A few minutes before Horatio and the Shadowfiends retreated from Lilith’s mansion, the skies above the Moonreaver Palace had long turned into an ocean of Bloodfire. Crackles of red lightning bolts flashed through the darkened sky, creating a sense of dread that not even Vampires could endure.
Hundreds of corpses lay all over the floor as a river of blood flowed down with no mercy. It didn’t matter if the bodies were from the Moonreaver or Bloodborne House; every Vampire that died wasn’t going to get a proper burial. Some of them were mangled beyond recognition, while others were left in a pile of charred flesh and bones.
It was an incomprehensible scene, and yet…
None of the leaders spared a second glance at the disfigured, broken warzone.
“Fifth Consort… Do you surrender?”
Sirius tightened his grip on the Stardevourer as his face got darker by the second. He tried desperately to hide it, but the man’s accumulated fatigue was getting to him. Pale-faced and with a head full of sweat, Sirius pointed his weapon at the woman who stood silently at a distance.
The gorgeous Fifth Consort, the woman who had once dominated the Vampire world with her husband and the ancient Vampire that struck fear in so many mortals, was now in a decrepit state. Her sultry clothes were ripped, and her complexion had lost any semblance of vigour. Even though her regenerative ability had cleaned up the wounds and injuries she’d attained, traces of blood and torn flesh could be seen surrounding the seductive woman.
If one were to get an outside perspective, they would unquestionably think that Sirius and his goons were the bad guys who teamed up against a poor, helpless woman. However, that was hardly the case.
Guinevere Bloodborne sighed as a defeated smile spread across her face. She looked up to the heavens, and once she saw the artificial Blood Moon, the woman giggled:
“Heh… I’ve actually lost to some little brats. I wonder what you would say if you were alive?”
“… It’s not too late to surrender, Fifth Consort. We promise you’ll be treated fairly under the Great Vampire Peace Treaty as a prisoner of war.”
“How touching,” the Fifth Consort laughed. “But do you seriously think you’re in a state to subdue me? Even though I can’t defeat you, I’m confident I could easily escape from here.”-.
“…”
Sirius was unable to respond. He knew that the red-haired woman was undeniably correct. Yes, he had managed to weaken the ancient Vampire greatly, and if the battle were to proceed any further, he would be capable of completely subduing the woman entirely. Alas, there was a reason why she was called the Fifth Consort.
Even though Guinevere had been weakened, she still possessed enough strength to fight to the death. Not to mention, Sirius and his subordinates had expanded a vast amount of their energy to repel the Fifth Consort’s onslaught. So much so that two of his underlings could not continue the battle.
If Sirius wanted to capture and detain the Fifth Consort, he would require at least twice the manpower he had right now. However, with the Moonreaver Dimension burning, that was too much to ask for.
Therefore, all he could do was stare quietly at the woman as she slowly recovered her wounds. However, before the two could continue their deadlock, a magnificent firework burst in the sky, drawing attention from not only the two Vampires but all denizens of the Moonreaver Dimension.
Guinevere turned her attention skywards, only to let out a distinctive smile moments after. She placed her palm over her eyes, and a slight chuckle emerged from her rosy lips.
“Haha!!! Looks like my work here is done!” The ancient Vampire shook her head and laughed. “Young ones, you have provided me with some good entertainment, but our night must end here.”
Guinevere took to the skies as if her previous injuries were a lie. Her backless dress made way for the two demonic wings that sprouted out, bringing forth yet another pressure that suppressed most of the Moonreavers watching. Sirius, unsure of whether he should fight or not, simply frowned and watched as the woman rose higher toward the sky.
“Little Sirius… We will meet again. And next time, I won’t be the one running away. That I swear to you.”
“…”
And just like that, the Fifth Consort turned into a bloody mist, distorting the dimension and escaping the clutches of the elite Moonreavers. Sirius was tempted to give chase, but his priority wasn’t to detain the Bloodborne House. If they were to retreat from the Moonreaver Dimension, giving his family time to treat the wounded and reconstruct their broken home, Sirius would welcome it with open arms.
However… Something seemed off.
“Did they manage to get the ancestor’s arm?”
“No, sir! The vault is well-protected, and there’s no sign of intruders!”
“…”
Sirius turned his gaze skyward as a deep frown started to form. Thoughtfully, he narrowed his eyes in the direction that Guinevere had escaped and spat:
“Were we tricked? Wasn’t their objective the ancestor’s arm? Why are they retreating then?”
A million questions emerged in the Moonreaver Lord’s mind. There were many strange aspects when it came to the Bloodborne House’s invasion. In the beginning, Sirius just thought that the Bloodborne House had lost their minds and were desperate to get back the relic of their forefather. Therefore, he had tripled the security on the ancestor’s arm, making it nigh impossible for anyone to steal it.
But what if it was all a ruse? What if the Bloodborne House’s true intentions lay elsewhere?
Sirius just couldn’t tell.
However, what was certain was that they had won this war. They had repelled the bloodthirsty invaders and had dealt them a blow that they could never recover from. Even if the Bloodborne House was once a Royal Clan and the hegemon of the Vampire world, their strength had been withering down over the years. And now that they had lost almost a thousand men in the Moonreaver Dimension, it would be hard-pressed for the Bloodborne House to retain their status as a Guardian House.
