《Army of the Damned》VOLUME 8 EXTRA CHAPTER PART 3
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“General Carter sir! The Queen is here! Carmilla has arrived at our AO sir!”
“Got damn it we got her moving to our location! Hallelujah! Prepare the Nuclear bomb!”
On Top of a mountain, a giant FoB lay with guns and cannons blazing on all sides as an endless stream of Demons pour at them. Soldiers with withered uniforms from the last human civilization’s biggest and mightiest armies hand in hand. There rusted tanks and armored vehicles fighting endlessly and shooting without care as the horde of unholy creatures are turned to mush and broken to tiny pieces.
Down below the mountain on a secret airport, military helicopters and planes with the names of its former operators all painted over lands one after the other, bringing Vampire grunts and soldiers to the airport. Amassing for a major assault against human fortification. Elizabeth is located inside its ATC tower. Getting briefed by her Generals on the situation of the assault.
“As you see Your Majesty, humanity’s last fortification is a hard one to fight as the Vatican’s Swiss Guards have littered holy weapons and blessed bullets to their soldiers.”
“Have no worry, where are the Ballistic missiles I’ve requested?”
“The Nineteenth Rocket Battery has only pulled them out of the Russians storage units. It’ll take a day for them to arrive here, Your Majesty.”
“Hmph. Then continue to pepper them with conventional shells and rounds, they will soon break unless your words are true General Archabald and all of them in there have gone insane and no longer have the capacity to have their morale broken.”
“A cornered beast will rather fight to die than fight to live, Your Majesty. I suggest we do not wait for the Ballistic Missiles and prepare an assault now.”
“And what? To throw the lives of Vampires needlessly into holy bullets? I do not wish for our kin to die after just throwing the world into a nuclear mist. Nay, I’ll personally come and finish this myself.”
“What?!” The Generals are all flabbergasted by her absurd idea. Grasp at the thought of their Queen going to the frontlines to fight.
“Stop the shelling and prepare a helicopter. I shall destroy the armor and machine gun emplacements and after that, send another horde of Demons into them followed by our Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Protect the Vampire soldiers at all cost.”
“Then I shall come into the battlefield myself!”
“Me too! Your Majesty! I shall fight alongside you!”
“I also volunteer!”
“Alright, all of you with me! And tell the Vampire Nobles to lift the tanks to the top.”
“Are you sure your Majesty? They’d be pretty apprehensive about being ordered to do things that they think are menial and a waste of their strength.”
“If they have a problem with my order, then have them come and meet me personally. I’ll spare my time just to talk to them.”
Soon, all of the Generals agree to join their Queen into combat as friendly tanks arrive to support them, with all of the present Vampire Lords not having the gall to question her order to use their strength to lift the heavy 60 and 70 ton tanks to the top of the mountain, they were able to move up to the top with an army assembled quickly with a helicopter assault in the horizon, inside the choppers are picked amongst the Vampire Army were those trained with magic and capable of flying with there bat wings.
Inside the helicopter, one pair of eyes shine a bright gold while the rest had a devilish red. Elizabeth and with her arms out, the armed Vampires take flight alongside the assembled army. The Mountain Fortress fires back with everything it has, a hundred shells covering the skies alongside hundreds of anti air missiles which the flying Vampires destroy with their guns while the shells merely get kicked back into the Fortress as bullets start flying into the armored line.
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A thousand guns pointed upwards as the Vampires reached the top of it. Firing from the smallest to the biggest calibers you can mount on a platform. The trained winged bloodsuckers were faster than the hail of bullets and landed seconds after the skies was filled with traces and explosions and a bloody genocide occurs inside as another team destroys both static and mobile artillery with disposable launchers that they could carry in the heaps alongside grenades and ammo. Each Vampire soldier was seemingly more than over equipped with a single soldier brandishing an ammo pouch alongside a heavy bulletproof vest and combat helmets.
With huge Bergen rucksacks carrying more than two disposable rocket launchers while their machine gunners would carry huge ammo packs with thousands of rounds with the only limiting factor being the heat of the barrel of their light and heavy machine guns that they could lounge around without care. Even the Swiss Guard with their holy bullets is unable to kill as many Vampires with their numbers due to the amount of kevlar each of the bloodsuckers are carrying. While the humans are screaming and fighting for their doomed civilization that’s been burned by nuclear fire. The Vampires were smiling and cheering for their demise.
As soon as the assault began, the Fortress was completely surrounded and the quiet befell upon it. A lone UH-60 lands on its helipad, exiting out was a woman whose radiant and ever reaching beauty and stature didn’t belong to the muddy and depressive scene of humanity’s last civilization and its futile attempt to defy nature and evolution itself. Her heels touch upon the brown goop of blood and mud, the frills on the bottom of her gown nearly dirtied as she nonchalantly heads to the entrance of the Fortress.
One by one, the Vampire soldiers and even the Demons they bought all kneeled in respect to their almighty Queen. Soon, the Vampire Generals join her as an explosion occurs on one of the entrances, prompting the fight to begin once again without care. With the overwhelming firepower and numbers of the Vampires, the defenders were soon overrun and their choke points on the entrances completely nullified as traitors of their kind were deployed in the tight hallways.
“Lionheart to all units in station, we have encountered the Damned. They’ve spliced up two of my teams already. Requesting back up on the East Wing of Genesis.”
“This is Lord Henry the Third. I shall go there alone, I’d like to have a word with these weaklings that dare defy the new age and personally kill their leader.”
“Nay.” The voice of a seductive and mature woman then comes out. “Push their Leader to the Command Room. I shall have a word with them all.”
“O-Of course, Your Majesty!”
The traitorous Vampires that sided with the doomed humanity fought valiantly alongside their human compatriots from all parts of the world from all levels of religion and belief. The fighting was brutal on their side and the friendly Vampires only slowed down the inevitable as more Lords and Lady’s entered the Fortress. Their overwhelming number and power are able to overcome the far more skilled and dangerous traitors. Soon even the Queen got into the fight, Elizabeth didn’t stop walking to the inner sanctum of the mountain and her troops saw it and persisted to fight and continue pushing forward alongside her.
Bullets didn’t even do anything against the blonde woman as she merely pointed her finger at those that annoyed her the most and they’d blow up into a red mist without care while the Damned tried to go against her but even with their Vampiric powers, were unable to even get close to the woman. After three hours of brutal fighting, the Queen and her army have reached the innermost sanctum of the last Fortress of a free and powerful humanity. Inside is the last human General and the leader of the Damned.
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“Your Majesty, as requested I’ve led the fool inside.”
The young red haired man wearing a cape and a noble’s attire politely and elegantly bowed like a gentleman to his Queen as the Vampire Lords lined up on the entrance to the Command Room. The heavy bulky blast proof door has seen better ways with its burn marks and bullet holes and looking through the eyes light is the blue eyes of a man staring down at the ungodly scene right in front of him.
“None shall interfere, all of you stay here.”
“Yes Your Majesty!” everyone screamed in fealty and unison to the absolute order of her and she walked to it. The Key Card was already inserted and the door unlocked. The woman heads in to meet with a white haired General in his Multicam ACUs and another, a pale bloodless and bald Vampire in all Black tactical gear sitting down around the table showing the Fortress surrounded on all sides and its underground bunkers all taken over. The two pointed their high caliber pistols at her as she walked to the free seat in front of them. Crossing her legs and arms as she rested her arms on the table.
“Why the fuck are you here?”
The old General in his Desert Eagle pointed his gun at the Queen’s heart. Though trembling due to the weight of the gun and his old age, the man didn’t wield his strength nor eyesight. Completely staring at her with deathly eyes and a gun that was intimidating as its wielder.
“I’ve come to negotiate with you.”
“Negotiate? After you killed FIVE BILLION people and irradiated the world?!”
“It wasn’t me who did it, it was the Elders. I merely came to see the ride.”
