The Haera King continued his words, proposing a solution.
"We should dispatch a unit of hunters skilled in disrupting holy defences. I’ll see to it that they are trained in the art of binding such energies before we send them forth."
A few seats away, the Queen of House Lorelei, known for her keen sense of diplomacy, exchanged murmurs with a rather familiar figure—Race Queen Seren Evangelista.
"I trust that our pact with the Lorendrian Rebellion remains intact?"
In response to Queen Lorelei’s words, Seren smiled and responded.
"Of course. The Lorendrians promised safe passage through their territory in exchange for the Elven artifacts. They care little for the consequences."
"They’re foolish to think they can wield such power themselves, but it serves our purposes well enough."
Queen Lorelei spoke with a smirk, and seeing that expression, Seren couldn’t help but laugh. From that expression alone, Seren could tell that the Lorendria Galaxy would soon be added to the long list of Galaxies under Estea’s rule.
Across the hall, seated with a quiet aura, a King of House Tepes listened to the King of House Permilia, who spoke in a hushed tone about the war front on the distant Kyonin Galaxy Cluster.
"The Kyonin Cluster has grown colder, literally and politically.
Our resources there are stretched. They’ve started to grow their own insurgents—sothing of a... resistance."
His fingers drumd against his armrest.
"This cannot continue. We must extinguish it before it becos a larger threat."
This Tepes Household Race King, a tall and stoic man, t his gaze with eyes that glead like blackened embers.
The Tepes Household was a household descended from the direct line of the Vampire Progenitor—the first Vampire in the entirety of existence and nonexistence.
It was for this reason they bore his na ’Tepes’.
Soti, many billions of years ago, the Progenitor Vampire had co to Zanerth and he had had a child with one of his Progeny.
That child would go on to start the Tepes Household of this Universe, from which this King here was descended.
"Agreed. We’ll send them reinforcents. But they must be conditioned, mind you, to obey without question. We don’t need another rebellion on our hands."
The Tepes King responded before glancing over the empty Founders’ Table where the King of House Ianari and another King of House Lorelith—twin brother of the Queen Seren was speaking with— were discussing the most recent developnts in technology and ancient magics they had uncovered.
"The engineers on Zavalon have developed a remarkable way of integrating vampiric essence into new weapons. Weapons that grow stronger with each hit, feeding off the very souls of those they strike. It’s... invigorating, literally."
The Ianari King spoke with a hint of excitent slipping into his typically controlled voice. Hearing this, the Lorelith King raised a brow, intrigued.
"And the effect on their users?"
"There is a cost, of course, but only for the weak.
Those of higher bloodlines would wield them without issue. I plan to equip our elite warriors with these weapons. They’ll be useful when we take on the defences of Sorsalia Pri. That’s the last planet that’s giving us an issue in Zavalon."
On the Ianari King’s other side sat a King of House Haera, who had returned from a recent mission in the Ismira Galaxy.
"How goes the assimilation of the Ismira Galaxy? It’s been long enough that we should have them firmly under our influence."
"Their resistance is stronger than anticipated. There are remnants of an old Order that has been rallying the planets against us. I am dispatching more subtle agents to root them out from within. A complete takeover is inevitable, but it requires patience."
The Haera King looked reflective as he responded to Ianari, his mind likely concocting plans even as he spoke.
Across the hall, another group was engaged in a noisy reunion. One of the Kings of House Donovan, Darren, clad in a dark, subtly shimring jacket, threw his arms wide as he approached a pair of vampires, his voice booming over the din.
"Look at this—Bryce Vernon, Abelina Renwick—finally gracing us with your presence! When was the last ti we saw each other? I think I’m beginning to forget your faces."
Bryce rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t help but smirk, a glimr of humour breaking through his normally serious expression.
"Funny, I was hoping to keep it that way, Darren."
Abelina beside him scoffed, crossing her arms.
"Yes, please, Darren. So of us would prefer to keep things civilized here. Not every eting needs to turn into a grand reunion."
Despite her reply, Darren only laughed harder, his voice carrying a booming echo across the hall.
"Oh, lighten up, Abelina. You know you missed ."
anwhile, a few seats away, an entirely different exchange was unfolding between two long-standing rivals, the King of House Cynfael and the Queen of House Sapienza.
Both were locked in a heated debate, their voices rising above the surrounding din.
"You are utterly insufferable, Sapienza!"
The Cynfael King sneered, his glare as icy as his tone.
"I’ve told you before, the Radekruk Pri acquisition was supposed to be my operation. You had no business interfering!"
The Sapienza Queen, draped in a gown that caught the dim light like liquid silver, rolled her eyes, tapping her fingernails on the arm of her seat.
"Interfering? Oh Please. You were botching the entire thing, and I had to step in. Honestly, you should be thanking ."
The other Kings seated around them, sighing and resting their heads in their hands. One of them even muttered under his breath.
"Here they go again."
Another gave an exasperated sigh, rubbing her temples.
"Every ti with these two. Honestly, you’d think they were bound by blood to argue."
