The Wolves of Tricia

Dayton decides to take his father's throne.

When a child is born, it is a celebration can last many days. After a child, the families join in to see the new addition. They wish marvelous things for the new child such as happiness, a good life, etc. A new child is a beautiful thing. No one certainly fears the birth of a child. No one looks at a child, and sees that a child will grow up to be murderer, Normal humans look at a new child and wish beautiful things for their child.

The Wolves of Tricia looked at their new children and hope that their little pup will grow up to be a general or someone who brings the Empire resplendent glory. The Wolves of Tricia look at their new pups and hope that this new child will grow up with an iron hand to torment and crush their enemies. It is an honor for a new wolf to grow up stronger than their parents are, to be more ruthless, crueler, and more powerful.

Once a child in born in your world, doctors, and the family immediately check that the baby is healthy, he is loved and handed to his proud parents. In Tricia, the baby is whisked away from the mother, even before she gets a chance to look at her child. The doctor hand the child to the priest who places the baby in a bowl of water. The father, the priests judge the child by how strong the young pup can kick his little feet. If he was deemed strong to face the world, he lived. If he was deemed too weak, he was abandoned. Even the mother will refuse to hold her child.

In the world of humans, the birth of a child is a beautiful thing. In the world of the Wolves, a child is an investment in the empire's future. If the Wolves are going to survive, their children must be the great pillars to keep their empire afloat. You may think that is a terrible and horrible thing. Children are people too! You may think. The Wolves would disagree with you and tell you to abandon your emotions and follow reason.

May reason reign supreme is the motto of the Wolves.

May reason reign supreme, amen.

A long time ago, in a world much different from yours, The Wolves of Tricia were patiently awaiting the birth of their tenth prince or princess. Wolves do not seek to know the gender of the child beforehand. It is impractical and useless, considering that all wolves, both male and female will serve in the Wolf Military and the Wolf Empire nonetheless.

In the Wolf Capitol, all the Wolves huddled before a black giant screen, quiet and solemn. No one cared for the gender of the new royal; the wolves mostly cared if the child would be strong. After perhaps an hour, bells erupted throughout the city, loud, clear beautiful bells. The new royal was born. The Wolves remained silent. In the world of the Wolves, simply because a child is born should not warrant celebration. It is the child's life and what he or she does that warrants celebration.

The black screen turns on, and the wolves eagerly watch. One of the priests, dressed in white and black robes held the new baby tenderly in his hand. The Emperor Hannibal Anthony Andrew stood solemnly next to the bowl. No one said a single world. The Priest placed the young screaming infant in the giant bowl. The young infant thrashed his legs and arms back and forth, struggling for air.

The wolves outside did not say a word; there was absolute silence in the capital. The priest gather, and each nodded. They waited for the Emperor's approval. The Wolf Emperor nodded. The Priest picked up the infant and held the newborn high in the air. "Wolves of Tricia! We introduced the new prince of Tricia, Hannibal Andrew Dayton! He will live! May reason reign supreme!"

And all the wolves said, "Amen."

The crowd erupted into joyous, festive cheer. They punch the sky with their fists. The Wolves of Tricia have a new prince. Now that it was official, the Wolves threw a grand weeklong celebration in honor of the new prince. He was the tenth living child of the Emperor, emphasis of the word living.

The young prince Dayton grew to be a strong boy. He was ambitious, clever, brave, and charismatic. He had six brothers and four sisters, all older than he was. That meant that Dayton was tenth in line to the Wolf Throne. Realistically, there was no way he would ever be the next Wolf Emperor. In your world, the average person lived to be at least 80. Some humans live to 100. In the Wolf Empire, the wolves of Tricia, live to be half a millennium, some even a millennium. The wolves lived to be very old. He would have to wait at least 9,000 years and perhaps more if the new emperor or empress had children.

The next wolf in line for the throne after his father was the eldest child, his older sister, Hannibal Constance. She was a beautiful woman, with long curly back hair, copper skin with oval shape golden color eyes. She was tall like the rest of the princes and princesses of Tricia. She was as swift as a deer. She was clever and intelligent and proved to be a wonderful leader in her father's army. She was fit to be the next Empresses, but Dayton believed he would be a better Emperor.

