Chapter 195: Violet Meets the Rogue King
Violet walked through the portal. At first it was dark. But then Ezelreth snapped her fingers and ghostly transparent light appeared and moved in fluid patterns short distances, before disappearing and reappearing behind the everyone, just to repeat the same process.
Ezelreth moved them all forward, walking on nothing, just empty space. The moving light leading them through the dark.
This part, Violet was glad she didn’t look away and watched the screen. It was simple, yet perfect.
"The blood got us the light, you see, amplified blood magic wasn’t a bad idea? Look how pretty the little lights are." He pointed at it sounding condescending.
She wasn’t going to let him spoil this moment for her.
She was walking through a weyline. The oldest form of travel, reserved for ancients and people of the old world. She couldn’t believe it; this was a once and a lifetime opportunity.
Ezelreth peeped the smile on her face. And he didn’t hate it.
He watched her watch the lights. Coming to a door. A single white door, and not a soft white, but a loud white, one that screamed against the black around it. The wonder in her eyes reminded him of Lilith’s when he first showed her the weylines.
"Welcome, Queen Violet, to the Rogue King’s kingdom." Ezelreth smiled.
His grin was something twisted, making Violet want to throw up all of the coffee she drank yesterday.
When she walked through the portal, she found herself entranced by what she saw. It was a kingdom built of rock and stone. There were thousands of shifters. She could sense them all. Their feeling hitting her hard and fast.
She could taste their fear and anger and caution.
The weary eyes that looked at her as she walked by. The low growls that Ezelreth met with fire and fangs back. Forcing some of the shifters to recoil, curling into themselves.
They could feel it. The immense power radiating off her. Some cowered in fear others felt drawn in by the darkness that incased her body.
Behind were the thousands of Turned Ezelreth made with her. And when the shifters saw them, some screamed and ran, others moved further back, some bringing children away from the walkways.
The Turned moved, dragging their feet with an eerie calm. Leaving a feeling of unsettling dread in their wake. Their eyes focused ahead on Violet’s back. Faces drained of life and void of emotions.
The so called army he would use to get Odette back and take over the world.
The people parted like the sea for them, until she reached a large wooden manor.
Violet could see it all from the back of her own mind. It was unlike anything she’s ever seen. Walls of jagged crystals incased this place. There was no light, no sky, just empty blackness above her. The ground was grey and glittering. There was no grass anywhere. No trees. Just stone and rock.
"Where are we?" She asked Ezelreth.
"My dearest, we are deep inside a mountain. In a plane all its own. Connected by weylines. A convergence spot, so to speak." He answered.
"A lonely rogue found me when I was weak buried deep in a mountain, not unlike this one we’re in now, but that mountain was guarded by the first shifters and a powerful spirit from this plane. His pain and anger called out to me waking me from my forced slumber. He helped free my spirit. He helped me find a body; he helped me get to you. Little by little. The only worthy vessel for untamed power like mine." He added on.
His words gave her chills, another stark reminder of how she fell so easily right into his evil trap. Literally handing herself over to him.
"Cerberus, my father, my god. He made sure the rogue had everything he needed to make it all happen. This time I won’t fail him." Ezelreth sounded like her was trying to convince himself more than anyone.
"And if you don’t and you fail, and the MoonChild beats you again. Then what?" Violet had a spark of defiance in her voice. Which amused Ezelreth.
"Oh, my dear, I will not lose. I have a weapon this time, that I didn’t have last time. Not only do I have a hostage, but an army of shifters alongside my army of Turned." He laughed mockingly at Violet. The edges of his voice were sharp.
’Hostage?’ she thought. ’Did he know Odette was the MoonChild?’
Violet tried to mask her fear with something like disgust along with her anger.
But he didn’t let on or elaborate any further.
The double doors to the house opened and she was lead inside by two armed wolves. But they recognized her as the Queen of Vampires and couldn’t for the life of them fathom what she was doing here. Their instincts to attack were on fire. But with an army like that behind her and her being meant she was invited.
What was their king thinking? They were stumped.
"There is my long lost friend, I’ve been wondering when I’d see you again." I tall well built red haired man approached them. He had freckles all over his face and a well trimmed beard. His face looked kind, pleased even.
Violet was surprised he greeted her like this. ’Long lost friend?’ have they met before?
"Theoron, I said I would deliver you an army, and I meant it." Ezelreth smiled creepily with Violet’s face.
This was the rogue king.
"That you did, and you really did bring me the vampire queen herself. Is she still in there with you or did you fully take her body?" He eyed Violet’s body lustfully.
"Don’t disgust me with such vile thoughts. Don’t be a fucking pig, Theoron." Ezelreth let out a low warning growl from Violet’s throat.
Theoron corrected himself instantly, as if he remembered this wasn’t actually Violet the vampire queen, but darkness itself residing in her body.
"My apologies, your grace." Theoron lowered his head to them.
His guards exchanged confused glances. Ezelreth caught it and jerked to the side and in less than a blink he was in front of them.
"Leave." One word so final and absolute the guards scurried before he even finished his words.
Ezelreth looked back at Theoron "Now let’s find a quiet place to talk about our next move. Find a place to put my army. They also need to be fed. Find them something to eat."
"Yes, it will be done." Theoron opened up the pack channel and gave the order to some of his trusted guards.
It was execution time.
With no more words exchanged Theoron led them to a room that was filled with the most basic of furniture. A desk and some chairs. Nothing exciting, it was almost insulting to invite a powerful monarch to such an overly humble room.
Taking a seat Theoron speaks first, "My soldiers are ready and awaiting your command."