Victoria changed out of her crimson armor into a dress for the party. Her flowing crimson gown gleamed like a pool of fresh blood spilled on the finest silk. Victoria stared at herself in the mirror as Thea, the thrall provided by Countess Timura, attended to her hair. She had to admit Thea was good. While her vampire hair could look good no matter what, Thea turned it into a masterpiece. Victoria, meanwhile, sat in silence, her thoughts swirling with plans for the future. She knew better than to voice her musings out loud. Despite Armos's assurances that the thrall bind was impenetrable, Victoria remained cautious about revealing too much to Thea on the chance that her placement was a trap rather than a gift.
One thing was clear in Victoria's mind – she needed to grow stronger. The training she’d undergone with the whip was extremely valuable, but she hadn’t increased in level. Who knew what the other champions were up to. She couldn't afford to stagnate.
Feeding presented another pressing issue. The dark obelisk and its surroundings teemed with vampires who had woken for the champion challenge. The delicate balance between sustenance and secrecy was becoming increasingly strained. Victoria had a newfound appreciation for the choice many vampires made to enter the long rest. This deep slumber allowed them to conserve their strength and wake when the world had changed. However, it was not for her. She was in a race against the other champions.
In the days and months ahead, some recently awakened vampires would likely return to their dormant state, while others might venture into the world to explore its evolution. Victoria recognized that she and her progeny had become a burden on the coven. They had outstayed their welcome, and now that her training had temporarily come to a halt, it was the perfect opportunity to strike out on their own.
As Thea finished up, Victoria admired her hair. “Excellent work, Thea. Please pack my things in the war camper while I attend the party. We will be leaving soon.”
Thea bowed her head at the command. “As you wish, mistress.”
Stepping from her chamber, Victoria found her vampire progeny, Jared and Brig, and the Lum waiting. Their transition from thrall to vampire spawn, and finally, fledgling vampire, had been a tough change, and one she didn’t plan to repeat until she was level ten and could create fledgling vampires directly. Still, looking at her progeny filled her with pride. They had settled into their vampiric roles with aplomb during her whip training. Here they stood, a vision of immortal grace.
Lum wore a stunning green dress they’d looted from the Johansen estate. The two male vampires were clad in tuxedos, their dark attire contrasting with the pale luminance of their skin.
"Good evening," Victoria greeted with a warm smile, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "I see you've all dressed for the occasion."
Jared flashed a roguish grin. "Of course. We know our actions reflect on you, our matriarch, so we strive to bring you honor."
As a group, they made their way through the halls of the dark obelisk, heading towards the grandeur of the coven's evening event. Victoria took the lead with Lum at her right hand, a step behind her, while Jared and Brig followed.
As before, a thrall announced her and her progeny as she entered the main hall.
“Champion, Victoria Vanbelden, bloodline matriarch, and her offspring, Jared, Brig, and Lum.”
Eyes turned to her group. Victoria observed their smiles and knew many emotions were hidden beneath their expressions. Not all were happy with her role as champion, but none dared to challenge her. The elder vampires, those above level twenty, had spent centuries cultivating their roles in the coven. None of them wanted the role, but they would gleefully push it on to one of their descendants, if they thought they could do so with minimal political backlash.
The grandeur of the party surrounded Victoria, a spectacle of opulence and extravagance that would have delighted her in her previous life. Yet, an unshakable feeling gnawed at her – the need to depart, to take charge of her own development by seeking out greater challenges and foes. Victoria knew that her path lay beyond the confines of the coven, and the time had come to embrace the unknown, to venture forth into the ever-darkening night and challenge herself. She was thankful for the farewell party as it gave her an elegant way to break with the coven.
An illusion of Victoria glided gracefully through the opulent gathering, moving with ethereal grace. Her illusion captivated the attention of many in the room. At the same time, the real Victoria walked among them, concealed by her missing person spell.
Deep within, the burning desire for continuous improvement drove her. She seamlessly flexed her mastery over a range of skills: stealth, dark step, moderate illusion, sanguine sight, and missing person were all used to maintain her stealth as well as her illusion.
The fledgling vampires like herself and the thrall servants were unaware of her presence, but she needed to pay careful attention so she wouldn’t run into anyone as she navigated the event. She couldn't help but marvel at the intricacy of the conversations that buzzed around her, as layered and complex as the very politics underpinning the existence of vampires.
