Hey, long time no see. XD Sorry for the lack of update, I completely forgot about it (is ashamed), and I'm having a HUGE writer's block, so yeah…
Anyway, chapter 31 will be delayed… some time. I accidentally overwrote the finished chapter with a copy of chapter 31 that wasn't finished, so now I have to do again the end of the chapter. And since I thought it was all good, I kept going until chapter 34, so now I kinda lack off the inspiration for it. Besides, I'm having a terrible time in thinking how the war stuff's going to come out. I apologize.
Vale-Chan: Well, I already answered and thanked you for the fucking HUGE ASS REVIEW. WOMAN, FUCK ;w; I can't find words to thank you enough for it!! *loves*
Lady: Ya like reveals? Then you will like this Oyan-centered-chapter. XD I don't know you guys, but I kinda like Oyan even if he is the main antagonist.
See ya next time and enjoy the chapter!!
30
Oyan was furious. Absolutely furious. He kicked the chair and the desk, he punched the wall with all his force, he growled under his breath and finally, he sat down on the abused chair. He let out a deep, angry sigh come from his throat as he whined in pain from his injuries, already bandaged up. So many things went so wrong that night. First of all, he lost countless of soldiers and now, his group had decreased to less than a few two-hundred men, including all of Cyryl's werewolves.
No one saw it coming. No one knew the spy would turn his back to them. No one except Cyryl. Cyryl had a feeling that, after what the Wind Terrennial told him, the vampire boy would do something about it. But it was pointless telling Oyan about it now, especially that he is so frustrated and angry. The werewolf had to let the human calm down a bit and let his brain think, though he doubt Oyan would actually think the spy was a vampire.
The rest of the soldiers didn't know what to do anymore. Their leader was failing at this, back in the North Lands the number of remaining gunslingers wasn't enough to bring to the East Lands to keep fighting, they were already a very low number of people, the vampires gained Lucian back and the spy turned his back to them. They were injured and in a very bad shape, and only fifty of them were still healthy. Was their leader going to trash them like he always does? Were they going to return to their home to rest, finally? Some of them doubt it; some of them knew they were going to stay until they were all killed.
Oyan received the morning after a call from his second, who was in the North Lands keeping the undead waves under control, begging for his leader to return that, after so much time and so much effort, it was wise to retreat in a moment like this. He couldn't win like that, he couldn't do much with those men there and it was safer that he and the rest returns. But Oyan hanged up on him and didn't answer the next call he received from him. He was going to keep fighting until the end, because a fight it's until one of them dies, and it was exactly what Oyan was going to do.
"I'm sorry for bringing so much troubles to you, Cyryl.", said the auburn man when the werewolf needed to speak with him. From the two hundred of werewolves he brought only fifty of them remained. The rest, were killed.
"I decided to help so, don't worry about it.", answered the man.
"I might sound crazy, but I'm staying. I'm not letting those bastards win this fight."
Cyryl didn't know if he was too sure anymore in keeping up with Oyan. After he met with Lucian, he had felt strange. There was something around that man that made Cyryl's senses go into an alert mode. He didn't know what it was, he didn't know if it was Lucian at all but that feeling wouldn't go away until now. Now that Lucian was gone, he felt more relaxed, as if a huge weight on his shoulder suddenly disappeared.
"Recher is still alive, but very injured so my closest guess is that he is not going to fight again.", said Oyan, more to himself than to Cyryl. "I think I will be fine with the rest of the guys. We have to end it in the next fight or everything's going to be lost."
Cyryl didn't say anything.
That afternoon Oyan disappeared from the Guild, bringing his solar weapons with him as he walked in the forest, further than Acuna and the frontier. It was getting windier where he was, but the man didn't mind. The small, dust whirlwinds danced around him before fading away, and some lizards run away from his huge walking form. Oyan looked around, and all he saw was sand and a huge desert in front of him. He sighed, turning to the left and walking straight. He still had a card under his sleeve. There is… this strange priest, this self called priest that had lived for centuries and called himself a descendant from the extinct Lunar Tribe. Oyan never believed that rumor but he did believed the magic he possessed and how well he controlled it. Several times before that man gave suggestions to Oyan and some predictions that turned out true. That man was the last thing he had to win this war.
