A restless hand slammed against a massive obelisk with an echoed thud. Xerxez snarled impatiently as he his sight began to grow darker and darker until his sight was clouded entirely by the encroaching darkness. The black fog began to slowly disperse revealing a forest cast under an eternal moon. Shrieks and howls of unknown beasts came from the dense trees that surrounded his path. The moon cast a dim glow on the path ahead of him, weaving in and out between the thick of the forest. A slight chill was in the air, ever present as the wind howled around him.

He scoffed at HIS realm. Xerxez had mellowed out over the years as a Vaewolf. He was more subordinate towards Serafina, restricted his primal urges, and even practiced patience. In fact, he even stopped with his ridicule of Nemesis. It was because of him that Xerxez was with his mate. And it was Nemesis who was responsible for driving her to him. He was granted a life partner, another life with power, control and undeniable strength. He owed this all to Nemesis. But Xerxez was a jealous guy. In the beginning, he wasn’t a fan of Nemesis, and he was sure it went the same way. Nemesis would always see him as the man who stole Serafina from him. But as time passed, Xerxez saw it as pointless and childish to bite at the man who had given this life to him.

But as of now, with Nemesis as a god, questions ran through Xerxez’s mind and he didn’t like the answers he was coming up with. Xerxez had grown comfortable with his new life. There were rules that he had to follow, if he did, he would live. Obey Serafina. Obey Celesete. Obey Nemesis. And last, but certainly not least, do not expose the secret. And then fucking Nemesis had to go and become a fucking god and throw a wrench in the rules that he lived by. It wasn’t Nemesis’s fault. He might of wished for this, wanted it, but even Nemesis wasn’t cunning enough to blackmail the voice. It just came to be. A happy fucking coincidence. But it happened, and now Xerxez didn’t know what to think. It pissed him off.

His anger boiled over, and he stormed off to the stupid obelisks that grant access to Nemesis’s realm to get his answers questioned. But it wouldn't be so simple to just barge in, demand an audience and leave on his jolly way. No, it was Nemesis. Why would he give the time of night to Xerxez, the man that disrespected, ridiculed and out right spoke against him in the past. He had plenty of reason to dismiss him, hell, even kill him if he so wished. He was a god now. Fuck the rules. Fuck Serafina. He was a god damn god. So, if Nemesis did hear Xerxez out, he was prepared to offer the only thing that Nemesis could accept from him.

He ran over the scenarios in his head on how this situation could play out. Nemesis becoming a god is bound to draw unwanted attention. Xerxez was fearful of the future. Before, they followed the rules. Nemesis did his shadow deals. Celeste took care of Sergei and Xerxez was, for the most part, a good beta to Serafina. But now, the secret was in danger of being exposed, and it was all too easy to imagine Nemesis gathering Celeste and Sergei into the confines of his realm and abandon Xerxez and Serafina to the elders. Why not? Xerxez would’ve done the same thing if he was in Nemesis’s position. It would get rid of a disobedient Beta and it’s disrespectful play thing all in one swoop.
The thought never left his mind as he followed the path until he reached an ornate gate that led to a garden of flowers. He stopped his pace as he remembered the chaotic night that Serafina had brought him. Nemesis and Serafina’s fight. Xerxez’s anger. Celeste pulling him aside and showing him the graveyard of their children. The pause was brief, but cooled his hot temper. If he was to calmly present his self to Nemesis, perhaps he would be granted audience. He slowly walked passed the marble fountain that held statues of Serafina, Celeste, and even Angela. How Gauche can he be? Xerxez thought, shaking his head in dismay.

After making his way forward, he finally arrived at a familiar looking mansion. It was different than the one in Koschei. But he was sure he could navigate around the abode with ease. A tense fist landed against the door and pushed it aside. Once inside, he felt like was back home in Koschei. His stupid art littered the god damn walls, expensive furniture lay around in an almost perfect setting. Ungodly clean, and well lit from the candles and torches that hung from the walls that flicker slightly. However, it was the clean bowl sitting on top of pedestal that caught Xerxez’s attention. He let out a laugh of disbelief, as walked up to the pedestal and examined bowl. “So be it. I doubt you would take mine, but I shall offer it, none the fucking less.” He said, under his breath. His wrist quickly found its way to his mouth as Xerxez in one swift motion cut his wrist with his fangs. He held it out towards the bowl, letting the crimson liquid fall into the bowl, splattering along the ridges of the bowl and dripping into the center. “Come on out, Nemesis.” He called out, raising his voice. “You could kill me now, and no one would be the wiser. Would you deny yourself that opportunity?” He called out, using a taunt to draw Nemesis towards him. Whatever happens from this point onward, happens.

