Grant swung his sword in a wide, desperate arc—only to see it slice through empty air as the vampiress soared upward, her form silhouetted against the flickering flames. In that electrifying moment, four sinuous shadow tendrils erupted from her lower back, lashing out like living serpents. Two of them struck with brutal precision, wrapping around Grant's torso and yanking him forcefully onto the hard cobblestones.
"Gaughh!" he gasped, a spray of blood bursting from his lips as his breath was wrenched away; his vision swam in a haze of pain and shock.
Before he could even register the impact, the remaining two tendrils snapped toward him, their forceful blows slamming him into a wild, tumbling roll across the uneven stones. The clatter of his body against the ground echoed through the chaos, leaving him momentarily dazed and vulnerable.
As the dust swirled around him, the vampiress circled overhead with a cruel smile playing on her lips, her eyes glinting with ruthless satisfaction. In that heartbeat of silence, with Grant sprawled and gasping on the cold cobblestones, he saw his wife and son's faces flash in his mind.
Grant staggered to his feet, his breath ragged and his body aching, but his resolve was unwavering. Blood trickled from the corner of his lip, and his hair—wild and matted with dirt—hung in disarray, but the fire in his eyes was still burning bright. The vampiress hovered in front of him, confident and mocking, but she had no idea how far Grant was willing to go.
"Good one, vamp," Grant muttered, his voice casual despite the blood staining his lips. He kept his sword firm in his grip, unwavering like a knight ready for battle.
His eyes flared with a sudden, otherworldly glow, and before the vampiress could even register the movement, Grant was behind her. A gasp escaped her lips as she turned, but it was too late. His left fist, enveloped in a swirling blue aura, shot forward like a comet—his strike landing squarely against her face with a deafening crack. The impact exploded with a shockwave of energy, sending the vampiress flying through the air, her body tumbling uncontrollably.
But Grant wasn't done.
A flash of brilliant light lit the sky as Grant propelled himself through the air, moving faster than a blink. He was on her in an instant, sword raised high, a gleam of deadly precision in his eyes. With a mighty roar, he brought his blade down in a vertical swing, slicing through the air with the force of a storm.
"HAH!"
The vampiress's eyes widened with fear as she threw up her claws in a desperate attempt to block. The moment her claws met the sword, a shockwave of energy burst outward, sending her crashing to the ground with such force that the earth beneath her buckled and cracked, forming a crater in the cobblestones.
Grant landed on his feet as swiftly as a cat. He stood tall above the wreckage, his chest heaving with effort, the scent of blood and smoke thick in the air.
The vampiress lay in the crater, her breath ragged, her body shaking from the force of the impact. For a moment, it seemed like she might stay down, but the anger in her eyes burned brighter than ever. Her chest heaved as she struggled to inhale, her ribs aching from the blow. Blood seeped from the gash on her side, staining the earth beneath her.
With a pained grunt, she pushed herself up, her claws scraping against the cobblestones as she struggled to regain her footing. Her breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as she glared up at Grant, hatred and fury flashing in her eyes. She was hurt—badly—but the vampiress refused to be defeated so easily.
"You think you've won, human?" Her voice was hoarse, a twisted sneer pulling at the corners of her mouth. "This fight... isn't over yet."
She staggered, her knees threatening to buckle, but her sheer will kept her standing, her gaze locked on Grant, her fury turning into something darker. She was going to finish this, no matter what it took.
The vampiress groaned as she pushed herself up from the rubble, her body battered but far from beaten. Dark energy pulsed around her wounds, the seared flesh knitting itself back together with unnatural speed. The deep gash across her torso vanished as if it had never been, leaving only the tattered remnants of her clothing. She exhaled sharply, crimson eyes gleaming with renewed fury. "Tch... that actually hurt," she muttered, flexing her fingers as the last traces of damage faded.
The vampiress smirked, raising her hand as the shadows around her writhed and stretched. "Let's see how you handle this, human."
Dark tendrils twisted and merged, forming perfect replicas of herself, each one identical—five shadowy clones with glowing crimson eyes and razor-sharp claws. They moved unnaturally, flickering in and out of the darkness, surrounding Grant in an instant.
Grant rolled his shoulders, gripping his sword tighter. "More of you? Makes no difference."
The clones attacked at once, their speed blurring as they lunged. Grant ducked under the first strike and countered with a quick slash, his blade tearing through one clone's torso—it vanished into black mist. Another came from behind; he twisted, parrying its claws before driving his sword straight through its chest.
The remaining three closed in. One struck low, aiming for his legs, while another slashed from above. Grant leaped, flipping over them, and as he landed, he swung wide, cutting down two in a single motion. The last clone hesitated—just for a second—but Grant was faster. With a burst of speed, he stepped in close. Grant's blade cut through the final shadow, but the moment it dissolved, he knew—something was wrong.
Before he could react, a blur of silver was already upon him.
The real vampiress appeared in a flash, her blood-forged sword arcing through the air. Grant barely had time to tense before the blade carved into him, slicing diagonally from his left shoulder down to his hip.
A searing pain exploded through his body.
"Gah—!" Grant staggered back, blood spraying from the deep wound as his vision blurred. His grip on his sword weakened for a split second, his knees nearly buckling under the force of the strike.
The vampiress' eyes narrowed with fury as she raised her fist, her bloodlust boiling over. "This is for earlier!"
Before Grant could even attempt to regain his balance, she swung her fist with the full weight of her fury. The punch hit him square in the face, a force so devastating that his body was instantly sent flying backward.
