I Did My Part - The Diaries of a Reluctant Soldier 1863-1873

[Cassius Nash]

March 18th 1863

For nearly three years, I had kept myself out of this god forsaken mess of a war. Like all wars it was doing more harm than good. For now nobody was winning. Each side had suffered almost equal casualties in terms of strength and influence. Though in numbers their's were far heavier. Well of course, they tended to be younger. Weaker. But there was more of them and they kept making more of them. Because those young vampires believed as they did. If you were damned you may as well have fun before the damnation kicked in.

As I said I'd been keeping myself out of this like many others had. It wasn't an all Coven encompassing war and moreover I was a nomad. Though I believed in the Coven system, the order of it all, the sense and the stability. If some jumped up little revolutionaries wanted to fight against it, fine. They would get crushed right. Those who favoured the old, well current order, at the time, were older, wiser and stronger. But it hadn't worked out like that. The jumped up little revolutionaries had raised armies, they'd recruited some of the older vampires to their cause and they'd taken out some big people.

Of course some Covens kept well out. It didn't have to affect them, they just wanted to live their lives. It only concerned those who truly had a passionate believe in how to run the system. It was politics. It was possible to live as a Vampire and barely hear about the war, let alone participate or for it to even affect you. If you didn't involve yourself, the war didn't involve you.

So what brought me into this war? The death of an old friend, and wise man named Louis Relant. The man had worked hard to keep their kind protected. To keep their troubles internal and deal with them internally. Keeping out the wizarding community for their own sakes rather than ours. And he'd been murdered. Not just murdered, but torn apart limb by limb, before being beheaded. So tortured basically. That for me was enough reason to enter this damn war.

If a great man like he couldn't even be given a respectful death, then things were worse than I expected. These people were obviously trying to make a point and they had. I was in the war. And I was going after them. The Fjord Coven located in Hordaland, Norway. Home to four vampires. Erik and Svetlana both around thirty including their vampire years. Bjorn who had to be nearly fifty, and who was renowned throughout Europe for his physical power, far stronger than most his age. And they were led by a blonde haired blue eyed ambitious young woman named, Freda. She was the one who had negotiated with the leaders of the "New Order" the death of Louis. Prepped her coven and led the sadistic action against him.

And now I was coming for them.

And why could I beat them when Louis couldn't? I had age like he did. But I also had surprise. As far as everyone was concerned this was not my war. It was now.

And I was heading straight to the Fjord Coven for the first spilling of blood by my hands.

[Cassius Nash]

May 2nd 1863

And so the revenge is extracted. The killers have paid the price and the score is settled. Was it easier than I expected? I don't think so. Though I cannot be sure. Though it was fair to say Bjorn was strong for his age. Broke six, yes count them, six of my ribs, before I turned him into smouldering ash. Hearing a grown man scream in pain wasn't the most thrilling feeling I've ever had, but bad things happen to those who murder righteous men.

Erik, now that didn't feel so good either. It was too easy. False moves on his part. Inexperienced in fighting people with equal if not better qualities than his own. Too young to be soldier. Didn't even need a wand to kill him. I used the old methods. I tore his head from his shoulders.

Freda. A stake driven through the back of her head. Arguably the most painful end for any of our kind. Though a fair one in comparison to that of her accomplices.

And what of Svetlana? Well fortunate reader here is where the story has an odd twist. I let her go. Strange for a man who wanted vengeance, who wanted blood for blood, I know. But I had my reasons. She did not fight, she did not curse me for what I had done to the others when I found her. She begged for forgiveness and her life. She told me of how at sixteen, only four years previously, Freda had turned her and told her of how they could stop the cruel rulers of our world. The myth that would turn out to be that which all the freshly turned men and women would hear.

She told me she'd read of Louis and when Freda said they were to kill him, she tried to dissuade them. That she'd wanted no part but was forced to. Did I believe her? To this day I'm not sure. Did I pity her? Yes, most certainly. Those emerald eyes, showed me nothing but fear and sadness. So I let her live. Let it be known when this story is told that I in my fury and rage, showed mercy. I may have been cruel at times but I was also fair.

I wonder sometimes whether she is still out there. Whether she too survived the Blood Wars. Maybe she just ran and rejoined the armies of the New Order. Maybe she joined the armies of the Old Order. Maybe she hid. Perhaps she died on the battlefront, like so many. Perhaps she's still wandering. I like to think she survived. That she did something with her eternal youth and life. It would make it seem worthwhile.

But I digress. So with this action Cassius Nash had officially entered the Blood War. I had declared an allegiance and soon enough, I'd be faced with another fight. It was inevitable. I had taken my revenge and soon enough somebody would want their's. And when they came for me I would be waiting, but I would not lay down and let them kill me. I had every intention of staying alive. And I would.

[Cassius Nash]

December 25th 1863

The dawn of my one hundred and fifty first Christmas Day and I found myself on stood on top of hallowed ground. Gniezno Cathedral if I'm totally accurate. Many people would ask why? What would a Vampire being doing in a Cathedral at dawn on Christmas Day? That question I shall answer.

I was meeting someone. Another like myself. A Ukrainian vampire known as Petri. He was apparently a high ranking general or leader of some kind in the new armies. It was his wish to meet me, though I was happy to oblige. This was the third and certainly most formal of the revenge campaigns launched against me for my destruction of the Fjord coven.

I suppose you also wish to know why a cathedral? Why meet here? Well, simply because it is neutral ground. As part of treaty between vampires and wizards in the 13th century, our people promised to respect sacred ground of any religion. We could not fight here without causing an international incident. We could only talk, and that is what we did.

It was of course Petri's wish to fight me. As I suspected it was due to my actions seven months previously. It seemed I had upset a large number of the opposition and there was a large amount of respect and money for the person who returned with my body, or even just my head.

Who was I to refuse? If it was my time to die and I was meant to die by Petri's hand then I would. If I was meant to beat him and kill him too, then I would. I liked to leave my life in fate's hands. It made more sense than me playing around with it. A date was settled. We had twelve days to set our affairs in order. We would meet at one a.m in some woods near Rousse, Bulgaria, that was a town on the border with Romania.

Not much more was said. In the interests of courtesy we bode one another well for the coming days and departed to prepare ourselves. Each of us no doubt contemplating what our fates would be in twelve days time.