CHAPTER 10
****
Zephon left with his lieutenants for the clan meeting on schedule as kain had ordered. This was the first actual time that all the clan leaders would be in the same room since their birth with kain. Zephon was the second lieutenant to arrive next to Melchiah. Then came Razile, and his lieutenants. Then came Turel. Instantly Turel and Zephon shot looks of spite at each other. Zephon and Turel had a history and not a good one at that. Then came Dumah, the might worrier. Followed by Rahab the last to be notified and came in a rush.
Then they entered legendary Nosgoth pillars. Niccolie had heard much about them, every one had. Like a fading memory of the good past that once held the land. But to see them was a less then inspiring event. They were all old and whether and in the middle, the pillar of balance, hard and strong with the throne of darkness built into it which kain sat.
The meeting was horrible. Aromatically the lieutenants began to bicker amongst each other. But far worst amongst them all was Turel and Zephon.
"YOU'RE A CONTROL FREAK TUREL!! CANT KEEP YOUR HANDS OF OTHER PEOPLES PROPERTY" yelled Zephon in a rage at him.
"WELL AT LEAST I AM NOT A BACK STABBER LEECH LIKE YOU!!!" he roared back. "REMBERED THE STEEL MINE?"
"I DID THAT BECAUSE YOU TOOK MY LAND!!"
" IT WAS IN MY TERRRITORY!!"
"BUT IT WAS MINE BY THE FACT THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM YOU, NUMSKULL!!"
"WHO ARE YOU TO CALL ME SUCH, YOU DO NOTHING IN THIS WAR LITTLE BROTHER!!"
"YOUR MOUTH IS BIGGER THEN YOUR BRIAN TUREL!! I COULD EASY CRUSH YOUR SMALL MINDED CLAN!!!!" Zephon screamed
"Well, you would also have to take down me to," said Raziel siding with Turel.
"HA!! FATHERS PRESIOUS FRIST BORN SON TO THE RESCUE!!! UNFORTENTLY RAZILE YOU MAY HAVE THE GOOD LOOKS BUT I GOT THE BRIANS!!"
"ZEPHON!" roared kain
"And I mean that with respect." zephon said back tracking.
"Zephon is right Turel, you do happen to become a hog at times" said Rahab.
"FINE!! At least I am doing some thing in this war! Unlike Zephon and his...pitiful clan."
"YOU DARE!!" roared Zephon.
"STOP THIS!!" roared kain standing up. "You bicker like spoiled incompetent brats. Is this what you have reduced our empire to!! If you have a dispute, finish it now!"
The room was silent, Zephon and Turel looked at kain, then each other.
"RAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" they yelled as the lunged for each other. Raziel and four of Turels lieutenant's grabbed Turel, as Rahab, Niccolie, and Kyla held Zephon.
"Your in the presents of our father Turel!! Stop this!! Control your temper!!" hissed Raziel trying to hold the seven foot eight behemoth from crushing five nine Zephon.
"Zephon, Turels bigger then you!!" Rahab yelled as Zephon tried to squirm free of their grip.
"Yeah and dumber!!!" Zephon snickered
"Stop this both of you." Said kain.
Zephon stopped struggling and shook free of their grip, and straiten his clan flag.
Turel calmed down and stopped fighting.
Turel growled at Zephon.
"Did you just growl at me?" said Zephon " only dogs growl. Are you a dog Turel?"
"WHY YOU LITTLE WELP..." Turel lunged again and Razile all of his lieutenants as well as all of Turels grabbed him and pulled him back.
*Shink* kain pulled out the soul reaver. Turel and Zephon stopped fighting immediately as the greater threat lay pointed at them both.
"Good." Said kain sitting back into his throne. "Now that we are all getting along let me explain something to all of you."
All the lieutenants directed their attention to him.
"We will have this meeting every month to discus battle plans and such, but also to improve clan relations, regardless of what you think. Each one of you will be given a part in this empire, to take responsibility over. Turel you may not know it, but Zephon does have and has been playing his part in this war. He collects information for your attacks as well as tracks human movement and watches them closely so we don't get any surprises, without his spy network we would have never gotten this far. Every move me make must be researched to insure there is no flaws in our actions. Zephon, since Turel does happen be the main force to our infantry next to Raziel and Dumah, you should respect him as well, he holds the greatest risk in this war, our frist line of defense. We all have a problem if one of us does not respect the others given duty. Razile, Dumah, and Turel. You run infantry and supply the soldiers to the main army. Rahab, and Melchiah, you work artillery and transport the supplies. And Zephon, you make battle plans, coordinate attacks, watch our enemies, track their movements, and provide the information we need to carry out a successful mission. Now if Razile does not respect Melchiah, he most likely will not have the catapults, houses, weapons or blood they produce and transport, nor will mocking any other of our family earn us success in this war. We all have a part. Play it."