"Unhh!" Grant was helpless against the crushing blow, his vision spinning as his body hurled through the air. The wind howled past him, his head reeling as he crashed through the walls of a nearby house. The structure splintered and collapsed around him, but the momentum didn't stop there.
Grant plowed through the other side, his body crashing into a wooden fence, and with a final jolt, he tumbled into a small pen, landing amidst a herd of startled goats. Their frantic bleating filled the air as Grant lay in the dirt, groaning in pain, blood staining the earth beneath him.
The vampiress grinned wickedly, licking his blood from her blade. "Not so untouchable now, are you, Shining Star?"
Grant struggled to his feet, his body sore and covered in blood, but his will was stronger than the pain. He staggered through the giant holes in the house's crumbled walls, his steps slow but determined, and back outside into the fray. He wiped the blood from his lips, his resolve hardening with every painful breath. The fire in his eyes hadn't left. He wasn't finished yet.
Grant closed his eyes, drawing in a slow, steady breath before exhaling. "Looks like I have no choice but to show you my true strength." With deliberate calm, he slid his sword back into its sheath.
The vampiress scoffed, her eye twitching. "Tch. Still running your mouth, human?"
When Grant opened his eyes again, something had changed. His gaze was distant, as if he were looking past the battlefield—past reality itself.
"I call upon your power... Cratos... Forge the Blade of Strength..."
A crimson magic circle crackled into existence before him, arcs of energy dancing along its intricate design. From within, a weapon's hilt emerged—gold, adorned with black ribbons. Grant reached for it, his grip steady, and as he drew the weapon free, a katana was revealed. Its blade burned like it had been forged from molten rock itself, magma seeping through its veins in glowing rivers. The very air trembled from the heat, and the battlefield was bathed in its fiery glow.
The Noble Vampire's crimson eyes widened in disbelief. "A human... wielding magick? What is this?"
Grant tightened his grip on the molten katana, the searing heat distorting the air around it. His golden eyes glowed with an otherworldly intensity.
"No..." His voice was calm, resolute. "I have the blessing of a god."
With a single, fluid motion, he slashed the air. A roaring arc of fire exploded from his blade, a blinding crescent of molten fury carving through the battlefield. The ground split beneath its sheer intensity, cobblestone melting into liquid fire as the wave surged toward the vampire, painting the night in its deadly glow.
The vampiress' instincts screamed at her. She lunged to the side, her shadow tendrils lashing out to propel her just as the inferno tore past, scorching everything in its path. A shockwave followed in its wake, sending embers swirling through the night.
She barely had time to regain her footing before—
Flash.
Grant was behind her.
Her breath hitched. She twisted just in time to see the molten blade streaking toward her, but it was too late.
The katana slashed clean across her torso. Fire erupted from the wound, searing her flesh. A choked scream ripped from her throat as she staggered backward, clutching at the burning gash. Hatred flared in her crimson eyes, her fangs bared in fury.
"You wretched little—!" she hissed, but Grant wasn't done.
Grant spun on his heel, his Blade of Strength slashing in a full 360°, the blade cutting through the air like a fiery hurricane. A vortex of searing flames erupted around him, swirling in a fiery storm that engulfed the vampire, the inferno cutting across her skin as she tried to evade the blaze. The vampire's screams echoed through the night, high-pitched and full of agony, as the flames seared her flesh.
"Nooooo!" Her voice wavered in desperation, the intense heat burning her skin, leaving trails of smoke in the air. "You—YOU FILTHY HUMAN!"
Grant's eyes burned with the fire of resolve as he saw the vampiress writhing in pain before him. Without a word, he surged forward in a blur of motion. In one fluid step, he thrust the Blade of Strength directly into her chest, piercing her heart. Her scream cut through the air, but it was drowned out by the raw force of his movement.
In the same heartbeat, he ripped the sword upward in a swift, precise arc, cleaving through her body with brutal elegance. The blade split her from heart to head, sending her toppling backward in a spray of blood. As she crumpled to the ground, he pivoted in a perfect 180° spin, bringing the katana to its hilt with a quiet, deliberate movement. The air seemed to hold its breath for a moment before he slid the sword back into its scabbard, his face calm, unfazed, as the battlefield fell silent around him.
Grant exhaled slowly, his chest heaving as he stood in the aftermath of the brutal battle, his body battered, bloodied, and drained. His eyes, cold and unwavering, never left the empty space ahead. His voice was a whisper against the stillness of the world around him. "My praise... and my thanks, Cratos."
Every breath felt like a struggle, the weight of exhaustion bearing down on him, as if his body was slowly surrendering to the relentless toll of the fight. He looked down at his chest, where the wound she had inflicted was seeping more blood, the fabric of his tunic shredded, stained dark crimson. The searing pain intensified, and his legs quivered beneath him, fighting to stay upright. But the pressure was too much. His vision blurred, and the edges of the world faded into quiet obscurity.
"Damn it..." he muttered, barely able to keep himself standing. His knees buckled, and he fell backward, his body hitting the cold earth with a dull thud. The Blade of Strength dissolved into mist leaving no trace of its existence. He gasped for air, but it was as though the very sky had closed in on him. His eyes locked onto the smoke and ash swirling in the heavens, where the faint glow of the full moon hung.
Grant knew the end was near. He could feel the darkness creeping in, his consciousness fading like the last vestiges of light at the edge of a storm. But before it consumed him completely, his mind wandered. He remembered the smell of Alessia's cooking—warm, comforting—and her soft voice as she hummed around the house. He recalled her smile, so full of love and warmth.
And then, his son.
Kaizer's laughter, the purest sound he had ever heard.
"Alessia..." Grant's voice cracked, barely a whisper on the wind. "Kaizer..."
And then, nothing.