[center][h1][color=crimson]The Blood Reign I[/color][/h1][/center] [hr] “SHE DID WHAT?” Nalla boomed, leaning forward in her throne. The messenger before her cowered. Thunder boomed outside, reverberating the very stone as the rain fell down in thick sheets. Listening to the rain was oddly delightful, ushering her to a place when she was but a girl. Or, at least it had been. “It’s true, T-Teperia has been... r-razed, Queen Nalla.” The golden goblet she had been holding, was crushed, spilling the contents all over her hand. She stood up, and the messenger kneeled. “She burned Teperia to the ground? Why?” Nalla demanded. “The l-light’s infestation was severe. They would not yield to your authority. As a show of force, Aurielle burned it to set an example.” The messenger replied, shaking. Nalla came to a stop before him, raking a hand through his sandy colored hair. “She burned it to set an example, did she? Were they that unruly? Could they not see the greatness I had planned for them?” She paused, deep in thought. “Did she burn it in my name, or her own?” “I-I-I do not k-know your grace. There was talk of Neiya, but I don’t k-know!” “Neiya? Did she burn it for Neiya?” She dug her fingers further into the man’s head, and he let out a small whimper. “Tell me, have you ever felt Neiya’s love? Known her affection? Drowned in her ecstasy?” He stiffened and began to squirm. “Y-Your grace p-please! Have merc-.” She said the words, his body began to slump and Nalla removed his head from his shoulders. “PARN!” The Servant entered the room with haste, black robes billowing behind him. “Yes my queen?” He asked, watching her pace back and forth, head in hand. “She’s burned Teperia. Did I tell her to burn Teperia? Did I? I can’t recall that specific order. In fact, the only thing I remember saying was claim it. Use the heretics as an excuse, a justification for war. That city was a trading hub, and now, I’ll have to build something new to take its place.” She took a deep breath. “Perhaps I am overreacting? I won’t know until I speak to her, now, where is she?” WIth a bemused look, Parn shrugged. “He might have known.” Nalla turned her gaze to the servant and frowned. “Do not test me, Parn. I am in a foul mood.” She said, letting the head fall to the ground with a splat. She turned to go back to her throne but Parn spoke again. “My Queen, before you sit down I do have some good news.” She turned her head back to Parn and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what might that be?” “We’ve succeeded with our little experiment, your grace.” He grinned. Nalla’s eyes went wide. “Show me.” [hr] Down into the very depths of her palace did Parn lead her. Past the many hallowed halls and closed doors, until they at last reached a room next to the newest editions of her ever expanding lower levels. Past the door she could heard the clinking of picks on stone. “In here.” Parn said, opening the door. She was greeted by a bloody sight. It was a workers quarters, now devoid of any workers save one who was dead, his head cleanly removed and another who cowered in the corner like a whipped pup. His face was hidden by his long brown hair but there was blood on his hands. “They found this grizzly scene a bit ago. Sent everyone else off. I only peeked in earlier, not wanting to, ah, provoke him.” Parn shifted uneasily. “You didn’t want to be eaten, more like it.” Nalla scoffed. She then rolled her eyes and walked over to the man. “You’re not fooling anyone, get up and stop acting like a wretch.” she said, stopping in front of him. He looked up with shocked blue eyes, that slowly stood up. His mouth and chin were coated in blood. Nalla looked him over, even peeled back his gums to reveal to the sharp pointy canines that resembled her own. “What’s your name.” she demanded. “Karnic, your Grace.” he said in a smooth, but uneasy voice. Her crown compelled him to speak, even if he did not want to. “Karnic, who did you kill?” He glanced over at the body of the fallen man and grimaced. “Teft, the boss of our workforce.” “And what compelled you to do such a thing?” She said sarcastically. “There is a rumor spreading around, your grace. Kill a boss, take their spot.” he looked to the floor. “And you believed such a rumor? I don’t know if I should call you stupid, or incredibly smart.” Nalla confessed. Karnic was taken back by this and confusion spread out across his face. “Your grace?” “Good work Parn and good work Karnic. Congratulations, you are now a vampire and newest member of my Blood Guard. Firsts things first, you should know that you will relive this memory from his perspective for the rest of your life. It might make you mad, but I have ways to circumnavigate this. Secondly and lastly, your ambition must die here. You are now more then a human could ever dream of, to obtain more would be to ask the gods and they are fickle. Stick with me, by loyal to me, and you will live well. This I promise. Now,” She placed a hand upon her cheek. “Do you accept?” “Yes, your grace.” He said with a smile. “Excellent. Parn! Bring us someone who’s expandable.” [hr] Several more days passed, and under Nalla’s tutelage, Karnic settled in to his new life. Now, she just had to wait for more to be tempted by their ambition. A flock of vampires at her side was her newest goal, or it always had been, in a way. She needed those around her who were loyal without question, for