Quake unlocked the door and pushed it open for everyone to see the prisoner who was mostly human. It was only at close glance that one could see he was a half elf, slightly feral and sporting two sets of fangs instead of one. His eyes were a dull red and his skin was pale indicating he may been recently turned.

"He's a young blood." Captain Lion blurted out.

"A what?" Sir Gonagle asked.

"Those who are first turned or embraced by a master vampire. Some call them vampirelings. Ones who have proven themselves worthy of becoming apart of the coven." The airship captain stated.

Prince Birch strode into the room, "What is your name creature? You once were of elven-kind. You once had a name. What was it before you became the monster I see before my eyes."

"Judging him by his looks, a half elf. Commoner with a long standing grudge most likely towards his elven half rather than the human side." Sir Gonagle made a astute observation.

The half elf narrowed his blood red eyes at the prince and snorted, "Well. Well. Well, if it isn't East Port's finest prince in all the land. Where were YOU when the bloodsuckers showed up?! Oh, yeah out to SEA! Who I was doesn't matter anymore! Like you care gallivanting in the middle of the Fire Sea cuz' you're unable to run the business of politics!"

"You dare cast aspersions upon my character, knave?!" Prince Birch raised his arm as though to backhand him with his fist.

"Easy, your highness, easy!" Irzen walked into the room, "He's just trying to rile you up! That's all." The Swordsman turned to the young blood, "From one creature of darkness to another, what is your NEW name? What is it that the rest of your brood call you?"

The thrall hissed at the drow, "You are a joke! You believe you and I are the same? You must have been hit too many times in battle. Names are meaningless in the greater game but if you must know, elf of the dark. It's...its...um...well I can't remember. My memory is hazy on the details. The masters like it that way. The less you remember the better to play your part, right. Just like how all of you are down here questioning me and leaving two of your friends elsewhere in the palace. Better yet, why don't you surrender that little piece of pure blood girl standing behind you all and we'll call it good."

Serna's blood began to grow cold at the suggestion of the vampireling.

"Let's not and say we did," Irzen calmly replied without batting an eyelash.

Quake grabbed a hold of the thrall's arm suddenly causing his pale flesh to burn with intense pain.

"YEAARRRGGH!!"

The elemental's eyes were ablaze quite literally as she stared into the thrall's "Maybe I should just let you simmer over a nice hot fire before the suns come up over the horizon. What do you think, everyone?"

"Quake," Irzen answered in a calm voice, "Not helping."

The elemental groaned and let off, "Fine."

Captain Lion strode forward suddenly and spoke in an old Earth language that unless you knew what it was, it sounded guttural, Slavic even.

The thrall gasped in shock and fell silent. How could this human know his language? It bothered him greatly but now knowing this the half elf blurted out, "Three masters. There's three masters. That's all I know. I swear!"

"A triumvirate!" Prince Birch gasped, "This news is both ill and foul."

"Soon all of East Port will be under the masters rule!" The thrall declared openly. "All will bow and call them MASTER!!"

"As long as we keep the company of heroes, as long as we hold true to our bonds of fellowship and as long as we draw breath, knave," Prince Birch boldly declared, "Your vision and your masters vision of our future will NOT come to pass!"

Irzen's ears perked up when he heard that language spoken. His human side had heard it once before and Irzen turned towards Captain Lion, "That was Slavic. Romanian I believe. You're from Earth! Somewhere in Europe I would suspect. British perhaps? Since when did a Grand Tour of the Continent include a side trip to Transylvania?"

"Of course, I am from Earth, Swordsman. My wife and I lived during the reign of her majesty, Queen Victoria but it was also an era when the vampire hysteria came about. The stories about Abraham Van Helsing hunting down vampires is legend although I did not meet the man himself. Still, there were other vampires that broke away from the most famous one, Vlad Dracula. Those were the vampire masters who picked out their targets as it were to add to their covens." Captain Lion addressed him.

Irzen nodded in agreement.

"But to answer your questions about knowing the old tongues in Europe," He leaned over to Irzen, "Come to my airship later and I will reveal more."

"Fair enough! I can wait." The Swordsman smiled at Captain Lion before he turned his attention back to the vampireling, "Now, Bob, I hope you don't mind me calling you Bob. It's better than me saying 'Hey you!' all the time. So, Bob, you are led by three master vampires. That's good to know! How many vampires and vampirelings are running around East Port these nights, Bob? And where do you like to congregate for those after-slaughter parties I hear so much about?"

The thrall shook his head, "We're everywhere and nowhere."

Both Quake and Sir Gonagle burst out laughing for a moment. They realized this was a serious matter and calmed down.

Captain Lion walked pulled out a gold lined ruby necklace from around beneath his shirt holding in front of the thrall's face. His expression changed to something dark when he spoke in Romanian,"'You will tell me how many places, thrall!'"

The half elf's eyes went wide with fear, "The Heart of Blood...but..but how did you?"

"'Answer my question,'" The Englishman said calmly.

"The Dandy Muse. The docks near the north gate. There's a series of caverns that lead from the coast to under the palace. That's all I know! Take it away!" The prisoner begged him.

"That means they might already have infiltrated the palace," Irzen confessed to the others, "Prince Birch?"

"Yes, Lord Drow?"

"I have a suggestion." The Swordsman offered, "Get some Clerics and Paladins in here as fast as you can. Have them pair off and consecrate every single room in your palace from the highest tower to the deepest dungeon. Also, until the Clerics and Paladins arrive, have you and your palace staff arm themselves with any holy items of the gods you worship. Make sure everyone pairs off! No one goes anywhere alone--not even to the outhouse! When the Clerics and Paladins arrive, then we can arm ourselves and have them bless our weapons. We need to take every precaution we can."

"But what about the docks near the north gate and the series of caverns along the coast that lead to here?" Serna asked Irzen.

"We leave the caverns to our resident Earth Elemental, Quake, and our resident Earth Elementalist, Alyson." The Dark Elf smiled with a vicious grin, "What do you say, Quake? Would you and the Lady be up for collapsing a few tunnels and burying a few vamps permanently?"

"And the docks near the north gate?" Prince Birch asked eager to begin, "What of them?"

"We unleash you, your Clerics, your Paladins and your City Guards upon them, your Highness." Irzen replied, "Captain Lion, Sir Gonagle, would you like to give them a hand? The rest of us will remain behind with the Palace Guards to protect Serna, your family and your palace staff."

"Ye gods you have a nose for strategy, Lord Drow!" Prince Birch clapped Irzen on the back so hard that he almost fell over, "We shall crush these villainous vermin yet!"