It was morning at the motel, and two members of the 'Resourceful' trio were already awake. Despite the previous night's ordeals, Gloria was up, while Bruce slept like a newborn. Henry, who hadn't been involved in last night's events, was busy trying to wake Bruce. Today was a big day for both of them—Bruce and his newly acquainted colleague, Henry. They were now one step closer to reaching Impel Rosa, and Henry's plans were nearly coming to fruition. Even if it meant asking for help from the Vampyrs, one of his kind's natural enemies, he didn't mind. After all, rivals or not, the mission came first.
Henry had just woken up himself. Sitting at the corner of his bed, he glanced over at Bruce, who was sprawled across the other side of his bed, completely at ease. The sight brought a smile to Henry's face, triggering a memory from his youth—an early morning at home. Downstairs, he could hear the chaos of his playful siblings and his mother's voice trying to regain control of them. His older brother, Danny, had hogged most of the bed, sleeping in an awkward but amusing position.
"Danny, wake up! It's snowing! Let's have a snowball fight, a tournament!" young Henry had begged, shaking his half-asleep brother.
Danny had groaned, his frown melting into a smile when he saw Henry bouncing excitedly on the bed. "So, you think you're grown enough to challenge the Snow Emperor?" Danny teased, pulling him up from the bed's edge. "Give me a minute, Padawan... Go downstairs; I can hear Mom yelling again. I'll destroy you soon."
Returning to the present, Henry was snapped out of his thoughts by a loud thud. Bruce had rolled off the bed, landing face-first on the wooden floor.
"Ow..." Bruce groaned, clutching his head.
"Gloria's waiting for us in the lobby. Get dressed, remember we're going to look for Big Sam today," Henry reminded him, heading for the door.
"Alright, alright... I'll be down in ten," Bruce muttered, still half-asleep. "How the hell is she always up before me?" he thought as he dragged himself to the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Gloria sat in the motel lobby, waiting for the two. Though tired from the previous night's ordeal, a little makeup concealed the dark circles under her eyes. As Henry approached, he smiled and waved.
"Good morning, my queen. You look lovely as always... may I see your panties?" he joked, bowing theatrically.
"Morning, Henry," she responded, ignoring the last comment. "Where's Bruce?"
"He's coming. Did Madam Cerci give you Big Sam's location?" Henry asked.
"Sort of. She said he's a fisherman and gave me the location of his vessel, but also three backup locations: his house and his favorite pub, in case he's not at the docks."
"Then let's start at his house," Bruce interrupted as he approached.
"You're ready? Great, I rented a car," Gloria said, her eyes locking with Bruce's for a moment before she broke away and headed outside.
As they got in the car, Bruce muttered, "How does she do that? We got back at the same time last night..."
On the road, Bruce suddenly noticed something. "Hey, I just realized... I'm the only one without a phone. I left mine at the house."
"Really, Bruce?" Gloria said, rolling her eyes.
Henry chuckled from the back seat, glued to his phone. "Don't sweat it, dude. This is the first time in a while we've had time to relax. Usually, you're either bleeding out, knocked unconscious, or... you know, with those girls." He trailed off, not realizing the awkwardness of his words.
Gloria shot him a glance, but Bruce quickly changed the subject. "So, what do you think Big Sam is like?"
"He's big, I guess," Henry shrugged.
Soon, they arrived at an eerie, dark house at the end of a street lined with welcoming homes. Gloria parked the car and turned to the others. "We're here, boys. Stay sharp. He might know Madam Cerci, but he doesn't know us."
"Yeah, and he's a Vampyr," Bruce added, his body tensing as he got into a combat-ready stance.
"And he's big," Henry chimed in, not wanting to be left out.
Under the soft morning light, the trio approached the unassuming house. A shared nod confirmed their readiness for whatever awaited. The door was slightly ajar, and Bruce and Henry exchanged looks before deciding to check it out, while Gloria hung back to secure their escape route if things went south.
