---

He looked up at the room before him from his throne smiling, he paused lifted his right hand and silence shrouded the room as he stood. "I thank you all for showing up it has been great being friends, family, and allies. Tonight we celebrate on this day in preparation for the oncoming events I will set in motion for this world, and to this I say cheers and may the Vondrak house spread across the land." The sounds of glasses clicking together and chatter refills the room. Aklenroth then signals his guards to follow as he walks out of the manor door and says "I am heading out to hunt for worthy prey, I leave the house to my advisor while I am out, I trust you all will not cause a reason for me to return." He laughs and smiles as he spreads his wings lifting off and heading to the forests outside the city followed by his guards on foot.

Cain

"Kill the Winged Bastard and you're all free men" Cain spoke through a smile to 10 Slaves as swung his rapier down onto the Handcuff's of the last slave, making a loud clang as it broke it in two. He pointed down a dirt trail, One Alkenroth was yet to go down. The slaves ran down the trail, each one thirsty for freedom. Cain's lips upturned into a wide smile as he watched them all charge to their deaths like rat's after cheese, He knew that the slaves would fail, after all it was his intention, Each slave had the Yellow Mark of a Lorkan on there forehead which he had applied personally, If you were to look at one you would believe that House Lorkan was their master's. The slaves had taken a big toil on his money but if he managed to his pull this off, His money would be limitless as well as his power. The Slaves only needed to be strong enough to put on a show, a little bit of fun stageplay for little Alkenroth.

After a little while, 4 Guards clad in steel approached him on horseback, Another prop in his stage play for Alkenroth. One Guard passed him another Horse and a cup of blood. Cain mounted the horse and grasped the cup, drinking it thoroughly and letting the blood drip down his mouth. He cringed as he did so, it ruined his perfect appearance but the sacrifice was necessary, after all an actor needs to look the part if he wants to play it well. He handed the glass back and waited eagerly for the sweet sounds of violence to fill his ears.

@Alivefalling

---

Just as Aklenroth turned into the street which led to the gate he was stopped by what looked like slaves from the Lorkan house bearing their mark. The humans screamed at him "We are here to kill you winged beast!" He looked down at them and laughed "Ha! How nice..." He signals his guards to stand down he pauses for a moment and says "Looks like Lorkan has sent some rats for me to play with." Just as he finished speaking the 10 humans fell kneeling down screaming in agony.

The men yelled out with a terrified tone and shaky voices about horrific visions and auditory hallucinations of their worst fears manifesting into reality. They then began to quiet as blood poured from their eyes, nose, mouth and ears. They all appeared dead or near their last breath. Aklenroth let out a long sigh and pushed his sword into the ground, Ice crystals began to spread from the end of his blade. The bodies in front of him began to crystallize in a red ice created from their blood.

Aklenroth grinned opening his wings with pride and started to fly, He continued out the gate quickly followed by his guards. In the air lingered a familiar scent Aklenroth tracked it down the road. They caught up to a group of vampires that smelled of the Domencio house and wore clothing and armour that they are known to craft. Aklenroth decided to stop and landed calling his guards to his side while walking over to the group. The guards suddenly dropped their weapons and began to shift into werewolves. The moon was shining its light upon the area enhancing the visibility for everyone. Aklenroth stopped about 10 feet away and looked up at the vampire that appeared to lead the group and asked "Now who may you be young blood drinker? I don't recall ever meeting you." Aklenroth then awaited his reply.

---

"Well, well, if it isn't the last Drestback." Leonil turned to look at the man who spoke. Yellow eyes met blue as they emerged from the darkness of the forest. Leonil only stared at them with an expressionless look. There was only a few routes they could all take here. It was in the middle of the night and the moon was visible. They only knew what could happen. However, as expected, the other didn't come alone - there were two figures still hiding in the darkness and barely visible to the trained eyes of Leonil.

