Valac winced as Tristan gripped tighter on his hair, and then shoved him on the ground and forced his arm behind his back. Tristan was now on top of him with his knee dug deep in between his shoulder blades. "So this is the reason you decided to abandon your duties Aaron? To raise this bloodsucker? Honestly, I had my suspicions that you were up to something nefarious but I never thought it would be something like this." Tristan couldn't help but let a sinister chuckle seep out as he grabbed his saber that was sitting beside him and placed it dangerously close to the back on Valac's neck. "This vampire was more important than maintaining your honor? Do you realize the controversaries that will no doubt arise after I reveal your treason to the Empress?" He said as he started to press the tip of his blade into Valac's neck, which caused him to scream out in pain as Tristan drew blood.
The aura in the room started to get colder as Valac's demonic aura began to reveal itself due to his high levels of stress. He couldn't believe that this was happening to him right now. It was all so sudden. Everything was going just fine, and not to mention he finally remotivated himself and his desire to become a hunter after the tragic death of his first love. And now his idol was holding him down and threatening to kill him! Just why the hell did everything go wrong so quickly?! "I am not a vampire! You hear me?! So stop calling me that! You're really starting to piss me off! I don't care who you are, but if you keep running that mouth of yours I'm going to make you eat your words!" Said Valac between gritted teeth as he forced his head to the side so that he could look back and glare daggers at Tristan who only tilted his head in intrigue. The Commander smirked as he saw the rage brewing behind Valac's red, monstrous gaze. "You look like a vampire to me. There's an evil air about you. And those eyes… I admit, I've never seen anything like them. But what I can say is that they're definitely a sign that you're not human. If you're not a vampire, then what should I call you?" Tristan said mockingly.
"I'm! I'm a…" But just as soon as Valac started, he stopped. What was he supposed to call himself exactly? It was true that his origins were that of a vampire, but it wasn't like he was raised to be like one. After he made it into the loving care of Father Pierce, he grew up as a regular human child. He only found out recently about what he used to be and it's not like he could remember his past. He had no memories of his mother or father or the place he was born in. All he knew was the church and the humans he grew to care for. His newfound powers were also something that he didn't know he had until very recently, and he couldn't even control them. In his heart and his mind, he was definitely a human. But his body would say otherwise. "If you can't answer that simple question then I have no choice but to accept that I'm right. I don't care what you think you are, all I know is that I can recognize a monster when I see one. The minute you walked through that door I could sense that there was something wrong with you. I wasn't appointed as Commander for nothing."
Valac could feel his heart starting to beat faster with every word that Tristan spoke. Was it true? Could people tell from a first glance that there was something evil inside of him? Like the darkness that had been manifesting inside of him secretly was starting to taint his presence. The world started to disappear around him as his thoughts began to consume him. Was he really a monster? If it wasn't for Father Pierce sealing his powers away, what would his life be like now? Who would he have grown up to become? Would he still have been the same person he was today, or the monster that Tristan thought he was? But no, he couldn't accept that! He can't! "Shut up…" Valac said as he started to push up off the ground, despite Tristan still putting all his weight on his back. Tristan dug his blade even deeper into the back of Valac's neck but this time, Valac was unfazed by the pain. "Starting to show some resistance now? Did I upset you because you can't bare to hear the truth? That you're nothing but a monster?" As Tristan continued to press his buttons, Valac had just about enough. "I SAID SHUT UP!" He yelled out, his voice echoing with the sounds of an evil presence vibrating behind his own.
In an instant, that same purple aura erupted from Valac's body and blew everyone back as a hurricane whipped around him. Valac clutched his chest painfully as his heart continued to pound almost as if it was to the point of bursting. He couldn't see, and he couldn't hear anymore. All he could feel was the burning anger inside of him that was festering and starting to grow as Tristan's words echoed in his mind. Tristan was now pinned with his back against the wall while Valac released his unrelenting force. Even though he was in parrel, Tristan's grin only grew wider. In his long career as a hunter, he had never met a more interesting specimen as the young boy in front of him! His power seemed to be on a whole other level, and Tristan wanted to challenge that power. He had hungered for a strong opponent to appear before him, and now was his chance to prove once and for all just how much better he was than his old master. And it was also a bonus that the monster, was none other than his master's son. He was going to enjoy slaying this beast. "I knew you would show your fangs! Come! Fight me!" Tristan said as he tapped the toes of his feet on the ground, activating white glyphs that appeared underneath his feet that acted as anchors to prevent him from being blown away.
