Devious Plots. 16

In Yadessa, in castle Zlenka, Balthazar called all his coven in for instructions. He wanted them to go out and spread their vampire seed all over the land. Muerte had giving him orders to make as many over as they could. She wanted a vampire army to overwhelm as many nations as they could.The first stop was to be Tir Na, the home of the werewolves. She wanted the werewolves as slaves to the vampire again And Balthazar likes that idea. He thought they were beneath them and slavery was the only thing they were good for. Late in the night Balthazar sat at his desk in his study. He had been issuing orders to the men and woman of his coven. Sending out people to to cause havok through the different lands he had his eye on. Cabot his chief lieutenant knocked on the study door.
" Enter." He called. A tall gray haired man dressed in black walked in and bowed.
"Ah Cabot." He said. " How goes the hunt for my daughter?"
" Im sorry to say, she and her companions elude us. The dragons move fast Sire."
" Damn her." Balthazar bought his fist down on the desk with a bang." She must be captured." " She and her mother's damn prophesies have always been a thorn in my side. Some how we must get ahead of her and be there when she arrives."
" But how?" Cabot asked. "If she can see what were doing?"
" I have to find someone she cant read." He leaned forward on his desk in thought." And I think i know who."
Balthazar stood up and began to pace across the room.
" My brother Arturus is in the dungeon. He's mind blind. She cant read him, never could. But she can feel him and she loves him. We can use that to trap her. If we put him in danger, She and the dragons will come running."
" Will she come here?" Cabot asked.
" No. they'll know its a trap. They wont give her up for him. But if we send him to Tir Na and attack there, they might think he escaped and went to those dogs for help."
" Sire?"
" Yes!" He said " We let him escape and chase him to Tir Na. Then Jandar, Athene and possibly Rage will go and try to help."
" And Arturus will do this?" Cabot asked.
"No." Balthazar smiled his devious grin." He wont do it even if I take control over him"
"There are limits even to the power of Cressca. So we will make him do what we want while he thinks its his idea. That way he will fight with all he is to acomplish this goal. Here's what I want you to do."

Arturus was being held in a dank cell with nothing but blankets and his clothing to keep him warm. Everyday Balthazar would have him beatten trying to get him to join him. He knew he never would, but he hated his brother so much he enjoyed seeing him in pain.But lately the beattings had stopped and he was givin food. and from the smell of it it wasnt human blood, it was cattle. Balthazar knew Arturus would starve rather then drank human blood. He was suspicious of the change in the way he was being treated, but he was glad for the reprise. He also knew it wouldn't last. The beatings would begin again, soon as he was stronger. So he had to find a way out of there and get away. Arturus knew he'd been in the dungeon for at least a week. From the window of his cell he counted the sunrises and sunsets and hoped for a chance to escape. He hoped his day would come before Balthazar tired of him and had him killed. As he sat in his cell he heard someone screaming and being dragged down the corridor.
" Let me go damn you!! Get your hands off of me!!"
" Quiet Rodent." the guard said. "Your a traitor and now your going to get what you deserve."
The door to Arturus's cell open and handsome pale skinned young man with brown hair and expensive looking leathers was tossed in to land next to him.
" Both of you will be put to death soon." The guard told them." Balthazar has no use for either of you."
The young man jumped up and tried to push the door open as they slammed it shut.
" Enjoy you last few days of life."
They walked away laughing. Arturus looked over to the man and nodded at him.
" You've been sentenced to death to huh?"
" It wont happen." He said. " Not if i can help it. Im not staying here to die."
" Who are you?" Arturus asked. " Why are you here?"
" Because I wont play along with Balthazar's mad plans." He said. "Im loyal to King Valkar and his damn magic wont work on me. Im Tanis Dylar. My father is Baron Dylar from Dagan in the south. I was sent here to see Valkar about about all the strange happening going on lately. But when I got here they wouldn't allow me to see the King. I was told he was not well. But I knew that was a lie. Valkar and I have known each other all our lives. We have a connection, we have since we were young. He knew I was coming to see him and he would feel my presence and made contact. I know he's not here. I just don't know what they have done to him."
" Valkar is not here. Your right." Arturus told him. " But Balthazar didn't get him. He escaped along with the dragons, his allies. Im sure he's safe, unlike us. We will be dead tomorrow."
" Not me." Tanis told him. " And not you, unless you want to be."
" Unless you have a key, there's no way out of this cell." Arturus said. " Magic wont work in here. Ive tried."
" I'll get us out of here." Tanis said. " Can you get us to Valkar?"
