The room was dark and dreary. The only light that shone was a blue crystal that cast a dim light ontop of a large round table. Several chairs were sat at the edges of the table. While the table itself was barely touched in etchings and designs, each chair held their own particular design. Behind the chairs stood a pillar that hung a banner down towards the floor with a symbol woven into the fabric. Each chair also sat a rather unique person. Though their faces were covered by the hooded robes they wore, that didn't stop anyone else in the room from seeing the unique features of fur, scales, fangs, claws, or different colored flesh that poked from under the light cloth.
Everyone sat in silence as they waited. Much was to be spoken this day, but the one that they had all waited for had yet to show. It had been almost an hour since they had all gathered after so many years, making everyone more and more anxious as the time ticked away. Suddenly, a man stood up and slammed his hands on the table.
"This is ridiculous, until when must we wait?"
"Silence Hellsing. You know well the Queens position."
"Position? Hah, as if you have room to speak Dracula. Perhaps it was you who ha-"
"Enough, both of you. This is the first time in twenty years since we've all come together. Let us not point blame at eachother. We all know how the Queen mournes. It is understandable that she is late, is it not?" A soothing yet blood filled hiss spoke from a woman that sat between the two men. Both Dracula and Hellsing quickly quieted down and took their seats as they give their apology.
"Siren, considering the timing of this meeting, could it truly be?" Another woman asked as she sat up and held one hand up, gesturing to the woman who'd interrupted the two.
Siren simply sighed and shook her head as she folded her arms over her robed chest. "We can only speculate Oni. For now, let us give each other their updates while we wait. Dracula, what news do you bring?"
As the man was beckoned to, he suddenly cleared his throat and took his hood off. As his pale face and sunken, deep and dimly lit red eyes were shown. His hair was a deep black that seemed to absorb the dim light and deepen the shadows behind him. "The younglings have decided to form their own army and revolt. News from several agents have found that they follow an ancient power. We've no idea who they are, but my soldiers are slowly silencing the revolt wherever they arise." As the man spoke, his longer fangs glistened in the light, making Hellsing grimace a little from the old stories he'd remembered of such fangs being used to drain the life from normal humans before the Alliance was formed.
Siren nodded before looking at the woman next to Dracula. This gesture made the man sit down while the woman stood up and removed her hood. Scales adorned her head, glistening gold in the dim blue light. Horns jutted from her head and curled back over her auburn hair. "Good evening everyone. Like Dracula, my troops have also been dealing with the rising revolt of the younger generations. Just before arriving here, my general had received word of how these forces were getting their funds." She then paused and grimaced, sitting down and rubbing her eyes.
A long silence was all everyone needed for the rest at the table to know who the woman had spoken of. Suddenly, the man sitting next to her stood and removed his hood. He was bald with a deep red flesh. Only one horn jutted from the middle of his forehead, sleek and thin like a sheathed blade and bone white. "As the Drackin mentioned, it seems Humans have fallen to greed once more. My own people have decided to lock themselves in the hideaways and train. I fear war is upon us my friends."
"Oni, you cannot simply do as you please." The man sitting next to him suddenly stood up. He then removed his hood to show a grizzled old face adorned in bright white hair and a full beard that matched his head, reaching down his chest. His flesh was a grey-ish green, a deep contrast to the Oni. "We've all agreed to open our gates to eachother, especially in these trying times."
"I'm sorry Goblin, but the elders of each city have agreed to bolster our forces. We will welcome any of your people in for trade or training, but we cannot allow anymore humans into our gates."
"I assume everyone else had reports of this revolt suddenly arising three months ago?" Siren interrupted as she turned to everyone else.
Some small voices and nods of agreement came from the rest of those sat at the table. She then sighed and rubbed her face with both hands. Her hands were pale like Dracula's, though deep black feathers poked past the cuffs of her robe. "It seems troubling times are upon is everyone."
"What are we to do?"
"Do we hole up like the Oni?"
"Miss Siren, do we have any idea who these younglings follow?"
"Everyone please relax. Now that we are together, we must find a way to resolve this together." Siren suddenly spoke up, holding her hand up to silence the group. As she did, her hood came down to show off her deep black hair adorned in a crown of black feathers. Her eyes glowed in a dim bright violet that pierced the figures around her.
"I understand your meaning Siren, but if things continue like this, we could possibly have another Great War." Oni spoke up, leaning against the table with one hand held up. Others around the table agreed with some similar words.
"These youngsters have no idea the path they tread." A man suddenly spoke up as he sighed, removing his own hood to glance at the others. He looked like your typical CEO from a movie. Slick brown hair and thin face that seemed to look down on you with those brown eyes. He was lightly tanned, adding to the snake eyed persona you would expect from any sleeze.
"Snake, what is your game this time?" Drackin asked as she folded her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair.
The man simply chuckled as he held his arms up and glanced at each individual. "I understand your concerns, but I must remind everyone here that I have proven myself time and time again."
"If barely." Hellsing snorted and shook his head. Other remarks from the others followed in suit, though this did not deter the man's smirk as he chuckled.
"My own information has found that it is not an ancient God or some mysterious power. Instead, the source of this evil lies in the south." Snake said before gesturing to the table. As he did, Mana began to form in the center to bring up a large projection of the Earth. It's large continents were clearly laid out, all except for the southern most continent.
"Antarctica, are you sure?" Dracula asked as he raised his brow.
