[IC] Blood Compact: Magnus's Reign

[akje]

Cedric stands tall and confident, saturated in the scent of honey and vampire blood.
The posture of a man who is being paid a lot of money to throw his life away.
With a wide gesture and good sense of drama Cedric plants the flag next to him and bows.
"The great Magnus himself? I am honored by this very special welcomin" He grinned. Even though Magnus could sense the chills running down Cedric's spine, he grinned. "I'm Cedric Faetouched and I'm here as 'n official envoy to speak parley on behalf of tha In'pendent 'unters Guild of western Europe."
He glanced at the corpses of the horse and the two guards that attacked him, he shrugged. "My sincerest 'pollogies bout those, They dinnea see me flag."
Cedric appears honest and calm, any vampire with even the smallest psionic spark can tell he's shaking though, he is well aware he's talking to a living nightmare, so it's clear he chooses his words carefully.
"I'm here to discuss yer foreign policies. We're hopin ye might be interested in a peace treaty. Not with SOLDIER, you lot can slaughter each other all ye want! With us. We don't feel properly represented by SOLDIER ye see? Will ye invite me inside?"

[Shikaru]

Magnus looked puzzled for a moment, clearly he had little prior knowledge about other vampire hunters, well, he knew. But he didn't know any of them cared, or would dare attempt anything. But...perhaps if he could get them to leave him alone it would make it a lot easier to utterly destroy SOLDIER, and then the rest of the hunters should they decide to try to stop him. Magnus decided to not let the concern show through to his face and regained his composed look. "Hmm, Yes. Perhaps peace with hunters not aligned with SOLDIER will make my task all the more easy." Magnus said just loud enough for Cedric to hear. Magnus turned back towards his domain and motioned for him to follow and started walking forward, he knew he would so he didn't even bother looking back.

Rhyss glared a Dresden as he grabbed his arm and flung it back. "Touchy as always I see Dresden. Can't ever get over the fact I joined SOLDIER for the sole purpose of destroying them. Oh well, Can't be helped I guess." Rhyss told him. "Alright men, MOVE OUT!" Rhyss yelled out the window of the Jeep as he hit the gas and spun to face the main road out of town, and raced down it. The rest of the convoy soon followed, shortly after they were all speeding down the highway to search the area, they would find them, and they would die.

[akje]

Magnus could be reasoned with, this topic had been a lively debate for years now and Cedric counted his blessings that his side was right.
Cedric threw the flag over his shoulder and hid a slight breath of relief. He followed the vampire.
At the threshold he stood stil in a moment of doubt as an old feeling washed over him.
He remembered his training, his instincts and the books he read.

“Once again...welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.”
― Bram Stoker, Dracula

How great that turned out.
Everything in his being told him to stay out. But this was what he signed up for, people trusted him. And it paid very well..
He entered the house and put the flag away next to the door.

[thewizardguy]

The assassin known as Onikage stepped through the base. Those with any sense avoided the man, knowing that he was a man with no conscience. He was the subject of legend and rumor, but, most of all, he was the subject of fear. His passage through the camp, returned from another mysterious mission. None but Miller knew where he went and what he did, hell some believed even Miller didn't know. He was the elite agent that did tasks that had been deemed impossible for any non-vampire spy, excelling at feets of both stealth and combat, capable of defeating even the most dangerous of opponents and infiltrating supposedly airtight facilities. He was more than a man, to the rebellion, he had become a symbol of hope, a man who had earned a reputation of being unkillable, a beacon of strength.

The unkillable assassin entered Miller's private office, finding the rebellion's leader engaged in speaking to Ghost, the group of elite SOLDIER units that were supposedly armed and trained to take down Oldbloods. Onikage, of course, had no respect for these individuals, as he was incapable of such a complex emotion, simply referring them in his mind as an asset to his goals, and valuable allies in any combat situation. Of course, he had also listed each of their weaknesses, their favorite foods, their sleeping patterns, and which of their teammates they were most attached to, important data for if he was ever tasked with killing any of them. In his line of work, it paid to prepare for any target he might have to face.

"I have returned from my mission. It has been placed, the trap is set. Now Magnus needs only walk into it." Onikage addressed Miller, as well as the rest of the room. Only Miller, of course, would know the details of this trap, which had been so elaborately designed. However, the others would still understand the basic intentions of his missions, to lure Magnus into a trap that would end his reign. "Bite off the snake's head, and the body shall fall apart."

