Chapter 4 Power or Death

"MAKE A MAN CHOOSE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH AND I TELL YOU HE WILL CHOOSE BOTH."

***

PHASE ONE

"I don't know how this trail shall end up." The man in that red cloak sighed as he stood watching this blackened pentagram, the blood of the dead Waregoyles.

"Earth Venom", his associate said kneeling behind him, he too was also dressed in that same coloured cloak with the embroidery of an hour glass on their backs.

"There's no need for you to explain Enamur", Earth Venom said, his left fingers playing with that purple quill in his grip, "it's clear that someone had arrived here before us and one more thing is certain", the flash of lightning set his face ablaze exposing his red eyes and purple beard, "that same person is in possession of the Valtur and it's the same person, from the smell", Earth Venom sniffed, "who had unlocked the code of the seven Ciaran pillars."

***

"I told you father", she moaned with tears running down her eyes, "I said I love him !"

"How can you say such !" Patriarch Desmator Scolded, "A Mcvaller ... love a common drunkard - a scoundrel."

"But his father's a patriarch just like you - the Patriarch of the Balkyres !" Ora cried.

This wasn't the first time she had tried making her father understand that the only vampire she loved and wanted to be with was none other than the youngest son of the Balkyres - Balkyre Fang. Unfortunately, her heart's choice was a complete disaster, would her family allow her get married to the black sheep of one of the most prominent families, maybe for the gains but for another thing, it was against what they deemed a fitting match - especially her father, patriarch Desmator Mcvaller.

"But father", Ora continued her plea, "you could gain a lot from having me getting married to the Balkyres as a father-in-law."

"You brat and unthinking wench !" Desmator fired, "Why can't you get married to the eldest or second son of the Balkyre heirs instead of that good-for-nothing, pub juggling, demon monkey !"

"I don't love them" She snarled.

"Love ?" Desmator stared at his only daughter quizzically, "weren't you the one who was speaking of gains just a moment ago ? Am I not going to gain more from having you married to the first or second son of the Balkyres instead of allowing you waste your beauty on some trench - a wooden barrel."

"Don't be too greedy patriarch Desmator", that calm female voice called at the doorway of the Mcvaller's main mansion.

Her brown dress and black frocks glistening of enchanted pearls, that umbrella and cat held to her chest - that hat with a veil. Desmator Mcvaller couldn't catch his breath - Theonis Balkyre was at his mansion !

"What brings you here daughter of the prestigious Balkyre family ?!" Desmator said walking towards Theonis then taking a bow.

"Nothing special, just the normal business routine", Theonis said, then her purple eyes fell on Ora, glistening like the moon full of hatred, "why not allow your daughter make her choice patriarch Desmator", Theonis curdled her cat, "it won't be a bad thing if the lovers are wedded. At least Fang has a position as the son of the patriarch, there still are a lot of things you might gain from being linked to the Balkyres even though Fang is nothing other than a drunkard."

Ora knew what Theonis meant without being told, for her family to know their place. From what she had seen here, it wasn't hard to understand why Fang wouldn't want to be a part of this family's scuffle, but why Fang ? Why go down to this extent ?

PHASE TWO

"O HO ! O HO ! THERE LIVED IN THE BARS OF MALMA

A MAN SO DASHING AND YOUNG THAT MAIDENS DIED FOR HIM

A SCOUNDREL KNOWN AND A DRUNKARD WHOLE

HIS GUT WAS AN ALCOHOL'S HOLE !"

That moving chariot stopped a few metres away from the entrance of the most popular bar of the province of Malma, popular not because it was five star, but because of the one man who always frequented this place, the fourth son of Balkyre Mor, Balkyre Fang.

"His highness, prince Megraz", Erman Felak, the second prince's subordinate said, "why waste your time over such a nuisance ?"

"Time will tell Felak", the second prince said as he stared at the entrance of Bermon's Bar through the chariots curtain, "time will tell, but before that", prince Magrez smiled, "I think those at the bar will really have a good story to tell."

