Chapter 10

• *Underground Army*
• The Underground Council had examined the data they had obtained. After hours of conversations, the topic being possible ways to deal with the unregistered vampires and generals they still came up empty-handed.
• Knowing the generals and the Unregistered vampire's approximate location was not the issue. Getting to them would be a suicide mission.
• "We need exsperts!" Mukair stated.
• There was not much disagreement with Mukair's comment. Commander Kleekkel tapped his fingers off the table as he was thinking.
• "If we could only get to Alpha Cesa ..."
• Commander Kleekkel brought his head up and glanced at Mukair, "what could the ice clan do that no one here can?"
• "They are the experts when it comes to mountain terrain." Zane was carrying a hot cup of coffee to the table. Sitting down in the seat, "If there is anyone that can get us in and out of Azgar Mountian, it will be them." Gulping his coffee. "The mountain queen has attacked and won several battles against the Bruha clan. There is a reason why no one attacks Stormfall Mountain. Alpha Cesa's bloodline has kept the region secure for over 200 years. Even Coldfurgus did not dare to dispute nor go up against her directly."
• "Okay!" Commander Kleekkel muttered, "the mountains are covered in ice and snow," Pointing to the map, "except the ground floor. Their mountains are shielded by miles of solid rock. How do we get to them?"
• "We have tunnels going to but not in ... at least from here!" Vygrum pointed at the map. "We are going to have to travel to Sigmison." He tapped the location on the map. "Davwer and Alpha Cesa have good relations. As children they were inseparable."
• "Ah!" Commander Kleekkel had in his mind where the conversation was going.
• "As children, they played in the tunnels. Davwan remembers these tunnels and is trying to dig from his side to the exsisting trails. The problem is ..."
• "The solid rock!" Commander Kleekkel hissed out in frustration. "We may have to wait until the ice melts." Shaking his head, "By that time ... the crisis could be worse than they are now."
• "Our top priority is to make sure we do not end up like the Eastern Kingdoms. A full assault on Azgar ... is going to have to wait." Zane said as he drank the rest of his coffee.
• "I need to get back to my ship and get a hold of Lord Zinpetor. He has the authority to get more reinforcement." Commander Kleekkel stood up, "If the goal is to attack Azgar, you are going to need more than a clan of shifters to take on a general that has been around for more than 5000 years."
• "While we wait for Stormfall Mountain to thaw," Zane stood up, "there are unregistered vampires in the belly of the West that need to be delt with."
• The men pounded on the table, getting up they followed Zane out of the location.
• ***
• “Hive to Little Island?” Mukair unpressed the receiver button.
• “Little Ship here!”
• Smiling, “took you long enough. What is your visual?” Mukair waited for a reply.
• “We are at the target!” Mukair could hear someone in the background yelling “Fire!”
• Pressing the receiver button, Mukair was no longer smiling, “Report, Little Ship!”
• “Target is littered with parasites. We are dropping bombs to clear the infestation!” There was a bit of humour in Little Ship's voice.
• Huffing out trying not to chuckle, “how many bombs do you think it will take?”
• “Ah … we have fired three so far. Legs and arms are still twitching. I think maybe another four or six should do the trick. Then we will take the blow torches to make sure they are not moving for good!”
• With a brow raised, “Mukair, don’t you think that is a little ... overkill?” Vygrum asked as he was snickering.
• “Little Ship said their legs were still twitching!” Mukair smiled ear to ear. “How big of an infestation are we looking at?
• “Ah … maybe half a million parasites. Shit is flying every.where!” Little Ship was now chuckling as he unclicked the receiver button.
• “Dorasea has always enjoyed their missiles!” Zairnem pointed out a fact.
• “Hive to Little Ship … don’t use up any unnecessary missiles. More vermins are heading your way they just left Wyrms Lake!” Zane took the receiver from Mukair who was full-on laughing.
