Blood Servant Pt. 03

Dakota said, "Good morning. I'm sure you're all aware the effort to get to know you was involved in deciding your fate. Greg most of all."

Katrina nodded neutrally, "Right from the start, though we don't know why."

Dakota said, "I won't keep you in suspense, I've decided to let you go home. I do have a story for you, and some information you should know. It will explain many things, including Kaori's foolishness. There is some risk in letting you go, but I can't in good conscience kill Gregory for what he might do in the future. But know that Calian will be keeping an eye on him."

Katrina waved at a chair, "Please, sit."

Dakota smiled, and sat in the leather chair, while my three mistresses were on the large couch. Cassidy and I just stayed at the table, munching on our breakfasts. I was incredibly curious about what I was going to find out.

Dakota said, "Thousands of years ago, the eleventh mage affinity appeared. The first body affinity mage was born. At first it was thought limited, an affinity that couldn't reach out into the world around them, and only internally. Sure, they were badass in a fight, a cast shield and using physical enhancements, they could take almost any other single mage in combat.

"It wasn't until twenty years later, that they realized the body mage was immortal. This caused a lot of waves and consternation. Not unkillable of course, perhaps non-aging would be a better description. They're power to regenerate their body to stay young set them apart."

Well, I guess I wasn't the first one after all.

Dakota continued, "Other mages were jealous, but where the true problem came in was a hundred years after that. Body mages grew dissatisfied with watching their loved ones die, watching the world endlessly die around them, while they went on."

She bit her lip, "The power you've not yet discovered Greg, is you can use the bond to send your magic into those bonded to you. To heal, strengthen, even attain greater speeds. But it was a limited thing, the regeneration part didn't fully translate to another for some reason, so they couldn't use it to extend lives.

"That's about when a rather clever body mage using spells changed everything. He wanted to make his mate immortal like him. The magic required a sacrifice, that of an animal, and he chose a wolf. Thus, the first shifter walked the Earth."

Cassidy squeaked.

Dakota smiled, "It's true, we are a created race. And a failure. The magic did settle into his mate, but so did the sacrifice that bound that magic and made it hers, which made her a wolf shifter. Worse, the main point failed. Shifters have regeneration magic to heal almost any injury, even rebuild lost limbs. They also live much longer than humans because of that. But... they of course aren't unageing, which ultimately made the experiment a failure in the eyes of the mage. That mage accepted it, and from what I know lived a long life with his mate. He also stopped regenerating his own body, as an act of will, so he could grow old with her. They also had several children, all of them wolf shifters."

She paused for a minute, to let us absorb that.

"But it was considered unnatural to most other mages, giving a human being a partly animal nature. The body mages were seen far more warily, and many rules in the mage clans were made to prevent any further experimentation. Of course, human nature, long life and grief, they did it anyway.

"Some did it for good reasons, to make their mates live longer, and other shifter animal races were born as a result. Point being, these body mages that experimented on life, were declared outlaws, and they were hunted."

Her lips quirked, and she looked at Katrina, "Another body mage went a different way. They used dark magic essentially giving eternal life, balanced by the moment of death their bodies were frozen in. Thus was the vampire race created."

Katrina shook her head, "That's... holy crap."

She nodded, "It explains a lot though, does it not. How he can shift, become as fast as a vampire, with preternatural senses. How he is immortal. His affinity bears all the markings of both a shifter and vampire, save the downsides."

"So, what happened?"

She said, "Like I said, they were being hunted. A body affinity mage that got a part of their body inside another could make them their slave with the bond. The problem was that wasn't an easy thing to do. It was a limitation that the mage who made vampires didn't like. Compulsion isn't exactly what he had in mind, but it's a result of the dark magic curse twisting his intentions.

"Vampires and shifters became the guardians and servants, essentially slaves, of the body mages. Their protectors and armies which they used to fight off the mage clans who hunted them. Of course, some of them didn't go to such lengths, only increasing the lives of their loved ones with shifter magic, but even those had no choice as the war raged on.