As he became accustomed to this new life of his, Nemesis was starting to get a hang of knowing when someone would arrive onto the Bastion. He was in the middle of painting a Sergi that was a couple years old and sitting on his mother’s lap, stirring his brush upon the blood infused red paint to fill in the eyes when he felt that tug. It took a minute for him to figure out who it was and rolled his eyes. Settling down his brush, he slipped on a shirt and pondered what the devil did Xerxez want?

It was no secret in the family that those two held no love for the other and it seemed only by a mutual care for Serafina that they didn’t come to blows against the other. It also helped that there had been distance set between them for some time now. It wasn’t until he thought about it now that he hadn’t seen the pair in a great deal of time. He assumed that they were reigning in spreading chaos all over Revaliir and as long as they didn’t bring trouble to his doorstep, it bothered him less and less to the point where he didn’t think about it any longer.

The vaewolf had just finished slipping on his gloves when he sensed the Beta closing in, reaching the courtyard. Another thing that didn’t dawn onto him until now was that Xerxez was alone in his visit. His head tilted slightly in wondering what would happen now that the only thing they shared wasn’t around. Waiting about until he was sure he was in the manor, Nemesis made the trek downstairs in time to hear him making a fuss in the foyer. For some reason, he wasn’t quite surprised though he had expected for the walls to be drawn on some other shenanigans.

He had grown into his new blood, yet he still had a sharp tongue. Not many people would come into a man’s house and mouth off, let alone a God’s. Nemesis had had the pleasure of dealing with both scenarios by him. Whether it was done by great confidence or foolishness remained to be seen. “Are you done, Xerxez? I could have likely done that the first night Serafina brought you home.” His head still tilting while he leaned up against the wall and eyed the blood that was offered. Pushing himself away from his rest, he approached the bowl and removed a glove briefly to dip a finger into it. “I merely decided to keep my word to your alpha. Just because she’s not here doesn’t change that promise.” Besides his own anger had long since been extinguished; the only remnants of negative feelings towards him were that of annoyance when it came to these melodramatic stints. He placed the blood-soaked finger onto his mouth and savored the flavor of it.

He supposed that he could understand on some level why Sera must have craved draining him dry, based off the taste alone. “Now why did you come?”, he questioned, slipping the glove back on and cast a shot of darkness at Xerxez’s wrist. It would help to speed up his healing factor. “If you really seek death, you won’t get it from me unless you hurt Sera. And I doubt that you have done that. Besides my grudge has long since died down. Things have changed for me, as I am sure they have for you.”

“Tch.” Xerxez breathed sarcastically, throwing his hands up guestring towards the realm that they stood in. “Damn right, things have changed.” He met Nemesis’s icy gaze with his own intense stare. “Celeste and Sergi haven’t been around the mansion lately.” Xerxez said nonchalantly. “If one that didn’t know any better, one would start to think you’ve abandoned me and Serafina to the vaewolf elders..” Xerxez said. He paused to run his hand through his hair, catching stray hairs that had escaped the knot he had them in. “I saw the statue of her in the garden.” He said lowly, as he dropped his stare. “It’s clear she’s still important to you. The relationship between you two is something I’ll never understand.” He said, pausing to meet Nemesis’s eyes once again. “But it is something I can respect.”

“I was an obvious fool to think you would abandon her.” Xerxez said truthly. It was first time he had shown an ounce of respect towards Nemesis. His distaste in Nemesis ran further than just his past with Serafina. They were two very different people, polar opposites from each other it seemed. But Nemesis was his family now, and it was time Xerxez gave him the respect he deserved. His began to relax as Xerxez dropped the defensive stance he had been in. He locked his eyes with Nemesis’s, showing the confusion in his face. “Forgive me for barging in with insinuations and distrust towards you. But I need answers, Nemesis.” He pleaded.

“I was told I had one sacred rule, and that was to not expose our secrets.” He paused to raise a hand out interrupting Nemesis if he had anything to say. “I know you didn’t ask for this. But I need to know this doesn't endanger Serafina in anyway. You’re a god now, and I fear that the elders won’t allow this without consequences.” Xerxez said, his face trembling with fear and uncertainty. “Tell me you have a plan.” He said slowly. “You’re Nemesis. You’ve made backhanded deal after deal where this move was covered. Tell me this won’t come back to bite us in the ass.” He dropped his head, his eyes on the pristine marble floor when he spoke once more with honesty in his voice. “I won’t lose this family, Nemesis.”

He shot his gaze back to Nemesis, his eyes on fire with determination. “So tell me you have answers. And Im prepared to offer you something.” He said, a coy look on his face. “This is how it works, right? I come to you, a god, and ask questions. You give me answers and I offer something in return?” He asked, flashing his fangs in a devilish smile. “It’ll be your worth while, I promise.”

