38 The fate wall

Finn arose from his bed to meet a screen that displayed the following...

[Synchronisation complete]

[Death's reward for surviving another day]

[+5 dream points]

*New title unlocked*

[Lucid dreamer: User is capable of controlling his dreams. User can do anything user imagines as long as its the user's dream]

[New traits unlocked as lucid dreamer]

•Panmnesia- User now has The power to remember absolutely everything user thinks, feels, encounters and experiences.

•Oneiric empowerment- User becomes stronger, faster and more durable from dreams. User can draw sustenance from his dreams and slow or stop ageing.

•Oneiric combat- user can use dream force energy in combats.

•Skills available in this section.

-Dream energy ball -(Low)

-Dream shield - (Low)

"If I'm not wrong, triumphing in the nightmare zone brought about all these rewards. And from all indications, some of the gained abilities can be used in the real world, "Finn thought. He looked around and discovered for the first time, he woke up without having to see Juan sitting on her favourite wooden chair watching him.

-The doll must still be angry from last night. Given all she said, I'm guessing today is the day I'll be killed. Pfft, let's see how that works out- Finn thought with a smile and got up to leave the cave. On reaching the living area, Finn discovered two things. His mother and sister were standing just outside the cave and it appeared that someone was having a conversation with them.

"You are awake?!!"Juan gasped in shock on seeing Finn walk out to them. Her eyes had lit up one moment but then suddenly dimmed as though she had been reminded of her problems which happened to be the case.

-Why does the doll seem unusually happy to see me and then who are these people?-

"Good, he is awake finally. Ready the escorts and announce to the nest, we must take him to the King at once!" a male vampire looking to be about 7ft tall said. Behind him were four other vampires but on finishing his statement, one ran off seemingly to do what had been ordered.

Finn noticed that they all dressed differently from the rest of the nest which would usually wear long gowns with pale designs or no designs at all.

The male vampire that had spoken and along with the others behind him dressed in a black gown with short arm sleeves. The shoulders had a red crest on them that resembled a teardrop although it was red. The number of teardrops varied for an individual vampire as the one who seemed to be in charge had three of these teardrops on his left shoulder. The men behind him had two or one on their shoulders.

These were the vampire pawns. They were among the military force of the nest. The pawns were considered the low-level ranked officers which was to say they were more common around. The pawns are into four categories; first-class pawns, second-class pawns, and third and fourth-class pawns.

They answered essentially to the vampire knights who were also part of the military force. Although tasked with protection, they were rarely ever used by the king unless it was seen as a very important event.

"I have direct orders to bring you, Finn Adrain, to meet the king and his council. This order has been in effect for three days while you were in slumber. It is advised that you comply with this order immediately," the third-class vampire pawn said.

"Understood," said Finn.

The vampire pawns were standing at the entrance to the cave initially but as these words were uttered by Finn, they gave chance for him to pass along with his mother and sister who accompanied him.

"You were asleep for three days! I was starting to think you had begun your immortal slumber. What kept you asleep for so long?!"Juan asked as they made their way up the fleet of stone-carved stairs that led to the very top of the mountain they lived in.

"Three days? It took three days to fully synchronise?"Finn thought.

As they passed each circular row of caves on the mountain wall, Finn noticed something and without a doubt, Juan caught his attention to detail.

"You are already in tune with your senses. I can tell you must have noticed the smell that these ones have is quite different from the smell we at the bottom layer do. There is no time to explain this but in any way, you may see it as this. As we move up the nest, we get closer and closer to the true blood section. The true bloods are essentially pure vampires with no trace of other...species in them, "Juan explained.

For some reason, despite the situation, Juan seemed to be much calm about it than she was days before. Agatha appeared to be out in her world as her gaze was fixed straight on where she was going.

The vampire pawns behind walked closely with the three as though they were ready to catch them should they make a break for it. Agatha who knew the way was the one at the front and kept focus the whole time not indulging herself in her spawns conversation.

"So, you are saying within the vampire race, there are those who are much closer to being humans than others? What difference does it make?"Finn asked.

"I never made mention of humans yet he already knows what I was trying to imply. It's only been three days since we last talked. Too short of a time for me to have forgotten how unusually abreast of the world he seems to be yet oddly, he knows very little of our kind, "Juan thought.

-How pathetic? The very epitome of racism. She isn't even ashamed of her plain act of prejudice towards a race she's well aware she spawned from or at least has an ancestral linkage with. The fact that they all believe they are superior and should not be compared with humans is revolting. Hence, they deny their true roots to gain gratification- Finn thought.

"The caste system so to say allows a hierarchy to exist. Those that are closer to the King's court have a stronger smell as you have attested to it. This means they get some of the benefits dispensed by those in higher positions first," Juan said.

"So in a way, all of these structures aren't just thoughtless works but are symbolisms of the vampire culture, "Finn added.

As they walked past each division of the caves, more vampires seemingly housed these areas which meant there were more true vampires in the nest.

After minutes of walking, Agatha got to a place and stopped. In front of her was an open area with arches supported by pillars that were spaced adequately.