[DiZL ReloadeD]

Lt. Colonel Miller, known for his unorthodox and risky and his strategical and tactical skill. Quite a daredevil, but not many know much about him, after SOLDIERs defeat Miller and units under his command formed a rebellion camp located in the south, quite the opposite direction of Matt's camp. Matt had more men than him, but Miller had better trained soldiers and better equipement.

However, Miller was discussing the plan for the upcoming mission with his squad leaders and the Ghost unit, the former Shadowstrike squad. Miller was coming to the most important phase of the plan as someone entered his office, it was the assassin who reported to Miller that the trap has been set. "Excellent, so far everything works according to plan. Now back to the plan, as you noticed our comrade Onikage made the last preparations for our great act. By the way I also got a reply from the european SOLDIER branch and they are sending us one of their Admirals, trust me, those guys over there worked on something big and I am sure they are going to test it. We will have more than enough firepower to destroy the remaining vampires. Ahm onikage one last thing, I have to make a very important call, could you explain the rest of the plan, would appreciate it." Miller said before he left the room and went outside for a better signal.

The squad leaders, Ghost and Zero looked at Onikage, waiting for him to explain the rest of the plan.

[FoxFireOfDawn]

Axel quickly hurried over to Miller's office. He was late, he knew that well. He had just lost timel that's all. Of course, he would make up an excuse if needed. He then got the thought of his sister, Tabea. For twenty years they had not spoke. He was worried, and he was sure Tabea was too. Perhaps she had thought Axel had forgotten about her? Or maybe she thought he was dead? Either way, Axel couldn't help thinking the same thing. They still had each other's number and hadn't called for the whole twenty years. Axel frowned, before realising he was already at Miller's office.

He quietly opened the door and slid inside, before making his way over to the rest of his unit. He lowered his head slightly, meaning it as an apology for being late. Axel said nothing and only stared at Onikage expectantly. His intuition told him that he had something to share.

[thewizardguy]

Others might have been annoyed or honored, but instead Onikage simply noted it as an objective. He explained the plan which would be used to wipe out Magnus's influence throughout the united states. It had been long in the preparation, and had required aid from numerous sources, but it was almost without fault. Ghost would need to move in on Los Angles, the city where Magnus resided, and take down his main security forces. Onikage would deal with Dresden and Rhyss, whom he had confirmed were leaving the captital on a hunt. Hunters should beware, lest they become the prey. Soon, this battle would be at an end. For at the end of it all, Magnus would be killed by one of his own, and he would die on the sword of a friend.

[Wraithblade6]

Mithias smiled as Jack spoke and raised his hands. He had a glimpse into the man's true heart, and for that brief moment, in their honesty, they were friends. The vampire chuckled to himself. "Your passion for knowledge is exquisit, my friend, and your enthusiasm is contagious. In fact, you remind me of someone else I very much admire, who is... similarly vivacious." He paused a moment appearing to compare the two in his mind. "Albeit, I do not believe he would quite sacrifice 'everything' for his endeavors." The vampire smiled pleasantly as he added to their glasses, seemingly intentionally avoiding continuing on the implications of that thought. His unnaturally whitened skin and polished nails contrasting against the red wine bottle in his grip. Mithias watched the wine pour, the liquid itself afraid to spill a drop under his demanding gaze. "Perhaps I am one of his experiments." He smirked slightly as he mused.

Mithias sat back down and took a breath to savor the flavors on the air. The cooks had done well, and to Mithais, the scents were just about as good as physically eating. He looked at Jack again. "Would that you could carry on forever, eh?" As he watched the human's reaction, the gears in his head spun rapidly. Without loyalty or a heart to ground him, Jack's living forever would be a terrible thing indeed. The vampire's mind suddenly conjured a vision of the distant future, of a world ruled by machines, covered in metal and smoke. Both humans and vampires were eliminated from the planet, deemed useless by the superior 'daughters' of the long-dead Jack Stine. He almost gasped in horror. Were these the kinds of visions his predecessor had, that caused him to divulge 'prophecy?' Oh how Magnus had made such a mistake in letting this one live.

