As Zac continued his journey through the desolate wasteland, the skeletal remnants grew scarcer and scarcer. He found himself in a world devoid of the eerie companions he had summoned, the Death Puppets now standing silently at his side. Their hollow eye sockets stared out into the barren horizon, a stark reminder of the dark powers he wielded.
"Hey, Bells," Zac began, a furrow of concern on his brow, "What should I do with these Death Puppets? I can't keep walking around with them in plain sight. It's fine here in this deserted land, but what happens when we reach a town?"
Bella, perched gracefully on Zac's shoulder, took a moment to contemplate his question. Her tiny form, with obsidian wings and inquisitive eyes, radiated wisdom beyond her size. After a pause, she responded, "Necromancers are indeed rare, but they have specialized equipment to conceal their undead army. Let's gather information about this once we reach a city."
Zac, ever the curious soul, was also reading through his ancient Death Scripture, searching for answers. To his surprise, the Death Puppets were inexplicably drawn into the worn pages of the book, vanishing before his eyes. Zac's astonishment was mirrored by Bella's shock.
"What happened? Where did they go?" Bella inquired; her voice tinged with amazement.
"They've been sucked into the Death Scripture," replied Zac, still trying to make sense of the phenomenon. "But how do I release them now? I'm utterly puzzled."
Bella, who had guided Zac through numerous enigmas, assumed her role as a sagacious advisor. She mused for a moment, her tiny chin resting on one wing. "Try the same method as before. Connect to the Death Scripture and focus on releasing them."
Following Bella's advice, Zac mentally invoked the ancient tome, picturing the Death Puppets reappearing at his side. To his relief, the skeletons materialized just as he'd hoped. Satisfied with this newfound control, he nodded to Bella and continued his journey.
The barren landscape seemed to stretch on endlessly, the monotony broken only by the distant horizon. Zac's thoughts were consumed by the mysteries that surrounded him, but his musings were abruptly interrupted by Bella's urgent voice.
"Zac, something is approaching at high speed. There's more than one of them, and their energy levels suggest two mid-stage F Ranks and one high-stage F Rank. We need to hide—fast," she urged.
A surge of panic coursed through Zac as he scanned the desolate terrain for any form of cover. The bleak landscape offered little refuge, and before he could find a suitable hiding spot, the approaching figures were already upon him. Their blurry silhouettes took shape as they came to a stop in front of him. Bella, hidden within Zac's pocket, shared his perspective.
Simultaneously, Zac examined the newcomers. Two young women and one man, with pale skin, ruby-red eyes, and crimson hair, confronted him. The women bore an uncanny resemblance, likely sisters, while the man exuded an air of authority. They appeared to be teenagers, but their true age was a mystery, given their vampiric nature.
"They're vampires," Bella whispered to Zac, summarizing her observations. "They appear to be relatively young."
The trio conversed in an unfamiliar language, leaving Zac and Bella befuddled. Recognizing their bewilderment, Bella devised a solution, "Luckily, I have this language stored in my archives. They're asking who you are and where you're from. I'll transmit the language to your mind."
With the language now accessible to him, Zac listened as the man repeated his query, a hint of irritation in his voice.
"I am Zero. I am actually lost," Zac replied, concealing his true identity. He had no intention of divulging his real name to strangers he had just met.
The man challenged Zac, asserting, "This is vampire territory. What are you doing here?"
Zac crafted a fictional story, aware that revealing his true self was too risky. "I actually got lost. I had no idea this was vampire territory. As for who I am, my name is Zero. I don't have any recollection of my past memories except for my name. I woke up in a cave not far from here, surrounded by skeletons."
The man, unconvinced, roared, "Lies. Everybody knows this is vampire territory. You must be a spy sent by another faction."
With a menacing flourish, the man, Louis, lunged at Zac, wielding a longsword. In the face of this imminent threat, Zac reacted instinctively, releasing death energy into the ground. Ten tendrils of death energy dispersed in different directions, creating a perfect circle. At his command, the Death Puppets hidden below the surface would spring forth to protect him.
However, before he could execute his plan, a new figure intervened, blocking Louis's sword. It was Clarisse, the woman with the cold expression.
"Louis, what on earth are you doing?" she chastised her fellow vampire.
Clarisse's intervention allowed Zac a moment of respite, but the situation remained tense. Louis, who had been initially jealous and irritable, seemed to have softened, though his wary eyes were still fixed on Zac.
Zac, sensing the change in Louis, cautiously inquired to Bella, "What happened? Why the sudden change in behavior?"