And not only that, the Moonreaver House would definitely press charges and seek reparations from the Bloodborne House, further crippling their financial stability. It was just the beginning of the end for the once-mighty House.
❖❖❖
The Bloodborne-Moonreaver War.
A battle that would be recorded in the annals of Vampire history. While most of the details were kept from the public, this one-day war sent shockwaves through the Vampiric World. The Bloodborne House, one of the Ten Guardian Houses, actually started an unprovoked war with the mighty Moonreaver House.
They had even managed to infiltrate the Moonreaver Dimension, a feat that had never been accomplished. While no one knows what enmity the two Houses had, the shocking event had sent ripples amongst every single Vampire.
There were some fools that supported the Bloodborne House, thinking that they had the blood of the Progenitor and that they had the right to claim back their relic. However, the vast majority of Vampires sided with the Moonreaver House, including most of the Guardian Houses. They claimed to be on the side of justice and heavily rebuked the Bloodborne House’s vicious attack, but they were all looking out for their financial interests.
The Moonreaver House was, after all, too influential. They monopolised Nightmare realms and Warp Gates, making it impossible for any Vampire to rebuke them too much. Unless they wished to risk the possibility of never conducting business with the Moonreaver House again, of course.
And that influence, in turn, proved helpful when the two Guardian Houses were discussing their peace deal.
For intruding the Moonreaver Dimension, the Bloodborne House would have their title as a member of the Guardian Houses suspended for a thousand years. Additionally, they would be required to pay for all damages incurred by the Moonreaver House. Loss of life, property destruction, payment for reparations… The list was endless.
However, there was one thing that the Moonreaver House couldn’t demand. They couldn’t imprison or ask the Bloodborne House to hand over any of their executives who planned the attack and deliver them to justice.
On paper, the Bloodborne House claimed that it was a rogue wing of the clan that planned out the vicious attack and that they had punished them severely for that matter. However, no one really believed the Bloodborne House.
Alas, none of the Guardian Houses wished to antagonise the Bloodborne House more than they already had. The one-day war proved that the Bloodborne House still had ample manpower within their ranks. Especially since they brought out ancient Vampires such as the Fifth Consort and the Lord of Flies. If they poked the hornets’ nest too much, they feared that the Bloodborne House would launch one suicidal attack, forever destabilising the Vampire World.
Still, that didn’t mean the Bloodborne House got off easy. Quite the contrary, in fact. Altogether, the damages the Bloodborne House would have to pay were equivalent to almost a hundred billion dollars. It was an unheard-of sum even amongst the long-living Vampires who have accumulated generations of wealth.
Surprisingly enough, the Bloodborne House didn’t even bargain or cry for a deduction. They took the hit on the chin and willingly accepted all terms. And while the more astute members of the Ten Guardian Houses could smell that something was amiss, they could only keep their opinions to themselves as peace returned to the Vampiric society.
Well, not everyone was able to find true peace.
“Are you really confident that you can do it? It’s not too late to call off the duel!”
Lilith pranced up on my chest, gently grabbing my clothes. The tips of her blonde hair fell upon my neck as her phoenix-shaped eyes leaned in closer to mine. At this distance, I could smell her fragrant aroma tickling my nostrils. Jesus, is she getting more beautiful by the day?
No, no… I should focus.
“Lilith, you know that I can’t do that. Besides, do you really think your brother would let me off if I call off the duel now?”
“… He’s busy fixing the Moonreaver Dimension, and there are other more important things for him to do. He would at least postpone it if you asked!”
“Now, that would be going against my word, wouldn’t it?”
Two weeks had passed since the Bloodborne House had invaded the Moonreaver Dimension. While the entire Moonreaver House was focused on recovering their losses, I paid most attention to the duel beckoning. And before I knew it, the day had already arrived.
Tomorrow would be the day where I settle things with Sirius. I would smack that siscon right in the face, and once I got his blessing forcibly, I would bring Lilith out of this wretched place with Irina.
“Also, Lilith… Wouldn’t it be better to conduct the duel when your brother is distracted? If his attention is divided elsewhere, I would have a much higher chance of winning.”
“That’s true… But…”
“No buts!” I placed my hand on her peach-like cheeks and gave her a loving caress. “Anyway, I’ve already told him the time and place. So there’s no backing out now.”
“You’ve already told him?! When and who-…?!”
Lilith instantly snapped her head back and glared at her lovely attendant. The silver-haired butler quickly averted her eyes, unwilling to show her pitiful face to her mistress.
“Hah… Don’t blame her. I’d only asked her to deliver the message. It’s done, Lilith. I will be proceeding with the duel tomorrow.”
“… Seriously, why do I even bother?” Lilith shook her head and let out a helpless sigh. She sunk her face deeper into my chest, not concealing the vast amount of worry that she had. “So… Where will the duel take place?”
“Hehe, don’t worry. I picked the perfect location to win you over from your possessive brother!”
“Huh?”
Licking my lips, I touched Lilith’s soft head and gently went down to her nape. Smiling, I whispered into her ears, forcing a surge of electricity to flow down her spine:
“Starfall.”
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