampir camp far below them Avern saw with some pleasure that there was no wall of pale faced soldiers to meet them. The camp was well organised it was true, but they had not expected an attack from behind their lines. As Avern picked up his speed and pushed faster his keen eyes made out the scramble as the Vampir rushed to try and meet them. He was the first through, a brave group of thralls had sought to block his path. Avern waited until he was 12 meters away before he leapt high over the pikes lined up against him. His tail lashed down on the front line of them even as he landed in amongst the middle. He fell horns first, goring several as he landed. He didn¡¯t stop to finish off the rest of them, they could be dealt with later. He used his claws to tear out a path and continued on his way through the camp, he headed straight for the center ignoring all except those few Vampiri soldiers which were foolish enough to get in his way. Over the din of the camp and it¡¯s desperate attempts to form up he heard the sound of battle coming away to the left near Chairn¡¯s walls. Lord Tregar moves fast. Avern slowed slightly as the Vampiri¡¯s center came up before him, he waited as one by one the Chimera¡¯s fell into lines of four. Pure Bloods were never ones to be complacent. The home to their kind for the siege was encircled by a high wooden palisade. Avern charged, subtlety was good, but sometimes brute force was the answer. The gate to the palisade was closed. But when Avern brought his considerable weight to smash against it the gate instantly collapsed in. Three Chimeras barged in immediately after him, Avern saw Savar amongst them. Inside they were met by a row of Pure Bloods. They stood passive, gleaming in their ebony Tralorian armor, so dark the sun seemed to drown in their surface. Avern held back a moment, it was never wise to rush when it came to their kind, even a Chimera needed to be wary facing them. As more of his Chimerean kin were streaming in now, Avern began to slowly move forward, it was key that the Pure Bloods were not able to get to the rest of the Battle. They had to tie them down for no man could hope to stand against them, they¡¯d rip through the army if given free rein. Avern picked one target from the numbers of the Pure Bloods, a figure of authority in the middle. Their leader perhaps. The Vampiri had formed up in a loose line, leaving plenty of space between them. They did not enjoy fighting in groups, they preferred to fight alone where they could freely move and use their unnatural speed to destroy whatever stood before them. This one seemed content with Avern¡¯s challenge. He drew two swords and began whirling them, the spins so fast Avern saw only the blur of steel. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Avern disregarded the others around him busy engaging the rest of the Pure Bloods. He increased his speed slightly and whipped his tail around to thrust it at the Vampir¡¯s face but was snapped back by the force of the spinning swords. However, he didn¡¯t hesitate, instead lunging forward and using his horns to shatter the blades as they spun. At the same time he skipped to the side and jabbed a claw towards the Vampir. He quickly pulled back as his paw felt the sting of steel slicing across it. Avern cursed and the beast in him roared out. He turned using his tail as a feint before swinging his clenched paw down like a hammer. The Vampir was too fast to be caught like that. Avern only barely managed to get his horns in the way of a vicious strike of a sword aimed at his neck. He leapt again missing the Vampir but his tail followed him and he smiled as he felt it cut down on flesh. A shallow wound but a wound nonetheless. The Vampir, eager no doubt to show how little it affected him now went on the attack. He stepped to the right before switching suddenly to the left and then back again, Avern¡¯s head flicked both sides struggling to maintain the Vampir in his vision. A sword came flying towards him and Avern desperately flung his head to block again with his horns. This time he was a moment too slow, the horns succeeded in deflecting the sword but not completely. The steel grazed all along Avern¡¯s right flank. He didn¡¯t have time to curse as the vampir pressed again, striking and moving so fast Avern could only focus on defending himself rather then pushing back. He felt the sting of steel piercing through what defence he could offer, too fast and too frequently. Each cut a glance of the blade, but for each one added Avern felt the pain more intensely. He was being slowly drained, death by a thousand strikes. Avern needed to change the dynamics of their duel, he need to gain control. When yet another strike got through Avern roared out loudly, a cry of anguish and reatreated back, he heard rather than saw the short laughter of the Vampir. Avern braced himself again, another litany of strikes rang out against him, but this time