The conversation between the vampires continued, the language incomprehensible to Zac and Bella. But Bella's curious nature urged her to probe further.
"What are they discussing?" Zac inquired; his curiosity piqued.
"It's hard to say," Bella responded. "I can't understand their words, but the tone seems less hostile than before. We should remain vigilant, though."
As the conversation between the vampires unfolded, Zac couldn't help but continue to monitor their behavior. The tension in the air was palpable, and he was acutely aware that the situation could change in an instant.
Suddenly, Elise, the jolly sister, made a comment in a low voice. "Big Sister, he's so cute. I want to pinch both his cheeks." Her words, meant to be discreet, reached the ears of both Zac and the irate Louis.
Louis's expression underwent a drastic transformation, morphing from anger to jealousy. The atmosphere crackled with tension as Louis grumbled, clearly perturbed by Elise's comment.
At this juncture, Zac decided to offer a more elaborate explanation, still mindful of concealing his true identity. "I actually got lost. I had no idea this was vampire territory. As for who I am, my name is Zero. I don't have any recollection of my past memories except for my name. I woke up in a cave not far from here, surrounded by skeletons."
His words were carefully crafted, a well-rehearsed facade designed to protect his true self. Louis, however, remained unconvinced.
"Lies," Louis asserted again, his voice unyielding. "You're definetely a spy sent by the other factions. Hmm…did they think that that can infiltrate us by sending a kid. Clarisse ,Elise don't be deceived by his appearance".
"Why do you say he's a spy? Even if he is, we should take him with us and confirm with the elders," Clarisse questioned, her voice laced with an icy edge, her gaze piercing like a dagger.
Louis, with a resolute tone, responded, "He's no ordinary child. Did you see how he didn't even flinch when I swung the sword at him? Normal folks would've cowered in fear or feigned submission. But not him. That lack of fear? It reeks of espionage."
Clarisse had her doubts about Zac too. He seemed far too mature for an eight-year-old, but a nagging feeling inside her told her he wasn't malevolent. There was something about him that struck a chord, and when Louis lunged with his sword, she felt her instincts scream danger.
"Louis, that's not enough to label him a spy," she urged. "There's something peculiar about him, but it doesn't necessarily mean he's our enemy." She couldn't shake the feeling that Zac wasn't a bad person, and another reason held her back.
"The moment Louis attacked him, I sensed something dangerous. He's either protected by an expert or he's quite powerful himself. I'd bet on the former''. Clarisse thought to herself.
"Alright, brat," Louis grumbled, his resolve wavering. He didn't relish the thought of a fight with the sisters', knowing Clarisse was stronger and they were from the Crimson Family's main branch. "But when the elders reveal your lies, don't expect any mercy."
As Zac dispersed the ominous death energy he'd released, a jolly woman approached him, pinching his cheek, and introduced herself, "Don't worry, little brother. My big sister Clarisse and I will protect you. I'm Elise." She motioned towards Clarisse, who retained her cold demeanor.
Zac, still reserved, nodded and muttered a curt "Thanks." It was rare for him to reveal his warm side, a trait he'd only shown to Bella.
"Can you point me to the nearest city?" he inquired.
"Follow us for now, little brother. It's dangerous to go alone," Elise replied. "Once we finish our assignment, we can take you to the city."
Bella reminded Zac, "It's better to follow them for now. We can ditch them once we reach the city. Traveling with them in this unfamiliar place is safer."
"Okay," Zac agreed, succinctly.
And so, the trio continued their journey, Zac now tagging along with the enigmatic vampire sisters. Elise wouldn't stop chattering, and Zac learned that they were part of the Crimson Family, one of the seven major families in the vampire race. Clarisse and Elise belonged to the ruling clan of the Crimson Family, while Louis hailed from a different branch. Louis had only teamed up with them for the assignment because of some distant connection to the sisters' branch.
Zac also discovered that Clarisse could have taken the test earlier, but she'd waited for Elise to reach the Disciple stage so they could undertake the trial together. Louis kept a watchful eye on Zac, his gaze a perpetual glare each time Elise conversed with the enigmatic newcomer.
Elsie explained their mission as part of the initiation. Once a vampire reached adulthood, they had to hunt other monsters as part of their tradition. The more formidable the creature they hunted, the more prestige they gained within their family. In this case, the sisters had set their sights on hunting ghouls. The journey continued, mysteries and dangers lurking ahead as Zac ventured with the enigmatic vampire sisters.