Sera’s Beta, if not for nothing more, at least had some bite to compliment his bark. He wasn’t one to play about and should their encounter had happened under better circumstances, then the animosity he had once felt for Xerxez might have not come at all. “We go back and forth as needed, I’m still getting adjusted to this new life. That is why we haven't been at home for a bit”, he offered. Their home in Kurayo hadn’t been forgotten and more importantly, he couldn’t leave Serafina alone in Kurayo. The woman had no sense in diplomacy for starters; he was sure that she would leave broken bodies in her quake. The man before him only made him more convinced that was sure to come- they both had a taste for destruction. “I can assure you that you two have not been abandoned.” Moving over to a decanter nearby, he poured himself a glass of brandy and slipped over to a window that showed the courtyard. It wasn’t an easy view, but he managed to spot the statues Xerxez spoke of, one in particular. “It’s simple, at least from my side of things. She was my first creation, and I, her sire. She loves me to that extent and nothing more.” Back when this conversation would have still been a sore spot, he would have held some pain in his throat over speaking such words. Now, however, they came out as easy as how one would say “Good morning” to a neighbor. “And it took a long time, but that is how I love her- as my child and nothing more. All of those statues are out there exist because the women they represent have, in one form or another, helped shape me into the man I am today. If there’s one thing I have learned, it is that you can’t forget the past, no matter how harsh or cruel it has been to you.”

He could sense that the Beta was trying to be sincere, something that was an awful surprise given how close they have come to blows. He figured that it was something deeper than Serafina that made him dislike the Alpha greatly. Crossing his arms, Nemesis turned back to Xerxez and offered his ear as he explained the reason for coming here. He couldn’t help but make a face at first when keeping secrets were mentioned but dismissed almost immediately as he continued onward. The further Sera’s lover spoke, the more Nemesis could nearly taste the fear coming off of him and into the very air around them. It was a bit intoxicating, but he forced himself to remain impartial. Was this something that came with his godhood? Annoyingly, there were still questions left to be answered about his position, but he had to deal with things one at a time. The first and utmost was to quell the worries of one of his own.

A deep sigh rose and fell from his chest as he hastily approached the decanter again and poured another glass before offering it to Xerxez. “You are right. I am a snake in the grass, and I tread where others are scared or refuse to go. That said, I don’t throw caution to the wind. I’ve done that before in another life and lost everything because of cockiness. You will not lose her or the family, Xerxez.” He sipped more from his own brandy and patted him on the shoulder as he walked passed him. There was respect in the fact that he had shown that he did care about the family after all. Of course, he knew that Serafina was a major concern in all this and he wouldn’t pretend that it wasn’t. “Fortunately, many of them don’t believe in gods and such- their thing of worship are the Moons. Even if there are some that actually made the connection also noticed that I haven’t done anything to Kurayo. As far as they are concerned they are still in charge while I am either complacent in my stead or on holiday or something. And if they should try something…anything…”

His calm tone died, replaced by a darker, more menacing voice as his eyes turned pitch black. “I don’t care who it’s towards; Celeste, Sergi, Sera, you or any of the other Betas. I will snuff them out without blowing our cover.” The slight burst of anger fell from him and in closing his eyes, those familiar crimson orbs returned. “I never liked nobles, human or otherwise- that’s one thing you haven’t learned of me. Being from a lower house when I was human, I have seen plenty of misdeeds and things they get away with because they have more coin, more land, more power than others. They think that they can do whatever they want. I may dress and behave like them, but make no mistake- I am merely a wolf in sheep’s clothing. This place is only an extension towards blending in since I can play the role of vanity quite well. Just as you easily suit that of being more in touch with the beast inside. ”

Xerxez nodded along as Nemesis spoke with a pained expression on his face. It was as Xerxez thought, there wasn’t a counter measure above “Be wary.” But, his mind was eased to hear the elders weren't too concerned about Nemesis’s accession. Even more when Nemesis spoke with such killing intent when he considered the harm of his family. The pitch black of Nemesis eyes and the seething anger on his tongue was palpable. Even Xerxez’s eyes grew dark, his mind running wild with the scent of blood and sound of pleading screams and sobs. An snarl of acceptance escaped his throat along with a nod as he understood Nemesis’s words. If a single fucking hair of their family was touched, there would be god damn riots. And Xerxez personally, was infamous for his rampages.

