The Battle of the Tundra

  I could feel the sun on my face; I closed my eyes and turned my face into the light. I’ve always loved the feeling of the sun on my face. It was cold; I was glad that I don’t feel temperature like humans do. The frozen tundra of Siberia could be horribly cold; the wind blew the snow around us. I looked to my right at Sebastian, after all the things we have been through Sebastian had never been anything but faithful.   

  And much as I wished Emma was not a fighter I was glad she was here with Sebastian and I, the torture that she endured at the hands of Cline had left Emma with a furry that few could match. Sebastian had once said that he recognized a fighter when he saw one, he was sure right about Emma. 

  I rested my huge sword over my right shoulder; I loved the way the cold wind felt on my naked torso.

  Hephaistion walked up beside me, ’Well?’ he asked.

   ’She’s there alright. Center, about five rows back, can you see her?’ I asked Hephaistion.

   ’Yes.’

   ’Where are the other Ancients Hephaistion? I trust they’re with their companies.’

   ’Really Sebastian, do you really think we would let you and Conner keep all the glory?’

   ’Hephaistion, if not for Conner, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet that b***h here on this good ground. Your precious little Council still exist because of Conner. You b******s would do well to remember that when this is over.’

   ’Really Sebastian, your faith in us saddens me.’

   ’I wasn’t born yesterday Hephaistion; the Council’s paranoia in Conner will bring forth its own demise. Remember that Hephaistion, remember that.’

  Emma was squatted beside me; she was wearing her black karate gee. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and she was bare footed, she had her falcata sword laying across her lap. Emma rocked back and forth; I could tell Emma was itching for a fight. My little force of nature.

   ’She’s moving to the front.’ said Sebastian.

  All of our eyes quickly shot in the direction of the Queen Mother. There, about a mile from us the whole Eastern Empire was gathered. I figured their number was between four and five thousand vampires. Their line was broken up into twenty companies. Each having a twenty man front that went at least ten ranks deep. They stood shoulder to shoulder, and all stood very still. I could see that all the vampires in the front rows had weapons; I knew they could see Hephaistion, Sebastian, Emma and I. Our army had yet to come up from behind the hill we stood on. We were horribly out numbered. Our numbers ranged right above seven hundred. Around six to one odds, not so good. But at least every one of us was armed.     

   ’Hephaistion bring up the army, Ancients or not bring them up. Stop them at the top of the hill, have Gloria bring the bag.’

   ’We have become quite the little general haven’t we?’

  Hephaistion turned and disappeared behind the hill. The Queen Mother stopped just a step or two in front of her line. Several others broke ranks and moved towards the Queen.

    ’You’ve seen the Queen Mother before Sebastian, does she still look the same?’

    ’Yes. I remember when we threw her down, it broke Cline’s heart.’

   ’Good.’

   ’Are you still planning on doing what you were planning?’

   ’If she parleys yes.’

   ’its libel to start a fight, The Queen was quite fond of Cline.’

   ’I do hope so Sebastian, I do hope so.’

   ’Conner?’

  I turn to see Gloria walking towards us. She was holding the small canvas bag in one hand, she had her other hand on the handle of her large knife that she had stuck in her waist band. Gloria was dress in the same black gee that Emma was wearing. Gloria had her hair in a braid and the braid was wrapped up in a bun. She was bare footed like the rest of us. Sebastian had explained to me once upon a time that it was better to fight barefooted. Our own feet were the best things to trust in a fight.

  Gloria was intending on fighting and the thought horrified me, but there was no swaying her. I would not let Gloria fight in my company; my plan for the coming battle was to break our numbers into three companies. The center company would be the largest of the three. It would numbered about three hundred. The other two companies would be around two hundred. We were going to maintain our position on top of the hill and let the Queen’s force advance up to us. As they were coming up the long sweeping hill, we would charge down the hill. I knew that with their numbers they would quickly surround us. So the plan was that the center company would start the charge down the hill, the two flanking companies would be a step behind the center.

  Once the first company crashed into the Queen’s lines the other two would take a half right and left turn and come into the Queen’s line at different angles. The hope was that the center company would penetrate deep enough into the enemy lines to break it right in half. Then the two flanking companies would move right and left within the enemy ranks pushing out to the flanks. My command once the battle started was very simple, to kill as many of the enemy as you possibly could. I would command the center company; Sebastian would command the left, Hephaistion the right.

  My company would dissolve into the other two companies once we were in a brawl, I would go after the Queen Mother. The Ancients would be within the company ranks if they were here somewhere, stupid chicken s**t Ancients. No one had seen them since before we fled the Queen Mother, something tells me we won’t either.

  There would be no formal command once we started fighting. My other hope that such a reckless attack would also cause too much confusion for the Queen to be able to maintain command her army. My Northern vampires and the few crazies from South America that would fight under Sebastian’s command. Gloria would be with Sebastian, he told me he would keep an eye on her but I couldn’t think about that now.

   ‘Where the hell is Roberto?’ I asked, no one had see Roberto since the Queen was spotted forming up.

   ’We can’t think about the Ancients right now Conner. They’re probably not going to show.’ said Sebastian.

   ’I’m just afraid they’re going to leave us with our asses in the breeze.’

  The army walked out from behind the hill and stopped about thirty yards behind us on the top. They had already broken up into the three companies. Hephaistion and Roberto were up front of the large formation. The two Ancients broke away from the formation and walked up to us.

  I took the bag from Gloria gave her a small smile and said, ’Go back to your company Gloria.’

   ’I would rather stay with you.’

   ’I don’t even want you here in the first place, but I’m going to have to insist you go back. I think we’re going to parley here in a minute, and I can’t have the Queen knowing my attachment to you. I can’t have her targeting you over anyone else. I’ll see you after this is finished.’

  Gloria looked horrible; she sighed heavily and went back to the formation. I wanted to hug her and tell her I loved her, but now was not the time for that. The feelings that I had right now was that same as I had when I fought in Iraq which seemed like a life time ago. I had to put all normal emotions aside, wrath was the only thing I would feel at this moment. The familiar old knot started to grow in my chest, stupid knot. 

  Sebastian broke into my thoughts, ’She’s stepping out.’

   ’Let’s go.’ I said.

  The parley was about to begin. I had always been fascinated with medieval fighting. The parley that happened before the fight, then the retreat back to your own lines. Was there some signal that happened between the two commanders that let each other know that they were ready? What if the Queen waited for us to advance? I guess we would stand out here all day and into the night, The thought made me smile.

