Capítulo 36: Shadows of Betrayal: The Struggle for Peace
"These whispers of dissent between the wolves and humans cannot be ignored," declared Alaric, his voice a mixture of authority and concern. "We must show our strength; if there are any powerful beings here, it's us, the keepers of the shadows. Show your fangs and let them know we need blood, and of course, new converts. It's time for war; they've had enough peace."
His advisors nodded in agreement, but the path forward was fraught with uncertainties. One of them, a seasoned strategist named Lucian, spoke up. "We should extend an olive branch to the wolves and humans, offer them a place in our new order. If they refuse, we'll have no choice but to show them the full extent of our power."
The vampire leader rose slowly. "Is that so? You cowardly fool," he said, glaring at Lucian. In an instant, he moved with lightning speed, grabbing Lucian by the throat and tearing his head from his body. Smiling, he added, "I know, you're not used to my capricious nature, but he was already dead, having accepted defeat. I merely saved him."
The room fell silent, everyone nodding reluctantly in approval.
Meanwhile, the still leaderless and divided wolves struggled to find a path forward. The absence of their alpha had created a power vacuum that led to infighting and chaos. Amidst the turmoil, a young and brave wolf named Fenrir stepped up, rallying those weary of constant strife.
"We must unite," insisted Fenrir, his voice tinged with desperation. "Our survival depends on it. We can't let the vampires divide and conquer us. Together, we are strong."
Fenrir's call for unity resonated with many, and slowly but surely, the wolves began to rally under his leadership. He sought a meeting with Alaric, hoping to negotiate a truce that would ensure his kind's safety.
On the human side, the situation was equally dire. The growing fear of a world dominated by vampires led to widespread panic and discontent. Human leaders convened in secret, discussing how to protect their people from the impending threat.
"We need allies," said the human leader decisively. "If the wolves are willing, we can form a coalition against the vampires. If not, we must be prepared to fight for our survival."
The stage was set for a crucial encounter. In a neutral location, representatives of the wolves and humans met to discuss their future. As they faced each other across the negotiating table, the air was thick with tension.
The wolf leader, calm but resolute, began the discussions. "We are at a crossroads. We can choose the path of conflict or find a way to coexist and build a future together."
A cautious yet hopeful human responded, "We do not seek war, but we will not be subjugated. We desire peace and the freedom to live as we choose."
The wolf leader: "The vampires also seek peace, but we will defend our homes and lives if necessary. We need assurances that our rights and autonomy will be respected."
The negotiations were long and arduous, filled with moments of heated debate and the desire for survival. Elara, a symbol of hope and unity, played a crucial role in mediating the discussions. "I will talk to him, find out why he is pursuing such madness and resolve it, don't worry," she said, referring to the vampire leader. Her calm and steady presence guided them toward common ground.
The next day, Elara left her home to meet with the vampire leader. Ensuring no one was following her, she entered a dark and dilapidated building. Upon entering, she said, "Go to your leader, tell Lord Alaric that Elara wishes to see him. Immediately!" In that instant, someone passed by her at such speed that Elara only saw a dark blur. Soon, that blur returned. This time it didn't pass by as a shadow but stood before her. Handing her a small note, the figure said, "Here you go, Miss Elara, he is expecting you." Elara felt the chill to her bones. Looking at his ice-cold face, she said, "Thank you," and panicked for a moment. Fortunately, the vampire could hear the blood coursing through Elara's veins, but dared not act foolishly, knowing what his leader would do to him. Elara quickly left the place.
When Elara entered Alaric's darkened hall, she felt the power and ambition of the man before her. "Alaric," she said, "where will this conflict lead us? More bloodshed means more loss. We can achieve peace together."
Alaric's eyes softened momentarily at the sight of Elara. Then they hardened again. "Peace? That's the dream of the weak. The strong rule, and the others obey."
"True strength comes from building, not destroying," Elara replied. "You can increase your allies instead of annihilating your enemies. Together, we can be stronger."
Alaric remained silent for a while, looking thoughtfully at Elara. His heart was on the verge of being conquered. He felt the love for Elara deep within his soul. "I can make a deal with you," he finally said. "But I have conditions. The wolves and humans will acknowledge the supremacy of the vampires. They will not encroach on our territories. We will respect their autonomy, but the authority will be ours."
Elara nodded. "They will accept these conditions. But remember, authority comes with trust and respect, not fear."
Kissing Lord Alaric's icy lips and smiling, Elara said, "I must tell them this immediately, thank you, thank you. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."
Lord Alaric embraced Elara. "Wait a little longer," he said. Bringing his lips to hers, he captured her upper lip. Their warm and cold bodies were ready to become one. Their love, like a flower ready to bloom between their lips, was maturing. Suddenly, Elara pulled away from Lord Alaric's body and said, "I must go," and left.
Returning from the meeting, Elara conveyed Alaric's offer to the human and wolf leaders.
The human leader looked into Elara's eyes. "How did you achieve this?" he asked. "How I did it is not important, what matters is that we stopped this war," said Elara.
"Of course, but I thought I knew Lord Alaric. I was wrong. He gave up the empire of the world for love, it's unbelievable. Why would he do such a thing?" he asked.
The wolf leader, Fenrir, responded, "Why else? He's in love with Elara."
"In love? Ah, love, only fools fall in love. Lord Alaric still has a human soul because only fools fall in love," he said.
Fenrir grumbled and smirked: "We wolves don't have such a problem, ours is purely instinctual, it's just to propagate our species." He grumbled again, giving the impression of laughing: "It doesn't matter who we mate with," he said.
Human leader Marcus stood up. "Then the time to act is now, we will pretend to make peace, but in the meantime, we will gather our strength and erase Lord Alaric from the face of the earth."
Elara rose angrily. Turning to Marcus, she said, "You have no right to do this, sir. You can't betray Lord Alaric. He accepted peace; if he wanted, he could have destroyed us in a day, but he didn't."
Marcus laughed. "That was his goal anyway, he didn't do it for you. Please sit down and listen to me, Elara: the survival of humanity is in your hands, continue meeting with Lord Alaric without giving anything away. I will tell you what to do when the time comes."
"Never... nothing will happen. I will never betray Lord Alaric. And you should carefully consider Lord Alaric's terms, or even I won't be able to save you," said Elara, leaving the meeting.
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