" Maybe. We have a long journey ahead of us if we can get out of here. There's going to be many perils in the way. And Balthazar wont just let us go. They will chase us and probably catch us. Then we will die."
" What else can we do?" Tanis asked. He kicked the straw on the floor. " Stay here and wait to be executed? My family wont like that, and neither will I."
" How do we get out of here them?"
" When they feed us, they have to come in here right?" He asked." I don't see any slot in the door to pass us food."
" When and if they bother to feed us, yes. They have to open the door. But how is that going to help? There will be two of them."
" You think we can get then both in here."
" Yes." He answered " One will carry the try, and the other will have our water and he will be armed."
" Be ready." Tanis sat down to wait. They both hoped it wouldn't be to long. A few hours later the sound of the cart which carried the food for all the prisoners could be heard coming down the corridor. They heard keys rattling in the door further down from them. Tanis and Arturus stood up and waited for the cart to reach them. It didn't take very long. Balthazar hadnt collected many prisoners. Most of the people of Yadessa had no choice and fell quickly under Cressca's spell. One in maybe five hundred were immune and unless you were of high rank, they didnt consider you much of a threat.
" Get back from the door" The guard said as he put the key in. They heard the lock click and the door opened.
" Hold your breathe when they get in here." Tanis whispered. They backed up away from the door leaving a clear spot on the floor where Tanis had cleared away the straw. The guards came in carrying the try and the other had water as Arturus's had expected. With a quick move Tanis threw something down to explode on the floor. Gas filled the room overwhelming the guards and knocking them out. Tanis and Arturus ran out into the hall and waited a couple seconds for the gas to clear. Then they went back in and exchanged clothing with the guards. Tanis took the guards sword and keys, then covered them and relocked the door.
"Lets get out of here." Tanis said.
" Wait. First we open the rest of the cells." Arturus took the keys and went from cell to cell rousing its inhabitants and freeing them. Prisoners scattered in all directions looking for a way out of the castle. Dressed as guards they had no problem getting out. At the loch shore, they shifted to bird forms as they heard the alarm sound. They're escape had been detected. The hunt for them was on. Arturus's flying form was a very large hawk, Tanis flew as a brown falcon. They flew high and fast as they saw three large hawks bearing down on them. They dipped there wings and dived for the trees. Once there they flew evasively from there pursuers. In and out and between branches. There speed was unbelievable. Arturus was an elder vampire with lots of experience at flying. Tanis stayed right at his side mimicking every move as best he could. The three hawks following weren't as good flyers. One crashed into a tree but they couldn't escape the other two. Arturus sent Tanis a signal to land. They made for a clearing they saw ahead and stood ready as the hawks came in. With swords drawn they charged at them. Arturus ducked and held out his leg. His attacker tripped and went face first into the dirt. Arturus was on his back in seconds. Smashing the mans head into the ground. With a burst of strength, he was thrown off the vampires back to the ground dazed. Climbing to his feet, the vampire dived at Arturus with his sword raised to impale him. Quickly he reached out to grab a branch and stab up with it. The branch like a stake thrust into his chest and through his heart. The body fell hard to the ground next to him. He looked up and saw Tanis on the ground about to be beheaded. Arturus grabbed the sword and threw it. Like an arrow, the sword flew right through his back killing him in an instant.
" They were going to kill me!" Tanis said in shock.
" I told you they would be after us" He helped Tanis up." Did you think they were going to take us back to the dungeon? Come on. We have to move fast. Tir Na is to the west and we have a long way to go."
For days they travelled through the forest. There were many times they came close to being captured. One night they camped in a hollow they found. The weather had turned bad and it was snowing. Arturus looked up and held his hand out to catch some snow.
"Snow?' He said. "This is the wrong time of year for snow. What kind of magic is this?"
Soon the ground was covered with snow and they had to get going.
" This snow is going to show our tracks." Arturus said. "We better move fast. Its time to fly again."
They shifted and took off in to the air. From up high they could see there pursuers. They were close to the hollow. Suddenly from above they heard a screech. Out of know where a hawk came flying and attacked Tanis. He ducked just in time as its talons missed him.
[ Theres a cave in those hills. Hurry and Ill meet you there. I'll take care of this.]
Tanis streaked off and Arturus saw the other bird go for him. Arturus flapped his wings and shot out to catch the pursuer. With talons out, he caught up with the bird and rakes him across the back. This knocked it right out of the air. Arturus followed it down and caught it before it hit the ground. Looking around he saw no other followers so he made for the cave to catch up with Tanis. Coming in to the cave he toss the falcon aside and rested. Tanis kept watch for a while. Tir Na wasn't far now. They would be there by nightfall.