He lived a few miles away from Acuna's frontier, in a little swamp surrounded by the trees, all dark. The Sun barely lighted the place there and it was really creepy going there by night, but Oyan was already used to it. When he was a kid, years before his father and grandfather died, his mother used to come there to talk with him. Oyan used to come also with his childhood best friend, Hindi, a little vampire boy, son of one of his mother's cousins. They were really close friends and the man of the swamp, as they often called him, always taught them astrology each time they came and how to use a telescope.
The auburn man sighed. Those where memories he rather not have, because of the pain he felt in his heart each time he remembered. He remembered the sad look on Hindi's face when he turned his back and went to the local Guild to become a gunslinger and the expression of fear, rage and sadness he had when Oyan kicked his family out, almost a decade later. But he didn't kicked them out because, no. Oyan still cared for Hindi and didn't want anything to happen to him. He just… forced him to leave for his own good as he stayed in the North Lands, becoming the leader of the north Guild and declaring war to the vampires that didn't leave. All of them died at his hands, but at last the only person he cared truly for was safe, angry at him but safe.
He finally reached the swamp and now he was looking up for the small and old house of the man, looking around, trusting his memory as his legs lead the way. He came across with a huge tree which's thin branches twisted at certain height and then came down towards the water. The small leaves gave to it a more melancholy look, as if the tree was crying. Oyan stopped, admiring the beauty of the tree. It was a Peking Willow, one of the oldest in the swamp, and it was as Oyan remembered it from his childhood. But he didn't stop to drown in his memories. He sighed and kept walking forwards, until meeting the small lake. The waters were green and he saw a few fishes swimming under the surface. There were some other creatures under the water but, overall, it was calm. He then saw the little house near it, with its windows covered except from one, which was on the second floor of it. From it, a yellow light was seen and Oyan knew the man was in home and, probably, working on his stellar maps he always loved to do.
When he stopped in front of the door, he pushed it lightly instead of knocking. If there was something that man hated was to be interrupted from his work. Because of that, he always left the door open and, only when he felt like to, he decided to attend his guests. Oyan was used to that too so, he took seat in one of the chairs from the lower floor and waited.
There were rolled up maps inside long tubes of wood, others were still open over the table he was sitting now. He also noticed a few pens over the table, the floor and on the stairs which lead the way to the second floor. Living on his own, the man didn't need a lot of furniture; only a table with a few chairs, a bed and a small kitchen. Then he had huge bookshelves filled not only with books and maps, but also with lots of jars with different ingredients and with finished potions inside. Oyan remembered he used to play 'guess what is inside' with Hindi while they waited for the man to appear. They never touched anything; they never opened any of those jars. They simple stared, watching amazed the different sizes of the jars and the ingredients, some of them making the two little boys scared.
"It's been a long time, Betelgeuse.", said a soft but potent male voice. "I thought I wouldn't see you again."
The man that walked down the stairs was dressed in black robes, making his extremely pale skin bright in the dark clothes. He had a very long and combed white hair, which was tied up enough to prevent the small bangs to come to his face. He was barefoot; he had long claws, bright red eyes and small fangs. Sashi smiled to him as he sat down in front of him. Sashi was a very rare race; he somehow was a relative to vampire's family, but he didn't drink blood. He couldn't go outside during the day, but he didn't burn to ashes if he walked under the Sun. He often said he was the only descendent from the Lunar Tribe after the last war erupted, and he was the only one that knew about their culture. Oyan knew about Mahoroba, Vanargandr's sealing and everything else from the Lunar Tribe thanks to Sashi. There were a few things the man knew about the Solar Tribe, but they were trivial compared to what he knew about the Lunar one.
Oyan knew now why he didn't mind Lucian calling him Betelgeuse. He had forgotten who had given him that nickname.
