It was time, 800 humans were surrounding the Maroi court, standing at the boundary of the wards. Each one was holding a silver stake that the Maroi had enchanted to kill Strigoi. Roza smiled this was it, time had come. At the hour, on the hour, each human walked forward to where they were told the ward lines were and stabbed the stakes into the ground.

She could feel it fall, the wards which had been held up for hundreds of generations had crumbled to the ground. But that wasn't the end. That was only the first ward. Moving quickly the army moved forward. They had decided on a 1 minute window between the breaking of each ward. Stopping at the next wards, this time only needed 200 stakes to be driven in.

The ward system around the court had not changed drastically over the years, 5 layers of wards sour rounded the buildings. But what did change was strength of each ward set. Some years the inside wards were stronger and some years the outside adds were stronger. Over the past 4 years, Roza had used the alchemists to her advantage, though they were disgusting to feed up, they were easy enough to get information out of once you began to ask them.

Roza laughed, it had taken no longer than 5 minutes, but every single ward around the court had fallen. It was theirs for the taking. No guardians had turned up yet. No noise from the army had been made, the humans had been warned that if they so muched as breathed too loudly they would be executed on the spot.

Roza began to walk forward, following her the Strigoi fanned out in both directions. In a very quiet voice that she knew everyone could hear,

"Don't kill them yet," Roza said as they walked forward.

"Wait , round them up. If the guardians fight, kill them. If the Maroi fight, feed on them, kill them. But if they surrender we will not kill them," she paused as the buildings came into view. "Yet" she finishes as the entire army stepped into the light of the buildings and parks.

This is when the screams began. Listening to them was for Roza listening to the most amazing opera music that man ha ever written. Roza through her head backed an laughed.

Picking up speed the army fanned out further and entered the, working in groups of 15 it wasn't going to take long before the entire city was theirs. And that's exactly what happened.

The majority of the human army had been moved to a largish green where the Strigoi were bringing their now prisoners. Hundreds upon hundreds of Maroi were w sitting on the grass with their families, many, especially the children were crying and all were looking lost and afraid. This was the scene that Roza returned to. She herself was dripping in blood. It had been 2 hours since the wards had fallen, and now the remaining guardians had also fallen.

This was it, her people were finally in charge, they had one. No more hiding in the shadows. Roza walked through the Maroi, a feeling of power washing over her every time one of them flinches out of her way. Slowing turning around and around Roza took it all in before she was interrupted by a Strigoi that was apparently one of her generals, Johnathon was his name. He was once a Dhampir, but now one of her stronger Strigoi. All of his training as a child was finally being used for something worthwhile.

"Kan Kirmizi Gul, we have covered the entire compound and now have people going into the tunnels. Every inch of the building and surrounding areas have been covered."

"Good," Roza replied. "Has there been any complications."

"Just two." Johnathan replied. "We have several Maroi hiding in the Chapels and Churches around the Court, we have sent humans in but it seems that they have guardians with them as none of the humans have made it back out."

"Burn them out. We should be able to at least smoke them out. And if they don't leave." Roza paused and smiled. "Well they will burn then."

Still walking they left the Maroi prisoners and began walking amongst the Strigoi who were standing or sitting around and many were sharing a meal of a Maroi or two between them.

"And the second complication?" Roza question,

Johnathan gulped, "The Queen and several other Maroi are no where to be found"