Maven walked through the streets of Bluthafen, the capital city of the Vampire side of the Necrolionic Federation. The Federation was divided into lands that were overseen by the various shadow races: Ghouls, Vampires, Werewolves, and Zombies.
Maven walked toward the castle but couldn't help but notice the state of things. This made her begin to ask herself questions. As she walked, she witnessed a disturbing reality. Slaves, bound by spiked chains, were dragged by a richly dressed man. Their limbs and necks bleeding, their eyes vacant. Her stomach churned.
She couldn't help but think of the reforms Vampire King Drakul Al Vlad had implemented, allowing her kind to live alongside humans without relying solely on blood.
They could eat, drink, and live as humans did. But after Drakul's disappearance, the tide shifted. Queen Yellaine's iron-fisted rule revived the blood craze, and her people's thirst for power grew insatiable.
"This was not what the founder had wanted," Maven thought, bitterness welling up.
The non-aggression pact with other nations prohibited hunting humans, confining them to their own lands. But that didn't stop the queen's desperation for power. She found alternative sources – slaves, courtesy of a notorious slaver in Archadia.
The steady supply of captives from various races fueled the kingdom's darkness. Maven saw humans, elves, beastmen, even dwarves, reduced to mere commodities.
Reforms, forgotten. Progress, lost, Maven lamented, her heart heavy.
All because of the potential of blood.
Life was found in the blood; the very essence of the soul could be retrieved through the blood. Even though the Great Ancestor made changes to the races' diet for peace, it was an undeniable fact that the more blood a vampire consumed, the more powerful they became, nearing the level of the celestials, the gods themselves.
Maven stepped through the grand entrance of Bluthafen Castle, the weight of history and decay settling upon her. The crimson curtains, once a symbol of her ancestors' struggle for coexistence, now seemed to suffocate her.
Maven remembered the stories of her ancestors, who walked among humans, sharing their tables and their lives. Now, they hid behind masks of superiority, justifying their cruelty.
Her duty called, but her conscience rebelled.
"Must she truly serve this twisted kingdom?" Maven wondered.
Maven walked through a huge stone corridor, her footsteps echoing through the silence. The throne room awaited.
Maven affirmed her resolve. She had a duty to serve the throne. And as a captain of the guard, she'd do whatever it took to fulfill that role.
The throne room's doors swung open, revealing the queen's imposing figure.
"Maven. It's time to hear your report. As well as why you failed to bring the first princess back," the Queen commanded with a voice that seemed to pierce the soul.
Maven's mask slipped into place, hiding her true feelings. On either side of the large hall were nobles representing each of the baronial vampire houses.
Maven's gaze swept the room, her thoughts racing as she narrated the events that transpired during her mission.
The Royal family sat together on a set of 7 thrones that showed their rank within the family. They were arranged in ascending order by a flight of steps, with three to the left and three to the right. The thrones were one step above the other, with the ruler's throne being paramount over all.
Her eyes settled on the vacant throne, once occupied by Sharone. Sharone was the oldest member of the royal family aside from King Drakul and shared a closer bond with him than her stepmother or the rest of the family. When the king disappeared, they looked down on her because she didn't fully accept being a vampire, and some even went as far as blaming her for the king's disappearance. After all those centuries of maltreatment, it was no wonder she ran away, Maven thought, as she glanced at each and every member of the Royal family.
Queen Yellaine Al Vlad was the wife of the Progenitor. She'd apparently been a loving and caring personality, but that person seems to have disappeared along with the king. The person who sat upon the Ruler's throne was a cold and sadistic tyrant who ruled over all with an iron fist. Her red hair, which ran through the family, appeared to glow as if it was ablaze.
Salmone Al Vlad, the proud and arrogant firstborn son, sat below her, known for his exceptional physical augmentation abilities.
Elena Al Vlad was the next person. She sat with a mirror in hand and constantly checked her looks, even though she lacked a reflection. She had the ability to manipulate a form of blood mist, a reflection of her own shallow heart.
Her sister Kacy Al Vlad sat below her, lost in her books, uncaring of the world's machinations.
Damian Al Vlad, cold and calculating, sat completely still, the only movement coming from the shadows that swirled like ink in water within his open palm.
Xevia, the youngest, sat at the bottom of the stairs. Of all these monsters, she was the most humane of them all, her heart still beating with a spark of compassion. She was also the one closest to her elder sister Sharone, even after their father's supposed death.
Queen Yellaine Al-Vlad, resplendent on her throne, commanded attention. Her piercing gaze settled on Maven.
"Your Majesty, I have observed Sharone's interactions with the human, Kojo. Their bond is strong," Maven said.
Yellaine's expression darkened.
"A human?" She raised an eyebrow.
"You, a captain of the guard, lost to a mere human? I'm disappointed."
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty-"
"Silence. We need Sharone back. She is crucial to our alliance with the werewolves."
Korvus, a nobleman and Sharone's former teacher, stepped forward. "Allow me to take a few of my men to capture her, Your Majesty. I can use the opportunity to scout as well as get into contact with our ally in Archadia."
Maven's eyes flashed with determination.
"I request to join the mission, Your Majesty."
Yellaine's gaze turned icy.
"You were tasked with observing Sharone, Maven. Your incompetence led to her escape. You will not join this mission."
A nearby human slave, pouring wine for the queen, stumbled, spilling a drop. Before he could apologize, he flew off his feet, rolling down the stairs to land at Maven's feet.
Yellaine's voice dripped with disdain. "Your carelessness is staggering, Maven. Share your knowledge of the outside world with Korvus. Perhaps he can salvage what you've ruined."
Maven gritted her teeth, bowing in agreement.
Korvus approached Maven, his eyes cold. "Tell me, Maven, what do you know about the layout?"
Maven's voice was laced with resentment. "I followed Sharone just as she was leaving the city of Ekron for the capital, one in the Province of Dia'mon.
This is what I gathered before following them. The city of Ekron is in the province of Opal and shares a border with the province of Carnelia to the North and the Goblin nation of Gwaltch to the Northeast, and The Empire in the East. It is divided into four quadrants.
The market, where Sharone was last seen. It's not that heavily populated, but I've been hearing rumors of late. I will prepare a map for you. Even so, the bot I fought was absurdly strong, so you'll need to be cautious."
Yellaine's voice interrupted. "Korvus, bring Sharone back to me. Alive, if possible. Dead, if necessary."
"As you wish," Korvus said with a bow. Maven was dismissed, and she left the hall with embers of dissent burning within her.