The Toldar Series Box Set

by Matt Mememaro

  A woman walked out onto the balcony behind him and grabbed him by the shoulder. Paige could see the discomfort, visible on his face. She leaned in and her hood fell back from her face.

  “It’s her,” Paige said.

  “Who?” Gerard asked. He squinted at the screen trying to make sense of what was going on.

  “Tal’davin’s woman,” Paige said. “She’s saying something to Abner. They’ve got history.”

  A moment later Abner had shrugged her off, his face full of fury and he stormed to the forefront of the balcony to take Tal’davin’s side once again. Tal’davin grasped his son by the wrist and wrenched his hand upwards into the air to a resounding roar from the crowd below.

  “I would speak!” Abner said. He took his hand back from Tal’davin.

  “My people. I give you Abner!” Tal’davin bowed away from the balcony edge.

  “As some of you may know, I am not a full-blooded Vampire, only half. But now that I have been reawakened my loyalty lies only with your leader, and my father, Tal’davin. I have pledged my service to him and you to help advance our great nation. Soon I will set sail across the seas, with an army vast enough to swallow Taagras. We will conquer far distant lands that nobody has been to before and have Tal’davin reign supreme. If there are other humans, we will find them, if there is other Vampires, we will find them!” Abner said. “This I swear to you. Power and prosperity!”

  Gerard shook his head in disgust. “Surely he can’t believe any of that, nor does he think he can make it through the great sea storms.”

  “I think this is all a distraction,” Dale said. “His only chance of getting close to Tal’davin is this chance he’s taking. For all we know if he manages to separate Tal’davin from his amulets he may become all but powerless, or at least somewhat beatable, depending on which version of the legend you believe is true.”

  “You both saw his face when the women spoke to him, he was furious,” Paige said. “He’s not a very good actor. Whatever he’s got planned I hope he does it soon before he gets himself killed.”

  “Can we get a message to him?” Gerard asked. “Do we have anyone still inside the Citadel?”

  “No, the best chance we had was Briette. She bit the bullet only a month ago. Got spooked and ran. Haven’t heard from her since,” Dale said.

  “What about Valdmire? Have we heard anything from him? Do we know anything about his location?”

  “You’re implying that he already hasn’t been starved out already,” Paige said. “If he’s survived his imprisonment.”

  “They wouldn’t,” Gerard said. “I know he wouldn’t break, but Valdmire is smarter than that. What’s to say he’s even been captured?”

  “Fuck, we don’t know!” Paige said. “Hopefully Abner will be able to find something out whilst he’s with Tal’davin.”

  “Alright, well that was interesting broadcast. If you two don’t mind I have digging to get back to and I’d rather not be disturbed,” Dale said. “If you want to help out let me know.”

  “If you’re good to go Dale, I’ve got a better idea,” Gerard said. “Get us some weapons, we’re going to the Citadel.”

  21

  Bloodline

  Abner turned away from the balcony with the roar of the crowd hot upon his back. He shot Lois a look as he strode past her, his head still spinning from what she had told him. Tal’davin took the limelight back from Abner, addressing the crowd once more, but once the balcony door closed behind him. Abner could no longer hear anything from outside.

  He walked into the Citadel, something the Hunters had barely mentioned. It was situated atop the Teltar Volcano, a large volcanic island that sat off the coast of Taagras, surrounded by nothing more than the ocean. Tal’davin’s Palace as he had lovingly referred to it as, had wasted no expense in turning into an establishment more lavish than a castle of old.

  Old tapestries lined the walls, the emblem of the bloodied Vampire claw that Tal’davin had made into his owned was emblazoned on every piece of furniture, pillar and door handle. Black carpets ran along the floor, offsetting the washed-out grey tiles.

  Abner made his way back to the lodgings Tal’davin had provided him, making eye contact with the few human slaves that lingered in the house. They wore shackles around their throats, the brand of Tal’davin pressed into their foreheads. Their eyes burned red, a mark of his affliction upon them.