he caved a little easier, he controlled the strike which got through. Right between his horns. The Vampir hissed in triumph at the strike and made to pull it back out. He couldn¡¯t. Avern twisted his head violently and the blade trapped between the two snapped. Tralorian steel was renowned, and rightly so. But against the horns of a Chimera steel held little effect. The Vampir was shocked by the loss of his blade and for the first time his step was hesitant, only a brief almost indistinguishable hesitancy. But Avern saw it. He launched himself at the Vampir. The pale face looked up in horror as Avern slammed down into him. They rolled and the Vampir was now trapped underneath Avern¡¯s claws. Avern didn¡¯t pause and instantly bit down hard. The Vampir¡¯s entire left shoulder was ripped from the body still screaming. Avern lifted his head and roared out in triumph. He embraced the victory only a moment before he turned to aid his kin busy in their own duels. A quick glance around told him that the rest of the Chimeras were finding the Pure Bloods no easier a task than he had. He passed a Chimera lying lifeless on the ground, another Chimera and a Vampir were lying in a pool of blood side by side closeby. Avern put them out of his mind and focused on a Chimera desperately fighting off a pair of Vampiri. Avern didn¡¯t think but picked up the body of the dead Vampir beside him and swinging his own body around launched the dead Pure Blood into one of his brothers attacking. It landed clean, smashing into the Vampiri just turning to Avern and sending him flying backwards. If the pain of being struck by a dead body wasn¡¯t enough then the surprise of seeing one of his own being used as a missile was enough to give the Vampiri pause. Avern leapt forward towards the other stunned figure, his injured kin saw him and with some effort replicated his leap. The Vampir, now the one outnumbered managed to easily swat aside the wounded Chimera¡¯s tail and more impressively, with his free hand he expertly wielded a dagger to also deflect Avern¡¯s tail. But he didn¡¯t block the claw which followed through. Avern caught the Vampir by the stomach and ripped hard, pulling out the Pure Bloods entrails with him. A scream from behind him told him this Vampir had been dear to the one he¡¯d he¡¯d left in a heap by the rampart. Avern turned to face him but there was no threat. The Vampir lay trapped underneath the dead body Avern had catapualted at him. Avern was pleased with his own strength. Even for a Chimera it was no easy thing to have crushed legs with a dead lump of meat. Avern finished him quickly, a sharp thrust of his tail and the Vampir¡¯s screams ended in an instant. He turned back ready to help up the wounded Chimera but he was too late. He saw a Vampir already on top of him ramming his blade down into the lion head. Avern retreated a step as the victorious Vampir stepped down and was joined by two more of his kind. Avern stretched out his claws and roared in defiance. Against three pure bloods he would be sorely tried, he would do well to survive the first attack. Fortunately it never came. A horn blasted out over the noise and the chaos, loud and clear. Inside the palisade enclosure it was hard to see what the battlefield now looked like and Avern had almost forgotten it in the intensity of the fighting. He looked on with relief as from over the Palisade a Chimera leapt, an impressive feat even for one of them. Two more came after him and to the right Avern saw a troop of men, household guards, piling inside the stockades. The three Pure Bloods paused in their step. Avern saw a look pass between them. They could choose to fight against increasingly overwhelming odds or they could choose to flee. They chose to flee. Avern didn¡¯t bother calling for a chase, they¡¯d never catch a Pure Blood in full flight. And besides defeating their army was the goal, not hunting down those already in retreat. He rejoined with the other bloodied Chimeras who¡¯d been first to reach the Vampiri¡¯s center. Even at first glance there numbers had suffered. Avern let the reinforcements hunt out the Pure Bloods while he leapt up onto a battlement aside the gate. From here he could survey the entire battlefield. He saw the open gates of Chairn. He¡¯d hoped they would have the sense to and his faith had been well placed. Even now men were streaming out of its gates, high on the thrill of a retreating enemy and arrival of an allied army filled with Chimeras. The Vampiri were enveloped in a storm, the right flank under Lord Dren had made their move cutting back in and were now almost joined to the others. The Vampiri had been left one avenue to escape at their rear. Convenience is a fine thing. With the option of retreat clearly laid out before them the Vampiri¡¯s soldiers had eagerly taken up the offer. Avern was pleased to see them being forced ever further away from what remained of their camp, broken and their