A seething hatred blossomed in her chest, but she swallowed it down. As much as she hated Cassius, it was only an issue because of "Maxwell ". 

"First things first, undo this collar. Then you're going to release all the slaves you possess," Vixen ordered the enthralled Cassius.

"Right away! Anything for you," he responded as he quickly removed the choker. He then dressed and quickly left the room to finish his task.

Vixen grabbed her land shark armor and donned it. She could use this place as a home base while she searched for the underground forge, but she had a better idea. 

Vixen left the room to find Jasmine crying on the floor. 

"H-he freed me! I n-never t-thought that would happen." 

"Your life is yours now. Don't waste another second of it. You can either join me or go home."

"You're a vampire also correct?"

"Aye. I am"

"If I join you, I won't be completely free will I?"

"Not at first no. I've grown to be slow to trust."

"I'll go home then, I've been a slave for far too long. Thank you for the offer though."

"Take care then and leave immediately."

Jasmine nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes and left to gather the few things she had. 

Cassius in pursuit of his task to free all the slaves ran by Vixen in the hall and shouted at him to bring her a map. Heading to throne room she had cleared off an ebony table to make room for what she assumed was going to be a large map. 

Cassius came back with a map of the region that took over half the table, it was a map used by country's militia to track troop movements and terrain, perfect for what she needed. 

It took about an hour, but once all the slaves were free, Cassius presented himself in front of her again.

"Good job Cassius, thank you. I'd like you to recall all your subordinates here so that I may speak with them."

Cassius sent out a mental order and soon had thirty two vampires kneeling to him. Vixen addressed the group, "Good evening. We will be looking for an underground forge. You will all spread out with the castle being your focal point and report back and mark locations on the map on top of the table. Are there any questions?"

The fat general that Vixen had the displeasure getting acquainted with spoke up, "Yea! Why are you, the slut slave giving us orders? You should be here sucking my cock again, though I'll take that ass a ride instead this time."

There was a murmur that ran through the other vampires.

"Cassius, correct him," Vixen said coldly.

"Ulric you're out of line! Don't address the Empress like that again or I'll kill you myself."

Ulric look flustered, "My King, what happened to you? You were trying to make an heir with her? Also why is your slave not collared? Are you..."

Ulric didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, Vixen conjured a sword out of her holy magic, only viable for a single swing. That was all she needed, she closed the distance instaneously and cut the man's throat. The holy magic acted like a contagion as it turned the vampire to ash eating away upwards and downwards originating from the slice in the neck. 

"Your concern as been archived. Is anyone else dissatisfied," asked Vixen as she looked over the group of remaining vampires. Simon worked even harder to make sure his head was even lower.

'I hope she won't recognize me,' Simon thought.

"OK good. Let's not burn any more moonlight. Report back if you find anything."

With that the thirty one vampires took off into the night. Vixen and Cassius stayed behind in silence, which remained for the better part of a half hour until he couldn't take it anymore. 

"Empress, I did all that you asked. Can you reward me?"

"I haven't quite forgiven you just yet. Keep following my orders and I'll reward you however you want. You'll only get your reward when I deem it time," Vixen responded coldly. 

"I will work hard to rectify my mistakes."

"As you should."

It was a few hours before daybreak when all the vampires came back. They spent their time being thorough and managed to fill in a good portion of the surrounding area. Nothing they brought back, however, was definitive on a secret underground forge. 

The vampires were even instructed to watch for smugglers carting weapons in the night as a potential lead to find the hidden forge. She knew she wouldn't find it on the first night, but with more than thirty vampires searching all at once, it would turn months of searching to weeks. 

The vampires all turned in for the night, but Vixen was full of energy so she spent the time practicing her lightning and gravity magic. She even called Umbran and conversed with him, she had some important questions she needed answered. 

****************

A lean demon with a leather apron and gloves brings the shining flat part of the blade up to his face after drenching it from the heat of the forge. Ancient otherworldly runic patterns like the spine of the blade. The pale blue blade glittering in the emberlight, "One of my masterpieces," the demon said with a smile.

A boy no older than fifteen dressed in rags with hair in dissaray cautiously approached him. 

"You summoned me Ariěl?"

The demon nodded, "This sword is one of my finest works. It's a magic weapon that not only increases the damage output of lightning magic, but has some other nasty abilities as well. A voltage amplifier...the sword will be named Vamp."

"Ariĕl...that's a terrible name."

"Who asked you boy?"

"My apologies sir." The boy said bowing down, sweat starting to permeate his palms. 

"Take this weapon to Maxwell and be quick about it."

"As you wish."

The boy put the sword in a box and then wrapped the box up in cloths. He fastened some rope around the back of the box and carried it like a backpack up some stone steps. 

He opened the door at the top of the stairs as cool night air greeted him, some light steam coming off his body from the heat underground. When his feet hit the forest floor he closed the door to the forge so it returned to looking like an ordinary tree. The only way you were able to tell it was a door was Ariěl's symbol on the bottom right of it. 

The boy headed north east towards Maxwell's tower. It would take the boy a while, he knew, but nothing had ever happened to him in this forest man nor monster. 

The boy's luck this night plummeted as two red eyes from a high branch in the trees locked onto him.