Venatores Noctis: Consequences of Compromise: Chapter 3 – Inheritance of Sin and Redemption

Chapter 3 – Inheritance of Sin and Redemption

Both Thaddeus and Tinuviel are woken up by one of the servants in their castle before a barrage of arrows enters their room. They rush out of the room, but Thaddeus rushes even faster so that he can go into his little brother’s room to take him away from the windows. Once he puts his little brother in a safe place, he investigates the source of the attack to find a small army of Meridies soldiers outside entering the city and slaughtering everyone they come across. Even though the Meridies meet fierce resistance, they still manage to make progress thanks to the help of a red spirit with red wings, gold veins, and a black crown, which looks like an angel. These Meridies are dressed differently than normal Meridies soldiers as they wear masks with red crosses and golden crowns on their heads. Their armor consists of crimson red and gold gear along with white and gold shoulder capes all of which are made for the most royal of royals. They wield various weapons with crimson snakes on staffs being the most notable.

Wondering about these snakes, Tinuviel asks, “Why do those soldiers use staffs with crimson snakes on them and what are those spirits behind them? Are they their guardian angels”

“They’re using devilish magic and those are no angels,” Thaddeus says before quickly heading down to meet them.

Running down to the streets, Thaddeus manages to save a Corpus before they are struck down by one of the elite soldiers by intercepting their attack with his rapier. He then backs off as the Umbra and Meridies face each other down and their injured pick up themselves up and retreat to their side.

“If there was ever one thing I have to thank you for, Thaddeus, it’s bringing the heads of the family to us and waking us up from our slothfulness,” an elite soldier with a familiar voice to Thaddeus says.

“Sister? Is that you?” Thaddeus asks.

“Sister who?”

“I don’t remember your name, but I remember your voice. You were always away from home on assignments to “bring peace and God’s rule” over the land, but now I know that you didn’t serve God at all with the surest proof being the demons behind your shoulders controlled by those snakes on staffs.”

“These are our guardian angels and we can command them with these snakes on staffs because we have been given authority over them by God. We are Meridies after all and our guardian angels are part of our arsenal. As far as I know, your guardian angel rarely if ever appears for you. In my eyes, this is proof that you are no Meridies and hardly even a servant of God.”

“That’s because my angel only comes out when God wills it, not me because I am not its true master. Also, everyone I have around me is my help from God, so I don’t always need help from my angel.”

“Don’t you think that you need your guardian angel in this situation or will it not heed your call?”

“I can call it out if I need to!”

“You didn’t answer my question. I’m sure your so-called family around you thinks the aid of your angel will help. How about we make a deal or rather a test of faith? If your angel will appear to help you, we’ll leave you alone, but if it won’t, then you’ll all die.”

“Deal. Guardian angel, show us who God favors this day. In all things, let God’s will be done even if I must suffer for it or face defeat from my enemies.”

A golden light then appears from nothing in front of Thaddeus where his multi-eyed guardian angel appears. In the sight of the Umbra, they see nothing but light, however, the Meridies and those who aren’t Corpus see the angel as clear as day. As soon as the angel opens all its eyes, a third of the Meridies soldiers are turned into a red mist. It disappears shortly after and leaves the pride of the other Meridies in shambles and their faith questioned.

“Well? God has decided who has His favor. If you are still foolish enough to face us, then step up for your execution,” Thaddeus says.

The Umbra soldiers and surrounding civilians yell in anticipation of a fight, but the Meridies retreat instead.

“We should chase after them and send pieces of their remains to their family,” Tinuviel suggests.

“No, their fear will do us well enough to establish peace. Let everyone across the lands hear about this momentous victory,” Thaddeus says.

The Umbra do as Thaddeus says and within a week and a half, the Church and Meridies retreat from the territories of the Umbra and decide to leave them alone for the time being. This causes much celebration for the Umbra and their allies that is planned to last the entire month; however, Thaddeus celebrates so much on the first day that he sleeps for nearly all the next day. He is then rudely awakened the next day by Tinuviel who jumps on the bed while he’s sleeping.

“Huh? What’s going on?” Thaddeus asks.

“You have a surprise waiting for you downstairs. It’s a special present that my family has prepared to thank you for all that you’ve done for us,” Tinuviel says.

“You didn’t need to. All we’ve achieved and being with you all is reward enough.”

“Oh, stop being so humble. Can you get up?”

To his surprise, Thaddeus still feels tired and unable to get up on his own.

“Sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“We probably pushed you to eat and drink too much over the past couple of days. Sorry about that. It’s hard to remember the limits of being human when you’re dead and you know how much we like to party. Here, I’ll carry you down.”

Tinuviel picks up Thaddeus who struggles to stand on his own. Going downstairs, he sees that the Umbra are all gathered together with his little brother in the center of them all.

“What’s going on?” Thaddeus asks.

“Thaddeus, my son, you will officially become part of the family through our ritual,” his father-in-law says.

Tired confusion switches to surprise as Tinuviel explains, “You’ll become one of us so we can live together forever as rulers of this planet, my love. I should be sorry for deceiving for you so long, but you know how it is to do evil for good.”

