"Why else? You went unconscious, of course. I ordered my guards to bring you here to observe what would happen. Honestly, I was waiting to see if your regenerative powers would kick in and heal you, and I was right. Look at you, looking all good as new," Raphael said with a grin, his tone shrouding something more insidious.
Ezekiel listened carefully, eyes averted from Raphael throughout. He waited in silence for the vampire to say something else, and soon enough, he did.
"Now that you've recovered, I believe it is time you familiarize yourself with the people you'll be working with," Raphael suggested, already walking out from the room. His steps echoed in Ezekiel's ears, disconcerted with whether the boy followed or not. Still, Ezekiel knew better. With rushed steps, he followed Raphael out from the lavish room once more, leaving the clamor of opulence behind.
"Remember, boy, train. Train to the point that you become a tool forged for war. When that wretched group decides to make their move, I want you all to be ready," Raphael warned as they strolled through the winding hall.
"As much as I would like to strike that bastard in his terf, I can't risk sending my men out to their deaths. He knows Wilson like the back of his hands, and I know Fluxton just as well. War in enemy's territory is a risky gamble, and one must first be confident in their strength before charging in.
"Moreover, when I attack, my goal isn't merely to defend or chase away. It's to crush Patrick and the Devil's Flames all at once. To extinguish every last ember till darkness remains. I can only be sure of doing that if I do battle in a terrain I'm familiar with.
"Take those damned shadowfolks, for example. No one knew anything about them—where they originated from, their motivations, nothing. We were blind to them, yet it seemed they weren't to us.
"I believe, that for a considerable amount of time, they've been around, watching, waiting for a fitting moment to strike. They had ample time to study the nature of this Kingdom, and they were confident in their ability to deal a hefty blow to us without sustaining much damage.
"Whatever they were after, they seemed to have acquired it. Perhaps that's why they retreated. Hmm, the sly bastards. I can still remember that woman that came into this town with her people. What I wouldn't give to cross paths with her again," Raphael narrated, clenching his fists as he recounted his loss against Vanessa Of Tge Shadows.
It was a night he wouldn't forget. Back then, an ominous energy drew him from the depths of slumber, filling his heart with a rare sense of dread as he rushed out to see the disturbance.
It was there, in the heart of his town, where he caught sight of her. Her presence was calm and elegant, yet her powers were devastating and unholy. Their battle raged in flames and blood, and ultimate, the Leader Of The Abyssal Gang met a shameful defeat.
If if wasn't for the intervention of the Moonlight Army at such a crucial moment, perhaps the Abyssal Gang would've been no more at this very time.
Raphael's scowled as he pondered reality. The Emperor, as negligent as he was, had sent out his soldiers to defend the Kingdom against the unforseen threat. His eyes narrowed as he realized his life was indebted to His Majesty's hands.
Of course, Raphael had no intention of paying the King back for his wise decision. One kind gesture wasn't going to erase several years of neglect.
Ezekiel paid attention to all that was being said. Indeed, he was just as affected by the sudden war as anyone else.
It was on that venomous night that he nearly lost his father to one of those villainous soldiers. It happened right before fear-striken eyes, and soon after willing himself to move, death came to claim him.
However, in a miraculous twist of faith, he survived, a mysterious power awakening inside of him that enabled him to save himself and his dying father.
He clung to his resolve, and defied faith itself.
Or was this, perhaps, all still a part of faith's machinations? Was that truly not meant to be his end?
Whatever the case might have been, Ezekiel didn't want to ponder about them now. Instead, he kept on walking behind Ezekiel untill they made it to the outer compound of the gang's base.
Upon making it to the outer compound, the guards repeated their routine of bowing down. With a satisfied smile, Raphael ordered them all to remain at ease.
His gaze swept across their faces, the fear in their eyes as evident as ever. It was always so satisfying to see how much people trembled at his mere sight.
His gaze lingered on Ezekiel for a while, untill they returned to the rest of the Abyssal Gang group. With a booming voice, he addressed them all, his words callous and demeaning.
"One of us has fallen today!" Raphael started, walking slowly towards Ezekiel. "Once, we all believed he was strong, capable, reliable. Now, I believe we have been shown how wrong we were. This boy…" his hands settled on Ezekiel's shoulder, the gesture sending shivers tunneling down his spine. "In a battle for survival, he proved that he was the better candidate. He fought with bravery, savagery, and was unyielding. We all saw it—that lust in his eyes. This young man has the will of a beast, the desire to conquer.
"From now, henceforth, he is a part of the Abyssal Gang. Treat him as you wish, but none are allowed to send him to the grave. Drill him with years of experience. Forge him into a weapon of destruction. That is my order to all of you standing here. I do not want a repeat of what happened with that wretched fellow. If this boy fails to meet my standards, then one of you will pay dearly for it," he explained, fingers gripping Ezekiel's shoulder with greater force.
He leaned closer till his lips were but a few inches from Ezekiel's ears. His words were are deranged as his reputation, leaving the boy's heart quaking with panic.
"I know your father, brat. Try any nonsense, and I'll personally make sure you become an orphan," he whisper, his grip loosening on the latter's shoulder right after. With a few gentle taps, he drew himself back, momentum taking him back to the estate once again.
Ezekiel found himself surrounded by a pack of crazed. Some glared at him with seething malice, while others did with ravenous hunger. He shuddered under the weight of varied gazes, eyes shuffling across the tenebrous space as he searched for reprieve.
'Wait, am I not allowed to head back home?' Ezekiel suddenly asked himself. 'Damn it! I couldn't even bring myself to ask that tyrant! Well, I guess it's for the best. I would've gotten quite the beating if I'd overstepped my boundaries,' he thought dejectedly, shaking his head.
'What do I do now?' His eyes trailed the richly decorated compound. Soon enough, they fell upon the corpse of the vampire he had killed in his quest for survival. His lips thinned as he remembered the heavy toll it took to secure victory.
Five years… Vampires didn't even live that long, in the first place. Their total lifespan never drew past one hundred and twenty.
If, for some strange reason, the nightwalkers could live far longer, Nefaria would've been far more populated than it currently was.
Vampires were usually prone to having several children, particularly those of higher social standing. After all, when one possessed the resources to live a comfortable existence, they weren't too concerned about popping one too many babies.
Moreover, their powers were quick to cultivate, enabling them to perform devastating feats that struck terror in many. A lengthy lifespan wouldn't do good for the tenebrous Kingdom in any way. Especially since the poor would live all those years in suffering, while the wealthy kept on reproducing till there was no space left.
This was the divine mandate of the Supreme Sovereign, one that no one could bypass. Not even the Emperor and his family could cheat the nature of their existence.