Valac continued to stare coldly at Tristan with his fierce glowing red eyes. He was no longer coherent to anything around him. All of his attention was fixated on the threat before him, and he was prepared to eliminate Tristan if he needed too. "No. You started this. So you come at me first. If you dare." Declared Valac as he gestured for Tristan to make the first move. On the sidelines, Father Pierce watched helplessly as he was about to witness a battle to the death between his son and his student, but he wasn't going to just let that happen. He had no weapon in his hand but it's not like he planned on hurting anyone if he could avoid it. While the four guards surrounding him were distracted by the oncoming fight, he took that as his opportunity to disarm one of them and made a mad dash between the two of them right when Tristan bolted with his saber directed at Valac. "Enough! Both of you, knock it off you knuckleheads!" Father Pierce with one hand pushed Valac out of the way, and with a sword in his other hand deflected Tristan's blade by parrying. Tristan scoffed as he pressed his blade tight against Father Pierce's. "How annoying. Look how the mighty have fallen. To think that I would witness the warmonger himself defend a vampire. It's disgusting. Move if you know what's good for you."
"Sorry but I can't let that happen. Tristan, I call forth the right to a trial for my son." After hearing such an interesting proposal, Tristan brought his saber to his side as he placed a hand on his hip. "A trial? Now why would I allow that?" Father Pierce didn't let his guard down as he still raised the sword he took from the guard defensively between them. "Because we have a process for these kinds of things. My son is a student at Paradiso Academy. Although he is not a certified hunter, he is still a member of the organization. And it is his right to ask for a trial in front of the high council before he is subjugated to execution. Or did you forget our laws after you became the Commander and succumbed to the titles sweet temptations?" Father Pierce stated matter of factly. Tristan smirked, taken in by his master's bait. "Ah, I see. I will allow that then. I'll entertain the idea but don't think it will save your son. You are just delaying the inevitable; there is no way in hell that the high council will spare your son after I report what his true nature is like. But I will take much pleasure in watching you make a farce of yourself." Tristan holstered his sword as he turned his attention to his subordinates. "You four, cuff them. They are now officially being arrested by the imperial forces."
Even though his father stepped in, Valac was anything but calm right now. He felt a low basing growl escape from the back of his throat as he stood behind his father. "You can't be serious right now. Are you out of your mind? How can you just offer us up like that without even putting up a fight-" SMACK! Valac looked dumbfounded as he held a hand up to his pulsating cheek after his father back handed him in the face. "You've don't enough Valac. Do you understand the situation you're in right now?! If I hadn't done what I just did, Tristan would have killed you. You have a nasty habit of relying on that dark power of yours when things aren't going your way. I've never been one to discipline you and that's my fault. But you are completely out of line right now. You got mad that he called you a monster, so then why are you proving him right?" Father Pierce said as he loomed over his son and sighed as he removed the gloves he normally wore on his hands which hid the many tattoos that laced his fingers.
He balled his hand up in a fist and pulled it back as the tattoos started to glow in a holy light. "Sealing technique, level one… BIND!" He yelled out as he delivered his fist in a powerful punch straight into Valac's stomach who's eyes grew wide as he felt the divine energy flow into his body and he shrieked before his eyes reverted back to their warm brown color and he collapsed in his father's arms. Father Pierce propped Valac on his shoulder as he wiped his sweaty brow with his free arm. He had wished that he would never have to use that technique on Valac, but it was unavoidable at this point. Using that spell always took a lot out of him, and he was already feeling tired only after using its basic incantation. But the seal was already weakened, and it can't continue to suffer anymore abuse from Valac's rage if he wanted the seal to stay intact. This was the only solution he could think of to put the situation at ease. "There's no need to cuff him. That spell will have him knocked out for maybe a day or two." Tristan held a hand up to his mouth to hide his delighted smile. Things just kept becoming more interesting. "A sealing technique? That is some ancient and powerful magic right there. It was said that magic like that was only accessible through the imperial family. Where you learned how to cast it is anyone's guess, but now I'm interested in that boy more than ever."
