The land stretches gently, a mixture of open skies and quietly rolling ground, where fields blur into patches of woodland and thickets cluster along the edges of winding lanes. Tall grasses shift with the wind, their pale-green blades dancing under a sky that changes often... one mont bright and open, the next veiled in slow-moving clouds.
Hedgerows border the roads like green walls, thick with hawthorn, ivy, and nettle, tangled together in wild patterns. In spring and early sumr, they bloom with scattered white blossoms and the subtle hum of bees moving between tiny flowers. Elder trees lean over fences, their branches shaped by years of weather, casting dappled shade on the earth below.
Beyond the hedges, broad adows open up... not flat, but gently undulating and dotted with wildflowers: buttercups, cow parsley, and the occasional thistle pushing through with stubborn beauty. Birds are constant companions here. Wood pigeons wheel across the air in soft flurries, crows stand sentinel on fenceposts, and smaller birds flit between the low brush and rustling grass.
Closer to the wooded areas, the light changes. It becos filtered, golden, falling through the leaves in long, broken beams. The ground underfoot is soft with fallen leaves and moss, and the air carries the cool, damp scent of old trees and shaded soil. In these quiet groves, the sound of the outside world fades, replaced by birdsong, the occasional rustle of small creatures, and the whisper of breeze through the canopy.
Even the wind seems to know its path here... slipping over the rise of distant hills, bending the tall grasses, shaking a few early petals free. On misty mornings, the whole landscape lies hidden in a silver veil, and when the sun returns, it washes everything in a pale glow, drawing dew from every leaf and blade.
Knowsley is a landscape of quiet resilience... shaped by seasons, wind, and the long patience of nature, still alive and untouched along the edges of the human world.
Amidst this sanctuary of nature, Clan Blanc had resided for hundreds of years. They were a peace-loving clan that lived in isolation, away from worldly affairs. In ancient tis, no one dwelled in this vast expanse of woods and lakes but this reclusive werewolf clan.
During eras of chaos and war, their unique shadow ability drew the attention of other supernatural races, who sought to enslave them for their own ends. The shadow power had limited offensive capabilities... it was effective for assassination of lower beings, but not in direct combat. Its true strengths lay in scouting and espionage. To defend themselves, Clan Blanc had to rely solely on their superior werewolf physique.
But as generations passed in peace and seclusion, even their physical strength waned.
These were the days before the Supernatural Council was established... a ti of anarchy. Slavery was the norm then, and power among supernatural clans was often asured by the number and strength of slaves they owned.
In that brutal hierarchy, humans were considered worthless. The supernatural races saw themselves as the next stage in human evolution... an elevated, superior existence. Even now, most supernatural species view each other with rivalry and disdain, but when it cos to humans, there is an unspoken consensus: they are lesser, primitive, and beneath them all. So races even regard humans as little more than a food source... livestock, to be consud and discarded.
Ironically, humans themselves believed they were the centre of the world... the most intelligent species on Earth. Among them, countless factions and clans considered themselves superior to others, endlessly killing and enslaving each other to prove it. Yet, as the most populous of all intelligent races, with an exceptionally high reproductive rate, humanity remained dominant. No matter how many were slaughtered... by their own kind or others... they endured, multiplied, and spread all over the earth.
In those dark days, only the strongest human warriors were ever deed worthy of becoming slaves in the supernatural world. The rest had no value. Supernatural forces were far more interested in enslaving other supernatural beings... especially those with unique abilities. Even within their own races, powerful clans sought to subjugate weaker ones to accumulate strength and influence.
Within that power structure, the rare shadow ability of Clan Blanc held exceptional significance. Other werewolf clans from the sa island attempted to enslave them, hoping to harness that elusive power for espionage and infiltration. But they all failed. The Blanc territory was remote... isolated from other clans, and sending a large force left one’s own stronghold vulnerable. Moreover, Clan Blanc had long adapted to the harsh terrain of forests and lakes, and they could use the landscape to their advantage.
For a ti, this isolation protected them.
But as rival clans were defeated and tales of their rare ability spread far and wide, word eventually reached beyond their island.
And that was when the true danger began.
