The temple was a monument of forgotten horrors. Its towering stone pillars were etched with cryptic runes, faded from centuries of blood and decay. Cracks veined the cold dark walls and faint whispers seemed to seep from them, like echoes of souls long devoured . The air was thick, saturated with the metallic scent of dried blood and the faint, sickly sweetness of rot. Shadows stretched unnaturally long into the darkness.
At the heart of this decaying sanctum, sat a throne--not carved from stone, but forged from the bones of countless victims, twisted together with iron and gold. Upon it's lounged a silhouette with long, dark cascaded hair like black silk, stained at the ends with fresh blood. Crimson eyes, glowing with the intricate pattern of noble lineage--the same haunting design etched into Palmer's gaze on the day of the werewolf attack -- pierced through the gloom.
She was devouring the remains of a lifeless body, drained of blood, it's skin pale and shriveled like parchment stretched over brittle bones. Blood dropped from her lips which she lazily wiped with the back of her hand, leaving a crimson smear across her porcelain skin.
A sudden voice broke the silence
"Your thirst, insatiable as always. Never failing to live up to your nature."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, though she didn't bother to turn her head. From the darkness emerged a hooded figure, their steps echoing faintly against the cold stone floor. The figure's cloak billowed softly as they approached, the faint glint horn protruding from her forehead catching the dim light. Their face bore human features, but thin reptilian scales shimmered subtly along their jaw line. Their eyes glowed with a cold, amber hue--a Dragonewt.
Her voice was low, dripping with venom. "You've overstepped your boundaries." She withdrew her fangs from the corpse, letting the mangled body slump to the ground with a sickening thud. Her blood-stained lips curled into a smirk as she lazily licked the remnants from her fingers. "What makes you bold enough to trespass into my domain, little lizard?"
The Dragonewt pulled back her hood, revealing sharp angular features and slitted pupils that gleamed like molten gold. She stood tall, though tension coiled her stance like a spring ready to snap.
"Just as you predicted," the Dragonewt began, her voice steady despite the oppressive weight of the Queen's presence. "Two of the orbs have awakened. And as you know, all the other factions have caught wind of it. War is inevitable. Every faction will fight to claim the orbs' power, to overthrow you as the apex predator."
The Queen sighed, her fingers drumming lazily against the arm of her throne. "Can you stop stating the obvious? I feel my energy draining just listening to you." She snapped her fingers, and from the shadows, another human was dragged forward--chained, battered and hollow-eyed. A lot of others at his back, awaiting the same fate. The man stumbled, barely conscious, his body covered in fresh wounds.
"Get to the point," she added, her voice like silk laced with poison.
The Dragonewt's jaw clenched at the casual cruelty. "Cruel as ever... The gods have truly abandoned humanity," she thought, suppressing the urge to lash out.
"Our clan leader sent me to propose an alliance," she continued. "The Dragonewt and your noble house could form an unstoppable force with our strength combined, we could crush the others and claim the orbs for ourselves. Together, we could take back what belongs to us from the humans."
The vampire Queen let out a soft, mocking laugh, her fangs gleaming. "An alliance?" She stood, descending the steps of her throne with slow, deliberate grace. "Tell me, what kind of king sends a mere servant to the heart of an enemy's fortress to negotiate a truce? What use will he be in the battle front?"
She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement. "How cowardly."
Before the Dragonewt could respond, the Queen snatched the chained man by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. Without breaking eye contact, she sank her fangs into his neck, tearing through flesh with sickening ease. Blood gushed, staining her mouth and dripping down her chin. She drank deeply, then let the corpse fall like a discarded trash.
"Wiping her lips with the back of her hand again, she whispered, "Well, my answer would have been the same. Not interested."
The Dragonewt's composure cracked for just a moment, her wings--scaled, leathery, and dark as obsidian--unfurling slightly in frustration. "I know how powerful you are," she hissed, "but even you won't stand a chance once the factions wield the power of the orbs."
The Vampire Queen's eyes flared, glowing brighter. The temperature in the temple plummeted. A suffocating pressure filled the room, thick as molasses. The walls themselves seemed to shudder.
"Don't push your luck, child," she whispered, her voice dripping with ancient menace. "You're only alive because I allowed it. Don't think it's only human blood I take pleasure in."
The Dragonewt's knees nearly buckled under the oppressive aura, swear beading at her temples. She quickly pulled back her hood over her face, masking the fear in her eyes. Without another word, she turned and sprinted towards the massive arched exit. Her wings burst fully from her back, propelling her into the night sky with a desperate, hasty escape.
Silence returned to the temple, broken only by the faint drip-drip of blood pooling beneath the fresh corpse.
The Queen sighed, lazily flicking a stray drop of blood from her finger. "Everything is going as planned," she mumured to herself. "Third-rate creatures will only slow me down."
Sne snapped her finger twice.
From the suffocating shadows, two vampires emerged, kneeling before her. Their crimson eyes blazer with the same intricate noble pattern, etched deep within their irises--a mark of their bloodline, and their loyalty.
"It's time to retrieve the boy," the Queen whispered, a cruel smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"My son."
Her voice echoed through the hollow temple, lingering in the darkness long after her words had faded.