"As I breathe the putrid air and gaze upon the smoke filled skies of Nosgoth I can't help but wonder how things might have turned out if we had won. But now we return and this time we will not fail. Nosgoth is ours and we shall shape it in our image, as it was meant to be. The time of the Hylden has come once again"
From the speech of Ha'dra'as at the dawn of the second invasion.
Six grand thrones stood in a circle in the middle of a darkened room. A greed sphere emanating light rested on a golden column in the center. On five of the thrones stood emerald ghostly figures in different dress. The six was material and like all the others belonged to the hylden race. His face was stern, despite the two scars on his chin and forehead. His body was raped in a cape that flowed from the golden shoulder pads. Across from him stood a hylden with a crown like crest in front of the long straight hair which came down on his leathery vest with extended shoulders arching out, revealing a muscular chest. His face looked like a cadaver his lips barely covering his teeth. He spoke in a harsh high pitched voice:
"It has come to my attention that the rebel leaders are going to meet. As usual I presume that the location will be the ruins of the former vampire citadel. Thus, it falls to you Hash'ak'dur to deal with them.
The material hylden leaned forward making the Sarafan cross hanging on a chain around his neck sparkle in the dim light:
"I fail to see how that should be so, Hil'do'ren. It can very well fall under the jurisdiction of Meridian and thus you to deal with them." He addressed the one opposite him in a deep resentful voice.
On Hil'do'ren's right stood a hylden dressed in a long fur coat with metal shoulder pads. His twin axe blade like crest was adorned with a three spike crown. He spoke:
"We have fought the vampires ever since we returned here three hundred years ago. The degenerate sons of Kain's lieutenants were easily defeated. But these three are different. Not only have they kept their sane minds but they are unyielding in their endeavor. They resisted us for all this time. Can we hope to defeat them on this one occasion?"
To Hil'do'ren's left stood a hylden who looked like the one who just spoke. He also wore a fur coat, with long sleeves, and underneath one could glimpse a tunic bearing a tribal motive down the middle. His left hand adorned with jeweled rings rested on a cane. His voice was deep baritone and used to command:
"My brother Hi'ya'dras is right. We can not hope to defeat this resistance with one blow. Nor can we expect that only one of us should deal with this nuisance. True, their leader resides in the ruins of the vampire citadel along with another of the surviving Razielim. Another guards the Chronoplast device. And the final one hides in Termogen forest from where he strikes out at all our establishments. We must stand together…."
"Does the lord of Coorhagen fear a vampire insurgence in his fair city?" said a hylden draped in robes and jewels on Hash'ak'dur's left addressing the last one who spoke. The turning to the previous fur clad hylden "Or do the great peaks of the Thangorodrim fortrace shake when they encounter vampires? This is stupid. Just attack in full force and wipe them out. How many are they 20, 50? We shoud not make such a big deal about them."
"For the ruler of distant Nevrast the vampires are little concern, Lord Ha'en'galad", said the ruler of Meridian "since the full might of Avernus and its ruler stand between you and them. But, you see, we are more exposed to them."
"They are not that many, but they do enough damage. Last month a whole shipment of supplies needed for the soldiers waging war in the west, was high jacked by the vampires." Said Hash'ak'dur "not to mention the riot in the streets of Meridian, and the massacre that followed only three months ago"
"They are instigating revolts among the human population", said the ruler of Coorhagen " We should keep in mind that as long as we are trying to conquer the western kingdoms the human population of Nosgoth far exceeds ours. They revolt would spell all out war. Our civilization can not afford a full scale engagement at this time. With each passing day, more and more humans go to the vampire cause considering our rule as infectious and malignant."
"Hi'ya'men, you actually believe that this small fighting force can destabilize our great rule?" said Ha'en'galad "They are the petty remains of a dying race cling to whatever scraps of this world remains, or of which they remember."
"This world has changed. It is no longer the decaying world in which we came three hundred years ago. The skies are clear of poisonous smoke, water runs freely on the surface. The great lakes have reappeared. The mountains teem with vegetation. Nosgoth is healing the corruption of Kain's empire." Said Hy'ya'dras
Hash'ak'dur dropped back on his throne :
"And most notably three Pillars are restored. That is why this land is healing. Our coming and Kain's disappearance are purely coincidental. The restored pillars of Nature States and Mind are the forces driving this healing. The question is, will we return to our prison when the Dimension pillar rises into the clouds, or must all be restored before we go back?"
The last of the six hylden lords which until now had not spoken straitened his back. A long skirt covered the lower part of his body leaving the chest bare. His naked arms were covered in strange twisting tattoo lines. Around his neck hung a chain bearing an elongated crystal trapped by twisting metal pieces. His voice resonated through the room:
"The pillars were meant to seal us in the other dimension. The eldar were the ones who banished us, not the Pillars. When or if they will all be restored makes no difference to us. All the hylden are in this world. As for the remaining vampires…. When we first came back three centuries ago we set out to take back what was ours. Then we divided Nosgoth and the surrounding lands according to merit and House. But remember that it was I who brought us back. And no vampire pestilence or human kingdom will stand in my way.
