The sheer power displayed by the Master and the Lady was overwhelming—a clear testament that they existed on an entirely different level. As vampires, their abilities were amplified beyond human limits, earning them the title of "superhuman." However, this power came with a strict hierarchy that demanded complete loyalty to their masters. A notable drawback of becoming a vampire was the loss of access to magic, a limitation shared by all—except, it seemed, for the Master and the Lady. Perhaps their abilities were tied to their rank. Eleanor couldn't help but wonder if she might one day regain her magic.
The consequences of the clashing Queens were devastating. Although Eleanor had been unable to follow the lightning-fast movements of both combatants, the aftermath painted a clear picture of the duel. The Master undoubtedly had superior combat abilities, honed through experience that came with her two decades of existence. By contrast, the Lady, at only eleven, possessed a terrifying arsenal of magic coupled with an enormous mana capacity. Eleanor shuddered at the thought of the Lady's raw potential—a child who could annihilate thousands if she wished, with intelligence far beyond her years. It was unfathomable how such monstrous power resided in someone so deceptively adorable.
The battle began at a fast tempo, the initial ground deformations hinting at the ferocity of their duel. It escalated quickly into a frenzy of destruction. Eleanor and the others were positioned approximately 10 kilometers away on a hill, yet the waves of destructive energy washed over them like storms. A massive mana tempest gathered around the Lady, who appeared to float midair. Lightning formed around her, winds howled, and the earth trembled beneath her power. The sky turned a surreal shade of violet as magic ripped through the atmosphere, shattering clouds and distorting light. Eleanor remained perplexed: how could a child wield such immense energy?
In the duel's climax, two forces clashed—tangible and visible across the horizon. A bolt of lightning, crackling and brilliant, struck the Master, while a shadowy force, darker than midnight, tore through the Lady's defenses simultaneously. For a fleeting moment, Eleanor could see both combatants silhouetted in the aftermath: the Master, unyielding and radiant with a soldier's ferocity, and the Lady, suspended in a red mist that expanded violently, forming a pulse that flung them apart. Even at such a distance, Eleanor and the others felt the repelling force, its waves knocking them off balance.
The aftermath was harrowing. The ground was pocked with enormous craters, some of them deep enough to vanish into darkness. Trees—once ancient and proud—were charred husks, reduced to twisted silhouettes. A rainstorm followed as if nature herself wept for the destruction, extinguishing smoldering embers but failing to wash away the sense of dread. The five of them began the arduous task of searching for the Master and the Lady. After five days of tireless effort, they located the Lady, buried beneath rubble. It was sheer luck they found her, as their vampiric powers had been acting erratically since the battle. The Lady had sustained a severe head injury but, despite the absence of blood to aid her healing, her body was already recovering. She remained unconscious, and they carried her back to the mansion, resolving to search for the Master later. Most of them assumed the Master would be fine.
That night, the Lady woke up. She seemed disoriented, as if she did not recognize anyone, and she spoke not a single word. Her body was unusually fragile. By morning, their vampiric powers continued to flicker, but this oddity allowed them to carry her swiftly to Carmine Village, taking turns as they traveled at vampiric speed. By evening, they finally arrived, only to discover another disaster had unfolded in their absence.
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Time stretched endlessly in this strange place, but Rae had learned much during her stay. She had uncovered the truth about Lucy, the vampire progenitor—a figure both revered and reviled throughout history. Contrary to the monstrous image painted of her, Lucy was not inherently cruel. Ruthless, yes, especially toward her enemies, but not without reason. Her cruelty stemmed from necessity, born of a fear that mercy would invite betrayal and suffering for her people. Beneath her cold exterior, Lucy loved her kind deeply and devoted herself to protecting them, even at great personal cost.
Lucy's rise to power began with a fateful contract forged with the Dark Fairy Queen, one of the most powerful beings in existence. The pact granted Lucy immense power, exponentially increasing her strength and influence, but it came at a terrible cost: fear. Her newfound power inspired awe among her people, but it also terrified them. Isolated by their fear and reverence, Lucy lived a life of loneliness, her heart burdened by the very magic she had wielded to protect them.
Her solitude drove her to pour her anguish into building a stronger nation for her people, but the toll it took on her was immense. In private, she often broke down, venting her pain to no one but herself. Occasionally, Lucy visited the Dark Fairy Queen, the only being she could call a confidant. The Queen seemed to relish these visits, feeding off the negative emotions Lucy brought with her. Sensing Lucy's growing frustration, the Queen once offered her a way out—freedom from her dark magic and a chance at a normal, happy life. But Lucy refused. She knew that abandoning her power would leave her people vulnerable once more, subject to the oppression they had only recently escaped.