In the Wolf Empire, the wolves were distinct from the rest of the world population. They have copper to dark colored skin, golden yellow colored eyes as sharp and beautiful as crystals and their ears were a little longer, wider than the rest of the world, they ended in a subtle point. They were tall people. The women are willowy and light as air, quick on their feet and deadly. Their men are large with raw brute strength. They were feared and around the world. Parents would use the Wolves in horror stories to scare their children.

Once upon a time, The Wolves were once human. A small war that country to country often hired as mercenaries. A curse befallen the war clan, and they became the feared wolves of Tricia. Once every month, the wolves of Tricia transformed into large, monstrous dog-shaped creatures, taller than the average man and wider then a large wheat cart. Their bites, large enough to crush diamonds, even a man's skull. Unlike the mostly benign werewolf, these creatures are fully aware of what they do when they transform. Unlike the werewolves, they hunger and feast on the hearts of men. Lastly, the most key difference, when a Trician wolf bites a common man, the poor victim would succumb to madness and die in a foggy painful death.

The wolves viewed their curse, not as a curse but a gateway to achieving great fame, wealth, and power. Instead of attempting to soften their curse, or to seek ways to find redemption, they bask in their curse, finding ways to increase their strength, increase their power, and increase their wealth.

The Gods above abandoned the Wolves of Tricia because of their cruel deeds, all except one who provided the wolves, what they needed to reach their pinnacle.

The Goddess of Discord, Neisse came and visited Dayton great, great, great grandfather, The Wolf King Hannibal Caesar. She asked the Wolf King, what he would give in the name of power, honor, and wealth.

The great Wolf King answered that he would give his very soul to see the Wolf kingdom grow in strength and wealth. The Goddess replied that she did not need the soul of any wolf or anyone. She requested that for the wolves to gain their desired notoriety and state, they must hand her their humanity in exchange.

"I do not desire the cold, feisty souls of men. I desire the warm light of your humanity. Keep your soul but your humanity, your humanity, you must give," the goddess declared.

"What do we gain in exchange?" the Wolf King asked.

"Unimaginable strength, the ability of true reason, lastly power, honor and wealth. All I wish is your humanity."

Therefore, the Wolf King agreed that he and his wolves would give up their humanity in exchange for power, honor, and wealth. In exchange, all wolves must give up their beating hearts by the time they turned 15. They gave up their beating heart, placed them in iron boxes, and gave them to the goddess in her temple.

And so it happened, the Wolves gave up the right to be called humans. They gave up their humanity in exchange for what they called, “true reason, and strength”. The wolves believed that is the real tools of power, wealth, and honor. The wolves were able to make the kind of horrendous choices that normal human beings or Perfects as the wolves mockingly called them would never make.

With true reason and logic, the wolves did things that blew the minds of the other nations around them. As soon as they gave up their humanity, the Wolf King instructed laws that the wolves willing followed, beginning with the children. The goal of the wolves is to strengthen their kingdom. Children with genetic disabilities and terminal illnesses were seen as burdens on the kingdom. The wolves believe that the reason people tolerated and accepted things were because of emotional responses and pulls. With the loss of their humanity, the wolves believed it to be an inconvenience to allow those with genetic flaws to continue to pass their genes. Therefore, Hannibal Cesar ordered sterilization for those with genetic flaws. Those with terminal illness would not receive medical care. To the wolves, it is reduntant to spend money and on those who will die, especially others can benefit and live. A sick wolf cannot help the kingdom, but a live healthy one can.

With the loss of their humanity, gender was no longer an issue. Everyone no matter the age or gender needed to aid the kingdom in some productive way. The gender issues seen in the world outside of the wolves was seen as primitive. The difference in women and men were in reality quite small. What they lack in brute strength, they made up in speed. Where brute strength could not be used, they used the women. In the world of wolves, being a woman was not an excuse for anything. The differences that did in women they solved by ordering that girls would lose their hearts earlier than boys would, at the ripe age of 12. While boys lost their humanity at the age of 15.
As the Wolf Kingdom flourish, the wolves tighten some of their rules such as the birthing ritual. They screened and rid children before they were even born and when they were born, a final test to see how strong the child was.