   ’Shall we?’ asked Roberto always the gentleman.

   ’I’ll do the speaking, and if any of you old b******s are planning any treachery today you better hope I die here. Otherwise you’ll end up like Cline’s b***h.’

  I started walking out to meet the Queen Mother. Sebastian did not hesitate to follow me. Sebastian walked on my right, Emma was about a step behind me to my left. Hephaistion and Roberto fell in beside Sebastian. The Queen Mother had three other vampires walking with her.

  The Queen Mother had two vampires to her right and one on her left. Their clothing looked like something out of Lawrence of Arabia movie. They all were dressed in warrior garb out fifth or sixth century. The garb was white, and looked quite fancy when I thought about it. The Queen was dressed the same as her three companions except she had her hair covered in a classic Middle Eastern style. Their weapons were not Middle Eastern, they seemed somewhat like ours. The vampire walking next the Queen looked to be carrying a rapier fencing sword. Though I knew he would not carry it unless he was deadly with it, it still made me chuckle. I wondered what would happen to that sword if I would hit it with all of my might with mine.

  As we got closer the center of the battle field I could see the enemy lines more clearly. They were not dressed as well as the four vampires that were walking towards us. They looked almost sickly, and afraid. I could see that I was right that the front rank was armed, and from what I could see only the front rank was armed. My confidence climbed slightly at that. We had the more weapons then the Queen’s army.

   Though we were outnumbered, the Queen had to know that even if she won here today, her army would probably be destroyed; I knew that in my heart. The other two Ancients must have known that too. Damn, I wish I had time to talk to my people. I was going to have to keep one eye open for treachery from the damn Ancients.

   ’Do you hear that Conner?’

   ’Hear what?’ I asked Sebastian.

   ’The heart beat? The vampire walking on the Queen’s right is not a vampire. He’s human.’

   ’So it is true.’ added Hephaistion

   ’Our ancient enemy has joined with our mother.’ said Roberto.

   ’Who, that human’s a Nephilim?’ I asked.

   ’It appears so.’ said Sebastian.        

  The Queen Mother kept walking towards us, so I figured I wouldn’t stop until she did. And if she didn’t stop then I would just chop her in half. Sebastian looked at me as I chuckled a bit to myself.

  About fifty yards away from us the Queen’s party stopped. I guess she had walked far enough. Even though I would be able to hear the Queen from this distance, I wasn’t planning on talking from fifty yards away. I could see out of the corner of my eye that the two Ancients were becoming uncomfortable. I wondered if I was breaking some protocol in vampire parleying. Then I thought to hell with it, I walked with in ten yards of the Queen Mother and stopped. There was a steady low growl coming from Emma as she looked at the Queen. I wanted to shush her, but figured what the hell, let her growl.

   The Queen Mother was nothing like I had ever seen before. Her skin was almost blue. Her eyes were the same color red as mine. I would say that she was pretty, but she looked too evil to be beautiful, she reeked of death. She was taller than I thought she would be, she had to be around five foot ten. She was thin; her body did not have the curves that I had grown used to seeing in vampire woman. The Queen was armed with two short Roman fighting swords. She wore no emotion on her face. We all stood there for a second taking each other in, then the Queen Mother spoke. 

   ’So, once again mine children take up arms against me. But this time, thou hast found thyself a pure blood to place thine hope. And who art thou pure blood who recruits child soldiers?’ said the Queen Mother looking from Emma to myself.

  The Queen Mother’s voice was not soft and smooth like all the vampires that I’ve known, it reminded me of an old person that smoked their whole life. Emma snarled ferociously at the Queen Mother and went into a fighting stance.  Emma’s knuckles turned white as she gripped her sword.

  I did not silence Emma. I kept my face expressionless as I could standing in front of the Queen Mother, no one moved or breathed.

  The Queen Mother spoke again with a small smile, ’Ferocious, is that what thine army is composed of Hephaistion, children? Even I would not make one so young. Oh how hast thee grown hypocritical in thy silly little laws.’

  I swung the large sword off of my shoulder and stabbed it into the ground in front of me. I opened the canvas bag and pull Cline’s lifeless head out of the bag and tossed it down in front of the Queen. Cline’s head landed face down a half a step in front of her. The head rolled over onto its right side, the Queen looked down at Cline’s horror stricken face. Her eyes turned black, and her skin went from a light blue tint to a light grey.

   ’Where is the rest of him?’ she asked.

   ’Burned,’ I replied. ’Maybe the Council’s ability to enforce their laws have grown weak. But my wrath to punish the wicked has not.’

   ’Dost thou lead this rabble?’ the Queen asked coldly.

   ’I’m here to fight you, the rest are here by their own will. I am the master of no one.’

   ‘Hephaistion, thou hast let this monster kill thy brother and now thou fight with him?’ asked the Queen quietly.

  Hephaistion did not answer the Queen; he just looked to the ground.

   ‘Mother, Conner did not execute our will in the killing of Cline. Cline had a personal vendetta against Conner. We had hoped to resolved their dispute without violence.’

   ’Obviously thou wert unsuccessful!’ roared the Queen Mother at Roberto.

  The Queen Mother reached down and picked up Cline’s head and brushed the snow off of his face, her sadness was obvious to all. The Queen Mother handed Cline’s severed head gently to the vampire next to the human. He quickly turned and ran back to the Queen’s lines, disappearing into its ranks. The Queen Mother turned her fierce glare on to me. I met her eyes with mine, I felt cold under her gaze. Looking into her eyes was like looking into an angry ocean. Though they were blackish red, the red reminded me of black death. Angry and violent were those eyes, how I wished I could go my home to Washington. I would not look away from those horrible eyes I would not let here freeze me with her death stare. Without breaking her gaze from me she spoke to the human standing next to her,

   ‘Hider, remove this pure blood’s head.’

   ’Yes my Queen.’ responded Hider in almost a hypnotic tone. The Queen Mother and the other two vampires backed away from Hider. The Queen Mother’s eyes never left mine as she backed away. She stopped about thirty feet from Hider.

   ’Would you pick up your sword please?’ Hider asked me.

   ’A moment Hider.’ Sebastian said holding up one finger.

  Sebastian pulled my sword free from the frozen ground, and grabbed me lightly by the arm and walked a few steps away from Hephaistion and Roberto, Emma walked with us.

   ’Emma, go protect Gloria for Conner.’ Sebastian said to Emma.

  Emma turned and ran back up to Sebastian’s company.

   ‘What’s going on Sebastian?’