Surprise switches panic as Thaddeus now realizes that the Umbra were actual vampires and not Corpus. He tries and is unable to break free from Tinuviel’s grasp as she holds him down while the ritual to turn him into a vampire begins. At this point, he repents in his mind of his sins both in regret and in the vain hope that his little brother will be saved, but no help comes. Instead, his little brother’s neck is cut, and his still beating heart is taken out and crushed right in front of him to his shock. This horror causes him to black out before the ritual is done. When he wakes up, he finds himself lying in his room. Part of him wants to think what he witnessed was a bad dream until he looks into the mirror to see that his skin is rotting just like the other vampires and the blood of his little brother is still on his face, body, and arms.

He tries his best to wash the blood off him but feels unable to as his brother’s innocent blood feels like it’s deep within his bones. Collapsing to the floor in tears, Thaddeus tries to cut his own neck with his rapier. The rapier’s blade breaks as soon as it hits his neck revealing to him that he’s a Corpus since his blade is blessed. Not wanting to accept this revelation, he tries shooting himself with his pistol that carries blessed bullets. This doesn’t work as well, so he just cries to himself and asks God why this fate has befallen him. A golden light appears in the room in which his guardian angel appears out of.

“My guardian angel, why didn’t you tell me that the Umbra were true vampires?” Thaddeus asks while prostrate on the ground.

The angel’s eyes open to reveal multiple mouths instead of eyes, which it speaks out of.

It says, “Their actions and words revealed who they really were.”

“Why did let them take control of the world and why didn’t the blessed weapons work against them? Why did you let them do what they did to my brother?!”

“It was God’s will that the world and you be punished this way to wake it up from its evils. He abandoned you to your sins since you all exchanged good for evil.”

“We did what we had to for the greater good!”

“There is no such thing as doing evil for good. Both the Umbra, Church, and Meridies murdered and manipulated for their own gain. Are they justified? You should know the answer.”

“I chose the lesser of two evils.”

“Evil is still evil as sin is still sin. Christ died for man’s mortal sins and venial sins alike. All of it corrupts mankind and puts his soul to death and guilty of the crucifixion.”

“Then kill me for my crimes.”

“Your ancestors have asked this before when they were at their lowest, but they were not granted it. You are a true Corpus and Meridies, Thaddeus. You still have good left within you that you managed to save with your regret and repentance. Rise from your sorry state. It is time to do what you were born to do and hunt the night.”

His guardian angel’s words fill Thaddeus with a God-given strength that ignites his dead heart with a need for justice. He goes downstairs to see that the Umbra are still celebrating. They see him and applaud his appearance.

His father-in-law approaches him and says, “Thaddeus, my son, how happy am I to see that you’re awake. How do you feel?”

“Like I’m finally awake,” Thaddeus answers before punching a hole into this father-in-law’s face with his fist.

This shocks everyone around him, especially Tinuviel. Thaddeus then moves around at blazing speeds killing each and every vampire and person in the room with his bare hands and they can hardly do anything to stop him. Freighted by this sight, Tinuviel retreats deeper into the castle while sending every guard, soldier, and servant she can at him. Aiding him in this fight is his guardian angel who clears entire halls and hallways of enemies in a literal blink of an eye. Hundreds of soldiers and servants enter the castle, but none survive Thaddeus’ righteous anger. Eventually, he makes it to Tinuviel after coating most of the castle’s interior in blood and guts. She tries in vain to fight back, however, her punch has no effect on his body. Thaddeus picks Tinuviel up by the throat and begins to break her neck.

“Thaddeus, please…I love you,” Tinuviel desperately says.

“No, you never did. I was nothing more than a puppet for you to manipulate,” Thaddeus responds before completely crushing her neck, which makes her head fall from her body.

After the deed is done, Thaddeus roars out into the night. With the entire Umbra family, their vampires, and servants dead he walks outside to see a concerned crowd.

He tells them, “Repent of your sins! The Umbra family has deceived you and has paid the price with their souls and lives. Let all know what has happened here and warn them of the consequences of doing evil for good!”

Afraid of Thaddeus, some in the crowd do as he says while the rest flee in terror. In the distance, Thaddeus sees the morning sun begin to rise. Out of this light, his guardian angel appears.

“It is done, Thaddeus. The vampires are dead and the Church and land will be humbled by your actions,” the angel says.

“Did it have to happen this way?” Thaddeus asks.

“God is the only one who knows that. He’s the only one who has the authority and foresight to allow evil things so that good may come out of it.”

“What if the vampires return?”

“Then God will choose His soldiers to fight against them just as He does when all kinds of evil decide to rise up. It doesn’t matter if they are Meridies, a holy soldier of the Church, or a repentant sinner. There will always be a force for good to eliminate evil until the end times when evil will be completely erased. You needn’t worry about the details because you will be in Heaven soon. Your time here is done and fulfilled.”

Thaddeus’ body begins to completely decompose until he is nothing more than ash. With his soul free from his body and his soul free from sin after his penance, his soul goes to Heaven where he sees God, the Queen of Heaven, the angels, saints, his ancestors, and, of course, his brother who he runs to and holds in his arms.

