Victoria's thralls instinctively tensed, scanning their surroundings with caution. The voice resonated with such power and yet, none could find the source. Victoria's firm command resonated with authority, easing their anxiety. "Stand down. We are among friends."
Stepping down from the vehicle, Victoria presented Liviana's severed head with as much respect and decorum as possible with such a gruesome object. Her voice was confident as she addressed the ancient vampire before her. "Eternal Majesty, I return to you the head of a valiant warrior, a worthy challenger for the champion title, and a noble of your esteemed bloodline."
In a sudden flicker, the head vanished, replaced by the imposing figure of the ancient vampire. His presence radiated power and anger. Victoria felt the weight of his aura press her to the ground, forcing her face into the mud. She struggled against the overwhelming pressure, her body trembling under the sheer force of his presence. Just before she passed out, the ancient vampire deemed it fit to ease the pressure. She struggled to her senses as blood pumped again in her veins.
"Rise, champion," the ancient vampire commanded, his voice resonating with authority and acknowledgment.
Victoria pushed herself from the ground, smoothed her clothes, and offered a low bow. “Thank you, Eternal Majesty,” Victoria said, following Armos' instructions in how to address the ancient vampire.
"You have proven yourself by besting my daughter in this challenge. I, Prince Vincent, coven master, acknowledge your victory and welcome you to the dark obelisk."
The words echoed through the air, and as if a veil had been lifted, the illusion vanished, revealing the true form of the structure that stood before them. It was a colossal gothic tower, a monolithic masterpiece crafted from black granite that seemed to pierce the very heavens. Towering at least thirty stories high, its imposing presence sent shivers down her thrall’s spines as they beheld it.
The tower's architectural design was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Its octagonal shape was accentuated by the majestic flying buttresses that adorned each of its eight sides, stretching outward and upward like the wings of some mythical creature. These buttresses not only added to the tower's grandeur but also served as crucial support for the massive structure.
As they approached, the absence of windows was striking, giving the tower an ominous and mysterious aura. No glimmer of light or hint of what lay within could be seen from the outside. It seemed as if the edifice concealed untold secrets, its inscrutable facade guarding against prying eyes. It provided no avenue for sunlight to enter its hallowed space.
The gothic style continued throughout, with intricate carvings adorning the tower's surface. Grotesque gargoyles perched at regular intervals, their menacing expressions watching over the tower's domain like ancient guardians.
The entrance to the tower was a massive arched doorway, seemingly the mouth of a giant beast waiting to swallow those who dared to enter. The doors were made of thick, weathered oak, reinforced with iron bands that spoke of the tower's age and formidable defenses.
As Victoria and her companions stood before the awe-inspiring tower, they couldn't help but feel both trepidation and curiosity.
With a simple gesture, the ancient vampire transported the entire group inside the tower, their surroundings transforming instantly. The chamber was grand, adorned with opulent decorations and a sense of ancient power permeated the air.
"You may leave your belongings here," Prince Vincent spoke, his voice echoing within the chamber. "All you require shall be provided as our esteemed guest, champion."
Grateful for the hospitality, Victoria bowed her head in gratitude. "Thank you, shadowed sovereign," she replied. Her companions, Jared, Brig, Lina, and the thralls, mirrored her gesture, their loyalty and respect evident in their lowered heads.
Prince Vincent approached Victoria, his gaze filled with a curious intensity. He delicately took her offered arm, bringing it to his lips and sipping her blood with an air of appreciation. A sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips as he savored the taste. His expression softened into one of tranquility as he addressed her, acknowledging the uniqueness of her bloodline.
"As I expected, yours is a bloodline unlike any other," the ancient vampire spoke, his voice tinged with admiration and intrigue. "Though you may be a fledgling, you are also the matriarch of your bloodline. It has been centuries since a new bloodline emerged among our kind. The others will be eager to meet you. Please, call me Prince Vincent, champion," he said, extending his arm to her in return.