"I can see you are very stressed.", said Sashi, putting his hands over his lap. "Something happened in your last battle."
Oyan smiled. Sashi's predictions were always right. The stars might have told him what has been going on since that day ten years ago.
"Hindi often visits me, too.", declared the albino man, moving his hands and making the kettle stood over the fire of the little kitchen. "He didn't have any news since you made him leave, and he is very worried about you."
"He knows he doesn't have to.", answered the man.
"You can't help it if we are talking about Hindi.", said Sashi, moving his hands again and making two small and pretty teacups come from the little sink. "I assured him you were alright, but it wasn't enough for him."
The auburn man sighed.
"You told him where I was, didn't you?", Sashi nodded, and Oyan sighed deeply.
"I know I shouldn't, but Hindi's still your friend and you have to go and talk with him someday."
"I can't, not after what I did ten years ago in our home.", said Oyan as he avoided Sashi's gaze.
"He understands why you did it, he just wants to see you once more before y---", Sashi suddenly felt silent and Oyan looked at him. The albino man sighed, gripping his robes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have of tell you that."
"I know I might die in this one. I'm not a fool."
"But you are stubborn, and that's worst than being a fool."
Oyan laughed softly and Sashi smiled.
"What you came for?", the kettle floated in the air and went to the teacups, having already a small teabag in them. The hot water was poured in both of them and then they stayed there.
"You know there is this vampire… Lucian.", Sashi nodded as he brings the teacups with his magic, the teabags already ditched from them. They landed in front of them as the sugar pot and the two, small spoons came along. "I need a way to… not kill him, because I know it's going to be extremely hard to do, but a way to stop him the necessary time for me and my soldiers to act."
"Even if you stop Lucian, there is still Dumas, the ice vampire, the little gunslinger boy, Ernest, Kay, Bea, the Casket Armors, your spy…", he took a sip from his tea, feeling its strong taste. "Even if Lucian is the strongest there, it doesn't mean that by stopping him, you will win. If you want to win, you have to stop all of them. Or at last most of them."
Oyan sighed yet again.
Sashi finished his tea while Oyan just started it, and stood up and went to the shelves filled with jars, looking over them. He took one that had what it looked like teeth or fangs, then, he took two white feathers from another. Next, he took three small, black orbs, a strange purple stone, a single green scale, what it seemed to be a black horn and some silver stuff that, when Oyan asked, Sashi smiled.
"From time to time I go to Mahoroba and collect this silver dust that is nothing more than the leftovers of the fallen stars.", he put all the ingredients on a silver plate and went to the stairs. "The dust always falls on the statues so it's very easy to pick it up."
Then, he disappeared in the second floor. Oyan stood up and followed, knowing that it was what Sashi wanted him to do. The observatory room was a mess as always. Papers all over the floor, unfinished maps of the night sky, sketches of how the Moon is seen from the planet, among other notes on those papers. There was a black and old telescope pointing outside, currently covered with a white sheet. Then, there was this boiling pot in where Sashi put one by one the ingredients, while pouring some water too. Then he left them boil as he returned to his previous works on the maps.
Oyan sat on the chair, waiting. He knew he didn't have to interrupt Sashi or the consequences are going to be very bad for him. So he simple stood there, watching him scribble, write or draw down on the large pieces of papers over the large table.
He was still surprised to herd that Hindi was still coming to see Sashi. He had thought that his friend went to another country, to another land, a place where he wouldn't see him again. If Hindi still visits Sashi it means he is not so far from what he actually thought of. Unless he is actually far away and still comes because it's the only thing that, from his childhood, didn't change at all. Oyan really, really wanted to see him again, but he knew he couldn't. He was scared of what Hindi will say or do if he ever sees him again, especially after twenty or more years. Deep inside, he wanted to see him one more time before, as Sashi predicted, he died. He wanted to tell him he was sorry for kicking him out like that, for not letting him defend himself from his men like a real vampire should. Oyan wanted the best for his only friend, but he knew that he made it worst.