   ‘One on one combat with Hider.’

   ‘What hell are you talking about? One on one combat?’

   ‘Hider challenged you. Do you wish to decline his challenge?’

   ‘Decline?’

   ’Conner, Hider is Nephilim.’

   ’He’s human right?’

   ’Yes, well sort of. He would not walk next to the Queen for no reason. Do not underestimate him.’

   ’Are the Nephilim strong or fast?’

   ’No, they’re no different than a normal human.’

   ’I don’t understand. If he no different than a human, the why should I worry about him?’

   ’Because he quite possibly could kill you. I know it makes no sense that a human could kill a vampire, you remember Amid and the battle of Jericho right? Amid was the greatest warrior I have ever known. Amid held these types of human with great respect. He was more leery of Nephilim then he was of vampires.’

   ’I just don’t understand how a human could threaten someone like us.’ I just didn’t get it.

  Amid was this great vampire warrior of long ago, and supposedly he was killed by one of these supper humans in single combat.

   ’Look Conner, don’t fight him like you’re fighting a normal human. Fight him like you’re fighting one of us, this Hider is the Queen’s best fighter, try to remember that.’

   ’Anything I should look out for?’

   ’Don’t bull rush him, if you do; I promise you’ll be dead before your sword hits the ground. They have super sensitive reflexes; well I think it’s more like mind reading. Look just be careful.’

    ‘To hell with it, whatever. Is there anything special I need to do to except his challenge?’

    ‘No, once we step away from you, the Queen’s group and ours will walk back to our lines, once we get there the fight will begin. Do not take your eyes off of Hider, do you understand?’

   ‘Yes, how will I know when you all get back to our lines?’

   ‘I’ll let you know, Hider won’t be able to hear the Queen, so he’ll know that it’s time when you attack him.’ said Sebastian handing me back my sword.

   ‘Okay.’

  My party walked back to our lines, I could feel the sun on my shoulders. I couldn’t believe how good it felt to feel the sun here in the freezing tundra. I looked at this human Hider and wondered how he wasn’t cold; his dress looked more like something you would wear in the desert. Did his super human abilities keep him from getting cold? I let my mind wander on how I should attack him, he must be ready for a bull rush with my speed, maybe I’ll fight him more like a human till I saw what he could do. We stood about ten yards away from each other.

   ‘Is it true that you killed Augustus?’ Hider asked.

  How in the hell did he know about Augustus? ‘Yes.’ I answered.

  I figured there was no reason to be rude.

   ‘Well, I didn’t kill him kill him. Augustus and I crossed paths twice. I ripped off his arm the first time, the second, my…I guess you could call her my daughter took his head after I struck him down.’

  Hider smiled, ‘I’m glad to hear that. Augustus was something like I’ve never seen before. Out of all the vampires I’ve met, I had always wanted to test my skills against him. Now, I get to test them against someone better.’

  Hider was thoroughly enjoying this, I swung my large sword up and rested it against my shoulder. I listened to Hider’s heart rate, it beat almost lazily. I couldn’t even taste adrenalin in the air. A huge roar came from behind me from our lines.

   ’What in the world was that?’ Hider asked with a amused curiosity.

   ’That? That was Frank.’

   ’May I ask who, or what is Frank?’

   ’Sure, Frank is…well someone we found in Cline’s lair. Everyone is back at their lines. Shall we begin, or would you like to hear more about Frank?’

   ’Unless you’re in a hurry to die, I would like to hear about whatever it was you found in Cline’s hole. I never cared for Cline, he had no honor nor did he care to have any. We are creatures of action you and I, and we live by a warrior’s code. We fight for honor, we fight for glory. Cline understood neither.’

   ’Frank is a vampire; Cline created him then locked him in a hole in the ground. Ava had said Frank was locked down in the dark for like a century. From what we’ve come to understand about Frank, he had no idea what he was, nor had he ever fed. The hunger has made Frank quite insane.’

   ’Why would Cline do such a thing?’ Hider asked.

   ’Who knows, the only thing we could think of was Cline wanted to see how long we could last without feeding.’

  ’Maybe he wanted a weapon?’

  ’Maybe…maybe.’ With Cline anything was possible.

  But I couldn’t think about that now. ’Are you ready Hider? My friend said I could just attack when it was time to fight, but I didn’t think it would be fair to not ask you first now that we’ve have spoken.’

   ’If you are ready, then so am I.’

  Hider drew his sword from its scabbard, and started to circle me to my right. He kept his sword at a low ready; I figured he was trying to draw me into an attack so I slowly backed up from Hider and went to my left. Hider smiled at me, I could tell that his heart beat still had its lazy beat even now that the battle had begin.

   ’You know, I can hear your heart.’ I said to Hider as we circled each other.

   ’Yes.’

   ’Vampires don’t scare you Hider, or is that part of being a Nephilim, to be free of fear?’

  Hider stopped circling me and dropped the tip of his sword to the ground; I stopped also circling as well.

   ‘When I am unarmed I fear them, but here on open ground with a sword in my hand…battle is all that matters. If I fall to your skills, then I do not deserve to live. I am a warrior and I live to meet a better fighter then I. It is my purpose to fight, to kill. If I meet someone that has more skill then I then I deserve to die, I accept that. And to answer your second question, do I look like a giant? I would think you’re a little old to believe in fairy tales about super humans. Shall we?’

   ‘Yes.’

  Hider and I were no more than twenty yards from each other while we were speaking, and as I backed and circled. I increased our distance another ten yards. Thirty yards, ninety feet. The fastest humans could cover thirty yards in less than four seconds. A vampire could cover that distance at a speed that a human eye could blink. I did not try for a kill when I closed those thirty yards in a flash. I swung my large sword with my arms fully extended. At that distance there was no way in my mind that Hider could deflect or duck my swing and strike me. I aimed for his throat with the tip of my sword; I almost threw my sword when I hit nothing. Somehow I had missed Hider completely. I knew he had moved because I could see the warmth fading from the ground where he was standing.

  Hider’s eyes were incredibly intense as he looked at me, the smile was gone and I could smell the adrenalin in his blood. His heart was not beating fast, but it was beating hard and steady. Again Hider started moving to my right. I’m right handed; with him moving to my right it would slow my swing slightly. My wild swing had taken me taken me to the right of Hider, he continued to circling to his left. At a human pace I started going to my right also. Hider smirked and we walked parallel to each other.