Victoria was acutely aware that her illusion didn't deceive the elder or ancient vampires in attendance. They saw through her ruse, but instead of exposing her, they seemed content to let her play her part, finding amusement in her performance. Even the subtlest games and diversions held their own allure in vampire society.
Victoria’s illusion, her crimson gown trailing like a river of blood, made her way gracefully through the grand chamber. As she exchanged polite greetings and pleasantries, she entered into the subtle dance of vampire discourse. The conversations here could be just as dangerous as any battle, and she pushed herself to navigate them with finesse.
She kept up her game for half an hour until her social maneuvering was suddenly disrupted by a voice that whispered directly into her mind. "One cannot continue the same dance without boring the audience, Victoria. Provide us with more entertainment or case this farce.” The intrusion sent a shiver down her spine, but she didn't allow her unease to show.
Swiftly, she cast her senses wide, probing for the source of the telepathic message. It didn't take her long to trace it back to an elder female vampire lounging among her progeny. Lady Elara regarded her with a confident smile. Victoria recognized her as a formidable figure among the vampire hierarchy, an elder who stood nearly twenty levels above her and was renowned for her skill in the arcane arts, particularly illusion magic.
“Come see me,” Elara commanded. The mental message hit her with a strong compulsion. If not for her strong willpower and iron will boon, the elder’s command would’ve forced her to discard all activity to immediately obey. Still, it took concerted mental effort to resist the compulsion.
While her illusion continued her conversation, Victoria nodded to Elara. Her mind whirred into high gear as she received Elara's challenge. The elder illusionist was essentially testing her ability to multitask to maintain the illusion spell while engaging in a face-to-face conversation. It was a subtle but unmistakable challenge—one that she vowed not to fail. She would meet each challenge and overcome it.
Without hesitation, she approached the elder vampire. She kept her attention divided between the illusion and her immediate surroundings. Each word, each gesture, and each glance had to be executed flawlessly, for beneath the veneer of pleasantries, the vampires' discourse was laden with hidden meanings and social intricacies.
“Clear the area,” Lady Elara commanded the younger vampires surrounding her.
The vampires obediently left to mingle elsewhere, most rising immediately, as only a few trailed behind. Victoria wondered if their quick reactions were the result of compulsion. The slower ones likely had better mental resistance.
The vacated space provided Victoria and the elder vampire a private space for their conversation. As the younger vampires gracefully dispersed into the crowd, skillfully blending in, Victoria moved discreetly behind a nearby pillar. She crafted an illusion that obscured her true form, reemerging as a male vampire, dressed in understated yet refined tuxedo. The illusion's appearance was calculated not to draw too much attention but to blend effortlessly into the opulent surroundings.
Stepping from behind the pillar, she disengaged her missing person spell. She slowly walked to Lady Elara's side, her newfound persona settling smoothly into the opulent gathering. Maintaining the illusions was mentally taxing. She had to control both illusions and concentrate on each conversation. It was like a finely choreographed dance, and any misstep could shatter the illusion.
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"Crude but effective," Elara commented, gesturing to Victoria's male illusion.
Victoria smiled. "High praise from someone as talented in illusions as you, Lady Elara," she replied, admiration tinging her words. Usually, a fledgling vampire would bow to an elder, but her status as matriarch and champion allowed her to simply nod her head in acknowledgment before taking her seat.
Elara's laughter filled the chamber. Her eyes glittered with mirth as she continued their conversation. "Why, thank you, Champion, or should I say Matriarch.
“Either one is fine, Lady Elara,” Victoria replied. The delicate balance between maintaining her illusions and engaging in the conversation was a test of her abilities and a potential opportunity to gain favor among the coven's older and more influential members, so Victoria strove to do her best.
“Illusions can be such useful tools, don't you think?” Elara asked. “They reveal only what we wish to show."
In an instant, the surroundings morphed. The grandiose party scene dissolved, replaced by the warm ambiance of a cozy study. Victoria and Lady Elara now occupied high-backed chairs beside a crackling fireplace. The flickering flames painted dancing shadows on the room's walls, and a plate of freshly baked cookies rested on a table between them. The illusion was so vivid that Victoria could smell the cookies and feel the warmth radiating from the hearth.
