Crux wasted no time initiating the battle. He swung his staff around, aiming for Charmy's legs, but his staff was quickly caught by Inrei who tossed Crux and his staff into the side of the motel. Crux let out a low groan as he fell to his knees.

Charmy growled at Inrei.

"That one's mine. Deal with that other Vampire."

Charmy dashed towards Crux.

Crux got to his feet with the help of his staff. Charmy zipped up to Crux with his claws extended, without a second to lose, Crux twirled his whole body out of the way and swiped his staff along the ground. Charmy leapt up in a flash, evading the staff once more, before crashing down on the ground. The ground broke apart as Crux rolled out of the way. While Charmy regained his senses Crux lifted his staff and aimed the barrel of it toward Charmy and with a quick pull of the trigger a volley of pellets shot out. Charmy was in the centre of the pellet's spread, he ditched the idea of moving out of the way and decided to slink around the pellets.

Time slowed as Charmy focussed all of his muscles on weaving himself through the gaps in the pellets. Crux watched with bewilderment as Charmy managed to twist through the pellet spread. Crux regained composure and thrust his staff forward hoping to puncture Charmy's vital organs. Crux's senses honed on weak spots in Charmy's body but as he pushed his staff forward Charmy dodged it with impeccable speed and timing. Charmy's claws barreled toward Crux forcing him to fall back. Crux began to get irritated with how nimble Charmy was, his staff covered lots of ground but it seemed like no matter what he did Charmy was able to narrowly dodge it, like he could sense future attacks.

Charmy cackled.

"What's wrong beef head? Can't lay a hit on little ol' me!? HAHA!"

Crux's grip on his staff tightened.

"What's your game!?"

"Game? I have no idea what you're talking about."

Charmy reached behind his back and began to circle Crux.

"You humans have gone soft. I heard so many stories of the deadly humans ravaging the lands. Pillaging those deemed unfit."

Crux copied Charmy's stride, staying opposite him at all times as they walked in circles.

"Liar. It was Vampires who attacked first. Those bloodthirsty savages tore apart anyone who dared come close. I've seen the books, your kind are nothing but animals."

Charmy laughed.

"Bloodthirsty!? Listen to yourself! Vampires existed before humans discovered them, so tell me beef head... how could we have survived if we need to eat humans? The fact we are still around today disproves that. You're fighting a war long over!"

"No. I'm not fighting a war... I'm protecting those in need!"

Crux had gotten agitated and lunged forward, furiously swiping his staff around. Charmy dodged every attack thrown at him effortlessly causing Crux's anger to increase. Charmy laughed in Crux's face. With one final swipe, Crux twirled his staff around and aimed the barrel at Charmy. Without hesitation, he fired another volley of pellets that Charmy dodged once more.

Crux bashed his staff on the ground, cracking the concrete.

"What is this!?"

Charmy kept his hand behind his back.

"Something the matter ay? Seems like you're just all show, can't fight for nothin'."

"You haven't laid a hand on me once as well. This stalemate is boring, hurry up and give me a real fight!"

Charmy grinned.

"You want me to try? Do you really want me to try?"

Crux glared at Charmy.

"Yes!"

Crux then heard a click.

"What was that?"

Charmy pulled out a voice recorder that had been recording their whole interaction. Charmy grinned.

"Y'know Vampires are the masters of trickery. We have so many unique quirks about us that it honestly baffles me how humans managed to become the dominant species. You are all so pathetic!"

Charmy clicks replay on the recorder as Crux hears his own voice shouting 'Yes!'.

"One of our tricks involves invitation... if you've truly heard the stories of Vampires you'd know that some can only enter houses when invited by the homeowner. Those tales are true but there's a lot more to that trick."

Charmy replays Crux saying 'Yes!' over and over again.

"We need permission to attack a human, otherwise all of our attacks will miss. The plus side is that humans also need permission to attack us!"

With a wide grin, Charmy holds the recorder high in the air.

"So I ask you Crux... may I attack you?"

Crux's eyes widen as Charmy replays the message.

"Yes!"

Crux backs away too stunned to move.