Kain snapped his fingers and a servant walked up a rolled tapestry and unraveled it out on the floor in front of them. It was a map of the known Nosgoth.
'Here" said kain pointed the soul reaver on to the map.
"This is the last big human kingdom. The city of Stahlberg, the humans are rallying there. Zephons intelligences reports that the remainder of the other kingdoms are gathering here as well. men, ages 17 to 40 are to go here to prepare for battle, both to train in the art of war, and take a place in war. They have become a significant threat to our main objective." Kain with drew his sword and poked it to the coast west of Zephons lair "there is a strong human presents here as well, they are building some thing large, a new city perhaps. We are unsure what it is but they are almost finished. note it in you minds, as for now I suggest that we direct our attention Stahlberg first, and then turn our attention to the human's new project. Stahlberg will be able to mobilize in a few months."
Kain with drew his sword and turned to the lieutenants.
"Turel and Razile, I want you to relocate as many free troops as you can to our current location And I want all supplies possible sent here too." Kain pointed to a lake not far form the pillars on the map "I want you to cut off this river and Dam the lake. Then after about a month we will have another meeting a discuss reconstruction plans. After we defeat Stahlberg, we will have little opposition over this world."
The meeting as over and all the lieutenants went home with new orders. Niccolie had to report to Raziel and run a cleverly unit along with his riders. Kain orders were carried out as he had asked. The lakes where dammed and the cities of the clan world was in a frenzy as drafters ran through the halls snatching any one who looked able to fight.
Every man and woman was drafted in to the army to attack Stahlberg.
Niccolie demanded that Karie and her friends would stay out of the war, and as a loyal servant, Niccolies request was honored. But Thresh was rogue Turelim and Zephon had no power over his fate and he was quickly drafted into the Turelim infantry.
****
Dawn came.
The final days of humanity were coming to a close. Kain, and his lieutenants and their lieutenants stood as the sun rose it's last day of human power. Niccolie and Kyla stood next to Zephon. Stahlberg stood in front of them, a once glorious city now clinging to existence as hordes of army camps where piched up around it like small insects clusters and their armys reading for the attack. but kain and his sons stood frim, behind them was their army, still fledged but large enough to stand it's own. Covering the fields as far as the eye could see, spears clanging off battle armor and the whiny of horses echoed threw the valley.
The sun rose and blasted its light on to the vampires. Rahab shielded his eyes, Melchiah fingers twitched nervously, Zephon was trying not to get impatient, and Dumah was sharpening his axe-sword in preparation. Raziles gaze was for some thing else and Turel twitted his fingers in anticipation. But kain...
Kain stood bold, and looked confidently fearless into the light, confident of his success and defiant against all that opposed him.
"Long ago" kain began "vampires fought for their survival in Nosgoth from the humans relentless purges, to fight from their own eradication. Now as I look on this battlefield, I see how the tables have turned. The once hunted is the hunter, and his prey his past hunter. history does had it's own ironic twists." Kain turned around and faced his army.
"We will emerge victorious!" And with that he nodded his men to leave for their positions, Raziel, Dumah, and Turel all ran to their infantry commands. Rahab ran with Melchiah to the artillery units. Zephon moved to the strategic signal post, ready to give kains commands. Niccolie got on his horse and He road down his cavalry unit.
"Swords up" he said as he neared them and then a murmur went thought them and all swords rose pointed high to the sky and the other units did the same in the dark riders fashion.
Niccolie glanced back to Zephon, who motioned for him join him for a moment. Zephon stood next to kain as Niccolie road up to him.
"Niccolie, your men will enter second, be swift and move in the wave pattern and go for the flanks." said Zephon. "Box them in, the Turelim work better in densely packed quarries."
"Wait for my signal" kain said firmly "and retreat only by my command and no others." knowing kain he probably would never let them retreat; this battle was all or nothing.
"Yes my Lord" Niccolie nodded in respect and road back to the head of his unit and waited. Kyla walked up along side him.