For a fleeting moment, panic gripped her. How could she maintain both illusions with Elara’s illusion in the way? However, her well-honed sanguine sight acted as her anchor to reality, allowing her to discern the true nature of this illusion. Elara had elevated their encounter to a new level, making it abundantly clear that none of her usual senses could be trusted in this domain.
Victoria arched a single, elegant eyebrow, her sanguine eyes gleaming with intrigue. "And what is it you wished to reveal this evening, I wonder?"
Elara's response was measured, her tone tinged with cryptic allure. She leaned in slightly as if sharing a secret. "Only the veils between reality and deception, my dear. It's fascinating how easily they blur."
“Your illusions are playful but could be so much more.”
The warm study dissolved abruptly, and Victoria was plunged into an entirely different reality. She found herself submerged in a seemingly endless well filled with frigid water. The pressure from the water bore down upon her, creating an overwhelming sensation of confinement.
Instinctively, her body reacted as it would in a real aquatic predicament, urging her to swim upward and gasp for air to avoid drowning. But Victoria's well-trained mind fought back against this primal response. She knew this was merely another layer of Elara's illusion, a test of her mental fortitude.
Elara’s voice spoke in her head. “Properly applied, illusion can dominate your opponent far better than sword or spell.”
Victoria’s muscles twitched involuntarily as her mind grappled with the conflicting signals from her body and her reason. Struggling to regain control, she forcefully inhaled, pushing past the illusionary sensation of water filling her lungs. This was the power of a master illusionist to so precisely manipulate her senses. Breathing in the imaginary water made her cough and gasp, her body responding as if it had truly experienced the cold rush of water.
The experience was disorienting. It threatened to overwhelm her, but she knew she must keep her wits to navigate this mental labyrinth.
Amidst the illusionary well and the disconcerting sensation of water, Victoria could feel the curious gazes of other vampires directed toward her. The illusion was doing its job, making her appear as though she was behaving strangely, perhaps as if she were lost in her thoughts.
Despite the pressure from her own instincts, she remained steadfast. Her willpower was an indomitable force, honed through challenges and battles, both from this world and the previous one.
As she focused on maintaining her illusion, the illusionary version of herself fought to regain control, struggling against the sensation of drowning. Victoria knew she couldn't falter; she couldn't allow this illusion to dominate her.
This was a struggle of the mind. Lady Elara may be a high level with far greater skill, but Victoria was a champion with intense willpower and a boon to match. With a surge of mental strength, she channeled her determination into the illusion, willing for reality to reassert itself. It was like pushing against a wall. Her mental muscles flexed, but the wall didn’t move. She pushed her focus to a single point. She didn’t need to break the wall, just a small part and the crack could spread. Her lungs cried out for air as she pushed all her energy into the smallest speck of the illusion.
Her confidence grew as a crack formed. Pushing harder, the crack grew, the party scene shining through the stone walls of the well. With another shove, the illusory well shattered like glass, and the sensation of water vanished.
At that moment, the illusion covering her conversation with the other vampires also faltered and her double disappeared. Similarly, her glamor reverted and her true form sat near Lady Elara. Curses and exclamations of surprise filled the air as the vampires she’d been conversing with searched for her in bewilderment.
Victoria felt pride and sorrow. She had successfully dispelled Elara's illusion and was once again in control of her surroundings, but she’d lost control over her illusions.
Through her sanguine sight, she watched the young vampires exchange knowing glances and whispers as they spotted her with Elara. It seemed they attributed the entire episode to Lady Elara's illusionary prowess, not suspecting Victoria's involvement.
Elara's eyes held a glint of amusement as she observed Victoria's reaction. "You may have talent," she commented, "but it looks like you missed something."
Victoria became aware of the sensation of water trickling down her face, her hair dripping wet. She chuckled softly, realizing that Elara had planted another layer of illusion, a clever trick to further put her in her place and challenge her. With a flick of her mental resolve, she cast aside this illusion, and her hair returned to its usual state, dry and perfectly styled.
"Indeed," Victoria responded, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Your illusions are impressive, Lady Elara. I hope to one day have your level of control."