“Tsk, I won’t be negotiating anything. You and your compatriots will come with me in a-”
“Ash of nuclear fire. That Russian General fought well, but we got the keycard to access the nuke before he could blow himself up with it.”
“Dammit Vladimir!”
“And that back up plan of yours of flooding the entire bunker… Let’s just say your Texan Colonel met a somewhat gruesome end at the claws of Lady Florence.”
“Fuck!”
The Damned then brings out a grenade from his vest. Shaking it to get her attention.
“You know what this is right?”
“Hmph. That won’t work on me.”
“Oh no, this isn’t for you. This is for me.”
“Is that so?”
Elizabeth then switches the cross of her legs.
“You are aware if it wasn’t from me, humanity would’ve met its end five years earlier, correct?”
“Huh? Why should I believe you? The leader of the Vampires of all things.”
“Because I love humans. I adore humans, I wish to be with humans.”
She then faces the General. Whose face hasn’t even changed.
“I came here so that I may be able to control the last of humanity, and to do that. I need one of their Generals to come with me and become my Servant and I chose you General Carter.”
Carter scoffs at the idea and a grin is on his face as he puts the safety off.
“Lady… I’d rather die here than become your puppet manservant.”
“Oh it won’t be bad at all I assure you.” She then stands up, her long slender hand skimming the edge of the steel table. “I love humans as I said, if it weren’t from me. The other Lords would’ve already killed you all. We already invented a better alternative which is Artificial Blood. But I couldn’t stand on the idea of humanity going extinct. No, not after what it has done for me.”
“What has it done for you? Hah, yeah. Giving you boytoys and sex slaves right? Don’t you think I haven’t known what’s happening inside those new Vampire cities you're setting up around the world?”
“Nay, it gave me something better. A lover.”
The Damned Leader then lowers his grenade a bit. “What do you mean by lover?” The young pale bald man with his youthful voice was now devoid of tension and his attention seemingly caught by the Queen.
“Dammit Henry! Don’t fall for her words!”
“Wait Carter, she might be telling the truth here.”
“Fuck! I’m not going anywhere! The humanity I lived and fought for is gone! I will not lead a destroyed humanity, a weak and enslaved humanity! I’d rather die in this shitty gory hole with the rest of us! I know my wife and my children are happy in Heaven where I can meet them again.”
“General Carter, tell me. How does it feel to be the last General of the last proper human civilization?”
“It fucking sucks!”
“Ahahahaha~” the Queen let out a seductive yet Evil laugh. “Yes, indeed. What a very human answer.”
“Anyone would answer like that you son of a bitch!”
“Nay, a Vampire would simply keep quiet or fight. Our ego and pride would never let such a question pass.”
“Yeah and?”
“I have attained a new found respect for humanity and this war that only lasted a year proved it even more. You will outlast us.”
“Pfft… what?” General Carter laughs but Henry isn't as he slowly lowers his gun. “What crazy talk is that?”
“No sir, she might be onto something.”
“A new age of Vampires will arrive. Humanity had no place in it until I came along and took control. All of the Elders wanted humanity gone out of the picture due to your… inherent inability to kneel to authority.”
“Fuck yeah that’s what we do and we will do it still!”
“And hence why I need you Carter. Control humanity till that day comes, teach it to your children and so their own offspring may one day rise to the occasion.”
The General's stiff face soon crumples and his facial expression lightens.
“My-my wife is alive…?”
“Yes. I personally had my men to capture them and your two sons and one daughter alive. They're well inside a Vampire city.”
“S-sandy… oh my God…”
An Evil grin smirks up the Queen as her hands open.
“Will you take up the job?”
“What’s in it for my sons then?”
“Total immunity. Not one Vampire is allowed to touch your children nor turn them. Your bloodline shall be preserved and continually given support of the new Eternal Government.”
His gun soon lowers and reaches out to Elizabeth’s hand but is stopped by Henry. “Colonel!”
“Wait a minute here sir. Now Miss Carmilla. I do not mind not having a place in your future, but you said you had a lover, correct?”
“I did. And?”
“A lover that is… human?”
“A heroic and noble human. A Knight who came to rescue me.”
“Tsk. What is it with us, saving creatures that can literally end our existence!”
“Oy. If it weren’t from him. I wouldn’t be here to negotiate and preserve humanity. Do not put his name in vain right before my eyes. I’d have your tongue continually cut and thrown to the wolves till you no longer wish to speak.”
The man in full combat outfit swallows his saliva at hearing the more monotonous and deep voice of the woman.
“Y-You really loved that man huh?”
“And I wish to see him again. I cannot do that until humanity is finally under my heel.”
“Do you have any proof?”
The Queen suddenly appears right before the Vampires eyes. Her head was so close to his that he could feel her cold breath and rosy scent.
“Do you wish to continue to waste my time? I am the Evil and the Tyranny that shall befall upon humanity. If I didn’t bother, I’d have all of you culled and only the slaves of my Lords and Regents to be remained alive. But yet here I am going out of my way to save humanity and the billions that still live. I am trying my best to be the Shepherd that your Church speaks of.”
“Wha-what?”
“A young and youthful Pastor I met in New Jersey once told me in his morning Bible reading. Do not overcome by Evil, but overcome Evil with Good. And I am trying very hard to overcome mine with the good that humans have instilled upon me. Dost understand’th?”
“H-Hm.”
“Good. Now make a contract with General Carter.”
“What? No.”
“Haaaah, you humans. Do you wish for your subordinate to live? I was going to appoint whoever survives to become your Serfs and Guardians.”
“No one… survived? But there were ten thousand defenders in this Fortress…”
“I feel that you must mourn later. For now, secure the contract or I’ll have Colonel Henry’s life.”
“What does this contract mean?”
“Depends on what General Carter will ask of you.”
“Henry, I’m an old man and you're a Vampire. You’ll live far longer than I can ever go. My last and final order to you as the General of a united humanity is to defend my family. Make sure no one brings them harm. When I pass, I’ll be sure to tell the other Vampires that sided with us of your heroics.”
“Then, it shall be done sir. But get this Queen Carmilla… I will never forgive you Vampires for what you’ve done to my wife Ruth and my son.”
“And I guess whoever did this turned you into a Vampire?”
“He did. A Vampire Lord with the name of Wilmet. He was in a Security Meeting for Bioweapons when he did this to me and my family. We were having such a fun time in Paris when he wanted to take my wife for himself.”
“I’ll arrange a meeting between the two of you. Drink some blood will you, I am sure you can win against him. He isn’t much of a fighter and more of a talker.”
The two then stand up, leaving behind their guns.
“Good, stay close to me and let me do all the work.”
The door then opens with the Nobles still kneeling down as the sight is beholden before them. Humanity’s last General and the Leader of the traitors all surrendered and without their weapons. Cheers then came as everyone celebrated the victory of the Vampires against the humans and the final piece of the puzzle fell into place with a new age ushered in.
Walking through a forest, skimming the side of a massive brick building with stained glasses. A girl sneaks past around it in a gray school uniform and beret. Her long black hair touching the grass as a group of women passes through, seemingly out for blood with a backpack on hand. A man in a suit then came around the corner and immediately pointed his hand at them. His monocle shaking from the intense anger that was cursing through his veins.
“How dare you! Let go of that bag! What’re your names? Do you even know what University you're tarnishing with this abhorrent behavior?!”
Seeing the man, they immediately drop the backpack and run in the opposite direction. Laughing mockingly at the slim guy.
“Dammit! Lord Mattias won’t be happy with this. Hmph.”
The girl with the long black hair soon comes out of the bush. Spooking the man.
“Holy! Oh it's only you Miss Carter. Were these fools bullying you again?”
“It’s fine Professor.”
“Where is that Vampire guarding of yours anyways?”
“Henry is currently out. He was summoned by the Military Office in Rome.”
“Ah, I see, so they found an opening. I truly do feel you should just say the truth.”
“I don’t know. My grandpa always told me that we have to lay low.”
