"Die, you pathetic insect!"
Lorial watched with satisfaction as her Crimson Chains tightened and the razor-sharp barbs dug deeper into the flesh of the indigo-bellied Vampsquitoe leader. Its struggle lessened. The once proud, haughty buzzing was reduced to feeble clicks as its life essence ebbed away.
"How dare it challenge ME!?"
Those whispers among the swarm also quieted down as the spectacle of their leader being drained caused a chill that only those whose bellies craved blood could comprehend and respect.
And within a few heartbeats, the leader's struggle ceased. It's bloated body dropped limply, no longer emanating a frightening indigo glow, but rather the stench of rotten meat.
Such a pitiful demise.
Lorial let out a sigh of relief as her chains retreated back to her essence. "Well, that takes care of that."
"Did she just…" Fenriss stared with wide opened eyes at how effortlessly the Platinum Blood Saint had slain a Nightmare Calamity level creature.
Handerson also gaped, then said what Fenriss couldn't voice, "It's… It's dead?! But how?!"
The realization that it was her abilities that had subdued that monstrous leader, didn't settle well with Lorial.
It would appear as if their celebration was premature, and fate was about to throw a terrible curveball.
"You fools, do you really think that was the true leader?!" Lorial shook her head and lamented at how short-minded her two subordinates actually were.
Although the indigo-level Vampsquitoe was a Nightmare Calamity, it was very lazy. It gained its strength by only drinking blood, but never actually practice any fighting skills, thus it was easily slain by Lorial.
BZZZZZ!
"More are coming!"
Lorial's warnings were already a few milliseconds late because surrounding them, another swarm buzzed into existence!
They were larger now, easily numbering over a thousand. And their buzzing filled the clearing with a dreadful sound that mirrored a death rattle. Hunger, amplified by blood.
"We… We're doomed." Handerson's brave facade crumbled. "This mission! It was supposed to be a simple loot and dash, but now we're about to be eaten alive! Oh gods of chaos. Why me?!"
Fenriss' composure had also shattered, but unlike Henderson whose cowardly tendencies were bubbling to the surface, she focused on a beacon of hope, "Stay strong, Handerson! We can get through this somehow, surely there must be a way."
Her eyes darted towards their senior, searching for any comforting words that only those with authority could utter, words of escape that she so desperately needed in that horrifying moment.
"Right Lorial?! WE… will… survive… this… right?!" She was trying so desperately to convince herself that her fears were nothing more than imagination, but alas, reality would soon be upon them.
Lorial was desperately assessing the situation. "There are far too many! Fighting back is pointless, it'll only result in a quicker death. Our only option is to flee. And for that… I'll need to activate that technique! Yes, it's the only way!"
She huddled closer to her subordinates.
"Listen carefully. We're cutting our losses and getting out of here. But first, I need you both to BUY me some time. Can you do that?" Her eyes were filled with despair as she presented a question she already knew the answer to, but for the sake of those who respected her lineage, who looked to her as a leader, she asked. It was a show of respect and duty.
"Alright! We'll hold them off! But for how long?" Henderson already knew the answer. "Ten minutes, maybe twelve, not longer, right?"
Those brave words came out more as questions, but Lorial nodded, a silent thanks that resonated within his heart, a sliver of appreciation for those about to sacrifice. She wouldn't forget them.
"Fenriss, I need you to conjure that Fiery Blood… thing…?" She couldn't recall the creature's name. Her exhaustion had muddled her potent battle memories.
"Incinery Lamia!" Fenris completed the sentence for her before placing a trembling hand on her heart, "Leave it to me, senior!"
"Yes, yesss…"
Lorial began drawing runes in the air with her blood while muttering an ancient incantation. Simultaneously, her protectors prepared for round two.
They understood that her survival depended on their sacrifice. Such was the way of the Bloodthorne!
…
"ATTACK!"
That screech came from a Vampsquitoe whose yellow belly pulsated brighter than all those around him, he was their new commander, he'd earned those stripes the old fashion way - by shoving his mandibles onto the skull of the previously fallen leader as it lay there twitching. And now, he was ready to prove his worth!
The swarm buzzed forward like a terrifying wave of death.
Their buzzing amplified the chaos as hundreds of 'Circular Spell Diagrams' appeared. Each one radiated a sickly dark-purple energy, buzzing like angry wasps as those beams of doom they shot forth came with a burning hunger for essence!
"Here they come! GET READY!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Blood Knight's retaliated instantly. They wouldn't go down without a fight!
