Episode 3: Mandate

“Commander Gaia of the fifth infantry division, the Alpha has given out a mandate for you.” A loud voice and a destructive banging of the door woke me up. I aggravatedly closed my eyes and tossed this thick green blanket as I get up from bed.

“It’s an urgent mandate, the Alpha said.” It’s a new face, I wonder who this is.

“Commander,” he repeated as he handed me a letter with its ash seal still intact. My forehead creased as I opened it, a mandate? What would he want me to do?

“Fifth Infantry Division’s Commander,

                 Several reports of a massive vampire town settling on the border of the Abberant  and the Madfur Okami Territory has been confirmed. Commander Gaia, the accomplishment you have attained from the last mission qualifies you to ascend a higher ranking by the time you can successfully decimate the village. I’m giving you three days for this assignment.”

                       What does he mean giving me this mandate?

                       My fist clenched and crumpled the whole paper realizing it is his intention.

“Arrange the army, we’ll execute the mandate before the sun rises,” I ended and shut the door close. My gaze landed to an opened curtain window witnessing the dawn breaking, it will only take a few minutes for the sun to completely show up. The entire room was tidy, looks like it was cleaned recently and an armor was daintily placed beside a large mirror.

                    As I entered the bath room, last night’s happening flashed on my mind. He is the one who had shoot and sedated me to sleep, that Alpha whom I did not have known his name. Red roses were left floating on a warm tub and the scent of lavender all over the room filled my nose. What kind of nonsense is this?

                    My lips twitched and ignored the mawkish style they’ve done to this room. Only few minutes was left before the whole army ought to leave and I don’t have time for such frivolous acts. Leaving the room with only fresh fabric wrapped around my body, I directed at the closet and grabbed clothes for inner just that comfortable to wear under a metallic armor. Facing the mirror, I fixed my hair up style and installed the bronze mask on my face. Luckily it didn’t fell off yesterday, I’ll let that alpha know my identity but not this face.

“Commander, warriors were all set on the ground. The army will act upon your order,” yelled someone behind the door which I just nodded and paced opening it. This girl also wears the same armor and stance with me, she seems to be a great piece on the battlefield. As I marched towards the exit, the sun rising and half of the warriors from the army of the fifth division not less than three-hundred soldiers were lined up at a certain position.

*****

                 Arriving at a town lying beneath the borders of Madfur Okami and Abberant… A peaceful and pleasant place, and here comes the enemy I myself lead to decimate this town of my own kin. With a single gesture from my hand, all the warriors shifted to their wolves. And to a flash, the pavement was stained with blood and cruelty reflecting the scenery a decade ago.

                  Vampires with all their might, defending their family. Defending their land and their pride. And here I am, doing nothing but watching how these enemies kill them. I was about to stroke the horse I’m riding away when a woman’s body suddenly slammed in front of me. And her raging red eyes in fury met mine. “You are a traitor,” she mouthed with her teeth clenching with disgust in her eyes.

“Kill her,” a simple command that ended the woman’s life with the warrior’s sharp claws. I have to… I must turn blind this time.

“Commander Gaia?”

                I tightly shut my eyes and drove the horse away. Passing Mayari, the female general, in charge of this thing before I completely leave that place of bloodshed massacre. Down the hill was a calmly flowing river, crystal clear. A peaceful place I can stay just for a while. Hopping down, I walked forth the running water when I heard crying sound of someone.

“Caspian, hush please.”

                A boy with his wailing sister on his arms. They’re trying to cross the river, and my feet seems to have its own mind and certainly approached them. Noticing me in armor, the two almost fell down the raging waters in terror. They must have taken me as one of the wolves that attacked their village. I motioned silence with my finger on my lips and carried the two of them to the other side.

“A safe place on the Livan part will shelter you.” I smiled, letting my eyes glow for the kids to know I am one of them. I watch the boy run away and completely lost out of my sight before I head back to the place when a creature with blue eyes appeared in front of me. A chestnut wolf.

“Is this how a commander leads an army? Leaving them in the battlefield?” He again spoke in my head.

“And what? Watch how they kill vampires like they’re mere insects? You did this on purpose, you want to show me these kind of things like I’ve never seen such ruthlessness! Like this is a kind of stage play!”

                  Again, anger burst out of me. Striking his furry neck with both of my hands down the craggy riverside, “You do not know how much pain I suffered all these years just because of your clan’s deeds. And you are not an exception the moment I’ll crash the entire Abberant territory.” My teeth gritted as my hands throttled him to death but in an instance, he shifted back to his human form and reversed the position with him strangling my neck.

“I told you once. If you would ever kill me, I will not hesitate to drag you down the pit. You are my mate and to where I am, you shall be by my side,” the Alpha gnashed and leaned closer to me. The moment he released his hand off my neck, it was too late for me to realize… he’s naked!

“Call me whatever you want, but the connection between us will never change. In my eyes, you are just a chess piece.” I tried to get away and escape from his firm grasp but he didn’t let go. There goes his fuming eyes filled with annoyance, I kept still and firm facing him but here runs my heartbeat real quick－banging and thumping that I can feel his warmth regardless of the metallic armor covering my entire body.

“You despise me for this reason, because I am a descendant from a clan you loath.” His voice softened as he buried his face on my shoulder. “What if I can change everything? If I can be someone who has no status, doesn’t bear a responsibility of a whole territory, is there any chance?”

                 I shut, no words ever dared to come out of my mouth. I don’t even know what to answer. What if? Is there any chance? Does he refer to us being… mates? Why is this thing a confusing matter to me? Why do I even give damn attention? He’s always driving me dumbfounded every time he draws out the topic of us being mates!

                I’m a vampire, an enemy of their kind. We are enemies, but why? Why is it him? Why am I this bewildered every time he’s around? The strange racing of my beat, the attraction that’s pulling me closer to him. My lips can’t state it but my action does, he is an enemy I could not kill. Because whenever his eyes that holds the vastness of the sea stares at mine, the high walls I built suddenly collapses.

“You are my mate, Adira. But you are just like the roses in the wild. Too precious and yet the more I keep, the further it throbs pain. Thus, I’m being naive to chase you, I have lost you once and never the second time around.”

                  My brows furrowed and glanced at him. “Do you clearly know who am I to you? How sure are you? I am but someone who carries an obligation too. And a person like you has no power to stop me from executing my plans.”