Yolan shrugged, "Suit yourself. Just don't complain when it gets all tangled and messy."
IM chuckled, his voice still muffled by his mask. "Maybe you should consider a different hairstyle, Xian. Something more... superhero-ish."
I rolled my eyes. "Like what? A mullet? A mohawk?"
"Hey, don't knock the mullet," IM said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "It's a classic."
We shared a laugh, the tension of the evening melting away in the cool night air. As we sat there, enjoying our ice cream and the company of each other, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude. Despite the dangers and challenges we faced, I was surrounded by people who cared about me, people who were willing to fight alongside me, no matter what.
"You know," Yolan said, breaking the silence, "I'm glad we're doing this. It feels good to be making a difference, to be using our powers for something more than just personal gain."
IM and I nodded in agreement, a sense of purpose settling over us.
The night had fallen once again. Streetlights flickered to life, casting a warm glow over the bustling city. People filled the streets, returning home from work, enjoying dates at cafes, chatting and laughing, oblivious to the potential dangers lurking in the shadows.
Bwooong! The familiar sound resonated in our ears, signaling the presence of a supernatural entity.
The three of us jolted, our senses instantly on high alert. We scanned the surroundings, searching for the source of the sound.
Suddenly, IM pointed towards a darkened alleyway. "That one! A vampire... why the hell is he here...?"
A vampire...? Is that even a ghost? I wondered, my mind racing to process this new information.
The vampire emerged from the shadows, standing atop a distant building, his movements fluid and predatory. He was tall and slender, with pale skin and piercing red eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. He wore a long, dark coat that billowed around him like a shroud, and his fangs glinted menacingly as he bared them in a cruel smile.
Shit, vampires are real? Even European mythical creatures are here...? Did they immigrate here somehow because they lost their homes? I wondered, a mix of disbelief and curiosity swirling within me.
The vampire's gaze swept across the cityscape, his eyes locking onto a young couple strolling hand-in-hand down the street. A predatory hunger flashed in his eyes, his fangs lengthening as he anticipated his next meal.
"We have to stop him," Yolan whispered, her voice filled with urgency. "He's going to attack those people."
"People won't be able to see him because that vampire is classified as a dead person, a 'Ruh'," IM explained.
"So, not a real vampire?" I asked, confused.
"It's a real vampire, but one that's already dead," IM clarified.
"Why don't they come back to life?" I asked, still trying to understand.
Both of them looked at me as if I were a complete idiot.
"Because they're dead, duh," Yolan added, rolling her eyes.
Maybe I'm just an idiot... I thought, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I can handle him," IM said confidently, before launching himself into the air towards the other building where the vampire stood.
IM floated before the vampire, his shadowy robe billowing in the night breeze. "So, you just show up out of nowhere and think you can feast?" he challenged, his voice echoing in the stillness.
"Hmm? What are you? Why are you wearing those strange clothes?" the vampire asked, his crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Why are you a vampire, or should I say, a Ruh?" IM countered, a smirk playing on his lips.
The vampire hissed, baring his fangs. "Get lost! I just need a drink of blood... or perhaps I should drink yours?"
IM chuckled, his voice a chilling whisper. "Trust me, you wouldn't like the taste of my blood. I'm not a pure human."
The vampire raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Not pure human, you say? What are you then?"
"I'm a Harbinger, just like a ghost. But because my master is so strong, I evolved into a human," IM explained, his voice laced with a hint of pride.
The vampire's eyes widened in surprise, his curiosity piqued. "A Harbinger? I've never encountered one before. Interesting..." He paused, then a cruel smile spread across his face. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm thirsty. And you look like a rather... tempting morsel."
He lunged at IM, his movements lightning-fast. But IM was ready. He vanished into thin air, leaving the vampire grasping at empty space.
"Looking for me?" IM's voice echoed from behind the vampire.
The vampire whirled around, his fangs bared. But before he could react, IM's fist connected with his jaw, sending him flying backward with a resounding crack. He crashed into the wall of a nearby building, leaving a spiderweb of cracks in the brickwork.
The vampire groaned, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs. "You're fast," he admitted, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "But I'm not giving up that easily."
He launched himself back into the air, his movements more ferocious now, driven by a primal hunger. IM met his attacks with a flurry of blows, his spectral energy crackling around his fists.
The two figures clashed in mid-air, a blur of motion and shadows. The vampire's claws raked at IM's robe, tearing through the fabric, but failing to pierce his intangible form. IM retaliated with a series of well-placed punches and kicks.
"What happened to Europe, huh? No good blood left there!?" IM taunted, punctuating his words with punches to the vampire's body.
Thud! Thud!
"There's. Too. Much. Competition!" the vampire replied, his words forced out between gasps.
The battle raged on, a whirlwind of supernatural power and primal fury. The vampire, despite his weakened state, fought with a desperate ferocity, his fangs snapping and claws slashing. IM, however, remained calm and collected, his movements precise and calculated.
From my vantage point atop the building, I watched the fight with a mix of awe and concern. IM was clearly holding his own, but the vampire was proving to be a tenacious opponent. I knew I couldn't just stand by and watch; I had to find a way to help.
Imagine... a distraction, I thought, my eyes scanning the cityscape. Something to give IM an advantage.
Just then, a billboard across the street caught my eye. It was a massive advertisement for a new energy drink, featuring a brightly colored image of a lightning bolt.
Perfect, I smirked.
I focused my imagination on the billboard, visualizing the lightning bolt coming to life, crackling with electricity.
Zap!
A bolt of lightning shot out from the billboard, striking the building where IM and the vampire were fighting. The impact sent a shower of sparks and debris raining down, momentarily blinding the vampire and disrupting his attack.
IM seized the opportunity, delivering a devastating blow to the vampire's chest. The creature let out a pained cry, its form flickering and fading.
"It's over," IM declared, his voice echoing through the night.
"Just be careful... I'll call my fellows to destroy you," the vampire rasped, his voice weak and fading.
With a final, desperate gasp, the vampire's form dissolved into a cloud of black smoke, leaving behind only the lingering scent of decay and the echoes of his tormented existence.
I observed IM from a distance, with Yolan by my side.
"I hope we don't get sued by Batman," I joked, referencing our vigilante activities.
Yolan looked at me with a sidelong glance. "Batman is just fictional, geez. Stop saying that kind of thing," she retorted playfully.
I chuckled, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Just a harmless joke."
We stood there for a few moments, the silence broken only by the distant sounds of the city. The adrenaline from the fight was slowly fading, replaced by a sense of quiet satisfaction. We had once again faced the unknown, confronted a threat, and emerged victorious.
"So," Yolan said, breaking the silence, "what do we do now? Wait for another monster to show up?"
IM shrugged, "Or we could head back to the company and see if Dove has any more leads on the Unveil Commission."
I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we need to find out more about them. They're clearly a threat, and we can't let them operate in the shadows any longer."
With a final glance at the cityscape, we took to the skies once more, soaring back towards the WRA Company building.
We arrived back at WRA Company, landing on the rooftop just as the first rays of dawn painted the sky with hues of orange and pink. The city was slowly awakening, oblivious to the events that had transpired just hours before.
We made our way back to Dove's office, where we found her, Irune, Vill, and Aca still huddled around the laptop, their faces etched with determination.
"Any luck?" Aca asked as we entered the room.
I nodded before recounting what had happened earlier. "We found some random people fighting in the street, and then a vampire showed up."
Dove looked up at us, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and concern. "A vampire!? Are you guys alright?"
< Chapter 127 > Fin.