“That’s in the past. Right now Harriet. I suggest you just come clean, I swear if they knew the Royal Queen herself protects your family. They wouldn’t even bat an eye, many would actually treat you fairly and with respect.”
“I’ll think about it, Professor. My parents have been strict about keeping it a secret.”
“Alright then.”
The Professor sighs and helps the teenage girl get her things together and walks her to her classroom where class was about to start. The moment it hits Eight o clock, a Vampire in leather robes appears in front of the classroom. The man elegantly bows and the students mostly made up of young and pretty women stood up and bows back.
“Good. Good. But Lady Sarah, know when to time your footing. It was off by a second.”
“I apologize, Professor Balthazar.”
“No worries. This is why we have a class in Elegance. Now everyone, open your books. To the Vampires in the class, please do keep the noise to yourselves. I have no time to deal with your incessant laughs.”
At the strike of Eleven, the bell rings and the Professor opens the sliding door. Only to be met with a young teenage blonde woman with hair that reaches the back of her feet in a Senior uniform. With pretty thin eyelashes and eyebrows, the woman looked mature for her age as even the other Vampires in teenage form wanted to be a bit more lenient in their decorum.
“Oh my, who could you be?”
“Names Bartley. I came here to ask where Class Four A is at?”
“Goodness me, class is already over. Head to the canteen.”
Behind her, a group of young teenage Vampires were already surrounding the girl. Smitten by her looks. She nonchalantly swipes her hair as she walks to the canteen.
“Woah, who was that?”
The short haired woman with brown hair next to Carter with a shorter skirt edges on her as she picks up her books.
“Just wait. She seems like a daughter of a Vampire Royal. She will probably announce herself inside the Canteen to everyone’s spectacle.”
“Ahahahaha~ yeah, that’s kinda how these Vampires are. Can’t believe it's already been a hundred years since we joined their society.”
“And we better act the part. We all know what they did to our civilization.”
“Eh, that’s just you Carter. C’mon, it's the past. Your great great great great-”
Carter pushes the short haired girl's face far from her with her hand. “Great great great grandfather isn’t going to care if you mingle with one.”
“Dianna, let’s head to the canteen.”
“Oh you.”
The two head outside and they encounter a Vampire. With a cool and calm demeanor and a bad attitude. The handsome and pale black haired man jiggles a golden watch as they pass by. His uniform jacket is as messy as his hair and his stare followed Carter.
“Ohhhh, looks like Lord Ambrose is really into you.”
“Shut up Dianna. I am planning on keeping my family rules. I will only date a fellow human and that’s that.”
“C’mon, you literally have the most-”
Entering the Canteen, they met with a spectacle. With the young teenage blonde woman making a ruckus as she rejects the Sons of the Vampire Lords one by one without care. With some not taking it lightly and screaming that they’ll be doing everything to make sure her family’s name and reputation crashes to the ground.
Challenged, Bartley stood up to the blue haired man. Walking to his face and stared at the man. Peeling through his skin and skull and right into his soul without care.
“I dareth thee to cometh.”
This made the young Vampire run while her show of force made the crowd disperse. Leaving only a single human man standing. She tilts her head, looking at the oddly shy and innocent man who is mustering every bit of courage he has.
“W-WILL YOU BECOME FRIENDS WITH ME?!”
The huge canteen meant for a thousand or more students went silent, alongside the staff and the Professors that were busy eating at their own table. “Poor Bartholomew. Doctor Amos, we should really step in.” the school doctor just shakes his head and looks over to the trembling kid.
“...” Walking up to him, she giggled lightly and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I like you mortal! You remind me of a bumbling idiot that trembles and shakes when in a situation like this. I shall allow you to be with me!”
The young teenage man smiles and the two walk to the edge of the canteen together. Sitting down on a table that’s been vandalized and Carter and Dianna immediately veers off with their food but Bartley catches them. “Oy! You two! I’m not going to bite! Now sit here with me and this fool!” with no choice, they join her with the stare of everyone. Slowly they placed their food on the table and tried their best to look elegant.
“You two have no worries. You may act as you wish in front of me. Bartho, what is today's luncheon?”
“It’s fried chicken and curry. There’s also mushroom soup.”
“Good, get me one of each and I shall reward you with a free Soda.”
The shy teenager immediately stands up, following her order as the two bowed to her and ate.
“I already told ya’. No need to be proper with me, let us see each other eye to eye.”
“W-w-why did you make us eat with you?” Dianna is shocked at Carter's courage. As if she could see a General in her eyes that didn’t weave. Bartley on the other hand smiled at the sight and a grin appeared on her face. “Don’t you know we’re of different social standings? Aren’t Vampires big on that?”
“Bahahahahaha! Oh youth! You must learn young one. In friendship, Social Standings mean nothing!”
“Young? Aren’t we all the same age here?”
“Hah! I am a Vampire. Age is not relevant to my maturity!”
“Uh huh…” Carter immediately turns her head and whispers to Dianna who was already busy taking apart the chicken without care. “I told you the pretty ones are the most craziest?”
“What? We’re all pretty here. Sure the Vampires are in a league of their own, but isn't the point is to get picked by a Vampire Lord and become his servant or even wife?”
“No no no, not that! I mean, the more beautiful they are. The more unhinged they become.”
“... … Carter, you should really take a look at yourself in the mirror.”
Bartholomew then brings her food alongside his and the two begin eating. Bartley was a natural at it and ate with elegance that no one in the room could even match.
“Now, tell me Carter. Have you picked a boyfriend yet?”
Carter almost spills her curry as the blonde girl in front of her said it in such a nonchalant way.
“A-Are you always like this?”
“Me? It might be just my form as I was very noisy in this age but once again, I shall ask. Have you been smitten yet?”
Dianna trudges on Carter's elbow. “Watch out, I heard Vampire Lady’s are very territorial. They usually make a girl their servant to sell them off or kill them.”
“Ha! I am not that jealous! And have no worries, I am already married to a man!”
As if the men in the room felt a disturbance on the force, they all sigh in unison upon hearing that she’s already married to someone.
“Yes! This fool next to me reminds me of him, so have no fear! Even though Bartholomew may not look as much. He has the capacity to become a great man.”
“R-really?!”
“Yes Bartho, just continue to train with the sword. You will one day become a Royal Guardsman. I assure you that!”
“Yes! I really hope- Wait, how did you know I train with the sword?”
“A simple look at your hands and your firm grip on things already tells me as much. Keep it up, my man also trains like that. When I’d caress his hand, I’d often note how firm and hard it is.”
“Wow. Do you know how to use a sword?”
“Of course! I am trained by a Knight, one of the first Knights nonetheless!”
“Then… May we train together?”
“Hmmm… sure! After class, meet me at the training center! I shall show you the ways of a Vampire’s sword, though I recommend a Rapier but a Longsword will also do.”
“For a Vampire Miss Bartley. You're surprisingly used to humans.”
“Of course. Humans are great, I love humans. They're not only entertaining and delicious, but also a good source of intimacy.”
“U-Uh huh…” the two teenage girls just looked at the elegant woman. In complete contrast with how she spoke and acted when talking to them. “And you were looking for Class Three A right? What was your business with them?”
“This troublesome one named Lord Ambrose. I’ve heard he has been missing classes and even starting fights against girls. I'd like to investigate further into why and where the University is failing. As so it seems, many of the Vampire Lords and Lady’s are not meeting their requirements of decorum and etiquette and I find that quite appalling.”
The table was silent as they were taken aback by her sudden professionality and mature face. But Dianna on the other hand seemingly understood a part of it deeply and faced Bartley.
“Wait, Lord Ambrose started a fight against girls?”
“Yes, a group of three to be exact just this morning.”
“May I ask, were this tree led by a young and blonde Vampire Lady with two dumb bitches?”
“Yes. Do you know of their history with him?”
“Are you Miss Bartley… part of the Student Council?”
“Ooof. So it seems that the Lower Years have found out my status.”