Hindi used to be a very shy boy. When they first met, when they were around five years old, the vampire boy didn't want to leave his father's side even when he was told to. Oyan never saw a vampire before, not young or old, and he was a bit scared from them, especially after all the things his father said about them, and felt confused with his mom's words saying completely the opposite of his father. Where vampires good or bad? Should he trust them? His mom told him that some vampires were good, some others were bad, just as humans; some did nice things, some others did bad things.
In the end, they both ended up being very good friends, but Oyan couldn't invite Hindi to his house when his father was too. The last time he did that, the poor vampire boy ended up crying from all the things his father told him. His mom had to bring them to Hindi's house, apologize to Hindi's parents and then leave her son in the lair of the vampires. It didn't make her husband any happier, but at last he was calmer now that he didn't have any vampire in his home.
Just little after being best friends with Hindi, there was a murdered in Hindi's family. Even when the North Lands accepted that vampires and humans lived together, the people inside didn't. It was separated in two inner states, but some vampires lived in the human's side and some humans went to the vampire's side. Hindi's cousin and her husband, a human, and their two children were murdered coldly. The vampire boy was broken; he cried everyday and he wished to be alone after what happened. Oyan had supported him in the investigation and in the funeral; he had been at his side every time and Hindi was very grateful for that. In the end, they found out it has been a vampire hunter just doing its work and they couldn't find a culprit from it, making Hindi's family very depressed.
A year later, when everything was going out good with Hindi, Oyan saw something that, if he hadn't, it wouldn't become in what he is now.
It had been a very hot evening of summer. He had spent the entire day playing with Hindi at his house and it was getting late. Oyan left and run to his house, knowing he was already late for dinner. He was about to come inside when the voice of his mother distracted him from it. She sounded worried and desperate, so Oyan walked barely doing any noise to the alley he had next to his house and, softly, he approached. He hid behind the empty beer barrels that were just there and, carefully moving one of them, he watched, with horror, how his father and grandfather were tied up, gagged and whimpering. His mother was there too, on the floor, crying in begging for their mercy, that they didn't do it because of hatred.
"Oh, come one.", said one of the cloaked figures. Oyan, from the distance, knew it was a vampire like his partner. He just had seen their blue skin. "Wasn't that massacre made out of hatred? Please…"
"We are doing our job, only.", said the second one, bringing out a small dagger from his inner pocket. "As private investigators."
"Please! I'm begging you, please!", his mother cried again. "What's going to do my son without his family?"
"Well, lady, you should have thinking it twice before marring a man like your husband was."
The vampire with the dagger killed his grandfather first, opening his chest with it and letting the blood come out like a waterfall on the ground. The woman cried in horror, trembling from head to toes, staying there, not being able to do anything but watch. Oyan watched too. He was too scared to move, he didn't know what to do. He wanted to help his family, he wanted to make those vampires go away, he wanted, at last, help his father, seeing that his grandfather with such injury wasn't going to live to tell it.
But his small body couldn't move. He was too scared to move, he tried to scream, but his throat didn't produce a sound, not even when the other vampire killed his father and his mother cried again. But, with all that screaming she made, why no one was there to help her? Where was everyone? Where were their neighbors?
"We really didn't want to do it…", said one of the vampires, and Oyan thought why then he did it, as his eyes cried warm and thick tears. "But they left us no choice after what they did…"
What they did? Oyan dried his tears. What could his father and grandfather possible do that deserved their dead? He couldn't think of anything but to kill those vampires. But the only thing he did was to watch them leave, his mother crying over the body of her husband, gripping his clothes and mumbling words and phrases Oyan couldn't decipher.
The child left, and went to the river until night fell. Once he returned home, he told her mother he was going to list in the local Guild.
"What?", she said, horrifying. "No! Absolutely not!"
"Why not?", asked Oyan, surprised that his mother was… well, not proud but at last something close to it, like happy or so. After all, her husband was killed by vampires, wasn't he? "I want to!", said the little boy. He couldn't keep seeing vampires as friends anymore, not even Hindi.
