Chapter 153: Ambush

Adolph and his escort reached the border before twilight. The generals greeted him grandly and he got a chance to peek in on Basil’s training for a moment before getting some sleep. It seemed that his son had taken to martial training as well as he had in his youth. A bit of pride went through him as Basil went from attacking with a sword to shifting into his wolf form and back to his human form smoothly enough to catch his opponent off guard.
The smoothness and speed of the shift were usually untapped advantages in combat. He didn’t expect Basil to have to use it much in the future, but it was a good thing to have.
“Would you like to join them for a bit?” A general asked. “You know you’re still more myth than man.”
Adolph chuckled and shrugged, “Of course. At least before dinner.”
The general grinned and stepped on the pitch before Adolph removed his cloak and followed. Basil’s eyes widened as he walked onto the pitch and took out a practice sword. He picked Basil’s partner and Basil to come back up before instructing them on the finer points of their technique. The young man Basil took down was younger than Basil and had held his own well enough.
Soon, he asked the young man to step aside so he could demonstrate a proper defense against Basil’s attack.
“There are different kinds of rogues you may face,” Adolph said. “Some are just as well trained as you are and hardened by a hard life of survival on the border. The war against vampires is over, but as soldiers, you will still be called upon to ensure peace.”
Basil looked a bit nervous facing him and Adolph chuckled at him.
“Don’t be too nervous, recruit,” Adolph said, tapping his sword on his bare palm, “It’s a practice blade. You won’t get more than a bruise.”
Basil looked like he didn’t believe him, but he attacked anyway. Adolph watched his form. It was a bit stiff from lack of use outside of practice, but it wasn’t terrible. He began to relax as they fenced back and forth.
Adolph commented on his posture and his movements for a bit before going on the attack at a pace he was sure Basil could keep up with. Sweat formed on Basil’s brow, he panted a bit as Adolph fought him.
Then left himself open just long enough to give Basil the opportunity. He shifted in a flash of light and as he settled on his four feet, Adolph swept his legs from under him and tumbled him over before pressing the tip of the sword against his throat.
Basil shifted back into his human form, panting.
“You did good,” Adolph commented. “A very clean shift.”
He looked up, “Most werewolves cannot shift while moving. This fact is something you should use to your advantage and seek to overcome if you can.”
He sheathed his sword and pulled Basil to his feet, “Making your shift faster will help cover up this fact, but it is more important to keep moving.”
Adolph steadied him and turned to his former partner, “A demonstration of what I mean.”
The man went on the defensive as Adolph drew his sword and swung at him without much more warning. He landed two strikes against his blade, dodged his thrust, shifted as he turned, and tackled him from behind.
The man landed with a thump and Adolph walked off his back before shifting into his human form.
“The more time you spend shifting, the more time you spend shifted, the easier it will be to anticipate the way your body will move after your shift. It makes planning your movements in your human form easier.”
Adolph helped the man up, “Still. You did well.”
“T-Thank you, sir.”
He chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder, “I think I’ve pushed you around enough. It should be dinner now, hm?”
He ate dinner with Basil and the rest of the recruits. Basil’s ease with him seemed to make the others relax a little, but Adolph didn’t stay long. He bade Basil and the others good night within an hour.

The next morning they were joined by Eden and several other Wiccans into the vampire lands that were just as desolate as they had been the last time they had been there.
His wolf stirred restlessly in the quiet around them. A threat lurked in the quiet. He was going to say so when Eden seemed to grow still and watchful. He turned his head left then right before Adolph heard the familiar hiss of a vampire.
Figures descended as he drew his blade.
“Stop.” Eden’s voice cut through the air. The vampires who had fallen twisted in the air and landed gracelessly.
They snarled and twisted on the ground as Eden turned.
“Stand,” he commanded. They growled and struggled to their feet, vibrating where they stood to fight Eden’s commands.