With his playful silver eyes, he stared at the comatose form of Valac who was still being held by Father Pierce. He looked so much more peaceful now than he did moments before. It was honestly a very shocking display. The image of Valac's unique red cat like eyes will forever be engrained in his brain. He had faced countless vampires. From second-borns, ghouls and nobles. But none of them exerted the force that Valac had just did. The child didn't even need to do anything except release his pressure for the Commander to become swept off of his feet. It was truly frightening, but also a wonderous sight to behold! To think that this resting child could conduct such destructive power. Tristan had no idea where he came from, but he was a vampire like no other he's faced before. He was never known to be fond of puzzles or mysteries. But Tristan could tell that this boy was apart of a much bigger picture that even he wasn't aware of. Nothing mattered more than the Commander than power, and if he could discover the truth about his origins than maybe, just maybe, he could obtain power like this one day. But that's only if Valac was able to survive the upcoming trial that is.
"I wonder where you discovered a creature like him, truly color me impressed! I think I'm starting to understand why you kept him hidden for so long! People might start to get wicked ideas if they found out about the power he possessed." Tristan stated as he started to clap his hands together but was only met by the fierce gaze of Father Pierce. He knew what his pupil was eluding too, but he would be damned if he was going to allow his son to become a pawn of war for others. "I have my own reasons for hiding him away. But that's not something you deserve to hear. Even if I have to die to keep my secrets, I will if it means that Valac will be safe. Now, are we going to the capital or not?" He said with venom dripping off the tip of his tongue; his tone was unbefitting for a priest but right now that didn't matter. Right now, he was just a protective father with the attitude to back it up. "I suppose there isn't any reason to draw this out any longer. I won't put you in restraints as we leave this place. I do have some redeeming qualities about myself. I can't allow the people you cater too to watch as their holy figure leave in handcuffs. That would just be cruel now wouldn't it?" Tristan said with a misleading kind smile, but there were definitely ill intentions behind his mask.
Father Pierce mustered what strength he could after the sealing spell drained him of his energy and he carried his son in both arms as he allowed himself to be escorted off the premises with Tristan leading the way. As they exited the building and made their way through the main courtyard, the orphans who were playing and the nuns that accompanied them pointed and whispered as they watched both Father Pierce and Valac being taken away as if they were some sort of criminals. The nun watching the children ran over to learn more about the situation, but when she got too close one of the guards pointed their sword threateningly at her basically saying that if she approached more, they would not hesitate to kill her if she planned to intervene with their affairs. "Father Pierce! Where are you going?" The nun said as she clutched tightly to the bible she held to her chest. The priest smiled at her warmly to try and deter any of her worries, but there was no lying about this situation. "Me and Valac might be gone for a long time. Call the deacon to take my place, I am not sure when I will return. But I will do everything I can to make it back to my family, understood?"
Father Pierce grimaced when he felt the tip of a blade press into his back. "Move it prisoner. We never gave you permission to stop and chat." Father Pierce sighed irritably but he didn't allow the smile on his face to falter. After all, his family was watching them. He didn't want to give them any more reason to worry. But this was going to be his final goodbye. No doubt that after they make it for the Capital, he would be charged with treason and who knows if he was going to ever see these faces or this place again. "We are going to be just fine. Tell everyone of our absence, and please, stay safe." The guard behind him pushed him forward to make him continue walking and soon enough Father Pierce and Valac were out of the safety of their small confines that was the monastery. It would be some time before either of them was to see this place again, but before they could even think about returning, they had to focus on their survival most of all. Father Pierce hoped that when Valac awakened after the spell starts to wear off, that he could forgive his old man. Maybe Valac was right. He should have been honest with his son from the start instead of trying to keep all of these secrets from him. If he had, maybe all of this could have been avoided. But once he makes a promise, Father Pierce never breaks it. And he was sworn to hide all of this from Valac, he couldn't reveal anything until the time was right. If only he could explain the true situation to his son.