In a split second, Mithias' mind raced. Jack certainly wouldn't plan to have himself changed into a vampire, for then he would need blood and need to maintain a population of humans to provide it, although other vampires could still be eliminated. No... Jack was the type to replicate himself, to copy his own mind, or perhaps somehow transpose his soul into a database, to become one of his own creations, immortal as a machine. Mithias set his glass down after taking a sip. If Jack hadn't yet accomplished this, then killing him now would prevent the prophacy of a mechanical world, but if he had... then killing Jack's human body would already do nothing. But where would Jack have stored himself? The answer was obvious, Terebithia.

His smile revealing nothing of his thoughts, "Ah, a daughter. You will live on in your creations, Stine. I am certain of it." Oh the irony. Mithias plied for more information. "You must be very concerned for her, what with the revolution a success and the attraction of international attention. She will need new supplies from the ground, to reload so to speak, for the inevitable attacks. Also, have you yet considered the construction of a sister ship?"

[thewizardguy]

((........ you're giving me ideas......... *evil grin of DOOM*))
Quite surprising. While Jack was a quite good judge, he had never judged Mithias to be the type with an interest in the ships. Even if in his mind he was loyal to Magnus, his heart was confused and torn, and he had no true interest in the war, or the state of the Terebithia. He was a lost soldier, seeking a goal, seeking some way to justify his actions, to pretend he was the 'good guy', a fool cursed with a conscience. However, despite his usual caution, he couldn't help speaking about the greatest pride of his life. His daughter was, perhaps, his only true weakness. "Without the critical addition of my specially designed engines, nothing in her weight category could even possibly fly, especially not with her mobility and speed. Nothing can match her in the air or on the battlefield, and no other scientist is even close to developing such technology. My daughter is going to be just fine, thank you. And our generous leader provides all of her needs.

[akje]

Martin was laying down on a pile of large red velvet pillows stained with blood.
In the air hung a haze of blood, thick enough to be intoxicating to kindred.
Around him sat and laid his following, their eyes red and minds clouded.
In a trance Martin let his mind flow freely and wander trough the city.
He stared up at the night sky, gazing at the stars. But it weren't the stars you and I can see.
He saw the thousands of souls roaming Kilo Point. Some dim, some bright. Some alive, some undead, one.. neither.. Whatever it was it was in one of the two constellations in the mountains. The smaller one. It was a very bright constellation of blazing stars both alive and undead.. and one stranger.
Martin witnessed two bright undead lights rapidly move along with a cluster of dimmer ones, they moved for the large constellation on the other side of Kilo Point. A bright living star stood at the center, with a few shining stars around it and a swarm of dim ones surrounding that.
"̢̀͡So soon the stars will collide. What a spectacle that will be."̸̶̴͠

A cloaked figure walked into the room carrying a barely conscious young girl in a yellow flower dress.
The cloak matched that of Martin's other followers. He carefully placed her down in front of him, her breath was shallow and pupils diluted.

"̢̀͡ What did you give her? "̸̶̴͠ Martin asked, disturbed from his trance.
“Morphine my Lord.” The man bowed but kept eye contact with Martin, as if expecting something.
Martin grinned and leaned forward to pick up the woman.
"̢̀͡ Is she an adult? Did she consent? "̸̶̴͠
“Yes and no my lord.” The man was still waiting.
Martin brought the girls neck up close.
“Uhm.. my Lord?” The vampire asked hesitantly.
"̢̀͡ Ah yes, I almost forgot. "̸̶̴͠

Martin reached out his hand, a tiny drop of his blood dripped from his index finger. The vampire desperately caught it with his tongue and then crashed on the ground next to another follower. He fell into a deep slumber with a wide smile on his face.

From the lowliest bastard fledgeling to the noblest pure-blood, there is nothing like feeding.
The feeling of your razor sharp teeth sinking into helpless flesh.
The moment that act is rewarded by the oncoming rush of crimson life, gushing out ready for harvest.
A sense of power and ecstasy fills your vampire mind and for a few seconds you become primal.
Many young vampires fear killing their victim by accident. Martin knew that the trick was to understand. Killing was the charitable option. He drank a single pint and nothing more, then licked the wound. The girl had fallen unconscious and lay as a rag-doll in Martin's hands, a beautiful doll.
He put her down on a sofa near the edge of the room. No security was necessary, there was no way of escaping this palace for her, and none of his following would dare touch her after Martin.
Martins mind was occupied with hers. The least he could do was give her pleasant dreams.