"It would make sense, that is the one place we are not allowed to go, nor can any magics reach there." Hellsing agreed unsatisfied. "The only ones able to go down there are Pure-Bloods."
"Unfortunately, we have all been wrong here." A sudden voice boomed as the doors to the room swung open. The sudden light blinded the fourteen figures for a few seconds, but this did not stop them from all standing and turning to it with a bow.
As light splashed into the room, more figures besides the fourteen could be seen. Attendants hidden behind each chair, as well as soldiers once hidden in the darkness carrying various weapons with two persons standing under each banner. Each soldier were apart of the respected race they came from. On the far side of the room were Harpies. Unlike their leader, one was endowed in white with brown-speckled feathers, while his counterpart wore pure black feathers.
Moving clockwise, there were Vampyr's, Dragon-Kin, Oni, Goblins, Demons, Angels, Humans, Elves, Beast-Kin, Mer-People, Trolls, Gnomes, Specters and Sages. Each individual race couldn't be distinguished normally by any means, as quite a few held many similarities to humans. Though if you looked closely enough, you could see just how different they were under their robes.
The one who stepped into the room, however, towered over the rest save for the Oni and Trolls. Even the Demons and Angels had to look up at her if they stood near. As the tall figure walked closer to the table, her pure white fur began to show itself off. There wasn't a blemish in sight, reminding everyone of fresh snow in the dawn. The only clothes the woman wore were her traditional headress to show she was of royalty, her fur being more than enough to cover everything else necessary.
"I'm sure you've all finally decided to give your reports to eachother?" The woman asked as she stepped next to Snake, who nodded before waving his hand.
As he did, the ground rumbled like a starving beast before forming stairs to allow the woman to step up to the table. "We've only just finished, My Queen." Snake replied with a sly smirk. He'd tried to catch a glimpse at the woman, only for her tail to swing around and hit his face.
"Good, then I assume everyone understands how urgent this is?" The woman asked as she made her way to the center of the table. As she brought her hand up, everyone around the table quickly took their seats and listened to the woman that had dominated the entire room with just her presence.
A slight fear was felt in the backs of everyone's mind, save for the Specter Snake. It was no wonder, as the woman who'd walked in belonged to the race that drew the most blood out of all of them, even the humans themselves. They dominated the night, taking the throne itself away from the Vampyrs when they'd first arose a millenia ago. Strength to match the Oni, pride that shamed even the Dragon-kin. Among all of the races that surrounded the woman known as their Queen, they knew they could not hold a war against them alone. The rightful crown given to the royalty of the Beast-Kin, who even their own brothers and sisters fear. This crown, sat ontop of the line of the Werewolf. Though as majestic as they were known to be, the woman before them felt old and weary. After so many years, age had finally caught up to her. Even then, there seemed to be hope in her eyes.
Everyone spoke up to the Werewolf's question, giving their nods and greetings one by one as well. The Queen's eyes then made their way up to the roof, hee hand coming up as well to gesture everyone to follow her gaze. "It has been 25 years now, I believe it is time." Her voice was soft, yet it reached the ears of everyone present.
The words she spoke shook everyone at the table. There was a mix of worry and contemplation, but overall, there was an excitement and a tinge of hope among the various faces that looked at the ceiling.
"Then it is confirmed, My Queen?" The Sage Hellsing asked, standing up and holding his arm over his chest while bowing his head in a salute.
"We have confirmed it last night. My Child lives, and she will go through her transformation in three days." The Queen responded as she brought her hand back down. "Everyone, do what you must to prepare for war. The Specters will give you an update on who it was that was able to go to the Forbidden Lands. Oni, I understand your Elders worries, but please allow for those that only wish for peace in your lands. I fear this will be on a much larger scale than we imagine."
"As you wish, My Queen." Both Specter and Oni stood quickly and made the same motions that Hellsing had.
"Sages, you will work together with the Humans and Elves to find my child. I fear we are not the only ones who know when her transformation will be." The Werewolf turned to Hellsing and nodded to him.
"It will be done. I'll have people moving within the hour."
"Everyone else. Assist eachother in silencing these revolts and protecting the innocents. If a battle should break out, you have my permission to step forward and expose yourself as necessary. I do not believe the upper realm is ready yet, so be cautious in dealing with the after math."
"Yes, my Queen." Everyone shouted at once, giving their salutes before they began to make their way out of the room. The only one who stayed were the Harpies, their leader jumping onto the table to stand next to the Werewolf.
"And what of the traitor, my Queen?" Siren asked in a low voice, her violet eyes glaring at the open doors.
"As soon as my child is safe, you have my permission."
"And if your child refuses to join us?"
"If my child is anything like me, that will be be the case. Your job, dear, will be to have someone guide her, as you've done for me all those years ago."
"As you wish." Siren spoke as a shimmer of Mana began to envelope her and her attendants. After a few seconds, the Mana shot off somewhere else, carrying them away from the room.
With a soft sigh, the Werewolf looked up to the ceiling once again. This time, as the doors closed, the dim blue light showed runes engraved in the ceiling. Those that weren't accustomed to these markings would think they were simply the scrawing of a mad man. To her, they marked the date of when her child wad born, and carried the very blood her child was born with, letting her and only her know that her child was still alive.
"Soon, Kalika, you shall be reunited with us and take your rightful place by my side."