"Good luck" she said with a smile
"Is there such a thing?" Niccolie asked
"If you believe in it." she said calmly
She pulled out her long sword and twirled it in one hand skillfully.
"You will fight with the infantry?" Niccolie felt a shot of worry.
"I choose to." she boldly looked back to him.
"I will provide you with some cover."
"I am not as fragile person you think I am. I can handle my self in battle."
"I know I can't change your mind. But it would be nice to keep seeing your face around the court, your presents is comforting"
"Niccolie? Is that concern in your voice I hear?"
"Watch your self" said Niccolie as Kyla walked off into the Razielim lines.
Niccolie was worried about her and come to think of it, another person, Karies friend Thresh, he was out there some where in the Turelim lines. Karie asked for Niccolie to watch out for him.
Suddenly he saw Kain make a nod Zephon, who commanded his men to wave red flags to Turel on the far end of the field and the battle was on. The first line of Turelim charged down and met a wall of sharp spears and raining arrows, their tramendous battle cry ripped threw the silence of the vally. The Turelim were expert warriors, lead by Turel, the charghed down like a furious wave of power. they smashed threw the defenses like giant boulders, crushing human bone and body under their stampede, ripping apart groups of humans in one blow of their huge battle axes.
Niccolie looked to kain. Kain turned to him, firm faced, and nodded.
"HA!" Said Niccolie and his new horse charged with all it's speed down the hill and into the lines, and behind him, like a thundering storm thousands of men followed.
*Shink* Niccolie pulled out his sword as he got closer to the line, the humans turned their attention to sound of charging death, only feet away. Niccolie readied his blade and quickly picked out his first victim of the day, there, a man reloading his cross bow, head down.
Niccolie raised his sword up high ready to take the first kill for his men.
*Shink*
The strike was like that of the bell of war, suddenly every one was surrounded by humans, hacking and slashing them to pieces as they charged pass. Niccolie lost himself as the sent of blood reached his nose, swinging his blade he hacked his way threw the humans uncaringly in a heated trance of battle. One here, one there, he kept riding in circles killing any think that got in his way. The humans out matched began to clump in to circles facing off enemies form all directions, but they where small and insignificant, the riders just ran over them like they were bugs. The vampires were stronger, faster, and more durable then the humans, the battle was won before they had even began.
Niccolie must had killed a hundred men before he was knocked off his hoarse, but He killed who ever was near him and he got back on and continued his assault. The Razielim and Dumahim joined the battle and Rahab began laying waste to the humans rear with the artillery as Niccolies riders preformed their faint attack and moved for the flanks of the human army, pushing them into fearful groups.
Niccolie lead the raid, forcing the humans to turn their attention to him then the devastating infantry clans who posed a greater threat. He road around like a demon, arrows were covering his back and legs, his horse had arrows stuck in it's hunches, but Niccolie felt not pain nor fear, he felt rage, and unleashed it on his enemy with the fury of his blade. Humans screamed and vampires screamed. Death was all around him. Then he saw Kyla, she was lashing away at a wall of humans, they pored down on her and she just whip her sword at them and cut out their necks in a graceful sweep. Niccolie rushed over to her and cut down the closet human.
She took her eyes off the battle for a moment but a moment was an enough.
*Thwack* she was knocked to the ground, but quickly kicked her legs out tripped her assailant then finished him off.
Niccolie saw that she was a fighter, and quickly saw that in his moment of selflessness he hand failed to look around for more troubled places. The Turelim where slowly beginning to get worn down, quickly tiring from the length of the battle
He charged around cutting and loping humans down as he dashed passed. He road for what seemed like hours just Killing any human he passed. It seemed consistent until...
*SRAAAK! *
"RRAAAAHHHHHHGGGGGGGH!!!" Niccolie roared and jerked back by a force.
He was hit, hard. A spear had come out of nowhere and pushed deep into his shoulder between his neck and arm. Niccolie roared in rage and snapped the spear off, then glanced about for the man who dared to do it. That was too difficult, to many humans, they seemed to blur as he dashed by and then he saw Thresh. But it was an instant, no more then a flash of his face then Niccolie took another glance and Thresh was gone, swept away by the tide of the battle. Niccolie turned to find Thresh again but lost him among the thousands of Turelim. But Niccolie began to notice that the humans were growing few, and fewer. Until he realized they were all gone and he was riding in a field of dead, watching the backs of a hundred or so humans make a mad retreat for the woods and the great Stahlberg spew forth fleeing humans like a ant hill on the verge of destruction.