“I’m so sorry for what I put you through, brother,” Thaddeus says.

“It’s okay. I understand,” his little brother says, “You did keep your promise, in a way. We are now in a peaceful place that we deserved to be in.”

 

The End

Venatores Noctis: Consequences of Compromise: Chapter 2 – A War of Evils

*Symbol of the Corpus

Chapter 2 – A War of Evils

It’s now been a month since Thaddeus and the Umbra family declared war on the Meridies family and the Church. So far, Thaddeus and the Umbra family are winning without deploying any forces or engaging in any large-scale battles. Instead, their influences have started riots in the cities and towns of the Church. Once they arm the rioters and give them the plans they need to overtake the city or town, the rioters take to the streets and weaken the Church’s forces so that the Umbra family can easily take the location for themselves. Rarely does the Church strike against a place controlled by the Umbra since they have spread the Meridies family’s forces across many places and when the Meridies send their forces to retake their territory, they find that they do not face any Corpus. Instead, they face the normal citizens and soldiers trying to defend their home and if the territory is taken back, the Umbra use events such as these to convince the other territories of the mercilessness of the Meridies that never take prisoners since rebellion against the Church in any way is a crime punishable by death or cruel imprisonment where a person is worked to death.

As a result of their strategies, the Umbra have gained much support and territory. They’ve even managed to gain support from the few non-Catholic nations on the terms that they’d be left alone to believe and practice as they wish. Today, Thaddeus and Tinuviel move out with an actual military force to overtake a few strategic areas still held by the Meridies to solidify their control over an area. Before moving out, Thaddeus pays his little brother a visit.

He takes his smiling brother into his arms and says, “Good morning. Sorry for waking you up so early. I just wanted to say goodbye before I head off to battle, but don’t worry, I’ll come back to you like I always do. Victory will definitely be ours since we’ve been on a winning streak as of late. God is on our side and many are changing to our side and standing up for what is right. Before you know it, you’ll be living in a more peaceful world that you deserve. I’ll see you later, dear brother.”

After kissing his little brother on the forehead and laying him down, Thaddeus leaves the room and joins Tinuviel and the soldiers leaving the city for battle. They travel for a day until they come to their target. This place has swayed back and forth in terms of who is controlling it. The Meridies are holding it with an iron grip as a group of their best soldiers reinforces the Church’s soldiers that are stationed there. Even though the riots and influence of the Umbra have shaken things up in the city, it hasn’t been enough. While heading into the city via a secret entrance that’s mostly blocked by rubble, Tinuviel uses her superhuman Corpus strength to easily move the rubble aside while Thaddeus does what he can to help.

“I’m sorry I can’t be of more help,” Thaddeus says.

“You shouldn’t be. I’m happy to actually be doing something. This is way better than sometimes giving suggestions while you plan what to do to overtake the land with my family,” Tinuviel says.

“Speaking of plans, we should plan to do something about vampire cultists like the ones that tried to turn your family into vampires.”

“Why’s that? We already killed the ones that made us like this and even presented their bodies to you and your family as evidence.”

“I’m still a Meridies, a vampire hunter, despite being disowned and groups of cultists trying to grow their vampire ranks is a problem for the world. We should at least have something in place for it.”

“Your family did and look what good it accomplished. Our next priority is making sure we pick the right leaders to lead the cities and major regions of importance.”

“Your father is a good judge of character.”

“Heh, if you say so. The last leader he trusted to take this town is still hanging from the city gates.”

“That’s because he got too comfortable with his position and resources. This new one should be better. Speaking of which, we should be inside the city now and at the meeting point.”

At the end of the tunnels, Tinuviel and Thaddeus find that the exit is blocked by rubble.

“Tch, why did we have to go through the collapsed hidden entranceway again?” Tinuviel asks as she begins to remove the rubble.

“No one expects us to come through it besides the people we’re supposed to come through it,” Thaddeus answers.

“It was a rhetorical question.”

“Hmm. Hold on. Let me try something.”

“Be my guest.”

Tinuviel moves aside as Thaddeus walks in front of the rubble. He then says, “Guardian angel, clear our path that blocks the path to our destined destination.”

Out of a golden light, Thaddeus’ guardian angel materializes only in his sight. In Tinuviel’s eyes, she can only see a faint light and nothing more. Thaddeus’ guardian angel has each part of its body separated but floating together. It has four arms, four legs, two heads, and two sets of wings and has eyes and mouths all over its faces, body, wings, and limbs that look all over the place without concentrating on a single thing until all its eyes focus on the rubble that shatters into bits without the angel even touching it. The angel then disappears shortly after without a single word.

“Impressive. I keep forgetting you have your guardian angel to help you,” Tinuviel says.

“That’s because I rarely have to call my angel. God has blessed me with enough help in my life that I rarely need to ask for the help of my guardian,” Thaddeus explains.

The two then continue to the exit of the tunnel where they find a door that’s locked from their side. After unlocking it and going through the door, they find the people they are supposed to meet up with all of which appear to be normal peasants who are armed with the weapons and armor given to them by the Umbra.

“It’s about time you arrived,” their leader says.