"Greetings, Luwein pup." Leonil replied with an easy drawl, his voice not even showing a hint of fear and panic. This seemed to snap a few nerves from the black haired werewolf that approached him. Leonil seemed entirely unaffected by the werewolf's increasing bloodlust. Instead, he continued speaking, "What are you doing so far from home? Shouldn't you still be learning under your father?" He had little patience for this pack; especially since they weren't exactly the kindest of the werewolves. In fact, they were among the first who drove him out once the Drestback Pack had fallen. After all, they were considered 'traitors' among their kind for not taking advantage of what had happened five years prior.

"It's leader now Drestback!" The Luwein Pack leader snapped and made a motion to quickly close the distance between him and Leonil but the latter didn't even budge. Seeing as the intimidation tactic didn't work, he seemed to fix his clothing once more. He took in a sharp breath and then ran a hand through his hair. "Anyway, I've come to tell you that the Luewin pack is looking for able bodies. We will forgive your sins against our blood should you accept our offer to join."

Leonil could not help it. He let out a laugh which seems to both shock and anger the Luwein leader. After a few moments of laughing, he finally stopped and let out a sigh and a shake of his head. He pitied the werewolf, truly he did. "Had the Luewin pack truly have fallen so far since Huey had passed? To think that the once so proud pack of yours has now turned to taking back a traitor. Truly, Blake, your father would have been disappointed." He teased and that seemed to be the last straw for him.

Blake let out a scream of fury as he turned into his true form. Leonil took this opportunity to bolt towards the village. He knew that it only gave him a few seconds headstart and that they would catch up soon but truly, it was a foolish decision for them to appear on this occasion in particular. A devilish smirk appeared on his face as he heard footsteps gaining on him. The first one to attack was a brown furred werewolf - one of his bodyguards. Leonil rolled to the side and then drew his sword - flame erupting and a slash of fire made contact with the beast. The second attack came all too soon and he only managed to keep the second guard - a silver furred werewolf - from completely mauling his face by striking his sword so that he would back off. Leonil really hated fighting - especially on uneven ground like this. Blake was running towards him and Leonil pushed his palm outwards and a bear burst out and tackled Blake down before disappearing. Silver managed to swipe at him and strike his face. Another familiar appeared and then a lion tackled and then seemed to wrestle with him. He then turned to run again as the werewolves recovered and then made his lion familiar disappear. Blake even let out a howl. Perfect.

"Werewolves!" Leonil called out with a panicked voice and then others stumbled outside. Villagers saw Leonil and upon seeing that he was actually panicking and that he was a kind of trusted person. He kept on coming back almost every day so they already know him. They quickly assembled weapons to try and fight off the werewolves. They see the three werewolves stop at the entrance of the village. Leonil seemed to smirk as he raised his flaming iron sword at them.

"You're dead Drestback." However, Blake turned and left. So he was a coward huh?

The villagers patted Leonil on the back and then took him to the nearby doctor. They didn't have many healers here and even then, they didn't seem willing to help him without pay so they took them to the doctor. He quickly patched his face up and then made him rest. He wondered what will happen next, since he had disturbed the peace in one of the only human towns here, Lapenzan.

---

"Okay the church wants seven vampires killed, they paid for the hunting supplies so don't get that look on your face." Ben said to Ivan before putting a bag of steel bolts and 3 bottles of holy water in the bar like table of the shop. The holy water was placed in an old beer bottle and the bolts looks normal.

Ivan would empty the bag and put the bolts on his quiver. The holy water was placed on his makeshift leader strap which was filled with 2 stakes. Ben speaks to Ivan again:
"Hunt in the outskirts. Bloodsuckers there are alone,weak or lost which will allow you to sneak up and strike with element of surprise."

