138 One Last Wish
Thump.
I tossed Peter Volare toward the three of them and handed over the Manual of Will Embodiment of Sword.
Upon seeing the martial art returned, the two Templars breathed sighs of relief. "Thank God Colonel Kane was here. Otherwise, we might have lost more than just the manual today."
These ancient vampires with their inherited powers—their razor-sharp green feathers and regenerating red feathers—were far beyond the Templars' capabilities to handle. Even if the two masters had fled immediately with all their might, mere survival would have been a blessing.
Master Arden glared at Peter Volare's crumpled form on the ground. If the will-embodied swords weren't preoccupied hovering in the air watching Rajitha, he would have run the thief through in his fury!
The Hall of Valor had stood since Cloud Citadel's founding! And this accursed thief had destroyed it without a second thought!
Master Rhys shook his head gently and cautioned his old companion, "Let it go. H.A.R.M. will seek justice for Cloud Citadel."
Volare had violated H.A.R.M.'s greatest taboo. Every vampire hunter, every H.A.R.M. agent, shared a single sacred duty: to protect Cascadia, not waste their lives on personal vendettas. Worse still, he had led them here blindly, with no knowledge of the lurking dangers.
Had it been any lieutenant general from Surrey who stumbled here instead of Colonel Kane, Cascadia—already in a precarious situation—would have lost another high-ranking officer. Such a loss could have sparked untold chaos.
H.A.R.M. could not allow such a dangerous precedent to be set.
Though the Templars shared in the outrage, they drew the line at tormenting a dying man.
… …
I walked toward the last vampire.
Rajitha was cornered by the two hovering Templars' swords. His entire body trembled as he stared at his parents' corpses in the distance. He watched me approach, step by step.
The despair and brokenness on his face transformed into terrifying ferocity. "I'll fight you to the death!"
The green feather on his right arm blazed bright, like a blade slashing sideways.
However, before he could even raise his arm, I struck out casually with my hand.
Rajitha's delicate head exploded with a thunderous crack. His body swayed for a moment before reverting to its original form, as a wisp of heart's blood spiraled into the silver bell.
I drew my black blade. Having performed this ritual countless times before, I cut open the belly and extracted the core with far more skill than my earlier archery display. Within moments, the peacock vampire's nascent crystal core rested in my palm.
Using the same method, I harvested the heart's blood and crystal cores from the two elder vampires, storing them in the silver bell.
As I walked back, the Templars remained stunned, instinctively stepping backward.
… ...
The young peacock, despite being only a nascent crystallizing vampire, Colonel Kane dispatched it with disturbing ease and brutality.
His smooth, fluid movements betrayed how many vampires he must have slain to achieve such mastery. Even Cloud Citadel, whose very purpose was subduing vampires and eliminating evil, felt humbled watching his display.
"Whew."
Peter Volare lay on the ground, his gaze fixed on Rajitha's corpse. A long breath of relief escaped him as satisfaction washed over his face.
In his bloodshot eyes, a glimmer of peace finally emerged.
"How do you feel?" Rose Hightower approached.
"Very good... Thank you all for your help," Volare whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Do you need an escort back to H.A.R.M.?" Rose asked. As a Crystal Realm martial artist who had spent most of his life in Cascadia, Volare was well-known throughout the region—for better or worse.
"You're all good people, so let me be cowardly one final time. Please, would the two Templars do me the kindness of burying me and Dilani together? She was only a Wave Realm vampire—her core isn't worth much. Go to Okanagan Valley; my boys will surely give you compensation of equal value."
With a single glance, Peter Volare had identified who among us was the most tender-hearted.
His bitter smile lingered as he turned his gaze toward Master Arden.
"You bastard! Trying to play the pitiful victim now? I won't fall for it. Your head belongs on the city wall!" Master Arden clenched his fist and took several deep breaths, yet still gazed at me silently.
The methods of H.A.R.M. were well known in Cascadia. If taken to H.A.R.M., he would have no chance of a joint burial. By then, his own head and body would likely end up in different places.
Now that they had an opportunity, H.A.R.M. would make the most of the Okanagan Valley thief king to intimidate the other major powers.
"My business is done. Do as you please." I stood with my hands clasped behind my back.
A sigh escaped Peter Volare's lips as he closed his eyes, a serene smile gracing his features. "Thank you," he murmured, the words barely audible in the stillness of the valley.
He had never planned to return to Cascadia alive. The fulfillment of his final wish brought a peaceful smile to his face.
Master Arden, with a subtle flick of his wrist, commanded the Will Embodied Sword. The ethereal blade, once a shimmering expanse, contracted, transforming into a razor-sharp sliver. With a swift, silent arc, it sliced across Peter Volare's neck, severing the vital arteries, leaving his corpse intact.
"You agreed to it, you do it yourself. I don't have the strength to bury this couple." Before Master Rhys could finish, he was already being dragged by Master Arden towards the collapsed wooden house.
I had almost single-handedly dispatched all three vampires. Those feathers appeared immensely valuable.
Now that it was time to collect my spoils, their lingering presence would only create an uncomfortable situation.
When only the two of us remained, Rose finally revealed her unease. "Sorry, I almost got you killed here."
If we had encountered a vampire lord who had been harmonizing for some time, rather than one who had just fully crystallized, today would have truly been our end.
I raised an eyebrow. "No, I have the Turtle Aura-Suppressing Technique. I also scouted the area after entering."
I had carefully surveyed the valley and identified Peter Volare's hiding spot.
But this simple answer carried deeper implications: with my concealment abilities far superior to hers, had I deemed the situation too dangerous, I might have chosen not to reveal myself at all—even if it meant leaving them to their fate.
Of course, my answer wasn't entirely truethful—I certainly would have come to save Rose, even if the situation seemed impossible. But I didn't want her seeing me as some kind of guardian angel. I couldn't always appear at the crucial moment to save the day.
If Rose continued to be influenced by me and lost her usual vigilance, she would die sooner or later.
Survival was paramount! This was the golden rule of being a Vampire Hunter, and Rose had always excelled at following it.
Furthermore, I was merely a Wave Realm martial artist. Though my body-tempering granted me the combat prowess of a Crystal Realm expert, without the Vampire Devouring External Crystal, I held no significant advantage over the two Templars. I simply couldn't protect her from every threat.
"Can't you be a little more tactful?" Rose brushed the dust from her clothes with a resigned sigh.
"In matters of life and death, clarity is important." I withdrew my gaze and stretched my aching arms. The strain hadn't registered during battle, but now the aftereffects hit hard. Even with my body fortified by the Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection, that treasured bow had pushed me to my limits.
After a moment of serious reflection, Rose nodded. "I'll be careful next time."
My dramatic entry into Black Stone Spring must have made too strong an impression on her, leading her to assume I had phased through the stone wall.
She had overlooked that I had kept my Turtle Aura-Suppressing Technique active at all times.
I was both cautious and decisive—what mattered was whether I felt in control of the situation.
Rose steadied her breathing, regaining the composure that had served her well as a solo hunter. She was a silver bell vampire hunter who had earned her rank through genuine accomplishments—not some mindless follower whose mind was completely occupied by someone else, only capable of picking up his sword.