“Show some respect and gratitude,” Tinuviel says.

“I would if your father sent us more support and weapons. We’ve been on the edge of defeat ever since you pulled back a majority of your soldiers.”

“Why you little unappreciative-”

Thaddeus interrupts the conversation by saying, “We did that because you had enough forces to control this place. We do that with every city so that the people who call this home can control it independently so they can practice what they believe is right. The only thing we ask is that you remember who helped you in your time of need and all that entails.”

“If you really want us to be independent, then you should’ve given us more.”

As a result of what the leader says, Tinuviel swipes his head off his shoulders decapitating him, and yet, somehow hardly shocking everyone else in the room.

“So, my father isn’t exactly the best judge of character,” Tinuviel says to Thaddeus.

“He can make mistakes like everyone, but he did have a backup plan, which is me. My brother here was chosen over me because of his ruthlessness against his enemies and his willingness to go to any lengths to achieve his goals. Me, I’m not as headstrong as he was,” one of the people in the room says.

“That’ll do you good so that you don’t end up like he did. Is everything else in place?” Tinuviel says.

“Yes, we are ready to take back our home.”

Once they leave the building, the new leader sounds a horn that makes groups of people come out of hiding. They ambush their enemies from behind who are focused on the Umbra army in front of them. The enemy’s surprise is compounded by their fellow soldiers and close friends and family turning on them allowing the Umbra a simple victory. After Tinuviel crowns the new leader of the city, their dead and still living enemies are burned far outside of the city while the city celebrates. Among those who are burning alive are the old leaders and their supporters some of which are the family of the new leader chosen by Tinuviel’s father.

“I may not be as ruthless as my brother, but I will do what is necessary when I need to. This display shows that close ties with me will not shield you from the justice of God,” the leader explains referring to the burning of his family, “I hope this will prove to you that I am worthy to lead my neighbors.”

“Yes, you’ve proven yourself without a shadow of a doubt,” Tinuviel says.

Thaddeus thinks to himself while staring out at the burning bodies.

“Does this display bother you? We are both children fighting against their families, so I do sympathize with what you’re feeling,” the leader says to Thaddeus.

“No, it’s just that I’m thinking about what would’ve become of my infant brother if I didn’t take him away from my family before I was disowned.”

“Then it’s a great thing that you saved him when you did. I wish I could’ve saved my brothers, but they chose their path and I chose mine. Thank you for your help. I’m sure you’ll be a good leader and do what’s right.”

With their job here done and their bodies rested after the celebration and a night’s rest, Thaddeus, Tinuviel, and the rest of the Umbra’s army move out to their next target.

Before they enter the city, Tinuviel says to her soldiers, “Go on ahead of us and make sure they don’t have any tricks up their sleeves. Meet up with our allies to find out what they know and check the surrounding area for anything suspicious, especially the rooftops for snipers.”

“Hopefully nothing will happen,” Thaddeus says.

“Do you really think these people want to talk after weeks of fighting against us and calling us monsters?”

“No, and I understand the necessity in doing this to be safe, but still, I’d rather think positively.”

“I get it, and I would like to as well. I wish I just shared your optimism.”

Once they let their soldiers go on ahead of them and secretly enter the city, they find that this place isn’t hostile in the same way the other one is. Instead, the Umbra are allowed in the city, but yelled at and accused of evil by one part of the city while being praised by another. Meeting up at the multistory cathedral, Thaddeus and Tinuviel sit down with Church leaders and members of the Meridies family while a crowd of civilians and soldiers from both sides watch and listen in silence for what’s about to be talked about.

“I must thank you for coming here, Tinuviel Umbra. You have proved to us that you are truly a Corpus by being where you are,” a member of the Meridies says.

“Tch,” Tinuviel says before getting up and grabbing a blessed dagger from one of the Meridies. “This you know is a blessed weapon.” She then cuts her throat with the weapon, but the weapon doesn’t even cut her skin. Instead, the knife’s blade is chipped and the sound of her cutting herself is the same as if the blade had cut stone. “Now you can see with your eyes that I am no vampire.”

Many in the crowd gasp with some on the Meridies and Church side changing over.

After Tinuviel sits down, another of the Meridies says, “We’ve heard rumors that some of you weren’t vulnerable to blessed weapons so we just wanted to confirm your purity through this test by meeting you and yours here where a vampire would typically burst into flames. Cutting yourself was unneeded.”

“I think it was since I have to keep doing it to prove to you people beyond a shadow of a doubt what I am. As you should know, being expert vampire killers, Corpus can be killed by blessed weapons if God allows it.”

“Anyways, with the pleasantries out of the way, can we continue with this meeting?” Thaddeus interrupts, “I’m sure because of what’s been shown to you that we can talk about how we can be allies and stop this civil war.”

“Don’t think it will be that easy. Your questionable actions have cast an unremovable stain on your reputation. We do know, as expert vampire killers, that the Corpus have no control of themselves and blamelessly do the same sinful actions they did in life, but the Umbra family have brought nothing but war upon the Church and profited off it. It doesn’t help that the Umbra family already had a reputation of deception and taking advantage of situations and manipulating them for their own gain.”

