THE VROL TRILOGY (19 page)

"Halt! Who are you, old man? And who
are the two at your side?"

"I am Draagh, one of
the
Prīmulī
, here
to seek council with Krynos. Please inform him of my arrival, as I
am sure he is expecting me. My two young lycan companions are Max
and Jennie, who have come to train in the ways of their
brethren."

Roughly 90 seconds later a massive
drawbridge started to drop, eventually forming a pathway across the
enormous moat, allowing the three to walk toward the castle's
common area. Max looked over the edge as they proceeded into the
castle grounds, noticing movement in the murky water
below.

"Take care, there Max," Draagh said
with some urgency to his voice, "lest you fall in and become a
delicious appetizer for those guarding the moat."

Max cringed, and asked, "What are they?
They look pretty darned big."

Draagh peered looked at the moat while
standing next to Max and said, "They are genetically-modified great
white sharks, able to live in fresh water - and they are hungry.
Always hungry, yes they are - and quite intelligent. Much like a
domesticated canine."

Max shuddered and backed away from the
edge, looking over to see Jennie standing next to an imposing
figure at the gate's entrance - a handsome, bearded man, two meters
in height, dressed down in impressive-looking full battle
armor.

"Krynos will grant you audience now.
Please follow me. Oh, and it is a pleasure to see you again, Lord
Draagh," said the soldier, giving the mage a slight bow.

Jennie gave him a cute
smile, but when he did not reciprocate she let out a small
humph,
and continued in
with the other three into the courtyard area, where they then
headed towards a large, oaken door.

The four entered into a
massive room with high ceilings, their escort in the lead, who then
kneeled down before a massive, bejeweled throne.
Next
to the throne stood a small, disheveled man with gnarled hands who
looked nothing like a king.

"All kneel before the throne of
Krynos!" ordered the soldier, causing Max and Jennie to stare at
the man next to the massive seat. They slowly dropped to a knee and
lowered their heads to the most unusual king they had ever
imagined.

Draagh also kneeled, and looked over at
Max and Jennie while giving them a mischievous wink.

From a side entrance to the throne in
walked an older gentleman, handsome despite his apparent years,
wearing a crown of gold and black obsidian upon his head. Vague
wrinkles lined his eyes, and he maintained a short, dark brown
beard that appeared to be well trimmed. Standing next to the
throne, he spoke out in a large and booming voice.

"That will be all, Donus," he said, and waved
the large man off. "Alfie, what business have you here?"

The small man called Alfie merely bowed and
backed off the stage, disappearing behind some curtains. Max and
Jennie sighed in relief, glad that the much-vaunted Krynos wasn't
someone who looked like he ate at the local soup kitchen.

"That was Alfie, my master carpenter. I
believe he was adding some jewels to my throne. Anyway, I apologize
for the delay… and… hmmmm, what have we here?"

Then man gave the newly arrived trio a
stern look, and slowly moved down the wide stair path from the
throne area, when he suddenly shouted "Draagh! My brother! So good
to see you!" and started laughing uproariously.

Draagh cracked a smile and stood up,
only to be bear-hugged by the larger man, who spun him around one
complete turn and then set him back on the ground.

"Krynos," Draagh almost coughed, "it is
certainly good to see you also. My back also thanks you, yes
indeed, as it has been giving me quite a bit of pain lately. I
really should see to it one day soon."

Krynos then looked at Max and Jennie,
who were still in a kneeling position, and said, "So, these are the
ones of whom you spoke? The ones from past Earth with no skills in
the ways of their brethren?"

"Indeed, they are," responded Draagh,
"and we have come a long way to see if we might assist them in
their attempt to reclaim their birthrights. Would this be
possible?"

Krynos surveyed them for a moment, and
then said, in a loud and authoritative voice, "You, boy - stand
up."

Max jumped to his feet and looked
straight-ahead, avoiding eye contact with Krynos.

"What is your name, young
pup?"

Max responded, still looking dead
ahead, saying, "Commander Maximilianus Xavier Gunnarsson, of Azul
Military Scientific Research and Development, Sir!"

Jennie's eyes grew big, as she had
never heard Max respond to anything in a military fashion such as
this. She was mildly impressed - until hearing Krynos'
response.

"Commander? Not here, young one, not
here, but we shall see how far you can progress… without being
killed!"

Max remained at attention while Jennie
gulped and waited her turn, which came next.

"And you, young lass -obviously one of
our bloodline. A handsome woman you are. Stand up so that I may
survey the fine works of our creators."

Jennie stood up, with a perplexed look
on her face, but gazed straight into Krynos' eyes.

"Ahh, a brave one, I see!" said Krynos.
"What would be your name, young lady?"

Jennie maintained eye contact with
Krynos.

"Jennie Escalante, my
liege."

Max looked at her through the corner of
his eye, unable to believe that she would have been so willing to
not state her military rank, but then again, his was just poo-pooed
away by a lycan king. Krynos looked Jennie up and down, obviously
pleased with her appearance, as she was quite a stunning woman,
despite being dressed in an exploratory field uniform. He then
looked at Draagh, while saying, "I like this one. She has guts, and
guts are what we need here, but this other one… I am not so
sure."

"Oh, I believe you will find Max to be
quite formidable," said Draagh. "He comes from an excellent
bloodline, yes, excellent indeed."

Krynos looked back over at Max, but
while still speaking to Draagh he asked, "To whose bloodline do you
refer, my old friend?"

"Why, mine, of course! He is my
grandson."

Both Max and Jennie immediately looked
slack jawed over at Draagh, as Max croaked, "Huh? My - your,
what?"

