by Matt Rogers
Chapter 23
Government is viewed as a necessary annoyance to the people of the great state of Texas and so, since they are a polite group of guys and gals, they allow it to operate with as much impunity as they can tolerate but sometimes it goes too far; like when it tried to mandate people on motorcycles must wear helmets. Okay, we all know helmets are probably a good idea but it isn’t the point. The point is people ride motorcycles to get the feeling of freedom and the feeling is tempered somewhat when one’s brain case is enclosed inside a hulking piece of fiberglass. The freedom is further dampened by the fact they didn’t choose to put the stupid thing on, someone else mandated they do so. So they ignored the law and elected officials who wouldn’t impose the judgments against them for doing so. How did they get them elected?
BY VOTING?
They got the motorcycle riders to rally against those who would keep their stupid helmet-laws in place. How did they win?
BY ELECTION TAMPERING?
By pointing out the obvious. The opposing side of the helmet-law controversy was always people who drove cars and they didn’t really have a dog in the fight; because what was the law for?
TO STOP BRAIN SPLATTERING?
It was to protect motorcycle riders from themselves. But what do people in cars care if others on bikes decide to take a chance with their lives and ride with the wind blowing through their hair?
BEATS ME?
Who are they harming?
FLYING INSECTS.
If they get in a wreck they might leave a skid mark on the underside of the car they ran into but other than that, who cares?
“So Yin went to war with First Clan?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Did he win?”
“Yes, but just barely and only because of a remarkable chance meeting.”
“A remarkable chance meeting?”
“Yes. Remember, Yin had been beheading Second Clan Werewolves for quite some time before becoming Elder so when he led Second to war with First he was doing so with an inferior complement of Wolves. Now, normally this would’ve been a rout but with Yin in charge what would have been a normal victory for First Clan turned into a narrow one for Second. He was paying a heavy price for each victory, though, because when Wolves fight they do so understanding the winner will be the one who keeps his head. While Second Clan was winning each battle they were losing the war because First had more Wolves and would eventually overpower Second so Yin decided he needed to change the circumstances and he took the war to the heart of First Clan by challenging their Elder Family to a fight for all.”
“You can do that?”
“Not normally, no, but these were unusual circumstances. While First was in a position to eventually win they were losing each individual battle and thus depleting their Wolves at an alarming rate. When Yin issued his challenge the Elder Family had no real alternative than to accept his challenge.”
“Why?”
“Because it was just him, Johnny, he was still leading Second Clan without a family.”
“So?”
“So, he would be taking on First Clan’s three leading Wolves by himself.”
“Three against one?”
“Yes.”
“Hold on, what about Merri Li? Where was she during all of this?”
“She was with Yin, but Vampires do not fight in wars, we’re too important to lose in something as unimportant as governance.”
“So unimportant…? We’re talking about the leader of your people here, aren’t we?”
“Yes, but a leader leads only so long as they live and even though Yin was superior over all others he was not omnipotent.”
“Omnipotent?”
“It means unbeatable.”
“Oh.”
“So Yin issued his challenge and the First Clan’s Elder Family accepted. They met at the Pit of Confrontation and it was there the fate of the world changed.”
“The fate of the world? Isn’t that a bit melodramatic?”
“Melodramatic?”
“Yeah, I learned it in acting class.”
“And you took the class for…?”
“It was a requirement for my major. Okay, look, I readily admit it’s a defunct degree and a horrible occupational choice but I at least learned to lie convincingly.”
“And you do it well, Johnny.”
“Thank you, Trudy.”
“So anyway, Yin went to the Pit of Confrontation and faced off against the three Wolves of First Clan. It should’ve been a rout but something occurred which changed all of that…”
“Hold on; should have been a rout, how?”
“First Clan’s Wolves should’ve easily defeated Yin.”
“Why? Yin had beaten Second Clan’s leading family of Wolves, hadn’t he?”
“Yes, he did. But First Clan’s Elder Wolf was something of a phenomenon. He was, before Yin, the most dominant Wolf the world had ever known. So he, along with his two Wolf-mates, should’ve put an end to Yin’s ambitions of world domination before they could ever come to fruition.”
“What happened?”
“Yin met Yang.”
“He what?”
“Yin met Yang. Yang was the torchbearer for First Clan.”
“Torchbearer?”
“Yes. In the Pit of Confrontation a torch is carried to symbolize the fire inside the Clan Family’s hearts; it also symbolizes the light to lead the way.”