  I raised my sword up over my head, I figured with my sword over my head I could chop from the right or the left. I quickly moved to my left, and in an instant I was fifty yards away from Hider. Hider had his sword pointed straight out in front of him; he was holding his sword with one hand.

  I figured I had three advantages over this swords man. One I was faster, two I was stronger and lastly I wouldn’t get tired from fighting. I moved back towards Hider, Hider closed his eyes as I rushed him; I swung my sword at Hider and aimed to chop him right between his neck and right shoulder. I would take a stab with his sword if it meant chopping Hider in two. As I rushed I could see he was moving to parried my blow and angle his body away from the swing.

  I could see that this time our swords were going to connect. I knew I wasn’t going to hit his neck so I put of my strength into my swing in a hope that I could knock his sword from his hands. When I was ten yards from Hider I could see his sword was adjusting to my swing and he was ducking to his right. Hider swung up and hit my sword right above the hilt and ducked under my swing. He had struck my sword with an up slice as my blade went by him. The sound of our two swords connecting rang out.

  Though I knew I was a hundred times stronger than Hider, the strike of the sword had jarred me and again I almost lost my sword. Two swings at Hider and twice I had almost lost my sword.

  I back quickly about fifty yards away from Hider. He did not smile, nor smirk. Hider’s eyes were wide and focused; his heart beat was strong and steady. His breathing was slow and even, he was in complete control of himself. I started circling Hider very quickly, this time at a vampire speed. Hider just closed his eyes and moved with me to keep his front facing me. I guess he could read minds. 

   When I saw I could gain no advantage over Hider, I stopped. Hider started moving towards me at once, he did not open his eyes. What the hell? I thought to myself, is he attacking me? The thought amused me for some reason. Chuckling to myself I came at Hider with my sword above my head at human speed. I figured I would just start hacking at Hider. As we closed in on each other I brought my sword down to chop Hider in half, to my surprise I tripped.

  I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t remember one time that I had ever felt clumsy or had taken a bad step. The thought caught me so off guard that I lost focus of everything else but the thought of tripping.

  Hider quickly brought me back to my senses when I felt the tip of his sword hit me in the throat. The wound burned like fire. I jumped away from Hider, as I few backwards through the air I reached up and felt my neck. The blade had entered just to the left of my windpipe. The blade had gone into my throat about four inches, and when Hider whipped the blade out he opened up that whole left side of my neck. I put my left hand over the wound; it felt like I had a branding iron inside my throat.

  As I landed about seventy yards away from Hider I could hear the Queen Mother’s lines erupt in cheers. What the hell just happen? How did I not see Hider’s sword. I stood there for a second trying to understand what just happened. Could have Hider messed with my mind has I came towards him? I touched the wound with my finger tips, it was already closing. The Queen Mother’s army’s cheers were getting louder. Sebastian broke into my thoughts from in front of his company,

   ’Conner what are you doing? If you’re not dead you’ll be fine.’   

  I could feel that the wound had closed, but the burning was still quite painful. I was going to have to be a little more careful with Hider. Hider was waiting patiently for me to recover. He started to smile at my confusion; Hider’s smugness was starting to piss me off. My neck started to burn even more and it pissed me off even more then Hider‘s smugness. I looked at my skin and it had turned to a dark grey. The cheers of the Queen Mother’s army faded almost immediately.

  I charged right at Hider. I did not raise me sword to strike him this time. Hider’s smile disappeared at once as I came at him. I lower my shoulder and rammed him. I felt his sword bang off the side of my head as I struck Hider with my shoulder. Hider went flying, I watched his eyes as he flew and could see he had been ready for my football hit. He looked annoyed by my newest attack as he flew backwards through the air; Hider must have flown back about a hundred feet. Landing on his feet, the Queen’s line started growling their dislike of me crashing into Hider. My scalp burned slightly, I reached up and touched the side of my head. There was no cut that I could feel, the burning of my scalp quickly faded. I came at Hider again with a bull rush.

  This time I rose my sword above my head and swung it around to my right. As I started to swing I felt as if I was falling, so it was a trick of the mind. I tried to ignore the falling feeling, and swung the huge sword with all of my might at Hider’s left hip. Hider managed to get his sword in a position to block my blow.

  I couldn’t believe that I was fighting with a human; I couldn’t believe that this simple human could even compete with me. My sword struck Hider’s and the force of the blow sent Hider flying again. As Hider flew away from me he started to laugh. At the same time I could feel my chin starting to burn. I reached up and touched my chin; somehow Hider had hit me in the chin with his sword as he flew away from me. He had opened up my chin vertically; the cut felt like Curt Douglas’ chin looked.

   ’Son of a b***h!’ I swore.

  Hider had only flew about forty or fifty feet from me, he had landed gracefully and had started walking back towards me.

   ’Conner this as truly been a treat for me fighting you. Most do not get more than one swing in before they lose their head.’ Hider walked casually back towards me.

  With a violent rage I jumped up into the air and came down right on top of Hider. I planned on chopping in right in half, from the top of his head right down through his nuts. Hider smiled at me as I flew through the air. I let out a loud roar, at the last possible moment I had an idea. I let go of my sword and as I came down I reached out to grab him. Hider smile vanished instantly, he was used to counter attacking swords, and changing my mind three feet away from him his mind and body could not adjust to the new attack. I felt Hider’s sword point hit me right where my lifeless heart laid; I impaled myself purposely on it.

  Hider had no chance of defeating me in one on one hand to hand combat. He would take no chances in losing his sword, and I knew that. When my feet his the ground, Hider still had a hold of his sword. He tried to pull it from my chest but he could not. I was flexing my chest muscle too much for him to remove his sword. We both looked down at his sword; he had buried all but about three inches of it into me. Hider let go of the hilt and sighed.

   ’Make it a good death for me Conner.’ Hider smiled and nodded.

   ’I will.’

  Hider and I were standing two feet from each other, neither army moved or spoke. With a flash I reached up and with my left hand and grabbed a handful of clothing above his shoulder,

   ’Are you ready?’

   ’Yes.’

  In a flash I reached though Hider’s skin and grabbed a hold of his breast bone and ripped his chest open. I dropped Hider’s breast bone onto the frozen ground. I took Hider with both hands and threw him into the Queen Mother’s line. As he flew, his organs and intestines flew out. When Hider’s body landed, the smell of blood started a commotion within the lines. The tired worn out and hungry vampires of the Queen Mother’s army started trying to feed on the leftovers of Hider.