“Do I need to cut myself again?” Tinuviel asks.

“The fact that you’re immune to holy blades and places will change most minds but not all. There were vampire gods and devils who could break holy weapons such as the Meridies family’s whip, and there were even rumors that there were vampires who were unaffected by holy weapons since God let the world fall into the degeneracy it wanted as punishment. A majority of the Meridies family believe the Umbra to be this sort of vampire that rise when evil overtakes the world again.”

“You’re admitting that the world is degenerate?”

“No, I’m-”

“Before you start arguing with each other, let me say that the vampires you’re referring to are just that. Rumors,” Thaddeus states, “Holy weapons only don’t work against vampires when God wills it.”

“And why do you talk about our actions being questionable when you do the same yourselves for the same reasons?” Tinuviel says.

“Tinuviel.”

“We both do things for the greater good, and yet, the Church and Meridies are justified and we aren’t? Who decides that? It’s certainly neither of us, but God. Even so, we should both work together to solve the problems of the Church. Maybe by then, your holy weapons will work on me so I can die for good to prove to you my innocence.”

Many are moved to the Umbra’s side by Tinuviel’s words.

“I think my wife’s words are convincing enough to move to give us your support.”

“It’s not that simple,” a Meridies says.

“Then what is this meeting for? Just to try to see if we’ll die in this cathedral and tell us what we already know?” Tinuviel asks.

“No, we’ve come to talk about how there can be peace between our sides starting with you stopping your attacks on our towns and cities and ceasing your manipulations of the public.”

“And go back to being on the defensive against the Meridies?”

“It’s a start for us to consider that you want peace.”

“You may get peace, but the Meridies who want us dead will not give us peace. There are only two options here. Either you ally with us or you fight against us and continue this familial war. What you choose will decide if this meeting ends in bloodshed or not,” Thaddeus says.

A silence fills the cathedral until a body of a Meridies soldier falls from the upper chapel. This shocks everyone and puts both sides on their guard. Adding to the shock, Umbra soldiers come down carrying captured Meridies soldiers.

One of the Umbra soldiers claims, “We’ve caught these assassins with their rifles aimed at our people. You Meridies have a lot to answer for.”

“They are guards, not assassins, and we didn’t order them to aim their rifles at you. They are supposed to be here just in case something happened,” a Church leader counters.

“Something will happen in the next few seconds if you don’t decide to ally with us,” Tinuviel says as she gets up ready to fight.

Soldiers on both sides ready their weapons with even some of the people in the cathedral readying themselves while the others flee.

“You’re not making your offer any more appealing by doing this. Stand down and we may resume our talk.”

“You’ve been trying to kill us to begin with. We only dismissed your attempt to kill us with this meeting in the cathedral since we knew that we wouldn’t die but pointing your guns at those who can die with your fingers on the trigger is something else. You basically already fired the first two shots and our tolerance can last so long. Why should we listen to you now?”

A deadly silence fills the cathedral until Thaddeus’ perception allows him to see a Meridies about to pull the trigger. This forces him to take the first shot to start the fight. Since the Umbra soldiers outnumber and have the upper ground, they make short work of the Meridies and the Church leaders. They then go into the streets and throw the dead bodies of the Meridies leaders on the floor in front of the guards and soldiers outside. With the city’s citizens and the Umbra soldiers surrounding them, few of the soldiers fight to their last breath. Instead, most beg for mercy, and mercy is only given to those who Thaddeus and Tinuviel are convinced deserve it. Everyone who doesn’t get mercy from Thaddeus and Tinuviel is thrown into the crowd to do with as they pleased, which is a worse fate than being publicly hanged like the corpses of the Meridies and Church leaders.

A council of leaders is crowned to guide this large and important city and then a celebration is held for them, which Thaddeus opts out of. He sits far away from the party that is happening not too far from the hanging corpses as if they were just decorations.

Tinuviel joins him and asks, “How come you’re not joining the celebration? We deserve it after gaining this important city.”

“This was the only place that offered to talk to us to possibly end this war. I’m disappointed that this didn’t end differently.”

“The outcome we got is the best one possible. They wanted us to stand down and that would’ve led to us having to take the abuse of the Church and Meridies again with no possible guarantee that they would accept us in the future.”

“I know. It’s just that…”

“I know, I know.”

Tinuviel embraces Thaddeus and then kisses him to comfort him and ease his burden.

“This’ll be over before you know it and we’ll be living in a world that we imagined as children.”

Again looking out at the hanging bodies, Thaddeus remembers the happy memories he had with his family. Sure, they were strict, but they did love him according to Thaddeus. In fact, they probably loved their own a bit too much as they were able to take more plunder from their enemies than the Church allowed. This reminder sours his memories and feels like they were God’s way of hinting at the circumstances of what’s happening now. His past hand waving his family’s actions angers him.

“Are you still upset? I thought my embrace always calms you down,” Tinuviel says.

“It does. It’s just that I’m only now realizing the severity of my family taking advantage of the corruption within the Church and the status we had,” Thaddeus says before getting up. “Rest well because we won’t show our next targets any mercy.”