Gloria stationed herself by the car, her fingers tracing intricate patterns in the air. Rays of light followed her movements, conjuring a protective enchantment around them. Bruce and Henry exchanged a glance before stepping cautiously into the house, their determination palpable.
Suddenly, a window exploded outward, and Bruce was launched through it, crashing awkwardly near Gloria's feet with a grunt of pain. She stood dumbfounded for a split second, before instantly becoming battle-ready.
Moments later, Henry burst through the front door, flipping and landing deftly on his feet. "Damn, it's Vampyrs… things went south real quick. Hey, Bruce, don't die!" he remarked, readying himself for battle.
Hearing this, Bruce pushed himself to engage the attackers, relying on a mix of sheer grit and his enhanced abilities. The strength he'd gained from being bitten by a Lycan now allowed him to go toe-to-toe with the Vampyrs—foes he'd once had no chance against. His punches connected with precision, and his kicks sent enemies stumbling. Though he had no formal martial arts training, his raw power and heightened reflexes made up for it. He spun, dodged, and countered with a fluidity that left his opponents disoriented, every blow rippling through the air with force.
Gloria, watching from a distance, stood ready to support him. Her light magic flared to life as she twirled, creating shimmering shields that absorbed incoming strikes. With a wave of her hand, she sent light-infused projectiles flying, each one hitting its target with pinpoint accuracy. Meanwhile, inside the house, Henry was locked in his own skirmish. Though he refrained from transforming, his strength alone was enough to toss his opponents effortlessly. He used the environment to his advantage, slamming enemies into walls and furniture with ease. In one swift move, he disarmed a Vampyr who had picked up a fridge as a weapon, never taking his eyes off the chaos around him.
The battle reached a fever pitch. Kicks, punches, and grunts echoed throughout the house. Outside, Gloria and Henry dealt with the assailants, their strikes filling the air with dust and debris. Inside, sunlight filtered through broken windows, illuminating the swirling dust and gas from the fight. Bruce's agile dodges and Gloria's magic clashed against the Vampyrs' frenzied attacks, creating a thrilling dance of action and reaction.
As the skirmish neared its conclusion, Henry delivered a powerful spinning kick, sending one enemy crashing into a crumbling bookshelf. Gloria unleashed a blinding light spell, momentarily disorienting another assailant and giving Bruce the opening he needed to knock them out. Henry moved with precision, each of his rapid punches neutralizing his foes.
When the dust finally settled, the house was in shambles. Shattered glass littered the floor, debris scattered across the lawn, and the walls bore the imprints of the violent battle. Breathing heavily, Bruce and Gloria exchanged a look of camaraderie, their unspoken bond strengthened by the fight. Henry joined them outside, surveying the aftermath.
Their attackers lay defeated, though a few had managed to escape. After gathering the information they needed, the trio prepared to leave. As they drove off, the morning sun cast long shadows over the wreckage, a silent testament to the battle that had unfolded.
"What the hell was that?" Bruce gasped, still catching his breath.
"Well, we silenced most of them," Gloria replied, her tone calm. "But the one who could talk barely gave us anything useful. He did mention something about belonging to a rebel group and fighting for a 'just cause.'"
"Wait... does that mean we're the bad guys?" Bruce asked, flexing his hand as he tried to regain full control of his fingers.
"They attacked us first, so... probably not," Henry quipped.
"They were all Vampyrs," Gloria added. "It looked like they were hunting for Big Sam, and seeing a Lycan—plus whatever Bruce is—probably set them off."
"Great," Bruce muttered sarcastically. "So we're headed to the docks now? How do we even find this guy? You don't have a picture or anything?"
Gloria shook her head. "Madam Cerci gave me three things: the location of his house, the name of his fishing boat, and his favorite pub. We've already checked his house, and now we know he's probably at the docks. That's where we're going."
"I guess we'll figure it out when we get there," Henry remarked, and the trio sighed in unison.
With Big Sam now within their reach, they continued toward their next destination, the noon sun guiding their path. "The docks… Big Sam, please still be alive when we arrive. Hey, that rhymed!" Henry quipped with a grin.