He trotted thought the field of blood. He heard a familiar moan and road to it.
There buried beneath the bodies was Kyla. She was on her side with two bodies laying on her. Her hair soaked with the blood of men.
Niccolie quickly got off and ran to give her a hand. Her eyes were closed but she was alive, breathing hard form exhaustion. He kicked the bodies off of her and lends down to examine her.
"Kyla are you ok?" he whispered into her ear.
"I'm hurt," she moaned. "But I am okay"
Niccolie picked her up; she wrapped her bloody hands around him as he set her on his horse.
"What happed?" Niccolie asked as he led her to the medics
"I was hit by a rather big human with a mace, flung me twenty yards before I hit the ground."
"Ouch"
"Not as bad as having a bunch of people run over you and trample you to death." She said brushing some of the blood from her face. "Good thing I am already dead" she shrugged it off "You got to help look for corpses. Zephon will wan the biggest corpses you can find."
She said slowly slipping off the horse, on to her feet again as if nothing happened. Niccolie watched her in amazement as she walked a short distanced, fell down, Then got back up with her sword in her hand and then limp off to the top of the hill where Zephon and the infirmary was.
"Strong woman" Niccolie thought as he got back on the horse and looked about. The humans had been decimated; many of the vampires had survived, and were quickly shuffling through the humans for possessions. they wanted for trophies and souvenirs of the battle, But many where injured, and limping or crawling back up the hill of medical attention.
Niccolie spent all day walking thought the field with others looking for the corpse of great human warriors or dead old friends. Niccolie didn't find Thresh, nor did he find him at the camps that night. Niccolie figured he was lost. Dead, missing, which ever it was he was not around. then later that night as Niccolie walked thought the infirmary to find Kyla when he heard a faint voice called his name. Niccolie turned.
There in a cripple's bed with white blood stained clothing wrapped around his arms and chest was Thresh. He lay still in bed barely able to move.
"I have been looking for you." said Niccolie bending down next to him. "What happened"?
"I was in the frount line." thresh said with a soft whisper.
"The worst place to be, But I thought I saw you near the rear."
"Yes, you had a long spear in your shoulder and I tried to pull it out but I was overwhelmed and then someone threw water at Me." he said slowly bring up his arms to show his scars.
Niccolie was quite for a moment unsure what to tell the boy.
"It must have hurt" he said bluntly
"Not as much as the nurses tiring to pull out all the arrows I had in my back"
Niccolie laughed, and thresh tried to laugh but ended up coughing up blood.
"Rest, I will be taking you back home soon." Niccolie said slowly getting up.
"Um sir?"
"Yes?"
"Are you going to get those wounds fixed?" he tried to motion to the arrows stuck in Niccolies back and the blood gushing wound in his shoulder.
"As soon as I check on some one"
Niccolie let thresh be and went to find Kyla. It took him a while before he founded her at her own tent quietly resting in bed, He walked up to her bed and saw that she was asleep he brushed away the hair in her eyes and she slowly opened them.
"I have been looking for you," he said
"Hmmm." she said As she turned to him.
"I want to apologize for underestimated your fighting ability's."
"I can't blame you, most men would not think I could fight so well and dwell under such harsh conditions." She said putting her hand against his cheek.
He leaned down and kissed her. She smiled, he smiled back, and she let out a fiant chuckle.
"it's over now..." Niccolie said "Lord kain has proclaimed 'Vae Victus'"
****
Epilog
With the last of their great kingdoms destroyed, the humans fought the vampire in disarray. they fell at Kains Empire like flies and with in a hundred years most threading human resistance was eliminated. The humans turned to new defense and build cities to keep the vampire hordes far form what little civilization they had left.
Although Niccolie was still took orders form kain, and was still in high demand for his services. Niccolie often left the wages of war to spent his days at the Zephonim city with Karie and her friends, with ,of course, presents of lady Kyla. Zephon never questioned the two aboutit and if there was a possible involvement with each other. With the war over niccolie had turned his attention to brith clan, now willing to help Zephon achieve his ambitions goals to strengthen the clan, Most of which where moves to suppress other clan movements, and enlarge his territory.
Kain and his empire began to change Nosgoth To their will. But soon the change would come to them, a change that would sperate the caff from the wheat, and a father form his daughter.