  A third of the large army started fighting amongst themselves. The Queen Mother apparently had been keeping her army a bit hungry, which now was turning into a horrible blunder on her part. I could see the Queen Mother moving to the melee that was her army.

  I turned around and shouted at Sebastian, ‘Sebastian, bring them down, charge the Queen’s lines!’ I said pointing at the melee.

   I didn’t wait to see if the Sebastian was responding, I picked my sword and charged the Queen Mother’s army. I let out the biggest vampire howling roar that I could as I charged the front rank. No one had seen me charging, they were to busy watching the fighting with in their own ranks. When they heard my roar, the center saw me rushing at them.

  They Queen Mother’s lines were not going to hold. I could hear our army charging across the field. I jumped into the air and landed in the middle of the center ranks. A mindless rage took me over, I couldn’t think. All I could do was swing my large sword around and around. I was surrounded by vampires, none would stand up to fight. They were stampeding trying to get away from me. I would cut down two vampires in every swing of my sword. I heard somewhere off to the left where the melee over Hider’s body had taken place, our lines crashing into the Queen Mother’s lines.

  On the right I heard two battle lines crashing into each other. I could see no friendly faces. All of the male vampires in my camp had been told to fight with no shirt on so we could tell who was who. The few women in our camp were told to dress in all black, in the middle of my brawl I saw neither. I could see there was a large group of vampires starting to gather around me and were actively trying to fight me.

  I could hear massive fighting all around me, it seemed that the sudden attack on the Queen had rallied her army out of the madness that had struck them. It was turning into a full fledge brawl. Though I was still chopping arms, heads and legs off of vampires, I knew I was being injured. My whole body was starting to burn like my throat had done earlier. I could feel swords chopping at me, every strike felt like I was being burned. I was being overwhelmed and I knew it. If I didn’t take the head off of an enemy when I chopped at him, he would just grab his severed limb and reattach it and come back at me.

  I would focus on a single vampire, I with all of my might I would try to kill him, I would ignore all else until he was dead. I could feel scratching and tearing at me, when a vampire with a sword would attack me I would know it instantly; there would be a flash of fire on my skin around my neck and shoulders. Unarmed vampires would try to bite or scratch at me, the armed ones would go straight for the kill. My skin had become so hard and grey from the rage I was beginning to feel that they could not cut off my arms or head. The swords would just bounce off of me leaving a nice open cut.

  I was having more and more trouble using my sword, vampires were bunching up on all side of me. I could only whip my sword in short swipes, though they were affective they would not keep the mass of bodies away from me for much longer. I was going to need help soon or I would be finished and could only hope to be put back together when the fight was over.

  There was a wild screech off to my left; I whipped my head around in alarm to see what had made such a noise. The screech was so terrible that even the enemies that surrounded me stopped and looked to see what had made the noise. Through the air coming right at me was a small young vampire. She was dressed in all black; her long red hair was out of the ponytail and flying back behind her. She had her falcata sword with both hands above her head. Her eyes were jet black, her skin was grey and her lips were pull back over her teeth.

  Emma, Emma had seen I was in trouble and came to help me. Before I could even recover from the shock of her scream Emma had hit the ground and promptly removed five vampires’ heads from their shoulders. Her ferociousness had caught them all off guard. I quickly started swinging my sword at everyone that wasn’t Emma. Emma and I quickly started thinning the enemy out. I would chop someone in half and Emma would take off their heads. My swing was rarely checked. Emma started working back towards the left side of the battle field. I had somewhat of a free moment so I started looking for the Queen Mother.

  I couldn’t let myself lose sight of my original objective. To the left where Emma had ran off to someone was yelling ‘She’s fleeing‘.

  Who, the Queen? I thought. ‘Damn it!’

  I could see that what was left of the Queen Mother’s army was starting to flee. Sebastian was hacking his way towards me. The army that was left of the Queen was fading fast. I took three steps and jumped to where Sebastian was fighting. I brought my sword down on the top of a vampires head that Sebastian was fighting, I chopped him into two.

  The battle was over.

  What was left of the Queen Mother’s army had either fled, surrendered or had been destroyed.

   ‘Damn Conner that one was mine.’ laughed Sebastian, ‘The Queen is getting away Conner; I was trying to get to you. We have to pursue her, we can’t let her escape!’

   ‘I know, I know, her army is scattering, we can’t just run into like madmen after her, we have to regroup, make a hunting party, then go after her.’

   ‘I was thinking the same thing.’

  Sebastian looked around for a second; I could tell he was trying to think how we could organize a hunting party.

   ‘Damn it! Conner I don’t think we’re going to be able to go after her, damn!’

  The battle field was a disaster, there was chopped up vampires everywhere. There were several thousand limbs laying all over the place. I could smell blood also; Hider had not been the only Nephilim in the fight. Hephaistion came walking up to us. He was covered in blood.

   ’I hate fighting Nephilim, bloody work killing them. It has been a long time since I have killed one.’ Hephaistion looked me over and said, ‘Conner someone needs to instruct you in the art of warfare, the art. Warfare is a beautiful thing not a brawl. Look at you.’ Hephaistion chuckled to himself as I looked at myself

  Sebastian laughed and said, ’Here Conner let me get that for you.’

  I still had Hider’s sword stuck in me. Sebastian reached out and grabbed Hider’s sword and pulled it out of me. He pulled it like someone pulling off a band aid.

   ’F**k Sebastian!’

  Hephaistion laughed at my pain. Sebastian turned the sword over and handed it to me by its hilt.

  I looked at him questionably, ’What?’

   ’Your trophy, the weapon of your enemy.’

  I rubbed the spot on my chest where Sebastian had pull the sword. The wound had already closed up. But it burned like hell all the way through where the blade had been. My whole body felt like it was on fire. I reached out and took the sword from Sebastian.

   ’Thank you.’

   ’You’re welcome.’

   ’Hephaistion, we need to go through and get all our people back together, once that’s done we’ll burn the Queen’s dead, and execute and burn the prisoners.

   ’Sounds like a plan, we shall need to put a hunting party together to go after the Queen Mother. And we shall have to do that soon.’ added Hephaistion.

   Sebastian looked around at the mess and growled, ‘Hephaistion I think that will be a waist of time by the time we can put a party together.’ responded Sebastian

   ’Sebastian, I think you might be right. That is to bad, I was hoping we could have killed her. Otherwise we are going to need to do this again someday.’ Hephaistion looked around for a second and asked, ’Where is Roberto?’

   Sebastian looked quickly at me, ‘Gloria!’

