The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Twenty

Morpheus nodded. "He is the most powerful Vampyre on Earth, now, maybe also the oldest surviving. But, expanding numbers outside of turning loved ones would be unlike him. Even if it does seem some of Lucifer's claims have been made reality - Shade is in a sense leading all the Darkling - Shade's own goal seems a peaceful co-existance. Steven has a lot of influence over him."

"But should there be a time when an army of Vampyres becomes useful, or necessary?"

"Why would it? The Human hunters were only so successful because Angel helped them." That was part of the answer, Morpheus sensed. "But they are not all dead, and it's possible they sent out data before their copies could be destroyed. It means they may have an advantage - No, more, like there is a balance in ability to destroy each other. The only imbalance is in numbers. The number of Darkling to Humans is incredibly small, there, now."

"And so...."

Morpheus whispered, "Angel could do it. Blade - her personality. She could make, even lead an army of Vampyres. So, love aside, there are powers who do not want her dead...."

"If she were killed, it would give Lucifer an excuse for righteous vengeance against her killer, as, technically, they married. It may be that no one but Shade could safely do it, being Lucifer also finds him useful."

"Shade won't do it," Morpheus decided. "I believe he's accepted they will never be as lovers again, but there is still love. It is like with Star. They separated, but there was still love there."

"He trusts you."

"They all do," Morpheus said, hoping this did not lead to him being asked to betray them any more directly than he already had with all his father's secrets. "She's asleep!"

"Yes."

"There's no spell in the tower. I was there. It all vaguely looks like ritual, but it isn't."

"Correct."

Morpheus looked into Jibril's eyes. "Someone ordered Father to do it?"

"I cannot tell you that." Morpheus recognized the language. Dream was prevented from telling Morpheus directly, but should Morpheus happen to figure it out, that was another matter.

"For how long?"

"Let us say, until there is a knight available to take the queen, should there be need. Of course, positioning such a knight without detection requires a complicated series of feints and maneuvers and is not without sacrifices."

"Like the flood?"

"Not so many at once."

Over time, then. Someone with sharp teeth, Daniel had said last time Morpheus was in this garden. He plucked a cherry from the tree. "A Vampyre. One with the power and will to kill Blade, if needed, but who is not themselves more of a threat to the balance of powers. One who cannot be easily removed, even by Shade."

Dream said nothing.

"This is all related!?" Morpheus shouted. "Father has been plagued with this fear that Metro should lose her vision while she is in his care, but her ability see visions comes from you!"

"From Dream, yes."

"Are you- Sar Jibril, are you including yourself among the sacrifices?"

Dream walked closer to Morpheus before answering, he seemed a little shorter than Morpheus, even here. "My life is not in danger, however, am I to accidentally allow something of Dream to become out of control, there are to be repercussions."

"How much had I realized last time?" Morpheus asked. He held the cherry between them, in his fingertips.

"Not so much as this time."

"Do you make me forget again?"

"I need to trust you with the knowledge, Morpheus, just in case."

"No."

"Should I fall, the Regency will pass to another of the Children of Night. To you, or Absinthe."

Morpheus nodded, not that he agreed he ever wanted the responsibility of Dream. "You hate similarities with the comic."

"I prefer Absinthe, naturally, no offense," Dream smiled, even laughed, "But there are not a few Regions you would be qualified to govern, should we have need." Sleep, obviously, though Laudanum was already Heir Apparent. There were others, including Mother's place, and one he didn't really want to think about.

"If it's not to protect the Regency, why trust me, now?"

"Joy has to be the one to turn our knight, and it is not specifically in my power to know what more that takes from her."

Morpheus understood. If Joy was the one to turn Amadeo Jewel - already an exceptional talent and a Jewel - she would create a powerful immortal under the protections Gabriel and Zerachiel, Shade and Athen had all placed upon his family...and tied to Dream. The embodiment of Joy was already a Vampyre, what might change if she committed to bringing another soul into that life - with that blood made of Humanity and Fallen Eyrim?

What would be required of her son? Had Morpheus inspired her to save him from Neverland only to be a servant to witches of the Jewel family?

Already, the prospect of turning Amadeo had fractured Joy's relationship with Julien.

And Morpheus? The very one who had taken Julien's blood from that refrigerator and brought it to Joy, so that she survived her death, as a Vampyre, without choosing it.

Morpheus saw he was already entangled in this series of feints and maneuvers.

"I've seen Danjel Poznanski, but it felt like something that might yet be."

"The past informs the future, but sometimes the future determines our present."

Morpheus knew this too well. He had for years lived knowing, wanting Julien's future to be his past, but he had not let himself think about what came after that moment. Morpheus had retreated from the mirage to Mother and years of scrying at Julien's younger self, but Julien had left that tent to go find Joy.

Morpheus had always been working toward the future where something bad would happen with Joy.

"I'm sorry," Morpheus whispered.

Dream embraced Morpheus, and the cool, blue fire of his Angelic, Hashmallim Order radiated from his body and seemed to penetrate Morpheus. "Sometimes dreams are dark, but we need them to face reality."

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[The lyrics Daniel Never quotes are from Unintended by Muse.]