While Celene was still busy playing cat and mouse with the vampires, Dov took the scout along with him somewhere away from the open field. They gathered amid a place covered by three tall cliffs, completely hidden from any walkers that might linger around the area.
"Alright Heidi, before we talk business, can you tell me why the vampires suddenly began assaulting the dark elves? Cause somehow the Brokers refused to tell me any detail about it."
Dov said as he sat on solid ashen rock, under a short yet wide tree with purple leaves glimmering above him. The eyes on his mask glanced at Leyna, flooding with sarcastic intent.
"Wait, the old man never told you about it? Didn't you receive a pile of papers from him?" The lady stared back confusedly.
"He said the vampires were attacking because the last dark elves Tribal Chief had died," Dov replied. "We all know monsters like to wreak havoc on the members of the nine nations, but they're not conquest-hungry."
"That's kinda… off the mark." The noble vampiress hoped in. "But it sure helped solidified our will to advance." Her youthful face, and body which were a bit shorter than Dov made her look the youngest among the three.
She's not.
"Ah— before we continue, can I change shape? The mist is giving quite a toll on my human body." Leyna's legs were fidgeting like crazy.
"Sure."
"Go ahead."
"Thank you." She then stood from the rock she was sitting on and began casting her spell.
[Lineage Skill]
"Shapeshift."
As a flicker of light coated her body, she turned herself into yet another fluffy snow-white feline and rested herself on Dov's lap like a tame housecat.
"Whoa, that's fun! I wanna do that too!" Heidi was jumpingly excited seeing her transform.
"Ehm!" Dov cleared his throat loudly in response.
"Sorry…" Which calmed the vampiress down. "Okay, here's my side of the story…"
It was a normal night for the vampires, where they party, make love, and take turns dealing with adventures who wanted to clear their nest. The usual stuff.
Then an unknown figure suddenly arrived. He was dressed and appeared as a vampire, but everyone there knew he was indeed not one of their kin.
He came to visit the vampire elders—a pair of husband and wife, the first of all vampires, and parents to them all. These old and powerful rulers got intrigued by his arrival, cause they indeed know how strong that figure was, yet he carried no intent for even a sip of violence.
The figure brought them a message, which told them about the existence of the Pretender. He told them that the dark elves were part of their cause and were planning for mankind's extinction as they speak.
The elders went furious after hearing it, slamming a pool of blood before their throne. The war between humans and dragons was already tolling them worst enough, they can't handle any more loss of those cold-hearted beings.
Vampires have a good impression of humans since their maidens created fertile and intelligent vampiresses, which will give birth to the highest quality vampires.
Not to mention, their blood is very rich and delicious. Having them extinct will surely affect their bloodline later on, and so their satisfaction.
The unknown figure suggested that the vampires should harass the Shrine of Consciousness, to alter the dark elves' attention toward them, so they can forget about their plan to attack the humans.
Even with how much they wanted humanity to survive, both elders were skeptical of this proposition. Having battles outside their nest will threaten their kin's immortality. Not to mention, they are highly outnumbered.
Fortunately however, the figure was able to convince them. Saying the dark elves are a weak race that fell victim to the war of the three necromancers. They have no Protectors, and most of their adventurers were traveling the continent. Not to mention, their late Tribal Chief is dead.
Messing with them will be an easy job. So after a couple of negotiations, the elders agreed to fulfill his wish.
Now with their mind fully made up, the elders sent out their male children to travel across Lustmist to find ripe maidens to strengthen their army to fight against the dark elves. Though they'll probably only use these poor ladies as expendables.
And that is the end of Heidi's story. Then right after, Dov shared enough of his story for the vampiress to grab the situation. Mostly about why he's here in the first place.
"Whoa! We have the same goal!" Heidi shouted. "I can't believe this… I'm- I'm working with adventurers! This is so cool!" Her big red eyes sparkled with excitement.
Meanwhile, Dov and Leyna glanced at each other, fully aware of who that figure in her story was.
"So… what do you want us to do?" Asked the vampiress now that she know their intention.
"Tomorrow night, my apprentice and I will execute our mission to end the Chief's life. We need your folks to escort our exit out of this province after that happened." Dov carefully explained. "The Chief is an experienced adventurer, stealth assassination is a no-go. Meaning our fight will surely grab the attention of the entire shrine."
"Is that it? An escort? How many people do you need?" Heidi didn't seem happy with her lack of involvement.
"You can decide that yourself, but make sure all of them are at least as strong as you." He answered.
