Kael Cor: A Vampire's Awakening Chapter 251 Dragons VIII : Invasion, The Sixth Temple

I was quite reluctant about leaving the valley, not after everything I just experienced here. I felt that if I went back outside to the world, then all of my problems will come hurtling back at me at full force, that the peace I've manage to finally get here, would vanish into air, like it was never there in the first place.
I forgave my mother, to be honest it felt a little surreal to me, because I felt that this was something I would never have done in the first place. Only I knew how great a capacity for hate I had, especially towards my mother. I never imagined I would have been able to forgive her, to let go of all her sins and mistakes just as easily as I just did. But that would be wrong, because forgiveness was not easy, it was painful.
Letting go of my anger and animosity, left me feeling empty for a moment, but it was good kind of empty. Like a showdown or cloud that has invariably chased after me for both of my lives, finally left and the sun shone on me, clearly for the first time. I can't say I wasn't still angry and upset at her for all her fuck ups, but there was no hate, and that was saying something. I had likened my mother to Lucifer himself, but I guess I finally accepted that truly, even angels fall.
We left the fog hidden valley, and just like that it disappeared. The entrance to the valley, with the fog and everything, disappeared, and what was left behind was a mountain wall, with a tunnel that led into it. I was surprised, and behind shocked, because this was the place we were just coming from, but now it had disappeared, and a new path was open to us. I turned to look at Bobo with a questioning look on my face, but based on how he raised his haunches, he also had no idea what just happened.
The path to the final temple led into the tunnel for some reason, which was rather convenient, but still convincing. This was weird on the level of Narnia or something of the sort, one moment I was somewhere, and the next somewhere else. But I guess this was the least of all the weird things I've seen so far, and it should not be as daunting as I'm making it out to be.
I chose to walk into the tunnel, rather than ride on Soren's back. I've been through a roller coaster ride of emotions and pain of varying degrees and types, that I felt the need to feel solid earth under my feet. This quest sucked, but it had it's moments. The tunnel was dark, darker than normal, even for a vampire or a dragon. We had to rely on Bobo's bioluminescent scales to see where we were going.
After about an hour, the tunnel opened up into a vast underground arena. It looked more like a volcano of sorts, seeing as there was some sort of opening at the top, but the volcano seemed dead. Nope it definitely was dead. The arena was probably another temple, because apart from having polished marble floors with a mosaic of seven dragons flying around a planet, I was 399% sure was earth, there were statues of nine individuals standing in a circle, and it equally had seven other tunnels that at the moment, eight other people were coming out of.