Bartley pulls out from her ankle-length skirt’s pocket a green armband with a golden lining, the seal of the University of Harbridge, two Griffins crossed with two large keys.
“Yes, yes I am. I mostly do not mingle here and would stay in the upper level canteen but it seems that the edgy one is starting up some trouble and as the student council President, this is a matter that I must look into.”
Carter then sighs. “And I’m guessing your talking to me since-”
“Since he seems to be attached to you. I do not know why, as far prettier women have offered themselves up to him, but I do have a theory.”
Bartley finishes up and the bell rings and everyone goes back to their classrooms. Outside of the University’s main building on its Easternmost part near the Basketball field, a young Vampire man is using his badly ironed jacket to cover his face as he hides under the sunlight.
“Quite a daring one aren’t we?”
“I have extra sunlight cream on.”
“Even still, it doesn’t assure that you’ll be invincible to the light.”
“What about you?” the pale man with the sharp jawline edges over his jacket to look at the blonde woman with the green armband on her right arm. “You don’t even have cream on and you're standing in broad daylight. I suggest you come clean to me before speaking.”
“You truly are a descendant of Wilmet. You also have his stupid energy on questioning things that’re out of place.”
“So, who are you?”
“I will not disclose it but I am someone that has been watching over this planet for a good two hundred years now and I am astonished at the parallels.”
“Parallels of what?”
“Of the same thing I tried. I came to this University to see it for myself. How the future is going to be after the stabilization of normal living and I am seeing that it's going to be the same but slower.”
They could hear an explosion far in the distance that rustled the tree Ambrose was sitting under.
“Slower? Just who are you?”
“Nothing. But how is your father doing? Is Wilmet still sulking, an old human general managed to beat him up for a bit and embarrassed him hundreds of years ago?”
“Father is doing alright. As usual, he has multiple women at home to comfort him.”
“Haaaaaa… something truly does not change.”
“You're really an old hag aren’t you?”
A punch flies next to his head. Centimeters from his pointy ear as the sound barrier was broken and in the background, three rockets launched in unison. Their pointy gothic design that made them look like the stakes on a Church fence as they pierced the skies with a fiery intensity. Through the thick clouds you could see the flare of their boosters going to the great beyond. Down below on the University grounds, leafs fall on the pale man's face as his red eyes in full crimson stared up at the cute blonde teenage girl whose fist nearly obliterated his pretty face completely.
“Call… me… an old hag again…”
“I-i apologize.”
“Good.” Bartley relaxes herself and smiles once again. “Though I will admit since you are courageous enough. I am a thousand and more years old. But I shall not disclose my true age. If anyone asks, just say I am around six hundred, if not. Four hundred.” She tilts her head and gives the man a cute warm smile.
“Do not be guilty of the past. Be stricken with guilt if it happens in the present.”
“Where did you get that from?”
“But do not let the guilt of the present strike you with anxiety of the future.”
“Who are you? My Mother? Hah. Thanks for the advice.” For the first time, a small grin can be seen on Ambrose’s usual pale and sad face.
“Good, you are still not too far gone. Comb your hair, iron your clothes and be confident. You are a Vampire, sulking and looking like an edgy boy won’t help you in your endeavors. If you wish to protect Maryrose Carter. You must be normal as she is normal.”
“How bad was my Father?”
“I wouldn’t say he is bad.” Bartley turns around and crosses her arms. Even though she is a teenager, her breasts were already pretty well rounded and sized for her age which Ambrose himself didn’t look away from staring. “You are looking at him through the lens of a human, how many of your Nannies were vampires?”
“None. Father loved having pretty human women around. Same could be said with the servants.”
“Ah, see that’s where the problem lies. You have not been brought up as a Vampire. If you were, you’d see that your Father was only doing as he is obligated to do by the Elders. We also do not see humans in the same light as us, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t respect their level of courage. See the balance and meet in the middle youngin’.”
Bartley then tilts her head upwards, her long slender neck exposed fully to the Sun as she looks at the pale pretty man.
“We are Vampires, do not let the morals of humans stop you from seeing them for what they are. Feeble weak cretins incapable of perfection and prone to violence far beyond us, but they try and that should be respected as much as their mortality.”
“Looks like I have a lot to learn then.”
“Books can only teach you as much, and so do those gadgets and devices. Experience is the best teacher and you best start mingling with your kind and be friends with them. Do not lash out at Vampires for what we did, the humans would’ve done the same or even worse, destroyed the entire planet if they couldn’t have it.”
“Hm. Thank you Bartley.”
“Do not thank me, thank yourself for still having an open mind. That’s one thing you should keep from the humans, their open mindedness can bring you many friends but also enemies.”
“I get the feeling that you love humans from how highly you speak of them.”
“I do, and I adore one with the bottom of my heart. I cannot wait to return and give him intimacy and love. I do not see myself as a jealous or possessive woman but I do think I’ve left him long enough.”
“Then, I pray for your safe return to your love.”
“No need. No matter what, I will return. Even if it means I have to flip this entire world on itself. Just that I must wait a bit more and I shall return. Also, tomorrow, the Queen will arrive. Be sure to prepare yourself.”
“E-EH?! QUEEN CARMILLA WILL BE ARRIVING?!”
The man shot up to the skies and was suddenly animated and alive.
“Yes, I heard that she’ll be doing a surprise inspection before quitting as the Queen.”
“So… the rumors are true? That she will be quitting?”
“Her contract wasn’t even supposed to last for two hundred. She seemed to just get carried away with the whole leading thing.”
“Who will replace her then…?”
“I’m sure one of the Dukes is up for grabs. Just a heads up Lord Ambrose. Be sure to have your Father ready, I am sure he has a lot of questions for her.”
“H-Hm. Father does have a large portrait of Queen Carmilla in his personal room. His chair actually faces it. He’d often mumble that she was the one that got away.”
“Haaaah… Be gone now. Attend your class and be a good boy. The afternoons young.”
Though still reluctant, Ambrose sees that Bartley won’t be going anywhere. So he stands up and walks to the main building. “Hey! You forgot this!” he turns around and a single book flies in the direction of his head. The man catches it and looks up to thank Bartley, she is already gone and only a rose remains in her place.
The next day, the University was up in arms at the arrival of a Duke. Duke Wilmet for the first time in hundreds of years has appeared from his Mansion. Wearing a lavish purple and emerald cravat and ascot with a tricorn hat and cape, the man pulled all the stops to look as good as he could. All of the students lined up as he arrived as early as seven o'clock in the morning. The Professors and the Maintenance crew all were present, kneeling before the high ranking Vampire Noble with his son, Count Ambrose. The limousine drives off, leaving only him and his Son.
“My dear boy, lead me to your classroom.”
“Of course Father.”
Carter, who was kneeling down with the rest of her class, looks up and to her shock, Sir Wilmet was staring right at her as he walked with his young son who has seemingly made a transformation with a well ironed uniform and hair. Though his gloomy look is still present, it was far better than before.
As soon as the Duke was gone, everyone stood up and went to the main courtyard to do their morning ceremonies while Ambrose took his Father around the University. Showing him around the entire place that was the size of a small town in of itself. With multiple sections and the main wing where most of the classes occur.
“Are you sure son, that she will appear?”
“Yes Father. The Student Council president has always been a mystery as she’d only appear every now and then and she’d only be seen in class rarely, but she has never been wrong.”
“Good. Do you think she will like these flowers?”
Wilmet carried with him the same red rose that Bartley left under the tree. The bouquet looked so dashingly good and luxurious with even chocolates on it.
“I have a gut feeling she will Father.”
“How is your Mother doing? Is Harriet fine?”
“She is. Though Mother has still not forgiven you for not appearing for at least once a year.”
“Oh yes, it’s been seventeen years now…”
“Father, why didn’t you just go to the Royal Palace in Burgundy and met with the Queen?” Ambrose's hand clenched into a fist as his well made Father seemingly looked pale and sad like his own Son before him.
“She didn’t want to see me.”