  He slammed the door behind him, retreating into the darkness of his room. A slave stood by the door and reared her head as he drew near. She stepped forward, a thin girl of no older than nineteen, her hair next to nothing, removed via a razor. The slave moved behind Abner and waited until he offered her arm to her before she started to undress him. A bath awaited him at the opposite end of the room.

  He’d barely sunk into the bath before there was a loud knock from the door. A moment later it snapped open to reveal another slave, however this one with unmarked eyes, capable of delivering Tal’davin with more assistance than that of his normal slaves.

  “What do you want, Nina?” Abner asked.

  “Tal’davin requests your presence in two hours,” she said. “He wants you to meet with one of his biggest clients.”

  “And if I refuse?” Abner asked again. He sounded bored and disinterested, seeing where he could push his father’s buttons. Over the past few days this had become routine. However now he needed a distraction. “What will he do? Smite me?”

  “No sir,” Nina said. “He said that if you refuse, he will drain you.”

  “He won’t if I’m not here,” Abner said.

  “Are you leaving us so soon?” Nina asked. She had taken a liking to him.

  “No, of course not,” Abner said. “Leave me in peace.” He dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

  He waited until she had left before he moved. He slid forward in the bath and put his head down into the steaming hot water. Abner pushed himself under ensuring there was ample water above his head. He let go of what air was in his lungs, the bubbles rising around his face. He started to struggle after a moment, the lack of oxygen in his lungs finally forcing his brain to respond.

  Without his consent, he felt the Vampire blood in his body rush through him, filling his eyes with the redness he had become accustomed to. He then stopped struggling and began to float under the water normally. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind.

  Abner woke with a start, a gentle touch brushed across his shoulder. Nina had reentered the room and was now looking down at him with a frown across her face. He lay face up looking up at the roof, still in the bath, wondering how he had found himself in this situation.

  “Sir, it has been two hours, you are overdue for your appointment,” she said.

  Abner blinked at her. “You should have let me sleep.”

  “Tal’davin does not take no for an answer,” Nina said. “You know this.”

  Abner stood up in the bath and looked down at her. “I am a valuable asset to him, he will forgive my tardiness.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Nina said. “Now come I’ll help you dress.” Abner looked at his clothes he had left on the floor. His black jacket and the chinos Tal’davin had given him were still fine. Nina caught his eye. “Sir, we need you to dress properly.”

  “Nina, like I’ve told you the past few days, Tal’davin can have his fury, I will do what I want whilst I serve under his command.”

  Nina nodded an agreement. “Yes of course, sir. As you wish.”

  Abner left the room moments later, fully dressed slicking back his hair as he opened the door to Tal’davin’s conference room. Inside he found a handful of slaves spread out across the room and Tal’davin sitting behind his desk. In the chair opposite him, an unknown person was talking.

  “And to be frank if you don’t believe we should be able to have these trade tariffs lifted, I don’t think we should be doing business with you.”

  Tal’davin looked up and spotted Abner walking into the room.
He wore a grey suit jacket and flicked a piece of metal between each of his fingers. “Ah Abner, so good of you to join us, late as per usual.”

  “Apologies father, I was delayed by your slaves,” Abner said.

  “A likely excuse,” Tal’davin said. “Now come take a seat. Valdmire, this is my son, Abner.”

  Valdmire swiveled around in his high back chair and looked up at Abner. He nodded and rose from his seat. Abner froze for a second before stretching out his own hand.

  “Valdmire, nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” Abner said. “You look somewhat familiar, have we met before?”

  “No, I don’t think so,” Valdmire said. “It seems I have a recognizable face.”

  “It appears to be,” Abner said. “Apologies again for my lateness, should we get down to business?”

  “Of course,” Tal’davin said. “Take a seat, my son.”

  Abner pulled up a chair beside Valdmire and joined in on the meeting where they had left off.

