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Kaltons hadn’t felt fear since the Creator knows when. Now, the unknown had been visited upon them by force. By two selfish, immature idiots who, in my opinion, should have beenstoned to death. Not just for what they had done but for what they had visited upon Kaltos and for the banished emotions they returned.

The fact that Maurick and Claudias upset our snug little world was a colossal crime. More than what they did to us.

Maurick started realising what crime he had committed after his betrayal. Claudias, I don’t think ever grasped it. Tough luck.

They didn’t comprehend that we would live forever. As clever as their minds were, neither really understood the concept of immortality.

Admittedly, it took me quite a while to get used to the idea, but I did. Within a short amount of time, I began to look forward to every new night with certain glee and curiosity. I may be very immature for all my years. However, I can see where my actions influenced history to take a turn for the better. That gives me a warm feeling inside.

Humanity would have wiped itself out just like the mortals of my race had. Truthfully, humanity is vain and greedy.You are children still waiting to learn the great lessons, and yet installed in your race is hope.

Vam’pirs gave you that.Hope. The human race needed it, or you would not be here. We gifted you the determination to carry on and demand answers. Vam’pirs have posed puzzles thousands of years ago for you to solve. Even today, you seek to find the answers.

You want an example? How about The Great Pyramid of Egypt?It’ll tell you about us, my race and my people. When you can understand the clues, then and only then will you learn from our lessons.

I hope you’ll be here when you do. You, the reader, I address now. Naturally, I don’t wish to witness humanity annihilated. Humans are much like Kaltons in their early history. In time, you could become Kaltos, possibly even greater.

Already, some look outside their own existence and ask, ‘Is that it? Is that my life?’ When everyone asks these questions, answers can be found.

When things are learned the hard way, the lessons are often remembered.

If subjects are preached, they tend to be forgotten quickly. Lessons were learned from the Nazi’s of Germany and the Japanese in World War Two.

Although the Allies claim they had to bomb Hiroshima, did they, in all honesty? Yes, it ended one part very quickly, but that callousness is still there, hidden beneath righteousness. Mankind should continue to learn and grow from these atrocities.

What happened during the war was barbaric, as was the killing of innocents.

While I write this, innocent lives are being taken in the name of one man. A hungry power dictator sits in a chair somewhere in a country and then decides that he wants what his neighbour has got. One man makes the decisions, and that leads to hundreds and thousands of deaths.

Now you see how easy it is for power to be taken and used wrongly. The Western civilisation thinks you are democratic. However, how can you say that when innocent lives are taken? Why not kill the dictators, the murderers? Punish them, not the innocent!

I speak from history’s side of things. In a hundred years, you’ll be dead, and I’ll still be here having watched another World War. This time, humanity may not recover and will be its own demise.

Kaltos nearly brought itself to extinction before its people learned. Maybe Man must do the same. Only you know the answer. But in all likeness, humans will follow in our footsteps and learn the lesson the hard way.

Enough with the preaching.

Let’s return to the betrayal of the one of the few ladies I have ever truly and deeply loved. I have loved others, but Inka was the first and foremost. Although if I were to say this to her face, Inka would probably laugh. Inka knows me, that damnable woman.

Far too well.

???

Buoyed by the acceptance of my family, we took our leave to visit Inka’s parents. As we left, I caught Father’s eye, and he glanced at Inka and shook his head.

I frowned, as I didn’t understand what he was saying. I should have, as I could have prepared Inka for rejection.

Instead, I just nodded in return, and Father sat back with an expression of intense relief that I had understood. How I wished to The Creator that I had. It would not have eased her pain, but Inka might have been able to prepare herself slightly. At least, she would have been warned. Inka wouldn’t have believed me if I had told her, but she would have been on guard.

I wished and will wish to my dying day that I could have saved Inka that agony. A part of her died then, extinguished forever. However, when we reached her father’s villa, it was ablaze with light.

Inka said it looked like a welcoming beacon, but something pricked my danger sense, and I sensed impending doom. That sounds very dramatic, does it not,impending doom, and yet that is the best way to describe it.

We entered the villa and walked into the family room. Both Inka’s parents were there, as were two council members, Claudias and his parents. All were stone-faced, and that, in itself, should have warned me.

I took Inka by the hand, ready to give Inka the support I suspected she’d need. I guessed by looking at their faces what was going to happen and finally caught the meaning of Father’s nod. As we entered, the voices fell silent, and, as one, they all turned to glare.

“Mother, Father,” Inka cried with a beaming smile.