“Really Father? Aren’t you a ladies man?”
“I know I know, but she was different… Far different than everyone.”
“How so, Father? From her speeches and grand parties, I doubt she is different from all the other Duchesses and Royals.”
“You do not understand, you have never met her, my son. I’m sure when you will, you’ll find yourself seeing someone in a level of respect you’ve never had. Her emerald eyes, I can still remember the stare she’d give. She didn’t demand authority, she had it. Nor did she ask for your attention, it was already hers before you knew it.”
“Then the rumors could be true then Father?”
“Which one? The Queen hasn’t really been much on presenting her personal life to us all. Royal or Peasant”
“That some of the humans would commit suicide after seeing her.”
“Are you sure it's not just her words? Carmilla doesn’t hold back when she wants something told and done.”
“Maybe Father, but rumors are. Humans would commit suicide after seeing her with a happy and contended face, as if they’ve seen everything they have to see in the world.”
“That’s just the feeble humans, my son. Unable to grasp the beauty of a purebred Vampire. They must be as weak hearted as their ancestors that failed to stop us and only delayed the inevitable.”
Suddenly, as the morning ceremony starts. They could hear someone playing Mozart in the Senior High’s Music room. In curiosity, the two walk to the sound. Opening the door, they are met with the Queen herself. Her heeled shoes tapping on the pedals with a single rose on the grand piano’s top. She was playing without care and sense, and was just in silence. Her beauty was exuding the entire room, covering it with her lascivious aura of power and control.
“Ah, it seems that I’ve been caught.”
Ambrose wanted to walk to her and touch her. But his Father stops him from doing so. Shaking his head. “My son, you are not prepared to mingle with that type of woman.” Even though he wanted to protest and meet the Queen personally, he felt as if his Father wasn’t only foretelling warnings from his young age and lack of intimate contact with women. But also from personal experience.
“I see you’ve learned a lot, Wilmet.”
“I’ve been thinking, and thinking. Deciphering the woman that is Carmilla for two centuries now and to this day, just what creature are you…”
“I can smell Red roses. Could you be a sweetie and give it to me?”
Elizabeth didn’t even turn around and kept playing. Wilmet swallows his saliva and walks forward. He felt as if each of his steps weighed tons and tons and the closer he got, the more he got entranced by the woman's beauty. He soon reaches her, the light piercing through the stained glass of the room lighting one half of the woman with bright golden rays while the other, in the shade of her own self.
“Thank you. Oh my, even chocolates.”
She then leans forward and takes a quick sniff of the red roses and proceeds to continue playing. Ambrose on the other hand slowly walks forward and stands next to his Father, seemingly caught by the woman's beauty. But Wilmet holds his son's hand and firmly grips it, the teenage man could feel light trembles on the hand of his own Father who had never shown much emotion so far in his life.
“W-Why are you here, Your Majesty?”
“The fools on the Third Transportation Brigade were talking longer than I expected to prepare my carriage. So I took it upon myself to come here. I was also getting sleepy of all the Nobles arriving with their flying cars in a vain attempt for me to sponsor their campaign as the next Monarch.”
“Carmilla, are you quitting?”
“Yes. Yes I am. Only a few years from now and the Stone I am waiting for will be fully charged and I will leave.”
“What do you mean? You will leave?”
“Nothing. But I hoped to check the future of the Vampires of this world. So far, I do see both promise and ruin.”
She stops playing the Piano and takes the chocolate that was with the Red roses from Wilmet. Turning around, the tall woman eats one. Slowly and sensually making it melt first before eating it whole and swallowing.
“You’re early too, Wilmet. You look just as dashing as I first met you in New York. What is your query with me?”
“Just what is your end goal Carmilla? Just what are you planning? You built this world of plenty and marvels and yet you’d preach about the ruin and the end. What do you mean by this? I also heard you destroyed all of the bioweapons I created meant to exterminate humans.”
“I did. What about it?”
“Just whose side are you on? Are you with us? Or against us?”
“Oh please, I do not only think about us. I think about everything, including the humans.”
“Really? So you worked to make sure they survive and have a future?”
“Didn’t I also do the same with us, Vampires?”
“But the humans will bring us ruin! Just what are you…”
“A woman you’ve been adoring and obsessing over that you can’t fathom the idea of betraying the Vampires.”
“Then explain!”
“I’ve seen it before Wilmet. I’ve once created an Empire for the Vampires that spanned territories far beyond the size of Earth and it all came falling down even after Centuries of planning. Even with the humans out of the picture, it will all crumble one day just as any Empire.”
“What?!”
“Can you not see Wilmet? I am preparing everyone for the eventual downfall of this magnificent era of Vampires. Soon, an Age of Ruin and Chaos will follow and the world will be plunged once again into war and annihilation.”
“N-No, it can’t be.”
“It may not happen tomorrow or next year, but it will occur. Maybe in the far flung future… and we will need the humans to survive so that we may continue to thrive. Do you understand Wilmet?”
Elizabeth walks closer to him and her gloved index finger lifts his face. As the two were of the same height, Wilmet once again gets to see the Queen eye to eye. “You are not a fool Wilmet. Nor a jester, be ready for when it happens and be sure to know your place in that future.” she then turns around and looks out the window. The peace outside where Vampires are the majority and humans the minority.
“The future needs men. Strong and brave men, be sure to teach your Son to be a better man.”
“Why? There’s no more wars, everything is at peace. For once, there isn’t any conflict occurring in the world because of you.”
“Because the future rests upon those with the shoulder strong enough to carry the burden of society. Maybe right now, we can rest and enjoy this bliss. But it won’t last, the world will need men once again, and Ambrose. Will you rise to the occasion? To do what the people before you had done?”
“To fight Your Majesty?”
“To defend, to know what is behind you and to love what is and to die for it. Are you willing?”
“I do not know, Your Majesty.”
“Be not afraid, only a few things can truly kill a Vampire. If the feeble humans can achieve the impossible by just believing and imagining. What more can we do?”
She puts her palm on the teenager's cheek. His slim and well endowed body relaxes by the soft and light touch of the woman.
“Be strong and grow as a person. You wish to defend someone right? Be like my man. I was once captured and trapped. Through it all, from the shelling and the wizzling of the bullets and the magic conjured to stop him. This human was daring enough to charge at the castle with his men, leading upon certain death, to face unimaginable pain and challenge to rescue me.”
Wilmet’s eyes widened upon hearing the story. “A human… saved you?”
“Twice. I owe him my life. My power and everything, I only wish to be with him again and see his eyes, those brown eyes full of humanity. The fear, the strength, and the weakness and the mortality of it all. Whenever I’d rest my head on his broad wide shoulders, I feel at ease. At hope, as if I belonged. He never labeled me anything, nor saw me as a Vampire or a Queen…”
Elizabeth then walks back to the grand piano. Her long slender finger skimming the edge of the expensive piece of instrument as she picked up the bouquet of red roses.
“He only saw me as Elizabeth. That was enough, and is enough.”
“He must be a good man then.”
“He is not a good man per say.” Elizabeth giggles at herself. The two note how soft and cute it was but also the long feeling that she has been longing for his touch. The feeling of missing could be seen in her expression mixed with the happiness of seeing a fond memory. “He is… just a man. A very courageous and strong man that understands.” she then walks to the exit. But Wilmet stops her, holding her arm.
“Can you at least tell me that you’d like a man like me?”
“... I won’t. But I will say this, I do respect men like you. Sir Wilmet, you know your strengths and weaknesses. Your son on the other hand needs to know the importance of one thing.”
“What is it?”
“It is fine to be weak, but it is fatal to stay weak.”
Wilmet taps the back of his Son with a big smile on his face.
“Remember that my son.”
“I will, Your Majesty.”
Even then, Wilmet still hasn’t removed his grip on her arm. “What is it now Duke Benjamin?”
“W-would…”
“Hm?”
“Would you… uhm… be willing to have…”
“Spit it out now. I must return to the airport.”
