The hall was large and dark. A dim light surrounded the throne where the king sat. Just as his predecessor had done, he dressed like the dark figure who had given him new life. His face was covered by a dark cloak, but the pale light revealed his pronounced mouth and bone-white skin. “Welcome, Aidan.” Anaxagoras lifted his hands and unbound him with his will. He motioned for the soldier to come and Aidan felt himself being pushed towards the king. As he came closer, the flames of the torches all around the room grew hotter and brighter. They revealed gray walls adorned with weapons and shields embossed with various noble family crests. Aidan saw another crest, more intricately designed and larger than all the others, behind the black marble throne. It was the majestic and ancient emblem of the king’s lineage and it was the same symbol of the serpent round the cross that was emblazoned on all the shields of the vampires.

“Take a seat, Aidan,” said the king, moving a chair towards his visitor using his mind. “I know why you have come here,” he continued once Aidan sat down.

Aidan sealed his mind so the king couldn’t read it. But what if he knew already?

“It is an assassination attempt...isn’t it?” the king asked. His wide mouth broke into a wicked smile, revealing large fangs.

Aidan swallowed his fear and said nothing.

Underneath the hood, the king chuckled softly. The deep demonic laugh echoed across the hall and rang in Aidan’s ears. “Well then, finish me off if you must, young Aidan,” the king said.

“It is not that,” the Rebel said, “I do want diplomatic relations to continue–”

“Useless! Your words are pathetic! Do you think peace can exist after all this? Do you think that the armies will surrender so easily?”

Aidan was taken aback. “Our army will not,” he said, gathering himself. “What we’re fighting for is freedom, for democracy–”

“Democracy!” the king shouted, “You really have no idea what you’re fighting for.”

“Of course I know what I am fighting for.”

As if not listening, the king rose from his throne and with a flick of the wrist, he materialized a sword out of thin air, long with a silver hilt and adorned with onyx and gold.

Aidan stood up and backed away, preparing himself and materializing his own weapon.

The king’s face darkened as he stepped down from the throne.

Aidan moved forward.

The two armies clashed into each other with a mighty force. The impact ruptured bodies and sprayed out blood, creating shockwaves in the ground as human and vampire pushed and shoved. The chaotic battle spread out for miles around.

Suddenly, Adiraan and his men were ambushed by a large number of Rebel battalions that hid beneath the ground. The first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth columns of the vampire army stopped abruptly. A group of fifty thousand Rebels sprang up as the ground cracked open. Vast amounts of lava spewed into the air. Led by Varenkoff, the Rebels flew up and protected the human army with a large energy bubble that deflected most of the enemy attacks. The Rebels that hid amongst their enemy attacked with full force, catching a quarter of the Imperials by surprise. But the enemy was still under the king’s protection, proving all attacks against them ineffective. Aidan had yet to fulfill his mission. The situation worsened when the Imperials resurrected the humans from the dead and turned them into their mindless warrior slaves.

General Howe half-expected this and ordered another full blown attack on the vampires. If they were able to corner them with the help of the Rebels, the enemy would surely surrender until backup arrived.

Varenkoff knew what Howe planned, and followed this strategy. Anaxagoras’s army was trapped but the king’s general immediately called for reinforcements. As they waited, he used his will to control the forces of nature. The ground shook and cracked once more as copious amounts of red hot liquid spurted out. Smoke and steam rose out as lava quickly filled the cracks and burned everything in its path, including the human army.

“Varenkoff!” shouted General Howe. “Do something!” The Rebel general ordered a command to his army and the Rebels levitated the human army into the air and created another powerful protective aura. A translucent blue shield covered them. The Imperial warriors launched energy beams in an attempt to destroy the spherical shield. This is getting out of hand,thought John as he looked to Varenkoff.

Varenkoff knew what his comrade was thinking and said, “What would you have us do?”

“There must be some way to stop this!” John said.

The Imperial reinforcements arrived and renewed the attack. Thousands of them flew towards the battle, but before they could get close the Rebels blasted them away with massive energy balls.

Varenkoff flew across the mayhem and punched Adiraan in the chest, knocking him down into the lava. He fell in but flew back up, smiling as his energy shield protected him and radiated a shiny crimson light. The lava, still attached to the shield, dripped off slowly.

Irritated by Adiraan’s taunting smile, Varenkoff concentrated all his strength and energy into his weapon to create an effective blow. The energy around the sword formed slowly as sparks of light surrounded the weapon. The Rebel general dashed at Adiraan but bounced of the reddish energy shield and fell back. Adiraan laughed, his sharp white teeth shining. His long dark red hair blew across his face as the wind from the east moved with raging force. “Look upon your destruction, Varenkoff!” he said as he pointed at the ongoing battle below.

“You’re wrong!” Varenkoff said. “It’s time for Aidan to rule in a new order!” “Aidan is but a child compared to Lord Anaxagoras! No one can replace our king!” Varenkoff darted at Adiraan’s stomach and their haphazard battle continued.

Just beneath them, John Howe and his army were nearing defeat. The general decided to call for reinforcements. He knew of another battalion fighting out in the Gobi Desert, led by General Jarad Hameed. If they were still alive, he could call them to come and help. But would it be too late by then? If they even managed to arrive, would his battalion already be destroyed? That’ll be a risk we will have to take.So he did what was necessary and radioed General Hameed.

The battle between Aidan and Anaxagoras grew fiercer. Their swords clashed with a fiery intensity that radiated sparks of hot light. The rapid clanging of metal upon metal resonated throughout the large hall.

Anaxagoras’s skills as a swordsman were the stuff of legend. His flawless reputation remained intact after numerous challenges from knights who were swiftly slain for their audacity. But Aidan too was a master swordsman. He had studied under the king and faced him in sparring matches. But all that was much earlier, before the war.

Once more, their swords collided, creating flashes of energy that blasted them to opposite sides of the room. The only thing on Aidan’s mind now was to destroy Anaxagoras. “You will pay for all the deaths you’ve caused, for all the pain you have brought upon the peoples of Migra and the Earth. I hate what you have done for us. It is a curse.” Aidan stopped and backed off when he was level with the king.

“How can you call this,” Anaxagoras charged up his right hand until energy formed around it, “a curse?” He threw the energy bolt at Aidan. The prophet backed away as the blast flew past his shoulder and hit the wall, which crumbled into pieces. Aidan soared towards the king, but Anaxagoras cast him aside into the debris. Aidan’s body was crushed as it hurtled into the rubble. His head started bleeding but he was still conscious. He glared at the king who landed softly on the ground and walked to him.

“Don’t forget this, oh wise king. I know your secret,” Aidan said.