  Sebastian quickly turned and ran back the where his company had crashed into the Queen Mother’s lines. I was right on Sebastian’s heals calling out Gloria’s name. After about three of four times yelling Gloria’s name we heard Emma answer. We saw Emma standing at the far edge of the left side of the battlefield; she was waving at us to come to her. My heart sank, Gloria was hurt. I dropped my swords and ran up to where Emma was standing. Emma hand turned and knelt down next to Gloria.

  As I ran up to Gloria, Emma was in my way so I grabbed her by her gee flung her out of the way. I didn’t mean too, but I flung Emma probably fifty yards off to the right.

   ’Conner! What the hell is wrong with you?! Don’t throw Emma like that!’

   Gloria’s anger caught me up short, she was alive. I saw why Gloria was laying on the ground. Right at mid thigh her right leg had been cut off. She was also missing her right arm just below the shoulder.

   ’Oh my God Gloria, what happen to you, are you okay?’

  Though I knew that if we could find Gloria’s arm and leg and we could put her back together, it did little to ease my anxiety at seeing her maimed. Emma walked back up to us. She was carrying a little arm in her hand. I could see Sebastian looking around in the mess that surrounded us for Gloria’s leg, Emma handed me Gloria’s arm.

   ’Sorry about that Emma, thank you.’ Emma just smiled a little smile and sat on the other side of Gloria.

   ’What do I need to do to put this back on you?’

  Sebastian walked up with Gloria’s leg and said, ’Just put the severed limb up against the stump and her body will do the rest.’

  As Sebastian worked on Gloria’s leg and I put her arm back up to the stump below her shoulder. Almost at once the severed limb reattached itself back to the stump. Gloria flexed her right hand and moved her arm around making sure she still had a good range of motion. Once her leg was reattached I helped Gloria to her feet, I gave Gloria a hug and just held her tightly.

   ’I knew I should have never let you fight.’

   ’I would have been fine if it wasn’t for that damn Horatio.’   

   ’Horatio did this? I asked.

   ’Yeah, him and Heckle and Jeckle attacked me. The younger Heckle and Jeckle attacked me first, I tried to tell him that it was me, but he wouldn’t listen so I fought him. Right after I chopped his head off Horatio chopped my arm off and then the older one hit me in the back of the leg. They would have killed me if not for Emma. She fought them off, then she tried to put me back together, I told her to go find you, Emma tried to argue with me, but the South Americans came and said that they would take care of me, so Emma went looking for you.’

   ’Well then it looks like we both owe her a thank you, she saved my neck. Where are the Southerners?’

   ’When I told them that Horatio had attacked me they became quite upset. They went after him.’       

  Hephaistion walked up to me and said, ’No one has seen Roberto. I do not think he participated in the fighting, nor did any of the other Ancients. This vexes me, well at least they had their people fight.’

   ’Gloria was attacked by Horatio.’ I said to Hephaistion.

   ’Yes, This bothers me for some reason. I was unaware of any hostilities between Horatio and Gloria.’

   ’That’s because there was none you jack-a*s!’ shouted Gloria, ’Roberto had them do this.’

   ’It would appear that way, but I must caution you not to jump to conclusions without all the facts Gloria.’

   ’Horatio works for Roberto Hephaistion; I don’t see what there’s to talk about. And if he committed treachery and you’re sticking up for him that means you must be in on it.’

  Emma growled and drew her sword out of her gee’s belt and took a step towards Hephaistion. Sebastian walked up beside me and handed me my large sword. Gloria did not move, she stood her grounded and stared into Hephaistion’s eyes.

  What was left of our army had stopped what they were doing and were starting to watch our little standoff. The mad vampire Frank came from somewhere and stood next to me, he had survived the fighting it looked like. Sebastian had had him in his company, I didn’t like the idea of having Frank in the middle of the fight but Sebastian had said the only thing he was worried about was that Frank would get to out of control and would attack both sides in a frenzy. I had told him I did not see how that would help us.

  Sebastian had laughed and said, ‘If anyone who dumb enough to come near Frank once the fighting started would deserve to get chewed up. Besides, there’s more of them then us, so the odds of Frank attacking their side over ours was pretty good.’

  Sometimes I wonder about Sebastian’s hamster on the wheel, I didn’t think Frank understood what was going on, he was standing there holding a severed arm in his hand. What he had been doing with it was beyond me. The people I was gathering to my house, a lunatic teenage vampire with the broken mind with a love of clothes that kept her from killing the neighbors. An old vampire who’s mind was starting to slip because of the long years he’s lived. And last but not least Frank, the completely insane vampire that was walking around with a severed arm.      

  Gloria’s glare wavered when she saw Frank holding the severed arm. Gloria‘s face said what I was thinking, ‘what in the world?’ Emma looked around Hephaistion to see what Gloria was looking at and put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing, she would laugh at something like that. Even Sebastian seems a bit surprised when he saw the arm. Hephaistion turn from Gloria and shook his head in disgust. I just closed my eyes and rubbed them.

  Frank didn’t seem to notice us looking at him; he lifted the arm up to his mouth and took a bite out of the arm.

  Everyone voiced their disgust of what Frank had just done. Frank just stopped chewing and looked at everyone with a big hunk of vampire flesh hanging from his mouth and with no understanding why everyone was so disgusted. I reached up and took the arm from him and threw it.

   ‘That’s gross Frank, wait a bit and I’ll find you something to eat okay?’ I asked.

  Frank just shrugged at his lack of understanding of why he couldn’t eat from the battle field. He looked around at the carnage and sighed because of his hunger.

   ’You said Gloria that you killed Stephen right before Horatio attacked you?’ asked Hephaistion.

   ’Yes.’

   ’Then let us put him back together and let him answer for himself.’

   ’And what do you think he will tell us Hephaistion?’

   ’Now how should I know that Sebastian. It saddens me that you think so poorly of me.’

  Sebastian looked around at the ground. With Hider’s sword he walked up to one of the severed heads and stabbed it. He turned the sword over and looked at the face, ’Well now, let’s see if we can find the body to this.’

  We had collected Stephen’s body and his head and went back to the camp. Old John Barleycorn and Tabitha were left with the rear guard to keep an eye on things. Tabitha was upset with the injuries that Gloria had taken at the hands of Rudy and Horatio; she had shown very little concern with mine. John Barleycorn on the other hand was amazed that the bowlon-new’bach blades left scars on vampires. He wanted to hear all the details of the fight. Sebastian was surprised on how many wounds I had taken throughout the fighting and had not fallen or had a limb cut off. Gloria had counted over a hundred different wounds on my arms, torso, neck and head. I had four on my face alone. The bad one on my chin Hider had given me, the other three I didn’t remember getting. I knew I was burning during the fighting, but I was surprised at the amount of wounds I had taken. Gloria was just sick over it, Sebastian figured it the reason that I could take such abuse was due to being a pure blood as the Queen Mother put it.