“Oh, I like whatever has awakened in you.”

Kindled by the fires of rage, Thaddeus moves the Umbra forces quickly to the next location. This farm town with the walls of a fort has already been ravaged by conflicts both from the outside and in. Originally, Thaddeus and his father-in-law planned to give enough aid to the town’s inhabitants over the course of three days, so they could take it back for themselves, however, Thaddeus’ rage makes him throw away the original plan in favor of brute force assault. Tinuviel and the rest of the Umbra soldiers agree with this course of action, especially since some of the soldiers are from this area and remember it being a quiet, peaceful, and happy land until the Church kept tightening its laws with the enforcement of the Meridies.

“I’ve blinded myself to my family’s crimes for too long and I’m beginning to realize what it really means to fight for the greater good instead of just talking about and fighting for it. But we shouldn’t worry about the mistakes and injustices of the past, because today, we are vengeance,” Thaddeus says.

Inspired by his words, the Umbra forces scream out before they assault the town head-on by first leaping on the walls to clear off the soldiers before going into the town. Thaddeus is carried by Tinuviel until they get into the town.

“Next time, you carry me into battle,” Tinuviel says.

Focused on the task at hand, Thaddeus doesn’t hear what Tinuviel says and charges into battle by himself, which makes Tinuviel go off on her own as well. Thaddeus uses his perception, his pistol, and the many dropped guns in the town to kill as many of the soldiers as he can by bouncing his bullets off shields, armor, and other surfaces the bullets can bounce from.  He rarely has to use his rapier, especially since Tinuviel is nearby killing each soldier by either quickly decapitating them or using the limbs of one to kill one soldier before killing the one she injured. The battle ends just as quickly as it started as the Umbra claim victory. With the dust settled, the town’s citizens peek their heads out to see what happened.

Most are happy to see they are saved while those who aren’t supportive of the Umbra are called out and brought before the soldiers where they are given back to the crowd before being given the same fate worse than death that befalls all who oppose the Umbra. When Thaddeus, Tinuviel, and the other Umbra come back home with news of their victory. The rest of the Umbra’s allies and family are happy to hear it. Thaddeus’ father-in-law hardly even minds that he didn’t follow the original plan caring only that he obtained victory. Thaddeus also tells his little brother what he went through before going to bed with Tinuviel for a well-deserved rest after a successful series of battles. Before going to sleep, Thaddeus notices that Tinuviel keeps twisting and turning.

“What’s wrong, my love?” Thaddeus asks her.

Tinuviel turns to him with a smile on her face.

“The world we dreamed of is here,” she says.

“There’s still a lot to do.”

“With all the places allied to us, all the places under our control. We basically have victory, so take it easy. Peace is within arm’s reach.”

“Yeah, you’re right and I’m happy to be living in it with you.”

Tinuviel snuggles up to Thaddeus who holds her in his arms. Despite feeling happy, Thaddeus still feels concerned about his family’s forces that are still out there, but for now, he enjoys this moment and hopes that his concerns are just him worrying too much.

Venatores Noctis: Consequences of Compromise: Chapter 1 – All for Love and Her

Chapter 1 – All for Love and Her

In the early minutes of the night, an engaged couple on a cliff overlooks a castle that’s sat near the shore with their forces behind them ready to attack. The young man is dressed in a black and gold shirt and pants made for the most respected of princes, steel-toed boots, and carries a rapier and single-shot pistol in their respective holsters. Unlike the man’s battle-ready appearance, the young woman is dressed in her typical purple and black princess dress with a purple bow on her head, heels on her feet, a purple rose choker around her neck, and seemingly no weapon on her to speak of.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Thaddeus?” the young woman asks.

“I am. Your brother and my sister deserve to be together like we are, Tinuviel,” Thaddeus says.

“But what about your family?”

“They’ve already disowned me and I’ve set my heart on doing what’s right.”

As Thaddeus says this, he begins his approach toward the castle. Tinuviel grabs his hand.

“And I’ve set mine on being at your side in everything that you do.”

Thaddeus smiles before they approach the gates of the castle together with their forces not too far behind them. A captain and his soldiers look at the young couple from atop the walls with disdain.

“So, you’ve come here to die together. It’s the wisest choice you’ve made in a while, Thaddeus,” the captain says.

“We didn’t come here to die. We came here to save my sister,” Thaddeus says.

“She’s another fool like you. If this doesn’t prove to the rest of you that the vampires are deceitful and corrupting creatures, then I don’t what will.”

“My fiancé, her brother, and family aren’t vampires. They’re Corpus.”

“Regardless of what you think. You have already chosen Hell over Heaven.”

“And you have chosen hatred over love. Attack!”

Out of the wilderness come the couple’s forces, which are Corpus. They leap on and over the castle walls as if they were nothing but a short fence and fight against its defenders with ruthless speed and strength as even armored soldiers are torn in two with two strikes from their hands. Once the main gate is clear, the Corpus open the gate for the couple so they can join the fight. Thaddeus draws his rapier that pierces the armor of his foes while Tinuviel uses her undead strength just like the others decapitate and dismember. The overwhelming number of Corpus overwhelms the castle’s guards and allows quick access to the castle’s inner rooms where Thaddeus and Tinuviel find Thaddeus’ sister. His sister is guarded by many elite soldiers that have already cut down many of the Corpus with hardly a scratch on them.