"No!", screamed the woman, crying again. "I don't want to lose you too…", sobbed, hugging her son.
But the day after, the first thing he did was to go to the Guild and list, saying he wanted to start as soon as possible.
"What happened to you to suddenly change your mind?", asked Mismo, the leader of the Guild in those times. "Last time I saw you, you were hanging out with the vampire boy Hindi."
"Not anymore.", replied Oyan.
Mismo sighed, thinking how a youth was lost like that.
Come to think of it, Oyan noticed how Mismo wanted him out of the Guild rather than inside, even if he turned out to be one of the best soldiers Mismo ever got. The man was constantly giving him very hard missions or tasks; he even humiliated him in front of others, of his comrades. But Oyan was too determinate, or stubborn, to give up. But all Mismo did was aggravate the problem and turned Oyan in something completely the opposite of what he was, he learned to give a damn about everyone else, he learned to not help anymore, he learned to not care anymore. Mismo knew he lost the struggle with Oyan, so he decided to leave the Guild and, being Oyan the best inside, it was obvious he was going to be voted as next leader. Just two years later, Oyan commanded the hunting in where he killed ninety percent of the vampire population in the Northlands.
He remembered that night clearly. Before going into the actual hunting, he went to Hindi's home to pay him a last visit before starting the massacre. Alfar, Hindi's father, opened the door and stood there, seeing the familiar face.
"…Oyan?", came the man's voice and the auburn man nodded. "Hindi's in his studio.", said as he stood aside to let him in.
"Thank you."
The gunslinger saluted Hindi's mom, Kalina, before going upstairs to find his childhood friend sitting before a desk, examining some documents. He was studying to become a lawyer like his uncle and Oyan was extremely happy when he got the news (around a year ago), but they never talked anymore. After Oyan listed in the Guild, he decided to stop visiting Hindi, but Hindi still came to him, still visited him, still saluted him. The auburn man knew he didn't deserve a friend like him, not at all, not after what he was going to do that same night.
"Hey, Betelgeuse…", came the solemn and cheerful voice of Hindi. Oyan saw his smile, and couldn't help it and smiled too. "You must have something extremely important to tell me if you came here in flesh after that."
Oyan sighed sadly as he didn't accept the seat Hindi was offering.
"Indeed it is, Naos.", answered.
Hindi laughed.
"This is the first time in years you call me like that."
Like with him, Sashi decided to put Hindi a nickname from a star. And, being his hair a beautiful clear, crystal blue, the Lunar priest decided to give him the name of "Naos", a very hot star in the constellation of the Stern. Hottest stars bright in a blue light thus Sashi picking up this name for him.
"I really hate you seeing wearing that uniform.", said Hindi as he stood up, walking to Oyan. "I always wondered what made you change your mind about… well.", he took off his glasses and put them over the desk. He was now taller than Oyan and with a very nice body, strong as most vampires were. His hair was tied up in an almost lose ponytail, with some curly bangs falling in his face. Oyan remembered that, when Hindi was young and when his hair was shorter than it was now, he used to have a very curly hair. "I always felt that I was losing you."
"You might.", came his reply, feasting his hands into fists. He saw how Hindi's eyes widened.
"What are you talking about?"
"Let's say that… because I was promoted to be leader of the Guild…"
Hindi put a hand on his eyes as he put his other arm around his waist.
"You are going into a 'welcome hunting', huh?", Hindi spat the words as if they were some kind of disgusting food or poison.
"Sort of."
"Sort of? Then how the fuck do you call those… murders?!", screamed the vampire, crossing his arms over his chest. "Let me tell you that if your men ever put a single feet in this house, they are going to be slaughtered, have no doubt about it."
"That's why I want you to leave.", said quickly, trembling. He had never been so nervous or scared in his life.
"Excuse me?"