• “Oh Big Daddy you know I like it when you talk dirty!” Little Island replied.
• Everyone took the time to laugh at Little Island's soiled humour.
• Trying not to laugh, “You're not my type but if you were I would punish you for that dirty mouth of yours!” Zane handed the receiver to Mukair.
• Still chuckling, “we are all locked and loaded. Over and out!” Little Island ended the conversation.
• “Over and out!” Mukair replied. Placing the receiver down. “That pup is going to be trouble.”
• Turning, “I know and I am glad he is on our side!” Zane was getting ready to leave the location.
• “Boss! Are we going to get ready to hunt down our parasites?” Mukair was close behind his friend.
• Clapping his hands together, "operation take back is about to commence. Make sure everything is packed and ready to go. Are the runners ready?" Zane was leading the group down the tunnel to the main chamber.
• "We have set Commander Kleekkel up with a runner." Mukair stated. "They should have left for the battleships. The runners should be fitted and ready by now."
• It was going to take them five days of hard running to get to their target.
• *Whispering Port*
• The emperor's military roamed around what was left of Whispering Port. Locating only bits and pieces of unregistered vampires, Lord Kherr had set off the blue flare.
• While the emperor's army waited for the shifters to make land. He and his fighters roamed the land, cutting off the heads of any unregistered vampire that they came by.
• “You allow the pups to play with the pew pews and they will create craters the size of a stadium.” An Ancillae fighter commented.
• Laughing, “you're jealous that it wasn’t you who did the damage!” His comrade replied.
• “Well … they could have left us something besides kibbles and bits!” The Ancillae fighter pouted.
• Strolling casually, Captain Xankin and Xowrick joined the group in the small group conversation. “Don't worry there are more where they came from.” He gave them a cheeky grin, "We are going to start setting up base."
• “It is going to be difficult to do that since all the shelter is ... rubble now.” An Ancillae fighter pointed out.
• Glancing around the area and shrugging his shoulder, "At least things are flattened out!" Captain Xankin smirked.
• Snorting, "you are no longer in charge of the artilery!" Lord Kherr was shaking his head. “Do you know this region well?”
• Captain Xankin nodded once to the lord vampire, “I had family that lived in this region. I don’t remember all of the positions of the houses, but …”
• Lord Kherr smirked, “I only need that!” Taking his attention to Captain Xowrick, “I want you to work with my second, Safsys. We need to make sure we have all of the necessary equipment especially the portable two-way communicator!”
• Captain Xankin nodded his head, "I will make sure the men set up the security and tents. Everything will be set up before the sun sets for the day."
• Safsys glanced at the shifter, “After you!” He motioned with his hands for the two captains to guide the way.
• ***
• "Any news?" Davder asked his brother as he kneeled to the ground.
• Shaking his head no, "It could be that there is a listener and Red Fang and Big Daddy are on a mission." Firxis had spent nearly an hour trying to get a hold of an Underground official.
• Standing up, "We should have never left the land for the island." Davder stated. "Keep trying! I am going to make sure that all of the tunnels are still sealed and not exposed."
• "I will find you if I hear anything!" Firxis said as he continued to turn the dial of the two-way communicator.
• ***
• The area was still dusty after the captains had dropped the bombs on what was Whispering Port. Without land markers, it was going to be difficult to find the hidden entrances.
• Davder knew that if he could find them, so would the unregistered vampires.
• Up ahead, Davder spotted a group of fighters talking among each other.
• "Boss, do you have anything for us to do?" Craimie stood up knowing the all too familiar expression on his leader's face.
• The Ancillae fighters glared at Davder not understanding completely what was going on. "I thought the captains were the group leader?"
• The Underground warriors slowly chuckled, "We are not theirs to command." Davder glanced at Craimie, "We need to scout out the hidden entrances and make sure they remain that way."
• "Hidden entrances?" The Ancillae fighters stood up.