Ivan would nod and prepares himself. Doing a equipment check followed by a bolt quantity check he would draw his crossbow and head to the gate with the task at hand wanders around on a quest to find vampire. Suddenly a vampire (That is a member of no houses} is seen doing a equipment check. Ivan sneaks to the bushes and dips his bolts at the holy water bottles. Ivan would aim at the vampire's right leg to slow down the vampire.

---

Alaia's breath was visible but silent as she slowly traveled down the forest covered road. "hopefully I will meet some people once I get to town." She says to herself as she followed the old road, Alaia then gazed further ahead for a moment from where she was and stares straight at the open gates of Lapenzan illuminated by the moonlight. "Finally I am here." She lets out a sigh of relief and walks into the town calling out to everyone around. "I am here traveling from Mirstone in search of people who are willing to help fight by my side against the darkness." She then looks around waiting for someone to step from the crowd.

---

"There seems to be a stir in the town center." The doctor commented as he looked out of his window. He then turned to Leonil who seemed to have been intrigued by this. The doctor sighed and then gave him some grounded medicine and some bandages. "Apply the herbs twice a day and reapply the bandages afterwards."

Leonil looked at him and then smiled. He dug into his pocket and then gave him some silver coins. "Sorry to bother you like this." He then took the bandages and herbs and placed them into his cloak's pocket where it fit. He didn't really need it all that much. He's suffered worse injuries and he just rested in his house. As long as he had food, he would at least heal. But maybe with these herbs, he would heal faster.

Leonil bowed his head at him and then bade farewell. He arrived to see a woman calling for people who want to help fight the 'darkness'. The brown haired male's lips tightened. But he had to keep up appearances right? He was the person who lives in the forest and alerts everyone about the children of the dark. Perhaps it could play to his advantage too? But if people found out what he truly was, then how would they act? Would they kill him? Would they turn on him because he was one of them even though he helped the humans? He was actually quite curious. But he didn't like fighting all that much but maybe he could bend the rules a little bit.

He approached the woman who was admittedly intimidating. However, he bravely approached anyway. "Greetings. You seek fighters correct?" He forgot that he still had a bandage on his face that was still red thanks to the bleeding wound underneath.

---

"Yes, I do." Alaia replied as she studied the the man who appeared from the crowd. "You look like you recently had an encounter with the darkness." She said looking at the bloodied bandage and cuts on his body, Alaia walked around him inspecting his wounds before placing her hands over his chest. "I wish to bless and heal your wounds." A beautiful blue light then emitted from her palms as his wounds began to heal in front of everyone's eyes. Once done she smiled looking into the man's eyes and said "I hope that we can get to know each other better and talk more about joining my group."

---

"Indeed I have." Leonil responded with a grim nod. He placed a hand on the bandages covering his face. Good thing it wasn't much of a bother. "At least they had the common sense to not step foot into the town or else I would have been dead meat." It may have easily been the case and he didn't like the idea of being mauled to death by another werewolf. If anything, he would be much more pleased if the one to finish him off would be a human or a vampire. That would have been more satisfying for him, knowing that a traitor would die by the hands of another race than their own. He will not end up like his family.

The woman circled around him and then placed her hands on his chest. Leonil blinked, not knowing what she was doing. Then she chanted something and a blue light was emitted from her hands. Some cuts on his body healed up and he felt rejuvenated. This was actually the first time Holy Magic was used on him without it being offensive. He was used to light spears attempting to pierce him, not heal him. He slowly took off his bandages and felt his face, the scars remained but it had closed and healed. He heard just how amazing Holy Magic was and knew that it was unfortunate that he could not use it but now he was feeling even more bitter that he couldn't use it.

"Ah yes." Leonil replied, still a little awestruck. Doubts began plaguing his mind once more. This would mean actively hunting down other werewolves and they were bound to know him. Perhaps there were others who wouldn't be familiar to him but the Luwein Pack knew who he was and it would be dangerous if they told the group that he was a werewolf. However, he might get to lie through it. He smiled back at her and then said, "I would like to know more about it. It does sound interesting."