"Tonight I'm not going to have any vampire friends anymore, I'm not going to have any vampire relatives in my family, I'm going to be one with my men, with the humans.", explained to Hindi, who was still in shock after hearing that. "You… You are the only one in this city I truly care for, even if I… choose some paths that were opposing our friendship, I still value it and I don't want anything happen to you or your family."
"You are telling me to run like a coward!!!", screamed once more Hindi. "You are telling me to drop my arms!! I'm a man just like you and I'm going to fight against your men like a real vampire, even if with it I die!"
"No!!", shouted Oyan, startling Hindi with his reaction. The man took his friend's arms and squeezed them into his hands. "I don't want you to! I don't want you to die because of the life I had chosen to live!"
"Then tell me what happened in your life that made you change your heart like this!", demanded the vampire.
Oyan lose up and dropped his arms to his sides, turning around to the door.
"Oyan!", cried Hindi.
"Please, I'm begging you.", whispered the man. "Please, leave. I don't know if I'm going to endure seeing the corpse of my best friend lying on the ground."
"Tell me then. I want to understand what makes you suffer like this.", his eyes dropped a few tears as he reached the auburn man to hug him from behind. "You don't know how hard was to me to see you like this, to feel that you were sinking into a bottomless sea…"
"If I do, will you leave?"
Hindi obliged Oyan to turn around so they were now face to face.
"This is my home, too! This is were I born, where I grow up, where I met you. You can't pretend that I will leave all this behind just because you tell me so!"
"I'm serious this time, Hindi.", whispered again the gunslinger. "We are going into hunting, and we are around a thousand men, even more. Do you honestly think you will be able to survive?", Hindi stood silent. "Promise me you will leave."
"No, I---"
"Promise me.", repeated.
The vampire sighed.
"Thank you.", said Oyan as he smiled. "Remember that murder that happened to your family, where no culprit was found?", the vampire nodded. "A year later, or two (I can't remember), I watched how my father and grandfather were killed in front of my mother.", Hindi tensed up but, reacting quickly, he hugged Oyan. "By the hands of two vampires…", the tears started to came out and Oyan couldn't prevent it. There was so much pain held inside, so much suffering. "And I was there, damn it!!", he screamed, hugging Hindi's back and gripping and pulling his clothes with force and anger. "I was watching… I watched how those two killed my family! And I stood there! Just watching!!", he let out the thicker tears come out as he screamed into Hindi's chest. "I couldn't do anything to save them… I was too scared…", the vampire rubbed his friends back softly, as he heard him. "They said my father and grandfather made something terrible, but I couldn't think of anything and I just thought of revenge… and what better way than listing in the Guild?", he sobbed. "I know that I have betrayed you by doing so but, this pain is so much…"
"I know, I know.", whispered Hindi. "I felt the same when my uncle died. I just wanted to avenge him; I didn't care if it was human or vampire… But you made it easier for me to bear the pain, why didn't you do the same with me? Why didn't you come to me when you felt this pain? I'm your friend after all…", unable to fight it back, Hindi's tears left his eyes too.
"Will you leave?", asked Oyan, changing the subject. Hindi didn't dig further in the matter. Oyan was going to answer that question when he found the answer.
The vampire tightened his grip, sighing into Oyan's neck.
"Take care, please take care.", said Hindi. "Vampires are powerful beings, don't underestimate us or you will be killed, and I don't want you to."
"Don't die either.", said Oyan, digging his fingers into his friend's back. They separated and the auburn man dried his tears with his uniform. "Good bye, Naos."
Hindi smiled.
"See you soon, Betelgeuse."
"Hindi…"
"I will see you soon, Oyan.", Hindi hugged him a last time, and Oyan returned the gesture. "I will keep you in mind and I will look to the sky to see you when I miss you."
"I will too.", Oyan pushed the vampire back and left the room.
A little while after that conversation, Hindi left with his family in secret. He knew he was betraying his kind by doing this, by not letting the others know about such thing, but Hindi made his promise and, before anyone else, came Oyan. He knew his friend lost the path, he knew all he did was just wrong but then it will come the time in where Hindi was going to be able to save his friend, to keep him by his side and to teach him from his mistakes. He just whished the time came sooner.
