Neil entered the gathering grounds with a heavy weight on his heart. The splendor of all of the houses mingling with their attendants was lost on him, the sound effects of the games, a cacophony, and he leaned toward the outside of the path as he advanced.

He'd been hoping to see Silvia prior, but Forest had been unable to get an answer out of those northern mage bastards. Whatever mission Silvia was on, her and her partner that she worked with weren't even there when Forest had visited. Worse, Forest had returned with genuine concern for her that was gnawing at Neil's insides, screaming at him to go up there himself and drag her back. If he shared a border with them, he would have, but the Charge territory cut him off before he reached the Void's.

If a vampire had touched her, he would rip them to shreds, put them back together, and repeat until it begged for death. That would only increase his desire to keep them alive, their longing for something he could hold from them. Dammit, he was turning into Talamayas. It had been so long, and he was so different since he'd last seen Silvia. Hopefully, she hadn't had enough time to think better of her commitment to him. It was cruel of him to doubt her, but he couldn't deny being frightened.

"Neil," Ares said at his side, sensing his mood. "You need to remain strong here, proud. If you show weakness, it will be exploited in the proceedings."

Neil met his general's amber eyes, and read the feeling in them. There was concern for him of course, but also a protectiveness, a desire to keep him on a path to strength and longevity for their house and himself. Ares had been to innumerous unity gatherings, having served his father before him, and his father's sire even.

Among other vampires, Ares looked grand. His pitch, closely wrapped clothes were suited for combat above all else. While there were bands of crimson from shoulder to under his arms, Ares wasn't much for adornment. All the display the man needed were his arms bare to his wrists in toned muscle, just a shade tanner than Neil's pale skin, and his bronze hair that waved behind him in a slim whip. It was tied tightly at the bottom of his head and kept thin to keep from interfering in fights.

That wasn't even what made him stand out more than Neil. There was pride in both their eyes for their house, but Ares had a confident stride that Neil couldn't jump half of with his height. Just a glance of Ares eyes was threat enough to slice flesh, and if his general spoke, he was fluid, confident, and had a baritone voice that could lull a child to sleep.

"I know Ares. I won't disgrace the Arcs here. Forgive my lapse," Neil said, mentally scolding himself for comparing Ares with someone green like he was.

Ares didn't like it and spent every day reminding him that he'd climbed mountains since Silvia had left. Neil too was powerful, and even if not yet Ares level of grace, he had more spirit than all the Arcs combined–at least according to Damien. It was unfortunate that bringing the man here would only shame his house. A prominent battleground mage changed vampire had no place here.

Ares smiled with approval as they turned to walk to the arenas. One of the first rounds was his, and he had yet to discuss strategy with Ares regarding his opponent. They had received the pairings shortly after he'd awoken this evening, late, as to avoid any unfair preparation against a certain opponent, and he didn't know Jesse Zehir at all.

Something touched his hand and he stopped, turning to a small alley between the stalls and the cliffs. No one was there. Another touch grazed his cheek, directly in front, and Neil raised his hand to brush against sleek cloth that he couldn't see. Vice. Once the Sol general knew that he was aware of his presence, he pressed into his hand and pulled gently to indicate they needed to talk elsewhere. It had to be without Ares, because his general was not privy to Vice's existence. The less people who knew, the better, even if he trusted them.

"Ares, remain here," Neil said, and Ares stiffened.

"Neil, you should not be off on your own," Ares warned, turning to flank him.

"No one can harm me here under penalty of death and harsh retribution to whatever house they belong to. I will be quick. I have someone I need to speak to who would remain anonymous. I don't have many opportunities to speak to him. I will be less than ten minutes. If I have not returned, feel free to hunt me down."

"Neil," Ares protested again, but he remained as Vice led him off down the alleyway.

They moved more quickly once they left the gathering area, and Vice only stopped once they were out into the rock flats, pressed to the side of a butte that bordered another close enough to keep sound from traveling.

"I need you to remain calm," Vice said, his voice an octave higher than Ares'. Talamayas' general has a kind disposition and a softer way of speaking, and the hardened tone struck Neil like a blade in his heart.

Neil took a slow breath, inhaling the air around him for danger and then doing his best not to let his mind race. "This involves Silvia?" Neil asked to the rock ahead of him, wishing that he could scrutinize Vice's expression for the answers, but the man was completely invisible most times, even to vampire senses.

"Yes," Vice answered, and Neil's blood pressure rose when the man did not elaborate.

"Is she hurt?" Neil had to remember he wasn't interrogating the man and lowered his hostility level an increment. "If she were dead, you wouldn't have pulled me to the side here."

"Silvia is appearedly unharmed, and rather... chipper despite her... situation." Vice's pauses and careful choice of words were not reassuring.

"What situation?" Neil ground his teeth as he waited for the air in front of him to talk.

"During one of her missions, she was taken prisoner by the Zehir General. Since then, it appears she has been shackled as his blood slave."

All color drained from Neil's face.

"Please remain calm. Talamayas had me watch her for the past several hours. Jesse Zehir seems to have treated her well. Though I know there is no consolation for the fact that he feeds from your mate, the man hasn't forced anything worse on her. Talamayas prompted Jesse about her scars, and he knew nothing of them, which means he hasn't taken her clothes off."

