[General POV]
After my speech, I see a spark of hope light up across the room. Everyone visibly relaxes, clearly relieved to know they will have my support. To the eyes of humans, any aid from vampires is a blessing. Ramesses, in particular, wears a smile of genuine satisfaction. Seeing this, I turn to him and say:
"Well then, Ramesses, I'd like to know when we might meet to discuss the details of the war. After that, we can summon the others and outline our next steps."
Ramesses agrees without hesitation, proposing we convene the following morning. We settle the arrangements and talk for a few hours, until nightfall, when the sun returns to the Land of the End, carried by Khepri. With that, the meeting comes to a close.
Afterward, I leave the palace with my entourage close behind — a group of unwavering loyalty. As we walk, I can feel the weight of the respect given to me by every person we pass — a level of reverence rivaled only by that shown to Ramesses himself. I lose myself in thought as I move through the grand halls, until I arrive at the door to the chamber Ramesses has assigned me.
It's not quite as magnificent as my own, back on the banks of the Nile, but among all the rooms in this palace, perhaps only the pharaoh's own quarters surpass it. The chamber is exquisite — a king-sized bed adorned with gold accents and precious stones, situated on the highest floor of the palace. As mentioned, only Ramesses' chambers offer greater luxury.
I lie down, close my eyes, and allow myself the rare indulgence of sleep — a gift most vampires would kill for, but which only a privileged few like myself, hybrids, possess.
The next morning, I wake early, as always. I feel the first golden rays of the Egyptian sun slipping through the sheer linen curtains, ushering in the warmth of a day that promises to be decisive. Moments after waking, the palace servants arrive with quiet efficiency, helping me don the ceremonial garments prepared for the occasion — a dark tunic embroidered with golden details and the crest of my city upon my chest, symbolizing my alliance with Ramesses and my status as the leader of my own order.
Once I'm ready, I move through the polished stone corridors of the palace, accompanied by my loyal guards. The walls are adorned with stunning hieroglyphs, and the sound of our footsteps echoes with an air of authority and grandeur. Rounding a corner, we finally lay eyes on the great ebony doors of the council chamber.
As I step inside, I'm instantly enveloped by the beauty of the space. The room is wide and oval-shaped, with towering papyrus-shaped columns supporting a domed ceiling. Painted frescoes depict legendary battles between Egypt and its ancient foes. The air is thick with the scent of myrrh and sandalwood, burning slowly in bronze urns placed at the corners of the chamber.
At the center stands a long table of polished black stone, its surface catching the flickering torchlight from the walls. Open maps, ivory game pieces representing armies, and carefully placed papyrus scrolls make it clear that critical decisions are about to be made. Some counselors are already seated on thrones and benches carved with golden and lapis lazuli inlays. Others are still arriving.
Ramesses is already present, seated high upon an elevated throne, flanked by generals, scribes, and figures of power — among them priests, nobles, and even a few foreigners. I recognize, by their features, men from the far reaches of the world — Chinese, perhaps, or Slavic. His gaze is firm, but tired — like that of a young lion still proving his might before a pack of seasoned wolves.
By my count, at least several dozen men are already gathered, and more still seem to be on their way. As soon as they see me, a hush falls over the room, and all bow their heads in respect.
Observing their gesture, I smile and greet them:
"Good morning. Shall we begin?"
"Absolutely," Ramesses replies, rising to speak on behalf of the room. His voice carries reverence, and like the others, he inclines his head slightly as he addresses me. Then he continues:
"I have a few ideas I'd like to discuss with you, Lord Morpheus."
I listen carefully, though it's only a brief introduction. Soon after, we all take our seats at the table and begin a more informal dialogue — speaking of the challenges he's faced, how he ascended to the throne, why he's asked for my help, and what solutions might lie ahead.
Not long after, with the arrival of the full royal council, Ramesses prepares to formally begin.