When a group of Banshees attacked the clan, the Blancs were unable to defend themselves. The Banshees’ signature abilities... Piercing Wail and Death On Aura immobilised all the Clan Blanc warriors, before the fight even started. The forr caused madness and deafness, while the latter induced overwhelming fear. Most of the clan mbers succumbed instantly.
Only the clan head at that ti, Aethelred Blanc, withstood the attack to any aningful degree. As an Alpha, he possessed imnse ntal resilience and physical prowess. When he realised his clan would surely lose, he made the decision to flee and seek aid. To avoid unnecessary bloodshed, he ordered his people to surrender for the ti being while he alone escaped into the wilderness.
He knew of a powerful werewolf clan living deep within the Claitone Forest of Mamucium, which is now known as Clayton in Manchester... ho to the Raynor Clan.
The Raynor Clan was renowned for its bloodline, its size, and its unity as a pack. They were fad as scholars, and other werewolf clans... and even other races sought their counsel. Though known for their intellect, their combat reputation was formidable. Most clans feared them, not because of their warriors, but because the Raynors took no prisoners as slaves like other clans. Any attack on them ant only one outco: death.
Aethelred knew the Raynors despised slavery, just as he did. With that shared value, he approached them and humbly pleaded for protection. In return, Clan Blanc would offer their service in chores and daily labour... essentially the work of slaves, but without the chains.
The Raynors, always curious and contemplative, were intrigued by this offer. Thus, the first subordinate clan in werewolf history was ford.
When Aethelred returned to his holand, he found it looted and burned. Fortunately, his clan had followed orders and surrendered without resistance. Only a few lives were lost. He tracked the captors to Liuerpul Beach, where the Blanc Clan mbers were chained and awaiting transport across the Irish Sea... known then as Mare Hibernicum.
Eanswith Elizabeth Raynor, the head of the Raynor Clan, was the only one who ca to rescue the mbers of Clan Blanc. Although Aethelred was sowhat hesitant and uncertain about the success of the mission, he didn’t dare voice his doubts, not wanting to offend such a powerful clan leader.
But when Eanswith acted, all doubts dissolved... leaving only awe, fear, and reverence.
In re minutes, every Banshee, their enslaved human warriors, and even their ships were obliterated. None had ti to counterattack. It was a massacre. The only survivors were the chained mbers of Clan Blanc.
The beach at Liuerpul, now Liverpool, was dyed red with blood. The waves of the Irish Sea ran crimson that day. Without a word, Eanswith left the stunned and trembling Blancs behind to fend for themselves.
The mbers of Clan Blanc were the first to survive and tell the tale of the carnage unleashed by one of the Elizabeths of the Raynor Clan. From that day forward, Clan Blanc beca a subordinate to the Raynor Clan—a status they have maintained to this day.
Though history changed many tis... wars ca and went, the Raynors even fought in the World Wars... Clan Blanc remained their only subordinate clan. That never changed.
It is all written in the records of Clan Blanc. Every child learns it growing up: that their very existence was owed to the Raynor Clan’s rcy and power... and that even the gentle, scholarly Raynors could beco terrifying forces of nature when provoked.
***
In the grand hall of the clan head’s villa, Dominic Blanc and a few others were deep in discussion regarding the upcoming marriage. It had already been finalised that the main ceremony would be held at the Blanc Estate, with invitations extended only to mbers of supernatural races.
This, however, presented a challenge.
Both Raphael and Laila had good relationships with so of their human co-workers, and excluding them entirely would cause discomfort and disappointnt. After a lengthy discussion, they agreed to host a smaller, separate event a day before the official marriage ceremony.
Raphael’s mother, Juliette Blanc, supported the decision. During her ti working at Heimdall Tower, she had also developed friendships with several co-workers... Teresa, Lily, and Maya were among them. It was ultimately decided that, following Laila’s turning ritual, they would take a week to prepare, then obtain a legal human marriage certificate and host a modest ceremony in Manchester. Juliette would take responsibility for organising that event.
The main wedding, held exclusively for the supernatural guests, would take place the following day under the direct supervision of Clan Head Dominic Blanc.
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