Viagon Wars: Chapter Three (Unedited Version)

Chapter Three1

The house was a large Victorian style mansion done in the typical shades of brown. A wrought iron fence circled the property ten feet from the ground, and the front door was a hundred pounds of solid oak. Put it all together, and it made for a rather intimidating set up. It would’ve worked, too, if she hadn’t been here before.2

An Amazonian woman with bright green eyes and surprising blond hair walked up to the gate. Crouching down, she bunched her legs and vaulted over the wrought iron. Straightening herself easily, she strode toward the huge oak door as an alarm sounded around her.3

She was blatantly announcing her presence. Her long hair was pulled back into a tight braid, and her gait was slow and leisurely in order to give security an opportunity to catch up with her.4

“Stop now,” said an angry male voice. “Or we will stop you.”5

The woman, who appeared to be about twenty-one, smiled. “Ooh,” she purred. “Fresh meat.” She quickened her steps to show the angry man she meant business. If she had been a real threat, however, he’d have been too late to stop her. Tsk, tsk.6

She could feel him flexing his power toward her, attempting to psychically dissuade her. She let it wash around her with no affect. Nice try, she thought, but no cigar. She continued walking forward.7

Finally angry man realized his powers weren’t having any affect on her. Cursing loudly, he charged her, forgetting the gun at his side.8

The woman crouched down, anticipating his charge. When he plowed into her, she used his momentum to flip him face down onto the ground, pinning his dominant arm in a joint-lock behind his back as she sat on him. Easily holding him there, she leaned down to his ear.9

“If I were a true threat, as most of my people are,” she said softly. “You’d be dead, and so would your Empress.”10

He struggled beneath her, and she sat up. “Take heed to act more quickly and with deadlier force next time. Your Empress’s life is nothing to play with.”11

She let him up, and he jumped to his feet, turning to face her. By his stance, he thought he wasn’t going to underestimate her a second time. She stood at ease.12

“You might want to train your guards to better spot threats, Ray,” she called over her shoulder.13

With a shocked look, the guard dropped to one knee, his right fist on the ground in front of him to salute his captain.14

Ray stepped out of the shadows with a grin. “But you do such a good job of it for me, Ishina. Why should I bother?” 15

Angry man looked up sharply. “You know this woman, sir?”16

Ray looked at his green guardsman and sighed. He’d given his neck to the enemy without first verifying she knew who she’d claimed she knew. On top of that, he wasn’t able to tell what she was. He shook his head in disbelief. “Stand, guardsman,” he said firmly.17

When he obeyed, Ishina looked at him more closely. He was young; younger than she’d initially thought. Young, but powerful, which made her look even more closely. The energy she’d felt coming from him would’ve stopped almost anyone but her, or at least disoriented them. Still, he’d been sloppy to rely only on his gifts instead of his weapons.18

“Well no wonder he let a vampire waltz right in here, Ray. He’s not even wet behind the ears yet. You put a green guard on perimeter watch?”19

Ray raised an eyebrow at her, not at all disturbed that she was questioning his methods. When he simply continued to look at her, Ishina broke into a grin.20

“You knew I was coming, didn’t you? Rotten pre-cog.”21

Ray smiled and turned back to his guardsman. “Name and rank,” he ordered.22

“Nicolas Masters. Ninth in the Empress’s High Guard.”23

Ishina whistled. “I’m impressed. Ninth out of fifteen; that’s huge for someone so untried.”24

Ray smiled slightly. “A compliment coming from you, Ishina, though the High Guard is undermanned at the moment. Young Nicolas has only progressed one level thus far.”25

Nicolas gaped at the conversation. His captain was having an amiable chat about information his own race wasn’t even privy to with a vampire! On top of that, they were on a first name basis.26

“Captain,” said a new voice. A smiley man appearing to be in his early twenties (maybe nineteen) with bright white and blue streaked hair walked slowly toward the trio from around the side of the house. When he was ten feet away, he knelt in a salute to his captain. After a moment, he rose, still smiling. 27

“Miss Ishina,” he said. “What a pleasant surprise.”28

Facing each other, Ishina and the guard bowed to each other. It was simple acknowledgment, a bow made with the palms flat against their legs.29

“Pleasant, I’m sure, Jason, but I have my suspicions that it’s not altogether surprising.”30

“Of course,” Jason said with a glint of humor in his eyes. He turned toward Ray. “Captain, if you’ll allow me, I will take over Mr. Masters’s education. My Lady is asking for you.”31

“Ah, well, I suppose I have no choice then,” Ray said. “Ishina? I believe you have a message to deliver?”32

“I do,” Ishina said, sobering immediately at the prospect of speaking directly to the Empress of the Dragons.33