---

"I forgot to introduce myself I am Alaia Stromheart, at the moment I explore alone I have traveled from my city of Mirstone in search of others to help me cleanse the lands and restore faith to humanity." She replied to his question, Alaia then hesitated showing desperation in her eyes before asking another question. "You wouldn't know of any werewolves I could contact who are trustworthy that could help, I don't know the forests around here very well and could use a guide during the night." She looked into the mans eyes once again gently biting her bottom lip in anticipation for his answer.

---

Leonil bowed his head at her and then replied, "Leonil Drestback, a pleasure." His last name would not have been known as a werewolf's but also not one of a human or vampire who lives around Lapenzan. He never worried about hiding it since only a few human hunters know of his name and they had already died, if he wasn't mistaken. He presumed that they were hunted down by the other packs. Poor men, foolishly charging into the forests of Lapenzan while the werewolves were in full alert. "A very noble cause. I expect no less from a woman chosen to wield Holy Magic." He remembered that time when an angel had bestowed the power of holiness to the humans to help protect them.

He blinked in surprise, completely taken aback by the question. Had she not just told him that she would rid the world of darkness? Then why was she asking for a werewolf to help guide her? Another hunter would have sufficed. Though, it isn't to say that they would not the layout of the forest as much as a werewolf like himself, but still, it was odd. However, he could see desperation in her eyes. Was she really willing to strike a deal with the enemy for this? He must make sure though. "Are you not afraid of them? Did you not just tell me that you want to rid of them? Asking help from them is a little ironic and surprising."

No matter the answer, he would still say, "I do know of one. I can take you to him." His tone was low and it was barely audible so that no one would catch wind of this, aside from her that is.

---

She smiled. "That is an interesting name and thank you sir." Alaia replied in return, She looked around and directed her focus back on Leonil as he spoke to her again. "No, not really I have hunted many while defending the forest edges of Mirstone, and though it is against my people I believe that humanity and werewolves can find peace and coexist with one another, unlike the vampires who solely feed on human blood." Alaia took a few steps closer to Leonil staring into his eyes. "Could you please take me to him!" She said hope filling her face as she let out a bright smile.

---

Ivan puts his bolt on the crossbow and aims at the vampire. The bolt fired swiftly with a swoosh sound the vampire screamed in pain. Smoke was coming out from the fired bolt.

"Time to die!" Ivan emerged from the bushes and fired the crossbow on the vampire's head. Dust came out from the head of the vampire before it dies.Ivan stabs the vampire with a stake to resemble glory.

---

Ivan returned to Mirstone, his quiver emptied and his holy water bottles empty he walks to Old Ben's holy shop

"The church mages wants to train you in some sort of 'Holy Magic' stuff you should head over there now." Ben closed his shop and walks to his house

---

"Ivan good follow me." Ivan followed Lem to a grand room with many magic users practicing with many kinds of magic.

"When the angel landed five years ago you have been given a gift within you.." Lem would teach Ivan how to use holy magic.



"Try it now.."

Ivan would attempt to cast a barrier a small barrier was casted but only for 3 minutes

"Good...Come back next week."

---

---

Leonil listened to her reasoning and nodded as she spoke. Interesting, she had more sense in her than most hunters he had met. She knew that she could use some of her race's enemies as her allies. That would be a smart move. He knew it because of the fact that he does it as well. It was nice to see that there was a human with a different perspective. "That's a positive spin on werewolves. I can easily say that I can see the logic behind your outlook." He easily said with a smile and a nod. His smile was completely genuine at this time. He liked her already. He knew that she may be lying but he was willing to take the risk.