“Would you be willing to partake in a final dance with me? I know that my Son loves to play the Piano. I’d often hear Mozart or Beethoven echo through the vents.”
“... Pfft. Bahahahahaha! I never knew I’d see this side of you Wilmet! Ah, I guess you now know the feeling?”
“Y-yea. This sucks. Like a lot.”
“Ambrose, would you?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
The pretty boy sat on the stool of the Grand Piano and picked Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9. Elizabeth lightly sets down the bouquet of red roses on the stage of the Music classroom and slowly lifts her left hand as she walks to the middle of the room with its wooden floor noisily echoing the clacks of her heels. Wilmet on the other hand puts his left arm on his back and with slow and methodical steps, inches closer and closer to the Vampire Queen, the Vampire Duke knew how to present himself, though haven’t done such a classical ball dance for so long.
He nonetheless knew from the heart how to do it and slowly takes the hand of the beautiful blonde woman and leads the dance as she goes along his slow flow. The two danced together with such an intimate flow, as if they knew each other's moves beforehand. Ambrose couldn’t believe his eyes, as for the first time in his entire life. His Father was smiling brightly, with tears lightly falling from eyes as he soaked his whole soul and being into the olden dance between man and woman.
Through the bright Sun passing through the glass, the two share a close moment together as the students finished their morning ceremony and started to disperse.
“I-i-i apologize for my tears.”
“Mhm. It’s fine. Cry all you want, it is only I and you Son here.”
“I think… This is the first time I’ve ever fallen in love. In my entire life…”
Even though he was letting out his emotions whole, he held Elizabeth’s hand with absolute care. Delicately leading her forward.
“And then you're gone, you’ll be leaving. Heh, what kind of fate is this?”
“There is a first for everything, and not everything goes one's way. It is the cycle of life, learn from this and grow. Mature and become a better person.”
“Hm. I will, I’ll try my best to love Harriet. I apologize Ambrose, it took me so long to realize my infatuation and get it shot down just as fast.”
“There are far more normal and less… insane women out there for you. Believe me, it takes a special man to be able to stay with me.”
“I am saddened that it is not I, but I wish him the best.”
“I’m sure he’ll be happy to know. He might not be perfect nor a saint, but he is my man and he is enough.”
Ambrose finishes the song and the two in unison, bowed at each other elegantly. Following Vampire Noble Etiquette to the tee. Wilmet on the other hand follows it by removing his Tricorn hat and spinning it to give his final bow some flare. Students soon passed them and Elizabeth disappeared right before their very eyes. Only tiny bits of her scent remained as the Seniors looked in awe of a tried and true Vampire Duke right before their eyes.
Four hours later, just as the bell rang. The Royal Band plays on the front yard of the University as Vampire Soldiers in full exoskeleton equipment were outside, not a hint of their skin showing as they guarded the perimeter with new age weapons, its caliber unknown but the large box magazines meant for machine guns are now used on their assault rifles with holographic sights and even ammo count. Silent attack helicopters would fly low over the Victorian town as jets in VTOL mode secured the outer parts of the settlement.
A Royal Carriage with porcelain white color with Gold decor rolls up on the University with black futuristic SUVs and armored personnel carriers. Exiting them are suited men with sunglasses as people in old Medieval clothing rolled a red carpet. This sends the entire school into a flurry, with everyone gunning for the front yard to greet their almighty Queen. The Professors both human and Vampire rolled out their best decor and quickly placed it on the entrance of the fine educational institution.
The door quickly opens, and the Queen wasted no time with her Nobles to walk to the entrance. Just as the students were trickling out of the canteen and the halls to greet the leader of the planet. Elizabeth walked with such confidence, like a woman on the runway and the panelists, the entire town and the people watching through the local TV station. Walking out of the main entrance, in full make up, powder and wig was the head of the University. Looking as if he has waited his entire life for this moment. He was the first to kneel amongst everyone to her.
“Your Majesty the Queen Carmilla. I am humbled by your visit to my prestigious educational center. I am Baron Heinrich Von Nachtnebel, Owner and Head of the University of Hambridge, School of Science and Etiquette. How may I be of service?”
“Are all Vampires on the right of the sidewalk?”
“Yes Your Majesty.”
She looks at them with a wonderful gaze, she then turns to face the humans on the opposite side which greatly outnumbered them, which are majority females. In contrast to the Vampire Nobles who’re majority male.
“How many students?’
“Four hundred fifty vampires, two thousand seven hundred humans, your majesty.”
“What’s the season?”
“Midterms, Your Majesty.”
Looking at the human students, she sees one with long black hair and a long familiar gaze. She walks to her, the presence of the mere Vampire Queen akin to a Divine God to the humans. Each step she took had weight and even with her royal aura of openness and luxury, no one dared to even lift their head to take a peek at her beauty.
“Maryrose Carter, correct?”
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty.”
“How has school treated you so far? Has the special treatment given to you by the World Government been a detriment to your education?”
“N-no, Your Majesty.”
“Good. I’ve actually met with your ancestor. I am sure you already know of this?”
“Y-yes…. Your Majesty.”
“Look up, I want to see your eyes.”
Carter slowly lifts her head. Instantly she’s in awe of the woman's beauty before her. White porcelain skin with a light make up around her eyes and a red lipstick. She looked like the perfect specimen if it was about beauty and the perfection of the female body.
Elizabeth on the other hand smiles. Seeing in her gaze the old genera with his wrinkling white hair. The gaze of a General was deep inside her, the stare of Humanity’s last proper General of its last modern military.
“Good.”
The Vampire Queen elegantly bows and she stood up and bowed back. Flubbing it midway and tripping just for the Queen to catch her. In the back, the Headmaster of the University gets a heart attack even though he’s a Vampire. The Dukes and Barons that were with Elizabeth’s entourage just avoided him as he plopped to the ground. “Oy! Have some tact and catch me! Boohoo!”
“Now, do not be afraid. I am merely just another woman. Lift your skirt up lightly and slowly.”
Elizabeth demonstrates, slowly lifting the sides of her skirt and Carter follows her. Her voice was so soft and womanly, though it commanded respect, it was more of a motherly respect than one of governmental authority.
“In unison with your bow as your right foot's toe goes behind your left.”
As the Queen shows how to properly do it, Carter mimics it to the tee and properly bows back to their leader which Elizabeth smiles at. “Good, live a long and fulfilling life. The future needs you and your blood.” She then turns around and leans down to the Headmaster who was groveling. Apologizing as much as he can from the improper decorum by one of his own students and the woman just sighed. “Sir Nachtnebel, may you tour me around the premises?”
A steel armored train passes through a ravine. Below the steel truss bridge, an endless darkness not even the Ural Sun could pierce. It stops on a massive Gothic castle surrounded by fences and walls with mountains covering all of its directions. Inside, the lead car. Elizabeth drinks some water, feeling dizzy on the train ride to her final resting place.
“Your Majesty, I must advise you to rethink this. You must continue your rule.”
The woman looks in tatters as she leaned her face to the wall of the train. Her hand just gestured to the nobleman to shoo away as her long blonde hair covered parts of her face.
“Leave me be… I do not feel well…”
“Ahhhh goodness. Just what happened to you and trains, Your Majesty?”
“Begone. Ugh.”
She puts her hand up her mouth as the train veers to the right and below into the rock her castle sat on. As the train stopped, more Nobles were on the secret bunker station. All egging her to continue her rule as she drunkenly walked to the top where her personal guards helped her up from falling at the stairs. There, she was delivered to the main atrium of the Castle where a Coffin awaits her. The persistent nobles followed her as Scientists looked at the Perimeter Defenses and the Weapons in place to protect her slumber.
Soon, the General of the Vampire’s Armed Forces walked through the crowd, angering Nobles from High and Low.
“Begone you cretins! Disgusting! How dare thee disturbed our already tired Queen! Guards! Get these bugs out of here! Their crowding the scent of the air with their stupid perfumes!”