Valac once again found himself in that cold and desolate place that was within his mind. As he laid unconscious ground he felt something annoyingly poking him on his cheek as he struggled to open his eyes. "Hey. Are you every going to get up, sleepy head?" Valac grumbled on instinct and went to slap the hand away but was grabbed around his wrist which made his eyes bolt open and he woke up startled. Kneeling next to him was Sparrow who still wore nothing except the cloak that draped around her body, but unlike last time she had a chain that wrapped around her ankle that stretched off into the endless darkness. "Good morning." She said with a delicate expression, but despite her beauty in that moment, Valac glared at her as he rubbed the back of his neck. "If I'm back here again then that means I'm asleep, right? So what are you still doing here? I thought you would have disappeared from my system by now." Sparrow shook her head as she stood up and pulled her cloak up slightly as she extended her foot forward to show him her new chain.
"I can't disappear. This was unprecedented, but the small fragment of my soul has acclimated to you. The sealing spell that has been placed on you has absorbed the little remanence of my energy and my signature is now apart of your seal. I will continue to linger as apart of you until the seal dissipates I'm afraid." Valac grumbled as he stood up and swiveled his head back and forth to see if anything new has appeared since the last time he visited this mind scape, but there was nothing but darkness for miles on end. "Is there a reason I'm here?" He asked her as he placed his hands behind his head. But Sparrow couldn't stop staring at him as a blush spread across her cheeks, which only started to make him feel irritated. "What are you gawking at?" He said with a vein popping out on his forehead which made Sparrow clear her throat. "My apologies. You just look so different from the last time we spoke. Can you blame a young girl for being interested in a handsome man?" Valad clicked his tongue as he glared at her. She was the last person he wanted viewing him in that type of way. She was the whole reason his life was flipped upside down to begin with!
"You're the last person I want looking at me like that. Don't take this the wrong way. But I hate your guts. You ruined my life." He said as he glared intensely at her, but she only responded by giving him a soft smile back, a deep sadness reflected in her delicate expression. "I don't blame you for feeling like that. But it's not like I wanted to do that to you. I had been suffering for so long that when I was offered a deal that would ensure sweet release, how could I have refused? I was just a pawn to a greater being, just like how you are being used right now." The darkness around them started to contort as the shadows started to twist and take the shape of a new environment. Another memory manifesting no doubt. "Since I'm now stuck in your body, I've basically become an extension of your being and I've seen your tragic past. Your memories are locked away, but I've seen everything. By this point, I know more about you than even you do."
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you probing around inside my mind. Isn't that like an invasion of privacy?" He said as he crossed his arms and looked at her disgustingly. "Anyways, if you know so much about me then please, enlighten me. Tell me what my father won't. I need to know just who the hell I am!" He said as he walked closer to her and grabbed her roughly by the cloak. But Sparrow just sadly smiled at him as she averted her gaze. "Sorry, but my lips are sealed. After watching your memories, I understand why your father must keep these secrets from you. But what I can do is offer you another glimpse into the past. Maybe then you'll find the closure that you seek." Valac took a step back as the darkness started to turn into a bright shimmering light that started to blind him. He no longer felt the cold touching his skin, but a new sensation took over his being. One he hadn't felt in a long time, but he couldn't remember where he had felt this kind of warmth before. But it was comforting to him and he didn't want the feeling to ever go away.