“Usurping half-breed!” One of them cried. “How dare you use the queen’s power?”
“Usurper?” Eden asked.
“You betrayed your own kind! Drank the queen’s blood and stole her power.”
Eden laughed, loud and hollow, almost venomous in its mocking, “How can I usurp a throne that I was already heir to?”
They froze, jaw dropping open, “Liar!”
“Morrigan birthed me,” Eden said. “As far as I’m concerned, she ensured her downfall when she killed my father, but none of that matters.”
“Who sent you?”
“A man. A werewolf.”
Eden chuckled and glanced at Adolph, “Nothing else to say? No other details.”
“He didn’t give a name,” the man growled, clenching his jaw.
Eden nodded.
“If they have nothing else to say, we should kill them,” Adolph said lifting his sword.
“No,” Eden said, shaking his head. “What use is that? You think these are the only vampires willing to work for a vampire for the memory of their dead queen?”
“She was a tyrant!” Adolph hissed, “What draw could she have on people worth saving?”
Eden sighed, “You don’t understand…”
He turned to the group, “You all will not speak a word of us entering the lands. You will find the rest of those loyal to Morrigan and those who would work against the werewolf kingdom’s alliance with the Wiccan Alliance and bring them to Ash Castle, unarmed.”
They jolted.
“No!” One of them cried. “No!”
“You have one week,” Eden said. “Go.”
They cried out with fury and frustration before disappearing into the craggy rock.
Adolph growled at him, “What the hell are you doing?”
“Not wasting an opportunity.”
“For them to bring a legion of hostile vampires?” Adolph hissed.
Eden eyed him, “Were you not listening?”
Adolph huffed, “Your little magic show won’t hold up when they get far enough away.”
Eden chuckled, “You know nothing.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
Eden sighed, “Exactly what I said. You know *nothing* about the Ash line though we could write books on the Raymond line’s rule and abilities.”
He growled. The challenge and condescending tone were too much for him. Fury and offense filled him.
“What would you know about ruling?” Adolph asked, glaring at Eden. “Last I checked, you were a dead man.”
Eden’s eyes narrowed, “You know nothing about vampires. Their culture and you have no means to fight them other than your sword.”
“How about my teeth in your throat?”
Eden scoffed, “We are not engaged in a war of strength, King Adolph. Whatever animosity you have towards me is fine, but don’t let it cloud your judgment.”
Adolph froze, shocked at his words.
“This war isn’t won by swords and fangs, we need a plan. The people need resources. We have to guide them out of their fear and resentment into peace. Strong arming them won’t do anything but bring more bloodshed.”
“We’ve killed hundreds of vampires,” Adolph said.
Eden scoffed, “Vampires have killed *thousands* of werewolves in war and for sport.”
Adolph wanted to argue and Eden sighed.
“You, werewolves in general, are at a disadvantage.”
“That’s not true.”
“You can’t wield magic!” Eden cried, “Encounter a vampiric mage who means to do you harm and you’d be dead within a few moments.”
“What the hell is a vampiric mage?”
Eden sighed, “A full vampire that can use magic. Morrigan’s sister, Artemis, was a vampiric mage. It’s why Morrigan killed her and strove to make her own vampiric mage, but she wasn’t the only one.”
“How do you know that?”
Eden sighed, “There… are memories that surface sometimes…”
Morrigan had tried to kill every vampiric mage in her territory, but it was nearly impossible to do. A lot of them fled into the Wiccan lands and remained there, but aside from Eden who was an anomaly, he believed there was at least one more vampiric mage in Annwn.
Adolph didn’t know what to make of it, but he glared at Eden.
“It would be best when this is all over for you to remain in the Wiccan territory or the vampire lands… I have spared your life for the life of my son, but I still want to kill you.”
“There’s nothing in your kingdom for me.” Eden chuckled, “I have… worried my grandfather enough chasing a potential future. I had no plans to part from him any time soon.”