Return to Jorgaldur Volume III: blood warrior

Calm before the storm

While Pokmu had carried many experiments, most of them had been started or designed by Jiknha's parents, her other uncles, cousins, or herself. The difference was that her uncle had stopped at nothing, however cruel the methods.

Now, only she was left, and perhaps some of her cousins, if they had escaped in time. Nonetheless, she didn't know where they might be. She had kept an eye on their whereabouts during her exile, but she had found nothing. Perhaps, they hid too well, or perhaps, they hadn't survived.

She was now perfectly in control of the surveillance systems. Thanks to it, many of Pokmu's former collaborators on the run weren't lucky enough to escape the county.

The vampiress Gjaki had captured fared no better, and no one begged for her life. By the time Jiknha finished her off, they had a pretty chilling idea of how cruel the experiments had developed.

There was much to rebuild, much to repair, many dead to mourn. It would take a lot of effort and time for the people of the county to heal, but at least, now they had hope for a better future. Without a doubt, that was a very powerful tool.

In addition, they now had some allied counties through Gjaki, who the counts called the new Blood Queen behind her back.

They hadn't hesitated to make the alliance public. Although it was interesting to hide it, it was also a powerful deterrent against those who would want to take advantage of the situation to attack them. As their situation was somewhat precarious, it was a weapon they needed to wield.

Also, there were rumors about someone powerful supporting them. Information about the raid to save Jiknha, and about the Blood Clone, had reached the ears of all the rulers. None wanted to be the first to risk it.

It is true that there was some concern that this alliance would decide to expand at the expense of its neighbors, so there were talks to form another one that would oppose it. However, there was too much mistrust between them, and the supposed enemy hadn't made the slightest move.

In fact, that enemy hadn't even considered it. There were too many things to do, so embarking on campaigns of conquest wasn't in their plans. Perhaps, the mercenaries would try it in the future, though it was doubtful if their other allies would.

There was still the complicated matter of finding a boyfriend for Jiknha, but Gjaki decided to not be involved. Kilthana had volunteered, even though her friend had wanted to renege her words. Without a doubt, Kilthana would end up introducing her to all the heirs, adventurers, and handsome men that she could find. She had no escape. To tell the truth, the victim wasn't sure if she wanted it or not.

"Will you turn me into a vampire?" Brurol asked.

Solodkro had brought him from the village, and half-adopted him. Nonetheless, he was much closer to Gjaki, who had invited him to visit her mansion. Although shy at first, he had ended up spending the afternoon playing with Coinin's little sisters, who were vampiresses. In a way, he felt somewhat inferior to them.

"If you want it in the future, I'll do it, but it's still too early," Gjaki promised him.

In fact, she hadn't even decided what to do with him, whether to keep him herself, or leave him with Solodkro.

The inhabitants of the mansion had received him quite well, especially the two girls, but his people weren't there. Therefore, the vampiress had decided that she would decide later. For now, she would take him back and forth, thus letting him learn, see both worlds, and grow old enough to make a decision for himself.

Surely, he felt the vampiress as his family, as an older sister he could trust. In fact, she certainly pampered him a bit. Little by little, though, the boy was opening up to the counts and their servants on one side, and the mansion's inhabitants on the other.

Coinin and Diknsa, for her part, had managed to make her confess. She had made them promise not to tell anyone else, which was a promise they were willing to keep, for now. Their plan was that Gjaki herself would end up being the one to show it to the rest.

They had been surprised by the room full of images of Gjaki and her companions. Although they had taken the opportunity to laugh and make fun of her a little, it hadn't been as much as she had feared.

There were some funny scenes that it was impossible not to laugh at, and the embarrassment of her daughter and friend was something they couldn't let go just like that. However, they were aware that there was something else there for Gjaki. Many memories and nostalgia accumulated in those images and videos, especially those of some very dear companions that she would probably never see again.

They loved her too much not to respect those feelings, not to realize how important they were to her. For that reason, even though they wanted to tell and share it with everyone, they decided to give her time.

There were other not so pleasant moments stored there. Undoubtedly, the one that had impressed them the most had been their own story, specifically the moments that they didn't remember, sometimes because they had been unconscious. The vampiress' nearly agonizing efforts to save their lives, her sacrifice to turn them, had more than moved them. They knew it had happened, but hardly remembered it.

At the time, Gjaki had told herself that it was just a game, and that she would just regain her strength. She had convinced herself that they were just characters in a game, and that she didn't have to worry too much.

The truth was that she had hardly slept in two days, and that she had been much more affected in the reality than she had wanted to admit. Seeing her own character with tears in her eyes had shown her just how real it had been. The three of them had stayed for a long time hugging each other.

Her relationship with Chornakish was still lovey-dovey. The cat demihuman, or panther, had been a little jealous when she had first brought Brurol, but the boy had inadvertently fixed it by saying they made a good match. Since then, the vampiress' lover had become his older brother.

It could be said that for a few months everything went quite smoothly, although Gjaki was worried. Krovledi was still out there, and she would surely want revenge.