After the blinding light subsided, Valac was alone again and Sparrow was nowhere to be seen. And instead of being in that black nothingness, he was in the middle of an extravagant rose garden underneath a pavilion. He didn't recognize the area like he did during his last memory, but he felt relaxed in this place. Although he had no actual recollection of the place he now found himself in, he could tell that this garden much have been a location of great importance for him during his youth. "Where am I now? Huh?" He asked inquisitively when he heard a nearby rose bush rustle about along with the sound of a child giggling. He walked over to get a little closer, and behind the bush was the same silver haired vampire he had seen in his last memory trip. It was him at a young age. Valac still couldn't believe that this little boy actually used to be him. They looked almost like two separate people, and even though he was looking at the version of his younger self, he might as well have been staring at a stranger.
The young Valac continued to giggle but placed a hand over his mouth to halt his laughter when they both heard the delicate and soft footsteps of someone approaching. Valac looked up and in the near distance, he saw a beautiful woman wearing a fancy gown straight from a different era. She wore a dress that was the color sky blue with white floral decals and lace, with a black ribbon wrapped around her neck. When Valac tried to look at her face, he couldn't make out her facial features at all as her face was covered in a shadow that obstructed his view. But her most striking feature about her was her scarlet red hair that was the color of ripe strawberries. Her hair was so long that it easily fell to her waist. The woman stopped right in front of the rose bush that little Valac was hiding behind and she placed a finger on her chin as she began to hum. "Where oh where has my little bat gone? Oh well, I guess he isn't here. Perhaps I shall look elsewhere. But if he stays hidden any longer than he's going to miss out on snack time. I'm just going to have to eat all of his favorite cookies all by myself-"
As if on que, little Valac sprung up from his hiding space and rushed over to the beautiful woman by jumping on her and she instinctively opened her arms to wrap around him as she embraced him in a love filled hug. "Don't even joke about that mother! That's so cruel of you to even say something like that! I'm sorry I was too good at hiding! I just can't help it!" Little Valac said as he nuzzled his face into his mother's bosom and then looked up at her with an adorable pouty expression. Valac's mouth fell open as he stared at the woman in utter shock. This was his mother?! He had always tried to imagine what his mother might have looked like, but the woman before him far exceeded his expectations even if he still couldn't see her face. His mother chuckled as she rubbed his head affectionately. "Well now that I found you, let's go in and take a break. My adorable little bat…" She said as she knelt down to his eye level and wiped away the tears that started to pinprick in the corners of his eyes. "I love you mother!" Little Valac exclaimed proudly as he squeezed his mother even tighter. "And I love you too my little bat. Always."
Valac felt his eyes start to get hot as tears began to form in his eyes and flow down his cheeks like waterfalls. So this was the reason he started to feel all warm. It was because his body was starting to remember the warmth of his mother who he cared about so deeply, but yet he had no recollection of her which only made him feel deeply saddened because now that he knew of his mother, he didn't want her to fade away again. And just like last time when the memory began to end, the world started to shatter as the earth quaked beneath his feet and the environment around him began to fracture and crack like glass. "No! Wait! Stop! I'm not ready! Please don't go away yet! MOTHER!" He said as he started to run towards her desperate for her touch. But before he could reach her, the ground underneath him had totally broken and he started falling back into that black nothingness as he had no choice but to watch that wonderful memory fade away without any control. He wanted to stay so badly. Valac knew it was nothing but a dream, but the love he felt couldn't have been any more real.
Valac felt something heavy wrapping around his ankles and wrists and his body was enveloped in a cold splash as the person looming over him had thrown a bucket of ice cold water over him, forcing him to waking up in an unpleasant matter. He sat up abruptly as he gasped for air after the cold water sent his senses spiraling while he tried to collect his bearings. "Good to see you back with the living, you filthy blood sucker. You've been asleep for an entire two days. But we've finally made it back to the capital where you are now going to face your judgement!" Said Tritan who kicked him in the side, causing Valac to once again gasp for breath as the air was knocked out of his lungs. When his senses started to come back to him completely, he looked around and found himself sitting in the middle of a large room which looked like a court room. The walls and floor were covered in marble and gold and above him was a skylight with a large stained glass window that illuminated a rainbow over everyone and everything beneath its dazzling display. In front of him sat seven hooded figures wearing church garb and large hoods that obstructed their faces, but they all sat atop a large podium as they stared down at Valac with an authoritative presence. "We are the high council of the imperial court. We seven were originally the queens and kings of the seven kingdoms before Emperor Cain united our nations underneath the Rosen Empire fifty plus years ago. But now we serve as the blade of judgment for divine punishment in the name of the true royal family!" Boasted the eldest man of the council who sat in the dead center of the podium. "First Commander Tristan Vox, please state the name of the defendant and the crimes he is being accused of!" He said as he slammed his gavel down.
