Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Aftermath (II)

"Sir, the Bloo... Gjaki has been found in the City of Light," the mouse vampire informed, correcting himself in time. His boss didn't like her being called the Blood Queen. That was HIS kingdom.

"What's she doing there?" Kan Golge asked with interest.

"We only know that she went to visit some acquaintances, and she was involved in an altercation. We still don't know if she'll stay long or her goals," he explained.

"Mmmh. She's usually slippery. Keep watching her."

"Yes, my lord."

Thoughtful, the vampire waited for his minion to disappear. He didn't know if she would go to the dungeon for whatever reason, but he couldn't rule out that possibility. If she did, it was an opportunity he couldn't waste. Therefore, he took out some kind of mirror, and imbued mana into it.

"My Lord?" a voice was heard after a few seconds.

"Go to the City of Light. The Blood Queen is in town, and she might go to the dungeon. If she does, she'll probably be disguised. If you have the opportunity, you know what you have to do," he ordered them. There was disdain in his voice at the mention of her title.

"We leave immediately, my Lord."

He cut off the mana flow, and put the mirror back in one of the drawers. It would be a stroke of luck to get her, dead or alive, but he couldn't rely on that chance alone.

Unfortunately, he still had made no progress on many of his projects, thus forcing him to wait. Whether it was finding a substitute for Krovledi and cultivating them again, getting the Heart of the Eternal Flame, capturing some of the other ancestral vampires he thought were hiding with their enemies, taking down one of said enemies, finding the lost recipe for the potion of Rebirth, at least Renewal one, and many others.

He kept plotting, gathering information, recruiting subordinates, losing others. His war against his powerful enemies continued in the shadows. It was like it since the time they had managed to wound him so badly that he had lost much of his power.

"Although they paid for that," he muttered resentfully. "Next time, I'll be the winner."

"There's news about Eldi Hnefa. He's been seen in the City of Light," Ricardo informed.

"Do you know what he's doing there?" Elsa asked.

"No, they only managed to catch a glimpse of him, and inform one of our spies. There were three different sightings, so it's pretty reliable," he explained.

"What measures have been taken?" she asked.

"We've contacted the local assassins' guild. We've put a price on his head. They'll surely wait for him in the dungeon if they don't have a better chance outside. We have also sent some agents, but they'll take time to arrive."

"Has he grown so much to enter that dungeon!?" she was surprised.

"We're afraid that he has, although there's no confirmation."

"I see. Plans will have to be hastened. We'll need everything ready in case he returns to claim what belongs to us. We'll have to be ready, we don't know where he can appear from," she suggested.

"It won't be easy. The rebels are more active and dangerous than ever. They've even dared to attack the church," Ricardo revealed, worried.

"So I've heard. Damn. We have to finish him off. If we take his head, the rebels will lose all moral. What about her majesty?" Elsa sentenced.

"Impatient. She wants results now. The nobles are also scared."

"Good. It's time to talk to them. Maybe, it's better to wait for another attack. The more scared they are, the easier it'll be for them to collaborate," she plotted.

Ricardo felt a chill. That woman had no scruples.

Menxilya gently caressed her necklace, which seemed to shimmer subtly, as if reacting to her touch.

"It's getting closer," she murmured to herself, while staring at the gem. Nonetheless, her eyes seemed to go further, both in space and time.

"How's dad? When will he come back?" Lidia asked, as she leaned against her adoptive mother.

"He has gone to the City of Light. He'll soon enter the dungeon," she revealed, as her silky hands brushed the hair away from her daughter's face.

"So soon!?" Liodon, who had lost the race until there, was surprised.

"Maldoa has told me that they had a few problems, although they ended up being blessings. They leveled up faster than expected, and they even finished off a shadow," the dryad explained with pride in her voice.

"Ha, ha. Dad and his friends are amazing! I really want to see him again!" the black-haired woman wished.

"Me too!" Her brother agreed.

"We all want to see and hug him. I wonder if he'll forgive me..." Melia became depressed for an instant.

"Of course he will! Don't worry mom, he loves you," her daughter comforted her, hugging her.

"He's looking forward to meeting you. Trust him," her son also hugged her.

The affection of her children comforted her, although they failed to dispel her doubts and fears. She felt guilty, but there was nothing she could do. She could only wait, although the wait feel eternal.

The hardest times were when he went to the corrupted area or a dungeon. There, she couldn't see him through the senses of the plants. She really wanted to have him in her arms.

"Have you heard the rumors? Several gangs have disappeared," one of the bandits whispered.

"Ha, ha. Villagers tales to comfort themselves. If any group of adventurers was active looking for bandits, we'd know about it from the spies in the guild. There haven't been more rewards awarded than usual," her companion denied.

"Sssh! Shut up! A cart is coming!" the leader of their group scolded them.

They were divided into two groups, each one on one side of the road, waiting for their prey. They had been informed that the goods were valuable.

"Wait for my signal," the leader ordered, while she stared at the other side. She was waiting for the notification from the other group through the reflection of a mirror. "Not yet. Be still and be silent! Not yet. Not yet. Not yet. Now! Attack!!"

However, none of the arrows that she expected to see were shot towards the cart. She turned, visibly angry.

"What the fuck are you doing!? I said you attack...! Aaargggh!"

She had barely gotten a glimpse of the corpses of her companions, when a figure with catlike features grabbed her head with both hands. Without giving her time to react, they spun it at an impossible angle, thus snapping the neck.

"How're the others?" Miaunla asked.

"They're done," Raila replied.

"Good. Let's find their lair before they realize it," she urged.

Meanwhile, the merchants and their escort continued on their way. They were unaware of how close they had come to disaster.