[thewizardguy]

((Cmon guys! Stuff! I'm posting as Onikage on the hunt for Rhyss and Dresden, due to the fact that Ghost doesn't feel like doing anything.))
Onikage had quickly located the scouting party that Magnus had sent out to take down the Rebel Camp on Hoth. He would need to set the stage for this battle, as one does not face vampires out in the open. Even using camouflage, it would only be a matter of time before one of them found him, and he didn't trust himself to take on 2 Oldbloods in melee combat, not without the terrain advantage. He needed a better location, and he needed to prepare for his opponent. Even if he could take out one of the Oldbloods from a distance, the rest would swarm him if he wasn't careful. Luckily, his knowledge of the area confirmed that there was an abandoned church up ahead of where the vampires were heading where he'd be able to set up.
It had been easy to outpace the vampires, who needed to check the trail constantly. They were searching for a camp, unsure of where they would find it, and thus moved slowly, whereas Onikage could jog towards his location, confident in his camouflage. As such, he found the church in a bad state of disrepair, although not unusable. He would set up a number of drones in the air above, to warn him of any maneauvers around the church, and he himself would snipe at the vampires from atop the belltower, He of course had set up preparations for when the vampires stormed the location, and he was confident that quite soon he would have dealt with the two targets. Just as he had taken up his position, a scout drone caught sight of the vampires, and he smiled, as he simply aimed in their direction.

---

Dresden is in the front of the group, leading the hunt. Unlike many of the other vampires, he was completely at home in the mountain ranges they were searching. The nearly freezing rock under his bare feet and the cold night air on his bare skin was beautifully refreshing. The wilds were his hunting ground, and he had spent most of his immortal life in the various natural landscapes of the world. The air in cities wasn't nearly so fresh, and one could not see the stars. These were the moments he lived for, patiently searching for the scent of a human among the dirt and rock. A game of patience, and then a massacre, just the way he liked it. He hoped the humans would at least put up a fight before he ripped them to pieces.

[Wraithblade6]

So Jack hadn't been thinking of building another ship, or at least he wasn't admitting to it. Mithias noted that Jack seemed to intentionally dodge the subject of expanding his "family." Was he hiding his true plans or was he merely becoming old and small minded? Mithais scoffed inwardly. Oh no. He knew Jack well enough. His enthusiasm and rationality were tireless, and age hadn't diminished that one bit. The bastard hadn't gained anything resembling a heart in 20 years. The wisdom of time was unknown to him. And Jack wasn't the type to think small. There was no doubt he was up to something, and possibly had been for a while. Mithias knew it, but he was left grasping at straws, such terrible, terrible straws.

Killing Jack without evidence against him would only be cowardice. Not to mention the fact that it could be seen as an act of betrayal by the vampire regime, and Mithias knew several vampires in Magnus' inner circle who would be more than enough for him to handle one-on-one. Nonetheless, if it needed to be done, Mithias wouldn't hesitate to take the risk. The fate of the world was worth more than his life.

Jack had been extremely useful in the war against SOLDEIR up until now. It was true that he had been an enemy, but had shown no disloyalty since joining Magnus. Smart man.

"That he does. But even still, you know as well as I do that Terebithia couldn't withstand a nuclear blast, let alone repeated bombardment, and yes, I wouldn't put it past humans to use that kind of force to stop us." Mithias looked serious. "We need to stay clear of the coasts. A submarine could hit us if we get in range, and I am not entirely certain they won't find a way to hit us with a nuclear missile from orbit either. You know we're no good at stealth." Terebithia had kind of a big ass. "You boast about her engines, yet even if your technology is never rediscovered by anyone after you, she could still be brought down by other means. And... I know we are not near to running out of ammunition, but we will eventally. We'll have to return to Kilo Point every so often to land and take on such cargo, and even that is closer to the sea than I would like." Mithias put his glass down. "I know you've considered all of this already, Stine. If Terebithia is alone, her days are numbered."