• "Yeah!" Davder said as he turned around, "Those trigger-happy morons could have killed innocent citizens that could have been hiding underground. Craimie you take the south. Woldove, Carbwynn, Syltrana, Theryaries, Hoqwyn and Resviel ... you go with Craimie. The rest of you are with me." Davder ordered the Underground Army.
• ***
• With the tents set up, Lord Kherr, Safsys and the two captains were having a meeting at what they called home base.
• “This is where we are.” Captain Xankin pointed to the map. “The feral vampires were seen coming from Bazzu. We have to assume that the feral vampires that we bombed today were part of that group.” He placed his hand on Wyrms River. “This is another location where feral vampires have been spotted.” He then placed his finger on Erolzwald. “We have to assume that they are making the ruins of Erolzwald their new coven.”
• Lord Kherr listened to everything the captain had to say, “do you remember the layout of Erolzwald?”
• Both the captains began to chuckle as they recounted their last moments at Erolzwald. How they had managed to escape but not before they had set the explosives. Their whole demeanour changed when they spoke about the elderly and the depressed. Lowering their heads in a moment of silence, they told the vampire lord how they sacrificed their lives so that the warriors could escape.
• “If it wasn't for their sacrifice, we would not be here!” Captain Xowrick stated.
• “We can not forget the Ancillae fighters, they kept the Erolzwald and Unnash fighters a live well Lord Ascelius went to warn Stormfall Mountain of what was going on and to get a hold of Emperor Baldwin.” Captain Xenkin kept his head slightly lowered.
• The flaps to the tent had been pushed to the side. “Are you ladies done chatting?” Davder and Firxis strolled in making sure that no one was standing nearby.
• In Firxis' hand were stones he had picked up from the ground. Placing them on the map, “Silver Heath, Bone Hill, Burha Keep, Sarde Swamp, Erolzwald, Pabrycg and Golden Jungle … all of these areas have been taken over.”
• Lord Kherr glared at Firxis, "and how do you know this information?"
• "My brother knows the codes and has access to the higher-ups!" Davder answered. "We have a serious problem!" He pointed at the map.
• Grunting, “and what makes you two qualified to tell us what is going on?” Safsys had his arms crossed in front of his chest.
• Davder and Firxis glanced at each other, “you are looking at these two as if they know what is going on. They are not part of the system.” Firxis stated his truth.
• “Again, what makes you qualified to tell us what to do?” Safsys repeated himself.
• “Captain Xowrick, what was the first thing I told you when our forces met at Erolzwald?" Davder had his sight on the captains, neither one of them had spoken. “We will work beside you. We will share information to keep everyone alive. But we do not take orders from you.”
• Lord Kherr’s slowly chuckled, “you are part of this army are you not?”
• “No!” Firix said slowly. “We are part of the Underground Society …” He smiled from ear to ear, “the same people you have been talking to!” He dropped the stones in the middle of the map. “We take orders from only the Alpha Queen, Red Fang or Bid Daddy.” Firix turned and walked out of the tent.
• "Firxis ... take a walk!" Davder was shaking his head as he watched his brother walk out of the tent.
• Clicking his tongue, “That is unacceptable behaviour.” Lord Kherr’s eyes were glowing red. He glared at the direction that Firix had walked out.
• Sighing, “my brother has always been hot headed. But he only speaks the truth. Could have lowered his tone a bit but the words were true. We are and will always be loyal to the Bloodrose bloodline. And don't forget Finja is a Bloodrose ... she is our alpha queen and if we have it our way empress.”
• Lord Kherr and Safsys laughed at Davder as if he had told the funniest joke. "Emperor Baldwin is and will remain the emperor."