their surivival rested within her. She could save them from their own damnation and build herself a guard, then an army… But no, raising vampires was no easy task after all. For now, she had to stick to her other ideas. Within the confines of her palace, there was a chamber used for training. It was there she watched her servants' children fight each other. Many were bruised and bloody. She took the idea from Acadia, but modified it to her own ends. The strongest children were to be trained how to be warriors, she even had an old man from Acadia teaching them. It was a wonderful sight really. They were growing efficient alright, but only time prevented them from being useful just yet. It would be several more years until they could be used. She continued on her daily stroll, back down into the farthest depths, where Parn and his students worked. There were several rooms dedicated to them, for he had grown his attendants by dozens now. Her pots were still being made, but several other experiments were underway. She opened the door to the room she wanted to see and was met with the smell of death. There were several pits crudely carved out in the floor, with wooden posts around them. Small whimpers and cries could be heard from them. “Ah, Queen Nalla, you’ve arrived just in time.” Several of Parn’s lackeys bowed in respect to her, and the one who spoke was a younger woman with a crazed look in her eye. “We were just about to begin.” “Go on Evanda.” Nalla mused, stepping to the railing. She peered down into the pit to see a half starved man. A criminal from Culodia. A large bowl of a sickly black substance was brought forth, carried by two servants. They poured it down into the pit, covering the criminal in an instant. He began to scream as the goop, or demonic essence as it was called, began infusing with his body. As his flesh bulged and mutated, Nalla’s lips curled into a smile. Watching the man turn into a monster before her very own eyes, was a sight to behold. His screams became deeper, giving way to frantic roaring as it tried to jump up the pit. It failed, and several servants pulled out spears just in case. “A success, your grace. However, we still do not know how to control them. Unlike their pure forms, these fusions always result in madness and without a steady supply of mana, they eat at the lifeforce of the host until they both die.” Evanda said, coming up on her side. Nalla couldn’t take her eyes off it, as ideas spun in her head. “Perhaps they are not meant to be controlled? Next time we have a skirmish on our borders, I want to see if we can focus that aggression and rage upon my enemies.” “Yes.” Evanda hissed with delight. “We will begin the preparations at once, your grace.” “Have you tried this upon an iskrill yet?” Nalla said, turning to Evanda. The woman shook her head. “It might result in losses your grace. If you are willing, we can try.” “Try everything, I want results and weapons, Evanda.” “As you wish, your Grace.” She cackled. [hr] “She didn’t. SHE DIDN’T!” Nalla slammed her fists into the table, splintering the wood in half. “Your Grace, plea-” “WHO does she think she is! I told her to CONQUER! Conquer. Not burn, not raze, not pillage and not rape villages! I need that livestock intact!” Nalla fumed, around her, advisors cowered. “She’s breeding resentment of me, of Nallan. Resentment turns to rebellion and the year is almost up. She’ll be gone and I’ll have to deal with this- this mess!” Nalla raged, further smashing the table with her fists. “First it was Teperia! Now Bul’Gadin. What next?” Nalla breathed. “My Queen, if I may. Is this not what you wanted? Did we not know the depths of the Sorceress would go to? We’ve heard the stories now.” Said Tensh, an advisor from Dressallos. “Bah! The Sorceress must pay for the burning of Teperia. That city was useful and everyone in this room knows it.” Another advisor, an older man by the name of Ikol spat. “It was home to heretics who worshipped a false deity, one they have consistently been unable to prove exists. We should have burned them long ago.” A younger man, one from that region spoke. Kres was his name. The room then erupted into shouting on whether who was right and wrong. Sides were being drawn, one on the line of the Sorceress and those who accepted her actions and the other calling for her punishment. Nalla looked out over the balcony, the glow of torches illuminating her city. Her eyes were on the far horizon, expression one of malice. The messenger still stood at the back of the room, standing tall. Nalla spun around, and within an instant the room grew quiet again. She pointed her finger at the man and said, “You. Recall Commander Aurielle immediately, by my decree.” He gave a quick nod, and fled the room. “The rest of you! Prepare for their arrival. My trust in her has thinned, and I do not want the bitch to bite the hand that feeds her.” [hider=summary] Nalla finds out Auri burned a viable city and loses her shit momentarily. She is calmed by a bit of good news however, a new vampire was created. Some time passes and we see another part of her extensive underground layer, a demonic experimenting room, with uh results. We then skip to her finding out about the other burnings and she’s angry. She then sends a runner to recall Aurielle immediately and begins to prepare for her arrival. [/hider] [hider=Prestige] Under construction [/hider]