You may be content with your little kingdoms. But I command you all. My main concern are the human kingdoms of the west. Everything else is trivial. To long have we tried to wipe out the eldar and then the vampires. No more of this. And they number five hounded vampires and humans devoted to this resistance, Ha'en'galad, not just fifty, according to my sources.
To make sure that there are no more petty excuses for lack of action I will appoint one of you to deal with the vampire resistance."
Everybody stood quiet expecting the lord's decision. The moment seamed to drag on forever. Each hylden lord looked at the other. They knew that should the task be unfulfilled, the one responsible would face a fate worse than death. But then again, should he succeed, great rewards would be bestowed upon that one.
The hylden ruler Ha'dra'as continued:
"There is no point in naming the lords of Nevrast or Thangorodrim for this task. It requires geographic proximity. That leaves me with only two options. Hash'ak'dur of Stormforge, or Hil'do'ren of Meridian. Hmmm " he said whilst rubbing his chin.
"I will give House Hash a chance to redeem itself for its failure. I name Hash'ak'dur the one responsible for dealing with the vampire resistance." He said as he turned to his right to gaze at the material hylden. "It is only fitting that since your father failed to hold on to Nosgoth when he first returned, that his son clear his name. You will obliterate the vampires. Now there is no Kain to stop you."
"My father was arrogant and put his faith to much in one artifact…."
"Your father was a fool !" interrupted Ha'dra'as "And his mistake cost us dearly. It is because of him that we were forced to stay a millennium more trapped. That will not happen again. He shouldn't have allowed the Nexus Stone to fall into the vampire's hands to begin with." He squeezed the crystal that hung from his neck. "And now the pieces of the Soul Reaver stand in Avernus Cathedral. There is no way any vampire can make use of the blade. So you have no excuse for failing. I want the vampires wiped out in a year."
"A year? Are you mad? " said the ruler of Stormforge
"Watch your tongue boy ! said Ha'dra'as. "Or you'll be joining your imbecile father quick.
"You have restored the Sarafan Order, just like him. I suggest you make good use of them. No more mistakes. They are fanatic and some are of our kind. And that dog of yours… what was his name? Put him to good use as well. He claims to have power. Unleash him on the vampires. Isn't that for what you allow his existence to go on? If he proves ineffective I will dispose of him myself.
Atone your father's mistakes, Dur. It is now the only way I will tolerate you ! this meeting is over."
And with a wave of his hand the five ghostly hylden silhouettes vanished from the thrones. Hash'ak'dur remained alone. The orb in front of him stopped glowing reverting to a dark green color. His head dropped as he sighed.
The lights turned themselves on. The room was engulfed by orange light coming from the lamps in the wals.
A hylden woman entered wearing a white dress holding her palms together in front of her. She stopped at Hash'ak'dur's left. He raised his eyes to meet her gaze.
"I am condemned to death, Mut. There is no way to destroy the vampires in one year. Not when we have been trying for three hundred years. He means for me to fail. He wants to obliterate House Hash! He called me Dur, simply, did you hear? He forgot the proper protocol of stating House, family and then name." he was getting angrier frowning and clutching his fists. "He claims to be the keeper of the true hylden way, but he humiliated me in front of the other hylden lords. Am I not one of them? Have I not earned my place as ruler of glorious Stormforge and the Sarafan order?' he struck the throne 's arm with his fist. "I have atoned for our father's sin long ago. It is because of me that we managed to reclaim the south of Nosgoth. It is me who keeps the vampires back."
The woman bent down to be at his eye level. She spoke in a kind voice:
"Our father was a great hylden, but too hungry for power. Remember Dur, that he left us imprisoned in the dimension along with the other hylden lords. No wonder none accept his legacy. He caused his own fall. Ha'dar'as is no different. He desires power too much and like our father before him, he will fall. Not by our hand or any of the other hylden lords, but he will fall. It is the natural state of things!"
"But will he kill me first for not fulfilling this task ? That is what matters to me. Why does he not send the Nine to deal with the vampires. The wraiths are said to be unstoppable."
"Because he fears betrayal, Dur. The Nine may be bound to Ha'dra'as but they can still betray him to the vampires. They have not forgotten their origins, even if they are wraiths."
She caressed his cheek:
"But we have never truly focused on these vampires before. After retaking Nosgoth we were more concerned with rebuilding the cities and other conquering matters. But we can now focus on them entirely. And we have the Sarafan Order at our command. And Ha'dra'as is right. Use Malagant, your dog as he put it. Let he prove himself. This can be done brother!"
"You are right. Where there is a will…. I know I love you not just for your beauty."
"You love me because I am your sister" she said smiling .
"That is irrelevant to us. What we share is much more"
"Indeed!" she said as their mouths half opened locked together in a passionate kiss.
For depictions of the main character go to this link: http:// www. esnips. com/ web/ thearchangelasraelsDarkChronicle (without spaces)