King

Tiberian and the two brothers walked into the mansion. It was dark as you would expect it. Only lamps burning from special oils adorned the mansion. The lights were cut out and there was no electricity. There had been no electricity for a very long time.

"Like the ancient days," said Tiberian

At least the ancient days did not have vampires and beasts," replied Aridien as a small beast pet of Tiberian came and circled the legs of Artidein. It looked like a monster and Aridien was scared rightly so. Tiberian decided to put the man out of his misery.

"That is enough," said Jacklaus to the small beast monster. Jacklaus at once obeyed his master and ran back to its room. The three of them then walked across the length and breadth of the mansion. Aridein was curious and looked at the paintings that hung in them and the bats that converged on them, as they usually did. Aridien was not scared but Takei was. He never liked them and found them to be disturbingly harmonious, as he liked to put it. No one knew what that meant and Aridien himself suspected that Takei did not know what it meant, himself. As Ariden looked at the mansion and the paintings, Takei had his mind on something else. He was hungry and was too courteous to as Tiberian. Only when his stomach growled did the owner of the mansion acknowledge his plight.

"I'am sorry," he said apologizing profusely to his guest. "Dinner is there," he said to them as they were soon accompanied by a very old man. He looked like a corpse himself and very fragile and old.

"This is Damascus," said Tiberian introducing the old and fragile man. The old man did not bother turning back as he was only concerned with leading them to the dining hall and particularly his master.

They soon found themselves sat in a large oak wood table with a dozen formidable chairs. Kings and queens must have dined here, the brothers wondered.

Damascus served them a not-so-tasty food. But tasty enough during these testing times and the brothers were in no position to complain. They gorged on the food and barely uttered a word. Tiberian looked at them and could nit help but laugh at them. Ariden, however, had his curiosity get the better of him and decided to take a breather. He only munched now and did not stuff his mouth with food as he glanced at the paintings. "Are they your parents?" he asked them. Trakei for a small second looked at the painting and got back to his food.

"Yes," replied Tiberian.

"That is my mother," he pointed at the Japanese and "that is my father," he pointed his fingers at the Norwegian.