"Come on." He then led her out of the town and into the dense forests. Leonil slowed to a stop but there was no other living beings in sight. He then took a deep breath before turning around to her. He placed his hands behind his back but he looked like he was still alert. However, it wasn't directed at her but at their surrounding area in particular. This wasn't anyone's territory but the packs liked to wander around. It was close enough to his own territory for others to know that they shouldn't be around but he knew that they might still go in.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Alaia. Probably one of the few hunters that I know who actually thinks differently." Leonil started before bowing in a flourished gesture. "I am Leonil, the last of the Drestback Pack. One of the only werewolves who would be willing to aid you. We believe in co-existence between the races which cannot be attained unless someone can show them that it is possible."

---

"Ivan i need someone to deliver this parcel to Lapenzan." Ben pulled out a parcel

"I guess it should help me pass time." Ivan would grab the parcel and head out to the gate and ready to travel.

---

---

After a few hours of traveling and avoiding vampire groups he arrived at Lapenzan. He avoided any werewolf because he did not have the proper equipment to fight these creatures.He walked around town and looked for 'Gru'loud's goods' until finaly finding the shop. After giving the parcel to the shopkeeper he went outside and he chose to wander around

---

---

Alaia nodded in agreement to his words displaying a sense of joy. "I must have lucked out on you being a werewolf, and the first person I stumble upon." She said smiling while moving the hair from the front of her face. "I would feel honoured to have you fight by my side, I will protect you with my life as long as we are together." She said in a brave powerful tone.

The sound of cracking sticks and crumbling leaves echoed through the forest around them, Alaia quickly turned to Leonil with a look of alertness. "Seems like we may have some company prepare yourself." She draws her sword and raises it towards the dark forest, Wings of blue light spread out from her back. Alaia then positioned herself in a combat ready stance waiting for what lurked in the shadows.

---

Hearing her answer and obvious disregard for his species, heck even joy from it, made Leonil very happy. It was rare to see him this happy unless it's because he obtained a rare book. However, this was unique in its own sense as she is a rather rare ally. "And I to you. However, I fear that we may encounter some... differences and I hope we can sort them out." There was the thing about vampires. While he wouldn't mind nobles finally being put into their place, he didn't exactly want their complete eradication. They may have mistreated humans but werewolves and vampires, tense as their relationships may be, at least got along better than humans. He wondered if he could convince her that there might be some other way around this.

His thoughts were interrupted by sounds of crunching leaves. Alaia's first reaction was to be battle ready. Leonil drew his sword but did not assume a battle sword stance for he saw no reason to do so, not yet at least. Aggression usually leads violence and that isn't ideal for him. He waited for the inevitable coming of whatever was out there. It would be funny if it would only be a rabbit. Perhaps it would make a nice meal.

---

Ivan saw no further use and went back to Mirstone.

Back at Mirstone Ben thanked Ivan

"You always help others like your father, now go rest you must be exhausted from your travels."

---

Ivan opened the door to his house. The house was a two-story house filled with a few items. Ivan sat on a chair and thinks what Ben said.Does being helpful make him like his father who died 2 years ago? And will he be able to make a difference like his father once did? He sat alone asking these questions to himself. He saw the actions of his mistake: he must trust people. He cannot continue without allies his father would have never died if he chose to make friends.. After this he went upstairs and went to bed.

---

He stared into Cain's eyes looking deeply. "The other houses can try what they wish but I have nothing to fear." He answered standing tall. "I truly hope you have nothing to do with this." Aklenroth grinned sensing hostility from Cain and his group. Moments later the air became black with a thick smoke, Aklenroth's laughter seemed to be coming from every direction a voice followed. "I would like to meet again Cain when I feel you're ready." Just as quickly as the smoke formed it had disappeared along with Aklenroth and his guards.

---

Out from the shadows leaped a massive werewolf ambushing Alaia and Leonil, who were protected from its attack when Alaia raised a barrier at the last second. "That was close." She laughed seemingly enjoying the situation. "Leonil! this is the time to show me what you're capable of." Alaia surrounded Leonil with an aura of holy magic and lifted off into the air "Let's finish this." She said to her new found friend and partner.