"I'm honored, Prince Vincent," Victoria replied, accepting the offered hand and bringing it to her lips. As she sipped from his blood, a rush of power surged through her veins. The taste was unlike anything she had ever experienced, a heady blend of ancient strength and raw vitality.
Prince Vincent observed her with a knowing smile. "Ah, your first taste of the blood of an ancient," he remarked. "Indulge yourself. Embrace the rewards that await you."
Inspired by his words, Victoria took another sip, allowing the potent essence to flow through her. The surge of power intensified, coursing through her body like a raging tempest. Every cell seemed to vibrate with newfound strength, but with it came an overwhelming sensation of being consumed by an unforgiving force.
Victoria's senses were overwhelmed as the torrent of power reached its zenith. The pounding in her head grew more intense, her vision blurred, and her consciousness slipped away. She collapsed to the floor, succumbing to the overwhelming effects of the ancient vampire's blood.
As Victoria's eyelids fluttered open, she found herself enveloped in the comforting embrace of the dark coffin. To an outsider, it might appear confining, but for a vampire, it was akin to the coziest of beds, providing a sense of security and solace. Slowly, she became aware of a subtle shift within her, an intangible transformation that had occurred during her slumber.
Casting her gaze around the enclosed space, Victoria's eyes fell upon the glowing notifications that awaited her attention. Each message held the promise of newfound powers, bestowed upon her by her status as the vampire champion and the blood she had tasted from an ancient vampire. It was a pivotal moment, a choice that would shape her future and determine the nature of her vampiric abilities.
The first message read, “You have been named vampire champion by one of the ancients. For as long as you remain champion, you will have supernatural charisma, making charisma stat points fifty percent more effective.”
Excellent, she thought. Charisma was one her primary attributes.
The second message read, “For tasting the blood of one of the ancients, you have been granted one choice of boon,” offering her several choices.
Shape-shifting: The sip of blood grants shape-shifting abilities, enabling you to transform into mist, animals, or even humanoid creatures with extraordinary abilities.
Regal Presence: Drinking the blood of an ancient vampire bestows an aura of majesty and authority, making you more charismatic and influential, especially among other vampires.
Blood Magic Affinity: You develop an affinity for blood magic, gaining the ability to manipulate and control blood in various ways, such as forming barriers, blood limbs, creating weapons, or empowering your thralls.
Superior Reaping: You are more adept at extracting and harvesting essence or life force from your victims, allowing you to derive greater sustenance and power from each feeding.
Vampiric Mastery: Enhances and refines existing vampire skills and abilities, increasing each by five levels.
Luminal Resistance: The blood grants you increased resistance to sunlight. Damage from sunlight will be decreased by fifty percent.
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Victoria meticulously evaluated the potential boons, her mind focused on the long-term implications of her decision. She swiftly dismissed regal presence, recognizing that her current status as champion had already granted her a significant advantage in vampire society. She also eliminated enhanced resistance. After her last encounter with sunlight, she never wished to see it again and she would do all she could to avoid it. Yes, this resistance might save her life one day, but other than a failsafe, it offered no additional advantage to her.
Vampiric mastery, though tempting with its immediate benefits, failed to sway Victoria. She understood that true mastery came from relentless training and honing her skills over time, rather than relying on a temporary boost. Her vision extended far beyond the present moment, and she was determined to build a foundation of enduring power and capability.
The choice between shape-shifting and blood magic both greatly interested her. The allure of shape-shifting, the freedom to transform into mist or other forms, resonated deeply within her. Several times now, she had been stuck in places that Leroy was able to easily escape with his blink ability. If she had the shape-shifting ability, she could have escaped by turning into mist in both the prison and Avery’s dungeon. The thought of escaping confinements or traversing treacherous territories with newfound agility and versatility tempted her greatly. Leroy's teleportation ability served as a constant reminder of the advantages such a skill could offer.
On the other hand, blood magic offered a unique opportunity to tap into the very essence that defined her vampiric existence. Victoria reasoned that expanding her magical repertoire, particularly in the manipulation and control of blood, would provide her with an arsenal of potent abilities that could compensate for her weaknesses and further solidify her position as a formidable vampire.
