Palace Of Flames (Book One of the Damnata Series)

Palace of Flames

The Damnata, in the beginning, were a simple people. Quite simply, they were just that: people. They were simple beings, undeveloped like all other creatures of their time, but with the minds and smarts of men not to be within existence for at least another few centuries. They had simple ambitions, much like those of the simplest of men today; to rule, and to grasp power with both hands, to embrace pain, fear, and possibly even death, with open arms. They lived in a simple civilisation, little before that of the Ancient Egyptians, and lived sad and pitiful lives.

The Damnata are not composed of a blood-linked family, but rather a venom-linked family.

It was the Immortal Drink, a new creation of the early Egyptians, that brought on the first official hordes of Vampiires and thus created the foundation for the Immortal organization that would eventually become the all-powerful Damnata. Ennaleazer and Mitsuru's father was one of the first to become a Vampiire, and he soon changed his daughters, and attempted changing his wife; she died midway through the change. The Vampiire soon committed suicide after the death of his wife drove him to insanity. Silvano and Clemente were drove towards the two young orphaned Vampiires by a larger dose of the Immortal Drink that caused them to be attacked by a crazed coven of Vampiires that had changed them into one of the undead. Clemente, being the oldest of the brothers, decided to find Vampiires that still held their humanity, and did not constantly crave blood, like the other Vampiires in their slowly-progressing hometown of Cairo did. Eventually, Clemente and Silvano came across Venus, a young 16-year-old female that had been left for dead by a horde of Vampiires that had not bitten her, surprisingly. Clemente changed her, and then decided to start a coven called the Damnata, after his and Silvano's surname. They came across Ennaleazer and Mitsuru, and decided to take them in, but soon after accepting them into the coven a plague of creatures named Werrwulfen destroyed most of the civilisation in the area around them, only just missing Cairo, where the Egyptians had began establishing a civilisation built from sandstone and sheer slavery. Mitsuru was but one of the millions of victims of the attacks carried out by the Werrwulfen, and was turned into a Werrwulfe, the venom from the Werrwulfen contaminating and killing any of the Vampiire venom left within her. Silvano was outraged, and said he wanted nothing to do with a creature such as Mitsuru, a Werrwulfen and enemy of Vampiires. Clemente went against his younger brother's wishes, however, and decided to allow Mitsuru to stay within the ranks of the Damnata, as she seemed to prove some use to them, for reasons that no Immortal other than Clemente or Mitsuru will ever know.

The Damnata were just about the only "human" Vampiires - and Werrwulfen - in existence at that period of time, and decided to hold somewhat of a reign over the rest of the Immortals around them. They struck fear deep into the hearts of those that followed them, and ruled for many years over the Immortals with their ruthless and cruel ways of dealing with situations. Eventually, they were a force to be reckoned with, a well-known name amongst Immortals all over the world.

The Damnata were the most powerful beings in existence up until around 500BC, when other types of Immortal creatures began crawling to the surface to push the Damnata off of their high horse. Fallen Angels, more Werrwulfen, Fey, Goblins, Faeries, Demons, Archangels... They all came forth, demanding some of the Damnata's power. The Damnata mercilessly fought the creatures off, either killing them, or forcing them back to where ever they came from.

But as they fought these creatures, one group remained imprinted on their mind for years afterward; a group of creatures that called themselves the Militia Of The Damned; they were dubbed the most powerful of creatures in a place called the New World. The Damnata soon learned from many other Immortals around them that this New World was another Plane, a place where many other breeds of Immortal resided. Clemente was fascinated by the idea of somewhere else to rule, a new world to strike fear into, as the earth was beginning to bore him considerably, and so the Damnata decided to travel to this New World to see for themselves the wonders that would face them.

But as they entered this new Plane, it seemed that a higher force was ruling already; the Militia of the Damned were not ruthless, nor cruel, nor were they particularly demeaning in any way except for their high-powered status as Gods and Goddesses. They were loved by all, and feared by none, much unlike the way people looked to the Damnata. Clemente and Silvano grew curious, and decided to venture further into this New World, of which did not seem so new after all in the eyes of the Damnata. Things were much more advanced here than they seemed to be on earth, on their own terrain of fearless and reckless ruin, and undying sense of demeanour and everlasting power.

Soon after their arrival in the New World, the Militia of the Damned were informed of the Damnata's presence, and they also grew curious, knowing that these Immortals were known to be inhumane, reckless and careless killers that called themselves Gods and Goddesses, and struck fear into the hearts of billions. The Militia were disgusted with the Damnata's way of life and leadership, and decided to challenge the said "indefeasible" force. They called for the suddenly-suspicious Damnata, and the founder of the Militia, Larten Helyer, decided to challenge the Damnata to a war, which then came to be known as the War of Mercy, ending in the temporary downfall of the Militia of the Damned, and the rising of the Damnata in the New World. The war lasted around 200 years, and ended in complete carnage. The Damnata officially took control of the New World in 168BC, naming it Damnatalia, the ultimate place of Damnatan reign.

The Damnata were soon joined by Mikhael, a former member of the Militia, who had gone to them in mercy and in pleading, and is now the leader of the Nocturna Coven, and is now completely against all workings of the Damnata, although at the time, he was for everything that they did. The Archangel, Gabriel, joined the Damnata briefly, before leaving after the Damnata killed a large horde of Fallen Angels. Mikhael left after a few years of dealing with the cruel ways of the Damnata, and formed a coven of his own, called the Nocturna, due to their tendency to hunt at night. Their sister-pack, Diurna, was started by the original Alpha, Stefan, the Werrwulfen that had changed Mitsuru Damnatan, but he was killed by Silvano a few years after the Nocturna was founded. Then Damon, the most recent Alpha, took over, but that's hardly the point.

The Damnata hunt every five-thousand years for a new Oracle, a fresh young Mortal female to become a Mate to one of the two Damnatan males, and to become a weapon of sorts for the coven. They recently announced that they are now hunting down the last Oracle in existence, whom Silvano Damnatan is extremely interested in. They say that she is one of the most intriguingly beautiful women in existence, and Silvano Damnatan will stop at nothing to have this woman for his own. It is because of this that the young Mortal has been assigned several protectors of different Immortal breeds, each with different talents, to watch over her at all times of the day, so that no matter where she is, she will be protected, and safe from Silvano and his coven.

The Damnata say that this last Oracle is situated in London, and is a most rare and beautiful creature, and one whom seems to draw men towards her with both her intoxicating scent of an Oracle, and her beautiful features. Silvano Damnatan described her once as a rare discovery, with the most beautiful auburn hair and the most perfect figure he had ever set eyes on, topped off by the most beautiful and pulchritudinous pair of dark brown eyes he has ever gazed into.

This final Oracle has been watched by the Damnata for years, now, ever since her existence and legacy was announced by Alyssa, the very first Damnatan Prophetess and Oracle.

Her name is Kristy Motionless, the object of Silvano Damnatan's deepest desires, and the prophesied final Oracle.