****
Zephon left with his lieutenants for the clan meeting on schedule as kain had ordered. This was the first actual time that all the clan leaders would be in the same room since their birth with kain. Zephon was the second lieutenant to arrive next to Melchiah. Then came Razile, and his lieutenants. Then came Turel. Instantly Turel and Zephon shot looks of spite at each other. Zephon and Turel had a history and not a good one at that. Then came Dumah, the might worrier. Followed by Rahab the last to be notified and came in a rush.
Then they entered legendary Nosgoth pillars. Niccolie had heard much about them, every one had. Like a fading memory of the good past that once held the land. But to see them was a less then inspiring event. They were all old and whether and in the middle, the pillar of balance, hard and strong with the throne of darkness built into it which kain sat.
The meeting was horrible. Aromatically the lieutenants began to bicker amongst each other. But far worst amongst them all was Turel and Zephon.
"YOU'RE A CONTROL FREAK TUREL!! CANT KEEP YOUR HANDS OF OTHER PEOPLES PROPERTY" yelled Zephon in a rage at him.
"WELL AT LEAST I AM NOT A BACK STABBER LEECH LIKE YOU!!!" he roared back. "REMBERED THE STEEL MINE?"
"I DID THAT BECAUSE YOU TOOK MY LAND!!"
" IT WAS IN MY TERRRITORY!!"
"BUT IT WAS MINE BY THE FACT THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM YOU, NUMSKULL!!"
"WHO ARE YOU TO CALL ME SUCH, YOU DO NOTHING IN THIS WAR LITTLE BROTHER!!"
"YOUR MOUTH IS BIGGER THEN YOUR BRIAN TUREL!! I COULD EASY CRUSH YOUR SMALL MINDED CLAN!!!!" Zephon screamed
"Well, you would also have to take down me to," said Raziel siding with Turel.
"HA!! FATHERS PRESIOUS FRIST BORN SON TO THE RESCUE!!! UNFORTENTLY RAZILE YOU MAY HAVE THE GOOD LOOKS BUT I GOT THE BRIANS!!"
"ZEPHON!" roared kain
"And I mean that with respect." zephon said back tracking.
"Zephon is right Turel, you do happen to become a hog at times" said Rahab.
"FINE!! At least I am doing some thing in this war! Unlike Zephon and his...pitiful clan."
"YOU DARE!!" roared Zephon.
"STOP THIS!!" roared kain standing up. "You bicker like spoiled incompetent brats. Is this what you have reduced our empire to!! If you have a dispute, finish it now!"
The room was silent, Zephon and Turel looked at kain, then each other.
"RAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" they yelled as the lunged for each other. Raziel and four of Turels lieutenant's grabbed Turel, as Rahab, Niccolie, and Kyla held Zephon.
"Your in the presents of our father Turel!! Stop this!! Control your temper!!" hissed Raziel trying to hold the seven foot eight behemoth from crushing five nine Zephon.
"Zephon, Turels bigger then you!!" Rahab yelled as Zephon tried to squirm free of their grip.
"Yeah and dumber!!!" Zephon snickered
"Stop this both of you." Said kain.
Zephon stopped struggling and shook free of their grip, and straiten his clan flag.
Turel calmed down and stopped fighting.
Turel growled at Zephon.
"Did you just growl at me?" said Zephon " only dogs growl. Are you a dog Turel?"
"WHY YOU LITTLE WELP..." Turel lunged again and Razile all of his lieutenants as well as all of Turels grabbed him and pulled him back.
*Shink* kain pulled out the soul reaver. Turel and Zephon stopped fighting immediately as the greater threat lay pointed at them both.
"Good." Said kain sitting back into his throne. "Now that we are all getting along let me explain something to all of you."
All the lieutenants directed their attention to him.
"We will have this meeting every month to discus battle plans and such, but also to improve clan relations, regardless of what you think. Each one of you will be given a part in this empire, to take responsibility over. Turel you may not know it, but Zephon does have and has been playing his part in this war. He collects information for your attacks as well as tracks human movement and watches them closely so we don't get any surprises, without his spy network we would have never gotten this far. Every move me make must be researched to insure there is no flaws in our actions. Zephon, since Turel does happen be the main force to our infantry next to Raziel and Dumah, you should respect him as well, he holds the greatest risk in this war, our frist line of defense. We all have a problem if one of us does not respect the others given duty. Razile, Dumah, and Turel. You run infantry and supply the soldiers to the main army. Rahab, and Melchiah, you work artillery and transport the supplies. And Zephon, you make battle plans, coordinate attacks, watch our enemies, track their movements, and provide the information we need to carry out a successful mission. Now if Razile does not respect Melchiah, he most likely will not have the catapults, houses, weapons or blood they produce and transport, nor will mocking any other of our family earn us success in this war. We all have a part. Play it."