"But as for Magnus, he is an exceptional general, but I am not certain what kind of leader he will be once we are established. He could certainly conquer this entire hemisphere, if not the world, with your help of course. We would be the largest and most powerful nation on the planet. Imagine the potential. Under Magnus, you could father the greatest, most advanced fleet and population of drones that this world has never before seen. You should take advantage of what he can offer you." Mithias was of course playing Devil's advocate by talking up what he honestly hoped would not happen. He was simultaneously gauging Jack's loyalty to Magnus and his appetite for world domination. "I think you should propose to him the idea. Let me man Terebithia, and you return to Kilo Point to begin construction of another ship."

[thewizardguy]

Of course, Jack's plans were great. Ever since he had first started learning, he had known he had an exceptional mind. He walked through education without a problem, surpassing many of his teachers with ease. However, despite this, he had never been lazy. He'd simply learned beyond the confines of what the educational system advocated, knowledge not intended for his age. He had been a genius, a prodigy, sceptically examining the laws by which his predecessors had worked. After he had completed several mysteries in quantum mechanics, it had been easy to create False Mass, the principle which was able to bend gravity according to a movement of quantum particles, causing the force to work differently. It had baffled the world, and been the basis upon which he had built his success.

However, Jack Stein, child prodigy, had never had a goal. He had learned from the age of 8 that he was better than everyone else, and he had believed it easily. He could have been the greatest man in the world, saving thousands, but why keep himself busy with the lives of others? He had never had friendships, he had never had any relationships he could avoid. His father was a fool and a drunkard, acting out his problems on young Jack. He was better than that. He had a mind capable of thought processes most humans could only dream of, he was the world's greatest genius, the man who would own the world.

Blessed with all the tools to do whatever he wished in the world, Jack had been driven by simple curiosity. He would build, and discover, simply for the goal of discovery. To expand his knowledge, to know more! A greed for new creation, a greed for knowledge, a curiosity that could never be sated. He was God, playing with all the people like toys, as he answered the mysteries of the universe. And eventually, he had discovered his one true goal. Amongst the secrets he had uncovered there had been one, a single idea, innocent in itself, which had linked everything up. He had been given a goal. Something to work for, something to pursue. A reason for all the creations he formed, for all the knowledge he had acquired.

A prophecy of doom.

Jack chuckles, as he sees Magnus go through his thoughts in his own, sluggish way. Suspicion was easy to recognize, in the way he held his body ready for a fight, in the way he kept his eyes on Jack, the predatory preparation. Even the greatest of liars could be discovered, if one knew high. Psychology was an easy thing, the mind not nearly as miraculous as some would believe. To Jack, it was an open book, and simply looking at Mithias, he could already tell what Mithias intended. "Oh, old friend, still the fool. The United States of Vampireland is a hopeful dream that will shatter soon. Were Magnus to attack any major countries, the following nuclear war would wipe out all life on Earth, and there would be nobody left. After the apocalypse, only the cockroaches would be left, and, of course, robots."

Jack's smile never wavers, knowing and smug. "The words I speak will never leave this room. Nobody could hide a sensor aboard my Terebithia I do not know about, not a single curve in this ship is a stranger to me." Magnus, of course, had tried to bug the ship, only to find the equipment removed the moment Terebithia had left Kilo Point. If only Jack could have seen magnus's expression then. "Magnus has high dreams, but nobody will support him. Nobody supports the extremists, and global support is going to the rebellion. The best case scenario for him is the end of the world. The worst case is that the rebellion kills him. He cannot defeat the rebellion, because they're members are starting to filter in from all around the globe, from countries that have no affiliation with SOLDIER. The moment he formed a threat to the rest of the world, he had already doomed himself to fall." Jack chuckles, musing on the fate of the vampire who had dug his own grave.

[Wraithblade6]

Mithias' eyes flashed briefly when Jack mentioned the world being populated only by robots. It revealed that Jack had not only believed in the inevitability of nuclear winter, but also that he had considered the potential for a surviving race of machines. The implication was there, that Jack had been preparing for it all along. It was almost a confession.

But would Jack go so far as to bring about the nuclear war and the end of mortal days himself? It didn't seem so, but Mithias was afraid of just this. Jack seemed to believe that Magnus would bring it on the world without any help, that it was inevitable, but Mithias didn't think Jack was the type to sit back and wait. No, he would set it up. He would make it happen within his own lifetime, just for the satisfaction of seeing it. that's who he was. Surely, as soon as he had what he needed, Jack would flip a switch and all hell would rise.