Tristan stood in front of Valac on center stage who currently had his arms and legs bound by thick metal shackles. "Thank you your holiness's for seeing us today! The defendant's name is Valac Pierce, the only adopted son of my predecessor Aaron Pierce! I have brought him here today under the suspicions of being a vampire! Though he denies it and claims that he is still a human, I have witnessed irrefutable proof that disproves his innocence!" The council start mumbling amongst themselves as they started to deliberate amongst themselves. The only female on the council then stood up before she addressed Tristan. "We hear and understand the charges. However, we need physical evidence that support your claims that this man before us is actually a vampire or not. We find these claims suspicious as this holy hall has a very strong barrier to protect us from dark forces, but this child stands in our presence unaffected by the divine energy that is in abundance here. You claim that he is a vampire, but if that were the case then he would already have burst into flames by now just for standing before us."
Tristan smirked as he withdrew the bottle of holy water from his sleeve again and uncorked the cap. "That won't be a problem. It is true that he might have a human nature, but don't let his appearance fool you my lieges! There is a darkness lingering behind his façade as I will display before you now." Tristan turned around to face the helpless Valac who gulped in anticipation for the pain he knew he was about to experience. Without hesitation, Tristan splashed a good amount of the holy water on Valac's skin. And just like before, as soon as the holy water made contact with Valac's skin, he felt that sudden and intense pain as electricity shot through his entire system. Valac screamed out in pain as the electricity continued to shock him and he hunched over in pain as he tried his hardest to contain his dark energy. The council started whispering even louder amongst themselves after witnessing him being affected by the holy water, but all hell started to break loose the minute that they saw Valac's unique demonic eyes. "How grotesque! I have never seen something so horrifying in my life!" Screamed the eldest, who slammed his hands down on the table in front of him. Valac gritted his teeth as he clutched his fists so tight that his nails began to dig into his palms and make them drip with blood.
"Unsightly, isn't it? As I've said before, this child is an agent of darkness! Although he is able to hide his true nature, he is still suspectable to the divine powers of god." Tristan said as he pointed an accusatory finger towards Valac. Valac stood up with his bangs covering his eyes, but his defiance only granted him a greater audience as guards started spilling in from the exits to secure that he wasn't going to try and do anything nefarious to the high council or to their Commander. "You've got it all wrong, man… I am NOT a vampire! I don't know how more clear I need to be for you all to get it through your thick skulls!" On instinct, his demonic energy started to seep out from his body albeit on a much smaller scale than previously. He glared up at the high council with his head held high, refusing to back down and allow them to belittle him any further. "As the defendant I have the right to defend myself, no? I won't lie… Yes. I was born a vampire. But I only found this out recently myself. But I grew up as a human like all of you! I have no intentions of killing a human, not ever! I don't crave blood and my hatred for vampires burns brighter than any star! So don't you dare go talking down on me like that! None of you know me for who I am!"
Tristan hunched forward as a chuckle erupted from the back of his throat. "You really think any of that matters? You say you don't have the desire to harm humans now, but that doesn't mean you won't manifest that desire later on." Valac took in a deep breath as he allowed himself to calm down; the advice his father had given him before their separation started to speak out to him. His father was right, he did rely on this dark power within him too often, but he couldn't help that. He knew that showing this side of himself would only bring him faster towards his downfall. Valac could hear the sporadic heartbeats of the council as they felt the torrent of his vampiric aura. He was well aware of how frightened they were of him, but his father had also said that this power was a blessing in disguise and made him who he was. He was neither darkness, nor light. He was both. Maybe he could use this as a way to win over the hearts of the council if he played his cards right. He had a lot to offer the organization if he could only prove himself, all he needed was a chance. "I know who I am. I am the son of the great Aaron Pierce. He raised me to love humanity. He gave me a life of happiness and a life full of opportunity to prove to others that I am more than just my heritage!"