"It also wasn't just vampires and shifters. Other creations were made, chimeras and other creatures you'd probably recognize from Greek mythology. These were one off soldiers however, not meant to live all that long, and made with the darkest magic."

She shook her head, "Anyway, it was just a matter of time, given human nature and their long lives filled with frustration and loss. They were tired of being hunted, so the body mages decided to rule. Instead of running and hiding to live their lives, and defending themselves when necessary, some of them went on the offensive."

She let that sit there for a minute. My mind was still in shock at the idea a mage like me had created the shifter and vampire races.

She said, "Before that there were some clans that didn't want to be a part of it. Mages that preferred to live and let live. They were wary of the body mages, but they weren't prepared to judge and hunt them down for merely making a shifter or two.

"But all that changed, when several body mages joined forces and started to subdue mage clans. Literally bonding them all from the leader to the least powerful in the clan, and then making them their creatures. It was a foolish tactic, born of frustration at being hunted for centuries, and it managed to mobilize every mage clan against them, and the true war finally started.

"It was a brutal supernatural war, ranging from the far east to Europe and Africa. A lot died, on both sides. Understand, what I've told you spanned centuries and many generations. In the end, the body mages were overcome by pure numbers, but only barely. Not just their lives, but their entire bloodlines were eradicated, lest the body affinity one day show itself once again."

I frowned.

She nodded at me, "That's why your clan was destroyed to the last mage, because your birth proved your family had the potential to birth more body mages. Remember, this was several thousand years ago, the lore was lost over time in Europe and the middle east. Wars, constant conquering armies between Greece, Rome, the Saxons, and I could go on for a while. The east however has a much more complete record, and their society is deepened in culture and history, in tradition.

"That's why only the Miyashita and Song clans recognized the danger in you. Your three mistresses will birth body mages, I suspect. And of course, Cassidy will have a fox shifter."

I nodded, "That's... a lot to take in."

Dakota nodded, "In the end, the mage clans were just as much at fault, if not more so for disowning the body mages for being immortal and creating shifters, then vampires. I don't see you building an army or trying to take over the supernatural world. I am content there is very little danger that way, and I don't think it will come to that again, unless the East manages to rile up something."

Katrina asked, "Why do you think that?"

Dakota shrugged, "Vampires are commonplace in our world now. Natural, known, and respected. So what if a mage can live unageing with his vampire mistresses, no big deal. As long as your children are taught well, they won't do anything stupid either."

Katrina tilted her head, "So, how does that explain your disagreement with Miyashita?"

Alexa is the one who answered, putting together what must've happened with her clever mind.

"Because they didn't eradicate all body mages. Some fled to the new world. Otherwise there would be no Becenti and Azure clan. How could there be, without a body mage to start their lineage?"

Dakota laughed in delight, and nodded at Alexa, "Just so. The Miyashita clan moved here in the late seventeen hundreds, and they discovered large and powerful shifter clans. They realized some of the body mages must've escaped eradication thousands of years ago to reach our shores, so they started a subtle hunt to find them. They are unthinking, bound by tradition and custom, and unable to change their opinion out of fear. Regardless, we figured out what they were up to, and removed all but a handful. My ancestor warned theirs to stay off our land forevermore. Given the size of our clans, they relented."

Dakota paused for a second, then said, "They are still here. A council of seven each with a vampire lover. They limit their number to that. When one grows tired of life, he impregnates his vampire and a new body mage is born. After raising and teaching them, they choose to pass from this life. Understand, the new one will find and fall in love with a woman that loves him back, and only then make her a vampire and form the bond. They do not have slaves.

"They are also the Becenti and Azure clan's elders, both. We respect them, listen to their advice, but it is Calian and I who rule our respective clans. In the rare case when one of their children falls to power's call and darker ambition, they were taken out by the other six, and one of those six will have a child to replace them. It's a good system to prevent abuse, and it hasn't failed in over five thousand years.