The tension in the room is palpable, but so is the hope. Ramesses opens the session, laying out the broader situation and expanding on the kingdom's current state. He says:
"Though we may have brave and seasoned warriors, our enemy has become a troubling enigma of late. They've proven to be formidable foes. The Hittites, it seems, have made major advances in chariot warfare, and their elite archers are leaving none of our brothers standing in the field. In short, these ancient northern barbarians have grown into an unprecedented threat. We need a strategy that leverages our strengths and neutralizes theirs. That is why I've summoned you all here — and Lord Morpheus — so we may find a solution together."
In his voice, I detect a clear undercurrent of worry — and I understand why. Even with my help, he fears what lies ahead. I recall from my ancient Egyptian history lessons that Ramesses II ascended to the throne in 1279 BCE, following the death of his father, Seti I. In other words, he's a newly crowned pharaoh — only a few months into his reign. I know how complex it is to build an army from scratch, because I'm attempting the same — though in my case, the challenge is even greater, since my forces are composed primarily of vampires.
There's also the matter of loyalty. Many of Ramesses' former troops likely pledged themselves to his father. That's a serious issue — for in those times, allegiance was tied more to the man on the throne than to the land itself.
Crash!
A loud noise snaps me out of my thoughts, cutting through my introspection. I glance at the table and see a detailed map now spread before us, showing the positions of both Egyptian and Hittite forces. Ramesses points to the areas of heaviest conflict and begins to speak:
"— Before anything else, let me briefly explain the situation for those who are not part of this campaign or have not been following the war since its beginning," he said, looking directly at me as he spoke this part.
After a short breath, he continued:
"— Our forces are divided into four major legions: Amun, Ra, Ptah, and Set. Each comprises thousands of soldiers, war chariots, and essential supplies. On the opposing side, the Hittite forces, led by King Muwatalli II, are concentrated primarily in Kadesh — a heavily fortified city of immense strategic value, and our primary objective."
At the mention of Kadesh and his focus on the region, the older, more conservative military officers immediately objected to Ramesses' plan, and I could see a heated debate beginning to unfold. The generals began presenting their analyses, each voicing their strategies with passionate conviction.
Amid the rising tension, a small, young man approached and leaned in close, speaking in a low voice meant only for me:
"— Your Excellency Morpheus, my name is Ajax. His Highness sent me to guide you through the discussion, introduce you to the speakers, and explain how you might contribute."
I listened attentively. Soon after, one of the most seasoned strategists began to speak. Ajax whispered to me that the man's name was Luximander — a short, stout elder with a sharp gaze, calm voice, and a deep scar across his forehead. Raising his voice above the others, Luximander declared with a tone of critique:
"— The Hittite chariots carry three men and are faster and more maneuverable than ours. Their archers possess superior range and precision, capable of inflicting significant damage before we even have a chance to react. With all due respect to His Majesty, our forces are not equipped to defeat the Hittites under these conditions."
As soon as he finished, another general — whom Ajax noted was known for his boldness and unorthodox tactics — countered with conviction:
"— Then we must lure them into terrain where their advantages mean nothing. We can lead them into narrow or uneven ground, positioning hidden archers and spearmen ready to ambush. If we're clever, we can turn their strength into a weakness. I suggest the barren, arid lands south of the Orontes River — the soil there is rough, riddled with stones and narrow valleys. Their chariots won't be able to maneuver, and their archers will lose range. There, our infantry will dominate."
He ended his speech with a proud gleam in his eye. And on the throne beside me, Ramesses had remained silent throughout, just as I had. Our eyes were locked on the map before us. Though he said nothing, he listened to every proposal with great focus, weighing risks and possibilities. He knew, without a doubt, that the upcoming battle could determine not just the course of this war — but the fate of all Egypt.
Victory would require not just bravery, but cunning and meticulous planning.
The tension in the war chamber deepened when a mid-sized counselor stepped forward with grim urgency in his voice. He looked directly at me and said:
"— I see your unease, Lord Morpheus. Disturbing rumors are circulating among our intelligence sources. Some spies report sightings of swift, shadowy figures among the Hittite ranks. Beings that move with unnatural speed and appear impervious to our weapons."