"Incinery Lamia!"
Fenriss's blood-goat manifested with a blaze of scorching light, intercepting a volley of beams, burning those pesky mosquitoes into ash with an efficiency that had them sputtering and those wings flapping uncontrollably.
"Crimson Tempest!"
"Blood Puppetry!"
Handerson wove his blood into a swirling crimson storm of razor-sharp currents as he focused intently upon the charging Vampsquitoes. His eyes bled with power.
He didn't bother separating or targeting a particular commander, for they were all his to control, now that his energies grew brighter and faster!
"MINE!"
WHOOSH! CRACK!
They found themselves slammed against the trees as his whispers of command resonated through them:
"TURN BACK, you fools, attack your brethren, and kill yourselves in the process!"
He didn't hesitate. He didn't care!
"DISAPPEAR!"
Those unlucky enough to be caught within his web of blood, either turned on their companions or vanished with a horrifying pop as their wings were torn apart.
Meanwhile, as chaos reigned around them…
Lorial's whispers intensified, her platinum armor glowed as an ancient chant flowed. She was nearing the completion of her secret blood technique.
This was their only hope of survival!
However, the Vampsquitoes wouldn't be deterred!
They were driven by an insatiable hunger and their leader's chilling commands, "KILL!"
"The humans' essence… it smellsss… DIVINE! We must feast! Now!"
"For our queen!" A fanatic yelled before unleashing its most deadly attack. Acid.
They pushed harder. They ripped through her companions' defenses. Incinery Lamia was swatted aside as it vanished, sending those flames to dance wildly around the clearing.
"ARGH!"
"Senior Lorial!"
Both Golden Blood Knights fell!
Lorial's concentration wavered for a mere moment as terror gripped her, but her years of arduous, strict, and often painful training from her elders had taught her something:
Never fear death! Embrace it! It will propel your powers!
And in those seconds as those mandibles were inches away from piercing her flesh, she laughed and the air parted.
"It's finally done!"
With trembling hands that radiated potent crimson light, she activated her technique.
"Eclipsing Veil - Sanguinary Moon!"
The small orb with strange runes in her palm, suddenly shot skyward and exploded, creating a shockwave that threw back the nearest attackers, and then... something truly terrifying, majestic and unbelievably beautiful encapsulated their vision.
A crimson moon of planetary size took form above the Dark Swamp Gorge. Its radiance overshadowed the stars! It dripped blood, a gruesome, yet alluring crimson cascade.
"Punishing Bloodshine! Annihilate!"
Lorial raised both hands towards this newly created crimson heaven. And from its depths, a concentrated red ray of light, brighter than the setting sun descended onto that clearing.
WHOOSH! BOOM!
It struck the earth!
The Bloodshine vaporized the weaker Vampsquitoes! They were reduced to ash and their buzzing silenced forever.
But for the strongest, a more horrifying fate awaited them, those that survived found their bodies locked in place, unable to even twitch as the crimson glow enveloped their forms.
They were trapped by thick crimson roots!
These 'Blood Roots' began draining the Vampsquitoes' life essence. It was siphoning their energy and transferring it to the Blood Knights.
Lorial's exhausted form glowed as she bathed in that essence being siphoned, she was a true vampire in that moment. She could feel her wounds healing, her Blood Pool replenishing as quickly as it was depleted earlier.
A miracle!
Handerson and Fenriss had also recovered. They looked at each other with shared silent understanding. Their loyalty was unwavering.
They couldn't waste precious time with apologies. This wasn't their leader's victory, but rather a desperate gamble. They understood that.
"Senior! It's time to go! We can't delay. Our time is running out!"
Lorial nodded and motioned towards the western peak. "That way! We'll lose them in the forest first!"
Without a word, all three darted into the forest with incredible speed, leaving their gruesome victory behind. They had survived another close encounter.
"Hmm…"
Raphael watched the knights shot past him. They didn't see him due to the tall shrubs.
Raphael refocused his attention on that blood moon above. He wasn't being affected by its rays because he was hidden beneath the trees. As he observed the effect of that technique, he began to crave it.
He wanted to learn that Bloodline Art. Up till now, he didn't fully grasp the extent of how powerful the Bloodthorne skills were, but now, he was starting to understand.
He looked at those immobile Vampsquitoes, trapped in those growing Blood Roots. It was terrifying, but it could make him truly unstoppable.
"That blood moon technique… I NEED IT!"