It was Nemesis’s revelation about his nobility being nothing but a guise that caught Xerxez off guard most. A small macabre smile creeped across the corner of his lips as he imagined this vain peacock impression was merely a ploy, a disguise. Xerxez always knew there was a terrifying beast underneath it, but never imagined the vanity was acting. He felt a slight tug in him, as Xerxez became aware of the similarities between him and Nemesis, rather than the infuriating differences. A rough chuckle of amusement escaped his mouth when Nemesis had finished speaking. “Damn right, you play it well. You even had me fooled. To think, the great Nemesis had come from such humble beginnings.” He said, careful to not pick at Nemesis’s nerves too much.

While the circumstances were unfortunate, it was relieving that he and Nemesis got along as well as they did now. Xerxez’s brashness had led to them almost fighting on numerous occasions. This whole trip would’ve been a pain if they bit and snapped at each other as they usually would have in the past. The fact that they could get along, or at the very least, be respectful to each other was enough for Xerxez to not push the newfound mutual tolerance of the two. He sighed heavily, swallowing the brandy Nemesis had offered him in one swallow, slamming the crystal class against a marble table top. Upon exhaling the burning fumes, he locked his crimson eyes on Nemesis’s, a harsh tone in his voice as he spoke. “I want them all dead, Nemesis. It’s not enough for them to just die. I, personally, want to off them myself.”

A feral snarl escaped his throat as he imagined storming into enemy territory and ripping their heads from their necks. “**When that time comes, pretty boy, I hope you use me.” He said, an open expression on his face. His voice was laced with determination as he continued. “I should’ve done this from the beginning, but I pledge my loyalty to you, Nemesis.” He insisted. “Don’t expect me to bow down, though.” He continued, sarcasm lacing his voice. However, he spoke again, with a softer, less judging tone. “But know that I am in your corner. As hard as it is to believe you are a god now, then I shall be a faithful supporter.” He flashed a menacing smile as his eyes grew darker. “A fearful beast that serves Nemesis, The Dark Kaiser, as they call you.” He said, a slow growl coming from him. "Use me as you will, Nemesis, and I shall hope I will be able to stand next to you when you take Kosechi."

The man was clearly smarter than Nemesis had given him credit for; though he wasn’t above saying that it was because he had been biased at the start. Had their encounter had been different, then he certainly would have been more appreciative of Xerxez’s brutish demeanor. “I have perfected the craft in my extended life, learning about their feeble minds and how greed appeals to them so. Even if they are no longer human, vampires have a terrible addiction to it. Perhaps back when I was just one of them, I got caught so much into my own vanity but since coming into Revaliir so many countless years I was free from its spell again.”

He looked on to see the Beta’s frustration towards the society they dwelled beneath, letting him get it out all before downing the brandy and poured himself some more. “If you want to end them, I’d suggest you do it discreetly. Aside from some chosen houses, I have aligned with and obviously the council members and their own, I don’t particularly care for anyone else on the island. Take Serafina even, she’s used to snuffing them out without raising alarms.”

With his “disappearance” at times, the crimes couldn’t be pinned on him and it was rather possible that they weren’t familiar with Xerxez enough to fault him as well. Serafina was known to be a loose cannon, but her love for carnage gave them the impression that she wasn’t the sort to do things in. Celeste didn’t dirty her hands in the way the other Volkovs did and Ivan and Ayla weren’t around enough to be known like their Beta brother. Such blame for the houses’ fall logically couldn’t be blamed on any of them. “As long as you don’t put our family into any immediate danger, you can slaughter them to your liking”, he said with a pearly smile, “I don’t expect you to bow, Xerxez. We are family, after all. Just recognize that I am the Alpha is all that I require. Follow me and the other Alphas at times, and for the rest, you are free to do as you wish.”

Nemesis gave some careful thought as he pondered on how to sate Xerxez’s sudden hunger for murder. Though it also a test to see how he fared when it came to working among family before his face revealed a beautiful, sinister plot with his eyes latched upon the man. “Hm, I don’t think you have met the rest of the family, my dear Xerxez. There are two other Betas in particular- one that is directly linked to Celeste and his mate.” He held out his palm to him and dark energies swirled about into two small orbs; one revealed a man of pale skin and red locks and the other showed a woman of fair hair and despite her dainty appearance, she was a strong fighter. “Ivan and Alya Volkov. They are typically not around the house because…I do not like the man. When you meet them, you may see what I mean. He’s good at assassinations but his personally vexes me. If it had been resentment like you had of me, I could stomach it, but he is looney because he just wants to me. Alya, like you, was already a shifter when she was transformed. You are both survived the odds since normally receiving our bite would kill other weres and vampires. She is a strong fighter and is able to knock the sense back into Ivan when needed. They will be on the island for some time now and I want you three to take on a certain mission. I promise it will be worth your while if you chose to accept it.”