“Thaddeus! You shouldn’t have come here,” his sister says.

“No, you deserve to be with the one you love just like me,” Thaddeus says.

Drawing his single-shot gun, Thaddeus points his gun at the soldiers who hide behind their shields and slowly walk toward him shoulder to shoulder.

“Your bullet will just bounce off their shields!”

“That’s what I’m hoping for.” Thaddeus shoots the round part of one of the soldier’s shields to make it bounce off it then another part of the room and finally through the necks of the soldiers to bring down all three in one shot. “Have you already forgotten about my bestial perception?”

Tinuviel’s brother comes in and embraces Thaddeus’ sister before kissing her.

He then gets on his knees and says to Thaddeus, “I cannot thank you enough for what you’ve done for me. I owe you my life.”

“You don’t owe me anything other than making my sister happy for the rest of her life,” Thaddeus says while taking his brother-in-law’s hand and lifting him off his feet.

“That goes without saying. No one else makes me happy like she does. I promise you and her that I’ll do everything possible to return the happiness she gives me.”

“You don’t need to promise me. I know you’ll do your best, brother.”

“Hey, one of them is still alive,” Tinuviel says while looking over the bodies of the soldiers.

One of the soldiers has a part of their throat torn out and is hardly clinging to life.

“He’s basically dead with that hole in his throat. Finish him off.”

Tinuviel steps on the barely surviving soldier’s head and crushes it into pieces. After which, she says, “They’ll be coming at us even harder now because of this victory. We should show them not to mess with us by impaling the corpses of their dead on spikes to show them our strength.”

For a few seconds, Thaddeus considers Tinuviel’s suggestion until he agrees with it.

“We’ll do it to deter them from further conflict.”

“Won’t it enforce their view of us as monsters by not giving their dead a proper burial?” Thaddeus’ sister asks.

“They’ll think we’re monsters regardless. This’ll scare some of them from fighting us at least. It’s not like they don’t display the bodies of their fallen foes to do the same,” Tinuviel says.

Once the Corpus impale all the corpses of their enemies, they leave to go to a city where they are accepted. Here, Thaddeus and Tinuviel finally marry and their siblings marry each other in the same ceremony. While the celebration is going on, Thaddeus and Tinuviel step outside on the balcony that overlooks the city.

“This is just like we envisioned when we were kids. After all our hard work, I hope I’ve made your dream come true,” Thaddeus says.

“It has even though the world hates us. Just this moment together with you is worth it,” Tinuviel says.

The newlywed couple then kisses before looking out at the city with the moon’s light shining on it.

“Still, it’s not perfect enough.”

“What’s wrong?”

“We have company. I can see a group of soldiers from my family approaching.”

“I still don’t know what’s wrong. We prepared for this. Our friends will protect us from them.”

“Send a messenger to get our friends to bring as many as they can alive.”

“I see. Maybe if we break their mind, they’ll make the others fear us to stop others from attacking or at least make them think twice.”

“No, I just want to talk and have them send a message to the rest of my family.”

“That could be just as effective depending on the message.”

“Trust me. I have a good message to send.”

After Tinuviel and Thaddeus’s friends intercept the soldiers, they bring the two they managed to keep alive to them to be talked to in the streets of the city. There, the citizens of the city berate the soldiers for trying to ruin the wedding and for not leaving the Corpus and their supporters alone.

“You’re the ones who should be shamed! You support the wedding between men and corpses and the vampires who have enslaved humanity time and time again!” one of the soldiers says.

“Let me make it clear that it isn’t the fault of the Corpus here they were turned undead and I was already engaged to her before it happened,” Thaddeus says to the soldier and crowds surrounding them as he approaches them with Tinuviel behind him.

“According to them. How can you trust them?”

“Because the Umbra family, have been faithful to God, the Church, and their country without a single sign of betrayal.”

“That’s what you think. They’re just as corrupt and focused on money, power, and influence as the other countries and greedy families that focus on it rather than being faithful to the Church. Your childhood meeting and marriage were planned by them. The Umbra family has a history of being opportunistic.”

“And our family isn’t? We’ve gone from being protectors of the world to mercenaries for the Church who enforce secular laws to uphold its power rather than uphold the laws of God.”

“Don’t you dare talk about the Meridies family as if you know anything about the family you’ve been expunged from!”

“You’re right. I don’t know anything about my own family. I used to think that we protected the world from the vampires and forces of Hell, but now, we just fight whoever we’re paid to for whatever reason.”

“The reason is to keep the Church in power.”

“Even at the cost of keeping corrupt leaders in power?”

“Even at that cost because the vampires enslaved the world many times because the Church wasn’t in control.”

“But you forget that it was through a powerful Church that the vampire wolves took control of the world under the curse of the Eternal Sun.”

“Regardless of that. I will not change my mind. I am only telling you everything that I have to change the minds of everyone around us and even you because I am a faithful servant of the Church.”