Kain snapped his fingers and a servant walked up a rolled tapestry and unraveled it out on the floor in front of them. It was a map of the known Nosgoth.
'Here" said kain pointed the soul reaver on to the map.
"This is the last big human kingdom. The city of Stahlberg, the humans are rallying there. Zephons intelligences reports that the remainder of the other kingdoms are gathering here as well. men, ages 17 to 40 are to go here to prepare for battle, both to train in the art of war, and take a place in war. They have become a significant threat to our main objective." Kain with drew his sword and poked it to the coast west of Zephons lair "there is a strong human presents here as well, they are building some thing large, a new city perhaps. We are unsure what it is but they are almost finished. note it in you minds, as for now I suggest that we direct our attention Stahlberg first, and then turn our attention to the human's new project. Stahlberg will be able to mobilize in a few months."
Kain with drew his sword and turned to the lieutenants.
"Turel and Razile, I want you to relocate as many free troops as you can to our current location And I want all supplies possible sent here too." Kain pointed to a lake not far form the pillars on the map "I want you to cut off this river and Dam the lake. Then after about a month we will have another meeting a discuss reconstruction plans. After we defeat Stahlberg, we will have little opposition over this world."
The meeting as over and all the lieutenants went home with new orders. Niccolie had to report to Raziel and run a cleverly unit along with his riders. Kain orders were carried out as he had asked. The lakes where dammed and the cities of the clan world was in a frenzy as drafters ran through the halls snatching any one who looked able to fight.
Every man and woman was drafted in to the army to attack Stahlberg.
Niccolie demanded that Karie and her friends would stay out of the war, and as a loyal servant, Niccolies request was honored. But Thresh was rogue Turelim and Zephon had no power over his fate and he was quickly drafted into the Turelim infantry.
****
Dawn came.
The final days of humanity were coming to a close. Kain, and his lieutenants and their lieutenants stood as the sun rose it's last day of human power. Niccolie and Kyla stood next to Zephon. Stahlberg stood in front of them, a once glorious city now clinging to existence as hordes of army camps where piched up around it like small insects clusters and their armys reading for the attack. but kain and his sons stood frim, behind them was their army, still fledged but large enough to stand it's own. Covering the fields as far as the eye could see, spears clanging off battle armor and the whiny of horses echoed threw the valley.
The sun rose and blasted its light on to the vampires. Rahab shielded his eyes, Melchiah fingers twitched nervously, Zephon was trying not to get impatient, and Dumah was sharpening his axe-sword in preparation. Raziles gaze was for some thing else and Turel twitted his fingers in anticipation. But kain...
Kain stood bold, and looked confidently fearless into the light, confident of his success and defiant against all that opposed him.
"Long ago" kain began "vampires fought for their survival in Nosgoth from the humans relentless purges, to fight from their own eradication. Now as I look on this battlefield, I see how the tables have turned. The once hunted is the hunter, and his prey his past hunter. history does had it's own ironic twists." Kain turned around and faced his army.
"We will emerge victorious!" And with that he nodded his men to leave for their positions, Raziel, Dumah, and Turel all ran to their infantry commands. Rahab ran with Melchiah to the artillery units. Zephon moved to the strategic signal post, ready to give kains commands. Niccolie got on his horse and He road down his cavalry unit.
"Swords up" he said as he neared them and then a murmur went thought them and all swords rose pointed high to the sky and the other units did the same in the dark riders fashion.
Niccolie glanced back to Zephon, who motioned for him join him for a moment. Zephon stood next to kain as Niccolie road up to him.
"Niccolie, your men will enter second, be swift and move in the wave pattern and go for the flanks." said Zephon. "Box them in, the Turelim work better in densely packed quarries."
"Wait for my signal" kain said firmly "and retreat only by my command and no others." knowing kain he probably would never let them retreat; this battle was all or nothing.
"Yes my Lord" Niccolie nodded in respect and road back to the head of his unit and waited. Kyla walked up along side him.