"You want noble and royal vampires? Just for an escort? Well sure I guess, since this is part of the elders' order, I'm sure they'll be happy to oblige." Heidi leaned herself back a bit, thinking about who to bring for the job. "Although… since we're elites, our number is also quite limited."
"That's fine, we just need to survive till we arrived at Siren Marsh." Said Dov as he slowly petted Leyna's head.
"Okie~" She replied happily.
"Oh, by the way…"
Dov suddenly raised his hand high and snapped his fingers two times, all while gazing at the cliff on his right side. Confused by his motion, Heidi followed where his eyes went. Then from behind that towering rock, a girl appeared. It was Nneka.
"A turned vampire?" Heidi can sense her rank by the smell of her blood.
"Correct (how can you smell her rank but not virgin blood!?)." Dov retorted. "She just joined the coven last night."
"Wait… is she the one that left behind?"
"Yes. Tomorrow night, when you come to pick us up. I want you to also take her to the Bloodhound Castle Complex." Dov quickly pleased the girl to sit beside him.
When someone got turned into a vampire, it is unlikely for them to want to stay with their original race and family. The chance for them to fall in love with the vampire who bit them is always guaranteed.
Though whether they'll end up marrying their biter or not is another matter. But it is for sure that they'll become a willing servant to that biter.
"Why not now? She's already here." Heidi stared at the perfectly healthy turned vampire.
"Can't yet. If she were to be missing by the day tomorrow, people will be suspicious. It'll ruin our mission." Dov explained.
"Ahh… that makes sense."
After that, the four of them carried on chatting about a lot of things till morning comes. At some point, Celene was finally able to track and meet them, although with both of the vampires still on her tail.
Luckily Dov and Heidi managed to stall their hunger for maidens and turned them to be more civilized. But in the end, the group split as vampires hate being in the sun, not to mention the two Hunters needed to sleep for their hunt tomorrow.
*
"Oh, Hunters!" Emilohi was surprised to see three of them coming to her home while the sky was already blue. "Where have you two been? You're not sleeping outside are you?" She was cleaning her lawn from specks of magic dust flying from the Core.
"Just doing some scouting." Dov calmly replied.
"Wait… don't tell me— you two haven't slept yet, haven't you? It's bad for your health you know." She worriedly approached them.
"It's fine. We're about to do so now." Sounding tired, the two went past her to enter the house.
"Do you want me to prepare you some breakfast first?" The motherly lady quickly offered.
"That would be great."
"Don't do this often, okay? Morning sleep can turn you senile."
As the two left with their thumbs up, Emilohi carried on with her cleaning. Those purple dust sure piled up into a huge stack.
But then… during all this, a dark elf soldier suddenly came and approached her. He secretively went close to her ear and whispered words that opened her eyes full in disbelief. That elf was an elven patrol and he was there on the higher ground when Dov encountered the noble vampiress.
He saw everything, all of it. From the moment Celene lured the male vampires away, to the fight between Dov and Heidi, to the post-fight where Leyna undid her shapeshifting ability, to even where all of them talk about their plans on assassinating the Tribal Chief.
Now he told the Prioress about the danger those Hunters possessed, how they're a threat to the safety of her son.
Then as soon as the patrol left, Emilohi went back to the kitchen with her face fully blue. She still fulfilled her promise of making the Hunters breakfast, but of course, with an extra step.
[Lineage Skill]
When she finished, she called upon the Hunters about the readiness of their meal. Though she said she needed to finish her cleaning so she can't join them.
Both of them paid no mind to it and carried on with their feast. Then after having their belly filled, the two head back to the son's room with some leftovers in their hand.
"Are you gonna offer me that breakfast? Sorry, but I got a strict diet." Leyna jestingly commented when they arrived.
"No. But we got a situation." Dov lifted that food high for the lady to get a clearer view.
"The food was poisoned." Said Celene.
"Ouh…" Leyna froze for a moment. It's easy to tell that she's worried. "Are you two alright?"
"Pay no mind. Hunters have the ability to eat any food, no matter how hazardous it is." Dov assured.
"Oh yea, I forgot about that." Leyna blew out a sigh of relief.
"But this poison is a clear sign that… we're completely busted," Dov added. "I thought it was completely strange she cast a [Lineage Skill] in the kitchen, but I honestly didn't think it would be a poison… (she can even do silent cast, that's impressive)"
"What should we do now?"
"Sleep, make Emilohi believe her poison works. If someone were curious or hateful enough to enter this room, we'll pillage everything they have in store for us."