The vampire laced his fingers in front of him and looked pensive.

If Magnus was killed during Jack's lifetime, then certainly the human scientist would find a new 'master' to serve, until he could bring about his arrmageadon. Whichever "side" Jack was on wouldn't matter. The end would be the same. If the world avoided nuclear war, then certainly Jack would cause it, just to beget his robotic race, his own version of immortality. Mithias burned with the question of how far the warped mortal had already gone.

After a few moments, Mithias regained his forlorn expression and continued softly. "I am impressed that you confide in me, Stine. However, it is no secret to 'us' that you hold no loyalty to Magnus and that you expect him to fall. I grant that there is some wisdom in your stance, but you would be killed immediately for admitting this to anyone else. Personally, I don't believe the outlook is so bleak. Humans are extremely reluctant to destroy their world by using such toxic weapons. Many of them may elect to submit if they believe they will survive and be treated fairly. There need not be 'mutually assured destruction.' Certainly, if Magnus stops at the borders, declares this a sovereign vampire country, and negotiates treaties with our neighboring countries, we could remain and even be recognized as independent in time. We also have supporters in other lands. Vampires, with their power and wisdom, are more capable of ruling than humans ever could. If Magnus plays his cards right, we may walk a line into the future between SOLDIER domination and complete obliteration, at least for a time. No one has any interest in nuclear war, I'm afraid. Perhaps not forever, but I expect Magnus' reign to last quite some time." Mithias waved a hand dismissively as he leaned back again. "All of this is merely the continuation of the eternal war between our species. The price of true peace is, and will always be, death. Isn't that right, Stine?" Mithias was nothing if not fatalistic.

"The only thing I foresee that could change everything would be Magnus' death. He could be betrayed, die in combat like a fool, or be killed by an assassin sent by our enemies... His leadership would then fall to whoever has the most strength and ambition for it. One would hope it would be me, much to my dismay, but I already know it would fall to Dresden, a cruel vampire who would not be so kind to tolerate the likes of you, Stine. He would be a terrible tyrant, as so would be Rhyss, if it came to him. Then there is also, Gabriel, but I can tell you right now, he wouldn't be within a hundred thousand miles of here." Mithias sighed quietly. He knew Gabriel wouldn't want to see his lovely world destroyed and run by robots, but the only fraction of him that was present was what lived in Mithias. It was up to him alone.

Dinner was almost over, but by now Mithias was certain of his conclusions. He needed to kill Jack before Jack killed him, which would certainly be as soon as Jack's plans were in motion and he was ready to shirk off the rule of Magnus and destroy the world. The vampire reflected on what a loss it would be to destroy such a beautiful mind and childlike love for knowledge. Alas, the corruption and wrath of Jack's darker half was too strong to allow. It was too dangerous a combination. Jack hadn't tried to kill Mithias yet, so perhaps there was still time, or perhaps Jack still needed Mithias for something. An unexpected, toothy grin suddenly appeared on Mithias' face as he held his glass characteristically. As if taunting him, he asked, "What is it you still want, Jack?"

[akje]

"So!" Cedric stood next to Magnus in the entry hall of the palace and looked around at the architecture and design. Cedric agreed that yes, this was what one would call a palace.
Most Americans didn't understand the concept of a castle. 50 years was still ancient by their count. In their mind the white house was a fortress. Please, that's a villa.
But Magnus was clearly a man from the old lands, a man with some taste.
"As a 'uman I'm pretty jetlag'd you'll understand I'm sure. So if ye don't mind I'll hit the hay soon and we discuss politics in t'morrow." He looked at Magnus. "Say, I was wondrin'.. I was told ye fenced off all of Alaska as a reserve fer werewolves. That true or rumor?"
Small talk to cool Cerdric's nerves. Anything to keep the mind of Magnus off his blood.

[thewizardguy]

Ah, bittersweet optimism. It was the oil that kept the mind going, and yet performed double time as an insufferable curse, clouding the judgement of those affected. Not only did Mithias believe Magnus would stop attacking other countries, he believed that even if he did, there would be no nuclear war. Of course, the very concept was quite silly. There had never been a vampire nation before, and although each country dealt with the issue of vampires in a separate manner, the idea that vampires could rebel, and take over the country, was a threat in itself. The mere fact that Magnus lived, that he had succeeded, was an inspiration, and made him a threat, and nothing he could do could possibly remove that inherent threat, the grave he had dug for himself.