Draagh smiled as he moved a bit closer
to the two. "Yes, my dear boy. Do you remember how I told you that
you had more in common with my bloodline than that of the vicious
idiot flying around Machu Picchu? Well, that was all true and
correct. Your father is my son."

"What? Charles Gunnarsson is your son?
That's impossible. I knew my paternal grandfather, Kenneth
Gunnarsson, and his wife, and all of my cousins, and -"

Draagh waved his hand, silencing the
young man instantaneously.

Max stood there, looking stunned, along
with Jennie, who could not believe what she was hearing. Draagh
grinned as Krynos boomed out, "Excellent! A member of the House of
Draagh is always welcome in my kingdom!"

"Well, I do not exactly have a house,"
stated Draagh, as he continued to smile.

"Nonetheless! Max is welcome among my
ranks, as well as his fine mate here," Krynos finished.

"Hey! I'm no one's mate! Especially not
his!" Jennie shot back.

"Not yet, my dear, not yet," replied
Krynos, looking at a blushing Max.

Jennie rolled her eyes as Max tried to
compose himself. It wasn't as if he hadn't considered what Krynos
had just said, but to have it thrown out there like that was a bit
embarrassing.

"So Draagh," said Max, "how is it that
your son is my father? Was my father, Charles, aware of you? I'm
totally confused now."

Max adored his parents, but his mother
was the only one surviving of the two Charles had died a few years
prior, and Max certainly missed him.

"My son, the fact is that neither your
father nor your mother were aware of the truth. Charles Gunnarsson
was not my son, nor was he your biological father. The name of your
father is the Taxiarch, Mija-El, also known as Michael. You see,
Michael had a certain fondness for lycan females, and your mother
was certainly beautiful, so he was not to blame."

Max knew this to be true. His mother
was indeed a gorgeous woman, and still was, even for her advanced
age.

"Michael was, for lack of a better
term, dating your mother. However, when she was to found to be with
child - that is, pregnant with you, he could not bear to merely
terminate your potential existence. So, he arranged for your mother
and Charles Gunnarsson to meet, after he had modified her memories,
of course. Fortunately, when your mother met Charles, they
consummated their new relationship very quickly."

"How…umm, quickly…did they?" asked
Jennie.

Draagh looked up, feigning innocence,
and said, "Oh, on the very first date."

"Oh my God! I
so
did
not
need to know that!"
yelled Max.

Krynos broke into the conversation,
announcing a feast in the main dining hall in the honor of his
three new arrivals - his old friend Draagh, and his new friends and
lycan brethren, Max and Jennie. Max never got a chance to ask more
about his bio-dad, and later on wished that he did. Draagh and
Michael were nothing alike.

The main dining hall was adorned with
the clan's red and black colors - large rectangular tapestries
waving gently, a meter wide by three meters high, hanging from the
ceiling and staggered every 10 meters. Long, massive wooden tables
hosted dozens of golden goblets each, with innumerable quantities
of plates, all ready to be filled with delicious
consumables.

As soon as the doors opened, dozens of
clan members entered the hall, some soldiers and some dressed in
more normal garb, taking places at tables that seemed to be
pre-defined. Draagh, Max and Jennie entered from behind the main
stage, along with Krynos, to the raucous cheers of the
clan.

"My brothers and sisters! I command
your attention. Today is a great day, as we have been visited not
only by a great ally and friend, our brother Draagh," the crowd
roared with appreciation as Krynos continued, "but also by his two
young charges, lycans, brought home to the land of their kin, Max
and Jennie."

With that the entire great hall was on
their feet, heads pointed to the sky, howling at the waning gibbous
moon - that is, the moon that had just recently been full. This was
actually a good thing, as Max and Jennie had well over a month to
train before experiencing their first full transformation. The
three stepped out onto the platform overlooking the great hall and
waved awkwardly. Draagh shot his clenched fist up into the air,
causing uproarious cheers from the lycans. Then all three walked
over and took their places at either side of Krynos at the main
table, with Max alone on one side and Jennie seated with Draagh on
the other. She had no desire to sit next to Max - at
all.

Draagh then stood up, and in a loud
voice addressed all in attendance, bellowing, "Attention all
lycans of the Rhönen Dominion! I present to you, in the name of our
king Krynos - the feast!"

He slammed his staff into the ground,
and every plate and every goblet filled instantly with delicious
mead and meat, respectively.

At once the entire hall fell into a
state of silence. All of the lycans, Krynos, Jennie and Max looked
at their place settings. Everyone's goblet was filled, overstuffed
with steaming-hot animal flesh, while their plates were spilling
over with amber-colored mead, the Dominion's signature fortified
wine.

Krynos whispered to his old friend
saying, "Brother, your spell is backwards!"

The mage looked down, taken aback, his
eyes instantly growing large as he noticed his error and said, "Oh
my! I shall correct this straight away!" He then slammed his staff
down on the ground twice - once for clearing the plates and
goblets, and once again to refill them, albeit this time correctly.
Then, while looking out at the silent attendance hall, he shouted,
"Eat, my brothers and sisters!"

Everyone in attendance tore into their
plates, including Jennie. That is, everyone, except Max, who was
still looking around for silverware so he could properly cut his
meat. Draagh saw his grandson's perplexed look, so he waved his
hand, conjuring a simple fork and knife at the sides of Max's
plate. As Max took his fork and diddled around with his food, he
looked over on the other side of where King Krynos was seated, and
saw Jennie eating with her bare hands, just like the other lycans.
At first he found it mildly disgusting, having been raised to use
proper table etiquette, but at the same time he thought it was
rather sexy. But the most disconcerting part of it all was that he
looked out to see other male Dominion pack members watching her,
causing him to become highly territorial. In fact, a low,
involuntary growl emanated from the back of his throat.