Captain Alane peeked outside through the door slightly open and spoke, "We're clear to move. Move silently."
"Alright, you heard her. Let's get going." Shizu whispered after hearing the signal Alane gave.
The villagers were led by the head villager at the front and the squad at the back, protecting the villagers from any hostiles that would sneak up from behind. The fog was awfully thick and they moved blindly without knowing what they could face in the fog. Suddenly, they heard a little girl's weep in the deep thick fog. Alane was hesitant to help the girl and so she ordered Shizu to follow with her.
Shizu and Alane went to the sound that echoed through the village, suddenly Eririn called out to them, "Where are you two going?"
"To find out what's making the sound. We'll catch up to you guys later." Alane answered.
"But..." Eririn replied
"Follow my orders, Eririn. I'll give a holler if something goes wrong."
"Okay, captain. Please be safe." Eririn responded.
After a second, Shizu and Alane were holding hands with Shizu at the front followed by Alane at the back, together while descending into the deep thick fog, blindly walking through it by following the sound of the little girl's weep. They feared what could've emerged from the fog at any time.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Alane?"
"If we'd die, at least I'll die by your side."
"Why do you always say things like that."
"I don't know. Now be quiet and keep moving." Alane spoke while shushing Shizu by putting her palm around Shizu's mouth.
While they were walking through, they finally found the girl that was continuously weeping. The girl was curled up on the ground. When they went to get closer, the girl suddenly dematerialized into nothingness.
"W- What?" Shizu muttered
"Vampires... We've been lured." Alane began.
Suddenly, they heard distant hand claps, and somehow the fog started to lift, making them see clearer of what was surrounding them. Surprisingly, they were surrounded by dozens of vampires in victorian era clothing and one of them emerged from the crowd of vampires that were surrounding them, "Foolish humans."
"Oh pardon! How rude of me. The name's Althan. I heard that you've managed to take down one of ours. He was indeed... a good man, may his soul rest in peace."
Shizu and Alane unsheathed their swords from their scabbard to ready themselves to fight.
"Anywho, considering that you're taking off with our only blood reservoir, we will be taking you as an extension."
"Back off, vampire." Shizu shouted
"Wow, wow, this one is remarkably violent. I bet your blood tastes well with the adrenaline coursing through your blood streams."
"I bet your dead corpse that you're going to die."
"Ahah... oh well, we'll just have to see about that."
The vampires then charged at Shizu and Alane. While they were fighting, Shizu managed to hold back the vampire but they were quick. Shizu slashed at the vampire but only the sound swords crashing into each other. Shizu was holding back more than 4 vampires and he managed to block all of the strikes. At the same time, Alane was holding off 3 other vampires and she managed to kill 1 of them. The vampires moved slickly, by jumping and doing flips that managed to dodge sword slashes from Shizu and Alane. Shizu suddenly casted Aeromancy magic that coursed through his sword and killed the other vampires, leaving only the main one left.
"Impressive.."
"Accept it, vampire. Say your last worrds." Shizu yelled.
"Hang on, I have one more trick up my sleeve."
"I call it... your demise."
The vampire, Althan, drew his sword up to his head and a pentagram started to form beneath his feet. Then, a cloud of black smoke appeared that blew Shizu and Alane away by its awakening.
"Dark magic. Shizu, I don't think we're getting out of here anytime soon. Unless you have something else that helps."
"I'm sorry, Alane. I don't... we'll just have to keep on fighting."
The vampire's eyes started to turn pure black and his eyes started dripping with black liquid. "Ahah, now... Where were we? Oh certainly, It's where I kill both of you."
The vampire lunged towards Shizu. Shizu and Alane blocked all of his slashes that were quick as light. The vampire's strength and speed had appeared to be enhanced after the dark magic awakening. The sound of air whistling from the sword of the vampire's slashes that made a horrific sound. Both Alane and Shizu were knocked down after the vampire kicked them that thrust both of them back. Shizu tried to stand up but was kicked and knocked back down by the vampire, while Alane was at the edge of death. She was almost knocked out and later, she started to cough out blood. Shizu on the other hand was still capable after getting beaten by the vampire but the vampire knocked him down before he could even get up.
"What a pity, I suppose you've heard that before haven't you?"
The vampire Althan then placed the tip of his sword right next to Shizu's head, to tease Shizu. And suddenly, a sound of air whistling was heard and unexpectedly, the vampire's left arm was sliced off. The vampire was astonished and he looked over to whom that was responsible for it. When he glanced behind, it was Shizu's guardian, Colt Kaiser.
"Room for one more?" Colt spoke.
"Certainly." the vampire spoke.
The vampire charged towards Colt, sprinting at him at full speed. Colt was unfazed, he only stood there while facing the vampire. Quickly, the vampire's head was decapitated in a blink of an eye after he passed Colt. Shizu and Alane blacked out after seeing Colt's arrival.
Shizu woke up at his dormitory on his bed. He quickly stood up and rushed to find where Alane was at. He went over to Alane's room and was surprised to find Alane sitting on her bed alone while reading a book.
"Are you hurt, captain?"
Alane let out a deep long sigh of relief while smiling, followed by her utters, "I'm fine."
"That's good to hear." Shizu replied while sitting on a chair.
"Where are the others?" Shizu questioned.
"Well, they've left an hour ago to go on a patrol at the borders."
"Shouldn't we be assisting them?"
"No... we've done enough yesterday, Shizu. We've exterminated every vampire and the villagers went back to their homes safely. It's better for both of us to rest."
"Oh.. okay then. What are you reading?"
"A journal from my beloved and deceased brother. Here, you can have it."
"Oh... it looks really worn out... but I'll keep it safe. Thank you, captain."
Alane then stood while looking down at Shizu, "It'll come in handy for you... I'm going away for a couple of days after all."
"I'll see you in a couple of days."
"What do I say to them?"
"Oh no worries, they know I would go out for duties when I'm not here."
Alane then walked out of the dormitory for her duty. Shizu was curious about what knowledge held within the book that she gave him. Shizu then noticed a little box under Alane's bed. The box had a royal pattern which made Shizu curious to find out what contains. When he opened it, there was a note on the inside.
When Shizu opened the note, it wrote, "Going through my stuff, aren't you? Silly pervert."
"What." Shizu whispered to himself.
In the box, there were pictures of Alane with the Prince of Arceterus, Prince Ichiro in a royal regiment attire with a sword and scabbard on his waist. At the back of the picture, there was a word inscribed in red, "Remember". Suddenly, Amari appeared at the door of Alane's room.
"Shizu, what are you doing?" Amari asked.
"See! What did I tell you, Shizu likes the captain." Eririn suddenly appeared next to Amari while pointing to Shizu.
"What?! No! it's not what It looks like, I can explain!"
Amari then thrust Shizu out of Alane's room and yelled, "Get out, pervert!"
"Ow." Shizu mourned in pain after taking a kick onto his head before being thrown out of Alane's room.
Akumu and Hachiro only laughed out loud while looking at Shizu. Their laugh was hysterical and Shizu was embarrassed.
"Yeah, laugh louder." Shizu uttered. After Akumu and Hachiro heard what Shizu commented, they immediately laughed even louder. Shizu quickly went out of the dormitory in embarrassment.