Six
959 Words
As I cornered into the hallways, my hands clasped behind my back, I had done the door to lock with my magic just as I had told her I would. I continued marching slowly. I didn’t bother to look at the servants who had stopped and immediately frozen in their steps after seeing me, aware of my presence, their heads bowed deeply.
The meeting.
I knew what would come the moment I stepped into those halls.
I already knew of the questions waiting to be asked.
I had already been present in the meeting, unknown to them, with my mind.
The moment I came to the door, it flung open with my magic power, without the help of the servant who had already reached for it to serve me.
I walked slowly, my footsteps echoing in the air, my hands still clasped behind my back.
The moment I stepped in, the room became silent.
All necks turned toward me.
Then steadily, I walked to my chair, the largest chair in the room, carved from black transparent volcano rock and lined with blood-red rubies.
I remained silent.
So did the room.
Eyes watched me.
Judged me.
Wanted to know why I did what I did.
I bit underneath my lip, reached for my cup of blood, the Royal Chalice of Outrus, carved from ancient bone and lined with crimson gemstones, and lifted it into my palm.
Slowly, I gulped from the cup.
Tasting the blood of the human that once lived… letting it spread across my tongue.
Then King Zarius cleared his throat.
Seeing that no one had the courage to speak first.
“Lord Lucas… you’re the strongest ruler in the whole of vampire kind. And I know too well you are ruthless and the most feared for hundreds of generations, but—”
I lifted my eyes to the man speaking.
He hesitated.
I dropped the cup before me and allowed him to continue.
“Don’t you think you must be careful of weaknesses?” he said.
I tried to understand what he meant.
But judging from the faces around the table, they all knew exactly what he meant.
“The human you instructed to be clothed and fed… they are meant to be prey to us. Disposed. Hunted. Served as food. We are yet to understand why you don’t want to harm her.”
Silence fell across the table.
Eyes turned toward me.
Waiting.
“Zarius… you wouldn’t come to my kingdom to tell me what to do… and what not to.”
I finally spoke.
They stared in disbelief… and fear.
I locked my gaze onto the king, who suddenly looked like he regretted speaking.
Then slowly, my eyes moved across each and every one of them.
“My order remains. I am the King of Outrus… the most powerful kingdom. You don’t want to be an enemy to me.”
Of course none of them wanted that.
It would be a disaster to their kingdoms.
I looked at my pale hands… then back at them.
“You sit on gold chairs with the finest rubies and drink from the costliest cups your kingdoms could never dream of having.”
My words pierced them.
I had insulted them.
But I didn’t care.
How dare they refer to her as disposable?
I felt my anger boiling.
“You have no right to try to change your god’s order!”
My voice thundered with authority.
They became stupefied.
Eyes widening.
“I have powers none of you have… or ever would. I defeated the twelve deadly empires that once threatened our race. I am your god.”
I looked at their faces.
One after the other.
“Now… we proceed with the meeting. And leave out the human I commanded to be spared.”
They swallowed.
Fear filled their bodies.
“Maron.”
I slowly looked at one of the officials, my kingdom’s official planning the feast.
“Ye— yes… Lord Lucas…” he replied quickly, bowing his head.
He was terrified too.
“Like I promised… 10,000 humans. The Outrus kingdom will deliver. But I request something in return.”
Silence.
No one dared speak.
“I need 100,000 from each of your kingdoms. The Crimson Soul Crystals.” It was the rarest jewels in vampire history.
Gasps filled the room.
“As you can tell… we were supposed to share the task of bringing 10,000 humans for the feast. But I am doing this alone. My kingdom.”
I threw my gaze across their shocked faces.
I could read their minds.
10,000… that’s too much.
We don’t even have 3000 of those crystals…
How are we supposed to provide that…
“What happened? You don’t have treasures?” I asked coldly.
“What about 1,000? Juliak clan can provide that,” one king finally spoke.
He was over a thousand years old.
“That explains it,” I said calmly.
“Maron… send with them 40,000 pieces of Crimson Soul Crystals as they leave.”
Gasps erupted again.
They couldn’t believe it.
Just one piece of that treasure could strengthen an entire kingdom.
And that explained why Outrus was the most powerful.
They could never compare.
Rumors had always spread that I took billions in wealth from the twelve empires I defeated.
That rumor was true.
My wealth surpassed anything in vampire kind.
Queen Bethesda’s lips curled in admiration.
Her elbows rested on the table as she folded her hands, her eyes fixed on me.
Her feelings grew stronger.
She had always seen me as a god.
“You don’t tell a powerful lord to go back on his order,” I said.
Then I rose to my feet.
“This meeting… is over.”
- Writer