However, this conversation was far more than a simple dinner conversation about the future of the Vampiric Regime. No, Jack had already calculated and prepared how Magnus would fall. While the Regime's end was already established, even if these blind fools could not see it, he had promised that he would watch Magnus die with his own two eyes, and he would be the one to take everything away from him. Nobody hurt his baby girl, absolutely nobody. Luckily, his weapons had already been put into motion, and he was too far away for Magnus to do anything, even if he found out.

Of course, outside of calculated victory, there were also a few small pleasures that Jack wished for.

"Of course, he might not get nuked if he sticks to the borders. However, all it takes is a single moron pressing a button, and the world will end. If you look at the human race, what do you think the chances are that some fool will think it's a good idea to blow us all to Hell?" Jack chuckles, looking Mithias in the eye. "The Regime will fall, of course, but it will not be by the hand of some foreign official, fighting for personal gain through eyes blinded by greed. No, I will take away everything from him. First his rule, then his allies, then, finally, his life. He dared underestimate me, and he shall pay the price." For the first time, anger can be heard in Jack's voice. He was risking his life and future in order to exact vengeance, a fool's endeavor. Truly, there was only one thing that could make Jack irrational."

"What I still want? I want you to save the world." Jack smiles, as he sits back in his seat. "I've prepared a weapon that will wipe out the entirety of America, a special series of maneuvers that will pin the blame for his death on the rebellion, as well as wiping out his rule. However, using this weapon would slaughter millions of innocent humans in the process. More importantly, the damage to the economy of the world would cause a near global collapse, and science would be unable to progress. The normal funding would be interrupted, and the world would hit the greatest depression in economic history." Jack smiles gently, as he sits forward in his chair. "Of course, this could all be avoided if someone from Magnus's inner circle were to kill him......"

[akje]

Martin, sated and satisfied, let his mind drift far over the mountains. Trough the void he reached out until he found one of the two minds that vaguely resembled his.
He let a feeling of familiarity pass trough, a thought slipped trough the cracks and echoed trough the worried mind of Mithias.

"̢̀͡ Hello again big brother. How are you feeling? Cooped up with the Titanic Mind must be tiresome. Have you uncovered any lines in the script he has written for us all? "̸̶̴͠

With the rush of fresh blood in his system Martin could easily support the connection himself. This was good since Mithias had the pesky habit of dedicating himself completely to what he was doing at that moment, leaving only little energy for subconscious business. Energy which he usually used to shield his mind from connections like these exactly. It was almost like he didn't want to talk to him or father sometimes.

[Wraithblade6]

Mithias froze. For the first time, Jack saw the look of true fear in the vampire's eyes. It made him seem quite human. Mithais shook his head slowly in sheer disbelief. His lips parted absent mindedly and his eyes shifted over the table as he mentally scrambled.

He reiterated Jack's words in his mind.

"...a weapon that will wipe out the entirety of America... would slaughter millions of innocent humans..."

Mithias leaned back in his seat. An almost trembling hand ran over his forehead, gathering the hair back over his head slowly in a nervous gesture. "A nuclear holocaust... " He said. Mithias didn't need to ask any questions. He knew Jack had done it, regardless of how, and wouldn't be bluffing. "I can't believe how much we've underestimated you." The vampire looked at him in horror and strangely also disappointment. Jack had pinned him. He wanted Mithias to kill Magnus in exchange for the immediate survival of the world, leaving him no choice. There was no way that Mithias could decline against such a massive threat.

The one option, the only option, to prevent ethier of the two choices presented to Mithias, was to kill Jack at this very moment. Mithias lifted his head and glared at the wicked old man: smug, smiling, gloating in the revelation of his grand design. There were cameras at all angles, trap doors in the ceiling, drones ready to appear and subdue a vampire in a heartbeat... Even with his speed, Mithias probably wouldn't make it across the table before he was shot, netted, or ran into some crazy forcefield. He was fully expected to attack, and he knew it. His heart pounded furiously inside the cage of his chest.

But there were things about vampires that even Jack still did not understand.