numbers divided and shattered. He felt blood spilling onto the ground, he looked down and was surprised to realise it was his own. He¡¯d sustained more cuts and wounds than he¡¯d thought. None of them were overly deep, but they were many. Still the chimerean blood would heal them within hours and with everything going to plan he could afford a moment¡¯s rest. Inside the palisade it was now almost cleared out. Groups of Household guards led by Chimeras raced past him in search of any surviving Pure Bloods. But they would be mostly well gone by now he knew. Avern waved them on, his wounds could wait until after. He just needed to sit a moment. He climbed down and made his way towards the open pavilion. He stumbled inside and was glad to see the space empty apart from five house guards busy searching it. Avern lifted his head but saw and smelt nothing of the enemy. Satisfied he pressed a paw to his forehead and took in a deep breath. Whereas before he had towered over the guards now he was eye to eye with them. Immediately he felt his mind ease, released from the tension of the Beast in it¡¯s entirety. ¡°It¡¯s clear. Go, see what is needed outside. The Vampiri need to hav retreated out of sight of Chairn¡¯s walls before we can rest.¡± Avern pulled up a stool and urged the men out. He sat down deeply and examined himself. His wounds were not as prominent on his much smaller human body, and he could feel them healing as he rested. It wouldn¡¯t take long. The pavilion¡¯s flaps rustled open, Avern raised his head wearily, ¡°What is-?¡± There was no one there. Avern could see or smell nothing. Even in his human form he should have been able to smell out a Vampiri. He got to his feet and drew his sword. He saw a shrouded shape rush at him, he didn¡¯t have time to wonder how it was here. Nor did he have time to change back. He clashed with the hooded figure and flung himself backwards out of range. He was about to cry out for aid when he felt a blade plunge into the back of him. His breath was driven out of him and he exclaimed as if exhaling deeply. The sword went right through him. He looked down to see it erupting out of his stomach. He tried again to call out but the blood was alreay bubbling in his mouth, preventing words. He looked up as the figure in front approached him slowly, all Avern could see were the eyes. Blood red. Pure-Blood eyes. How? Avern desperately lunged at him but his blow was easily parried aside. Avern fell to his knees. ¡°Quick, we¡¯ve already delayed enough. Be done with it.¡± The Vampir behind him hissed, his sword was still embedded in Avern but now he drew it out, slowly, painstakingly. The one in front complied without a word. He pulled out a dagger and jammed it into Avern¡¯s neck. Avern fell and landed on his side, the dagger stood upright and he could make out the hilt from the corner of his eye. His eyes glazed but he saw the Vampiri too. They threw off their cloaks and now two Household guards stood before him. They didn¡¯t spare another minute on him and brushed themselves down before strolling back outside the pavilion. Avern¡¯s life flowed out of him, almost as fast as the blood flowing out of his neck and stomach. He could feel himself slipping. He gurgled, blood gathering in his mouth. Help. They had help. The Vampiri could not have acted alone. His real killers had been the ones who¡¯d allowed the Assassins reach him. His vision faded, the room began to grow dark. Avern heard footsteps charging into the pavilion, even as they came they grew fainter. The began to shout and crowd around him, he heard the panic in their voices. But he could only make out one word, one word again and again. ¡°KING. KING. King.¡± Final Chapter The Bells rang out all along the city. Dark, moody and sombre. Most appropiate for the death of a King. And a fine King he was. In another time, another age he would have been perfect. A warrior, an expanionist, a fierce and stubborn ruler. But this wasn¡¯t such a time. Revenge, conquest, war, all of these had to be avoided. For now at least. There were too many possible paths to destruction along those routes. Level heads and conservation was needed to keep the peace and harmony of the State alive. Avern had foregone his duties to his own kin for those living outside it¡¯s inner ring. The people were important of course, to a degree. But the inner Houses came first. The Houses always came first. Without them there was no Kingdom, no State. Farda joined in with the other Lords as they headed for the Council chambers. Lord Grendel was to his left and Lord Dren to this right. Together they would ensure Gorias¡¯s future. The three of them, along with seven more Lords chosen to speak made their way to the central dais. The Seat of the King and his family lay empty. He waited until all had settled in their respective seats. Nodding to his fellow speakers he took central stage. ¡°The King is Dead. And will be mourned. In his lact act as King he ensured Chairn was kept within our power and wiped out a Vampiri army which may have even threatened Gorias itself. A fitting final act for our Great King. It will not be forgotten. Nor will the manner of his death. They could not best him in battle so clearly the Vampiri decided they could only do so through treachery and deceit. Killing him as he lay wounded and alone. A terrible thing but one in keeping with their nature.