I took one step forward, and a gate rose up behind me, and blocked Soren and Bobo from coming through. I moved forward and looked up at the statue in front of me, only to see that I actually recognized who it was. It was me, with a sword and shield, was I always this handsome? I looked at the eight other people, and almost spit out my own tongue as I someone I never expected to even be here.
"Rhea?"
"Big brother?"
But we were not the only ones who recognized each other, as a black skinned man, looking around 22 or 23,with bright green and blue hair, and tears streaming from his silver eyes, turned towards the person who came out of the tunnel besides mine, and called out a name. And she called his back.
"Baeki?"
"Joshua.....Husband!"
An Asian dude with a spear on his back suddenly spoke up and asked the question that was on everybody's mind.
"Okay, who the fuck are you guys, and what the fuck am I doing here?"
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
THE GREEN DISTRICT
The sudden sound of hisses, and bodies being dragged on the ground, coupled with the grating sound of metal armor being rubbed on the rocky ground filled the air. Everyone who was doing something or the other, had their attention drawn towards the rather strange sounds, they couldn't understand what it who it was that was causing such a racket, up to the point that there were even dust clouds around to obscure the view of every body.
And then the first arrow was fired, flying fast and true, with it's tip glinting a sharp silver. It found purchase in the forehead of a six year old vampire girl, taking and sniffing out her life before even a sound could be made. Wild screams of shock, surprise and worry filled the air as this turn of events was as shocking as it looked. And then the next arrow came falling, followed by the next, and the next, and the next! Until the sky of the pit was nothing more than a shadow filled with the descending forms of thousands of arrows, it was a massacre.
Many of the vampires were thrown off guard, and chose to run away, or hurdle down and wait, hoping their attackers would show mercy. After all, it wasn't too long ago, that they were still prisoners, and the idea of freedom had not yet sunk into their minds. They weren't pardoned like they expected or wanted, rather their helpless bodies were cut down where they stood, victims to decapitation from sharp silver blades, or desiccation from very powerful dark spells and skills.
Many of the vampires seeing the cruelty afforded to them by their attackers, who's form was still obscured by the cloud of dust raised by their march, attacked. These vampires had understood the concept of freedom, no matter how short a time they've had it, they understood that if they truly wanted to enjoy it, they had to not just fight for it, but also fight to keep it. And it was through their futile, yet brave efforts, that the identity of their attackers were exposed.
Nagas. Thousands upon thousands of them, well armed, and armored, and very much prepared for a war, it at the rate this was going, a massacre. Many of the vampires were scared and shocked by the sight, especially the younger ones. And for those of them who still survived, they were being pushed and corralled into two different directions, while their parents put their lives on the line for them to. Escape.
Some of them were sent east to the bloodline elders, and a majority of them were sent west, to the blue district and Ethernalia Leonis. The only true seat of vampire power and freedom, in the pit. But it was easier said than done, The Nagas were masters of the dark arts, and it was not just limited to magic, but also to combat, politics and even assassinations. There was no way, they would let their preys walk away that easily. But even then, there was just too many vampires for them to keep track of, so many slipped through, running into the darkness and the gloom the districts light, the wails, and death throws of their parents, friends, lovers, enemies etc. resounding and filling the air behind them.
The pit had never been more darker today, than it ever was. The army of the Nagas swept through the green district with ease, too much of it, should questions be asked. They knew where to hit, how to hit and whom to hit. The entire Bediako bloodline coven, who had much of their forces concentrated in the green district had been the first to fall.
A completely useless sacrifice, considering it could have been avoided if said coven did not choose to blindly launch an attack against the invaders. The outcome was hundreds of Bediako vampires, pouring into the red and blue districts, nothing more than refugees, hoping for shelter, safety and a chance at revenge at the very ruthless army of Nagas, that was still burning, raping, and killing everything in their path, with a wild and reckless abandon. This was a true race of warmongers.
The remaining elders banded together, and were able to create a defensive line along the borders of the red and green district, halting the advance of the Nagas and leaving them no access into the red district, unless they wanted to go through kilometers of rough and jagged mountain terrain to get to either district, and that would take too much time, and effort. And then the blue district reacted accordingly, with even their own border being more airtight and protected than the red district, such that even an ant crossing would not escape the intense scrutiny of the forces of Ethernalia Leonis.
For a race of people who just got their freedom, the vampires were able to get themselves prepared in record time, and not even just that, they had the magic and the technology to defend against the invading Nagas, and even fight them on even ground. The Nagas were worried, as this was not a part of the information given to them, and their informants were conveniently missing at the moment this was discovered.
But the Nagas had taken a step, and thrown the first strike, it was completely against their nature to not make sure that they had poured enough venom into their prey. One way or another the vampires had to fall, and since they've chosen this current path and course of action, they were determined to see it to the end. And so they corralled themselves in the green district, taking total control of it, and the entrance to the pit. Completely cutting off the vampires from the hub, or any other part of the dancing caves of Noxis Nyx.
However the vampires were not making any attempt to attack, especially since they had the Nagas surrounded on both sides. It was guaranteed there would be a lot of casualties on both sides, the Nagas have never had to li e with their abilities sealed, so they were masters of their classes, their bodies, and their magic and skills. So it was a given that the vampires were being careful, not to mention, the Nagas were currently having reinforcements and fearsome looking war machines being transported into the pit. The vampires were being careful, and biding their time, almost as if they were waiting for someone or something.
Either way the Nagas had no idea how much of a mistake they've just made. Their position was already bad enough, being surrounded on both sides, but now, they were the only thing standing between a man and his family. But they really had no idea what they just did, no idea at all.

Chapter end