Ariel shrugged. "Did they see me die?"
"They claim to have found a body," Viktor countered.
"Then there's your answer, Mr. Viktor." She smirked.
Viktor frowned. "That's not good enough. I want a full explanation. How did you, alone, kill the Boss? We will be the judges of who's lying here."
Ariel's smirk widened.
"You want proof? Fine. There was a vampire in the cave."
The entire room tensed.
Marcus's grip on the armrest tightened.
Vampires were a threat they had been preparing for—but rarely encountered. If Ariel was telling the truth, then this was big.
"You expect us to take your word for it?" an elder scoffed.
Ariel simply unsheathed her sword and dragged the steel across her cloak. A portion of fabric fell away, revealing torn fur marked with deep, unnatural fang marks.
She dropped it onto the table.
"Here's your evidence."
Viktor's gaze hardened. "This proves nothing."
"Then let's ask the research lab." Ariel leaned against the table. "Has the analysis of the ashes come in yet?"
A small voice from the back of the room spoke up.
"Yes, sir!" The blacksmith's servant boy hesitated before stepping forward. "The results confirmed the presence of supernatural ash. Pureblood vampire—strong, undiluted traces."
Silence fell like a blade.
Pureblood.
Not a fledgling. Not a low-tier leech.
A real vampire.
The implications sent ripples of unease through the room.
"That's twice in one week," Ariel continued, voice sharp. "Vampires are moving. And we're wasting time arguing over petty squabbles instead of preparing for war."
Viktor's lips pressed into a thin line. "This is not your concern."
"Oh?" Ariel's eyes flashed. "Every time I step outside this base, I risk my life running errands for you. You think I don't get a say in how we prepare for war?"
She turned, addressing not just the elders, but the gathered warriors as well.
"This isn't just my problem. It's all of ours. Fighters, hunters, hybrids—we're all here for one reason. And if we don't shift our focus now, there won't be a fight left to win."
A ripple of agreement swept through the crowd.
Marcus studied her for a long moment before finally nodding.
"Those who abandoned you and lied will be punished according to base law."
Ariel scoffed. "I don't care how you punish them. What I do care about is what comes next. If you keep ignoring the real threat, none of this will matter."
With that, she turned and strode out of the hall.
The moment she left, the council chamber erupted into murmurs.
But one thing was undeniable—
Ariel was back.
At the hunter's display board, a name shifted.
Ariel Lockhart's rank shot to the top, glowing with fresh recognition.
Meanwhile, Luiss's name—and the names of those who had backed his lie—turned red. A harsh tilt symbol indicated a heavy penalty.
The punishment was immediate.
Luiss was stripped of his fighter role. He and his co-conspirators were demoted to shelter laborers—cleaning, hauling supplies, tending to menial work beneath their previous status.
More than losing prestige, Luiss had gained something worse.
Enemies.
The very teammates who once stood by him now glared with resentment. His mistake had cost them everything.
And they wouldn't forget it.
At the hunter's display board, a name shifted.
Ariel Lockhart's rank shot to the top, glowing with fresh recognition.
Meanwhile, Luiss's name—and the names of those who had backed his lie—turned red. A harsh tilt symbol indicated a heavy penalty.
The punishment was immediate.
Luiss was stripped of his fighter role. He and his co-conspirators were demoted to shelter laborers—cleaning, hauling supplies, tending to menial work beneath their previous status.
More than losing prestige, Luiss had gained something worse.
Enemies.
The very teammates who once stood by him now glared with resentment. His mistake had cost them everything.
And they wouldn't forget it.
A Hamster's Disgust
Meanwhile, Ariel strolled through her quarters, gleefully recounting the day's events to the small creature nestled in her palm.
"There were definitely vampires in that cave. Maybe one, maybe two. Who knows?" She sighed, rubbing her temples. "We're not strong enough to take on a pureblood yet. But the research center keeps developing new elixirs and potions. Maybe, just maybe, we'll stand a chance one day."
She paused. Her voice softened.
"I don't want to end up like my parents."
Damon, who had been dozing off, cracked one eye open.
Oh?
But before he could contemplate her words further, Ariel suddenly brightened.
"Anyway! Little buddy, I got a surprise for you!"
Damon perked up slightly, intrigued despite himself.
This woman talked too much. The moment he regained his true form, the first thing he'd do was cut her tongue out.
But now... now he was a little curious.
His tiny ears twitched as she pulled out a wooden box, opening it with a dramatic flourish.
Damon peeked inside—
—and immediately turned green from disgust.
Ariel grinned. "Ta-da! Nuts!"
Damon stared at the pile of assorted nuts, his soul dying a little inside.
This woman...
He had massacred legions. He had drained civilizations of their life essence.
And she was feeding him nuts?
...
He was going to kill her.