Rituals, Regrets, and Really Dumb People

Chapter 1: The River Red, Part 1

"Turn back, Sanguine!"

I loved how they plead with me from on top of their monastery-fort's wall. They knew they were in trouble; they had, maybe, around one—two—hundred vampire and human monks while I had nearly six hundred battle-hardened cultists, demons, and mutants. That wasn't even counting my machines of war, like my helfire cannons. Hell, that wasn't even counting me, and I made up a legion all on my own in terms of power.

"I don't think so," I shouted at the Penitent monk leaning over the wall. "Open your doors and give me the Seal and I'll let you live 'til I remake the world. I promise you this much, on my honor as a tyrant."

"You have no honor, Sanguine. We will not give the Seal up to the likes of you!"

I raised my hand and I began flapping it in mockery. I sat back down on my throne on the back of the giant truck that had carried me all the way here. Heroes always persisted in doing dumb things like putting up a fight when, clearly, the odds were against them. They were not going to deny me, yet here I was, being talked down to by some dirt farmer holding a spear and thinking that he was my equal in combat. What a stooge.

"Master," someone said to me. I looked to my right and saw her climbing up the side of the giant truck bed to reach me.

It was Josephine—Jo—talking. Pretty girl, and smart too. She was my head engineer—my rage-i-neer as I lovingly called her. She was about twenty, given to me by her father in hopes that she would find a better life under my guidance and resources. Her dad was a terrific battle engineer and she was a prodigy much like he was. Even looked like him too; dark haired, hawkish nose, those strong green eyes, constantly wearing coveralls. Her more charming features came from her mom, who I heard was a real good assassin in her younger days.

"Yes, what is it, Jo?"

"We can take the gate down in one barrage with the cannons."

"Then why haven't you yet?" I asked in a tone of annoyance, my brows bunched up. I have lackeys who mean well, but they always bumblefucked around.

"We always wait for your command, master."

True, I probably would have whipped any of them for going ahead without my word. Good call, Jo. "Wait, where is Dimitri before we start?"

Jo raised her oil-coated hand and pointed to my left. I looked over and saw my Dimitri standing there silently. Hell, it made me jump from my throne.

"For fuck's sake, Dimitri, why do you always sneak up on me?"

He shrugged. I don't think he has ever spoken to me like a normal human being. He was the strong, silent type, wearing fine clothing with a regal overcoat. It sort of gave him an air of nobility—or it would have if he didn't wear ragged masks tied around his head, covering most of his face. Eccentric as he may have been, one could not argue with his talents; he was a grandmaster assassin and my chosen enforcer.

"Okay then, everyone is counted for," I remarked. "Blow the gate up and call Bloodfeast over. Once the gate falls, we enter."

I stood up from my throne and gave my attire one more check over. You had to look good when you were making a first impression; that always lasted the longest in people's minds, so you wanted to let them know you were up to the task of conquering and enslaving them. People just didn't respect a tyrant who didn't fit the role.

Robes fixed properly and as red as a sea of blood? Check. My morning star nice and prickly? Check. My staff? Where's my staff. I turned to my throne and found my spellstaff propped on the arm. I picked it up, the skull swinging a little, loose in its bindings. I'll have to fix that when I get back to my castle; nothing was more annoying than a skull swinging loosely on your spellstaff. I also owed it to Leo Valormane to see that his skull was tied there properly.