Klein stood in front of the vampire, clutching a sword and shield. He tried to get a better look at his comrades, without letting the monster out of his sight. The paladin saw that all the members of his squad were lying on the floor, motionless. However, their chests were heaving, which meant they were alive.
- What did you do with them?! – the young man asked in rage.
- [Realm of Terror]. - The vampire answered. - This is my most powerful mind magic spell. Don't worry, they're all alive. It's just that right now all your comrades are watching the most traumatic episode of their lives. Or, as in the case of the magician and the archer, who do not have such a moment, they see worse options for the future.
- [Purification]! – Klein used a miracle on Robert, trying to awaken the man, but he was fast asleep, seeing his personal nightmare.
- Oh, you are too weak to dispel this spell. Maybe a miracle of a higher level would help, or if your friends were full of strength, but now - no, no chance. You won't wake them up. You know, I was surprised that you withstood my magic. Usually, when adventurers reach my chambers, I put them all to sleep and kill them like babies.
- Ho? – Klein answered, preparing for battle. – This means that you are a weak warrior, doesn’t it?
With these words, the paladin attacked the vampire, activating a miracle as he ran:
- [Exorcise the Undead]!
Holy energy washed over Victor in a wave, burning his flesh under his exquisite ancient clothing. He screamed in pain, drawing his black, red-veined sword.
Klein ran up to his opponent, stabbing him in the heart with his sword. As far as he knew, this was the weak point of vampires. The paladin prepared for a long series of exchanges of blows, but suddenly the vampire did not defend himself at all, instead going on the offensive.
The man's blade pierced the dead flesh, piercing the aristocrat's heart, but he himself wounded the young man, who was completely unprepared for such a reckless attack.
Klein jumped back a few steps, quickly examining the wound on his shoulder. It was not serious, but painful. And she didn't bleed. The paladin carefully examined his enemy, and saw how the blood flowing from the shoulder seemed to be drawn into the vampire's bloody sword, being transferred to its owner. And from this blood, the wounds on the bloodsucker healed with amazing speed, and now, after one attack, he already began to look the way he looked before the start of the battle. Klein's mana was wasted, the enemy had already repaired all the damage caused by his miracle.
- And I was so hoping that everything would be easy... - Klein muttered and attacked the vampire again. He could not run or retreat, his unconscious comrades lay behind him, and if this creature approached them... And Klein redoubled his onslaught.
----------------------------------------
Isabella was reading a book, lying on her back in her room. One servant massaged her shoulders, another used a fan to create a light breeze, and a third held a tray of fresh fruit.
A young twenty-year-old girl is used to living in luxury. She was the only daughter of a very respected count, who ruled the entire county of Gevaudan, and received all the love and care of her parents. She had complete freedom of action, could do anything, go anywhere, the girl even received home education from the best teachers.
There was only one condition: wherever the little countess went, a dozen servants had to follow her everywhere. Isabella couldn't do anything on her own. A separate subordinate was assigned to almost every action, who were severely punished if the caring count saw his daughter doing something without their help. Isabella grew up in a beautiful golden cage, like a sweet, fragile porcelain doll. She was under supervision every second, and her parents watched the girl’s every step.
And she was happy! Isabella was never an active or brave girl. She did not fit the description of a brave warrior who had escaped from parental oppression. Although Isabella loved reading such stories and listening to such stories, she never associated herself with such girls, sincerely not understanding what could be so good in life without dozens of servants and luxury. Although, the opportunity to travel with a wonderful, strong adventurer was very attractive to the Countess. Because it means that you will always be together, going through happiness and adversity, getting closer and closer, and he will always be there, ready to help, and then there will be the “beach episode”, as Isabella called them, and then...
The girl covered her reddened face with a quiet squeal, thinking about such obscenity. Having calmed down, Isabella put the book aside, announcing her intentions:
- I want to take a carriage ride.
-Are you sure, young lady? - The chief servant asked respectfully, bowing. - The moon has already risen outside. It's late and you better go to bed.
- I dont want to sleep! Oh, Lorenzo, don't you see how beautiful the full moon is in this sky!? I want to breathe some fresh air and admire her!
- As you wish, young lady.
Several servants immediately began to dress her, and another one ran to the venerable count to report on his daughter’s movements. For Isabella this was more than normal. This showed how much her parents loved and cared for her. Never in her life had the girl encountered the problems she had read about in books; all of them were driven away from her by her loving father and mother. And the girl was grateful to them for this, so she did not see anything strange in reporting to them about all her actions. It would be a small price to pay for their care of her.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Isabella lived in a fairy tale. She knew neither cold, nor hunger, nor sadness. Every day was full of bright emotions. Her father didn't even force her to get married, even though Isabella was already twenty. The girl saw how her parent was greatly worried about the absence of grandchildren, and that made her even more grateful for his favor. It wasn't that she didn't want to find a husband, quite the contrary! Isabella just wanted her love to be like in the novels... So that he would be the one, the prince on a white horse, who would value her above all else.
And, unfortunately, she hasn’t found anyone like this yet. Perhaps this was because the girl was very shy from birth, and could not talk to others, even when they were introduced to her at various balls and evenings. In any case, with the exception of this single moment, the girl’s life was like a sweet dream.