"Needless to say perhaps, they are also our parents, quite literally. Those seven are responsible for our bloodlines, though over thousands of years any appearance of mixed European blood has long since been bred out of our lines. They no longer make shifters, we do it naturally. We also keep them safe, out of love and respect, not because we're bonded to them, because we aren't. Only the first generation was bonded out of necessity.

"It's also worth noting that they were always peaceful, which is why they fled their continent of birth in the first place. To find a place that hunters couldn't find them. It is also not arrogant to say that we affected them as much as they changed us. They subscribe to our traditions now, respect for the land and living within nature in balance. Regardless, now you know."

She shrugged, "Perhaps you can build something similar? A body affinity mage and vampire clan that works together in harmony. Who knows what the future will bring?"

Katrina replied, "We'll have to give it a lot of thought. You seem sure our children will be body mages."

She nodded, "Your vampire magic is an aspect of his. It will stack the deck so to speak. I imagine if he knocked up a human there'd be a one in eleven chance of a body affinity mage being born, but with vampires it's all but guaranteed."

"All but?" Regina asked.

She smiled, "Very little but death is guaranteed in this life. But I can say the council of seven has never had any children but body affinity mages with their vampire mates in the last five thousand years."

Regina smirked, "So if we all get pregnant twice, we'll have our own council of seven."

Dakota laughed, "I suppose, but I would advise you to spread that out. You also must be prepared to reel in those that let ambitions lead them, or we will deal with them. Not so much a threat, as a promise. Point being, is it would be difficult to be sure of six children all growing up together, would it not? Three will be hard enough. But it is only my advice, it is your choices that will lead to the future of your clan. I only warn against it for wisdom's sake."

My mind was kind of stuck again. I was immortal, which I supposed was good for my three vampire mates. I'd never leave them. But... I would have to watch Cassidy grow old and die, and my children with Cassidy grow old and die. My grandchildren, and so on. I could barely comprehend the cost of such a thing in that moment, but I knew enough to know it'd be devastating.

At the same time, I wouldn't let that steal from the joy of the present, if I could avoid it. A couple of hundred years felt like forever to me in that moment, at just twenty-one years old.

I also wondered if that's why the council of elders stood apart. They had the joy of family with the shifters, but at a distance, all their children no matter how far removed. Of course, that wouldn't work for my shifter mate or my direct children.

"Wait, I can make my mistresses stronger and faster if I push magic through the bond?"

Dakota nodded, "That is true. You could also control their bodies to a certain extent, which is how they're pregnant right now. Why?"

I said, "Well, we aren't out of the woods yet with your acceptance. We have to deal with Jia, if not Kaori, but even in the case of Miyashita we'll need to come to an understanding with her successor, if possible."

Dakota nodded in agreement, "You are welcome on my land, as well as your people. If you wish, take a day to figure that out before you leave for home. I doubt Miyashita will come to an accommodation, but they may accept a truce in their weakened state. Just don't be surprised if they come for you in a few generations when their clan is rebuilt.

"Of course, if Kaori doesn't heed my demand, then they'll cease to exist. You might want to just let it ride for a few weeks there and see what happens first. Plus, Kaori is still in charge, and it will do you no good to speak to her. Lastly, if I get the point of your question, you can make them more powerful, but I doubt powerful enough to match a two-thousand-year-old vampire."

Well, that sucked. Of course, nothing else in my life has been easy, so I wasn't surprised that taking out Jia wouldn't be either.

Katrina said, "Thank you. We will give your counsel heavy weight in everything you've said."

Dakota smiled and stood up, "I wish you luck," then turned and left the guest house.

Katrina blew out a breath, "Ideas?"

"How much faster will she be, at seven times older. I mean, it's not a direct ratio, is it?"

Katrina shook her head, "Not direct year to speed, no. More like two to one, so she'll be three and a half times faster, and that much stronger as well. Vampires that old even exceed shifter strength. Still, that's more than fast enough that all I'll see is a blur if I see the punch at all that makes my head explode."

