Kalina 1

On her fifth birthday, Kalina Gens killed her first human.

She had drunk blood from glasses and paralysed prey, but she had never killed someone until her father ordered her to.

Valeria Gens presented her with a child her own age, bound and gagged, crying and pleading with puppy-dog eyes for mercy. He handed her a knife and said nothing.

He just watched and waited.

Kalina was scared, confused and cried herself, asking what was happening but her father said nothing.

For three quarters of an hour, she struggled, before finally plunging the knife into the child’s heart.

He took the dagger from her wet, bloody hands and said, “You did well. Everything you do from this moment onwards, everything, you do you do for our future.”

***

Kalina didn’t care for parties, least of all when she wasn’t allowed to attend in her uniform.

Dresses made her uncomfortable for they were not practical for a fight and the stares from undesired eyes angered her; if she had been allowed to keep her sword, heads would have rolled.

Of course, if a Commander of Spike started killing nobles of the Vampire Court, then she would likely lose her head, and her father would be forced to watch the execution.

The Vampire Court had lurked in the shadows of the Holy Empire of Themis for hundreds of years, slowly licking their wounds after the war with Saint Themis until the day came when they were ready to take their revenge. Over time, the Holy Empire considered their kind myth and forgot about the Beast Woods where Castle Bathory lay, but the vampires did not forget.

Slowly, they began to spread across the Holy Empire, infiltrating every village, every town and city, every noble family and every organisation, all in aid of chipping away the strength of the Holy Empire over time.

Spike played a large part in that plan.

Securing Prosperity, Inducing Kindred and Eternity - they were the Vampire Court’s covert, highly adaptable agents that moved in complete secrecy in the shadows of the empire.

Normally, new recruits with Spike started off as grunts and worked their way up, but Kalina had more than proven her worth with her intelligence and combat abilities, so she started off as a squad leader. From there, her career had advanced up quickly until she became a Commander, one of the leaders of Spike that answered directly to Lord Ruthven.

Beyond that, they were left up to their own devices in their assigned regions.

Kalina Gens had the lands of Silverten - and she and her father had both worked hard to allow him to become the new lord of Silverten.

Their golden opportunity had come just a few months prior, when Lord Ruthven called her to his private office and told her of the Demon Emperor, of his plans to raise Black Port and that Prince Julius would look to rally the southern lords to come and rescue the south-east.

Kalina told her father, and he was elated.

“A better opportunity could not have presented itself!”

They targeted the right lords to hypnotise, instigate and manipulate to keep large armies away from the prince’s call to arms, making them traitors and allowing some of the Gen family’s direct subordinates to gain power in the region, and to install her father as the new lord of one of the largest territories in the Holy Empire.

The plan had gone brilliantly.

No one, not even the emperor, questioned what had happened.

Eventually, Lord Ruthven ordered an invitation sent to the Demon Emperor, cordially inviting him to a ball, and Kalina’s right hand had been given that honour.

Thus, the groundwork was set for the Demon Emperor’s rise to power and preparations had been completed to welcome him and his party.

It was an expensive, lavish event, and all the highest-ranking member of the Court had been ordered to attend, but they’d only be formally introduced to the Demon Emperor later that evening.

“All of this for one man,” Ronovan, her right hand, said, taking Kalina’s empty glass for her.

“I don’t know if it’s rude to call the Dark Lord a man or not.” She sipped at the white wine and winced. “I think this is corked.”

Ronovan chuckled. “My apologies, Commander.”

“It’s fine. I never really enjoyed white anyway.”

Ronovan thinly smiled, bowed a little, and took the glass from her. “…Did you read my report?”

Kalina nodded. “Every word. Twice.” She glanced around briefly, then moved closer to Ronovan. “Do you swear every word as the truth?”

“I do. The Demon Emperor lives up to his name.”

Kalina didn’t need to ask more.

Then, Lord Ruthven made his entrance, a grand speech and then opened the floor to the Demon Emperor.

When she saw him, Kalina instantly understood Lord Ruthven’s infatuation with him, and his eagerness to forge a strong alliance with him.

The Demon Emperor’s aura - it was intense, even from dozens of metres away.

The raw strength, the terror, the sheer, vast amount of mana radiating off his body, and the expressions on his subordinates - complete and utter devotion.

They were strong in of their own right, but they followed the Demon Emperor without hesitation, without flinching in his presence.

For the first time since she was five, Kalina felt a dreaded chill run up her spine, sweat quickly forming at her brow.