“Okay, that’s really melodramatic.”
“Yes, I know. But anyway, Yang was the torchbearer for Fist Clan so he was inside the Cave of Confrontation when the combatants entered.”
“Why was Yang the torchbearer?”
“Because the First Clan Family was the one who sheltered him.”
“Why would they do that?”
“Because the First Clan Family was his.”
“Huh?”
“The First Clan’s Matriarch sired him.”
“But… that means…”
“Yes, Johnny, Yin was fighting to the death the Wolf who gave him life.”
Laws were made to be broken because those laws were made to stop something which was occurring. Now, just because something is deemed illegal doesn’t mean people will quit doing it; on the contrary, people will find extraordinary ways to keep doing the activity because there is a certain segment of society which values their contribution. Take drugs, for example. We can all see the horrible consequences which occur through drug use but it continues to be a plague on society to this day. Why?
BECAUSE THEY FEEL GOOD?
Because drugs alter reality and, for some people, reality is not something they wish to face.
“So what happened?”
“Yin faced off with the three Wolves of First Clan and fought, I guess, what would be called a defensive battle. He wouldn’t allow the other Wolves to attack in a way which would produce an outcome but he also wasn’t furthering his ability to do so either. If it would’ve gone on any longer than it did whatever energy he’d stored up would’ve depleted and he would’ve been at the mercy of the Wolves before him.”
“But something happened, didn’t it?”
“Yes, something did.”
“It involved Yang, didn’t it?”
“Yes, it did.”
“What was it?”
“Yang dimmed his torch.”
“That’s it? He dimmed his torch?”
“Yes, it’s told in tale and it goes like this: The cave was naturally dark so torches were used to light the proceedings. The gallery was filled with those whose lives depended upon the outcome. The combatants were the best the two clans had to offer and the fight began; three on one, two extraordinary, two not. It became clear early on the fight would be a protracted one for the lone individual was fighting a game of survival instead of conquest. Everyone in attendance believed the three would beat the one and it appeared only a matter of time before the outcome was settled, but then something happened; a torch was douse
d and a Werewolf followed soon after. Now, it was two on one and the situation changed dramatically for one of the two seemed not to know where the one was. In every shadow the one lurked, biding his time until… one less Wolf. Now there were only two, he and the other who stood between him and total domination. He waited, he stalked and, when the time was right, he attacked.”
“What happened?”
“Yin spared the other his life.”
“Why?”
“Because the other was mated to the Vampire who sired him.”
“Then what happened?”
“Yin sent the other and his mate into exile.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“Where was exile?”
“Here”
“What?”
“The America’s, Yin sent them to where they couldn’t challenge him and they founded what would later become Third Clan.”
Sometimes things happen faster than one would expect; like an avalanche which begins with a rock rolling downhill but the momentum of it and its fellow conspirators cause a cascade effect and the outcome is merely a foregone conclusion.
“Trudy?”
“Yes, George?”
“Nat called.”
“What did he say?”
“We’ve been challenged.”
It seems the world has its own ideas as to what it wants to happen and the various species are merely pawns in its game of life. Every subset of Superior from Werewolf to Vampire to Human to me has its own view and it’s guided by the one prevailing principle we all have in common; selfishness. We are inherently selfish. We do what’s best for us because we have no other rational alternative. Why would we do something worse for us?
WE WOULDN’T.
Some would argue we’ll put aside our selfishness for our children but I would argue our children are merely replicas of ourselves and since we know we will not live forever doing what’s best for our children is, in essence, a selfish act done to promote our own legacy.
“How long till we get there, George?” I asked.
“A couple of hours.”
“What’s going to happen when we get there?” I asked in general.
“We’re going to be judged, Sweetie” said Vivian.
“Judged?”
“Yes, the other family has made their claim to our occupation and we’ll be afforded the opportunity to make a case for our side.”
“And what will your case be?”
“That we’re in as good of a position as they are. They killed Peter but we killed Daniel so, in fact, we’re equal in strength.”
“But you’re not ,are you?”
“No, we’re not, we’re still without Stephanie.”
“So you’re one Vampire down.”
“Yes, Sweetie, we’re one Vampire down.”
“Who’s the other family?”
“The Ramos family” said George.
“How do you know?”
“Because Daniel was a member of their family” he said.
“Then you know who Melissa is?”
“No, we’re still unsure. Daniel lost his mate last year so, I guess, Melissa is her replacement.”
“How did Daniel’s mate die?”
