Death, Loot & Vampires - Book 2: Chapter 38: War Council

Chapter 38

War Council

Based on the information gathered by the spirit callers, we had forty-five minutes before the chosen enacted the true harvest ritual. This wasn’t just about the children anymore. Once they succeeded, the chosen would be strong enough to prevent our escape.

We had to act now.

My failure and Lusor’s death meant I had to speak with the high council. Hundreds of Old Monsters were hiding down here and throughout Necropolis, and we needed their help. There was an undead army between us and the cultists, and I didn’t have enough people to tie the vampires down while we fought their leaders.

This would be a bloodbath, but since our only options were bloodbath or death, we had to choose bloodbath.

At the back of the warehouse, Harlin managed his family of spirit callers, continuing to track the enemy’s movements. The rest of the high council sat on the first two rows of chairs, shivering in their robes due to the extreme cold. Behind them were Salic, Baris, Lidia, and Titus, with anyone else of importance who represented the necromancers of Necropolis.

Further back were the strongest survivors we’d brought with us. This included the faculty, students, merchants and guards from town, and anyone who had taken my oath. Heather Winterton, now a radiant beauty, sat with her boyfriend, Damian Black, holding hands. They had been some of the first to take my oath and were popular enough that other Southerners would follow them if they asked. They weren’t powerhouses, but they one day would be if they survived long enough.

Carolyn sat to the side with Marin, surrounded by their guards. Mother and Father were nearby, with their leadership. Anyone who mattered was here. And they all knew a fight was coming. They just didn’t realise how bad it would be.

A hush fell over the crowd as I walked up to the podium and swept my gaze across the room. “Salic has informed me that the mana batteries powering this facility’s shields will be empty before the end of the day.”

The crowd began muttering among themselves, trying to think of a way out of this that didn’t involve them risking their lives. I couldn’t spare the time to let them come to their conclusions.

“I see a lot of sceptical faces, so let me put this another way. Vampires cannot sleep outside their graves. Their graves are always found close to wherever they were turned. That means Necropolis is now home to the largest collection of vampire graves in the modern age, which means Necropolis will be the vampires’ stronghold for their war in the North. If we do nothing and the cultist finish their harvest ritual, everyone in this facility will either end up turned or dead. We cannot fight four ancient vampires and thirteen immortals at once, so our only option is to attack before this happens.”

Gwen glanced at the other high council members, received several nods that show should speak for them, and stood up. “Won’t the vampires know we have to attack?”

“Undoubtedly, but it doesn’t stop this from being our only option.”

“What about the Abyss?”

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It was a good question, considering we’d arrived through the Abyss.

“Mana sickness will kill everyone I brought here before we reach a dungeon in South Murdell. There is also the risk of encountering the ancient vampires who attacked Darksmith down there. Our best option is to fight here and rush to the border.”

Gwen paused. “You want us to fight beside you.”

“Yes.”

“Why should we?”

“Normally, I would appeal to your conscience and tell you that it’s the right thing to do. I don’t have time for that. So, instead, I’ll say that I’m willing to destroy your barrier and use your people as bait to split their focus if you don’t. Let me make this clear. I prefer your willing participation, but I will settle for using you as tools if you don’t offer it.”

Gwen stood there stunned, unsure how to reply to such a blatant disregard for her people.

Sometimes, it was easier to get things done by playing the villain everyone expected me to be.

I raised an eyebrow as I pressed my lips together and smirked. “You seem to expect me to treat your people better than you treated the rest of Necropolis? You left them to their fate because it was your only option. If you refuse to help me, using your families as bait is one of my only options for helping my people escape this country. You made the rules. I’m just playing by them.”

I had no intention of using their families as bait, but they didn’t know that, and better yet, they wouldn’t believe me if I told them. All I had to do was plant the idea in their heads. Once it was there, it took over. Fight or die like cattle. They weren’t cowards. They would make the right choice.

Gwen slumped into her seat.

That one action took the fight out of the high council. One by one, I watched them come to the same conclusion that this was going to happen and that all they could do was figure out how to keep their people alive.

Salic raised his hand. “If you’re drafting people, what’s the minimum level for participation?”

“Level 80 for those with combat skills and level 100 for those without them. Anyone lower than that has to volunteer and be above level 40.”

A wave of relief passed through the high council as they realised I wasn’t sending their families in as cannon fodder, only those who stood a chance.

Salic nodded. “How will the battle proceed?”

“I’ll lead our strongest people through the city to the cultists. In the unlikely event that the ancient vampires don’t try to engage us, we will kill the cultists and return to the city to assist in hunting down the vampires.”

Salic paused. “If that happens, we’ll all be dead when you arrive.”

“This is the start of a war, Salic. Your deaths are worth removing thirteen potential immortals from the battlefield. Feel free to disagree?”

Salic considered my words before nodding. “It’s a good trade. Too good if I’m being honest with myself. It’s unlikely that the vampires will be willing to let you kill them. What will the rest of us be doing while you fight them?”

“The vampires have enough elders to overwhelm my force, but their primary goal is to build an army. Anyone who isn’t strong enough to join me will be placed into teams to hunt down the vampire army. This will draw the elders away from the ancient vampires, so I’ll send one of my people with each team to ensure this isn’t fatal. If your teams do your job right, my force won’t face overwhelming odds.”

Salic pushed himself to his feet. “My family will fight with you, vampire.” Having heard what he needed, he turned and started walking to the door. His family were already dismantling their industrial plant at Baris’s suggestion, getting ready to flee with as much as they could carry, getting them to the change task would take him time, because he had round everyone up.

Gwen watched him leave, before reluctantly standing to face the high council. “It seems our only choices are fight or die. I propose the Grave Digger’s Society fight.”

“Seconded,” Harlin called from the back of the room. “The council will vote. A majority of eleven is required. All opposed.” Three members raised their hands. “All for.” The sixteen remaining members raised their hands. “Motion passed. The Grave Digger’s Society is going to war.”