A dark doorway could be seen with fire torches hung on the wall. The fire touches were eight in total with four at each side of the pillar. The wall around where they stood appeared to have been carved and smoothened extensively as its texture was different from the walls they passed before.

Four guards were outside the entrance of the cave. As Agatha stopped, the third-class vampire pawn leading the other pawns took charge and proceeded to the entrance.

"Tell the king we have brought the boy, "the third-class pawn said.

The one he spoke to had two red drops of tears crested on his shoulder. He swiftly made his way into the cave and after a while returned.

"The King orders that you bring them in, "the second-class pawn said.

As told, Finn and the rest walked into the cave. On either side were stationed vampire pawns. Finn couldn't count how many they were after passing so many.

"This many guards for someone proclaimed to be the strongest?"Finn thought but didn't air this out for obvious reasons.

After the initial lineup of pawns, being led by the third-class pawn, they had entered a whole new area on its own.

They were now in an enclosed place with several standalone pillars that went up to the roof. The pillars around them all had distinct circular markings on each one of them.

They continued onward and at that point, Finn knew they were already in the king's temple. Not just because of the detailed structures around them like the granite engraved floor. He could sense the energy there was different. A powerful force residing in the temple.

"Do you feel it? That's the power of the king and his cabinet" Juan said in excitement. Finn noticed that for some reason, she seemed more energetic than usual and unlike his mother who hadn't said a word, Juan was all over the place giving him a tour.

The only place she hadn't really acted as his tour guide was the temple. After a while, they all stopped walking as they had made it to their location.

"My King, the spawn as requested, "the third class pawn said and then bowed before taking his leave along with the other men that followed him.

Four steps led up to a platform like a stage. And on this platform were seven seats. These seats in particular were stone carved and appeared to have been carved directly from the wall behind them which did not separate from the seats.

The seats were arranged in an almost triangular manner with the highest seat occupied by a familiar face.

King Shola sat at the top seat and to his right and left were three other occupied seats respectively. Each seat was designed like a throne with intricate markings on it.

The seats on both sides of King Shola were occupied by the Vampire council elders known as the bishops.

They were six in number which was the exact levels of columns the living areas had. These bishops represented the king in each of these columns. Their faces were left unseen as they all had black cloaks on.

Silence prevailed as Finn, his mother and his sister stood before the vampire leaders. At the bottom right seat, one of the cloaked bishops spoke.

"You know why you are here today. Without delay, let the accused step forward at once,"

There was a chilling feeling accompanying these words as Finn heard them. Not shying away, he stepped forward looking straight at one subject, the King.

"It has been brought to our hearing, we the vampire council of your atrocious act. The King and everyone can attest to your crime. In that case, there will be no trial, "the cloaked bishop said.

"With that in mind, we must move swiftly to your judgement!!" another bishop spoke. Finn knew this because the sound direction and voice had changed.

.."Your crime is both unfathomable and unforgivable even considering you are but a spawn. We vampires value life above everything else..."King Shola said.

-Lying to me is one thing. But lying to yourselves is blurring the line between stupidity and self-righteousness. The human lives taken to sustain your race happens not to matter I suppose. Sadly, I don't care anyways- Finn thought as the bishops spoke.

All the while, Agatha and Juan bowed their heads in reverence to the king and the bishops. But Finn and the King stared at themselves continually.

"This is the one by the prophecy. His smell although very subtle is unique. You are not normal" King Shola thought to himself.

"He is not like them, "Finn thought as he stared at the king.

"With all that said, we are enforcers of the judgment passed down. Which is why as of this moment, you will test your fate on the fate wall, "King shola said. As these words were said, Agatha raised her head with eyes almost about to pop out of its socket. But seeing the next action about to be taken by the king, she bowed her head again.

King Shola stood up from his throne along with the bishops. They walked down and turned to face a door at the east end of the temple.

They walked with grace and silence and behind them, Finn and his mother along with his sister had no choice but to go along.

The doors were opened and the king went through first. After that, the bishops followed along with everyone else.

As they entered the room, Finn was left awestruck. The room was basically a large canvas on its own. The walls were engraved with paintings that seemed to be alive as they moved randomly. There were so many symbols on the wall that made it hard for one to decipher all they meant.

In front of them, there was an object resembling a lantern. But the flames were out. The lantern was placed on a stone pedestal that had several engravings on it as well.

"The fate wall. A gift from the gods to us. This wall and its paintings has been our guild, our judge and now, your fate, "One of the six bishops announced.

"A drop of blood from you into the lantern and your fate shall be decided, "The king ordered.

Finn stepped forward and walked up to the lantern. Juan and Agatha both looked at themselves as they watched the little Finn as he appeared to be in their eyes walking to certain doom.

-As the doll might have thought days ago, I wasn't paying attention to half of the things she had said about all this procedure except this part. How can an item as crude as this decide my fate? What level of sorcery have these blood suckers been able to achieve? As it stands, only two possible outcomes have been narrowed down to happen. It's either I die without a fight or die while fighting. Quite intriguing- Finn thought while staring at the lantern