  “As I was saying, these tariffs should not be imposed upon me, Tal’davin. If left unchecked along with the price of inflation, it could see me crippled financially,” Valdmire said.

  Tal’davin nodded in agreement. “I understand your position, you want to maximize profits, but I also need more competition within the mining industry. What you generate in revenue per capita ensures that nobody else can even get close to you.”

  “We have also bought out most of our competition, Tal’davin. Core Minerals were the second largest market share at fifteen percent, of exporting coal and copper, but they’re too specialized. We can control all minerals that are mined within Taagras and everybody knows it. You want your ships built, and we supply you,” Valdmire said.

  “Don’t lecture me boy. You are already telling me things that I already know,” Tal’davin said.

  “So then why bring me here and waste my time? I have a multi-national company to run,” Valdmire said. “Frankly it’s borderline insulting. I’ve been running this show for what, just shy of two hundred years? I should know what I’m doing by now. I have control of the market!”

  “The control that has been given to you is solely because I will it. If it wasn’t for me your existence wouldn’t have come to pass!” Tal’davin said. He smashed his fist down onto the desk, making it shake. “You will do as commanded by my will alone. Do not pretend that you could have done this yourself!”

  “Apologies, grandfather, I’ve overstepped,” Valdmire said. He bowed his head.

  “What?” Abner said. He stood up out of his seat. His clenched his fist behind his back.

  Valdmire looked up at Abner with innocence in his eye. “Has he not told you yet?”

  “Lois is a Vampire!” Abner said. “How can I have a son? You hid this from me?”

  “Calm yourself, my son,” Tal’davin said. “I was there when you were not. Lois was still a human at the time of her pregnancy. Just after her betrayal it became apparent she was carrying your child. It’s one of the reasons why I took such a great interest in her and why I turned her into a Vampire shortly after you left the world. I didn’t deem it necessary to tell you to avoid a reaction like this!”

  “He is a mistake! This never should have happened,” Abner said. He rounded on Valdmire. “Do you still speak with your mother?”

  Valdmire shrugged. “I had a rough childhood, I like to think that she does not exist. After she ran off with him she didn’t really seem to have much time for me. Tal’davin took care of me for most of my childhood.”

  “You were raised by him?”

  “It was a difficult time in the world, Abner,” Tal’davin said. “Why would I not care for my only grandson after seeing what his mother had become. She still loved you even after she put the dagger in your back.”

  “Then why didn’t you wake me sooner?” Abner asked. “You’ve put him through four hundred years of this for what? Is he your ace in the hole if I turn my back on you? You could be lying, father, I don’t trust you.”

  “Why would I lie to you, my son?” Tal’davin asked. “You’re on my side now and I would be a fool to ruin what we have here and now. This is something that has never happened in history. Three generations of Toldar gathered in one place as a family.”

  “No!” Abner shouted. “You’re the bane of our family. I was created by my father’s mistake, as was Valdmire.”

  “Abner,” Valdmire said. He grabbed his father by the hand and now looked up at him. “I was going to tell you later, when you’d become accustomed to the new modern Taagras. You have to remember that Tal’davin has brought us together. Don’t throw this opportunity to have a family away.”

  “I want nothing to do with her, and that includes you!” Abner said.

  They heard a shout from outside the door and heard the multiple bangs of a rifle being fired. Two screams followed transitioning into silence.

  “Seems like your friends have joined us Abner,” Tal’davin said. “This will test your loyalty.” Three more bangs followed, each opening a new whole in the door, sending splinters flying into the room. “Take care of them, my son.”

  “As you command, father,” Abner said.

  “Oh shit!” Paige burst into the room and saw Abner striding towards them with his claws outstretched. “He’s here!”

  Dale brought his rifle level to his eye and fired again. Instead of aiming at Abner he shot straight past him towards Tal’davin. The shell exploded out of the barrel and splintered, sending multiple pellets in every direction. Abner full of rage, continued to march forward, covering his face with his arm, hardly flinching as fragments penetrated his skin.