The elder illusionist nodded approvingly. "Illusions are a blend of art, intellect, and control," she remarked. “If you walk this path to its peak, your illusions can reshape reality.”
Victoria saw her illusions in a new light. Thus far, she had used them to augment her other skills, hiding traps or baiting opponents, but that was like using a gold bar as a paperweight. She saw the connection between illusions and her mind spells. What feats could she achieve when she shaped perception?
Intrigued by Elara's mysterious words, Victoria leaned in closer, her gaze locked onto Elara's. "Perhaps I should’ve trained with you instead of studying the whip. I've always believed that illusions hold the power to reveal truths that reality often obscures."
Lady Elara's smile widened, revealing her pearl-white fangs. "As if an apprenticeship with me would be so easy to gain. You are not ready. Illusions, you see, are not just about masking reality; they are about sculpting it, shaping it into a narrative of our choosing."
Victoria nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Your demonstration has proved it. The power of illusion lies in its ability to craft stories to manipulate perceptions. It's an art form that transcends mere deception."
"You grasp the essence of it quite well, my dear. But the true beauty of illusion lies in its endless possibilities. One can make the mundane seem magical, or the formidable appear feeble."
Victoria's mind churned with newfound inspiration. The possibilities were indeed boundless. "Lady Elara, your words and your demonstration have inspired me," Victoria said, nodding in respect as her mind processed ways to augment her charms with illusion.
“I’m eager to see your progression. Do not disappoint me,” Elara said with a light laugh.
“I am confident you will find my future exploits quite entertaining,” Victoria replied.
Elara waved her off. “We will see,” she said dismissively.
With a graceful pivot, Victoria continued her meandering path through the gathering. Her interactions were a delicate dance, a game of words. She knew that beneath the veneer of sociability, the vampires of the dark obelisk were constantly assessing, plotting, and scheming. And in this intricate world, every conversation held the potential for hidden truths and concealed intentions. She engaged in it but felt it was all a distraction from what was really important. These vampires could play their games and separate themselves from the world, living the centuries hidden away, but not so for her.
Victoria worked her way through the crowd to Prince Vincent. As she neared his table, he gestured to an empty seat, saying, “Sit. Enjoy one more evening with us.”
“Thank you for your hospitality, eternal majesty,” Victoria said before taking the offered seat. A thrall stepped forward from the shadows, slit his wrist, and filled her goblet.
Prince Vincent regarded her with a level gaze, his ageless features betraying no emotion. "Of course. This coven is always welcome to you, as befits the champion," he responded. "Where will you go from here?"
Victoria took a moment to choose her words carefully as she sipped from her cup. "I am searching for challenges that match my strength.”
"Rumors have reached me of a new cult to the south, near Hapsburg. They worship someone they call the 'Illuminator,' who claims to be a god. This may be a worthy adversary,” Prince Vincent offered. “Some say the Illuminator is a champion.”
“That sounds intriguing. A city of fanatics could be quite the challenge. I’ll need to weigh my options.”
The prince's expression remained unchanged, but she could sense his curiosity. "And what else are you considering?”
"From what I’ve heard," Victoria answered. "A new leader has risen among one of the largest werewolf clans. He aims to unite all the werewolves under his banner and has publicly announced that he is a champion."
Prince Vincent nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging her ambitions. "A werewolf champion could be a challenging opponent or a simple battle, depending on when you catch them. Without their lycanthropic transformation, they are only human but transformed, their power is multiplied fourfold."
Victoria nodded in agreement, but there was more she wanted to say yet couldn't bring herself to voice it. She had her reasons for seeking out these challenges, not just for the thrill of combat but for the champion awards, too. However, she didn’t know how much others knew of the champion bonuses and awards. She thought it best to keep her advantages hidden.
Before they concluded their conversation, Prince Vincent reminded her of another potential threat. "Don't forget about the lich in the forest to the north. He may be old, but he's not to be underestimated."
A sly smile touched Victoria's lips as she replied, "The lich and I have an arrangement. We understand each other well."
The prince's eyes bore into hers momentarily, then inclined his head slightly. "Very well, Victoria. May you find the challenge you seek an usher in the eternal night.”
With a graceful nod, Victoria retreated from the prince's presence to consider her next steps. Despite her eagerness to leave, she paid her respects, determined to leave the coven on the right note.