Valac's eyes started to glow with a red luster as he easily snapped the thick metal chains that bound his arms and feet. "Tristan! Stop him! That is an order!" Screamed the leader of the council as they started to huddle together in fear. Valac started menacingly walking towards Tristan who only smiled at him without a care in the world as he withdrew his saber from its scabbard. "You're either incredibly bold or a total idiot to act like this when your life is on the line." The two were now facing each other, the room falling into silence as the audience anticipated the blood brawl. "Call me what you want, but I plan to prove my point. My father stopped us last time, but he's not here this time. Let's pick up where we left off!" Tristan's grin only widened as his eyes took on that crazed look of delight. "My pleasure!" Tristan held his saber in his hands as he drew his skin across the blade, allowing it to cut his palm. The blade started to absorb his blood and the silver metal took on a red hue which amplified the cutting power of his sword. He then bolted forward with lighting fast reflexes which were undetectable to the regular human eye, but to Valac he might as well have been crawling on his hands and knees as he could see everything.
Valac side stepped to the left as Tristan lunged his blade forward aiming for a jab to the gut. Valac continued dodging as if it was nothing which started to irritate Tristan heavily. "Is that all you can do?! My master truly must be weak now if all he could do was teach his son how to dodge!" He took on an offensive stance with his blade pointed straight out in front of him. Tristan recited an incantation underneath his breath and those same white glyphs appeared below his feet, which not only acted as an antigravitational buff that allowed him to stick to all surfaces, but also as a buff to increase his speed. "You're a cocky little bastard, but don't think I'm going to go easy on you just because you're a kid. Special attack; lightning fast consecutive striped strikes! TIGER DANCE!" Tristan's blade started to glow in a blazing red light that swirled with a black swirl around his blade as he started moving even faster than he did before. He started walking in a pattern almost as if he was dancing to a beat only he could hear, and his moves were unpredictable even with Valac's advanced eyesight. Valac raised his arms in front of him to block Tristan's quick strikes which painfully dug into his forearms and lower midsection as the Commander left precise attacks that riddled Valac's body with holes that gushed with blood.
Valac fell to his knees as he clutched his wounds that still flowed with his blood which began to pool on the ground. Tristan stood in front of him and wiped his blade on his sleeve to clean his sword of Valac's blood. "That was incredibly pathetic to watch. Back at that shabby church I found you at in Byron, you exerted a much greater force than you are expressing now. Why the hell are you holding back? Are you holding back because you think I'm not worth the effort, or perhaps because you don't want to show the council just how dark your soul is?" Tristan said as he walked closer and knelt down so that he was at eye level with Valac who stared at the ground as he clutched his wounds. "Are you not going to answer? No matter, I've been ordered by the high council to eliminate you so I don't have to hesitate anymore. Goodbye, vermin. I'll make sure to tell your dad that you passed away peacefully." Tristan said as he raised his saber high in the air, ready to plunge it down into the back of Valac's head. But what Tristan had just said rubbed Valac the wrong way. He wasn't holding back because he was scared. He was holding back because he wanted to prove to himself and to them that he had restraint.