¡± Farda stopped and bowed his head, he waited, allowing a minute to pass. ¡°Our march was a victorious one. But it did not come without cost. 26 Chimeras fell in battle, each family will feel their loss. 292 Household guards and 2,870 men of our army all fell in our triumph. We will remember them all. But we must honor them by ensuring their loss was not in vain. To do so we must make Gorias¡¯s future a bright one. We, all of us gathered here and now must be the ones to make that so. Our King had no son. But he did have family. His cousin Andol might have easily taken up his legacy. However fate would not have it so.¡± Farda ushered Lord Grendel forward. It was important that the speaking was shared. Lord Grendel took two steps forward, he bowed to the crowd, a gracious act. ¡°Andol Aristian, cousin to King Avern and next in line to the throne was badly hurt in the liberation of Chairn. It is with sorrow that he has been deemed unfit to rule. Andol was hurt badly whilst in his Chimera. My own men dragged his broken body out from amongst the dead. It was discovered that his head had been severely compromised during a charge of horse.¡± Grendel grimaced. ¡°He will survive, but his mind is¡­.not what is was. And certainly not capable of ruling a Kingdom. It would not be fair on us, or indeed on him. So we must look elsewhere. There is admittedly his younger brother Savar. He must be considered, though I must confess I have my reservations. I firmly believe that in our present state we must look to ourselves for governance. We have oft discussed the possibility of ruling equally within the Forty. A balanced and fair alternative to a solitary King. The Royal family has done much for this City and it¡¯s tributaries. Now perhaps it is time for them to take a step back from the demands of public life. Chairn is already home to a second cousin of the Family. Let the others join him, they will be happy and treated with every respect and privilege within its walls. I am sure of it. We have also been in close talks with General Dagdan. It has been decided that he will become the new Head of the House and will hereby be know as Lord Dagdan. He will be put in place as the new ruler of Chairn.¡± Lord Grendel stepped back beside Farda and Lord Ressan shuffled forward, his wounds had been quite severe after the Battle but as the oldest of them they needed his words to help convince the others of their new path. ¡°Lord Grendel spoke of the need to recognise a new order for Gorias to prosper. But in respect to that we must start as we mean to continue. We must act in accordance with the majority, to do so we must have a vote. And we must hear Savar¡¯s side.¡± Ressan gave a signal and Farda waved up to the Royal box. The door was opened and four of the recently renamed Ascension Guard, led Savar inside. Savar strode in hurriedly. His usually clean shaven face and well trimmed hair given over to a rough and unkempt look. ¡°I see you have started without me. I was made to wait outside like some errand boy. Whoever is responsible for such an insult will pay for it. ¡± The boy had a pluckiness about him Farda could not help but admire, had he not been such a stubborn fool he might have been allowed continue in some way within the city. He¡¯d done well to survive the Battle. ¡°My Lords. I believe I am here under the pretense that I will be involved in some vote or other. That is what I have been told at least. Little else I might add. May I remind you that the Royal family¡­my family, built this city.¡± Savar¡¯s voice went from high to low and everything in between. He laughed down at them. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Each one of your precious Houses is nothing but an offshoot of my direct bloodline¡¯s creation. I am your King, by every law and tradition we hold dear. To dismiss that is to dismiss our entire History. To dismiss Gorias itself. If you do so I will have you killed and your entire House wiped out along with you. Only those loyal, true Chimereans will be rewarded.¡± Savar motioned to the guards alongside him. ¡°Take Lord Farda and his fellow speakers away to the cells. I will deal with them and their families later. We need to discuss how we can gain revenge on the Vampiri for how they slaughtered my cousin. Our King. That is something which must be answered in kind.¡± Farda smiled, calling for an all out war against the Vampiri was just the kind of decision which set people off of Savar. No one moved. Savar began to nod his head vigorously. He laughed but it was high pitched, forced. ¡°You traiterous scum. This is how you repay my family for its sacrifice.