Ironically, the Dark Fairy Queen, the source of Lucy's isolation, was also her only companion. During one of their conversations, Lucy asked the Queen if her death would mean the end of dark magic for her people. The Queen explained that dark magic would persist, but the extent of its use depended on the nature of the contract. Their current pact was only partial, allowing access to a limited spectrum of dark magic. A complete contract, however, would unlock the full power of dark magic—but it required a perfect union of a soul and a spirit. Such a bond, the Queen explained, was nearly impossible to achieve. Only the death of the bonded individual could solidify the connection, allowing the two to transcend into a higher race. Though this had never been accomplished before, the Queen was certain that Lucy's death would complete their bond, as she had already fulfilled the conditions.
The power Lucy gained from the temporary bond made her the most powerful being among the four races. However, the bond carried an unintended consequence: she could no longer bear children. This loss weighed on her, though she concealed her pain from others.
One fateful day, Lucy nearly abandoned her path of solitude. Consumed by rage over a perceived betrayal, she marched to the camp of the Elven King, Eren—her first love—determined to end his life. Her heart burned with anger, but as she stood in his tent, weapon poised, old feelings surged to the surface. Tears welled in her eyes as she confronted him.
"Why did you betray me?" she demanded, her voice trembling. "I loved you so dearly. I… I still do."
Eren's expression softened, though pain lingered in his eyes. "I never betrayed you," he said. "You're the one who betrayed me when you killed my father and brothers."
"That was after you tried to take my life!" Lucy shot back.
"When did I ever attempt such a thing?" Eren asked, confused. "You disappeared without a word. I thought you no longer loved me. Then I heard you were revolting against the elven king—and you… you killed my father."
Lucy froze, realization dawning on her. "I… I thought you sent your men to kill me. The night we were supposed to meet, I was ambushed."
Eren's voice softened. "It was a misunderstanding… a cruel twist of fate. I never stopped loving you, Lucy. Even now, despite everything, I still do."
Overcome by their emotions, the two gave in to their long-buried feelings. In the dead of night, they shared a fleeting moment of passion. But their reunion was short-lived.
As Lucy slept, Eren rose from the bed, a dagger trembling in his hand. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled with what he was about to do. A celestial being appeared before him, its presence commanding.
"Kill her now," the celestial urged. "Her love for you has weakened her. She is no longer immortal."
Eren hesitated, the dagger shaking in his grip. "I can't," he whispered. "I still love her."
Lucy stirred awake, sensing the celestial's presence. Realizing what was happening, she tried to draw on her dark magic but found it gone. Her vulnerability left her powerless to defend herself. The celestial began casting a complex light magic spell, its energy aimed directly at her. In a moment of desperation, Eren threw himself in the path of the spell, sacrificing his life to save hers.
As Eren's lifeless body fell, Lucy barely escaped the camp, her heart heavy with grief. The elves, discovering their king's body, assumed Lucy had killed him. Enraged, they launched a brutal attack on the demons the next day. Thousands of demons perished in the assault, and Lucy blamed herself for their deaths. Wracked with guilt, she fled into a monster-infested forest, believing she deserved to die.
But the monsters, born of the miasma she exuded in her anguish, did not attack her. Instead, they obeyed her commands. Realizing she had gained a new power—the ability to manipulate monsters—Lucy began building an army. With their help, she reclaimed victory for the demon race.
Months later, Lucy gave birth to a child. The boy bore no resemblance to either elves or demons; instead, he looked strikingly human. Lucy, unable to bear the reminder of Eren, rejected the child entirely. She refused even to name him, leaving the task to a midwife. Cold and detached, she ordered the midwives to "get rid of him," claiming she had no need for another child. Pitying the boy, the midwives gave him to a common family to raise.
Desperate to atone for her failures, Lucy returned to the Dark Fairy Queen and accepted the complete contract. With it, the demon race regained access to the full spectrum of dark magic. But the Celestials, fearing Lucy's growing power, launched another attack. This time, three of them came to face her. Though Lucy fought valiantly, her dark magic proving formidable even against their light magic, she was ultimately overpowered. Before falling, she managed to take two of the Celestials with her.
As Lucy's body fell lifeless, the bond with the Dark Fairy Queen was finally completed. Whether it succeeded in creating the new race the Queen had spoken of, Rae still did not know.