She had subconsciously nearly taken a step back but caught herself before she did.

She plastered her blank expression back onto her face and looked around the room, expecting to see people reacting the same way she had.

Her father and some of the nobles close to him had, but others remained unphased, and some even looked at him in disbelief and with bored, unimpressed expressions.

How can they-? Wait…can they not sense his true strength? She looked at Lord Ruthven as the Demon Emperor began his speech; her lord and master was watching the crowd, subtly, out of the corner of his eye, and smiling thinly. I see - this is a test.

Lord Ruthven knew there would be resistance to this alliance which is why he arranged for this ball and the Demon Emperor to introduce himself. However, it’s apparent that some are too weak to realise the true danger of the man beside Lord Ruthven.

Kalina swallowed and straightened her posture, just as the Demon Emperor finished his speech. She clapped but noted that not everyone else did.

The Vampire Court will change dramatically after today.

***

Since the signing of the treaty, Spike had been working non-stop across the Holy Empire, preparing for the day it would fall.

Tirelessly, they worked - dispatching agents, establishing new bases, hypnotising, bribing or blackmailing those who they deemed useful to the Demon Emperor’s plans, and replacing those who would not bend with their own kin.

The Vampire Court had spent near four centuries waiting for this day, and Lord Ruthven was intent on seeing it perfected.

Any mistake, no matter how small, would not be taken kindly.

Kalina didn’t worry herself with such matters.

As the Commander of the 3rd Division of Spike, she was always busy and had dedicated nearly her entire life to ensuring the court’s prosperity, all on her father’s orders.

Once the Court had officially allied with the Demon Emperor, her father, Valeria Gens called her to his office and said, “Kalina, we stand on the edge of greatness. I openly appealed to the Demon Emperor about my achievements in the south, and he was most grateful. If you, a commander of Spike, can achieve great things, we’ll move up through the ranks of the Court and might even sit upon the emperor’s council one day.”

Ambition was something her and her father shared.

First, however, she would have to rise above her current post.

Mímir, the Demonic Spymaster, had been given total control of Spike, a controversial decision but one that had few open opposers when Lord Ruthven announced the change.

His mysterious, warm smile could not contain his viciousness or his cruel genius.

Kalina always shivered when she saw it, for she could never tell what he was thinking.

Perhaps I’ll have better luck with Mímir.

Those misgivings had been quickly dashed - he was an even greater mystery than Lord Ruthven.

The demon always wore a scarf that covered everything beneath his nose, his body language gave no tells and his words left little room for interpretation. When he entered the meeting, he had six Hysminai as escorts and had blood splattered on his clothing and skin.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a lot of work to do and not much time to do it in.” Mímir planted his bloodied katana into the table. “I have just returned from battle at Pilgrim’s Post and must lead the 2nd Demon Army in pursuit of refugees and warbands. Lord Ruthven has spoken most highly of Spike, and I am excited to see what you can do.

“The Hundred Days War plan has begun, and we all have our roles to play. To all thirteen divisions of Spike, your mission is thus: find and eliminate all rebel cells inside the old Holy Empire. You are to kill or capture every single rebel and snuff out any remaining flames of resistance. Time is of the essence as forces to our north and west are already plotting against us.

“Any questions?”

Kalina gave a quick glance at those around her, curious if any would take the bait.

He doesn’t want any of you to ask - he was people who will do as they’re told, and if you can’t realise that, then they don’t deserve to be here.

She spotted four or five dissatisfied and angry faces across from her, but that was it.

Satisfied, Mímir reclaimed his weapon and conjured a portal behind him. “Good. I shall return in a week - ensure you have good news to report to me.”

***

Kalina had the best track record within the first week.

Fifteen rebel cells wiped out.

There was no reason to think any of the cells were linked and there was no evidence to support any such baseless theories - Kalina had had teams investigate just to be sure, but there was nothing in any of the bases they raided.

Satisfied, she returned for the meeting a week later with her head held high; the next highest record of rebel cells destroyed was four, held by the 2nd Division.

More than a few angry glances came her way, but Kalina did not care; she had just one objective - she would rise through the ranks and become an invaluable person to the Demon Emperor.

The first step was impressing the Spymaster Mímir.

Sadly, he seemed too busy to properly appreciate her efforts but that was fine.

She would just continue to do what she excelled at, and her hard work would be rewarded.

“Then, I’ll be expecting even more good news soon,” the Spymaster said before departing again.

And you shall have it.