But it was time to wake up. Cruel reality burst into her beautiful little world in the form of an almost two-meter werewolf, standing on his hind legs, and with a bloody muzzle, looking with a hungry gaze at the frightened, stuttering girl.
Isabella felt as weak and helpless as ever. All her servants, all her guards lay on the ground, torn to pieces. For the first time in her entire life, the girl was left alone. Alone with a terrible monster approaching her. The Countess suddenly realized that she would soon join her retinue. A lump rose in my throat and tears poured from my eyes.
The werewolf attacked the girl, and she, almost losing consciousness from pain and fear, felt the fangs of the creature piercing her body, tearing out a huge piece of meat. The werewolf's saliva got into Isabella's blood, and she seemed to be pierced by lightning. The girl twisted and screamed, and was joined by the howl of the monster that had inflicted a wound on her.
The monster rolled on the ground, spitting out the bitten flesh in agony. She burned him from the inside. The wolf cleared his stomach, looking regretfully at the human girl before him. He knew what that burning meant... She had been chosen. This little one is no longer prey. Her soul trembled, taking in the essence of the power of lycanthropy. This girl became a relative. And nobody eats their relatives.
The monster howled again, cast a last glance with regret at Isabella writhing on the ground, and left to look for new prey. The night was just beginning.
For some time the former countess lay unconscious. And finally, she shuddered, coming to her senses. The girl opened her eyes, revealing to the world yellow eyes with a vertical pupil, best suited for hunting hot, tasty creatures full of blood and meat. Everything human left the girl, and she, undergoing terrible changes, bent over in a furious howl.
The girl’s legs stretched out, changing, her exquisitely manicured nails turned into sharp curved claws, and her teeth into fangs, like a palisade of sharpened spears in her mouth. Isabella's skin was covered with gray fur and quickly stretched in all directions to embrace her new, larger, more perfect body.
With a howl to the silent full moon, a new werewolf was born. And after his first reincarnation he was very hungry. How fortunate that his scent sensed a lot nearby. There are a lot of warm and tasty people. The monster grinned and, under the cold light of the Earth’s satellite, headed to Javol, the capital of Gevaudan.
Isabella could only watch, as if from the outside, in despair and tears, the actions of her new body. She screamed helplessly, unable to change anything. She lost control of her body, and a new, alien, furious and hot, like a flame, consciousness took it. And the girl could not suppress it when it had already broken free, fueled by the power of the full moon. Isabella watched in horror as the beast headed towards her house.
----------------------------------------
The tomb was filled with the furious sound of steel striking steel. Klein, wielding a shield and sword, barely had time to defend himself from the dead aristocrat pressing on him. The battle had already been going on for several minutes, and the paladin was beginning to run out of steam from such a frantic pace of battle.
Sometimes the guy managed to wound the monster in front of him, but he inflicted wounds in response, restoring his own life at the expense of Klein's blood. So, the young man was already covered with many small wounds, and was suffocating from fatigue. Not only did the difficult battle take its toll, but also all the days, if not weeks, of exhausting travel through the crypt.
- And you’re holding up well, - the vampire noted, delivering another attack, which Klein did not have time to dodge, receiving a new red stripe on his body, from which the undead grinned and finished the phrase, - for a human. Especially someone so young. I respect your work, you're great. Now imagine what you could achieve if you had hundreds of years at your disposal! I just need a test subject, would you like to become one? I don’t guarantee immortality, but the chance is very high.
- Go to hell! – Klein exclaimed angrily, deflecting the vampire’s sword to the side with his shield, and plunging his own blade into his chest.
- Oh, everything has its time. I have a meeting with him scheduled for Friday...
Victor ignored the sword in his chest and sent Klein flying. The paladin did not immediately realize that this was due to a blow from the hand, which he ignored, due to the fact that there was no weapon in it. And now the young man has paid heavily for such neglect. The vampire jumped up, stepping on the guy's chest, preventing him from getting up. The aristocrat arrogantly raised his blade for the final blow, and continued his speech, without rushing anywhere:
- ...And now I’m on schedule - killing a group of arrogant adventurers. Don't be ashamed that you will die like this. You lost to me, and my perfect [Realm of Terror] spell. It affects every body of any race that enters the area of effect of the magic.
Klein was looking for something that would help him escape, and heard the d-20 thrown by the Blind Master rolling in his head and stopping at the number “20.”
- How can this spell be perfect if it has flaws? – Klein, lying on the ground, grinned, mockingly looking into the eyes of the vampire towering above him.
- What? What kind of disadvantage are we talking about? – Victor was surprised. His pride was hurt. - I hope a gentleman as wise as you can enlighten me?
- Oh, with great pleasure. – The paladin answered. - Your magic only affects each body. But what... If there are several consciousnesses in one body?
- What? – Victor was taken aback.
With a wild growl, a tall, powerful figure of the werewolf appeared behind the vampire’s back, throwing the refined figure of the aristocrat to the other end of the huge room with a crushing blow. The cracking of bones and the strangled cry of the undead, and the victorious howl of the werewolf breaking free were heard.