"Good luck" she said with a smile
"Is there such a thing?" Niccolie asked
"If you believe in it." she said calmly
She pulled out her long sword and twirled it in one hand skillfully.
"You will fight with the infantry?" Niccolie felt a shot of worry.
"I choose to." she boldly looked back to him.
"I will provide you with some cover."
"I am not as fragile person you think I am. I can handle my self in battle."
"I know I can't change your mind. But it would be nice to keep seeing your face around the court, your presents is comforting"
"Niccolie? Is that concern in your voice I hear?"
"Watch your self" said Niccolie as Kyla walked off into the Razielim lines.
Niccolie was worried about her and come to think of it, another person, Karies friend Thresh, he was out there some where in the Turelim lines. Karie asked for Niccolie to watch out for him.
Suddenly he saw Kain make a nod Zephon, who commanded his men to wave red flags to Turel on the far end of the field and the battle was on. The first line of Turelim charged down and met a wall of sharp spears and raining arrows, their tramendous battle cry ripped threw the silence of the vally. The Turelim were expert warriors, lead by Turel, the charghed down like a furious wave of power. they smashed threw the defenses like giant boulders, crushing human bone and body under their stampede, ripping apart groups of humans in one blow of their huge battle axes.
Niccolie looked to kain. Kain turned to him, firm faced, and nodded.
"HA!" Said Niccolie and his new horse charged with all it's speed down the hill and into the lines, and behind him, like a thundering storm thousands of men followed.
*Shink* Niccolie pulled out his sword as he got closer to the line, the humans turned their attention to sound of charging death, only feet away. Niccolie readied his blade and quickly picked out his first victim of the day, there, a man reloading his cross bow, head down.
Niccolie raised his sword up high ready to take the first kill for his men.
*Shink*
The strike was like that of the bell of war, suddenly every one was surrounded by humans, hacking and slashing them to pieces as they charged pass. Niccolie lost himself as the sent of blood reached his nose, swinging his blade he hacked his way threw the humans uncaringly in a heated trance of battle. One here, one there, he kept riding in circles killing any think that got in his way. The humans out matched began to clump in to circles facing off enemies form all directions, but they where small and insignificant, the riders just ran over them like they were bugs. The vampires were stronger, faster, and more durable then the humans, the battle was won before they had even began.
Niccolie must had killed a hundred men before he was knocked off his hoarse, but He killed who ever was near him and he got back on and continued his assault. The Razielim and Dumahim joined the battle and Rahab began laying waste to the humans rear with the artillery as Niccolies riders preformed their faint attack and moved for the flanks of the human army, pushing them into fearful groups.
Niccolie lead the raid, forcing the humans to turn their attention to him then the devastating infantry clans who posed a greater threat. He road around like a demon, arrows were covering his back and legs, his horse had arrows stuck in it's hunches, but Niccolie felt not pain nor fear, he felt rage, and unleashed it on his enemy with the fury of his blade. Humans screamed and vampires screamed. Death was all around him. Then he saw Kyla, she was lashing away at a wall of humans, they pored down on her and she just whip her sword at them and cut out their necks in a graceful sweep. Niccolie rushed over to her and cut down the closet human.
She took her eyes off the battle for a moment but a moment was an enough.
*Thwack* she was knocked to the ground, but quickly kicked her legs out tripped her assailant then finished him off.
Niccolie saw that she was a fighter, and quickly saw that in his moment of selflessness he hand failed to look around for more troubled places. The Turelim where slowly beginning to get worn down, quickly tiring from the length of the battle
He charged around cutting and loping humans down as he dashed passed. He road for what seemed like hours just Killing any human he passed. It seemed consistent until...
*SRAAAK! *
"RRAAAAHHHHHHGGGGGGGH!!!" Niccolie roared and jerked back by a force.
He was hit, hard. A spear had come out of nowhere and pushed deep into his shoulder between his neck and arm. Niccolie roared in rage and snapped the spear off, then glanced about for the man who dared to do it. That was too difficult, to many humans, they seemed to blur as he dashed by and then he saw Thresh. But it was an instant, no more then a flash of his face then Niccolie took another glance and Thresh was gone, swept away by the tide of the battle. Niccolie turned to find Thresh again but lost him among the thousands of Turelim. But Niccolie began to notice that the humans were growing few, and fewer. Until he realized they were all gone and he was riding in a field of dead, watching the backs of a hundred or so humans make a mad retreat for the woods and the great Stahlberg spew forth fleeing humans like a ant hill on the verge of destruction.
