The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Chapter 31: Wheels within Wheels

"And pound the rest into dust," Darktower grimly finished for her, also reading from the screen. "At least we have confirmation of their true objective." The veteran officer folded his arms. "And a target for our troops going forward."

"Agreed," Lash said, his expression as grim as Darktower's, if not more so.

"That's not all, my lords, Captain." Vulcrum pulled out another screen. It didn't take the readers long before they were shaking their heads in shock and amazement.

"They're working to destabilize the Werewolves as well," Naryan said before catching something else, her eyes narrowing. "Wait. They're connected to the Brotherhood??"

"They've been manipulating the entire Dark Edge from the start," Vulcrum revealed, his tone heavy. "Centuries of covert control in an effort to either get us to destroy each other, or reduce our strength to the point that they could come in and wipe us all out. While they built their strength in secret, making connections to human governments all over the world to facilitate their objective and gather resources for the war they would fight against us."

Lash let out another breath through his nostrils. This one, however, wasn't one of surprise, or even frustration. It was a thoughtful one.

So, the White Flames' master plan finally was laid bare before them. And it shouldn't have caught him by surprise. Their history was filled with one group of humans or another doing their best to wipe out their vampiric cousins. To learn this 'Order of the Untarnished Blade' was attempting to do the same, was to discover more of the same.

The scope of the White Flames' plan, however; that was what was surprising. More often than not, the vampires were targets of human purges. For good reason: vampires hunted humans for food. It was a natural reaction to want to destroy something that drained children and women of their blood and threatened their existence. And close behind the vampires were the werewolves, for much the same reason.

The psionics, on the other hand, until the Brotherhood was revealed, had enjoyed a long history of being able to hide in plain sight. While they wanted to control their common human cousins, the psionics showed no desire to wipe them out. Until the Brotherhood did with their Armageddon Project. So there wasn't a long history of being hunted down and exterminated by the humans like the vampires and the werewolves had.

Beyond the big three, the other Dark Edge races were collateral damage, never a true target for humans seeking to destroy a threat or cleanse their genome of the mutant DNA. Even though some of those Dark Edge races also hunted humans for food.

It was the volume of humans the vampires and werewolves took that turned them into targets by vengeful human hunters. And yet, it was accepted as part of the natural order. Bear hunters knew how dangerous bears were, and bears fairly often flipped the hunt around to turn the hunters into the prey. Boar hunters the same, big cats, big reptiles, even large herbivores like elephants brought considerable risk with them during the hunt. So the vampires and werewolves both accepted that they wouldn't always be the hunters. Sometimes they were the prey.

But this plan he was seeing unfolding in very concise, organized language; it wasn't just to eliminate a deadly vampire nest, or cull a troublesome werewolf pack. Or even to wipe out an aggressive psionic nation.

It was a world wide extermination order of all the Dark Edge races, carefully planned by a group with connections to almost every major human government. There, in an almost how-to-do list were the steps they would use to weaken each Dark Edge race from within then get them fighting amongst themselves. And, when they were at their weakest, they would be cleansed.

Lash's expression abruptly tightened with resolve. And yet, learning of the monstrous plan didn't change anything. They still needed to hunt down the traitor and cut them down. And, by the might of the Night Father, they would do just that! Only after their enemies were staked out and left to ash in the sun would they turn their attention to the Order of the Untarnished Blade, the heart of vampiredom secured and the whole of their strength available to fight the genetic purists. And, with Mordecai and Bronwyn Locke on their side, they stood a very real chance of unifying the major three Dark Edge races together to make their stand.

"Okay, so now we know the extent of the White Flames' plan," he began, him speaking bringing every eye away from the holographic images and to him. "But I ask you: does it change anything?"

That question pushed away the stunned surprise on all of their faces, replaced with thoughtful consideration as they pondered their answers. But, before they could voice them, he was going on.

"I will tell you right now, it does not." He looked at Darktower. "Just as the Lord General said, we must defeat our enemies first and secure the vampire heartland. Only then will we have the strength to turn and meet the Order of the Untarnished Blade unfettered by internal conflict."

"So we ready ourselves to fight the White Flames by basically doing what they want? Fighting amongst ourselves?" Naryan asked. But it was Vulcrum that answered.

"The fighting amongst ourselves was already here, Captain," the lean spymaster indicated. "The rogue human faction's plan has been working against us for centuries. And if we turn and fight the humans now, while vampiredom is still divided against itself, they can focus on one piece at a time instead of facing us united."

"It's basic military strategy, Kingsguard," Darktower pointed out. "Secure your own territory before launching an attack, or a counterattack. We would save ourselves from having an enemy inside our borders, sniping at our supply lines, equipment depots, and muster points, bleeding our strength away when it should be completely focused on the enemy." He looked first at Vulcrum then at Lash.

"We already know the White Flames will participate in the defense of the Nocturnum, and likely the City of the Night as well. That is a troop commitment I can see in Janner's notes. We just need to watch for a secondary troop buildup using Janner's intel to ensure they don't have a contingency plan to flank us while we're engaged against the council."

"Time to start data mining, Vulcrum," Lash said with a nod towards Darktower. "We need the White Flames' short term plans outside of their defense of the Nocturnum. We'll get some of Darktower's techs on it as well, since I need that VOC database cracked at the same time."

He leaned back from the table and folded his arms in resolve.

"Focus on the task at hand, my friends, and let's root out this traitor. Then we'll deal with the White Flames and their plan to cleanse the world of the Dark Edge!"

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