However, Lum already had access to blood magic and she was part of her family. She reasoned that it would be best to specialize and not double up on abilities that others could cover for her.
The allure of superior reaping ultimately called the most to her. Victoria's keen understanding of her vampiric heritage propelled her towards this choice. She recognized from her reading that vampires started with lower base stats compared to some other races, but their true strength lay in their ability to absorb attributes from their victims. The opportunity to enhance this core aspect of her vampiric nature promised a perpetual wellspring of power and potential.
After careful deliberation, Victoria embraced the path of superior reaping, knowing it aligned seamlessly with her long-term goals and aspirations. It was a choice that would allow her to derive greater sustenance and strength from each feeding, establishing her as a predator of supreme prowess, allowing her to surpass her rivals in power.
Stepping out of the coffin, Victoria gazed around the room. It was circular, with coffins equally spaced around a raised circle in the center. Inside the circle was a mosaic of a tall black tower, the dark obelisk.
“Ah, I see you’re awake,” a familiar voice said from the shadows.
“Armos, I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“After almost two thousand years of life, I’d hope I have a few tricks to surprise you.” The shadows coalesced and Armos’s form took shape. He placed his hand on her head in a fatherly manner. “Congratulations, champion. I knew you could do it.”
“Thank you, Armos,” Victoria said, bowing her head to her mentor.
“Why did you travel all this way? I planned to head back to you,” Victoria asked. “I would’ve come to you straight away, but Avery’s forces were outside the coven. However, they might not be a problem much longer. I attacked them, putting them on guard. With their focus on finding me, we left the area to strike their weakened home. I left overburdened with riches and wished to store them safely before returning to destroy Avery and whatever forces remain loyal to him. This seemed the most logical place of sanctuary under the circumstances.”
“I applaud your efforts, but there is no need to return to the coven now. Once word reached the mercenaries of the destruction of his estate, the mercenaries demanded their pay, including casualty pay for those soldiers you killed. Avery’s personal storage was insufficient for the transaction, so the mercenaries escorted him roughly back to the city, where he promised to pay them what they were owed. Unfortunately for him, his estate had been completely looted, even his most secret stashes. When he tried to retrieve money from his bank accounts, he found they had been seized to pay the balance of the mortgage owed for his estate. He now enjoys the hospitality of the duke’s dungeon, one I believe you had the pleasure of visiting.”
“I see things worked out better than I thought. My only regret is that I couldn’t kill Avery myself. I’m tempted to infiltrate the dungeon just to claim his head. Each defeated champion provides me with a skill boost.”
“Your tenacity is admirable but perhaps a bit shortsighted.”
“How so?” Victoria asked.
“Have you considered where you will found your coven?”
“I had no idea I even had a coven. I assumed I was part of yours.”
Armos shook his head. “You are a bloodline matriarch. Usually, covens are founded by ancients or very powerful elders, but the head of a bloodline is an exception. You will need to establish yourself, and what better place than Columairre, a location close to two friendly covens.”
“You are asking me to kill the duke?”
“The duke must be eliminated, but you are still thinking too small. There are multiple champions in the city and a dozen noble houses. Eliminate or convert them all. I suggest you fight and gain experience until you can reach level ten. Then you can create vampires directly, without bothering with vampire spawn. It is much more elegant.”
“I see. Kill the duke, convert his nobles to vampires in my coven, then leave them to clean their own houses while I enact a great purge of the city. It is ambitious.”
“It will send a clear signal to the other covens and give you a permanent place to grow your power.”
Victoria bowed to her mentor. “As always, your wisdom humbles me. I will make it my mission to establish my own coven. Columairre will soon know a new mistress. It will be the locus for the Vanbelden bloodline.”
Armos handed her a black leatherbound book. Two iron bars spanned the cover and spine, sealing whatever secrets behind solid locks. “This is a rare book on vampire arrays. It is a runic magic that will allow you to transform the city into a bastion of darkness. It is not a small undertaking. Buildings will need to be demolished and formations erected throughout the city. You will need several wise mages to cast the spells.”
