-
Shit!
How is this happening right now?
Who is this crazy creature?
-
The woodland reverberated with the sounds of gunfire and clashing blades as the frenzied conflict waged on.
Trees that were once grand and towering collapsed beneath the weight of the battle.
The dust and the shock of each landing and leap thickened the air.
N-32 urgently tried to evade Irene, his body saturated in sweat, but her persistent pursuit showed no signs of abating.
She mocked him with a carefree smile, her eyes glittering with a trace of enjoyment.
"For a measly scius, you sure do run pretty quickly!" she called out, her words punctuated by her flight through the air.
Irene closed her eyes and began reciting unknowing phrases with her left hand placed against her brow.
Her actions seemed to draw in a peculiar energy, as small red dots swirled and were drawn towards the focal point on her forehead, guided by her finger.
Meanwhile, N-32's strength was dwindling by the second.
He could feel a mysterious force approaching him from behind, its magnetic draw becoming stronger.
He turned his sight to see the vampire girl in her strange attitude, the enigmatic energy absorbed into her brow.
''It's not normal power,'' he thought, realising the gravity of the situation.
-
It seems I am not going to get away today.
But, I need to inform the boss of this, no matter what!
An extra development can not hinder our plans no matter what.
Though how...?
Ah, I have that! Yes, I can use that! No matter how costly it is, this is the time for its usage!'
-
N-32 put his hand inside the pocket hidden within his tight black tunic, desperation clutching his every motion.
He took out a small bluish orb resembling marble out of it and held it up to his mouth.
"Code-32 E.R CALL HQ!" he yelled, his voice strained with agitation.
A response crackled through the orb after a few tense seconds, sounding like a voice broadcast through a microphone. "Received, HQ is currently occupied, please relay your emergency request."
Frustration welled up inside him. The towering energy behind him intensified, leaving him completely helpless.
'Is this guy serious?' he seethed in his mind. 'I used a damn orb, and I even referenced the E.R!'
Infuriated, he yelled back at the other person, "Idiot! Get the call to the freaking boss!"
"Please hold on for a moment," said the speaker quietly.
N-32 clenched his teeth, knowing there was nothing he could do but wait for the call to reach headquarters.
His own boundaries were being tested, matching the rising energies closing in on him.
N-32 felt a sigh of relief as a frightened and gruff voice came over the orb.
He hurriedly replied, his voice trembling, "The Colossal Minotaur is dead! Someone killed it. N-30 is engaged in a life-or-death battle!"
"What the hell are you on about? Are you okay?" the concerned voice inquired.
"I'm not! As soon as possible, send reinforcements to the forest!" N-32 pleaded.
"A squad will be dispatched shortly. If you can, find a hiding spot."
"Le vide du pécheur!" a terrifying voice echoed from behind.
"Shit...V-Vampires...Argh!" N-32 struggled to convey his critical information, but the communication abruptly cut off, leaving him helpless.
The orb shattered as it fell.
Thin red nylon strings sprang out of nowhere and began to stretch and weave through the air.
Irene stood boldly in the middle of the sky, a nasty grin on her face, her eyes flashing with an unnatural light.
The red threads snaked around N-32's body, binding his limbs and hands together.
His mouth was covered, muffling his desperate attempts to speak, "Mpmh..!"
Fighting against his restraints, he strained to free himself from the unforgiving grip of the strings.
"Don't move, you little pest," Irene said as she stepped closer, her lips parting. "These strings can sever your entire body. I'm afraid, the young master wouldn't appreciate that. So be still."
His eyes widened with fear, rendering him mute as beads of sweat dripped down his face.
Irene leaned in closer, her nasty smile followed by a reddish flush and drool flowing from her mouth. "However, what a pity! I haven't tasted blood in a long time!"
Fear was palpable in N-32's eyes. He was confronted with true evils, beings thought to have been driven extinct.
***
The bald guy dismounted his horse and strode towards the tiny wooden cottage situated among the lonely mountain terrain, his face carved with rage and fear.