In that critical moment, completely unexpectedly, a voice rang in Mithias' mind like a godsend.

(weird characters)"Hello again big brother. How are you feeling? Cooped up with the Titanic Mind must be tiresome. Have you uncovered any lines in the script he has written for us all?"(more weird characters, damn you)

Mithias dropped his gaze, appearing to struggle with the idea of attacking Jack straight out. "No..." He placed his hands flat on the table, closing his eyes in apparent pain and denial. Inwardly, his mind latched on to Martin with intense desperation.

"Martin!" Mithias didn't even remember what Martin had asked him as he pleaded desperately in his mind, but he knew his brother had untold psychic power. Even reaching him from vast distances was a spectacular feat. "Martin, I need your aid this very instant! Please, you must trust me. I need you to use your power to boost my pyrokinesis. Right now. Everything you've got! The fate of the world is literally counting on it. Please help me. Please do this with me..." Mithias opened his eyes, which now bore a glow the color of fire deep within. He beheld Jack at the other end of the table, still consumed with pride and an eagerness to see what Mithias would try.

Mithias remained seated. "You leave me no choice, Stine. I'm sorry, but this is going to be extremely painful for you." He seemed genuinely saddened, and Jack could feel an unexplained warmth starting up within his own body. "I will mourn for you, just as I said I would." The glow in Mithias' eyes grew brighter, and the heat in Jack's belly rose sharply, painfully. There was no escape. Mithias was cooking Jack from the inside out.

[akje]

"̢̀͡ If that is your call, so be it. I promise I'll be there to pick you up from your ashes brother. "̸̶̴͠
With a silent command the followers all got up and stood in a circle around Martin. One of them flipped the switch to the smoke generator to fill the room in blood.
"̢̀͡ You are getting sweet release after all young one "̸̶̴͠
Martin said aloud as he picked the half comatose girl back up and dug his fangs deep into her neck.
The cloaked ones held hands and closed their eyes and opened their minds. Martin could tap into their unused brain capacity and use it to power eldrich calculations.
A surge of impossible data, written in non-existent tongue on the folds of dimensions forced it's way trough the veil.
"̢̀͡ If the Phoenix wants power... "̸̶̴͠ Martin's blind eyes bled and his arms trembled. The earth trembled a little and every window in the building rung a high note.
"̢̀͡ Then he shall have it! "̸̶̴͠

---

Ceddric was awkwardly waiting on an answer as the ground shook and the sound of breaking glass echoed trough the hall.
"Tha bloody fuck was that!?"

[thewizardguy]

Jack chuckles. "Impressive. However, futile." Jack's smug glare is tinged with pain, as Jack was unused to being in any form of physical pain, and could not hide it. However, there was still most definitely that smug assertion. "You've been breathing in poison all this time, my friend. The antidote was in the chicken, which I ate. This entire room is filled with a gaseous neurotoxin which will soon start killing your brain cells. Based on tests I have done with other vampires, this would cause an increasing lack of motor capacity, as well as mental breakdown, before death in about a minute. It's designed to be used as a bargaining chip in situations such as this. It's effects only start when the persons's heartbeat quickens exponentially, as yours just did. Anyone but a coldblooded psychopath who kills another being will find their heart racing, which is why I told you it would be a bad idea to try to kill me." Jack smiles, looking over the table, as the final part of this trap unfolds. He had never intended to use Drones of any kind. Instead, he had a neurotoxin, one of the most dangerous weapons known to man. "You will regenerate your brain cells, of course, but their unique chemical composition will be lost. Your body will remain perfectly functional, but your consciousness will be wiped out."

Jack's mind was a complex place. Even as he sat there, staring a dying vampire in the eyes, he was checking his plan for faults. All nuclear power facilities in America would simultaneously melt down, killing anyone within and spreading radioactive waste across the land. Even vampires weren't immune to radiation, which would break down their very cells, and soon these areas would be completely abandoned. Millions would die, as the facilities exploded in the greatest nuclear catastrophe since Hiroshima. Of course, Magnus would not die from this. No. After Magnus watched his dominion on the country shattered, then, and only then, would he fall. "In case of my death, darling, please execute the plan in accordance with procedure 27, okay? I know you can do it, girl." Jack briefly smiled at what seemed like a wall, in the direction he knew held the central processor for BioPILOT.