Through war, the wolves amassed great wealth that they spread throughout themselves. It was unacceptable for one of their members to wallow in filth and poverty. Poor people cost money and the burden of the poor lie on the back of the Wolf Kingdom. King Hannibal Cesar ordered that all wolves must serve the kingdom, and he paid each wolf appropriately enough to eliminate poverty.

Within a few hundred years, the Wolves achieved what many of us could only dream. They achieved a world free of illnesses, removed poverty, and established what many people began to view as peace. By the time, Hannibal had his first grandchild, the new children of Tricia never seen illness and never experience poverty.

The wolves accomplished what children in your world can only pray about at night. They were free of illness and poverty. Within a few generations of Wolves, their children never experience illness and poverty. What other countries can only dream of doing, the wolves did it within a few generations. Their tactics were harsh and too many amoral, but it worked. Without emotional pulls, the Wolves were able to things that Humans or Perfects could not do and only about.

While Dayton was young, He proved faster and stronger than his brother and sisters. In his youth, he read tales of great Wolf Heroes. He read every night the stories of his forefathers and foremothers, but he was most inspired by his great, great, great grandfather, King Hannibal Cesar and his great, great, grandmother, Empress Hannibal Leidy who was the first wolf to turn their small kingdom into an Empire. He wanted to be famous. He wanted to be a great hero just like his ancestors ,but he was tenth in line. He would never be Emperor. How would he establish himself? He thought.

One night as he lay in his bed surrounded by history books, Dayton decided that the only way he could become the emperor and make his name known was if he rid himself of brothers and sisters. Finally, rid his father and take his throne. So at the young age of 11, Dayton began to make plans to murder his family.

A few weeks later, Dayton went to the kitchen and ordered the Chef to make sweet honey cakes for himself and his sister, Lillian. Once done, Dayton took the cakes, and he secretly poured white powered poison on top of the sweet cakes. He planned to lie and say they were sugar. His sister still had her beating heart, and so she was as vulnerable as any normal perfect. He went to her room, and his sister smiled sweetly at him. "Hello Day! What is my little brother up too?" Dayton held in his hand the sweet cakes and looked at his sister, thinking to himself that her death would be swift.

His sister hugged him and played with his curly black hair. "What do you have here?" She stretched her hand to a cake, but Dayton pulled the away. "It isn’t good." he said and quickly left the room. He did not have the heart to kill his sister.

That night he thought to himself, even if he had killed Lillian, his other brother and sisters had already given up their hearts and would destroy him. Should he wait until he was 15? He thought to himself. He wondered if he could give up his humanity sooner. He would ask the Emperor. The following night, Dayton came to the throne room and asked the great emperor if he could give up his humanity.

"Why would a little boy want to give up his heart so early?" asked the Emperor.

"To serve the Empire better," the young prince replied. "To be stronger. I want to be a real wolf."

The Emperor laughed heartily, "I admire your impatience, but a boy your age must enjoy his boyhood. You only have a few years left. Enjoy it while you can."

Dayton’s request was denied. Dayton resigned him to becoming stronger and waiting for his 15th birthday to do his plan. The next two years, Dayton was driven by his dark ambition. He was stronger than nearly all of the young boys and girls his age. He could outrun, outpunch, and out wrestle all people. He was gaining the attention of his superiors, and word reached his father.

Dayton still wished to have his heart removed, but he did not mention it again, instead waiting for the perfect moment. That soon did arrive.

Hannibal Andrew favorite child was Hannibal Constance, the heir to the throne. Constance was the only child of his first wife, a woman he loved dearly but died taking her own life. Constance was dear to the Emperor's heart especially since she was all he had left of her. Since she was a young girl, the Emperor took the child on all the countries and wars he went. He personally taught her to be a strong leader and warrior, and in return, she did.

She was popular among the people. She was respected by her peers, admire by members of the Wolf Army. She was a shining star in the eyes of her people, a joy in the Emperor old age but his shining star soon fell from grace.