"What!?"

Before Crux could even think Charmy rushed him, covering the distance between them in less than a second. Charmy brought his claw back and thrust his hand into Crux's abdomen. Blood spurt from Crux's mouth as he was sent flying across the ground, skidding along concrete before hitting the motel. He wiped his mouth and looked up to see Charmy right in front of him. With no time to react, Crux was hit with a stream of punches along his rib cage before getting grabbed by the throat and bashed into the ground. Charmy kicked Crux into the open to then leapt into the air to crash down on top of Crux. The impact shattered him.

Crux lay on the ground, his body weak.

"No..."

Charmy grinned.

"Out already? Pfft. You can do better than that."

Charmy bit Crux with his fangs which rejuvenated Crux to full health.

Crux used this opportunity to swing his staff around and leap up.

"Damnit... there's no way. Is that how he dodged all of my attacks!? I need permission to hit him..."

Crux dashed toward Charmy and violently swung his staff toward him however Charmy zipped out of the way without even thinking. Crux attempted to hit him once more but no matter what he did his staff couldn't connect.

Charmy snickered.

"Such brutish behaviour..."

Charmy held up the voice recorder.

"Do I have permission to break that staff of yours?"

The recorder replayed Crux saying 'Yes!'.

Crux backed away but it had no effect. Charmy charged at Crux and grabbed him by his ankle tightly. With a loud groan, Charmy lifted Crux and bashed him on the ground before ripping his staff from his hands.

Crux's anger grew.

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

Charmy tore Crux's staff into pieces. Crux's eyes widened as he couldn't move.

Charmy laughed as he tossed the broken pieces at Crux.

"That toy served no use. Be happy I got rid of such a worthless piece of scrap."

Crux took the pieces in his hand.

"No..."

His hands trembled.

"You..."

Charmy dusted himself off.

"I think I've had enough fun with you. I'll just kill you for good now. Looking at such a sad human just makes me sick."

Charmy raised his claws.

"NO!"

Eliowen lunged forward and shielded Crux. When Charmy's claw neared Eliowen his hand was suddenly lit aflame. He screamed in agony as he backed away.

"You won't hurt him anymore!"

Eliowen shielded Crux with a determined look.

"Tch. Idiot kid. Move!"

Charmy snarled and caressed his burnt claw.

Eliowen stood firm.

"No. I won't just stand by and watch as my friends protect me all the time! I'll make my own stand."

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Despite Eliowen's fearsome words his legs were trembling.

Charmy took notice of Eliowen's facade.

"Eliowen correct?"

Eliowen's face went pale.

"To come out here... so far from home... so far from dear old dad. How stupid can you be? Do you honestly think you can survive out here? You're dad's probably worried sick. Speaking of sick... how is he feeling?"

Eliowen's body trembled.

"S-Shut up!"

Charmy circled Eliowen.

"He was very sick last you saw of him. I hope he's better but he could be so much worse. Are you worried about him?"

Eliowen shook his head.

"Stop toying with me!"

Charmy grinned and held his hand behind his back, pressing record once more.

"So you don't care about him? What about... Nayjhren? Do you care about him?"

Eliowen grits his teeth.

"No..."

Charmy squinted.

"You're a horrible person. But you don't actually hate them, do you?"

Eliowen remained firm. He wasn't going to give Charmy the answer he wanted.

"I won't listen to you!"

Charmy began to get agitated.

"Do you care about Crux? Rina? Yuro?"

Eliowen gulped.

"SHUT UP!"

Charmy wasn't getting a 'yes' answer which made him grow tired.

"Okay then. I won't kill them. Is that okay?"

"I don't care... leave them alone..."

Charmy got close to Eliowen.

"I didn't catch that... was that a yes I heard?"

Eliowen's eyes widened.

"Not at all!"

Eliowen lunged forward and snatched the voice recorder from Charmy. Charmy was then set on fire because of how close Eliowen got to him. With his body burning he had to drop the voice recorder as Eliowen caught it.

"CRUX! TAKE IT!"

Eliowen tossed the recorder to Crux.

