Chereads / Tales of the Vampires / Chapter 28 - Jinx

Chapter 28 - Jinx

Heberlin and his friends finds themselves surrounded by the encroaching undead.

"Tss, this is dire. We need to find a way out," Heberlin asserts.

"Many of the students have fallen to infection," Xenon grimly remarks.

"There's nothing more we can do for them," Maddison adds with a heavy heart.

"What's our next move?" Blake queries.

"Y-Yvess is gone," Zake's voice carries a note of despair.

"These undead creatures are a damned nuisance!" Heberlin's frustration boils over.

"Have you managed to get a message through to Xylon?" Stephen inquires urgently.

"I've reached out to Arden; they should be on their way," Aria responds.

The undead assail once more, their relentless advance unyielding.

Their struggle against them seems endless, exacerbated by the undead's newfound speed, likely due to Phoenix's control.

In the midst of the chaos, an undead seizes Sheryl.

"Aaahhhhh!!!" her cry pierces the air.

"Sheryl!" Jade's voice echoes with desperation.

Heberlin springs into action to rescue her, only to be ambushed by another undead.

Despite their efforts, they are powerless against the undead's overwhelming strength.

Helplessly, they watch as one of the undead sinks its teeth into Sheryl's neck, then the others gathered around and bit her too.

"N-No...NO!!!!" Heberlin's cry is one of anguish.

"YOU BASTARDS WILL PAY FOR THIS!!! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!!!" Heberlin's rage reverberates through the chaos.

He strides forward, confronting the undead, and unleashes his fury, shattering their bodies.

Jade collapses to her knees, overcome with grief.

"S-Sheryl..." her voice trembles with sorrow as tears stream down her face.

Heberlin cradles Sheryl's lifeless form in his arms.

"S-Sheryl...forgive me," his voice breaks as tears fall unchecked.

Veins begin to snake across her face, a grim testament to her fate.

With a heavy heart, Heberlin draws a dagger and plunges it into her chest, ending her suffering.

He closes his eyes, the weight of his actions bearing down upon him.

Jade's anguished scream echoes through the chaos.

From the abyss of emptiness, the mocking laughter of the entity, who bears a resemblance to Jade, resounds, taunting their pain and goading Jade towards vengeance.

"That's it, Jade! Get angry! And we will kill them all!" she shouted amidst her laughter.

.

.

Xylon and his army of vampires have finally arrived at the Academy's grounds. Swiftly, they ignite the undead creatures that block their path with roaring flames. Xylon wastes no time and immediately searches for Jade, locating her amidst the chaos of the field.

"Xylon!" Xenon's voice cuts through the turmoil.

"Where's Jade?" Xylon's urgency is palpable in his inquiry.

All eyes converge on Jade's position, prompting a stunned reaction from Xylon as he sees her engulfed in a swirling dark aura. Jade's piercing screams reverberate through the air, echoing her inner turmoil. As Xylon moves closer, Jade releases a deafening sonic wave, repelling anyone who dares approach her.

Struggling against the force, Xylon manages to rise to his feet. "Jade! Do not succumb to the darkness!" His voice rings out with determination amidst the chaos.

Gradually, Jade's form undergoes a sinister transformation. Her hair turns crimson, and black wings unfurl from her back, a stark manifestation of the entity known as Jinx that has seized control of her being.

Jinx was a fallen angel, she was cursed and named as the angel of destruction, who was sealed from the world of emptiness many years ago.

"It can't be... Jinx has taken over Jade's body," Aria declares.

"The cursed fallen angel that will bring destruction to the world," Lilith's words hang heavy in the air.

"AHAHAHA I AM FINALLY FREE!!!" Jinx's maniacal laughter reverberates across the battlefield.

Extending a hand towards the approaching horde of undead, Jinx unleashes a blinding cascade of light. With one strike, all the undead are obliterated. The once-menacing undead dissolve, consumed by the hot radiant light that envelops them.

"J-Jade..." Xylon's voice quivers with a mixture of despair and disbelief.

Moving to approach her, Xylon is met with a chilling glare from Jinx. "You shall perish," her words are laced with ominous intent.

From above, Phoenix and Fall descend, their arrival sparking astonishment.

"Jinx is real?" Phoenix's astonishment is palpable.

Jinx's grin widens, and she decides to attack Xylon.

Before she can execute her malevolent plans, however, Jinx is wracked with agony, clutching her head in torment. "Aahhh!!!" her anguished cry echoes through the battlefield.

All of a sudden, Love appears beside Jinx, uttering cryptic words. "Ite dormite aliquantisper," Love intones.

Jade loses consciousness and is lifted away by Love before disappearing.

"Tss, they have outmaneuvered us," Phoenix grumbles, signaling their retreat alongside Fall.

"No! Jade!" Xylon's anguished plea echoes across the battlefield, falling on the ears of his comrades.

As reinforcements arrive, Blake's grim assessment rings true. "They have taken Jade."

"Only one place they could flee to," Kan murmurs, his words heavy with implication.

"Aznar..." Xylon's voice trails off, a glimmer of determination flickering in his eyes as he contemplates their next move.

.

....

Xylon and his group returned to Aznar, their steps echoing through the hallowed halls of the palace as they swiftly gathered in the conference room.

"Have you located them, Aria?" Xylon's voice carried the weight of urgency.

Aria opened her eyes, revealing the information she discovered. "Yes, in the northern part of our kingdom lies an ancient castle. Jade is there," she informed.

Heberlin wasted no time. "Then let us not delay any longer," he urged, his resolve palpable.

Xylon's nod signaled their readiness, and they made swift preparations to depart.

Meanwhile, Aria headed towards the chamber where Cedrick was staying.

At the sight of her, Cedrick averted his gaze, a storm brewing behind his eyes.

"Ced..." Aria's voice, soft yet laden with remorse, reached out to him as she approached.

"Why did you turn me into a vampire?" Cedrick's voice trembled with anger and sorrow.

"I'm sorry, I had no choice. It was the only way to save you," Aria's words carried the weight of sadness.

Cedrick's glare bore into her soul, his frustration boiling over. "Do you think I would want to become like you? You monsters! I wish you hadn't saved me! You should have just let me die!" His words reverberated with anguish and resentment.

Aria fought back tears. If she let him die, she would never see him again.

Turning away, she said, "I'll leave the palace for a while, but I'll come back immediately after our mission," before departing.

Cedrick's rage found release as he threw his pillow across the room, the sound of his frustration echoing through the chamber. "Argh! Damn it!" he exclaimed.

.

....

Love delicately runs a comb through Jinx's hair.

"My lady, I sense they are getting closer," Love announces with a hint of urgency in her tone.

Jinx's lips curl into a scornful smirk.

"Let them come. They are powerless... they will all meet their end," Jinx declares with chilling certainty.

The chief minister's arrival interrupts their conversation.

"Phoenix and Fall have arrived," he informs.

The two figures step into the chamber, their presence adding to the palpable tension.

"Jinx, what are you planning to do with Jade's body?" Phoenix demands, his voice laced with irritation.

Jinx rises from her seat, a predatory grace in her movements as she closes the distance between them.

"Why? Are you concerned for this mere mortal?" she taunts, her voice dripping with seduction.

Phoenix averts his gaze, unable to meet Jinx's piercing stare.

Before Jinx can continue, a sudden surge of power fills the room, causing them all to pause in anticipation.