Heir to the Eternal Throne

Chapter 4

             Aldrin shifted in the saddle on his horse. No more than ten warriors stood around him, overlooking the village hidden in the trees atop a hill. The town was small, much smaller than the last one they'd raided. From here Aldrin counted seven buildings. A couple tents and only six guards on patrol. The center of the village was occupied not by a town square but a temple. A temple dedicated to the Goddess of Life.

            "My lord, orders?" one of the vampire soldiers looked up to the prince. His voice was calm, unconcerned about the situation. Yet they did not know what Aldrin knew. Against his desires, they were delayed. A whole week of being cooped up in that castle because the wraith patrols refused to relent. A whole week of dealing with an emotional, mood-swinging woman that maybe liked him for a moment and spent the rest of the time blaming him for her troubles.

            Aldrin sighed, shifting again in the saddle. There was no telling if the other covens had gotten here yet. Not even the Dark God knew for sure. He had done all he could to slow things down. Whether or not it was enough, had yet to be determined.

            "My lord?" the vampire repeated. This time Aldrin threw up a hand, signaling for silence. His eyes surveyed every detail of the village, the guards patrolling, the height of the walls, even the layout of the buildings.

           One guard in particular drew his attention. This guard walked along the wall north of them, and he did not carry a torch. Aldrin narrowed his eyes, studying the guard, watching his movements. The guard had no apparent issue with moving in the dark. There were no torches around him, nor did the light reach him from distant torches. Furthermore, it was a moonless night. For any mortal, they might think they were stuck in a lightless abyss, unable to see past their own feet. Aldrin himself had to strain his sight, just to distinguish these details.

            "I will go in alone." Aldrin finally said. "You are to scout the perimeter, but stay hidden." Aldrin dismounted and stretched his legs, considering his options. He could confront the occupants head on. However, if his suspicions were correct, then doing so would not be a wise idea. Even for him. Although, it could be fun.

            Aldrin lead the way down the hill, separating himself from the group as soon as they leveled onto the even landscape where the settlement was established. From there, Aldrin stayed under the cover of the trees, sneaking his way to the rear where the least number of guards would be present. Sure enough, getting over the wall was of little issue. As his feet landed on the earth inside of the wall, Aldrin ducked under the wallwalk, avoiding the detection as the guards passed above. He scanned the immediate area, choosing to go straight for the closest wooden house. Briefly checking to make sure the coast was clear, he snuck over, climbing in through a window.

            Inside, Aldrin was met with a thick smell of blood. The room was a mess. A body, mostly torn and butchered, lay piled in a corner. At least, what remained of the body. The furniture was broken, pillows were torn, leaving the interior a shattered mess and the walls, floor and ceiling drenched with blood. Aldrin could not help rolling his eyes. "Blasted newborns." He cursed.

            Carefully, Aldrin crept to the front of the house. Keeping to the shadows, he watched out the window's cracked shutters, counting two guards that patrolled the front of the temple. He sighed, then started to flex his shoulders. "Alright, let's see what they are made of." He kicked open the front door, and with three long strides, glided to the center of the settlement. The two guards before the temple raised the alarm first. A single breath of air later, he was surrounded by twelve guards.

            "I hate to intrude, but I could not help but amuse myself with your unguarded rear. And, might I add, you should teach your newborns some restraint. That home over there is quite a mess. Kind of blows the mortal disguise." Aldrin smiled as he raised his hands.