“She died of blood poisoning.”
“Blood poisoning?”
“Yes, she was in hibernation with Daniel’s child and received Human blood which was tainted and it killed her.”
“I thought you were immune from disease?”
“Our blood gives us the immunity, Johnny, but when a Vampire goes into pregnancy she’s drained of half her own blood and given Human blood so the unborn may survive” said Trudy.
“Don’t you have safeguards to prevent bad blood from getting in?” I asked.
“Yes, we do. The Food Tribe owns many blood banks and they’re in charge of insuring the blood for birth is untainted” she answered.
“But they somehow messed up?”
“Yes.”
“Wasn’t there an inquiry?”
“Oh yes, there’s always an inquiry when a Catastrophe happens” Trudy said.
“Who was in charge of the inquiry?”
“The tribe of the Catastrophe.”
“The tribe of the Catastrophe? Really? Are you always going to speak so cryptically?”
“Yes, it’s what we do…” she began.
“I don’t” said Phillip.
“…when we want to be smart and keep an open mind about something” Trudy finished.
“Oh, I meant, I don’t, err, like it when others don’t speak cryptically because it makes them sound descriptive and that’s just dumb; isn’t that right, George?”
“You should know, Phillip.”
“Yeah, I should know…hold on. Should know what?”
“Phillip?” Trudy said.
“Yes, Mistress” Phillip responded.
“Please let me finish my story.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
“Thank you. Johnny, the tribe in which the Catastrophe occurred holds the inquiry because they don’t trust the other tribes.”
“They think the other tribes go around killing Vampires?”
“It’s been known to happen.”
“I thought you said Vampires were off limits?”
“They are now but only because of what happened before.”
“What happened before?”
“Yang and Merri Li were killing them.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No, Yang and Merri Li performed more Catastrophes than had been seen since the Great Flood, Freeze and Starvation” Trudy said.
“For goodness sakes, why?”
“Because the Vampires were conspiring to rid themselves of Yin by doing the only thing which would relieve him of his power.”
“What was that?”
“Killing Merri Li.”
“How would killing Merri Li…? Hold up. The whole Matriarchy thing, right?”
“Yes, without a mate a Wolf may not be anything but a Beta. If Merri Li were removed then the Matriarchy would be up for grabs and the Vampire of the strongest Werewolf would rule.”
“But what would keep Yin from taking another mate and just reclaiming power?”
“His love for Merri Li. It was obvious to all Yin thought little of any Vampire except Merri Li. He believed, and was correct in his belief, he was Superior to all Superiors, essentially a breed apart and his distrust and loathing of all others was as obvious as…”
“Don’t say it.”
“Don’t say what?”
“Never mind, I’m sorry I interrupted.”
“Okay, well his hatred for his own kind led the Vampires to conspire to kill Merri Li and remove him from power but they had to get near her so they came up with an idea they thought would work; enlist the aid of one of their own.”
“Who?”
“Yang. He’d been raised by First Clan’s Elders so they thought he’d help them in their scheme to rid themselves of Merri Li and thus remove Yin from power.”
“But he’d just helped Yin defeat the Elder Family Wolves.”
“Yes, true, but they thought he was merely being strategic” she said.
“Huh?”
“They thought he was playing the same power game they all were and he’d sided with Yin in order to raise his level of authority. When he was without Yin he was the weakest of all and was treated as such. He was, in all respects, a slave to the Elder Family who’d sheltered him but with Yin he was something else.”
“What was he?”
“Ultimate power. Without Yang, Yin was still the most powerful Werewolf ever conceived, but with Yang, Yin was perfection. Yin could rule with absolute knowledge no one could ever challenge him because no one could ever sneak up on him. He was already unbeatable in single combat but knew without Yang guarding his back, as it were, eventually some lucky Wolf would come up from behind and tear his head off. Remember, he had no other family to watch his back
so without Yang’s cloaking ability he would’ve ruled with paranoia.”
“They asked Yang to turn on his brother?”
“They didn’t just ask, they enticed him also.”
“With what?”
“With what they thought he wanted; a family of his own.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. They thought he would comply with their wishes if they offered him a Vampire.”
“I thought you said Vampires had to agree to be mated?”
“They do.”
“You also said Wolves fight in order to be chosen.”
“Also true.”
“But Yang was the weakest in the Clan, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then what self-respecting Vampire would willingly choose to be mated with the weakest member of the Clan?”
“As it turns out, all of them” she replied.