“And I spared your lives because I wanted the crowds to know both our positions because sides will be picked. Today, I declare war on my own family.”

“You what?!”

The crowd around them speaks to themselves about what this means and if this is the right thing to do.

“You attacked us when the Umbra family became Corpus without even attempting to hear us out and we’ve been cast out of our family and friends because of who we are. If you think we are deserving of death, then we have no choice but to defend ourselves and claim a home for ourselves where we will be safe and live in peace without the conflicts and the oppression of the Church.”

“You’re madder than I thought. If you do this, you’ll bring an unbelievable amount of suffering to the world.”

“Look around you. Do you see suffering or sin? You don’t even see beastmen or serfs that are known to be slaves to them.”

“They’re slaves all the same.”

“They’re worshippers of the same God and family like you and me.”

“You’re no Meridies. You dishonor your family’s legacy with your unforgivable sin.”

“Then to you and the rest of my family, I’ll be known as Thaddeus Umbra from now on. The Umbra name is a last name I proudly take and the name among many others that will humble the Church. Go back to your masters and tell them the news. They’ll need to bless their weapons if they still do that.”

After letting the soldiers go and letting them retreat, Thaddeus turns to face the concerned crowd, which has grown larger in size after news of what is being said has spread.

He says, “For those who support the corrupt Church, you are allowed to leave or stay here and continue to think and believe as you do as long as you do not harm anyone. As for those who support us, you do not need to fight in this war. You don’t even need to spread the word about why you should support us because many across the world already know the corruption that has overtaken the Church, but if you do fight and actively support us, you will carve out a place in this world safe from brother wars. Safe from persecution, safe from the iron hands of corrupt clergy, kings, and queens who want to keep themselves rich and in power, and safe for those who want to live a life that they think is right. If you fight with us, you’ll make an unerasable mark on the world that will remake the world in a better way for future generations.”

Thaddeus’ words inspire the crowd to join him as they cheer out his name, the name of the Umbra family, the name of Jesus, and a cry for freedom and peace.

While walking back to their home, Tinuviel says, “That was a wise choice. I’m proud that you made it and can’t wait for the world we’ll make together. It’ll just be like the one we envisioned as children.”

“I hope it will be,” Thaddeus says.

Just like Tinuviel, Thaddeus’ father-in-law along with the rest of her family praises Thaddeus for his decision and ready themselves for war. It is only after Thaddeus brings up the tragedy of a family civil war does his new family console him.

“It is sad, but this has to happen,” Tinuviel’s father says, “Your family will not accept us nor will they forgive you for following your heart. Hopefully, we will convince them to repent or at least repent at the end. Nevertheless, I am proud to call you my son and we will support you in everything that you do. You need only ask and we will obtain it for you.”

“You don’t need to say that. I already have everything I could ever want with the people around me being my greatest treasure.”

The Umbra family and their supporters go back to preparing for the war and start to plan it out. Meanwhile, Thaddeus goes upstairs where his infant brother is just now waking up as if he sensed his older brother’s presence. This little infant is swaddled in a cloth of the finest material and surrounded by many animal plushies that Thaddeus picked out for him. The infant’s skin is pale just like his brother’s with rogue lines of dark, beige, and olive skin colors on him and green and blue eyes.

Picking his brother into his arms, Thaddeus says, “Hello, little brother. I’m sorry if I woke you up. I’m also sorry to say that we’re going to be fighting against our own family. It feels wrong and I feel that I should’ve done something different, but this seems to be the best course of action. I wish I was in your place. Innocent and unable to do anything other than enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Please continue to smile and be happy for me. I’ll need it for the coming battles.”

Thaddeus then lays his brother down before seeing Tinuviel at the door.

“You always seem to wake him up when you enter his room,” Tinuviel says.

“It’s probably his bestial ability showing. Perhaps he’ll be even more perceptive than me when he grows up,” Thaddeus says before leaving the room with Tinuviel.

“I always was jealous of the bestials and their superhuman abilities. I guess my prayers were answered in a way when I became a Corpus.”

“The bestials will be less impressive as time moves along since all the beastmen are extinct. They used to share an aspect of their beastman parent’s appearance and abilities, but after so many years of reproducing with normal humans, a bestial may only appear slightly strange or share one or rarely two unique abilities.”

“Perhaps our… never mind.”

Tinuviel appears to be saddened and hangs her head low at the thought of something disappointing.

“Were you going to suggest something about our child? Even though you're a Corpus, we can still try to have children.”

“It’s never been done before.”

“Still, we can try.”

“Let’s try after we carve out a home for ourselves. I wouldn’t want to be pregnant on the battlefield.”

“I doubt the war will last that long, especially with the support of your family, your supporters, and the supporters we’ve gained today. We need only to take advantage of the powder keg of anger and distrust of the Church and my family to cripple it and then finish them when they’re scrambling to pick themselves up. Your father and mother already know this and should be sending out their forces now.”

“I like the way you think. Perhaps we should start trying to have children tonight then since our work is already being done.”

“If you wish.”

The newlywed couple lies with each other as their family sends out its agents to cause chaos in an already divided Church.