“Come, then.” Ray motioned to her as he walked up the steps and opened the door. “It’s faster, and not as hot, to go through the house to get to the training yard,” he explained. “After you, lady.”34

“Thank you,” Ishina said as she entered the house and Ray followed behind her.35

“Now then,” Jason said once the door was closed. “Let me guess, Masters. You tried to use your telepathy in order to dissuade our pretty vampire visitor.”36

“Sir,” Nicolas responded. “I don’t understand why it didn’t work.”37

Jason smiled. “Well, that’s the thing about pretty little Ishina. She’s immune to all psychic abilities. Don’t worry, though. We’ve all had our run-ins with her. Some of us were unlucky enough to meet her on the field before our fragile truce began. Lucky for you, though, she’s now the chosen emissary of the vampires.”38

Nicolas’s shoulders hunched in shame. “I failed,” he all but whined.39

Jason laughed. “Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself. Just be glad it wasn’t Resik himself who came to see the Empress.”40

Nicolas’s eyes bugged out. “But he wouldn’t dare to visit the Empress without an invitation, or at least announcing himself at the gate!”41

Jason shrugged his shoulders. “It wouldn’t be the first time,” he said.42

“This is an outrage! What kind of High Guard lets vam… the enemy just walk in whenever and wherever they like?” Most dragons were taught from an early age that even the word “vampire” was evil. If you said it, just the word, they would come out of the night and snatch you from your beds while you were sleeping.43

Jason’s smile evaporated. “Listen, Masters, and listen well. There are three vampires who are less an enemy to the dragons than the rest. Ishina and Resik are two of them. The last is Nathen TreVaugn and that completes the list of vampires allowed near the Empress. However, since you know none of these people by sight, you attack anyone, vampire, dragon, or human, who enters the premises without permission. That is your job as perimeter guard. Do you understand, guardsman?”44

Snapping to attention, Nicolas nodded. “Yes, sir. I understand.”45

Jason smiled, the ever present humor once again obvious on his face. “Good. Now it’s time for the changing of the guard. Go get yourself something to eat.”46

Nicolas nodded, thanking Jason for his relief as he walked toward the kitchen.47

“And Masters?”48

Nicolas stopped and looked back to where Jason was taking over the perimeter guard’s post.49

“You don’t want to find out what will happen if you ever let a trespasser get by you again.”50

Nicolas swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”51

∞ 52

“Ha! You think a trick like that will beat me?!” The tone was baiting, and the voice was so beautiful it made Ishina’s breath catch. It had to be the voice of the Empress.53

“C’mon, Chaeli! You’re going to have to do better than that!”54

There was a mumbled reply that caused a surprised laughter to resonate through the hallway. 55

Ishina couldn’t help but smile. Perhaps, as Resik had told her, the Empress wasn’t so bad after all. From her experience, however, “privileged” people, those who didn’t have to earn their position were cruel tyrants who abused those they were supposed to protect.56

Ray glanced back at his companion to see the conflicting emotions cross her face. Her many torturous past experiences would no doubt be coloring her opinion of the Empress. It would be interesting to see how his Empress would turn her head.57

“Is everything alright?” he asked her when she looked particularly confused.58

Ishina looked at him and smiled. “It’s just, I’ve only ever met one ruler of any country or even a tribe or town that cared for more than himself. Despite my ears, I find it extremely difficult to think there might be another such person in the world.”59

Ray stepped forward and opened the back door for her to enter the training yard. “I choose not to be insulted by that.”60

Walking through the door, Ishina gave Ray an incredulous look. “You know what I mean, Ray.”61

He nodded. “Of course, Miss Ishina. Try to keep an open mind though. After all, if it weren’t for the cooperation of both of our leaders, you and I would not be having such a friendly conversation. We all want peace, my friend.”62

With that, he turned and began to lead her to a wooden structure set in the back of the training yard.63

Not all of us, Ishina thought as she followed. As with any truce or treaty after a long war, there were those who either didn’t agree with the truce itself, or with the way it came about. In this case, the rebels didn’t agree with either. There were, however, no uprisings or malicious acts; just underground grumblings where they thought Resik wouldn’t hear.64

The wooden structure, which turned out to be a building, was farther away than it had looked. When they finally stepped inside, it was nothing more than an indoor sparring court; just a hardwood floor covered with mats.65

As she entered the dojo, Ishina paused. The movement of the two women sparring on the center mat was daunting. Being nothing more than a blur of black and white, Ishina found herself seeing a yin-yang rather than two fighters going through their paces. It was impossible to tell which one was the Empress even to Ishina’s experienced eyes.66

