Underground -1-

Part 1- Shadows

The shadows loom high in the City. In existence are four types of beings both Lesser and Greater. Humans, Vampires, Demons, and Angels. If a Vampire is corrupted by a Greater Demon, it turns into a Lesser Demon. The only way to turn a Demon into an Angel is if they are drained of their essence, their core of existence and placed in a human vessel. The only thing keeping everything in check is the Grand Council of the Races led by the most powerful being in existence; the God named Zerian. Nobody has seen his true form as he chooses to take on the form of a human man with long brown hair that he keeps tied back in a low ponytail with clear silver gray eyes.

My tale begins elsewhere, in the Underground. The entrance to which changes daily, several times and the only ones that know are told telepathically to fellow Vampires...

A knock sounded at the study door. Without looking up from her work, Naoko called. "Enter." There was no reason to worry, her Guardian was at his usual post behind her to the left. The person entered.

"Makoto, reporting in." the figure knelt in front of the recently closed door, right arm draped over right knee, head bowed in deference.

"What have you got for me, Makoto?" she asked as she stamped a paper on trade sale of cloth and placed it in the pile of approved documents.

"We got a new shipment of blood synthetics in but we lost a man in the process."

Naoko abruptly stopped reaching for the next packet of documents and looked up sharply. "Who?" her breath came shallowly as she clenched her free hand in a fist. The air grew noticeably colder in the room.

"It was Shigure, ma'am." Makoto whispered, still not raising his head.

Naoko let out a heavy sigh, "I am sorry, Makoto I know how close you two were. We will hold a Gathering tonight to commemorate his sacrifice."

"Thank you." he whispered.

"You are dismissed."

Makoto left the room and Naoko leaned back in her chair with an exasperated sigh. Damn demon attacks were becoming more frequent, if she didn't come up with anything soon, there would be a riot and civil war would ensue. Now was not the time for internal conflict.

"Shou."

"Yes?"

Naoko turned to face him in the dimly lit room, saw his bright green eyes spark with a cool anger. "Assemble the Shadows, we need to take action."

A sinister smile spread across Shou's face as he bowed low. "Yes, milady."

"Cut the crap, Shou." she turned away and worried at her thumbnail, frowning in thought. "Get it done."

Shou's presence dissipated and Naoko walked to her bedchambers attached to the study. Donning her leather suit, belt, and high heeled boots. She strapped her knives to the compartments in her sleeves, sides, upper arms, boots, and grabbed her back holster for the katana. All were made of steel folded several times and strengthened to her specifications.

Ready, she left her rooms and headed for the War Room where her team awaited her with Shou. All had similar powers of stealth, and all were equally dangerous below Shou; but it was yet to be decided if she was actually stronger than him. Hopefully, it would never come to that.

Six people stood in the room beside her and Shou. None asked questions, just stood at the ready waiting for her words. Naoko took a deep breath and looked at each one in turn. "I am sure you all have heard. One of ours has been lost this day to the Demons." Naoko placed a hand on her hip and continued. "From here out, we will no longer tolerate their actions."

"What does this mean?" one asked what they were all thinking but knew the answer to.

Naoko looked at the thinner man with a cold, angry gaze. "War." Naoko turned on her heel and left the room, knowing that the strategy for the next step would be discussed by the others by Shou. It was part of his task as Guardian after all, to make sure the plans the Leader made were successfully accomplished with as little casualties as possible. One would think it foolish to give him so much leeway and power, however she had the one thing he would never jeopardize. His future.