"What do you mean prince Magrez ?" Felak was bewildered.

"You know how desperate some women can be", Megraz pulled at his moustache, "especially when it has to do with love."

***

"This isn't the hundredth time that this is happening !" Ora yelled.

"And it won't be the last either", a drunk Fang replied.

"My father isn't happy about our relationship."

"Why would he be ?" Fang stared at Ora from the couch he was lying on, a dripping bottle of wine lying on his chest, "when he knows I'm a drunkard and", he said waving a shaking fist at her, "who agreed to be in a relationship with you !"

"YOU !" Ora yelled.

She was frustrated about Fang's behavior, she was frustrated about the fact that she loved him nonetheless and she was frustrated about the fact that he refused to change.

"What kind of man do you think would chose to live a life like this instead of being responsible ?!" Ora thundered, the cloak she was wearing to cover her blue dress almost falling.

And what kind of woman, Ora thought, would sneak out of her home in search of a man in one of the most dangerous places at the peak of night ?

"Fellas !" Fang yelled as he jumped on his feet, "what kind of man do you think this lass is implying ?"

"Balkyre Fang is the man !!!" The men at the Bar chanted.

"They say time is ever moving", Fang said deftly, ignoring the presence of Ora standing before him, "but to me it's just an illusion."

"Is that why you fool around all night instead of trying to make yourself a better and more respected man ?" Ora screamed at Fang.

"Respected man ?", Fang laughed, his hand covering his mouth as he tried to prevent himself from vomiting all the wine he had drank, " respected ? Even if I were still that boy who's only hobby was a library, a paper and a pen, I would never be respected."

"I don't care", Ora defended.

"Neither do I" Fang replied.

"I preferred that man who's only hobby was reading instead of a drunkard." Ora moaned.

"Yeah", Fang replied, "I still prefer him", lifting his barrel of wine from the table and shouting at the top of his voice, taking charge of his position once again as the head of this bar, "but the drunkard is better, ain't so lads ?!"

"Ahoy master Fang !" His comrades replied.

"Instead of being sullied with petty ambitions of a power ridden family", he said taking a ravenous gulp, "I'd rather drown in my drunken dreams !"

PHASE THREE

"It's time Felak", prince Magrez said, "dispatch the men to bring me Balkyre Fang and leave as I've ordered you, it's best you don't hear our discussion."

"His highness knows best", Felak sighed as he came down the chariot, "I'll do as you have ordered."

***

Fang was surprised to see himself whisked from the bar into this chariot and not just any chariot, the royal family's chariot with the second prince sitting before him, Megraz Vel Nor, one of three demons vying for the throne of this realm. What had he done ? Fang wondered, to have him kidnapped by the prince ? Well Fang concluded, he'll just have to play along, the normal way.

"His majesty", Fang burped, the bottle of alcohol still in his hands from when he had been dragged out of the bar by the prince's guards, "what brings you here in the middle of the night, or ..." Fang burped again, his cheeks getting more flustered, "you came for ..."

Prince Magrez snatched the bottle of alcohol from Fang and bringing out a glass cup from the chariot's drawers, he filled it to brim.

"A drink your majesty ? !" Fang asked dazed, he couldn't help being surprised, even though he was a grandmaster of surprises, this was beyond what he could handle.

"Surprised ?" The prince said wiping the wine spewing from the sides of his lips. "You aren't the only one fit to take a sip from the seas of the arcane Balkyre Fang, I too am capable of such."

"What do you mean his highness the prince !" Fang cried in his hysterical way, "I'm but an ordinary man !"

"Cut the act Balkyre Fang", Magrez gave a cunning smirk, "you can fool everyone else, even his majesty", pointing at himself, the prince concluded, "but not me."

"What do you mean your highness ?" Fang asked with a drunken stare.

"I only have two words for you Balkyre Fang and you must choose one", Magrez revealed, "dukedom or death."