Meanwhile Tavaly's ship had arrived on plant Ghatom. Trésora was one of the vampires he had picked up and allowed to board the ship before he left planet Verdamnt.

A man accompanied Trésora as they scoured the city, looking around the strange planet full of different kinds of aliens. The air was smoky from all kinds of barbeque meat and smoked goods in the marketplace.

The man had short red hair and crimson red eyes, though his eyes were kind-looking while Trésora's were vain-looking. The man was dressed in a white shirt, comfortable navy jacket, and navy pants while Trésora was wearing a long white dress and ballet-style footwear.

The man led Trésora to an apartment he purchased for them and helped her move in. A few hours later, he secretly left the building and headed for a phone booth. He put in some small orange disc-like coins and contacted Mallen/Iérti's ship, knowing the vampire leaders were on it.

Blaise answered, turning the communication systems on speaker so everyone on the ship could hear. "Hello, this is the captain of Mallen and Iérti's ship, the MI-13. Who is this?"

"This is Cyrus Martel, brother of Trésora Martel," said the man. "I am a vampire. My own sister turned me while I was still human on planet Verdamnt. I wanted to inform you that Tavaly and Trésora landed here on planet Ghatom, as did I." The man sighed heavily. "I have tragic news. You know planets Monshalow and Natvolo?"

"Yes," Iérti answered, a cold feeling seeping through him.

Mallen and Blaise locked eyes, feeling apprehensive as well.

Cyrus sighed, hating to be the bearer of bad news, but he felt someone needed to inform Mallen and Iérti of what happened. "Vampires wiped out humans on both planets. Humans have become extinct on all three planets: Verdamnt, Monshalow, and Natvolo. There are only non-human creatures that remain on those planets. This makes it three planets where humans have been wiped out. Not a single human or vampire lives on any of those planets anymore."

The news shocked everyone. Iérti could hardly breathe, feeling as though he were impaled. Mallen took a step back in astonishment, hoping against hope this was a prank call and not real news, though he knew the man was telling the truth. Blaise gasped, putting a hand over his mouth.

There was a long silence before Cyrus spoke again, saying, "I'm truly sorry, but you needed to know this. Those vampires will answer to their crimes of obliterating an entire race on both planets, three if you include Tavaly's folly on planet Verdamnt. Most of the vampires have gathered on planet Mijoria and planet Ghatom, where I am at now.

"Some of them plan to go to planet Magarra. Planet Magarra is abundant with humans. I would appreciate it if you could apprehend them on planet Magarra while I deal with my own sister. I will make sure vampires on planet Ghatom don't kill anyone else."

Iérti was whiter than a sheet of paper. Mallen was as still as a statue. Blaise was on the verge of hyperventilating. The rest of the people aboard the ship were just as horrified.

It was Iérti who said, "Thank you for informing us, Cyrus Martel. We will certainly apprehend them on planet Magarra."

Cyrus disconnected. Iérti at once readied the ship for takeoff, wanting to see Monshalow and Natvolo for himself. He ordered any humans to disembark. "Only vampires aboard," he said, not wishing for any human to chance endangerment. He made sure all the humans were safe and had homes to settle into on planet Mijoria before he gathered a group of remaining vampires and set a course for their dimension.

Most vampires remained on Mijoria while some went with . loved planet Mijoria and wanted to stay, but she didn't want to be separated from her husband, so she went with Mallen and Iérti as they traveled back to their dimension.

Dismay and shock were on everyone's faces as they walked around planet Monshalow. It looked like a lost civilization with overgrown trees, vines, and greenery covering buildings and settlements. Animals thrived. Plants overrun former cities and settlements. Forest fires went unchecked, raging in certain areas. Manmade structures and buildings crumbled away. Suspension bridges collapsed. Dogs became predators, hunting in large packs. Ocean life flourished. Nature prevailed, bringing in new species of wildlife. There were hints of fairy and pixie life.

Natvolo was the same way, only it had more traces of former humanlife than Monshalow did. Natvolo was more civilized and had skyscraper cities while Monshalow was more flat fields and oceans. Verdamnt had no skyscrapers at all, just castles and settlements.

Romena was one of the vampires from other ships that chose to join with Mallen and Iérti aboard their ship. A vampire named Trandafira stood beside her, likewise horrified by the human-free landscape. Trandafira had long thick black curls and brown skin. She was wearing a purple dress with raspberry pink detailing. Iérti was with them while Mallen and Írásom were elsewhere.

"There are no humans left on this planet," said Romena, barely able to speak. Her pale skin made her look like a ghost in the night, made paler by the horrible realization of successful extinctions of humans on not one, but three planets.

was still reeling from the fact there were no longer any humans on three different planets. Vampires successfully drove humans to extinction, he thought, absolutely horrified. Everyone, even babies and children, all gone. Vampires have killed every last human on planets Monshalow and Natvolo. And dragons have overrun Verdamnt, forcing humans and vampires to flee.

Iérti headed back to the ship, sickened from what he had seen. Trandafira had tears in her eyes. Other vampires stood stricken, a few going back inside the ship with Iérti.

Romena was silently crying as she recalled a conversation with Ardai. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered her former lover. He was much wiser than I've given him credit for, Romena thought. He spoke of peace, echoing Iérti's sentiments. They were right to keep the peace between humans and vampires.

Monshalow and Natvolo are proof of what devastation our vampire nature can cause without proper restraint. This is what happens when vampires are set free to do as they please, killing any and all humans at will. It's not right for our kind to be so wild and predatory. Iérti is right in maintaining peace and harmony. Ardai wanted me to understand. Now I know.

"We'll have to find a new nourishment source elsewhere," said Romena, stepping back from the grassy field. Her voice was cold as she began to feel thirst.

"They are not just a nourishment source; they are people," Trandafira started to say, but Romena had already left for the ship as it prepared to leave the planet, headed for planet Magarra so they could intercept the vampires responsible for human extinction on Monshalow and Natvolo. Trandafira sighed and followed, not wanting to be left behind.

Iérti sighed, tears glistening in his eyes. Mallen put a hand on his shoulder, Írásom holding onto his arm as they watched Natvolo fade away from view, the greenery disappearing as they ventured into space once again.

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Music:

"Mission X"
by Nick Kaelar

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