• “I wouldn’t laugh too hard … she is also a vampire. A hybrid, but a vampire! Someone who could match the emperor in strength if she so wished too. She is someone that the underground society trusts and loves dearly. The whole family has brought shifters, humans and vampires together. Living in harmony without conviction or prejudice. We are all treated equally and given the same opportunities and liberties if one so wishes to have. The family has done more for the whole, than any leader has ever attempted.” Davder studied the group, “if it were not for his untimely death, Rimvan would have held the title. Now it is between Finja and Big Daddy as to who will wear the crown.” Tapping the table, “But enough chit chat ... we have a serious issue on our hands.”
• "Like how your brother will be reprimanded!" Lord Kherr had glowing red eyes.
• Forcing a smile, "Those trigger-happy morons revealed a tunnel! A tunnel that leads to the underground society chambers." Davder pointed at the two captains.
• "We didn't know!" Captain Xowrick had a shocked expression.
• "But you knew that my brother and our army were a part of the Underground Army. You also knew that we sent citizens from all the kingdoms to the caverns underground. You also knew that hidden tunnels were stretching from one kingdom to the next. Did it not occur to you, to consult me or Firxis? Our kin is hiding in the Whispering Mountains. The tunnel that leads from here to there!" Davder was doing everything in his power not to lose all control over his temper. "If anything happens ..."
• Cutting Davder off, "Show me where this tunnel is!" Lord Kherr ordered.
• ***
• Lord Kherr and Safsys had surveyed the land. It was very clear, with the grove of the land that the area had fallen in on itself. They both knew a vampire with two brain cells could figure out this was a passageway. They would be able to dig up the area and would be able to gain access to the underground in no time.
• The plan was simple, they were going to set off explosives to obscure the trail that ran to the outskirts of Whispering Port. Blending everything together and keeping the people safe.
• "How far away is Whispering Mountains from here?" Safsys asked Firix.
• Glaring out into the distance, "three days for a shifter!" Davder kept his blank expression.
• "Fire in the hole!" An Ancillae fighter shouted as six separate explosions had gone off.
• "How many shifters, humans and nomads are there in this system of your?" Lord Kherr asked.
• "I am not sure! The Underground Society was designed to house three billion without an ecosystem collapse. From what Rimvan told us, the system was not completed. This is not including the other kingdoms that have their own underground system." Davder replied with a grim expression. "There were once over ten billion souls here. By the end of this war ... we will be lucky if there are four billion."
• No words were spoken as they all waited for the dust to settle. Lord Kherr examined the area. "The outline of the tunnel is not visible. Only someone that knows where to look would notice the land difference."
• "As soon as the wall is built ... no one will be able to tell!" Safsys added to the conversation.
• "This might help my brother's concerns and fears." Davder brought his attention to the vampires. "There is a reason why we don't use bombs near any community and this would be the reason. Unless Red Fang or Big Daddy say so, pistols are the only thing that should be used."
• "Pistols are useless against vampires!" Lord Kherr pointed out a fact.
• "Not unless the shells are laced with poison!" Firix smiled as he joined his brother. "Big Daddy and his crew have started mission take over."
• Davder smiled, "that means the people are now safe and into routine. Did he say if we move out?"
• "Negative! Hydrophiinae stated they are coming our way. From reports ... there are more unregistered vampires heading this way ... with fledglings!" Firix glared at the vampire lord. "Did you have friends or kin that were sent from Borne Keep to Asgar territory?"
• "I had friends!" Safsys stepped forward.
• "I am sorry man!" Firix cleared his throat, "Our men ... it was reported to Hydrophiinae that a fleet of vampires dressed in the emperor's uniform was found. The message said that it appeared like they had been dead for a while. Bleed dry!"
• Safsys and Lord Kherr were seeing red, "their deaths will not go unpunished." Safsys hissed.
• "Hydrophiinae also gave the order ..." He brought his attention to his brother, "direct order from Big Daddy ... we are to cooperate with the vampire lord. We are now in radio silence!"
• Hissing, "What does that mean?" Lord Kherr was still seeing red.
• "It means ... they found a spy!" Davder turned on his heel as he motioned his feet towards their camp.