The young heiress was pregnant. The actual pregnancy was not an issue in the Wolf Country. The Emperor was accepting at his new grandchild. He even instructed to have a home built for his new grandchild. The trouble began when Constance belly swell slowly, and she refused to say who the father was.

Rumors flew like birds that Constance had fallen in love with a Perfect. Her belly grew slow like a human woman. She was always ill, and her already powerful nose was so sensitive that any use of fragrance was banished from the palace, and she constantly needed to cover her nose.

The Emperor was furious and ordered a doctor to estimate how long her pregnancy will be. The doctor confirmed nine months. It was indeed a Perfect child.

The Emperor wanted the father and the child killed, but Constance refused to reveal his identity. She refused to rid of the child. Scandal rocked the entire country.

No wolf was allowed to mate or marry outside of their race. They ran the risk of giving birth to perfect children. Children such as these grew slowly and were vulnerable to disease, vulnerable to injury. A wolf child could jump out of an 8-story building and probably sprain his ankles. A human child will die. The wolves could regrow an arm. For the humans, a loss of an arm would greatly reduce the quality of life. It was impractical to raise a human child in the world of the wolves. Worse, the more the wolves mingled with the humans, it would water down their curse. Only one group was allowed to mingle with the Wolves, the magic people of Lattice.

The Emperor went on a hunt to find the father. He locked Constance in a tower unless she rid of the child or until the baby was born. Either way, the Emperor decided that the baby would not be allowed to live.

This was Dayton’s chance. Before his father left to find the b*****d that had knocked up his sister, Dayton knew what to do.

"My Emperor!" Dayton said bowing before his father. "I wish to aid you in the search for the man who has dishonored our family and our pack!"

"My boy! What could you possibly do for your Emperor and your country?"

"Honored Wolf! During this time of great trouble, the other kingdoms and nation may see this as an opportunity to attack us and ruin our perfect nation! It is only reasonable to believe that when a great nation falls or trembles, the fleas of the outside world will not attack!"

“ What do you suggest, son of Hannibal?" the Emperor asked.

"I am thirteen years of age but I am strong. I have proven my loyalty to you. Allow me to remove my heart and rid myself of the crippling effects of humanity and unreasoning. Should you need your sons by your side, I can be 100 percent wolf to you. Should our enemies attack us, you will risk losing more of your children. As I am as vulnerable as a perfect child."

The Emperor thought of this, and although he admired his son's enthusiasm, he decided against it. The legal age for a child to give up his humanity was 15. It is unwise to have him give it up sooner. A child should be a child. The Emperor once again denied Dayton's request. The Emperor gathered his sons, and they left search for the man who dishonored Constance.

Dayton returned to his room furious. This was his chance to take over the empire and he needed to lose his heart.

One reason why he wanted to lose his heart was to gain the strength to kill his family but also so, he could be a formidable opponent to his brothers and sisters. Anyone older than 15 was practically immortal. Unless their heart was physically harmed, the wolf continued to live. While his heart beat in his chest, he was no better off than any normal perfect child. A slash to his neck would be the end of him.

Dayton decided to disobey his father, and he went to see the Goddess of Discord, Neisse. Under the veil of night, while the stars twinkle and shine, Dayton snuck out of the palace to the Temple.

Quietly and quickly, he dodged the eyes of the priest until he reached the heart of the temple.

The large room was made of stone, richly decorated in satin white and black curtains. In the center of the room was a small stand with a golden box upon it. The young wolf, motivated by his unearthly greed, kneeled before the box. He laid flat on the ground and with his face facing the ground he said, "O Goddess! I come before you as a humble wolf who wishes a small request."

The box did not move, and the room remained silent.

"As a wolf, our goal, our mission is the search for power, wealth, and honor. You have given us the brilliant tools for our journey but please allow this young wolf to request one small item from the great goddess."

The box unlocked it lock and the lid popped open. Black smoke poured out of the box and shaped into a woman.

"Son of Hannibal, why do you come here? Should your father know of this, he will have you beheaded." the smoke as it shaped delicately to a face.