His glance surveyed the surroundings as he neared the decrepit edifice.
The gated area housed a small herd of cows, whose peaceful grazing added to the tranquilly of the setting. Two horses were nearby.
Taking a deep breath, the man reached the front door of the hut.
He banged his fist against the aged wood, the sound echoing through the quiet evening air.
The door swung open, revealing an elderly figure within—a man adorned in a deep blue kirtle and white trousers, his long white beard cascading down his chest.
The flickering candlelight danced across the aged wooden walls of the hut, throwing long shadows.
Two people sat across from each other, their brows furrowed in thought. The expectation and weight of their words filled the air.
The bald man staggered in, his face pallid and his eyes wide with dread. Sweat beads dripped down his brow, glittering in the faint light.
The elder's eyes widened as he took in the bald man's anxious expression.
"What news brings you here with such urgency, Henri?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
The bald man wasted no time, his words tumbling out in a rush. "The colossal Minotaur is dead! Someone killed it! N-32 and N-30 were under attack, and I fear the worst, Elder Gérard. We need to send reinforcements immediately!"
The elder's legs trembled as he battled to keep his cool.
The news of the monster's demise had left him in a state of shock and concern.
"No way! Was there a pure human present?" He inquired, his voice filled with concern.
"No, I don't think so," the bald informant said, his tone expressing a dismal assessment of the situation. "There are very few pure humans in the lawless city. They are either criminals linked to the wicked guilds, or ordinary pure people who lack the capacity to defeat such a powerful monster."
Gérard, buried in thought, asked a penetrating question, "What about the guild heads?"
The two men behind the desk, previously engrossed in their own discussion, turned their attention towards Gérard and responded in unison, their words heavy with significance, "They are at each other's neck. The evil guilds are at war."
Although shrouded in the dimly lit room, their words resonated deeply with the elder, prompting a sense of urgency and apprehension.
Gérard's mind raced as he processed the information, but it was Henri who broke the silence, his voice filled with unease, "N-32 mentioned another word before the call was cut..."
The elder's gaze snapped towards Henri, his eyes widening with anticipation.
"What is it?" he inquired, eager for any additional details.
"V-Vampire..." Henri muttered.
The room fell into stunned silence, broken only by the sound of heavy breathing.
The men who had been seated moments ago now stood, their expressions reflecting a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"How is this possible?!" the elder exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear. "The Vampires wouldn't dare come out! They are always being persecuted in the mainland!"
"I-Indeed..." Henri replied, his voice filled with a sense of foreboding, echoing the uncertainty that loomed over them all.
One of the men standing at the back of the room, spoke up in a firm voice, breaking the silence. "No... It might be possible."
"How, Sir Philippe?!" the elder exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief, turning his head to face him.
The other man, muttered, "The vampires are indeed rare in the mainland and seldom dare to reveal themselves, especially when they can not even get monster blood, which is scarce. However, what if the legends of a land surrounded by the sea, where vampires still thrive in large numbers, were true?"
The elder's throat went dry, "Sir Mathilde, this..."
Though he was hesitant to accept such a notion, the possibility couldn't be ignored.
Trembling, he asked, "But isn't that nothing more than a fantasy? And how does it relate to our current predicament?"
"They are finally making a move, huh? I wonder if our father would have been pleased to witness this, Philippe," Mathilde remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Philippe nodded in agreement, a subtle smile forming on his lips.
Stepping forward, their facial expressions became clearer in the dimly lit room.
Philippe, pale and thin, had a high forehead and piercing blue eyes.
He wore an austere black suit, cravat, knee-breeches, and a powdered white wig, projecting seriousness and sophistication.
Mathilde, tall and well-built, possessed a ruddy complexion and dark hair.
His animated blue eyes and confident expression revealed his vibrant personality. He dressed flamboyantly.
Their smiles intertwined, their voices harmonizing in perfect unison, as they declared with conviction, "The time has come for the grand play to start! Gather everyone, we must make a move! Kekeke!"