Crux looked up and caught the voice recorder. Charmy pat the flames out as his eyes widened.

"NO! DON'T YOU USE THAT! IT'S MINE!"

Charmy dashed forward.

Crux's look changed to fury as he held the recorder up high.

"DO I HAVE PERMISSION TO ATTACK YOU?!"

The voice recorder replayed Charmy's voice.

"Yes."

As Charmy got close to Crux he was stopped as Crux swung his leg around and bashed Charmy in the head. Charmy was flung across the ground, the pain setting in.

Crux looked to Eliowen.

"Thanks, kid. You saved my ass."

Eliowen nodded as he collapsed to the floor, his nerves catching up to him.

"N-no problem..."

Charmy stood back up, his face bruised.

"Damn brat! You humans and your inability to learn your place."

Crux smirked.

"You fell for your own trap. I wouldn't be talking so much."

Charmy snarled.

"I can still attack you so let's end this..."

Charmy dashed forward and swung his claws fiercely. Crux moved out of the way and countered with a piercing punch to Charmy's stomach. The punch travelled through Charmy's body as he was knocked back. Crux ran forward and threw his feet around, Charmy swerved out of the way and ran his claws along Crux's leg creating large gnashes from his ankle to his thigh. Crux groaned and fell on the floor, blood covering his leg.

Charmy grabbed Crux by the throat and threw him high into the air. Charmy leapt up to then slam Crux back to the ground. Crux regained composure quickly and sprung to his feet as Charmy came crashing down. Crux tried to stand but the cut across his leg prohibited any further movement. Charmy used this opening to dropkick Crux, flinging him across the ground as he could barely stand, the wound grew larger the more he was tossed around.

Eliowen ran over.

"Crux..."

Eliowen felt the blood pouring out of his leg.

"You're injured. We should get you to safety."

Crux looked at Charmy who slowly walked toward them.

"How? He'll just chase us no matter where we go. His speeds insane..."

Eliowen thought for a second before looking back to Crux.

"Charmy said he needed permission to hurt a human but he also said that the original tale was that Vampires needed permission to enter someone's house. It was the example he used."

Crux looked confused.

"You don't happen to have a house around do you?"

Eliowen shook his head.

"No, but we have a motel room. Hopefully, it'll suffice."

Crux's eyes widened.

"Huh. I didn't think of that. You're one smart kid."

Charmy shouted.

"HEY! What the hell are you two doing!?"

Eliowen stood in front of Crux once more to shield him.

"You're not hurting him."

Charmy's blood boiled.

"This trick again? Get out of the way brat!"

Eliowen stood firm as Crux began to walk toward the motel room. Charmy followed alongside them, unable to do anything as Eliowen shielded Crux. Once they reached the room Crux and Eliowen entered. Charmy stepped foot inside the room before bursting into flames. He screamed and backed out.

"DAMN!"

Charmy watched as Eliowen and Crux caught their breath inside the motel room.

"Could you lot get any more annoying!?"

Crux looked around the room for any water to clean the room. He found a pile of empty water bottles where the pillow fort once was.

"Damnit... did we seriously drink all the water!?"

Crux then noticed a bottle of soda sitting off to the side. It was full.

"It's all I have..."

Crux grabbed the soda and gently poured it over the wound. His hand gripped the bedsheets.

"Please just don't get infected until this is over."

Crux then ripped the bedsheets off and wrapped them around his leg. It stopped the bleeding but healing would be impossible, at least until Rina was able to help.

Charmy watched them from outside.

"You think you're so smart ay?"

Charmy went close to the doorframe his mind racing.

"You'll have to leave eventually. That wound won't heal on its own."

Eliowen went to Crux.

"What do we do? He's guarding our exit and you can barely stand."

Crux thought for a long second.

"You can still leave. Try and get Rina over here so she can heal me."

Eliowen nodded.

"I'll try."

Eliowen went to the doorway as Charmy blocked the way. Charmy had no choice but to move out of the way for Eliowen but as Eliowen walked past Charmy saw the voice recorder. Charmy grinned and reached for it, his hand caught aflame but with all his power he pushed past the pain and snatched it from Eliowen.

