Chapter 2 A Scheming Heaven, a Treacherous Hell

"THE WORLD IS A SCHEMING HEAVEN AND A TREACHEROUS HELL."

***

PHASE ONE

The sounds coming from this bar were loud, the drunken cheers of men could be heard and the smell of alcohol reeked from all within this bar. But there was one who was at the centre of it all, he was the cause of all this commotion and steering the drunken minds of these men even deeper into the sea of false fantasies, it was no other person than Balkyre Fang, the son of Duke Balkyre Mor.

"Hahaha !", Fang laughed, his cheeks red from having drank way beyond what his head could handle, "come on lads", he steered the spirits of the men at the bar, " even the king of vampires can't stop me from having my fun, not to talk of that old man called Balkyre Mor !"

"Damn Balkyre Mor !" The men yelled.

"And damn his mercenary children !" Balkyre yelled throwing both hands into the air with wine spilling from the brim of the bottle in his left hand.

"But aren't you a Balkyre, master Fang ?" One of the drunk men asked with a smirk.

"Come on lads !" Fang yelled, "I'm not Balkyre's son, I am", he swaggered as he took a sip from his bottle of alcohol, "Balkyre's prodigal son !"

"BALKYRE'S PRODIGAL SON !!!" The men of the bar cheered.

"Master Balkyre !" Another called, "I think you are more fit to be the duke than your eldest brother Vanficus."

"YES !!!" The men of the bar hailed, "BALKYRE FANG SHOULD BE NEXT DUKE."

"Hold on boys", Fang calmed the men down waving his hands, "who cares about a stupid title, when I can steal enough money without having to sweat a single day. Why bother myself with damn politics when I can enjoy for the rest of my life without working a single day."

"Such a wise decision master Fang", one of the male vampires called Vervan said.

"Indeed Vervan", Fang said, "why waste my time knowing that after my father's demise I shall inherit a part of his fortune. That's how you play politics friends."

"WISE MASTER FANG !" The men at the bar cheered.

"Because of this", Fang said beckoning to a vampire barmaid who brought a bottle of wine with a bronze cap to fang, "I shall reward you all with the most expensive wine in the entire province of Malma."

The cap burst from the brim of the bottle as Fang opened it with his mouth. The foam frothed unceasingly and Fang poured it all over himself.

"Malma's most exquisite", he burped, "the Alpha Centuria. A bottle for everyone, drink to your contentment and let's all be merry like cherubs !"

***

"I can't believe his majesty, the prince will send us - the elite guards of the royal family to keep a constant eye on a fool." One of the two vampires sitting at a dark corner of the bar said to his companion.

"His highness, prince Magrez has his reasons which we can't question.", The other replied.

"It makes sense", said the first as two other cloaked vampires walked past them quietly leaving the bar without anybody noticing, "being that we aren't the only ones watching him."

"I can smell their blood", the first observed, "can you ?"

"I can too", the second confirmed.

"MANE'S CITADEL", the first mused, "Mistress Theonis' personal guards of mercenaries."

"She too is part of this hide and seek game isn't she ?" The first suggested.

"It may be, just like his majesty, the prince", the second guard analyzed, "she too has her suspicions about what Balkyre Fang is capable of doing."

PHASE TWO

The two cloaked men climbed into the chariot waiting for them at the corner of this dark and silent street. Stepping into the dimly lit interior of the chariot, the outline of a female vampire could be seen seated with a fancy fan and hat which had a veil that covered her face. The only thing that couldn't be hidden were her burning purple eyes.

"Did you notice anything suspicious ?", The woman asked her henchmen.

"Nothing of any importance concerning your younger brother, Balkyre Fang, madam Theonis." One of the men replied.

"You said nothing concerning Balkyre Fang, what does that mean ?" Theonis asked fanning herself from the dry wind.

"The royal family's guards are also watching over Balkyre Fang." The second henchman revealed.

"Interesting", Theonis mused, "and what would make his majesty interested in an ordinary drunkard ?"

"If I'm not mistaken", the first henchman said, "it's the same reason as yours but in a somewhat different motive."

"I already know who it is Arman" Theonis replied Arman, her first subordinate who was a werewolf.

"Let me make a guess madam Theonis", said Dartor the second henchman, a vampire, "it's prince Magrez Vel Nor."

"You are correct Dartor", Theonis affirmed, "he's the only one amongst the three prince's who doesn't deal with the Balkyres and yet he's stalking a black sheep of the family. None of the other princes would associate themselves with a waste like Fang, they would rather come to us who have the power and influence to turn the tides. The second prince's actions make him even more suspicious."

"What do you suggest we do madam Theonis ?" Arman asked.

"Let us play this petty game together", Theonis replied, "act like we don't notice we are being watched, why pay so much attention when it comes to a waste Like Fang ? But if the prince turns Fang into a threat, then I'm afraid", Theonis bit her lips, licking the blood which rolled down her jaws, "the end of that batling of a brother is just around the corner."

PHASE THREE

"His majesty seems to be against the passing of the Bill of Five Annexations." Said counsellor Morman to the first prince.

Artor stared through the window of his room, he knew who was the real cause of this. Although he was the first son, he was supposed to wield as much power to do whatever he pleased, but that wasn't the case. Having a second and a third brother, both scheming demons with no limits to what they could contort, his position as the next king was threatened.

"It's as I have said earlier", prince Artor replied, "Magrez must be eliminated."

***

Their hands clasped, the cold and dead hands of monstrous manipulators of the upcoming generations of dark creatures. They ruled the underworld and the underworld was the blueprint of their imperial game.

"It's been a while madam Theonis", said the third prince, Valoris Greta.

"It's most gracious of you to come to my humble mansion his royal highness." Theonis said taking a bow.

"When you say humble", the prince said, "you mean exquisite."

"Not at all his majesty Valoris Greta", Theonis replied, "it's nothing compared to the royal family."

"Indeed", the prince replied, "but hearing this from a Balkyre makes it even more unbelievable, hypocritical would be the right word to use in this situation."

"Your highness", Theonis blushed, feigning denial, "why would I be deceitful to his majesty."

"This isn't a matter of deception", the vampire prince explained, his green eyes glistening with the intense fire of a hawk, "it's a well known fact that throughout the entire Vercan realm, the wealth of the Balkyres can only be rivalled by the royal family alone."