The Exoskeleton Vampires pushed them out of her room as the General lifted her up and gently placed her inside the Coffin. Saluting once again to her.
“Thank… you.. I do not like trains.”
“I apologize. I should’ve done better and scheduled your flight to be earlier. The Weather has only recently came back to normal after the bombs fell.”
“General Louis, please. Read me the years left.”
“One hundred years Your Majesty, and the Time Stone should be able to bring you back home again. I apologize that we are unable to do anything with the Mana it needs. Planet Earth is unlike this Threa you speak of.”
“Worry not… haaaah… bring me my Chalice.”
The decorated General swipes his cape as he hands her the ornate Chalice. The woman chugs down the blood for ten minutes straight till she regains much of her strength once again. Her nerves all calmed down.
“A hundred years…”
“Are you still traumatized, Your Majesty?”
One of the Nobles that was already in the room takes a pen and a paper with official writing on it. She signs it immediately, which was the papers for her resignation as the Queen of the Vampires, fully sealing the deal.
“The last time I hibernated. I woke up to a different world, with different people, and different sounds…”
“No matter. Even if you were awakened to a different world. The Time Stone should be ready for you. I pray for your safe return, Your Majesty.”
Elizabeth lightly smiles. Lowering her back on the metallic black Coffin with a red leather interior. She crosses her arms and left with her is the woman's Chalice as they closed it up and put it on the wall. Protected by a Force Field in a bomb proof room.
She could hear rain and opening her eyes, she saw a single figure of a woman in a dark Gothic Funeral Gown with a veil covering her face under the shade of a street lamp, lightly watching over her through the incessant weather of the dark void. “Wake up.” Pushing her hands, she wakes up. Opening the Coffin with the Forcefield all gone and dodging it was Bahamut, eating dry aged meat nonchalantly.
“Yo.”
Elizabeth could cry at the sight of the Dragon God. Attacking the woman silently enjoying the meat with a barrage of kisses on the cheeks. “ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! CALM DOWN! I MUST FINISH THIS FOOD!” The Vampire calms down and stares at Bahamut for a second and starts touching her body. “OY OY OY! STOP!” tickling her as she confirms that she’s not seeing things.
“Wait, are we back in Threa?”
“No. We’re still on Masters planet. Earth.”
“Eh? Then how come you're here?”
Bahamut leans up and points at the table where the Time Stone was supposed to be placed. The timer was long rusted and not working. On the red carpet, is a charred corpse of a person.
“What happened?”
“The human interacted with the Time Stone. Activating it, I took the chance and used her soul as a stepping stone to reach this realm.”
“But where is the Stone itself?!”
The woman in the funeral gown points to the outside, with the door of her room blown inwards and the Sun light piercing inside it.
“Can’t you just teleport us back? Didn’t Master mention you can go through dimensions since your real body is above space?”
“Hm? I can. But it's random at best. We might just end up on another version of Earth. Threa is on a Dimension right next to it. I need a real link to its very being if I wish to go back to that specific place.”
“Which is…”
“The TIme Stone.”
“We must go then.”
“Yup. Just let me finish this first.”
Soon, Bahamut takes off. The Queen is not wasting time as the Dragon flies, using its powerful nose to track down the Stone from the scent of the charred corpse. Elizabeth is amazed that the once plentiful and alive forest that used to surround her castle is now a barren dust filled desert with all kinds of war machines buried on the sands alongside the remains of skyscrapers and rocket launch pads.
After flying for an hour, they encounter Winged Monsters. The large deformed beaks of the creatures with what little feathers they had tried to go against the Dragon just to be burned even before making contact. More than appears, diving from the clouds and into the back of Bahamut which Elizabeth quickly takes care of. Unleashing her AutoMag V and Rapier to defend the back of the massive flying lizard.
Miles away, driving on an up armored mad max Semi truck. Survivors look behind them to see this huge black creature surrounded by hundreds of little birds as they feel the burning fury of its breath. One of them, wearing makeshift armor and a gas mask, does a sign of a cross at the scary yet majestic sight before them. Tracers then started flying and they knew someone was on top of it, blasting the winged creatures trying to overwhelm the massive flying beast.
“I-is that a Dragon?!”
“Vampires, Werewolves, Demons and now… a Dragon. Take pictures. This has to be known.”
“Sir! What’re we going to do with the Time Stone?”
“If we can, we’ll drop it off at the point and have the Syndicate to handle the rest. We did our jobs as Mercs. They’ll have to deal with whatever that is. I knew that Noble’s Castle was far too quiet to be true.”
Elizabeth and Bahamut soon thin the numbers of the flock and could now clearly see the horizon and miles away from them, a speeding semi truck with a conventional tractor pulling a 53ft dry van armored and armed to the teeth can be seen speeding through the open desert. Trying to get away from them, but the Dragon starts its dive prompting the Vampire Queen to kneel in her position.
Pulling up at the last minute, the flapping of the giant armored wings of Bahamut created small sandstorms in its wake as the Dragon got closer and closer to the truck. Exposing the bones and whatever remained of a once prosperous and futuristic society,
“Bloodsucker!”
“Hm!”
Elizabeth reveals her crimson coloured bat wings, and flies onwards. Faster than Bahamut.
“GUUUYYYSS! WE GOT A NOBLE!”
“What?!”
The man in the gas mask takes the binoculars from his friend with a shemagh and stares at the incoming object. As he looked, a long spark of gold flew past him and he could hear someone choking as the metal clinked behind him. Looking back, it was a tall beautiful woman in a gown, out of place with their dust and dirt filled makeshift outfits and rusted armored truck.
Pulling out his revolver, the woman quickly grabs it and twists his arm. Making him drop the weapon as the radio on his shoulder comes to life. “We’re here! Take your damn Stone!” On the horizon, a line of armored cars from Sedans to Firetrucks and even flying cars are driving straight towards the semi truck. Its driver promptly veers it to its direction as behind it is a massive Dragon, getting ever so closer.
An Asian man pops out of the hatch of a rusted APC with mismatched wheels and its main autocannon replaced by a rifled gun. Unable to believe his eyes as the massive winged creature appears from behind the truck, continually creating a sandstorm from its gigantic wake and it's getting closer and closer while on top of it, someone with long blonde hair has lifted a Mercenary up and is absolutely choking it while fighting another person.
“Should we turn back?!”
“It’s too late now! Look at how fast that Dragon is going! Everyone! Turn in!”
Closing everything, the line of vehicles prepares to pass the truck. The semi didn’t veer off as it passed them at high speed and the Syndicates vehicles got completely engulfed by the sandstorm left by the Dragon. On the semi truck’s trailer, Bahamut joins in the fun and punches the merc with the gas mask. Putting him to sleep in an instant while Elizabeth chokes the person cold and drops the man into the sandy dunes.
Hatches then pop open and they meet with a group of Mercenaries using a mixture of makeshift weapons and rusty normal guns. Without wasting time, the Mercs opened fire with everything they got while watching their cross. Professionally taking over the sandbags on top of the dry van. But even with their effort, the power level is just too skewered and a gory massacre follows afterward. With Elizabeth not pulling her shots and slices, dismembering and going for arteries and vital organs.
Bahamut on the other hand just stares back at whoever tried to shoot her and burns the person down without even lifting a single finger. With the roof cleared, Elizabeth heads down inside and sees that the interior of the trailer was a makeshift home, complete with beds and a command center. Circled on a clipboard was a job to go to a 10,000 year old Noble’s Castle and to capture a strange source of power to be used on a city. Which was the Time Stone that was fully charged and ready.
She then closed her eyes and could hear the rattling of a rock inside a cabinet. She opens it and sees that it's the Time Stone. All fully charged and ready, with a quick hand. The woman takes it just as the part of the trailer completely collapses as a bucket from a rigid truck starts to rip the dry van apart. Bahamut with sword swings in its direction, sending a burning blade of violet and blue at it. Igniting the fuel and making it explode as another truck replaces it with a bunch of Syndicate soldiers on its back.