It was purely his decision when he went all out or not. He was not some mindless beast like they thought he was. This was exactly the opportunity he needed to prove that he was more than just some blood sucking monster. With his eyes closed, the world once again started to slow down and when Tristan began to plunge his blade downwards, Valac could hear it as it started to cut through the wind. With the saber only being mere centimeters away from the back of his head, Valac timed his counterattack perfectly as he barrel rolled to his side and dodged the strike. His eyes were still closed and he could hear when Tristan redirected his strike to go for a second attack on Valac's new position, but he easily reached up and stopped Tristan's arm by grabbing him around the wrist, halting the attack. "Hey! Let go you bastard!" Tristan yelled out desperately as he struggled to gain control of his arm, but Valac refused to let go. With their positions in his favor, Valac descended his elbow in the back of Tristan's neck while simultaneously kneeing in him in his stomach which successfully rendered him unconscious. "How dare you do that to the Commander, you filthy vampire! What do you plan on doing next, drink his blood; you disgusting creature?!" Valac sighed as he placed his foot in the lower crook of Tristan's back. When he reopened his eyes, Valac's eyes were now back to their regular honey brown color. "No. This was the point I wanted to prove. I easily just dispatched of your top soldier, but I am NOT going to kill him. I submit." He said as he knelt down with his arm crossed over his heart, saluting his allegiance towards the council. "You all think of me as some monster, and who can blame you? Just look at me… I'm not some fool. But I can prove to you all that I have restraint. He is still alive and breathing, and as I've stated before I have no urge to drink his blood. Because I am still very much a human! If you want more proof, then ask my father! He knows more than I do!"
The council retook their seats as they started whispering amongst themselves as they tried to deliberate the best course of action. The idea of having such a strong ally was not off pleasing to them in the slightest, but it would go against all of their morals if they relied on the powers of a vampire who was their sworn enemy. "We understand your point Mister Valac. But still, this would be completely unacceptable. So we have no choice. Under the name of our dear Empress, we sentence you to death-" The large double doors swung open which created a loud abrupt booming sound that vibrated throughout the hallow hall. Everyone turned their attention towards the door, and the one and only Empress herself walked in which surprised everyone. "Hmmm. No. Don't answer on my behalf." The Empress was a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties from the looks of it. She wore a busty looking golden dress with a tight corset that extenuated her breasts, and a large hoop skirt that made her gown puff out like the petals of a booming flower in spring.
Valac couldn't take his eyes off of her, especially when she walked over to him and placed his hands in her own. Her skin was pale and her eyes were a unique color which was a light lavender color that he had never seen any human have before. "Hmmm, his hands feel so warm. If he was a vampire, then why does he feel like he's so filled with life?" She said as she smiled gently down upon him. Valac didn't know why, but looking at her face made him feel that same sense of peace that he had when he thought about his mother. She was so close to him that he could distinctly smell the delicious aroma of roses that stained her long, red hair. Without even realizing it, his eyes started to pool with tears as they streamed down his face as he was completely taken aback by her gorgeous appearance one would describe as heavenly. Upon seeing his tears, she couldn't help but giggle as she brushed his tears away and the sudden contact brought him back to reality as he gasped. "You're definitely not a monster. Because monster's don't cry, now do they?" She said as she started to rub his head which he eagerly nuzzled into. He didn't know why, but this woman made him feel a sense of happiness that he was otherwise unadjusted too.
"I pardon him of all his charges! I like you Valac, I want to see just how much you will accomplish." The council started to uproar in detest by the sudden verdict of their beloved Empress whom they weren't even aware was listening in on the trial this whole time. "You can't be serious your highness?! You really intend to let this monster go on living?! Just look what he did to Sir Vox! He is a threat!" The Empress stood up and walked over to stand before the council with a stern look across her delicate lilac gaze. "My word is final. And it's not like I plan on letting him off free. I impose a deal, if he is willing to accept. It would be a waste for us to deny the assistance of a strong ally such as him. I understand how dangerous of a threat he might be, but that's why I plan on assigning him a guardian to watch him. I will give him four years until he finishes his schooling at Paradiso Academy. If he does prove to be a threat to humanity then I will personally see to his execution. But I trust that Valac is an ally towards our cause. Do you agree to these terms Mister Pierce?" The Empress said as she turned towards him again. Valac smiled a toothy grin as he started to laugh. "Yes, your majesty. I accept your terms." This was all he needed. And now, his path as a hunter in training was truly going to start.