"Thinking about Naos?", came Sashi's voice. Oyan jumped in his seat, startled. "You miss him so much, don't you?", he man sighed, not answering. "Don't blame yourself for what happened between you two."
"It is my fault after all.", came his reply. "I did choose this life and I did choose to kill his kind even when he was my friend."
"You had your reasons. For Naos, it's enough."
"But not for the other vampires out there. They can't forgive me for what I did. I could easily be someone else if I hadn't seen that!!", shouted, feasting his hands into fists.
"You could have remained like your child self even after seeing that. In that aspect, you are guilty of choosing, because instead of going to your friend, you let yourself tempt by revenge."
"It's too late to undo all what I did."
"But not to begin from scratch.", Oyan lifted his head and was about to add something when Sashi's smile interrupted him. "Ah, there. The bullets are done."
From the now empty pot the priest took out fifteen bullets, all looking the same. They were small, brown and with craved runes on them. He put them into a little leather bag and gave it to Oyan.
"You can use them only in revolvers, since I can't manipulate solar energy, like your guns does.", he sat down in front of his planes. "With a single shot and with a single bullet being inside the bodies of the vampires or the gunslingers it's enough to seal a good portion of their power.", he took again his pencil and pen. "I wish you the best of luck in this battle."
Oyan knew it was time to leave.
"Thank you, Sashi.", he stood up and put the bag into his belt. "And…", Sashi lifted his head. "If… Hindi comes here… tell him I'm sorry, if I… well, if I don't manage to come alive from this fight."
"I will.", said Sashi, giving him a last smile.
It was late now. The Sun already set and it was getting colder, but Oyan kept walking softly, barely looking at his surroundings. The little leather bag was bouncing over his leg each time he did a step, sometimes being annoying. After all those years, he knew all this was only because of a childhood revenge he couldn't fulfill, he didn't even know who were those vampires but, seeing what they did, it was enough for him to have a reson to kill everyone of them. Oyan knew he was being hyprocrit at the same time by letting Hindi and his family free from his hands. Just because it was his friend he let him live. What type of excuse was that? It's like a vampire killing humans for food or fun, but not killing its humans friends because it cared for them. What would its kind think about that? That's why Oyan makes sure that no one knows about Hindi and the friendship he and the vampire shared but the sudden memories of his childhood made him think how Lucian was able to know the nickname Sashi gave to him. How did Lucian know it was 'Betelgeuse'?
Vampires had the ability to look inside their prey's mind, digging into their thoughts and actions, and even being able to manipulate them but, they weren't able to see further than that, meaning that the memories of the past (such as childhood memories and such) were out of their reach. How could Lucian see that? Could it be because he was fused with Vanargandr after his spy stuck the sword in him? Vanargandr was a Beast of who's powers Oyan didn't know and, perhaps, one of them made Lucian able to see the past of his enemies or preys. But he even knew about his father and about his revenge, and the feelings he felt when he stood powerless watching how his father and grandfather died. Oyan turned his head, towards the swamp. Would Sashi know why Lucian knew all this? And if he did, would he tell him? But knowing will make no difference in the fight.
Oyan finally saw, after an hour or so, the Guild hidding behind the forest, feeling like someone was following him, watching him from the darkness. He didn't pay attention to it, but put his right hand on the haunch of his weapon. There was something not right around and it felt like there were some intruders. Before reaching the Guild, he saw that Cyryl was outside with two of his werewolves transformed, growling, looking into different directions. Just then he noticed, over the trees, several black figures from different sizes but with one same characteristic; red, glowing eyes. Oyan's eyes widened. Vampires? Were they the ones with Ernest? No, they couldn't be... Otherwise, they would have attacked already but the type of 'attack' wasn't one Ernest will come with. Something was defenitely not right.
"So, this is the leader, then?", came a male voice from behind him.