"So, he hasn't raped her, is what you're saying? I should be glad he only violates our bond as mates and not her body? Feeding from a house head's mate is a capital crime." Neil's power was violently pulsing out of him, and Vice put a hand on either shoulder to calm him.

"You would have to claim her for that, and we both know Silvia desires to be with both the mages and you. While you do have blood claim over Silvia, you should hold back on enforcing it."

"Why? Every second I leave her with that man is one she must suffer." Neil's throat shook with a growl of pain at imagining anyone else's hands on his mate.

"Silvia is not... suffering, Neil." Vice let out a slow breath as he knew his expressions couldn't get through to him. "She wants to be free, yes, but she also seems to be content with her servitude for the time being. Talamayas has already communicated to her that I will be freeing her the moment the gathering is over. You cannot be associated, or it would give too much away about your connection and could have ramifications for our plans."

"I fight him in the first round." Neil's rumbling voice dipped to almost a snarl as he imagined ripping the man apart.

Vice chuckled, surprising him. "Then use that. Beat the living shit out of him and sate your desire for revenge, but do not mention Silvia. Jesse Zehir is cocky and thinks you a leaf in the wind. Rush him at the start and strike to injure enough that you have an advantage. Then push it. The man will not surrender to an Arc, so you will be able to get the most out of your... time with him."

"That's pretty sadistic for you," Neil said with a smirk. Normally, Talamayas was the one to suggest torture, but Vice's tone indicated that he was frothing at the mouth about Silvia's position as well.

"Please, just handle the situation with care, Neil. Talamayas will take care of the leg work after the unity gathering. Just proceed with the plans we had prior, and I will bring Silvia to you."

"I want to see her," Neil breathed, his heart skipping as he thought about her pitch hair with just a tint of navy from her cascade line and the aroma of fresh plants and the sea that coated her skin.

Did she even smell like that anymore? It mattered little. He would love to run his nose up her neck and relearn her body if necessary. All this time away had him dreaming of her while he slept and longing during his waking hours. Despite imaging her snarky, confident voice, he wanted to hear her laughter pour from her lips in person as well as the gasps she made when he touched her.

"See her, but only if you can play a part," Vice warned, and Neil smiled.

Playing a part was his forte.

Neil left Vice, brushing against the man's chest in good bye as he worked the kink out of his neck. It had started to hurt from remaining tense for a duration, and he ran his head around his shoulders to loosen the vertebrae up as he returned to Ares. As soon as Neill was visible, his general appeared at his side with a bow of his head and then an inquisitive examination.

"You are in one piece," Ares observed, setting the butt of his glaive on the ground as he released his own tension.

"Yes," Neil acknowledged him as he reached with his power throughout the grounds. It took little effort once he knew what to search for, and his energy just caressed Silvia before he pulled it back and headed in her direction. "Ares, I am going to speak to someone, and I need you to be silent for the entire course of the exchange, do you understand?"

"Neil?" Ares questioned, and Neil let out a short breath of despair before he composed himself. Ares didn't understand, but he would listen once he saw Silvia. The man knew better than to endanger her and his master. "Very well," Ares agreed as Neil took off.

It took everything in him to suppress the purr of joy at seeing Silvia when he appeared behind her. Jesse Zehir noticed his approach and cut him off from her in an instant, his sharp blue eyes meeting his crimson with question. The Arcs and the Zehirs didn't often interact, so it was awkward for the Arc house head to approach a Zehir general.

"Neil Arc," Jesse greeted him with the required formality, but an icy tone of threat if he got any closer. The man was keeping him from Silvia, and while Neil wanted to snap him for obstructing his line of sight to his mate, it was reassuring that he was protective of her.

The man was dressed up in black silks like most vampires, and his hair was a sheen of obsidian, cut neatly at his shoulders. It disgusted Neil that they shared a hair style, though Jesse Zehir had a shallow widow's peak where Neil did not. At least they didn't share the color. Neil's hair was bone white, drained of its color during his change to one of the undead.

"General Jesse Zehir," Neil greeted him with a feigned smile. It didn't matter what smile he used anyway. Arcs were always suspect.

"What do you want?" The general got straight to the point, clearly disgusted by his presence. That only served to glue Neil's feet to the ground, as every second of this man's suffering or discomfort was bliss to him.

"I thought it best to introduce myself before the fights," Neil said, unable to stop his eyes from flicking behind him to Silvia. For just a moment, his eyes caught hers, but she looked away in nervousness just as Jesse moved in between them again.

"The fights?" Jesse asked, raising an eyebrow. "Sorry, I don't pay attention must to the roster. Are we paired?"

Neil clenched his fangs. This man was insulting him, but he couldn't allow himself to be goaded into something foolish. "Yes, we are slated a few fights after Talamayas. After him, we'll all look like chicken shit anyway."

Jesse chuckled. Talamayas was the best one-on-one fighter the vampires had, and the dice had rolled him into the first fight with Darius Shade. That was going to be a disaster, and Neil felt for the Shade leader, but it couldn't be helped.