  ’So Conner impaled himself on the human’s sword just so he could kill him?’ John Barleycorn asked.

   ’Yes.’ Replied Sebastian.

  Gloria had been horrified when she saw me impale myself on Hider’s sword. She didn’t know if the old myth of a stake through the heart would kill me or not. And when Hider and I just stood there for a second she feared the worse.

   ’So then he threw the human into the Queen’s lines and then charged her lines all by himself?’ John asked.

   ’I told Sebastian to attack when I saw the melee within the Queen’s ranks. I just had a head start on everyone. And that reminds me Sebastian, where the hell did my company go?’

   ’They broke up and went with mine and Hephaistion’s companies. We could hear you and somewhat see you in the mess, no one wanted to come near you. No one thought you would see the difference between friend and foe.’

   ’Well thank you for at least for helping me.’ I said with a bit of sarcasm.

   ’You sure complain a lot Conner. I was coming to help you, but when I saw Emma flying through the air towards you I knew you would be fine.’

  At that moment Hephaistion walked up to our group. He looked at Stephen’s remains and shook his head.

   ‘Well, all of our people that could be put back together have been put back together. All of the enemy prisoners have been put to death and I have people burning them and the ones who fell in the battle. Conner it is of my opinion that executing the prisoners was in poor taste. It was not the conduct of a proper gentleman.’

   ‘That’s fine, I’m no gentleman. And anyone would fight for the Queen will lose they’re life. John, you and Tabs round up our people we’re not done yet. More than meets the eye has been at work here.’

   ‘Where do you want us?’ asked John.

   ‘Just keep them close.’

   ‘They’re not going to like this, they thought once the battle was over they were going to be cut lose.’

   ‘I don’t care what they’ll like and what they won’t, they’ll do what they’re told or I’ll feed them to Frank. And you can tell them I said that. After you get everyone together, find Jason, I need him to do something extremely important.’

   ‘What’s that?’

   ‘I need him to go after the South Americans. They’ve gone after Horatio and I have no doubt that they’ll catch him, but I need him alive. Do you understand?’

   ‘Yes.’

   ‘I want him to leave as soon as you get everyone together. Let them know that I’ll explain to them what’s going on after a bit. I need to talk to Sebastian for a bit to work something out, then once I have a better understanding of what’s going on I’ll let them know what I need from them. But as for now tell them to cool their heels.’

   ‘Will do.’

   ‘What about me Conner?’ asked Tabitha.

   ‘Help John keep an eye on everyone, take Frank with you. If they give you s**t, just sick Frank on them. I’ll risk losing one of them to keep the rest of them in line.’

   ‘Come on John.’ John and Tabitha walked off to find our people.

   ‘Emma go with John and Tabs, they may need you.’

   ‘Okay Conner. Come on Frank.’

  Frank whined a bit but turned and followed Emma.

   ‘Hephaistion if you would form up the army, don’t let anyone leave.’

   ‘Conner what’s going on in that head of yours?’ asked Hephaistion.

   ‘I don’t know yet. Something’s been going on beneath our noses. Please, don’t let anyone leave. Especially Roberto’s people. Sebastian, a word please.’

  Sebastian nodded, but said nothing. He looked as confused as Hephaistion.

 

  Sebastian didn’t say a word as we walked away from the camp. He knew when I was ready I would explain what was going on in my head. I desperately needed his insight, but I was reluctant to share what was on my mind where anyone who would or could be listening. Of course Gloria was walking right next to me, she had me by the arm with both of hers. Walking this way made me think about the first time we walked together back on that summer day when I first heard her story on becoming a vampire.

   Gloria seemed different since the fight. To my knowledge, this had been the first fight she had been in, other than trying to escape with her life. Maybe it was because a vampire that she feared had tried to kill her right in the middle of a fight that she should have been able to trust.

   ‘Are you okay baby?’ I asked.

   ‘Yeah, I think so. I’ve never trusted Horatio, but I’m still in shock that Roberto would have him attack me like that.’

   ‘We don’t know if Roberto did have him attack you.’

   ‘Conner don’t start that with me. Horatio would not have acted alone and you know it.’

   ‘Baby what I’m saying is…’

   ‘Don’t patronize me Conner! He almost killed me.’ snapped Gloria.

   ‘Listen to me please Gloria; I’m not trying to patronize you. But there’s more going on here then you realize. Whatever Horatio’s reason for attacking you his life is forfeit, same with Rudy. Damn it, where the hell is Roberto.’

  Once we were sure we were out of ear shot of anyone I stopped. I stabbed my sword into the ground and took a deep breath and closed my eyes. The sun was high in the sky. I turned my face into the sun and let the light warm my face. Since becoming a vampire, I’ve always enjoyed the sun on my face. For some reason when I close my eyes and look into the sun it helps to clear my mind.

  The long years that Sebastian have lived has given him an abundant amount of patients, Gloria on the other hand did not.

   ‘Conner what the hell?’

  Gloria’s sudden question startled me back from my closed eyed stare down with the sun.

   ‘Could either of you hear what Hider and I were talking about before we fought?’

   ‘No, but I wasn’t really listening, I was to busy looking at the Queen’s army. Gloria?’

   ‘No, why?’

   ‘Hider had said something; he had said that he didn’t think to highly of our boy Cline. He also said he wished he could have fought Augustus. Another thing that he said that I didn’t think much about until now, when Hider heard Frank yell before we fought he asked what it was. I told him it was Frank and that we had found him in Cline‘s lair. Anyways, you had interrupted our little talk when you told me that you were back at our lines. I had asked Hider if he wanted to hear more about Frank or did he want to start fighting. He told me he was interested in whatever we had found in Cline’s hole.’

   ‘That’s nice Conner what does that have to do with me not killing Roberto?’

  I looked at Gloria and was about to answer her when Sebastian beat me to it.

   ‘Because Gloria the Ancients have been secretly conspiring with the Queen Mother against us. I’m willing to bet Conner that’s why the other Ancients did not show.’

   ‘Right, we know that at least three of the Ancients were backing Cline.’

   ‘But I don’t understand Conner, why would the Ancients send their men to fight against the Queen if they were with her?’