Oyan turned around and saw a vampire all covered up with a dark green cape with a hood that covered his head. The only thing he could see was his two red eyes looking directly at him. The auburn man panicked. Was this some kind of trap? Did Cyryl betray him like his spy did? Giving a second look to the werewolves made him think it wasn't that way. If it was, then they wouldn't be reacting that way. But then, what was a vampire with his lair doing in the enemy's territory?
"And who will you be?", asked Oyan, not taking his hand from his weapon.
"I'm Neschume, pleased to meet you, Leader of the North Guild.", said the vampire, bowing his head. "Here I am with my noble lair, wishing to make an offering to you, if you are inclined to listen to it."
"Proceed, then.", said the man.
"We deeply hate humans, we wish to blow them from this world as you want to get rid of my race by creating this battles against us.", started Neschume. "But there is another thing we despite besides humans; dhampirs and vampires or any other night creature that helps humans in their cause, being this one the case.", the vampire took off his robe and Oyan noticed he was wearing a Casket Armor very similar to the ones that Lucian and Dumas have. Neschume tossed it back and the arm, or what it seemed to be an arm, took it before it landed on the floor. "We wish to fight besides you since we have a common enemy here in the East Lands."
"Not possible.", said Oyan. "Since I have no guarantees you and your people will leave alone my men, or if this some kind of trap."
"Wise to think that way, Leader of the North Guild but, what chanses you have to fight against your enemy in such state?", said, before looking at Cyryl, who was restricting his insticts hard. The werewolves really desired nothing more than to rip the vampire's head off. "Not even with the werewolves will you be able to suceed, seeing how strong your opponent had become.", he laughed. "We are merely using you to achieve what we want.", he smiled. "And us, being so many and overpowering you right now, is not wise to reject our offering."
Oyan gripped his teeth. Were they watching their moves and seeing when to make their 'offering'? He looked at Neschume and the rest, even if he couldn't identify them clearly due to the now darkness surrounding him. They were nobles, from the purest vampire blood. No wonder they hate dhampirs and such.
"None of your men will feed from mines, you will not come to me and even suggest it because I will blow your head off.", said Oyan. He had noticed it was useless to escape or to fight against so many enemies. Not even Cyryl could win this one. Even when he still had fifty of his pack, they were heavily injured because of the Casket Armors, as well as the human soldiers. It was not wise to let the vampires in, he just didn't have a choice. Oyan knew this would end pretty bad, at last in his side, but at the same time if both parts did what it was stated in the rules, it could come out well for both of them. Oyan knew that, once the war's over, the nobles will suddenly turn on them and try to kill his men, seeing that the common enemy was no erradicated. "You and your lair will not come into the territory of the Guild and only you will be able to come inside the building to discuss about plans of attack and such.", it was a very, very risky move not only for the vampires, but to Oyan himself. He was letting the enemy freely enter his house and didn't know what were his intentions once he was inside. "If this war leaves us like winners, you and your lair will not chase us until we are back in our North Lands."
"You and your men will not harrass us nor will do anything that implies physical or mentally abuses. I will allow the usual fights and curses that humans and vampires exchanges when they see each other but nothing more.", said Neschume, silently agreeing with Oyan's rules. "If one of my men is killed by one of yours, the contract is over and we will start the quarrel right in that instant.", he laughed softly. "Likewise, none of your men is allowed to come to our lair except you, if you need to discuss anything you want. If the war leaves us winners, your men will be able to freely return to the North Land before we chase you down."
"Anything else?", said Oyan.
"Yes, just one more thing, please."
Cyryl and Oyan looked at each other. Then, to Neschume.
"Split it out."
"I want Lucian alive and kicking.", said the vampire to Oyan's and the werewolf's surprise. "I know he gave you a huge headache, but I want him alive after this ends. But do not worry, I will not personally ask you to capture him, seeing how you failed to held him captive. I will take care of him myself.", he grinned, showing his fangs. "Deal?"
"Deal.", answered Oyan, smiling.