I nodded, "I'll have to experiment a bit, but I think I can make a shield that will incinerate her. The biggest question is if she'll be able to take it out in one hit. It'd take seven or so of your punches to do so, so in theory it'll hold for two of hers. Which is one too short for her to kill one of us."

Katrina tilted her head, "So she'd punch me, then go up in an incineration spell."

I replied, "In theory, if I can create a reactive shield like that, yes. It's not part of my knowledge, but all the pieces are there if I can figure out how to put them together right. Thing is, there's also fifteen other vampires to get through to reach her, and who knows how old they are."

Regina frowned, "How will you test it?"

I grinned, "I'll use a candle lighting spell in the tests. They're both about fire, so if one works the other will. It might warm your fingers a bit, but it won't hurt for very long."

Alexa said, "I know you're angry, and she did betray us, but is a truce at all possible?"

Katrina waved a hand, "No. She's already proven she can't be trusted to keep her word and treaties when it comes to body mages. We can't believe anything she said, and it would just give her the time needed to turn vampires and bring their numbers back up to forty-six, instead of the current sixteen which only makes our attack slightly insane."

Alexa nodded reluctantly, "I'm just worried that we'll have the same problem with her successor. Eastern tradition and honor will almost demand her replacement to come after us too, after building back up. At the same time, destroying them completely could have all the clans turn on us, just like what happened in the past."

Katrina asked, "What's your point?"

Alexa shrugged, "Nothing except we need to deescalate, otherwise it may turn everyone against us. I just don't know how."

Katrina nodded, "I agree, which is why after we take Jia down, then we'll try to make peace with her successor. Perhaps they can be seen to accept it's not so black and white. All we can do is be sure every step we take is defensive in nature, and if it goes on long enough the eastern vampires and mages will only exist in Asia, as two clans go down."

Regina said, "I hate to suggest it, but we could always move. Dakota said we were welcome here, and ancient directives or not they're too chicken to come after us here."

Katrina tilted her head, "We shouldn't have to abandon our territory, and we have time to figure it out. I trust our Gregory will give us an even or better footing when we go after the ancient vampire. We have the right to defend ourselves, and more than that, the other clans will see us as weak if we do that. If we hide behind a Becenti shield, and Dakota might not appreciate it either and lose respect for us. That will bring more danger in the long run, not less."

Regina nodded, "I don't want to do it either, but I felt like we had to at least consider it."

Alexa said, "So we take out Jia, try to make peace with her successor, and ignore Miyashita until things shake out in the next three weeks."

Katrina replied, "That sums it up, yes. Let's spend the day working on that shield spell and testing it for Gregory. If it's not going to work, better to know that before we go home."

I nodded, an incinerate spell would work too, no matter how old the vampire. Of course, I had to see her and get two words out before she killed me, which was the trick. She could move so fast it'd be almost impossible to target her. Reactive shielding was our best bet that way.

The problem with that plan of course, was she'd have to hit one of us for it to work. She might be too old and canny to fall for something like that. Of course, reactive shields weren't a known thing for mages, so she might not know it was possible. I'd gotten the idea myself from reactive tank armor, technology.

It took a few hours to figure out, mostly because it was far more complicated than I expected. The first time I cast it, the spell immediately went off and started to drain my magic like crazy, simply because the air was touching the shield. I hadn't been expecting that, and I had to add a few more words to make it react only to forceful strikes with flesh. Because of course, before I added that last part the shield was trying to light the ground on fire when they moved quickly and hit the ground hard.

Then when Regina pointed out Jia just might wear gloves, I had to expand that flesh strike to include the possibility of gloves or gauntlets. Then at Alexa's comment, I expand that to weapons held and wielded by flesh or gloved flesh. If she used a sword to fight instead of claws, I wasn't sure if she'd be able to dodge the spell since it wouldn't enter her in the same split second that she hit the shields.

That didn't even account for the first hour, which was the basic mixing of an offensive fire spell with a protective shield spell. Once all the false activations were taken out of the equation, including smashing through walls I worked on the efficiency of it. I couldn't get the spell below forty words, so it'd take two and a half minutes to cast it on all five of us.