"My heart is what I wish to give to you on my pursuit for wealth, honor, and power," the young boy said as he lay on the ground.

"On your feet, Hannibal. Look at me while you make your appeal," the Goddess replied.

"My heart I give to you, Goddess," the boy said when he got to his feet.

"What you plan to do, the world does not believe to be virtuous," the Goddess said to the boy.

However, the son of Hannibal replied, "I am not concerned with what is considered virtuous or not. Who is the authority on what is pious or not? Who make that rules and why should I listen to him? Those are the thoughts of a simple man. My goal is to be great. To be great, I must be emperor. I am tenth in line. Therefore, I must rid of those before me. Should they surrender peacefully, I will allow them their life. Should they choose to fight, I must strike, or I will never be Emperor. There is no issue of what is virtuous or not. The issue is what I must do to become Emperor. Only the losers of war and primitive men worry about virtue because they lack the strength to protect themselves."

“ Son of Hannibal, should I accept your tender heart, how does that guarantee your strength? Your brothers and sisters, great wolves are they, would still devour you whole."

“ That is why I am here. When one wishes to make massive changes to one’s life, you make investments to yourself. I surrender my heart to you in exchange for your alliance. Allow me the strength to defeat my siblings and my life is yours." the boy replied.

The child pleased the Goddess, and she stretched out her hand and gave the boy a dagger.

"Son of Hannibal, here is what you need. This dagger is made of the purest silver, straight from the heaven. Beware Child of Wolves, should the blade cut you, you may fall to the same fate as your siblings." the Goddess replied.

"One more thing, son of Hannibal, not only does your heart belong to me, you will be my servant. One day I will need you, boy of reason, and you must beckon my call."

Dayton accepted this as well and so it happened that night, Dayton gave up his heart, sealing the fate of his family and changing the empire forever.

Weak and light headed from his new loss, He walked slowly and wearily back to the palace, the silver dagger in his pocket. He fell unto his bed and fell fast asleep. He had given up his humanity, and the prince regretted not a damn thing.

The following morning, the son of Hannibal, Prince Dayton went to Lillian’s room. Lillian was his favorite sister. Closest to his age, the pair spent most of their days together, in school, in training and playing. She had given up her heart, a year before him but the Emperor left her in the palace to keep him company.

If he had known, what Dayton had planned to do, he would have taken his daughter with him. He would have strike Dayton with a single swing of his fist and removed any evidence that he was ever alive. Nevertheless, the Emperor is not here and there is no one here who can protect his daughter now.

Dayton quietly entered his sleeping sister's room. In her sleep, she looked angelic, sleeping peacefully. Her breathing slow and of peace, she was a beautiful girl. His father used to brag about how beautiful his daughters are. Lillian was a beautiful child. She would have made a good general in her father's army. She would have made good wife to the man lucky enough to marry her. She would have been a wonderful mother to all of her children but not anymore. Not anymore. He stared at his sister. He stared at her long and hard, allowing himself to feel what feelings he had left of her in his chest. The love he felt for her was still there, but it no longer had meaning. There was no meaning to the love in his chest. It made him think of a pig with a gold nose ring in its nostril. It means nothing. It is still a pig.

He stroked her black hair, her black curly loops of hair bounced under his touch. Lillian sighed and opened her eyes. Her eyes gazed upon her little brother. Despite the loss of her heart, she still loved him. Her love for him meant something. She smiled at her brother. Dayton did not smile back. He leaned in close and kissed his sister lightly on the forehead, then without warning, he struck the dagger right where her heart used to be.

Lillian gasped; both from surprised and pain. Silver is one of the rarest metals in the world. Silver is the only thing that could kill a wolf, especially a wolf without a heart.

She tried to wrestle Dayton, but he covered her nose and mouth, pinning her down to her bed. Without breath and her body burning under the silver knife, Lillian died. Not without looking at her brother, not without asking why her brother would so such a thing through her golden brown eyes, eyes that sparked like crystal.

And so it happened that Dayton had rid of his first obstacle. He had eight more to go.

May reign supreme, amen.