  Tal’davin and Valdmire ducked behind their respective pieces of furniture as Dale filled the room with shrapnel infused with Fyndfire. Paige ran forward to slow Abner as Dale flicked a switch on his rifle which opened the barrel further. He fired again and a grenade flew from the gun and bounced off the back window.

  The glass shattered and the grenade exploded. A golden bubble appeared around the desk, bursting out from Tal’davin and the amulets. He rose to his feet, eyes filled with fury and rage.

  “You will not harm my grandson! Abner! Kill them!”

  22

  A Way Out

  Abner glanced back at Tal’davin and saw the Vampire’s red eyes urging him on. In turn Abner roared back at his father and felt his Vampire blood rush through his veins. Paige drew her sword and backed away from him slowly.

  “You don’t want to do this, Abner,” she said. “Why are you with him? We need you, I need you.”

  “My father is right. This world needed to change and the only way it can be done is if the Hunters stop holding him back. I can help him achieve his goals.”

  Paige snarled. “You’ve been brainwashed, is this what the amulet’s power did to you? Turn you into a mindless slave?”

  “No, my mind is my own, you’re still trapped in that mindset,” Abner said.

  He swung at her attempting to knock her off her feet. Paige danced back, light as a feather, moving around Abner trying to cut him down his flank. Dale and Gerard continued to barrage Tal’davin and Valdmire with their weapons. Dale firing grenade upon grenade, all but destroying everywhere around Tal’davin’s desk including the lavish bookcases that were now ablaze.

  Abner leapt over Paige as she swung her sword down towards his head and make for Dale and Gerard. They changed their stance, but it was too late. Abner had knocked the weapons from their hands before they could react and found themselves on the floor. Both Hunters were back on their feet in a second, knives in hand.

  “Valdmire! We need to end this now!”

  Tal’davin sat back in his chair and with his hands folded. “Choose carefully,” he warned Valdmire.

  Valdmire looked around the room for a moment, before hurling himself over his chair. He bowled Paige out of the way, smashing into Abner at full speed. Both half-Vampires fell to the ground in a tussle of fists and claws. Valdmire swung himsel
f around to be on top of Abner and began raining fists down on Abner’s face.

  Abner thrust his arms up and with one hand began to crush Valdmire’s windpipe whilst he rammed his claws into his son’s left eye. Valdmire howled and scratched at Abner’s face, cutting him open before springing up. Abner was a second behind him and found both of Valdmire’s claws buried in his stomach.

  “Sorry to do this to you, father,” Valdmire said. “You chose the wrong side.”

  “I didn’t choose this,” Abner said. He spoke through gritted teeth, with his own hand grasped around Valdmire’s wrist.

  With a roar Valdmire picked his father up over his head and threw him back towards Tal’davin. Abner, unable to control his fall landed in a heap at the foot of Tal’davin’s desk. He clasped his stomach in his hand and watched through blurry eyes as Valdmire and the Hunters made their escape.

  “Hunt them down!” Tal’davin said.

  “Father, I need a medic.” Abner looked down at his hand and saw his blood, a red and black mix dripping from his wounds. “I’ll never catch them in this condition.”

  “No wonder why I was able to defeat you, my son. You are still weak. Here.”

  A burst of gold light escaped from Tal’davin and curved over the desk to land in front of Abner. It solidified, and he could see the amulets before him. Tal’davin walked around in front of him and offered his hand before lifting Abner to his feet. He still wore the amulets around his neck.

  “I will allow you to share my power, my son. Touch the amulet and be healed.”

  Abner knelt before Tal’davin and picked the amulet up off the floor. His mind flashed back to when he was a child underneath the Renori Arena and had held it in his hand for the first time. He turned it over in his hand once before the amulet started to glow. Golden light raced up his arm and spread it across his entire body. A moment later Abner felt refreshed as his wounds began to heal over.