Elizabeth jumps to the top and presents the Stone to Bahamut.
“Oh good. Now, are you ready?”
“Hm.”
One of the soldiers behind the up armored army truck pulls out an RPG-7, he runs to the hood and stands up at the speeding truck, aiming it at the two women. “BACKBLAST CLEAR!” the soldiers duck as he pulls the trigger. Bahamut crushes the Time Stone on Elizabeth’s hand and the RPG’s rocket flies into nothing and continues till it lands into the sandy ground.
Waking up once again, Elizabeth is back at Alana’s Manor. Inside her room with Bahamut sleeping next to her.
“Oh my goodness! Finally! How long have I gone?!”
“An hour? Master told me you were asleep and was seemingly having a nightmare so I checked.”
“Just what was that Stone!?”
“I found it in an Ancient Cave. The Dark Elves were doing something with it.”
“Then why did you give it to me?!”
“I thought you’d know what to do with it.”
“When I was born, the Dark Elves’ civilization was already long gone. I have no idea what I am supposed to do with their insane machinations.”
“Then… just treat that Burning Blood Magic as my Christmas gift!”
“Hah?!”
Elizabeth just facepalms and sighs. “I’ll think about it tomorrow. Now, get out of my room.” she plops back to her bed, not even removing her gown as she goes into sleep. Snoring loudly as she seemingly had a long winded day and overworked to the bone. Bahamut just shrugs and looks at the Time Stone that’s seemingly still emitting spatial power.
“I do hope you’ll be able to do something with that. Now, to raid Alana’s meat cellar!”
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Returning
The apocalypse was not kind to humanity. The survivors of the system's arrival banded together as they could, but the harshness of the new reality they faced whittled away at their numbers. A decade later, only a few humans remained, holed up in the last stronghold left. Frank was one of them, his survival as much luck as it was ability. As the final assault broke through their defenses, he felt the end approach. He accepted his death, only to wake up at the beginning. Can he change his fate? The fate of his species?
8 188The Everlasting. (Completed)
An Everlasting. A title given to those who have reached a state closest to godhood. Be it through might and power or through love and compassion. These beings hold great influence over the realms. This story is about Asura, a young orphaned child, who was taught the way of the blade and has mastered the Warrior Arts at a very young age. Given a recommendation by his master, Asura ventures out to broaden his horizons and to learn magic. Follow Asura’s journey and his quest to reach Everlastinghood. Comment by the author: Looking at the chapter list, you might have noticed Volume 1 is not there. The reason is that it’s in the process of being published so I’m somewhat restricted in where and how I can post it. Edit. 18/04/2017 The first volume is now officially on sale. It is no longer possible to get the first volume for free. I am sorry but it was free for a long time and it was time for it. However if you like to support me you can find th first volume here on Amazon (getBook.at/TheEverlasting) Compared to other stories on Royal Road this one is faster paced. No artificial extensions of the story by spending forever in generic constructs, like random ranking tournaments, that don’t really matter for the overall plot. That’s the plan anyway. Volumes consist roughly of 30-35k words. Additionally: I am not a native speaker, nor have I had any formal education in the English language. I am trying very hard to improve myself. If you want to help me by proofreading my story, shoot me a PM and we’ll see if we can arrange something. Other than my thanks and fake internet points I can’t offer anything, though. Yeah, poor student here… Edit 22/06/2017 Hey the story is officially ended if i ever decide to continue it will be on another date. The ending is open for anyone to use their imagination. Thank you all for the support. I hope we could meet later in the Everlasting II. Respectfully Biako
8 412Zero Fate against the world (An Isekai Story)
This is a repost done by me the author. The original site where I post this is on Webnovel.I just wanted to see how my novel would go on another site if you liked it be sure to go to Webnovel since I am very active there. Although I can try to be just as active here.Now for the synopsis: Philip lived his life like any university student, he went to the campus, heard his teachers, made his notes, went home, studied, and played some games with the boys at night.Until one fateful day. It was the final class of the year, and he together with all of the people present in the room, were transported to another world.In a strange and unfamiliar world, everyone received powers and abilities including him, but with a twist, he didn't receive a class. Only a skill.They weren't there to kill a demon king, nor they were there to prevent a war. Although you could say they were there to cause one...How will he do with his strange skill? And how will his "friends" act?Let's find out because I am also curious!...Hey!No release schedule yet. I will post the chaps as I see fit since I am currently focusing on my other works. Go check them out!They are on the other side, although I can try to repost them here as well.I am here to say that I don't own the cover image, nor do I own the special abilities of the MC, you will see why.If you own any of these things and want me to take it down I will, but remember that currently, I am not receiving any money from this.
8 200Emissary
Growing up 400 years in the future in the parentless wing of her skyscraper city, Burke, Shae Westow thought that she was less than ordinary, but little did she know that it was for her own protection. A terrorist organization known as the Others are attempting to unearth a foreign power that almost destroyed the planet 400 years ago and only Shae can find it. When the terrorists attack her city, she is thrust into the world that had been hidden from her for years. She is told that she is a wielder, a person who was born with an asset (supernatural ability), and is forcibly moved up into her new home, The Apex, which resides on the topmost floor of her city. Anxious to stop the Others from achieving their goal, Shae bands together with four other wielders to try and stop them. Along the way, Shae learns about the value of honesty and humility as she experiences love, loss, and betrayal. -New Chapter Every Wednesday-
8 227Davram Who Sings
In a world where art is magic, an aging sorceror creates a man from soil and water, naming him Davram, and embuing him with the power of Singing. Davram must journey through strange and vast lands to learn the mysteries within an unreadable book the sorceror has left him. Cover : Painting by Jivya Soma Mashe
8 86Rimward Bound
Every citizen of the sky-cities of His Majesty's Star-Empire knows that a ship, both sky- and star-, is more then just a few bits of metal. It is the grand sum of it's hull and the crew that sail it. 'Hulls of battle-steel and men to match!' That's what the Navy's recruitment poster's claim at least. Every sailor knows that there is one more component that the city-bound folk ignore at their own peril: the soul of the ship. That it takes both man and hull to make a true ship, and that neither alone serve well or for long. In 8225 Lord Jeffrye Saltonstall the Fourth, Political Lord of the Surveyor's Corps, demands semi-automated ships to 'reduce the loss of life among our brave crews', manages to convince the other politicians and bureaucrats to fund them, and gets the Office of Ship Construction to sign off on the ships as structurally sound. Dockyard workers shake their heads at the ships, muttering that they are cursed from birth, even as construction drags on. In 8230 the Explorer, first of her class, is launched. She sets out in 8233 to great fanfare on a trip expected to last six months. Neither she nor her twelve-person crew is ever heard from again. By 8235, the remaining seven Explorers are are commissioned. Lord Saltonstall managed to find crews for six of them but at the cost of mass resignations. The Night Horse, last of the Explorer class, sat in reserve as her sister-ships served well enough despite ill luck and misfortune. The Office of Ship Construction quietly issues notice that no more semi-automated ships are to be built and that all active Semi-automated ships are to be quietly retired and broken up for scrap over the next ten years. The Night Horse, sitting in reserve, is missed due to bureaucratic oversight. In 8250 Lord Ayland Wynstryngham the Eighth assumes the office of Political Lord of the Surveyor's Corps. His first act is to issue notice that no ship is to be without crew nor sit in dock or reserve for longer then required for maintenance and upkeep. The Night Horse, all but forgotten, is quietly brought back into active service. Recruiting a crew for her proves another matter entirely. What poor or desperate fool would willingly sign on to crew, much less command, a cursed ship and spend months or years in deep space? Well, you would, of course. Where else is a kid from the gutters going to find that kind of freedom in the service of His Majesty? A [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] 2021. Warnings: Second person is used in this work. Semi-Polished draft: Posted chapters are subject to revision as needed as things progress. Mild Profanity on occasion.
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