   ‘That’s easy Gloria, the one thing that will trump their loyalty to their masters is that their hate for the Queen Mother. The Ancients could care less if their people get killed. Their loyalty more or less to each other, not their servants. They had to send the army against the Queen. It’s what the army would have expected. And if the army knew that the Ancients were siding with the Queen, they all would have turned on their Ancient masters.’

  Gloria added to Sebastian’s train of thought, ‘So if the army beat the Queen they would be in the clear, but if we lost it wouldn’t be the Ancients standing against the Queen.’

   ‘That’s what I’m thinking.’ added Sebastian. ‘So now we need to find out which of the Ancients are…’

   ‘They weren’t here so if I see them they die.’ I said.

  Gloria and Sebastian just looked at me in shock.

   ‘At least right now that is. I know that at least three of the others were with Cline, but after what happened to Gloria I trust none of them.’

   ‘So what about Hephaistion?’ asked Sebastian.

   ‘I know that Hephaistion has not thrown is lot in with the Queen because he actively fought against her. I would have said the same thing about Roberto, but after what happen to Gloria I‘m not so sure.’

   ‘Conner if I see Roberto he’s as good as dead.’

   ‘Gloria?’ asked Sebastian.

   ‘What?’

   ‘Roberto stood face to face with the Queen as an enemy. I know that doesn’t mean anything to you because you’re so young. Roberto was the third vampire ever made by the Queen. He was the fourth ever to exist, there are I know for sure Ancients that hate the Queen, but they couldn’t face her. They couldn’t do it all those years ago, they couldn’t now. I wasn’t sure how Conner would fair against the Queen’s gaze, there are none until Conner that could. Were you ever told how the Queen was thrown down?’

   ‘No, other than it was the Council that did it.’

   ‘The Council agreed to over throw her, but the Council played a very small part in it. I was there Gloria, four thousand years ago when it happened. It was before the Council became what they are. The twelve agreed, but it was Hephaistion, Roberto and myself that through her down.

   ‘We would have killed her, but we weren’t allowed to. In my heart I strongly disagreed with the decision not to kill her, but who was I to say anything? I was so young then, Hephaistion and Roberto trusted that I was do anything they asked so that’s why I helped. Roberto wept for years, but he was never sorry for what he did. He wept only that it had come to that point, now Hephaistion on the other hand never liked the Queen. It was he who first suggested to over throw her. I’ve known Roberto for thousands of years Gloria, thousands.

   ‘Now know this before I say it, if Roberto betrayed us by attacking you, I will take his head. But I do not think Roberto was involved in the attack against you. Remember my loyalties lie with you and Conner. Now that can change in time remember, but something about this doesn’t seem right. Roberto would not do something this underhanded. And if he did, he would not run and hide like a rat. In my heart I know we’ve missed something.’

  Gloria asked the million dollar question, ‘What are we going to do about Hephaistion?’

   ‘What do you think Conner?’ Sebastian asked.

   ‘Either we trust him completely, or we kill him.’ At that Sebastian started to laugh.

   ‘What, what the hell’s so funny?’ I asked.

   ‘Oh, I was thinking about you charging the Queen’s lines all by yourself with Hider’s sword stuck in you.’

  I smiled, ‘I had completely forgot about it till you pulled it out. Let’s go back and talked with Hephaistion, we tell him that were going form up the army to pursue the Queen. If any of the Ancients stand in our way they die. We take complete control of the army; if anyone refuses we put them to death. If Hephaistion hesitates for one moment in pursuing the Queen or in killing an Ancient, then take his head Sebastian.’

  Sebastian nodded his head and said, ‘Sounds good to me.’

   ‘How will we be able to trust the army? There hast to be traitors within.’

   ‘Leave that to me.’ I said and turned back to camp.

 

   ‘Here’s the deal Hephaistion. Cline had conspired against the Council with the Queen. He was not alone in this, if any of the Ancients stand in our way or try to hinder us, they die. We take the entire army and pursue the Queen. If we find that Roberto is guilty of falseness, then he joins Cline’s b***h.

   ‘Chasing the Queen, killing Ancients, my oh my. What has the world of the vampire come to? Will the old order of doing things fall away to this more violent and chaotic way?’ Hephaistion asked hypothetically.

   ’Hephaistion, I would not play with Conner. His wife was betrayed by Horatio, possibly by Roberto, it wouldn’t be wise to goad him.’ Sebastian said.

    ’I do not doubt that Cline was conspiring with the Queen. If he was, then several others were also conspiring with him. Sebastian you know I hate the Queen, but you know as well as I do that the world of the vampire needs to be governed. Otherwise it shall be as southern province of the New World is.’

    ’The northern province was never govern Hephaistion.’ Gloria said quickly in response.

   ’Was it not. What about Mary? Did you not burn her when she came up from South America and started killing everyone? Did not the Council help you cover up what really happened and blamed the killings on a serial kill?’

   ’I wouldn’t know anything about that.’ Gloria responded.

  Gloria had been the one that had told me the Southern vampire that had gone crazy in America, the Northern vampires had roughed Gloria up thinking it might have been her.

   ’Our world has to be governed Conner. If the Council is removed who shall do it? Will you Conner, will you walk out in front of the army and declare yourself as emperor and king?’

   ’You know that’s not what I want.’ I said defending myself.

   ’Yes, I do believe that, but how then will the world of the vampire be governed if not by you or the Council?’

  Hephaistion was right, but governing the world wasn’t something I care about. All I cared about was living quietly with Gloria without people conspiring to kill us.

   ’I don’t know, all I know is that I’m going to kill any and all that try to harm Gloria and my life together.’

   ’Conner you should not be so quick the judge the ones who have come before you until you have carried their burden. I hate the Queen and I will do whatever I can to exterminate her now that she has resurfaced, that includes killing one of my brothers if need be. But know this, the death of Cline, and the death of other Ancients will cause huge backlash. And when this is over I will do anything and everything within my power to kill you if you do not help me put things back in order after this is finished.’  

   ’That’s fine, but how do I know you won’t try to kill me before?’

   ’That’s easy; I need your help in killing the Queen. How are you going to unify the army? If there were Ancients siding with the Queen, then it’s safe to believe that there will be those with the army who are loyal to her also.’

   ’Leave that to me. Gather the army Hephaistion, Sebastian and I are going to question lump of s**t here,’ I said nudging Stephen’s body, ’When we’re done I would like to address them.’

   ’Such the little general.’