"We all pale in comparison to the Sols, some more than others." Jesse narrowed his eyes with a smirk, but Neil remained composed as he sized this man up. Vice had been right. He was certainly cocky. "Are you hear to glean some means to better fight me?" Another insult. The pairings were given out late for just the reason that they not try and get an unfair advantage.

"Not at all. I just wanted to let you know that there will be no hard feelings regardless of how the fight turns out. I respect the Zehir house and don't want any misunderstandings." Neil flexed the word, dipping his eyebrows into what should look like worry to this man. I was best if he gave off an air of uncertainty and worry at the pairing, though he was neither. After his constant training with Forest, Tide, and Talamayas, this man would be fodder to his power.

"The fight are merely for show. I should think nothing of it after the fact, as should you. Though you must remember, they represent an emulation of what it would be like if our houses fought on the battlefield. Perhaps you will take stock of the fight." That was a threat, plan and clear. Jesse Zehir expected to stomp him into the dust and wanted him to know that would be his fate when they came for him. Tanya had not done a good job of hiding her agenda.

"I shall give it my best then," Neil said with a disarming smile and a nervous chuckle, as if he were worried about this man's diminutive power.

"As will I. I don't go easy on anyone just because I pity them." Jesse Zehir hmph'd at him, and Neil was so close to backhanding the piece of shit, but he kept himself calm.

"That almost sounds as if you don't like me, General Mist." Neil used his title and smirked. While he didn't know much about him, he knew of him.

"I quite loathe you," Jesse Zehir answered, his confident smile dipping with his disgust, and Neil couldn't help but chuckle.

"That's unfortunate. I'm so excited for our fight. I have never been in the rallies before, and it's all quite invigorating." Neil gave his best impression of an excited kid to cover up his hidden threat, which was easy with his stature and facial structure.

"You'll find them not as fun as you imagined. I haven't time to idle here with you, Neil Arc. Excuse me. Come along, Silvia." Jesse turned from him, showing his back in what would be an overconfident gesture if they were not both on protected ground.

Neil still saw the blatant disrespect of his position, and just barely caught Silvia's dark worried gaze as she stole one last glance. With Jesse's head turned from them, he had exactly one second to drop his facade and show his affection for her in a broad smile. It made it to her and he caught a glint of a smile and a blush as she was pulled away by another man. It renewed the fire in his chest, and he turned away so he didn't rip her from Jesse Zehir's arms. That was all he'd needed, confirmation that she was still his, even though it was insecure of him to need it.

It wasn't until they were well away from the entire interaction that Ares stood in front of him and stopped him. Neil looked up to his general's amber eyes and a question lay there that was easily ascertainable. The man wanted to know why he hadn't torn his mate away from the man nor claimed her as his own to protect her.

"It's all right, Ares. It's being taken care of." Neil assured him with an excited flick of his lips. "In the meantime, I have a fight to prepare for. Any pointers?" Neil asked as they headed away from most of the crowds in a slow trot.

"None. It is not a match," Ares said, careful not to say anything aloud that would give away Neil's confidence.

Ares sureness of his victory was invigoration and settled him into comfort as he filed all the information he knew on the man. General Mist was as his name said, known for powerful mist spells that saturated his foes and destroyed or weakened them from the inside, or bolstered his own men's power. Those spells could not be cast in an instant, as were most spells that covered large areas, so the man would be unable to use them in a fight.

That meant that it would be the man's brute strength and master class spells against Neil's own, and Ares wasn't even concerned. That meant that there was no possibility he could lose. That was good. It gave him an inner glee to know that he could avenge what the man had done to Silvia, but the thought of Jesse touching her set his teeth in frustration.

A familiar energy brushed against him, and he lifted his eyes to a clash of light and dark magic to find Meredith Aurion standing arm in arm next to Rush. They were close, weren't they? It was almost as if Remus was starting to accept her as his mate. It was about time. The Shade heir was as wishy-washy as his father and the rest of his house was.

Over the last year, Neil had tried arduously to cement an alliance with them, even before all this trouble with Tanya Zehir, but Darius had shunned him at every turn. It wasn't entirely the man's fault. The nature of the Arc house was internal loyalty while demolishing any threat to their existence, and the Shades were more cautious. Connecting to opposite pillars like that was bound to cause diplomatic issues, but Neil cared for Remus and Meredith and wanted them to be with him as he rose against his oppressors.

If Remus sided against him, Neil would have to face him, and Talamayas had no mercy for those who were on the fence. If Remus didn't commit, Talamayas would make the choice for the man and wipe his whole house out. The Shades were tacticians and commanders, not powerful one-on-one brutes like the Sols. It wouldn't be a match if their houses fought. Talamayas had twice the numbers and his men were worth more than two of any Shade's in a fight easily.

Neil knew the worry with his friend's fate and the frustration with Silvia's predicament showed as Darius and Remus took a step forward to greet him, but he couldn't mask it. One problem would solve itself in time with Talamayas' help, and the other was up for Remus to fix. All he wanted was for the Shades to choose the right side, his side, and not perish at the hands of his allies or his own if he were that unlucky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Word Count: 3398