Eliowen fell as Charmy held the voice recorder up.

"HAHA! You are a pathetic brat."

Charmy raised the recorder high.

"Do I have permission to enter the motel room?"

The voice recorder replayed Crux's words.

"Yes!"

Before Eliowen could stand back up Charmy ran into the motel room. With a devilish grin, he reached out to Crux but was then set aflame. Charmy fell to the ground, his whole body burning. Crux backed away as the flames spread to the carpet.

Charmy sprinted out of the room.

"WHAT!? WHY DID THAT HAPPEN?"

Eliowen's mind raced as he tried to think of the reason for Charmy still being ignited when stepping inside the room.

"Is it... because we don't own the establishment...?"

Charmy tossed the voice recorder aside, trying to pat all of the flames out.

"Useless junk. So I need the building's owner's permission to enter. Great."

Charmy then looked back up to the room.

"Ha... looks like that won't matter anyway."

The entire motel room was burning. Crux was cut off from the exit as the fire roared and tore its way through the room. Crux crawled away from it to buy as much time as he could get. Smoke filled his lungs as he coughed violently.

"Shit..."

Crux began to lose consciousness. Voices rang through his head.

"No... I don't..."

Crux collapsed inside the burning room.

Charmy cackled.

"WOW! My genius surpasses all expectations! I'm the best!"

Charmy looked to Eliowen who was sitting by the fire, his eyes wide as he called out to Crux.

"I'll deal with you later. For now..."

Charmy turned to Inrei and Rina who were fighting, he picked up the recorder and walked toward them.

Eliowen shouted out, his voice creaking in desperation.

"CRUX! CRUX PLEASE GET OUT!"

Crux was still unconscious as his mind began to wander...

Please... Don't close your eyes... stay here... Ed... please. Stay with me!

A faint and familiar spoke to Crux as he tried to stay awake.

Don't leave me alone again... Ed... Brother... please... I love you. Don't leave.

Crux slowly opened his eyes as the fire raged on.

"Mimi... I'm... here..."

Ed... Don't let it end now...

Crux's eyes shot open.

"ELIOWEN! TO FRY THE VENDING MACHINE... HIT THE FIVE POINTS ALONG THE IT'S SIDE. AIM FOR THE DENTS!"

Eliowen heard this, his hands trembling but he knew what needed to be done.

"What...?"

Eliowen remembered back to when Crux was able to fry the vending machine and cause it to spit out as many snacks and water as they wanted.

Eliowen ran to the vending machine and ran his hand along it. As he felt the surface of the vending machine he felt five dents in it from when Crux opened it before. Eliowen's fist clenched and he punched the dents hard. His fist hurt when he hit but he couldn't let Crux die. Again he bashed the five points but it didn't spew out water bottles.

"Just... keep hitting it! Don't just sit around Eliowen... you have... TO DO THIS!"

Eliowen bashed his fist at the vending machine again and again. He screamed as his knuckles bled and his fingers ached. Again he punched the five points. It didn't budge. Eliowen kept throwing his fist at the machine till his hands were soaked with blood. After his many attempts, the vending machine broke and dispensed a horde of water bottles. Eliowen picked them all up and ran back to the motel room.

Smoke was flooding out but Eliowen dumped all of the water over the fire. Crux saw an opening in the flames and got to his feet. The fire had reached him and his body began to burn. He limped out of the room as his skin boiled and popped. With a haunting scream, he managed to escape the fire, his skin rank with smoke and ash. Eliowen tried to help him but any contact caused severe pain to Crux.

Crux looked at Eliowen with a charred body.

"Eliowen... help... Rina... Don't let them win."

Crux fell unconscious.

Eliowen trembled as he had no idea what to do.

"Crux! Crux wake up!"

Crux didn't wake up. He was still breathing but he had sustained too many injuries. Eliowen took a deep breath.

"Just hold out."

Eliowen stood up, the sound of fighting still raging on as Rina faced off against Charmy and Inrei. Eliowen needed to help so once his nerves calmed he ran towards the fighting, determined to aid his friends.