Why was there hierarchies among the Vampire kind? Why was there ranks among the Werewolves? Alpha, Beta and Omega, Family Leader and Members—all of these dictated a certain role for each Vampire individual to find themselves into.
Perhaps a human would have protested against the idea that some individuals were intrinsically better than others. That was not how the human world would have liked to measure itself by, would have liked to push the idea that all men were equal, but the same unfortunate truth applied to all of these races.
It was a dog eat dog world.
"What am I supposed to do now—whoever is in charge should do something about it." Lukas said as he stared up into the sky, or at least tried to, the dark canopy of trees barring them even the chance to look up and see the dome of the heavens.
And at that moment, that was all Lukas could really do.
He paced back and forth into the forest, glancing at the other three Vampires now and then. Lukas knew that there was something watching him right now.
Not whoever the hell ******** was, but something else—the very thing that had been there since the beginning of everything.
"Since I've been put into this situation, the least that one can do for me is to at least help point me into the correct possible direction. Then I'll take it from there, F and I."
They had been there since he first accessed the End User License Agreement, when he'd receive the gadgets that allowed him access to the System of Lux… and even all the way to the Veiled Forest and until now.
It was always just at the edge of his vision, fluttering like a butterfly and not wanting to be seen. For it to eclipse Lukas' vision.
Lukas had been happy to ignore it, to not think about it as something that has been probing him every now and then—somewhat ruining the experience by knowing that he was being watched, assessed and studied, but now he called for it now.
"About any time now," Lukas said.
"Lukas!" Anthony said. "We need to work together—"
[The Dark Forest level has reached into an obscure amount of difficulty beyond current capacity.]
[Recommend level of power not obtained.]
[Recommend level of power not obtained—reassessing possible directions…]
[Current targets and limitations being taken into account…]
[Handicaps and External Forces being taken into account…]
[Assessing Archetypes and Skill Levels…]
[Assessing Relationship Levels… ]
[Recalibrating Paths… ]
[One Man Standing Option Being Assessed—]
[Currently Incompatible]
[Deliver Us All Option Being Assessed—]
[Currently Incompatible]
[Protect Your People and Make Allies!]
[Currently Compatible!]
"What the…?" In Lukas' eyes this was the first time that he had seen so many screens flash in his mind's eye that it made his head hurt and spin. Multiple dialogue whiplashed around him and pulled into several directions.
"We need you here with us." Anthony slapped Lukas' back and looked at him with a frown. "You're being weird and spacing out, but it'd be great if you could come back with us for a moment and help deal with the aftermath of everything, you know?"
"I… I know that." Lukas sighed and eyed Anthony, Philip and Matthew.
Anthony Landel. A Vampire who came from a long line of merchants and was now stuck with him because Lukas chose to stay here and be responsible for Rhea.
Philip. A Vampire who wanted to travel to historic sites, cowardly and yet with a good head on his shoulders. Would have been safe if he had left moments earlier and didn't insist on staying.
Matthew. A Vampire who was friends with one of the people in the Argenti House, with a sister who was currently in a hospital. An incredible amount of natural strength and a penchant for violence. Should have been reunited with his loved ones, but was here as well.
The reason why the System put the 'Protect Your People and Make Allies' was as clear as day to Lukas—these were his people and it was up to him to protect them.
Did it feel forced to Lukas?
Lukas would have probably done the same either way, but the information given to him wasn't just telling him what he wanted to do—but how he could do it.
[Protect Your People and Make Allies]
Currently trapped in the Dark Forest of ********, the options that remain with you is ensuring the safety of you and your men and reaching out to individuals who may aid you on your quest.
[Possible Allies]
Overlord Leonardo Aurelius - Nyx
Lord Von Elias Aurelius - Nyx
Lady Anastasia dis Vardoken - Nyx
Lord Alexei dis Vardoken - Nyx
Chaerin Atticus - Nyx
Theodore Farkas Tenebris - Nyx
Great Leaders Cervus and Ursa - Veiled Forest
Overlord Serena Weisse - Lux
Emerys di Verdant - Lux
Viktoria Cadis - Lux
[Unlikely Allies]
??? Argenti - Nyx
??? - Ilstad Mountain
[Currently Unavailable]
Drusilla of the Sanguise House
Iolathane Durand
Rhealusvya
"If you know that then… what are we supposed to do now?" Anthony asked.
"That's… that's quite simple really." Lukas took a deep breath and then glanced towards the direction that he knew where the mountain was. "We have to find people who'll be able to help us deal with the threat. That's all we can do, so we'll go from there."
"That's it?" Anthony blinked.
"Will we find Miss Durand and the others?" Matthew asked.
"I knew that we should have gone for that since the last time." Philip said.
Lukas wanted to say that wasn't the case, but for now, he nodded. "Yes, we'll find the others... and because the forest is currently quite dangerous, the thing that I can recommend is going all the way up to Ilstad Mountain."
"That's supposed to be even more dangerous than here." Philip said.
"You don't exactly know that." Lukas searched the ground and picked up a rock. He held it carefully in his hand before throwing it into the melded and fused Dark Forest trees.
Something lashed out and destroyed it into rubble.
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