“Are there vampires in the covens who could assist me?”
“Do not trust this book to anyone other than your thralls or bloodline descendants. Others would covet its knowledge and try to take it from you or subvert the formations to weaken you.
“It will be as you will,” Victoria said with a nod.
“Be careful. Your status as champion comes with many benefits, but anyone can challenge you for that title.”
“I will be on guard. Thank you for your guidance.”
“You will make me proud. Return the book to me when the task is complete.”
“Of course. I will keep it safe until it can be used and then return it to you. Would you like me to tell you of the battle with Liviana?”
As Victoria relived the battle, walking Armos through the plan and execution, Armos looked on with pride. When the two finished catching up, Victoria asked one final question. “Prince Vincent offered me his blood. It was amazing. I even gained a special boon from it.” Armos nodded in acknowledgment as Victoria continued. “I hope this is not presumptuous of me, but why did you never offer me yours? It felt strange to receive such a gift from a stranger instead of my own mentor.”
“Were you not the champion, many ancients would strike you down for presuming that the blood of your elders is yours to take. However, I understand your confusion and there is a very good reason why I didn’t. I could’ve given you my blood and you would have received some benefit, but the benefits are far greater when you taste the blood of a defeated foe. Since you defeated Prince Vincent’s daughter, the bearer of his own blood, you were more richly rewarded when you drank from the prince.”
“Wouldn’t I still receive those benefits if I had tasted your blood too?”
“Yes, but they would not be as valuable. You are given the greatest options for your first taste of ancient blood. That was why I set this plan in motion.”
Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Your plan?”
“Yes. I informed the covens that you were a champion. I knew one of them would challenge you. Since Prince Vincent is the closest coven, it was most likely to be his daughter that issued the challenge. Once he acknowledged you as champion, he was honor bound to offer you a sip of his blood, and thus, you earned maximum rewards for it.”
“I’m impressed with your forethought.”
“Thinking long-term comes easily when you’ve lived as long as I.” Offering her his wrist, he said, “You must wait no further. Here, drink from me and know me truly.”
Victoria looked into his wise eyes, then bent to take his wrist in her mouth, drinking the pure nectar of her mentor, an ancient vampire of immeasurable power. She felt the rush of power, similar to her first taste of ancient blood, but she did not pass out this time. There was no litany of choices. Instead, she received only two. She could choose between lesser shadowform or two random psionic spells. It was an easy choice. She hoped to learn more spells through her studies and leveling up. Shadowform addressed her need for a method of leaving confining spaces, so she quickly selected it. She also received two points to willpower, one to intelligence, and one in charisma.
Lesser shadowform: The vampire harnesses the power of shadows, allowing them to assume a temporary ethereal state known as shadowform. In this form, they become intangible, transforming into a shadowy essence for a duration of up to thirty seconds. The vampire can pass through solid objects, seamlessly traversing walls, doors, or any physical barriers as if they were intangible. In Lesser Shadowform, the vampire becomes immune to physical damage but more susceptible to magical attacks. Spells, enchantments, or other mystical forces will have greater potency.
Victoria was eager to ravage the countryside in pursuit of levels and experience, but Armos restrained her exuberance. “The plans we discussed can be addressed in due time. Our hosts have prepared a celebration for you. It is time to party and politic.”
Victoria looked at him with trepidation. “Really? I know little of politics.”
“Just assume everyone is a conniving bastard looking to their own agenda. Accept only minor gifts. Anything large will come with some obligation.”
“What do you consider large?”
“Land, armies, or powerful blood.”
“Prince Vincent…”
“The prince owed you his blood for defeating his progeny. However, if any elder or ancient offers you their blood at the party, humbly refuse. The only exception would be if they taste your blood first. Then you are welcome to taste theirs in exchange. I’m off to enjoy the party. Be sure to dress for the occasion.”
As Armos melted into the shadows, Victoria stared off with shock. What was she to wear?