In another part of the hall, the Queen of House lchior, seated in a crimson gown that seed to shimr as if woven with threads of pure blood, was deep in conversation with the King of House Cadogan.
"So, how are things in the Eirastar Galaxy? I’ve heard...interesting rumours."
The lchior Queen chuckled softly.
"Interesting, yes. It’s been a veritable goldmine of ancient relics. I’d be happy to share the spoils...for the right price, of course."
Another King, overhearing their exchange, raised a glass to them, a sly grin on his face.
"Oh, lchiors, always the entrepreneur. Just make sure you keep a piece of the action for the rest of us, hmm?"
And so, the conversations, debates, and reunions continued, the hall a swirling, echoing mix of laughter, raised voices, and whispered plans.
Gradually, the conversation turned to Jamie, and soon they began discussing how he’d been discovered, deep in the layers of Arnmouth Ocean near the Human Continent—Terranova.
They looked over to Waldron who was the one supervising the plan to awaken Jamie and asked.
"Hey, Waldron, you were the one in charge of that, right? Who did you send?"
Waldron shrugged, leaning back in his seat.
"Oh, I just picked a few promising ones from the younger generation."
The Vampire King who had asked him raised a brow.
"Is that so? You ought to reward them, then. They managed to wake him up, sohow."
Waldron frowned when he heard this. Not just him but a few other Vampire Kings turned in his direction, wondering what he ant by this.
"What do you an by that?"
"According to Lady Miranda, it’s impossible to wake Lord Jamie by the usual ans. You can’t treat him like so ordinary desiccated vampire. They must’ve discovered sothing special to rouse him."
Waldron’s eyes narrowed as he thought about it. He recalled the report his granddaughter sent him, but he didn’t seem to rember her having ntioned that.
"They didn’t ntion any of that in their report. I’ll have to ask them for details later."
He paused for a mont, then continued.
"Speaking of which, it seems Lord Jamie has taken a liking to a couple of them."
He turned to Seren, who had her head down on her lap. When she felt his gaze, she raised her head and blinked.
"Huh? What are you all talking about?"
They exchanged looks, and one of them sighed, exasperated.
"Are you even paying attention?"
"Nope, I was asleep."
Seren replied, stretching lazily and several of them shook their heads, while Waldron took the liberty to explain.
"It seems Lord Jamie has taken an interest in your descendants, David and Davina."
"Oh, those two. Not surprised. Lord Jamie has an eye for talent, after all."
She had a proud smile on her face as she responded. But before she could say anything more, sothing happened.
The hall trembled as a wave of intense energy washed over them.
It wasn’t confined to just the Sanguine Citadel or Estea—they felt the presence echo through the entire solar system, rippling across the galaxy.
This was unlike anything they had encountered before.
The gathering of the Vampire Race Rulers had already set Estea abuzz on the interstellar stage, but now, with this new presence, everything had shifted.
The oppressive aura swept through the Sanguine Hall, forcing every Vampire King to feel a chill run down their spine, cold sweat beading on their brows.
Finally, the silence was broken when one of them chuckled nervously.
"Ha... that’s probably Lord Jamie, isn’t it?"
The others muttered their agreent.
"Yes, it’s probably him."
"It can’t be anyone but him."
The weight of the aura was on a different level entirely, surpassing even that of the Race Emperors.
Only a being who had transcended the universe itself could wield power that overwhelming.
Every vampire and werewolf on Estea instinctively felt a bloodline suppression bearing down on them, the kind that only soone at the apex of their race could unleash.
Across the galaxy, those observing the spectacle from afar were stunned.
So had been trying to understand the Vampire Kings’ sudden return, perhaps believing the Estean Hybrids were ’myths’.
But now, as they felt the Hybrid’s power, it beca clear these beings were no re myths.
Then, a powerful surge of spatial power washed over Estea, a deliberate sweep, as if sothing, or soone, were scanning the planet.
"Is it really him?"
"Who else would have such powerful spatial magic?"
The Vampire Rulers exchanged glances, collectively nodding as they ca to an agreent— "That’s definitely Lord Jamie."
Just then, a calm voice responded to their collective agreent.
"Oh no, that’s actually Mira. I’ve been here for, what, ten minutes or so."
One of the Vampire Kings began to respond to the voice.
"Yeah, you’ve been here for like the past ten mi—!"
But mid-sentence, he froze, his eyes widening with realization.
As if on cue, everyone else’s heads snapped in the direction of the voice.
Sitting casually in one of the mid-rank seats, reserved for Crimson Court mbers, was a silver-haired man in a sleek suit, a small console in his hand.
He appeared entirely engrossed in a ga, barely acknowledging the stunned stares around him.
Silence fell over the hall as they all processed the impossible until the man looked up, waving a hand at the assembly.
"Hey, guys. Long ti no see."
He gave them a brief smile before returning to his ga as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Everyone exchanged incredulous looks, each silently asking the sa question.
How long has he been here? When did he even enter?
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