“My Lady,” Ray called. “You requested my presence?”67

“Yep!” came the musical voice Ishina had heard before. “We’re almost done.”68

With that, the motion in the center ceased. When Ishina could make her eyes focus, she saw the woman in black was sitting on the woman in white. It was the same hold Ishina had held young Nicolas in earlier, with the dominant arm in a joint-lock behind the back, and the face on the ground.69

“See?” the one in black said. “I told you we were almost done.” 70

Ishina stared. That had to be the Empress, but she was so different from the image Ishina had built in her mind. Where she’d seen a giant, the figure before her was small. Even the girl she’d been sparring with towered over her in height. In presence, however, she was just as Ishina had known she would be: a leader to her core.71

Rising, the Empress let the other girl up, and they turned to bow to each other. It was a mark of respect between partners. “Thank you for the work out, Chaeli. You may return to your post now.”72

The taller girl bowed again, and walked toward the door. She paused to salute Ray, her captain, spared a curious glance for Ishina, and then walked out.73

After watching her go, Ishina turned back to the Empress, finally looking at her completely. She had smooth golden hair, an ivory skin tone, and honey colored eyes that matched her hair. Her eyes, instead of being filled with the cruelty and malice Ishina had come to expect from people like her, they danced with genuine sincerity. Ishina’s eyes caught on a scar that marred the beautiful skin on her face. It was small, but noticeable. 74

“I summoned you, Ray. Who is this?”75

Ishina almost panicked at the attention being turned to her, but she managed to contain it. She would not show the leader of the dragons anything other than stout resolution.76

Ray bowed to his Empress before turning toward Ishina.77

“My Lady, this is the emissary from the vampires. Her name is Ishina Kimberlite.”78

Ishina stood tall and lifted her chin a bit to show she would not be intimidated.79

“Kimberlite?” the Empress said. She seemed to be rolling the name around in her head, trying to find a match.80

“Ah, Kimberlite. The bane of the Dragon Guard. If I remember correctly, you single-handedly infiltrated my guard’s barracks to leave the message for me and Resik to meet. In a way, you are directly responsible for the truce.”81

The Empress bowed to Ishina, shocking the vampire greatly. What was a person to do when a ruler bowed to her? 82

“It is an honor to finally meet you.” 83

Ishina did a polite bow of acknowledgement and said, “As it is to meet you, Empress.”84

The Empress smiled. “My friends call me Kaht, Miss Kimberlite. I would appreciate it if you would do the same.”85

Ishina dipped her head in acceptance. “As you wish, Lady Kaht, but you mustn’t call me Kimberlite. It is a name that belongs to war, not to peace.”86

The Empress’s smile widened. “You are much like your Resik in that respect. He is right of course. Names have meaning. Now, what is this message you’re supposed to deliver to me?”87

“Lady Kaht, my Master Resik sends his regards, and invites you to join him at William James High School. He requests you meet him there at ten tomorrow morning.”88

Kaht frowned. “W.J. High? That’s not more than fifty miles from here. What’s he doing there?”89

“Nathen TreVaugn, the vampire trainer for this area has submitted a possible lead on the identity of the Heir. Resik would like you to join him in the follow-up.”90

The Empress raised her eyebrows. “How interesting. Well, if Resik is taking time out of his busy schedule to follow this lead, I will do the same.”91

Ray stepped forward at that. “My Lady, I will assemble and brief a small group of guards to accompany you.”92

“That’s not necessary, Ray. I’m not going far.”93

Ray, not wanting to show insubordination in front of Ishina, struggled to phrase his next statement. “Empress, you are the life and driving force of your race. You should be guarded even just five minutes from this house.”94

Ishina nodded. “It is not my place, Lady Kaht, but I would listen to Ray. Only think of what would happen to your people if something were to happen to you.”95

Looking annoyed and slightly shocked, Kaht nodded. “Alright,” she said. “But three is your limit and I don’t want you among them. I need you here to take care of things while I’m gone.”96

Ray bowed to his Empress. “As you wish, My Lady. I will assemble them now for your approval.” With that, Ray turned to leave.97

When he was gone, Ishina felt out of place and unprotected.98

“Well, Miss Ishina,” the Empress said. “I hear you are one of the few gifted with psychokinesis. Is that rumor truth?”99

Ishina nodded. “It is truth. I am one of only two throughout history that has mastered the bending of all space, time, matter, and energy. I believe your late husband was the other.”100

Kaht smiled. “He was,” she said with sadness in her eyes. “Will you be joining us for dinner?”101

Ishina smiled at both the invitation, and the abrupt change in subjects. “I thank you for the invitation, but no. I still have some preparations to make before Master Resik arrives tomorrow.”102

“Very well, then. Thank you for your message, and tell you Master I will be there.”103

Ishina bowed one more time. “As you wish,” she said. With that last parting statement, Ishina vanished from the room.104