¡± He drew his sword though his left arm lay useless in a sling. Despite the look on his face Savar made a pitiful sight. ¡°Royal Guards. No one leaves this room until have knelt before their new King. NO ONE.¡± He swung his sword as if identifying Farda and the others to the Ascension Palace guards littered around the Council room. He knows, he must know. Avern had taken 100 formidable warriors of the Ascension Guard with him. He¡¯d also rather conveniently taken most of those most sympathetic to the cause of Kingship. Savar had been under guard by Ascension Guards wise to the future leadership ever since he¡¯d forced his way out of the infirmary. He must know. Farda coughed lightly, ¡°We will vote. All who wish to see Savar as King and the previous regime reinstated please offer your vote forward now.¡± No one raised a hand or voice. Savar began to screech out protests, Farda ignored them but motioned for the guards to seize him. He had to raise his voice loud to be heard over Savar¡¯s outcry. ¡°ALL WHO WISH TO SEE THE LORDS OF GORIAS RULE AS ONE. AS A UNITED COUNCIL. ¡± Hands went up everywhere around him. Though not quite all. Farda make a careful note of those Lords and Ladies. Lord Tregar chief amongst them. He would need to be watched. ¡°Then it is decided. The days of the Kings are over, the days of the Forty have begun. Together we shall take our City to new heights. This day will be remembered as-¡± Farda¡¯s words were cut short by screams from the Royal box. Savar had lost his sword but gained a knife. One of the guards was lying face down beside him and the others had backed away from him. Savar swung his knife around manically, ¡°I AM YOUR KING. YOU LISTEN TO ME. NOT HIM.¡± Savar twisted his knife around to point at Farda. His eyes went wide as they ran from one Lord to the next. Lord Grendel came up to put a hand on Farda¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Finish it.¡± A rank of Ascension guards streamed into the room. Each one carried an Adronian crossbow. Savar¡¯s eyes looked from them to the guards behind him. Farda shook his head at him. ¡°Don¡¯t Savar. Not in the palace. Even a Lord cannot break that law.¡± Savar did pause momentarily, Farda saw the worry in his eyes, but only for a moment. Then the young man smiled. ¡°Even a Lord? But I am no Lord. I. I am King.¡± He jumped pressing his hands to his forehead. The guards were quick. They had been warned about such an event but even still Farda marvelled at their speed. Before Savar had hit the ground a litany of bolts had slammed into his body. Even as he began to transform his body was weakened and the change rejected, he hadn¡¯t the strength in him. He landed hard, the drop was about 10 ft but with only one arm available and every part of him punctured by bolts he slammed into the floor. A pool of blood spread slowly from his crippled form. Farda sighed. It was not a pretty sight. But an unavoidable one, had Savar transformed it would have been chaos. And who was to say others won¡¯t have joined him in the carnage. The old ways would not be forgotten easily, no matter how well they planned. There was a great deal of work left to do. But a new day truly was upon Gorias. Removing Savar¡¯s broken body left a bitter taste, the silence which fell as he was removed was as heavy as it was uncomfortable. Lord Grendel was about to speak but Farda held him back, ¡°Words will not suffice, not looking at that. Wait.¡± When the body had finally been removed Farda clasped his hands together. ¡°Savar was brave of heart but his mind was too full of war and hate for him to rule. Which is why we must rule together, each one bringing the best out of the other. Our first line of business. Dealing with the Vampiri. We shall need ambassadors to reach out for negotiation and discussion with them. The continent must be divided equally. With peace comes progress and a chance for us to grow. To look to other lands and peoples for our resources. Lands which would prove far easier to rule and govern. Lands beyond the sea. However that can all wait. We have had sadness and joy aplenty these past weeks. Tonight we will feast and drink and remember those who have fallen. And look forward to our future together, together as the Forty.¡± A round of applause greeted Farda¡¯s words, he turned back and embraced his fellow Speakers. His own father had died because of a careless King¡¯s ambition, his father¡¯s faith in him so strong that he¡¯d sacrificed his own life to save that same King¡¯s son. A waste of a great man¡¯s life for an ungrateful Royal dynasty. Too many had died because of one family¡¯s designs. No more. Farda would ensure Chimerean life was not lost in vain. A new slate and a new regime. The days of the Kings were finished. The days of the Forty just beginning.