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I am begging you.

Of all civilisations, yours stands out to me as having exceptional potential. You can learn and must. Forget wars and material gain. Concentrate on helping those who need it. The sick and the elderly would benefit from greater support. The third world countries need more help.

Even you, the healthy and wise reader, needs something. There must be some sort of God somewhere that exists, even if it is in each and every one of you. I can’t not believe in some higher purpose or why would we, the Vam’pir, have been created?

Ah, you say that one is easy. Two sick and twisted men chose to play a game with our lives and create monsters. Maybe God helped them to create us for the purpose of us being here to help you mould into higher and more spiritual people.

That’s something you can chew on.

Take a moment to set down the book and ponder my words. Meanwhile I will resume writing my story.

???

Although it did not take us long to rebuild Har’ches, it took us longer to regain the strength we once were. By agreement, we left the New Kaltons entirely to their own devices. They didn’t want our help and shunned any visitor to their shores.

Now I will make you laugh.

Generously, we shared the things that we pulled from the bottom of the seabed with them. And although they didn’t wantto know us, they took the proffered items greedily.So much for a higher and more civilised community, I hear you say.

The New Kaltons had forgotten their own lessons and past and turned into your people. Only we existed over twelve thousand years before you did. But obviously, history repeats itself, judging by today’s standards of life. New Kaltons refused to talk or share anything with us. The Har’chens declined to give up on them and sent over any excess they had. The offerings started small, but it was still something. Despite having little, the Har’chen still considered those in greater need.

???

Mihal and Cleo hit seventy and had two sons. Twins. I was finally a grandfather, as was Pari.

The length of time it took for Cleo’s first Phase to come made us speculate if the hardship caused the delay. But it was pointless worrying about it. A few years later, they had a daughter, and their family was complete.

It took over forty-odd years before Har’ches resembled its former self, and that section of time was full of hardship and starvation.

Grains that used to grow easily were now hesitant to grow. The Winds faded away, leaving us to train and care for horses unlike them. It was a case of trial by error, but the knowledge was kept of all failures and triumphs. The handheld computers had been salvaged and held a daily record of our day-to-day life.

Finally, after forty years, we knew what we were doing and how to go about our lives. The Vam’pirs were offered thanks and other gifts, which we refused steadily over the years.

Har’ches was as much ours as theirs and we took satisfaction in seeing it and our people develop.

I had great pride in my son, too. Mihal had become a leader for the Har’chen, and he was listened to with huge respect. He was strong and tall with an easy-going manner. Mihal had penetrating eyes that seemed to see straight though to your soul, and he suffered no nonsense.

I loved him very much, and my heart swelled with emotion whenever I saw him. Mihal was so like Father that everyone who remembered him mentioned it. Mihal felt proud because Father was still fondly remembered and respected even years after his passing.

Father’s passing still hurt, but I had learned to cope, and Julia now coped with her pain and was fully a member of Har’ches. Julia exceeded her fair share of tasks, perhaps in an attempt to compensate for the twenty years of hurt she had caused.

Julia had become very fond of Mihal and offered him advice whenever he wanted it. Not that he needed much. Mihal was very level-headed and clear-thinking. He wouldn’t jump straight into a decision, but often pondered a problem over and took his time in doing so. Cleo adored him, and so did his children.

Inka, his mother, could do no wrong in Mihal’s eyes. Despite our disagreements over the years, I hoped he respected me as much as I respected him.

The bugger doesn’t now and hasn’t for many centuries. I suppose that you have guessed that he is alive and a Vam’pir.

Indeed, Mihal is who I made him to be.

But you will have to wait for that part of the tale for another two hundred years.

I guess you assume that I am very rude and abrupt. Get over it; it’s just the way I am, and so I apologise to any of you that I have offended.

Mihal loved Cleo just like I loved Inka, and they were a perfect match. Pari and Emil agreed with me. Cleo had lost much of her fire and she herself was a good diplomat.

I frequently expressed my pride in both of them. We were still a close family, although we had grown a great deal. My whole family were very prominent in Har’ches. My sisters had married and had children. I must add that poor Uralla, so badly used by Willam, was very content with a brood of children under her feet. She had married a nice man, but she seemed to run roughshod over him a little. I suppose they were happy. Uralla certainly seemed to be.

Anton never married, despite his father’s efforts. Despite the many women Curtan threw at him, he never felt the need to settle down. Anton had fathered a son, though, and was close to him. I forget his name now, but again, he was much like his father and grandfather. Anton led Har’chen as an exceptional Leader, and Har’chen couldn’t have asked for a better man.