A heavy silence fell across the room. Ramesses furrowed his brow, visibly troubled.
"— What are you saying, Imhotep?" he asked, his voice low and grave.
"— There are whispers that the Hittites have allied themselves with... creatures of the night. Beings who feed on blood and fear the sun. From all accounts, they appear to be Akhemas, my lord."
The very mention of the word echoed through the chamber, sending chills down the spines of several present. Hearing it, I grew more thoughtful. Akhemas — a term coined by the Egyptian vampires to refer to others of their kind, though considered enemies. In their mythology, these vampires were akin to demons — akin to what Judeo-Christian lore would call abominations.
As I pondered, a shout rang out — from the same short man who had first spoken, Luximander:
"— Madness!" he cried, breathless and red-eyed with anger. "Akhemas are nothing more than ghost stories meant to scare children!"
"— Stories that may become all too real if we're not careful," Imhotep replied sternly. "My informants speak of brutal night raids, where soldiers are found drained of blood, bearing bite marks on their necks."
Ramesses raised his hand, bringing the room to silence.
"— If there's even a sliver of truth to these rumors, we must be prepared. Lord Morpheus, your wisdom and divine power are more vital now than ever. We need to uncover the extent of this threat and how to fight it."
I nodded solemnly. What I had imagined would be a brief intervention was growing far more complicated. The battle against the Hittites, in theory, should have been straightforward — I only needed to deploy my vampire guard to handle it. But now, the prospect of facing other vampires shifted the stakes.
Imhotep, who had introduced the troubling news, spoke again:
"— I will investigate these rumors personally, and I'll bring my spies with me. We need more information about these creatures. And, while Lord Morpheus is with us, I would humbly ask for his assistance."
I looked at him. I said nothing — only nodded.
Immediately, the war chamber transformed into a hive of activity. Maps were scrutinized, strategies revised, and additional security measures put into place. The looming threat of vampires cast a supernatural shadow over the coming battle.
I stepped outside and began walking the palace corridors. The air was heavy, thick with tension. As I walked, I spoke with Abnadiel and Amenadiel — two brothers and trusted agents in my vampire guard, men for whom I hold deep respect.
Turning to Amenadiel, the most skilled in military tactics among my guard thus far, I asked:
"— Based on what you heard, what's your assessment of the war and Ramesses' internal politics?"
Agent 03, Amenadiel, replied with measured firmness:
"— My lord Morpheus, from what I've heard and pieced together, Ramesses' internal politics are a disaster. The way Luximander addressed the king — it's telling. That man has no real loyalty. And many others in the room seem aligned with small internal cliques and factions."
Amenadiel paused briefly, then continued, his tone reluctantly cautious:
"— In short, my lord, his kingdom is fractured. Ramesses' power is weak."
He paused again, then added:
"— And on top of that, this Hittite offensive... it's far too suspicious. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if there's a traitor — or even several — within Ramesses' council."
I listened carefully to Amenadiel's analysis, and I had to agree. Objectively, it aligned with everything I had observed. And it struck me as deeply strange. After all, in the world I come from, Ramesses II is remembered as a great Pharaoh — arguably the greatest of all. But this man… this moment... he resembles nothing of the sort.
I recalled that after the death of his father, Ramesses II did face challenges in securing his throne and clashed with the Hittites. But this conflict — this entire situation — feels far more complex than any history book ever suggested. I'm almost certain that without my help, Ramesses would fall within his very first year — a fate entirely at odds with the historical records I know.
And that thought gives me pause.
Is this because the historical foundation of this world — shaped by the "Twilight" influence — differs from mine? Or is my very presence here creating a butterfly effect, altering everything around me?
I continued walking beside Amenadiel, Abnadiel, and the rest of my vampire guard. With each step, I pondered how best to prepare for my first war — and what other mysteries this world might yet reveal.
To be continued…
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[N/A] If you've read this far, thank you! And since I'm terrible at handling compliments, please, insult me instead!