He trotted thought the field of blood. He heard a familiar moan and road to it.
There buried beneath the bodies was Kyla. She was on her side with two bodies laying on her. Her hair soaked with the blood of men.
Niccolie quickly got off and ran to give her a hand. Her eyes were closed but she was alive, breathing hard form exhaustion. He kicked the bodies off of her and lends down to examine her.
"Kyla are you ok?" he whispered into her ear.
"I'm hurt," she moaned. "But I am okay"
Niccolie picked her up; she wrapped her bloody hands around him as he set her on his horse.
"What happed?" Niccolie asked as he led her to the medics
"I was hit by a rather big human with a mace, flung me twenty yards before I hit the ground."
"Ouch"
"Not as bad as having a bunch of people run over you and trample you to death." She said brushing some of the blood from her face. "Good thing I am already dead" she shrugged it off "You got to help look for corpses. Zephon will wan the biggest corpses you can find."
She said slowly slipping off the horse, on to her feet again as if nothing happened. Niccolie watched her in amazement as she walked a short distanced, fell down, Then got back up with her sword in her hand and then limp off to the top of the hill where Zephon and the infirmary was.
"Strong woman" Niccolie thought as he got back on the horse and looked about. The humans had been decimated; many of the vampires had survived, and were quickly shuffling through the humans for possessions. they wanted for trophies and souvenirs of the battle, But many where injured, and limping or crawling back up the hill of medical attention.
Niccolie spent all day walking thought the field with others looking for the corpse of great human warriors or dead old friends. Niccolie didn't find Thresh, nor did he find him at the camps that night. Niccolie figured he was lost. Dead, missing, which ever it was he was not around. then later that night as Niccolie walked thought the infirmary to find Kyla when he heard a faint voice called his name. Niccolie turned.
There in a cripple's bed with white blood stained clothing wrapped around his arms and chest was Thresh. He lay still in bed barely able to move.
"I have been looking for you." said Niccolie bending down next to him. "What happened"?
"I was in the frount line." thresh said with a soft whisper.
"The worst place to be, But I thought I saw you near the rear."
"Yes, you had a long spear in your shoulder and I tried to pull it out but I was overwhelmed and then someone threw water at Me." he said slowly bring up his arms to show his scars.
Niccolie was quite for a moment unsure what to tell the boy.
"It must have hurt" he said bluntly
"Not as much as the nurses tiring to pull out all the arrows I had in my back"
Niccolie laughed, and thresh tried to laugh but ended up coughing up blood.
"Rest, I will be taking you back home soon." Niccolie said slowly getting up.
"Um sir?"
"Yes?"
"Are you going to get those wounds fixed?" he tried to motion to the arrows stuck in Niccolies back and the blood gushing wound in his shoulder.
"As soon as I check on some one"
Niccolie let thresh be and went to find Kyla. It took him a while before he founded her at her own tent quietly resting in bed, He walked up to her bed and saw that she was asleep he brushed away the hair in her eyes and she slowly opened them.
"I have been looking for you," he said
"Hmmm." she said As she turned to him.
"I want to apologize for underestimated your fighting ability's."
"I can't blame you, most men would not think I could fight so well and dwell under such harsh conditions." She said putting her hand against his cheek.
He leaned down and kissed her. She smiled, he smiled back, and she let out a fiant chuckle.
"it's over now..." Niccolie said "Lord kain has proclaimed 'Vae Victus'"
****
Epilog
With the last of their great kingdoms destroyed, the humans fought the vampire in disarray. they fell at Kains Empire like flies and with in a hundred years most threading human resistance was eliminated. The humans turned to new defense and build cities to keep the vampire hordes far form what little civilization they had left.
Although Niccolie was still took orders form kain, and was still in high demand for his services. Niccolie often left the wages of war to spent his days at the Zephonim city with Karie and her friends, with ,of course, presents of lady Kyla. Zephon never questioned the two aboutit and if there was a possible involvement with each other. With the war over niccolie had turned his attention to brith clan, now willing to help Zephon achieve his ambitions goals to strengthen the clan, Most of which where moves to suppress other clan movements, and enlarge his territory.
Kain and his empire began to change Nosgoth To their will. But soon the change would come to them, a change that would sperate the caff from the wheat, and a father form his daughter.
